Monday, January 30, 2012

RIP Mr. Pitt


Evan Agostini/Getty Images
Ian Abercrombie played a boss who was endlessly frustrating to work for -- but a lot of fun to watch. Abercrombie, a British character actor best known for portraying Elaine's boss Mr. Pitt on Seinfeld, passed away on Thursday at age 77 from complications stemming from kidney failure, according to The Los Angeles Times.

Although Mr. Pitt appeared in only seven episodes of the long-running series in 1994-95, his character -- a fussy British socialite who hires Elaine as his assistant -- quickly became a fan favorite. When he wasn't driving Julia Louis-Dreyfus' character crazy with his persnickety demands (see his sock requirements in the clip below), he was baffling the gang with his eccentric habits -- like eating a Snickers bar with a knife and fork. He eventually fired Elaine after becoming convinced that she and Jerry were conspiring to kill him.
 

"I was a pain in the neck. I was a hypochondriac. I was many things, and I just made her life so miserable," Abercrombie said of his character in a 1998 interview. "She wouldn't take the salt off my pretzels, you know. She brought me white socks… she did a lot of things for me, but she could never do it right."
Born in 1934 in Essex, England, Abercrombie began acting and dancing as a child during World War II, then moved to the United States at age 17 to pursue theater. In 1965, he began a long film and TV career. He played memorable quirky characters in cult favorite films like Army of Darkness and TV shows like Twin Peaks, but it was Seinfeld that really brought him to national attention.
"I have been around as an actor for 40-odd years, and this show knocked me out of the ballpark," he told CNN.
At the time of his death, Abercrombie had recurring roles on two children's series: Star Wars: The Clone Wars and Wizards of Waverly Place. He is survived by his three brothers: Donald, Douglas and Alex. You can watch some of his most memorable Seinfeld moments here.
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Um....Not quite, Paula Deen

Because this story came from the National Enquirer, I'm definitely marking "Put Paula Deen on my Death List" as my #1 top priority in 2015.


EXPERTS: PAULA DEEN HAS 3 YEARS TO LIVE!

Published on: January 30, 2012
NEW FEARS! PAULA DEEN could have just three years to live, says a human behavior expert!
 At 5-foot-5 and 160 pounds, the butter-cra­zy celebrity chef – who recently announced she suffers from type 2 diabetes – could drop dead at the age of 68, the expert says.
The trau­mas of Paula ’s past , c o m ­b i n e d w i t h her di­abetes, high-stress lifestyle, decades-long smoking habit and family health history all contribute to shortening her life expec­tancy, according to top medical and behavioral specialists.
“I added up the stressors in her life, and unless she adds more balance to it, Paula may only live to age 68,” Patrick Wanis, Ph.D., a human behavior expert from Los Angeles, Calif., told The ENQUIRER.
The frightening scenario is the result of Dr. Wanis’ “Life and Death Calculator,” a lon­gevity guide that determines a person’s estimated life ex­pectancy by evaluating five principal body indicators.
“These are emotional, mental, physical, nutritional and spir­itual stressors that can define how well we age,” explained Dr. Wanis.
While the average life span for American women is 80 years, the stressors in 65-year-old Paula’s life will subtract 12 years from her expected life span, he said.
The main stressor is her dia­betes, which was diagnosed in 2008, the experts say.
“Diabetes can be deadly because it increases the risk of heart disease, kidney failure and stroke,” Dr. Daniel Lorber, aleading endocrinolo­gist from Flushing, N.Y., told The ENQUIRER.
Another stressor for Paula – who parlayed her flair for rich Southern cuisine into a multimillion-dollar business empire – is her cigarette habit. She started smoking at the age of 15, and in 2009 she admitted: “It’s the hardest thing to give up in the whole entire world and I confess I have not beat it yet.”
Other stressors for the popular Food Network chef are her family’s health history and the emotional roll­er coaster she’s ridden over the years, experts say. Her father died in 1966 at age 40 after undergoing a heart valve replacement and her mother died of bone cancer four years later at age 44.
Meantime, she wed her high school sweetheart Jimmy Deen when she was 18, but the marriage disinte­grated after 27 years due to his heavy drinking. Paula has said that losing her parents, along with her divorce, led to depression, panic attacks and finally acute agoraphobia, an anxiety disorder character­ized by a fear of public places.
She has also pushed her luck by working too hard. Paula admits that she turned into a workaholic after launching her catering business, The Bag Lady, out of her Savannah, Ga., home in 1989 when she was 42.
“I worked like a dog,” she once re­called. “I worked 16 and 20 hours every day for quite a few years without even a break.”
All that stress takes a heavy toll, says another expert.
“Stress works like acid on the body,” explained Dr. Robert Goldman, co-founder of the Chicago-based American Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine. “It makes the body release destructive hor­mones that corrode the cells. Stress can raise blood pressure, create heart dis­ease and ruin your nervous system.”
Top weight-loss physician Dr. Aaron Tabor agreed, adding: “Stress alone can speed up the aging process by as much as 10 years.”
Paula no doubt has even more stress in her life after revealing she’s a spokeswoman for a dia­betes drug. Outraged fans and colleagues have blasted her know­ingly advocating her fat-filled, gut-busting cuisine despite the health hazards her recipes contrib­ute to the disease.
Despite so many strikes against her, Paula – who has a loving marriage to second husband, retired tugboat cap­tain Michael Groover – can still turn her health around, noted Dr. Wanis.
“Paula’s numbers can be reversed by adopting a healthy lifestyle that will help her lose weight and keep her dia­betes in check,” he said.

Thursday, January 26, 2012

RIP James Farentino, Whoever You Were


James Farentino Dead; Actor Dies Of Heart Failure At 73

James Farentino Dead
01/24/12 11:18 PM ET   AP
LOS ANGELES -- Actor James Farentino, who appeared in dozens of movies and television shows, died Tuesday in a Los Angeles hospital, according to a family spokesman. He was 73.
Farentino died of heart failure at Cedars-Sinai Hospital after a long illness, said the spokesman, Bob Palmer.
Farentino starred alongside Kirk Douglas and Martin Sheen in the 1980 science fiction film "The Final Countdown." The movie featured a modern aircraft carrier that travels back in time to Pearl Harbor hours before the Japanese attack.
Farentino also starred opposite Patty Duke in 1969's "Me, Natalie."
In 1967, he won a "Most Promising Newcomer" Golden Globe for his performance in the comedy "The Pad and How to Use It."
He also had recurring roles on "Dynasty," "Melrose Place," "The Bold Ones: The Lawyers" and "ER," playing the estranged father to George Clooney's character.
In 1978, he was nominated for an Emmy for his portrayal of Saint Peter in the television mini-series "Jesus of Nazareth."
A four-time divorcee, Farentino's tumultuous personal life made headlines, too.
In March 1994, he pleaded no contest to stalking his ex-girlfriend Tina Sinatra, daughter of Frank Sinatra.
In 2010, the actor was arrested at his Hollywood home on suspicion of battery when he tried to physically remove a man from his home.



Born in Brooklyn, N.Y., in 1938, Farentino is survived by two sons, David and Saverio.

Get Well Soon, Demi Moore!


Demi Being Treated for Seizure, Anorexia

MOORE ALSO DROPS GLORIA STEINEM ROLE IN 'LOVELACE '

By Mary Papenfuss,  Newser Staff

Posted Jan 25, 2012 1:54 AM CST | Updated Jan 25, 2012 10:41 AM CST
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(NEWSER) – Demi Moore suffered an epileptic seizure Monday night before being rushed to the hospitalRadar reports. She is now being treated for substance abuse, "anorexia, as well as other issues that caused her seizure," a source says. "She has not taken care of her health at all lately and has lost a ton of weight." Meanwhile, Moore has backed out of a movie project, her reps tell TMZ. She had planned to appear as feminist icon Gloria Steinem inLovelace, but has now canceled.
Her spokespeople continue to insist Moore is being treated for exhaustion. As for ex Ashton Kutcher, where was he during all this? Surfing and drinking in Brazil, the Mirror reports.