There Is A Chinese Version Of FRIENDS Called PLANET HOMEBUDDIES

As many filmmakers know, when you make a movie and sell it overseas, the title often changes...sometimes for the good, sometimes for the bad.  My short POOL DAYS is known in France as MES JOUR A LA PISCINE, which actually sounds lovely.  However, sometimes the translation can be odd to say the least. Which is the case with a new Chinese version of the American sitcom FRIENDS, which begins airing in China next week.  It's called PLANET HOMEBUDDIES. No joke.

I heard about his on JIMMY KIMMEL last night and he had a great joke about how it only took them 18 years to do this. Basically, it's the same setup as FRIENDS but set in China and will even have a theme song specially made for them by the same guy who wrote the anthemic FRIENDS song, "I'll Be There For You"...Danny Wilde of The Rembrandts. I wish there were some clips available but all there is now is this weird still, which sorta does look like the '90s. 

No Nice Way To Say It: The Olympic Mascot Looks Like A Penis

There was a great bit on JIMMY KIMMEL LIVE earlier this week about the Olympic mascot for the London Games, which officially open tonight.  There are actually two of them Wenlock and Mandeville and they are supposed to be two drops of steel, which Kimmel says appropriately "makes no sense at all".  Agreed.

When he showed an image of the one on the right (Wenlock I think?) and asked some folks walking down Hollywood Blvd. what they thought it was, the majority though it looked just like a penis.  Seriously.

This would not be the first time an Olympic mascot has caused some concern. There was the weird Izzy from the Atlanta Games, who garnered the unfortunate nickname "Sperm In Sneakers".  But with stories about all the sex going on in the Olympic Village, maybe it's totally appropriate. So let the games begin...

Jimmy Kimmel Asks "Is Uggie A Fake?"

A couple weeks ago, Jimmy Kimmel had Uggie, the dog star from THE ARTIST, on his show to make Oscar picks.  Or did he.  A keen-eyed viewer has pointed out that the dog that appeared on Kimmel's show has different markings than the dog that was in THE ARTIST.  Talking about this shocking discovery on his show last night, Kimmel couldn't believe that someone would pass off a fake to him, for which his show reportedly paid a sizable fee.  As he put it, "it's like someone sending us a Meryl Streep look-a-like instead of the real Meryl Streep."  LoL.

Even more surprising was that the dog on Kimmel's show was the same dog that worked the red carpet at the Globe and the Oscars.  So this begs the question where is the real Uggie?  Kimmel promises a "full investigation."  No comment yet from the Weinsteins.

Uggie Picks Best Picture...THE ARTIST!

On Jimmy Kimmel this week, they've been doing a recurring segment where Uggie, the adorable scene-stealing dog from THE ARTIST, picks Oscar winners.  His trainer lets him loose on stage among posters of the nominees with hot dogs stuck to the top and the one he goes to first is his pick.  He selected George Clooney for Best Actor and Meryl Streep for Best Actress, both favorites in their categories.

Well, last night, it was time for Uggie to pick Best Picture and, surprise, he chose THE ARTIST.  Clearly this is one smart dog as, odds are, the Academy will agree with him when the actual winner is revealed on the Oscar telecast Sunday night.  (Last summer, I beat Uggie's prediction by writing about THE ARTIST as the first potential silent Best Picture winner in 80-odd years.)  We still think Uggie deserves a nomination of his own. However there is no Oscar category for Best Supporting Pet....yet.

Jimmy Kimmel's Halloween Trick Goes Viral

Last week, Jimmy Kimmel aired a Halloween video that has gone super-viral.  More than 16 million hits in the last eight days!  I thought it was one of the funniest segments he's done.  Actually, it's something he only suggested...America did all the work.

On the night of his Halloween show, Kimmel told parents across the country to tell their kids they had eaten all their Halloween candy and film their reactions.  Needless to say, the reactions were intense!  Describing them does not do them justice other than to say that there are some serious sugar-withdrawal meltdowns.

My favorite though is the two brothers at the end.  They are so hysterical (and from NYC, natch!) that they will be on the Kimmel show tonight as guests. Tune in tonight for more...

Getting Married Is Like Winning The Lottery

At least in New York!  As widely reported this week, there has been something of a gold rush of gay couples who want to get married on the first day it is legal in NYC this weekend.  Of course, City Hall can't accommodate the thousands of gay men and lesbians who want to tie the knot on Sunday so they've organized a lottery and the 724 winners will get hitched on the 24th.  Even the losers get something...a cute certificate stating that they wanted to get gay married on that day but couldn't!  I love New York :)

Last night, Jimmy Kimmel's show did a fun little spoof of the gay wedding lottery.  If only it were this easy!

Jeff Bridges Has A Really Cool Website

Jeff Bridges has been on the talk show circuit lately for not one but two movies that are out this holiday season;  TRUE GRIT and TRON LEGACY  Though actually TRON is more like a big video game than a movie.  Granted a very cool looking and sounding video game in which he plays two characters, including a 30 years younger version of himself from the original TRON.

Anyway, I saw him on Jimmy Kimmel last week ostensibly pitching TRON. But they mainly talked about other stuff, like THE BIG LEBOWSKI and the cult of The Dude.  Jimmy also mentioned that he had visisted Jeff Bridges website and was very impressed by it.  I checked it out and have to agree.....it's pretty unique.  Bridges is an artist and photographer and the website utilitzes his quirky handwriting and original drawings to show off his artistic side.  Its really worth a visit...and, unlike TRON, it is free.  Though his photobook of Wideluxe movie set stills and other works of art are available for purchase.

Dan Aykroyd Believes in James Brown, Vodka and UFO's

Dan Aykroyd was on Jimmy Kimmel Tuesday night, talking about James Brown and UFO's.  Apparently, not only is Dan a true believe when it comes to alien visitations, he even had a close encounter himself.  He was flying on the Concorde once and saw some lights taking off in a way that seemed inexplicable.  And he wasn't the only one....apparently 2 others shared his sighting.

He talked about this a bit with Jimmy, who tried to take him seriously.  The audience, however, was giggling throughout the whole thing, unsure if this was some sorta joke. But it's no joke...it's been an interest of Aykroyd's for years and he even did a documentary about it called "Dan Aykroyd Unplugged on UFO's."  He plugged this in a 2006 CNN interview with Anderson Cooper which is even more awkward.

To make things even weirder, Dan is also responsible for that new vodka that comes in a skull shaped bottle, currently display in NYC liquor store windows. It's made in Canada and Dan is an investor in the company.  But to top it all off, this vodka-making, UFO believing, James Brown loving guy was on the Kimmel in the first place because he is voice of Yogi Bear in a new 3D kids movie opening Friday. I know...I buried the lead right? :)