April 2009 Archives

Will surrogate mothers be the new black? Could be.

In the past, anything Sarah Jessica Parker touches turns to fashion gold. Now the Sex and the City icon and her hubby Matthew Broderick will be taking on new roles as parents of twin girls.

Parker, 44, and Broderick, 47, "are happily anticipating the birth of their twin daughters later this summer with the generous help of a surrogate. The entire family is overjoyed," said a statement from the couple's publicists.

The future fashionistas will join the their 6-year-old son, James Wilkie Broderick. Either SJP is afraid of stretch marks or her clock stopped.

High powered L.A. divorce lawyers everywhere are hearing ca-ching right about now. The fauxmance that is Heidi Montag and Spencer Pratt has become legit.

A spokesman for the couple says the Hillers were legally wed Saturday during a ceremony at a Pasadena church that was filmed by MTV. Lovely.

Montag and Pratt announced their tequila-laced elopement in Mexico on a magazine cover in November but later acknowledged that the impromptu ceremony they had was symbolic and not legally binding. The couple appeared before a deputy commissioner at a Beverly Hills courthouse in December, but in Hills drama didn't say "I do."

Montag, who is 22, and her 25-year-old hubby are set to appear on the NBC show I''m a Celebrity ... Get Me Out of Here! in June.

Anyone want to put $5 on how long it will last till the big D? I give it a year and two months.

Lovely couple...aren't they?

British funny man Ricky Gervais announced on this blog this week that his new movie, This Side of the Truth which was filmed in and around Lowell last spring has officially changed it’s name to the Invention of Lying.

Gervais posted on his blog, “I was really worried about changing the name of the film back to its original title of The Invention of Lying. So far everyone who’s seen the film thinks it’s a good move. I hope everybody who hasn’t seen the film hates the title though. That would be a good omen as it would be the exact same pettern as with The Office. Everyone I told that title to thought it was bland, obvious, dumbed down, etc. until they saw it. Then it all became clear. So please be cynical and I’ll know I’m onto something.”

We agree Gervais. Truth is, this move stinks worse than the the little white lie about weapons of mass destruction.

Gervais stars in the comedy opposite Jennifer Garner. The film is set to hit U.S. theaters on Sept. 25. Make sure to look for familiar sights such as the Lowell Memorial Auditorium, Cobblestones, La Boniche and the Dubliner.

I am so sick of writing that headline. Hopefully, this will be the last time.

It seems like it has been a knock-down drag out fight to get Lowell native Micky Ward’s biopic off the ground. Going into another round, Variety reported some big changes in the ring.

Brad Pitt has been KO'd as Ward's half brother and trainer, Dicky Eklund. Now, Christian Bale has picked up the gloves. At least we know from Bale's YouTube rant he could hang with the fellas down at the Highland Tap. I'm not so sure pretty boy Pitt would fit in to the Cupples Square crew.

Bale will now play opposite Mark Wahlberg’s Ward. In another twist, director David O. Russell is now getting in the ring in place of Darren Aronofsky and Relativity Media has stepped up to fully finance the film. Paramount Pictures, which initiated the project, will now be limited to distributing domestically.

The picture is expected to begin production mid summer, though Relativity stressed that the principals’ deals are still being negotiated.

Could the project finally be up from the mats? Stay tuned for the next round. For a blow-by-blow account check out the Daily Dish in tomorrow's Sun.

The peeps who organize gigs at LeLacheur Park rethought their choice of entertainment in a BIG way this year. Instead of a bag pipe player aggressive punk band, the baseball diamond will host alt-country (if there is such a thing) rockers, Wilco.

Wilco will play at the home of the Lowell Spinners Saturday, July 11, in what will be a much mellower concert. Tix go on sale tomorrow at 11 a.m. at www.wilcoworld.net and www.highergroundmusic.com/wilco or by calling 888-512-7469. They will also be available starting Tuesday, April 21 at the ballpark at 450 Aiken Ave.

A press release sent by UMass Lowell states that our esteemed place of higher learner in the city is collaborating with the Lowell Spinners to "enrich campus life for our students." Only issue is...students will be home for their summer break in July.

They might need to rethink their position, not just the entertainment. Good try though, now we can attract more prospective students to UML for the concerts thrown in their back yard. Wilco might give Suppa's 3-pound pizza a run for its money when it comes to reasons students apply there.

The Offpring is set to invade the Tsongas Arena in Lowell this July.

Ah, my days spent hanging out in my Chucks at the Daley School in the Highlands making a skate video, drinking Mad Dog 20/20, is all coming back to me.

The Cali punk rock band responsible for the classics anthem "Self Esteem" are hitting the road on their first full length North American tour in four years this summer. They will be in the Mill City on July 10 and tickets go on sale Friday, April 24 at 4 p.m.

If I were 14 years-old I would be begging my parents to let me go downtown after 7 p.m. just this once. Now, I am begging myself not to get too excited and look like some kind of "old burnout" with all the tweens who will be at this concert for sure. Is it a little too much to be 27 and know all the words to "Pretty Fly (for a white guy)"?

What I can say though...is thank God it's not a Fall Out Boy redux for the 6th time (no offense Pete) or some other thrasher metal core band. This time I may not have to wear any ear plugs...man, I am getting old!

Oh and speaking of all things ear shattering — the Music as a Weapon 4 Tour hits up the Tsongas Arena tomorrow afternoon. The outdoor fest starts at 2:30 p.m. and moves indoors later in the day with Disturbed, Killswitch Engage, Lacuna Coil and Chimara. There are still tix available.

Can the residents of Lowell handle the truth?

I believe we can and so do some other key people in this city. Deb Belanger, the energetic and spunky face of the Merrimack Valley is working her magic as you read this blog. The exec director of the Great Merrimack Valley CVB is using her charm and street smarts to convince Hollywood honchos to hold the premiere of This Side of the Truth in Lowell.

You go Deb! We're with you all the way!

Ricky Gervais, a Brit who has an affinity for chicken and mash, wrote, directed and stared in a comedy about a world where no one can lie except him. The flick was shot in and around our 'hood. The Dub, Lowell Memorial Auditorium, C-stones, La Boniche and some other haunts all were locations used for scenes.

TSOT is set to be released in theaters nation wide on Sept. 25. Deb has been on the horn with the Mass Film Office and even e-mailed uber producer Lynda Obst. At least we know someone is working on behalf of the Mill City.

Check out tomorrow's Sun for a full story on the premiere.

In other local movie gossip, an old college pal of mine tipped me off that a movie will be filmed in Lowell within the next couple of weeks. He works for a production company out of NYC and has some inside info. We haven't been able to confirm anything yet but...could this be the Micky Ward flick we all have been talking about for a minute now?

Britney Spears is apologizing to fans after smoky conditions at a concert in Vancouver, Canada, led to a 30-minute delay in her show.

Did she get a contact high or was the chain smoking pop star afraid of second-hand smoke?

Brit's publicist, Holly Shakoor, issued a statement apologizing to fans. The statement said “crew members above the stage became ill due to a ventilation issue.”

If you Kiss it, they will come. That’s what glam metal veterans KISS are telling their legions of fans.

The band with an affinity for makeup will let their groupies decide where they should rock ’n’ roll all night and party every day. Fans in the U.S. and Canada can vote online to have their hometown included on the tour route. The Tsongas Arena here in Lowell is asking local soldiers in the KISS army to get out and vote for the mill city venue.

Voting started yesterday. Vote HERE

Who doesn’t want to rock ’n’ roll all night and party everyday?

WHDH in Boston is snubbing one of their own. The NBC affiliate says it will air a local newscast at 10 p.m. next fall instead of Andover native Jay Leno’s planned nightly show at that hour. Station management said it believed a newscast would make the station more money.

NBC has threatened to strip WHDH of its network affiliation if it doesn’t air Leno, undoubtedly sending a message to any other stations that may be thinking of doing the same thing. NBC spokeswoman Rebecca Marks says no other NBC stations have said they won’t take Leno.

Dean Johnson, executive editor of radio station WCAP in Lowell, said the station has reached out to NBC to run audio of Leno’s new show each evening. “We’ve been asked to submit a formal proposal,” said Johnson. “We are Jay’s hometown station and he has been on the air with us. It makes no sense for people not to be able to hear him locally.”

The Jay Leno Show will launch in September, ending NBC’s tradition of scripted dramas at 10 p.m. Another Bay State native, Conan O’Brien, is poised to take over the Tonight Show June 1.

Does father really know best? Not according to Christina Lutfi.

Who's that you may be asking. Ready for this six degrees of separation?

Christina is the sister of Sam Lutfi who was the former "manager" of Britney Spears. Got it?

O.K. let's move on.

Christina testified Wednesday that the pop singer said in recent months that she was afraid of her father and wanted help hiring her own lawyer. Attorneys for Spears’ father and conservatorship are seeking a long-standing restraining order against her brother who was a close confidant of the singer during her personal meltdown.

Christina said Brit told her that she was afraid of her father and needed her brother’s help to hire her own attorney. The 25-year-old was introduced as a surprise witness Wednesday, moments after a judge rejected a motion to dismiss the restraining order.

Christina said her brother gave her a prepaid cell phone, which she secretly gave to Spears at a hotel sauna, so that the two could contact each other. She said she repeatedly called the number, trying to make sure the singer was safe.

It's no April fool's joke that Bart Simpson will be bestowed the same honor icons like Elvis, Bette Davis, former president John Quincy Adams and Albert Einstein. The yellow skinned teen will be immortalized on a U.S. postage stamp.

Don’t have a cow, man!

It’s been 20 years since Homer, Marge and the rest of the clan invaded the airwaves on Fox television, and the Postal Service says it plans five stamps featuring the couple and their offspring, Bart, Lisa and Maggie.

Artwork for the 44-cent stamps was done by Simpsons creator Matt Groening and will be available for preview April 9 at http://www.usps.com. At that time the post office plans to announce the date the stamps will go on sale.