ecorazzi.com :: the latest in green gossip

May 14th 2008

Oprah Cancels Big Give After Just One Season

Filed under: film-tv, television — parrish @ 2:14 pm

OPRAH WINFREY HAS SPOKEN!!

Oprah has recently canceled her reality television show, Oprah’s Big Give, after just one season. The show — which ran on ABC — featured 10 regular old folks competing to see who could find the most creative ways to raise money for charity. Ecorazzi previously reported that even a few celebrities jumped on board to donate some loot, and by the end, Oprah and friends had raised millions of dollars for charity!

But even though it was a hit Oprah said she would not bring it back. Network exec, Steven McPherson told the New York Post, “We loved that show and absolutely would have loved to bring it back. But it was something Oprah didn’t want to do.”

And let’s be honest —  Oprah gets what Oprah wants!!

thanks:starpulse.com

May 13th 2008

FOX News Says Al Gore Is The Reason For High Food Prices

We can't even make this stuff up.

Filed under: film-tv, television — michael @ 6:10 pm

Just when you thought there couldn’t possibly be anything else to throw at Al Gore, Sean Hannity on FOX News came up with his hilarious segment: “Gore’s Grocery: Blame Al Gore for your rising food prices.”

Oh man, you know the conservative news stations are walking a thin line of sanity when you actually publish something like that. Of course, coming from someone as out of touch as Sean Hannity, such incomprehensible logic is to be expected. While increased demand for biofuel is certainly contributing, it is barely more than the tip of the iceberg. Newshounds breaks down the real information that FOX so conveniently fails to do itself. From the article,

“According to Time magazine, there are three other factors: One is the chronically low productivity of farmers in the poorest countries, caused by their inability to pay for seeds, fertilizers and irrigation. Another is the growing demand for food and the third, which Hannity would probably rather die than admit to, is climate change. Time reported that recent droughts in Australia and Europe cut the global production of grain in 2005 and ‘06. New York Times columnist and economics professor Paul Krugman says that high oil costs play a big role, too.”

Furthermore, the type of biofuel throwing Hannity’s panties into a bunch is not the kind backed by Al Gore. In 2006, the the former V.P. endorsed cellulosic ethanol — a much different process that utilizes perennial grasses, waste, or other sources of low-production, high yield organics.

Check out the full video here — laugh track not included.

Newshounds via Green Daily

May 13th 2008

Radiohead Sheds Light On Human Trafficing

Filed under: campaigns, film-tv, green and famous, music, politics, television, thegreenpicture — parrish @ 12:19 pm

In the past Ecorazzi has told you all about Radiohead’s environmental agenda and political ideology, so it’s no surprise that the dudes of Radiohead are speaking out once again.

Radiohead is teaming up with MTV to raise awareness about child slavery and sex trafficking. In their new video, All I Need,  we see a split-screen view of the lives of two boys — one in white suburbia and one in an Asian sweatshop. The message: some things cost most more than you realize.

Thom Yorke admits this was a risky move for MTV to make on a purely advertising level. Thom says: “With the (’All I Need’) video, their lawyers had to beg to make sure there wasn’t a single white trainer with a logo on it because the implication would be a little too close. But the implication is still there.” 

Check out the video below.

May 12th 2008

Indiana Jones’ Crystal Skull May Curb Deforestation, Help With World Peace

Filed under: film-tv, movies — michael @ 3:37 pm

We all know how passionate Harrison Ford is about stopping deforestation in the Amazon, but might he also have found a way to incorporate those values into the latest Indiana Jones movie? If you’re interested in doubling up on that spoonful of conjecture, please, continue reading. 

You see, there’s a very interesting article up on MSNBC highlighting the real history of the sacred crystal skulls — basically the major plot point everything revolves around in Indy IV. In the jungles of Southern Mexico, there exists today the last unassimilated Mayas that still worship the skulls. According to priests, the idols have special powers, including “the ability to stave off sickness and deforestation in the rain forest” where the last Mayans still live.

While the movie may only focus on one of these skulls, supposedly there are 13 scattered about that were once used by the Ancient Mayans. According to legend, when the Mayan calendar reaches the end of its 5,126-year cycle on Dec. 21, 2012, all 13 skulls must be reunited and lined up together to prevent the world from falling off its axis. From the article,

“I personally feel that (the skulls) are coming out now because humanity needs the information, their energy and they have probably their own purpose why they’re coming out: to help us to create world peace,” said Joshua “Illinois” Shapiro, 53, a self-described Crystal Skull Explorer who makes a living touring and giving lectures.

So, with so much at stake, it makes sense that our favorite archaeological adventurer is getting involved to help save the day. Oh, and if anyone has one of these skulls up in their attic, please make sure it gets to the Mayans by 2012. With world peace such a pipe dream at the moment — and the rainforest getting chopped — we’ll believe anything that might make a difference! 

May 12th 2008

Vegan Documentary Needs YOUR Help!

Filed under: animals, campaigns, film-tv, movies — parrish @ 12:26 pm

Are you vegan/vegetarian? Are you very/kinda rich? Well if you answered yes to both of those questions then keep on reading (if you didn’t, don’t worry, you can keep reading too).

Documentary filmmaker Eric Prescott in association with the International Humanities Center and the Boston Vegan Association is trying to produce I’m Vegan, a ”series of short documentary profiles featuring vegans from all walks of life, produced with an eye toward addressing preconceived notions about vegans and veganism”.

In the documentary Prescott hopes to spotlight vegans from all walks of life as they go about their daily business — all of which will be edited around the central narrative of an interview that provides the structure and the context to counter negative stereotypes of vegans and veganism.

Now let’s talk cash! The total budget is $25,000 and so far only $3,435 dollars has been raised (roughly 15 percent).  Ouch! So if you’ve got a few bucks laying around (or a few thousand) and want to help produce a film spotlighting the awesomeness of the vegetarian way of life, visit ThePoint.com to get more information and help donate.  

Come on Ecorazzi readers —  let’s get this thing made!

thanks: supervegan.com

May 9th 2008

Shia LaBeouf & Andy Samberg Explore The NBC Roof Garden

Filed under: film-tv, television, web — michael @ 9:25 am

Check out the hilarious promos below for Shia LaBeouf’s hosting of Saturday Night Live tomorrow night. Who knew NBC has such a lush roof garden?

May 8th 2008

Gossip Girl Cast Member Goes Green Thanks To Motherhood

Filed under: film-tv, green and famous, television, thegreenpicture — parrish @ 9:45 pm

Which one doesn’t fit: boys kissing girls, girls kissing boys, boys kissing boys, girls kissing girls, eco-friendly parental figure kissing Mother Earth? While the last choice might have stood out more than Lindsay Lohan in a stolen fur coat, it was actually a trick question! They all have one thing in common…GOSSIP GIRL!!!

True, the first thing you think of when you hear Gossip Girl is probably a bunch rich, horny, young people doing scandalous deeds against the balmy backdrop of a perfect NYC. However, like all actors, when the camera turns off they’re all just a bunch of normal people doing regular old things. And nowadays being regular means GOING GREEN!!!

Industry vet and Gossip Girl regular Kelly Rutherford recently told US magazine that she’s officially gone green. That’s right, Kelly and her husband are building an eco-house complete with denim insulation, earth-friendly lighting, and all the other bells and whistles you might expect in eco-architechture. And what inspired the change? None other than her brand new 18-month-old baby. Kelly said, “You think: Wow, they come in so pure, you want to keep it that way.”

Kelly isn’t the first celeb to develop green baby inspiration. In fact, in the past few months Ecorazzi has told you all about the maternal environmental awakenings of stars like Julia Roberts and Melissa Joan Hart. But you don’t need a bun in the oven to get serious about the environment. Just throw on that organic cotton shirt, hop in your solar powered car and head down to the local used bookstore and pick up one of the many inspirational green books now available.  I mean if the Gossip Girls are doing it, it must be cool. Right?

May 8th 2008

John Cusack Wants You To Go On A $3 Trillion Shopping Spree

Filed under: campaigns, film-tv, movies — michael @ 9:33 pm

Imagine spending $3 trillion dollars. No, really. Don’t think it’s possible? Ask George Bush. $3 trillion is the projected cost of the Iraq War according to Nobel Prize-winning economist Joseph Stiglitz and Harvard lecturer Linda Bilmes. This coming May 23rd, John Cusack puts this ridiculous sum into play with the new satirical live-action cartoon, War, Inc. Cusack directs and stars in the film — along with Hillary Duff, Marisa Tomei, Dan Aykroyd, and Ben Kingsley.

But here’s the thing — you’re probably still not grasping (I didn’t either) the full extent to what $3 trillion would mean to this country. That’s why Cusack is pushing everyone to visit this new site he discovered called 3Trillion.org. From his blog,

“THAT WAS FUN.  Just got done spending $3 trillion.  Try it yourself – it’s a lot harder
than you might think.  Honestly, it would have been a whole lot easier just to follow the President’s example and blow it all on one illegal occupation of Iraq. That’s a whole lot of zeroes, but what does it really amount to?  How many homes would it buy for Americans who’ve fallen victim to the subprime meltdown?  How many debts would it pay off for developing nations?  As it turns out, one whole hell of a lot of all of those things combined.”

So what did I buy with my $3 trillion? Well, I switched the nation over to solar energy, provided universal healthcare for all Americans, ended world hunger completely for one year, initiated sustainable agriculture worldwide, gave food and vet-care to low-income pet owners, and provided broadband Internet to every home in America. That, and I’m still only at $1.6 trillion. Wow.

What would you buy?

Thanks for the tip, Sarah!

May 8th 2008

Cheadle’s Darfur Now Doc To Benefit Solar Cooker Charity, Get Green Packaging

Filed under: campaigns, film-tv, movies — michael @ 11:49 am

Warner Home Video is continuing their charitable and environmental efforts by releasing Don Cheadle’s Darfur Now documentary with a few beneficial bells and whistles. The film, which follows six individuals who traverse the globe with actor Don Cheadle to build support for the victims of the war (as well as appearances by Hillary Rodham Clinton, George Clooney, and Arnold Schwarzenegger) — will come packaged in a environmentally-friendly manner — most likely similar to how The 11th Hour was released this year. The entire product will also be produced with 100% renewable energies.

Instead of Global Green being supported — as was the case for DiCaprio’s doc — this release will benefit the Solar Cooker Project for the protection and empowerment of women in war-ravaged Sudan. It will also be offered at a steeply reduced price of only $4.99. If you’re interested in picking up a copy, jump here.

via The Hollywood Reporter

May 8th 2008

Sundance Channel Sold For Almost $500 Million

Good news for the rest of us

Filed under: film-tv, television — michael @ 10:31 am

As we reported earlier, the Sundance Channel was recently put up for sale. Robert Redford and Co — who started the network in 1996 — were eager to a.) cash in on their investment and b.) have a larger entity scoop up and subsequently expose their fantastic array of programming to an even larger audience.

Now it’s been announced that Cablevision’s Rainbow Media Holdings will acquire the network for $496 million. For his part, Redford should expect to earn almost $30 million — not bad for something largely a labor of love. From the release,

“For Rainbow Media, the purchase expands and strengthens its entertainment presence with the addition of a recognizable and desirable brand that attracts loyal viewers. Sundance Channel will join AMC, IFC and WE tv as another valuable and distinct network within Rainbow Media’s portfolio of award-winning national services.

‘Robert Redford is a true visionary and, through everything he has accomplished with Sundance Channel, has made immeasurable contributions to the world of independent film,’ said Rainbow Media President and CEO Joshua Sapan. ‘Rainbow has experienced firsthand how impressive original programming like Mad Men and Breaking Bad can distinguish a network’s brand. Sundance Channel has already established its own distinct voice through impressive programming like The Green and Iconoclasts and our vision is to build on this type of original content, further strengthening the uniqueness of the network.’”

And speaking of The Green — if you’ve not been able to experience it through your current cable offerings — there’s a good chance that the pickup by Cablevision will give you the opportunity.

Thankfully, Redford will stay on as the network gets cozy with its new parent company. “We look forward to working with Rainbow to further distinguish Sundance Channel and to create even greater value for this important service,” he said.