Discovery Channel real life hostage drama

The Discovery Channel is dealing with a real crime scene at its headquarters in Silver Spring, Maryland. Earlier today suspected gunman, Radical Environmentalist, James J. Lee, reportedly took three hostages at the network’s building. The standoff ended when Lee was apparently shot and killed by SWAT snipers and the hostages freed.

Previously, Lee reportedly shopped a reality TV project to Discovery, according to The Wrap.  Also, the site has quite a bit of background on Lee and his bizarre brand of social activism.

This evening, the Discovery Channel corporate office released the following statement about the hostage drama:

David Leavy, Discovery Communications Executive Vice President Global Communications and Corporate Affairs stated:

“First and foremost, Discovery Communications wants to express how relieved and grateful we are that all employees and the children from the Discovery Kids Place daycare center are safe. Employees in Silver Spring demonstrated courage, compassion and cooperation throughout the situation, which aided law enforcement efforts — for which we are thankful and proud.

In coordination with Montgomery County, Md., Police, an evacuation procedure was executed for all persons in the building. The evacuation procedures were handled with professionalism and with safety as Discovery’s primary concern. Discovery thanks the Montgomery County Police and Fire & Rescue and other state and federal safety personnel whose quick thinking and fast action ensured the safety of the employees and children in the building as well as the Silver Spring, Md., community.

The events of today showed the strong heart of the Discovery family.”

The statement was released through PR Newswire.

“Takers” beat the competition at the Box Office

The bank robbery thriller “Takers” has surprised many with its take at the domestic Box Office. “Takers” debuted as the number one film in the country last weekend with a haul of $20.5 million, beating close rival “The Last Exorcism” by a couple of hundred thousand dollars or so.

“Takers” proved its weekend victory was not fluke by holding onto the lead on Monday and Tuesday. “Takers” is about a group of skilled bank robbers who bump up against a tough detective and his partner during a final heist. Matt Dillion, Hayden Christensen, Pop Singer Rihanna’s ex-boyfriend, Chris Brown, and Rapper, T.I., are  in the ensemble cast.

Despite a number of bad reviews, “The Last Exorcism,” managed to find an audience. The new horror mockumentary, scared up $20.3 million, to finish in second place. The movie is about a disillusioned minister who agrees to the exorcism of a farmer’s daughter and a documentary crew goes along to film it all. Patrick Fabian, Iris Bahr and Louis Herthum star.

The action flick, “The Expendables” came in third with $9.5 million, bringing its three week total to around $82 million. Rounding out the top five,  romance drama, “Eat Pray Love” with $6.8 million and the buddy-cop comedy, “The Other Guys” with $6.2 million.

Photo: People.com/Frazer Harrison/Getty--"Desperate Housewives" Actress Eva Longoria Parker on the 2010 Primetime Emmy Awards red carpet

Actress Eva Longoria Parker joined the star parade on the red carpet for the 62nd Annual Primetime Emmy Awards ceremony at the Nokia Theater in Downtown Los Angeles this evening.  The “Desperate Housewives” star gets my vote for being very glam in a Robert Rodriquez gown and one of the best dressed celebs on the red carpet.

People magazine website has more photos of the star parade as well as a report on the night’s big winners including “Modern Family” Best Comedy series and Jim Parson, Best Actor in a comedy series for “The Big Bang Theory.”

Actress Lindsay Lohan gets another break

Today a Beverly Hills judge ordered Actress Lindsay Lohan to do 67-days of supervised probation at home. Lohan was released from in-patient treatment at UCLA yesterday afternoon. This is the newest twist in Lohan latest troubles with the law, which include a 90-day jail sentence and 90-day rehab stint for a probation violation. Lohan served only a fraction of that time in both places. Details on The Wrap.  

Actress wins guest appearance on daytime TV soap

Photo: PRNewsFoto/ Procter and Gamble/ George Desota -- Aspiring Actress Jennifer Jean wins guest appearance on "As The World Turns"

 Jennifer Jean’s star is rising. The actress is the new “Brighten Bay Idol,” after winning an online talent search sponsored by Cheer/Procter & Gamble.  The contest kicked off last January with a call for audition tapes from talented thespians  on the Brighten Bay website.

Jean, a California native and former school teacher, has appeared in TV commercials, an independent film, numerous improv and sketch shows, according to a PR Newswire press release. 

Jean appears as Nurse Greta in the August 30th episode of the long running soap. It’s her first big break: “Never in my wildest dreams would I have imagined that my favorite detergent brand, Cheer, would help catapult my acting career,” said Jean in the press release. “But starring in one of the final episodes of ‘As the World Turns’ is definitely going to be a turning point for me. I’m so grateful to all of the voters who chose my audition tape and can’t thank Cheer and ‘Brighten Bay Idol’ enough!”

 ”We were all blown away by Jennifer’s performance and are excited to help develop her acting career,” said Tara Murphy, Cheer brand manager.

Last December, CBS canceled “As The World Turns.”  So after 54 years and 13, 858 episodes,  the final installment of the daytime soap opera airs on September 17, 2010.

 ”The Expendables” still beating the competition at the Box Office

“The Expendables,” still packing them in at movie theaters this week. . The Sylvester Stallone project won the box office shoot-out for the second week in a row with a take of  $17 million.  The action flick continued to out pace the competition on Monday and and Tuesday picking up  an additional $4 million or so, to bring it’s 11-day domestic total to $69.3 million.

In second the new vampire movies spoof, “Vampires Suck,” with $12.2 million. Jenn Proske and Matt Lanter star in the horror comedy about a teenaged girl who falls for a mysterious guy at school who happens to be a vampire.

Julia Robert’s “Eat, Pray, Love”  landed in third with $12 million,. Fourth went to the new urban comedy, “Lottery Ticket,” which picked up $10.6 million  weekend. Bow Wow and Ice Cube star in this film about a young man living in the projects who wins a lottery and has to safe guard  his winning ticket from predators over a holiday weekend.

Rounding out the top five, the comedy action film, “The Other Guys” with $10 million.

President Obama raises $1 million & snarls traffic in Southland  

It happens almost every time a U.S. President visits the Southland. The bad traffic situation gets worse. That’s what occurred today, when President Barack Obama dropped in for one of those high-ticket priced Hollywood -type fundraisers.

Obama reportedly raised $1 million dollars for the Democrats and the ire of some Southlanders over the traffic problems caused by his visit. Nice report and photo on the Los Angeles Times website.

“The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo”

Photo: PR NewsFoto/Columbia Pictures/Merrick Morton -- Actress Rooney Mara

 Actress Rooney Mara has won one of the most sought after roles in Hollywood. Columbia Pictures announced today that Mara has been selected to star in the film version of  Stieg Larsson’s mystery blockbuster, “The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo” and the other two adaptations in The Millennium Trilogy. David Fincher will direct.

Since being published in the U.S., “The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo” has sold over 5 million copies. The Millennium Trilogy has sold more than 40 million copies worldwide, according to a PR Newswire press release.

 All three books, including “The Girl Who Played With Fire” and “THe Girl Who Kicked The Hornet’s Nest” currently are at the top of the New York Times Best Sellers List.  The  Millennium Triology is considered a literary phenomenon.

Photo: PR NewFoto/Columbia Pictures/Merrick Morton -- Actor Daniel Craig

Also, Actor Daniel Craig is set to star in “The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo.” Deadline.com has more on the casting and the upcoming productions.

Sylvester Stallone king of the Box Office

Actor and Filmmaker, Sylvester Stallone, is hot again. Stallone co-wrote, directed, and starred in the number one film in country right now, “The Expendables.” The action flick about a group of mercenaries out to take down a South American dictator, debuted over the weekend with a winning $34.8 million.  The cast includes Mickey Rourke, Dolph Lundgren, and Jet Li as well.

“Eat Pray Love,” the move version of Elizabeth Gilbert’s best-selling memoir about her adventures traveling the world, opened in second place with $23 million. Julia Roberts stars, but that was not enough for this chick flick to win the race to number one.

The action-comedy, “The Other Guys” grabbed third with  $17.4 million, the sci-fi thriller, “Inception” earned $11.4 million for fourth and rounding out the top five, the new action-comedy, “Scott Pilgrim vs. the World ” with $10.6 million. Based on a graphic novel, “Scott Pilgrim”  is about a 20-something musician who’s life chances dramatically when he falls for a mysterious woman. Michael Cera and Mary Elizabeth Winstead star.

“Show Me the Polyester”

If you look great in polyester and dig rock singer/songwriter, Jackson Browne, here’s a contest for you. Browne is touring the U.S. right now with musician David Lindley. Apparently, Browne and Lindley are sporting flashy polyester shirts on stage during their performances this summer.

The duo is encouraging fans to show-off their best eye-catching polyester shirts in a photo contest going on at the “Show Me the Polyester” website, according to a PR Newswire press release. Fans have until August 25 to upload photos of themselves wearing  polyester shirts to the site. One winner will get a travel package to New York City and two-front row seats for the duo’s Beacon Theatre concert on September 14, 2010.

The latest release from  Browne and Lindley is “Love is Strange,” a 2-CD set of a tour they did in Spain back in 2006.

Profits soar for Disney, the other big studios, and the networks

Photo: FLLewis/Media City G — Disney Studios in Burbank

The money is rolling in for Disney, which this afternoon reported third quarter profits leaped 40%. Disney is not the only entertainment giant enjoying a good year. Despite the bad economy, other studios and the networks are doing well, too. Nikki Finke over at Deadline.com asks why so many folks in the entertain biz are out of work with this kind of upbeat financial picture in Hollywood? Check out Finke’s post here.

“The Other Guys” shoot to the top of the Box Office 

The action-comedy, “The Other Guys,” won the weekend domestic Box Office and is continuing to rake in the dough at theaters.  “The Other Guys” debuted with $35.5 million to become the number one film in the country. On Monday, the teaming of Will  Ferrell and Mark Wahlberg as wantabe- hero  New York City detectives earned nearly $5 million more at theaters. 

After three weeks at in the top spot, the dreamscape sci-fi flick, “Inception,” dropped to second collecting $18.5 million– bringing its four-week domestic total to around $227 million. The new dance movie, “Step Up 3D” boogied into third place with $15.8 million. Adam Sevani and Alyson Stoner star in this third installment of the Step Up trilogy, where the battle of the dance moves to the college arena. 

Rounding out the top five, the spy thriller “Salt” with $10.9 million and the comedy, “Dinner for Schmucks” with $10.3 million.

Another Hollywood celebrity faced a judge in court, today.  Actor Charlie Sheen pleaded guilty to misdemeanor assault in a deal that resulted in more serious charges being dropped. Sheen got a break from the Aspen, Colorado judge who suspended a 30-day jail sentence as well.

The assault charge came out of a nasty Christmas Day altercation Sheen had with his wife, Brook Mueller. Also, Sheen was sentenced to 30-days in rehab, but he may not have to do that time either. The Wrap has more on Sheen’s day in court.

Meanwhile, Actress Lindsay Lohan began a 90-day rehab at UCLA Medical Center today. Lohan finished 13 days of a 90 day jail sentence and was immediately carted off to the medical center. Lohan was sentenced to jail and rehab for violating probation in a DUI  case. People magazine has more on the troubled actress’ latest ordeal.

SoCal congresswoman’s husband buys Newsweek Magazine

It’s a done deal. Wealthy Businessman and Philanthropist, Sidney Harman, is the new owner of Newsweek magazine. Harman, a 91-year-old stereo equipment magnate, is the spouse of California Congresswoman, Jane Harman, who represents the 36th District out in the South Bay.

Sidney Harman met with the staff of the struggling news magazine today. The full story on the Newsweek website.  

Summer movies still hot

Despite rising theater ticket prices, folks are continuing to go to the movies. Over the weekend, the dreamscape thriller “Inception” held onto the number one spot at the  Box Office with a take of  $27.4 million — bringing its three-week domestic total to $193.3 million.

The new screwball comedy, “Dinner for Schmucks,” debuted in second with $23.5 million. This is a remake of a French film, “The Dinner Game” (1998),  about an executive who finds just the right guy to take to his boss’ dinner for dummies. The movie stars Steve Carell and Paul Rudd.

The Angelina Jolie spy thriller, “Salt” raked in $19.4 million good enough for third.  The animated flick, “Despicable Me” took fourth with $15.5 million. And rounding out the top five, the new romantic-fantasy starring Zac Efron called “Charlie St. Cloud” with $12.3 million.

Logo courtesy PR Newswire

Some heavyweight stars have signed on to produce a series of two-hour documentaries with OWN, the Oprah Winfrey Network, scheduled to debut next January.

Julia Roberts, Forest Whitaker, and Goldie Hawn will be joined by Gabriel Byrne and Mariel Hemingway in this venture.  The subjects range from:  a look inside a hospice at the Louisiana maximum security prison in Angola, to Hemingway’s exploration of her family’s legacy of suicide to an in depth report on extraordinary mothers and their desire to make a better world for all children.

“All of these documentaries fundamentally explore human interaction, relationships and emotions,” said Lisa Erspamer, chief creative officer, OWN, in a PR Newswire press release today. ”We’re excited to provide viewers with new perspectives and new ways of looking at core themes that shape and affect their lives.”

The Oprah Winfrey Network is set to go on the air January 1, 2011, to approximately 80 millions homes, on what is now the Discovery Health Channel.