Alasari Yoruba Actor Dies After Fatal Accident

Accident spot that claimed the life of Alasari (Ishola Durojaiye) early this morning
It is Another sad day for nollywood as popular Producer cum Actor Ahmed Alasari died this morning following injuries sustained in a fatal car Accident.
Investigations reveal that Alasari left home in the company of four of his Aides to participate in a live program to promote his new movie Omo night club which he co produced with Gemini films and marketing.

We Gathered the accident occured in his pathfinder which he brought in dec 29 last year and Actress Dayo Amusa who was on her way to Abeokuta to work actually rushed him to FMC Abeokuta where he eventually gave up the ghost, We will give you more details as it unfolds.

New Network TV Season Has Fewer Gay Characters

The number of gay and bisexual characters on scripted broadcast network TV has dipped slightly this season to 19 out of nearly 650 roles, according to the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation.
The 16th annual "Where We Are on TV" report released Wednesday by GLAAD found that 2.9 percent of actors appearing regularly on prime-time network drama and comedy series in the 2011-12 season will portray gay, lesbian or bisexual characters.
That's down from 3 percent in the 2009-10 season and 3.9 percent last season, when there were 23 out of a total of nearly 600 roles.
The 2008-09 season saw an increased representation of 2.6 percent.
Only five of the 19 gay and lesbian characters this season are nonwhite, GLAAD found.
Using information provided by ABC, CBS, Fox, NBC and CW, the group reviewed 91 scripted series announced to air this season.
Among broadcast series with gay and bisexual characters, GLAAD cited CBS' "The Good Wife," the CW's "Ringer" and NBC's "The Playboy Club." Comedies include ABC's "Modern Family" and Fox's "Glee."
Fox leads the networks in gay representation, with eight regular characters out of a total of 117.
The number of gay and bisexual characters on cable networks has also fallen slightly, from 35 last season to 29 in the upcoming season.
As it did last year, HBO has the greatest number of gay and bisexual characters, with 11 regular and recurring characters. Showtime is close behind with 10.
The HBO drama "True Blood" remains among the most inclusive series on television, featuring six characters, tied with the Showtime series "Shameless," the group found.
Some of TV's most popular shows "weave story lines about gay and lesbian characters into the fabric of the show," said GLAAD acting President Mike Thompson. "Americans expect to see the diversity of our country represented in their favorite programs, and that includes gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people."

I’ve never met my father–Ramsey Nouah

Ramsey Nouah is one of the leading actors in Nollywood and has been in the industry for more than two decades. He shares with ADA ONYEMA how he started his career, marriage and sundry issues
You have been in the industry for the past two decades; does it not call for celebration?
Well, I didn’t do a major celebration because basically I didn’t want the attraction in the sense that I didn’t want to create any buzz around it.
How was it when you started?
It wasn’t a feasible industry in Nigeria then; we were only shooting soap operas on national television. The end of 1993 came with home videos when Kenneth Nnebue shot Living in Bondage and it was successful. By 1994, everybody was thinking of going into home video and being one of the popular faces already on TV then, it was easy for me.
Did your parents really approve your going into the movie industry?
My mum is a very liberal woman. I became very independent even at a tender age and she gave me a free hand. She was not really concerned about TV or anything. Parents were not comfortable with certain characters you play in a movie and parents are more concerned when it’s a female than when it’s a male. For me, she didn’t really mind, though in the beginning she was saying something like, ‘What do you think you are doing?’ But as time went by, she just knew that she couldn’t stop me and she just let it go. Today, she is very happy.
And your dad?
My dad has never been around; I didn’t even get to know him.
I don’t understand.
I mean my father was never around during my growing up days and I didn’t get to know him.
Up till now?
Yes, even up till now.
Is he dead or..?
I wouldn’t know.
But they said that a when a male child grows up, he will surely look for his dad. How come at this your age you still don’t know your dad?
I’m a father too; so why would I be scouting for a man that wasn’t there throughout my growing up days as a boy; why would I want to? I’m there for my children and if a father was not there for me why should I go looking for him.
How was growing up like without a father?
My mum was tough and is still tough; I can boast and hit my chest that she groomed me. I tasted both sides of the coin while I was growing up. I tasted bitter life and sweet life and it helped me in my career as an actor; the ability to be versatile and play different roles because I have seen the gutter and I have seen the grace.
What is your worth as one the pioneers of Nollywood?
I can’t possibly give you a figure into what my worth is but one thing is sure, you can’t place a figure on the work of art. It could cost nothing and it could cost a trillion naira.
Many people jump into entertainment because it is one of the fastest ways to be famous. What is it for you?
Indeed, but you to have to have the inward ability to be an artiste. The fact that you know that acting or singing is a quick way to fame does not mean that you can be an artiste without knowing how to draw a picture. In the beginning, I came into the industry not for the fame but for the money. I needed money for my GCE exams and other things. Back then, you know there was no job for secondary school leavers, so I thought If I did one acting, I could just get the money to pay for my WASCE and GCE. But long before then I knew I have a very strong passion for being an actor. Right now, it is not about the money again, it is about leaving a legacy behind because I have been in the industry for long; I have been appreciated and loved by the people. When I’m gone I still want my name to resound in the ears of those that are yet to come so that they will know that one of those who actually made the industry what it is today is Ramsey Nouah.
How did you develop the skills of interpreting roles?
God has a purpose for everybody in this world and once you deal with it purposefully you will definitely achieve. If you are a shoemaker, or a pepper seller, as long as you have a passion for it, it becomes big in the process. I think it is more of being inborn than being an ability.
You recently acted a pastor in a movie; how did you come around it?
It has never been out of the ordinary but this one was different in the sense that people look at pastors as idols. The fact that everybody thinks that every pastor that stands on the pulpit and preaches the word of God usually frolics and messes around with women in the church, but this was different. Everyone thought because he is a fine pastor, who preaches the word perfectly well will be a woman kind of guy, but the twist came when he was not into women, he was into guys, a homosexual. I keep telling people that movie making is a reflection of what happens in the society. That portrays how the society frowns at such things. Inasmuch as the role gave me some goose pimples while I was doing it, I thank God I got through it somehow.
Why do you always play the role of a lover boy?
Like it or not it is not only in Nollywood, it happens all around the movie industry all over the world. Once you are known to perform a particular role properly, automatically you are knocked down and stereotyped to that character. But however when you look at Hollywood too, you realise that most of the actors are stereotyped. It is just the way the industry is, you have to look for a way to break free of that bond. Again, in all the movies around the world, there must be an affection between a man and a woman, even in a horror film. I don’t know if I can actually remove myself from being a lover boy.
And in real life too?
To be honest with you, it really affects me in real life. If I do any other thing than what they expect me to be, they are like I’m acting it but there is nothing I can do about it.
You separated from your wife sometime ago; have you made up?
That is one of the bad press I have had in this industry. There was nothing like that and it was so bad because it was targeted at your family, trying to destroy your family. I have grown a thick skin but my wife was really hurt; she didn’t like it.
How does she feel seeing you acting those romantic scenes?
Honestly she is human; she doesn’t like it. No woman would probably enjoy that kind of stuff. But she understands that is the way it is, moreover this is the jet age. She knows that whether we like it or not the profession brings food to the table; besides that, she has known me with the profession for so long, so she comes to understand how it works and sometimes she jokes about the romantic scenes.
How did you meet her?
We were together in primary school. She is intelligent and always used as a point of reference back then. After that we went our different ways and met when she was graduating and we started it off. She is a very homely woman, what you may refer to as wife material.
So, men can easily identify a wife material?
Yes, you can tell. The woman is the owner of the house. If the house is destroyed, it is her fault because God has given her the power to endure and tolerate. Men can be very annoying in so many of our moves, but automatically a woman is created with emotions, love that should contain the children, husband and everybody in the home. A mother’s place can never be misplaced in the house.
Don’t you think your romantic roles can affect your children?
My kids haven’t started watching my movies that much yet. They are getting used to the fact that their father is a popular figure; they haven’t seen the potential of their father.
How do you reconcile the Ramsey on screen and real life?
It is simple: I just make sure I give my best. On the set, I’m a very professional person. I just make sure I do my thing to the letter. When I’m home, I’m a father, a mother, a family man. It is all about discipline.
Any embarrassing moment?
I have been embarrassed a few times. Someone has actually stoned me with pure water because of my role in a movie. Another person threw the orange she was sucking at me because I was a mean guy in a movie. As a matter of fact, someone has actually spat on me and I was real hurt to my bones.
You seem to attract lots of attention everywhere; how does that feel?
You don’t want to walk a mile in my shoes; it is not easy. Some people love the razzmatazz and accolades that come along with this industry but honestly I don’t enjoy it. I have had my fair share of being a popular face, people shouting and barking at me. I don’t have any privacy and I can’t possibly have a good life with my family anymore. Sometimes I want to go out with my kids after not being with them for so long; I go to a public place where I want to share with my children and the moment I want to spend with them people are saying, ‘Oh Ramsey, my children want to take a photograph with you’ and that but I have my kids there, the time I want to spend with them I can’t spend it with them just for being a popular face. I wear a face cap and all that to conceal my identity but it doesn’t work for me. It makes me very unhappy sometimes.
What’s your comparison of Nollywood then and now?
Nollywood in the beginning was going towards being a good industry, but somewhere along the line, we lost it because of sycophants. In the beginning we used to actually do rehearsals before we got on set, follow the ethics of movie making, but right now, it is all about money making, it is no longer about the professional ethics of production. As a result, the industry collapsed by virtue of that, today there is a boomerang effect. Today, they are not making their money back, no good production effect anymore. My problem is, it is not only known faces that can sell your movie; if you get fantastic actors who are new, good publicity and you do the production well, you will still sell your movie. This is my argument; you don’t need Ramsey Nouah all the time on the front page of your poster so that you can sell when you have done a shoddy production. It has affected the industry drastically and many of them are coming to terms that we really need to follow the ethics of movie making properly.

When you are not acting, what do you do?
I try to be a family man by being there for the kids that don’t get to see me very often. If I have the opportunity for a little relaxation, I would rather swim or play squash for health purposes.
What is your definition of style?
As far as I’m concerned, style is simplicity in sophistication.
What is the most prized fashion item in your wardrobe?
My watch; I’m a watch collector; I love wrist watches.
Which schools did you attend?
I went to Atara Primary School. It was one of the schools which at that time enjoyed free education established by (the late Obafemi) Awolowo. I went to another free secondary school, Community Grammar School and ended up doing a diploma in the University of Lagos and now I’m running a course in business administration in the US.

12 attributes of a good man

The last time i posted 12 attributes of a good woman,most people love it and there are men and women in da house who are demanding for the attributes of a good man...But let me tell you,there just aren’t any good men in this town. The trick isn’t to find a “good man” but to find one who is real and figure out if you can learn to deal with his imperfections. Here are 12 signs the man you’ve found is a real man. It’s up to you what you do with him after you find him.
1. Are first and foremost, gentlemen. They are polite, respectful, considerate and attentive to a woman’s needs. They open the door, pull her chair, lend their coat, offer to escort her home, pay for the dinner and kiss her goodbye on the cheek not on the lips. Good guys never cross the line of being inappropriate.
2. Are not intimidated by strong women. Good guys are not threatened by women who speak their minds, have different opinions, show passion or the causes they believe in or perhaps, earn more money than them. They see strong women as a gift to society because they are the ones who have the power to change things for the better.
3. He’s Patient –A real man won’t try to force you to be with him. He’ll try to impress you and convince you that he’s worth your time, but he won’t force you to do anything. If you find a real man you won’t have to worry about unwanted groping, date rape, or worse. He’ll take the time to get to know you and take things at a speed you’re comfortable with.A real man will wait for you to open your arms to him. Good guys are humble guys. They don’t need to beat themselves in the chest to show they are better, stronger, smarter, more successful or more handsome than other men. The ego is the enemy of good guys and they usually have it under control.
4. Are supportive to woman’s personal and career goals. They understand the importance of individual growth outside the relationship realm. Good guys see their woman’s success as their own success. Therefore, they prefer to encourage her to move forward as opposed to oppress her desires for expansion.
5. Write cards, send text messages, buy flowers and cook dinners for a woman as an act of thoughtfulness. Good guys don’t need an occasion to express their love. They just do it spontaneously. See their woman as the most beautiful, glorious, magnificent and unique woman in the entire Universe! Other beautiful women may catch a good guy’s eye but his heart and soul belong to her!
6. Keep their word. If they promised to call, stop by, take you out or do anything else, they stick to their promise. If they are unable to fulfill their promise, good guys have a sensible explanation…not a lame excuse.
7. Are not jealous. Good guys don’t require for a woman to check with them every single hour, to give them detailed reports on who she’s speaking to on the phone, to document every one of her activities or to follow everywhere she goes. They are secure enough in themselves to need a constant reaffirmation of the status of their relationship.
8. He’s Flexible –A real man might not be able to touch his own toes, let alone bend into a human pretzel. But he will be able to sleep on concrete, wear the same clothes for days, and survive for indefinite periods of time in beer and ramen noodles. Any man who says he couldn’t survive under the same conditions is either lying to appeal to your fair nose or is hiding a sex change. If he’s being real with you, he’ll admit to his, um, flexibility when it comes to lifestyle options. How is this good for you? A real man’s flexibility means he’ll be able to take your ups and downs, curves and flats, and wild ideas in stride. If a real man loves you, he’ll flex to you. That’s huge.
9. Are in touch with their romantic side. They are not afraid to express their emotions, talk about their feelings, show their interest and do it in the most romantic ways possible. Good guys can make a woman’s heart melt from miles away just by opening their romantic side and letting the love flow. Make love to a woman’s soul at the same time as her body. Merging with her soul is their ultimate goal…not just a mere orgasm.
10. Have achieved a balance in their lives on their own. Good guys have invested enough time in all aspects in their development – family, education, career, health, hobbies, interests and sports. They are happy with who they are and are satisfied with their lives.
11. Will find time and place for you no matter how busy and crazy their schedule may be. Good guys never use the excuse, “Sorry, but I was busy with work.” If they want to be with you, they will move mountains, sail oceans, cross continents, fly countries and do anything they can to be with their special woman.
12. Don’t use past relationship disappointments as excuses to why they don’t want to commit to a woman. What happened in the past, stays there. What’s important is the here and the now…and that is YOU!

Home | Entertainment | Why I Always Play Loverboy Roles -Ramsey Nouah Why I Always Play Loverboy Roles -Ramsey Nouah

　　Ramsey Nouah is one of the prominent faces in Nollywood. The actor, who is known as the Nollywood ‘loverboy’, in this interview with ADUNOLA FASUYI, spoke on many issues within and outside the movie industry. Excerpts:
　　Ramsey Nouah
Some controversial issues came up about you but you didn’t grant interviews, what is your reason for that?
It was for my peace of mind, absolute peace of mind. You speak as if you don’t know what you people can do.
So, you are saying the media give you a lot of stress?
Oh yes. They make everybody’s life that is in the limelight unbearable. Not just here alone, but everywhere in the world. Think about it that because you an actor or a musician means that you have to live your life like Jesus Christ, you must have no blemish or faults and when you have a fault, people are quick at pointing fingers.
Those people pointing fingers have committed far more sins than you have. I try to make sure that I don’t do wrong, but if you did and it gets out, everyone wants to crucify you. We all know that bad news fly round like wild fire. So, basically, I refused to grant interviews for years.
Everything that came out afterwards was just speculations. I have read a couple of write ups within the time I did not grant interviews where I was quoted like ‘and he said’, ‘we asked him and Ramsey replied and said’. And I wonder how and why they did that.
But why don’t you talk to clarify issues?
No it can’t. It would not. My peace of mind is not necessarily or 100 per cent alright because of the bad news that some press people try to write about us. It’s the fact that it keeps me away from the eye of the public. It gives me time to be the family man that I want, the time that I can spend with my kids and my family without issues and hitches here and there. Everybody wants to know what next he is doing or where he is and stuffs like that and I don’t enjoy that at all.
Have you always wished to be an actor from childhood?
No. I wanted to be an aeronautic engineer or a pilot, but I guessed God has a way of changing one’s destiny. Even at that, I have no regrets being an actor.
Can you tell us about yourself?
I was born in Edo State, Nigeria, to an Israeli father and a Yoruba mother from Owo, Ondo State.
I grew up in Surulere, Lagos and attended Atara Primary School and Community Grammar School in Lagos before heading to the University of Lagos where I had a Diploma in Mass Communication.
I am an actor by profession. Before I gained popularity as a Nollywood actor, I was once a hip-hop artiste with Pat Attah and we starred in the Nigerian soap opera, 'Megafortunes'. You know, I have been tagged "Loverboy" because of my numerous roles in romantic movies.
I am happily married to Emilia and we are blessed with two kids, a boy and a girl. In 2010, I won the African Movie Academy Award for Best Actor, among other awards.
What was growing up like, did you grow up with a silverspoon being a half-caste?
I was born with a silverspoon and I will still tell you that I tasted the two sides of the coin, silver and wooden spoons. While growing up, things were very rosy for us.
As a child, I had all the basic things any child needed. I can remember those days when other children are constructing their kites with paper, broom and glue it with eba, I had my kite bought for me from abroad, all colourful and different from that of other kids on the block.
My bicycle was different, my toys were not the regular type you see with other kids and just when I was growing to actually understand and feel the real essence of money, it vanished.
I became the normal kid on the street with just his pants on. So, I witnessed the two sides of life and that is why I can blend myself into any kind of character when it comes to acting the role of a rich person or a pauper because I saw it all.
Can you tell us what actually happened, bankruptcy or what?
I’m sure you don’t want to know. Let us just save that for another day, please.
Are there some of your childhood memories you would like your children to have?
The good memories of course. It is easier to move from grass to grace than from grace to grass. I don’t even pray to experience it. It was not a good experience and I would not like my children to witness that kind of life.
It’s just like someone that is used to being treated to fried rice, fried plantain, with different choice meats for dinner or lunch and all of a sudden, you are managing bread with groundnut. It’s an experience I would not wish anyone to go through.
Would you rate yourself a rich man or how has the Glo ambassador thing elevated your life?
I am still a Glo ambassador and it has impacted on my life positively a great deal. Honestly, Glo is doing great for personalities in the entertainment industry and it is heart-warming to know that a big company like Glo reckons with us, appreciates us and it’s doing so much to improve the lives of actors and actresses in the industry.
Other corporate bodies should emulate what Glo is doing because whether we like it or not, Nollywood is a goldmine that cannot be brushed aside. Of course, yes, I am rich through the heavenly father.
What else do you do outside acting?
Nothing else! It's funny but I don't do any other thing aside acting. I act and I get paid and since I started acting in 1990, I have lived my life with the proceeds I get from acting. I don't do any other thing, it's strictly acting and when I'm off, I live on the proceeds that I have saved for days.
So, what is that thing that has kept you going in Nollywood?
I think basically it has been my passion for the arts, especially acting and singing. The passion for what I do has kept me on the scene for this long and I love being in front of the camera and doing those things people and viewers love me for.
It is worthy of note that the industry is growing but still needs some attention as regard the technical aspect and financial investment, so that actors can be paid handsomely.
Your first major role was in a soap, Fortunes, how did you get the role?
It was through audition. I went for the audition in 1991, though I have been going for other auditions since 1990 and I got the role, we shot it and that was how it came about.
Can you still remember your first movie?
Well, there are a couple of movies that I did; three of them never got to see the light of the day until Silent Night. Silent Night was the one that became public and shot me up.
What determines your choice of movie to act in?
I like a situation where I cannot predict a script. I have seen a lot of scripts which are very thrilling such that you are caught unawares by the twist of the script. We lacked that in Nollywood. Nollywood is all about simple drama but it is a good thing because we talk about real life stories, but in Hollywood, every story is almost unrealistic like a fiction.
I have been in several movies, God knows if I can count. It has come to the stage where Nigerians are aware of Nollywood. We have a lot of people, intellectuals who are getting interested in the movies by the day.
Before, it was more like an all-comers affair, those who just watch our movies were like the grassroots people but now, we are cutting across to other classes too.
Those are the kind of minds that actually want to look at the content of what you are doing as an actor. So, it is about time we started making movies where you can actually cut across every segment of the population.
So, the message, casting and contents are very essential in my choice of movie. First of all, it must be deep, tight and be able to impact positively on the people.
Every actor and actress seems to be doing both directing and producing, can this development improve professionalism and do you have that kind of ambition?
Yes, indeed. Sometime soon, I would want to leave the front stage when the applause is still high. I probably will keep acting till I get to the age of Al Pacino, but at the same time, I want a situation where I could leave a good legacy in the extreme line of Nollywood.
I don’t want Nollywood to be on the particular tongue of some Nigerians like it is just an ordinary industry without base or quality. I want a situation where Nollywood in the nearest future will become an industry where parents would actually want their kids to be.
I would so strongly like a situation where we can upgrade Nollywood and that has to do with knowledge and financial back-up. I don’t see how if one acts, directs and produces will be reducing professionalism and standard in the industry. Whatever one does, one should just maintain the principles of that art and ensure standards are strictly adhered to.
Tell us about some of your most challenging movie roles?
It’s yet to come. I have a few but for now, I will say that one of my challenging roles was Dangerous Twins and I like Figurine a lot. However, the very, very challenging ones are in the pipeline.
In your recent movie ‘Private Storm’, your role was to act as a psychopath, how were you able to bring that character to life?
You need to internalise every character before you play it properly. I have been acting for like 20 years of my life in Nollywood, so I bagged in experience and I love it. I love acting and with time I got to know that I have a passion for acting. So, I tend to like look into the life of certain people that I am going to play their characters. I have come to know that in the world today, you must give room for peculiarity. Things you don’t think exist do exist in other part of the world and you have to give room as an artiste to paint such scenario that you want to play out as an actor.

IS THE AGING PROCESS TRULY BEYOND YOUR CONTROL?

Why he believes aging is not an issue of whether or not you have “good genes” – it’s about how your genes function.
How new science may someday allow us to “die healthy” and maintain a youthful quality of life until our last living day.
Why some people look much younger than their actual age would suggest.
“I was troubled when my father passed away after a long time of suffering from chronic illness and deterioration,” said Dr. Chang. “I believe there has to be a way to help people die healthy so that while they are alive, they are truly living. I believe that most people are born with good genes, but it’s a matter of how these genes are expressed that determines how well we age.”
Dr. Chang explains how, using gene expression science to decode aging processes, he and collaborators have been able to identify, target and reset important aging-related genes to a more youthful state.
“It has been said that as much as people fear death, they fear the ravages of aging even more,” explains Dr. Chang. “The fact is, everyone eventually dies, but some are still youthful when they die.”
The Aging Myth from Aylesbury Publishing is now available in major bookstores or online from favorite book retailers.Author Dr. Chang will also be on tour with The Aging Myth in an area near you in the coming months. More information is available atwww.agingmyth.com.
Tour Locations
San Diego, Calif. – July 13
Los Angeles – July 15
San Jose, Calif. – July 16
Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. – Aug. 10
New York – Aug. 11
About the Author
Joseph Chang, Ph.D., has published numerous peer-reviewed articles, reviews and books on pharmacological and nutritional research during his 18 years in the healthcare industry. He co-edited a textbook on inflammation and developed a series of monographs on botanical products to serve as a source of information for consumers and health professionals.
From 1981 to 2006, Dr. Chang’s dynamic career path included working for major pharmaceutical companies conducting groundbreaking research and developing therapeutic drugs for several life threatening diseases. During this time, he became convinced that focusing on nutrition and optimal supplementation could benefit the lives of more people.
Dr. Chang is currently the chief scientific officer and executive vice president of product development at Nu Skin Enterprises (NYSE:NUS), a billion-dollar anti-aging company based in Utah. He was a member of the original management team that founded Pharmanex, a nutritional supplement company, which Nu Skin acquired in 1998.
Dr. Chang attended Portsmouth University in England, and earned his doctorate in pharmacology at the University of London. He completed his post-doctoral fellowship at The Johns Hopkins University School of Hygiene and Public Health.

Lautner's leading man debut in 'Abduction'

Perhaps "Twilight" heartthrob Taylor Lautner should get a series of films with titles that make a pun on his famous abs. "Abilene Nights"? "Abashedly Yours"? "Abacus Calculation"?
For now, we have Lautner's first stab at being a leading man in "Abduction," a consistently far-fetched thriller in which he plays a high-school teenager who's suddenly caught up in a world of lethal spies and corrupt CIA men. Though not an abject failure, one hopes it's an aberration.
Rest assured, "Abduction" isn't four minutes old when we get our first look at a shirtless Lautner and his popular six-pack. Nathan (Lautner) is enjoying himself at a party, and when he trudges home the next morning, his father (Jason Isaacs) still makes him spar with him, to an oddly violent degree. But by dinner time, it's clear this is just tough love — and foreshadowing for the challenge that will come.
Nathan's mother (Maria Bello) grounds him for staying out too late the evening before, telling Nathan: "Trust needs to be earned" — a line that Nathan will later parrot, with all the timing of a young Schwarzenegger.
He's also seeing a psychologist, Dr. Weaver (Sigourney Weaver), for "impulsivity and rage issues." He tells her he feels like "a stranger in my own life."
Nathan has long been in love with his across-the-street neighbor, Karen (Lily Collins), and a school project fortunately brings them together. While researching, they stumble across a photo of what looks to be of Nathan as a toddler on a missing children website.
When Nathan contacts the site, he sets off a chain reaction. Immediately, mean-looking men are marshaled from all corners of the globe, dispatched from a computer hacking bunker.
Throughout the film, incredulous digital things like this happen. "Abduction," directed by John Singleton, tries to portray a world of blanket surveillance, without any real depiction of it. Nathan later calls 911 from a pay phone and the CIA answers. If he were to make toast, you'd swear an agent would pop up instead of bread.
Nathan discovers that his parents aren't really his parents, just as the bad guys are descending on the house. They're killed and the house explodes, thereby committing a movie sin: You don't kill off Maria Bello in the first reel.
Nathan and Karen set out on the road, fleeing their pursuers in close scrapes, staying distrustful of the also-chasing CIA and trying to figure out whom to trust. The supporting cast is largely solid, with Alfred Molina as a CIA supervisor and Denzel Whitaker as Nathan's friend Gilly.
There's no way to judge "Abduction" other than as the first "Taylor Lautner project." That was how it was conceived and that's how it feels, in every frame. It's a cynical movie, with little in mind other than a showcase for a very popular, young actor.
As an action star, Lautner handles himself reasonably well. He has a bit too much of a boy-band singer look to him, but he's likeable and the major deficiency of "Abduction" isn't his. It's the script.
Screenplay writer Shawn Christensen tries to fashion a "Bourne Identity"-like thriller (there are some parallels, too, to the recent and significantly better "Hanna"), but the plot is increasingly absurd and the dialogue often comically poor.
In one scene, the principle villain (Michael Nyqvist) threatens to kill all of Nathan's Facebook friends. (Are his Twitter followers going to be OK?) In another, Sigourney Weaver is forced to actually say "okey dokey" and promptly exit the movie.
The highlight of "Abduction" is the thoroughly unlikely setting of its finale: a Pittsburgh Pirates game. The film culminates in a sea of black and yellow at the ballpark, where it was actually shot during a game.
It works fine, but shortly beforehand, Karen, looking worriedly at the tickets, wishes there was another way. Probably a Dodgers fan.
"Abduction," a Lionsgate release, is rated PG-13 for sequences of intense violence and action, brief language, some sexual content and teen partying. Running time: 106 minutes. One and a half stars out of four.

First American dancer joins famed Bolshoi Ballet

NEW YORK (AP) — Rudolf Nureyev defected to the West in 1961 and Mikhail Baryshnikov in 1974 — both great dancers who fled the Soviet Union for freedom and better opportunities.
The world has changed much since then, of course. And now, in another major milestone for dance, a young American ballet star is making the reverse trip — heading for Moscow, to become a "premier" dancer with the famed Bolshoi Ballet.
David Hallberg, who will also remain a principal with the New York-based American Ballet Theater, is the first foreign dancer to be given that distinction in the Bolshoi's modern history. Until now, foreign dancers were only invited for guest stints, the company said in a statement.
In an interview Wednesday, the South Dakota native made it clear he fully grasps the significance of his move.
"It's a milestone," he said by telephone during a break in rehearsals for an upcoming tour.
"It's historic. It's a huge challenge, but I feel it's important, not just for me as an artist, but for the dance world — and, in the bigger picture, maybe even for international relations."
Hallberg, at 29, is already regarded as one of the most talented male ballet dancers in the world. In six years as a principal with ABT, he has captivated audiences with his pure, elegant form, weightless jumps, regal bearing and tall, blond good looks. He performs in modern as well as classical pieces, but is especially suited to princely roles such as Siegfried in "Swan Lake," Albrecht in "Giselle" or Romeo.
First approached by the Bolshoi in April, while performing in Moscow, Hallberg said his decision took time and was extremely difficult.
"It was really hard," he said, "because the responsibility is really great; there's a responsibility to really do this justice."
On the other hand, he said, "I by no means want to compare this to the weight of the defections of Misha (Baryshnikov) and Nureyev. I wasn't even around yet. I can't imagine what it was like for them." But, he added: "There is a correlation. This is about the globalization of the world, and the globalization of dance in particular."
Hallberg said he will split his time between the two companies, living both in New York and in Moscow.
In a statement, the Bolshoi hailed its newest "premier," or principal.
"Mr. Hallberg ... possesses all the best qualities of classical dancer — perfect technique, refined manners and outstanding acting abilities," said artistic director Sergei Fillin.
Hallberg's first appearance with the Bolshoi is expected to be "Giselle," with the young Bolshoi sensation Natalia Osipova as his partner. The two won raves when they performed the ballet together at ABT. "We have a special connection," Hallberg said.
Hallberg was born in South Dakota, studied at the Arizona Ballet School and then the Paris Opera Ballet School. He joined ABT 2001, and four years later became a principal.

Jagger unsure if the Stones of an anniversary tour

NEW YORK (AP) — Rumors of a Rolling Stones 50th anniversary tour have been floating around for months. But if they're true, Mick Jagger isn't saying.
"I have no idea if there is going to be a tour," the Stones frontman said during an interview on Monday. "We haven't really discussed it. We are talking about if next year is the 50th anniversary, sort of. It depends where you are counting from."
Jagger joked that this may not be the golden anniversary for the band, since drummer Charlie Watts was with another group when the Stones first formed.
"I say to Charlie, 'I looked up the 50th anniversary of the Rolling Stones and you were not playing the drums ... That is so sad that you can't be in the 50th anniversary, Charlie, because you were not there on the date which was July or whenever it was,'" Jagger said, laughing.
The Stones finished their last tour in 2007.
Alicia Quarles is the AP's global entertainment editor.

AP Newsbreak: TV producer fights extradition order

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Attorneys for a former "Survivor" producer charged with killing his wife in Mexico argued in court papers filed Monday that a judge ignored conflicting evidence while permitting his extradition to stand trial in that country.
The motion filed by lawyers for Bruce Beresford-Redman contends the extradition ruling should be overturned because there is no physical evidence to support returning the reality television producer to Cancun.
The filing accuses U.S. Magistrate Judge Jacqueline Chooljian of "culling through the facts and selecting those most supportive of probable cause while rejecting those which were exculpatory or did not fit the government's theory of culpability."
The Emmy-nominated producer has been jailed in Los Angeles since November on a fugitive warrant. Chooljian ruled in late July there was probable cause to support his extradition.
Beresford-Redman is accused of killing his wife Monica on a family vacation in April 2010.
His attorneys filed a petition for writ of habeus corpus in August arguing that his detention was not supported by facts in the case. The filing offered no details, but Monday's document attacks the credibility of several pieces of evidence and witness statements.
U.S. District Judge Philip S. Gutierrez will consider Beresford-Redman's petition.
Both federal prosecutors and the sisters of Monica Beresford-Redman have said they expect months of court and administrative proceedings before the producer is extradited. If he is convicted of aggravated homicide in Mexico, he faces 12 to 30 years in prison.
Prosecutors have presented statements from hotel guests who said they heard loud arguing and cries of distress coming from the couple's room on the night Monica Beresford-Redman went missing. Her body was found days later in a sewer cistern not far from the room the couple shared with their young children.
The producer's attorneys have claimed the noises came from Beresford-Redman and his children playing loud games throughout the night. They introduced statements from the couple's 6-year-old daughter to corroborate the claim, but the judge was not swayed.
The filing states Mexican authorities found no blood evidence in the couple's hotel room and argued that investigators, prosecutors and Chooljian used the fact that the couple was experiencing marital problems due to an affair by Bruce Beresford-Redman to support the theory that he killed his wife.
Chooljian stated in her July written ruling that she had considered all evidence, but the facts supported the case against the producer.

So how's the Emmy Awards show going?

　　It's never a good sign when a show celebrating television feels like a rerun from the beginning.
When host Jane Lynch of "Glee" began a pre-taped musical number celebrating TV with "surprise" guest spots from prominent actors, a viewer immediately thinks of Jimmy Fallon's "Born to Run" takeoff on last year's show.
Not in a good way, though. Fallon's opening felt fresh and funny. Lynch's felt hashed-over. Even Jon Hamm was a rerun; the "Mad Men" actor appeared in Fallon's skit, too.
There's also something a little off-putting about a musical number proclaiming television "a vast wonderland" and "joy in a box" when it's drenched in irony. This is the time of year when viewers actually want to believe that, and not feel it's all one big joke.
The problem with using irony as the dominant comedic theme is that undercuts other moments. Charlie Sheen may deserve his own real-life Emmy for his springtime of bizarre entertainment, but he came onstage Sunday to calmly wish the stars of his old "Two and Half Men" good luck in their upcoming season.
Then you waited. He couldn't mean that, could he? It had to be some sort of a joke, right? No, apparently not.
By the way, the Emmys should rethink the idea of frontloading the telecast with so many comedy awards. Not only does it diminish comedy vis a vis drama, it takes the risk of what exactly happened Sunday: that the awards were less about all of television and more about one show.
That did give Lynch her best moment of the night. "Welcome back to the 'Modern Family' awards," she said coming back from a commercial.
Speaking of "Modern Family," Emmy winner Julie Bowen needs a few meals. She looked emaciated in her gown.
The drama awards did add some class and a few surprises to the show. The biggest was when Kyle Chandler of "Friday Night Lights" took home the drama acting award, giving luster to a network show that struggled for public attention.
Guy Pearce and Kate Winslet were delights for their wins with "Mildred Pierce." Pearce was drolly humorous in talking about working with Winslet, while Winslet — a big movie star — was infectious with her enthusiasm.
It's early in awards season, but can we start a moratorium on winners saying "I did not think that was going to happen" or "I was sure I wasn't going to win so I didn't write a speech"? Come on, we heard from the "Mad Men" folks when they won best drama. You're the most praised show on television, and you say you're surprised to win an Emmy? Come on. If you're nominated, don't act surprised to win.
The Emmy for most sincere pleasure had to go to Margo Martindale, a veteran actress genuinely touched by winning for "Justified."
We're happy for "The Good Wife" and CBS and for Julianna Margulies for her Emmy. But it sounded awfully off-putting to hear her describe "my stellar cast."
It's also time, perhaps, to get rid of the announcer who makes pithy comments while Emmy winners approach the stage, like when he talked about Margulies' favorite "I Love Lucy" episodes as she climbed to the stage. Really? When it's neither funny nor adds valuable information, it may be the time to rethink it.
You want reruns? How about "The Daily Show" and Jon Stewart winning an Emmy for their show for the ninth year in a row? Or another win for "Amazing Race"? Their work shouldn't be diminished, but it's just one more signal for viewers that they've seen it all before. David Spade couldn't have looked less excited about the reality show awards if he was trying to act that way.
In one sign that much of the creativity in television has shifted to late-night, one of the night's best routines came when Fallon and Jimmy Kimmel came onstage to present an award. Their elaborate joke about whether or not Fallon had written a speech in case he won an Emmy felt fresh and funny.
We liked the beauty pageant way the nominees for best comedy actress lined up onstage when their names were called.
The biggest backstage buzz was about someone who WASN'T there: Alec Baldwin. He asked that a pre-taped bit that included him in the opening skit be excluded when a joke involving News Corp.'s phone hacking scandal was cut out by Emmys broadcaster Fox. He was replaced by Leonard Nimoy.
It all made Ricky Gervais' comedy skit seem more ironic. The controversial "Golden Globes" host appeared in a pre-taped routine, and said Fox editors would change it if he said something offensive. Of course, he seemed to say several "offensive" things awkwardly cut out and replaced. After Gervais started saying that HBO was the best network on television, the edit had him saying, "apart from Fox, that is."

Real Housewives' Husband Tareq Salahi Files for Divorce After Wife Runs Off With Journey Rocker

Celebrity White House gate crasher Tareq Salahi has filed for divorce, saying his wife has run off with the lead guitarist for the rock band Journey.
Tareq Salahi filed paperwork Friday in Warren County, Virginia, claiming his wife, Michaele Salahi, was having an affair with Neal Schon.
Court documents say the couple had a prenuptial agreement, but the terms were not specified.
Neither Tareq Salahi nor his attorney returned messages seeking comment. In court papers, Tareq Salahi accused his wife of flaunting her affair to the world. He said there was no hope or possibility of reconciliation.
He reported his wife missing and possibly kidnapped Tuesday, but authorities found out she was in Memphis with Schon.

The couple gained notoriety in 2009 when they crashed a White House state dinner.

Amanda Seyfried says 'sex scenes are great,' Megan Fox has 'similar kissing style

Amanda Seyfried may have played a good girl in her break-out hit “Mamma Mia!,” but the blond actress says she has a thing for filming sex scenes.
“Sex scenes are great,” Seyfried explains in the new issue of W magazine. “A lot of my costars have been sexy guys my age, and so, why not? I’m not going to pretend it’s not fun.
HOT SHOTS: Amanda Seyfried.
Seyfried stars with Justin Timberlake in “In Time,” where her character his kidnapped by a man played by the teeny-bopper turned serious actor.
“Justin was great,” says Seyfried of the pair’s sexy scenes. “He had come from doing ‘Friends with Benefits,’ where he basically had sex every day at work–and so it was easy for both of us. We just kind of got it on, and then were like, ‘That was good!’”
The gorgeous blonde also enjoys her sex scenes with the ladies.
“I can’t believe nobody wanted to see Megan Fox and me hitting it,” she says of the box office bust ‘Jennifer’s Body.’ “They had an extreme close-up of our tongues, and I’m telling you, the thing about the scene is that it’s actually really sexy. For a young girl to say that about her own sex scene–it must be because it’s special. I think Megan and I kissed really well together. We have have similar kissing styles and it worked. We got it done for the masses, and the masses still didn’t show up.”

Court orders tossing of lawsuit over 'Bruno' scene

LOS ANGELES (AP) — A lawsuit accusing Sacha Baron Cohen of causing injuries to a woman during the filming of "Bruno" should be dismissed because the comedian was exercising his right to free speech when the mishap occurred, an appeals court has ruled.

The 2nd District Court of Appeal said Monday that the finding prevents Baron Cohen from being sued by the woman who tried to force him and his crew from an event being filmed.

Richelle Olson sued Baron Cohen in June 2009, claiming she fell and hit her head moments after struggling with the comedian and his crew as she ordered him to leave a charity bingo game.

Her injuries were serious enough to require Olson to use a cane to walk, according to the lawsuit.

Olson initially allowed filming at the game in Lancaster, Calif., but ordered Baron Cohen to leave after he started equating the numbers with the homosexual relationships of his character in the film about a gay Austrian fashionista.

The court ruling states that the comedian's behavior was protected because the comedian was trying to offer commentary on gay stereotypes, culture and homophobia. His conduct was closely tied to those issues, the ruling states.

Olson's attorney Marjorie Marenus did not immediately return a phone message seeking comment.

The unscripted scene did not appear in the final version of "Bruno," which was released in July 2009.

It was the latest legal victory for Baron Cohen, who has been unsuccessfully sued over his movies' inclusion of participants who aren't familiar with the comedian's outlandish characters.

Another Baron Cohen film, "Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan," became a hit in 2006.

Weng Jia Leidi poem two

I have lost all the childhood
I am no longer able to cry in the cry
To make their memories disappear.
I have childhood
Buried in the abyss of darkness
Now, it is like an invisible sword
Me with all separation.
I remember the love you take pride in
I am here at the moment, lost in the
Endless dark night.
Despair is growing
Life for me, just
One sticks in the throat low
Screaming rock.
Vigil
All night
I lay in a
Was killed in
Partner's side
His grinning laughing
Face up toward the
Rounded the moon
In the silence
His hands
Bloody
Imprinted in my mind
I wrote
Several letters full of love letters
I have never
As now
Life full of nostalgic feelings