Filed under: Celebrities and Controversy, Newsstand, Politics

Earlier this evening, talks between the WGA and AMPTP broke down once again. Negotiating between the two sides for a second time began shortly after the Thanksgiving break following three weeks of picketing, protests and celebrity spotting. This time, things were nasty, with each side releasing a statement that pretty much amounts to a spit in the face (though the WGA's letter kind of wipes off that spit, and makes an attempt to hug it out). Here's the breakdown (without all the strike lingo and number stuff): AMPTP delivered a proposal that was better, but not really, because it would require the WGA to remove several of their important demands. The WGA ran into a hotel room, locked the door and debated their next move. While still in the hotel room, AMPTP knocked on the door and told them they were leaving the bargaining table -- that this was a take it or leave it proposal -- and when the WGA send a letter stating that all of those demands are taken off the table, they'll go back to talking. Game on!

A few noteworthy lines from each side's official statement:

WGA: "We reject the idea of an ultimatum. Although a number of items we have on the table are negotiable, we cannot be forced to bargain with ourselves. The AMPTP has many proposals on the table that are unacceptable to writers, but we have never delivered ultimatums."

"We remain ready and willing to negotiate, no matter how intransigent our bargaining partners are, because the stakes are simply too high. We were prepared to counter their proposal tonight, and when any of them are ready to return to the table, we're here, ready to make a fair deal."

AMPTP: "While the WGA's organizers can clearly stage rallies, concerts and mock exorcisms, we have serious concerns about whether they're capable of reaching reasonable compromises that are in the best interests of our entire industry."

"Their Quixotic pursuit of radical demands led them to begin this strike, and now has caused this breakdown in negotiations. We hope that the WGA will come back to this table with a rational plan that can lead us to a fair and equitable resolution to a strike that is causing so much distress for so many people in our industry and community."

Then there's this gem from the studio and network reps: "Under no circumstances will we knowingly participate in the destruction of this business."

So, are things f**ked ... or are they f**ked?

[via Deadline Hollywood]

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Filed under: Celebrities and Controversy, Fandom, Images

No! It stings! It hurts! I'm melting! Yes, that appears to be Lindsay Lohan standing next to Batman on the set of ... just another weird photo shoot. Fear not, my JLA friends, the girl is not starring in the upcoming Justice League flick. But she is, for some odd reason, posing for a bunch of pics with Marvel and DC characters -- all of whom are dressed up in outfits you'd expect to find in the post-Halloween bargain bin at K-Mart. Dude! How can they disrespect Batman like that? And it's not only Batman -- wait till you see what they've done to Spider-Man and The Incredible Hulk. It's beyond awful. The pics come to us via IESB's celeb site, CelebSkin, which, honestly, needs someone else to write for them. I barely made it through several grammatical mistakes before finally landing on these images.* Stick them both together and I'm literally scarred for life (which, to the commenter who took me seriously, is a joke). Nothing against IESB; they just need to proof and edit. Like, a lot.

So what's the deal here? Is Lindsay trying to tell the world that she wants a role in the next big superhero flick? Or did some hot Los Angeles club simply pay her half a million to pose with superhero models to promote their establishment? Don't know, don't wanna know and, honestly, I don't care. See Lindsay with Spider-Man and The Hulk after the jump ...

*The grammatical errors on the site have been fixed, so disregard my previous statement.

Continue reading Holy Crap Batman! Is Lindsay Lohan Starring in 'Justice League?!'

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Filed under: Celebrities and Controversy, Newsstand, Home Entertainment

Ah, Barbara Walters. I remember the days when I'd set away the whole evening to watch her interview celebrities and dig beneath the surface to get the good stuff. There'd be the probing questions, those pensive, emotionally-intensive pauses, and sometimes even tears. At least then, it felt more like a real conversation instead of these days, where it's a lot more sensational. ("Look at the bump! So and so is not pregnant! ...This just in! She's not pregnant, she's just fat! Look at that slight curve to her stomach. So fat!") Well, just as many of you are tired with those news pieces, she's tired with doing her part to continue them and has decided to leave those celebrity interviews behind.

Reuters reports that she has recently said: "I am not going after the tabloid stuff, I don't do it," and "It's a different climate now and 20/20 and the other magazines are focused on the big celebrities. I didn't want to keep doing that, I have been doing it for years." Instead of Brad, Julia, or George, next up for her interviews are the likes of Bill Clinton, Hugo Chavez, and Don Imus. I understand her annoyance over what has happened in the world of celebrity gossip, but I still think there's a place for learning about actors and actresses in a more respectful, yet still probing, environment. At the very least, it can balance the worst of paparazzi pics and celebrity gossip, but that's just me. Chime in with your thoughts in the poll and comments below!

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