Leonardo Dicaprio on The Huffington Post

Wendy Diamond: Leonardo DiCaprio: Actor And Animal Advocate

2009-11-10T13:43:47Z

Leonardo Dicaprio has been interested in animals since he was a kid. Before his acting career, one of his dreams was to travel the world and see all of its disappearing species. Now, as an adult, he's using his star power to help fight to save those species he read about as a child.

Working with IFAW (International Fund for Animal Welfare), Leonardo has committed himself to protecting animals all around the world. On October 4, 2009, IFAW and Leonardo announced a program that will protect animals and their habitats around around the globe.

One example of their efforts is the work they are currently beginning in Kenya. Leonardo highlights their efforts there on a video on IFAW's web site. He explains that Kenya's Meru National Park was mostly destroyed by poachers in the 1970's and 1980's. IFAW has pledged $1 million dollars over the next five years to restore the park to its original state.

As an IFAW Honorary Board Member, Leonardo feels strongly about the plight animals face in today's world: "It's our responsibility not just to protect our planet but also its animals." DiCaprio has always been an outspoken supporter of the environment, and now he's bringing his support to animals too. "Animals are an integral part of human existence and we must always remember that. Unfortunately, that face more threats than ever before. These are threats that, if we all work together, we can begin to alleviate."

The animals are always lucky to have a friend, and a famous ally like Leonardo DiCaprio is a friend indeed. Through his example and commitment, more people will hopefully become aware of the struggles animals face in today's world and begin doing their part to help.

Jim Luce: U.N. Birthday Rocks for Its Peacemakers

2009-11-06T12:41:06Z

Flashbulbs popping non-stop, H.E. Mr. Ban Ki-moon, Secretary General of the United Nations in New York, entered the U.N. General Assembly Hall in New York City. He has attained the status of a rock star.

Speaking at the U.N. Day Concert 2009: A Tribute to Peacekeeping in the General Assembly last week, it seems that the Secretary General commands the world’s attention as much as Barack Obama.

One year older than the U.N., at 65, the Secretary General spoke of his mourning – the world’s mourning – for the 11 peacekeepers who died last month in a helicopter crash in Haiti.

Tragically, more than 2,600 U.N. Peacekeepers have died protecting humanity since 1948.

H.E. Mr. Ban Ki-moon recognizing the U.N. Peacekeepers (Photo: John Lee).

In an unprecedented effort, the concert was produced by the U.N. Department of Public Information and the U.N. Department of Peacekeeping Operations, in partnership with Culture Project, and with the support of Kelvin Lim, Master Certified Coach of Executive Coach International.

Culture Project has been hailed as New York City’s premiere political and social performing arts organization, illuminating and championing the most pressing human rights issues of our time.

The concert was kicked off by Master of Ceremonies Isha Sesay of Sierra Leone, now living on London. Isha is the incredibly talented anchor and reporter for CNN International covering Africa.

The first performance was Roberta Flack singing “You Are Not Alone.” Six-time Grammy-Award winning singer, songwriter, and musician, Roberta has gained worldwide fame for hits such as “The First Time Ever” and “Killing Me Softly.”

Roberta was followed by a former child-soldier turned international rap star, Emmanuel Jal. From the Sudan, where he fought as a child in their brutal civil war, he was smuggled across the border to freedom by the now legendary British aid worker Emma McCune.

The award-winning film War Child chronicles the tumultuous, shocking, inspiring, and ultimately hopeful odyssey of Emmanuel Jal.

Emmanuel spoke, rapped, and danced hypnotically to thunderous applause, sharing a message of peace for his war-torn land and beloved Africa.

Emmanuel Jal’s music can be heard on the fundraising “War Child - Help a Day in the Life” album, as well as in three ER episodes, the National Geographic documentary God Grew Tired of Us, and in the feature film Blood Diamond starring Leonardo DiCaprio. Jal is, of course, in Wikipedia.

Harry Belafonte with his wife Pamela at the photo op before the concert (Photo: John Lee).

One of America’s largest heroes, Harry Belafonte, spoke next. The acknowledged ‘King of Calypso,’ Harry is well known for his artful assimilation of jazz, folk and world music traditions. He is one of the most successful African-American pop stars in history.

He has been an unwavering voice against injustice for decades and today is one of the UNICEF Goodwill Ambassadors. Harry played a key role in the USA for Africa effort, singing on the 1985 single “We Are the World.”

“I became aware of the United Nations through my mentor, Eleanor Roosevelt,” Harry told the crowd.

Harry travelled to Rwanda where over one million people were driven from their homes with so many countless slaughtered in the Hutu-Tutsi conflict.

The General Assembly was alive with music and dance to honor the
dedication and sacrifice of U.N. Peacekeepers (Photo: John Lee).

“Once you witness such tragedy, you will not understand the critical need the U.N. peacekeepers play,” Harry said. “Nothing meant more to me than the Blue Helmets – the U.N. Peacekeepers – I witnessed there to protect the children.”

At 82, he did not disappoint the crowd despite and sang “Day-O” before leaving the stage. His incredible decades-long humanitarian career is covered in Wiki.

Cultural appreciation of the world’s peacekeepers then shifted to classical music played by one of the world’s top pianists, Lang Lang, from China. Lang Lang warmly embraced Harry and then sat down to play the grand piano.

Classical pianist Lang Lang, one of the world’s foremost players,
performed at the Summer Olympics in Beijing 2008 (Photo: John Lee).

Heralded as the “hottest artist on the classical music planet” by the New York Times, 27-year-old Lang Lang is the first Chinese pianist to be engaged by the Berlin Philharmonic and the Vienna Philharmonic. He played at the Summer Olympics 2008 in Beijing.

Lang Lang recently appeared in the 2009 Time 100, Time magazine’s annual list of the “100 Most Influential People in the World.” Lang Lang has been a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador since 2004.

Salman Ahmad of Pakistan performed next, with virtuoso tabla player Samir Chatterjee of India.

Salman’s vibrant vocalizations lifted my heart out of chest and I felt so alive surrounded by an international audience united by their desire for peace and support of peacekeepers listening to the best voices of the world singing in support.

The two performed a competitive duet entitled “Entwined Twins.” Salman compared their duet to the road connecting India to Pakistan. A road of peace and understanding.

Samir performed at the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize ceremony in Oslo, Norway. Samir is a firm believer in the transforming effect of music on society. He is working relentlessly towards the musical revival of Afghanistan.

Madam and H.E. Ban Ki-moon with the performers before the event (Photo: John Lee).

Salman is a musician and U.N. Goodwill Ambassador known for popularizing a blend of Western rock music and Eastern/Islamic music called ‘Sufi rock,’ which has been hailed as a cultural bridge within South Asia and between the East and West.

Salman founded Junoon in 1990, which has sold over 25 million albums worldwide and has shared the stage with artists such as Melissa Etheridge, Alicia Keys, Sting, Earth Wind and Fire, and Wyclef Jean.

With his wife, Samina, he launched an NGO called the Salman & Samina Global Wellness Initiative, focused on interfaith and cross-cultural dialogue, global health and wellness, and music education.

Indian singer, composer, and music producer Shankar Mahadevan.

Shankar Mahadevan introduced the next act – the group Remember Shakti – formed by John McLaughlin and Zakir Hussain. John said that Shankar is the greatest singer he has ever known.

Melodic, haunting, sacred, his voice reverberated across the General Assembly hall like clouds floating on a windy day.

John has developed a unique style of jazz-infused Indian classical music with his band Shakti. Remember Shakti is an Indi-jazz fusion quintet, composed of legendary English guitarists Mahavishnu John McLaughlin, Grammy-winning Indian tabla player, Zakir Hussain, and Indian musicians, Shrinivas Uppalapu on mandolin, Selvaganesh Vinayakaram playing the kanjira, ghatam, and mridangam, and singer Shankar Mahadevan.

The song “One,” repeating its singular theme hypnotically, was in the words of the performer about destroying the walls of hatred and extremism by experiencing the world not only with our eyes and ears, but with our hearts.

Sister Fa then took the stage. This Senegalese rapper moved to Berlin. Propelled by her own personal experience, she traveled on a self-organized tour last year, “Education sans mutilation,”to sensitize the public to the issue of female genital mutilation.

The Xian Song & Dance Troupe made a special appearance (Photo: John Lee).

Chinese dancers from the Xian Song & Dance Troupe then floated next across the stage. The graceful women seemed to shed their butterfly wings as the beautiful dance continued.

Angelique Kidjo of Benin then took the stage and sang the world-popular Swahili song, Malaika. She brought the house down with her rendition of Axe Mama Africa!

The four-time Grammy-nominated and 2008 Grammy-winning, much-celebrated singer, composer and performer began in the Beninese port village of Cotonou. The political turmoil in her country led her to relocate to Paris, the capital of world music, and then ultimately here, where she now resides.

Her striking voice, stage presence and her fluency in multiple cultures and languages won respect from her peers and expanded her following across national borders.

It also earned her access to humanitarians who sensed the passion in the words of her songs, resulting in her long-term dedication to global charity work. Her extended bio is available onWiki.

The Colombian band Aterciopelados performed. Happening, earthy, and exciting, their music took the audience into Latin America.

Known for their work with Amnesty International, Aterciopelados recently marked the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights by creating a new version of the song “Cancion Protesta” (Song of Protest).

The Xian Song & Dance Troupe made a special appearance (Photo: John Lee).

The event’s finale was an all-cast rendition of “The Price of Silence.” This is the new rendition of Aterciopelados’ “Cancion Protesta” created in partnership with Amnesty International.

Emmanuel Jal and Angelique Kidjo participated in the original project so it was fitting to “recreate” the performance as the finale of this concert. Link TV created a video with Amnesty international when “The Price of Silence” was first released.

Throughout the concert, the documentary film The War Against War was premiered. The film highlights the historic creation of the U.N. Peacekeeping forces and the challenges of fighting “the war against war.”

Culture Project has been hailed as New York City’s premiere political and social performing arts organization, illuminating and championing the most pressing human rights issues of our time.

Concert supporter Kelvin Lim of Executive Coach International with director Fisher Stevens.

Directed by Fisher Stevens, the film gave the audience one-of-a-kind access and insight into the formidable challenges facing peacekeepers and the committed individuals who serve some of the most victimized and vulnerable populations on earth. See Fisher’s interview here.

I, too, have a U.N. Peacekeeping story to tell. In Haiti, two years ago, as founder of Orphans International Worldwide, a misunderstanding with a crowd almost led to the deaths of myself, my staff, and two of our children there. Intervention by the Blue Helmets, after the police had been overrun by the mob, saved our lives. This story was so dramatic I wrote about it in the BBC.

Speaking to the Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations, the imposing Alain Le Roy, after the concert, I expressed my personal gratitude to him for his troops rescuing my team. He said simply, “Our peacekeepers have saved so many lives, I am not surprised.”

Indeed, these soldiers volunteer to go into extreme danger for the good of humanity. They may not singlehandedly be able to bring about Heaven, but through their presence the can help eliminate Hell.

Culture Project provides a creative home to dynamic artists who share its passion for challenging injustice, embracing diversity and affecting social change. Culture Project has been awarded the New York Times No.1 Play of the Year and an Amnesty International Freedom of Expression Award.

The Culture Project team includes producer Allan Buchman, film director Fisher Stevens, music director Nile Rodgers, television consultants Steven Lawrence, line producer Michael Owen, co-producer Jayashri Wyatt, talent coordinator Julianne Hoffenberg, film editor Lauren Saffa, with public relations supported by Two Sheps that Pass.

John Farr: Leo and Kate: They Didn't Go Down With The Ship

2009-10-12T15:55:35Z

Earlier this month Kate Winslet celebrated her birthday. To this aging fan, she still seems astonishingly young, but of course, success came fairly early for her. Who can forget her disarming freshness and exuberance in Ang Lee’s “Sense and Sensibility” (1995)?

Her close friend and co-star Leonardo di Caprio shares much with her beyond two high-profile motion pictures: they are virtually the same age, and both started acting in their childhood, a significant shared connection.

In their early twenties, they were brought together to star in James Cameron’s “Titanic” (1997), the movie that set records at the box office and the Academy Awards, and ironically, a motion picture experience that made me feel all of Hollywood was sinking. The wild success of this feature resoundingly affirmed the idea that in contemporary Hollywood, image and spectacle most always trump script and character. Over a decade later, it’s still true.

On our website, we feature more of Kate’s titles, including her own favorite role in 2004’s “Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind”. As to why there’s less of Leo, the youthful actor is understandably fond of his twenty million dollar pay-days, and so gravitates towards those Hollywood blockbusters which fall into the “Titanic”, bigger-is-better mold.

For instance, I passed over the good not great Spielberg outing, "Catch Me If You Can" (2002), as well as Di Caprio’s high-profile work with Martin Scorsese: the woefully miscast “Gangs Of New York” (2002), “The Aviator” (2004)- which I thought was an elaborate dud, and even "The Departed” (2006), an over-stuffed feature that in my view pales next to the leaner, lesser-known Chinese feature on which it’s based, “Infernal Affairs” (2002).

As for Leo and Kate’s much-anticipated reunion pairing in last year’s “Revolutionary Road”, directed by Kate’s husband Sam Mendes, this recounting of the curdled American Dream starts out promisingly, but bogs down roughly halfway through. I don’t need to pay twelve bucks to see a married couple argue, I thought at one point- I can get that for free at home. All in all, I would have much preferred to watch an episode or two of “Mad Men”.

But criticism aside, both these actors are enormously gifted, even if the movies they make don’t always live up to their prodigious talents. Surely the best is yet to come, so here’s hoping Leo and Kate do many more films together. But for now, let’s celebrate their careers to-date with a sampling of their more interesting, lesser-known work, both pre-and post-“Titanic”.

This Boy’s Life (1993)- In the 1950s, flighty divorcee Caroline (Ellen Barkin) moves with her son Toby (DiCaprio) to Washington State and begins dating Dwight Hansen (Robert DeNiro), a charming, confident mechanic who offers a stable home and security. But soon after their nuptials, Toby, a thoughtful kid with a rebellious streak, butts heads with his new stepfather, who turns out to be a brutish and abusive bully. Based on a memoir by Tobias Wolff, this searing domestic melodrama tackles the myriad difficulties of surviving adolescence in a dysfunctional home. DiCaprio, in his first lead role, is likably mischievous playing against the petty tyranny of DeNiro's lying, thieving, authoritarian Dwight. Barkin is effective, too, as the submissive woman who can't admit she's made a mistake in wedding him. Sensitively directed by Michael Caton-Jones, "Life" will resonate with anyone who's ever had to fight for respect and independence.

What’s Eating Gilbert Grape (1993)- In small-town Endora, young Gilbert Grape (Johnny Depp) is the de facto household head, caring for his mentally handicapped brother Arnie (DiCaprio), endlessly mortified teen sister, Ellen (Mary Kate Schellhardt), and 500-lb. widowed mother (Darlene Cates), who hasn't left the house since Gilbert's dad hanged himself. Gilbert constantly negotiates a flurry of demands without fail, but when a well-traveled gal named Becky (Juliette Lewis) rolls into town with her grandmother, Gilbert gets his first taste of freedom. Adapted by Peter Hedges from his novel, Lasse Hallstrom's endearing, offbeat drama features heartthrob Depp as a fatherless young man with lots of worries and little time for his own happiness. Oscar nominee DiCaprio gives a remarkably tender performance as Arnie, a mentally challenged kid who's difficult to deal with but impossible not to love. Hallstrom develops the quirkier aspects of Hedges's story-including Gilbert's involvement with a lonely wife and a worldly newcomer-with a light comic touch. Excellent support from Lewis, John C. Reilly, Crispin Glover, and non-actress Cates kicks things up a notch. Beneath its unusual skin, this "Grape" is quite sweet.

Heavenly Creatures (1994)- Pauline (Melanie Lynskey) is a morbid, overweight New Zealand teen who feels alienated from her family and classmates, but discovers a bosom buddy in pretty Juliet (Winslet), a wealthy English transplant who shares her unusual taste in music and the arts. Together, they create a Gothic-tinged fantasy world called Borovnia that they retreat into with increasingly obsessive zeal. When their parents attempt to force them apart, the girls hatch a dark, violent plan of escape. An unsettling, thoroughly absorbing drama based on a real-life crime, "Creatures" is the magnificent brainchild of then-horror-movie director Peter Jackson ("Lord of the Rings"), who brings sensitivity and sincere human feeling to this tragic story of love and murder. Winslet and Lynskey have an intense, wholly credible rapport, playing highly intelligent girls (one of whom, the brash Juliet, would grow up to become mystery novelist Anne Perry!), whose fully enmeshed intimacy takes them farther and farther from reality. Beautifully photographed, splendidly acted, and imaginatively directed, "Creatures" burrows under your skin in a lasting way.

Finding Neverland (2004)- Married Scottish playwright J.M. Barrie (Johnny Depp), meets a widow, Sylvia Davies (Winslet), with four young boys he becomes very attached to, and is inspired to write “Peter Pan,” an ode to everlasting youth that would become a children’s classic. But Barrie’s efforts to produce the play at the Duke of York’s theater in London are fraught with difficulty, even as his love for the Davies clan continues to grow. Man-child Depp is perfectly cast in this endearing biopic about Barrie’s relationship with the family who inspired his greatest and most beloved work, and co-star Kate fits the bill just as nicely. Depp has always taken eccentric roles, but here he plays the real-life writer with authentic human warmth. Director Marc Forster allows us to see the world as Barrie does, depicting not just the emotional pangs (grief and the passing of loved ones is a theme in his life), but the flights of fancy soaring in his imagination. The effect is charming. See this one with the kids, or just for your own enchantment.

Blood Diamond (2006)- While serving time for diamond smuggling in war-torn Sierra Leone, former soldier of fortune Danny Archer (DiCaprio) hears about an ultra-precious raw stone unearthed by Solomon Vandy (Djimon Hounsou), a fisherman who’s hidden the pink monster somewhere inside his unstable country. Driven by greed, Archer makes a deal with Vandy, agreeing to help find his scattered family in return for a share of the gem’s value. Along for the ride is Maddy Bowen (Jennifer Connelly), an American journalist determined to illuminate the ugly underside of the world diamond trade. Set during Sierra Leone’s bloody civil war in 1999, this thriller stars DiCaprio as a ruthless smuggler who sells “conflict diamonds,” high-priced baubles used to finance war and terror before finding their way onto Western fingers. Shedding his boyish charm for anti-heroic male bravado, DiCaprio plays the white Rhodesian Archer as an unsympathetic mercenary motivated purely by personal gain. Hounsou, meanwhile, delivers an affecting performance as a humble man whose son has been forced into a child army. Edward Zwick directs with flair, visual daring, and a conscientious eye toward the real cost of diamond mining.

Little Children (2006)- After meeting at a local park, stay-at-home mom Sarah (Winslet) and handsome former jock Brad (Patrick Wilson), a failed lawyer with a young son, are drawn into an exhilarating but potentially destructive extramarital affair. Meanwhile, neighborhood busybodies are on edge about Ronnie (Jackie Earl Haley), a creepy sex offender who’s moved in with his mother. Based on the acclaimed novel by Tom Perrotta, Todd Field's unsettling, often irreverent portrait of suburban malaise features a cathartic performance by Winslet, whose singular talents are on high-beam display. Sarah is unfulfilled by life as a stroller pusher; Brad has failed the bar twice and seems unfit for a career in law; both need escape from isolating routine and distant spouses, and find it in each other. As he did in "In the Bedroom," Field takes his time developing the emotional tension, pacing us gradually toward a jarring conclusion. Former child actor Haley, in a superb turn, gives the film extra appeal as a scary, darkly funny, and vulnerable pervert.

For over 2,000 outstanding titles on DVD, visit http://www.bestmoviesbyfarr.com

Leonardo DiCaprio Single & Shirtless In Ibiza

2009-08-05T13:40:04Z

Single-life does a body good... especially for Leonardo DiCaprio!!

The Titanic hottie who recently split from supermodel Bar Refaeli was spotted vacationing with friends on the island of Ibiza, Spain. It doesn't look like he's taking the break-up too badly though... it seems that he's already made some new friends... sporting some teeny bikinis...

Andy Ostroy: How to Fix the U.S. Auto Industry

2009-07-29T10:46:57Z

I own a marketing business. In many ways, we're all marketers. As marketers, the goal is to create products and services that consumers will want to buy. And therein lies the number-one problem with U.S. automakers: no one wants the cars they're manufacturing. The problem isn't the cost of labor, which many would like us to believe, though it's easy to play the union straw-man game here.

True, on first glance, car-manufacturing costs here in America appear much higher than the foreign competition. There's this myth that American autoworkers are paid $70/hour in wages and benefits (for health care and retirement) versus an average of $48/hour for employees of Toyota, for example. But what this $70/hour statistic doesn't tell you is that it also includes retirement and health-care benefits for current retirees, unlike Toyota's figure, and when that's backed out, the hourly cash compensation and benefits cost drops to below $40/hour for companies like General Motors. There's the strong argument to be made, therefore, that U.S. autoworkers work as cost-efficiently, or even more so, as their foreign counterparts.

To be sure, Detroit's problem is not the autoworker, and it's not the unions. I've been driving Fords for years and they are built solidly and run great. I'll stack up a Ford Focus to any similarly priced foreign car any day. The autoworkers have done their jobs. It's the executives who have failed miserably. Disappearing ingenuity, poor design and dreadful marketing is to blame, not the poor schlep who toils on the assembly-line for eight hours a day. Fix these problems and you'll have a much healthier, more competitive, and more profitable U.S. auto industry.

Easier said than done, right? Granted, I do not profess to have all the answers. It's taken GM, Chrysler and Ford decades to screw things up, so it's safe to say that (a) identifying the underlying problems and (b) finding the cures will take some time as well. But there are some things that truly appear to be low-hanging fruit:

1. Go Retro: what happens every time Detroit rolls out a slick, sexy throwback like the Mustang, T-Bird or PT Cruiser for example? Consumers love it. The problem with cars today is that they all look the same. Big boxy things, medium size boxy things, and small boxy things. I think back to the 60's and 70's, and how each model had its own style, design and individuality. They had curves and contour and were sleek and sexy. So sexy, some of them, that you'd just slowly walk along the side and run your hand along body. Who the hell wants to do that today with any of these homely boxes? Back in the day, you could easily identify any make and model from a block away. Today they're all indistinguishable from each other. They've become commodities.

What should Ford's Mustang success tell us? That perhaps it's time to give consumers more exciting, nostalgic options. Perhaps a retro '72 Lemans. Or how about a '64 Corvette, '68 Corvair, '72 Gran Torino or '69 Camaro? I bet these models would fly out of the showroom. And as a marketing ploy they could roll out just one or two new retro models per year, built around a massive, attention-grabbing PR and ad campaign. They could do the same with retro pick-up trucks and other specialty vehicles like the classic "country-squire" station-wagons (complete with wood-paneling) and the El Camino.

2. Make U.S. Luxury Cars Status Symbols Again: when I was a kid, rich folks bought Cadillacs and Lincoln Continentals. If you owned a "Caddy" everyone knew you had made it. What Cadillac needs to do today is embark on a branding campaign that can achieve for its luxury sedans what it has done for its Escalade, which has become the uber-chic vehicle for rappers, playboys, rich businessmen and limo fleets. If you can succeed in making one Cadillac brand sexy and desirable and a true status symbol, it can be done for the others.

3. Create a Major Product Placement Campaign: let's get "hot" American cars all over Hollywood and the music business. Put these new, sexy U.S.-made cars in films, TV shows and music videos to create buzz, branding and status.

4. Give the Hot New Vehicles to A-List Celebrities: Wanna sell thousands of a sexy new model? Identify pop-culture's trend-setters, across all demographics (i.e Britany Spears, Jennifer Aniston, Leo DiCaprio, Beyonce, Angelina Jolie, Jay-Z, Carrie Underwood), and give them free cars to drive around Hollywood ... and then make sure they get photographed in them.

5. Create a Massive "Buy American" Campaign: for Pete's sake, Americans are the most patriotic people in the world. Give 'em a reason to raise the flag and they will. Detroit has been woefully impotent in rallying consumers to its "made in the USA" vehicles.

6. Create a Hot American-Made Hybrid: Why has Detroit let Toyota dominate this market with its Prius? Americans buy hybrids to be "green" and energy efficient and, quite frankly, because it's hip and cool to have one. These same people I'm sure would love to buy American as well.

It's time to truly shake things up in Detroit if the U.S. auto industry is going to survive and thrive going forward.

David Finkle: FutureFest, Dayton's New-Play Competition, Thrives

2009-07-28T15:25:29Z

If you love theater -- and I do -- then you have undoubtedly noticed that the entertainment genre has become so increasingly marginalized it's caused the weird and redundant phrase "live theater" to elbow its way into the language. The serious audience for theater, which doesn't mean it insists every entry must be serious, appears to be shrinking and aging and, well, shrinking because aging. Even in metropolises where theater once thrived -- primarily New York City and Chicago -- producers are worried that audiences may not be replenished as time marches on.

Nevertheless, there are places where theater remains a viable prospect, where companies boldly pop up and theater events brashly occur like flowers pushing through cement. I happen to know about one shining example. It occurs the last weekend of every July in Dayton, Ohio -- in Montgomery country, which apparently has the state's second largest unemployment contingent.

This surprise celebration of theater takes place in the Dayton Playhouse, an auditorium seating approximately 200 and set down in public gardens that couldn't be more beautiful representations of the English attitude towards landscaping. The courageous enterprise is called FutureFest, and its 19th incarnation -- FutureFest 2009 -- has just concluded.

The three-day affair is unique in that it's the only new-play competition run by a community theater in the United States. Yes, aside from one or two (often part-time) employees, every FutureFest is operated by volunteers. The actors, directors, designers and crew receive no reimbursement for their work, only the thrill of preparing and bringing off three full productions and three staged readings of six plays chosen from (this year) over 200 submissions by playwrights eager to get a gander at what they've wrought and perhaps pull down a $1000 check. The check's decided by a panel of (this year) four judges brought in from Manhattan and elsewhere.

Full disclosure: I'm one of those eager judges and have been for 14 or 15 of the years that the contest has taken place. That's how I qualify to report on the dedication the Dayton and surrounding area theater lovers express either by working in some capacity for the outfit or sitting in the audience to watch six plays over a 48-hour period or both. I know how welcoming the Dayton people are to the playwrights and the judges and how much they care about the quality of the works set before them.

The process, refined over the years (and perhaps needing further refinement), is this: After each play, the judges take the stage and -- once having listened to the playwright talk about how he or she came to write the just-seen opus -- expound on various topics like theme, characterization, dialogue, dramatic effect. Once the judges have mouthed off, audience members get to ask questions and express their yea or nay. When the formalities have ended, many attendees hang back to talk informally with the playwrights and judges.

Usually a good time is had by most, although over the years some playwrights have objected to criticism lodged, and certainly many of the plays offered were below recognizable standards. (A large reading committee slogs through the submissions--some years exceeding the 400 mark -- and perhaps at their daunting task they lack the sophistication of Manhattan agents.)

There's reason to believe that politics come into play, with some of the regular directors vying for the script they suspect will win. Furthermore, there's no use denying this audience reflects the country-wide theater audience in that the median age is surely more than 50, maybe sufficiently more. On the other hand, the caliber of the acting is unexpectedly high.

You can bet and be a winner that the Daytonians are looking to make a national name for themselves as a place where significant plays are first recognized. This state of happy affairs may have been slow to start, but it has started. The 2005 winner was Beau Willimon's Farragut North, which this year received a first-rate production at Manhattan's Atlantic Theater. It's currently playing in Los Angeles at the equally prestigious Geffen Playhouse and is also under development by George Clooney for a film starring Leonardo DiCaprio. Many swelled Dayton chests over that one.

For the record, the plays tapped this year were 20-year-old Chad Baker's A Snake That Eats Itself, Devon Boan's Darkroom, M. J. Feely's Night and Fog, Richard Manley's Quietus, Molly Smith Metzler's Carve, and Rosemary Frisino Toohey's G-Man. Feely was handed the $1000 check, but I'm going to skip out on a limb and say that at least three of these pieces will be heard from sooner rather than later -- given, of course, the couple of lucky breaks all scripts by unknowns need.

So the good news is that the fabulous invalid -- as theater has been termed for decades -- is alive, well and dancing a jig in Dayton.

Gregory Weinkauf: The Week in Dodgy Cinema: Welcoming the Icky Orphan ; Bumping the Ugly ( Truth )

2009-07-23T11:26:03Z

Somewhere in the vast sub-suburban bleakness of "America"-But-Actually-Canada, where it's always a gloomy 4:45 pm in the dead of winter, a sweet and curiously affluent WASP family just begging for horror and torture are about to adopt a charming little Russian girl named Esther, whom they will bring into their pricey post-modern home. Esther, in turn -- as we've observed from the trailer -- will bring said horror and torture. As viewers, our exploration of this scenario is threefold: 1. What is wrong with Esther? (I've been asking that about Madonna for several years); 2. How can the cute WASPs stop her?; and 3. Why is this movie two full hours long?

Cute kid. Hide the toolbox.
(photo: Dark Castle / Warner Bros. Pictures)

So it goes with Orphan -- the latest silly shocker from Joel Silver's William Castle-inspired Dark Castle Entertainment (formed ten years ago with Robert Zemeckis and Gilbert Adler). While the company errs on the side of explicit gore and violence more than I would prefer, I nonetheless seem to recall reviewing their Thir13en Ghosts (sic) and Ghost Ship, and whatever pretentious film-criticky things I wrote, I'm sure I had some pulpy fun viewing them. (Fortunately, with their 2005 House of Wax "remake" -- directed by Orphan's Jaume Collet-Serra -- I just switched on the box precisely for Paris Hilton getting impaled through the skull, then switched off again, satisfied.)

Here in Orphan's land of wintery chills (and astounding thundersnow!) -- atmospherically just down the old logging road from David Cronenberg's The Dead Zone and Sarah Polley's Away from Her -- the couple called (go figure) John and Kate (Peter Sarsgaard and Vera Farmiga, both game for gradually revealing their characters' failings and neuroses) are driven by Kate's late-term stillbirth (hideously depicted in an opening nightmare sequence; thanks for the splatter, guys) to visit one of those charming country orphanages apparently launched by the Dr. Wilbur Larch Foundation. Soon enough they're enchanted by eerie little Esther (Isabelle Fuhrman, successfully doing all this movie's heavy lifting), who is ridiculously gifted (paints like a genius) and intelligent (learns sign language in about ten minutes), and -- apart from the weird ribbons she refuses to remove from her neck and wrists -- seems a model nine-year-old.

Two great child actors. Go figure.
(photo: Dark Castle / Warner Bros. Pictures)

Ah, yes -- the sign language. The increasingly confused and irritable John and Kate, despite their passion to share their love for their lost child with a new inductee, already have two natural children of their own: Little Max (Aryana Coleman, truly excellent) who is (narratively speaking) conveniently mute and hearing-impaired; and her older brother Daniel (Jimmy Bennett -- whom I knew I wasn't digging but couldn't place why: But of course, he plays the very annoying "Young Kirk" in the new so-called Star Trek). While Esther quickly coaxes Max to trust her, Daniel starts off icy and hastily veers rude ("Send her back to retard camp!"), resulting in increasingly violent and stunningly crude manipulations from his undesired new sibling -- all of which eventually wrenches the family apart.

Orphan is actually a pretty good little B-movie thriller -- sort of V.C. Andrews pulp by way of The Ring/Ringu (except this spooky little girl isn't dead) -- and most of its uncomfortable fun lies in Esther doing and saying increasingly psychotic things a little girl should (would?) simply never, ever do or say. That said, while theoretically this conflict proves intriguing, in practice (and on film rather than the page) it is a bit painful to behold, and leads one to wonder what happens to the psyche of a child actor after spewing the sort of filth Fuhrman plentifully spews here. (This I consider to be the movie's real controversy -- if any -- for complaints about its adoption-gone-bad theme seem as pertinent as, say, animal-rights activists and pooch-smoochers getting all uppity over Cujo; it's a movie.) Fuhrman -- all of eleven during filming -- is good at her job, though: She makes all the Damiens look like harmless wax dummies.

Treehouse of horror!
(photo: Dark Castle / Warner Bros. Pictures)

Leonardo DiCaprio is also a producer on Orphan, and as he's announced that he'd like to produce a new Twilight Zone movie, the main problem with this film is made evident: It's simply too sluggish and long, a Twilight Zone episode extended beyond its reasonable run-time. I could nit-pick the movie further (the orphanage's doomed nun CCH Pounder drives a car from, apparently, the 1940s?), plus the cheap shocks really are offensively cheap -- but overall I like the murky atmosphere and the freakish reveals, and thus can grant Orphan a limited pass. But in this wintry world of murder and misery, one question remains: Why has the filmed adaptation of The Lovely Bones completely vanished?

He's crude. Get it? Huh-huh.
(photo: Columbia Pictures / Sony)

Meanwhile, representing this week's extreme counter-programming, we get Katherine Heigl and Gerard Butler hamming their way through The Ugly Truth -- yet another wearying "battle-of-the-sexes" romp that's sure to please dumb people but didn't please me. Egad -- you see, the challenge with reviewing something as perhaps well-intended but ultimately insipid as this is to speak one's own ugly truth without coming across as a meanie. Thus, while "crap" and "junk" suffice, I'll give them one more paragraph, for effort:

Co-executive producer Heigl plays an uptight Sacramento television producer who strictly adheres to behavioral and statistical checklists in her boneheaded quest for a mate -- until of course her cat (her cat!) turns her on to Butler as a mega-crude, Adam Corolla-type TV sex-advice personality. Screenwriting 101 meets Profanity 101 as Heigl learns to get comfortable with the word "cock" and -- how did you guess? -- opposites attract! En route to the unpardonably obvious wrap-up, let's see, we get Butler rudely coaching Heigl on how to catch a "perfect" guy ("Now tell him goodnight and stick your tits out"), a lame restaurant-orgasm scene which makes one yearn desperately for the Meg Ryan of yore, and a shiny new term for female masturbation: Flickin' the bean. Heck, have at it, first-daters; at least it'll make you both feel smart.

Fans Steal Leo's Dunks In Kyoto

2009-06-30T10:34:02Z

During a visit to a hilltop shrine in Kyoto last week, DiCaprio was asked by a couple of fans to pose for a picture -- but he declined, pointing to a sign prohibiting photography on the premises. Feeling slighted, the fans waited until he removed his Nike Dunks to enter the temple and then stole them.

Leonardo DiCaprio SPLITS With Bar Refaeli

2009-06-09T07:23:31Z

On-again off-again couple Leonardo DiCaprio and Bar Refaeli have called it quits once more, sources confirm to PEOPLE.

"They're taking time off for the time being, they've split," says a source close to the actor. "It could just end up as a break but for now they're doing their own thing."

Celebrities At NBA Finals: Jack, Warren, Leo, Rihanna & More (PHOTOS)

2009-06-07T22:50:46Z

As per THE usual, celebrity fans packed Game 2 of the NBA Finals at the Staples Center to watch the Lakers beat the Orlando Magic 101-96 on overtime.

Front row regulars like Jack Nicholson and Leonardo DiCaprio were joined by famous faces like Rihanna and Warren Beatty for the big game.

PHOTOS:

Getty

Celebrities At Lakers Game: Jack, Leo, Kanye & More (PHOTOS)

2009-06-05T07:19:18Z

The Lakers beat the Magic 100-75 in Game 1 of the NBA finals on Thursday night at the Staples Center, and loyal Lakers fans were there to see it.

Among the familiar famous faces at the game were Jack Nicholson and Leonardo DiCaprio and female basketball great Lisa Leslie.

PHOTOS:

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John Farr: Just When Did The Quality Of Hollywood Films Start To Drop?

2009-05-24T22:58:52Z

To build the number of solid DVD recommendations on my site, for several years now I've been watching roughly fifteen films a week -- old and new, domestic and foreign. This process has yielded a broader appreciation of the scope of feature films beyond my pre-existing expertise, which was Hollywood's Golden Age (1930-1960).

It has also led me to a striking conclusion: though in revenue and distribution terms Hollywood continues to dominate the global film market, the most original, intelligent, and enduring movies today are being made outside this country.

It's a disturbing dynamic when the majority player in a global industry keeps turning out a largely indifferent product. Inevitably, parts of the traditional consumer base start to fall away. In Hollywood's case, the industry is gradually losing their educated adult (40 years plus) audience. As a consequence, they are working that much harder to keep our offspring hooked on a steady stream of comic book and computer game adaptations, brought to the big screen with lots of quick cuts, deafening noise, and whiz-bang special effects.

In pursuing this dubious strategy, a fundamental part of great filmmaking- excellence in script, character development and overall story-telling- gets sacrificed, because the bells and whistles, the sheer noise and kinetic pacing of today's commercial releases, would seem to render them unnecessary. I suggest they are never unnecessary.

True, even at Hollywood's peak, there was plenty of junk being made. But with the built-in efficiencies of the studio system creating much more product overall, there was enough quality work rising to the top to keep discerning moviegoers happy.

Also, studio moguls then consciously wanted to build industry prestige with what were then termed "important pictures". Today, "important pictures" in Hollywood represent only risk, a virtual death knell in a business driven solely by dollar signs.

For today's thinking adults, movies are being increasingly marginalized because there is less reason and excuse for us to make time for them as we did in the past. Technology encourages us to stay forever chained to our PCs and Blackberries, answering every email and phone call in real time, and looking up our old school chums on Facebook.

And if we're disillusioned with what's currently in theatres, we're unlikely to work that much harder to identify and absorb an older film or foreign release, even if we're promised a disproportionate reward in the end.

It's easier just to tune in to "Dancing With The Stars".

Maybe as a movie lover, I over-dramatize the situation. But to me, it feels terribly sad.

Just when did the mighty Hollywood movie machine really start to sputter? To find my own answer, I tried an experiment.

Though few outside the industry know of it, The Quigley Poll has annually tracked the top ten Hollywood stars at the box office since the early thirties. I decided to review their results every ten years from 1938-2008, and for each star listed in a given year, tally the corresponding number of their films featured on www.bestmoviesbyfarr.com.

Examining the trend-line of total number of films contributed by the stars over time should help indicate when overall film quality started to decline, at least from my perspective. Since this in effect links the subjective notion of quality to my own personal standards, the results are hardly conclusive, but hopefully still worthy of debate and discussion.

I myself would have expected the thirties to produce a higher total, yet the top ten box-office stars of 1938 are only represented by 27 films on our site, with sixteen of those contributed by just two actors: Spencer Tracy (10) and Clark Gable (6). Beyond runners-up Myrna Loy and Tyrone Power (each with 4 films), most of the other stars have faded with time, including Alice Faye, Sonja Henie, and Jane Withers (a child star who'd go on to play Josephine in those memorable "Comet" commercials in the sixties).

Ten years later, and the number of Quigley stars' films on our site more than doubles. On the 1948 list with ten titles each are Tracy again, along with Bogart, Cary Grant, and Gary Cooper. Ingrid Bergman scores with 9 titles, while Bing Crosby adds 4. With all other names contributing at least one title, the forties' total was 62.

The overall number for 1958 stars is down only slightly, at 57 titles. All the prior actors with ten titles represented are gone, replaced by James Stewart (10), Marlon Brando and Elizabeth Taylor (each with 9), William Holden (8), and Frank Sinatra (7). As with the prior decade, each star listed in the Poll's top-ten contributed at least one title.

We hit our peak in 1968 with a record 75 titles, ironically not the best time for Hollywood itself, but in terms of stars, reflecting a vibrant, prolific new generation. Only Liz Taylor returns to the list, joined by late bloomer John Wayne (11 titles). They are joined by Paul Newman (10), Sidney Poitier (10), Jack Lemmon (8), Lee Marvin (7), Clint Eastwood (7), and Steve McQueen (6).

With the '70s' list, totals return to 1940s/50s' levels, with the top-ten stars comprising 61 total films on BMBF, and excepting Clint Eastwood, reflecting a whole new line-up of names: Peter Sellers and Woody Allen (at 10 titles each), followed by Diane Keaton (8), Warren Beatty, and Jane Fonda (6 each). Also, newcomers John Travolta and Richard Dreyfuss appear for the first and only time (each with 5 titles). For the first time since the thirties, one name, Barbra Streisand, contributed no titles to the site.

As we then look ahead ten years and beyond, we note that a steady decrease in the number of memorable films begins in the eighties, with the actors from Quigley's '88 poll contributing just over half the number of films (32) from the prior decade. Dustin Hoffman appears, providing 10 titles, as does the up-and coming Tom Hanks (7) and Tom Cruise (5). Yet after Robin Williams (4), the number of titles contributed per star is minimal: Danny DeVito (2), Eddie Murphy (2), Bette Midler (1), Arnold Schwarzenegger (1), Paul Hogan (0), and Tom Selleck (0).

(Just reading some of these names, I feel the edifice starting to crumble.)

The erosion continues in the 90's, whose totals now drop below the thirties' level to generate just 24 BMBF titles. After Hanks, Robin Williams, Mel Gibson (5 titles), and Leonardo DiCaprio (3), we again have a slew of admittedly big stars who, in my view, have not made that many outstanding films: among them, Jim Carrey (1), Meg Ryan (1), Cameron Diaz (1), Julia Roberts (0), and Adam Sandler (0).

The top box-office draws for 2008 hit a new low, contributing a paltry 14 titles to our site. Harrison Ford leads the list with 7 titles, followed by George Clooney with 3. All others on the list contributed two or less movies, including Reese Witherspoon (2), Daniel Craig (1), Christian Bale (1), and with no titles contributed, Will Smith, Shia La Beouf, Robert Downey, Jr., Angelina Jolie, and once again, Adam Sandler.

In fairness to this last group, some of these stars have long careers ahead of them, but it won't do them (or us) much good if the industry doesn't start giving them better scripts. (In particular, Robert Downey, Jr. stands out as one actor who always comes off better than the films he finds himself in.)

Or... perhaps my idea of who or what constitutes greatness in film has become outmoded. Maybe I've been blinded by generational bias, and will justifiably receive a host of angry comments criticizing the absence of Will Smith, Adam Sandler or Julia Roberts on my site.

One request, though, before lodging your protest: first, look again at some of the newer, noteworthy titles from France, Italy, Japan, Germany, Korea, Denmark, Iran and the Middle East. Next, revisit a select few Hollywood classics from the forties, fifties and sixties. In doing this, you'll likely notice some of the differences in film-making emphasis and approach I mentioned earlier.

But with so-called progress and the passage of time, such differences are inevitable. Ultimately it all comes down to this basic question: are we in America making our fair share of great movies today, movies that will stand the test of time?

I for one dearly wish I could answer "yes".

Brigitte Lacombe Photographs Obama, Streep, Leo And Others

2009-05-19T08:54:12Z

For over three decades, world-renowned photographer Brigitte Lacombe has immortalized moments in politics, fashion, and entertainment. Here's an exclusive look at a selection of photography from Ms. Lacombe's new book, "Lacombe: Anima/Persona," which will debut tonight at the Cannes Film Festival.

The pictures of President Obama before he began his bid for the White House, Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto with her family in the late 80s and Steven Spielberg on the set of "Close Encounters of the Third Kind" years before becoming a household name are particularly worth seeing.

Millvina Dean, Titanic

2009-05-12T10:21:15Z

LONDON — "Titanic" stars Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet have pledged to help the last survivor of the sinking of the ocean liner. The stars say they have thrown their support behind a fund that would subsidize Millvina Dean's nursing home fees.

Dean was 2 months old when the Titanic sank beneath the waves on the night of April 14, 1912. She has been living at a nursing home in the English city of Southampton since she broke her hip about three years ago but has struggled to pay the fees.

Kate And Leo Help Last Titanic Survivor

2009-05-11T12:00:06Z

Celebs At The Lakers Game: Leo, Tobey, Diddy, Jack & More (PHOTOS)

2009-04-28T10:24:29Z

Celebrities turned out in droves to watch the LA Lakers take on the Utah Jazz Monday night at the Staples Center.

To Lakers fans' delight, they beat the Jazz to clinch the series in five games and are now advancing in the NBA playoffs.

PHOTOS:

NRDC Gala: Leonardo DiCaprio, Cameron Diaz, Tom Ford, And More (PHOTOS)

2009-04-27T06:01:16Z

The Natural Resources Defense Council held a 20th anniversary gala at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel in Beverly Hills Saturday night.

Celebrities who came out to show their support for the environment included Brian Grazer, Leonardo DiCaprio, Cameron Diaz, Lisa Kudrow, Julia Louis-Dreyfus and dozens more.

PHOTOS:

Matt Petersen: Support Non-Profits on Earth Day

2009-04-22T14:35:43Z

In this weekend's New York Times Magazine Jon Gertner ("Why Isn't the Brain Green?") evokes the Pew Research Center poll taken in late January that ranked concern about climate change in last place of the top 20 concerns Americans have.

This is alarming, since scientists are repeatedly discovering that global warming impacts are accelerating at a pace more quickly than initially expected. Hence our need to significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions is more urgent than ever.

From all corners of our society -- whether it is over 3000 scientists that make up the IPCC or President Obama, Al Gore, business leaders, or even notable personalities -- we are hearing the call to action. Further, I and others posit if we merge the solutions to meeting our economic and environmental crises, we can create a long term sustainable economy while stemming the worst potential consequences of climate change (and economic collapse).

As Earth Day approaches, we are seeing lots of appeals and reminders that Earth Day is every day in order to amplify the voices of scientists and environmentalists trying to raise the alarm bells and advance solutions to our climate crisis.

One such person who is joining the call and shining the light on science and solutions is actor, activist, and Global Green board member Leonardo DiCaprio. As part of announcing a unique eBay auction he agreed to participate in, Leonardo recently joined those reminding us of the need to act by saying "as science continues to point for the need to urgently act on climate change, we need everyone -- individuals, nonprofits, politicians, and business -- to take action. We must urge our leaders to take the next step and arrive at the Copenhagen Climate meeting later this year with the next agreement in hand. President Obama and our leaders in Congress need all of our help to overcome the special interests that continually fight climate
and clean energy legislation."

With the economic and environmental crises converging, we must find ways to address them together. For example, we spend more money in this nation on energy bills for schools than textbooks and computers combined -- every school in every neighborhood in America can be part of solving global warming, and help put more money into classrooms. We need governments to urgently address the environmental and economic crises together by shifting subsidies for oil, gas and coal -- estimated at $300 billion USD annually -- toward solar and renewable technologies to create jobs, improve the lives of those in need, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

This Earth Day, remember that we need to take action to protect our environment every day...and of course making donations to worthy, green charities who advocate on our collective behalf is one critical way to take action.

Like all nonprofits, Global Green is finding creative ways to raise money in this economic climate, and are grateful that Leonardo agreed to participate in our Earth Day eBay auction. There are many items he donated to help raise funds for Global Green, but the most unique is the chance to walk the red carpet and meet Leonardo DiCaprio at the premiere of his next film. The auction runs through 7pm pacific on Earth Day and can be found at www.ebay.com/globalgreen .

The green auction not only raises funds for Global Green's National Green Schools and Climate Solutions initiatives, it is also a reminder for the need to take action on climate change now.

Matt Petersen: Support Non-Profits on Earth Day

2009-04-21T14:25:43Z

Green Celebrities: Leo, Stella, Willie And More (SLIDESHOW)

2009-04-20T09:27:53Z

People in the spotlight are picked apart for lifestyle choices, so it's nice to find a few that try to make positive choices. Here are just a few famous folks who've used their fame to promote green causes:

Leonardo DiCaprio is just one of many celebrities to support the Natural Resource Defense Council.

Stella McCartney gives eco-entrepreneurs something to strive for.

Natalie Portman made vegetarianism sexy.

Joaquin Phoenix (you know, the hip-hop star) made veganism smoldering, then crazy.

(Continued after slideshow)

Willie Nelson makes biodiesel rock, while Neil Young makes electric cars rock.

Salma Hayek shows that you can act locally and globally.

Penelope Cruz has helped organize a fleet of hybrids to shuttle celebrities around Hollywood during awards shows.

Ed Begley, Jr. and Bill Nye make going green a competition -- everybody wins!

Sting created The Rainforest Foundation in 1989!

Male Movie Stars Are Getting Fatter

2009-04-18T08:30:58Z

Hollywood's pool of leading men is getting larger -- and not necessarily in a good way.

Based on a close look at trailers, still photos and some films already released, at least a dozen male stars in some of the year's most prominent movies have been adding on the pounds of late.

Gisele's Vanity Fair Profile: On Tom Brady, His Son And Leo

2009-03-30T07:55:53Z

Gisele graces the May cover of Vanity Fair and the NY Post got an early look at the accompanying profile. The whole interview and some of the photographs are now online here, but the Post dug out some highlights.

The Brazilian supermodel has never met Bridget Moynahan, the mother of husband Tom Brady's son John:

"When we are in LA, we have Johnny 50 percent of the time," Bundchen said of the toddler.

"He's a little angel -- the sweetest, most cuddly, loving baby. I feel blessed to have him in my life...

"I understand that he has a mom, and I respect that. But to me, it's not like because somebody else delivered him, that's not my child -- I feel it is, 100 percent."

Of the news Moynahan was pregnant, which she and Brady found out when they had just started dating.

"It was definitely a surprise for both of us," Gisele said with a rueful smile, referring to her and Brady.

"In the beginning, you're living this romantic fantasy; you're thinking this can't be true, it's so good! And then, whoops -- wake-up call!"

Read the whole article, in which she also calls ex Leonardo DiCaprio "a really wonderful person."

Andrea Chalupa: How California is Leading the Charge on Electric Cars

2009-03-24T18:04:19Z

The only thing I don't miss about living in California is having to drive. Driving creates all kinds of problems for our environment and profits for bad guys who drag us into war for oil. (Plus I love zoning out on the subway in NYC!) Depending on where you live, driving is a necessity.

Luckily, forward-thinking California is leading the charge on electrical cars. There's no better way to stick it to global warming and the Bushies than driving a car that doesn't rely on fossil fuel.

California-based Tesla Motors will unveil this week its Model S, a luxury sedan, for $50,000--half the price of its Roadster. Fifty G's is still expensive, but hey, if they keep chipping away at the sticker price they inch e-vehicles closer to mass-market adoption.

Credit unions in Northern California are helping out. WalletPop's Aaron Crowe breaks down the numbers on Bay Area credit unions offering manageable, downturn-friendly loans for consumers who want to purchase an electric set of wheels.

We're getting there, people! This isn't the "one giant leap for mankind;" that will come with the help of legislation, like carbon caps, which California also pioneered. So my question is, why bailout the auto industry when that money should go to relieving the budgetary woes of a state that's going to help save us from our necessary evils, like driving as we know it?

Warren Holstein: Top Ten Alternate Punishments for the Iraqi Shoe Thrower

2009-03-13T10:01:54Z

So the Iraqi journalist Muntadhar al-Zeidi was finally sentenced this week to three years in prison for throwing his loafers at U.S. President George W. Bush during a press conference (and missing!). While his lawyers are busy filing an appeal, many critics are in an uproar as to whether the punishment fits the crime. As an official mediator for the new Middle East Peace Initiative (MEPI)--established five minutes ago during a hyper-caffeinated reverie in my one-bedroom walk up in the heart of Elmhurst, Queens (Facebook Fan Page forthcoming, folks)--I am personally proposing the following possible alternative punitive measures:

1. Two years of indentured servitude as Dubya's personal bootblack...and reading tutor.

2. Must walk barefoot anywhere he travels within the Middle East (no exceptions for piping hot sand, camel dung or depleted uranium dust).

3. From this point onward will only be allowed to report on discounted footwear (the dreaded Payless Beat).

4. Forced to work four years as an underpaid laborer at an undisclosed Nike Indonesian sweatshop as a gofer for underage co-slave workers (get coffee, change diapers, sweep up severed phalanges).

5. Obliged to lend his tootsies, at will, to any charitable Foot Fetish Galas (expected to show up in formal leather choker, spiked armlets and chain-link leash).

6. Five-year cobbler apprenticeship with Daniel Day-Lewis, in exchange for character study which will culminate in his portrayal in the forthcoming Martin Scorsese biopic: "Shoe Missed Me": Muntadhar al-Zeidi's Dark Sole. Leonardo DiCaprio will play Dubya (because of the instant Green Light not his undercooked acting chops).

7. Required to serve as a freelance foot fungus scraper/taster for various third-world podiatrists/witch doctors.

8. Expected to register and participate in an accredited Shoe-Throwing Anger Management Course where he will learn to sublimate his misguided shoe-chucking urges into wholesome non-violent activities such as basket-weaving, baking, poetry or perhaps even indignant Op-Ed pieces.

9. Has to complete compulsory training until he no longer "throws like a girl" and learns how to aim properly.

10. Is awarded Nobel Peace Prize.

Leonardo DiCaprio To Star In Nolan Sci-Fi Movie

2009-03-04T08:35:32Z

Leonardo DiCaprio will star in "Inception," the science-fiction film that Christopher Nolan ("The Dark Knight") wrote and will direct as his next pic at Warner Bros.

The project shoots this year and is slated to be released in summer 2010, with Nolan and Emma Thomas producing. DiCaprio's deal is in final negotiations.