LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Kelsey Grammer, best known from his long-running sitcom "Frasier," suffered a mild heart attack during the weekend in Hawaii, three weeks after his latest show was canceled, his publicist said on Monday.
Grammer, 53, "experienced symptoms" on Saturday morning while paddle-boarding with his wife, Camille, at their second home in Hawaii. He was immediately taken to an area hospital, where "it was determined that he had a mild heart attack," spokesman Stan Rosenfield said in a statement.
Rosenfield said the actor was now resting and will be released from the hospital early this week.
Grammer's heart attack came three weeks after he learned that his latest show, the Fox network comedy "Back to You," in which he played a television news anchorman, was being canceled after one season on the air.
Grammer was recently cast in a new comedy pilot for ABC titled "Roman's Empire."
Grammer gained fame playing the snooty psychiatrist Frasier Crane for 20 years on NBC, first as a supporting player on the NBC comedy hit "Cheers" and later as the star of his own spinoff series, "Frasier."
(Reporting by Steve Gorman; Editing by Mary Milliken and Bill Trott)
Thursday, 19 June 2008
Thursday, 12 June 2008
Adam Sandler raises hair in "Zohan"
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Comedian Adam Sandler has played a wedding singer, a waterboy, a firefighter pretending to be gay, and the devil's son.
So it was likely just a matter of time before he ended up playing a tough-as-nails Israeli commando who secretly wants to be a hairdresser -- the wacky premise behind "You Don't Mess With The Zohan," his new comedy debuting in theaters on Friday.
Sandler, who hails from Brooklyn, New York, said the inspiration for "Zohan" dates back to his childhood when he heard stories about how tough the Israeli army was, even though the country was small.
"Anytime anyone comes after them, they take care of business," Sandler told reporters at a recent news conference, "As a Jewish kid, you were proud of that. So I admired them."
Later in life, Sandler said he hung out with many Israelis in California, went to their weddings and parties and "couldn't believe how insane it got."
"An Israeli guy who used to cut my hair, and I just thought it'd be funny to see an Israeli soldier, a bad-ass fearless warrior who had a little secret dream of wanting to do something else, but was embarrassed to share it with anyone," Sandler said.
Co-written by Sandler, writer/director Judd Apatow and "Saturday Night Live's" Robert Smigel, "Zohan" features a large ensemble cast that includes John Turturro and Chris Rock, and has cameos by the likes of Mariah Carey and John McEnroe.
Sandler portrays the title character who fakes his own death so that he can disappear to New York City and pursue his dream. But his violent past soon catches up with him, and Zohan finds himself in the middle of another war, this time between immigrant Israelis and Palestinians.
So it was likely just a matter of time before he ended up playing a tough-as-nails Israeli commando who secretly wants to be a hairdresser -- the wacky premise behind "You Don't Mess With The Zohan," his new comedy debuting in theaters on Friday.
Sandler, who hails from Brooklyn, New York, said the inspiration for "Zohan" dates back to his childhood when he heard stories about how tough the Israeli army was, even though the country was small.
"Anytime anyone comes after them, they take care of business," Sandler told reporters at a recent news conference, "As a Jewish kid, you were proud of that. So I admired them."
Later in life, Sandler said he hung out with many Israelis in California, went to their weddings and parties and "couldn't believe how insane it got."
"An Israeli guy who used to cut my hair, and I just thought it'd be funny to see an Israeli soldier, a bad-ass fearless warrior who had a little secret dream of wanting to do something else, but was embarrassed to share it with anyone," Sandler said.
Co-written by Sandler, writer/director Judd Apatow and "Saturday Night Live's" Robert Smigel, "Zohan" features a large ensemble cast that includes John Turturro and Chris Rock, and has cameos by the likes of Mariah Carey and John McEnroe.
Sandler portrays the title character who fakes his own death so that he can disappear to New York City and pursue his dream. But his violent past soon catches up with him, and Zohan finds himself in the middle of another war, this time between immigrant Israelis and Palestinians.
Friday, 6 June 2008
Hill and Yoakam return to CMA festival after 10 and 20 years absence
NASHVILLE, Tenn. - There's a good reason why Dwight Yoakam hasn't performed at the Country Music Association's annual festival in 20 years.
No one's asked him, at least not in recent memory anyway.
That changed when Tammy Genovese, the CMA's chief executive officer, met up with the singer while he was in town last fall.
"We talked about business and life and I said 'I'd love to have you back for the festival,"' Genovese recalled.
Sunday night, Yoakam will close the four-day event with a performance in the city's NFL stadium. The festival gives fans a chance to see big shows and mingle with stars and is Nashville's biggest country music event, with attendance topping 190,000 last year.
He's not the only one returning after a long absence. Faith Hill's performance Friday will be her first in 10 years.
Hill blames her hectic schedule. "For the past 10 years I have just been out of town touring and committed to other areas of my career that have taken me out of Nashville," she said.
But, at times, both Hill and Yoakam have been regarded by some as Nashville outsiders - Yoakam as a Southern California artist who went Hollywood and Hill as a crossover star who veered too far into pop.
Genovese doesn't think that has anything to do with them being away all these years, but she does acknowledge that their return makes a statement to the Nashville industry.
"To our community it says a lot. To the music community it says a lot. They're spending their time and energy and their own dollars to be part of this," she said.
No festival, no matter how big or important, can book every headlining act every year, but over a five-year stretch, most country artists have played the CMA's bash at least once. Formerly known as "Fan Fair," the whole focus since it started in 1972 has been the personal connection between fan and artist, a bond the CMA says is specific to country music.
"The only person we really haven't been able to wrangle in is George Strait, but we're working on it," Genovese said. "Last year Reba (McEntire) was back after many, many years out. It's fun to have these guys back."
Most of the time if there's a hang-up, it's with scheduling. Artists tour in the summer and work on films and other projects. It's a busy time.
But it's also true that the CMA doesn't pay them for their participation. The organization donates half the net proceeds from the event to charity on behalf of the artists.
In February, Kix Brooks, half of the hit duo Brooks & Dunn and a member of the CMA board, caused a stir when he suggested that the city and the CMA need to find a way to pay top-level artists or they may go away.
For Yoakam, 51, a combination of things kept him away, not the least of which was the lack of an invitation.
"I was really thrilled when they asked," he said. "In the final portion of the equation, that's a large part of my being involved."
Except for Merle Haggard, no active country singer is so closely identified with the West Coast. Yoakam broke out of the Los Angeles rock clubs playing revved up Bakersfield, Calif., honky-tonk. He's lived in L.A. since the '70s where he's done most all of his recording and enjoyed a successful acting career.
"Throughout my entire career I'd be in Nashville sometimes once a year. Twice a year maybe was frequent," said Yoakam, who spoke from the set of the film "Crank 2: High Voltage," in which he'll appear next year.
There's also the expense of moving a band and crew across country. "That's the bane of living on the West Coast," Yoakam said.
Besides his CMA concert, he'll also perform on the Grand Ole Opry Saturday - his first appearance on the historic program since the early '90s.
With both shows, Yoakam said he wants to reach fans he doesn't get to play for as much as he'd like, and also thank an industry that's helped him sell millions of albums. While his hit records were all recorded in Los Angeles, they were promoted from Warner Brothers' offices in Nashville.
"I think that's really an overlooked aspect of my career - how willing they were to work with an artist who broke on the West Coast. They worked with me throughout all those year and over the great distance of geography between L.A. and Nashville that enabled those records to get to the public," said Yoakam, who now records for New West Records, an independent label based in Los Angeles and Austin, Texas.
Likewise, Hill, 40, said it's all about the fans.
"I feel blessed to have had the success that I've had, and I want to give the fans their favourites first," she said of her CMA show. "We will get out there and rock hard with lots of energy. An evident love for music and respect for the fans will permeate from the stage of the stadium."
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On the Net: http://www.cmafest.com
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Monday, 2 June 2008
Large Mound - My Whole Life Is Have To
Responsible for what some regard as the greatest Irish album cover of all time (2004's 'Go Forth and Amplify' - it deserves to be a stamp), Large Mound's love of a laugh should never obscure their talents as songwriters.
Taking its title from the Steve Martin film 'Parenthood', and featuring some McLovin'-style posing on the sleeve, the quirkiness of 'My Whole Life Is Have To' is matched by the quality of the songs. Here pop and heaviness are brought together by inspired and witty lyrics about the travails of modern life, interpersonal aggravation and how Stephen Malkmus writes those lines.
For anyone who loves riffs and solos, this is a huge treasure trove. So huge that it will make you want to buy an amp for your air guitar.
Harry Guerin
Taking its title from the Steve Martin film 'Parenthood', and featuring some McLovin'-style posing on the sleeve, the quirkiness of 'My Whole Life Is Have To' is matched by the quality of the songs. Here pop and heaviness are brought together by inspired and witty lyrics about the travails of modern life, interpersonal aggravation and how Stephen Malkmus writes those lines.
For anyone who loves riffs and solos, this is a huge treasure trove. So huge that it will make you want to buy an amp for your air guitar.
Harry Guerin
Sixteens
Artist: Sixteens
Genre(s):
Rock: Punk-Rock
Discography:
Fendi
Year: 2004
Tracks: 4
Ray Charles and Quincy Jones
Amy Winehouse - Winehouse Confirms Bond Theme Rumours
LATEST: AMY WINEHOUSE has confirmed she has been working on the title track from forthcoming BOND movie QUANTUM OF SOLACE - following weeks of speculation about the track.
The troubled star was rumoured to have been dropped as the film's official musical muse after DJ Mark Ronson told reporters he had scrapped his 007 collaboration with the singer because she was not "ready" to work on music after a recent return to her erratic ways.
But Winehouse has now confirmed that she has in fact completed the song and is just waiting to get the green light from movie bosses over whether the song will be used in the film, which is due in cinemas later this year (08).
She says, "I've written the song. If they like it, they like it. If they don't, they don't."
And Ronson adds, "If I talk about it (James Bond star) Daniel Craig will whack me in the eyes. Amy wrote the song on an acoustic guitar. It was my job to help with the arrangement and realise the sound we were going for. So that was my role."
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So-Ham
Artist: So-Ham
Genre(s):
Other
Discography:
Govinda
Year:
Tracks: 12
'Hottest MCs In The Game': The List Rolls On With Young Jeezy At #8
Michael Gettel
Artist: Michael Gettel
Genre(s):
New Age
Discography:
The Journey North (Acoutic Piano and Ensemble)
Year: 1999
Tracks: 10
San Juan Suite
Year: 1999
Tracks: 7
Intrincate Balance
Year: 1999
Tracks: 9
Winter
Year: 1998
Tracks: 12
Winter:songs Of My People
Year: 1997
Tracks: 12
San Juan Suite 2 Piano Passages
Year: 1996
Tracks: 9
The Art Of Nature
Year: 1995
Tracks: 9
The Key
Year: 1994
Tracks: 11
Skywatching
Year: 1993
Tracks: 12
Places In Time
Year: 1992
Tracks: 9
Return
Year: 1990
Tracks: 8
This Seattle-based composer and music teacher writes contemporary piano-based ensemble workings elysian by family line, friends, and the sweetheart of the Pacific Northwest. Though his uptempo pieces ar on the stock side, he is at his best when he creates flowing, impressionistic medicine involving acoustic piano and melodic instruments like hautboy, French trump, and flugelhorn.
Dan Toasty Forden
Artist: Dan Toasty Forden
Genre(s):
Soundtrack
Discography:
Mortal Kombat V: Deadly Alliance
Year: 2002
Tracks: 28
Andrew Lloyd Webber - Niamh Sent Packing From Id Do Anything
Niamh has become the latest Nancy wannabe to be given her marching orders by Andrew Lloyd-Webber on BBC1's I'd Do Anything.
The 17-year-old Northern Irish singer's exit had failed to impress the judges in yesterday's performance of Don't Speak by No Doubt.
Denise Van Outen said her performance "lacked punch" while John Barrowman complained he was seeing a "younger girl".
Perhaps as a result TV voters put her in the bottom two alongside Rachel, leaving the pair forced into a sing-off rendition of Another Suitcase in the Hall from Lloyd-Webber's Evita.
"It's a very difficult song to sing and Niamh, if I was casting Evita, I would seriously think of you for that role," the Lord said.
"It's a very difficult decision for me but ultimately tonight I have to save Rachel. Niamh your voice just needs time to mature and I wouldn't be surprised if you weren't up for a major leading role when you're 20."
Niamh said she was "absolutely gutted" by Lloyd-Webber's decision but said she had enjoyed "the most amazing two months of my whole life" on the show.
Rachel, meanwhile, will be buoyed by Lloyd-Webber saying "you really warmed to that role" on her sing-off performance.
She joins Jessie, Jodie and Samantha who will spend the week preparing for next Saturday's semi-final.
18/05/2008 20:01:00
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