Archive for Billy Bob Thornton

Billy Bob Thornton Defends Former Red Sox Manager Terry Francona

We know baseball isn’t normally covered here at TheFABlife, but Billy Bob Thornton‘s passionate declaration of support for former Red Sox manager Terry “Tito”Francona was too good not to post. The actor is a huge baseball geek and St. Louis Cardinals fan (OMG, last night’s game!), and when we caught up with him at the Puss in Boots premiere he defended the fallen manager from critics who blame him for the Red Sox’s demise this season. “I think he’s a great manager,” the actor told us. “I think he got a raw deal in the press.”

For those of you not caught up with your sports drama: Francona is a fan favorite who led the team to two World Series wins in the last decade. But his record was tarnished by this season’s colossal collapse, in which the Sox blew a 9-game lead in September and failed to make the playoffs. Rumors of beer-drinking in the dugout during games and general slacking off by players only further infuriated fans, and Terry left his post (or was pushed out by team management) a couple days after the season ended. Since Tito’s departure everything from his marital issues to alleged prescription drug habits have been mentioned as a reason for the team’s failings. But Billy Bob has come to the manager’s defense! See what the Oscar-winning actor has to say about Francona in our interview above.

Billy Bob Thornton Is The Nicest Ex Ever

Angelina Jolie and Billy Bob Thornton

And here we thought Billy Bob Thornton was just a creepy old weirdo who publicly confessed to a fear of silverware. Don’t get us wrong; he is definitely still all those things, but he’s also turned into the nicest ex-husband a gorgeous A-lister could ever hope for. Even more surprisingly, it turns out Angelina Jolie and Billy Bob are still friends. “We talk every now and then. She seems to be doing very well directing her own movie, which I am so proud of her for.” Aw! That is so sweet, we’re almost not scared of running into Billy Bob alone in some dark alley at night. We said almost. We’re not stupid.

Continued Thornton, “I always thought she should do that, writing and directing. She’s real smart, and very creative, and I think it’s a great job for her.” So that’s what happens when you break up with Angelina Jolie. She becomes a radiant goddess with a bazillion dollars and her own private child army, while you turn into a piece of human beef jerky covered in hair. We just hope when we’re huge superstars married to Brad Pitt, our starter husbands will be half as gracious. [Photo: WENN]

We Want A Pitcher, Not A Belly Itcher!

While most of us would agree that it’s a stretch to still describe baseball as being Our National Pastime™, there’s little sense denying that every playoff baseball game played during the month of October is laden with the kind of dramatic tension that makes the hairs on the back of your neck stand at attention. This post, however, is not really about celebrating the magic and mystery of America’s most revered professional sport. Rather, it’s about the celebrities who trot themselves out to the pitcher’s mound before games to throw out the ceremonial first pitch.

First, the facts: Every single Major League Baseball team plays 81 home games during the course of the season. This means that the poor public relations department of each team has to come up with 81 different ways to get the crowd excited before a game. In some of baseball’s larger markets, teams draw upon their access to a range of different celebrities, a list that runs the gamut from Hollywood’s A-List to downtrodden reality television flameouts, to get their fans excited over a long and often monotonous season. So we here at TheFABLife thought you would get a kick out of seeing celebs of all magnitudes — most of whom are not exactly known for their athletic abilities — attempting to throw a baseball sixty feet and six inches. So, if you pardon the expression, who throws like a girl and who throws like someone who could be called up to The Show? Now’s the time to find out. Play ball!

Billy Bob Thornton’s Estranged Daughter Indicted For Murder

amanda-brumfield-mugshot-billy-bob-thornton

As if Billy Bob “Don’t Talk About My Acting Career, I’m a Musician Now” Thornton’s life wasn’t dramatic enough, the sad news today is that his estranged eldest daughter, Amanda Brumfield, was indicted yesterday in connection with the death of a 1-year-old child in her care. Brumfield, 29, is being held on the charges of first-degree murder, aggravated child abuse and aggravated manslaughter in connection with the death of a friend’s child she was babysitting last October in Ocoee, Florida. While she first claimed the child fell and hit her head, the medical examiner determined the death to be a homicide after discovering a skull fracture and additional brain injury. She is currently being held without bail in the Orange County, Florida jail.

Brumfield is Thornton’s daughter from his first marriage with Melissa Gatlin and his publicist has said that Thornton has had no contact with her recently. [Source: People; Photo: Getty Images]

Billy Bob Booed In Toronto

billy bob thornton

While most of us reacted to Billy Bob Thornton‘s grumpy CBC radio interview with amusement (Tom Petty didn’t make Sling Blade, dude), many Canadians weren’t happy to hear he thought the nation’s country fans were “mashed potatoes with no gravy — they just sort of sit there. And it doesn’t matter what you say to them.” Rather that sitting still during his band’s opening set for Willie Nelson in Toronto last night, the audience booed the Boxmasters until Bad Santa explained, if not apologized for, his assholery.

Boo all you want, but I want to say something…. We’re really happy to be here, but I need to say something. I talked to this a–hole yesterday. I sat down and talked with this guy. He and his producers say, “We promise you we won’t [discuss your acting].” The very first thing they said was that.

I don’t really like sensationalism. If you look someone in the eyes and promise them something, and you don’t do it, you don’t get the interview. That’s the way it goes.

The fans’ response to his plea for respect? “Here comes the gravy!” and more boos. Thornton claimed before the show that his comments were targeted towards interviewer Jian Ghomeshi, not audiences, but no one’s buying it. If he doesn’t apologize for real at the band’s show in Montreal tonight, someone may really bring the gravy.

Related Scandalist Content: Billy Bob’s Bizarre Radio Interview

[Photo: Getty Images]

Billy Bob’s Bizarre Radio Interview

Billy Bob Thornton is giving Joaquin Phoenix some stiff competition for most bizarre celebrity interview.

Billy Bob showed up to do an interview with CBC host Jian Ghomeshi on his show “Q” and had nothing but bizarre, unrelated, hostile answers to Jian’s questions.

Things started off on the wrong foot when Jian introduced Billy Bob as an “Oscar-winning screenwriter, actor and director,” at which Billy Bob rolled his eyes.

Then Billy Bob proceeded to answer most of the questions about his own band, the Boxmasters, with “I don’t know” or “I don’t know, maybe.”

He then answered a question about his musical influences by describing a model building contest he participated in as a child.

Now he just needs a beard and ambitions to turn into a rap star.

Scandalist’s Holiday Gift Guide

There’s only days left until the holidays! Are you still stuck on those difficult-to-shop-for people on your list? Scandalist has plenty of suggestions for everyone who is impossible to shop for – from your sex-obsessed friend to the pampered princess on your list. Check out the photos below to look at all of the goodies in our holiday gift guide.

10 Actors Who Deserve The Same Crap Nicole Kidman Gets

Between Australia‘s lack of success and whatever the hell she’s done to her face, Nicole Kidman is getting a lot of grief from the media, with some dubbing her “Queen Of The Flops.” While her status as a bankable actress is fair game (again…her face), there are a lot of men we should be giving the royal treatment before we start ripping on Nicole too harshly. As the The Huffington Post notes, Hugh Jackman gets to be the Sexiest Man Alive even though no one will pay to see him do anything other than flash metal claws. Check out the gallery to see why Hugh and 9 other A-list actors should get their own “box-office poison?” thinkpieces.

[Photo: Getty]

Billy Bob Bangs Hot Chicks

In the latest on the David Duchovny-Tea Leoni separation, Billy Bob Thornton was implicated as the reason behind the pair’s split. According to sources, Duchovny is apparently leaving Leoni due to her being unfaithful (not because he’s a sex addict and cheated) with the Sling Blade actor. Leoni, who worked with Thornton on their new movie Manure, told recently More magazine that Thornton is “maybe my new favorite person in the world.” The plot thickens….

Though Thornton is denying any part in the scandal, it’s undeniable that through the years, he’s banged some pretty hot chicks, and he has a penchant for meeting them on the sets of his movies. Check out the ladies the five-times-married Thornton has been with.

David Duchovny and Tea Leoni Split, Billy Bob Thornton Moves In

When David Duchovny checked himself into sex rehab a few months ago, the world giggled to itself (sex rehab! How very 90′s-Michael-Douglas-esque!) and then felt a bit sorry for Téa Leoni. We assumed she’d been putting up with David’s bad-boy behaviour for some time, but the crushing silence from her side of the fence should have told us something was up. Come on, she’s a celebrity, she could have worked the “My Marriage Hell With Shagger David” angle a bit more, no? As it turns out, the couple have not only split up, but Téa’s been receiving “explicit text messages” on her phone from none other than Billy Bob Thornton. Yes the five-time married movie star and one-time blood vial sharer with Angelina Jolie is now in the mix!

Apparently, Téa’s been spotted at Billy’s gigs, and “even helps him load and unload his truck.” Acting as a groupie-cum-roadie – now that’s LOVE.

Meanwhile, a spokesperson for Téa confirmed her breakup with David, saying: “Yes, they have separated. She is living on her own with the children in New York, but we did not want to announce it for the sake of the children until after David had received treatment for his problems.”

To be honest, we don’t blame her. David Duchovny or Billy Bob Thornton? Ever since he worked that Stetson and teeth look in Intolerable Cruelty, we so would. Go for it, Téa! [Daily Mail; Photos: Getty Images; AFP]