Catching up on some celebrity book deals. Rocker Courtney Love has signed a deal with HarperCollins for a “tell-all” memior, according to the publishing  site Galleycat. Love’s untitled memior reportedly will be a no-holds-barred telling of her life from “ childhood to the present day.”

Love was married to deceased rock legend, Kurt Cobain of Nirvana. Love has had success with her band, Hole, but also personal problems and trouble with drugs in her later years.

Also Galleycat is reporting the autobiography of  Arnold Schwarzenegger is set to hit bookstores in October of 2012. Simon & Schuster has worked out a deal with the former California Governor to publish, ” Total Recall: My Unbelievably True Life Story.” Schwarzenegger’s recent love child scandal/marriage collapse to Maria Shriver will probably make it a best seller from day one of publication.

Photo courtesy Guest Blogger Jean Youn

Henry Ford, Andrew Carnegie, Gary Cooper, John Wayne, Abraham Lincoln, John F. Kennedy, Muhammad Ali, Elvis Presley, Audrey Hepburn, Elizabeth Taylor … etc. These names bring out different thoughts and feelings depending on the person who’s having these thoughts and feelings.

However, for me and probably many other people who were growing up in different countries around the time I was, those names are the names we thought of when we thought of America. Another name that I’ve come to associate with America is Louis “Satchmo” Armstrong, though he had a very different background from those other people. Louis Armstrong was almost synonymous to America in my mind when growing up because America reminded me of jazz music and jazz music reminded me of Louis Armstrong.

Louis Armstrong was born in the streets of New Orleans to a mother who was a prostitute in 1901. After age 11, he was often sent to the New Orleans Home for Colored Waifs for general delinquency. However, it was there where he developed his cornet playing seriously. (He would later switch to the trumpet and become famous). So though his early life seemed rather hopeless, he was able to grow into a legendary jazz musician.

As a child, it is said that Louis Armstrong asked a teacher why is it that everyone works but only some succeed and others fail. The teacher responded to him that people who fail, fail because they put all of their energy into things they can’t do instead of on doing things they can do. People that succeed, succeed because they put all of their energy into things they can do instead of on things they can’t do.

Those words from Louis Armstrong are of great importance to me as an immigrant in this country working in a dry cleaners. I like to think that as I work hard at something I can do, which is dry cleaning, that I am helping to make America the great country that I knew it to be as a child when I used to hear about those great names that were from this country.

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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.

Another member of the Schwarzenegger family is gearing up for a publicity blitz. Katherine Schwarzenegger is the 20-year-old daughter of Actor/Governor, Arnold Schwarzenegger, and former TV Journalist/Author, Maria Shriver.

The USC student is set to go on a promotional tour in the next few weeks for her first book, “Rock What You’ve Got: Secrets to Loving Your Inner and Outer Beauty from Someone Who’s Been there and Back.” Schwarzenegger says her own struggles with self-worth and  body image prompted her to write a book to inspire young girls.

“You don’t have to look like you’re on a billboard to feel beautiful. I really wanted to correct girls’ perception of that.” Schwarzenegger said in a PR Newswire press release.  

Also, the book is about growing up with famous parents and relatives –the Kennedy family. Schwarzenegger says that at home, her father is more of a food watchdog than her mother. She says that when Arnold the movie star was preparing for a movie role, he would tear through the house, trashing all the ice cream and junk food.

According to the Barnes & Noble website, the busy Southland college junior also blogs about body image and self-esteem for the ABC Family show “Huge.”

Katherine Schwarzenegger’s book, “Rock What You’ve Got,” goes on sale next Tuesday, September 14.

Some good and not-so-good news for Oprah

The Forbes Magazine website calls Oprah Winfrey the queen of all media. Winfrey is number one on Forbes’ latest 100 richest and most powerful celebrities list. It’s not just the $315 million Winfrey earned last year that won her the top spot on this list.  You gotta have huge media exposure and online presence to make that ranking. Others who made the top 10, James Cameron, Tiger Woods, Sandra Bullock, and new pop music sensation/fashion daredevil, Lady Gaga!

Another reason Oprah is in the news –  a controversy swirling around a show on her yet-to-be-launched new network. The wrap is reporting that OWN, the Oprah Winfrey Network due to debut next January, is accused of rigging the contestant selection for one of its upcoming reality programs. Details here.

“Toy Story 3″ leads the Box Office again

Two high-profile films didn’t quite have what it takes to unseat “Toy Story 3″ at the top of the domestic Box Office last weekend. The animated sequel continues to draw big crowds at movie theaters. Over the weekend, it racked up $59.3 million to bring its two-week total to $226.8 million.

Landing in second place, the new comedy, “Grown Ups,” which debuted with $40.5 million. It’s about a reunion of five friends and their families over the 4th of July holiday weekend. The stars include Adam Sandler, Kevin James, Chris Rock, David Spade, and Rob Scheider.

The new Tom Cruise-Cameron Diaz action flick had to settle for third. The plot centers on a female traveler who’s life gets tangled up with that of a secret agent. “Knight and Day” pulled in $20 million at theaters.

The family comedy, “The Karate Kid” is still kicking – scoring $15.5 million for fourth, and rounding out the top five, “The A-Team” with $6.2 million.  

Photo: Chuck Kennedy/White House  — Hundreds of chefs from around the country gathered on the south lawn of the White House for a “Let’s Move” event on June 4, 2010

 First Lady Michelle Obama’s “Let’s Move” program has expanded to include hundreds of chefs from communities all across the nation. Chefs from 37 states assembled at the White House on Friday, June 4, 2010 to support “Chefs Move to Schools” phase of the first lady’s program.

“Let’s Move” is aimed at fighting childhood obesity. The chefs will be paired with schools in their local communities to work with students, parents, school nutritionists and administrators. Mrs. Obama explained it this way: “And together, you’ll be helping students learn where food comes from, and develop healthy habits. You’ll be elevating the role of food in our schools, and working to create healthy meals on a budget…You can make a salad bar fun — now, that’s something — and delicious. You can teach kids to cook something that tastes good and is good for them; and share your passion for food in a way that’s truly contagious.”

Food Diva/Author/Cookware Designer/TV Chef, Rachael Ray, posted a story on the White House Blog today about the program and her own experience called “Cooking as a Way of Life.” Ray says: “Understanding what good nutrition means and the basics of cooking are some of the most important tools kids need for the rest of their lives. Knowing how to put together a good, nutritious meal really improves the quality of one’s life.” More of Ray’s post here, which includes a video clip, too.

Media Mogul/Talk Show Superstar Oprah Winfrey is well known for her generosity. Not only does she fund numerous charity ventures, she loves to give special gifts to individuals as well. The entertainer’s list of all-time favorite gifts is on her Oprah.com website here.

Josh Groban’s Noël CD made the “O” list. Since its release in 2007, this collection of popular Christmas tunes has sold over five million copies and is still selling. The price is around $14, even cheaper at places like Barnes & Noble.com.  Also, Oprah’s list includes some to-die-for cupcakes, Sarabeth’s gift sampler jam box, a Greenberg smokehouse turkey, and an assortment of literary classics like ”To Kill a Mockingbird” by Harper Lee.

A very interesting list from a woman who can buy just about anything and who has a deep appreciation for things that have a special quality. I’m pretty sure anyone who finds an Oprah gift under their Christmas tree is going to be delighted.

Some surprises on the annual list of the most overpaid Hollywood stars by Forbes magazine. It wasn’t just about the fat paychecks with all those zeros. Some actors aren’t generating a good return at the Box Office, according to Forbes.

In the number one spot on the magazine’s list, comic/actor Will Ferrell. Funny guys Eddie Murphy, Jim Carrey and actor Tom Cruise made the top 10 as well. However, the shockers for me were Drew Barrymore and Ice Cube! Here’s the story on how Forbes decided who is worth the big bucks and who isn’t.

Photo of Johnny Depp —Paul Treadway/Matrix/People Magazine

Actor Johnny Depp is 46-years-old. No matter. Today People Magazine handed Depp his second “Sexiest Man Alive” title, beating out hot younger hunks and fellow thespians Ryan Reynolds and Robert Pattinson. Depp won the title the first time around in 2003.

It’s nice to see a celebrity, who’s nearly 50, getting props for aging gracefully and not trying to look 25. Also, I love his I-don’t-care-what-the-fashion-police-say style that includes showing up at events wearing some pretty funky outfits and hair that always seems in need of a comb or a trim. Oh, and the guy’s an incredible actor as well. Go Johnny!

More on Depp and the other “Sexiest Man Alive” contenders on the People  website.