Thanks to colored contact lenses, anyone can have violet-colored eyes these days. Taylor didn’t come by her purple peepers that way; the first tinted contact lenses weren’t commercially available until 1983. Taylor’s eye color was the real deal.

The appearance of the iris — the colored ring that’s around the eye’s black pupil — depends on how much of the natural pigment melanin it contains. The more melanin in your iris, the darker your eyes will look (melanin levels are determined by your genes). For example, the irises of a person with dark brown eyes have more melanin than the eyes of a green-eyed person. Taylor’s eyes had a very specific, and rare, amount of melanin, but it was roughly the same as a person with blue eyes.

“There are various shades of blues and grays, with many in-between. Violet may have been her typical pigmentation,” Norman Saffra, chairman of the ophthalmology department at the Maimonides Medical Center in Brooklyn, N.Y., told Life’s Little Mysteries. “It’s possible to have that eye color — it all depends on the amount of melanin.”

Eye color can also appear to change based on the eye’s light absorption, Saffra said. For example, wearing a white shirt will reflect light off of the iris and make its color look slightly lighter.

Makeup can also “bring out” certain colors in the eyes. Taylor was often photographed wearing blue or purple eye shadow to compliment her eyes’ naturally violet hue, or dark brown eye shadow and black eyeliner to contrast against and play up their unique color.

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So not only is Wintour as famous as some of her famous friends, but she is also pretty intimidating to other famous people, Currid-Halkett said. It helps that the editor made her home in New York City, the professor added, because appearances in the Big Apple are associated with enhanced prestige and star power.

In the world of celebrity, Anna Wintour is literally in vogue.

Along with the voices of Brad Pitt, Tina Fey and Jonah Hill, the DreamWorks Animation release has Ferrell’s title character hatching a scheme to fill the void in his life after he finally defeats his superhero nemesis.

Robert Downey Jr. and Zach Galifianakis’ road-trip comedy, “Due Date,” opened at a strong No. 2 with $33.5 million. The Warner Bros. romp features the two stars as mismatched traveling companions who hit the highway from Atlanta to Los Angeles.

Tyler Perry’s drama “For Colored Girls,” whose ensemble cast features Janet Jackson and Whoopi Goldberg, premiered solidly in third-place with $20.1 million. The Lionsgate release is based on Ntozake Shange’s play “for colored girls who have considered suicide/ when the rainbow is enuf.”

The previous weekend’s No. 1 movie, Lionsgate’s horror tale “Saw 3D,” fell to No. 5 with $8.2 million, down a steep 66 percent from
opening-weekend revenues.

While “Megamind” drew big family crowds on Saturday and Sunday, it also was the top draw on Friday, bringing in large numbers of adults without children, said Anne Globe, head of marketing for DreamWorks Animation.

“For us to be No. 1 on Friday, it showed we did have a lot of appeal to teens, tweens and the date crowd,” Globe said.

The three newcomers combined for a $100 million haul, providing a big weekend for Hollywood, whose revenues have been lagging for most of the fall season.

Overall revenues came in at $155 million, up 29.5 percent from the same weekend a year ago, when “A Christmas Carol” led with $30.1 million, according to box-office tracker Hollywood.com.

The weekend also provided an early jump on the holidays, when big releases include the latest in the “Harry Potter,” “Meet the Parents” and “Chronicles of Narnia” franchises.

“Just like the first weekend in May has become the kickoff to the summer season, the first weekend in November has become the start of the holiday movie season,” said Hollywood.com analyst Paul Dergarabedian. “Pound for pound, the coming weeks are just as important as the summer movie season.”

Hollywood also had good results from some films opening in limited release. Fox Searchlight’s survival story, “127 Hours,” took in $265,925 at four theaters, averaging a whopping $66,481 a cinema. That compared to $12,082 in 3,944 theaters for “Megamind.”

Directed by Danny Boyle (“Slumdog Millionaire”), “127 Hours” stars James Franco in the real-life story of a mountain climber trapped for more than five days in a narrow canyon after a falling boulder pins his arm.

Another real-life drama, Summit Entertainment’s political saga “Fair Game,” took in $700,000 in 46 theaters for a $15,217 average. “Fair Game” features Naomi Watts and Sean Penn in the story of Valerie Plame, a CIA operative whose cover was blown by a Bush administration leak.

“Fair Game” and “127 Hours” gradually expand to more theaters in the coming weeks.

Directed by Todd Phillips, “Due Date” came in well below his previous movie, last year’s blockbuster “The Hangover,” which opened with $45 million and went on to top the domestic box-office charts for R-rated comedies with $277 million.

But “The Hangover” played to a younger audience during the busier summer season.

“That was June, this is November. There are so many reasons that don’t make it apples to apples,” said Jeff Goldstein, Warner Bros. general sales manager.

Lionsgate hopes “For Colored Girls” will have staying power at the box office and broaden its audience, which was mostly older black women, with 87 percent of the crowd over 25.

“You always want the biggest opening you can get, but the reality is, older-skewing films don’t open as big, simply because older audiences don’t flock to cinemas over opening weekend,” said David Spitz, head of distribution for Lionsgate.

Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to Hollywood.com. Final figures will be released Monday.

1. “Megamind,” $47.7 million.

2. “Due Date,” $33.5 million.

3. “For Colored Girls,” $20.1 million.

4. “Red,” $8.9 million.

5. “Saw 3D,” $8.2 million.

6. “Paranormal Activity 2,” $7.3 million.

7. “Jackass 3D,” $5.1 million.

8. “Hereafter,” $4.02 million.

9. “Secretariat,” $4 million.

10. “The Social Network,” $3.6 million.

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Online:

http://www.hollywood.com/boxoffice

“Lesbian rumors!” Oprah said in her trademark exaggerated voice.

Shortly after 8 p.m., Ms. Love burst into the room with the Marchesa dress slung on one arm and the noted German Neo-Expressionist artist Anselm Kiefer on the other. She was entirely naked and leaning on Mr. Kiefer for support. She made one lap around the room, walking in front of a photographer, an assistant, a hairstylist and me. She pulled over her head a transparent lace dress that covered up nothing, and demanded my assistance — “Not you,” she said to Mr. Kiefer, who was bent over trying to help her — to stuff her feet into a pair of black Givenchy heels that were zipped up the back and tied with delicate laces in the front. Then she applied a slash of red lipstick in the vicinity of her mouth.

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While in Vancouver, Colbert will be recording tons of material for when “The Colbert Report” returns to the air later this month. He’ll also be joining Bob Costas to do commentary at the Games. According to Colbert, his mission for his trip to Vancouver is to find out “What is Canada? Or more importantly, why is Canada?” Good questions.

After a major speedskating sponsor went bankrupt, Colbert and his legion of fans stepped in to save the team. That paved the way for Colbert’s association with Team USA, but it hasn’t all been jokes and bobsleds. In December, speedskater Shani Davis seemed to take offense at Colbert’s ribbing of Canadians, even calling Colbert “a jerk.” Canadians have been upset by being repeatedly referred to as “syrup-suckers” and “Saskatche-whiners.” Ironically, that’s exactly the kind of thing Colbert is talking about.

However, Colbert says he’s not there to cause any problems. According to the comedian, “I’m there to celebrate Canada at this point.” Whatever the reasons, we’re just glad he’ll be there.

By now everyone knows that not only is “Avatar” a huge hit, but also director James Cameron never expected it to be anything less than a blockbuster. So it’s not a huge surprise that the director confirms this week that he has always planned to do an “Avatar” sequel, and hopefully even turn the franchise into a trilogy (you hear that, George Lucas?).

“I’ve had a storyline in mind from the start – there are even scenes in ‘Avatar’ that I kept in because they lead to the sequel,” Cameron tells Entertainment Weekly in this week’s issue. “It just makes sense to think of it as a two or three film arc, in terms of the business plan. ‘The CG [computer graphic] plants and trees and creatures and the musculo-skeletal rigging of the main characters – that all takes an enormous amount of time to create. It’d be a waste not to use it again.”

In other words: Cameron is taking a kind of “green” approach to the blue-skinned characters: Recycle, reuse, and reduce what might otherwise be underused filmmaking.

Directors often hint about sequels that never come about, but the fact that “Avatar” star Sam Worthington has already signed on to reprise his role as Jake Sully suggests the plans look pretty solid. And Cameron has had good luck with sequels in the past: “Terminator 2: Judgment Day” made more than seven times as much money as the original “Terminator”; and “Aliens,” Cameron’s sequel to Ridley Scott’s “Alien” may not have outpaced the original at the box office, but it was by all other metrics a solid hit.

As for other cast members returning for an “Avatar” sequel, actor Stephen Lang, who played Colonel Miles Quaritch, the baddest guy in the movie, thinks he could make a return: “You think those two arrows in my chest are going to stop me from coming back?” Lang told EW, “Nothing’s over so long as they’ve got my DNA.”

Whatever Cameron imagines for the planet Pandora in the sequel, he’ll probably stick with an environmentalist theme.

When asked this week at a private industry screening of the film in Los Angeles about the film having a “political agenda,” Cameron said, “I don’t know if there is a political agenda exactly, but as an artist I felt a need to say something about what I saw around me. I think we all need to take stewardship of our planet,” adding: “I think everyone should be a tree hugger.”

If the “Avatar” sequel does happen, it’ll be a few years before audiences can lay their 3D-glasses-enhanced eyes on it. Cameron is currently in pre-production on his next movie, “Battle Angel” in which he’ll use some of the same CG technology he created for “Avatar.” That film is slated to hit theaters in 2011.
Watch The Trailer For Avatar

POLITICO reported Thursday that the company would pull its remaining television spots and was emailing Letterman critics with a note informing them that “there will be no more Olive Garden ads scheduled for ‘The Late Show’ with David Letterman in this year’s broadcast schedule,” citing the talk show host’s “inappropriate comments.”

“We apologize that Mr. Letterman’s mistake, which was not consistent with our standards and values, left you with a bad impression of Olive Garden,” wrote Sherri Bruen, the company’s guest relations manager.

Bruen said the company “screens network television programs whenever possible,” but explained that “telecasts, such as ‘The Late Show’ with David Letterman, are taped on a daily basis, preventing advertisers from reviewing the content prior to airing.”

Olive Garden’s manager of media relations, who asked not to be quoted on the record, confirmed to POLITICO Thursday that the emails were sent by the restaurant chain, and also confirmed that the company would be pulling its remaining television spots on the program for the rest of the year when asked that question.

But in a statement released later in the day, Olive Garden Director of Media Relations Rich Jeffers disputed POLITICO’s report as “erroneous.”

“No authorized spokesperson for the company confirmed the information in his report,” Jeffers said. “The Olive Garden media schedule is planned months in advance. The schedule for the Late Show with David Letterman was completed earlier this month. We take all guest concerns seriously. And, as always, we will factor those concerns in as we plan our advertising schedule in the future.”

When asked about the cancellation confirmation POLITICO obtained from the company’s media relations office, Jeffers responded in an email that the individual listed as the press contact on the company’s website was unauthorized to speak for the company.

“The so called ‘confirmation’ didn’t come from an authorized spokesperson for the company. The guest email you received did not say any ads were pulled. And as our statement says, the schedule — which is set months in advance — was completed earlier this month.”

// CBS did not return several calls seeking comment.

Letterman has apologized for his comment last week about Palin’s daughter getting “knocked up by Alex Rodriguez” during the governor’s recent visit to a Yankees baseball game. Palin attended the game as part of a trip to New York.

“I told a joke that was beyond flawed, and my intent is completely meaningless compared to the perception,” Letterman said. “And since it was a joke I told, I feel that I need to do the right thing here and apologize for having told that joke.”

After repeatedly blasting the late night comic in statements and interviews last week, Palin accepted Letterman’s apology on Tuesday.

“Letterman certainly has the right to ‘joke’ about whatever he wants to, and thankfully we have the right to express our reaction,” she said in a statement.

Angie Harmon is not afraid to come out and say she doesn’t like how President Obama is handling the job — but she’s sick of having to defend herself from being deemed a racist.

“Here’s my problem with this, I’m just going to come out and say it. If I have anything to say against Obama it’s not because I’m a racist, it’s because I don’t like what he’s doing as President and anybody should be able to feel that way, but what I find now is that if you say anything against him you’re called a racist,” Harmon told Tarts at Thursday’s Los Angeles launch of the new eyelash-growing formula, Latisse. “But it has nothing to do with it, I don’t care what color he is. I’m just not crazy about what he’s doing and I heard all about this, and he’s gonna do that and change and change, so okay … I’m still dressing for a recession over here buddy and we’ve got unemployment at an all-time high and that was his number one thing and that’s the thing I really don’t appreciate. If I’m going to disagree with my President, that doesn’t make me a racist. If I was to disagree with W, that doesn’t make me racist. It has nothing to do with it, it is ridiculous.”

Speaking of dislikes, the starlet has also had enough of the double-standards in the media.

“I do think McCain would have done a better job, only because I think he has more experience. I also think if W or John McCain or Reagan would have gone and done a talk show, the backlash would have been so huge and in his face, and ‘What is our president doing? How unclassy!’ But Obama does it and no one says anything,” Harmon said.

And in spite of the scornful opinions most of her Tinseltown counterparts have shared on Gov. Sarah Palin, Harmon remains a true fan.

“I admire any kind of woman like her. My whole motto is to know what I stand for and know what I don’t stand for and have the courage to live my life accordingly and she does exactly that. The fact that this woman has made the decisions she’s made and literally lived her life according to that and takes heat for it is absolutely disgusting to me,” she added. “People cannot look at this woman. I really think they’re afraid of her and her morals, ethics and values and the fact that she hangs on them. Is she the most experienced person in the world? But she was running to be the Vice President, so we then put the most inexperienced person as the President. That didn’t make any sense to me.”

However Harmon is definitely in the Hollywood minority when it comes to her criticism of Obama as other lasses at the Latisse party were quick to advocate their unequivocal support.

“The sort of criticism over the last couple of weeks is a bit unfounded, he’s been in office for barely any time and I think he inherited a lot on his plate and he’s doing a pretty remarkable job,” quipped Mandy Moore. “I think it’s cool that he went on Leno and I watched the “60 minutes” interview as well last week. The guy is just so articulate and he is so well versed in something that is so new to him and I think he has a good team around him. It sounds cliché, but he makes me feel proud to be an American.”

Debra Messing also told Tarts that our new President is not only meeting her expectations, but going far beyond.

“He is thoughtful and considerate and he gets all the information before he speaks which I think is a wonderful quality for the ruler of the free world to have,” she explained.

The ladies of “Entourage” certainly showed their Obama-loyalty too.

“It’s not an over night process. It’s going to get worse before it gets better; we’re all kind of in the same boat now. Everybody’s broke and everybody’s struggling and he makes me feel like I know him and that I know Michelle and that they’re like us and they’re out to try to save the USA. It’s just an amazing period to watch him take on these challenges and everyday in the news to hear about AIG or possibly global currency changing, it’s incredible. He’s facing big challenges and he’s got a lot of support and I’m just praying things get better,” Debi Mazar said, while co-star Perrey Reeves added that Obama is a “wonderful leader” and she’s looking forward to his future endeavors.

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