Maxim Australia

Erin McNaught

MAXIM — Tue, 15 May 2012 21:16:05 +0000

Status Update
HOMETOWN: Canberra.
BIRTHDAY: May 22, 1982 .
PARTY TRICK: “I can wiggle my ears individually.”
iPOD: “Mostly electro, dubstep, hip-hop, and drum ‘n’ bass. There's Pink Floyd and old school punk like The Exploited on it, too."
KARAOKE SONG: “John Denver’s ‘Country Road’. It’s kind of intentional bad singing, at that.”
DRIVES: “Toyota Yaris, It’s a great city car!”
TATTOOS: “I have six. Two on my fingers that say, “Love Again” – it’s about adversity and when things go wrong they can always get better; an anchor on my arm to keep me grounded; swallow on my wrist signifying new beginnings – I got it after a break-up a long time ago; the Gemini symbol on my ankle is self-explanatory; and an umbrella on my foot is just a funny one
– there’s about four or five of us with it.”
HER POISON: “The safe option would be vodka, lime, and soda because if you have a few, that’s the nicest one to wake up from. But I do like Havana Club and ginger beer. Any nice dark rum is good.”
TWITTER: @Erin_McNaught.

Hello, Erin. Firstly, happy birthday!
Aw, thanks!

It’s been four years since your last men’s mag shoot. How did you feel doing MAXIM?
I was pretty nervous leading up to it. Shoots in general are pretty nerve-wracking because there’s always a bunch of people looking at you and you’re like, “Do I look good in this? Did I do OK here?” Having not done it in such a long time made it even more so than usual. But as soon as we got the first shot done, I thought, “Yep, today is going to be a good day”.

Why were you keen to do this shoot?
I’ve always had in my head that I wasn’t quite done with doing photo shoots, and you’re always trying to have that perfect shoot. In the past I’ve done shoots where I’ve been happy but thought, “Hmmm, I could do better here or work on that a bit more.” I also wanted to celebrate turning 30 because it’s such an obstacle for so many women. When you’re in your 20s a lot of women tend to think that when you hit 30 everything starts to decline looks-wise. I wanted to show, that for me, it’s the opposite – I’ve never felt more confident.

How would you describe the theme?
It’s kind of the morning after a party, but not a crazy or trashy party, just a few drinks. And we’re in this beautiful penthouse suite at The Establishment Hotel in Sydney getting room service and celebrating. It’s a nice, sophisticated, beautiful shoot.

Did you prepare for it?
Yeah, I did a lot of soft sand running and a lot of vegetable eating on top of my Dancing With The Stars rehearsals. The dancing itself was keeping me in shape, so I didn’t have to do much. But I’m used to getting in shape for my swimsuit shoots with Mambo. I’m one of their “Mambassadors”, which I love!

For the full feature and images grab the June issue of MAXIM, in stores May 16 – June 20, 2012.

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Master Of The Comedy Universe – Adam McKay

MAXIM — Tue, 15 May 2012 21:14:05 +0000

Adam McKay is a hulking, 196cm, 44-year-old, albeit with the boyish, bespectacled features of a Sterling Cooper account executive. He may also be the most influential figure in American comedy today. This is probably news to you, because McKay has kept a low profile, even as he’s risen to superstardom in virtually every sphere of the comedy universe: onstage as an improv revolutionary; on TV as the head writer at Saturday Night Live; in movies as the writer and director of Anchorman, Talladega Nights, and Step Brothers; and on the Internet as a co-founder of FunnyorDie.com.
Inarguably, McKay owns the frat-boy demographic the way director John Landis (Animal House, The Blues Brothers) did in the 1970s and 1980s. “But the weird thing,” he says, “is that our movies play fantastically well with minority audiences, too. Step Brothers. Talladega Nights – they did a hip-hop dance called ‘Do the Ricky Bobby.’ You can see it online, man. It’s got, like, a million hits.”
Hunting on YouTube, his assistant pulls up a video of two sorority-ish blonde coeds dressed identically in short shorts and University of North Texas football T-shirts. They’re dancing, not quite in unison, to a hip-hop track. “That’s actually not the official video,” McKay says. “These are just people in their dorm room doing the dance.” The whole thing is strangely reminiscent of Dale and Brennan in Step Brothers and their bombastic, incredibly unconvincing “video prospectus” for their start-up mega-corporation, Prestige Worldwide: There are people who believe that the act of recording themselves on video makes them credible and significant.
McKay’s movies work the thin line between genuine accomplishment and baseless bravado. But his own credits are so spectacular that his actors are willing to risk looking ridiculous, knowing that the final result will be hilarious.
“Adam basically lets you know you can’t fail, and that builds confidence and excitement in the cast and the crew,” says Will Ferrell, McKay’s frequent collaborator and on-screen alter ego. “And then the crew starts fornicating… and the health department shows up… and then the movie is shut down for a few days.”

For the full feature and images grab the June issue of MAXIM, in stores May 16 – June 20, 2012.

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Nicole Scherzinger

MAXIM — Tue, 15 May 2012 21:13:12 +0000

HOMETOWN: Honolulu, Hawaii.
BIRTHDAY: June 29, 1978.
WORLD FAMOUS: “When I was in South Africa I saw this head of a tribe wearing an animal he had just killed or something. He was like, “Ahhh! Are you Nicole Scherzinger?” I was like, ‘Are you kidding me? How do you know my name?’ And hearing this German name come out of him – it was amazing!
LIFE IN THE FAST LANE: Nicole used to date F1 gun Lewis Hamilton. The fastest she ever went in a car with him? “Let’s just say that neither of us would be allowed near a car again if we had been pulled over. It was in Switzerland.”
FOLLOW HER ON TWITTER: @nicolescherzy

Say we’re in a club. Should a guy dance like there’s nobody watching? Would that catch your eye?
Uh, that might scare me. Sometimes guys take it too far when they’re dancing. I’d be like, “OK, dude. You need to settle down and have some control.”

You've got some sick moves. Do you just let the beat take over?
Yeah, I transport to another place. I don’t know what my body is gonna do. I just listen to what the music tells me and kind of blank out. I turn into a beast.

Got any girl crushes?
Halle Berry. She’s just naturally gorgeous… I love her smile. Wait, I sound like a dude – I’ve got to snap out of it!

You were born in Hawaii and grew up in Louisville, Kentucky. Do you keep any traditions from either of those places?
I’m just a down-home Southern girl. I love making chicken and dumplings and Kentucky Derby pie. And from Hawaii I’ve got a love of paddle surfing. I love visiting family in both places.

For the full feature and images grab the June issue of MAXIM, in stores May 16 – June 20, 2012.

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This tastes funny

MAXIM — Tue, 15 May 2012 21:12:38 +0000

Iam a small man, but deep inside me lives the heart of a fatso. I love eating. I plan my days around food. I make decisions about what to eat with the amount of thought regular people put into how many kids they want. One of my favourite restaurants in LA, Animal, has a menu filled with delicious words that appeal to fatsos, like quail fry, pork belly, poutine, and foie gras. There’s even a dessert made with bacon. The first time I talked about food with Animal’s chefs and owners, Jon Shook and Vinny Dotolo, sometimes known as the "Food Dudes”, I could tell that deep inside they had inner fatsos, just like me. In fact, thanks to their recommendations, on a recent trip to Tokyo I ate chicken knees, which were weird but undeniably delicious.
When I got back to LA, I had to thank the Food Dudes. But I also wanted to know more about exactly how chefs are able to take something that seems strange or disgusting, like eyeball or neck or heart, and turn it into something tasty and memorable. One of Animal’s most popular dishes, a pig’s ear appetiser with chilli, lime, and a fried egg, seems to epitomise this idea. So I asked Jon and Vinny if they’d show me how they make it.
The first thing the guys did on the afternoon I visited the restaurant was introduce me to a huge box of pig’s ears. They’re shipped in from a farm whose name I can’t remember, but I’m pretty sure the farm was supposed to be dope and treat animals properly and shit. Apparently, the pigs have tennis courts and a lake where they can get on pig Jet Skis and just wile out. OK, that last part isn’t true, but the animals are treated well.
Jon and Vinny work with farmers they like to get what are known in the food industry as “off cuts” of meat – things like lamb necks and chicken livers – mostly because they’re typically less expensive than more familiar cuts like shanks and breasts. “We’ve actually got some veal testicles we’re playing with right now,” Jon says. I wasn’t ready to jump in and play with veal balls quite yet, so we focussed instead on the pig’s ears.

For the full feature and images grab the June issue of MAXIM, in stores May 16 – June 20, 2012.

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Maxim Catches Bigfoot

MAXIM — Tue, 15 May 2012 21:11:25 +0000

THE ’SQUATCH MEN
The Sasquatch – better known as Bigfoot – has both fascinated and eluded humanity for decades. A North American cousin to Asia’s equally mythical Yeti, these giant ape creatures are only ever seen in grainy video footage or family movies starring John Lithgow. Most say Sasquatches don’t exist. Others, like Matt Moneymaker, James “Bobo” Fay, Cliff Barackman, and Ranae Holland, the team members of Animal Planet’s Finding Bigfoot, think they do. Scratch that, know they do. That’s why I’m in the far reaches of Northern California to meet up with them. The team investigates claims of Bigfoot sightings all over North America, and tonight they’re hoping to prove to me that Bigfoots are very real.
“There’s a feeling that, because Sasquatches are in the wild, they should be seen often, and there should be all kinds of great photos,” says Moneymaker. “I think the assumption people make is that because there aren’t any good photos, they don’t exist.” Even though I’m not sure at this point if these guys are misunderstood geniuses or a pack of lunatics, their conviction and enthusiasm for the topic are contagious, and I find myself itching to get into the woods.
At 10pm we finally reach our lodging – a series of cabins alongside a desolate stretch of highway somewhere near Eureka, California. (I’ve promised to keep the exact location secret.) Despite its old-timey exterior, inside the cabin is stuffed with all kinds of gadgets for Sasquatch tracking. While the group gears up (Holland isn’t present tonight), Cliff explains the physical characteristics of Bigfoots: They’re nearly 3m tall, almost always have a red tint to their hair, and move at the speed of a flash. “What they’ve found with Sasquatch feet is that the ankle bone is shifted forward on the foot, so it needs less force to propel a great mass,” he explains.
This may be a lot of Ghostbusters-style mumbo jumbo, but he sure sounds convincing, and I find myself nodding, impressed. As we bundle up and strap the night-vision scopes to our skulls, preparing to brave the dark woods, Bobo briefs us on the greater goals of Bigfoot field research. “The next step in ’squatching,” he says emphatically, “is to get more hot chicks involved.” Moneymaker nods thoughtfully before replying, “That’s always been the next step!”
We dodge a few large SUVs while crossing the pitch-black highway and then follow the rocky path on Lost Man Creek Trail. Bobo, who has been coming to this part of the Redwoods since the ’80s, tells us not to wander from the group: Besides being known for Sasquatch sightings, the area is inhabited by mountain lions and shotgun-toting marijuana farmers, protecting their crops from midnight attacks. “I ran into a mountain lion a while back. It would have attacked me, too, but it was too afraid of Monkey,” he grins, pointing at the faithful mutt who accompanies him at all times.

For the full feature and images grab the June issue of MAXIM, in stores May 16 – June 20, 2012.

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Ducati Diavel

MAXIM — Tue, 15 May 2012 21:09:51 +0000

You’d expect a Ducati hyper-sports bike to go like stink and excite the senses; you’d expect a cruiser-style bike to massage your masculinity at sedate speeds. Combine these two very different types of motorcycle, as Ducati has done in the Diavel ‘hyper-cruiser’, and all that you can expect is the unexpected.
Potent, ‘power-cruiser’ bikes like the Harley-Davidson V-Rod and Yamaha V-Max typically weigh in at 305-345kg, ready to ride. Such figures don’t compute at Ducati. The Diavel is the manufacturer's heaviest model, yet weighs in at just 239kg (or 234 in the fancy ‘Carbon’ edition). At its heart is the 1198cc, L-twin derived from Ducati’s World Superbike champions. With 119kW of brawn comes the brainpower of three electronic riding modes, which, at the touch of a handlebar switch, transform the Diavel from easygoing to intimidating.
Low-riding cruisers are already among the easiest of bikes to manoeuvre. ‘Urban’ mode smooths and limits the Diavel’s power delivery to 75kW, and cranks up the eight-level electronic traction control (ABS brakes are also standard) to cope even better with slick city streets.

For the full feature and images grab the June issue of MAXIM, in stores May 16 – June 20, 2012.

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Lars Ulrich

MAXIM — Tue, 15 May 2012 21:07:52 +0000

Metallica were legendary partyers back in the day. Is there any one moment that still stands out?
The recording of The Black Album was probably the most insane on the debauchery front. We were in LA for about nine months, at the same time that Guns N’ Roses were recording their Use Your Illusion albums. Los Angeles in the early-’90s was ground zero for any kind of outrageous hard-rock behaviour. It all started and ended in the corner booth of the Rainbow Room on the Sunset Strip! It was a pretty crazy convergence: music, alcohol, drugs, debauchery, porn. At that time the porn world and the music world were kind of like bedmates – if you were mixing with anyone other than your own group, it was the porn world. We had a lot of fun, and I have good memories from that time. I’m glad I lived it… and I’m glad I don’t have to live it again.

Hulk Hogan recently said
you once asked him to be Metallica’s bassist. Um, what the hell?
See the previous answer. There are some things that get a bit hazy back there. I have – this is scary – the best memory of any of us, and I still have to file that one under “hazy”.

That could’ve been one beefy bass line…
Listen, you know me – I’m up for anything! Don’t take my inability to remember as a negative thing. That actually sounds sensational.

For the full feature and images grab the June issue of MAXIM, in stores May 16 – June 20, 2012.

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Katrina Law

MAXIM — Tue, 15 May 2012 21:07:19 +0000

HOMETOWN: Cherry Hill, New Jersey.
BIRTHDAY: January 1, 1985.
THINGS SHE LOVES: “Nutella, my family, a good laughing fit, my newly adopted kittens, a moonless sky full of stars, and long walks on short beaches. And, of course, Red Velvet Cake.”
SURNAME GAGS: “Yeah, I get a lot of ‘Laying down the Law’ and ‘I am the Law!’ jokes.”
WORST DATE EVER: “He got arrested and sent to jail and then I had to call his mum to tell her to come and bail him out. You can't make this stuff up. Ah, New Jersey, how I miss you.”
TWITTER: @MissKatrinaLaw.

Are we going to see more of your Spartacus character, Mira, in Season Two?
Physically speaking, I don’t think there’s anything left to see! You’d have to go into a different genre of film for that. But you will get to know a different side of her – let’s put it that way. She is going to be a badass this year.

Did you have to do any intense physical training?
I did the gladiator boot camp with the boys, and it kicked my butt. I don’t think I could walk for four days. I also did sword, dagger, and bow-and-arrow training.

As a New Jersey native, are you a fan of fictional Jersey hero Rocky Balboa?
I am a huge fan of Rocky and often work out to the soundtrack as motivation. And yes, I am guilty of running up those very same museum steps and doing the dance at the top with my fists in the air.

For the full feature and images grab the June issue of MAXIM, in stores May 16 – June 20, 2012.

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Ridley Scott

MAXIM — Tue, 15 May 2012 21:06:39 +0000

Let’s start with an easy questiuon. Did you love Alien vs. Predator?
No, no, no. I kept out of that. They never even mentioned to me they were doing Aliens. I was a little hurt at the time, but then I thought, ‘Why not? It’s Hollywood.’

The original Alien really stands the test of time. Is it because you were stuck using real sets and actors in real costumes?
Oh, yeah. George Lucas had already done Star Wars, and I was hearing about all these wonderful, mysterious tracking devices that went beyond the old tradition of matte painting. It was the next technology. But we had a much lower budget than George, so my space shots were literally done on a dolly with lots of dry ice and a wind machine. It was that basic. Ironically, it still stands up great.

Will current films, like Avatar, hold up?
Jim Cameron raised the bar by saying this is what you can do, the same way Stanley Kubrick did with 2001. That was the first time I took space and science fiction seriously. When Stanley did 2001, I thought, ‘Oh, my God. I have to do one.’

And now you’re responsible for the most hyped sci-fi release of 2012. It’s also the 30th anniversary of Blade Runner this year. You’ve said that Harrison Ford was the biggest pain in the arse to work with. Does he still own that title?
I think he’s holding on to it. But he would probably say I hold the title of being the biggest pain in the arse as a director.

Have you mellowed over the years?
Yeah, but I’m old school. I’m hands-on with everything from the screenplays and the music to the haircuts and the shoelaces. I’ve learned to accept that it’s a team effort, but somebody finally has to say, “No, we do it this way.” If you’re not the leader of the pack, you should be doing something else.

You’ve worked with Russell Crowe in Gladiator, A Good Year, American Gangster, Body of Lies, and Robin Hood. Does that mean you get along with him the best?
I think that in a funny way we get along. I mean, we argue a lot. The best way of describing it is that he questions a lot, which is his prerogative, because he’s going to stick his head on that screen and expose himself. He’ll say, “Do you really want to do that?” and I’ll just say, “Yes.” We still do the big waltz, but every time we make a movie I give a little less explanation.

For the full feature and images grab the June issue of MAXIM, in stores May 16 – June 20, 2012.

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Kelly Kelly

MAXIM — Tue, 15 May 2012 21:05:57 +0000

Hometown: Jacksonville, Florida.
Birthday: January 15, 1987.
FavoUrite Wrestler: Stone Cold Steve Austin. “He’s always been my idol.”
Guilty Pleasure: “I’m obsessed with fast food. Nuggets, fries, hamburgers – everything.”
Embarrassing iPod Song: “Probably ‘MMMBop’ by Hanson.”
Desired Christmas Present: “Shoes. I love Louboutin and YSL. Just putting that out there.”
Desired Celebrity Opponent: “Lindsay Lohan. She needs some sense knocked into her.”

College student Barbara Jean Blank didn’t bat an eyelash when her modelling agent asked if she’d be interested in wrestling. Less than a year later, she became the youngest Diva in WWE history when she debuted as ultra-babe Kelly Kelly. Quickly winning fans with her megawatt smile, Kelly was chosen to participate in the WWE’s USO [United Services Organisation; a group that provides morale-boosting entertainment to American troops] tour that year, travelling to Iraq to show off her killer moves. Since then she’s been overseas three more times, and crushed her competition to become the Divas champion (a title she’s currently trying to reclaim). The former high school cheerleader has come a long way!

Were you always a fan of wrestling?
Oh, yeah, since I was a kid. My mum thought it was too violent, but my dad would sneak me into the bedroom to watch with him. It never crossed my mind I could do this kind of stuff. I thought wrestlers were larger than life, so when WWE called and asked if I wanted to train, I was like, “Oh, my God, yes!”

Did you feel you had to prove yourself?
Definitely. A lot of the guys there didn’t like me at first, because they were used to training with girls who had wrestling experience. I was the youngest Diva they’d ever had, and one of the first models, so I was like, “I’m gonna work my butt off.”

Well, the fans certainly warmed up to you, thanks to your routine stripteases.
It was funny, because I’d only been training for two months when I found out I was going to start appearing on TV – as an exhibitionist! When [WWE CEO] Vince McMahon showed me the routine, I was in shock, but, you know, anything to get my foot in the door. It was the most nerve-wracking minute of my life.

For the full feature and images grab the June issue of MAXIM, in stores May 16 – June 20, 2012.

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