Since the release of the fifth tape revealing Mel Gibson’s mad rants and threats against his former girlfriend, Oksana Grigorieva, his team have gone into overdrive to present Mel as an up-standing citizen and fine husband and father to his multitude of kids.

They have found audio experts to state that the tapes have been “tampered” with even after various top experts for the CIA and the FBI have analyzed the tapes and conformed their authenticity.

They have also convinced Mel’s ex wife, Robyn Gibson to write a letter to the court to state that “Mel never engaged in any physical abuse of any kind toward me before, during or after our marriage.” Robyn also claims that there was never any domestic violence perpetrated by Mel against any of their children.

Wonder if the fact that Mrs. Gibson is due to receive upwards of $450 MILLION dollars from her divorce from the insane actor have anything to do with her stepping up to save his reputation. Nah. It couldn’t be.

Gibson’s lawyers say he was set up but there is a ton evidence to indicate the opposite.  Oksana’s teeth were knocked out, there is a bruise on their baby’s chin, allegedly from when Mel hit Oksana while she was holding the child. Oksana’s son is also reported to have witnessed the verbal abuse of his mother.

Next they will claim Gibson’s traffic stop and subsequent anti-semitic rant to a Malibu police officer was also a set up.

Poor Mel. The world is out to get him. Him and OJ Simpson. Both victims.

Please! Someone from Gibson’s camp get this abusive, angry old man some help before he hurts someone, or even worse, kills someone or maybe self destructs from the venom brewing inside him. Compared to him, Lindsay Lohan is Mother Terresa.

One thing for sure. We will be hearing a LOT more about Gibson in the coming months.

That seems to be the only bit of excitement at the Emmys this year. It is again the usual suspects.  “The Office,” Tina Fay, Steve Carell, so on and so on, except for the nomination of Edie Falco for “Nurse Betty” and Kyle Chandler and Connie Britton from“Friday Night Lights” who got nods in the lead acting categories, recognition they have both deserved for years now.

“Friday Night Lights” has gone mostly ignored by Emmy voters.  Seems a show about ordinary American lives holds little interest for the Academy.

Also great to see Bill Maher get another nod, though he has been a consistent loser in past year. He currently holds 22 losses. No wins.

Matthew Fox of “Lost” also finally received a nomination after many years on TV

Here is a list of all the Emmy nominees in major categories;

Drama Series: “Breaking Bad,” AMC; “Dexter,” Showtime; “The Good Wife,” CBS; “Lost,” ABC; “True Blood,” HBO; “Mad Men,” AMC.

Comedy Series: “Curb Your Enthusiasm,” HBO; “Glee,” Fox; “Modern Family,” ABC; “The Office,” NBC; “Nurse Jackie,” Showtime; “30 Rock,” NBC.

Miniseries: “The Pacific,” HBO; “Return to Cranford (Masterpiece),” PBS.

Made-for-TV Movie: “Endgame (Masterpiece),” PBS; “Georgia O’Keeffe,” Lifetime; “Moonshot,” History; “The Special Relationship,” HBO; “Temple Grandin,” HBO; “You Don’t Know Jack,” HBO.

Actor, Drama Series: Bryan Cranston, “Breaking Bad,” AMC; Michael C. Hall, “Dexter,” Showtime; Kyle Chandler, “Friday Night Lights,” DirecTV; Hugh Laurie, “House,” Fox; Matthew Fox, “Lost,” ABC; Jon Hamm, “Mad Men,” AMC.

Actress, Drama Series: Kyra Sedgwick, “The Closer,” TNT; Glenn Close, “Damages,” FX; Connie Britton, “Friday Night Lights,” DirecTV; Julianna Margulies, “The Good Wife,” CBS; Mariska Hargitay, “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit,” NBC; January Jones, “Mad Men,” AMC.

Supporting Actor, Drama Series: Aaron Paul, “Breaking Bad,” AMC; Martin Short, “Damages,” FX; Terry O’Quinn, “Lost,” ABC; Michael Emerson, “Lost,” ABC; John Slattery, “Mad Men,” AMC; Andre Braugher, “Men of a Certain Age,” TNT.

Supporting Actress, Drama Series: Sharon Gless, “Burn Notice,” USA; Rose Byrne, “Damages,” FX; Archie Panjabi, “The Good Wife,” CBS; Christine Baranski, “The Good Wife,” CBS; Christina Hendricks, “Mad Men,” AMC; Elisabeth Moss,” Mad Men,” AMC.

Actor, Comedy Series: Jim Parsons, “The Big Bang Theory,” CBS; Larry David, “Curb Your Enthusiasm,” HBO; Matthew Morrison, “Glee,” Fox; Tony Shalhoub, “Monk,” USA; Steve Carell, “The Office,” NBC; Alec Baldwin, “30 Rock,” NBC.

Actress, Comedy Series: Lea Michele, “Glee,” Fox; Julia Louis-Dreyfus, “The New Adventures of Old Christine,” CBS; Edie Falco, “Nurse Jackie,” Showtime; Amy Poehler, “Parks and Recreation,” NBC; Tina Fey, “30 Rock,” NBC; Toni Collette, “United States of Tara,” Showtime.

Supporting Actor, Comedy Series: Chris Colfer, “Glee,” Fox; Neil Patrick Harris, “How I Met Your Mother,” CBS; Jesse Tyler Ferguson, “Modern Family,” ABC; Eric Stonestreet, “Modern Family,” ABC; Ty Burrell, “Modern Family”; ABC; Jon Cryer, “Two and a Half Men, CBS.

Supporting Actress, Comedy Series: Jane Lynch, “Glee,” Fox; Julie Bowen, “Modern Family,” ABC; Sofia Vergara, “Modern Family,” ABC; Kristen Wiig, “Saturday Night Live,” NBC; Jane Krakowski, “30 Rock,” NBC; Holland Taylor, “Two and a Half Men,” CBS.

Actor, Miniseries or Movie: Jeff Bridges, “A Dog Year,” HBO; Ian McKellen, “The Prisoner,” AMC; Michael Sheen, “The Special Relationship,” HBO; Dennis Quaid, “The Special Relationship,” HBO; Al Pacino, “You Don’t Know Jack,” HBO.

Actress, Miniseries or Movie: Maggie Smith, “Capturing Mary,” HBO; Joan Allen, “Georgia O’Keefe,” Lifetime; Judi Dench, “Return to Cranford (Masterpiece),” PBS; Hope Davis, “The Special Relationship,” HBO; Claire Danes, “Temple Grandin,” HBO.

Supporting Actor, Miniseries or Movie: Michael Gambon, “Emma (Masterpiece),” PBS; Patrick Stewart, “Hamlet (Great Performances),” PBS; Jonathan Pryce, “Return to Cranford (Masterpiece),” PBS; David Straithairn, “Temple Grandin,” HBO; John Goodman, “You Don’t Know Jack,” HBO.

Supporting Actress, Miniseries or Movie: Kathy Bates, “Alice,” Syfy; Julia Ormond, “Temple Grandin,” HBO; Catherine O’Hara, “Temple Grandin,” HBO; Brenda Vaccaro, “You Don’t Know Jack,” HBO; Susan Sarandon, “You Don’t Know Jack,” HBO.

That’s the question L.A. Times writer, Patrick Goldstein is asking in his column, The Big Picture this week.

The debate erupted when word surfaced that Megan Fox had been dropped from the upcoming “Transformers 3″ after she slammed the film’s director, Michael Bay, having recently said of the director that “he wants to be like Hitler.”

Now Shia LaBeouf is getting heat for acknowledging that Steven Spielberg’s “Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull” was a snooze, having said (in the course of promoting his new sequel, “Wall Street 2,” in Cannes) that “when you drop the ball, you drop the ball. You can blame it on the writer and you can blame it on Steven. I’ll probably get a call. But he needs to hear this.”

Hollywood actors are celebrated when they oppose the war in Iraq or bash George Bush, they are encouraged to lobby Congress for a thousand different pet causes and given awards for supporting free speech, but when they dare to say that some lackluster sequel was a dud or that Michael Bay is a tyrant on his film set, they are sent to the woodshed, accused of being disrespectful and told their careers could be in jeopardy.

Only in Hollywood is truth telling considered heresy.

Read Goldtein’s L.A. Times column here:http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/the_big_picture/2010/0

Friends of The Fairfax Theater, threw an 80th birthday party on Saturday, March 27th to draw attention to the recent closing of the Art Deco landmark on Beverly Boulevard. Built in 1929, the theater now faces a threat to its existence by developers who are proposing that the Fairfax and some adjacent shops be turned into a 71-unit condominium complex over retail space and subterranean parking.

The announcement and forced closing has ignited community condemnation and protest.

“Being one of the few remaining neighborhood movie houses left in L.A., let alone the country,  the Fairfax has to be saved,” said one protester Saturday afternoon.

The Los Angeles Historic Theatre Foundation agree.  They will be at City Hall on April 1st at 10:00 a.m. to try and get the building officially declared a Los Angeles Landmark.  The Foundation was out in force on Saturday to inform celebrants and the neighborhood of the positive economic impact that thousands of movie goers can draw to the neighborhood each week.  “We have just begun to fight” they declared.

“We can’t let this beautiful venue be turned into another ugly apartment building” said a member of the Foundation.

Passing traffic seemed to agree.  The honking of horns in support of the protest continued almost non stop for over an hour.

For more information join Friends of The Fairfax Theater on Facebook, or, contact:

Los Angeles Historic Theatre Foundation.  Phone: 213 999-5067

Email: info@lahtf.org

Hollywood Revealed recently sat down with Foldy and asked him what advise he had for young actors looking to get their careers on track for 2010.

HW Revealed: What are the key things an actor needs to do to succeed in this business.

Peter Foldy: First of all an actor needs talent. Unfortunately we have lowered our standards with the current crop of cheesy TV shows and many people get by on their looks and their limited ability. An actor needs to constantly act, whether it’s on a show or in a film, or in class. The more you do it, the more comfortable and better you become. The camera doesn’t lie. It really does see the truth. There is a certain skill in being open and honest in front of the camera and thirty crew members. Many people give great auditions but freeze up on set. Or have trouble dealing with the technicalities of film making, such as hitting their marks, remembering continuity, etc. All that comes with practice. Keep learning by doing.
Secondly, an actor has to understand the business. How it all works. I personally don’t put much stock in cold submissions to agents and casting directors. We live in Hollywood. Work hard at making contacts. Network so that somehow you can get through the doors. Get someone to help you. Find a mentor if possible. Again, being in class, being around other actors gives you a chance to find out what is going on, who is signing with who etc. There is no stock answer on how to best find an agent or a manager, but without one, life in this business will be difficult.
Lastly, never stop believing in yourself. If you give up, it’s over. It may be hard. It IS very hard, but if you believe, and you have proven ability, it can and will happen for you. It is always darkest before the dawn, and just when it seems that NOTHING is happening, something amazing comes along that can move your career forward. If you truly want this, put in the time and MAKE IT HAPPEN.

HW Revealed: What do you look for when considering an actor for a job?

Peter Foldy: Well, first of all, they have to be right for the part. They have to look right, and be able to deliver what we are looking for. They have to have some experience. I have been burned by people who looked right, gave good auditions, but could not deliver on the day.
Actors have to be easy to get along with. With films costing what they do, in the millions, there is no time for people who are difficult. It is stressful to make a film. Ask anyone who has directed one. It’s like going into battle. You want to surround yourself with positive people who can work as a team to give the project the best chance possible at success. Ideally their agents and managers will also be team players and not be “the bad guys” in negotiations, with exorbitant demands. I’ve seen it happen and it can make your relationship with the actor strained. You can’t help thinking, I wonder if he is the one telling his agent to be the jackass.

HW Revealed: Name the three favorite actors you’ve worked with and why?

Peter Foldy: Well, this is tough, but I would say David Warner, the great English actor who you might know from “Titanic.” He was a huge star in England back in the day in a film called “Morgan.” Working with him in a film I directed called “Tryst” was awesome. He brought something special to the role, and I would always keep the camera rolling after the scene was done as David had a habit of giving you one little extra moment. A gesture, a look, a reaction. Something cool. He was totally professional. Had no time for set politics and always got the job done.

Paul Rudd would be another. I worked him on two short films. His first time acting in front of the camera in something other than a TV commercial. Paul was very comfortable and easy going. It was kinda obvious that he might become a star. His acting ability was strong, and it has only gotten better over the year, again from doing it so much. It’s cool to know that I directed him on film before anyone else.

Number three would be Eugene Levy, the guy who played the dad in “American Pie.” Eugene was not very funny off set as most people imagine him to be. He was professional and perhaps a little distant, but in front of the camera he was awesome, giving a lot of himself, and not settling till we all felt that the scene was the best it could be. Eugene has this look and a talent that is very unique, and that is why he will work for as long as he wants to.

There are many other actors I loved working with. Some less famous than others, but you only asked for three. I respect actors for what they do. I have tried it and I know how hard it is to be good.

HW Revealed: What is the single most important piece of advice you could give to aspiring actors?

Peter Foldy: Never give up.

HW Revealed: In your opinion, what is the best way to begin a career as a professional actor?

Peter Foldy: Get GREAT headshots. Network. Meet as many people as you can. Take classes. Be nice, and not an asshole. Inspire others. What goes around comes around. Do as many of those cold reading workshops for casting directors as you can afford. Think outside the box. Back engineer someone’s career. If you think you could be the next Leo DiCaprio, study Leo’s career. See how he did it. Who did he know, or meet along the way? In Hollywood, it’s possible you will run into someone from his world, or just someone who can give you that break you need. You can’t do this alone. Don’t even try. You need a team around you after a certain point, so along with nurturing your talent, build your team. And make sure one person on that team is a CLOSER. Someone who can make the right deals for you, and get you though the doors you need to go through. Again, all this is assuming you truly HAVE THE ABILITY it takes to compete in this business.

HW Revealed: What makes a good actor in your opinion?

Peter Foldy: Talent, charisma and the ability to combine the two to create a viable, marketable entity that can “put out” in front of the camera or in front of an audience.

HW Revealed: What things does an actor need to do in order to succeed on a real movie set?

Peter Foldy: Confidence that he or she belongs there and can deliver on the day. The knowledge and the experience to know the technical side of film acting, such as hitting marks, working with props and understanding eye-lines. Lastly–and it always comes down to it, TALENT.

Despite the fact that Americans are staying away from this dud, the morning chat shows continue to plug the film. Only this morning, NBC’s Today Show had Penelope Cruz talking about her role in “Nine.”

What kind of pact do these talk shows make with film distributors? Why do they keep promoting films that clearly hold little interest for the film-going public? How much do talk shows get paid to plug films? Are the raves and gushy interviews supposed to instill confidence in the network’s journalistic integrity?

“Nine” has confirmed that the star system as we know it is all but over. All that talent in “Nine” couldn’t bring audiences into theaters, while films like “The Hangover” with no stars earn a total of $459,422,869 to date worldwide.

It’s time stop trying to get blood from a stone. “Nine” is no more that a three and a half.  Lets move on and clear the airwaves. There are plenty of worthy films and actors to talk about.

Here is a full list of winners and runners-up:

PICTURE: “The Hurt Locker”

Runner-up: “Up in the Air”

DIRECTOR: Kathryn Bigelow, “The Hurt Locker”

Runner-up: Michael Haneke, “The White Ribbon”

ACTRESS: Yolande Moreau, “Séraphine”

Runner-up: Carey Mulligan, “An Education”

ACTOR: Jeff Bridges, “Crazy Heart”

Runner-up: Colin Firth, “A Single Man”

ANIMATION: “Fantastic Mr. Fox”

Runner-up: “Up”

FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM: “Summer Hours”

Runner-up: “The White Ribbon”

NEW GENERATION: Neill Blomkamp, “District 9″

MUSIC/SCORE: T-Bone Burnett and Stephen Bruton, “Crazy Heart”

Runner-up: Alexandre Desplat, “Fantastic Mr. Fox”

PRODUCTION DESIGN: Philip Ivey, “District 9″

Runner-up: Rick Carter and Robert Stromberg, “Avatar”

CINEMATOGRAPHY: Christian Berger, “The White Ribbon”

Runner-up: Barry Ackroyd, “The Hurt Locker”

SUPPORTING ACTRESS: Mo’Nique, “Precious”

Runner-up: Anna Kendrick, “Up in the Air”

SUPPORTING ACTOR: Christoph Waltz, “Inglourious Basterds”

Runner-up: Peter Capaldi, “In the Loop ”

SCREENPLAY: Jason Reitman and Sheldon Turner, “Up in the Air”

Runner-up: Jesse Armstrong, Simon Blackwell, Armando Iannucci and Tony Roche, “In the Loop ”

DOCUMENTARY / NON-FICTION FILM: “The Beaches of Agnès” and “The Cove” (tie)

DOUGLAS E. EDWARDS INDEPENDENT/EXPERIMENTAL FILM/VIDEO: Anders Edstrom and C.W. Winter, “The Anchorage “

Entitled “Isolation” the film is an edgy Gen-X thriller, written and to be directed by Peter Foldy. Currently no cast is attached. The company has also optioned an original screenplay by first time writer, Mark Elias entitled “Purge.” “We are looking to package “Purge” for production in 2010″ said Hughes, “and we are very excited about having acquired this excellent screenplay.”

Filmstreet’s other feature projects, “All You Need is Luck” and “The Juggler” are also moving toward a start date.  “All You Need..” is due to start filming in Northern Ireland next spring while “The Juggler” should see camera’s roll in November.

Filmstreet is currently closing distribution for all it’s projects though no firm details have been announced.

Filmstreet has been active since the early nineties starting with the action/thriller, “Midnight Witness” starring Jan-Michael Vincent and Maxwell Caulfield. The company has seen four other feature projects to fruition and was also active in the production of a short film called, “Head, Heart and Balls… or Why I Gave Up Smoking Pot” starring radio and TV personality Adam Carolla.

In a matter of a week, Susan Boyle has gone from a charming, virginal looking church lady, to a leather clad, sexually ambiguous looking middle-aged matron.

She may be a great singer, but her unique look had a considerable effect on the world-wide attention she has received since appearing on Britain’s Got Talent.

What makes a star a star is hard to define, and appearance is no small part of the equation. Your voice will only take you so far. Go back to  what you looked like last week, Susan. The real you. You looked charming, innocent and lovable.

Then again, I guess we should be happy your make-over didn’t end up leave you looking like this…

Harrelson fought with a TMZ cameraman at a New York airport Wednesday night but claimed his action were a case of mistaken identity. He says he got into a clash with the photographer because he mistook him for a zombie.

That’s right. He said, a ZOMBIE.

The TMZ photographer filed a complaint with police claiming the actor damaged his camera and pushed him in the face at La Guardia Airport, according to an airport spokesman.

“We’re looking into this allegation and if it’s warranted, we’ll turn it over to the proper authorities,” said Port Authority of New York and New Jersey spokesman Ron Marsico.

The photographer, who was not identified, captured the encounter on a small camera after his larger one was broken.

Harrelson did not deny his involvement.

“I wrapped a movie called ‘Zombieland,’ in which I was constantly under assault by zombies, then flew to New York, still very much in character,” Harrelson said in a statement issued Friday by his publicist.

“With my daughter at the airport I was startled by a paparazzo, who I quite understandably mistook for a zombie,” he said.

TMZ.com posted two videos of the incident, including one recorded by the larger camera before it was damaged.

You can see the incident on video here:

http://www.tmz.com/2009/04/09/woody-harrelson-attacks-tmz-photog-twice/