Brad Pitt joins Prop 8 play

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How Andrew Breitbart changed the news

Andrew Breitbart, conservative activist and blogger, died ThursdaySTORY HIGHLIGHTSNick Gillespie says Andrew Brietbart, who died, was polarizing -- and liked itHe says Brietbart baited liberals but was not straight-up conservativeHe says his legacy was creating discussion outlets away from what he saw as smug mediaGillespie: His efforts weren't always pretty, but mediascape he grew was more interestingEditor's note: Nick Gillespie is the editor in chief of Reason.com and Reason.tv and the co-author with Matt Welch of "The Declaration of Independents: How Libertarian Politics Can Fix What's Wrong With America."

(CNN) -- To get a sense of just how polarizing a figure new media innovator Andrew Breitbart was, get a load of this tweet from Slate's Matt Yglesias that went out mere hours after the news of Breitbart's unexpected death at age 43 broke: "The world outlook is slightly improved with

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Why the Monkees -- and Davy Jones -- should get respect

The Monkees, with Davy Jones second from left, in a promotional photo from 1970.STORY HIGHLIGHTSDavid Browne: Davy Jones' death has stirred new round of dissing of the Monkees as fakeHe says they were underrated band; that they get little respect raises issues relevant todayHe says Monkees rebelled against TV handlers, demanded control, made better songsBrowne: Lady Gaga is modern example of pop music mistakenly not taken seriously; Editor's note: David Browne is a contributing editor for Rolling Stone and author of "Fire and Rain: The Beatles, Simon & Garfunkel, James Taylor, CSNY and the Lost Story of 1970." (Da Capo)

(CNN) -- The death of Davy Jones on Wednesday from a massive heart attack at age 66 elicited all the standard commentary about the Monkees, the band that made him a star: The Monkees were a made-for-TV boy band. They recorded tunes written not by them, but by reputable songwriters like Neil Diamond ("I'm a Believer"), Harry Nilsson ("Cuddly Toy"), and the team of Carole King and Gerry Goffin ("Pleasant Valley Sunday"). They were Beatles knockoffs and teen idols.

Those points are all valid, but they miss two essential aspects of the Monkees' story. The first is fairly simple: Despite their undoubtedly contrived origins, they turned out to be one of pop's finest bands, arguably the most underrated in rock history. The second is deeper: Their ongoing lack of critical respect speaks to struggles within the music world

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Advance screenings for 'Hunger Games'

With advance screenings of The Hunger Games to strike cities, may the odds ever be in your favor.STORY HIGHLIGHTSFans can show their support by tweeting a unique hashtag assigned to their closest cityPeople have a chance to receive two complimentary tickets on March 10 at select B&N storesThe top four cities with the most Twitter volume will be announced each day

(EW.com) -- There are less than 24 days left until the theatrical release of The Hunger Games (did you hear that EW is the official sponsor of District 7?), and in celebration of the countdown, Lionsgate has announced 24 advanced screenings of the film to coincide with the story's 24 tributes fighting to the death.

"Fans can show their support for #HungerGames24 by visiting Screenings.TheHungerGamesMovie.com and tweeting a unique hashtag assigned to their closest city to unlock Advance Screening locations. Starting tomorrow, March 1, the top four cities with the most Twitter volume will be announced each day and fans will then be able to enter to win tickets to those locations," Lionsgate said in a release.

In addition, on March 10, the first customers to purchase any Nook device at select Barnes & Noble stores will receive two complimentary tickets to the official Advance Screening on March 21 (while supplies last). You can find participating Barnes & Noble stores here.

The social media marketing campaign echoes the milestones from past countdowns: #HungerGames100, #HungerGames74 and #HungerGames50. But how many more hashtag activities can fans take before the release?

At least one, tribute friends. At least one.

See the full article at EW.com.

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Why we grieve teen idols

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You don't know Jack (Nicholson)

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Review: 'This is Not a Film'

Director Jafar Panahi attends the Sony Pictures Classics Party during the Toronto International Film Festival in 2006. STORY HIGHLIGHTS Asghar Farhadi is the director of best foreign language film winner "A Separation"Farhadi's fellow fimmaker, Jafar Panahi, remains under house arrestPanahi is filmed in his home in what becomes "This Is Not a Film"

(CNN) -- By some measure the best speech on Oscar night came from an unexpected, or at least, unfamiliar, source: Asghar Farhadi, the director of best foreign language film winner "A Separation."

Farhadi spoke movingly about how culture can transcend politics even at a time when "talk of war, intimidation and aggression" dominates relations between the United States and his country, Iran. He went on to dedicate the award to his fellow countrymen, "a people who respect all cultures and civilizations, and despise hostility and resentment."

Regrettably, according to reports, Iranian state media framed his Oscar as a victory over Israel (a reference to fellow nominee "Footnote") and even reworded the speech to talk about "Western hostility and resentment." Meanwhile, Farhadi's fellow filmmaker Jafar Panahi remains under house arrest in Tehran and faces a six-year prison term for his open support for the opposition movement in Iran's 2009 election.

A celebrated filmmaker on the festival circuit, Panahi has award-winning movies like "Crimson Gold," "The White Balloon" and "The Circle" to his name. Like most Iranian filmmakers, he has necessarily become adept at cat and mouse games with the theocracy's censors, but the stakes are higher now than ever: how to make a film when he's been banned from making films (for 20 years, no less)?

That's the conundrum he discusses with his colleague, cameraman Mojtaba Mirtahmasb, whom he invites over for tea. Someone (his son) has conveniently left a camera running in the corner of the room, so we can spy as Panahi gets up, makes tea, and calls his friend. His idea: he has a screenplay all ready to go. He asks Mirtahmasb to film him as he reads the script out loud.

It quickly becomes apparent that this is not going to work. A film is images, not words on a page. So they start to block and stage the scenes, right there in Panahi's apartment. The rug marks out a wall and a window, the corridor is the road outside the house -- but still Panahi is playing all the parts. The process is exhausting and he recognizes they're not really getting anywhere. This is not a film!

And so he abandons the script. Instead, iPhone in hand, he films himself on the phone with his wife (visiting relatives for Iranian New Year), his lawyer (not optimistic), and interacting with the janitor (taking out the garbage).

If that sounds claustrophobic and frustrating, that is precisely the point.

But "This Is Not a Film" defiantly demonstrates the filmmaker's creativity and engagement just as forcefully as it emphasizes the grotesque and unjustifiable constraints imposed on him. It dares to be tedious, a little, but it also dares to be different, outspoken, challenging, funny, unexpected (look out for an amazing crane shot!) and inspiring. If that old term "independent cinema" still has any artistic currency, well, then consider this Panahi's declaration of independence.

Not a conventional film, certainly, but a powerful and important statement.

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The Monkees' Davy Jones dies

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Nicollette Sheridan to testify in 'Desperate' trial

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Cover story: No shortage of 9/11 anniversary programs on TV

Several television programs will mark the anniversary of 9/11, and some will follow the rebuilding of ground zero. STORY HIGHLIGHTSTelevision will mark the anniversary of September 11 with more than 40 programsThe shows will lead up to and encompass 9/11The FX drama "Rescue Me," inspired by 9/11 events, will end 4 days before the anniversaryRELATED TOPICSSeptember 11 AttacksTelevisionWorld Trade CenterEntertainment (CNN) -- As the United States commemorates a decade since one of the most tragic days in its history, there will be plenty of television programming to mark the occasion.

Beyond the news coverage of the 10th anniversary of the September 11 attacks, there are more than 40 specials, documentaries and other shows planned.

The programs seemingly cover every aspect, from Animal Planet's "Saved," about how the bonds with their pets helped two New York City families cope with 9/11, to Paul McCartney's documentary "The Love We Make," about the benefit concert he organized after the tragedy. The latter was only recently completed and will air on Showtime.

And McCartney won't be the only famous face weighing in.

"Access Hollywood" will offer reflections from celebrities, and BIO will offer "When Pop Culture Saved America," a two-hour documentary examining how "Comedians, singers, actors, entertainers all did their part with concerts, telethons and specials to help bring the nation back to the new normal."

David Bushman, a curator with The Paley Center for Media in New York City, said the amount of programming is to be expected, given the magnitude of the attacks on the World Trade Center in New York and the Pentagon in Washington, D.C.

"It's such a major event and story in our history that it's very hard to ignore it and seem relevant," he said. "And yet there are lots of things that are difficult about it. One of the things, as crass as it sounds, is how do you do something that is distinctive from everyone else."

In the week leading up to the anniversary, CNN will feature four hourlong documentaries: "Footnotes of 9/11," in which investigative correspondent Drew Griffin chronicles eight people mentioned in "The 9/11 Commission Report"; "Dr. Sanjay Gupta Reports: Terror in the Dust," which will examine the health effects of the attacks on responders; the Soledad O'Brien-helmed "Beyond Bravery: The Women of 9/11"; and a special CNN/Time/HBO presentation: "Beyond 9/11: Portraits of Resilience."

At NBC, "Today" will have coverage in the days leading up to September 11, and the network will air a "Children of 9/11" special on September 5 and "America Remembers" on the anniversary.

MSNBC will offer "Days of Destruction -- Decade of War," about how the country has changed, and Fox will have a two-hour special on the rebuilding of ground zero titled "Fox News Reporting: Freedom Rising with Shepard Smith."

The Discovery Channel will feature the Steven Spielberg-produced documentary "Rising: Rebuilding Ground Zero," and the Spanish network Telemundo will broadcast a five-hour show from that location.

Even children's network Nickelodeon will feature "Nick News with Linda Ellerbee: What Happened? The Story of September 11, 2001" to explain the events to its viewers, some of whom weren't even born when the tragedy occurred.

The National Geographic Channel will feature a week of programming starting August 28, including an exclusive sit-down with former President George W. Bush, who was in office on 9/11.

Michael Cascio, senior vice president of production for the channel, said the abundance of programming just makes sense.

"Seems to me you probably could do more than a week and still not get at all of the issues and angles we need to get at," he said. "We're actually concerned about making sure the viewer has enough information and a depth of it."

Robert J. Thompson, founding director of the Bleier Center for Television and Popular Culture at Syracuse University, said such coverage is easily planned, as the anniversary is expected.

"You can't predict a tsunami, but anniversaries are kind of like royal weddings in that you know when they are going to happen and you can put them together," he said. "And let's face it, this programming is for the most part relatively inexpensive to do. It's playing clips and putting stuff together and all the rest of it."

Anniversaries have always been important culturally, he said, and he points to the World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago in 1893, which famously celebrated the 400th anniversary of Christopher Columbus' arrival in the New World.

Coverage of anniversaries has exploded, in part because of cable television, Thompson said.

"There are so many hours of cable television to fit this stuff into," he said. "Where it used to be you might recognize a special, but when there were only three networks, there weren't that many hours to fit it in."

Blogger Kelly West wonders how much coverage viewers can take.

She wrote an article, "September 11th Tenth Anniversary TV Specials Scheduled: How Much Will You Watch?" for the site Cinema Blend, and said she hopes networks respect the commemoration.

"How much coverage we expose ourselves to and how we want to acknowledge the anniversary is our choice," West said in an e-mail to CNN. "The advertisements for these programs could present an issue, however."

"With so many 9/11 programs scheduled to air, I would hope that the networks take a tactful, respectful approach to letting people know what they have available," she added. "9/11 isn't 'Shark Week' or some event that needs to be hyped up and sold to people in the days leading up to the anniversary."

At least one television drama will offer its interpretation of the painful look back.

On September 7, The FX series "Rescue Me" will end its run after seven seasons. The show was inspired by the events of 9/11 and followed the lives of New York City firefighters.

The series star and co-creator, Denis Leary, told Canada's Postmedia News that the timing fit.

"There's a natural summing up, of having the guys stop and think about where they are," Leary said. "There are going to be memorials. We have to deal with 9/11 again. So it was only natural to end it this way."

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Redmond O'Neal avoids prison, gets more rehab

Redmond O'Neal, 26, was sentenced to one-year inpatient treatment. STORY HIGHLIGHTS O'Neal, 26, pleaded no contest to felony gun and heroin possession
Redmond was arrested earlier this month after a traffic stop in Santa Monica
Ryan O'Neal attended the hearing Wednesday, but did not address the courtRELATED TOPICSRyan O'NealRedmond O'NealFarrah Fawcett (PEOPLE.com) -- Redmond O'Neal narrowly dodged a prison sentence Wednesday after a judge agreed he needed more treatment.

O'Neal, 26, pleaded no contest to felony gun and heroin possession in a Los Angeles courtroom and was sentenced to one-year inpatient treatment. The troubled son of Ryan O'Neal and the late Farrah Fawcett will remain on probation for the next five years.

In a joint statement, O'Neal's attorneys Richard Pintal and Michael Brewer told PEOPLE: "We are pleased and grateful that the judge gave Redmond further treatment rather than incarceration. His history of addiction warrants this approach."

Ryan O'Neal attended the hearing Wednesday, but did not address the court.

Redmond was arrested earlier this month after a traffic stop in Santa Monica. Last August, he said he planned to stay clean and sober after serving time for various drug-related arrests.

See full article at PEOPLE.com.

© 2010 People and Time Inc. All rights reserved.

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Schwarzeneggers 'doing well'

Some members of the Schwarzenegger family attended a basketball game together in February. STORY HIGHLIGHTS "Everyone is doing well, really well," Patrick says of his family
Besides entering his senior year of high school, Patrick is also the cofounder of Project360
This summer, 13-year-old Christopher had a surfing mishap that landed him in the hospitalRELATED TOPICSArnold SchwarzeneggerChristopher SchwarzeneggerPatrick SchwarzeneggerMaria Shriver (PEOPLE.com) -- The single word on the bracelet worn by Patrick Schwarzenegger on Tuesday could sum up the summer for his family: "Survivor."

After a highly public rough patch for the Schwarzeneggers, the newly popular billboard model and eldest son of the former California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and his estranged wife Maria Shriver, like the rest of his family, is pushing on.

"Everyone is doing well, really well," the hunky 17-year-old tells PEOPLE. "My brother has recovered

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Winslet, Bransons count their blessings after escaping fire

Actress Kate Winslet and her family were among those in Richard Branson's home when lightning set it ablaze. STORY HIGHLIGHTSBranson's home in British Virgin Islands burns down after being struck by lightning"I'm just so glad that everyone is safe," actress Kate Winslet says"What matters is the people you love," Branson tells her. "Everything else is just stuff"Branson's kids describe waking to a nightmare as flames consumed the house (CNN) -- Family members and friends of billionaire Richard Branson, including actress Kate Winslet, were taking stock of their blessings after their narrow escape from the business magnate's burning Caribbean island home, which had been ignited by a lightning strike.

"I'm just so glad that everyone is safe. And this very easily could not have been the case," Winslet said in a news release Wednesday, two days after fire destroyed the house on Necker Island, the 74-acre private island the Virgin Group chairman owns in the British Virgin Islands.

Said Winslet: "I will never forget Richard placing his arms around both my children as we were watching the flames, and saying, 'At the end of the day, what you realize is that all that matters is the people that you love. Everything else is just stuff. And none of that stuff matters.'"

Winslet was one of about 20 people who were in the house when lightning -- from a storm spawned as Hurricane Irene was passing through the Caribbean -- struck the house at around 4 a.m. and set the house ablaze, Branson said in a statement after the incident.

Branson said Winslet helped carry his 90-year-old mother to safety.

Branson's daughter, Holly, was quoted as saying she awoke that morning to shouting, "which was hard to hear over the howling hurricane winds and rain, but I knew instantly something was wrong. I went downstairs to be met by my older cousins, Ned and Jack, who were shouting for everyone to get out. I looked down the corridor to see a raging fire in the main room.

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'The Talk's' Sara Gilbert, partner break up

Sara Gilbert and Allison Adler have ended their 10-year relationship. STORY HIGHLIGHTS "The Talk" co-host and actress, 36, and Adler, 44, will share custody of their children
"It's completely amicable," a rep says of the break up
Gilbert and Adler, a television producer and writer, began dating in 2001RELATED TOPICSSara GilbertThe Talk (TV Show)Breakups (PEOPLE.com) -- After 10 years together, Sara Gilbert and Allison Adler have ended their relationship, PEOPLE has learned exclusively.

"The Talk" co-host and actress, 36, and Adler, 44, will share custody of their two children, son Levi, 6, and daughter Sawyer, 4.

Gilbert and Adler, a television producer and writer, began dating in 2001.

A rep for Gilbert confirms the breakup. "It's completely amicable," the rep tells PEOPLE.

See full article at PEOPLE.com.

© 2010 People and Time Inc. All rights reserved.

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'Grey's Anatomy' scoop: Jackson's mom is...

Debbie Allen will play Catherine Avery in the upcoming season of "Grey's Anatomy." STORY HIGHLIGHTS Actor-director Debbie Allen has been cast in the upcoming season of "Grey's Anatomy"
She'll lend some insight into Jackson's family in the fifth episode of the eighth season
Allen has previously directed three episodes of the show RELATED TOPICSGrey's AnatomyCelebrity News (EW.com) -- Ready to meet Jackson Avery's mom?

Actor-director Debbie Allen has been cast in the upcoming season of "Grey's Anatomy," playing Catherine Avery.

The move brings Allen out from behind the camera on "Grey's," where she's previously directed three episodes of the show (not entirely unlike how Eric Stolz directed an episode of "Private Practice" before appearing in "Grey's").

Allen has a slew of TV directing credits to her name ("Everybody Hates Chris," "That's So Raven") and is best known as an actress for her work in the movie "Fame" (both versions).

She'll lend some insight into Jackson's family in the fifth episode of the eighth season, which premieres on September 22.

See full article at EW.com.

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Remembering Aaliyah, 10 years later

Aaliyah Dana Haughton was only 22 when she and eight others died in a twin-engine plane crash in the Bahamas. STORY HIGHLIGHTS Born in Brooklyn and raised in Detroit, Aaliyah quickly garnered a fan base in the '90s
The late singer worked with industry greats like Missy Elliott, Timbaland and R. Kelly
At the time of her death, she had three top-selling albums under her beltRELATED TOPICSMusicR&BAngel Laws is the editor in chief and creator of ConcreteLoop.com. August 25 marks the tenth anniversary of the death of singer and actress, Aaliyah.

(CNN) -- It's been a decade since the tragic death of R&B star and budding actress Aaliyah Dana Haughton.

Just 22 years old at the time of her death, she was in the Bahamas heading back to the States after wrapping up her 2001 music video, "Rock The Boat."

The twin-engine plane crashed shortly after takeoff. Aboard were Aaliyah and eight others -- including her hair stylist, Eric Forman, makeup artists Anthony Dodd and Christopher Maldonado, security guard Scott Gallin, video producer Douglas Kratz, Blackground Records employees Keith Wallace and Gina Smith, and the pilot, Luis Morales III. In an instant their lives and Aaliyah's promising career were gone.

Born in Brooklyn and raised in Detroit, she quickly garnered a fan base in the early '90s with her original take on R&B music. Working with industry greats like Missy Elliott, Timbaland, R. Kelly and more, she topped the charts with a slew of hits, including "Back & Forth," "Age Ain't Nothin' But a Number," "Are You That Somebody" and "We Need A Resolution".

Aaliyah's standout fashion sense made her a hot commodity among the fashion crowd: She modeled for Tommy Hilfiger, who showcased her tomboy appeal -- baggy jeans and a tight-fitting shirt -- and was featured on the covers of many magazines with that trendsetting hair swoop over her left eye.

Her influence on the music game is still relevant today. She has inspired artists from singer-rapper Drake to pop superstar Beyonce. Ciara, who is best known for her singing and dancing moves, has an Aaliyah-inspired stage presence and dressing style.

Singer-songwriter Tank, who worked closely with Aaliyah on her last two albums, spoke with Concrete Loop earlier this year about where she would be right now if she were alive. "She would be at the top and there would probably be a few people who wouldn't have careers," he said.

If you think about it, she was already on top. At the time of her death, she had three top-selling albums under her belt, many nominations and awards and was slated to have a big role in "The Matrix Reloaded" and "Matrix Revolution" movies.

She had just completed her work on the film, "Queen of The Damned" and was already being sought after for other movie roles. Not to mention, she had a solid and loyal fan base. However, the rest of her journey to superstardom just wasn't meant to be.

A month before her untimely death, Aaliyah granted MTV's show "Diary" behind-the-scenes access to her fast-paced life and said, "I am truly blessed to wake up every morning to do something that I love; there is nothing better than that."

She continued, "Everything is worth it -- the hard work, the times when you're tired, the times when you are a bit sad. In the end, it's all worth it because it really makes me happy. I wouldn't trade it for anything else in the world. I've got good friends, a beautiful family and I've got a career. I thank God for his blessings every single chance I get."

So, on August 25, blast Aaliyah's timeless music loud and remember her for being a trendsetting force in fashion and for helping to redefine and take R&B music to another level.

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Judge denies request for sequestered jury at Jackson trial

Sequestered jury sought in Jackson trialSTORY HIGHLIGHTSA prosecutor argues there should be "a level of trust granted for jurors"Judge Pastor says sequestered jurors can feel like "inmates"He says sequestration would cost $500,000 but adds cost isn't a factorMurray is accused of involuntary manslaughter in Jackson's 2009 death Los Angeles (CNN) -- A Los Angeles County judge on Thursday denied the defense's request to sequester the jury for the coming trial of Dr. Conrad Murray, the physician accused in Michael Jackson's death.

Lawyers for the doctor -- who is charged with involuntary manslaughter in the singer's death -- had contended that media hype surrounding the case meant it was prudent to isolate the jury during the trial.

But Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Michael E. Pastor disagreed, saying he did not want jurors to feel like "inmates," supervised even when they contacted loved ones. And he expressed confidence that they would heed warnings to avoid exposure to media coverage.

"I do not find sequestration to be the answer in this case," he said.

In addition, Pastor rejected a defense request that television cameras be removed from the courtroom during certain parts of the trial.

The Los Angeles coroner has ruled that Jackson's death, which occurred June 25, 2009, was caused by an overdose of the surgical anesthetic propofol, combined with other drugs.

Prosecutors have accused Murray, one of the pop star's doctors, of having a role in the overdose. Jury selection is set to begin next month in his trial. Opening statements are set for September 27. Both the defense and prosecution told the judge they expect the trial to last four to five weeks, while Pastor indicated he thought it could be done in less time.

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