It's a service that 'guarantees freedom from paparazzi'. And it's called 'AntiRazzi'.

This is from their press release:

AntiRazzi's service provides professional, dedicated photographers or "Personal Paparazzi" for persons wishing to rid themselves of the scourge of so-called "Stalkerazzi." AntiRazzi provides hundreds of candid, high-quality, professionally shot photographs daily to subscribing publishers at cut-rate discounts, thus removing the economic incentives that drive Paparazzi and lowering substantial costs to publishers.

AntiRazzi provides a private marketplace of daily candid and exclusive photographs in large volume through an online, auction-style e-commerce system. Exclusive photos and unique, candid offerings can be licensed through the online AntiRazzi marketplace, preserving the ability for publishers to maintain quality content while also providing economic incentives to the subjects themselves.

Uhm, isn't this like treating a burn with a hot iron? The cure is the same as the disease.

As if we could make that up. Thanks Nikki!

Just kidding. It's just their big May shindig isn't as big this year.

The broadcast network upfronts aren't going to be as extravagant as years past.

From Variety:

What's more, most of the five major broadcast networks -- still reeling from the loss of revenue due to the strike -- are dramatically scaling back the number of L.A. staffers they plan to send to Gotham next month. Some talent agencies have also cut back their upfront contingents, telling some younger agents they'll have to stay home this year.

"It's going to be slim pickings this year," one TV biz insider said. "Everything is being cut back."

We smell reality show! It's The Apprentice meets Survivor and it's written without paying writers! Cough.

Hey - that's our job!

The first one we went to took place on Sunday morning. It was the "On Page and Screen" panel was moderated by Ron Hogan of GalleyCat. The panelists were Tom Epperson who's Billy Bob Thorton's occasional writing partner, Chris Miller of Animal House fame, Mark Frost writer for Twin Peaks and Gary David Goldberg creator of Family Ties.

This panel was - no surprise here - very entertaining. The panelists were all fun and engaging. Gary David Goldberg when asked how he got into the business said, "The thing that worked for me is that I was wildly unsuccessful at everything else. I wanted to play center fielder for the Brooklyn Dodgers and had no back up plan." He then went on to say that by the age of 31 he hadn't finished college or filed a tax return.

As aspiring slackers - we found that inspirational.

Chris Miller, who is writing a memoir about the real Animal House was asked about how that project came into being. Essentially it was a short story written for National Lampoons, then that became a movie and 25 years later he's now writing a book about it. Miller explained it like this,"It went page, screen, page".

Inevitably when the word 'memoir' was brought up this year - the names "Margaret B. Jones" or "Peggy Seltzer" were also mentioned. We heard that this was true of even the fiction panel. Anyway, the question was posed to Miller who said,"I tried my best to tell it like it happened, but I was really hammered."

During the Q&A the panel was asked about their relationships with co-writers. Mark Frost said,"The only co-writer I've ever had was David Lynch." Which drew huge laughter. Then he continued,"So I've seen what life is like on other planets."

Tom Epperson, was asked about his co-writer credits and cleared up that he was in fact not the co-writer of Sling Blade as was relayed by the moderator. We saw Ron Hogan blush. It was worth the price of admission. Which, for press people was free. But still. A lessor moderator would have made themselves into the story. But not Hogan.

People were also very interested in hearing about Family Ties. They asked about the casting decision not to have Matthew Broderick play the character Alex P. Keaton. Goldberg said that Micheal J. Fox is one of only 5 actors who is actually like you want him to be. He named Tom Hanks as another one. "Originally the only audience we'd get is the people that didn't get in to watch Jonie Love Chachi. They weren't exactly happy to be there. Then we started to notice that they would all lean forward when Micheal was on." And thus the show became about Alex P. Keaton.

As you may know comedian Bill Maher mentioned something about the Pope being a Nazi on his show two weeks ago. Now there are Catholics miffed over the remark and calls to have Maher fired...again. We talked to friend and guest of Maher's John Fugelsang to see what he had to say about the matter.

FBLA: John, thanks so much for taking time out to talk to us. We've been curious what you'd have to say about this.

JF: I need to declare my biases up front. I was raised Catholic, my mother's a former nun & my father was a Franciscan brother. I helped teach a catechumenate course at the NYU Catholic center, and I've done standup about the church & the bible for years.

I also appeared on "Politically Incorrect" over 20 times - I once debated Jerry Falwell on Bill's show. I've opened for Bill Maher, I did an hour long cable interview special with him last year and he's been incredibly supportive.

FBLA: What do you think of Bill Maher's comments about the pope?

JF: Bill Maher's comments were jokes, and intended as such. Notice how these Catholics aren't outraged at the pedophilia, nor the coverups - no, they're upset at a late night comic.

Bill was incorrect to say Benedict "used to be a Nazi." He was a teenage boy in Germany, and forced to join the Hitler Youth. If you're a kid in Nazi Germany, you had to join. And you can't just quit the Hitler youth if you feel like it. It's not the Texas National Guard.

It's also not been confirmed that Benedict himself was involved directly in any coverup. But he was named as a defendant in a number of lawsuits - and the White House subsequently intervened, saying that he could not be sued as a "head of state." - of course, Paula Jones suing Bill Clinton? Still fine.

check this out....

Bill's joke - "The Catholic Church's attitude is, "We're here, we're queer, get used to it" may have been funny, but it missed the point on the Vatican's Un-Christian Homophobia. Remember - Benedict and his emissaries have tried to blame the Pedophillia on Gay Priests. That's nonsense. Every society that keeps statistics has shown that the vast majority of pedophiles are heterosexual males.

There are Gay Priests - plenty of 'em. But they're not molesting anyone - they've got boyfriends.

continued...

Ousted former Showtime exec Mark Greenberg, who was rumored to have clashed with Showtime CEO Matthew Blank is expected to be named chief executive officer of a new pay TV channel and online service. To compete with - you guessed it - Showtime!

From Business Week:

Viacom's (VIA) Paramount Pictures, MGM, and Lions Gate Entertainment (LGF) announced Apr. 20 they would team up to launch a new pay TV channel that would have a strong online offering as well. Viacom will be providing operational support to the channel through its MTV Networks division. The announcement came as the three studios were opting not to renew their deals to supply Showtime with their movies, after the channel asked them to lower their fees. In addition to showing movies, the channel will develop original programs.

When your inception is rife with rivalry and backstabbing - we're already entertained by your channel.

Yep. You're good.

A friend of FBLA gave us this graphic.

They see a sequel. We see a live tour.

Hollywood Reporter has a feature about the very civil debate going on among Bush's biographers about the upcoming movie directed by Oliver Stone.

Bill Block was quoted saying:

"When you embark on something as important as this," he said, "the truth is extremely important, and Oliver is relentless about the truth and facts."

Well, at least someone should be.