celebrities

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Mel Blanc: Man of a Thousand Voices

Although you may have never seen Mel Blanc's face, you've definitely heard his voice -- he voiced hundreds of classic cartoon characters including Bugs Bunny, Porky Pig, Speedy Gonzales, Barney Rubble, Foghorn Leghorn, and bunches more. Known as the "man of a thousand voices," he actually claims roughly 400 voices in the video below -- a late 80's interview with David Letterman (Blanc died in 1989). In the interview, Letterman asks Blanc how he develops the characters' voices. Blanc replies, "They... READ ON

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7 Historic Hollywood Landmarks

Whether it's Grauman's Chinese Theater or that iconic nine letter sign, Hollywood is rife with historical landmarks. Here are seven that had a small part in making Hollywood the movie capital of the world. 1. Knickerbocker... READ ON

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Annie Leibovitz Fairy Tale Photos

For those of you who don't know Annie Leibovitz, she's the rock star of photographers. Of course, it doesn't hurt that a majority of her subjects are rock stars. Even if you don't recognize her name though, you're probably at least a little familiar with her works, particularly the famous image of John Lennon kissing Yoko Ono. I'm a big fan of Annie's works, which is why I was so excited to find out she did a full re-imagining of some of Disney's greatest movies to advertise the parks. On top of... READ ON

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6 Other Plots to Blackmail Celebrities

David Letterman has been in the news for helping police foil an attempt to blackmail him, but the late-night star is hardly the first celebrity in this position. Here are a few other brazen—and mostly unsuccessful—attempts to blackmail famous people. 1. Bill... READ ON

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9 Famous College Dropouts

Conventional wisdom tells us that a college degree will get you much further than only a high school diploma. But what about those who choose to cut out while pursuing their higher educations and go it alone, free from the constraints of academia? Do they ever prosper? Here are some individuals who succeeded, and how. 1. Steven... READ ON

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10 Famous Actors Who Started Out in Commercials

Actors' relationships with TV jingles are sort of like that old riddle: What walks on four legs in the morning, two at noon and three at dawn? (Or maybe more like how we start in Pampers and end up in Depends.) Lots of well-known actors wind up paying the rent at the end of their careers doing commercials (think: Orson Welles "We will sell no wine before it's time"), but just as many, if not more, get their first big breaks doing them, too. The good news for us is, whether it's hawking dish... READ ON

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7 TV Celebrities Your Parents Loved

The trailer for the new movie Julie & Julia brings back fond memories. Julia Child was the first voice impression I perfected as a teenager. My kids have no idea who she was. At the same time, they know who Billy Mays was and I didn't until his recent death made the news. That caused me to think about the celebrities my generation shared and of whom those of you under 35 probably have no experience. It didn't take long to think of a half-dozen people who achieved television fame in the 60s, 70s, and... READ ON

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David Letterman's Top Ten Numbers From One to Ten

This is goofy and awesome. Casey Kasem and David Letterman count down Dave's Top Ten Numbers From One to Ten. I think you'll be surprised which number comes out on top. (Via... READ ON

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Mythbuster Adam Savage on Failure

Here's a talk from the Maker Faire, in which Mythbuster Adam Savage declares: failure is always an option. In Savage's life, he has failed spectacularly on many occasions -- in this lecture, he tells some particularly awesome stories about those failures. This talk is awesome: funny, inspiring, and kind of silly. Carve out an hour sometime soon and have a look! (Via... READ ON

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John Hodgman on His Daughter, Hodgmina

Author/minor celebrity/hobothusiast John Hodgman is a man of many talents. He's an author, actor, and even Resident Expert on The Daily Show. I'll admit, I'm kind of a fan. Today I'd like to share Hodgman's essay Hodgmina from 2003, about his then-just-born daughter. "Hodgmina" is of course a pseudonym he uses to protect her true identity; Hodgman explains: "I would like her to have some semblance of a childhood before she inevitably becomes a famous public personality like her father; so to protect... READ ON