Eva Mendes crowned "most desirable" in poll

eva mendes, the most desirable woman of the year
eva mendes in massive Calvin Klein campaign lingerie

Jan 21, 2009 7:21PM

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Actress Eva Mendes was crowned as the most desirable woman of 2009 on Wednesday in a poll by online men's magazine AskMen.com that organizers swear is not all about looks but overall qualities.

Mendes, 34, topped the online magazine's 9th annual list of "Top 99 Most Desirable Women" after AskMen.com readers cast more than 10 million votes to rank the women with the best qualities for the ideal girlfriend or wife.

She took the top slot from actress Katherine Heigl after placing fourth last year while actress Megan Fox ranked second and Victoria's Secret model Marisa Miller came in third place.

James Bassil, editor-in-chief of AskMen.com, said the list was a "pulse-check" of the women that readers were not only following but also perceived as more than just a pretty face.

"Obviously good looks are one quality but intelligence, ambition and humor also count," Bassil told Reuters.

"There are women in their mid to late 30s on this list who may be old by industry standards but you see more mature women on this list. The younger women getting a lot of play on gossip sites haven't had the time to accumulate the achievements that a lot of these women have."

Paris Hilton, Lindsay Lohan and Nicole Richie were not on the list while Britney Spears, in the midst of staging a comeback, was back after dropping off the list for a couple of years. She was ranked at No. 90.

The list included perennial favorites like Beyonce at No. 50 and Jessica Simpson at 70 but also some newcomers such as Australian actress Isla Fisher (31) and singer Katy Perry

(38).

French singer Carla Bruni, the wife of French president Nicolas Sarkozy, made her debut on the list in 76th place while comedian Tina Fey, who was widely praised for her Sarah Palin impression this past election season, made the list at No. 97.

Bassil said readers could have voted for the U.S.'s new First Lady Michelle Obama or Republican vice-presidential contender Sarah Palin but they did not garner enough support to make the list with the poll largely conducted before the U.S. election.

Brooke Burke, a former model-turned-TV personality who won the seventh season of TV show "Dancing with the Stars," rose to No. 14 in the list from No. 32 last year.

Burke, 37, who has four children, said it was a compliment to be included -- and to have jumped a few slots.

"It is great to get that attention. I do think it is more of an intelligence vote and people are looking at who they would like to have as an ideal mate and not just their average pinup," Burke told Reuters.

Rounding out the top 10, in the following order, were:

4. Keeley Hazell

5. Anne Hathaway

6. Alessandra Ambrosio

7. Scarlett Johansson

8. Rihanna

9. Kristen Bell

10. Kate Beckinsale

(Writing by Belinda Goldsmith, Editing by Bob Tourtellotte)

for more pictures of these awesome ladies, click here

Parents' group protests Spears song

Thursday, Jan 22, 2009 1:56AM UTC

By Jonathan Cohen

NEW YORK (Billboard) - The Parents Television Council is warning parents about the Britney Spears song "If U Seek Amy" and urging radio stations not to broadcast it because the nonprofit organization believes it "would violate the broadcast indecency law" if aired between 6 a.m. and 10 p.m.

Saying the title phrase quickly out loud produces a sound akin to spelling out the F-word, said PTC president Tim Winter. "There is no misinterpreting the lyrics to this song, and it's certainly not about a girl named Amy," he said of the track, the third single from Spears' new Jive album, "Circus."

"It's one thing for a song with these lyrics to be included on a CD so that fans who wish to hear it can do so, but it's an entirely different matter when this song is played over the publicly-owned airwaves, especially at a time when children are likely to be in the listening audience," Winter says.

Founded in 1995, the PTC describes itself as "a nonpartisan education organization advocating responsible entertainment." Jive was unavailable for comment on the PTC's advisory.

The controversy isn't stopping U.S. radio from playing "If You Seek Amy." Six top 40 stations have the song in rotation this week, enough to place the track at No. 92 on the Billboard Pop 100 chart. Leading the pack is WFLZ-Tampa, Fla., which has played it 19 times.

"We're confident the version of the song we air is not crossing any lines," program director Tommy Chuck told Billboard.com, adding that WFLX plays a Jive-created edit of the song that changes "Seek" to "See" as well as a jokey version in which morning host MJ shouts his name every time the word "Amy" appears.

Digitally, "Amy" has sold 107,000 copies in the United States, according to Nielsen SoundScan.

Reuters/Billboard

Bold and sophisticated looks abound at Golden Globes

Bold and sophisticated looks abound at Golden Globes

Monday, Jan 12, 2009 3:14AM UTC

By Nichola Groom

BEVERLY HILLS (Reuters) - Hollywood's biggest and most beautiful stars donned their finest to strut down the red carpet at the Golden Globes on Sunday with strapless gowns, chandelier earrings, bold colors and black the top choices.

Fashion was sophisticated and pretty, style experts agreed, saying there was a dearth of cringe-worthy moments.

"I don't think anybody laid an egg tonight," said Sasha Charnin Morrison, fashion director for US Weekly. "It was really glorious, really stunning."

Black and dark blue were popular with some bright exceptions. Golden Globe nominees Kate Winslet, Amy Adams, Sally Hawkins and Viola Davis were among the many actresses who chose black dresses for the evening event in Beverly Hills, California.

"It made me feel a little bit sexy, and I needed to feel a little bit sexy tonight," Davis, nominated for best supporting actress for "Doubt," said about choosing her Max Azria plunging V-neck gown.

Evan Rachel Wood of "The Wrestler" also sported a black gown with a plunging V-neck. "People keep asking me how I picked it, but I think it picked me," she said of the sequined and beaded gown by Elie Saab.

"Blue and black are the big colors, with bigger earrings and chunky bracelets," said style expert Michael O'Connor.

Anne Hathaway, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Drew Barrymore, Debra Messing and Sigourney Weaver were all in blue.

With only a few exceptions, strapless dresses of all colors were the night's biggest trend. In addition to Winslet and Adams, Hathaway, Eva Longoria, Eva Mendes, Miley Cyrus and Freida Pinto all bared their shoulders.

Pinto, one of the stars of "Slumdog Millionaire," said she was taken with her "mustardy gold" gown by Christian Lacroix.

"When you wear one dress you feel absolutely 'wow' about, you have to wear it. And this one was it," Pinto said.

Pinto's gold chandelier earrings showed off another fashion trend -- big, chunky jewelry. Adams, of the movie "Doubt," dazzled red carpet watchers with a pair of leaves fashioned out of green gems and diamonds.

Angelina Jolie was a notable standout from the strapless dress and big earrings crowd in a shiny but simple silver-beaded dress by Versace. Jennifer Lopez also went metallic in a gold dress.

(Reporting by Nichola Groom; Editing by Eric Walsh)

"Dark Knight" soars at People's Choice Awards

Thursday, Jan 08, 2009 3:57PM UTC

By Bob Tourtellotte

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Batman movie "The Dark Knight" soared away with five People's Choice Awards on Wednesday including favorite movie and on-screen pairing for stars Christian Bale and the late Heath Ledger to kick off Hollywood's annual awards season.

Country singer Carrie Underwood, who rose to fame on television talent show "American Idol," was another big winner, hauling in three People's Choice Awards for favorite female singer, country song "Last Name," and star under 35 years-old.

"Fans and people voting for me are what gave me a career in the first place," Underwood said, acknowledging the voting by music lovers. "This is an amazing night."

The People's Choice Awards, in its 35th edition this year, are a widely watched measure of popular appeal for Hollywood stars and they mark a starting point for the industry's annual awards season which runs through the Oscars, the world's top film awards, that take place in February.

Adam Sandler was named funniest male star, Reese Witherspoon favorite female movie star, and Kate Hudson top leading lady among winners in more than 40 categories covering film, television, music and even online entertainment.

Sandler, Witherspoon and Hudson all echoed a familiar theme of the night by saying People's Choice honors were special because they were voted on by fans, as opposed to critics or members of industry groups.

The ceremony also has a more casual atmosphere compared to TV's Emmy's or the film industry's Oscars, where black ties and ball gowns are mandatory.

STOMACH PROBLEMS

Noting that difference, Katherine Heigl, who accepted the trophy for best comedy movie for her "27 Dresses," told reporters backstage that she wore a pants suit because "it was after the holidays, so I didn't want to wear anything strapless or anything I had to suck in my stomach for."

Among film honors, "Dark Knight," which was 2008's top film at box offices with global ticket sales of nearly $1 billion, also proved to be the No. 1 movie of the night. Along with best film and on-screen match-up, it hauled in awards for favorite action movie, superhero for Bale as Batman, and for its cast.

"The Secret Life of Bees" was the winner of best film drama and favorite independent film, and animated "Wall-E" was the No. 1 family film for People's Choice voters.

In the TV arena, medical show "House" was named favorite TV drama, and "Two and a Half Men" was best TV comedy.

"The Mentalist" was top new TV drama while "Gary Unmarried" was the No. 1 new TV comedy.

"House" star Hugh Laurie took home the trophy for favorite male TV star, and Christina Applegate took the honor of top female TV star for "Samantha Who?"

Applegate, who revealed earlier this year that she underwent surgery for breast cancer, said the award meant a lot to her after a difficult year."

"I feel great. I really do," she told reporters backstage. "Each week gets easier and each week gets better."

Ellen DeGeneres was named best TV talk show host and "Dancing With the Stars" was the people's pick for No. 1 competition or reality TV show.

Along with Underwood, top winners in music included Kid Rock for favorite rock song "All Summer Long," Rascal Flatts for favorite group, Chris Brown best male singer and Katy Perry with best pop tune "I Kissed a Girl." A complete list of winners can be found at http://www.pcavote.com.

(Reporting by Bob Tourtellotte; Editing by Eric Walsh)

Scared Swayze says may have only 2 years to live

Tuesday, Jan 06, 2009 10:20PM UTC

By Jill Serjeant

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Actor Patrick Swayze, in his first television interview since being diagnosed with pancreatic cancer last year, said he was scared, angry and "going through hell" and may only have two years to live.

A year after his diagnosis with one of the most deadly forms of cancer, the "Dirty Dancing" star told TV interviewer Barbara Walters that he already has defied survival rates and reports predicting he should have "been dead a long time."

But he acknowledged his time may be short. "I'd say five years is pretty wishful thinking. Two years seems likely if you're going to believe statistics. I want to last until they find a cure, which means I'd better get a fire under it."

The American Cancer Society says pancreatic cancer has only a five percent, five-year survival rate. The majority of patients die within six months.

"You can bet I'm going through hell," Swayze told Walters in the interview to be broadcast on ABC on Wednesday.

"There's a lot of fear here ... Yeah, I'm scared. Yeah, I'm angry. Yeah, I'm (asking) why me?" Swayze, 56, told Walters.

But he denied reports he was near death. "Am I dying? Am I giving up? Am I on my death bed? Am I saying goodbye to people? No way."

Swayze said doctors diagnosed stage 4 pancreatic cancer last January, with the cancer already having spread to his liver.

'DREAMING OF A FUTURE'

The actor and dancer underwent an aggressive course of chemotherapy and treatment with an experimental drug. He then stunned the industry by starting to film a new TV detective series "The Beast" while undergoing treatment and without taking pain-killers.

"I think everybody thought I was out of my mind, you know, thinking I'm gonna pull off a TV show," he said of the 12-hour work days, mostly in cold, Chicago night conditions.

"When you're shooting you can't do drugs," Swayze said of his decision not to take pain-killers. "I can't do Hydrocodone or Vicodin or these kinds of things that take the edge off of it, 'cause it takes the edge off of your brain."

In five months of filming, Swayze missed a day and a half of work. "The Beast" starts airing on the A&E cable TV network on January 15.

Swayze is known around the world for his role as the dance instructor in the 1987 coming of age movie "Dirty Dancing" which inspired hit stage shows in London, Australia and Canada. He went on to star with Demi Moore in 1990 film romance "Ghost."

Married to wife Niemi for 33 years, Swayze said he was stunned by the outpouring of love from fans since his diagnosis, although he does not want to be a poster-boy for living with cancer.

"I keep dreaming of a future, a future with a long and healthy life, not lived in the shadow of cancer but in the light," Swayze told Walters.

"What winning is to me, is not giving up, is no matter what's thrown at me, I can take it. And I can keep going," he said.

(Reporting by Jill Serjeant, Editing by Bob Tourtellotte and Sandra Maler)

Travolta's son cremated, ashes flown to Florida

Wednesday, Jan 07, 2009 1:31PM UTC

By John Marquis

NASSAU (Reuters) - The body of actor John Travolta's 16-year-old son, Jett, was cremated in the Bahamas after his sudden death during the New Year's holiday and his parents flew to Florida with his ashes, a Bahamian lawmaker said on Tuesday.

The boy suffered a seizure at his family's holiday home in the Old Bahama Bay resort on Grand Bahama island last Friday. His death certificate listed the cause of death as "seizure disorder," said an official at the Restview Memorial funeral home, where the body was cremated.

John Travolta and his actress wife, Kelly Preston, flew out of the Bahamas on Monday night with the ashes, which were turned over to a funeral home in Ocala, Florida, said Obie Wilchcombe, a member of parliament for western Grand Bahama.

The couple has a home near Ocala in exclusive Jumbolair, an aviation community with a private 7,500-foot (2,290-meter) runway and taxiways right up to the homes.

Pathologists performed an autopsy on Monday. Bahamian Police Commissioner Reginald Ferguson said the results would not be released because there was "nothing criminal" about the boy's death.

Jett Travolta was found unconscious in a bathroom at his family's home on Friday morning. His father and paramedics tried to revive him but he was pronounced dead after being rushed in an ambulance to Rand Memorial Hospital in Freeport.

The teenager had had a history of seizures. John Travolta's lawyers, Michael Ossi and Michael McDermott, told a celebrity website that the boy had apparently been suffering from grand mal seizures, which can cause loss of consciousness.

He was on an anti-seizure medication called Depakote for several years but stopped taking it when it lost its effectiveness amid concern about side effects, they said.

Travolta and his wife, who also have an 8-year-old daughter, Ella, have said Jett was sick when he was a toddler and was diagnosed with Kawasaki disease, which leads to inflammation of the blood vessels in young children.

(Editing by Jim Loney, Editing by Sandra Maler)

Jennifer Garner delivers another daughter

Jennifer Garner delivers another daughter

Wednesday, Jan 07, 2009 1:31PM UTC

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Actress Jennifer Garner gave birth to her second child in Los Angeles on Tuesday, People magazine reported.

The baby girl, whose name was not disclosed, was healthy, People quoted a spokesperson as saying. No other details were provided.

Garner and her husband Ben Affleck, both 36, also have a 3-year-old daughter, Violet. Next month, Affleck returns to theaters for the first time in two years with the romantic comedy "He's Just Not That Into You." Garner most recently played an adoptive mother in the 2007 comedy "Juno."

(Reporting by Dean Goodman)