Just In Time For Halloween! New Indie Film “Babangluksa” Opening in Manila October 26

From Our Special Correspondent in Manila

“Babangluksa”, a new horror indie film opens Wednesday, October 26, 2011  in selected Manila area cinemas to be announced soon… a pre-Holloween special treat starring Precious Lara Quigaman, Luis Ady Alandy, Angelika Dela Cruz Full, Roselle Nava… executive producer is Joseph Paolo Henry, written and directed by U Juan Santiago.

PRODUCTION STAFF
DIRECTOR: Yuan Santiago
ASST. DIRECTOR: Arvin Almaida
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER: Joseph Paolo Henry
LINE PRODUCER: Aldrich Huang
DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY: Patrick Ferrer
MUSICAL SCORER: Diwa De Leon
LIGHTING DIRECTOR: Mervin Delos Santos
PRODUCTION DESIGN: Manny Samaniego
WARDROBE: Gina Veloria
PROSTHETICS: Maria Victoria Contretras
PUBLICIST: Mell Navarro
CASTING BY: LIPS Entertainment

American Idol Fan Favorite Pia Toscano Signs With 19 Recordings/Interscope Records

American Idol Favorite Pia Toscano Signs With 19 Recordings/Interscope Records. (PRNewsFoto/Interscope Records, Andrew McLeod)

SANTA MONICA, Calif., July 6, 2011 /PRNewswire/ — Interscope Records announced that it has signed Season 10 American Idol contestant Pia Toscano to a recording contract and will release her debut single, “This Time,” via all digital retailers on July 12th. Toscano will perform “This Time” when she hits the road for the American Idols Live! 2011 Tour, which kicks off July 6th in Salt Lake City, UT, and continues through the summer before concluding on September 10th in Rochester, NY.

“I am thrilled to be joining the Interscope and 19 Recordings family,” Toscano says. “[Interscope Geffen A&M Chairman] Jimmy Iovine was an amazing mentor during my time on Idol and I’m looking forward to working with him and everyone at Interscope Records and 19 Recordings. This is a dream come true.”

A showcase for Toscano’s rich, emotionally transparent voice, “This Time” was written and co-produced by Esther Dean, who is known penning hits for such artists as Nicki Minaj, Katy Perry, Mary J. Blige, Christina Aguilera, Rihanna, Nicole Scherzinger, and many more. The acoustic guitar and beat-driven track is just a taste of what’s to come when the Queens, NY, native releases her debut album, which she is currently working on, later this year.

Widely considered one of American Idol’s Season 10 frontrunners thanks to her powerhouse vocal ability and dark-haired beauty, Toscano’s early elimination shocked and visibly upset judges Randy Jackson, Jennifer Lopez, and Steven Tyler. The latter said of the voting public: “They’re wrong. I don’t know what happened with this. She’s beautiful. When she sings, she’s a bird.”

Outraged fans took to Twitter to express their support, including celebrities such as Tom Hanks, Jennifer Hudson, Ellen DeGeneres, Alyssa Milano, Dax Shepard, Marlon Wayons, and Ashton Kutcher. Kutcher phoned in to “On Air with Ryan Seacrest” to opine: “I think she was probably the best pure singer on the show, and she’s got all the makings of what it means to be a star in my opinion, so I was just irked [when she was voted off].”

Fans can check out Pia this summer on the American Idols Live! Tour where she will be performing her debut single “This Time.” Please visit http://www.americanidol.com/tour/ for tour dates and more details.

SOURCE Interscope Records
RELATED LINKS:
http://www.interscope.com

Fashion and Retailing News: Madonna & Daughter Lola Debut New Material Girl Marketing Campaign Featuring Kelly Osbourne

KELLY OSBOURNE Madonna along with her daughter Lola unveils the new Fall 2011 marketing campaign for their junior brand, Material Girl starring Kelly Osbourne. The campaign creative represents the quintessential New York City scene with Osbourne photographed in Times Square, Rockefeller Plaza, Soho, the West Village, Little Italy and Chinatown. Material Girl is exclusively available at Macy's and macys.com. (PRNewsFoto/Iconix Brand Group, Inc.)

Material Girl and Macy’s Launch Back-To-School Marketing Campaign

NEW YORK, June 29, 2011 /PRNewswire/ — MG Icon, the joint venture between Iconix Brand Group, Inc. (Nasdaq: ICON) and Madonna, in partnership with Macy’s announced today it will continue its association with actress and television personality Kelly Osbourne for the fall 2011 Material Girl marketing campaign titled, “MG + NYC.” The multi-media marketing campaign will debut in September issues of fashion and lifestyle magazines such as PEOPLE StyleWatch, Nylon, Seventeen, Teen Vogue and Cosmopolitan as well as online, outdoor, in-store and in Macy’s marketing collateral.

“We have both enjoyed working with Kelly and are thrilled to have her on board for the launch of the Fall 2011 collection,” commented Madonna and her daughter Lola.

“I’m really enjoying being the face of Material Girl. I love being part of a brand for girls and having the opportunity to work with Lola who has an amazing fashion instinct. Added to that is the fact that Madonna has been a big influence on my style over the years,” stated Kelly Osbourne.

The campaign creative represents the quintessential New York City scene with Osbourne being photographed for a series of print ads in Times Square, Rockefeller Plaza, Soho, the West Village, Little Italy and Chinatown. The background includes the world famous Empire State Building, as well as a more playful feel with Osbourne on top of a double-decker tourist bus riding down Fifth Avenue.

Dari Marder, chief marketing officer, Iconix Brand Group, commented, “Kelly has been an amazing partner for Material Girl; she has truly embraced the brand and our consumers have reciprocated.” Marder added, “The essence of Material Girl is all about your own personal style and individuality. The new fall campaign, ‘MG+NYC’ reflects all the different sides of our Material Girl, from uptown to downtown.”

“Today’s ‘Material Girl’ really relates to the fashion independence and individuality of Kelly Osbourne,” said Martine Reardon, executive vice president of marketing and advertising, Macy’s. “We are so excited to continue with Kelly for the fall season, as we look to bring fresh fashion and inspiration to our new generation ‘Material Girl.'”

In addition to appearing in the campaign, Osbourne will make personal appearances on behalf of Material Girl brand at Macy’s.

Material Girl is a fast-fashion junior collection inspired and designed in collaboration with Madonna and her daughter Lola, along with Iconix Brand Group’s in-house fashion department. To stay up to date with the latest news from Material Girl, follow @MaterialGirlCol on Twitter and use the hash tag #MGNYC. Become a fan of Material Girl on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/materialgirlcollection.

SOURCE Iconix Brand Group, Inc.

RELATED LINKS
http://iconixbrand.com

Jimmy Smits to Host an All-Star Line-Up for “A CAPITOL FOURTH” on PBS, July 4th

CAPITAL CONCERTS A CAPITOL FOURTH A CAPITOL FOURTH, live on PBS July 4 at 8/7 C stars (from left to right) Steve Martin, Jordin Sparks, Jimmy Smits, Josh Grobin, Matthew Morrison and Kelli O'Hara. (PRNewsFoto/Capital Concerts)

WASHINGTON, June 16, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — A CAPITOL FOURTH, the live PBS broadcast of America’s favorite Independence Day tradition, will feature unrivaled performances from some of the country’s best-known musical names topped off by the greatest display of fireworks anywhere in the nation. Emmy and Golden Globe Award-winning actor Jimmy Smits will host the all-star line-up that includes: Grammy and Emmy Award-winning actor and musician Steve Martin performing with the Steep Canyon Rangers; multi-platinum recording superstar Josh Groban; Tony, Emmy and Golden Globe nominated star of stage and screen who has just released his debut self titled album Matthew Morrison (Glee); American Idol winner Jordin Sparks; Rock ‘N Roll legend Little Richard performing with the cast of the Broadway smash hit Million Dollar Quartet; three time Tony-nominated Broadway star Kelli O’Hara; and the National Symphony Orchestra under the direction of top pops conductor Jack Everly. Consistently one of the highest rated programs on PBS over the past decade, A CAPITOL FOURTH became the top-rated program in primetime on PBS for the 2009-2010 season. The event will air in HD from the West Lawn of the United States Capitol on Monday, July 4, 2011 from 8:00 to 9:30 p.m. ET (check local listings) before a concert audience of hundreds of thousands, millions more at home, as well as to our service members around the world on the American Forces Network. A CAPITOL FOURTH can also be heard live in stereo over NPR Member stations nationwide.

“It’s a tremendously uplifting feeling as hundreds of thousands of Americans join together on the lawn of the U.S. Capitol, singing the National Anthem as the National Symphony Orchestra plays,'” said executive producer Jerry Colbert. “As we watch the nation’s capital light up with fireworks, it helps us forget our differences and remember that we are all Americans. I can’t think of a better place to celebrate our freedom and the nation’s birthday.”

Offering viewers extended coverage of the fireworks display, A CAPITOL FOURTH will capture the stunning pyrotechnics from every vantage point with twenty TV cameras stationed around the city – including the U.S. Capitol, the White House, the Washington Monument and across the Potomac River. In celebration of America’s 235th birthday, the show will be capped off with a rousing rendition of Tchaikovsky’s “1812 Overture” complete with live cannon fire provided by The U.S. Army Presidential Salute Battery, an audience favorite and now an A CAPITOL FOURTH tradition. Also participating in the event will be The Choral Arts Society of Washington, along with The U.S. Army Herald Trumpets, The U.S. Army Ceremonial Band, the U.S. Air Force Band Ceremonial Brass, Members of the Armed Forces carrying the State and Territorial Flags and the Armed Forces Color Guard provided by the Military District of Washington, D.C.

SOURCE Capital Concerts

Related Link:

www.pbs.org/capitolfourth

BattleCam.com to Broadcast The Hard Rock 12 Hip Hop Event Live From the Hard Rock Hotel in Hollywood, Florida USA

BattleCam.com to Broadcast The Hard Rock 12 Hip Hop Event Live From the Hard Rock Hotel in Hollywood, FL. (PRNewsFoto/BattleCam.com)

Event Will Celebrate Hip Hop Weekly’s Hard Rock 12 Collector’s Edition Magazine Release

LOS ANGELES, May 26, 2011 /PRNewswire/ — Eccentric Billionaire Alki David will present Worldstarhiphop & Hip Hop Weekly’s first collaboration, “The Hard Rock 12” Celebration live on BattleCam.com from the Opium Club at the Seminole Hard Rock Cafe, Hollywood, Florida, Thursday, May 26 at 9:00 p.m. PDT.  The event will be available free at http://www.battlecam.com/hiphop, http://worldstarhiphop.com/videos or hiphopweeklylive.com 

The Hard Rock 12 event commemorates Hip Hop Weekly’s “Hard Rock 12 Collector’s Edition” issue due on newsstands nationally on May 31.  The issue  features the 12 hottest new artists in Hip Hop for 2011.  The Hard Rock 12 were selected by Hip Hop Weekly and Worldstarhiphop and include:

• Waka Flocka Flame
• French Montana
• Tyga
• Roscoe Dash
• Vado
• Gunplay
• Guyana
• Y.C.
• Machine Gun Kelly
• J Dawg
• LEP Bogus Boys
• Travis Porter

The proprietary BattleCam technology will allow for featured online guests to stream live to the online event with their webcams.  BattleCam will also facilitate live chat as the event hosts will chat with the online audience live and in real time throughout the event.

The Hard Rock 12 artists will appear at the show, which is hosted by the Ciroc Boyz DJ’s. FilmOn and BattleCam founder Alki David will also host The Hard Rock 12 remotely from Beverly Hills. The Hard Rock 12 Collector’s Edition magazine release party and show is the official kickoff event for the huge weekend of festivities in the Miami area over the long Memorial Day holiday weekend.  The Hard Rock 12 Collector’s Edition Magazine will be released nationwide on May 31, 2011.

“BattleCam continues to bring live, exciting events, such as The Hard Rock 12, to our interactive Web community of thousands,” said Alki David, founder and chairman, BattleCam.com and FilmOn.  “This partnership with Hip Hop Weekly will help introduce thousands to the BattleCam community and its unique interactive features where members with Webcams are able to broadcast to thousands of other members.”

“We are very excited to partner with Worldstarhiphop and Alki David to create such a tremendous platform for this talented group of rising Hip Hop stars,” said Dave Mays and Ray Benzino, co-founders of Hip Hop Weekly. “The Hip Hop Weekly and Worldstarhiphop brands complement each other well, and together we represent the future of urban entertainment media, delivering authentic content to the global Hip Hop Generation.”

“Worldstarhiphop has always been a proud supporter of new and upcoming artists,” said Lee “Q” O’Denat, founder and owner of Worldstarhiphop.com. “Our site was built on providing aspiring artists an opportunity to be seen and heard on a massive scale. So, when Hip Hop Weekly presented me with the opportunity to work with them on an offline event that will showcase the new acts of 2011, it was naturally appealing to me,” he said. “We are bringing the most talked about new acts you’ve seen on the pages of Worldstarhiphop and Hip Hop Weekly LIVE, you can’t beat that.”

On BattleCam.com, any registered user can broadcast live from any webcam to an audience of thousands. Audiences get to vote on whether they keep that person on or not by selecting “I like it!” or “Poop.” Returning guest appearances include personalities such as Wesley Snipes, Billy Zane, Barry Bonds, Gary Busey and Ron Jeremy to name a few.  The best BattleCam.com broadcasters develop cult fan followings and in those circles are deemed legendary for their particular brand of entertainment, whether they are a musician, break dancer or stunt actor. They have the opportunity to, earn redeemable rewards points for their efforts from anywhere in the world. Unsuccessful broadcasters are discarded after their 15 seconds expires.

Worldstarhiphop.com and Hip Hop Weekly have each vaulted to the top of their respective fields in the past 5 years, overtaking their older, longer-established competitors. Worldstarhiphop has exploded to become not only the number one urban/hip hop website, but also one of the most highly-trafficked websites in the world. Hip Hop Weekly, which has won multiple magazine awards in the past few years, last year became the #1 selling urban entertainment magazine on newsstands in America. With more than 5 years of leg work behind them, Worldstarhiphop and Hip Hop Weekly have become among the most recognized and trusted brands in hip hop media, serving a market now estimated to consist of more than 50 million members of the Millennial Generation who identify with hip hop culture.

SOURCE BattleCam.com

RELATED LINKS
http://www.battlecam.com

Event News: Never-Before-Seen Photographs of Marilyn Monroe Exhibited in Honor of 85th Birthday Celebration

Marilyn Monroe, from the Last Photos, original photograph, signed,1962, Andrew Weiss Gallery, copyright George Barris/Edward Weston Collection. (PRNewsFoto/Andrew Weiss Gallery)

BEVERLY HILLS, Calif., May 24, 2011 /PRNewswire/ — On June 1, 2011, the day Marilyn Monroe would have turned 85, the Andrew Weiss Gallery, the world’s largest dealer of Marilyn Monroe photography, will launch a major exhibition of rare and never-before-seen original photographs of the legendary star. Titled “Happy Birthday Marilyn”, this exhibition will include photographs from the personal collection of George Barris, the last photographer to take pictures of Marilyn before she died. Also featured are photographs by Bill Carroll, who captured the very first photographs of Norma Jeane, and works by the major photographers of her era including Laszlo Willinger, Tom Kelley, Milton Greene, Bert Stern and many others.

“These photographs are very dear and personal to me,” says George Barris, who will attend the show opening on June 1st. “Marilyn was much more than a photography subject, she was a friend. She had an inner light that comes through in her images, even many years later, and I am pleased to work with the Andrew Weiss Gallery to share my experience of Marilyn with her fans and the public.”

In addition, the Gallery will be partnering with the Marilyn Remembered fan club to empower Marilyn’s fans around the world. Fans can participate in the celebration by sending personal birthday wishes to the Hollywood icon. The personalized greeting cards sent to the gallery during her Birthday month, June, will be exhibited in the gallery alongside the photography, creating a first-ever exhibition of its kind, combining photos of Marilyn Monroe with personal messages from those she continues to inspire and impact around the world.

The exhibition will open to the public June 2nd and continue through August 13th. This is an opportunity for Marilyn enthusiasts, fans of the featured photographers and art collectors of all kinds to see this stunning, ground-breaking work for the first time.

The gallery is located at 179 S. Beverly Dr, Beverly Hills 90212. Hours: Tues.-Sat. 11:00am-5:00pm, or by appt. For more information call (310) 246-9333

Visit the website andrewweiss.com or email info@andrewweiss.com

SOURCE Andrew Weiss Gallery

Travel News Update: U. S. President Barack Obama Will Be Visiting Ireland This Week

Ha’penney Bridge, Dublin – Photo Credit,Tourism Ireland

Mr. Obama’s heritage has been traced to the village of Monegall in Co, Offaly.

New York, May 19, 2011 /PRNewswire/ — U.S. President Barack Obama will receive the warmest of Irish welcomes when he visits the Emerald Isle this week. Hundreds of thousands of well wishers will line the streets as the President makes his first visit to Ireland – home to some of his ancestors. Mr. Obama’s heritage has been traced to the village of Monegall in Co, Offaly. There is a great sense of pride in this tiny picturesque village located at the very center of the island, where preparations are in full swing.

Canon Stephen Neill, Local Church of Ireland Vicar, “Since St. Patrick’s Day when the announcement was made that he was actually coming to Moneygall, since then it has literally been a media storm. My phone never stops ringing. But it is a good story, we are happy to share a good news story with the world. This is something very positive and it’s positive for Ireland too. I think it’s very good that the president has indicated his confidence and interest in Ireland by coming to visit us here and I think it is the kind of boost we need.”

President Obama will become one of eight hundred thousand Americans expected to travel to Ireland this year and his visit is being seen as a great opportunity to encourage more U.S. vacationers to make the trip in 2011.

Niall Gibbons, CEO Tourism Ireland, “We have huge connections with America and we look forward to deepening those in years to come and giving a warm Irish welcome to all the Americans that come here. There are 40 million people of Irish decent in America and we think they are going to be thrilled that President Obama is coming here and the genealogical connection is an indelible one and we are delighted that president Obama is coming here to discover his roots with us in Ireland.”

Fiona Fitzsimons, Genealogist, Eneclann, “Well, we traced back nine generations from the president, so we took Megan Smolenyak’s work and we took it back another four generations again, tracing it back to the late 1600s and that’s a real achievement in Irish Genealogy because so many of the records have been destroyed over the previous 300 years. The thing to remember as well, is that the president’s family, they weren’t rich, they weren’t anglo Irish, they were simply a regular family and to be able to trace them back was really quite something.”

President’s Obama direct descendents are looking forward to welcoming home their famous family member.

Henry Healy, distant relative of the president, “We hope he will come and visit the school house behind me where his ancestors were educated. The ancestral home still stands in the village, that’s another important site, also Templeharry church. So there are three important sites within the area for anyone to come and visit, and of course it wouldn’t be a presidential visit to Ireland without a traditional stop off in the local pub for a pint of Guinness.”

During his stay President Obama will also visit the capital city of Dublin where a huge celebration rally is planned.

For more info on visiting the island of Ireland check out – www.discoverireland.com

Event News: Duran Duran to Perform at Cannes Film Festival European Launch of BELVEDERE PRODUCT(RED)(TM)

The creme de la creme of the entertainment and film industry are set to join Duran Duran at the Cannes Film Festival for an unforgettable evening at the legendary VIP ROOM to celebrate Belvedere's exciting collaboration with (RED)(TM) - a new special edition bottle to help raise proceeds for the Global Fund, the world's leading financer of programs to fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria(TM). (PRNewsFoto/Belvedere Vodka)

LONDON, May 12, 2011 /PRNewswire/ — The creme de la creme of the entertainment and film industry are set to join Duran Duran at the Cannes Film Festival for an unforgettable evening at the legendary VIP ROOM to celebrate the European launch of (BELVEDERE)(RED).

Following in the footsteps of music icons Debbie Harry and Grace Jones, the Grammy award-winning group will entertain Cannes revellers with a memorable performance.

The Cannes Film Festival is renowned as the world’s most glamorous film festival and will be the setting for the European launch of Belvedere’s exciting collaboration with (RED)(TM) – a new special edition bottle to help raise funds for the Global Fund, the world’s leading financer of programs to fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria(TM).

This exciting collaboration will see the introduction of a (BELVEDERE)(RED) Special Edition Bottle in late Summer 2011. Both (RED) and Belvedere Vodka are unanimous in their objective to empower global consumers to help eliminate HIV/AIDS.

Guests will gather at VIP ROOM to toast the launch with classic Belvedere cocktails and enjoy a set from one of the world’s most successful bands

Charles Gibb, President Belvedere and Millennium Imports states “Belvedere Vodka is delighted to join (RED) in the fight against AIDS by helping to raise funds generated from the global sales of (BELVEDERE)(RED) Special Edition Bottle. As one of the world’s leading spirit brands, we are in a unique position to harness the power of our customers to benefit the millions of people who are at risk, or are living, with HIV. We want to raise consumer awareness and incite more global action to eliminate AIDS in Africa. Our message is simple – (PRODUCT)(RED) helps saves lives.”

“(RED) harnesses the collective power of consumers and business to fight HIV/AIDS, so we are delighted to add the (BELVEDERE)(RED) Special Edition Bottle to our existing (PRODUCT)(RED)(TM) portfolio of products and services,” says Seb Bishop, CEO, (RED)(TM) International.

SOURCE Belvedere Vodka

35th Annual Macy’s 4th of July Fireworks® to Celebrate U. S. Independence Day and the 125th Anniversary of the Statue of Liberty

Macy's 4th of July Fireworks - Gift of Freedom - July 4, 2011 at 9:00 PM. (PRNewsFoto/Macy's)

NEW YORK, May 13, 2011 /PRNewswire/ — Freedom will ring, thunder and boom this summer as Macy’s 4th of July Fireworks®, the nation’s largest display of patriotic firepower returns to celebrate Independence Day. An awe-inspiring spectacle of color, light and sound will rumble over New York City on Monday, July 4th at 9:00 pm, as Macy’s dazzling celebration ends the holiday with a bang. With more than 3 million live spectators and millions tuned in nationwide, the Hudson River will be the showcase for more than 40,000 fireworks that together will ignite the sky for the nation’s 235th birthday party.

“Macy’s 35th annual fireworks display will once again dazzle millions of New Yorkers and a national television audience like never before, as a kaleidoscope of brilliant colors and jaw-dropping effects stretch for two miles across the Hudson River,” said Amy Kule, executive producer of Macy’s 4th of July Fireworks. “Building on 34 years of success, we will ignite the skies of New York City with the nation’s largest fireworks display celebrating Independence Day, as well as the 125th Anniversary of the Statue of Liberty.”

“This year especially, we are keenly aware that our freedoms are hard-won gifts that we can never take for granted,” said Mayor Michael Bloomberg. “And there’s no better way to celebrate Independence Day than with a New York tradition that’s as great as America itself – the Macy’s annual fireworks show. The pyrotechnic displays dazzle us and fill us with immense pride for our country and city. They also remind us that fireworks are best left to the professionals – so please don’t try to set your own off at home. It’s illegal and unsafe.”

Gift of Freedom, the theme of this year’s pyrotechnic spectacular will pay special tribute to the 125th Anniversary year of the Statue of Liberty that for generations has served as a beacon of hope and freedom for millions. “Since 1886, the Statue of Liberty has proudly stood in New York Harbor at the gateway to the American Dream,” said Bill Schermerhorn, creative director of Macy’s 4th of July Fireworks. “This year’s show will reflect both the united pride of our nation and the variety of our dreams, with light-hearted celebratory songs, and emotional patriotic standards. It’s a birthday celebration for all of us.”

The starting point for any Macy’s Fireworks show is the musical score to which the pyro spectacular will be choreographed. Featuring beloved Independence Day standards such as God Bless America and The Star Spangled Banner, the score this year will also feature some of the hottest pop songs of our times including hits from stars Taio Cruz, Everclear, Jennifer Hudson, Katy Perry and LeAnne Rimes. In addition, Broadway stars Anika Noni Rose and Karen Olivo will pay tribute to the “Lady in the Harbor” with a bilingual rendition of the original song Gift of Light.

The 35th Annual Macy’s 4th of July Fireworks will fire more than 40,000 pyrotechnic shells during a 25-minute synchronized display. Designed in collaboration with SOUSA Fireworks, the show will be set off from six barges positioned on the Hudson River, stretching from 20th to 55th Streets. This wide spectrum covering two miles of sky, allows Macy’s Fireworks to produce dazzling effects which reach heights of 1,000 feet, providing magnificent views to more spectators from water’s edge to towering skyscrapers. With an average of 1,600 shells launched per minute, Macy’s Fireworks are sure to draw thunderous cheers from the gathered crowds.

Independence day revelers from coast-to-coast will also have a front row view of the pyro in the sky by tuning to NBC’s national broadcast of Macy’s 4th of July Fireworks Spectacular beginning at 9:00 PM (check local listings). In addition to the pyrotechnic splendor, the 4th of July’s most popular entertainment broadcast will feature a star-studded line-up of performances by the nation’s hottest recording artists.

Viewing information and other spectator tips will be available as of June 2011 at www.macys.com/fireworks or by calling the Macy’s 4th of July Fireworks Hotline at (212) 494-4495.

SOURCE Macy’s
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RELATED LINKS
http://www.macys.com/fireworks

Rob Lowe to Direct “Butterfinger the 13th” Comedy-Horror Film

Rob Lowe announced as director of the movie "Butterfinger the 13th." (PRNewsFoto/Butterfinger, Casey Rodgers)

GLENDALE, Calif., May 13, 2011 /PRNewswire/ — BUTTERFINGER® is going where no candy bar has gone before, leaping from the concession stand sidelines to the big screen spotlight. “Butterfinger the 13th” will be the first-ever film produced not by a major studio or filmmaker, but by one of America’s iconic candy brands. And signed on to make movie-making history with Butterfinger is none other than actor, producer, New York Times best-selling author, and now, first-time comedy-horror film director, Rob Lowe.

“Butterfinger’s history with irreverent comedy drew me to this really unique, fun project,” said director Lowe, who plays ‘Chris Traeger’ on hit comedy ‘Parks and Recreation’ and recently guest starred on three episodes of ‘Californication.’ “As an artist, I get to explore the world of horror movie-making with a comedic twist. It’s going to be a psychological thriller that will leave you laughing.”

Banking on Lowe’s brilliant instincts and compatible sense of humor, the comedy-horror will bring to life Butterfinger’s “Nobody’s Gonna Lay A Finger” tagline while warning fans that “You Can’t Scream With Your Mouth Full.” “Butterfinger the 13th” will take its audience on a perilous journey with the film’s hero, whose paranoia leads him to believe that someone wants to lay a finger… in more ways than one.

“Butterfinger is always looking to deliver new and exciting entertainment experiences for fans, mixed in with a heavy dose of clever fun,” said Butterfinger spokesperson, Tricia Bowles, Nestle USA Confections & Snacks. “With Rob Lowe behind the camera for this humorously horrific masterpiece, ‘Butterfinger the 13th’ is sure to be a hit, and we can’t wait for Butterfinger fans everywhere to be scared funny.”

Lowe’s uniquely clever sense of humor made him a top choice to direct the Butterfinger film, in addition to his knack for being on the cutting edge of entertainment trends. His starring roles in “The Outsiders” and “St. Elmo’s Fire” blazed the trail for myriad teen angst-ridden films in the ’80s. In the 90s, Lowe leant his comedic chops to films such as “Wayne’s World” and “Tommy Boy.” In the last decade, Lowe went on to co-star in the hit TV drama “The West Wing” largely credited for paving the way for political dramas to become ratings successes on televisions worldwide.

On the heels of publishing his memoirs in The New York Times best-selling Stories I Only Tell My Friends, Lowe will begin production this month on the 25-minute short film “Butterfinger the 13th,” which is being kept tightly under wraps. Expected to deliver a movie-making experience “unparallel to any known to mankind,” according to Lowe, the film will give fans laughs, screams, tears, fears, and even a special opportunity to participate in the production. Lowe also will be making an exclusive public appearance this summer to meet with fans and share the movie-making experience with them.

“This film will be a great opportunity for me to entertain and interact with fans in a uniquely humorous way,” added Lowe. “Personally, I’m just glad Butterfinger finally will help me pay back my folks for all the times when, as a kid, I let my favorite candy get stuck in my teeth and ruin God-knows-how-many sets of braces.”

The top-secret “Butterfinger the 13th” production is coming soon to an undisclosed location near you, which you may or may not be able to find on a map, but if you really know Butterfinger, you can probably figure out where, and besides Rob Lowe says he really wants to go there. More information about the film is available online at Facebook.com/Butterfinger.

SOURCE Butterfinger