Wild Writings May 2003 News:
Ashanti's "Thugs" Prevent Romance
Teen Music ---------------------------------------------------------------
The Murder Inc. bodyguards minding R'n'B sensation Ashanti are wrecking any chance of romance for her - because they're so protective.
The singer, dubbed Princess by Murder Inc Records boss Irv Gotti and his crew, insists the heavies are so intense she can never sneak out on a date.
She says, "They're everywhere. If I did try to sneak out and go some place, one of them is probably already there."
But the Unfoolish hitmaker is taking steps to win her independence by buying a new home in Long Island, New York.
She says, "It's a big house. The house that we're living in now could fit into it."
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Britney Sells her Clothing
Dot Music------------------------------------------------------------------
Britney Spears is auctioning off a vast collection of personal memorabilia to raise money for charity, dotmusic can report.
More than 160 items, including clothes, signed photos, photographs and childhood possessions will be sold to raise money for the Britney Spears Foundation, which funds arts camps for disadvantaged children.
Included in the sale is the outfit worn by Britney in the raunchy 'I'm A Slave 4 U' video and the red latex catsuit she wore to perform 'Oops!...I Did It Again' at the 2000 Grammys.
The online auction will be hosted at www.gottahaveit.com until June 3.
Speaking about the auction recently, Britney explained: "Financially, we didn't have that much at one point, but I could go to singing and dancing lessons. But there's some kids who don't have that."
She told MTV some of the clothes were, "kind of iconic or whatever, but it's not like I'm going to be wearing them anytime soon.
"And although I'm kind of sad about some of the pieces going, I know that the money we raise will have a huge payback."
Chances to meet Britney on the set of a video shoot and backstage passes to her upcoming tour will also be available to buy in the auction.
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Velvet teddy Ruben Studdard is new 'American Idol'
AOL News ------------------------------------------------------------------
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Ruben "the Velvet Teddy Bear" Studdard Wednesday narrowly beat heartthrob Clay Aiken to win the crown of the new "American Idol" and a chance at pop stardom.
The winner was announced at the end of special two-hour broadcast of the hit show "American Idol" on Fox TV after millions of Americans cast their votes by phone.
In a competition loaded with talent that eventually whittled the wannabe pop stars down to two finalists, viewers chose the smooth, soulful Studdard, 25, a burly powerhouse from Alabama over Aiken, 24, a lanky, spike-haired student from North Carolina with a pitch-perfect voice.
Studdard was dubbed "the velvet teddy bear" by celebrity judge Gladys Knight.
"American Idol," Fox's search for an instant pop star, has proved a ratings hit, drawing audiences of around 20 million per episode.
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Kevin Says Backstreet Boys Coming Back 'Very Soon'
PopDirt-----------------------------------------------------------------
Kevin Richardson was just featured on the WKYT television network in Kentucky for an interview on staying fit. Kevin took host DeeAnn Stevens to the gym with him to show her his workout routine. He told DeeAnn that "It's like this enate thing inside me. I have, I have to exercise or I don't feel right." He then showed her how to box, which he started doing two years ago during a Backstreet Boys world tour. DeeAnn says, "He does it now 3 days a week at the Hollywood Y in Los Angeles. The other days he saves for weight lifting and cardiovascular work outs." Kevin said that boxing allows him to get out the aggression that builds up inside of him from sitting through LA traffic. DeeAnn concluded by saying, "[The Backstreet Boys] haven't broken up or anything. He said that they are individually pursuing different interest and one day very soon they hope to get back together and cut another record."
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Christina, Lil' Kim Get Even 'Dirrtier' For 'Can't Hold Us Down' Clip
MTV News------------------------------------------------------------------
After duking it out in the ring for her "Dirrty" video, Christina Aguilera is taking her fighting skills to the streets.
In the singer's next video, for the Lil' Kim collaboration "Can't Hold Us Down," the duo and a dozen or so of their friends take on a gang of guys in New York's Lower East Side.
The battle begins when a loiterer makes a sleazy pass at Aguilera. No punches are actually thrown, but the words hit just as strong. "Call me a bitch 'cause I speak what's on my mind," Christina sings as the clash begins. "Guess it's easier for you to swallow if I sat and smiled."
"It's a real female empowerment song, so the girls are getting theirs," said David LaChapelle, the celebrity photographer who directed the clip, as well as "Dirrty." "Men objectify women all the time and it's no big deal, so this time the girl's doing it."
The video takes place on a sweltering hot night in 1984, "when [Ed] Koch was mayor, the garbage trucks sometimes didn't show, there were blackouts and sh--, and everybody was on the street," explained LaChapelle, who has also directed videos for Elton John, Moby and the Vines.
I grew up there and so I made it look like it did," he said. "It looks like New York does not look anymore."
The "Can't Hold Us Down" video, which ends with the loiterer bending down on his knee, kissing Christina's hand and begging for forgiveness, includes an appearance from star breakdancer B-Boy Crumbs.
"It's my ode to the '80s," LaChapelle said. "I love hip-hop and breakdancing and b-boys and fly girls and all that, and they're all represented. We have some amazing characters in the video and I think it looks pretty cool."
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Avril sticks up for Mrs. Spears
www.wildwritings.com-------------------------------------------------------
At a recent Avril Lavigne concert, someone was holding a 'Spear Britney' shirt. Avril must of not liked this, because the rocker jumped off the stage and was said, 'I have to do something because it's necessary," and she grabed a kids shirt that said 'Spear Britney' and she stated 'I think this is uncalled for, Britney is human, I'm human. The media causes me to look like I hate her and I dont. Everyone cheered for her because she was being honest about how the media screws everyone over.
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Mariah scoffs at Eminem's hangup
NY Daily News-------------------------------------------------------
Mariah Carey wishes Eminem could get over her. The pop goddess is revving up for a six-month world tour. So she finds it slightly pathetic that the Oscar-winning rap star is said to be saving phone messages she once left him. "I don't know what the hell he's doing," Carey told us yesterday. "It's a little excessive. Doesn't it seem a little bit girly? Like we're in a catfight?"
According to one report, Slim Shady has been cherishing "weird and graphic" answering-machine tapes on which Carey talked in "a baby voice."
"Graphic?" laughed Carey, speaking from the Caribbean, where she was relaxing on a catamaran. "I'm like Mary Poppins when it comes to that type of thing....I'm a jokester.
I have little voices. I do little things like that that are fun and games. ...If somebody has nothing better to do than sit around listening to old phone messages, I'm a little concerned about that."
Eminem's rep has denied that Slim may use Mariah's message in a rap. But Carey says: "Let him do whatever the hell he wants. If that makes him happy, yea for him." She added slyly, "All I know is, we all have a lot of messages, don't we? And we all should remember that."
What about rumors that ex-boyfriend Luis Miguel may dish about her in an interview? "That I don't believe," she said. "He's a class act. It's not his style to be exploitative. At least, that's not the person that I knew. He wouldn't even talk to me about past girlfriends."
The singer is clearly in a good frame of mind to begin a tour that she says will be unlike anything else she's done. She's letting her fans, with whom she communicates constantly on the Internet, help her choose her song list. She's also determined to perform in much smaller theaters - where the set will have a comfy decor reminiscent of Barbra Streisand's final shows.
"I'm passionate about doing something more intimate," she said. The tour is due to begin in Seoul on June 21 and may hit 113 cities. As of yesterday, word was that Madison Square Garden and the Nassau Coliseum were on the schedule for September. But insiders said Carey firmly ruled them out.
"I'm not doing any arenas," she told us. "It's too stressful to worry about the sound. I'm not doing this for the money. If I need to add more nights to get in more fans, I'll do it."
And just so her fans can look forward to her famous bod, she had to hang up. "I'm about to do my little water aerobics," she laughed. "I have a trainer here. If you have to be abused by working out, I might as well work out in the ocean."
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American Idol Predictions
www.wildwritings.com-------------------------------------------------------
Reports have stated that Ruben has the best chance of winning American Idol. They also stated that Clay will probably come in second, while Kimberly will leave tonight. Not only is all of American talking, but so are some of the hottest producers. Jimmy Jam tells USA Today that Ruben Studdard most likely would enjoy success as an R&B singer. "Ruben, with no gimmicks and no marketing, just flat out has the best chance to actually have a career," says Jam. "Ruben obviously could sing R&B. That's his style. If he has an inkling toward gospel music, someone like him could break the genre open bigger."
Limp Bizkit Is 'Exploding At The Seams!'
rockdirt.com-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Limp Bizkit's new album, currently titled 'Panty Sniffer', is now scheduled for release on September 8th, 2003. The band is in the final stages of recording new material in Los Angeles which now features new guitarist Mike Smith. Says frontman Fred Durst, "The new band is exploding at the seams! We feel like it's a real band sound now, and we owe it to the fans to make this the best album we can." The group as a result had to cancel 5 European festival dates in June and are now planning on coming to Europe in late August. "We hate to disappoint any of our fans, so we want to come back to Europe as soon as we can," says Durst.
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16 Songs Possible For Britney Spears New Album
popdirt.com------------------------------------------------------------------------
The webmasters of AllBritneyAccess.tk picked up the phone yesterday and called Britney's label. A girl named Cindy picked up the phone and gave them some information. I think the most revealing part was when they were told that there might be a chance that 16 songs would be put in the album (instead of the normal 12) due to that there had been so much time in between the 3rd and the 4th album. They were also told that it was believed Britney was going to do a cover of Stevie Wonder's 'You Are So Beautiful' (note: that should be Joe Cocker, unless they mean 'You Are The Sunshine Of My Life').
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Ja Rule To Give Fans A Break From His Music
mtv.com---------------------------------------------------------------------------
We've seen it happen to plenty of labels Bad Boy, Cash Money, No Limit, Def Jam and Death Row. Label executives ride a wave of commercial success, putting out nothing but hits, only to eventually hit a wall. While some companies are able to bounce back and be embraced once again by the public, others ultimately fall by the wayside. Murder Inc. is trying hard to avoid that fate.
Having gone through a bit of a rough patch these past few months on top of its beef with Eminem, Dre and 50 Cent, the label is in the middle of an ongoing federal investigation stemming from a raid of its New York offices back in January company CEO Irv Gotti says he's well aware of the backlash, especially when it comes to his biggest star, Ja Rule.
Case in point: Ja's 2002 LP, The Last Temptation, is his lowest selling since his debut, Venni Vetti Vecci, and his current single, "The Reign," isn't getting the record-breaking radio spins the Queens MC has grown accustomed to. On a recent episode of BET's "106 and Park," fans panned the song's video and called for Ja to stop singing so much. To make matters worse, the public has been showing overwhelming support for Rule's lyrical foe, 50 Cent.
"Rule's been out since 1999. He came out in 1999 and we dropped an album every year since [then]," Gotti said Saturday, rationalizing Ja's seemingly fading popularity. "He's been on the radio probably the most played rap artist [from] 1999 till now. I'll give the people that maybe y'all want a little break from my man. I'll give you six months. Y'all could ride with whoever. [Regardless of what they say,] it's all good 'cause they talking about my man. As long as y'all talking about my man, we'll deliver."
Gotti says that Rule is going to keep relatively silent during the next half year. He's been turning down interviews and the two aren't thinking about dropping Ja's next album until sometime in 2004.
"We're going to come with a double album 'cause [there's] a lot to talk about," Gotti revealed. "We're going go make some records. When the records are finished, the album will come out.
Lance to write movie, Justin to be superman?
mtv.com
"[It's] a remake along the lines of 'The Great Gatsby,' but younger," Bass explained at Wednesday's "Matrix Reloaded" premiere in Los Angeles. Bass will star in the currently-in-development flick, one of many he has on his plate.
"I'm writing my first horror film right now, called 'Imaginary Friend,' " he added. "It should be along the lines of that old fun Freddy Krueger-type stuff. ... We've got a nice imaginary friend-type [slasher character] that will scare the bejesus out of ya'."
An avid horror film fan, Bass said he's bummed he's not part of this fall's "Freddy vs. Jason" film. "I was so mad 'cause I didn't know they were filming it [until they were finished]. I would have begged to die in that movie. That would've been my dream."
But he has plenty of other projects through his Free Lance Entertainment, including "some kids movies," to tide him over.
Lance's film and television work, JC Chasez's solo album, Joey Fatone's comedy record, Chris Kirkpatrick's managing work with the band Ohno, and Justin Timberlake's summer tour will keep 'NSYNC from reconvening anytime soon, and it looks like Justin could be next to follow in Lance and Joey's Tinseltown footsteps.
Timberlake has been sent several scripts in the last few months, including "Superman," though a spokesperson for the singer said it was unclear whether they wanted him to read for the lead role or Super pal Jimmy Olsen. And since that project currently has no director attached and Timberlake has television and tour commitments, it will likely be some time before he commits to any new projects.
Britney Linked To Ashton Kutcher
teenmusic.com
Serial dater Britney Spears has been spotted getting up close and personal with movie star Ashton Kutcher.
The Stronger chanteuse has been linked to Colin Farrell and Fred Durst, among others, since her split from pop's golden boy Justin Timberlake last year.
Dude, Where's My Car? star Ashton has only just separated from his Just Married co-star Brittany Murphy.
A neighbour of Britney's spotted Ashton visiting the pop princess on two consecutive days, sparking speculation the pair are now dating.
The Pope refuses to bless J.Lo & Ben!
starshrine.com
This just in: Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck's wedding plans have hit a snag, the Pope has refused to bless the nuptials. The pair have been keeping tight-lipped about the star-studded ceremony, now thought to be taking place sometime over the summer. But Jennifer was reportedly keen for Pope John Paul II to approve the union. According to British tabloid the 'Daily Mail', however, the head of the Catholic church has put his foot down and refused.. because her first husband Ojani Noa would not have their marriage annulled. Although they are divorced, Noa refused out of spite. He explains, "She screwed me out of a decent divorce settlement then fired me as the manager of her restaurant for no reason, I owe her nothing". 
Beyonce's Solo Debut A Balance Of Ballads, Mid & Up Tempos
www.wildwritings.com
Beyonce Knowles spoke with MTV News about her debut solo album, 'Dangerously in Love', due July 8th. While there isn't a tracklisting yet, the disc will feature Jay-Z, Outkast, Lil' Kim, R. Kelly and Sean Paul. "My album is a good balance of really beautiful ballads and great mid-tempos with just ridin'-in-your-car feels, to a lot of great up-tempo club songs, to really sexy songs, to songs that make you feel emotional," the singer said. "It's a nice mixture of different types of tracks."
Kelly to film 'Miss Independent'
mtv.com
Kelly Clarkson had one prerequisite for her "Miss Independent" video: no references to a certain TV show. "It's gonna be more Kelly Clarkson the artist, not [Kelly Clarkson] from 'American Idol,' " the singer said. "We're not gonna show clips like we did in 'A Moment Like This.' Like, we're not gonna show all the other women in the show being independent. No, that won't happen."
With those simple guidelines, director Liz Friedlander, best known for Blink-182's "Adam's Song" and Michelle Branch's "Everywhere," let her creative juices flow.
"Honestly, I never watched 'American Idol,' so I didn't have a preconceived notion of her," Friedlander said Friday. "The song is explosive and young and has some cool electronic beats, so we took the visual style from the music."
Friedlander shot Clarkson in a Los Angeles house "that comes alive at times." "We start out and the house is really quiet, everybody's sleeping [and] she's the only one awake. Instantly, as the choruses come in, everybody wakes up and it turns into a party, and then it kind of goes to sleep again," the director explained. "It's really based on the way the song sounds in that it's very even-keeled and rhythmic in the verses, and then as the choruses explode we tried to do the same thing visually."
Along with the choruses, the erupting parties are also cued by Clarkson locking eyes with a "cute surfer boy" whose reflection she keeps seeing in mirrors. "And in the end maybe they get together," Friedlander added.
The director kept a simple look for Kelly (jeans and a tank top) and the house but then countered the simplicity with special effects that will show words and animation on the walls during the choruses.
J.Lo's Video Too Similar To 'Flashdance' For Paramount
popdirt.com
Since Jennifer Lopez's new 'I'm Glad' video was such an accurate replication of 'Flashdance', Paramount has taken action. " "The scenes were, frame by frame, the same," a source told the New York Post. "Paramount sent a legal letter to Sony claiming copyright infringement. There was nothing Sony could do - it is the same - so they are settling." But since J.Lo's Jennifer Beals impersonation was so good, Paramount is in talks with the singer/actress to remake the film.
Christina Aguilera Continues Horizontal Expansion
popdirt.com
New photos have emerged showing Christina Aguilera has packed on even more pounds. The picture caption says, "Christina was hesitant about showing off her curvy figure in her new video." Check out the pictures here.
Janet 'So Attached' To JD
popdirt.com
USA Today reports Janet Jackson told her sister LaToya at the Kentucky Derby how excited she was to be with boyfriend Jermaine Dupri. "I'm so attached," Janet said as she rushed back to his side. Janet flew in with Dupri's family, her personal trainer and chef. Meanwhile, LaToya told the paper she plans on returning next year for the big horse race. "This is so amazing," she said. "I'm coming back next year, maybe with (brother) Michael as my date." Janet admits that she wasn't as lucky as her sister in picking the winner. "I'm not winning. I normally don't do this, so I am not really sure who to bet," Janet said.
Well, thin is in!
www.wildwritings.com
Check out the new fashion reviews featuring Mariah Carey, Britney Spears, Cameron Diaz, Drew Barrymore, Lucy Liu, Rebecca Romijn-Stamos, Famke Janssen and Kelly Hu! This week we took to the red-carpet for premieres and award shows. It's all brand -new, including a new introduction by Darlene Reynolds. Check out all the pictures and reviews here!
Happy 1 year Anniversary
www.wildwritings.com
Wild Writings turns 1 year old on the internet! Just last May, Wild Writings was launched as an online magazine. We had no writers, a very basic design, and were determined to make it big. As the year went on, we went through over 10 designs, interviewed celebrities such as American Idol finalists and pop stars. Wild Writings met Mariah Carey to present her with a fanbook from her fans, teamed up with VH1 on the Ultimate Album Special, and won dozens of site awards (so many we don't even post them up now). Wild Writings now has the best design we've ever had, 10 writers, (and growing ..) and is updated daily with the latest celebrity news! Thank you to our fans for the never-ending support! For more information on the history of Wild Writings, past layouts, and more click here. For more on our birthday, click here!
50 Beautiful People!
www.wildwritings.com
People magazine announced their 50 Most Beautiful list, which features Halle Berry on the cover. Singers making the list include Jennifer Lopez, Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera, and Lisa Marie Presley. Read on for the complete list.
Queen Latifah, Mary-Kate Olsen Ashley Olsen, Susan Sarandon, Eva Amurri, Usher, Chilli, Colin Farrell, Kate Hudson, George Clooney, Daniel Day-Lewis, Salma Hayek, Diane Lane, Norah Jones, Leonardo DiCaprio, Nicole Kidman, Julianne Moore, Ashton Kutcher, Reese Witherspoon, Hugh Jackman, Mark Feuerstein, Maria Ahn, Lucia Ahn, Angella Ahn, Jennnifer Garner, Elizabeth Cho, Jennifer Lopez, Ben Affleck, Julia Roberts, Halle Berry, Britney Spears,Jennifer Aniston, Eve, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Katie Holmes, Steve Martin, Andrew Dan Jumbo, Farruquito, Christina Aguilera, Daniel Sunjata, Tony Parker, Eric McCormack, Peter Krause, Gary Stevens, Derek Luke, Ryan Seacrest,Lisa Marie Presley, Tina Fey, Carlos Bernard, and Nancy Ives.
'Lizzie McGuire' Sequel In The Works
www.wildwritings.com
Although the big movie just debuted in American yesterday, Disney isn't waiting to see how 'The Lizzie McGuire Movie' starring Hilary Duff opens this weekend to plan for a sequel. The company has quietly struck a deal with TV writer Melissa Gould to pen a potential sequel for the Disney Channel franchise.
The Transformation Of Jewel
popdirt.com
Jewel was on the Today Show on Friday to perform 'Intuition' and 'Standing Still' from her forthcoming '0304' album and talk about her radical image makeover on the 'Intuition' video. "I'm doing things in this video that I never thought I'd do," she admitted. "I'm dancing I'm getting sprayed down with a fire hose. It's silly, and completely over the top and something you would absolutely see in a music video." Video director Marc Klasfeld added, "My favorite is when our protesters, turn into dancers, do like a Britney-Christina type choreographed thing. So that's the basic idea. So going to go from video to film, video to film, and it's going to be this whole statement on what's actually real in this culture of ours."
Shock 'American Idol 2' With Ruben In The Bottom 2
popdirt.com
Trenyce was voted off in Wednesday night's 'American Idol'. That wasn't the big surprise... the surprise was Ruben Studdard in the bottom two. Even though polls have suggested an overwealming percentage thought he'd be the winner (72% in an Us Weekly poll), he somehow got cast in the bottom two. Was it manipulation to draw viewer interest or did Ruben fans get complacent? Has the off-key Josh Gracin hit the conservative Republican trifecta -- active Marine, country singing, and (groan) white -- making this Political Idol... and nothing about musical talent? Last season saw a huge uproar with four remaining when Tamyra Gray was booted, and now with two African Americans and a rumored to be gay trio up against Josh, will it really expose the ugly side of America?
Mumba Lands Major Musical Movie Deal
teenmusic.com
Sexy singer Samantha Mumba is flying to Los Angeles to sign up for a major role in a new Hollywood musical described as "a bit like Chicago".
The 20-year-old, who has already starred in Dreamworks' The Time Machine, is keeping details of the film secret - but her manager Louis Walsh has indicated that Mumba's new role will catapult her into the Hollywood big time following her successful pop career.
He says, "It's the biggest thing she'll have ever done and she's meeting movie bosses to finalise the terms. It means she will be going back to live in Los Angeles for a stretch once filming starts."
