Jan 21, 3:56 PM (ET)By JONATHAN LANDRUM Jr.
(AP) In this Jan. 17, 2009 file photo, Senegalese-American singer Akon arrives at the Cannes festival...Full Image
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ATLANTA (AP) - Even though Akon has a birth certificate, he says his age is still a mystery - and he'd rather keep it that way. "All it's going to do is depress me," he told The Associated Press in a recent interview. "I don't want to know I'm getting older. Then I'll start to think about getting checkups and insurance. I don't want that."
Numerous reports have put his age between 25 to 35 years old. In 2006, he gave his age as 25. But now, he claims his birth certificate shows he was born on April 16, 1977, which would make him 31.
Some have accused Akon of trying to push back his age. But the singer, who was born in the United States but spent his early life in Senegal, where his family is from, says he never knew it.
"In Africa ... age is not important over there. They don't care. People only focus on it here (America) and in Europe."
Akon says when people ask, he just gives him a figure that comes to mind.
"I feel like I'm 21 right now," he says. "And I'll be 21 for the next 10 years."
Akon went multiplatinum with his 2006 CD "Konvicted," which included hits such as "Smack That" with Eminem and "Don't Matter." His most recent album, "Freedom," was released in December.
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On the Net:
http://www.akononline.com/
Thursday, January 22, 2009
Jazz musician David 'Fathead' Newman dies at 75
Jan 21, 10:47 PM (ET)
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KINGSTON, N.Y. (AP) - David "Fathead" Newman, a jazz musician who played with the Ray Charles Band and won fame as a tenor sax soloist, has died at age 75.
Manager Karen Nemman says the jazz musician died Tuesday of pancreatic cancer in a Kingston, N.Y., hospital.
The Dallas native left college to tour with Charlie Parker's mentor, Buster Smith.
According to his Web site, Newman spent 12 years with the Ray Charles Band beginning in 1954. He began as the baritone sax player and became the star tenor sax soloist.
He returned to Dallas and led his own bands before moving to New York City. As a studio musician, he worked with musicians including Herbie Mann, Aretha Franklin and Aaron Neville.
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On the Net:
David Newman, http://www.davidfatheadnewman.com/
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KINGSTON, N.Y. (AP) - David "Fathead" Newman, a jazz musician who played with the Ray Charles Band and won fame as a tenor sax soloist, has died at age 75.
Manager Karen Nemman says the jazz musician died Tuesday of pancreatic cancer in a Kingston, N.Y., hospital.
The Dallas native left college to tour with Charlie Parker's mentor, Buster Smith.
According to his Web site, Newman spent 12 years with the Ray Charles Band beginning in 1954. He began as the baritone sax player and became the star tenor sax soloist.
He returned to Dallas and led his own bands before moving to New York City. As a studio musician, he worked with musicians including Herbie Mann, Aretha Franklin and Aaron Neville.
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On the Net:
David Newman, http://www.davidfatheadnewman.com/
What's Most Evil: Zefron, Miley or Twilight?
My best friend and I are arguing over who is more evil. The categories are the Jonas Brothers, Zach Efron, Miley Cyrus, or Twilight. So who do you think is more evil?—Amelia
Technically, dear, the term would be most evil. If the contest were pared down to, say, Miley Cyrus vs. Twilight—which it should be—then the term would be more evil.
Now, the analysis: As much as you may despise the Jonas Brothers, they really do try to be nice, and they love them some Jesus, and they clean up before every public appearance, and they put on ties, and they say terribly sweet things to reporters. Let's leave them to their treacle.
Zac Efron, meanwhile, never really says anything, so we have nothing to nail him on.
That leaves Miley Cyrus and the sparkling vampires...
The vampires, while irksome, do not technically exist, except in the febrile minds of the nation's teenage girls. That leaves us with Cyrus, who talks way too loud and tells the same story over and over about how she used to run a one-kid cleaning service.
Evil.
What is up with Gwyneth Paltrow's website GOOP? What is it and why did she feel compelled to do it?—Erica J Wexford, Pa.
She has said, "I have this incredible, lucky, unique life where I've gotten to travel all over the place and so I started to acquire all of this information. I thought this would be a fun, creative way to share it. I thought if I could affect one woman's life positively, it was worth it."
I have a great idea for a reality show. How would one contact the producers of networks to pitch the idea? Thanks, love your column. —Eve
I got this answer from manager Nikki Weiss, who represents actress Candis Cayne, and who also, when it comes to commercial work, handles feature film directors like Jason Reitman.
"Networks don't take unsolicited pitches," Weiss explains. Instead, she suggests, research the reality shows you admire or that are in the same vein as the one you want to pitch.
Find out which production companies handle those shows and approach them. Even then, unsolicited pitches aren't all that popular. "You'll have to make a cold call," Weiss warns, "and your pitch better be pretty effin' good."
Technically, dear, the term would be most evil. If the contest were pared down to, say, Miley Cyrus vs. Twilight—which it should be—then the term would be more evil.
Now, the analysis: As much as you may despise the Jonas Brothers, they really do try to be nice, and they love them some Jesus, and they clean up before every public appearance, and they put on ties, and they say terribly sweet things to reporters. Let's leave them to their treacle.
Zac Efron, meanwhile, never really says anything, so we have nothing to nail him on.
That leaves Miley Cyrus and the sparkling vampires...
The vampires, while irksome, do not technically exist, except in the febrile minds of the nation's teenage girls. That leaves us with Cyrus, who talks way too loud and tells the same story over and over about how she used to run a one-kid cleaning service.
Evil.
What is up with Gwyneth Paltrow's website GOOP? What is it and why did she feel compelled to do it?—Erica J Wexford, Pa.
She has said, "I have this incredible, lucky, unique life where I've gotten to travel all over the place and so I started to acquire all of this information. I thought this would be a fun, creative way to share it. I thought if I could affect one woman's life positively, it was worth it."
I have a great idea for a reality show. How would one contact the producers of networks to pitch the idea? Thanks, love your column. —Eve
I got this answer from manager Nikki Weiss, who represents actress Candis Cayne, and who also, when it comes to commercial work, handles feature film directors like Jason Reitman.
"Networks don't take unsolicited pitches," Weiss explains. Instead, she suggests, research the reality shows you admire or that are in the same vein as the one you want to pitch.
Find out which production companies handle those shows and approach them. Even then, unsolicited pitches aren't all that popular. "You'll have to make a cold call," Weiss warns, "and your pitch better be pretty effin' good."
Code Awesome: George Clooney Scrubbing Into ER
NBC
ER paged Dr. Ross—and he answered.
Sources tell E! News that George Clooney will be shooting scenes this week for an upcoming episode of the hit medical series, which is in its 15th and final season on NBC.
The network recently ordered up another three episodes of its stalwart Thursday-night drama, raising hopes that nabbing Clooney for a guest spot was one of the reasons for the extension.
Aw, George. Is there any humanitarian cause he won't support?
The Oscar winner last appeared on ER for an uncredited minute in 2000, a year after taking off to make movies full-time, to help tie up the storyline for Julianna Margulies' departing character, Nurse Carol Hathaway, who had twin daughters with Clooney's Dr. Doug Ross.
Life & Style quotes a source saying that Clooney and Margulies will reunite as "part of an effort to wrap up all of the original characters' story lines" and that their episode will air toward the end of February, during sweeps.
Whether or not Clooney would pop up one last time has been up in the air for months, despite Noah Wyle's past assurance that his former costar would return, "schedule permitting."
The Michael Clayton star's publicist didn't immediately respond to a request for comment. And an ER rep would not confirm other reports that Clooney would be shooting his scenes Thursday and Friday.
ER's series finale airs April 2 on NBC.
Source : www.eonline.com
ER paged Dr. Ross—and he answered.
Sources tell E! News that George Clooney will be shooting scenes this week for an upcoming episode of the hit medical series, which is in its 15th and final season on NBC.
The network recently ordered up another three episodes of its stalwart Thursday-night drama, raising hopes that nabbing Clooney for a guest spot was one of the reasons for the extension.
Aw, George. Is there any humanitarian cause he won't support?
The Oscar winner last appeared on ER for an uncredited minute in 2000, a year after taking off to make movies full-time, to help tie up the storyline for Julianna Margulies' departing character, Nurse Carol Hathaway, who had twin daughters with Clooney's Dr. Doug Ross.
Life & Style quotes a source saying that Clooney and Margulies will reunite as "part of an effort to wrap up all of the original characters' story lines" and that their episode will air toward the end of February, during sweeps.
Whether or not Clooney would pop up one last time has been up in the air for months, despite Noah Wyle's past assurance that his former costar would return, "schedule permitting."
The Michael Clayton star's publicist didn't immediately respond to a request for comment. And an ER rep would not confirm other reports that Clooney would be shooting his scenes Thursday and Friday.
ER's series finale airs April 2 on NBC.
Source : www.eonline.com
New Moon Casting Scoop! Dakota Fanning as Jane?
Dakota Fanning...with fangs?
It's possible. I can exclusively report that the 14-year-old child star—she turns 15 on Feb. 23—is in talks to play Jane opposite Robert Pattinson & Co. in New Moon, the upcoming sequel to box office megahit Twilight.
“There were no auditions,” a source reveals. “They just offered it to her outright, and now they’re in negotiations. They’ve been going back and forth.”
Jane is a member of Italy’s Volturi, the most deadly group of bloodsucking killers in author Stephenie Meyer’s best-selling series.
In the casting notice we got our hands on earlier this month, Jane is described as a petite blonde with a “Botticelli angel-like face…[and] crimson irises.” While fellow Volturi guards Demetri & Felix “are three times the size of her, they are terrified of her,” the casting notice reads.
Coincidentally (or maybe not), an online petition started by a Twilight fan already asks the studio, Summit Entertainment, to cast Fanning because she would be “perfect” for the role.
Early last month, Entertainment Weekly suggested Pushing Daisies star and Broadway diva Kristin Chenoweth. “Her voice is certainly high enough, and at 4'11'', she's also short enough,” writer Amy Wilkinson proposed.
Director Chris Weitz is expected to start shooting New Moon in March in the U.S. and Italy. If all goes as planned, the movie will hit theaters on Nov. 20.
Is Fanning right for Jane? We’re sure Twilight fans have plenty to say about it.
It's possible. I can exclusively report that the 14-year-old child star—she turns 15 on Feb. 23—is in talks to play Jane opposite Robert Pattinson & Co. in New Moon, the upcoming sequel to box office megahit Twilight.
“There were no auditions,” a source reveals. “They just offered it to her outright, and now they’re in negotiations. They’ve been going back and forth.”
Jane is a member of Italy’s Volturi, the most deadly group of bloodsucking killers in author Stephenie Meyer’s best-selling series.
In the casting notice we got our hands on earlier this month, Jane is described as a petite blonde with a “Botticelli angel-like face…[and] crimson irises.” While fellow Volturi guards Demetri & Felix “are three times the size of her, they are terrified of her,” the casting notice reads.
Coincidentally (or maybe not), an online petition started by a Twilight fan already asks the studio, Summit Entertainment, to cast Fanning because she would be “perfect” for the role.
Early last month, Entertainment Weekly suggested Pushing Daisies star and Broadway diva Kristin Chenoweth. “Her voice is certainly high enough, and at 4'11'', she's also short enough,” writer Amy Wilkinson proposed.
Director Chris Weitz is expected to start shooting New Moon in March in the U.S. and Italy. If all goes as planned, the movie will hit theaters on Nov. 20.
Is Fanning right for Jane? We’re sure Twilight fans have plenty to say about it.
American Idol's Kentucky Derby
More Infighting, a Threat and…Buskerism
Michael Becker/Fox
Can this animosity between Simon Cowell and Kara DioGuardi be real?
On tonight's installment of American Idol, Kara had varying strong reactions to Simon's usual bluntness, at one point opting to crawl under the table with Paula Abdul in order to hide from the acerbic Brit.
Then there was Simon, jumping all over Kara's commentary as if she were a certain other female judge.
"It's like man versus woman up here," observed Randy Jackson—for the second night in a row. "Whoa, what's going on? Bizarre season eight."
And the Louisville auditions were like that, too—weird (and a bit repetitive) all around. And not only because a guy clad head to toe in black and white tried to pull off Tori Amos' "Mr. Zebra"; a sign in the crowd read, "Simon has great pecks"; and Paula told someone that what he said wasn't normal.
Read on for more tasty morsels from Wednesday's Idol, and weigh in on whether you think Simon is just that annoying or Kara is just that dramatic:
Ab(dul)normal: After auditioner Mark Mudd told the judges to "be careful in whatever you do" as he made his ignominious exit, Paula warns him, "You don't say that to people, 'be careful.' That's just not a normal thing to say." (Personally, we think they made a big deal about Mudd's "threat" because it made for a good promo, but it certainly seemed to shock Paula straight.)
Resident wordsmith: Simon telling the Hollywood-bound Brent Keith Smith that his audition was "a bit buskerish." Meaning, Smith reminded Simon of a busker, an itinerant performer, someone who plays in public to solicit money... Good word.
Awk-ward moment: Kara assuming Rebecca Garcia, voted Most Humorous by her high school class, was screeching "Before He Cheats" on a lark—thereby making the poor girl cry.
Butchering worthy of Top Chef: Aaron Williamson, who really, really wanted to know if the judges had ever seen the rain.
Best in show we got to know: Smith, Joanna Pacitti (another refugee from a failed record deal), Matt Giraud, Alexis Grace, Leneshe Young.
Best in show in 30 seconds or less: Kris Allen, Felicia Barton, Ryan Johnson, Shera Lawrence.
Michael Becker/Fox
Can this animosity between Simon Cowell and Kara DioGuardi be real?
On tonight's installment of American Idol, Kara had varying strong reactions to Simon's usual bluntness, at one point opting to crawl under the table with Paula Abdul in order to hide from the acerbic Brit.
Then there was Simon, jumping all over Kara's commentary as if she were a certain other female judge.
"It's like man versus woman up here," observed Randy Jackson—for the second night in a row. "Whoa, what's going on? Bizarre season eight."
And the Louisville auditions were like that, too—weird (and a bit repetitive) all around. And not only because a guy clad head to toe in black and white tried to pull off Tori Amos' "Mr. Zebra"; a sign in the crowd read, "Simon has great pecks"; and Paula told someone that what he said wasn't normal.
Read on for more tasty morsels from Wednesday's Idol, and weigh in on whether you think Simon is just that annoying or Kara is just that dramatic:
Ab(dul)normal: After auditioner Mark Mudd told the judges to "be careful in whatever you do" as he made his ignominious exit, Paula warns him, "You don't say that to people, 'be careful.' That's just not a normal thing to say." (Personally, we think they made a big deal about Mudd's "threat" because it made for a good promo, but it certainly seemed to shock Paula straight.)
Resident wordsmith: Simon telling the Hollywood-bound Brent Keith Smith that his audition was "a bit buskerish." Meaning, Smith reminded Simon of a busker, an itinerant performer, someone who plays in public to solicit money... Good word.
Awk-ward moment: Kara assuming Rebecca Garcia, voted Most Humorous by her high school class, was screeching "Before He Cheats" on a lark—thereby making the poor girl cry.
Butchering worthy of Top Chef: Aaron Williamson, who really, really wanted to know if the judges had ever seen the rain.
Best in show we got to know: Smith, Joanna Pacitti (another refugee from a failed record deal), Matt Giraud, Alexis Grace, Leneshe Young.
Best in show in 30 seconds or less: Kris Allen, Felicia Barton, Ryan Johnson, Shera Lawrence.
Monday, January 12, 2009
Vanessa Hudgens Preparing For Her new Movie
Toting her Mac laptop in-hand, the 19-year-old Disney star made her way outside to an awaiting limo, reportedly on her way to Warner Brothers Studios for a meeting.
Meanwhile, throughout her HSM3 press duties, Miss Vanessa Hudgens has been asked how she’s been dealing with her sudden stardom, replying, “It’s been crazy. Every time I go to a premiere I just get butterflies in my stomach because it’s such an extraordinary thing to be a part of. It seems no matter where we go, everyone is genuinely excited. In Spain, they would wait outside the garages and chase our cars as we left. But I still get a normal life. I’m not dressed up all the time, and I still go grocery shopping and everything.”
Lindsay never wanted fame
Lindsay Lohan in a new interview insists that she never really wanted to become a celebrity and only choose the path of being an actress as she loved to act.
She says, “I just feel as though it’s become a situation where people have manifested this caricature of who I am, and they act as if there’s no real person inside of it.
“I mean, people really have come to believe-directors, producers, agents, whoever it may be-that I started in this because I wanted to be a celebrity. But that was never my intention.
“I wanted to be a movie star. But movie stars are not what they used to be. When I was a kid, I thought movie stars were women and men who were in these great films that we still look at now. But I don’t think there are too many films coming out these days that we’re going to look at in the future and say, ‘This is one of the great ones.’
“Like, what is the great film that I will tell my children about? I’m still going to tell them about the old films, the Hitchcock films. And people my age don’t even know who those people are. I can’t even have a conversation with most people of my generation about that, because they’d be like, ‘Okay, she’s a freak. Something’s wrong with her.’
“And the worst part is, in terms of what people see of me, I have become this girl who just loves to be photographed, doesn’t know how to focus, doesn’t know how to work on set, just loves the attention, knows how to go out at night, knows how to party. And you know what? I was 20 years old. I never went to college. And I lived maybe six months out of my life like that, doing something wrong, and then I stopped.
“God forbid I should have ever learned my lesson. But at this point it’s so hard for people to even believe that there was a lesson to be learned at all, because they just think I’m wrong. All these people think I’m never going to be right, because it’s more interesting to fabricate this other girl. Who wants to read a tabloid story about a girl who is doing well?
“I mean, it’s this business. Heath Ledger once said something about this to me. He said: ‘It’s build you up to knock you down, and that’s all it is. And you just have to see if you can stand through it. And it is like that, if you put yourself in this situation. I was young, so maybe I did . . . I always wanted to take the blame. I’ve always been apologetic for other people’s faults.”
Brangelina to go for another adoption?
Hollywood’s supercouple Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt are planning to adopt another baby from Ethopia, their brood already includes three adopted kids, Maddox from Combodia, Pax from Vietnam and Zahara from Ethopia apart from three biological kids, Shiloh, Knox and Vivienne.
A source reveals, “Brad and Angelina have seen pictures of a two-year-old girl they’d love to adopt. If everything goes to plan, Angelina will file papers in person in the capital city of Addis Ababa in the New Year and they will pick up their new daughter two days later.”
Ethopian officials confirmed the news as they revealed that they are expecting the couple to visit their AIDS/HIV clinic founded by them.
A clinic source reveals, “I can’t say anything about when they are coming, but yes, when they come to Ethiopia we will expect a visit from them.”
Brangelina are keen to welcome another baby into their family.
An insider says, explained: “Angelina gets a kick from saving kids and giving them this amazing life they would have never had otherwise.
“Yes they might be adding to their family fast but they want all their kids to be roughly the same age so they do the nanny stage and get it over and done with.
“Another kid in the house will make no difference to the noise and chaos they already have.”
Jennifer Love Hewitt and Ross McCall are Engaged
"They broke out during the holidays and have completed their commitment," an insider close to the couple told People magazine.
Continuing, the source added: "They are both very sad about this. Even his friends are surprised and they seemed really happy. Everyone wants the best for each. "
Refusing to comment on the personal life of a client, "Ghost Whisperer" star's rep refused to answer questions on the subject.
Kate Hudson and Anne Hathaway In Bride Wars
The "Get Smart" brunette and "How to lose a guy in 10 days" blonde gal pal looked optimistic as they sauntered the streets of New York following their photo together.
As for the theme of marriage in their new flick, Anne recently told the press that she is not in any hurry to go down the aisle, especially considering her recent break with men with Raffaello Follieri.
She told the press, "All I know is I do not feel pressure to get married. I do not feel it in my family or my friends. Or even from within. I wonder if this pressure is something about the women themselves. I just want to live life even more happy. If you are the person who does not want to marry, not to marry. Who cares? You want to get involved and that piece of paper and then go for it. Just be yourself. "
She herself divorced, Kate Hudson pondered the idea of finding Mr. Right. "I do not know yet who is the perfect guy. I know that I love the guys honest. What happens to me. I also love men who are truly ahead of who they are and what they want . Unfortunately, these guys are really hard to find. "
Underworld: Rise of the Lycans Movie Overview
Cast: Michael Sheen, Bill Nighy, Rhona Mitra
Genre: Action/Adventure, Horror, SciFi/Fantasy, Suspense/Thriller
Synopsis:
This prequel story traces the origins of the centuries-old blood feud between the aristocratic vampires known as Death Dealers and their one-time slaves, the Lycans. In the Dark Ages, a young Lycan
named Lucian emerges as a powerful leader who rallies the werewolves to rise up against Viktor, the cruel vampire king who has enslaved them. Lucian is joined by his secret lover, Sonja, in his battle against the Death Dealer army and his struggle for Lycan freedom....
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