Some lucky thespians are celebrating nominations for the 18th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards . The nominees were announced yesterday in West Hollywood and leading the film field “The Help” and “The Artist.” Toping the  TV list, “Broadwalk Empire,” “Breaking Bad,” and “Modern Family.”

The Los Angeles Times has extensive coverage here. The winners will be announced during the 18th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards, which  will be simulcast live nationally on TNT and TBS Sunday, January 29  5 p.m. from the Los Angeles Shrine Exposition Center.

The Mega Millions lottery jackpot is still growing.  It now stands at $116 million, but could go higher before tonight’s draw. No one matched all of the winning numbers in last Friday’s draw. Those numbers: 4, 12, 29, 49, 51, and the Mega number 44.

Tonight’s draw is at 8 p.m.

One of the most debated and scrutinized lists in the entertainment industry came out today.  The Black List is a collection of unproduced screenplays that for whatever reason rated as a “like” or “favorite” by a number of film executives. This year, 300 of them reportedly sent in suggestions to film executive, Franklin Leonard ,who started compiling The Black List back in 2004. Since then, scripts have been plucked from this list and whizzed into production, turning the lucky screenwriters into hot scribes. To many, that’s better than any award or trophy.

Over on deadline.com, there’s the full Black List followed by some interesting comments, as well as breakdowns by agencies and management firms.

To make the list, a script had to receive six votes. Here are the top three screenplays on The Black List for 2011.

THE IMITATION GAME by Graham Moore  (133 votes)

The story of British WWII cryptographer Alan Turing, who cracked the German Enigma code and later poisoned himself after being criminally prosecuted for being a homosexual.

AGENCY:  CAA
AGENT: JP Evans, Jacqueline Sacerio
MANAGEMENT:  The Safran Company
MANAGER:  Tom Drumm
FINANCIER:  Warner Brothers
PRODUCER: Ido Ostrowsky, Nora Grossman

WHEN THE STREET LIGHTS GO ON by Chris Hutton, Eddie O’Keefe (84 votes)

In the early 1980s, a town suffers through the aftermath of a brutal murder of a high school girl and a teacher.

AGENCY: WME
AGENT: Simon Faber, Sarah Self
MANAGEMENT: Tariq Merhab Management
MANAGER: Tariq Merhab
PRODUCER: Imagine Entertainment

CHEWIEby Evan Susser, Van Robichaux (59 votes)

A satirical behind the scenes look at the making of Star Wars through the eyes of Peter Mayhew who played Chewbacca.

AGENCY:  WME
AGENT: Mike Esola
MANAGEMENT: Industry Entertainment
MANAGER: Jess Rosenthal

The rest of The Black List here.

For the first time since last September, the Mega Millions lottery jackpot hit the $100 million mark. That happened after no one came up with the winning numbers in last Tuesday’s draw. Those money numbers: 7, 21, 29, 35, 49 and the Mega number 39.

The next chance to score the Mega Millions jackpot is tonight. The drawing is at 8 p.m.

New play opening in Burbank

A live theater production of the Christmas play, “Table of the Heart,” is set to open tomorrow, December 10, at the Media City Church 269 East Providencia Avenue in the Media City.

The production is written and directed by Tatum Shank. The play tells the story of the tragedy and triumph of the Carmichael family who move from Los Angeles to Seattle and quickly are faced with heartbreaking circumstances that they must overcome. The theme, forgiveness leads to healing.

Producer, Jennifer Shank, says this is an exclusive two week run of “Table of the Heart.” Performances are Saturdays, December 10 and 17 at 8 p.m. and Sundays, December 11 and 18 at 7 p.m. Tickets are $5 in advance and $8 at the door. For more information and special ticket deals go here or call (818) 842-2186.

Some of the 2012 Writers Guild of America, West & East, Awards nominees are out today. On the list, nominations for outstanding achievement in television, news, radio, promotional writing, and graphic animation during the 2011 season.

TELEVISION NOMINEES

DRAMA SERIES

Boardwalk Empire, Written by Bathsheba Doran, Dave Flebotte, Howard Korder, Steve Kornacki, Itamar Moses, Margaret Nagle, Terence Winter; HBO

Breaking Bad, Written by Sam Catlin, Vince Gilligan, Peter Gould, Gennifer Hutchison, George Mastras, Thomas Schnauz, Moira Walley-Beckett; AMC

Game of Thrones, Written by David Benioff, Bryan Cogman, Jane Espenson, George R.R. Martin, D.B. Weiss; HBO

The Good Wife, Written by Courtney Kemp Agboh, Meredith Averill, Corinne Brinkerhoff, Leonard Dick, Keith Eisner, Karen Hall, Ted Humphrey, Michelle King, Robert King, Steve Lichtman, Matthew Montoya, Julia Wolfe; CBS

Homeland, Written by Henry Bromell, Alexander Cary, Alex Gansa, Howard Gordon, Chip Johannessen, Gideon Raff, Meredith Stiehm; Showtime

COMEDY SERIES

30 Rock, Written by Jack Burditt, Hannibal Buress, Kay Cannon, Robert Carlock, Tom Ceraulo, Vali Chandrasekaran, Tina Fey, Jon Haller, Matt Hubbard, Colleen McGuinness, Dylan Morgan, John Riggi, Josh Siegal, Ron Weiner, Tracey Wigfield; NBC

Curb Your Enthusiasm, Written by Alec Berg, Larry David, David Mandel, Jeff Schaffer; HBO

Louie, Written by Pamela Adlon, Louis C.K.; FX

Modern Family, Written by Paul Corrigan, Abraham Higginbotham, Ben Karlin, Elaine Ko, Carol Leifer, Steven Levitan, Christopher Lloyd, Dan O’Shannon, Jeffrey Richman, Brad Walsh, Ilana Wernick, Bill Wrubel, Danny Zuker; ABC

Parks & Recreation, Written by Greg Daniels, Katie Dippold, Daniel J. Goor, Norm Hiscock, Emily Kapnek, Dave King, Greg Levine, Aisha Muharrar, Chelsea Peretti, Amy Poehler, Brian Rowe, Michael Schur, Mike Scully, Emily Spivey, Alan Yang, Harris Wittels; NBC

NEW SERIES

Episodes, Written by David Crane, Jeffrey Klarik; Showtime

Game of Thrones, Written by David Benioff, Bryan Cogman, Jane Espenson, George R.R. Martin, D.B. Weiss; HBO

Homeland, Written by Henry Bromell, Alexander Cary, Alex Gansa, Howard Gordon, Chip Johannessen, Gideon Raff, Meredith Stiehm; Showtime

The Killing, Written by Linda Burstyn, Jeremy Doner, Soo Hugh, Dan Nowak, Nic Pizzolatto, Dawn Prestwich, Veena Sud, Nicole Yorkin, Aaron Zelman; AMC

New Girl, Written by Nick Adams, Rachel Axler, Brett Baer, Donick Cary, Dave Finkel, Berkley Johnson, Josh Malmuth, Elizabeth Meriwether, J.J. Philbin, Joe Port, Luvh Rakhe, Joe Wiseman; Fox

The complete list here on the WGAW website. 

The winners will be revealed at the 2012 Writers Guild Awards ceremony on Sunday, February 19, 2012. In keeping with tradition, the ceremony will be held simultaneously in Los Angeles and New York.

Photo courtesy Guest Blogger Jean Youn

 It is now the month of December, the last month of the year 2011.

There are some people who live as though they have nothing to live for and there are also those who live every day as if it were their last.

Steve Jobs was one of the people in the second category.

These are some of the words he gave at the 2005 Stanford University commencement address:

“I have looked in the mirror every morning and asked myself: “If today were the last day of my life, would I want to do what I am about to do today?” And whenever the answer has been “No” for too many days in a row, I know I need to change something. Remembering that I’ll be dead soon is the most important tool I’ve ever encountered to help me make the big choices in life.”

In a study done to figure out what kinds of people have the least regrets, the results were that it is the people who live every day as if it were their last.

I hope that this last month of the year be a special time in which you plant the seeds of new hope for the coming new year.

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Jean Youn is the owner of Value Village Cleaners at 912 West Glenoaks Boulevard in Glendale 91202. For details on services, coupons and more, check out the Value Village Cleaners website  here.

The giant retailer, Target, has a deal with “The Ellen DeGeneres Show” and it could mean thousands for some lucky schools. Target has earmarked $5 million in grants for a slew of elementary and secondary schools recommended by the viewers of  the weekly talk/variety show.

Viewers will be required to submit their recommendations through the “Ellen” website and give a “compelling” reason why their school deserves one of the grants to improve its learning environment. Two of the winning schools will appear on the “Ellen” show.

In a post on the Philanthropy News Digest website, Laysha Ward, president of Target community relations said, “We are proud to team up with the Ellen DeGeneres Show and its viewers to help us select fifty schools to each receive a $100,000 grant that can be used to purchase the resources that students and teachers need to excel in the classroom.”

“Ellen” is taped at the Warner Bros. studio here in Burbank.

Photo: Pool/Los Angeles Times -- A grim faced Dr. Conrad Murray is sentenced in a Downtown Los Angeles courtroom November 29, 2011

An outraged Los Angeles judge today sentenced Dr. Conrad Murray to the maximum of 4 years behind bars. Earlier this month, Dr. Murray was convicted of involuntary manslaughter in the drug overdose death of pop superstar, Michael Jackson.

Dr. Murray will be doing his time in Los Angeles County jail where he will most likely spend less than a year due to inmate overcrowding. More on the Murray trial and sentencing on the Los Angeles Times website.

Photo: Chuck Kennedy/White House -- President Obama pardoned two turkeys at the White House today. Only one, Liberty, made an appearance at the event. The other, Peace, skipped the photos. November 23, 2011

President Obama carried on a Thanksgiving tradition today by pardoning two big turkeys. Liberty was on hand for the National Thanksgiving Turkey Pardoning ceremony – Peace was a no show for some reason.

Joining the president were daughters Malia and Sasha and the National Turkey Federation Chairman, Richard Huisinga.

The two 19-week old turkeys tip the scales at 45 pounds each and were raised by a group of students in Minnesota.

President Obama:

“Now, I’m told that in order to prepare Liberty and Peace for their big day, the students exposed them to loud noises and flash bulbs so that they’d be ready to face the White House press corps. This is actually true. They also received the most important part of their media training, which involves learning how to gobble without really saying anything.

So Liberty is ready for his turn in the spotlight. And after he finishes a round of cable hits and a few Sunday shows, he’s going to retire to a life of leisure at Mount Vernon — the same place where George Washington spent his golden years.”

The president’s complete remarks are here on the White House website.

Photo courtesy Guest Blogger Jean Youn

Thanksgiving is just around the corner. There are countless things that we feel that we lack and want but there also a countless number of things to be thankful for. Of those things family is what’s most important and what we are most thankful for.

Family is what I am most thankful for but what allows my family and me to live day in and day out is actually you my customer.

When I think about all of the blessings I have received over the years, none of those things would be possible without my customers.

So many things that I am thankful for and so many of the things that I put my hope in, they would not be possible without my customers, and for that I am very thankful during this season of Thanksgiving.

As often as we regularly use the words “thank you,” it seems that those words seem to pale in significance to the gratitude I have toward my customers.

Please enjoy a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday with your families and if the table cloth gets dirty during your Thanksgiving dinner, you can always bring them to us to be cleaned.

As a token of sincere gratitude and thanks, if you bring your table cloth in on Friday the 25th, we will clean it for free.

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Jean Youn is the owner of Value Village Cleaners at 912 West Glenoaks Boulevard in Glendale 91202. For details on services, coupons and more, check out the Value Village Cleaners website here.

Movie fans turned out in a big way for the latest in the “Twlight” film series this weekend, which debuted with an estimated $139 million. ”The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 1,” the first part of the final and fourth installment of the romantic fantasy, captured the number one spot at the box office and is now the top movie in the country.

In “Breaking Dawn” young lovers, Bella Swan (Kristen Stewart) and Edward Cullen (Robert Pattinson) marry, but things get complicate really quick when Bella becomes pregnant and the vampire baby she’s carrying threatens her life. The film is based on the final book of the blockbuster series by Stephenie Meyers. Melissa Rosenberg, who wrote the screenplay for the previous films, is the writer of this script as well.

Another new flick the animated sequel, “Happy Feet Two,” danced into second with an okay $22 million debut. In third the fantasy drama, “Immortals,” with around $12.2 million, followed closely by the Adam Sandler comedy, “Jack and Jill,” with $12 million. Rounding out the top five, the animated feature, “Puss in Boots,” earned about $10  million.

Spike TV is extending a helping hand to veterans searching for work and the companies that offer them jobs.  Last Friday, on Veterans Day, Spike TV launched  its new “Hire A Vet” campaign.

The campaign will be spotlighted on the cable channel’s new “Hire A Vet” website. The site is a resource for job hunting veterans and it will salute the companies that hire them.

“Spike TV is honored to assist this country’s veterans– real-life heroes who represent the best of what our country is about,” said Kevin Kay, Spike TV president, in an announcement on the new website’s blog. “These young men and women who have bravely served their country are now making the often difficult transition from military service to the general workforce. Hire-A-Veteran is designed to help in that process.” More details here.

Photo courtesy Guest Blogger Jean Youn

Have you ever heard anyone say ‘burning fall/autumn?’
That is the name given to this time of year in Korea.
It’s in reference to the red color of the leaves around this time.

Fall isn’t a time of melancholy as some might say, it is a burning red time of year. Burning is often used to describe passion.

Passion is what makes every day worth the while.

When I dry clean your clothes, I hope that I look at it as though I am clothing you with passion. I hope with your freshly cleaned clothes, that you would live out each day with a burning passion for all you do.

I hope that this week, everyone would overflow with passion.

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Jean Youn is the owner of Value Village Cleaners at 912 West Glenoaks Boulevard in Glendale 91202. For details on services, coupons and more, check out the Value Village Cleaners website  here.

The confusion surrounding the 84th Academy Awards ceremony has cleared and the big event appears to be back on track today. Late yesterday, The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced entertainer Billy Crystal would be hosting next February’s Oscar telecast. Here’s the official press release.

Beverly Hills, CA (November 10, 2011)– Producers Brian Grazer and Don Mischer have announced that Billy Crystal will serve as host for the 84th Academy Awards. “I’m thrilled to welcome Billy back to the Oscar® stage,” said Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences president Tom Sherak. “He’s a comic legend and Oscar icon, and it feels good to have him back where he belongs.”

Commented Grazer, “Like so many others, I’ve been eager to see Billy host again. It’s very gratifying that he agreed to do it with Don and me at the helm.”

Said Mischer, “With Billy, we’re moving forward with one of the greatest hosts in Oscar history. His return to the Oscars® is, in a sense, a celebration.”

This will mark Crystal’s ninth time as host. Only Bob Hope has hosted more Academy Awards presentations, with 19 ceremonies between 1940 and 1978. Crystal last hosted the Academy Awards in 2004.

“Some of the best moments of my career have happened on the Oscar stage. I am thrilled to be back there. Actually, I am doing this so that the young woman in my pharmacy will stop asking me my name when I pick up my prescriptions,” said Crystal.

Academy Awards for outstanding film achievements of 2011 will be presented on Sunday, February 26, 2012, at the Kodak Theatre at Hollywood & Highland Center®, and televised live by the ABC Television Network. The Oscar® presentation also will be televised live in more than 200 countries worldwide.

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Evan Spiliotopoulos to rewrite “Asteroids” for Universal Pictures— This busy screenwriter picks up another big assignment. Universal has hired Spiliotopoulos to rework “Asteroids” based on the 1970′s Atari video game. Original script by Matt Lopez.

Spiliotopoulos is repped by UTA. More here on Variety.

Chris Shafer and Paul Vicknair’ hired to write “The Girl Who Conned the Ivy League” — Shafer and Vicknair are two hot screenwriters on the fast track. This project is based on a Rolling Stone magazine article about the true story of a woman who conned her way into Columbia University using a fake identity. Amanda Seyfried may star.

Shafer and Vicknair are repped by UTA.  More on deadline.com

“Dreamt” by Andrew Alexander— Safady Entertainment announced the purchase of this spec script on Monday, November 8. In a PR Newswire release company co-founder/producer, Gary Safady, talked about the acquisition: “We’re excited to tell a thrilling, exciting story with an amazing twist to it,” said Safady, adding: “The script has all the elements for intrigue and fascination to capture the audience from the opening frame of the film. Andrew has crafted an amazing story in the vain of Memento and Fight Club.”

“Dreamt” is about two men who have a supernatural connection through their dreams, but when they discover each others existence, one will stop at nothing to take over the life of the other. “The Hills Have Eyes II ” director, Martin Weisz, is attached to the project. Principal shooting  on this psychological thriller is set to get underway next April.

Weisz is represented by Anonymous Content. Screenwriter Andrew Alexander’s rep is Original Artists.

The Oscar telecast is the biggest event in Hollywood. The 84th Academy Awards ceremony is not until next February, but there is already plenty of real life drama surrounding it. The spark in a firestorm of controversy was lit over the weekend by movie director Brett Ratner who made an anti-gay slur and resigned on Monday as the producer of the upcoming Oscar broadcast because of it. The Los Angeles Times website has the back story on that here.

Ratner decision to step aside prompted actor/comedian Eddie Murphy to bow out as Oscar host. In a statement released by The Academy of Motion Picture Arts And Sciences today, Murphy said,”… I was truly looking forward to being a part of the show that our production team and writers were just starting to develop, but I’m sure that the new production team and host will do an equally great job.”

Late today, The Academy announced Oscar winning producer Brian Grazer would be taking over as the producer of the prestigious award show: “”Brian Grazer is a renowned filmmaker who over the past 25 years has produced a diverse and extraordinary body of work,” said Academy President Tom Sherak. “He will certainly bring his tremendous talent, creativity and relationships to the Oscars…”

“It’s very gratifying to be part of a show that honors excellence in the medium to which I have devoted so much of my career,” said Grazer in that announcement. In 2001, Grazer won a Best Picture Oscar for “A Beautiful Mind.” His numerous film credits include “Apollo 13,” “Kindergarten Cop,” “8 Mile,” and current projects “Tower Heist,” and “J.Edgar.” This will be his first time as producer of the Oscar telecast. The Academy Awards will be televised live on February 26, 2012 in more than 200 countries around the world.

Photo courtesy Guest Blogger Jean Youn

I want to share a story with you.  A long time ago, an old man sat underneath the shade of a tree near the entrance of a village.  A traveler walked toward the village and noticed the old man.

He asked him, “How are the people in this village?” The old man asked the traveler, “How are the people in the village you’re from?” The traveler replied, “The people in the village that I’m from are no good and I don’t like being around them. They weren’t the kind of people I want to live around.”  The old man then said, “The people in this town are the same way.”

A few days later, another traveler came walking toward the town and noticed the same old man sitting under the shade. He asked the old man, “How are the people of this village?” The old man asked the traveler the same question he asked the other traveler.

The traveler replied, “The village that I’m from is great! The people are nice and a overall pleasure to be around. I love living there.” The old man then replied, “The people in this town are the same way.”

November is the month of Thanksgiving.

I would like to thank each and every one of my customers for being the kind of people I want to be around.

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Jean Youn is the owner of Value Village Cleaners at 912 West Glenoaks Boulevard in Glendale 91202. For details on services, coupons and more, check out the Value Village Cleaners website  here.

A huge sigh of relief in the Southland today. Frank McCourt, the embattled owner of the Dodgers, has agreed to sell the team. Bill Shaikin over at the Los Angeles Times broke the story on Monday evening that a plan was in the works between McCourt and Major League Baseball.

An agreement was reached late yesterday. The team will be auctioned off  with the approval of  U.S. Bankruptcy Court. The sell-off will include Dodger Stadium and the surrounding parking lots. McCourt reportedly bought this package deal for $421 million in 2004. It’s expected to sell this time for “… two to three times as much.”  More on the deal and possible bidders for the team on the L.A. Times website here.

The Mega Millions jackpot is up for grabs tonight. And it’s stuff with serious dough. The money pot stands at $78 million. No one picked all of the winning numbers in last Friday’s game. Those lucky digits: 13,31, 49, 52, 56, and the Mega number 41.

Tonight’s draw is at 8 p.m.