Oscar Nominations 2011: The Biggies
Somewhere, King George VI is smiling.Oscar nominations for 2011 were released this morning, and The King’s Speech led the way with 12 overall nominations.
The Who2 Blog
Jack LaLanne Wore Ballet Slippers
Yes those are ballet slippers you see on muscleman Jack LaLanne in the great old clips of his workout shows.His official blog addressed the topic in November:
From Hayley Mills to Hailee Steinfeld: Oscar Can’t Resist Young Women
Hailee Steinfeld, age 14, will be nominated for an Oscar tomorrow for True Grit, because she deserves it and because the Academy loves to nominate plucky youngsters.Yes, the Academy loves plucky. But it loves plucky young women just a little more than plucky young men.
Jack LaLanne Has Died at the Age of 96
Television pioneer and fitness preacher Jack LaLanne passed away Sunday in California. He was 96 years old.
Jack LaLanne was a fixture on morning TV for decades, doing push-ups and squat thrusts and telling viewers to eat right!, with a peppy, you-can-do-it delivery. His official site features several videos of classic episodes of The Jack LaLanne Show.
Or, you can have a little sample here:
Anthony Hopkins Will Play Alfred Hitchcock, Maybe
Anthony Hopkins is in talks to play director Alfred Hitchcock in the biopic Alfred Hitchcock and the Making of Psycho, says the Hollywood Reporter
Where’s Buzz? Getting Smooched at the Golden Globes!
Buzz Aldrin gets a smooch from his wife Lois at a Golden Globes afterparty this week. One in a continuing
Herbie Hancock, Lang Lang in Chinese-American ‘Rockit’ Pact
Jazz great Herbie Hancock and Chinese phenom Lang Lang met at the grand piano during Wednesday night’s state dinner for Hu Jintao at the White House.James Fallows has the critical backgrounder.
Roger Ebert Has an Impressive New Silicone Chin (Photos)
Yes, that’s Roger Ebert, the film critic. He’s wearing a new silicone prosthetic jaw created for him by doctors at the University of Illinois.
Eric Schmidt’s Top 10 Quotes
The Wall Street Journal has ’em. Number 10, when asked last year if a Google brain implant was being developed:
Mafia Nicknames from the New York Bust
Here’s a fun list from the Village Voice, The 20 Best Nicknames in the Big Mafia Bust.
It includes gems such as:
Anthony “Baby Fat Larry” Durso
Vincent “Vinny Carwash” Frogiero
Anthony “Tony Bagels” Cavezza
John “Lumpy” Hartmann
Anthony “Firehawk” Licata
Joseph “Junior Lollipops” Carna
Did John Kennedy Kill the Hat Industry?
Not so much. It was American Express what done it.
John F. Kennedy’s Inauguration: The Beaver Hat!
This is the beaver-and-silk hat worn by John F. Kennedy at his inauguration as U.S. president on this day 50 years ago.The John F. Kennedy Library describes the top hat this way:
Is the Poe Toaster Toast?
Edgar Allan Poe’s secret admirer failed to show up for the second year in a row. Four imposters gave it a shot, though.
More Nim Chimpsky: Who2 Nim Comics!
Like Nim Chimpsky, I was raised almost like a human in the 1970s. I feel a certain kinship with Nim. I’m not even jealous that he’s the star of Jim Marsh’s new documentary, Project Nim.
I wrote about Nim earlier in this post about Marsh’s film.
Inspired by Nim’s story of being raised as an un-chimped people during the 1970s, I scrawled out this artist’s rendering of what his life might have been like:
Nim Chimpsky and Project Nim
Remember that famous chimp from the 1970s, Nim Chimpsky?
Jim Marsh, the documentary maker (and Oscar winner) who did 2008’s Man on Wire is screening his film about Nim Chimpsky at the Sundance Film Festival this month.
Jim Marsh’s film is titled Project Nim.
Who2’s Betty White Biography, with Photos and Comics
We have a new Betty White biography on Who2, with photos.
The other day I bought a comic book, another in the Blue Water Comics series Female Force.
Blue Water has an extensive series of these bio-comics (biographix?), and I’ve already read one on First Lady Michelle Obama and one on the former Alaskan governor, Sarah Palin.
This time I decided to go out of my “safe zone” and get one that isn’t political.
WWJLD?
What will Joe Lieberman do at his press conference tomorrow? Retire? Declare that he’s running in 2012 as a Democrat? As a Republican?The Fix speculates.
President Lyndon B. Johnson Orders Some Slacks
Anyone with an interest in the United States presidency should delight in this brief telephone conversation between clothier Joe Haggar and President Lyndon B. Johnson in August of 1964.
LBJ is on the hunt for some lightweight slacks, so he calls up Haggar to order some. He needs them about half an inch bigger in the waist than what he had before, and President Johnson goes into some detail about what he needs.
Did Kwilliam Snub Marack?
A new email rumor has Prince William and Kate Middleton snubbing President Barack Obama and his wife Michelle with a pointed non-invitation to their royal wedding in April.
Philip Glass Would Like You to Please Leave Him Alone
Philip Glass pauses for 4’33” while rehearsing at City Recital Hall before his performance tonight in the annual Sydney Festival.