“Dancing with the Greeks”

-
0

Mark Ballas is the star who has impressed critics and audience of the popular TV show “Dancing with the Stars”.  At the age of 4, he was enrolled at the Italia Conti Academy of Dramatic Arts Associate School, where he was trained in singing, dancing, and acting. When he was 10, he became British Juvenile Ballroom and Latin American Dance Champion. At the age of 11, he earned a full time slot at the Academy, as well as earning a full scholarship to the college. In 2005, he was awarded “Performer of the Year”. He then moved on to win championships at The British Open to the World, The US Open to the World, and The International Open to the World. With his former partner Julianne Hough, he won the Junior Latin American Dance Championship and the gold medal at the Junior Olympics. This season Mark’s partner on the show is reality television star Kim Kardashian. He and his best friend Derek Hough have formed the band Almost Amy.

Mark’s family is all about dancing. his father used to be a professional dancer and his Greek grandfather, George Ballas Sr owned and operated a 64,000 square foot dance studio in Houston: the largest dance studio ever in the world, called Dance City USA, with 125 teachers on payroll.

This season also his father, Corky Sr,  tried his luck on the dance stage of “Dancing wit the Stars”.

Greek-born woman who tried to kill herself and her husband is free

-
0

The story of this older couple is a modern Greek tragedy with victims both of them. Anastasia Nestorowycz, 76, tried to kill her husband Paul, 82, because she believed he was suffering and she wanted to end his life.
The Supreme Court let her free stating that “she did not act out of hatred but because she felt sorry for her ailing partner.” Her husband had begged her to take him home and, unable to, she decided to end his life and her own.
The woman who immigrated to Australia from Greece in 1970 admited that she regrets her action and she feels sorry for her husband. Speaking from her Thornbury home yesterday, after walking from court on a wholly suspended sentence of two years and nine months, Mrs Nestorowycz said she was happy to be free.
The Greek-born woman had not seen her husband of 35 years since the attack but said yesterday she wanted to make peace and planned to visit him in two weeks.
“I love my husband. I am very sorry. It might be too late. (But) I love him,” she said.
The court heard Mrs Nestorowycz, who pleaded guilty to attempted murder, was aiming for her husband’s heart when she stabbed him with a kitchen knife in his bathroom in June last year.
Justice David Harper said Mrs Nestorowycz was suffering a “major depressive disorder” and believed staff were neglecting her husband.
The court was told she believed staff were not feeding him properly and were stealing his clothes.
Paul Nestorowycz, who is in a wheelchair and has dementia and diabetes, was waiting to play chess when his wife stabbed him once in the stomach then stabbed herself in the stomach and cut her wrist.
The pair were found covered in blood and rushed to hospital for emergency surgery.

source:news.com.au

In Jail for defaming the Royal family of Thailand

-
0

Harry Nicolaides, a Greek-Australian writer who has worked in Thailand as a university lecturer and freelance writer was arrested at Bangkok airport on 31 August 2008 and now is facing 15 years in jail for allegedly defaming Thailand’s crown prince. Mark Dean, a Melbourne-based lawyer for 41-year-old Harry Nicolaides, said judges at Bangkok’s Criminal Court deemed it to be a “very serious offense” and regarded him as a flight risk. This was the official reason for which Nicolaides’s bail application was rejected.

“His family is very concerned about his welfare,” Dean told Reuters. His relatives had written to Thailand’s royal household, Dean said, apologizing for any offense caused by his 2005 novel ‘Verisimilitude,’ billed on the Phuket info.com Web site as an “uncompromising assault on the patrician values of the monarchy.”

In newspaper interviews from the prison where he has been held since his Sept. 3 arrest, Nicolaides said only 50 copies of the novel had been printed and only seven sold.He also admitted to feeling suicidal in prison, and feared being beaten up by the 90 men with whom he shares a cell because they had found out about his alleged misdemeanor.
Lese-majeste, or insulting the monarchy, is a very serious offense in Thailand, where many people regard 80-year-old King Bhumibol Adulyadej as semi-divine. It is punishable by up to 15 years in prison.
As Nicolaides continues to languish in a Bangkok prison cell, the use and abuse of the lèse majesté law has received a modicum of worldwide scrutiny.  However since 21 September, Nicolaides’ case has been completely out of the news.

Sources: Reuters.com & News.com.au

New York Greek Film Festival

A. Makris
-
0

The Hellenic-American Chamber of Commerce is presenting the second annual New York City Greek Film Festival October 3 through 16, 2008, with new feature films and documentaries you will want to see. The schedule includes, screenings of Greek films but also special events and panels. Some of the films that the festival will present have won awards from the Los Angeles Greek Film festival. The festival will take place in Cinema Village in Manhattan until 9th of october and then it will continue in CineMart Cinema in Queens. for more information visit the website of the Hellenic-American Chamber of Commerce.

“It’s all Greek to me” in Irvine

-
0
“It’s all Greek to me” in Irvine

Angelo Tsarouchas will present his show “it’s all Greek to me” on October 7th in Irvine at the “Improv” comedy club. Angelo is a well known actor and stand up comedian originally from Canada. Angelo has television specials aired in canada, U.k. South africa and the u.s. With his own one hour special ‘still hungry’ to be aired on showtime in the fall. Top downloads on puretracks in australia and new zealand. Has appeared in 25 feature films and television shows, most recently guest starred on the critically acclaimed show ‘mad men’ which is up for 16 emmys. Award winner for best commercial on the planet from the ‘golden lion awards’ for ‘good cop, bad cop’ regular at the laugh factory in hollywood and the comedy and magic club in hermosa beach, angelo has toured his one man show, ‘it’s all greek to me’ to sold out audiences all around the world and the U.S. His global appeal has kept him in demnad year round.To learn more about Angelo you can visit his official website here.

To learn more and get tickets for his show click here.

“Torturing Sommer” aka “Extreme Sommer”

-
0

“Extreme Sommer” began filming on the 27th of September with the first episode being filmed in San Fransisco.  Kostas Sommer is hosting the show about an average guy that travels the world in order to find the best adventures. The rest of the first ten episodes will be shot in the United States in cities like New York, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Miami, and Houston.

The show is the first Greek TV production of 1821 Pictures, the new company who recently produced “Swing Vote” . 1821 owners, Terry Dougas and Paris Kasidokostas-Latsis, are very good friends with the host, but do not show mercy when it comes to work. So some of the episodes will feature Kostas on extreme adventures – anything from skydiving and shark-diving to driving a racecar or riding a bull in a rodeo. The show will air on Spring in one of Greece’s largest TV networks, Alpha.

source: 1821-pictures.com

Zurich Film Festival Honors Writer-Director Costa Gavras

-
0
Zurich Film Festival Honors Writer-Director Costa Gavras

The Zurich Film Festival,  will honor Costa-Gavras with its Golden Eye award for lifetime achievement.The festival, which runs Sept. 25-Oct. 5, will present the prize to the Greek-born writer and director on Oct. 4 as part of its “A Tribute To” series. Costa-Gavras according to the festival committee is “one of the most renowned representatives of active political cinema”. The filmmaker was born in Greece but lives in Paris and his films have inspire a new generation of young filmmakers.

The award presentation will offer a retrospective of Costa-Gavras’ works, including 1969’s Oscar-winning political thriller “Z”; 1970’s “The Confession”; 1982 Jack Lemmon starrer “Missing,” another Oscar winner; 1987’s “Betrayed,” with Debra Winger; “Music Box” (1989); and 2002’s Third Reich drama “Amen.”

Oscar® Entries for Foreign Language and Short Film due October 1st

-
0
Oscar® Entries for Foreign Language and Short Film due October 1st

Wednesday, October 1, is the deadline to submit entries in the Live Action Short Film, Animated Short Film and Foreign Language Film categories to be considered for the 81st Academy Awards®. Complete entries must arrive at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences by 5 p.m. PT that day.
In the short film categories, filmmakers must submit an entry form, one film print or copy in an approved digital format, and all other required materials by the deadline.
In the Foreign Language Film category, filmmakers must submit entry forms, one English-subtitled film print and all other required materials by the deadline. Only one motion picture will be accepted from each country.
Complete 81st Academy Awards rules are available athttp://www.oscars.org/81academyawards/rules/index.html.

John Catsimatidis talks about his new plans

A. Makris
-
0
John Catsimatidis talks about his new plans

*Translated in English by Maria Stenos

Name: John Catsimatidis
Company :Red Apple Group
Resides: in Upper East Side, the best and most expensive part of Manhattan
Smokes: his beloved Cuban cigars
Owns: a private jet, which he uses to visit Greece when he has a chance
Family status: married to beautiful wife Margo, with whom he has two children

The fortune of Mr. John Catsimatidis (who grew up in Harlem, the poorest borough of New York City) today exceeds the billion dollar mark, despite that the company that he owns includes many businesses.  It is the largest chain of super markets of New York and Florida, and includes 400 gas stations, but he also works with Real Estate.  His organization has 8,500 employees.  While he was studying at NYU, he was working as an employee of a super market, though he never managed to get his degree.  Despite the fact that he never finished, this University (which is one of top ten Universities in the US) granted him an honorary Doctorate.  He was also declared the businessman of the year for 1997.
  He is big donor for many different organizations, from the Orthodox Church to the Democratic Party.  We set an appointment with the every-busy Greek immigrant business-man who built, starting from nothing, the 8th largest company operating in New York.

What are your potential business ventures?

We recently managed to organized 450 million so we could buy another gasoline company.  We are still building a large neighborhood of 1,400,000 square feet in Brooklyn that will include houses, apartments, and businesses.  The problem in this whole endeavor is the terrible state of the banks that don’t have the money to fund us.  So we are working slowly.  The first part will be ready at the end of 2009.

What’s your opinion on Barrack Obama?

I am very good friends with the Clinton family.  I believe that Barrack is very young and does not have adequate experience to become president.  The other candidate, McCain presents some unpleasant issues as well, but I think that he is a good American and that’s probably why I will vote for him.

Yes, but Hillary, who is also your friend, called for her supporters to vote for Obama…

I cannot support Obama’s side

You believe that Clinton would have been a good President?

A

Yes

Better than McCain?
Yes.

I heard that you recently met with the Pope…

Yes, it was me, Archbishop Bartholomeus and the Pope.  I am a member of the group of people who are trying to bring the two churches closer, because if we have a war with the Muslims all us Christians should be united.

John Catsimatidis with his wife, Margo, their two children and Bill Clinton | credit: Dimitrios Panagos

Do you consider yourself an American or a Greek?

An American who was born in Greece, specifically in Nisiros.  That means that I am an American but I have a Greek heart and I love Greece.

You have lived and are living  what is called the American dream, describe and tell us what you changed in yourself all these years?

First off, we created the American Dream.  If you want to believe in business you can, as long as you are ready to make sacrifices.  The only change that I have made for myself is that I don’t work seven days a week like I used to work the past 35 years. In 35 years I didn’t work about 20 days.  Now I no longer care about more money, but I want to maintain what I have and to have some fun with my life.

Tina Fey and Greg Yaitanes among the Emmy Winners!

-
0

The big star of the Emmy Awards is of Greek descent.  The creator, writer and actress of 30 Rock walked out from the NOKIA theater with three emmy awards for outstanding writing, and lead actress in a comedy series. 30 Rock won also the Emmy  for outstanding comedy series which Tina will share with the other producers.

While Fey was on SNL, she pitched a television show idea to NBC about the workings of a sketch comedy show. That idea would become “30 Rock,” which premiered on October 11, 2006 and continues to have millions of fans.

Another Greek American who won an Emmy Award is Greg Yaitanes. The director of the episode of House M. D., House’s Head, received the Award for outstanding directing for a drama series. Yaitanes’ film career started at age 23 with his directorial debut Hard Justice (1995) (V). Since then he continues to bring his unique vision to both the big and small screens. A die-hard Boston Red Sox fan, Yaitanes is a graduate of the University of Southern California Film School and lives with his wife, television writer Genna Yaitanes, in Los Angeles.

The third Greek American who received an Emmy this year is the camera operator of “Dancing with Stars”, James Karidas.

1...7,6167,6177,618...7,625Page 7,617 of 7,625