In another universe, this summer’s sports-centric programming looks quite a bit different than it does in our current (and very strange) reality, from major league sports like baseball and basketball not existing in a literal bubble to the only-every-four-years spectacle of the Olympics unspooling in Japan. In fact, the latest edition of the Summer Olympics would have kicked off this very week, with the world’s best athletes gathering in and around Tokyo for two weeks of competition. Brett Rapkin’s “The Weight of Gold,” which assembles a sterling array of Olympic athletes to talk candidly about their struggles with mental health, starts with a necessary nod to what would have been another entry in classic Olympic mania.
It even suggests an important question: perhaps they’re better without it? It’s an idea worth pondering, especially as Rapkin’s documentary steadily builds over the course of just one hour to show,...
It even suggests an important question: perhaps they’re better without it? It’s an idea worth pondering, especially as Rapkin’s documentary steadily builds over the course of just one hour to show,...
- 7/29/2020
- by Kate Erbland
- Indiewire
The aim of “The Weight of Gold” is both simple and noble: to remind everyone who’s ever tuned in to the Olympics that the competing athletes are, despite their seemingly unattainable strength, human beings. Narrated by Olympic legend and executive producer Michael Phelps, the HBO Sports documentary details the extraordinary drive and dedication it takes for someone to get to the Olympics, the “overwhelming” reality of being there, and most keenly of all, the suddenly steep climb to stability that awaits them once they’re home. It enlists Olympians like Phelps, snowboarder Shaun White, speed-skater Apolo Anton Ohno and figure skaters Sasha Cohen and Gracie Gold to detail their lives in and out of the Games with unprecedented candor. In openly discussing the unique pressure and deflation that defines an Olympian’s life arc, each testimony helps humanize an experience that, to many sitting at home, feels more like...
- 7/29/2020
- by Caroline Framke
- Variety Film + TV
Bill & Ted Face the Music
Bill (Alex Winter) and Ted (Keanu Reeves) aren’t exactly on track to fulfill their duty of writing the song that will unite the world. For starters, they each have marriages that need fixing, and their idea of joint couples therapy doesn’t seem very promising. Plus, their band, Wyld Stallyns, receives more grimaces than applause. With no world-uniting material on their hands, they resort back to time travel to steal the song from their future selves. This time, they aren’t the only ones...
Bill (Alex Winter) and Ted (Keanu Reeves) aren’t exactly on track to fulfill their duty of writing the song that will unite the world. For starters, they each have marriages that need fixing, and their idea of joint couples therapy doesn’t seem very promising. Plus, their band, Wyld Stallyns, receives more grimaces than applause. With no world-uniting material on their hands, they resort back to time travel to steal the song from their future selves. This time, they aren’t the only ones...
- 7/25/2020
- by Natalli Amato
- Rollingstone.com
Michael Phelps, Shaun White, Sasha Cohen and many other Olympians examine their relationship with “post-Olympic depression” in a new documentary, The Weight of Gold, which released its first trailer on Monday.
The HBO Sports film will debut on HBO and on streaming via HBO Max on Wednesday, July 29th at 9:00 p.m. Et, around when the Summer Olympics were scheduled to take place in Tokyo, Japan, this year — prior to the coronavirus pandemic.
In the trailer, athletes open up about how “40 seconds will dictate our human lives,” before the...
The HBO Sports film will debut on HBO and on streaming via HBO Max on Wednesday, July 29th at 9:00 p.m. Et, around when the Summer Olympics were scheduled to take place in Tokyo, Japan, this year — prior to the coronavirus pandemic.
In the trailer, athletes open up about how “40 seconds will dictate our human lives,” before the...
- 7/20/2020
- by Claire Shaffer
- Rollingstone.com
Michael Phelps is the most decorated Olympian of all time, but what’s left to accomplish after you’ve proved you’re the best in the world? In the new documentary “The Weight of Gold,” Phelps takes a long look at life after the Olympics and how he was not alone in experiencing depression after winning it all.
“The Weight of Gold” is an HBO Sports documentary executive produced by Phelps and features interviews with Olympians who discuss going their entire lives without normal childhoods, without outside skills or interests beyond their sport, without any plans after the Olympics and whose entire lives have been defined by a rapid, 40-second race.
“We’re just so lost. A good 80 percent, maybe more, develop a post-Olympic depression,” Phelps says in the documentary trailer. “I thought of myself as just a swimmer, and not a human being, and that’s where I thought,...
“The Weight of Gold” is an HBO Sports documentary executive produced by Phelps and features interviews with Olympians who discuss going their entire lives without normal childhoods, without outside skills or interests beyond their sport, without any plans after the Olympics and whose entire lives have been defined by a rapid, 40-second race.
“We’re just so lost. A good 80 percent, maybe more, develop a post-Olympic depression,” Phelps says in the documentary trailer. “I thought of myself as just a swimmer, and not a human being, and that’s where I thought,...
- 7/20/2020
- by Brian Welk
- The Wrap
HBO has acquired and set a premiere date for The Weight of Gold, a feature documentary on the mental health challenges that Olympic athletes often face. All-time medal champ Michael Phelps is among the subjects, along with Shaun White, Bode Miller and others.
The film also features Jeremy Bloom, Lolo Jones, Gracie Gold, Apolo Anton Ohno, Sasha Cohen, David Boudia, Katie Uhlaender and the late Jeret Peterson And Steven Holcomb.
Directed by Brett Rapkin and produced by Podium Pictures in association with Octagon, The Weight of Gold will premiere at 9 p.m. Wednesday, July 29 — when the 2020 Tokyo Games were to have been going on before the event was postponed by the coronavirus pandemic.
The docu spotlights Olympic athletes, a group that has long quietly battled its own mental health crisis and now is grappling with the unprecedented postponement of the 2020 Olympics and all its implications. The film seeks to inspire the discussion of mental health,...
The film also features Jeremy Bloom, Lolo Jones, Gracie Gold, Apolo Anton Ohno, Sasha Cohen, David Boudia, Katie Uhlaender and the late Jeret Peterson And Steven Holcomb.
Directed by Brett Rapkin and produced by Podium Pictures in association with Octagon, The Weight of Gold will premiere at 9 p.m. Wednesday, July 29 — when the 2020 Tokyo Games were to have been going on before the event was postponed by the coronavirus pandemic.
The docu spotlights Olympic athletes, a group that has long quietly battled its own mental health crisis and now is grappling with the unprecedented postponement of the 2020 Olympics and all its implications. The film seeks to inspire the discussion of mental health,...
- 6/29/2020
- by Erik Pedersen
- Deadline Film + TV
Washington — Democratic presidential candidate Andrew Yang made several comments during a recent call with campaign staffers that strongly suggest he’s thinking about running for president again in four years if his long-shot 2020 White House bid falls short.
Yang told his staffers that a strong showing in the New Hampshire primary this Tuesday would help build a base of supporters he could draw on if he ran again in four years.
“Every bit of good we do in the state of New Hampshire gives us a chance to make history right now on Tuesday,...
Yang told his staffers that a strong showing in the New Hampshire primary this Tuesday would help build a base of supporters he could draw on if he ran again in four years.
“Every bit of good we do in the state of New Hampshire gives us a chance to make history right now on Tuesday,...
- 2/7/2020
- by Andy Kroll
- Rollingstone.com
Washington — The presidential campaign of Andrew Yang, the insurgent Democratic presidential contender, laid off 130 staffers on Wednesday and Thursday, several former staffers say, including on-the-ground canvassers and organizers who’d been working to prepare for upcoming primary elections in New Hampshire, Nevada, and South Carolina.
Several newly fired staffers tell Rolling Stone they felt blindsided by the announcement. They say they had their campaign email accounts disabled and then were notified they were fired without any warning or explanation.
“I still very much believe in Andrew’s message but the...
Several newly fired staffers tell Rolling Stone they felt blindsided by the announcement. They say they had their campaign email accounts disabled and then were notified they were fired without any warning or explanation.
“I still very much believe in Andrew’s message but the...
- 2/6/2020
- by Andy Kroll
- Rollingstone.com
Baby on the way! Sasha Cohen has some exciting news to announce. The former Olympic figure skater shared that she is pregnant with her first child with fiancé Geoffrey Lieberthal. The athlete took to Instagram to share the exciting news and posed beside some adorable gold balloons that spelled out the word baby. "Geoff and I are so excited to welcome a little one into the world!" she posted along a cute photo of herself jumping for job. "Thank you to everyone in our lives for making today such a memorable one." Sasha and Geoff got engaged in October of this year, with Sasha posting a sweet picture of the Geoff getting down on one knee to pop the question. Sasha also...
- 11/18/2019
- E! Online
Sacha Baron Cohen’s new Showtime show “Who is America?” only just introduced viewers to the comedian’s new characters, but several of them have been lurking in the background of American life for a while.
In the first episode of his new series on Showtime, Baron Cohen played several different characters to send up the politics of America from a number of angles. There was Dr. Billy Wayne Ruddick Jr., Ph.D., a Southern, right-wing pundit who runs the website Truthbrary.org; liberal stereotype Dr. Nira Cain-n’Degeocello; and Israeli gun advocate Erran Morad.
Turns out, their appearances on “Who is America?” weren’t the first time any of those characters had popped up in public. All three have been out in the world of cyberspace, two of which for at least a couple of months at this point, slowly building online personas that are both ridiculous and frighteningly realistic.
In the first episode of his new series on Showtime, Baron Cohen played several different characters to send up the politics of America from a number of angles. There was Dr. Billy Wayne Ruddick Jr., Ph.D., a Southern, right-wing pundit who runs the website Truthbrary.org; liberal stereotype Dr. Nira Cain-n’Degeocello; and Israeli gun advocate Erran Morad.
Turns out, their appearances on “Who is America?” weren’t the first time any of those characters had popped up in public. All three have been out in the world of cyberspace, two of which for at least a couple of months at this point, slowly building online personas that are both ridiculous and frighteningly realistic.
- 7/17/2018
- by Phil Hornshaw
- The Wrap
Twenty years ago, at the 1998 Olympics in Nagano, Japan, two American women battled for the gold medal spot in the ladies’ singles competition: Tara Lipinski and Michelle Kwan.
As we know now, Lipinski ended up with gold and Kwan the silver. In 2002, it was much of the same: American Sarah Hughes took gold while Kwan won bronze. At the World Championships, too, American women dominated: From 1996 to 2006, there were only three years where an American woman didn’t land the top spot, and even then, the United States still had one (or even two) women on the podium.
Fast forward...
As we know now, Lipinski ended up with gold and Kwan the silver. In 2002, it was much of the same: American Sarah Hughes took gold while Kwan won bronze. At the World Championships, too, American women dominated: From 1996 to 2006, there were only three years where an American woman didn’t land the top spot, and even then, the United States still had one (or even two) women on the podium.
Fast forward...
- 2/23/2018
- by Diana Pearl
- PEOPLE.com
When injuries ended Sasha Cohen’s hopes for a second Olympic medal in 2010, the future felt uncertain.
A figure skater known for her elegant flexibility — her coach once said she was incapable of putting her body into an ugly position — Cohen says her life as an Olympian was “so clear.”
“I’d wake up every morning with a plan for the day, and the year, and the next four years,” the 33-year-old tells People. “I was on this train and everything else blurred on the side.”
But after tendinitis in her calf kept her from qualifying in 2010, the 2006 silver medalist...
A figure skater known for her elegant flexibility — her coach once said she was incapable of putting her body into an ugly position — Cohen says her life as an Olympian was “so clear.”
“I’d wake up every morning with a plan for the day, and the year, and the next four years,” the 33-year-old tells People. “I was on this train and everything else blurred on the side.”
But after tendinitis in her calf kept her from qualifying in 2010, the 2006 silver medalist...
- 2/2/2018
- by Eileen Finan
- PEOPLE.com
Now this is how you make a comeback!
Kesha made her first public appearance on Oct. 27 since claiming she almost starved herself to death due to body shaming. The singer hit the scene to perform some of her biggest hits at DailyMail.com's Halloween party at the McKittrick Hotel in New York City.
Getty Images
Watch: Kesha Opens Up About Body Shaming, Claims She 'Almost Killed' Herself
On Oct. 26, Jason Wahler and his wife Ashley attended the 42nd Annual Maple Ball at The Montage Beverly Hills. Dr. Drew Pinksky was honored at the ball. The Maple Counseling Center is a Los Angeles nonprofit, whose mission is to provide low cost comprehensive mental health services to those in need.
Peter Mah, Grandmah Photography
Wiz Khalifa and Olivia Culpo partied the night away at Cipriani Wall Street in New York City on Oct. 26 while attending the Pencils of Promise 6th Annual Gala "A World Imagined."
Michael Loccisano...
Kesha made her first public appearance on Oct. 27 since claiming she almost starved herself to death due to body shaming. The singer hit the scene to perform some of her biggest hits at DailyMail.com's Halloween party at the McKittrick Hotel in New York City.
Getty Images
Watch: Kesha Opens Up About Body Shaming, Claims She 'Almost Killed' Herself
On Oct. 26, Jason Wahler and his wife Ashley attended the 42nd Annual Maple Ball at The Montage Beverly Hills. Dr. Drew Pinksky was honored at the ball. The Maple Counseling Center is a Los Angeles nonprofit, whose mission is to provide low cost comprehensive mental health services to those in need.
Peter Mah, Grandmah Photography
Wiz Khalifa and Olivia Culpo partied the night away at Cipriani Wall Street in New York City on Oct. 26 while attending the Pencils of Promise 6th Annual Gala "A World Imagined."
Michael Loccisano...
- 10/31/2016
- Entertainment Tonight
Sasha Cohen has tied the knot! The 2006 Olympic silver medalist and three-time World Championship medalist married her boyfriend of two years, Tom May, in a private Massachusetts wedding on Saturday. The intimate ceremony was held at Wianno Club in Osterville. The figure skater wore her hair pulled back and donned a stunning beaded gown with a plunging neckline. "I just can't believe how quickly the whole weekend went by. It was absolutely magical. We were deeply moved to share such a personal commitment with our family and closest friends as the sun set on the Cape," Cohen, 31, told Entertainment Tonight.
- 8/22/2016
- by Rose Minutaglio, @RoseMinutaglio
- PEOPLE.com
Sasha Cohen has tied the knot! The 2006 Olympic silver medalist and three-time World Championship medalist married her boyfriend of two years, Tom May, in a private Massachusetts wedding on Saturday. The intimate ceremony was held at Wianno Club in Osterville. The figure skater wore her hair pulled back and donned a stunning beaded gown with a plunging neckline. "I just can't believe how quickly the whole weekend went by. It was absolutely magical. We were deeply moved to share such a personal commitment with our family and closest friends as the sun set on the Cape," Cohen, 31, told Entertainment Tonight.
- 8/22/2016
- by Rose Minutaglio, @RoseMinutaglio
- PEOPLE.com
Sasha Cohen has tied the knot! The Olympic figure skater, who won the silver medal during the 2006 Winter Games, married Tom May in Cape Cod, Mass. on Saturday. The blushing bride took to Instagram to confirm the wonderful news, thanking her friends and family for their support on her wedding day. "The last 48 hours has been a tremendous whirlwind for Tom and I. Thank you to all our family and friends for traveling from far and wide to join us on our wedding day. We will cherish the many memories we made with you this past weekend!" the athlete wrote alongside a gorgeous photo of the newlyweds looking over the ocean. Videos shared by the wedding party reveal the couple opted for a...
- 8/21/2016
- E! Online
Sasha Cohen shows off her ring with fiancé Tom May - People Another host has withdrawn her support from the Miss USA pageant - Et Kris Jenner takes a selfie with the Dalai Lama - HuffPost Celeb Sofia Vergara reportedly doesn't want to have kids with Joe Manganiello - Ok! Is Katy Perry getting back together with this singer? - Gossip Girl This Batman v Superman actor was spotted at a festival in Dublin - Lainey Gossip You can now talk about sex with Brody Jenner - BuzzFeed Dianna Agron makes an appearance with her new boyfriend - Us Weekly 5 crazy celebrity conspiracy theories - Cracked...
- 7/7/2015
- by Marina-Liao
- Popsugar.com
Olympic figure skater Sasha Cohen is engaged to Tom May. The 2006 silver medalist shared a picture with her new fiancé on Instagram on Monday, telling her fans, "Engaged to the most incredible man… I've never been so happy." Cohen also showed off her new bling. The proposal appears to have taken place in Provincetown, Mass. Cohen met May, a hedge fund manager, during a Harvard Business School party last year. They went on their first date in October, according to People. "The couple are on a two-month traveling expedition and will plan more details about the wedding upon their return in the fall," the bride-to-be's rep told the magazine. After sharing her...
- 7/7/2015
- E! Online
Nobody saw this coming. No, not the surprise early exit of Russia's men's hockey team after a quarterfinal loss to Finland, crushing their hopes for a medal-round rematch with the U.S. Rather, what has Sochi abuzz are the jaw-dropping twists in Wednesday's ladies' figure skating short program, throwing Thursday's final of the Winter Olympics' marquee event into wildly unpredictable disarray. Russia's Yulia Lipnitskaya, 15, an overnight sensation and sudden gold-medal contender after her confident skate in the first-ever team event last week helped Russia win gold, flopped on a triple flip and fell to fifth place. Her overlooked teammate, Adelina Sotnikova,...
- 2/20/2014
- by Jeff Truesdell
- PEOPLE.com
A two-time Olympian who took silver at the 2006 Games in Turin, Sasha Cohen knows the pressure of gliding onto figure skating's biggest stage. Now the Columbia University student, 29, is kicking back as a spectator, along with the rest of us. So who is she looking forward to seeing when the ladies' figure skating competition takes center ice in Sochi? "I'm very excited to see Yuna Kim of South Korea try to defend her gold medal," says Cohen. Kim, she says, "is known for having the rare combination of grace, superior skills, and easily executing incredibly difficult jump combinations." But don't...
- 2/19/2014
- by Jeff Truesdell
- PEOPLE.com
A red carpet is a lot less treacherous than the ski slopes, so injured Olympian Lindsey Vonn could ditch the crutches long enough to make a splash at New York Fashion Week.Trading winter gear for a red gown, Vonn walked (gingerly) in low kitten heels, pausing to pose for pictures with fellow athlete Sasha Cohen, at the Heart Truth Red Dress Fashion Show on Thursday night. Halfway around the world in Sochi, Russia, the 2014 Winter Olympics were beginning, with 230 athletes from the United States getting ready for Friday's opening ceremony.Gold medalist Vonn, 29, the most accomplished skier in U.
- 2/7/2014
- PEOPLE.com
We have added a new set of pictures from the event "2012 International Press Academy of Beverly Hills' Satellite Awards".Vanessa Williams attending the 2012 International Press Academy of Beverly Hills' Satellite Awards.Photo copyright by Izumi Hasegawa / PR Photos. Pam Tillis attending the 2012 International Press Academy of Beverly Hills' Satellite Awards.Photo copyright by Izumi Hasegawa / PR Photos. Sasha Cohen attending the 2012 International Press Academy of Beverly Hills' Satellite Awards.Photo copyright by Izumi Hasegawa / PR Photos. Vanessa Williams attending the 2012 International Press Academy of Beverly Hills' Satellite Awards.Photo copyright by Izumi Hasegawa / PR Photos. Sasha Cohen and Brian Edwards attending the 2012 International Press Academy of Beverly Hills' Satellite Awards.Photo copyright by Izumi Hasegawa /...
- 5/7/2012
- by James Wray
- Monsters and Critics
Fun on ice comes early when mom is Nancy Kerrigan — 3½-year-old daughter Nicole first donned skates when she was only 14 months old.
“She seems to like it,” the two-time Olympic medalist tells People of her daughter, who doesn’t mind wearing the black skates handed down from brothers Matthew, 16, and Brian, 6½.
Larry Zimmerman Photography
Right now Nicole is more into costume changes — Snow White and Cinderella — than doing leaps and twirls on the ice, but Kerrigan, 42, says she’s open to her daughter choosing the demanding sport.
“If that’s what she wants to do, I’m happy to help her,...
“She seems to like it,” the two-time Olympic medalist tells People of her daughter, who doesn’t mind wearing the black skates handed down from brothers Matthew, 16, and Brian, 6½.
Larry Zimmerman Photography
Right now Nicole is more into costume changes — Snow White and Cinderella — than doing leaps and twirls on the ice, but Kerrigan, 42, says she’s open to her daughter choosing the demanding sport.
“If that’s what she wants to do, I’m happy to help her,...
- 12/27/2011
- by Sarah
- People - CelebrityBabies
When it comes to pop culture, Ukrainians have long been overlooked in terms of hotness — primarily because any Ukrainians who walked around wearing less than a parka died instantly of hypothermia. Fortunately for us, the 21st century marks the rise of hot young Ukrainian celebs as more and more sexy Slavs have been discovered by Hollywood and the world.
In the words of the Ukrainian passenger on that infamous Seinfeld episode, “You not say Ukraine is weak!” With that in mind, we present you with a list of fourteen sexy Slavs who could keep anyone warm on those cold Siberian nights.
Maksim Chmerkovsky (aka Maks)
This Ukrainian Latin Ballroom dance champion, choreographer, instructor and dance-partner-with-a-temper-but-who-is-always-right on Dancing with the Stars is not only a crazy hot dancer and buff beyond belief. Maks, as he is known, is also the owner of four dance studios in the New York City area...
In the words of the Ukrainian passenger on that infamous Seinfeld episode, “You not say Ukraine is weak!” With that in mind, we present you with a list of fourteen sexy Slavs who could keep anyone warm on those cold Siberian nights.
Maksim Chmerkovsky (aka Maks)
This Ukrainian Latin Ballroom dance champion, choreographer, instructor and dance-partner-with-a-temper-but-who-is-always-right on Dancing with the Stars is not only a crazy hot dancer and buff beyond belief. Maks, as he is known, is also the owner of four dance studios in the New York City area...
- 7/21/2011
- by Eliana Horeczko
- The Backlot
Sofia Coppola (left) showed up to support Oscar nominee and Emmy winner Liz Garbus (right), at the NY premiere screening of Garbus' HBO documentary, "Bobby Fischer Against the World," earlier this week. The event, hosted by HBO Documentary Films and the World Chess Hall of Fame, attracted a crop of guests including: photographer Harry Benson, producer Stanley Buchthal, Malcom Gladwell, Henry Kissinger, Sandra Bernhard, Pepper Binkley, Sasha Cohen, Clive Davis, ...
- 5/26/2011
- Indiewire
The Inspiration Behind Japan Calls
By Tanya Meyers and Michelle "Moey" Mariano
After the travesties that hit Japan earlier this month, many were left wondering what they could do. Texting 90999 to the Red Cross was one way, or donating to a separate charity or even flying out to help directly… But for a lot of us, there wasn’ t much money to give, and anything more direct was near impossible, so all there was left to do was brainstorm.
Thus the idea for Japan Calls came about.
It started out as a very simple idea, inspired greatly by TwitChange. But many entertainers weren't on Twitter, or were already more accessible than huge names like Eva Longoria and Justin Bieber. So what more could celebrities give that people would be willing to donate toward? What would be a step above a simple text on the screen of an individual’ s computer?...
By Tanya Meyers and Michelle "Moey" Mariano
After the travesties that hit Japan earlier this month, many were left wondering what they could do. Texting 90999 to the Red Cross was one way, or donating to a separate charity or even flying out to help directly… But for a lot of us, there wasn’ t much money to give, and anything more direct was near impossible, so all there was left to do was brainstorm.
Thus the idea for Japan Calls came about.
It started out as a very simple idea, inspired greatly by TwitChange. But many entertainers weren't on Twitter, or were already more accessible than huge names like Eva Longoria and Justin Bieber. So what more could celebrities give that people would be willing to donate toward? What would be a step above a simple text on the screen of an individual’ s computer?...
- 3/31/2011
- by Guest Editorial
- We Love Soaps
Scott Hamilton has been recuperating since last summer from surgery to repair a brain aneurysm but the Olympic champ is ready to return to the ice. "I need to get back to work," Hamilton tells People. "It's really frustrating being a public person and being more well-known for your illnesses rather than your accomplishments. Enough already!" Hamilton, 52, is about to get his wish. In late March, he is planning a return to skating, once he receives a clean bill of health from his doctors at the Cleveland Clinic and the effects of blood thinner medication to wear off. "I love...
- 2/21/2011
- by Lorenzo Benet
- PEOPLE.com
By Ryan Berenz Quick! Name the top U.S. women’s figure skater … No, I can’t either. It’s not like it used to be when Kristi Yamaguchi, Michelle Kwan and Sasha Cohen were household names. I’m told that’s Rachel Flatt we’ve got pictured here, but I couldn’t pick her out of a two-person lineup. Anyway, the [...]...
- 1/28/2011
- ChannelGuideMag
Eric Roberts, Julie Benz, AnnaLynne McCord, Anna Kournikova, and Neal McDonough are just few of the celebrities expected to attend Melanie Segal's Celebrity S.O.S. (Save Our Seas) Lounge in celebration of the MTV Movie Awards Thursday and Friday. The event aims to raise awareness and funds for the destructive Gulf of Mexico oil spill.
Platinum Publicity has pledged to make donations for each celebrity that will attend the event. The donations will help the oil spill relief efforts in the Gulf of Mexico, where wildlife and local communities are in danger because of the tragedy. A tree will also be planted in honor of each star guest.
Celebs will be doing their part by signing their autographs on various items to be auctioned off for charity. In return for their support, the stars will receive gifts from numerous brands, including Dkny, Stonyfield, DVDs from AMC and USA Networks,...
Platinum Publicity has pledged to make donations for each celebrity that will attend the event. The donations will help the oil spill relief efforts in the Gulf of Mexico, where wildlife and local communities are in danger because of the tragedy. A tree will also be planted in honor of each star guest.
Celebs will be doing their part by signing their autographs on various items to be auctioned off for charity. In return for their support, the stars will receive gifts from numerous brands, including Dkny, Stonyfield, DVDs from AMC and USA Networks,...
- 6/3/2010
- icelebz.com
Evan Lysacek has been Mr. Nice Guy up until this point in the "Dancing With the Stars" competition. But watch out fellow contestants, because he's about to turn up the heat.
When Zap2it asked the Olympic gold medalist just a couple weeks ago what he thought about his prospects for winning, he told us, "I'm not thinking that far ahead" and that he just "wanted a new challenge."
But perhaps his perfect-scoring performance last week got his competitive juices flowing. Lysacek got a visit from Olympic silver medalist Sasha Cohen during rehearsals over the past week, and when she asked him if he had his eye of the Mirrorball trophy, he sang a different tune.
"I started this show and this whole process thinking, 'I just want to do something fun after the Olympics was so intense,'" Lysacek tells Cohen in an Et segment. "And the further and...
When Zap2it asked the Olympic gold medalist just a couple weeks ago what he thought about his prospects for winning, he told us, "I'm not thinking that far ahead" and that he just "wanted a new challenge."
But perhaps his perfect-scoring performance last week got his competitive juices flowing. Lysacek got a visit from Olympic silver medalist Sasha Cohen during rehearsals over the past week, and when she asked him if he had his eye of the Mirrorball trophy, he sang a different tune.
"I started this show and this whole process thinking, 'I just want to do something fun after the Olympics was so intense,'" Lysacek tells Cohen in an Et segment. "And the further and...
- 5/10/2010
- by editorial@zap2it.com
- Zap2It - From Inside the Box
There's no arguing that Johnny Weir has style.
He takes it to the ice with his costumes and if you watch his reality show, "Be Good Johnny Weir" on the Sundance Channel, you'd know that his style extends itself to the every day, as well.
"You could totally express who you are," Weir tells Zap2it. "And the way you think and the mood you're in by what you put on your back. I love that."
For Weir, the transition from figure skating to fashion is an obvious one.
"I feel like skating is an art form and fashion is an art form," he says. "Naturally, so many skaters are into fashion and we wear costumes and glitter and makeup and hair. Everything is always done. It's natural to be involved in some way in the fashion world and I just grew to love it as a collector."
Last month,...
He takes it to the ice with his costumes and if you watch his reality show, "Be Good Johnny Weir" on the Sundance Channel, you'd know that his style extends itself to the every day, as well.
"You could totally express who you are," Weir tells Zap2it. "And the way you think and the mood you're in by what you put on your back. I love that."
For Weir, the transition from figure skating to fashion is an obvious one.
"I feel like skating is an art form and fashion is an art form," he says. "Naturally, so many skaters are into fashion and we wear costumes and glitter and makeup and hair. Everything is always done. It's natural to be involved in some way in the fashion world and I just grew to love it as a collector."
Last month,...
- 3/5/2010
- by editorial@zap2it.com
- Pop2it
Olympic champion figure skater Kristi Yamaguchi spoke to EW before heading to Vancouver to serve as special correspondent for NBC's Today show. Take some time during tonight's intermittent coverage of the ladies' short program to check out her answers to PopWatch readers' questions. Look for another Kristi post before Thursday's long program, and come back for our PopWatch on Ice recap tomorrow morning. In the meantime...Toe Pick! What American female skater has the best chance at gold (or any medal)? -Tory It's definitely an outside chance for both of our girls, Rachael Flatt and Mirai Nagasu. But in my opinion,...
- 2/24/2010
- by Annie Barrett
- EW.com - PopWatch
Sasha Cohen recently finished fourth at the U.S. Figure Skating Championships, which means she missed the cut to compete at the Olympics because only the top 3 finishers get to represent the United States.
Thursday, Feb. 8 Cohen told People magazine, "The U.S. girls are young and haven't competed as much internationally, so they're kind of hit or miss. They're good skaters, they're just not at the same level as the international girls."
So ... a seasoned veteran giving some honest analysis of the upcoming Olympics? Or a bitter betty who got beat at the Nationals by younger girls and is now being all sour grape-y?
Cohen gives her medalist picks -- Korea's Kim Yu-na for the gold, Canada's Joannie Rochette for the silver and Japan's Miki Ando for the bronze.
To be fair, she also predicts the men's competition and doesn't think the U.S. will fair much better...
Thursday, Feb. 8 Cohen told People magazine, "The U.S. girls are young and haven't competed as much internationally, so they're kind of hit or miss. They're good skaters, they're just not at the same level as the international girls."
So ... a seasoned veteran giving some honest analysis of the upcoming Olympics? Or a bitter betty who got beat at the Nationals by younger girls and is now being all sour grape-y?
Cohen gives her medalist picks -- Korea's Kim Yu-na for the gold, Canada's Joannie Rochette for the silver and Japan's Miki Ando for the bronze.
To be fair, she also predicts the men's competition and doesn't think the U.S. will fair much better...
- 2/11/2010
- by editorial@zap2it.com
- Pop2it
Saddened that she didn't qualify to compete at the Winter Games in Vancouver starting Friday night (on NBC), figure skater and 2006 Olympic silver medalist Sasha Cohen foresees the U.S. team losing to its international competition. In her own case, severe injuries to her calves ended Cohen's hoped-for return to competitive figure skating at the Games. "It's definitely disappointing and also a little bit of a shock when it's something you've trained for your whole life," Cohen, 25, tells People. About placing fourth in the U.S. Figure Skating Championships and not qualifying for an Olympic spot, she says, "Of course...
- 2/11/2010
- by Catherine Donaldson-Evans
- PEOPLE.com
Rascal Flatts gives People.com an exclusive sneak peek at the video for a new version of their hit "Unstoppable," recorded specifically for the Winter Olympics in Vancouver, which kick off Friday. The band changed some of the chorus lyrics, including the line "Love is unstoppable" - which became "You are unstoppable," in honor of the Olympians. "Unstoppable (Olympics Mix)" was recorded for the soundtrack for Team USA, the proceeds from which support the U.S. Olympic Team, and may be downloaded on iTunes and via At&T wireless devices starting Friday. The video will be featured during Olympic Games coverage.
- 2/11/2010
- by Eileen Finan
- PEOPLE.com
She loves lemonade, feta cheese, Dan Brown novels and rollercoasters. She has two Old English Sheepdogs named Fred and Ethel after the I Love Lucy characters. And she's been skating since she was only 4 years old. Meet Rachael Flatt, the 17-year-old high school senior who dashed Sasha Cohen's hopes of making a comeback at the Olympics. Flatt beat the 25-year-old silver medalist in the U.S. Figure Skating Championships Saturday night and will go to the February winter Olympics in Vancouver. Cohen, who left the sport in 2006, lost points for several mistakes and a fall. Flatt, currently the fifth-ranked figure skater in the world,...
- 1/27/2010
- by Catherine Donaldson-Evans
- PEOPLE.com
The U.S. Olympic Figure Skating Team is now complete. Over the weekend, Rachael Flatt earned the women's title at the U.S. Championships and will head to Vancouver along with Mirai Nagasu. Meryl Davis and Charlie White took the ice dancing crown, defeating rivals Tanith Belbin and Ben Agosto, the 2006 Olympic silver medalists, for the first time. They'll be joined by a third team, Emily Samuelson and Evan Bates. Let's break this down. I know we're excited that the U.S. has two couples who could conceivably win the U.S.'s first gold medal in ice dancing — Scott Hamilton all but said,...
- 1/25/2010
- by Mandi Bierly
- EW.com - PopWatch
Every two years, the Olympics come into our lives and take over our televisions, allowing us at home to watch the great athletes from across the globe battle it out. The Olympics are great for many reasons; they unify countries, they glorify the greatest, and they give much needed spirit to the nations involved. Humanitarian and 3x Grammy-winner Sarah McLachlan has been honored with providing us with the official theme song for the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics. And you know that you can make it, You've got the whole world in your hands. Cause you've spent your lifetime working for this moment And you are shining You are all that you wanted to be And you are shining You're all that you wanted to be The touching and inspiring lyrics will keep the Olympians warm during the frigid Vancouver nights and motivate them to go for the gold. The winter games...
- 1/24/2010
- by cjoyce@corp.popstar.com (Colleen Joyce)
- PopStar
The U.S. Figure Skating Championships continue this weekend on NBC, with coverage of the ladies and ice dancing competitions. The women laced up last night for their short programs. Going in to the free skate, which airs live Saturday night at 9 p.m. Et, 2008 U.S. champ Mirai Nagasu (pictured, right) now has a .43 lead over Olympic silver medalist Sasha Cohen (pictured, left), who's making a comeback after four years away from competition. Both skated clean shorts, as did two-time U.S. silver medalist Rachael Flatt who sits in third place. Since I was forced to watch the programs...
- 1/22/2010
- by Mandi Bierly
- EW.com - PopWatch
Is Sasha Cohen skating on thin ice? What people now want to know is whether the 25-year-old figure skater - missing from competitive meets for four years - will be a contender at next month's winter Olympics in Vancouver. The quick answer is, the Olympic silver medalist and three-time world medalist says she's ready to hit the ice once more. "This is for me, because I want to do it," she tells NBC. "I want to perform again." Still, speculation about Cohen abounds. Having left the sport at 21 to have fun, to explore dreams of acting and going to college,...
- 1/20/2010
- by Catherine Donaldson-Evans
- PEOPLE.com
Immediately after the previous elimination, the teams head up to the dorms. Tennille excitedly dances with glee over Suzanne’s switch to the blue team. The guys feel much less than gleeful, and let her know in the form of a little lecture that includes a warning about under-bus throwing. She seems surprisingly contrite and amenable. Meanwhile, the remaining girls vow to be one person, one brain, and work together. Because it’s not like that would have been helpful at all the other services.
The chefs come to the kitchen, and are told Gordon wants to talk to them. A TV slides from the ceiling and we are led to believe that Chef Ramsey has flown to Canada in the wee hours of the night to tell them about their challenge. Yeah, okay. The completely neutral and non-specific way he addresses the contestants could have been shot at pretty much any time,...
The chefs come to the kitchen, and are told Gordon wants to talk to them. A TV slides from the ceiling and we are led to believe that Chef Ramsey has flown to Canada in the wee hours of the night to tell them about their challenge. Yeah, okay. The completely neutral and non-specific way he addresses the contestants could have been shot at pretty much any time,...
- 9/25/2009
- by CastawayCayley
- TVovermind.com
Welcome to the mini-recap of Hell’s Kitchen Episodes 6×10 and 6×11. This is just a taste of the goings-on, and a fully detailed pair of recaps will be here tomorrow.
Thanks to the More To Love finale hogging all the airtime last week there are two episodes of Hell’s Kitchen shown back-to-back this week. In Hour One, Suzanne needs to try to find a way to work with the Blue Team, to which she was switched at the end of the last episode. The Red Team, now that their scapegoat has moved on, choose Sabrina to take her place. The first challenge, delivered to them via “live” (yeah, sure) feed from outside the Araxi Restaurant by Chef himself, is to create three entrees out of fifteen ingredients that would be considered local to the Whistler, British Columbia area. Including a cut of meat that Tennille and Ariel don’t quite identify correctly.
Thanks to the More To Love finale hogging all the airtime last week there are two episodes of Hell’s Kitchen shown back-to-back this week. In Hour One, Suzanne needs to try to find a way to work with the Blue Team, to which she was switched at the end of the last episode. The Red Team, now that their scapegoat has moved on, choose Sabrina to take her place. The first challenge, delivered to them via “live” (yeah, sure) feed from outside the Araxi Restaurant by Chef himself, is to create three entrees out of fifteen ingredients that would be considered local to the Whistler, British Columbia area. Including a cut of meat that Tennille and Ariel don’t quite identify correctly.
- 9/23/2009
- by CastawayCayley
- TVovermind.com
Howdy, PopWatchers. To compensate for depriving us of Hell's Kitchen last week, Fox kindly aired two back-to-back episodes last night. However, in all honesty, the episodes were so similar that they have merged to form one massive Hk blob in my mind. This isn't to say that last night didn't feature a number of developments, including the first instance of Chef Ramsay walking out of the restaurant altogether. Plus, the episodes did have a reoccurring theme: The downfall of Van. We'll get to Mr. Sweaty Tamale soon, but first things first... Episode 10 Suzanne joined the blue team, and Kevin, Dave, and Van weren't too thrilled about it. As the three guys lectured Suzanne on what they expected from her, we got a glimpse of an orange ashtray, and holy mother of nicotine, that ashtray was being used. Suzanne, Dave, and Van were all smoking cigarettes, but that still doesn't explain...
- 9/23/2009
- by John Young
- EW.com - PopWatch
On tonight's episode of Hell's Kitchen, Suzanne is still there, hanging on to dear life, and I'm kind of loving it, if only because it annoys the hell out of it Tennille. "Suzanne the mouth" is now on the blue team, and from the looks of it, everyone is hell-bent on giving her a hard time. But regardless of whether she's going or not, tonight looks to be a pretty intense episode, with something harsh happening to Dave - so if he goes, Suzanne gets to stay one more week?
On "7 Chefs Compete" Gordon Ramsay shows the chefs a glimpse of The Araxi via a satellite tour. They then need to use 15 local ingredients that were flon in from Whistler to create three unique entrees. Olympic gold medalists Sasha Cohen and Jonny Moseley are guest-judging, and the winning team gets to eat with Mark Peel, while the losers are forced...
On "7 Chefs Compete" Gordon Ramsay shows the chefs a glimpse of The Araxi via a satellite tour. They then need to use 15 local ingredients that were flon in from Whistler to create three unique entrees. Olympic gold medalists Sasha Cohen and Jonny Moseley are guest-judging, and the winning team gets to eat with Mark Peel, while the losers are forced...
- 9/22/2009
- by editor@buddytv.com
- buddytv.com
What did reports talk about before Twilight? It seems that the actors of the uber famous movie franchise can't go anywhere without their picture being taken and stalked by fans. Life could be worse; you could be a non working actor on the B list. With that said, we have some exciting news today in your Twilight Saga Daily Dosage on how you can adopt a Twilight star for a small monetary fee. Moving on to the hunky actor who rocked the small toney town in New York this weekend while taking a break from filming Remember Me. Robert Pattinson was spotted fulfilling his sweet tooth at Martine's Fine Bakery Shoppe in Tuckahoe, N.Y during his time off. So what does the hottest "it" star eat on his time off? An eyewitness reported that the actor scored himself a delicious cappuccino and some chocolate mousse on the side. The city of Tuckahoe,...
- 7/10/2009
- by cjoyce@corp.popstar.com (Colleen Joyce)
- ScreenStar
Between Michelle Kwan and Sarah Hughes, they’ve won enough ice-skating medals to fill a museum. But in recent years, the skaters have set their sights on a different goal: getting a college diploma. On Saturday, Kwan earned a bachelor's degree in international studies with a minor in political science from the University of Denver. "It feels great," the five-time world champion told People about being a college grad. "I've always known you can only skate for so many years and then you have to rely on your education to carry you through life." And the 28-year-old, who earned a...
- 6/7/2009
- by Lorenzo Benet
- PEOPLE.com
This review was written for the theatrical release of "Blades of Glory". The blissfully silly "Blades of Glory" is one of those rare comedies that puts a goofy smile on your face with the premise alone -- Will Ferrell and Jon Heder playing the world's first competitive male pairs figure skaters -- and keeps it planted there right until its wacky finale.
Co-directors Will Speck and Josh Gordon, probably best known for those popular Geico caveman commercials, have made a highly agreeable feature debut capturing the energetic irreverence of early Farrelly brothers.
With Ferrell's legions of Ricky Bobby fans already primed to go along for the ride, the Paramount release should cut some glorious figures at the boxoffice for weeks to come.
Having already parodied NASCAR drivers and soccer dads, it was probably only a matter of time before Ferrell got around to skewering figure skaters, but he does it up right as Chazz Michael Michaels, a swaggering rocker on ice with grungy black hair who finds himself banned from the sport after getting into a brawl with his rival, the narcissistic but naive Jimmy MacElroy (Heder).
Stripped of their gold medals, Michaels and MacElroy are having a tough time surviving in the real world. The perpetually soused Chazz takes refuge under an evil wizard suit in a kids ice revue, while Jimmy gets a job in the shoe department of a sporting goods store.
But when a former stalker of Jimmy's (Nick Swardson) points out a loophole in the figure skating rule book, the two previous foes join forces, much to the chagrin of reigning sibling champs, the diabolical Stranz and Fairchild Van Waldenberg (real-life husband and wife Will Arnett and Amy Poehler).
Working from an inspired script credited to brothers Jeff Cox and Craig Cox, as well as John Altschuler & Dave Krinsky ("King of the Hill"), Speck and Gordon maintain a comfortable pace while coaxing terrific performances from their game cast.
In addition to the pitch-perfect Ferrell (in a role originally meant for Ben Stiller) and no-slouch Heder (making good on that "Napoleon Dynamite" promise), the rest of the cast cuts a comic swath both on and off the ice.
Also proving to be good sports are Scott Hamilton, Sasha Cohen, Nancy Kerrigan, Brian Boitano, Dorothy Hamill and Peggy Fleming, all on hand to deflate some of the self-seriousness known to go along with the turf.
Tech aspects are uniformly smoothly executed. Montreal's Olympic Stadium and architecturally prominent Habitat '67 are captured to notable effect by cinematographer Stefan Czapsky ("Ed Wood"), while veteran costume designer Julie Weiss has truly outdone herself with all those over-the-top Lycra creations, getting a little help from the Bob Mackie, Bill Hargate and Ray Aghayan houses.
Also credit skating choreographer Sarah Kawahara for routines that are anything but routine and "American Idol" runner-up Bo Bice, who puts the right anthemic arena rock spin on the titular closing theme song.
BLADES OF GLORY
Paramount Pictures
DreamWorks Pictures presents a Red Hour/Smart Entertainment production
Credits:
Directors: Will Speck & Josh Gordon
Screenwriters: Jeff Cox & Craig Cox and John Altschuler & Dave Krinsky
Story: Craig Cox & Jeff Cox & Busy Philipps
Producers: Ben Stiller, Stuart Cornfeld, John Jacobs
Executive producer: Marty Ewing
Director of photography: Stefan Czapsky
Production designer: Stephen Lineweaver
Editor: Richard Pearson
Costume designer: Julie Weiss
Music: Theodore Shapiro
Cast:
Chazz Michael Michaels: Will Ferrell
Jimmy MacElroy: Jon Heder
Stranz Van Waldenberg: Will Arnett
Fairchild Van Waldenberg: Amy Poehler
Coach: Craig T. Nelson
Katie Van Waldenberg: Jenna Fischer
Darren MacElroy: William Fichtner
Hector: Nick Swardson
Running time -- 94 minutes
MPAA rating: PG-13...
Co-directors Will Speck and Josh Gordon, probably best known for those popular Geico caveman commercials, have made a highly agreeable feature debut capturing the energetic irreverence of early Farrelly brothers.
With Ferrell's legions of Ricky Bobby fans already primed to go along for the ride, the Paramount release should cut some glorious figures at the boxoffice for weeks to come.
Having already parodied NASCAR drivers and soccer dads, it was probably only a matter of time before Ferrell got around to skewering figure skaters, but he does it up right as Chazz Michael Michaels, a swaggering rocker on ice with grungy black hair who finds himself banned from the sport after getting into a brawl with his rival, the narcissistic but naive Jimmy MacElroy (Heder).
Stripped of their gold medals, Michaels and MacElroy are having a tough time surviving in the real world. The perpetually soused Chazz takes refuge under an evil wizard suit in a kids ice revue, while Jimmy gets a job in the shoe department of a sporting goods store.
But when a former stalker of Jimmy's (Nick Swardson) points out a loophole in the figure skating rule book, the two previous foes join forces, much to the chagrin of reigning sibling champs, the diabolical Stranz and Fairchild Van Waldenberg (real-life husband and wife Will Arnett and Amy Poehler).
Working from an inspired script credited to brothers Jeff Cox and Craig Cox, as well as John Altschuler & Dave Krinsky ("King of the Hill"), Speck and Gordon maintain a comfortable pace while coaxing terrific performances from their game cast.
In addition to the pitch-perfect Ferrell (in a role originally meant for Ben Stiller) and no-slouch Heder (making good on that "Napoleon Dynamite" promise), the rest of the cast cuts a comic swath both on and off the ice.
Also proving to be good sports are Scott Hamilton, Sasha Cohen, Nancy Kerrigan, Brian Boitano, Dorothy Hamill and Peggy Fleming, all on hand to deflate some of the self-seriousness known to go along with the turf.
Tech aspects are uniformly smoothly executed. Montreal's Olympic Stadium and architecturally prominent Habitat '67 are captured to notable effect by cinematographer Stefan Czapsky ("Ed Wood"), while veteran costume designer Julie Weiss has truly outdone herself with all those over-the-top Lycra creations, getting a little help from the Bob Mackie, Bill Hargate and Ray Aghayan houses.
Also credit skating choreographer Sarah Kawahara for routines that are anything but routine and "American Idol" runner-up Bo Bice, who puts the right anthemic arena rock spin on the titular closing theme song.
BLADES OF GLORY
Paramount Pictures
DreamWorks Pictures presents a Red Hour/Smart Entertainment production
Credits:
Directors: Will Speck & Josh Gordon
Screenwriters: Jeff Cox & Craig Cox and John Altschuler & Dave Krinsky
Story: Craig Cox & Jeff Cox & Busy Philipps
Producers: Ben Stiller, Stuart Cornfeld, John Jacobs
Executive producer: Marty Ewing
Director of photography: Stefan Czapsky
Production designer: Stephen Lineweaver
Editor: Richard Pearson
Costume designer: Julie Weiss
Music: Theodore Shapiro
Cast:
Chazz Michael Michaels: Will Ferrell
Jimmy MacElroy: Jon Heder
Stranz Van Waldenberg: Will Arnett
Fairchild Van Waldenberg: Amy Poehler
Coach: Craig T. Nelson
Katie Van Waldenberg: Jenna Fischer
Darren MacElroy: William Fichtner
Hector: Nick Swardson
Running time -- 94 minutes
MPAA rating: PG-13...
- 3/30/2007
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
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