Pop Culture Checklist

Here’s the lowdown on the latest Hollywood gossip:

–Josh Duhamel and Fergie are officially engaged. No word yet on a wedding date.

–Jessica Alba, who is expecting a baby, also got engaged. Cash Warren, boyfriend and daddy, popped the question. The baby is due in early summer.

–Carrie Underwood and “Gossip Girl” hunk Chace Crawford spent Christmas together. Maybe now she’ll stop denying their relationship!

–Mischa Barton (yawn) was arrested a couple days ago for a DUI, possession of illegal narcotics and driving without a license. The 21-year-old was pulled over in West Hollywood, Calif.

–Rebecca De Mornay has been charged with drunken driving after being arrested two months ago. She’ll be arraigned on Monday.

–Sean Penn and his wife, Robin Wright Penn, are getting a divorce. They’ve been married since 1996. His wife played “Jenny” in the Forrest Gump movie.

–Jan. 7 is the likely date for negotiations to resume in the writer’s strike. It hasn’t been officially announced yet, though.

–The new J.J. Abrams “Star Trek” movie trailer will debut in theaters on Jan. 18 — attached to his thriller “Cloverfield” movie. Those who have seen the trailer has called it “amazing.” Star Trek is due out in theaters on Christmas Day, 2008.

–SPOILER ALERT: Don’t read this if you are a “I Love New York 2″ fan. It’s been reported that at the reunion show (Jan. 6 on VH1) winner “Tailor Made” proposes to Tiffany “I Love New York” Pollard and she accepts. It also has been reported, however, that Tailor Made is hitting on other girls already. He’s been spotted at parties flirting with a few girls. I guess this would be a good thing for fans…I think a “I Love New York 3″ show could be around the corner!

Welcome to the weekly buzz, a segment found every Thursday. It includes the latest pop culture news, as well as local and regional events happening this weekend.

NEW YEAR’S EVE

There will be plenty of performances to watch before the ball drops on midnight on New Year’s Eve. Take your pick:

–Dick Clark and Ryan Seacrest will ring in 2008 on “Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve” at 10 p.m. Dec. 31 on ABC. Fergie will host the Hollywood part of the show, and will oversee performances by Akon, Sean Kingston, OneRepublic, Plain White T’s, Taylor Swift, and Natasha Bedingfield. Clark and Seacrest will be in New York for the ball drop.

–Fox will air “New Year’s Eve Live” at 11 p.m. Dec. 31. Jordin Sparks, Blake Lewis and Lifehouse will perform. It also will feature the U.S. TV premiere of Mariah Carey’s concert performance of “Shake It Off” from her recently released DVD “The Adventures of Mimi.” Cat Deeley will host.

–Tila Tequila will host “New Year’s Eve Masquerade Party” at 11 p.m. Dec. 31 on MTV. Performing will be Kid Rock, Wyclef Jean, Good Charlotte, Mary J. Blige, and many others.

COLLEGE BOWL GAMES

Are you in a college football pool? If so, I hope you’re winning! Either way, enjoy the following upcoming games.

Tonight

8 p.m. on ESPN — Arizona State vs. Texas

Friday

5 p.m. on ESPN — Boston College vs. Michigan State

8 p.m. on ESPN — Maryland vs. Oregon State

8 p.m. on NFL Network — TCU vs. Houston

Saturday

1 p.m. on ESPN — Connecticut vs. Wake Forest

4:30 p.m. on ESPN — Mississippi State vs. UCF

8 p.m. on ESPN — Penn State vs. Texas A&M

Sunday

8 p.m. on ESPN — Colorado vs. Alabama

TV NEWS

–The last original “Grey’s Anatomy” will air Jan. 10 on ABC.

–The Daily Show with Jon Stewart and The Colbert Report will resume on Jan. 7 without their striking writers.

–On Jan. 1, Court TV changes its name to truTV and will emphasize real-life stories in its primetime slots. It will, however, continue to broadcast six hours of courtroom coverage beginning at 9 a.m. weekdays.

–The fifth season premiere of “The Biggest Loser” begins at 8 p.m. Jan. 1.

–The return of “1 vs. 100″ will air at 8 p.m. Jan. 4.

–American Gladiator’s 2-hour debut will be at 9 p.m. Jan. 6.

DVD NEWS

The following is a list of DVDs coming out Tuesday, Jan. 1:

-Resident Evil: Extinction

-War

-Shoot ‘Em Up

-Solstice

-Seaquest DSV: Season Two

-September Dawn (out Jan. 2)

MUSIC

–The Abuakwa African Music and Dance Ensemble will perform Feb. 23 at the Royal Oak Music Theatre. The show teaches about the history of African music and dance, while using distinct African instruments.

Show times are 3 and 8 p.m. and advance tickets can be purchased for $15 for the 3 p.m. show and $20 for the 8 p.m. show. Tickets are available at the theater’s box office, all Tickets.com outlets, tickets.com, or charge by phone at (800) 919-6272.

REGIONAL EVENTS

–New Year’s Eve with Jim Brickman, 8 p.m. Dec. 31 at Stranahan Theater, 4645 Heatherdowns Blvd., Toledo. For details, call (800) 776-7469.

–”Frozentoesen Celebration” will be from Jan. 2 through Jan. 31 at the Toledo Zoo. Hours are from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Half-priced admission. Events include Cabin Fever Feeds and Ice-carving demos.

–Kalamazoo is hosting a New Year’s Fest on Dec. 31. It includes 24 performing artists in 10 buildings surrounding Bronson Park. Music, magicians, clowns, jugglers, and much more. For details, call (269) 388-2830.

–Jackson will host “Eve On The Ave” on Dec. 31. Held in downtown Jackson, the street party includes food and music. For details, call (517) 788-4355.

–The New Year Jubilee will be held from 7 p.m. Dec. 31 until 1 a.m. in Ypsilanti. The family event offers more than 40 performances in 10 locations in the city.

LOCAL EVENTS

–A New Year’s Eve party will be held from 7 p.m. to 1 a.m. Dec. 31 at the Lynn C. Weeman Post 514, American Legion hall, 11601 Lewis Ave., Temperance. Open to the public. Tickets are $20 each and $30 a couple.  

–Several places in Monroe County are hosting New Year’s Eve parties. Grafton Hall in Carleton, Mugsy’s in Monroe, and several other bars and halls are having parties. Check them out if you’re looking for something to do! You can also find all the information in display ads throughout the Monroe Evening News.

Jessica Simpson has had a rough month.

First, she is blamed for being the curse of Dallas Cowboys’ quarterback Tony Romo because she attended a game where he stunk up the joint.

Now, her holiday film “Blonde Ambition” grossed a whopping $1,200 on eight screens in Texas. The movie is now in DVD release format.

However, there is some good news for Jessica. The movie did not break the record for the lowest-grossing film in history. That goes to Katherine Heigl, whose movie “Zyzzx Road” opened last year on one screen and made $30.  

Fox recently revealed the schedule for “American Idol.” Get ready to mark your calendars…here it is:

Season Premiere: 8 p.m. Jan. 15 and 8 p.m. Jan. 16

Audition episodes: Jan. 22, Jan. 23, Jan. 29, Jan. 30, Feb. 5 and Feb. 6 (all at 8 p.m.)

Hollywood rounds: Feb. 12 and Feb. 13. (both at 8 p.m.). Top 24 semi-finalists announced

Top 12 male singers perform: 8 p.m. Feb. 19

Top 12 female singers perform: 8 p.m. Feb. 20

First results show: 8 p.m. Feb. 21. Two male and two female singers voted off

Top 10 male singers perform: 8 p.m. Feb. 26

Top 10 female singers perform: 8 p.m. Feb. 27

Results show: 8 p.m. Feb. 28. Two male and two female singers voted off

Top 8 male singers perform: 8 p.m. March 4

Top 8 female singers perform: 9 p.m. March 5

Results show: 8 p.m. March 6. Two male and two female singers voted off; Top 12 finalists revealed

Top 12 finalists perform: 8 p.m. March 11

Results show, one contestant voted off: 9 p.m. March 12  

Nicolas Cage’s sequel “National Treasure: Book of Secrets” was tops over a very crowded box office.

It defeated last weekend’s number one and a slew of Oscar-contender debuts. It finished with $45.5 million, while “I Am Legend” slipped to second place with $34.2 million.

The most talked about debuts — “Charlie Wilson’s War” and “Sweeney Todd” — finished fourth and fifth. Sweeney Todd, however, only played in 1,249 theaters.

“P.S. I Love You” starring Hilary Swank debuted with $6.5 million, while “Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story” opened with a disappointing $4.1 million.

Movie theaters will remain crowded this week. Five movies opened this past weekend, and two more are set to open on Christmas Day. They are “Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem” and “The Water Horse: Legend of the Deep.”

Here’s the top 10:

1. National Treasure, $45.5 million

2. I Am Legend, $34.2 million

3. Alvin and the Chipmunks, $29 million

4. Charlie Wilson’s War, $9.6 million

5. Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, $9.35 million

6. P.S. I Love You, $6.5 million

7. Enchanted, $4.15 million

8. Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story, $4.1 million

9. The Golden Compass, $4 million

10. Juno, $3.4 million

We all know there’s no cure for hangovers, but we can only hope there will be someday! In the meantime, the National Headache Foundation came up with some tips to help ease the pain of hangovers you will most likely experience over the holidays.

–Drink in monderation, and drink slowly. Choose mixed drinks containing fruit or vegetable juices because they have less effect than straight alcohol.

–Avoid red wine - it is the alcohol beverage that most frequently causes headaches.

–Eat some honey. It supplies fructose, a sugar that helps the body metabolize alcohol and is rich in vitamin B6. It can reduce hangover symptoms. Have two tablespoons of honey on a cracker or piece of toast, before or after drinking. Tomato juice also allows the body to burn alcohol faster.

–Drink liquids containing minerals and salts, which offers relief from dehydration caused by alcohol. A cup of broth or bouillon will replace fluid and will not cause nausea.

–Drink a cup of coffee. Caffeine can provide some relief in alleviating headache symptoms.

–Take ibuprofen. Aspirin is okay, but ibuprofen won’t hurt your stomach as much and eases the pain of headaches.

–Eat greasy food before consuming alcohol. The food will help line the intestines, which causes alcohol absorption to take longer. A burger or burrito before your beer might be helpful!

–Drink as much water as you can before you pass out. It will help provide relief from dehydration and headaches. Drink lots of water, especially before you fall asleep. The better alternative is to drink water throughout the night, but if you can’t do this, then at least drink a glass of water before you go to bed.

The following is a list of actors who recently signed up for new movie roles:

–Jim Carrey and Ewan McGregor will star in “I Love You Phillip Morris.” It’s based on the true story of Steven Russell, a husband who goes to prison after a few cons go wrong. While there, he falls in love with his cellmate, Phillip Morris. His love for Morris motivates him to escape from prison four times.

–Peter Jackson and New Line Cinema finally put their differences aside so he can produce “The Hobbit” and its sequel. Look for 2010 and 2011 releases.

–Vince Vaughn and John Favreau are teaming up again, first time since “Swingers.” They will partner in “Four Christmases,” where Favreau and Vaughn are brothers. Tim McGraw will play a third brother. It is a romantic comedy starring Vaughn and Reese Witherspoon about a couple who try to spend the holidays with each of the other’s divorced parents.

–Okay, this is getting ridiculous! First Brad Pitt, now Ed Norton. I’m talking about the cast of “State of Play” that no one seems to want to be in anymore. After Pitt backed out, Russell Crowe stepped into the vacant spot. Now Norton is leaving, so Ben Affleck is in talks to take over his part. Norton is leaving due to a scheduling conflict, while Pitt left due to creative differences. Production begins in January.

–Jon Hamm of “Mad Men” will star opposite Keanu Reeves and Jennifer Connelly in a sci-fi remake “The Day the Earth Stood Still.” It is an update of Robert Wise’s 1951 classic.

–Queen Latifah, Jennifer Hudson and Sophie Okonedo have signed on for “The Secret Life of Bees,” based on the Sue Monk Kidd novel. Dakota Fanning is in negotiations to star as the 14-year-old girl who flees her home and is taken in by an eccentric trio of beekeeping sisters.

–Brad Pitt will replace Heath Ledger in “Tree of Life,” a drama. There’s no word yet on what the movie will be about.  

Here’s another installment of the weekly buzz, a segment that offers listings of upcoming shows, movies, and local and regional events. It appears every Thursday.

LOCAL EVENTS

–The Jefferson School Jazz Band will perform a Christmas concert at 6 p.m. tonight at River Park Plaza, 20 N. Roessler St.

–The 44th annual Jimmy Durante Children’s Christmas Show will be held at 5 p.m. Saturday at the Arthur Lesow Community Center. The children’s show is a combination of music, dancing, and carnival games. ALCC is at 120 Eastchester St.

–The McDonald’s Restaurant at 1180 N. Dixie Hwy. will host a “Breakfast with Santa” from 8:30 to 10:30 a.m. Sunday. Photos will be available for a $1 donation.

–A children’s Christmas program will be at 6 p.m. Monday at St. Paul Lutheran Church, 19109 Craig St., New Boston. For details, call (734) 753-9048.

REGIONAL EVENTS

–Comedian LA Hardy is performing tonight, Friday and Saturday at the Ann Arbor Comedy Showcase, 314 East Liberty, Ann Arbor. For details, call (734) 996-9080.

–Children can get their pictures with Santa from noon to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday in the Santa House at the Town Center at Levis Commons in Perrysburg, Ohio.

–A “Dickens Festival” will be held Saturday and Sunday in downtown Holly. For details, call (248) 634-9571.

–Ice carving demonstrations will be held at the Toledo Zoo at 6 p.m. tonight.

–The Toledo Symphony Orchestra will perform at 7:30 p.m. tonight at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, 428 N. Erie St. General admission is $15; reserved seating is $25. 

TV NEWS

–Jimmy Kimmel, Jay Leno, Conan O’Brien will return with new episodes on Jan. 2 after two months of repeats. They will return without writers, thanks to the strike, so the new shows should be interesting. Also, David Letterman is trying to come back with new shows, but a deal is still pending.

–Rachael Ray and the Food Network agreed on a 2-year deal for a new primetime series “Rachael’s Vacation,” launching in January. She also gets 60 new episodes of her show ”30 Minute Meals.”

–Despite earlier reports that NBC nixed “Bionic Woman,” the network is now saying it’s not canceled.

–USA has officially canceled “The 4400″ and “The Dead Zone.”

MOVIES

The following is a list of movies arriving in theaters in the next week:

Dec. 21

-Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street

-Charlie Wilson’s War

-National Treasure: Book of Secrets

-P.S. I Love You

-Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story

Dec. 25

-The Great Debaters

-Aliens vs. Predator — Requiem

-The Water Horse: Legend of the Deep

DVD NEWS

The following is a list of DVDs coming out next week:

Dec. 25

-Shattered

Dec. 26

-Rush Hour 3

-American Pie Presents: Beta House

-The Heartbreak Kid

-The Kingdom

-Eastern Promises

-Intimate Affairs

-Living & Dying

-The Brothers Solomon

-Galactica 1980: The Complete Series

The Screen Actors Guild nominations were announced this morning. The award show will be on Jan. 27.

Here is a list of some of the nominees, but for a complete list, go here.

Television:

Ensemble, Drama — Boston Legal, The Closer, Grey’s Anatomy, Mad Men, The Sopranos

Ensemble, Comedy — 30 Rock, The Office, Entourage, Desperate Housewives, Ugly Betty

Movies:

Cast of a motion picture — 3:10 to Yuma, American Gangster, Hairspray, Into the Wild, No Country for Old Men

Male actor, leading role — George Clooney (Michael Clayton); Daniel Day-Lewis (There Will Be Blood); Ryan Gosling (Lars and the Real Girl); Emil Hirsch (Into the Wild), and Viggo Mortensen (Eastern Promises).

Female actor, leading role — Cate Blanchett (Elizabeth); Julie Christie (Away From Her); Marion Cotillard (La Vie En Rose); Angelina Jolie (A Mighty Heart), and Ellen Page (Juno).

NBC has rolled out its 2008 winter schedule. Obviously it will be a little different because of the writer’s strike. The following is NBC’s new mid-season lineup and premieres:

MONDAYS (effective Jan. 7)

8-9 p.m. — American Gladiators (it premieres Jan. 6)

9-10 p.m. — Deal or No Deal

10-11 p.m. — Medium (premiere)

TUESDAYS (effective Jan. 1)

8-10 p.m. — The Biggest Loser

10-11 p.m. — Law & Order: Special Victims Unit

WEDNESDAYS (effective Jan. 9)

8-9 p.m. — Deal or No Deal

9-10 p.m. — Law & Order: Criminal Intent

10-11 p.m. — Law & Order (premieres Jan. 2)

THURSDAYS (effective Jan. 3)

8-8:30 p.m. — NBC Comedy Series

8:30-9 p.m. — NBC Comedy Series

9-10 p.m. — Celebrity Apprentice (premiere)

10-11 p.m. — ER (”Lipstick Jungle” premieres Feb. 7 in time slot)

FRIDAYS (effective Jan. 4)

8-9 p.m. — 1 vs. 100

9-10 p.m. — Friday Night Lights

10-11 p.m. — Las Vegas

ADDITIONAL DATES:

Sunday, Jan. 6

7-9 p.m. — Deal or No Deal

9-11 p.m. — American Gladiators (2-hour premiere; regular night Jan. 7)

Sunday, Jan. 13

8-11 p.m. — 65th annual Golden Globe Awards

Sunday, Jan. 27

9-11 p.m. — Guinness Book of World Records - Live!

Thursday, Feb. 7

10-11 p.m. — Lipstick Jungle

Sunday, Feb. 10

9-11 p.m. — Top 100 Most Outrageous Moments

Mondays (effective Feb. 18)

8-9 p.m. — The Baby Borrowers (premiere)