Christina Aguilera Receives GLAAD Honor
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Christina Aguilera was honored by the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) on April 26, as part of the organization's 14th Annual Media Awards. Aguilera was recognized for her "Beautiful" video which features a cross dressing man and a homosexual kiss. The 14th Annual GLAAD Media Awards ceremony took place at the Kodak Theatre in Los Angeles.
The GLAAD Media Awards honors individuals and projects in the media and entertainment industries for their fair, accurate, and inclusive representations of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender community and the issues that affect their lives.
Ozzy Osbourne's Son In Rehab
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Ozzy Osbourne and his wife Sharon visited their son, Jack, at the Las Encinas Hospital in Pasadena, California. Jack is being treated for an undisclosed addiction. The pair looked shocked when they came face-to-face with Jack at the private clinic. Then they cuddled and consoled him in the California sunshine during a 90 minute visit.
Jenny Isn't Really From 'Tha Block!'
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A new British TV documentary on Jennifer Lopez claims her upbringing is nothing like the tough urban life she tells fans she experienced.
In her single "Jenny From the Block," J.Lo sang about the girl who "used to have a little and now has a lot" after rising up from her south Bronx upbringing, but that has been disputed by a ocumentary called "Behind the Behind."
The show, to be shown on British TV's Channel 4 on April 30, reveals that the star comes from a nice New York suburb and had a private education.
Despite her comfortable upbringing, retired policeman Henry Palayo - who has known the Lopez amily for 20 years - insists she was still in a hurry to forget her roots in Castle Hill, in the Bronx.
He says, "She's another Hollywood star who's forgotten where she comes from. She's very artificial more artificial than a plastic rose."
The Fans 'know what they want!'
www.wildwritings.com
The Wild Writings Official Media charts were updated with new music! 'Picture' by Kid Rock and Sheryl Crow was added, so was 'Fighter' by Ms. Aguilera, and 'I know what you want' by Busta Rhymes and Mariah Carey debuted very high! These chart positions are made by you - the fans! Keep the votes coming, and check out the charts here.
Diva Concert 2003: Whitney, Lisa-Maria, Mariah, Patti?
www.wildwritings.com
The RU Report hears that Whitney Houston and Lisa Marie Presley are in final talks to be a part of this year's VH1 'Divas 2003' festivities, which will be broadcast live on May 22nd at Las Vegas' MGM Grand Hotel. Ru adds, "Don't be surprised if next week's Billboard magazine chart-topper Kelly Clarkson, Grammy winning R&B legend Patti LaBelle and the 'diva' with the most #1 pop records Mariah Carey, who has appeared on two previous 'Divas' TV specials, are announced shortly."
Clay Aiken Battles Gay Rumors
popdirt.com
Star magazine reports that despite the constant rumors that he's gay, 'American Idol' finalist Clay Aiken insists otherwise. An insider says, "Finally, after weeks of wondering, a couple of the girls on the show decided to confront him and ask point-blank: 'Are you gay, or what?' Clay didn't hesitate. He insisted that he is straight." Aiken's comments didn't seem to convince the girls, as the insider added, "I've overheard things like: 'Everyone thinks he's gay anyway, so why doesn't he just admit it?'" Either way, it doesn't seem to have effected his popularity. "Gay or straight, Clay is definitely going to make it to the top three," concludes the insider.
Tracking Justin Timberlake and Backstreet Boys!
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Wild Writings is currently tracking Nsync star Justin Timberlake and the Backstreet Boys! Find out what these guys are up to. Who's in the studio? Who's going on tour? Who was attacked by a DJ? Get the scoop at the Celebrity Tracker!
Member Of Cam'ron's Diplomats Wounded In Deadly Shootout
mtv.com
Freaky Zeeky, a member of Cam'ron's Diplomats crew, was shot and wounded in New York Friday morning during a shootout that left one unidentified man dead.
Around 3:30 a.m., a minor traffic accident escalated into violence, and shots were fired at the car carrying Freaky Zeeky (born Ezekiel Jiles) and three other passengers, according to police. Both of the men who were shot were taken to St. Vincent's Hospital, where Freaky Zeeky, who was hit in the torso, was listed in stable condition. The other victim, who was hit in the chest, was pronounced dead on arrival.
A 9 mm gun was left at the crime scene, and 20 casings of the 24 shots fired have been found, according to a source at the site.
The other passengers in Freaky Zeeky's car have not been identified. The second car, described by police as a small silver sedan that fled after the incident, allegedly held five passengers.
A representative at Roc-A-Fella Records had no comment.
Mariah Carey To Kick Off World Tour In June
mtv.com
More than three years since she last hit the road, Mariah Carey has announced the details of an upcoming world tour.
The singer will launch the trek June 24 in Osaka, Japan, and play 10 other dates in Japan before beginning a North American leg July 18 in Anchorage, Alaska.
The Charmbracelet world tour will play at least 20 cities across the U.S., according to an Island Records spokesperson. After the North American leg, Carey will visit Asia and Europe. A November 4 date in Paris is the only one of those dates so far confirmed.
Tickets in most markets go on sale May 3, although members of Carey's Honey B. Fly fan club, or those who join by end-of-day Friday (April 25), can buy them beginning Monday.
Before her world tour, Mariah will perform at Z100's Zootopia June 1 at Giants Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, alongside Ja Rule, Ashanti and others she also announced Friday.
Carey is promoting Charmbracelet, which has sold more than 1 million copies in the U.S., according to SoundScan.
Her latest hit, "I Know What You Want," is a collaboration on Busta Rhymes' album It Ain't Safe No More, and sits at #7 on the Billboard Hot 100.
From Idol To Chart-Topper: Kelly Clarkson To Debut At #1
mtv.com
She tugged at the nation's heartstrings on "American Idol," and now Kelly Clarkson is holding the pop-buying public by their purse strings with the best-selling album on next week's Billboard albums chart.
Fueled by the hit single "A Moment Like This," Thankful, Clarkson's debut LP, will bow at #1 with more than 297,000 copies sold, according to SoundScan figures released Wednesday. The album title is an understatement. The first-season "American Idol" winner and all those in her camp have got to be more than grateful that the nearly 300,000 copies sold were able to stave off this year's chart champion, 50 Cent.
The rapper's New Breed CD/DVD hybrid fell shy of the talent-pageant princess' album by more than 50,000 copies. The disc, featuring three previously unreleased 50 tracks, a live performance in Detroit, videos, and a big-house interview with the incarcerated Tony Yayo, sold more than 246,000 copies to place in the #2 spot.
Jolie Gets New Tattoo
teenhollywood.com
Hollywood babe Angelina Jolie has added to her vast array of body art - she's got another tattoo on her current trip to Thailand.
The Tomb Raider beauty - who has had to remove several tattoos following her split from husband Billy Bob Thornton - has had five vertical rows of ancient Cambodian script inked on her back.
The tattoo, reportedly done by well-known local artist Noo Kamphai, in Pathum Thani, is designed to ward off bad luck.
Jolie says, "I like it a lot. It looks very sacred. I think I'll have a new tattoo the next time I come to Thailand."
Avril rules out romance
starshrine.com
Avril Lavigne has reportedly ruled out falling in love for now; because she insists on seeing a boyfriend at least four times a week. Her dating rules mean that she has to choose between her career and romance. She says, "I think being single at this point is pretty cool because I can be myself without worrying about, for instance, if I dress a certain way, will he think I look good." Avril admits that her bouncer keeps a lot of potential suitors away, "If any guy approached me, he'd probably intercept [bouncer] and tell the guy to beat it."
Jay-Z's new shoe ...
dotmusic.com
Jay-Z's first 'signature' training shoe has been setting sales records for manufacturer Reebok after it arrived in US shops on April 18.
Speaking to allhiphop.com, Jay said: "We dreamed about doing it, put a plan together, we made the shoe and now it's really happening.
"I'm excited about the results and now the collection is just going to grow."
Not the first hip-hop artist to put his name to a pair of trainers, the success of Jay-Z's Reeboks follows the frenzy that surrounded the release of a Jam Master Jay memorial shoe from Addidas.
"Hearing about people waiting in line to buy the shoe at 6 A.M. and waiting for hours in the cold and rain has just been love," Jay-Z said.
Mariah Carey Broke The Hip Hop & R&B Mix Mold
rnbdirt.com
HiT recently chatted with Mariah Carey and asked the singer about her thoughts on Toni Braxton coming out and giving her credit for mixing diva R&B with hip-hop way before it became cool. "Yeah, I saw that, that was nice of her. I love hip-hop," she said. "I grew up on hip-hop in New York. I experienced the birth of hip-hop. It's organic for me. But people don't understand. Take 'Dream Lover'. It's a cute little pop song, but it's based on a sample of a record called 'Blind Alley' which has been used by so many rappers just freestyling - 'Ain't No Half Steppin'' by Big Daddy Kane for one. The average public hears 'Dream Lover' and has no clue. But Q-Tip said to me, 'You realize you're a catalyst for what's happening in music right now. You used 'Blind Alley', you sang over that loop.' It takes someone knowledgeable about old school hip-hop to know that. I love ballads, they're therapy for me. But doing 'Boy (I Need You)' with Cam'ron or 'You Got Me' with Jay Z, that's part of me too."
War inspires Jewel
starshrine.com
Jewel's upcoming album has reportedly been written with one purpose in mind.. to lift the spirits of everyone saddened by the war. She hopes her new release, "0304", will provide a little cheer for her fans. She says, "During the Second World War, big band music was at its zenith. I knew we were headed to war, and I wanted to make a record that was fun, that made you have the same feelings as big band music and just makes you want to lose yourself in rhythm and feel passionate and young." Jewel, who has an aunt and an uncle in America's Marines forces, has been closely following the war in Iraq. She adds, "I'm glad people are talking about it now. It's gotten to where it's frightening to see how little people are being encouraged to speak against it. I wish it wasn't happening, but I'd hate for the troops to feel unsupported. I don't make the decisions. It's frustrating."
'So Gone' Takes Monica Fans Back
rnbdirt.com
Monica is finally ready to release her new album 'All Eyez On Me' after delays and leaks, and is happy about the success of a hot new first single in 'So Gone'. The singer says the track "takes you back to when people first heard me. It's got that feeling like no holds barred, not trying to cater to any one audience. It was done in probably three or four hours. Missy and I did two songs a night sometimes. The song comes from us going in [the studio] for a week in Miami. We shot the video two weeks ago in Miami with Chris Robinson and Derek Luke from 'Antwone Fisher.' It just went really good."
Women Get Timberlake's Full Attention By Stripping
popdirt.com
Us Weekly reports *NSYNC star Justin Timberlake recently invited 50 friends including David Spade, Taye Diggs, and Cris Judd to the Los Angeles burlesque club Forty Deuce. It seems the dancing after the show heated up, when a bunch of women at the club started stripping to gain the singer's attention. A source said several "got up and started taking off their tops and bottoms... He couldn't take his eyes off them. He was hypnotized."
Britney goes brown!
www.wildwritings.com
Britney Spears has cut and dyed her hair brown! Say goodbye to the golden locks! See the pictures here.
Limp Bizkit Start Over On New LP With Guitarist Mike Smith
mtv.com
After nine months of recording with at least five different guitar players, Limp Bizkit still aren't finished with their new album.
Fred Durst has set aside the 19 tracks already recorded and is starting fresh with new guitarist Mike Smith, formerly of Snot.
"The chemistry with our new guitar player, Mike, is so dope that we are spending the next couple weeks writing a new album!" Durst wrote on Limp Bizkit's Web site Wednesday. With less than three months before the band heads out on the Metallica-headlined Summer Sanitarium Tour, Durst nevertheless promised to have what had been tentatively titled Bipolar and Less Is More, among other things, out before the Independence Day kickoff
The songs already in the can which employed the services of a host of guitarists including Ministry's Al Jourgensen, Weezer's Rivers Cuomo, Helmet's Page Hamilton, Korn's Brian "Head" Welch and even Durst himself won't be trashed, but instead saved for future use.
"The 19 songs we wrote without Mike are still amazing and sitting on the shelf waiting on me to do whatever the hell I want to do with them," he wrote.
Limp Bizkit hasn't had a permanent guitarist since founding member Wes Borland left in 2001, but Durst has repeatedly implied on the Web site that Smith has been tapped as his replacement
The Bizkit frontman ends his post, customarily, with optimism and high expectations. "We are a band," he declared. "We have a guitar player that is going to bug you out. The songs are out of control and I'm on a mission! It's on."
Bass Says No Chance Of Justin & Britney Reuniting
popdirt.com
Rumors of a reunion for Britney Spears and Justin Timberlake are just that. "No, they're definitely not gonna get back together," Justin's *NSYNC bandmate Lance Bass told TV Guide Online. "I'd like to see them together. I love them both. But I don't see them gettin' back together anytime soon." On the bright side, Bass says the pair are not fueding. "They're still friends," he says. "They talk all the time. There's no rivalry whatsoever, so it's all gossip."
Christina Aguilera Linked To Underground Rapper
rapdirt.com
The New York Post reports Christina Aguilera has been spending time with underground rapper 7th Letter. The pair were together at Lot 61 in the VIP room after Aguilera's assistant asked a club promoter to introduce them. She also was with the rapper when he and buddy Ja Rule were turned away from Suede because of their thuggish attire.
Tommy Lee Found Not Negligent In Boy's Drowning
mtv.com
A jury in Santa Monica, California, has found Tommy Lee not negligent in the death of a 4-year-old boy who drowned during a pool party at his Malibu home in July 2001. "Although I am relieved that the court has found me not negligent, there are no winners in this sad situation," Lee said in a statement issued late Thursday.
The jury of nine women and three men deliberated for an hour on Wednesday and less than two hours on Thursday, according to a court clerk at the Los Angeles Superior Court.
The parents of Daniel Karven-Veres had sought millions of dollars in their wrongful death suit, claiming Lee had failed to provide a lifeguard or at least someone who knew CPR at the party. "No adult, hired professional, lifeguard or otherwise, was designated to ensure the safety of the young children swimming in the pool and to be responsible in the event life-saving procedures were necessary," the lawsuit said.
Lee's attorney, Jim Barrata, argued Lee was not at fault, but that the responsibility for Daniel's safety laid with his caretakers. Lee testified that every child at the gathering had an adult supervising them, and in Daniel's case, his care seemed to shift from one party to another (see "Tommy Lee Takes Stand As Wrongful Death Trial Begins"). Daniel's parents, German actress Ursula Karven and James Veres, did not accompany him to the party but sent him with his male caretaker, Christian Weihs, who then left him with Judith Zeihm, a nanny to two of Daniel's classmates.
Karven testified last week that she had would not have sent Daniel without his water wings had she known the birthday celebration for Lee's son Brandon was a pool party. Daniel, who would have been 6 last week, could not swim.
Zeihm testified on Tuesday that she agreed to drive Daniel home after Weihs left to go to a concert, but she wouldn't say she was responsible for his safety. When Barrata asked Zeihm if she felt responsible for Daniel's death, she said she didn't remember and then admitted bolting from Lee's house shortly after rescue workers arrived. Judge Richard Neidorf had rejected Lee's bid to have Zeihm named as a co-defendant due to lack of evidence.
Deliberations began Wednesday following closing arguments, during which the parents' attorney, Thomas Girardi, told the jury that $10 million would be a suitable damage award. "It would have been so easy for this terrible thing not to take place," Girardi said in his closing argument, according to wire service reports.
Madonna Flips Off Internet Pirates
ChartAttack.com
Go ahead and try to download any of Madonna's new tracks from her new American Life album through services such as KaZaA. You'll be greeted by a very friendly voice asking "What the fuck do you think you're doing?" And yes, the voice is provided by Madonna herself.
American Life is Madonna's eighth album and it'll hits stores April 22. The first single, also titled "American Life," is all over the radio and a retooled video for the song debuted on the nation's music stations yesterday. Madonna is used to the piracy racket. Leading up to her 2000 album Music, there were unfinished pieces of the title cut flooding services like Napster. To help ensure it wouldn't happen this time around, journalists were not granted review copies of the new album.(On an unrelated note, movie critics are often barred from advance movie screenings when studios know the flick is a stinker. Just saying is all.)
Despite her personal message to pirates, Madonna is at the forefront of the digital music trade game. Much of her repertoire is available to digital music services but rather than letting fans download specific songs or "rent" her music, she only allows users to permanently buy entire albums..
Lisa Marie Presley A Hit
popdirt.com
'To Whom It May Concern', the debut solo release from Lisa Marie Presley has held its own on the album charts, and her record label is sounding triumphant. "We are very pleased with the sales performance of Lisa Marie Presley's debut," Dave Adler, senior vice president of product and marketing for the Virgin Entertainment Group, told the Las Vegas Sun. "Overall, it was our second-highest charting new release CD of last week, and her high profile in the media should result in strong sales levels in the weeks to come."
Britney drops 'stalker' action
news.com.au
Britney Spear's request for a restraining order against a Japanese fan has been dropped, a US court official has said.
It was not immediately clear today what triggered the resolution of the action against the tourist the pop star claimed stalked her and tried to break into her Hollywood house.
However, 21-year-old Spears' representatives said in February that she was in "serious discussions" with Masahiko Shizawa's attorneys to settle the case. Spears sought a restraining order against Shizawa in December after he allegedly sent her hundreds of "love notes", followed her and tried to break into her home.
She asked a Los Angeles judge to issue an injunction ordering Shizawa to stay about 1000ms away from her house, workplace, car and "any other location (Spears) might travel to within or outside" the county. The Yokohama-born tourist's lawyer, Simon Hiller, said in February that Shizawa was not a stalker and that there had been cultural misunderstanding. "He's an avid fan," he said. "He's not a stalker ... he's an intellectual. He's a smart guy." Hiller said his client was a computer programmer who had made a lucrative living with technology patents. Agence France-Presse
Good Charlotte's new Tour!
mtv.com
They had a little help from their friends this time, too, as they were joined by New Found Glory, Less Than Jake and the Disasters on the 2003 Civic Tour The four-hour show gave fans a head start on the upcoming festival season, with each band jacking up the crowd more than the previous one. Clearly there for the co-headliners, those in attendance gave respect to openers the Disasters, a revved-up classic punk band fronted by former Agnostic Front member Roger Miret. The New York group's 20-minute set was short but supercharged, featuring a cover of the Clash's "Career Opportunities."
Good Charlotte and New Found Glory are listed as the Civic Tour's "co-headliners," and the T-shirts on the mostly teenage crowd looked to be divided equally between the two bands despite Good Charlotte's bigger chart success. For this night, at least, Good Charlotte "opened" for New Found Glory, cranking things up with "Lifestyles" and not letting up for their hour-long spot.
Though weighted more heavily toward material from The Young and the Hopeless, Good Charlotte also played plenty from their self-titled 2000 debut, including the sing-a-long "Little Things," "'Waldorfworldwide" and "East Coast Anthem." Throughout, lead singer Joel Madden leaned over the crowd from center stage while his twin brother, Benji (hair dyed in a pink-and-black leopard motif), rocked out to his left. The Maddens kept between-song banter to a minimum; save for thanking veteran fans and welcoming the newbies, they pretty much let the music do the talking with fat, crunchy guitar riffs and plenty of wave-your-hands choruses.
The same went for New Found Glory, who finished the night off with an even more intense hour of their own. The Florida emo-punkers, led by hyperkinetic singer Jordan Pundik, don't quite carry the same melodic impact as Good Charlotte, but they make up for it in sheer sonic punch. Focusing mainly on material from their 2002 album Sticks and Stones, guitarists Chad Gilbert and Steve Klein provided a buzzing contrast to Good Charlotte's bass-and-drums heavy mix. The band's lyrics conveyed an upbeat, screw-you attitude (as with their biggest hit, "My Friends Over You"), and even if the material wasn't quite as catchy or familiar as Good Charlotte's, New Found Glory provided a positive-energy end to the night.
Mariah and Christina - Tracked!
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Mariah Carey and Christina Aguierla are currently being tracked on Wild Writings' Celeb Tracker! You can get all the details about both these superstars new tours and music videos here!
Sharon Osbourne will talk about fight on Celebrity Justice
mtv.com
Osbourne is set to appear on the television show "Celebrity Justice" Tuesday (April 15), according to a network spokesperson, to tell her version of how an altercation with a talent agent left her with a fist-size bruise on the left side of her face.
"I honestly thought my jaw was broken," Osbourne says on the program. "After the swing, the next thing [I remember thinking] was 'my jaw is broken ... my jaw is broken.' I have really bad pain here in the side of my jaw, and my neck is still bad."
Osbourne suffered a dislocated jaw, chipped tooth and sprained neck Thursday, according to her publicist, when Renee Tab, a woman with whom she's been feuding since New Year's Day over possession of a $15,000 diamond necklace, allegedly punched her. Osbourne was then taken to the hospital for treatment of her injuries.
Tab, an employee with talent agency International Creative Management, maintains that Osbourne started the altercation. In a statement given to the program by her lawyer, Tab claims that Osbourne confronted her on the way back from the restroom, spit in her face and then hit her.
Police were summoned to Koi, a Japanese restaurant in West Hollywood, where they took statements from both women and later sent a report on the incident to the city attorney's office. At press time, no charges have been levied against either woman. "Celebrity Justice" airs Tuesday. Check local listings for times.
50 Cent Says He And Jay-Z Will Unite Onstage
rapdirt.com
50 Cent told MTV News on Monday that he and Jay-Z will be heading out on the road together, possibly starting in July. "It's going to be off the hook," said 50, who's currently hitting smaller-sized venues on a string of dates with openers the Clipse. "That's when it really gets [to be a] tour ... when you start building sets and you start seeing things you don't see at the average club concert."
Eminem Fumes After Seeing Debbie Blab In The Enquirer
rapdirt.com
In the National Enquirer's April 1 edition, a story was published in a section called 'The Hookup' stating Eminem's mother Debbie Mathers was worried about her son's drinking. WENN reports this angered Slim so much, when Debbie went to his mansion to drop off a mobile phone, she claims he screamed at her, "This is why I never talk to you! Take your fu**ing pager and get off my porch! If you ever come back on this property again, I'll have you arrested!" Debbie adds, "Then he threw the pager in my face. This breaks my heart. He won't talk to me. I don't even have his phone number. I did not call the Hookup asking for an article to be printed. I have never been paid for any interview about him. He has given me such a bad rap and I just want people to know I'm not a bad person. He says I'm a total bitch that he had a hard life that he had to live in closets and the house was always a mess. This is not true. He has all these record people around him telling him, 'Do songs about hating your mother' because it sells CDs. It's a money machine. This has got to stop. If he's drinking, maybe this will be a wake-up call to him. I just pray that someday he will get over it, whatever it is. I'm a mother - I love my son." Debbie's interview with Celebrity Justice was likely the source of the Enquirer article.
Alanis Warns Avril
teenmusic.com
Canadian rocker Alanis Morissette has warned her fellow countrywoman Avril Lavigne not to be fooled by the "illusion" of fame. The Ironic star has branded teen sensation Lavigne "an incredible talent" but is worried the SK8er Boi newcomer will find her life in the spotlight a daunting experience.
She says, "The greatest challenge is to navigate the illusion of fame and the effects of it. Feeling separated by it. My naive thought before fame and what I experienced was that it would connect me with people, but a lot of the time it actually didn't.
"So being able to navigate within that and still reaching a sense of normalcy, whatever that means, is a challenge.
"All I would want to offer Avril is a sense of someone to come to. Or just to relate to or to know she's not alone.
"Because it can be an extremely isolating experience, that kind of fame she's experiencing. She's an incredible talent, so it would be a crime not to share it."
Sharon Osbourne Rushed To Hospital After Fight
teenhollywood.com
Rock matriarch Sharon Osbourne was rushed to hospital on Thursday night (April 10) - after getting into a fight with a Hollywood agent.
Sharon, who was having dinner with her rocker husband Ozzy Osbourne and son Jack, was reportedly "viciously attacked" by Renee Tab, an ICM junior agent, after the two got into a heated tiff at Beverly Hills restaurant "Koi", says her publicist Lisa Vega.
Vega says Sharon, who recently won a battle with colon cancer, was rushed to a hospital where she was treated and released, but adds, "We cannot give out any details about the injuries she suffered, but she was released and is feeling better."
Sharon "started with spitting on her and calling her names", said Tab's attorney, Nejila K Brent.
The incident apparently stemmed from a feud that dates back to New Year's Eve 2002, when Ozzy and Sharon marked their 20th anniversary by renewing their vows at a party at the Beverly Hills Hotel.
During that bash, Tab won a $40,000 diamond and sapphire necklace with matching earrings. But Sharon later accused Tab of being a gate-crashing thief who had no right to the prize.
Los Angeles police are now investigating the altercation.
Eminem, Dr. Dre In Copyright Spat
rapdirt.com
A London-based music publisher has filed a federal copyright infringement lawsuit against Dr. Dre and Eminem for allegedly sampling a song sans permission. Minder Music Ltd. claims a 1980 tune called 'Backstrokin' is the backbone for Dre's 1999 hit 'Let's Get High,' according to a report in Billboard. The company is seeking more than $3.5 million in damages against the hip-hopsters, accusing them of unfairly profiting from its song by ripping it for Dre's biggest single off his 1999 multiplatinum release, '2001'.
Robbie flops, EMI makes another mistake
dotmusic.com
Robbie Williams has suffered embarrassing first week album sales in the US, with his latest long player - 'Escapology' - debuting at No. 43 on The Billboard 200.
The news will come as a huge disappointment to his record company, EMI, who paid out a reported £80 million to resign the star last year.
According to reports, the label had planned to ship four million copies of the album to the US - slightly over-optimistic considering the paltry 21,000 copies that were sold.
EMI are said to have seen a 10% drop in their share price after Williams' latest sales figures were announced.
Despite the poor sales however, Robbie's chart placing is his US best, with his last album, 2000's 'Sing When You're Winning', charting at No. 110.
Elsewhere in the US chart, Linkin Park's 'Meteora' has kept hold of the top spot for a second week, bringing its two-week sales total to over the one million mark.
The White Stripes made an impressive chart debut with 'Elephant', which entered The Billboard 200 at No. 6, with sales of 126,000 copies.
Gunman Opens Fire On Snoop Dogg And His Security Team
mtv.com
An unknown assailant opened fire on Snoop Dogg and his entourage on Thursday night in Los Angeles, injuring one of the rapper's bodyguards.
Police said that at about 9 p.m. on Thursday night, Snoop was in a car traveling south on Fairfax Avenue and was accompanied by five other cars, which an LAPD spokesperson referred to as "security vehicles." A sedan carrying an unspecified number of black males that was traveling in the opposite direction then shot at Snoop's crew. Two of the cars were hit and one of the security guards was grazed by a bullet in his back.
The injury was not life-threatening and no one else was struck, police said. Snoop and the individuals with whom he was traveling were questioned as witnesses. No arrests were made, and there are no suspects and no motive.
The spokesperson for the LAPD did not release the identity of Snoop's injured bodyguard. However, the Los Angeles Times reported that he and several other members of the security team were off-duty police officers who work in the Inglewood school district.
Elton pays the price
starshrine.com
Sir Elton John has paid out an estimated US$12-$15 million to settle lost lawsuits against his former accountants and management company. The flamboyant popstar sued accountancy firm Price Waterhouse two years ago for allegedly mishandling his financial affairs, but lost the case after taking it to Britain's Court of Appeal. He has now finally paid Price's costs of around US$4.5 million days before their writ to recover their legal outlay was due to be heard in court. Together with his estimated settlement with John Reid Enterprises, he has actually now paid the multi-million figure to settle his ill-fated legal action.
Mariah Carey Dismisses Eminem Physical Relationship
rapdirt.com
Star magazine quotes Mariah Carey dismissing her relationship with Eminem. "I spoke to him on the phone on a regular basis, but it was not a relationship," Carey insisted. "I find it pretty surprising that he would misrepresent something like that." Mariah added, "I have never had a one-night stand in my life or had a fling with someone that I didn't really know."
Introducing .. a few new stars!
www.wildwritings.com
Check out the Introducing page where you can exclusively get music from new artists! Taryn, the singer of the themesong from Wise Girls (Staring Mariah Carey), sat down and chatted with Wild Writings. We also have new music from the up-coming star! Check it out here.
Also check out interviews with models and Broadway stars! Nicole Heriot, who recently wrapped up a tour in Virgina, talked with Wild Writings about her new career and tour. Check it out only on "Introducing.."
Kelly Clarkson Single Co-Written By Christina Aguilera
mtv.com
Producer Rhett Lawrence (98°) and Aguilera worked on the song for her Stripped, but they never finished it. So when Lawrence entered a studio with Clarkson, whose voice has garnered comparisons to Christina's, he found just the person to finish it.
After Clarkson's chart-topping success in September with "A Moment Like This" (see " 'American Idol' Kelly Clarkson Crushes Singles Chart Competition"), fans predicted the first single from her debut would be another ballad. However, after weeks of contemplating, the singer and her handlers (including "Idol" creator Simon Fuller) decided on the funky up-tempo "Miss Independent" just two weeks before Thankful's April 15 release date.
Clarkson will premiere the song on "American Idol" on Wednesday, according to her RCA Records spokesperson.
"Miss Independent" is one of three songs on Clarkson's album that she co-wrote, the others being "You Thought Wrong" and "Thankful," both collaborations with Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds and the Underdogs (Justin Timberlake). The former also features a guest appearance from fellow "American Idol" finalist Tamyra Gray.
Diane Warren, the prolific songwriter of Aerosmith's "I Don't Want to Miss a Thing" and Toni Braxton's "Un-Break My Heart," among others, also contributed a song, "Some Kind of Miracle."
Other producers on the album include Clif Magness (Avril Lavigne), Stephen Ferrera (Heather Hedley), Sam Watters (Jessica Simpson), Evan Rogers and Carl Sturken (Aguilera, 'NSYNC), and Matthew Wilder (No Doubt), who sang a hit of his own with 1983's "Break My Stride" (see "Pink, Drowning Pool Turn To One-Hit Wonders For Studio Aid").
Thankful will also include new mixes of "A Moment Like This" and "Before Your Love," two of the songs that helped the former cocktail waitress from Burleson, Texas, win "American Idol" last summer
Jen And Ben To Remake 'Casablanca'
popdirt.com
The Daily Star reports Jennifer Lopez and fiance Ben Affleck have secured a deal to remake the classic movie 'Casablanca'. The original film was a hit in 1942 starring Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman and J.Lo and Affleck want to repeat the success. A pal said, "They are overjoyed at the propspect of being in Casablanca together. It is the chance for them to show how much they love each other through their on-screen chemistry."
Austin Powers Will Return
Teenhollywood.com
Mike Myers is reportedly set to make one final outing as spoof spy Austin Powers - despite promising the kitsch character would never grace the silver screen again.
The Wayne's World comic is working on a script and there are plans to go into pre-production in the spring, with the shoot taking place at Shepperton and Pinewood studios in England before the end of the year.
Myers will once again take on writing and directing duties and will star as a variety of characters, including Austin, Dr Evil and Fat Bastard.
In the fourth movie in the series, Austin will be reunited with all his leading ladies from the previous three films: Liz Hurley, Heather Graham and Beyonce Knowles.
There are once again expected to be a number of cameos from Hollywood stars.
Whitney Houston Shifts Into Emotional Overdrive
popdirt.com
The New York Daily News reports Whitney Houston was so overcome with emotion after performing at a benefit dinner in the New York Sheraton Thursday night that she collapsed in sobs backstage and had to be comforted by her husband, Bobby Brown. "I'm so full tonight," Whitney told the crowd, which gave her a rousing standing ovation. "Today was the first time I've been back since my father died. I sat with my brother today and we just cried."
Eminem Makes Shocking Hotel Demands For UK Stay
rapdirt.com
Neil Sean of Sky News reports Eminem is deciding on which luxury hotel to reside in while in London, and has come up with a shocking list of demands. Slim wants a hotel with a helipad to fly directly to his UK shows, at least 15 rooms with two to be used as a gym, and another to be a relaxation room, which would include a skin treatment area. "He likes all the skin treatments and wears moisturiser all the time," a source said. "He knows that women love his looks and he intends to keep them that way."
Reese Witherspoon Pregnant
teenhollywood.com
Hollywood actress Reese Witherspoon is set to become a mother for the second time.
Pals of the Legally Blonde beauty and her actor husband Ryan Phillippe say the pair have just discovered they have another child on the way, who will accompany their three-year-old daughter AVA.
A source tells US Weekly, "She's pregnant! One hundred percent."
The friend explains that Reese, 27, and Ryan, 28, haven't gone public with the big news yet, because they're waiting until the screen beauty's pregnancy is more advanced.
The source says, "She isn't quite three months pregnant yet."
Reese's friend Jessica Teich notes, "I know she wants more kids. She very much wants that. She grew up with a sibling, and she wants that for Ava
Ms Dynamite Wants U.S. Career
teenmusic.com
British r'n'b star Ms. Dynamite was shocked when her record label offered to break her in the States - as she'd never thought about success outside her native land.
The singer, who recently made her US TV debut on Saturday Night Live, says she regards making it in America as a challenge because so many foreign artists have failed to make the transition in recent years.
She says, "I was quite shocked, even though it was something that people in the UK often talked about once I started to get success over there; everyone - in terms of the record labels, management, the media - thought I had a good chance to conquer the States.
"I want to spread my message all over the world, as far as my legs will take me and as long as people are interested."
Linkin' Park takes #1 with 'Meteora!'
dotmusic.com
Nu-metal heroes Linkin Park have stormed straight to the top of the US album chart with their second album, 'Meterora'.
According to Nielsen SoundScan, the much-hyped album has sold an impressive 810,000 copies in its first week of sales, taking it to No.1 on The Billboard 200.
Linkin Park's acclaimed debut album, 'Hybrid Theory', entered the US album chart at No.16 back in 2000, but went on to become the top-selling album of 2001, and has now sold an enviable 7.7 million copies in the US alone.
Meanwhile, 'Somewhere I Belong' - the first single to be lifted from 'Meteora' - has performed well, and is currently a top five hit on Billboard's mainstream and modern rock airplay charts.
As previously reported, Linkin Park's success in the US has been mirrored this side of the Atlantic, with 'Meteora' debuting at No.1 on the UK album chart last weekend.
50 Cent Looking To Sell His Life Story
mtv.com
50 Cent is making the rounds right now among New York publishers, trying to sell the rights to his life story the working title of which is "Number One With Nine Bullets."
The 26-year-old rapper is asking for a sum in the high six figures for his memoir, according to publishers who've taken meetings with his agent. The book is to be written in collaboration with XXL magazine scribe Vanessa Satten.
According to Satten and 50's four-page proposal, the book would cover the rapper's dramatic life history, from his drug lord mother being gunned down when he was 8, to his own hustling past, to getting shot nine times, to hooking up with Dr. Dre and Eminem. The proposal says that his life would read "like a Donald Goines novel": "Murder. Drugs. The true thug life. Ghetto depression. Determination. Mad beats. Phat rap lyrics. All have found their way into the life of hip-hop's latest big thing."
In addition to 50's story, the proposal also promises to deliver the rapper's previously unpublished poetry as well as behind-the-scenes pictures. A minimum of 25 poems and lyrics would be shot directly from 50's rapbooks and scrapbooks. As for the photos, they would keep with the book's documentary feel.
The proposal estimates that the manuscript would be done by September in time for a holiday release.
Missy, DMX, Tyrese To Give Monica's New LP Extra Oomph
Mtv.com
R&B singer Monica had her "eyez" on Missy Elliott, DMX, Tyrese and Faith Evans as she entered the studio in January to complete work on her long-awaited third album, which drops June 10.
Parts of the record came out in Japan last year with the title All Eyez on Me, but by the time it was being scheduled for American release, it was widely available through Internet file-sharing services and bootleg outlets. As a result, Monica's label asked her to substantially reconstruct the record with a host of guest stars.
Four new songs on the LP were produced by Missy Elliott, including "Best Friends" and the first single, "So Gone," which is currently heating up radio. A video for the song will be shot in Miami on Tuesday and Wednesday and will be directed by Chris Robinson, who has worked with Snoop Dogg, P. Diddy, Jay-Z and a host of others.
Missy Elliott will guest-star in the clip, which will depict Monica getting arrested and will feature a surprise ending, said a J Records spokesperson.
The DMX track will be called "Ain't Gotta Go," and the Tyrese song, which was recorded last weekend, is still untitled. Originally Mya was going to lend her voice to a track, but she will probably be replaced by Evans, the spokesperson said.
The as-yet-untitled record was recorded in Atlanta, Los Angeles and New York, and additional producers include Dallas Austin and Jermaine Dupri.
Madonna Edits Controversial 'American Life' Video
mtv.com
In light of the war in Iraq, Madonna has made some last-minute edits to her upcoming video for "American Life."
"We have our dream version, but it's not the right time for it," she said Thursday. "We've been planning the video for months and months and months, and we didn't know everything that was going to be happening in the world [when we first did it]."...
"It turned into a [short] film," she said. "The original version was like 10 minutes long. We had lots of stops in the music and lots of car chases and conversations with people, and it kept going on in the end. And we realized we were getting a little carried away. So we had to edit it for time. Then we had to get rid of all the 'F' words."
The biggest challenge for Madonna was reshaping the video in a way that was entertaining, thought provoking and didn't compromise her artistic integrity. Many have interpreted the video to be an angry protest of Operation Iraqi Freedom, but that's not exactly the case. Madonna considers herself a pacifist, but like many Americans she's conflicted about U.S. military action in Iraq.
"Saddam Hussein is a guy we just want to get rid of," she explained. "So there's a part of the video where I'm carving 'Protect me' into the wall, and you could almost feel like I want to go there and kick some ass and protect all those beautiful children and innocent families and people that have been tortured for years. But do I have the solutions? No. Do I have the answers? No. I'm just completely freaked out by what's going on there like everybody else."
There are three points Madonna hopes to make with the video for "American Life." The first and most obvious is that regardless of whether or not she supports Bush, war is a cosmic bummer.
"War is a manifestation of everybody," she said. "We have our personal karma and we have a global karma. So for me, it's about trying to get a message out that if we want peace and love in our life, then we have to make it happen in the world.
"The ending of the video is really important," she continued. "I throw this hand grenade. ... But it gets caught. And the one who catches it takes something that could be violent and destructive and takes the destruction out of it by turning it into something else. That's my hope for an alternative, not only to this war, but all wars. Also, I hope that I've also gotten across [the idea that] the soldiers that have gone over there are flesh and blood. They're real people, and my heart goes out to them, and I want them to all come back in one piece."
The second idea the former Material Girl wanted to express is that materialism is superficial. "We chose the setting of a fashion show because that's the epitome of superficiality. They're not trying to be anything except 'Let's celebrate the surface.' Fashion is fun, and I respect that, but at the end of the day people take that stuff a little too seriously. So it is easy to poke fun at that, especially when you juxtapose it against the real things that are happening in the world.
"No matter how many distractions we put up for ourselves, whether it's a fashion show or reality TV shows or a hot contest, what's happening in the world is still going on, and the ugliness and the chaos and the pain and the suffering is immense. So it's a statement about our obsession with the world of illusion."
Such commentary may seem absurd coming from someone who was once the biggest icon of pop culture, but Madonna said she's learned some valuable lessons over the course of her career. "I fought for so many things," she said. "I tried so hard to be number one, stay on top, look good to be the best. And now I realize that a lot of the things that last and the things that matter are none of those things." ....
