Uma Thurman attends the premiere of 'Motherhood' during the 2009 Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah. (photo: George Pimentel/WireImage.com)

Mise en Abyme

If anyone is qualified to hold forth on the nature of President Obama's celeb-level fame, it's Adrian Grenier, a guy got famous by playing a guy who gets famous. "Well, JFK sort of changed the landscape of politics by bringing it to the television. Obama just sort of brought it to every form of media known to man," Grenier says. "He's a celebrity, sure. It's just more attention so he's potentially going to be criticized more, but I have every confidence that he's a humble guy and he knows how to use it for a different gain." (photo: Paul Morigi/Getty Images)

[NY Observer]

Cameo for a Cause

On 'Curb Your Enthusiasm,' Jeff Garlin and Larry David may seem heartless, but real life is another story. Jeff Garlin has arranged to donate a walk-on role on 'Curb' for a charity fundraising auction being held by his alma mater Annoyance Theatre in Chicago. The benefit is to raise funds for military vet Tony HighHorse, who has terminal cancer, to be able to travel to visit friends and family. The auction closes January 26th at 7 p.m. For more information or to place a bid, visit annoyanceproductions.com. (photo: Alberto E. Rodriguez/WireImage.com)

[Decider Chicago]

Spike Lee and wife Tonya Lewis attend The Creative Coalition's Inaugural VIP dinner in Washington, DC. (photo: Jeff Vespa/WireImage.com)

The Big O

Could it be that "O" is no longer for....Oprah? The talk-show and TV producing superstar seems happy to cede that title; she was front and center at the Inauguration of President Obama. "This is the place to be. There's no other place on earth," she said. And she came prepared: "I've got lots of Kleenex in my pocket. ...I'm layered and I'm wearing something called men's pantyhose. I got Hot Chillys in my hand and Hot Chillys in my boots!" (photo: Jeffrey Mayer/WireImage.com)

[Access Hollywood]

Live by the Gun

A lot of people were disappointed in the behavior of Plaxico Burress when the New York Giants wide receiver accidentally shot himself with an illegal handgun at a crowded nightclub. Former NFL defensive end Jay Williams, for example, is concerned that Burress has damaged the business he's built selling licensed firearms to NFL players. "I was disappointed because it's going to make all of us who carry guns seem like, 'That's what they're out there doing. They're out there carrying illegally,'" Williams said in an interview with Bryant Gumbel on HBO Sports. "So that shows that he's not mature enough. He's not responsible enough." (photo: James Devaney/WireImage.com)

[Fanhouse.com]

Sheryl Crow and Will.I.AM perform at the Opening Celebration for the 56th Presidential Inauguration, 'We Are One,' at Lincoln Memorial on 1/18/09. (photo: Kevin Mazur)

'Taking Chance' at Sundance

Seeing movies all day every day for 10 days may sound like heaven to some cineastes, but it can make a movie critic grumpy, as many Sundance filmmakers learn. But 'Taking Chance,' the true story of Lt. Colonel Strobl (played by Kevin Bacon) accompanying the body of slain Marine Chance Phelps home from Iraq, is making an impression with even the most jaded bloggers.

Witness these remarks from Robert Davis of Paste magazine: "...I found the film to be one of the most moving experiences I've had in a theater, almost indescribably so. ...It's the best feature film about America's involvement in Iraq that I've seen. I'm not a military guy, and I've never had much in interest in the Marines, but after the screening I needed some time to walk around." And on CreativeLoafing.com Rajeev Rupani writes: "It is not possible for a movie to be perfect because there are always flaws. After experiencing 'Taking Chance,' I have proven myself wrong because it is perfect in every manner. [Director Ross] Katz conveys the story to its fullest extent and displays a different perspective behind the death of a soldier." (photo: Michael Tran/FilmMagic.com)

[Paste magazine]

[CreativeLoafing.com]

Beyonce performs at the Opening Celebration for the 56th Presidential Inauguration, 'We Are One,' at Lincoln Memorial on 1/18/09. (photo: Kevin Mazur)

Noa Tishby attends the third season premiere of 'Big Love' in Hollywood. (photo: Jesse Grant/WireImage.com)

Schaal Goes Bonkers

When Esquire magazine ran a photo of Rachel Blanchard for a "Women of 'Flight of the Conchords'" feature (she played Sally, the girl so beautiful she could be a part-time model) the editors got a wounded response from No. 1 fan Mel (Kristen Schaal). This month the mag not only hails Schaal's performance, but they printed the detailed itinerary she provided of what HER photo shoot would have looked like. We're especially fond of 1:45PM: "I have another idea. The camera is mounted on the ceiling, and I lounge in a kiddie pool filled with discontinued candies from the 1980s. A few well-placed Bonkers cover up my business." (photo: Jason Kempin/WireImage.com)

[Esquire]

Woman of the Times

'Big Love' star Ginnifer Goodwin has a lot going on in 2009. Her show is returning to HBO. She's starring in the new film 'He's Just Not That Into You.' But even if the economic chill out there manages to touch her at some point, don't expect Goodwin to end up on a ledge. "I'm honestly one of those people who's just fine with being broke," she says. "I would rather do church basement theater than so many of the film and television projects that my agents would talk to me about. And, yes, I have gone broke a couple of times. But happily, proudly, with integrity." (photo: David Livingston/Getty Images)

[L.A. Times]

Amanda Seyfried attends the 'Big Love' third season premiere in Los Angeles. (photo: Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic.com)

Fan Base

Apparently Bret McKenzie and Jemaine Clement's alter egos on 'Flight of the Conchords' don't fall far from the tree. Recalling their early days of performing, the duo say there was a gig in Vancouver that was particularly memorable: There was one person in the audience. Still, the consummate professionals played a full set. As Clement explains: "When they turned the lights on, the person had left." That's a far cry from the 167,000 MySpace fans they now have. Or maybe not. "165,000 of those are me with aliases," admits McKenzie. (photo: Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic.com)

[National Post]

Pretty Good Odds

Emmanuelle Chriqui plays the well-connected daughter of a film executive on 'Entourage,' but the actress's real life wasn't so charmed. She had to audition for the role just like everyone else. "It was an audition, three times and that was it," says Chriqui, who luckily found some chemistry with her onscreen love interest. "Kevin [Connolly] and I just instantly had a connection and it was great. It was just like a no-brainer."

Speaking of brains, the actress is also locked and loaded for her next project, '13,' which tells the story of a young man forced to play Russian Roulette as entertainment for a group of rich bettors. The remake of a French film attaches Chriqui to a colorful cast including Mickey Rourke, Jason Statham, 50 Cent, Alex Skarsgard and others. (photo: Jon Kopaloff/FilmMagic.com)

[OK! magazine]