Monday, June 25, 2012

Wrestling News Media: Pro Wrestling News: WWE, TNA Wrestling, Wrestling Legends: "Rowdy" Roddy Piper, Rock 'N' Roll Wrestling...

Wrestling News Media: Pro Wrestling News: WWE, TNA Wrestling, Wrestling Legends: "Rowdy" Roddy Piper, Rock 'N' Roll Wrestling Connection...

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WWE RAW Ratings And News...

The June 18th WWE RAW Supershow scored a 3.40 cable rating with 4.97 million viewers. This is the best rating RAW has done since the day after WrestleMania 27.

In the segment breakdown, CM Punk and Sheamus vs. Daniel Bryan and Kane lost 241,000 viewers from the opener that started strong. Dolph Ziggler vs. Jack Swagger lost 22,000 more viewers. The segment with Paul Heyman and Triple H gained 559,000 more viewers for a show-high 3.74 quarter rating.

Santino Marella vs. Alberto Del Rio lost 711,000 viewers. The segment with Heath Slater, Wendi Richter, Cyndi Lauper and Roddy Piper lost 12,000 more viewers. John Cena vs. David Otunga and John Laurinaitis in the main event gained 573,000 viewers to a 3.74 quarter rating.


WWE Bring it Back!: The Rock 'n' Wrestling Connection...

In the `80s, the Rock 'n' Wrestling Connection (R.W.C.) – an alliance between MTV’s wild, pop star Cyndi Lauper and the outrageous Superstars of WWE – propelled the squared circle into the upper stratosphere of pop-culture phenomenon. WWE.com has been chomping at the bit to see the second coming of this movement ever since.

During the R.W.C. era, WWE Superstars appeared in numerous MTV videos, created two music albums of their own and even lent their personalities to an animated television series Hulk Hogan’s Rock 'n' Wresting. The impact of this unlikely partnership served as a catalyst to intense WWE ring rivalries and helped hurl the WWE Universe into mainstream popularity – adding to the media invasion that culminated with the very first WrestleMania from Madison Square Garden.

Who wouldn’t see the entertainment value in it happening all over again? Just picture the anarchy that would ensue from asking Superstars like WWE Champion CM Punk, Kane, Daniel Bryan and AJ to come together in song – in the style of the `80s "Land of a Thousand Dances."
Who wouldn’t want to see Maroon 5 square-off with Gym Class Heroes in a No Holds Barred Celebrity Music Match to become the first-ever Rock 'n' Wrestling Celebrity Champions? We’re talking more guitar assaults than the classic days of The Honky Tonk Man.

Perhaps the leader of the Cenation might even take a page from another WWE icon, once again embracing his freestyle roots for a new animated series: John Cena’s Rap 'n' Wrestling.

The benefits would be, by no means, one-sided. Although MTV has greatly evolved since the days of the R.W.C., it is long overdue for a dose of WWE. Imagine the “Situation” that could occur if WrestleMania alumni Snookie brought the powerful beauty of the entire Divas locker room to Jersey Shore.

Could the excruciating hijinks of Ridiculousness measure up to the absolute hilarity of Santino's YouTube web series Foreign Exchange? Imagine if All World's A.W. and The Prime Time Players took on Michael Cole and Booker T on The Challenge.

Moreover, if the R.W.C. did return, MTV might just start making more videos again. In the '80s, Cyndi Lauper set music television ablaze by putting WWE Hall of Famer Captain Lou Albano into a wall. Imagine if Big Show and his ironclad contract had been setting the curfew. Pink or Katy Perry might think that “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun.” However, it would take more than an arm bar to stop "The World’s Largest Father."

Music videos already took a big hit from last year's return of MTV’s resident critics Beavis and Butthead. Wait ‘til they get a load of the Pipebomb microphone of CM Punk, unleashing his special brand of musical tastes on Taylor Swift’s latest release.

No one can say for sure what effect that the revival of Rock 'n' Wrestling would have as a whole. But, whatever happened, there is no denying that it would be entertaining. (Credit: WWE)


'Rowdy' Roddy Piper Recalls Ghostly Encounter With Deceased WWE Wrestler...

WWE Hall of Famer "Rowdy" Roddy Piper recalled his ghostly encounter with a deceased WWE wrestler during the Biography Channel's Saturday night airing of Celebrity Ghost Stories.

Roddy summarized his early days in the professional wrestling industry as a 22-year-old kid with no family. He met another 22-year-old kid, named Adrian Adonis, and they became best friends. He recalled angrily snapping at people, with led to Adrian calming him down and advising him to purchase a house. Adrian believed that a house purchase would give Piper the family life he desperately wanted. He did months later and found happiness.

Roddy, who faced Adrian before 93,173 spectators at WrestleMania III, lamented his death in a car accident. Adrian was killed on July 4, 1988 in Lewisporte, Newfoundland while riding in a minivan with fellow wrestlers William "Mike Kelly" Arko, Victor "Pat Kelly" Arko, and Dave "Wildman" McKigney. Adonis, McKigney, and Pat Kelly were killed when the driver, Mike Kelly, allegedly swerved in order to avoid hitting a moose and, blinded by the setting sun, inadvertedly drove into a lake. Mike Kelly survived, albeit with severe leg injuries.

Roddy said his daughter Ariel would later wake up in the middle of the night and scream because she saw a man in her bedroom. His son would see shadows and hear noises in an inexplicable manner.

One day when Roddy arrived home from a long road trip, his son Colt came running out of the residence screaming that there is a man inside. He storms inside, ready to confront the intruder when he notices that the logs from the fireplace had tumbled out and caught the carpet on fire. As he scrambled to extinguish the fire, he encountered the ghost of Adrian Adonis.

Adrian said "Hey Roddy" and then disappeared. Roddy stood still for a long time since he didn't want to leave the room. He became emotional while recalling this moment.

Roddy believes Adrian is looking out for him and his family in the house that he was encouraged to purchase. He says Adrian is his brother and that he would have never believed in ghosts had it not been for that encounter. (Wrestling Inc)


John Cena grants his 300th wish with Make-A-Wish...

When he’s not in the ring, John Cena has dedicated much of his free time to putting smiles on the faces of the WWE Universe, including kids from Make-A-Wish. The Superstar achieved an awe-inspiring milestone this week, granting his 300th wish to Jonathan Littman of Make-A-Wish. (PHOTOS)

“I thank Make-A Wish for making me such a part of the charity,” Cena told WWE.com. “It’s an honor to be requested that many times!”

Cena met Littman, 7, of Hop Bottom, Pa., Monday before Raw SuperShow, along with Jonathan’s parents, Charlie and Ruth.

“It was awesome!” Jonathan said about meeting his favorite WWE Superstar.

Then, Wednesday morning, the leader of the Cenation surprised the youngster on ABC’s “Good Morning America," since Jonathan’s wish is to meet Cena and also become a television star.

While Jonathan was interviewed by Sam Champion and Josh Elliot, Cena made his way through the crowd gathered in New York City’s Times Square to hang out with him once again.

The Cenation leader didn't come empty-handed. Cena asked the youngster to join him as his special guest in St. Louis on July 23 for Monday Night Raw's historic 1,000th episode. Jonathan happily accepted the invitation, then presented Cena with a handmade gift of his own - a star with a note on the back from him and his parents, thanking him for all the work he does.

"Because of your positive attitude and example, Jonny never gives up," it read. "Thank you, John Cena. You are one of Jonny's special stars."

The day didn't end when the cameras went off. Cena spent time after the show talking with Jonathan about everything going on in WWE. Jonathan also got a chance to do something he forgot on Monday, getting the former WWE Champion to sign his blue autograph book.

Jonathan's appearance on "Good Morning America" will also get him a reward he's very excited about: his Cub Scouts media badge.

Still, at the end of his time with the WWE Superstar, he was a little sad. Jonathan's mood picked up when he was reminded that he'd be seeing Cena again in just a few weeks for Raw 1,000.

Eight years and 300 wishes later, Cena says meeting each and every child with a life-threatening medical condition through the Make-A-Wish is a special event.

“It felt very good to accomplish the milestone of 300 wishes,” he explained. “In the same realm of Raw hitting its 1,000th episode, it truly is just a foundation. Today was a fantastic day, but no greater or less important than any other wish I’ve been able to be a part of.”

Cena granted his milestone 200th Wish in December 2010 – an achievement six years in the making. In 2009, Cena received the foundation's Chris Greicius Celebrity Award for his dedication to granting wishes. He also serves on Make-A-Wish's Wish Ambassador Council and assists in expanding wish-granting outreach across the United States. Overall, WWE has granted close to 4,000 wishes with Make-A-Wish in more than 25 years.

“That’s what’s special about what we do here in WWE. We offer excitement, we offer entertainment. We offer a positive atmosphere. To an everyday member of the WWE Universe, that is special when you’re a kid or a family that’s up against it,” Cena said.

“You can’t underestimate the power of positive thinking. It’s something as simple as that that maybe could get someone through a day.”

For more information about Make-A-Wish, visit wish.org. Visit Jonathan's web site at caringbridge.org/visit/jonnylittman.


Wrestling companies square off in Nashville, USA court...

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Lawyers for World Wrestling Entertainment have told a Nashville judge the company has not and will not use confidential information from rival Total Nonstop Action Wrestling.

The pledge came during a hearing last week over a lawsuit TNA filed last month against pro wrestling giant - WWE, claiming WWE had obtained secret contract details in an attempt to poach TNA's wrestlers.

Attorneys for WWE told Chancellor Ellen Hobbs Lyle that the company has not contacted any of TNA's contracted personnel. The attorneys also said WWE has returned the only copies of the confidential information to TNA.

Lyle dissolved a May 24 temporary restraining order against WWE that had prohibited it from using the information to solicit TNA wrestlers, but she made no ruling on the merits of the case. Another hearing will be July 12.

TNA, based in Nashville, claimed in the suit that WWE apparently had already tried to hire away veteran wrestler Ric Flair. According to the court record, WWE lawyers said the company "has no intention of doing so."

TNA alleged that one of its former employees, Brian Wittenstein, went to work for WWE and provided his new employer with contract details. WWE said he was fired when he gave them the information.

A TNA suit against Wittenstein is still pending.

Jerry McDevitt, an attorney for Connecticut-based WWE, said Tuesday the company will file clarifying details with the court. He said the latest order "speaks for itself."

Dixie Carter, president of TNA, said in a statement Tuesday that the company "will vigorously protect TNA and its brand from damage at the hands of any and all sources, no matter who is involved." TNA was founded by wrestler Jeff Jarrett.


WWE Legal Letter To TNA Legal Counsel...

WWE Attorney Jerry McDevitt recently sent a letter to TNA legal counsel Erika Blonquist. The letter was filed with the court last week and can be read below:

First, and as I advised you orally on the phone during our recent conference call, WWE has not solicited Ric Flair to leave TNA and enter into a contract with WWE. WWE has made no offer to Flair and has no intention of doing so.

Second, as I also advised you, WWE has not solicited any other current TNA talent to repudiate their contracts and enter into a contract with WWE. WWE has no interest in current TNA talent.


The Ultimate Fighter: Australia vs. UK To Air On FX...

TUF: Australia vs. UK broadcasts on FX in Australia this fall

"The Ultimate Fighter: Australia vs. U.K." will air on FX in Australia in the fall as the latest installment of the reality series from the Ultimate Fighting Championship.

UFC officials announced the news yesterday.

Tryouts for the upcoming season of "TUF" are currently underway, featuring fighters from both Australia and England. The coaches for the season have not yet been named, though an official announcement is expected soon.

"We're excited to be part of the FX family in Australia," UFC managing director for international development Marshall Zelaznik stated. "When the first series of 'The Ulimate Fighter' debuted in the United States seven years ago, it brought in millions of new fans who tuned in each and every week to watch their favorite fighters. I have no doubt that 'The Smashes' will do the same in Australia."

"The Smashes" is the title given to this season, referencing a cricket rivalry ("The Ashes") between the two countries.

While the season will air in Australia, no plans have been announced for those hoping to view in the U.S. Fans could watch "The Ultimate Fighter: Brazil" online earlier this year as it was taping in Brazil, but the season did not broadcast on national television until FUEL TV began airing episodes just recently.

Are you ready? Are you ready? Let's get it on!


JR's Blog...

Wednesday Blog..Heyman..Lesnar..HHH..Grilling Perfect Burger..Kane..JR'S @ wweshop.com..FIRST TAKE
Wed, 06/20/2012 - 11:06am — J.R.


Happy that you stopped by our site and encourage you to tell friends about it. Our Twitter account is growing rapidly and we are at over 450,000 followers @JRsBBQ and I personally invite you to join us. WWEShop has restocked their JR's inventory at this link http://www.wweshop.com/Category/JimRoss. Random thoughts about to be served....

The Monday Night Raw from Nassau Coliseum was a hit in the TV ratings. The HHH/Heyman business along with the Cena/Big Johnny content at the end of the night were big winners.

As a fan, I thought the segment involving 'The Game' and Paul Heyman was the most compelling thing on Raw.

Heyman is a natural born antagonist and when he speaks he isn't 'acting' but simply being himself. I've personally been in too many non televised arguments with Paul to know of what I speak. Heyman has 'it' and always has plus it's obvious that the native New Yorker hasn't lost a step in his self imposed, long sabbatical from the biz over the past several years.

Paul Heyman is the best, antagonist, promo talent in WWE hands down.

A few weeks ago when HHH had his physical encounter with Brock Lesnar, I 'felt' that any bout between the two would be special. Specifically after the 'Cerebral Assassin' (Great handle...wonder where that came from?) fired up on Lesnar for a brief but impactful interlude of hammering right hands. That exchange struck a chord with me and flipped the switch for my motor to engage.

IF Lesnar vs. HHH happens at Summerslam, and I hope that it will, it will be a stellar attraction that will be fresh and not too likely to ever happen again. The bell to bell of this potential main event really has my interest and I'm intrigued to see how this matter plays out between now and August 19.

I'm hoping that WWE uses some of the classic moments of Money in the Bank to help promote the PPV that will be held in July in Phoenix. There are so many great moments in MITB that can be utilized to help sell the PPV. MITB has been a solid concept and really has been a star launcher to a large sense over the years.

Love how some in main stream sports love to knock the genre of sports entertainment yet shows like ESPN's 'First Take' is nothing more than an elongated, promo segment between a villain manager, Skip Bayless, and his 'arch rival,' Stephen A Smith. The role of Mean Gene is played by Jay Crawford. Don't take this as a diss of the show as I'm a regular viewer but main stream sports entities generally do all they can to distance themselves from 'pro wrestling' even though they use regularly elements from the business in this programming.

When I got the Atlanta Falcons gig in 1992 the local media had an outcry especially some columnists in the newspaper. How could a major, sports franchise hire, of all people, a WRESTLING GUY to be a part of their broadcast team?

Another prime example of prejudicial, elitist horse manure from those that look down upon my profession because of what? That it's show business with an athletic backdrop?

I'm a broadcaster and feel supremely confident, perhaps defiant, that I can broadcast any sport with ample time to prepare so that the specifics of the sport become second nature and I can allow my instincts and 'feel of the game' influence how I handle the presentation.

Back to RAW, it was another stellar night for the veteran Kane who has seemingly been reborn over the past several weeks with his physical involvement with WWE Champion CM Punk and Daniel Bryan notwithstanding the big Red Machine's soap opera entanglement with the controversial Diva A.J.

Kane's physical performances have been outstanding as it appears that Punk and Bryan bring out the best in the big man who has recently demonstrated amazing athleticism for a 300+ pounder.

Kane's on going relationship with A.J. has been an intriguing element on Raw that has my interest.

I'm still of the mindset that A.J. has developed a main event level persona in one of WWE's better creative presentations in quite some time.

Obviously, steps are being taken to make the tag team scene in WWE more meaningful but that still won't be good enough for some keyboard warriors who will continue to squeal ala Ned Beatty in 'Deliverance' or the proverbial pig stuck under a gate. It will take time to rebuild something with little, current equity but I'm of the mindset that it can and will be done but that it will not happen over night.

Before I forget, I made some guy food a few nights ago ala beans akin to what was consumed around the camp fire on the cult, film classic 'Blazing Saddles.' I promised the recipe so here it is:

1 can of pork 'n beans drained..put drained beans in a sauce pan on low heat...add JR's All Purpose Seasoning to taste..add chopped sweet or purple onion to taste..add squirt of honey..add JR's Original BBQ Sauce and Chipotle Ketchup as in a drizzle of each..add chopped bell pepper of your choice equal to the amount of onion that you use. Allow to simmer until done but it's better if there is still a little 'crunch' to the onion and bell peppers. It's a quick, easy, inexpensive and healthy dish that's a great tag team partner with grilled main eventers.

Great to hear the feedback from many fans who have never heard the late, Gordon Solie's work to any extent and who have heard him on the WWE Home video release 'Best of Clash of the Champions.' Working with my broadcasting idol on the Flair-Funk I Quit Match was a bucket list thing for me but discerning fans need to remember that it was during the later stages of Gordon's career and that he was doing color and not play by play which does make a difference as it relates to timing, etc. As good as Gordon Solie was that infamous night, his earlier work was that of legend and established that a pro wrestling announcer didn't have to be an over the top baffoon to get the job done. Gordon took his work seriously and treated the business as were a legit sport even though the genre has always been about entertainment featuring amazing athletes.

Mike Tyson being a playable character in WWE13 is a significant development for THQ and WWE. Iron Mike's involvement in the video game should be an outstanding, new, unique feature as the Attitude Era is represented strongly on this upcoming game that I assume will be released this fall perhaps in October.

Just asking but could the new RAW/Smackdown GM be announced at the premier of the weekly three hour Monday Night Raws, episode 1000, in St. Louis on July 23? This isn't a 'spoiler' even though some knuckleheads will think it's such but merely a question. Doesn't seem like a bad idea.

Antonio Cromartie, professional NFL player w/ the New York Jets and reproducer extraordinaire, has many children (12??) and baby mama. Many as in he could be consider the 'Father of our Country' many. Soucrces say that Cro has so many kids that it takes him three days to celebrate Dad's Day. Funniest segment on a past HBO 'Hard Knocks' one of my favorite TV shows, was when Cromartie was naming his children and their ages.

My @okctunder are gravely ill in their quest to win a NBA Title this year as they are down 3 games to 1 against the nWo like Miami Heat. I'd love for OKC to get one win in Miami to bring the series back to Oklahoma for the final two games to add some drama to the NBA Championship and give the local favorites a chance to make Sooner State history. I know the odds are long but as long as there is time on the clock, so to speak, I'm not abandoning my team.

Our potential business relationship with @americansoda in the UK is evolving and we may have some positive news on that matter soon as it relates to them distributing JR's products in that part of the world. Stay tuned over the next 4-6 weeks.

Burger tips for the grill or kitchen...an 80/20 blend of ground beef generally works best as it relates to the meat but that 's your call. I never buy hamburger patties pre made. I always buy bulk meat and make my own patties. Season to taste with JR's All Purpose Seasoning, add a little JR's BBQ Sauce, a few drops of your favorite liquid smoke (I generally use hickory or mesquite) and you can even add finely chopped onion if you choose to blend together to comprise a great burger pattie. If you can, let them sit in the 'fridge, covered, overnight or for as long as you are able IE make the burgers in the morning and grill them in the afternoon. Allowing the burgers to sit and marinate before grilling makes a HUGE difference. Grill over medium heat as to not overcook or cause flames. Sometimes I also add little pieces of cheese to the patties to cook inside them. Grilling is a great hobby and don't be afraid to experiment but always pay attention to what you're doing and don't constantly open your grill or flip your burgers numerous times. I generally turn mine once or twice at the very most.

JR's products are NOT available in any stores except Norman, Oklahoma Homeland stores and unfortunately we do not expect to be in retail stores any time soon. WWEShop has many packages featuring our products, some with personally signed swag, available online at http://www.wwweshop.com/Category/JimRoss.

Sad that some fans feel that any wrestling TV show can essentially solve all their ills simply by going to a TV14 rating and bringing back "blood." If these are young fans thinking this asinine theory, it makes one sort of wonder about the future.

Be Well everyone and come back to see us soon.

Boomer Sooner!

J.R.

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Saturday, June 16, 2012

Blog: Aupanova Pop Culture -June 2012

Wrestling Media Blog 

A flashback in time...



The Supanova pop culture expo has returned to Sydney, Australia, and has warmly embraced the pop culture phenom which is taking place at Olympic Park, Homebush, in Sydney's west.

It's a 3 day pop culture mania bringing together fans, actors, game players, information and tons of merchandise and collectables. Make no mistake - this is big business, but also lots of fun. It brings out the kid lurking inside all of us, no matter what our age.

Witnessing the general public dress up as their favourite hero, heroine or monster was just as much fan as the official exhibitions.

Coming to the expo to join in the fun (and big business) are over 40 international stars from various shows, films, franchises and worlds including Christopher Lloyd (Back To The Future’s Doc Brown), Yvonne Craig (the original Batgirl), Natalia Tena (Nymphadora Tonks in the Harry Potter series, Osha in Game Of Thrones) and Verne Troyer (Mini-Me from the Austin Powers films).

Even our favorite real life superheroes of Australian pro wrestling - AWF Wrestling turned up and put on some very solid chain wrestling and brawling to the delight of the crowd. The wrestlers were also a big favorite with the media and the brawlers got somewhat crowd mobbed with famed actor Verne Troyer (Mini-Me) from 'Austin Powers' fame joined in the fun and games.

The Christopher Lloyd question and answer session was very entertaining and educational, and was a much sought after attraction for both news media and fans. Lloyd shared stories from his illustrious acting and show business career, much of which has been pop culture included such as 'Back To The Future' franchise, where he portrayed Dr. Emmett Brown. Lloyd even talked about the cult film fav 'Suburban Commando', which also featured pro wrestling living legend, Hulk Hogan (not known for great acting), but a very entertaining showman, none the less. Lloyd told the crowd of 500 plus that he enjoyed working with Hulk and that he was a really nice guy and didn't pretend to be a great actor. One lucky fan asked Lloyd if he could have a "high five", and the actor obliged, which got a nice reaction from the jam packed crowd.

More news...

Buffy Star also at Supanova Sydney...

Star of Buffy, Mercedes McNab, has come Down Under for Supanova and is loving it.

The blonde is in Sydney for the Supanova Pop Culture Expo at Sydney Showground, Olympic Park.

Best known for playing mean girl Harmony Kendall on 'Buffy The Vampire Slayer', McNab has enjoyed a successful career as a modern day scream queen.

From the popular Hatchet horror movie franchise to spooky shows such as Buffy and Angel, the 32-year-old says she has come to feel comfortable within the genre and loves "a good death scene".

"It’s hilarious. I never thought I’d be considered a scream queen, but I guess I’ll take it.

"I think I gravitate more towards comedy and comedy can sometimes be in a darker vein, like sarcasm."

The edgy stuff started early for McNab, with her big screen debut opposite Christina Ricci's Wednesday Addams in The Addams Family movie and its sequel.

At the age of 16 she auditioned for a supporting role on Joss Whedon's Buffy The Vampire Slayer, a move that would change her life.

"We were on a brand new network and the show was based off a B-movie," she says.

"No one expected a spin-off to come of it or such a great fan reaction. No one could anticipate how welcomed and received the show was.

"In the beginning we never knew whether if we were going to get killed off.

"You’d get the script and skip to the end to make sure you weren’t going to die."

McNab experienced quite a character turn on Buffy when her superficial character was transformed into a vampire and eventually went on to join the spin-off series Angel.

"I was flattered".

"To have Joss call you and have him ask you to be a part of anything he does is pretty awesome."

Now that Whedon has found mainstream and box-office success with the hit of the year - 'The Avengers' - McNab says his loyal friends couldn't be happier.

"He’s such a genius. He's just proved to the industry what he can do."

Supanova Pop Culture Expo is on today and Sunday at Sydney Showground, Olympic Park.


Promo...

Our Hero is no longer Expendable. Eric Roberts is “The Master” of Supanova!


In a career spanning five decades, Eric Roberts has become recognisable to millions of film and TV fans. He has appeared in almost 200 movies and in countless TV shows including Heroes, The Drew Carey Show, Frasier, Oz, Touched By An Angel, Law & Order: SVU and even in a Doctor Who telemovie as the Doctor’s nemesis, The Master.

He has filmed in over 17 countries, including Australia (in The Coca-Cola Kid), and received critical acclaim for his performances in Star 80, It’s My Party and Truman Capote’s In Cold Blood. In 2008, Eric joined the cast of Batman: The Dark Knight as Gotham gangster Sal Marone; in 2010 he appeared alongside Stallone, Lundgren, Statham and Li in The Expendables.

Fans of comics and animation know him as the voice of Mongul in the Justice League cartoons. He’s such a familiar face that he has appeared as himself in 63 productions, often making light of his notoriously chequered movie-star lifestyle. Brother to Julia Roberts and father of teen actress Emma Roberts, Eric is a true Hollywood veteran.

He’s therefore also the perfect guest to kick off festivities for Supanova’s TENTH ANNIVERSARY at the Sydney expo, in addition to the Perth expo the following weekend, with an exclusive Q&A and special appearance at each of our Friday evening Preview Nights which are exclusively for full weekend ticket holders (SUPA FAN PASS), in helping us celebrate a decade of successful Supanova Expos; something we couldn’t have done without your wonderful support.

Eric will then spend the weekends meeting fans, signing autographs and posing for studio portraits. (Supernova)


Nintendo Flies High at Supanova with Kid Icarus: Uprising!...

If you’re heading to Supanova this weekend, Nintendo are hosting a Kid Icarus: Uprising Multiplayer Battle Challenge! Bring along your Nintendo 3DS and copy of Kid Icarus as it’s the perfect opportunity to StreetPass with other Nintendo 3DS owners and enjoy some friendly multiplayer fun with the Nintendo community.

Nintendo 3DS consoles and Kid Icarus: Uprising games will also be available to use on the day so everyone is welcome to join in the fun!

Exclusive Kid Icarus: Uprising AR Cards only available at this event will be a special bonus for those who play. These AR cards are very exclusive and availability is strictly limited so please ensure you are there early to ensure you get your hands on one.

Some 25 years after the original Kid Icarus game for NES captured the hearts and imaginations of gamers worldwide, Kid Icarus: Uprising brings the action and adventure of this beloved series to new heights – and new visual dimensions – on the Nintendo 3DS system. The dark goddess Medusa and her Underworld Army have returned, and they’ve got their sights set on the heroic angel Pit. With the aid of Palutena, goddess of light and guardian of the human race, Pit must fend off this malevolent threat. The richly immersive graphics of the Nintendo 3DS system offer incredible depth as Pit battles enemies by air and by land. (Supernova)


Special guests appearing at Supanova Sydney and Perth include:

Jeffrey ‘Chamba’ Cruz
Street Fighter II: Turbo, Udon Comics,

Stanislav Ianevski
Viktor Krum in Harry Potter and The Goblet of Fire

Bevan McGuinness
Slave of Sondelle

Jim Cheung
Scion, New Avengers, Avengers: The Childrens Crusade

Suzie Plakson
Lt. Selar, K'Ehleyr, the Female Q, Tarah, in TNG, Voyager and Enterprise

David Mack
Artist on Kabuki, Daredevil, Avengers

Andrew Constant
Author of Torn.

Wolfgang Bylsma
Gestalt Comics

Juliet Marillier
Author of the 'Seven waters' trilogy.

Yvonne Craig
Batgirl in the 60's Batman Series, Orion Slave girl 'Marta' in Star trek

John Viener
Family Guy, The Cleveland Show.

Garth Nix
Author of Sabriel, Lirael and Abhorsen.


Artists Alley promo...

Supanova is all about supporting the local industry and providing a spotlight for the local comic creators. That spotlight is Artists Alley; the place where the fans can meet the creators and explore worlds they may never have known existed before. Whether its a 25 page self-printed black and white comic, or a full color, fully bound graphic novel, or even stunning computer art prints, you’ll find something to astonish in Artists Alley.

The artists are approachable and always willing to give constructive feedback on artwork. As such, Artists Alley can be a fantastic tool for the emerging artist to improve their skills or make new connections and possibly take their first leap into the professional industry! (Supernova)

Special thanks...

Thank you to all involved in the promotion and success of Supernova. We look forward to seeing you all out there again tomorrow. As Marvel Comics living legend Stan Lee says, Excelsior!



Websites covering the action 

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Sony Pictures May Emulate Marvel’s Strategy and Tie ‘Venom’ to ‘The Amazing Spider-Man’ and Other Films...

Some people including some studio executives scoffed as Marvel Studios began to build a franchise of films that would lead up to The Avengers. The team movie was ambitious, and the result of so much planning that it was easy to suspect may fail. We know now, of course, that The Avengers did anything but fail — it is one of the most financially successful films ever released - currently around 3rd most successful of all time.

That means other studios are now willing to consider emulating Marvel’s strategy. Warner Bros. and DC Entertainment haven’t laid the groundwork for a team film in the same fashion Marvel did, but they’re attempting it with Justice League anyway.

And Sony has the rights to some Marvel characters, notably the Spider-Man and Ghost Rider families. And it seems like the character spin-off Venom, which Chronicle director Josh Trank may make, could be designed to fit in with the new wave of Spider-Man movies that begins with The Amazing Spider-Man. Question is… to build up to what?

Hollywood.com talked to The Amazing Spider-Man producers Avi Arad and Matthew Tolmach, who said Venom is being developed with connectivity in mind.

What I’m trying to say to you without giving anything away is hopefully all these worlds will live together in peace someday…Look for the worlds to make sense with one another.

Avi Arad explained what they’re trying to do with Venom, in basic terms:

It’s an Eddie Brock story. We want to be as close to the comics as possible. Especially in Eddie Brock’s story. But again, pseudo-sceince is becoming science. All these tidbits about webs, artificial webs, is a huge industry now. Spiderwebs have unique qualities that will be huge for communications, fibers, and so forth. So we have taken the approach that we want to make the huge amazing movie about Eddie.

The Brock character was played in Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man 3 by Topher Grace, but this will be a new take, presumably with a new actor. Brock will be “a journalist. He had the wrong story, he got in trouble for it, he got fired,” explains Tolmach.

Making the films play nice together makes sense, but now the question will be: can we expect a Ghost Rider reboot that places that character in the same universe? In general, is it reasonable to expect that any Marvel characters held by Sony will get films that are connected in at least some vague way? Sony can’t quite make The Avengers, but it could build up to something like the old Marvel Team-Up comic series.


Spiderman comes to South Korea...

A new face of Spider-man came to Seoul on Thursday (June 14) to premiere Parker's untold story, the latest saga of the Spider-Man franchise.

One of this summer's most eagerly awaited blockbusters, "The Amazing Spider-Man" delves into the origins of teenager Peter Parker, a.k.a. Spider-Man, and tells of the superhero that the 17-year-old eventually becomes.

The new spider-man, Andrew Garfield, appeared on a news conference stage with a smile, but he was more than serious when he spoke about the new saga of the Spiderman series.

"There is such a long legacy to honour, and to do justice to, and I think our intention was to start from there, and make sure we were doing justice to these timeless mythical characters that Stanley created," said Garfield at the news conference.

Spider-man's latest instalment reboots the modern movie franchise that began with 2002's "Spider-Man", starring Tobey Maguire as the comic book crime fighter.

Over three films, the franchise amassed around 2.5 billion U.S. dollars in ticket sales, and for the fourth movie, its creators decided to take a fresh look at the series, bring in a new director and hire 28-year-old Garfield to replace Maguire, 36.

Talented actor Garfiled advised wearing a Spiderman suit and mask wasn't very easy, but it was also his dream come true.

"No one wants to wear spandex, but Peter has to for many reasons, so yeah, it was a challenge, but of course wearing the suit itself was a dream of mine since I was three years old, so being able to put it on every day," said Garfield.

Emma Stone, 23, who has been linked romantically with Garfield off-screen, portrays Parker's first love interest, Gwen Stacy, in the flick.

She said Gwen is different from Mary Jane Watson from the previous series.

"She's involved in helping Peter save the day as Spiderman of course, and so there are a lot of differences there, she doesn't sit idly by and she doesn't let him being a superhero stop the relationship from continuing or complain about it, she becomes a partner," said Emma Stone.

The movie director Marc Webb, well known in the country for his romantic comedy movie "500 Days of Summer," said the characters and romance made the blockbuster actions more appealing.

"You'll believe in that action more, you'll experience it in a more profound way if you care about the characters, and I think the only way I know how to create that empathy is through finding relatable characters and finding those little tiny moments between, whether it's between Peter and his aunt or uncle, or between Peter and Gwen, obviously romance interests me in cinema," said the film director Marc Webb.

About a thousand of fans gathered to see the new Spiderman and his girlfriend on a red carpet, and a fan couldn't hide his excitement for seeing the hero in person.

"I'd never imagined to actually meeting him like this, so I'm so honoured to see him in person. I got an autograph signed by Andrew Garfield himself.

I love him!!" said South Korean fan Lee Kyung-hoon.

South Korea's popular girl group '2EN1' was also attending the red carpet event to promote the movie.

"The Amazing Spider-Man" opens on June 28 in Seoul.

No official word yet on when the new movie will hit Australian big screens, but it should be around the same time as Korea.


Comics film gives legend respect...

Many people put Marvel creator Stan Lee in the same ranks as Walt Disney and Jim Henson. This is exactly the reason William Lawrence Hess and Nikki Frakes decided to make a documentary about the comic book legend.

“When I met Stan, I began to realize how big the things he created and stories he told were,” Hess says during a recent phone interview. “I’m into history and with Stan, there’s a rich history in what he’s done. You can tell he’s one of the 20th-century creators that people look up to.”

The duo’s result was the documentary “With Great Power: The Stan Lee Story.” The film will screen at 9 tonight at the KiMo Theatre, 420 W. Central.

Lee will introduce the film and then sign autographs during the Albuquerque Comic Expo, which runs today through Sunday at the Albuquerque Convention Center.

The documentary took nearly four years to complete. Hess says production began at Comic Con in San Diego in July 2006.

“We shot about 40 hours of footage right before that,” he explains. “When the project was over, we had 480 hours of footage that we managed to fit into an hour and a half documentary.”

Hess says the editing was tiring, but what softened the blow of cutting so much content out was the ability to make bonus footage.

“Nikki worked really close with the editor in carving it down,” he says. “It was a big process to go through, but it worked out in our favor.”

Frakes says it was important to show the man behind the mask.

“He invited us into his house and we got to see what he’s like with his wife,” she says. “It was important that we captured that and tell the story of how he came to be this icon in the comic industry.”

The duo led a team that searched archives and interviewed people associated with Lee. One of the prized interviews was with “Captain America” co-creator Joe Simon, who died in December 2011.

“Joe was basically Stan’s boss six decades ago,” he says. “We wanted to get inside the inner workings of the comic book industry. There were plenty of heavy hitters that came along in the ’40s. This was a huge interview for us.”

Yet for both filmmakers, comics weren’t the first thing they read. Frakes didn’t read them, but says when she learned more about Lee’s story, she wanted to help tell it.

“A lot of people think that he’s an overnight success,” she says. “He’s overcome a lot in his life and managed to become this cultural icon. He’s worked hard to get to his status.”

Hess, who grew up in New Orleans, was introduced to “X-Men” comics and later the Saturday morning comics that Lee participated in.

“I can still hear him saying ‘Stay Tuned Because We’ll be Knee Deep in Danger’ before the commercial break,” he says. “I appreciate that he’s been able to make an impact like that on me.”


'Black Panther' movie rumour: Marvel Studios...

Entertainment Weekly’s inside sources at Marvel Studios advise the news report is no true, however studio representatives declined to comment on the hot rumour.

A news report from the movie website Latino Review by writer El Mayimbe stated Marvel Studios has committed to making one of its next projects a picture based on Black Panther, the leader of the fictional African nation and the character widely regarded as the first major black superhero.

Marvel Studios and its parent company Disney did not immediately comment on the rumor, which has circulated far and wide, causing a buz among comic book movie fans. But now inside sources at Marvel have told EW that it’s simply not true that Black Panther will be one of their next films.

Black Panther is not just a cool codename, it’s the title bestowed on the Wakandan king. In the comics, T’Challa, a Wakandan prince and warrior, passed the trials necessary to ascend to his nation’s throne, thus earning the mantle of Black Panther. Coincidentally, he also fell in love with Ororo Munroe, a.k.a. the weather-controlling Storm from X-Men, during his journeys, but don’t expect her to show up in any Marvel Studios film about him. She remains a part of X-Men mythology still owned by 20th Century Fox.

Black Panther first appeared in a 1966 issue of Fantastic Four, and the name only coincidentally mirrors that of the militant civil rights political party, created that same year. (He also fought as part of The Avengers, which could factor into any sequel for that blockbuster.)

If the look of the character recalls DC Comics’ Batman, the two characters actually have similarities beyond the costume. T’Challa’s superhuman powers are his acute senses of perception and strength, but he is also a brilliant scientist, and as heir to the throne of Wakanda he is every bit as wealthy as Bruce Wayne.

Wakanda was the site of an ancient meteor crash which scattered the element vibranium throughout the land. That fictional element, of course, is one of the rarest and strongest minerals on earth, and is used in the creation of Captain America’s shield. Black Panther’s prime nemesis is Ulysses Klaw, a physicist who murders T’Challa’s father to gain access to the precious vibranium deposits, which he uses to craft a weapon that can create solid objects out of sound waves.

Being the first mainstream black superhero, there were also political elements to Black Panther’s story. In the mid-1970s, comic book story arcs sent him to the American South, where he clashed with the Ku Klux Klan. Black Panther also ventured into an Apartheid-ruled South Africa depicted in the guise of a Marvel nation called Rudyarda.

The Black Panther script was revealed last January, with documentarian Mark Bailey (The Fence, Ghosts of Abu Ghraib, and Pandemic: Facing AIDS) crafting the story — an unusual choice, but not if Marvel would like to add a dose of social commentary to the action hero’s story.

If Latino Review’s report proves to be true, the next big questions are who would star and who would direct.

In breaking the scoop, Mayimbe proposed Nate Parker, who got high marks from critics for Red Tails (even if the movie itself did not) and garnered lots of praise at Sundance for a powerful turn opposite Richard Gere in the Wall Street thriller Arbitrage.

Parker’s a solid choice, but The Wire‘s Idris Elba would also supply endless intensity for the character. Chiwetel Ejiofor has the kick-ass-professor vibe down, and Anthony Mackie, although a little slim physically, could build some muscle for the role. If we’re talking pure star power and charisma, Jamie Foxx could be a good choice, and will be riding high after Quentin Tarantino’s Django Unchained debuts this year.

Marvel Entertainment movie fans.. if the rumour turns out to be true it sure will be excelsior!


Pro Wrestling News...

The debut of Steve Austin’s Redneck Island on CMT (in the U.S) this past Saturday scored a 0.42 rating with 665,000 viewers. It was the highest rated show for the day. Austin wrote the following about the show last night:

“It’s a damn crying shame that Canada, Australia, England, and other great countries cannot get CMT Redneck Island. A damn shame. Spreading Redneck Island around the globe is my newest task. Yes…To provide quality entertainment and content across the globe. #CMT #BSR”

- Despite what WWE says in the lawsuit from TNA, most people within WWE believe that "The Nature Boy" Ric Flair will return to the company as soon as he is legally able to and that WWE officials would love to have him back at the 1,000th RAW in July.


Wrestling companies square off in Nashville, USA court...

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Lawyers for World Wrestling Entertainment have told a Nashville judge the company has not and will not use confidential information from rival Total Nonstop Action Wrestling.

The pledge came during a hearing last week over a lawsuit TNA filed last month against pro wrestling giant - WWE, claiming WWE had obtained secret contract details in an attempt to poach TNA's wrestlers.

Attorneys for WWE told Chancellor Ellen Hobbs Lyle that the company has not contacted any of TNA's contracted personnel. The attorneys also said WWE has returned the only copies of the confidential information to TNA.

Lyle dissolved a May 24 temporary restraining order against WWE that had prohibited it from using the information to solicit TNA wrestlers, but she made no ruling on the merits of the case. Another hearing will be July 12.

TNA, based in Nashville, claimed in the suit that WWE apparently had already tried to hire away veteran wrestler Ric Flair. According to the court record, WWE lawyers said the company "has no intention of doing so."

TNA alleged that one of its former employees, Brian Wittenstein, went to work for WWE and provided his new employer with contract details. WWE said he was fired when he gave them the information.

A TNA suit against Wittenstein is still pending.

Jerry McDevitt, an attorney for Connecticut-based WWE, said Tuesday the company will file clarifying details with the court. He said the latest order "speaks for itself."

Dixie Carter, president of TNA, said in a statement Tuesday that the company "will vigorously protect TNA and its brand from damage at the hands of any and all sources, no matter who is involved." TNA was founded by wrestler Jeff Jarrett.


WWE Legal Letter To TNA Legal Counsel...

WWE Attorney Jerry McDevitt recently sent a letter to TNA legal counsel Erika Blonquist. The letter was filed with the court last week and can be read below:

First, and as I advised you orally on the phone during our recent conference call, WWE has not solicited Ric Flair to leave TNA and enter into a contract with WWE. WWE has made no offer to Flair and has no intention of doing so.

Second, as I also advised you, WWE has not solicited any other current TNA talent to repudiate their contracts and enter into a contract with WWE. WWE has no interest in current TNA talent.


The Ultimate Fighter: Australia vs. UK To Air On FX...

TUF: Australia vs. UK broadcasts on FX in Australia this fall

"The Ultimate Fighter: Australia vs. U.K." will air on FX in Australia in the fall as the latest installment of the reality series from the Ultimate Fighting Championship.

UFC officials announced the news yesterday.

Tryouts for the upcoming season of "TUF" are currently underway, featuring fighters from both Australia and England. The coaches for the season have not yet been named, though an official announcement is expected soon.

"We're excited to be part of the FX family in Australia," UFC managing director for international development Marshall Zelaznik stated. "When the first series of 'The Ulimate Fighter' debuted in the United States seven years ago, it brought in millions of new fans who tuned in each and every week to watch their favorite fighters. I have no doubt that 'The Smashes' will do the same in Australia."

"The Smashes" is the title given to this season, referencing a cricket rivalry ("The Ashes") between the two countries.

While the season will air in Australia, no plans have been announced for those hoping to view in the U.S. Fans could watch "The Ultimate Fighter: Brazil" online earlier this year as it was taping in Brazil, but the season did not broadcast on national television until FUEL TV began airing episodes just recently.

Are you ready? Are you ready? Let's get it on!


KA By Cirque du Soleil And Marvel Entertainment Bring Epic Story From Stage To Page With All-New Comic Book; KA #1 Released to Fans at Comic-Con International in San Diego 2012...

LAS VEGAS, June 13, 2012 - KA by Cirque du Soleil, the spectacular production at MGM Grand Las Vegas, and Marvel Custom Solutions team up to tell the story of this acclaimed live production through an all-new, collectible comic book. KA #1 will debut at the Marvel booth (#2329) during Comic Con International in San Diego, July 12 – 15, 2012.

"To see our live KA performances transform from the theatre to ink on pages in a comic book is an incredible opportunity for our entire team," said Marie-Helene Gagnon, Artistic Director of KA. "By aligning ourselves with the premier brand of comic book creators, we have produced an illustration of KA that depicts the story very vividly and stays true to the plot. Marvel and its team of creators have been great to collaborate with and have embraced the story of KA and the expectations of Cirque du Soleil."

"Marvel's proud to bring the exciting, out of this world action and adventure of KA to life in this all new comic book," said Axel Alonso, Editor in Chief, Marvel Worldwide, Inc. "This is a great comic for fans of all ages, whether they're long-time fans of Marvel, KA or new to both exciting brands of storytelling."

KA fans attending Comic Con International can take home the heroic journey of Imperial Twins separated by war who encounter adventure and peril at every turn on their quest to reunite their kingdom.

"What's more jaw-dropping, the majesty of the Imperial Court...the dynamic dance of their martial arts display...the overwhelming might of the invading archer army...the desperate fight for survival in the storm-tossed seas...or the tantalizing glimpses at the future threats that await the Twins?" said Marvel Editor Bill Rosemann. "Readers can decide for themselves when they feast their eyes on the all-out spectacle that writer Bryan J.L. Glass, artist Wellinton Alves and cover artist Michael Del Mundo have crafted in this world premiere debut issue."

KA #1 will be distributed at Comic Con International in San Diego at the Marvel booth in July. A limited amount of books also will be available at comic book stores in select markets. In addition to the print copy of the comic book, fans will be able to access the KA customized comic book by utilizing Marvel's cutting-edge digital comics reader.

Fans can get an inside look at the making of the comic book by visiting www.kacomicbook.com. Featuring sneak peeks and behind-the-scenes information, including line art, storyboards and more, this site will serve as a hub for details on the collaboration. Fans will be able to receive information on how to get their own copy of the comic book. On Twitter, fans can tweet about the collaboration to @Cirque and @Marvel using the #KAComicBook hashtag.

About KA:

KA by Cirque du Soleil is a heroic journey of love and conflict set within ever-changing theatrical landscapes that conjure an entire empire on stage. Presented exclusively at MGM Grand Las Vegas, KA unfolds on a colossal, 360-degree rotating stage which forms the backdrop for this cinematic journey of aerial adventure and perpendicular acrobatics. For more information visit www.ka.com. Like us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/KA and Tweet us: @Cirque #KA.

About Marvel Entertainment:

Marvel Entertainment, LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company, is one of the world's most prominent character-based entertainment companies, built on a proven library of over 8,000 characters featured in a variety of media over seventy years. Marvel utilizes its character franchises in entertainment, licensing and publishing.

To find a comic shop near you, visit www.comicshoplocator.com or call 1-888-comicbook. SOURCE Cirque du Soleil


Macquarie takes a stake in Echo...

Investment firm Macquarie Group has bought a five per cent stake in casinos operator Echo Entertainment Group.

Echo said in a statement to the Australian Securities Exchange on Wednesday that Macquarie had become a substantial shareholder in Echo on June 7, having acquired about 35.1 million shares, or about 5.1 per cent of Echo.

Echo announced on Tuesday that it proposed to undertake a capital raising - the amount of which was undisclosed - and its shares are currently in a trading halt.

The company last week lost its chairman John Story after Crown's James Packer launched a public campaign against him.

Crown is Echo's largest shareholder, with a 10 per cent stake.

Echo owns The Star casino in Sydney, the Jupiters casinos on the Gold Coast and in Townsville, and Treasury casino in Brisbane.

Shares in Echo last traded at $4.49 before going into a halt.


Crown Undecided on Support for Echo Capital Raising...

Crown Ltd. (CWN), the casino operator controlled by billionaire James Packer, hasn’t decided whether it will buy new stock in a planned capital raising by Echo Entertainment Group Ltd. (EGP)

Echo, based in Brisbane, will seek to raise between A$400 million ($399 million) and A$500 million in a rights offering being managed by UBS AG and Macquarie Group Ltd., according to a person with knowledge of the matter. The details may be announced as early as tomorrow, the person said, asking not to be identified as the information is private.

Crown, which owns 10 percent of Echo, will wait for details of the share sale, Chief Financial Officer Ken Barton said by telephone from Melbourne today.

Packer agreed to cease a campaign against Echo after Chairman John Story stepped down June 8, Acting Chairman John O’Neill said yesterday. Crown is seeking regulatory approval to increase its holding in the operator of the only casino in Sydney above the current 10 percent limit as Genting Singapore Plc (GENS) built a stake of 4.9 percent.

“We’ll wait to see what they’re proposing,” Barton said.

Trading in Echo shares was halted yesterday, ahead of the capital raising. Spokeswomen for UBS and Macquarie in Sydney declined to comment.

Brad Schmitt, a Sydney-based spokesman for Echo, declined to comment on the fundraising plan in an e-mailed statement. The Australian Financial Review reported that Echo is planning to raise A$400 million earlier today, without saying where it got the information.

Genting’s stake may make it harder for Crown to take control of Echo and increases the chances of a bidding war, according to Gary Pinge, Macquarie Group Ltd.’s regional head of gaming and consumer research. Though a joint bid by the two companies is possible, Crown won’t want to see Genting “entering its backyard,” he said.

Story resigned after Crown, which owns casinos in Melbourne and Perth, called a meeting to vote on his removal and ran advertisements in local newspapers criticizing the company’s “underperformance” under his leadership. Packer has now withdrawn his request for a shareholder meeting.

Echo owns the Star in Sydney as well as three casinos in the state of Queensland.


Hot Body of 2012...

ELLE MACPHERSON


Admit it: 48 never looked this good! The Aussie model, known around the world as "The Body," ignited bikini envy from a whole new generation of beachgoers when she flaunted her fit form in the pages of PEOPLE. "I do get jitters," says Macpherson of donning a two-piece 20-plus years after gracing four Sports Illustrated covers. "I was comfortable [at the shoot]. But I had to get my self-conscious 'maybe I don't look my best' head out of the way and go with, 'Let's celebrate where I'm at.'"


James Bond turns 50...

James Bond turns 50 this year but you'd never know it by looking at him. Despite hundreds of skirmishes with the world's scariest villains, not to mention a diet heavy on shaken-not-stirred martinis, the man in the Aston Martin still cuts a dashing figure.

In October, it will have been five decades since 007 -- in the form of Sean Connery -- first sauntered onto movie screens in "Dr. No." And he's still going strong. The Bond movies are not only the longest continuously running series in cinema history but also the most successful, with more than $5 billion in box-office receipts. Take that, George Lucas.

Daniel Craig, the sixth actor to play the world-saving spy, will step into Bond's shoes once again on Oct. 26 with "Skyfall," the 23rd film in the series. Also this October, MGM will celebrate 007's birthday with a 22-disc Blu-ray set that finally makes all of the movies available in high definition.

The movies, which will be presented in 35 mm prints, include "Goldfinger" (June 17), "GoldenEye" (June 26), "The Spy Who Loved Me" (July 2), "Dr. No" (July 10), "On Her Majesty's Secret Service" (July 16), "Live and Let Die" (July 24) and "From Russia With Love" (July 30).

The Bond film franchise began in 1962 with "Dr. No." It was not only a worldwide smash but also turned out to be a big influence on popular culture. Think "The Man From U.N.C.L.E," "Our Man Flint," "Get Smart" and "Mission: Impossible."

So where did the idea come from? Ian Fleming, of course. A former journalist and British Naval intelligence officer, he conceived of the book series in 1952 while vacationing in Jamaica in a holiday home he called Goldeneye.

James Bond made his first appearance in "Casino Royale," which was published in 1953. Thirteen more Bond books by Fleming followed.

Since the release of "Dr. No," we have never gone more than five or six years without a new Bond flick. Connery played him five times 1962-1967 and then again in 1971 and 1983. In between, there was a one-off appearance by George Lazenby. In 1973, Roger Moore took over for seven outings.

Next came Timothy Dalton for two films beginning in 1987. Pierce Brosnan got the job in 1995 for four features. The latest Bond is Craig, who has played him in series re-boot "Casino Royale," "Quantum of Solace" and the upcoming "Skyfall."

Did we mention that Bond also enjoys a good game of poker and baccarat and often the stakes have been life or death. Would you like to play with Bond? That's what we thought.

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Monday, June 11, 2012

WWE RAW 1000th Episode To Be Massive; Aiming For Mega Rating And To Rocket WWE Into Future

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WWE RAW 1000th Episode To Be Massive; Aiming For Mega Rating And To Rocket WWE Into Future...

As the Media Man agency has been reporting WWE creative have been advised to treat the July 23rd (U.S date) 1,000th RAW as a major pay-per-view event. The majority of the writing team and officials’ time and effort at the moment is not so much focused on the WWE No Way Out pay-per-view on June 17th but the celebratory RAW that begins a permanent move to three hours.

Wrestling bible, the Wrestling Observer Newsletter reports that WWE creative are being pushed hard to come up with a huge angle that will dominate the summer, similar to how the Nexus and CM Punk angles caught on with fans in the past two years. Specifically they have been told to devise a "knock your socks off" type angle that will broaden interest to fans who haven’t watched WWE regularly for the past year.

Many fans are calling for Ric Flair to head up a new breed of Four Horseman clique, as well as a potential DX reunion. Internet chat indicates fans want to see "The Showoff" Dolph Ziggler get a major push, and be managed by "The Nature Boy" (if or when he returns to the WWE). Flair recently left TNA Wrestling under a cloud of controversy, not showing up for bookings.

WWE officials currently feel the current product is stagnant and are concerned about the poor ratings, as well they should be.

Media Man reports that tickets to the live WWE RAW world tour in Australia has been "fairly show", and is a reflection upon things getting stale, as well as longtime fans wanting more mega stars on the international supershow down under, such as The Rock and Brock Lesnar (both of which are not possible at this time). It's unknown if Flair could make the Australian tour, and even if he did, it would be in a non-wrestler capacity. Flair's star power alone would be enough to kick and chop some new life into the current WWE product, plus would offer a massive boost to merchandising.

The Observer's Dave Meltzer also reports that WWE Legends Gene Okerlund, Dusty Rhodes, Roddy Piper, Sgt. Slaughter, Gene Okerlund, Hacksaw Jim Duggan and Jimmy Hart are among those who have been contacted to date about returning for the 1000th episode of RAW. WWE are also looking are other former stars who they haven't used in a long time.

One name that has been mentioned is Bobby "The Brain" Heenan but that would depend on his health. Jesse "The Body" Ventura would also be a hit, even though he's most associated with the Hulk Hogan championship period of WWE, rather than the RAW brand. Unfortunately a number of former RAW legends have passed away such as Randy "Macho Man" Savage, Brian Pillman "The Loose Cannon", Yokozuna and "The Wolverine" Chris Benoit.

WWE are currently planning the an old school production feel to the show. As mentioned previously, The Undertaker is constantly being talked about regarding making a special one-off return appearance on the show in the hopes that it may significantly boost ratings and be the shot in the arm that the RAW brand so urgently needs.

WWE top brass (and rarely seen on screen talent, Vince McMahon and daughter, Stephanie McMahon), are also rumoured. Triple H, husband to Stephanie, almost a lock for the much anticipated show.

WWE are under huge pressure to deliver a strong rating in the three-hour RAW and if they don’t deliver, the switch to a permanent three hours may look like a failure before. To help prevent this from happening, the WWE are looking to follow the formula they use for pay-per-views, i.e. advertising in a three week TV build, announcing a pay-per-view quality line-up ahead of time and ensuring they have a solid card for match quality.

New talent is also likely to appear on the show however the names of who they are interested in introducing are currently unknown.

One thing is for sure - wrestling fans are buzzing about the upcoming 1000th RAW and Australia is buzzing, judging by the internet chat on sites such as the official WWE Facebook.



Marvel Studios Begins Production On Third Installment Of The Blockbuster Franchise "Iron Man"
Marvel's "Iron Man 3" Commences Principal Photography In Preparation for May 3, 2013 Film Release...


BURBANK, Calif., June 4, 2012 - Following in the footsteps of the record-breaking Marvel Studios' release "Marvel's The Avengers," production on the highly anticipated film "Iron Man 3," directed by Shane Black, has commenced production in Wilmington, North Carolina. The production schedule will also include locations in Raleigh/Durham, North Carolina, Miami, Florida and China.

Based on the ever-popular Marvel comic book series, first published in 1963, "Iron Man 3" returns Robert Downey Jr. ("Iron Man," "Marvel's The Avengers") as the iconic Super Hero character Tony Stark/Iron Man along with Gwyneth Paltrow ("Iron Man," "Iron Man 2,") as Pepper Potts, Don Cheadle ("Iron Man 2") as James "Rhodey" Rhodes and Jon Favreau ("Iron Man," "Iron Man 2") as Happy Hogan. Set for release in the U.S. on May 3, 2013, Marvel's "Iron Man 3" marks the second feature to be fully owned, marketed and distributed by Disney, which acquired Marvel in 2009.

"Iron Man 3" continues the epic, big-screen adventures of the world's favorite billionaire inventor/Super Hero, Tony Stark aka "Iron Man." Marvel Studios' President Kevin Feige is producing the film. Executive producers on the project include Jon Favreau, Louis D'Esposito, Alan Fine, Stan Lee, Charles Newirth, Victoria Alonso, Stephen Broussard and Dan Mintz.

The creative production team on the film includes two-time Oscar®-winning director of photography John Toll, ASC ("Braveheart," "Legends of the Fall"), production designer Bill Brzeski ("The Hangover," "Due Date"), editors Jeffrey Ford, A.C.E. ("Marvel's The Avengers," "Captain America: The First Avenger") and Peter S. Elliot ("Fantastic 4: Rise of the Silver Surfer"), and costume designer Louise Frogley ("Quantum of Solace," "Contagion").

Marvel Studios most recently produced the critically acclaimed "Marvel's The Avengers," which set the all-time, domestic 3-day weekend box office record at $207.4 million. The film, which is currently in release, continues to shatter box office records and is The Walt Disney Studios' highest-grossing global and domestic release of all time and marks the studios' fifth film to gross more than $1 billion worldwide.

In the summer of 2011, Marvel successfully launched two new franchises with "Thor," starring Chris Hemsworth, and "Captain America: The First Avenger," starring Chris Evans. Both films opened #1 at the box office and have grossed over $800 million worldwide combined. In 2010 "Iron Man 2," starring Robert Downey Jr., Gwyneth Paltrow, Don Cheadle, Scarlett Johansson and Mickey Rourke, took the #1 spot in its first weekend with a domestic box office gross of $128.1 million.

In the summer of 2008, Marvel produced the summer blockbuster movies "Iron Man" and "The Incredible Hulk." "Iron Man," in which Robert Downey Jr. originally dons the Super Hero's powerful armor and stars alongside co-stars Terrence Howard, Jeff Bridges and Gwyneth Paltrow, was released May 2, 2008, and was an immediate box office success. Garnering the number one position for two weeks in a row, the film brought in over $100 million in its opening weekend. On June 13, 2008, Marvel released "The Incredible Hulk," marking its second number one opener of that summer.

ABOUT MARVEL ENTERTAINMENT: Marvel Entertainment, LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company, is one of the world's most prominent character-based entertainment companies, built on a proven library of over 8,000 characters featured in a variety of media over seventy years. Marvel utilizes its character franchises in entertainment, licensing and publishing. For more information visit www.marvel.com. SOURCE Marvel Entertainment, LLC

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Sunday, June 10, 2012

Media Man Entertainment, Gaming and Wrestling News Update, WWE RAW, Marvel, Celebrities, Hollywood, Australia

Media Man Entertainment, Gaming and Wrestling News Update, WWE RAW, Marvel Entertainment, Celebrities, Hollywood, Australia, Casinos, Games...

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Australian Celebrities: Most loved and most hated...

TV programs, ad campaigns and brands are at the mercy by the faces fronting them and a new list has revealed just which celebrities Aussies love and hate.

Well respected media and entertainment monthly Encore Magazine has put more than 700 local stars to the test using a special numerical formula combining recognition and likeability.

The number one most popular local celeb? 'Our' Hugh Jackman.

In a massive victory, Wolverine crawled up the competition, scoring 426, compared with runners-up Rebecca Gibney (266), Michael Caton (264), Adam Hills (244) and Eric Bana (242).

Celebrity agent Mark Morrissey said the list proved that long-time familiar faces and nice guys always come out on top.

“If you look at the top people in that list, they're the sort of people that you would adore to have dinner with,” Morrissey said. “They’re the sort of people that you would be thrilled to meet, to find out a little more about.

“They’re people you aspire to and all of them are intelligent, open, honest people that represent all those values.”

Morrissey advised it was Jackman's family values that struck a chord with Aussies.

"He's a beautiful man and a fabulous family man,” he said. “His values speak for themselves. It’s also the choices of his films - everyone in the family can sit down together and enjoy them.”

The Media Man agencies Greg Tingle agreed with the sentiment. "Its well known that Hugh Jackman is a really nice bloke and his diverse body of talented work wins over a multitude of Australian. He's a genuine guy who has not let Hollywood go to his head and his wonderful humanitarian work also helps cement his place as most loved (and respected). The public are not as dumb as some brands and companies think and consumers vote with ratings, money and with popularity polls when the opportunity comes up. Hugh's Wolverine charater is the Marvel Entertainment franchise is such a loveable guy, as is the real guy beneath the claws".

As for the most hated celebrities, Kyle Sandilands nabbed the number one spot, ranking as being "hated" by 37 per cent of respondents, compared to 34 per cent for Matthew Newton (second), 28 per cent for Sam Newman (third) and 23 per cent for Ben Cousins (fourth).

Brynne Edelsten who ranked fifth was more of an anomaly to the controversial men, with 24 per cent expressing their serious distaste for her.

Morrissey said public faces like Sandilands, Alan Jones and Pauline Hanson - who all appeared in the bottom ten - were there because they traded on their unpopularity.

"The love to hate is intentional with a number of those,” he said. “That’s what they do, that’s what they sell, what they represent and it hasn’t hurt their careers, so they’re being true to their cause."

Encore’s managing editor Brooke Hemphill said the overall results demonstrated that popularity was not always about who appears the most in the media.

"It takes a level of trust, longevity and natural charisma to win over the public,” Hemphill said.

Rebecca Gibney, who ranked as the second most-liked of the celebrities said she was humbled and quite surprised by her positioning.

"I can only think it’s because I have been around for so long,” Gibney said. “I think I’m kind of comfy, like an ugg boot.

"Australians are very down to earth. They want to relate to someone who is also down to earth and accessible. People want to feel as if they could chat to you in the street and I always try and be open to that.”

The top 10 most liked celebrities as judged by the Australian public:

1. Hugh Jackman
2. Rebecca Gibney
3. Michael Caton
4. Adam Hills
5. Eric Bana
6. Magda Szubanski
7. Olivia Newton-John
8. Geoffrey Rush
9. Simon Baker
10. John Clarke

The most disliked personalities are:

1. Kyle Sandilands
2. Matthew Newton
3. Sam Newman
4. Ben Cousins
5. Brynne Edelston
6. Pauline Hanson
7. Brendan Fevola
8. Alan Jones
9. Deni Hines
10. Alex Perry



Genting takes stake in Australia's Echo, sparks takeover talk...

Singapore gaming operator Genting (GENS.SI) said on Friday it had taken a stake in Echo Entertainment (EGP.AX), raising the prospect of a battle for control over the $3 billion (1.93 billion pounds) Australian casino company with billionaire rival James Packer.

Packer, who wants to use Echo's licence to build a new casino complex in Sydney to attract more Asian high-rollers, has been agitating for change at Echo after building a 10 percent stake in the company, and on Friday succeeded in ousting the company's chairman.

Analysts speculated that Genting, Southeast Asia's largest gaming group, was preparing for an acquisition, having built up a war chest of S$3.9 billion, and said Echo's casinos were in cities where Genting had attempted to win licences in the past.

"At this juncture it does seems like a possibility... They have that war chest and will have to deploy it soon," said Loke Wei Wern, a CIMB Research analyst based in Kuala Lumpur.

A Genting spokeswoman declined to comment on whether the company was considering a takeover offer or to disclose its stake, but Genting said in a statement the total value of its investment in publicly quoted securities was S$298 million. The Australian newspaper said earlier that Genting had built up a 4.9 percent stake in Echo, which runs Sydney's Star casino and Jupiter's on the Gold Coast of Australia.

A full takeover would cost more than A$3 billion and both Packer and Genting would face tough regulatory scrutiny.

Echo said separately that its chairman, John Story, has resigned, bowing to a destabilising campaign run by Packer who owns a rival casino operator and wanted to sack the chairman.

"(John) Story going is more like a soap opera. The money in this saga is with Genting being on board," said Richard Colqhoun, a portfolio manager at Antares Capital, which owns shares in Echo.

Shares in Echo topped the gainers in a broadly weaker S&P/ASX 200 Index .AXJO, rising as much as 4 percent to value the company around $3 billion.

Genting Group, whose biggest assets are Malaysia's Genting Highlands casino complex and Singapore's S$6.6 billion Resorts World at Sentosa, also has stakes in Resorts World Manila and several UK casinos.

The group is headed by Lim Kok Thay, who is chairman and chief executive of Malaysia's Genting Bhd and executive chairman of Genting Singapore, and knows Australia well.

The Malaysian Genting Group was a founding shareholder in the Burswood casino in Perth, which is now owned by Packer's company.

A source familiar with the situation said the board of Echo had not had any discussions with Genting ahead of the news about its stake.

Packer, who has stakes in casinos in Australia, London and Macau, wants to boost his company Crown Ltd's (CWN.AX) 10 percent stake in Echo and win a board seat. Crown had put forward a resolution to remove Story at a July 20 shareholders meeting.

Packer has attracted several former politicians to help with his lobbying cause, including former Victorian state premier Jeff Kennett as Packer's nominee to the board of Echo.

Echo said in a statement on Friday that Story wanted the shareholders to vote on his position, but accepted the board's view that he should resign ahead of the meeting.

"The board of Echo has formed the view that the ongoing disruptive campaign concerning the resolution proposed to be put to an Extraordinary General Meeting of Echo for the removal of Mr Story was damaging to the company, and that it was in the best interests of shareholders that Mr Story not contest the resolution," Echo said.

Crown had argued that Echo was underperforming under Story's leadership.

Echo completed a costly A$870 million refurbishment of its Sydney Star casino last year but has not yet seen a substantial pick-up in revenues, according to analysts.

Crown owns casinos in Melbourne and in Perth, and about a third of Melco Crown Entertainment (6883.HK), which has casinos in Macau. It wants Echo's casino licences in Sydney and the Gold Coast because they are more likely to attract Asian high-rollers than Melbourne and Perth.

Echo's licences are "irreplaceable," said UBS analyst Sam Theodore, adding that Sydney and the Gold Coast would be especially attractive to international VIP players.

Perpetual Investments, Echo's second-largest shareholder after Crown, said it does not intend to support Crown's push for a board seat, according to the Australian Financial Review.




WWE RAW 1000th Episode To Be Massive; Aiming For Mega Rating And To Rocket WWE Into Future...

As the Media Man agency has been reporting WWE creative have been advised to treat the July 23rd (U.S date) 1,000th RAW as a major pay-per-view event. The majority of the writing team and officials’ time and effort at the moment is not so much focused on the WWE No Way Out pay-per-view on June 17th but the celebratory RAW that begins a permanent move to three hours.

Wrestling bible, the Wrestling Observer Newsletter reports that WWE creative are being pushed hard to come up with a huge angle that will dominate the summer, similar to how the Nexus and CM Punk angles caught on with fans in the past two years. Specifically they have been told to devise a "knock your socks off" type angle that will broaden interest to fans who haven’t watched WWE regularly for the past year.

Many fans are calling for Ric Flair to head up a new breed of Four Horseman clique, as well as a potential DX reunion. Internet chat indicates fans want to see "The Showoff" Dolph Ziggler get a major push, and be managed by "The Nature Boy" (if or when he returns to the WWE). Flair recently left TNA Wrestling under a cloud of controversy, not showing up for bookings.

WWE officials currently feel the current product is stagnant and are concerned about the poor ratings, as well they should be.

Media Man reports that tickets to the live WWE RAW world tour in Australia has been "fairly show", and is a reflection upon things getting stale, as well as longtime fans wanting more mega stars on the international supershow down under, such as The Rock and Brock Lesnar (both of which are not possible at this time). It's unknown if Flair could make the Australian tour, and even if he did, it would be in a non-wrestler capacity. Flair's star power alone would be enough to kick and chop some new life into the current WWE product, plus would offer a massive boost to merchandising.

The Observer's Dave Meltzer also reports that WWE Legends Gene Okerlund, Dusty Rhodes, Roddy Piper, Sgt. Slaughter, Gene Okerlund, Hacksaw Jim Duggan and Jimmy Hart are among those who have been contacted to date about returning for the 1000th episode of RAW. WWE are also looking are other former stars who they haven't used in a long time.

One name that has been mentioned is Bobby "The Brain" Heenan but that would depend on his health. Jesse "The Body" Ventura would also be a hit, even though he's most associated with the Hulk Hogan championship period of WWE, rather than the RAW brand. Unfortunately a number of former RAW legends have passed away such as Randy "Macho Man" Savage, Brian Pillman "The Loose Cannon", Yokozuna and "The Wolverine" Chris Benoit.

WWE are currently planning the an old school production feel to the show. As mentioned previously, The Undertaker is constantly being talked about regarding making a special one-off return appearance on the show in the hopes that it may significantly boost ratings and be the shot in the arm that the RAW brand so urgently needs.

WWE top brass (and rarely seen on screen talent, Vince McMahon and daughter, Stephanie McMahon), are also rumoured. Triple H, husband to Stephanie, almost a lock for the much anticipated show.

WWE are under huge pressure to deliver a strong rating in the three-hour RAW and if they don’t deliver, the switch to a permanent three hours may look like a failure before. To help prevent this from happening, the WWE are looking to follow the formula they use for pay-per-views, i.e. advertising in a three week TV build, announcing a pay-per-view quality line-up ahead of time and ensuring they have a solid card for match quality.

New talent is also likely to appear on the show however the names of who they are interested in introducing are currently unknown.

One thing is for sure - wrestling fans are buzzing about the upcoming 1000th RAW and Australia is buzzing, judging by the internet chat on sites such as the official WWE Facebook.



Marvel Studios Begins Production On Third Installment Of The Blockbuster Franchise "Iron Man"
Marvel's "Iron Man 3" Commences Principal Photography In Preparation for May 3, 2013 Film Release...


BURBANK, Calif., June 4, 2012 - Following in the footsteps of the record-breaking Marvel Studios' release "Marvel's The Avengers," production on the highly anticipated film "Iron Man 3," directed by Shane Black, has commenced production in Wilmington, North Carolina. The production schedule will also include locations in Raleigh/Durham, North Carolina, Miami, Florida and China.

Based on the ever-popular Marvel comic book series, first published in 1963, "Iron Man 3" returns Robert Downey Jr. ("Iron Man," "Marvel's The Avengers") as the iconic Super Hero character Tony Stark/Iron Man along with Gwyneth Paltrow ("Iron Man," "Iron Man 2,") as Pepper Potts, Don Cheadle ("Iron Man 2") as James "Rhodey" Rhodes and Jon Favreau ("Iron Man," "Iron Man 2") as Happy Hogan. Set for release in the U.S. on May 3, 2013, Marvel's "Iron Man 3" marks the second feature to be fully owned, marketed and distributed by Disney, which acquired Marvel in 2009.

"Iron Man 3" continues the epic, big-screen adventures of the world's favorite billionaire inventor/Super Hero, Tony Stark aka "Iron Man." Marvel Studios' President Kevin Feige is producing the film. Executive producers on the project include Jon Favreau, Louis D'Esposito, Alan Fine, Stan Lee, Charles Newirth, Victoria Alonso, Stephen Broussard and Dan Mintz.

The creative production team on the film includes two-time Oscar®-winning director of photography John Toll, ASC ("Braveheart," "Legends of the Fall"), production designer Bill Brzeski ("The Hangover," "Due Date"), editors Jeffrey Ford, A.C.E. ("Marvel's The Avengers," "Captain America: The First Avenger") and Peter S. Elliot ("Fantastic 4: Rise of the Silver Surfer"), and costume designer Louise Frogley ("Quantum of Solace," "Contagion").

Marvel Studios most recently produced the critically acclaimed "Marvel's The Avengers," which set the all-time, domestic 3-day weekend box office record at $207.4 million. The film, which is currently in release, continues to shatter box office records and is The Walt Disney Studios' highest-grossing global and domestic release of all time and marks the studios' fifth film to gross more than $1 billion worldwide.

In the summer of 2011, Marvel successfully launched two new franchises with "Thor," starring Chris Hemsworth, and "Captain America: The First Avenger," starring Chris Evans. Both films opened #1 at the box office and have grossed over $800 million worldwide combined. In 2010 "Iron Man 2," starring Robert Downey Jr., Gwyneth Paltrow, Don Cheadle, Scarlett Johansson and Mickey Rourke, took the #1 spot in its first weekend with a domestic box office gross of $128.1 million.

In the summer of 2008, Marvel produced the summer blockbuster movies "Iron Man" and "The Incredible Hulk." "Iron Man," in which Robert Downey Jr. originally dons the Super Hero's powerful armor and stars alongside co-stars Terrence Howard, Jeff Bridges and Gwyneth Paltrow, was released May 2, 2008, and was an immediate box office success. Garnering the number one position for two weeks in a row, the film brought in over $100 million in its opening weekend. On June 13, 2008, Marvel released "The Incredible Hulk," marking its second number one opener of that summer.

ABOUT MARVEL ENTERTAINMENT: Marvel Entertainment, LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company, is one of the world's most prominent character-based entertainment companies, built on a proven library of over 8,000 characters featured in a variety of media over seventy years. Marvel utilizes its character franchises in entertainment, licensing and publishing. For more information visit www.marvel.com. SOURCE Marvel Entertainment, LLC

Websites

Media Man Int

WWE website

Marvel Entertainment

Echo Entertainment

Media Man Entertainment

Website Network

Media Man International

Media Man

Media Man News

Media Man Entertainment

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