Brittany Murphy died December 20, 2009 at her home in Los Angeles

R.I.P. BRITTANY MURPHY

Brittany Murphy died December 20, 2009 at her home in Los Angeles, California. She was 32 years old at the time of her death.

According to reports from TMZ, Murphy's husband made a 911 call in the early hours of the morning. Brittany suffered a massive heart attack; the coronary led to her nearly immediate passing.

WHO WAS BRITTANY MURPHY

The blonde starlet was most famous for her acting work in the movies "Clueless" with green celebrity Alicia Silverstone and with rap music star Eminem and legendary blonde bombshell Kim Bassinger in "8 Mile".

She began her acting career in community theaters at the age of 9 and has appeared in MAXIM magazine.From:www.examiner.com

Robert Pattinson skyrocketed into fame this year

Robert Pattinson skyrocketed into fame this year, scoring the number one spot on the PopSugar 100 for his first time on the list! The Harry Potter alum quickly became an international heartthrob as Twilight's Edward Cullen, with his charming good looks and casual demeanor. He turned heads at Cannes and had us captivated at the MTV Movie Awards, and his flirtatious relationship with Kristen Stewart has hearts everywhere aflutter. We're so happy to welcome Rob to the PopSugar 100 as this year's number one! Congrats!From:www.popsugar.com

Jennifer Aniston's year was marked by professional triumph

Jennifer Aniston's year was marked by professional triumph and personal landmarks.Aniston film Marley and Me broke records at the holiday box office, while HJNTIY also debuted at the top of its game. Aniston was back on TV for a guest-starring role on 30 Rock, and Jen also made headlines onstage at the Oscars. Unfortunately shortly after that big night, her high-profile relationship with John Mayer ended yet again, making her the second most commented celeb this year and taking the coveted number one spot on the pop factor ranking!From:www.popsugar.com

Hollywood actress Minnie Driver wore a red dress

Hollywood actress Minnie Driver wore a red dress to her father's funeral as she did not want to disappoint him.The Good Will Hunting star's father, Ronnie, breathed his last at the age of 87 in London on December 14 after suffering a heart attack, Daily Express reported.

The star turned out with her family on Wednesday for the London funeral wearing a bright red dress and broke down in tears as she read the eulogy during the service.

"I am not being disrespectful. I am wearing red because my father always used to tell me that I was the kind of girl who would a wear a red dress to a funeral. So I wouldn't want to disappoint you, Dad."

The 39-year-old actress, who has been filming a movie in Scotland, put the production on hold to fly to London when her father fell ill.

Ronnie is survived by the actress and her elder sister, Kate, and their mother, Gaynor Millington, as well as his widow Misty, and two more children.From:www.hindustantimes.com

Actress Brittany Murphy, known for her breakthrough role in “Clueless”

Actress Brittany Murphy, known for her breakthrough role in “Clueless” and dozens of other films, mysteriously died yesterday after collapsing in her Los Angeles home, investigators confirmed.

An autopsy could be performed as early as today to determine how the 32-year-old starlet died. Preliminary reports indicated she went into cardiac arrest at the home she shared with her husband, burly British screenwriter Simon Monjack.

L.A. firefighters responded to a 911 call from the home at about 8 a.m. yesterday. It was Murphy’s mother, Sharon, who discovered her unconscious in the shower, according to TMZ.com, which first reported the celebrity death shocker.

She was pronounced dead at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center shortly after 10 a.m., a hospital spokeswoman confirmed. TMZ reported that Murphy’s husband didn’t want an autopsy performed on her. The Web site also said some prescription drugs were found in her house and foul play is not suspected in her death. Her mom reportedly told authorities Murphy had a history of diabetes.

Murphy starred in such films as “8 mile,” “Don’t Say a Word” and “Uptown Girl.” Her first big break came in the 1995 comedy “Clueless,” in which she played Tai, an outsider befriended by a cooler clique of girls.

In 2004, Murphy made a cameo in the Hub, where she filmed scenes for the flick “Little Black Book” outside the South End’s Metropolis restaurant. The film also starred Vineyard songbird Carly Simon.

Murphy’s father, Angelo Bertolotti, told The Associated Press he learned of her death from his son, the actress’ brother.

“She was just an absolute doll since she was born,” Bertolotti said from his Branford, Fla., home. “Her personality was always outward. Everybody loved her - people that made movies with her, people on a cruise - they all loved her. She was just a regular gal.”

However, Murphy’s career seemed to nosedive in recent months. She was reportedly fired from one recent film, “The Caller,” for being “problematic on the set,” according to TMZ. She had three films in post-production, according to the New York Daily News.

The actress dabbled in music, releasing the dance club single “Faster Kill Pussycat” in 2006.

But physically, she appeared to be withering away, becoming painfully underweight in recent months.

In October, Murphy’s neighbors reported to cops that she was frantically screaming about gunshots on her balcony, according to the Daily News. The noise turned out to be a nearby generator.

Former beau Ashton Kutcher, who in 2003 starred with Murphy in “Just Married,” posted on his Twitter: “See you on the other side kid ... 2day the world lost a little piece of sunshine. My deepest condolences go out 2 Brittany’s family, her husband, & her amazing mother Sharon.”

From:news.bostonherald.com

Miley Cyrus adds to the number of Hollywood actresses

Miley Cyrus adds to the number of Hollywood actresses like Lindsay Lohan in getting what is called a “Just Breathe” tattoo. Lindsay got the same tattoo earlier than Miley which is located on her wrist. As for Miley who’s sporting the latest tattoo, she was spotted sipping her drink by the pool of the Fontainebleau Resort in Miami Beach, where she recently wrapped her Wonder World tour. She then revealed what it seems a new ink just under hear breasts in a hot pink bathing suit top.

From:www.showbizgossips.com

Adam Lambert may be unsafe for Good Morning America and Jimmy Kimmel Live show

Adam Lambert may be unsafe for Good Morning America and Jimmy Kimmel Live show, but the ladies of The View can handle him. At least that was the message ABC seemed to be sending when they announced Friday that the American Idol runner-up will appear on the talk show on Dec. 10 in a taped interview and performance. The appearance will air the morning after Barbara Walters includes Lambert as one of the year’s “Most Fascinating People” in her special airing the evening of Dec. 9.
From:news-briefs.ew.com

Back for new season Jan. 12:'American Idol'

"American Idol" will kick off its ninth year with a two-night season premiere in January.

Fox announced Tuesday that the hit singing contest, which last year produced a battle between winner Kris Allen and runner-up Adam Lambert, will return Tuesday, Jan. 12, and Wednesday, Jan. 13.

This year's big change: Paula Abdul is out as judge and Ellen DeGeneres is in.

Fox also announced that the drama "24" will return with a pair of two-hour episodes airing Jan. 17 and 18, and that "Glee" will take a break after its Dec. 9 episode, returning April 13 to follow "American Idol."

Before that, the coveted post-"Idol" spot will go "Our Little Genius," a new series that tests the knowledge of gifted children and debuts Jan. 13.

From:www.google.com

I've never heard a Jay-Z song:Miley Cyrus

Calif. -- Miley Cyrus may sing about her favorite Jay-Z song coming on in her No. 1 hit "Party In The U.S.A.," but the star has revealed that she's never heard a song by the hip-hop icon.

"I've never heard a Jay-Z song," she said in a video posted to her official site, MileyWorld.com.

Unlike past Miley hits, she explained, the track wasn't hers.

"I don't know, I didn't write the song - I picked that song because I needed something to go with my clothing line," she explained of her collaboration with Wal-Mart and designer Max Azaria, adding she didn't realize the track would take off. "It turned out for the best. It was really unexpected."

The young rocker said the pop track was a curveball from her usual style.

"I don't listen to pop music, that's not my style of music," Miley said of the track. "I'm really blessed for it to have done as well as it has."

While she may not be a Jay-Z buff, Miley also weighed in on an artist she has heard - dad Billy Ray Cyrus.Asked if she would ever cover his hit "Achy Breaky Heart," she said no."That's like covering a Jay-Z song," she said.

From:omg.yahoo.com

It's not easy being Britney -- just ask Rihanna

It's not easy being Britney -- just ask Rihanna.

The media frenzy that swirled around the singer right after she was viciously beaten by then-boyfriend Chris Brown left her feeling like the beleaguered pop tart.

"I felt like I went to sleep as Rihanna and woke up as Britney Spears," the singer told Glamour magazine. "That was the level of media chaos that happened the next day. It was like, what, there are helicopters circling my house? There are 100 people in my cul-de-sac? What do you mean I can't go back home?"

The 21-year-old beauty said the "positive thing" to come out of her experience that February night is that she's able to send a message to young women."Domestic violence is a big secret. No kid goes around and lets people know their parents fight. Teenage girls can't tell their parents that their boyfriend beat them up," she told the magazine.

"It's one of the things we [women] will hide, because it's embarrassing. My story was broadcast all over the world for people to see, and they have followed every step of my recovery. The positive thing that has come out of my situation is that people can learn from that," Rihanna said.

She said that her friends and family were supportive. "But at some point, you are there alone. It's a lonely place to be -- no one can understand. That's when you get close to God."

Rihanna also called it a "humiliating" slap when a photo of her battered face was leaked. "I felt completely taken advantage of," she told Glamour. "I felt like people were making it into a fun topic on the Internet, and it's my life."

From:www.nypost.com

Embattled Reality Star Jon Gosselin Consulting With a Rabbi to "Reconnect More Altruistic Self.

Embattled reality star Jon Gosselin admits he got "carried away by the challenges of fame" and is consulting with a rabbi to "reconnect with my deeper, more spiritual, more altruistic self."In a statement, the 32-year-old father of eight (who has said he's "half Jewish and half Korean") tells Usmagazine.com:"I am troubled to learn that the media has accepted as true the scurrilous rumor that I would appear in a reality television program with Nadya Suleman. This is utterly false."I do, however, accept that some of my previous actions have in some way lent credence to such outrageous stories.I am well aware that my behavior over the past few months has not always reflected my personal and religious values. I further accept that I have allowed myself to become somewhat severed from my own moral anchor and be carried away by the challenges of fame.

From:www.omg.yahoo.com

Nicole Kidman:Hollywood has probably contributed to violence against women

Nicole Kidman conceded Wednesday that Hollywood has probably contributed to violence against women by portraying them as weak sex objects.

The Oscar-winning actress said she is not interested in those kinds of demeaning roles, adding that the movie industry also has made an effort to contribute to solutions for ending the violence.

Kidman testified before a House Foreign Affairs subcommittee that is considering legislation to address violence against women overseas through humanitarian relief efforts and grants to local organizations working on the problem.

Asked by Rep. Dana Rohrabacher, R-Calif., if the movie industry has "played a bad role," Kidman said "probably," but quickly added that she herself doesn't.

"I can't be responsible for all of Hollywood but I can certainly be responsible for my own career," she said.

Kidman appeared before the committee in her role as a goodwill ambassador for the U.N. Development Fund for Women, known as UNIFEM, to promote the International Violence Against Women Act.

"In the real world, the laws go unenforced and impunity is the norm," she said.

The legislation has stalled in the past, but a sponsor, Rep. Bill Delahunt, D-Mass., said he and others plan to reintroduce it soon.

The Australian star told Congress that the U.N. women's fund needs more resources. "We need the money," she said.

Before the hearing began, a crowd of people lined the hall and around the corner to hear her speak.From:money.aol.com

Hollywood actress Sienna Miller's Broadway debut

Hollywood actress Sienna Miller's Broadway debut in "After Miss Julie" has been hit by a string of bad reviews with critics mauling her performance.The actress stars in Patrick Marber's adaptation of the August Strindberg classic "Miss Julie". On the opening night Thursday Miller's performance came under the spotlight, with critics labelling her "second rate", reports contactmusic.com."Ms. Miller registers as a healthy, sane young woman with good diction, good posture and great legs. Commendable as these attributes are, they are of limited use in portraying a tautly wound, death-courting neurotic who is eaten alive by her own demons," wrote Ben Brantley, of the New York Times."If Julie is written as clashing chords of conflicted impulses, Ms. Miller plays them like a novice at a piano, plunking down each note loudly and individually," he addedAdded Wall Street Journal theatre critic Terry Teachout: "A model turned second-tier movie star, all she does is stalk around the stage striking vampy poses... she has no more business playing a classic stage role than I have posing for the cover of Vogue."
from:entertainment.expressbuzz.com

Sexy Salma Hayek Vampire Role

The Anne Frank House museum in Amsterdam has begun airing the only known video of a teen Frank and the rare footage is a YouTube hit. You can see her about nine seconds into the short 21-second video. Hollywood actress and rare beauty Salma Hayek did what many Hollywood actresses never do - she took a reduced role for her little baby girl. More on both items follow.

One - Hollywood actress Salma Hayek has revealed she backed out of a movie shortly after her daughter was born. Salma, 43, gave birth to her daughter Valentina Paloma in September 21 2007. She now has a small part in Cirque du Freak: The Vampire's Assistant.

She said: "This was very important for me because I hadn't worked in some time. "I was supposed to do a movie right after Valentina [was born] and it was the first time in my career that I backed out of something because I just couldn't. I couldn't." However, Salma admitted that it was easier to get back to work after Valentina's birth because she could bring her to work along with other family members. She said: "She did great [on the set]. She's a pro."

Two - Social Vibe has the short film clip and a still photo here of Anne Frank, "A legendary figure in history, best known for her iconic diary chronicling two years spent in hiding from Nazis with her family during World War II."From:www.nationalledger.com

Angelina Jolie spent some special time

Angelina Jolie spent some special time with just Shiloh shopping in Ajaccio, France, yesterday. Last week Angelina and Brad brought Maddox and Pax to get some new pet gerbils, but this time Shi choose a toy doggie, not a real one. Shiloh's blond hair is so long these days, but she is still a spitting image of her mother.It's weekend number two for Inglourious Basterds, so we'll see if it's record-breaking opening can hold steady at the box office while the Jolie-Pitts are off in France living the relaxing life at their chateau.From:www.popsugar.com

Jennifer Garner and Violet Affleck put their shades on earlier today

Jennifer Garner and Violet Affleck put their shades on earlier today for a walk around Harvard Square in Cambridge, MA. The girls took off from LAX earlier this week, with little sister Seraphina, on their way to visit with Ben Affleck as he keeps on working on The Town. The Garner-Afflecks are all familiar with Ben's hometown after their extended stay when he worked on The Company Men, and Jennifer and Violet appear to be starting to fit in just like locals.
From:popsugar.com

John Krasinski will walk down the aisle both on- and off-screen

Krasinski and British actress Emily Blunt (The Devil Wears Prada) are engaged, according to People. They have been dating since November 2008.

The couple kept their relationship quiet, attending the 2009 SAG Awards separately and only going on low-key dates, according to the magazine.
Krasinski was previously linked to his Office co-star Rashida Jones, while Blunt ended her three-year relationship with singer Michael Bubl in 2008.From:www.Omg.com

Reps for the superprivate pair tell E! News: "We can confirm that John and Emily are engaged."

The couple began dating in November 2008 and have kept much of their romance under wraps, arriving separately to awards shows and spending down-low downtime together in Los Angeles.

Before finding each other, The Devil Wears Prada star dated crooner Michael Bublé for three years, while Krasinski was linked to former Office costar Rashida Jones.

All right, Dunder Mifflin, who's next? If Ryan and Kelly hook up again, are we going to hear about Mindy Kaling and B.J. Novak engagements, too?From:www.eonline.com

Kim Kardashian is allowing the art of the sitcom

Kim Kardashian is allowing the art of the sitcom to imitate life.

According to People, the reality star, who split from football star Reggie Bush last month, will make a guest appearance in the new FOX sitcom, "Brothers." In the episode, she'll be involved with another football star.

Kim will reportedly play herself confronting former football star Michael Trainor (played by ex-New York Giant Michael Strahan) about rumors that they're involved.
From:omg.yahoo.com

Kim will reportedly play herself confronting former football star Michael Trainor (played by ex-New York Giant Michael Strahan) about rumors that they’re involved.

Access Hollywood’s own Nancy O’Dell will make a cameo in the episode, as she tries to get to the bottom of the alleged romance.

Kim’s episode of “Brothers” is scheduled to shoot in the next few weeks and is set to air in October.Kim's episode of "Brothers" is scheduled to shoot in the next few weeks and is set to air in October.

From:popsugar.com

Happy 51st birthday to Madonna and a personal statement

Happy 51st birthday to Madonna, you look amazing and are still breaking records with your tour de force concerts. How ironic and wonderful that your concert last night went off without a hitch and the religious zealots were unable to do a thing to stop you. Thousands of Polish fans cheered you on as you rocked the stage. Hundreds of clubs and millions of your fans will have you in mind today as we go about our day. Congratulations and keep up the good work, not that we ever thought for a moment you wouldn't.


Poland (AP) -- Polish fans joined together in song to wish Madonna a happy birthday at a concert in Warsaw Saturday evening — just hours before she turned 51.
In a break between two songs, a fan held up a sign wishing her a happy birthday and audience members sang, "may you live a hundred years," a traditional Polish birthday song.
"I feel your love!" Madonna told the crowd of tens of thousands gathered on a large green field for the latest stop in her Sticky & Sweet tour.Many of the fans near the stage also held up paper

hearts. One said: "Adopt Me."

Her stop in Warsaw fell not only a day before her birthday, but also on the August 15, the Roman Catholic holiday celebrating the heavenly assumption of the Virgin Mary — timing that angered some Catholics.Several people who objected to Madonna held up banners outside the concert venue, and a Catholic group tried to spearhead protests in past weeks hoping to force the Material Girl to change the date of the concert. It failed, however, to win support from the official church or the public. Though Poland,

Kourtney Kardashian is pregnant.

Kourtney Kardashian is pregnant.

The E! reality star, 30, is not revealing the father's identity or how far along she is, E! News reports.

Speaking with E! Tuesday, she refused to say if she and ex-boyfriend Scott Disick were back together.

"You're going to have to see on the show," she said, referring to her new reality show with her sister Khloe, "Kourtney and Khloe Take Miami," which debuts Sunday.

In April, Kourtney's stepdad, Bruce Jenner, hinted a baby could be on the way.

"Kourtney is turning the big 3-0 this year and I'm wondering how she's going to handle that," he told Usmagazine.com at the 44th annual Academy of Country Music Awards.

Added Bruce, "Women have a lot more issues to deal with [than men]. They have ticking maternal time clocks to deal with and they have all these different sorts of things going on in their heads. The good news about all three girls [Kourtney's two famous sisters are Kim and Khloe] is that they're very busy.

From:wonderwall.msn.com

Tom Cruise's son is getting ready to for battle.

Tom Cruise's son is getting ready to for battle.

Connor Cruise will star in the remake of the 1984 film "Red Dawn," according to The Hollywood Reporter.

Jennifer Lopez Sexy Photo Gallery

Also joining the 14-year-old Cruise as soldier-fighting Wolverines in the remake are Isabel Lucas, Josh Hutcherson and Edwin Hodge.

The foursome joins the previously announced Chris Hemsworth, Adrianne Palicki and Josh Peck in the film, which follows a group of small-town teenagers who rise up to battle invading Russian (and in the remake, Chinese) soldiers.

Angelina Jolie New Sexy Wallpapers

Cruise - who made his big screen debut in 2008 as the young Will Smith in "Seven Pounds" -- will play Daryl, the son of the town's mayor.

Hutcherson ("Journey to the Center of the Earth;" "Bridge to Terabithia") will play Robert, the role originally played by C. Thomas Howell.Lucas will step into the role of Erica, the head cheerleader and girlfriend of Matt Eckert (played by Peck).

Sexy Supermodel Heidi Klum Fashion Show

Hodge (best known for his recurring roles on FOX's "Mental" and "Bones") will play Danny, the town's BMOC who helps start up the fight against the soldiers.Filming is slated to begin next month in Detroit, after the group of young actors undergoes first military training in the coming weeks.The "Red Dawn" remake is scheduled to hit theaters on September 24, 2010.

From:omg.yahoo.com

Miley Cyrus rode a wave at the Teen Choice Awards.

Miley Cyrus rode a wave at the Teen Choice Awards.

The teen queen sailed away with six surfboard-shaped trophies at Sunday's ceremony. Cyrus won for comedy TV actress and comedy TV show for "Hannah Montana," music/dance movie actress and hissy fit for the "Hannah Montana" movie, music single for "The Climb" and summer song for "Before the Storm." She also presented Britney Spears with the ultimate choice award.

"I'm a huge fans of hers," Cyrus said before a subdued Spears accepted her own surfboard.

Cyrus was among several multiple award winners at the 11th annual ceremony at Universal Studios Hollywood's Gibson Amphitheatre.

Show hosts the Jonas Brothers kicked off the ceremony by performing "Much Better" on a tiny stage that moved through the audience. They won five awards, including choice male red carpet icons and breakout TV show for "Jonas."

The biggest winner of the night was vampire drama "Twilight," which sucked up nine movie awards:From:wonderwall.msn.com

"Brutal Legend" will rock out with a lengthy list of metal legends.

LOS ANGELES (AP) -- "Brutal Legend" will rock out with a lengthy list of metal legends.

Black Sabbath, Judas Priest, Megadeath and Motorhead are among the 75 bands that will be featured in the video game starring Jack Black as a roadie who fights evil in a mythical metal-themed world. Over 100 songs — such as Motley Crue's "Dr. Feelgood," Kiss' "God of Thunder" and Ratt's "Lay It Down" — will be included in the game.

Game creator Tim Schafer (SHAY'-fer) said the "Brutal Legend" tunes will encompass the various sub-genres of metal — hair, British, new wave, goth, industrial

and death, just to name a few.

The songs will play in the background during cutscenes or via "The Mouth of Metal," the in-game radio station found inside the hot rod of Black's character.

From:wonderwall.msn.com

Sienna Miller took a break from PDA time with Balthazar

Sienna Miller slipped into a tiny white bikini to sunbathe in Positano, Italy yesterday. She took a break from PDA time with Balthazar, enjoying an afternoon by the pool with her book while he went out jet skiing. They seem to be going strong despite what anyone else may think, but she'll have to wrap up their Mediterranean vacation soon to start promoting
From:www.popsugar.com

Michael Jackson's mother lawyer opens up

NEW YORK - It wasn't just a victory. It was finally a moment of relief for Michael Jackson's mother, Katherine, 79, when she won custody of her three grandchildren, Prince, 12, Paris, 11 and Blanket, 7.

And helping make this possible was New York lawyer L. Londell McMillan, whose longtime ties to the Jackson family are as personal as they are professional, giving him a uniquely intimate perspective on Katherine's ordeal.

"After last Monday, it was like a load was taken off of her, and she's kicking her heels a little bit," McMillan tells PEOPLE. "She's got her grandchildren,” they're set. She's starting to rock and roll. She's getting her grandma swagger back."

The kids have been her saving grace amidst her son's tragedy. "It's been very painful for her," says McMillan. "But she has been busy trying to make sure that these children will be provided for."

Bonding with Jacksons
McMillan, who got his law degree at New York University after majoring in collective bargaining at Cornell, began working with Michael about four years ago, when Jackson was faced with a breach of contract lawsuit filed by the Prince of Bahrain. "My relationship with Michael was one of trust," he explains.

He also represented Katherine in a couple matters, and built a connection with her. "I lost my mom almost 20 years ago, but [she and Katherine] were similar in being selfless, loving to laugh and being the most loyal person in the room," says McMillan. "Katherine is a wonderful lady."

His other credentials include helping Michael refinance his Beatles catalog, liberating the artist known as Prince from a Warner Bros. recording contract he was famously unhappy with, and founding the non-profit Artist Empowerment Coalition.

As for Michael's children, the lawyer says: "They're in a great spot. They love their grandma. She is a very vibrant and youthful 79-year-old woman. Mrs. Jackson will be the matriarch of love that she has always been for this family."From:www.msnbc.msn.com

‘Dancing with Stars’ role for Paula Abdul?

PASADENA, Calif. (AP) -- ABC is joining the chorus of those seeking to hire Paula Abdul, who said she's quitting "American Idol."

ABC programming chief Stephen McPherson told the Television Critics Association on Saturday that he was "stunned" to hear she'd decided to leave the top-rated Fox series and that he's contacted Abdul, whom he called an old friend.

McPherson told Abdul he'd love to see her at ABC, home of "Dancing with the Stars."

Abdul announced last Tuesday she was leaving as an "Idol" judge following stalemated contract talks with Fox and the show's producers. She said she quickly started receiving "wonderful" offers.

From:wonderwall.msn.com

Katherine Heigl has hurt herself while shooting

Hollywood actress Katherine Heigl has hurt herself while shooting for the action scenes in her forthcoming movie, Five Killers. This movie is about a woman who marries an assassin which is played by Ashton Kutcher.

According to her, Katherine Heigl has suffered from injuries many times during the filming. So she feels that she should be a part of action films any more.

Katherine Heigl has admitted that it is very clumsy as he had bruised herself on several occasions. Katherine Heigl feels that she would be looking stupid even if she tried to look serious while doing a sequence that involves a car chasing her. But, she plans to try it again, but only after she gets in shape.
From:www.india-server.com

Aerosmith's Steven Tyler,61, fell backwards off the stage

In the latest injury to befall Aerosmith's star-crossed summer tour, lead singer Steven Tyler, 61, fell backwards off the stage on Wednesday night during the band's show in Rapid City, South Dakota, and was airlifted to a hospital for treatment.

According to The Associated Press, Tyler was dancing around in an attempt to entertain the crowd at the annual Sturgis Motorcycle Rally after the sound system failed during the song "Love in an Elevator" when he fell backwards off the stage.

"He does a lot of dancing on the stage and he does a lot of stuff with his mic stand. He put his stand down and twirled around and stepped backwards off the stage," said Mike Sanborn, spokesman for the Buffalo Chip Campground, which hosted the outdoor concert. About halfway through the show, Tyler reportedly stepped backward off the stage's catwalk and fell onto a couple of fans.

Security guards rushed in to help the singer, and the fans cheered when Tyler got back up. Though Sanborn said he was in good spirits and was joking with a physician when he was loaded onto a helicopter bound for Rapid City Regional Hospital, Tyler suffered minor head and neck injuries and a shoulder injury in the fall. The AP said it was not known how serious the injuries were. Shortly after the incident, Aerosmith guitarist Joe Perry came out to inform the crowd that Tyler had been airlifted to a hospital and that the show was over.

The Tyler tumble is the latest injury to befall the veteran hard rockers on the road. In February, the international kickoff in Venezuela was canceled because of an infection sustained by Perry that required emergency surgery related to a knee replacement he underwent in 2008.

Last month, the band was forced to cancel seven shows due to an unspecified injury, rumored to be a pulled leg muscle, sustained by Tyler onstage. That was followed by bassist Tom Hamilton's departure for a handful of dates in order to recuperate from unspecified "non-invasive surgery." Earlier in the trek, guitarist Brad Whitford was forced to sit out the initial dates due to a head injury, which required surgery, sustained when he was getting out of his Ferrari.

Several months before the tour, Tyler checked into rehab to recuperate from foot surgery. In March he contracted pneumonia, which pushed back sessions for the group's new album.

A spokesperson for the group could not be reached for comment at press time, and the hospital, citing privacy rules, would not comment for this story
From:www.mtv.com

American Idol runner-up Adam Lambert for this piece in today's paper.

Sun writer Sam Sessa interviewed American Idol runner-up Adam Lambert for this piece in today's paper.

Lambert and several of the other Idol contestants will perform at 1st Mariner Arena Wednesday as part of the American Idols Live tour.

Here are some bits and pieces from the interview that didn't make it into the article:

Adam, did you ever go back and watch clips of your "Idol" performances?

I actually bought them on iTunes so they were high quality. It was a really good learning tool -- to go back and review my performances. Performing on TV was definitely a new thing for me. I tried to learn as much as I could by reviewing those videos.

There's a rumor going around that Queen asked you to be their lead singer. Is that true?

It's pretty much a rumor. Basically what happened was, [Queen's guitarist] Brian May expressed an interest in possible future collaborations. That's really as vague as it was. The press decided to run with it. Of course, I'd be honored to sing with him any time. Queen is one of my all-time favorite bands, and Freddie Mercury was a huge influence on me musically.

Did you hear from any of the bands you covered on the show?

I heard in a roundabout way that the lead singer from Tears For Fears was really into what we did. I heard that Muse was happy with what I did. Ii'm also performing one of [Muse's] songs on the tour. That's pretty much it. I haven't heard from a lot of people.

What do you think about Ju'Not Joyner's allegations that "Idol" was rigged?

I guess everybody's entitled to their opinion.From:weblogs.baltimoresun.com

Paula Abdul will not return to American Idol for another season

Paula Abdul has announced on her Twitter feed, and Fox has confirmed to EW, that she will not return to American Idol for another season. Below is the full statement from Abdul:

“With sadness in my heart, I’ve decided not to return to IDOL. I’ll miss nurturing all the new talent, but most of all being a part of a show that I helped from day 1 become an international phenomenon. What I want to say most, is how much I appreciate the undying support and enormous love that you have showered upon me. It truly has been breathtaking, especially over the past month. I do without any doubt have the BEST fans in the entire world and I love you all.”

The full statement from Fox:

“Paula Abdul has been an important part of the American Idol family over the last eight seasons and we are saddened that she has decided not to return to the show. While Paula will not be continuing with us, she’s a tremendous talent and we wish her the best.”From:news-briefs.ew.com

Kim Kardashian Join 'America's Next Top Model'

she's making her way back to both arenas as a guest judge on "America's Next Top Model."

In addition to Conrad, Kim Kardashian — star of her own reality show, "Keeping Up With the Kardashians" — will also be making a cameo for the 13th cycle of the show, E! Online reports. Both LC and Kardashian are signed on for one episode each. LC will be on the September 16 episode, with Kardashian making her appearance October 21.

Conrad recently told MTV News that she wouldn't rule out returning to TV, but she did warn that when or if she did, she'd want to do it in a hosting capacity. "I wouldn't do a show like 'The Hills,' " she said in June. "Nothing with my personal life, but possibly something hosting. I think I have a little bit of time to figure out what I'm going to do next."

Now that we'll be seeing LC on TV again, is there any chance we can catch her on the upcoming season of "The Hills," starting in September? "I'm not planning on it," she said. "I'm happy with the time I walked away, and I think that from now on, they're going to pick it up and do a great show. But I think that my time on it is done."

From:www.mtv.com

A U.S. reality television show "Jon & Kate Plus 8,"

NEW YORK, Aug 3 (Reuters) - A U.S. reality television show about a family with eight children was back on air on Monday -- despite the parents splitting up.

The show "Jon & Kate Plus 8," aired by cable channel TLC, resumed after a six-week hiatus spawned by the break-up of parents Jon and Kate Gosselin which sent ratings soaring.

As the series resumed its fifth season, the parents now living apart and taking turns looking after their 5-year-old sextuplets and twin girls.

For despite the split, the pair decided their lives and the lives of their children would continue to be led in the public spotlight and the show would go on.

The resumed series lacked the hostility between the couple of earlier shows and was dominated by mundane domestic issues such as renovations and recreation.

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"This is a very, very difficult time right now ... but my main goal is to make this transition as easy and painless, if that's possible, for the kids as possible," said Kate Gosselin during one of two 30 minute episodes that resumed the series.

One notable change in the show, which is expected to continue with each parent taking turns staying in the home with the children, was greater commentary from the toddlers addressing the cameras directly.

Razzing their mother's dubious outdoorsmanship in a second episode during which Kate and the children camped out in the backyard, they variously opined:

"She did a terrible job" trying to pitch a tent, and "We'd probably die if we lived in the nature with her" after she struggled to start a fire using a lighter.

"I am going to do things that I have never done before," Kate vowed. "I have to. It is not their fault that what has transpired has transpired."

The Gosselins are famous for having twins and sextuplets, which made for a crowded house, and the show documented the family's trials and triumphs as the children grew up.

But the couple announced they were ending their 10-year marriage during a one-hour episode in June, ending months of speculation and reports about their deteriorating relationship and allegations of affairs, which created a tabloid media frenzy.From:www.reuters.com

Katherine Jackson will appear in a Los Angeles courtroom

Katherine Jackson will appear in a Los Angeles courtroom today in the hopes of becoming a co-executor of Michael Jackson's multimillion-dollar estate, an attempt to wrest control of her son's fortune from the two men he handpicked to oversee his legacy.

Rather than contest the will outright -- a risky maneuver that if unsuccessful would cost Katherine, 79, the money she already is assured -- the family is instead trying to raise questions about the legitimacy of the executors Jackson named in his will.

Aside from Jackson's children, Katherine Jackson was the only member of the family named in Jackson's will.

From:www.abcnews.go.com

Giving the judges veto power on "American Idol"

As a person who loves watching solid strategy and gameplay on reality TV, hearing about the coup d'etat on Thursday night's "Big Brother" made me cringe. In theory the coup sounds like a great idea in that it gives America a chance to impact the "Big Brother" household; yet, at the same time, it completely disrespects anyone who has worked their butts off to get into a secure alliance. Now the show is put into the hands of America, and obviously they will want to give more power to underdogs or those with a positive edit.

However, put up against some of the other bad twists in reality TV history, maybe the coup isn't quite so bad. There are some twists out there so bad they make watching a chore.

5. Giving the judges veto power on "American Idol"

All right, we all know that sometimes America messes up on the voting and the wrong person goes home (see Chris Daughtry for evidence); but isn't the controversy really part of the fun? If Daughtry hadn't left the show at the final four, no one would've been talking. Giving the judges the power to "save" a contestant from elimination is silly, especially since we all know that, at the end of the day, record sales will determine how successful a singer really is.

4. "Big Brother 8"

The only thing possibly worse than the coup d'etat was the idea for this season: to randomly put three sets of "enemies" into the house along with "America's Player," who would act on the nation's behalf. Both ideas were actually pretty cool, but CBS only went halfway with casting the enemies and should've made a whole cast about them. This season also introduced us to Dick Donato (which may actually be a good thing to some people). It was too confusing and far too random to be fun.

3. "The Amazing Race: Family Edition"

This season almost killed "The Amazing Race," mainly because it took away from the point of the show: to be amazing. It was a glorified road trip across America (and I guess Panama) with families that were difficult to remember and challenges that included "find a giant rocking chair." Plus it wasn't exactly a fair competition; the teams with small children lost early, and the Linz Family, made up of four adult siblings, ended up winning the grand prize. (Plus, the Weaver Family lasted too long and they were quite frankly frightening at times--who stops on the final leg of the race for fast food?)

2. "Celebrity Mole"

Okay, these two seasons did pretty much kill "The Mole" for a while. The show gained a fan following for being witty and intelligent, and then decided to cast Dennis Rodman and Stephen Baldwin and make the challenges far easier. Nobody asked for a celebrity season of this show--thankfully, ABC redeemed itself by making a new edition last summer with some really great contestants and ideas. However, poor ratings ultimately sent the show to the grave.

1. The Outcast Tribe on "Survivor: Pearl Islands"

Unless they are voting on a winner or coming back for an All-Star season, bringing back previously-eliminated contestants is never a good idea. It's happened on "Big Brother" and "American Idol" before, but nothing will ever top "Survivor" allowing six previously-eliminated contestants the chance to come back into a tribe. Two contestants (Burton and Lil) managed to re-join the game after winning at a challenge, throwing all strategy out the window and angering the cast. The worst part? Lil beat out popular players like Rupert and infamous players like Johnny Fairplay to finish second.From:www.examiner.com

Dr. Conrad Murray has become increasingly grim:Michael Jackson's death

Since Michael Jackson's death, the picture emerging of Dr. Conrad Murray has become increasingly grim.

Strapped for cash, the physician left his low-income patients and signed on as Jackson's personal physician for $150,000 a month, only to become a target of a manslaughter investigation amid reports he injected the pop icon with a powerful anesthesia the night before his death.

But to those who have long known him and been his patients in Texas and Nevada, the 56-year-old doctor from Grenada is no Hollywood Dr. Feelgood. He's a hero, a lifesaver. For these people, the drumbeat of news reports has been met with bafflement and anger. In one section of Houston, Murray is credited with bringing a medical facility where others dared not go. He volunteered to teach elementary school and cared so much about his patients that he offered to do video conferences with them when he couldn't personally attend to them.

In 2000, Murray opened Global Cardiovascular Associates in Las Vegas just east of the Strip, where his clientele spanned the Vegas caste system from the less fortunate to, patients say, several unidentified officials in Vegas government.

"I looked forward to going to see him because he was very warm, very good-hearted," Las Vegas patient Donna Digiacomo told PEOPLE just days after discovering her doctor was the man in the middle of the Jackson media circus. "He's not getting a fair shake at this. He's the most beautiful man you would ever know."

Humble Beginnings

Although his name will forever be associated with the King of Pop, it wasn't always glitz and glamour for Murray. Until the age of 7, he was raised by his grandparents, both of whom were farmers in Grenada. He later moved to Trinidad and Tobago to be with his mother. A hard worker, Murray bought his first house at 19, a home he would later sell and use the profits from to put himself through college. It wasn't until he was 25 when he finally met his father, who was also a doctor.

Following in his father's footsteps, Murray headed for medical school, at predominantly African-American Meharry Medical College in Nashville. Murray eventually opened a practice in Houston, the Acres Homes Heart and Vascular Institute.

"We have been so lucky to have Dr. Murray and that clinic in this community," Houston patient Ruby Mosley told PEOPLE. "There are many, many patients that thank God this man was here for them." Mosely said there are even prayer rituals for Murray in the community.
From:www.people.com

'Cheeta' writer could be top banana

The Booker Prize, one of Britain's most prestigious literary awards, this year might go to a - chimpanzee. Organizers announced yesterday the long list of 13 Booker contenders, which includes Me Cheeta, the purported memoirs of the chimp who starred in the 1930s Tarzan flicks.

Alas, the book, which was initially published anonymously, was penned by a human, James Lever. Others in the running for the $82,000 prize include A.S. Byatt, J.M. Coetzee, Sarah Hall, Hilary Mantel, Simon Mawer, Sarah Waters, and William Trevor. The winner will be announced Oct. 6.

Breathing soul into clay

No, I'm afraid the latest monumental tribute to Michael Jackson is not made of butter. Nor is it homegrown. (It's in Paris, France.)

French artist Jean-Baptiste Seckler, 33, is honoring the late, great King of Pop, by fashioning a sculpture of him in public in front of Paris' famed Pompidou Center.

Seckler, who was out there yesterday, shaping MJ's nose and lips, said he wanted to do his creationing away from "the silence and the concentration" he would otherwise enjoy in his no doubt very chic garret, because MJ's death "affected everyone, whether you like him or not."

The artist, who began his labors Saturday, is working in clay - we mortals do, after all, have feet of clay.

Red hot dancer in hot spot

Katie Holmes, who delighted audiences with her sexy Judy Garland turn on So You Think You Can Dance, last weekend barely escaped an (almost) burning vehicular inferno on the Australian set of her horror flick, Don't Be Afraid of the Dark. A BMW in which she was being filmed began emitting big billows of smoke from under the bonnet, but luckily, it didn't erupt into flames. An anon source tells Britain's Daily Mail that Katie, 30, "was very shaken by the ordeal. She took the rest of the day off."

The problem was caused by the car's apparently faulty battery.

Postliterate era continues

Here's a godsend for illiterate celeb fans: SubMensa author Lauren Conrad, whose claim to fame is looking very thin and very blond on The Hills, is considering offers for a film version of her debut novel, L.A. Candy, which we suspect will become part of the standard high school lit curriculum before long.

The good news: Lauren says she wants to produce the film, not star in it. The bad news? Lauren is following up the roman à clef with a second and a third tome.

Barton back to work

Mischa Barton, who's been getting some work done on her soul, psyche, and emotions under the guidance of psychiatrists, will be out of her little pit stop Friday, in time to film The Beautiful Life, a reality show that will purportedly take a critical look at the beauty industry and the pressures it creates for young women. (It'll probably just end up promoting zillions of beauty products.)

"She's back to business as usual," her rep tells People, while show creator Ashton Kutcher tells Reuters that M.B. "is doing great."

Sci-fi treat at Franklin Institute

Star Trek actor and Rutgers prof Avery Brooks of Deep Space Nine fame and legendary novelist and Temple prof Samuel Delany will chat about issues of race and culture Friday at 7 p.m. at the Franklin Institute. Information: 215-448-1254 or www2.fi.edu.

George, R.I.P

USAToday.com reveals that Grey's Anatomy spent its first week of production for the new season filming a funeral. And since T.R. Knight has left the show, this leads us to conclude that the services are for his George O'Malley. Don't worry - Katherine Heigl (big-mouth) and Ellen Pompeo (sickly cute cutie-pie) are back.From:www.philly.com

"The war is over," Linda Bollea told

After nearly two years of contentious court dates and bitter feuding, Hulk Hogan (real name Terry Bollea) and his wife Linda settled their divorce Tuesday morning.

"The war is over," Linda Bollea told The Tampa Tribune after a hearing in downtown Clearwater, Fla. In a sign of peace, she even kissed her ex on the cheek in the courtroom. "I still love him. He's the father of my children," Bollea added.

Hogan, echoing his wife's surprisingly soft sentiment, told the paper, "When you're married to someone for 23 years ... you hope for the best .... We just got torn apart."

In a statement released Tuesday, the wrestler's rep said, "Hulk is looking forward to moving on with his life and is very hopeful that he and Linda can maintain a friendship and work together as parents to their two children."

Bollea filed for divorce from her husband in November of 2007, just three months after the couple's teenage son, Nick, was involved in a car crash that critically injured his best friend.

While terms of the divorce agreement were not made public, a source tells PEOPLE that Bollea now plans to move to Los Angeles, while Hogan will likely move back into the family home in Clearwater.From:www.people.com

James Cameron is hoping fans will be wowed

James Cameron is hoping fans will be wowed by his upcoming 3-D epic Avatar. But don't expect him to reveal any secrets from his $240 million, computer-generated opus.

"You're not going to find 'behind the scenes' extras on the DVD," Cameron says. "I think the movies aren't the big, wonderful mysteries they used to be. I don't want to see some guy in a black leotard and dots showing me how he made himself look like an animal."

ALSO AT COMIC-CON: One final disaster film for Roland Emmerich

He may be Hollywood's most gifted tailor of cinema and technology, but Cameron remains a pretty old-fashioned guy. Until today, the director has kept his film as secret as a birthday gift — one he plans to present with 20 minutes of footage at Comic-Con.

For a filmmaker who hasn't made a commercial feature since 1997's Titanic, Cameron doesn't sound too worried about selling his tale of war between mankind and an indigenous species on the exotic planet Pandora.

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"I think for this type of film, presenting it to a concentrated mass of passionate fans, it's perfect," Cameron says. "I've spent four years of my life on this project. We've got the (goods)."

That is big news for the 7,000 fans who managed a ticket for Thursday's scheduled presentation. Cameron's return has generated the kind of fan reverence normally reserved for George Lucas.

"Iron Man 2 has everyone excited, but there's not a person at Comic-Con who isn't dying to know what James Cameron is bringing," says Blair Butler of the G4 cable network, which caters to gamers and fanboys and plans live coverage of the event.

"He changed film with Terminator and Aliens," she says. "Everyone is wondering if he can do it again."

If he can't, it won't be for lack of trying. Just as he pushed the envelope with his previous hits, Cameron used a new technology for Avatar that allowed him to see computer-generated creatures on his camera while filming live actors.

"It's a different experience for me now," he says. "It was familiar in bursts, like shooting actors. Then we'd shoot for 50 days standing out in a big empty warehouse."

Cameron says that one pressure he doesn't face: having to stay true to the source material.

"We can't screw up a 40-year-old tradition like a comic book," he says. "We created this world from scratch. I've felt like a lawyer preparing for a major case. You spend all this time, rehearsing, rewriting. I'm ready to make my case."From:www.usatoday.com

No. 1 spot from boy wizard Harry Potter

LOS ANGELES — An elite squad of guinea pigs has worked its own brand of magic at the box office, taking the No. 1 spot from boy wizard Harry Potter.

The 3-D animated "G-Force" was the top movie at the box office this weekend, opening with $32.2 million.Last week's No. 1 film, "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince," came in a close second with an estimated $30 million. That's a whopping 61 percent drop from its huge opening last weekend of $79.5 million.The sixth installment in the Harry Potter franchise has now made $222 million total.www.google.com

The Ugly Truth:Judd Apatow movie, Raunch, By Kurt Loder

The Ugly Truth" is an attempted Judd Apatow movie — a raunchy romance — that fails not only to raise the bar, but even to reach it. Apatow, both as a director ("Knocked Up") and as a producer working with directors in his orbit ("Superbad," "Forgetting Sarah Marshall") understands the liberating power of boldly scabrous dialogue and boundary-nudging sexual situations, and he embraces them. The makers of "The Ugly Truth" are reticent by comparison, which is the kiss of tedium

The actors are superior to the trite material. Katherine Heigl plays Abby, a Sacramento TV producer who's so hard-up for dates that she has to troll the Internet in search of Mr. Right. (Again: Katherine Heigl.) The happy-talk news show she produces, hosted by a bickering married couple (Cheryl Hines and John Michael Higgins), is dead last in the ratings. In desperation, management decides to bring in Mike (Gerard Butler), the burly host of a man-centric public-access program called "The Ugly Truth," on which he derides love as a female scam and advises lonely bachelorettes to "get some trashy lingerie — all we care about is looks."

Abby is appalled when Mike is inserted into the mix on her news show. (After his first appearance she runs to her office and cowers in a closet.) Soon this unevolved clod is staging segments with Jell-O-wrestling bikini babes, and he and Abby begin butting heads in earnest. But wait — could these two in fact, somehow, be right for each other? Romantically? To ask is to answer.

Since Heigl's character — a professional woman of some accomplishment — is depicted as basically a love-starved ditz (she does an idiot dance of joy when she finally meets a hot male prospect), it's surprising to learn that the script was written by three women, and that two of them were Kirsten Smith and Karen McCullah Lutz, the ace team behind such far-better films as "The House Bunny" and "Legally Blonde" (the latter also directed, like this one, by Robert Luketic). The movie does have some lively moments (mostly Butler's doing) and some actual laughs. But there are also a number of lines that land with a near-audible thud (as when Abby tells an aggressive colleague that he has "balls the size of a Volkswagen.

What really derails the film, though, is its forced comic situations. For example: Abby climbs a tree to retrieve her runaway cat. Through a neighboring window she spots a hunky guy toweling off after a shower. The branch on which she's standing breaks, leaving her dangling upside down from the tree (and giving us a glimpse of her underwear). When shower guy comes out to help, wearing only his towel ... well, what follows has the form of funny, but the setup is so strained that the humor is hobbled. Even more awkward is an orgasm scene in a restaurant, which demonstrates that the filmmakers have watched "When Harry Met Sally" and had no idea how to improve upon it.

Heigl and Butler have an appealing chemistry in this movie (he's a surprisingly agile comic performer), and the supporting actors — especially Higgins, and Bree Turner as Abby's droll assistant — round out a sharp ensemble that would've done credit to a smart carnal comedy. Despite what the trailer might seem to promise, though, "The Ugly Truth" isn't it.

From:www.mtv.com

International Mozarteum Foundation ,works composed by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

The International Mozarteum Foundation said Thursday it has discovered two more works composed by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.

The previously unknown works are piano pieces composed by a young Mozart, the Salzburg-based foundation said in a brief e-mail statement.

The Web site of the organization said its department of research had identified the works, long in the foundation's possession, as Mozart compositions.

Mozart, who was born in Salzburg, lived from 1756 to 1791. He played piano from an early age, began composing music when he was 5, and eventually created more than 600 works, ranging from operas to chamber music, choral pieces and piano concertos.

The foundation declined to provide more details Thursday, saying specifics would be made public during a presentation in Salzburg on Aug. 2.

During the event, Austrian musician Florian Birsak will perform the pieces on an original Mozart piano.

The foundation, established in 1880 and a prime source for Mozart-related matters, seeks to preserve the composer's heritage and find new approaches for analyzing him.

Discoveries such as the one announced Thursday are rare but not unheard of.

In September, Ulrich Leisinger, Mozarteum's head of research, said that a French library had found another previously unknown piece of music handwritten by Mozart.

The work, described as the preliminary draft of a musical composition, was found in Nantes in western France as library staff members were going through its archives. Leisinger says the library contacted his foundation for help authenticating the work.

There have been up to 10 Mozart discoveries of such importance over the past 50 years, Leisinger said at the time.

From:www.google.com

Katherine Jackson has hired an attorney

Jackson family sources tell us there's a bitter dispute over who will call the shots in probating Michael Jackson's will.

Katherine Jackson has hired an attorney -- Londell McMillan -- and we're told it's a done deal that McMillan will challenge the co-executors Michael selected. We're told most of the brothers -- Randy the notable exception -- are angry that McMillan has asserted himself by challenging co-executors John Branca and John McClain, both long time advisors and friends of M.J.

Ultimately, Joe Jackson has asserted his influence over Katherine to hire McMillan for the dirty work. We're told Katherine is really being manipulated and doesn't even have real objections to Branca and McMillan.

Randy is coy on who Joe and McMillan wants as executor instead, but the family is worried Joe and McMillan wants someone who will do anything but look out for the best interests of the estate -- especially since Joe is cut out of the will like a bad cancer.

Frank McCourt: books captivated millions of readers around the world

While his books captivated millions of readers around the world, Frank McCourt, who died Sunday after a recent health battle, spent the earlier part of his life enthralling a smaller but no less impressionable group of people: his students in the New York City public school system, where he taught for 30 years.

It was when the Brooklyn-born, Ireland-raised McCourt reached his 60s that he decided to put memories of his impossibly impoverished childhood in Limerick – and his mother Angela – to paper, and the result was Angela's Ashes, published in 1996 to acclaim and awards, including the Pulitzer and the National Book Award. In 2005, his Teacher Man affectionately chronicled his hurdles and triumphs as a teacher.

Now, his former pupils are returning the favor, remembering McCourt as "a legend in the halls," according to a woman who identifies herself only as Nicole on a New York Times blog dedicated exclusively to remembering the 78-year-old author.

"I still remember the first day of English class, and the only time Mr. McCourt assigned us a book to read for the entire term," recalls another graduate of McCourt's, Agatha Ariola. " 'You will read, Thomas Wolfe's You Can't Go Home Again,' he had said in a melodic accent that I, a sheltered, first-generation Asian-American, found so refreshing from the harsh Queens accent I often heard on the 45-minute subway commute to Stuyvesant HS."

As Ariola further recalls, "Class was 40 minutes of storytelling by this wonderfully gifted and engaging author, and I was encouraged to write from my own voice as a child of immigrant parents. Although my creative writing is now mostly kept in my journals for personal reading, Mr. McCourt left me with the legacy and appreciation of family, and the desire to go out into the world and seek the experiences that create memories."

Public Memorial Planned

In terms of his teaching style, McCourt "laughed and sneered, entertained and enthralled me and 30 other kids, says "Diane," from the class of 1986. "We read You Can't Go Home Again and My Papa's Waltz, wrote children's stories, sang songs and assigned ourselves our own grades (0-100). His writings truly capture the magic of his classroom. He was a good soul and will be missed."

As another legend, veteran New York newspaper columnist Jimmy Breslin, put it to the Daily News for its Monday editions: ""He never hurt another human being that I know of. This guy was real from the go. And so he's a real loss to the city because there's nobody with his backbone to replace him."

McCourt's students – and his other fans – will have a chance to pay him tribute at a pubic memorial, being planned for September, says younger brother Malachy McCourt.
From:www.people.com

Paul Abdul going to be back on American Idol

Paul Abdul may have a new manager — but she may find herself without her old job on American Idol.

“Very sadly, it does not appear that she’s going to be back on Idol,” David Sonenberg, Abdul’s manager, told the Los Angeles Times, which also reports that a grassroots campaign took shape this weekend to keep Abdul on the show — along with other judges Simon Cowell, Randy Jackson and recent addition Kara DioGuardi — for its ninth season, auditions for which are underway.

Though Abdul recently said she’d been invited back and FOX said earlier this year that Abdul, 47, was “an integral part of the show,” Sonenberg says there is no contract on the table.

“I find it under these circumstances particularly unusual; I think unnecessarily hurtful,” he said of the delay. “I find it kind of unconscionable and certainly rude and disrespectful that they haven’t stepped up and said what they want to do.” – Stephen M. Silverman

From:tvwatch.people.com

Walter Cronkite, America's anchor

I heard this story from a CBS producer who claims to have witnessed it.
Walter and Betsy, his wife of many years, had just taken their seats aboard a commercial airliner. The flight attendant came over and asked Walter what his name was. "Cronkite," he said with that little smile of his that was also meant to convey: "Look, you're going to feel a little silly in a moment when it hits you." "Cronkite," the flight attendant repeated. "Can you spell that for me?" Walter turned to Betsy and grumped: "You're just loving this, aren't you?" (Betsy probably put the flight attendant up to it in the first place!) The fact is that there was a time when nobody in this country didn't know who Walter Cronkite was. He was our national town crier, the 20th century equivalent of the fellow in medieval times who walked the streets and yelled: "Seven o'clock and all's well." Or, who explained what had gone wrong if all wasn't well.

What's more, you had the feeling that absent television or radio, Walter would've been perfectly happy distributing the news door-to-door. Walter Cronkite was the man for whom the term "anchor" was created. Really. It was during the run-up to the political conventions in 1952, and (there's some debate over who gets the credit) someone on the production team decided that there had to be a title to describe the fellow sitting at the desk; pulling it all together, holding it all in place. And isn't that, after all, what Walter did all those years? Pulled it all together . . . held it all in place. Walter Cronkite, America's anchor. From:stories.ballybunioncountryclub.com