Posts Tagged ‘obama’

The Rock & Obama: Totally Buds

March 10th, 2009

It seems The Rock (aka Dwayne Johnson) wasn’t just doing a bit this past weekend on Saturday Night Live when he played Barack Obama in the sketch, "The Rock Obama," in which Fred Armisen gets angry as the President and turns into The Rock’s version of Obama.

 

So it’s no surprise that Dwayne wouldn’t mind having the Commander-in-Chief play him in a biopic!

 

"Barack Obama," he tells Moviefone with a laugh in a new interview when asked who he’d like to have play him in a biopic. "I hear that [we sound alike] all the time. You know I’ve gotten to know him, and he’s a big time athlete, and loves athletics, so I’m sure he could bulk up. All the comparisons have been such an honor — how cool! We make a hell of a pair."

 

These two unlikely pals share more than similar voices, they’ve even chatted each other up in the past.

 

"We had an opportunity to talk before the election," says Dwayne. "We talked about everything from our roots in Hawaii, our family and the importance of great leadership for our country, which is certainly one of the many things he provides. And he did tell me that I was one of Michelle Obama’s favorite actors."

 

Check out The Rock’s impersonation of a big tough Barack below:

 

Etta James “Can’t Stand” Beyonce

February 4th, 2009

Wow! There’s a new celebrity feud circulating around Hollywood. The latest is between legendary singer Etta James and Beyonce.

James, known for her rendition of the classic song "At Last," lashed out at Beyonce during a recent concert, criticizing her Inauguration performance during which she sang "At Last" for President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama.

 

At a concert this week in Seattle, James said: "You guys know your president, right? You know the one with the big ears? Wait a minute, he ain’t my president, he might be yours, he ain’t my president. You know that woman he had singing for him, singing my song – she’s going to get her ass whipped."

James continues, "The great Beyonce. I can’t stand Beyonce. She has no business up there, singing up there on a big ol’ president day, singing my song that I’ve been singing forever."

While Etta James wasn’t the first person to make "At Last" famous, it’s her rendition of it that’s most well-known. Beyonce, who let’s not forget played Etta in the film Cadillac Records and has performed the tune many times including in front of the singer herself, was asked to perform it at the Inauguration.

This isn’t the first time Beyonce has stepped on toes more legendary than her own. Last Feb., she rubbed Aretha Franklin the wrong way when she listed her among the singers she considered beneath Tina Turner, during a speech to present Tina at the Grammys.

 

Is it a case of jealousy on the part of these older singers or is Beyonce displaying some diva-ish behavior?

Daniel Radcliffe Invites Obama Girls to Hogwarts

January 27th, 2009

President Barack Obama’s daughters, Malia and Sasha, are big Harry Potter fans– and now they may get to meet their favorite Hogwarts wizard!

The Daily Beast is reporting that Harry Potter star Daniel Radcliffe has offered take the Obama girls on a personal tour of the movie set. Describing President Obama as "everything the rest of the world liked about America and now likes again," Radcliffe tells the paper he is "so proud and happy" for America.

"I’d like to take this opportunity to issue a public invitation to the Obamas that if their daughters would like a private tour of the Harry Potter set, I would be honored to be their personal tour guide," the actor told the paper.

Radcliffe, who will soon begin filming the final installment in the Potter series, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, also commented on his former Potter c0-star and Twilight hottie Robert Pattinson’s new fame as a sexy vampire.

When asked who he thinks girls lust after more, Radcliffe said, "I can safely say…[Pattinson]. He is much prettier and can be much more charming. And he can do that thing of being sultry and sexy. Rob can just sort of stand there and look at something and start to smolder. And I just can’t do that. I’m a natural fidget." 

Courteney Cox & David Arquette Feed America

January 23rd, 2009 / Author: OK! Staff

Courteney Cox came out to support hubby David Arquette’s Feeding America project in Washington, D.C., with daughter Coco in tow.

"They feed over 25 million Americans a year, distributing over 2.3 billion pounds of food," David told <em>OK</em>! about the charity. "But there’s 37 million hungry Americans; people who don’t know where their next meal’s coming from and it’s up to us to eliminate that. There are nine million children they feed a year and there’s a lot more children out there."

The actor, known for his usual anything-but-serious behavior, got involved with the organization after attending some events they had sponsored. "Then I said, okay… let me see what this is really about. So I started donating my time two times a week to a pantry."

At the pantry, he found a real hero to admire. "There’s this lady named Delphia that’s been doing it for 27 years. And it’s the people like that who are so inspiring. She’s just like all soul, it’s all heart. You look at a woman like that and we just have a great time."

That decision to give up a small portion of his personal time to help others has ended up being a life-changing one for David. "It really inspires you," he explains. "Your problems melt away. You see the people you’re helping are working families, elderly and children. It’s inspiring. Only eleven percent of the people they feed are homeless, so it’s kind of a misnomer that the hunger issue is strictly a homeless issue because it’s not.”

Even though little daughter Coco isn’t old enough to cook, she’s not too young to be involved in her parents’ good works. “She came out to the pantry for Thanksgiving. She came and helped sort of put little squashes in different bags. It was really so cute."

The star couple got some of their A-list pals to help out too, including Leonardo DiCaprio, T.I., Rihanna, Tobey Maguire and Kanye West.  OK! caught up with Courteney about the organization and even got the former Friends star to give some parenting advice to President Barack Obama and the First Lady Michelle Obama.

"You know the thing about them, that’s a real family — I don’t think they need my advice," Courteney told OK!. "But from one parent to another, get some sleep! Poor guy! I can’t imagine his day! The parade alone would have knocked the wind out of me!"

Cox says she enjoys being involved in organizations that help others, telling OK!, "Its good to be of service, I dont want to be involved in anything that I can’t get behind, and David jumped in full speed and its been amazing."

When asked how she feels about being called ‘Mama Bear’ by her friends, Courteney tells OK!, "I love to give back — if I can do it, I will."

By Laura Lane & Wynter Mitchell

Teri Hatcher Wants to Babysit Obama Girls

January 23rd, 2009 / Author: OK! Staff

If Barack Obama’s girls ever need a babysitter at the White House, they can count on one person to be on call – Teri Hatcher.

The Desperate Housewives star tells OK! she’s had plenty of practice looking after kids and would be more than willing to watch Malia, 10, and 7-year-old Sasha if the president ever needs a date night with wife, Michelle.

“I end up being the great babysitter at every event I ever go to,” Teri explains. “They’d come my way and I’d be the babysitter, which would be just fine.”

Teri, who brought her daughter, Emerson Rose, 11, with her to the inauguration on Tuesday, says if a babysitter isn’t needed, she’d have no problem settling on a playdate at the White House.

“Of course we would!” she says. “If we’re ever so lucky to be invited.”

Although her daughter will have to wait several years before she can cast her vote in an election, the inauguration was no less memorable for the mother-daughter duo.

“I feel like it’s a day, whether we’re standing a mile away and can actually see or not, I think it’s a day she’ll remember sharing with me twenty years from now,” Teri says. “I feel like (Obama) represents and brings to our country just this great ability to pull everyone together to unite a spirit of wanting change and to be tolerant and  move forward. That’s the best we could ask for.”

Be sure to pick up the latest issue of OK! for eight pages of exclusive inauguration coverage and photos!

By Laura Lane

Lindsay & Sam Put Split Rumors to Rest

January 19th, 2009 / Author: OK! Staff

Looks like the game of "Are They or Aren’t They Together?" between Lindsay Lohan and gal-pal, DJ Samantha Ronson is in full-on "They Are" mode after the pair, who have weathered numerous breakup reports in recent weeks, made the scene together in Washington, D.C., on Sunday.

According to witnesses at the Declare Yourself event — one of several A-list bashes leading up to Tuesday’s inauguration of new U.S. President Barack Obama — LiLo and SamRo "looked very happy together… very much the  happy couple… All signs of any lovers’ quarrel appear to be gone."

CLICK HERE for OK!’s Ultimate Lindsay Gallery!

Perhaps in keeping with the historic events unfolding in the coming days, or maybe just trying not to overshadow her more camera-shy girlfriend, who was on-hand to DJ the Jessica Alba and Jamie Foxx-hosted event, Linds looked very demure in a conservative black dress and ponytail as they strode the Declare Yourself red carpet together.

When it came time for a nervous Sam to pose for the paparrazzi, Lindsay offered her support, asking her girlfriend, "You want me to join you?" before sidling up to Sam for some shots together.

CLICK HERE for OK!’s insider’s guide to all the inauguration parties!

Jennifer Aniston Gives Up Spotlight

December 18th, 2008

Jennifer Aniston lets her Marley and Me dog Clyde shine during the Tribeca Cinema Series screening of her comedy held Wednesday at Tribeca Cinemas Gallery in NYC.

While she’s off hitting the talk-show circuit, Clyde is being feted with congratulatory barks when he takes the screen during the V.I.P. (Very Important Pooch) event attended by celebs including Denis Leary and Beth Ostrosky Stern and their dogs. (Abigail Breslin stops by the cocktail party sans pup.)

Clyde’s trainer, Mathilde DeCagny, says working with Jennifer was a dream.

“Jen was loving, and very attentive,” she tells me. “She’s such a normal, sweet, fun person. There’s no ego, there’s no complication. All she wants to do is be professional and do it right. I never thought she would be that easy and outgoing. We loved her.”

Other pampered pets – like Denis’ dog Daphne – are pleased to be in the company of the movie star pooch.

“She’s flipped out that we brought her where there are other dogs, because she likes to think of herself as special,” Denis tells me. He’s keeping a tight grip on Daphne thanks to help from wife Ann.

The comedian has no regrets for 2008 – even though he inflamed parents with particularly vile comments he made about autism in his book Why We Suck: A Feel-Good Guide to Staying Fat, Loud, Lazy and Stupid. “I would’ve voted for Obama about ten more times if I could have,” he tells me. “That’s about it.”

This holiday season the Rescue Me star jokes that he will gift his three dogs with cars and designer clothing in exchange for the affection they give him.

“Dogs love you no matter what you smell like, no matter how tired you are, or where you just came from,” Denis says. “No matter what mood you’re in or what’s going on, they always love you. You can’t pay a human being to do that – maybe for an hour, but not much longer than that.”

Mrs. Stern moves along with bulldog Bianca Romijn-Stamos-O’Connell, who recently came home with a pink toe when she brought her along to a manicure appointment. “Howard wasn’t too happy about that,” Beth says.

What’s her dog’s idea of a perfect night?

“Lying in her bed between Howard and me,” she tells me. “She’s so happy right between the two of us.”  

For the holiday season, Beth tells me the best pet gift is “lots of love.”

Certainly Jennifer would agree.

Marley and Me is in theaters December 25.

And, pick up the OK! on newsstands now for more on Jennifer Aniston and an At Home with Clyde, the dog featured in Marley and Me. Jennifer Aniston/“Obsessed With Angie” is the cover line.

Looking for a great gift this holiday season? Both Denis Leary and Beth Ostrosky Stern agree that pets make great gifts. Visit your local shelter to give one a home.

Beyonce Talks About Getting Justin into Tights

November 19th, 2008 / Author: OK! Staff

In just a handful of Saturday Night Live appearances, Justin Timberlake has already made more memorable moments than many A-list actors who’ve headlined the long-running sketch comedy show.

The latest water-cooler skit featuring JT aired last Saturday, when a leotard-clad Justin appeared as part of an all-male trio attempting to film a Beyoncé video, much to the displeasure of the superstar singer, who was the episode’s featured musical guest.

So when OK! caught up with Beyoncé at Tuesday night’s party in NYC for Gotham magazine, everyone just had to know: How did they convince Justin to do the skit?

"Justin actually came by, he just happened to be in town," explained Beyoncé, whose new album, I am… Sasha Fierce was released yesterday. "They talked to me about this skit. And I said, you know I’m not sure if I want to do it because I have to hone my performance, but the moment they called and said Justin Timberlake is going to be a part of this, I said I have to do this. He is hilarious, I’m so grateful, we had the best time; it was so difficult to not laugh."

<img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3252/3043849576_11c86241f8.jpg" width="400" height="399" alt="NUP_133167_0004b" />
(courtesy nbc)

Another person who Beyonce admires is President-elect Barack Obama. And, she said on Monday, you can look for her at his inauguration ceremony in D.C. in January.

"I know I’m definitely going to be there, I want to be there with him," she said. "I’m not sure if I’ll be performing, but I’d love to."

Until then, the newlywed singer has the holidays to look forward to. And for Beyoncé, that means some good home cooking with her family.

"For Thanksgiving my mother usually cooks," says Beyoncé. "It’s just like anyone else’s Thanksgiving. It’s actually my favorite holiday because it’s not about anything but giving back, giving thanks for all our blessings. Hopefully I’ll try to make some type of pie, I’m not the best cook, but I think I’m ready to try something."

By Delaina Dixon

Lindsay Calls Obama “First Colored President”

November 12th, 2008

At some point, you’ve just got to wonder if Lindsay Lohan does it on purpose. In a new interview with Access Hollywood, the actress uses a derogatory term for President-Elect Barack Obama, referring to him as "colored."

"It’s an amazing feeling. It’s our first, you know, colored president," the 22-year-old said in response to a question about her reaction to Obama’s win.

CLICK HERE to see OK!’s Ultimate Lindsay Lohan Gallery!

Lohan, who’s in the spotlight these days more for her relationships and brushes with the law than her film work, taped the interview amid rumors of recent trouble on the Ugly Betty set and a sit-down with Harpers Bazaar Magazine where she denies being a lesbian but admits to being in love with her female partner of several months, Samantha Ronson.

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