Times Square Gossip

**** RUPERT MURDOCH WANTS TO BE THE ONLY PIRATE ON THE INTERNET **** Rupert Murdoch News Corp's Rupert Murdoch is trying to convince Congress to restrict the Internet, personally lobbying leaders on Capitol Hill on Wednesday to vote on two measures that purport to combat piracy. Murdoch's company is among some 350 large corporations that have come out in favor of the Stop Online Piracy Act in the House, as well as the Protect IP Act in the Senate. Both measures would require Internet operators to police activity online, and would mandate Internet giants like Google and AOL and credit card companies to take down sites that have content deemed to be in violation of copyright rules. Supporters of the bill say the measures will help curb theft and preserve the integrity of the Internet. Opponents are charging that the measures amount to censorship that will stifle innovation and impose higher costs on consumers. Rupert Murdoch's companies include 20th Century Fox Films, Fox Tel...

**** THE WEB GOSSIP **** Wendi Deng And Rupert Murdoch PASHA RUPERT --- I watched with surreal fascination yesterday's hearing between the parliament in the U.K. With Rupert Murdoch and son James, seated before the august crowd. You know, you can help but feel some remorse and sadness that this 80-year old man is being grilled about the company he's led for so many years (57) and, a company that has 53,000 employees); however, as I watched Martin Bashir and Michael Wolff on the Today Show this morning recapping the meetings, let's face it, Fox News and News Corp. have acted so reprehensibly, maybe it's just a case of the devil finally getting his due. Wolff, who I know and is a relentless pit-bull of a man, says that the 'pie/foam' incident (a rather irrelevant Brit-comedian named Johnny Marbles, tried to land a plate of foam -Foam Pie- on Murdoch) may have been the saving grave and posited that maybe … just maybe, it was Murdoch maneuver. Bashir, who I like mo...

**** THE WEB GOSSIP **** Rupert Grint With Daniel Radcliffe And Emma Watson POTTER POINTS --- Here are the most impressive facts: Part 2 flew to $92.1M in the U.S. And Canada Friday (including the record-setting #43.5M from midnight showings) and $44.2M Saturday and an estimated $33.6 Sunday; aided by higher-3D ticket prices. Friday crushed the record for the best single-day box office and best Friday box office. HP's franchise finale definitely shattered the biggest 3-day weekend ever with $168.5M to beat the other gold standard, Dark Night's $158.4M. The reviews were 98% overall; again something of a record. I've seen it; it's brilliant. A film certainly for ALL to be proud of. Worldwide total right now: $475.5M. Wow! **** Ray Romano MEN OF A CERTAIN AGE --- Last Friday,TNT abruptly canceled their celebratory show Men Of Age Certain Age (Ray Romano, Andre Braugher, and Scott Bakula), sparking an immediate outcry and debate from the fans of the shows. On the outside...

**** THE WEB GOSSIP **** Kyra Sedgwick TNT EXPLODES --- Even though we're knee-deep in July, cable-net TNT last night unloaded two of its biggest shows: First, The Closer, featuring the absolutely stunning Kyra Sedgwick. I loved her in the 1996 movie Phenomenon with John Travolta … but, she never really exploded on the screen until the 2005 premiere of The Closer. She's just a terrific actress in that she comes with her own modus operandi and brings you, the viewer, to her. I actually met her once at a premiere party once and talked to her for quite awhile: I found her totally captivating, intelligent and funny. The show has a stellar cast, terrific writing and acting. It's firing on all cylinders. The writing is above-average great; the supporting cast is stellar (with Jon Tenney; G.W. Baily and Anthony Denison standing out); and, this is the final season of the show and should be excellent. Can't wait! Second: Rizzoli and Isles starring the awesome Angie Harmon (Jane...

**** THE WEB GOSSIP **** Regis Philbin REEGE FOREVER --- Yesterday's on Live With Regis and Kelly, Regis, during his patented host chat segment went into the story of his previous night imbroglio with Larry David at the premiere of the new season of HBO's Curb Your Enthusiasm. Regis had lobbied rather vigorously to be part of this season as all the shows are set in New York. The ultimate moment came when Regis found David in the lobby of his NY-apartment building and David acted as if he did not know Philbin nor recognize him; which, of course, sent the host into a tizzy. This was all so typical-Regis; so successfully bringing you, the viewer, into his tangled life. Be it a traffic altercation with his wife Joy or a very, very private dinner with David Letterman and Don Rickles … no one does it better than Regis. At one point he held up a photo from the night before of David, wife-Joy and himself. And, damn if there wasn't a face in the background …. none other than our co...

**** TIMES SQUARE GOSSIP EDITORIAL **** Rupert Murdoch I used to really enjoy Fox 5 News at 5 pm everyday, but I can no longer stomach this showed filled with promos disguised as news. Look, a lot of people at the network are my good friends, I hang out with so many of them. But I have been told by my sources that News Corp. owner Rupert Murdoch owner has given orders that everything News Crop. gets promoted in all their outlets. This basically equals to slanted news. On one day alone, I had to endure stories on Glee, American Idol, TMZ and other Fox shows on Fox News at 5. This is not right. A news show should be a news show and not Entertainment Tonight disguised as breaking news. I do not gave a dam about whats coming up on American Idol, nor do I give a S**T on what is coming up on Glee. I do love TMZ, but I can wait to see the show without having to see promos while I am waiting for real news. The afternoon show started making mistakes when they switched the beautiful Rosanna Scot...