Happy Labor Day, See You at the Beach!!

Love Him or Hate Him, but Perez Hilton gets the Scoops

Lindsay Lohan's Parents Implode. Dina and Michael are not your atypical divorce couple, I am sure many of us have endured divorces where we have been put in the middle of two squabbling ex-spouses. These two just make it so public.

Read the transcript at http://www.perezhilton.com/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bOkyTZsWKNs

The Millionaire's Club - Flossie and Trouble - Woof

Today Leona Helmsley's dog Trouble joined an elite club of millionaire dogs. First the details on our newest millionaire. Trouble will continue to live an opulent life that she grew accostomed to over the past few years, when Helmsley left her beloved white Maltese, a $12 million trust fund, according to her will, which was made public Tuesday in surrogate court. Trouble, who once appeared in ads for the Helmsley Hotels, lived up to its name by biting a housekeeper while making the clip. "I direct that when my dog, Trouble, dies, her remains shall be buried next to my remains in the Helmsley mausoleum," Helmsley wrote in her will. Back in 2001, everyone's girl next door Drew Barrymore, rewarded her dog with $3 million. On Dec. 10, 2001, Ms Barrymore, then 27, followed through on her promise to reward her life-saving pooch with a new dog house; 22 months earlier Drew and then husband Tom Green, were rescued from a fire by her dog Flossie. Drew fulfilled her promise of putting a roof over Flossies head for life by putting in Trust, a newly built 3,600-square-foot home. There are 4 doggie doors and 2 human doors so Drew can visit the dog anytime she wants. A kitchen with a Chef, 2 bedrooms and indoor plumbing.

"Grease: You're the One That I Want", the reality of the Broadway Red Carpet

Guess it's raining on prom night. Oh my darling what can i do? I miss you. It's raining rain from the skies, and it's raining real tears from my eyes,over you. Oh dear god, make him feel the same way i do right now. Make him want to see me again. Oh what can I do. It's raining rain from the skiesit's raining tears from my eyes over youraining oooooohtears from my eyes over youraining oooooooohraining on prom night

"Grease" the reality version opened on Broadway last Sunday night. I was a little late getting to the Red Carpet as I was shooting the closing of Deuce (See last Monday's entry) When I did get there I checked in, I was #8 which meant I wasn't going to have a good spot, but it didn't matter I was so excited to be there.

Guess who I am, Annette Cardona ("Cha Cha" in the Film Version of Grease). She is now a Sociology professor at the University of Michigan. Here is 'Hairspray's' Nikki Blonsky with Constantine Margolis. I guess Nikki is one degree separation from Grease, as John Travolta was her mother in Hairspray, and was Danny Zuko in Grease. Setting up he Red Carpet, lots of logistics go on, and the rain didn't help matters as the PR people decide which way the guests should walk in, and which way the ticket holders should walk in

The photographers are shooting from a spot where our backs are getting wet, and water is dripping on our head.

Ilene Kristen (Original "Patty Simcox" on Broadway. Starred in ABC's Ryan's Hope and now One Live To Live) I did get a little out of hand, and gush as I told her how much I loved her playing Roxie on One Life To Live. Especially the poker scenes of late.

American Idol finalist and currently in the Off-Broadway production of The Fantastiks, Anthony Fedorov and friend Elisa Rodriguez

the kid from Mary Poppins, Henry Hodges . Here he is singing "You're the one that I want" These are videos of the reality show contestants from the TV show "Grease: You're the One That I Want" Over the past two years, after meeting a dozen or so paparazzi's (celebrity photographers) I asked them why they never shot events on Broadway, that it was really an untapped resource and that I think it would be important to push the shots to the glossy magazines. Most would tell me that there was no money it, those roaway people didn't sell, but they promised to look into it. It never happened, well except for the stunt casting events or Julia Roberts. After awhile I stopped asking. I always admired the work of the 1/2 dozen or so photographers that were doing the job. From the movie Grease Frenchie, Didi Conn and Doody, Barry Pearl

I wish Broadway Openings were held on the same level as the Red Carpet event was for the finale of "Grease" on TV. Check out this video and all the press. For the opening on Broadway there was only the usual smattering of photographers, most who worked for organizations like Braodway.com or Broadwayworld.com; I uess most of the press coverage the next day is the review, but wouldn't People magazine like a nice picture of Marilu Henner in their issue? I hope that a reality show like "Grease: You're the One That I Want" might just turn a few more people onto Broadway that might not have been interested in it before, and I applaud that and

Kathleen Marshall has the last laugh, with her brother, movie Director Rob Marshall as You're the One That I want summer's Broadway Grease that has already eclipsed $9 million in ticket sales!! NBC's "Grease You're the One That I Want" contestants: Ashley Anderson, Jason Celaya, Allie Schultz, Chad Doreck, Matt Nolan, Kathleen Monteleone Sadly none of the following clips made it onto Access Hollywood (the women standing next to me was from Access Hollywood), except the one featuring Nikki Blonsky, as she is a movie star

Here's one fight we'd love to see: Renee Zellweger vs. Christie Brinkley.

Interesting news piece on NY Daily News. Mud wrestling anyone?

Here's one fight we'd love to see: Renee Zellweger vs. Christie Brinkley. Zellweger, 38, spent some animated face time with Beatle Paul McCartney on Saturday jamming to Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers. As Zellweger smiled, laughed and hung on the 65-year-old musical icon's every word, our lensman spotted Brinkley casting what appeared to be less-than-delighted glimpses in their direction - and no wonder. After all, it was just two weeks ago at a James Taylor concert in the same East Hampton venue that Brinkley, 53, sparked romance rumors when she and Sir Paul, who is estranged but not yet divorced from Heather Mills, cut a rug. They were even seen slow-dancing to "How Sweet It Is to Be Loved by You." A witness at Saturday night's Petty concert at the Hampton Social insisted that they're all just friends. "I don't believe there's anything between them. "He was sitting with Amy Poehler and her husband, and she [Renee] was with two friends and left 15 minutes after he did," said the source. Still, McCartney is known to have an eye for younger women - and blonds. And Zellweger and Brinkley fit that bill to a T

YouTube.com Is Down, I am unable to think

Fresh Content Tommorrow!

Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt In NYC and at Lee's Art Store 57th Street

My confession to you today would be, if you hear that Brad Pitt or Angelina Jolie are going to be in the New York City area, and you want a celebrity sighting, by all means hang outside Lee's Art Store on 57th Street as the Pitt's always seem to make it their pit stop while they are in the City. August 25, 2007 (It was shortly after this point that Brad said to the photographers, I don't mind you shooting us, but for the rest of the day could you do the long shots. Which means he wanted the paparazzi to use a long lense which would be a 300MM to infinity. You would be able to shoot from across the street and the Pitts could go about their normal day [not a normal day for you and I, but their normal day]) June 18, 2007 (Angelina loves her little black dress) http://hughe2030.blogspot.com/2007/06/angelina-jolie-kids-and-my-favorite-art.html

Deborah Gibson has Jumped the Shark, Long Live Debbie Gibson

Every time I tell a secret I remember how it used to be And I realized how much I miss you And I realize how it feels to be free Couldnt see how much I missed you (now I do) Couldnt see how much it meant Now I see my world come tumbling down (tumbling down my world) Now I see the road is bent

No, no, no, no, only in my dreams As real as it may seem It was only in my dreams

Hands down this was one of my favorite songs when I came out in the 80s' My dreams were shattered when punk came along and my Debbie Gibson disappeard from the pop scene. Years later when she made a comeback of sorts, but she was no longer Debbie Gibson, but Deborah Gibson and performing Broadway rather successfully, but I believe changing her name to Deborah was the death knell of her pop princess status, well it was for me.

What happened to our little Debbie, where did she go? She didn't become a drug addict, a drunk she never shaved her head, and she's never been to rehab, no no no, but she seemed to morph into a snotty diva who wanted to be called Deborah, and turn her back on Debbie. It's not too late to save your rightful place on the pop princess throne, bring back Debbie or you could end up doing infomorcials !!Damn too Late!! Frankie Avalon and Deborah Gibson will host an infomercial to promote the "American Bandstand" boxed set starting today, August 24, 2007 on a TV near you. Had she only read my fan letters in the nineties and listen to my advice. Why is it when people have a good thing going, they do something stupid like leave a hit TV series ala Shelly Long, David Curuso, John Travolta, er scratch that last one. Bring Back Debbie Gibson!! Nonetheless, after checking out all these YouTube songs in the process of doing this entry, I will be in the audience to see Debbie Gibson will be back in New York to do an "intimate and exciting" show at BB Kings on October 7, 2007. Tickets are on sale now.

Put Away the Champagne, Lindsay Lohan gets off easy

The long arm of the law has stopped just short of charging Lindsay Lohan with any felonies, I think Lindsay got pretty lucky because it sounds like she’ getting off on a bunch of technicalities. They’re saying they can’t prove she was in possession of the drug, which doesn’t really make sense, there were problems with the way the drugs were seized and the amount of cocaine she had on her was below the limit for a felony. Lohan – who was wearing an alcohol detection anklet – when arrested was booked for DUI, transporting a narcotic into a custody facility, driving on a suspended license and possession of cocaine. In each incident, the amounts tested were below the .05 grams required for felony charges, according to the district attorney's office...Police tests revealed that a white powder in Lohan's purse was .04 grams of cocaine. Um, so the difference here was a hundredth of a gram? Luck of the Irish!

Looks like she was right when she told those guys (that she took hostage) that she wouldn't get in trouble, because she's famous.

The Reviews for the new Grease on Broadway

The revival of "Grease" cast by way of voters who watched the painfully dull, rules changing TV reality show "You're The One That I Want," opened on Broadway Sunday night.

The reviews:

New York Times - "Those who come to “Grease” without such sentimental attachments are sure to be baffled by the lack of wit, charisma or original presence on the stage."

Variety - "Not that there's anything especially wrong with Max Crumm and Laura Osnes, the pair chosen to play cool-dude Danny Zuko and his innocent summer love Sandy Dumbrowski, respectively, in Kathleen Marshall's low-wattage New York production. They sing confidently, dance capably and both have their own low-key, unaffected charms. But they're unprepossessingly innocuous, which is not a great quality in musical theater leads. What's more, they have less-than-zero sexual connection."

New York magazine - "During the curtain call, the cast races through quick reprises of all the show’s good songs (including “Greased Lightning,” Broadway’s answer to a stadium-rock anthem), and gives the Max-and-Laura constituency plenty of chances to see the stars in action. Here, you think, is what the people came to see: the super-concentrated Grease experience, all highlights and TV stars, with none of the dull bits to get in the way. It’s just a shame that, after casting their votes and paying a hundred bucks for tickets, they still have to wait two listless hours to get it."

New York magazine - "During the curtain call, the cast races through quick reprises of all the show’s good songs (including “Greased Lightning,” Broadway’s answer to a stadium-rock anthem), and gives the Max-and-Laura constituency plenty of chances to see the stars in action. Here, you think, is what the people came to see: the super-concentrated Grease experience, all highlights and TV stars, with none of the dull bits to get in the way. It’s just a shame that, after casting their votes and paying a hundred bucks for tickets, they still have to wait two listless hours to get it."

Hollywood Reporter - "Tackily produced and utterly lacking the sort of fun comic spark that the original production and certainly the movie possessed (though not the most recent Broadway revival in 1994), this is a "Grease" that only will be appreciated by young TV viewers who don't know any better."

The critics are not amused, and as the Hollywood Reporter harshly spells it out, the revival "only will be appreciated by young TV viewers who don't know any better." (newyorkology.com)

But aren't they the target audience, I think so! (Sunday night I will post additional photos and videos from the opening night of Grease)

New York City Spring 2008 Fashion Week begins in Two Weeks

I have my photo schedule and it will be a dizzying 5 days for shooting for me. Parties, parties, celebrities, models and clothes. Although from a paparazzi stand point this article on Fashionista is very disturbing: Have Celebs Deserted Fashion Week? The reason the celebrities say they won't be showing up for the NYC Fashion Week is because they can't stand the paparazzi taking their photos!! HELLO they love the paparazzi taking their photos, that is why they show up, they are whores for publicity, especially the D-list celebrities or someone out to promote somtehing (If they really had a complaint it would be I hate the lack of security and the fans who outnumber the paparazzi 10 – 1). For the past three season's I have been going and if someone didn't want to be photographed they would just walk on by. Rarely did that happend. Plus if they really didn't want to be photographed they would go through the front doors, where there are few paparazzi's and skip the back door. The article goes on to say the real reason is because designers are tired of the attention celebrities get, and not the clothes that they are debuting. That was one of the reasons they downplayed the whole "Supermodel" syndrome that was so popular in the 90s and 90s. Celebrities or not, I will be there to cover the action and bring it to you.

Lindsay Lohan leaves by a side entrance from the Tents at Bryant Park after attending a show that featured her sister Ali Lohan..

Deuce: The Grand Dames say good-bye to Broadway

On Sunday before going to the Opening Night of Grease, (photos and videos to be posted on Wednesday) I went to photograph the departures from the closing of Deuce. Although it wasn’t a magnificent play, it did feature two legends of Broadway. There was a light rain falling, but both were very accommodating to the fans who waited about an hour in the drizzle. Marian takes a bow (in the background you can see the "autograzzi's prepare their documents to get signed [they have them in plastic for protection])class act but the rain did not deter Marian from spending a lot, I mean I lot of time with each fan that wanted to talk to her, hugging, kissing, posing, signing, she really is amazing The crowd was enormous, grateful and waited in the rain to meet their stars (Marian on the left, Angela on the right)the laying of the hands Angela was very accommodating to the fans, did I mention it was raining! In the foreground is Ms. Lansbury’s car. In the front sear lay a huge boquet of flowers. Each white ribbon listed plays that Angela had appeared in “Gypsy”, “Mame’, “Sweeney Todd”. “A Taste of Honey” etc.

Angela Lansbury recently said in an interview that she would never again appear in a long running show on Broadway. The schedule was grueling. So it’s goodbye With one last hearty laugh, she disappears into her town car Playwright Terrance McNally's closing line in Deuce is "You will never see the likes of these two again"

I just found out my friend Sarah was inside: She has a great Broadway blog: http://sarahbsadventures.blogspot.com/2007/08/today-last-deuce-on-broadway.html

Grease, it was wet, Pictures to come soon

David Beckhan and his adidas sneakers

Yesterday soccer superstar David Beckhan was in NYC to play the NYC Red Bull's on Saturday night. During the day he delighted kids in the Harlem Youth Soccer League at Jacob Schiff Field.A friend of mine was outside the stadium to shoot Beck's as he left to get into his limo. A young fan yelled that he liked David's shoes, at which point David took his adidas sneakers off and handed them to him. (I haven't seen it reported anywhere, but WOW what a kind gesture)

It's gonna be raining in the Big Apple

and today I am driving up to photograph the arrivals at the opening of "Grease" on Broadway. I hope there's an overhang, I hate getting wet. I have done search after search looking for another event to shoot in addition to Grease. Not much going on as everyone, as they have been for every weekend since Memorial Day, is in the Hamptons. Well hopefully someone exciting will be seeing the last performance of Deuce, with Angela Lansbury and Marian Seldes.

I was excited when I read this in the paper, then realized where they were all located:(

THAT Molly Sims and restaurateur John McDonald will host a private Perrier-Jouet cocktail party at The Estate in Sag Harbor tonight . . . THAT Susan Lucci, Erica Kane on "All My Children," will accept a lifetime achievement award from Boulevard magazine today at the W house in Sag Harbor . . . THAT Paul Sevigny will DJ the T-Mobile Sidekick Lounge at Mercedes-Benz Polo Challenge in Bridgehampton today . . . THAT Roy Scheider, Lori Singer and Ken Auletta will be among those stepping up to the plate at today's 59th Annual Artists and Writers Softball Game in the Hamptons to benefit Phoenix House.

Grease is the Word, and I got the word today that

I will be on the Red Carpet Sunday night shooting the arrivals at the Opening of the Broadway revival of GREASE. I never watch the reality talent show, so I am brushing up with my YouTube.com clips just so I know who, what and how important the person in front of me is to photograph. Who am I kidding, I will be shooting them all. I have the guest list and it seems that some of the original Grease movie stars will be walking the Carpet... Plus a few people from the original Broadway Show... and pretty much everyone for this show

Grease Opens on Broadway Sunday Night

Did you know that when a show opens on Broadway the starting time is traditionally 6:30PM. SO if you want to catch the celebrity guests walk the Red Carpet, just be there by 5PM so that you can get a good position. The stars of the show do not usually walk the Red Carpet. To see them you should stand by the Stage Door at the end of the show and catch them dressed to the nines on their way to the After Party. Don't be upset if they don't have time to sign or pose for photos, as they are usually very excited to get to the party. Here is a posting I saw on BroadwayWorld.com about the stage door "I'm going to see Grease on Saturday, and had a quick question about the stage door. I read and heard that it is crazy, but when it was mentioned it was an evening performance. I am seeing the matinee. Does anyone know if Max, Laura and the rest of the cast will come out after? I know for some shows that they will just stay inside until the night performance, but I wasn't quite sure about this one. I can't say for sure, but judging by the noise I heard from down the street yesterday, I think they did come out after the matinee. I have heard a lot of good things about Grease, and from these press photos I can tell the sets are amazing http://www.greaseonbroadway.com/

This is my favorite Elvis Presley Song

I confess I love Elvis, and go through phases where I will listen to him for hours. Elvis was popular before songs were more than 2 -3 minutes long. This song is one of the few that is more than three minutes. A new video of Lisa Marie Presley singing "In the Ghetto," accompanied by her late father, Elvis Presley, will be posted August 17 on the AOL Internet site Spinner.com, a company spokesman said. To mark the 30th anniversary of her father's death, Lisa Marie Presley's voice was added to the original version of her father's hit song from 1969. The video duet also features images of her late father.

Wicked Tour Celebrates 1,000th Performance Aug. 15 in Philly

A 'Wicked' party was held Wednesday on the steps of the Academy of Music with the cast members of Wicked as they celebrated of the musical's 1,000th performance on tour Left to Right above: LESLIE BECKER (Midwife, u/s Madame Morrible) ; original tour company cast members: BARBARA TIRRELL (Madame Morrible). and TERRA LYNN ARRINGTON (Ensemble); TOM FLYNN (Dr. Dillamond), and BRAD WEINSTOCK (Boq). In the back is Steve Quinn, Company Manager.Original tour company cast members: BARBARA TIRRELL (Madame Morrible). and TERRA LYNN ARRINGTON (Ensemble); Leslie Becker told me the first time, and the very first night that Wicked played at the Academy of Music last year, as Glinda floated down they blew the fuse on the electricity of the place. The old girl just couldn't handle the wattage of Wicked! After a small break, and a few adjustments, like turning down the juice on a few things and the show went on and it never happened again.

Video of the ceremony - Happy Wicked Anniversary!!