Britney's Release Date
Wild Writings
MTV News reports that Britney Spears is getting closer to announcing a release date for her fourth album, but the NFL may have prematurely announced one for her. The NFL web page promoting the singer's upcoming appearance at a September 4th season kickoff concert in Washington, D.C., noted in three places that Britney's upcoming album would drop November 18th. Those mentions have since been removed, but Britney's official Web site (britney.com), having long gone without an update, has new information on it this week, including a line about the album coming out in November. Spears' label, Jive, has yet to announce or confirm an official release date.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Kelly Clarkson's Next Single May Be Reunion With Tamyra Gray
MTV
When asked at Saturday's Teen Choice Awards how she'll follow up "Low," Kelly Clarkson answered, "I really hope that maybe 'You Thought Wrong' will come out, the one with Tamyra [Gray]. ... I really like that song, and it would be fun to perform."
Clarkson's spokesperson said nothing is official, but the singer has been a proponent of the Underdogs-produced "You Thought Wrong" since before Thankful was even released.
"The duet is a very hot song just because of the fact that Tamyra has such an awesome voice [with] many different colors," Kelly said in April. "And it's like hip-hoppy rock soul; it's such a different song."
Thankful's third single will not be released for a while, though, as Clarkson is just beginning her push for "Low" which she performed live for the first time Saturday.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
'Ashanti To Tour With R Kelly
Teen Music
Sexy R+B star Ashanti has finally revealed her touring partner for this summer (03) - troubled singer R. Kelly.
The Happy beauty was poised to travel with Mariah Carey on her Charmbracelet tour, but when that didn't come together, she began putting plans together for another show - and the details have been secret all summer long.
But it's now been revealed she will open for R Kelly during his upcoming, five-date American tour this month.
Ignition hitmaker Kelly had to ask for special permission from judge to travel outside of his native Illinois because of his current child porn-related charges.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Gigli' Makes 'From Justin To Kelly' Look Like A Classic
CNN
Daryn Kagan of CNN spoke with Mr. Moviefone, Russ Leatherman, on the new Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck starring 'Gigli', and like most every other critic, he hammered the film out today. "I have to tell you, Daryn, I didn't think I'd see a movie this summer that would make 'From Justin to Kelly' look like a classic, but this is one of them," he said. "It's amazing because you have two huge stars, you have a good director, you have a bug budget, and to come out with a movie that's just so absolutely flat with no charisma, it's really sort of amazing." He added, "The most amazing thing is that people are really jumping on this thing, right, like every critic across the country is taking the opportunity to just hammer this movie as hard as they can, maybe because Ben and Jen did so much publicizing of themselves, of the movie, of everything else."
Madonna Makes Millions From Gap Ad
Teen Music
Pop superstar Madonna's 30-second TV commercial for clothing giants GAP has earned her a reported $10 million as well as a deal to sell her children's book at the chain's stores.
The Material Girl will hit American screens starting July 30th in the ad, in which she'll appear alongside chart-topping rapper Missy Elliot - but sources say the huge pay-check wasn't enough for the pop icon.
A source tells US Weekly, "As part of the deal, she also insisted that her new children's book, The English Roses, be sold at The Gap's children stores.
Madonna's representative confirms the first of her five book series "Will be sold at The Gap", but spokespersons for Gap have refused to discuss the company's financial arrangements with the superstar.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
VH1 top 200 Icons, revealed on Wild Writings!
VH1
VH1 celebrates America's Pop Culture Icons in All-New, All-Star special premiering July 21-25 at 9:00 p.m. (ET/PT). VH1's First-Ever '200 Greatest,' hosted by 'Sex And The City's' Kristin Davis features All-New interviews with 'A-List' celebrities including Katie Couric, Jay Leno, Britney Spears, Hugh Hefner, the Osbourne family and many, many, many others. Read on to see the top 20.
1) OPRAH WINFREY 2) SUPERMAN 3) ELVIS PRESLEY
4) LUCILLE BALL 5) TOM CRUISE 6) MARILYN MONROE
7) MADONNA 8) MICHAEL JORDAN 9) PRINCESS DIANA
10) MICHAEL JACKSON 11) FRIENDS CAST 12) THE BEATLES
13) JERRY SEINFELD 14) STEVEN SPIELBERG 15) JENNIFER LOPEZ
16) MUHAMMAD ALI 17) MICKEY MOUSE 18) BILL CLINTON
19) THE BRADY BUNCH 20) BRITNEY SPEARS
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Justin Timberlake Reportedly Gets Ears Pinned Back
Wild Writings
The Daily Record reports *NSYNC star Justin Timberlake has been plagued by rumors that he has had his ears pinned back. A top plastic surgeon has claimed that the hunky singer's ears look like they have been altered since his days in the boyband. After looking at an old picture of Justin, compared to a more recent one, Harley Street surgeon Dr Dai Davies revealed: "Correcting protruding ears in teenagers or young adults is a very easy procedure which is usually done under local anaesthetic." A spokesperson said: "Justin hasn't had any plastic surgery that we're aware of."
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ashanti Says Beyonce Knowles Is Cool
RnBDirt
Ashanti recently spoke with Launch.com about R&B rival Beyonce Knowles, and how she had a glowing opinion after meeting the Destiny's Child singer and her bandmate Kelly Rowland. "I met Beyonce, she's real cool," Ashanti revealed. "You know, we didn't really get a chance to really kick it or whatever, but I met her and met Kelly. They're just real cool. You know I met her for a brief second. Beyonce--but like she got a cool vibe about her. She seems cool."
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Disney working on "Pirates 2"
UGO
The Hollywood Reporter reports that Disney and Jerry Bruckheimer Films are already developing plans to do a "Pirates of the Caribbean 2," with most of the major players, including Johnny Depp, Orlando Bloom, Keira Knightley, producer Jerry Bruckheimer, and director Gore Verbinski locked in for sequel rights.
"Pirates" has earned up to $78 million in box-office tallies so far.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Bad Boys II will shoot to #1
Hits Daily Double
Sure, the movie's got yer Will Smith and Martin Lawrence. But the soundtrack's got yer Nelly, P.Diddy, Jay-Z, Beyoncé, etc., etc. Indeed, the first album to be dropped under Diddy's new Bad Boy/Universal deal (how appropriate) is blowing up like a stuntman in one of the movie's many fireballs.
Driven by the huge Nelly/P.Diddy/Murphy Lee single, "Shake Ya Tailfeather," the Bad Boys II soundtrack is on track to sell around 250k in its first week, according to early reports from national accountsand that's ahead of the movie, which opens this weekend.
That number, a certain #1 on next week's chart, is being aided by a nifty $2.25 retail rebate programwhich is not to say "kickback," because then Will & Martin would be kicking our door down and sweating us all over the place.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Aguilera Eyes Up Movie Role
Teen Hollywood
Pop vixen Christina Aguilera is poised to play a scheming mistress in an American TV movie - marking her first venture into acting.
The Beautiful singer is set to join acting stalwarts Robin Givens, Farrah Fawcett and Melissa Gilbert in the small screen adaptation of Jackie Collins' raunchy novel Hollywood Wives: The New Generation.advertisement
And the pop star - who's often been criticized for her saucy image - has reportedly refused to portray a "sweet" character in the film for American network CBS, preferring instead to be cast as a villain.
A movie source says, "It's true Christina expressed an interest and we helped film a short screen test. "She was sensational but instructed us that she did not want to play anyone sweet."
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
50 Goes It Alone
Teen Music
50 Cent is going it alone on America's successful rap tour RRoc the Mic after co-headliner Jay-Z pulled out of playing extra dates.
Thirteen new dates have been added to the tour, during which Jay-Z will step down and let Eminem's protege 50 take over at the top.advertisement (story continues below)
The tour will now end in Eminem's native Detroit, Michigan, on 21 August, with Snopp Dogg, Fabolous and Busta Rhymes among those who have agreed to interchange as opening acts.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Craig David On Mariah
Dot Music
Craig David has explained his reasons for pulling out of a US tour with Mariah Carey, revealing that he turned down the offer in order to keep his loyal UK fans happy.
Speaking exclusively to dotmusic last week, Craig said travelling the States with Carey would have been "a massive step up" for him but said the proposed dates had clashed with his busy touring schedule.
"The Mariah thing clashed with what I was planning for my tour," he said. "It would have been very cool to go on a tour with her and an experience.
"I grew up listening to her stuff thinking 'wow this girl is amazing' so to be on the same tour would have been a massive step up for someone like me, coming from a council estate in Southampton.
He added: "It was one of those things - a UK tour being cancelled or the Mariah dates in America. For me it was more important to do the UK shows."
Mariah's tour - which kicks off in Las Vegas on July 26 - had originally been promoted as an arena tour but was downscaled to 'intimate' theatre venues amidst rumours of poor ticket sales.
R&B star Ashanti recently pulled her scheduled support slot on the jaunt, claiming that the new tour route clashed with her own promotional schedule.
Aguilera Critical Of J.Lo's Political Punt
Wild Writings --------------------------------------------------------------
In her interview with Nylon magazine, Christina Aguilera was critical of an Jennifer Lopez's non-view on the war in Iraq. "I just read this article where they asked her, 'So what are your views on the war?' And she said, 'Oh, I don't really think about that kind of stuff. I leave it up to him'and she points to [her fiance Ben Affleck]," Aguilera said, rolling her eyes. "I understand if you say, 'I'd rather keep my opinions to myself,' but to admit you don't have any opinion of what's going on in your country and the world? I was just like, wow. So what, I'm just here to look pretty and entertain? It's just deeper than that to me, you know?"
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Johnny Depp: Rules the High Seas!
Teen Hollywood-------------------------------------------------------------------
You always know you'll get a fascinating, off-beat, totally-lived-in performance out of ultra-talented, hot actor Johnny Depp. His new role in Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl is no exception. You can't take your eyes off Captain Jack Sparrow, a funny, smoky-eyed, gold-toothed, staggering yet totally HOT pirate as he uses humor to get what he wants; freedom and the return of his stolen, cursed ship; The Black Pearl. It's a wild, winding road from the undercover cop Depp played in the "21 Jump Street" t.v. series, through Gilbert Grape, Edward Scissorhands and Ed Wood to the treacherous waters of the pirate-infested Caribbean, but Johnny has made us enjoy every minute of the trip.
When we got to speak with the soft-spoken, usually reclusive Depp in L. A. recently, we realized this is one actor who won't allow himself to be dressed by a Hollywood stylist. His usually dark hair was blonde-tipped and, in glasses, knit cap, cloth bracelets, brown suede jacket, denim shirt and jeans, Depp looked more like a Eastern seaboard fisherman than a pirate
To get all the movie news, charts, and reviews, check out the movie section.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Christina - Good diva tantrum
Pop Dirt -------------------------------------------------------------------
Christina Aguilera has reportedly been spotted throwing another diva tantrum, but this time it was for saving the environment. It sprung up while she was enjoying a recent meal at a posh Hollywood restaurant, and asked waiters to pop her remaining food into a doggy bag before she left, but when the unfinished morsels were returned in a styrofoam box, Christina lost her cool. She apparently was furious that the establishment was using such environmentally dangerous material, and tried to explain to the waiter exactly why styrofoam is bad. Unfortunately, the poor server spoke barely a word of English, so a disgusted Christina stormed out without her remnants.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Kelly Clarkson wears Wigs!
Pop Dirt -------------------------------------------------------------------
'American Idol' champ Kelly Clarkson tells Entertainment Tonight she's turned to wearing wigs to keep from being recognized following her fast fame. "I put wigs on when I'm at home, I have this long black wig and then I have a red one and a short curly one," she revealed. "I always go out in wigs with my friends and glasses. It's not so much for me, I like meeting fans and I like talking to everybody but my friends get annoyed if the whole time I'm signing autographs when I'm hanging out with them."
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Britney Plays The Field
Teen Hollywood-------------------------------------------------------------------
Pop babe Britney Spears is enjoying being young, free and single for the first time in her life.
The I'm a Slave for U diva split from long-time love Justin Timberlake last year and though she's been linked with a string of stars - including Fred Durst and Colin Farrell - since then, the singer's determined to stay single and play the field.
Britney says, "I don't want a serious relationship right now.
"Every relationship I've been in has lasted four or five years. I was that girl, you know? A one-guy girl."
"Now it's cool just to be able to date for fun."
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hilary Duff Aims To Be A Triple Threat A La J.Lo
Pop Dirt -------------------------------------------------------------------
Lizzie McGuire star has designs on becoming a triple threat, just like Jennifer Lopez. The singer/actress spoke with Stephanie McGrath of the Toronto Sun about her upcoming clothing line called Stuff, which will be out next year and target girls between the ages of 7 and 16. "It's really cool. It's handbags and backpacks and sleeping bags and bedding and clothes and shoes and accessories and makeup and hair care ... it's really cool," she says. "I love being a part of it because literally we went into my closet and took pictures of all my clothes and how I wear them and how I mix and match them together and how I accessorize and stuff and it's really cool."
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Beyonce: I'm Human And Have Feelings
Teen Music -------------------------------------------------------------------
Beyonce Knowles' new album shows a more personal side to the gorgeous pop star - showing off her intimate emotions for the first ever time.
The singer, who is reportedly romancing rapper Jay-Z admits Dangerously in Love is the first time she has expressed her feelings on private matters like love.
Beyonce, 21, says, "I feel like it's an evolution of a girl becoming a woman. Basically, it's really intimate and it shows a more vulnerable side of me.
"It talks about love and relationships and things I've never really talked about. I wanted people to know I am a human and I have feelings."
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Target To Sell New 'Justin & Christina' CD
Wild Writings -------------------------------------------------------------------
Now you can listen to *NSYNC star Justin Timberlake and Christina Aguilera together on the new CD 'Justin & Christina', available July 1st. As they ramp up their 45-city concert tour, Target Stores will offer this exclusive CD featuring new and remixed songs from both artists. The CD represents the first-time pairing of the two double-platinum artists. The disc features an entirely new, never-released recording from each artist -- 'That's What Love Can Do' by Christina and 'Why, When, How' by Justin. Also included are two remixed tracks from each artist: Christina's 'Beautiful' and 'Fighter' and Justin's 'Rock Your Body' and 'Cry Me A River.' "I'm so happy to have our CD at Target for all the fans who might not be able to come to our concert -- or just want a little more of our music," said Christina. Justin added," Target is the perfect store for our CD because it's such a great place to shop -- and we're excited for their support on our tour."
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
No One Likes Avril?
Wild Writings -------------------------------------------------------------------
Hilarie Burton, an MTV VJ, said of Avril Lavigne in the August 2003 issue of CosmoGirl: "Nobody wants to interview Avril Lavigne. I haven't met a single person who likes her. We wanted her to come on TRL, and as a dare, we wanted her to dress really girlie. So I'm standing there, and my boss says to Avril, 'We'll just put you in some of Hilarie's heels and skirts-you know, you guys are like the same size.' And she looks at me, and she goes, 'I don't wear that sh*t!' And I'm like, 'Hell no. No you don't.' If you look at her, you'd think she's in a band like Rancid. But she's not. I don't like when this girl is talking about punk music, and she doesn't know a thing about it. And when she came on MTV for New Year's Eve, she was just bossing people around. And she's not good to her fans. She makes fun of posers and says, 'I hate people who are posers.' Except all of her fans dress just like her. They're all posers. I think she's very apathetic, and for someone in her postion, that's an irresponsible thing to be.""
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Mariah's a Hit With the Japanese
Fox News -------------------------------------------------------------------
Mariah Carey lost her shoe on stage Saturday night, but that's the only mistake so far in her Asian concert tour.
I spoke to Mariah on Sunday morning around 9:15 a.m., which was either yesterday or today. I'm not sure because I hadn't had my coffee. But Mariah had just finished her show in Fukuoka and was glowing from the experience.
"The only problem was, I lost my shoe on stage during 'Honey,'" she reported. "I couldn't find it, so we just covered until I got off stage."
Other than missing shoes, Carey says the Japanese tour is going great guns. Fans are singing along with her hits, too.
"They're singing along in Japanese and in English," she says. Carey's sales in the U.S. have been subpar of late, but in the Far East she is still an enormous sensation.
Next up for the cleavage-obsessed diva is a three-night run at Tokyo's famous Budokan, plus several more shows in the country. She heads to her regular getaway on the Isle of Capri once she's done, then returns to the U.S. for a short tour of smaller theatres. Her first stop is Caesars Palace on July 26.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Nick & Jess Drive Labels Nuts With Same Release Date
Wild Writings -------------------------------------------------------------------
The New York Post reports that Jessica Simpson and her 98 Degrees hubby Nick Lachey are driving their respective labels, Columbia and Universal, nuts. "They both want to release their solo albums on the same exact day [Aug. 19]," a spy said. "The labels are going crazy." A rep for Simpson's label, Columbia, said, "Nobody is upset as far as I know." The couple are banking on fans buying both CDs simultaneously, and no doubt would be appearing as a couple to promote both albums simultaneously as well.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
