book actress

Usually, the main attraction at a big movie premiere are the celebrities. But at the premiere of "The Muppets" in Hollywood on Saturday, a slew of puppets got the A-list treatment.

Before the film's stars, Jason Segel and Amy Adams, even arrived, a group of Muppets — including Kermit the Frog, Fozzie Bear and Gonzo — were driven down the the appropriately green carpet in a Jeep. They were followed by Miss Piggy, who scored her own chauffeured ride — a sexier convertible.

"In case anyone is wondering," a frenzied publicist told the press, "Miss Piggy was wearing Jeremy Scott and Louboutins."

PHOTOS: 'The Muppets' Hollywood premiere

Yes, really. The Muppets were handled like such stars at the event that they almost seemed like actual celebrities. As Adams put it later to the press: "The magic of the Muppets is that you believe in them."

Over the years, there have been numerous television programs and films including the famous puppets — most memorably 1984's "The Muppets Take Manhattan."

Segel, who co-wrote the new movie and been a Muppets fan since he was a child, said the time was right for a fresh take on the puppets because comedy has become too cynical.

"People get a lot of laughs by making fun of people, and the Muppets never do that," he said. "I thought it was an important reminder just to be nice. That's the message of the Muppets."

The beauty of the Muppets lies in their simplicity, added Adams.

"I think we're a society that we've gotten overblown in all these special effects and all of that — which I love as well," said the actress, who will soon star as Lois Lane in the upcoming installment of the big-budget "Superman" franchise. "But I think it's nice to see these characters [with] their message of hope and belief."

Meanwhile, if Segel is eager about how audiences will receive his version of "The Muppets," he was hiding it well.

"You know, having seen the movie, I'm not nervous at all," he said confidently. "It's a really beautiful film. And I haven't seen anyone do anything but walk away smiling."

Two weeks after accusations of sexual harassment against Herman Cain emerged, his wife, Gloria Cain, has opened up publicly about the matter, saying, “I’m thinking he would have to have a split personality to do the things that were said.”
In an interview conducted Sunday with “On the Record w/ Greta Van Susteren” on Fox News, Mrs. Cain said the descriptions from women accusing her husband of sexual harassment did not square with the man to whom she has long been married.
“You hear the graphic allegations and we know that would have been something that’s totally disrespectful of her as a woman,” she said. “And I know the type of person he is. He totally respects women.”
Fox News released excerpts of the interview Sunday night. The interview is to be broadcast Monday evening.
Mrs. Cain has been barely visible throughout her husband’s candidacy, appearing with him only a handful of times. “You won’t see my family out on the campaign trail on a day-to-day basis,” Mr. Cain told Fox News this month.
What’s known about Mrs. Cain, whose maiden name is Etchison and who has been married to Mr. Cain for more than 43 years, is limited almost completely to her husband’s remarks and a chapter about her in his book, “This Is Herman Cain! My Journey to the White House,” published earlier this year. Titled “Gloria,” it spans four pages.
In the book, he explains her role in his campaign: “Gloria continues to be a steady source of devotion and inspiration,” he writes.
“Some people have certain expectations concerning the traditional politician’s wife, though,” he writes, “and I’m often asked: ‘Where is your wife? Why isn’t she campaigning with you?’ ”
“ ‘She is at home,’ I answer.
“And Gloria will tell them that she’s not running, but she supports me 100 percent. That’s all I need.”
The Cain campaign has been struggling to regain its focus after it was revealed that two women who worked for the National Restaurant Association received monetary settlements in the 1990s relating to allegations of harassment by Mr. Cain when he was its chief.
One of the women, Karen Kraushaar, has spoken out publicly in recent days. Another woman, Sharon Bialek, recently claimed she was groped by Mr. Cain in 1997 after she asked for employment help after being fired from the association’s education foundation. Mr. Cain has denied the accusations.