andPOP - Pop Culture With Substance

Championship Gaming Series(CGS), the only worldwide professional gaming league, announced that Birmingham Salvo defeated San Francisco Optx 22-15 in the 2008 World Final Championship tonight to win $500,000 and the Mountain Dew World Champion trophy. The competition was broadcast live in the US on Directv’s The 101 Network.

I’m extremely proud of my team right now,” said Michael O’Dell, General Manager for Birmingham Salvo in a press release. “They truly deserve the title of World Champions. We faced a lot of tough competition throughout the season, but when our backs were against the wall, every player demonstrated the skills and the poise to step up when it mattered the most. My players spent hundreds of hours practicing this season, and their hard work paid off tonight.”

The CGS 2008 season began in March as gamers from across the world participated in various events in hopes of winning CGS professional gamer contracts. 18 teams competed in the final round of events to win the $500,000 prize. The top eight teams advanced to the World Final, which began mid-July and finished with tonight’s final battle.

We know that Lance Armstrong is a champ on the bike. But what about when it comes down to just the road and some running shoes?

Armstrong put himself to the test yesterday, running the Boston Marathon in 2 hours, 50 minutes, 58 seconds.

The winner, Robert Cheruiyot, completed the race in 2:07:46.

Armstrong has previously run the New York Marathon twice, but found Boston to be a different experience, with the crowd much closer to the runners. “It’s louder and more intense,” he told the Associated Press. “I think it plays well for all the runners, not just the leaders. … Everybody feels that.”

Armstrong also said he planned to run the marathon again. “”It is a hobby, it keeps me fit on a daily basis, it keeps me inspired and motivates me to go out and run.”

Oasis is extending their stay in Canada this fall with three other performances.

The band is scheduled to headling the Virgin Festival in Toronto in September. Now, pairing up with Ryan Adams, the band will play Vancouver, Edmonton and Calgary in August, just before the festival.

According to their web site, advance tickets to the special shows can be purchased at ticketmaster using the password OASISINET.

Oasis will play in Seattle before flying North. It will be their first live performance together in over two years.

Critical darling “Continental” won big at the Jutra Awards on Sunday in Quebec.

The film garnered Stéphane Lafleur the awards for Best Director and Best Screenplay. It was his first feature film.

“Continental” star Réal Bossé also took home the trophy for Best Supporting Actor.

The fan favourite period drama “Silk,” starring Michael Pitt and Keira Knightley, won a slew of technical awards, including art direction and costumes.

This split between the major awards and the technical awards for two heavy-hitter movies is reminiscent of the Genie Awards earlier this month, where Sarah Polley’s “Away From Her” was lavished with big awards and David Cronenberg’s “Eastern Promises” was heavily rewarded technically.

The lead actor and actress Jutra awards went to Guylaine Tremblay (Contre toute espérance) and Roy Dupuis (Shake Hands with the Devil).

Leonard Cohen was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame on Monday, and the 73-year-old singer said that he had never let himself imagine receiving the honour.

“This is a very unlikely occasion for me,” he said in his acceptance speech. “It is not a distinction that I coveted or even dared dream about.”

Lou Reed read a selection of the former poet’s work at the ceremony, and said simply in his own words, “We’re so lucky to be alive at the same time Leonard Cohen is.”

During his stunning career, Cohen wrote such songs as Suzanne, First We Take Manhattan and Hallelujah.

He was born in Montreal.

The eclectic new cast of “Dancing With The Stars” was announced yesterday, featuring everyone from young R&B artists to infamous figure skaters.

The men in the running are comedian Adam Carolla, Chilean actor Cristian de la Fuente, “Police Academy” star Steve Guttenberg, 21-year-old Grammy nominee Mario, illusionist Penn Jillette and NFL star player Jason Taylor. Lovely ladies Priscilla Presley, “American Pie” actress Shannon Elizabeth, Olympic gold medalist Kristi Yamaguchi, the original “Tracy Turnblad” Marissa Jaret Winokur, tennis champ Monica Seles and Academy Award winner Marlee Matlin will also tear it up on the dance floor.

Stars will be paired up with their professional dancer partners this morning, and fans will get to see them in action on March 17. They’ll have to prove themselves right away, as the March 25 episode will be a double elimination – the first in “Dancing with the Stars” history.

Ryan Gosling and Ellen Page have both been honoured at the Santa Barbara Film Festival.

Gosling was given the Independent Award Tribute for “significant and unique contribution to independent film.” While his role in “Lars and the Real Girl” makes the award timely, his performances in indie flicks like “Half Nelson” and “The Slaughter Rule” collectively earned him the award.

Meanwhile, Page was one of five actors who received the Virtuosos Award. The award is a new addition to the festival because there were so many “young actors who have distinguished themselves through performances in film this past year,” states the Festival’s official web site.

Page shares the award with Casey Affleck, James McAvoy, Marion Cotillard and Amy Ryan, which was handed out last night.

Is Hollywood also on strike from birth control pills?

Ethan Hawke and “24″ star Mary Lynn Rajskub both joined the expectant parents list yesterday. Gwen Stefani and Gavin Rossdale confirmed they were expecting a second child on Tuesday, as did Dixie Chick Martie Maguire on Sunday. And of course there’s those pesky rumours that Brad and Angelina are expecting twins.

The famous children grow up much too fast. Already, Nicole Richie and Christina Aguilera’s newborns are battling over which will bring in the most cash for an exclusive photo spread.

The trend may actually be in part because of the Writer’s Guild Strike, because as productions have shut down, stars feel they finally have time to start a family.

So if you’re having trouble keeping track, 2008 will reveal the fruit of the following celebrities’ loins:

Julianna Marguilies
Chris Noth
Omar Epps
John C. McGinley
Kevin Weisman
Vincent D’Onofrio
Melissa Joan Hart
Jeri Ryan
Soleil Moon Frye
Brooke Burke
Halle Berry and Gabriel Aubry
Ana Gasteyer
Jennifer Lopez and Marc Anthony
Jodi Sweeten
Cate Blanchett
Elisabeth Rohm
Alex Rodriguez
Jack Black
Angela Kinsey
Zac Hanson
Nancy Kerrigan
Jamie Lynn Spears
Jessica Alba
Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban
Chantal Kreviazuk and Raine Maida
Matthew McConaughey
Rena Sofer
Alessandra Ambrosio

For a more complete list, with more information on due dates and planned names of the little bundles of joy, click here.

Rumer Willis now has a title – other than “Bruce Willis and Demi Moore’s daughter.”

Willis has been chosen as 2008’s Miss Golden Globe, a role given every year to the child of a celebrity. Her job will be to bring out the statuettes to the winners.

Jane Seymour, Susan Lucci, Clint Eastwood, Jack Nicholson, and Melanie Griffith have all previously lent out their daughters on awards night.

Willis is currently working on her own acting career, as well as appearing frequently in the tabloids.