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TodaysAdvisorEntertainment Art, Music, Television, & Film Dedicated as we are to a successful lifestyle, as well as a succesful business life, we employ not one, not two, but three critics dedicated solely to Art, Music, Television, and Film: Richard 'Buck" Ryder, Carter Lyman Hall, and Jake Hamilton. We also include articles from Special guest writers. __________________________________________________________________________________________ TodaysAdvisorEntertainment Entertainer-of-the-Year! Michael BubleI TodaysAdvisor has a certain commitment to style, which we believe is a big element of success, both personally and professionally. A person with great style attracts attention without trying, without saying a word. Great style is cool, and we've been committed to that since Day 1 of this venture. We've named our Top 5 Coolest Men of the past half century, we have an entire section dedicated solely to style, and now we've chosen as our TodaysAdvisorEntertainment's 2009 Entertainer of the Year, the stylistic, cool crooner from north of the border, Michael Buble.  There are many who try to bring back the storied days of the Frank Sinatra 'Rat Pack' era that defined and, actually, still defines Vegas cool to this very day. Usually these guys try to immitate Sinatra from some show room or lounge, ubiquitous tuxedo in tow. Not Buble. With his cool, laid-back Canadian style, boyish good looks, winning smile and charm that has melted the ladies hearts (including Oprah's on a visit to her show), plus, less we forget, great talent, coupled with a real feel and commitment to this kind of music (and by that we mean Sinatra styled jazz that we today refer to as 'standards') that not only seeks to immitate the day of yore, where Buble would simply be the next imposter, the next impersonator, here today, gone tmorrow, but rather, to actually refresh and reinvigorated the genre. Notice I didn't say revitalized or breathed new life into it. This is because the beauty of this music and the reason they are called standards, is because these songs are timeless. Unfortunately, its the acts that perform them that are all-too-often, second rate. That is, until now. Now, how do we know? Here's how: Some 25 million albums sold. 4 world-wide tours, sold out. Grammy Award winner. Coveted spot on Oprah, chart-topping, gold record selling albums and a UK tour that sold out - in 52 minutes. And now, a massive 2010 tour that will take him through the U.S. and Europe on the heals of his new album, Crazy Love, that has reached #1 in the U.S. Artist of the year? Sure - in fact, this guy might just wind-up the artist of the next decade - you never know. Runner-Up: Alec Baldwin  Alec Balwin, as Jack Donaghy, that is. Look, there's a lot of great reasons to watch the NBC award-wnning series 30 Rock, the intelligent writing, inspired casting (thank-you Tina Fey and Lorne Michaels), but the best reason has become the character of Jack Donagy. He could easily be the center of the show, but he's not (despite an Emmy Award for Best Lead Actor in a comedy). He's definitley in a supporting role, but he's on air so much, you probably won't notice. Generally its just for a line or two, a big laugh (from those watching) and then he's gone. But those lines border on the trnascendent. In fact, there are web pages that have been created dedicated solely to chronicling his lines from various episodes. As for his connection to TodaysAdvisor, well, what can we say. Most of us have worked in the corporate environment, never have we ever seen anyone do it with such relish as Jack Donaghy. To paraphrase Don Adams as Maxwell Smart, Donaghy is corporate, and loving it! Although, to be fair, he is almost never seen doing anything corporate. His great moments on the series are just to numerous here, but we would be remiss in not acknowledging at least a couple, like: Donaghy: You have to fire 10 percent of your staff. Liz Lemon: What? Donaghy: We have to synergize backward overflow. - Or, Liz Lemon (encountering Donaghy in a tuxedo): Your event isn't tonight? Donaghy: No. Lemon: Then why are you wearing a tux? Donaghy: It's after 6, what am I, a farmer? - Or, this one: Donaghy: Alfredo's, 2 p.m. Lemon: I'm not dressed for that. Donaghy: You're dressed for Burger King. Should we make it Burger King? - OK, OK, one more: Donaghy: She needs to lose thirty pounds or gain sixty. Anything in between has no place on television. You want more, because there's a million of them, just Google 'Jack Donaghy quotes.' Web pages featuring his quotes are practically a cottage industry in cyber-space. The great writer F. Scott Fitzgerald once famously said that there are no second acts in American lives, but, in Alec Baldwin's case, there is, and he has made the most of it. ______________________________________________________________________ Star Wars In Concert Star Wars In Concert. Some 14 themes from the Star Wars films done live, with full orchestra and film clips from each of the 6 films, thematically chosen and edited to follow the music. Bacially what we have are 14 music videos, if you will, put together with clips from the films to showcase what each theme was written to represent, for example, Luke's Theme, The Jedi Theme, Darth Vader's Theme, The Imperial March, etc. Don't worry if you don't know which theme is which, you already know them all from some 30 years worth of Star Wars film. The film clips are shown on 3 HD Video screens, giantic enough to please U2 - or just about any other rock act on the planet. In fact, that was the idea. To take the orchestra and play the themes in a rock concert atmosphere and setting. To go along with the music and video, there is also the dramatic, high-tech concert lighting that would go along with any big-league, first rate rock show.
The show premiered at the new O2 Arena in London and is now working its way through the States complete with a stop in Dallas at the brand new Cowboys Stadium. Star Wars the Concert is playing in the States throughout the remainder of 2009. Like the circus used to be when Ringling Brothers would roll into town, this one is for children of all ages and is not to be missed. ______________________________________________________________________________ TodaysAdvisor Exclusive Feature: The History of Rock and Roll, Rock's First Act 1929 -1959 Click here ___________________________________________________________________________________________ Rock Music Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band, Ready for another go with new album and tour Oasis - The return of the world's best band Van Morrison - 2009 see's a new tour from the Irish troubador. By Buck Ryder, Music Critic-at-Large _____________________________________________________________________ Television Frontline PBS: Obama's War - The season premiere pick's up where last season's dramatic and brilliant "Bush's War" ends. IFC: Monty Pythin: Almost the Truth, The Lawyer's Cut - Need we say more? HBO: Curb Your Enthusiam returns with the cast of Seinfeld for the reunion that's not a reunion, but is, in fact, a reunion. How very Seinfeld. PBS: Ken Burns returns with another sprawling epic documentary: "National Parks - America's Best Idea" - on PBS and on-line at PBS.com By Carter Lyman Hall, Television, Beverage and Culture Critic-at-Large Click Here For The Stories __________________________________________________________________________ Film 
TCM Classic Film Festival - Hollywood, CA. Coming in April 2010 30 Second reviews: Reviews of popular films in theaters and on DVD & Blu Ray that you should be able to read in 30 seconds (more or less). Click here For The Stories _______________________________________________________________________________
ART  The Greek and Roman Galleries Re-Open in Grandeur at The Met The Origins of Western Civilization at the Greek and Roman Galleries at New York City's Venerable Metropolitan Museum of Art
For the first time, the entire collection from Pre-historic Greek to late Roman will be on display at the venerable Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City. Over 50 years ago many of the pieces went into storage, and consequently, only half of the collection was left on display. But now, after an extensive and breathtaking remodeling, all of the pieces from the collection can be viewed in their collective grandeur once again.
Basically a 'museum within a museum', Phillipe de Montebello, Director of the Museum, states that “There is no event in the upcoming season that is so defining for the life of this institution, for New York, and for art lovers around the world than the completion of the New Greek and Roman Galleries…these majestic new galleries, more than a dozen years in the making, will bring one of the world's great collections of classical art to light in a new way.” Aparently, back in 1949, the museum's director at the time decided that the Met needed to modernize itself (which actually seems to defeat the purpose of having a museum in the first place, if you ask me), and update and so they put away at least half of their Greek and Roman pieces in order to build a restaurant. Aparently nothing says 'modern' like over-priced food. Now, as crazy as that all sounds now, it probably seemed like a good idea at the time, I'm sure. Now, the story goes that museum-goers quickly realized that it was much cheaper, and probably easier, to eat somewhere first and then hit the museum. But, sadly, all of the pieces they had packed away, stayed packed away. That is, until now.
The newly re-stored collection will include examples of Hellenic, Etruscan, Southern Italian, and Roman art. Carlos Pincon, Curator in charge, Department of Greek and Roman Art, issued a statement which read, in part, “It is a landmark event not only for New York and for our museum, and actually the whole country, because it is the first time, if you look at it historically, that you will be able to see the whole breadth of the collection, from prehistoric Greek to late Roman, since 1949.
“These galleries were built for Greek and Roman in the first quarter of the 20th century, and they lasted less than a quarter century, and they were turned into a restaurant and offices. They were put to other uses than Greek and Roman art. And half of the collection went into storage in 1949 and it's taken us over 60 years for it to be seen again. So basically you have not seen half of our holdings—our public has not seen half of our works of art in the Department of Greek and Roman—since 1949, and now you will get to see them in the logical progression, from the earliest Greek to the end of the Roman Empire.”
Nothing short of a monumental accomplishment, the New Greek and Roman Galleries at the Metropolitan Museum of Art are not to be missed. If you find yourself in New York this fall or winter, be sure to include an excursion to the Met to see this one-of-a-kind exhibition. There may be no other exhibit in the world that spans this time period, with as extensive a collection, in one location, as does this one. Over 5,000 objects are on display encompassing some 30,000 square feet of exhibit space, housed in its own wing. By Carter Lyman Hall, Art & Culture Critic-at-Large
The Metropolitan Museum of Art
1000 Fifth Avenue at 82nd Street
New York, New York 10028-0198
General Information: 212-535-7710
TTY: 212-570-3828 or 212-650-2551
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Magna Carta to Come to New York City in 2009i i Friday, July 4th 2008, 7:47 PM - From the New York Daily News
Britain's foremost national treasure is coming to New York.
The Magna Carta - the medieval document that set the global standard for religious freedom, trial by jury and other liberties - will headline a display of historic documents in lower Manhattan next year, the Daily News has learned.
The Fraunces Tavern Museum is finalizing a date to bring the 793-year-old charter - the best-surviving of four known copies - to the city for the first time since the 1939 World's Fair in Queens, museum officials said.
Plans call for a 90-day exhibit featuring the Magna Carta - valued at $40 million - as well as centuries-old prints of the U.S. Declaration of Independence, the Constitution and other landmark papers.... To read more Click Here
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Classical Music The Death Of Luciano Pavarotti A Voice for the Ages is Silenced Editor's note: With the passing of one of the world's greatest singers, Lucianno Pavarotti, we asked classically trained singer, and himself a renowned tenor, Kenneth Gayle, for his reminiscences' of the great man. Addio Maestro... By Kenneth Gayle (Special to TodaysAdvisor)
In the short time following the death of Luciano Pavarotti memorial tributes have been numerous; musicians and non-musicians alike have tried to explain what the loss of this singular artist means.
My own appreciation of Maestro Pavarotti began as a student tenor in college. Prior to beginning study I'd heard of the man and even owned a holiday album featuring him, but I wasn't fully conscious of what he or his art represented. As my studies deepened and I began listening to recordings of tenors at my teacher's suggestion, I started to appreciate his gifts. The immediately recognizable sound of his voice could caress and tickle your ear, stop your breath, and open your heart. The magic of his singing couldn't be ignored. Pavarotti was blessed with an undeniably beautiful voice - a combination of warmth, brilliance and spontaneity that enabled him to access his true gift - communication.
As a young artist I modeled my voice on his. I prepared the tenor entrance aria from Bellini's I Puritani for a voice lesson with my mentor; the long, lyrical melody is simple and exposed, requiring formidable technical polish to navigate a high C-sharp midway through. Pavarotti's much-touted top voice remains the standard in this repertory and so I was proud to have sung the aria note-perfect in my lesson without undue strain. My wise teacher's response: "That was beautiful, Ken, but you always sing beautifully. I just don't get the impression that you're telling me anything." I went back to that recording and the practice room with that comment in mind.
As I matured as a singer - and person - my appreciation for Maestro Pavarotti grew. His genius was for manifesting all of the things that teachers and coaches try to teach singers - the wedding of technical facility to communication. His singing couldn't be ignored because he used his voice to tell you a story - and he loved it! The excitement that he projected was contagious which is probably why his star shone so brightly beyond the opera house...and the world is a bit brighter because of it. Mille grazie, Maestro! Mr. Gayle is an alumnus of the Lyric Opera Center for American Artists and a cum laude graduate of the College of Creative Arts at West Virginia University. The Seattle native is also a past recipient of the Seattle Opera Guild scholarship for voice and opera theater and a former member of the Seattle Opera Young Artist Program. Hailed as one of the "Faces to Watch" and “…one of a new breed of opera singers…” Kenneth Gayle is accumulating accolades in a growing career in opera, oratorio, concert and stage. You can find out more about Mr. Gayle at his web site: www.kennethgayle.com ____________________________________________________________________________________________ | | 
Entertainment NEWS The 82nd Academy Awards: We Predict the Winners: Picture: The Hurt Locker Possible Upset: Avatar Director: Kathryn Bigelow, Hurt Locker Possible Upset: Jim Cameron, Avatar Actor: Jeff Bridges, Crazy Heart Possible Upset: Forget it. It's Bridges or nobody Actress: Sandra Bullock, The Blind Side Possible Upset: Meryl Streep, Julie & Julia Supporting Actor: Chrisoph Waltz Posible Upset: Christoher Plummer Supporting Actress: Mo'Nique, Precious Possible Upset: Forget it. It's Mo'Nique or nobody Animated Feature: UP! Possible Upset: Forget it. Some people think that UP! was the best film of the year, period. Cinematography: Too close to call. Could be one of three. The look of Inglourious Basterds, the tough job of filming The Hurt Locker and the challenges of technology faced by Avatar. In the end we think Avatar has to many computers to count and Hurt Locker is pretty straight forward with the editing being the true star. So, that leaves Inglourious Basterds. It's a Work of Art. And that's the great Robert Richardson, by the way. Writing: Original Screenplay: The Hurt Locker Possible Upset: Actually, any of them. Adapted Screenplay: Precious Possible Upset: Up in the Air ____________________________________________ Kathryn Bigelow wins Directors Guild of America award for "The Hurt Locker" After "Avatar" Triumph at the Golden Globes, "The Hurt Locker" regains momentum with Kathryn Bigelow's Best Director award win from the Director's Guild of America. Bigelow becomes the first woman to ever win the award. This also firmly places her as the favorite for the Oscar, after Jim Cameron's surprising upset at the Golden Globes for "Avatar". Since the voters are pretty much the same for the DGA awards and the Oscars, it would be a tremendous upset if she should lose. Only 6 times in the past 61 years has the winner of the DGA award not gone on to win the Academy Award. As mentioned in the story below, Bigelow and "The Hurt Locker" had alrady triumphed throughout the awards season with wins from the National, New York and L.A. film critics societies before the Golden Globe wins by Cameron and "Avatar". At this point it is difficult to imagine that the Academy would buck this obious choice for the award, as well as its historic significance, making Bigelow the first woman to ever take home the Oscar for Best Director. 1 Click here Let the campaigns ensue, but most voters will probably give the big prize of Best Picture at the Oscars to "The Hurt Locker" for its skill at filmaking, rather than the breathtaking technical accomplishments at the center of "Avatar". One only needs to look back at "Star Wars", clearly the phenomenon of its day, but a loser for Best Picture to Woody Allen's "Annie Hall." _________________________________________________ "The Hurt Locker" Sweeps National, L.A. and New York Film Critics Awards i Film wins Best Picture, Director (Katryn Bigelow) and Actor (Jeremy Renner). First film since "L.A. Confidential" to do so. Click here _______________________________________________ Avatar Wins Holiday Box Office UPDATE - Avatar has now surpassed $1 billion in global box office receipts. - January 3, 2010 The James Cameron picture "Avatar" won the Holiday weekend box office bringing in an estimated $75 million. Guy Ritchie's "Sherlock Holmes", despite less than stellar reviews, came in second with a respectable estimate of $65 million, setting a record for a film opening on Christmas. ________________________________________________ 
Actress Brittany Murphy Dies Variety reports that the web site TMZ.com has learned that the actress Brittany Murphy has died in L.A. of an apparent heart attack. She was just 32 years old. The often-troubled actress had been busy of late with roles in several up-coming films althogh she had been fired from one picture recently for been dificult to handle on the set. She starred in such films as "8-Mile", "Clueless" and "Don't Say a Word." She was pronounced 'dead on arrival' at LA hospital Cedars-Sinai. Click here _________________________________________________ Zucker Discusses Comcast Deal Media conference looks at the implications i From Variety - Jill Godsmith - Posted Tues., Dec 6 - Perhaps the best thing about the prospect of NBC Universal joining forces with Comcast is that the cable giant is a pure media company with a "singular focus," NBC U chief exec Jeff Zucker told an investor confab Monday. Click here _________________________________________________ Comcast, GE unveil NBC U deal Zucker to become CEO of new entity i From Variety - By JILL GOLDSMITH - Posted: Thurs., Dec. 3, 2009 - After three months of fevered speculation, giant cable company Comcast and industrial behemoth General Electric announced early Thursday a definitive agreement to form a joint venture combining GE's NBC Universal with Comcast's entertainment assets. Click here ________________________________________________ MGM headed for sale Studio library, logo may be auctioned off soon 
Wed., Nov. 11, 2009, 6:06pm PT - MGM may be the best known logo in the entertainment business, but the company seems headed for another possible garage sale. Several sources say they expect that MGM will essentially be auctioned off within the next few weeks. Click here _______________________________________________ Warner moves toward mobile content By MARC GRASER Posted: Tue., Oct. 6, 2009, 5:13pm PT - From Variety.com Warner Bros. is dialing up plans to distribute more of its movies, TV shows and original fare onto mobile devices, and has tapped Natalie Farsi to spearhead the effort for the studio. In the newly created post, Farsi will essentially manage the mobile business for Warner Bros. Digital Distribution and Warner Bros. Television Group, expanding the development and marketing of ad-supported mobile websites, applications, mobile games, video services and messaging products for the studio's various divisions. She also will be Warners' key negotiator with wireless carriers and mobile service providers. "Mobile is one of the fastest-growing areas of our industry, offering numerous opportunities to build new and innovative distribution models that will positively impact our business and provide continued growth," Farsi said. She reports to Andy Mellett, senior VP, Warner Bros. Digital Distribution, and Brett Bouttier, senior VP, digital, Warner Bros. Television Group. Farsi already had been working with Warner Bros. as a consultant, since 2007, helping to launch a mobile version of "TMZ." Before that, she served as senior VP of mCommerce and content for Fox Mobile Entertainment, where she oversaw Fox Mobile Studios. Farsi also has served as VP of media at mobile entertainment venture m-Qube. Click here for the original story on Variety.com
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