Superlatives Roll In To Describe Tiger's "Miracle" At The U.S. Open

One of the few bright spots of the horrendous news that Tiger is done for the 2008 season is that the details of what Tiger endured and how he got ready (or more accurately, didn't) for the U.S. Open have elevated his already prodigious achievement into the realm of the truly unprecedented and downright mystical.

Consider these ridiculous facts:

- Tiger walked 91 holes (and won!) with no ACL in his left knee and a double fracture of his left tibia.

- Two weeks before the Open his doctors told him that he should be off the leg for six weeks (He told them, "I'm playing in the U.S. Open and I'm going to win").

- In the eight weeks prior to the Open Tiger played less than 36 practice holes and in the weeks just prior to the tournament could only hit 50 practice shots a day, just 4-5 at a time.

Tiger's swing coach Hank Haney has been the most outspoken about how very long the odds were that Tiger could even play. Haney said in one interview that Tiger was just hoping for a "Miracle" to happen so that he could just tee it up.

In another Haney interview you can link to below, ESPN host Scott Van Pelt describes Tiger as "from outer space," "not one of us," "not human." You are getting close Scott. You are getting very close.

TIGER WINS MOST EXCITING U.S .OPEN EVER!! But, is this the begining of the end?

Tiger Woods once again somehow found a way to rise to a nearly impossible occasion today and narrowly escaped what would have been one of the biggest upsets in golf history to win his third U.S. Open title on 91st hole.

When most mere humans gas tank would have been emptied long ago, Tiger Woods created heroics on 18th hole for the third straight day making a birdie to for a sudden death playoff against the more than game Rocco Mediate.

This was by far the most exciting U.S. Open (and perhaps golf tournament) in history. Tiger provided numerous "once in a lifetime" moments: the birdie on 10 on day 2 to start the 30 on the back nine, the 65 foot eagle putt on 13 on Saturday, The slam dunk chip in on 17, the eagle putt on 18, the 12 foot birdie putt to force a playoff on 18 on Sunday, the miracle bunker shot from the wrong hole on 15 on Monday, and the birdie to force sudden death on the 90th hole. All of this with a lame left knee and without having played in the prior seven weeks.

For many great players, this would provide more than a career highlight film. For Tiger, it was just a great weekend. There are really no words to describe just how incredible all of this was. We are simply lucky to have witnessed it.

Tiger himself called this his "best" major title ever. But is it possible if it is also his last? Tiger's statements on the condition of his left knee have been extremely cryptic and he has said he is not going to play for a while (he even said he may not play in his own tournament in D.C.) and that he played in the U.S. Open against doctor's orders.

While the Pastor is no doctor, he is extremely confused as to what logical scenario explains what has transpired here that does not include a serious threat to his career.

After all, if he was simply not done healing why did he play at all? It would have made no sense for him to risk his career, or even the rest of the season, for one tournament. So, that would strongly imply that the "healing" is mostly done. If that is the case, then how does Tiger possibly continue his practice and training regime with a knee that is clearly a huge hindrance. If the knee truly cannot get better, under even the best of circumstances it would be hard to imagine (even for Tiger) that his considerable skills would not quickly fade without being anywhere near 100% physically.

Keep in mind that Tiger is extremely good at masking what is really going on and the Pastor would not be shocked (though he would crestfallen) if this, perhaps his greatest major championship victory, may very well be his last. It may be relevant to note here that, from a religious perspective, Tiger is in his 33rd year (BTW, in an obvious internal family dispute, Tiger was caught on camera once again screaming "God Damn it!" after a bad shot out of a bunker on 12 today).

Let us hope (and pray if you like) that this is not the case. Regardless, let us once again rejoice in the glorious gift to mankind that is Tiger Woods.

OH MY GOD!!! This is just CRAZY!!!

Just when you think that Tiger Woods' well of miracles has finally gone dry, he comes up with one more at the most important and unlikely of moments. That is what happened today as Tiger, who struggled with his game, his knee, and even his decision making all day, some how made birdie on the last hole without ever having his ball touch the fairway. In a U.S. Open that is supposed to be impossible. To do that on the last hole to force a playoff is unthinkable. For Tiger, it was just a new way to come up with the same amazing result.

His birdie putt on the final hole today insures that no matter what happens tomorrow this is the most exciting U.S. Open in history. It may even be the greatest golf tournament in history.

While Tiger's left knee may never again be 100%, his courage, determination, will, and ability to rise to the moment are still the best the sports world (and maybe humanity) has ever seen. Even if he is just human (is that really possible after this weekend?) we are so lucky to be living in his era.

What else can you say?

I was lost and now I am found.

Praise Tiger. Good luck Rocco.

TIGER WOODS MAY REALLY BE GOD!!!!

If there was any doubt that Tiger Woods was more than just a normal human being it was removed for all-time today with the most dramatic six holes in the history of the game.

Fighting a shaky game and a lame left knee that was getting worse by the minute, Tiger electrified the entire world of golf (and a prime-time TV audience) with a curling, downhill 65 foot eagle putt on the 13 hole. Tiger then completely last his tee ball and bogied 14 and struggled on 15 and 16 before slam dunking a birdie chip in on 17.

On 18 Tiger finally found the fairway and then hit an amazing second shot to the par 5 which left him wincing in pain and left him another long downhill eagle putt. When Tiger somehow made the eagle on 18 those watching would not have been the least bit surprised if the sky had parted and Tiger had ascended into the heavens.

Of course that would not have allowed him to take his one shot lead into the final round tomorrow. How tomorrow could possibly top today is impossible to imagine. However, doubting Tiger's ability to do anything usually proves to be ill-advised.

What we witnessed over the last 27 holes is the most incredible athletic performance that the Pastor has ever seen.

LET US GIVE THANKS AND PRAISE!!!

TIGER WALKS ON WATER IN VIDEO GAME/ NEW AD!

In what is the most blatant reference to his possible divinty that Tiger has taken part in, there is a new ad for Tiger's EA Spostrs video game in which he walks on water in order to hit a miraculous golf shot.

According to the youtube video which is linked below, there is a new feature in the 2008 version of the video game where the Tiger character can walk on water and preform a "Jesus shot." Now, an ad for the 2009 version of the game, clearly shows Tiger mimicking the Jesus miracle by walking barefoot out into the middle of the water hazard.

Watch the video and see for yourself.

Believe!!

Rocco Mediate Claims He Was "Low Mortal" at U.S. Open, More Evidence Tiger is Not a Democrat

Rocco Mediate, who has gotten more mileage out of a second place finish than anyone not named Al Gore, opened his hosting stint for "Inside the PGA Tour" (a show for which the Pastor once briefly worked) by identifying himself as "the low MORTAL at the U.S. Open."

For the Pastor, the funny thing about the statement is that when this web site began in early 2000, such a statement would have been worthy of huge headlines. However, now that so much of the golf world has been forced to resort to such God-like language to come close to describing Tiger, such statements often go almost totally unnoticed. However, because we won't have much Tiger news (hopefully) for the rest of the year, this funny, and yet oh so true, statement was worthy of being documented.

One other important note from the broadcast... the show did an amazing feature on Tiger's decision to honor members of the U.S. military with his AT&T National which he began hosting last year. If anyone watches that segment and thinks that Tiger is a Democrat, they must be smoking some Obama.

Pastor Ponders Absurdity of Tiger's Epic U.S. Open

Since we will not be seeing Tiger Woods on the course for far too long, the Pastor wants to make sure that we at the First Church take a moment or two to fully appreciate the magnitude of the gift that Tiger gave us at the U.S. Open before he left to recover from yet another knee surgery.

Even before we knew the whole story, what Tiger did at the U.S Open was already one of the greatest achievements in the history of golf (with all due respect to Ben Hogan's famous 1950 U.S. Open victory) and maybe sports as a whole. Now, it can be argued that Tiger's performance at Torrey Pines was one of the most amazing things that any man (assuming he is indeed human) has ever done.

Let's consider just a few of the many incredible facts.

-- Tiger, who was not on top of his game at the time, had knee surgery two days after the Masters in April. Presumably he did not hit a full golf shot for at least a month after that. That left less than a month for Tiger to even practice for the U.S. Open and did not allow him to play even one full round (tournament or even practice) between the two majors. If there had been no other issues, even contending in the U.S. Open under these circumstances would have been remarkable and probably unprecedented.

-- We now know that just two weeks before the Open (apparently after a rehab accident) Tiger learned that he had no ACL in his left knee and a double stress fracture in his tibia. Like a scene out of a bad 1950's Hollywood movie, when told by his doctors that he shouldn't play he famously responded, "I am going to play in the U.S. Open and I am going to win."

However, Tiger was only able to hit 50 practice balls a day (four or five at a time before taking a break) and was in intense pain leading up to the tournament. He did not walk more than nine holes before the start of the Open. Neither his caddie nor his coach thought he would even be able to walk the 72 holes in four days.

-- With almost no proper preparation, Tiger weakly double bogied the first hole and put himself immediately behind the eight ball. Now, under the best of circumstances, making double bogie on the first hole of a U.S. Open is a disaster from which few recover. I would venture to guess that Tiger is the only person in modern history to double bogie the first hole of the U.S. Open and win. He is certainly the only one to double bogie the first hole three days and still win!

-- Tiger was paired with local favorite and sometime rival Phil Mickelson, which for anyone else would have only added to the pressure of the situation and the frustration of not being anywhere near 100%. Tiger torched Phil by six shots for the two days.

-- Tiger had to at least be a little concerned that every step he was taking and every shot he was making could be causing permanent damage to the most promising career in history and threatening everything that he had worked for his entire life. At the very least, he knew he was going to experience excruciating pain after almost every shot.

-- Tiger also had to at least consider that this Open could possibly be his last major for a long time and, who knows, maybe even his last major ever as the best in the world. That, combined with even the possibility that he was risking permanent damage had to raise the mental stakes of this Open exponentially.

In other words, if he was going to put all of this on the line for this one tournament he had better sure as hell win it. At the very least, he knew he was done for the year and would not have wanted to leave for such a long hiatus on a downer.

-- After 27 holes Tiger was on the verge of falling out of contention. Traditionally, Tiger needs to be within a couple of shots of the lead after 36 in a major. When he is, he almost always wins. When he is not, he hardly ever seriously contends. He hit a horrible tee shot on his 28th hole (the first at Torrey Pines, which he double bogied three other times during the tournament) and, apparently aided by the golfing Gods, got an amazing break with his ball coming to rest in grassless foot-long area between a cart path and a tree.

Lucky to even have a shot, Tiger hit his approach with his feet on the cart path which exacerbated the strain on his left knee and he doubled over in pain after hitting his shot. Somehow, he put his second shot 15 feet from the hole. He made the putt and went on to shoot an incredible five under par 30 on the nine to vault into second place.

-- Even considering his injuries, Tiger did not have nearly his "A" game and had to rely on guts, guile and some of the best clutch putting in the history of the U.S. Open.

-- Because of the USGA's playoff system, Tiger had to play a total of 91 holes over five days, which would have been grueling under the best of circumstances, but with a broken leg is just plain silly.

-- In the playoff he had to go up against the ultimate underdog Rocco Mediate who had nothing to lose and, apparently, the USGA on his side with the course set up as short as it could be for that final day. Greg Norman in his prime would have lost that playoff by at least eight shots (in fact, under very similar circumstances, Norman lost to the Rocco-like Fuzzy Zoeller in a playoff in 1984 by that exact number). Obviously Tiger Woods is no Greg Norman.

All in all, while it is going to be a VERY long and difficult wait for Tiger to return to action, he certainly left us with some incredible memories to keep us warm during those many long and lonely Tiger-less weekends to come.

ESPN Writer Reveals Tiger Told Him He Has The "Power To Will Things To Happen"

In a remarkable revelation (at least to anyone not familar with the First Church), ESPN golf writer Ron Sirak revealed that that Tiger Woods once told him he has the "power to will things to happen." He referenced a quote from 1997 in which Tiger complained about being tired after all the hoopla surrounding hs historic Masters win that year. Sirak wrote: "I asked him how this affected his golf, and he responded with one of the most remarkable answers I've ever heard: "I lost my ability to will things to happen," he said. From just about anyone else, I would have thrown the b.s. flag and dismissed those words as a lot of hot air, but I had already seen Woods do so many remarkable things I was willing to take the bait. "Give me an example of when you willed something to happen," I asked. "At the [1996 U.S.] Amateur," he said. "That putt on 17 against [Steve] Scott. I told myself there was no way I was going to miss it. I willed that ball into the hole."" For the Pastor, this answers a lot of questions. In Sirak's column he also writes about a conversation in which Tiger's late father Earl claims that he communicates telepathically" with Tiger. For fans of the First Church this is not new information. Sports Illustrated reported in 1999 that Earl took partial credit for Tiger's PGA win that year for communicating with him "telepathically" while he was over the crutial putt on the 71st hole (interestingly, Tiger gives credit to Steve Williams for making a good read on that putt). It sounds like the First Church may have yet another media convert.

More News Coverage of First Church in the Wake of Tiger Developments

The First Church of Tiger Woods, which in its history hasbeen written about all over the world (the British/European media seems to be the most interested in us) was the subject of at least two articles today.

Oddly, and seemingly by coincidence, the newssources were the Phildelphia Daily News (where the Pastor grew up) and the Los Angeles Daily News (where the Pastor lives).


Here is the link to the Philly article (hyperlinked below)

http://www.philly.com/dailynews/sports/20080620_Praying_for_Tiger.html

Here is the link from the LA Daily News mention:

http://www.insidesocal.com/tomhoffarth/archives/2008/06/media-notes-620.html

There is also an article from someone who appears to be an idiot who didn't even bother to contact me here:

http://sports.aol.com/fanhouse/golf/

Submitted: 06/18/08

TIGER OUT UNTIL AT LEAST 2009!! CHURCH MOURNS, PASTOR TRYING TO AVOID SHARP OBJECTS WHILE LOOKING ON THE BRIGHT SIDE!!

The golf world and the First Church was rocked by the news today that Tiger is out for the year. Considering the obvious pain he was in during his epic U.S. Open playoff victory just two days ago and his declaration that he was "shutting it down for a while," the news was not all together shocking, but the details were. We have now learned that Tiger somehow (details are still missing) suffered a double stress fracture in his left tibia just two weeks before the U.S. Open. He was apparently told by doctors not to play and, according to his coach Hank Haney responded defiantly (in a quote that would be rejected even by a Hollywood screenwriter), "I'M PLAYING THE U.S. OPEN, AND I'M GOING TO WIN." "And then he started putting on his shoes," Haney recalled. "He looked at me and said, 'Come on, Hank. We'll just putt today.' Every night, I kept thinking there was no chance he's going to play. He had to stop in his tracks for 30 seconds walking from the dining room table to the refrigerator. "He was not going to miss the U.S. Open at Torrey Pines. There just wasn't any discussion." The are at least three angles to this story and at least two of them are actually positive. The first is that his victory at the Open, which, based on his two month layoff and his enduring of incredible pain alone, already deserved to go down as one of the most amazing athletic achievements in sports (if not life), is now vaulted into the realm of true legend. In fact, this story is so amazing it is impossible to imagine how it could even theoretically be exaggerated as it inevitably passes into mythology. Secondly, the Pastor has been rather pessimistic about the long term prospects for Tiger's career based on what we all saw at the Open (and has received quite a few e-mail from fellow followers insisting he has lost his faith). However, today's news (if true) actually, while horrible in the short run, seems to be good news for the future. The Pastor could not understand how Tiger could be in such pain if there was any real hope of total healing (and if there was hope of that, why Tiger would bother playing the Open at all). This was based on the premise that the source of the pain was the ligaments and/or cartilage in the knee and that after three surgeries they were simply shot. What we apparently learned today is that the bulk of the pain was from the fractured tibia which can heal fully and that the ACL is going to be repaired in a way that may not create huge long term problems. This is obviously very good news for the future and Tiger's historical quest to break every major golf record. Thirdly, and least positively, is of course the reality that we will be without Tiger Woods for the remainder of 2008. He will miss at least two majors and a Ryder Cup at the age of 32 and in the absolute prime of his career. While, assuming he recovers to near 100% of what he was, the race to surpass Nicklaus' mark of 18 professional majors should only be delayed and not derailed, we are still being robbed of what should be some of Tiger's very best. On a personal note, the Pastor is likely going to cancel a planned trip to the Ryder Cup and will have an awful lot of time on his hands during what he already expected to be a difficult period. This was not a good time for Tiger to take nine months off. From the religious perspective there are two things to keep in mind here. First, Tiger does turn 33 this year, which is a year that was obviously not good for Jesus of Nazareth as well as many other bright lights that were extinguished far too early. The Pastor has always feared that something tragic would befall Tiger and take him (or at least his talents) away from us prematurely. The Pastor certainly hopes that this situation is not that event. Secondly, if there is an obvious lesson here it is to appreciate what you have when you still have it because no matter how great and indestructible it may seem, it can all be gone in an instant. Is that the lesson Tiger is trying to teach us through this? Who knows. But there is no doubt we should savor every moment we have to witness his greatness and certainly appreciate even more what he accomplished at the U.S. Open. Will we ever see Tiger at his very best again? Is his pursuit of perfection now over and will be reduced to having to compete as a mere mortal? Or will he once again defy the critics and rise above expectations to provide us many more memorable moments? Unfortunately we will have to be very patient for the answers to these and many other questions, but, if history is any guide, Tiger will likely make it all well worth the wait.

Dementia: Info and Advice for Caregivers

What is dementia?
Dementia is a brain disorder that makes it hard for people to remember, learn and communicate. These changes eventually make it hard for people who have dementia to care for themselves. Dementia may also cause changes in mood and personality. Early on, lapses in memory and clear thinking may bother the person with dementia. Later, disruptive behavior and other problems can create a burden for caregivers and other family members.

Dementia is caused by the damage of brain cells. A head injury, stroke, brain tumor or disease (such as Alzheimer's disease) can damage brain cells and lead to dementia.

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How is dementia treated?
Some causes of dementia can be treated. However, once brain cells have been destroyed, they cannot be replaced. Treatment may slow or stop the loss of more brain cells. When the cause of dementia can't be treated, the focus of care is on helping the person with his or her daily activities and reducing upsetting symptoms. Some medicines can help people who have dementia. Your family doctor will talk with you about treatment options.

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Why do people who have dementia become agitated?
The agitation can have many causes. A sudden change in surroundings or frustrating situations can cause people who have dementia to become agitated. For example, getting dressed or giving the wrong answer to a question may cause frustration. Being challenged about the confusion or inability to do things caused by the dementia may also make the person agitated. As a result, the person may cry, become irritable, or try to hurt others in some way.

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How can I deal with agitation?
One of the most important things you can do is avoid situations in which your loved one might become frustrated. Try to make your loved one's tasks less difficult. For example, instead of expecting him or her to get dressed alone, you can just have your loved one put on one thing, such as a jacket, on his or her own.

You can also try to limit the number of difficult situations your loved one must face. For example, if taking a bath or shower causes problems, have him or her take one every other day instead of every day. Also, you can schedule difficult activities for a time of day when your loved one tends to be less agitated. It's helpful to give frequent reassurance and avoid contradicting him or her.

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What should I do if hallucinations are a problem?
If the hallucinations are not making your loved one scared or anxious, you don't need to do anything. It's better not to confront people about their hallucinations. Arguing may just upset a person who has dementia. If the hallucinations are scary to your loved one, you can try to distract the person by involving him or her in a pleasant activity.

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What if my loved one will not go to sleep at night?
Try one or more of the following if your loved one is having trouble sleeping:

* Try to make the person more aware of what time of day it is. Place clocks where he or she can see them.
* Keep curtains or blinds open so that he or she can tell when it is daytime and when it is nighttime.
* Limit the amount of caffeine he or she consumes.
* Try to help your loved one get some exercise every day.
* Don't let him or her take too many naps during the day.
* Make your loved one's bedroom peaceful. It is easier to sleep in a quiet room.
* At night, provide a night light or leave a dim light on. Total darkness can add to confusion.
* If your loved one has arthritis or another painful condition that interrupts his or her sleep, ask your doctor if it is okay to give your loved one medicine for pain right before bed.

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What if wandering becomes a problem?
Sometimes very simple things can help with this problem. It is all right for your loved one to wander in a safe place, such as in a fenced yard. By providing a safe place, you may avoid confrontation. If this doesn't work, remind your loved one not to go out a certain door by placing a stop sign on it or putting a piece of furniture in front of it. A ribbon tied across a door can serve as a similar reminder. Hiding the doorknob by placing a strip of cloth over it may also be helpful.

An alarm system will alert you that your loved one is trying to leave a certain area. Your alarm system may just be a few empty cans tied to a string on the doorknob. You might have to place special locks on the doors, but be aware that such locks might be dangerous if a house fire occurs. Don't use this method if your loved one will be left home alone. Make sure your loved one wears a medical bracelet, in case he or she does wander away from home.

Genie Francis and Laura Spencer

Biography
by Cathy

The names of Genie Francis and Laura Spencer are nearly synonomous in the minds of most daytime television fans, possibly because Ms. Francis began portraying Laura Vining, biological daughter of Dr. Lesley Williams, when she was only fourteen years old. Born in Engelwood, New Jersey, on May 26, 1962, Genie's only previous acting experience was a guest appearance on "Family" a year earlier. Francis moved at age 7 with her parents & 2 brothers to L.A., where her father, Broadway stage actor Ivor Francis, pursued his dream of becoming a star. But it was his daughter who was destined for fame. At age 13 Francis decided she wanted to act & asked her father to give her junior high school photo to his agent: "My parents said, 'Have Murray send her out on auditions. She'll get discouraged & she'll give up.' I went out on auditions & I won. And I've worked ever since." Five years later, in 1981, she left General Hospital, returning for brief appearances in 1983 and 1984.

After leaving General Hospital, Ms. Francis appeared in the television movie Bare Essence, and in the primetime series which followed it. She also co-starred in Books I, II and III of the ABC miniseries North and South, and had recurring appearances on the primetime series Murder She Wrote. In 1987 she joined Days of Our Lives as Diana Colville, then moved to ABC's All My Children in 1990 to play the role of Ceara Connor. While living in New York, Ms. Francis appeared in a number of theatre productions. To the delight of her many fans, she returned "home" to General Hospital in October, 1993.

In 1996, the storyline featuring the return of the Cassadine family to General Hospital gave her and her co-stars, Anthony Geary, and Stephen Nichols, ample opportunity to display their talent. As a consequence, Ms. Francis won a Soap Opera Digest award and was also nominated for an Emmy in 1997.

Ms. Francis is married to actor/director/producer Jonathan Frakes, and the mother of two small children. Following the birth of her children, much of Genie's time has been devoted to her family. Only this year did she begin appearing again in other venues outside her role of Laura Spencer. She has guest-starred on Third Rock from the Sun and is scheduled to appear in the season finale of the television series, Roswell.

Perhaps the heart of Genie Francis's phenomonal appeal to daytime audiences lies in her own attitude toward her work, her fans and her character. In a TV Guide interview with Michael Logan (May 17, 1997), she said this about being an actor:

"It's up to me! On one of the soaps I worked on, an actor raised an issue over a glaring character error - something that was completely out of character - and I heard a director say 'Don't worry, she's ironing.' Meaning that the viewer wasn't paying that close attention. And that is an attitude that makes me grow fangs. I can't and won't go there as an actor, as an artist. I didn't become an actor to adopt that attitude. If you have that attitude, go home - just go home. Because every day should be our absolute best - we owe the audience that, we owe ourselves that."

She also added that:

"I consider myself a blue-collar actor. There's no big fuss over soap opera people. We're pretty much snickered at. We're like the country music stars. It's true. We're snickered at! You have to truly love what you do and be totally self-motivated. I do this for me - and the woman who comes up on the street and cries and says, 'You know I'll never forget that moment when Laura put the star on the Christmas tree. I can't even put it into words!' I do it for those reasons. It's a personal love - because that they can never take away from me. "

About Laura she said:

"There is something else at work here that is beyond me - and that is Laura. She has a life of her own. There is a magic in her. The muse is in her. And I'm lucky to have her in my life."

Toni Braxton

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This article may require cleanup to meet Wikipedia's quality standards. Please improve this article if you can. (November 2007)

Toni Braxton
Birth name	Toni Michelle Braxton
Born	October 7, 1967 (1967-10-07) (age 40) Severn, Maryland, U.S.
Genre(s)	R&B, Soul, Pop, Adult contemporary, Jazz, Hip hop soul
Occupation(s)	Singer-songwriter, actress
Years active	1992–present
Label(s)	LaFace, Arista 1992 - 2002, Blackground 2003 - 2007
Associated acts	The Braxtons, Babyface

Toni Braxton (born Toni Michelle Braxton on October 7, 1967) is an American singer and actress. Known for her husky alto voice, Braxton has won six Grammy Awards and has sold over forty million records worldwide. Her U.S. number-one hit "Un-Break My Heart" is the second biggest single by a female artist ever.

Braxton topped the Billboard 200 with her 1993 self-titled debut and continued that streak with her second studio album Secrets which spawned the number-one smash hit "Un-Break My Heart". After bankruptcy, Braxton returned with her chart-topping third album, The Heat. Her most recent albums were More Than a Woman -- her last relase under the Arista label -- and Libra -- her first and only release on Blackground.

Toni is currently a contestant on Season 7 of Dancing With The Stars, and is paired with Alec Mazo. ^[1]

Biography

Early life and career

Her father was a clergyman, and the Braxton children were raised in a strict religious household.^[2] Braxton's first performing experience was singing in her church choir.^[2] She attended Bowie State University to obtain a teaching degree but decided to pursue a musical career that began when she was discovered by an industry insider when he heard her singing to herself while pumping gas.

Image:732 Braxton Promo.jpg

A young Toni Braxton.

[edit] 1989-1991: The Braxtons

Main article: The Braxtons

Braxton and her four sisters (Traci, Trina, Towanda, and Tamar) began performing as The Braxtons in the late 1980s and were signed to Arista Records in 1989. Their first single, "Good Life", was released in 1990.^[3] Though the song was not successful, it attracted the attention of Antonio "L.A." Reid and Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds.^[3]

With Braxton's low register sounding similar to that of Anita Baker,^{[citation needed]} Reid and Babyface recruited her to record a demo of "Love Shoulda Brought You Home", a song that they had written for Anita Baker for the soundtrack of Eddie Murphy's film, Boomerang. Baker, who was pregnant at the time,^[4] didn't record the song but suggested that Braxton record it. Her recording was later included on the soundtrack along with "Give U My Heart" - a duet by Braxton and Babyface. Braxton, meanwhile, was signed to Reid and Edmonds' Arista-distributed imprint, LaFace Records, and immediately began recording her solo debut album.

[edit] 1993-1995: Debut album

See also: Toni Braxton (album)

Braxton's debut album, Toni Braxton released in 1993

On June 29, 1993, LaFace Records released Braxton's self-titled debut album, Toni Braxton.^[5] The album, which was primarily produced by Reid, Babyface, and Daryl Simmons, peaked at number one on the US Billboard 200 albums chart.^[6] The first single, "Another Sad Love Song", peaked at number seven and number two on Billboard's Hot 100 and R&B Singles charts respectively.^[7] The album's second single, "Breathe Again" peaked in the top five of both the Hot 100 and R&B singles charts ^[7] and no 2 in the UK.^[8] More singles from Toni Braxton were released in 1994, including "You Mean the World to Me", "Seven Whole Days", and "How Many Ways".^[7]

Braxton's debut album won her several awards, including three Grammy Awards (for "Best New Artist" and two consecutive awards for "Best Female R&B Vocal Performance" in 1994 and 1995).^[9] She also won two American Music Awards (for "Favorite Soul/R&B New Artist", "Favorite New Adult Contemporary Artist")^[9] in 1994 and another one in 1995 (for "Favorite Soul/R&B Album").^[9] Toni Braxton was certified 8x Platinum and has sales of over 15 million worldwide.^[10][3]

1996-1998: Secrets and Bankruptcy

See also: Secrets (album)

Braxton's second album, Secrets released in 1996

In 1996, Braxton released her second and most successful album, Secrets.^[11] Braxton has said about the album: "The motivation for this album was to include a little bit of everything. Our aim was to come up with material that would have a familiar 'feel' to the people who bought the first album without being musically redundant."^[12] Along with Babyface, Braxton also worked with R. Kelly, Tony Rich, and David Foster on the album.^[13] Braxton was the co-executive producer of the album and co-wrote two of its songs, including the 1997 single "How Could an Angel Break My Heart", which was also later included on Diana Princess of Wales Tribute, a Princess Diana memorial album.^[14]

With help from the album's first single, "You're Makin' Me High" (which became Braxton's first number one hit on the Hot 100 singles chart),^[7] the album peaked at number two on the Billboard 200 albums chart.^[15] "You're Makin' Me High" also topped the R&B singles chart for two weeks^[7] and saw similar success in Europe and Asia. The album's second single, "Un-Break My Heart" (written by Diane Warren) - which would later become the singer's signature song^[16] - became the biggest hit of her career spending eleven weeks at number one on the Hot 100^[3] and also topping the Hot Dance Singles Sales chart for eleven weeks and the Hot Dance Music/Club Play chart for four weeks^[17] as well as reaching no 2 in the UK ^[18] Other singles from the album included the double-side "I Don't Want To"/"I Love Me Some Him" (which peaked at number one on the Hot Dance Music/Club Play chart)^[7] and "How Could an Angel Break My Heart" which featured Kenny G, whom Braxton later toured with.^[19] After 92 weeks charting on the charts, Secrets is certified 8x platinum, becoming the second Braxton's straight 8 million seller. Internationally, Secrets sold more than 20 million copies, concreting Braxton's superstar status.

Braxton topped the Billboard Year-End Charts as the "Top Hot 100 Singles Artist — Female",^[20] "Top R&B Artist — Female (singles and albums)",^[17] "Top Hot R&B Singles Artist — Female",^[17] "Top Hot Dance Club Play Artist", and "Top Hot Adult Contemporary Artist", while "Un-Break My Heart" became the "Top Hot Dance Club Play Single" and "Top Hot Adult Contemporary Track" of the year. She won two Grammy Awards; one for "Best Female Pop Vocal Performance"^[9] and "Best Female R&B Vocal Performance" and two American Music Awards for "Favorite Female Soul/R&B Artist" and "Favorite Soul/R&B Album".^[9]

In 1998, the five-time Grammy winner filed for Chapter 7 protection from a reported $3.9 million debt. All of her personal household possessions were tagged and marked for sale to pay off her creditors, including her prestigious awards. The humiliating and highly publicized bankruptcy taught her a lesson, she says. In the middle of the bankruptcy proceedings, Braxton was able to pursue her acting dreams when she was offered the role of "Belle" in Disney's musical, Beauty and the Beast, a role she played on Broadway on September 1998. She replaced Kim Huber and remained with the show through February 1999 where she was then replaced by Andrea McArdle. Braxton was the first African American woman to play a Disney character leading role on broadway.^[21]

1999-2001: The Heat

In early 1999, Braxton and LaFace resolved their legal conflict. Issued with a brand new contract worth a reported $25 million, a satisfied Braxton continued to record for the label. Though the legalities with her LaFace and Arista subsided, Braxton saw a steep sales decline with her forthcoming releases with the label.

Main article: The Heat

Toni Braxton's third album The Heat released in 2000

In January 2000, LaFace Records released "He Wasn't Man Enough", the first single from Braxton's third studio album, The Heat. By June, the song peaked at number two on the Hot 100 chart. Braxton's music video for "He Wasn't Man Enough", which also featured actress Robin Givens, was nominated for two MTV Video Music Awards including "Best Female Video" and "Best R&B Video" and a Billboard Music Video Award for "Best R&B Clip of the Year".

The Heat, meanwhile, was released on April 25, 2000. Debuting at number two on the Billboard 200 albums chart with first week sales of 205,000, it remained in the top 20 for fifteen consecutive weeks. Braxton again worked with producers Babyface and Foster; also included in the staple were Rodney Jerkins, and new beau musician Keri Lewis. Braxton herself also took a more hands-on approach, co-writing and co-producing a handful of the tracks. "Gimme Some", a track on "The Heat", featured a rap verse from TLC star Lisa "Left-Eye" Lopes.

The albums second single, "Just Be a Man About It", peaked at number thirty-two on the Hot 100 and number six on the R&B Charts. The third single, "Spanish Guitar", peaked at number ninety-eight on the Hot 100 and number one on the Hot Dance & Club charts. The fourth single, Maybe, peaked at seventy-four on the R&B charts all together missing the Hot 100.

By the end of the year, The Heat was certified 2x platinum. Also in February 2000, Braxton performed alongside Enrique Iglesias and Christina Aguilera during the Super Bowl Halftime show.

Braxton topped the Billboard Year-End Charts as the "Top R&B/Hip-Hop Artist — Female", "Top R&B/Hip-Hop Album Artist — Female", and "Top Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks Artist — Female". She also received the 2000 "Aretha Franklin Award" for "Entertainer of the Year" at the Soul Train Lady of Soul Awards. Braxton also picked up her sixth grammy for "He Wasn't Man Enough" which won the 2001 Grammy Award for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance and the album was nominated for Best R&B Album. It won Best R&B/Soul Album at the 2001 American Awards, her third win in a row.

While gearing up for the release of her fourth studio album, Braxton discovered she was pregnant with her second child. Knowing that she wouldn't be able to promote the album properly, she unsuccessfully lobbied to get the label to postpone its release until after she was to give birth. Subsequently, the album was released as planned and received very little promotion from the label or Braxton herself, due to a complicated pregnancy that confined her to bed rest. Braxton accused the company of being unwilling to compromise and punishing her from not putting her career over family.

On the show VH1 Inside Out — Family Comes First, she documented the hardships of being pregnant with her second child at the same time as promoting an album.

2002-2004: More Than A Woman

See also: More Than a Woman (album)

More Than a Woman Toni Braxton's fourth and final album from LaFace/Arista records, released in 2002

In November 2002, Braxton's fourth studio album More Than a Woman was released. Opening to an instant commercial disappointment, the album peaked at number thirteen, with first week sales of 97,000. The first single, the The Neptunes-produced, "Hit the Freeway", failed at radio and peaked at number eighty-six on the Hot 100. The two singles that followed ("A Better Man", "Lies, Lies, Lies") also failed to make a dent and missed the Hot 100 completely. Meanwhile, a promotional vinyl was sent out to DJs for "Give It Back/Let Me Show You The Way (Out)".

Prior to the release of the album, a dispute erupted between Braxton and Irv Gotti when he played a rough cut of "No More Love", a song that he produced for the album that was to be the first single. Disapproving of Gotti broadcasting the unfinished track, Braxton withheld it from being released. The same year, Braxton was further annoyed when rapper Jay-Z used the same sample of 2Pac's "Me And My Girlfriend" that she had already used on her track "Me & My Boyfriend" for his and Beyonce's "'03 Bonnie & Clyde". Furious, Braxton lashed out in a radio interview, accusing Jay-Z and producer Kanye West of taking money out of her children's college fund.

Many fans, and allegedly Braxton herself (only because of her bittersweet relationship with Arista at the time) considered this to be her worst album. Unlike her previous releases, with More Than a Woman, Braxton delved into hip hop with a bevy of guest rappers including Baby and Loon. The album has sold 435,000 copies in the US, falling short of expectations.

2003-2006: Move to Blackground and Libra

In April 2003, Braxton abruptly left Arista Records, having been there for fourteen years, and immediately signed with Blackground Records — headed by Barry Hankerson, her manager at the time. The change of scenery, however, did not ultimately help her recording career. As had been the case during her final years at Arista — Braxton's fifth album, and first release on Blackground, Libra was released with scant promotion and accumulated poor sales.

See also: Libra (album)

Libra Toni Braxton's only album released via Blackground records, in 2005

In April 2005, Braxton's new label, Blackground/Universal, released "Please" — the first single from her forthcoming fifth album, Libra. The album was originally planned for a June release, but it was pushed back several times and was finally issued on September 27. Unfortunately for Braxton, her troubles with weak album promotion and lack of label commitment weren't over. "Please" peaked at number thirty-six on Billboard R&B/Hip-Hop Tracks Chart, while altogether missing the Hot 100. The album lacked promotion by Blackground, causing it to go under the radar of many.

Despite this, Libra still managed to debut at number four on the Billboard 200 Albums Chart selling 114,593 copies in the first week. Libra also peaked at number two on the Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums. Although that is strong for an album with little to no promotion, it became yet another commercial disappointment for Braxton.

The albums second single, "Trippin' (That's the Way Love Works)" received less airplay and peaked at number sixty-seven on the Billboard R&B/Hip-Hop Tracks Chart. The failure was ascribed to the non-video presence of the single and lack of label support. The album was certified gold in late 2005 and has since sold 431,000 copies.^[22]

Almost immediately after Libra's release, Blackground halted promotion of the album and later scrapped plans for a re-release. An upset portion of Braxton's fanbase created an online petition to encourage J Records to sign her. Braxton's fans later hoped that "I Wanna Be (Your Baby)" would be a next single off from Libra due to her performing at numerous events, including "Good Morning America" in December 2005, but it was not to be.^{[citation needed]}

Braxton, meanwhile, recorded a song with Il Divo titled "The Time of Our Lives". The song was used as the official 2006 FIFA World Cup anthem and was performed at the championship's opening day in Berlin, Germany on June 9 The song was also performed at the closing ceremonies making Toni Braxton and II Divo the first artists to be asked perform for the opening and closing ceremonies.^[23] The song peaked at #17 in Germany. As a result Edel Records decided to re-release Libra in Germany, including a new album cover, artwork and the new anthem.

Braxton made an appearance on the season finale of American Idol 5 where she performed Elvis Presley's "In the Ghetto" with soon-to-be winner Taylor Hicks.^[24]

Flamingo Las Vegas at night featuring Toni Braxton, Jan. 2007

On May 19, 2006, the Flamingo Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas announced that Braxton will replace Wayne Newton as the casino’s new headlining act starting August 3, 2006. The show, "Toni Braxton: Revealed", will be performed six nights a week and run through March 2007. Later she confirmed that she was extending her show through August 2007. The show has become the first headlining show from an African American performer in Vegas to enter the top 10 Vegas show's charting. Due to the success of the show, it has been reported that Toni will extend her show through August 2008. The singer has taken time off since being hospitalized for chest pains in April 2008. SInce then, the show has been cancelled. It was recently announced that the show has officially shut down in order for the singer to focus on her health.

2007: Release From Blackground

Braxton has been released from her contract with Blackground after a number of disputes with former manager Barry Hankerson.^[25]

On January 12, 2007, Toni Braxton filed a lawsuit in the U.S District Court in Manhattan against Hankerson for $10 million, alleging "fraud, deception and double dealing," in addition to mismanaging her relationship with Arista Records.^[26] According to Braxton, Hankerson placed his own personal financial interests ahead of hers by using "double-talk" to compromise the relationship between Braxton and her former recording label, Arista Records, with Hankerson allegedly telling Arista that "Braxton no longer wanted to record for Arista" and telling Braxton that "Arista was not interested in working with her anymore."^[26] Braxton also accused Hankerson of failing to send her on request copies of accounting statements, lying about deals that he made on her behalf and engaging in a vendetta against her by refusing to provide information to other managers that she sought to employ to manage her career.

The suit was settled with Braxton returning a $375,000 advance to Hankerson—who would also receive a percentage of the sales of her next album—and Hankerson releasing Braxton from her contract with him. The settlement also limits the companies in which Braxton can sign with. ^[27][28]

2008: Dancing With The Stars

At the beginning of August, various internet websites including TMZ and In Touch magazine have announced that Toni Braxton will be appearing on the seventh season of Dancing With The Stars. Cloris Leachman, the 82 year old Oscar winning actress was originally lined up to be in the season, however it seems she has subsequently been replaced by Toni Braxton.

The full cast of the next season of the show was confirmed on August 25, 2008 on Good Morning America, which confirmed Toni Braxton will be contestant in the season with her partner being Alec Mazo.

2008: New Album

Recently on The Montel Williams Show she revealed that she plans on releasing a new album around June 2008 with new producer Anthony Asher.^[29] In an interview with Groovevolt.com Braxton said "I've been recording on my own. I went down to the studio recently, and just laid down the idea. I just don't want to forget it." Still, she won't re-record anything from Libra, and will never re-sing anything from Blackground. "I may sing a few songs on tour," she said. "There is a song, 'I Wanna Be (Your Baby),' that was dedicated to Diezel. I will always sing that song.".^[30] "On the next album, I will not be doing any hip-hop. Maybe as a guest on other albums. I would love to work with Michael Buble. I would love to work with Rodney Jerkins, Rich Harrison again, and maybe Ne-Yo. I really like his style." She added that she did not know if her husband would be working with her on the next album. "I may try something totally different this time around." Still, she left the door open, adding, "Of course, if he has a hot track, it will be on the album."^[30] She is currently still unsigned to a record label and revealed that she has been meeting with label heads.

While Braxton was on The View, February 1, 2008, she reported that her new album will be out sometime in June/July '08. Braxton said she's going back to her old style like her self-titled Toni Braxton and Secrets and that there would be no dance songs.

Personal life

Braxton met footballer Curtis Martin in 1997, but after a year of dating they separated in early 1998, after they separated she met musician Keri Lewis when the group Mint Condition (which he was a member of at that time) opened up for her while she was on tour.^[31] On April 21, 2001, they married.^[31] On December 2, 2001, she gave birth to their first child,^[32] a son named Denham Cole Braxton-Lewis. The couple's second son, Diezel Ky Braxton-Lewis, was born on March 31, 2003.^[32] The couple currently lives in the Southern Highlands Golf Club in Las Vegas.

In an October 2006 concert at the Flamingo in Las Vegas, it was reported that Braxton broke down in tears discussing her son, Diezel, who was recently diagnosed with autism.^[33] Braxton has been outspoken regarding her doctor's failure to diagnose Diezel's condition earlier, contending that if he had been diagnosed earlier, he could have been helped.^[34]

As of August 2007, rumors surfaced that she has been diagnosed with breast cancer. Toni stated to Access Hollywood that the breast cancer rumors were false and that her health is in great condition.

On April 8, 2008, Braxton was taken to a hospital. Pettit says she expects Braxton to be released Tuesday afternoon. Pettit says she doesn't know the nature of Braxton's ailment or where she was when she became ill. Braxton is currently performing at the Flamingo hotel. According to several news reports, Braxton's gigs for April 2008 have been cancelled. Since her hospitalization, gigs for the month of May 2008 have also been cancelled. She is expected to return June 6, 2008 depending on her condition. Her two year run at the hotel officially ends August 23, when Donny & Marie Osmond will take over in September.

As well as becoming a spokeswoman for Autism Speaks she is also a spokeswoman for The American Heart Association.

It was announced by Associated Press on May 29, 2008 that the remaining dates for Toni Braxton Revealed have been cancelled. The show was scheduled to end August 2008. A hotel official said that doctors advised Braxton to take the rest of the time off to concentrate on her health. The singer suffered from heart aggravated problems resulting from the birth of her second child, which endangered the walls of her heart. Braxton was confirmed to be doing well later next month, when TMZ cameras caught her outside a restaurant. Braxton says she is doing much better and thanks the support of her fans.

Jessica Biel

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Jessica Biel
Biel at the Gen Art Premiere and Party for The Illusionist
Born	Jessica Claire Biel March 3, 1982 (1982-03-03) (age 26) Ely, Minnesota, United States
Years active	1996 – present
Official website
[show]Awards won Other awards Newport Beach Film Festival Outstanding Achievement in Filmmaking Acting 2006 The Illusionist[1] Young Artist Award Best Performance in a Feature Film - Supporting Young Actress 1997 Ulee's Gold[2] Palm Springs International Film Festival Rising Star Award 2007[3] ShoWest Convention Female Star of Tomorrow 2005[4]

Jessica Claire Biel (born March 3, 1982) is an American actress and former model, who has appeared in several Hollywood films, including Summer Catch, the remake of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, The Illusionist, and I Now Pronounce You Chuck & Larry, and is also well known for her television role as Mary Camden in the long-running family-drama series 7th Heaven.

Early life

Born Jessica Claire Biel on March 3, 1982 in Ely, Minnesota, to Kimberly Biel (née Conroe) a homemaker, and Jon Biel, an entrepreneur. She has a younger brother, Justin, born in 1985.

Although she was born in Minnesota, her family moved a lot during her childhood, living in Texas, Illinois and Connecticut, before finally settling in Boulder, Colorado, which she calls home.

Career

Early career

Biel initially trained to be a vocalist, and appeared in several musical productions in her hometown, playing lead roles in productions such as Annie, The Sound of Music and Beauty and the Beast.

At 12, she attended The International Modeling and Talent Association Conference in Los Angeles, where she was discovered and signed on by an agency and began doing modeling work in print ads, as well as appearing in commercials for products such as Dulux paint and Pringles.

She also played a lead role in a low-budget musical short titled It's a Digital World, but the film was never released.

Rise to fame (1996-2002)

After auditioning for several television pilots, at 14 she was cast as the oldest daughter in a new family drama, 7th Heaven, the show was originally scheduled to air on FOX, but was picked up by The WB Network instead. 7th Heaven would go on to last for 11 seasons, making it the longest-running family drama in television history, and also became the highest-rated show on The WB.

That same year she also landed her first feature film role, playing Peter Fonda's granddaughter in the critically acclaimed drama Ulee's Gold, released in 1997. Her performance as the gothic, rebellious teenager earned her a Young Artist Award.

During a break from filming 7th Heaven, in spring 1998, she shot the holiday movie I'll Be Home for Christmas, playing opposite Jonathan Taylor Thomas.

In 2000, during the 4th season of 7th Heaven, Biel commented that she grew tired of playing the wholesome preacher's kid, and blamed the show for giving her a squeaky-clean image, which cost her to lose out on a role in American Beauty, the part later went to Thora Birch. In a last ditched attempt to be let out of her contract, she posed semi-nude for the cover of Gear magazine. Fans and the producers were outraged, and the shoot also sparked a lot of controversy, as Biel was still a minor at the time, but Aaron Spelling made it clear that Biel would be staying with the show until her contract was due to expire (although, she appeared in minimal episodes in season 5, due to her attending college out of state). She has now claimed that she regrets the Gear shoot, but considers it a learning experience.

In 2001 she played the love interest of Freddie Prinze Jr in the baseball themed movie, Summer Catch. The next year she starred as promiscuous college student Lara in the ensemble, The Rules of Attraction, a film adaptation of the Bret Easton Ellis novel of the same name.

Film stardom (2003-2005)

Biel aboard USS Abraham Lincoln, June 15, 2004 on Stealth set.

After leaving 7th Heaven at the end of the sixth season, she was cast as the lead heroine in the remake of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre. The film was met with mixed reviews, but became a box office success, scoring the number 1 spot within the first week of opening.

In fall 2003 she began working on the third installment of the Blade series, Blade Trinity. Almost immediately after finishing Blade, in 2004 she headed to Australia to shoot the action/thriller Stealth. Both movies were critical and box office failures, Stealth being considered one of the biggest bombs of all time, with a budget of $130 million and gross of just $76 million worldwide. She also made a notable cameo appearance in Cellular, toplined by her then real-life boyfriend Chris Evans.

Afterward, she auditioned for the role of Claire Colburn in the romantic comedy Elizabethtown, the role was eventually given to Kirsten Dunst but Biel was cast in the smaller role, Ellen Kishmore. She then played in the indie flick London, again, opposite then boyfriend Chris Evans.

Breakthrough (2006-present)

Biel at the Palm Springs Film Festival in January 2007

Her film career blossomed when she played a turn-of-the-Century duchess in the period mystery drama, The Illusionist, co-starring Edward Norton and Paul Giamatti. The movie received mostly positive reviews, and was a turning point for Biel, who had previously played more contemporary roles. She was awarded the Rising Star Award at the Palm Springs International Film Festival and won an Achievement Award at the Newport Beach Film Festival for her performance.

Meanwhile, after a 3 year absence, Biel surprised fans by returning for the what was the be the series finale of 7th Heaven. The episode had already been shot, but producer and creator Brenda Hampton was determined to have Biel featured in the episode, so Biel agreed to film her scenes during a break from filming her upcoming movie Next. The show, however, was unexpectedly renewed at the last minute by The CW. Biel has made no appearances since then, stating she is more interested in focusing on her movie career.

She next played an Iraq war veteran in Home of the Brave, a drama about soldiers struggling to adjust back into society after facing the hardships of war. Biel's performance was well-received, but the movie was a commercial failure, after being pulled from theaters twice, it eventually went straight to DVD in late 2007.

She started off 2007 being invited to present at both the Golden Globe Awards (she also announced the nominations along with Rosario Dawson and Matthew Perry), and the Oscars. She and Home of the Brave co-star Samuel L. Jackson were nominated for Prism Awards for their performances. She also produced and starred in a short film titled Hole in the Paper Sky, which is currently showing at film festivals around the country.

Her first movie of 2007 was Next, a sci-fi thriller, playing alongside Nicolas Cage and Julianne Moore. Biel then played in the summer comedy, I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry co-starring opposite Adam Sandler and Kevin James. Like her earlier film The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Chuck and Larry received mixed reviews but went straight to number 1 at the box-office.

In late 2007, Biel signed on for her grittiest role to date, as a stripper, in the yet to be released Powder Blue. She will be playing alongside Forest Whitaker, who also produced the film, Ray Liotta, and Patrick Swayze.

At the start of 2008, Biel flew to England to shoot Easy Virtue, an adaptation of the play by Noel Coward. Like the play, the movie is set in the 1920s and Biel plays divorcee Larita, who marries John Whittaker on the spur-of-the-moment in France, but must face her disapproving in-laws when they return to England. The film will premiere in September 2008 at the Toronto International Film Festival.

In April, she began working on the political satire Nailed, with Jake Gyllenhaal. The movie centers around a woman who accidentally gets a nail lodged in her head causing her to become a nymphomaniac. Filming finally wrapped in late June after several production shut downs, and is also due to be released in 2009.

She has a few other movies in the pipeline, including the animated sci-fi Planet 51, to which Biel is lending her voice. She is also co-producing and starring in Die a Little, a contemporary adaptation of the novel by Megan Abbott. A start date for filming has not yet been set.

Personal life

Biel at Naval Air Station North Island, San Diego Bay, July 17, 2005

Biel was educated by a private tutor on set of 7th Heaven, but attended mainstream school for her last year of high school. She graduated from the exclusive Lycée Français de Los Angeles in Los Angeles. In fall 2000 she enrolled at Tufts University in Massachusetts, and took classes there for 3 semesters, but she left to return to work on 7th Heaven full-time. She has said that she would like to return to college someday and complete her degree.

Biel's hobbies include yoga, soccer and running, she also mentions she goes to the gym 3 times a week. She currently resides in the Brentwood area of West Los Angeles. She has dated Adam LaVorgna, whom she met while working on I'll Be Home for Christmas in 1998 and later became a regular cast member on 7th Heaven. They broke up in 2001. Soon after, in October of that year, she began dating actor Chris Evans, the two dated on and off for almost 5 years before splitting in June 2006, they remain good friends.

She also had a 2 month fling with New York Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter. The two began dating in November 2006 and were seen canoodling in nightclubs and art galleries. They were photographed together for the first time on vacation in Puerto Rico at the new year. They broke up soon after returning home in early January 2007.

Later in January 2007, Biel was linked to Justin Timberlake when tabloids reported that the two had been seen flirting at the Golden Globes After-Party. Then a week later, they were photographed snowboarding together in Park City, Utah, during the Sundance Film Festival. Afterward a number of sightings were reported of them showing PDA at nightclubs and birthday parties. Then in May 2007, pictures surfaced of them together in Manchester, England, where they attended a soccer game and dined with producer/mogel Timbaland and Newcastle United player Alan Smith. Later in the summer, Biel joined Timberlake on the Scandinavian leg of his FutureSex/LoveShow tour, they were pictured in Norway, Sweden and Denmark. She also joined him on the Canadian leg of the tour in October, and the Australian and New Zealand leg of the tour in November. Since then, both Timberlake and Biel have publicly acknowledged their relationship, choosing not to comment in further detail.

As of early 2008 they were seen together in London where Biel was shooting her movie Easy Virtue and where Timberlake was working in the recording studio with Madonna. The two have also reportedly been seen near the campus of The University of South Carolina, where Biel was shooting her upcoming film Nailed. Rumors circulated the internet when the British newspaper, The Sun, reported that Timberlake and Biel were expecting a baby and planning to get married, however, during an interview with Jay Leno while promoting The Love Guru, Timberlake denied both rumors, but claimed on The Ellen DeGeneres Show that he is the happiest he's ever been with Biel.

Charity work

On July 18, 2006, Biel participated in a charity auction to raise medical funds for Colorado teen Molly Bloom, who was injured in an auto accident. John Schiffner of Fergus Falls, Minnesota successfully bid $30,000 to have lunch with Biel. "I promise I'm a cheap date," Biel quipped. Biel and Schiffner lunched at Denver's The Palm restaurant.^[5] on August 18, 2006.^[6]

In early 2007, Jessica co-founded Make the Difference Network (www.mtdn.com) with her father, Jon Biel, and another business partner, Kent McBride. Make The Difference Network (MTDN) is a cause-oriented social network that connects nonprofit organizations with potential donors and increases the awareness for small-to-medium nonprofit organizations. MTDN's misson is to democratize giving by increasing the visibility of thousands of nonprofit organizations and empowering potential donors to search, select and fund these organizations’ specific “Wishes” and then to see the results of their giving.^[7] Make the Difference Network was also featured at the 2007 Clinton Global Initiative, where they made a commitment to democratize giving through the use of a social network.^[8]

Awards

This section does not cite any references or sources. Please help improve this section by adding citations to reliable sources. Unverifiable material may be challenged and removed. (August 2008)

• 1998: Young Artist Award - Best Performance in a Feature Film - Supporting Young Actress in Ulee's Gold
• 2005: ShoWest Award Female Star of Tomorrow - 2005 ShoWest Convention
• 2007: Rising-star Award - Palm Springs International Film Festival 2007 Gala Awards

Rankings

• Ranked as #2 on FHM's "100 Sexiest Women in the World of 2008" ^[9]
• Ranked as #5 on Maxim's Hot 100 for 2007.^[10]
• Ranked #5 by AskMen.com readers in the list "Top 99 Women 2007".
• Esquire magazine named her the "Sexiest Woman Alive" in a 2005 six-part series with each month, revealing a different body part and clue to the woman's identity. One clue given was that her last name rhymes with what sigillographers are interested in (document seals).
• Ranked #98 on VH1's "100 Hottest Hotties".
• Ranked #99 in Stuff magazine's "102 Sexiest Women In The World" (2002).
• Ranked #1 in Stuff magazine's "100 Sexiest Women" (2007).^[11]