Scott Foley Scandal Interview

While anyone who attempts to come in between Olivia and Fitz is bad news, fans had no idea just how shady Scott Foley's character, Jake Ballard, was until the closing minutes of last week's Scandal when it was revealed he'd been tracking Olivia's every move thanks to the most impressive array of hidden cameras since Sliver!

And given his job with the Joint Chiefs of Staff, you can be assured Ballard isn't simply interested in watching Olivia sleep.

But just to make sure, I chatted with Scott Foley this afternoon about joining TV's hottest show, what lies ahead for Olivia Pope and who he'd like to sneak a peek of in real life.


ETonline: You had a very memorable arc on Grey's Anatomy, is that how this gig came about; Shonda called you up?


Scott Foley: That's exactly right. I had such a good time working on Grey's and Shonda was so kind to me. I really appreciated what she did with the character and the stories -- they're heartbreaking and honest and really romantic. She sent me an email over the New Year, while we were on break, telling me they were coming up with a new love interest for Olivia and was curious if I was available. I had just found out Fox wasn't sure what they were going to do with the show I shot last year, The Goodwin Games, so I was free. I asked about the character and all she wrote back was, "It's a love interest for Liv." I put my trust in Shonda, having a history with her and knowing her so well. When the first episode aired last week, my Twitter account blew up! People were calling me, I was getting Facebook messages from high school friends I hadn't talked to in years and the fact I get to be a part of a big moment like that is awesome.


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ETonline: Finding out he was pulling a Sliver was unreal. What was your reaction when you found out?


Foley: It was crazy! You always assume there's another twist coming with Scandal. So I saw their sweet scene at the coffee shop and thought, "What an interesting coincidence because she's working on a case about this woman who died in David's bed and it happened that she was doing work for Jake." I honestly thought that might be the twist. And then I saw he'd been watching her ... let me just tell you, when we did that scene at the table read, everyone on the cast and crew began to shout, "oooooooh!" It was amazing and I was excited to be part of one of those great "What the hell was that?" moments. And there are a bunch of those "Oh my God" moments coming up in the next two episodes I've filmed. It's so cool, man.


ETonline: And I would imagine now that we know this big secret, it makes his courtship of Olivia all the more unsettling.


Foley: I think it does. If you remember a few episodes ago when Olivia told Edison she didn't want to marry him because she wanted a different kind of relationship. So you either want her to find that with Jake or you think Jake's a total snake and she shouldn't be with him. There's a really divided audience there and I think that makes it all the more interesting.


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ETonline: What can you tell us about this week's episode, Boom Goes The Dynamite? All ABC has released is that Jake is persistent in trying to date Olivia.


Foley: That's all they gave you? [laughs] Well, the last thing we saw was that great moment where you saw the cameras in his apartment -- but you have to remember, she called Jake to say, "Ok, I'll go on a date with you." We'll see them on that date, which Jake is very excited about. You know, he's made this interesting transition, and I'm not sure if he's allowed to do it. Someone has definitely hired him to keep an eye on Olivia, he's not choosing to do that on his own, and I'm sure when they hired him, they did not say it was OK to take her on a date. So he's definitely breaking some sort of code. And we see Olivia still fighting against having a relationship and that's a great thing they've done with the character: she wants love but is always fighting against it, so even though she agreed to go on this date, she won't call it a date. In the episodes I've shot, there's always going to be that tension of him looking for more and her pulling back.


ETonline: As you see Jake going deeper and deeper into this lie, as a Scandal fan, do you think about all the ways Olivia is going to ruin his life eventually?


Foley: Yeah. Totally. Although I don't even say Olivia, I say Shonda is going to kill my character [laughs]. I do know that she Olivia has a way, with Huck and Harrison and everyone at Pope & Associates, of getting the upper hand. You can never pull one over on Olivia, she always knows what's going on. At the end of the day, Olivia is Olivia's best client -- and that's terrifying for me, as an actor, to know my character is doing something that kind of has to blow up. If there's going to be any progress in the story, she's got to find out about this at some point, right? It can't just be the audience. She'll eventually put Huck on his ass, and once you've been waterboarded, nothing can hurt you.


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ETonline: Lastly, in the creepiest way imaginable, I'd like to know whose apartment you'd bug given the chance.


Foley: I immediately go to political figures because we're talking about a political show, so I have to say The Oval Office. I'd love to be a fly on the wall in Obama's Oval Office. For me, that would be amazing. This is sort of childish, but I'd love to hear how they actually speak. I remember a few years ago, President Bush was at a big banquet dinner with Sarkozy, and he walked up behind him and said, "We gotta get this sh*t in order." He used a word I assumed two presidents wouldn't use with each other. There's an interesting thing about a media persona versus a real life, and I want to know about the real life of The White House.


Scandal
airs Thursdays at 10 p.m. on ABC.

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Hackers hit Apple, Jeep in latest cyber attack








Hackers took a bite out of Apple security and virtually drove through Jeep’s social media vehicle today, in the latest cyber attacks on major American companies.

Intruders took over Jeep’s Twitter and posted the profane message: “You'll never catch @50cent ridin in a Dirty Ass @Jeep !!!! “

Meanwhile, Apple today made a rare admission of a cyber-security breach but insisted no important data was stolen. Apple blamed the same hackers who once attacked Facebook.

Reps for the Cupertino, Calif.-based company said they’re working with law enforcement to find hackers they believe are from China.




“Apple has identified malware which infected a limited number of Mac systems through a vulnerability in the Java plug-in for browsers,” the company said.

“The malware was employed in an attack against Apple and other companies, and was spread through a website for software developers. We identified a small number of systems within Apple that were infected and isolated them from our network.”

The iPhone and iPad maker plans to release software later today to help customers fend off malicious cyber attacks.

Facebook admitted on Friday that some of its employees' computers had been hacked by China-based cyber thieves. The social media giant also said no crucial or private data was stolen.

Hackers had a laugh at Burger King’s expense yesterday when they seized the fast-food chain’s Twitter page for about 90 minutes. BK’s Twitter was taken down for about eight hours.










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Hawkins withdraws his name from Jackson Health System board post




















In a kerfuffle with echoes from political battles almost two decades ago, former Miami-Dade commissioner and state legislator Larry Hawkins announced Monday he was withdrawing his name from nomination to the Jackson Health System board.

Hawkins, 68, who had been nominated to be the unions’ representative on the seven-member board, sent a letter to the clerk of courts saying he was “deeply honored” by the nomination but “after considering the time commitment and the physical demands associated with fulfilling the responsibilities of this position, I have decided to decline this opportunity to serve.”

In a telephone interview, Hawkins said his decision “had nothing to do with Katy Sorenson,” who defeated him in the 1994 election for his commission seat and had been calling journalists and union leaders objecting to his nomination.





Sorenson, now president the Good Government Initiative at the University of Miami, gave The Herald a statement on Friday: “It’s disturbing that the union, which represents so many hard-working women, would appoint a person with such disdain for women and a record of ethics violations.”

In 1995, the state ethics commission fined Hawkins $5,000 after finding that he had sexually harassed three aides while county commissioner. Hawkins, a disabled Vietnam vet who uses a wheelchair, said he had never made lewd comments and his actions had been misunderstood.

Hawkins also has strong supporters. On Monday, before Hawkins withdrew, Phillis Oeters, a South Florida civic leader, praised him as a “brilliant choice” for Jackson’s board because he knows a lot about healthcare and had a long reputation of government service.

Oeters decried dredging up charges from two decades ago. “As a society, can’t we forgive and forget, if forgiveness is even necessary in this case? ... We need the best and the brightest in the county to serve.”

Oeters, chairman of the Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce and a vice president of Baptist Health South Florida, said her remarks reflected her personal views, not those of the organizations.

In his letter to the clerk’s office, Hawkins said he decided to withdraw because “over the past few days, I have had numerous conversations with current board members ... and have spoken with CEO Carlos Migoya regarding the meeting schedules and operations,” which include monthly committee days that start about 7 a.m. and end sometimes past 5 p.m.

Hawkins said his mother is in hospice care and his life was too busy to add Jackson to his schedule. He said that Sorenson, as commissioner, had approved him for volunteer board posts and he was mystified why she would object now based on old allegations. Jackson board members get no salary for their service.

County bylaws allow the unions to name one person to Jackson’s board. Last week, Andy Madtes, president of the South Florida AFL-CIO, announced Hawkins’ selection, which was scheduled to go to the County Commission Wednesday for approval.

On Monday, union leaders issued a statement accepting Hawkins’ decision to withdraw.

In a statement, Martha Baker, president of SEIU Local 1991, said: “Providing our patients and community with cutting edge, fully accessible patient care is our primary goal. We will be putting forward a new appointee as soon as possible...” She said a new nominee will be selected before the next commission meeting on March 5.

The SEIU local represents nurses, doctors and other healthcare professionals at Jackson.





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Merritt Wever Talks Nurse Jackie Season Five

It's always thrilling when a deserving actor has their work acknowledged with an Emmy nomination, but when Merritt Wever's name was announced as one of 2012's five Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy nominees, I felt Zoey-levels of frenetic jubilation because she's long been one of the most underrated actors on television and that kind of uniquely exhilarating talent tends to be celebrated by online devotees (like me!) but ignored by organizations like The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences.

But, in the end, there was no denying the hilarious, intimate and sterling performance Wever has been serving on Showtime's Nurse Jackie. Emmy night was doubly sweet for Wever as her good friend (and Tiny Furniture boss), Lena Dunham, also scored several nominations for Girls.

I recently caught up with Wever to talk about the sensational season four (now on DVD), what fans can expect from season five and how she learned to stop letting Girls criticism get her down.


ETonline: There was so much I loved about season four -- especially Zoey living at Jackie's house. Looking back, what did you enjoy?


Merritt Wever: I thought it was a really strong season for us. I think there was a lot of energy and things rolled along faster. Living with Jackie was Zoey's dream come true, but you might be a little disappointed in season five because Zoey moves out pretty early on this season. But I loved having the opportunity to be in the house. It was another way to, unintentionally, invade her space.


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ETonline: I thought the season also did a great job of reinforcing how much the staff of All Saints loves Jackie. What do you, as an actor, take away from a moment like the slow clap?


Wever: That this is a dysfunctional family but they really care about each other. I mean, it was awful when Akalitus and Eddie got fired. I hated that scene when they're sitting beneath the statue looking at their severance checks -- it was just so sad. Much like actors, [hospital workers] put in these crazy hours and see their co-workers more than their families most times. Accepting that support is an important part of struggling to stay sober -- more so than Jackie probably wants to deal with or admit. I don't think she wants to admit that to herself because it's unpleasant, but it's something she's really going to have to accept in the upcoming season.


ETonline: What else can you say about season five?


Wever: We return a couple of months later, there are a few new doctors on the floor and Dr. O'Hara decides she needs to live in London to be with her family, so right away Jackie loses her best friend and biggest ally in the hospital. There's a lot of transitions right in the beginning of the season -- especially for Jackie.


ETonline: What about for Zoey -- where do we find her in season five?


Wever: It's a much different season and I'm worried people may not like Zoey this year. I don't know, I don't think she's all that different, but I'm not sure how people are going to respond. Zoey is recommitted to her career this year, although after four years, it's not so much about her finding her way in the hospital any more. She's no longer a newbie, which is hard for me because I had trouble progressing the character when so much of her identity has been about being the fresh-faced new person. That was something I contended with this year. Zoey doesn't date, but she does have a casual encounter, which is very un-Zoey, but something that would happen to a girl in NYC.


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ETonline: Speaking of, what's your take on Lena's vision of young NYC life in Girls?


Wever: I love Girls. I love it. I think Lena is crazy-talented and I love that she's on the air right now with this exciting show. Sometimes the conversations that get sparked are really annoying, but I love her.


ETonline: You mean like after the Patrick Wilson episode?


Wever: Yeah.


RELATED - Lena Dunham Explains Patrick Wilson Episode 


ETonline: Is it tough to have that kind of second-hand experience with her work?


Wever: In the beginning I would read things are feel strangely overprotective of her. But I quickly realized that girl can hold her f*cking own. She's smart and capable and I don't need to worry about Lena. She's got a great family, great friends and she's doing it right. I get annoyed sometimes about the stuff around her that she has nothing to do with, but I'm glad for many, many reasons that Girls is on the air.


ETonline: Was it surreal to both find yourselves as first-time Emmy nominees this past September.


Wever: It was nice to be recognized when you weren't expecting it. It was really nice having her nominated too. I went with a friend of mine who is a writer on Nurse Jackie, so to be able to have a moment of personal life amid all the business stuff was really refreshing because the business stuff can make events like that not easy to enjoy. If you can bring a small part of you to events like that, it's very useful. I was relieved when I realized we were sitting near one another. It made me feel a little more normal.


Nurse Jackie: The Complete Fourth Season
is now available on DVD, and season five premieres April 14 at 9 p.m. on Showtime.

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Blade runner nearly shot friend days before attack on stunner girlfriend








Gun-loving “Blade Runner” Oscar Pistorius nearly shot a friend two weeks before allegedly blowing away his gorgeous gal pal, according to published reports today.

Pistorius, in jail since the Valentine Day’s slaying of stunner Reeva Steenkamp, accidentally shot one round at the foot of boxer Kevin Lerena, while they dined with friends at a swanky Johannesburg restaurant, the fighter told Beeld newspaper.

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Lerena said Pistorius mishandled the weapon and it fired one round that nearly hit his foot.




“I got a huge fright, because the bullet hit the ground just centimeters from my foot. I must emphasize that the gun belonged to one of Pistorius’ friends,” Lerena told the newspaper.

“Oscar just wanted to look at the gun, and it sort of snagged on his pants, releasing the safety catch. A shot went off. I wouldn’t call him negligent, it was just an accident. He apologized to me for days afterwards.”

Steenkamp’s funeral is set for tomorrow, as a court weighs Pistorius’ bail application.

She was shot four times early Thursday morning inside the Olympian’s home near Pretoria.

The beautiful FHM mag pinup Steenkamp was a law school grad and outspoken advocate for victims of domestic violence.

Pistorius became an international hero this summer and after running in the London Olympics on two prosthetic legs.










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Hawkins withdraws his name from Jackson Health System board post




















In a kerfuffle with echoes from political battles almost two decades ago, former Miami-Dade commissioner and state legislator Larry Hawkins announced Monday he was withdrawing his name from nomination to the Jackson Health System board.

Hawkins, 68, who had been nominated to be the unions’ representative on the seven-member board, sent a letter to the clerk of courts saying he was “deeply honored” by the nomination but “after considering the time commitment and the physical demands associated with fulfilling the responsibilities of this position, I have decided to decline this opportunity to serve.”

In a telephone interview, Hawkins said his decision “had nothing to do with Katy Sorenson,” who defeated him in the 1994 election for his commission seat and had been calling journalists and union leaders objecting to his nomination.





Sorenson, now president the Good Government Initiative at the University of Miami, gave The Herald a statement on Friday: “It’s disturbing that the union, which represents so many hard-working women, would appoint a person with such disdain for women and a record of ethics violations.”

In 1995, the state ethics commission fined Hawkins $5,000 after finding that he had sexually harassed three aides while county commissioner. Hawkins, a disabled Vietnam vet who uses a wheelchair, said he had never made lewd comments and his actions had been misunderstood.

Hawkins also has strong supporters. On Monday, before Hawkins withdrew, Phillis Oeters, a South Florida civic leader, praised him as a “brilliant choice” for Jackson’s board because he knows a lot about healthcare and had a long reputation of government service.

Oeters decried dredging up charges from two decades ago. “As a society, can’t we forgive and forget, if forgiveness is even necessary in this case? ... We need the best and the brightest in the county to serve.”

Oeters, chairman of the Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce and a vice president of Baptist Health South Florida, said her remarks reflected her personal views, not those of the organizations.

In his letter to the clerk’s office, Hawkins said he decided to withdraw because “over the past few days, I have had numerous conversations with current board members ... and have spoken with CEO Carlos Migoya regarding the meeting schedules and operations,” which include monthly committee days that start about 7 a.m. and end sometimes past 5 p.m.

Hawkins said his mother is in hospice care and his life was too busy to add Jackson to his schedule. He said that Sorenson, as commissioner, had approved him for volunteer board posts and he was mystified why she would object now based on old allegations. Jackson board members get no salary for their service.

County bylaws allow the unions to name one person to Jackson’s board. Last week, Andy Madtes, president of the South Florida AFL-CIO, announced Hawkins’ selection, which was scheduled to go to the County Commission Wednesday for approval.

On Monday, union leaders issued a statement accepting Hawkins’ decision to withdraw.

In a statement, Martha Baker, president of SEIU Local 1991, said: “Providing our patients and community with cutting edge, fully accessible patient care is our primary goal. We will be putting forward a new appointee as soon as possible...” She said a new nominee will be selected before the next commission meeting on March 5.

The SEIU local represents nurses, doctors and other healthcare professionals at Jackson.





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Presidents' Day is observed Monday. Here is what will be open and closed




















Holiday schedule

Federal offices: Closed

Miami-Dade County offices: Closed





Broward County offices: Open

Miami-Dade and Broward courts: Closed

Public schools: Closed

Garbage collection: Varies; check with your municipality

Banks: Most are closed

Stock markets: Closed

Post offices: Closed

Miami-Dade and Broward Transit: Regular schedule

Tri-Rail: Regular schedule

Miami-Dade libraries: Closed

Broward libraries: Open

Malls: Open





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Hugh Grant is a Dad Again

Hugh Grant confirmed Saturday that he is a dad again.

PICS: Celebs and Their Cute Kids

The 52-year-old British actor tweeted, "In answer to some journos. Am thrilled my daughter now has a brother. Adore them both to an uncool degree. They have a fab mum."

Hugh and actress Tinglan Hong welcomed a daughter named Tabitha in 2011. No word yet on what Tabitha's little brother is named.

Related: Hugh Grant Responds to Jon Stewart Diss

Hugh told The Guardian in 2012 of being a dad, "I like my daughter very much. Fantastic. Has she changed my life? I'm not sure. Not yet. Not massively, no. But I'm absolutely thrilled to have had her, I really am. And I feel a better person."

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Obama golfing with Tiger Woods in Florida








WASHINGTON – President Obama was working on his golf game today, playing with none other than the sport's most famous player, Tiger Woods.

The two played at the Floridian Golf and Yacht Club in Palm City, Fla., where Obama was spending a President's Day weekend vacation, according to Golf World writer Tim Rosaforte.

"The President is arriving at The Floridian range. Awaiting is Tiger Woods and club owner Jim Crane. Historic day in golf. Their first round," Rosaforte said on Twitter. Crane is also the owner of the Houston Astros.

Obama spent time on the links over the weekend with Woods’ coach Butch Harmon but the game with Woods was unexpected.





The White House



Obama and Tiger Woods at the White House in 2009.





The two met each other when the president invited Woods to the White House in 2009. But today is the first time they played together. Obama has become an avid golfer since becoming president, racking up 100 rounds played during his time at the White House.

Woods is the most successful golfer of all time, having been named the PGA Player of the Year a record ten times. In 2009 and 2010 his career suffered after revelations about extramarital affairs.

Obama flew aboard Air Force One to Florida to play golf, after delivering a speech in Chicago on Firday. The first lady and the two Obama daughters are skiing in Colorado.

On Saturday, Obama played golf with Chicago friend Eric Whitaker, White House trip director Marvin Nicholson, outgoing US trade representative Ron Kirk and Houston businessman Tony Chase.










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NBA’s best player (LeBron James) isn’t best-paid




















When LeBron James walks onto the court for Houston’s NBA All-Star Game Sunday, he’ll do so as the undisputed king of his sport.

Named the league’s most valuable player three times in the past four years, James is once again dominating the NBA and most likely headed for his fourth MVP award — two fewer than Michael Jordan — with presumably a long career still ahead.

But while James is the most valuable player in the NBA, he’s nowhere close to being the league’s highest paid. Of the 10 players voted into the starting lineup of Sunday’s All-Star Game, five earn more than James, whose salary for this season ranks 13th in the NBA.





James’ decision a while back to “take my talents to South Beach” was a case of trading dollars for victories. The league caps what teams can spend on salaries.

The bimonthly checks cut by team owner Micky Arison this year will equal a bargain come season’s end: $17,545,000.

Kobe Bryant of the Los Angeles Lakers, the league’s highest-paid player, will earn about $10 million more than that this season.

James understands he’s underpaid in the purest sense, but he also understands reality: He makes obscene amounts of money playing a game. Super-rich athletes who gripe about money seldom get much sympathy — witness the outpouring of scorn when golfer Phil Mickelson recently complained that increased taxes on high earners, coupled with California’s high tax rates, might force him to make “drastic changes” in his playing schedule.

James also makes a fortune in endorsements, from companies ranging from Nike to Sprite to Samsung to Dunkin’ Donuts.

Still, the obvious question remains: Considering not only James’ impact on the Heat, but also his overall contribution to the entire NBA, how much money could James command on the open market if there were no league-imposed economic constraints?

“Per year, if there were no salary-cap restrictions, I think he’s worth well over $100 million, easy,” said Shane Battier, the Heat’s heady forward and former Duke University schoolmate of Heat CEO Nick Arison.

That’s $100 million per year.

It’s an audacious and historic number, but considering James’ recent run of play, it’s not complete fantasy. James is performing at a historic level of excellence. After thoroughly wiping the court in Oklahoma City on Thursday, scoring 39 points, pulling down 12 rebounds and dishing out seven assists, James has scored at least 30 points in seven straight games.

The last player to accomplish that feat going into the All-Star break was Wilt Chamberlain back in 1963.

“This guy, LeBron James, he’s doing stuff that I’ve never seen,” said Hall of Famer Charles Barkley on Thursday night during TNT’s Inside the NBA. “He’s on another planet.”

Considering Barkley’s sharp criticism of James in the past, not to mention his history of going head-to-head with Michael Jordan during both men’s prime, that’s high praise.

But a market value of $100 million?

“Really, it boils down to the ego of an owner,” Battier said. “A lot of owners would pay just to have LeBron James on their team. I can think of a couple that would pay him, easily, nine figures per year.”

According to one numbers cruncher — John Vrooman, an economics professor at Vanderbilt University — Battier’s figure is an overestimation of James’ worth by about $60 million. Here is how his math works: Vrooman used an advanced metric known in the sports world as “win-share,” which assigns a number to each player on a team based on his contributions, both offensively and defensively, for a season. Last season, when James led the Heat to the championship, he had a win-share value of 14.5, which translates to 31.5 percent of the 2011-12 Heat’s 46 regular-season wins.





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