WND Exclusive: Madonna's Menu: 110 Lbs of Kosher Meat

WND Exclusive: Madonna's Menu: 110 Lbs of Kosher Meat

Singer in Holy Land for Finale of World Wide Tour

TEL AVIV, Israel, Aug. 31 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Kosher meat eaters beware: if you want your fill of t-bone and rib eye, be sure to show up at the butcher shop before Madonna's personal chefs arrive, reports Aaron Klein of WND.com.

The Material Girl is in Tel Aviv to perform the last two concerts of her Sticky & Sweet worldwide tour.

She arrived in the Holy Land yesterday and just after her plane touched down, her culinary crew scurried about the sea-side city buying up a storm of high protein foods.

At Eazo Meat and Wine Shop, an upscale Kosher butchery on Tel Aviv's trendy Ben Yehuda Street, a chef, sous-chef and professional purchaser, all speaking with British accents, were seen by WND carting off cases of meats into a minivan for Madonna and her legion of dancers.

Madonna's food team was easily identifiable. They all wore t-shirts with logos for the Queen of Pop's latest tour.

   The Israeli brothers who run Eazo refused to comment for this story.    Madonna's culinary team then hit up a local fish store.   

A source at the hotel kitchen where Madonna's food is being prepared told WND the menu for the singer and her crew today included about 110 pounds of meat, including rib eye and t-bone steaks, as well as beef filet. Also, fish and poultry were on hand for dinner.

Madonna is known to eat a high-protein diet, particularly during her tours.

Last night, the pop icon visited Jerusalem's Old City, where she got a private tour of the Western Wall tunnel, an underground tunnel exposing the Western Wall in its full length.

According to local reports, Madonna is also set to visit the grave sites of rabbis in Sefad, a town where some of the greatest Kabbalah thinkers are buried. Also, she is slated to meet Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the country's opposition leader, Tzipi Livni.

Her celebrity entourage reportedly will include actors Ashton Kutcher and Demi Moore, who arrived here yesterday, as well as singer Justin Timberlake, who reportedly will touch down in Israel today. It is rumored Timberlake will perform on stage with Madonna for their hit song, "Four Minutes."

Click here for article: http://www.wnd.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=108468

Available Topic Expert(s): For information on the listed expert(s), click appropriate link.

   Aaron Klein   https://profnet.prnewswire.com/Subscriber/ExpertProfile.aspx?ei=78653   

Media contact: Maria Sliwa of M. Sliwa Public Relations, 973-272-2861, media@msliwa.com

First Call Analyst:
FCMN Contact:

Source: Aaron Klein

CONTACT: Maria Sliwa, +1-973-272-2861, media@msliwa.com, for Aaron
Klein

Web Site: http://www.wnd.com/

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Profile: International Entertainment

Live Nation Named Top Five Most Visited Music Site by Nielsen

Live Nation Named Top Five Most Visited Music Site by Nielsen

LOS ANGELES, Aug. 31 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Live Nation (NYSE:LYV) , the world's largest live music company, announced today that www.LiveNation.com was the #5 most-visited online music site in July, according to Nielsen Net View's most recent traffic report.

(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20081203/LAW048LOGO-b)

LiveNation.com moved up two spots on the chart from its #7 position the month prior, driven by a 62% increase in unique visitors over the same period last year via site improvements and promotions like its successful "No Service Fee Wednesday" program.

"We continue to see dramatic growth in traffic at LiveNation.com as more and more fans visit our site to search for concerts by their favorite artists and purchase concert tickets," said Noah Maffitt, Executive Vice President/General Manager, Global Digital at Live Nation. "It is clear that the refinements we continue to make to the site are resonating with live music fans as the number of repeat visitors to LiveNation.com has grown more than 500% since the beginning of the year."

First Call Analyst:
FCMN Contact: johnvlautin@livenation.com

Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20081203/LAW048LOGO-b
http://photoarchive.ap.org/
PRN Photo Desk, photodesk@prnewswire.com

Source: Live Nation

CONTACT: John Vlautin of Live Nation, +1-310-867-7127,
johnvlautin@livenation.com

Web Site: http://www.livenation.com/

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Profile: International Entertainment

B&C Records Proudly Announces the Release of 'Still,' the Eagerly Awaited New Album from the Best-Selling Grammy Award-Winning Gospel Duo Bebe & Cece Winans

B&C Records Proudly Announces the Release of 'Still,' the Eagerly Awaited New Album from the Best-Selling Grammy Award-Winning Gospel Duo Bebe & Cece Winans

First BeBe & CeCe Album in Fifteen Years Available Online & In Stores on Tuesday, October 6

NASHVILLE, Tenn., Aug. 31 /PRNewswire/ -- B&C Records in conjunction with Malaco Records is proud to announce the upcoming release of Still, the highly anticipated and eagerly awaited new studio album from the platinum-selling chart-topping award-winning gospel duo BeBe & CeCe Winans. Still will be available online and in stores on Tuesday, October 6.

Still is BeBe & CeCe's first album in more than 15 years and is the reunion that has been on the lips of fans around the world since it was announced earlier this year. Since the their self-titled debut album in 1987, this chart-topping brother and sister duo topped the R&B and inspirational charts with their debut single, "I.O.U. Me," and generated Grammy nominations, Dove and Stellar Gospel Awards. BeBe & CeCe were the first African-American artists to receive significant airplay on CCM radio stations and the second African American artists to receive the Dove Award in the Group of the Year category.

Premiering 12 new BeBe & CeCe classics, Still includes the album's recently released lead single, "Close to You" which has received critical acclaim and success for its soul-stirring, smooth sound and pristine vocals. The video for the single was recently launched on Yahoo and can be viewed by logging onto http://new.music.yahoo.com/videos. Other tracks on Still include the heart wrenching "Grace," "Things" (featuring brother Marvin Winans), "Let It Be" (featuring Mary Mary) and "I Found Love" (Cindy's Song) which is destined to be the wedding song of the year.

With assistance from longtime producer and collaborator Keith Thomas, along with Warryn Campbell, Percy Bady, Peter Zizzo, Merv Warren and Mario Winans, BeBe & CeCe weave their love for God in a faith-fueled gospel sound that combines a tuneful blend of R&B, pop, soul, jazz and more.

Growing up in Detroit, MI, Benjamin "BeBe" Winans and Priscilla "CeCe" Winans were born into a home that birthed the first family of Gospel music. The Winans Family was led by a mother and father who taught their ten children the foundations of a Godly life and admonished them to use their voices for the glory of God. The success of their four brothers, The Winans, blazed a trail for BeBe & CeCe to create their own path of writing and performing music that would attract a legion of fans and change the face of Gospel music forever.

After the success of their debut album, BeBe & CeCe became the first Gospel pair to see their second album, Heaven, reach #1 on the Billboard sales charts in 1988 and also be certified Gold. The title track reached #12 on the Billboard R&B singles chart and also spawned two more hit singles with "Lost Without You" and "Celebrate New Life."

In 1991, the dynamic duo released Different Lifestyles featuring the single "Addictive Love" and a cover of the Staples Singers classic, "I'll Take You There." Both singles topped the R&B charts. From there, BeBe & CeCe released two more albums and after an amazing run of smash hits and albums, BeBe & CeCe went on to pursue incredibly successful solo careers.

With a phenomenal career that has spanned more than 20 years, BeBe & CeCe have become one of the most commercially successful gospel artists in the business. As a duo their accolades include five Grammy Awards, eight Dove Awards, two NAACP Image Awards, one Soul Train Award and over a dozen Stellar Awards. They have also racked up 12 chart topping R&B singles, as well as numerous #1 singles on Christian AC and CHR radio, three gold albums and one platinum album.

In conjunction with the release of Still, the BeBe & CeCe Reunion Tour will criss-cross the country later this year.

First Call Analyst:
FCMN Contact:

Source: B&C Records

CONTACT: Lori McNeil or Courtney Lowery, W&W Public Relations, Inc.,
+1-732-469-5955, Lori@w-wpr.com, or Courtney@w-wpr.com

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Profile: International Entertainment

Lifetime's 'Drop Dead Diva' Scores Highest Ratings of the Season in Women 18-49 and Women 25-54

Lifetime's 'Drop Dead Diva' Scores Highest Ratings of the Season in Women 18-49 and Women 25-54

Hit Series Posts a 2.0 Rating With W18-49 and 2.3 Rating in W25-54; Original Comedic Drama Builds Audience for Third Consecutive Week ARMY WIVES Scores Highest Women 25-54 Rating of the Season with a 3.0

LOS ANGELES, Aug. 31 /PRNewswire/ -- Lifetime Television's break-out hit of the summer, Drop Dead Diva, scored its highest ratings ever among Women 18-49 (2.0), a 25% increase over its season-to-date average, and Women 25-54 (2.3), a 28% increase over its season-to-date average, with last night's performance at 9 PM ET/PT. The one-hour original comedic drama starring Brooke Elliott has built upon its audience for three consecutive weeks among the key demographics.

(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20090831/LA68439)

Last night's episode, which featured special guest stars Gregory Harrison (Lifetime's Maneater, Trapper John, M.D.) and Marla Sokoloff (Lifetime's Maneater, The Practice), averaged more than 3.4 million Total Viewers (3,412, 437), a 25% increase over its season-to-date average, and garnered a 2.8 Household rating, up 27% above its season-to-date average.

Guest stars throughout the first season of Drop Dead Diva include Paula Abdul, Rosie O'Donnell, Tim Gunn, Liza Minnelli, Delta Burke, Sharon Lawrence, Nia Vardalos, Jorja Fox, Mark Moses, Shirley Knight, Faith Price, Devon Gummersall, Elliott Gould, Chuck Woolery and Diedrich Bader.

In addition, Lifetime's hit drama series, Army Wives, which follows Drop Dead Diva at 10 PM ET/PT, continues to perform strongly. Last night's episode garnered its highest W25-54 rating this season, posting a 3.0, which represents a 20% increase over its season-to-date average. Among W18-49, the Network's top original drama series delivered a 2.4 rating, a 9% season-to-date increase and a 3.5 rating among Households, a 17% increase versus season-to-date averages. In Total Viewers, Army Wives drew more than 4.1 million (4,189,068), a 14% season-to-date average increase. Army Wives also gained audience at the half-way mark - rising 10% in W18-49 and 11% among W25-54.

Together, Drop Dead Diva and Army Wives make Lifetime the highest-rated and most watched ad-supported cable network in the Sunday, 9-11 PM time period among W18-49. The strong deliveries of both Drop Dead Diva and Army Wives, and Lifetime's top performing original movies are joined by the Network's Project Runway, the number one unscripted competition show in ad-supported cable.

ABOUT DROP DEAD DIVA

When beautiful-but-vapid model wannabe Deb (Brooke D'Orsay) has a fatal car accident, she suddenly finds herself in front of Heaven's gatekeeper, Fred (Ben Feldman), who declares her a self-centered "zero." Outraged, she attempts to persuade Fred to return her to her shallow existence but is accidentally relegated to the body of the recently deceased Jane Bingum (Elliott). A brilliant, thoughtful and plus-size attorney with a loyal assistant, Teri (Margaret Cho), Jane has always lived in the shadow of her more comely colleagues whereas Deb has always relied on her external beauty. Now, by a twist of fate and a bolt of divine intervention, Deb must come to terms with inhabiting Jane's curvier frame in the ultimate showdown between brains and beauty.

Drop Dead Diva is produced by Sony Pictures Television for Lifetime Television. Through his Osprey Productions, Josh Berman (Bones, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation) is creator and executive producer. Craig Zadan and Neil Meron (Academy Award-winning Chicago, Hairspray, Lifetime's Living Proof) of Storyline Entertainment are executive producers. Alex Taub (Eli Stone) is executive producer and show runner and David Petrarca (Brothers and Sisters) is a director and executive producer. Thania St. John (Eureka) is a consulting producer as are the team of Jeanette Collins and Mimi Friedman (Big Love).

ABOUT ARMY WIVES

The hit series, about the struggles, dreams and friendships of a diverse group of women -- and one man -- living with their spouses and families on an active army post, is filmed on location is Charleston, South Carolina. The series stars Kim Delaney, Sally Pressman, Brigid Brannagh, Brian McNamara, Sterling K. Brown, Wendy Davis, Drew Fuller and Catherine Bell. Army Wives is produced by ABC Studios for Lifetime Television. Mark Gordon (Grey's Anatomy) and The Mark Gordon Company's President of Production, Deborah Spera (Criminal Minds), serve as executive producers. Jeff Melvoin (Alias), Harry Bring (The X-Files) and Marshall Persinger (Z Channel: A Magnificent Obsession) also serve as executive producers. The series is based on the book Under the Sabers: The Unwritten Code of Army Wives by author Tanya Biank, who serves as a consultant.

Photography is available at www.lifetimepress.com.

First Call Analyst:
FCMN Contact:

Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20090831/LA68439
http://photoarchive.ap.org/
AP PhotoExpress Network: PRN13
PRN Photo Desk, photodesk@prnewswire.com

Source: Lifetime

CONTACT: Cindy Ronzoni of Lifetime Networks, +1-310-407-8525,
cronzoni@lifetimetv.com

Web Site: http://www.mylifetime.com/

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Profile: International Entertainment

American Humane Unmasks New Movies That Are Using Unauthorized 'NO ANIMALS WERE HARMED'(R) End Credits

American Humane Unmasks New Movies That Are Using Unauthorized 'NO ANIMALS WERE HARMED'(R) End Credits

American Humane Holds Trademark of the Disclaimer and Is the Exclusive Monitoring and Approval Body for Animals Used in Films

DENVER, Aug. 31 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The American public and much of the international community look for the "No Animals Were Harmed"(R) end-credit disclaimer at the end of theatrical films. It is their assurance that the animal actors used in those productions were not killed or injured in any way, and that their well-being and safety were assured by the trusted, credible and historic American Humane Association.

(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20070521/LAM095LOGO)

However, some recent movies are misleading the public and creating a significant breach of trust with audiences by inserting unauthorized "No Animals Were Harmed" end credits that have not been granted by American Humane, and whose productions were not monitored on-set by American Humane and its international cadre of highly trained Certified Animal Safety Representatives(TM).

"American Humane sets standards of care for animals in entertainment, upholds our Guidelines for the Safe Use of Animals in Filmed Media, and records objective reports from the set attesting to the treatment of the animals," said Karen Rosa, American Humane's vice president in charge of its Film & TV Unit. "Films that meet these standards are eligible to carry the end credit, and this misuse of American Humane's registered trademark is an affront to those producers who legitimately and conscientiously meet those standards."

American Humane's Film & TV Unit, based in the Los Angeles area, exposed these recent films as using deceptive and unauthorized end credits:

   --  Adam by Olympus Pictures, Deer Path Productions, Serenade Films, Vox3       Films.   --  District 9 by WingNut Films Limited, Key Creatives and LLC/QED Intl.   --  Easy Virtue by Ealing Studios, Fragile Films, Endgame Ent., Odyssey       Ent.   --  How to Lose Friends and Alienate People by Number 9 Films.    --  Shrink by Ignite Entertainment, Ignite Productions, Ithaka       Entertainment and Trigger Street Productions.   

In each instance, American Humane has sent the production entities, studios and/or distributors a cease-and-desist letter demanding that the unauthorized end-credit disclaimers be removed immediately from the theatrical version, the DVD version and any other versions they are releasing. Some studios and producers have indicated they will remove the illegitimate credit, while others are making excuses or taking no action and, thus, are potentially compounding possible infringement of American Humane's protected trademark. This furthers the willful deception of the public as to the veracity of the safety and well-being of the animals used in those films.

"We encourage filmmakers to work with American Humane, and for distributors to verify the legitimacy of the 'No Animals Were Harmed'(R) credit, before approving and finalizing any film prints for theatrical release or DVD distribution," Rosa noted. "Viewers, too, should always look for the 'No Animals Were Harmed'(R) end credit, and they can check our Web site, www.americanhumane.org/film to see what rating we assigned to films, based on their use of animals, and to find out how the animal action was achieved on films that we monitored."

About American Humane

Founded in 1877, the American Humane Association is the only national organization dedicated to protecting both children and animals. Through a network of child and animal protection agencies and individuals, American Humane develops policies, legislation, curricula and training programs to protect children and animals from abuse, neglect and exploitation. The nonprofit organization, headquartered in Denver, raises awareness about The Link(R) between violence to people and violence to animals, as well as the benefits derived from the human-animal bond. American Humane's office in Los Angeles is the authority behind the "No Animals Were Harmed"(R) end-credit disclaimer on film and TV productions, and American Humane's office in Washington, D.C., is an advocate for child and animal protection at the federal and state levels. The American Humane(R) Certified farm animal program is the nation's original independent certification and labeling program for humanely raised food. American Humane meets the strong, comprehensive standards of the Better Business Bureau's Wise Giving Alliance, has been awarded the Independent Charities of America's "Best in America" Seal of Approval, has met the stringent standards for financial efficiency and accountability required by the American Institute of Philanthropy to qualify as a Top-Rated Charity, and has received a 3-star rating from Charity Navigator, America's premier independent charity evaluator. Visit www.americanhumane.org to learn more.

First Call Analyst:
FCMN Contact:

Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20070521/LAM095LOGO
http://photoarchive.ap.org/
PRN Photo Desk photodesk@prnewswire.com

Source: American Humane Association

CONTACT: Randy Blauvelt of American Humane Association, +1-303-925-9442,
randyb@americanhumane.org

Web Site: http://www.americanhumane.org/

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Profile: International Entertainment

Tisha Campbell-Martin Hotter than Ever, Premiering on Irene Cooking with the Stars

Tisha Campbell-Martin Hotter than Ever, Premiering on Irene Cooking with the Stars

LOS ANGELES, Aug. 31 /PRNewswire/ -- Hollywood starlet Tisha Campbell-Martin is the latest guest to make an appearance on the star-studded cooking show; Irene Cooking with the Stars (www.irenecookingwiththestars.com ). Campbell-Martin, a multi-faceted actress, director and producer, whose television and film credits include School Daze, Another 48 Hours, Boomerang, My Wife & Kids with Damon Wayans and her most memorable role, Gina, on the hit sitcom Martin. Tisha joins host Irene in the kitchen this week, whipping up a creamy macaroni and cheese dish that tempts the soul. Tisha also shares some intimate details about her recent cancer scare, a revealing and touching episode you won't want to miss.

   To view the shows:  www.irenecookingwiththestars.com    Screener: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yEakJlSABxc    Tisha's episode; http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yW3QDZM7NYk   

The cutting-edge cooking show recently debuted with Oscar-Winning actor Jamie Foxx and will feature Kris Jenner ("Keeping up with the Kardashians"), Raven Symone, Omarosa ("Celebrity Apprentice") and many more in future episodes. Affectionately known and loved in Hollywood, Irene takes you into the home of your favorite stars to explore their favorite dishes, personal recipes, special cravings and "other secrets," as only she can.

The show website offers fans exclusive access to celebrity recipes, food blogs and Top Ramen Fridays, a special feature where Irene explores the wonderful world of everything Ramen Noodles. Irene's homemade and delicious recipes are economical, quick, easy and hearty meals that can feed a family of 4 for under $20.00. No stranger to Hollywood, Irene has been cooking up unique recipes for her celebrity friends and family to rave reviews for years and is now bringing her culinary talent to television. The website will also offer fans an opportunity to pre-order her cookbook, "Irene's Kitchen Volume 1," scheduled to be released September 28, 2009.

Throughout her acting career, Irene, a Cleveland, Ohio native, honed her skills and garnered success on major films and television projects under the management of the late great Redd Foxx. She has the natural ability to create laughter everywhere she performs and is now gracing the world with her talent on her new show, www.irenecookingwiththestars.com.

For interviews, screeners, headshots or promotional materials contact: Priscilla @ Clarke & Associates, Tel. (202) 723-2200, (240) 476-9643 or pclarkepr@aol.com

First Call Analyst:
FCMN Contact:

Source: Irene Cooking with the Stars

CONTACT: Priscilla @ Clarke & Associates, +1-202-723-2200,
+1-240-476-9643, pclarkepr@aol.com

Web Site: http://www.irenecookingwiththestars.com/

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Profile: International Entertainment

Spike TV Announces Nominees for 'SCREAM 2009' - 'Star Trek' Tops List With 17 Nominations

Spike TV Announces Nominees for 'SCREAM 2009' - 'Star Trek' Tops List With 17 Nominations

4th Annual Global Event Honoring The Blockbuster, Sci-Fi, Fantasy, Horror and Comic Book Genres of the Year Tapes Saturday, October 17 At The Greek Theater In Los Angeles "SCREAM 2009" Nominees Chosen By Advisory Board of Hollywood And Genre Leaders Including Tim Burton, Wes Craven, Roland Emmerich, Neil Gaiman, Frank Miller, Eli Roth, Zack Snyder And Many More Two-Hour Event To Reveal Exclusive World Premiere Footage Of The Most Anticipated Releases of 2010 Voting Begins Today Only At Scream.Spike.com

NEW YORK, Aug. 31 /PRNewswire/ -- "Resistance is futile" this October as Spike TV presents the fourth annual "SCREAM," the first and only global event of its kind to honor the best in sci-fi, fantasy, horror and comic genres. Taping on Saturday, October 17 at The Greek Theater in Los Angeles, CA, "SCREAM 2009" celebrates the hottest films, TV shows, comics, actors, creators, icons and pioneers who have influenced and shaped the industry. This year's show will also continue the tradition of featuring exclusive World Premieres from some of the most anticipated movies of 2010. The two-hour extravaganza will premiere on Spike TV on Tuesday, October 27 (10:00 PM-Midnight, ET/PT). Presenters and musical performers will be announced shortly.

(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20060322/NYW096LOGO )

"Eight out of the 10 highest grossing films of all time are in the 'SCREAM' genres, which is due to the incredible passion and loyalty of these fans," said Casey Patterson, executive producer of "SCREAM 2009" and senior vice president of event production, talent development and studio relations for Spike TV. "We're thrilled to once again to present the only global event honoring their heroes."

Some of the nominees' reactions include:

"Without all of the fans, the claws would have been sheathed a long time ago! Thank you so much," said Hugh Jackman after hearing he was nominated for two "SCREAM" awards and "X-Men Origins: Wolverine" was nominated for 13.

"Everyone knows it's the VILLAINS who have the most fun. Thanks to the 'SCREAM' team and congrats to everyone at 'True Blood.' This is very exciting for the whole show," said Best Villain nominee and star of HBO's "True Blood" Alexander Skarsgard.

"Thank you for the nomination and thank you for letting me frighten you. I look forward to doing it again sometime soon," said Ryan Kwanten after hearing he was nominated for Best Horror Actor for his role as Jason Stackhouse on "True Blood."

"Getting nominated for kissing a Vulcan is a better fate than logic," said "Star Trek's" Zoe Saldana after getting word she received two "SCREAM" Awards nominations for Best Breakout Performance: Female and Best Science Fiction Actress.

J.J. Abrams' Sci-Fi action-adventure "Star Trek" tops the list with 17 nominations including The Ultimate Scream, Best Science Fiction Movie, Best Director, Best Ensemble, Holy Sh*t Scene of the Year and a nod in the all-new Fight-to-the-Death Scene of the Year category. Comic book-inspired blockbusters "X-Men Origins: Wolverine" and "Watchmen" each nabbed 13 nominations, while HBO's vampire-themed television series "True Blood" garnered nine nominations. A full list of categories and nominations are included below.

Ballots were sent out to Spike TV's "SCREAM 2009" advisory board, consisting of some of the most respected and well-known members of the horror, sci-fi, fantasy and comic book worlds who were responsible for advising on categories and determining nominees in each category. All films, television shows and comic books were deemed eligible for inclusion if they were released between August 9, 2008 and July 15, 2009 and were representative of the genres listed. Winners will be determined by online voting at scream.spike.com.

Esteemed members of this year's advisory board* include:

*A full list of Spike TV's 2009 Advisory Board members can be found on spike.com.

   Tim Burton, (writer/director/producer "Edward Scissorhands")    Wes Craven (writer/director "A Nightmare on Elm Street")   

Roland Emmerich (writer/producer/director, "Independence Day," "The Day After Tomorrow," "2012")

Neil Gaiman (writer/producer "Beowulf," "Stardust," "Mirrormask")

Frank Miller (writer/producer/director "SinCity," "300," writer/producer "The Spirit")

   Eli Roth (writer/producer/director, "Hostel," "Cell", "CabinFever")    Zack Snyder (director, "300," "Watchmen")   

Beginning today, Monday, August 31 and continuing until Saturday, October 17 fans can vote for their favorites, as well as view exclusive red carpet and backstage coverage of the event, by visiting scream.spike.com.

The official sponsors of Spike TV's "SCREAM 2009" are Subaru and Taco Bell.

Following are several of the categories and nominees for Spike TV's "SCREAM 2009:" For the full list fans can go to scream.spike.com.

   THE ULTIMATE SCREAM                      BEST FANTASY MOVIE   -------------------                      ------------------    -"Drag Me to Hell"                       -"Coraline"    -"Let the Right One In"                  -"Harry Potter and the Half-Blood                                              Prince"    -"Star Trek"                             -"Twilight"    -"Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen"   -"Up"    -"Twilight"                              -"Watchmen"    -"Up"                                    -"X-Men Origins: Wolverine"     BEST HORROR MOVIE                       BEST SCIENCE FICTION MOVIE   ------------------                      --------------------------    -"Dead Snow"                            -"Knowing"    -"Drag Me to Hell"                      -"Moon"    -"Friday the 13th"                       -"Outlander"    -"Let the Right One In"                 -"Star Trek"    -"My Bloody Valentine 3D"               -"Terminator Salvation"    -"Splinter"                             -"Transformers: Revenge of the                                             Fallen"     BEST ACTOR IN A FANTASY  MOVIE OR TV SHOW   -----------------------------------------    -Ed Asner; "Up"    -Hugh Jackman; "X-Men Origins: Wolverine"    -Robert Pattinson; "Twilight"    -Brad Pitt; "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button"    -Daniel Radcliffe; "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince"    -Michael Sheen; "Underworld: Rise of the Lycans"     BEST ACTOR IN A HORROR MOVIE OR TV SHOW   ---------------------------------------    -Bruce Campbell; "My Name is Bruce"    -Michael C. Hall; "Dexter"    -Kare Hedebrant; "Let the Right One In"    -Justin Long; "Drag Me to Hell"    -Ryan Kwanten; "True Blood"    -Stephen Moyer; "True Blood"     BEST ACTRESS IN A HORROR MOVIE OR TV SHOW   -----------------------------------------    -Jennifer Carpenter; "Quarantine"    -Jaime King; "My Bloody Valentine 3D"    -Lina Leandersson; "Let the Right One In"    -Alison Lohman; "Drag Me to Hell"    -Anna Paquin; "True Blood"    -Monica Potter; "The Last House on the Left"     BEST ACTRESS IN A FANTASY MOVIE OR TV SHOW   ------------------------------------------    -Scarlett Johansson; "The Spirit"    -Jaime King; "The Spirit"    -Rhona Mitra; "Underworld: Rise of the Lycans"    -Kristen Stewart; "Twilight"    -Emma Watson; "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince"     BEST COMIC BOOK                        BEST COMIC BOOK MOVIE   ---------------                        ---------------------    -Green Lantern                         -"Dragonball Evolution"    -Hack/Slash                            -"Punisher: War Zone"    -Kick-Ass                              -"The Spirit"    -Thor                                  -"Watchmen"    -The Walking Dead                      -"X-Men Origins: Wolverine"    -Wolverine: Old Man Logan     BEST DIRECTOR   -------------    -J.J. Abrams; "Star Trek"    -Tomas Alfredson; "Let the Right One In"    -Michael Bay; "Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen"    -Pete Doctor & Bob Peterson; "Up"    -Duncan Jones; "Moon"    -Sam Raimi; "Drag Me to Hell"     BEST VILLAIN   ------------    -Eric Bana as Nero; "Star Trek"    -Cam Gigandet as James; "Twilight"    -Lorna Raver as Mrs. Ganush; "Drag Me to Hell"    -Liev Schrieber as Victor Creed/Sabretooth; "X-Men"    -Alexander Skarsgard as Eric Northman; "True Blood"     THE HOLY SH*T! SCENE OF THE YEAR   --------------------------------    -The Death Eaters Attack London; "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood    Prince"    -The Destruction of Manhattan; "Watchmen"    -Space Dive onto Orbital Drill; "Star Trek"    -The Seance; "Drag Me to Hell"    -The Subway Crash; "Knowing"    -The Swimming Pool Scene; "Let the Right One In"     MOST MEMORABLE MUTILATION   -------------------------    -The Arm Removal Surgery; "Splinter"    -Arms Cut Off by Rotary Saw; "Watchmen"    -The Eyeball Cake; "Drag Me to Hell"    -Head Ripped Apart by Nazi Zombies; "Dead Snow"    -The Pendulum; "Saw V"    -The Swimming Pool Scene; "Let the Right One In"     BEST ACTOR IN A SCIENCE FICTION MOVIE OR TV SHOW   ------------------------------------------------    -Nicolas Cage; "Knowing"    -Josh Holloway; "Lost"    -Shia LaBeouf; "Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen"    -Chris Pine; "Star Trek"    -Zachary Quinto; "Star Trek"    -Sam Rockwell; "Moon"     BEST ACTRESS IN A SCIENCE FICTION MOVIE OR TV SHOW   --------------------------------------------------    -Moon Bloodgood; "Terminator Salvation"    -Eliza Dushku; "dollhouse"    -Megan Fox; "Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen"    -Lena Headey; "Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles"    -Katee Sackhoff; "Battlestar Galactica"    -Zoe Saldana; "Star Trek"    

Casey Patterson, Michael Levitt, and Cindy Levitt serve as executive producers for "SCREAM 2009." Greg Sills is supervising producer, Gary Tellalian and Austin Reading are producers and Hamish Hamilton will direct.

Spike TV is available in 98 million homes and is a division of MTV Networks. A unit of Viacom (NYSE:VIA) (NYSE:VIA.B) , MTV Networks is one of the world's leading creators of programming and content across all media platforms. Spike TV's Internet address is www.spike.com and for up-to-the-minute and archival press information and photographs, visit Spike TV's press site at http://www.spike.com/press.

First Call Analyst:
FCMN Contact:

Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20060322/NYW096LOGO
http://photoarchive.ap.org/
PRN Photo Desk, photodesk@prnewswire.com

Source: Spike TV

CONTACT: Shana Tepper of Spike TV, +1-212-767-4275,
shana.tepper@spiketv.com; or Aileen Budow of Spike TV, +1-212-767-3952,
aileen.budow@spiketv.com

Web Site: http://www.spike.com/

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Profile: International Entertainment

MOL Media and Qtrax Enter Into Strategic Partnership

MOL Media and Qtrax Enter Into Strategic Partnership

MOL Media to Market Qtrax Free and Legal Music Downloads in Malaysia and other Southeast Asian Communities

NEW YORK and KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia, Aug. 31 /PRNewswire/ -- MOL Media Sdn. Bhd. and Qtrax Inc. (www.Qtrax.com) today announced a strategic partnership to market Qtrax free and legal high quality music downloads in Malaysia and other selected Southeast Asian communities.

According to Mr. Ganesh Kumar Bangah, Chief Executive Officer of MOL: "The Qtrax value proposition is their vast music and related content library that is killer content in today's fast moving internet industry." He added: "The launch of Qtrax in the region is well timed as the public realizes that peer-to-peer music download services while popular, are illegal. The launch of Qtrax will enable Asian consumers to listen to music free and legally while helping compensate artists for their hard work. The availability of such a service is long overdue in the region. MOL Media will direct traffic from our sites as well as our affiliate sites to further promote Qtrax and we are confident that local advertisers will come onboard.".

Mr. Allan Klepfisz, President and CEO of Qtrax said: "We expect to be announcing partnerships throughout Asia in the period prior to launch and we are thrilled to begin with MOL. Ganesh has created an impressive, cutting-edge organization with MOL via their various businesses including those of their associate, the Berjaya Corporation Group of companies. They will be able to add considerable value in terms of traffic and advertisers. Additionally, their global payment system will prove very useful in monetization for us moving forward.".

Mr. Jay Berman, Co-Chair of the Qtrax Advisory Board, commented: "Having spent many years as Chairman and CEO of the RIAA and subsequently the IFPI, in promoting respect for music copyright, I'm pleased that Qtrax will spearhead, together with substantial regional partners, a vastly superior alternative to pirate sites- something that has been sorely lacking."

Mr. Blake Indursky, EVP of Qtrax observed: "I have been involved in several of the negotiations that Qtrax has undertaken in the region and cannot help feel that history is in the making."

About MOL Media Sdn. Bhd.

MOL Media Sdn. Bhd. is MSC Malaysia Status Company that publishes, aggregates, markets and distributes various high-bandwidth broadband content such as videos and music through various mediums including personal computers, mobile devices and television. MOL Media leverages on the traffic generated by the internet properties of it associate company, MOL AccessPortal Berhad which operates the portal MOL.Com and monetizes the content through the MOLePoints payment system that has over 500,000 payment channels across 75 countries worldwide. MOL Media has a Individual Content Application Service Provider license in Malaysia and a Niche Internet Protocol Television License in Singapore that allows it to operate content-based Television services in both countries.

About Qtrax, Inc.

Qtrax is the world's first free and legal global download music service and showcases an innovative ad-supported downloading model that easily directs revenue back to artists and rights holders. Qtrax has successfully signed licensing deals with major labels, music publishers and leading indies. Qtrax will soon provide fans with access to a colorful and diverse catalog with millions of high-quality, high-fidelity digital music files. Based in New York City, Qtrax is a subsidiary of Brilliant Technologies Corporation (OTC Pink Sheets: BLLN - News), a publicly traded technology holding company.

Safe Harbor

This announcement contains express or implied forward-looking statements which involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those suggested, including but not limited to risks identified and discussed in company filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. These forward-looking statements are based on information and management's expectations as of the date hereof and future results may differ materially from expectations and the company disclaims any obligation to update them except as required by law.

First Call Analyst:
FCMN Contact:

Source: Qtrax Inc.

CONTACT: Michelle Manoff, Rubenstein Public Relations, +1-212-843-8051,
mmanoff@rubensteinpr.com; or Halida Abu Bakar, Corporate Development Manager,
MOL Media Sdn. Bhd., +603-2182-1251, halida@mol.com

Web Site: http://www.qtrax.com/

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Profile: International Entertainment

Nelly Furtado Makes History by Being the First North American Artist to Land a #1 Hit With an Original Spanish Song

Nelly Furtado Makes History by Being the First North American Artist to Land a #1 Hit With an Original Spanish Song

'Manos Al Aire' Remains a Top Selling Digital Single on iTunes

MIAMI, Aug. 31 /PRNewswire/ -- Grammy Award winning superstar Nelly Furtado has made history by reaching #1 on Billboard's Hot Latin Songs chart with her single "Manos Al Aire," the lead single off of Mi Plan. Mi Plan is Nelly's fourth studio album and her first album to be recorded solely in Spanish. "Manos Al Aire" reached the top of the charts as an original Spanish song written by a North American singer/songwriter - the first for a US artist.

Nelly Furtado has sold over 18 million albums worldwide in her career, with close to 10 million in sales from her last album Loose, which reached #1 in global album sales in 2007.

Nelly Furtado's upcoming album Mi Plan will be released on September 14th internationally and September 15th in the US. The first single, "Manos Al Aire", is already a huge success in Germany, Italy, Colombia, Chile and Central America where it has stayed #1 at radio since its debut. The single also reached the Top 5 in Mexico, Spain and Argentina.

Nelly Furtado, who is known for wide-ranging musical taste and interest in different cultures, has invited a select group of international artists like Alejandro Fernandez, Josh Groban, Juan Luis Guerra, Julieta Venegas, La Mala Rodriguez, Buika and Alex Cuba, to contribute to the much-anticipated album. Nelly has had a long-standing bond with Latin music since her career began. In 2002 she recorded a duet with Juanes on the song "Fotografia", which peaked at #1 in 12 countries including the US. She has also collaborated with top Latin artists Calle 13 and Wisin y Yandel.

On September 13th, Nelly will start an intensive promo tour, which will take her across Latin America and the US. In addition she will also visit European countries such as Germany, France, Spain and England. For more information, visit: www.nellyfurtadoenespanol.com

First Call Analyst:
FCMN Contact:

Source: Universal Music Group

CONTACT: Clara Pablo of Universal Music Group, +1-305-938-1338,
Clara.pablo@umusic.com

Web Site: http://www.nellyfurtadoenespanol.com/

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Profile: International Entertainment

Fundacion Azteca America Teams Up With CASA of Los Angeles to Support Foster Kids

Fundacion Azteca America Teams Up With CASA of Los Angeles to Support Foster Kids

Advocate Program Seeks Bilingual Volunteers

LOS ANGELES, Aug. 31 /PRNewswire/ -- Azteca America's Los Angeles affiliate Azteca 54 has teamed up with foster advocate group CASA of Los Angeles to help defend the rights of the children in the Los Angeles foster care program.

CASA of Los Angeles supports volunteers who help foster children in court and the community. A CASA, or Court Appointed Special Advocate, is a trained and supervised volunteer, appointed by a judge to advocate for a foster child - a child who is under the court's protection because of abuse or neglect. A CASA volunteer provides an independent investigation of the child's circumstances for the judge. The CASA gathers information, writes reports, and makes recommendations to the judge in the child's best interests. CASA volunteers advocate for what they believe to be in the child's best interests.

Over half of the children in foster programs in Los Angeles are Latinos, a situation that places a premium on bilingual volunteers. Fundacion Azteca America's Los Angeles chapter, with the support of Azteca 54, will be airing 30-second and 60-second spots throughout the year that make a call to action for volunteers in addition to increasing awareness of the needs of foster children and the court system in Los Angeles.

"Our youth are the future of Los Angeles and the nation," said Luis J. Echarte, Chairman of Fundacion Azteca America and Azteca America Network. "We need to do everything we can to make sure that everyone has a fair shot from the onset."

"CASA LA is very excited about this partnership with FAZA to reach out to bilingual volunteers to support vulnerable children at a critical period of their lives," said David Melendez, Executive Director of CASA Los Angeles. "A CASA volunteer represents a lifeline for many foster children to ensure their well-being and reunite them with family members."

About Fundacion Azteca America

Fundacion Azteca America is a non-profit organization dedicated to improving the quality of life for members of the Hispanic community currently in the U.S. Fundacion Azteca America, Fundacion Azteca, Azteca America and TV Azteca are companies of Mexican conglomerate Grupo Salinas. For more information, visit www.fundacionaztecaamerica.org.

About CASA

CASA volunteers are sworn by the court to represent the interests of abused and neglected children in juvenile court, to secure a safe, nurturing, permanent home. CASA volunteers are diligent advocates for the services needed to help each child become a healthy, productive adult. More than 27,000 children in Los Angeles County are under the supervision of the Court because of abuse, neglect or abandonment TODAY. They are living in foster or group home care. Most will not return to their birth families, and they are more likely than other children to face unemployment, homelessness, incarceration and suicide as young adults.

CASA volunteers come from all walks of life. They are all ages and ethnicities. They are nurses, clerks, stay-at-home moms or dads, attorneys, students, plumbers and more. They may be working full-time or part-time, or they may be retired. What links them all is an intense desire to help break the chains of abuse, neglect and abandonment that victimize thousands of children throughout Los Angeles County's communities.

About Azteca America

Azteca America is the alternative choice in broadcast television for Spanish-speaking families residing in the United States. As the fastest-growing Spanish-language network, Azteca America operates in 66 markets nationwide. Azteca America can also be seen on DIRECTV Mas Channel 441 (AZA 441) and DISH Network Channel 825. Wholly owned by Mexican broadcaster TV Azteca, S.A. de C.V., Azteca America has access to the best programming from TV Azteca's three national networks, including a library with over 200,000 hours of original programming and news from local bureaus in 32 Mexican states. The network complements Mexican programming with an innovative line-up of shows from international producers and distributors to ensure the finest programming for Spanish-speaking viewers and unique advertising solutions for partners seeking to reach the most dynamic market in the country.

About Grupo Salinas

Grupo Salinas (www.gruposalinas.com) is a group of dynamic, fast-growing and technologically advanced companies focused on creating shareholder value, contributing to building the middle class of the countries where it operates, and improving society through excellence. Created by Mexican entrepreneur Ricardo B. Salinas (www.ricardosalinas.com), Grupo Salinas operates as a management development and decision forum for the top leaders of member companies TV Azteca (www.irtvazteca.com), Azteca America (www.aztecaamerica.com), Grupo Elektra (www.grupoelektra.com.mx), Banco Azteca (www.bancoazteca.com.mx), Afore Azteca (www.aforeazteca.com.mx), Seguros Azteca (www.segurosazteca.com.mx), and Grupo Iusacell (www.iusacell.com). Each of the Grupo Salinas companies operates independently with its own management, board of directors and shareholders. Grupo Salinas has no equity holdings. However, member companies share a common vision, values and strategies for achieving rapid growth, superior results and world-class performance.

   Media Contact:   Daniel McCosh   011 52 55 1720 0059   dmccosh@gruposalinas.com    Casa LA Contact:   Executive Director David Melendez   (323) 526 6329   dmelendez@casala.org  

Source: Fundacion Azteca America; Azteca America; CASA of Los Angeles

CONTACT: Daniel McCosh, Grupo Salinas, +011-52-55-1720-0059,
dmccosh@gruposalinas.com; or David Melendez, Executive Director, Casa LA,
+1-323-526-6329, dmelendez@casala.org

Web site: http://www.aztecaamerica.com/
http://www.fundacionaztecaamerica.org/
http://www.gruposalinas.com/

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Profile: International Entertainment

Top-Selling Latin Pop Artist PAULINA RUBIO to Perform at Table Mountain Casino!

Top-Selling Latin Pop Artist PAULINA RUBIO to Perform at Table Mountain Casino!

FRIANT, Calif., Aug. 31 /PRNewswire/ -- Table Mountain Casino offers the Best Known Entertainers in the world and consistently brings a variety of talent and sound to the Central Valley! The latest name added to the impressive list of entertainers to perform at Table Mountain Casino is Latin Musical Icon, PAULINA RUBIO!

Raised in Mexico, Los Angeles and Spain, PAULINA RUBIO knew at an early age she liked to entertain. At 10 years old, she created a name for herself as a member of the girl group, "Timbiriche." After early success and fame, PAULINA decided to become a solo artist, and that decision to go it alone has certainly been a successful one!

PAULINA RUBIO has sold over 20 million records worldwide and has been nominated for several Latin Grammy nominations, as well as a Billboard award for "Best Latin Album!" PAULINA RUBIO hit the U.S. Billboard Charts in 2002 with her hit single, "Don't Say Goodbye." Her album "Pau-Latina" made her the highest selling female Latin artist in 2004.

PAULINA RUBIO's latest album, "Gran City Pop" consists of 10 tracks and was #1 with pre-sales on iTunes Latino. She performed a single from this album during the 2009 Billboard Latin Music Awards. After its television debut, the single "Causa y Efecto" hit the radio and quickly climbed the charts!

John Mayewski, President and CEO of Table Mountain Casino is pleased to welcome PAULINA RUBIO to Table Mountain Casino; adding "Bringing new faces to the Table Mountain Casino Event Center stage has always proven successful! PAULINA RUBIO is certainly no exception. She has quite a following and has been referred to as the "Queen of Latin Pop!" We could not pass up the chance to have this top-selling artist perform at Table Mountain Casino for our Valued Guests and Loyal Players."

Located just minutes from Fresno, Table Mountain Casino's Indoor Event Center is widely known for their impressive array of headliner shows at affordable prices! Shows have recently included Tom Jones, Counting Crows, Lewis Black, Liza Minnelli, country superstar duo Big and Rich, Boz Scaggs, Tony Bennett, Jewel, and the B52s.

Tickets for PAULINA RUBIO are on sale now and are available at the Main Casino Cage or at www.tmcasino.com. Doors open at 7:00 p.m., show is at 8:00 p.m. Ticket prices are $35 VIP, $25 Reserved and $15 for General Admission. Club members save $5, Platinum Members save $10. Must be 18 years and older to attend. No refunds, cameras or videos.

About Table Mountain Casino: Table Mountain Casino is owned and operated by the Table Mountain Rancheria Band of Indians who actively support many community-based agencies and non-profit organizations serving residents of the Greater Fresno area and the regional San Joaquin Valley community. To learn more about Table Mountain Casino, its community service programs and current promotions, please visit www.tmcasino.com.

First Call Analyst:
FCMN Contact:

Source: Table Mountain Casino

CONTACT: John Mayewski, President & CEO, or Dan Casas, Legal Counsel,
both of Table Mountain Casino, +1-559-822-7777

Web Site: http://www.tmcasino.com/

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Profile: International Entertainment

BET Unveils Its New Fall Programming Slate

BET Unveils Its New Fall Programming Slate

Original Series "FIRST IN," "HEART OF THE CITY," "MONICA," "PAY IT OFF," "BRING YOUR 'A' GAME," "THE MO'NIQUE SHOW" and "PRESSURE COOKER" Premiere In September and October

NEW YORK, Aug. 31 /PRNewswire/ -- This Fall BET Networks is offering a diverse line-up of original programming. From a new face on the late-night talk show scene, to a fiscally focused game show, to a heart-pounding look at the lives of Compton, Los Angeles firefighters and a series of thought-provoking specials, BET's new slate provides a broad spectrum of real-life stories.

   (Logo:  http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20070716/BETNETWORKSLOGO )    "PRESSURE COOKER"   PREMIERES SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 12 AT 6:30 P.M.*   

There's a force-of-nature behind the door to Room 325 at Frankford High School in Philadelphia. Her name is Wilma Stephenson and she teaches Culinary Arts. She has taught at Frankford for 40 years, long before Culinary Arts became part of the school's curriculum. Infamously blunt, Mrs. Stephenson runs a "boot camp" at Frankford, disciplining her students into capable chefs and responsible students. Behind her tough-talking exterior is a teacher, who cares passionately about getting the best out of her students and making sure they receive the opportunities - including scholarships to top programs - that will help them to escape the meager minimum-wage job opportunities of Northeast Philly. She can be cantankerous, and she knows it, but she will do anything for the students who get with the program and show true promise and the hunger to succeed. PRESSURE COOKER, a Participant Media and Non Sequitur Production, directed by Jennifer Grausman and Mark Becker, documents Mrs. Stephenson and those students committed enough to surrender themselves to her enlightened despotism through two semesters in Culinary Arts. By the end of the school year, 13 of her students will have made it through the gauntlet. These seniors aspire to scholarships that will enable them to move on to a future of opportunity. At a school where over 40% of students don't even make it to their senior year, Ms. Stephenson's class stands in stark contrast, with 11 members of last year's class earning over $750,000 in scholarships. She offers the kids her version of the American Dream: You choose a realistic goal. You work hard. You work the system. You get out of Northeast Philly.

   "BRING YOUR 'A' GAME"   PREMIERES SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 12 AT 9:00 P.M.*   

Actor and director Mario Van Peebles and producer Karen Williams partnered with the Twenty-First Century Foundation (a national foundation created to facilitate giving for Black community change) to produce a documentary entitled; BRING YOUR 'A' GAME. In the documentary, prominent Black men from diverse professional fields are asked one simple question: "What does it take to bring your 'A' Game and to succeed in life?" Using hip, computer-generated, videogame-style design and music to present messages of success strategies, educational achievement, mentorship, and discipline, BRING YOUR 'A' GAME seeks to reach out to its target audience of young Black males who lack adequate role models and the tools for professional success. Interviewees include: Richard "Dick" Parsons, Chris Rock, Ice Cube, Sean "Diddy" Combs, Spike Lee, Kevin Liles, Mayor Cory Booker, Lou Gossett, Jr., Hill Harper, Damon Dash, Kevin Powell, Geoffrey Canada, Bruce Gordon and Allan Houston. Alongside the famous faces, everyday people also share their stories of success, including Ernest Austin (Ex-Offenders Action Network), the "Three Doctors" from Newark, New Jersey, Dr. Sampson Davis, Dr. Rameck Hunt and Dr. George Jenkins, and Van Jones (White House Special Advisor for Green Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation).

   "HEART OF THE CITY"   PREMIERES SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 12 AT 10 P.M.*   

BET News travels to cities across America to examine the real issues devastating some African American communities in the original series HEART OF THE CITY. Along with highlighting some of the worst problems facing our nation's urban centers, the series will also reveal the efforts of individuals who have dedicated their lives to bringing about positive change in their communities. The premiere episode of HEART OF THE CITY takes viewers to Detroit, Michigan - ground zero of our national education crisis. The episode will try to discover why so many African Americans in Detroit schools are failing and why its system is failing our kids.

   "FIRST IN"   PREMIERES WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 30, AT 10:00 P.M.*   

Chronicled by actor, singer Tyrese Gibson, FIRST IN, is a 10-episode half-hour original series that delves into the lives of Compton's firefighters and paramedics as they try to balance the high stress of a gruesome 72-hour work schedule and family life. Emotions run high as the men and women work long hours in a fast-paced, high intensity atmosphere compounded by the daily pressure of saving lives. Though Compton only has a population of about 100,000 people, there are a reported 75 active gangs operating within the area, making it a unique environment for the city's emergency teams.

With one of the highest crime rates in the country, gunshot wounds, gang related violence, and mangled cars are just another day on the job for these highly trained professionals. Day after day, all the drama is caught on tape as the team - an ambulance operator, multiple firefighters, an intern and one of the youngest Battalion Chiefs in the country, Marcel Melanson, of the Compton Fire Department - fight battles both at home and on the job.

   "PAY IT OFF"   PREMIERES FRIDAY, OCTOBER 2, AT 10:00 P.M.*   

In these tough economic times, wouldn't it be nice to get out of the red and on the path to financial freedom? Everyone is looking for some relief, especially debt relief. Hosted by actress/comedienne Kim Coles, BET introduces the groundbreaking new game show PAY IT OFF, which gives contestants the chance to change their lives and pay off mounting debt just by answering a few questions. PAY IT OFF is the first game show of its kind specifically aimed at helping individuals defray their bills and debts - one game at a time. While most game shows focus primarily on the mechanics of the game play, PAY IT OFF focuses on the personal debt dilemmas of everyday people. This unique game show is divided into five rounds with increasing levels of difficulty within each round. As the game play progresses, the contestant has a chance to win more money to pay towards his/her debt. If the contestant makes it successfully through all five rounds, he/she then has the chance to earn $25,000 in the final "Back in the Black" bonus round.

   "MONICA"   PREMIERES TUESDAY, OCTOBER 27, AT 10:00 P.M.*   

After a brief hiatus from the music industry, Monica is back in the spotlight with an intimate, profound docu-drama that takes a look at her day-to-day world in the new original BET series MONICA: STILL STANDING. Beginning Tuesday, October 27, Monica will open her heart and life to viewers every week at 10:00 pm* and take them on her personal journey of survival and enlightenment. Viewers will have the chance to experience the many faces of Monica as she balances family, deals with trials, triumphs and health challenges, records her fifth album, "STILL STANDING" and tackles the hardest job of all - being a full-time mother of two young sons. Even with all of the success in her entertainment career as a Grammy Award-winning, multi-platinum recording artist and actress, Monica's life has not been without its challenges. Yet, through the spiritual guidance of her parents, family and fianc e she withstood the storms of life and that same support keeps her standing today. Strong, poised and vivacious, Monica wants to show viewers and fans that anything is possible once you set your mind to do it. She wants them to know "sometimes you have to go through to get to."

   "THE MO'NIQUE SHOW"   PREMIERES MONDAY, OCTOBER 5, TIME 11:00 P.M.*   

The sassy and sultry Queen of Comedy Mo'Nique returns to BET this fall for her highly anticipated late night show debut, THE MO'NIQUE SHOW. Carving out a well-deserved spot on the late-night show circuit, comedienne Mo'Nique takes the show host helm, granting BET viewers VIP access to the hottest party on television. From A-list celebrity guests to sizzling performances by the hottest musical artists in the game, Mo'Nique delivers viewers a fun-filled hour of entertainment every night. Boasting show announcer Rodney Perry, a resident deejay, the Big Jim and the Penthouse Players house band, plus Mo'Nique bringing the funny as only she can, THE MO'NIQUE SHOW will undoubtedly force viewers to push their bedtime an extra hour. Each night promises to offer something different; whether the show opens with a funny monologue or eye-popping skit, Mo'Nique is determined to keep her show format fluid, leaving viewers curious as to what the following night's show will bring.

Viewers can visit www.bet.com/OnTV/BETShows for more information about all of these brand new original series.

About BET Networks

BET Networks, a division of Viacom Inc. (NYSE:VIA) (NYSE:VIA.B) , is the nation's leading provider of quality entertainment, music, news and public affairs television programming for the African-American audience. The primary BET channel reaches more than 98 million households and can be seen in the United States, Canada, the Caribbean, the United Kingdom and sub-Saharan Africa. BET is the dominant African-American consumer brand with a diverse group of businesses extensions: BET.com, a leading Internet destination for Black entertainment, music, culture, and news; BET Digital Networks - BET J, BET Gospel and BET Hip Hop, attractive alternatives for cutting-edge entertainment tastes; BET Home Entertainment, a collection of BET-branded offerings for the home environment including DVDs and video-on-demand; BET Mobile, which provides ringtones, games and video content for wireless devices; and BET International, which operates BET in the United Kingdom and oversees the extension of BET network programming for global distribution.

*All times are ET/PT.

First Call Analyst:
FCMN Contact:

Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20070716/BETNETWORKSLOGO
http://photoarchive.ap.org/
PRN Photo Desk, photodesk@prnewswire.com

Source: BET Networks

CONTACT: "HEART OF THE CITY", Tricia Newell , +1-212-975-8230,
tricia.newell@bet.net, or Lyntina Townsend, +1-202-608-2745,
lyntina.townsend@bet.net, or "BRING YOUR A-GAME" AND "PRESSURE COOKER", Tricia
Newell, +1-212-975-8230, tricia.newell@bet.net, or Michelle Clark,
+1-212-205-3158, michelle.clark@bet.net, or "PAY IT OFF", Zabrina Horton,
+1-310-481-3737, zabrina.horton@bet.net, or Crystal Thomas, +1-310-481-3779,
crystal.thomas@bet.net, or "FIRST IN", Voncella McIntosh , +1-310-481-3732,
voncella.mcIntosh@bet.net, or Crystal Thomas, +1-310-481-3779,
crystal.thomas@bet.net, or "MONICA", Marcy Polanco, +1-212-975-4048,
marcy.polanco@bet.net, or Lyntina Townsend, +1-202-608-2745,
lyntina.townsend@bet.net, or "THE MO'NIQUE SHOW", Tricia Newell,
+1-212-975-8230, tricia.newell@bet.net, or Tracy McGraw, +1-212-205-3013,
tracy.mcgraw@bet.net

Web Site: http://www.bet.com/

---

Profile: International Entertainment

'Atom TV' Returns! COMEDY CENTRAL's Late-Night Series Featuring All-Original Broadband Programming Continues Its Second Season With 4 All-New Episodes

'Atom TV' Returns! COMEDY CENTRAL's Late-Night Series Featuring All-Original Broadband Programming Continues Its Second Season With 4 All-New Episodes

New Episodes Of The All-Original Broadband Programming Series Return Monday Night, September 14 At 2:30 A.M.* Videos Include Atom.com Hits "House Arrest with Andy Dick," "Nick's Big Show" And "The Shaman"

NEW YORK, Aug. 31 /PRNewswire/ -- COMEDY CENTRAL's on-air half-hour late-night series featuring all-original broadband programming from Atom.com is returning to the television screen to continue its second season with four new episodes. New episodes of "Atom TV" return to COMEDY CENTRAL on Monday night, September 14 at 2:30 a.m. Both COMEDY CENTRAL and Atom are divisions of MTV Networks, a unit of Viacom (NYSE:VIA) (NYSE:VIA.B) .

"Atom TV" is a weekly comedy show featuring a selection of random and hilarious Web videos, each one of them developed or handpicked by Atom and COMEDY CENTRAL. Each episode of "Atom TV" features a line-up of original programming that includes animation, live-action narratives and sketch comedies.

Atom shows featured on the September 14 return of "Atom TV" are:

"House Arrest with Andy Dick: Episode 103: Dr. Drew Pinsky": This is the first "Atom TV" episode that features Andy Dick's "House Arrest" series, which he made in his living room while actually living under house arrest.

"LOL": A spoof of 1980's-style rap videos and 2009-style Web lingo featuring Will Carlough.

"Nick's Big Show, Episode 1": Comedian Nick Thune mockuments his efforts to create a world-changing one-man dramatic show.

"Grits For Gold": This spoof of "Cash For Gold" commercials was created by comedy writer Todd Berger.

"Hot Sluts, Episode 1": Created by "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon" head writer A.D. Miles and featuring Alison Brie from "Mad Men," this short is about a small-town girl coming to Los Angeles to pursue her dreams, only to wind up working in a seedy dance club.

"Hotel: Bathroom" and "Hotel: Room Service": Starring Pete Holmes and Matt McCarthy, these 2 episodes are from a series about a particularly annoying bellman and the hotel guest whom he continually creeps out.

"I'm Dating A Porn Star": This short won Atom's weekly Upload Showdown contest, earning a full-length airing on "Atom TV."

Other Atom videos included in upcoming "Atom TV" episodes include "Meligician," a Kyle Cease short that was a huge online success, "House Arrest with Andy Dick: Episode 201: Bob Odenkirk" and "The Shaman Episode 106: Spirits Underneath," starring comedian Jason Nash and featuring the Sklar Brothers as a pair of balls on the Shaman's dog.

About Atom.com

Atom.com, a division of Viacom Inc.'s (NYSE:VIA) (NYSE:and) (NYSE:VIA.B) MTV Networks, is a digital comedy network for young men that reaches millions of consumers each month on the Atom.com Web site and millions more through multiplatform distribution on television, mobile phones, and the Internet. Atom.com's programming lineup features daily new releases of original comedy including animation, live-action narrative, topical videos, sketch comedies and spoofs. The site also offers a library of thousands of comedy productions previously developed by, licensed by and uploaded to AtomFilms and COMEDY CENTRAL. Drawing on a strategic partnership with COMEDY CENTRAL and its own 10-year history of online video innovation and leadership (formerly as AtomFilms), Atom.com delivers Web comedy like nobody else.

About COMEDY CENTRAL

COMEDY CENTRAL, the only all-comedy network, currently is seen in more than 95 million homes nationwide. COMEDY CENTRAL is owned by, and is a registered trademark of, Comedy Partners, a wholly-owned division of VIACOM Inc.'s (NYSE:VIA) (NYSE:and) (NYSE:VIA.B) MTV Networks. COMEDY CENTRAL's Internet address is www.comedycentral.com. For up-to-the-minute and archival press information and photographs visit Press Central, COMEDY CENTRAL's press Web site at www.comedycentral.com/press.

*All Times ET/PT

First Call Analyst:
FCMN Contact:

Source: COMEDY CENTRAL Corporate Communications

CONTACT: Kelly Campbell, +1-310-407-4728,
kelly.campbell@comedycentral.com

Web Site: http://www.comedycentral.com/

---

Profile: International Entertainment

Hollywood Executives Clamor Over 'Sad Zilch'

Hollywood Executives Clamor Over 'Sad Zilch'

New novel re-casts Hollywood Hyper-reality in a scintillating light

LOS ANGELES, Aug. 31 /PRNewswire/ -- Our eyes of flesh see only noir! Even before its official release, a new novel was making the rounds among the cognoscenti of the movie business. Not since The Day of the Locust and The Love of the Last Tycoon has Hollywood and the motion picture industry been shown in such a bold and perspicuous light, a light that producers and directors and screenwriters are clamoring to capture for themselves. Brimming with sex, romance, eye-widening spectacle, and a host of recognizable characters, this latest post-lux novella by Konrad Ventana sets a new standard of poignancy in postmodern literary fiction as it raises the bar for visual special effects (VFX).

In his latest book "The Unbearable Sadness of Zilch" (ISBN: 9781440158247, softcover) Konrad Ventana explodes the myths behind the Star Machine with a whole new level of intimate private investigation: No one is innocent...not in this town. In this town, the apocalypse has come and gone, lifting the veil of innocence like a great velvet curtain in an old movie house, where the only victims that don't return for the sequel are the gods themselves, struck out long ago by the big blue pencil. In this town, every man, woman, and child takes the limits of his or her own field of vision to be the limits of the world. Without the lamplights of fate that flicker in a constant state of anxiety through yonder movie reels, the collective vision would be blacker than the slate of a director's clapboard, suffused with a pessimism that goes far beyond film noir, far beyond existential anguish, far beyond the pale of postmodernism to the very crux of the loneliness, dread, and despair that is the wretched birthright of the descendent species.

A consummate work of social criticism, The Unbearable Sadness of Zilch is a treatise on existentialism, modernism, and the emergence of nouveau feminism with a vivacity that puts artificial computer generated imagery (CGI) and hackneyed melodrama to shame. Set in Hollywood Neo-noir, and guided by an intrepid philosophical counselor (or life coach), we investigate The Lost Love of the Latest Tycoon, examining the role of the muse, the magnificent intemperate impulses of the femme fatale, and the allure of the casting couch, as we witness the fall of an empire in the twilight of the egoists. Blazing with eye-opening drama, keen psychological and philosophical insights, and layers of linguistic pyrotechnics, not to mention scintillating VFX, the reader is at once awed and entertained by this post-lux piece de resistance.

About the Author

Using the pseudonym Konrad Ventana, literally "Bold Counsel through a Window," the author looks behind the curtains at the ideologies of our modern times and examines the potential for future development. This is the second book of The Post-Lux Trilogy (on artistic creativity), which has recently received Editors Choice and Rising Star awards.

   "The Unbearable Sadness of Zilch"   Available from: www.iUniverse.com, www.bn.com, and www.amazon.com.    *(PHOTO 72dpi: www.Send2Press.com/mediaboom/09-0831-SadZilch_72dpi.jpg)    *(Photo Caption/Cutline: Cover, The Unbearable Sadness of Zilch.)   

This release was issued on behalf of the above organization by Send2Press(R), a unit of Neotrope(R). http://www.send2press.com/

First Call Analyst:
FCMN Contact:

Source: Konrad Ventana

CONTACT: E.M. Gordon, +1-818-726-3278, fax, +1-818-243-7778,
konrad.ventana@gmail.com, for Konrad Ventana

---

Profile: International Entertainment

HDNet to Broadcast 'HDNet Fights Presents: XFC 9: Evolution'

HDNet to Broadcast 'HDNet Fights Presents: XFC 9: Evolution'

LIVE Coverage Will Showcase Exciting MMA Prospects - Saturday, September 5, 9:00 p.m. ET

DALLAS, Aug. 31 /PRNewswire/ -- WHAT: HDNet presents exclusive LIVE coverage of "HDNet Fights Presents: XFC 9: Evolution" from the St. Pete Times Forum in Tampa, Florida.

(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20080324/HDNETLOGO)

The XFC returns to HDNet with a card full of talented young fighters (combined record of 51-15-1) looking to make a name for themselves on national television. In the main event of the evening, one of MMA's most infamous fighters, Ultimate Fighter alum War Machine (8-2) faces Mikey Gomez (8-7).

In the co-main event of the evening Jason "Good As Gold" Goodall (5-0) puts his XFC Bantamweight Title on the line against Pablo Alfonso (3-1). In other action, Bruce Connors (6-1) faces Tim Snyder (9-3-1), Julien Williams makes his pro debut against Jeremy Thurlow (1-0), Nate Jolly (3-1) tangles with Frank Santore (4-0), and Chris Barnett (1-0) takes on Daniel Perez (3-0) in what promises to be an action packed night of fights.

   WHEN:  Saturday, September 5 at 9:00 p.m. ET on HDNet.    About HDNet  

HDNet (www.hd.net, twitter.com/hdnet) is the independent network with unique and provocative content that appeals to men of all ages and is delivered in true high definition.

HDNet is the exclusive, high definition home for popular, original programming, including television's only HD news feature programs "HDNet World Report," and the Emmy Award winning "Dan Rather Reports," featuring legendary journalist Dan Rather. Only HDNet goes beyond the headlines to deliver real news that is redefining the way we look at our world. HDNet News is provocative, sometimes controversial and always relevant - telling the important stories of our time in-depth, with attitude and with independence.

HDNet presents championship sports coverage featuring five regular season games from the Premiere Season of the United Football League. HDNet also features the best of Mixed Martial Arts with its Friday night series, "HDNet Fights" (www.hdnetfights.com, twitter.com/hdnetfights). "HDNet Fights" works with leading MMA promoters including Affliction, DREAM, Sengoku, XFC, M-1, K-1, K-1 Max, MFC, Adrenaline and more. HDNet produces more live Mixed Martial Arts events than any other network and HDNet's "Inside MMA" is the hottest Mixed Martial Arts program on television, giving MMA fans their weekly fix for everything MMA.

HDNet also delivers the world's largest and most diverse concert line-up through the HDNet Concert Series. The HDNet Concert Series features leading artists and bands including Coldplay, Gwen Stefani, John Mayer and more. HDNet also features revealing lifestyle programming featuring "Art Mann Presents," "Vegas Confessions," "Deadline" and "Get Out!" HDNet is also the exclusive high definition home to critically acclaimed and award winning documentaries as part of the InFocus series. "NASA on HDNet" presents all live shuttle launches through 2010.

Only HDNet Movies (www.hdnetmovies.com, twitter.com/hdnetmovies) delivers exclusive Sneak Previews of new movies before they hit theaters. The HDNet Movies Sneak Preview series features top Hollywood stars in critically acclaimed performances including Gwyneth Paltrow, Joaquin Phoenix, Demi Moore, Michael Caine, Tom Hanks, Vera Farmiga, Parker Posey, Brian Cox, Matthew Broderick, Brittany Snow, Eric Bana, John Malkovich, Emily Blunt and Robin Williams.

Upcoming Sneak Previews include "The Burning Plain" starring Charlize Theron and Kim Basinger.

In addition to being the exclusive home of Sneak Previews, HDNet Movies presents viewers with over one hundred films and an average of twenty-five "HD Premieres" each month. HDNet Movies viewers enjoy the best films from the classics of the 1950s-1970s, to favorite films from the 1980s and 1990s, to recently released theatrical films.

HDNet Movies offers subscribers a premium movie viewing experience in true HD, and more original movies shot entirely in HD than any other network.

Launched in 2001 by Mark Cuban and General Manager Philip Garvin, the HDNet networks are available on AT&T, Charter Communications, Comcast, DIRECTV, DISH Network, Insight, Mediacom, Verizon and more than 40 NCTC cable affiliate companies. To receive HDNet information via email simply go to www.hd.net/listpage.

First Call Analyst:
FCMN Contact:

Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20080324/HDNETLOGO
http://photoarchive.ap.org/
PRN Photo Desk, photodesk@prnewswire.com

Source: HDNet

CONTACT: Colette Carey of HDNet, +1-303-542-5576, ccarey@hd.net

Web Site: http://www.hd.net/

---

Profile: International Entertainment

AAU and Super Series Teams Tops at the Nationally Televised 2nd Annual New Era National Youth Baseball Championships

AAU and Super Series Teams Tops at the Nationally Televised 2nd Annual New Era National Youth Baseball Championships

Aledo, Texas and Spring, Texas Win National Youth Baseball 10U and 12U Championships

MEMPHIS, Tenn., Aug. 31 /PRNewswire/ -- Sixteen teams, the champions from the eight leading youth baseball organizations, came to Gameday Baseball's First Tennessee Fields in Memphis seeking an answer to the question, "Who is the best of the best?" When the dust at home plate settled, the American Athletic Union's North Texas Bulldogs of Aledo, TX were crowned the nation's best 10-and-under team, while Super Series Baseball's Team Rattlers of Spring, TX were tops in the 12-and-under division in the August 27 -30 Championship Series for each group.

The teams competed in the New Era National Youth Baseball Championships (NYBC) organized by the Major Youth Baseball Alliance (MYBA). Seven states and Puerto Rico were represented.

Ten of the championship games, including the semi-finals and finals of both age groups, were televised on the MLB Network and on MLB.com.

In the 10-and-under finals, the Bulldogs' Wes Harris hit a walk-off home run with two on, leading his team to a 3-1 victory over in-state rival Dallas Tigers of Super Series. Bulldogs pitcher Kannon Brown threw a complete game five-hitter, positioning his team to win in the bottom of the sixth. Harris was named the Series' 10U MVP. In addition to his game-winning shot, Harris hit .667 for the Series, with two homers and seven RBIs.

The Team Rattlers took advantage of a 10-run fifth inning to defeat the Babe Ruth League's Forest Hills All-Stars from Tampa, FL in an 18 to 6 slugfest. Luken Baker was named the 12U Series' MVP. He batted .500 and pitched four shutout innings in the final game.

The Series' Sportsmanship Award winners were the 10U PONY Mustang All-Stars from Chino Hills, CA and the 12U AABC Vaqueros of Carolina, Puerto Rico. The Vaqueros narrowly missed their division's title game, losing 5-4 to the Babe Ruth team in the semi-finals.

ABOUT THE MYBA

In addition to AAU and Super Series, MYBA members are the AABC, Babe Ruth, Dixie Youth Baseball, the National Amateur Baseball Federation, PONY Baseball and USSSA. The MYBA was organized by Eddie Einhorn, Vice Chairman of the Chicago White Sox, who felt all youth baseball players should have an opportunity to compete for a true national championship. He currently is the group's Interim Executive Director.

First Call Analyst:
FCMN Contact:

Source: Major Youth Baseball Alliance

CONTACT: Bob Pipkin, +1-901-682-3839, bobpipkin@westrogers.com, for
Major Youth Baseball Alliance

Web Site: http://www.mlb.com/youthmajors
http://www.gamedaybaseball.com/

---

Profile: International Entertainment

Share Our Strength's Great American Dine Out(R) Returns September 20 - 26, 2009

Share Our Strength's Great American Dine Out(R) Returns September 20 - 26, 2009

Participating Restaurants Are Eligible for Food Network Tour and Lunch

Food Network Star Aaron McCargo Jr., National Spokesperson, Kicks Off Event With Special "Big Daddy's House" Episode, Sunday, September 20 at 1:30 ET/PT

WASHINGTON, Aug. 31 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Each year, more than 12 million children in America worry about when their next meal will come. In response, SHARE OUR STRENGTH(R), the leading organization working to end childhood hunger in America, will hold its second annual Great American Dine Out(R) from September 20 - 26, 2009 in cities across the United States. The Great American Dine Out is a week-long program that raises money to feed kids at risk of hunger in our communities.

(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20090831/DC68129 )

Thousands of restaurants across the country are registered to participate by donating a portion of proceeds from the week, creating special menu items or selling promotional coupons to generate extra sales. Millions of consumers play a vital role in this initiative; their choice to "dine out" at participating restaurants is the key to the program's success.

Thousands of restaurants have already signed up for the 2009 Great American Dine Out including fine dining to casual eateries, chains to independent family-run operations. The first Great American Dine Out raised more than half a million dollars and with help from consumers nationwide, the 2009 Great American Dine Out hopes to surpass that total this year. To find a participating restaurant in your area, go to: GreatAmericanDineOut.org and follow the "Find a Restaurant" link.

This year, Food Network star Aaron McCargo, Jr. is the national spokesperson for the Great American Dine Out. Aaron is the 2008 winner of The Next Food Network Star and host of his own Food Network Show, Big Daddy's House. In honor of the Great American Dine Out, he will kick off the week-long event with a special episode of "Big Daddy's House," Sunday, September 20 at 1:30 ET/PT on the Food Network. Aaron teams up with a New Jersey chef whose restaurant is participating in the Great American Dine Out.

   "Big Daddy's House" and the Great American Dine Out   Premiering Sunday, September 20th at 1:30pm ET/PT on the Food Network   Weeknight Feast   

In honor of Share Our Strength's Great American Dine Out, Big Daddy teams up with New Jersey Chef Jose Velez (Rod's Steak & Seafood Grille) to whip up a delicious feast fit for a king. His robust Roast Beef Strip Loin with Bourbon Mushroom Sauce pairs perfectly with two tasty sides: Stick-to-the-Ribs Barley and Currant Cake and brilliant Braised Kale with Toasted Almonds. Lastly, his Homemade Lemon Doughnuts make a great dessert or even next-day breakfast.

Behind-the-Scenes Tour of Food Network Studios and Kitchens

Participating restaurants that raise money during the Great American Dine Out and send it in to Share Our Strength by November 20, 2009 will be eligible to win a behind-the-scenes tour of the Food Network studios and kitchen in New York City. The tour will be awarded to one multi-unit operator, one franchisee and one independent operator and will include the tour, lunch with executives from Food Network, Share Our Strength and the National Restaurant Association -- sponsor of the Food Network tour -- and airfare, hotel and transfers.

About Share Our Strength

Share Our Strength(R) is the leading national organization working to make sure no kid in America grows up hungry. We weave together a net of community groups, activists and food programs to catch children at risk of hunger and ensure they have nutritious food where they live, learn and play. We work with the culinary industry to create engaging, pioneering programs like Share Our Strength's Taste of the Nation(R), the nation's premier culinary benefit; Share Our Strength's Great American Bake Sale(R), a national grassroots effort; Share Our Strength's A Tasteful Pursuit(R), a touring dinner series; Share Our Strength's Great American Dine Out(R), a week-long program involving thousands of restaurants nationwide; and Share Our Strength's Operation Frontline(R), a cooking-based nutrition education program. Visit Strength.org.

The 2009 Great American Dine Out is sponsored by Sysco, S.Pellegrino Sparkling Natural Mineral Water, Ecolab, the Food Network, USA Today and The National Restaurant Association.

For more information and to find a participating restaurant in your area,

please visit GreatAmericanDineOut.org.

First Call Analyst:
FCMN Contact:

Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20090831/DC68129
http://photoarchive.ap.org/
AP PhotoExpress Network: PRN10
PRN Photo Desk, photodesk@prnewswire.com

Source: Share Our Strength

CONTACT: Theresa Burton of Share Our Strength, +1-202-478-6522, cell:
+1-202-230-2433, tburton@strength.org

Web Site: http://www.strength.org/
http://greatamericandineout.org/

---

Profile: International Entertainment

National Park Foundation Announces Half A Million Dollars in Grants to Connect Underserved Audiences to National Parks

National Park Foundation Announces Half A Million Dollars in Grants to Connect Underserved Audiences to National Parks

NPF Awards Grants to 35 Parks; Lauds Ken Burns and His Upcoming Film, 'The National Parks: America's Best Idea'

WASHINGTON, Aug. 31 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Inspired by the forthcoming Ken Burns documentary The National Parks: America's Best Idea, the National Park Foundation (NPF) has established a new grant program to connect underserved audiences, primarily people of color, to the national parks. NPF, in partnership with the Evelyn and Walter Haas, Jr. Fund, has awarded "America's Best Idea Grants" totaling $500,000, to 35 national parks across the country to develop outreach strategies and engagement programs for people who are traditionally underrepresented in their local national parks.

(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20090630/DC40408LOGO)

"The point of America's Best Idea - both the documentary and the grants program - is that the country is strengthened by the deep and lasting bond between people and their parks," said Neil Mulholland, president of the National Park Foundation. "Ken Burns has captured the amazing personal stories of men and women from all walks of life who helped form the parks because of their love for the natural and historical treasures they hold. We want to be sure to continue capturing those stories and building that legacy among audiences as diverse as the parks themselves."

"Universal access to the parks and engagement of diverse and underserved populations are important goals in the evolution of our national parks," said Ira Hirschfield, President of the Haas, Jr. Fund. "It is our great hope that America's Best Idea will provide people in cities and towns across the country the chance to find meaning and inspiration in the story of the parks, and a chance to make these cherished places their own."

The parks receiving grants range in location and size from Salem Maritime National Historic Park in Massachusetts, to Denali National Park in Alaska, to Hawaii Volcanoes National Park in Hawaii, and beyond.

Several of the programs, like the one in Bandelier National Monument, include targeted outreach to indigenous people - bringing native people back into the parks they inhabited initially. The projects are wide-ranging in scope and appeal, including sailing camps, wildlife education, contests and hikes with park historians. For information about the initial projects funded through this program, visit http://www.nationalparks.org/americas-best-idea/

Additional funding for the program was provided by the National Park Foundation and Popplestone Foundation.

The National Park Foundation is proud to be a core partner and funder of the new Ken Burns documentary series, The National Parks: America's Best Idea. The film chronicles a century of giving that created national parks from southern Florida to the frozen tundra of Alaska, from the rocky coast of Maine to the volcanic Hawaiian islands.

Premiering September 27th on PBS, the 12-hour, six-part documentary series traces the birth of the national park idea in the mid-1800s and follows its evolution for nearly 150 years. Told through the stories of the people who helped create them and save them from destruction, it is both a biography of compelling characters and of the American landscape.

About the National Park Foundation The National Park Foundation is a 501(c)(3) organization chartered by Congress in 1967 to continue a century-long tradition of private philanthropy ensuring funding to preserve and enhance the legacy of our National Parks. As the official non-profit partner of America's National Parks, the National Park Foundation does not receive federal appropriations for their support. The National Park Foundation serves to strengthen the connection between the American people and their national parks by raising private funds, making strategic grants, creating innovative partnerships and increasing public awareness. Support of the National Park Foundation ensures that the evolving history and rich heritage of our Nation remains vital and relevant. Learn more at NPF's website, www.nationalparks.org

   Contact:   Mark Shields (mshields@nationalparks.org)   National Park Foundation   (202) 354-6480  

First Call Analyst:
FCMN Contact:

Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20090630/DC40408LOGO
PRN Photo Desk, photodesk@prnewswire.com

Source: National Park Foundation

CONTACT: Mark Shields of National Park Foundation, +1-202-354-6480,
mshields@nationalparks.org

Web Site: http://www.nationalparks.org/

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Profile: International Entertainment