Why is Tyra Banks feeling a bit put down?
NEWS:
Tyra Banks says she is insulted by Internet rumors she moved to New York to be with a new boyfriend.
According to bloggers, the former model moved her chat show, Tyra, from Los Angeles to the Big Apple because she is allegedly dating investment banker John Utendahl, 50.
But Banks, 34, pours cold water on that theory saying: “I’m very insulted by that rumour. I employ a lot of people; their livelihoods rest on my shows.
“The move to New York was a decision I made with my manager. It was not about a man.”
Banks addresses the rumour in an interview with US magazine, Essence.
In the February edition she reveals that she won’t be following in the footsteps of former colleague, Heidi Klum, anytime soon.
Klum, 34, who is married to singer Seal, has three children - a girl and two boys all under the age of five.But Tyra says she has no desire to have a baby.
She says: “After the talk show started, and I had [reality show] Top Model at the same time, it engulfed me so much that it dulled my maternal instinct.
“I hope that when I get more of a handle on my life it comes back.”
Still the glamorous model-turned-TV-presenter and producer says that she feels lonely at night when she comes home to an empty New York apartment.
“I’d go to work and women would be crying in my arms on the talk show,” she says. “But then I go home and put my key in my door and…nothing.
“No friends, no husband, no children. I feel so full when I’m at work but so empty when I come home.”
Banks offers a possible insight into her rampant work drive.
Raised in South Central - an unglamorous part of Southern California - her parents divorced when she was six.
She says that her father kept the family’s big house while she, her older brother Devin and their mum Carolyn London moved into a cramped one-bedroom apartment.
Banks says her mother worked two, sometimes three jobs, to keep the family afloat.
“My brother and I shared the bedroom and my mother slept on the living room floor because the sofa wasn’t comfortable,” Banks says. “I think my mother stayed married for so long because he [my father - a computer consultant] was the breadwinner.
“I never want to be in that position. But I think maybe I’ve taken it into overdrive. People look at me and say: ‘Oh, Tyra, you’re doing such great things. Girl, you a mogul’.
“I don’t think they understand that it’s almost as if I don’t have a choice. What motivates me a little bit is fear.”
Banks, who launched the successful reality TV series America’s Next Top Model in 2003, has always said she never set out to be a supermodel. That was a happy accident. She always wanted to work behind the cameras.
The woman who became the first African-American to grace the covers of GQ and the Victoria’s Secret catalogue, says: “I hate saying that because I like to tell women: ‘Have a dream and go after it’.
“But modelling was something that just happened because I was 5ft 10.”
Yet, although modelling was not her first dream, Banks is set to encourage women who want to walk the catwalks of New York and Paris - even if they are the black Eliza Doolittles of the US inner cities.
Speaking about some of the girls featured on America’s Next Top Model, she says: “I cast girls who have urban accents and bamboo earrings because the fashion industry ignores them.
“When those girls walk into a modelling agency with all the goods but too many accessories, the agencies don’t say: ” ‘Let me cut your hair, put on this black dress’. They send them away.
“My goal is to show the industry that you don’t have to be from Africa and be exotic to be beautiful.“You can be a ’round-the-way girl from Brooklyn or Arkansas.”
Like most reality shows these days Top Model is not without its on-set bickering. But if viewers tune in to see the squabbles, Banks who likens the show’s appeal to “candy” says: “But there’s some medicine in that candy.
“And it’s medicine people don’t even know they’re getting because the candy’s so sweet.”
Source: http://www.showbizspy.com/
Thursday, January 10, 2008
Johnny Grant Dies - Age 84 -TV Producer and More
WOW: I can't believe Johnny Grant died. He never married either. Does anyone remember Stop the Clock? If not you must've seen White Christmas.
NEWS:
Hollywood’s honorary mayor, the endearing Johnny Grant who cheered on hundreds of actors as they immortalized their handprints in cement outside the Grauman's Chinese Theatre over the years, died Wednesday, Jan. 9, aged 84.
The lifelong supporter and promoter of Tinseltown died Wednesday evening apparently of natural causes, according to Officer Jason Lee. He was found on a bed in the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel, the officer added.
The 84-year-old radio personality and television producer, who remained a bachelor throughout his life, lived in a 14th-floor suite at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel.
Born in 1923 in Goldsboro, North Carolina, Grant made his show business debut as reporter for a radio station in 1939. He joined the U. S. Army in 1943 and during his service, hosted a special daily show over New York's WINS Radio, titled “Strictly GI,” which included news of interest to the troops but also interviews with entertainment stars of that period.
After his discharge, he came to Hollywood, which was to become his adopted hometown, where he continued his successful and extended career in show business. He had roles in “The Babe Ruth Story” (1948), which starred William Bendix, and in “White Christmas” (1954) with Bing Crosby.
Beginning in 1946, he was host of the game show “Stop the Clock,” which aired alternately on Dumont Television in New York City, WBGR-TV in Schenectady, N.Y. and WPTZ-TV in Philadelphia.
Along with Bing Crosby, Bob Hope and Frank Sinatra, Grant co-hosted the first national telethon ever produced, a fund-raiser to help send America's Olympic athletes to Helsinki in 1952.
He was one of the creators of the Arthritis Telethon and produced/co-hosted the show for two decades. He also served as producer and host of the United States Marine Corps Reserve's “Toys For Tots” Telethon for ten years.
In 1951, he made his first overseas trip to entertain the troops. A biography on his official website (www.johnnygrant.com) calls him “one of America's most enthusiastic, energetic and vocal supporters of the men and women of the United States Armed Forces.”
He was accompanied on his dozens of USO visits by celebrities such as Jane Russell, Debbie Reynolds, Jayne Mansfield, Rita Moreno, Ann Sheridan, Stephanie Powers and Julie Newmar.
The bio adds that he was also one of the first U. S. disc jockeys to intersperse traffic reports in between playing records and interviewing celebrities, during his 8-year stint at radio station KMPC in the 1950s.
Throughout the decades, he chatted with legendary figures such as Marilyn Monroe, Elizabeth Taylor, Bing Crosby, Walt Disney, Tom Cruise and Frank Sinatra and was a friend to several presidents, including John F. Kennedy, Lyndon B. Johnson and Richard Nixon, with President Reagan as one of his closest friends.
The Hollywood Chamber of Commerce named Grant Hollywood's honorary mayor in 1980, a position he held for the rest of his life. He used to say it was “the best job in town.”
He received his own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1980 for his contributions to television and for his massive involvement in and support of the Hollywood community. The plaque is located in front of Grauman's Chinese Theatre, between those of Zsa Zsa Gabor and his one-time Army Air Corps Commanding Officer, Glenn Miller.
In 2002, Grant was honored with a special, one-of-a-kind Walk of Fame star, bearing the Hollywood seal, and located at the entrance to the Kodak Theatre, and with a special dedication: the new street off Highland that leads into the Kodak Theatre was named “Johnny Grant Way.”
Full biography at http://www.johnnygrant.com/
Source: http://www.efluxmedia.com
NEWS:
Hollywood’s honorary mayor, the endearing Johnny Grant who cheered on hundreds of actors as they immortalized their handprints in cement outside the Grauman's Chinese Theatre over the years, died Wednesday, Jan. 9, aged 84.
The lifelong supporter and promoter of Tinseltown died Wednesday evening apparently of natural causes, according to Officer Jason Lee. He was found on a bed in the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel, the officer added.
The 84-year-old radio personality and television producer, who remained a bachelor throughout his life, lived in a 14th-floor suite at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel.
Born in 1923 in Goldsboro, North Carolina, Grant made his show business debut as reporter for a radio station in 1939. He joined the U. S. Army in 1943 and during his service, hosted a special daily show over New York's WINS Radio, titled “Strictly GI,” which included news of interest to the troops but also interviews with entertainment stars of that period.
After his discharge, he came to Hollywood, which was to become his adopted hometown, where he continued his successful and extended career in show business. He had roles in “The Babe Ruth Story” (1948), which starred William Bendix, and in “White Christmas” (1954) with Bing Crosby.
Beginning in 1946, he was host of the game show “Stop the Clock,” which aired alternately on Dumont Television in New York City, WBGR-TV in Schenectady, N.Y. and WPTZ-TV in Philadelphia.
Along with Bing Crosby, Bob Hope and Frank Sinatra, Grant co-hosted the first national telethon ever produced, a fund-raiser to help send America's Olympic athletes to Helsinki in 1952.
He was one of the creators of the Arthritis Telethon and produced/co-hosted the show for two decades. He also served as producer and host of the United States Marine Corps Reserve's “Toys For Tots” Telethon for ten years.
In 1951, he made his first overseas trip to entertain the troops. A biography on his official website (www.johnnygrant.com) calls him “one of America's most enthusiastic, energetic and vocal supporters of the men and women of the United States Armed Forces.”
He was accompanied on his dozens of USO visits by celebrities such as Jane Russell, Debbie Reynolds, Jayne Mansfield, Rita Moreno, Ann Sheridan, Stephanie Powers and Julie Newmar.
The bio adds that he was also one of the first U. S. disc jockeys to intersperse traffic reports in between playing records and interviewing celebrities, during his 8-year stint at radio station KMPC in the 1950s.
Throughout the decades, he chatted with legendary figures such as Marilyn Monroe, Elizabeth Taylor, Bing Crosby, Walt Disney, Tom Cruise and Frank Sinatra and was a friend to several presidents, including John F. Kennedy, Lyndon B. Johnson and Richard Nixon, with President Reagan as one of his closest friends.
The Hollywood Chamber of Commerce named Grant Hollywood's honorary mayor in 1980, a position he held for the rest of his life. He used to say it was “the best job in town.”
He received his own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1980 for his contributions to television and for his massive involvement in and support of the Hollywood community. The plaque is located in front of Grauman's Chinese Theatre, between those of Zsa Zsa Gabor and his one-time Army Air Corps Commanding Officer, Glenn Miller.
In 2002, Grant was honored with a special, one-of-a-kind Walk of Fame star, bearing the Hollywood seal, and located at the entrance to the Kodak Theatre, and with a special dedication: the new street off Highland that leads into the Kodak Theatre was named “Johnny Grant Way.”
Full biography at http://www.johnnygrant.com/
Source: http://www.efluxmedia.com
Review of the Nano Car by Tata Motors
Ratan Tata, chairman, Tata Motors, unveiled the people's car Nano at the Auto Expo today.
The car would be commercially launched in the second half of 2008, and would be produced at the Singur plant in West Bengal.
Speaking at the launch, Ratan Tata, said: "The car is powered by a 624cc, 30 bhp engine and will deliver mileage of about 20 kpl."
The standard variant (without AC) of Nano is priced at Rs 1 lakh for dealers excluding VAT and transportation. There will be two deluxe variants with AC.
"The car has already undergone full frontal collision tests and will soon be undergoing side impact tests this year. It will be Euro-IV compliant and will meet all emission norms till 2010", Tata said.
The car is 8% smaller in terms of length than the Maruti 800, but has 21% more room internally.
"A team of 500 designers and engineers worked for four years on the development of the car. Since we started the project four years back, there has been a steep increase in input cost, but a promise is a promise," Tata said after unveiling his pet project.
Besides India, the company plans to sell the car in Africa, Latin America and South East Asia.
Source: http://www.business-standard.com
The car would be commercially launched in the second half of 2008, and would be produced at the Singur plant in West Bengal.
Speaking at the launch, Ratan Tata, said: "The car is powered by a 624cc, 30 bhp engine and will deliver mileage of about 20 kpl."
The standard variant (without AC) of Nano is priced at Rs 1 lakh for dealers excluding VAT and transportation. There will be two deluxe variants with AC.
"The car has already undergone full frontal collision tests and will soon be undergoing side impact tests this year. It will be Euro-IV compliant and will meet all emission norms till 2010", Tata said.
The car is 8% smaller in terms of length than the Maruti 800, but has 21% more room internally.
"A team of 500 designers and engineers worked for four years on the development of the car. Since we started the project four years back, there has been a steep increase in input cost, but a promise is a promise," Tata said after unveiling his pet project.
Besides India, the company plans to sell the car in Africa, Latin America and South East Asia.
Source: http://www.business-standard.com
Catching the Top News Items to Keep You Informed
Hey Everyone,
I like to find the top items in the news and tell you about them. It isn't always to keep up with everything so please visit daily for the updates. Be well.
Julie
I like to find the top items in the news and tell you about them. It isn't always to keep up with everything so please visit daily for the updates. Be well.
Julie
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