Earlier this week Mark Wahlberg's interview with Men's Journal revealed that the actor fancies himself a real life action hero. He told the magazine that he was scheduled to be on one of the planes that flew into the Twin Towers on September 11th, adding: "If I was on that plane with my kids, it wouldn't have went down like it did. There would have been a lot of blood in that first-class cabin and then me saying,'OK, we’re going to land somewhere safely, don't worry.'" The only thing that could have made this worse is if he were actually developing a movie where his character single-handedly stopped 9/11 from happening (maybe he is?). Anyway, he has since apologized, but the relatives of the victims killed on 9/11 want him to show up to the memorial in person. more ›

[UPDATE BELOW] Not to be outdone by Gwyneth Paltrow, who only saved one woman's life on 9/11, actor Mark Wahlberg has now told Men's Journal that he could have stopped 9/11 from ever happening! Actor Mark Wahlberg needs to stop reading so many movie scripts! more ›

The Wallberg brothers—that would be Donnie "New Kids On The Block" and Mark "Marky Mark"—have licensed the name Wahlburger from Rochester-based burger chain Tom Wahl's in order to open up their own Wahlburgers Restaurant in their hometown of Bahston. more ›

Short Cuts will be a regular feature here, delivering some recent bits of news from the big screen. more ›

It was only last week that Yankees captain Derek Jeter was on the top of the world at the ticker tape parade celebrating the team's 27th—and his fifth—World Series win. But today the Post has him on its cover, looking pretty raggedy. Why? more ›

After recent renovations, the rock club Webster Hall is attempting to bring more rock to counterbalance its heavy "club" reputation. The Times takes a peek at the new look of the 123-year-old club trying to span the gamut of musical genres in the same way that big music festivals around the country have been able to succeed in the iPod era. One fellow club owner said, “It’s not an easy transition to become a rock club, and they’re not necessarily going after the same audience...But they have a great location, and...they should do fine.” The Times went to a recent CSS show at Webster and noted how "cheesy dance tunes" like Marky Mark's "Good Vibrations" served as house music before the band hit the stage. A 22-year-old woman in attendance said, "When I was 10 and listening to Z100, they would keep saying, ‘Come hear the beats at Webster Hall.' I guess I finally did.” more ›

Okay, one more Golden Globe video for the road. After weeks of silence about his abrupt departure from Broadway's Speed-the-Plow, actor Jeremy Piven was finally cornered on the red carpet last night and had no choice but to comment about his recent "mercury poisoning." Naturally, the question about his illness wasn't prompted by the "reporter" doing the interview (Tiki Barber), but by Piven's Entourage buddy Mark Wahlberg, who facetiously wondered if mercury poisoning is contagious. Piven did not seem too amused by the jape. more ›

After weeks of speculation and buildup, Sarah Palin finally appeared on Saturday Night Live last night, playing herself in two separate bits on the show. Despite the star power of the cold opening that on top of Palin and Tina Fey featured appearances from Mark Wahlberg and Alec Baldwin, the sketch fell a little flat when compared to the instant classics that Fey has been cranking out all fall. more ›

Not to be outshined by Obama's roasting of McCain, or Tina Fey's spot-on impersonation of her, Sarah Palin might be making a cameo on SNL this weekend (after flip-flopping about appearing). The show isn't confirming anything just yet, but the Daily News notes a good fit, with the episode being hosted by Josh Brolin, who stars in Oliver Stone's film "W" about President Bush. If Palin does in fact show up, Mark Wahlberg may have a harder time getting through security. Following the parody Andy Samberg did of him last week, the actor said on Jimmy Kimmel last night: "When I see that kid, I'm gonna crack that big f*cking nose of his...and then I'm gonna tell him 'Say hi to your mother for me." He added: "I'm gonna get on a plane tomorrow, I'm gonna go down to 30 Rock or wherever the f*ck they shoot that show, he probably doesn't have a dressing room so I have to find him in the cafeteria or wherever, and I'm gonna slap him in the big nose. Tune in, I gauran-f*ckin-tee you." Looks like someone can't take a joke. more ›

It's been a long time since one cast member on Saturday Night Live has grabbed almost all the attention focused on the show and Tina Fey technically isn't even a cast member right now. But for the third time in four weeks since the show returned, Fey was front and center in the opening sketch as the doppelganger she seems to refine and heighten a little every week, Sarah Palin. more ›

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We'd expect a lack of municipal fealty from most people in show business, but we were disappointed to hear that Al Pacino and Robert De Niro would be turning up a chance to shoot in the city in exchange for a building in Connecticut with a NYC backdrop behind it. The New York Post reported briefly that some scenes of the in-production film "Righteous Kill" will be posing scenes set in NYC in Stamford, CT, with backdrops outside the windows of an actual building illustrating New York. The film has been shooting in New Haven and Norwalk, CT for weeks and was lured to the Nutmeg State by tax breaks for film companies. more ›

In advance of an official press conference at The Palace Theater today, The Times and The Post have reported that Spike Lee will be make his Broadway debut next spring with the 1951 play Stalag 17; a dramedy about camaraderie and betrayal between American airmen stuck in a German P.O.W camp (later made into a film by Billy Wilder.) Sources say that Clive Owen will once again be Spike’s inside man on the project. (Though Mark Wahlberg is also in the running.) more ›

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7:06PM First thoughts: Gael Garcia Bernal is so cute. Ryan Seacrest is an idiot, as are Joan and Melissa Rivers. But we want to know what Jennifer Lopez is wearing! (It turns out to be Marchesa.) more ›

André 3000 and Big Boi bring their Grammy-winning mojo to the big screen this week with their much anticipated musical, Idlewild. Set in a '30s speakeasy complete with marcel wave hairdos and juke joint stepping, the movie also coincides with the release of a new OutKast record featuring songs from the flick. Hopefully director Bryan Barber has made something be more substantial than one terribly long, theme music video. Some might argue drinking lots of beer will make you stupider, but it can't be nearly as brain cell draining as , a new movie from the Super Trooper guys. Though maybe with a few in you and your favorite frat boy in tow, it could be worth a chuckle or two. more ›

It's all about Brokeback these days: This morning, Kate Beckinsale, Mark Wahlberg, and Steve Carrell announced the 63rd Annual Golden Globe nominations, and Brokeback Mountain walked away with 7 nominations, including Best Picture (Drama), Director, Actor, Supporting Actress (Michelle Williams). Match Point, the unreleased Woody Allen movie, also got nods in Picture and Director, plus Supporting Actress Scarlett Johnanssen. As for the TV nominations, the ladies of Wisteria Lane took four leading actress nominations, giving Weeds' Mary Louise Parker a good shot of winning, though Felicity Huffman and Marcia Cross were fierce this year. We do want to say this, though: Kristen Bell, you were robbed! more ›

Does FreshDirect explain its "no tipping" policy to its employees? Because Tessa on Metroblogging recounted getting mugged by her FreshDirect delivery guy last week:

The delivery guy who was a cross between Mark Wahlberg and Kevin Federline told me tipping was optional. I told him I knew. He then said "Where's my tip?" more ›

Gothamist on the West Side development. And there's an underrated movie from 2000 called The Yards, starring Mark Wahlberg and Joaquin Phoenix, about the abandoned railyards in Queens. more ›

There is also contiuning debate about the best way to show victims' names - with or without signifying their occupation as emergency worker, etc. more ›

It's good to know that Winona Ryder is basically like the Welcome Wagon for any semi-cute up-and-coming would-be rocker - at least someone is looking out for the lads. That's why she was the focus of a VH1 All Access:Winona Rules! Truly, it makes sense for Winona to be featured, because as Courtney Love says, as quoted on the show's site, "You’re no one in music until you have feuded with me or until you sleep with Winona!” more ›