elizabeth taylor

Isla Fisher Chooses Stardom Over Judaism, But All The Other Converted Actresses? Some Fine Lookin’ Jews

10:55AM Molly Friedman | When choosing between months of intensive studies spent hunched over a Torah preparing for your kiddushin (that’s betrothal for you goyum, which are non-Jews for you…non-Jews), and becoming a big star, it seems Isla Fisher has decided to go with the latter. As the Daily Mail reports, the potential redheaded successor to Lucille Ball’s slapstick throne has put off the conversion process in order to complete filming Confessions Of A Shopaholic. And fiance Sacha Baron Cohen’s ultra-religious parents just don’t see what all this movie stardom fuss is all about. The wedding date has reportedly been postponed, Cohen’s gone back to making Israelis cry as Bruno, and the wee Cohen baby is presumably in the hands of the only au pair they could find who hasn’t seen Borat. But Fisher isn’t the first actress to undergo conversion to Judaism for a guy — from Liz Taylor to Connie Chung, a diverse handful of stars became Jews in the name of love, though not every shattered chuppah led to a happy ending… More »

If You Have The Means, Michael Keaton’s Sweaty ‘Batman’ Codpiece Can Be Yours

8:11AM Molly Friedman | Got an extra six grand lying around with nothing to consume? Well, the folks at Guernsey’s Auction House will be happy to solve your fiscal problem. What could possibly be more fulfilling than spending those benjamins on a previously worn wife-beater with holes in it, coupled with silk purple and maroon pants? Not buying it? Well, what if we told you said ensemble was worn by Jim Carrey in the legendary bird-calling scene from Ace Ventura: Pet Detective. And if you roll higher than that, say with 100 grand taking up space in your wife’s shoe closet, get your ass to Vegas on March 15th because Michael Keaton’s likely-sweat-drenched Batman Returns costume awaits. What else will the Pugliese Pop Culture Collection feature? More offerings, prices and images follow after the jump. More »

Trade Roundup: Johnny Depp Becomes The Strike’s Latest Victim

5:50AM Defamer Hollywood | The strike indefinitely delays two more star-studded productions, with Johnny Depp’s Shantaram and Nine, Chicago director Rob Marshall’s next musical (with Javier Bardem and Penelope Cruz), having their planned early-2008 start dates postponed. [Variety] · The WGA agrees not to picket Paramount on December 1st, answering Elizabeth Taylor’s appeal not to interfere with her benefit performance of “Love Letters” with all their loud chanting and potentially legend-upstaging strike-dancing. [Variety] More »

6:50AM Defamer Hollywood | Hugh Grant bought an Andy Warhol painting of Liz Taylor in 2001 for $US3.6 million, which sold at Christie’s auction yesterday for $US21 million – less than the $US25 million it was valued at, but still a tidy profit of over $18 million. Those sums were dwarfed, however, by Lot 66401: Suri’s First Poop, which took in a staggering $US147 million from a private collector in Southeast Asia. [timesonline] More »