MarketWatch - USA - Fresh off his hugely successful performance as the host of the 2008 MTV Video Music Awards, COMEDY CENTRAL has signed charismatic and controversial comedian Russell Brand to shoot a one-hour stand-up special, it was announced today by Elizabeth Porter, senior vice president, specials and talent, COMEDY CENTRAL. The special will feature Brand and an eclectic roster of special guests and will tape in November in New York City, airing in 2009.

"Russell Brand's comedy is a perfect match for our audience. He's a fresh new face with a rock-star aura and a unique and unpredictable act that pushes the envelope of

Entertainment Weekly - USA - Elizabeth Banks is about to have a movie-star moment. She's just come from the world premiere of Kevin Smith's Zack and Miri Make a Porno at the Toronto Film Festival, arriving at the Four Seasons in a sleek Prada dress with an SUV-size entourage in tow. The maitre d' at the hotel's chic lounge has swiftly grouped a collection of tables in one corner for her crew. Just as Banks settles in, a stranger approaches with that unmistakable look of omigod-I'm-about-to-talk-to-a-celebrity anticipation. He leans over and asks, ''Excuse me, are you Chelsea Handler?'' Whoops. Banks smiles, apparently loving that she's

Christian Science Monitor - Boston,MA,USA - Stephen Colbert will soon be doom-proof. As of October, no plague, nor global-warming disaster, nor Earth-ending asteroid can wipe away the comedian’s existence. His DNA will journey to the International Space Station next month as part of a human-race insurance program/video-game marketing scheme.

Richard Garriott, the man behind the influential Ultima game series, will deliver an “Immortality Drive” to the station with images of humanity’s greatest accomplishments – as voted on by the public – and the digitized genes of celebrities and some run-of-the-mill gamers.

“I am thrilled to have my DNA shot into space, as this brings me one step closer

The Associated Press - - LOS ANGELES (AP) — It took a year, but Britney Spears got the comeback she was seeking from the MTV Video Music Awards — and she didn't even have to sing or dance.

Spears nabbed three VMAs, including video of the year, erasing last year's career-low performance. Her first Moonman trophies came during a 25th anniversary show that otherwise lacked a defining moment, with most of the zaniness coming from host Russell Brand.

"Wow, thank you, I'm in shock right now. I was not expecting this," Spears, looking spectacular in a shimmering silver dress, said as she accepted her third trophy of

AHN - USA - Anne Lu - Celebrity News Service News Writer
Beijing, China (CNS) - Sure, he is the star of the show now, but will Michael Phelps still be famous after this ends? Experts think his marketability is as fleeting as the Olympics itself.

Phelps conquered the Olympics with numerous gold medals, making him the most decorated Olympian ever to hit the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics. While he is undoubtedly a big Olympic star now, he may still not be lucrative enough to swim on the sports marketing pool.

Marketing experts doubt that the 23-year-old power swimmer can hold the public's interest longer than the

AHN - USA - Anne Lu - Celebrity News Service News Writer
Beijing, China (CNS) - Sure, he is the star of the show now, but would Michael Phelps still be famous after this ends? Experts think his marketability is as fleeting as the Olympics itself.

Phelps conquered the Olympics with numerous gold medals, making him the most decorated Olympian ever to hit the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics. While he is undoubtedly a big Olympic star now, he may still not be lucrative enough to swim in the sports marketing pool.

Marketing experts doubt that the 23-year-old power swimmer can hold the public's interest longer than the

NewsMax.com - West Palm Beach, FL, USA - Oprah Winfrey’s “brand” is still strong enough to give a huge boost to any book or other product she endorses, but Oprah “has taken some notable dings lately, largely of her own making,” Ad Age magazine observes.

Oprah’s endorsement of Barack Obama for president raised her “unfavorable” ratings, allowing her to be overtaken by daytime talk show rival Ellen DeGeneres as the most popular celebrity in the U.S. in a Harris Interactive poll, Ad Age reports.

A Gallup poll conducted shortly after Oprah announced her backing of Obama found that her “favorable” rating fell by 8 percentage points, to 66 percent from

Home Textiles Today - New York, NY, USA - Town & Country Living is cooking up some new kitchen textiles and table linens with licensing partner Food Network, with the launch of the Iron Chef America collection and the expansion of the Rachael Ray collection.

The Iron Chef America collection, based on the cable network’s primetime program series set stadium style, comprises oven mitts, potholders, grippers, kitchen towels, aprons and other accessory pieces.

Town & Country said each item “has something special about it” intended to make cooking for the user easier, faster or more fun.

The line is scheduled to ship this summer.

The Rachael Ray collection is being spiced up with

Variety - Los Angeles, CA, USA - In episode one, "Meet the Billionaire," which originally aired Jan. 8, 2004, eight-member teams Versacorp and Protege went head to ambitious, young, entrepreneurial head on the streets of Manhattan in a quest to see which could generate the most cash selling lemonade.

It was just lemonade -- neither Sunkist nor Countrytime nor any other citrus beverage company, had anything to do with it. And 18.5 million viewers -- the seventh most for any series that week -- drank up this dignity-defying spectacle, as 31-year-old venture capitalist David Gould became the first contestant on NBC's "The Apprentice" to get fired by Donald

CNNMoney.com (press release) - USA - Just in time for tonight's first performance by the Top 12 contestants, AT&T Inc. announced today the launch of American Idol Framerz, an AT&T exclusive application designed to bring customers a snap closer to the Idol experience. With American Idol Framerz, AT&T customers can frame their favorite pictures within an "American Idol" setting and receive the finished product on their phone in a multimedia message (MMS).

American Idol Framerz by AT&T has a frame for each of the Top 12 contestants, as well as other Idol-branded images, allowing users to place their photo in their favorite Idol setting. And if their

Broadcasting & Cable - New York, NY, USA - Bravo unveiled their big sponsors for the new season of Top Chef, set to debut March 12, and there are some interesting choices. On Top Chef, more so than on other programs, sponsors are integrated into the show itself, usually in the form of challenges, or forcing the chef to use their appliances, etc…

Knowing that made me a bit queasy when I saw that this year they included Clorox, Toyota and Verizon, as well as Michelob (the only one that seems a natural fit, even though their beer is, how can I put it, sub-par).

How, after all, can you fit

Television Week - Detroit, MI, USA - Clorox, Toyota and Verizon are the official sponsors of the fourth season of Bravo’s “Top Chef,” the network said Tuesday.

Michelob beer will be an online sponsor of the show this season.

The deals provide brand exposure through in-show product integration as well as on-air or online presence.

Clorox brands Glad, Kingsford, Hidden Valley and KC Masterpiece will sponsor MealsTogether.com, which features exclusive “Top Chef” videos, an interactive game and content from two of last year’s contestants.

Toyota Highlanders are used as transportation for the chefs, and the season’s winner will receive a new Toyota Corolla.

Verizon Wireless subscribers will be able to view mobisodes

Primenewswire (press release) - Los Angeles, CA, USA - Hong Kong based Artificial Life, Inc. (OTCBB:ALIF) (www.artificial-life.com), a leading provider of award-winning 3G mobile technology and applications, today announced the launch of the America's Next Top Model(tm) Cycle 10 mobile game on Artificial Life's m-commerce portal (http://www.botme.com). The game will soon be available on-deck and off-deck via telecom operators, resellers and distributors around the globe.

In this exciting 4th installment by Artificial Life of the America's Next Top Model(tm) mobile game series, the player takes on the role of a backstage manager for a fashion show, coaching the models on how to rock the fashion world. The player must prepare

The Emory Wheel - USA - Monday night’s “O’Reilly Factor” featured a video clip of 50 Cent in a brief in-car interview. When asked why he endorses Sen. Hillary Clinton, he replies: “I think she’ll do a good job.”

The clip cuts to the end of the interview, and as the reporter steps out of the car and thanks “Mr. Cent” for the ride, 50 Cent adds: “I’m not sure America’s ready to have a black president. I think they might kill him.”

Although their endorsements stem from various reasons and issues, dozens of celebrities — from A-listers to D-listers — have publicly announced support for candidates for

AME Info - Celebrity Chef and television personality, Antony Worrall Thompson officially launched Mark Wilkinson Furniture in Dubai with a cookery demonstration in one of the famous kitchens at the Mark Wilkinson Showroom on Sheikh Zayed Road on 30th October 2007.

Mark Wilkinson Furniture, is widely recognized as the best kitchen furniture in the world, with a long list of celebrity clients including celebrity Chefs Antony Worrall Thompson and Gary Rhodes.

As well as many famous Chefs, the celebrity list is extensive and includes royalty, actors, musicians & sports stars. The Mark Wilkinson Furniture experience is presently enjoyed by Joan Collins, Susan Hampshire, Bob Hoskins,

Pittsburgh Post Gazette - Pittsburgh, PA, USA - When the team at Meow Mix decided a few years ago to help felines cope with an embarrassing problem -- hair balls -- they could have done a serious ad featuring a veterinarian in a white coat. Instead, they used a cat who got choked up while singing the signature jingle, "Meow, meow, meow, meow ...."

This brand just can't play it straight.

Del Monte Foods Co., which bought the cat food line last year for $705 million, is trying to prove that it understands -- and respects -- the brand's personality, but that the company can bring a little something to

Bizjournals.com - Charlotte, NC, USA - Nike Inc. on Friday launched its multi-platform campaign, "ATHLETE," featuring world-class athletes Mia Hamm, Gabby Reece, Picabo Street and Serena Williams, among others, demanding that female athletes everywhere be respected and judged on their athletic abilities.

After speaking with young female athletes across the United States, Nike found they still feel "unequal" when it comes to being respected in sports.

"I am an athlete," Mia Hamm defiantly states before streetballer Alvina Carroll closes the spot saying ... "It's not a girl thing. It's not a boy thing. It's a skills thing."

"Female does not equal 'less than,' and women in sport need to

HostingTech.com - Leawood, KS, USA - Web hosting domain registrar, GoDaddy, has scheduled two special appearances for the company's Go Daddy Girl spokeswomen, to target California race fans in Sonoma.

WWEWomen's Champion Candice Michelle, will show support for her fellow Go Daddy Girl Danica Patrick, who races in Sunday's Motorola Indy 300. Friday, Ms. Michelle will sign autographs and pose for photos with fans at the racetrack. Sunday, Ms. Patrick will try to become the first woman ever to win an IndyCar Series race.

Ms. Patrick remarked, ''I've been racing with the front of the pack and finishing stronger and stronger this season. I want to put on

Blogging Stocks - USA - After reporting a disappointing decline in second-quarter earnings and sales last week, Macy's (NYSE: M) is pulling out the big guns. Donald Trump and Martha Stewart are just two among a coterie of celebrities being employed in the department-store company's $100 million advertising blitz.

New television spots for Macy's - one of which will debut on September's Emmy-Award broadcast - will also feature R&B singer Usher, Tim Gunn from Project Runway, chef Emeril Lagasse, and hip-hop mogul Sean "Puff Daddy" "P. Diddy" "Diddy" Combs.

Also on the roster as a celebrity endorser for the Cincinnati-based retailer is Jessica Simpson. Seems like a

PR Newswire (press release) - New York, NY, USA - Nothing conjures up a better image of bold flavors and a fiery grill than the mention of chef, restaurateur, cookbook author and television host Bobby Flay. More than 15 years after awakening palates across the country and changing the way America thinks about southwestern food, Bobby Flay launches a new line of trademark sauces and rubs.

The Mesa Grill and Bobby Flay Signature Collections -- each based on Flay's favorite ingredients and spice blends -- were created to punch up the flavor of meats, seafood and poultry with ease. These unique combinations of sweet and savory -- each with just enough

Boston Globe - United States - Dunkin' Donuts today unveiled its latest breakfast sandwich - the Bacon Lover's Supreme Omelet - which will be promoted by ESPN sportscaster Chris Berman.

Starting today, Berman will be featured in new TV and radio commercials as well as in online and in-store marketing, said Dunkin' Donuts, a subsidiary of Canton-based Dunkin' Brands Inc.

According to Dunkin', the Bacon Lover's Supreme Omelet features "an omelet of real egg and assorted vegetables, three slices of crisp thick-cut pepper bacon, marbled Colby Jack cheese and served on a freshly baked croissant."

PR Newswire (press release) - New York, NY, USA - The Weinstein Company is pleased to announce that they have completed five multi-year licensing agreements with category partners to coincide with the airing of the fourth season of the Emmy-nominated hit fashion design competition series, PROJECT RUNWAY. This
marks the first time PROJECT RUNWAY has extended the brand with a series of licensing partners in consumer products. The licensees include Aaron Company, Brother International, Prym Consumer, Robert Kaufman Fabrics, and Simplicity Pattern Co. The partners are currently developing collateral,for both in store and online that will expand the PROJECT RUNWAY brand into retail channels globally.

The PROJECT RUNWAY licensing program was structured