May, 2012

Discount clothing chain Old Navy is known for doing super-stylized, campy fun commercials, often featuring celebrities such as Fran Drescher, Joans Collins, Morgan Fairchild, and earlier this year, Mayim Bialik and Joey Lawrence from “Blossom.” Most recently, a few Massachusetts natives have been popping up for the bargain fashion brand, including figure skater Nancy Kerrigan and New Kids on the Block member, Jordan Knight. Knight is featured in a spot called “Boardwalk Summer Fair,” where he wears a white linen suit and sings a short diddy while playing the piano. Kerrigan appears in a spot called “Sunstitched Affair – Up a Notch” that hypes their embroidered women’s shirts, turning her into “Fancy” Kerrigan.

Speaking of Bay State natives popping up during commercial breaks, Burger King has been airing a particularly funny ad featuring Aerosmith frontman and “American Idol” judge, Steven Tyler. The hilarious spot shows the hi-jinx that would ensue at your local BK would be like if Tyler was at the helm. Scenes include harmonica playing while customers eat and take orders and Tyler taking issue with wearing a hairnet while wearing a headset with feathers and ribbons hanging from the microphone. Tyler recently made headlines for dropping a reported $1.1 million dollars on a Hennessey Venom GT Spyder, the world’s fastest street-legal car. Tyler has a home in Marshfield, MA.

Incredibly real “Oxy-Morons”, director and writer John Hickey handcuffed this past weekend. Not too surprising to be true. Hickey knows first-hand how important it is to pay attention to detail. So when a detail cop recognized the fugitive who is wanted in the state for attempted murder and in New Hampshire for gun theft.  The Charlestown native was busted on the spot at Club Drynk. Not that jail bars are new to one of the most notorious “Oxy-Bandits” in the Boston area…

After arrested police learned of these warrants for assault and battery and threatening to kill and larceny out of Beverly. The charges shoot from a domestic dispute in which Hickey, using an alias, was identified as the suspect.

It was only last year Hickey made his feature film debut of “Oxy-Morons”, a reel life, low budget film that depicts the truth of Oxycontin. John penned the script behind bars where he spent three years for a string of pharmacy robberies and the illegal distribution of Oxy. Before Hickey was released he worked with the Federal Government to expose other dealers in the country.

And with the support of the BOSTON LAW ENFORCEMENT and private investors, Hickey was able to shine bright lights on the harsh reality of Oxy and role on to a better life. Better life ehhh? Drug deals to movie deals to attempted murder deals? Hollywood are you interested now? Truth is more bizarre than we can imagine.

Hickey was arraigned early this week and a hearing is set for June 11. Tell us on HEC FB, what you think?

Thursday night, the newest episode of the super sugary Food Network show, “Sweet Genius,” featured none other than Boston’s own Victoria Donnelly, owner and head baker at Cakeology, a cupcake shop in downtown Boston. Donnelly, who is no stranger to sweets or the Food Network, won Food Network’s Cupcake Wars in December of 2010 with her mint chocolate chip cupcakes, and won the Best Cupcake at the 2010 New England Dessert Showcase

Donnelly, whose store is located on Province Street in the Downtown Crossing area, lasted through all 3 rounds of the competition, creating and baking her way through a vast array of rather wild mandatory ingredients, including; polenta, split pea soup, malted milk powder, sticky rice, Japanese super cola candy, and grape leaves. In round 2, when Chef Ron, the show’s host, released the contestant’s inspiration for their dessert, it was a teddy bear. Fans of Donnelly’s cupcake business were not surprised to find that she created a panda bear face with her ingredients, as Cakeology’s mascot is a panda named Bruce, who appears as décor in the shop and covers their cupcake delivery van.

In the end, Chef Bruce decided that Donnelly’s desserts were not good enough to merit declaring her a “Sweet Genius,” but for a baker and business owner that is not classically trained in the culinary arts, she sure proved she’s got what it takes to hang with the big dogs.

Reality stars have been invading the Hub this month, with shows filming in almost every neighborhood around town. Further solidifying Boston’s status as a major player in the television industry, earlier this week, the Boston Cable Show was held at the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center. The expo kicked off on Sunday, May 20^th and is concluding later today.

The event featured exhibitors from all the major cable networks and channels, including the Oprah Winfrey Network, offering previews of new shows and technologies, informative talks, and plenty of free samples and swag. Chris Matthews, host of MSNBC’s “Hardball with Chris Matthews”

Erin Burnett, chief business and economics correspondent for CNN, Julia Boorstin, media and entertainment reporter for CNBC, John King, chief national correspondent for CNN, Piers Morgan, host of “Piers Morgan Tonight.” and Maria Elena Salinas, co-anchor of “Noticiero Univision,” are just a few of the famous faces that made appearances, signed autographs, and held talks.

Even a number of high profile reality stars attended the 5 day event, including Kris and Bruce Jenner and Khloe Kardashian Odom, from “Keeping Up With the Kardashians,” Mark Cuban from ABC’s “Shark Tank,” ESPN anchor Terry Francona, MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow, and members of the cast of “The Real Housewives of New Jersey.”

The Kardashian clan, never a group to go anywhere without cameras in tow, reportedly spent some time in the Hub outside of the conference, filming scenes for their popular E show that, according to Bruce Jenner, involved the usual hijinks and something about a duck. Could the Kardashians have commandeered one of our city’s infamous Duck Boats? Did mama Kris Jenner pose for a cute portrait with the “Make Way for the Ducklings” statues in the Public Garden? Perhaps we’ll find out in the upcoming season!

Reality series are charging up the streets of Boston! And we feel it. So let’s get ‘Plugged In’. This week Yahoo and Ford juiced the World Wide Web with a teaser of, ‘Plugged In’, a weekly net reality competition that syncs up with ejecting the all-new 2012 Ford Focus Electric and airing exclusively on Yahoo! Screen.

And today production crews are ‘Plugged In’ @ Boston University with Hollywood Chef Rocco DiSpirito who also

graduated from BU back in 1990. He’s come full circle since his days of pursuing a bachelor’s degree in business. DiSpirito is known for his Italian-American cuisine and his innovative fusion cooking.

“With at least eight out of 10 Internet users now watching online video, this is the perfect time for Yahoo! and Ford to launch ‘Plugged In,’” says Erin McPherson, Vice President and Head of Video at Yahoo!. “We know from our insights and data that our audience is passionate about celebrity-related content and travel content, and we combined those insights with Ford’s brand goals for a truly engaging program.”

The reality web series will jolt up May 29th featuring two-person teams competing weekly against each other.  Coast to coast challenges as they shake it in the hometowns of ten celebrities.

Celebrities like DiSpirito will be guides to their hometown city. All while staying electric. Boogie, woogie, woogie. We thought Rocco was from New York City but excited Boston is his home! The winning teams in each city will drive on to participate in the finale event in LA, where they will groove for the chance to win a Ford Focus Electric. Now that’s movin’!

David A’rquette will steer the first episode in LA then it’s up the Pacific Coast Highway to San Francisco with Alicia Silverstone. Ali Wentworth in Washington, DC, Jenna Bush Hager in Austin and JUNE 26th BOSTON with Rocco DiSpirito! Off to Chicago with Bill Rancic, Adrian Grenier in the Big Apple, North Carolina with Emily Procter, Atlanta with J.R Martinez, Seattle with India Arie and the FINALE boom back to LA!

Ford is sparking it. By the end of the year Ford Focus Electric will be available in 19 markets across the United States. I’m charged! Are you? Tell us on HEC FB what you think about this new electrifying reality web series?

Hollywood Chef Gordon Ramsay was brought up in England but is traveling through New England right now! That’s right. Chef Ramsay returns to the North End this week with “Kitchen Nightmares”. Production crews are set and are shooting on Salem Street @ La Galleria 33.

La Galleria 33 is a cozy Italian eatery. With candle lit rooms, good prices, nice wine list and a friendly staff. We wonder why they called in the new Chef? It seems its a pretty happening spot.

“Kitchen Nightmares” premiered back in 07 and continues to serve it up. Chef Ramsay is invited by the owners to spend a week with a failing restaurant in an attempt to revamp the kitchen and bring business back.

Ramsay has been known to spice it up in the North End in past episodes. Last year his crew returned to Davide where Chef Ramsay made two brothers who own it, Anthony and Frank work things out. Davide started going down after Anthony began embezzling money from the spot to shoot up.

Reality nightmares continue in local restaurants here in Mass. Last week the feisty Ramsay was kicking it @ Barefoot Bobs in Hull and is rumored to be tearing it up next in Hanson.

We’ve all certainly experienced our own kitchen nightmares but how about kitchen nightmares at a Boston eatery? Tell us a restaurant you think needs a little help from Hollywood Chef Ramsay.

The winner of the second season of “Food Network Star,” and host of “Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives,” Guy Fieri, was spotted partying it up last night at popular bachelorette and birthday party destination, Howl at the Moon, in Boston’s Financial District. The entertaining Food Network personality was in town filming an episode of his popular show at Cutty’s deli in Brookline on May 18^th, where they made grilled cheeses, and was also spotted cruising around town in his 1967 Chevy Camaro SS Convertible with Mayor Menino grabbing some pizza at Italian Express Pizzeria in East Boston.

The bleached blonde food buff stuck mostly to the far corner of Howl at the Moon, surrounded by members of his crew and the bar staff. He occasionally posed for photos with fans, giving the peace sign, and sending a few shots up to the piano players on stage who were entertaining the crowd. He particularly seemed to enjoy a spirited rendition of “Proud Mary,” where one singer took to dancing on top of one of the pianos. Fieri was seen sending over more shots and a sizable tip to the performers, while moving closer to the stage and screaming for “One more!” Fieri wore a white button down shirt, jeans, cowboy boots, and his signature sunglasses worn backwards on his head behind his ears. As the evening warmed up, Guy eventually lost the button down shirt and sported a sleeveless white undershirt and a large chain necklaces. 

As the summer movie season begins to heat up, movie previews, trailers, and teasers are just starting to make the rounds both online and on TV. At least 2 made in Massachusetts movies will be hitting the silver screen this summer, and both were filmed around the Boston area just this time last summer.

First up this June, the Adam Sandler comedy, That’s My Boy, costarring Leighton Meester and “Saturday Night Live” star, Andy Samberg. Originally titled I Hate You Dad, the film has been retitled since it filmed primarily in the Brockton and Peabody area last June (which is not a bad idea considering the movie is being released right around father’s day). The movie follows the story of a teen named Donny (played by Sandler) who fathers a child after sleeping with his teacher, and raises the boy by himself until his 18^th birthday. After being out of each other’s lives for years, Donny reunites with his son (played by Samberg), just in time to ruin his wedding. The movie is rated R and will be in theaters on June 15^th.

Coming out in mid July, Ted is another R rated comedy, starring Mark Wahlberg and Mila Kunis, and was filmed in the Boston area throughout most of last summer. Wahlberg plays John, a man whose childhood teddy bear comes to life and becomes his best friend, advising him on all matters in life, much to the chagrin of John’s girlfriend Lori (played by Kunis). The film utilized many areas throughout the city of Boston, including Mass. Avenue, the Public Garden, Minibar on Huntington Avenue, and employed a ton of extras for a concert scene featuring Norah Jones at the Hatch Shell. The movie will hit the big screen on July 13^th.

And it’s not “Being Bobby Brown”. It’s called “The Houston Family Chronicles”. The Houston family has pumped a new pulse with Lifetime for a new reality series . We think if Whitney knew, she would turn over in her grave. There’s a reason why she didn’t agree to sign on for another season of “Being Bobby Brown”, seven years ago.

“The tragic loss of Whitney Houston left a void in the hearts of people all over the world, but certainly none more so than her

beloved family,” Rob Sharenow, executive vice president of programming at Lifetime Networks, said in a statement. “In this series, the multi-generations of the Houston family will bravely reveal their lives as they bond together to heal, love, and grow.”

Whitney’s mom Cissy, daughter Bobbie Kristina, sister-in-law and manager Pat Houston, Pat’s daughter Rayah and Whitney’s brother Gary will all be featured in the late Whitney Houston’s chronicles.

The Houston entourage will support and guide Bobbi Kristina through a lens as she faces the world without her Mother. I’m sure the cameras will help. Lifetime has ordered 10 hour-long episodes of “The Houston Family Chronicles” to premiere this year.

So where’s Roxbury native Bobby Brown? He’s making every little step he can to sign his own reality deal. Humpin Around networks,  “The Bad Boy of R&B: The Bobby Brown Story”. It’s Bobby’s prerogative! Reports say Bobby wants his estranged daughter, Bobbi Kristina, to costar with him.  Bobbi Kristina who was rumored to change her name to “Kristina Houston” after her mother died. Isn’t singing the same tune.

But will be tuning up the 2012 Billboard Music Awards show this Sunday, May 20th. Bobbi Kristina, is one of many who will be paying tribute to her mom. She will also be accepting the Millennium Award on Houston’s behalf. We will always love you Whitney! Rest in peace.

Dorchester’s own Queen of Disco, Donna Summer, died this morning after a battle with cancer. She was 63.

Summer, who was born LaDonna Adrian Gaines, was a five time Grammy Award winner. She burst onto the music scene during the 1970′s disco phase and was one of the first artists to have three consecutive double albums reach number one on the US Billboard chart. Summer also had four number one singles hit the charts within a thirteen month period.

She found early success as a studio session singer and backup singer. It was while working background for the group Three Dog Night that Summer signed with Groovy Records and enjoyed European success. In 1976, Summer hit the US charts with Love to Love You Baby. Hit after hit followed, including Heaven Knows, Bad Girls, Dim All the Lights and Last Dance. She continued hitting the charts in the 1980s, with hits like She Works Hard for the Money and This Time I Know It’s for Real.

Summer  is survived by her husband, singer and producer Bruce Sudano, their daughters, Brooklyn and Amanda and Summer’s daughter, Mimi, from a previous marriage.