Celebrities/Pop Culture

Posted by Kate Luther

Sometime on Friday, July 22, 2007, police say Chris Benoit strangled his wife and 7 year old son. On Sunday, he then hung himself in their Atlanta, GA home. The bodies were discovered on Monday, after co-workers became worried and called police. An apparent murder-suicide it seemed, although Benoit left no note, nothing to explain what had gone wrong.

On Thursday, federal drug agents raided the office of Dr. Phil Astin, Benoit's physician who had prescribed testosterone to Benoit in the past. No arrests were made and still no explanation for what happened. In fact, according to Astin, Benoit stopped by on Friday, what would have been just hours before the fatal events would be set in motion and seemed "fine". No signs of distress, no anger, nothing to alert the staff that there might be a problem.

And then, according to records released to police, Benoit called coworkers on Saturday to say that he would be late to the Beaumont, TX match. At first he had overslept, but then in another call, his wife and son were sick. Early Sunday morning, he sent text messages to the same coworkers, one of which stated "Dogs are in the enclosed pool area. Garage door is open." The rest just contained his home address.

If that isn't weird enough, police now say that Benoit's Wikipedia page was altered on Monday, hours before the bodies were discovered. The new posting said that Benoit had missed the weekend wrestling matches due to the death of his wife. The IP address shows to be registered in Stamford, CT, home to the WWE.

Posted by Kate Luther

On July 20, 2007, Hairspray will make yet another comeback, this time with John Travolta playing the part of Tracy Turnblad's mom, Edna. That's right... John Travolta plays Edna.

But that's not the point of this post. The upcoming July release is a remake of the 1988 flick, also by the same name and just as Hollywood seems fascinated by turning old TV series into full-featured films, they also seem to have a hard time letting go films they've already done.

Wings of Desire (1987) became City of Angels (1998) and although Damiel was transformed into Seth and Marion the circus star evolved into Maggie the doctor, the storyline was still pretty much the same. And who could forget Gene Wilder in Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (1971)? Apparently not Hollywood since they partnered up with Johnny Depp to make Charlie and the Chocolate Factory in 2005.

Cape Fear in 1991? Also Cape Fear in 1962. The Fly in 1986? The same Fly in 1958. And do I even need to mention how many times Dracula has been redone? Yes, the names may have changed, the stars may be new but the movie... been there, done that, bought the popcorn.

Not to say that there haven't been some really good remakes over the years. City of Angels in fact, was one of my favorites and James Cameron's Titanic (1997) even made it to my top all-time list. But still... isn't it great when someone pulls out something completely new? Remember the first time you saw The Matrix? Not 2 or 3... I mean the first Matrix.. the original. Didn't you walk out of the theater in complete awe? The concept was fresh, the perspective was unheard of, and we were left with that whole "now why didn't I think of that" elation.

So, no... I don't mind a few remakes here and there... especially when they're even better than the first. But I'd still like to be blown away by something that hasn't been done yet. I know its hard... we seemed to have tapped out our idea box. But II still have hope. And patiently I'll wait. While I watch John Travolta dance around in a dress.

Posted by Kate Luther

When I was in the fourth or fifth grade, I remember going to see Grease for the very first time. Me and my entourage of best friends went in my mom's big green station wagon. We had popcorn, we drank cokes and we watched in complete awe as Frenchy helped Sandy go from super-sweet to super-WOW. We loved the idea of the Pink Ladies (hey, we were fifth-grade girls... what do you expect?) and we relished the idea of our own major transformation into womanhood... all the better if the pink satin jacket came with it.

Its movies like Grease that stay with us, whether its because of a particular character, a too-close-to-home storyline or just the simple fact that our favorite fantasy date happens to be the star of the show. Remember Dirty Dancing? Perhaps one of the cheesiest movies of all time and to tell the truth, I had forgotten all about it. But here lately, its been running on Starz and I have to admit, I can't get enough of it. "Nobody puts Baby in a corner," said the leather-bound Patrick Swayze and I instantly remembered just how much I could swoon.

I also caught a late-night run of The Breakfast Club on TBS (or A&E... who can remember?) the other night and I was instantly teleported back to those horribly awkward days of high school. Oh, the drama...if only I had known then what I so painfully know now.

Okay, so these weren't "deep" films but during those impressionable years, they captured everything we knew to be true. And isn't that the point?

Today, I'm a mom, a wife and a responsible member of the community... blah, blah, blah... you know the drill. And I've left all the social drama behind where it belongs. But between you and me, I still wouldn't mind one of those pink jackets.

What movie changed your world? Here's my top all-time greats.

Posted by Kate Luther

Done. Finished. As in, Sopranos no more. But if you watched the series finale, then you know that it was anything but final. (Spoiler warning: I'm going to give away the gold here).

This is so wrong. Granted the whole point was to find out who got it in the end - Tony or Phil. And bravo to the writer's for adding in that lovely little extra dig to Phil after he was shot, complete with a sickening audio for full effect (if you watched, you know what I'm talking about). But after Phil's gone, there's a full 30 minutes more of build up. Everything seems to be normal, everyone's acting normal, but.... obviously, something is still up. Something's about to happen. It always does. This is after all, The Sopranos.

Five minutes left and the family gathers at a restaurant for some grub. In walks a fisherman-looking guy and the creators make a point of showing him to us a few more times. Then in walk two more guys - they've got "hit man" written all over them. Meadow arrives but has trouble parking her car. The camera clips back to the fisherman and then to the two hit men sitting at the counter. They eye Tony. He glances back. The camera clips to Meadow. Still can't quite parallel park that car, huh? Back to the restaurant. Two more guys walk in and they hang out by a display case. Back to Meadow and her unbelievably bad driving. Any minute now... its coming, I tell you. Can't you feel the tension? One of the guys from the counter gets up and walks Tony's way. Tony sees him but then goes back to his menu. Are you crazy? Pay attention, man! You're about to get shot! Another glimpse of the fisherman guy and then, well, whatd'ya know? Meadow parked the car and she's running across the street. The hit man passes Tony and heads to the restroom. Meadow reaches the door. The little bell rings. Tony looks up and ....

That's it.

Can you believe it? That's it???! You can't leave us hanging like that... its just not right. This is the series finale, guys, not the season finale. You were supposed to give us some closure, something that would let us sleep at night. Sure, we'll miss the Sopranos either way, but at least we'd know that Tony and his family had gotten a new start. Or not. But at least we'd know.

All we have now is that stupid little doorbell and the chaotic workings of our own imagination.

Ah well.. you know what they say... its not TV... its HBO.

Posted by Kate Luther

What music blared from your speakers in the 1990's? How about Sinead O'Connor, Smash Mouth and lest we not forget, our beloved Britney.

Here's a look at the top hits from the 1990's:

Top Albums:

Rhythm Naiton, Janet Jackson

In Utero, Nirvana

The Chronic, Dr. Dre

Siamese Dream, Smashing Pumpkins

Please Hammer, Don't Hurt 'Em, M.C. Hammer

Johnny Gill, Johnny Gill

Dookie, Green Day

Soul Provider, Billy Joel

Check Your Head, Beastie Boys

Back on the Block, Quincy Jones

Storm Front, Billy Joel

Billboard Top 10

1. Because I Love You, Stevie B
2. The Power, Snap
3. Cradle of Love, Billy Idol
4. Pray, M.C. Hammer
5. Hold On, Wilson Phillips
6. Unskinny Bop, Poison
7. Step by Step, New Kids on the Block
8. Pump Up the Jam, Technotronic
9. I Wish It Would Rain Down, Phil Collins
10. Love and Affection, Nelson

For more 1990's goodies, read my tribute here.

Posted by Kate Luther

With all the buzz going on about The Secret, I can't help but feel a little smug. I've known this stuff for years, being an avid reader of all the new age greats. Positive thinking is in fact, a simple and effective way to draw good things into your life. I know this... I've seen it in action. And being that I'm the eternal "blue-sky" girl as my mother used to say, it would make sense if mastering the Law of Attraction was, well... second nature for me.

But the truth is, I struggle to maintain any kind of real focus on the positive stuff. Oh, I can be bright and cheery sure enough, but my attention doesn't last long enough to achieve any kind of meditative state. Instead, my mind is running full-speed 24/7, filled with bills that need to be paid, phone calls that should be made and of course, all those lovely little chores to do around the house. I have a to-do list that's multiple pages long and the sad thing is - most of it is self-inflicted. Am I ADD? An Over-Achiever? Perhaps. But aren't those requirements in today's society?

What I would give for five minutes of complete and total silence in my head...hmm... check that... three minutes... I need the other two to draft out a new article idea I just had :)

In any event, if you want to see just how powerful some positive thinking can be, here's a great study on how good thoughts can benefit your health.

Posted by Kate Luther

Just a few years ago, building a web community meant adding a chat room or forum to your web site. But that's all changed.

Today's web communities have branched out into a whole new breed, one that is just as active on the Internet as they are in the community.

Known as social bookmarking, these community sites offer users to share the best of the web as well as interact with each other. Find a cool article on your favorite celebrity? Bookmark it and share it with the world. Users also have the opportunity to give "props" to those that really search out the good stuff. Using a variety of voting systems, readers can "vote up" or "vote down" a particular post to rate its worthiness.

For more on social bookmarking, check out this article in Pop Culture Trends.

Posted by Kate Luther

Visit the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino on Wednesday and Thursday and you'll find rhinestone-studded costumes, a note from Brando, Janet Jackson's Mae West dress and the 1987 contract that made Michael the owner of "Neverland".

These are just a few of the items going up for sale at Michael Jackson's auction in Vegas this week. After a lengthy court battle between Jackson and his attorney's, the group reached a settlement that allowed Jackson to sell off thousands of his belongings. Jackson has had financial problems for quite some time, reportedly spending millions more than he had for the past several years. The pop star's legal battles added to the troubles as did his surreal and extravagant lifestyle.

The items are expected to bring millions of dollars from bidders from around the world.

Posted by Kate Luther

If you're looking to lose fat, you don't have to look far. Forget the diet shakes and fat-burning pills. Yahoo! Health columnist David Zinczenko has posted his list of the "Power 12", 12 superfoods that help your body burn fat naturally, without chemicals and dangerous side-effects.

On the list? Things like almonds, eggs and yes, even instant oatmeal. These foods, Zinczenko says are "energy-efficient" allowing your body to stay fit and trim without calorie counting.

Editor-in-chief of Men's Health, Zinczenko is also the author of the New York Times bestselling "Abs Diet" program that promises to give you that coveted six-pack stomach through exercise and balanced nutrition.

So, just what are the 12 Powerfoods? Find out in David's column here.

Posted by Kate Luther

In just 8 months, Rosie O'Donnell has brought ABC's The View from mediocre ratings to a star-studded event. Her controversial and outspoken manner turned what used to be a fading daytime talk show into the talk of the town. Feuds with Donald Trump dominated the gossip columns and it wasn't long before the ratings began to skyrocket. There's been talk that Rosie would leave the show in June, unable "to come to a new contract agreement", but the media speculated on whether her departure would really come to light.

But now, after a nasty bout with co-host Elisabeth Hasselbeck on Wednesday, Rosie has asked ABC to release her from her contract and ABC agreed.

Last week, O'Donnell made a statement on the show about the Iraqi war: "655,000 Iraqi civilians have died. Who are the terrorists?" Critics immediately lashed out at O'Donnell, suggesting that she was calling U.S. Troops "terrorists". O'Donnell fired back at Hasselbeck for not speaking out in Rosie's defense. Barbara Walters, the show's creator, says that she fully appreciates the contributions that Rosie has made to The View and that "our close and affectionate relationship will not change".