James Franco has upset students at the University of Southern California (Usc) with his new Internet reality show, which features the wild side of college life in Los Angeles.

The 127 Hours star, who studied at city rival Ucla, was hoping to focus on Usc's parties and students' run-ins with the law in Undergrads, which debuted on Thursday night (26Jan12).

It follows a pack of students coping with life off campus and features boozy scenes of debauchery and excess and footage of police officers shutting down out-of-control parties.

But while the kids on camera appear to be having a good time, several other students are disgusted by the idea and think Franco should be ashamed of himself.

Junior cinematic arts major Travis Newhouse tells the Los Angeles Times, "It's irresponsible." And junior Ellie Newcomer Smith adds, "It so undermines the strides the school has made academically."

Reports suggest protests are planned as students and university officials attempt to shut down the show.

James Franco – James Franco's New College Show Upsets Students

Elizabeth Smart, the Salt Lake City woman who survived a kidnapping at the age of 14 in 2002, is engaged to be married, her father, Ed Smart, confirmed Friday. She is set to be married to Matthew Gilmour this summer.

Ed Smart confirmed the news to People, telling the site that the family is “very excited for her.” He said that she broke the news to them last Saturday, admitting that he was not really surprised. “They've been very happy together. We're just thrilled. We're looking forward to her moving on to this next stage and leading a very happy life,” he said.

Smart’s father added that the family wants to keep the wedding a very private affair. He would not confirm Gilmour’s name to People, adding that Smart "wants to keep it very private and feels very strongly about that right now.”

However, The Salt Lake Tribune did some digging, reporting that online wedding registries at Williams-Sonoma and Pottery Barn list a July 1 wedding date for an Elizabeth Smart and Matthew Gilmour.

The Tribune reports that Gilmour is from Scotland and the two may have met last year when Smart was in France for a Latter-Day Saints mission.

The Los Angeles Times reports that Smart was the victim of a self-proclaimed preacher who abducted her in the middle of the night and repeatedly raped her during the nine months she was held captive. Smart testified in the trial against her kidnapper, Brian David Mitchell, which lead lengthy prison terms for him and his partner, Wanda Barzee.

As the Tribune notes, the Brigham Young University senior has been making more public appearances lately, including a November press conference in Salt Lake City to talk about the Penn State University child sex abuse scandal. Deseret News also reports that Smart has advised kidnapping victims to “not to let it hold them back” in their lives.

Kidnapping survivor Elizabeth Smart engaged

Natalie Portman is giving serious consideration to a role in sci-fi movie 'Jupiter Ascending', due to be shot later this year.

Natalie Portman is "seriously" considering a lead role in 'Jupiter Ascending'.

The Oscar-winning actress – who is taking some time off from Hollywood following the birth of her son Aleph with partner Benjamin Millipied last June – has read the script for the sci-fi film from Lana and Andy Wachowski and is keen to take part.

The Warner Bros. film is set to begin shooting autumn 2012 following the completion of their work on 'Cloud Atlas', according to The Los Angeles Times.

It would be the first serious sci-fi film Natalie has taken part in for some time – although she has previously had big roles in 'Star Wars' and comedy 'Mars Attacks!'.

She was rumoured for a role in Alfonso Cuaron's 'Gravity' but pulled out, making way for Sandra Bullock to take on the lead.

The only other project Natalie – who won the Best Actress Oscar for her portrayal of psychologically troubled ballerina in 'Black Swan' – is expected to take part in is the forthcoming 'Thor' sequel as Jane Foster alongside Chris Hemsworth as the titular Marvel character.

Natalie Portman – Natalie Portman To Join Jupiter Ascending?

Los Angeles police have arrested a man who is suspected of setting more than 50 fires in and around Hollywood.

Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa said that Harry Burkhart, 24, was arrested and booked for investigation of arson of an inhabited dwelling. He is being held without bail.

According to the Los Angeles Times, federal officials gave police information that the man was a potential "person of interest" before his arrest.

Mr Villaraigosa said that 52 fires had been started since last Friday, causing around $3m in damage.

It is claimed Burkhart set 11 fires between midnight and the time the man was arrested at about 3am on Sunset Boulevard on Monday.

Police were hunting a suspected serial arsonist after more than 40 cars in and around the West Hollywood area were set on fire within several days.

At an earlier media conference Los Angeles fire department Captain Jaime Moore said the suspect was stopped because he looked like a man seen on video at the scene of several fires.

Police had released the video of the suspect on Sunday night near a blaze.

Video of the suspect showed a portly man with his hair in a ponytail, which led local media outlets to dub him "Meat Loaf-Seagal" – merging the looks of rock singer Meat Loaf with the ponytail of martial arts film star Steven Seagal.

Most of the fires were set in cars that parked in carports, Capt Moore said.

Burkhart was reportedly using a van with number plates indicating it was from British Columbia in Canada.

Police allegedly found some charcoal and accelerants inside the vehicle.

LA police had earlier arrested Samuel Arrington, 22, over several unrelated fires.

Hollywood police arrest man for fires

For those of you anxiously awaiting Catwoman news, want no more: Anne Hathaway has spoken out on her "Dark Knight Rises" experience in an extensive new interview that details the values of Selina Kyle, the functionality of her costume and even teases a spoilery scene from the upcoming Batman flick.

Check out the highlights from Hathaway's new interview with The Los Angeles Times after the jump!

» On the costume: "I love the costume because everything has a purpose, nothing is in place for fantasy’s sake, and that’s the case with everything in Christopher Nolan’s Gotham City.”

» On Gotham City: “Gotham City is full of grace. You look at Heath’s performance as the Joker, there was a lot of madness there but there was also a grace and he had a code there. There’s a lot of belief and codes of behavior in Gotham and my character has one, too. A lot of the way she moves and interacts with people is informed by her worldview. Chris has given us all such complex, defined, sophisticated worldviews that it’s just a matter of doing your homework and getting underneath the character’s skin.”

» On Hedy Lamarr as an inspiration: “I know this sounds odd, but her breathing is extraordinary. She takes these long, deep, languid breaths and exhales slowly. There’s a shot of her in [the 1933 film] ‘Ecstasy’ exhaling a cigarette and I took probably five breaths during her one exhale. So I started working on my breathing a lot.”

» On Catwoman's history: "What’s come before doesn’t limit or even affect this new version. It doesn’t affect me because each Catwoman – and this is true in the comics as well – she is defined by the context of the Gotham City created around her. Catwoman is so influenced by Gotham and whoever is creating Gotham at the time. Michelle Pfeiffer’s Catwoman was informed by Tim Burton’s Gotham and Eartha Kitt was informed by Adam West’s Gotham. You have to live in whatever the reality of the world is and whatever Gotham is.”

» Spoiler alert: What sounds like a fairly critical scene involving Catwoman and an overrun Gotham gets teased in the LA Times article. We won't spill the beans for you, so check out the full interview for all that info… but as always, beware of spoilers.

What do you think of Hathaway's Catwoman? Tell us in the comments and on Twitter!

'Dark Knight Rises' Star Anne Hathaway Talks Catwoman, Gotham And More

Now her character, Lily, is pregnant for the first time — and Hannigan's representative has confirmed that the actress is pregnant for the second time. Whew! The belly can be above-board.

The actress' representative confirmed her impending and now quite obvious motherhood to Us Weekly, which shows 37-year-old Hannigan walking along, looking well-rounded. She's "thrilled," the mag quotes a source close to the star.

Hannigan and husband Alexis Denisof — both of "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" fame, and he of "Angel" fame — already have 2-year-old daughter, Satyana.

Craig Thomas, executive producer and show co-creator, told the Chicago Tribune in 2009 that the writers just decided to make "an extra joke" out of Hannigan's impending tyke. "Why be subtle," he said.

This time, the pregnancy can just be incorporated into the storyline. In mid-May, "HIMYM" had Lily dealing with food poisoning, which, surprise, turned out to be the beginnings of a baby.

ALSO:

'How I Met Your Mother' recaps

Hannigan stands up for 'How I Met Your Mother' finale

Remember that one time in band camp? 'American Reunion' lures 'American Pie' cast

Photo: Alyson Hannigan as Lily on "How I Met Your Mother" in November 2010. Credit: Anne Cusack /Los Angeles Times

Alyson Hannigan is pregnant. What a coincidence! So is Lily

LOS ANGELES — The Los Angeles Lakers made a trade Saturday, but it wasn’t for Chris Paul or Dwight Howard.

Two days after getting rebuffed by the NBA in an apparent deal for Paul, the Lakers sent forward Lamar Odom to Dallas for the Mavericks’ first-round pick in the 2012 amateur draft.

"It’s a done deal," said a person familiar with the situation who was not authorized to speak publicly.

The Mavericks might also send the Lakers another unspecified draft pick. It was not immediately clear whether the move was a straight salary dump or a circuitous effort to try to get Howard or Paul down the road.

Next year’s draft is considered deep, but the Mavericks, the defending NBA champions, aren’t expected to have a very high selection.

The Lakers lose depth in the frontcourt and a solid character in the locker room.

The Lakers also pulled out of another trade proposal for Paul on Saturday.

Odom was disturbed that he was part of the voided Paul trade and did not practice the first two days of training camp. He showed up at the team’s training facility Saturday only so he could take a physical.

"To me, I would think it’s better to stay away," Odom told the Los Angeles Times in a telephone interview Friday. "You know, the energy and all. I don’t know how it’s going to go right now. It’s a little weird.

"I don’t know if (a trade is) going to happen overnight or it’s going to be a drawn-out process. Right now, I’ll be a fan of the game from the distance."

Odom, 32, was acquired by the Lakers in 2004 as part of the Shaquille O’Neal trade. He won the sixth-man-of-the-year award last season after averaging 14.4 points and 8.7 rebounds. He is due $8.9 million this season and $8.2 million next season, of which only $2.5 million is guaranteed.

The Mavericks lost free-agent forward Caron Butler to the Los Angeles Clippers a few days ago and would be able to comfortably restock their frontcourt with Odom.

Howard officially asked for a trade Saturday, but early reports had him wanting to play for the New Jersey Nets, not the Lakers, somewhat surprisingly.

The Lakers, Nets and Dallas were granted permission to talk to Howard’s agent about a trade, but the Nets would have had substantially more to offer than the Lakers if the Paul trade had been accepted a few days ago by the NBA.

If the Lakers lost Pau Gasol and Odom in that trade, they could have offered to Orlando a package of Andrew Bynum and … ?

Howard and Paul can both become free agents next July, forcing their teams to try to work out trades instead of losing the perennial All-Stars for nothing after the season.

Lakers send Lamar Odom to Mavericks

OK, so Halloween technically falls on a Monday this year, but we don't think that will stop most of us from taking the entire weekend to celebrate, right? If you're still trying to figure out your plans, we're giving you a guide to all the Halloween guides.

We have already featured a few Halloween events on our site. We talked about Halloween techno with the founder of HARD events Gary Richards, who will be hosting a haunted mansion party this weekend. We caught up with performance artist Christine Marie, who will be performing "The Fifty Foot Sword," a ghost story that will be brought to the stage at REDCAT. Local surfers are going to get costumed up before they ride the waves. There's plenty of Halloween fun to go around in this week's film calendar.

Citysearch has the low-down on all of the biggest events going on around the Southland: the Haunted Hay Ride Through Griffith Park, revelry at Universal Studios, Knott's Scary Farm, Hollywood Forever and the Queen Mary. West Hollywood has this big party in the streets, too, that you might have heard about. This guide will also hook you up with the biggest, best costume shops in town (outside of the studios', of course).

The Los Angeles Times has a comprehensive listing that includes all the big events plus events for kids, film geeks, history buffs and people who want to see live music. Some of the top picks from this list include "Halloween and Mourning Tours" at the Heritage Museum, a Hollywood Scavenger Hunt, a Howl'oween parade in Long Beach for the doggies and creepy music at the Greek paired with a reading of Edgar Allan Poe.

If you want to get all dressed up, but you have nowhere to go, Where LA can help you. You can check out KCRW's Masquerade or LACMA's Costume Ball (if you can get tickets).

Caroline on Crack knows that this holiday revolves around food and drinking as much as costumes. There are candy and wine pairing events, a rum bar that will be transformed into a Narnia wonderland and a ball that has its own candy bar (as well as a real bar).

Broke Girl's Guide has a full schedule of meals and Halloween-related events for you to check out if you're on a budget (and don't have a house party to go to). The highlights include a "Dark Carnival" at Villains Tavern and Pub Crawls in Hollywood and Santa Monica on Saturday.

The Rundown has a couple off-the-beaten path events like the Panorama of Horrors Spook Show at the awesome Velaslavasay Paronama and the event Lucha VaVoom, which is a mash-up of burlesque and wrestling (we think).

Film buffs will want to check out this guide from the Los Angeles Times' 24 Frames blog that will clue you in to what's playing this weekend, including classics like "The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari" (accompanied by the LA Phil) and a Vincent Price marathon at LACMA.

Fishbowl LA suggests you check out Halloween Highway 2, which may feature Margaret Cho, Andy Dick and blood wrestling (though not necessarily at the same time).

If you've got little ones or you feel like a child at heart, check out Curbed LA's survey on the best places to trick-or-treat around the county. Windsor Square/Larchmont Village, Manhattan Beach and South Pasadena took the top honors.

If you feel like getting hitched in Vegas on Halloween, this is the place to go.

If you need a techie fix for the holiday, check out Mashable's list of top apps for Halloween, which are mostly free or cheap. One of them lets you watch scary b-movies and others will clue you in to haunted sites in your area. One of them includes costumes ideas, if you've gotten this far down and realized you have nothing to wear.

If you're partying hard, don't scare your friends (and strangers on the road) by driving. The police will be out in full force over the weekend. For all of you who go to Hollywood, just know that there will be sobriety checkpoints.

Your Guide to the Guides: Halloween

dmontgomery@star-telegram.com

AUSTIN — The headline in the Los Angeles Times scored Tuesday night's Republican debate this way: "Romney No. 1, Cain 9-9-9, Perry 9-1-1."The description undiplomatically reflected a consensus of reviews proclaiming that Perry failed to deliver a breakout performance in a debate in which he was upstaged by Mitt Romney and Herman Cain, whose recent surge has made him Romney's current chief rival in the Republican nomination race.But analysts also generally agreed that Perry's performance, while lackluster, was not fatal.The good news from Perry's perspective is that he still has $15 million in the bank to finance aggressive ad campaigns and ramp up personal campaigning, which many say is Perry's strength. Many analysts expect him to launch a series of attack ads on television soon, primarily targeting Romney.Perhaps another bit of good news for Perry is that Tuesday's debate, aired on Bloomberg Television, reached a limited audience. He will face much more exposure in a debate that will air Tuesday on CNN from Las Vegas.After subpar debate performances, Perry was under pressure to turn in a solid appearance in the economics-oriented debate at Dartmouth College in Hanover, N.H. But he received only a few questions in contrast to the attention moderators thrust on Romney and Cain, and he was gigged in many post-debate blogs and news accounts for retreating to familiar talking points and offering few details of his emerging economic plan."He needed to score some points off Romney, but he spent much of the debate looking a bit lost," a CBS review said. The critique said Perry was "virtually invisible for the first half of the debate" but showed improvement later.The Los Angles Times' assessment said Perry "appeared to be the most laid-back Texan since Matthew McConaughey."After the 90-minute forum, Perry acknowledged that he's not a championship debater, essentially repeating what he and his aides have been saying for weeks."I just try to get up every day and do my jobs and, you know, debates are not my strong suit," he told KTRK's Ted Oberg. "But you know, we get up and do them and we just try to let people see our passion, and I think that's what we did tonight."Craig Robinson, editor-in-chief of the Iowa Republican, a widely read political newsletter, said he believes that the debate was "uneventful for Perry, and I think an uneventful debate actually helps him.""It just quiets down the chatter from the last debates," Robinson told the Star-Telegram. "From that sense, I think he did just fine."Robinson also points out that Perry has a robust Iowa political organization that is helping build grassroots support. Perry has also campaigned heavily in Iowa as well as other early-contest states."He's regular visitor," Robinson said. "The amount of time he's putting in Iowa could pay off."Nate Silver wrote in The New York Times' FiveThirtyEight blog that Perry was "more subdued than in past debates" and "had a less visible presence" since Cain, who has surpassed Perry in a number of polls, received a larger share of the attention."Had I been advising Mr. Perry before the debate, I would have told him that he didn't need to hit any home runs. … A solid and steady performance might suffice to reassure Republicans given the low expectations brought on by his erratic showings in past debates," Silver wrote. "Then he could adopt a more ambitious strategy at next week's debate in Nevada."Staff writer Aman Batheja contributed to this report.Dave Montgomery is the Star-Telegram's Austin bureau chief.512-476-4294

Looking for comments?

Is Perry the 'most laid-back Texan since Matthew McConaughey'?

Article Extras

Updated: September 20, 2011 8:15AM

As Charlie Sheen hit the stage at Sunday’s Primetime Emmy Awards, it seemed the entire Nokia Theatre audience held its collective breath — wondering what the ex-“Two and a Half Men” star would say.

Turns out there was major pressure from Sheen nemesis and “Two and a Half Men” creator Chuck Lorre to keep the actor off the Emmys. However, show producers, Fox TV execs and TV Academy decision-makers all were united in wanting Sheen on the show — knowing it would be good for ratings.

On top of that, the actor himself assured the Emmys team he “would take the high road,” a close Sheen pal told me Monday. “He realized it was an opportunity to address the most important people in the world of television … and he’s looking down the road professionally … to future work opportunities, beyond his new sitcom project,” said the source.

† That said, the academy folks didn’t totally trust Sheen’s word. Along with the regular five-second delay “button” — to bleep him, in case Sheen said something untoward — I understand there was a short “bit” prepped for Jane Lynch in case the host needed to jump in and toss to a commercial break.

† Ironically, in the final analysis, several people privy to the Sheen situation say that Lorre is the one tarnished — due to his attempts to block Sheen. “He came off as something of a d—,” said a veteran studio executive early Monday.

† Meanwhile, it sounds like Sheen’s demands for a final “Two and a Half Men” payday may be close. The Los Angeles Times reported Sheen and Warner Bros. are nearing a deal that would pay the actor $25 million to buy out his contract for “Two and a Half Men.” While a Warner’s spokesman denied any settlement, Sheen’s publicist referred calls to the actor’s lawyer, who was unavailable to comment.

FACING UP: As Simon Cowell gets ready to launch “The X Factor” Wednesday night, more than a few close observers of the reality TV king are wondering if the very smooth-faced Brit has had “some work done” recently.

A bit of Botox anyone?

MOVING ON: Put to rest those recent rumors about a possible reconciliation between Ashlee Simpson and Pete Wentz.

Seems the couple’s divorce is close to becoming final — and Simpson and her new beau, actor Vincent Piazza (Lucky Luciano on “Boardwalk Empire”), are quite the happy item.

I spoke with a longtime Wentz associate, who revealed he always thought “that marriage was doomed,” but mainly due to Wentz being “so much smarter” than Simpson. “Eventually that overtakes the sex.”

† Another complication: Simpson reportedly is unhappy with Wentz spoiling their son, Bronx — thinking he’s not strict enough.

SAFE THIS TIME? Roman Polanski has been quietly assured by the Swiss authorities that they will leave him alone when he shows up to accept his lifetime achievement award from the Zurich Film Festival later this month.

It was his arrival in Switzerland from his French home two years ago that led to the director being arrested and nearly extradited to face those U.S. rape charges he’s dodged since 1977.

LOCAL LIGHT: Even before “Mike & Molly” star Melissa McCarthy’s big Emmy win Sunday night — for best lead actress in a comedy series — Universal Pictures was planning a supporting actress Oscar push for the Plainfield native’s scene-stealing performance in the big summer hit “Bridesmaids.”

Now that campaign will proceed with even more oomph — coming just as “Bridesmaids” is released on video Tuesday. Based on pre-release orders, it’s thought the movie will snare huge initial sales.

SEEN ON THE SCENE: Before “Man of Steel” star Henry Cavill headed out of town, the new “Superman” and his stunt double were seen getting matching haircuts at the Mario Tricoci Salon on Michigan Avenue. “The double was just as good-looking as ‘Superman,’ ” quipped a sharp-eyed BZ spy who was there. … U.S. Olympic speed skater and “Dancing With the Stars” champ Apolo Anton Ohno chowed down at David Burke’s Primehouse, while the Bears’ Lance Briggs dined nearby. … Recent Sunda sightings have included “The Playboy Club” mainstays Amber Heard, Naturi Naughton and Jenna Dewan, plus (separately) Emilio Estevez. … Houston Astros Bud Norris and J.A. Happ made the scene Friday at Hub 51 while here playing our Cubbies. … B.J. Armstrong dined at Table Fifty-Two, while the Hawks’ Viktor Stalberg was a few blocks away at Tavern on Rush. Ditto for NBC-5 anchor Marion Brooks — enjoying a leisurely dinner on Tavern’s patio.

‘Two and a Half Men’ creator tried to block Charlie Sheen from Emmys

LOS ANGELES — USC quarterback Matt Barkley seldom shies from giving straightforward answers.

But Barkley's published comments about Arizona State linebacker Vontaze Burfict last week were apparently too candid for Pac-12 officials.

On Tuesday, the Pac-12 reprimanded Barkley for "derogatory and inflammatory comments" he made about Burfict before Saturday's game, which host Arizona State won 43-22.

Barkley told the Los Angeles Times, based on his experience playing against Burfict in high school, he felt the former Corona Centennial High standout was "a dirty player."

"His switch is always on," Barkley added. "And it's not a good switch."

Barkley said Tuesday he had also said Burfict was "a wonderful player" and that his comments were made out of respect.

Later in the day, the Pac-12 released a statement from commissioner Larry Scott announcing the reprimand.

USC coach Lane Kiffin also issued a statement.

"We talked to Matt right after he made that comment and told him that it was not appropriate. He understood," Kiffin said. "Despite this reprimand, Matt Barkley represents everything that is good about college athletics."

When asked about Barkley's comments after the game, Arizona State coach Dennis Erickson said, "If you are going to say something, you better watch what you say and that is kind of what happened."

Note

• Kiffin, an ex-Tennessee coach, said he had no knowledge of a former assistant allegedly reimbursing a talent scout for airfare to pay for a prospect's unofficial visit to Tennessee in 2009.

Yahoo Sports reported former USC assistant Willie Mack Garza, while he was an assistant with the Volunteers, wired $1,500 to Texas-based scout Willie Lyles for an unofficial visit running back Lache Seastrunk and his mother made to Knoxville, Tenn. If true, that would be a violation of NCAA rules.

Pac-12 reprimands USC quarterback Matt Barkley

A $1,000 reward is being offered for information leading to suspects in the theft of actor John Travolta's Mercedes.

Travolta parked his vintage 1970 Mercedes-Benz 280SL convertible near a Jaguar dealership in Santa Monica on Sunday and when he returned a few minutes later, the car was gone, police said.

The car was parked on Berkeley Street in a residential area while Travolta went to a Jaguar dealership on Olympic Boulevard, Santa Monica police Sgt. Richard Lewis said, according to a story posted on the Los Angeles Times website. Travolta parked the car diagonally from the Hornburg Jaguar dealership at 3300 Olympic Blvd. and walked through an alley to the back of the dealership, Lewis said.

Travolta — who had the keys for the Mercedes with him — realized that the car was gone about 10 minutes later and returned to the Jaguar dealership to wait for police officers who arrived at 3:46 p.m. The vehicle's license plate is 3RBZ737.

Anyone with information about the theft is asked to call Santa Monica Police Det. Steve Smetzer at (310) 458-8936, Sgt. Henry Ramirez at (310) 458- 8453 or the Police Department at (310) 458-8495.

Callers who wish to remain anonymous can call WeTip at 800-78-CRIME (27463) or contact Crime Stoppers at (800) 222-TIPS or visit lacrimestoppers.org.

If information leads to an arrest, callers may receive a $1,000 reward from Crime Stoppers.

REWARD: $1,000 offered for John Travolta's stolen Benz

Known for crowd pleasing, commercial Hollywood comedies, Seth Rogen has never been to the prestigious Toronto International Film Festival. This week, though, America's stoner-in-chief will be heading to the cinematic gathering in his native Canada and rubbing elbows with Oscar mainstays like George Clooney and Brad Pitt to promote "50/50," a buddy film he produced and stars in about a young man who's diagnosed with cancer.

If Rogen's first Toronto appearance is evidence of the actor's movement toward somewhat more mature fare, it is also testament to the festival's unique role as a critical platform for introducing somewhat challenging or genre-busting films to a wide, mainstream audience heading into the busy fall movie season.

Although it comes right on the heels of film festivals in Telluride, Colo., and Venice, Italy, Toronto – which kicks off Thursday – is much bigger in terms of the number of films (about 300) and the media exposure. Reaction from the media, and the public, during the 11-day event goes a long way toward determining many movies' fate in terms of commercial success and critical recognition.

Last year, for instance, "The King's Speech" and "Black Swan" received important boosts at the festival, helping to achieve Oscar and box-office glory.

"50/50," which premieres Monday at Toronto and which Summit Entertainment will open in U.S. theaters on Sept. 30, is based on the story of Rogen's friend Will Reiser, who wrote the script. The movie stars Rogen and Joseph Gordon-Levitt, but Rogen's description of the film in an interview – "a buddy comedy about some young dude who has cancer" – explains perfectly why it needs the good buzz of a festival to have a shot at the box office.

"Will got sick six years ago and initially we started talking about making some kind of movie about it," Rogen said. "But at that point we didn't have any context on it. It wasn't until he got better that we could see it was a story."

Of course, veterans like Clooney and Pitt will be at the glitzy festival too. Clooney stars in two films showing at Toronto, the dramatic comedy "The Descendants" and the political drama "The Ides of March" (which he also directed). Pitt takes the wraps off "Moneyball," the featurized version of Michael Lewis' book about Oakland A's general manager Bill Beane.

"It's a moviegoer festival," says Marc Weinstock, president of marketing for Sony Pictures, which has claimed the high-profile Friday night slots for the North American debuts of "Moneyball" and "Ides." "It's a great place to put your movie – as long as you bring a movie people want to see."

Good buzz at Toronto, though, isn't a sure sign of Oscar success. Two years ago, Jason Reitman's "Up in the Air" rode out of town as the unquestionable best-picture favorite but was eventually shut out at the Academy Awards.

Many films that come to Toronto require a more nuanced sell than what can be achieved with a 30-second television commercial. That's the case with "Moneyball." Despite a predominantly male cast and a plot set in the world of baseball scouting and statistics, the studio is trying aggressively to market the film to women and non-baseball fans.

There are many other such films with big names attached that are looking to break out, including David Cronenberg's "A Dangerous Method," about the lives of Sigmund Freud and Carl Jung, as well as Madonna's time-jumping romance, "W.E." Then there are dozens of below-the-radar movies looking to connect, including a feel-good youth-ballet documentary called "First Position" and a horror film inflected with Cuban politics, "Juan of the Dead."

The festival – now in its 36th year – entered a new era in 2010 as it moved most of its events and screenings from the city's Yorkville neighborhood to downtown and opened a splashy, expensive new headquarters called Bell Lightbox.

No such grand change is planned this year, though the festival has made other tweaks. It's straying, for instance, from its usual pattern of opening with a Canadian feature and instead will kick off with a documentary about U2, "From the Sky Down," from American director Davis Guggenheim ("An Inconvenient Truth").

The movie chronicles the making of the Irish band's classic album "Achtung Baby" two decades ago and features never-seen footage and new interviews. "This is a story of a family of guys that make music. They hit this point where they have to reinvent themselves or die," said Guggenheim of the film, which will debut later this year on Showtime.

Pearl Jam is the subject of another Toronto musical documentary, this one from director Cameron Crowe and titled "Pearl Jam Twenty," marking the band's 20-year anniversary. Meanwhile, director Jonathan Demme is taking another look at Neil Young, his third collaboration with the musician, in "Neil Young Journeys."

The festival also serves as a place where hungry distributors can pick up new movies, sometimes turning them around for U.S. audiences to see within a matter of months.

A number of high-profile films will be looking for buyers at this year's edition. A partial list includes "Shame," a sexually explicit drama starring Michael Fassbender that earned raves at the Venice Film Festival; "Salmon Fishing in the Yemen," a satire from director Lasse Hallstrom based on a script by "Slumdog Millionaire" writer Simon Beaufoy; and Sarah Polley's marital drama "Take This Waltz," a follow-up to her well-regarded "Away From Her."

Other films up for grabs include "Friends With Kids," a collaboration between real-life couple Jennifer Westfeldt and Jon Hamm of "Mad Men" fame; "The Moth Diaries," a vampire movie from the counterculturual specialist Mary Harron ("I Shot Andy Warhol"); and "Violet & Daisy," the directorial debut of Geoffrey Fletcher, who won an Oscar for best adapted screenplay for "Precious."

"It's a bit of a hybrid, I know that," said Fletcher of his film, whose plot has been kept secret but which he said blends drama, comedy and action and stars Saoirse Ronan and Alexis Bledel in the title roles. "I just hope the festival is a place where people will see it and keep an open mind."

Other directors are similarly crossing their fingers. "Salmon Fishing" centers on a scientist (Ewan McGregor) who is sent to the wadis of Yemen with the aim of bringing salmon fishing to the locals. "It's that wonderful dream of crossing cultural waters, and what happens when it doesn't exactly go right," says Hallstrom, who stepped in to direct the movie after "Breaking Dawn" helmer Bill Condon left the project.

Toronto isn't always a showcase for movies without distribution or high-profile fall films from the studios, however. Mark and Jay Duplass, the independent-film darlings ("The Puffy Chair") who entered a higher-budget stratum with 2010's "Cyrus," will come to the festival with "Jeff Who Lives at Home," a movie financed and produced by Paramount Pictures. A dramatic comedy starring Jason Segel and Ed Helms as estranged brothers who must learn how to communicate, the film won't come out until early 2012.

But the Duplass brothers (they wrote and directed the movie, which costars Susan Sarandon) said they felt a Toronto launch was essential. "We wanted to stamp this as an art-house comedy, and we needed a six-month runway to do that," said Mark Duplass, who will also be on hand to promote "Your Sister's Sister," in which he stars opposite Rosemarie Dewitt and Emily Blunt.

It's the first time the brothers are premiering a movie at Toronto – their movies often debut at the more casual, independent-oriented Sundance Film Festival in January – but they say they're ready to make the adjustment.

"Guess we'll be leaving our hoodies at home," Mark Duplass said. "We may even have to go shoe shopping."

In search of buzz at the Toronto film fest

After the coffee. Before trying to hide in plain sight.

The Skinny: I think two Monday Night Football games is one too many. We'll see if the ratings agree with me. Probably not. In the headlines: James Murdoch has been asked to appear before Parliament again. A video about Disney CEO Bob Iger is raising eyebrows, and Sony may be getting a little artsy with its movie releases. Not that there's anything wrong with that.

I love New York. Now that former Congressman Anthony Weiner has tweeted his way out of running for mayor of New York in a few years, is Disney CEO Bob Iger thinking about throwing his hat in the ring? That's how some political consultants interpreted a video Disney made starring Iger talking about New York and the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. The video, produced as part of a tribute dinner that saluted Disney's donation to the building of the Ground Zero, was sent to employees and posted on Disney's ABC News website and features anchor Diane Sawyer gushing about the courage of her boss. That the video seems more about Iger than about the company he runs is what has some wondering if there is another purpose to it. More on the video and how it is being viewed by the Los Angeles Times and Hollywood Reporter.

Encore! Encore! News Corp. Deputy Chief Operating Officer James Murdoch has been invited back for a second grilling by Britain's Parliament. Murdoch, who appeared with his mogul father, Rupert, in July to answer questions regarding how the company responded — or didn't respond — to phone hacking by its now-shuttered News of the World tabloid. Some of James Murdoch's responses about what he knew and when he knew it have been contradicted by other staffers at the paper. The scandal has put a cloud over James Murdoch, who had been seen as the likely successor for his father. More from Bloomberg. If that's not enough of a headache, there is also trouble down under as Australia plans a probe of News Corp.'s business practices. More on that from the AFP.

Who to hit up for a loan. It's time for another "who makes what" list from Forbes magazine. This time the Capitalist Tool (that's the magazine's nickname for itself in case anyone thinks I'm being crude) takes a look at the highest-paid men in entertainment. At the top is Tyler Perry. Also up there: Dr. Phil McGraw. Next month, will Forbes tell us which TV and movie pets are pulling down the biggest paychecks?

Can "Hunger Games" feed Lions Gate Entertainment? "Hunger Games," a movie based on a popular series of books by Suzanne Collins, doesn't open for several months, but already buzz is building that this could become the most important film property for Lions Gate this side of Tyler Perry. "There are three things on Lions Gate investors' minds for the next year: 'Hunger Games,' 'Hunger Games' and 'Hunger Games,' " analyst James Marsh of Piper Jaffray told the Los Angeles Times.

The newest art film studio. Sony Pictures has a slew of movies at the Toronto Film Festival. Usually, festivals are where movies made for adults get screened, which means big Hollywood studios steer clear because they're focused on making franchise films that will attract kids and lead to toys. The New York Times looks at how Sony is trying to produce both art and commerce.

New look for "Harry's Law." Last season, NBC got a pleasant surprise in the performance of "Harry's Law," a legal drama starring Kathy Bates from producer David E. Kelley. The show proved popular with a large portion of the audience. Alas, for NBC it was the wrong portion. Looking to add younger viewers, the show is being overhauled although whether it will be any less preachy remains to be seen. Details from USA Today.

Inside the Los Angeles Times: Mary McNamara on Sarah Michelle Gellar's return to television in the CW dramas "Ringer." A look at Anderson Cooper's first day as a talk show host.

Follow me on Twitter. I'm the next big thing. Twitter.com/JBFlint

The Morning Fix: Iger loves NY! Sony goes arty. OMG SMG is back!

The Beverly Hills house where Playboy Playmate Yvette Vickers was found mummified in April is up for sale.

According to Curbed LA, the one bedroom house at 10021 Westwanda Dr. in Benedict Canyon is listed for $499,000 and is described as a "major fixer upper."

Vickers, who was Playboy's Miss July 1959 and had a series of roles in B-movies such as Attack of the 50-Foot Woman, was found in a mummified state by a neighbor on April 27. The body apparently had been undisturbed for months.

The house was in major disrepair, with rooms stuffed with boxes containing clothes, junk mail and letters, according to a report from the Los Angeles Times.

Vickers had lived in the house for decades and had used it some of her photo shoots.

Beverly Hills House Where Mummified Playmate Was Found Is For Sale

Houston (August 30, 2011) -Throughout the years, many have attempted to describe Award-winning playwright, David E. Talbert; The Washington Post: "a wunderkind," The Los Angeles Times: "an impresario," and The San Francisco Examiner: "something of a phenomenon." But, whatever the moniker, no one can deny Talbert's place as one of the preeminent voices of American theater.

Talbert’s 12 nationally acclaimed touring productions have garnered an unprecedented 24 NAACP nominations, winning Best Playwright of the Year for his 2001 production “The Fabric of A Man.” In 2007, Talbert received the New York Literary Award for Best Playwright of the Year for "Love In The Nick of Tyme,” and in 2008 Talbert received the prestigious NAACP “Trailblazer Award” for his groundbreaking accomplishments in theater.

"We have such a rich legacy of griots, writers, storytellers," states playwright, filmmaker, and author David E.Talbert. "My mission has always been to use my pen, my artistic baton, and to carry that legacy forward."

In conjunction with the continued celebration of his 20th Anniversary, Talbert is also moving full speed ahead with the cross country tour of his hit stage production “What My Husband Doesn’t Know.” The production originally kicked off in February of this year in Charleston, SC. Since then, the show has hit everywhere from DC to NY, Dallas and Los Angeles, selling out from coast to coast. In October, the show continues its record breaking run. This powerful and provocative play stars Morris Chestnut and Destiny’s Child’s Michelle Williams. The play hits Houston for 6 big shows on Thursday, October 13th -16th at the Hobby Center’s Sarofim Hall, 800 Bagby Street, Houston, TX 77002. Shows are scheduled for 8 p.m. on Thursday and Friday, 3 p.m. & 8 p.m. on Saturday, and 3 p.m. & 7:30 p.m. on Sunday. Ticket prices begin at $37.50, plus applicable taxes and fees. Tickets are available at ticketmaster.com, at all Ticketmaster outlets, charge by phone at 800-745-3000, the Hobby Center Box Office will call is available four hours prior to show time and 1 hour after show time. Box office hours – Monday – Friday 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. & Saturday – Sunday 11 a.m. – 4 p.m.. For more information, call the box office at 713.315.2525 or log onto www.davidetalbert.com.

David E. Talbert burst on the theater scene in 1991 with the hit stage play, "Tellin' It Like It Tiz." Since then, Talbert has attracted the talents of everyone from Grammy Award winners Kenneth “Babyface" Edmonds and Kirk Franklin to Tony Award winner Stephanie Mills, Emmy winner Shemar Moore and Academy Award winner Jamie Foxx.

In addition to his many successful stage plays, David E. Talbert made his directorial debut with the Sony Pictures comedy First Sunday, starring Ice Cube, SNL alumnus and “30 Rock” star Tracy Morgan, and enigmatic comedian Katt Williams. He also wrote and produced the NBC television special “Jamie Foxx: Unpredictable,” starred in his own reality television series “Stage Black,” and has written several novels, including the Essence Best-Selling novel "Baggage Claim," and "Love Don’t Live Here No More," which he co-wrote with hip hop icon Snoop Dogg. With all of this, Talbert never loses focus on his responsibility as a writer. -more-

PAGE 2 – DAVID E. TALBERT's 20th ANNIVERSARY AND "WHAT YOUR HUSBAND DOESN'T KNOW”

“At the end of the day, it’s about the words,” said Talbert. “Growing up in a family of pastors and preachers, I learned the power of words and their effect on people. The real blessing for me is to write the words, then find capable actors to inhabit them, and then share them with the world.”

Now, 20 years, 13 plays, 5 novels, a feature film, reality show, and prime-time special later, David E. Talbert continues to do what he loves and what audiences across the country have come to love him for– live theater. With his 13th theatrical production, "What My Husband Doesn't Know," David E. Talbert brings to life a mesmerizing tale of lust, lies and temptation that puts a whole new twist on the “fatal attraction” theme. Written, directed and produced by Talbert, the play boasts film and television stars Morris Chestnut (ABC’s “V” and The Best Man), stage actress and Grammy Award winning member of Destiny’s Child Michelle Williams (Chicago, Oprah Winfrey presents The Color Purple), along with Grammy Award winning singer Ann Nesby (The Fighting Temptations) and famed television and stage actor Clifton Davis (Any Given Sunday, Amen).

To her friends, the stunning Lena Summer (Williams) has it all—big house, loving daughter, wealthy husband. But her husband, Franklin (Davis), is so wrapped up in his construction business that the other side of Lena’s bed is too cold too often. When temptation comes along in the form of a handsome handyman named Paul (Chestnut), Lena gives in to her desires and a torrid affair ensues. But when she tries to break things off with Paul, things take a surprising turn.

As audiences across the country applaud his latest production, David E. Talbert focuses on what’s next. For him, it’s the Image Entertainment release of ‘What My Husband Doesn’t Know” on DVD on November 1st, writing the feature film script for “What My Husband Doesn’t Know” and readying his 14th stage production, based on his best-selling book, “Love On The Dotted Line,” which will start touring in February of 2012 and kick off in Dallas.

“There are so many stories I want to tell,” stated Talbert. “For me, it’s about building and creating art that touches the world. One play, one novel, one film… one story at a time.”

For a complete listing of tour dates and cities, please visit www.davidetalbert.com.

Morris Chestnut and Michelle Williams to star in "What My Husband Doesn't Know" at Hobby Center's Sarofim Hall Oct. 13-16

Backed by a brand synonymous with movie rentals, Dish Network Corp. CEO Joe Clayton said the satellite TV owner of Blockbuster is considering bowing a subscription video-on-demand, or VOD, streaming service.

In an Aug. 2 interview with the Los Angeles Times Clayton, who assumed the CEO title from Dish founder and chairman Charlie Ergen in May, reiterated previous comments that Netflix would not have a monopoly on the rental and streaming market despite its front-runner status.

“Everybody's enamoured with Netflix. Who's to say we can't do the same thing?” Clayton told the Times. In May Clayton told the Associated Press the number of companies looking to take “a piece” of Netflix’s pie was growing.

“If I were them, I'd be watching what's going on,” he said.

Clayton, who previously headed Sirius Satellite Radio and was instrumental with its merger with XM Satellite Radio, confirmed Dish would maintain a Blockbuster store-based business model with ancillary business opportunities tied to Dish’s satellite TV platform.

Indeed, new Dish subscribers automatically receive a 90-day store membership to Blockbuster. In addition, Blockbuster OnDemand transactional VOD titles are available on street date through Dish and online.

Meanwhile, Dish has aggressively acquired about $3 billion worth of wireless spectrum, which analysts say the company could evolve into a proprietary 4G network.

Frost & Sullivan analyst Dan Rayburn said he wasn’t surprised by Clayton’s remarks considering Dish bought Blockbuster for more than its 1,500 stores.

“What exactly they will do with it and what their service will look like, that’s the question,” Rayburn said. “I think they could compete, but too early to say until we know what they offer.”

Dish CEO Ups Blockbuster Streaming Rhetoric

Los Angeles County prosecutors laid out some of the details in their case against former new York Mets star Lenny Dykstra in a 14-page indictment that points to an elaborate scheme to lease luxury cars using a fake business and stolen identity.

Maria Ramirez, deputy district attorney in charge of the auto fraud unit, said Dykstra created a company called "Home Free Systems" and claimed that it was making millions of dollars.

In fact, Ramirez said, the company "doesn't even exist."

Deputy Dist. Atty. Alex Karkanen said Dykstra, along with his accountant Robert Hymers, 27, and friend Christopher Gavanis, 30, faked pay stubs and income information and printed documents on a home laser printer.

"When the dealers asked for a co-signer, they said their financial officer would sign," Karkanen said. But that financial officer was one of Hymers' customers -– and had visited the accountant to get his taxes done.

Since January, the three have tried several times to lease high-end automobiles, including Cadillacs and Mercedes-Benzes. At one of the dealerships, Dykstra, Hymers and Gavanis provided fraudulent information and drove off with 2011 models of a Ford Mustang, Ford Flex and Lincoln MKS, Karkanen said.

Authorities charged Dykstra with nearly two dozen felony counts related to a scheme to obtain luxury cars and possession of cocaine, human growth hormone and Ecstasy.

Read the full story here.

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Ex-baseball star and bankrupt financial 'guru' Dykstra envisions comeback

Photo: Lenny Dykstra, right foreground, appears at the San Fernando Courthouse on Monday. Deputy Dist. Atty. Alex Karkanen is at left. Credit: Michael Robinson Chavez / Los Angeles Times

Lenny Dykstra not ‘Home Free’ with fake business, prosecutors allege

On Wednesday night, student fans got a backstage peek of "The Simpsons" writers' room where pop culture has been diced up and reassembled to create 22 seasons of the award-winning animated Fox show. The event was held by the "UCLA School of Theater, Film and Television" and the school's "Young Alumni Program."

The panel was made up of eight of the current writers for the show who also happened to be mostly middle-aged, white and male, an interesting side note mentioned by panelist Rob Laebnikv. "We're proud of our diversity," he said. "Some of us wear glasses, some of us are from Canada."

Moderator Geoff Boucher, pop culture writer for the Los Angeles Times, launched the discussion with a question about whether being animated has helped the shows longevity. Although "The Simpsons" is not the longest running show in television history yet, the show is closing in on "Gunsmoke," which currently holds the record at 635 episodes. The Simpsons' writers are currently working on episode 500.

Panelist Tom Gammill attributed much of the show's success to a hands off agreement that executive producer James Brooks had with Fox. Panelist David Silverman added that the characters transcend everybody who has worked on the show and any actor. "Not only do they not age, they can never disappoint you," he said.

The discussion moved onto favorites, including which characters that the panel members most enjoyed writing for. They all said that they loved Moe the bartender and all of the scenes about Moe that they wished had made it on air. Krusty and Sideshow Bob were also mentioned but Homer was a standout character. There were so many ways to write for the doughy family patriarch.

Interestingly, the public has always been more fascinated by Bart, said Gammill. Just look at the merchandising.

Frank Gehry was panelist Bill Odenkirk's favorite guest star. In the episode "The Seven-Beer Snitch," Marge convinced the architect to design a big concert hall for Springfield. Unfortunately, the concert hall goes bankrupt on the first night and is turned into a prison by Mr. Burns. "I was so shocked that he agreed to do the show," said Odenkirk. "His son was a big fan of the show. He [Gehry] didn't really know about the show." Director Werner Herzog was the same way. "He came in and left without knowing what he had done since he was not familiar with the show."

Other cameo favorites were Star Trek's Leonard Nimoy; theoretical physicist Stephen Hawking; composer Stephen Sondheim and Rolling Stones frontman Mick Jagger and later Keith Richards who arrived with a bottle of vodka. Michael Price added Mr. T who felt compelled to hell him why the "A-Team" actor had lost the big fight in "Rocky 3" to Sylvester Stallone. Apparently, the "unknown" back story is that his character took a dive so he could pay for an eye operation for his mother. "It's great that Mr. T is still protecting the integrity of Clubber Lang," said Price.

The evening closed with a Q&A, with many audience members asking how to become a writer for "The Simpsons" or any show. Tom Gammill said improv classes help since it's good to be quick when ideas are bouncing around the room. Many actors and writers on "The Simpsons" got their start with "The Groundlings" improv troupe in Los Angeles. They also mentioned how much easier it is to get original work out there by posting it online on sites like YouTube. "Our competition is a bunch of young kids who are doing the same thing we do but for nothing. It's just amazing what we see online," said panelist Kevin Curran.