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Access Atlanta > Blog > Archives > 2007 > August > 31
Friday, August 31, 2007
Roberts goes from CNN to ‘The Insider’
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
For Atlantans wondering why they haven’t seen former CNN Headline News anchor Thomas Roberts at the local Starbucks or the Publix lately, we have an update.
Roberts has relocated to Los Angeles where he’s been hired by “The Insider,” the news magazine corporate sister of “Entertainment Tonight.”
CBS Television Distribution made the announcement Friday.
“Thomas is a seasoned reporter whose sincere disposition on and off camera gives him an extraordinary rapport with viewers,” “Insider” executive producer Linda Bell Blue said in a statement.
Still, we wanted a few additional details so we rang up “Insider” press rep. Lisa Summers Haas’ office in Los Angeles.
Alas, we were almost embarrassed that we called.
When “The Insider” debuts its new season on Sept. 10, we were told that Roberts will have his own segment called “The Rumor Report” where he “will cover the full gamut of what’s going on in Hollywood.” Roberts will also work on other stories for “Insider.” At CNN, Roberts notably co-anchored coverage of the Columbia shuttle tragedy and the ongoing Iraq war.
But Roberts’ local fans won’t have to become insomniacs to catch his new gig.
While “The Insider” is currently seen in the wee hours on WSB-TV, it is scheduled to relocate over to WXIA-TV weeknights at 7:30, starting Sept. 10.
‘Gimme More’ or less Britney?
Britney Spears is trying to defibrillate her non-tabloid related career via a new single. “Gimme More,” debuted locally Thursday night on Q100’s Adam Bomb show, and a new album is due for release Nov. 13 by Jive Records, the label’s representative, Wendy Washington, told The Associated Press on Friday.
The song — a clubby, flirty dance track produced by Danja, a protege of hit-maker Timbaland — has the 25-year-old singer bringing back the thumping beats and breathy come-ons of her pop-star past.
On Friday morning, Q100’s The Bert Show also gave the song a spin. Response was mixed. Some listeners called in to say Spears had cribbed too many notes from Madonna’s playbook. Show namesake Bert Weiss conceded the point.
“With all Britney’s sketchiness, a lot of people just seem closed to her right now,” Weiss told Buzz. “A few years ago, it would have been a different story.”
Spears was last on the airwaves momentarily in 2004 with a cover of Bobby Brown’s “My Prerogative.” Since then, her primary activities have consisted of marrying and divorcing various men and spawning two car seat-resistant, soda-slurping moppets. The former pop princess is currently embroiled in a nasty custody fight with fedora-favoring ex-hubby and upcoming “One Tree Hill” guest star Kevin Federline.
Calling the cheese police
This weekend’s Dragon*Con is still mostly about costumed Jack Sparrows, Darth Vaders and garden variety wenches, but the sci-fi/fantasy orgy throws in a few random pop-culture icons — including former “CHiPs” actor Erik Estrada.
Though Estrada’s sci-fi cred is zero, his cheese cred is off the charts.
And during a Q&A session Friday with Estrada at the Hyatt Regency, Ponch had no problems mocking himself and his penchant for reality shows.
“I don’t mind laughing at myself,” he said. “But I don’t like comedians who are vicious and don’t know me.”
An example: George Lopez. Lopez asked him to be on his sitcom and Estrada said he had a conflict. But Lopez bad-mouthed him on talk shows. “It didn’t hurt my feelings,” Estrada said. “It [expletive] me off!”
When Buzz asked him about his “Surreal Life” castmate, the late Tammy Faye Bakker, Estrada said: “We were like brother and sister. I sent her an invite last year when I had my Hollywood Walk of Fame star ceremony, but she couldn’t make it. She called me crying. But she was dealing with her cancer. She really walks with Jesus. I made sure nobody in that [‘Surreal Life’] house was ever rude to her. I’d get in their face.”
After the session, he was escorted quickly to the “Walk of Fame” autograph room ($25 for an 8x10, $15 for a photo with him), where he joined the likes of James Marsters (Spike on “Buffy”) and William Katt (“The Greatest American Hero.”)
“Brad Pitt coming through!” he joked, gladhanding admirers on the way. “Tony Orlando coming through!”
OVERSCENE
The Dolce Group’s and former “Big Brother” houseguest Mike “Boogie” Malin with 50 Cent at the rapper’s listening party for his new album held at Geisha House Atlanta at Atlantic Station. Fitty gave sampled tracks for locals who “danced and bobbed along to the tracks,” we’re told. Spies at the party said that 50 Cent was “holding court at the best table in the house.”
ON MY iPOD
Swizz Beatz, producer and rapper :
“I don’t really download too much but I did just get UGK’s new CD [‘Underground Kingz’]. Common’s new CD [‘Finding Forever’] and Collie Buddz’ [‘Collie Buddz’]. I’m all over the place. But I usually like to buy the CDs though. I like to see the credits. Hold it in my hand. Live it.”
Celebrity birthdays
Today: Comedian-actress Lily Tomlin is 68. Singer Barry Gibb of the Bee Gees is 61. Talk-show host Dr. Phil is 57. Singer Gloria Estefan is 50. Actor Ricardo Antonio Chavira (“Desperate Housewives”) is 36. Guitarist Joe Trohman of Fall Out Boy is 23.
Sunday: Jazz pianist Horace Silver is 79. Sportscaster Terry Bradshaw is 59. Actor Mark Harmon is 56. Actor Keanu Reeves is 43. Actress Salma Hayek is 41. Actress Cynthia Watros (“Lost”) is 39. Drummer Spencer Smith of Panic! At The Disco is 20.
Contributing: Rodney Ho, Sonia Murray and news services.
If you have a tip, call 404-526-2749. Or fax 404-526-5509. Or e-mail: buzz@ajc.com.
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Celebs hatch great idea for women, girls
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Thanks to Poncey-Highland resident Jane Fonda’s friendship with “Vagina Monologues” playwright Eve Ensler, Atlantans can anticipate another one-of-a-kind fund-raiser aimed at ending violence against women and girls.
On Sept. 26 at Opera in Midtown, Ensler and Fonda — along with Atlanta and Broadway director Kenny Leon, singer/songwriter Doria Roberts, Q100’s Melissa Carter and Jenn Hobby and WSB-TV anchor JaQuitta Williams among others will present the Atlanta premiere of “A Memory, a Monologue, a Rant, and a Prayer: Writings to End Violence Against Women and Girls.” The five-minute pieces come from a June-release book of monologues by world-famous authors and playwrights edited by Ensler and Mollie Doyle.
“It’s a ground-breaking event and we’re thrilled to have so many well-known Atlantans involved,” event organizer Nikki Noto told Buzz Thursday.
Unlike “The Vagina Monologues,” “Memory” enlists men in the effort.
“While the pieces follow in the vein of ‘Monologues,’ we’re excited that we’re getting men involved in the mission as well this time out,” Noto said. In addition to the confirmed Leon, two other notable male Atlantans are being sought for two remaining spots.
Funds raised from the performance will support V-Day Atlanta charities and other local beneficiaries, including Men Stopping Violence and Charis Circle.
A VIP reception with Fonda, Ensler and the cast will precede the performance. For $50 general admission tickets to the performance and $300 “Eve’s Angel” tickets that include admission to the performance and the VIP gathering, go to www.inticketing.com. For higher-end sponsorship opportunities from $1,000 to the deluxe $7,500 package (which includes 15 stage level seats and your own private bar and bartender along with 15 tickets to the VIP reception), call 770-315-2838.
Tickets are also available at Charis Books & More in Little Five Points.
Rathbuns headed for ‘Iron Chef’
Inman Park restaurateur and chef Kevin Rathbun jets to New York City next month with his Dallas chef brother, Kent, to compete in Food Network’s “Iron Chef America.” We’re told that the Rathbun boys will be paired off together in competition against two other as-yet-unnamed chefs and the always impossible to predict “secret ingredient.” In an e-mail to Buzz, Kevin Rathbun said: “My brother and I will be ready for any curveball that will be thrown at us.”
Without even being privy to their competitors, Buzz is putting its money firmly on Kevin Rathbun. After all, with the success of Rathbun’s, Krog Bar and Kevin Rathbun Steak, the Atlanta chef has proven he can entice even the city’s most casual foodies into an alien (and sometimes MapQuest impervious) neighborhood. In comparison, whipping up an entree with, possibly, a pickled walrus tusk should be a snap …
Aquarium host to the dark side
If Georgia Aquarium visitors felt a certain tickling of apprehension Thursday, it’s understandable. Darth Vader was in their midst.
Dave Prowse, the towering Brit who donned cloak and Nazi-like helmet 30 years ago, visited the fishtank for a while before this weekend’s DragonCon convention. A celebration of the weird and the scary, DragonCon is an annual phenomenon in Atlanta.
Prowse, 72, has been making the horror and sci-fi circuit off and on since George Lucas released the first of the “Star War” films in 1977. He does not, repeat, does not wear the costume that creeped out millions to these conventions. That outfit belongs to Lucas and is insured for millions, Prowse said.
Instead, he goes to gatherings where his name alone is enough to alert others that an icon stands in their midst. Invariably, he said, people ask: Is he really as rotten as the guy he portrayed?
“You have to remember, it was an acting role,” said Prowse. “I’m not like that in real life.”
In real life, he’s the father of three and the grandfather to two kids who recently learned that he was one of the worst movie villains of all time. At first, he said, the kids were dismayed, but accepted the dark truth: Grandpa was a film fiend.
“Now, they have a couple of light sabers,” Prowse said. “They fight with them in the back garden.”
HIGH FIVE
Television
The Top Five On Demand programs for the week of Aug. 22-29 as determined by Comcast customers in metro Atlanta:
1. “Bed,” J. Holiday music video, Music Choice
2. “Entourage,” “Snow Job” Episode 53, HBO
3. “SpongeBob Squarepants: Best Day Ever,” Nickelodeon
4. “Piles,” Shawnty music video, Music Choice
5. “Corporate Thuggin,’” U.S.D.A. music video, Music Choice
— Courtesy: Rentrak’s OnDemand Essentials
QUOTE OF THE DAY
“I looked at her face and I thought, ‘Oh my gosh, that was me just three years ago.’ I could see the pain in her eyes, and I know what she’s feeling. I empathize with her.” — Dina McGreevey, who stood next to her husband, then-New Jersey Gov. James McGreevey, in 2004 as he declared himself a “gay American,” on “Extra” Thursday night talking about Suzanne Craig attending a news conference this week by her husband, embattled U.S. Sen. Larry Craig
Celebrity birthdays
Singer Van Morrison is 62. Actor Richard Gere is 58. Singer Glenn Tilbrook of Squeeze is 50. Singer Debbie Gibson is 37. Actor Chris Tucker (“Rush Hour”) is 35.
Contributing: Mark Davis and news services.
If you have a tip, call 404-526-2749. Or fax 404-526-5509. Or e-mail: buzz@ajc.com.
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