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Screen Time
Katherine Nichols
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A little advice for ‘Lost’ cast
I returned to work this week from a brief leave of absence, and the entertainment news isn't pretty. "Lost" star
Daniel Dae Kim (Jin Kwon) was arrested late last month on suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol. Thankfully, he apologized and didn't whine at the media for covering stars who make poor choices.
Here's a tip for the "Lost" folks: You -- big fish; Hawaii -- small pond. Throwing back a few too many? Call a cab! Isn't front-page news and the looming, if unspoken, threat of getting written off the show enough motivation to plug the taxi company's number into your Blackberry?
When I was first assigned this beat, the previous reporter handed me a thick file entitled "Lost Speeders." It gives me absolutely no satisfaction to field calls from national publications about the latest on Kim's infraction, when I would much prefer to opine about his public service, solid acting and impressive biceps. We'll see how this unfolds.
Even uglier news came from the camp of Dog Chapman, someone I almost started to appreciate after reading and reviewing his memoir, "You Can Run, But You Can't Hide." (Guess that's an apt title for what's happening in his life now.)
It's clear that Chapman is not someone who controls his temper. At all. Books about gun-toting, drug-dealing, gang-banging criminals/vacuum salesmen who turn their lives around -- multiple times -- become No. 1 best-sellers because they include plenty of hardship and conflict. His fans adore his hard edges.
That said, you'd think that a man in his 50s, filming his fifth season of a national television show and engaged in a major book tour with a publicist keeping reporters apprised of his every move, might know better (then again, we thought Don Imus knew better). Only time will tell if Chapman can ever make amends. Meanwhile, it's obvious we have hit rock bottom when we seek updates from the National Enquirer, that publication of literary excellence that struck a (presumably) lucrative deal with Chapman's son and girlfriend for exclusive coverage. But that's a story for another day.
On a more positive note, a fresh face and strong body will join the fourth season of "Lost." Zoe Bell, who turns 29 this month, is a stuntwoman from New Zealand who evolved to full-fledged actress with a starring role in Quentin Tarantino's "Death Proof." In a recent interview on the Rotten Tomatoes Web site, she said, "At first I thought he (Tarantino) wanted me to play a little cameo role, and I was kind of excited. But when he brought me the script, I realized I was quite mistaken and there was a bunch of line learning I was going to have to do, not to mention dialogue delivery." His response? "Zoe, I'm Quentin Tarantino. I don't make bad decisions, and you're my decision, so get over it." Of course, she did all of her own stunts.
Bell's action credits include "Xena: Warrior Princess," "The Kingdom," "Planet Terror," "Catwoman," "Poseidon," and "Kill Bill," in which she served as Uma Thurman's stunt double. Her presence should add an intriguing element to the new "Lost" season, set to begin in February.