A return from the Spielster and sad news in Tinseltown...

Wow does a lot of stuff happen when a chickadee heads south? I have just returned from a week in New Orleans/Baton Rouge for a celebration of my friends’ wedding and the ability to drink Hurricanes anywhere in the city and it was fabulous. First off, its always nice to get away from New York and get to see another part of the US, especially one that loves fried shrimp so much. I was able to see how a bunch of my friends lived before they moved to the city, see what happens when your gov’t doesn’t help out groups of people during Hurricanes and again drink alcohol in the middle of the street at 11AM. Now I am back to the crane collapsing, Sex and the City obsessed NYC and damn has a lot of stuff gone down while I was gone. First, let’s get to the sad news….

Sydney Pollack, one of my favorite directors and a Hollywood legend, passed away at age 73 this past Monday. Pollack was suffering from cancer and passed at his family home in Los Angeles. The man who aided in the revolution of the Easy Riders/Raging Bulls of the 1970’s film community, Pollack was responsible for some of the most memorable movies in American Cinema. Sydney directed, to name a few, Tootsie, The Way We Were, The Firm and Out of Africa, consistently working with huge Hollywood players and occasionally making appearances on the other sides of the camera lens.

He is survived by his wife, two daughters and many many cinemaphiles, like myself, who appreciate the ability Pollack had to merge comedy with the drama of every day life. Here is a priceless scene from Tootsie, starring Dustin Hoffman and the wonderful director.


Also in sad news, Harvey Korman, star of The Carol Burnett Show and Blazing Saddles, passed away yesterday from complications from rupture of an abdominal aortic aneurysm. The comedic master was 81 years old at the time of death and had been suffering from the aneurysm's effects for the past four months. Korman was a mainstay in the comedy world of New York City, Chicago and the 1970's and 80's. Mel Brooks said that it is a sad world "without Harvey". Korman is survived by his wife and four children.



Later today, we will rounding up the week's gossip, news bits, reality TVs winners and losers and LOSTs big finale, an update on the Summer movie season, Cannes Film festival and the sheer madness that is Sex and the City. ENJOY!