Blogante Entertainment

The birth of her twins Max and Emme seems to have awakened the philanthropist in Jennifer López. The Puerto Rican singer will devote some of her time to helping sick kids. JLo will host the third annual Noche de Niños gala to benefit the Children’s Hospital in Los Angeles, CA, as reported by the Associated Press. The 39-year-old singer and actress will help coordinate the fundraising event, which will include a performance by husband Marc Anthony. Mexican rock band Maná, Spanish singer Alejandro Sanz and Colombian pop sensation Juanes are also confirmed. “*

After spending various days at a hospital in Mexico City, Leonardo Arámbula, the brother and manager of actress Aracely Arámbula, will be released and continue his recovery from home, as reported on Televisa’s TV show La oreja. “*

Beauty reigned during one of the year’s most awaited nights. On Wednesday, People en Español’s 50 Most Beautiful party took over club Mansion. A constellation of stars walked the red carpet of this posh New York nightclub, surrounded by limousines. The cold weather and their busy work schedules were not enough to stop our ‘Bellos’ from attending their own bash. They travelled exclusively to ‘the city that never sleeps’ not to miss this glamorous party… even if it meant taking a redeye flight back home.
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In celebration of the highly anticipated worldwide premiere of “Julieta Venegas MTV Unplugged,” MTV Tr3s is giving Julieta fans an unprecedented and intimate look at the Mexican singer/songwriter through its marquee “Artists Speaking Tr3s” superstar campaign, beginning on May 16th. The campaign will run for more than six weeks and features nine vignettes, co-created with Julieta, that show a side of her that fans have never before seen. There’s also exclusive programming, online and mobile experiences and several exclusive performances and appearances that make up “Artists Speaking Tr3s: Julieta Venegas.”

“In this Artists Speaking Tr3s campaign, Julieta is literally surrounded by LOVE because it is a recurring source of inspiration for her,” explains Jesus Lara, Senior Vice President of Music and Talent, MTV Tr3s and MTV/VH1 Latin America.

Created by the MTV Tr3s On-Air Promotions team in collaboration with the artist, Julieta’s nine vignettes feature stripped down versions of the world to provide a clean and aesthetic place where Julieta plays, talks and interacts with LOVE. The vignettes explore the different ways and forms in which she does this, from living it, talking about it, using it and expressing it in her writing, music and songs.

In addition to the extensive on-air promo campaign, Julieta will also be featured in exclusive and multiplatform programming such as “Videologia” (May 26th at 9 PM) and “Making MTV Unplugged (May 26th at 9:30 PM) and the premiere of “Julieta Venegas MTV Unplugged” (June 5th at 9 PM).

Starting May 16th, viewers can learn more about Julieta’s MTV Unplugged by visiting http://www.unplugged.mtvtr3s.com. “Julieta Venegas MTV Unplugged” will be available in full on http://www.unplugged.mtvtr3s.com starting June 5th, and affiliated programming will be posted to the site prior to the show’s airdate. Throughout the campaign, users can learn more about Julieta via her MTV Tr3s artist page packed with music videos new and old, Artists Speaking Tr3s vignettes, a behind-the-scenes of Artists Speaking Tr3s video exclusive, photos, bios and more. MTV Tr3s Mobile will feature long-form versions of the on-air promos.

On June 17th, New York’s Times Square will be flooded with fans anxious to catch a glimpse of Julieta as she makes an appearance on “Mi TRL,” which will be projected on a public jumbo 44 1/2 foot video screen for all to see. Julieta will follow her “Mi TRL” taping with an appearance at the Virgin Megastore at 7 PM where she will autograph copies of her “Julieta Venegas MTV Unplugged” CD/DVD, which is being released the same day by Sony/BMG. “Mi TRL” featuring Julieta airs on June 19th at 4 PM.

The “Artists Speaking Tr3s” campaign with Julieta Venegas wraps up on Saturday July 12th when the channel sponsors a free concert with her as part of New York Summerstage.

“Julieta Venegas is one of those rare artists who is known not only for her amazing musical talent but also for her distinct interpretive style which has earned her fans throughout the world,” added Lara. “Julieta was the muse of LOVE in our Artists Speaking Tr3s campaign and only MTV Tr3s is able to present her in such an innovative way. It was exciting to provide her with the creative platform of the Artists Speaking Tr3s campaign and we are thrilled to provide our audience with such a special look at her and her music.”

MTV Tr3s selects superstar Latino artists throughout the year for its “Artists Speaking Tr3s” campaign and collaborates with them on the creation of distinctive, customized spots that offer fans the most intimate television programming experience — an unprecedented and unique look at their favorite artists, their music and their lives. Previous “Artists Speaking Tr3s” artists include Aventura, Enrique Iglesias, and AB Quintanilla.

“Julieta Venegas MTV Unplugged” provided an acoustic platform for Julieta to showcase new songs and perform some of her biggest hits in an intimate setting before a live audience. During the show, she integrated an eclectic mix of rhythm and harmony by incorporating an array of instruments including the tuba, clarinet, xylophone, flute and a string quartet, among others, giving a new twist to some of her classic hits such as “Limón y Sal,” “Lento” and “Me Voy.” New songs included “El Presente”, “Algún Día”, “Mira la Vida” and “Ilusión.”

MTV Tr3s (http://www.mtvtr3s.com) is the most widely distributed TV network dedicated to superserving today’s bicultural Latino youth and is currently seen in 6.3 million Hispanic TV households and 33.3 million total TV households. Music programming is at the core of MTV Tr3s and the channel features hitmakers, emerging artists and new sounds that resonate with young U.S. Latinos and celebrate their hybrid identity and culture. In addition to music programming, the MTV Tr3s programming slate features lifestyle series, news, documentaries and other long-form programs.”*

Pepe Aguilar’s Mexican pride is reflected in the title of his latest CD, “100% Mexicano.”

For Aguilar, one of the most popular commercial ranchera singers, the album, which won a Grammy last year for best Mexican-American/Mexican album, marks his return to “banda,” the regional Mexican music that launched his career in the early 1990s.

Aguilar had taken a hiatus from the style to focus on recording a variety of mariachi, but says it’s time to say it loud and say it proud.”*

The equation’s a simple one: Nortec equals norteño plus techno, and the combo is kind of like dipping pizza in mustard or barbecue sauce, or both, when you’ve run out of ranch dressing.

Rockabilly comes close as far as splicing together two genres goes, but it winds up sounding nowhere nearly as preposterous as smearing a bouncy house track with a thick polka bass line that’s piled with brass. That’s norteño.

Borders, both cultural and physical, bring out the oddest of what lies on either side, especially in this sun-drenched corner of the world where Latin America, California and the Pacific Ocean collide.“*

How to turn a social problem into an existential drama? Sangre de Mi Sangre (Blood of My Blood), a first feature written and directed by Columbia-educated Christopher Zalla, makes an end run around liberal shibboleth by treating the situation of Mexican illegals as the subject for a miserabilist thriller—complete with issues of lost and found identity.

On the whole, Zalla’s strategy pays off. Slick and energetic as it is, Sangre de Mi Sangre won the grand-jury prize (as Padre Nuestro) at the 2007 Sundance Film Festival—a first for a Spanish-language feature. Arty but elemental, it subsequently found its niche in last year’s “New Directors” series, as one of the more visceral movies pondering the new globalization. Indeed, Sangre de Mi Sangre asks to be considered as a Mexican movie, although it was made in the U.S.A.”*

“Narnia” franchise producer Mark Johnson is set to make an English-language version of Chilean romantic comedy “Pretendiendo” (Ugly me).

Thesp Judge Reinhold and wife Amy, who brought pic to Johnson’s attention, will exec produce.”*

Univision’s long-running variety series “Sábado Gigante” will get a face-lift next season, network officials revealed Wednesday.

What they wouldn’t say, though, is what exactly they’ll do to it.

Don Francisco (whose real name is Mario Kreutzberger) presides over the old-fashioned variety series jammed with over-the-top sketches, silly jokes and a bevy of beautiful women.”*

Springing from the stage at Norwalk High School to a Tony nomination yesterday for his role in the Broadway musical, “In the Heights,” Robin DeJesus said “I’m on Cloud Nine.”

DeJesus, 23, cinched one of 13 Tony nominations doled out to “In the Heights,” a musical with a salsa and hip-hop score that caught critics’ attention for portraying the Latino community of Washington Heights in Manhattan in a positive light. The musical earned more nominations than any other play.”*

Univision Communications Wednesday kicked off its upfront presentation to advertisers with an opening number from Broadway’s In the Heights and closed with an energized mini-concert by Colombian superstar Shakira.”*

Ante el llamado de la cantante y actriz mexicana Thalía y de su madre Yolanda Miranda para que se reunifique su familia, la actriz Laura Zapata fue contundente al declarar que no tiene intenciones de fumar la pipa de la paz.

“Desconozco esa llamada, no la he escuchado, no tengo la menor idea. Son cuestiones personales, de familia que no se ventilan en público”, comentó ante la prensa.

Reveló que el problema es de historia: “Son muchas cosas atrás que han llevado a este rompimiento y no nada más (se arregla) con decir lo que uno quiere, pues no es Navidad”, añadió sarcástica.”*

The surgery that Leonardo,Aracely Arámbula’s brother, had to undergo last week to extract a brain tumor, which turned out to be benign, was a success and he is recovering from the procedure, according to a source close to the family.
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Shakira doesn’t just shake her hips and delight her fans with her music, she is also a philanthropist who takes social justice to heart. That’s why she just signed a deal with editorial house Santillana to guarantee excellence in education at the Colombian schools benefited by her foundation Pies Descalzos.”*

This May, Discovery en Espanol, the leading provider of high-quality, nonfiction Spanish-language programming, will take viewers on a religious pilgrimage and bring them face to face with the pageantry, color, and rituals that make-up how some Hispanics practice their faith. At times conventional, other times unconventional, “Santo Milagro”, an original production airing on Discovery en Espanol Sunday, May 25 at 10:00 pm ET/PT, explores the diverse and even unexpected ways in which Hispanics look for miracles.

Much unites Hispanics. Yet when it comes to religious customs, they are far from being monolithic. The ways Hispanics practice their faith are as varied as the lands from which they hail. “Santo Milagro” will offer Discovery en Espanol viewers an entree into the private sanctuaries of Hispanics via the poignant stories of everyday individuals who bear witness to miracles and tell us how their devotion changed their lives.

“It is difficult to capture the passion and heart of a people. How can you possibly illustrate a miracle? The truth is, as you will see, that miracles mean different things to different people. We thought the best way to capture this and bring it to life was via testimonials. This documentary does not look to pass judgment on any practice or belief. It simply weaves a story told by the main protagonists, the faithful,” said Sol Colom, Executive Producer Discovery Networks U.S. Hispanic Group.

Throughout the centuries, ceremonies and rituals have formed an integral part of human existence. Passed on generation to generation, they represent, for many Hispanics, a way to find a deeper meaning in life. As evidenced by the personal testimonials featured throughout this special, faith has many manifestations, some which are vividly portrayed during the five separate segments of this one-hour original production by Discovery en Espanol.

About Discovery en Espanol

The premier Spanish-language network dedicated to offering the finest in quality programming in the areas of science & technology, world culture & history, nature & wildlife and nonfiction dramas. With original shows made specifically for U.S. Hispanics and the best programming from Latin America, Discovery en Espanol is entertainment that stimulates, informs and empowers, giving viewers a fascinating look at the incredible, varied and always surprising real world.”*

Starting this April, Discovery en Espanol, the leading provider of high-quality, real-world Spanish-language programming, will take viewers on a journey back in time to revisit pivotal moments in history. The riveting documentary series, entitled, “What Happened When”, begins with a special presentation on Sunday, April 27 at 10:00 PM ET/PT of “The Story of Elian Gonzalez”.

Elian’s story is explored in this insightful documentary, from his dramatic survival at sea and miraculous arrival on our shores on Thanksgiving Day, to the subsequent drama that unfolded in the community and internationally which culminated with his controversial return to Cuba on Easter Sunday by the United States Government. The documentary, as others in the series, delves deep, bringing viewers into the realities of the situation including events and happenings previously not known, via impactful reenactments and firsthand accounts.

“The Story of Elian Gonzalez” poignantly captures, unlike no other, an event that divided a family and a nation and became the focal point in the largest conflict between Cuba and the United States since the Cuban Missile crisis.

“Our aim was to take viewers into the moment to experience it as if for the first time via re-enactments and firsthand accounts that capture instances not showcased in the media. The production team spent hours talking to those who were there and over 1,000 hours selecting footage which tells the full story that captures the drama, the emotions and the controversy on both sides as never before,” said Bilai Joa Silar, VP and Channel Director for Discovery en Espanol.

Some riveting quotes from the documentary “What Happened When - The Story of Elian Gonzalez”:

“I wept for a child and a family caught up in politics… so unnecessary. What could have been solved in love ended up with hate,” from Sister Jeanne O’Laughlin who provided a neutral meeting place for Elian and his grandmothers during the height of the conflict.

“I truly believe that the reason they asked me to wake-up the family at 4 o’clock was because they wanted everybody awake when they came in with machine guns;” Mayor Manny Diaz, City of Miami and legal counsel for the Gonzalez family at the time of the incident.

“This case has been heartbreaking for everybody involved, but we believe the law is clear,” former U.S. Attorney General Janet Reno.

“Fidel Castro in the wake of the end of the Cold War was desperate to be relevant again. And in that sense Elian was just as much a political blessing for him as it was for the exiles,” from Tim Padgett Time Magazine Correspondent who helped bring the issue to national prominence.

*These quotes are taken directly from statements made by the parties featured in the documentary.

The full documentary series “What Happened When” continues through June 12th with different episodes airing every Thursday night on Discovery en Espanol at 9:00 PM ET/PT. Each episode explores, blow-by-blow, what exactly happened in those moments that changed the world and shaped our culture.

The “What Happened When” series offers viewers a compelling yet objective view of our world that is meant to inspire thoughtful debate and introspection,” said Luis Silberwasser, Senior Vice President and General Manager of Discovery Networks U.S. Hispanic Group.

WHAT HAPPENED WHEN FULL PROGRAMMING LINE-UP:

What Happened When - First Arab Israeli Plane Hijacking
Premieres, Thursday May 1st, 9 PM ET/PT

What Happened When - First Test Tube Baby
Premieres, Thursday May 8th, 9 PM ET/PT

What Happened When - Dolly: The First Cloned Sheep
Premieres, Thursday May 15th, 9 PM ET/PT

What Happened When - Separating Conjoined Twins
Premieres, Thursday May 22nd, 9 PM ET/PT

What Happened When- Sago Mine Disaster. On the Other Side
Premieres, Thursday May 29th, 9 PM ET/PT

What Happened When - Saving Ronald Reagan
Premieres, Thursday June 5th, 9 PM ET/PT

What Happened When - Attack on the USS Cole
Premieres, Thursday June 12th, 9 PM ET/PT
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Here! Films has taken North American distribution rights to Puerto Rican gay comedy “Manuela & Manuel” from Spanish sales consortium Latido Films.

Produced by Isla Films and Caleidoscopio Film Production, pic tells a story of hidden identities, in which a gay man becomes the fiance of a pregnant friend to help her confront her conservative family.

“Manuela & Manuel” is directed by Puerto Rico’s Raul Marchand. Mexican actor Humberto Busto (”Amores perros”) stars.”*

Unlike the rest of her high-fashion associates, Venezuelan supermodel Patricia Velasquez isn’t spending the springtime under a barrage of hairstylists and stylist fittings.

Instead, she is at the helm of the Wayuu Taya Foundation, a nongovernmental, nonprofit organization that since 2002 has worked to improve the living and educational standards of Latin America’s poorest indigenous people.”*

Chilean rocker Beto Cuevas kept the songs he composed in the three years since his band La Ley broke up a top secret.

“I didn’t want my fans to suffer from demoitis,” says the former leader of the Grammy-winning group, making up a disease that causes fans to get used to the sound of demo tapes and reject the final recording.

“That’s why I want people to first listen to these songs live — a sort of Off-Broadway for the songs,” adds Cuevas, 40, from San Jose, Calif., during a stop in his tour that will bring him to New York Saturday for a solo debut at Irving Plaza.”*

Argentina’s Mar del Plata Intl. Film Festival, the only FIAPF Category One festival in Latin America, has rescheduled to Nov. 6-16, a move aimed at improving attendance and programming.

The National Film Institute, Incaa, had previously moved the event to December from March, where it was inconveniently sandwiched between Berlin in February and Cannes in May.”*

n his latest film, Brazilian actor Rodrigo Santoro portrays a man who is very much in the news himself these days — Cuban President Raul Castro.

And though the similarities between the heartthrob and the normally dour Castro may not be immediately evident, Santoro says their eyes are similar.

The 32-year-old actor will be promoting “Che,” directed by Steven Soderbergh, as well as the Argentine film “Leonera,” directed by Pablo Trapero, at the Cannes Film Festival.”*

Argentine director Pablo Trapero’s films have received critical acclaim around the world, from 1999’s “Mundo Grua” (Crane World) to 2002’s “El Bonaerense” and 2004’s “Familia Rodante” (Rolling Family). His latest feature, “Leonera,” about a young mother imprisoned for murder, is one of two Argentine films In Competition at this year’s Festival de Cannes. Trapero, known for portraying the lives of ordinary people with a critical eye toward modern society, spoke with The Hollywood Reporter’s Brian Byrnes in Buenos Aires shortly after the Cannes announcement.”*

Up in Washington Heights, home to a large stretch of Broadway, word of the 13 Tony nominations for neighborhood homage “In the Heights” left the locals beaming - if not dancing in the streets.

“I’m proud,” said Raul Rodriguez, 21, wearing his Yankees gear uptown, where the brightest lights typically twinkle from the George Washington Bridge. “It’s my neighborhood.”

Ercilia Garcia, 49, a program director at the social service agency Alianza Dominica, was surprised but thrilled to hear about the sweep of nominations - including Best Musical and Best Original Score.”*

“Members of America’s premier Latino theatre troupe star in a funny, tough-minded and penetrating look at Southern California power politics. The twin brothers — Water, a rising star State Senator, and Power, a cop who breaks all the rules — are caught in a life-or-death scandal that threatens to destroy their lives and dreams. A gripping and explosive piece of California noir fiction.”"*

Spanish Broadcasting System, Inc. (SBS) (NASDAQ: SBSA) announced today that José Luis Rodriguez, or “El Puma” as he is commonly known, has joined the cast of “Gabriel,” the highly anticipated vampire-themed miniseries produced by MegaTV that will begin airing in September of this year.

In “Gabriel”, the renowned Venezuelan actor and singer will play Pizarro, the bloodthirsty Spanish conquistador-turned-nightstalker. In the storyline, Pizarro is cursed by an Incan priestess as revenge for destroying her village. Gabriel (played by international superstar Chayanne) is a modern day vampire and a tortured soul whose only hope of salvation lies in reuniting with his reincarnated soulmate, Eva (played by Mexican starlet Angelica Celaya), who was herself murdered by Pizarro over 300 years ago. Upon learning of her reincarnation, Pizarro sets out once again to rob Gabriel of his long-lost love.

An accomplished actor and singer, Jose Luis Rodriguez has played the lead role in most of the 18 soap operas in which he’s appeared. Rodriguez earned the nickname “El Puma” due to his characteristic “wildcat” performance on stage during a singing career that has spanned three decades.

“Jose Luis Rodriguez is truly a rare, once-in-a-lifetime talent,” said Cynthia Hudson, Chief Creative Officer and Executive Vice President of Spanish Broadcasting System. “We are proud and honored to have ‘El Puma’ play a leading role in the miniseries and we are equally confident that he and Chayanne will make ‘Gabriel’ a winner!”

Mega TV has achieved unprecedented ratings with entertainment-based reality programming since its launch in 2006. “Gabriel” is the first originally scripted miniseries for Mega TV and Megafilms, the new film entertainment division of Spanish Broadcasting System.

About Spanish Broadcasting System, Inc.
Spanish Broadcasting System, Inc. is the largest publicly traded Hispanic-controlled media and entertainment company in the United States. SBS owns and/or operates 21 radio stations located in the top Hispanic markets of New York, Los Angeles, Miami, Chicago, San Francisco and Puerto Rico, including the #1 Spanish-language radio station in America, WSKQ-FM in New York City, as well as 4 of the Top 8 rated radio stations airing the Tropical, Mexican Regional, Spanish Adult Contemporary and Hurban format genres. The Company also owns and operates Mega TV, a television operation serving the South Florida market with national distribution through DirecTV Más. SBS also produces live concerts and events throughout the U.S. and Puerto Rico. In addition, the Company operates www.LaMusica.com, a bilingual Spanish-English online site providing content related to Latin music, entertainment, news and culture. The Company’s corporate Web site can be accessed at http://www.spanishbroadcasting.com .

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