BOP Daily News
October 27, 2005
The spirit of BOP News lives on in
This is So Last Week,
our pop culture week-in-review,
presented in a pleasing quiz form.
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Janet Jackson denied rumors that she gave birth to a daughter eighteen years ago and has been keeping her in hiding ever since. In a statement released to the TV show Access Hollywood, she reportedly said "I do not have a child and all allegations saying so are false."
Jackson's was formerly married to James DeBarge (a singer in the R&B group DeBarge) in 1984. Their marriage lasted three months, which still exceeded Britney Spears' first marriage by approximately 80 days. Last week, James' brother, Young DeBarge (that's his name, not a description), announced during a radio interview that Jackson and James DeBarge had a child named Renee who used to live with Rebbie Jackson, Janet's oldest sister. And you thought the House of Stuart and Hannover was a complicated set of relationships ... . Fear not, Jackson fans -- we're sure that Janet can find some other source of controversey in the immediate future.
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The final installments for I Walk the Line: A Night for Johnny Cash have been taped. The special, set to air November 16th on CBS, is a celebration of the music from the legendary Johnny Cash, but also a promotional splash for the upcoming feature biopic, I Walk the Line. It seems that "collaboration" and "synergy" are no longer mere buzzwords in Hollywood these days. Joaquin Phoenix (who stars as Cash in I Walk the Line) hosted a series of live performances at the Pantages Theater in Los Angeles, which will be coupled with previously recorded performances for the special. Cash's diverse career, including entry in both the Country Music Hall of Fame and the Rock n' Roll Hall of Fame, was reflected in the wide range of artists contributing to the television special. Alison Krauss, Montomery Gentry, Kris Kristofferson, Dwight Yoakum, Shooter Jennings, and Martina McBride joined the Foo Fighters, Kid Rock, U2, and Norah Jones as contributors. One of the best performances reportedly was Kid Rock and Jerry Lee Lewis joining together for "I Walk the Line." We tried coming up with some snappy, witty remark, but this event sounds just too good to joke about.
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When Disney bought all rights to the Muppets from The Jim Henson Company last year, there was great distress around the land. The news was met with rending of garments and gnashing of teeth by many a fan of the The Muppet Show (originally broadcast in the late 70s). Yet now, we see a glimmer of hope that Disney's acquisition might result in some good. The Mouse House announced plans to produce a prime-time television series for ABC incorporating all the beloved characters from the original television show -- Gonzo, Fozzie Bear, Scooter, Dr. Bunsen Honeydw, Beaker, the Swedish Chef, and ... yes ... America's most notorious on-again, off-again couple since Taylor and Burton, Kermit and Miss Piggy. A secretive "network executive" at ABC said the show is still very early in the planning stages, but the network has ordered scripts for a show called "America's Next Muppet" -- a send-up of reality shows like American Idol and America's Next Top Model. Apparently, the entire company of Muppets will hold a competition among contestants vying to join their pantheon. If these scripts work out, what will we see next? Miss Piggy on The Biggest Loser? Animal on some future Survivor series? Scooter taking a turn on The Surreal Life? Who knows. But we'll be happy as long as we get to see further adventures of the indominable Link Hogthrob and the inexplicable Dr. Strangepork.
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The committee organizing the 2006 Winter Olympic Games in Turin, Italy, has assured NBC (and the U.S. government) that the games' opening ceremonies will conform to acceptable standards. Reuters reported assurances from Evelina Christillin, deputy president of the organizing committee for the Turin Games, who said "I've seen some people of NBC very nervous about it, but I can assure you that our opening ceremony will be outstanding." Last year, NBC faced active and strident criticism from a small minority of viewers who were offended by the opening ceremonies of the Athens summer Olympic games. Those ceremonies featured an entrance parade made up of live performers representing classical Greek statues, gods and goddesses from mythology, and other ancient Greek icons in various stages of dress (or undress). A vignette piece centered around two lovers frolicking in an extremely shallow lake (or the world's largest puddle, we weren't sure which). A handful of indecency complaints were filed with the FCC, apparently because the faux stone phalluses on the Greek "statues" were a little too engorged and titillating. The Church Lady denied making any such complaints, however.
After narrowly escaping the FCC's wrath last year, NBC was understandably nervous about next year's opening ceremonies in Turin. After all, Italy is the home of topless news anchors and thigh-high, stiletto-heeled, black leather boots (not that there's anything wrong with that). But Ms. Christillin has assured us all that there will be no wanton displays of culture during next February's opening ceremonies. She declined to reveal any details, simply saying "We will give the audience the best that Italy is able to do in entertainment and all that concerns beauty." Now, the Parents Television Council might have to find something else to do during the Winter Olympics in Turin.
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"I'm Waldorf. We're here to heckle 'The Muppet Movie.'"
Previous edition's quote: Hellraiser
Box Office Prophets offers quality, reliable news about the entertainment industry. BOP is also entertaining. To that end, please be advised that some content in this column is intended to be humorous and should not be considered factual.
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