Court refuses to reconsider Phil Spector's appeal

LOS ANGELES - An appeals court on Friday refused to reconsider music producer Phil Spector's appeal of his murder conviction, saying there was overwhelming evidence of his guilt.
 
The California 2nd District Court of Appeal panel acknowledged it did not consider an issue that defense lawyers now say was critical to his conviction. But they blamed the lawyers for failing to adequately brief the point and said they had no obligation to consider it.

Spector, a well-known rock music producer, was convicted two years ago of fatally shooting actress Lana Clarkson at his Alhambra mansion in 2003. He is serving 19 years to life in prison on a second-degree murder conviction.

LAMediaWatch.com

Dodgers Jamey Carroll will be signing autographs tomorrow from 12-1 pm @SportsAuthority in Sherman Oaks

California To Consider New Rules For Porn Industry

LOS ANGELES -- California workplace safety officials have drafted rules to require porn performers to use condoms and other barriers in sex scenes to prevent being infected with sexually transmitted diseases.

Cal/OSHA officials provided the 17-page draft proposal to The Associated Press on Friday, and it is to be discussed at a public meeting in Los Angeles on June 7.

The draft would then go to the state's Occupational Safety & Health Standards Board for a ruling on whether it becomes part of state code.

Some major porn producers have opposed the use of condoms in porn in the past, arguing that a state rule would drive the porn industry out of California and that audiences don't want to watch protected sex.

LAMediaWatch.com

Meet #Dodgers catcher Dioner Navarro tomorrow from 12-1 pm at Kragen O'Reilly Auto Parts at 440 East Washington Blvd in LA

Increased Police Patrol In Venice For Memorial Weekend

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Police in Southern California are gearing up for summer’s unofficial Memorial Day start after one of the city’s top tourist destinations,

Fearing crime could spiral, the authorities have started cracking down on the unruliness that typifies the Venice boardwalk — a 1.5-mile ribbon of asphalt that can draw 150,000 people on a summer weekend.

Patrol reinforcements are being summoned from other divisions, more undercover operatives are being assigned to infiltrate crowds, and detectives are gathering intelligence via social media.

The LAPD plans to increase patrols in the Venice Beach area this Memorial Day weekend and has plans to establish a stronger presence there for the coming summer months.

LAMediaWatch.com

Memorial Day Weekend -- Remembering Our Veterans

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L.A. County hosts "Remembering Our Veterans and Their Families:

Past, Present and Future" at Arcadia County Park Saturday  CLICK HERE

John Travolta and Dr. Drew Remember Jeff Conaway

John Travolta has released a statement on the passing of his former "Grease" co-star Jeff Conaway -- saying he was a "wonderful and decent man and we will miss him."

Travolta adds, "My heartfelt thoughts are with his family and loved ones at this very difficult time.”

Dr. Drew is reporting despite widespread reports, "Grease" star Jeff Conaway did NOT die from a drug overdose -- but rather his body gave out after long-term prescription drug abuse ... this according to Dr. Drew.

Drew -- who treated Conaway on "Celebrity Rehab" -- tells us there is no evidence showing Jeff died from an overdose ... saying, "This was aspiration with overwhelming pneumonia and sepsis."

Drew tells us Jeff's condition was inevitable because the actor had been a serious pill popper for years and the constant substance abuse wore down his body.

Drew explains, "Jeff is another pharmaceutical death from the overutilization of prescription drugs. Please continue to pray for friends and family. They appreciate your support.”

LAMediaWatch.com

'Grease' Star Jeff Conaway -- Passes Away

"Grease" star Jeff Conaway has died today ... several weeks after he was found unconscious in his L.A. area home ... TMZ has confirmed with the actor's family.
Conaway -- a notorious substance abuser -- had reportedly fallen into a coma after suffering an overdose earlier this month ... and doctors were not able to revive him.

Jeff's inner struggles became public when he appeared on "Celebrity Rehab with Dr. Drew" in 2008 and admitted to being addicted to cocaine, alcohol and painkillers.

Conaway married his Grease co-star Olivia Newton John’s sister Rona Newton John in 1980 , though the couple would divorce just a few years later in 1985.

He married Michele Conaway in 1990 the couple then separated although it is not known if they ever formally divorced.

Sadly, in the mid 80’s Conaway had to come to terms with the fact that he had a drug and alcohol addictions that were to plague him for the remainder of his life.

Conaway -- who played Kenickie during the 1978 film "Grease" -- was 60 years old.

R.I.P. Jeff.

LAMediaWatch.com

The drive-in movie experience comes back to Los Angeles!

Every second Saturday of the month (twice monthly in the summer) a downtown Los Angeles parking garage becomes the city's only drive-in movie theater.

FM transmitters beam sound into your car's speakers. Flash your lights for car-hops to bring popcorn and food (bring your own drinks).

Pre-sale tickets are $10 per person and are available until noon the day prior to the screening. Pending space, tickets will be available on the day of the screening at $12 per person. Arrive early for best spot, tickets guarantee you entry but not a particular spot. Car spots will be released 30 minutes before show time. You'll have up to 30 minutes after the start of show time to claim your tickets.

More at Devilsnight.com

LAMediaWatch.com

Memorial Day TVLine-Up: Your Guide to the Best Holiday Weekend Marathons

The fact that it’s Memorial Day doesn’t mean that you have to hightail it to the beach. On the contrary, you may want to stay home and kick back, spend some quality time with your significant other. By which I mean of course your remote. And if that’s the case, you (and it) will no doubt be particularly interested in this list of TV marathons being run over the weekend.

Saturday, May 28th
Doctor Who (BBC America, 6 am – Sunday, 6 am) | Tide yourself over until the next new episode (June 4) with a 24-hour marathon of all the episodes featuring new Doc, Matt Smith.
Deadliest Catch (Discovery, 9 am — Sunday, 3 am)
Star Trek movies (Syfy, 10:30 am – Sunday, 4 am) | Syfy pays tribute to a sci-fi classic with a marathon of five Star Trek films.

Sunday, May 29th
Top Gear (BBC America, 6 am – Monday, 6 am) | Don’t feel like getting stuck in Memorial Day weekend traffic? Just watch the Top Gear guys race cars from the safety of your couch.
In Plain Sight (Sleuth, 6 am – 12 am) | A day spent with Marshall Marshall (Frederick Weller) from the USA Network series is not a bad way to spend a Sunday.
Firefly (Science, starting at 8 am) | Throw on a brown coat and settle in with this complete revisiting of this short-lived Joss Whedon sci-fi serial, kicking off with its big-screen follow-up Serenity.
American Chopper (Discovery, 9 am — 10 pm)
Star Trek movies (Syfy, 11 am – Monday, 2 am) | Missed Saturday’s marathon of Trek movies I, II, III, IV and VIII? Catch installments IV through VIII and X today.

Monday, May 30th
Royal Pains (Sleuth, 6 am – Tuesday, 6 am) | Just a month away from the show’s third season premiere (June 29 on USA Network), Sleuth offers a trip to the Hamptons-set concierge medicine series.

Cake Boss (TLC, 6 am – 10 pm) | Start the morning off with a sugar coma courtesy of a 16-hour marathon of TLC’s cake-making reality series.

NCIS (USA Network, 6 am – 8 pm) | Settle in for 14 episodes of the CBS series in what USA Network has dubbed a “Boys of Summer Marathon” because “nothing’s cooler than hot guys solving crimes.”
Criminal Minds (A&E, 7 am – 10 pm) | Further proof that there’s no shortage of bad guys in this crazy world, this marathon of the CBS series goes on for 15 hours.

Top Gear (BBC America, 8 am – Tuesday, 5 am) | Not sick of Top Gear yet?
Stephen King TV Movies (Chiller, 8 am – 12 am) | The horror network airs three Stephen King based TV minis – The Langoliers, The Tommyknockers and The Stand.

Jersey Shore (MTV, 9 am – 10 pm) | For those who prefer their TV marathons with gratuitous fighting and an unnaturally orange people, MTV has you covered.

True Jackson, VP (TeenNick, 9 am – 4 pm) | Put the kids down in front of tube for seven hours of this TeenNick series starring Keke Palmer as the surprisingly young VP of a fashion empire.

Futurama (Comedy Central, 9:15 am – 12:45 pm) | The mini-marathon includes all four installments of the straight to DVD movie, Futurama: Into the Wild Green Yonder.

Law & Order (TNT, 10 am – 10 pm) | What would Memorial Day be without a Law & Order marathon? Thanks to the good people over at TNT, we’ll never have to find out.

Grill It! with Bobby Flay (Food Network, 11 am – 3 pm) | Memorial Day barbeque turning into a disaster? Grill master and Iron Chef Bobby Flay has some suggestions in this eight-episode sprint.

Two and a Half Men (FX, 12 pm – 12 am) | Remember when Charlie Sheen was the star of this show?

LAMediaWatch.com

Southern Californians Traveling This Memorial Day Weekend

The Memorial Day weekend is the traditional kick-off to the summer travel season, and pain at the gas pump is not keeping people from hitting the road.

According the Automobile Club of Southern California, more than 2 million people will travel more than 50 miles from home by car in the Southland this weekend.

That is about the same as this time last year.

But the struggling economy is not expected to put a crimp in air travel plans. Officials at Los Angles International Airport said Friday they anticipate an increase in travel demand this Memorial Day and throughout the summer, leading to busy terminals and mostly full flights.

Airport officials estimate that between Friday and Monday, nearly 811,000 travelers will pass through LAX. That's an increase of more than 5 percent over the same period last year.

Experts said people who delayed travel plans last year due to the economy are now feeling more confident.

The top five travel destinations for the Memorial Day weekend according to the Auto Club are: Las Vegas, San Diego, San Francisco, the California Central Coast and Disneyland.

LAMediaWatch.com

Funeral for M-Bone today in Inglewood

INGLEWOOD - Funeral services will be held today for Cali Swag District rapper M-Bone, famed for the song and accompanying dance "Teach Me How to Dougie."

The rapper, whose real name was Montae Talbert, was shot and killed while sitting in a car outside a liquor store when the shots were fired.  He was taken to Harbor UCLA Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead.

M-Bone was a member of the Inglewood-based group Cali Swag District, which rocketed to fame with the release of "Teach Me How to Dougie," which set off a wide-ranging dance craze.

His funeral at Faithful Central Bible Church in Inglewood will be open to fans and the public.

The band released a statement to TMZ.com, calling M-Bone the "victim of a random act of violence."

LAMediaWatch.com

Dodgers to hold Alhambra, Korean Heritage Night tonight

The Los Angeles Dodgers will conduct City of Alhambra Night tonight, with two members of the famed 442nd Regimental Combat Team among the city residents to be honored before the game against the Florida Marlins at Dodger Stadium.
Mas Takahashi and Ken Akune were part of the most decorated unit in U.S. military history for its size and length of service. The team was awarded a Congressional Gold Medal in 2010 for its service in World War II.

More than 2,000 Alhambra residents are expected to attend the game.

The Dodgers will also conduct Korean Heritage Night Friday.

Korean Consul General Yeon-sung Shin will throw out a ceremonial first pitch, 15-year-old singer-actress Megan Lee will sing the national anthem and "God Bless America," the UCLA Hanoolim Korean Traditional Drumming Team will perform and Korean community leaders will be honored on the field during a pregame ceremony.

LAMediaWatch.com

Rihanna Rocks “Today”

She’s been a busy lady as of late, and this morning (May 27) Rihanna paid a visit to the “Today” show stage in New York City.

The “Russian Roulette” songstress performed as part of the Summer Concert Series and gave her fans a great start to the Memorial Day Holiday Weekend.

And it seems that Ri-Ri is in high demand across the pond as Susan Boyle has expressed interest in working together on a song.

Boyle gushed, "I'd be interested in an album of duets. There are so many people I'd love to sing with. Lady GaGa would be fun. But then, so would Donny Osmond. I really like Adele and Rihanna."

LAMediaWatch.com

Amy Winehouse Returns To Rehab... Again

Water is wet, the sky is blue ... and Amy Winehouse has checked into rehab once again.
Winehouse is now seeking treatment for "alcohol addiction" at the Priory Clinic, a prestigious UK rehab center.

Amy's people released a statement saying, "[Amy] wants to be ready for performances in Europe this summer and decided to seek an assessment. She will remain at the Priory on doctors' advice."

According to reports, Amy's issues are so bad ... she even drank a small bottle of vodka on her way to the facility Wednesday.
LAMediaWatch.com

Charlie Sheen May Get His Porn House After All

Charlie Sheen's dream of turning his Beverly Hills mansion into a porn house could come true -- TMZ has learned a MAJOR porn company has made an official CASH offer on the place.

The bigwigs at YouPorn.com approached Sheen's realtor with an offer to buy the place for $4.5 million in cash .... WAY lower than Sheen's listing price, $7.2 mil.

We're told the YouPorn people have told Sheen's people they hope to fulfill Sheen's dream of moving in several porn stars to live at the mansion. The YouPorn peeps told the realtor if Sheen accepts the deal, he can hang out at the porno compound as much as he wants.

So far, we're told Sheen has not made a decision on the offer.

LAMediaWatch.com

Facebook wants to become the Hub for Music & Video

Facebook is partnering with online music and video companies for the launch of a new feature that will integrate outside media into profile pages, according to a new report.

The new feature will take the shape of a widget or tab on the user’s profile page, according to The New York Times. It will display the songs a user listens to the most and provide a method for friends to listen to and share those songs. Facebook will do the same thing for video and television content.

The social network has reportedly been talking to various media companies about integrating their content to Facebook’s new feature, including Spotify. Earlier this week, rumors about a potential Spotify and Facebook partnership made the rounds. The rumors made it seem like Facebook had chosen Spotify to power a Facebook music service. NYT reports however that Facebook doesn’t want to tie itself to just one music service, but instead wants multiple partners for its media platform.

Imagine if you could see what your friends were watching on Netflix or listening to on Pandora from their Facebook pages. Now imagine if you could also see their recommendations and access their content with a single click. It could turn Facebook into the web’s central hub for multimedia content. Media content and recommendations could give Facebook a new engagement layer that would compel its users to stay on the site for longer.

Facebook wants to become the operating system of the web. That much was clear when it acquired web operating system Parakey in 2007. In order to be the web’s central dashboard though, it needs to have access to the music, movies, TV shows and books of its users. This new feature seems designed to do exactly that.

LAMediaWatch.com

Fox News keeps Palin on payroll

Fox News is not taking contributor Sarah Palin off its payroll despite moves that suggest she may be gearing up for a presidential run.

"We are not changing Sarah Palin's status," Bill Shine, Executive Vice President of programming for Fox News Channel, told CBS News in a statement. Palin earns $1 million per year as a commentator on Fox News.

In March, Fox News suspended contracts with a pair of contributors, Newt Gingrich and Rick Santorum, because they were gearing up for presidential runs. The network said the contracts would be terminated after 60 days unless they declared they were not running for president. Gingrich has since announced his run, and Santorum will do so June 6.

Palin has recently added to her staff and is believed to be moving to Arizona, where it would be easier to run a presidential campaign than in her home state of Alaska.  There is also a celebratory documentary about Palin planned for release over the summer.

Family Feud Casting Call

It’s the Family Feud Casting Call at Linder’s Furniture.

Family Feud is looking for families to compete on Family Feud.

Family Feud Casting Call
Date: Sunday, June 12, 2011
Location:
Linder’s Furniture
20130 Hamilton St.
Torrance, CA 90502
For an audition slot, call 323-762-8467 or send an email to
Losangeles@familytryouts.com.

You must have an appointment – Call or Email Now!

LAMediaWatch.com

Jeff Conaway -- Do Not Resuscitate

Actor Jeff Conaway’s family members haave decided to turn off the actor’s life support system, marking a sad end to his battle with substance abuse.

The family, who has kept a vigil at the Encino hospital where Conaway is in a coma after being found unconscious at home, say his fight will end.

"Doctors advised the family that Jeff has had no brain function since he was brought into the hospital," a source close to the situation said.  "The feeding tube has already been removed. The ventilator which is breathing for Jeff, will be removed sometime this afternoon.”

“Jeff is in no pain whatsoever."  It's unknown how Conaway will cope when the machine is switched off, but there will be no further attempts to resuscitate the actor.  "No measures will be made to try and revive him once the breathing tube is removed," the source said. "Jeff has remained unconscious."

The former Taxi star, now 60 years old, was hospitalized back on May 11 for what was thought to be a prescription drug overdose.

Dr. Drew Pinsky, who treated Conaway on Celebrity Rehab, said the star was suffering from pneumonia and sepsis, a severe blood illness.

Our thoughts go out to his family and friends.

LAMediaWatch.com