Gawker: defamer, jada pinkett smith

Jada Pinkett Can Now Add 'Lesbianism' To Resume Skills Section

Seth — Wed, 10 Sep 2008 21:30:00 EDT

·If you thought a Jada-on-Eva love scene was the way to lure your other half to The Women, Diane English pretty much killed your plans. [Late Show]
· While we already know Julianna Margulies's vagina will be all the rage come spring, we'd also like to pass along the happy Fashion Week news that men will be wearing tutus, curtains up to their nipples, and Dockers cut for a four-year-old. [BWE]
· In honor of Raffaello Follieri is Going to Jail Day, we thought we'd include a link to the FBI's list of all the jewelry he bought Anne Hathaway with God's nest egg. [TSG]
· It's the hi-res poster for Lindsay Lohan faked-pregnancy movie, Labor Pains. [Lohan.4fans]
· Jessica Alba, as undoubtedly some have always wanted to see her before. [People]

Things Are Looking Up For The Women In Hollywood

Jessica — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 12:30:00 EDT

Ever since Sex and the City turned out to be a money making juggernaut, Warner Brothers has decided to aggressively market The Women. "This is an about-face from the studio's earlier decision to leave plans intact for about-to-shutter Picturehouse to debut the chick flick in limited release and with a small P&A," says Nikki Finke, who has been following the fate of the Meg Ryan-helmed film for some time now (also starring: Annette Bening, Bette Midler, Jada Pinkett Smith). If you'll recall, last year Warner Brothers' Jeff Robinov famously declared, "We are no longer doing movies with women in the lead." Well apparently he's doing at least one movie with a woman in the lead, and while that's heartening, movies still have a long way to go. Looking at the just-released shortlist for Emmy nominations, however, shows that there are myriad plum roles for leading ladies on the small screen. Which leads me to wonder: why is there such an enormous disconnect between females on TV and the ones on the silver screen?

Tina Fey (30 Rock), Glenn Close (Damages), America Ferrera (Ugly Betty), Julia Louis-Dreyfus (The New Adventures of Old Christine), Felicity Huffman (Desperate Housewives), Mariska Hargitay (Law and Order: SVU), Kyra Sedgewick (The Closer), Minnie Driver (The Riches), Elisabeth Moss (Mad Men) and Jeanne Tripplehorn (Big Love): these were the women who were nominated for Emmys, by-in-large playing strong, capable, well-written roles. And what's more, most of these women are, gasp, over 35.

Are there so many more available roles for women of a certain age on TV because producing a television show is that much cheaper? Are aging bodies less obvious on the small screen, and so they're more acceptable? Are Hollywood honchos just stuck believing that women don't see movies, or that men don't want to see movies with anything but eye candy? It's probably a combination of all of the above, and even though those televised, meaty roles are something to be proud of, there is not a single black actress on the short list for Best Actress Emmy (there are two Latinas: Ferrera and Eva Longoria-Parker).

I know I've said this so many times before, but there is something concrete we can do to help: go see movies made by women, or made with women in respectable roles. I'd tell you to go see something specific this weekend, but the only recent release with a plucky female protagonist is Kit Kittredge, and if you're not a Jezemom, I'm guessing that holds limited interest for you. Sigh. We clearly have a long way to go.

Warner Brothers Decides To Embrace The Women [Deadline Hollywood Daily]
Why Won't Warner Embrace The Women? [Deadline Hollywood Daily]
Warner's Robinov Bitchslaps Film Women [Deadline Hollywood Daily]
Sarah Silverman Lands In The Top 10 List Of Emmy semifinalists For Best Comedy Actress! [Gold Derby LAT]
Looks like Mary McDonnell Of 'Battlestar Galactica' And Elisabeth Moss Of 'Mad Men' Are On The Emmy Top 10 List [Gold Derby LAT]

Earlier: Ultimate Chick Flick The Women Is Finally About To See The Silver Screen

L. Ron Hubbard Middle School Not An Indoctrination Center, Says Scientologist Founder Will Smith

Seth — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 14:45:00 EDT

As we noted last month, the New Village Academy is a private school in Calabasas set to open its doors Sept. 3, founded by Will Smith and wife/appearances-upholder Jada Pinkett Smith. It has become a source of much controversy for having several Scientologists on its staff, who espouse a number of L. Ron Hubbard-advanced learning concepts in the curriculum: among them, the meaninglessly designated "study technology" programme for effective and complete child mind-absorption. The Smiths—still not public with their Scientology affiliations—claim to only be committed to creating "an ideal educational environment." But Carnegie Mellon University professor David S. Touretzky, who has dissected study technology like a rusty E-meter and found it to be about as useful, warns parents away from this particular learning institution, lest they want to find themselves helping with homework essays entitled, "What I Did on My Billion-Years of Servitude Vacation." From the LAT:

Touretzky said many phrases and concepts on the school's website are specific to Scientology. For example, the school lists a "Director of Qualifications" and another teacher who is an assistant in the "Qual" department. The "Qual," said Touretzky, is where people who have completed a Scientology counseling, or "auditing," session or a course in the Church of Scientology are tested by a qualifications teacher.

"There is no reputable educator anywhere who endorses [study technology]," said Touretzky, a critic of Scientology. "What happens is that children are inculcated with Scientology jargon and are led to regard L.R. Hubbard as an authority figure. They are laying the groundwork for later bringing people into Scientology."

Certainly, these fringe educational techniques should give any parent cause for concern—as should the enrollment procedure, which involves the whisking away of potential students "for testing" by a pair navy-blazered school officials. Several weeks later, a letter comes in the mail alerting the anxious parents that not only did their child "pass our rigorous admissions process with flying colors," but that they could "actually come visit your son or daughter floating in our Subaqueous I.Q.-Infusion Tanks" at mid-semester break.

Scientology is focus of flap over Will Smith's new school [LAT]

The Morning After: Will Smith ScientologyGate Continues

Molly Friedman — Wed, 19 Mar 2008 12:00:55 EDT

Immediately after our exclusive story that executives at Sony attempted to squash an MSNBC.com story about Will Smith's alleged involvement with Scientology ran last night, Defamer received an email from the MSNBC.com news team stating the following: "We have now heard from Sony - furious that someone at msnbc.com is claiming that they asked us to kill the piece." Shortly thereafter, they updated their original story to include a denial that they had ever been contacted by Sony. As any faithful entertainment news follower is well aware, it is standard practice for media big guns to play the denial card as soon as any poor press hits. However, it is important to note that we here at Defamer are standing by the accuracy of our item; we will not be pressured into pulling it down.

While we have no idea whether or not Will Smith is a Scientologist (we have our theories, though), we do know that the prospect of the American public beginning to think that The Fresh Prince might be a Scientologist is enough to make the suits at Sony get nervous. After all, they are investing hundreds of millions of dollars into producing, releasing and marketing their big tentpole film for the summer, Hancock; the last thing they want or need are Anonymous protesters picketing the cineplexes over the July 4th weekend when the movie is released. With that in mind, we would just like to reiterate again that the story we ran yesterday was both fair and accurate, and that we will not be pulling it down.

PREVIOUSLY: Exclusive: Sony Execs Tried To Pressure MSNBC Into Killing Will Smith Scientology Story

Scientology Just One Of Many Religions With Which Will Smith Is Getting Jiggy, Says 'I Am Legend' Star

Seth — Tue, 18 Mar 2008 14:41:27 EDT

Rumors have been swirling lately that the Church of Scientology is in the process of mounting a full-on assault on decades of accumulated honky-thetans by aggressively courting African-American celebrities and celebrity couples on the down-low. An attempt at confirmation by the NY Daily News, however, has resulted in a number of statements from personalities of color denying that they may have slipped into the Church's seductive clutches:

You don't have to be Jewish to be a friend of Steven Spielberg. You don't have to be a Muslim to be a friend of Muhammad Ali. And you don't have to be a Scientologist to be a friend of Tom Cruise," Smith tells us.

"I am a Christian. I am a student of all religions. And I respect all people and all paths."
Despite reports she distributed the Scientology book "The Way to Happiness" to N.Y. school kids, Simmons' reps also denied her involvement.

Statements on being a non-partisan student of world theology notwithstanding, there's no doubt that Smith, in becoming a close friend to Tom Cruise, has been exposed to at least some of the sacred teachings, imparted via countless spiraling-pupil mind-meld sessions with the OT-VIII. Smith's reconditioning is just Phase One of a much larger plot, however: Ultimately, his signal will kick in every time he sees a quartet of black Connect Four pieces in diagonal formation, triggering his directive to assassinate the headstrong Kanye West before he becomes President of the United States, toppling their evil regime forever.

Will Smith and Jada: Don't know much Scientology [nydailynews.com]

Katie Holmes, Dazed And Confused

Douglas Reinhardt — Tue, 18 Mar 2008 14:20:08 EDT

boomp3.com

After successfully recruiting Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith into the Scientology fold, Katie Holmes ponders whether or not it's time to pop another fistful of Klonopins: "I know that Tom and David hate it when I self-medicate, but every girl has gotta have a vice, right? And no, Louboutins don't count. Maybe it'd be best to wait another thirty minutes. Yeah, that's the ticket. Okay, the clock starts ... now! No, wait. Maybe it should've started a minute ago, when I first started thinking about this. Okay, only 28 minutes left. Is it just me or is this clock running extra slow today? I hate Tuesdays. Such a worthless day."

[Photo Credit: X17]

Scientologists Recruit Will Smith In Effort To Break Into Enturbulated Urban Markets

Molly Friedman — Mon, 17 Mar 2008 16:15:47 EDT

Earlier this month we discussed whether or not Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes' double date with Forest Whitaker and his wife Keisha was less about baby talk and more about Xenu talk. And while we didn't rush to the race card, MSNBC is reporting that TomKat and the CoS are intent on luring more African-American stars onto the Knights of Hubbard bowling team:

"Will is definitely in the process of becoming a member, 'He's been getting more and more involved. And it isn't just him, it's definitely Jada, too. It's that as he becomes more involved, you'd think he'd sort of help fly the flag with Tom (Cruise), who seems to only get a bad rap for it, while Will does this and comes through just fine.'"

However, Will, Jada and Forest aren't the only stars benefiting from Scientology's new affirmative action plan.

According to an upcoming cover story in Radar, designer and Style Channel star Kimora Lee Simmons has been involved with the Church for years, even lending her recognizable visage to promotional materials used in a children's school in 2006. Apparently Scientology leader David Miscavige "spoke glowingly of Kimora Lee Simmons' efforts to distribute a personalized edition of Hubbard's The Way to Happiness' featuring her image on the cover, to school kids in New Jersey." Interesting. Naturally, reps for Will and Kimora deny the fact that they're Scientologists. But, as we noted two months ago, Will disturbingly gave free coupons for personality tests at an E-Meter outlet to the entire cast and crew of Hancock as his wrap gift. We know Will's a funny guy, but this action doesn't pass the sniff test for being some sort of Kutcher-esque prank. And Kimora's career has been taking off a bit of late (working with E! on their red carpet, etc.). Now, if only Cruise and Miscavige can get Oprah on board, they'll really be onto something...

[Photo Credit: Wire Image]

WILL SMITH, JADA THE NEW FACES OF SCIENTOLOGY? [The Scoop]

An Appropriately Dark Awards Season Awaits

Mark — Tue, 13 Nov 2007 15:11:16 EST

· The Writers' Guild of Great Britain says they're in solidarity with the WGA, and is planning to stage an awards ceremony on Sunday to remind the world that scribes are to be cherished and celebrated, not placed in front of studio gates for SUV target practice. [Variety]
· This year's Oscar contenders display a "bleak, even nihilistic worldview," a largely coincidental development as all were put into production long before Hollywood's collective spirits were darkened by the ongoing labor Armageddon. Should the strike drag on into February, look for replacement host Ryan Seacrest to provide an appropriately somber tone to the proceedings. [THR]
· The Pinkett-Smith family is getting together to make the drama The Human Contract, a film Jada is directing and writing and Will is executive producing. No role is specified for precocious son Jaden, though he may eventually be awarded an associate producer credit for secretly punching up the script during trips to the set with mom and dad. [ Variety]

· The strike stil isn't dampening Hollywood's insatiable appetite for re-teaming, as Juno director Jason Reitman and screenwriter Diablo Cody will be hooking up again for Fox Searchlight's comic horror flick Jennifer's Body. [THR]
· Pierce Brosnan and director Paul Verhoeven are attached to The Thomas Crown Affair sequel which will begin shooting in January; sadly, Rene Russo's love-interest services will no longer be required, limiting today's re-teaming related excitement to the previous item. [Variety]