Celebs' Oscar gift bags worth whopping $110,000
Celebs' Oscar gift bagsworth whopping $110,000
LOS ANGELES -- No matter who takes home the little golden statues, everybody who makes it on stage at Sunday night's Academy Awards is going to win big. According to USA Today, every celeb kind enough to put up with the painful inconvenience of sharing themselves with the world as a presenter or a performer will receive a hefty gift bag filled with goodies worth a sweet $110,000 (compared with the lame-o $27,000 bags the Grammys give out).
That's about twice what a Philadelphia police sergeant makes a year.
The bounty includes a gift certificate for a $6,000 43-inch Samsung DLP HDTV, plus a year of satellite TV; a pair of round-trip business-class tickets on Air New Zealand from LA to Auckland; a $1,500 steak dinner at Morton's; and, to help digest that steak, there's also a $500 Krups espresso machine (probably the cheapest item in the bag).
Some say Coppola's 'Lost'stereotypes the Japanese
LOS ANGELES -- Amid all the critical praise, some are charging that "Lost in Translation" translates into bigotry, reports MSNBC.com.
The Oscar-nominated film -- starring Scarlett Johansson and Bill Murray -- has won raves for director and screenwriter Sofia Coppola, but critics are saying that it mocks and stereotypes Japanese people.
"'Lost in Translation' provides a biased and offensive portrayal of the Japanese people and perpetuates negative stereotypes that are harmful to the Asian American community," notes LostInRacism.org, which is appealing to members of the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts & amp; Sciences not to vote for the film. "Had this film been set in Africa or Mexico, for example, we do not think Ms. Coppola would have given such an insensitive and racist portrayal of a people."
"The Japanese are 'funny,' two-dimensional, cartoon-like characters who can't pronounce English words correctly and often mix 'L' and 'R' sounds," laments Yoko Akashi in an article in Japan Today. "The U.S. media traditionally dehumanizes Asians as a whole, making them an easy target for jokes or as a scapegoat. And that view is the norm for many Americans. But seeing it in this supposedly 'intellectual' and 'artsy' film was an unpleasant surprise."
"I can see why people might think that, but I know I'm not racist," Coppola told the London Independent. "I think if everything's based on truth you can make fun, have a little laugh, but also be respectful of a culture. I just love Tokyo and I'm not mean-spirited. Even on our daily call sheets they would mix up the R's and the L's. All that was from experience -- it's not made up."
'Idol' semifinalist arrestedon suspicion of DUI
LOS ANGELES -- We're nearly two months into the third season of "American Idol" and we finally have our first arrest, reports TV Guide Online. Semifinalist Donnie Williams was arrested on suspicion of DUI early Monday morning. Cops pulled him over in Northern California after clocking his speed at 100 mph.
Williams, 20, reportedly told the police he was heading home from a party celebrating his shot on "Idol." After being arrested, he complained, "You're ruining my life!" He has since been cited and released. He was scheduled to perform in next week's Round 4 but has been replaced by George Huff, 22, of Norman, Okla.
Today's birthdays
Actress Joanne Woodward is 74. Actress Elizabeth Taylor is 72. Consumer advocate Ralph Nader is 70. Actress Barbara Babcock is 67. Actor Howard Hesseman is 64. Rock singer-musician Neal Schon (Journey) is 50. Basketball player James Worthy is 43. Actor Adam Baldwin is 42. Actor Grant Show is 42. Rhythm and blues singer Chilli (TLC) is 33. Rock musician Jeremy Dean (Nine Days) is 32. Chelsea Clinton is 24. Singer Josh Groban is 23.