Straight from the House’s Mouth
April 8, 2008 - Film Reviews, Filmstew, Videos | No comments
What’s this? A confession of a man crush from one of TV’s best known curmudgeons? That’s right – straight from the House’s mouth, Hugh Laurie tells me he’s “more than a little in love” with his Street Kings co-star Keanu Reeves.“Does Keanu know this?” I ask. “No, he doesn’t,” Laurie responds with perfect deadpan dejection. “I used to leave little notes, but I wouldn’t sign them. One day…” Read more
Nim Conquers Leonides
April 5, 2008 - Filmstew | No comments
At a time when ten-year-olds are wearing mini-skirts, platform pumps and tattoos, it’s really quite comforting to come across an 11-year-old who is too busy reveling in her own childhood to yet dream of a push-up bra. Such is the case with Little Miss Sunshine Abigail Breslin, even if her Nim’s Island co-star Gerard Butler did call her a “nasty little lawyer.” He was just kidding, of course. Whimsy seems to take hold when you’re sitting on a beautiful beach on Oahu’s west shore, waves crashing behind you and tropical sun shining down upon journalist and talent alike. Since Nim’s Island was filmed on beaches and islands inAustralia, Fox figured the least they could do was take us as far as Hawaii to interview stars Jodie Foster, Butler and Breslin. Read more… 
Is Georgia on Clooney’s Mind?
April 5, 2008 - Filmstew | No comments
I like to think of myself above gossip… That is until I hear a really juicy one about George Clooney. Then I feel compelled to pass it along, regardless of whether or not it has any basis in truth. I was actually asked to help confirm the rumor that he is planning a super secret stealth wedding this weekend in Georgia, of all places… Read more 
United States of America Ferrera
March 14, 2008 - Filmstew | No comments
Now that Barack Obama has made it abundantly clear that he is not interested in running on a ticket with Hillary Clinton, I have another suggestion for the Democratic dream team, especially from a female perspective: Hillary Clinton and America Ferrera. Think about it. She too is young, a member of a minority group and new to the political scene with no ties to the old guard in Washington. She can say “Si se puede” with the proper accent. Plus, America has already gone on the record as a Hillary supporter, and has been actively campaigning on her behalf. I love the slogan potential, “America for Hillary,Hillary for America!” Read More… 
KC at the Bat
March 13, 2008 - Filmstew | No comments
I’ve hit a new low. Having become disillusioned with my recent 15 minutes of fame via the TV shows Millionaire Matchmaker and Rachael Ray, I’ve started pimping out my dog, KC. Not that I found myself unwatchable on either of these programs, it’s just that given the way both my appearances were handled, there is no joy in Mudville. Read more… 
Millionaire Muckrakers
March 7, 2008 - Filmstew | No comments
Celebrity gossip sites are a lot like ex-boyfriends: you can’t live with ‘em, you can’t shoot ‘em. You also generally find their snarky comments and intrusive video clips to be amusing, until they take a swing at someone close to you, at which point you wish they’d catch a virus and go dark. I’m talking in particular about TMZ.com, which made a personal attack against my friend Patti Stanger, Bravo’s Millionaire Matchmaker. Read More
In Theaters: Semi-Pro
March 1, 2008 - Film Reviews, Filmstew | No comments
Will Ferrell’s latest sports spoof, Semi-Pro, in which he plays a one-hit-wonder disco singer turned American Basketball Association owner and player, will make you laugh, but it will also take you on a dribble down memory lane. Ah, the cars, the music, the tight, short basketball trunks! Whether your memories of the ‘70’s are vague or non-existent, chances are you can still enjoy this formulaic Ferrell vehicle. It never reaches the heights of Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy or Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby, but it’s not down in the depths with Kicking and Screaming or Bewitched either. Look for cheeky performances by Woody Harrelson, Andre Benjamin and a wrestling bear named Dewie. Rated R. Read more…
There Will Be Boredom
February 27, 2008 - Filmstew | No comments
I got an early indication Sunday that the 80th Annual Academy Awards might not be the ratings grabber Hollywood was hoping for. Though my husband has seen all five Best Picture nominees and met some of the other category actors in person, he excused himself from the media room fairly early on to go read the weekend papers. Read more…
Embracing My Inner-Latina
February 21, 2008 - Filmstew | No comments
Last week my Filmstew.com blog, ‘In Hollywood with Lisa Johnson,’ was re-christened ‘In Manhattan with Lisa Johnson.’ This week it’s ‘In Latin America and the Spanish Speaking US with Lisa Johnson.’ Thanks to a series of extremely unlikely and illogical events, I ended up appearing on the new Telemundo show ‘Doctora Amor,’ chatting animatedly with those around me in Spanish. The program, hosted by veteran TV personality Alessandra Rampolla, debuts in March. [ Read More…]
Lisa Live in Manhattan
February 18, 2008 - Filmstew, Out and About | No comments
The title of my blog on filmstew.com is usually ‘In Hollywood with Lisa Johnson Mandell,’ but last week it was ‘In Manhattan with Lisa Johnson Mandell,’ for I’d flown to the place where every media maven-on-the-go lands now and then to attend the random film junket, tape an occasional television appearance, or nail down specifics on a book deal. I used to be intimidated by the massive number of people and skyscrapers in the Big Apple, but not any more. Every time I go there, I am overwhelmed by what a small, intimate town the place actually can be… Read more at: http://filmstew.com/showBlog.aspx?blog_id=1309