Big Brother 11: rave parties and nominations

So far in “Big Brother 11,” CBS is working as hard as humanly possible to get you to realize that this season is all about cliques. In at least every other confessional a contestant mentions what clique they are in, and in the rare event we forget (and we do not notice the shirt X contestant is wearing saying what clique they belong to) a helpful reminder pops up on screen.

In terms of strategy we also learned a great deal about the houseguests in this episode. Jessie, the Head of Household (check out the HoH Twitter here), is pretty much the same Jessie most of everyone remembers: loud and overdramatic. However, one thing he is to be given credit for his not falling for some of Laura’s constant flirtations. The guy at least knows when he’s being played, and that will help him out in the long run.

The challenge this week introduced another new “Big Brother” twist: the “haves” and “have-nots.” The team who finishes last in the challenge has to spend a week in one of the most depressing-looking rooms ever created: it’s gray, boring, and not in the least bit comfortable. They also have to shower without cold water and eat some mystery nonsense known as slop.

Before the challenge, we were subjected to an interview by Ronnie of Team Brains proclaiming that this group was going to dominate the challenge thanks to their superior problem-solving skills. The challenge? Connecting a bunch of pipes together in so that liquid would run through a bunch of tubes and cause a wheel to spin at the end. The twist? There really wasn’t one…outside of the fact that the entire room was themed like a rave! (Cue music from “Night at the Roxbury”). Needless to say, the show has seen better challenges. However, Ronnie did get a nice slap back to reality as he failed to back up his bragging and the “Brains” failed horribly.

After the losers were shown their new accommodations, Chima of Team Brain was not altogether happy and decided to tell everyone about it with an increasingly pouty face. She then made one of the most frustrating exclamations anyone can think of on a reality show: “I want out.” Seriously? Thousands of people auditioned for this show and you want out the first week?! Thankfully Jessie decided to nominate Chima for eviction along with Lydia, who he apparently feels is playing the game too hard and could be a threat down the road.

With this, it’s on to the rankings, based on how likely each person is to stay in the game.

13. Chima

Originally it was decided on that one of the Brains would be used as a “pawn” so that someone else would be a surefire goner. After Chima’s little post-challenge fit, though, she will most likely be the one leaving the “Big Brother” house come Tuesday.

12. Lydia

Since she’s up for eviction, you really can’t put her any higher on the list. Then again, you can’t fault the tattooed make-up artist much for her gameplay. Though she could’ve been more social, it was mostly a situation of being in the wrong clique at the wrong time.

11. Ronnie

Something tells me Ronnie’s not long for this game. Maybe it’s in the editing, that has consistently presented him as arrogant and manipulative. Then again, nobody really knows exactly how long he will be on board since the show is live.

10. Laura

“Laura is fake,” as Jessie so carefully pointed out. Turns out it was probably the most truthful statement made the entire episode. She attempted to tell Jessie he was the hottest person alive at one point, but didn’t put any thought at all behind it. Is Laura really here to win or just for a vacation?

9. Jessie

He’s the Head of Household this week, so that immediately means he will be a candidate for elimination next week. The one thing he has going for him is an alliance or two (with Russell and supposedly Ronnie), but with people getting paranoid (and with the Athletes having four members) alliances can break pretty fast.

8. Natalie

In a way Natalie’s personality is a good thing; she’s one of the few people in the house that actually seems to have a personality and won’t kiss up to the Head of Household. However, the images of her taunting other contestants in Thursday’s challenge are stuck in my mind.

7. Jeff

Where did Jeff go? He was mostly invisible in this episode. Plus, the fact that he’s been seen so little talking to his fellow athletes seems like he’s falling a little out of touch in his own clique. I wonder if down the road someone will get a chance to flip…

6. Braden

Like Jeff, Braden was next to invisible in this episode. This could mean that he has a decent strategy going, or it could mean that he’s just not very exciting.

5. Kevin

Will Kevin win the show? Possibly; he’s not ruffling any feathers, but he needs to find himself an alliance pretty fast and stop panicking that he “shares no common ground” with the other groups.

4. Casey

Casey had a great episode, moving from the bottom of my projected leaderboard up to fourth. His leadership made him a great asset in the rave challenge, and none of the other houseguests are complaining about him just yet.

3. Jordan

Jordan isn’t acting fake like some others (*cough* Laura), but she’s still playing the strategy angle. Being a “popular kid” in itself may give her more attention, but she’s looking solid for a while.

2. Michele

From what it seems Michele has a pretty good strategy going: do whatever Ronnie says and let him take the fall. She doesn’t have much of an alliance on her own just yet, but having a cushion like she does in this game is a valuable asset.

1. Russell

Russell is an even better example of this. He found a perfect alliance partner in Jessie, who will automatically grab most of the attention due to both his position and his personality. Not only that, but he’s getting along well with the Brains and there is alliance potential there. Finally, he’s a challenge threat; even though he’s a tough competitor, his group of friends right now will likely keep him safe.

--

Who do you think is on the way victory? Add a comment and let me know! Check back tomorrow night for more coverage of “Big Brother,” and keep reading for more TV news.

Levi Johnston says Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin resigned because she couldn't handle the pressure

Hockey hunk turned political pundit Levi Johnston doesn't think his baby's grandma Sarah Palin could handle the White House: She can't take the heat.

"She's very smart," Johnston told NBC Monday morning. "But I just don't think she can handle the stress level as governor -- I don't think she can handle it as president or vice president."

Johnston, the 19-year-old high school dropout and former fiancé of Palin's daughter Bristol, said on the "Today" show that he wouldn't vote for Palin if she launched a presidential bid.

"If you would have asked that question a while back, I think I would have [voted for her]," Johnston said.
"But after what she has done now, you know, quitting on Alaska, I don't really think she has been the governor she should have for Alaska."

Palin is resigning the governorship later this month, with more than a year remaining on her term.

"I'd do just about anything for her," Johnston said of his infant son's grandmother. "But I really don't think I'd vote for her if she ran for president."

Speaking from the NBC's studio in Rockefeller Center, Johnston accused Palin of failing to be upfront with the nation about her abrupt decision to resign. Johnston said he heard the vanquished GOP vice presidential nominee saying money was a primary motive.

"We had tons of offers coming in from everybody out there and just all kinds of ridiculous things," he said. "There's been talk about it would be nice to just take the money and run."

Johnston, who appeared shirtless in a recent magazine photo spread, said there was talk among the Palins about doing a reality show "or just something easier."

When asked how much Palin stood to benefit from her book deal, Johnston said he's "heard" anywhere from $7 million to $9 million. "It's up there," he said without citing the source of his knowledge.

Last week, a spokeswoman for Palin, publicly disputed Johnston's commentary on Palin's reasons for resigning.

"It is interesting to learn Levi is working on a piece of fiction while honing his acting skills," the spokeswoman said.

A Palin spokeswoman could not be reached early Monday for a response to Johnston's new comments on the "Today" show.

In the "Today" interview, Johnston said Palin would come home "stressed out" in the weeks following the fall election. At that time, he was living at the Palin home.

"She wasn't as outgoing," he said. "I just didn't see the spark in her eyes about, you know, being governor anymore."

She was quiet, spending time in her room, he said. "We could tell something was wrong. She was sad she lost.
I mean, who wouldn't be?"

Johnston said he "definitely" believes the fame got to her head.

Earlier this year, Johnston publicly complained about a rift between him and the Palins. But "everything's great now," he claimed.

Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/2009/07/13/2009-07-13_levi_johnston_says_his_baby_grandma_alaska_gov_sarah_palin_couldnt_handle_the_pr.html#ixzz0L7AYl3Tp&C

Obama announces surgeon general choice

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- President Obama announced Monday he has chosen Dr. Regina Benjamin, a family practice doctor from the Gulf Coast, to serve as surgeon general.

Dr. Regina Benjamin holds advanced degrees in medicine and business administration.

The rural family physician has long provided medical care on the Gulf Coast. In 1990, she founded Bayou La Batre Rural Health Clinic in the fishing village of Bayou La Batre, Alabama.

The clinic was heavily damaged by Hurricane Georges in 1998 and Hurricane Katrina in 2005, but Benjamin rebuilt it each time and continued to offer medical care to the village's 2,500 residents.

Many of her family practice patients are uninsured, according to the MacArthur Foundation, which last year awarded her one of its $500,000 "genius" grants.

Her patient population includes immigrants from Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos, who make up a third of Bayou La Batre's population.

Benjamin received a bachelor's degree in 1979 from Xavier University of Louisiana, attended Morehouse School of Medicine from 1980 to 1982 and received an doctor of medicine degree in 1984 from the University of Alabama at Birmingham.

Benjamin completed her residency in family practice at the Medical Center of Central Georgia in 1987 and has served as CEO of the Bayou La Batre Rural Health Clinic since its founding in 1990.

Health Library

• MayoClinic.com: Health Library

She earned a master's degree in business administration in 1991 from Tulane University.

Benjamin also served as the associate dean for rural health at the University of South Alabama's College of Medicine and as president of the State of Alabama Medical Association from 2002-2003.

She is the first woman, first African-American woman and first person younger than 40 to sit on the board of trustees of the American Medical Association, serving from 1995 through 1998.

Sonia Sotomayor, live from Capitol Hill

Just a reminder that we'll be live blogging the Sonia Sotomayor confirmation hearing this morning. It is scheduled to start at 10 a.m.

Barring an unforeseen revelation, the upcoming sessions before the Senate Judiciary Committee aren't likely to produce drama on the order of the Robert Bork or Clarence Thomas hearings. But it will be interesting to see how Sotomayor handles Republican questions about claims she is a judicial activist.

It will also be interesting to see how far Republicans push their criticism. Do they really want to be seen as attacking the first Latino high court nominee, given the growth of Hispanic voters? Do they have the votes to stop confirmation anyway?

The betting money is that the GOP will use these hearings as a staging ground for future judicial battles. After all,Sotomayor would be replacing Justice David Souter, who often sided with liberals on close cases. So a Justice Sotomayor would not likely change the ideological balance of the court, with its narrow conservative majority led by Chief Justice John Roberts.

Sotomayor,meanwhile, got a pre-hearing pep talk yesterday from President Obama.

Today will be dominated by opening statements from the senators and Sotomayor. Question time starts Tuesday.

So Oval-ites, approach the bench: Make your case for or against Sotomayor's confirmation in 140 words or less.

Sotomayor hearing opens Supreme Court debate

Sonia Sotomayor looks almost certain to emerge from Senate hearings this week poised to become the first Hispanic member of the U.S. Supreme Court.

But political debate over President Barack Obama's plans for the top U.S. court has only begun.

Republicans are ready to resist what they fear could be a sharp leftward turn for the court under Obama's Democratic administration, reversing a steady tack to the right under former Republican President George W. Bush.

"For Sotomayor, it is a critical moment to set the public's perception of her. She will define herself for the country in her opening statement," said Doug Kendall, founder of the Constitutional Accountability Center, a liberal legal think tank in Washington.

"But for senators, it is much more about stating their case about the future of the Supreme Court itself."

Obama, a former constitutional law professor, chose the 55-year-old Sotomayor to replace the now-retired Justice David Souter, who had been one of four liberals on the deeply divided nine-member court. Members are appointed for life.

A daughter of Puerto Rican parents who grew up in a public housing project in New York, Sotomayor's story of tough beginnings and Ivy League education mirrors Obama's own while her long experience as prosecutor and appeals court judge gives critics few opportunities to attack her credentials.

FEW CLUES ON POSITIONS

Legal experts parsing Sotomayor's rulings for clues to her positions on everything from abortion to gun control have come up with little, although most agree she will not change the court's ideological balance -- which has been split with four liberals and five conservatives.

Barring an unforeseen scandal, Republicans privately concede that Sotomayor will be confirmed -- not least because Democrats control the needed 60 of the Senate's 100 seats to override any minority opposition.

But they hope to use the nationally broadcast hearing to argue that judges should rule according to the law and without regard to personal feeling.

"Republicans have made a commitment not to prejudge her. This is her opportunity to explain what some may call troubling or puzzling decisions," one Republican aide said.

Obama entered the argument when he said he favored judges with "empathy" -- which conservatives portrayed as shorthand for allowing emotion, or bias, to take precedence over statute.

"Empathy is great, perhaps, if you're the beneficiary of it. But it is not good ... (if) you don't catch the judge's fancy or if you fail to appeal to a shared personal experience," Senator Jeff Sessions, the ranking Republican on the Judiciary committee, said in a Senate speech.

Republican's have zeroed in on an early Sotomayor speech in which she said a "wise Latina" might arrive at better legal decisions than a white man because of her life history.

And questions could focus on a case in which the Supreme Court, voting 5-4, said the city of New Haven, Connecticut, violated civil rights law by throwing out firefighter exam results which did not produce enough qualified black applicants -- overruling a lower court decision upheld by Sotomayor.

TREADING CAREFULLY

But many analysts say Republicans must tread carefully through the politics of the nomination.

"They have a tricky challenge. They are trying to attack her use of race without impugning her race, and that's not easy to do," said Stephen Wermiel, a constitutional law professor at American University in Washington.

Sotomayor has drawn public support in opinion polls and the top rating from the American Bar Association. She is also seen as a trailblazer by the Hispanic community -- the fastest growing U.S. minority group, accounting for about 15 percent of the population.

"There could be questions raised about any judge's ruling on any case. But the fact is, I believe she has a record that is unparalleled," said Democratic Senator Dick Durbin.

Business groups are also holding their fire. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the nation's biggest business group with more than 3 million members, plans to withhold any endorsement or opposition until her Senate testimony.

"To some extent the timelines are so long and uncertain on what's going to happen in the court that it is underappreciated by Wall Street," said Anne Mathias of Concept Capital Washington Research Group, which tracks Congress for investors.

Manuel Miranda of the Third Branch Conference, a conservative legal group, said Republicans may use the question of the Supreme Court's future to underscore their mounting criticism of the Obama administration on other issues including its huge deficit-spending plans.

"The Sotomayor hearings are a spotlight on the president who nominated her, and if the Republicans don't use it that way they are fools," he said. (Additional reporting by Thomas Ferraro; editing by Mohammad Zargham)

For Creamer, disaster strikes at 10th hole in U.S. Open

It was disaster at hole No. 10 for Paula Creamer, the American star and Pink Panther of women's pro golf.

After a triple-bogey on 10, Creamer dropped her head, her eyes watered and her game continued to go south in third-round play of the U.S. Women's Open on Saturday at Saucon Valley Country Club.

Creamer, who was only one shot behind leader Cristie Kerr after the second round, also bogeyed holes 6, 8, 11 and 17 for an 8-over-par 79.

''The easiest thing to say is I woke up on the wrong side of the bed today,'' said Creamer, who was paired with Kerr.She dropped into a six-way tie for 17th place, six shots over par and in need of a big rally in today's final round if she's to surpass her highest Open finish -- second in 2005.

''I feel it's an unfortunate day,'' Creamer said. ''I shot 79. I played bad. I guess I deserved to shoot that.''

It was windy and the greens were crunchy, but Kerr managed to shoot a 1-over-par 72 and enter today as the only golfer under par at minus-2.

Kerr scored par on on the par-4 10th and sympathized as her American rival crumbled, first by sending her tee shot into the bunker. Creamer's next shot went over the green, almost hitting a television tower. She then mis-hit three straight chip shots and was in disbelief.

Finally, on her seventh shot, Creamer dropped the ball in the hole, but her All-American smile had disappeared. She had played No. 10 well the first two rounds, posting par on Thursday and a birdie on Friday.

But United States Golf Association officials moved the tee markers forward 80 yards, making it a 253-yard shot to the flagstick. The move was made to tempt players into trying to drive the green.

''I didn't say anything to her afterward,'' Kerr said. ''Would have been hard for anybody to say anything to Paula at the time. She was mad. I don't blame her, though.

''But that's what the USGA wants to do. They want to bring in risk-reward. I hit tee shots from that tee on the practice round to know that there's a lot of places you don't want to be hitting driver off that tee, and I gave myself a good opportunity for birdie.''

Kerr knows where Creamer went wrong.

''She tried to hit it at the pin instead of just getting it on the green, taking par and leaving because that was a really tough bunker shot she brought in over the green into play, which was not easy.

''It was a little difficult waiting all that period of time while she was going through what she was going through, but I felt bad for her. She's one of my friends, and you always want to see her playing well.''

Regrouping was tough for Creamer, who was sixth at the Open last year. This season, she has not won an LPGA Tour event and was forced to withdraw from the last two events with a left thumb injury.

But through two rounds, Creamer was on top of her game and her fans applauded her every move.

Then came Creamer's fall from grace on No. 10.

''I'm not sure what happened there,'' she said. ''Just kind of felt like one shot after another seven times. After that it was difficult to bounce back, especially on the back side. There's not as many birdies on the back side as I feel there are on the front. That's not quite the momentum I wanted going into the back.''

Creamer said her thumb has been a little achy here and there, but did not use it as an excuse for a poor third round.

''I wish I could blame it on that, but I can't,'' she said. ''I just didn't play well.''

Her emotions seesawed as a result, especially on 10 when it seemed as though she was going to melt into the green.

''I kind of stood on the green there and just tried to get all my emotions out,'' Creamer said. ''It was difficult because I made a good par on 9.

''I can't tell you how many greens I missed this week. I feel kind of not rusty in a sense, but it's not quite my iron shots that you normally look at.''

Can't always be beauty and grace.

Skidmark Cards Commits to Offer Rihanna, One of It's Skidmark Break-Up Cards and to Donate $100.00 to Local Women's Shelter

The company challenges Rihanna to give Chris Brown any Skidmark Break-Up Card from it’s web site, free of charge, and the company will donate $100.00, in Rihanna’s name, to a local Women’s Shelter.

The explosive story about the abusive relationship between Rihanna and Chris Brown has caught the attention of many a casual observer. Add to the mix a start-up greeting card company who has weighed in on the issue. Thomas Burr, spokesman for Skidmark Cards, a firm that donates 50% of their profits to help fund shelters for victims of domestic violence, has issued a public challenge. The company challenges Rihanna to give Chris Brown any Skidmark break-up card from it’s web site, free of charge, and the company will donate $100.00, in Rihanna’s name, to a local women’s shelter. The break-up cards are billed as ‘cards that tastefully express and dignify the end of a relationship.” Burr says to Rihanna, or for that matter her handlers, “feel free to get in touch with Skidmark Cards anytime to make the arrangements."

Concerns arose after reports that the couple may have reconciled after the infamous incident that almost landed Brown in jail and Rihanna visibly bruised and shaken. Brown has been ordered to stay away from the iconic young starlet, however; they had been seen as trying to resume their rocky relationship not too long after the night the reported abuse took place.

“This sets a very bad example for victims of domestic violence everywhere,” laments Burr, who goes on to say, “if their relationship is over, then Rihanna has nothing to lose by taking us up on our offer, it will bring some closure to both of them and help victims of domestic violence at the same time.” "She is such a beautiful and talented young performer who has many, many admirers. This means, that of course, there are countless young women who look up to her as a role model. It is my opinion that as a role model, she should in no uncertain terms, show Mr. Brown to the curb and we have a card for that" Burr notes.

"We are sure that Chris Brown is a decent, hard-working, honest, up-front individual who just needs to work on his main issues right now, first and foremost his anger and aggression," Burr says in closing.

There has been no word from the Rihanna camp as of yet. Burr says this is a serious offer and he is willing to keep up his end of the offer any time the shinning star, or her reps see fit. Added Burr “I realize that we are not exactly a household name, however; we are totally devoted to making a difference and helping abuse victims who are not as fortunate as Rihanna or other persons of fame and fortune who have many resources at their disposal.”

The Skidmark Cards web site home page reads: Skidmark Cards with the tagline -“When That Relationship Comes To a Screeching Halt.” The site also contains make-up cards but no-one is recommending those cards to that couple any time soon. As is also stated on Skidmark Cards web site: “We are making domestic violence our business- helping to fund Women’s shelters for victims of domestic violence is what we do." Visit them today at

ON THE TUBE: 'Entourage' starts anew in Season 6 (see PHOTOS)

To get a little perspective on a new season long-awaited, I’m watching “Entourage” from its humble beginnings, back when Vince (Adrian Grenier), Eric (Kevin Connolly), Johnny Drama (Kevin Dillon), Turtle (Jerry Ferrara) and Ari (Jeremy Piven) were getting a fresh start on HBO’s version of an insider’s look at Hollywood.

It seemed so star-studded, with Jessica Alba starring beside the next “it” actor in “Head On,” the movie that catapulted Vincent Chase into Hollywood’s elite “A” list. (Alba was “A” list back then, believe it or not.) With the help of his street-start, Napolean-complex-plagued friend Eric, Vince had successfully left Queens, N.Y., even had the freedom to reject a $4 million paycheck for “Mattherhorn,” only to land a role on the megahit “Aquaman.” (That latter franchise later blew up in his face, of course.) Vince was getting a view that most people can only get from celebrity Web sites and magazines. In essence, Vince was bringing it all home, through the magic of cable, sharing the good life of Hollywood with everyone.

That’s what made “Entourage” so appealing, and although it’s veered a little too insider now and again, especially as it has gained a following, both in Hollywood and the rest of the U.S., it remains a guilt-free way to live life as a star; you’re not supporting papparazzi and their filthy habits, and you don’t have to clean up all the messes that seem inevitable with being a star.

Whether the show can keep up the momentum, sharp wit and authentic feel as the sixth season unfolds tonight (July 12) at 8:30 p.m. CDT — well, we’ll all just have to wait and see since a limited copies of advance screeners were released. (There was a season premiere in Los Angeles, as seen in the accompanying photos, but I was confined to Florida. Oh well.) But that’s just part of the appeal, I guess. Almost everyone, even the movie stars in their cozy Hamptons hideaways, will have to wait for the new formula.

That new formula starts Sunday, as Vince and crew busted, returned to their roots in Queens, and found their savior in Scorsese — yes, as in Martin Scorsese, who directed Vince’s next film, set in and around Manhattan. After having fallen so hard on his luck, Vince’s return to New York (and, specifically, the movie he made there between the fifth and sixth seasons) sets him up for superstardom once again. And with that, of course, comes the frequent appearance of other A-list stars, many of whom are fans of the show. (Even President Obama is said to give his thumbs up, but don’t let that discourage you from watching if you vote GOP.)

Although I can’t guarantee it, I think we’re in for another great season. I’m just hoping Ari can behave himself, as his lowly assistant, Lloyd (Rex Lee) is looking for a promotion. (Good luck with that, Lloyd.) Ari can be a bit much, but Piven pulls it off. He’s likable, even as a donkey. (You know what the synonym is.)

And “Entourage” is likable, even if it is a bit insider.

Sony taps Aaron Sorkin to revise 'Moneyball'

Aaron Sorkin is best known in Hollywood as a screenwriter and TV producer supreme, having put his high-style signature on everything from "The West Wing" and "Sports Night" to "Charlie Wilson's War." But now, as Variety first reported Thursday, Sorkin has a new role -- he's the closer on "Moneyball," the much-ballyhooed baseball movie at Sony Pictures that the studio shut down just days before shooting was scheduled to begin late last month.

The movie, which had Brad Pitt slated to star as Billy Beane, the maverick general manager of the Oakland A's who was the focus of Michael Lewis' bestselling "Moneyball" book, had its plug pulled after director Steven Soderbergh turned in a last-minute script revision that the studio felt took the film in a radically different, not to mention wildly uncommercial, new direction. But the news that Sorkin has appeared in the bullpen -- get used to it; we're going to employ a lot of baseball lingo here -- sends a clear message that Sony is determined to keep the movie alive. The studio has also brought in producer Scott Rudin, who will serve as an executive producer on the project, which already has two producers, Michael De Luca and Rachael Horovitz.

Although I managed to get Amy Pascal to explain her decision to stop production earlier this month, no one at Sony is talking about this new wrinkle, since the studio clearly believes the troubled project has already received far too much media attention. The same goes for Rudin and Sorkin, though Sorkin did acknowledge, via e-mail, that he is "the pinch hitter who's been called in to start the late-inning rally."

So why would Sony hire Sorkin when the studio already had a perfectly good shooting script, penned by Oscar-winning writer Steven Zaillian? The most likely reason: The studio wanted to send a message to Pitt that it was still absolutely, incontestably behind the picture. If Pitt were to walk away from the project, it could deal a fatal blow to the picture, which is already considered something of a commercial risk, since baseball movies have zero appeal outside of the U.S., meaning that the movie would have to make its investment back solely on the strength of its domestic box-office performance. Pitt is considered indispensable, since the studio has always known it had an extremely short list of A-list stars who could be both believable and bankable as the real-life Beane, a charismatic, fortysomething ballplayer turned crafty but cerebral baseball theoretician. When it comes to potential stars, the drop-off after Pitt is steep.

The best way to keep a movie star on the hook with a project is to surround him with enviable, top-flight talent that exudes an aura of class and respectability. Hence the arrival of Sorkin, who isn't just a gifted writer, but, having worked in theater and TV as well as film, also brings along an aura of writerly glamour and sophistication to any project. Ditto for Rudin, who has been the producer of a string of classy films, most notably "No Country for Old Men," the 2007 Coen brothers film that won a best picture Oscar. As executive producer, Rudin brings a level of gravitas to the project, allowing everyone involved -- starting with Pitt -- to feel that this film could be a player at award season as well as with the masses at the multiplexes.

While Rudin is a canny judge of material, having stockpiled many of the best new novels available, his strength in recent years has also been as a marketing maven, being especially adept at positioning films and helping sculpt their images as critical successes. So it's expected that he would assume the role of the film's godfather, acting as a troubleshooter, advisor and hand-holder whenever needed, especially during the post-production process.

The true test of the film's viability will be what happens after Sorkin turns in his new draft sometime in August. His script will have to satisfy three key parties: the Sony production brass, Pitt and any potential A-list filmmaker who would be stepping in as Soderbergh's replacement. Sony already believes in the material, and it's easy to imagine a host of top filmmakers who'd be eager to work with a major movie star.

The real closer will ultimately be Pitt, who has director approval on all his films but, even more important, will be judging the script not just on its intrinsic value but also by how many top filmmakers it brings to the table.

Studio chiefs greenlight movies, deciding which ones end up in the starting lineup and which ones are relegated to the bench. But when it comes to the complicated process of keeping "Moneyball" alive, the umpire will be Pitt, who will make the biggest call about whether this film, having made it around third base, ends up being safe at home.