BB2, Riddick & More

• I saw "Bad Boys" in a theater when it was first released. I enjoyed the direction and some of the interplay between Will Smith and Martin Lawrence but overall rated the movie as less than average. With that said, "Bad Boys II" looks like it might be a lot of fun!
  
• Dark Horizons reports that principal photography has started on "Riddick" the "Pitch Black" sequel. Man, I can't wait for this one!
  
• NEW YORK (Reuters) - It may be illegal, immoral and certainly ill-advised, but selling every usable part of your body could fetch upward of $45 million, according to a survey in the August issue of Wired magazine. The Six Million Dollar Man ain't got nothin' on me!
  
• HELSINKI (Reuters) - A Finnish man killed his wife and cut the corpse in half so it would fit into a single plastic bag. He turned up for work on Monday but left early to confess to police. Cut her in half so she would fit in ONE bag... and showed up to work on Monday... this guy is every efficient [and crazy].
  
• OKLAHOMA CITY (Reuters) - An Oklahoma man arrested on suspicion of beating his wife faced year in prison and a fine. But when he spit in an arresting officer's face, he got a life sentence instead. I can see it now... "I'm in for a triple murder. What about you?" "Uh, I spit on a cop."
  
• BOSTON (Reuters) - A New Hampshire man has been charged with assaulting his girlfriend after flying into a violent rage when she beat him in an arm-wrestling match and called him a "wimp." Good thing he didn't spit on anyone.
  
• BERLIN (Reuters) - A German man woke up to find himself stark naked in the middle of a street after sleepwalking from home. That happened to Big Beatty once, but at least he was, uh, pointed in the right direction.
  
• LONDON (Reuters) - Archaeologists have identified the first Ice Age cave art ever discovered in Britain, a series of drawings dating back 12,000 years. This kind of stuff just amazes me.
  
• BERLIN (Reuters) - An escaped circus monkey dropped into a pizzeria in a small German town and vandalised the ladies toilet even though the owner had tried to pacify the animal with salad and rolls. C'mon, everyone knows that you can't pacify a crazed monkey with salad and rolls! Break out the pizza and giant subs if ya wanna tame the beast!
  
• SINGAPORE - The number of Singaporeans with foul-smelling, fungus-covered feet is rising and health authorities want to tackle the problem. I know a certain guy in Daytona who won't have that problem... his nails look shiny too!

The Losers, The Mystery, The Dead & More

• DC Comics has published a really well done comic called The Losers. The art is great and the story is intelligent. The first issue is on stands now. I guess you could say, The Losers is a winner!
• SANTIAGO, Chile (Reuters) - Scientists said on Wednesday a huge mass of slimy flesh that washed up on a Chilean beach last week may be a rare type of giant octopus or just discarded whale blubber.
• TOKYO - If it costs a lot to live in Japan, try dying: Cemetery plots on sale in Tokyo are priced at up to $86,800 each. The city government began taking applications Wednesday for the 50 newly opened spots at Aoyama Cemetery — the first such sale in 43 years. Talk about a high cost of, ahem, living.
• DULUTH, Minn. - An exasperated resident turned the tables on a company that hounded him with telemarketing calls, calling it more than 100 times in two days. That's good... not as good as what Big Beatty does to telemarketers but still.

Crow, Hackett, P-Diddy and More

• Michael Crow has created one of the most enjoyable hardboiled novels that I've ever read. I just finished Red Rain and have already ordered The Bite, his latest Luther Ewing novel [just published this month]. If you like crime fiction then check out Crow's work.
  
• .Dark Horizons posted two reviews for "Shade" today. Both of them were positive!
  
• Comedian Buddy Hackett has died at the age of 78. I didn't know until today that Buddy had been offered Curley's spot with the Three Stooges after Curley had a stroke. Our prayers go out to Buddy's family and friends.
  
• SANTIAGO, Chile (Reuters) - Chilean scientists are baffled by a huge, gelatinous sea creature found washed up on the southern Pacific coast and are seeking international help identifying the mystery specimen. This is a story Jazz will love!
  
• SAN FRANCISCO - People fascinated with the history of "The Rock," aka Alcatraz Island, can now own a piece of it. So you could literally own a piece of the rock!
  
• Sean 'P-Diddy' Combs has been sued for more than $25 million by a former business partner who charged the rapper with forcing him to sign away his interest in their company by threatening him with a baseball bat. P-Diddy must be a fan of the movie "The Untouchables."

28 days, Return of the King & More"

• I saw a great little horror film today. If you enjoy a good "zombie" flick in the vien [pardon the pun] of "Night of the Living Dead" then you'll love this! "28 days later..." should be seen now not later!
• USAToday ran a picture of the advance poster for "The Return of the King," the next installment in the "Lord of the Rings" trilogy. The poster can also be seen at theonering.net. Peter Jackson [director] said it was his favorite of the three... I know I'm looking forward to it!
• Chris Tucker is in line for another $20 million-plus payday to co-star in "Rush Hour 3." If he makes the movie it will be his third film since 1998 [with the other two being "Rush Hour" and "Rush Hour 2"]. It's good work if you can get it!
• MESA, Ariz. - City officials in Mesa have mistakenly installed two bus shelters where no buses run. Can't you just imagine some poor soul... "Uh... I'm sure it'll be a long any minute now."
• Singapore unveiled Friday plans for a $114 million, 558-foot Ferris wheel that would swing 114 feet above the current world record holder. "C'mon mom, don't worry about SARS, I just GOTTA ride that Ferris wheel." Yeah, that should bring in the tourists.
• HANOI (Reuters) - A Vietnamese man passed off a lump of iron as valuable black bronze found buyers -- but was paid $64,000 in counterfeit bills. Talk about poetic justice!
• PARIS (AFP) - Bean-lovers, rejoice: the embarrassing side-effect of your favourite food may soon become a distant memory. Big Beatty can go back to eating chilli on his omlettes!
• NEW YORK (AFP) - New York police rescued and then arrested a red-faced burglar after he managed to get himself stuck in the chimney of the restaurant he was trying to burgle. Another criminal mastermind brought to justice!
• BERLIN (Reuters) - A German thief has had to call the police to rescue him after becoming trapped during a bungled break-in. Still another criminal mastermind brought to justice!
• STOCKHOLM, Sweden - Vodka-flavored ice pops won't be available on store shelves in Sweden after regulators said Tuesday they were worried that young kids might eat them. Guess that means no crack flavored cupcakes either!

Ashton, Mac, Jackie & More

• The very popular, Ashton Kutcher, will team up with the very funny, Bernie Mac, in the comedy "The Dinner Party." Kutcher will play a man marrying a black woman whose father [Mac] has difficulty coming to terms with the marriage. Sounds like a comedy version of "Guess Whose Coming to Dinner."
• Lena Olin, who stars as Sydney Bristow's mother on "Alias" has gained a lot of positive exposure from the role. Olin is so good at being bad...
• Eminem and his mentor/producer Dr. Dre share the Number Two position on this year's Forbes' Celebrity 100 list. I'll bet some people will still downplay Eminem's impact...
• Kelsey Grammer has announced that next season will be "Fraiser's" last. "Fraiser" was "must see tv" up until Niles got married... I'll probably tune in for the last episode though.
• A German man was fatally stabbed by his wife of thirty years after they argued about what color to paint the walls of their house. Well, if you feel that strongly maybe you should just speak up.
• A version of Jackie Gleason's 'The Honeymooners' not seen in more than 30 years is returning to tv on the GoodLife TV Network which will broadcast the 42 'Honeymooners' episodes originally presented in color as part of 'The Jackie Gleason Show' that aired during the 1960s. Instead of just running "The Honeymooner's" segments [which weren't as good as the originals], I'd like to see the channel run the entire "Jackie Gleason Show."

Interman, Hellboy & More

• Jeff Parker's The Interman rocks. It is one of the most intelligently written graphic novels that I've ever had the pleasure of reading. Check it out. I'll bet you'll like it too!
• CHUD has a nice interview with Ron "Hellboy" Perlman. Now, this is a comic movie that I can get behind!
• Ashton Kutcher must be living right. He co-stars in "That 70's Show," hosts MTV's "Punk'd." Kutcher is up against Prince William in an online vote for People magazine's top bachelor of the year, and is dating Demi Moore. Wouldn't you think that dating Demi Moore would be enough?
• A woman has claimed that Ozzy Osburne is the father of her six year old child. I guess she didn't know that Ozzy had a vasectomy 17 years ago.
• Seahorses are their own worst enemy. They've been fished to the point of extinction, yet they mate for life and their unwillingness to seek new partners after being separated has done little to improve their chances of survival. Seems the seahorses don't believe until "death do us part."

Movies, Robbers & More

• "The Hulk" earned a little better than $62 million to force "Finding Nemo" into second spot. I'll still bet on the fish in the long run.
• "Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle" opens next Friday. I waited to rent the original, but plan to see this one on the big screen!
• I just finished reading Robbers by Chris Cook. This is his first novel and I'd say that he's going to become a "name" to anyone who enjoys a good crime story!
• One of the scariest movies that I ever saw as a kid, "Invasion of the Body Snatchers," got a little write up today. They're out there!
• Mike Tyson got involved in what is being described as a "street brawl." Even though it appears that Tyson didn't start it, he could get a year in the slammer if convicted. When is"Iron Mike" gonna learn...
• Lennox Lewis kept the title but may have lost his desire to continue. If history tells us anything, he'll fight again though.
• Archaeologists in western China discovered five earthenware jars of 2,000-year-old rice wine in an ancient tomb. "Ah, do you have anything in a 0003 vintage?"
• Anybody else been keeping up with the news about U.S. bounty hunter Duane "Dog" Chapman who was arrested by Mexican authorities while attempting to bring Andrew Luster, the fugitive heir of the Max Factor fortune and convicted rapist back to the USA? This has been my favorite news item this week... it's like something out of a movie -- which I bet it will be.

Monsters, Arnold & More

• The 7th Annual Monster Bash was held this weekend in Pittsburgh. It featured guests [the guy who played the Creature from the Black Lagoon, Boris Karlaff's daughter, etc.] and film showings. I've been in the mood for some good horror movies [last night we watched "Frankenstein," "Donavan's Brain," and "The Invisible Man"]... if I lived near Pittsburgh, I'd have attended the show!
• Arnold told Bob Costas that he feels like he's in the middle of his career. If Arnold does "King Conan" I'll believe him.
• Lisa Marie Presley is getting ready for her first concert tour. Presley will play hour-long sets opening for Chris Isaak but will NOT cover any of her dad's songs. Maybe she can cover some over her ex-husband's songs. That could be a real "Thriller."
• A federal bankruptcy court awarded the billion-dollar Aladdin casino to investors who plan to turn the Las Vegas property into a Planet Hollywood-themed resort! And you just know I love me some Planet Hollywood!

SZ, Lehane & More

• Thanks to Garth at Dark Horizons and ABKing for the tip of their hats to StalloneZone for the Sly item that appears there today! Ya gotta love that!
• Has anybody here read Mystic River by Dennis Lehane? I've been tempted to pick it up [along with Lehane's Shutter Island]. Now that the official movie site has opened, I'm more tempted than ever!
• Jennifer Aniston is the number-one celebrity on this year's Forbes magazine Celebrity 100 which is based on earnings and media exposure. Anyone else surprised by this?
• Nick Nolte has made the news by saying he wasn't using drugs during "The Hulk" shoot. It's pretty bad when it is news that an actor is NOT using drugs!
• Whitney Houston and Bobby Brown are set to star in "Beffy and Charlie" as musicians who are also gangsters. The film will be full of singing, robbing, and stealing. I'll bet the theater will be empty though.
• Mick Jagger had this to say about Justin Timberlake, "I've watched Justin, but every single move he does is stolen." Hmmm... maybe Justin can get a part in "Beffy and Charlie."
• Kelly Clarkson isn't afraid of "The Hulk." Seems her movie opens the same day as the big green guy's movie. Oh... for a minute I thought she was talking about Rueben.
• According to this report the latest trend among teens and 20-somethings who indulge in so-called extreme body modification, is having one's tongue cut down the middle so that it forks like a snake's. And some people used to think that tatoos were extreme.

Media Tidbits

Ah, but it's good to be home. We had a nice little getaway up to the mountains and even to Heroes Con... but now I'm home and back in the ZONE.

• Is anyone else getting tired of seeing promotion for "The Hulk" everywhere? It's starting to get on my nerves.. and you wouldn't want to see me angry.
• Luther Vandross' new album debuted at No. 1 and his condition has improved enough that he has been moved out of intensive care. If good news comes in three's then Luthor is in for a treat!
• Dennis Miller has signed to do a weekly segment on Fox News' "Hannity & Colmes" show. Won't that be spiffy?
• Michael Chiklis' ex-managers have filed a $1 million lawsuit against him for breach of contract and fraud. I hope that this is resolved quickly and quietly.
• NEW DELHI (Reuters) - A man was found dead in his seat at a cinema in the Indian capital after the late-night screening of a horror film which the director has warned could pose a health risk to those of a nervous disposition. And you just KNOW that this will help it at the box office!
• BERLIN (Reuters) - German police are investigating the discovery of a headless body near castle Frankenstein in Germany. And I thought the last item was bizarre!
• NEW YORK - Ever wonder how many hot dogs the Fridge can hold? Well you'll find out this summer as William "The Refrigerator" Perry, the 400-pound-plus ex-NFL star, participates in the annual July 4th hot dog eating contest in Coney Island. It's nice to know that the Fridge hasn't lost his competitive edge.
• A duck living on a lake here isn't letting a dart in its head stop it from eating, swimming, socializing or paddling away from rescue attempts. Next time the animal will know to, uh, duck.

Sly, Luther & Silence

• Sylvester Stallone will write, direct and star in "Rampart Scandal" based on the murders of rap stars Tupac Shakur and Biggie Smalls. Stallone will play Detective Russell Poole, the real-life cop who investigated the murders. Filming is expected to begin on September 1st. For full details check out the THIS LINK at Cinescape.com.
• Luther Vandross is showing signs of emerging from a stroke-induced coma.
• An German painter refused to speak for 29 years because his father was against his career in art! I thought you should try to silence your critics, not yourself.

Cruise, Sandler, Cage & More

• Yesterday I told you that Tom Cruise was in talks to play a hitman in Michael Mann's next movie. Can you believe that Adam Sandler is in talks to play the cab driver? Can I have my money back?
• Marvel Comics Luke Cage: Hero for Hire may be coming to the big screen! Sweet Christmas! I loved Luke Cage comics when I was a kid!
• Mick Jagger and the Rolling Stones were performing concert in Germany when several pairs of underwear were thrown on the stage. Jagger was used to females doing that but was quoted as saying he did see a few pairs of large men's underpants on the stage. Hmmm... I thought Big Beatty was in Orlando?
• A London judge has ruled that the lyrics of a rap song asking someone to "shizzle my nizzle" did not violate the law. So no ixnay on the shizzlelay.

Incredible Collateral & More

• The folks that brought you "Toy Story" are coming back with "The Incredibles." The trailer is up now and is a hoot! Man, can I relate to that guy! LOL!
• Tom Cruise is in talks to play a hitman in "Collateral," writer-director Michael Mann's next project. Can I buy a ticket now?
• Rocky Balboa not only makes the AFI's "100 Years...100 Heroes & Villains" but cracks the top ten! Take that Luke Skywalker!
• Martin Scorsese is bringing together a great cast which includes Leonardo DiCaprio, Cate Blanchett, Kate Beckinsale and singer Gwen Stefani to star in "Aviator," a Howard Hughes biopic. Surprisingly this doesn't really get me flying.
• Singer/songwriter Barry Manilow walked into a wall in the middle of the night with such force that it broke his nose and left him unconcious for several hours. Anybody want to chip in for some nightlights?
• A German judge fined an ill-tempered pizza delivery man $610 for spitting into a salad order. Everyone knows you NEVER tick off the delivery guy!

Ridley, MTV Awards & More

• John Ridley's Those Who Walk in Darkness is a departure. Usually Ridley's stories are noir tales of a man on a path to possible ruin. Not this one. The lead is female, the tale can best be described as a sci-fi/thriller... but it does have one thing in common with Ridley's other novels... it's excellent! I'll bet there's more to come with this character / storyline.
• "The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers" won the Best Picture award at the 2003 MTV Movie Awards ceremony held yesterday. We're not even half way through the year and already MTV is handing out awards? I like the idea of a more "hip" awards show but can't we wait until the year is almost over?
• I haven't checked out the tv guide yet, but I have a feeling I'll be waching "44 Minutes" on FX tonight. That whole situation has intrigued me since the day it happened. I'm surprised we haven't seen more robberies like it.
• It's been quite a year for Jennifer Garner who picked up the Female Breakthrough Performance Award at the MTV Awards.
• Doesn't Pink remind you of one of those girls in high school that weren't really your type but you found yourself watching whenever she was around?

Zeck, Grant & More

* In 1997 Mike Zeck [penciler] teamed up with writer Steven Grant, inker Denis Rodier and colorist Kurt Goldzung to create one of my all-time favorite comic mini-sereies. It was a hard-boiled crime story called DAMNED. Finally a trade paperback is scheduled to ship in August. This book is well worth the price!

* A failing British company fired 2,500 employees by sending text messages to their mobile telephones. " U R Fired."

A wanted man was arrested after his parole officer spotted him kissing his girlfriend in a live crowd shot displayed on the scoreboard at a Cincinnati Reds game. If convicted he could get up to 18 years in prison. He could be heading for the [grand] slammer.

More Chili, Opie's Girl & More

• John Travolta is in talks to reprise Chili Palmer, the character he played in "Get Shorty." The sequel, "Be Cool" would be based on the novel by Elmore Leonard who wrote the original novel as well. "How cool is that?"
• Kirsten Dunst has dropped out of talks to star in M. Night Shyamalan's "The Woods." Bryce Dallas Howard [director Ron Howard's daughter] will take on the role in her film debut. Set in 1897, "The Woods" revolves around a close-knit community that lives with the frightening knowledge that a mythical race of creatures resides in the woods around them. "I've got a sixth sense about these things... the signs are all there... the movie will be a hit and my record will remain unbreakable.
• Mike Tyson said, in an interview to air tonight that he's so angry about his rape conviction 11 years ago that he wants to rape his accuser and her mother now. Now that's a way to win back fans.
• A Nebraska lawmaker is so fed up with constituents crossing the state border to Iowa to gamble that she proposed going to war with the state. Anyone wanna bet that it doesn't happen?

Roth, McCartney, DeNiro & More

• David Lee Roth's lawsuit against Van Halen moves forward. Diamond Dave wants his fair cut!
• Paul McCartney [60] and wife, Heather Mills, are expecting a baby later this year. Brings a whole new meaning to "will ya still need me, will ya still feed me... when I'm 64."
• A man described as a paranoid schizophrenic sneaked through security at Pittsburgh's airport late at night and was found sleeping aboard a parked commuter airplane the next morning, authorities said. And you wonder why I don't like to fly?
• Robert De Niro will be honored next month with the American Film Institute's Lifetime Achievement Award. When told of his winning, Mr. DeNiro was quoted as saying, "Are you talkin' ta ME?"
• Bill Murray will play "Garfield" in a new live-action movie. That Murray is one funny cat.

Hope, Hope & More

• It's hard to believe, but Bob Hope turns 100 on Thursday! I can remember seeing his specials when I was a little kid and thinking, he's pretty funny for an old guy.
• When Boston Public returns this fall it will be on a new night [Friday] and without Joey McIntyre, Jon Abrahams, Cara DeLizia and China Shavers. I just hope the audience returns.
• Two Texas prison inmates have received permission to marry even though they have never met and cannot honeymoon until at least 2036. That brings a whole new meaning to if you love me, you'll wait.
• A woman gave birth to a baby in a well she had jumped into when she could not take the labor pain, police said. I'm happy to report that the mother and child are both doing, ah... well.

Crais is Great & More

* A couple of days ago I wrote to say that LA Requiem by Robert Crais is one of the best books I've read this year. It is, but believe or not, his follow-up The Last Detective, is even better! I read it almost non-stop this weekend. It's that good! If you've never read any of Crais' work, now is the time to give him a shot!

* Can you believe that "Bruce Almighty" earned $86.4 million at the box office this weekend AND it knocked "The Matrix Reloaded," from the top spot.

* Busta Rhymes has been charged with misdemeanor assault and battery charges on a fan. Busta was busted.

No TV & More

• Don't you just hate this in-between time for tv seasons? No new epsiodes of "Alias," Boston Public," "24," "The Shield," "West Wing," or "ER." At least I can look forward to new episodes of "Lucky" and "The World Series of Poker."
• Stephen Glover aka Steve-O of MTV's "Jackass" admitted in a Swedish court that he had drugs in his hotel room. "I had an ecstasy pill in my bag and I smoked marijuana in the hotel room. I admit to both of those crimes," Steve-O said but claimed he was joking about swallowing a condom filled with marijuana and hashish. Jackass indeed!
• A judge overturned a convicted murderer's death sentence because jurors consulted Biblical passages such as an "eye for an eye" during death-penalty deliberations. Would there have been a conviction if they had read "turn the other cheek?"
• A philosophy student took her virginity off the auction block after an anonymous benefactor lent her the tuition money she lacked. "To give or not to give -THAT is the question."
• Spiders have infested a county jail in northeast Arkansas, biting at least 15 inmates and confounding the exterminator. Confounding the exterminator? "Uh warden, I'm a bit confused... those little buggers are too fast for a needle and they won't sit in the chair! What am I to do?"
• Meow Mix chief executive officer Richard Thompson is recovering — with his sense of humor intact — after being bitten by a Rottweiler. "Talk about turning the other cheek."

Big $, Bad Weeks & a Great Book

• Want to know how much the Wachowski brothers made for "The Matrix" sequels? You better sit down first!
• Think you've had a bad week? I'll bet director Vincent Gallo's was worse!
• And if that's not bad enough... Michael Jackson's week wasn't so hot!
• LA Requiem by Robert Crais is one of the best books I've read this year.

Rodriguez, Underworld & More

* I'm really really looking forward to Robert Rodriguez's "Once Upon a Time in Mexico." It's the third in his trilogy. Denmark MSN has posted up some cool shots from it. Check 'em out! [Thanks to Dark Horizons for the link]
* The official site for "Underworld" has opened. Watch the trailer and then mark your calendar for the premiere!
* 33.7 million people tuned in to watch Ruben Studdard win the title of "American Idol" last night. That's more than the number of people who watch the Academy Awards which is traditionally the most-watched entertainment event of the year!

* Scott Bairstow who appeared in last year's Disney flick "Tuck Everlasting" as well as in several TV series ["Lonesome Dove," :Wolf Lake," "Harsh Realm," and "Party of Five"] has been charged with having sex with a 12-year-old girl. What's worse is that she's a relative by marriage... and the evidence looks like it's true.

You've Got to Be Kidding!

• Residents from West Virginia and Kentucky have taken their protest of the planned reality show "The Real Beverly Hillbillies" to CBS. The new show, a takeoff of "The Beverly Hillbillies," would pay an Appalachian family up to $500,000 to live for a year in a Hollywood mansion. If they want to avoid the publicity, they can come to Florida and choose my family. We'll even do it for a lot less.
• A German ambulanceman has been arrested for robbing patients as they lay helpless en route to hospital, police say. Police in the Bavarian capital of Munich became suspicious after several patients reported thefts. And I thought insurance companies were a rip-off.
• A federal appeals court has tossed out the armed bank robbery conviction of a Los Angeles man after finding that -- while he admitted being armed and robbing the bank -- he did not mean to show his gun to a teller while demanding money. That is insane. He was carrying a weapon while he robbed the bank, but it wasn't armed robbery?
• If you're going to sell marijuana, you probably shouldn't try to sell it to the sheriff. Mahnomen County Sheriff Brad Athman said Tuesday he was motorcycling while off-duty over the weekend when a youth tried to sell him marijuana — not once, but twice — on the main street. Maybe the kid can get off by saying he didn't mean for the Sheriff to see the pot!

Ridley, Morrell & More

John Ridley's Those Who Walk in Darkness has been described as a sci fi mystery, thriller in the noir tradition. Regular ZONE readers know I'm a big fan of Ridley's work. This may be his best yet. I've ordered it and will let you know.
I've also ordered David Morrell's latest, The Protector. Morrell [First Blood] has created a novel about super-bodyguard hunting down a rogue client who controls a new and powerful weapon. You just know this book is gonna rock!

• Stone Temple Pilots lead singer Scott Weiland was released on $10,000 bail after police arrested him for investigation of drug possession. Maybe that should be "Stoned Temple Pilots?"
• After intensive research, British scientists have concluded that politicians lie. In a study described in Britain's Observer newspaper, Glen Newey, a political scientist at Britain's University of Strathclyde, concluded that lying is an important part of politics in the modern democracy. In a related study it was discovered that a lot of money is being wasted with frivolous studies.
• Workers at a Kentucky Fried Chicken restaurant discovered the cremated ashes of a man who died last December -- in the drive-through takeout lane. My only question... extra crispy or original?
• A man suspected of robbing a bank was arrested after he told the son of the bank manager he had to get out of town quickly and asked him for directions to the bus station, police said. Another criminal mastermind brought down.

Must See TV?

• "The Matrix Reloaded" set one box office record by raking in over $42 million on it's first day. I"The Matrix Reloaded" should also set a new record for a "R" rated movie's weekend gross ["Hannibal" holds the record with the $58 million it made during its opening weekend].
• Rob Lowe's returning to in a new tv series called "The Lyon's Den." I enjoyed him in "West Wing" and would have been more interested if his character there spun off into his own series. Although I may give it a try since there's nothing else I watch on Sundays at 10PM.
• "Tarzan and Jane" is a modern day look at Tarzan, but with a twist. He's been brought back to "the glass and steel canyons of another jungle - New York City. From his rooftop perch, Tarzan protects the city with the primal morality that proclaimed him king of the jungle." Throw in a love triangle with Jane and you're on to something... something I would watch except that it'll be on the same time as "Alias."
• James Caan stars in "Las Vegas" as Big Ed Deline, a former CIA agent who runs the best surveillance company in Vegas. "You can bet on high stakes and high-speed action in this adrenaline-fueled drama from the writer of "The Fast and the Furious." You can bet that I'll give it a shot.
• "Jake 2.0" is about computer technician who through an accident can shrink to an atomic level, possesses superhuman strength, lightning-fast speed, heightened hearing, magnified vision and the ability to communicate telepathically with computers. Now if he only has the power to bring in an audience! [I'll be watching "West Wing."]
• Based on the character portrayed by Jennifer Lopez in Elmore Leonard's Out of Sight, "Karen Sisco" could benefit from the curiosity factor and a weak competition. It might be worth a look.
• "Threat Matrix" follows "a highly specialized, elite task force trained and equipped to counter anyone or anything that threatens our nation. The head of this super-secret team is Special Agent John Kilmer. He reports only to the President and has authority to call upon the technical skills, firepower, and specialist agents of the FBI, CIA and NSA. " Man, this sounds like fun... the question is can it survive "Survivor"?
• Joe Pantoliano, ["The Matrix"] is "The Handler," an FBI agent who trains street operatives and prepares them to go undercover. Maybe.
  
• So what looks good to you?

Arnie, ReLOADED & More

• Arnold Schwarzenegger said today that "Terminator 3" was the toughest movie he had ever made and that his days as an action hero were far from over. This could be really great news...
• "The Matrix Reloaded" has already set one box office record by grossing $42.5 million on it's first day! Whoa!
• A Florida policeman has resigned after a teenager complained that he made her do jumping jacks while topless to avoid arrest. And just how do you explain THAT to the Captain?
• Although I'm probably going to wait to rent it, Jim Carey's "Bruce Almighty," has some really funny ads.

Halle Berry & Robert Stack

• Halle Berry broke her arm while filming a scene for the supernatural thriller "Gothika" which is set for release in October. Now the director really has cast problems.
• Robert Stack, best known as for TV's "Untouchables," has died at the age of 84. Our prayers go out to his family and friends.

Arnie, Lector & All Stars

• Arnold Schwarzenegger stars in an Atari video game based on "T3" that will be released this fall. It's the first time Schwarzenegger has contributed his likeness and voice to a video game. What's scary is the game version may be more life-like than the real Arnold! [Just kidding, you know I'm a fan!]
• "The Lecter Variation: The Story of Young Hannibal Lecter" is now being mapped out by his creator Thomas Harris for a film which will track the cannibal killer from childhood to early adulthood. Hmmm... maybe I'll have someone over for dinner... and a movie?
• Richard Hatch, Rudy Boesch, Tina Wesson, Ethan Zohn and Jerri Manthey return next season for a "Survivor" all-star version. Let's hope that no one tunes in and thinks they're watching a rerun.

X2, Pop King & More

• "X2: X-Men United" held on to the top box-office spot for the second weekend in a row. It took in $40 million for a total of $147+ million!
• "The King of Pop," Michael Jackson has sued Universal Music Group for royalties for the re-release of songs he made in the 1970s.
• CBS loves Ray Ramano, the star of "Everybody Loves Raymond" to the tune of about $1.8 million an episode next season.
• Boxing's return to network television has generated competitive ratings and led to talks for more weekly fights. Now that IS good news!
• The finale of "Survivor: The Amazon" saw 21-year-old Jenna take the crown and the $1 million prize. Man, I was hoping Rob or Matt would win!
• Whoopi Goldberg, James Caan, Rob Lowe and Alicia Silverstone will have tv shows on NBC in the fall.

Cruise, Yao & OZ

• Tom Cruise has completed nearly four months of filming in New Zealand for his next film, "The Last Samurai." which is set for release this December.
• NBA star Yao Ming took center stage at a telethon Sunday, which raised more than $300,000 to help researchers seeking a cure for SARS. The Houston Rockets center said this was his way of giving back to his homeland. If only more celebrities felt this way!
• I rented season one of OZ. I've heard great things about the HBO series... and ya gotta love a good prison story.

Just Some Trivia

• Dark Horizons posted that The Hollywood Reporter says that Ving Rhames is in talks for the "Dawn of the Dead" remake. I like Ving and would love to see a well-done re-make!
• Tom Sizemore ["Saving Private Ryan"] has been arrested for allegedly threatening former "Hollywood Madam" Heidi Fleiss to keep her from testifying in his domestic violence case. Sizemore's another favorite actor but this doesn't help him in any way...
• Roger Moore was released from the hospital...
• Aretha Franklin will hold a candlelight vigil / prayer service on May 19th for Luther Vandross, who remains in critical condition after suffering a stroke last month.

Moore, Al & Slim Shady

• Roger Moore, best known as secret agent James Bond collapsed on stage during a Broadway performance on Wednesday. He wasn't my favorite Bond, but he was in the top 003!
• Eminem has denied "Weird Al" Yankovic permission to do a video parody of his hit "Lose Yourself." Eminem gave his permission to a 'Lose Yourself' parody song but drew the line at the video because "he felt that a Weird Al video would somehow detract from his legacy or make him seem like a less serious hip-hop artist," according to a statement by Weird Al. Seems Slim Shady is taking himself a bit too seriously.
• The cast of 'The Matrix Reloaded' got together for the film's premiere in LA yesterday. It won't be much longer.... WHOA!
  

Dangerfield & Ridley

• Rodney Dangerfield looks to fully recover from brain surgery. Dangerfield is one of my favorite comedians, so I'm especially happy to hear that he'll be providing more laughs in the near future!
• John Ridley has signed on to direct the thriller "Let Me Take You Down" from his screenplay. The project is an "eerie tale of murder, obsession, intrigue and Hollywood folklore" when a young woman who is murdered has similarities with the 1947 Black Dahlia case. John Ridley is one of my favorite writers. This could be a winner!

Four Things to Look Forward To:

• Paramount is going to release a new film version of "The Honeymooners," based on the classic Jackie Gleason television series. Cedric the Entertainer is set to take over the role once held by Gleason. This movie may be funny... and it does have potential but nothing will ever replace the original series!
  
• The "Indiana Jones" trilogy will be released on DVD for the first time on Nov. 4th! It will be a four disk set with behind-the-scenes documentaries, cast and crew interviews and other special features.


• Jackie Chan is hard at work on "Around the World in 80 Days." The film is based on the classic Jules Verne novel and should be out sometime in 2004.


• Elton John and Bernie Taupin are collaborating for a Broadway show based on Anne Rice's Vampire Chronicles, tentatively titled "The Vampire Lestat," and aimed for a 2005 theatrical run. This could be interesting!

It's All About Timing...

• 'Grease' is still the word at Paramount where reports say that plans for "Grease 3" are well underway. The idea is to set the sequel in the late-'70s, feature plenty of disco music and bring back John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John. Didi Conn, who played Frenchie, is serving as an executive producer. I was never a fan of either of the "Grease" movies, but there's no denying that it has a very strong, very loyal following. The time might be right for this one.
• David Hyde Pierce, who plays Niles Crane, on "Frasier" believes next season will be the last. You know, "Frasier" used to be on my "must see tv" list, but the last couple of seasons I haven't even tuned in. Seems to me the show "jumped the shark" when Niles married Daphne. It's time has passed.
• A lone protester stood outside a sold-out Dixie Chicks concert during the band's first concert since a member criticized President Bush over the war with Iraq. Seems the protestor's timing was off.
• William Bennett [Republican Party activist, former Cabinet secretary, former US Drug Czar and Book of Virtues author] said in a statement today that he was giving up the high-stakes gambling that has cost him millions over the past decade. The timing is right on this one, but Mr. Bennett's timing was obviously off on his bets.

X2, Kings & More

"X2: X-Men United" opened with a projected $85.85 million debut . This would make it the fourth highest opening ever and almost a sure thing to spawn an "X-Men 3."
With the popularity of some of the individual characters, such as Wolverine and Nightcrawler, it might be interesting to see them spring off into their own films separate from the other "X-Men." What do you think about that idea?

• George Wyle, who wrote the theme song to "Gilligan's Island" has died at the age of 87. I was going to say that even if that was the only song that he ever wrote that attained any level of popularity, he had accomplished more than most. The I discovered that he also wrote the Christmas classic "The Most Wonderful Time of the Year" and more than 400 other songs. Although most people probably don't know his name, I'll be they can sing the theme to "Gilligan's Island"! Our thoughts and prayers go out to Mr. Wyle's family and friends.


• "Alias" star Jennifer Garner will replace Gwyneth Paltrow in "Happy Endings," which is set to shoot this summer in Los Angeles. Lisa Kudrow will co-star in the comedy.It's really amazing how popular Jennifer Garner has gotten. Seems she's everywhere these days. Not that I'm complaining! ; )


• Two new Stephen King stories have been discovered. "The 43rd Dream" and "Code Name: Mousetrap," are believed to be among the earliest published works of best seller Stephen King. Believe it or not, they appeared in his high school newspaper... copies have been selling on e-Bay for several hundred dollars.


• James Brown celebrated his 70th birthday Saturday! Ya gotta love it. "The Godfather of Soul" is still touring, has recently lost weight and... uh, he feels good! Ugh!

ZONE Logo & More

• Hey! What do you think about the new ZONE logo that Big John Beatty did for me? Pretty cool, huh? And have you checked out the new StalloneZone Message Board? It, too, is very cool... and easy to use! I've been spending a lot of time over there talking about things like...
• Albert Einstein and Isaac Newton were geniuses but British scientists believe they may have suffered from Asperger syndrome -- a form of autism.
• Aaron Sorkin, creator of the Emmy-winning White House drama "The West Wing" is leaving the series after this season.
• David Lee Roth used a shotgun to detain an unwanted visitor when a man being chased by police climbed over a fence and tried to hide in the rock star's yard!
• There's also a lot of discussion about the new X-Men movie as well as other summer films!
  We've added polls and caption "contests" and more. If you haven't dropped by, you really ought to join us!
• With a new logo and new message board... who knows what's next? Stick around and you will!

Deadline for War

The deadline for war has almost arrived. Who knows what the next few days [weeks?] will bring us.

The nation has gone to a higher state of alert. Cities are tightening their security. Turn on the tv and all you can find on news channels are reports from the front and speculation about what will happen next.

The NCAA basketball tourney will continue as planned. And that's a good thing. I have three of the four number one teams in our annual family contest. The Academy Awards are scheduled to be held on Sunday as planned [although there will be less red carpet and after party coverage]. I'm glad that both of these major events will go on as scheduled. We're going to need something to divert our attention from the media overkill covering the war. I also think that we can't let the possibility of terrorist attacks on the homefront cause us to change our lifestyle.

Well... it's 8:00 straight-up. May God bless our troops and may this war end quickly.

John Carpenter

JOHN CARPENTER used to be one of my favorite directors.

He was a young guy whose love for movies was evident. CARPENTER did it all. He wrote, directed and even created the music for his movies. I first discovered his work with the classic "Halloween."

I learned about another classic that CARPENTER had created even earlier in his career. That was the cult classic "Assault on Precinct 13." In the following years CARPENTER went on to direct "Escape From New York," "The Thing," "Big Trouble in Little China" and even "Starman."

After that his movies began to be hit or miss and mostly miss.

Still when I go back and watch one of JOHN CARPENTER's early films, like "Assault on Precinct 13," it's obvious why he was one of my favorites!

Below Rises to the Top

Way back on October 5, 2002, I told you about a movie that I couldn't wait to see. And I wouldn't have to since "Below" was scheduled to premiere the following week.

Funny thing was, it never got a theatrical release.

"Below" came out on dvd and video this week. I went to Blockbuster to rent it and all copies were gone. I called Best Buy and Circuit City and they were sold out. I went to Wal Mart and they had three copies left. Now they have two.

"Below" is the story of an American submarine crew facing Nazi war ships on the surface and something worse below. It's not just a war movie though, it's a haunted house movie as well... and there's no leaving the house! After watching it, I can tell you it's GREAT! David Twohy co-wrote and directed it just as it did on another favorite of mine, "Pitch Black." Keep an out for him - he's the real deal!

If you like scary movies, you'll love "Below" and unlike me you won't have to wait five months to see it!

MJ - Maybe Now We've Heard It All

Just when you think you've heard it all about MICHAEL JACKSON...

Vanity Fair, in its March 11 edition reports that MJ bleaches his skin white because he doesn't like black people, whom he sometimes refers to as "spabooks."

The article also says that the "King of Pop" paid $150,000 to an African voodoo chief who promised that STEVEN SPIELBERG, music mogul DAVID GEFFEN and 23 other people on the reclusive entertainer's list of enemies would die. Supposedly the voodoo priest sacrificed 42 cows during a special ceremony that was to gurantee GEFFEN's death within a week.

As if that wasn't enough, the article claims that JACKSON is in such financial trouble that the amusement park equipment at his Neverland Valley Ranch was almost repossessed.

Now... maybe... we've heard it all.

Wow! What a cool time I had yesterday at the Megacon Convention in Orlando, Florida. I was able to spend a lot of time with some friends and met some people whose work I really admire. MegaCon is a convention which features celebrities, comic artists, novelists, dealers and more...

Walter Koenig, who played Chekov in the original Star Trek series was there. When I was a kid Star Trek was THE show, so it was really cool getting to meet Mr. Koenig and to shake his hand.

One of my favorite writers was there, Steve Niles. I was first in line to meet him. [And if that sounds like a geeky thing to say, well, I was geeking out yesterday. LOL!] I was able to speak with Steve for a few minutes and get him to autograph both of his novels [more are coming!]. Eric Powell, the creator of The Goon, was there. I got him to autograph his new graphic novel and do a Stallone sketch for me [the sketch will appear in the SZ Gallery soon]. Many, many more artists were there from Adam Hughes to Frank Cho to Mike Zeck to... well you get the idea. I picked up several new pieces for the SZ Gallery which will appear in the near future.

After the show John Beatty, Mike Zeck, Rik Levins, Howard Shum, Brad VanCata, Mike [my son] and I all went out for some Chinese. It was a great capper to a great day. I'll talk more about the show in future ZZone updates