Ripa grew up dazzled by the lights of New York City. Kelly and her sister began taking ballet and piano lessons at an early age. They visited Manhattan frequently to see live shows and explore the culture of the big city. The young girl dreamed of the day when she would live in — and make her mark on — the Big Apple.

While Ripa successfully navigated her career, marriage and motherhood, she couldn’t have been prepared for the changes that would occur in the new millennium.

“There’s no such thing as an uber-mom. I think children are like pancakes. You sort of ruin the first one, and you get better at it the second time around.”

Kelly gets paid $36,000 an episode for “Live with Regis and Kelly“, which she co-hosts with legend Regis Philbin.  Ripa is under a five year contract, ending in 2009.

When asked about her ankle tattoo, Kelly replied, “It signals to them that I may be freaky deaky.”

Kelly Ripa loves to watch reality television, including The Bachelor, The Apprentice, Wife Swap, and Survivor.

It’s a first for Matthew McConaughey and good news for his adoring fans. In Surfer Dude, he’s shirtless for the entire film.

McConaughey’s role in the movie — a comedy about a champion of the long board who resists selling out to corporate America — wasn’t a difficult one for the laid-back actor to play.

Matthew McConaughey, who is often photographed on the beach, seemed to enjoy playing a soul-searching surfer. And it’s only a matter of time before his newborn son follows in his bare-footed steps.

Q: Congratulations on your three-and-half month old son Levi. Have you taken him surfing yet?

A: Not yet but he’ll be getting salty soon. Levi travels with his mom [model Carmen Alves] and me already. I want to get him out into the world. He’s outdoors as much as he is indoors. That’s how I was raised in the country. I like the city but I also want some space. And my boy is going to be out in the middle of it.  Full Interview

The hit ABC show Dancing With The Stars is back. The Three-Night Premiere Event Begins Monday, September 22 2008 and this season, the shows seventh, is projected to be the best ever.

Season seven of Dancing With The Stars marks the largest cast assembled to date, the oldest and youngest competitors ever, and includes two Olympic Gold medalists, a Grammy®-winning singer, a television legend, an Oscar® winner, and a Super Bowl champion. Additionally, all four professional dancers who have previously tasted the thrill of victory return to compete against one another for bragging rights.

This season also promises to be the biggest and most demanding season ever.  For the first time ever, all thirteen teams must prepare two routines for the first week of competition.

In alphabetical order, the celebrities dancers are: pop singer, Lance Bass, Grammy Awards singer Toni Braxton, model Brooke Burke, chef Rocco DiSpirito, sprinter Maurice Greene, reality celebrity Kim Kardashian, actress Cloris Leachman, actor Cody Linley, soap star Susan Lucci, olympic volleyball player Misty May-Treanor, actor Ted McGinley, comedian Jeffrey Ross, and football star Warren Sapp.

Dancing With The Starsis hosted by Tom Bergeron (America’s Funniest Home Videos) and Samantha Harris (E! Entertainment).

The shows popular and lively judges are renowned Ballroom judge Len Goodman and dancer/choreographers Bruno Tonioli and Carrie Ann Inaba.

Follow all the latest news and dance show results at ABC’s Dancing With The Stars site

The Oregon Shakespeare Festival, established in 1935, is among the oldest and largest regional professional repertory theater companies in the United States.

The festival reports that in 2007 total attendance in its three theaters was 404,730, with patrons seeing an average of three shows and almost 90 percent of the audience traveling more than 125 miles to attend.

While it’s called a Shakespeare festival, have no fear, there are plenty of different types of theater to choose from – even different kinds of Shakespeare, for that matter.

There are also modern plays, such as the comedies “The Further Adventures of Hedda Gabler” and “Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner,” along with classics such as Arthur Miller’s “A View From the Bridge.”

This is the place to indulge yourself in theater, and no one makes productions more accessible. Besides its guides to the plays, OSF has numerous tours, lectures and talks, all designed to enhance and deepen your experience of seeing the work on stage.

The festival has nine plays now running; four are Shakespeare, three are very different types of classics, and two are modern . (See accompanying reviews and schedule.)

“The whole theater scene is what draws the people and supports all the good restaurants and other things we have here,” Smith said.

Situated just outside the Oregon rainbelt, eastern- facing hills hover over Ashland, reflecting a perpetual glow – golden in the summer and gleaming white from snow in the winter. “The festival is the magnet, but once people get here, they immerse themselves in a cute little town for three or four days,” Smith said.

“They get caught up in the fine dining, the galleries, the wine-tasting, and it becomes an experience that is far more than the theater.”

Source: Marcus Crowder Sacramento Bee

Bo Diddley died of heart failure on June 2, 2008 at his home in Archer, FL. He was 79 years old.  He had suffered a heart attack in August, three months after suffering a stroke while touring in Iowa and had returned to Florida to continue rehabilitation.

One of the founding fathers of rock & roll, a truly unique talent and an influence upon generations of musicians, Ellas’ commitment to issues close to his heart, including human rights, the state of the Nation, homelessness, unemployment and the importance of education, touched many people across America and beyond.

One of the founding fathers of rock & roll, Bo Diddley’s innovative pounding and hypnotic Latin-tinged beat, his vast array of electric custom-built guitars, his use of reverb, tremelo and distortion to make his guitars talk, mumble and roar, his use of female musicians, his wild stage shows and his on-record and on-stage rapping, pre-date all others.

For Christmas in 1940, his sister Lucille bought him his first guitar, a cheap Harmony acoustic. It was at this time that he acquired the nickname “Bo Diddley.”

After more than a decade of playing on street corners and in clubs around Chicago, Bo Diddley finally got the chance to cut a demo of 2 songs that he had written; “Uncle John” and “I’m A Man”.

The two songs were re-recorded at Bill Putnam’s Universal Recording Studio in Chicago on Wednesday March 2nd 1955 and released as a double A-side disc “Bo Diddley”/”I’m A Man” on the Chess Records subsidiary label Checker Records.

The record went straight to the top of the rhythm ‘n’ blues charts, establishing Bo Diddley as one of the most exciting and original new talents in American music. It is later hailed as one of the most influential debut singles in history and one of the cornerstones of rock music.

Bo Diddley’s career has been recognized well, He was a deservedly, early inductee into the Rock ‘n’ Roll Hall of Fame, received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Rhythm ‘n’ Blues Foundation as well as received another Lifetime Achievement Award, from The Recording Academy at 1999 Grammy Awards Ceremony.

The impact that Bo Diddley had on the music industry will last forever. From Elvis Presley to George Thorogood, from The Rolling Stones to ZZ Top, from The Doors to The Clash, from Buddy Holly to Prince and from The Everly Brothers to Run DMC, all acknowledged the unique influences of Bo Diddley upon their different styles of music.

Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson’s popularity soared in the early 2000s through the World Wrestling Federation (now World Wrestling Entertainment) and since then he has crossed over into movie stardom.

Dwayn Johnson, born May 2, 1972, in Hayward, Calif., came to South Florida in 1990 to play football for the University of Miami Hurricanes, where he was a “walkon” non-scholarship player, playing defensive tackle behind Warren Sapp, an eventual first-round draft choice and all-pro.

After college, Johnson played football for two months with the Calgary Stampeders of the CFL (Canadian Football League), then was released.Johnson next followed his famous father’s and his grandfather’s footsteps and became a professional wrestler.

After a short training stint in 1995, he competed for the WWF under the names Flex Cavana and Pidlaoan Rock, then Rocky Maiavia (a combination of his father’s and grandfather’s names), before turning “babyface,” in wrestling lingo and become the Rock.

His signature lines included: “If you smell what the Rock is cooking,” referring to himself in the third person. He also would raise just one eyebrow for “the People’s Eyebrow” and refer to wrestlers who continually lost matches as “jabronis.”

In Hollywood, Dwayne Johnson achieved success with The Mummy Returns (2001), The Scorpion King (2002), a remake of Walking Tall (2004) and Disney’s The Game Plan (2007).

Dwayne Johnson essentially retired from wrestling in 2003, although he makes guest appearances with the WWE. He also has appeared on Saturday Night Live numerous times, done commercial endorsements and organized a charity to help dole out a portion of the reported $33 million-plus he has earned as a professional wrestler.

Sadly, a comedic legend has passed away.  George Carlin was a strong advocate of free speech. His work has been the cornerstone of comedy for decades.

He’s most famous for his hilarious routine “Seven Words You Can Never Say On Television.”  The bit was so controversial, that it ended up being a key Supreme Court ruling on obscenity.

Carlin, who had a history of heart trouble, went into St. John’s Health Center in Santa Monica on Sunday afternoon complaining of chest pain and died later that evening, said his publicist, Jeff Abraham. He had performed as recently as last weekend at the Orleans Casino and Hotel in Las Vegas. He was 71.

When his seven taboo words were played on a New York radio station, they resulted in a 1978 Supreme Court ruling upholding the government’s authority to sanction stations for broadcasting offensive language during hours when children might be listening.
“So my name is a footnote in American legal history, which I’m perversely kind of proud of,” he told The Associated Press earlier this year.

George Carlin produced 23 comedy albums, 14 HBO specials, three books, a couple of TV shows and appeared in several movies, from his own comedy specials to “Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure” in 1989

Carlin was born on May 12, 1937, and grew up in the Morningside Heights section of Manhattan, raised by a single mother.

Carlin’s first wife, Brenda, died in 1997. He is survived by wife Sally Wade; daughter Kelly Carlin McCall; son-in-law Bob McCall; brother Patrick Carlin; and sister-in-law Marlene Carlin.

Sarah Jessica Parker transitioned effortlessly into to a hectic and wide-ranging acting career. She has worked non-stop and shown her range and talent on stage, the big screen and television. She returns on the big screen, starring once again as Carrie Bradshaw in the hit movie “Sex and The City”.

Sarah Jessica Parker made the transition to feature films beginning in 1979, when she appeared in “Rich Kids”, followed by “Footloose” and “Firstborn”. Cast mostly as brainy or intense characters, Parker saw praise for her cleverly comic role opposite Steve Martin in “L.A. Story” in 1991.

Parker then returned to Broadway to co-star with future husband Matthew Broderick in the musical revival “How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying”.

In 1998, Sarah Jessica Parker returned to series television in the trendy comedy “Sex and the City,” winning awards for her role as the steadfastly independent but psychologically needy Carrie.

Parker would take home the Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series in 2001, and win Golden Globes for Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series Musical or Comedy in 2000, 2001, 2002 and 2004.

Thanks to her stylish character’s fashion savvy, Parker also become one of Hollywood’s hottest sexy celebrities of the late 1990s and early 2000s, known for her exceptional taste, new age accessories and always magnificent footwear.

Parker then returned to comedy starring alongside Matthew McConaughey in “Failure to Launch” (2006) about a thirty something slacker who suspects his parents of setting him up with his dream girl so he’ll finally vacate their home.

Photograph: Vincent Peters

Angelia Jolie is an amazing woman.  Not only is she knock-out dead gorgeous, but a role model humanitarian.

Jolie is a human rights advocate and, in summer action flick ”Wanted,” a remorseless killer. In a frank “Entertainment Weekly” interview, the star with the disarming and dangerous persona talks about sex, tattoos, motherhood, war, and peace

”Brad is the hardest person to shop for,” she says of her partner, Brad Pitt, while checking out a window display of Corum watches at the Grand-Hôtel du Cap-Ferrat in the south of France. ”He has impeccable design taste. And whenever he sees something he likes, he buys it for himself.” Pitt’s most recent gift to Jolie — the gun-charm necklace she wore to her EW photo shoot — is also a tough act to follow.

The 33-year-old Academy Award winner has always cultivated dual identities: On the one hand, she’s been the Mistress of the Dark (as in her fascinations with tattoos, knives, and blood); on the other, she’s the Minister of Light (her work promoting international peace).

Her next starring film roles keep that dichotomy alive: On June 27 she appears as Fox, a morally driven assassin who mentors a shlubby office worker (Atonement‘s James McAvoy) in the graphically violent Wanted, directed by Timur Bekmambetov (Night Watch).  Full article

Eric Charbonneau/WireImage.com

Lost star, Matthew Fox first gained fame playing Charlie Salinger, the eldest brother of four siblings who’d lost their parents in a car crash on Fox TV’s award-winning drama series, Party of Five (1994-2000). During his time on the show, he was featured in numerous magazines and was named one of People magazine’s “50 Most Beautiful People in the World.”

His fame grew in 2004 when he landed a starring role as Dr. Jack Shephard on ABC-TV’s Lost, a unique series that went on to become on of the highest ranked shows on the air, winning a Golden Globe as Best Drama Series. Fox received a Golden Globe nomination and won Best Actor Saturn and Golden Satellite Awards, as well as sharing a Screen Actors Guild Award with the rest of the cast for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series.

Fox grew up on horseback as the middle of three brothers on his family’s cattle ranch in Crowheart, Wyoming. He received a football scholarship from Columbia University, where he earned a degree in economics. Fox intended to work on Wall Street, but at the recommendation of a girlfriend’s mother who was a modeling agent, tried his hand at modeling first. After landing a few commercials, he was hooked and spent two years studying acting at The School for Film and Television in NYC.

His first TV role was a 1992 guest shot on the NBC sitcom Wings, and from there on his career took off. He was a regular on CBS’ 1992 short-lived Freshman Dorm, followed by a starring role in the CBS Schoolbreak Special If I Die Before I Wake(1993) before making his feature film debut in Buena Vista’s My Boyfriend’s Back (1993) opposite Mary Beth Hurt and Philip Seymour Hoffman.

During hiatus from Lost, Fox returned to the big screen with a starring role in the major motion picture We Are Marshall (2006), opposite Matthew McConaughey.

Fox lives in Oahu, Hawaii, where Lostis filmed, with his wife Margherita and their two children, Kyle and Byron.

When asked about often being on ‘Sexiest man alive’ lists, Matthew replies, ”It feels like it’s happening to someone else. I mean I just go to work and I’m doing the thing I love to do.”

Asked about why he thinks he’s been so successful?  “I think luck and timing are, without question, a big part of my success in this business. But I would also say I don’t think there are too many actors in Hollywood who have done three pilots which have all aired on TV, with two of them continuing for six years. There’s a phrase that luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity. So I’m going to take some of the credit for it.”

The craze is back. The sexy women from New York City are hitting the big screen. Our favorite gal pals from “Sex and the City” are bigger than ever in the new movie-version of the highly successful HBO show.

The film catches up with Carrie Bradshaw and her friends four years after we last saw them, and promises to answer all our lingering questions: Will Carrie and Big finally tie the knot? Can Samantha really be satisfied with just one man? Will Charlotte ever get pregnant? Can Miranda and Steve actually live happily ever after?

But, before you strap on your Manolos and run out to the theater, here’s a reminder of who the major “Sex and the City” players are – including the drinks and shoes.

THE GIRLS

Carrie Bradshaw (Sarah Jessica Parker)

“Sometimes it is important to have a 13-year-old moment, to remember a simpler time when the best thing in life was hanging out, listening to records and having fun with your friends.”
The scoop: Carrie’s freewheeling spirit is reflected in her eclectic wardrobe. Think Saks Fifth Avenue meets the YWCA thrift store. A hopeless romantic, her job as a newspaper sex columnist allowed her to ponder the nature of male/female relationships. And Carrie’s on-again/off-again attraction to the charming Mr. Big provided her with plenty of fodder.

When we last saw her: Carrie had left Aleksandr Petrovsky (Mikhail Baryshnikov) after moving with him to Paris. After getting the blessings of Charlotte, Miranda and Samantha, Big arrives in Paris just in time to sweep Carrie off her feet. Carrie and Big, realizing they’re meant to be, returned to New York, ready to start over … again.

Now: Carrie is no longer writing her newspaper column, but is a sometimes contributor to Vogue magazine and is working on her fourth book. She’s a more mature Carrie, who’s hiring a personal assistant and still in a stable relationship with Big.

Charlotte York (Kristin Davis)

“… Women just want to be rescued. I’m sorry but it’s true. I’ve been dating since I was 15. I’m exhausted. Where is he?”

The scoop: Charlotte is accustomed to the finer things in life. However, the discerning eye she used to critique artwork in her former job as an art dealer failed her when sizing up men. Charlotte always believed that a Prince Charming – handsome, dashing and, of course, rich – would arrive and together they would live happily ever after.

When we last saw her: Charlotte had converted to Judaism and married her divorce lawyer, Harry Goldenblatt (Evan Handler). After many thwarted attempts to become parents, she and Harry finally had learned they’d been approved to adopt a baby girl from China.

Now: Charlotte and Harry are proud parents of Lily, the little girl they adopted from China. The newfound happiness has changed Charlotte, who’s now focusing more on other people.

Samantha Jones (Kim Cattrall)

“If you’re a successful single woman … you have two choices: You can either bang your head against the wall and try to find a relationship, or you can just say screw it. Just have sex, like a man.”

The scoop: It’s no surprise Samantha’s a success in the competitive, image-conscious world of public relations. She is in her element among the movers and shakers of New York’s high society. Samantha’s a fashion plate whose thirst for designer clothes is matched only by her thirst for men.

When we last saw her: Samantha was facing some hard realities, including a battle with breast cancer, and the realization that she loved Smith Jerrod (Jason Lewis).

Now: Samantha is still with Smith and has followed him (and his acting career) to Los Angeles. Living in a beautiful beach house in Malibu, she misses her life back in New York.

Miranda Hobbes (Cynthia Nixon)

“I would love to be one of those people who’s all: ‘We loved, thank you, you enhanced my life, now go, prosper …,’ but I’m much more: ‘We didn’t work out, you need not to exist.’ ”

The scoop: Armed with a sharp tongue and a quick wit, Miranda uses her cynicism to shield her from the stress her job (she’s a corporate lawyer) and romantic relationships (or lack thereof) generate. Don’t let her bark fool you. Her sarcastic remarks and serious pantsuits belie a soft, sensitive side. Miranda’s pessimism doesn’t protect her from heartache and insecurity as much as her controlled facade lets on. She always has been a source of strength for her friends.

When we last saw her: Miranda, now a partner in her law firm, had done several things she swore she’d never do: Married bartender Steve Brady (David Eigenberg), had a baby boy (though not in that order) … and moved to Brooklyn.

Now: Still in Brooklyn, Miranda feels cut off from her former life in Manhattan. A working mother going in five different directions, she’s experiencing the pressures of modern life.

THE BOYS

Mr. Big (Chris Noth)

Carrie’s long-time, on-again/off-again love interest Mr. Big is back for the film, although in a new role: fiance. And this time, he’s engaged to Carrie.

Smith Jerrod (Jason Lewis)

Boy toy Smith proved his worth and his devotion to Samantha during her bout with cancer. Now his hot acting career has taken him (and Samantha) to L.A.

Harry Goldenblatt (Evan Handler)

Charlotte’s divorce lawyer turned husband may be the opposite of preppy dream, but he’s all heart and a supportive husband.

Anthony Marentino (Mario Cantone)

Charlotte’s former wedding planner turned into Charlotte’s confidant and fashion consultant.

Steve Brady (David Eigenberg)

Miranda’s husband and father of her son, Brady, Steve still is a stand-up guy who will do anything for the people he loves.

Brady Hobbes (Joseph Pupo)

Little Brady is no longer a baby anymore. Now he’s a little boy in Brooklyn.

Stanford Blatch (Willie Garson)

Talent agent Standford comes with a lot of drama, but he may be the only man who has stood by Carrie’s side.

By Wendy Zang and Eric Goodwin