Andy Sternberg

BONUS: Santa Monica-based Yahoo! Media Group presents: pre-Oscars video / hype; latest Oscar news/gossip, and MORE....

Last night, about 15 miles west of the Kodak Theatre -- a veritable light year -- Taylor Dayne and Doogie Howser starred in film awards gala skits of their own. Little Miss Sunshine took Best Picture, Director, and Supporting Male honors at Film Independent's Spirit Awards. Half Nelson took consolation for losing Best Picture by capturing Best Male (Ryan Gosling) and Best Female Lead (Shareeka Epps) awards. And America Ferrera set the bar for Oscar...

The New Yorker's Jane Mayer looks inside the mind of Joel Surnow, co-creator and producer of "24," and at the goings on behind-the-scenes of his San Fernando Valley production shop and LApocalypse (relax... it's only TV) incubator. Whatever it takes, yo. Happy Friday!...

This is your last warning. Don't go posting those Oscar screeners on the Internet. Not now, and not ever! After all, you could end up like Salvador Nunez Jr., a 27-year-old Norwalk resident who was charged today with copyright infringement. Nunez allegedly got DVD copies of Flushed Away from his sister, who has the privilege of reviewing cartoons for the Academy. The MPAA knows this because they imprint digital watermarks on all screeners in...

Thousands attended the Obama 2008 rally yesterday at Rancho Cienega in Crenshaw. We spoke to several Barack Obama supporters and found a variety of interests and goals bringing people together. To nobody's surprise, we found one common theme: Hope. Watch the video for more from the crowd and from Senator Obama himself....

The New York Times seems to think so. We can confirm that among the 800 or so who paid $2,300 a head to rub elbows with Barack Obama for a minute or two at the Beverly Hilton were: Jennifer Aniston, Burt Bacharach, Mario van Peebles, Stephen Spielberg, Arianna Huffington, Ben Stiller, Morgan Freeman, Zach Braff, Eddie Murphy, Ron Howard, Taye Diggs, Norman Lear, JJ Abrams, Paul Reiser, Christine Lahti, Jackson Browne, and Natalie Maines....

USC's Annenberg School for Communication has narrowed its search for a new dean to five candidates and will conduct meetings with the candidates -- open to students and faculty -- over the next few weeks. Last year Dean Geoffrey Cowan announced that he would step down after two five-year terms as dean of the Annenberg School, leading many to speculate on a qualified successor. He was endowed with the inaugural Annenberg Family Chair in Communication...

(l-r): Billy Bob Thornton, Marty Stuart, Porter Wagoner, and Dwight Yoakam perform a surprise set before Neko Case @ The Henry Fonda Theatre. Photo courtesy Ice Cream Man. For the first time in recent history, Hollywood was rattled by bonafide foot-stomping. Many in the audience at the Music Box last night had no idea what was taking place when Neko Case announced Porter Wagoner's intention to take over Hollywood. But a historic buzz took...

The Big Boys (pictured) kicked off a weekend of Mardis Gras festivities at Farmers Market LA at the Grove. Nothing crazy was in effect early -- but the bands and beads carry on through 9:30 tonight. Tomorrow from 12-8 the following bands perform: San Fernando Valley Banjo Band, 2nd Line Saviour's Parade Band, Lisa Haley & The Zydekats, Eddie Baytos & Nervis Brothers (schedule). Plus, the jambalaya at Gumbo Pot is damn tasty. Professor...

The NBA goes to Vegas for the weekend and we're blinded by the sideshow even before Charles Barkley takes the court to challenge 67-year-old NBA ref Dick Bavetta in a sprint-off. First, Timmay, and now... 41-year-old Scottie Pippen wants to return as a player?!? Coincidentally, the Lakers are in the midst of their roughest stretch of the season having dropped 7 of 10. Phil and friends are definitely in need of a little somethin' somethin'....