Judi Dench is starring in an upcoming BBC movie, the filming of which caused a lot of rubbernecking by Maryland drivers.

Fishbowl D.C. scooped even the Washington Post’s own gossip columnists on word that Brad Pitt was reportedly visiting the paper’s newsroom this afternoon. Says a Postie: “since word got out, female producers from network news shops are clamoring to stop by and just pay a “visit” to the newsroom to see friends they’ve never visited before in the newsroom.”Patrick Gavin says Pitt was there consulting with Post editor R.B. Brenner in preparation for his upcoming…

Back when Napster was all the rage, big name artists were up in arms because their material was being made available for free to whoever wanted it wherever a computer with Internet access existed. On the other hand, if a musician wanted to get mass distribution on the cheap, Napster and similar programs were a godsend. Detroit crooner Dwele’s career is a testament to that. Recorded mostly in his bedroom, Dwele’s Rize demo was highly…

Rappers from the South are often subjected to the greatest disapproval when hip-hop aficionados start doing intra-cultural critiques. The embodiment of “bad” hip-hop comes in the form of a rapper named Lil’-So-And-So who talks about his car and bejeweled teeth while residing in one of the former Confederate states. Mind you, many of those making such claims also have a hard time conceptualizing the existence of anything beyond the Hudson River. That’s why when Little…

Holy smokes! Giant fish on the MTA, Paris Hilton in jail, then out, then in again, Al Gore, goatses, blumpkins, Matt Damon, and baby art critics! It’s been a busy week across the Ist-A-Verse, and here’s a smattering of what’s been going on. In Gothamist’s neck of the woods, they found out that many things are possible: A man caught a 40+ pound fish off the Rockaways and took it home on the subway. Graffiti…

It’s not every day that British bands come to D.C. in a red doubledecker bus. The BritBus tour stopped downtown yesterday, bringing three new groups — Jyrojets from Scotland, The Crave from Brighton, and Julia Jones from London via Wales — around the country at a top speed of 45 miles per hour. According to bassist Tom Swann from The Crave, it took four days to get from Denver to St. Louis, and although the…

>> Rep. William J. Jefferson (D-La.) was indicted today on allegations that he took bribes to promote high-tech business ventures in Africa and for being a complete idiot for storing that money in his freezer. [WaPo] >> “If my understanding of DC history is correct, the grounds where the Ronald Reagan building stands have been: 1. a swamp-assed forest 2. an awkward triangle in L’Enfant’s partially realized dream 3. a neighborhood of brothels, flopboxes,…

>> Help the merchants displaced after the Eastern Market fire at happy hour tonight by imbibing at one of more than 20 D.C. bars that have signed up to donate a portion of their proceeds to begin the rebuilding. Started as the Facebook.com group “Rescue Eastern Market” by Clay Johnson on the day of the fire, you can find the full list and a handy map of participating taverns and cafes at Rescue Eastern…

It’s a little dreary out today, isn’t it? Please accept this video of adorable baby meerkats at the National Zoo trying to dig holes as a token of our concern for the mental well being of Washingtonians in desperate need of a sunny, warm spring day. [DCGuide]. >> There are plenty of things D.C.’s federal workers can complain about: shifts in the administration, incurring public ire during tax season, being treated like a number in…

The recitals sponsored by the Vocal Arts Society are usually very well attended. Their latest concert, by Hawaiian baritone Quinn Kelsey, did not have the same draw as some of their other events, but those who made it to the Kennedy Center’s Terrace Theater on Monday evening were rewarded with some excellent singing. In 2005, Kelsey represented the United States at the BBC Singer of the World competition, and he has been appearing at Lyric…