Musing from the City of a Thousand Lakes

Archive for the ‘Entertainment’ Category

David Cook: The New American Idol

In American Idol, David Cook, Entertainment, ពីនេះពីនោះ on Thursday, May 22, 2008 at 10:53 PM

If you’ve been closely following this year’s American Idol this year, you should know who this dude is. Receiving 12 million votes, he is this year’s American Idol!

Honestly I’ve been a fan of his since the start of the season. He has a voice of a rock star! His voice is so versatile that it allows him to sing almost any types of rock. In fact listening to him reminds me of Chris Daughtry, another singer I like who was the fourth finalist from two seasons ago.

Way to go, David! I wish you all the best in your entertainment career! I have no doubt you’ll be the next BIG STAR!

David singing Mariah Carey’s “Always Be My Baby.” Isn’t his voice great? I thought this version is way better that Mariah’s.

Cook’s version of Lionel Richie’s all-time favorite “Hello”

The American Idol Result Announcement. Exciting moment for David. :)

Ronan Keating Live in Phnom Penh

In Cambodia, Entertainment, Music, Social Events on Friday, April 13, 2007 at 2:02 AM

Via ZJ: Are you ready? Cambodia is about to stage its biggest international music event ever with a concert by worldwide singing sensation Ronan Keating.

Ronan (30), who is famous for number 1 hits ‘If Tomorrow Never Comes’, ‘Life’s a Rollercoaster’ and ‘When You Say Nothing At All’ as well as his work with boyband Boyzone, will perform at a concert to be held at the Indoor Arena of the Olympic Stadium on May 9th 2007. The performance will start at 7.30pm.

Tickets can be purchased at $15, $25 and $65 through a telephone ticket hotline at 012-999-099.

ALONE

In Entertainment, Movies, Thailand on Wednesday, February 28, 2007 at 10:35 AM

A new movie from my friend’s company

DEDICATE

in cooperation with

GMM Tai Hub and PHENOMENA

Synopsis:

Looking through Pim’s life, she is just another ordinary woman. She moved from Thailand and started a new life in Korea with her caring and loving husband.

But one night, a phone call from Thailand changed her life forever. Pim learns that her mom is gravely ill with an unknown disease, and she and her husband Lee rushed back to Thailand. The moment she arrives in Thailand, the flashbacks begin–painful memories, long buried, along with a strange familiar feeling. These things only grow stronger as she reaches the house where she grew up. She is inundated with a nostalgia that is sweet, but with an undercurrent of terror, a realization that someone is “there,” right beside her, always. And that someone had always been there.

The secret of Pim and her family has slowly been revealed: She was once a Siamese twin. Ten years ago, Pim and her conjoined twin sister underwent an operation to separate them, but her sister died during the attempt. And now Pim suddenly feels her presence once more, relentlessly.

Oscar 2007 Winners

In Entertainment, Movies, ពីនេះពីនោះ on Monday, February 26, 2007 at 9:24 AM

Here is the shortlist for the 79th Academy Awards, held at the Kodak Theatre in Los Angeles, with the winners listed in bold:

Director Martin Scorsese finally won best director after five previous nominations. The 64-year-old’s mob epic, The Departed also took best picture.

 

Best picture
The Departed
Babel
Letters From Iwo Jima
Little Miss Sunshine
The Queen

 

Best director
Martin Scorsese, The Departed

Clint Eastwood, Letters From Iwo Jima
Stephen Frears, The Queen
Paul Greengrass, United 93
Alejandro Gonzales Inarritu, Babel

 

Best actor
Forest Whitaker, The Last King of Scotland

Leonardo DiCaprio, Blood Diamond
Ryan Gosling, Half Nelson
Peter O’Toole, Venus
Will Smith, The Pursuit of Happyness

 

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Just Seen: EPIC MOVIE

In Entertainment, Movies on Friday, February 2, 2007 at 1:56 PM

I had a blast watching this movie.. What’s bad was that it was the shortest movie I’d seen. Only one-hour long. Damn short!

D3ngu3 F3v3r Inf3cTioN

In Cambodia, Entertainment, Music, My Life, ពីនេះពីនោះ on Sunday, January 21, 2007 at 3:18 AM

BREAKING NEWS! BREAKING NEWS! BREAKING NEWS!

Dengue fever, an acute mosquito-borne tropical disease with a geographical spread similar to Malaria, rocked Pailin City Restaurant in Lowell, Massachussetts, tonight.

Hold your breath, guys! I am just kidding.. ;)

The ‘Dengue Fever‘ I am talking here is nothing that dangerous. It is actually an LA-based Khmerican music band, which is transmitting itself through music and resulting in nothing worse than 1970s Cambodian surf-rock flashbacks… A no ordinary band, Dengue Fever was formed in 2001 by American rocker Ethan Holtzman and his brother Zac after Ethan was inspired by Cambodian rock-n-roll during a trip to Cambodia. The band was later joined by bassist Senon Williams, drummer Paul Smith and saxophonist David Ralicke. Somehow the charismatic force that holds this fantastic band together is a famous Cambodian singer, Chhom Nimol, whom the band recruited after scouring the scene in Long Beach , which is home to the largest Cambodian population outside Cambodia, for a front woman to interpret the Khmer-language songs that so compelled them.

Personally, I’ve heard about them from friends ages ago. I have been very impressed by their style of music, which blends Cambodian and Western music flavors together so well.. I just couldn’t believe I finally saw them performing live, thanks to my good buddy Decker…

With an entrance fee of $35, the show came with a five-course dinner, which indeed was not a bad deal. Joining us there were three of Decker’s Cambodian friends–Dewey, Sinath and Sinan, who were all so friendly and entertaining. Although it was our first time meeting each other, we all just hit it off . As soon as the music started, we, specially I, just could not resist anymore. We danced like crazy throughout the show.. What a blast!

Decker said a Cambodian fundraising music show is coming up on Feb 2, and he is going to take me there… As for Dewey, she is also in the process of organizing two major events for this coming Khmer New Year and July. I really look forward to all of them… OMG! Can’t believe I am feeling so much at home here.. :) Big thanks to you, buddies Decker and Dewey!

As for now, please enjoy some backstage pictures I got with the artists.. :)

Me and the band

With Mr. Zac the Long Beard

Tu Amor

In Entertainment, Music on Sunday, December 31, 2006 at 9:14 PM

Mi amor I’m not sure of the right words to say
Maybe these simple words will do best to best explain
What I feel in my heart
What I feel more each day
How to make you see
How to let you know
How to say how to say how I love you so
With words you understand
Words that get right through to your heart
Here’s the place to start

Chorus:
Tu Amor, I will always be
Tu Amor, means the world to me
Esteras siempre en mi corazon
You’re the one in my soul
And I live for tu amor, tu amor

Mi amor love you more with each look in your eyes
Maybe these simple words will do best to best describe
What I feel in my heart
What I’ll feel for all time
How to make you see
How to let you know
How to say how to say how
I need you

With words you understand
Words that get through to your soul
Words that will let you know

Chorus:
Tu Amor, I will always be
Tu Amor, means the world to me
Esteras siempre en mi corazon
You’re the one in my soul
And I live for tu amor, tu amor

Bridge:
You’re the one that
I need in my arms
Believe me these words
I say are words that come straight from my heart
How do I make you believe
Nothing else means as much as what you mean to me

Chorus:
Tu Amor, I will always be
Tu Amor, means the world to me
Esteras siempre en mi corazon
You’re the one in my soul
And I live for tu amor, tu amor

Preap Sovath and U2 Band’s America Tour

In Cambodia, Entertainment, United States on Sunday, December 17, 2006 at 9:58 PM

At Double Tree Hotel in Lowell, MA

At Khemara Restaurant in Lowell, MA

My Favorite Pinoy Singers

In Entertainment, Music on Saturday, December 16, 2006 at 12:12 PM

How Did You Know?

By Gary Valenciano

from my favorite movie, “All My Love”

The Way You Look At Me

By Christian Beautista

Especially For You & Getting Over You

By MYMP

A Close-Up of Andre Kim’s Fashion Show at Angkor

In Arts and Culture, Cambodia, Entertainment, Korea, Social Events, ពីនេះពីនោះ on Thursday, December 14, 2006 at 3:00 PM

Famous Korean actress Kim See-hun. She recently starred in “The Myth” with Jackie Chan. I really like her. She is too hot to resist…

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Angelina Jolie Feeds Maddox Crickets!

In Cambodia, Entertainment, Food on Thursday, December 14, 2006 at 11:08 AM

Most mums are bent on feeding their kids nutritious food, and Hollywood beauty Angelina Jolie is not to be left behind, for the actress is feeding insects to her adopted son Maddox.

The actress, 31, and partner BRAD PITT bought the five-year-old a plate of crickets a delicacy in the tot’s native Cambodia.

“I recently took Mad to Cambodia and it was the first trip there where he really understood it. We took him to a restaurant in the middle of the night and he had his first plate of crickets,” she was quoted by the Sun, as saying.

The high-protein bugs are popular in the South East Asian country. They are often served with guts intact.

Angelina herself has previously eaten cockroaches and bee larvae and wants to learn how to cook them at home. (ANI)

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

In Entertainment, Harry Potter, Movies on Thursday, November 30, 2006 at 11:11 AM

Finally the fifth movie is coming out! I really can’t wait for July 13, 2007.

Just Seen: Stranger Than Fiction

In Entertainment, Movies, ពីនេះពីនោះ on Monday, November 13, 2006 at 10:29 PM

One morning, a seemingly average and generally solitary IRS agent named Harold Crick begins to hear a female voice narrating his every action, thought and feeling in alarmingly precise detail. Harold’s carefully controlled life is turned upside down by this narration only he can hear, and when the voice declares that Harold Crick is facing imminent death, he realizes he must find out who is writing his story and persuade her to change the ending.

 The voice in Harold’s head turns out to be the once celebrated, but now nearly forgotten, novelist Karen “Kay” Eiffel, who is struggling to find an ending for what might be her best book. Her only remaining challenge is to figure out a way to kill her main character, but little does she know that Harold Crick is alive and well and inexplicably aware of her words and her plans for him. To make matters worse, Kay’s publisher has dispatched a hard-nosed “assistant,” Penny Escher, to force Kay to finish her novel and finish off Harold Crick.

Desperate to take control of his destiny and avoid an untimely demise, Harold seeks help from a literary theorist named Jules Hilbert, who suggests that Harold might be able to change his fate by turning his story from a tragedy into a comedy. Professor Hilbert suggests that Harold try to follow one of comedy’s most elemental formulas: a love story between two people who hate each other. His suggestion leads Harold to initiate an unlikely romance with a free-spirited baker named Ana Pascal. As Harold experiences true love and true life for the first time, he becomes convinced that he has escaped his fate, as his story seems to be taking on all the trappings of a comedy in which he will not, and cannot, die. But Harold is unaware that in a Karen Eiffel tragedy, the lead characters always die at exactly the moment when they have the most to live for.

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Art Thomya: A Rising Superstar

In Entertainment, Friends, Music, SSEAYP, Thailand on Saturday, November 11, 2006 at 5:04 PM

 

Born and raised in Thailand, Art has lived in the UK and France and represented Thailand in various cultural exchange programs in Japan, Norway, Malaysia, Singapore, Vietnam, Brunei, The Philippines, Indonesia, and Korea.

Awarded first prize of Chulalongkorn University Singing Contest while being an engineering student, Art also won other two national-level singing competitions in Thailand, involving 11,000 contestants in 1999.

In 2002, he was selected to play a leading role in ‘A Different Kind of Truth’, a musical production at the University of London and took part in Bangkok production of ‘Jesus Christ Superstar’, a musical by Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber.

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Casino Royale: A New 007 Movie

In Entertainment, Movies on Tuesday, November 7, 2006 at 3:31 PM

In theater on November 17! Anyone wanna go with me?

Summary:

James Bond’s first 007 mission takes him to Madagascar, where he is to spy on a terrorist Mollaka. Not everything goes as planned and Bond decides to investigate, independently of the M16 agency, in order to track down the rest of the terrorist cell. Following a lead to the Bahamas, he encounters Dimitrios and his girlfriend, Solange. He learns that Dimitrios is involved with Le Chiffre, banker to the world’s terrorist organizations. Secret Service intelligence reveals that Le Chiffre is planning to raise money in a high-stakes poker game in Montenegro at Le Casino Royale. M16 assigns 007 to play against him, knowing that if Le Chiffre loses, it will destroy his organization. ‘M’ places Bond under the watchful eye of the beguiling Vesper Lynd. At first skeptical of what value Vesper can provide, Bond’s interest in her deepens as they brave danger together–and even torture at the hands of Le Chiffre. In Montenegro, Bond allies himself with Matthis, M16’s local field agent, and Felix Leiter, who is representing the interests of the CIA. The marathon game proceeds with dirty tricks and violence, raising the stakes beyond blood money and reaching a terrifying climax.

Eyeteasing Trailer:

ចម្រៀងបុណ្យអុំទូក

In Cambodia, Entertainment, Music on Saturday, November 4, 2006 at 11:28 PM

 

ប្រទីបពណ៌មាស

ដោយ សួស សងវាចា និង ម៉េង កែវពេជ្ជតា

 

ឆៃយ៉ាំទូកយើង

ដោយ រិន សាវ៉េត និង ម៉េង កែវពេជ្ជតា

 

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កម្រងចម្រៀងខ្មែរថ្មីៗ

In Cambodia, Entertainment, Music on Saturday, October 28, 2006 at 5:33 PM

 

ចុះចាញ់

ដោយ យក់ ថិតរដ្ឋា

 

ស្រមោលច័ន្ទក្នុងផ្ទៃទឹក

ដោយ ម៉េង កែវពេជ្ជតា និង សាពូន មីដាដា

 

គ្មានអ្វីត្រូវស្តាយ

ដោយ ព្រាប សុវត្ថិ

 

ព្រះស្រីក្នុងចិត្ត

ដោយ រិន សាវ៉េត

 

The Story of the Dog

In Arts and Culture, Entertainment, United States, ពីនេះពីនោះ on Saturday, October 14, 2006 at 9:11 PM

Courtesy of Beth Kanter

Cambodian Puppet Theater

In Arts and Culture, Cambodia, Entertainment, Friends, My Life, Social Events, United States on Saturday, October 14, 2006 at 2:13 AM

A Cambodian puppet show titled the Story of the Dog rocked Providence, RI this Friday night. Another revolution in Khmer performing arts, the Story of the Dog is an east-meets-west piece newly co-set up by Cambodia-based Sovannaphum Khmer Arts Association and Sandglass Theater Company from Vermont, USA. Combining performers from both companies, the story integrates Sandglass’ characteristic puppet style with beautiful traditional Cambodian shadow puppets, dance, and music.

Coming with me were Beth, Walter and their kids–Harry and Sara. I am so glad that I made it there, despite the long distance from Boston. Somehow, the show has brought me closer to the Cambodian communities over here. Prior to and right after the show, I met so many Khmericans, some of whom, just like us, had travelled all the way from Boston and Lowell just to enjoy this masterpiece. I am so impressed by the tremendous support they, as well as almost 300 other American audience, have for Khmer arts and performances.

However, that’s not all. While we were waiting for the Q&A session with the artists, we noticed one white guy approaching us from the distance. Surprising us from behind, he said, “Hello Mongkol and Beth! How are you? Mongkol, how are things going with your study?” At first I thought he was Beth’s friend, but yet how did he know my name? Hmmm.. A big question, huh? Only later did I find out that his name was Decker and he was one of our regular blog readers. Decker is from the UK and currently resides in Providence. He loves Cambodia and viewing Cambodia-related blogs is one of his ways to get in touch with Cambodia. Well, what a coincidence! Nice to meet you, Decker! :D I hope to see you again sometimes. :p

Well, it’s 2 am now.. I guess I’ve been writing enough. That’s enough for tonight’s midnight oil. :) For now, please enjoy some of the pics and video clip I got from Providence..

Viva Cambodia! Viva Khmer Arts!

Our quick dinner at Whole Food Supermarket in downtown Providence before the show

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Just Seen: The Departed

In Entertainment, Movies, My Life on Friday, October 6, 2006 at 2:12 PM

TGIF! After a whole week of stress, it’s time for movie night.. I’ve just watched “The Departed” with my housemates, and it was cool.. If you love the Hong-Kong-made Infernal Affairsor are into action and crime movies, try this American version… It’s even better…

 REVIEW

The Departed is set in South Boston, where the state police force is waging war on organized crime. Young undercover cop Billy Costigan (Leonardo DiCaprio) is assigned to infiltrate the mob syndicate run by gangland chief Costello (Jack Nicholson). While Billy is quickly gaining Costello’s confidence, Colin Sullivan (Matt Damon), a hardened young criminal who has infiltrated the police department as an informer for the syndicate, is rising to a position of power in the Special Investigation Unit. Each man becomes deeply consumed by his double life, gathering information about the plans and counter-plans of the operations he has penetrated. But when it becomes clear to both the gangsters and the police that there’s a mole in their midst, Billy and Colin are suddenly in danger of being caught and exposed to the enemy — and each must race to uncover the identity of the other man in time to save himself.

Miss World 2006 Crowned

In Entertainment, Social Events, ពីនេះពីនោះ on Monday, October 2, 2006 at 1:32 AM

Contestants of Miss World 2006 perform in the Congress Hall in Warsaw. Czech beauty Tatana Kucharova won the Miss World title, in a glitzy finale of the beauty pageant broadcast to more than 200 countries from the Polish capital.(AFP/Janek Skarzynski)

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El Nin-Yo

In Entertainment, Music, Thailand on Tuesday, September 26, 2006 at 9:06 PM

This is a new hit from Tata’s latest album, Temperature Rising, which was also among the CDs I got today.

Dhoom Doom

In Entertainment, Music, Thailand on Tuesday, September 26, 2006 at 8:58 PM

One of the sexiest Thai singers, Tata Young is the first Thai singer to release an international album. We also have a Khmer version of this song. It was quite a big hit right before I left Cambodia.

ใจเอย! (ចិត្តអើយ!)

In Entertainment, Music, Thailand on Tuesday, September 26, 2006 at 8:50 PM

My new favorite from Marsha’s latest CD, the one I got this morning.

ฟังหัวใจตัวเอง (ស្តាប់បេះដូងខ្លួនឯង)

In Entertainment, Music, Thailand on Tuesday, September 26, 2006 at 8:46 PM

My all-time favorite from Marsha…

ខ្លុយស្នេហ៍ត្នោតទេរ

In Cambodia, Entertainment, Music on Tuesday, September 26, 2006 at 1:06 PM

Dragostea Din Tei: Personalized Version

In Entertainment, Music, Thailand, ពីនេះពីនោះ on Saturday, September 23, 2006 at 8:38 PM

A creative version of Dragostea Din Tei from my Thai friend Neil Nattavee.

The funny thing is that all the people acting funny in this clip are no superstars but Neil’s friends and colleagues.

Mr. Lonely

In Cambodia, Entertainment, Music, ពីនេះពីនោះ on Saturday, September 23, 2006 at 8:30 PM

Miss ASEAN to Miss World 2006. Who is the most beautiful?

In Entertainment, Social Events, ពីនេះពីនោះ on Saturday, September 9, 2006 at 12:53 AM

 

 

កម្ពុជា Cambodia

SUN Srey Mom (22, Student, 173cm)

ឥណ្ឌូនេស៊ី Indonesia

Kristania Virginia BESOUW (21, Student, 171cm)

ម៉ាឡេស៊ី Malaysia

Adeline Wan Ling CHOO (23, Student, 170cm)

Read the rest of this entry »

Miss Cambodia to Miss World 2006

In Cambodia, Entertainment, Social Events, ពីនេះពីនោះ on Thursday, September 7, 2006 at 3:16 AM

SUN SREY MOM (22, Student, 173cm)

Srey Mom was born and grew up in Kompong Cham, which is approximately 124 Km from Phnom Penh. She has completed high school with a secretarial diploma and is currently studying management at a local university. Her ambition is to become an air hostess. Srey Mom has also been a tour leader, cashier at a supermarket and basketball trainer for children. Her hobbies and leisure interests are basketball, traditional Khmer dancing, reading magazines and cooking. She also enjoys listening to romantic music. Her favourite food is stir-fried vegetables.

Personal motto is: ‘Work hard for the future’.

Miss Hong Kong China Janet Ka Wai Chow (L), Miss Indonesia Kristania Virginia Besouw (2nd L), Miss Cambodia Sun Srey Mom and Miss Australia Sabrina Houssami (R) applaud after a Chopin concert at the Lazienki park in Warsaw September 2, 2006. More than 100 candidates will take part in the 56th Miss World in the end of September in Poland.

Source: Miss World 2006 Official Website

 

Hun Sen bans Miss Cambodia contest! What do you think?

In Cambodia, Entertainment, Social Events, ពីនេះពីនោះ on Tuesday, September 5, 2006 at 6:26 PM

(Kyodo) _ Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen said Tuesday that he will not permit a Miss Cambodia contest until the country’s poverty rate drops to 15 percent from the current 35 percent.”As long as I remain as prime minister, a Miss Cambodian contest will only be permitted until the poverty rate drops to 15 percent or GDP (gross domestic product) per capita reaches $1,000 a year from the current $448,” he said.

Hun Sen earlier this year acknowledged his government’s failure to reduce poverty, saying it will likely affect at least 28 percent of the population even in 2015. Cambodia’s population currently stands at 14 million.

In July, Planet Communication Ltd., a local private events management company, and the Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts announced that a Miss Cambodia beauty pageant would be held in mid-August.

But it was subsequently called off after Hun Sen opposed it in a Cabinet meeting.

On Tuesday, Hun Sen said a beauty contest would produce no benefit and adversely affect the government’s budget.

“There is no need to show a Miss Cambodia at the international arena. The Angkor Wat temple should be a better choice,” he told villagers while in Svay Rieng province, about 115 kilometers east of Phnom Penh.

Kem Tola, marketing manager at Planet Communication, confirmed the cancellation of the event, but said his company would seek permission again next year.

There were Miss Cambodia competitions in 1993 and 1995 but no contest has been held since then.

Kai Overdance

In Entertainment, Friends, Laos, ពីនេះពីនោះ on Saturday, September 2, 2006 at 8:44 PM

I was browsing through youtube.com today.. So glad to find most of favorite Khmer songs there.. More special than that, I could even find my Lao friend Kai’s music video too.. For your information, Kai is a member of Overdance, one of the most popular pop bands in Laos. Besides having great beauty, Kai also has a great voice.. SSEAYP people are always cool. :)

Let’s check out one of her hot songs, Hoo Wa Huk Gun (ដឹងថាស្រឡាញ់គ្នា)

ស្រក់ទឹកភ្នែកមិនមែនគ្មានបញ្ហា

In Cambodia, Entertainment, ពីនេះពីនោះ on Saturday, September 2, 2006 at 8:29 PM

គ្មានអូនបងនៅជាបង

In Entertainment, ពីនេះពីនោះ on Saturday, September 2, 2006 at 4:47 PM

Vietnam’s Miss Capitals Contest

In Entertainment, ពីនេះពីនោះ on Monday, May 29, 2006 at 11:52 AM

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pictures courtesy of VietnamNet Bridge

Angelina Jolie Among Top 10 Most Generous Celebrities

In Cambodia, Entertainment on Friday, May 12, 2006 at 11:21 AM

 

Angelina, my idol

Angelina Jolie has been voted as one of top ten most generous celebrities in Hollywood by Forbes magazine. This super-idol of mine deserves it the title. She has been seriously associated with humanitarian works for refugees in the developing countries, esp in Cambodia, for quite sometime now.

Jolie has been a Goodwill Ambassador for the United Nations High Commission for Refugees since 2001. On October 12, 2005, Jolie was awarded the Global Humanitarian Award by the UNA-USA. HM King Norodom Sihamoni awarded Jolie with a Cambodian citizenship for her conservation work in the country in August 2005. She currently owns a house in Samlot, Battambang, where she occasionally visits with her Cambodian son, Maddox. I'm so proud of you, Angelina!

The other nine celebs in the list are:

  • Bono from U2
  • Oprah Winfrey
  • Action Star Jackie Chan
  • Nicholas Cage
  • Sandra Bullock
  • Steven Spielberg
  • Celine Dion
  • Paul McCartney
  • Arnold Schwarzenegger