Jennie Turner Garlington, third from left, celebrated the upcoming launch of her new series with a preview showing for family and friends. She's shown here with her siblings Laura Turner Seydel, from left, Beau Turner, her mom Jane Smith Turner, brother Rhett Turner and his wife Angela Turner. Photo by Doug Fallon

“I like a challenge,” Jennie Turner Garlington told us during a private party the other night at EcoManor, the home of her sister, Atlanta eco-activist Laura Turner Seydel.

The sisters’ shared love of the environment (inherited from their dad, Ted Turner) is what spurred Garlington to take on the challenge of creating a four-part series, “EcoSense for Living.”

Party guests, including two other siblings, Beau Turner and Rhett Turner, got a sneak peek at the programming during the event. It will air on Georgia Public Broadcasting stations at 7:30 p.m. every Tuesday during April, known as “Earth Month.”

A former CNN producer, Garlington has aimed her …

Continue reading A sneak peek at eco-series to air in April »

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Lil Wayne plans to hang it up in a few years to become “a full-time dad,” the rapper told a radio interviewer.

He made his widely reported remarks on Angie Martinez’ radio show. S2S Magazine’s site is among the many reporting his retirement newsflash.

“I’m gone at, like, 35. I’m serious. I have four kids,” he said. “I would feel selfish still going to the studio when it’s such a vital point in their lives.”

The performer also known as Dwayne Michael Carter, Jr. isn’t yet 30, so he won’t be disappearing from the music scene for a while.

By the way, keeping up with Lil Wayne will be a little trickier now that he and Twitter have parted ways. MTV, citing an interview conducted by Paris Hilton, reports Lil Wayne has declared he is “on Twitter strike” due to technical difficulties.

“I just shut my Twitter account down because it got hacked,” he said. “Once it got hacked, I had Twitter fix it, they changed it and then it got hacked again, so I just shut it …

Continue reading Lil Wayne talks retirement »

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Well it looks like Atlanta is big enough for Star Jones and NeNe Leakes after all.

We’re told Jones was spotted Tuesday night at Spice Market, where she and a guest enjoyed the steamed lobster with butter, fried garlic, ginger and dried chili.

She was in town for an appearance at Spelman College, where she signed her novel “Satan’s Sisters.” It’s a dishy page-turner about the ladies on a popular daytime talk show that sounds not terribly unlike “The View,” although it’s billed as a work of fiction.

Jones’ current television gig, of course, is her stint on “Celebrity Apprentice,” where she and the “Real Housewives of Atlanta” cast member have cultivated a well-publicized (or could that be merely well-hyped?) dislike of each other.

Leakes called Jones “a disaster” during an appearance on Ellen DeGeneres’ show, while Jones has fired back at Leakes, telling Daytime Confidential the two are “not on the same level.”

Of course, if everyone got along, who would …

Continue reading Star Jones star sighting »

Photo by Our Labor of Love

Richard Blais is going to be crowned the “Top Chef All Stars” winner tonight.

Or not.

Either way, fans of the telegenic Atlanta chef can come cheer him on at a viewing party at the Buckhead Theatre.

Doors open at 8:30 p.m., last week’s episode rolls at 9 p.m. and the big finale starts at 10 p.m. You can RSVP and find out who else on the event’s Facebook page.

We talked to Blais, the guy behind the Flip Burger Boutique concept for a minute this week as he was juggling a slew of media interviews.

“It’s definitely made me a better chef,” said Blais, a past “Top Chef” contender who’s also worked with the Science Channel on a show called “Blais Off,” which flexes his “molecular-gastronomy” muscles. “There’s nothing like taking criticism in front of millions of people.”

Given the glut of reality fare on the television dial, we asked Blais why he thinks chefs seem to make such good TV. Simple, he said: “Everyone eats! …

Continue reading Cheer on Richard Blais during “Top Chef All Stars” viewing party »

Season 13 of the CBS reality show “Big Brother” cranks up this summer, and casting folks are coming to Atlanta in search of possible participants. The open casting call is from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, April 9, at the Hard Rock Cafe downtown.

We got a few minutes on the phone with casting director Robyn Kass for some tips on trying out.

“People need to not prepare too much before they audition,” she said. “They shouldn’t be thinking, okay, what am I going to say in my two-minute monologue?”

After all they’re looking for personality, which you can’t fake. Kass said that over the years she’s seen people over-audition by trying to invoke reality show jargon.

“Stay away from the buzz words,” she said. “We’d rather you tell us a story.”

In other words, instead of telling the casting crew how venal you are, be prepared to illustrate it.

“We’ll have someone say, ‘I’m conniving, I’m backstabbing, I’m controversial, I’m manipulative.’ Then we’ll ask, ‘Tell us about a time …

Continue reading Want to be on “Big Brother?” Tips from the casting director »

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Toni Braxton and her siblings have gotten into the reality show business, with “Braxton Family Values.”

Launching at 9 p.m. April 12 on WEtv, the show is billed as a inside look at “the rambunctious, tight-knit Braxton sisters” as they deal with “sibling rivalry, man drama, bankruptcy, a DUI and much more!”

Now that’s entertainment, folks.

So, want to meet Toni, Traci, Towanda, Trina and Tamar and their “headstrong mother”?

The WE network is running a Twitter sweepstakes (a Tweet-stakes?) contest. The winner gets to travel to L.A. for the show’s launch.

Here are full details.

Meanwhile, we’ll be attending an event tonight with Braxton, here in Atlanta, where she will be promoting the show. Anything you’d like us to ask?

- Jennifer Brett/The Buzz/jbrett@ajc.com.

Continue reading Win a trip to L.A. for premiere of Toni Braxton show »

A huge crowd turned out to meet "Days of Our Live" cast members including Crystal Chappell, from left, Chandler Massey, Galen Gerin and Nadia Bjorlin.

Wow, Atlanta must really be full of “Days of Our Lives” fans.

More than 2,500 of you showed up at Suwanee City Hall, where cast members made a Monday night appearance to promote “Days of our Lives 45 Years: A Celebration in Photos,” a new book about the show.

We heard they stayed three hours longer than planned, and that police officers were needed to come direct the flow of traffic.

To give you an idea of how tremendous this turnout was, the “Days” folks told us that this has been the biggest turnout yet on the show’s national tour. The crowd in Chicago numbered 1,500, which had been the largest crowd to date until the stop in metro Atlanta. Think about that. Chicago: 1,500. Suwanee: 2,500.

“The cast and I were thrilled and overwhelmed by the large number of our family of fans that came to see us Monday,” said executive …

Continue reading Good news for Atlanta “Days of Our Lives” fans »

Want to make some new friends, and bond with them on camera?

Great. This one’s for you. “Big Brother,” the CBS reality show where a bunch of strangers move into a house and then spend every waking moment together while cameras capture it all, has Atlanta in its sights.

The show plans an open casting call, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, April 9, at the Hard Rock Cafe downtown.

While on the show contestants (called “housemates”) aren’t allowed to contact the outside world, so if you want in get all your socializing out of your system now!

We’re working on getting a minute with the casting director for some hints as to the personalities they’re looking for this time. (By the way thanks to those of you who set me straight on the “house” location. I guess I should start watching reality TV!)

We’ll post details as we learn more.

- Jennifer Brett/The Buzz/jbrett@ajc.com

Continue reading “Big Brother” to hold open casting call in Atlanta »

Photo courtesy of KCPR

LeBron James and Dwyane Wade, in town recently for the Miami Heat’s March 18 game against the Atlanta Hawks at Philips Arena, made time for a fun night out during their time in Atlanta.

They joined local entertainer Kenny Burns and some friends for dinner at 10 Degrees South.

Here’s a great photo of the guys.

From left, James “Boomer” Mills, Burns, restaurant owner Derek Anthony, James, Wade, and Colby Campbell and Omar “Slim” White of Plush Blue Entertainment.

- Jennifer Brett/The Buzz/jbrett@ajc.com

Continue reading LeBron James, Dwyane Wade at friends “heat” it up at 10 Degrees South »

"Tangled" hits stores on DVD next Tuesday. You can get one free on Monday by donating your locks to Locks of Love!

We have a couple of hair charity events to announce.

Stylists at the Van Michael Salon in Buckhead will be clipping for a cause from 6 to 8 p.m. on Monday, offering free haircuts to those who wish to donate their tresses to Locks of Love. It’s a group that provides hair pieces to children who have lost their hair due to illness or chemotherapy.

The first 10 people to participate will receive a copy of the Disney movie “Tangled.” The salon’s number is 404-237-4664.

And here’s some hair-raising news for you. The Atlanta Gay Men’s Chorus holds its third annual “big wig” fundraiser from 7 to 11 p.m. Saturday at Bradford Gallery, 764 Miami Way.

DJ Todd Skelton will entertain as revelers, in what we’re promised will be “gravity-defying wigs,” will whip their hair back and forth. Tickets are $30 in advance. At the door it’s $40 or $35 if you wear a …

Continue reading Trade tresses for “Tangled” at Van Michael event »