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John Mayer secures a BlackBerry Bold, makes world envious
See how easy it is everyone? All that's required to snag a BlackBerry Bold well before its public release is to become a Grammy award-winning artist, sell out shows worldwide, date a smattering of superstars and convince Fender to create and sell your own branded guitar. While you're off working on step one, John Mayer is living it up with his brand new BlackBerry Bold. Granted, he can't claim to be the very first with said handset, but it's likely the first completely legitimate edition let loose. Of course, once you've landed the Curve and MacBook Air before everyone else on the planet, snagging a Bold is just child's play.
Steve Aoki hates World of Warcraft
DJ Steve Aoki, brother of Devon "deadly little Miho" Aoki and one of the heirs to the Benihana steak house fortune, hates World of Warcraft. Our favorite game got a weird mention in New York Magazine -- in a "21 Questions" interview with the DJ, also known as Kid Millionaire, he says that his biggest enemy is Blizzard's big MMO. Getting rid of the game, he says, has left him "much happier."I'm not quite sure what else to say to that, except that I wonder what he played. My guess is that it was a Shaman -- he probably didn't have so many problems with spending too much time playing the game (after all, he's a DJ, and they don't work before sundown anyway) as he just did with all the constant nerfs. Maybe when those buffs show up, he'll be back.
Rumor: EA bringing stars of "The Hills" to video game
If you recognize the above pictured pair as reality TV stars (and not just goobers at a Halloween party), then you should stop reading this post right now and just go read US Magazine or something. If you don't recognize them, we'll explain that Heidi Montag and Spencer Pratt, stars of MTV's The Hills, let slip recently that they're collaborating with EA on a video game version of their, like, totally drama-filled lives.Not many details were spilled on what Pratt called the "top-secret" game, but he did mention to US Magazine that the game would let players work against the popular pair if they want to. "You can even torture me," Pratt said in a quote sure to excite reality-TV-haters everywhere.Pratt expects the game to come out in two versions -- "the adult version and the one for minors" -- around Christmas 2009. And really, if you can't trust reality TV stars for your video game release dates, who can you trust?
Video games give B-list actors a second chance
While some of you might recognize the gap-toothed gentleman pictured above as actor Keith David, from such films as "The Thing" or "Requiem for a Dream", we'd wager that more of you know his voice -- David is arguably the most prolific celebrity-turned-video game voice actor on the planet, picking up roles in Fallout, Saints Row, Planescape: Torment, Mass Effect, and, of course, providing the guttural dialogue for the Arbiter in Halo 2 and Halo 3. Though his on-screen career isn't booming, David has found a comfortable niche in the video game voice acting market.According to a recent Reuters article, he's not the only celebrity to slip through the cracks of big screen Hollywood, only to find solace and celebrity in video games. Terrence 'T.C.' Carson, whose career dried up after his role in the moderately successful sitcom "Living Single", has voiced a number of video game characters -- including everyone's favorite brooding Spartan, Kratos. Michael Ironside of Top Gun and Starship Troopers fame provides the voice of Splinter Cell's Sam Fisher.These kinds of jobs are quickly gaining popularity in Hollywood, says Reuters, as voice work provides a much steadier paycheck than that of on-screen roles. We see it as a win-win situation -- down on their luck actors with distinct voices can find a nice amount of celebrity in the gaming realm, and as a result, we don't have to suffer through another era of wretched, Tenchu-esque voice acting. God bless you, Keith David.
Kenny G rocks his BlackBerry, hard
Aside from big glorious hair, and a career with some 75 million records sold, our Mr. G is apparently a big fan of his BlackBerry Curve. The gents at Switched had some one on one time with Kenny G and picked his brains about what he does and doesn't love about his messaging machine and gleaned a few fun facts. First off he'd like to have seen the handset packing a camera for video messaging -- hasn't that gotten enough celebs in trouble? -- appreciates how fast he can message with it but just wishes the keypad wasn't so cramped -- we hear ya. We think it's kinda refreshing to hear that not all celebrities prefer the glossy iPhone or gem encrusted monsters we see here and again, so keep doin' what you're doing Kenny, you crazy romantic.
Angelina Jolie buys Ghost Squad, promotes violence
We'd like to be envious of Angelina Jolie's vast wealth and movie star looks, but heck, we just can't muster up the hate -- not when she has the nous to buy games like Ghost Squad.Alas, not everybody appreciates Ms. Jolie's discerning taste in Wii Zapper titles. Brad Pitt's own sister, for example, was less than pleased that her children received a copy of the T-rated game from the actress for Christmas, and apparently sent it back with a slightly indignant note, explaining to Auntie that "We don't promote violence in our home."This apparently trivial celebrity tale probably raises lots of important questions concerning violent video game content and the role of parents. But we have our own questions -- vital questions -- that need answers. Questions such as: Did Jolie get the game cheap? Does she have her own dolphin-shaped Zapper? And if so ... does she read us?! Hai Angelina![Via Game Politics]
Allakhazam grills Curt Schilling on game habits, new MMO studio
A lot of the time, when you read about celebrities playing games or see them with a controller at some glitzy press event hosted by EA or Microsoft, it's hard to take them seriously. Most look completely out of place playing or talking about games, and more often then not, they have a look of barely restrained condescension on their faces. That's why it's always refreshing to see an interview like the one Allakhazam posted recently with Curt Schilling, the veteran ace pitcher from the World Series champion Boston Red Sox.The interview is light-hearted and jovial, but it fairly well establishes Schilling's gamer cred. This is no fair-weather fan here, Schilling talks in some depth about days long past in EQ doing late night corpse runs with guildmates, why he took so strongly to EQ2, and his approach to balancing games and real life. Perhaps most exciting of all is when he talks about 38 Studios, the MMO development house that he started up with Todd McFarlane and R.A. Salvatore. He doesn't slip us any specifics about the game they have in the works, but he does go into detail about their development philosophy (it's done when it's done), and the advantages of being independently owned. Even if you're not a baseball fan (or if you are and hate the Red Sox), you'll probably find something to like in the interview. Definitely check it out.
Steve Wozniak engaged to Kathy Griffin?
We wouldn't bet the farm on this being true -- after all, it's a celebrity rumor -- but Us Magazine has it that Apple's Steve Wozniak may be engaged to loudmouth Kathy Griffin. Apparently, Kathy was spotted rocking "what appeared to be an engagement ring" at the Emmys, and when questioned about it, she simply stated that she doesn't "kiss and tell." Of course, Kathy has made known that the two are in some sort of relationship, but whether she's well on her way to becoming Woz's wife (or if she's the elusive genius behind Apple's next cash cow) remains to be seen.[Via The Raw Feed]
Foxy Brown allegedly assaults neighbor with BlackBerry
Joining the growing list of celebrities who can't quit using their cellphones to beat up on others is Foxy Brown, who was recently "charged with assault and possession of a weapon" after allegedly hitting a neighbor with her BlackBerry. Of course, this isn't the first time Foxy's temper has flared up, but when she was confronted over the volume of her stereo system, the handset came out (a few days later, mind you) for purposes other than texting, talking, or capturing the impending battle for future viewing. So, you may be wondering how much damage a flung BlackBerry can do, and if that's the case, here's your answer: the victim was left with a cut lip and a loose tooth.
Senator Tenorio? Heals prz!
We've known for a while that there were stars playing World of Warcraft. After all, with 9 million people logging in, there's inevitably going to be the occasional star from somewhere in the world. But reports this week illustrated a player that perhaps many of us were a little surprised at. You see, the gentleman in the picture to the right is Senator Ray Tenorio of Guam. When he's not working towards a brighter future for Guam serving in the Mina Bente Ocho Na Liheslaturan Guahan (the 28th Guam Legislature) as Senator and Majority Leader, he can be seen slinging heals in Karazhan on his Level 70 Dwarf Priest, Paleray. This just further helps to illustrate the point that many researchers are claiming now -- that MMO players know how to excel in team environments and make excellent leaders. Aside from that, I have to admit that having a gamer (and a Priest, at that) running for elected official would get some brownie points from me. Raiding requires people who are willing to work hard with a group, and that's definitely what I want to see in any elected official. Although I have to wonder why the Pacific Daily News didn't use actual screen shots from Paleray as opposed to just snagging random WoW screen shots. I don't know about you, but I'd be curious to see what a Senator uses for a UI. [via Pacific Daily News]
NBC's Jay Leno claims Blu-ray is "above HD"
Well, now isn't this an interesting predicament. Jay Leno, who no doubt garners quite a few viewers on his NBC late night talk show, was casually conversing with Sandra Bullock about the film Premonition, and while fielding questions from Mrs. Bullock about the nature of Blu-ray vs. DVD, Leno actually blurted out that BD was "like, above HD." Granted, we're sure he was simply trying to prove a point to someone who had already admitted her ignorance towards the format, but it is quite ironic that Leno's network is the main player still refusing to support the aforementioned high-definition format. C'mon Universal, even The Chin recognizes that Blu-ray has its benefits.
DS Daily: Who should it be?
We can't stop thinking about who should do commercials for the Brain Age sequel in the U.S., and we think we've happened upon the perfect sponsor. Go forth, Nintendo, and get Mr. T. He can scare people smarter. Think you can come up with someone better? Let's just see you try!On a serious note -- hey, we can be serious sometimes! -- what about Jessica Alba? She apparently actually plays DS. Wouldn't that be a refreshing change in celebrity campaigns?
Former Olympian joins Nicole Kidman in promoting Brain Age 2
When we think Brain Age 2, we think swimming*. Well, maybe not so much, but for Australians, former Olympian Kieren Perkins is probably a great choice as the face of Brain Age 2. Perkins, who medaled in three consecutive Olympic Games, will be promoting the game (along with his wife, Symantha) in an expansive media campaign. So we've got Nicole Kidman in the U.K., Kieren Perkins in Australia ... will we have a designated celebrity for Brain Age 2 here in the U.S.?*We do not recommend swimming and playing Brain Age 2 at the same time, for, y'know, obvious reasons.
Another celebrity joins the WoW fan club
The list of famous fans is getting longer as World of Warcraft becomes more and more popular. The first famous names I remember hearing about were a whole slew of cartoonists whose work I really enjoy: Roman Dirge (Lenore), Jhonen Vasquez (JTHM), Scott Kurtz (PVP Online), Mike Krahulik and Jerry Holkins (Penny Arcade), and Tim Buckley (Ctrl+Alt+Del). Now, being a long-time comic book geek myself, these guys didn't really surprise me when they said that they were playing World of Warcraft. After all, video games and comics are generally thought of as sharing space in the realm of the Geek. One of the next names did take me a bit by surprise -- that was when comedian Dave Chappelle proclaimed his love for WoW. After that, it was just a mattter of time. Brandon Routh (Superman Returns) admitted that he was a total WoW fan. Then he showed in an Eastvale Logging Camp t-shirt to the Video Game Awards, and got to introduce the world premiere of the Burning Crusade trailer to the rest of the world.But this most recent name added to the ranks is a new one to me. World of Warcraft has just gained a professional football player as a fan. In a recent interview with Nick Smith, the newly recruited offensive lineman for the New York Jets, WoW came up as a topic and he talked about his time in Azeroth. Or at least, said that he had been playing WoW until Burning Crusade came out.Yeah... I stopped playing when the expansion came out because I just couldn't keep up. Last summer though, I was like that guy in the South Park episode. I could kill anyone over and over again until they quit. It was awesome. That was pretty much all I did: eat, workout and play WoW.While I'm thrilled to see someone in professional sports join the WoW gamer fold, I honestly hope that he was just joking about being like any guy in a South Park episode. There are just certain images that really don't need to conjured up. O.o How about you? Do you know of any other famous names who play World of Warcraft? [via thejetsblog.com]
Should game designers get celebritized?
Quick, name ten famous game designers. OK, now name ten famous movie directors. Which list took you longer? Even if you're a serious gamer, the list of movie directors probably came out quicker. Patrick Dugan helps explain why in an excellent post on the small but growing phenomenon of the celebrity game designer.While movie studios often sell a movie as the singular vision of a single auteur, games or more often sold as products than statements. With games, "it was far simpler to associate that content with a genre, or better yet, a franchise brand, than it was to associate it with a personality," as Dugan puts it.Perhaps this is for the best. After all, most modern games are produced by a large group of people, not just a celebrity designer that can serve as a public face for the project. Even this is changing, though, with high profile, independent projects like flOw and Super Columbine Massacre RPG being closely associated with a single designer (Jenova Chen and Danny Ledonne, respectively). In an internet world where anyone can easily make and distribute a game, literally anyone can be a celebrity designer.Personally, we just hope this growing trend of attention for the people behind the games doesn't grow into outright celebrity worship. The line between respect for a designer's vision and Us Weekly style obsession with everything they do isn't as thick as you might think.[Via Raph]
WWE star Kane professes love of PSP
WWE wrestling superstar Kane loves the PSP ... and so should you. When traveling on his cross-country flights, the celebrity can be often seen playing a match of WWE Smackdown on Sony's portable. "The PSP is a pretty popular system because it doesn't take up a lot of room," said Kane. "It has the Wi-Fi connections so the guys can play each other. We've had some long trips overseas and the guys will actually get some games going on the PSPs. One of the best time-passes I've ever had on a transatlantic flight was a three-way tables, ladders and chairs match with me playing as myself and then the other two guys were playing as Shelton Benjamin and the 80s Hulk Hogan. We had like an hour-long match. With the portability, you don't lose much in gameplay and graphics because it's such an awesome little machine."The wrestler admits that he has a bias for wrestling games, but that's not all he likes in the PSP library. "I've played the PSP version of the game and it's probably the best game on the PSP, and that's saying a lot because the PSP has a lot of good games on it," he notes. You could choose to disagree with him, but then, he'd probably just kill you.[Via Yahoo!]
Celebrity patents unearthed
We've been a little bummed that since Google's launch of its Patent search engine we haven't had the time to pore over it yet, but thankfully not everyone is preparing for CES. Ironic Sans unearthed no less than 18 bizarre and unusual celebrity patents by entertainment A-lisers not normally renowned for following in the footsteps of Dean Kamen. Obviously our pick for favorite was Eddie Van Halen's "musical instrument support" which makes two handed shredding that much easier (really though, did the patent drawing need to be shirtless too?), although other curiosities include Hedy Lamar's "secret communication system", Jamie Lee Curtis's "infant garment" diaper design, Lawrence Welk's "Welk ash tray", Goerge Lucas's patent on a demonic Yoda toy figure design, Penn Jillette's sexually jilted "hydro-therapeutic stimulator" hot tub (what? possibly NSFW), and perhaps the mostly slyly odd, Michael Jackson's "Method and means for creating anti-gravity illusion". We highly recommend perusing these patents -- much is to be gained from peering into the minds of the world's greatest celebrity / inventors, whose creations may one day truly touch the lives of the everyman.
Some celebrities shying away from HD cameras
It's all but unanimous that sports programming looks entirely more appealing in high definition than in SD, but for folks on the other side of the cameras, adding all that detail can be intimidating, if not embarrassing. While the "grain structure of film allows for a softness" that lends a hand in covering up the not-so-attractive signs of aging, HD cameras tend to capture that raw, unassailable truth that some celebrities are less than fond of. Diane Sawyer, the 61-year old host of ABC's Good Morning America, reportedly acknowledged that the puffiness under her eyes could no long be covered up, as viewers looking on in HD "could see every flaw." To combat the newfangled "problem" posed to many on-camera stars, makeup firms are devising new "airbrushing" techniques to add glamor and remove blemishes without looking like a shot of Botox gone horribly awry. Interestingly, reports indicated that viewers tended to enjoy the rough, disclosing look on men, but would rather see dames looking their best through those pixel-packed lenses. Nevertheless, HD cameras are making flaws more and more noticeable, and apparently causing quite the ruckus from overly concerned celebrities all the same, but hey, that's the price you pay for being in the (1080i) limelight.
Diddy plays PS3, why don't you?
Sony issued a press release today to tell us how cool the PlayStation 3 is. Their latest console is so cool that last night they invited a bunch of celebrities last night to an exclusive party in Beverly Hills and got Diddy to perform. In the span of 255 words, the press release managed to name drop 13 names -- that's one celebrity for every 19.6 words. We're looking at 50 megafonzies here, folks.Using celebrities to increase the "cool factor" of your product is not a novel concept. Nintendo of America's Perrin Kaplan mentioned that Diddy and Uma Thurman had programmed her number into speed-dial, in hopes of scoring a Wii. Last year, Microsoft gave out Xbox 360s -- already in short supply -- to celebrities like Paris Hilton, who also found her way to last night's PS3 party.Not attending the party last night was Eric Cartman, who was last seen waiting outside of the local EV Games for a Wii.
GamerTag Radio goes Gilligan
GamerTag Radio's latest podcast has live coverage of MLG Orlando including a random interview with Mary Ann from Gilligan's Island.
