The World's most influential people 2008

According to TIME magazine that is. Here's the full list:

ARTISTS & ENTERTAINERS
Lorne Michaels
Miley Cyrus (she gets everywhere, my sister was bitching to me on the 'phone today about how much money lil' Miley earns and she wasn't happy about it. I told her to wait a couple of years and we'll have another Britney Spears/Lindsay Lohan on our hands - you know it's true!)
Robert Downey Jr.
Herbie Hancock
Joel & Ethan Coen
Bruce Springsteen
Peter Gelb
Mariah Carey
Khaled Hosseini
Elizabeth Gilbert
Rem Koolhaas
Judd Apatow
Alex Rigopulos & Eran Egozy
George Clooney
Tim Russert
Suze Orman
Stephenie Meyer
Tyler Perry
Tom Stoppard
Chris Rock
Takashi Murakami

LEADERS & REVOLUTIONARIES
Dalai Lama
Vladimir Putin
Barack Obama
Hillary Clinton
John McCain
Hu Jintao
George W. Bush
Jacob Zuma
Anwar Ibrahim
Kevin Rudd
Bartholomew I
Ben Bernanke
Muqtada al-Sadr
Robert Gates
Michelle Bachelet
Sonia Gandhi
Baitullah Mehsud
Evo Morales
Ma Ying-jeou
Ashfaq Kayani

HEROES & PIONEERS
Brad Pitt & Angelina Jolie
Oprah Winfrey
Oscar Pistorius
Mia Farrow
Andre Agassi
Lance Armstrong
Bob and Suzanne Wright
Peter Gabriel
Kaká
Sheik Mohammed al-Maktoum
Yoani Sánchez
Madeeha Hasan Odhaib
Randy Pausch
Lorena Ochoa
Tony Blair
Alexis Sinduhije
Aung San Suu Kyi
George Mitchell

SCIENTISTS & THINKERS
Michael Bloomberg
Craig Venter
Jill Bolte Taylor
Larry Brilliant
Jeff Han
Mehmet Oz
Nancy Brinker
Harold McGee
Peter Pronovost
Eric Chivian & Richard Cizik
Mary Lou Jepsen
Paul Allen
Nicholas Schiff
Mark Zuckerberg
Wendy Kopp
Shinya Yamanaka & James Thomson
Michael Griffin
Susan Solomon
Isaac Berzin

BUILDERS & TITANS
Indra Nooyi
Ali al-Naimi
Rupert Murdoch
Steve Jobs
Radiohead
John Chambers
Jeff Bezos
Jay Adelson
Steve Ballmer
Jamie Dimon
Prince Alwaleed bin Talal
Lou Jiwei
Neelie Kroes
Jeffrey Immelt
Karl Lagerfeld
Lloyd Blankfein
Carlos Slim
Mo Ibrahim
Ratan Tata
Cynthia Carroll
Carine Roitfeld
Michael Arrington

14th ANNUAL SCREEN ACTORS GUILD AWARDS®

Yet more acting nominations. I mean, it's not as if the money's enough, these people want acclaim and shiny awards too!

14th ANNUAL SCREEN ACTORS GUILD AWARDS®
NOMINATIONS

THEATRICAL MOTION PICTURES


Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role
GEORGE CLOONEY / Michael Clayton – “Michael Clayton” (Warner Bros. Pictures)
DANIEL DAY-LEWIS / Daniel Plainview – “There Will Be Blood” (Paramount Vantage)
RYAN GOSLING / Lars Lindstrom – “Lars And The Real Girl” (Sidney Kimmel Entertainment)
EMILE HIRSCH / Christopher McCandless– “Into The Wild” (Paramount Vantage)
VIGGO MORTENSEN / Nikolai – “Eastern Promises” (Focus Features)

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role
CATE BLANCHETT / Queen Elizabeth I – “Elizabeth: The Golden Age” (Universal Pictures)
JULIE CHRISTIE / Fiona – “Away From Her” (Lionsgate)
MARION COTILLARD / Edith Piaf – “La Vie En Rose” (Picturehouse)
ANGELINA JOLIE / Mariane Pearl – “A Mighty Heart” (Paramount Vantage)
ELLEN PAGE / Juno MacGuff – “Juno” (Fox Searchlight Pictures)

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role
CASEY AFFLECK / Robert Ford – “The Assassination of Jesse James By The Coward Robert Ford” (Warner Bros. Pictures)
JAVIER BARDEM / Anton Chigurh – “No Country For Old Men” (Miramax Films)
HAL HOLBROOK / Ron Franz – “Into The Wild” (Paramount Vantage)
TOMMY LEE JONES / Ed Tom Bell – “No Country For Old Men” (Miramax Films)
TOM WILKINSON / Arthur Edens – “Michael Clayton” (Warner Bros. Pictures)

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role
CATE BLANCHETT / Jude – “I’m Not There” (The Weinstein Company)
RUBY DEE / Mama Lucas – “American Gangster” (Universal Pictures)
CATHERINE KEENER / Jan Burres – “Into The Wild” (Paramount Vantage)
AMY RYAN / Helene McCready – “Gone Baby Gone” (Miramax Films)
TILDA SWINTON / Karen Crowder – “Michael Clayton” (Warner Bros. Pictures)

Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture
3:10 TO YUMA (Lionsgate)
AMERICAN GANGSTER (Universal Pictures)
HAIRSPRAY (New Line Cinema)
INTO THE WILD (Paramount Vantage)
NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN (Miramax Films)

PRIMETIME TELEVISION

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Television Movie or Miniseries
MICHAEL KEATON / James Jesus Angleton – “The Company (TNT)
KEVIN KLINE / Jacques – “As You Like It” (HBO)
OLIVER PLATT / George Steinbrenner – “The Bronx is Burning” (ESPN)
SAM SHEPARD / Frank Whiteley – “Ruffian” (ABC)
JOHN TURTURRO / Billy Martin – “The Bronx is Burning” (ESPN)


Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Television Movie or Miniseries
ELLEN BURSTYN / Posey Benetto – “Mitch Albom’s For One More Day” (ABC)
DEBRA MESSING / Molly Kagan – “The Starter Wife” (USA)
ANNA PAQUIN / Elaine Goodale – “Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee” (HBO)
QUEEN LATIFAH / Ana – “Life Support “ (HBO)
VANESSA REDGRAVE / Woman – “The Fever” (HBO)
GENA ROWLANDS / Melissa Eisenbloom – “What If God Were the Sun?” (Lifetime)

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Drama Series
JAMES GANDOLFINI / Tony Soprano – “The Sopranos” (HBO)
MICHAEL C. HALL / Dexter Morgan – “Dexter” (Showtime)
JON HAMM / Don Draper – “Mad Men” (AMC)
HUGH LAURIE / Dr. Gregory House – “House” (FOX)
JAMES SPADER / Alan Shore – “Boston Legal” (ABC)

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Drama Series
GLENN CLOSE / Patty Hewes – “Damages” (FX)
EDIE FALCO / Carmela Soprano – “The Sopranos” (HBO)
SALLY FIELD / Nora Walker – “Brothers & Sisters” (ABC)
HOLLY HUNTER / Grace Hanadarko – “Saving Grace” (TNT)
KYRA SEDGWICK / Deputy Police Chief Brenda Johnson – “The Closer” (TNT)

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Comedy Series
ALEC BALDWIN / Jack Donaghy – “30 Rock” (NBC)
STEVE CARELL / Michael Scott – “The Office” (NBC)
RICKY GERVAIS / Andy Millman – “Extras” (HBO)
JEREMY PIVEN / Ari Gold – “Entourage” (HBO)
TONY SHALHOUB / Adrian Monk – “Monk” (USA)

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Comedy Series
CHRISTINA APPLEGATE / Samantha Newly – “Samantha Who?” (ABC)
AMERICA FERRERA / Betty Suarez – “Ugly Betty” (ABC)
TINA FEY / Liz Lemon – “30 Rock” (NBC)
MARY-LOUISE PARKER / Nancy Botwin – “Weeds” (Showtime)
VANESSA WILLIAMS / Wilhelmina Slater – “Ugly Betty” (ABC)

Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series
BOSTON LEGAL (ABC)
THE CLOSER (TNT)
GREY’S ANATOMY (ABC)
MAD MEN (AMC)
THE SOPRANOS (HBO)

Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series
30 ROCK (NBC)
DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES (ABC)
ENTOURAGE (HBO)
THE OFFICE (NBC)
UGLY BETTY (ABC)

SAG HONORS FOR STUNT ENSEMBLES

Outstanding Performance by a Stunt Ensemble in a Motion Picture
300 (Warner Bros.)
THE BOURNE ULTIMATUM (Universal)
I AM LEGEND (Warner Bros.)
THE KINGDOM (Universal)
PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: AT WORLD’S END (Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures)

Outstanding Performance by a Stunt Ensemble in a Television Series
24 (FOX)
HEROES (NBC)
LOST (ABC)
ROME (HBO)
THE UNIT (CBS)

Screen Actors Guild Awards 44th Annual Life Achievement Award
Charles Durning

That reminds me of the quote from the "The Truth About Will And Dogs" episode of Will and Grace. Grace gets a dog and when Grace brings the puppy in from the other room, Will asks, "Is that him?" and Grace sarcastically says, "No. It's veteran character actor Charles Durning." I dunno why it amused me so much but that line really tickled me. I laughed for ooh.. seconds!

2008 Golden Globe nominations

The Hollywood Foreign Press Association's 2008 Golden Globe nominations:

Best Movie - Drama
American Gangster
Atonement
Eastern Promises
The Great Debaters
Michael Clayton
No Country For Old Men
There Will Be Blood

Best Actress - Drama
Cate Blanchett - Elizabeth: The Golden Age
Julie Christie - Away From Her (winner!!)
Jodie Foster - The Brave One
Angelina Jolie - A Mighty Heart
Keira Knightley,- Atonement


Best Actor - Drama
George Clooney - Michael Clayton (gorgeous George!)
Daniel Day-Lewis - There Will Be Blood
James McAvoy - Atonement
Viggo Mortensen - Eastern Promises
Denzel Washington - American Gangster

Best Movie - Comedy/Musical
Across The Universe
Charlie Wilson's War
Hairspray
Juno
Sweeney Todd


Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy
Amy Adams – Enchanted
Nikki Blonsky – Hairspray
Helena Bonham Carter – Sweeney Todd (FFS, how'd she get nominated?)
Marion Cotillard – La Vie En Rose (winner!)
Ellen Page – Juno

Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Musical Or Comedy
Johnny Depp – Sweeney Todd
Ryan Gosling – Lars and the Real Girl
Tom Hanks – Charlie Wilson's War
Philip Seymour Hoffman – The Savages
John C. Reilly – Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story

Best Performance by an Actress In A Supporting Role in a Motion Picture
Cate Blanchett – I'm Not There
Julia Roberts – Charlie Wilson's War
Saoirse Ronan – Atonement
Amy Ryan – Gone Baby Gone
Tilda Swinton – Michael Clayton


Best Performance by an Actor In A Supporting Role in a Motion Picture
Casey Affleck – The Assassination Of Jesse James By The Coward Robert Ford
Javier Bardem – No Country For Old Men
Philip Seymour Hoffman – Charlie Wilson's War
John Travolta – Hairspray
Tom Wilkinson – Michael Clayton

Best TV Show - Drama
Big Love
Damages
Grey's Anatomy
House
Mad Men
The Tudors

Best TV Show - Comedy
30 Rock
Californication (there must be a lot of sex-starved middle age hetties in the HFPA, this show is utter shite)
Entourage
Extras
Pushing Daisies

Entertainment Weekly's top 25 entertainers of the year

Hey, it's only November but Entertainment Weekly has already decided to list their pick of the Top 25 entertainers of 2007 (in no particular order, though they did pick J K Rowling as their overall Entertainer of the Year):

George Clooney - gorgeous George!
The Sopranos
Angelina Jolie
Will Smith
Tommy Lee Jones
The Cable "Queens" (Glenn Close Damages, Mary-Louise Parker Weeds, Kyra Sedgwick The Closer and Holly Hunter Saving Grace
Matt Damon
Johnny Depp
Katherine Heigl
Carrie Underwood
Kanye West
Zac Efron
Rihanna
Miley Cyrus
Shia LaBeouf
Will Ferrell and Andy McKay
Tina Fey
The Judd Apatow "Gang" (Seth Rogen, Leslie Mann, Jonah Hill, and Paul Rudd)
The Simpsons
Vanessa Williams Ugly Betty
Gerard Butler
Amy Winehouse
Tyler Perry
Mad Men
J K Rowling Harry Potter

How important is it to say "I Love You"?

Dlisted reports that Angelina Jolie told Marie Claire magazine that she doesn't think she's ever seriously said "I love you" to Brad Pitt. She said, "I don't think we've ever said (I love you). I mean, I'm sure we have, but we would have to punch each other in the arm first."

I hope Angelina Jolie does tell Brad Pitt that she loves him. That shit's important.

Halle Berry says she'd consider adopting, but would prefer an American child

Halle Berry has been discussing the possibility of her adopting a child. StarPulse report that "Hollywood actress Halle Berry has condemned Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt for adopting children from abroad, claiming they have "forgotten" about the youngsters in America. The Oscar winner hopes to become a mom one day and would consider adopting again after taking on ex-husband Eric Benet's daughter India.

She says, "I hope I have children one day - it's not too late. I am looking forward to that. Maybe I will adopt somewhere down the road if that is the only way to bring a child into my life. There are lots of children that need a home in America. I feel we have forgotten about our own kids. With Brad and Angelina it's whatever works for them."

Reading the above, I don't know exactly if Halle is dissing Angelina and Brad. It's true than many people look abroad to adopt, especially if adopting a baby, but the attention give to high profile adoptions by Madonna and Angelina recently probably don't give the full picture. Looking at figures from Children's Bureau show annual US adoptions of over 50,000 whereas the number of children adopted from abroad is 20,000.

Also, don't forget the desire for many people to give a chance to a child with no chances in their own country. I've been to Africa and visited townships and, let me tell you, the reality of poverty there is very different to poverty in Europe or the US. What really matters is that there are families who wish to give a loving home to children who desperately need one, wherever they happen to come from.

Angelina Jolie buys her new kid a Nintendo Gameboy

In an interview with HELLO! Magazine, Angelina Jolie discusses her latest aquisition, Pax Thien. Angelina Jolie reveals that has given her latest son the first taste of his new life of luxury – a Nintendo GameBoy. Angelina said she decided to give Pax Thien the toy because 'he has never had anything to call his own'. I hope Angelina got him the latest model, a Gameboy Micro or SP and not the original clunky Gameboy Color. The kid's won the adoption lottery with Angelina and Brad Pitt so he'll be wanting the good stuff.

She told Hello! magazine: 'We are slowly beginning to build his trust and bond but it will feel complete only when we are all a family.' Jolie added: 'It will take him a while to realise he has a family, that his new life is permanent and it won't keep changing. You can imagine what courage it takes to be in all new surroundings with new people and a new language. He is very strong. He is a very serious, very sweet little boy.'

Angelina Jolie adopts another Vietnamese boy, takes another step to becoming the Mia Farrow of our generation

Angelina Jolie has adopted another Vietnamese boy, sparking the predictable intense media interest. Speaking in an interview with Ho Chi Minh City newspaper Phap Luat, Angelina said: "I want to say sorry for bringing this into Pax's life." The three-year-old boy has been renamed Pax Thien, the Latin for peace and Vietnamese word for heaven.

Angelina added she would stay at home to help the boy, who speaks no English, settle into his new life. "We have to learn to adapt to each other and study each other's languages," Jolie told the newspaper. "I have four children, and caring for them is the most important thing for me now," added the 31-year-old Oscar winner.

Jolie has already adopted two children, from Cambodia and Ethiopia, and last year she gave birth to a daughter, Shiloh, with actor partner Brad Pitt. Angelina also vowed to pay regular visits to Vietnam. "To the best of my ability, I want to understand more about your country and see what I can do to help," she said.


It's great that Angelina likes kids, there are plenty that need to adopted into a loving home. But I can't help remembering the following joke by British comedian, Victoria Wood:

"You see rich people don't look after their own children, if fact they don't give birth ! If they really want a baby they go abroad and they buy one, you see them at customs..."Anything to declare" "Yes a bottle of Chanel No 5.....an twins !" Or they adopt them like Mia Farrow. Is she mad Mia Farrow, I think she must be mad don't you, I mean she's adopted so many ! She adopts babies like someone picking letters on Countdown. I'll have a black one..and another black one..and a blind one...and another black...and a Korean one....and another black one ! She obviously preferes them black and disabled, I don't know who she's going to adopt next but I would be panicking if I was Stevie Wonder !!!"

Angelina Jolie being pursued by Henry Kissinger, Condoleezza Rice also wants a piece!

The Council on Foreign Relations, a Washington foreign policy think tank, has trained its collective contemplation on Angelina Jolie. The group, which includes U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, former Fed chairman Alan Greenspan, former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger, Colin Powell and Dick Cheney, is deciding whether Jolie's serial international adoption spree and orphan building charity work qualifies her to become a member of this elite group.

Angelina has been nominated for a five-year "term" membership. Whilst there are no specific academic or social requirements, it helps that Jolie has served as a UN Goodwill Ambassador and made more than 30 trips around the world on behalf of refugees, AIDS orphans, and victims of natural disasters.

"It's not like Paris Hilton is being nominated," said Carol Adelman, a former head of US foreign aid programs, with eloquent understatement. Her membership was also supported by current council member Gordon Adams, an international affairs professor. "Bring her on. The idea of having Henry Kissinger and Angelina Jolie in the same organization is dazzling," Adams said.

I bet Kissinger also likes the idea! He's always had a eye for the ladies.
When asked about Jolie recently by Columbia School of Journalism graduate students, the old letch said "It's my only chance to meet Angelina Jolie," he said. I'm sure Angelina can't wait, Henry! After all, she's only got fugly Brad Pitt waiting for her at home.

Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt to adopt another Vietnamese boy

The rumours have been circulating for weeks but it seems we now have confirmation. Vu Duc Long, director of Vietnam's International Adoption Agency,confirmed today that Angelina Jolie has filed papers to adopt a Vietnamese baby. Vu Duc Long revealed they have exchanged papers with a US adoption agency representing the 'Tomb Raider' star. Long said: "She just filed the papers this week."

Last month, it was revealed Angelina and her partner Brad Pitt had filed papers with US Citizenship and Immigration services to enable them to adopt a boy from the Tam Binh orphanage in Ho Chi Minh City. That's gonna be one lucky kid, you know that for orphans getting adopted by a Hollywood star is like winning the lottery.

Here's a recent picture of Brad looking hot. I'd sure like to bounce up and down on his knee, wouldn't you?