Today, it's all about having a big mouth.
The ruckus over the CBS film "The Reagans" continues, this time with some pretty blunt words from Showtime programming chief Robert Greenblatt, who contradicted Les Moonves' claim that he was taken by surprise over the content of the film. Said Greenblatt, "Les Moonves is chairman of CBS; the scripts, casting and every single day of the dailies were available to him." As the Washington Post's Lisa de Moraes says in her column, "Greenblatt is either very naive or very brave." Can you be both? (Washington Post)
Veteran character actor Ned Beatty let it rip the other day while talking to a New York Times reporter about his role in the current Broadway revival of "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof." Beatty, who is 66, is playing Big Daddy opposite hotties Jason Patric and Ashley Judd reprising the roles made famous by Paul Newman and Elizabeth Taylor in the '50s film version. Ned said of Ashley, "She is a sweetie, and yet she doesn't have a whole lot of tools. But she works very hard." Of Jason, he raved, "He's gotten better all the time, but his is a different journey." Boy, bet backstage at tonight's show is going to be fun. (New York Times)
And our fave gal pals the Dixie Chicks actually won an award for their controversial comment about President Bush during their European tour. As you no doubt remember, Natalie Maines said, "We're ashamed the president of the United States is from Texas," during a show in England. Said Maines about her award (the show, "VHI Big in '03," will air in March), "There's an old Texas expression. If you don't have anything nice to say, go to London and say it in front of 2,000 people." (Launch Yahoo)
And Teresa Heinz Kerry, who obviously hasn't heard that wives of presidential candidates are supposed to bake cookies and not yap about real issues, said yesterday that prisoners being held at Guantanamo Bay should be given prisoner of war status. Said Kerry, "The arrogance shown by this administration on human rights and in its foreign policy is horrible." Sen. John Kerry, who obviously hasn't heard that candidates aren't supposed to let their wives talk, said he supported his wife's position. It's a brave new world out there on the campaign trail. (AP via boston.com)
Drinkin' and drivin like a Rhinestone Cowboy? Glen Campbell was arrested yesterday on charges of "extreme" drunken driving, fleeing the scene of a minor accident and assaulting a cop after he allegedly kneed an officer in the thigh. Campbell apparently took his arrest in stride, telling his lawyer: "There's a first time for everything." (The Associated Press)
George Clooney may have vowed never to run for office, but if his dad ever made such a promise, he's changed his mind now. The actor's pops, Nick Clooney, a columnist for the Cincinnati Post, announced yesterday that he's fixing to run for Congress in Kentucky. "I will tell you what I believe to be the truth, whether you agree with me or not, whether it is politically correct or not, whether an election hinges on it or not," said Clooney the elder, a Democrat. Voters to the polls, stat. (N.Y. Daily News)
Money Quote:
Not lost on him: Russell Crowe on the fact that he smokes despite having played tobacco company whistle-blower Jeffrey Wigand in "The Insider": "Ironic, isn't it?" (N.Y. Daily News)
Best of the Rest
Page Six: Jennifer Lopez's mother said to be the "glue" keeping Lopez and Ben Affleck together; Richard Holbrooke compares Robert McNamara to Hannibal Lecter, adding that the former secretary of defense under Lyndon Johnson during the Vietnam War "killed more people than Lecter ever did"; Paris Hilton attends Hollywood party in black wig, changes cellphone number; Rosie O'Donnell rumored to be contemplating taking a role in her Broadway musical, "Taboo"; Britney Spears said to have tossed her cookies while partying at an NYC club, though the club people deny it; Ang Lee planning to direct "Brokeback Mountain," a flick based on an E. Annie Proulx story about a ranch hand and a rodeo cowboy, both fellas, who fall in love.
Rush and Molloy: Michael Jackson rumored to have asked wealthy old pal Saudi Prince Alwaleed bin Talal to underwrite his legal defense onaccounta Jackson himself is said to be a little short on funds these days; Michael Stipe snags sketch of duck by Bono and his daughters at auction for $40,000, but Moby gets shut out of bidding; Jennifer Lopez and her mother, Guadalupe, accompany Ben Affleck to Atlantic City for three-day poker tournament at the Sands casino; Russell Crowe says he won't come to the Oscars under any circumstances onaccounta he's expecting his first child to be born in just a few weeks; Sen John Kerry's media guru Bob Shrum jets off to France for 10 days, sparking rumors of lack of faith in campaign; British tabloids report that Colin Farrell and Angelina Jolie dirty-danced together at London clubs the other night and then retired together to Jolie's hotel room; Kirk Douglas gets applauded for his bravery and integrity at "Trumbo" screening; fire trucks responding to false alarm interrupt "Wonderful Town" opening night bash; actress Yancy Butler arrested after drunkenly wandering into traffic in Florida.
Lloyd Grove's Lowdown: Michael Wolff accuses Steve Rattner of pressuring PBS to pull an interview with him because he ripped into Rattner in his book "Autumn of the Moguls"; celebs flock to book party for Conrad Black but mostly decline to talk to press; Miramax bigwig Harvey Weinstein says that if Michael Eisner and Disney fired him "that might be a cause for celebration in all quarters. Ours included"; Norman Mailer says the way to fix the public school system is to banish fluorescent lighting, adds, "Children can hardly feel as ready to learn when everyone around them, including their teacher, is a hint ghastly in skin tone."
--Amy Reiter
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