Hot Music News: May 2008

Saturday, May 31, 2008

'Idol' Winner Cook's 'Life' an Online Hit

LOS ANGELES (May 31) - It's the first time songs performed on "American Idol" have been made available for immediate download on iTunes -- and the audience's ability to make an instant-gratification purchase has paid off handsomely for winner David Cook.
Cook's "The Time of My Life," first performed during the "American Idol" results show May 21, has since tallied 236,000 downloads, making it No. 1 on Billboard's Hot Digital Songs chart and helping to land it the No. 3 spot on the Billboard Hot 100.In fact, Cook has 14 songs from the "American Idol" season on Hot Digital Songs, with "Dream Big" at No. 7 with 110,000 downloads and his version of U2's "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For" at No. 9 with 98,000 downloads. All told, Cook sold 888,000 downloads of his songs in one week.It has been a similar whirlwind for Cook since his win, as he shuttles between press appointments and photo shoots. He's discovering that being the star of the country's biggest reality show -- 31.7 million people watched the finale on Fox -- sometimes has its surreal moments."I loved my time on the show, but I've been looking forward to just being able to get back to the creative process of writing and recording," he says. "It's going to be interesting to be able to play a song and not have to wonder where 'camera A' is."David Cook Snapshots

** FILE ** In this May 21, 2008 file photo, David Cook celebrates backstage after being crowned the latest "American Idol" in Los Angeles. Cook said Tuesday, May 27, on "Live With Regis and Kelly" that he recently had a dinner date with former "Idol" contestant Kimberly Caldwell. Cook, 25, said he met Caldwell through the show. When asked if he had a good time, Cook replied: "I did. We'll probably hang out again. So we'll see." (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello, file)

** FILE ** In this May 9, 2008, file photo "American Idol" finalist David Cook acknowledges the crowd as he attends a homecoming celebration at Blue Springs South High School in Blue Springs, Mo. Cook won the final round, Wednesday, May 21, 2008. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel, file)

Finalist David Cook arrives at the American Idol Season 7 Grand Finale on May 21, 2008 at the Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles, California.."American Idol" Season 7 Grand Finale - Arrivals.Nokia Theatre.Los Angeles, CA United States.May 21, 2008.Photo by Steve Granitz/WireImage.com..To license this image (52013674), contact WireImage.com

WireImage.com

Finalists David Cook (L) and David Archuleta (R) with Paula Abdul (C) arrives at the American Idol Season 7 Grand Finale on May 21, 2008 at the Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles, California.."American Idol" Season 7 Grand Finale - Arrivals.Nokia Theatre.Los Angeles, CA United States.May 21, 2008.Photo by Steve Granitz/WireImage.com..To license this image (52013460), contact WireImage.com

WireImage.com

Season 6 winner Jordin Sparks reacts to David Cook being announced as the winner in the press room at the American Idol Season 7 Grand Finale on May 21, 2008 at the Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles, California.."American Idol" Season 7 Grand Finale - Press Room.Nokia Theatre.Los Angeles, CA United States.May 21, 2008.Photo by Steve Granitz/WireImage.com..To license this image (52013054), contact WireImage.com

WireImage.com

Winner David Cook in the press room at the American Idol Season 7 Grand Finale on May 21, 2008 at the Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles, California.."American Idol" Season 7 Grand Finale - Press Room.Nokia Theatre.Los Angeles, CA United States.May 21, 2008.Photo by Steve Granitz/WireImage.com..To license this image (52012754), contact WireImage.com

WireImage.com

For most of June, Cook will focus on rehearsals for the American Idols Live tour, which features the top 10 finalists and runs for almost three months. The trek begins July 1 in Glendale, Arizona, and wraps Sept. 13 in Tulsa, Oklahoma."It's going to be more of a mini-concert for everybody," he says. "There will be some group numbers (and) some duets, but for the most part I think everybody gets to do at least three songs. I've always loved the idea of waking up in a different city every day, so to be able to do that on this kind of scale is going to be an experience."And then, after the tour, comes the transition period from day-in and day-out "American Idol" mania to establishing a voice as a musician separate from the show."I lucked out in this whole scenario because I knew going in what kind of artist I wanted to be and what kind of writer I was," says Cook, whose 19 Recordings/RCA debut is due in the fall."I don't see myself straying too far from what I was doing before, which is kind of a rock vibe with some catchy pop choruses. The cool thing now is that I don't have to worry about taking shortcuts. I have the resources to put together a record that I'm going to be proud of, I hope, for the rest of my life."

Waits Punks Fans in Tour Announcement

Winehouse Late to First Post-Rehab Show

LISBON, Portugal (May 31) - Amy Winehouse showed up late for her first concert since leaving rehab, giving an underwhelming performance in front of 90,000 people Friday at a Lisbon music festival.
The Grammy-winning jazz-pop diva turned up almost an hour late for the outdoor show. She apologized for having a sore throat, and her voice cracked during the 55-minute set.Winehouse, wearing a short dress, appeared distracted during her performance. She paused to talk to members of her band, fiddled at length with her microphone, sucked throat candy and at one point dashed offstage but quickly returned.She had cuts on her left arm, and her right hand was bandaged.Winehouse's musical career has flourished despite her erratic behavior, missed concerts and stints in drug rehab.'You Know I'm No Good'

"Hey Lisbon," Winehouse told the crowd, which had booed when she failed to show up on time. "I'm sorry I'm late," she said.The sell-out crowd, gathered in a park for the Rock in Rio festival, warmed to Winehouse as the 24-year-old sang hits including her breakthrough song "Rehab," soul classics and reggae songs.The crowd wasn't thoroughly thrilled, though, and she walked off stage without playing an encore. The crowd remained subdued.Winehouse was the third act of the day on the festival's main stage, coming on before headliner Lenny Kravitz.Winehouse's management told the festival organizers she would not speak to the media.The singer is booked to play at a series of music festivals in Europe this summer. She said she is set to perform next month at a concert in London honoring Nelson Mandela.Last week she won an Ivor Novello award, a prestigious British prize, for "Love Is a Losing Game" from her "Back to Black" album. Her father received the prize after Winehouse arrived late to the ceremony.Earlier this month, the singer was arrested and questioned by police about video footage that appeared to show her inhaling fumes from a crack pipe. Authorities said the singer would not be charged.Last year she canceled a series of British concerts and postponed a tour of the U.S. and Canada after British media reported that she was in and out of rehab.This Week in Pop Culture History 9.30This Week in Pop Culture History 9.30

Nov. 6, 2006: Cameras catch what appears to be a look of outrage on the face of Faith Hill upon learning that she's lost out on the Female Vocalist of the Year award to Carrie Underwood at the Country Music Awards. Amid a firestorm of backlash in the days that follow, Hill will insist she was kidding. (Frank Micelotta/Getty Images for CMT)

This Week in Pop Culture History 9.30

Nov. 11, 1974: Leonardo Wilhelm DiCaprio is born in Los Angeles, Calif. After his big break as a homeless kid on 'Growing Pains,' he will be nominated for an Oscar for his work in 'What's Eating Gilbert Grape?' He will become absurdly, irrevocably famouswith the release of 'Titanic' in 1997 and later becomes Martin Scorsese's favorite leading man. (Warner Bros. Pictures)

This Week in Pop Culture History 9.30

Nov. 8, 2006: While in Canada filming 'Blonde and Blonder' with co-star Pamela Anderson, Denise Richards throws two photographers' laptops off a hotel balcony, striking two elderly, wheelchair-bound women. (Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images)

This Week in Pop Culture History 9.30

Nov. 11, 1984: Diminutive TV star Gary Coleman undergoes his second kidney transplant in an effort to combat his nephritis, the disease that stunts his growth.(WireImage)

This Week in Pop Culture History 9.30

Nov. 8, 1965: Viewers are introduced to the Horton family of Salem in the debut episode of 'Days of our Lives.' (NBC Photo)

This Week in Pop Culture History 9.30

Nov. 10, 1975: The freighter the S.S. Edmund Fitzgerald goes down in Lake Superior, taking with it all 29 crew members. Later that month Gordon Lightfoot will commemorate the tragedy in the song 'The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald,' which will go to No. 2 on the charts the following summer. (AP Photo/Lake Superior Maritime Collection, University of Wisconsin-Superior / George Pimentel/WireImage.com)

This Week in Pop Culture History 9.30

Nov. 6, 1972: Rebecca Romijn is born in Berkeley, Calif. After a successful career as a swimsuit and lingerie model, she will make the leap to acting. Along the way she will marry first John "Full House" Stamos and later Jerry "the fat kid from 'Stand ByMe'" O'Connell. (ABC/Bob D'Amico)

This Week in Pop Culture History 9.30

Nov. 9, 1967: Armed with a Rolodex stolen from a San Francisco radio station and a $7,500 loan, Jann Wenner and Ralph J. Gleason publish the first issue of Rolling Stone magazine. Beatle John Lennon graced the cover. (AP Photo/Mark Lennihan)

This Week in Pop Culture History 9.30

Nov. 10, 1969: The greatest kids' show of all time, 'Sesame Street,' makes its debut. It will go on to win more than 100 Emmy Awards, 11 Grammys and change children's television forever. (AP Photo/Mark Lennihan)

This Week in Pop Culture History 9.30

Nov. 5, 1930: 'All Quiet on the Western Front' wins Best Picture and earns Lewis Milestone the prize for Best Director at the fourth annual Academy Awards.

Russia Wins 2008 Eurovision Song Title
Amy Winehouse Quits 007 Theme Project

Friday, May 30, 2008

'Dancing' Pro Hough Waltzes Into Music

NASHVILLE (May 30) - Country singer Julianne Hough, whose debut album opened at No. 3 on the U.S. pop chart this week, took the scenic route to Nashville.
Growing up one of five dancing and singing Utah siblings -- sometimes nicknamed "the blonde Osmonds" -- she moved to London to study performing arts at age 10. Five years later, she returned to Utah, and eventually relocated to Los Angeles, where she joined the cast of ABC's "Dancing With the Stars."She partnered with the show's 2006 and 2007 champions, Apolo Ohno and Helio Castroneves, respectively, and this past season was paired with radio humorist Adam Carolla.Hough signed to Mercury Nashville not long after her digital single "Will You Dance With Me" -- a collaboration with veteran producer David Malloy -- peaked at No. 8 on iTunes' country chart last year."I've always wanted to sing country music," the 19-year-old says. "I've been singing as long as I've been dancing and it's actually a bigger passion of mine."'That Song'

Her self-titled album, which sold 67,000 copies in its first week, is led by the appropriately infectious single "That Song in My Head," which debuted at No. 88 on Billboard's Hot 100 singles chart Thursday.Hough is gearing up to hit the road as the opening act on Brad Paisley's 42-date tour, which begins June 11 in Albuquerque, N.M.

Rihanna Dismisses Rumors of Jay-Z Fling

Tyler in Rehab for Foot Pain, Not Drugs

LOS ANGELES (May 30) - Steven Tyler checked into a rehab facility in search of a "safe environment" to recover from several foot surgeries and physical therapy, the Aerosmith frontman said in a statement Thursday.
Tyler said the surgeries were to correct long-time foot injuries resulting from his physical performances as the singer for the blues-rock band."The doctors told me the pain in my feet could be corrected but it would require a few surgeries over time," Tyler said in the statement. "The 'foot repair' pain was intense, greater than I'd anticipated. The months of rehabilitative care and the painful strain of physical therapy were traumatic. I really needed a safe environment to recuperate where I could shut off my phone and get back on my feet."The 60-year-old was known for heavy drug and alcohol abuse in the 1970s and early 1980s, but completed rehabilitation in 1986, after which Aerosmith enjoyed a successful revival.Aerosmith's 'Rag Doll'

Aerosmith’s Tyler in Sobriety Setback?

Singer Sean Levert Died of Natural Causes

CLEVELAND (May 29) - A coroner ruled Thursday that R&B singer Sean Levert died of natural causes after falling ill in jail, and his family reacted by saying his death possibly could have been prevented.
Levert suffered from various ailments, the Cuyahoga County coroner's ruling said. Attorneys for Levert's widow say sheriff's department records they reviewed show he wasn't given his anti-anxiety medication while in jail or seen by a doctor, which might have prevented his death.Levert, a member of the 1980s R&B trio LeVert and son of lead O'Jays singer Eddie Levert, died at age 39 at 11:57 p.m. March 30 at a hospital, about an hour after he was taken from the Cuyahoga County jail. He was serving a 22-month sentence for failure to pay child support.Levert's family had questioned officials' account that Levert had been acting strangely and was restrained before he fell ill. In his ruling, county Coroner Frank Miller ruled out foul play or trauma.Miller said Levert died from complications of sarcoidosis, an inflammatory lung disease that produces tiny lumps of cells in the body's organs. The coroner said Levert also suffered from other conditions, including heart disease, high blood sugar and withdrawal from alprazolam, a drug used to treat anxiety disorders and panic attacks that is better known under the trade name Xanax.After Levert died, jail warden Kevin McDonough said he had been sick and guards were watching him because he had been acting strangely. When he started pounding on his cell door, guards strapped him in a restraint chair, McDonough said. Levert's breathing became shallow and he was taken to the hospital."He was exhibiting classic signs of Xanax withdrawal," attorney Daryl Dennie said. "A doctor would have been able to recognize these problems. Had he been able to see one in that week's time things could have been different."Dennie and lawyer David Malik, who represent Levert's widow, Angela Lowe, said they reviewed documents in the coroner's office showing that Levert brought a bottle of Xanax with him to the jail."They inventoried it and they never gave it to him," Malik said. "He requested it during the time he was in jail."The coroner's office would not release the documents publicly on Thursday.Messages seeking comment from Chief Deputy Douglas Burkhart at the sheriff's department and county Prosecutor Bill Mason were not immediately returned.Malik and Dennie would not comment on possible legal action until they complete their investigation. Malik said the family may ask the FBI to investigate.FBI spokesman Scott Wilson said in April that agents were willing to meet with Levert's family. Wilson said Thursday that the FBI was never contacted by the family.Levert and his brother Gerald formed LeVert in the 1980s with childhood friend Marc Gordon. Their hits included "Baby I'm Ready," "(Pop, Pop, Pop, Pop) Goes My Mind" and "Casanova."His brother died in 2006 at age 40 of an accidental mix of prescription and over-the-counter drugs.Sean Levert, who was trying to start the group LeVert again, had pleaded guilty in March to six counts of failure to pay child support. He was accused of failure to pay $89,025 to children ages 11, 15 and 17.He had pleaded guilty in 1995 to drug abuse and was placed on probation and required to get treatment.Levert's widow released a written statement Thursday saying: "Sean was loved by many and both his family and fans are saddened beyond comprehension. Sean Levert did not die as a result of illegal drug usage."

Rapper DMX Enters Not Guilty Plea
Daughter of Christian Music Star Killed

Simpson Will Take the Wentz Name

LOS ANGELES (May 28) - Ashlee Simpson is so over. The newlywed pop singer will go by Ashlee Wentz in private, and be professionally known as Ashlee Simpson-Wentz, according to a report posted Wednesday on People.com. The heretofore Simpson was married on May 17 to Fall Out Boy bassist Pete Wentz."I think that that's something that a woman should do when they're marrying a man," the pop star lil' sis of Jessica Simpson told the magazine. "It's a tradition that I think is a great tradition."
Phone and e-mail messages left with Simpson-Wentz's publicist regarding the name change were not immediately returned.Simpson-Wentz, 23, and Wentz, 28, exchanged vows earlier this month at her parents home in Encino, Calif. Joe Simpson, her father, performed the non-denominational ceremony and sister Jessica was the maid of honor, the magazine earlier reported.Simpson-Wentz and Wentz began dating in fall 2006 and announced their engagement April 9.

The Simpson-Wentz Wedding Watch
Simpson, Romo Smooching or Fighting?

Wednesday, May 28, 2008

Miley's First Kiss a Photog Goldmine

(May 28) -- The lenses are always pointed at Miley Cyrus when she's out, and now there's a massive bounty on her first smooch that has the paparazzi scrambling.According to a Los Angeles Times report, photographs of 15-year-old Miley kissing someone could net "anywhere from $30,000 to $150,000." Of course, the quality of the photo matters, but the real price driver rests on who is on the receiving end of Miley's affection. Nick Jonas or Shia LaBeouf, for example, would be huge scores.
Like paparazzi favorites Britney, Paris and Lindsay, hoardes of photographers now set up camp daily outside of the home of 'Hannah Montana,' following her every move.While paparazzi photos Miley are always easy money, it's the teen star's private photos that have caused a stir lately. In several sets of pictures leaked onto the Internet over the last year, Cyrus has been seen flashing her bra, in her underwear, pulling up her shirt and draped across the lap of a male.More publicly, scandal broke when Cyrus posed topless -- though covered in a sheet -- for a Vanity Fair photo shoot snapped by famed photog Annie Leibovitz. In the days following the outcry, Cyrus said she thought the shoot would have been "artistic," and was upset with how the pictures were used.

Miley Cyrus Accused of Song Stealing

R. Kelly Child Porn Trial Continues

CHICAGO (May 28) - A recent employee of R. Kelly testified Tuesday that she didn't want to believe the R&B superstar appeared on a sex tape at the center of his child pornography trial because he was such a good boss. But now she's sure he did.Lindsey Perryman, who worked as a personal assistant to Kelly and his family on and off from around 2000 to 2007, was among the latest witnesses to identify Kelly and the alleged victim as the ones on the graphic 27-minute videotape.
"I didn't want to think it was them," a sometimes anxious-looking Perryman said, the 41-year-old Kelly sitting at the defense table just yards away.Perryman said she never saw anything that might make her think the Grammy-winning singer might be involved in anything untoward, even after he was indicted in 2002."He treated the people that worked with him extremely well," Perryman said. "There was never any reason to walk away and say I would call the police."Kelly is charged with 14 counts of child pornography for allegedly videotaping himself having sex with an underage girl. He has pleaded not guilty and faces up to 15 years in prison if convicted.Kelly's attorneys have said he is not on the tape, even noting that the singer has a mole on his back and the man on the tape does not. The alleged victim, now 23, has also denied she is on the tape - putting the onus on prosecutors to call witnesses who can testify it is her.Perryman told jurors she saw the tape for the first time in December 2007, after prosecutors approached her. That first time she wasn't sure it was Kelly and the alleged victim, but she became "110 percent" certain after viewing it again, she said."The image I saw looked exactly like Mr. Kelly," she said, adding she was "shocked" and "disturbed" by the video.Perryman said she saw the alleged victim numerous times, including when she would come to Kelly's Chicago music studio. She recognized the girl as the one in the video by her cheekbones, as well as by the "distinctive" way she moved her mouth, smiled and talked, she told jurors.Prosecutors claim the tape was made between Jan. 1, 1998, and Nov. 1, 2000, and that the young female in the tape was born in September 1984.Several other prosecution witnesses also testified Tuesday that the female participant on the videotape was the same person prosecutors say was as young as 13 at the time.Some sounded more convinced than others.Benny Edwards Jr., who once sang in a youth group with his relative, the alleged victim, took the stand for the prosecution wearing a black T-shirt with the words "The Rebel Dread" on the front. The 25-year-old seemed hesitant, telling jurors only that the man and female on the video "favored" Kelly and the alleged victim, but that he couldn't be sure it was either.Tjada Burnett, a family friend of the alleged victim, was more certain, saying she recognized the female by her "cheeks, her nose, her facial structure," and said she could have been about 12 or 13 years old at the time the tape was made.Earlier in the day, Kelly lawyers accused Raven Gengler of lying to help the prosecution's case when she testified that she's certain the girl on the videotape was her childhood friend. Gengler, 22, said she first saw the video after downloading it several years ago from an internet file-sharing site, after the tape had become the talk of her neighborhood.Within hours of their opening statements last week, prosecutors entered the VHS tape into the record as "People's Exhibit No. 1" and played it in open court. Also last week, several witnesses, including a relative of the alleged victim, testified that they recognized her in the videotape.Although Kelly won a Grammy in 1997 for the gospellike song "I Believe I Can Fly," his biggest hits are raunchy ballads like "Ignition" and his current single, "Hair Braider." He is scheduled to release a new album in July.

Witnesses ID Alleged R. Kelly Victim

Tuesday, May 27, 2008

'Andy Griffith' Composer, Whistler Dies

(May 27) - Earle H. Hagen, who co-wrote the jazz classic "Harlem Nocturne" and composed memorable themes for "The Andy Griffith Show," "I Spy," "The Mod Squad" and other TV shows, has died. He was 88.
Hagen, who is heard whistling the folksy tune for "The Andy Griffith Show," died Monday night at his home in Rancho Mirage, his wife, Laura, said Tuesday. He had been in ill health for several months.During his long musical career, Hagen performed with the top bands of the swing era, composed for movies and television and wrote one of the first textbooks on movie composing.He and Lionel Newman were nominated for an Academy Award for best music scoring for the 1960 Marilyn Monroe movie "Let's Make Love."For television, he composed original music for more than 3,000 episodes, pilots and TV movies, including theme songs for "That Girl," "The Dick Van Dyke Show" and "Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C.""He loved it," his wife said. "The music just flowed from him, and he would take off one hat and put on another and go on to the next show."Hagen enjoyed the immediacy of the small screen, he told the American Society of Musicians Arrangers & Composers in 2000.Master TV Composer

'Andy Griffith Show'
'That Girl'

'Mod Squad'
'The Dick Van Dyke Show'

"It was hard work, with long hours and endless deadlines, but being able to write something one day and hear it a few days later appealed to me," he said. "Besides, I was addicted to the ultimate narcosis in music, which is the rush you get when you give a downbeat and wonderful players breathe life into the notes you have put on paper."Born July 9, 1919, in Chicago, Hagen moved to Los Angeles as a youngster. He began playing the trombone while in junior high school."The school actually furnished him with a tuba and his mother made him take it back," his wife said.He became so proficient that he graduated early from Hollywood High School and at 16 was touring with big bands. He played trombone with Benny Goodman and Tommy Dorsey and arranged for and played with Ray Noble's orchestra.He and Newman wrote "Harlem Nocturne" for Noble in 1939. It has been covered many times since and served as the theme music for "Mickey Spillane's Mike Hammer" television series in 1984.In 1941, Hagen became a staff musician for CBS but the next year he enlisted in the military.After the war, he worked as a composer and orchestrator for 20th Century-Fox studios on dozens of movies, including another Monroe classic, "Gentlemen Prefer Blondes."In the 1950s, he and Herbert Spencer formed an orchestra partnership that also wrote music for television, including scoring the Danny Thomas hit "Make Room for Daddy."Later, he worked as musical director for producer Sheldon Leonard, sometimes working on as many of five shows a week.One of his more notable TV scoring efforts was for the 1960s adventure series "I Spy," starring Bill Cosby and Robert Culp.Because the show used exotic locations worldwide, Hagen often included ethnic touches in the incidental music, among them hiring Greek musicians to play for some episodes that took place in Greece. On other locations, he collected ethnic music to mix with Western music back in Hollywood.After retiring from TV work in 1986, Hagen taught a workshop in film and television scoring.He also wrote three books on scoring, including 1971's "Scoring for Films," one of the earliest textbooks on the subject. His 2002 autobiography was titled "Memoirs of a Famous Composer - Nobody Ever Heard Of."Besides his wife, Hagen is survived by his sons, Deane and James, both of Palm Desert; stepchildren Rebecca Roberts, of Irvine, Richard Roberts of Los Angeles and Rachael Roberts of Irvine; and four grandchildren. His first wife, Elouise Hagen, died in 2002 following 59 years of marriage.

Underwood’s Single and Loving It
Waits Punks Fans in Tour Announcement

Underwood's Single and Loving It

(May 27) -- Guys, you may want to put those love letters to Carrie Underwood in a safe place for about a year.The 'Idol' champ turned country star tells Fox News' Pop Tarts column that while a boyfriend sounds great, she just wants to "be on the road and focus just on" herself.
Underwood, who has recently been linked to Dallas Cowboys QB (and current Jessica Simpson squeeze) Tony Romo as well as 'Gossip Girl' hunk Chace Crawford, seems to jab her exes a bit, saying: "If I found something worth finding by now I would have made time for it, but right now I'm so busy I don't need a boyfriend."While in the frisky mood, Underwood also fired a shot at the Academy of Country Music Awards show last week, in which she won three awards. But it's the big award, Entertainer of the Year, that had her angry, as she wasn't even nominated."I know several amazing female artists who should have won that award over the years and weren't even nominated," she said. "As a woman you do have to work much harder than the men. Plus we have to do it in heels and all," she added.Underwood's Hits

'Last Name''Before He Cheats'

Kanye Rips ‘Miserable’ Magazine Writer

Monday, May 26, 2008

More Marriage Trouble for Madonna?

(May 26) - The state of Madonna and Guy Ritchie's relationship has been fodder for the gossip pages for several months. But now, reports are heating up over their allegedly troubled marriage.
According to British paper the Daily Mail, the pair have been spending the majority of their time in Cannes away from one another. And when they were together, Ritchie looked like he was being "paraded at yet another high-octane celebrity party for the benefit of marital solidarity."Gossip blogger Perez Hilton even comments on photos of Madonna and Ritchie at the film festival, asking them to "try and look happy."Previously, her decision to have Nathan Rissman, the family's gardener and "manny," direct her documentary about Malawi, 'I Am Because We Are,' was supposed to have been a blow to Ritchie's ego. That injury is said to have been compounded by her insistence that their trip to Cannes be exclusively about her film work."Guy wanted to talk about his film on the red carpet but Madonna told him this was about her movie," said one observer. "She made it clear to Guy that this event was about her and his nose was put out of joint."

Madonna Doing Massive Summer Tour
Lindsay, Samantha Get Close in Cannes

Yale Gives McCartney Honorary Degree

NEW HAVEN, Conn. (May 26) - Paul McCartney can now add one more honor to the numerous awards, accolades and the knighthood he has already received. The ex-Beatle on Monday was awarded an honorary Doctor of Music degree from Yale University.
In granting the honorary degree to McCartney - Sir Paul McCartney since he was knighted in 1996 - the university said no one compares with the legendary songwriter.Yale said the 65-year-old McCartney awakened a generation, giving a fresh sound to rock, roll, rhythm and blues.Yale also conferred honorary degrees on former U.S. Trade Representative Carla Hills, astronomer Martin Rees, architect Cesar Pelli, poet John Lawrence Ashbery and others.

Aerosmith’s Tyler in Sobriety Setback?

Sunday, May 25, 2008

Russia Wins 2008 Eurovision Song Title

BELGRADE, Serbia (May 25) - Dima Bilan has brought Russia its first Eurovision song title with a glitzy performance that included a famous ice skater.Bilan beat Ukraine's Ani Lorak and Greece's Kalomira with an R&B ballad "Believe" before thousands of flag-waving fans of Europe's most glamorous pop song festival.
The Russian singer was joined on the stage by Hungarian violinist Edvin Marton and famous Russian Olympic skater Yevgeny Plyushchenko, who pirouetted on artificial ice to the tune.Bilan has won the first-ever title for Russia in the competition, which has recently been dominated by Eastern European countries because of so-called bloc-voting among ex-Soviet republics and former Yugoslav states.This year's competition was held in Belgrade, Serbia. Serbia's songstress Marija Serifovic won last year's title with her ballad "Molitva" or "Prayer."Bilan's appearance at the finals, which opened late Saturday at the Belgrade Arena hall, was his second in just two years. In 2006, he won second place.Bilan had been tipped as the favorite going in, along with Ukraine and Sweden.This Week in Pop Culture History 9.30This Week in Pop Culture History 9.30

This Week in Pop Culture History 9.30

Nov. 11, 1984: Diminutive TV star Gary Coleman undergoes his second kidney transplant in an effort to combat his nephritis, the disease that stunts his growth.(WireImage)

This Week in Pop Culture History 9.30

Nov. 8, 1965: Viewers are introduced to the Horton family of Salem in the debut episode of 'Days of our Lives.' (NBC Photo)

This Week in Pop Culture History 9.30

Nov. 5, 1930: 'All Quiet on the Western Front' wins Best Picture and earns Lewis Milestone the prize for Best Director at the fourth annual Academy Awards.

The Russian won 272 points from viewers from 43 countries who picked the winner by phone calls and text messages.Ukraine's Lorak was second with 230 points, followed by Greece's Kalomira with 218.The glitzy event was launched by Serifovic. Other guest stars include Bosnian ethno musician Goran Bregovic and Serbia's and L.A. Lakers' former NBA star, Vlade Divac.Though criticized by many as a show of kitsch and an extravaganza, the Eurovision Song Contest, or Eurosong, is revered by its many followers. They often travel across the continent to support their favorite singers.About 15,000 guests are believed to have arrived in Belgrade for the event, crowding the Serbian capital for the first time in years.Serbia is taking advantage of the opportunity to present itself as part of Europe after years of pariah status in the 1990s under the late strongman Slobodan Milosevic.Authorities have gone out of their way to throw a perfectly organized party. During the finals, a huge screen was put up in front of the Belgrade City Hall as thousands flocked to watch the show.After the winner was announced, fireworks lit the Belgrade skies.The finale included 20 contestants who made it through the two semifinals earlier this week. In addition, performers from Britain, France, Germany and Spain, who are the biggest sponsors of the event, and Serbia, the host country, went straight into the final without having competed in preliminary rounds.Serbia was represented by Jelena Tomasevic, who finished sixth.

Miley Cyrus Accused of Song Stealing
Lindsay, Samantha Get Close in Cannes

Wilson Vows to Get into 'Playboy Shape'

(May 24) - Carnie Wilson's battle of the bulge has been well documented over the years. Now the singer and former TV host is determined to have her revenge on those who mock her current weight."Keep watching me, I have already lost 15 pounds and I have 35 to go! I will be back in Playboy shape in no time. Just watch me!," Wilson told MomLogic.
Wilson has already taped a segment for 'The Tyra Banks Show,' due to air June 9, in which she discusses here weight issues with the former supermodel. Banks, too, has been subject to mockery from some corners of the Internet for her own struggles with her weight.Wilson told Banks she wants to set a good example for her daughter."Judge Carnie for her actions, her courageous actions, rather than the size of her hiney," said Wilson.

Hef Wants Miley Cyrus for Playboy
The Simpson-Wentz Wedding Watch

Saturday, May 24, 2008

Aguilera Talks New Bra Size After Baby

(May 23) - Christina Aguilera graces the cover of Us Weekly and reveals the ups and downs of baby weight loss.Aguilera, who gave birth to son Max with husband Jordan Bratman in January, has lost 40 lbs in the past four months.
But the 'Ain't No Other Man' singer has gained a little something too, specifically a few sizes in her bra."It's kind of hilarious! I've never fit into an E-cup before. I look at my husband and go, 'Guess what size this bra is?' And when I tell him, he's just amazed. We keep the tags that prove it, to look back for memory's sake," she tells the magazine.

Britney Owes Sis Jamie Lynn a Baby Gift

Lindsay, Samantha Get Close in Cannes

(May 24) - The rumors about Lindsay Lohan and her relationship with Samantha Ronson are at fever pitch once again, after photographers caught the pair on Sean "Diddy" Comb's yacht Thursday during a party in Cannes.
According to PEOPLE magazine, "The pair stuck together all night, holding hands and being affectionate."Others were much more blunt in their assessment of the pair's behavior from, with sites like The Daily Mail and I Don't Like You That Way invoking the "L" word.The singer-actress and the DJ have been close for some time now. Their friendship first drew serious scrutiny last Memorial Day weekend when Lohan drove her car into a tree and was charged with suspicion of DUI. Two days later, paparazzi found her passed out in the passenger seat of a car being driven by Ronson. The following day Lohan checked into rehab for the second time in 2007.Just last week, during an interview with Extra to promote her new reality show, 'Living Lohan,' little sister Ali Lohan found herself addressing the rumors."They're best friends. They're just friends. It's pathetic what people say."Lindsay Lohan Snapshots

NEW YORK - APRIL 19: (EXCLUSIVE ACCESS) Actress Lindsay Lohan poses for photos at The Samantha Ronson Spins At the Hawaiian Tropic Zone on April 19, 2008 in New York City. (Photo by Astrid Stawiarz/Getty Images)

Getty Images

NEW YORK - APRIL 19: (EXCLUSIVE ACCESS) Actress Lindsay Lohan poses for photos at the Samantha Ronson Spins at the Hawaiian Tropic Zone on April 19, 2008 in New York City. (Photo by Astrid Stawiarz/Getty Images)

Getty Images

**FILE** Lindsay Lohan poses as she arrives at the 2007/8 Chanel Cruise Show presented by Karl Lagerfeld, in this May 18, 2007, file photo in Santa Monica, Calif. David Kim, a man who says he worked as a bodyguard for Lohan, filed a lawsuit Monday April 7, 2008, against the actress and her company, claiming he is owed more than $55,000 in unpaid wages. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill, file)

WEST HOLLYWOOD, CA - MARCH 04: Actress Lindsay Lohan poses during the Paper Magazine "March Issue" luncheon held at the Sunset Marquis Hotel & Villas on March 4, 2008 in West Hollywood, California. (Photo by Michael Buckner/Getty Images)

Getty Images

BEVERLY HILLS, CA - FEBRUARY 13: Actor Lindsay Lohan attends the Fendi celebration of the redesign of its Rodeo Drive flagship store at the Fendi store on February 13, 2008 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Stephen Shugerman/Getty Images)

Getty Images

Is Lindsay Too Close to Nicole’s Man?
Stern Laughs Off Talk of Dolly Lawsuit

Friday, May 23, 2008

Daughter of Christian Music Star Killed

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (May 22) - The 5-year-old daughter of Grammy-winning Christian music star Steven Curtis Chapman was struck and killed Wednesday by a sport utility vehicle driven by her brother, authorities said.The girl, Maria Sue, was hit in the driveway of the family's home Wednesday afternoon by a Toyota Land Cruiser driven by her teenage brother, said Laura McPherson, a spokeswoman for the Tennessee Highway Patrol.
The brother, whose name and exact age weren't available, apparently did not see the girl, McPherson said. No charges are expected."It looks like a tragic accident," she said.Several family members witnessed the accident, which happened in Williamson County just south of Nashville. The girl died later at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville, hospital spokeswoman Laurie Holloway said.In a statement, Velvet Kelm, a publicist for Chapman, said Maria was the Chapmans' youngest daughter.Chapman, who is originally from Paducah, Ky., and his wife have promoted international adoption and have three daughters from China, including Maria. They also have three biological children.The singer's Web site says the couple was persuaded by their oldest daughter to adopt a girl from China. The experience led the family to adopt two more children and create Shaohannah's Hope, a foundation and ministry to financially assist thousands of couples in adoption.The Chapmans did missionary work at Chinese orphanages in 2006 and 2007, according to the Web site."After our first trip to China, my wife and I knew our lives were changing - our eyes and hearts were opening to how big God really is, and we have wanted to experience more of that," Chapman says on the Web site."We've really wondered whether or not we should just go to China and stay there. But I don't think so. I believe God is saying, 'I want you to go, get your heart broken, your eyes opened, and then take this story back to the church in America and around the world."'The 45-year-old singer also has released a book about being a father titled "Cinderella: The Love of Daddy and his Princess." He has won five Grammy awards and 54 Dove awards from the Gospel Music Association, according to Kelm.

Hunt Is On for Canadian Miley, Eh
Carrie Underwood Joins Grand Ole Opry

Aerosmith's Tyler in Sobriety Setback?

LOS ANGELES (May 22) - Aerosmith singer Steven Tyler, a poster boy for rock 'n' roll decadence in the 1970s, has entered a Los Angeles rehab facility after two decades as a passionate advocate of sobriety, according to an report.Photo Gallery

Aerosmith's Tyler in Sobriety Setback?

Frederick M. Brown, Getty ImagesCelebRehab1 of 19

Aerosmith rocker Steven Tyler, seen on May 9 at a benefit concert, has checked himself into a rehab clinic in Pasadena, Calif. -- the same facility where VH1's 'Celebrity Rehab' took place, TMZ reports.

The Web site TMZ.com reported on Wednesday the 60-year-old rocker sought treatment for an unspecified substance abuse problem at Aurora Las Encinas Hospital. The Pasadena clinic's physicians include high-profile addiction medicine specialist Drew Pinsky.A publicist for Aerosmith said she did not know about the report.Earlier this month, Tyler performed at a concert in Hollywood to raise money for a charity that helps addicts in the music industry. He has long drawn on his own death-defying experiences to counsel people dealing with the disease.Tyler and his bandmates raised the bar for rock 'n' roll excess during the '70s -- an era not known for its self-restraint -- while they rocked the charts with such songs as "Walk this Way" and "Back in the Saddle." He and guitarist Joe Perry, the band's creative forces, were dubbed the "Toxic Twins."After self-destructing by the end of the decade, and enduring a few years in the wilderness, the band slowly launched a hugely successful comeback, with a carefully structured drug-free environment in place.

Cyrus Mum on Photos at Disney Concert

Thursday, May 22, 2008

Boy Band Guru Gets 25 Years in Prison

ORLANDO, Fla. (May 21) - The man who created the Backstreet Boys and 'N Sync has been sentenced to 25 years in prison on four federal charges.But Judge G. Kendall Sharp in Orlando, Florida, said Wednesday he would reduce the sentence by one month for every $1 million that Lou Pearlman returned to the investors he stole from.
Pearlman pleaded guilty in March to two counts of conspiracy, money laundering and using false statements in a bankruptcy proceeding.He is most famous for creating "boy bands" that sold millions of records. But prosecutors alleged he bilked thousands of people out of millions of dollars in a decades-long investment scam.

John Rutsey, Rush’s First Drummer, Dies
SOAD Duo in ‘Final Stages’ of Side Album

Witnesses ID Alleged R. Kelly Victim

CHICAGO (May 22) - Prosecutors trying to prove that a woman appeared in a sex tape with R. Kelly when she was underage - over her protestations that she didn't - have turned to one of her childhood friends, the friend's father and two relatives.
The R&B superstar is accused in the child pornography trial of videotaping himself having sex with a girl who may have been as young as 13. His attorneys have said Kelly is not on the tape and the alleged victim, now 23, denies she's the person in the video.To try to make their case, prosecutors put Simha Jamison, 24, on the stand Wednesday. She said she and the alleged victim were best friends for about 10 years, until their junior year in high school, and that she recognizes her friend as the one in the tape.When prosecutors asked Jamison if she recognized the man in the tape, she leaned forward in the witness stand, peeked around the corner of the judge's bench and identified Kelly.She testified that she and her friend visited Kelly at his recording studio and at a Chicago basketball court dozens of times, starting when they were around the age of 12.Her friend first introduced her to Kelly as "her godfather," Jamison said, adding that the singer frequently gave her friend cash gifts - "no less than $100 and no more than $500."She said the two also visited the home where authorities say the sex tape was filmed between Jan. 1, 1998, and Nov. 1, 2000. Jamison said her friend never mentioned a sexual relationship with the star.Defense attorney Sam Adam Jr. said the reason the alleged victim never told the witness she was having a sexual relationship with Kelly was because there wasn't one and "because it's not her on the tape.""Are you asking or telling me?" Jamison shot back.Adam also showed pictures of a shirtless Kelly and asked Jamison how she knew it was his body on the video. "His head was attached to it," she responded, drawing laughter from several jurors.During the cross-examination, the defense revealed another of its strategies may be to suggest Kelly's image was computer-generated."Something could have been done to put a different head on that body," Adam said. He also referred to movies where characters had been digitally altered.The singer, who appeared grim-faced Tuesday when the sex tape was shown to jurors, looked more relaxed during testimony Wednesday, listening carefully to the witnesses. Jurors also appeared more at ease, taking detailed notes during some five hours of testimony. The 41-year-old Kelly, who has pleaded not guilty, faces up to 15 years if convicted.An aunt and an uncle of the alleged victim also identified the female on the tape as their niece on Wednesday. Jamison's father, Peter Thomas, testified that the alleged victim's involvement in the video was the talk of their neighborhood.The most highly charged cross-examination came after the aunt of the alleged victim - and a Chicago police officer - described how she and other relatives viewed and discussed the tape in late 2001, several weeks before someone mailed the tape to the Chicago Sun-Times, which turned it over to authorities.Adam repeatedly asked the aunt, Delores Gibbon, why she didn't immediately go to authorities with the tape if she suspected it was child pornography. Gibbon said she was torn between her job and concern for the alleged victim and her parent.At one point, Adam pounded his fist, saying the aunt didn't go to authorities because someone in the family wanted to "get back at Mr. Kelly" for a business dispute and hoped to "extort Kelly" in a possible civil lawsuit.The aunt said she didn't know anything about an alleged extortion plot.R. Kelly won a Grammy in 1997 for the gospel-tinged "I Believe I Can Fly," and also is known for such songs as "Bump N' Grind," "Ignition," and "Trapped in the Closet," a multipart saga about the sexual secrets of a lively and ever-expanding cast of characters.

R. Kelly Jurors See Graphic Sex Tape
New Claims Could Hurt R. Kelly Defense

Wednesday, May 21, 2008

Miley Hopes to 'Breakout' With Album

NEW YORK (May 20) - "Hannah Montana" star Miley Cyrus will release the first full-length album under her own name on July 22.
"Breakout" (Disney's Hollywood Records) comes on the heels of two albums tied to her title role as the moonlighting rock star in the smash Disney Channel series: "Hannah Montana/Miley Cyrus: The Best of Both Worlds Concert" is currently at No. 33 on the Billboard 200, and former chart-topper "Hannah Montana 2 (Soundtrack)/Meet Miley Cyrus" at No. 65.The first single from the new album, "7 Things," was one of the most added at U.S. top 40 radio outlets last week; it is also enjoying some airplay at adult top 40 stations.Cyrus, 15, is credited as a co-writer on the track, in which she takes aim at a hurtful ex who won't provide a "sincere apology." "And when you mean it, I'll believe it / If you text it, I'll delete it," Cyrus sings.It was not known if Annie Leibovitz would shoot the album's cover photo. The celebrity photographer's portrait of a bare-backed Cyrus for the latest issue of Vanity Fair upset Cyrus and stirred a brouhaha about the sexualization of young girls.

Cyrus Mum on Photos at Disney Concert
Miley Cyrus Thankful for Fan Support

Nas Drops N-Word From Album Title

NEW YORK (May 21) - Rapper Nas has ditched his controversial plan to call his new album "N+gger.""It's important to me that this album gets to the fans," Nas said in a statement, referring to likely problems promoting and distributing the album.
"The people will always know what the real title of this album is and what to call it."The untitled project will be released July 1 via Def Jam.Last year, Nas announced the original title in response to the stir caused by former CBS radio host Don Imus' comments toward the Rutgers women's basketball team. But he recently told MTV that he was being pressured to change the title.His last album, 2006's "Hip-Hop Is Dead," has sold 757,000 copies in the U.S., according to Nielsen SoundScan.

Scarlett Seduces in First Live Performance

Tuesday, May 20, 2008

R. Kelly Jurors See Graphic Sex Tape

CHICAGO (May 20) - Prosecutors played the sex tape at the center of R. Kelly's child pornography trial in open court Tuesday, just hours after opening statements in which they accused the R&B singer of choreographing and starring in the footage with an underage girl.
The jurors, who had been taking feverish notes during opening statements, sat motionless while the video played. Their eyes were fixed on a 4-by-4-foot monitor just outside the jurors' box; in the courtroom, the lights were dimmed and blinds drawn across windows.A grim-looking Kelly, 41, appeared to watch the entire footage intently on a small monitor on the defense table. He occasionally rocked in his chair and rested his chin in his hand.Before playing the tape, the prosecution entered it into the record as "People's Exhibit No. 1. "The 27-minute homemade video shows a man having sex with a young female, who is naked for most of the recording except for a necklace with a cross dangling from it.At the start of the videotape, the man hands the female money and she mouths the words, "Thank you." She is often blank-faced, impassive. The man speaks to the female in a hushed, monotone voice, and she calls him "Daddy."Songs from the Spice Girls and Backstreet Boys blare from a radio. The female dances - the man out of view. Back in view, he has sex with her. The man walks up to the camera to adjust it a few times, but his face is often obscured.Prosecutors say the man in the video is Kelly, and that the female is a girl who was as young as 13 when the tape was made between Jan. 1, 1998, and Nov. 1, 2000.The singer, who has pleaded not guilty, faces up to 15 years if convicted.During opening statements in the long-delayed trial, Cook County prosecutor Shauna Boliker warned jurors they would have to watch a videotape depicting an "underage child performing sex acts that you have never seen before.""A child doesn't choose to be violated and placed on a videotape, a videotape that will live on forever - long after this child becomes an adult," Boliker said.Defense attorneys, however, told jurors in their opening statements that Kelly is not the man on the tape and called the video's origins into question. The defense also told jurors that the girl who authorities allege is depicted on the tape is not her at all.That's a claim that's also been made by the 23-year-old woman prosecutors say was a minor at the time of the taping. She denies she's the girl on the video.The trial has been delayed repeatedly since the tape was mailed to the Chicago Sun-Times in 2002. The newspaper turned it over to authorities, and Kelly was indicted later that year.Boliker repeatedly referred to the female depicted in the tape as a "child" and Kelly by his birth name of Robert Kelly. She alleged that the singer took advantage of the inherent trust children place in adults, and that the female on the tape performed acts that Kelly "commanded" her to perform.The videotape, she said, is "child pornography that was created, staged, produced and starred in by the defendant that sits before you, Robert Kelly."Boliker told jurors the state will not be calling the alleged victim to the stand. She did not explain why - an issue defense attorney Sam Adam Jr. was quick to exploit in his opening statements, asking jurors why prosecutors wouldn't call her as a witness."One answer," he said. "One: It's not her on that tape."Adam also tried to raise questions about the tape itself, saying no one knows where it originated before it showed up at the Sun-Times. The videotape in evidence, he said, is "at best a copy of a copy of a copy" and that Kelly is not the man on the tape."Not a single witness can tell you that is him on the tape," Adam said. He also said the FBI could not identify the man on the tape as Kelly.Adam did make it clear what he wanted jurors doing when they watched videotape: Looking for a mole on the man's back.Kelly has a "significant" mole in the middle of his lower back that has been there since childhood, Adam said, even displaying a photo of Kelly's back and the dime-sized mole on courtroom monitors.Adam said jurors wouldn't find the mole on the back of the man in the videotape."There is no mole on his back," Adam said. "Robert isn't that man on the tape."Adam also told jurors the female that prosecutors claim is depicted on the video "is not a victim because she is not the girl on that tape." Instead, he suggested the woman in the video is a "professional prostitute" because the man in the video is seen handing her money.Kelly won a Grammy in 1997 for the gospel-tinged "I Believe I Can Fly," and is also known for such songs as "Bump N' Grind," "Ignition," and "Trapped in the Closet," a multipart saga about the sexual secrets of a lively and ever-expanding cast of characters.Also Tuesday, jurors heard from retired Chicago police investigator Dan Everett, who said he and his partner were sent to the Sun-Times building in February 2002 after a reporter received a VHS videotape the newspaper wanted to turn over to police.Everett told jurors what he and his partner witnessed on the sex tape, but he also testified that he knew the female depicted in it was an underage girl because he had interviewed her as part of an earlier investigation.At that point, Cook County Judge Vincent Gaughan called a sidebar outside the jury's presence and threatened to declare a mistrial because Everett had been instructed not to use the word "investigation."Everett did not say what the previous investigation involved.Gaughan scolded Everett, saying he'd made an egregious mistake that violated the judge's court order and said he would declare a mistrial if the word was used again in reference to the earlier interview.Everett told the jury when it returned that he had interviewed the young female on Dec. 5, 2000, 14 months before he began investigating the videotape.Jury selection finished last week with prosecutors and defense attorneys accusing each other of trying to stack the panel along racial lines. Eight of the seated jurors were white and four were black, and that remained the jury's racial makeup after a white female juror was replaced Tuesday morning by one of four alternates, a white male.Associated Press Writer Don Babwin in Chicago contributed to this report.

New Claims Could Hurt R. Kelly Defense

Stewart, Law Caught in Steamy Pics

(May 20) -- We're not psychics, but it's a pretty safe bet that Rod Stewart isn't going to be too happy about the new photos of his daughter with Jude Law.In the steamy pictures published by The Sun, the 28-year-old Stewart and Law were caught "snogging" in a club's VIP section. The paper also has the photos to prove it, showing the two locking lips with Kim's hand in a less-than-PG location.
"They were really going at it and barely came up for air," a Sun source said of the couple.Law has quite the reputation when it comes to women. His relationship with actres Sienna Miller famously crumbled in 2006 when it was revealed that he had an affair with their nanny. As for Stewart, she has had on-and-off relationships with Lindsay Lohan's ex Calum Best, as well as Kings of Leon rocker Caleb Followill.Photo Gallery

Stewart, Law Caught in Steamy Pics

Ron Turenne, Getty ImagesHappy Hollywood Couples1 of 32

Jessica Alba and Cash Warren
Married: May 19, 2008 2007
Fun Fact: The couple is expecting their first child in late spring or early summer.

Miley Cyrus Accused of Song Stealing
Miami Heat Is On for Aniston and Mayer

Monday, May 19, 2008

Stern Laughs Off Talk of Dolly Lawsuit

(May 19) - Howard Stern returned to the air for the first time since Dolly Parton expressed outrage over a vulgar bit that aired on his radio show last week. If he'd lost any sleep over her threats of a lawsuit, he wasn't showing it."It's an absurd bit," said Stern about an audiobook spoof in which Stern staffers took soundbytes of Parton reading her biography and reassembled them to make her sound like she was making racist and sexual statements. "It's obviously parody and it's funny as hell."
Parton didn't appear to think it was that funny when she issued an apology to her fans for the Stern bit last week."I have never been so shocked, hurt and humiliated in all my life," Parton said in a statement. "I cannot believe what Howard Stern has done to me. In a blue million years, I would never have such vulgar things come out of my mouth. They have done editing or some sort of trickery to make this horrible, horrible thing. Please accept my apology for them and certainly know I had nothing to do with this."She concluded: "If there was ever going to be a lawsuit, it's going to be over this. Just wanted you to know that I am completely devastated by this." Not Offended Easily?Hear The Super-Explicit Bit at DefamerIn an AOL Entertainment News poll that ran last week, 85 percent of the 302,000 voters agreed that Parton should go after Stern with a lawsuit. But the radio host won't get scared if she files papers against him. "I can't even imagine someone thinking they have an actionable case, but bring it on," said Stern.Stern says he has nothing but respect for the country singer. "I like the woman. I don't have any malice towards her. But I am sure she didn't hear this. If she did, you would go 'It's patently absurd.""She's had this long career and I always thought she was kinda hot," says Stern. "She's a doll. I'm even complemented that I would be on her radar and that she knew my name."Stern says that other stars, like recent guest William Shatner, have not had problems with the mock audiobooks that Stern's show is notorious for. "Shatner was was on the other morning laughing at his," he said of an altered clip of Shatner reading his memoir which brought together DeForest Kelly, George Takei, Nichelle Nichols and Gene Roddenberry in a bizarre sexual scenario."We'd have her on the show anytime," said Stern in what sounded like more of an off-the-cuff idea than a legitimate invitation. "Then we could play her those bits and I think she would laugh."Hello, Dolly!

NEW YORK - MAY 01: Dolly Parton performs at Radio City Music Hall May 1, 2008 in New York City. (Photo by Matt Carr/Getty Images)

Getty Images

NEW YORK - MAY 01: Dolly Parton performs at Radio City Music Hall May 1, 2008 in New York City. (Photo by Matt Carr/Getty Images)

Getty Images

NEW YORK - MAY 01: Dolly Parton performs at Radio City Music Hall May 1, 2008 in New York City. (Photo by Matt Carr/Getty Images)

Getty Images

ROTHERHAM, UNITED KINGDOM - DECEMBER 05: Country and western superstar singer Dolly Parton entertains the audience at the Magna Science And Adventure Park on December 5, 2007 in Rotherham, South Yorkshire, England. Dolly Parton honoured the former steelworks town to be the first European location to participate in her 'Imagination Library' literacy scheme. The charitable programme, which she launched in her hometown of Sevierville, Tennessee in 1996, encourages young children to discover the joys of reading, with every participating pre-school age child being sent a free book every month. (Photo by Christopher Furlong/Getty Images)

Getty Images

Parton ‘Shocked’ at Raunchy Stern Bit
Foreclosure on Jackson’s Ranch Averted

Simpson, Romo Smooching or Fighting?

(May 19) -- What happened between Jessica Simpson and Tony Romo at sister Ashlee's wedding is becoming a tale of two gossip sites, as both PEOPLE and E! are reporting entirely different scenarios.According to a PEOPLE insider, the songstress and Dallas Cowboys quarterback were "kissing and holding hands throughout" the weekend wedding. The source added that the two were "very cozy and cute together," and not in any sort of spat.
But just as it seems that love was in the air yet again, E Online reports that Simpson and Romo "barely interacted the entire night, except for some dancing at the end."Depending on who you believe, the disparity in coverage could make true Perez Hilton's assumption that Papa Joe Simpson was the PEOPLE source, and would obviously provide biased intelligence.Prior to the wedding, various reports swirled that "Papa" Joe Simpson had been calling Romo and pleading with him to come to the wedding, so Jessica would not have to attend solo. The couple's split had been widely speculated in the prior weeks.Throughout it all, Simpson's rep called the rumors "not true."Photo Gallery

Simpson, Romo Smooching or Fighting?

Chris Weeks, WireImage.comPapa Joe's
Family Business1 of 12

"Papa" Joe Simpson's reputation as an ethically questionable manager-parent continues to get worse, as a new report says he's shopping photos of newly-pregnant Ashlee around to various media outlets.

According to a Chicago-Sun Times report, one major factor that caused Romo to reportedly split with Simpson was her father. The paper, quoting a friend of Romo, said the NFL star was upset with Papa Joe "not only telling Jessica every move to make, but now has begun to offer unsolicited advice to Tony on his career, endorsement opportunities and things that have nothing to do with him dating Jessica."Joe Simpson has a notorious reputation for meddling in the careers and personal lives of his daughters.

Have Simpson and Romo Split Up?
The Simpson-Wentz Wedding Watch

Chesney Wins, Then Bashes ACM Awards

LAS VEGAS (May 19) - Kenny Chesney won entertainer of the year for the fourth straight time at the the 43rd Annual Academy of Country Music Awards Sunday -- but said backstage that organizers had devalued the top prize by making it a "sweepstakes" up for vote on the Internet.
Carrie Underwood was named top female vocalist for the second year in a row and 18-year-old Taylor Swift, country music's hottest young star, snagged her first award and stole the show at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas with a wardrobe-changing, water-drenched performance.This year marked the first that the academy let fans choose the top entertainer award -- reflecting the "American Idol" era of entertainment -- and Chesney took issue with that move."I don't think it's right that they picked the one award that means the most, that all artists sacrificed the most for, and turned it into ... a sweepstakes, to seeing who can push people's buttons the hardest on the Internet," Chesney said."It's a complete disrespect of the artists. I think because of that it really diminishes the integrity of the work."Chesney, whose fourth win in the top category tied him with best-selling country artist Garth Brooks, was careful to say he wasn't criticizing fans and was appreciative of the academy, even if he took issue with the Web vote."It's not tainted in any way and and I'm proud to say I'm going down in the history books with Garth Brooks but you've got to admit, it's a different award," he said.Underwood, an "American Idol" winner who has become one of country music's best-selling artists, opened the show with her latest single, "Last Name," and later joined top male vocalist winner Brad Paisley in a tribute to legend Eddy Arnold.Former "Idol" contestant Kellie Pickler, who has also been embraced by the country music world but lost the best new female vocalist award to Swift, sang her new single, "Don't You Know You're Beautiful."Swift, who at the tender age of 18 has already sold more than 3 million copies of her debut album and been pegged as country music's next breakout star, thanked her mother during a brief but emotional acceptance speech.Swift also delivered what may become the night's best-remembered performance, starting a rousing version of her hit "Should've Said No" in hooded sweatshirt and jeans that were torn away in mid-song to reveal a slinky black dress.Swift ended the song with water pouring on her from above that left her soaked and shivering onstage.The night also featured a special Crystal Milestone Award to Brooks as the "best-selling solo artist of all time" and his raucous medley of hits drew a standing ovation.Brooks, who is married to country crooner Trisha Yearwood, mistakenly referred to host Reba McEntire as "Miss Yearwood" during his acceptance speech"I butchered it and had a great time doing it," Brooks said backstage. "I called Ms. McEntire my wife. I screwed it up and had a great time doing it."

Carrie Underwood Joins Grand Ole Opry

Sunday, May 18, 2008

The Simpson-Wentz Wedding Watch

LOS ANGELES (May 18) -- Don't be surprised to find Ashlee Simpson and Pete Wentz grinning like Cheshire cats -- they're newlyweds.The pop-star little sis of Jessica Simpson and the Fall Out Boy bassist tied the knot Saturday night at her parents' Los Angeles-area home with an "Alice in Wonderland" theme, according to People magazine.
Simpson, 23, and Wentz, 28, exchanged vows at the property in Encino, a bedroom community in the San Fernando Valley. Joe Simpson, her father, performed the non-denominational ceremony and sister Jessica was the maid of honor, the magazine said.People also reported Saturday that the couple is expecting a child together, which both Simpson and Wentz have long denied.Rumors began to fly midweek that the wedding was on, and things got curiouser from there.A flurry of arrangements on Saturday afternoon just outside the guarded gates of the Simpson's property indicated that the pop singer's wedding to Wentz was imminent. White shuttle vans with deeply tinted windows were streaming through the gates, as were several delivery vehicles.Drivers of a few expensive cars who arrived at the guard tower were told to park elsewhere and take a shuttle. One was a well-dressed woman who arrived in an Audi packed with red boxes.Photo Gallery: Happy Hollywood Couples

The Simpson-Wentz Wedding Watch

Getty Images

Lance Armstrong and Kate Hudson
Dating?
Fun Fact: They were spotted all over Austin this past weekend.

1 of 37And of course, the paparazzi had been gathering before 3 p.m., lingering outside the property. Aerial photos posted online Friday on several celebrity Web sites appeared to show an outcropping of large white party tents.Simpson and Wentz began dating in fall 2006 and announced their engagement April 9.Ashlee Simpson's latest album, "Bittersweet World," was released last month. It peaked at No. 4 on the Billboard 200 in its first week, and tracks have logged more than 19 million plays on her MySpace page.Associated Press videographer John Mone and AP writer Sandy Cohen contributed to this report.

Have Simpson and Romo Split Up?

Saturday, May 17, 2008

Rapper DMX Enters Not Guilty Plea

PHOENIX (May 15) - DMX has pleaded not guilty to felony drug possession and misdemeanor animal cruelty charges.A judge entered the plea for the musician-actor (real name: Earl Simmons) at a brief court hearing Thursday. Simmons was late for court.
The 37-year-old rapper was indicted last week on 11 counts, including felony marijuana and paraphernalia possession and seven counts of misdemeanor animal cruelty.The charges stem from an August raid by authorities investigating if he was neglecting 12 pit bulls at his Phoenix home. Some were dehydrated and appeared to be underfed. Three were found buried in his back yard.The rapper has had previous run-ins with the law. In June 2006, Scottsdale police cited him for carrying a concealed handgun outside a nightclub. He also served 70 days in jail in 2005 for violating his parole following a 2004 incident in which he posed as an undercover federal agent and crashed his sport utility vehicle through a security gate at Kennedy International Airport.DMX recorded the 1999 hit single "Party Up (Up in Here)." His last album, "Year of the Dog ... Again," was released last year.

DMX Arrested on Animal Cruelty Charges

Scarlett Seduces in First Live Performance

NEW YORK (May 16) - While many of her Hollywood peers mine the fields of pop and dance music, actress Scarlett Johansson decided to do something a bit different for her first crack at the record industry. The actress is releasing a set comprised almost entirely of Tom Waits covers and for the first time has emerged to perform several of those tracks live. Watch @ AOL Music Sessions
The husky voiced actress is promoting her first album, "Anywhere I Lay My Head," made up almost entirely of songs by cult hero Waits. She considers the project a labor of love and isn't entirely sure how or if her celebrity status will affect the album's popularity."I hope people enjoy the music, but it's not like we made an album of pop hits that are gonna hit the charts and go off the charts and sell platinum records and stuff like that," she told AOL Music. "It's an album that we made for our own lifestyle that we thought was a cool project, and maybe perhaps more people will be aware of it because they know my name from films.But whether that harms or enhances the success of the album -- it's all fair game, really."Listen to Waits' Original

Johansson, whose films include "Lost in Translation" and "The Nanny Diaries," said the idea of a Tom Waits cover album came about after a song she recorded for a benefit CD impressed the record label."I hadn't really thought about it before, I mean I always loved musical theater when I was a kid -- it was how I started acting, doing a lot of vocal lessons when I was little," she said. "But I certainly never thought about doing an entire album">>WATCH SCARLETT PERFORM & READ THE FULL INTERVIEWReviews for "Anywhere" have been mixed. Rolling Stone gave it two and a half stars, calling the actress a "faintly goth Marilyn Monroe lost in a sonic fog." NME, however, dubbed it "completely brilliant" and believes it will "no doubt top some 'best of 2008' lists."The album, on Atco Records, hits stores May 20.Victoria's Secret Fashion Show

Waits Punks Fans in Tour Announcement
Metallica Play Club Show, Eye Fall Tour

Friday, May 16, 2008

Miley Cyrus Accused of Song Stealing

(May 16) -- Things just aren't going in Miley Cyrus' favor lately.After the racy leaked Internet pictures and the Annie Leibovitz photo scandal, now the teen pop queen is being accused of stealing a song, Page Six reports. Rock band Lustra claims that Miley's song "Rockstar" sounds way too close to their tune "Scotty Doesn't Know," which appeared on the 'Eurotrip' soundtrack.
Responding to the news, Lustra guitarist Nick Cloutman said the following: "Although we are very flattered that Ms. Cyrus took this route, we would have preferred some credit." He went on to say that Lustra is "considering various options to rectify this situation,"At just 15, Cyrus has songs written for her, a fact that was relayed by her rep. "She doesn't write the songs - she sings them. We have referred this to Disney," the rep said.Cyrus wouldn't be the first young female star facing claims of musical plagiarism recently. Avril Lavigne settled a lawsuit out of court after her hit song 'Girlfriend' was found to contain many similarities to the Rubinoos song 'I Wanna Be Your Boyfriend.'Mileys Racy Pics

"I took part in a photo shoot that was supposed to be 'artistic' and now, seeing the photographs and reading the story, I feel so embarrassed," Cyrus says of pictures that appear in the new issue of Vanity Fair.

YouTube.com

Vanity Fair editors say "Miley's parents and/or minders were on the set all day. Since the photo was taken digitally, they saw it on the shoot and everyone thought it was a beautiful and natural portrait of Miley. In fact, when Bruce Handy interviewed Miley, he asked her about the photo and she was very cheerful about it and thought it was perfectly fine."

YouTube

For someone who said "I never intended for any of this to happen," Cyrus seemed to be enjoying herself at the Vanity Fair photo shoot. See more photos on Egotastic.com.

Egotastic.com

"I was so honored and thrilled to work with (longtime Vanity Fair photographer) Annie [Leibovitz]," Cyrus tells PEOPLE. See more photos on Egotastic.com.

Egotastic.com

Just last week, photos of Cyrus flashing her bra and pulling up her shirt while draped across the lap of a male furthered the speculation that the singer-actress sensation may be more PG-13 or R than G-rated.

JustJared.com

"The pictures of me on the Internet were silly, inappropriate shots." adds Cyrus about last week's photo scandal. The leaked pics didn't make a dent. Her 'Best of Both Worlds' CD was ranked near the top of the charts last week.

Kevin Mazur, WireImage.com

Photos of Cyrus in provocative poses first leaked near the end of January to gossip sites like TopSocialite.com.

Hef Wants Miley Cyrus for Playboy
Cyrus Mum on Photos at Disney Concert

Metallica Play Club Show, Eye Fall Tour

LOS ANGELES (May 16) - Metallica will launch a tour in October, a month after the rock titans release their first album in five years, drummer Lars Ulrich revealed during a rare club show in Los Angeles Wednesday.The charity show saw the veteran quartet shred through such hits as "For Whom the Bell Tolls," "Fuel," "Master of Puppets" and "Enter Sandman" during a nearly two-hour stand at the 2,300-capacity Wiltern theater.
The group didn't unveil any new material. Nevertheless, "it feels good to play live again," said singer-guitarist James Hetfield.The concert was pulled together on short notice to help raise funds for the nonprofit Silverlake Conservatory of Music. The organization was co-founded by Red Hot Chili Peppers bassist Flea, who joined Metallica onstage for "Fight Fire With Fire," from the band's 1984 album "Ride the Lightning."Money raised from the concert will go toward the Silverlake Conservatory of Music's programs and operations, along with scholarships for low-income students who can't afford instruments and music lessons.Metallica's as-yet-untitled album, the follow-up to the 2003 disappointment "St. Anger," is scheduled for release in September. Ulrich said earlier on Wednesday that Metallica is "a couple of nips and tucks" away from completing the album.Upcoming gigs include a Saturday stop at Los Angeles radio station KROQ-FM's annual Weenie Roast festival and a June 13 stand at the Bonnaroo Music Festival in Manchester, Tenn.

Carrie Underwood Joins Grand Ole Opry
Cyrus Mum on Photos at Disney Concert

Thursday, May 15, 2008

Britney, Dad and Mel Head to Costa Rica

(May 15) -- What you are about to read is not a figment of your imagination: Britney Spears and Mel Gibson are vacationing together in Costa Rica at this very moment.ETOnline is reporting that the troubled pop diva and the rehabbed actor hopped on a plane on Thursday morning and are heading to the South American country, where they'll stay at the 'Passion of the Christ' director's home there. Tagging along with the megastars is Britney's father Jamie.
ET reports that Spears and Gibson go back to the days when they both they lived in the same Malibu community. The pair recently made headlines when they were spotted at dinner together at a Russian restaurant in Los Angeles back in March.

Britney Owes Sis Jamie Lynn a Baby Gift
Another Hit for Britney … the Traffic Kind

Parton 'Shocked' at Raunchy Stern Bit

NEW YORK (May 15) - Country music star Dolly Parton has hit back against Howard Stern's satellite radio show, which last week manipulated recordings from one of her audio books into seemingly racist and sexually graphic sound bites.We Won't Dare Embed It, But You Can Hear The Super-Explicit Bit at Defamer
"I have never been so shocked, hurt and humiliated in all my life," Parton said in a statement on Wednesday. "I cannot believe what Howard Stern has done to me. In a blue million years, I would never have such vulgar things come out of my mouth. They have done editing or some sort of trickery to make this horrible, horrible thing. Please accept my apology for them and certainly know I had nothing to do with this."She concluded: "If there was ever going to be a lawsuit, it's going to be over this. Just wanted you to know that I am completely devastated by this.""The Howard Stern Show" frequently utilizes audio book recordings in this fashion; altered clips from "Star Trek" actor George Takei became a staple of the program in recent years.

Usher Bashes Celebs Who ‘Pimp’ Babies
New Claims Could Hurt R. Kelly Defense

Wednesday, May 14, 2008

Another Hit for Britney ... the Traffic Kind

LOS ANGELES (May 14) - Another Britney Spears fender-bender, another instant online video. Paparazzi had cameras rolling when the pop star's white Mercedes-Benz coupe rear-ended a red Ford Explorer Tuesday in Beverly Hills.
The video, posted on TMZ.com, shows Spears in the driver's seat. Wearing a ponytail and aviator shades, she covers her mouth with her hand after realizing she hit the car in front of her.No one was injured and police were not involved. Photos and video do not reveal any visible damage to either car.The 26-year-old's bodyguard, who was riding in the passenger seat, gave Spears' information to the female driver of the SUV, People.com and TMZ reported.Spears was involved in a separate fender-bender on April 12. No one was injured or cited in that accident.Outrageous Britney Pics

Britney gets serious about exercising as she hits the gym on April 16. (X17online)

Britney exits a recording studio in Hollywood on April 15. She had spent time there with manager Larry Rudolph, who she was recently reunited with. (x17online)

Oops! Britney Spears tries to cover up following a minor traffic accident on April 12. (x17online)

Britney Spears got in a car accident on the 101 freeway on April 12. She underwent an alcohol test and as released. (X17online)

Britney Spears following her car accident on Saturday, April 12. (x17online)

Britney and mommy Lynne grab some private time with paparazzi in tow at Dominick's on April 12.

Britney Spears leaves her hair salon with William Morris agent Jason Trawick on April 11. (x17online)

Britney Spears heads from the hair salon to grab some sushi in Bel Air on April 11, 2008. (x17online)

A minor car accident didn't stop Britney Spears from dining at Dominick's restaurant with mom Lynne Spears. (x17online)

Britney covers up while driving around with William Morris agent Jason Trawick. (x17online)

Britney Owes Sis Jamie Lynn a Baby Gift

Saturday, May 31, 2008

Friday, May 30, 2008

Wednesday, May 28, 2008

Tuesday, May 27, 2008

Monday, May 26, 2008

Sunday, May 25, 2008

Saturday, May 24, 2008

Friday, May 23, 2008

Thursday, May 22, 2008

Wednesday, May 21, 2008

Tuesday, May 20, 2008

Monday, May 19, 2008

Sunday, May 18, 2008

Saturday, May 17, 2008

Friday, May 16, 2008

Thursday, May 15, 2008

Wednesday, May 14, 2008

Blog Archive

About Me