Hairspray

Hairspray, Hogs and Other Short Cuts!

• Jun 27, 2007 01:29 PM ET
• by Matt Mitovich

New Line Records' soundtrack for the forthcoming Hairspray redo is available for pre-order at retailers as well as at iTunes — a first for the popular music hub.... FX has ponied up about $16 million for the cable rights to the hit comedy Wild Hogs and the thriller The Invisible, to first air in fall 2009.... Tom Sizemore's 16-month prison sentence for violating probation in a drug case has been reduced, leaving him with nine more months to serve, says the AP. read more

John Waters: Hairspray Hubbub Is Hooey

• Jun 15, 2007 01:05 PM ET
• by Matt Mitovich

Original Hairspray auteur John Waters, responding to the New York Daily News' piece titled "Travolta in 'Spray Revolts Gays," argues, "It should have said 'Revolts Gay,' because it's just one person" — Washington Blade editor Kevin Naff — raising a ruckus. (Naff's beef is with Hairspray star John Travolta, whose Scientology faith has anti-gay tenets.) As Waters so wonderfully puts it to the News, "If [Travolta] was homophobic, dancing in [drag] with as many gay people as are working on this film, he would have had a heart attack and been dead." read more

Short Cuts: Star Wars, Grey's Newcomer and More

• May 16, 2007 02:25 PM ET
• by Matt Mitovich

Biography Channel celebrates the 30th anniversary of Star Wars — I first saw it at the Ridgeway in Stamford, Connecticut, with James and Keith — with profiles of Harrison Ford (airing May 25) and George Lucas (May 26).... The soundtrack for the upcoming Hairspray movie musical hits stores July 10. The first single (Zac Efron's "Ladies' Choice") is currently available for download.... Hannibal Rising arrives on DVD May 29.... My Trivial Matt'rs blog is updated with my take on Grey's Anatomy's flirty newcomer. read more

Oprah Welcomes John Tra-vol-taaaaaaaa...!

• May 14, 2007 08:17 PM ET
• by Matt Mitovich

And, well, others. On this Wednesday's Oprah, the Queen of all Media acknowledges another tuner besides her own The Color Purple by devoting the entire hour to the upcoming movie musical Hairspray, which hits theaters July 20. According to TheaterMania.com, in addition to interviewing the film's stars — John Travolta (presumably out of drag), Christopher Walken, Michelle Pfeiffer and Queen Latifah — the show will also preview at least one musical number. John Waters has officially made it. — Reporting by Raven Snook read more

"Groom Reaper" John Waters Slays Us in a Lively Q&A

• Mar 19, 2007 04:00 AM ET
• by Raven Snook

John Waters, 'Til Death Do Us Part

The Farrelly Brothers, the Jackass boys, every contestant who's ever eaten an insect on Fear Factor... they all owe a huge debt to the schlockmeister who pioneered hard-to-stomach, in-your-face entertainment: Baltimore-based auteur/author/actor John Waters. Originally known as the director of campy, lowbrow flicks punctuated by gross-out gags (e.g., plus-size drag queen Divine eating authentic dog poop in 1972's Pink Flamingos), the 60-year-old moviemaker has enjoyed a more mellow image in recent years, thanks to a st read more

Any update on whether ...

• Aug 9, 2006 04:00 AM ET
• by Michael Ausiello

Question: Any update on whether Mackenzie Rosman and/or David Gallagher are coming back to 7th Heaven?

Answer: Still nothing new to report. Here's something else, though. As you know, Haylie Duff is currently appearing on Broadway in Hairspray. Well, the ever-accommodating producers over at 7th Heaven shelled out beaucoup bucks to construct a set in New York so Haylie could shoot her scenes there without having to fly to Los Angeles on her one day off a week.

J.LO DOES DALLAS?

• Mar 14, 2006 04:00 AM ET
• by Matt Webb Mitovich

Jennifer Lopez

That big-screen version of Dallas is inching closer to reality. Variety reports that the cast is starting to fill out — particularly in the backside, one might say, with Jennifer Lopez being offered the role of Sue Ellen Ewing (played by Linda Gray on the long-running CBS serial). Luke Wilson is in talks to play Bobby, and Shirley MacLaine is being eyed for Miss Ellie, while the most plum part, J.R. himself, is still earmarked for John Travolta (production on Dallas would begin in October, after he's done filming Hairspray). You can practically hear Paris Hilton and Jessica Simpson catfighting over the role of Lucy. read more

Skating with Celebrities I almost...

• Jan 31, 2006 03:00 AM ET
• by TV Guide News

Travis Stork, The Bachelor: Paris

Skating with CelebritiesI almost forgot, but it turns out that I was actually there for the taping of this particular installment. That rink is small! Did you hear the gasps when Kristy's chin got an unintended shave? That was me. This week's technical requirement: an unassisted traveling one-legged lunge. The theme: the sounds of Motown. Jillian and John: These two promise even more tricks because, just in case you hadn't heard, the other teams are catching up. And other than John's slip (which I only noticed when they hit rewind on the clunky move), there's nothing wrong here. Score: 49.8.Bruce and Tai: Well, I must admit that Bruce's skating has improved. I was actually kind of impressed. Not as impressed as the judges, however. The unassisted lunge was solid. Trying to stand up from said unassisted lunge, n read more

WHO'S THE HAIR APPARENT?

• Jan 26, 2006 03:00 AM ET
• by TV Guide News

New Line Cinema is launching a nationwide casting call to fill the lead role of Tracy Turnblad in its film version of the Broadway adaptation of the 1988 film Hairspray, Variety reports. (Ricki Lake played the tempestuous teen on the big screen, while Stacked's Marissa Jaret Winokur originated the stage portrayal.) As for some of the other major characters, the studio is in talks with John Travolta, Billy Crystal and Queen Latifah to play Edna Turnblad, Wilbur Turnblad and Motormouth Maybelle, respectively. I'd love to see Travolta keep his Battlefield Earth dreadlocks. read more

Planning to be in New York City...

• Dec 21, 2005 03:00 AM ET
• by TV Guide News

Planning to be in New York City this month? FYI, Hairspray songbird Kathy Brier (Marcie, One Life to Live) stars in A Broadway Diva Christmas through Dec. 31. "A friend told me he never knew Christmas could be so sexy!" laughs Brier, who can't resist sharing soap scoop with TVGuide.com. "There's going to be a wedding in Marcie's future. Valentine's Day tends to be a magical time for Marcie, so the viewers will [find out] what's going to happen around then." Will the groom be Dr. Michael McBain or A.D.A. Hugh Hughes? Whoever Marcie chooses, she can send the hunky reject over to my place for consoling. (Visit abroadwaydivachristmas.com for details on Brier's holiday spectacular.) read more