Hollywood mourns 'Star Wars' icon Carrie Fisher

Co-stars, friends and fans added their voices on Tuesday to a torrent of tributes from Hollywood for "Star Wars" actress Carrie Fisher, after she died at the age of 60 after suffering a heart attack.

The screen icon, who was catapulted to worldwide stardom as rebel warrior Princess Leia in the original "Star Wars" trilogy, was pronounced dead in Los Angeles, four days after collapsing on a transatlantic flight.

Here is a selection of the most notable tributes:

- Family -

"Thank you to everyone who has embraced the gifts and talents of my beloved and amazing daughter. I am grateful for your thoughts and prayers that are now guiding her to her next stop."

- Fisher's mother, the actress Debbie Reynolds

"She was loved by the world and she will be missed profoundly."

- Simon Halls on behalf of Fisher’s daughter, actress Billie Lourd

- 'Star Wars' -

"Carrie was one-of-a-kind -- brilliant, original. Funny and emotionally fearless. She lived her life bravely... We will all miss her."

- Harrison Ford (Han Solo)

"no words #Devastated"

- Mark Hamill (Luke Skywalker)

"In 'Star Wars' she was our great and powerful princess -- feisty, wise and full of hope in a role that was more difficult than most people think... she will be missed by all."

- "Star Wars" creator George Lucas

"I'm deeply saddened at the news of Carrie's passing. She was a dear friend, whom I greatly respected and admired. The force is dark today!"

- Billy Dee Williams (Lando Calrissian)

"I thought I had got what I wanted under the tree. I didn't. In spite of so many thoughts and prayers from so many. I am very, very sad."

- Anthony Daniels (C3PO)

"I am extremely sad to learn of Carrie's passing. She was wonderful to work with. Condolences to her friends, family & fans around the world."

- David Prowse (Darth Vader)

"There are no words for this loss. Carrie was the brightest light in every room she entered. I will miss her dearly."

- Peter Mayhew (Chewbacca)

- Hollywood -

"I have always stood in awe of Carrie. Her observations always made me laugh and gasp at the same time. She didn't need The Force. She was a force of nature, of loyalty and of friendship. I will miss her very much."

- Veteran director and producer Steven Spielberg

"I'm deeply saddened to learn of the death of Carrie Fisher. I will miss our banterings. A wonderful talent & light has been extinguished."

- "Star Trek" actor William Shatner

"Millions fell in love with her as the indomitable Princess Leia; she will always have a special place in the hearts of 'Star Wars' fans as well as all of us who were lucky enough to know her personally."

- Bob Iger, head of The Walt Disney Company

"Carrie Fisher has passed, she was funnier&smarter than anyone had the right to be. Sail On Silver Girl. Condolences Debbie & Billie R.I.P."

- Actress and comedian Whoopi Goldberg, who co-starred with Fisher in "Soapdish"

"@CarrieFisher was a brilliant writer, actor, and friend. She was so much fun. I can't believe she's gone."

- US talk show host and actress Ellen DeGeneres

"We just lost a great ally for mental health and addiction. Be strong, be as (strong) as she'd want you to be. Rest in paradise."

- Comedian Margaret Cho

source: news.abs-cbn.com

Obama takes final bow at star-studded Washington dinner

WASHINGTON - With seven performances under his belt, U.S. President Barack Obama will try one last time to bring the house down at the annual White House correspondents' dinner on Saturday, a night of playful ribbing of both politicians and the news media.

The black-tie event, which Obama has previously joked is "a night when Washington celebrates itself," brings together journalists and media moguls, Hollywood stars and policy wonks and the powerbrokers from Capitol Hill.

For Obama, who is scheduled to speak around 10:20 p.m. ET (0220 GMT Sunday), it will be his final correspondents' dinner as a sitting president. Comedian Larry Wilmore, who hosts a show on the cable outlet Comedy Central, will take to the podium after the president's remarks.

White House spokesman Josh Earnest told reporters on Friday not to rule out surprises from Obama, who has polished his comedic timing over seven prior dinner appearances.

"I know that the president will certainly poke a little fun at himself," Earnest said, adding that he thought some "good-natured ribbing of his friends will occur as well."

In previous years, Obama has taken on Washington gridlock, political rivals and presidential hopefuls with usually light-hearted, but sometimes pointed, jokes.

Republican presidential front-runner Donald Trump, who won't be at the dinner, could surface in Obama's monologue.

Back in 2011, when Trump was weighing a 2012 presidential run and was in the ballroom, Obama skewered him for questioning whether the president was born in the United States. He then speculated about the change the real estate mogul would bring to the White House, including bikini-clad women in the front fountain and gold columns by the entryway.

Wilmore, who has been working on his jokes with a small team for the last month, said he plans to talk about the presidential election and Obama's legacy. "I'll definitely bring up race," Wilmore, who is African-American, told cable network C-SPAN. "That's going to be an issue in a lot of different ways."

The dinner, a long-standing tradition, has morphed from a relatively low-key gathering of journalists and their sources into a glamorous red-carpet affair.

Invitees this year include singer Aretha Franklin, actor Morgan Freeman and Super Bowl MVP Von Miller of the Denver Broncos. Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders is expected to attend, but his rival Hillary Clinton is not.

The dinner has drawn criticism from some who feel that partying with sources is not conducive to hard-hitting journalism.

C-SPAN and a number of other cable outlets plan live coverage.

(Reporting by Megan Cassella; Editing by Tim Ahmann and Mary Milliken)

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Stars, presidents join Letterman for final act

NEW YORK -- Hollywood stars Steve Martin and Tina Fey, comedians Chris Rock and Jerry Seinfeld and a host of U.S. presidents joined the band Foo Fighters on Wednesday to bid farewell to David Letterman as the veteran "Late Show" host signed off for the last time.

The show as expected featured no sit-down guest interviews, relying heavily on clips of Letterman shows going all the way back to his 1980s morning show on NBC, people who attended said.

It opened with old footage of former President Gerald Ford intoning, out of context: "Our long national nightmare is finally over," referring at the time to the Watergate scandal.

In succession, Presidents George H. and George W. Bush, Bill Clinton and finally Barack Obama all repeated Ford's pronouncement verbatim, in joking reference to Letterman's retirement.

A bevy of top names turned up for one of Letterman's signature bits, the nightly Top 10 list, which was entitled "top 10 things I've always wanted to say to Dave." Barbara Walters, Jim Carrey, Peyton Manning, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Alec Baldwin, Seinfeld, Chris Rock, Bill Murray, Fey and Martin took aim.

"I'm just glad your show has been given to another white guy," was Rock's contribution, making reference to Letterman's successor Stephen Colbert, who takes over in September.

Notably absent was longtime rival and former "Tonight Show" host Jay Leno, although Letterman quipped in his monologue "I'll be honest with you - it's beginning to look like I'm not going to get 'The Tonight Show.'"

More of his trademark self-deprecation followed when he observed that he had done more than 6,000 shows, then joked that noted physicist Stephen Hawking had calculated "It works out to about eight minutes of laughter."

The 68-year-old host, famed for his quick wit, sarcasm, offbeat humor, often snarky attitude and silly stunts, hosted top stars and presidents in his final weeks, much as he did during 33 years on late night television at NBC and CBS.

For his swansong, Letterman, who started in television as a weatherman in his native Indianapolis, dropped his edginess and instead thanked his staff, his audience and CBS executives, including president and CEO Les Moonves who was on hand.

Letterman even took a moment to introduce his wife Regina and son Harry as the lights briefly came up in the Ed Sullivan Theater in Manhattan's Times Square district.

The show, which ran long at more than one hour and 15 minutes, ended as Letterman told viewers "thank you and good night," turning the stage over to his favorite band Foo Fighters.

The group performed "Everlong," once said by Letterman to be his favorite, as a montage of clips from his shows played.

"It was a heart-warming and heartfelt goodbye," said Victor King of Los Angeles, who flew in to attend the historic show.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Twitter bans 'revenge porn'

Twitter has become the latest online platform to ban "revenge porn," or the posting of sexually explicit images of a person without consent.

In updated terms of service released Wednesday, Twitter explicitly banned "intimate photos or videos that were taken or distributed without the subject's consent."

The update comes following Reddit's announcement last month of a similar ban, which came after the online bulletin board was criticized for allowing the distribution of hacked nude pictures of Hollywood stars.

Twitter stepped up online safety efforts last month, moving to crack down on impersonation as well as the leaking of personal, private data.

The new rule was praised by Cyber Civil Rights Initiative director Mary Anne Franks, who tweeted "@twitter's new policy against #revengeporn is good for #privacy (bad for misogynists)."

California in 2013 passed a law which specifically bars revenge porn postings.

Although legislation already existed against posting unauthorized pictures of other people which invade their privacy, the new California law covers pictures that were taken with consent, for example when a couple was together, but which are later posted online without the ex-partner's agreement.

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Designer Oscar de la Renta dies at 82

NEW YORK -- Legendary fashion designer Oscar de la Renta, whose beautiful clothes defined American elegance for generations and were beloved by first ladies and Hollywood stars, died Monday. He was 82.

His company website bore only his trademark signature in white against a navy blue background.

US media reported his death at his home in Kent, Connecticut, quoting family members. He was diagnosed with cancer in 2006.

Earlier this month, his luxury brand announced that British-born designer Peter Copping would take over as creative director although that he would work closely with de la Renta on designing the next collection.

Schooled in the mastery of European couture, de la Renta worked until the end of his life, most recently designing the wedding dress for human rights lawyer Amal Alamuddin, who wed Hollywood heart throb George Clooney in Venice last month.

One of the world's most eminent designers, his frocks were worn by American first ladies from Jacqueline Kennedy and Nancy Reagan to Hillary Clinton and Laura Bush, as well as film stars such as Sarah Jessica Parker.

Tributes quickly poured in from friends, celebrities and younger designers who mourned the loss of one of America's most eminent designers.

Former first lady Bush said she and her husband, George W. Bush, were "deeply saddened" by his death, saying he had designed the favorite clothes of her and her twin daughters.

"We will miss Oscar's generous and warm personality, his charm, and his wonderful talents," she said in a statement. "We will always remember him as the man who made women look and feel beautiful."

US singer Gloria Estefan said de la Renta had been "a big part of 3 of my life's biggest moments.

"Much love and peace 2 his family and all who loved him!" she wrote on Twitter.

"Saddened to hear the news about Oscar de la Renta. Thank you for bringing so much beauty into the world #RIP," wrote designer Rebecca Minkoff.

Career spanning five decades

"Truly saddened by the loss of one of the greatest fashion icons of all time," wrote designer and businesswoman Ivanka Trump.

Born on July 22, 1932 in the Dominican Republic, de la Renta left home to study in Madrid and work as an apprentice to Cristobal Balenciaga. In 1960, he moved to France to become an assistant at Lanvin in Paris, where he embedded himself in the world of haute couture, before moving to the United States to work for Elizabeth Arden.

He created his eponymous label in 1965 and over the decades became one of the most lauded designers in New York. He created clothes of timeless elegance, regal glamor and sophistication beloved by generations of women.

He was twice president of the Council of Fashion Designers of America and honored with a string of awards.

In a career that spanned five decades, de la Renta saw his company grow into a multi-million-dollar empire that included ready to wear, fragrances, a home line and a bridal collection, which he launched in 2006.

He married twice, first in 1967 to Francoise de Langlade, an editor at French Vogue and in 1989, six years after her death, he married American publisher Annette Reed.

Popular and charming, de la Renta built close rapports with fellow designers such as Karl Lagerfeld and John Galliano, whom he invited to spend time in his workshop after his career collapsed over an anti-Semitic rant.

"Everyone in life deserves a second chance," said de la Renta at the time. "I think that life is about forgiving and helping people."

He entertained generously with his wives, keeping a Rolodex of famous friends, including the Clintons, Henry Kissinger and the late writer Truman Capote.

In an interview with New York Magazine published last year, de la Renta looked back on his long career and the changes in the fashion world.

"It's unbelievably extraordinary to remember that when I came to New York, it was a time when women couldn't wear a pair of pants to a restaurant.

"What women have achieved in the last 50 years, I wish men would have achieved in the last 100. I'm sorry to say it, but we're really stupid."

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Oscars means big business for Hollywood industries

HOLLYWOOD - The Oscars are big business for stars and filmmakers -- but they also spell big bucks for limo firms, caterers, designers and thousands of others as Hollywood rolls out the red carpet.

In fact, the Academy Awards on Sunday are the climax of the annual awards season which generates fortunes for those behind the scenes in Tinseltown, who keep the champagne flowing, parties buzzing and posh frocks just right.

From the Golden Globes to the Grammys, the Screen Actors Guild ceremony to the Razzies, the awards shows -- and all those pre- and after-parties, keep everyone busy from November to February every year.

You don't have to go far to stumble on a red carpet in Hollywood -- even outside awards season, film premieres regularly attract scrums of cameramen, photographers and fans spilling across sidewalks outside key movie theaters.

So a visit to the cinema can sometimes turn into a scramble through a melee created by an arriving celebrity, lensmen's flashlights and shouts of "Angelina, over here!" ricocheting around the cinema lobby.

But Angelinos are used to it, and many depend on it for their livelihoods, as -- like the annual harvest elsewhere -- the first two months of the year bring huge crops of orders for everything that surrounds the shows.

Tony Adzar, founder & CEO of Red Carpet Systems, is one of those reaping the benefits: in February, he sells twice as much carpet as he does in August, and his is only one of dozens of similar firms.

"January and February are the busiest months of the year for us. We do service most of the majors, pre- and after-parties for the Golden Globes, Grammys, Oscars," he told AFP.

"On average we have 12-15 events a month, and in awards season, 20-25 events a month," he added, saying they make between $150,000-250,000 a month in awards season -- double the takings at other times of the year.

To get to the parties, people of course need limousines.

"It takes most of the companies in the Los Angeles and Orange County area to handle the volume created by the major award shows," said Jonna Sabroff, head of Integrated Transportation Services (ITS).

The larger companies, which have a fleet of maybe 25 luxury vehicles, "are booked to capacity and are able to give their affiliates and subcontractors a lot of business," she added.
ITS works closely with Sequoia Productions, which has organized Hollywood events for 23 years and produces the traditional post-Oscars soiree known as the Governors Ball.

The ball brings together the governors of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, which organizes the Oscars. On Sunday night, 1,500 people will attend.

For Sunday's ball alone, Sequoia employs 150 technicians, 400 catering staff and a management team of 30. The company unveiled its menu last week, chosen by Austrian celebrity chef Wolfgang Puck, also an Oscars veteran.

"We have been working on the Governors Ball and the other Oscar-related events for the past six months," said Gary Levitt, vice president of Sequoia Productions.

Red Carpet provider Adzar said awards season is exhausting, but essential for his and many other businesses in Hollywood.

"We love to be busy!" he said.

source: interaksyon.com

Stars pay tribute to Whitney Houston in US

NEWARK -- Hollywood stars, music greats and relatives praised the "sweet miracle" of Whitney Houston at a moving funeral service in her hometown Saturday, one week after the pop singer's sudden death.

A gold-colored hearse delivered Houston's body to Newark's New Hope Baptist Church, where she sang as a child before her voice was shaped and nurtured into a spectacular vocal that arguably made her the biggest star of her era.

Houston's casket was adorned with flowers as actor Kevin Costner stood up to deliver an emotional tribute to the singer, whose death at the age of 48 prompted sadness, grief and respect from fans and contemporaries worldwide.

"I urge us all inside and outside, across the nation and around the world, to dry our tears, suspend our sorrow and perhaps our anger just long enough, just long enough to remember the sweet miracle of Whitney," Costner said.

The four-hour service ended with an audio recording of "I Will Always Love You," regarded by many as Houston's signature track and the theme of "The Bodyguard," the 1992 box office smash in which she co-starred alongside Costner.

While Houston's musical success took her away from New Jersey across the world, countless friends and relatives told of how the singer never lost sight of Newark and the community that shaped her.

Clive Davis, the legendary producer who became Houston's mentor, said he was spellbound when he met her in 1983.

"You wait for a voice like that for a lifetime. You wait for a face like that, a smile like that, a presence like that for a lifetime. And when one person embodies it all, well, it takes your breath away," he said.

"Cissy, your daughter stepped forward and shattered me with her version of 'The Greatest Love Of All,'" Davis said, looking at Houston's mother, a gospel singer and one-time backing artist for soul queen Aretha Franklin.

And Costner, in a frank recollection of his time spent with Houston, told how the singer almost missed out on her role in "The Bodyguard," on account of her skin color and lack of acting experience.

"We could also think about another singer, was a suggestion. Maybe somebody white. Nobody ever said it out loud, but it was a fair question," Costner recalled of questions posed to him at the time by the movie's producers.

"I told everyone that I had taken notice that Whitney was black. The only problem was, I thought she was perfect for what we were trying to do," he said, crediting Warner Brothers for agreeing. The movie became a blockbuster.

Newark Mayor Cory Booker set the tone for the service, which opened to joyous gospel singing from the New Hope Mass Choir.

"We are here to mourn our loss, but to celebrate her life. God is in heaven, and with him is one of our angels, Whitney Houston," Booker said.

Streets near the red-brick church, which has been adorned with floral tributes, candles, balloons and condolence cards in recent days, were sealed off as the memorial service was by invitation only.

Fans were respectfully asked to stay away from the church, which had a capacity of only 1,500, for fear of crowds disrupting the event, but several hundred turned up regardless.

"I just wanted to get as close to her as I could," Tamecca Melvin, from New Jersey, told AFP.

"I've loved her, I grew up with her. Even though she was a megastar, she was a homegirl. She always kept that persona... and I loved that about her," Melvin said.

Motown legend Stevie Wonder belted out an adaptation of his hit "Ribbon in the Sky," changing some of the words to honor Houston's memory.

But Houston's ex-husband, soul performer Bobby Brown, with whom she had a daughter during a turbulent 15-year marriage, was reportedly asked to leave the service.

Reverend Jesse Jackson told CNN that Brown, who divorced from Houston in 2007, turned up with more companions than allowed, and was asked to move from the seats he had been allocated. But he refused and left the church.

"That was a difficult moment. I tried to get him to stay. They wouldn't make room for him," said Jackson.

Houston will be buried on Sunday at Fairview Cemetery in Westfield, New Jersey next to her father, John Russell Houston, who died in 2003, ABC News reported, citing law enforcement sources.

Houston sold more than 170 million records during a near three-decade career, but in later years fought a long and public battle against substance abuse while trying to keep her performing talent alive.

Speculation has raged since her death that the singer may have succumbed to a lethal cocktail of prescription drugs and alcohol, although official results from her autopsy may not be made public for up to eight weeks.

Saturday's private service angered some fans who wanted a large public memorial event at a nearby stadium.

"It's a disgrace," said Greg Packer. "All the streets have been blocked, it is very difficult to come here. The family should have done a public memorial, something."


source: interaksyon.com

Family, fans, stars to mourn Whitney Houston

NEWARK, New Jersey - Soul, gospel and pop music greats from the past and present are set to mourn Whitney Houston on Saturday, one week after the sudden death of the singer whose spectacular voice and best-selling albums made her one of biggest pop stars of her era.

Houston, who died in a Beverly Hills hotel room last week, recorded stirring love songs and vibrant, dance tunes during a 30-year career that peaked with her 1992 signature hit "I Will Always Love You."

She was due to be honored by family and friends at a funeral service in her native Newark, New Jersey.

There was a heavy police presence outside the invitation-only funeral on Saturday and streets were cordoned off. Houston's body was expected to leave a nearby funeral home under tight security en route to the church. Fans have been urged to stay home and watch the funeral on the Internet or television.

Alicia Keys, Stevie Wonder, Aretha Franklin and Houston's cousin Dionne Warwick will sing and speak at the New Hope Baptist Church, where Houston sang as a child in the choir with her mother, Cissy Houston, who was a backup singer for Franklin.

Hollywood stars Kevin Costner and Tyler Perry and Houston's mentor, record producer Clive Davis, were also scheduled to speak.

Oprah Winfrey, Elton John, Beyonce and Bill Cosby were expected to attend the service.

Houston's family decided against a public memorial, but fans were expected to crowd the streets around the church and nearby cemetery where she is due to be buried.

Many have left flowers, cards and balloons dedicated to the singer who became a global star with her 1985 debut album that included the hits "Saving All My Love For You," "How Will I Know" and "Greatest Love Of All."

Houston was among the greatest singers of the 1980s and 1990s, but her personal life and marriage to singer Bobby Brown was tumultuous. She admitted to heavy use of cocaine, marijuana, alcohol and prescription pills.

Her death at age 48 shocked her family, fans and the music industry. Houston was found underwater in a hotel bathtub on the eve of the music industry's Grammy Awards. A cause of death has yet to be determined.

So emotional

Houston's grew up surrounded by gospel and soul music legends like Franklin and Warwick. She later forged new territory for a black, female artist who brought R&B and gospel touches into pop music's mainstream.

After her debut, her popularity grew exponentially with her second album, "Whitney" (1987), with all four singles - "Didn't We Almost Have It All", "So Emotional", "Where Do Broken Hearts Go" and "I Wanna Dance with Somebody (Who Loves Me)" - hitting No. 1 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart.

Her music videos featuring her 1980s style and innocent, fun-loving image made her wildly popular around the world. In the 1992 movie "The Bodyguard," co-starring Costner, Houston played a character not far removed from her real self: an international singing sensation coping with fame.

She made other films including "The Preacher's Wife," but the 15-year period when she was married to singer Brown coincided with a decline in the quality and frequency of her albums. The couple, who have an 18-year-old daughter, Bobbi Kristina Brown, divorced in 2007.

Houston's powerful voice suffered in recent years. On her last world tour in 2010, she struggled to hit high notes.

She spoke publicly about her struggles with addiction. In a 2002 interview, TV journalist Diane Sawyer asked Houston what was the "biggest devil" among her failings. Houston answered: "Nobody makes me do anything I don't want to do. So the bigger devil is me, I am either my best friend or my worst enemy."

(Additional reporting by Angela Moore and Jennifer Marostica; Editing by Bob Tourtellotte and Paul Simao)

source: abs-cbnnews.com