June 14, 2007



Britney Spears




More than any other single artist, Britney Spears was the driving force behind the return of teen pop in the late '90s. The blockbuster success of the Spice Girls and Backstreet Boys certainly paved the way for her own commercial breakthrough, but Spears didn't just become a star -- she was a bona fide pop phenomenon. Not only did she sell millions of records, she was a media fixture regardless of what she was (or wasn't) doing; among female singers of the era (many of whom followed in her footsteps), her celebrity star power was rivaled only by Jennifer Lopez. From the outset, Spears' sex appeal was an important part of her image; the video for her debut single, "...Baby One More Time," outfitted her in full Catholic-school regalia, and sent her well on the way to becoming an international sex symbol. Yet Spears' handlers seemed to be trying to have it both ways -- there was a definite tension between the wholesome innocence Spears tried to project for her female audience, and the titillating sexuality that enticed so many male fans. Those marketing tactics made Spears a somewhat controversial figure, the subject of endless debates concerning appropriate role models for teenage girls. Early on, Spears tried to defuse the controversy by preaching abstinence until marriage, and even denied that she was consciously cultivating such a sexualized image. Of course, the more provocative and revealing her on-stage wardrobe became, the less plausible that claim seemed. But apart from her ability to tiptoe the line between virginal coquette and brazen tart, Spears had a secret weapon in Swedish pop mastermind Max Martin, who had a hand in the vast majority of her hits as a writer and/or producer. With Martin crafting the sort of contemporary dance-pop and sentimental ballads that made stars of the Backstreet Boys, Spears kept on delivering the goods commercially, as her first three albums all topped the charts.
Britney Jean Spears was born December 2, 1982, in the small town of Kentwood, LA, and began performing as a singer and dancer at a young age. With a nationally televised appearance on Star Search already under her belt, Spears auditioned for the Disney Channel's The New Mickey Mouse Club at age eight. The producers turned her down as too young, but one of them took an interest and introduced her to an agent in New York. Spears spent the next three years studying at the Professional Performing Arts School, and also appeared in several television commercials and off-Broadway plays. At 11, she returned to The New Mickey Mouse Club for a second audition, and this time made the cut. Although her fellow Mouseketeers included an impressive array of future stars -- *NSYNC's Justin Timberlake and JC Chasez, Christina Aguilera, and Felicity actress Keri Russell -- the show was canceled after Spears' second season. She returned to New York at age 15 and set about auditioning for pop bands and recording demo tapes, one of which eventually landed her a deal with Jive Records.
Spears entered the studio with top writer/producers like Eric Foster White (Boyzone, Whitney Houston, Backstreet Boys) and Max Martin (Ace of Base, Backstreet Boys, *NSYNC). In late 1998, Jive released her debut single, the Martin-penned "...Baby One More Time." Powered by its video, in which Spears and a troupe of dancers were dressed as Catholic-school jailbait, the single shot to the top of the Billboard charts. When Spears' debut album of the same title was released in early 1999, it entered the charts at number one and stayed there for six weeks. Once the ubiquitous lead single died down, the album kept spinning off hits: the Top Ten "(You Drive Me) Crazy," the near-Top 20 ballad "Sometimes," and the Top 20 "From the Bottom of My Broken Heart." By the end of 1999, ...Baby One More Time had sold ten million copies, and went on to sell a good three million more on top of that. Its success touched off a wave of young pop divas that included Christina Aguilera, Pink, Jessica Simpson, and Mandy Moore. Spears was a superstar, drooled over in countless magazines, including a Rolling Stone cover that prompted immediate speculation about the still-17 year old having gotten breast implants.
By the time ...Baby One More Time finally started to lose steam on the singles and album charts, Spears was ready to release her follow-up. Oops!...I Did It Again appeared in the spring of 2000, and the title track was an instant smash, racing into the Top Ten. The album entered the charts at number one and sold over a million copies in its first week of release, setting a new record for single-week sales by a female artist. Follow-up singles included "Lucky," the gold-selling "Stronger," and "Don't Let Me Be the Last to Know," which was co-written by country diva Shania Twain and her producer Mutt Lange. A year after its release, Oops!...I Did It Again had sold over nine million copies. Rumors that Spears was dating *N Sync heartthrob (and fellow ex-Mouseketeer) Justin Timberlake were eventually confirmed, which only added to the media attention lavished on her.
For her next album, Spears looked ahead to a not-so-distant future when both she and much of her audience would be growing up. Released in late 2001, Britney tried to present the singer as a more mature young woman, and was accompanied by mild hints that her personal life wasn't always completely puritanical. It became her third straight album to debut at number one, although this time around the singles weren't as successful; "I'm a Slave 4 U," "I'm Not a Girl, Not Yet a Woman," and "Overprotected" all missed the Top Ten. In early 2002, Spears' feature-film debut, Crossroads, hit theaters, but its commercial performance was somewhat disappointing; moreover, her romance with Timberlake fizzled not long after. Spears next made a cameo appearance in Mike Myers' Austin Powers: Goldmember, and contributed a remix of "Boys" to the soundtrack. Meanwhile, sales of Britney stalled at four million copies, perhaps in part because a new breed of teenage female singer/songwriters, like Michelle Branch and Avril Lavigne, was emerging as an alternative to the highly packaged teen queens. Spears took a break from recording and performing for several months, and began work on a new album in early 2003. The results, In the Zone, reflected a wish to be taken seriously as a mature (though still highly sexualized) adult. Predictably, it topped the charts and launched several singles into orbit, including the musically adventurous "Toxic," "Everytime," and "Me Against the Music."
In the Zone hit number one on the Billboard 200, and "Toxic" snagged a Grammy for Best Dance Recording. But by 2004 there were no longer any illusions of Britney's personal life being all wholesome candy canes and kisses. First there was the star's bizarre two-day marriage to childhood friend Jason Alexander, followed by the controversial, highly sexualized Onyx Hotel tour, which was eventually canceled (allegedly because of a knee injury) despite positive financial numbers. Starbucks and cigarettes were Britney's constant accessories in the endless paparazzi photos, and the revelation of her relationship with former backup dancer Kevin Federline made the tabloids even more ravenous. Spears and Federline married in September and were tabloid regulars in the months after the ceremony. (A photo of a barefoot Britney leaving a dingy gas station bathroom made the Internet rounds.) The couple also starred in Chaotic, a UPN reality show consisting mostly of their own home videos that was met with howls from the critics and blogs. 2005 was no less eventful for Spears. She released Greatest Hits: My Prerogative that January, but it was the announcement of her pregnancy that really garnered the headlines. Sean Preston Federline was born in September, and a bidding war ensued for first rights to the baby photos. As the hubbub surrounding Sean's birth continued, Britney released a remix album just in time for the holiday season. ~ Steve Huey, All Music Guide
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PARIS HILTON

Model, actress, socialite. Born February 17, 1981, in New York City. Thanks to her great-grandfather Conrad Hilton, founder of the Hilton hotel chain, Paris is the shared heir to a family fortune estimated at $300 million. The daughter of Rick and Kathy Hilton, Paris grew up alongside her younger sister, Nicky, and two brothers, Baron and Conrad, in their homes in Manhattan's Waldorf-Astoria, Beverly Hills and The Hamptons.
After graduating from high school, Paris pursued a modeling career, appearing in such national publications as GQ and Vanity Fair and on runways for various New York designers. She soon became a well-known jetsetter, courting media attention for her outrageous lifestyle. Whether it was a short-lived romance with Leonardo DiCaprio or boxer Oscar de la Hoya or a rude remark in a public bathroom during a night of partying with her sister, Paris frequently received bad press for her socialite antics. A notorious sex tape starring Paris and her ex Rick Solomon, which was released on the Internet, didn’t help matters.
In 2001, perhaps in an effort to clean up her reputation, she turned from modeling to acting, appearing in Ben Stiller’s spoof Zoolander, an adaptation of the Dr. Seuss classic The Cat in the Hat and 2004’s Raising Helen with Kate Hudson. But it was her turn as herself in the 2003 Fox reality show The Simple Life that earned her the most publicity. Starring Paris and her best gal pal Nicole Richie (daughter of legendary pop icon Lionel), the show followed the girls on their misadventures while trying to get along on a working farm. The show was such a hit, that Fox followed it up the next year with The Simple Life 2: Road Trip.
In May 2005, Hilton announced her engagement to Greek shipping heir Paris Latsis. The couple called off the nutpials in October. She has also been romantically linked to Greek shipping fortune heir Stravos Niarchos III and actor Josh Henderson.
The latest installment of Hilton's reality series, The Simple Life Goes to Camp, premiered in 2007. But her return to television was overshadowed by her legal problems. Arrested in September 2006 for driving under the influence, she had received probation for that offense. But she then was caught in February 2007 driving with a suspended license and charged with violating her terms of her probation. In May she was sentenced to 45 days in jail. This was later reduced to 23 days. Hilton reported to the Century Regional Detention Facility in Lynwood, California, on the night of June 3. Earlier that evening, she had appeared at the 2007 MTV Movie Awards. After serving only three full days in prison, Hilton was released early in the morning on June 7. She was reportedly released early for health reasons. To finish her sentence, Hilton ordered to spend 40 days in home confinement.

June 1, 2007

Lauren Helen Graham

Date of birth (location):
16 March 1967Honolulu, Hawaii, USA

A tall, attractive brunette who excels at playing comic roles, Lauren Graham was born in Honolulu but raised in Northern Virginia. She began her show business career while an undergraduate, performing with the a capella/comedy troupe the Metronomes. After graduating with an MFA from Dallas' Southern Methodist University, Graham landed an agent and has worked fairly steadily since. Shortly after arriving in Los Angeles, Graham quickly landed a recurring role as Richard's (Malcolm Gets) relentlessly sunny girlfriend, Shelly, in the first season of Caroline in the City. Recurring roles followed as Graham played an efficiency expert hoping to downsize the staff of NewsRadio, and a Los Angeles studio executive who pursued Benjamin Bratt when his marriage was on the rocks on Law & Order. In addition, Graham guest-starred on Seinfeld and 3rd Rock From the Sun. She was a regular on the comedy series Conrad Bloom and Townies and then starred as a high school administrator dealing with her disruptive niece on M.Y.O.B. prior to landing the role of Lorelai on Gilmore Girls. Showing her versatility in both comedic and dramatic roles, Graham appeared on the big screen opposite Keanu Reeves in the Warner Bros. feature film Sweet November. She starred in the independent film Dill Scallion on VH-1, which was a mockumentary on the world of country music in which Graham had very big hair. Graham's first feature film was the thriller Nightwatch, starring Patricia Arquette and Ewan McGregor. She also played Renee Zellweger's best friend and confidante in the Meryl Streep drama One True Thing. Lauren Graham has been nominated for a Golden Globe Award for Best Actress in a Drama Series and a Screen Actors Guild Award for Female Actor in a Drama Series for her sarcastic yet sensitive portrayal of Lorelai Gilmore. The role also earned Graham a Best Actress nod from Viewers for Quality Television, as well as an award as Best Actress in a Drama from the Family Friendly forum. She will next star opposite Billy Bob Thornton in Miramax's Bad Santa, a black comedy about a man who masquerades as Santa to rob shopping malls. This past summer, Graham appeared on stage at The Williamstown Theatre Festival starring in the comedy Once in A Lifetime. This 1929 comedy about the advent of the talking picture marked the first collaboration between famed playwrights George S. Kaufman and Moss Hart. Growing up an avid equestrian in Northern Virginia, Graham attended Barnard College in New York, where she majored in English. She currently lives in Los Angeles, California.

May 30, 2007

Elisabeth Hasselbeck's Biography



Birth Name: Elisabeth Filarski
Birth Place: Cranston, RI
Date of Birth / Zodiac Sign: May 28, 1977, Gemini
Profession: TV host; reality-show contestant




This former shoe designer entered the entertainment biz through the reality backdoor — she was America's sweetheart when she competed on the second season of Survivor — and while she wasn't savvy enough to win, Hasselbeck did parlay what could have been 15-minutes of fame into a career. Because of her background in the fashion industry, she was a natural to host the Style Network series The Look for Less. In 2003, she got her big break when she guest-hosted The View and soon she became a full-fledged member of the all-female morning chatfest. Now married to her college sweetheart, NFL quarterback Tim Hasselbeck, the formerly bubbly blonde became much blunter. An outspoken, pro-Bush, pro-life and pro-war conservative who spoke at the 2004 Republican National Convention, Hasselbeck was a polarizing personality. And when über-liberal Rosie O'Donnell joined the series for a season, the two engaged in wildly heated political and social debates that often found their way onto YouTube. Initially, they claimed to be good friends off-camera but — after a particularly heated May 2007 spat that resulted in O'Donnell's premature departure from the show — the comedian claimed they weren't speaking. But no matter how outnumbered or outmatcthed Hasselbeck was, she always stood her ground.


Elisabeth Hasselbeck Fast Facts:
Was captain of Boston College's Division I softball team.
An avid runner who has completed the Boston Marathon.
Suffers from Coeliac disease.
Due to a 2006 stalking incident, she became very upset when a character named "Elizabeth Hassenback" was raped and murdered on an episode of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit. Although the writers denied any wrongdoing, she saw it as a below-the-belt dig.
Has worked with numerous charity organizations, including Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation, Making Memories Foundation and Habitat for Humanity.


Elisabeth Hasselbeck Relationships:
Elizabeth DelPadre - Mother
Grace Elisabeth Hasselbeck - Daughter
Ken Filarski - Brother
Kenneth Filarski - Father
Tim Hasselbeck - Husband


College:
Boston College, Chestnut Hill, MA (1999)
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May 29, 2007

Tricia Helfer's Biography

While modeling, Helfer also worked as a correspondent reporter for Canada’s “Ooh La La” Fashion Television where she realized a passion for acting during an on-camera class. This prompted her move to Los Angeles in 2002 where she quickly landed the role of ‘Sarah,’ in the two-hour premiere of the Showtime series, “Jeremiah.” Helfer memorably guest starred as a model who tries to cut off her own face on the hit series “C.S.I.: Crime Scene Investigation,” and the lead role of ‘Eva’ in the independent feature “White Rush.”
Helfer started 2003 off by starring in the Scifi miniseries “Battlestar Galactica” where she played the humanoid Cylon ‘Number Six’ and also filmed the lead role of ‘Farrah Fawcett’ in the “Behind the Camera: The Unauthorized Story of Charlie’s Angels” on NBC. In 2004, Helfer reprised her role of ‘Number Six’ in the first season of “Battlestar Galactica.”
2005 was busy for Helfer as she filmed the lead role of ‘Stephanie Jacobs’ in the independent feature “Mem(o)re” opposite Dennis Hopper, guest starred on “The Collector” as ‘Janis’, filmed the mockumentary, “The Green Chain” as ‘Leila Cole’, filmed the independent feature “Spiral” as ‘Sasha’ with David Joel Moore and reprised ‘Number Six’ for the second season of the critically acclaimed series Battlestar Galactica.
Starting off 2006, Helfer filmed the lead role of ‘Ally’ in the independent feature “The Genius Club” and then headed into new territory, hosting and producing “Canada’s Next Top Model” before filming the third season of the award winning show “Battlestar Galactica,” where she again brought back the chilling ‘Number Six.’ Tricia finished off the year by playing ‘General Kilian Qatar’ in the video game, “Command and Conquer 3: Tiberium Wars.”
Tricia began 2007 by guest staring as ‘Molly McNamara’ on “Supernatural” and playing ‘Naomi’ in a new Fox pilot, “Them.” Tricia is currently filming an independent feature with LeeLee Sobieski, “Walk All Over Me” where she plays the role of ‘Celene’ before returning to her infamous role as the seductive ‘Number Six’ for the fourth season of “Battlestar Galactica.”

May 28, 2007

Tobey Maguire's Biography

Born: 27 June 1975
Birthplace: Santa Monica, California
Best known as: Spider-Man in the movies


Born a stone's throw from Hollywood, Tobey Maguire began acting in commercials as a boy and had his first film role in This Boy's Life (1994, with Leonardo DiCaprio). He went on to play confused and thoughtful teens in several films, including the trouble-in-suburbia classic The Ice Storm (1997, with Christina Ricci), the dreamy Pleasantville (1998, with Reese Witherspoon) and the literary campus comedy The Wonder Boys (2000, with Michael Douglas). In 2002 he had the high-swinging lead in the hit film Spider-Man, with Kirsten Dunst as his love interest Mary Jane. The actors reunited (along with James Franco and director Sam Raimi) for the sequels Spider-Man 2 (2004) and Spider-Man 3 (2007). Maguire also starred as jockey Red Pollard in the 2003 film Seabiscuit.

Kirsten Dunst's Biography

Born: 30 April 1982
Birthplace: Point Pleasant, New Jersey
Best known as: Mary Jane in the Spider-Man film series


Kirsten Dunst is known to mainstream movie audiences as Mary Jane in the 2002 super-hero flick Spider-Man. (She reprised the role in the sequels Spider-Man 2 (2004) and Spider-Man 3 (2007); all three movies starred Tobey Maguire as the web-spinner.) Dunst was only seven when she made her movie debut in the Woody Allen-directed portion of the trilogy New York Stories (1989). She made her mark as a young up-and-comer by playing the creepy tot Claudia in Interview With the Vampire (1992, with Tom Cruise and Brad Pitt). As the century turned she was suddenly grown up in a raft of movies including the drama The Virgin Suicides (2000, directed by Sofia Coppola), the battle-of-the-cheerleaders comedy Bring It On (2000, with Gabrielle Union) and the high school romance Get Over It (2001). Her other films include The Cat's Meow (2002), Mona Lisa Smile (2003, with Julia Roberts) and Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004, starring Jim Carrey). She had the title role in the 2006 Sofia Coppola film Marie Antoinette.

Orlando Bloom's Biography

Born: 13 January 1977
Birthplace: Canterbury, Kent, England
Best known as: Legolas in The Lord of the Rings


The actor Orlando Bloom was classically trained at London's Guildhall School of Music and Drama. Shortly after his graduation he was cast as the elf
Legolas in the feature film trilogy The Lord of the Rings, directed by Peter Jackson and based on the hit fantasy novel by J.R.R. Tolkien. The role made him a star and a favorite pinup for teenage girls. His other films include Wilde (1997), Black Hawk Down (2001, starring Josh Hartnett), The Kelly Gang (2003, with Naomi Watts and Heath Ledger) and Elizabethtown (2006, with Kirsten Dunst). Bloom He starred alongside Johnny Depp and Keira Knightley in the swashbuckling adventures Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003) and its sequels Dead Man's Chest (2006) and At World's End (2007).