That Cohen song, titled, The Traitor, is easiest to understand without listening critically to the words, I think. He's setting a tone and a mood.
He sets us a scene, suggested by an image of the Renaisance, giving a vision of romance and easy decadence. And, the young man pursuing his science of romance falls into a passionless existance, filled with enui, from which there's no hope and no escape.
Then again, perhaps I am wrong about it completely.
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Letty
1
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Mon 10 Mar, 2008 06:38 am
Good morning, WA2K folks.
edgar, the wonderful thing about art and music is that everyone sees a different portrait. I was fascinated with Leonard because of the juxtaposition of the lyrics, his plaintive approach, and the chosen background. I guess I look too deeply sometimes.
Well, all, it's Carrie Underwood's birthday. (I hope ) This song by her brings home something that has become self evident and needs no explanation.
Barry Fitzgerald
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Born William Jospeh Shields
March 10, 1888
Dublin, Ireland
Died January 14, 1961 (aged 72)
Dublin, Ireland
[show]Awards won
Academy Awards
Best Supporting Actor
1944 The Quiet Man
Barry Fitzgerald (March 10, 1888 - January 14, 1961) was an Academy Award winning Irish stage, film and television actor.
He was born William Joseph Shields in Dublin, Ireland. He is the older brother of Irish actor Arthur Shields. He was a civil servant, while also working at the Abbey Theatre. By 1929, he turned to acting full-time. He was briefly a roommate of famed playwright Sean O'Casey[1] and starred in such plays as O'Casey's Juno and the Paycock, a role he later recreated for Alfred Hitchcock in his screen debut in 1930.
Fitzgerald went to Hollywood to star in another O'Casey work, The Plough and the Stars (1936), directed by John Ford. He had a successful Hollywood career in such films as The Long Voyage Home (1940), How Green Was My Valley (1941), And Then There Were None (1945), and The Quiet Man (1952). Fitzgerald achieved a feat unmatched in the history of the Academy Awards: he was nominated for both the Best Actor Oscar and the Best Supporting Actor Oscar for the same performance, as "Father Fitzgibbon" in Going My Way (1944). (Academy Award rules have since been changed to prevent this.) He won the Best Supporting Actor Award; an avid golfer, he later broke the head off it while practicing his golf swing.
Fitzgerald has two stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, for movies at 6220 Hollywood Blvd. and for television at 7001 Hollywood Blvd.
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bobsmythhawk
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Mon 10 Mar, 2008 11:07 am
Chuck Norris
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Born Carlos Ray Norris Jr.
March 10, 1940 (1940-03-10) (age 68)
Ryan, Oklahoma, United States
Carlos Ray Norris (born March 10, 1940) is an American martial artist, action star, and Hollywood actor who is best known for playing Cordell "Cord" Walker on Walker, Texas Ranger, his training with Bruce Lee and for his iconically tough image.
Biography
Early life
Norris was born in Ryan, Oklahoma, the son of Wilma Scarberry and Carlos Ray Norris (a mechanic, bus driver, and truck driver).[1] Norris's paternal grandfather (an immigrant) and maternal grandmother were Irish, while his paternal grandmother and maternal grandfather were Cherokee Native Americans.[2] Norris was named after Carlos Berry, his father's minister. He has two younger brothers, Weiland (deceased) and Aaron (a Hollywood producer). When Norris was sixteen, his parents divorced,[3] and he later relocated to Prairie Village, Kansas and then Torrance, California, with his mother and brothers.[2] Norris describes his childhood as downbeat. He was nonathletic, shy, and scholastically mediocre. Other children taunted him about his mixed ethnicity, and Norris daydreamed about beating up his tormentors. Norris mentioned in his autobiography that his father had a very serious problem with drinking and "wasn't there" a lot for him growing up. Norris admitted that he loved his father but did not like him. However, he professed that he only felt pity for the man because "that was just how he was, and he missed so much."
He then joined the United States Air Force as an Air Policeman in 1958 and was sent to Osan Air Base, South Korea. It was in South Korea that Norris acquired the nickname Chuck and began his training in Tang Soo Do (tangsudo), an interest that would lead to black belts in that art and the founding of the Chun Kuk Do ("Universal Way") form. He also created the education associations United Fighting Arts Federation and "KickStart" (formerly "Kick Drugs Out of America"), a middle school and high school-based program intended to give at-risk children a focus point in life through the martial arts. When he returned to the United States, he continued to act as an AP at March Air Force Base California. Norris was discharged in August of 1962. He worked for the Northrop Corporation and opened a chain of karate schools, which Chad McQueen, Steve McQueen's son, attended.[2]
Rise to fame
Norris's career in tournament karate began on a losing note. He was defeated in his first two tournaments, dropping decisions to Joe Lewis and Allan Steen and three matches at the International Karate Championships to Tony Tulleners. However, by 1967, Norris began to demonstrate his skill and scored victories over the likes of Joe Lewis, Skipper Mullins, Arnold Urquidez, Victor Moore, Ron Marchini, and Steve Sanders. In early 1968, Norris suffered the sixth and last loss of his career, losing an upset decision to Louis Delgado. However, on November 24, 1968, he avenged his defeat to Delgado and in the process won the Professional Middleweight Karate champion (non-contact) title, which he held for six consecutive years.[3] In 1969, he won Karate's triple crown for the most tournament wins of the year, and the fighter of the year award by Black Belt Magazine. It was also in 1969 that Norris made his acting debut in the Dean Martin movie The Wrecking Crew.
In 1970, his younger brother Weiland was killed in Vietnam. Norris later dedicated his Missing in Action films to his brother's memory. At a martial arts demonstration in Long Beach, Norris met the soon-to-be famous martial artist Bruce Lee whom he respects and considers superior.[citation needed] In 1972, he acted as Bruce Lee's nemesis in the movie Way of the Dragon (titled Return of the Dragon in its US distribution), which is widely credited with launching his way into stardom. In Asia, he is still known primarily for this role. In 1974, McQueen encouraged him to begin acting classes at MGM. Chuck Norris retired with a karate record of 65-6, having avenged all of his defeats.
Norris's first starring role was 1977's Breaker! Breaker!, and subsequent films such as The Octagon (1980), An Eye for an Eye (1981), and Lone Wolf McQuade proved his increasing box office bankability. In 1984, Norris starred in Missing in Action, the first of a series of POW rescue fantasies produced by Israeli cousins Menahem Golan and Yoram Globus and released under their Cannon Films banner. Contrary to reports, he was never offered the part of the sensei of the Kobra Kai dojo in the movie The Karate Kid. On a February 9, 2006 episode of Adam Carolla's radio show, Norris said that he was never offered the role. Norris noted that he was already playing leading roles by the time The Karate Kid was in production.
Over the next four years, Norris became Cannon's most prominent star, appearing in eight films, including Code of Silence, The Delta Force, and Firewalker, in which he co-starred with Academy Award winner Louis Gossett, Jr.. Many of the aforementioned films were produced by Chuck Norris's brother Aaron, as were several episodes of Walker, Texas Ranger. In 1986, he was involved in the production of the Ruby Spears cartoon Karate Kommandos.
It is occasionally cited that Norris made history in 1997 when he was the first Westerner in the documented history of Tae Kwon Do to be given the rank of 8th Degree Black Belt Grand Master.[4] However, Norris himself appears to have been misled about this as there were at least two other US Black Belts (Charles 'Chuck' Sereff and Edward Sell[5][6]) awarded TKD 8th Dan several years previously. On July 1, 2000, Norris was presented the Golden Lifetime Achievement Award by the World Karate Union Hall of Fame.
On March 28, 2007, Commandant Gen. James Conway made legendary martial-arts ninja and action movie star Chuck Norris an "Honorary Marine" during dinner at the commandant's residence in Washington, D.C.[7]
Walker, Texas Ranger
By the close of the 1980s, Cannon Films had faded from prominence, and Norris's star appeal seemed to go with it. He reprised his Delta Force role for MGM, which had acquired the Cannon library after the latter's Chapter 11 bankruptcy. Norris went on to make several more largely ignored films before making a transition to television. In 1993, he began shooting the series Walker, Texas Ranger, which lasted eight years on CBS and continued in heavy syndication on other channels.
On October 17, 2005, CBS premiered the Sunday night "Movie of the Week" Walker, Texas Ranger: Trial by Fire. The production was a continuation of the series, and not scripted to be a reunion movie. Norris reprised his role as Cordell "Cord" Walker for the movie. He has stated that future Walker, Texas Ranger "Movie of the Week" projects are expected, however, this was severely impaired by CBS's 2006-2007 season decision to no longer regularly schedule MOWs on Sunday night.
Personal life
In 1963, his first child with Holechek, a son named Mike, was born. His daughter, Dina, was born in 1964 to a woman that wasn't his wife.[8]. Then, he had a second son, Eric, with his wife in 1965. After 30 years of marriage, Norris and Holechek divorced in 1988. He married again, in November 1998; this time to former model Gena O'Kelley, who was born in 1968, and is 28 years Norris's junior. O'Kelley had two children from a previous marriage. She delivered twins in 2001: Dakota Alan Norris, a boy, and Danilee Kelly Norris, a girl.[9]
Norris has always been a very loving family man; it was noted in People that his adult sons still hug and kiss him goodbye. "It's great my boys aren't afraid to show love," Norris said, "nothing can buy that". Norris's son, Mike, said of his father: "Dad never had a lot of love growing up, but he has given me and my brother all that he should have had in multiples". Norris's two older sons are married and he has 6 grandchildren including American actress Gabby Di Ciolli.
Currently, Norris lives in north Houston and owns a ranch between Navasota, Texas and Anderson, Texas. He also has a small residence in Los Angeles for when he does films or television shows. He works for KickStart, which is located in Dallas and Houston.
Now an outspoken Christian, Norris is the author of several Christian books, such as The Justice Riders. He has also been in a few TV commercials promoting Bible study and prayer in public schools, in addition to efforts to reduce drug use. In 2006, he began penning a column for the conservative news website WorldNetDaily. In his columns, he has expressed belief in Biblical creationism,[10] those who are troubled should turn to Jesus, and is quoted as saying "true patriots" do not stay clear of discussing religion and politics.[11]
Norris serves on the board of directors of the NCBCPS, an organization promoting the use of the Bible in public schools, and also speaks on behalf of organizations advocating official prayers in public schools.
Norris has received a black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu from the Machado family.[12] He has endorsed Mike Huckabee in his 2008 presidential bid.
Political views
Norris is a Republican, often championing the views of the party. Norris has donated over $32,000 to Republican candidates and organizations since 1988.[13] On January 26, 2007, Norris filled in for Sean Hannity as a co-host on the popular Fox News Channel debate program Hannity & Colmes alongside Alan Colmes.
On October 22, 2007, Norris announced his endorsement of Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee for President.[14] Norris said, "I believe the only one who has all of the characteristics to lead America forward into the future is ex-Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee."[15]
Chun Kuk Do
Norris created the martial art Chun Kuk Do, which is based primarily on Tang Soo Do and includes elements from every combat style he knows. Like many other martial arts, Chun Kuk Do includes a code of honor and rules to live by. These rules are from Chuck Norris's personal code. They are:
I will develop myself to the maximum of my potential in all ways.
I will forget the mistakes of the past and press on to greater achievements.
I will continually work at developing love, happiness and loyalty in my family.
I will look for the good in all people and make them feel worthwhile.
If I have nothing good to say about a person, I will say nothing.
I will always be as enthusiastic about the success of others as I am about my own.
I will maintain an attitude of open-mindedness.
I will maintain respect for those in authority and demonstrate this respect at all times.
I will always remain loyal to God, my country, family and my friends.
I will remain highly goal-oriented throughout my life because that positive attitude helps my family, my country and myself.
Norris in popular culture
On September 22, 2004, Norris told Entertainment Tonight's Mary Hart that his daughter Dina, born in 1964, was the result of an extramarital affair. He did not meet her until she was 26, although she learned that he was her father when she was 16. She sent him a letter to his home informing him that she was his daughter. After meeting her, he acknowledged that he knew that she was his upon seeing her.[16]
In 2004, Late Night with Conan O'Brien began a recurring sketch in which O'Brien would pull a Walker Texas Ranger Lever next to his desk, which would cause a brief, out-of-context clip from Walker: Texas Ranger to play. This became one of the more popular segments on O'Brien's show and led to a guest appearance by Norris himself, who pulled his own "Conan O'Brien Lever" to play a clip of Norris beating up O'Brien. This segment has been credited as jump-starting the Norris craze and leading to enough interest to produce a Walker, Texas Ranger TV movie.
In late 2005, Norris became the object of an internet phenomenon known as Chuck Norris Facts, which document fictional, often absurdly heroic feats and characteristics about Norris himself. The phenomenon originally started in the "Vin Diesel Fact Generator", and Chuck Norris Facts were created as a byproduct, often using the same facts featured in the Vin Diesel Fact Generator. In time, Chuck Norris Facts became wildly popular, even more so than the original Vin Diesel Fact Generator. Norris has written his own response to the parody on his website, stating that he does not feel offended by them, and finds some of them funny.[17] He made an appearance on The Best Damn Sports Show, Period, where he commented on 11 of them, with his favorite being: "They once tried to carve Chuck Norris's face into Mount Rushmore, but the granite wasn't hard enough for his beard."
On November 29th, 2007, Gotham Books, the adult division of Penguin USA, released a book entitled, The Truth About Chuck Norris: 400 facts about the World's Greatest Human.[18] Norris subsequently filed suit in December against Penguin USA claiming "trademark infringement, unjust enrichment and privacy rights."[19]
He is also referenced in a parody song "The Ultimate Showdown of Ultimate Destiny" which has gained some small popularity on the internet, and reflects the general sentiment of the Chuck Norris jokes and parody.[20]
Norris rode out in a convertible on The Price is Right $1,000,000 Spectacular in 2003 to wish Bob Barker a happy 80th birthday. He also helped a contestant win the convertible playing the Lucky $even game. Norris had instructed Bob Barker in karate for years.
During the March 10, 2006, show of ESPN's Pardon the Interruption, numerous references were made to Norris on his birthday, including all of the cut-out heads on the set, which are usually of current sports stars, being replaced with Chuck Norris heads. Also, several humorous comments in reference to Norris were made by co-host, Tony Kornheiser, in a similar tone to that featured on the Chuck Norris Facts website.
Norris served as a guest referee at the World Wrestling Federation's Survivor Series 1994 for the casket match between The Undertaker and Yokozuna. A similar match took place at the Royal Rumble 1994, where ten other wrestlers beat down The Undertaker. Norris was called upon to ensure a similar situation didn't take place. As guest referee, he kicked Jeff Jarrett in the stomach.
Norris starred in his own Atari 2600 videogame, Chuck Norris Superkicks.[21] Norris also appears in Maddox (real name George Ouzounian)'s book: Alphabet of Manliness under the letter N; where he is described as "the greatest American ever to live". In the video game magazine Nintendo Power, Volume 203's Pulse section featured many references to Chuck Norris. He has since become a regular reference, along with Mr. T.
In Crash of the Titans, there is an unlockable move called the Norris Roundhouse.
Norris has a regular column on WorldNetDaily, sharing his "musings about faith, family, freedom, country, loyalty - maybe even kickboxing."
On December 12, 2007, ESPN reported that Chuck Norris had sent a congratulatory letter to Tim Tebow, Quarterback of the Florida Gators, following his Heisman Trophy win.
On February 14th it was announced that Chuck Norris is one of three actors being considered for the role of Nigel Forster in an as yet untitled film on the inventor of the television John Logie Baird. This would see Chuck playing to his hard man image as a rival American inventor.
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bobsmythhawk
1
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Mon 10 Mar, 2008 11:15 am
Sharon Stone
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Born Sharon Vonne Stone
March 10, 1958 (1958-03-10) (age 50)
Meadville, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Spouse(s) George Englund, Jr.
Michael Greenburg (1984-1987)
Phil Bronstein (1998-2004)
Awards won
Emmy Awards
Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series
2004 The Practice
Golden Globe Awards
Best Actress - Motion Picture Drama
1996 Casino
Golden Raspberry Awards
Worst Actress
2006 Basic Instinct 2
1994 Intersection & The Specialist
Sharon Vonne Stone (born March 10, 1958) is an American actress, producer, and former fashion model. She came to international attention for her performance in the 1992 Hollywood blockbuster film Basic Instinct. She was nominated for an Academy Award,for best actress for her role in Casino and won Golden Globe for her role in Casino and has won an Emmy Award.
Early life
Stone was born in Meadville, Pennsylvania. The second of four children, she is the daughter of Dorothy (née Lawson), an accountant and homemaker, and Joseph Stone, a tool and die manufacturer.[1][2] She has Irish ancestry,[3] with roots in Galway.
As a teen, she worked at a McDonald's restaurant[4]. When she was a young woman her IQ was tested at 154 points.[5] After skipping a grade in school, she was involuntarily transferred from Saegertown High School to Edinboro University of Pennsylvania, enrolling at the age of fifteen years. She returned for a visit to her college in March 2007 for academic purposes, and there to her surprise she received an honorary doctorate from former university president Frank Pogue.
Career
1970s
Stone won the title of Miss Crawford County in Meadville. One of the pageant judges said she should quit school and move to New York to become a fashion model. When her mother heard this, she agreed, and, in 1977 Stone left Meadville, moving in with an aunt in New Jersey. Within four days of her arrival in New Jersey, she was signed by Ford Modeling Agency in New York. It was at this time that her name was linked with Peter Glaze, of BBC TV's Crackerjack fame. After signing with Ford, Stone spent a few years modeling, and appeared in TV commercials for Burger King, Clairol and Maybelline, but she did not enjoy her work.
1980-1990
While living in Europe she decided to quit modeling and become an actress. "So I packed my bags, moved back to New York, and stood in line to be an extra in a Woody Allen movie," she later recalled. While auditioning, she met Michelle Pfeiffer, recognized her from the pageant she competed in, and the two began a friendship that lasts to this day. Stone was cast for a brief but memorable role in Allen's Stardust Memories (1980), and then had a speaking part a year later in the horror movie Deadly Blessing (1981). When French director Claude Lelouch saw Stone in Stardust Memories he was so impressed that he cast her in Les Uns et Les Autres (1982), starring James Caan. She was only on screen for two minutes and did not appear in the credits.
Her next role was in Irreconcilable Differences (1984), starring Ryan O'Neal, Shelley Long, and a young Drew Barrymore. Stone plays a starlet who breaks up the marriage of a successful director and his screenwriter wife. The story was based on the real-life experience of director Peter Bogdanovich, his set designer wife Polly Platt and Cybill Shepherd, who as a young actress had starred in Bogdanovich's The Last Picture Show (1971). The highlight of Stone's performance is when her cocaine-addict character plays Scarlett O'Hara in a musical pitched as a remake of Gone with the Wind.
Through the rest of the 1980s she appeared in Action Jackson (1988), King Solomon's Mines (1985) and Allan Quatermain and the Lost City of Gold (1987). She also played the wife of Steven Seagal's character in Above the Law (1988).
1990-2004
Her appearance in Total Recall (1990) with Arnold Schwarzenegger gave Stone's career a much-needed jolt. To coincide with the movie's release, she posed nude for Playboy magazine, showing off the buff body she developed in preparation for the movie (she pumped iron and learned Tae Kwon Do). In 1999, she was rated among the 25 sexiest stars of the century by Playboy.
The role that made her a star was that of Catherine Tramell, a brilliant, bisexual serial killer in Basic Instinct (1992). Stone said she had to wait and actually turn down other offers for the mere prospect of playing Tramell. (The part reportedly was offered to 13 other actresses before being offered to her.) In the movie's most notorious scene, Tramell is being questioned by the police and uncrosses her legs, revealing that she is not wearing anything beneath her dress.
Stone claimed that, although she agreed to film the flashing scene with no panties, and although she and director Paul Verhoeven had discussed the scene from the beginning of production, she was unaware just how explicit the infamous shot would be.[6] Despite having earlier claimed "it was so fun" watching the film for the first time with strangers[7] she later said it was "so disrespectful, and so shocking, so I went into the booth and slapped him (Verhoeven) and left"[8]. Verhoeven denied these claims and said, "As much as I love her, I hate her too, especially after the lies she told the press about the shot between her legs, which was a straight lie".[9] Following this film, she was listed by People magazine as one of the 50 most beautiful people in the world.
In 1992, photographer George Hurrell took a series of photographs of Stone, Sherilyn Fenn, Julian Sands, Raquel Welch, Eric Roberts and Sean Penn. In these portraits he recreated his style of the 1930s, with the actors posing in costumes, hairstyle and makeup of the period.
Stone's stardom was such that she received top billing over Gene Hackman, Russell Crowe and Leonardo DiCaprio when cast as a gunslinger for Sam Raimi's 1995 western The Quick and the Dead.
In November 1995, Stone received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, located at 6925 Hollywood Blvd. That same year, Empire magazine chose her as one of the 100 sexiest stars in film history. In October 1997, she was ranked among the top 100 movie stars of all time by Empire.
In 1996, she received a Golden Globe Award for Best Actress in a Dramatic Motion Picture for her role as "Ginger" in Martin Scorsese's Casino opposite Robert DeNiro. She also earned an Academy Award nomination for Best Actress for the role.
Stone starred opposite actress Ellen DeGeneres in the 2001 HBO movie If These Walls Could Talk 2, in which she played a lesbian trying to start a family. In 2003, she appeared in three episodes from the 8th season of The Practice as Sheila Carlisle. For her performances, she received an Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series.
2004-present
Stone attempted a return to the mainstream with a role in the film Catwoman (2004); however, the film was a critical and commercial flop.
After years of litigation, Basic Instinct 2: Risk Addiction was released on March 31, 2006. After earning $3,200,000 in its debut weekend, the movie was declared a bomb.[10] A reason for a long delay in releasing the film was reportedly Stone's dispute with the filmmakers over the nudity in the movie; she wanted more, while they wanted much much less. A group sex scene was cut in order to achieve an R rating from the MPAA for the U.S. release; the controversial scene remained in the U.K. version of the London-based film. Stone told an interviewer, "We are in a time of odd repression and if a popcorn movie allows us to create a platform for discussion, wouldn't that be great?"[11] Stone has said that she would love to direct and act in a third Basic Instinct film.
A subsequent film role came in the drama Alpha Dog opposite Bruce Willis, playing Olivia Mazursky, the mother of a real-life murder victim. Stone wore a fatsuit for the role.[12] In February 2007, Stone found her role as a clinically depressed woman in her latest film, When a Man Falls in the Forest, strangely uplifting, as it challenged what she called "Prozac society". "It was a watershed experience," she said. "I think that we live in a... Prozac society where we're always told we're supposed to have this kind of equilibrium of emotion. We have all these assignments about how we're supposed to feel about something".[13]
The actress was hospitalized in late 2001 for a subarachnoid hemmorrhage, initially reported as a brain aneuryism, according to USA Today.
In 2007, she appeared in a television commercial demonstrating the symptoms of a stroke.[14]
Personal life
Israel
Stone lives in Beverly Hills, California, and owns a ranch in New Zealand. In March 2006, Stone traveled to Israel to promote peace in the Middle East through a press conference with Nobel Peace Prize winner Shimon Peres.[15]
Tanzania controversy
On January 28, 2005, Stone helped solicit pledges for $1 million in five minutes for mosquito nets in Tanzania,[16] turning a panel on African poverty into an impromptu fund-raiser at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. Many observers, including UNICEF, criticized her actions by claiming that Stone had reacted instinctively to the words of Tanzanian President Benjamin Mkapa, because she had not done her research on the causes, consequences and methods of preventing malaria; if she had done so, she would have found out that most African governments already distribute free bed nets through public hospitals.
Of the $1 million pledged, only $250,000 was actually raised. In order to fulfill the promise to send $1 million worth of bed nets to Tanzania, UNICEF contributed $750,000. This diverted funds from other UNICEF projects. According to prominent economist Xavier Sala-i-Martín, officials are largely unaware of what happened with the bed nets. Some were delivered to the local airport. These reportedly were stolen and later resurfaced as wedding dresses on the local black market.
Stone hosted the 2006 Nobel Peace Prize Concert.
AIDS research support
In April 2004, she was awarded the National Center for Lesbian Rights Spirit Award in San Francisco for her support and involvement with organizations that serve the lesbian, gay and HIV/AIDS community[17] and performed Can't Get You Out of My Head with Kylie Minogue in Cannes for AIDS research. She was presented the award by San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom.
It has been said that her parents raised her with feminist values. "My dad never raised me to believe that being a woman inhibited any of my choices or my possibilities to succeed. To be a feminist like Dad in that blue-collar, middle-class world is a big stand."
Religion
In the early 1990s, Stone became a member of the Church of Scientology. Stone remained with the religion until recently when she converted to Buddhism, after fellow actor Richard Gere introduced her to the Dalai Lama.[18] She is an ordained minister with the Universal Life Church.[19]
Relationships
She married television producer Michael Greenburg in 1984 on the set of The Vegas Strip War, a TV movie he produced and she starred in, along with Rock Hudson and James Earl Jones. They separated three years later, and their divorce was finalized in 1990.
She was engaged to producer Bill McDonald after they met on the film Sliver (1993). McDonald left his wife, Naomi Baca, for Stone. The tabloids initially labeled her a homewrecker, but their attention turned to Baca after she got involved with Basic Instinct screenwriter Joe Eszterhas, who would leave his wife for her. Stone and McDonald would later end their engagement.[20]
On February 14, 1998, she married Phil Bronstein, executive editor of the San Francisco Examiner and later San Francisco Chronicle. Stone and Bronstein were divorced in January 2004, after he had suffered a severe heart attack. They have an adopted son named Roan Joseph Bronstein, born on May 22, 2000. She also adopted her second son, Laird Vonne Stone on May 7, 2005. On June 28, 2006, Stone adopted her third son, Quinn Kelly.
In 2005, during a television interview for her movie Basic Instinct 2, Stone hinted an interest in bisexuality, stating "Middle age is an open-minded period".[21] Stone has said that in the past she's "dated" girls. While filming Basic Instinct, her best girlfriend was there to hold her hand out of camera range during some of the scenes. And in a biography, Naked Instinct, author Frank Sanello details a sexual liaison with a woman in the bathroom of the Beverly Hills Hotel [22]. In an interview on the Michael Parkinson talk show in England on March 18, 2006, she said she was "straight". However, in January 2008, she was quoted as saying, "Everybody is bisexual to an extent. Now men act like women and it's difficult to have a relationship because I like men in that old-fashioned way. I like masculinity and, in truth, only women do that now".[23]
It has been rumored that Stone has recently been dating Scottish comedian Craig Ferguson, host of The Late, Late Show with Craig Ferguson.[24]
Mensa controversy
For many years it was believed that Sharon Stone was a member of Mensa,[25] but in April 2002, she admitted she was not, and had never been, a member of the high-IQ society.[26] Jim Blackmore of Mensa said, "It's delightful to finally see Ms. Stone admit that she's not and never has been a member of our society. But then she goes on to say, 'I went to a Mensa school.' Not so."[26] Blackmore said that would not have been possible as there have been no Mensa schools since the early 1960s.[26]
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bobsmythhawk
1
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Mon 10 Mar, 2008 11:20 am
Carrie Underwood
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Background information
Birth name Carrie Marie Underwood
Born March 10, 1983 (1983-03-10) (age 25)
Muskogee, Oklahoma, USA
Genre(s) Country pop
Occupation(s) Singer-songwriter
Instrument(s) Vocals, guitar, piano
Years active 2005-present
Label(s) Arista Nashville
Carrie Marie Underwood (born March 10, 1983) is an American pop country music singer-songwriter who won the fourth season of American Idol. Since then, she has become a multi-platinum selling recording artist. Her debut album, Some Hearts, was certified 7x platinum and is the fastest selling debut country album in Nielsen SoundScan history.[1] Her debut album, Some Hearts, has yielded five #1 hits on the country charts in the United States and Canada: "Inside Your Heaven," "Jesus, Take the Wheel", "Don't Forget to Remember Me", "Wasted," and her biggest hit to date, "Before He Cheats." In addition, Underwood scored another Top 10 Billboard hit with her charity single, "I'll Stand by You." Some Hearts sold a total of 7 million Recording Industry Association of America-certified copies as of February 2008, in addition to being the best selling album by an American Idol contestant, in the United States, to date, it is also the best-selling solo female debut album in country music history.[2]
Her second album, Carnival Ride (which is certified 2x Platinum by the RIAA) was released on October 23, 2007. It has so far sold over 2 million copies[3] and has produced two #1 country hits, "So Small." and "All-American Girl",[4] "All-American Girl" currently sitting at #1 on the Billboard Country chart. Underwood's Christmas single, "Do You Hear What I Hear?" peaked at #2 on the Billboard Adult Contemporary charts.
Aside from her vocals, Underwood's success is attributed to what many fans recognize as her wholesome image.[5] In general, many of her songs also present inspirational and uplifting themes and messages.[6] To date, Underwood has sold over 11 million copies worldwide in the last two years.
Biography
Early life
Carrie Marie Underwood was born to Stephen and Carole Underwood in Muskogee, Oklahoma, and was raised on her parents' farm in rural Checotah, Oklahoma. She has two older sisters, Shanna (born 1970) and Stephanie Underwood Shelton (born 1973). Underwood had performed at Robbins Memorial Talent Show in her childhood. She is a member of the First Free Will Baptist Church.[citation needed] As a young child, she sang in church, and for Old Settler's Day and Lion's Club, local events in Checotah. In 1996, when Underwood was 13, her manager at the time tried to get her a recording contract at Capitol Records. However, due to management changes at Capitol, it never materialized.[citation needed]
Underwood graduated from Checotah High School in 2001 as salutatorian.[citation needed] After high school, she attended Northeastern State University in Tahlequah. She graduated magna cum laude in 2006 with a bachelor's degree in mass communication and an emphasis in journalism[7] Underwood is a member of the Alpha Iota chapter of Sigma Sigma Sigma sorority,[8] For two years during the summer, she performed in Northeastern's Downtown Country show in Tahlequah. She also competed in numerous beauty pageants at the university and was selected as Miss NSU runner-up in 2004.[9]
American Idol
In the summer of 2004, Underwood auditioned for American Idol in St. Louis. On March 22, 2005, Underwood sang a rendition of the number one 80's rock hit "Alone" by Heart and judge Simon Cowell predicted that Underwood would not only win the competition, but would outsell all previous Idol winners.[10] Underwood was the second winner never to have been voted in the bottom three. While on the show, Underwood gained a loyal fan base known as "Carrie's Care Bears." Coincidentally, she was in the same sorority (Sigma Sigma Sigma) as Linda Denham, the creator of the original Care Bears franchise.
On May 25, 2005, Underwood was crowned the winner of the fourth season of American Idol, beating out Bo Bice.[10]
Underwood appeared on the sixth season of American Idol, where she sang her single "Wasted" on March 8. This was her fourth time performing on the show since winning the competition in 2005.[11] Underwood also performed at the Idol Gives Back concert singing her new song, "I'll Stand By You", (a cover of the Pretenders hit) along with Kelly Clarkson, Rascal Flatts, and others. Underwood sang the same song at American Idol's season finale on May 23, 2007.
2005-2007: Some Hearts
Underwood's debut album, entitled Some Hearts, was released to store shelves on November 15, 2005, entering the Billboard 200 chart with 315,000 copies sold. The large first week sales of Some Hearts made it #1 on the Billboard Top Country Albums chart and the biggest debut of any country artist since the advent of the SoundScan system in 1991. Some Hearts has since been certified septuple Platinum by the RIAA, and is the fastest-selling debut country album in the history of the SoundScan era.[12]
The album's second single, "Jesus, Take the Wheel" was released to radio on October 18, 2005. It received so much airplay that it debuted at #39 on the Billboard Country Chart in its first week. It eventually reached #1 for six consecutive weeks, two weeks shy of Connie Smith's record for a solo female performer, set in 1964-1965 when "Once a Day" topped the chart for eight weeks.
Underwood's third single, "Some Hearts" was only released to Pop, Adult Contemporary and Hot Adult Contemporary stations in October 2005 and peaked in the top 25 on the Hot AC format, while it made the top 15 on the AC Charts. "Don't Forget to Remember Me", the second of Underwood's singles to be released to country radio, her fourth single overall, peaked at #2 on the Billboard Hot Country Chart, as well as #49 on the Billboard Hot 100. However, it did reach #1 for a week on the Radio & Records Country Singles Chart.
Both "Jesus, Take the Wheel" and "Don't Forget to Remember Me" have earned number one spots in Christian radio countdowns. "Jesus, Take the Wheel" won the Gospel Music Association's award for best country single of the year.
Underwood performed "Jesus, Take the Wheel" on May 23, 2006, and received a standing ovation at the ACM Awards. She ended up winning Best New Female Vocalist and Single of the year for the song. She was also nominated for Song of the Year and Female Vocalist of the year, but did not win.
Later that autumn, Underwood's third country single, "Before He Cheats", hit number one on Billboard's Hot Country Songs, staying there for 5 consecutive weeks, marking Underwood's third country number one hit and her fourth number one hit all together. The song peaked at number 8 on the Billboard Hot 100, achieving the slowest climb ever to the top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100, breaking the record that was previously held by Creed from July 2000. After a year of release, the single still remains in the Billboard charts.
To promote "Before He Cheats", Underwood performed it at the 40th Annual Country Music Association Awards on November 6, 2006, and later won both the Horizon Award for new country artists and Female Vocalist. Underwood's double win is the first time since 1995 that an artist won both the female vocalist and Horizon award.
On November 21, 2006, Underwood went into the American Music Awards with 2 nominations, that night she left the building winning the Breakthrough Artist of the Year award. She was also nominated for Best Female Country Artist, but did not win in that category. She also attended the "2006 Billboard Music Awards" On December 4, 2006, and took home 5 awards. She won the coveted Album of the Year, Top 200 Female Artist of the Year, Female Country Artist, New Country Artist, and Country Album of the Year.
Underwood was nominated for five Academy of Country Music awards in 2007. She was nominated for Best Female Vocalist, Song of the Year, Video of the Year, Album of the Year and Single Record of the Year. She won three of her nominated catergories; Album of the Year, Video of the Year, and Female Vocalist of the Year.
On April 11, 2007, Underwood continued her success of top 2 Country singles with the release of "Wasted". The song peaked at number 1 on the Hot Country Songs Chart, and number 37 on the Billboard Hot 100. The music video for Wasted debuted at number 2 on the GACTV Top 20 Countdown.
At the 2007 CMT Awards in Nashville, Tennessee on April 16, Underwood was nominated for three awards, including Video of the Year, Female Video of the Year, and Video Director of the Year, all for "Before He Cheats." She won in all of the three categories. She also performed there, singing "Before He Cheats".
In early April, Underwood took a break from working on her second album to take a trip to South Africa for American Idol's "Idol Gives Back" charity special. A music video package from her trip aired on the show April 25. Underwood recorded an acoustic version of The Pretenders' classic "I'll Stand By You," which served as the music bed for this American Idol video package. The charity single of the song released exclusively on iTunes reached the #2 spot.
Underwood also appeared in Brad Paisley's latest album, 5th Gear, on a song entitled "Oh Love". Aside from those activities, she also performed "Before He Cheats" and "Wasted" at the CMA Music Festival.
2007-present: Carnival Ride
Underwood's second album, Carnival Ride,[13] was released on October 23, 2007.[14] "So Small", the first single from the album, was released on July 31.[15] On Carnival Ride, Underwood was more involved in the songwriting process than on the debut; she set up a writers retreat at Nashville's famed Ryman Auditorium to collaborate with such Music Row tunesmiths as Hillary Lindsey, Craig Wiseman, Rivers Rutherford, Tom Wehrle and Gordie Sampson.[16]
Carnival Ride was certified double platinum as of December 14, 2007.[17]
Underwood appeared on the soundtrack to the movie Enchanted, performing a song entitled "Ever Ever After". In the music video for the song she appears as both animated and live action, much like the characters in the movie. She appeared on Christmas at Rockefeller Center on November 28, 2007. She also appeared on the holiday CD Hear Something Country Christmas 2007 that featured many other country artists, with a rendition of Do You Hear What I Hear?. Since then, the song has reached #2 on the AC Chart, and held it for 3 consecutive weeks, making her best AC hit to date. [18]
Underwood was named as Billboard's best country artist of the Billboard year 2007,[19] and in December 2007 over 1,000,000 People magazine readers named Before He Cheats as the song of the year
Underwood performed "Flat on the Floor", "All-American Girl", and "Before He Cheats" on Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve 2008. [20]All American Girl her second single also reached number 1 on the Billboard country charts.
In January 2008, Underwood embarked on a joint tour with Keith Urban named the Love, Pain and the Whole Crazy Carnival Ride Tour, with dates fixed nationwide to continue through April.[21]
Grammy Awards
On December 7, 2006, Underwood's album Some Hearts received four Grammy nominations. Underwood received two Grammy awards for "Best New Artist" and "Best Female Country Vocal Performance" while "Jesus, Take the Wheel" won "Best Country Song" and received a nomination for "Song of the Year".
Underwood's nomination marked the first time that an American Idol winner or contestant had been nominated in the "Best New Artist" category. The award ceremony was held on February 11, 2007 at Staples Center in Los Angeles, California. She also sang alongside Grammy nominees Rascal Flatts. On March 24, 2007, Underwood was featured as the musical guest on Saturday Night Live with host Peyton Manning. Underwood performed her hit singles "Before He Cheats" and "Wasted". She appeared on SNL once again on February 23, 2008, where she sang "All-American Girl" and "Flat On The Floor". She became only the eleventh country music star to perform on the show.
On February 10, 2008, Underwood was nominated for a combined total of four (4) Grammys including Song of the Year for "Before He Cheats". She won one Grammy Award that night, for Best Female Country Vocal Performance and her song won for Best Country Song both for her hit, "Before He Cheats". Underwood also performed "Before He Cheats" on the Grammy Awards, with a more powerful vocal ending.
Personal interests
Underwood receiving a gift from the 25th Infantry Division (Task Force Lightning) after performing in Tikrit, Iraq in December of 2006.At her American Idol audition, Underwood revealed to the judges that her favorite singer is contemporary country recording artist Martina McBride. Throughout her time on American Idol, home videos were shown in which she sang "Independence Day", one of McBride's best known songs. Underwood also released her version of "Independence Day" as the B-side to her first #1 single, "Inside Your Heaven".
In addition to being a singer, Underwood is also a skilled guitar player, and has accompanied herself on guitar during performances of certain songs like "Don't Forget to Remember Me" and "Inside Your Heaven" during some of her live concerts, as well as on the albums. She uses a McPherson guitar, with an off-set sound hole.
Underwood is a vegetarian and stopped consuming meat at the age of 13 as she couldn't stand the thought of eating one of her own animals. She was voted "World's Sexiest Vegetarian" by PETA[22] in 2007 for the second time, the first being in 2005 alongside Coldplay frontman Chris Martin. In a 2007 interview with Peta, Underwood stated, "Ever since I was little I loved animals... If you told me I could never sing again, I'd say that was horrible, but it's not my life. If you told me I could never be around animals again, I would just die."[23]
Underwood is a supporter of the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) and has done several public service announcements for the organization.[24]
A native of eastern Oklahoma, she co-wrote a song dedicated to her hometown, "I Ain't in Checotah Anymore". In December 2005, Underwood was named Oklahoman of the Year by Oklahoma Today.[25]
Underwood performed with the USO Christmas Tour in Iraq during the 2006 Holiday season, to spread holiday cheer to the troops overseas.[26] She follows a celebrity entertainment tradition started by Bob Hope that continues to this day. Several Internet sites have photos and video clips of Underwood's performances in Iraq, including photos of Underwood in military garb.[27]
Victoria's Secret named Underwood the "Sexiest Female Musician". She took the top honors along with Justin Timberlake, who was named the "Sexiest Male Musician". She was also placed on the 2007 list of the "Most Beautiful People" by People. Most recently, Underwood was honored as one of three of the most influential entertainers in America at this point in time and was named sexiest female country artist by Country Weekly.
Personal life
Underwood performed at halftime of the 2006 Thanksgiving Day football game at the Texas Stadium and was subsequently romantically linked to Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo.[28] Underwood attended Romo's birthday party in April 2007, and on May 15, 2007, Romo escorted Underwood to the Academy of Country Music Awards.[29]
Underwood has been linked to Chace Crawford of Gossip Girl fame. They started dating in August 2007. On October 4, 2007, People magazine reported that the two were seen holding hands in New York City.[30]
0 Replies
bobsmythhawk
1
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Mon 10 Mar, 2008 11:21 am
A cowboy named Bud was overseeing his herd in a remote mountainous pasture in California when suddenly a brand-new BMW advanced out of a dust cloud towards him.
The driver, a young man in a Brioni suit, Gucci shoes, RayBan sunglasses and YSL tie, leans out the window and asks the cowboy, "If I tell you exactly how many cows and calves you have in your herd, Will you give me a calf?"
Bud looks at the man, obviously a yuppie, then looks at his peacefully grazing herd and calmly answers, "Sure, Why not?"
The yuppie parks his car, whips out his Dell notebook computer,connects it to his Cingular RAZR V3 cell phone, and surfs to a NASA page on the Internet, where he calls up a GPS satellite to get an exact fix on his location which he then feeds to another NASA satellite that scans the area in an ultra-high-resolution photo.
The young man then opens the digital photo in Adobe Photoshop and exports it to an image processing facility in Hamburg , Germany. Within seconds, he receives an email on his Palm Pilot that the image has been processed and the data stored. He then a ccesses a MS-SQL database through an ODBC connected Excel spreadsheet with email on his Blackberry and, a fter a few minutes, receives a response.
Finally, he prints out a full-color, 150-page report on his hi-tech, miniaturized HP LaserJet printer and finally turns to the cowboy and says, "You have
exactly 1,586 cows and calves."
"That's right. Well, I guess you can take one of my calves," says Bud. He watches the young man select one of the animals and looks on amused as the young man stuffs it into the trunk of his car.
Then the Bud says to the young man, "Hey, if I can tell you exactly what your business is, will you give me back my calf?"
The young man thinks about it for a second and then says, "Okay, why not?" "You're a Congressman for the U.S. Government",
says Bud.
"Wow! That's correct," says the yuppie, "but how
did you guess that?"
"No guessing required." answered the cowboy. "You showed up here even though nobody called you; you want to get paid for an answer I already knew,to a question I never asked. You tried to show me how much smarter than me you are; and you don't know a thing about cows...this is a herd of sheep. . . .
Now give me back my dog.
0 Replies
Letty
1
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Mon 10 Mar, 2008 12:16 pm
ah, hawkman, we needed that laugh today. What a wonderful way to describe a politician. Love it! Thanks once again for the great info on the notables.
Well, I noticed that dear Barry Fitzgerald is among the celebs today, folks, and as a tribute to him and Perry, let's listen to this tender song.
Do you know who the lady is singing with him? I don't recognize her.
0 Replies
Letty
1
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Mon 10 Mar, 2008 04:10 pm
Hey, Raggedy. I don't know who she is either, and I do enjoy knowing the background on certain things. I wish the powers at be would include a little of that.
Regardless of his politics, folks, I admire Chuck Norris for hanging in, so let's listen to a familiar theme.
Incidentally, all, I would like to recommend a great TV show. It's called Cold Case Files, and it is really quite good. Last evening's episode was about a baseball player that cracked the color barrier, and was found dead. The case went back to 1945. It is always a surprise to find out how the featured team puts it all together.
0 Replies
edgarblythe
1
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Mon 10 Mar, 2008 04:51 pm
dyslexia wrote:
another Cohen favorite is "All at once the guests come in"
I am quite sure this is the song to which yoose are referring, dys.
Out of the night,
When the full moon is bright,
Comes the horseman known as Zorro.
This bold renegade
Carves a "Z" with his blade,
A "Z" that stands for Zorro.
Zorro, Zorro, the fox so cunning and free,
Zorro, Zorro, who makes the sign of the Z.
He is polite,
But the wicked take flight
When they catch the sight of Zorro.
He's friend of the weak,
And the poor and the meek,
This very unique senor Zorro.
Zorro, Zorro, the fox so cunning and free,
Zorro, Zorro, who makes the sign of the Z.
Zorro, Zorro, Zorro, Zorro, Zorro.
Until tomorrow...
From Letty with love
0 Replies
Letty
1
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Tue 11 Mar, 2008 05:13 am
Good morning, WA2K folks.
Where is Zorro when we need him? Often I wonder about super heroes and if it's a good thing to encourage kids to believe in them.
Well, here is a super guy that I just discovered. Today is Bobby McFerrin's birthday, and I was enchanted by his improvisation of Bach.
This is how I remember him best. It was played as background music in the movie "Cocktail" and on the radio every day. Once you hear the tune, you can't get it out of your head.
Hey, Raggedy, you just saved the day with Bobby, gal. His voice sounds like an instrument. Love it. I think everyone knows "Don't Worry-Be Happy", and after watching the video, I do believe his version might have been a little tongue in cheek. I saw Cocktail, but I don't remember much about it.
) This song by her brings home something that has become self evident and needs no explanation.
