'Harry Potter' actor Richard Griffiths dead at 65

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  FILE 2006: Richard Griffiths at the 60th Annual Tony Awards in New York. (AP)

LONDON –  Richard Griffiths, the versatile British actor who played the boy wizard's unsympathetic Uncle Vernon in the "Harry Potter" movies, has died. He was 65.

Agent Simon Beresford announced Friday that Griffiths died a day earlier of complications following heart surgery at University Hospital in Coventry, central England.

He paid tribute to Griffiths as "a remarkable man and one of our greatest and best-loved actors."

Griffiths appeared in dozens of movies and TV shows, but will be most widely remembered as a pair of contrasting uncles -- the hero's grudging Muggle guardian in the "Harry Potter" series, and flamboyant Uncle Monty in 1980s cult classic "Withnail and I."

"I was proud to say I knew him," said "Harry Potter" star Daniel Radcliffe.

A large man and a huge stage presence, Griffiths was one of Britain's leading theater actors, creating roles including the charismatic teacher Hector at the emotional heart of Alan Bennett's "The History Boys" -- a part he took to Broadway, winning a Tony Award, and repeated for the film adaptation.

National Theatre artistic director Nicholas Hytner, who directed "The History Boys," called Griffiths' performance in that play "a masterpiece of wit, delicacy, mischief and desolation, often simultaneously."

Griffiths also played poet W.H. Auden in Bennett's "The Habit of Art," a hugely persuasive performance despite the lack of physical resemblance between the two men.

Known for his sense of humor, large store of theatrical anecdotes and occasional bursts of temper, Griffiths was renowned for shaming audience members whose cell phones rang during plays by stopping the performance and ordering the offender to leave.

Griffiths' last major stage role was in a West End production of Neil Simon's comedy "The Sunshine Boys" last year opposite Danny DeVito.

In 2007 he appeared in a London production of "Equus" alongside the then 17-year-old Radcliffe.

"Richard was by my side during two of the most important moments of my career," Radcliffe said Friday.

"In August 2000, before official production had even begun on Potter, we filmed a shot outside the Dursleys', which was my first ever shot as Harry. I was nervous and he made me feel at ease.

"Seven years later, we embarked on `Equus' together. It was my first time doing a play but, terrified as I was, his encouragement, tutelage and humor made it a joy.

"In fact, any room he walked into was made twice as funny and twice as clever just by his presence."

Griffiths is survived by his wife, Heather Gibson.

'Harry Potter' actor Richard Griffiths dead at 65

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  FILE 2006: Richard Griffiths at the 60th Annual Tony Awards in New York. (AP)

LONDON –  Richard Griffiths, the versatile British actor who played the boy wizard's unsympathetic Uncle Vernon in the "Harry Potter" movies, has died. He was 65.

Agent Simon Beresford announced Friday that Griffiths died a day earlier of complications following heart surgery at University Hospital in Coventry, central England.

He paid tribute to Griffiths as "a remarkable man and one of our greatest and best-loved actors."

Griffiths appeared in dozens of movies and TV shows, but will be most widely remembered as a pair of contrasting uncles -- the hero's grudging Muggle guardian in the "Harry Potter" series, and flamboyant Uncle Monty in 1980s cult classic "Withnail and I."

"I was proud to say I knew him," said "Harry Potter" star Daniel Radcliffe.

A large man and a huge stage presence, Griffiths was one of Britain's leading theater actors, creating roles including the charismatic teacher Hector at the emotional heart of Alan Bennett's "The History Boys" -- a part he took to Broadway, winning a Tony Award, and repeated for the film adaptation.

National Theatre artistic director Nicholas Hytner, who directed "The History Boys," called Griffiths' performance in that play "a masterpiece of wit, delicacy, mischief and desolation, often simultaneously."

Griffiths also played poet W.H. Auden in Bennett's "The Habit of Art," a hugely persuasive performance despite the lack of physical resemblance between the two men.

Known for his sense of humor, large store of theatrical anecdotes and occasional bursts of temper, Griffiths was renowned for shaming audience members whose cell phones rang during plays by stopping the performance and ordering the offender to leave.

Griffiths' last major stage role was in a West End production of Neil Simon's comedy "The Sunshine Boys" last year opposite Danny DeVito.

In 2007 he appeared in a London production of "Equus" alongside the then 17-year-old Radcliffe.

"Richard was by my side during two of the most important moments of my career," Radcliffe said Friday.

"In August 2000, before official production had even begun on Potter, we filmed a shot outside the Dursleys', which was my first ever shot as Harry. I was nervous and he made me feel at ease.

"Seven years later, we embarked on `Equus' together. It was my first time doing a play but, terrified as I was, his encouragement, tutelage and humor made it a joy.

"In fact, any room he walked into was made twice as funny and twice as clever just by his presence."

Griffiths is survived by his wife, Heather Gibson.

Increase your Flexibility Improve your Life

Why Does Flexibility Matter?

You’ve managed to make it to Spinning class (for the second time this week!), but as soon as the instructor starts the cooldown, you head for the door. Hold it right there. Turns out, stretching is just as important as getting on the bike in the first place.

Although countless studies have shown how beneficial exercise is for your body and mind (it may do everything from reducing the risk of some cancers to helping improve memory), less attention has been paid to flexibility. But doctors and physical therapists agree that it’s a vital part of keeping your body fit and able. “Flexibility is the third pillar of fitness, next to cardiovascular conditioning and strength training,” says David Geier, the director of sports medicine at the Medical University of South Carolina, in Charleston, and a spokesperson for the American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine. In fact, flexibility can help your body reach its optimum fitness level, may play a role in injury prevention, and can even contribute to staving off conditions like arthritis and more serious illnesses.

Here’s how it works: When you stretch a muscle, you lengthen the tendons, or muscle fibers, that attach it to the bone. “The longer these fibers are, the more you can increase the muscle in size when you do your strength training,” says Geier. That means that a more flexible muscle has the potential to become a stronger muscle, too. In turn, building strong muscle fibers may boost your metabolism and your fitness level. Flexible muscles also make everyday activities easier on your body and may decrease your risk of certain injuries. Common behaviors, like hunching over the computer, can shorten some muscles. That, along with the natural loss of muscle elasticity that occurs with aging, can set you up so any quick or awkward motion (lunging to catch a glass before it teeters off the table, for example) could stretch your muscles beyond their limit, resulting in a strain or a tear. “Even if you’re aerobically fit, it helps to be limber, too, so your body can easily adapt to physical stressors,” says Margot Miller, a physical therapist in Duluth, Minnesota, and a spokesperson for the American Physical Therapy Association.

What’s more, stretching may improve your circulation, increasing blood flow to your muscles. And having good circulation can help protect you against a host of illnesses, from diabetes to kidney disease. Greater flexibility has even been linked to a lower risk of cardiovascular disease. A 2009 study in the American Journal of Physiology indicated that people age 40 and older who performed well on a sit-and-reach test (a seated forward bend that measures flexibility) had less stiffness in their arterial walls, an indicator of the risk for stroke and heart attack.

How to Get—and Stay—Flexible

First off: How flexible do you need to be? Not as much as you might think. Sliding into a split may be a good late-night cocktail-party trick, but it’s not necessary to living a healthy life. The general rule of thumb is, you need to be as flexible as your lifestyle dictates, says Malachy McHugh, director of research at the Nicholas Institute of Sports Medicine and Athletic Trauma at Lenox Hill Hospital, in New York City. For example, in the world of sports, long-distance runners are known to be notoriously inflexible. But that’s OK, because their bodies don’t need a lot of flexibility to move forward in a relatively straight line, says McHugh. A gymnast, on the other hand, needs a lot of flexibility to be able to flip and tumble without injury.

The rest of us need a level of flexibility that’s somewhere in the middle. To increase your flexibility, start with about 10 minutes of stretching a day, focusing on the major muscle groups: upper body (arms, shoulders, neck), back, and lower body (thighs, calves, ankles). (See The Ultimate Daily Stretch on the next page.) Then, depending on how you typically spend your time, focus on specific stretches for problem-prone areas. So if you’re pretty much parked at a desk from nine to five, you’ll want to give extra attention to your lower back and shoulders. If you’re on the move—picking up toddlers and bags of groceries, perhaps—concentrate on your hamstrings and arms.

If you don’t have 10 minutes a day to spare, stretching just a few times a week can be nearly as beneficial. In fact, that may be enough to help you stay supple once you’ve gotten there. A study published in the Journal of Strength Conditioning and Research found that after stretching every day for a month, participants who went on to stretch just two or three times a week maintained their degree of flexibility. Those who stopped stretching, however, lost about 7 percent of their hip range of motion within a month.

Of course, you may find that stretching becomes one of your favorite parts of the day. Since you need to focus on even, deep breathing while listening to your body, stretching is a great relaxation or even meditation break. “The more you do it, the more you will get out of it—both physically and psychologically,” says Geier. No word yet on whether we can say the same about chocolate or The Real Housewives.

The Ultimate Daily Stretch

Warm up your muscles before you begin with a short walk or some jumping jacks. For each move, breathe out as you stretch. “You want a slow, smooth, and controlled movement,” says physical therapist Margot Miller. As you ease into each stretch, you’ll feel the muscles relax a bit—that’s due to increased blood flow. Only move to the point of resistance; the stretch should not hurt. Be careful not to bounce (sorry, Jane Fonda), which can cause tiny injuries to the muscles. Complete the whole sequence here, designed by Emmanuel Durand, head coach for the Cirque du Soleil show O, in Las Vegas, and Angelique Janov, a certified Pilates instructor and a contortionist coach for O. It should take about 10 minutes.

For Your Upper Body

Especially helpful if you sit at a desk all day, need to work on your posture, or carry tension in your upper body.

1. Place your hands on the back of your head and gently push it forward with your chin tucked. Hold for five seconds.

2. Now place the heels of your hands on your chin, fingers pointing toward your ears. Gently push your head back. Hold for five seconds.

3. Rest your right hand on the top of your head and gently press your right ear toward your right shoulder. Hold for five seconds. Repeat on the other side.

4. Raise your arms and clasp your hands above your head; imagine lifting and lengthening your spine. As you bend to the left, release your hands. Grasp your right elbow with your left hand and pull it to the left. Hold for five seconds. Come back to the center and repeat on the right side.

For Your Back

Especially helpful if you are prone to lower-back pain or like to run for a workout.

1. Lie on your stomach, legs straight and feet shoulder-width apart.

2. Place your hands on the floor under your shoulders and slowly lift your chest up. Hold for 10 seconds.

3. Come to a standing position with feet shoulder-width apart and pointed to the right. Lift the toes of your right foot off the ground, bend at the hip, and fold your body over. Hold for 10 seconds.

4. Come back to a standing position and repeat on the left side with toes pointing to the left.

For Your Lower Body

Especially helpful if you wear high heels frequently or like to run, walk, bicycle, or use an elliptical machine.

1. Sit on the floor with your legs straight out in front of you.

2. Lift your right leg off the floor, holding it with both hands. Flex your foot and hold for five seconds. Lower and switch legs.

3. While still seated, bend your right knee and lift your leg. Pull your knee to your chest. Flex your foot and hold for five seconds. Lower your right leg and repeat with the left.

Jeremy Renner Welcomes Daughter Ava Berlin

Photo credit: PatrickHoffmann/WENN

Jeremy Renner is now officially a first-time dad. The action movie star and his girlfriend Sonni Pacheco welcomed a 7-pound baby girl on Thursday, March 28 and named her Ava Berlin Renner. His rep confirmed it to PEOPLE, "They are beyond thrilled. Mother and daughter are doing great."

Reports of Renner expecting his baby first sparked when he was overheard mentioning baby news to Eva Longoria at the Golden Globe Awards on January 13, saying, "I'm going to fly in when her water breaks." Two sources, who overheard the conversation, said that the actress then responded by saying, "I'm so blown away."

The couple has been living together in Renner's Los Angeles home since the Oscar nominee decided to invite the Canadian model to move into his home while awaiting the arrival of the baby. An insider told Us Weekly that Renner was "being ultra-secretive" about it while the 22-year-old model had "been going on about her life and not hiding it."

Before seeing Pacheco, the best friend of fellow actor Kristoffer Winters was in relationship with actress Jess Macallan for four years. The actor met Macallan when she was working at a film festival in Florida. They broke up in 2010 after Macallan decided to pursue her career as an actress. "That was part of the issue," Renner explained. "I was going through 'The Hurt Locker' campaign and she's like, 'Where do I get headshots?' "

Congrats Jeremy...Wish you all the Best

Boyvig Dedicates this Post to Nicole Vaidisova(Tennis Star)....Our Female Personality of the Week

Zimbio.com

Vaidisova retired from the game in 2010, with her greatest achievements being semifinal appearances in the French and Australian Open.

We LOVE YOU NICOLE!

Reebok pressured to dump Rick Ross over 'date rape' lyrics

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LOS ANGELES –  Rapper Rick Ross has come under fire over the lyrics in his latest single “U.N.E.N.O.” – which appears to glorify committing date rape. Outraged groups across the country are calling on apparel giant Reebok to dump him as a spokesperson, pronto.

“Put Molly all in her champagne, she ain’t even know it,” read the controversial lyrics. “I took her home and I enjoyed that. She ain’t even know it.”

“Molly” is slang for the crystal form of MDMA, often considered a “date rape” drug as it distorts reality and reduces inhibitions.

“It is totally appalling that Reebok would be featuring and paying a spokesman like Rick Ross who is proudly rapping about raping women,” Nita Chaudhary, co-founder of the anti-sexism and women’s rights website Ultraviolet, which has launched a petition demanding Reebok axe Ross. “Reebok devotes a lot of time, energy and money to marketing to women – and now they’re paying a man who is literally bragging about raping women. That tells women that Reebok isn’t interested in our business. It tells us that Reebok is okay promoting rape culture and when one out of five women are the victim of an attempted or completed rape that has real life consequences.”

Reebok has sponsored numerous top athletes over the years such, and scored exclusive manufacturing deals with the NFL, NHL and MLB. In 2003, rapper Jay-Z became the first non-athlete to endorse the brand. Scarlett Johansson, 50 Cent and Nelly later followed in his footsteps. In March 2012, Ross signed an endorsement deal with the brand to promote its footwear.

“Keeping Ross on sends a message to young men that some kinds of rape are just not okay, but cool,” Chaudhary said. “In the two hours since we have launched this campaign, more than 25,000 people have already signed the petition.”

Since the explosion of bad press, Ross has attempted to clear up the controversy and insists people are misinterpreting his lyrics.

“Women are the most precious gift known to mankind,” the rapper said in interview with New Orleans’ Q93.3, while donning a Reebok cap. “It was a misunderstanding with a lyric, a misinterpretation. The term ‘rape’ wasn’t used. I would never use the term rape.”

But many aren't buying that line. Ashley-Michelle Arnold, a site administrator of the non-profit message board After Silence, a collective chat space for rape and abuse victims, says Ross should be given his marching orders “if the company has any vested interest whatsoever in saving face with their female customers.”

"In the case of Rick Ross, you have a so-called 'rap artist' bragging about committing a violent sexual assault and getting away with it. For Reebok to continue utilizing him as a brand ambassador, they're endorsing his behavior and the so-called art he creates for their target demographic," she said. "They're telling their male customers that this is someone to emulate not only in dress, but actions.”

If Reebok doesn’t take prompt action, experts say it could be very bad for business.

“Reebok should have anticipated something like this happening given whom they hired. By choosing someone who's unpredictable to promote your product you are playing with fire and bound to get burned,” said crisis management expert, Glenn Selig. “Reebok may try to wait it out and see if the controversy goes away. And if it doesn't, Reebok may have no choice but to walk away from this deal – if not run.”

Advertising expert Steve Hall of AdRants.com said enough is enough.

“I've actually had it with brands that defend their relationships with celebrities who have become murderers, adulterers, illegal gamblers, cheaters and the like. Everyone's human and everyone makes mistakes but at some point, we have to stand up and say no to employing celebrities as role models who can't even get their own act together,” he said. “And no to sports figures who think it's perfectly fine to cheat. And no to musical artists who think it's fine to proudly rap about drugging and raping their women.”

Reps for Reebok and Ross did not respond to a request for comment.

Danielle Jones-Wesley contributed to this report.

Rapper Lil Wayne says his epilepsy caused recent seizures

Associated Press

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  REUTERS/Andrew Innerarity
  
  
  
  

Lil Wayne says he’s an epileptic and has had seizures for years.

In an interview with Los Angeles-based radio station Power 106 on Thursday, the 30-year-old rapper said epilepsy caused his most recent health scare earlier this month, when he was rushed to a hospital. Wayne said he had three back-to-back seizures.

The Grammy winner says: “I’ve had a bunch of seizures, y’all just never hear about them.”

Wayne says he “could’ve died” and that the recent seizures were a result of “just plain stress, no rest, overworking myself.”

He released his 10th album, “I Am Not a Human Being II,” this week. He’ll embark on a 40-city tour in July with rappers T.I. and Future.

The New Orleans native, whose given name is Dwayne Michael Carter Jr., is one of the biggest stars not only of his genre but in all music.

Elle SA Awards...(Winners)

The eleven judges in the first Elle South Africa Beauty Awards and readers have selected the winners, announced an awards breakfast, hosted by the magazine and Stuttafords.

Megan Whitehorn, Jackie Burger, and Saadique Ryklief

Lerato Matoko, Jackie Burger, Beverly Mwallo, Thalia Pallotta, Derynne Klaver, and Araffa Mpungwe

Winners

• Best in Anti-ageing Moisturisers & Serums: Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair
• Best in Foundations & Concealers: M.A.C Studio Fix Foundation & Powder
• Best in Mascara & Eyeshadows: Maybelline Great Lash Mascara
• Best in Haircare: Dove Daily Care Shampoo
• Best in Cleansers & Exfoliators: Placecol AHA Exfoliating Cream
• Best in Moisturisers & Masks: Dermalogica Skin Hydrating Mask
• Best in Body Care: The Body Shop Coconut Body Butter
• Best in Body Treatment: Bio Oil
• Best in Sun Care: Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Cream Sun Defense for Face
• Best in Blushers & Bronzers: L'Oreal Glam Bronzer
• Best in Lipsticks & Glosses: M.A.C Lipstick in Russian Red
• Best in Hairstyling Aids: Moroccanoil Treatment Oil

The winners will also be celebrated in the April edition as part of the magazine's 17th birthday.


Boyvig wishes them all the best..........................................

'America's Most Wanted' likely ending a quarter-century run....Interesting News!

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  This March 12, 2009 file photo shows John Walsh, host of the television show "America's Most Wanted," in New York. "America's Most Wanted" may have come to an end after 25 years. Lifetime network has confirmed it won't be picking up the crime-fighting series for another season. (AP)

  
  

NEW YORK –  "America's Most Wanted' may have come to an end after 25 years.

Lifetime network has confirmed it won't be picking up the crime-fighting series for another season.

But the network says it's developing a pilot for a new project with John Walsh, who created "America's Most Wanted" in 1988.

Hosted by Walsh, the series was a fixture on the Fox network until its abrupt cancellation in June 2011. During that run, the show helped bring almost 1,200 fugitives to justice.

Lifetime revived the series in December 2011, ultimately airing 44 episodes. It most recently aired on the network last October.

Walsh originally launched his crime-busting crusade in 1981, in the aftermath of the abduction and murder of his 6-year-old son, Adam

Wow! is the Best word to describe this

Lindsay Lohan Demoralised and Screwed officially

 

Lindsay Lohan will absolutely, positively be LATE for her trial BoyVig learnt ... and the judge could now effectively issue a bench warrant for her arrest on her first day of trial.

We've learned ... the private jet that is carrying the infamous defendant is scheduled to land at 8:11 AM in Van Nuys, 20 miles from the courthouse.  That means at the time of touchdown -- assuming she lands on time -- she will have 19 minutes to get to the courthouse in the middle of rush hour traffic.  Translation:  No way in hell.

Sources tell us ... the jet was delayed at JFK in NYC and didn't go wheels up until 6 AM EDT.

There are 2 SUVs waiting at Van Nuys airport to take Lindsay and her entourage to court. 

One more complication .... Lindsay left all of her luggage on her original commercial flight.  Someone has already retrieved the bags at LAX and has taken them to the Van Nuys Airport.  Lindsay will change clothes in the car.

One final thing ... Guess how much the private jet costs?  $50,000.  Lindsay didn't pay -- The generous folks at Mr. Pink energy drink covered the tab.

BoyVig still wishes her all the best

Will Nicole Scherzinger's Cornrows just Be Another Style Regret (PHOTOS)?

Nicole Scherzinger disappointed us when we learned she once passed on some major musical hits -- namely "We Found Love" (Rihanna took it), "Just Dance" (Lady Gaga's big single) and "Crazy" (which went to Gnarls Barkley). We can't even begin to imagine the regret Scherzinger carries around for missing those opportunities.

So why commit more regrettable mistakes, Nicole? Just last night, the former Pussycat Dolls singer and "X-Factor" judge was seen in London sporting cornrows.

As any high-profile celeb knows, there is no hairstyle more regrettable than cornrows.Sienna Miller has admitted that her teenage cornrows were not her finest moment, while Justin Timberlake cites his brief dabbling with cornrows as one of his biggest style regrets.

And while Kim Kardashian hasn't exactly admitted that hers were ill-conceived, we can assure Kimmy ourselves: those Bo Derek braids weren't your best look.

But there are some celebs -- namely, Beyonce -- can pull off such complicated braided hairstyles. Can Nicole? See the pics below and tell us what you think.

'American Idol' Season 12: Who Leads In Twitter'

According to the social media site, 2013's top two contenders are Angie Miller and Lazaro Arbos.

Michael Becker / Fox

With American Idol finally in full swing having revealed its top 10 contestants on Thursday night, it's time for the world's tweeters to determine who may end up feted in confetti in May.

PHOTOS: 'American Idol' Season 12: The Top 10 FinalistsAccording to Twitter, there's a male-female horse race in the battle for the top: Massachusetts singer-songwriter Angie Miller andLazaro Arbos, the speech-challenged Florida crooner.

Miller leads the pack with 34,875 followers, as of March 8. Arbos is a distant second with 21,794.

Other contestants gaining steam include country girl Kree Harrison with 12,505 followers and Louisiana's Burnell Taylor, who tallies a respectable 10,632. 

The middle of the pack includes Candice Gloverand Janelle Arthur in a close contest, followed byPaul Jolley.

As for who's at the bottom? As it stands now, Devin Velez, Amber Holcomb and Curtis Finch Jr. may find themselves on the wrong side of the stools.

Here is how the top 10 is ranking so far:

Angie Miller: 34,875

Lazaro Arbos: 21,794

Kree Harrison: 12,505

Burnell Taylor: 10, 632

Candice Glover: 8,505

Janelle Arthur: 8,437

Paul Jolley: 7,914

Devin Velez: 6,043

Amber Holcomb: 5,226

Curtis Finch Jr.: 4,858

Twitter: @Idol_Worship

What do you think Worshippers? Who is leading with you at this point? Let us know in the comments below!

Twitter: Idol_Worship

Michele Amabile

LINDSAY LOHAN Options: House Arrest Or Risk JAil

Lindsay Lohan

Linds has been cut yet another break in the criminal justice system -- prosecutors are offering house arrest to end her lying-to-cops and probation violation cases, but we're told she's NOT biting.

Multiple sources connected with the case tell TMZ ... the Santa Monica City Attorney and the L.A. City Attorney have both softened their position from lockdown rehab to 90-DAY HOUSE ARREST. 

In fact, we're told Lindsay's lawyer, Mark Heller, is telling prosecutors Lindsay will accept a certain amount of house arrest.  Right now Heller and the prosecutors are squabbling over how much house arrest.   But here's the problem ... sources connected with Lindsay are telling us LiLo is adamant -- she will not accept ANY punishment.

Bottom line -- sources connected with the case tell us there's a 75% chance the case will go to trial on March 18th.  If Lindsay rolls the dice and is convicted, she faces months of ACTUAL jail time.

Lindsay needs to go for door #1.

BoyVig wishes her all the best and support if possible 
We strongly hope she gets out of this Positive and stronger