Cory Monteith: An all-too-familiar & tragic Hollywood ending

Last night I received a text from a friend just as the news about Cory Monteith's passing was breaking. This is exactly the same way the Heath Ledger news went down in 2008. In 1993, it was via a New York Post headline for the shocking news of River Phoenix's death. Sadly, the news of losing someone far too young in such a tragic way like Phoenix or Ledger will happen again and again. It's a familiar Hollywood tale.

While we don't know yet what caused Monteith's death since an autopsy won't be performed until Monday. (Toxicology tests can take weeks for the final results.) However, the public and media will speculate what might have happened.

On May 2, I wrote an article about the Glee star and his devoted girlfriend/co-star Lea Michele for SheKnows. The article discussed the united front the two were showing upon his release from his stint in rehab. It's really hard to even read that article now, especially with the adorable video that accompanies it.

Post-rehab Cory Monteith & Lea Michele show a united front >>

I've interviewed Michele before and she is a driven and focused young woman. She's not a familiar face on the Hollywood party circuit. Everyone I know who has worked with the young couple said that they were great together and that the Broadway star's positive influence was good for Monteith. From friends to co-workers, that rehab stint this spring was a surprise to everyone. No one had an inkling he was in trouble and that his former demons had resurfaced.

Addiction is a beast and it's even harder under the microscope of Hollywood, fame and fortune. The 31-year-old was always honest and open about his struggles. In Tinsel Town, it's really an admirable quality in a city that is filled with smoke and mirrors.

As he told Parade magazine in June 2011, "I don't want kids to think it's okay to drop out of school and get high, and they'll be famous actors, too. But for those people who might give up: Get real about what you want and go after it."

Let's remember Cory Monteith as the talent that he was...youthful, hopeful and sweet to the core.

"Just the Way You Are"

Orange Is the New Black: What would you do with your last 24 hours of freedom?

In honor of the July 11 premiere of the new Netflix series Orange Is the New Black, I was given the challenge by SheKnows.com to talk about what I would do with my last 24 hours of freedom.  The series focuses on a woman who is sent to prison because of her relationship with a drug smuggler. 


With only 24 hours to enjoy my freedom, here is what I would like to do:

Location: While I thought I would immediately hop a plane to Bora Bora, my dream destination, the flight takes too long. I don't want to waste my 24 hours on a cramped flight and have to pay for my luggage. So, I am off to Malibu just 15 minutes down the road from my humble abode. I figure a beautiful view is all I need, so this oceanside home should do the trick. All of my friends and family can visit while I chow down on my favorite meal.

Food: As a gal from New England, there is nothing better than a Maine lobster. I would make sure to eat a two pound lobster dripping in butter with a baked potato, corn on the cob and steamers with even more butter. A glass of champagne and a bottle of wine to toast my last day of freedom will also be on hand. Some other items that might make it on to my glorious food table include truffle mac and cheese, homemade bread with butter from Napa Rose restaurant and cannolis from Mike's Pastry in Boston.  If I'm going to have face prison food, I'm going to make sure my meal is good, expensive and high in calories.

Rachel Roy dress, Christian Louboutin shoes, Express NYC clutch

Fashion: I want to spend my last day in the outside world dressed to impress since the orange jumpsuit isn't going to do much for my pasty complexion inside the jail cell. Here's the outfit I picked out to enjoy on my last day of freedom. I wanted something cute and flirty with a really expensive pair of shoes I would never buy for myself in real life. Oh, and a splash of color with the clutch....orange really is the new black.

Relax: A massage, a facial and a mani/pedi are a must for an important day like this. I'm not sure they do extractions for your pores in prison. I want to be as relaxed and laid-back as possible, I imagine the inmates are rather intense, don't you think?

Sleep:  I want the Westin Hotel to send me one of their signature Heavenly Beds so I can sink into a comfy bed because prison sure isn't a five-star experience. I could snuggle with my significant other and slumber away after I've eaten my weight in food and massaged every muscle to say goodbye to my freedom. There is nothing better than a good night's sleep.

What would you do with your last 24 hours of freedom? Let me know in the comments below. 

Check out the new series “Orange is the New Black” on Netflix. For more information check out SheKnows.com.



This is a sponsored post. All opinions are my own.

Media Mondays

Who's that crazy girl in the back on the Tower of Terror? 

It's a new week and I think we all need a fresh start after all of the tragedy last week.  A trip to Disneyland was in order just to lighten the mood a bit, but there was still work to do. Here are all of my media appearances from last week.

AfterBuzz TV DWTS:  If you are looking for last week's show, click here for the video, photos, and more with Witney Carson.

Tom Barnard Podcast:  We talked about the Boston Marathon.  Enough said. You can hear me at the 1:01:22 mark here.

Clevver Movies:  My final appearance on It's a Wrap featured the topic "Are Movies "Based on a True Story" Believable?  Find out what we had to say...Erin Darling, Josh Ovenshire, and Ryan Turek.



SheKnows:  A few of my articles from last week...
Sandra Bullock film to screen for Boston police and FBI--A lovely gesture for some of the hardest working people in the law enforcement.
Sharon Osbourne's 911 call released:  Did she cover for Ozzy?--It appears that Ozzy's addiction problems were happening for a lot longer than anyone realized.
Singer Lauryn Hill facing eviction--She doesn't like to pay her bills.

It's Monday, so you have two opportunities to catch me on the air today:
1:30pm PT Metro News Hotline with Dave Weekley
7:35pm PT Driving with Gass on KWSS.org

Media Mondays

I didn't take any photos in LA last week. In this day and age of all digital, all iPhone, all Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook, I find that hard to believe.  Okay, I do have a few DWTS photos, but I posted those with the Sharna Burgess interviews.  So, I pulled out an old photo from a night out with my pals Jenine Mayring and Kelly Stables from 2004-ish. If Kelly looks familiar to you, she's currently starring on The Exes on TV Land.  The best part of the photo is that I'm wearing a sheer lacy shirt and I have a really bad haircut. Awesome!

Here are a few of my media appearances from last week:

DWTS:  You can find everything here.

SheKnows:
Gwyneth Paltrow's spring fashions total over $450,000--Um, someone might be out of touch with reality.
Selena Gomez: Wingman for her dad at Hooters--Because you just can't make stuff like this up.
Holly Madison: "I was laughing as I was pushing"--She also named her kid Rainbow Aurora. Yikes!

The Radio Dish:  Justin Bieber is a punk. Is it the beginning of the end?  Listen in at the 19:45 mark.

It's Monday, so you have two opportunities to catch me on the air today:
1:30pm PT Metro News Hotline with Dave Weekley
7:35pm PT Driving with Gass on KWSS.org

Celebrity Photos of the Week: Colin Farrell, Sharna Burgess, Rozzi Crane

 Here's a little eye candy for you to end your week. Colin Farrell. 

Colin Farrell attended friend Ante Novakovic’s shorts premiere at the Gasparilla International Film Festival (GIFF) on Thursday, March 21, 2013.  Colin, came to Tampa, Florida to support his friend’s directional debut for the short, The Fix. Rumor has it that he was really sweet to everyone, posing for photos, and watching all of the shorts presented that night. I like to hear that.

 Me and the awesome Rozzi Crane at the Staples Center.

I am still waiting on our video interview, but the article is up on SheKnows!  She's such a superstar and mark my words, she's going to be big. Read all about her and her career as the first artist signed to Adam Levine's 222 Records.

Me, Sharna Burgess, Suri Serano, and Karl Warden

 It was so much fun to return to AfterBuzz TV for Dancing with the Stars. In case you missed it, here is the video and my exclusive article with Sharna Burgess for SheKnows.



Colin Farrell Photo Credit: GIFF
AfterBuzz TV Photo Credit: Suri Serano

Media Mondays...on a Tuesday

Green river in Chicago!

I hope you all had a fun St. Patrick's Day weekend. My holiday was spent in Chicago where they take the holiday very seriously. The crowds were lined up at the bars as early as 8 a.m. in order to drink their green beer. The weather was freezing though, so I hope it was worth it. I can't imagine needing a drink that badly, but then again, I can't drink green beer anyway.

Here are some of my media appearances from last week...pick and choose your adventures!

I spent a lot of time writing last week, so it was nice to go for a run outside and see this.

If you missed my Ryan Seacrest/Julianne Hough article about their split and the PR machine about the breaking story, click here. To see the new promo for AfterBuzz TV's Dancing with the Stars, click here.

Tom Barnard Podcast:  The one where I accidentally ask if former Minnesota Vikings player Mike Morris had a Super Bowl ring. Oops, I didn't know Vikings didn't win the Super Bowl. Listen here.

The Radio Dish:  Does Matthew McConaughey have hair plugs? I give you the truth on his hair regrowth. Listen in at the 17:45 mark.

On the Fox lot to catch a sneak peek at Epic.

SheKnows:  My favorite articles from last week:
Epic: Animated films reflect a new generation for girls--My sneak peek look at the animated film, Epic.
Ryan Seacrest and Julianne Hough call it quits--They are never, ever, ever getting back together.
Director Ang Lee makes his next move: FX's Tyrant--As an Oscar winner, your next move is important. Lee makes a smart choice and does something fresh for his career.

Don't forget that I will be back on AfterBuzz TV with our first episode of Dancing with the Stars for Season 16. Our first guests will be Sharna Burgess and Andy Dick!  Watch us here live at 9pm PT. 

The Art of Breaking News: Ryan Seacrest and Julianne Hough

Yesterday, a big story broke at the end of the day and I talked about the thrill of breaking news on my Facebook page. When I say "big", I am not talking about important news that affects the world, I am talking about Hollywood fluff.  That's a part of my job, so that's what I am referring to here.

On Friday, at the end of a work day and the news cycle, it was announced via "sources" to People magazine that Ryan Seacrest and Julianne Hough had broken up.  I hopped on and wrote the breaking news article for SheKnows here as well as linking it to my Facebook page after my copy editor polished it up and published it. (I lucked out on the timing. I had to write one more article for the day just as the news was breaking.) The reactions to the breakup were interesting; everything from "the contract is up" to "I was rooting for them as a couple."

It's fascinating to me how the public interprets what publicists put out there and what the truth actually is. I usually read between the lines on the stories because it is Hollywood and it is all smoke and mirrors.  So, let me break down a few things about the Seacrest/Hough story.

And before anyone calls me heartless, I will go on record to say that breakups are tough and they are even tougher when they are public.

Also, I've interviewed Julianne twice now (here and here) and I think she is a total kick-ass awesome kind of gal. 

The Details
     1.  Ryan is 38 years old, Julianne is 24 years old.  There is a big age difference between the couple.
 
     2.  They both have huge careers. No one is busier than Ryan Seacrest, no one. Julianne
spent several months promoting Safe Haven. She has two other movies coming out this year. Her career is no.1 at this stage of the game. Julianne is young and she has to strike while the iron is hot.

    3.  Even though there has been no official statement from the couple's rep. Trust me, this is PR 101. You release a story at the end of the day and at the end of the work week. It lessens the impact of the news since less people are tuned into their TVs or the internet.  (Massive PR 101 strategy is releasing the news on a holiday weekend. See the Bethenny Frankel divorce announcement for an example of how it is done.)

     4.  The reason the news was released?  You can bet it relates back to the story about Julianne and the theft of her jewelry making headlines earlier in the week. Why was she staying at a friend's apartment when she lives with her boyfriend?  The media started sniffing around and the couple knew they had to make a move.

     5. "Sources" gave the exclusive to People.  People always does celeb-friendly articles.  They keep it light, tell the public they are still friends, etc. The source was most likely their publicist.

A few people have asked me if they will get back together?  My guess is that this is the end of the line for the couple. He's married to his work and she has a hot career to handle right now.  They were both supportive of each other's work though. In fact, Ryan was hanging out with the entire Hough family at the after party for the Safe Haven premiere.

As for the rumors about a dating contract because one of them is allegedly gay...I've never had any confirmation about those rumors in comparison to someone who might have starred in Saturday Night Fever, Grease, and Pulp Fiction.  So, until I hear otherwise...I think it's a case of age, heavy work schedules, and life in the public eye.

Now, that I've broken it all down for you. I want to hear your thoughts! Hit me up in the comments below:

Media Mondays

A gluten free cupcake from Frosted Cupcakery. Yum!

All of my media appearances from last week.  Pick and choose...and enjoy!

Dara On Radio:  Dara always asks the really good in-depth questions about what goes on behind the scenes at the awards shows. This time, it was all about the Oscars.  Listen here.

Tom Barnard Podcast:  The most I will ever reveal about my significant other is right here on the Tom Barnard Podcast.  Also, Tom reveals his love for Ed Burns.  Listen here, I come in at the 48:00 mark.

SheKnows: A few of my favorite articles this week--
Who Gave Barbara Walters The Chicken Pox?--Frank Langella, but she never explains that New Year's kiss. Hmmm...
Director Sam Mendes says no to the next Bond film--This bums me out.
Emma Watson vamps it up in The Bling Ring--I cannot wait to see this Sofia Coppola movie.


WNWO:  I make a little cameo at the 2:15 mark...in Toledo!


Cocktails and Conversation:  It was fun to be back with Erika and Robin after a little longer hiatus than normal. We talked about why Justin Bieber is a punk. I come in at the 17:00 mark. Listen here.

Media Mondays

Oh, I am a little slow on my Media Monday this week.  I think things will be back to normal-ish by Wednesday, so I will update you on what has been happening.  Here are all of the crazy places I was last week:

Oscars:  If you missed my coverage, you will find it all here.

Tom Barnard Podcast:  This was a fun episode since I had the opportunity to appear with a former colleague from ShopNBC, Christopher Straub. If you are a fan of Project Runway, then you remember him from Season 6.  Listen here.

SheKnows:
Did Anne Hathaway have an Oscar-sized meltdown?--All signs point to a "yes."
Jack Nicholson crashes Jennifer Lawrence interview--Creepy or just Jack?
Jennifer Aniston ready to be Mrs. Theroux--Then the baby bump rumors begin all over again.

Oscars 2013: The Red Carpet Interviews!

The top photo might be my favorite from all three years of covering the Academy Awards. It was so much fun yelling with the fans in the bleacher seats.  How could you not get excited? I am suffering from my usual Oscar hangover from fatigue (not alcohol!). It's such an exhausting, but exhilarating week.

Also, I have been talking a bit about #MySmarterCommerce which is IBM's campaign to see how technology affects our daily lives. It was so interesting for me to see a jump in interactions via Twitter since I was live Tweeting the red carpet. I couldn't even keep up with responding to everyone this year.  Holy cow, it was great!  I love to see technology impacting us all in a fun way.

Here is some of the inside scoop from this year's Oscars:

The official article on Starpulse.
The Oscars: What you didn't on TV for SheKnows.
My dress info is here.
Thanks to the Huffington Post for making my interview with Craig Zadan and Neil Meron #5 as a part of "The Queerest Oscar Moments of All Time"
And, of course, the interviews below!

I will have more coverage coming your way through Friday.

Let me know your favorite moment from Sunday night's Oscars in the comments below.

The perfect interview for Disney dorks, John Lasseter

With Luz Peña from FOXMundo.  You might remember her from Oscars 2011.

Sherri Shepherd from The View is always a fun interview.

Cracking up Django Unchained producer, Stacey Sher. She saw her Oscar nominee info card and we didn't have any "fun facts" about her. Don't worry, she's fun!

Photos courtesy of James Molnar, Gold Knight Blog

Media Mondays

This is the sneak peek of my dress. With my stylist, Roni B.

It's officially Oscars Week and I am off and running.  I will try and do a few short videos so you can see how crazy the week actually is.  My favorite is always giving you a behind the scenes look at the red carpet.  I don't have access to the red carpet until Tuesday afternoon when they officially let the media into that area.

Last week, I announced my partnership with IBM and the #MySmarterCommerce campaign.  On Media Mondays, you kind of get an inside glimpse of how technology really affects my job.  Without the internet...I have no job!

Oscar Road Trip:  I was in Chicago last week to follow Oscar around the country. Okay, well, I only went on one stop, but check out my article for Starpulse on my adventure.  It was nice to see the golden guy again.

Safe Haven:  Did you see the movie over the weekend?  Here are my interviews with Julianne Hough and Josh Duhamel. Josh is cute.  Like...really cute.

Your PC Hero:  I met Allen Berrebbi when I was in Vegas for the IAWTV Awards and he asked me to be on his show.  Here is our fun interview where we talked a lot about working on the web. Thanks, Allen!

IAWTV Awards:  You never know what will turn up in a Google Alert, but this sure did!  It's an interview on the red carpet at the IAWTVAwards where I give a little advice on working in the web.

Tom Barnard Podcast:  It's all Oscars talk! I come in at the beginning, so listen in here.

On the Disney lot last week to see Oz The Great and Powerful.

Oz The Great and Powerful:  While I won't be sharing my interviews just yet, you can see what was in my gift bag.  It was definitely a good day for the Disney fan in me.

Kia of Cerritos:  My latest spot is here!  I finally saw one of the commercials air for the first time yesterday.  I think I was the last one to see myself on TV because these spot run frequently.



The Radio Dish:  Oh no.....we talk about Kris Jenner getting her own talk show. The Kardashians will never go away.  I come in at the 22:00 minute mark.

SheKnows:  My favorite articles from last week.
SheKnows interviews Wendell & Vinnie star Jerry Trainor--He's just really funny.
Don Diamont knows his soap fans want "scripted material"--Nobody has better fans than soap stars.
Lindsay Lohan's film, The Canyons, finds a distributor--I'm dying to see this film. Seriously.


You have 2 opportunities to join me today:
1:30pm PT Metro News Hotline with Dave Weekley
6:35pm PT Driving with Gass on KWSS.org

Media Mondays

I feel like the weeks are whipping by in 2013, so I was grateful for a day and a half off this weekend.  This week starts an even bigger whirlwind as we trudge towards the last 20 days of awards season 2013...Nominees Luncheon, a commercial shoot, movie premiere, a trip out of town, and a desperate Oscars dress search.

Here are my media appearances from last week:

Dara on Radio:  I made a return appearance and chatted about the SAG Awards and what it means to the Oscars.  Right now, all eyes are on the Best Picture category.  Listen here.  (You can find the rest of my SAG Awards coverage here.)

Tom Barnard Podcast: All I have to say is "Dat Ass."  It's hilarious.  Start listening at the 13:00    mark. I promise you, it's worth it.

If you know about my Club 33 obsession, then you know I need to get into California Adventure's 1901 too.  

The Radio Dish: At the 20:30 mark, you can listen to the latest snark about Kim Kardashian and her butt. 

SheKnows: Some of my articles from last week. 

Cody Simpson: "I feel blessed"--If you have a teen in your house, then you know they will like my interview with him. 

Lindsay Lohan too sick to appear in court--Another day, another Lohan drama.

January Jones: "My hair is falling out in clumps"--Slow news day. 

My football strawberries!

Cocktails and Conversation:  It's the first Saturday of the month and we dished all about the BeyoncéBowl.  That's right, the Super Bowl is just a myth, it was a Beyoncé concert. I come in at the 23:00 mark. 

If you missed my awards show updates from last week, check them out here, here, and here.  I also gave out some DWTS dish, so click here.  

I'll be on Metro News Hotline with Dave Weekley today at 1:30pm PT/4:30pm ET.  Or join me at 6:35pm PT/9:35pm ET on Driving with Gass at KWSS.org for your Super Bowl and Oscar Nominees Luncheon update.

Media Mondays

 Totally excited by my new iPad Mini to carry me through the rest of awards season.

Last week felt busy and not so busy all at once.  Does that make sense? It was rainy in LA and a lot of my work involved my laptop, writing, broadcasting, and sitting on the couch.  I wore pj bottoms and then would have to do hair, makeup, and wear a cute shirt for my Spreecasts. I was a hot mess of contradictions.

Here's what happened in the media last week.

Full spread of lobster, caviar, and truffle mac and cheese at 9am.

Governors Ball Preview: If you missed my coverage of the Governors Ball Preview--the official party of the Oscars, head here.

Slamdance Film Festival: If you want to see my fun interviews with the filmmakers of Slamdance, click here.

Kate Danley:  I had the opportunity to interview author, Kate Danley, who has done extremely well with her fantasy-genre novel, The Woodcutter.  She gave me the inside scoop on big and small screen plans for the book as well as Maggie for Hire.  You can watch the Spreecast below:



Tom Barnard Podcast:  Holy cow!  This was a crazy show.  Tom had comedian Steve White on the show and I am not sure I got a word in edgewise.  That's okay, White ruled the show....he's funny.  Listen at the 20:00 mark.

Metro News Hotline with Dave Weekley:  I am proud to announced that I am joining the WCHS family in West Virginia on Mondays at 1:30pm PT/4:30pm ET for a weekly entertainment segment.
You will be able to listen live here.

SAG Awards:  I may never do this again, but I revealed my votes for the nominees in the movie categories.  I then broke down the red carpet with my Top 11 thoughts.  Finally, you can watch my Spreecast with James Molnar of The Gold Knight about what the SAG wins mean to the Oscars.



SheKnows:  Some of my favorite stories from last week.
Adele to perform "Skyfall" at the Oscars--Will all 6 James Bonds appear too?
The Oscars will honor the movie musical--Will Jennifer Hudson sing?
Natalie Portman says "au revoir" to the US--She's moving to Paris!

The Radio Dish:  Oh My!  This was one hilarious appearance. We talked about the lack of underwear in Hollywood and Jon Hamm's uhhhhh.....gifts?  Check it out.

I also hit the press junket for Safe Haven with Josh Duhamel and Julianne Hough, but those interviews will hit the week of Valentine's Day.  

You have 3 opportunities to join me today:
1:30pm Metro News Hotline with Dave Weekley
5:00pm Spreecast with DWTS Troupe Member Henry Byalikov
6:35pm Driving with Gass on KWSS.org

All times are PT.  Hope to hear from you at one of my media appearances!

Behind the Scenes of the Governors Ball

While I have covered highlights of the Governors Ball the week of the Oscars, this is the first year I was invited to cover the preview that happens in the actual ballroom. The committee sets up about a quarter of the room to give you an idea of what it will look like for celebrities like George Clooney, Anne Hathaway, and Jennifer Lawrence on Oscar night.  The chandelier alone that changes colors from moment to moment to create a really cool atmosphere.  If you saw my photo on Facebook, you know that I looked like I was in Oz. A minute later when we took the photo of my cameraman, AJ, it was orange.

The food by Wolfgang Puck is always delicious from the Kobe Beef Sliders to the Smoky Tuna Tartare, it's just delicious.  However, watch the video below, we catch him wiping his nose.  Ew.



My article and photos from the morning at SheKnows will give you even more insight on the morning and I shared quite a few photos from the room and the decor.
From Dining to Decor: A Sneak Peek at the Governors Ball

Finally, I was lucky enough to make the official cocktail sponsored by Patrón.  It shows that I have no backup plan in my career because I make a terrible bartender.  So, I better keep at this entertainment reporting thing.  I drank wine, champagne, and tequila all before 11am.  It was quite nice.


My article for Starpulse, along with the videos, will be a feature this weekend, so I will update it here later this week.

Look at how excited I am to dive into a cocktail at 10am.  It was delicious!

If you are free tonight, please join me LIVE on Spreecast at 7:30pm PT/10:30pm ET as I interview the nominees from the 2013 Slamdance Awards.  The lucky nominees are in Park City, Utah while I will broadcasting from rainy LA.  RSVP here.

Last chance to enter my Metric CD giveaway!  You have a REALLY good chance to win because I have multiple copies to give away.  Enter here.

Media Mondays

I love finding crazy photos of me on the internet.  This is from the IAWTV Awards where I dragged my former co-host, Matt Troyer, to be my +1.  Photo courtesy of Brenda White.

Are you guys ready for another week?  I sure am because this week I'm checking out the Governors Ball decor and food in the actual ballroom where all the celebs party after the Oscars.  It's the first time I've ever covered this event, so I'm am so excited.  I have done some coverage in the past the week of the Oscars, but it's never in the ballroom since it's too close to showtime. Let me know if you have any questions for Wolfgang Puck, he will be there cooking up some delightful treats.

Also, if hit the home page, you will notice I did a little 2013 makeover for the blog.  Let me know what you think of the layout.  I want to do more with it, but for now I think it gives it a fresher look and it's easier to find old posts if you missed them.

Finally, a big THANK YOU to all of you.  This weekend, I had the highest views ever on my blog since I came online in 2009.  I am so excited to meet new friends (Be sure to say "hi" in the comments below.) and I truly appreciate my friends that have been here since the beginning.  Tell me what you would like to see in 2013 here on Red Carpet Closet because without you, I wouldn't be able to do my job and bring you all the insight from Behind the Red Carpet.

Now, on to Media Mondays:

Hyundai:  I have been fortunate to host their internet shows from locales like New York, LA, and now, Detroit.  It's been such a thrill to work with the Hyundai and CDG team to bring this show to life.  Everything is live, so you never know what will happen.  This time, we did a behind the scenes look of the booth, so it gave viewers at home an idea of how big the Detroit show actually is.  Take a look here or see a photo of the event here.

Spreecast:  My fellow entertainment reporter, Lindsay Hoffman, and I chatted about this week's hottest Hollywood stories.  She's sitting on a big story that breaks on Wednesday while I dished about the rumor that Jessica Simpson is supposedly having a boy.  Check out the archive below if you want the latest scoop on Britney, Lindsay, Rihanna, and Demi....Lovato, not Moore.




Tom Barnard Podcast:  Tom and I agreed this week about Spielberg and his films.  If you are following the Oscars race, you might want to hear our opinions on this one.

Dara on Radio: I occasionally stop by Dara's show throughout the year.  Last week, I chatted about the Golden Globes and the differences between the awards shows.  I will be back on her show January 29th and March 5th, but, in the meantime, you can check out the archived show here.

More photos from IAWTV Awards.  Photo courtesy of Brenda White.

The Radio Dish: Fun highlights from the Golden Globes with the ladies in Kansas City. I come in at the 20-minute mark.  Lots of snark going on this week...lots.

SheKnows:  Here are my 3 favorite articles from last week:
Zoe Saldana and Chris Pine to host the Sci-Tech Awards--Two Trekkies at the Sci-Tech Awards? Perfect!
Will the cast of Les Mis perform at the Oscars?--I hope so!
River Phoenix's last film to be seen 20 years later--He's still missed after all of these years.

Don't forget to enter my Metric CD giveaway here.

Tonight is #RadioBurtt night at 6:35pm PT/9:35pm ET on KWSS.org on the Driving with Gass show.  I'll kick off your week with the latest in entertainment news. See you there!

My 2013 Oscar Nominations Coverage

Well, the longest day of the year has officially come and gone.  Yep, Oscar Nominations Day is always   a fun, but tough day to get through. This year, I woke up at 1:30am so I could get to the theatre in time to set up at 3am.  By 4am, I was happily eating bacon and a Jamba Juice in preparation for the big announcements. (By the way, Jamba Juice and Coffee Bean sponsored the beverages this morning.  That's a first and it was totally appreciated.)

No heels until showtime.  A girl has to be comfy at 4am.

As always, the nominations came at a fast and furious pace for a total of 8 minutes.  Seth MacFarlane and Emma Stone were completely charming and I am excited for Seth's hosting gig.  Then the nominations came and wow!..... there some major snubs.

Here's my article on the Snubs and Surprises for SheKnows.

It's great catching up with old friends.  Megan Telles from ABC Las Vegas.

This year, after giving my video assessment with The Academy's nominations, I was lucky enough to interview legendary film critic Leonard Maltin and the executive producers for this year's show, Neil Meron and Craig Zadan.  The producing duo gave me some great inside scoop on what to expect for this year's show.

Here's my video coverage for Starpulse.

And my pal Luz Peña from MundoFOX

Finally, my favorite thing to write is the behind the scenes scoop that you miss while watching the nominations on TV.

So, here's what you missed this morning with my Top 5 for SheKnows.

The dress was $74.99 retail, but I used Ebates to get additional money off.

The Dress:

This was the winning dress! Congrats to Robin who picked this "Luck Be a Lady" dress from Modcloth.  It fit like a glove and the PR team from Modcloth agreed after they saw my photo on Twitter.  Robin gets a $25 gift certificate to the store of her choice. (By the way, I added a thicker belt versus the skinny belt the dress came with to slim down my waistline on camera.)

As for the Shabby Apple dress, Jennifer picked a beautiful dress for me.  However, the one that was sent to me was not the champagne color, it was gray.  The lining of the dress didn't match up with the lace, so it was poorly constructed.  I was pretty disappointed in the overall quality.  So, Jennifer has great taste, I just wish the Shabby Apple dress was exactly the same as what we saw online. The good news is that Jennifer can relish in the fact that she won the popular vote.  Her pick received 58% of the vote.


Finally, I had fun with James Molnar of Gold Knight Blog who assessed the Oscar Nominations in a fan chat for Spreecast.  Do you agree with our picks?

 My awesome cameraman, AJ, who did a great job shooting all of the videos today.

Hanging with Oscar