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This weekend sees the release of the musical remake of Sparkle, based on the 1976 movie of the same name (which, in turn, was inspired by story of The Supremes), and will mark the final performance of Whitney Houston who passed in February. Houston had been trying to get Sparkle made since 2001, and was a producer on the project as well. The men of the cast recently discussed working with "a legend" like Houston, and the women of the cast — Jordin Sparks, Tika Sumpter, Carmen Ejogo — expressed similar feelings when they spoke to Hollywood Dailies.
"Whitney's a given," said Sumpter when asked what she will remember most about the movie. "We've looked up to her our whole lives." Houston, meanwhile, clearly enjoyed working with the three young actresses, who all play sisters trying to make a name for themselves in the music business. During a Sparkle set visit, Houston revealed that she had very motherly feelings about her castmates.
I have really come to be like their mother in a sense. I give mom hugs on the set, you know. They were just perfect for this project. Just absolutely perfect.
The ReelzChannel Special Sparkle: A Tribute premieres Friday, August 17 at 11PM ET/ 8PM PT. Encores will air Friday through Wednesday; see schedule for details.
More on Whitney's last movie role Friday 11:00p ET / 8:00p PT
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ReelzChannel Celebrity Rundown
Robin Gibb, one of the last Bee Gees members, died Sunday at the age of 62 after a long battle with battle with cancer. Robin's twin Maurice died of intestinal surgery complications in 2003. The Bee Gee's Saturday Night Fever was the best-selling soundtrack album of all time until surpassed by Whitney Houston's The Bodyguard. The record topped the charts for 24 straight weeks when released in 1978. Gibb leaves behind brother Barry, wife Dwina, and three children.
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Whitney Houston was awarded the Millennium Award at Sunday's Billboard Music Awards Through tears, daughter Bobbi Kristina told the crowd. "I just wanna say thank you to everyone who supported us through it all — not just when it was good, but when it was bad too..." TMZ reports there was drama behind the scenes because the award show only wanted Bobbi to accept the award, but sister-in-law Pat Houston, who was Whitney's manager, reportedly demanded to be on stage with Bobbi.
John Legend and Jordin Sparks performed a Houston tribute at the BMAs. Houston's final song, a duet with Sparks that she recorded just four days before her death, has just been released. The song is from the upcoming movie Sparkle.
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Nick Stahl has been found. The Terminator 3 actor, reported missing by his wife. last week, has checked himself into rehab. While the couple has been separated since January, Rose Stahl told TMZ "she is not even thinking about divorce right now — she is just glad he is safe."
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"Now this is the story all about how my life got flipped, turned upside down..." Everyone knows those are the opening lyrics for the theme song to the '90s classic The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. Even 16 years after the show was on the air, Will Smith proved he still knew the song when he rapped it on Britain's The Graham Norton Show. The YouTube clip has already amassed 1.4M hits.
This was Smith's second viral hit from the weekend with the first being a video of Smith slapping a Ukrainian journalist who tried to kiss him on the lips at the Russian premiere of Men in Black 3. After backhanding the reporter, Smith told reporters, "He's lucky I didn't sucker punch him!"
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Even since being cast to play Elizabeth Taylor in a TV movie, Lindsay Lohan has reportedly been obsessed with the legendary actress. Over the weekend, photos hit the web of Lohan trying on Taylor-inspired outfits, including a green dress that resembled the famous the Valentino dress Taylor was photographed in. The Lifetime movie Liz and Dick is scheduled to start shooting next month.
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And in Justin Bieber news, the Biebs has released the track list for his upcoming album Believe. Don't act like you're not going to buy it.
Posted 05.21.12 by Chris -
ReelzChannel Celebrity Rundown
Items from the King of Pop's costume collection are going to be available to the buying public later this year. Several iconic Michael Jackson clothing items, like a crystal encrusted glove, gravity boots, and a red jacket, are going to be sold at Julien's Auctions in Beverly Hills on Dec 2. For the 99% of fans who won't be able to purchase anything at the auction, the items will start on a world tour starting this Friday in Santiago, Chile.
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Months after her death, Whitney Houston remains in the headlines. Ex-husband Bobby Brown premiered a strikingly self-centered tribute song to Houston on Wednesday's The Tonight Show with Jay Leno. The song is entitled "Don't Let Me Die," and will be included on Brown's new album, which drops next month.
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Whitney Houston is getting a tribute as well as the Billboard Millennium Award at Sunday's Billboard Music Awards. The tribute will be performed by Jordin Sparks and John Legend.
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Raffles Van Exel, a close friend of the late Ms. Houston, is bringing legal action against media outlets that reported he was Houston's cocaine supplier. Van Exel describes himself as a "private consultant to the stars," but it is unknown what sort of consultation he provides.
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Rev. Marvin Winans, the pastor who gave the eulogy at Whitney Houston's funeral, was carjacked in Detroit on Wednesday afternoon. He was attacked at a gas station where a group of young men took his wallet, his watch, and his SUV. Luckily, the pastor suffered only some scrapes and bumps during the attack.
Posted 05.17.12 by Mandy -
ReelzChannel Celebrity Rundown
In his first interview since the death of Whitney Houston, Bobby Brown denies he was the one who got the pop singer hooked on drugs. Brown talked to Today's Matt Lauer about the last time he saw Whitney, at a dinner with their daughter Bobbi just weeks before her death. "She had this, this glow about her that was just, you know, incredible," Brown said. "You know, and I'm— I'm saying to myself, you know, 'She must be — she must be doing really well,' because she looked really well." Regarding the drugs, Brown said he didn't introduce drugs to Whitney. "No, that's not true. I didn't get high before I met Whitney," He said. "No, I— I— I smoked weed, I drank the beer, but no, I wasn't the one that got Whitney on drugs at all." Brown said Whitney was taking drugs "way, way, before" the two got together.
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For a moment it looked like there was going to be one less Kardashian show on the air after Khloe Kardashian and Lamar Odom announced they were pulling the plug on Khloe and Lamar so Lamar could focus on basketball. But just like her husband focusing on his career, Khloe is going to focus on hers. TMZ reports Khloe is in talks with E! to do her own spinoff show sans Lamar. The network is reportedly desperate to stay in business with her. The show will be similar to other Kardashian spinoffs like Kourtney and Khloe Take Miami. E! sources say Khloe is a "huge draw," and as one source put it, "We're definitely in the Khloe Kardashian business." Great, it seems the Kardashian business is also recession proof.
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Hope you didn't have a big breakfast because this next story might make you sick. "Octomom" Nadya Suleman is getting into the porn business. On the news that she's $1M in debt, Suleman is doing the one thing she said she would never do — porn. But she argues what she has signed on to do is isn't actual porn. Suleman said she's doing a "self pleasure" video, which will be shot over the summer and released shortly after. No word on how much she's making from the video. Earlier this year she posed semi-nude for a UK publication for $10,000.
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It's a girl for Maggie Gyllenhaal and Peter Sarsgaard The couple, who already have a five-year-old daughter, Ramona, welcomed Gloria Ray on April 19. It was announced in November that the two were expecting. Gyllenhaal said it was hard to attend premiere events and walk the red carpet while pregnant. "I'm throwing up in the bathroom and having to keep pretzels in my purse, and having to fit into dresses," she said. The two have been married since 2009.
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And in breaking-pregnant news — Jessica Simpson finally finally gave birth. Simpson gave birth to a baby girl, named Maxwell Drew Johnson, weighing in at 9 pounds, 13 ounces.
Posted 05.01.12 by Chris -
Less than two months after Whitney Houston's untimely death, we have the first trailer for what was going to be her big movie comeback. A remake of the 1976 movie of the same name, Sparkle is inspired by the story of The Supremes.
Here's the movie's synopis:
Musical prodigy Sparkle (Jordin Sparks) struggles to become a star while overcoming issues that are tearing her family apart. From an affluent Detroit area and daughter to a single mother (Houston), she tries to balance a new romance with music manager, Stix (Derek Luke), while dealing with the unexpected challenges her new life will bring as she and her two sisters Sister (Carmen Ejogo) and Dolores (Tika Sumpter) strive to become a dynamic singing group during the Motown-era.
In a grim coincidence, in the late 1990s, Houston secured the rights to the movie and intended to cast Aaliyah for the role of Sparkle before the R&B artist died in a plane crash.
watch the trailer >> Posted 04.02.12 by Chris -
ReelzChannel Celebrity Rundown
The L.A. County Coroner's office ruled Whitney Houston's official cause of death was accidental drowning but also reported heart disease and cocaine use were contributing factors to her death. It's possible Houston had a heart attack, possibly triggered by hardening of the arteries as a result of cocaine use, while in the hotel bath and drowned as a result. Toxicology tests revealed cocaine and metabolites were identified and were contributory to the death." According to the coroner, "marijuana, alprazolam (Xanax), cyclobenzaprine (Flexeril) and diphenhydramine (Benadryl) were identified but did not contribute to the death." The coroner's report also noted that Houston likely used cocaine "immediately prior to her collapse," but investigators found no traces of cocaine in her Beverly Hilton hotel room. TMZ reports sources saying that the person who supplied Houston with the cocaine removed the drug from the hotel room before paramedics arrived. Police did not comment on whether or not they were looking into evidence tampering.***
There are few things that don't look good on Kim Kardashian and flour is one of them. Kim K. was coated with it at the launch event for her new fragrance True Reflection. According to witnesses, a woman rushed onto the red carpet at the event and "flour bombed" the perfumer reality star. After getting doused, Kim returned 15 minutes later and tried to laugh off the event. "[Kim] said she wanted more makeup powder and she got it! Haha," tweeted one reporter who witnesses the flouring.
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Hilary Duff aka Lizzie McGuire is now a mom. The actress gave birth to a Luca Cruz Comrie earlier this week. "Tuesday evening, we became proud parents of a healthy 7 pound 6 ounce beautiful boy," Duff wrote on her website. "We are overjoyed and feel like the luckiest parents in the world. He is surrounded by so much love!! Mom and baby are both doing extremely well." This is the first child for Duff, 24, and husband Mike Comrie, 31, a former NHL player.
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What does Charlie Sheen think of Oscar-winning actress Kathy Bates playing his character's ghost on Two and a Half Men? He's honored, according to sources. Sheen called Bates "an incredibly funny, talented actress." The show's executive producer Chuck Lorre is said to have cast Bates as a dig to his former arch nemesis but guess the joke is on him. Bates will play Charlie Harper's ghost in an upcoming episode when Jon Cryer's character has a minor heart attack and is hospitalized.
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And in we-can't-wait-for-Mad Men news, before he was Don Draper, Jon Hamm worked in porn. OK, not on camera but as a porn set dresser.
Posted 03.23.12 by Chris -
ReelzChannel Celebrity Rundown
George Clooney was hauled away by the Secret Service during a protest outside the Sudanese embassy in Washington, D.C. today. Clooney's father, Nick, was also arrested along with other protesters who included congressmen, human rights leaders, and Sudanese nationals. The protest aimed to bring light to the continuing humanitarian crisis and oppression in Darfur and Sudan.
Watch our coverage of Clooney's arrest after the jump below.
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If you're one of the biggest stars in the world how do you announce you are going to quit talking to the media? You go on Oprah's show, of course. Lady Gaga announced in an interview with Oprah that she's going on a media shutout. "Other than this interview, Oprah, I do not intend to speak to anyone for a very long time. No press, no television, if my mom calls and says, 'Did you hear about ...' I shut it all off ... I don't read a damn thing." No word if Gaga will quit speaking to 20 million fans via her Twitter account. Though she might decide to keep that line of communication open after a report announcing the singer makes $30M a year from Twitter, nearly a third of her revenue.
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Whitney Houston's daughter, Bobbi Kristina is reportedly hooking up with her semi-adopted brother, reports TMZ. Sources tell the gossip site that the 19-year-old finally confessed to her close buddies that she is dating 22-year-old Nick Gordon, 10 years after Whitney unofficially adopted the boy because he was having problems at home. Bobbi's grandmother calls the relationship "incestuous" but apparently Bobbi couldn't care less, telling friends it's not incest because the two don't share blood. And now there's rumors that Bobbi is now wearing an engagement ring. That could be an awkward wedding. "Are you with the family of the groom or bride?" Both.
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Does Rachel Ray have a ghost ... writer?? The New York Times recently ran a story about a writer who claims to be a cookbook ghostwriter and suggesting that Ray doesn't write all her recipes. Well the TV cook fired back, telling Eater, "In well over a decade of writing recipes for many cookbooks, television shows, and magazines, I have not now nor have I ever employed a ghost writer." Ray also defended herself on her Twitter account.
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In a tragic life-imitates-art story, a teen was fatally shot after a Houston rave meant to copy the party antics seen in Project X went out of control, reports The Hollywood Reporter. The copycat party is just one of dozens that have occurred after the release of the "found footage" raunchy teen party movie. According to police reports, hundreds of people arrived for a bubbles-and-foam party that was being held at a vacant mansion. When the crowd overran the mansion, people moved out into the street and that is when "hell broke loose," according to a neighbor. The gunman began shooting for "no reason" and shot the victim in the back of the head.
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And in St. Patty's Day Eve news, here's a photo gallery of hot Irish men, including Michael Fassbender and Colin Farrell.
Watch our coverage of Clooney's arrest >> Posted 03.16.12 by Chris -
ReelzChannel Celebrity Rundown
Is Whitney Houston still with us in spirit? Houston's 19-year-old daughter, Bobbi Kristina Houston, said she still can still hear her mother's voice and feels her presence, telling Oprah, "Lights turn on and off, and I'm like, 'Mom, what are you doing?'" The interview aired Sunday night on Oprah's OWN Network. Houston's sister, Pat, fueled the rumors that Houston was murdered, questioning how the singer ended up in the hotel bathtub where she died. The coroner has already ruled out foul play and is just waiting for toxicology results to give the cause of death. Despite being found with prescription pills in her room, Houston's family claims she was clean at the time of her death.
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Last week we warned celebrities to delete any scandalous photos of their phones. Looks like Glee's Heather Morris didn't get the memo. Nude photos of the actress, or a woman who has a strikingly resemblance to Morris, popped up on the web over the weekend (though she plays a high school student, Morris is actually 25). If you haven't already clicked on the link, the photos show Morris (or a Morris impersonator) posing nude in front of a webcam and show her wearing her Britney Spears outfit from the show's tribute episode. There is also a photo of a clothed Morris taken at the White House. Morris has yet to comment. In May of last year, "tasteful" nude photos of Morris leaked online. Morris said of those photos: "For me, I think they are beautiful. It's not something I'm ashamed of. Everybody should do tasteful beautiful nudes -- so when you get older you're gonna be like, 'Oh that's when my body looked so great." And before you ask, here's the (censored) link.
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Life is hard for a single mom — even if you're Madonna. The single mom of four told Britain's The Sun that she feels like her "head is going to explode" from all the stress of being a single mom. "I'm not going to lie — it's hard work having four kids and doing all the work I do," she said. Madonna's staff of nannies were not available for comment.
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Emeralds are Halle Berry's best friend. People has the details on the engagement ring she received from actor Olivier Martinez, who recently confirmed the two are engaged. The ring reportedly contains codes and symbols that only Berry can understand. Is that an engagement ring or the ring of Mordor?
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And in a desperate-attempt-for-Justin-Bieber-traffic news, here are photos of the Biebs making out with girlfriend Selena Gomez while on a fishing trip.
Posted 03.12.12 by Chris -
Bobby Brown hoped to sell a tell-all book about ex-wife Whitney Houston four years ago, but the book was never published. Now comes news that he's re-shopping the book in the wake of Houston's death.
However, Brown signed a confidentiality agreement at the time of their divorce, which could stand in the way. When contacted by EW to confirm the news, Brown's rep had only this to say: "We do not comment on gossip and rumor."
Is there interest in such a book? The HuffingtonPost, who first reported the news, was told by an unnamed major publisher that there was.
Back in 2008, the interest in a book on Whitney Houston wasn't that great. Whitney had fallen off the radar back then ... but now, following her tragic death, the market has changed. Now is the time for a book that details an honest look into the life of Whitney.
What do you think? Would you read Brown's book?
Posted 02.22.12 by reelz -
UPDATE: According to a Netflix representative that contacted Reelz, Netflix has not had The Bodyguard streaming since the license expired last year, long before the death of Whitney Houston. The movie's unavailability has "nothing to do with Ms. Houston's unfortunate and untimely death."
When Whitney Houston died unexpectedly Feb. 11, U.K. fans noticed that prices for the singer's albums on iTunes increased by 60 percent, causing many to accuse Sony of price gauging and trying to profit off the singer's death. Now, there's another company in danger of being accused of doing the same.
Warner Bros. has reportedly pulled Houston's The Bodyguard from Netflix's streaming catalog so it could boost DVD sales of the movie in the wake of Houston's death.
According to Dan McDermott, host of Google Plus Week, streaming rights to the movie were pulled after Houston's death to "make a very large amount of money" from DVD sales.
On his Google+ page, McDermott said he went to watch The Bodyguard after watching Kevin Costner speak at Houston's funeral but found that it wasn't available streaming, something odd for a movie that is 20 years old. Comments on the movie's Netflix page mentioned that it had been available for streaming to Netflix customers up until her death on Feb. 11. McDermott called a Netflix representative and confirmed what he had suspected.
What did Netflix have to say? >> Posted 02.20.12 by Chris