Chicago’s in her blood, but LA is where it’s at
Young star-on-the-rise Keke Palmer joins seasoned pro William H. Macy in “The Wool Cap,” a TNT original film airing Sunday night.
DIY divas
While her friends would dream of having their daddies build them the perfect dollhouse, Tina Hanson was figuring out ways to make her own. Armed with a hammer and nails, she would build little sheds next to her family’s house. Flash forward about 30 years. Hanson, now 40, has done enough work on her Skokie home to make Bob Vila jealous. “Instead of going in the business finance world, I wish I’d had the foresight to have studied architecture in college,” says Hanson, who works as a bookkeeper for a local travel agency. “I think I would’ve been pretty good at building houses. I do all right repairing them.”
Tony Hawk’s Underground 2
When it’s all said and done, you’ve got to give your props to Tony Hawk. Though the extreme athlete is getting a little long in the tooth (dude, he’s in his 30s!), he’s got a nice little franchise going with his eponymous skateboarding videogames.
Wine, women and song make up Bridget Jones fest
Singletons, take note. “Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason” is just a couple days from opening, and that’s reason enough for many of you to celebrate. While all the “smug marrieds” are at home arguing about whose turn it is to pay the bills (or bathe the children), you can kick back with your bitchin’ friends, enjoy a cocktail and revel in all things Bridget.
Bridget’s not the only woman with a yen for bad boys
At face value, there is no reason why women would choose Hugh Grant’s character over Colin Firth’s in “Bridget Jones’s Diary.” Both are good looking, have great jobs and cute English accents. But throw in the fact that Mark Darcy (played by Firth) is a soft-spoken gentleman while Grant’s Daniel Cleaver is a womanizing cad and Grant is the bad boy winner. Never mind that whatever woman he’s dating is destined to be the loser. The fact is, just as high school girls love the pot-smoking, long-haired dropout, women love bad boys, too.
Caribbean Destinations
“Celebrities migrate toward the Caribbean because it’s one of the few places they can go where they’re left alone,” says Keija Minor, editor in chief of Travel Savvy magazine. “It’s the perfect place for them to get some relaxation, quiet time and seclusion.” What’s not to love? The fruit and fish are always fresh, and the weather usually cooperates. Besides the laid-back tranquility of the islands, celebs also enjoy a bit of welcome anonymity from fans and paparazzi when they’re tucked away in their own pockets of paradise.
All signs point toward glamor-heavy holiday fashions
We know. Thanksgiving isn’t for another few weeks and Christmas is almost two months down the line. But trust us. It’s never too early to do a little reconnaissance work when it comes to searching for that perfect holiday dress. Forget about understated. Go for full-out glam, because every woman and her sister will be dressed to thrill.
Lori Petty’s shirts shout truth and beauty
Lawd knows Lori Petty’s a busy woman. She’s an actress, painter, director and writer. But that hasn’t stopped the quirky actress from adding designer to her list of credits. Best known for her work in “A League of Their Own” and “Point Break,” Petty has a year-old line of casual wear called Lawd Knows that reflects her inspirational side.
Game Zone: Mario Pinball Land, Law & Order: Justice is Served, X_Men Legends
Doing Dong! Unless you haven’t watched TV in the last few years, you’re probably familiar with the foreboding two-note intro that starts every episode of “Law & Order” and its spin-offs. The latest in the “Law & Order” PC game franchise takes you into the world of an Anna Kournikova-ish tennis star who is found dead the day before she’s supposed to play at a big tournament.
Wanda Sykes: A reality series, movies, a new book, a tour: This actress keeps busy fitting fun ideas into her schedule
While thousands of would-be actors toil away as waiters waiting for their big break, Wanda Sykes is sauteeing veggies in a Chinese restaurant, driving athletes around in a limo and snapping photos of a couple at their wedding. Of course, it’s all part of her reality Comedy Central series, “Wanda Does It,” in which the sassy comedic actress tackles non-showbiz jobs.
Celebrity restaurants
Oprah Winfrey couldn’t do it. Michael Jordan had to change his game plan. And even Wolfgang Puck hightailed it back to Los Angeles after his restaurant failed in Chicago. Could it be that the Second City actually is more persnickety about celebrity-owned eateries than its East and West Coast counterparts? Quite possibly, when it comes to restaurants owned by celebrities — whether they’re athletes or superstar chefs.
Political satire snowballs for ‘Yes Men’
If you were sitting at a symposium and a well-spoken expert in a suit talked about the benefits of enslaving the poorest sectors of society, would you challenge the speaker’s theories, walk out enraged or clap politely?
“Woman, Thou Art Loosed”
Filmgoers are taken into the mournful world of a woman who never had a chance in “Woman, Thou Art Loosed.” Michelle Jordan’s God-fearing mother resented her for being around, while her “Uncle” Reggie enjoyed having her around all too much, making life at home even seedier than the strip club in which she would later work. As she later tells a childhood friend, “That ain’t my home. It’s just a place where part of me is buried.”
No place like the road for former Chicago musician
You wouldn’t think that sleeping in a coffinlike bunk would be “cool,” but Rachael Yamagata can’t get enough of it. Prior to this tour, Yamagata never had enough money for an actual tour bus, so as far as she’s concerned, the small sleeping quarters are fine. Not so for her bandmates.
Split ends: Celebrity prenuptial agreements
Divorce attorney to the stars Raoul Felder once said a celebrity who doesn’t draw up a prenuptial agreement needs a psychiatrist, not a lawyer. After all, if your net worth was $32 million, would you marry a guy whose car was repossessed? OK, but say you’re Britney Spears and you really, really want to marry backup dancer Kevin Federline and think this love will last 4-ever!
Scotland
Scotland has become almost a caricature of itself in the American media with comics imitating Sean Connery’s brogue and Mike Myers “If it’s not Scottish, it’s crap!” skits on “Saturday Night Live.” Often viewed as less cosmopolitan than England but not pastoral enough to be as pretty as Switzerland, Scotland actually is all that and more. With some fabulous gourmet restaurants, the gorgeous countryside and some of the most amazing castles and ruins — all within a few hours drive — Scotland is a wonderful destination for travelers who want it all without having to learn another language.
‘BachelorMan’ comes home: A marriage-minded comedian who left Aurora for Hollywood says he’d rather make movies here
Born and raised in Aurora, Rodney Lee Conover was 18 when he left the western suburbs for Los Angeles. He worked as a stand-up comic. He had bit parts on TV and in films. But like many entertainers — both struggling and otherwise — what he really wanted to do was make his own films.
“Bachelorman”: The art — and laughter — of the chase
Ted Davis is the ultimate player. He’s cute, but not too good-looking. He’s charming without being overly smooth. As he notes early in “BachelorMan,” Ted knows he’s not God’s gift to women, but is just optimistic enough to think they’re God’s gift to him.
Singing the praises of finely dressed operagoers
For women of a certain generation, figuring out what to wear to a gala, ball or some other grand black-tie extravaganza is as simple as stepping into a favorite gown and heels. But for those who have never been to one before, getting dressed up for a really fancy event can be a daunting affair.
“Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence”: Beautiful ‘Innocence’ lost in mind games
“If our gods and our hopes are nothing but scientific phenomena, then it must be said that our love is scientific as well.” With that quote from Auguste Villiers de L’Isle-Adam’s novel L’Eve Future, so begins the beautifully animated but excessively philosophical “Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence.” The sequel to 1995’s “Ghost in the Shell” — which was one of the most successful anime films of all time — “Innocence” is ambitious and gorgeous to look at, but is so lacking in humanity that at times it is almost painful to watch.