-
Overnight Briefing & General Reality Check
November 13, 2009
Have an opinion? Add your comment below. -
Most Powerful Man in the World:
Would you believe: still the President of the United States.
In Forbes' magazine first-ever list of the world's most powerful people, BARACK OBAMA takes the top spot, with Chinese Premier HU JINTAO second and Russia's VLADIMIR PUTIN third.
But that's where it takes a little detour. Federal Reserve Chairman BEN BERNANKE is fourth and Google founders SERGEY BRIN and LARRY PAGE combine for fifth. And a guy you'd think would be higher, BILL GATES, is sucking snot down at #10. Perhaps being the richest man in the world doesn't count for EVERYthing.
Some other surprises: Pope BENEDICT XVI is #11 and Secretary of State HILLARY CLINTON #17, way ahead of her husband, BILL, who shows up at #31. OPRAH WINFREY is #45, while between them --at #37-- is OSAMA bin LADEN. The top-10:
10. William Gates III
9. Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz al Saud
8. Michael T. Duke
7. Rupert Murdoch
6. Carlos Slim Helu
5. Sergey Brin and Larry Page
4. Ben S. Bernanke
3. Vladimir Putin
2. Hu Jintao
1. Barack Obama
FYI: for the whole list, head here: http://www.forbes.com/powerBalloon Boy Follow-Up:
The parents of Balloon Boy FALCON HEENE will plead guilty today in a deal that will avoid a felony conviction against the boy's mother, which would have meant her deportation. The pair were found to have engaged in a hoax by reporting that Falcon was trapped in a runaway helium balloon.
No word on who re-pays taxpayers for the cost of all that rescue effort. (Maiman)
A new Retail Forward survey finds only 57% of holiday shoppers will buy gift cards --down from 63% last year.
But a new study from the International Council of Shopping Centers finds that 81% of consumers aren't the least bit motivated to shop earlier by reports that inventories will be low this year, which may indicate they're keeping the gift card in their back pocket as the default. ICSC surveyed 1,000 adults in partnership with Goldman Sachs, with 48% of holiday shoppers stating if they can't find a gift that inspires them, they will buy a gift card instead. (Kaye)Sucking the life out of the wire services:
Keep your eye on "Transformers" actress MEGAN FOX. Not for the hormonal reason (seeing as she's a fantasy for half the men in America), but for how she has skillfully managed her celebrity in such a way that she is constantly feeding the 24-hour news cycle.
This Sunday's NY Times Magazine profile finds that she may not always tell the truth, but that hardly seems to matter when all the entertainment blogs care about is the latest salacious quote, like this one: "I created a character as an offering for the sacrifice."
Since breaking into stardom, Fox has been constantly compared to ANGELINA JOLIE, and that's no accident. Fox has not only mentioned her repeatedly, she also appears to have learned a few things from Jolie's rise to stardom. In fact, Fox acknowledges that she is constantly reading biographies of Hollywood celebrities to figure out how they did it and where they stumbled.
No matter how much she talks, though, Fox insists she's not displaying her true self. "It's a testament to my real personality that I would go so far as to make up another personality to give to the world. The reality is, I'm hidden amongst all the insanity. Nobody can find me."
While this other personality seems to have served her well to turn her into a star, those around her are concerned that all the notoriety won't necessarily sell tickets to her next movie, particularly among women. (Maiman)Bottom feeding:
Warning: note language.
ASHTON KUTCHER bought his bride a sparkling Toyota Prius for her birthday last Wednesday. ContactMusic.com reports the missus is very happy to trade in her '04 for a brand-new 2010, but her groom's big surprise didn't go according to plan. Ashton "twittered" a big (ahem) "eff you" to the paparazzi for invading their privacy. (Lee)Movies that will suck, #2:
Stop! Go back before it's too late!
The Hollywood Reporter says MICHAEL BURNS, the vice-chairman of Lionsgate Films, says despite a so-so performance by its predecessor this year, there will be a "Saw 7" next year --and in 3-D. -
-