BuzzSugar

Buzz News Roundup, 9/17

BuzzSugar — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 13:46:32 PDT

TNT has renewed Saving Grace and Raising the Bar, while HBO has OK'd a second season of True Blood. - Zap2it
Nicole Kidman may become an action star, now that she's in talks to be in the "character-driven, treasure-hunting" action-adventure The Eighth Wonder. - Hollywood Reporter
Fred Wolf (director of The House Bunny) will write and direct the dude road trip movie Divorced Guys, which will star David Spade. - ComingSoon
Metallica's new album is topping the Billboard 200 list, making it the band's fifth No. 1 album. - Billboard
Michael Douglas, Susan Sarandon, Danny DeVito and Jenna Fischer are in talks to join the movie Solitary Man, which follows "a car magnate with a runaway libido." - Variety
Kirsten Dunst will produce and star in an adaptation of the book A Jealous Ghost. - ComingSoon
Here's who won Big Brother 10. - AP
Stephen Colbert will debut "A Colbert Christmas: The Greatest Gift of All!" on Comedy Central on Nov. 23. - Billboard

TNT Pays Tolls to Promote Raising the Bar

BuzzSugar — Fri, 29 Aug 2008 05:45:00 PDT

When I saw this press release on the Internet, it took me a few billion reads to understand the connection between TNT paying road tolls for the lovely people of Atlanta, Orlando, Philadelphia, and Chicago and the network's new legal drama Raising the Bar. That's right, over this Labor Day weekend TNT is going to spring for two hours of free tolls, and they're also premiering a new show. The connection eluded me, but finally, I found this helpful quote in the release:

"With so many people on the roads Labor Day weekend, it's a perfect time to get our message out about the premiere of this outstanding new drama series," said Tricia Melton, senior vice president of marketing for TNT, TBS and Turner Classic Movies (TCM). "We are literally raising the bar by paying tolls on Labor Day weekend."

Get it? Toll booths have bars! They lift up when you pay! Yeah, I think it's a stretch too, but hey, they got me writing about it, I guess.

Anyway, I think TNT could have gotten a lot more creative with the the word "bar" and paying for stuff, so to see the other campaigns the network should have gone with, just

First Look: Raising the Bar

BuzzSugar — Tue, 12 Aug 2008 07:30:00 PDT

I'm curious about Raising the Bar, TNT's newest drama series, for a variety of reasons. One is that it comes from Steven Bochco, the legendary executive producer of LA Law and NYPD Blue who knows his way around a legal drama. Another is that it's yet another TNT show with strong female characters, including Jane Kaczmarek as a tough, no-nonsense judge. And a third is, well, Mark-Paul Gosselaar, now and forever Zack Morris to me, who has a seriously long, seriously funny hairdo.

The show, which is about two teams of lawyers - public defenders and district attorneys - working in New York City's justice system, premieres on Labor Day, but I've rounded up a couple of clips that give us an early glimpse. In one, we see Jerry Kellerman (Gosselaar), a passionate public defender, and Michelle Ernhardt (Melissa Sagemiller), a district attorney, battling wills. In the other, the actors on both teams introduce us to their characters, interspersed with plenty of clips from the show. Do you think Raising the Bar can transcend the generic legal show? Is Gosselaar's hair awesome or awful? To check out the clips, just

TNT and TBS: The Official Networks of Strong Women?

BuzzSugar — Thu, 01 May 2008 15:44:25 PDT

I got a promotional e-mail today touting the Summer programming lineups on TNT and TBS. As I scrolled through looking for a return date for The Closer (July) and a start date for Raising the Bar (September), a banner at the bottom caught my eye:

"Kyra Sedgwick, Holly Hunter, Laura San Giacomo, Jordana Spiro, Nancy Travis, Jane Kaczmarek, and Gloria Reuben are just a few of the strong women coming to TNT and TBS this summer."

And they have good reason to spotlight that: Of the five series featured in the e-mail, only one (The Bill Engvall Show on TBS) has a male character in the lead. The rest are either female-led or have women in the majority of the starring roles: My Boys on TBS and all three of TNT's dramas, The Closer, Saving Grace, and the new series Raising the Bar. And, what's more, three of those four series have leading ladies over the age of 40 - a relative rarity in Hollywood.

I'm not sure if TNT and TBS set out to become networks full of programming featuring women who are tough, quirky, and relatable (and succeeding in roles typically earmarked for men, at that), but regardless, I find it encouraging that it's happened. They aren't the only networks in this game; FX's Damages drew a ton of acclaim with Glenn Close in its leading role. I just like the fact that these networks see their roster of shows with older, female stars not as a risk but as something to be celebrated. What's your take?

TNT Lines Up Mark-Paul Gosselaar for Legal Drama

BuzzSugar — Thu, 24 Jan 2008 15:34:37 PST

With The Closer and Saving Grace, TNT already has two cop dramas in its stable of series. Now, it's adding some lawyers.

The network has picked up Steven Bochco's Raising the Bar, the newest drama from the producer of NYPD Blue, LA Law, and numerous other legal series. The show will focus on "the lives and cases of young lawyers who have been friends since law school, but who now work on opposing sides" and is set to premiere later this year.

Mark-Paul Gosselaar, who will always be Zack Morris to me, stars as an idealistic public defender, and Gloria Reuben of ER plays his passionate, protective boss. On the other side is a lawyer in the district attorney's office played by Melissa Sagemiller who will stop at nothing to bring people to justice. Those two, and other lawyers from their offices, face off in the courtroom of a slightly crazy judge played by Malcolm in the Middle's Jane Kaczmarek. I'm not sure I'll be able to get her Simpsons character out of my head when she's on screen.

I generally like TNT's original series, and Bochco certainly has the pedigree to pull this off. Plus, the news of any scripted television whatsoever sends my heart all aflutter these days. And it can't go wrong when Zach Morris is involved, right?

Source

Uh Oh! Watch Out For These 12 IRS Audit Red Flags

Kiplinger — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 15:06:09 PST

We're thrilled to present this smart Kiplinger story here on Savvy!

The IRS audits only slightly more than 1% of all individual tax returns annually. The agency doesn't have enough personnel and resources to examine each and every tax return filed during a year. So the odds are pretty low that your return will be picked for review. And, of course, the only reason filers should worry about an audit is if they are fudging on their taxes.

However, the chances of being audited or otherwise hearing from the IRS increase depending upon various factors, including your income level, whether you omitted income, the types of deductions or losses you claimed, the business in which you're engaged and whether you own foreign assets. Math errors may draw IRS inquiry, but they'll rarely lead to a full-blown exam. Although there's no sure way to avoid an IRS audit, you should be aware of red flags that could increase your chances of drawing unwanted attention from the IRS.

1. Making too much money

Although the overall individual audit rate is about 1.11%, the odds increase dramatically for higher-income filers. IRS statistics show that people with incomes of $200,000 or higher had an audit rate of 3.93%, or one out of slightly more than every 25 returns. Report $1 million or more of income? There's a one-in-eight chance your return will be audited. The audit rate drops significantly for filers making less than $200,000: Only 1.02% of such returns were audited during 2011, and the vast majority of these exams were conducted by mail. We're not saying you should try to make less money - everyone wants to be a millionaire. Just understand that the more income shown on your return, the more likely it is that you'll be hearing from the IRS.

Read on for more red flags.

If You're Craving Girl Scout Cookies, Try These Instead

FitSugar — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 19:13:50 PST

It's Girl Scout Cookie time! Noshing on these fund-raising treats seems like an American pastime, but it can be challenging to keep a snack session of these seasonal sweets in check. If you can enjoy your cookies in a reasonable manner, then good for you! But if you're looking for a way to scratch that sugary itch without killing your healthy eating agenda, here are some healthier alternatives.

Do-Si-Dos
Two-cookie serving: 120 calories, five grams of fat, seven grams of sugar

Quick Fix: The Larabar Peanut Butter Cookie is a perfect substitute since it's so filling - I usually only eat half of a bar at a time. One bar contains 220 calories, seven grams of protein, and four grams of fiber. Made out of dried dates, one bar equals one half serving of fruit. There are 18 grams of sugar in this bar, but the sugar content is not added; it naturally occurs in the dates. The other two ingredients in this bar are peanuts and salt.

DIY Fix: Make your own tasty peanut butter treat! Blend a little peanut butter, apple sauce, and raisins for a sweet, satisfying, and nutritious homemade spread. Two tablespoons of this peanut butter raisin spread offers almost five grams of protein and two grams of fiber.

Don't see your fave cookie? Keep on reading!

Will CGI Make Movie Makeup Obsolete?

Miriam Lacey — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 12:29:00 PST

The Oscars have had an award for best makeup for 30 years, but apparently thanks to digital editing, knowing what's the work of a makeup artist is increasingly difficult. So now, Academy members are asking movie crews about the amount of digital editing used, having them give presentations on their techniques, and even requesting photographic proof that makeup and prosthetics were applied by hand. For Meryl Streep's role in The Iron Lady, for example, makeup artist Mark Coulier transformed the actress into Margaret Thatcher but found himself answering questions from the Academy to ensure that all the film's makeup magic came from him, not from postproduction.

So will CGI make movie makeup obsolete? It seems unlikely, as the Academy puts a more watchful eye on the value and talent of makeup artists, but the bar has definitely been raised.

How to Have a Sexy New Year's Eve

TresSugar — Tue, 27 Dec 2011 04:00:39 PST

It's a holiday associated with champagne and kisses, so New Year's Eve is bound to bring a bit of festive flirtation to the end of your month. If you are hoping to celebrate with a racy date that steps outside your regular routine – then look no further. We've come up with six easy ideas to help you make the upcoming year a memorable one right from the start.

If you're single . . .

Plan ahead and pick a party hosted by a hotel or club. Before you buy your tickets, do a bit of online research to find out if there are any group deals or special discount codes. Host a cocktail hour beforehand and ask your friends to share their funniest - or friskiest - New Year's memories.
Go for a nostalgic New Year's and get the gang together for a night of naughty games. Enjoy the classics you haven't thought about since middle school, like Spin the Bottle and Truth or Dare, then turn it up a notch with a racy board game such as Loaded Questions: Adult Version.
Pick a random destination and hit the road with your pals. Not only will the spontaneity feel fresh and exhilarating, but you'll also be able to let loose like you're on vacation. Meet new people and make sure to snap pictures of your adventures.

Breakout Style Star of the Year Is Selena Gomez!

Brittney Stephens — Fri, 23 Dec 2011 05:00:00 PST

There were a slew of stylish ladies that graced the red carpet this year, and we had a really hard time narrowing it down to the five most fashionable. It was a tough race, but judging by your votes, Selena Gomez raised the bar for red-carpet glam in 2011. She had a big year, hitting the silver screen in Monte Carlo, embarking on a nationwide tour, and presenting and performing at various music awards shows - all while in risk-taking runway gowns and sleek, sophisticated hair and makeup. We can't wait to see what Selena has up her sartorial sleeve for 2012!