plus 3, Ex-Wildcat Mason now a filmmaker - Arizona Daily Star

Ex-Wildcat Mason now a filmmaker - Arizona Daily Star
Heidi Montag, I love you!!!! - Salon
Idol: Wrapping up the auditions - Seattle Post Intelligencer
'American Idol' Road to Hollywood: Drama Queen and Teenage Heartthrob - AceShowbiz

Ex-Wildcat Mason now a filmmaker - Arizona Daily Star

Posted: 03 Feb 2010 11:02 PM PST

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Former Arizona Wildcats basketball player Harvey Mason now does his scoring in the music studio rather than on the basketball court.

Mason, a member of the 1988 Final Four team, is already a successful musician. He's earned seven Grammy nominations, produced songs for Whitney Houston, Britney Spears and Chris Brown, and written a song for "Glee."

Mason has also produced music for "Shark Tale," "Dreamgirls" (for which he produced three songs that were nominated for Oscars) and other films.

Now he's become a filmmaker. He produced "More Than a Game," a documentary about LeBron James and his high school teammates' struggles to put distractions behind them to win an Ohio State and national championship.

Mason worked for four years on the film, for which he also wrote a song. Directed by Kristopher Belman, the movie is a nominee for best documentary at the Independent Spirit Awards. It was released Tuesday on DVD.

The 41-year-old Mason lives with his wife, former volleyball player Jeannine, and teenage children Trey and Mia, in Manhattan Beach, Calif.

How did you get into film?

"It happened that my babysitter was friends with a kid named Kris Belman, who had been shooting a documentary in Akron and had 250 hours of footage. He asked her if (I) knew anyone in the entertainment industry. I knew some people in the movies and I tried to make contacts with him."

And you were impressed with the footage?

"He came to my studio and played me a little trailer he put together and edited on his laptop. I was immediately blown away. LeBron was just kind of developing to be LeBron. At one point, a lot of people were interested in the footage. ESPN wanted to make a special of LeBron highlights. But I saw something more - a story with more story, more depth to it that would be a feature film. We partnered and made it our mission to finish the film."

What were the obstacles?

"The obstacles were more in the production, getting it finished. It took us four years to really assemble all of the footage in the right place. We didn't approach it as a documentary. We didn't want it to look like a documentary. We wanted it to have the feel of a theatrical motion picture."

Has the film opened doors for you?

"It's definitely going to bring other opportunities to the table. I have some other film projects and TV stuff, as well as my music business, and making music for film as well."

It's a movie about a great, almost unbeatable team, so how were you able to tell it as an underdog story?

"It's really about five boys' relationships and them coming to terms with what their goals were and how they're going to accomplish them. Because of the personal element, they were underdogs. Some of them didn't grow up with parents."

Do you still play basketball?

"I play in a league called the Entertainment League. It's all actors and singers. … I do pretty well, but it's hard on my body. I've had five knee surgeries and three torn ACLs. I'm not as quick. Can't jump. Can't shoot."

If you're involved in filmmaking and would like to be featured in a Q&A, write to pvillarreal@azstarnet.com

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Heidi Montag, I love you!!!! - Salon

Posted: 03 Feb 2010 11:52 PM PST

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I was checking out the cover and noted a big number of what I call "Entertainment and Movie" topics. I thought, "Tink, you could write that shit too and have it ignored by Ed just as easily as writing about the first time you dry humped a porcupine."

And my main fans, the ones I write for anyways, the ones who can't fall asleep like the "regular" folks or who find themselves just coming home from a three day drunk from drinking some bad apple juice, they will like it too!

They can say, "Yeah, I had heard about that show from Tink's new whenever he feels like writing it column called I READ IT IN A MAGAZINE..." and not be telling a lie or something.

It also didn't hurt that I finally read this week's copy of Entertainment Weekly that I subscribe to(actually, the subscription expired in November but for some reason EW keeps sending them to me, I guess they like me. No, I didn't pay for it anyways but got it by redeeming some of my points from mysurvey.com. I also got a subscription the same way to Cat Fancy magazine, highly recommended by Tink himself, just for the pictures! Tink can't read!!!!) and a few of the articles made me go, "I could write about that!" so well, that's what I'm doing.

The first "clip" was about Heidi Montag and her record sales of like 658 records in her first week.

Some of you might be asking yourself, "Tink, who the fuck is Heidi Montag?" and my response would be "Exactly!" but some of you, the normal folks, the ones who actually have a chance to watch television are saying, "Oh Tink, Heidi Montag is that girl from the Facts of Life, the one who killed herself!!! You bastard, making fun of the dead!!"

And my response, "You need to get off the Nick at Nite kick!"

For those of you who really give two fucks and a doll, Heidi Montag is some character on a "Hit Reality Television Show" on MTV called "Punch me in the Clit!"

No, no, no, just kidding, from what Google says, she's on something called The Hills and no, Tink has never watched the show. He has seen clips on something called 'The Soup' on E! Network and it has made Tink avoid the show like something that is very very bad, like a tummy ache or something.

Thank you Joel McHale and The Soup for providing me with enough insight into shows so I can keep up with the cool kids.

Heidi's album is called "I want to have sex with Tink" and now you know why it sold sooooo many copies!

Haha, just kidding, it's called Superficial.

No, really. Would I lie to you?

I mean, I might, but only about my life, presidents' lives, and well, maybe like about The Golden Girls but that's it.

I have standards.

They're just not very high!

I know what you're thinking and you're right, that's not very many records sold especially when you consider how much money Heidi spent to make this album.

According to my sources(HI GOOGLE!!), Heidi spent like millions of dollars of her own money to make this record.

You read that right my friends, millions of dollars. She had heard it cost millions of dollars to make Britney Spears' albums and she wanted that same quality.

No, I'm still not telling fibs.

And no, you can shake your head if you want to.

So tonight, I have decided to write something, in hope that future reality tv show stars will read and understand ---

To whom it may concern,

I know you're out there, some TV show star, of something called maybe "Marry my sister!" or "I was a teenage slut whore" and you've got money burning a hole in your pocket.

Instead of throwing it down the recording hole, why not donate it to some special causes.

There's lots of them out there, feed the children, help the homeless, give Tink enough money to make a record album himself, etc. etc.

And if you send it to Tink, just write the check out to his foundation's name, CASH. CASH stands for Center Against Slamming Hamsters. Every year, 1000s if not hundreds of hamsters get slammed up the bums of hundreds if not tens of rock and roll superstars and Hollywood producers. CASH wants to stop this horrible practice. Won't you help?

Good night and have a better tomorrow and remember what Drew Barrymore says to all her young female fans --- STOP READING ABOUT HEIDI MONTAG!!!!!

P.S.

Yes, I bought her album, to go right into the vault of the greats, including K-Fed's!!!!

Now, I'm lying to you.

**wanders off**

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Idol: Wrapping up the auditions - Seattle Post Intelligencer

Posted: 03 Feb 2010 09:57 PM PST

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OK - really, really, really. REALLY. These are the last of the Idol auditions.

Jesus, take the wheel. And drive us to Hollywood.

But first, more bad singers. Some good ones. Nothing that seemed truly, truly great. And a "beautiful man-flower," which made things worse and better at the same time.

Here are the select few we'll be seeing next week:

Jessica Furney: A repeat auditioner, she sucks up to Simon by singing Footprints In the Sand, a song he co-wrote for Leona Lewis. It's just sort-of blah, but they like her. Enjoy it, Jess. You may not survive Hollywood.

Amanda Shoctman: Not bad. But she looks a bit too messy. Like a squat Pia Zadora. And that Britney Spears impresonation? This is the way you do it:

Lee Dewyze: Another pseudo-soul white boy. BORING.

Crystal Bowersox: Please stop singing Piece Of My Heart. Not just you, everyone.

Lacey Brown: The sweet-voiced singer from Amarillo was rejected last season in favor of top 12-er Megan Joy. Will she make it all the way this time?

Rachel Hubbard, Thaddeus Johnson and Genesis Moore: Big voices that only had a few seconds to shine.

Michael Lynche: He sings fine, but that musclehead attitude might be a turn-off to viewers.

Didi Benami: She dedicated her audition to her deceased friend. And Didi sort-of looks like past contestant Brooke White. A light, quirky voice. I like her.

Aaron Kelly: Is this kid really 16? He looks 12. He also sang The Climb. I'd say no just because of that pooka necklace. (OK, he wasn't bad. But Hollywod is going to eat him alive.)

Hope Johnson: From Arlington. She's kinda cute. And I love that she smiles when she sings.

Next week -- Hollywood, finally. Bring on the tears! And I hear a few Houston singers have made the cut.

American Idol airs at 7 p.m. Tuesdays and 8 p.m. Wednesdays on Fox.

- Posted by Joey Guerra

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'American Idol' Road to Hollywood: Drama Queen and Teenage Heartthrob - AceShowbiz

Posted: 03 Feb 2010 10:33 PM PST

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Simon Cowell could not stand the amount of drama a contestant displayed when she was criticized, and he gave a vote of confidence to a teenage boy with country flavor.

"American Idol" reviewed back the past auditions in Road to Hollywood. The last audition episode revealed that there are a total of 181 people going to Hollywood. Soon the show will begin the Hollywood week where Ellen DeGeneres begins her stint as Paula Abdul's replacement.

The first in Hollywood episode was Jessica Furney who tried out once with a Janis Joplin song. With a new look and a new song choice, she sang Leona Lewis' "Footprints in the Sand" which Simon Cowell co-wrote. Victoria Adams said she had no idea Simon was behind the song while Simon kept self-praising the song. Jessica went through with four votes.

Amanda Shectman displayed her skill in impersonating Britney Spears' voice. But in the audition, she sang nothing like the pop star. Victoria advised her to work on the expression while Kara DioGuardi told her to connect with the song. Simon mocked Amanda's drama queen attitude but gave her a yes. The other judges did similarly. Outside, Amanda continued to be dramatic with tear-filled 'acceptance speech'.

Meanwhile, Stephanie Fisher thought the seventh time around, she would be lucky. The very tan girl said her motivation got higher knowing that her idol Victoria was on the judging seat. She sang "Fever", got stopped and told by Simon her voice was horrible. Stephanie said she was too nervous because Victoria was there so the judges asked Posh to turn around while Stephanie sang another song. The result was the same, so they sent her home without ticket.

Aaron Kelly was the type of teenage boy who would get a lot of votes from young girls. When he was about a year old his aunt and uncle saved him and his brothers from social service's grab when their parents hit the low. He sang "The Climb" and Simon thought it was a pretty good audition. He went through to Hollywood.

The Hollywood Round is divided into four parts, airing on February 9, 10, 16 and 17. The last day of the Hollywood Round will reveal the Top 24. Twelve female contestants will perform live for the first time on February 23 while the male ones take the next day. Audience will be able to vote from there and the result where two female and two male are eliminated will be read on February 25.