31 March 2012

Paris Hilton, Friends, Hollywood Celebrities Open Marquee The Star, Sydney, Australia - 30th March 2012

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The Star Echo Entertainment Clubs Casinos Australian Casinos Paris Hilton Celebrities Sydney


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Australian entertainment and nightclub fans, and all you celebrity watchers out there... It's time for yet another showbiz update.

The Star's new nightclub Marquee in "Sin City" Sydney, Australia tonight held their grand opening last night and the ultimate party girl herself - Paris Hilton, along with boyfriend DJ Afrojack, and a bush tucker bag of friends and associates including Ashlee Simpson, Nick Lachey, Kellan Lutz, Abbie Cornish and LMFAO's Redfoo helped get the party started on the red (purple) carpet. By the way, the colour purple is supposed to attract money we understand, and it was working for Ms Hilton.

The gamble to sign up Paris and friends appears to have paid off, as far as attracting international headlines, but only time will tell what it does to the bottom line of The Star (once known as Star City Casino).

The Australian contingent of celebs who attended included Laura Dundovic, Alex Dimitriades, Glenn and Sara McGrath, Alex Perry, Nikki Phillips, Didier Cohen, April Rose Pengilly, Tim Commandeur, Laura Cstortan and Chris Joannou.

Marquee is understood to have snatched big dollars tonight, along with some positive press, but upping the ante in star power. Just how much it cost The Star to bring in Ms Hilton is anyone's guess but a well known media agency in Sydney estimated "between $50,000 to $150,000 for Ms Hilton and friends", but don't ever expect to find out the real figure as agents and legal eagles will be guarding that information from falling into the media and public domain.

The official VIP launch party featured DJ sets from The Black Eye Peas, will.i.am and Afrojack, with boat loads of celebs.

The 20,000 square foot nightclub occupies the entire top tier of The Star’s new Pirrama Road harbour side entrance. It enjoys a 1,200 people capacity and is aiming to fill up the venue with the right sort of customers. It's understood that there's three separate spaces within the one venue, and there was something for everyone's mood and taste.

The Main Room sports a 30-foot projection stage with an LED DJ booth and two funky dance floors, while another section entitled 'Boom Box' has an outdoor patio and DJ booth. For those guests who are looking for a bit more intimacy... and we know your out there boys and girls, there's a "library-style" lounge room along with fireplace, where you might want to get all cosy with your best friends.

The new sexy nightclub is a joint effort between The Star and Tao Group, which operates very successful nightclubs in the United States including LAVO in New York and Las Vegas, TAO Las Vegas and Marquee Nightclub and Dayclub at The Cosmopolitan in Las Vegas.

We think its a pretty safe bet that you and yours will have fun (and spend a few dollars) at The Star's Marquee, so why not give them a go and tell us all about your experience.

It's all just another move in the Australian casino and entertainment wars, with a good dash of tourism biz factored in, and hopefully the public and Sydney benefit.

Competitor of sorts, Crown Limited, is following the progress of Sydney based 'The Star' closely, and the two gaming companies fight for the entertainment and gambling dollar, with big name celebs and casino "whales" being the most sought after patrons.

The Star will no doubt be hosting more celeb filled parties, but its unclear when Ms Hilton is returning to party (and pick up another payday). No word yet if she's got a whole floor to herself to sleep in and party (like Leonardo DiCaprio did on his previous down under Australian visits), but we highly suspect so.

Will you be on 'The List' any time soon at Marquee? Well, dress the part, work hard, and play harder, and you may soon be partying along with some of the world's hottest socialites.

If your into the best nightlife that Sydney has to offer you owe it to yourself to take the gamble and get on over to Marquee all you cool cats out there.

Thank you to everyone who helped make the event a hot success, and Paris - we hope you enjoy the rest of your stay in Australia.

Websites

The Star

Marquee, The Star, Sydney

Echo Entertainment

Paris Hilton official website

Eva Rinaldi Photography

Eva Rinaldi Flickr

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30 March 2012

Media Man News Articles - March 2012


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PartyCasino Wins Media Man 'Online Casino On The Month' Award

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Echo defends against Crown in shareholder letter

Echo not interested in Packer on the board

MGM Resorts still looking for Massachusetts casino site

EXCLUSIVE: Who's behind anti-Rock sentiment in WWE? What about Trish being welcome back but not Rock? [corrected]

WWE SUPERSTAR JOHN CENA GRILLED By Adorable Children

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Street Corner News...

Sydney Airport And The Star's Casino Nightclub To Get Paris Hilton Mania

Best 5 Gangster Movies Of All Time; The Godfather Still Rules The Mob

Entertainment Industry News Update: Australia, Hollywood, Movies, WWE WrestleMania...

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Australian And Hollywood Entertainment, Celebrity and Gaming News; Jackman, Crowe, WWE.. - 20th March 2012

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28 March 2012

Media Man Website Network Updated

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Paris Hilton To Do Sydney Airport And The Star's Casino Nightclub

Profiles

The Star Echo Entertainment Clubs Casinos Australian Casinos Paris Hilton Celebrities Sydney




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Australian entertainment and club fans, and all you celebrity watchers out there... It's time for yet another showbiz update.

The Star's new nightclub Marquee in "Sin City" Sydney, Australia is to hold their grand opening this Friday night and guess who is coming to the party - the ultimate party girl herself - Paris Hilton, along with boyfriend DJ Afrojack, and a bush tucker bag of friends and associates including Ashlee Simpson, Nick Lachey, Kellan Lutz, Abbie Cornish and LMFAO's Redfoo.

Then there's the Australian contingent of celebs attending including Laura Dundovic, Alex Dimitriades, Glenn and Sara McGrath, Alex Perry, Nikki Phillips, Didier Cohen, April Rose Pengilly, Tim Commandeur, Laura Cstortan and Chris Joannou.

A Media Man agency spokesperson said "It's likely the most star power and positive entertainment news The Star and any of its clubs are likely to get for a while so the powers that be at The Star are pulling out all of the stops and rabbits out of the hat to ensure that its done right. The Star and its nightclubs appear to be aiming for it to be the place to be seen, with even a street team of sorts assembled to try to encourage Sydney party types to make The Star and its Marquee the preferred nightclub venue in Sydney if not Australia".

The big party bash is set to get massive Australian and international news coverage, but will that translate into dollars for the Echo Entertainment owned premise? That's what The Star's Marquee is gambling on anyway.

Marquee is hoping to attract not only big dollars but also lots of positive press when it holds their mega part for the world's hottest celebs this Friday.

The official VIP launch party will include DJ sets from The Black Eye Peas, will.i.am and Afrojack, with boat loads of celebs.

The 20,000 square foot nightclub occupies the entire top tier of The Star’s new Pirrama Road harbour side entrance. It enjoys a 1,200 people capacity and is aiming to fill up the venue with the right sort of customers. It's understood that there's three separate spaces within the one venue, so hopefully there's something for everyone's mood and taste.

The Main Room sports a 30-foot projection stage with an LED DJ booth and two funky dance floors, while another section entitled 'Boom Box' has an outdoor patio and DJ booth. For those guests who are looking for a bit more intimacy... and we know your out there boys and girls, there's a "library-style" lounge room along with fireplace, where you might want to get all cosy with your best friends and even fast friends, if you follow.

The new funky nightclub is a joint effort between The Star and Tao Group, which operates very successful nightclubs in the United States including LAVO in New York and Las Vegas, TAO Las Vegas and Marquee Nightclub and Dayclub at The Cosmopolitan in Las Vegas.

Punter's, we think its a pretty safe bet that you and yours will have fun (and spend a few dollars) at The Star's Marquee, so why not give them a go and tell us all about your experience.

It's all just another move in the Australian casino and entertainment wars, with a good dash of tourism biz factored in, and hopefully the public and Sydney benefit. Something tells us that Crown Limited's James Packer and his other top brass will also be watching the situation pretty closely.

Sydney - brace yourself for a hell of a party, and if The Star gets their way - get used to many more parties.

Will you be on 'The List' any time soon at Marquee - don't change your dial budding socialites.

News For Early Birds; Sydney Airport Tip Off...

Speculation is rife that Paris Hilton and perhaps one or two friends will be flying into Sydney International Airport very early tomorrow (Thursday) morning. A strong press pack is expected to be out there taking the punt that's she gets off a plane. Well, we're all in the gambling mood now aren't we now?

Paris Hilton Tweeted...

Another crazy day at the airport. Goodbye LA! Hello Sydney! ☺

♡ u! RT @CamRaFace: Headed to Australia. Time to catch up on movies & sleep :) #mlm love u @ParisHilton for always letting adventure with u!

At the airport about to take off to Sydney! Haven't been to Australia in a long time, so I'm very excited for this trip! Love it there! ☺♡

Can't wait for The @MarqueeSydney opening party this weekend! Going to be so much fun! Performances by @DJAfrojack @RedFoo & @IamWill! ☺♡♫

Can't wait for the grand opening of @MarqueeSydney this friday! Going to be an incredible party! I love the Aussies! ☺♫ http://tinyurl.com/cohcgeb

Feels good to be home, but not for long. Have to pack again now cause I'm flying to Australia tomorrow night. So excited! I love it there! ...


Flashback To Some Colourful Paris Hilton News From Years Ago That Attracted International News Media...

Why there's gold in them thar cells - 6th May 2007...

Paris Hilton will earn yet another fortune selling diaries and images of her life behind bars, according to leading publicists.

"She will probably make more money from it than Jeffrey Archer," said marketing guru Max Markson. "But she is very silly. She was warned. She was on a suspended sentence. She deserves to get 45 days."

Hilton's sentence for drunk driving is unlikely to adversely affect sales of Bondi Blonde, the beer she was hired to promote by its maker's part-owner, John Singleton, during a five-day visit to Sydney in January.

But she could use her marketing genius and jail sentence for a good cause, according to Greg Tingle, chief executive of Mediaman. "The opportunity certainly exists for Paris to turn this to a positive because of her strong social influence on youth globally," Tingle said.

"Paris and her close advisers should carefully consider what tactic to take with this. It's a golden opportunity to emphasise the dangers of alcohol abuse."

Since her first media appearance at the opening of a Las Vegas casino in 1999, Hilton has out ditzied Marilyn, built a business like Madonna and will soon have the ex-con marketability of Martha Stewart.

She has been so successful at turning a negative to a positive that she has created a new category of celebrity; the sleazebrity.

Who else could turn a humiliating sex video released by a toady former boyfriend into a global launch pad?

Who but Paris could profit from one million American parents signing a petition to ban a TV advertisement in which she slid across a soapy Bentley to eat a hamburger?

In his ebook Paris Hilton is a Fool, author W. Frederick Zimmerman writes that while the socialite/model/TV star is a fool, she is nobody's idiot. "The evidence seems to support the argument that, although she is no intellectual, she is a pretty shrewd businesswoman," Zimmerman writes.

"She is a risk taker who avoided the easy path of relying on a family fortune and struck out on her own to create an innovative personal career."

But life behind bars will be anything but the simple life for the multi-millionaire hotel heiress. (Credit: The Age)

Media Man 2012 Commentary On Paris...

"Paris Hilton may not be saving the world, but when she gets into Australia tomorrow she is bound to give a shot into the arm to Australia's embattled tourism and entertainment industry. 'Sin City' Sydney is to get some extra dollars in the door, and The Star will see much of it. Just how much of that love... dollars gets spread around Sydney remains to be seen, but the land down under is to also get its fair share of entertainment news headlines around the world thanks to Paris, and hopefully that's a good thing. It should be unless there's an unforeseen significant development around the corner. Paris has matured quite a bit in the past few years, plus The Star will be watching over things closely, so it should be smooth sailing. Welcome back to Sydney Paris."

That's it fans. Stay tuned to Media Man and Street Corner for more entertainment news and scoops daily.

Websites

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The Star

Marquee, The Star, Sydney

Echo Entertainment

Paris Hilton official website

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Australian Sports Entertainment

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27 March 2012

Best 5 Gangster Movies Of All Time; The Godfather Still Rules The Mob

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The Godfather The Godfather II Scarface Casino (movie) Al Pacino Robert De Niro James Packer Movies Hollywood Frank "Lefty" Rosenthal Sharon Stone Mafia




From Bondi Beach, to Blacktown, all the way to Hollywood, Cannes and Italy (we can't forget the Mafia connection), gangster movies are as cool as ever. In Australia we have to settle for Underbelly, Underbelly Razor (now in an Uncut DVD set), and then there was Dirty Deeds (collecting money from pokie dens et al) from a few years ago on TV (soon to be released). Gangster movies serve as history, entertainment and commentary. With a combination of violence, betrayal, power and family, it is no surprise gangster movies are so popular. Here's our Top 5 Gangster Movies of all time.

5. Scarface

Oliver Stone wrote the screenplay and Brian De Palma directed this movie that reflected the violent chaos that cocaine brought to Miami in the late 70s and early 80s. Al Pacino gave an epic performance as Cuban immigrant turned drug lord, Tony Montana. Lots of violence, done in a way that makes the movie even better.

4. Casino

“Casino” was written by Nicholas Pileggi and directed by Martin Scorcese. It is based on the real life story of Frank "Lefty" Rosenthal, but the protagonist’s name was changed to Sam "Ace" Rothstein. Robert DeNiro, Joe Pesci and Sharon Stone give excellent performances and Robbie Robertson did an excellent job providing the music for the movie. You don't have to be a fan of gambling to appreciate this classic movie.

3. The Godfather

Directed Francis Ford Coppola and written by Coppola and Mario Puzo, “The Godfather” is an epic tale of the fictitious Corleone mafia crime family and their struggles. Marlon Brando gives the performance of a lifetime and Al Pacino is amazing in his break out role.

2. Goodfellas

Nicholas Pillegi wrote and Martin Scorcese directed this real life story of mafia affiliate, Henry Hill. With its raw depiction of criminal life, “Goodfellas” takes away whatever romance and glamour that other movies have attributed to mob life.

1. The Godfather II

Again written by Mario Puzo and directed by Francis Ford Coppola, “Godfather II” expands on the original by both going forward and backward, covering the origins of the original Godfather, Vito Corleone. The epic tale shows how crime took down Cuba and features great performances by Pacino and DeNiro as well as Lee Srassberg who played the Meyer Lansky based character, Hyman Roth.

News Update...

The Godfather Movie Franchise Turns 40...


Francis Ford Coppola's The Godfather turned 40 this past weekend, a surprisingly ripe old age for a movie that hasn't aged a bit.

One of the great American movies, The Godfather hasn't stopped influencing popular culture since the day it was released.

Martin Scorsese owes much of his career to it, The Sopranos wouldn't have made sense without it, and VH1's reality show Mob Wives is a winking travesty of it.

The film's alluring portrait of the mob as Old World charmers with ice-cold hearts appears again and again in crime films, comedies, video games, comic books, hip-hop videos - the list goes on. In fact, nearly anything that focuses on organized crime, corporate gamesmanship or the glories of patriarchy - from HBO's The Wire to AMC's Mad Men - seems unable to escape the long, broad-shouldered shadow of The Godfather. You can even play The Godfather online slot game at Bwin.Party Digital Entertainment owned PartyCasino.com Tell 'em the Media Man sent you.

But for all its heavy themes (immigration, politics, business, the American dream), The Godfather is also vastly entertaining. It's a grand, macho soap opera full of unfettered ids, violently settled scores and men wearing enviable suits. And talk about a bromance: Have you ever seen so many guys hugging and kissing in a Hollywood movie?



Robert De Niro; King Of Gangster Movies Flys Into Perth: Visits Burswood Casino...

The general public might have guessed a president were in Perth a few days ago if they been near the Burswood Entertainment Complex.

Legendary actor Robert De Niro is Hollywood personified and as you might expect he got the super VIP treatment at James Packer's Crown Perth.

Speaking at the launch of his restaurant Nobu Perth on Sunday, De Niro was friendly, relaxed and "slightly scruffy" (said The West Australian). The voice and intense stare was true to form.

De Niro said he was planning to make the most of his whirlwind visit.

"I just got here last night, in the middle of the night," he said. "We have a list of things to do and see, so we are on it.

"I want to see as much as I can."

The New York native said he had "no expectations" of what to expect on his first visit to Perth, but wanted to explore the sights before he leaves tomorrow.

"I'm very curious about the west coast of Australia and my impressions are that it is somewhat like LA, but I could be wrong about that," he said.

Perth's social set jumped at the opportunity to rub shoulders with the star of such films as The Godfather: Part II, Goodfellas, Raging Bull and Taxi Driver.

The 68-year-old and his wife Grace Hightower De Niro, 56, joined his business partners of almost two decades, acclaimed chef and restaurateur Nobu Matsuhisa and movie producer Meir Teper, along with Burswood owner... king of the castle James Packer and wife Erica for the event, which followed in the tradition of Nobu openings around the globe with a sake ceremony.

Premier Colin Barnett and wife Lyn, Seven West Media chairman Kerry Stokes and Christine Simpson Stokes, Adam and Mel Gilchrist, Patti Chong, Janet Holmes a Court and Denise Satterley were in the mix of the 280 guests who walked a red carpet into the beautiful restaurant.

Former boxer turned actor Rai Fazio was quite likely the most excited guest of all.

"I got a call this afternoon saying Mr De Niro requests your company at Nobu tonight," he said.

Fazio met De Niro a year ago in West Hollywood, after they hit it off famously.


That's it fans. Stay tuned to Media Man and Street Corner for more entertainment news and scoops daily.

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26 March 2012

Entertainment Industry News Update: Australia, Hollywood, Movies, WWE WrestleMania...

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Australian movie and entertainment fans. It's time for yet another showbiz update. We've got Marvel Entertainment, Disney, WWE WrestleMania, gaming, celebrities, The Star and more.

Walt Disney Releases "Fun Facts" for THE AVENGERS Movie...

In anticipation for the summer blockbuster release of Marvel's The Avengers superhero team-up of a life time, Walt Disney Pictures have officially released a series of neat "fun facts" surrounding the Joss Whedon-directed production. While we have learned a few of these "facts" prior, indulge in them down below.

* Marvel's The Avengers is based on the Marvel comic created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby. The first Avengers comic was published in September 1963 and the lineup consisted of Iron Man, Thor, Hulk, Ant-Man and Wasp. Captain America joined the team in #4, after being revived from being trapped in a block of ice. This film brings together Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.), Captain America (Chris Evans), Hulk (Mark Ruffalo), Thor (Chris Hemsworth), Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson) and Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner) when they are called to duty by S.H.I.E.L.D. Director Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson).

* Production on Marvel's The Avengers commenced on April 25, 2011, in Albuquerque, New Mexico, where the production shot onstage at Albuquerque Studios and various locations in and around the city until Thursday, July 28. Other filming locations included Wilmington, Ohio; Worthington, Pennsylvania; Cleveland, Ohio and New York City. The shoot lasted a total of 93 shooting days on 1st unit and 47 shooting days on second unit.

* The Helicarrier Bridge set was built on a soundstage in Albuquerque. This iconic home base for the peacekeeping organization S.H.I.E.L.D., whose director is Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson), resembles an aircraft carrier, but it's no ordinary carrier -- it can actually fly. The filmmakers wanted to embrace that key element of The Avengers history and give the fans a real thrill when it takes to the air. To achieve the exterior of the Helicarrier, the filmmakers shot on a runway at the Albuquerque International Sunport.

* Another classic Marvel vehicle, the Quinjet, is also making an appearance in the movie. The Quinjet is essentially the jump jet that The Avengers use to go to and from the Helicarrier and to go into battles. The Quinjet design fits in with the Helicarrier -- the same technology that allows the Helicarrier to work has been incorporated into the Quinjet. But at the same time the silhouette of the Quinjet, the cockpit, the engines on the back and the weaponry make it feel as though it could actually exist today.

* In the very first issue of the comic book The Avengers, almost 50 years ago, it was Loki, Thor's brother, who was causing the trouble that brought all the Avengers together for the first time to defeat him. In the making of the movie, Marvel stayed true to that setup. Loki, played by Tom Hiddleston, is a much stronger villain on Earth than he is in his own world of Asgard and wreaks havoc in Marvel's The Avengers.

* Chris Hemsworth (Thor) felt that being on location was like summer camp, where no one really knows each other but everyone hangs out together and has a great time. However, Hemsworth did know Tom Hiddleston (Loki) from Thor and developed a great relationship with him on that film that carried over to The Avengers.

* To play expert archer Hawkeye, Jeremy Renner received training from Olympic archers on how to use a bow properly. He learned the basics of archery as well as the proper positions, but one of the most difficult tasks Renner had to master was the consistency he had to employ in drawing back the bow, which is difficult to do when drawing back fast.

* Scarlett Johansson was more than happy to reprise her role as Black Widow in The Avengers. The actress says she is a huge fan of the character and is happy that fans liked her as Black Widow, a role she originated in "Iron Man 2." In "Marvel's The Avengers," during her scenes with another highly skilled S.H.I.E.L.D. operative, Hawkeye, the audience will be let in on some of their backstory and get a glimpse of their longtime working relationship.

* When the cast and crew of The Avengers flew from Albuquerque to Wilmington, Ohio, they didn't have to go far to reach their new shooting location. The production's charter flight landed right next to the film set at Clinton County Airpark, a massive complex complete with a 9,000-foot runway and a one million square foot, state-of-the-art shipping facility that would double in the film for parts of the interior of the Helicarrier.

* The famous battle cry in the comic book, "Avengers Assemble!" is a call to arms for members of the team to fight "the foes no single superhero can withstand." During production, Chris Evans (Captain America) borrowed the famous command to gather up his fellow cast members when he sent out text messages to them to come together for a night on the town in Albuquerque after a long, hard week of work on the production.

* Shooting in Central Park is never easy, but what about when you put the entire cast of the film at Bethesda Fountain on Labor Day weekend? The cast, crew and filmmakers got to find out firsthand as thousands of onlookers gathered to see something that held the attention of even the most hardened New Yorker -- the entire cast of "Marvel's The Avengers" in costume, including Thor (Chris Hemsworth) and Loki (Tom Hiddleston) in their Asgardian finery. For the actors in the film it would be the first time they were all on set together in over a month and also the last time they would be shooting together. For director Joss Whedon the challenge was to keep his cast focused. "It was like a circus crossed with a class reunion," laughs the director. "Paparazzi and fans were everywhere and the cast was so happy to see each other, talk and catch up because they enjoyed hanging out together."

* The film's second unit shot a chase sequence in Worthington, Pennsylvania, at Creekside Mushroom LTD, the former home to World Famous Moonlight® brand Mushrooms. Creekside was the world's largest mushroom-growing facility and the only underground mushroom farm in the United States. For the production, shooting at the facility meant gaining access to the 150 miles of tunnels 300 feet below the ground. Without power, prepping the tunnels for the chase sequences that involved Loki (Tom Hiddleston), Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner) and Agent Maria Hill (Cobie Smulders) took months -- but it all paid off with spectacular results.

* With so many fight sequences in the film, many of the actors, including Chris Hemsworth, Tom Hiddleston, Scarlett Johansson and Jeremy Renner, participated in extensive fight training with the stunt team. Cast members trained with fight choreographer Jonathan Eusebio. Renaming the gym the "Stunt Dojo," Eusebio and his team trained the cast in different fighting styles, including medieval fighting techniques, Wushu, Kung Fu and Kali.

* For three weeks, the production shut down East 9th Street in Downtown Cleveland to prep and shoot one of the larger action sequences. It was the talk of the town for months and attracted thousands of curious onlookers, who watched the street transform from empty buildings to a bustling New York City street complete with subway stop and popular storefronts with facades. The production design was so convincing that rumors circulated about new stores opening on the street.

* Another challenge for the production design team was transforming Cleveland's historic Public Square into an exterior location that would double for Stuttgart, Germany. The production changed words on the facades of the buildings to German and added a "biergarten" to the square. Local workers in the area loved the changes and hoped the upgrades to the square (new flowers, plants, picnic tables and lampposts) would stay in place after filming was completed.

* Despite being a secure location that only cast and crew members could access, one fan's persistence caught the eye of "The Avengers" cast and crew at the Airpark set in Wilmington, Ohio, when she made a big poster-board sign welcoming the cast to the city and requesting that the actors autograph a T-shirt that was in a bag. The sign was such a hit with the company that they passed it to the set. Filmmakers were able to contact the fan and she was given a tour of the set, an "Avengers" crew hat, a meet and greet with director Joss Whedon and, of course, the cast's autographs on the T-shirt she had placed by the sign. It truly was a day to remember for one lifelong Marvel fan.

* Born and raised in the United Kingdom, Tom Hiddleston was not exposed to American sports, but that all changed during production as he was able to watch a Cleveland Browns preseason football game on the sidelines, attend a Cleveland Indians game, throw out the first pitch, and be courtside at the US Open to watch several matches.

* In shooting one of the bigger action sequences in the film, director Joss Whedon enlisted the help of 25 members of the Ohio-based 391st Military Police Battalion to be part of the scene in which New York City is being attacked by unknown forces. The troops were brought in to add a layer of authenticity and give the combat scenes realism. And realism is exactly what the MPs delivered with their 50-caliber machine guns and Mark-19s. The film crew was blown away by their firepower and teamwork and Whedon was also impressed and appreciative as he posed for pictures with the Battalion after the scene was completed.

* For special effects to pull off the destruction of a New York City street, special effects supervisor Dan Sudick involved precision pyrotechnics and well-timed car gags so that the production's stunt people could safely maneuver through the explosions and flipping cars. To pull off the large pyrotechnic event, Sudick and his team rigged 28 explosions, which went off in a wave fashion down the street to simulate an air attack. The sequence also included setting up 14 cars down the middle of the street, which included cannon cars, flipper cars, ‘pyro cars as well as a semi-truck that exploded. Sudick and his team pulled off the sequence without a hitch and even though it was shot on East 9th Street in downtown Cleveland, it still made the cover of the New York Post with the headline: "Save us, Thor!"

Marvel Studios presents in association with Paramount Pictures “Marvel’s The Avengers”--the super hero team up of a lifetime, featuring iconic Marvel super heroes Iron Man, the Incredible Hulk, Thor, Captain America, Hawkeye and Black Widow. When an unexpected enemy emerges that threatens global safety and security, Nick Fury, Director of the international peacekeeping agency known as S.H.I.E.L.D., finds himself in need of a team to pull the world back from the brink of disaster. Spanning the globe, a daring recruitment effort begins.

Starring Robert Downey, Jr., Chris Evans, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Hemsworth, Scarlett Johansson, Jeremy Renner and Samuel L. Jackson, & directed by Joss Whedon from a screenplay by Joss Whedon, “Marvel’s The Avengers” is based on the ever-popular Marvel comic book series “The Avengers,” first published in 1963 and a comics institution ever since. Prepare yourself for an exciting event movie, packed with action and spectacular special effects, when “Marvel’s The Avengers” assemble on May 4, 2012. The film is distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures. In addition to "Marvel's The Avengers," Marvel Studios will release a slate of films based on the Marvel characters including "Iron Man 3" on May 3, 2013!; and “Thor 2” on November 15, 2013. Source: Walt Disney Pictures


Why Paramount Pictures And Not Disney Is Credited in Avengers Movie Promos...

Some folks have wondered why it is Paramount Pictures and not Walt Disney Pictures that is credited in the The Avengers promos. After all, last October they announced that they had "reached an agreement under which Paramount will transfer its worldwide marketing and distribution rights to Disney for Marvel Studios' The Avengers and Iron Man 3... Under terms of the new deal, Disney will pay Paramount $115 million for the transfer of the distribution rights to Iron Man 3 and The Avengers to be paid on the theatrical release dates. These monies will serve as a minimum guarantee against the distribution fees. In completing this agreement, Disney will now assume worldwide marketing and distribution of 'The Avengers' and 'Iron Man 3'."

Yet, when you examine both the teaser poster and the new trailer, there is no mention of Disney at all. Variety has a report on this and mentions that some things were left out of the original announcement:

Knowing Disney wanted to turn "The Avengers" into a franchise and bank on the success of "Iron Man" after buying Marvel for $4 billion, Par's brass negotiated a deal in which it continues to collect 8% of the B.O. as part of fees it would have earned for distribbing the pic, as it did with the two "Iron Man" pics, "Thor" and "Captain America." It gets 9% for "Iron Man 3."

At the minimum, it earns $115 million, should they not perform.

At the same time, the deal granted Par placement on the marketing materials for both titles, even though Marvel's films are fully owned by Disney and will be solely distributed and marketed by the Mouse House, Variety learned.

While moviegoers will continue to think Paramount Pictures is releasing The Avengers and Iron Man 3 in theaters, it is Disney doing the vast amount of work and who most of the movie news is coming from. Most fans are not fussed, and just want to see quality super hero themed motion pictures.


Casino Club Promoters from The Star's Marquee Nightclub Ejected From Hugos; Trying to Attract Patrons...

The Star is pulling out all the stops in their ambitious attempt to establish Marquee as Sydney's elite nightclub, with an army of promoters - street team of sorts spotted looking to nab customers from rival nightclubs over the weekend.

There's a bakers dozen play celebrities being flown in from Los Angeles this week to attend the VIP party on Friday - Paris Hilton, Ashlee Simpson, Nick Lachey, Kellan Lutz, Abbie Cornish and LMFAO's Redfoo in the mix.

Rupert Murdoch's Daily Telegraph 'Confidential' Kings Cross spies noticed a group of Marquee workers being requested to leave Hugos on Friday night.

"They were handing out cards and talking up Marquee's big (public) opening on Saturday," said the leak. "Staff saw them and asked them to leave immediately."

Another leak said: "Being in Pyrmont, The Star are aware they really have to work to get people there because there's nothing else around. Even from Ivy it's quite a hike."

As revealed on Saturday, a massive group of socialites and party types have been recruited - many from other clubs - to help drive business to the $20 million Marquee. The official opening night on Saturday features a performance by will.i.am and the casino in a clever move not ticketing the event, with a door charge guaranteeing bigger numbers and early arrivals.


Mel Gibson selling his Costa Rican retreat...

Australian Actor-director Mel Gibson is putting his sprawling hilltop compound in Costa Rica up for sale with a $US29.75 million asking price.

The Oscar winner has suffered a series of public embarrassments in recent years after a decades-long reign as a top box office star.

Fortunately things have pretty much returned to normal for 'Our Mel', who is getting a lot of support from many Hollywooders and close friends.

He is reportedly selling the 500-acre compound to downsize his real estate portfolio.

Over the years Gibson has owned lavish properties in Malibu, Australia, Montana, Connecticut and even a private island in Fiji.

Gibson's Pacific coast compound, on Playa Barrigona on Costa Rica's Nicoya Peninsula just south of the Nicaragua border, boasts three hilltop homes - the largest of which has seven bedrooms, with soaring ocean and jungle views.

Each villa on the former cattle ranch is outfitted with native Costa Rican woods and Italian and Spanish tiles and features multiple verandas and a private pool.

"The property is expansive, meticulously maintained and ultimately private," said Rick Moeser, a spokesman for Christie's real estate.

"With its multiple homes and outbuildings, this is the ideal family retreat."

Gibson, 56, has seven children from his long marriage which ended in divorce in 2009.

He also has one child with Russian star Oksana Grigorieva, with whom he had an acrimonious break-up.

Many people are looking forward to seeing Mel back in the media for quality film projects that he decides to involve himself in.

WWE WrestleMania: The Rock VS John Cena News...

The Rock, who rose to stardom in the pro wrestling business, says there's nowhere else he'd rather drop The People's Elbow than in the ring. The Rock returns to the WWE for his first WrestleMania match since 2004 when he headlines the April 1 WrestleMania 28 card against former champion John Cena at Sun Life Stadium in Miami, USA.

For a company once home to Hulk Hogan and "Stone Cold" Steve Austin, this match is as close as it gets to a dream match. Both hardcore fans, casual fans and news media are buzzing about it.

"I came back to put on the biggest match of all time," Johnson said. "That's all I want to do. There's no one I can do that with right now other than John. He's far and above everyone else in terms of popularity. He's the guy. Is he Stone Cold? No. Is he Hogan? No. But he is John Cena and he's been on top for a long time now."

Johnson reigned in that top spot at the end of the 1990s and the early part of the last decade
before embarking on an impressive run in Hollywood. His current film, "Journey 2: The Mysterious Island," grossed $95 million in its first six weeks in the U.S attained $300 million worldwide. His previous movie, "Fast Five," made more than $210 million in U.S grosses, proving that Johnson knows how to rock the box office.

All that big-ticket drawing power is why the WWE believes he can attract more than a million pay-per-view buys (at $54.95 U.S) in his return singles match.

"They know that I'm back, not for money, not because I like being on the road, but because I love the business," Johnson said. "The energy level is different this time around, the connection is more emotional this time around."

Sitting in the Wells Fargo Center seats hours before 18,088 fans packed the place for Monday's live "Raw," Johnson reflected on a career that took him from $40 paydays and Waffle House meals to his choice of top movie roles and a lavish $3.4 million pad in South Florida.

His stories are interrupted by visits from today's WWE crew. Sheamus, a rising WWE star, had a brief chat with The Rock.

"Great match on Friday," Rock says. "I texted Chris (Jericho) on Friday. You guys killed it. That boot at the end, that was awesome."

Sheamus smiles and appreciates the feedback.

"Thank you, Rock."

The Rock says, if the boys in the back are resentful he slid into the main event without toiling 200-plus days last year on the road, he hasn't noticed.

"The best part of me coming back is hearing them say, 'You've inspired me, thank you,'" Johnson said. "That's the greatest compliment that I can get. It's so cool man. They don't talk about movies. They don't talk about other matches. It's just, 'You've inspired me.'"

On screen, Cena has a contrasting take.

"I was a fan in '99. I'm not a fan now," Cena said. "I don't know what he's got going on upstairs."

The Rock returned to Vince McMahon's empire last year as WrestleMania's guest host, but couldn't help but get physical in the main event. He dropped his finishing move, The Rock Bottom, on Cena which allowed WWE champion The Miz to get the pin and retain his title. The next night on "Raw," Cena and Rock agreed to a bout for this year's signature event, a bold and risky yearlong push for a company where real injuries often fracture fantasy storylines.

Johnson's return boosted Wrestlemania's buy rate to 1,042,000 worldwide—the first time it topped a million in three years and seventh time overall.

The Rock wrestled for the first time in 7 1/2 years when he teamed with Cena at November's Survivor Series pay-per-view against Miz and R-Truth.

The temporary alliance disintegrated and the duo have engaged in verbal battles for most of the last two months. Cena tweaked Rock's catchphrases in a rap song. Rock strummed the guitar and sang his own tune about where he wants to stick his boots at Wrestlemania. The two have gone back-and-forth on Twitter. It's a unique twist on hype—far removed from the ferociousness of Roddy Piper bashing Jimmy Snuka's head with a coconut.

"We've been griping like two little kids now for about a year," Cena said. "Now, everybody wants to see us fight."

Cena and Rock top a card that includes WWE champion CM Punk vs. Chris Jericho, "Triple H" Hunter Hearst Helmsley vs. the Undertaker in a steel cage, and Beth Phoenix and Eve Torres vs. Kelly Kelly and "Extra" co-host and current "Dancing With the Stars" contestant Maria Menounos.

Like Johnson, Jericho has found mainstream success as an author, lead singer of the band "Fozzy," and reality TV and awards show host. Jericho said few people have Johnson's oversized personality to transition into all forms of entertainment.

"I know just how much firepower Rock has," Jericho said. "I think people forget sometimes how good he is."

Fans have tuned in, though not quite in the monster numbers of Johnson's "Attitude Era" heyday. The March 12 "Raw," averaged 4.82 million viewers (4.97 million watched the second hour of the show) which bested the highest-rated NCAA tournament cable game, Kansas vs. Purdue (4.43 million viewers).

Johnson has committed to appearing at next year's WrestleMania at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J. In what role, he hasn't said.

It's clear if the WWE wants to squeeze another potential blockbuster buy rate out of the Rock, the last man standing to get the headline match would be the return of former WWE and UFC heavyweight champion Brock Lesnar.

How about it: Brock vs. Rock at WrestleMania 29?

"I'm not saying a thing," said a laughing, grinning Rock, eyebrow raised. "I didn't say anything."

The Rock silenced. That's a first.

Before Johnson can map out a storyline for next year's WrestleMania, there are more movies to shoot. He just wrapped, "G.I. Joe: Retaliation," and begins filming Michael Bay's "Pain & Gain," with Mark Wahlberg on April 3. He also has starring roles lined up for "Fast Six," and "Hercules."

Johnson would like to shed the invincible hero role for once and grapple with a meatier, dramatic role.

"A role like that will come," he said. "I can't wait for that to come, by the way. We'll develop things. I'm patient."

He won't have to wait much longer for WrestleMania.

*Australian fans can order WrestleMania 28 via the Main Event Channel on Foxtel for $34.95 - "Very good value for money considering the strength of the card" said a Media Man spokeperson. "If your going to order just one wrestling PPV this year, this is the one to get without question" continued the PR from the Media Man agency.

Main Event TV - WrestleMania promo...

WWE Wrestlemania XXVIII
LIVE Monday, April 2 at 9am AEDT
Replays: 2pm, 7pm, 12am AEST
Encores: 3 till 5 April 2012 then 8 till 9 April

In the most anticipated WrestleMania clash in history, John Cena will collide with The Rock at WrestleMania XXVIII, emanating from The Great One’s hometown of Miami.

Few could have anticipated that two of sports-entertainment’s most celebrated icons would ever meet in the squared circle, let alone on The Grandest Stage of Them All. Yet, the WWE Universe will bear witness to this blockbuster collision - one year after The Cenation Commander-in-Chief and “The Most Electrifying Man in All of Entertainment” agreed to battle in a dream match for the ages.

Following a seven-year absence, The Rock returned to WWE in characteristically grand fashion in early 2010 to host WrestleMania XXVII. Although The People’s Champion was overjoyed to be reunited with his millions – and millions – of fans at long last, he was quick to take aim at Cena, sparking a very public war of words with his fellow multi-time World Champion.

The verbal jousts escalated to physical confrontation in the weeks that followed, and it became abundantly clear that the pair would cross paths at The Showcase of the Immortals in one way or another. Ultimately, in front of a record-breaking crowd of more than 71,000 WWE Universe members in Atlanta’s Georgia Dome, The Rock put an exclamation point on his rivalry with Cena by hitting him with a Rock Bottom, a maneuver that afforded The Miz the opportunity to retain his coveted WWE Championship.

The following night on Raw, these two icons faced off once again, but this time the physicality was limited to a handshake. For the first time in history, a WrestleMania main event was made one year prior to the event itself.

Cena and The Rock forged an unstable alliance to combat The Awesome Truth – an outspoken tandem consisting of The Miz & R-Truth – at the monumental 25th annual Survivor Series in Madison Square Garden. Although “The Most Charismatic Tag Team of All Time” kept their cool for the most part as they battled common enemies, The People’s Champ issued a forceful WrestleMania reminder to his temporary tag team partner after their victory when he nailed Cena with yet another Rock Bottom.

The battle lines were drawn once again...

2pm, 7pm, 12am AEST

FOXTEL, OPTUS, AUSTAR $34.95

WHOSE SIDE ARE YOU ON?
Are you a loyal member of Cenation, or are you allied with Team Bring It? Join the discussion about this monumental main event with the rest of the WWE Universe on Facebook and Twitter. Be sure to watch history unfold by tuning in to WrestleMania XXVIII, April 2, 2012.


That's it fans. Stay tuned to Media Man and Street Corner for more entertainment news and scoops daily.

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25 March 2012

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Hugh "The Wolverine" Jackman punches Russell "The Gladiator" Crowe in play...

Hugh Jackman tried to punch Russell Crowe as many times as possible during rehearsals for theatre production Les Miserables.

The Australian star keeps asking to re-shoot fight scenes where he knocks Crowe out, because he enjoys it so much.

A source told The Sun newspaper: "The crew find it hilarious as Crowe would obviously sweep the floor with Jackman in real life.

"Hugh keeps ribbing Russell and winding him up but he's been getting his own back by calling Hugh a twirlie, which is showbiz speak for a singer/dancer."

Although Jackman has always had to be in good shape to play muscular superhero Wolverine in the X-Men films, he was recently told he had to bulk up to play the character in the next movie, The Wolverine, as he had lost so many pounds while appearing in Hugh Jackman: Back On Broadway.

He said: "The studio wants me to bulk up. Singing and dancing makes the suits nervous because weight just falls off me, but I'd rather sing and dance on Broadway than make movies."

Crowe is also no stranger to long fight scenes, having undergone gruelling shoots against Michael Shannon in Superman: Man of Steel, in which he played the titular superhero's father.

He tweeted: "15km bike ride, umpteen hours fighting Michael Shannon. He's very hard to put down. Hard to tell who wins, we are still fighting tomorrow. (sic)"


The Star Casino Nightclub To Lure Paris Hilton, Boyfriend And Clique - End Of Month...

It's been mixed headlines for The Star over the past month, but the powers that be are hoping the ship will turn around after re pushing the celebrity card, now looking to have netted Paris Hilton and friends.

The Star in 'Sin City' Sydney will fly in some big name celebs to help launch its new nightclub, Marquee.

It sounds like its going to be a huge night come March 30, and one of the hottest tickets in town we bet.

Dutch producer and DJ Afrojack (Nick van de Wall) is signed up, and Paris Hilton is as close to 100% as you can get.

The heiress recently fuelled the rumours when she posted this message on Twitter: "Congrats @NoahTepperberg on@MarqueeSydney! @DJAfrojack is gonna kill it at the opening party down there! I love #Australia!"

The casino is looking to throw off the negative press that came its way re the the surprise departure of former boss Sid Vaikunta.

Marquee is a joint venture with Tao Group, which is responsible for America's biggest nightclubs, including Tao in Las Vegas and New York, and Marquee Nightclub and Dayclub in Las Vegas.

Marquee's Vegas managed to snatch the likes of Rihanna, Beyonce, Chris Martin and Gwyneth Paltrow, and 'Sin City' version is hoping to at least equal that.


Are Bruce Willis And Sylvester Stallone’s Wives Joining Season 3 Of Real Housewives of Beverly Wills?...

Maybe! There has been many rumors that Sylvester Stallone’s wife, Jennifer Flavin was asked to join season 3 of Real Housewives of Beverly Hills but no confirmation just yet. The National Enquirer is now reporting that Jennifer is "heavily recruiting" close friend and Bruce Willis wife Emma Heming to join the show as well! A hollywood pal told The Enquirer, "They know each other from their modeling days, and Jen thinks the two of them together can ‘take over’ the show – and she loves that their hubbies are friends too!"

So how exactly does Bruce and Sly feel about this? The leak says, "While Jennifer says Sly is totally supportive of the idea, she’s trying to get Emma to convince Bruce that this would be a good thing. He’s wary because Emma is about to become a first-time mom. He’s also not thrilled about having a reality TV crew following them everywhere." The two couples were seen having dinner last week and apparently "Bruce told Jennifer he would consider the idea. But first he wants to get past the impending arrival of his new baby."


Brummer 'acted in self-defence' during nightclub scuffle...

The former Home and Away heart-throb allegedly attempted to bite one man, and punched and kicked another in the scuffle at the city's Crown Casino after the actor was turned away from a Logie Awards afterparty in May (11).

Brummer appeared in court in Melbourne on Friday (23 Mar 12) to face charges of unlawful assault and attempting to commit an indictable offence for allegedly trying to bite the security guard.

However the actor's lawyer, Andrew Dickenson, argued the incident was "largely a case of self-defence" as Brummer was being restrained by up to five guards and had his hands tied.

Dickenson asked for the case to be reviewed at a diversion hearing, which allows first-time offenders to escape a conviction by making amends for their actions.

The magistrate granted the request and the diversion hearing will be held on 1 May (12).


Soapies star tried to bite bouncer - court...

Former soapie star Dieter Brummer will reappear in court in May for allegedly trying to bite, push and kick Crown Casino security guards on Logies night.

Brummer, 36, was outside a Logies after-party at Melbourne's Crown Casino on May 2 last year when he was restrained by up to five security guards aka "gorillas in suits".

Melbourne Magistrates Court heard Brummer tried to bite one of the guards and pushed and kicked another.

But his lawyer argued he was acting in self-defence.

Brummer, who shot to stardom on Home and Away and more recently starred in two Underbelly series, appeared in court on Friday facing nine charges.

Defence lawyer Andrew Dickenson said Brummer had been restrained by up to five security guards during the scuffle, had a bloodied nose and his hands tied when he lashed out.

"Largely this is a case of self-defence, but whether or not it's reasonable under the circumstances" he told the court.

The court heard Brummer had drugs in his possession but they were later found to be prescription medication.

Mr Dickenson asked for the matter to be referred for a diversion hearing, given the circumstances.

Magistrate Ann Collins initially had reservations, but agreed after hearing Brummer's claim of self-defence.

"Clearly these sorts of incidents are not the sort of incidents that would be diverted," she said.

The prosecution said the security guards were 'amenable' to the matter proceeding as a diversion.

Two of the nine charges will proceed: attempting to commit an indictable offence and unlawful assault.

Brummer was ordered to reappear in court on May 1 for a diversion hearing, under a program which allows first-time offenders to avoid a criminal conviction.

Brummer, a winner of two silver Logie awards, walked from the court with his lawyer without speaking to news media.


Red Dog Film To Become Musical; Set For The Star Lyric Theatre Sydney...

Like The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert - and Strictly Ballroom next year - the hit Australian film Red Dog is to become a stage musical.

Theatrical producer John Frost and film producer Nelson Woss will meet next week to thrash out ideas for Red Dog the Musical.

Frost, who has An Officer and a Gentleman opening at Sydney's Lyric theatre in May, says the new show (''music by Bach?'') is at least two years away. He thinks the story is likely to stay "pretty close" to the warm-hearted film, which was based on a true story about a free-spirited red Kelpie who united an outback mining community in the 1970s. And he hopes to do what Woss managed with the film - attract such big mining companies as Rio Tinto and Woodside as investors.

"These shows cost 7 or 8 million dollars," he told The Herald's Garry Maddox. "It's a lot of money to raise. It'll probably end up costing more than the film cost, as did Priscilla."

The Media Man publicity and internet agency just loves the idea. "Ruff and ready, and should make a motza of money for any half decent theatre that takes it on", a insider was overhead saying.

The Star Casino Fun And Games...

Timing is everything, as management at The Star discovered when the millions spent on flashy parties and celebrities backfired after boss Sid Vaikunta was sacked for inappropriate behaviour. Now the casino has yet another big-name party to launch its new nightclub Marquee, sister club to its racy Las Vegas counterpart famed for celebrity high jinks. Enlisted for the launch next Friday are Afrojack, Bobby Burns and Redfoo, of LMFAO fame and the hit song Sexy and I Know It. Team Media Man and Music News Australia is pretty keen to come to the afterparty, and we're not that hard to find kids.


Marc Webb Talks Amazing Spider-Man...

Director Marc Webb reveals several details for the upcoming reboot, The Amazing Spider-Man.

Talking at the WonderCon that is currently being held in Anaheim, California, check out what director Marc Webb has to say regarding the upcoming movie, The Amazing Spider-Man..

The Amazing Spider-Man follows Peter Parker (Andrew Garfield), a teenager who is an outcast from high school and abandoned by his parents when he was young and is now living with his Uncle Ben (Martin Sheen) and Aunt May (Sally Field), spends his days trying to unravel the mystery of his own past and winning the heart of his high school crush, Gwen Stacy (Emma Stone). Peter discovers a mysterious briefcase belonging to his dad which leads him to his dad's former partner, Dr. Connors (Rhys Ifans). The discovery of his father's secret will ultimately shape his destiny of becoming "Spider-Man" and bring him face to face with Connors" alter ego, the Lizard. Under the direction of Marc Webb, the movie will swing in to theaters on July 3, 2012.


Official Marvel Avengers Colognes Hit the Online Marketplace...

After debuting at the International Toy Fair, Avengers colognes become available for public purchase online and at select comic stores throughout the U.S. and Canada

HUNT VALLEY, Md., March 22, 2012 - After debuting at the International Toy Fair in true Super Hero fashion, JADS International, LLC, a company producing fine fragrances worldwide, is proud to announce that official Marvel's The Avengers Colognes are now available for public purchase through the company's online marketplace (www.jadsinternational.com). Anticipation and excitement for the colognes and perfume has been building as the May 4 premiere of Marvel's The Avengers draws near.

"Demand for our official Avengers cologne and perfume has been, pardon the pun, out of this world and we are happy to report that fans can now get their hands on our products before the film premieres," said Andrew Levine, Chief Executive Officer of JADS. "Everyone has conventional cologne and perfume at home, but we take it to another level by offering supernatural scents that will empower and bring out the Super Hero in all of us."

The JADS Spring 2012 Line for Marvel's The Avengers is most accessible online and includes:

The Avengers Cologne Set (four 60ml Eud du Toilette Vaporisateur Spray Colognes, $59.99). Set includes four heroic fragrances:

Patriot Cologne, Your Attack Plan: inspired by Captain America, pays homage to the confident, stand-up to bullies, hard working average Joe in everyman. The cologne features hints of green lime and white pepper with finishes of dry oak wood, sandalwood and tequila.

Mark VII Cologne, Armor Up: inspired by Iron Man, combines mandarin and jasmine with light patchouli to create a contemporary expression of "I don't play well with others" confidence; leaving you ready for whatever a genius, billionaire, playboy-philanthropist might encounter throughout their day.

Worthy Cologne, Posses the Power: inspired by Thor, is a woody citrus cologne with a combination of bergamot, frozen ginger and wheatgrass blended with a hint of fresh natural grapefruit and layered with cypress; creating a deep dry masculine almost "God-like" musk.

SMASH!, Be Angry: inspired by Hulk, is a clean scent with clear top notes of water lily and nutmeg, which carries on an intense woody dry down, enriched with Indian sandalwood, dry musk and warm cedar. Complimentary to full range emotions, it wears well at work, in the lab, or an evening out on the town.

Additional Scents:

Black Widow Perfume (50ml Vaporisateur Eau de Parfum, $29.99) – Russian spy, trained assassin, world-class ballerina, girl from legal department. This perfume has a clear shot of citrus slowly giving way to sensual caramel and honey. The scent dries down with a blend of bitter chocolate, clear patchouli and praline.

Infinity Formula Cologne (100ml Eud du Toilette Vaporisateur Spray Cologne, $29.99) – Inspired by Nick Fury, CIC of S.H.I.E.L.D., this cologne is a seductive fragrance for not just any man; but only for those who will risk everything to keep the dream of freedom alive. And sure, you could describe it as a citron cocktail smoothed over with a couple of stiff shots of tonka bean and guaiac wood; or you could just put it on and know it makes you smell good.

Mischief Cologne (100ml Eud du Toilette Vaporisateur Spray Cologne, $29.99) – Inspired by Thor's bad brother, Loki, this unisex fragrance combines a base of green tea and amber with bergamot and cardamom in a dangerous-sexy, yet playful way that wears well on anyone; day or night.
All fragrances are made in the U.S., never tested on animals and are cruelty free.

More information and additional comic inspired cologne and perfume lines are available on www.jadsinternational.com. The website also supplies a list of comic retailers selling the products.

About Marvel's The Avengers Marvel Studios presents "Marvel's The Avengers"—the Super Hero team up of a lifetime, featuring iconic Marvel Super Heroes Iron Man, The Incredible Hulk, Thor, Captain America, Hawkeye and Black Widow. When an unexpected enemy emerges that threatens global safety and security, Nick Fury, Director of the international peacekeeping agency known as S.H.I.E.L.D., finds himself in need of a team to pull the world back from the brink of disaster. Spanning the globe, a daring recruitment effort begins. Starring Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Hemsworth, Scarlett Johansson, Jeremy Renner and Samuel L. Jackson, and written and directed by Joss Whedon, "Marvel's The Avengers" is based on the ever-popular Marvel comic book series "The Avengers," first published in 1963 and a comics institution ever since. Prepare yourself for an exciting event movie, packed with action and spectacular special effects, when "Marvel's The Avengers" assemble in summer 2012.

About Marvel Entertainment Marvel Entertainment, LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company, is one of the world's most prominent character-based entertainment companies, built on a proven library of over 8,000 characters featured in a variety of media over seventy years. Marvel utilizes its character franchises in entertainment, licensing and publishing. For more information visit www.marvel.com. Super Hero(es) is a co-owned registered trademark.

About JADS International, LLC. JADS is a worldwide fragrance company built on the principles of developing and marketing niche high quality products and providing exceptional service at a fair price. Our diversified product range continues to grow by setting trends, improving our standard products, and most importantly, listening to the customer to exceed their expectations. Well known JADS fragrance collections include Star Trek (Tiberius Cologne for Men, Pon Farr Perfume for Her, Red Shirt Cologne, Shirtless Kirk Cologne and Sulu Pour Homme), Star Wars (Slave Leia Perfume, Eau Lando Cologne), and Marvel (The Avengers, Spiderman Cologne and Deadpool Cologne). For more information, visit www.jadsinternational.com.


The Godfather Movie Franchise Turns 40...

Francis Ford Coppola's The Godfather turns 40 this weekend, a surprisingly ripe old age for a movie that hasn't aged a bit.

One of the great American movies, The Godfather hasn't stopped influencing popular culture since the day it was released.

Martin Scorsese owes much of his career to it, The Sopranos wouldn't have made sense without it, and VH1's reality show Mob Wives is a winking travesty of it.

The film's alluring portrait of the mob as Old World charmers with ice-cold hearts appears again and again in crime films, comedies, video games, comic books, hip-hop videos - the list goes on. In fact, nearly anything that focuses on organized crime, corporate gamesmanship or the glories of patriarchy - from HBO's The Wire to AMC's Mad Men - seems unable to escape the long, broad-shouldered shadow of The Godfather. You can even play The Godfather online slot game at Bwin.Party Digital Entertainment owned PartyCasino.com Tell 'em the Media Man sent you.

But for all its heavy themes (immigration, politics, business, the American dream), The Godfather is also vastly entertaining. It's a grand, macho soap opera full of unfettered ids, violently settled scores and men wearing enviable suits. And talk about a bromance: Have you ever seen so many guys hugging and kissing in a Hollywood movie?


Miranda Kerr and Jen Hawkins among richest models in the world...

Australian models Miranda Kerr, Abbey Lee Kershaw, Jennifer Hawkins and Elle Macpherson have all made Grazia's model rich list.

The magazine published a list of the 11 highest paid models in the world in its latest issue and listed Kershaw's earnings as more than the royals.

They reported the Melbourne-born model earns $100, 000 a week, making her one of the highest paid models on the planet.

Supermodel mum Kerr has a net worth of $11.4 million, while Hawkins earns $5 million a year.

However, industry veteran Macpherson dwarfs all of their salaries with a total worth of $57 million.

Kathy Ireland was listed as the richest model in the world with a fortune of $333 million. Controversial supermodel Kate Moss is worth $75 million, while her rival Naomi Campbell has $47 million.

Tipped by Forbes to become the "world's first billionaire supermodel", Gisele Bundchen is well on her way with an estimated fortune of $238 million.

Runway stalwarts Claudia Schiffer and Heidi Klum are worth $52 and $68 million respectively.

TV personality Tyra Banks is another one of the big earners with profits from her television and beauty empire worth $85 million.


Producer Offers Update On Quentin Tarantino’s ‘Django Unchained’...

After a ton of casting news followed by some very basic set photos, all’s been quiet on the Django Unchained front for some time now. That’s because writer/director Quentin Tarantino has been working hard with his amazing cast (Jamie Foxx, Kerry Washington, Leonardo DiCaprio, Don Johnson, Christoph Waltz, Kurt Russell, Samuel L. Jackson, Anthony LaPaglia) to complete the film, which is aimed at a December 25 release date.

I’ve seen some stuff and it’s amazing. We’re still shooting and my partner Stacey [Sher] is producing with Pilar Savone who worked for Quentin and Reggie Hudlin. I’m exec-producing and we’re like, maybe, half-way through. You have no idea. It’s the most amazing film cause, as you know, it’s a spaghetti western about slavery and Quentin’s vocabulary is such that it’s just pure entertainment, Leonardo’s the bad guy, it’s gonna be awesome.

That’s the update on a film that’s still in production but Shamberg not only produced Pulp Fiction for Tarantino, he’s also did The Big Chill, Reality Bites, A Fish Called Wanda, Out of Sight, Contagion and many more. Not a bad track record. And it’s good to know they’re about half way done.

In the film Jamie Foxx plays Django, a slave freed by a bounty hunter named Dr. King Schultz (Christoph Waltz). The pair team up to free Django’s wife Broomhilda (Kerry Washington) who is held captive by plantation owner and slave runner Calvin Candie, played by Leonardo DiCaprio.


Smelly Leo DiCaprio not a shower man, says girlfriend Erin Heatherton...

Leonardo DiCaprio reportedly refuses to use deodorants, while his girlfriend, model Erin Heatherton, wants him to clean up a bit and be hygiene-conscious.

"Leo has let his love for the environment take over his whole world and it's killing his love life, he only showers a couple of days a week to conserve water and he considers deodorant to be unnatural," the showbizspy.com website quoted a source as saying.

"Erin loves him dearly but is starting to feel like Leo loves the environment more than her. Erin has warned him to clean up his act and his hygiene. If not, he may wind up chasing off the woman of his dream."


WWE® Studios and Anchor Bay Films to Distribute The Day - 23rd March 2012...

WWE® Studios WWE and Anchor Bay Films today announced a partnership to co-distribute the provocative action thriller, The Day. WWE Studios secured the U.S. distribution rights to the film immediately after the film's initial audience screening at the Toronto Film Festival.

The Day was one of the most buzzed-about films at the 2011 Toronto International Film Festival’s Midnight Madness section. The film stars a stunning cast that includes Shawn Ashmore (The X-Men trilogy), Dominic Monaghan (“Lost” and The Lord of the Rings), Shannyn Sossamon (A Knight’s Tale, 40 Days and 40 Nights) and Ashley Bell (The Last Exorcism).

“With the incredible audience reaction it saw at Toronto, we knew that The Day would be a great addition to our brand,” said WWE Studios President, Michael Luisi. “By combining the marketing power of our television, digital/social media and print assets with Anchor Bay’s tremendous distribution capabilities and successful track record, we look forward to bringing this film to a broad audience.”

“We are extremely excited that we are partnering with WWE Studios in this venture,” commented Kevin Kasha, Executive Vice President, Acquisitions and Co-Productions. “The film’s production team has created a truly fresh story and brought in top young talent to bring it to life. Audiences will be thrilled, thoroughly entertained and will be left hungry for more.”

About WWE Studios

WWE Studios continues to strategically diversify its slate of films, which include theatrical releases and direct-to-home premieres, under the guidance of President Michael Luisi. Upcoming films for WWE Studios includes: No One Lives starring Luke Evans and WWE Superstar Brodus Clay which was co-produced with Pathé Films; and Barricade starring Eric McCormack.

About WWE

WWE, a publicly traded company WWE, is an integrated media organization and recognized leader in global entertainment. The company consists of a portfolio of businesses that create and deliver original content 52 weeks a year to a global audience. WWE is committed to family friendly entertainment on its television programming, pay-per-view, digital media and publishing platforms. WWE programming is broadcast in more than 145 countries and 30 languages and reaches more than 600 million homes worldwide. The company is headquartered in Stamford, Conn., with offices in New York, Los Angeles, Miami, London, Mumbai, Shanghai, Singapore, Istanbul and Tokyo.


Stacy Keibler to judge X Factor?...

Stacy Keibler is in talks to join 'The X Factor'.

The former professional wrestler - who is the main squeeze aka girlfriend of actor George Clooney - has reportedly been involved in a series of secret meetings about the possibility of becoming a judge on the upcoming second series of the US version of Simon Cowell's pop star search TV show.

While the blonde beauty and pop superstar Britney Spears are believed to be filling the two panel slots left vacant by axed judges Paula Abdul and Nicole Scherzinger, insiders have suggested Stacy's "lack of experience" in the music industry means she could be more likely to take over from former host Steve Jones.

An leak said: "Stacy Keibler is also in talks to join the show, but her lack of experience in the music business may make her more appropriate as a host. She looks fantastic and has bags of charisma."

Although Britney is believed to have been offered a deal worth $10 million to become a judge, it is alleged she is demanding "a lot more money".

A source added to the New York Post newspaper: "Talks are still ongoing with Britney and she is asking for a lot more money than was originally offered. But producers are confident Britney will realise this is a great opportunity for her to reinvent herself and accept their deal."

Show boss Simon - who is joined on the judging panel by record label chief L.A. Reid - has previously admitted he is keen for the presenter of the series to not come from a hosting background.

He said: "I always wanted a boy and a girl to host the show. And I like hosts who don't kind of have a hosting background, it's a different kind of dynamic."


HBO cancels Luck after horse deaths...

It's Dustin Hoffman's television series Luck, which earned some of its critical acclaim for its portrayal of thoroughbreds racing around the racetracks of southern California.

Off camera however the show has had some very bad luck.

The horseracing drama series Luck has been cancelled after the deaths of three horses, TV network HBO and producers say.

HBO, which is currently filming the drama's second series, has abruptly suspended the use of horses on its set following the sudden death of yet another one of its equine performers.

The series won't return for the second season run that began production last month, it said.

A horse was put down on Tuesday after it reared, fell over backwards, and hit its head.

The incident, which occurred on location at Santa Anita racetrack north of Los Angeles, was the third fatal accident involving horses in Luck's short history.

Animal rights activists are understood to be outraged by the development, and have called for police to launch an investigation into possible breaches of welfare laws.

They blamed the "outrageous" deaths on "sloppy oversights" by the makers of the show, created by the Hollywood director, Michael Mann.

HBO, for its part, can barely afford more negative publicity for the expensive show, which recently debuted in the UK on Sky.

Though heavily marketed, and despite receiving positive reviews, Luck has underperformed commercially, attracting just 625,000 viewers in the US.

In a statement, the network said it was "deeply saddened" by the horse's death.

It promised "full co-operation" with an investigation by the American Humane Association [AHA].

"Recent assertions of lax attitudes or negligence could not be further from the truth," it read.

"We will not be filming horses until AHA completes its inquiry."

This week's fatal accident was witnessed by Gary Beck, a vet.

"The horse was on her way back to the stall when she reared, flipped over backwards, and struck her head on the ground," he said, in a statement.

Since the injury was too serious to respond to treatment, euthanasia the only appropriate move, he added.

The California Horse Racing Board, which has allowed HBO to use Santa Anita during its off-season, said that a full post mortem will now be carried out on the creature.

"Unfortunately, we see several of these injuries in the stable area every year," said its equine medical director, Rick Arthur.

"They are more common than people realise."

Hollywood's local animal welfare lobby is unlikely to be impressed with the statement.

Even before this week's events, they were investigating Luck's treatment of its equine stars, alleging that two other horses who suffered fatal accidents during the filming of the show's first series should never have been allowed on set.

The first season of Luck premiered in Australia on Showcase last Sunday.


Celebrity real estate: Sinatra, Cruise homes hit market...

Alicia Keys is moving on from her gorgeous Manhattan apartment, Frank Sinatra's former home is for sale, and the former rental home of Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes as well as Russell Crowe is available for lease.

Alicia Keys lists 'Empire-State-of-Mind' penthouse

Forget about moving on up. Singer and New York native Alicia Keys did that a long time ago, trading her childhood residence at the artist-friendly Manhattan Plaza apartment complex in Hell's Kitchen for a slick SoHo real estate market triplex.

Now Keys and her producer husband Swizz Beatz have listed their Crosby Street penthouse for $17.95 million only two years after the couple bought the place from funk/soul/rocker Lenny Kravitz for $12.5 million.

According to Sotheby's International, which holds the listing, the apartment boasts five bedrooms, four bathrooms, four powder rooms and an enormous state-of-the-art, windowed, gourmet eat-in kitchen with walk-in butler's pantry. And separate formal dining room that faces east encased in a glass solarium.

That's only the start of the grand tour of a pad once rented by Nicole Kidman and Denzel Washington. The place also has an expansive living room with fireplace and library/media room that are all surrounded by undoubtedly one of the most beautiful private terraces in all of SoHo. Upstairs, there's a separate private master suite complete with spa, pass-through dressing area and private terrace.

Owner of former Sinatra home didn't stay long

When Paramount Pictures chairman and CEO Brad Grey bought Frank Sinatra's former Los Angeles home in November 2010 for $18.5 million, the famous Hollywood producer had big plans to restore and renovate the brick ranch that sits on a parklike 2.3 acres.

Turns out that, in the end, the Sinatra house that inspired Grey's dreams was merely a nice set for Grey's wedding in April 2011 to his new wife, Cassandra. The wedding was called lavish, and attended by the likes of Tom Cruise, Brad Pitt and Jennifer Lopez. The couple has since moved to Bel Air, making Grey's ownership stint a lot like Sinatra's.

"My client still owns (the Sinatra house) but I sold him another property. He didn't want to go through the process of renovating the house,'' said Stephen Shapiro, who holds the listing at Westside Estate Agency.

The property has been back on the market since September, when Grey listed the Holmby Hills residence for $23.5 million. After a price drop on March 15, the former Sinatra home at 320 N. Carolwood Drive was re-listed for its current list price of $19,995,000.

According to the Sinatra biography "The Voice,'' by James Kaplan, Sinatra bought the house in 1948 for $250,000 at a time when his career was at a low ebb. Sinatra had built a dream home in Palm Springs, and was strapped for cash and on the verge of divorce.

Rent like Tom Cruise or Russell Crowe for $100K a month...

What do Tom Cruise, Katie Holmes and Russell Crowe have in common?

Besides star status and high-paying movie roles, all three have at some point, for at least a little while, called 918 N. Alpine Drive home in Los Angeles.

The Tudor-style home was rented by Katie Holmes and Tom Cruise for $55,000 a month and then leased by Russell Crowe while he filmed "State of Play."

In 2001, the nearly three-acre estate was also the filming location for several scenes in the movie "Blow" starring Johnny Depp and Penelope Cruz.

And for someone with a celebrity-sized housing budget, the home is available again — this time for a whopping monthly rental price of $100,000.

Available as a short or long-term lease, the Beverly Hills rental is set back from the street — perfect for privacy-seeking celebrity tenants. With almost three acres of landscaped property, 6,685 square feet of living space and three separate guest apartments, the estate also has enough room for the star with the biggest entourage of stylists, security personnel and various and sundry assistants.


WWE signs Australian Wrestler...

WWE has signed an Aussie! Sonny Elliot (formally Danny Bolton). Sonny was South Australian based and trained with Lance Storm in Canada. He was recently added to the main FCW roster. We wish Sonny well as his career continues.

That's it fans. Stay tuned to Media Man and Street Corner for more entertainment news and scoops daily.

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24 March 2012

World's Biggest Gamblers; History Of Bets At Casinos - Kerry Packer, David Walsh Et Al

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Lloyd Williams plays blackjack with the late Kerry Packer at Melbourne's Crown Casino

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Casinos Casino Gambling Live Dealer Slots Poker Kerry Packer David Walsh Casino Whales Australia Tasmania Media Man

Want to try your luck at a casino? ... Land based or online - there's all sorts of options out that, but first here's some real life stories regarding whales aka VIP high rollers at casinos, the racetrack and elsewhere.

PS: how about those Aussies - they will bet on anything won't they. World's biggest gamblers we heard.

Zeljko Ranogajec – Bookies beware! Allegedly, the world’s biggest gambler is an Australian billionaire of Croatian descent. After studying law in Tasmania, Ranogajec got a job in a casino where he learnt the tricks of the trade. Starting with an initial stake of hundreds, he went on to win millions on casino betting before turning his attention to horses. He now employs a full staff to compare odds and find him the best bets, putting around $1 billion a year on races around the world.

Kerry Packer – Staying Down Under, the late Kerry Packer was the media-mogul who was a thorn in Rupert Murdoch’s side – and a prolific gambler. This was the man who would happily walk into casinos and wager millions, supposedly losing $28 million in three weeks of gambling while in London. Another time he lost $15 million on the roulette tables, the staff saying he walked out with "no regrets". However, on his better days he has won up to $7 million in one casino betting session. There’s even a legend that Packer made a bet of $100 million dollars on the toss of a coin, but his opponent backed down.

Akio Kashiwagi – Known as ‘The Warrior’, this Japanese businessman became a casino legend before meeting a violent end. A master of baccarat, he regularly wagered $200,000 a time in US casinos, once winning $6 million in one night. However, he wasn’t always so lucky; he died in 1992 after being stabbed 150 times with a samurai sword while still owing casinos millions.

Archie Karas - Perhaps the most extraordinary of recent legendary streaks is possessed by Mr. Archie Karas, a Greek immigrant, who in 1992-1993 had one of the greatest runs in Vegas history. Starting with a borrowed stake of ten thousand dollars, Archie went on a rampage of poker at Binion's Horseshoe, defeating 15 of the world's greatest poker players in head-to-head competition, including World Champions Chip Reese, Stu Unger, Puggy Pearson, and Johnny Chan. When he ran out of poker competitors, Archie headed to the Horseshoe's craps tables where he won millions more. At one point in his run, Archie possessed all of the Horseshoe's $5,000 chips -- over 11 million dollars worth. When the run was over, Archie was up over 17 million dollars between poker and craps, all at the Horseshoe.

Betfred vs Betvictor – The names behind two of the biggest high street bookies were involved in what may have been the biggest sports betting wager in British history. Fred Done of Betfred fame and Victor Chandler of Betvictor bet on the outcome of the Premier League in 2005. Fred and Victor supported Manchester United and Chelsea respectively, so they wagered £1 million, as you do. It was Chelsea who came out on top and Done paid up in one of the best bets we’ve seen; what could be better than two sports betting giants walking it like they talk it?

Steve Whitely – Arriving by bus with a free ticket to watch racing at Exeter, 61-year-old heating engineer Steve Whitely turned a couple of quid into millions back in March last year. He didn’t bother to compare odds or make an effort to find the best bets, he just used his two pounds to make a Tote bet. A few hours later and he was minted after winning the jackpot when he correctly predicted all six of the winners. So, what is Steve’s sage advice to budding punters who want to win millions? “I like racing, yeah, but I don’t know nothing about it, do I?” Cheers Steve.

David Walsh - Not a great deal is know about this Tasmanian - Australian, but he founded MONA - (Museum of Old and New Art). Australian press has described him in a few colourful ways, such as - "multi-millionaire professional gambler and one of the nation's leading art collectors - dismisses himself as "just a privileged guy with a megaphone". He might be right. But the world is about to discover just how wonderful, disturbing, beautiful and occasionally challenging that megaphone is". In the second year of his science degree at the University of Tasmania, he was asked by friends to develop a model that would enable them to win at blackjack in the nearby Wrest Point Casino. When he discovered that the scope for winning at card games was limited he dropped out of his degree and, for most of the ’80s and early ’90s, spent 100 or more hours per week developing a mathematical model that would enable him and his partners to win at other forms of gambling, especially horseracing. This he now pursues on a large scale in a number of countries. There is a network of people involved in Walsh’s outfit, most notably his business partner of 30 years, Zeljko Ranogajec. Walsh met Ranogajec at university where the latter studied law and economics before he too dropped out to pursue a career in gambling. Walsh describes Ranogajec as a “relentless motivator and a loyal friend” who, despite not sharing his interest in art, has provided financial support for his collecting mania “whenever my cashflow dried to a trickle”. As Walsh inelegantly puts it: "I am throwing the shit, he is happy to be the fan. And he doesn’t even like the shit."

Other names whose win/loss positions move in the multiple millions in a single night include Malaysian tycoons Tan Sri Lim Kok Thay and Quek Leng Chan, Indonesia’s Putera Sampoerna, and Hustler founder Larry Flynt.

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