Lilo: Back Off, 'Believe in Me'

Meanwhile, critics carp about too many new Hollywood additions

(NEWSER) - The forecourt of Grauman's Chinese Theatre hosts handprints of Hollywood royalty from Marilyn Monroe to Robert Pattinson. But after years of wear, some of the most iconic imprints—such as Groucho Marx's—may be moved to more protected spots, says the theater's co-owner. Meanwhile, the tourist destination is facing criticism over some of its recent acquisitions, the Los Angeles Times notes. This year saw more additions than any year since 1927. But do Alvin and the Chipmunks really deserve a spot near Clark Gable? More»

Batman writer's attacks on Occupy Wall Street no surprise: Rick Moody

(NEWSER) - They say Hollywood is liberal, but in fact it's more of a right-wing propaganda machine, writes Rick Moody in the Guardian . From Schwarzenegger to Spider-Man, “the message is there: Might is right, the global economy will be restored, America is exceptional, homely people deserve political disenfranchisement, and so on.” As a result, no one should be surprised by Batman scribe Frank Miller’s recent attacks on Occupy Wall Street, writes Moody. More»

Authorities want to protect privacy, but thwarted by a 'river of cash'

(NEWSER) - The behemoth gossip industry relentlessly ferrets out any and all scurrilous details about celebrities, churning out "rivers of cash" that amount to about $3 billion a year, and often tossing privacy laws by the wayside, reports the New York Times in a lengthy look. And thanks in part to the media feeding frenzy that erupted over Arnold Schwarzenegger's love child , there is a growing movement to shut down that explosion of personal information of dubious legality. “They ought to maybe hook up with the CIA,” said the judge presiding over a case involving Michael Lohan, after seeing the volume of private information the major gossip sites dug up. More»

Really? 'Hot Tub Time Machine' is the best we can do?

(NEWSER) - “2010 very possibly is the worst year in the history of motion pictures,” declares Joe Queenan in a hilarious Wall Street Journal piece bemoaning the downfall of American cinema. You know things are bad in Hollywood when:

• “Shia LaBeouf—who looks a bit like the young George W. Bush” is being passed off “as the second coming of Tom Cruise.”
• The top contenders for Next Big Action Star are Jake Gyllenhaal and Adrien Brody. “None of these are logical heirs to the throne abandoned by Arnold Schwarzenegger and Harrison Ford and Sylvester Stallone. They may not even be legitimate heirs to the throne vacated by Steven Seagal and Jean-Claude Van Damme.”

Ex Samantha Ronson visits troubled starlet in jail

(NEWSER) - If the UK tabs are to be believed, Lindsay Lohan is under 24-hour watch in jail because officials are concerned about scratches on her arms. “They are suitably worried by the marks to confiscate her prison-issue toiletries,” a source tells the Mirror . More from the world of Lohan:

• If nothing else, Lohan’s jail term appears to be bringing her and ex-galpal Samantha Ronson together. Ronson visited for about an hour yesterday, but her only comment to reporters who asked how Lohan is doing was, “How do you think she’s doing?” People reports. Ronson later tweeted, “Song Of The Day: Rolling Stones—Waiting on A Friend.”