Sarah Ball

Cruise Script-Tailoring Is Keeping A Handful of Men Really Rich.  Not everybody is scaling back or earning less these days.  Variety reports that Tom Cruise has "single-handedly propped up the script-doctoring biz," with a veritable army of rewriters he has working on his next five projects, some earning $250,000 per week.  As the paper reports, Cruise often has notes to alter the words, and has the rewriters tailor to his specifications after the studio's own rewrites are through.  What's...

Disgraced former Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich was denied in his quest to join the cast of "I'm A Celebrity, Get Me Out Of Here" earlier this afternoon.  U.S. District Judge James Zagel, in a move that shocked approximately no one, declined to alter the terms of Blagojevich's bond to allow him to travel to the show's set in the Costa Rican rainforest.

***UPDATE: When we penned this, we were using information from Yi's MySpace page, her IMDB listing and a handful of Sundance reviews of her film, "Paper Heart" -- all of which listed the comedian's age as 33 years.  Some further reconnaissance uncovered the fact that Yi is more likely in her early to mid-20s -- though in a long-standing Hollywood actress tradition, nobody seems to know her true age.  We have the suspicion that she's getting the last laugh, as we'll sheepishly eat crow for...

Lohan To Strip In Vegas?  To further distance herself from career-arc comparisons to Elizabeth Berkley or Tara Reid, Lindsay Lohan is now in talks to appear in burlesque musical show "Peepshow" in Vegas, once Kelly Monaco ("Dancing With the Stars," "General Hospital") is through with the role.  Sigh. [EW]Today In Movies We Are Really Excited About.

NEWSWEEK Editor Jon Meacham won the Pulitzer Prize for Biography on Monday afternoon for "American Lion: Andrew Jackson in the White House."  Click here to read an excerpt, or here to download his interview with NEWSWEEK ON AIR about the book, which was selected by the New York Times Book Review as a Notable Book of 2008.

Warranted or not, Nielsen's ratings are often blasted as non-representative and capriciously collected. Just last week, Slate blasted the company's box system for skewing the numbers at this crucial point in the TV year, right before May sweeps.  The Big Money argues that if you really want to stage a "Save My Show" campaign, you and all your friends had better watch it online -- rather than on your old TV set.  At least then, your "vote" will be counted -- Chadwick Martin argues that you...

The media -- and, oh yeah, the 20+ million YouTube clip viewers -- are all enchanted with erstwhile church-choir singer Susan Boyle, the small-town Scottish biddy who got famous this week on UK reality show "Britain's Got Talent" when she sang a "Les Miserables" showtune -- and betrayed some seriously powerful pipes.

Sometime "Gossip Girl" star Michelle Trachtenberg -- she's returning soon! -- is promoting new movie "17 Again," in which she costars with Zac Efron.  So does she, in real life, wanna be 17 all over again?  NO!  Find out why in our latest "7 Things" video, in which the porcelain-skinned actress dishes about her separation anxiety on vacations, how the "Gossip Girl" cast really gets along and what her age-limit is for potential boyfriends.  Click the player to view!

Raw Version of Tarantino Clip Now Online. The uncensored version of the sneak peek at "Inglourious Basterds," Quentin Tarantino's new film, is now online.  The early look at the film came on Tuesday's "American Idol," when Tarantino made an appearance.  Check it out here. [Youtube]'Father Knows Best' on the Big Screen.

It's being moved up two days -- per Variety's report, Warner Brothers moved the summer flick from Friday, July 17th, to the Wednesday, the 15th. It is customary for studios to release major blockbusters on Wednesdays in the summer -- funny that it's only just being upgraded to blockbuster status?Speaking of Variety, it looks to have been completely redesigned over the course of the day.  That, or I'm going crazy.  I read it this morning in its old-school, green-highlighted form.  And now? ...

Blago Slated to Headline NBC Reality Show.  Impeached Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich already has his next move underway -- he's set to star in this summer's "I'm A Celebrity, Get Me Out Of Here," in which he will battle it out with nine other "celebrities" in the Costa Rican jungle.  Pending, that is, the court loosening his travel restrictions.  Can anyone forsee a judge OKing this?! [Variety]Nobody Cares That Adam Lambert Is Gay.  The media is trying to raise some interest in this...

The Palins have long been content to simply kvetch that Levi "I'm A F**kin' Redneck" Johnston wasn't exactly the polished suitor they hoped Bristol would nab -- let alone the ideal father for their first grandchild.

So The Blogosphere has been chuckling -- we all sit in one big beanbag-riddled rec room, you know -- for the past day or so over Lindsay Lohan's FunnyOrDie video spoof (above), in which she emulates an eHarmony video soliciting a new significant other.  (Lohan has very publicly split up with girlfriend Samantha Ronson).  She takes herself to task for all the crap she's been through -- "I'm looking for someone I can spend the rest of my life with.  Or, at least the rest of my probation...

The latest from NEWSWEEK's Jessica Bennett is this feature about finding and keeping love in a virtual world -- a virtual, 3-D, avatar-based world. Bennett follows two unmarried single parents who, though geographically separated, have found a lasting and almost marriage-like relationship as avatars in 3-D computer game Second Life.  I'm really thrilled that people can finally read this story, as it's been in the works here for a while now.  It's fascinating and really sticks with you, as in...

Spector Found Guilty of Murder.  Six years after 40-year-old actress Lana Clarkson was shot to death in the foyer of famed music producer Phil Spector's house, Spector was found guilty of the crime.  In his 1960s heyday, Spector was the man behind a slew of major hits, including "You've Lost That Lovin' Feeling" and "Be My Baby."  He faces 18 years to life in prison, barring a successful appeal -- he will be sentenced on May 29.  [Associated Press]Sans Prenup, Robyn Gibson Could Get Paid. ...

I can't wait for Seth Meyers to "Really?!" this one:Once upon a last Wednesday, Woody Harrelson was en route to New York after wrapping "Zombieland," in Georgia -- a horror flick costarring Jesse Eisenberg and Emma Stone in which Harrelson was repeatedly attacked by, er, zombies.  So when a TMZ paparazzo got in his face for a photograph, Harrelson allegedly lunged for the lens, shoved the guy and attacked back -- and now blames those actions on his film-honed, fast-twitch zombie-defense...

Swiss Architect Claims Pritzker Prize.  The architect Peter Zumthor, an almost Zenlike master of buildings that fuse modern and organic, natural elements, will claim the prestigious 2009 Pritzker Prize for architecture and its $100,000 award in Buenos Aires on May 29.  Zumthor joins a league of architects that includes Frank Gehry and Oscar Niemeyer.  He is 65.  [Washington Post]'Hannah Montana' Nabs Top Spot.  Miley Cyrus snagged a $34 million opening weekend with her first non-concert...

Our Friday arts video series continues as we talk with Chris Botti, the famed jazz trumpeter whose latest live-performance album, "Chris Botti in Boston," is (as per the usual) on the Billboard 200 chart.  The ultra-hip musician, sporting a leather jacket, vents about how his instrument is like a needy ex-wife.  He also reveals for the first time what song he could first play all the way through on the trumpet.  Ramin Setoodeh reports -- check it out in the player above!

Fawcett Released For Holiday Weekend.  Farrah Fawcett was finally released from the hospital yesterday; her doctor, Lawrence Piro, said she wanted to spend Easter at home with her family.  Hopefully she'll have some family left -- her son has already been detained for heroin possession while she's been away. [Reuters]Kanye Is Humbled By Animated Version Of Himself.  Would you expect Kanye West, ridiculed on "South Park" this week for his reputation as a major egomaniac, to be able to take it...

In "Paul Blart: Mall Cop," cuddly Kevin James at one point slaps a tiny hot-pink, cartoon-cat-festooned Band-Aid over a minor injury he incurs on the job.

Totally NSFW.  But if you want to understand the kerfuffle going on right now on Jezebel, the New York Times, and a ton of other outlets about the movie's now-infamous date rape scene, you might wanna watch this through to the end:

Smoke Bothers Britney -- But Doesn't She Smoke?  Touring Britney Spears, whose recent concerts have already garnered criticisms for being phoned in, walked off the stage last night in Vancouver just minutes after her show started and didn't return for 30 minutes.  The loudspeakers announced that the cigarette smoke had bothered her and the performers wouldn't return until the air was clear.  [EW]'Parks' Getting Meh Reviews.  Amy Poehler's new sitcom "Parks & Recreation," which debuts...

Of which we have none.  Pastel-metallic wrappers are littered around us.Anyway, Pop Vox chatted with Anna yesterday as she was chilling pre-premiere, about to don this half-dress for her very va-va-voom red carpet walk. Thanks for the super-close-up, HuffPo -- I can see her   Point being, she made quite an entrance.  Check back tomorrow for her thoughts, plus more about her new movie with Seth Rogen, "Observe and Report."

Yesterday you probably saw a bunch of articles about DRM and label-set price points and other major changes to iTunes that have been in the works since January, and came into effect on April 7.

Fawcett's Son Still Battling Drug Demons. Redmond O'Neal, the 24-year-old son of longtime partners Farrah Fawcett and Ryan O'Neal, was charged with drug possession yesterday, following an incident in which he took a friend to visit an inmate at at L.A.

"Tyra Mail Video!!!" [deafening shriek] At this point, we're up to our eyeballs in transatlantic punditry re: Michelle Obama's extensive cardigan collection -- J.Crew sparkles for tea!

Kal Penn -- the actor best known for his portrayal of stoner pre-med student Kumar Patel in the "Harold & Kumar" franchise -- has been named associate director of President Obama's public liaison office, EW is reporting, and will begin work soon at a desk in the Old Executive Office Building, a stone's throw from the White House.  His exit from medical drama "House" is solidified -- his Dr.

Michael Lohan Is Unintentionally Hilarious.  Hahahaha.  It's amazing that Michael Lohan is ever-ready with a quip when his daughter has relationship troubles.  As in today, when his reported reaction to Lindsay Lohan's breakup with longtime girlfriend Samantha Ronson was, in a phone call to ABCNews.com, "Well, thank God."  [ABC News] Brown Pleads Not Guilty.  Chris Brown entered a plea of not guilty to assault charges Monday afternoon in Los Angeles, wearing a button-down Mr.

I still love this video.  And I have a sneaking suspicion that its feel-good power and reach represent the height of the Internet's capability.  Over Twitter, even.  (Gasp).

The business section of the New York Times and some other boring people who look at stocks all day are collectively wringing their hands over "Up," which they say looks to be the least market-ready and useless-Happy-Meal-toy-generating Pixar film of all time.