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GEEK CULTURE: (left to right) Zachary Gordon, Robert Capron and Jeff Kinney answer questions at Youth Empowerment Day at Warren T. Jackson Elementary in Atlanta.

Zoo Wee Mama!

As part of Youth Empowerment Day in the city of Atlanta, kids were kind enough to brought their parents along to hang out and meet “Diary of a Wimpy Kid” author Jeff Kinney and stars of the film Zachary Gordon and Robert Capron.

The festivities were held after school at Warren T Jackson Elementary School and hosted by Star 94’s Cindy and Ray.

The event kicked off with Cindy and Ray pumping up the crowd. After a round of screams, cheers an applauds, Kinney along with actors Gordon and Capron made their way to the stage. While there, Ray read the proclamation from the City of Atlanta officially making March 9 Youth Empowerment Day. Afterwards, the cast along with the audience participated in a game of “wimpy kid says,” a take off the schoolyard game Simon Says. Kids also  had the opportunity to ask the author and movie cast members questions about the book and the upcoming film.

Diary Of A Wimpy Kid opens Friday, March 19 in area theaters.

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CoCo must have a lot of time (and money) on his hands because he just dropped some big news that will make his die hard fans pretty happy. Two hours ago, Conan O’Brien announced via Twitter that he’s packing up and taking his show on the road.

Hey Internet: I’m headed to your town on a half-assed comedy & music tour. Go to http://TeamCoco.com for tix. I repeat: It’s half-assed.

The “Legally Prohibited From Being Funny On Television” tour is scheduled for 30 cities across the U.S. and Canada next month. The tour kicks off in Eugene, Ore. April 12, and will end in Atlanta, Ga. at the Fox Theatre on June 14. Since the announcement earlier this morning, two new shows have already been added for the Chicago and New York show stop dates.

Conan has been flying under the radar since leaving his gig as the Tonight Show host in January. If you follow his posts on Twitter, you’d think he’s just been sitting around in his underwear (or sometimes naked) eating cereal and talking to squirrels in his backyard. Its good to know he’s put that big hairdo to good use and got a show together. According to the exit agreement with NBC, O’Brien cannot have another TV show until September so maybe let his fans know what his next steps will be on the final leg of his tour in Hotlanta.

Tickets for the tour went on sale on Ticketmaster this morning. According to the Ticketmaster’s website, price for the Atlanta, Ga. show range from $55 to $99 (price includes the Ticketmaster processing fees).

THE TENTH POWER: Krysten Ritter (l) and Alice Eve (r) pose after receiving their awards making them honorary Hooters girls at a recent event at the restaurant's Cumberland location.

Recently actresses Alice Eve and Krysten Ritter took their collective hotness to another level by becoming of all things, honorary Hooters girls. While in town to promote their upcoming romantic comedy, She’s Out of My League, the two participated in a lunch time promotion co-sponsored by Rock 100.5 at Hooter’s Cumberland location where they were given their framed plaques stating their official Hooters girls status. During their time at the locale, Eve and Ritter (both “10’s”) participated in a meet and greet session and even donned a portion of the Hooters girl wardrobe: the t-shirt. They both passed on the wearing the iconic orange hot pants.

In She’s Out of my League, Eve plays Molly a blonde hot girl who meets an average Joe named Kirk (Jay Baruchel) after leaving her cell phone in his security line at the airport. When the two meet to retrieve the phone, an awkward courtship begins which dumbfounds Molly’s best friend Patty (Ritter), Kirk’s friends and family and more importantly, Kirk who grapples to make since of how this “10″ of a girl will settle for a “5″ of a guy.

She’s Out of My League opens Fri. Mar. 12 in area theaters.

For eight seasons America has sat glued to their televisions each week as judges Randy Jackson, Paula Abdul, Simon Cowell and late comer, Kara DioGuardi shape the fate of finalists on American Idol. Now in its ninth season, the show is hoping to endure a series of controversies, shake-ups and new additions.

Loyal fans were shocked and saddened when Abdul announced prior to the season eight finale that she was leaving the show. Weeks later, comedian Ellen Degeneres confirmed rumors that she’s taking over the fourth chair at the judge’s table. And just yesterday, Cowell announced that this will be his final season as he sets plans to bring his other global hit, X Factor to America next year. Last Friday, Randy Jackson spoke with the press about the new season and shared his opinion on the issues surrounding the show.

American Idol’s two-part season premiere kicks off tonight, Tuesday at 8:00 PM featuring guest judge, Victoria Beckham.  Part two of the season premiere airs Wednesday at 8:00 PM with guest judge, Mary J. Blige.

W Hotel – Midtown (188 14th St., Atlanta, GA) will host an American Idol premiere viewing party tomorrow night starting at 7:00 PM. The party is open to the public. The hotel will feature specialty drinks and complimentary appetizers from Spice Market between 7-8 PM.

(Photo courtesy of Fox Television)

So we’ve seen on the cover of Entertainment Weekly that Ellen is calling Simon mean.  Is he really mean or is he just a big teddy bear behind the scenes?  Is this going to be ongoing?

Look, he’s not really mean.  I love his phrase.  You can quote his phrase, “I don’t mean to be rude, but.”  He’s honest from his perspective.  Sometimes it’s maybe a bit harsh, but some people call that real.  I don’t know if he’s meaner than he’s ever been.  I’m not sure I would call it mean.  I would just call it very stern.

(more…)

On Saturday, Atlanta’s littlest princes and princesses stepped out in regal fashion to see Disney’s newest royal, Tiana, at the premiere of The Princess and The Frog. Topped with tiaras and crowns, kids gathered at the Regal Atlantic Station for the advanced screening of Disney’s latest animated feature. Prior to the screening the kids took princess pictures, ate frog cupcakes and received makeovers.

The Princess and The Frog marks Walt Disney’s animation studio’s return to the traditional two-dimensional storytelling. Based (loosely) on the children’s fable The Frog Prince, Disney’s adds an updated spin with their version.

Disney’s The Princess and The Frog. Rated G. Directed by Ron Clements and John Musker. Stars Anika Noni Rose, Bruno Campos, Keith David. In area theaters.

Tyler Perry just announced on Facebook that he’s donning his best gray wig, nylon stockings and lipstick to hit the road with a new stage play featuring  his iconic alter ego, Madea early next year.  The show entitled Madea’s Big Happy Family is the thirteenth stage play written and produced by Perry.

I wanted to tell you this before the tickets went on sale in most places….Madea is officially going on tour! That’s right, a Madea play, live on tour! I have managed to carve out about a year to go on the road and see you all again.

I gotta tell you, I have missed you. There is nothing like a live performance and if you’ve never seen a Madea play, then you haven’t seen Madea at all. It is an experience, just ask someone who’s seen it…..SMILE

It’s been 5 years since I’ve been on the road and the timing just happened to fall right into place. I needed to get away from Hollywood for a second…clear my head. There is no better way to do that than to come out and see your faces and be reminded of where this all started.

The show is called MADEA’S BIG HAPPY FAMILY. I’m going to come through as many cities as I can. I know I can’t get to all of them but I’ll try and get as close as I can. Get your tickets early! I want you to have the opportunity to get good seats first before the rest of the country hears about the advertising, ok?

I can’t wait to see you! This play is going to be amazing!

The letter to fans also lists over thirty tour dates in the five-month tour which kicks off  January 5, 2010 in Denver, Colo. and ends May 9 in Detroit, Mich. Big Happy Family will appear in Atlanta, GA at the Fox Theater April 13-15.

Tyler is currently busy producing two televisions shows, Tyler Perry’s House of Payne and Tyler Perry’s Meet the Browns which air on TBS. Recently Perry and Oprah Winfrey have received notoriety co-producing the critically acclaimed film Precious currently in theaters.

On Thursday evening hundreds of screaming Twilight fans flocked to the Mall of Georgia to meet actors Edi Gathegi and Jamie Campbell Bower from the upcoming film The Twilight Saga: New Moon. Over 500 fans – known as “Twilighters” waited in line at Hot Topic inside the mall for a chance to get New Moon mini posters signed by movie vampires Laurent (Gathegi) and Caius (Bower).

After the autograph session, Gathegi and Bower met an ever growing crowd in the mall’s Village courtyard for a hour-long Q & A session. Most questions were collected earlier from waiting fans but later in the session a microphone was passed for the attendees to ask the actors directly.

It was clear what was on the mind of the screaming Twi-hard adolescent girls who made up the majority of the crowd. Most of the questions mulled within the range of “Would You Marry Me” to “What was it like to work with Robert Pattinson.”  Of course you can’t have a Twilight conversation without asking the most important question for any true Twilight fan: “Team Edward or Team Jacob.” Both Gathegi and Bower declared an affinity towards Team Edward … OME!

The Twilight Saga: New Moon opens Fri., Nov. 20 in area theaters.

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On Wednesday Dave & Buster’s opened their third fun center in Atlanta. Located at Discover Mills, the new Sugarloaf location is the city’s largest family entertainment arcade. D&B Sugarloaf is a 63,000 square foot facility designed as the ultimate play and sports viewing destination featuring over  200 games, a 16 lane bowling alley and 30 monitors to view eight events simultaneously.

To celebrate the occasion, members from the Gwinnett Chamber of Commerce and Atlanta Falcons’ Defensive Tackle Jonathan Babineaux cut the ceremonial ribbon to officially open the center.

Babineaux who consequently had a phenomenal game against the Washington Redskins last weekend with 11 tackles and 2.5 sacks participated in a live radio remote with 680 The Fan’s Buck and Kincade and signed autographs for excited fans.

Dave & Buster’s – Sugarloaf. Discover Mills Mall (former Jillian’s location), 5900 Sugarloaf Parkway, Suite 441, Lawrenceville, GA. 678-847-5400. Sunday-Thursday: 11 a.m. – 11 p.m., Friday-Saturday:  11 a.m. – Midnight.

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ALL DOLLED UP: Anderson's "Dress Up" is one of many featured in his concept show "Only Dick, No Jane" currently on display at the W Midtown Hotel

This year’s Pride celebration began not with a bang but a statement Wednesday night with a conceptual art exhibit at the W Atlanta -Midtown Hotel. The show entitled Only Dick, No Jane is a series of works by artist Larry Anderson that explores the labels and stigmas projected on gay men through light and somewhat humorous concepts.

As host of the event, W Midtown provided attendees with Asian inspired hor devours, progressive music via the house DJ and Pride-tini’s, a cosmopolitan-based martini drink made with Skyy Passion Fruit vodka, X-Rated liqueur and cranberry juice.

Anderson, who teaches art classes at SCAD in Atlanta compiled this series to inspire candid dialog about prejudices which he eludes to in his show introductory statement as “redefining the argument.”

“To redefine the argument is to take sex out of the equation and just have us be people,” explains Anderson. “The whole religious right thing is over the sex issue and that’s such a small part of our lives. When we’re young its not any part of our lives, its about desire.”

In his works, Anderson positions Dick, a primary character in the Fun with Dick and Jane reading development books of the ’30s in several translations of well known homophobic slurs.

Only Dick, No Jane is on display in the W Atlanta-Midtown Hotel mezzanine throughout Pride weekend, Fri. October 30 through Sun. November 1.

(photos by Edward Adams and Lisa Baxter)

In recognition of his tireless efforts on behalf of Atlanta’s children, filmmaker Libby Spears has dedicated her latest documentary Playground to the memory of the late Fulton County Judge, Sanford “Sunny” Jones. The film premieres as part of a memorial benefit hosted by the Juvenile Justice Fund honoring Jones on Tuesday, October 20th at the Woodruff Arts Center. The event benefits the Center to End Adolescent Sexual Exploitation (CEASE) and Angela’s House, an organization that provides home care services to households with medically fragile children. Jones, who served as Fulton County Juvenile Court judge was killed in small plane crash in Alabama earlier this year.

Playground sheds light on child sex trafficking taking place in the United States. The film profiles former victims and provides a candid look at the legal and social systems that fails to adequately respond to the crisis. Playground was produced by actor/director George Clooney, writer/actor Grant Heslov and director Steven Soderbergh, the team behind the Oscar-nominated film Good Night and Good Luck.

Judge Jones helped to create the Juvenile Justice Fund in Atlanta in 2001. The fund provides constructive alternatives to youth detention and programs to reduce the number of children returning to unsafe, abusive and destructive homes.

Memorial Benefit for Judge Sanford Jones. Tuesday, October 20, 2009 – 6:00pm. Woodruff Arts Center Symphony Hall. 1280 Peachtree Street, Atlanta, GA 30309. General admission $25, premiere and VIP pre-reception $125. Tickets can be purchased online at www.woodruffcentertickets.org or by phone, 404-733-5000.