Our Q&A with the Horse from 'War Horse'

Hello. It's the Friday afternoon before Christmas and if my office is anything like your office, it's pretty empty right now. Chances are, you're not even in the office. Chances are you will never read this because you're on a plane or train to somewhere that you either love (or despise) for the holiday weekend. But if you are at your office, you may be struggling to find something that makes it look like you are keeping busy. Hey, me, too! No need to piss off the boss right before a long weekend, right? With that, I wrote a piece in which I pretend to interview Joey, the horse from 'War Horse.' Because even though this is utter nonsense, it appears to everyone else around my desk like I'm doing actual work. So, happy holidays, no one that's reading this. It's nice to meet you, War Horse; can I call you Joey? Neigh. OK, then! Are you excited for your movie to come out? Neigh. Oh, well that's disappointing. Did you have to do any special training in preparation for this film? Neigh. Did you like working with Steven Spielberg? Neigh. You know that you're the first actor to ever say "no" to that question, right? Neigh. Oh, really. Who else didn't like working with Spielberg? It's Christian Bale, isn't it? Neigh. Eric Bana? Neigh. Moving on: Do you think the socio-economic message of 'War Horse' has any parallels whatsoever to the economic downturn that we're now facing in the early 21st century? Neigh. Curious. So do you at least think 'War Horse' displays the evil of war, whether it's fought in trenches or, like today, with tactics ranging from unmanned drones to terrorism? Neigh. Is 'War Horse' about anything? Neigh. I usually don't ask personal questions, But there are those persistent rumors about you and Uggie from 'The Artist.' Are those true? Neigh. Can I feed you an apple? Neigh. Too bad. There's an earnestness to 'War Horse' that's almost shocking when compared to the cynicism of our current world. Do you think the world was a better place in 1914, from a moralistic point of view? Neigh. So it's better now, in the present? Neigh. I agree, there are always shades of grey during any era. Thanks for your time, War Horse, it was a pleasure to meet you. You too. You can contact Mike Ryan directly on Twitter [Photo: DreamWorks] Follow Moviefone on Twitter Like Moviefone on Facebook

Stocking on media

It has been an outrageous ride for marketplaces and showbiz stocks this season because the U.S. economy threatened to tip into another recession and Europe spread gloom. Heading into 2012 there is a glint of hope the worst might be over. But media optimism is tempered by poor "visibility" around the ad front, meaning it's difficult to determine beyond each day, per week or perhaps a month. "The ad marketplace is guilty until proven innocent," declared David Bank, a media analyst with RBC Capital Marketplaces. Showbiz shares lean heavily on advertising and monthly subscriptions, which may be complicated to calculate when companies are worked up and customers low on cash. Wall Streeters are surprised TV advertising has organized in addition to it's, plus they don't trust it. So, because they pick favorite stocks, they concentrate on the areas like Disney's amusement parks retransmission consent and reverse compensation at CBS and rising affiliate costs at News Corp.'s cable systems. Sirius XM Radio, Scripps Systems Interactive, Imax as well as Zynga -- the internet gamemaker that simply got condemned in the recent IPO -- may be those who win inside a holiday stocking. Lionsgate is going to be in demand if "Hunger Games" provides in the B.O. Analyst Bank's preferred play in large media is News Corp. He cites greater affiliate costs and political advertising in route for Fox News (and also the Fox station group) and also the conglom's losing millions in operating deficits by cutting loose Bebo. "You will find good quality tales to inform at News Corp., that has had its good and the bad a year ago,Inch agreed Anthony DiClemente of Barclays Capital. The business's U.K. newspaper arm was shaken with a phone hacking scandal that skyrocketed last summer time, ricocheted through News Corp.'s professional ranks and known as into question the way forward for heir apparent James Murdoch. But DiClemente stated the firm's top pick within the space for 2012 is Disney on enhanced amusement parks and ESPN's ongoing muscle. The cable internet is finding added value from digital sports content on pills along with other products. Disney's been trading heavily in the parks having a $1 billion restoration at Disney California Adventure and last September's launch from the new Aulani resort in The island of oahu, Hawaii. Investing will taper lower, meaning more free income and also the opportunities beginning to repay in 2012. For Jim Goss of Barrington Research, CBS is really a favorite for steady programming, new gold coin from retrans and reverse comp especially impressive contributions from worldwide distribution. The premise of the organization, the CBS broadcast internet, is getting a powerful season, particularly using its comedies. "CBS is the owner of an growing share of the content. Not so long ago they accustomed to run deficits. Now (with worldwide) they're in make money from the first day," he stated. Retrans and reverse comp, where the organization collects from correspondingly, MSOs and stations, create "a really large chance with little cost attached." Experts still note while CBS has varied its revenue base considerably, will still be probably the most uncovered from the majors to advertising. Goss also touts Sirius, that has been paring lower debt, growing its customer base and is planning the very first cost rise in its history in The month of january. "I still listen to it known to like a penny stock investing since it (trades) at handful of dollars a share or less," Goss stated, "but Sirius has become acknowledged as a simple story." The organization is moving towards a billion dollars in earnings before interest, taxes depreciation and amortization -- a vital indicator for Wall Street. Content costs have tempered. The services are set up in 65% of new cars contributing to half yield having to pay subs. Bank like Scripps Systems Interactive, parent of HGTV, Food Network, Travel Funnel and Cooking Funnel. He sees 2012 growth along with a strong offer the purchase of UKTV from Virgin. He hopes Scripps can end up buying out Tribune's minority stake in Food Network. And that he noted that Scripps has yet to ink a large over-the-top programming cope with Netflix or its rivals like ones which have injected huge amount of money into other content companies. Wall Street is beginning to eye Imax because it adds screens, transforms its business and appears to possess a champion inside a high-profile hookup with Paramount's "Mission" Impossible -- Ghost Protocol." The most recent pic within the lucrative franchise performed to have an exclusive five-day window in large-format theaters, many of them Imax screens, beginning 12 ,. 16 before its wide release. Imax is searching to ink similar handles galleries that are looking to create extra buzz for his or her large-tickets films. Ben Mogil of Stifel Nicolaus stated "Mission's" $12.8 million originate from the first large-format release beat investor anticipation around $ten million. He sees upside for the organization in many re-releases in 2012, most particularly "Titanic" on April 6. Mogil also cites Lionsgate like a stock to look at because it prepares for that March bow of "Hunger Games," that the small-major hopes is a franchise. "In the event that movie works well, the stock will work well," Mogil stated. Michael Pachter of Wedbush Investments is really a large fan of Zynga, that they thinks includes a great business despite a higher-profile initial public offering that fizzled a week ago. Zynga's 60 million daily active customers play its popular games on Facebook. But Pachter does not think traders comprehend the story -- partially the responsibility of underwriters whose job it had been to describe what the organization does. They appear "at Internet metrics, but it is a game title company. They must be speaking about gaming," he stated. Zynga needed a couple of quarters to prove itself prior to the IPO, "And they'll prove it," he stated. Contact the range newsroom at news@variety.com

Five Reason To See 'Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol'

Ethan Hunt and the IMF are back and bigger than ever in "Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol." For the fourth go around, Tom Cruise makes the jump to IMAX screens and makes it worth while. If you do go see "Ghost Protocol," be sure to seek out IMAX showings. It's the way the film was meant to be seen. Here are five more reasons why you should initiate "Ghost Protocol" this week. Dubai You may have seen glimpses of the scene in the trailers and posters, but there is nothing quite like seeing it on screen. There has been a welcome return to practical stunts in recent years, and there are few examples of fantastic stunt-work quite like this. The scene doesn't work simply because of the spectacle of Tom Cruise scaling the Burj Khalifa. Brad Bird structures and shoots it with such skill that keeps the suspense high throughout the scene. We care that Tom Cruise is scaling the Burj Khalifa. We're captivated right until the very end, and they punctuate it with a perfect comedic note, thanks to one man. Simon Pegg An action movie's comic relief rarely rises above the minimum demands of his or her carefully calculated role. It takes unique comedic timing to leave any kind of impression beyond the occasional chuckle. Here, Simon Pegg goes above and beyond the call of the comic relief. His smart, sometimes hilarious turn as Benji earns his place in the movie instead of being an obligation of the plot. It takes a lot of talent to elevate this type of role, and Pegg not only does that, but he nearly steals the movie in the process. IMAX In a perfect world, the push from "Ghost Protocol" and July's "The Dark Knight Rises" would begin an all out format war between 3D and IMAX. Both drive tickets sales up, but only one enhances the movie going experience. If studios continue to look for new ways to coax people into theaters, which they always will do, IMAX is the way to do it, and not a simple up-conversion to 70mm. The proof is on the screen. Bird shot several key action sequences in the large print format, and the results make one hell of an argument for the survival of theaters. There is just no comparison. Tom Cruise My friend put it best. Some actors use their crazier sides for evil. (See: Mel Gibson.) Others use them for good. Like Daniel Day Lewis, the idiosyncrasies of Tom Cruise's personality have only positive effects for his audiences. Sure, he may jump on Oprah's couch once in a while, but he's also willing to put himself outside the Burj Khalifa and climb it for our amusement. Say what you will about his personal life, the man is dedicated to spectacle, and he's fun to watch. There's a reason Cruise has been around as long as he has been, and he'll be around for years to come for those same reasons. Return of the Action Movie There is something highly comforting about sitting in the dark, staring at a screen bigger than most and just enjoying yourself. "Ghost Protocol" delivers in almost every major action movie category. Yes, the story doesn't always make much sense. If you think about it in any deeper terms than it's given to you, you'll fall into a deep, deep hole, but Cruise delivers the action and Pegg delivers the laughs. With a stellar supporting cast including Paula Patton, Jeremy Renner and the terribly underused Josh Holloway, "Ghost Protocol" offers more than it needs to, but that's what has been missing from large scale action movies outside of "Inception." Tell us what you think of "Ghost Protocol" in the comments and on Twitter!

Uggie and Cosmo, the Dogs From 'The Artist' and 'Beginners,' Meet (VIDEO)

It is a movie -- and dog -- lover's dream become a reality! Uggie and Cosmo, the cute canine stars of honours-magnets 'The Artist' and 'Beginners,' met inside a photo studio to pose for pictures. Despite there as being a "Election for Uggie" campaign, there did not appear to become any competition between both of these completely adorable, very gifted Jack Russells. In the looks from it, the shoot only agreed to be lots of tail wagging and some scenery eating. (Hope that isn't a genuine Oscar statuette Uggie's arrived.) Begin to see the video following the jump. Can't get enough movie mutts? Search for our Top 11 Movie Dogs of 2011 list, out in a few days. [via THR] Follow Moviefone on Twitter Like Moviefone on Facebook

NFLs Drew Brees To Appear On Sesame Street

First Published: December 13, 2011 1:36 PM EST Credit: Getty Images NEW ORLEANS, La. -- Caption New Orleans Saints star Drew Brees bends down to speak in the microphone on stage after winning the ESPY for Best Male Athlete during the ESPY Awards at Nokia Theatre L.A. Live in Los Angeles on July 14, 2010Move over, Grover! One of the NFLs top passers is heading to Sesame Street. New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees is making a special appearance on Thursdays episode of the educational childrens TV show. He visited the set a few months ago to record the segment, which co-stars the streets furry red resident, Elmo. The segment will air Thursday morning on PBS Kids. Brees, who has two young sons, Baylen and Bowen, taped the segment before the start of this years regular football season. Brees leads the NFL with 4,368 passing yards, putting him on pace to break Dan Marinos single-season passing record of 5,084 yards, which has stood since 1984. Brees led the Saints to victory over the Indianapolis Colts in Super Bowl XLIV and was that games MVP. Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

MTV's Best Of 2011 Movies Live Stream Hits Friday!

Convinced "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 2" is hands down the greatest film of 2011? Calm and cocksure when it comes to your belief that while Oscar might ignore "Attack the Block," that indie alien-invasion flick is the year's finest? What does "best" really mean? Those are the sort of weighty pop-culture questions the folks at MTV confronted when we put together our top-10 movie list of 2011. MTV Movies' Josh Horowitz, Amy Wilkinson and myself, plus NextMovie's Kevin Polowy and Brooke Tarnoff came together to discuss, debate, argue and occasionally curse about everything that went down at the multiplex this year. In the end, we came up with our 10 picks, and this Friday at 4:30 p.m. ET at MTV Movies and NextMovie, we'll be live streaming the debate. But we had so much to discuss that we'll only have time for the top five during the live stream. So all week long we'll be revealing picks 10 through six. Today we begin with #10: "Attack the Block." Written and directed by Joe Cornish and produced by Edgar Wright, the film follows a group of small-time street toughs who inadvertently find themselves in the midst of an attack by furry, menacing, tooth-glowing aliens. The film has drawn comparisons to 2009's "District 9," another alien flick that made the most of its small budget and became a cult fav. Keep checking back for more picks, and then tune in on Friday at 4:30 p.m. for the full reveal at MTV Movies and NextMovie All this week, watch "AMTV" on MTV every day at 8 a.m. ET for our Best of 2011 lists. Then, come to MTVNews.com at 5 p.m. as we reveal our top picks of the year!

Richard Dreyfuss Signs With APA (Exclusive)

If Alex Bulkley and his ShadowMachine co-founderCorey Campodonico have their way, they'll be at the center of TV's animation boom.our editor recommendsComedy Central Development Slate: New Shows from Jeff Ross, 'Daily Show's Wyatt Cenac (Exclusive)Comedy Central Bets on 'Gajillionaires,' Two More Comedies (Exclusive)'Robot Chicken' Duo Launch Animation Studio The duo behind Robot Chicken is developing an animation showcase entitledTripTank at Comedy Central. The project is set to featurea collection of recurring animated shorts built into a half-hour block much like the 1990's hitLiquid Television. The plots, which will come from such names asWill Ferrell's partnerAdam McKay,Tom Gammill(The Simpsons, Monk)andJon Glaser (Late Night with Conan O'Brien, Human Giant), range from a magical alcoholic wheelchair helping sick children to a group of aliens studying the world's most average guy. To hear Bulkley tell it, TripTank will serve as an animation farm league for MTV Networks, which will have the first shot at turning the shorts into full-fledged series, a trajectory followed byThe Simpsons,South Park and Beavis & Butthead (the latter got its start as a short on Liquid Television).The producer spoke to The Hollywood Reporter about the concept, the most popular pitches and the involvement of both Larry David and Larry Flynt. PHOTOS: 10 Inappropriately Sexy Cartoon Characters THR: How did this project come about? Bulkley:There are a ton of creators with great projects, and often times it's a very tough sell to networks. Really, it's amazing how few opportunities R-rated or adult animation has out there. Very often, networks don't really understand what animation can be. That's why shows like South Park,The Simpsons, Beavis & Buttheador even our showRobot Chickenall started out as well-produced shorts. Once you can see that worlds in animation, you find your audience and off it goes. So that's the genesis of this. We created a platform for all of these great concepts --we're doing all of the formats of animation--to come together and get a shot at broadcast quality production. THR:I imagine there were some themes that got pitched often. What were they? Bulkley:We were looking for great animation shows for the 18 to 34 demo, so the retired superhero is definitely in the perpetual zeitgeist. It's incredible how many mundane life-of-a-superhero shows are floating around. Lots of talking animals too. What we were focused on were good premises that have series potential, as opposed to just one-off jokes. PHOTOS: The Big Screen's Evolution of Talking Animals THR: Walk us through the pitch process. Bulkley:We did a whirlwind of meetings in NY, and then a lot in LA. We met primarily with comedians; we ran through all of the agencies' clients. People would sit down with us and some would have just a show concept; others had fully realized artwork or scripts. THR: What is the end goal with something like this? I assume ShadowMachine will remain on as producer if these shorts get picked up to stand-alone series? Bulkley:That's the idea. This is really a farm league for MTV networks as a whole. This is their opportunity to see what works and what doesn't. They'll get the first shot. And sure, those spin offs are huge opportunities for our company too. If we find even one that spins off and is successful, that's enormous for us.Over the course of a season, we'll probably end up with 30 individual shows or candidates. Each episode is currently a half hour, which could include somewhere between five and eight shorts depending on the timing. Currently, they're all running at about the four or five minute range. THR: What can you share about the storylines from the shorts you've chosen? Bulkley:One of the highlights isI Owe Larry David Money, which was created byLaura Kightlinger (Will & Grace, Pretend Time).She stars with Larry David and guest starLarry Flynt, who we actually voiced a little while ago. So the plan would be to pick up say seven or eight of those, and run them over the course of what will beTripTank'sseason one. Also, we have a great show called The Coliseum by Tommy Blacha (Pretend Time, Mind of Mencia). It's a behind the scenes look at the Roman Colosseum. Imagine a behind the scenes at Saturday Night Live, but with all of the blood, gore and carnage. It's absolutely hilarious. THR: Why Comedy Central? Bulkley:We felt like they had the right audience. It's a broad audience and its comedy-based, so people know what to expect there. We've had more than 300 pitches come to us over the past eight or nine months. We brought it down to about 15, and now the idea is that we're going to produce the crème de la crème for this first episode. It's very similar to the format of Liquid Television. It's a block of animation, and you'll never know what will appear in each episode. PHOTO GALLERY: View Gallery It's a Zoo This Season: 23 Awards Contenders Featuring Animals Related Topics Adam McKay Comedy Central Robot Chicken

Lowe's Issues Problematic Apologies After Pulling Ads From TLC's 'All-American Muslim'

Movie director Daniel Adams faces up to 32 years in prison after he was indicted Monday by a grand jury in Boston on charges brought by the Massachusetts Attorney General related to claims for $4.7 million in state tax rebates on two movies, The Lightkeepers and The Golden Boys (aka Chatham). Adams, 50, was taken into custody on Friday while at the office of Attorney General Martha Coakley where he had been called to provide information on the allegations. He was held on $100,000 bail and as of early Monday was unable to make the bail and was still in custody. On Monday the Suffolk County Grand Jury returned indictments against Adams on the charges of making a false claim against the Commonwealth (2 counts), larceny over $250 (2 counts), procuring the presentation of a false claim to the Department of Revenue (2 counts), filing a false document with the Department of Revenue (1 count) and procuring the preparation of a false tax return (3 counts). PHOTOS: Hollywood's Riches to Rags: 18 Stars Who've Lost it All The first four charges could carry prison sentences of up to five years. The three tax related charges could lead to prison terms of three years for each. Adams would also likely be forced to make restitution of at least $3.6 million of the $4.7 million in tax credits he has already received, which represents the amount the authorities believe was false. If he is found guilty, a judge could decide that Adams can serve some of the sentences concurrently or he could reduce them, so what he might ultimately face is unclear. Among the items they allege was false was a claim that actor Richard Dreyfuss was paid $2.5 million for Lightkeepers, when in fact (per their investigation) he was paid only $400.000. At this time there is no other person or company implicated in this alleged fraud. Adams was writer, producer and director, and created special purpose corporations for each movie. The distributors were just picking up the movies, so are not liable. A number of others who worked on the movie or helped arrange distribution have also gone unpaid, The Hollywood Reporter has learned. They include executive producers and a designer. There are also claims for unpaid bills by vendors in Massachusetts who provided goods and services for the movies which have been filed in courts there. At least some of those who remain unpaid were told by Adams that they would receive money when he got the state tax credit rebate. He got that but did not pay them it appears. It is unknown if he actually sold the tax credits, which he could have done legally. His arrest came after an investigation by the Massachusetts State Police and the Attorney General's Fraud and Financial Crimes Division. They had taken on the case after the state Department of Revenue alleged they had found fraud while reviewing documents that Adams had filed in connection with his request for tax credits. A Grand Jury in Boston had been working on the case when Adams was called in on Friday. Adams had missed two earlier appointments and told the authorities he was about to leave for Los Angeles for his work. At that point Assistant Attorney General Molly Parks, who is handling the case, decided there was a risk Adams would not return for future hearings and had state police assigned to her office arrest him. Adams was arraigned in district court because there was no actual indictment yet. An attorney present in the courtroom for another hearing, Steven Topazio, was drafted to act on Adam's behalf as a public defender. Topazio, who is a Boston criminal defense attorney, says he only handled that hearing and is not representing Adams any longer It is unclear if Adams has legal representation at present, or who that might be. Attempts to reach Adams for comment were not successful. Now that the grand jury has returned indictments, the case moves to Superior Court in Boston. A hearing is scheduled for Tuesday on the case where Adams will be given an opportunity to answer the charges if he chooses to do so. Adams in 2010 wrote and was to direct a movie version of the TV series The Big Valley. It was set up at Twentieth Century Fox, but apparently did not go forward. Lisa Trout, head of the Massachusetts state film office, said as far as she knows this is the first such case involving an alleged fraud in the program. She said the program has been successful for the state and is funded to continue through 2022.

Haiti President To Host Oprah Winfrey During Visit

First Published: December 10, 2011 12:27 PM EST Credit: HARPO Productions PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad -- Caption Oprah Winfrey waves goodbye to her fans on the last show episode of The Oprah Winfrey show on May 25, 2011Haitian President Michel Martelly said Friday he will host Oprah Winfrey when she visits the Caribbean nation. In an interview with The Associated Press, the Haiti leader said he would like to see Winfrey promote the troubled nations lesser known attributes to outside investors as it struggles to recover from the 2010 earthquake that threw hundreds of thousands people into makeshift camps. Martelly said he planned to meet with Winfrey on Monday. I am hoping she will serve as an ambassador for Haiti, to help us get the kind of assistance needed, Martelly said at a trade summit for Caribbean leaders. Winfrey is expected to arrive in Haiti on Sunday evening and on Monday visit a settlement camp for displaced people run by Hollywood actor Sean Penn and his aid group J/P HRO. She is also expected to meet with fashion designer Donna Karan, who has celebrated the work of Haitis artisans through her Urban Zen Foundation since the quake. Chance Patterson, a spokesman for Winfreys Harpo Studios, couldnt be reached for comment Friday night. The interview with Martelly came on the second day of the Caricom-Cuba summit, an effort aimed at encouraging cooperation among Caribbean nations and advocating for their interests. Martelly, a former musician who performed under the stage name Sweet Micky, also said he plans an ambitious world tour in an effort to raise money for an education program that seeks to ensure children attend school in Haiti. Few parents can afford tuition for his countrys many private schools. We would take the tour to Los Angeles, Korea, Japan, France to raise money for the childrens education, Martelly said, adding that he understands the power of the stage. I will get on it and dance and have great groups of entertainers to perform to help Haiti, including Wyclef (Jean) and Oprah and have others play my music and sing my songs, he said. Separately, Martelly said he is moving ahead with a campaign pledge to restore Haitis army despite opposition raised by some people, including Nobel peace laureate and former Costa Rican President Oscar Arias. Arias sent a letter this week to Martelly saying it would be an error to bring back the military that was disbanded in 1995 because of a long history of abuse. Arias and others have said money for the $25 million force would be better spent elsewhere for the struggling country. In the interview, Martelly reiterated his position that the new force would be a modern one and a departure from its predecessor, which was an instrument long used to topple presidents and jail opponents in Haiti. I could bring arguments which could prove him wrong, Martelly said about Arias. For instance, in a modern army we would have engineers and a medical corps who, if they were there in the time of the earthquake, could have saved lives. Martelly said he hopes the new force will provide jobs and education to the youth of Haiti, where only about 60 percent of the people have regular employment. Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

'The Divide': Opening Scene From 'Heroes' Star Milo Ventimiglia's Thriller Released (Video)

Ray Mickshaw / FOX More tears flowed on Thursday's X Factor than any episode prior as Rachel Crow, the sassy 13-year-old from Longmont, Colorado, was sent home in what turned out to be a genuine season shocker.our editor recommends'X Factor' Results: Who Makes Semifinals? (Video)'X Factor' Redux: Why Josh Krajcik Will Win'X Factor' Burning Questions: What's the Deal With Josh's Sign Language? Did Marcus Get Death Threats Too?'X Factor's' Drew Ryniewicz Speaks Out on Death Threats to Judges Over Her Elimination'X Factor's' Drew Ryniewicz on Why She Was Eliminated: 'My 'Save Me' Performance Sucked' It wasn't the "save me" song that failed her, and Rachel never once visited the bottom two. No, it was America that sent her home, as the lowest vote-getter after Nicole Schrezinger tied up the score and forced a deadlock. Now, many were quick to blame Nicole for Rachel's exit, marking the second week in a row when the Pussycat Dolls singer felt the sting of harsh-as-hell criticism, but in speaking to reporters after the show, head judge Simon Cowell emphatically came to her defense. "[Nicole] didn't do this out of spite," said Simon. "What she was trying to do was to let Marcus [Canty] go with some dignity. No question, if she knew Rachel was going to be in the bottom, she would've gone the other way." PHOTOS: Get to Know 'X Factor's' Top 17 Finalists It's a refrain Nicole herself repeated not long after. She reasoned: "Marcus has been in the bottom two twice, this was his third time and Rachel's never been in the bottom so the probability was that America would've sent Marcus home. I wasn't going to be the one to send anyone home." The unexpected twist made for some great television, but the subsequent knee-drop breakdown by the usually poised Rachel was difficult for all too bear, especially Nicole. "When I saw that look on her face," she says, still wiping back tears. "That I let her down, like I dropped her when I could've been holding on. I didn't want to make the decision but if I had to do it all over again, I would've done the same thing. Because, how did I know? I have a big heart and I care so much, I feel it on me." Indeed, it was Rachel who had to console Nicole after the results were read. "She came to my [dressing] room and we talked and she said, 'Everything's gonna be OK,'" Nicole recounted. "This is new to me so I didn't expect this part was gonna be this hard.... Ultimately, America made the choice tonight." Simon added that, for Rachel, clearly something wasn't connecting. "This could be a good thing for her -- a wake-up call for Rachel and her career going forward," he said. "I've spoken to her and I said, 'Its' better to do this than be third in a weird way.' [Because] if we didn't know she was in the bottom and I thought she may have a chance at winning, that's a whole different ballgame. But being in the bottom, chances are she wasn't going to win this competition and Rachel said she thought she was." PHOTOS: 'X Factor' Behind the Scenes as The Top 11 Work Out the Week's Performances The head judge did, however, have a sense earlier in the day that something was off. He even tweeted as much. "I did have an odd feeling and when I was left with both girls, I was kind of torn. But when I heard Nicole say, 'I'm gonna give it to deadlock,' I actually sat back in my seat thinking, 'We're [going] through, no question or doubt.' Well, we all got the shock of our lives." And especially Nicole who was booed so loudly you could see the agony written all over the face. "I think Nicole felt shocked because when we are making the decision, we aren't thinking about the result," said Paula Abdul with empathy. And in an attempt to avoid last week's public outrage, which turned into death threats to some loyal Drew fans, Simon addresses that, too, "If there are death threats and stuff like that, it's crazy," he said. "Nicole is not a vindictive person." Added Paula: "What's great about this show is people are passionate about their contestants, but it's a competition -- someone's going home each week." And this week, Marcus stays, an accomplishment Nicole doesn't want to downplay. "God bless Marcus," she said. "He's surviving and he's earned his place to be here." Not surprisingly, Simon had a more blunt assessment. "I'll be disappointed if Marcus wins," he said. "I think Rachel is better than Marcus." Twitter: @shirleyhalperin PHOTO GALLERY: View Gallery Behind the Scenes With Simon Cowell's Right-Hand Woman Nicole Scherzinger Simon Cowell Antonio L.A. Reid Rachel Crow Drew Ryniewicz The X Factor

Lindsay Lohan's Playboy Photos Leak Online Magazine to produce Early

Lindsay Lohan Just days after Lindsay Lohan's Playboy cover leaked online, the relaxation of her photos inside the magazine also hit the web. Uncensored photos of Lohan's shoot, by which she looks like Marilyn Monroe, made an appearance online Friday, including on PerezHilton.com. "Someone required photos of Lindsay's pictorial within an advanced copy from the The month of january/Feb problem," a representative for that magazine initially told MTV News. "They published the photos online without permission. We're not delivering any official images or information until December 15." TMZ.com reported earlier Friday that Playboy was concerned the leak will hurt sales of the items they be prepared to function as the bestseller of the season. Late Friday, Playboy boss Hugh Hefner tweeted: "Due to the eye & the web leak, we are delivering the Lindsay Lohan problem early." The brand new release date has not been introduced. The actress was slated to look on Ellen on Thursday, 12 ,. 15. DeGeneres snagged the only real interview Lohan has decided to do throughout the on-purchase duration of the problem.

Comcast, Time Warner Cable, Vibrant House Sell Wireless Spectrum to Verizon for $3.6 Billion

Ticket purchasers who used Ticketmaster between March. 21, 1999 and March. 19, 2011, expect reimbursement the coming year.our editor recommendsAEG Assumes Ticketmaster With New ServiceTicketmaster Now Selling Tickets at Walmart Inside a suggested class action lawsuit settlement, check in website has been requested to refund $1.50 for every ticket order -Up to 17 orders -- to clients because Ticketmaster are making money from the dubious "processing costs," Business Insider reviews. This won't stop the web site from capitalizing from the ticket orders all Ticketmaster needs to do is indicate on its website that they're doing this. The initial claim, filed March. 21, 2003, also states UPS' cost for expedited delivery of tickets isn't truthful. Clients who come under the UPS area of the suit will even get a $5.00 credit for every ticket. The settlement might cost Ticketmaster a lot. If under $11.25 million is redeemed by clients, Ticketmaster can give the relaxation to charitable organisation. Furthermore, lawyers intend to request as much as $16.5 million in lawyers' costs and expenses and $20,000 towards the two litigants who initially triggered the course action suit. Credits won't be given before April 15, 2012 and really should occur within thirty days from the settlement approval, that is set to occur May 29, 2012. Related Subjects Ticketmaster