“I Mean…What?!?” – Abe Gurko

There is a huge firestorm brewing over the casting choice for the upcoming movie, Cleopatra: A Life. The role is going to Angelina Jolie…duh…best choice on Earth. Sure beats her taking on the role of Wicked Witch of the West in the Wizard of Oz remake, that’s for sure. So now we are embroiled in a politically correct hub-bub by Essence magazine contributing writer, Shirea Carroll. She by Shirea is up in arms that the role of Cleopatra is going, yet again, to a white actress, in the tradition of Elizabeth Taylor, Claudette Colbert and Vivien Leigh. Ms. Carroll had… Read More »

Our family residence was a low-income nest nestled on a non-tree-lined street amongst a glut of row houses. Think of the East End of London without the cache of, well, London.… Read More »

Having completely forgotten about the screening of Cloud Atlas, coincidentally I happened watch outtakes of Lana Wachowski’s poignant speech from the Human Rights Campaign dinner and was struck by her story. It was not the fact of Lana’s transition but the sensitivity and tenderness when she spoke of her life and the challenges of realizing that you are not in the body you are supposed to be in that touched me so deeply. You see, I posted the Lana Wachowski HRC Dinner speech on Facebook then Tweeted it because we all need to hear Lana Wachowski. We may not all… Read More »

Lindsay Lohan made an appearance to promote her Saturday Night Live hosting duties on The Today Show with Matt Lauer sporting a new set of bangs. Bangs are not for everybody. Her face is too round and it does not look great. Speaking of not looking great, check out Gabourey Sidibe at some event last week. Sorry, get it together girl. Back to La Liz, whose nickname also applies to La Lohan. Look at this snapshot of Liz. Lohan looks better without bangs as shown in Love magazine. Now if Lindsay wants to play Liz looking- The Cleopatra Years, she… Read More »

What on Earth is everybody buggin’ out about Madonna’s performance? My phone started buzzing immediately with all these haters ripping Madge a new orifice and I don’t know what these people are thinking. My sister said, “She’s 53, put on a pair of flats and dance. What was that?” First of all that was Madonna giving high-fashion glamazon and doing what she does best… holding court. Here are the facts: Madonna came out as Cleopatra being pulled by a bunch of gayish, football playery looking gladiators. Amazing. Madonna wore Givenchy Couture. Beyond. Madge opened with Vogue. Obsessed knowing that thousands of straight… Read More »

It is a sad day indeed. My favorite Hollywood icon, Elizabeth Taylor, passed away this morning. My sister and I were talking about how amazing she was and that no one comes close to her stature and grace. She had an incredible impact on our society though her life’s work of spearheading and supporting the HIV/AIDS community. That, coupled with her amazing talent and divine beauty, well, there’s no one like her in Hollywood anymore. It is truly the end of Hollywood glamour. Yeah, you can mention Angelina Jolie…ish. But as the sun sets on Dame Elizabeth Taylor, please take… Read More »

As an aging beauty, well, aging anyway, I am forever on the prowl for amazing moisturizers. My mother taught me at an early age to slather on the moisturizer. She was a Ponds Cold Cream and Helena Rubinstein addict. I guess my tendency for addictions comes from her. I have spent the last 30 years going from one moisturizer to another, since Helena Rubinstein went out of business, and left to my own devices. Until last year, I had been using Queen Helene Grape Seed Extract Skin Firming Cream, until that was taken off the market. I snapped up every… Read More »

Thou Shalt Not Take The Name Of Elizabeth Taylor In Vain When Moses came down from Mount Sinai with the Fifteen Commandments, as depicted in Mel Brooks‘ History of the World Part 1, there were five commandments that never saw the light of day. (Watch this short clip to learn about this little known biblical fact in Exodus 20:2–17.) httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x5aO7sswvJo Anyhoo, one of those laws as commanded by the Lord himself was: Thou shalt not take the name of Elizabeth Taylor in vain. Sadly, we have become a society not dissimilar to those Israelite hedonists running rampant in the desert,… Read More »

I just needed to post these images for Elizabeth Taylor circa 1963 from Cleopatra. I mean come on…who is as remotely beautiful as this in the movie business today? Kiera Knightly? I don’t think so. Penelope Cruz? Angelina JIloe? Maybe-ish. She’s stunning, sure, but La Liz was the most gorgeous thing that ever walked the sound stages…and Earth for that matter. My assistant, Ryan, thinks Snooki is.… Read More »