Today's Birthdays

Mark Ronson (33)
Beyonce (27)
Wes Bentley (30)
Kirsty Hume (30)
Lucie Silvas (31)
Shar Jackson (32)
Nona Gaye (34)
Carmit Bachar (34)
Ione Skye (37)
Noah Taylor (39)
Mike Piazza (40)
Damon Wayans (48)
Dr. Drew (50)
Khandi Alexander (51)
Mitzi Gaynor (77)

Donnie Klang is a solo artist

Musician Donnie Klang pictured during a signing of his new CD "Just A Rolling Stone" at The Virgin Megastore at Union Square on September 2nd, 2008 in New York City.

Today's Birthdays

Charlie Sheen (43)
Shaun White (22)
Jennie Finch (28)
Dominic West (39)
Valerie Perrine (65)
Eileen Brennan (70)

RocknRolla Premiere

"The Burning Plain"

Premiere of "The Burning Plain" during the 2008 Venice Film Festival at Palazzo del Cinema in Venice, Italy, on august 29th, 2008.

Synopsis:

The past and the present have a curious way of effecting one another as several people seperated by time and space are about to discover -- Mariana, a 16-year-old girl trying to put together the shattered lives of her parents in a Mexican border town; Sylvia, a woman in Portland who must undertake an emotional odyssey to burnish a sin from her past; Gina and Nick, a couple who must deal with an intense and clandestine affair; and Maria, a young girl who helps her parents find redemption, forgiveness and love. The five will discover that their actions may mean the difference between life and death as well as their own journeys into seeking redemption...and whether or not they will ever find it.

John Butler Trio

©RD/Kabik/Retna

The John Butler Trio performed at The Joint at The Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada on August 29, 2008.

From their site:

John Butler is many things to many people. To John’s family he is a much loved husband, father, brother, and son. To his ever growing fan base it is purely about the musical journey, the groove of the Trio, the soul of the guitar and the honesty and integrity of John’s lyrics. To emerging independent artists John is an inspiration and patron to young acts struggling to establish themselves in an increasingly difficult and diluted marketplace. For guitar players John has reignited interest in open tunings, slide-playing and down-home tone, and like his heroes singer/songwriter and slide great Jeff Lang and multi-instrumentalist virtuoso Bob Brozman, John has provided the motivation for many players to pick up the guitar, practice and get deep. To people everywhere who believe in social equity, justice and the human spirit John’s words and actions have provided an audible, considered, independent voice and energy to many legitimate and universal concerns. For John however, the importance and focus has always been at the source, his family, his commitment, a voice, a guitar, a song, and the path they walk together.

It is the bold ideal that has been made into reality that makes John Butler’s work significant. The concepts of independence, artistic integrity and ethical business practice have been proven not only achievable but highly successful. John’s ability to thrive independently with music has provided a catalyst for new directions within the industry and an inspiration for many artists and the way they approach their career. Independent options are real and tangible.

9/1/08 Birthdays

Bill Kaulitz (19)
Tom Kaulitz (19)
Scott Speedman (33)
Melissa George (34)
Tempestt Bledsoe (36)
Padma Lakshmi (38)
Ricardo Chavira (37)
Gloria Estefan (51)
Dr. Phil (58)
Barry Gibb (62)
Lily Tomlin (69)

Hillary Clinton @ the DNC

Photos of Hillary Clinton speaking at the Democratic National Convention in Denver, CO. If you missed her speech, see below.

There's a new Judge on American Idol

From AP:

Grammy-nominated songwriter Kara DioGuardi will sit alongside Cowell, Paula Abdul and Randy Jackson when the eighth season of "American Idol" premieres in January, the Fox network said Monday.

"For the past seven seasons, Paula has had to endure the experience of being the only woman at the judges' table," said Mike Darnell, president, alternative programming of Fox, in a statement.

"With Kara by her side, Paula has some backup and now there is going to be a lot more 'girl power' on the show," Darnell said.

DioGuardio's songs have been recorded by Kelly Clarkson, Christina Aguilera, Gwen Stefani, Celine Dion, Faith Hill, Carrie Underwood and Pink, among others.

Ugly Betty is Filming

Photos of America Ferrera and the cast of Ugly Betty filming scenes for the upcoming season of Ugly Betty on ABC. The hit show's season premiere is Thursday September 25th 8/7c on ABC.

Today's Birthdays

Tom Ford (47)
Alexa Vega (20)
Kyle Lowder (28)
Sarah Chalke (32)
Jonny Moseley (33)
Mase (34)
Mario (36)
Chandra Wilson (39)
Downtown Julie Brown (45)
Yolanda Adams (46)
Peter Stormare (55)
Pee Wee Herman (56)
Barbara Bach (61)
Tuesday Weld (65)

London 1012 Visa Pary

So the Olympics are officially over and everyone is headed to London to get ready for the next Olympics, 4 years from now when Michael Phelps will re-break all his world records, and the Chinese Gymnasts will get even younger since they realize they can get away with it. Here's a promo for the London 2012 Olympics.

Wynter Gordon's Birthday

Photos by © Walik Goshorn/Retna

If you don't know Wynter Gordon yet...you will. And with friends like Katy Perry ("I Kissed a Girl"), Teyana Taylor ("My Super Sweet 16") and Travis McCoy (Gym Class Heroes), she's sure to blow up soon enough. No video yet, but hear the song SURVEILLANCE below.

Today's Birthdays

Macaulay Culkin (28)
Evan Ross (20)
Cassie (22)
Chris Pine (28)
Shirley Manson (42)
Chris Burke (43)
Wanda De Jesus (48)
Branford Marsalis (48)

RIP LeRoi Moore

Matthews, Dave
Originally uploaded by retnablog

LeRoi Moore, saxophonist and founding member of Dave Matthews Band, died on Tuesday from complications stemming from an ATV accident he suffered in June. He was 46. Moore crashed his ATV on June 30 on his farm near Charlottesville, VA. He had been discharged from the hospital and returned to his Los Angeles home to begin a physical rehabilitation program, but complications from the accident sent him back to the hospital on July 17. The band issued a statement on its official website, describing Moore's death as "unexpected." Béla Fleck and the Flecktones saxophonist Jeff Coffin had been sitting in for the band's summer tour.

-EW.com
The AP reports that Dave Matthews Band went ahead with their show on Tuesday at L.A.'s Staples Center, where Matthews dedicated the concert to Moore.

The Dave Matthews band formed in 1991 in Charlottesville, according to their website, when vocalist/guitarist Matthews tapped Moore and drummer Carter Beauford -- both accomplished jazz musicians in the local Charlottesville music scene -- to help record to tape some songs Matthews had written. Since then, according to the RIAA, Dave Matthews Band has sold over 31 million units in the U.S., putting them in the Top 100 highest-selling music acts of all time.

8/19/08 Birthdays

John Stamos (45)
Romeo (19)
Erika Christensen (26)
Jennifer Morrison (29)
Stephen Carr (32)
Tracie Thoms (33)
Fat Joe (38)
Matthew Perry (39)
Nate Dogg (39)
LeAnn Womack (42)
Kevin Dillon (43)
Kyra Sedgwick (43)
Adam Arkin (52)
Peter Gallagher (53)
Jonathan Frakes (56)
Tipper Gore (60)
Gerald McRaney (60)
Bill Clinton (62)
Jill St. John (68)

Interview with The Melvins

Interview by Ryan Gilbert for Retna

The Melvins! These guys have been around forever. They've been chugging along since their initial formation in 1983 in small town Montesano, WA. Funny thing is, The Melvins are no novelty act. They're not drifting through life on auto-pilot like so many other older bands. They're not pandering to the masses by releasing shiny, over-produced, derivative pop songs. No way! They've never sold out and have never stopped producing their own unique blend of raw, relentless rock 'n roll, and they've gained more than a few fans over the years. Bands like Nirvana, Soundgarden and Tool, as well as pretty much everyone in the hard rock and metal underground have cited The Melvins as a major influence. It's pretty much a fact that they created the whole grunge movement of the early 90's (Don't believe me? Ask Dave Grohl).

But is The Melvins' heyday over? Hell no! Far from it! I saw them play a phenomenal show to a sold-out crowd at the Bowery Ballroom on Thursday night, and they showed absolutely no signs of slowing down. In fact, thanks to their recent lineup change and reinvention, these guys are probably more popular than they've ever been (In 2006, long time members Buzz Osborne and Dale Crover acquired bassist Jared Warren and drummer Coady Willis from the band, Big Business).

I talked to Jared and asked him about The Melvins' place in today's music scene...


RETNA: The Melvins 25th Anniversary is coming up. Are there any special plans for that?

JW: I don't know. I was actually kinda curious about that myself. I imagine there'll probably be some kind of tour or special show or something. Maybe we'll just end up having a huge kegger.

RETNA: You guys are still constantly touring and putting out great new albums. I feel like that's kind of strange for a band that has been around for so long. A lot of other older rock bands, like Aerosmith or The Rolling Stones, seem to have lost their passion somewhere along the line. How do you all stay hungry after all these years?

JW: Well, I think the difference between us and bands like them is that The Melvins have never really stopped playing music. I think that's a really dangerous thing for artists. Often times with bands like Aerosmith, they were, you know, broken up, and then five or ten years later or whatever they had a reunion tour. And of course it's not gonna be the same because they haven't really maintained any sort of chemistry. And for them too it's not a matter of survival. All those guys are super rich and they don't really need to put out a good record. Whereas we have to, because that's what we do to pay the rent. We can't afford to put out a crappy record. We have to keep busy and tour a lot because that's what pays the bills... And that's not to say it's all about money, but it definitely keeps us hungry. And we all really like doing it. Buzz, Dale, Coady and I, we all give a shit. It's a fun job and I wouldn't trade it for anything.

RETNA: Are you at all concerned with today's mainstream music scene? Do you pay attention to the new trends?

JW: No, not really. I don't really actively seek out new music. There's plenty of old music that I haven't discovered yet. As far as the young screamo scene or something like that, I don't really pay attention to it because it's not really my bag.

RETNA: So there aren't really any newer bands that you're into?

JW: Oh, no. There are, for sure. There's this band Tweak Bird out of LA that are really young guys that are really great. Our friends Red Fang in Portland; they're pretty awesome. I certainly think there are lots of great new bands, but for me they're all bands that I know or that a friend has tipped me off to. I don't discover a lot of new music on MySpace or MTV or anything like that. I happen to just know a lot of great musicians, so it works out well.

RETNA: I was asking because The Melvins camp seems to have become a very self-contained unit. Both opening bands on this tour are made up of people related to the band in some way: You and Coady, Dale, the Melvins tour manager (Tim Moss), the Melvins audio engineer (Toshi Kasai), etc... Even all your album artwork is designed by Buzz's wife, Mackie. Was it a conscious decision to not associate with other acts and keep everything in the family, so to speak?

JW: Yeah, I guess. It works out really well. It's convenient, it's a lot easier and we don't have to deal with any of the hassles that we would otherwise have to. There's never an argument over opening slots or gear or whatever. I guess that all sounds kind of petty, but ultimately it makes for a pretty smooth ride on the road. Everyone knows everyone. We're all on the same wavelength. I think we all enjoy each other's company. We all get along. For the most part, we hang out with each other when we're home too, so everything works out pretty well. I think we're all happy with where we are right now.

RETNA: And finally, what's the origin of your onstage outfits? The dresses and MuMus?

JW: Oh, haha. I don't really know where it came from originally. I don't know. Buzz is a weirdo. I think he just likes to have a lot of weird outfits to wear. Who knows? I guess, at the end of the day, it's just a matter of having fun and not taking yourself too seriously.

Buzz Osborne - Guitar, Vocals
Dale Crover - Drums, Vocals
Jared Warren - Bass, Vocals
Coady Willis - Drums, Vocals

Today's Birthdays

Ben Affleck (36)
Joe Jonas (19)
Kerri Walsh (30)
Natasha Henstridge (34)
Anthony Anderson (38)
Cris Judd (39)
Lady Miss Kier (39)
Debra Messing (40)
Debi Mazar (44)
Tom Colicchio (46)
Linda Ellerbee (64)
Mike Connors (83)

Cho Show Promo

All Photos © Leon/Retna

Margaret Cho attends Radar's screening of Margaret Cho's new VH1 reality sitcom "The Cho Show" on August 13, 2008 in New York City.



I love Margaret Cho, she's absolutely hilarious. So although I had a hard time choosing a clip to put up here...this is one of my favorites.

Jonas Brothers in Central Park

The Jonas Brothers shoot a new video in New York City's Central Park on Wednesday afternoon.

Kevin, 20, Joe, almost 19, and Nick, 15, have been in the Big Apple promoting their new album, A Little Bit Longer, out in stores now.

When asked earlier this morning what quality they look for most in a girl, Nick had this requirement: 'They have to be good to mom.' Kevin added, 'Family is big to us. That's huge.'

-JustJared.com

Today's Birthdays

Jackee Harry (52)
Mila Kunis (25)
Ana Matronic (34)
Christopher Gorham (34)
Jay Manuel (36)
Jennifer Flavin (40)
Catherine Bell (40)
Adrian Lester (40)
Halle Berry (42)
Susan Olsen (47)
Sarah Brightman (48)
Marcia Gay Harden (49)
Magic Johnson (49)
James Horner (55)
Carl Lumbly (57)
Danielle Steel (61)
Wim Wenders (63)
Steve Martin (63)

Michael Phelps owns the Olympics

Michael Phelps finally seems to be grasping what it all means. Maybe it started to sink in when the president showed up at the Water Cube and came back for an encore. Maybe he got a better idea when all those NBA superstars — Kobe Bryant and LeBron James among them — actually led the cheers for him. Maybe it was those relentless text messages from friends back home.

Maybe he actually listened when the race announcer at the pool said in a deep, authoritative voice: "Michael Phelps, greatest Olympian ever."

The head dipped. The shoulders twitched. The slightest of smiles creased his lips.

"Growing up, I always wanted to be an Olympian," Phelps said later. "I just kept thinking, 'Wow, greatest Olympian of all time.' It's a pretty cool title."

-Associated Press

The BMI Foundation & Pepsi Blue Carpet Bash, Cool Latin Music Scholarship

$20,000 in scholarships to be awarded to songwriters & composers for
best musical works in any Latin genre

(New York, NY) - The BMI Foundation, Inc. and Pepsi Blue Carpet Bash are proud to announce the opening of the Music Enrichment Fund Scholarship, a competition for young songwriters and composers. The annual competition offers three scholarships, one for $10,000 and two for $5,000, which will be awarded to the best three songs or instrumental compositions in any Latin genre. The recipients of the scholarships may have their winning works performed or played at the final Pepsi Blue Carpet Bash event scheduled to take place November 2008.

Generously funded by Pepsi, the 2008 competition gives songwriters a unique opportunity to compete against the best young talent in the country and earn money for their education. The competition is open to students between the ages of 21 and 28 enrolled in any college or university in the United States and Puerto Rico. All words and music must be original. The postmark deadline for entries is Tuesday, September 30, 2008. Competition rules and applications are available online at www.bmifoundation.org.

The BMI Foundation, Inc. is a not-for-profit corporation founded in 1985 to support the creation, performance, and study of music through awards, scholarships, commissions and grants. Tax-deductible donations to the Foundation come primarily from songwriters, composers and publishers, BMI employees and members of the public with a special interest in music. Because both the Foundation staff and the distinguished members of the Advisory Panel serve without compensation, over 95% of all donations and income are used for charitable grants.

World's Tallest Woman Dies

Allen_WM88088397
Originally uploaded by retnablog

The world’s tallest woman, Sandy Allen, died early Wednesday morning at a nursing home in her hometown of Shelbyville, Ind. She was 53.

No cause of death has been released, but a family friend said Allen had been sick for several months. She had been hospitalized for a recurring blood infection, along with diabetes, breathing troubles and kidney failure, Rita Rose said.

Allen, who was 7-foot-7, is listed by the Guinness Book of World Records as the tallest living woman, and has appeared in the publication since the mid-1970s.

She came into the world weighing an average 6.5 pounds – but her abnormal growth began soon after her birth in June 1955. By the age of 10, Allen stood at 6 feet 3 inches tall and by the age of 16 she towered over 7 feet tall.

Her height was due to a tumor in her pituitary gland that caused it to release growth hormones uncontrollably, according to the world record book. At the age of 22, she underwent surgery to correct the condition.

But she was proud of her height, Rose said. "She embraced it," she said. "She used it as a tool to educate people."

-Fox News

Jonas Brothers Play the iTunes Store in Soho

Hundreds of Jonas Brothers fans mobbed the Apple Store in Soho Tuesday night to watch the trio celebrate new disc A Little Bit Longer by recording an EP for iTunes' Live From Soho series.

By the time Apple's website announced the surprise same-day appearance by Kevin, Joe and Nick, a crowd of 100 had already set up camp.

The four Brooklyn pals waiting at the front of the line — Margarita Lungin and Agnes Belka, both 16, and Suzanne Hassan and Priscilla Huang, both 17 — heard word from a Jonas fansite. "We're in love with Joe — obsessive love," Margarita says.

The heartthrobs' arrival was greeted with a chorus of adolescent shrieks. The capacity crowd of 450-plus (and at least that many were turned away) sang along, clapped, jumped up and down and waved their hands through a set that included That's Just the Way We Roll and Pushin' Me Away.

During BB Good, Joe leaned out and hollered, "I don't wanna hurt you, I wanna kiss you." Screams ensued. Last number of the night: Burnin' Up.
- USA Today

Today's Birthdays

Danny Bonaduce (49)
Lloyd Banks (30)
James Carpinello (33)
Debi Mazar (44)
John Slattery (45)
Alma Cuervo (57)
Kathleen Battle (60)
Fidel Castro (82)

"Tropic Thunder" Premiere

Video Shoot: "Hi Hater Remix"

Maino at the shoot:




And the original video...remix coming soon:

Today's Birthdays

Issac Hayes 1942-2008

Soul legend Isaac Hayes, who won Grammy and Academy awards for the theme to the 1971 film ``Shaft'' and voiced the character ``Chef'' in the hit comedy series ``South Park,'' died yesterday in Memphis, Tennessee. He was 65.

Family members found Hayes lying unconscious next to a running treadmill in his basement around 1 p.m. local time, said Steve Shular, a spokesman for the Shelby County Sheriff's Office in a telephone interview. Hayes was pronounced dead at Baptist East Hospital. No autopsy is planned, Shular said.

Hayes, who co-wrote ``Soul Man'' and ``You Don't Know Like I Know,'' won an Oscar for best musical score for ``Shaft,'' according to his Web site. The song and the movie score also won Grammy awards for best original score and movie theme. Hayes, whose work influenced disco, urban-contemporary music and rap, was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2002.

In the 1990s, Hayes found a second career as the voice of Chef, the cafeteria cook and self-professed ladies man who became a mentor to the students of the ``South Park'' animated series on Viacom Inc.'s Comedy Central.

Bernie Mac 1957-2008

Mac suffered from sarcoidosis, an inflammatory lung disease that produces tiny lumps of cells in the body's organs, but had said the condition went into remission in 2005. He recently was hospitalized and treated for pneumonia, which his publicist said was not related to the disease.

Recently, Mac's brand of comedy caught him flack when he was heckled during a surprise appearance at a July fundraiser for Democratic presidential candidate and fellow Chicagoan Barack Obama.

Toward the end of a 10-minute standup routine, Mac joked about menopause, sexual infidelity and promiscuity, and used occasional crude language. Obama took the stage about 15 minutes later, implored Mac to "clean up your act next time," then let him off the hook, adding: "By the way, I'm just messing with you, man."

Even so, Obama's campaign later issued a rebuke, saying the senator "doesn't condone these statements and believes what was said was inappropriate."

But despite controversy or difficulties, in his words, Mac was always a performer.

The Police: That's all Folks

The Police ended one of rock 'n' roll's most successful reunions in Madison Square Garden on Thursday with a tribute to other famous trios, an assist from some real cops and a not-particularly close shave.

The 150th and final show of a comeback tour that stretched past 14 months was a benefit for two New York public television stations. Sting, guitarist Andy Summers and drummer Stewart Copeland added some end-of-the-road silliness to their set list, walking off to Porky Pig's signature line, "That's all, folks."

And Here are some Police Tunes for you to enjoy:

Vicky Cristina Barcelona

Coming soon: August 15, 2008

Today's Birthdays

Erykah Badu sings for MLK

Erykah Badu at The 26th Annual Martin Luther King Concert Series featuring Erykah Badu held at Wingate Field in Brooklyn, NY on August 4, 2008.

Today's Birthdays

Theron, Charlize
Originally uploaded by retnablog

© Tim Hale / Retna

Charlize Theron (33)
Abbie Cornish (26)
Eric Johnson (29)
Rachel York (37)
Sydney Penny (37)
Harold Perrineau (45)
David Duchovny (48)
Wayne Knight (53)
Garrison Keillor (66)
Tobin Bell (66)

Today's Birthdays

© Stonehouse / Camera Press / Retna

Barack Obama (47)
Billy Bob Thornton (53)
Cole & Dylan Sprouse (16)
Jeff Gordon (37)
Daniel Dae Kim (40)
Roger Clemens (46)
Lauren Tom (47)
Richard Belzer (64)

Morgan Freeman in Car Accident

Oscar-winning actor Morgan Freeman was injured in a serious car accident in Mississippi Sunday night, according to published reports.
The "Dark Knight" star was in a one-car crash about 11:30 p.m., according to celebrity Web site TMZ.
The accident happened in the vicinity of Batesville, Miss.

According to Memphis' WMC-TV, Freeman's 1997 Nissan Maxima went off the edge of Mississippi Highway 32 and flipped several times before coming to a rest.
The actor, 71, and his unidentified female passenger were extracted from the car using the Jaws of Life.
Freeman, who talked to state troopers after the wreck, had to be airlifted to a hospital in Memphis, Tenn., more than 100 miles from the scene of the crash. His condition is "serious," a spokesman at the Regional Medical Center at Memphis said.

It was unclear whether alcohol was a factor in the incident.

Heather Matarazzo is engaged

Heather Matarazzo has become officially engaged to Carolyn Murphy. Matarazzo and Murphy have been dating for one year, and have now announced they'll be getting married.

"It was really cute. First Heather proposed to Carolyn, then Carolyn proposed to her," said Matarazzo's publicist.

Matarazzo long ago discovered she was a lesbian, according to an interview.

"We were sitting in my pink room with pink carpeting," she described. "It was summer and we were sitting Indian-style across from each other and I was so incredibly nervous. And I thought, 'Yeah, I am definitely gay.'"

Today's Birthdays

Coolio
Originally uploaded by retnablog

© Black Ink / Retna

Coolio (45)
Dom DeLuise (75)
Ashley Parker Angel (26)
Tempestt Bledsoe (35)
Sam Mendes (43)
Adam Duritz (44)
Chuck D (47)
Giancarlo Giannini (66)

Today's Birthdays

Hilary Swank
Originally uploaded by retnablog

© David Long/Camera Press/Retna

Hilary Swank (34)
Diva Zappa (29)
Jaime Pressley (31)
Tom Green (37)
Christine Taylor (37)
Christopher Nolan (38)
Simon Baker (39)
Vivica A. Fox (44)
Lisa Kudrow (45)
Laurence Fishburne (47)
Kate Bush (50)
Delta Burke (52)
Frank Stallone (58)
Jean Reno (60)
Arnold Schwarzenegger (61)
Paul Anka (67)
Peter Bogdanovich (69)

Shai LaBeouf gets in a wreck with Grenier's Girl

Shai LaBeouf
Originally uploaded by retnablog

©Derek Storm/Retna

Shia LaDouche was arrested on suspicion of felony DUIin Hollywood.

According to TMZ, Shia made an illegal left turn in front of a car at the intersection of La Brea and Fountain. This caused the other car to hit Shia at which point his car rolled. Apparently, Shia was clearly drunk at the scene.

The victim and Shia were both taken to the hospital. Shia seriously injured his hand and will need surgery.

Shia's passenger suffered a minor head injury. The victim is currently being treated for minor injuries as well.

Shia was arrested last year for being a drunken mess at a Walgreen's in Chicago.

The girl who was in the car with Shia LaDouche during his drunken car crash has been identified as Australian actress Isabel Lucas. Isabel is currently shooting "Transformers 2" with Shia. She's also dating Adrian Grenier.

Today's Birthdays

Stephen Dorff
Originally uploaded by retnablog

© Henny Garfunkel / Retna

Stephen Dorff (35)
Rachel Miner (28)
Wil Wheaton (36)
Martina McBride (41)
Alexandra Paul (45)
Tim Gunn (55)
Leslie Easterbrook (58)
Tony Sirico (66)

LL Cool J: Baby

And the video

Schwayze, Gym Class Heroes and Katy Perry

All Photos by: © Scott Weiner/Retna

Club Providence at the Tropicana Casino in Atlantic City, New Jersey on July 25, 2008.

Check out videos from these artists:

Katy Perry: I kissed a girl


Schwayze: Buzzin


Gym Class Heroes: Peace Sign / Index Down

Today's Birthdays

Julian McMahon
Originally uploaded by retnablog

© Julian Kingma/Headpress/Retna



Julian McMahon (40)
Cheyenne Kimball (18)
Nick Hogan (18)
Jonathan Rhys-Meyers (31)
Alex Rodriguez (33)
Maya Rudolph (36)
Takashi Shimizu (36)
Maria Grazia Cucinotta (39)
Triple H (39)
Juliana Hatfield (41)
Bill Engvall (51)
Yahoo Serious (55)
Maureen McGovern (59)
Peggy Fleming (60)

Ashanti Interview

©RD/Dziekan/Retna

Nassau County Launches Their First Ever Tourism Campaign With The Help
Of Grammy Winner and Long Island Native Ashanti


To kick off this fun filled campaign to promote tourism in Nassau, Mr. Tom Suozzi introduces Miss Ashanti Douglas as Nassau Counties Ambassador of Music and Nightlife. Ashanti is joined by nine other Ambassadors ranging from Fishing and Surfing to a Naturalist and Golfer.
Ashanti, along with the other Ambassador's have invited five families visiting from abroad, from Japan, Netherlands, Toronto, Belgium, and Australia, on an exclusive tour of all that Nassau has to offer.


Retna: Ashanti, how does it feel to have such an important role in this campaign?

Ashanti: Amazing! It is a great way for me to give back to my home town, Long Island or Strong Island as I like to call it. I actually just donated 75,000 dollars to The Boys and Girls Club of America, to help fund their plan to put a studio in each of their centers.

Retna: How would you compare Nassau's nightlife to that of NYC's and L.A.'s?

Ashanti: It's just a lot different. For one thing I feel a lot safer in Nassau then NYC and L.A., Long Island is the kind of place where we keep our doors unlocked at night.

Retna: NYC and the Hamptons are very popular tourist spots on the east coast. Do you think Nassau can compete with these established tourist places?

Ashanti: Nassau is very different then the Hamptons and NYC. It is very family oriented. It is a more relaxed atmosphere then NYC plus when you come to Nassau you get to beat all that Hamptons traffic!!

Retna: If you had to suggest one place to tourist as a must see, what would it be?

Ashanti: I would have to split it in half between two places, because both Morgan Beach and The Miracle Mile are must see places in Nassau. Plus there is a street named after me, you should definitely check that out!

Retna: Finally, when the time comes for you to settle down and raise a family, would Long Island be the place for you?

Ashanti: Absolutely, Long Island is a wonderful place to raise a family, and again is a very safe place to live, plus it is where I grew up so I would want the same for my family. *

X-Files: I want to Believe

Today's Birthdays

Daniel Radcliffe
Originally uploaded by retnablog

© Matt Holyoak / Camera Press / Retna

Daniel Radcliffe (19)
Ayaka Komatsu (22)
Michelle Williams of Destiny's Child (28)
Omar Epps (35)
Monica Lewinsky (35)
Marlon Wayans (36)
Alison Krauss (37)
Charisma Carpenter (38)
Stephanie Seymour (40)
Philip Seymour Hoffman (41)
Slash (43)
Eriq La Salle (46)
Woody Harrelson (47)
Edie McClurg (57)
Don Imus (68)

Retna's 30th Anniversary Party Photos

Click on images for more info about the shot.

Celebrity Birthdays

Aames, Willie
Originally uploaded by retnablog

Walter McBride / Retna

Willie Aames (48)
Brian Austin Green (35)
Laura Benanti (29)
Diane Krueger (32)
Evan Marriott (34)
Scott Foley (36)
Eddie Griffin (40)
Brigitte Nielsen (45)
Forest Whitaker (47)
Lolita Davidovich (47)
Kim Alexis (48)
Marky Ramone (52)
Jan-Michael Vincent (54)
Terry O'Quinn (56)
Jesse Ventura (57)
Arianna Huffington (58)
Alicia Bridges (60)
Linda Rondstadt (62)

Retna's 30th Anniversary Party

Get Your Tickets here at Ticketmaster. Hurry! There's a limited amount left!

2008 Warped Tour

For more Warped Tour info go here

Brenda back in zip code 90210

If you’re a fan of the OG Peach Pit posse, you might want to sit down, ‘cause sources connected to the CW’s new 90210 are spilling exclusive dish of OMG proportions.

In a nutshell: Shannen Doherty is in, Tori Spelling is out and Jennie Garth may be—wait for it—reuniting with Shannen on the screen.

(We’ll pause while you find a paper bag to breathe into...especially if your name happens to be Jennie Garth.)

After EW.com's Michael Ausiello first reported the news that Shannen is in talks, a very reliable and very inside source who works on 90210 tells me exclusively that “It is happening with Shannen. It's just a question of how long she'll shoot, whether it will be one day or ten, and what the storyline will be, but we are working on it and it is a very real thing."

Inside sources also confirm exclusively that Tori will not be appear in the season premiere as planned because of personal reasons—like she just gave birth to a baby girl on June 9. The new mom had been signed on to do a few episodes at the beginning of the season, but she isn't yet ready to return to work, so her appearance has been pushed to a later date.

From E! Online

I was not planning on watching this, but I will watch it if Brenda comes back.

N.E.R.D.

© Phil Bourne/Retna

N*E*R*D performing at the iTunes Live Festival at Koko, London on July 1, 2008.

G-Unit Release Party

© Walik Goshorn/Retna

Lloyd Banks, 50 Cent and Tony Yayo pictured at the G-Unit "Terminate On Sight" Album Release Performance at the Nokia Theater in Time Square, New York City on July 1, 2008.

Santogold

All photos of Santogold by Kareem Black/Retna

Angelina Jolie in hospital

Pregnant star Angelina Jolie has checked into a hospital in the South of France to give birth to her twins, according to several news reports.

"She's very well. Everything is fine," Nadine Bauer, spokeswoman for the Lenval Hospital in Nice told the Associated Press news agency earlier today.

2008 U.S. Olympic Men's Basketball Team

The U.S. Olympic Men's Basketball Team Unveiling of Their New Team Look to Fans at Rockerfeller Center in New York City on June 30, 2008.

The announcement of the team:



For more information regarding the 2008 olympics check out the official olympic site here

Ever wonder what happened to Devo?

Devo
Originally uploaded by retnablog

Scott Weiner/Retna

Here they are now!


Find out about upcoming shows here!

And here's some classic Devo for you:

Hancock Premiere

Make Music New York Festival at The Shop Brooklyn

Tom Tomkinson/Retna

Shots from this year's Make Music New York Festival at The Shop Brooklyn. Not only did The Shop provide some amazing live music from bands like, The Burbon Shakes, The Roadmen, Sexolito, E.L.V., Ground Swll and The Lions of Hazelwood, they provided haircuts from April Barton's Suite 303, and tattoos from Carlos Dos Santos. To Top it off they built a custom bike in a day. Check out the photos and The Shop's site for updates.

A video of the entire Make Music New York event is below. Check it out!



And for more info on everyone involved in creating The Shop's killer day of music and more, check these out:

The Shop Brooklyn

www.suite303.com

www.tipicobk.com

2008 BET Awards

If you missed the BET awards last night, watch the performance clips below. It was an amazing show. Lots of old school acts coming back to perform and new acts who took over the stage. Maybe one of the best awards shows I've seen in a long time.


Alicia Keys w/ SWV, En Vouge and TLC:




Lil Wayne w/ T-Pain:




Chris Brown w/ Ciara:

George Carlin 1937-2008

George Carlin
Originally uploaded by retnablog

Scott Pasfield / Retna

SIMR's interview with Brittany Snow

It’s half past noon. After running five blocks I finally get to Planet Hollywood, where I will be interviewing Brittany Snow about her new movie “Finding Amanda”. I press the three button on the elevator and then head straight to the photographers pit, a small area at the front of the dining room reserved by velvet ropes. A little platform bench that’s facing a stage furnishes the space where all the magic will happen.
After about ten minutes, Brittany arrives at Planet Hollywood looking simple and elegant in classic blue jeans and a loose fitting black blazer. Her blonde hair hangs past her shoulders in big soft waves.
Within seconds all you can see are flashing lights and all you can hear are the sounds of the photographers calling out to Brittany to look in their direction so they could capture the perfect shot.
She answers some questions and they ask her to fill a clay mold with her handprints and her signature. Amidst the chaos, as she holds her clay stained hands in the air, I notice a young woman that is shocked that all this excitement is for her. I immediately can sense that she doesn’t view herself as a celebrity, rather just Brittany Snow.
As she exits the stage to make her way towards the room I will be interviewing her in, she makes a point to stop and indulge the crowd of fans rapidly forming around her.
Brittany meets me in an empty part of the restaurant. Here we will sit and talk about her new movie “Finding Amanda”.
Brittany stars as Amanda, twenty years old and beautiful. She lives in Las Vegas and works as a dancer. Her family discovers she is a really a prostitute and they believe she is hooking for drug money. Matthew Broderick co-stars as her uncle, Taylor Mendon, a little respected sitcom writer/producer. Taylor also a drug user, alcoholic and compulsive gambler kicks his bad habits; all except one. When his longtime wife discovers he’s been lying to her about his addictions she leaves him. In an effort to get her back he sets out to find his niece and help her overcome her demons in this dark comedy drama written and directed by Peter Tolan.


“What was it like working with Peter Tolan?”

“ It was very exciting. I have wanted to work with him for a long time; I really loved his sense of humor. He does excellent work and has an amazing ability to find the humor in life, whether it’s good or bad, his life or someone else’s. What comes to mind when I think about Peter was how he would always try to encourage me to relax and try to enjoy life better—because I really can be a perfectionist about things.”

“What was your initial reaction when you first read the script?”

“That it was the smartest script I have ever read. It’s about hard issues. It was also a role I felt really passionate about because it was a lot different then what I’ve done in the past. Doing different things has always been very important to me, I wouldn’t want a career where I had to play the same role in different films.”


“Amanda was a very racy girl, did that make it challenging to get into character?”

“Well, I feel you learn something from every role. Every role presents a bit a challenge at first. The thing about Amanda was that she was very over the top about everything. She was constantly trying to convince herself she was happy about her life and the things she was doing. She was overly honest about her job and her life and that really lead her to become really dishonest with herself.”


“What are your thoughts on Amanda? Do you feel you could identify with her in anyway?”

“Yes, because Amanda had so many layers. I felt that she was always ready to unravel- she would put on this façade that everything was fine which is something we all do at times. If only I had the perfect car, or that new bag or a husband I would be happy. I ultimately think she had to learn to respect herself and to realize that material things don’t matter when it comes to true happiness.”


“How was it working with Matthew Broderick?”

“ I really enjoyed working with him. Matthew has this amazing ability to make everything funny, he could even make nothing at all funny… so it was great to work with him and be able to learn from him.”


“ Your character is extremely relevant now with everything going on in today’s youth—Did you use any of that for research?”

“ Actually I did. I spoke to some strippers and I also talked to a prostitute and I really learned a lot! These people are not what everyone thinks of them. I found some of them to be very smart and articulate. Some I felt I could be friends with, some had traumatic lives and some did it because the enjoyed it. And you know its not just something of today, prostitution is one of the worlds oldest professions that people have done to make money and find a way to survive.”


“ Finally, you’ve made the transition from T.V. to movies recently, do you prefer one over the other?”

“ It’s been about three years since I’ve done T.V. and I really love both. I loved doing T.V. and I would go back, it really just depends on the project and if I am passionate about it. I wouldn’t do anything I didn’t feel challenged or a little scared at first doing. I am always excited to try something new. I am very grateful for where I am, I feel very lucky to be here.”

Wall-E Premire

This one looks good

Rihanna on the Today Show

Shots from the set.




The Performance itself:

Bonnaroo

Some shots from the concerts and a performance from Metallica!!

Hip Hop History for Sale

All photos by Ernie Paniccioli

Legendary photographer/photojournalist Ernie Paniccioli is selling his vast collection of Hip-Hop images, AllHipHop.com has learned. Paniccioli, who authored the best-selling book Who Shot Ya: Three Decades Of Hip-Hop Photography, is known throughout the world as one of the world’s top Hip-Hop photographers. His massive collection features over 250,000 images of various rappers, B-Boys, graffiti artists and DJ’s, as well as thousands of rare and unreleased photos Pannicoli has taken over the past 34 years. Paniccioli is seeking $1 million dollars in cash, which he says will be more than worth the investment, due to the volume, exclusivity and rarity of his collection. "‘The Ernie Paniccioli Archive’ aka ‘EPA’ is a multi-faceted, multi-decade, look at the five elements of Hip-Hop over a 34 year span of time,” Ernie Paniccioli told AllHipHop.com. “These award winning photos have been exhibited in books, museums and gallery shows around the world.” Rappers like Queen Latifah, Eminem, N.W.A., Tupac, Common, KRS-One, Big Pun, Run-DMC, Afrika Bambaataa and others are just a few artists included in the massive collection.

And the winner is....

We'd like to thank everyone who entered for taking the time to submit their photographs, and although it was a very hard decision, there could only be one winner.

And the winner is......





Congratulations to cornershopstudios! Click on the image to check out the rest of his amazing photographs and check back for an exclusive interview with the winner!

The Black Keys

New Inmate on the Cell Block

Lou Pearlman & Richie Stringini

Click here for more amazing photos from Francine Daveta!

Originally uploaded by retnablog

Francine Daveta / Retna

According to Eonline.com:

"The boy-band mastermind was sentenced Wednesday in Orlando to 25 years in federal prison for bilking investors and banks out of nearly $300 million by selling worthless stock in a bogus company and falsifying numerous financial statements.

Senior U.S. District Judge G. Kendall Sharp told Pearlman he'll shave a month off his sentence for every $1 million he recovers."

N*gger no more for Nas

Nas & Kelis
Originally uploaded by retnablog

Sara De Boer / Retna

NEW YORK (Billboard) - Rapper Nas has ditched his controversial plan to call his new album "N*gger."

"It's important to me that this album gets to the fans," Nas said in a statement, referring to likely problems promoting and distributing the album.

"The people will always know what the real title of this album is and what to call it."

The untitled project will be released July 1 via Def Jam.

Last year, Nas announced the original title in response to the stir caused by former CBS radio host Don Imus' comments toward the Rutgers women's basketball team. But he recently told MTV that he was being pressured to change the title.

American Idol is almost over

So there's the super cute little David and the Rocker David that's making up for the mistake of not picking Chris Daughtry last year. Then some big guy came out and everyone was like, "who's that?"

Here's the performances from the 2 Davids.

First Ellen, now Sulu

George Takei
Originally uploaded by retnablog

Fox News reports:

"George Takei, the original Sulu from "Star Trek," announced over the weekend that he and his longtime partner Brad Altman will tie the knot this summer."

Good for them. And good for California for letting it happen. Here's Takei as Sulu...art imitates life or vice versa I guess.

He's a simpson now...

Pete Wentz & Ashlee Simpson
Originally uploaded by retnablog
Kabik/Retna

I'm sure their children will have amazing side swept trendy emo hair.

E! reports that:

"The ceremony was held in the backyard of parents Joe and Tina Simpson, decorated in an Alice in Wonderland theme."

"Jessica and Tony Romo sat at the wedding party table, but the guest observes, "Jessica did not look happy the entire night. She just wasn't her bubbly self. She was very subdued, and she and Tony barely interacted the entire night, except for some dancing at the end."
"You could tell she was really happy for her sister, but that maybe she was a little bit sad that things aren't working out as well for her.

Indy does Cannes

Indy's back and he's turning highly respected news reporters and movie reviewers into 15 year old movie-goers again. (Much like the New Kids reunion wreaking havock on 30 year old women's respectability)

This past weekend the movie was shown at Cannes and got an overwhelming response that Indy isn't too old to carry on. There are rumors however, that after this one another may be coming with Shia LaBeouf taking over the reins as the next archeological super-adventure hero.

See the trailer here. It opens May 22nd so get ready for a brand new adventure!

Al Be Back "Come On"

Al Be Back
Originally uploaded by retnablog

The new al be back music video in high Defination!!! This video is ABOUT the plite and pain of being younge and black in america.. Its a tale of where we are and where we need to be...

Paramore

Paramore
Originally uploaded by retnablog

New Portraits of Paramore!

Time Magazine Most Influential People

Met Gala

T.I. Free to release his next album

From MTV.com:

"I lost my partner and my daughter in the same year/ Somehow, I rise above my problems and remain here."

T.I. has said that his philosophy when dealing with personal strife over the past couple of years has been to "let go, and let God deal with it." He was almost murdered, lost loved ones, had his named sullied by some media outlets and still faces a prison sentence for weapons charges. Professionally, though, the man still has the respect of his peers, the adoration of the fans and, equally important, his cooking in the studio has been as accurate as a Chris Paul pass.


It's not the video, but it's the song:

Daydreamin'

here's the original in case you were curious.

Retna at Tribeca

PUSHIN Showcase in Atlanta, GA on April 23rd, 2008

Crime Mob
© Sophia Jones / Retna

The event will take place on Wednesday, April 23 at Atlanta’s fast-growing quality nightlife staple – Sugarhill @ Underground. Host for this event are Princess, formerly of Crime Mob, and J-Nick of Atlanta’s HOT 107.9 FM.

Independent and unsigned talent from varying musical genres ranging from R&B to Hip-Hop will performing for will be showcased on the BREAK Magazine PUSHIN MIX CD, VOL. 1 hosted by DJ Teknikz, as well as, featured in a special edition of BREAK Magazine PUSHIN this summer. The event will be sponsored by RETNA, an authority in celebrity imagery and entertainment services, and promises to bring out the best and the brightest A&R, publicist, promoters and producers in the game today.

For more information and/or details, log onto www.myspace.com/breakmagazine, or call (404) 630-8534

Rap-Up and Google Me

Rap-Up’s 3rd Anniversary and Book Release Party
Rap-Up 3rd Anniversary & Book Release

Check out some snapshots of Keri Hilson, Teyana Taylor, and Nina Sky at Rap-Up’s 3rd Anniversary and Book Release Party Thursday night at the adidas Originals store in SoHo, NYC presented by adidas, Pepsi, VTech, Lasonic, and Hennessy.


Teyana Taylor's 1st single:

Where in the world is Osama Bin Laden?

Morgan Spurlock & Jeremy Chilnick & Stacey Offman
Originally uploaded by retnablog

© Henny Garfunkel / Retna

From efluxmedia.com:

"After losing the fat he had gained for eating McDonald’s products for a month, Morgan Spurlock chose a more energetic mission, which involved traveling in Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Afghanistan and Pakistan.

This time, Spurlock chooses a more difficult mission, one that is more serious and lethal than eating at the McDonald’s: finding Osama Bin Laden."

The E Street band has lost a member.

E Street Band & Danny Federici
Originally uploaded by retnablog

From e!online:

"The E Street Band is mourning one of its own.

Danny Federici, the longtime organist and keyboard player for the Bruce Springsteen-fronted group, died Thursday afternoon of melanoma at New York's Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center.

The rocker, who reportedly battled the disease for three years, was 58."

Federici Solo:

Welsey Snipes might go to jail.

From EOnline.com:

U.S. prosecutors have recommended that the IRS-dodging Blade star serve the maximum sentence of three years in federal prison and pay a $5 million fine for his convictions in February for willful failure to file returns.

The punishment recommendation, filed Monday but—fittingly—made public Tuesday, were submitted in U.S. District Court Ocala Division by Florida U.S. Attorney Robert O'Neill, who said Snipes deserved the harshest sentence due to years of "brazen defiance" and "insidious concealment."

Ashley Simpson is getting hitched. (And she's preggers)

Simpson's response according to MTV.com:

"I just think it's an inappropriate question to ask any woman," Simpson told MTV News' Kim Stolz, who followed the question with a list of other celebs — including Christina Aguilera and Jennifer Lopez, who were the subject of similar speculation for months before finally coming clean.

"For me, that's something that I didn't ever want to respond to, because I think it's an inappropriate question," Simpson said. "Some things, you want to keep personal, and I think that when people deny [reports that they're pregnant], it's probably because it's something they want to keep personal."

So...in other words...yes. She's pregnant.

Here's an Ashley Simpson video for you to enjoy.

Celine Dion workout video.

Well, it's not Celine Dion, it's actually Laura Landauer impersonating Celine Dion, but it's still funny as hell.



Here's the real Celine Dion showing off her workout moves:



See more of Laura's work at www.gypsymiller.com/ .

Depp getting hitched.

According to Showbizspy.com:

"The pair — who have been together for 10 years and have two children, eight-year-old Lily-Rose and six-year-old Jack — have always insisted they don’t feel the need to make their relationship official, but French singer Vanessa is now keen to walk down the aisle."

From Pirates of the Caribbean.

Stanley Kamel 1943-2008

© Sara De Boer / Retna

Actor Stanley Kamel was found dead in his Hollywood home yesterday reports Access Hollywood. He was 65. Cause of death is not known.

Stanley Kamel was most recently working on the show Monk.

Robin Wright Penn and Sean are staying married.

Sean Penn and Robin Wright Penn aren't getting divorced.
Reuters Reports:

"Oscar winning actor Sean Penn and his wife actress Robin Wright Penn have withdrawn their divorce petition filed in December, a court document posted on celebrity Web site TMZ.com showed on Wednesday.

The request to dismiss the divorce, filed one day earlier in Superior Court of California in Marin County north of San Francisco, shows the withdrawal was made "without prejudice."

A spokeswoman for Penn declined to comment, and no further details were available."

Charlton Heston (1923-2008)

From E! Online:

Heston, the Oscar-winning actor who, as the biggest male star of Hollywood's outsize epic era of the 1950s and 1960s, parted the Red Sea, raced chariots and battled gorilla tyranny, died Saturday at his Beverly Hills home.

He was 84, his family said. He had been battling Alzheimer's disease for years.

New Kids on the Block are BACK

And honestly, I'm SUPER frickin excited.


Photos from the announcement.

RD / Leon / Retna


Video from the announcement.




Old Skool New Kids.

Beyonce & Jay-Z Wedding Watch!

Beyonce Knowles & Jay-Z
Originally uploaded by retnablog

© Brian Hineline/Retna


From People.com:

For Beyoncé and Jay-Z, April showers brought flowers – and a possible wedding. On a rainy Friday in New York City, crews delivered floral arrangements, candelabras and a tent into Jay-Z's Tribeca apartment building.

The wedding buzz began when the couple went to get a marriage license at a village hall in Scarsdale, N.Y., on Tuesday. "It's [happening] tonight," says a source. "A lot of their friends are booking hotel rooms."

Early Friday morning, workers erected a white tent atop the building, where Jay-Z owns a penthouse apartment. Not long after, an SUV carrying what seemed to be AV equipment arrived, followed by deliveries of flowers and party rentals.

More evidence of an impending wedding? Likely guests have been gathering in New York. Producer Rodney Jerkins, who is working on Beyoncé's new album and is a friend of Jay-Z's, zipped into town a couple of days ago. Beyoncé's former Destiny's Child bandmates, Kelly Rowland and Michelle Williams, are also here, coyly divulging in a YouTube video that they are camped out at a Manhattan hotel, giggling about "sisters" getting together.

And of course, there's Jay-Z, who reportedly hopped a flight from Boston, where he performed last night, to New York this morning.

Friends of the couple say they are very eager for the nuptials to happen. "It's about time," says producer Dallas Austin. "I think it's great that they're getting married."

Where in the world are Jay-Z and Beyonce?

The Rumors are running rampid that sometime, somewhere, Jay-Z and Beyonce are getting hitched. Although we hear that it will be here in the big apple, there's always the chance they'll jet off to a more discreet location away from cameras and paparazzi.

Where do you think it's going to go down? My vote is for a joint wedding with Remy Ma and Papoose at Riker's Island.

Remy Ma and Papoose are getting married....

© Retna


That's right. Rappers Remy Ma and Papoose are reportedly going to tie the knot. At Riker's Island. Cause Remy shot someone in case you hadn't heard.

VH1 Says:

Pap said the two are moving forward with their nuptials despite Ma's predicament and are making arrangements to marry in prison.

"We always wanted to keep our personal lives personal, so that's why we never went public with our relationship," he wrote in an e-mail to MTV News. "Right now, I just feel like she gotta live through me. Yes, we were scheduled to be married on a yacht April 27th. But due to circumstances beyond our control, we are now making arrangements to be married in prison."


Oh man I hope I'm invited to that wedding. I've never been to a jail wedding before!