<![CDATA[Jezebel: john hughes]]> http://tags.gawker.com/assets/base/img/thumbs140x140/jezebel.com.png <![CDATA[Jezebel: john hughes]]> http://jezebel.com/tag/johnhughes http://jezebel.com/tag/johnhughes <![CDATA[Heidi & Spencer A "Nightmare"; Courtney Caught In Bed With What?]]>

  • Surprise, surprise: Heidi Montag and Spencer Pratt are a "complete nightmare" for the people working on the Miss Universe pageant in the Bahamas, where Heidi is supposed to perform on Sunday night. An insider says:

"Heidi has missed many rehearsals… Spencer tried to demand that the hotel pay him to lay by the pool." Dear Miss Universe People: You have no one to blame but yourselves. [Page Six]

  • BREAKING: Courtney Love caught in bed with a turtle. [The Sun]
  • Renée Zellweger dared to attend a movie premiere without Bradley Cooper; he took his parents and not Renée to Alyssa Milano's wedding. Scandalous. [Page Six]
  • Jon Gosselin visited kids with cancer at an NYC hospital on Tuesday, possibly in an attempt to rehabilitate his image? [Us]
  • Authorities now suspect that reality show "star" Ryan Alexander Jenkins — suspected of killing his wife, Jasmine Fiore — crossed over the Canadian border on foot after driving his SUV to Blaine, Washington. [TMZ]
  • Save the date: September 14. Whitney Houston will give her first full-length interview in almost seven years to… Oprah. Of course. As you may recall, in 2002, Whitney sat down with Diane Sawyer, and memorably declared: "Crack is cheap. I make too much money to ever smoke crack." [Mirror, NY Daily News]
  • Venus and Serena Williams are in talks to become part owners in the Miami Dolphins. [AP]
  • Magician David Copperfield has been sued for sexual assault. The woman is a 22-year-old fashion model and alleges that the incident happened when she was a guest on his private island in the Bahamas in 2007. She says he attacked and sexually assaulted her, threatening to kill her if she didn't go along. [TMZ]
  • Jay Leno's new show will spotlight new young comedians. "I hope people become famous and get offered shows." But he won't just have "a bunch of white guys doing standup" — he plans to have a "diverse group," including women, African-Americans and other minorities. [AP]
  • Will Paula Abdul return to American Idol? Focus groups may make that decision. "Fox loves focus groups," an insider says. "If Paula consistently scores far higher than any other person in her chair, they will feel compelled to make her an offer she can't refuse and make this deal happen." Another source says: "There will be four judges at American Idol come January. And that fourth judge will be Paula Abdul." [MSNBC]
  • Paula Abdul's manager says that there have been "no discussions whatsoever about Idol." [LA Times]
  • Amy Winehouse went out to dinner and then for drinks and the paparazzi took snaps of her a little tipsy on her way home and zoomed in on her nose and claim there's a "mystery substance" up her nose but honestly you can't see a damn thing. [Daily Mail]
  • "Got Line Flu Amy?" [The Sun]
  • "Oprah Winfrey and her favorite physician, "Dr. Oz," filed suit yesterday to shut down more than 500 Web sites that falsely claim the pair endorses the sites' diet pills and miracle cures." [NY Post]
  • Russell Brand wears a top hat, dances in the streets and sings the lyrics "sexual rewards" in this new MTV VMA promo. [ONTD]
  • Expect to see heavy cross-promotion between Project Runway and Harvey Weinstein-produced flick Nine. [Page Six]
  • Pauly Shore pulled a Christian Bale and had an on-set meltdown while filming Brand Dead. Seems fake, but you be the judge. [TMZ, TMZ]
  • A source says Jennifer Hudson thinks of her newborn child as a gift from beyond after her family was murdered: "She wasn't trying to get pregnant… She believes her mother played a part in sending this gift from God. She tells everyone her mother sent this baby to pull her through this." [MSNBC Scoop]
  • Eva Longoria will star in a Mexican film about kidnapping, which means she will be in a Spanish-speaking role for the first time. [AP]
  • Figure skater Brian Boitano is now a TV chef, with his Food Network show, What Would Brian Boitano Make? premiering Sunday. Turns out the Oylmpic gold medalist is a foodie, and the Food Network's VP of programming says his passion and command of cooking is "one of the biggest, happiest surprises I've gotten in my career." [LA Times]
  • As mentioned yesterday, Leona Lewis tracks have been leaked onto the Internet. One was a song produced by Justin Timberlake. A police investigation is ongoing. [Daily Mail]
  • Pete Doherty is planning on getting the Libertines back together, even if Carl "Biggles" Barat doesn't want to join. "If Biggles doesn't want to do it or gets cold feet or he thinks I'm still a crackhead, what am I going to do? Maybe I could reform the Libertines without him, like he did without me. I wouldn't really want to, but you've got to pay the bills. I'll put an advert in the NME: 'Carlos lookalike required.'" [Independent]
  • District 9 sequel? Maybe. It's already being referred to as District 10. [NY Daily News]
  • Nora Jones is about to release her first album in three years; this column claims she has a new look and a new sound. (Cute hair!) [USA Today]
  • Phil Spector has been writing letters from prison: He fears for his safety, enjoys visits from his wife and would like to be moved to "a better prison." [USA Today]
  • "I loved New York, even back then (1980s graffiti-scarred, pre-Giuliani New York). It was such an overwhelming animal. I loved the energy and attitude of the place. It's great for being productive and creative." —Eric Bana, who's on the cover of Men's Health. [Just Jared]
  • "It's a lot of material to fill. It is a lot of jokes. This is lot more work. A lot more work. You're doing probably three shows worth of comedy every night. On The Tonight Show we had maybe two talking guests and a band. That's not a lot of work for me. But this will be a lot more work." — Jay Leno on his new show. [Reuters]
  • "I remember sensing that my mother was holding something back from me. I used to think I had done something wrong because she could be so distant. I knew there was something going on that I didn't know about and because I was a child I thought it was my fault. It took me years to work out that she had actually been protecting me from racism… There were comments and my mother kept all that away from us and to do that she had be a barrier between us and them." — Thandie Newton, who says she and her brother were the only mixed-race kids in their area when growing up. [Daily Express]
  • "Before I played Ari Gold, I was in probably 40 movies and playing a lot of very soft-spoken characters, also-rans, best friends and whatnot. That was all easily forgotten as soon as I put Ari's power suit on." — Jeremy Piven. [Time]
  • "[The culture here] isn't based on anything other than ‘Who got a boob job?' That's what I feel L.A. is about. A lot of people here want to be everyone but themselves." — Mila Kunis. [Just Jared]
  • "Oh my God! I was on the set of Two and a Half Men when I heard. I had all these texts, and at first I thought it was a hoax. What struck me was I hadn't seen him in years, and when I think about it, I really owe an enormous amount of my career to him. And it made me sad because it made me realize that you've really got to let people know it when you're grateful to them. They won't always be here and I regret that I didn't do that. But I have very fond memories. He was a lovely guy and knew exactly what he wanted. He'll be greatly missed." — Jon Cryer on the death of John Hughes. [Reuters]
  • "I was talking to my friend about [whether monogamy] is feasible, is it realistic? I resolved that there isn't really a better model. We just can't shake monogamy. It definitely demands a kind of rigor and discipline and selflessness. But it's also fun." — Claire Danes, to BlackBook. [Page Six]
  • "I like clever folks. I like people who are concerned with [what] the path they leave behind them looks like… Empathy, humor, wit, self reliance and honesty. [Being attractive] doesn't hurt." —Renée Zellweger, on what she looks for in a man. [People]
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<![CDATA[Renée & Bradley Play Grab-Ass; Emmy Rossum's Secret Divorce]]>

They walk like teenagers at the state fair: Hands on each others asses. Image at link! [TMZ]

  • Here are more invasion of privacy pix of Renee and Bradley in a Barcelona hotel, and what's really notable are Renee's torturous heels. [Daily Mail]
  • Oh-so-demure actress Emmy Rossum, 22, is getting a secret divorce from her secret husband after getting a secret marriage on some secret date. Secrets! [JustJared]
  • On Angelina Jolie at the Inglourious Basterds premiere: "Even though Jolie skipped most press, when we chatted with her for a bit she was bubbly, fun and...nice. What gives? Could Jolie be preggers again or something?" Yes, if a woman is in a good mood, she must be sperminated. [E!]
  • Jon Gosselin has given an eloquent statement in response to Kate's appearance on the today show. "Kate's the mother of my children," he told E! News. "I only wish her the best." [Usa Magazine]
  • Apparently Regis Philbin and Kate Gosselin had an awkward moment in an interview which will air on Live With Regis And Kelly tomorrow. He asked if Kate could see herself reconnecting with Jon. She said: "I can't and won't answer that. I keep certain things private, and that's one." Then, Reeg being Reeg, he said: "I think you [and your husband] will get back together and live happily ever after. I think everything is going to work itself out - he'll say he's sorry, that he loves you and everything will be good." Kate had no response and the show cut to commercial. [NY Daily News]
  • Justin Timberlake is bringing chukker back: He bought a house in Connecticut in a private gated community famed for Greenwich polo matches. [Page Six]
  • John Hughes was mourned yesterday at a private service in Lake Forest, Illinois. Among the attendees: Family, friends, Vince Vaughn, Ben Stein and Matthew Broderick. [USA Today]
  • Kate Hudson wants to have Alex Rodriguez's baby. [MSNBC]
  • Nadya Suleman, mother of octuplets, has been hospitalized in California. Details? None. A source says: "This is not a big deal and Nadya should be back on her feet in a few days." [Radar Online]
  • Ben Stiller will appear on an episode of Bear Grylls' Man Vs. Wild, and says he'd like to see some other stars survive in the wilderness: "I really would love to invite Demi Moore." [The Sun]
  • Kim Kardashian and Reggie Bush: Reunited and it feels so good? [Perez]
  • Kourtney Kardashian kissed a girl. And liked it. On camera. And it's part of the promotional blitz for her show Kourtney And Khloe Take Miami. But, she says: "I feel like I'm definitely into men." [E!]
  • Unbeweavable! Amy Winehouse: The Musical. Might happen. [The Sun]
  • Zac Efron is at the center of a lawsuit in Beverly Hills small claims court; a woman claims he hit a cab and the cab hit her. She's looking for $3,319.76 — which should be doable if a bunch of you guys go rent 17 Again. [TMZ]
  • It had been reported that Real Housewives Of Atlanta' Lisa Wu Hartwell had been evicted from her home, but she says: "We chose to move, we were not evicted. It was a short-sell. It was not a foreclosure." [People]
  • Whee! Natalie Portman will produce Booksmart, the comedy written by our girlcrush Sarah Haskins and her pal Emily Halpern. This is the one about two overachieving high school seniors who realize they don't have boyfriends and resolve to each find one by prom. [Variety]
  • Joe Jonas may be joining the cast of Valentine's Day, which, in addition to Julia Roberts, Anne Hathaway, Jessica Biel, Jessica Alba, Patrick Dempsey, Jamie Foxx and Queen Latifah, stars his ex, Taylor Swift. [E!]
  • Even though it was previously reported that Michael Jackson had already been buried at Forest Lawn Cemetery, Joe Jackson says MJ is "not buried yet." And: "I think Vegas would be great."
  • Will the 9th season of Dancing With The Stars be Jackson-inspired? Lou Ferrigno is "definitely interested." LaToya Jackson is in talks. Jermaine Jackson wants to do it too, and "thinks he could win it all." [MSNBC]
  • LaToya Jackson's discussions to join DWTS are "serious." [Us Magazine]
  • Jermaine Jackson was trying to pull together a "Happy Birthday Michael Jackson" televised tribute concert in Vienna on August 29, but couldn't get it organized in time. [Page Six]
  • Is Blanket Blaxican?!?!? [Mirror]
  • There's a dispute over the Billy Mays autopsy results; the medical examiner should not have immediately listed "heart disease" as the cause, since it ignored the toxicology work which found cocaine, Xanax and Vicodin in the pitchman's system. [TMZ]
  • Amber Rose naked, holding a whip. [The Life Files]
  • Joey Buttafuoco: Suing Mary Jo. Apparently he's not happy that her new book calls him a sociopath. [La Daily Musto]
  • Pete Doherty is going to trial for drugs. Related: Sky is blue. [The Sun]
  • Farrah Fawcett's friend Alana Stewart says that Redmond O'Neal is "doing well" and is getting sober. "He's in a rehab part of the jail and he's going to go to a regular rehab after this. He feels his mother's with him; he feels her presence very strongly and he promised her in a phone call just before she died that he would never do drugs again, so I hope that he's able to keep that promise." [Daily Express]
  • Miss Universe Dayana Mendoza, who got in trouble last year when people found out that she'd posed for a jewelry ad in the nude, a no-no for Miss Universe contestants, will appear topless in Maxim's September issue. Of course. [Page Six]
  • "I always look at things and say, 'Will Barbra be proud?' She does such elegant work. Am I the guy who is going out and doing the tacky stuff? So I weighed it a lot. I decided to do it because I wanted to do comedy stuff so bad." — James Brolin, on appearing in the raunchy comedy The Goods, starring Jeremy Piven. [LA Times]
  • "My humor isn't meant to be mean or hurt anyone. But it's to make them uncomfortable and laugh. I like making people feel a different range of emotions. I like to make people a bit confused." — Charlyne Yi. [USA Today]
  • "If I'm honest, I don't think I'll ever be totally free from that. It's much more under control but food for me will never be easy. I used it as a shield. It was a way to fend off rejection: you'll never want me, look how fat I am. I'll be the fat, funny one." — Sharon Osbourne, on her bulimia and food addictions. [Daily Express]
  • "I worked with such amazingly talented people that just a brush stroke would change my face a little bit. I looked at myself in the mirror one day and I didn't really realise we were doing the older Clare that day and I said 'Oh, I'm looking a little haggard', before being told it was paint." — Rachel McAdams on playing all different ages in The Time Traveller's Wife. [Mirror]
  • "I'm a successful woman, in the public eye, and raising a kid by myself. It can leave guys feeling like, 'Damn, how can I have a chance?' Just be a man!" — Taraji P. Henson, to Men's Fitness. She looks hot in the snaps at the link. [Gatecrasher]
  • "There was a very funny thread on a message board somewhere online that said, 'Yeah, well, they obviously Photoshopped it, because who would sit in water all day for a photo shoot?' Well, no… [Laughs.] I sat in a giant tank of water for a solid Saturday, and it was kind of fun, actually. I mean, once you're wet, you're wet. You don't get any more wet. So you're just kind of like, 'All right, here we are.' And it was a bunch of crewmembers and waiters and an incredibly skillfully constructed set, and I think a pretty cool image that they got out of it as well. I'm sure they could have done some kind of photo trickery, but this makes for a better story, and it's way cooler to go build it and do it for reals. I think online, there's a time-lapse image of it filling up, too." — Jon Hamm, on the promotional photo for Mad Men's third season, in which he is sitting in a room full of water. [AV Club
  • "I'm very religious. I'm a big Christian girl. I kinda wanted to keep those values a little bit. I haven't told my dad [I posed for Playboy] yet. I might not tell him. My mom was so excited she was just, like, pose! God gave you that body, you show off that cute little thing." — Heidi Montag. [Extra]
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<![CDATA[If You Leave]]> The documentary Don't You Forget About Me, about the filmmaker's search for John Hughes in suburban Illinois, has been picked up for distribution. Judging by the trailer, the movie will be jam-packed with poignant moments and revealing interviews. [Variety, ArtsBeat]

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<![CDATA[Who Was The Ideal John Hughes Heroine?]]> About a month ago, we went through the ups and downs of having a John Hughes boyfriend. As a tribute to Mr. Hughes, who passed away Friday, I thought I'd give the same treatment to his beloved teenage heroines.

I was too young for Hughes' teenage-centric films when they hit theaters; I fell in love with them via syndication, where they endlessly played on Saturday afternoons, the swears beeped out in favor of words like "butthead" and "jackal." My friends and I had "Molly Ringwald Trilogy" nights in high school, watching Sixteen Candles, The Breakfast Club, and Pretty In Pink until the wee hours of the morning and sighing over the all-too-relatable characters. It didn't matter that the clothing and the music were dated: the stories still rang true, and we saw ourselves sitting in that library, or showing up to the dance in that (hideous) dress, or standing in front of the mirror, wishing for "4 inches of bod and a great birthday." But which Hughes heroine really stands the test of time? Let's find out.

  • Samantha Baker: Sixteen Candles
  • Pros: Able to stay sane in a relatively insane household, forgives her parents for forgetting her birthday, wins over Jake Ryan by seeming like the type of girl who would be "a serious girlfriend," is the type of girl who would give her underwear away under non-sexual circumstances to help a geek in need; wears a hat, which, as Farmer Ted notes, is just so Vogue, you know?
  • Cons: Cries a lot, has a bit of a Jan Brady complex when it comes to her dippy older sister, bases much of her happiness on if Jake Ryan likes her or not, actually thinks carrots will increase the size of her breasts at the age of 16.
  • Final Analysis: Samantha embodies much of the hormonal insanity that comes along with being sixteen years old: she's impossibly in love with a boy she barely knows, she feels like her family doesn't understand her at all, and she's willing to unload her "bullshit" on anyone who is "human" enough to listen, like good ol' Farmer Ted. However, we don't see Samantha for much of the film; after she's humiliated at the dance, she takes a backseat to the film's other (and honestly, more interesting) stars. Her role is merely to be crushed by a guy, and then saved by a guy.
  • John Hughes Heroine Grade: C



  • Allison Reynolds, The Breakfast Club
  • Pros: Can make art with her own dandruff, finds interesting ways of amusing herself, keeps plenty of tampons on hand in case she ever has to "jam," clearly an excellent dancer, appreciates the finer things in life, like a Capn' Crunch/Pixy Stix sandwich.
  • Cons: Has a tendency to withdraw completely in order to avoid socialization/confrontation, allows herself to be madeover, even though she likes the "black shit" under her eyes.
  • Final Analysis The makeover. The makeover! It kills Allison's character completely, transforming her from the weird girl who won the heart of the jock simply by connecting with him emotionally to a Molly Ringwald-clone who is now deemed acceptable to be seen in public with. Allison never seemed to have a problem with her appearance; it was the other students who judged her. Every other member of the Breakfast Club goes through an internal change—why does Allison have to go through a makeover, too?
  • John Hughes Heroine Grade: D



  • Andie Walsh, Pretty In Pink
  • Pros: Quirky dresser, not afraid to cross class lines to date the boy she likes, works at a pretty rad record store, makes her own clothes, quickly dismisses skeevy lothario Stef whenever he tries to pick her up.
  • Cons: Oblivious to her best friend Duckie's romantic attachment, creator of the ugliest dress ever made in the history of fashion, takes Blaine back after he treats her like complete crap, ignoring her calls and dumping her as a prom date.
  • Final Analysis: Andie isn't afraid of confrontation, standing up to Stef, her father, and Blaine in order to make her voice heard and let them know exactly how she feels. However, she totally crumbles at the end and makes up with Blaine, even though he's treated her like dirt for much of the last third of the film. The original ending had Andie ending up with super-clingy slightly obsessive bff Duckie; one wonders if she would have been better off alone. And honestly? Ruining two perfectly lovely dresses to make a Pepto-Bismol trapezoid nightmare frock is pretty unforgivable, even for 1986.
  • John Hughes Heroine Grade: C+



  • Amanda Jones, Some Kind Of Wonderful
  • Pros Amanda Jones was one in a line of many Hughesian characters drawn to depict the class divide in the 1980s—she's the Andie Walsh of this film, dealing with the humiliations of being the poor girl dating the rich guy. Only in Amanda's case, she's dating douchebag Harley not for love, like Andie and Blaine, but for status and security, as his money makes her a "richie" by default. Eventually she sees the error of her ways and rejects both Harley and poor suitor Keith, finding that it's "going to feel good to stand on my own."
  • Cons: The aforementioned dating a douchebag for status, the way she allows herself to be humiliated by men in order to fit in, the way she uses Keith to hurt her dumbass ex-boyfriend, the way she allows Keith to use her, her general bitchiness throughout the film.
  • Final Analysis: In many ways, one feels sorry for Amanda Jones, as she's a product of the times, a material girl living in a material world who is only trying to keep up with her popular friends. She eventually gets her priorities straight and tells her cruel ex-boyfriend where to stick it, but it takes her a while to get there—for most of the film, she's a doormat, a tool through which teenage boys can get what they want.
  • John Hughes Heroine Grade: D



  • Jeannie Bueller, Ferris Bueller's Day Off
  • Pros: Not to be messed with, knows how to destroy a high school principal, stands up for her brother when necessary, even though she pretty much hates him.
  • Cons: Goes out of her way to destroy her brother until a more suitable enemy captures her wrath, changes her name to Shawna in order to impress a wasted Charlie Sheen at the police department.
  • Final Analysis: I love Jeannie Bueller. She is the best and the worst big sister anyone could ask for. Yes, she spends most of her time trying to ruin Ferris' life, but when it comes down to it, she's a loyal family member and her heart is in the right place. Just don't cross her, or you'll be faced with a "scorching case of herpes."
  • John Hughes Heroine Grade: B

  • Claire Standish, The Breakfast Club
  • Pros: Also an excellent dancer, can put lipstick on without using her hands, shows kindness to geek Brian upon learning he's a virgin, is very proud of her family name.
  • Cons:Defends her shallow pursuits as a means to stay popular and respected, admits she won't acknowledge the rest of the Breakfast Club once school resumes, is the direct cause of Allison's dumb makeover, ends up with Bender even though he's spent most of their time together sexually harassing and humiliating her.
  • Final Analysis: Claire doesn't seem to grow too much throughout the film. She admits that she's shallow, but doesn't seem to do much about it, other than makeout with the bad boy and give the weird girl a makeover.
  • John Hughes Heroine Grade: C



  • Sloane Peterson, Ferris Bueller's Day Off
  • Pros: You have to be pretty damn awesome to date Ferris Bueller, and Sloane Peterson was. She was effortlessly cool, able to play along with Ferris' insane schemes with ease, staying detached and calm, even in the wackiest of circumstances. She seemed fearless yet romantic, noting at one point that Ferris was "going to marry" her, but still seeming to live in the moment, most of the time anyway.
  • Cons: However, it seemed like Sloane was more fascinated by Ferris' future than her own, noting that she wasn't interested in anything, but dreamily asking Cameron what he thought would happen to Ferris as the years went on. She appears to have hitched her wagon to Ferris' star: one wishes she had more of a star of her own, you know?
  • Final Analysis: Sloane, like Cameron's house, was very beautiful and very cold, and though her cool factor was off the charts, she often seemed to have little personality outside of being Ferris Bueller's girlfriend.
  • John Hughes Heroine Grade: C+


  • Watts, Some Kind Of Wonderful
  • Pros: Watts is tough as nails, but has a soft spot for her best friend Keith, who is completely oblivious, of course, as he's too busy making googly eyes at popularity queen Amanda Jones. The scenes where Watts chauffeurs Keith and Amanda around on their fancy-pants date are heartbreaking, as her pride and her clearly hurt feelings combine to paint a portrait of how many of us felt as teenage girls: a bit lost, a bit sad, and a bit pissed off at the universe in general. The scene where's she's mocked for wearing boys' underpants is painful as well; the way she looks at herself in the mirror with a mix of confusion and disdain pretty much sums up that awkward phase between being a girl and being a woman: you don't know what the hell is going on, and you're not sure if you like it or not. She also has some of the best lines in the Hughes canon, including "Don't go mistaking paradise for a pair of long legs."
  • Cons: Watts never has a problem saying what she thinks, until it comes to expressing her feelings towards Keith. She's also quick to cut down Amanda Jones, even though she barely knows her, simply because she's stealing Keith's attention away, calling her shallow and "a skag."
  • Final Analysis: Watts embodies the tough girl with a heart of gold; she's the poster girl for unrequited love for most of the film, dropping such lines as "You break his heart, I break your face," about the boy she loves so dearly. One gets the sense that her relationship won't change too much with Keith once they get together; they've always treated each other as equals, something that's often missing from many teen romances.
  • John Hughes Heroine Grade: A


Agree? Disagree? Anyone you'd like to add? Feel free to add your suggestions in the comments.

Earlier: The Ups And Downs Of Having A John Hughes Boyfriend
5 Movies John Hughes Will Be Remembered For
John Hughes, 1950-2009

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<![CDATA[Rihanna Back In Spotlight; Brat Packers Remember John Hughes]]>

  • Rihanna will appear on the September 14 launch of The Jay Leno Show — her first performance since being assaulted by Chris Brown in February. But she won't be alone:

She's performing "Run This Town" with Jay-Z and Kanye West, which is a track from Jay-Z's new album. [People]

  • Matthew Broderick: "I am truly shocked and saddened by the news about my old friend John Hughes. He was a wonderful, very talented guy and my heart goes out to his family." [E!]
  • Molly Ringwald: "I was stunned and incredibly sad to hear about the death of John Hughes. He was and will always be such an important part of my life. He will be missed — by me and by everyone that he has touched. My heart and all my thoughts are with his family now." [ET, People]
  • Jon Cryer, aka Duckie from Pretty In Pink, on the death of John Hughes: "This is a horrible tragedy. He was an amazing man to work for and with. He respected young actors in a way that made you realize you had to step up your game because you were playing in the big leagues now. That's why he got such great performances out of his actors. My heart goes out to his wife Nancy and their children." [ET]
  • Old habits die hard: Amy Winehouse "is still clearly emotional, and seems to suck her thumb when times are bad." Yes, there are pictures. [Daily Mail]
  • Paula Abdul may make a deal with American Idol — if they give her what she wants, which is $10 million a year. [TMZ]
  • Meanwhile, Paula says: "At this point, there are so many wonderful things that are being offered to me. And I got to take a deep breath, sleep a little ... and go through everything." [AP]
  • Um, Constantine Maroulis got his ass kicked trying to defend Paula Abdul's honor or something. [Gatecrasher]
  • Blech: Heidi Montag is oompa-loompa orange on her Playboy cover, and covered in dirt. [Perez]
  • Hotter than Heidi is 51-year-old Sharon Stone, topless in Paris Match. In the immortal words of Cassie: Stop acting like you haven't seen a titty before. [TheLifeFiles]
  • "Jon Gosselin's guide to being a lothario: manipulation and neediness." LOL. A psychotherapist says: "He's picking up a lot of women who are trying to rescue him… Jon's not the faithful type. Men like him are very good at connecting with women, and the woman starts to feel as if he is there for her. But he's just there to boost his own ego." [NY Daily News]
  • Despite what was reported in the Post yesterday, Kristin Davis denies that she cut ties as a goodwill ambassador for the human rights group Oxfam. [NY Daily News]
  • Paris Hilton and Doug Reinhardt are back together, and were seen on an Air Pacific Flight to Red Bull Island. Yes, Red Bull Island. Not a joke. Can't wait to see them do this again. [Page Six]
  • If you have tickets for Madonna's concert in Ljubljana, Slovenia, you are one of a select few: The show's been canceled, and poor ticket sales are reportedly the reason. Although her peeps say "unforeseen logistical difficulties" are the reason. [Reuters]
  • From a profile on Charlene Yi: "Ms. Yi walked the short red carpet in wet brown suede shoes and a red cardigan sweater. After posing for pictures, she picked up the olive-drab Army backpack she had left with a publicist after posing for pictures. Ms. Yi told reporters that she had never dated Michael Cera. 'Gossipers!' she yelped. 'You are all gossipers!' Well, why did she pick him to play her onscreen boyfriend in the first place? 'Martin Lawrence passed,' she quipped. Touché!" [Observer]
  • Charlene Yi says of Michael Cera: "We were never together. If we were, I'd like to know when that was. And thank God, because it would be devastating to promote this film if I was heartbroken." [The Daily Beast]
  • Bethenny Frankel is trying to get pregnant. [Page Six]
  • Leonardo DiCaprio: Spotted hanging out with Sports Illustrated swimsuit model, Anne Vyalitsyna. [Page Six]
  • Ashton Kutcher and Demi Moore were flying to New York when their plane had to make an emergency landing in Las Vegas after the engine overheated. No one was injured, and both actors Tweeted about their experience, because if you don't put it on Twitter, it never happened, right? [People]
  • Jermaine Jackson is "cashing in" on Michael Jackson's death by releasing a recording of "Smile," the song he performed at the memorial. Plus, he's working on a series of tribute concerts. [MSNBC Scoop]
  • Jermaine says: "In his death, I have found a mission for my life. My existence is now dedicated to spreading Michael's message." [Mirror]
  • "Michael Jackson was scheduled to undergo a second physical by an insurance company doctor at the time of his death." [LA Times]
  • David Letterman has beat Conan O'Brien in ratings for the fourth week in a row. i'll admit it: I'm on team Dave. [NY Daily News]
  • Nora Ephron writes "In Defense of Ryan O'Neal": "Ryan O'Neal had not seen his daughter Tatum in years. He thought she was a Swedish person. I completely understand. The truth is that had I been gay, I might have accidentally made a pass at my own sister in a mall in Las Vegas. So who's to judge? Not me." [HuffPo]
  • Queen Latifah and five ladyfriends hit a lesbian party in NYC on Wednesday, and this is news. [Page Six]
  • The woman suing Morgan Freeman for flipping her car will have her day in court next year. [USA Today]
  • This report claims that Patrick Swayze's fuller face and full head of hair prove that his battle with cancer is going well, even though he is still smoking. [NY Daily News]
  • Congrats to SNL's Bill Hader, who will be a dad; his wife is pregnant. [People]
  • Aerosmith concerts are postponed while Steven Tyler recovers from falling off of the stage. [USA Today]
  • "I had to turn him down. I really hated the idea of Channing Tatum. I told di Bonaventura that this is not the guy to play one of the most feared killers of the 20th Century. I think Mickey Rourke would really be good. He's got that sense of danger, and there's a similarity between the two. But it's not Channing Tatum." — Phil Carlo, who wrote The Ice Man: Confessions of a Mafia Contract Killer. [Page Six]
  • "To me, the idea of being an actor and being stuck in Los Angeles — a city that's totally based on one job — is so uninspiring. New York completely fulfills every need I have on a daily basis. I'm madly in love with this city." — Josh Lucas. [Page Six]
  • "Resident Evil started out as this fun project. I went in for it as a joke. 'Sure, I'll go make an action movie,' I thought, 'This'll be cool, because my brother loves the video game so much.' It's turned into a steady job. See? [making a fist] The knuckles? They're all cut up. They used to be really soft, but they can't use them any more [in L'Oreal ads]. They use someone else's." — Milla Jovovich. [Guardian]
  • "My mom [Bebe Buell] and gran were models and took such good care of their skin I couldn't help but learn. My dad is also full of great beauty advice, like wear your perfume in your belly button and on the soles of your feet so it becomes part of you." — Liv Tyler, to Elle. [Daily Express]
  • "I'm always shocked that there's an interesting, full-fledged, ambitiously wrought role for somebody like me, that somebody's willing to put in a movie, it's unusual, that's what I mean by shocked. I'm not shocked because … 'Gosh, me? How do I know how to act?' [Laughs] But there's so many unbelievably talented, richly talented women and men that are older, that just don't get a chance." — Meryl Streep. [Salon]
  • "I have this phobia of becoming someone's 'girlfriend.' I have guy friends who have been dating a girl for six months and our other friends don't know her name. They just ask, 'Hey, where's your girlfriend?' And I want to scream, 'OK, her name is Sally, and she's awesome, and you've known her for months. Where did her identity go?'" — Charlene Yi. [The Daily Beast]
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<![CDATA[5 Movies John Hughes Will Be Remembered For]]> Filmmaker John Hughes passed away today at 59. Though he was responsible for such classics as Vacation, Mr. Mom, and Home Alone, it's probably his teen movies—which continue to resonate with each generation—that he'll really be remembered for.



5.) Ferris Bueller's Day Off
Written and directed by Hughes, he said that he based the character of Cameron on himself, and based Ferris on what he always wished he could be. But it was Ferris' jealous, cynical sister Jeanie (Jennifer Grey) that perhaps provided some of the biggest laughs.


4.) The Breakfast Club
Written and directed by Hughes, this is the quintessential Brat Pack film.


Hughes made a cameo, playing Anthony Michael Hall's father.


3.) Pretty in Pink
This movie always confused me as child, because '80s style guides implied that redheads should always avoid wearing pink, and instead, stick to green. But who doesn't love Duckie?


2.) Weird Science
While the whole computer geeks creating their own model magical dream girlfriend plays into male fantasies, there's something about the themes of Weird Science—underdogs coming out on top with the help of supernatural powers—that hold universal appeal.


1.) Sixteen Candles
John Hughes' directorial debut still stands as an absolute classic, and as such, warranted two clips.


I couldn't help but add this one, because while I was only about 5 years old when I first saw it, somehow, a quarter of a century later, the behavior of these two drunk chicks still rings true.

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<![CDATA[John Hughes 1950 — 2009]]> The director, producer and writer responsible for hugely popular movies like National Lampoon's Vacation, Ferris Bueller's Day Off, Weird Science, The Breakfast Club, Sixteen Candles and Pretty in Pink died today in New York. More to come. [TMZ, Wikipedia]

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<![CDATA[The Ups And Downs Of Having A John Hughes Boyfriend]]> With teen comedy I Love You, Beth Cooper hitting theaters this weekend (and getting trashed by the critics), I began thinking of teen comedy dreamboats of the past, and decided to break them down, one by one.

There is, perhaps, no one more important to the teen comedy genre than John Hughes, who, after producing a string of classic films in the 1980s, has now faded into the background, choosing to live a slightly reclusive life away from the film world and the adoration of the fans who grew up with his movies. Hughes' films, while loved by many, are not without their flaws: notably racist stereotypes, which are explored in Gene Luen Yang's brilliant graphic novel American Born Chinese.

And what of the boyfriends of the John Hughes world? For many of us, they were straight up Tiger Beat material. But how do they hold up now? Let's break it down, shall we?


  • Jake Ryan: Sixteen Candles
  • Pros:Handsome, wants "a serious girlfriend, somebody I can love who's gonna love me back," thinks it's kind of cool, the way you're always looking at him.
  • Cons:Wasn't interested in Samantha Baker until he saw a quiz she answered in which she admitted she'd sleep with him, pretty much handed his drunk girlfriend over to Farmer Ted as long as "she gets home. You can't leave her in a parking lot somewhere." Oh, and he handed his drunk girlfriend over for a pair of Samantha's underwear.
  • Final Analysis: Jake Ryan is easy on the eyes and seems to really want to be loved. But his interest in Samantha seems to spring from the fact that she's pretty obsessively in love with him already. That being said, I probably wouldn't turn him down if he showed up in his car outside of my sister's wedding to whisk me away. She's getting married in May, 2010, Jake. Just sayin'.
  • John Hughes Boyfriend Grade: B-



  • Blaine McDonnagh: Pretty In Pink
  • Pros: Sweet, charming, clearly wants to break way from his insulated elitist world, willing to embarrass himself at the record store with a lame purchase just to talk to Andie.
  • Cons:Still has trouble breaking free of his class, his privilege is often showing, insults Andie's outfit, easily influenced by rich jackass Steff, "Blaine? That's a major appliance, not a name!", asks Andie to prom and then totally blows her off. What about prom, Blaine?! What about prom?!?
  • Final Analysis: Blaine is a bit of a tool. He makes a big dramatic "I always believed in you, you just never believed in me" speech at the end of the movie, which is total bullshit, because Andie wasn't the one to hide the relationship, break off the prom date, or give up due to pressure from her friends. Blaine was the one without the faith. The original ending of the film had Andie ending up with her best friend, Duckie Dale. That would have been better for everyone, as evidenced by Andie and Blaine's makeup kiss at the end of the film, which is probably the most awkward kiss in screen history.
  • John Hughes Boyfriend Grade: C-



  • Duckie Dale: Pretty In Pink
  • Pros: Excellent dancer, good taste in music, snappy dresser, sweet, quirky, extremely loyal, willing to stand up to anyone on Andie's behalf.
  • Cons: Needy, calls about 200 times per day, a bit stalkerish, extremely emo, filthy shoes, can go from sweet to annoying in 2.5 seconds, is already in "The Friend Zone."
  • Final Analysis: I actually had a Duckie Dale in high school, and he is still a very dear friend of mine. Duckie could go either way here: he could be a really great boyfriend, or just a really great boy friend. Either way, you'd want him in your corner.
  • John Hughes Boyfriend Grade: B+



  • John Bender:The Breakfast Club
  • Pros: Rebellious, handsome in a kind of badass way, hard exterior covers emotional interior, could hook you up with illegal substances if that's your kind of thing.
  • Cons: Serious temper issues, family problems, can be quite cruel, sexist, and obnoxious, might not actually get out of high school, due to detention issues, until he's about 29 or so.
  • Final Analysis: The only reason to date John Bender would be the reason John Bender himself gives: "Remember how you said your parents use you to get back at each other? Wouldn't I be OUTSTANDING in that capacity?"
  • John Hughes Boyfriend Grade:D



  • Ferris Bueller:Ferris Bueller's Day Off
  • Pros: Clearly a genius, could basically get you out of everything, would be a blast to hang out with, loved by nearly everyone, could take you to many fine dining establishments with his friend Cameron, thanks to their Abe Froman scheme.
  • Cons: Could get exhausting trying to keep up with Ferris, might not be able to trust such an accomplished pathological liar, you'd have to spend a lot of time with Cameron, who isn't always sunshine and lollipops.
  • Final Analysis:: Ferris Bueller is so choice. If you have the means, I highly recommend picking him up.
  • John Hughes Boyfriend Grade: A



  • Farmer Ted: Sixteen Candles
  • Pros: Really likes to dance, will drive you home if you've had too much to drink, respects a girl who will help out a geek, doesn't spill the details of your night together to his nerdy friends, thinks a girl in a hat is "just so Vogue," admits that he's "King of the Dipshits," which at least shows some level of self-awareness.
  • Cons:Will ask to borrow your underpants for 10 minutes and then proceed to show them to the entire geek population of the school, the headgear shown above, may pass gas on the dance floor, goes by "Farmer Ted."
  • Final Analysis: He's young and he's learning. Once he gets past his awkward headgear-King-of-the-Dipshits phase, he might actually be a decent boyfriend. Just don't take him dancing. It's better for everyone that way.
  • John Hughes Boyfriend Grade: B



  • Keith Nelson: Some Kind Of Wonderful
  • Pros: Artistic, thoughtful, romantic, wants Amanda Jones not to feel trapped by her economic status, which he shares, liked by a variety of people in his high school, including the toughest bullies and his best friend, a female drummer named Watts.
  • Cons: Oblivious that Watts loves him, only seems to "love" Amanda because she's beautiful, spends his entire college education fund on a pair of diamond earrings, feeds into classist pressures by organizing a fancy date (also financed by his college fund) in order to impress a girl.
  • Final Analysis: Here's another example of a tacked on Hughes romance: Watts and Keith end up together, as he suddenly realizes he's loved her all along, but for most of the film he's concerned with appearances, notably Amanda's and his own ability to appear upper class and able to impress her.
  • John Hughes Boyfriend Grade: C



  • Andrew Clark: The Breakfast Club
  • Pros: Athletic, likes to eat, likes dancing while high, will open up to the right girl, even if she makes snow scenes with her own dandruff.
  • Cons: Daddy issues, tapes other boys' buns together, falls for the ol' "You got a makeover, now we can date," BS.
  • Final Analysis: Andrew Clark is a bit hard to read. It will be interesting to see who he becomes once he's not the high school jock anymore. Could be a great boyfriend, but seems to fall too easily to peer pressure.
  • John Hughes Boyfriend Grade: C+



  • Steff: Pretty In Pink
  • Pros: Gorgeous, attractive in that asshole Chuck Bass kind of way, can wear a white suit to high school like nobody else.
  • Cons:Elitist, classist, doesn't handle rejection well, treats his girlfriend Betty like "trash," clearly hates himself, as pointed out by Blaine, says things like, "I wouldn't be too jazzed if I were you."
  • Final Analysis:Steff is the guy you make out with, but don't actually date, which, I'm pretty sure, he's kind of "jazzed" about.
  • John Hughes Boyfriend Grade: C-



  • Brian Johnson:The Breakfast Club
  • Pros: Smart, excellent writer, very sweet, member of the Math Club and the Physics Club.
  • Cons:Filled with anxiety, perfectionist, awkward at times, embarrassed about his lack of sexual experience, likes to stick pens up his nose.
  • Final Analysis: This kid was way ahead of his time. Though he played the nerd in this film, this character laid down the template for every character Michael Cera has played since, and Michael Cera happens to be one of the reigning dreamboats of the teen comedy world. Sweet geeks rule the world now; Brian was just 20 years too early.
  • John Hughes Boyfriend Grade: A-

  • Beethoven:Beethoven
  • Pros:Likes to cuddle, loyal, sleeps a lot, enjoys eating, clearly has a taste for classical music, when he's around, hilarity will ensue.
  • Cons:Slobber problem, destructive, sheds a lot, is actually a dog.
  • Final Analysis: He's a DOG, you guys.
  • John Hughes Boyfriend Grade: F
  • John Hughes Hilarious Family Pet With A Destructive Streak But A Heart Of Gold Grade:A++
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<![CDATA["That Girl Was, Is, And Will Always Be Nada"]]>
Feeling nostalgic? John Hughes has been in the news this week. First there was a profile of the writer/director in the Los Angeles Times (he helped write Drillbit Taylor, but under a pseudonym, shh!) and a NPR piece about Long Duk Dong. Now, Meg Cabot, author of The Princess Diaries, has posted a YouTube clip (to promote her new book) in which she reenacts a key scene from Pretty in Pink using dolls.

Clip above; the comments are for arguing over your fave John Hughes film (A toss-up between Weird Science and Sixteen Candles, although next week I'll change my mind to The Breakfast Club or European Vacation.)

John Hughes' Imprint Remains [LA Times]
Long Duk Dong: Last of the Hollywood Stereotypes? [NPR]
What's With the John Hughes Nostalgia? [GalleyCat]
Pretty In Pink [YouTube]
Earlier: Sixteen Candles Or Pretty In Pink: Which Is Better?

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<![CDATA[Sixteen Candles Or Pretty In Pink: Which Is Better?]]> Over on EW.com, writer Dalton Ross reports that while his wife loves Pretty In Pink, he feels that Sixteen Candles is a much better movie. When he tells her so, she gives him a "deathly stare." (He doesn't mention that his wife is Christina Kelly — formerly of Sassy, YM, Jane and ElleGirl.) In any case, Ross makes the case that women like Pretty In Pink, while guys like Sixteen Candles. (He also acknowledges the greatness of Breakfast Club and Weird Science.) But in the battle of the Ringwald vehicles, Ross builds an argument for the superiority of Sixteen Candles that is quite sound. (We're putting aside the fact that SC is terribly racist.) First, John Hughes wrote and directed Sixteen Candles, while Pretty In Pink was directed by Howard Deutch. Secondly, while the cuteness of Duckie cannot be denied, Ross insists that Jon Cryer is merely doing his best Anthony Michael Hall.

Hall is flat-out genius in Sixteen Candles playing the self-proclaimed ''King of the Dipshits.'' He's responsible for no less than a hundred classic moments: from charging admission to see Molly Ringwald's underwear, to making a post-party cocktail in Jake's kitchen, to getting his dorky friends to take a picture of him and a passed out hottie in the Rolls Royce. Honestly, it is no contest.
Dalton's third point? The difference in the two films' leading men, Jake Ryan and Blane. Ross writes: "Supposedly dreamboat character of Blane has no backbone, dresses lame, and has an even lamer haircut... Jake Ryan on the other hand is a certified stud." And you know what? He's right! Blane was an insecure, easily-bullied wuss. Raise your hand if you were disappointed in Andie for kissing him at the end — BMW be damned! (The true hottie in PIP is James Spader's Steff — and Ross acknowledges that his performance and quote, "That girl was, is, and always will be nada!'' are pretty genius.)

Ross also compares soundtracks and father characters — he feels that SC's Thompson Twins trump PIP's OMD. Harry Dean Stanton as Andie's deadbeat dad in PIP is delightfully pathetic (Hughes should have written a plotline where Andie's dad finally gets a job — as a janitor at her school!); Paul Dooley as Samantha's dad in SC is wildly hilarious.

But what this really comes down to is romance, and a teen movie's depiction of it: Pretty In Pink is basically Cinderella — a lowly, common girl's life is changed by a Prince in pleated pants; Sixteen Candles is slightly more realistic: Sam thinks Jake is hot, period. And he's bored with his girlfriend and looking for something new. That's what high school is all about! SC may have been emotionally flat, but the comedy was first-rate. PIP tried to get emotional (when, exactly did Andie and Blane fall for each other? Do you ever see them truly enjoying each other's company? Except for the making out in the barn?) and never really succeeded. Christina Kelly — and maybe some other women — think Pretty In Pink is romantic. But does the warm feeling it gives you make it a better movie? Or can you accept that, while you may have a soft spot for a yuppie love story, Sixteen Candles is actually better?

Why ''Sixteen Candles'' Rules [EW]

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