Angelina the press puppeteer

Pick up one of the innumerable lifestyle magazines around the world, and chances are you'll find a story that is positively glowing in its depiction of super couple Angelina Jolie [Images] and Brad Pitt [Images], aka Brangalina.

To be sure, it's been a long road to the top for Angelina: she's been, alternately, (1) the wild child of a famous actor, a relationship torn asunder by enmity (2) the little-bit-too-open lover of a couple of Hollywood badboys and (3) the lady who tore apart Hollywood's First Couple -- Jennifer Aniston [Images] and Brad Pitt.

And that's not the half of it: teenaged drug use, vials of blood exchanged as wedding vows, public kisses, lesbian lovers, secret sex rooms and more.

But, lately, it's as if the luscious-lipped, luminescent-eyed woman can do no wrong. Her every mention is accompanied by effusive praise of her uber-beautiful family, her acting prowess, her taste in French Chateaus and, last but not least, her charitable works.

Turns out, there's a reason for all that positive coverage, and it's a tad bit sinister.

Sources in the magazine world have raised the alarm that Angelina is strong-arming the press into positive coverage, by withholding the intimate access they need to push copies, unless they sign agreements assuring Angelina her carefully crafted image will be maintained.

For example, it's been reported that after the recent birth of twins Knox and Vivienne, the Brangelina offered the first photographs of their newborns for the ludicrous price-tag of almost Rs 70 crore; but get this -- in addition to the oodles and oodles of cash, the couple wanted a hand in the editorial content, journalistic sacrilege!

People magazine, which won the bid and ponied up the cash, of course has denied this agreement. What happened in those shady, smoke-filled backrooms, we'll never know. Only People does. But we do know is that the issue in question was the best-selling for People in seven years. The lesson learned? It pays to play Angelina's game.

So, of course, some have been willing to go along with the charades; the US publishing industry has taken a woeful turn for the worst in recent years and mags need all the exclusive, big-time stories they can get, even if they must sacrifice journalistic integrity in the process.

So, this week, as you read interviews about Angelina's new film, Clint Eastwood's Changeling, keep in mind that the content has likely been adulterated and altered to fit Ms Jolie's marketing image de jour. Kinda takes the fun out of it, doesn't it?

Source:http://www.rediff.com/movies/2008/nov

Angelina Jolie’s public image

“When Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt negotiated with People and other celebrity magazines this summer for photos of their newborn twins and an interview,” said Brooks Barnes in The New York Times, it wasn’t just an estimated $14 million that they wanted: Ms. Jolie asked for “a hefty slice of journalistic input—a promise that the winning magazine’s coverage would be positive, not merely in that instance but into the future.”

It is kind of interesting, said Perez Hilton, that Jolie “was once known for making out with her brother, wearing blood around her neck, and confessing to pre-red carpet limo shenanigans.” Now she seems to be thought of as “a sparkling goddess of maternity and philanthropy.” If this is a result of “careful media manipulation,” it’s not surprising—but it could also be looked at as a shrewd business move.

“Celebrities like Jolie get admiration for such effective flacking,” said Ryan Tate in Gawker, “which in this case worked not only on People but Us Weekly and others.” But the publications come off looking “more and more like publicity brochures crafted by the celebrities they cover, and increasingly undifferentiated from the morass of celebrity coverage online.”

Source: http://www.theweek.com/article/index

Angelina Jolie happy with Brad, Kids

Melbourne (ANI): Managing a demanding profession like acting along with six kids can be stressful for anyone, but that's not the case with Angelina Jolie. The stunner insists that motherhood and life with partner Brad Pitt is 'beautiful' and she couldn't be 'happier'.

The actress, who is playing a distressed mother in her new film Changeling, says that in real life, she is quite happy with life on the personal front. "This is such a beautiful time for me," Herald Sun quoted her as saying.

She added: "When I look back on my life, I never really believed that I would find this kind of happiness on so many different levels. I think I trained myself to expect less, but meeting Brad and being with him has shown me that sometimes it just takes the right circumstances for you to meet a good man who enjoys being with you and working towards the same goals in life. Brad has always been there for me."

The Changeling is a searing drama based on the true story of a child's disappearance in 1928 and his mother's struggle to discover the truth.

Source: http://entertainment.oneindia.in/hollywood/top-stories/

Angelina Jolie: ‘We'll definitely have more’ kids

LOS ANGELES - Running after her little ones may be how Angelina Jolie gets her exercise, but she’s glad she has Brad Pitt to join her.

“I have a great partner,” the world-famous mom told Access Hollywood’s Nancy O’Dell at the “Kung Fu Panda” DVD release party at the Mann Chinese Theater in Los Angeles. “He’s the best daddy and we have fun, so whenever it gets hard we can just look at each other and find a way to laugh about and just appreciate that they’re only little once, and we should enjoy every minute.”

Angie credited her energetic brood with her svelte physique after the birth of twins Knox Leon and Vivienne Marcheline. “I’m running around after six of them,” she told Nancy. “Swimming with the kids a little and things like that, [too].”

And, she told Access, there are more to come.

“Anything could happen,” she said. “We’re open to anything, we love kids and we’re having a great time… It’s chaos in our house, but it’s so much fun. We’ll definitely have more.”

With “Kung Fu Panda 2” in the works, Angelina said another pregnancy wouldn’t interfere with her role as Tigress.

“It’s the action movie I can do with a giant belly, so we’re good,” she said.

Her role in the animated film has made her a star at home, too.

“I’m a big hit at the house,” she said. “It’s cool that I’m Tigress.” While it sounds like she and Brad have things handled at home, if she ever needs another set of hands – or paws — around the house, she can look to her “Panda” co-star, Jack Black, who told Nancy he would volunteer to babysit.

“If she asks, yeah, I will be ready,” Jack said.
Source: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/27634415/

Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt Take Kids Trick Or Treating

Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt stepped out in Malibu Friday night with four of their children. The couple took Maddox, Pax, Zahara and Shiloh out trick-or-treating.

Maddox dressed up as a Marine, Pax as a bat, Zahara as the Jolly Green Giant and Shiloh as a sheriff.

Meanwhile, Jolie recently revealed that she and Pitt are planning to adopt their seventh child soon.



Source: http://www.transworldnews.com/NewsStory.aspx