Silicon Valley Group has named multi-Grammy winner Linda Ronstadt as the Social Entrepreneur of the year for her impact not only as an artist but as a business leader, and a social venture entrepreneur who is as equally committed to the pursuit of social justice as she is to the creation of beauty and preserving our cultural heritage.

Ms. Ronstadt will be honored at a dinner at the Stanford Faculty club the evening of April 11. Hispanic-Net will also honor Latino entrepreneur James Gutierrez, whose company Progreso Financiero delivers financial services to Hispanic families that lack established credit scores and banking relationships.

Aida Alvarez, former head of the U.S. Small Business Administration and the first Latina to be named to a Cabinet level position, will present the award to Ms. Ronstadt. The event will also serve as a platform for the announcement of the launch of a new social venture arts enterprise by MHC and Ms. Ronstadt.

As the newest member of San Jose’s arts community, Ronstadt has become increasingly engaged in local outreach, performing for pre-school students at the Gardner Elementary School and meeting with community gardeners at Mayfair Community Garden.

As the Artistic Director of the San Jose Mariachi and Mexican Heritage Festival, she has participated as a performer, as well as an advisor to the programming and music education of the festival.

(Source) Press

After being admitted last April 2 at a Los Angeles Hospital, actress Farrah Fawcett was reportedly released after a scary moment which many linked to her controversial cancer illness. She was discharged and was assisted by actor Ryan O’Neal.

She had been admitted for treatment for internal bleeding that was not directly linked to her cancer.

“She’s walking and in great in spirits and looking forward to celebrating Easter at home,” said Dr. Lawrence Piro, in an interview with People magazine.

“Her home has been stocked with her favorite teas and food and she’s looking forward to enjoying them,” he said.

The “Charlie’s Angels” actress, 62, entered the hospital on April 2.

She was first diagnosed with anal cancer in 2006 and this round of treatment was the latest in a series of setbacks in her cancer battle.

Fawcett was treated for a hematoma that resulted from bleeding in a stomach muscle after a “minor” procedure in Germany, Piro said.

“Farrah was discharged [Thursday] afternoon from the hospital and is at home. She was accompanied by Ryan,” said Piro.

“The pain from the hematoma has improved tremendously,” he said.

(Source) NY Daily News

Farrah Fawcett, the actress who gained noticed as one of the famed Charlie’s Angels series, has been reportedly admitted to a hospital. Nothing specific has been divulged but presumably it has something to do with her fight against cancer.

The 62-year-old Charlie’s Angel, who was first diagnosed with the disease in 2006, has been hospitalized in Los Angeles since Thursday. After undergoing chemotherapy and radiation, doctors said Fawcett was cancer free in February 2007, only to see the disease return three months later.

Later that year, she and ex-husband Ryan O’Neal traveled to Germany for embryonic stem cell cancer treatment, an alternative method not available in the United States.

(Source) Yahoo Movies

Vanity Fair spellchecks Inglourious Basterds, premiering at Cannes. You could call Quentin Tarantino’s latest film one of his best as he defies Hollywood. The story is set in Nazi-occupied France. Brigitte Lacombe of Vanity occupies the set of the film, starring Brad Pitt. In the May issue you will find a n exclusive scene from Tarantino’s script. Click on the picture of Pitt to view Lacombe pictures from the set. 

In a sort of multi-celebration event, MOTOWN will be celebrating its 50th anniversary year of Motown on April 2, 2009 which incidentally marks the 70th birthday of the late great Marvin Gaye. April 1 will likewise mark the 25th anniversary of Gaye’s tragic death before his supposed 45th birthday.

Motown’s top solo male artist of the ’60s, led by his “I Heard It Through The Grapevine” — at one time the biggest selling single in Motown history, Gaye became the label’s most revolutionary artist in the ’70s, breaking down barriers whether singing about the body or the soul, social consciousness or sexual politics. From his ’60s classic “How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You),” to his legendary rendition of “The Star-Spangled Banner” at the 1983 NBA All-Star Game, he defined the soul in “soul music.”

In addition, the ongoing, acclaimed “Motown 50″ podcast series will feature special episodes on Marvin Gaye’s life and music; Gaye is also well represented on the deluxe 10-CD box set Motown: The Complete No. 1′s, which kicked off the year long celebration for Motown’s 50th anniversary. Both The Real Thing, a DVD collection of his greatest television and concert appearances, and Gold, a 2-CD overview of his career, have recently been certified Gold. Gaye will also figure prominently in a two-hour documentary about Motown produced by the label’s founder, Berry Gordy.

(Source) Press

Artists Jason Aldean, Rodney Atkins, Jamey Johnson, Jake Owen, and Taylor Swift have been added to the lineup for the highly anticipated 2009 CMA Music Festival. The stars were added to the performance lineup for the Nightly Concerts on the VAULT Concert Stage at LP Field. The four-day festival takes place Thursday through Sunday, June 11-14, in Downtown Nashville.

“We are delighted to add four of Country Music’s brightest stars to our incredible talent lineup,” said Tammy Genovese, CMA Chief Executive Officer. “Youthful and electrifying, this group of artists bring a new level of energy and excitement to the event that cannot be beat.”

These artists will perform during the Nightly Concerts on the VAULT Concert Stage at LP Field, along with previously announced performers Trace Adkins, Dierks Bentley, Brooks & Dunn, Julianne Hough, Lady Antebellum, Miranda Lambert, Martina McBride, Reba McEntire, Montgomery Gentry, Brad Paisley, and John Rich. Additional artists will be announced in the coming weeks. Surprise guests have also become a hallmark of the Festival, enriching an already star-packed lineup

Four-day tickets for 2009 CMA Music Festival are available now. The four-day ticket package includes the Nightly Concerts on the VAULT Concert Stage at LP Field, exclusive access to the Greased Lightning Fan Fair Hall in the Nashville Convention Center, exclusive access to the Photo Lines at LP Field and Riverfront Park, exclusive access to the event shuttle between venues, and a registration bag, with collectible pin, and 2009 souvenir program book.

(Source) Press

In what is turning out to be a tragic turn of events, actress Natasha Richardson has reportedly taken a turn for the worst. Last March 16, the actress got into an unfortunate accident where she fell during a private ski lesson on the Nansen. She was not wearing a helmet during that time. Richardson was at the bottom of the run, in what is known as the flats, during the midafternoon lesson when she fell and tumbled down the hill.

Two ski patrollers helped Richardson but she was able to walk to her room at the resort’s Quintessence Hotel, where she’d been staying since Sunday. She received emergency treatment at the Centre Hospitalier Laurentien, nearby, and was then transferred to Montreal’s Sacre Coeur Hospital. While she was feeling fine after the incident, she had complained of a headache and was taken to hospital in Montreal before being flown to a hospital in New York, where her family is based.

But now, it seems that Richardson’s conditioned has worsened and said to be close to death after a seemingly innocuous fall on a beginners’ ski slope. She is now on life support and is reportedly being flown to New York where families will be gathering to make the final decision on what to do regarding Richardson’s condition.

Natasha Richardson is married to actor Liam Neeson to which she has two sons. She is the daughter of actress Vanessa Redgrave and Tony Richardson.

(Source) Daily Mail

Nickelodeon has grown into one big network and to give audiences a preview of better things to come, a number of celebrities have been invited to grace Nickelodeon’s 2009 Upfront Presentation to the Advertising Community in New York City. Included in the presentation was: a forthcoming new live-action feature film; key new business partnerships; and the network’s plans to serve its audiences by connecting all of its platforms under the Nickelodeon umbrella.

In 2009, Nickelodeon is entering its 30th year and is poised to record its unprecedented 15th straight year as the top-rated network in basic cable.

During the 60 minute presentation, acclaimed film producer and executive producer of Paramount Pictures’ and Nickelodeon Movies’ upcoming film, The Last Airbender, Kathleen Kennedy introduced a never-before-seen pre-viz of the upcoming film and Academy Award-winner, Dev Patel, who has been cast in the role of the Fire Nation Lord Prince Zuko.

Tornante Company’s Michael Eisner provided a first-look at the upcoming new Nick at Nite comedy series, Glenn Martin, DDS. Walmart Senior Vice President/General Manager of Apparel, Dottie Mattison, gave details of Walmart and Nickelodeon’s SpongeBob SquarePants 10th Anniversary celebration.

Nickelodeon’s latest star, Keke Palmer, presented her new hit series, True Jackson, VP. And Nick Cannon was introduced as the Honorary Chairman of Nickelodeon’s tween/teen-targeted channel, The N (which will be renamed TEENick in the fall), and highlighted his first project titled The Halo Awards. Capping the event was a musical performance from recording artists Colbie Caillat and Wyclef Jean, who performed “Here Comes the Sun,” “Bubbly” and Sweetest Girl.”

(Source) Press

The first event to honor Asian talent aged 35 and under will kick off in HongKong on March 13 as announced by the Hollywood Reporter. The Hollywood Reporter’s inaugural Next Gen Asia special issue will profile the achievements of these ambitious innovators. The Next Gen Asia inaugural party will take place on March 24th, during the 33rd Hong Kong International Film Festival (HKIFF), at the trendy new W Hong Kong in Kowloon.

Over the past 15 years, THR’s Next Generation initiative has recognized over 500 individuals in the American entertainment industry, many of whom have gone on to become highly influential in their respective fields — production, acquisition, representation, programming, finance, music, new media, marketing and talent. Next Gen alumni include such now-familiar names as Andrea Wong, President and CEO of Lifetime; Ben Silverman, Co-Chairman of NBC; and Stacey Snider, CEO and Co-Chairman of DreamWorks.

Selected annually by a committee of The Hollywood Reporter editors and reporters, the Next Generation list is not intended as a power list, but rather as a way to introduce the media and entertainment communities at large to the industry leaders of tomorrow.

Among the 20 professionals being honored on the first Next Gen Asia list is BoA. Already an Asian phenomenon with over 20 million records sold, THR identifies BoA as the next global pop wonder to watch.

(Source) Press

Another HBO series is set to be unveiled as they have announced the premier screening of a new HBO series, Brave New Voices. The premiere screening takes place at Sundance Cinemas, 1881 Post Street, San Francisco on Tuesday, March 24, 2009 at 6:30pm.

Immediately following the screening are live performances from poets in the series and a Q&A with Brave New Voices Executive Producer Stan Lathan and James Kass, Co-executive Producer of Brave New Voices and Executive Director, Youth Speaks. The screening is followed by a separate fundraiser produced by and benefiting Youth Speaks.

Celebrity stars Robert Redford, Stan Lathan, Benjamin Bratt, Peter Bratt and Dave Eggers are among the few hundred guests who will come out to support Youth Speaks and this groundbreaking new Home Box Office series, Russell Simmons Presents Brave New Voices Narrated by Queen Latifah, which chronicles the lives of teen poets from seven cities around the nation as they prepare to compete in Youth Speaks’ annual Brave New Voices Festival.

“Youth Speaks is thrilled to be working with HBO on this historic project,” said Youth Speaks’ Founder & Executive Director and series’ Co-Executive Producer, James Kass. “This is a story about some of the greatest teen poets in the country, about the remarkable voices of our young people–the voices of 21st Century America.”

(Source) Press