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BENICIO IS BACK!
With the release of The Hunted, the long awaited thriller co-starring Academy Award winner Tommy Lee Jones, Benicio Del Toro is finally back in the spotlight. Benny's fans have been cooling their heels to see this multiple award winning actor in a new feature film, a worthy wait if the flick lives up to the excitement hinted at in it's intriguing trailers. The Hunted was delayed several months while Benicio recovered from a knife wound incurred while filming action scenes with Tommy Lee Jones, and he has made only a few public appearances since he swept the best supporting and/or lead actor awards in 2001. The payoff comes this month, with Benicio appearing on "Good Morning America" and "Live With Regis & Kelly" (March 7), "Jay Leno" (March 10), and "The Early Show" (March 14), "Caroline Rhea" (March 17), and "Kickin' It With Byron Allen" (March 31 in some areas).
"THE NORAH"
Norah Jones made headlines for winning multiple Grammys last month, but the big story might be what Norah wore ... or didn't wear. Norah didn't don a 4 figure outfit, nor did she arrange multiple costume changes for the event (one to arrive in, one to perform in, one to leave in) like some artists. Not Norah. This sweet songbird slipped into the sleek stretch lace dress she secured at last December's Vh-1 Big In 2002 Awards Celebrity Gift Retreat.
Actually, "secured" isn't the right word for Norah's acquisition of the simple yet very sexy V-neck dress. The gift experts at Backstage Creations told us soft spoken Norah, a jeans and t-shirt girl, was quite shy about selecting products from the celebrity gift retreat. Norah loved designer Michelle DeCourcy's new line, though she wasn't sure what she wanted to pick from the darling collection of tops, skirts and dresses made from velvets, fine fabrics and soft lace. A rep from Karen Wood's company suggested Norah try DeCourcy's original design, the little black dress known as "Stella." It was a perfect fit and the rest is history. Both the music world and the fashion industry took note of the magical night Norah picked up five Grammy Awards attired in a classy after-five dress perfect for the piano playing princess.
If we're talking hot Hollywood commodities, actor Ron Lester has to be included in the conversation. As promised last month, here is another exclusive picture of this babe magnet, who now weighs in at a healthy 170 pounds (a few years ago, this actor tipped the scale at over 500 pounds). We have to commend Ron for taking the initiative to get heart smart. Making his fan's hearts beat faster has been the only side effect of dropping those unhealthy pounds and Re-Inventing Ron. Visit his official website at RonLester.com.
"Some men
must be found"
tagline, The Hunted
BENICIO BITES THE BULLET - SAYS NO MORE AUTOGRAPHS
Picture yourself sitting in a quite restaurant, enjoying a delicious dinner after a hard day's work. As you delve into your meal, a stranger approaches your table and demands an autograph.
I hear this was the case Monday night at a West Hollywood restaurant, where Benicio retreated after doing The Tonight Show with Jay Leno and other press. He was cool with this guy that interrupted his meal, but then the "old monkey see, monkey do" mentality kicked in with other autograph hounds who took Benny's kindness for granted. Before he knew it, he found himself surrounded while his meal went cold. And that, my friends, is how even the usually cool Benicio lost it ... in that instant, he decided enough is enough.
I'm told Benicio has always been kind to fans and a gracious "signer," willingly giving autographs on 8 x 10's, posters, magazines, whatever he's handed, and has done it with a smile. But on this night, after these people mobbed him, he snapped. "I've always been cool with you, why can't you do the same for me?" he pleaded. When they persisted, Benny laid down the law, "You people have no respect. I'm not doing it (signing) anymore."
Benicio stuck to his guns the following night, ignoring fans pleas at The Hunted premiere and ditching out a side door after the post-premiere party.
I've said it before, I'll say it again. There's a time and place for everything, folks. It's okay to approach stars when they're at public appearances, they expect it. But their personal time is their own. That's when it's time to leave them alone. Use common sense. Restaurants (and rest rooms!) are off limits.
Del Toro at The Hunted premiere
Mann's Village Theater, 3/11/03
THE REAL RON LESTER
IN TUNE
WITH THE TIMES
America's legendary singer songwriter
John Mellencamp recently penned a new Arlo Guthrie inspired tune:
"To Washington."
It's currently available to download FREE courtesy of Mellencamp.com.
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FEEL GOOD MUSIC
One of my favorite songs - one that I love to blast with my top down
(my car's, not mine) - came out just weeks before 9/11.
It's by John Mellencamp, off his 2001 Cuttin Heads CD, which featured
