Utah theater fined for showing 'Hangover II' movie (BLOG)

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) -- A Utah movie theater has been fined more than $1,600 for showing "The Hangover Part II" while serving alcohol to patrons.

The state's liquor board says Salt Lake City's Brewvies theater falls under the same laws that govern strip clubs, which are prohibited from having fully nude dancing if they serve alcohol.

The board says the fine was warranted because of explicit scenes in the movie showing female, male and transvestite nudity. Other scenes that violated state law included a monkey simulating a sex act.

Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control Director Francine Giani says she will recommend that fines be lowered for future offenses. Currently, repeat offenders may be fined up to $25,000 and could lose their liquor license for up to 10 days.

'L-Word' star kisses girl, gets escorted off plane (BLOG)

A lesbian actress who starred in "The L-Word" said she kissed a girl — and got escorted off of a Southwest Airlines flight on Monday for doing it.

Leisha Hailey took to Twitter to call for a boycott of the carrier after a flight attendant told them other passengers had complained after witnessing the affection.

Her first tweet said: "I have been discriminated against." She later added, "Since when is showing affection to someone you love illegal?"

Southwest Airlines Co. responded on its website that Hailey was approached "based solely on behavior and not gender." The airline's four-sentence response said passengers were characterizing the behavior as excessive.

A discussion followed on the flight, and the airline said it "escalated to a level that was better resolved on the ground."

Hailey was a musician before joining the cast of the Showtime drama featuring the lives of lesbian friends and lovers living in Los Angeles. She played the character Alice Pieszecki.

The actress and her unidentified girlfriend were on a flight from Baltimore to St. Louis. The kissing occurred in the air and a discussion followed when the plane landed.

Hailey said the encounter between the couple and a flight attendant was recorded.

A message seeking comment from Hailey's spokeswoman, Libby Coffey, was not immediately returned.

Southwest's website says it is the official airline of the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation.

Herndon Graddick, senior director of programs at GLAAD, said in an email that "GLAAD contacted Southwest to call for additional actions beyond tonight's statement that ensure all customers feel comfortable and welcomed while traveling."

Earlier this month, the Dallas-based airline kicked off Green Day's lead man Billie Joe Armstrong for wearing his pants too low. The Grammy winner was escorted off a plane after failing to follow a flight attendant's directive to pull the pants up.

Southwest also removed director Kevin Smith from a flight last year because he didn't fit properly in a single seat. His first tweet read, "Dear (at)SouthwestAir I know I'm fat, but was (the) captain (...) really justified in throwing me off a flight for which I was already seated?"

Hailey is preparing to launch a 21-city tour to promote breast cancer awareness.

Musician Sly Stone homeless, living in a van (BLOG)

LOS ANGELES (TheWrap.com) - If Sly Stone ever decides to take his show on the road and tour again, at least he won't have to walk far to the van.

The Sly & the Family Stone frontman, known for such hits in the late '60s and early '70s as "Dance to the Music," "Everyday People" and "Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin)," is currently homeless, and living in a van in Los Angeles' rough-and-tumble Crenshaw district, according to a report co-written by Stone documentarian William Alkema for the New York Post.

According to the article, as little as four years ago, the 68-year-old musician -- born Sylvester Stewart -- lived in a lavish Napa Valley home complete with a vineyard, and had several cars. But in recent years, a drug habit (Stone has been arrested multiple times for cocaine possession) and fiscal difficulties (last year he sued his former manager, Jerry Goldstein, for $50 million, claiming that Goldstein had defrauded him) led Stone into his current situation. Not that he appears to mind.

"I like my small camper," Stone tells the Post. "I just do not want to return to a fixed home. I cannot stand being in one place. I must keep moving."

And despite it all, he's still recording music, on a laptop computer in his van -- and with reportedly hundreds of songs currently in the can, the musician is hoping that today's hit-makers will reach out and help him stage a comeback.

"I see all the guys playing those old songs," Stone says. "Let these guys know, like Lady Gaga, let me come in, just let me come in and pay me if you like it."

It might be a while before Stone gets another crack at the stage. His live performances have been exceedingly rare over the past two decades, and when he has taken the stage, the results have tended toward the shambolic -- such as his brief, bizarre appearance at last year's Coachella Music and Arts Festival.

Jackson appeared drunk at news conference: lawyer (BLOG)

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Michael Jackson was unconscious backstage before a London news conference for his "This Is It" concert series, and he appeared drunk during the announcement itself, an attorney said in court on Monday.

The revelation came during a hearing in the involuntary manslaughter trial of Jackson's former physician, Dr. Conrad Murray, a day before opening arguments are scheduled to start.

Murray's defense lawyers wanted a video of the news conference shown to jurors in the trial, but the judge in the case ruled against it. The defense team is widely expected to argue Jackson was a drug addict whose habits led to his death.

Nareg Gourjian, an attorney for Murray, said in court on Monday that the "Thriller" singer's March 2009 news conference in London to announce a series of concerts in the city began 90 minutes late because "Jackson was unconscious on the sofa."

Gourjian said Jackson appeared "hung over," citing the chief executive of concert promoter AEG Live which was organizing the shows. He argued it was "readily apparent from watching the video that Mr. Jackson was under the influence."

But Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Michael Pastor, who is presiding over Murray's trial, ruled against showing the tape to jurors. Pastor said the video was irrelevant because it occurred months before Jackson died.

Pastor also denied a request by prosecutors to present evidence that investigators sought four times to contact Murray, after the doctor met with Los Angeles police detectives two days following Jackson's death.

The involuntary manslaughter case against Murray stems from Jackson's death on June 25, 2009, at age 50. Medical examiners determined Jackson died of an overdose of the powerful anesthetic propofol and sedatives.

Prosecutors said Murray caused Jackson's death by giving him propofol as a sleep aid at the singer's Los Angeles mansion and not properly monitoring him.

Murray has pleaded not guilty, and his defense attorneys are expected to seek to show Jackson administered a fatal dose himself while Murray was out of the room.

Attorneys for both sides are scheduled to begin opening arguments on Tuesday before a jury of seven men and five women. Murray faces a maximum of four years in prison if convicted.

Taraji P. Henson blasts 'TV Guide' (BLOG)

Actress Taraji P. Henson recently gave TV Guide a piece of her mind via Facebook and Twitter, for seemingly being uninterested in her new role as the female lead of “Person of Interest.”

Taraji stars in the new CBS crime drama as an NYPD detective alongside Michael Emerson, Jim Caviezel, and Kevin Chapman. Yet apparently she will not be included in an upcoming TV Guide cover that will feature her cast mates.

“WOW!!!! TV Guide is NOT including me on the cover with my cast members [sic]........I am the female lead of a 3 member cast and I'm not included on the cover!!!!!! Do you see the $h_t I have to deal with in this business.....I cram to understand!!!!" she wrote on Facebook.

But TV Guide isn’t the only one who seems to be excluding Taraji. Even in the trailer for “Person of Interest,” she’s seen only in a single shot—in footage that doesn't feature her speaking.

Only in the behind-the-scenes clips is some focus put on the Academy Award nominee. The previews focus more so on the roles of software tycoon Finch and ex-CIA agent John Reese—played by Michael and Jim respectively. While Taraji has her eye on Reese, both play crime-stoppers in a very privacy-compromised New York.

“Even in the first episode, after the pilot, you get to see a little more about Finch and I'm sure they'll start showing a little more about Carter,” she said in an interview at Comic-Con International.

It seems her predictions haven’t come true yet.

Nonetheless, Taraji said that she took the role because it was “like nothing she’d seen on television.” With creators like Jonathan Nolan—co-writer of The Dark Knight—and a producer such as J.J. Abrams, CBS expects “Person of Interest” to be a hit.

Viewers can judge whether Taraji and the folks at CBS are right soon enough. “Person of Interest” premieres Thursday at 8 p.m. EST.


s2s

Ron Artest Is First Eliminated Star on 'Dancing with the Stars' Season 13 (BLOG)

Dancing with the Stars" season 13 has sent home one of its 12 contestants on Tuesday, September 20. Ron Artest aka Metta World Peace was the first one who has to bury his dream to claim the mirror ball trophy after he was placed in the bottom of scoreboard with 14/30 from Monday's performance.

"Peta was great," the 31-year-old athlete said of his partner, professional dancer Peta Murgatroyd, after learning his fate on the first elimination night. He added, "I had a great, great time... [It was] awesome."

Ron's cha cha cha failed to impress judges as Len Goodman said "it was all sizzle, no sausage." Carrie Ann Inaba, however, said the basketball player has an advantage on the dance floor, "Now we know who the wild one is going to be. You're sort of eccentric and sexy."

"DWTS" will return next Monday, September 26 at at 8/7c on ABC with eleven remaining celebs and their partners.



aceshowbiz

'The Avengers' to Present Brand New Footage at New York Comic Con (BLOG)

It has been confirmed that "The Avengers" will take part in upcoming New York Comic Con. Through a panel line-up announcement in the event's official website, it has been revealed that Marvel Studios is set to debut a brand new footage of the much awaited superhero film during the convention.

"Continuing the epic big-screen adventures started in 'Iron Man', 'The Incredible Hulk', 'Iron Man 2', 'Thor' and 'Captain America: The First Avenger', in Marvel's 'The Avengers', the world's greatest Super Heroes must assemble to pull the world back from the brink of disaster when an unexpected enemy threatens global security," so the announcement read. "This special presentation will feature never-before-seen footage and appearances by special surprise guests."

Details of the surprise guests, however, are still kept a secret. It is also unclear whether or not the cast of the movie will be present at the event. Marvel's presentation itself will take place at the IGN Theater of the Jacob Javits Center on Saturday, October 15 from 6:30 P.M. to 7:30 P.M. Meanwhile, the annual convention will run from Thursday, October 13 until Sunday, October 16.

Directed by Joss Whedon, "The Avengers" stars Chris Evans, Chris Hemsworth and Robert Downey Jr. who will reprise their roles as Captain America, Thor and Iron Man respectively. Scarlett Johansson, Mark Ruffalo, Samuel L. Jackson and Jeremy Renner are also supporting the cast ensemble. This anticipated summer movie is due to hit U.S. theaters on May 4, 2012.



aceshowbiz

Kim Zolciak To Get A Spin-Off? (BLOG)

This is all your fault, Bethenny Frankel.

Because viewers tuned in to watch that former Real Housewife juggle a new marriage a new baby, Bravo has reportedly greenlighted a similar show for Kim Zolciak, who is the mother to little Kroy Jagger and engaged to Atlanta Falcons defensive end Kroy Biermann.

"Kim’s new show is going to follow the very successful Bethenny formula," says a network insider. "A new mom and her fiancé trying to make everything work. Juggling baby, boyfriend and career. But instead of all those trips to a therapist that Bethenny made, expect Kim to work out her problems at the nail salon with friends."

hollywoodgossip

Trey Songz: “I Rap Better Than Most Rappers” (BLOG, VIDEO)

R&B heartthrob Trey Songz recently spoke with our friends over at SoulCulture, and expressed his thoughts on his rapping skills. He went on record to say, “I don’t think no singer can rap better than me. I think I rap better than most rappers.”

He also talked about his love for rapping, artists blending different genres, and his ability to incorporate both rap & R&B into his music. And if you didn’t know, Trigga is a rapper-turnt-singer-turnt-rapper-again lol. But anyways, he will also be dropping his mixtapes ‘#Lemmeholdatbeat2′ and ‘Anticipation II’ on November 1st.

Real question though… Do you agree with him? Is he a better rapper than most rappers? What about a better rapper than the other singers out there?

singersroom

Record 27.7 million watch "Men" bury Charlie Sheen (BLOG)

(Reuters) - A record audience of 27.7 million watched "Two and A Half Men" bury Charlie Sheen and introduce new star Ashton Kutcher in an all-time series high audience for the lucrative CBS comedy.

After months of headlines following Sheen's bitter exit from the most-watched comedy on U.S. television, Americans tuned in on Monday in bumper numbers to see the funeral of Sheen's womanizing bachelor character Charlie Harper, according to viewership figures from audience tracker Nielsen.

The figure was more than double the audience for the 2010 season opener and more than any episode in the show's first eight seasons with Sheen in the starring role.

Monday's season premiere of "Two and A Half Men" crushed the opening of "Dancing With the Stars" on rival ABC despite a celebrity cast that gave viewers their first glimpse of the ballroom contest's first transgender contestant, Chaz Bono, and TV legal analyst Nancy Grace both doing the cha cha.

Early Nielsen figures showed that 18.4 million people watched the season premiere of "Dancing with the Stars" -- a 24 percent drop from last year's opening show.

Reviews for Kutcher's debut on "Two and a Half Men," playing a heartbroken Internet billionaire with a penchant for walking around nude, were kind and suggested that the series -- a cash cow for both CBS and program makers Warner Bros television -- was far from dead.

"Kutcher's performance was good, nearly as poker-faced fine as Sheen's was ... Kutcher will probably prove just as skilled," wrote Entertainment Weekly's Ken Tucker.

TV Guide's Matt Roush said that judging by first impressions the revamped "Men" will "will survive both Charlies just fine for at least a little while longer."

The Los Angeles Times called the premiere "a promising beginning" adding that "Kutcher brings a softness to a series that could be brittle and sour, misanthropic and misogynistic, and temperamentally middle-aged."

Sheen had been the highest-paid actor on U.S. television before being fired in March after an insulting tirade against the show's creators and producers that followed months of partying and attempts at rehab.

Sheen and Warner Bros are said to be close to a settlement of the actor's $100 million lawsuit over his firing. Sheen has also made a number of contrite appearances in the past week, including delivering an awkward mea culpa at the Primetime Emmy Awards show on Sunday.



reuters

3-D 'Lion King' feels the love with $29.3M opening (BLOG)

LOS ANGELES (AP) — It's 1994 all over again, with a re-release of "The Lion King" opening at the top of the box office.

A 3-D version of the wildly popular Disney animated musical earned a surprising $29.3 million in its first weekend in theaters, according to Sunday estimates. The original film made more than $40 million when it opened nationwide 17 years ago.

This huge number stunned many people, including the folks at Disney, who figured "The Lion King" would make somewhere between $10 million and $12 million, said Dave Hollis, the studio's executive vice president of distribution.

He said the movie remains relevant and as entertaining as it was when it first came out.

"But taking a page from the movie, there is a 'circle of life' thing happening," he said, referring to one of the film's themes. "You have children of the '90s who are now parents of the 2010s and they themselves are taking their kids to share what was, for them, a great experience two decades ago."

It also helps that there aren't many options for families at the multiplex right now, said Paul Dergarabedian, box-office analyst for Hollywood.com.

"The post-summer period brings a preponderance of R-rated films and more challenging, esoteric, Oscar-caliber fare," he said. "For kids this is like a dream come true and for parents to be able to revisit 'The Lion King' — especially in 3-D, even though 3-D has taken a bad rap over the past year — just tells you the power that this movie has, how strong it resonates with people."

Hollis said that while the film was also available in 2-D, 92 percent of the opening weekend's business came from 3-D showings.

The story of a wrongly exiled lion prince (voiced by Jonathan Taylor Thomas as a cub and Matthew Broderick as an adult) who must return home to claim his throne, "The Lion King" was the second-highest-grossing film of 1994, behind "Forrest Gump."

It ranks fourth on the all-time animated list with over $784 million. It earned Academy Awards for Hans Zimmer's original score and for original song for Elton John and Tim Rice's "Can You Feel the Love Tonight."

Last week's No. 1 movie, Steven Soderbergh's "Contagion," dropped a spot in its second weekend. The Warner Bros. viral thriller made about $14.5 million for a total of $44.2 million.

Among the other new releases, the critical darling "Drive" came in at No. 3 with just over $11 million. Ryan Gosling stars as a stoic wheelman in the retro action picture from FilmDistrict.

"Straw Dogs," a remake of the 1971 Sam Peckinpah thriller from Sony Screen Gems, opened in fifth place with only $5 million. It stars James Marsden and Kate Bosworth as a married couple under siege in the rural South.

"I Don't Know How She Does It," based on the best-seller of the same name, came in at No. 6 with just $4.5 million. The Weinstein Co. comedy stars Sarah Jessica Parker as a wife and mother of two struggling to balance her home life with her demanding job.

Dergarabedian said such disappointing showings aren't all that surprising this time of year. Last weekend was the slowest so far this year at the box office.

"It's been tough marketplace for wide releases. The newcomers are being met with some indifference," he said. "The audience was obviously a family audience that took over the multiplex this weekend."

___

Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to Hollywood.com. Where available, latest international numbers are also included. Final domestic figures will be released Monday.

1. "The Lion King 3D," $29.3 million. ($700,000 international.)

2. "Contagion," $14.5 million. ($1.3 million international.)

3. "Drive," $11 million.

4. "The Help," $6.4 million. ($1.1 million international.)

5. "Straw Dogs," $5 million.

6. "I Don't Know How She Does It," $4.5 million. ($800,000 international.)

7. "The Debt," $2.9 million. ($1 million international.)

8. "Warrior," $2.8 million. ($400,000 international.)

9. "Rise of the Planet of the Apes," $2.6 million.

10. "Colombiana," $2.3 million.

___

Estimated weekend ticket sales at international theaters (excluding the U.S. and Canada), according to Rentrak:

1. "The Smurfs," $17.3 million.

2. "Johnny English Reborn," $11.7 million.

3. "Friends With Benefits," $9.2 million.

4. "Rise of the Planet of the Apes," $7.8 million.

5. "Final Destination 5," $6.5 million.

6. "Captain America: The First Avenger," $5.1 million.

7. "Crazy Stupid Love," $4.7 million.

8. "Horrible Bosses," $4.2 million.

9. "Cowboys & Aliens," $4 million.

10. "Mannerherzen 2," $3.5 million.

Ashton Kutcher Using Social Media to "Set Record Straight" on New TV Role (BLOG)

Ashton Kutcher officially joins the cast of Two and a Half Men on Monday. The social media savvy actor, investor and activist penned an op-ed for USA Today explaining the reasons he took the role on the hit sitcom.

Notably, it was Kutcher's social media savvy, including his 7.6 million followers on Twitter, that helped convince the actor to take the job.

[More from Mashable: Watch the 2011 Emmys Live with Mashable]

He writes,


"When I really broke down the decision to take the job, there were so many rewards and few risks — except maybe one: I was stepping into a media frenzy. But I figured I could temper that a bit by keeping the lines of communication open with my social media presence. I can always set the record straight."

[More from Mashable: The Charlie Sheen Roast: Comedy Central’s Ambitious Social Media Experiment]

The "media frenzy" that Kutcher is referring to is the fallout from former Two and a Half Men star Charlie Sheen's very public exitfrom the show. In the wake of his suspension and subsequent firing, Sheen took to social media, performed one-man shows in clubs across the country and has coined a number of memes.

The Charlie Sheen media circus is something Kutcher, CBS and the show producers are all going to have to deal with head-on. Fittingly,Comedy Central's Charlie Sheen Roast will air 30 minutes after the season premiere of Two and a Half Men. (We should point out the fortunate timing of this programming decision was not accidental: Viacom and CBS are sister companies.) It will be important for Kutcher to own the messaging behind his own brand, as well as the brand of the show, to keep the attention on the product and not the larger media story.

As Christy Tanner, general manager and executive vice president ofTV Guide Digital told us back in May, "Two and a Half Men won't live or die by social media. The show will continue to be successful if fans continue to find the show funny."

Rumor has it that Charlie Sheen will be attending Sunday's 63rd Annual Primetime Emmy Awards.

What impact do you think Kutcher's presence is going to have onTwo and a Half Men? Do you think his social graph will help get the right message out to audiences? Let us know.

This story originally published on Mashable here.

Complete list of winners from Emmy broadcast (BLOG)

List of winners at Sunday's 63rd Annual Primetime Emmy Awards presented by the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences:

— Drama Series: "Mad Men," AMC.

— Actress, Drama Series: Julianna Margulies, "The Good Wife," CBS.

— Actor, Drama Series: Kyle Chandler, "Friday Night Lights," DirecTV/NBC.

— Supporting Actor, Drama Series: Peter Dinklage, "Game of Thrones," HBO.

— Supporting Actress, Drama Series: Margo Martindale, "Justified," FX.

— Writing, Drama Series: Jason Katims, "Friday Night Lights," NBC.

— Directing, Drama Series: Martin Scorsese, "Boardwalk Empire," HBO.

— Comedy Series: "Modern Family," ABC.

— Actor, Comedy Series: Jim Parsons, "The Big Bang Theory," CBS.

— Actress, Comedy Series: Melissa McCarthy, "Mike & Molly," CBS.

— Supporting Actress, Comedy Series: Julie Bowen, "Modern Family," ABC.

— Supporting Actor, Comedy Series: Ty Burrell, "Modern Family," ABC.


Click image to see more photos




— Writing, Comedy Series: Steven Levitan and Jeffrey Richman, "Modern Family," ABC.

— Directing, Comedy Series: Michael Spiller, "Modern Family," ABC.

— Miniseries or Movie: "Downton Abbey (Masterpiece)," PBS.

— Actress, Miniseries or Movie: Kate Winslet, "Mildred Pierce," HBO.

— Actor, Miniseries or Movie: Barry Pepper, "The Kennedys," ReelzChannel.

— Supporting Actress, Miniseries or Movie: Maggie Smith, "Downton Abbey (Masterpiece)," PBS.

— Supporting Actor, Miniseries or Movie: Guy Pearce, "Mildred Pierce," HBO.

— Directing, Miniseries, Movie or Dramatic Special: Brian Percival, "Downton Abbey (Masterpiece)," PBS.

— Writing, Miniseries, Movie or Dramatic Special: Julian Fellowes, "Downton Abbey (Masterpiece)," PBS.

— Reality-Competition Program: "The Amazing Race," CBS.

— Variety, Music or Comedy Series: "The Daily Show With Jon Stewart," Comedy Central.

— Directing, Variety, Music or Comedy Series: Don Roy King, "Saturday Night Live," NBC.

— Writing, Variety, Music or Comedy Series: "The Daily Show With Jon Stewart," Comedy Central.

Netflix Might Be in Big Trouble (BLOG)

COMMENTARY | The ongoing saga that is the Netflix price hike has not turned into a film with a happy ending, at least not yet. In fact, this story seems to have all the makings of a tragedy. Netflix changed their outlook on how many subscribers they will lose to nearly one million, which caused their stock to drop almost 20 percent. Apparently, the folks on Wall Street are subscribers to the popular service as well. Unless Netflix makes some changes, those subscriber totals are not going to get any bigger or better.

Netflix seems to be caught in bit of a difficult situation. The streaming library that the company offers is spotty at best, sure there is some quality but it is not top rate. Starz recently pulled out of talks to renew their agreement to allow Netflix to offer their programs, which could lead to more customer defections.

The other side, similar to the Starz problem, is that Hollywood Studios want more money for their shows as well. The only way Netflix can raise the funds to acquire better shows is to increase prices, and the two tiered pricing plan is not exactly being well received.

Sure, Netflix is holding subscribers for now, but the silence of the company is what is disturbing. If they were to announce some sort of improvement to the streaming catalog, maybe some fears would be extinguished. However, the company has remained silent, which could mean there are no plans to improve anything. How many customers are sticking around until the next big thing comes along?

Redbox kiosks are going to be getting a bit more of a workout, and other streaming options are bound to be explored by customers. If Google does purchase Hulu, that puts a competitor with a lot of money to spend on content into the game. Netflix had their time in the sun, and perhaps it is time for a new company to take streaming video to the next level.

The cat is pretty much out of the bag for Netflix. Unless improvements are made, they can likely anticipate shedding paying customers for the next few months. Even HBO and HBOGO are experiencing success. The point is that consumers want content at a favorable price, and they are willing to go elsewhere to get it. Up until now choices were limited, but all of that can change very quickly. So can the stock price of a company.

Bail bondsman sues over "Dog the Bounty Hunter" (BLOG)

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (AP) — Colorado Springs bail bondsman Bobby Brown is suing the creators of the A&E television show "Dog the Bounty Hunter" for more than $75,000 in damages.

The lawsuit filed on Wednesday against A&E, Hybrid Films and D&D Television says Brown appeared in more than 40 shows of "Dog the Bounty Hunter." It says he was paid $6,000 for his contributions but wasn't compensated for each Colorado episode.

KRDO-TV in Colorado Springs reports (http://bit.ly/qooBTN) Brown feels the network and the show's creators used his likeness for their own gain without properly compensating him and made false promises that led him to focus on the show instead of his bail bonds business.

KRDO reported that A&E hadn't returned its phone calls seeking comment Friday.

Mary J. Blige Covers Ebony Magazine, Compares Herself To Amy Winehouse (BLOG, PHOTOS)

Mary J. Blige Covers Ebony, Recalls Amy Winehouse

Mary J. Blige graces the cover of the October issue of Ebony magazine and discusses her life and the death of Amy Winehouse.

Mary says that Amy's passing touched her so much because it could have been her.

"I got up and read the message about her death and just lay back down again. I kept getting up and laying back down for some reason. I'd always wanted to work with Amy, so I just couldn't believe it, really" said the queen of hip-hop soul.

Mary is getting ready to release her tenth studio album My Life II: The Journey Continues.

hiphopwired

Tyler Perry ranks as top earner in Hollywood in latest "Forbes" survey (BLOG)

SAN FRANCISCO, Sept. 14 (Xinhua) -- Multi-talented Tyler Perry has topped a list of entertainment's highest-paid men who are selected by Forbes magazine, beating out big-names including producer Jerry Bruckheimer and director Steven Spielberg in a surprise.

The actor, who is also known as an established director, playwright, screenwriter, producer, author and songwriter, grossed 130 million U.S. dollars from May 2010 to this May as the highest- paid men on a star-studded list, the magazine announced on its website.

As one of the two actors who have made their way into the top ten highest-paid entertainers, Perry made money mainly through five movies he has made over the past two years, including "Madea' s Big Happy Family," "Why Did I Get Married Too?" and "For Colored Girls."

He also made two television series, "Meet the Browns" and " House of Payne."

The other actor who made the directors, producers and TV personalities-dominated list is Leonardo DiCaprio, who ranks eighth with a haul of 77 million dollars. He was supported by two blockbuster films including "Shutter Island" and "Inception" which reaped a combined 1.1 billion dollars in movie tickets worldwide.

Ranking in second is Jerry Bruckheimer who has made 113 million dollars during the period. The producer, although suffering from two box office flops including "The Sorcerer's Apprentice" and " Prince of Persia," has made up the loss this summer with the showing of "Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides," the fourth installment on the popular adventure-fantasy franchise which raked in 1 billion dollars from the global markets.

Steven Spielberg, who's back directing movies after a three- year hiatus, made 107 million dollars, ending in third place.

The only musician on the list, 64-year-old rock'n'roller Elton John, was fourth with 100 million dollars.

Rounding out the top five is Simon Cowell, a British judge known for his blunt and often controversial criticisms, insults and wisecracks about contestants and their abilities. The former " American Idol" judge has made 90 million dollars.

Kardashians Mocked (BLOG,VIDEO)

(Yahoo! Buzz) — News anchors are supposed to read the news, not make it. But we're more than happy to make an exception for two reporters from Philadelphia's Fox 29 morning show, "Good Day."

After interviewing Kim and Kourtney Kardashian on the air,Mike Jerrick and Sheinelle Jones thought the cameras had stopped rolling. They hadn't.

As soon as they said their goodbyes to the Kardashians, who were promoting a line of clothes, the anchors began making fun of the two sisters. "Can they still hear us?" asks Jerrick. He then proceeds to mock the reality stars for their high-pitched voices and affinity for shoulder pads.

Jones half-heartedly attempts to defend the sisters, saying, "I think they're stunning." But even she can't keep a straight face as her cohort continues speaking in a nasally Kardashian-like voice, a bit like a Smurf who had inhaled helium.

Yes, yes, we know. Making fun of others is wrong. Except when it's the Kardashians. Then it's hilarious. Enjoy!

Singer Heather Headley to Play Lead in 'The Bodyguard' Stage Musical (BLOG)

Soul/R&B singer Heather Headley has been summoned to fill Whitney Houston’s classic film role when she stars in the stage musical adaptation of 'The Bodyguard' in London.

The “In My Mind” hitmaker, who led a workshop for the musical last month, has been greenlit for a second for January 2012, reports The Daily Mail.

The Musical is expected to open at the end of 2012 in the West End (London) and will be produced by Thea Sharrock.

Headley, who was born in Trinidad, previously won acclaim for her role of Nala in The Lion King and as Aida on Broadway. She won a Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical for Aida.



singersroom

Christina Aguilera Won't Be Axed From The Voice (BLOG)

Earlier today we reported on the news that Christina Aguilera was set to be axed from The Voice. However, the reports have turned out to be false.

Claiming the rumours that Christina is going to be replaced in season three of the popular talent show, as "baseless", NBC executive vice president, Paul Telegdy said:

"There is absolutely no truth to the rumour."

So Christina will be back with coaches Adam Levine, Blake Shelton and Cee-Lo Green when The Voice returns to our screens for the new season.

Christina has remained tight-lipped about the rumours and hasn't been on Twitter since seeing Adele perform in LA last month.

Are you glad that Christina's staying?