Barry Bonds will be the first Mlb player entrenched in baseball's Ped scandal to make the Hall of Fame ... and he won't be the last -- so says former World Series Mvp David Eckstein. Eckstein managed to have a great career despite playing in the thick of the steroid era -- he was never implicated or tested positive for anything ... as clean as they come. So, how does he feel about the possibility of juicers like Alex Rodriguez,...
- 9/17/2018
- by TMZ Staff
- TMZ
If it were up to David Eckstein, there would be no debate over how his former team should handle Shohei Ohtani -- telling TMZ Sports Shohei should still pitch and hit even if he has arm surgery!! There's been a huge debate in baseball over what the Angels should do with their rookie phenom, whose pitching elbow is now so jacked up ... it requires Tommy John. David says if it were his body and his...
- 9/14/2018
- by TMZ Staff
- TMZ
Angels star Shohei Ohtani could be leading a baseball revolution -- so says Mlb postseason legend David Eckstein. We spoke to the '06 World Series Mvp after he paid a visit to Halos spring training ... and he told us Ohtani -- the team's huge offseason signing who can pitch, play outfield and Dh -- is the real deal. But the more interesting takeaway -- Eckstein told us Ohtani's just the beginning of a new wave...
- 3/18/2018
- by TMZ Staff
- TMZ
Yesterday, our own David Eckstein reported on a ludicrous petition by an angry DC movie fan to have Rotten Tomatoes shut down over the poor critical average for Suicide Squad, which then sat at an awful 33% "Rotten" average. Unfortunately for them, reviews have only gotten worse from there. Had it held steady at 33%, Suicide Squad would have finished out its tussle with critics a full 6 percentage points higher than March's Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, which rated a dismal 27% on the review aggregator. Alas; thanks to further negative reviews for the Warner Bros./DC blockbuster over the last 24 hours, the David Ayer-directed spectacle has now dropped an alarming 5 points to 28% "Rotten." If you had asked me earlier in the summer whether Suicide Squad would be as poorly-received critically as Batman v Superman, my answer would have been an almost unequivocal "no." The trailers for the film were far...
- 8/4/2016
- by Chris Eggertsen
- Hitfix
There were a number of things I did and said in San Diego this year that are not going to be covered as separate articles. In some cases, someone else at HitFix was in the room to write the thing up. In some cases, it's just about time. Whatever the case, though, here are some random impressions to help round out my coverage of the single biggest nerd hype event of the year. 1. Rob Kazinsky should be our new Shazam I met Kazinsky on the set of "Pacific Rim," and while I thought he was solid in that film, his Australian accent was a nightmare. One of the things that I found most engaging at the Entertainment Weekly "New Warriors" panel was the way he offered that accent up as his greatest career regret so far. "You don't have to stop me on the street and tell me," he said.
- 7/13/2015
- by Drew McWeeny
- Hitfix
In the wake of the tragic passing of Beastie Boys Adam Yauch, we at Zap2it.com thought it only seemed appropriate to pass along some of our favorite memories of the Beastie Boys through the years. Feel free to share your own in the comments below.
"Hold It Now, Hit It" wasn't the band's biggest hit, but the 1986 single from their first album -- and its video -- captures McA (Adam Yauch), Mike D (Michael Diamond) and Ad-Rock (Adam Horovitz) and their silly best before they got hip to slick video producers and grew up. The raw talent is there, even if it is hidden by a few layers of goofiness. And, hey, they're having fun and we're all for that. I love it because the Beastie Boys were my first concert. It was 1987 at the Capital Centre in Landover, Md., and because of our proximity to Washington, D.
"Hold It Now, Hit It" wasn't the band's biggest hit, but the 1986 single from their first album -- and its video -- captures McA (Adam Yauch), Mike D (Michael Diamond) and Ad-Rock (Adam Horovitz) and their silly best before they got hip to slick video producers and grew up. The raw talent is there, even if it is hidden by a few layers of goofiness. And, hey, they're having fun and we're all for that. I love it because the Beastie Boys were my first concert. It was 1987 at the Capital Centre in Landover, Md., and because of our proximity to Washington, D.
- 5/4/2012
- by editorial@zap2it.com
- Pop2it
For the first time in the four years she's been voicing the character on Cartoon Network's Star Wars: The Clone Wars, Ashley Eckstein dressed up as the character for a piece on being a fangirl and dressing up in character for CNN's Geek Out blog. Eckstein, who's married to baseball player David Eckstein, is also the founder of the Her Universe line of clothing for female geeks and is a huge Star Wars fan outside of the voice work she does on The Clone Wars. Here's what she looks like after four hours in the makeup chair. We're inclined to point out how her and the character really do look a lot alike in real life, however put me in the makeup chair for four hours and it may wield similar results, as scary as that image is in my head. The Clone Wars airs its...
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- 3/6/2012
- by Erik Davis
- Movies.com
Giants? Patriots? Eli Manning and Tom Brady? Yeah, they're on our TVs Sunday, but for a sizable portion of the audience watching Super Bowl Xlvi, the commercials are just as big a draw as the game.
Advertisers ponied up as much as $3.5 million per 30-second spot on NBC's broadcast of the game, which will likely draw about 100 million viewers. Did they get their money's worth? Check back throughout the game for Zap2it's running commentary on the worst ads of Super Bowl Sunday.
Bud Light Platinum does not shimmer
For a company that prides itself on the cleverest of clever ads (too many to name), Bud Light Platinum had a perfect platform to launch its new product, just after the opening drive of the Super Bowl. But they laid an egg with a commercial that makes the beer with a higher alcohol content look like a science experiment.
-- David Eckstein
Audi: Vampires?...
Advertisers ponied up as much as $3.5 million per 30-second spot on NBC's broadcast of the game, which will likely draw about 100 million viewers. Did they get their money's worth? Check back throughout the game for Zap2it's running commentary on the worst ads of Super Bowl Sunday.
Bud Light Platinum does not shimmer
For a company that prides itself on the cleverest of clever ads (too many to name), Bud Light Platinum had a perfect platform to launch its new product, just after the opening drive of the Super Bowl. But they laid an egg with a commercial that makes the beer with a higher alcohol content look like a science experiment.
-- David Eckstein
Audi: Vampires?...
- 2/6/2012
- by editorial@zap2it.com
- Zap2It - From Inside the Box
Giants? Patriots? Eli Manning and Tom Brady? Yeah, they're on our TVs Sunday, but for a sizable portion of the audience watching Super Bowl Xlvi, the commercials are just as big a draw as the game.
Advertisers ponied up as much as $3.5 million per 30-second spot on NBC's broadcast of the game, which will likely draw about 100 million viewers. Did they get their money's worth? Check back throughout the game for Zap2it's running commentary on the best ads of Super Bowl Sunday.
Hyundai: Gonna Fly Now!
This probably shouldn't be as cute as it was, a bunch of Hyundai employees singing "Gonna Fly Now" from the "Rocky" movies. But it was pretty adorable - the bald guy taking the super-high part particularly cracked us up.
-- Andrea Reiher
Audi: Die, vampires, die
When we heard Audi was doing a vampire-themed ad for the Super Bowl, we thought, oh jeez,...
Advertisers ponied up as much as $3.5 million per 30-second spot on NBC's broadcast of the game, which will likely draw about 100 million viewers. Did they get their money's worth? Check back throughout the game for Zap2it's running commentary on the best ads of Super Bowl Sunday.
Hyundai: Gonna Fly Now!
This probably shouldn't be as cute as it was, a bunch of Hyundai employees singing "Gonna Fly Now" from the "Rocky" movies. But it was pretty adorable - the bald guy taking the super-high part particularly cracked us up.
-- Andrea Reiher
Audi: Die, vampires, die
When we heard Audi was doing a vampire-themed ad for the Super Bowl, we thought, oh jeez,...
- 2/6/2012
- by editorial@zap2it.com
- Zap2It - From Inside the Box
You've seen our favorite drama episodes of 2011. Now, for the stuff that made us laugh.
As you'll see below, we love us some "Community" and "Parks and Recreation" at Zap2it. But we also found room for episodes of shows that aren't always consistent still capable of being very good. And also "Jersey Shore," which is not strictly a comedy but sure can be funny.
These were our favorite comedic episodes of 2011. What were yours?
Andrea Reiher
"Community" - "Advanced Dungeons & Dragons": There were a lot of great "Community" episodes in 2011, but my personal favorite was when the gang took Fat Neil under their collective wing and played an epic game of Dungeons & Dragons to make him feel included. From the portentous voiceover to Annie's hilarious portrayal of Hector the Well-Endowed, it was a massively fun episode.
"Psych" - "Last Night Gus": Gus and Shawn having adventurous shenanigans...
As you'll see below, we love us some "Community" and "Parks and Recreation" at Zap2it. But we also found room for episodes of shows that aren't always consistent still capable of being very good. And also "Jersey Shore," which is not strictly a comedy but sure can be funny.
These were our favorite comedic episodes of 2011. What were yours?
Andrea Reiher
"Community" - "Advanced Dungeons & Dragons": There were a lot of great "Community" episodes in 2011, but my personal favorite was when the gang took Fat Neil under their collective wing and played an epic game of Dungeons & Dragons to make him feel included. From the portentous voiceover to Annie's hilarious portrayal of Hector the Well-Endowed, it was a massively fun episode.
"Psych" - "Last Night Gus": Gus and Shawn having adventurous shenanigans...
- 12/30/2011
- by editorial@zap2it.com
- Zap2It - From Inside the Box
We've told you about our favorite guilty TV pleasures of 2011, and we've highlighted some of the underrated performances of the year. But what about the the stuff we just flat-out liked?
The episodes on this list -- which encompasses everything from "Breaking Bad" to "The X Factor" -- represent Zap2it's favorite dramatic episodes of 2011. Tell us yours in the comments.
Jean Bentley
"The Vampire Diaries" - "Klaus": It took the better part of Season 2 to meet the ultimate bad guy threatening our favorite Mystic Falls residents, but it was so worth the wait. In "Klaus," we finally met the evil half-vampire, half-werewolf hybrid played by sexy Brit Joseph Morgan. And since the introduction happened via flashback, there was plenty of long, luxurious medieval hair to go around. Plus: Clueless Aunt Jenna finally (Finally) found out about the vampires in her midst. Although it wasn't as sensational as some of the series' other episodes,...
The episodes on this list -- which encompasses everything from "Breaking Bad" to "The X Factor" -- represent Zap2it's favorite dramatic episodes of 2011. Tell us yours in the comments.
Jean Bentley
"The Vampire Diaries" - "Klaus": It took the better part of Season 2 to meet the ultimate bad guy threatening our favorite Mystic Falls residents, but it was so worth the wait. In "Klaus," we finally met the evil half-vampire, half-werewolf hybrid played by sexy Brit Joseph Morgan. And since the introduction happened via flashback, there was plenty of long, luxurious medieval hair to go around. Plus: Clueless Aunt Jenna finally (Finally) found out about the vampires in her midst. Although it wasn't as sensational as some of the series' other episodes,...
- 12/30/2011
- by editorial@zap2it.com
- Zap2It - From Inside the Box
"The X Factor" just wrapped its first season and we know it's coming back next fall. So we have a few cheers and a few jeers about what the show did well and what the show needs to improve upon for next year.
What Worked
Hollywood Week
Actually pre-setting the groups and giving them vocal and dancing coaches was a stroke of genius. The Hollywood Week of "Idol" may be kind of fun because it's a hot mess, but honestly, we actually liked seeing the groups do well and make the eliminations hard on the judges. -- Andrea Reiher
Allowing Original Performances
Too often singing competitions turn into karaoke competitions with better backing tracks. But what made "The X Factor" interesting were the periodic original songs -- specifically those by Brian "Astro" Bradley and Chris Rene. They broke up the predictability of the show and also demonstrated that contestants have real creative talent,...
What Worked
Hollywood Week
Actually pre-setting the groups and giving them vocal and dancing coaches was a stroke of genius. The Hollywood Week of "Idol" may be kind of fun because it's a hot mess, but honestly, we actually liked seeing the groups do well and make the eliminations hard on the judges. -- Andrea Reiher
Allowing Original Performances
Too often singing competitions turn into karaoke competitions with better backing tracks. But what made "The X Factor" interesting were the periodic original songs -- specifically those by Brian "Astro" Bradley and Chris Rene. They broke up the predictability of the show and also demonstrated that contestants have real creative talent,...
- 12/23/2011
- by editorial@zap2it.com
- Zap2It - From Inside the Box
"The X Factor" is just a day away from crowning its first ever U.S. winner and handing a $5 million prize over to Melanie Amaro, Josh Krajcik or Chris Rene. But let's take a look back at some of the best and worst things from this season.
Nicole biffs it
It seemed a lock that Rachel Crow would survive her first trip to the final two after her awesome performance of "I'd Rather Go Blind." But when Nicole Scherzinger had a chance to save Crow for certain and send Marcus Canty home, the judge punted on the responsibility. When it came down to who America voted for, Canty was saved and Rachel Crow collapsed in a pool of tears. -- David Eckstein
Simon Cowell loses his mind
So, remember Tiah Tolliver, the crazy, not-that-good-of-a-singer girl that Simon went absolutely bonkers over? Yeah, what was that about? He got borderline pathological about her,...
Nicole biffs it
It seemed a lock that Rachel Crow would survive her first trip to the final two after her awesome performance of "I'd Rather Go Blind." But when Nicole Scherzinger had a chance to save Crow for certain and send Marcus Canty home, the judge punted on the responsibility. When it came down to who America voted for, Canty was saved and Rachel Crow collapsed in a pool of tears. -- David Eckstein
Simon Cowell loses his mind
So, remember Tiah Tolliver, the crazy, not-that-good-of-a-singer girl that Simon went absolutely bonkers over? Yeah, what was that about? He got borderline pathological about her,...
- 12/21/2011
- by editorial@zap2it.com
- Zap2It - From Inside the Box
AMC's new western drama Hell on Wheels premieres tonight at 10 pm, after The Walking Dead.
From all accounts, Christopher Heyerdahl doesn't make an appearance until next week's episode, but critics have been mentioning him a lot in the early reviews. Just for context, most of them are not quite as enthusiastic about the show as they are about his character. (He plays a Norwegian badass called The Swede who works for the show's resident villain, railroad boss Thomas 'Doc' Durant, played by Star Trek's Colm Meaney.)
Here are a few snippets from some of the reviews flooding my inbox this week (careful, there are spoilers):
Tim Goodman, The Hollywood Reporter:
In fact, the best character appears in the second episode but isn’t mentioned in the voluminous press materials or episode synopsis (!). It’s Christopher Heyerdahl, playing a character named The Swede. How is it that in one...
From all accounts, Christopher Heyerdahl doesn't make an appearance until next week's episode, but critics have been mentioning him a lot in the early reviews. Just for context, most of them are not quite as enthusiastic about the show as they are about his character. (He plays a Norwegian badass called The Swede who works for the show's resident villain, railroad boss Thomas 'Doc' Durant, played by Star Trek's Colm Meaney.)
Here are a few snippets from some of the reviews flooding my inbox this week (careful, there are spoilers):
Tim Goodman, The Hollywood Reporter:
In fact, the best character appears in the second episode but isn’t mentioned in the voluminous press materials or episode synopsis (!). It’s Christopher Heyerdahl, playing a character named The Swede. How is it that in one...
- 11/7/2011
- by fanshawe
- CapricaTV
What's your favorite scary movie?
No, we're not trying to reenact the gory opening of "Scream" -- in preparation for Halloween, the Zap2it team is compiling a list of the scariest, funniest, weirdest horror films we hold near and dear. Did all that head-spinning in "The Exorcist" freak you out as a child? What about Jack Nicholson's terrifying turn in "The Shining"? Or perhaps you prefer the kitschy fun of a retro B-movie?
Either way, you'll want to check out Zap2it's list of our favorite scary movies, then leave your own suggestions in the comments. Together, we'll create the perfect Halloweekend movie marathon playlist!
"Halloween"This movie has acquired a bad rap over the years because of the innumerable sequels and the ill-advised 2007 remake (which was itself followed by a sequel). But go back and watch John Carpenter's 1978 original. It gets gory as all hell before things come to a climax,...
No, we're not trying to reenact the gory opening of "Scream" -- in preparation for Halloween, the Zap2it team is compiling a list of the scariest, funniest, weirdest horror films we hold near and dear. Did all that head-spinning in "The Exorcist" freak you out as a child? What about Jack Nicholson's terrifying turn in "The Shining"? Or perhaps you prefer the kitschy fun of a retro B-movie?
Either way, you'll want to check out Zap2it's list of our favorite scary movies, then leave your own suggestions in the comments. Together, we'll create the perfect Halloweekend movie marathon playlist!
"Halloween"This movie has acquired a bad rap over the years because of the innumerable sequels and the ill-advised 2007 remake (which was itself followed by a sequel). But go back and watch John Carpenter's 1978 original. It gets gory as all hell before things come to a climax,...
- 10/28/2011
- by editorial@zap2it.com
- Pop2it
The television academy did a pretty good job at picking its Emmy nominees this year. Will the list of winners be just as satisfying?
We'll find out on Sunday (Sept. 18) when the Emmys air live at 8 p.m. Et/5 Pt on Fox. We have some ideas of our own, though, on how the awards will play out -- and, in our ideal world, how they ought to go. Read on for our predictions, and let us know your own picks in the comments.
Outstanding supporting actress - drama
Will win: Margo Martindale. Martindale's performance as tough hillbilly Mags on "Justified" was a tour-de-force, and she'll win the hardware. She's a first-time nominee, but has been around Hollywood a long time and we think the Emmys will finally give her some recognition. (Though I won't be mad if Michelle Forbes takes it).
Should win: Michelle Forbes. In truth, Martindale also "should" win,...
We'll find out on Sunday (Sept. 18) when the Emmys air live at 8 p.m. Et/5 Pt on Fox. We have some ideas of our own, though, on how the awards will play out -- and, in our ideal world, how they ought to go. Read on for our predictions, and let us know your own picks in the comments.
Outstanding supporting actress - drama
Will win: Margo Martindale. Martindale's performance as tough hillbilly Mags on "Justified" was a tour-de-force, and she'll win the hardware. She's a first-time nominee, but has been around Hollywood a long time and we think the Emmys will finally give her some recognition. (Though I won't be mad if Michelle Forbes takes it).
Should win: Michelle Forbes. In truth, Martindale also "should" win,...
- 9/16/2011
- by editorial@zap2it.com
- Zap2It - From Inside the Box
David Davis, a veteran financial consultant specializing in Hollywood asset reviews, has joined the Century City-based firm of FMV Opinions as a managing director.
FMV targets business clients requiring asset valuations and financial-services advice, and Davis will head its entertainment practice. Launched in 1991, FMV principals include co-founders Lance Hall and David Eckstein.
Davis spent nine years as senior vp at Houlihan Lokey Howard & Zukin, where he managed the firm's entertainment/media financial advisory practice. For the past three years, he has operated the David Davis Inc. consultancy.
Davis' work during the past 20 years includes consulting on NBC's acquisition of Universal and the Sony-led acquisition of MGM. He has worked as a litigation consultant to companies including JPMorgan Chase, Universal Studios and Sony.
"(Davis') industry-specific expertise and accomplishments are indeed well-aligned with outgrowth strategy for the firm as a whole, and his experience will facilitate the expansion and scope of the Los Angeles office," Hall said.
FMV targets business clients requiring asset valuations and financial-services advice, and Davis will head its entertainment practice. Launched in 1991, FMV principals include co-founders Lance Hall and David Eckstein.
Davis spent nine years as senior vp at Houlihan Lokey Howard & Zukin, where he managed the firm's entertainment/media financial advisory practice. For the past three years, he has operated the David Davis Inc. consultancy.
Davis' work during the past 20 years includes consulting on NBC's acquisition of Universal and the Sony-led acquisition of MGM. He has worked as a litigation consultant to companies including JPMorgan Chase, Universal Studios and Sony.
"(Davis') industry-specific expertise and accomplishments are indeed well-aligned with outgrowth strategy for the firm as a whole, and his experience will facilitate the expansion and scope of the Los Angeles office," Hall said.
- 3/15/2007
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
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