celebrity

In My Words: Helen Hunt’s Most Memorable Roles

October 1, 2012 at 9:30 am , by Sonia Harmon

If you enjoyed our In My Words interview with Helen Hunt from the November 2012 issue, you’ll love these soundbites of her talking about some of her most memorable roles. This month she stars in The Sessions, which hits theaters on October 19th. Which of her roles is your favorite? Tell us in the comments!

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The Reader Interview: Carrie Ann Inaba

August 30, 2012 at 9:30 am , by Sonia Harmon

Every month an LHJ reader will get the chance to interview one of their favorite celebrities. This month, Linda Jacob of Prince George, Virginia quizzes Dancing with the Stars judge Carrie Ann Inaba about grading the dancers, her BFF Bruno, and more.

Has the audience reaction ever made you change your opinion of a performance?

There are so many elements that go into a score, and the audience’s response is a big one. After all, a performance is for the audience, so if the audience doesn’t like it, I can’t give it a great score. The other elements that go into my scoring include technique, musicality, their chemistry and the way it all looks.

Who would be your dream partner if you were competing on DWTS?

My dream partner would, of course, be none other than Len Goodman himself. He’s the king of ballroom, and I would settle for nothing less than the best, and that would be Mr. Len Goodman.

Most people don’t know you started off as a singer. What is your singing style like?

I have a voice that’s like Sinéad O’Connor and Karen Carpenter mixed together. And when I write music my style is country/folk, kind of like Tracy Chapman. I like simple ballads and songs that tell stories because I was raised in Hawaii, and in Hawaii all the songs are like folk tales and tell stories. I’m actually getting back into writing again, so it’s nice. I play the piano and the ukulele and I’m learning how to play the guitar.

What’s the best advice you’ve ever received? Read more

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In My Words: Susan Sarandon (Part Two!)

August 30, 2012 at 9:00 am , by Sonia Harmon

If you enjoyed our In My Words interview with Susan Sarandon from the October 2012 issue, you’ll love these Sarandon soundbites where she talks about her most memorable movies. Which of her films is your favorite? Tell us in the comments!

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The Reader Interview: Ricki Lake

August 2, 2012 at 9:30 am , by Sonia Harmon

Every month an LHJ reader will get the chance to interview one of their favorite celebrities. This month, Karen McCrea of Atlanta quizzes Ricki Lake about her new talk show (The Ricki Lake Show) how she maintains her weight loss, and more.

How will your new talk show be different from your old one?

My new show is entirely different because I’m a more evolved Ricki now. I’ve been through so much—marriage, kids, divorce, balancing work and family—but I still have quite a bit to learn. I want to get into the audience and, with them, learn from the experts and guests who all have invaluable perspectives on topics like personal relationships and raising children.

How do you maintain your weight loss?

I’ve tried it all. I have done all of the diets and all of the exercise programs. They all work, basically. The key is being realistic about your body type and goals and sticking to a way of eating and working out that fits into your schedule. I’m conscious of what I eat but I don’t deprive myself of treats. And, whenever possible, I choose to be more active than less active, whether that means taking a walk after dinner or taking a nighttime swim rather than sitting on the couch and watching a movie. Read more

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The Reader Interview: Jimmy Fallon

June 28, 2012 at 8:30 am , by Ladies' Lounge

Every month an LHJ reader will get the chance to interview one of their favorite celebrities. This month, Deborah Chamberlain of Wisconsin quizzes the Late Night host Jimmy Fallon about his new comedy CD (Blow Your Pants Off), bucket list, and more.

It’s been ten years since your last comedy album—what made you decide to do another?

It’s been ten years since my last comedy album. MP3′s didn’t even exist. I really wanted to have an album out in this decade.

What’s your favorite track on Blow Your Pants Off and why?

My favorite track on the album is probably “Scrambled Eggs” with Paul McCartney. It wasn’t even supposed to happen really. I was doing the pre-interview with Paul up in his dressing room at Saturday Night Live, you know, just going over what we were going to talk about on our show, stuff like that. So I told him I had a bit if he’d like to do it. He politely declined. So I tell him that it’s based on “Yesterday” and how when he first wrote that song it was titled “Scrambled Eggs” and he told me that he knew that story because HE did it. I felt like Chris Farley. So he politely declines again. So I tried one more time. I started to sing our version of “Yesterday” called “Scrambled Eggs.” “Scrambled eggs, oh my baby how I love your legs, but not as much as I love scrambled eggs. Oh, have you tried scrambled eggs?” Cut to Paul’s head over my shoulder and he’s singing “… waffle fries.” He was in! I said, “You’ll do it?” and he said, “As long as you do it with me!” That’s when I fainted. Read more

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The Reader Interview: Bethenny Frankel

May 31, 2012 at 8:30 am , by Sonia Harmon

Every month an LHJ reader will get the chance to interview one of their favorite celebrities. This month, super-fan Jeannie Crofts of Chicago quizzes reality star and businesswoman Bethenny Frankel about her new talk show (Bethenny), married life and sky-high heels.

How will your new show stand out?
I like to speak honestly to the audience. The show is about discussing what women talk about when they’re out having cocktails with friends. We’re going to talk about sex, money, religion, family, shopping, and so much more. I’m not a big fan of the teleprompter or cue cards.

What’s it been like working with your producer, Ellen DeGeneres?
Ellen appreciates me for who I am and for how different we are. She knows I’m like a mustang and you just have to let me run! She likes that you never know what’s going to come out of my mouth. I’ve been on almost every talk show there is and I’ve been interviewed by the best, but the god’s honest truth is that no one listens like she does. No one else reacts truthfully and off the cuff like Ellen, and there isn’t anyone on this planet whose stamp of approval means more in this space.

You’re always so great about bringing your personal life and experiences to your shows. Will you be as open with this talk show?
As long as I am committed to being on television connecting to an audience, I will be honest about every area of my life. My fans have inspired me and given me the success that people only dream of. I have a responsibility to them even if it means exposing my personal life and mistakes.

Your life has changed tremendously in a fairly short amount of time. How do you stay so grounded?
I really haven’t changed because I don’t comprehend the success the way others do. I just do what I do every day to the best of my ability. Good enough simply isn’t good enough. I’m also lucky to have such interactive fans. They keep me grounded because they are very much so.

Just like your husband Jason [Hoppy], my husband Mike is a good-looking man who gets a lot of attention from women. How do you deal?
I’m not a jealous person. I don’t even know if Jason gets attention from women—I don’t really see it and he doesn’t tell me. Looks are the least interesting thing about Jason to me, so that isn’t on my radar.

Your shoes are gorgeous. What’s the secret to walking around in such high heels without falling over?
I love them so I just suck it up! What’s funny is that I have a very defined arch in my feet, so wearing flats is more uncomfortable for me at times.

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There’s Nothing Plain About Jane: Glee on DVD

December 18, 2009 at 10:52 am , by Lisa M. Gerry

The always funny, always brilliant Jane Lynch wows us again as the diabolical cheerleading coach on the hit show Glee. (The first season will be released on DVD December 29.) I’ve been a huge fan since I saw her in Christopher Guest’s hilarious comedy Best In Show, and was so excited to get the chance to talk to her. Check out some of the highlights from our recent chat below.

I knew I wanted to play Sue Sylvester…
when they said, ‘She may or may not be on horse estrogen and she may or may not have posed for Penthouse.’

Sue Sylvester’s truth is…
that she’s aggressive, she’s a warrior and she’s always trying to take somebody down. This is a person who is only happy when she’s reigning supreme and every scene that I have is an opportunity for Sue to advance that.

I’m going to sing…
in the second episode of next season, and I am thrilled! But, I can’t tell you what it is…I’ve been sworn to secrecy.

Glee works because…
it is that perfect combination of sweetness, heart and on top of it—snark. The adult characters are kind of ridiculous and excessive, and then the kids are sweethearts. I think the balance saves the show from becoming sappy or High School Musical.

Ensemble comedies are my favorite because…
I love working with a group of people where everyone’s of equal weight and the best joke wins.

I realized I was funny…
in grade school by making people laugh. I don’t think my family thought I was particularly funny—I was just one of many in a witty family.

I look up to…
Meryl Streep. She’s one of my role models because of the huge choices she makes—they’re always grounded in a beautiful truth and a reality; Jennifer Saunders because she takes everything to the nth degree; and Carol Burnett too.

If I could star in any musical…
it would be Once Upon A Mattress. Maybe I could play the queen in that. I’d love to do Gypsy. Or Mame and play Mame or Vera. I would love to do Company—anything Elaine Stritch has done, I would humbly try to step into her shoes.

My playlist includes…
Right now, I’m into Andrea Mann. She’s this jazzy singer who sounds like she’s been around a billion years. I also listen to Joni Mitchell all the time. I like James Taylor, Carole King—I like all the stuff from the late ‘60s, early ‘70s, the folky stuff.

(For more Jane Lynch, check her out in the movie, Post Grad, costarring Alexis Bledel and Michael Keaton, which will be released on DVD January 12.)

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