News* King Juan Carlos and Queen Sophia have announced that Prince Felipe is officially dating Gwynneth Paltrow! She of course speaks fluent Spanish.

*shuddering* too Evelyn. "Her mouth Louisa, her mouth." Oh well, could be a publicity stunt, so she will have a handsome squire for her upcoming 30th birthday bash ;-))

(Moon) I want to see it! I think Jung is a very interesting character to play. I've read so many of his books. Is it on PBS? Or a major release? It's on stage. At the National Theatre in London.He had made that commitment when GWAPE was to be filmed earlier. He bolted when it was delayed and conflicted with the play. Some actors honor their theatre commitments, you know;-))))) Prince Felipe and Gwynnie....shades of Grace Kelly. Go Girl!

(Evelyn) Some actors honor their theatre commitments, you know;-))))) Aw, c'mon, you're just ticked off that he didn't sent you a thank-you note after you sent him those lovely tickets! I've seen a couple of articles about the coming theater season, and in the one about London, it talked about SRB at the Donmar. It mentioned SRB's Hamlet as being "definitive" or something like that. So it probably didn't make sense at that time for Colin to do this play in--what's the London version of off-off-broadway? (west-west-west end?) Another article about upcoming Broadway shows mentions that MEM is going to be Aldonza in this winter's production of Man of La Mancha. Moira's singing lessons will pay off. Must remember to invite her out to the burbs and help me choose swatches with my decorator. (Karen)Loved the part about how MT is moving *back* to Sunday nights. ;-) What fools they were to move it. I'm glad pbs has moved MT back where it "belongs." I think it had been moved for a year before I figured it out. I kept thinking, "oh, it's being pre-empted tonight." DUH! (And yes, I do contribute and get their program guide. Guess I should read it...) I was always having to track it down on the other pbs stations in the area (I get three).

(Kate)Must remember to invite her out to the burbs and help me choose swatches with my decorator. Hee hee. I was thinking that I *really* owe it to her to show up at the stage door to personally welcome her home.;-) (Evelyn)Also Sunday nights seems to have evolved into HBO night. At least it is for me. I know thier offerings are shown during the week, but I hate to wait. Same here. Did anyone/everyone catch the season opener of The Sopranos last night? They are back in top form!

(Mari)Did anyone/everyone catch the season opener of The Sopranos last night? That's part of my religion.Wouldn't miss it.

(Mari) Same here. Did anyone/everyone catch the season opener of The Sopranos last night? They are back in top form! (Evelyn) That's part of my religion.Wouldn't miss it. Wasn't Tony too funny hiding the money in the bird seed? He comes off so tough, but that Carmela has his number. Dr. Melfi seemed kind of stiff to me last night, though.

Also, thought this was interesting in light of some of the comments re MB around here... USA TODAY Critic's Corner -- Robert LoBianco Sept 13, 2002 No show better represents HBO's arrogance than The Mind of the Married Man, a pointless irritation that stays on the schedule simply because HBO refuses to admit the show is a failure. Curb (ED note: Curb Your Enthusiasm) amuses because it realizes its hero is unbearable; Man doesn't because it thinks its even-more-unbearable lead is sympathetic.

LOL! That show's continuation on anything better than Cable Access has everyone baffled. ;-)

Wasn't Tony too funny hiding the money in the bird seed? And when he tries to explain to Carmella "for them Canadian birds, *this* is south." LOL! My fave was the conversation between Tony and Bobby B. in the diner: "Hey, Tony, ain't it amazing that Quasimodo predicted all this stuff?" ROTFLMAO! Notre Dame . . . Nostrodamus . . . Notre Dame . . . Nostrodamus;-)

(Mari) My fave was the conversation between Tony and Bobby B. in the diner: "Hey, Tony, ain't it amazing that Quasimodo predicted all this stuff?" ROTFLMAO! Notre Dame . . . Nostrodamus . . . Notre Dame . . . Nostrodamus;-) Watched it again last night and died laughing again! Can't wait til next week to see what he says when smart aleck Meadow calls him "Mr. Mob Boss". LOL!

It's been years since I lived in the 'burbs, but do men really walk down their driveways to pick up the paper, with their bathrobes hanging wide open? Or is this unique to NJ? ;-) Loved the episode. So who of the principals is going to get whacked this season? What does the smart money have to say?

(Karen)but do men really walk down their driveways to pick up the paper, with their bathrobes hanging wide open? Or is this unique to NJ? ;-) No, but the women do. Hey, watch it, it's the Garden State yer makin fun of.

(linda)Hey, watch it, it's the Garden State yer makin fun of. We all take turns;-)

(Linda) Hey, watch it, it's the Garden State yer makin fun of. Isn't that what it's there for? ;)

Question: Why is New Jersey called The Garden State? Answer: Because they couldn't fit Oil and Petrochemical Refinery State on the license plate. ;-) So sorry, Linda, but I'm still a Pennsylvanian at heart.

From Forbes: HBO... Home Box Office took care of the competition real good on Sunday, pulling the largest audience in its 30-year history for the season premiere of The Sopranos. James Gandolfini as Tony Soprano, the headshrunk head of an organized-crime family, drew an estimated 13.4 million viewers, and was believed to be the first time an HBO telecast drew a larger audience than any of the broadcast networks at the same time. It's Tony's B'day today: 41yrs. old.

Hailing from the Garden State, would it be true that my neighbors walked down their driveways with their robes open. There are a few here who would cause, I'm quite sure, pleasant reactions.

Linda, if it's any consolation, I tend not to admit anymore that my home state is Florida, The New Voting Machines Don't Work State, or The Hanging Chad State. ;-) For what used to be such a Clinton/Democratic stronghold, it sure has been a lucky state for the Bush boys. I still can't figure out why people still keep asking me why I moved out of FL. :-)

Ladies, ladies. I was born in PA, but Jersey Girls rule. And, we just might do the driveway thing, too. Sorry, Mari, but you do hail from the other side of the river now:-) (Dorine)Linda, if it's any consolation, Leave it to my Latte Diva sister to have sympathy for me.*snif* Thank you, Dorine.

I still can't figure out why people still keep asking me why I moved out of FL. :-) Can they not determine what affected this transformation? As usual Dorine so clever!! Top Hat is on TCM now for any Classic Movie Buffs.

(Mari) Because they couldn't fit Oil and Petrochemical Refinery State on the license plate. But they might be able to fit Pharmaceutical Industry State on it or maybe The Sopranos State. :-)

So much for dropping TIOBE as a possibilty (ha!)... BIFA Nominations, 2002 Best British Independent Film Bend It Like Beckham Bloody Sunday The Lawless Heart Morvern Callar Sweet Sixteen Best Actor Richard Harris (My Kingdom) James Nesbitt (Bloody Sunday) Bill Nighy (The Lawless Heart) Timothy Spall (All or Nothing) Best Actress Elaine Cassidy (Disco Pigs) Shirley Henderson (Villa des Roses) Samantha Morton (Morvern Callar) Harriet Walter (Villa des Roses) Best Director Paul Greengrass (Bloody Sunday) Tom Hunsinger & Neil Hunter (The Lawless Heart) Lynne Ramsay (Morvern Callar) Ken Loach (Sweet Sixteen) Best Screenplay Paul Greengrass (Bloody Sunday) Tom Hunsinger & Neil Hunter (The Lawless Heart) Lynne Ramsay & Liana Dognini (Morvern Callar) Paul Laverty (Sweet Sixteen) Best Achievement in Production Morvern Callar 24 Hours Party People Revengers Tragedy Villa des Roses Best Foreign Film (Foreign Language) Monsoon Wedding Nine Queens (Nueve Reinas) Talk to Her (Hable con Ella) Y Tu Mama Tambien Best Foreign Film (English Language) Ghost World Ivans xtc Lantana Lost in La Mancha Other Awards will include: � The Douglas Hickox Award (Debut Director) � The Lifetime Achievement Award � Special Jury Prize � The Variety UK Personality Award - Ewan McGregor

The Drool Birthday List has just (finally) gone out via e-mail to all people who sent me their birthdays. If you sent me your birthday and don't receive the list, please e-mail me - I might have mis-typed your e-mail address when I created the distribution list. If you'd like to be added to the list, it's not too late - just e-mail me your birthday and I'll add you to the next revision. The inaugural "who lives where" list will be e-mailed out in a day or two - I'm following up on one question before I send it out. Again, if you'd like to be added, just e-mail me your geographic location. To review the policy we agreed on, the lists are available only to people who contribute their information to the list. Incidentally, we have two Drool birthdays coming up in the next ten days!

Thanks Karen for the BIFA noms. Never hoid of 'em.'cept for Timothy Spall;-) Am I missing somethin'?;-)

(Evelyn) Never hoid of 'em.'cept for Timothy Spall;-) Am I missing somethin'?;-) Probably ;-) but you never know when they'll be vomiting and druggies. Actually none of the five BIFA noms has played here yet to my knowledge. I got the program for the Chicago FF yesterday and saw that Bloody Sunday and Morvern Caller will be here, as well as Timothy Spall's film. Will check for some others, although 24 Hour Party People was here already and was pretty funny (mockumentary type). I've seen 3 of 4 of the foreigns (in foreign language). You would never have seen the Ivan movie as it was very controversial (Hollywood agent, drugs, lifestyle, demise) and no one wanted to distribute it. Lost in LaMancha is very new and is playing the fest circuit... But that's the nature of the beast. These are indies...which brings me to: From Variety: CBS has finally sent an RSVP to "My Big Fat Greek Wedding," picking up a small-screen version of the smash indie film for midseason. The network has officially ordered seven episodes of the half-hour comedy; that number could increase, however, as the series producers are in negotiations with CBS to bump the pickup to 13. Just like the feature, the TV "Greek Wedding" will star Nia Vardalos as a woman whose life revolves around a traditional Greek family. The series will pick up as Vardalos' character starts dating a non-Greek man behind her parents' back. Vardalos, who originated and starred in the one-woman stage show, which Tom Hanks' Playtone Prods. banner turned into the feature picture, wrote the pilot with Marsh McCall ("Just Shoot Me"). McCall will executive produce, along with Vardalos' manager Brad Gray and Rita Wilson, Hanks' wife; Vardalos will serve as co-executive producer. Wilson's involvement has become the stuff of legends: the actress fell in love with the play and was instrumental in bringing her husband on board. The film, which cost about $5 million to make, has now grossed more than $110 million at the North American box office. It is poised to pass the $140 million haul of "The Blair Witch Project" to become the biggest-grossing indie film of all time. Gray said that he was originally interested in the TV project because "it seemed like a wonderful CBS comedy. It seemed like it would complement their schedule very well. It has great warmth and is just very funny." Following the picture's success, Gray is even more optimistic about the show's chances. "It's become so popular around the country, it feels like there's even more potential and an audience that's been built around it," he said. CBS initially gave the project a hefty pilot commitment last October, and although the network didn't pick up "Greek Wedding" for fall, it ordered an additional three scripts in late May. Besides Vardalos, Michael Constantine and Lainie Kazan, who played Vardalos' parents in the picture, are expected to reprise their characters in the series. Louis Mandylor is also likely to return as brother Nick. John Corbett, who played Vardalos' fiance, is starring in FX's upcoming series "Lucky."

I've heard of Villa des Roses since it's a Belgian film. It's directed by the cousin of my brother's best friend. It's based on a well known novel (= books kids are forced to read in high school), one of those novels that was always considered impossible to translate to film. Frank Van Passel (director) has made some great films, however I've been told Villa des Roses is far from his best.

Thanks for BIFA nominations Karen. Was hoping.... "Greek Wedding" should be interesting. But can they keep it interesting enough week after week. Sorry to see John Corbett won't be in it. Love him. Should be fun though. Thanks Karen.

(Linda)Sorry, Mari, but you do hail from the other side of the river now:-) Linda, see my note on board 163. Shhhhhhhhhh . . . ;-)

As long as I brought this up on 163, here's the PBS website for Copenhagen: http://www.pbs.org/hollywoodpresents/copenhagen/index.html I gather it will be on BBC4 on 26 Sept too.

I'm not waving any flags here, but Mari, I think the beaches in Miami and the FL Keys are cleaner than the Jersey shore. Plus, a lot warmer. Still, I have fond memories of going to Asbury Park to see Bruce Springsteen play. Thanks for the list, Karen. Monsoon Wedding has been around for a long time. Strange to see it listed with those other films. Saw "Yo Soy Bolivar" and enjoyed it.

Moon, that's because you haven't been to the beaches in South Jersey (where Philly area people go, as opposed to north Jersey (like Asbury Park) where those New Yawkers go;-) South Jersey beaches run from Long Beach Island south all the way down to Cape May. Beautiful, not overcrowded, and CLEAN. And it is a fact that the ocean water quality here is the cleanest in the country--so says the EPA.:-)

And it is a fact that the ocean water quality here is the cleanest in the country--so says the EPA.:-) But can you see your toesies? ;-) I prefer turquoise to green. So give me the Caribbean!

But can you see your toesies? ;-) No, but that's because of the color of the sand and the churning of the currents. Has nothing to do with water quality. I prefer turquoise to green. So give me the Caribbean! Nice place to visit . . .;-)

"Greek Wedding" on CBS? I'm on. Great indie film...so how come it's not on the BFI list? It's been showing here since June; selling out on weekend nights.

"B" stands for British. It only just opened there last week.

(Moon)Still, I have fond memories of going to Asbury Park to see Bruce Springsteen play. Really? What year was that? I've only seen him in concert in Europe (all over though, with v. different crowds); I've tried here in the US to no avail (he's on tour now but every ticket sold out within a couple of hours no matter where :( ). I guess I just have to hope he continues for a long time... I'm SOOOO... jealous Moon! :)

Snippets from Baz in today�s Daily Mail: Tomorrow, Daniel Craig begins previews opposite Michael Gambon in Caryl Churchill�s new play A Number, which Stephen Daldry will direct. Julian Fellowes is working on a version of Becky Sharpe for Mira Nair. They hope Reese Witherspoon will play Becky. Big BBC drama The Cambridge Spies starring Sam West, Rupert Penry-Jones, Toby Stephens and Tom Hollander playing Anthony Blunt, Maclean, Philby and Burgess respectively.

Great News...thanks Aishling. Good ole Baz ;I lunge for the DM on Fridays when I'm in London. He's like an old friend. What a cast for "Cambridge Spies"!! Way t'go Sammy-poo.Quite a line-up of Brit "pretty-boys"!Fascinating story there too. AC redux. RW playing Becky Sharpe??? Whoa..."that's a long way from Tennessee, Reese." Maybe her British accent in TIOBE was pretty good after all;-)

Well it's a far better choice than Damian Lewis as J. Archer that's for sure! Saw a picture of his hair in that the other day, horrendous! Thanks for the news Aishling.

happy birthday trese! you can keep the cake but we'll all party :)

Happy Firthday, Trese! Speaking of Damian Lewis (and I love to speak of Damian Lewis;-) I can't believe he wasn't nominated for an Emmy for Band of Brothers. He was the emotional core of the show! Terrible oversight. Emmys are handed out tonight. Forsyte Saga finally makes it here in October--any thoughts/reviews from those who've already seen it?

Hooray! It's Trese's birthday!

Happy Birthday Trese! Celebrate with Valmont (although Paul above might be more caring :) )

Happy Birthday, Trese! May this be the first of many as a Firthette. ;-D

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU! ENJOY TRESE.

(Mari) Any thoughts/reviews from those who have seen the F. Saga? I thoroughly enjoyed it Mari, it was pitched against 24 for a time as well! JMO but I think it's better to go into it without me saying too much and we can discuss it in depth when it happens. Think Evelyn will be interested too;-) Have you or anyone else seen / remember the original? The reviews here were good. DL is in need of an award and soon;-) His girlfriend is a reporter for the news here and I have only seen her glammed up and gorgeous at BOB premiere. It was a relief to see her looking ordinary last night.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY ,TRESE

I found an interview with Damian Lewis on the PBS website: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/forsyte/ei_lewis.html I didn't see the original, Lizza, so I'm coming to this one fresh. I see Ioan Gruffudd is in it too--YOWZA! Can't wait, and I'm looking forward to a discussion once it starts.

Tonight is Emmy's....'member last year? Colin was nominated and we were so excited.LOL. Miffed too, because he wasn't going to attend;-))) I've seen trailer for Dreamcatcher. Thanks Mari.I didn't see FS either last time. Gina Mc Kee is in it too (Notting Hill gal in wheelchair).

For JE Fans: Ann W. has kindly typed an interview with Jennifer Ehle which appeared in Sunday's London Times. "LOVELY TO SEE YOU AGAIN MISS BENNETT" "We have had too little of Jennifer Ehle since Pride and Prejudice, so it's great to see her back in Possession, says David Eimer. It's on the Possession Topic 137 thread #1614. http://www.spring.net/yapp-bin/restricted/read/drool/137.1614 She rarely gives an interview. This is for "Possession". The last ones were for The Real Thing in March 2000.

For aussies, tomorrow night, Tuesday on ABC at 10:55pm, I believe, they will be showing Persuasion. And Happy Birthday Trese!

Happy Birthday, Trese, many more!

I just got home, so I'm late for the party, but HAPPY BIRTHDAY, TRESE!!

Happy Birthday, Trese!!! Hope it was a great day! Here's some alliteration for your birthday: May your year be firthy, frothy, and fair!

Oh, my, sorry I missed it...happy birthday Trese! :) So glad you have joined us.

Happy belated Birthday Trese!! Hope it was fun!

Thanks for article on JE Evelyn. Very interesting.

thanks you ladies for the birthday wishes, unfortunately i'm only on when i'm slow at work otherwise i would have been here yesterday, but this was the first thing i did this morning because i knew you were thinking of me :), though i'm more of a lurker it seems lately (by the time i make it to the party everyone's comments are hard to top not to mention graphics), karen-yours is great (you have no idea how much i really like cake) and thank you especially for all your help and hard work this wonderful year, thanks for the stellar fever pitch image rika, as weezy would say "luuuuv it!" (okay you have to be a pbs kids fan to know that one-i have a two year old), anyway i hope this will be the first of many "firthdays" to come, you all are magnificent and i love being here, thanks you all

Really funny review of Greek Wedding from the Guardian (most of which I agree with 100%, although I did find one funny line): http://film.guardian.co.uk/features/featurepages/0,4120,795944,00.html The neighbours hadn't gotten this revved up since Chocolat blew through town. LOL!! BTW, I drove past the big Greek Orthodox church near me yesterday and a wedding party was out on the steps. Bridesmaid dresses were very nice; nothing like in film. Went around the block to drive past again, but only saw one hideously dressed woman. ;-) Wonder where the reception was? No Greek places named Dancing Zorba here.

Hi Karen!

"His neighbours loved it but for Joe Queenan it was a big fat letdown" Me thinks Joe likes movies where they puke in the toilets and one gets a detail look at injecting with drugs. Cute;-)

That particular page is hilarious everyweek. Comes out every Saturday, the one on "24" was just the funniest, a mistake to eat breakfst while reading it!

I was v. sorry that "24" and that cute Kiefe Sutherland were not recognized with an Emmy.It's a creative new show.Glad Six Feet was in. Friends, Ray Romano...aw, c'mon. Same with Shackleton and Ken B. although he won last year. However, this is the second year he hasn't shown up.Off with his head! My story: "You don't show, you don't get it."

I liked the way Romano's fellow cast members mussed up his hair.

Missed the list of winners but did catch V. Redgrave this morning on radio, does that mean that "Churchill" won or Albert Finney? Agree re 24 Evelyn. Real shame. Ken had a good excuse for not showing last year, but this year..... what was his reason, anyone know?

(Lizza) does that mean that "Churchill" won or Albert Finney? Both I think. Was glad to see Laura Linney win. I really like her and thought she looked wonderful. Matter of fact, I can't think of anyone who dressed horribly.

(Evelyn) I was v. sorry that "24" and that cute Kiefe Sutherland were not recognized with an Emmy. It won for writing. Huge recognition IMO. It was 6FU that was passed over. Albert Finney won, along with the actual made for TV movie and the writers (I believe). Redgrave did not. Interesting article in the new Time magazine, which I've typed up for all. Again, I couldn't help myself and had to annotate it. Must stop ruining other people's reading enjoyment with my snide comments. Where Is the Love? Hollywood's passion for romantic comedies is on the wane. Here's why the genre has been jilted. by Jess Cagle In Sweet Home Alabama, a romantic comedy opening this week, Reese Witherspoon plays a Manhattan fashion designer who returns to her rural hometown to get a divorce from her high school sweetheart. She does not, however, fake her own death as a joke. She does not, while drunk in a honky-tonk, make a crude reference to oral sex. All that was cut out because the studio was worried that the heroine of Sweet Home Alabama wouldn't seem sweet enough. There were other concerns. The ending was reshot in order to make her character more sympathetic. The original script by C. Jay Cox received an overhaul from the uncredited but expensive screenwriter Robert Harling (First Wives Club). At $30 million, the movie is expected to be a hit with woman, though its chances of seducing significant numbers of males is slim. It's a good example of why Hollywood has such a hard time making romantic comedies. Financially limited, creatively challenging, the genre has fallen onto Hollywood's endangered-species list. It's not that audiences don't want them. My Big Fat Greek Wedding, the independent movie rejected by major distributors, is on its way to making $140 million, in part because the studios offered no other comedies for older females this past summer. [Ed note: TIOBE must have been aimed at another group.] Why not? Because Julia Roberts--who has pretty much cornered the summer romantic-comedy market with hits like Notting Hill and My Best Friend's Wedding--has been on a break from the genre. In general, studios have lost faith in mid-priced films, focusing instead on cheaper movies that turn quick profits (like last summer's Crocodile Hunter flick from MGM, which nearly tripled its $10 million cost at the box office) and mega-budget blockbusters like Spider-Man that can become repeat franchises and play overseas. Romantic comedies tend to have much smaller profit margins. Last year's Meg Ryan vehicle, Kate & Leopold, cost about $50 million and made just about that domestically. Sweet Home Alabama is a fairly safe bet, but the comparably priced baseball drama The Rookie was a much safer one for the same studio, since it appealed to a broader demographic. Box-office results show that boys resolutely avoid chick flicks. "If you have a female lead in a movie," says Oren Aviv, marketing president for Buena Vista Pictures, "only females are going to go. And you better have a star that girls want to see fall in love." [Ed note: BTW, this is the company putting out HS.] Good romantic comedies are easy to watch, but they're awfully hard to make. "They get predictable," says producer Marc Platt (Legally Blonde). "You know how they're going to end. Two people are going to wind up together, so you have to make sure that the journey is really interesting." And unlike the golden age of romantic comedies, when Katherine Hepburn and Spencer Tracy were trading brilliant barbs, today most of the best writers of the genre are busy working in TV shows like Friends, Sex and the City and Will & Grace. And today's male stars know they can make far more money in action flicks than in flirting pics. How desperate are studios for romantic leading men? Mark Wahlberg landed the Cary Grant role in an upcoming remake of Charade called The Truth About Charlie. Actresses are more willing to sign up, but while Renee Zellweger, Jennifer Lopez, Cameron Diaz and Witherspoon are high on studios' wish lists when it comes to casting, only Sandra Bullock (at $15 million per picture) and Roberts (at $25 million) are considered sure things in attracting an audience for a comedy on opening weekend. The genre will never go away, but it's changing and adapting to new circumstances. Director Paul Thomas Anderson's Punch-Drunk Love, with Adam Sandler, is as disturbing as it is sweet. Next year's Down with Love, with Zellweger and Ewan McGregor, is a campy homage to the Rock Hudson-Doris Day movies of the 1960s. And the success of My Big Fat Greek Wedding has had an impact on studios. According to one screenwriter, "Now they really want to find comedies that work for a mature audience [Ed note: it won't have Adam Sandler in it], with two strong characters and dialogue that can cut glass." Now that would be truly sweet.

I like most of these rom-coms...Sleepless in Seattle...Bridget... I guess, I'm just one of the great "unwashed."Agree Sandra Bullock and Julia Roberts are the only ones guys and gals go for. Wonder how that White Oleander will do.Sounds depressing:-(( But I wanted *Kiefe Sutherland* to win...I don't care about the writer;-) "According to one screenwriter, "Now they really want to find comedies that work for a mature audience " On Golden Pond? Uh, uh. Though sounds promising for HS.

Good romantic comedies are easy to watch, but they're awfully hard to make. I love romantic comedy and agree with all I have ever read about it, they are very hard to do well. "They get predictable," says producer Marc Platt (Legally Blonde). "You know how they're going to end. Two people are going to wind up together, so you have to make sure that the journey is really interesting." Well, usually that's the idea! today most of the best writers of the genre are busy working in TV shows Is there more money in it? Must be.... Evelyn....I like most of these rom-coms Me too, nothing wrong with leaving a theatre feeling good and wanting to a romantic interlude with your husband or significant other!

Thanks Dorine and Karen for update on Emmy's. We just got some clips on the news, loads on Albert Finney and then Jen and Brad ,never in depth or very informative! Thank Goodness for you guys. Shame for agent Jack Bauer, I agree, but at least it got something. Same thing happened to Damian and BOB;-(

And today's male stars know they can make more money in action flicks than flirting pics LOL that's why he's all for state education then ;-) looking forward to Renee and Ewan together, but hey ODB can do campy homage with style, he's just ten years too late for it;-) I like most of these rom-coms Me too Evelyn, great with mimosas and strawberries;-)

"If you have a female lead in a movie," says Oren Aviv, marketing president for Buena Vista Pictures, "only females are going to go. And you better have a star that girls want to see fall in love." [Ed note: BTW, this is the company putting out HS.] That explains it! :-( "Now they really want to find comedies that work for a mature audience [Ed note: it won't have Adam Sandler in it], LOL! That could only mean bad news. Most of those writers are gay. Thanks for typing, Karen. today most of the best writers of the genre are busy working in TV shows (Lisa), Is there more money in it? Must be.... It's a steady job. We saw the previews for Sweet Home Alabama and my DH said he would like to see it. On the other hand, White Oleander, with that ONE idea is a no.

Lizza, here's a full list of winnners: http://yahoo.eonline.com/Features/Awards/Emmys2002/Scorecard/index.html Finney won for best actor in a made for TV movie for The Gathering Storm. The film won best movie as well. Well deserved, I thought he was great. I like anything about Churchhill, actually (me and George Dubya, hee hee;-) Band of Brothers was in the miniseries category and won. The real Lt. Dick Winters came onstage to accept the award, along with a slew of the directors, writers and cast--and I *think* I caught a glimpse of a cute redhead.:-) (Karen)Ed note: BTW, this is the company putting out HS. Or not putting it out, by the looks of it. Pushed back until 4/03? Sheesh.:-( BTW, Joe Queenan, author of the Guardian piece, is a hometown boy. I've been reading him since . . .um, for a long time.;-) He's mean and misanthropic--but funny!

Thanks Evelyn and Ann W. for the JE article. What a lovely lady. I too thought she looked a lot like Meryl Streep when I first saw her as Lizzie in 1995. She's very gracious about the comparison. Also hearing her talk about her feelings about the media, I can see why she and CF were together for a awhile. They have a common philosophy about it. Even though CF is more visible. Thanks again Evelyn and Ann!

Thanks so much for the link Mari.... and the glimpse;-) This from today's Daily Mail "Writer Andrew Davies has more on his plate than the expected furore over his raunchy BBC adaptation of the lesbian novel "Tipping the Velvet". He's been cursed by furious Druids. In an interview about his new ITV drama BOUDICCA starring Alex Kingston, he compared the Druid priests of the warrior Queen who took on the Romans with the Taliban's stance against George Bush. "There are alot of parallels" he says "but I got abusive letters from Druids who objected. I made them rather angry and I even got a letter from the Chief Druid saying they were outraged. Thankfully they now seem to have calmed down so hopefully any curses on me will have been lifted." So now we know why EOR isn't finished Andrew;-)

(Evelyn) I was v. sorry that "24" and that cute Kiefe Sutherland were not recognized with an Emmy I agree, one of the best on tv and he does a phenomenal job in it. I don't usually like this type of show, makes me too nervous, but can't stop watching this one. Really is good, good cast too. However, I do like Ray Romano and the "family". One of my favorites. (Karen) And you better have a star that girls want to see fall in love." [Ed note: BTW, this is the company putting out HS.] Well they certainly picked the right star for HS in my book. Male star that is. (Karen) Now they really want to find comedies that work for a mature audience [Ed note: it won't have Adam Sandler in it], with two strong characters and dialogue that can cut glass." I agree!!! Sandler IMO is not a hearthrob. Comedic talent yes, but that's about it. He doesn't attract me and I really don't respond to some of his imbesillic characters. I think they really should re-think his ability to attract the "more mature person". Karen what does it mean when they keep delaying the opening of a movie. I somehow don't feel its a positive sign. This is beginning to worry me about the chances for HS.

(mari)Band of Brothers was in the miniseries category and won. The real Lt. Dick Winters came onstage to accept the award, along with a slew of the directors, writers and cast--and I *think* I caught a glimpse of a cute redhead.:-) Also the real vets of Easy Company were shown on screen orginating from another LA location. I read that Stephen Speilberg had flown them out at his expense. He and Tom Hanks have consistently shared the accolades of the series with these men. Classy guys.

Thanks for that Mari and Evelyn. I was sorry that T.H didn't mention much about BOB at all in his Parkinson interview last week. Focus was RTP. Shame lost opportunity IMO.

i just wanted to say bye to you ladies, was layed off about 45min ago (and since as i mentioned monday i only chat on-line from work) i may not be here for awhile, maybe if i'm lucky all my favorite stories will be completed when i return, i must run now because the mascara is getting in the way of my vision, you all are a lot of fun, i'll miss being here if only to lurk, happy birthday karen, i can't thank you enough for all you hard work, bye ps no need to respond to this as i won't see them :' (

If anyone would like to send a message/card to Trese, I have her snail mail address and can forward.

AARRRRGGGG!! Poor Trese...

Thanks Karen, she needs some good wishes right now:-(

So sorry Tress, am in the same boat. Good Luck.

Sorry Trese....I'll be sending warm thoughts your way.....

Interview with Francesca Annis: http://www.guardian.co.uk/tv_and_radio/story/0%2C3604%2C797016%2C00.html "Copenhagen" will be on PBS Sunday night. With Stephen Rhea and Daniel Craig.

I know that I'm a day late but it is the that that counts. Happy Belated Birthday Quimby. Hope that Sept 26 was a great day for you.

Thousands apply to play extras in new Mel Gibson movie More than 5,000 people have applied to play extras in Mel Gibson's new film about Christ. The producers held an open casting call in the Italian town of Matera for locals to play Roman soldiers in The Passion. The extras will be paid �38 a day to appear in the film. "I just want the chance to get close to Mel Gibson and to appear in a movie, even if it's just for a second," 60-year-old Domenico Festa told Italian daily newspaper Corriere della Sera. The Passion is the first film Gibson has directed since 1995's Braveheart. It will tell the story of the last twelve hours in the life of Jesus Christ and will be shot in Latin and Aramaic without subtitles. Jim Caviezel is playing Christ. ********* Pax Vobiscum, Mel. I'll go to see it, but I can't imaginme who else will, if in fact it ever gets shown outside of film festivals. Love the choice of JC as JC.:-)

Mari, let's pray a lot of people will go see it. Bravo Mel!

From today's Toronto Star: So maybe there is hope for all those of us who are a bit older (bg) Boomers in seats Growing over-50 audiences become quiet hitmakers Patrick Goldstein Special to the star HOLLYWOOD � In Hollywood, the fountain of youth has become a bottomless pit. Studio executives throw money at Vin Diesel, Colin Farrell and any other hip young actor with star potential. Older actors only take parts opposite women half their age so they can seem virile and youthful. Older actresses mutilate themselves with plastic surgery. The media do their part, too: When's the last time you saw a magazine do a "Hot 50 Over 50" issue? So imagine my surprise last week when I discovered, buried in a Variety story about the lackluster late-summer box office grosses, that during the last decade, only one moviegoing age group had not shrunk or stagnated: Moviegoers older than 50. According to a survey by the Motion Picture Association of America, between 1990 and 2000, moviegoers in the obsessively sought-after 16-20 age group dropped from 20 per cent to 17 per cent of total viewers. The 25-29 category dropped from 14 per cent to 12 per cent. Even 12- to 15-year-olds dipped from 11 per cent to 10 per cent. At the same time, moviegoers aged 50-59 shot from 5 per cent to 10 per cent of total audience. A second survey of frequent moviegoers on the MPAA Web site found that during the past four years, attendance of over-40 moviegoers was up as well. It's no coincidence that the over-50 moviegoer numbers have suddenly started climbing as the Baby Boom generation � whose oldest members are now 56 � begins to make its presence felt in that age group. These boomers continue to be active moviegoers and culture consumers. As CBS research chief David Poltrack put it recently: "Marketers will tell you that the biggest market of opportunity is to help boomers fight the concept that they're old. They're going to fight aging all the way." But movie marketers still tend to stereotype "older" moviegoers as white-haired retirees in golf shirts and plaid pants. But the leading edge of today's older consumers, who came of age in the 1960s, are affluent and often eager to sample new cultural trends. They've certainly been an underappreciated force in the current movie season. The industry's most astounding success story, My Big Fat Greek Wedding, is proving unstoppable due in large part to the support of over-50 moviegoers. M. Night Shyamalan's Signs has now out-grossed even Austin Powers In Goldmember, thanks to a strong turnout by older filmgoers. Older moviegoers have also made up a healthy chunk of the audience for Road To Perdition, another solid summer hit. Last year's A Beautiful Mind rolled up huge box office numbers with the support of older moviegoers. But Hollywood remains focused on youth. The industry has become an opening-weekend business, and the audience that attends on opening weekend is the horde of teen-agers primed with 30-second TV spots. Older audiences are more likely to wait and see if a movie gets good reviews or word-of-mouth. But most studios shy away from making films that have to be well-executed instead of easily marketed. "When you make movies for older audiences, you have to make them better," Columbia Pictures chairman Amy Pascal says. "It's sad but true, but it's easier to make brand-name movies than good ones." Los Angeles Times

Stuck at work tonight (don't ask!) and likely to be here for a few more hours. At least I have a wide-open T1...and I ask for a minute of your indulgence. An article about how common filesharing programs are hijacking affiliate shopping commissions. Link is at the NYTimes, which requires free registration. New Software Quietly Diverts Sales Commissions UNIX/Linux tech community rants can be found at Slashdot. This not only impacts charitable fundraising sites but also steals fundraising from user supported websites like the Bucket and DWG, who also participate in affiliate programs. Noises are being made about fraud charges, and some are predicting that Amazon, for one, may refuse to pay affiliate fees to the companies below. The article quotes the developers of these programs, who claims that this is accidental. I promise you, there is nothing at all *accidental* about what it takes to write any kind of replacement functionality into programs like these. IMO this is nothing short of fraud, and also does great damage to the PR profile of the peer-to-peer networking applications. They're already under fire from the RIAA, who now have a nice bit of justification for their push for pervasive (and invasive, IMO) digital rights management laws and hardware. A brief excerpt: The diversion begins when consumers get software from the Internet that helps them swap music or other files, or find bargains online. As they install the software, they are asked whether they would also like to show support for the software maker by shopping through an online affiliate program. These programs typically give a percentage of each purchase back to the affiliate � in this case, the software maker � as a commission. What the consumers are not told clearly is that if they agree to participate, their computers may be electronically marked: all future purchases will look as if they were made through the software maker's site, even if they were not. In many versions of the software, a purchase will look as if it was made through the software maker's site even if the shopper came in through another site that has its own affiliate agreement with the online store in question. Those affiliate sites include small businesses and even charities that use affiliate links as fund-raisers. Some version of the diversion software is used by some of the most popular music trading sites that have tried to fill the void left by the collapse of Napster, including Morpheus, Kazaa and LimeWire. The companies say their software has been downloaded by tens of millions of Web surfers. From the sidebar: Computer users who want to remove shopping software from their machines can do so in a few steps. Instructions for removing three of the most common programs: BUYERSPORT - The shopping software with Morpheus: Click the Start button. Click on Find. Click on Find Files or Folders. Type in mbho.dll. Click on find now. When the file appears in the directory window, drag mbho.dll into the trash. LIMESHOP - The software with LimeWire: Click the Start button. Click on Settings. Click Control Panel. Double-click Add/Remove Programs. Click LimeShop. Click Add/Remove. SAVENOW - The software used by Kazaa: Click on Start. Click Settings. Click on Control Panel. Double-click on Add/Remove Programs. Click SaveNow. Click on Add/Remove.

Go ahead and move it if it's in the wrong topic, Karen; can you tell I'm pissed?

Don't ya hate that stuff? Kazaa delivers all sorts of interesting payloads with its software. This is becoming a very insidious way to sneak things onto people's systems - offer them "helper" applications to do one thing, and don't tell them all the other things it does. Also, on a more pleasant topic, just a reminder that we've got a VIP birthday in the house tomorrow!

THE

Yup yup yup Rika, thanks for the reminder -- surely this is cause for a par-tee?

Shhhhh.... it's late and everyone is asleep........ but there's something important I have to say:HAPPY BIRTHDAY, KAREN!!!!Oops.... Go back to sleep, Vicomte - you need to rest up before the celebration

HAPPY, HAPPY, BIRTHDAY KAREN. IT'S PARTY TIME LADIES!!! I'm bringing the champaign. (Vera) When you make movies for older audiences, you have to make them better," Columbia Pictures chairman Amy Pascal says. "It's sad but true, but it's easier to make brand-name movies than good ones." Los Angeles Times Thanks for article Vera. How sad is this? It's bad enough knowing this is the case, but worse knowing they acknowledge it and won't do anything about it. Great card Rika!!! Can I have him for my birthday too please.

Happy Birthday Karen. Have a wonderful day

Ooh shan't use pink again, hope you can see the whole message!!