Last night friends and longtime compatriots of Joan Rivers were invited to the CBS Studios Lot in Studio City, CA for the Comedy Central Roast of Joan Rivers. In previous years, Comedy Central has hosted roast tribute events in honor of actors and comedians but this year they’ve pulled out all the stops for one of the most iconic, most enduring comics alive today … barely. Here are some of the folks who came out for the Roast of Joan Rivers last night:

I was very lucky to attend last night’s taping and shared some of the zingers that were said about Joan Rivers on my Twitter account last night. There were so many more that I would’ve loved to have shared but they were wholly inappropriate and grossly offensive … and that was exactly the point. Whitney Cummings, sidekick to Chelsea Handler, was my fave roaster of the night … her bit was ENTIRELY hilarious and horribly offensive. Mario Cantone, tho I love him, was the worst roaster of the bunch. Kathy Griffin did an amazing job as host of the event but Joan, naturally, stole the show. A woman who has been in the biz for as long as she has and has achieved so much success absolutely deserves to be honored in this manner … with tasteless joke after offensive slur all night long. She looked like she had the time of her life. It was really a great event. I’ll have more personal commentary a little later on today. But I have to let you all know that the Comedy Central Roast of Joan Rivers airs on Comedy Central on Sunday August 9. While I’m sure it will be HEAVILY censored, be on the look out for the uncensored version of the roast that will air in the wee, wee hours of Comedy Central after it premieres on the network in a couple of weeks. It’s funny, y’all. I can’t wait to see it again myself :)

[Photo credit: Wireimage]

The principal stars of G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra made their way to the Land of the Rising Sun for the world premiere of their new movie today. Here are a few pics of Channing Tatum (with new wife Jenna Dewan), Sienna Miller, Rachel Nichols and Marlon Wayans (among others) at the first premiere of G.I. Joe in Tokyo, Japan today:

While the Joes have done some promo work for the film previously in Australia, this is the first proper movie premiere for the film. I still have high hopes that the movie will be good but there is a lot of buzz going around about just how not good it really is. Nonetheless, as a huge G.I. Joe fan I deffo plan to see the film for myself and will make my own determination. The Joes have a lot of bad press to battle in the coming weeks … let’s hope they’re as successful battling bad reviews as they are battling the villainous organization Cobra.

[Photo credit: Wireimage]

Whoa! Madonna made her way back home to London, England last night and stepped out on the town to reveal her pair of very sinewy arms … much to the shock and horror of anyone with eyes. OK, so mebbe they don’t look that scary but … well, yeah they do … but at 50 years old, I think it’s safe to say that Madonna is really working hard to stay physically fit — no matter how ugly it looks — but is she actually working towards her health or to her detriment?

Her punishing fitness regime is legendary, but it seems Madonna has finally pushed it too far. The 50-year-old pop star shocked onlookers as she stepped out in London last night in short-sleeved top that revealed her arms. With not an inch of fat to act as a buffer, her protruding muscles and thick bulging veins were clearly visible through her ageing and wrinkled skin. The startling sight resembled an exhibit by the controversial German anatomist Gunter Von Hagens. Madonna’s fanatic approach to exercise is well documented, complete with gruelling two-hour workouts, six days a week. But is seems her relentless pursuit of the perfect body has backfired rather spectacularly. She is also said to have undergone a range of cosmetic alterations in her quest for youthfulness. While she won’t talk the rumours – ‘I’m not against plastic surgery, I’m just against discussing it’ – she is believed to have had cheek implants among other procedures. The new A-list phenomenon, dubbed the ‘pillow face’, gives a plumped-up look, as opposed to the pinched back ‘wind tunnel’ results of a face-lift or the ‘frozen’ effects of Botox. Madonna is back in London with her children Lourdes, 12, Rocco, 8, David Banda, 3, and new addition Mercy, 4, after travelling around Europe with her Sticky And Sweet tour.

Yeesh. I love me some Madonna but this cannot be healthy … her poor arms look like they are dangerously close to being strained to the breaking point — and she’s not even carrying anything! I realize that it is the middle of Summer but she might want to invest in a few long-sleeve shirts so as not to frighten any little children that might cross her path. I keed … but not really cuz, in all honesty, these arms look pretty scary to me. I mean … right?

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Speaking at the panel discussion for his upcoming film Sherlock Holmes at 2009 San Diego Comic-Con this weekend, Robert Downey, Jr. revealed to fans that there may be some overt man-on-man “love” (ie. affection) going on in the film. While he didn’t go so far as to say that Sherlock Holmes and his sidekick Dr. John H. Watson would be lovers, he did reveal that the men are very, very close in the film … as a result of, what he calls, “circumstantial homosexuality”. Shoot, whatever he calls it … I’m all for it!

Will Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson be the latest bromance to hit Hollywood? Robert Downey Jr., who plays Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s classic fictional character opposite Jude Law’s Watson in Guy Ritchie’s remake of Sherlock Holmes thinks he and Law have some sexy chemistry together. “It’s called circumstantial homosexuality,” he jokingly told the press at Comic-Con Friday, after leading lady Rachel McAdams suggested the film’s central love story is really between the sleuth and his sidekick. The two actors took to each other even before Law signed on to the part. Downey was sent to meet his future costar and “sell” him on the role and “Jude walks down the hall and my assistant – who never cares about anything – is standing in the hall and she’s like, ‘Oh my God, there he is!’ He was dressed in that kind of fabulous, super expensive, under-dressed way. “I said, ‘Dude’ – and literally before he said he was going to do the movie, before he said that he was available, before he said that he either did or didn’t want to be courted, we just started talking like two serious actors about what would need to happen to make this work as a piece of straight drama. We just became really close really quickly, because we just rolled up our sleeves and started working from jump.” Downey said Law, who is currently performing Hamlet on stage in London, “is so the right arm of this movie.” But good thing for the ladies, the film isn’t just about male bonding. Downey shares some romantic moments with McAdams – but “not enough for my taste,” he said.

Oh man … how awesome is this. You gotta love actors that are secure enough in their manhood that they can willingly and believingly play male characters that show love and affection for one another without it necessarily being a gay lovestory. While I would have no problem with Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson being lovers, that development doesn’t really jibe with the lore that we all know and love. That said, the men are very close and I’m happy to know that that closeness will be respected in the film version of the book series. I have full confidence that RDJ and Jude will do great justice to the beloved characters that they portray … and if they want to take the relationship to a bromantic level, who are we to argue?

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Can I get a Woot! Woot!? Today we get to feast our eyes on TWO new promo pics from the 2010 film Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time which stars Jake Gyllenhaal in his first starring role since his amazing performance in Brokeback Mountain. As y’all should be well aware, Jake stars as Prince Dastan … the swarthy and mostly shirtless hero of the Prince of Persia video game series. Previously, we’ve seen the first official promo photo from the film along with the first movie posters. But today, we get to check out even newer promo pics of Prince Dastan and his on-screen love interest Tamina (played by Gemma Arterton) lookin’ wet, wild and HAWT!

It isn’t just us mere mortals getting soggy this rainy Monday morning, as these new shots from Prince Of Persia: The Sands Of Time prove. Getting a little bit carried away trying to cool down in the arid Middle Eastern sun, our Prince Dastan, played by the brooding Jake Gyllenhaal, along with the sultry Princess Tamina (Gemma Arterton) are shown here drenched from head to foot, and then escaping on horseback still soaking wet … Prince Of Persia: The Sands Of Time, also stars Sir Ben Kingsley doing his best Evil Sultan as the coniving Nizam, as well as Toby ‘Dead Man’s Shoes’ Kebbel and Alfred ‘Doc Ock’ Molina. The film is due on our decidedly unsunny shores on May 28 2010.

Yummo!! Can I just say as much as I’m not too keen on waiting until May 2010 to see Jakey poo in action on the big screen in this movie, I am very much looking forward to all the promo materials that will be released between now and then. Jake Gyllenhaal wet? Oh hell yes, please and thank you. I wonder in what other states of undress we will see Jake as Prince Dastan next. I can hardly wait.

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Another game, another angry confrontation with a heckling fan for David Beckham. While Becks was on the field playing with the LA Galaxy in Kansans City, KS, he was assailed with what are being reported as “disgraceful” and insulting taunts about his wife Victoria Beckham. Becks decided to confront the angry fans, much like he did at the Home Depot Center in Carson, CA last weekend (an act that resulted in Becks being fined $1,000. for the infraction of unsportsmanlike behavior). This time around, tho, Becks and one fan ended the feud by shaking hands:

Here we go again! These days it seems David Beckham is intent on getting more attention for run-ins with angry fans at his matches than for his footwork on the pitch. Yesterday the football superstar had yet another unfriendly face-to-face with an angry spectator at a Kansas City game – this time to defend wife Victoria Beckham’s honour. This comes a mere few days after that now infamous encounter with a riled up LA Galaxy fan – now banned for life – who refused to shake his hand. David looked upset as he went up to the man who was wearing an England shirt during the LA Galaxy’s game at Kansas City Wizards on Saturday claiming he was bad-mouthing his wife Victoria. David could be heard during the match – broadcast live on U.S TV – shouting to the fan: “Is that an England shirt?” But rather than have an angry war of words to defend his wife’s honour, he held out his hand for a handshake in what appeared a friendly gesture and a peace offering. David made sure there was no repeat of the bust-up, which marred last weekend’s friendly with AC Milan and saw him fined $1,000 (USD) by Major League Soccer. Later, however, he branded the fan a ‘disgrace’ for allegedly hurling insults about Posh. When asked about the incident in an interview immediately after the final whistle, he blasted: “He shouldn’t actually be wearing that shirt because what he was saying about my wife was a disgrace.” But he was clearly disappointed with the fan, who appeared to be holding a can of drink. David was again booed by sections of the sell-out 10,000-plus crowd at the ground, which is actually a minor league baseball stadium. But there was still plenty of support for the England star, who signed autographs for fans after helping the rejuvenated Galaxy come from a goal behind to draw 1-1.

Tsk, tsk … if Becks continues to let himself get goaded into confronting all the fans that have nasty things to say he might really get himself into trubs. How is it that he has managed to make it this far in professional soccer and yet still cannot control his impulses while playing on the field? It would really behoove him to remember the old adage, I’m rubber your glue, and just keep his head in the game … in a professional manner. This kind of behavior only tells his detractors that he is an easy mark for verbal assault. He needs to really change up his game-plan or this foolishness will likely become a nightly event. Brush it off, Becks … you’re better than this.

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Earlier this month we learned the surprising and happy news that Sarah Palin decided to quit her post as governor of the State of Alaska before even finishing out one singular term as her State’s leader. Because she doesn’t feel the need to serve out even one full term of office, as she was elected to do by the people of Alaska and seems intent to shirk her responsibilities as the leader of her State to seek fame and fortune as a more marketable private citizen, Palin decided to leave office and move forward in the private sector. To me, this sounds like the best news ever. Palin formally quit her job yesterday at a State picnic in Faribanks, Alaska, turning over the reigns of governance to Alaska Lt. Governor Sean Parnell … but not without taking a few parting shots. But, no matter what her spin job is, the truth remains … Palin is a quitter and the State of Alaska is better off without a leader who does not have the mettle to live up to her responsibilities:

Sarah Palin stepped down Sunday as Alaska governor to write a book and build a right-of-center coalition, but she left her long-term political plans unclear and refused to address speculation she would seek a 2012 presidential bid. In a fiery campaign-style speech, Palin said she was stepping down to take her political battles to a larger if unspecified stage and avoid an unproductive, lame duck status. ”With this decision, now, I will be able to fight even harder for you, for what is right, and for truth. And I have never felt that you need a title to do that,” Palin said to raucous applause from about 5,000 people gathered at Pioneer Park in Fairbanks. Her first order of business as a private citizen is to speak Aug. 8 at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in California. She also wants to campaign for political candidates from coast to coast, and continue to speak her mind on the social networking site Twitter, one of her favorite venues to reach out to supporters. Free speech was a theme of her farewell speech at a crowded picnic in Fairbanks, as the 45-year-old outgoing governor scolded ‘’some seemingly hell-bent on tearing down our nation” and warned Americans to ”be wary of accepting government largesse. It doesn’t come free.” She also took aim at the media, saying her replacement, Lt. Gov. Sean Parnell, ”has a very nice family too, so leave his kids alone!” And she told the media: ”How about, in honor of the American soldier, you quit makin’ things up?” She didn’t elaborate, but Palin said when she announced her resignation July 3 that she was tired of the media focus on her family and felt she had been unfairly treated by reporters and bloggers. Later Sunday, Palin posted her final message on her official Alaska account on the social networking site Twitter. ”Thank you Alaska!” she wrote. ”I love you. God bless Alaska. God bless the U.S.A.” Friend and foe alike have speculated that Palin may host a radio or TV show, launch a lucrative speaking career or seek higher office in Washington. Palin hasn’t ruled out any of those options, and her political action committee, SarahPAC, has raised more than $1 million, said Meghan Stapleton, a spokeswoman for the committee and the Palin family. Stapleton said Palin, of Wasilla, is still deciding what her future will be. ”I cannot express enough there is no plan after July 26. There is absolutely no plan,” she told The Associated Press. Palin’s surprise announcement she was stepping down 17 months before the end of her first term pushed her favorability rating down to 40 percent, according to a Washington Post-ABC poll. Fifty-three percent of those polled gave her an unfavorable rating. Last summer, almost six in 10 Americans viewed her favorably. The latest poll was taken July 15-18. Nearly 20 ethics complaints had been filed against Palin, and the outgoing governor cited the resulting investigation’s financial toll — both on her and the state — for stepping down. An independent investigator looking into the complaints found evidence she may have violated ethics laws by trading on her position as she sought money for lawyer fees, according to a report obtained recently by the AP. Parnell, 46, of Anchorage, was sworn in Sunday as the state’s new governor.

I cannot, for the life of me, get over the fact that by quitting, Palin thinks that she is doing right by the people she was elected to serve. That there are supporters out there who champion her decision to quit is even more insane. Governance is no easy task … it never has been … that is why we need leaders who can stand the test of time and work as diligently as possible to fulfill their responsibilities for the good of the office they have been entrusted with. It’s beyond me that anyone can put any sort of faith in a person who is plainly incapable of doing the job they were elected to do … it’s not even that she can’t do the job, it’s that she made the conscious decision NOT to do the job. One of the first things we learn as children is that quitters never prosper … and yet, this seemingly able-bodied politician decides not only to quit her post but do to so in exchange for the ability to earn millions writing a book which will benefit no one but herself — and still her supporters cheer her on?!? Sadly, I fear this is not the last we’ve heard of Sarah Palin but from here on out she will always have the title of Quitter attached to her name. Hopefully the smarter kids who remember their lessons from kindergarten will win out in the end and help keep Sarah Palin regulated to the loser section.

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