Total Blackout will be returning to Syfy for season two on Tuesday, November 13th. The reality competition series was Syfy’s highest rated new 2012 program, according to the network, and bringing the show back for 16 new episodes was an easy decision.
Jaleel White hosts the show which finds contestants battling “each other and their fears in a series of challenges played in complete darkness. There are no lights, no blindfolds and no-holds barred as the players face their anxieties and unexpected surprises in a series of nerve-wracking games.”
Announcing the renewal, Mark Stern, President, Original Content, Syfy, and Co-Head Original Content, Universal Cable Productions, stated: “By skillfully using contestants’ own imaginations against them, Total Blackout has become a compelling new hit, and a great addition to our growing slate of unscripted programming. We’re excited to be back in business with Jaleel White, and to see the new challenges Fremantle and their producers will cook up for the new season of this funny and offbeat series.”
Source: Syfy
Syfy Renews Total Blackout
Boys Like Girls Releasing Crazy World EP
Boys Like Girls will release their first new album in three years with Crazy World this fall. And to give fans a taste of what to expect they’ll be releasing a Crazy World EP on July 17th via iTunes. The EP will include three songs off the album including “Be Your Everything,” the first single off of Crazy World.
Boys Like Girls is made up of singer/songwriter/guitarist Martin Johnson, drummer John Keefe, lead guitarist Paul DiGiovanni and bassist Morgan Dorr, with Johnson producing Crazy World. Talking about the album’s first single, Johnson said, “It’s a great transition from where the band was. We came from a wall of guitars, and the sound has evolved. The only time I really express my feelings is when I’m writing music. That’s how it’s been since I was a little kid. This song is about the moment when it becomes okay to say, I love you.”
In addition to the EP’s release, the group will kick off the Pop-Tarts’ Crazy Good Summer Concert Series with Carly Rae Jepsen at a secret location Thursday, July 19th. Details on where and when will be available on the Pop-Tarts Facebook page.
Source: Columbia Records
Third Eye Blind Will Headline Rock the Green
“Our music-driven platform educates attendees to learn about the many ways we can minimize our collective environmental impact,” stated Lindsay Stevens Gardner, founder and executive director, Rock the Green. “This diverse lineup includes bands from all parts of the world and reflects Rock the Green’s mission to unite concert-goers through a shared music and sustainability experience.”
Third Eye Blind’s lead vocalist Stephan Jenkins said, “The environment is a passion of mine, and it is critical that we all learn to live more sustainably. Rock the Green provides the stage to drive focus to this cause, so that we can make the necessary changes as a collective group.”
Watch the announcement video:
Tickets go on sale on July 12th.
Source: Rock the Green
First Look: Elysium Photo
Shrouded in secrecy, the second film from District 9 writer/director Neill Blomkamp has a first official photo and new synopsis. Starring Sharlto Copley, Matt Damon, Jodie Foster, Alice Braga, William Fichtner, and Diego Luna, Elysium is set for release in theaters on March 1, 2013.
ComicBookMovie offers this synopsis:
“In the year 2159, two classes of people exist: the very wealthy “Coordinators,” people who can afford bio-genetical engineering, who live on a pristine man-made space station called Elysium, built by the Armadyne Corporation, and the rest, who live on an overpopulated, ruined Earth. Secretary Rhodes, a hard government official, will stop at nothing to enforce anti-immigration laws and preserve the luxurious lifestyle of the citizens of Elysium. That doesn’t stop the people of Earth from trying to get in, by any means they can. When unlucky ex-con Max is backed into a corner, he agrees to take on a daunting mission that if successful will not only save his life, but could bring equality to these polarized worlds.”
Valarie Pettiford New ‘Velvet Sky’ Album Details
Tony Award nominee Valarie Pettiford will be releasing her second solo album, Velvet Sky, on September 18, 2012. The collection of original lullabies were written by Ron Abel (music)/Chuck Steffan (lyrics) and Michael Orland (music)/Jamie Wooten (lyrics) and are meant to deepen the bond between parents and children.
Trained in dance by Bob Fosse, the multi-talented actress/dancer/singer was nominated for her work on the stage in the musical, Fosse. Pettiford was recently seen on the big screen in the romantic comedy Jumping the Broom with Angela Bassett, Loretta Devine and Paula Patton.
Announcing the upcoming release of Velvet Sky, Pettiford said, “I am very proud of this project. It was a real labor of love. Ron and Chuck were writing together, while Michael and Jamie were writing together – and then they switched partners for a few songs, which was a really fascinating endeavor! They created the most amazing lullabies for me to sing. I think people- especially parents, single parents, and soon-to-be parents- will really connect with this music, which will help them connect more with their babies.”
Pettiford says the idea of an album of original lullabies came to her when she and her husband were thinking about having children. “[I] thought what a beautiful idea it would be to record an album of lullabies during that period,” said Pettiford. “I also thought my voice was well-suited for lullabies. That’s what was so great about having the songs written just for me. Ron, Chuck, Jamie and Michael all knew my voice very well, and they wrote for my strengths.”
Asked if she had a personal favorite in this collection of original lullabies, Pettiford said “My Miracle” “touches the core of any woman who has had difficulty having children. It speaks to the beauty of an impossible dream realized.”
“After all these years,
After all those tears,
I never thought I’d ever feel this way.
To hold you in my arms, to keep you safe from harm,
To whisper in your ear and softly say,
You’re my miracle. My miracle.
How do I describe the way I feel inside?
When I lean down and look into your eyes,
How could I have known,
How fast the years had flown,
And how fortunate I found you in time.
You’re my miracle, my miracle.
You see, miracles have a way of coming true
For everybody else, but not for me.
God was saving something special for my life.
And something special is what you turned out to be.
You’re my miracle, my miracle…
My miracle.”
– ‘My Miracle’ from Velvet Sky
The Wahlbergs Expand Wahlburgers
And that is such a weird sentence to type…
Mark Wahlberg and his brothers Paul and Donnie are ready to expand their burger restaurant Wahlburgers and have appointed a new CEO, Rick Vanzura, to lead the charge. The first Wahlburgers restaurant is located at 19 Shipyard Drive at the Launch at the Hingham Shipyard, in Hingham, MA and offers burgers made from a chuck, brisket and short rib blend, hot dogs, crispy fries, onion rings, tater tots, signature ice cream frappes, house made desserts, and a Pale Ale made exclusively for Wahlburgers.
Vanzura was the VP and Co-COO of Panera and as the newly named CEO of Wahlburgers, he’ll be concentrating on opening more restaurants. “I’m extremely impressed by the Wahlbergs’ commitment to build a world-class concept offering extraordinary food,” said Vanzura. “This is not just another celebrity-driven restaurant. Paul is an exceptional chef, and his commitment to quality shows up in the restaurant every day.”
“We hope to share a little bit of our childhood times with our guests,” explains Paul. “Our family has had some humble beginnings and some amazing success, but at Wahlburgers, it’s all about the food.”
Wahlburgers serves lunch and dinner are daily from 11 a.m. to 1 a.m.
Source: Wahlburgers
Dianna Agron and Grant Gustin Join The Glee Project
Glee veteran Dianna Agron and series newbie Grant Gustin will be guest mentoring on this season of The Glee Project. Agron will help out the contestants on the ‘Actability’ theme night while Gustin takes on mentoring duties on the ‘Theatricality’ episode.
Other Glee cast members mentoring this season include Jane Lynch, Amber Riley, Darren Criss, and Chris Colfer.
Details on the ‘Actability’ and ‘Theatricality’ Episodes [Courtesy of Oxygen]:
“On Tuesday, July 17, one of the newest Dalton Academy Warblers, Grant Gustin, brings a piece of his Glee character to The Glee Project classroom for ‘Theatricality’ week. Gustin was discovered by casting director and on-air mentor of The Glee Project, Robert Ulrich, while he was performing in the first national tour of the Broadway revival of West Side Story. With a strong musical theater background, Gustin gives sound insight into his personal experiences and inspires the remaining contenders to play up their theatrical sides during the main challenge.
Then, on Tuesday, August 7, Dianna Agron talks about her Glee character for the newly created theme ‘Actability.’ Agron’s role on Glee has been a staple figure throughout the series and she has had to adapt to some of the most difficult life situations in order to play a teenager on-screen. Agron shares her unique experiences with the remaining contenders as they prepare for their biggest acting challenge yet.”
The Glee Project airs on Tuesdays at 10pm.
Source: Oxygen
Film Arcade Picks Up Simon and the Oaks
Simon and the Oaks starring Bill Skarsgard (Alexander’s brother), Helen Sjoholm and Jan Josef Liefers earned $4 million at the Swedish box office. It also picked up a recording-breaking 13 nominations at the 2012 Sweden’s Guldbagge Awards including Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Actress.
“Lisa Ohlin has crafted a poignant coming-of-age story about hope and survival during the darkest hours of the 20th century. We believe U.S. audiences will respond with the same incredible enthusiasm as international ones have and we are thrilled to bring this critically acclaimed film to theaters across the country,” said principles of Film Arcade.
“I am very excited that Film Arcade has decided to release Simon and the Oaks in the U.S., and I look forward to having U.S. audiences discover this film,” said Lisa Ohlin.
The Plot:
Simon and the Oaks is the gripping story of Simon, an intellectually gifted boy who feels out of place in his own family. The film offers a unique depiction of fate, destiny and free will and vividly portrays the situation for Jews in Sweden during World War II.
Source: The Film Arcade
Jesse Eisenberg Helps Save Exotic Birds
“If an animal’s natural home is in the wild, then chances are, that’s where it belongs,” states Eisenberg. “Unfortunately, the demand for these intelligent, complex creatures – whether captive-bred or wild caught – is decimating the wild parrot species.”
130 parrots and other birds were recently rescued from an Ohio facility. The birds were suffering from malnutrition, dehydration, mental distress and zoonotic diseases, and cruelty charges have been filed against the people involved.
“We are grateful to Jesse Eisenberg for helping us to raise awareness of the growing problem of unwanted captive birds in this country,” said Adam Parascandola, director of animal cruelty investigations for The HSUS. “Parrots are highly intelligent, social, and long-lived animals whose complex needs cannot be met by most owners, which is why so many are abandoned.”
Watch the Jesse Eisenberg video:
For more info, visit humanesociety.org/helpparrots.
Source: Humane Society of the United States
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