Video: Watch BJ Baldwin jump a Nissan GT-R in his Monster trophy truck

There could hardly be two more disparate machines than a Nissan GT-R and BJ Baldwin's wicked trophy truck. While the supercar from Nissan needs no introduction, Baldwin's rig boasts 850 horsepower and an equally dizzying 34-inches of suspension travel. Monster Energy has taken it upon itself to throw those two together in a new short film that features Baldwin rescuing the female pilot of the GT-R by first jumping both her and her car in his desert bruiser. (Please keep the snickering to yourself until the conclusion of our program.)

The clip features plenty of shots of the truck bashing across the desert, slinging sand on scantily clad models and otherwise having a hell of a time. It's automotive porn of the highest caliber, though it stays safe for work. Click below to enjoy the show for yourself. Our only regret is that there's not enough engine noise to match the otherwise hot action.

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Video: GM's Akerson mulling South Korea exit options due to North Korean tensions [w/video]

Dan Akerson, CEO of General Motors, says his company is making contingency plans to move workers from South Korea should tensions escalate further between that country and North Korea. While speaking in an interview on CNBC's Squawk Box, Akerson said, "We are making contingency plans for the safety of our employees to the extent that we can."

The executive also touched on production. GM has over 17,000 workers across five plants in South Korea, which produce around 1.3 million vehicles per year for export. Those include the Chevrolet Spark subcompact sold in North America. The factories also produce 145,000 vehicles for the South Korean Market.

Akerson says that GM can't shift production out of South Korea quickly, but that if the region continues to destabilize due to North Korean saber rattling, the company may have no choice but to consider shifting its operations out of the region as part of long-term planning. He also makes it clear that any issues in South Korea could have wide-ranging impacts on the global automotive industry as a whole. You can watch the interview for yourself below.

View the original article here

Video: Hennessey Venom GT goes 265.7 mph, claims top-speed crown from Veyron

Hennessey® Venom GT® Sets New Top Speed Record

The World's Quickest Production Vehicle Becomes The World's Fastest Production Vehicle

SEALY, Texas – Hennessey Performance today announced that on February 9, 2013 its street-legal Venom GT accelerated to 265.7 mph(427.6 km/h) during testing, establishing the exotic hypercar as the world's fastest production vehicle available for public purchase. The top speed run was accomplished over a distance of two miles using a full-production Venom GT. All testing was validated by (2) VBOX 3i GPS-based data logging systems and VBOX officials were on hand to certify the numbers.

"While a Veyron Super Sport did run 267.8 mph, Bugatti speed-limits its production vehicles to 258 mph," said company founder and president, John Hennessey. "Thus, at 265.7 mph the Venom GT is the fastest production car available to the public."

The Venom GT acceleration runs were conducted at the United States Naval Air Station (NAS) Lemoore in Central California using the seventh production Venom GT- a street-legal supercar that makes use of Michelin Pilot Super Sport DOT-approved radial tires, Brembo 4-wheel carbon ceramic disc brakes, and a full interior (replete with high-end stereo, air conditioning, and leather seats). NAS Lemoore was chosen for testing as is home to one of the longest paved runways in North America.

On hand during testing was Captain Eric "Snake" Venoma, Commanding Officer at NAS Lemoore, who was watching over the nearly 200 battle-ready fighter jets (including the largest concentration F/A-18 jets in the world) that were located nearby during the Venom GT top speed runs. In addition, TopGear US Editor, Pat Devereaux was present to witness the top speed testing as part of a story produced for the May 2013 issue of TopGear magazine.
"While the 2.9 mile long runway is more than enough acceleration distance for a F/A-18 fighter jet, it was far too short for the Venom GT to reach it's true top speed," said Hennessey Performance CEO, Don Goldman.

Designed to operate on premium unleaded pump fuel, the Venom GT is powered by a 7.0-liter (427 cubic inch) V-8 engine fed by twin Precision turbochargers that team to produce 1,244 horsepower and 1,155 lb-ft of torque at 19 psi (1.3 bar) of boost pressure. Weighing just 1,244 kg (2,743 lbs), the rear-wheel-drive Venom GT delivers a power-to-weight ratio of 1 horsepower per kilogram of vehicle weight.

In July 2010, a Bugatti Veyron Super Sport (propelled by a 1,200 horsepower quad-turbo 16-cylinder engine) attained a speed of 267.8 mph- 2.1 mph faster than the Venom GT. However, the top speed was achieved using a state of tune that is not available to customers paying the $2.5 million dollar purchase price as a production Veyron SS is speed limited to 257.8 mph. Furthermore, the Veyron SS top speed testing was conducted over the 5.6 mile long straightaway that is part of Volkswagen Group AG's private test track located near Ehra-Lessien, Germany. "Afforded the same distance to accelerate, the Venom GT would exceed 275 mph," said John Hennessey.

In February of 2013, the Venom GT officially became the quickest accelerating production vehicle in the world as it ran 0-300 km/h in 13.63 seconds, thus establishing a new Guinness® WORLD RECORD- a record that was previously held by the Koenigsegg Agera R. While conducting the Guinness® World Record runs, despite marginal traction (due to three days of previous rainfall), the Venom GT accelerated from 0-60 mph in 3.05 seconds, 0-100 mph in 5.88 seconds, ran the standing quarter-mile in 10.29 seconds at 158.83 mph, and ran the standing half-mile in 15.22 seconds at 204.65 mph.

Although Guinness® only recognizes runs made in kilometers per hour (km/h), the Venom GT also set a new unofficial acceleration record of 0-200 miles per hour (mph) in 14.51 seconds as verified by VBOX data. The 0-200 mph record was previous held by the Koenigsegg Agera R that required 17.68 seconds time- 3.027 seconds slower than the Venom GT. By comparison, the Bugatti Veyron Super Sport (powered by a 1200 horsepower, quad-turbocharged, 8.0-liter, 16-cylinder engine channeling power through an all-wheel-drive system) ran 0-200 mph in 22.20 seconds during an AUTOCAR test- 7.69 seconds slower than the Venom GT.

Hennessey plans to only build a total of 29 Venom GTs, with one-third of the production run already being sold. Thus, the Venom GT is not only the quickest and fastest production car in the world, but it is also one of the most exclusive. The heavily carbon-fiber Venom GT costs $1.2 million (USD) plus shipping, not including options. Each vehicle is custom built to order and requires six months for completion.

About Hennessey Performance

Established in 1991, Hennessey Performance (HPE) now operates from a new facility comprised of a 36,000 square foot building that is located adjacent to Lonestar Motorsports Park, the company's test track and IHRA sanctioned dragstrip. The 143-acre complex is located about 45 minutes west of Houston, Texas along Interstate 10. Hennessey offer a wide variety of dyno-proven, track-tested upgrades for modern performance vehicles. In addition, Hennessey operates Tuner School®, the world's first (fully state accredited) technical school dedicated to teaching and training future performance vehicle tuners.

In 2010, Hennessey Performance opened a new 12,500 square foot facility in Lake Forest, California, to better serve performance-minded clients in Southern California. Full tuning services and chassis dynamometer testing are available at the California location.
For more information, contact John Hennessey at 979.885.1300 or visit:

www.venomgt.com

www.hennesseyperformance.com

View the original article here

'Dexter' Teaser Warns Season 8 'Isn't Going to Be Pretty' (Video)

Showtime has unspooled the second teaser for the upcoming eighth season of Dexter and it's only slightly less cryptic than the first.

After the first promo offered the names of most of Dexter's (Michael C. Hall) victims, the new spot offers a window into the mind of the serial killer with a code. 

PHOTOS: Comic-Con 2012: 6 All-Stars Talk Fans, Mortifying Auditions and How Their Shows Should End at THR's Roundtable

"I've always been a very neat monster but lately the truth has begun to spill," he warns. "And too many people have seen the full picture. I'm losing control. And the only thing I know for sure is that it isn't going to be pretty."

Judging from the Dexter-styled blood splatter in the promo below, he's clearly very right. 

Showtime has yet to make a formal decision on the future of the long-running drama co-starring Jennifer Carpenter, though CBS Corp. chief Les Moonves -- who oversees sibling network Showtime -- recently called the upcoming eighth season the show's "last."

Dexter returns Sunday, June 30 on Showtime for its first spring bow. Watch the creepy promo, below, and hit the comments with your thoughts.

Email: Lesley.Goldberg@thr.com; Twitter: @Snoodit

View the original article here

Jon Stewart Spanks CNN and Jeff Zucker (Video)

Cable news channels will do whatever it takes to earn viewers. Unfortunately for them, Jon Stewart has a television, too.

The host of The Daily Show highlighted the work of new CNN honcho Jeff Zucker on Thursday night, the man taking over a network that has, as Stewart put it, "represented neither the left nor right, but rather more a steady spiral downward."

Starting off with a clip that teased Zucker's desire to "redefine news," Stewart launched into a litany of lowlights that have aired on CNN in the last few months, including segments that involved holographic goats and the re-enactment of the Jodi Arias murder live in studio.

VIDEO: Jon Stewart Stands Up for TV Host Known as 'Egyptian Jon Stewart,' Slams Country's Leader

That latter one prompted him to dry heave.

From there, Stewart ridiculed the new pundit show (Get to) The Point, mocking not just its name but its content and even lower third chyron displays.

This, of course, isn't the first time he has torn apart the Atlanta-based news network. In 2004, he appeared on Crossfire, where he memorably told its hosts that they were "hurting America." Months later, it was canceled.

VIDEO: Jon Stewart Suggests Bill O'Reilly for Pope, Skewers Catholic Church

More recently, Stewart ripped CNN for its breathless coverage of the unmoored Carnival Cruise -- lovingly referred to in popular culture as the "Poop Cruise."

In a less-than-pleased response online, Steve Krakauer, a senior digital producer for CNN, tweeted, "Jon Stewart spends 1st segment making fun of CNN, then uses CNN reporting as centerpiece of next segment. America's least-ombuds-ed pundit.

View the original article here

'Dexter' Teaser Warns Season 8 'Isn't Going to Be Pretty' (Video)

Showtime has unspooled the second teaser for the upcoming eighth season of Dexter and it's only slightly less cryptic than the first.

After the first promo offered the names of most of Dexter's (Michael C. Hall) victims, the new spot offers a window into the mind of the serial killer with a code. 

PHOTOS: Comic-Con 2012: 6 All-Stars Talk Fans, Mortifying Auditions and How Their Shows Should End at THR's Roundtable

"I've always been a very neat monster but lately the truth has begun to spill," he warns. "And too many people have seen the full picture. I'm losing control. And the only thing I know for sure is that it isn't going to be pretty."

Judging from the Dexter-styled blood splatter in the promo below, he's clearly very right. 

Showtime has yet to make a formal decision on the future of the long-running drama co-starring Jennifer Carpenter, though CBS Corp. chief Les Moonves -- who oversees sibling network Showtime -- recently called the upcoming eighth season the show's "last."

Dexter returns Sunday, June 30 on Showtime for its first spring bow. Watch the creepy promo, below, and hit the comments with your thoughts.

Email: Lesley.Goldberg@thr.com; Twitter: @Snoodit

View the original article here

Brian Williams Reports on 'Girls' Baby Name Craze (Video)

Brian Williams played it straight as he reported on new rankings of popular baby names, one of which he undoubtedly found very familiar.

According to NameBerry, Marnie is a newly popular name for girls. Fan of the HBO show Girls will likely know the news anchor’s daughter, Allison Williams, plays Marnie on the show.

STORY: 'Girls' Star Christopher Abbott Departs Series, Reportedly After Fights With Lena Dunham

“The big activity is among girls. The folks at NameBerry say Marnie is suddenly hot because there is a character named Marnie on an HBO series,” Williams said Friday on NBC’s Nightly News.

Williams didn’t note the character was his daughter, but there seemed to be a slight twinkle in his eye as he reported the news. So, was this report the stolid news anchor's version of the humble brag or Williams' demonstrating he's the consummate professional by not explicitly mentioning his daughter?

Watch the video below and decide.

Visit NBCNews.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

View the original article here

'Fashion Star' Sneak Peek: Daniel and Johana Must Work Together After Disagreement (Exclusive Video)

From left: mentors Jessica Simpson, John Varvatos and Nicole Richie

Nicole Richie probably didn't realize she'd have to play mediator -- in addition to mentor -- on this season of Fashion Star.

In Friday night's episode of the NBC design competition, the remaining competitors are challenged to work in pairs to create one single look together. To up the stakes, the pair with the highest total sales will be given immunity.

STORY: 'Fashion Star': EP Ben Silverman, Host Louise Roe Spill Secrets on Season 2 Revamp

Unfortunately for Daniel Silverstein and Johana Hernandez -- Richie's two remaining team members -- the twist means that they are forced to work together on the heels of a disagreement the week before.

As seen in this clip, which is exclusive to The Hollywood Reporter, Richie is forced to mediate between the two.

"I think to me sometimes you come off, you're very just about what you want to do and you're not open to hearing people," Johana tells Daniel.

"I actually feel exactly the same about you," he retorts.

Fashion Star airs at 8 p.m. Fridays on NBC.

View the original article here

Brian Williams Reports on 'Girls' Baby Name Craze (Video)

Brian Williams played it straight as he reported on new rankings of popular baby names, one of which he undoubtedly found very familiar.

According to NameBerry, Marnie is a newly popular name for girls. Fan of the HBO show Girls will likely know the news anchor’s daughter, Allison Williams, plays Marnie on the show.

STORY: 'Girls' Star Christopher Abbott Departs Series, Reportedly After Fights With Lena Dunham

“The big activity is among girls. The folks at NameBerry say Marnie is suddenly hot because there is a character named Marnie on an HBO series,” Williams said Friday on NBC’s Nightly News.

Williams didn’t note the character was his daughter, but there seemed to be a slight twinkle in his eye as he reported the news. So, was this report the stolid news anchor's version of the humble brag or Williams' demonstrating he's the consummate professional by not explicitly mentioning his daughter?

Watch the video below and decide.

Visit NBCNews.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

View the original article here

'Dexter' Teaser Warns Season 8 'Isn't Going to Be Pretty' (Video)

Showtime has unspooled the second teaser for the upcoming eighth season of Dexter and it's only slightly less cryptic than the first.

After the first promo offered the names of most of Dexter's (Michael C. Hall) victims, the new spot offers a window into the mind of the serial killer with a code. 

PHOTOS: Comic-Con 2012: 6 All-Stars Talk Fans, Mortifying Auditions and How Their Shows Should End at THR's Roundtable

"I've always been a very neat monster but lately the truth has begun to spill," he warns. "And too many people have seen the full picture. I'm losing control. And the only thing I know for sure is that it isn't going to be pretty."

Judging from the Dexter-styled blood splatter in the promo below, he's clearly very right. 

Showtime has yet to make a formal decision on the future of the long-running drama co-starring Jennifer Carpenter, though CBS Corp. chief Les Moonves -- who oversees sibling network Showtime -- recently called the upcoming eighth season the show's "last."

Dexter returns Sunday, June 30 on Showtime for its first spring bow. Watch the creepy promo, below, and hit the comments with your thoughts.

Email: Lesley.Goldberg@thr.com; Twitter: @Snoodit

View the original article here

'Wreck-It Ralph,' 'Breaking Dawn' Dominate Home Video Charts

The top-selling disc of the week was either Walt Disney Studios’ Wreck-It Ralph or Lionsgate’s The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 2.

It all depends on how you look at things.

Disney’s animated feature topped the Nielsen VideoScan First Alert chart, which tracks overall disc sales, its first week in stores. The film, which earned $187.9 million at the domestic box office, also debuted at No. 1 on Nielsen’s dedicated Blu-ray Disc sales chart for the week ending March 10.

But in terms of total unit sales, the crown goes to second-ranked Breaking Dawn, because it was available in several different configurations that are listed separately on the First Alert chart – including a Walmart-exclusive two-pack that also includes Breaking Dawn – Part 1.

On the Blu-ray Disc chart, Wreck-It Ralph still outsold Breaking Dawn – Part 2, in all its configurations, by a 2-to-1 margin.

And given its Blu-ray advantage, that likely makes Ralph the biggest moneymaker for the week.

The newly released MGM film Red Dawn, distributed on home video by 20th Century Fox, bowed at No. 3 on both sales charts.

On Home Media Magazine’s weekly video rental chart for the week, Breaking Dawn – Part 2 shot up to No. 1 from No. 5 in its first full week of availability. Wreck-It Ralph debuted at No. 3, right after Sony Pictures’ Playing for Keeps, which earned just $13.1 million in U.S. theaters.

The romantic comedy, which stars Jessica Biel, was clearly what observers used to call a “rental title.” It debuted at No. 13 on First Alert and No. 18 on the Blu-ray Disc chart.

View the original article here

'Wreck-It Ralph,' 'Breaking Dawn' Dominate Home Video Charts

The top-selling disc of the week was either Walt Disney Studios’ Wreck-It Ralph or Lionsgate’s The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 2.

It all depends on how you look at things.

Disney’s animated feature topped the Nielsen VideoScan First Alert chart, which tracks overall disc sales, its first week in stores. The film, which earned $187.9 million at the domestic box office, also debuted at No. 1 on Nielsen’s dedicated Blu-ray Disc sales chart for the week ending March 10.

But in terms of total unit sales, the crown goes to second-ranked Breaking Dawn, because it was available in several different configurations that are listed separately on the First Alert chart – including a Walmart-exclusive two-pack that also includes Breaking Dawn – Part 1.

On the Blu-ray Disc chart, Wreck-It Ralph still outsold Breaking Dawn – Part 2, in all its configurations, by a 2-to-1 margin.

And given its Blu-ray advantage, that likely makes Ralph the biggest moneymaker for the week.

The newly released MGM film Red Dawn, distributed on home video by 20th Century Fox, bowed at No. 3 on both sales charts.

On Home Media Magazine’s weekly video rental chart for the week, Breaking Dawn – Part 2 shot up to No. 1 from No. 5 in its first full week of availability. Wreck-It Ralph debuted at No. 3, right after Sony Pictures’ Playing for Keeps, which earned just $13.1 million in U.S. theaters.

The romantic comedy, which stars Jessica Biel, was clearly what observers used to call a “rental title.” It debuted at No. 13 on First Alert and No. 18 on the Blu-ray Disc chart.

View the original article here

Google's April Fools' Joke: Search and Smell (Video)

Ever wondered what a ghost smells like? Or the inside of an Egyptian tomb?

Well, Google now has the answer for you.

The search-engine giant has launched Google Nose Beta, which will allow you to search and smell such things.

PHOTOS: The 10 Most Googled Oscars Gowns

"Google Search is incredibly powerful, and you can search for text across the Internet, most of human knowledge, images, books, videos, but we realized there was an important part of the search experience we'd overlooked," product manager Jon Wooly says in a newly posted video announcing the feature. (Watch below.)

As explained in the video, a new "smell" button allows users to get a whiff of whatever they're seeking out. How does it work? "By intersecting photons with infrasound waves, Google Nose Beta temporary aligns molecules to emulate a particular scent."

Of course, the whole thing doesn't exist. It's just the latest in long line of annual April Fools' Day jokes from the company. Others have included an eight-bit version of Google Maps designed for the original Nintendo; Gmail Tap, which utilizes Morse Code; Google Voice for Pets, which allows animals to type and send text messages; and Click-to-Teleport, a Chrome feature that lets users teleport to a business location from a search ad.

Incidentally, Google-owned YouTube also unveiled its own April Fools' joke Sunday (a day early), which revealed in a video that the company would be shutting down at midnight so its team of "30,000 technicians" could sift through all the clips posted to the site and choose the best video one. An actor playing a competition director stated that the winner would be announced in 2023, the year the site will go back online.

View the original article here

Jim Carrey's 'Cold Dead Hand' Clip Breaks Funny or Die Records (Video)

Controversy surrounding Jim Carrey’s Cold Dead Hand has been very good for Funny or Die, the website co-owned by actor Will Ferrell where the video originated.

Funny or Die told The Hollywood Reporter on Wednesday that Cold Dead Hand is “the fastest video out of the gate since Charlie Sheen’s Winning Recipes just over two years ago.”

PHOTOS: Jim Carrey's Most Incredible Onscreen Transformations

Cold Dead Hand was released less than two weeks ago and, at 2.8 million views thus far, it has already cracked the Top 10 in terms of viewership within the first 30 days.

In the meantime, it has broken or is set to break very soon the record for most comments, at about 2,600 and counting. One insider joked it also broke a record for “most vile comments” at the Funny or Die Facebook page. It's also in the 99th percentile in emailing and sharing, even though it is just 9 days old and competes against hundreds of Funny or Die videos that have been around for years.

While Carrey's is one of Funny or Die's biggest politically-themed videos, it has a way to go to take the No. 1 spot from Paris Hilton, who has garnered 10.2 million views in five years for her video response to a John McCain campaign ad.

PHOTOS: Funny or Die's Top 10 MVPs

Carrey’s Cold Dead Hand – which takes aim at Charlton Heston and gun owners -- has the potential, though, because it has been getting a tremendous amount of free publicity from political sources on both sides, but mostly from the right, which takes issue with Carrey conflating legal gun ownership with criminal behavior.

Last week, for example, the video was a hot topic on conservative talk radio. On TV, meanwhile, Fox News Channel commentator Greg Gutfeld pelted Carrey with unusually harsh insults, which led  Carrey to fire back with a statement issued by a publicist. In it, Carrey called “Fux News” a “media colostomy bag that has begun to burst at the seams and should be emptied before it becomes a public health issue.”

“This is a guy that insulted most of America and danced on the grave of Charlton Heston.” Gutfeld said in an on-air response the same day. “Jim Carrey is, in this letter, threatening legal action -- something Charlton Heston can’t do because Charlton Heston is dead.”

VIDEO: Fox News Fights Back in Jim Carrey War: 'Come Sue Us'

While the back-and-forth is great business for Funny or Die, Carrey might not be too thrilled with it, and late Tuesday he penned an opinion piece for the Huffington Post where he says, "I never wanted to take your guns away."

Carrey also criticizes those who say they'll boycott his movies because of his pro gun-control stance and attack on Heston. He calls some of his harsher critics "thugs" and "bullies" who wish him death.

He also writes: "For those who say I'm a hypocrite because I have an armed bodyguard, lets make one thing clear: No one in my employ is allowed to carry a large magazine and NO ONE IS ASKING ANYONE TO GIVE UP THEIR RIGHT TO BEAR ARMS."

Email: Paul.Bond@THR.com

View the original article here

YouTube's April Fools Joke: Site Will Close, Relaunch in 2023 (Video)

April Fool's day is arriving early for YouTube.

In a video uploaded on the site on Sunday, the company teases the fake news that it will be shutting down at midnight so that its tech team can comb through every clip to pick the best video in the world.

STORY: YouTube: 1 Billion Monthly Visitors Reached 

"30,000 technicians" will sift through all the clips, and a winner "will be announced when the website goes back online in 2023," states an actor playing a YouTube competition director. 

YouTube CEO Salar Kamangar makes an appearance in the clip. Internet celebrity Antoine Dodson also goes along with the prank, quipping: "I encourage everybody to watch as many videos as possible before YouTube deletes everything tonight."

YouTube deemed the prank clip part of a yearly tradition and also created a fake blog post touting the closure of the site. 

"April Fools’ Day is a big part of YouTube’s culture," a company spokesperson stated. "Each year, we enjoy finding ways to celebrate our community’s creativity, be it throwing it back to 1911 as we did in 2011 or 2008's prank of Rickrolling every video on our site."

Watch the April Fool's day clip below:

View the original article here

Google's April Fools' Joke: Search and Smell (Video)

Ever wondered what a ghost smells like? Or the inside of an Egyptian tomb?

Well, Google now has the answer for you.

The search-engine giant has launched Google Nose Beta, which will allow you to search and smell such things.

PHOTOS: The 10 Most Googled Oscars Gowns

"Google Search is incredibly powerful, and you can search for text across the Internet, most of human knowledge, images, books, videos, but we realized there was an important part of the search experience we'd overlooked," product manager Jon Wooly says in a newly posted video announcing the feature. (Watch below.)

As explained in the video, a new "smell" button allows users to get a whiff of whatever they're seeking out. How does it work? "By intersecting photons with infrasound waves, Google Nose Beta temporary aligns molecules to emulate a particular scent."

Of course, the whole thing doesn't exist. It's just the latest in long line of annual April Fools' Day jokes from the company. Others have included an eight-bit version of Google Maps designed for the original Nintendo; Gmail Tap, which utilizes Morse Code; Google Voice for Pets, which allows animals to type and send text messages; and Click-to-Teleport, a Chrome feature that lets users teleport to a business location from a search ad.

Incidentally, Google-owned YouTube also unveiled its own April Fools' joke Sunday (a day early), which revealed in a video that the company would be shutting down at midnight so its team of "30,000 technicians" could sift through all the clips posted to the site and choose the best video one. An actor playing a competition director stated that the winner would be announced in 2023, the year the site will go back online.

View the original article here

Jim Carrey's 'Cold Dead Hand' Clip Breaks Funny or Die Records (Video)

Controversy surrounding Jim Carrey’s Cold Dead Hand has been very good for Funny or Die, the website co-owned by actor Will Ferrell where the video originated.

Funny or Die told The Hollywood Reporter on Wednesday that Cold Dead Hand is “the fastest video out of the gate since Charlie Sheen’s Winning Recipes just over two years ago.”

PHOTOS: Jim Carrey's Most Incredible Onscreen Transformations

Cold Dead Hand was released less than two weeks ago and, at 2.8 million views thus far, it has already cracked the Top 10 in terms of viewership within the first 30 days.

In the meantime, it has broken or is set to break very soon the record for most comments, at about 2,600 and counting. One insider joked it also broke a record for “most vile comments” at the Funny or Die Facebook page. It's also in the 99th percentile in emailing and sharing, even though it is just 9 days old and competes against hundreds of Funny or Die videos that have been around for years.

While Carrey's is one of Funny or Die's biggest politically-themed videos, it has a way to go to take the No. 1 spot from Paris Hilton, who has garnered 10.2 million views in five years for her video response to a John McCain campaign ad.

PHOTOS: Funny or Die's Top 10 MVPs

Carrey’s Cold Dead Hand – which takes aim at Charlton Heston and gun owners -- has the potential, though, because it has been getting a tremendous amount of free publicity from political sources on both sides, but mostly from the right, which takes issue with Carrey conflating legal gun ownership with criminal behavior.

Last week, for example, the video was a hot topic on conservative talk radio. On TV, meanwhile, Fox News Channel commentator Greg Gutfeld pelted Carrey with unusually harsh insults, which led  Carrey to fire back with a statement issued by a publicist. In it, Carrey called “Fux News” a “media colostomy bag that has begun to burst at the seams and should be emptied before it becomes a public health issue.”

“This is a guy that insulted most of America and danced on the grave of Charlton Heston.” Gutfeld said in an on-air response the same day. “Jim Carrey is, in this letter, threatening legal action -- something Charlton Heston can’t do because Charlton Heston is dead.”

VIDEO: Fox News Fights Back in Jim Carrey War: 'Come Sue Us'

While the back-and-forth is great business for Funny or Die, Carrey might not be too thrilled with it, and late Tuesday he penned an opinion piece for the Huffington Post where he says, "I never wanted to take your guns away."

Carrey also criticizes those who say they'll boycott his movies because of his pro gun-control stance and attack on Heston. He calls some of his harsher critics "thugs" and "bullies" who wish him death.

He also writes: "For those who say I'm a hypocrite because I have an armed bodyguard, lets make one thing clear: No one in my employ is allowed to carry a large magazine and NO ONE IS ASKING ANYONE TO GIVE UP THEIR RIGHT TO BEAR ARMS."

Email: Paul.Bond@THR.com

View the original article here

Jim Carrey's 'Cold Dead Hand' Clip Breaks Funny or Die Records (Video)

Controversy surrounding Jim Carrey’s Cold Dead Hand has been very good for Funny or Die, the website co-owned by actor Will Ferrell where the video originated.

Funny or Die told The Hollywood Reporter on Wednesday that Cold Dead Hand is “the fastest video out of the gate since Charlie Sheen’s Winning Recipes just over two years ago.”

PHOTOS: Jim Carrey's Most Incredible Onscreen Transformations

Cold Dead Hand was released less than two weeks ago and, at 2.8 million views thus far, it has already cracked the Top 10 in terms of viewership within the first 30 days.

In the meantime, it has broken or is set to break very soon the record for most comments, at about 2,600 and counting. One insider joked it also broke a record for “most vile comments” at the Funny or Die Facebook page. It's also in the 99th percentile in emailing and sharing, even though it is just 9 days old and competes against hundreds of Funny or Die videos that have been around for years.

While Carrey's is one of Funny or Die's biggest politically-themed videos, it has a way to go to take the No. 1 spot from Paris Hilton, who has garnered 10.2 million views in five years for her video response to a John McCain campaign ad.

PHOTOS: Funny or Die's Top 10 MVPs

Carrey’s Cold Dead Hand – which takes aim at Charlton Heston and gun owners -- has the potential, though, because it has been getting a tremendous amount of free publicity from political sources on both sides, but mostly from the right, which takes issue with Carrey conflating legal gun ownership with criminal behavior.

Last week, for example, the video was a hot topic on conservative talk radio. On TV, meanwhile, Fox News Channel commentator Greg Gutfeld pelted Carrey with unusually harsh insults, which led  Carrey to fire back with a statement issued by a publicist. In it, Carrey called “Fux News” a “media colostomy bag that has begun to burst at the seams and should be emptied before it becomes a public health issue.”

“This is a guy that insulted most of America and danced on the grave of Charlton Heston.” Gutfeld said in an on-air response the same day. “Jim Carrey is, in this letter, threatening legal action -- something Charlton Heston can’t do because Charlton Heston is dead.”

VIDEO: Fox News Fights Back in Jim Carrey War: 'Come Sue Us'

While the back-and-forth is great business for Funny or Die, Carrey might not be too thrilled with it, and late Tuesday he penned an opinion piece for the Huffington Post where he says, "I never wanted to take your guns away."

Carrey also criticizes those who say they'll boycott his movies because of his pro gun-control stance and attack on Heston. He calls some of his harsher critics "thugs" and "bullies" who wish him death.

He also writes: "For those who say I'm a hypocrite because I have an armed bodyguard, lets make one thing clear: No one in my employ is allowed to carry a large magazine and NO ONE IS ASKING ANYONE TO GIVE UP THEIR RIGHT TO BEAR ARMS."

Email: Paul.Bond@THR.com

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'Wreck-It Ralph,' 'Breaking Dawn' Dominate Home Video Charts

The top-selling disc of the week was either Walt Disney Studios’ Wreck-It Ralph or Lionsgate’s The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 2.

It all depends on how you look at things.

Disney’s animated feature topped the Nielsen VideoScan First Alert chart, which tracks overall disc sales, its first week in stores. The film, which earned $187.9 million at the domestic box office, also debuted at No. 1 on Nielsen’s dedicated Blu-ray Disc sales chart for the week ending March 10.

But in terms of total unit sales, the crown goes to second-ranked Breaking Dawn, because it was available in several different configurations that are listed separately on the First Alert chart – including a Walmart-exclusive two-pack that also includes Breaking Dawn – Part 1.

On the Blu-ray Disc chart, Wreck-It Ralph still outsold Breaking Dawn – Part 2, in all its configurations, by a 2-to-1 margin.

And given its Blu-ray advantage, that likely makes Ralph the biggest moneymaker for the week.

The newly released MGM film Red Dawn, distributed on home video by 20th Century Fox, bowed at No. 3 on both sales charts.

On Home Media Magazine’s weekly video rental chart for the week, Breaking Dawn – Part 2 shot up to No. 1 from No. 5 in its first full week of availability. Wreck-It Ralph debuted at No. 3, right after Sony Pictures’ Playing for Keeps, which earned just $13.1 million in U.S. theaters.

The romantic comedy, which stars Jessica Biel, was clearly what observers used to call a “rental title.” It debuted at No. 13 on First Alert and No. 18 on the Blu-ray Disc chart.

View the original article here

'Wreck-It Ralph,' 'Breaking Dawn' Dominate Home Video Charts

The top-selling disc of the week was either Walt Disney Studios’ Wreck-It Ralph or Lionsgate’s The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 2.

It all depends on how you look at things.

Disney’s animated feature topped the Nielsen VideoScan First Alert chart, which tracks overall disc sales, its first week in stores. The film, which earned $187.9 million at the domestic box office, also debuted at No. 1 on Nielsen’s dedicated Blu-ray Disc sales chart for the week ending March 10.

But in terms of total unit sales, the crown goes to second-ranked Breaking Dawn, because it was available in several different configurations that are listed separately on the First Alert chart – including a Walmart-exclusive two-pack that also includes Breaking Dawn – Part 1.

On the Blu-ray Disc chart, Wreck-It Ralph still outsold Breaking Dawn – Part 2, in all its configurations, by a 2-to-1 margin.

And given its Blu-ray advantage, that likely makes Ralph the biggest moneymaker for the week.

The newly released MGM film Red Dawn, distributed on home video by 20th Century Fox, bowed at No. 3 on both sales charts.

On Home Media Magazine’s weekly video rental chart for the week, Breaking Dawn – Part 2 shot up to No. 1 from No. 5 in its first full week of availability. Wreck-It Ralph debuted at No. 3, right after Sony Pictures’ Playing for Keeps, which earned just $13.1 million in U.S. theaters.

The romantic comedy, which stars Jessica Biel, was clearly what observers used to call a “rental title.” It debuted at No. 13 on First Alert and No. 18 on the Blu-ray Disc chart.

View the original article here