Posts Tagged ‘Endorsements’
Posh & Becks On the Ropes
July 2nd, 2009 / Author: OK! Staff
Michael Jackson Wowed ‘Mickey Mouse Club’
June 26th, 2009 / Author: OK! Staff
Michael Jackson was a kid at heart, and stopped by the Mickey Mouse Club when it filmed at Florida’s Disney-MGM Studios in 1990.
Former Mouseketeers Damon Pampolina, Albert Fields and Chasen Hampton fondly remember the King of Pop’s visit. I caught up with the guys, all 34, one day after Michael’s shocking death at age 50.
Just before Justin Timberlake, Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera joined, Damon, Albert and Chasen began making tunes as members of the show’s spinoff pop group The Party, which also included Deedee Magno and Tiffini Hale.
Michael’s style heavily influenced them, given that Damon’s renditions of Michael’s Another Part of Me and The Way You Make Me Feel scored him the coveted role on the Disney Channel show, and Albert hailed from Michael’s hometown of Gary, Indiana, and was a featured performer on Oprah Winfrey’s AM Chicago. Chasen learned how to dance thanks to Michael’s trademark moves.
“Michael came to the set of the Mickey Mouse Club when he was over at Disney,” Damon remembers. “They brought him over to say ‘hello’ to us, and we all got an autographed, personalized picture.”
It was a dream come true. The Houston, Texas, native vowed to his classmates he’d meet the Gloved One after he performed Billie Jean for his second grade talent show, and found his wish granted at age 12.
According to Damon, Michael’s security was tight. “It was very controlled. They built up a barrier – a wall – around our soundstage to where there was no way no one was going to enter.”
What was Michael really like?
“It was one of those weird things where you didn’t really think he existed because he was such an unbelievable performer,” Damon says. “You didn’t think he was human, and to see him was just like ‘oh my God, he exists.’ [laughs] It’s surreal. As a young kid, you think ‘maybe he’s not real.’ You think of him as a superhero. His skin was flawless. He looked exactly how you would see him on posters. The hat, the hair, the whole nine. It was a trip.”
Although the cast never got a photo with him, they did get autographs. Damon says the photos weren’t signed in front of them. “They took him somewhere, did it, and gave everybody one after the fact.”
He shares, “I have a framed autograph here in my possession. It was the same for everybody. It says, ‘To the Mouseketeers, my favorite club in the whole world, you all really inspire me. I love your wonderful show. All my love. I love you all. Michael Jackson.’”
Of their meeting, Damon says, “We got to shake his hand, that was it. He said ‘great to meet all you guys.’ I was pretty starstruck at the time. I certainly didn’t say anything.”
For Albert, who grew up in Michael’s hometown of Gary, Indiana, the interaction was more personal. He got 1:1 time with him backstage for about ten minutes.
“That was the first thing we touched on – ‘hey, I’m from Gary, too,’” Albert says. “It was amazing because he influenced me and everybody else, especially for me being where I’m from and my family witnessing him as a kid and going to school with his brothers and sisters. It was incredible, and he was cool, like ‘I enjoyed the show, I watch the show, and it’s cool to be here.’ Because he wanted to come and see us filming it. He said he loved the show and he liked what we did on there. The singing, dancing, acting. He said ‘you guys are triple threats.’ It was crazy. That was the conversation – ‘I’m your homeboy’ type thing.”
Albert continues, “He did have something that was absolutely mesmerizing, even standing there – the sound of his voice. Everything about him was insane. It was a big thing to meet him and look him in the face. I’m not going to lie to you – it was a little weird. It was easy to get lost in his eyes and dream of puppies and rainbows.” He chuckles.
Disney and Michael Jackson were quite a pair. The King of Pop’s Captain Eo attraction was part of EPCOT, Disneyland and Tokyo Disneyland.
Albert says, “We all know that he was a fan of Disney and Peter Pan, so I think Michael Eisner or Jeffrey Katzenberg were with him at the time. They’re the ones who brought him over. And [Disney-]MGM Studios was new, so the Mickey Mouse Club was an attraction he wanted to see, seeing that the show was being filmed there.”
What more does he remember about his Michael encounter? Well, Albert says the King of Pop was taller than he expected and looked plastic.
“He shook my hand very soft,” Albert shares. “I didn’t like that. You know how people give you the soft hand? He did that. But other than that, I was in awe. But he was cool because he was down-to-earth. He was having a conversation that was genuinely happy. It was genuine when he was saying ‘I like what you do.’ It was happy. And it wasn’t a creepy thing. He just had an aura like a vacuum that sucks you in, and you go ‘ahh! Wait a minute.’”
Chasen admits the day was one he will never forget.
“He was larger than life. He believed in the Disney Magic. He loved our show, and said he used to watch it every day he could. That alone made me bust at the seams with excitement. He was telling us that he was our fan. What power onstage, and such a beautiful man offstage. He was never scared to say what most of us won’t.”
Even though it was easy to see why Michael was drawn to the child stars since he was a child star himself, he was accused of child molestation three years after his visit.
“Nothing had surfaced about the allegations at the time, so we didn’t have any apprehension or ‘oh, this is weird,’” Damon says.
Albert says, “I never thought that he was a molester or pedophile or any of that craziness. He was a weird, eccentric cat because he never had a childhood. I thought people were trying to take advantage of him.”
He settled out of court in 1994, and was acquitted of all wrongdoing in a separate case in 2005.
What no one can take away from Michael is the “It” factor. “He was literally kissed by God to have that talent, ” Albert says.
Damon caught Michael performing on the 1984 Victory Tour and the 1987-1989 Bad Tour.
“There is absolutely no other performer on earth who can touch his magnetism, energy and danceability,” he says. “But his showmanship live – if you haven’t seen it, I don’t know if it will ever exist again. And I’m not taking anything away from other artists – I’m a huge Prince fan, I’m a huge Beyonce fan, but as far as showmanship and the magnetism that he holds on that stage, it’ll never be touched. I don’t see it in our human lifetime – I don’t think it will ever be touched again. There’ll never be another Elvis. There will never be another Michael.”
Chasen now serves as music director for Rock Nation, an all-ages music school, and teaches many aspiring young musicians. “His autographed picture he gave me that day hangs above me there,” he says. “He is an inspiration to every kid walking in that school. I’m sure that would make him happy.”
Chasen adds, “Michael, thanks for my career in music, and for raising the bar in music and performance. Thank you for inspiring us not only in music, but in kindness and giving.”
Albert says, “He had that gift that most people don’t get. He was a very special person in that way. And he helped the world. That’s why everyone’s so impacted by his death. That’s very special.”
Rest in peace, Michael. You will forever be loved.
Sophia Bush: My Dogs Are Like My Kids
June 24th, 2009 / Author: OK! Staff
Sophia Bush gushes about her new dog, Penny, during the reception for her coming-of-age drama The Narrows held at NYC’s Bottino. Noshing on appetizers including grilled shrimp with garlic, grapes and cheese and a turkey wrap, the One Tree Hill beauty, 26, admits she recently purchased chew toys for her pups Patch, and new addition Penny.
“She’s another rescue pitbull,” Sophia tells me in her signature rasp. “She was a few days away from being euthanized at the pound. She’s amazing. She’s the first dog I’ve come across in all this time that I’ve been thinking about getting a dog so that Patch has a companion that really reminds me of him. They have really kindred spirits. She’s a puppy, but there’s a lot of life in her eyes. She’s a very old dog. I know that might sound strange to call a dog an old soul, but she is. She’s really special, and they’re just in love with each other, so it’s a good match.”
Patch and Penny are lucky pups.
“My dogs are absolutely spoiled. They come to work with me every day. We’re never apart — ever. I take them everywhere I go. We hike, and we go to the beach. I pile them in the bed. I think, with animals, they encourage a pure showering of love, and I really like that.”
Sophia, who divorced One Tree Hill co-star Chad Michael Murray in 2006, finds that her puppies are preparing her for motherhood.
“Having a pet is a big responsibility. It’s like being a parent. Granted, they’re not as intense obviously as children, they’re very similar. My animals are like my kids for me, and your life — your schedule — revolves around what they need.”
She adds, “When I travel, I always have to take the dogs into consideration. ‘Where are they going to stay? How are they going to fly? Where are we going to go? Are we going to fly or are we going to drive?’ It’s a very big commitment, but I think it’s incredibly rewarding.”
Sophia’s protective side comes out when her animals are involved.
“It’s an interesting thing for me because I’m a very laidback chill person but if someone ever hurt my dogs, it would be over.”
Rescue a pet by visiting your local shelter. That’s where I got my girls Mysty and Spense. Need motivation? Hit petfinder.com. Save a life and make a new BFF.
The Narrows is in theaters now.
SEE MORE PHOTOS IN THE VALERIE GALLERY:
Justin’s Tequila Toast
June 14th, 2009 / Author: OK! Staff
Josh Lucas Returns To His Roots
June 12th, 2009
Josh Lucas revisits his past during Dentyne and Manhattan Theatre Club’s REALationships playwrighting event held at New York City Center’s Stage II.
The Arkansas-born actor, 37, who is dating Rachel McAdams, got his start with the theater company in the mid-1990s. Since then, he’s appeared in big-screen success stories including Sweet Home Alabama, Hulk, Glory Road, Empire Falls and Management.
Why is arts education important to him?
“I consider myself someone who is deeply involved in what it is to be putting forth some element of literature and story-telling, and hopefully painting, and all sorts of elements that I think theater really does,” he tells me. “Manhattan Theatre Club is where I got my break, so the idea of watching these kids go through this, and be honored the way that they are is something that I felt similar twelve years ago, and it was magical for me.”
Did he dream he would live the Hollywood life?
“I always felt like I knew it was meant for me. Did I know how difficult it was gonna be? I didn’t. And did I know how rewarding it was gonna be? I didn’t. And did I know the highs and lows of the whole experience? You go into it blindly. In a sense, you throw yourself off a cliff because you’re naïve enough. I think that’s how you have to be. And so the idea of being here, and watching that same level of vibrance, I think is what it is, I think somehow you get attracted to. You want to be pulled back into.”
Kristin Davis Hawks her Wares
June 11th, 2009 / Author: OK! Staff
Sienna Miller Strikes a Pose
June 8th, 2009
Edie Falco, Peter Facinelli Do ‘Nurse Jackie’
June 3rd, 2009 / Author: OK! Staff
Twilight’s Peter Facinelli and Edie Falco team up for Showtime’s Nurse Betty, which gets the premiere treatment Tuesday at NYC’s Directors Guild of America.
Peter plays Dr. Cooper in the dark comedy premiering June 8, and he’s buzzing about his time at Sunday’s MTV Movie Awards. What did he think of the outrageous Bruno-Eminem encounter?
“I’ve gotta think it’s fixed,” the kind, cool hubby of Jennie Garth tells me. “I’ve just gotta think it’s fixed because if Sacha Cohen was about to fall on me, I’d move. I’d get up. Just that it landed so perfectly, it’s gotta be fixed. But that’s the genius of Sacha Cohen – Sacha Baron Cohen? – you’re not quite sure. You never know.”
Peter is loving the attention.
“To be in an auditorium where people are screaming like the Beatles showed up, I mean, that’s a cultural phenomenon that you just never expect,” he says. “I mean, every time I walk into a room and there’s screaming, I kind of look behind me like ‘are they really screaming for me?’ And it’s kind of nice. It’s humbling. I feel great being a part of it.”
Edie stars in Nurse Betty as the lead character. What’s the strangest thing she’s ever seen in a hospital?
“On those emergency room shows, I see all kinds of crazy stuff,” the self-proclaimed reality fan tells me. “There was a man who fell on a tree, and it went through his whole body. It landed on his butt, and went through his entire body, up to here [points to neck]. That was a little odd.”
Her two young kids won’t sneak a peek of this series.
“Unless there’s, like, an animated builder in it, they will not be watching it, no,” the good-humored actress laughs.
The lights dim, and screening begins with stars including LL Cool J, Julianna Margulies, Stockard Channing, Swoosie Kurtz, Dan Lauria and Steve Buscemi watching.
Two episodes later, and we’re off to the afterparty at Le Parker Meridien, which is designed like a hospital. Stars take swigs of specialty “Painkiller” cocktails including the Vicotini, Oxy Cosmo and SPG Purple Potion. It even has an MRI Photo Booth; Oxygen Bar filled with eight scents including lavender, jasmine, watermelon, eucalyptus, lime, lemongrass, tangerine and peppermint; and cafeteria line of hamburgers, fries and pasta. The kitchen is covered by hospital partitions, and “Get Well” balloon bouquets decorate the space.
Ooh, gift bag time! On the way out, guests pick up baby blue scrubs emblazoned with Nurse Jackie. Hm, I hear scrubs make comfy PJs?
Russell Simmons Praises Kimora’s Mothering Skills
June 1st, 2009 / Author: OK! Staff
Russell Simmons doesn’t let his split from Kimora Lee, who is mom to their daughters Ming Lee, 9, and Aoki, 6, get him down.
His Baby Phat ex, 34, welcomed a baby boy Sunday with boyfriend Djimon Hounsou, 45. Russell is certainly sending his best wishes.
What are his tips for an amicable split?
“You smile no matter what happens, and you keep smiling,” Russell tells me. “During a marriage, they say you make a tremendous compromise. Men say all the time they just be quiet. You’ve gotta be quiet 24 hours. It’s OK if you’re separate and can be quiet, but it’s a mess if you talk. You just learn to be a little bit accepting and promote tolerance and act and be tolerant yourself. Allow each other a little freedom, and faith.”
The entrepreneur, 41, was thrilled to plan a surprise birthday party for Aoki at his Hamptons home last year.
“Ariel [The Little Mermaid] was the star of the party,” he says. “She was in the pool and moving around the house. And all kinds of toys were in my backyard and all kinds of friends. They came from New Jersey and New York State and even from L.A. to surprise her. She came in from Paris.”
Their older daughter Ming Lee helped out with ideas for the bash. Ming Lee is studying French and Italian.
“She loves yoga, she loves piano, she’s a very cultured girl. She went to Africa and Paris with her mother. She’s learned a lot about a lot to be so young.”
He’s proud of how Kimora is raising the girls.
“The thing that makes me most inspired is when there was some celebrity who was in the Hamptons and I just missed her. And they asked me, ‘did I want to see her?’ and I said ‘I’ll catch her later.’ They said ‘well, your daughter would like to see her.’ And she’s just one of those celebrities who runs around. They said ‘well your daughter would love to see her.’ I said ‘would you like to see — the name of this celebrity?’”
What celebrity?
“Doesn’t matter. And she said ‘no, no, I think she makes bad choices.’ That’s what Ming Lee told me. That to me reminded me that their mother has been doing such a good job with them because she knows what’s a good choice already.”
What does Russell love most about being a dad?
“The innocence is inspiring. The way young people think, you want to think like them so they teach you a lot. Having a child teaches you so much. That really is the best part of being a dad. You remember what’s important in life.”
Congratulations to Kimora, Djimon, Ming Lee and Aoki on the new addition to their family.
