Coordinates	40°37′29″N73°57′8″N
Name	Val Valentino
Birth name	Leonard Montano
Birth date
Birth place	Los Angeles, California, United States
Other names	Masked Magician, Mr M.
Occupation	Magician, illusionist and actor
Website	The Masked Magician's Official MySpace

Val Valentino (born June 14, 1956) is an American magician, illusionist, and actor, who gained fame by starring in four magic specials exposing magic secrets on the Fox Network, using the stage name the Masked Magician.

Biography

Valentino was born as Leonard Montano in East Los Angeles, California.

Valentino's first foray into magic was at the age of five with a trick called "the ball and vase" that his father gave him.

By the end of the 1980s and into the 1990s, Valentino had moved to Las Vegas, Nevada and was performing in casino shows including Viva Las Vegas and Splash, after having appeared on The Merv Griffin Show, as well as in a music video by Herb Alpert.

Masked Magician

For a span of two years (circa 1997-1998), Valentino performed, unbilled and disguised, as the "Masked Magician" on Fox network television specials called which exposed long-guarded trade secrets.

When he finally revealed himself at the end of the fourth show, he emphasized that he felt revealing the secrets would encourage kids into trying magic instead of discouraging them, and that the entertainment of magic shows was more in the magician's showmanship instead of the wonder of how the trick was pulled off.

New episodes of the show later returned to broadcast on MyNetwork TV. Episodes can also be seen on Fox Reality Channel. It has been disclosed that Valentino is reprising the role.

Other appearances and cultural references

Valentino also appeared in the Masked Magician persona on a 1999 episode of .

Category:1956 births Category:American magicians Category:Living people Category:People from Los Angeles, California

Coordinates	40°37′29″N73°57′8″N
Caption	Rossi at the 2010 Qatar Grand Prix
Name	Valentino Rossi
Nationality	Italian
Birth date	February 16, 1979
Birth place	Urbino, Italy
Current team	Ducati Marlboro Team
Bike number	46
Website	valentinorossi.com
Motogp last season	2010
Motogp last position	3rd (233 pts)
Motogp active years	–present
Motogp championships	7 (, , , , , , )
Motogp manufacturers	Honda (–)Yamaha (–)Ducati (–present)
Motogp race starts	181
Motogp race wins	79
Motogp podiums	138
Motogp poles	49
Motogp fastest laps	65
Motogp total points	3317
250 active years	–
250 championships	1 ()
250 manufacturers	Aprilia
250 race starts	30
250 race wins	14
250 podiums	21
250 poles	5
250 fastest laps	11
250 total points	510
125 active years	–
125 championships	1 ()
125 manufacturers	Aprilia
125 race starts	30
125 race wins	12
125 podiums	15
125 poles	5
125 fastest laps	9
125 total points	432

Valentino Rossi, (born February 16, 1979 in Urbino),

Rossi continued to race karts and finished fifth at the national kart championships in Parma. Both Valentino and Graziano had started looking at moving into the Italian 100cc series, as well as the corresponding European series, which most likely would have pushed him into the direction of Formula One. However, the high cost of racing karts led to the decision to race minimoto exclusively. Through 1992 and 1993, Valentino continued to learn the ins and outs of minimoto racing.

In 1993, with help from his father, Virginio Ferrari, Claudio Castiglioni and Claudio Lusuardi (who ran the official Cagiva Sport Production team), he rode a Cagiva Mito 125cc motorcycle, which he damaged in a first-corner crash no more than a hundred metres from the pit lane.

Although his first season in the Italian Sport Production Championship was varied, he achieved a pole position in the season's final race at Misano, where he would ultimately finish on the podium. By the second year, Rossi had been provided with a factory Mito by Lusuardi and won the Italian title.

125cc, 250 cc and 500 cc World Championships

In 1994, Aprilia by way of Sandroni, used Rossi to improve its RS125R and in turn allowed him to learn how to handle the fast new pace of 125cc racing. At first he found himself on a Sandroni in the 1994 Italian championship and continued to ride it through the 1995 European and Italian championships.

Rossi had some success in the 1996 World Championship season, failing to finish five of the season's races and crashing several times. Despite this, in August he won his first World Championship Grand Prix at Brno in the Czech Republic on an AGV Aprilia RS125R. He finished the season in ninth position and proceeded to dominate the 125cc World Championship in the following 1997 season, winning 11 of the 15 races.

By 1998, the Aprilia RS250 was reaching its pinnacle and had a team of riders in Valentino Rossi, Loris Capirossi and Tetsuya Harada. The death of two of his friends in a car accident also took a toll. He later concluded the 1998 250cc season in second place, only three points behind Capirossi. In 1999, however, he won the title, collecting 5 pole positions and 9 wins.

Rossi was rewarded in 2000 for his 250cc World Championship by being given a ride with Honda in what was then the ultimate class in World Championship motorcycle racing, 500cc. Jeremy Burgess had shown him the NSR500 and was convinced that the pairing of it with Rossi would bring nothing but success. Retired 500cc World Champion Michael Doohan, who also had Jeremy Burgess as chief engineer, worked with Rossi as his personal mentor in his first year at Honda. It would also be the first time Rossi would be racing against Max Biaggi, another Italian to whom he was often compared by the racing press. It would take nine races before Rossi would win on the Honda but, like his previous seasons in 125 and 250, it would bode well for a stronger second season as he finished second to American Kenny Roberts, Jr..

Rossi won his first 500cc World Championship in 2001 (winning 11 races) in the final year of that class. In the following year, 500cc two-strokes were still allowed, but 2002 saw the beginning of the 990cc four-stroke Moto GP class, after which the 500cc machines were essentially obsolete. In 2001 Rossi teamed up with American rider Colin Edwards for the Suzuka 8 Hours endurance race aboard a Honda VTR1000SPW. The pair won the race despite Rossi's lack of experience racing superbikes.

MotoGP: Honda

MotoGP bike]] The inaugural year for the MotoGP bikes was 2002, when riders experienced teething problems getting used to the new bikes. Rossi won the first race and went on to win eight of the first nine races of the season, eventually claiming 11 victories in total.

It was more of the same in 2003 for Rossi's rivals when he claimed nine pole positions as well as nine GP wins to claim his third consecutive World Championship. The Australian GP at Phillip Island in 2003 is considered by many observers to be one of Rossi's greatest career moments due to unique circumstances. After being given a 10-second penalty for overtaking during a yellow flag due to a crash by Ducati rider Troy Bayliss, front runner Rossi proceeded to pull away from the rest of the field, eventually finishing more than 15 seconds ahead, more than enough to cancel out the penalty and win the race.

From Honda to Yamaha

There was much speculation during the second half of the 2003 season about Rossi's plans for the future. Some people suspected that he would succeed in his bid to claim a third consecutive title and wondered where he would go in the future. His contract with Honda was up at the end of the year and there were rumors that Rossi had become somewhat disillusioned with his ride at Honda. His tenure at Honda had effectively run its course; he had provided Honda with a 500 cc World Championship as well as consecutive MotoGP World Championships.

Partnered with increased scepticism that the reason for his success was the dominance of the RC211V rather than Rossi, it was inevitable that Honda and Rossi would part. Mid-season rumors pointed towards a possible move to Ducati, which sent the Italian press into a frenzy; the concept of the great Italian on the great Italian bike seemed too good to be true. Ducati did indeed try to seduce Rossi into riding their MotoGP bike, the Desmosedici, but for numerous reasons Rossi passed the offer up. Critics say that compared to the other manufacturers, Ducati had a significant way to go before being competitive even with Rossi at the helm. This proved to be the truth with Ducati's lacklustre performance in the 2004 season, which had actually been worse than their inaugural year in MotoGP in 2003.

In his 2005 autobiography, "What If I'd Never Tried It?", Rossi offers another reason for choosing Yamaha over Ducati, saying that the mindset at Ducati Corse was a little too similar to the one he was trying to escape from at Honda.

Ultimately, Rossi signed a two-year contract with rivals Yamaha reportedly worth in excess of (U.S) $12 million; a price no other manufacturer, even Honda, was willing to pay.

MotoGP: Yamaha

.]]

Many believed Rossi would not win another championship on a less competitive Yamaha bike, but Rossi proved them wrong. Having taken chief engineer Jeremy Burgess with him, Valentino was to look forward to many positive things.

With the traditional first race of the season at Suzuka off the list due to safety considerations following the fatal accident of Daijiro Kato, the 2004 season started at Welkom in South Africa. Rossi won the race, becoming the only rider to win consecutive races with different manufacturers, having won the final race of the previous season on the Honda. Rossi would go on to win eight more GPs in the season, primarily battling Sete Gibernau, with Rossi clinching the championship at the penultimate race of the season at Phillip Island. Rossi ended the season with 304 points to Gibernau's 257, with Max Biaggi 3rd with 217 points.

In 2005 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season, Rossi captured his 7th World Championship and 5th straight MotoGP Championship. He finished with a total of 367 points, 147 points ahead of 2nd place finisher Marco Melandri (220 points), and Nicky Hayden finishing 3rd with 206 points.

The 2006 MotoGP season started off with Rossi, once again, being the favorite to take the Championship, but he had trouble in the first half of the season. Hayden held the points lead throughout most of the season, but Rossi was slowly working his way up the points ladder. It wasn't until Motegi when Rossi finally grabbed 2nd in the points race behind Hayden. In the Portuguese Grand Prix, the penultimate race of the season, Hayden was taken out by his teammate, Dani Pedrosa, and did not finish the race. This led to Rossi taking the points lead with only one race left in the season. However, Rossi crashed early in Valencia, the last race, and Hayden went on to win the 2006 MotoGP Championship. Rossi finished the season in 2nd place.

Rossi returned to MotoGP for the 2007 season riding the new Yamaha YZR-M1 800 cc. In the first race in Qatar he came second to Casey Stoner on the Ducati Desmosedici. In the second round of the season Rossi won the second race of the season in Spain, and would win 3 more races that season. Stoner dominated the season, winning 10 races to take his first title, 125 points clear of second place Dani Pedrosa. Pedrosa’s win in the last race at Valencia combined with Rossi’s retirement meant that he beat Rossi into third place by a single point. This was Rossi’s lowest championship position since his first season in 1996 in 125s. His bike lacked competitiveness, particularly in top speed compared to the Honda or Ducati, and he threatened to leave Yamaha if they are unable to deliver a better package.

For 2008 Rossi changed to Bridgestone tyres. The season started slowly with a fifth place finish in Qatar, but he took his first win in Shanghai, and also won the next two races. From that race, Rossi was on the podium of every remaining race (except the Dutch round at Assen, where he crashed on the first lap and finished 11th), winning a total of nine races in the season. His victories at Laguna Seca (after a pass down the “Corkscrew” corner over Stoner, He tested the Desmosedici for the first time in Valencia on 9 November 2010,6 |bgcolor="#dfffdf"| INA11 |bgcolor="#dfffdf"| JPN11 |bgcolor="#dfffdf"| SPA4 |bgcolor="#dfffdf"| ITA4 |bgcolor="#efcfff"| FRARet |bgcolor="#efcfff"| NEDRet |bgcolor="#dfffdf"| GER5 |bgcolor="#efcfff"| GBRRet |bgcolor="#ffdf9f"| AUT3 |bgcolor="#ffffbf"| CZE1 |bgcolor="#dfffdf"| IMO5 |bgcolor="#efcfff"| CATRet |bgcolor="#efcfff"| BRARet |bgcolor="#dfffdf"| AUS14 ! ! ! ! 9th ! 111 |- !align="left"| 1997 !align="left"| 125 cc !align="left"| Aprilia |bgcolor="#ffffbf"| MAL1 |bgcolor="#efcfff"| JPNRet |bgcolor="#ffffbf"| SPA1 |bgcolor="#ffffbf"| ITA1 |bgcolor="#dfdfdf"| AUT2 |bgcolor="#ffffbf"| FRA1 |bgcolor="#ffffbf"| NED1 |bgcolor="#ffffbf"| IMO1 |bgcolor="#ffffbf"| GER1 |bgcolor="#ffffbf"| BRA1 |bgcolor="#ffffbf"| GBR1 |bgcolor="#ffdf9f"| CZE3 |bgcolor="#ffffbf"| CAT1 |bgcolor="#ffffbf"| INA1 |bgcolor="#dfffdf"| AUS6 ! ! ! |bgcolor="#ffffbf"| 1st |bgcolor="#ffffbf"| 321 |- !align="left"| 1998 !align="left"| 250 cc !align="left"| Aprilia |bgcolor="#efcfff"| JPNRet |bgcolor="#efcfff"| MALRet |bgcolor="#dfdfdf"| SPA2 |bgcolor="#dfdfdf"| ITA2 |bgcolor="#dfdfdf"| FRA2 |bgcolor="#efcfff"| MADRet |bgcolor="#ffffbf"| NED1 |bgcolor="#efcfff"| GBRRet |bgcolor="#ffdf9f"| GER3 |bgcolor="#efcfff"| CZERet |bgcolor="#ffffbf"| IMO1 |bgcolor="#ffffbf"| CAT1 |bgcolor="#ffffbf"| AUS1 |bgcolor="#ffffbf"| ARG1 ! ! ! ! |bgcolor="#dfdfdf"| 2nd |bgcolor="#dfdfdf"| 201 |- !align="left"| 1999 !align="left"| 250 cc !align="left"| Aprilia |bgcolor="#dfffdf"| MAL5 |bgcolor="#dfffdf"| JPN7 |bgcolor="#ffffbf"| SPA1 |bgcolor="#efcfff"| FRARet |bgcolor="#ffffbf"| ITA1 |bgcolor="#ffffbf"| CAT1 |bgcolor="#dfdfdf"| NED2 |bgcolor="#ffffbf"| GBR1 |bgcolor="#ffffbf"| GER1 |bgcolor="#ffffbf"| CZE1 |bgcolor="#dfdfdf"| IMO2 |bgcolor="#dfffdf"| VAL8 |bgcolor="#ffffbf"| AUS1 |bgcolor="#ffffbf"| RSA1 |bgcolor="#ffffbf"| BRA1 |bgcolor="#ffdf9f"| ARG3 ! ! |bgcolor="#ffffbf"| 1st |bgcolor="#ffffbf"| 309 |- !align="left"| 2000 !align="left"| 500 cc !align="left"| Honda |bgcolor="#efcfff"| RSARet |bgcolor="#efcfff"| MALRet |bgcolor="#dfffdf"| JPN11 |bgcolor="#ffdf9f"| SPA3 |bgcolor="#ffdf9f"| FRA3 |bgcolor="#dfffdf"| ITA12 |bgcolor="#ffdf9f"| CAT3 |bgcolor="#dfffdf"| NED6 |bgcolor="#ffffbf"| GBR1 |bgcolor="#dfdfdf"| GER2 |bgcolor="#dfdfdf"| CZE2 |bgcolor="#ffdf9f"| POR3 |bgcolor="#efcfff"| VALRet |bgcolor="#ffffbf"| BRA1 |bgcolor="#dfdfdf"| PAC2 |bgcolor="#ffdf9f"| AUS3 ! ! |bgcolor="#dfdfdf"| 2nd |bgcolor="#dfdfdf"| 209 |- !align="left"| 2001 !align="left"| 500 cc !align="left"| Honda |bgcolor="#ffffbf"| JPN1 |bgcolor="#ffffbf"| RSA1 |bgcolor="#ffffbf"| SPA1 |bgcolor="#ffdf9f"| FRA3 |bgcolor="#efcfff"| ITARet |bgcolor="#ffffbf"| CAT1 |bgcolor="#dfdfdf"| NED2 |bgcolor="#ffffbf"| GBR1 |bgcolor="#dfffdf"| GER7 |bgcolor="#ffffbf"| CZE1 |bgcolor="#ffffbf"| POR1 |bgcolor="#dfffdf"| VAL11 |bgcolor="#ffffbf"| PAC1 |bgcolor="#ffffbf"| AUS1 |bgcolor="#ffffbf"| MAL1 |bgcolor="#ffffbf"| BRA1 ! ! |bgcolor="#ffffbf"| 1st |bgcolor="#ffffbf"| 325 |- !align="left"| 2002 !align="left"| MotoGP !align="left"| Honda |bgcolor="#ffffbf"| JPN1 |bgcolor="#dfdfdf"| RSA2 |bgcolor="#ffffbf"| SPA1 |bgcolor="#ffffbf"| FRA1 |bgcolor="#ffffbf"| ITA1 |bgcolor="#ffffbf"| CAT1 |bgcolor="#ffffbf"| NED1 |bgcolor="#ffffbf"| GBR1 |bgcolor="#ffffbf"| GER1 |bgcolor="#efcfff"| CZERet |bgcolor="#ffffbf"| POR1 |bgcolor="#ffffbf"| BRA1 |bgcolor="#dfdfdf"| PAC2 |bgcolor="#dfdfdf"| MAL2 |bgcolor="#ffffbf"| AUS1 |bgcolor="#dfdfdf"| VAL2 ! ! |bgcolor="#ffffbf"| 1st |bgcolor="#ffffbf"| 355 |- !align="left"| 2003 !align="left"| MotoGP !align="left"| Honda |bgcolor="#ffffbf"| JPN1 |bgcolor="#dfdfdf"| RSA2 |bgcolor="#ffffbf"| SPA1 |bgcolor="#dfdfdf"| FRA2 |bgcolor="#ffffbf"| ITA1 |bgcolor="#dfdfdf"| CAT2 |bgcolor="#ffdf9f"| NED3 |bgcolor="#ffdf9f"| GBR3 |bgcolor="#dfdfdf"| GER2 |bgcolor="#ffffbf"| CZE1 |bgcolor="#ffffbf"| POR1 |bgcolor="#ffffbf"| BRA1 |bgcolor="#dfdfdf"| PAC2 |bgcolor="#ffffbf"| MAL1 |bgcolor="#ffffbf"| AUS1 |bgcolor="#ffffbf"| VAL1 ! ! |bgcolor="#ffffbf"| 1st |bgcolor="#ffffbf"| 357 |- !align="left"| 2004 !align="left"| MotoGP !align="left"| Yamaha |bgcolor="#ffffbf"| RSA1 |bgcolor="#dfffdf"| SPA4 |bgcolor="#dfffdf"| FRA4 |bgcolor="#ffffbf"| ITA1 |bgcolor="#ffffbf"| CAT1 |bgcolor="#ffffbf"| NED1 |bgcolor="#efcfff"| BRARet |bgcolor="#dfffdf"| GER4 |bgcolor="#ffffbf"| GBR1 |bgcolor="#dfdfdf"| CZE2 |bgcolor="#ffffbf"| POR1 |bgcolor="#dfdfdf"| JPN2 |bgcolor="#efcfff"| QATRet |bgcolor="#ffffbf"| MAL1 |bgcolor="#ffffbf"| AUS1 |bgcolor="#ffffbf"| VAL1 ! ! |bgcolor="#ffffbf"| 1st |bgcolor="#ffffbf"| 304 |- !align="left"| 2005 !align="left"| MotoGP !align="left"| Yamaha |bgcolor="#ffffbf"| SPA1 |bgcolor="#dfdfdf"| POR2 |bgcolor="#ffffbf"| CHN1 |bgcolor="#ffffbf"| FRA1 |bgcolor="#ffffbf"| ITA1 |bgcolor="#ffffbf"| CAT1 |bgcolor="#ffffbf"| NED1 |bgcolor="#ffdf9f"| USA3 |bgcolor="#ffffbf"| GBR1 |bgcolor="#ffffbf"| GER1 |bgcolor="#ffffbf"| CZE1 |bgcolor="#efcfff"| JPNRet |bgcolor="#dfdfdf"| MAL2 |bgcolor="#ffffbf"| QAT1 |bgcolor="#ffffbf"| AUS1 |bgcolor="#dfdfdf"| TUR2 |bgcolor="#ffdf9f"| VAL3 ! |bgcolor="#ffffbf"| 1st |bgcolor="#ffffbf"| 367 |- !align="left"| 2006 !align="left"| MotoGP !align="left"| Yamaha |bgcolor="#dfffdf"| SPA14 |bgcolor="#ffffbf"| QAT1 |bgcolor="#dfffdf"| TUR4 |bgcolor="#efcfff"| CHNRet |bgcolor="#efcfff"| FRARet |bgcolor="#ffffbf"| ITA1 |bgcolor="#ffffbf"| CAT1 |bgcolor="#dfffdf"| NED8 |bgcolor="#dfdfdf"| GBR2 |bgcolor="#ffffbf"| GER1 |bgcolor="#efcfff"| USARet |bgcolor="#dfdfdf"| CZE2 |bgcolor="#ffffbf"| MAL1 |bgcolor="#ffdf9f"| AUS3 |bgcolor="#dfdfdf"| JPN2 |bgcolor="#dfdfdf"| POR2 |bgcolor="#dfffdf"| VAL13 ! |bgcolor="#dfdfdf"| 2nd |bgcolor="#dfdfdf"| 247 |- !align="left"| 2007 !align="left"| MotoGP !align="left"| Yamaha |bgcolor="#dfdfdf"| QAT2 |bgcolor="#ffffbf"| SPA1 |bgcolor="#dfffdf"| TUR10 |bgcolor="#dfdfdf"| CHN2 |bgcolor="#dfffdf"| FRA6 |bgcolor="#ffffbf"| ITA1 |bgcolor="#dfdfdf"| CAT2 |bgcolor="#dfffdf"| GBR4 |bgcolor="#ffffbf"| NED1 |bgcolor="#efcfff"| GERRet |bgcolor="#dfffdf"| USA4 |bgcolor="#dfffdf"| CZE7 |bgcolor="#efcfff"| SMRRet |bgcolor="#ffffbf"| POR1 |bgcolor="#dfffdf"| JPN13 |bgcolor="#ffdf9f"| AUS3 |bgcolor="#dfffdf"| MAL5 |bgcolor="#efcfff"| VALRet |bgcolor="#ffdf9f"| 3rd |bgcolor="#ffdf9f"| 241 |- !align="left"| 2008 !align="left"| MotoGP !align="left"| Yamaha |bgcolor="#dfffdf"| QAT5 |bgcolor="#dfdfdf"| SPA2 |bgcolor="#ffdf9f"| POR3 |bgcolor="#ffffbf"| CHN1 |bgcolor="#ffffbf"| FRA1 |bgcolor="#ffffbf"| ITA1 |bgcolor="#dfdfdf"| CAT2 |bgcolor="#dfdfdf"| GBR2 |bgcolor="#dfffdf"| NED11 |bgcolor="#dfdfdf"| GER2 |bgcolor="#ffffbf"| USA1 |bgcolor="#ffffbf"| CZE1 |bgcolor="#ffffbf"| SMR1 |bgcolor="#ffffbf"| IND1 |bgcolor="#ffffbf"| JPN1 |bgcolor="#dfdfdf"| AUS2 |bgcolor="#ffffbf"| MAL1 |bgcolor="#ffdf9f"| VAL3 |bgcolor="#ffffbf"| 1st |bgcolor="#ffffbf"| 373 |- !align="left"| 2009 !align="left"| MotoGP !align="left"| Yamaha |bgcolor="#dfdfdf"| QAT2 |bgcolor="#dfdfdf"| JPN2 |bgcolor="#ffffbf"| SPA1 |bgcolor="#cfcfff"| FRA16 |bgcolor="#ffdf9f"| ITA3 |bgcolor="#ffffbf"| CAT1 |bgcolor="#ffffbf"| NED1 |bgcolor="#dfdfdf"| USA2 |bgcolor="#ffffbf"| GER1 |bgcolor="#dfffdf"| GBR5 |bgcolor="#ffffbf"| CZE1 |bgcolor="#efcfff"| INDRet |bgcolor="#ffffbf"| SMR1 |bgcolor="#dfffdf"| POR4 |bgcolor="#dfdfdf"| AUS2 |bgcolor="#ffdf9f"| MAL3 |bgcolor="#dfdfdf"| VAL2 | |bgcolor="#ffffbf"| 1st |bgcolor="#ffffbf"| 306 |- !align="left"| 2010 !align="left"| MotoGP !align="left"| Yamaha |bgcolor="#ffffbf"| QAT1 |bgcolor="#ffdf9f"| SPA3 |bgcolor="#dfdfdf"| FRA2 |bgcolor="#ffffff"| ITADNS | GBR | NED | CAT |bgcolor="#dfffdf"| GER4 |bgcolor="#ffdf9f"| USA3 |bgcolor="#dfffdf"| CZE5 |bgcolor="#dfffdf"| IND4 |bgcolor="#ffdf9f"| SMR3 |bgcolor="#dfffdf"| ARA6 |bgcolor="#ffdf9f"| JPN3 |bgcolor="#ffffbf"| MAL1 |bgcolor="#ffdf9f"| AUS3 |bgcolor="#dfdfdf"| POR2 |bgcolor="#ffdf9f"| VAL3 |bgcolor="#ffdf9f"| 3rd |bgcolor="#ffdf9f"| 233 |}

Records

As of the end of the 2010 Valencia Grand Prix, Valentino Rossi holds the following records: Record shared with Jorge Lorenzo. Record shared with Eddie Lawson. Record shared with Giacomo Agostini.

References

Bibliography

External links

Official website

Yamaha Racing Rider Profile

MotoGP.com Rider Profile

Official Fan Club website

Category:Italian motorcycle racers Category:500cc World Championship riders Category:250cc World Championship riders Category:125cc World Championship riders Category:MotoGP riders Category:Italian rally drivers Category:World Rally Championship drivers Category:Laureus World Sports Awards winners Category:People from Urbino Category:1979 births Category:Living people

Coordinates	40°37′29″N73°57′8″N
Name	Merv Griffin
Birth name	Mervyn Edward Griffin, Jr.
Birth date	July 06, 1925
Birth place	San Mateo, California, U.S.
Death date	August 12, 2007
Death place	Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Death cause	Prostate cancer
Resting place	Westwood Village Memorial Park, Los Angeles
Resting place coordinates
Occupation	Actor, talk show host, entertainer, business magnate
Years active	1944–2007
Spouse	Julann Wright (1958–1976; divorced)
Children	Tony Griffin (b. 1959)
Website	http://www.merv.com/

Mervyn Edward "Merv" Griffin, Jr. (July 6, 1925 – August 12, 2007) was an American television host, singer, and media mogul. Embarrassed by their reaction, Griffin resolved to lose weight and change his image, losing 80 pounds in four months. Freddy Martin heard him on the radio show and asked Griffin to tour with his orchestra,

Game show host

From 1958 to 1962, Griffin hosted a game show produced by Mark Goodson and Bill Todman called Play Your Hunch. The show appeared on all three networks, but primarily on NBC. He also hosted a prime time game show for ABC called Keep Talking. In 1963, NBC offered him the opportunity to host a new game show, Word for Word, which Griffin produced. He also produced Let's Play Post Office for NBC in 1965; Reach for the Stars for NBC in 1967; and One in a Million for ABC in 1967.

Talk show host

Griffin scored a coup when Jack Paar accidentally emerged onto the set of Play Your Hunch during a live broadcast, and Griffin got him to stay for a spontaneous interview. The interview led to a guest-hosting spot on The Tonight Show, then hosted by Paar.

While Johnny Carson finished his CBS contract before taking over Tonight after Paar in October 1962, Griffin was one of the many guest hosts NBC used. He found hosting a live show very uncomfortable and attempted to quit after only a few minutes on camera. His producer forced him back onto the stage, however, and Griffin was considered the most successful of the guest hosts, One regular audience member, Lillian Miller, would become a fixture on Griffin's program throughout its run.

Merv's best friend since the sixth grade, Robert (Bob) Murphy, was the producer of The Merv Griffin Show, and eventually became president of Merv Griffin Enterprises.

Late-night host

CBS gave Griffin a late-night show opposite Johnny Carson in 1969, a move which proved disastrous. The network was uncomfortable with the guests Griffin wanted, who often spoke out against the Vietnam War and on other taboo topics. When political activist Abbie Hoffman was Griffin's guest in April 1970, CBS blurred the video of Hoffman so viewers at home would not see his trademark American flag pattern shirt even though other guests had worn the same shirt in the past, uncensored. Griffin disliked the censorship imposed by CBS and complained.

Sensing that his time at CBS was ending, and tired of the restrictions imposed by the network, Griffin secretly signed a contract with rival company Metromedia. The contract with Metromedia would give him a syndicated daytime talk show deal as soon as CBS canceled Griffin's show. Within a few months, Griffin was fired by CBS. His new show began the following Monday and ran until the mid 1980s. By 1986, Griffin was ready to retire and ended his talk show run. Due to profits from his highly successful game shows, Griffin had become one of the world's wealthiest entertainers.

Game show creator

Griffin created and produced the successful television game show Jeopardy! in 1964; in an Associated Press profile released right before the show premiered, Griffin talked about the show's origins: :My wife Julann just came up with the idea one day when we were in a plane bringing us back to New York from Duluth. I was mulling over game show ideas, when she noted that there had not been a successful 'question and answer' game on the air since the quiz show scandals. Why not do a switch, and give the answers to the contestant and let them come up with the question. :She fired a couple of answers to me: '5,280' and the question of course was how many feet in a mile. Another was '79 Wistful Vista.' That was Fibber and Mollie McGee's address. I loved the idea, went straight to NBC with the idea, and they bought it without even looking at a pilot show.

The show premiered on NBC on March 30, 1964, hosted by Art Fleming, and lasted for 11 years. Merv wrote the 30-second piece of music heard during the show's Final Jeopardy! Round, and which later became the melody of the theme for the show in the first part of Alex Trebek era.

In 1975, NBC canceled Jeopardy! after moving it twice on their daytime schedule and despite having an additional year on its network contract left to fulfill. Griffin produced the show's successor, Wheel of Fortune. Premiering on January 6, 1975, Wheel became a modest hit on daytime television with Chuck Woolery and Susan Stafford as host and hostess, which later became a phenomenon when on September 19, 1983, Wheel of Fortune hit the syndication market with Pat Sajak and Vanna White as hosts. Two different revivals of Jeopardy! would be produced: one on NBC that ran for five months in late 1978/early 1979 with Art Fleming returning as host, and the other airing in first-run syndication beginning on September 10, 1984, starring Alex Trebek. Both Jeopardy! and the night version of Wheel of Fortune remain on the air today in syndication.

In 1990, Griffin had an ambitious but unsuccessful attempt at adapting the venerable board game Monopoly into a game show of the same name.

Upon his retirement, Griffin sold his production company, Merv Griffin Enterprises, to Columbia Pictures Television unit for US$250 million, the largest acquisition of an entertainment company owned by a single individual at that time. Following the sale, Forbes named him the richest Hollywood performer in history. He retained the title of creator of both shows.

The two powerhouses spun off numerous programs, and Griffin often would sign on as a creative consultant. The spin-offs included Wheel 2000 on CBS in 1997 and the short lived Jep! on GSN in 1998, both for children; Rock & Roll Jeopardy! on VH1 in 1998 for purveyors of pop music trivia; a teen-oriented game called Click! and in association with Wink Martindale, Headline Chasers in 1985.

On May 14, 2003, Griffin was honored with the BMI President's Award at the annual BMI Film and Television Awards ceremony. Among his other achievements, Griffin created what has to be one of America's best-known melodies: the immortal theme to his game show, "Jeopardy!"

In 2007, Griffin's production company, Merv Griffin Entertainment, began pre-production on a new syndicated game show Merv Griffin's Crosswords (originally titled Let's Play Crosswords and Let's Do Crosswords). The show taped in Los Angeles after initial reports that it would be produced at WMAQ-TV in Chicago. The show was produced in association with Program Partners and the William Morris Agency and began airing September 10, 2007. NBC-owned-and-operated stations in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, San Francisco and Dallas carried the show, with many stations airing two episodes per day.

Business ventures

Griffin ventured into real estate, purchasing the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills. He also purchased Resorts Hotel and Casino, formerly Chalfonte-Haddon Hall Hotel in Atlantic City from Donald Trump in 1988. An active desert resident, he was a supporter of the La Quinta Arts Festival and the owner of the Merv Griffin Givenchy Resort & Spa in Palm Springs, now The Parker. He owned a ranch near La Quinta, California where he raised thoroughbred racehorses, as well as St. Clerans Manor, a boutique hotel, set in an eighteen century estate once owned by director John Huston, near Craughwell, County Galway Galway, Ireland. In the 1980s, Griffin purchased Paradise Island in the Bahamas for US$400 million from Donald Trump, but he later sold it for just US$125 million. Merv Griffin sold his empire for $250 million to Coca-Cola in 1986, he then went on a buying spree of hotels and his wealth in 2003 was said to be around $1.2 billion.

In March 2001, Griffin returned to singing with the release of the album It's Like a Dream.

Personal life

Griffin kept many details of his personal and business life private. On being wealthy he said that "if people know you're rich they don't talk with you when you walk down the street." He kept his wealth as an open secret, amassing media outlets, hotels and casinos with a net worth widely estimated at more than a billion dollars. Griffin stated he didn't really know his worth because it “would keep me from sleeping at night.” He and former First Lady Nancy Reagan exchanged birthday greetings each July 6, for they shared the same birthday. Griffin was also an honorary pallbearer at the funeral of President Ronald Reagan in 2004. He was friends with both of the Reagans for many years.

Sexual orientation

Though remaining friends with his ex-wife, whom he credited with creating the premise of Jeopardy!, questions that he was either bisexual or gay persisted. Two same-sex palimony and sexual harassment lawsuits in 1991 brought questions about Griffin's sexuality to national prominence. In 1991, Griffin was hit with both a $200 million palimony lawsuit by former "secretary/driver/horse-trainer/bodyguard" Brent Plott, and an $11.3-million sexual harassment lawsuit from Dance Fever host Deney Terrio; both suits were ultimately dismissed with prejudice (the Plott claim after Griffin filed a countersuit). A 2006 article in Rolling Stone magazine by John Colapinto stated:

Merv Griffin: a Life in the Closet, published in 2009, is a tell-all book from Darwin Porter.

Illness and death

Griffin's prostate cancer, treated originally in 1996, returned and he was admitted to Cedars Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, where his condition deteriorated, leading to his death on August 12, 2007. Griffin is survived by his son, Tony, born in 1959 during Griffin's marriage to Julann Wright from 1958 to 1976. He is also survived by two grandchildren.

Funeral services were held for Griffin in on August 17, 2007 at the Church of the Good Shepherd in Beverly Hills. The well attended service included former First Lady and longtime friend Nancy Reagan, California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger (who gave the eulogy along with Griffin's son Tony), Maria Shriver, actors, television stars, employees and friends including Pat Sajak, Vanna White, Alex Trebek, Dick Van Dyke, Jack Klugman, Dick Van Patten, Ellen DeGeneres and partner Portia de Rossi, Ryan Seacrest, Catherine Oxenberg and husband Casper Van Dien. Pallbearers included Ron Ward, Vice Chairman of the Griffin Group, Griffin Group President Robert Pritchard, Griffin Group Vice President Michael Eyre, and Griffin's son Tony. His 7-year-old grandson Donovan Mervyn was an honorary pallbearer as was Nancy Reagan. His 12-year-old granddaughter Farah gave a reading. A post-burial reception was held at the Beverly Hilton, a property owned by Griffin from 1987 to 2003. He was buried in Westwood Village Memorial Park Cemetery and his headstone epitaph (even though in his book "Merv", written with David Bender in 2003, states it would be "Stay Tuned") reads "I will not be right back after this message," an epitaph Griffin announced on The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson.

Game Show Network (GSN) honored Griffin by airing ten-episode marathons of Wheel of Fortune and Jeopardy! during the weekend of August 18–19, 2007. The Wheel marathon included two episodes with cameo appearances by Griffin: Pat Sajak's departure from the daytime version in 1989 and a 1992–93 episode that ended with Griffin, the MervTones, and Vanna White singing at a dinner club in Orlando, Florida. The Jeopardy! marathon consisted of a rerun of the Jeopardy! Million Dollar Masters Tournament from 2002.

Selected popular songs

"I've Got a Lovely Bunch of Coconuts"

"Wilhelmina"

"Never Been Kissed"

"The Charanga" (#69, Pop Charts, 1961)

"Happy To Know You" (Radio Hit, 1973)

"Jeopardy! theme music"

"Changing Keys" (the Wheel of Fortune Theme)

References

External links

He Had a Lovely Bunch of Coconuts at the Wall Street Journal

Merv Griffin tribute from ABC, from YouTube

Category:1925 births Category:2007 deaths Category:American game show hosts Category:American male singers Category:RCA Victor artists Category:American musical theatre actors Category:American television producers Category:American television talk show hosts Category:American racehorse owners and breeders Category:Burials at Westwood Village Memorial Park Cemetery Category:California Republicans Category:Cancer deaths in California Category:Daytime Emmy Award winners Category:Deaths from prostate cancer Category:American people of Irish descent Category:People from the San Francisco Bay Area Category:Transcendental Meditation practitioners

Coordinates	40°37′29″N73°57′8″N
Name	Jovanotti
|img capt	Jovanotti during a live concert in Milan.
Background	solo_singer
Birth name	Lorenzo Cherubini
Born	September 27, 1966
Origin	Rome, Italy
Genre	RapHip hopRap rockPopRockWorld music
Occupation	Rapper, producer, songwriter
Years active	1988–present
Label	Universal
Url	soleluna.com

Jovanotti (sometimes misspelt as Giovanotti) is an Italian singer-songwriter and rapper. Jovanotti, whose real name is Lorenzo Cherubini, was born in Rome on 27 September 1966. His family is from Cortona, in the Province of Arezzo, Tuscany. On 6 September 2008 he married Francesca Valiani at Cortona, in the Church of Santa Maria Nuova. Their daughter Teresa was born in 1998. He dedicated the lullaby "Per te" to Teresa, one of the successes of the album Capo Horn (1999).

From the mix of hip hop, rap and disco of the early successes, however, Jovanotti departs gradually approaching to funk, world music and even classical arrangements and ska influences. As his musical influences changed, so too did his lyrics, which, over time, began to increasingly address philosophical, religious and political issues, which are more typical of the Italian cantautore tradition. His social and political commitment increased as well. Some of his earlier work is also closer to keyboard-heavy 1980s pop.

Most of his songs are sung in Italian; he also released a Spanish-language greatest hits album. His live album includes a short version of the Sugarhill Gang's "Rapper's Delight". Jovanotti appears on several international compilations, most notably Red Hot + Rhapsody, a 1998 tribute to George Gershwin, on which he performed "I Got Rhythm". His most famous songs are "L'Ombelico del Mondo" and "Serenata Rap". Jovanotti has also appeared in one of Luciano Pavarotti's charity concert in 1996. In 1998, Jovanotti played a brief role in the movie I Giardini dell'Eden, directed by Alessandro D'Alatri where he played a conflicted member of an Essene/Nazarene cult, whose carnal and emotional desire puts him against the cult's rigid philosophy of asceticism and self denial. He is later given comfort by a young Jesus of Nazareth, who is also placed at odds with both the cult's lack of empathy toward the ills of mankind and its rigid philosophy of self-denial, by encouraging him to follow his heart.

2000s

His 2005 CD, Buon Sangue, was influenced by both rock and old school hip hop. It is one of his most innovative works to date. Edoardo Bennato collaborated on one track, while bass player Saturnino co-wrote two of the songs.

In 2007, he was featured at the end of Negramaro's song, "Cade la Pioggia", of their CD, La Finestra, and in 2008 he released the new album Safari.

In 2008, he performed as guest artist on the track "Lugar Comum" on Encanto (Sérgio Mendes album) At the end of 2009 he collaborated with Claudio Baglioni and Fabrizio Bosso, along with 70 other artists, in the song "Con tutto il mio cuore (With All My Heart)". On 1 January 2010 the group released "Baciami Ancora (Kiss Me Again)" for the soundtrack of a film by Gabriele Muccino.

2010s

In December of 2010 he achieved a number one hit on the Italian Top 20 charts with "Tutto l'amore che ho". In Genuary 25 2011 will be released his eighteenth album Ora.

Commitment

Along with the evolution of his sound, his social and political commitment increased since the 1990s. As a convinced pacifist, he frequently worked with organizations such as Make Poverty History, Amnesty International, and he has contributed to events dedicated to debt relief (Global Call to Action Against Poverty). Jovanotti is a vegetarian.

External links

Category:1966 births Category:Living people Category:People from Rome (city) Category:People from Cortona Category:Italian singer-songwriters Category:Italian dance musicians Category:Italian rappers Category:Italian vegetarians Category:Hip hop singers Category:World Music Awards winners

Coordinates	40°37′29″N73°57′8″N
Name	Criss Angel
Birth name	Christopher Nicholas Sarantakos
Birth date	December 19, 1967
Birth place	East Meadow, New York, U.S.
Occupation	Illusionist, musician, hypnotist, stunt performer, actor, escapologist
Net worth	US$17 million (2010)
Years active	1997–present
Website	CrissAngel.com

Christopher Nicholas Sarantakos (born December 19, 1967), better known by the stage name Criss Angel, is an American illusionist, musician, and actor. He is best known for starring in the television show, Criss Angel Mindfreak and his live performance illusion show Criss Angel Believe in artistic collaboration with Cirque du Soleil at the Luxor casino in Las Vegas, Nevada.

He has made numerous special T.V. guest appearances on WWE RAW, The Oprah Winfrey Show, The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson, Jimmy Kimmel Live!, The Megan Mullally Show, The Ellen Show, AVN Awards Show 2007 and Larry King Live on CNN. He has also made a guest acting appearance on the hit television show .

Early life

Son of Greek-Americans John and Dimitra Sarantakos, Christopher Nicholas Sarantakos was raised in East Meadow, Long Island, New York, with two brothers, Costa and J.D. His father owned a restaurant and doughnut shop and was devoted to personal fitness before dying of cancer in 1998.

Criss Angel Mindfreak

Criss Angel is the creator of the A&E; Network show Criss Angel Mindfreak. Seasons 1 and 2 were filmed at The Aladdin in Las Vegas, with Season 3 at the Luxor Las Vegas. Premiering on July 20, 2005, the illusions have included walking on water, levitating above the Luxor Hotel (in the light of 39 focused lamps that can be seen from space

After several delays, the show was set for a Gala opening on October 31, 2008, with preview shows in late September. Although Angel was seen with his wife in the buried alive illusion (season 1, episode 6, 2005) and the body suspension illusion (season 1, episode 5, 2005), she was not credited as his wife; rather, she was listed as "Criss's Girl". During the divorce proceedings, the attorney for Angel's estranged wife claimed that their relationship was kept secret to further Angel's career.

In November 2008, Angel began dating Hugh Hefner's former girlfriend Holly Madison. The relationship ended in February 2009.

Books and music

Books

Mindfreak: Secret Revelations. HarperEntertainment (April 24, 2007) ISBN 978-0061137617

Music

References

External links

Criss Angel official website.

Category:1967 births

Category:Living people Category:American magicians Category:American skeptics Category:E1 Music artists Category:Magicians Category:Mentalists Category:American karateka Category:Prizes for proof of paranormal phenomena Category:American people of Greek descent Category:People from Long Island