HK & VW

VW is utilizing Heidi Klum’s German roots by placing her in one of their new television ads. According to USA Today, The new VW campaign features Max, a 1964 black Bug. In the commercials Max plays a talk show host who interviews a few other celebrities besides Klum including David Hasselhoff of Baywatch and Leonard Nimoy from Star Trek. USA Today also reveals that VW hopes the new campaign will assist in “tripling U.S. sales to about 1 million vehicles by 2018.”

I found the Klum version of the commercial to be more entertaining than any other automobile commercial on television in quite some time. It’s different. It’s flashy. It’s likely to boost sales to help VW reach its goal. This commercial coincides well with Klum’s upbeat and endearing personality as she compliments Max on his impressive German engineering. While Klum will help VW reach their goals, VW is likely to assist Klum as well. By endorsing an automobile company, Klum displays her versatility as she is able to promote a variety of brands and present herself well in a wide range of contexts in the entertainment industry.

More Marsden

My cousin, Traci, grew up in Stillwater, Oklahoma and dated James Marsden throughout high school. The two attended Oklahoma State University. Jimmy, as Traci calls him, moved to Los Angeles to pursue a career in acting after one year of college, and they broke up shortly thereafter.

Marsden landed a role on ABC’s Second Noah. He played a teen father on the series from 1996 to 1997. It seems as though Marsden has been an “up-and-coming” actor for quite some time now. However, he has become more widely famous for his more recent roles in X-Men, Hairspray, Enchanted, and 27 Dresses. But who can forget his role as the guy Rachel McAdams almost chooses in The Notebook?

As for Traci, she is married with two children now. Marsden has two children and is married as well. The two of them were not meant to be, but Marsden was clearly meant to have a career in acting and chose the right path is pursuing it. Clearly, Marsden has put in his time in Hollywood to deserve the recognition he is getting today. He is an extremely talented actor with versatility that is demonstrated through the wide range of roles he has played such genres as drama, action, romance, and musical. Be on the lookout for more Marsden. This handsome actor has significant potential and is sure to grace the big screen with even great roles to come.

Gibson the Guardian

Britney Spears has recently “fallen off the deep end” as many would say. From losing custody of her children to Kevin Federline of all people and her everyday drama captured and widely exposed by the press, Spears has been through a rough couple of years. While she has released a couple of popular songs, “Gimme More” and “Piece of Me,” and appeared on the March 24 episode of How I Met Your Mother, the artist clearly is in need of some help in order to get her life back on track. Enter Mel Gibson. As one of Hollywood’s most well-known and successful actors, Gibson can empathize with Spears in the difficult position of being constantly hounded by paparazzi as well as other hardships that come with celebrity.

According to People magazine, Spears and Gibson have “been getting together since the end of February [because] Mel and [his wife], Robyn, saw a woman in crisis and wanted to help.” Apparently Gibson is advising Spears “how to navigate celebrity and how to keep one’s family intact and out of the limelight.”

It sounds like Spears has found a guardian of sorts. Hopefully Gibson’s advice will provide Spears with the guidance and wisdom she needs to redirect her life onto a path of improvement and reconciliation. I guess not all Hollywood celebrities are completely selfish. Gibson has displayed a kind act of outreach to this troubled singer and actress. If we are lucky, Spears will take her new guardian’s instructions to heart, and the daily “Britney drama” that is impossible to escape will be replaced by more positive coverage of the star improving her family, career, and life in general.

Jamie Lynn Spears Pregnant but Poised

Jamie Lynn Spears, 16-year-old actress and younger sister to Britney Spears, confirmed to OK! magazine on Tuesday, December 18, 2007 that she is pregnant. Spears revealed that the father is her 18-year-old longtime boyfriend, Casey Aldridge, and she has decided to keep the baby. Spears is the star of one of Nickelodeon’s highest-rated shows, “Zoey 101.” According to People magazine, the network said in a statement: “We respect Jamie Lynn’s decision to take responsibility in this sensitive and personal situation. We know this is a very difficult time for her and her family, and our primary concern right now is for Jamie Lynn’s well being.” Spears confessed to OK!, “I can’t say it was something I was planning to do right now. But now that it’s in her lap and that it’s something I have to deal with, I’m looking forward to being the best mom I can be.”

Mainstream media reveal both factual and somewhat positive as well as unfavorable coverage of the teen. Articles included either the OK! magazine cover or a flattering picture of Spears. The coverage by OK!, People, and MSNBC has as much of a positive position as possible, given the controversial topic. These media included mainly quotes from Spears herself, her mother, Lynn, and Britney. People magazine reveals the agreement of the Aldridge family with that which has been stated by Spears. CNN reveals a flattering picture of the celebrity and the fact that her position is casting new light on how states handle consensual sex among teens. USA Today emphasizes the “fresh hot topic” made available to talk-show hosts and bloggers as well as a statement in which Britney wishes her younger sister luck and asks for privacy. The New York Times has more negative coverage of the topic, including many quotes from worried parents as well as older siblings about the detrimental effects Spears’ pregnancy might have on young children who view Spears as a role model. Despite mixed coverage surrounding this teen pregnancy, it is clear that Spears has a realistic attitude and is taking responsibility for her actions.

Bloggers have been more unfavorable towards pregnant Spears. Headlines mainly reveal the obvious that the 16-year-old is pregnant and are accompanied by photos of Spears in typical red carpet settings or with Aldridge. Another focus of these blogs has been the criticism of the agreement between Lynn Spears, Jamie Lynn’s mother, with OK! magazine to sell the first baby pictures for $1 million. A couple blogs have mentioned that Lynn Spears’ book on mothering has been canceled. In addition, bloggers emphasize the negative portrayal Spears is playing as a role model to her young fans. Massivesecret.blogspot.com strongly believes “Zoey 101″ should be canceled.

Mainstream media and Blogs have both given the facts of Spears’ pregnancy as well as criticisms of the young star. However, mainstream media provided more overall facts surrounding the situation as well as quotes from Spears, her mother, her sister, and Nickelodeon. Bloggers mainly stated that Spears was pregnant and continued on to state their opinion. These opinions included those regarding her television show as well as the negative influence of Spears’ pregnancy on young viewers of “Zoey 101.”

I think Spears did a great job in releasing statements to the media. She is taking responsibility for her actions. She knows that she made a mistake, but she is going to make the best out of the situation. I don’t believe I would ever put myself in such a position, but if I were Spears, I believe I would have reacted in the same manner. She is handling herself in a mature manner and seems poised beyond her years.

Under the Influence

I cannot remember a time when I was not obsessed with the Olsen twins. As lame as that might sound, it is the truth. I grew up watching them on “Full House” and have been hooked ever since. I even love their movies that are not received quite as well by the majority of the viewing public. There is just something about them that I can’t quite pinpoint. Maybe it’s the big sunglasses that give them an air of mystery, their eclectic style, or the fact that they are gorgeous, successful, and command such great attention at a height of less than 5 feet 3 inches.

Currently, the Olsen twins are creating a coffee-table book entitled “Influence.” This book about fashion will include “exclusive photographs of Ashley and Mary-Kate from world renowned photographer Rankin, and a wide variety of other never-before-seen materials and interviews from Mary-Kate and Ashley’s personal collections,” according to Penguin Group which will release “Influence” in the fall. The 21-year-old power twins will write about various designers, artists, and photographers. According to Ashley the book will feature “the most interesting, challenging, creative people we know – the ones who helped pave the way for us and our generation.” These influential people include French show designer Christian Louboutin, writer Bob Colacello, photographer Terry Richardson, and actress Lauren Hutton. Visit the following site to view the full press release: http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/080227/nyw021.html?.v=101.

In my opinion this project will display the Olsen’s maturity and talent as they combine their own work with the work of highly successful professionals in the entertainment industry. As they grow up, Mary-Kate and Ashley continually transform their work from somewhat childish and cheesy to classy. This book will serve as a step in bringing these moguls to the latter end of the spectrum. While I don’t know how many copies the book will sell, I do know that I cannot wait to get my hands on one. “Influence” seems to have an early influence on me as I search for the release date of the book. After some searching of the Web, I find that I can pre-order the book now but have to wait until November 13, 2008 for its release. I’ll consider it an early Christmas present to myself. Of course, I’ll have to buy a copy for my sister as she shares my Olsen twin obsession. I am sure that other dedicated fans will join in my anticipation for the release of the book.

Rising Stars Raising Hype

 

Let’s face it. We are constantly surrounded by sex. Sexy ads are in every form of media. Sex is all over television and in movies. I could go on, but I trust that you, too, have witnessed the ever present topic of sex, whether you want to or not. Hollywood in particular probably could be called the capital of sex. It is here that the writers who are now back at their jobs are most likely incorporating sex into the content of their television series and movies this very moment. And we can’t forget now pregnant 16-year-old Jamie Lynn Spears who has clearly not learned from the mistakes of her sister.

Surprisingly enough, a few young stars stand out from the Hollywood norm as they have proclaimed themselves virgins until marriage, pop princess Miley Cyrus and up-and-coming boy band the Jonas Brothers. Cyrus has her own television show, Hannah Montana, that is highly popular among the tween Disney channel audience. Hannah Montana is Cyrus’ stage name both on her show and on stage in real life where she also appears as herself. Cyrus and her alter ego have become quite a phenomenon with the sold out “Best of Both Worlds” American concert tour and $31 million in earnings from the mere one week the concert ran in 3D theaters. The Jonas Brothers not only toured with Cyrus, but also appeared as recurring guest stars on her show.

While some may argue differently, I think it is good publicity for Cyrus and the Jonas Brothers to make known their vows of chastity. These young stars have a strong association with the Disney channel and serve as role models to a large number of young children. As America is becoming even more saturated with sex in every aspect of society, it is important that children have celebrities to look up to who display strong values, especially that of purity. A lot of children may not have a family who will talk to them and teach them about such important issues. While Perez Hilton may poke fun at and doubt them, I have a tremendous amount of respect for both Miley Cyrus and the Jonas Brothers. I hope they can live up to the standards they have set for themselves in the future. I believe they can if they stay strong in their faith as Cyrus recently explained to Barbara Walters. Click the following link to see for yourself: http://www.redlasso.com/ClipPlayer.aspx?id=13e5bc08-7c1f-45be-b398-dabacfb78299.

To learn more about these outspoken celebs and see just what all the hype is about, visit www.MileyCyrus.com and www.jonasbrothers.com.

Voegele Rising to Music Mogul

Since the pilot aired on the WB four years ago, I have been a dedicated viewer of One Tree Hill. Over the years has been a means for little known artists to gain some attention and ultimately fans of their music. Now popular artist, Gavin DeGraw, was the first musician to perform in the content of the series. “I Don’t Wanna Be,” the theme song of One Tree Hill, became DeGraw’s first hit single. The show is in its fifth and final season and has now introduced artist Kate Voegele as a new character, Mia, a shy member of a band led by guest star Kevin Federline. Mia captures the attention of the record label owner who redirects her focus to helping Mia create her own album after Federline and the other band members leave. Last week, Mia made her first on-stage performance as the opening act for another band.

As a character on the show as opposed to merely a one-time performer, Voegele has been able to create a positive image for herself while reaching new fans. Viewers cannot help but to fall in love with both Mia and Voegele alike as they discover her talent. Voegele will appear on four more episodes of One Tree Hill, so tune in to the CW on Tuesdays at 9pm/8c to realize how great Voegele’s music is for yourself. After watching Voegele make her debut on the show a couple of weeks ago, I immediately downloaded her entire album, Don’t Look Away, from iTunes. I literally love every song which rarely occurs when I discover a new artist.

Visit Voegele’s MySpace site at www.myspace.com/katevoegele and her official Web site at www.katevoegele.com to read more about Kate, listen to her music, watch videos and more. The “About Kate” section describes her album as “a female parallel to John Mayer’s Room for Squares.” At the ripe age of 20, Voegele has created a phenomenal first album that extends way beyond her years. Expect great things from this talented new singer/songwriter. Kate Voegele is well on her way to becoming widely famous.

Say Hello To Nelo

“Don’t read that! Those are the songs that Matt is writing. He would freak out if anyone read them yet,” my friend Kate warns me. It’s my senior year of high school, and Kate and I are hanging out in her kitchen. I curiously had flipped open a small black notebook to find the pages filled in with the latest lyrics of her brother’s band, Nelo.

It’s four years later and finally Nelo, the rock/folk rock/pop band, will release their much anticipated album on April 22 of this year. It all got started with Matt Ragland and Reid Umstattd who became friends during their summers at Camp Longhorn and both attended the University of Texas at Austin. Matt, songwriter and acoustic guitarist, and singer Reid, formed a band that now has six members, including Chris Hill, Stephen Goodson, David Long, and Mike St.Clair.

Nelo started out playing small gigs, such as a graduation party for a group of my friends. I often get a feeling of nostalgia when listening to their oldest songs. Nelo still performs numerous private shows, and various clubs such as Antones in Austin and the Green Elephant in Dallas book the band that has a large and growing number of loyal high-school and college-aged fans.

The upcoming months bring excitement for this up-and-coming band. Nelo has a TV Appearance with CBS in Dallas/Ft. Worth today, and the PRE CD Release party will take place at Granada Theater in Dallas at 11:00PM tomorrow. Unfortunately, I am not able to attend, but Kate flies in today from Ole Miss to support her brother and will tell me all the details.

After wearing out the EP I bought from Matt a few years ago, I can’t wait to get my hands on Nelo’s new CD which features their latest songs. “Holiday” is my new favorite.

Nelo’s upcoming events and “Nelo Notes” mailing list sign-up are at www.nelomusic.com. You can listen to some of the band’s songs at MySpace at www.myspace.com/nelomusic. Be sure to check out Jumping Bean and Footsteps. If you like music at all, you are sure to enjoy the unique and upbeat sounds of Nelo.