E-mail Stops Giant Media Outlets

Entertainment Tonight and The Insider pulled the “Heath Ledger Drug Video” from their line up last night after they ran teasers for the story. Why? – you might ask. Why not run a damaging story on a celebrity before his burial in Australia takes place? Well maybe an e-mail from one of the most powerful PR firms might help pull the story. ID-PR sent out a mass e-mail asking the readers to contact ET and The Insider to pull the story, which contains footage of the young actor at a drug party where he admits to his own drug usage.

Take a look at the ID-PR e-mail:

Tonight Entertainment Tonight/The Insider are previewing an extremely distasteful segment regarding Heath Ledger. The segment centers around a two-year old video ET purchased for a large sum of money in the hopes of stirring up a salacious and exploitive story about Heath, which would win them big ratings on the first day of sweeps. The two outlets did not even have the courtesy to wait until after Heath’s burial to broadcast this segment. They intend to air the full segment tomorrow.

For the sake of his grieving family and friends, his child, and common decency, we hope to pressure Entertainment Tonight and The Insider to do the right thing and pull the spot. This is not journalism, it is sensationalism. It is a shameful exploitation of the lowest kind, to a talented and gentle soul, undeserving of such treatment.

We are asking the Hollywood community to pressure Entertainment Tonight to pull the segment. Please take action so that Heath’s family can grieve in peace. Please forward this message to everyone you know and ask them to personally call Linda Bell Blue at Entertainment Tonight and Brad Bessey at Paramount to express their outrage and request Entertainment Tonight to pull the distasteful spot. Their information is listed below. Thank you.

Wow, powerful e-mail! Entertainment Tonight and The Insider did pull the story. Smart idea considering ID-PR would have barred these two media outlets from access to their high profile clients in the future.

It is horrible to realize the reason these two entertainment media outlets were going to air this story about Ledger’s drug problem was because our nation thrives off of the sensationalism and their ratings would have soared. Never mind the respect of the grieving family who is scheduled to bury their loved one this weekend. It is also shameful that whoever obtained this footage was able to sale it for $200,000 – cha-chig - they just cashed in on Heath Ledger's life.

The video below contains The Insider’s teaser. Note that the video shows people taking drugs and Ledger talking about his past drug habits.



Cheers!
Cortney a.k.a. Cort

Not Your Grandpa's Planet Earth!

I'm a huge Planet Earth fan. The shots are just breathtaking as are the animal's lives! Here is a short spoof I found that made me laugh... well maybe not all of it however, if Animals could talk - and in my opinion they would if their lips moved like humans - then the following clip is what they might just say as they are either running for their life or wading through muddy water.

*Parents take note: cover your kiddo's ears!



Cheers!
Cortney a.k.a Cort

Want to be "On the Map?"

Hey Los Angeles,

I’m hosting a show called “On the Map.” We are shooting in Santa Monica around 3pm today. Our location will be the pier and 3rd Street Promenade. If you are going to be in the area I’d love to interview you on why Santa Monica is “On the Map!”

Cheers!
Cortney a.k.a. Cort

American Pop Culture Please

You've got to love American Pop Culture. I do and I've found a new cool coffee table book filled with fantastic American Pop Culture Facts. Oprah loves this book so much that she recently featured it on her show!

Tommy Hilfiger's book, Iconic America, features everything from Mickey Mouse and Monopoly to Microsoft and Muhammad Ali.

"I believe pop culture makes the world go round," Tommy says. "I thought it was important to put all of this great stuff in between two covers of a book and remind the world that we are a great country. Yes, we made some mistakes…and there's the good, the bad and the ugly in the book, but mostly it's great stuff."

Cheers!
Cortney a.k.a. Cort

"I Have A Dream," Do You?

Today, many Americans honor the birthday of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. This year also marks the 40th anniversary of his assassination in Memphis, Tennessee.

Dr. King had a great "Dream." Yet our country, however much we too believe in his dream, has not achieved it. Yes, this year America could possibly vote a black man into the most powerful office in the world but take a look around and you'll find major change still needs to happen.

Change has slowly developed over the years and if we continue to fuel the "Dream" I think change will slowly continue. Let's seek change, for example, in the still segregated schools who lack the proper funds to give our next generation a chance. Change for over populated prisons who hold over 200,000 black college-age men.

Has our country achieved the fact that "All men are created equal"? I think not but I do think if we continue to believe in Dr. King's dream, then slowly, equality will one day come. Although one day is not close, in my opinion, it is not unreachable.

To view Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s famous "I Have A Dream Speech" watch below



Cheers!
Cortney a.k.a. Cort

Scientology, Changing People's Life's?

In the new Tom Cruise Scientology Video he does a lot of rambling, laughing, 'swishing' ... but man he IS serious!  He claims that he knows they "really have an opportunity to really help for the first time, effectively change people's lives."  He goes on to say that he is "dedicated to that."

That sure is a lot of talk Tom, where is the action?  Is he an anonymous donor and we, the public, just don't know about his major contributions of change?  No, seriously we are talking about a man who, when on Oprah's set, jumped on the yellow couch to proclaim his love for Katie Holmes.  If his passion, to change people's lives, ran this deep wouldn't Mr. Cruise make sure the world knew about it?  If not  Tom his well paid publicist sure would!

Come on Tom, its time to dig deep and get those handsome hands a little dirty.  Take a hint from 'do gooder' UNHCR Goodwill Ambassador Angelina Jolie.

Watch Tom’s video and decide for yourself:



Cheers!
Cortney a.k.a. Cort

Is Yours A Top Dog?

Did your best friend make the Nation's Top Ten List for best pooches? Mine didn't even come close, which is fine by me. I find my favorite four legged friend, a Wire Fox Terrier, to be a special find  - even if its not listed among the "Oh so American - Popular".

The top ten dog national votes are in; do they surprise you? The last one just might!  

1. Labrador Retriever

2. Yorkshire Terrier

3. German Shepherd

4. Golden Retriever

5. Beagle

6. Boxer

7. Dachshund

8. Poodle

9. Shih Tzu

10. Bulldog

Cheers!

Cortney a.k.a. Cort

Wow, McConaughey to be a Dad!

Congrats Matthew and Camila!   They are going to have a baby!  One beautiful baby that is.  

On his website McConaughey wrote:

"Got some blessed news... a celebration of life and bounty... a newborn conceived... yes, my girlfriend Camila and I made a baby together..."  "...Wow, McConaughey"

One perk of living in LA is that you ramdomly meet and greet celebs in the most normal of settings.  Sometimes its worth the meet and greet ... and let me tell you, last 4th of July I met Mr. McConaughey and his handy surf board on the beaches of Malibu and "Wow, McConaughey" is what it was!

Cheers!

Cortney a.k.a. Cort

Facebook

Branching out from MySpace was a little hard but in 2008 I found it necessary to do. Enter, Facebook. That's all I keep hearing about: Facebook, Facebook, Facebook! Alright already I'll join. So I created an account, sent the "friend requests" to my e-mail contacts and BAM - 60 friends overnight!

I enjoy keeping up with friends, rediscovering blasts from the past and sharing small pieces of our lives together. "The Wall" is a great way to connect and share!

The question I have for you all is why the heck would I want to "poke" someone or "throw" an item like a sheep or snowball at a friend? What purpose does that serve? Did someone forget to tell me that we are back in third grade? Have we replaced real life hugs with virtual "hugs"? I just don't get it! Enlighten me, please!

www.facebook.com

Cheers!

Cortney a.k.a. Cort

Happy New Year!

From a Texas girl living in Los Angeles to everyone who checks into "The Cort Report" Happy 2008!  I know, know  - it's already the 15th of January but hey better late then never.  After spending a wonderful ten days in Texas with my family and friends I am just now getting settled back into LaLa Land.  So, if you aren't checking out of rehab, running from the paparazzi, pregnant at 16 or on strike it looks like you are ahead of the game in 2008!  

I hope everyone will drop me a line and let me know what your New Years resolutions are...that is if you have not already broken them all already!  I'll go first:

1. I am truly hoping to train and run the Rock N' Roll Marathon in San Diego this year with my friends Jill and Amy! (so if you have not set your resolution yet, you can go ahead and mark June 1, 2008 on your calendar and come and cheer us on!) 

www.rnrmarathon.com/home.html

Cheers!

Cortney a.k.a. Cort