December 2006 Archives

by Laura Saltman

Tis the season for us to take a break. So, as Access Hollywood heads off into a holiday hiatus I give you my pick for the best shows of the year. Everyone does a top ten list but to go along with the "Twelve Days of Christmas" theme I've chosen that many. Narrowing the list down was not easy.

12. Entourage - Working in this crazy entertainment business only makes me appreciate this behind the scenes look at a stars life even more. I’d like to tell you that all those outrageous things they do are just for dramatic or comedic effect. I can’t. This stuff really does happen every day in this town. That’s why this show is so good.

11. The 4400 - Before “Heroes” came along there was this gripping Sci-Fi show on the USA Network where regular people find they have been given abilities that just may save the world in the future. Sound familiar?

click below to read 10 through 1!

by Billy Bush

'Twas the week before Christmas and all seemed to be quiet. Then the alley cat of morning chat starts a little riot.

I tried to avoid commenting on this latest dust between Rosie and Donald. Both are unafraid to launch verbal attacks, both are publicly pugnacious and both are doing their best to make sure there is no such thing as a quiet week in the entertainment "crap-o-sphere"

Donald played a compassionate card when he gave Miss USA Tara Conner a second chance....a smart move that would reap dividends while creating some buzz for the Miss Universe Organization (which could use some).
Everyone was happy to let him do his thing and not challenge him.....except the new queen of daytime TV, Rosie. Rosie O'Donnell was willing to publicly label Kelly Ripa a homophobe...unloading a roundhouse on the Trumpster in this case shouldn't shock you...

by Laura Saltman

Originally, my morning was going to start around 3:00am when I would have to awake and get ready to go to the Golden Globe nominations. Every year they are held at the Beverly Hilton Hotel. By 4:30am tons of media and publicists converge inside a ballroom to hear the nominations read at about 5:37am. As soon as the names are read, publicists are on the phone calling up their clients to congratulate them and coordinate whether or not they will be granting interviews. A bout with bronchitis forced me to skip the nominations and wake up a little later but I've been there done that so many times, I wasn't too upset. My first assignment was to head to the Four Seasons Hotel at 8:15am where we would be talking to a couple of nominees.

by Eugene Monzon Jr.

We are barely a week into the new awards season and there already seems to be a clear-cut favorite as to who could walk away with Oscar gold in the Best Actor and Actress category come February 25th. What is not clear is the race for the Best Picture of '06. "Dreamgirls" is on everyone's must see list (it truly is one of the best films I've seen all year) and many thought it would be an award show juggernaut, but so far the film has only garnered two Supporting Actress nods for Jennifer Hudson's superb performance.

by Billy Bush

It’s hard to weigh what will entice people to watch the show. Every day our executive producer makes the ultimate call on the Lead story, the follow up, the one we will tease throughout the show and unveil towards the end. He has a team of trusted senior people who advise as best they can...I am one of them.

Tonight's show is the right call...new photos of Brad and Angelina is first, Britney's latest escapade (this time bra-less follows shortly after)...at the end of the 1st block we address the passing away of Peter Boyle. In my heart it’s first, but I understand its placement.

by Laura Saltman
No one wants to work on a Saturday, especially when they have to be somewhere at 8:30 in the morning. However, I was excited to get the chance to speak with Tori Spelling about her estate sale over the weekend (read Friday's blog for all the details on that). Though I had a brief conversation with her inside the home where she was holding her estate sale, this time I would be able to tape the interview to air on our show.

by Laura Saltman

Normally, I jump right into writing theses articles but I'm basically speechless after my morning at Tori Spelling's estate sale. So, let's just start at the beginning. For those of you who may not have heard this story, on Monday, an announcement came out that Tori was holding this once in a lifetime event with a company called the "Estate Sale Shop" at her Studio City home.

There were photos posted on their site of items for sale. The sale is open to the public. So, this means that absolutely anyone who wants to come by can, Fri. and Sat. until 5pm. It begs the question 'why would someone as famous or well known as Tori hold what is essentially a garage sale'? That's an easy answer. She was filming it all for a new reality show that she and her husband, Dean McDermott, are doing for the Oxygen network.

by Tony Potts

So, I was snooping around Tori Spelling’s house, and I peaked inside her closet door and I have to admit, I felt a little creepy doing so. However, just as I was reaching for a t-shirt I was jolted…or should I say shoved aside - BODY BLOCKED by a woman with a box, the look of an NFL linebacker and the determination no one was going to get in her way of getting her hands on Tori’s goods.

And let me tell ya’…there were a lot of Tori’s goods to be had. It was Tori’s Yard Sale..which, true to the way things work here in Hollywood, was not in her yard at all.

by Billy Bush

Some happy news and some sad news. I will lead with the positive:

Last night, I took my wife and my mother-in-law, who is visiting from Mississippi, to Wolfgang Puck's new celebrity soaked steakhouse, Cut.

The food was great, the wine was great, Janet Jackson was there lying low at a table for two with a friend.

The highlight of the night... and believe me, my mother-in-law has already called back home to Mississippi and told half the town... was Bruce Willis coming over to the table and squeezing into the booth next to her.

by Laura Saltman

As if Salma Hayek weren't steaming things up enough on "Ugly Betty" as sexy Sofia Reyes, a new temptress is about to shake things up at Mode magazine. The Dish has learned that model turned actress Rebecca Romijn is joining the cast.

I doubt Salma will be sticking around for that much longer. The Oscar nominee has several film projects in the pipeline. So don't be surprised when her budding romance with editor-in-chief, Daniel goes sour and Betty's job offer to work at her magazine goes up in smoke. Salma's set to begin filming the drama "Keep Coming Back", directed and co-starring William H. Macy, in January. Considering she is the show's executive producer though, I'm sure she will be popping in on the Mode offices every once and awhile.

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by Laura Saltman

Last night, I was less than thrilled to find myself standing out in the cold on the red carpet at the Arby's Action Sports Awards. Roast beef and extreme sports? How do these two go together? It doesn't matter. You see, the big story for the entertainment news shows was that Pamela Anderson would be making her first public appearance since announcing her divorce from Kid Rock, after only three months of marriage.