DATA HARD

Monday, October 05, 2015

CELEBRITY Q AND A:THE BASTARD, JAMES SPADER.

In 2004, we were treated to a sneak preview viewing- of ABC's The Practice. A hit legal show, created by David E. Kelly. This is NOT to be confused, with a medical spin-off of Grey's Anatomy, called Private Practice, which totally sucked.

Anyway, I sat at a table near the front, closest to the big TV set. It's the first shot (with running time codes still on it) where The Blacklist star- James Spader is chewing scenery with abandon. So much so, he start to come off as hammy to me.

Spader demolished a fat Italian lawyer, with a nasty line. I accidentally said verbally, "Wow, Spader's a prick." At that point, a mean,full blond headed guy, immediately takes his eyes off the screen and menacingly stared at me, with the intent of bodily harm.

After quite a few seconds, I realize that is Alan Shore of that show's finale season and future Emmy winning turns on its Spin-off, Boston Legal. Embarrassed, I just turn my head back to monitor. I just try to ignore, the occasionally angry-as-hell glances.

After the viewing, we all get up to leave. We both (somehow) stand and face each other. Spader looks right at me and said (after his alter ego did something nice,in the final shot) ...."Am I still a prick to you?," in a cheerful, but mocking tone.

I just look at him, jokingly shrug my shoulders and sympathetically said, "Maybe." A torrent of cuss words fly at me,as a turn around and quickly leave. I smiled as I realized, a major star was upset- by me.

Notes: I ended seeing Spader, at a couple of SAG-AFTRA meetings years later. He just wanted to say the same mean,semi-bigoted lies and remarks,when he didn't get his chance at the viewing.I just ignored him.I don't know, I think Modern Family's Eric Stonestreet was there. This just confirmed that he IS a mean, lying little prick. Go back to hell, Red James!

MUSICIAN WIZ KHALIFA AND ROBERT DE NIRO, HONORED AT FILM AWARDS.

dick clark productions (dcp) announced today that Universal Pictures' box-office smash Furious 7 will receive the "Hollywood Blockbuster Award," while Wiz Khalifa and Charlie Puth will receive the "Hollywood Song Award" for their massive hit "See You Again" from the film's soundtrack. In addition, the "Hollywood Documentary Award" will be bestowed on director Asif Kapadia for his work on Amy. The "19th Annual Hollywood Film Awards" will take place at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills on November 1, 2015. The Hollywood Film Awards, the official launch of the awards season®, has recognized excellence in the art of cinema and filmmaking for 18 years, honoring some of the world's biggest stars.

Embraced by global audiences, the latest entry in Universal's homegrown franchise, Furious 7 is the fifth highest-grossing film of all time. The Fast & Furious movies have grossed more than $3.9 billion through their 14-year history, and the series has become the studio's largest film of all time.

The hit single off the Furious 7 soundtrack, "See You Again," scored one of the 20 greatest sales weeks of any song in the decade-plus that Nielsen Music has tracked digital sales. The song went on to take the No. 1 spot on multiple Billboard charts, including Hot 100, Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, Hot Rap Songs, Digital Sons, Streaming Sons and Billboard + Twitter Top Tracks. Including "See You Again," Wiz Khalifa has placed more than 40 tracks on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart. The song represents YouTube sensation Puth's debut single.

dick clark productions also announced today the recipients of this year's honorees in the categories of Cinematography, Composer, Editing, Visual Effects, Sound, Costume Design, Make-Up & Hairstyling and Production Design. Past honorees have gone on to garner many Oscar nominations and wins. The complete list can be found below:

Hollywood Cinematography AwardJanusz Kaminski, Bridge of Spies

Hollywood Film Composer AwardAlexandre Desplat, The Danish Girl, Suffragette

Hollywood Editing AwardDavid Rosenbloom, Black Mass

Hollywood Visual Effects AwardTim Alexander, Jurassic World

Hollywood Sound AwardGary Rydstrom, Bridge of Spies

Hollywood Costume Design AwardSandy Powell, Cinderella

Hollywood Make-Up & Hairstyling AwardLesley Vanderwalt, Mad Max: Fury Road

Hollywood Production Design AwardColin Gibson, Mad Max: Fury Road

It was announced last week that two-time Oscar winner, Robert De Niro, will be honored with this year's "Hollywood Career Achievement Award." De Niro is currently starring in Warner Bros. Pictures' "The Intern" and will appear next in 20th Century Fox's "Joy," coming out December 25, 2015. More of this year's honorees will be announced in the coming weeks.

CHEAT TWEET: .@FastFurious, @wizkhalifa and @charlieputh to be honored at the 2015 @HollywoodAwards for Furious 7 and See You Again. #HFAs

DRINK FROM THE FUTURE: PESPI PERFECT IS NOW, A REALITY.

Surprising Back to the Future fans everywhere, Pepsi officially confirms the long-awaited creation of Pepsi Perfect - the famous soda Marty McFly orders in the second installment of one of the most beloved trilogies in motion-picture history. The fantastical cola, made famous by the film, will officially be available on October 21, 2015, paying homage to the date Marty McFly travels to in the future. Since 1989, Back To The Future enthusiasts have waited patiently to see how the future unfolds.

"Pepsi fans asked and we heard them loud and clear," said Lou Arbetter, Senior Director of Marketing, PepsiCo. "The Back to the Future trilogy was as big a moment in pop culture history then as it is now, 30 years later. We are excited to be part of this moment and to bring fans something only Pepsi could deliver – and there's no need to wait – the future is now!"

SYNCHRONIZE YOUR WATCHES TO OCTOBER 21 FOR A CHANCE TO SCORE A PEPSI PERFECT

If our calculations are correct, Pepsi will make the future a reality on October 21, 2015 and unlock limited quantities of Pepsi Perfect, available for purchase online while supplies last. Fans located in the U.S. can get their hands on 1 of 6,500 Pepsi Perfect bottles, each outfitted in a special collectible case. The 16.9 oz. bottles will contain Pepsi Made with Real Sugar and will sell for $20.15.

A FIRST TASTE OF THE FUTURE REVEALED AT NEW YORK COMIC CON

While the clock counts down to October 21, New York Comic Con ticketholders will step into a Pepsi Perfect world as they enter the Javits Center on Thursday, October 8. From sponsoring a Back to the Future focused panel to creating a Café 80's inspired booth featuring a DeLorean and Wild Gunman arcade game, Pepsi Perfect will bring to life the magical w/ Back to the Future Part II.