FASHION & LIFESTYLE NEWS ARCHIVE

 
Toronto Concerts link:
Kenny Rogers – Dec. 3, 2010 @ Massey Hall
The Pointers Sisters – Feb. 18, 2011 @ Rose Theatre, Brampton
Gordon Lightfoot – May 25 - 28, 2011 @ Massey Hall
Sade – June 28, 2011 @ Air Canada Centre

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FASHION, LIFESTYLE, MUSIC TOURS ARCHIVE [page 2]
 
D'AMORE BY MARCEAU: SWIMWEAR WITH STYLE [FWD, 10/16/08]
Model-turned-actress-turned-fashion designer Caroline D'Amore presented her Spring 2009 D'Amore by Marceau collection on Tuesday Oct. 14, at the Mercedes-Benz Los Angeles Fashion Week in absentia. She's off shooting a new movie, so her partner Laurent Planeix held down the tent and took the bows after their swimwear line wowed the crowd. "I was at Caroline's Miami show," actress Mena Suvari commented, "and I think this one had much more creative designs." Suvari, who snuggled in the front row with fiancé Simone Sestito, "loved the black and silver bikini, and the new patterns" that D'Amore sent down the catwalk. Those patterns included a black-and-white zebra-inspired print, shown on a tiny string-tied bikini, a plunging-necklined one piece, and a belly-and-back-cut-out one piece, and, on similar suit styles, a multicolored design featuring a pink butterfly motif against a white background. Also eminently wearable are D'Amore's bandeau one-piece swimsuits done in various color-blocked patterns, some with skinny, single-shoulder straps, others with thin halter straps. Those would be perfect for the Kardashian sisters Kim and Kourtney, who also graced the front row of the full house. Overall, while D'Amore by Marceau is not exactly re-inventing the swimsuit, the collection does offer women of varying sizes a number of eminently wearable styles in pretty colors and interesting shapes.
 
ESTATE OF MACY'S HEIR SUES JAY LENO [AP, 10/16/08]
The estate of a department store heir says in a lawsuit that Jay Leno was illegally sold a valuable automobile at a sham auction. The lawsuit was filed Tuesday, October 14 in Manhattan by the estate of Macy's heir John W. Straus. It says a 1931 Duesenberg was sold to the "Tonight Show" host at an auction designed to take that car and a 1930 Rolls Royce while Straus was ill. Court papers say Leno, an avid car collector, bought the Duesenberg and someone else bought the Rolls. The suit says the cars were worth $1.7 million and were in a Manhattan garage for more than 50 years. Straus died in May at age 88, and the suit says he paid all that was owed to store the cars. Leno spokesman Dick Guttman had no comment.
 
CHRISTINA AGUILERA RETURNS TO U.K. [BBC, 10/16/08]
Christina Aguilera has played her first proper gig since giving birth nine months ago. The singer performed at the Africa Rising concert on Tuesday, October 14, held at London's Royal Albert Hall, alongside Seal and a selection of African bands. She told Newsbeat she was happy to get back to it: "Mama has to work, mama has to get the job done so you know I'm still who I am." Aguilera and her husband's first child, Max, was born in January.  "It's important I think, as a mother, not to lose your own identity," she said. "[And] also to share that with my son and show him what Mommy does beside change his diapers and breastfeed him."  The concert marked the first time Aguilera's been on the red carpet since she went on maternity leave. However, the singer seemed to enjoy it, saying: "It's cold here but I like the cold weather, but yes, it's great to be back in the swing of things again." She wore a brightly patterned Pucci top with her trademark bright lips - this time in pink to match her top. The Africa Rising concert in London was the finale of a number of events which have taken place all over the world. The idea is to raise awareness of African issues through the events which, like Fashion Rocks, mix fashion and music. The event was hosted by 1Xtra DJ Trevor Nelson. There were performances from several popular African bands, including Youssou N'Dour and Olu Maintain. Models also strutted the catwalk in clothes designed by some of Africa's biggest talents. Aguilera said she was honoured to be asked to perform: "I think it's a great cause and I'm here in support of all the talent that comes out of Africa and to be in support of the good that comes [out] of Africa, rather than always hearing sort of negative things about the country."
 
ASCAP HONORS ALAN JACKSON, REBA McENTIRE [AP, 10/15/08]
Alan Jackson won songwriter/artist of the year honors for his hits "A Woman's Love" and "Small Town Southern Man" during the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers country awards Monday, October 13. Other big winners were Dave Berg, songwriter of the year, and Rachel Thibodeau, country song of the year. Reba McEntire won ASCAP's Golden Note Award, presented to songwriters, composers and artists who have achieved extraordinary career milestones. Brooks & Dunn, LeAnn Rimes and Kelly Clarkson honored McEntire by performing some of her songs. McEntire herself surprised the crowd by singing one of her earliest hits, "(You Lift Me) Up to Heaven." EMI Music Publishing won publisher of the year for songs including "How Long" (Eagles) and "Never Wanted Nothing More" (Kenny Chesney). Songwriters including McEntire, Lyle Lovett, Buddy Miller, David Lee Murphy and Brent Rowan won the Silver Circle honor in recognition of 25 years or more of membership in the performance rights organization.
 
T.I. PERFORMED ON DIESEL XXX CIRCUS [Aceshowbiz, 10/15/08]
T.I. made a live appearance on Diesel XXX "Rock and Roll Circus" at Pier 3 in Brooklyn on Saturday, October 11. First singing "Bring Em Out", which eventually yielded to "Swing Ya Rag" and a dark, angry version of "What You Know", he then shifted to a more playful single "Whatever You Like". Accompanied by M.I.A. who jumped onstage to provide backing vocals, T.I. then performed another song called "Swagga Like Us". Furthermore, on his Rihanna-featuring single "Live Your Life", T.I. took the stage with Franz Ferdinand who plugged in to provide a live accompaniment for the rapper. As the song's finished, the band continued on with their own set which featured a handful of new songs for the band's next album, as well as old favorites such as "Michael", "Matinee", and "Take Me Out". Earlier in the evening, Hot Chip served as a backing band for Chaka Khan on her hit singles like "I Feel For You" and "Ain't Nobody". Hot Chip's own set consisted of "Shake a Fist", "One Pure Thought", and "Ready for the Floor".
 
KATY PERRY TO HOST 2008 MTV EUROPEAN MUSIC AWARDS [AP, 10/15/08]
Katy Perry has been confirmed to make a hosting job at this year's MTV European Music Awards. Wanting to present a "much more informal and relaxed" show, the executive producer for the event Richard Godfrey considers Perry as a perfect figure for the show's host regarding her recent "definite musical twist." "To follow in the footsteps of previous hosts Christina Aguilera, Tom Jones, P. Diddy, and Snoop Dogg at this prestigious event is an incredible honor," the 23-year-old singer shares her excitement concerning her upcoming duty. "Do they know what they are getting into? I just hope that I don't spill my cocktail!" Aside from her booking as the event's host, Perry is nominated for "New Act" category, competing with Miley Cyrus, Duffy, Jonas Brothers, OneRepublic. On top of that, her hit single "I Kissed a Girl" has also been listed on "Most Addictive Track" nomination with Coldplay's "Viva La Vida", Duffy's "Mercy", Kid Rock's "All Summer Long", and Pink's latest single "So What". Taking place at the Liverpool Echo Arena on November 6, the annual show includes musical performances from Beyonce Knowles, The Killers, and Kid Rock. Meanwhile, Solange Knowles, Sugababes, Tokio Hotel, and Travis McCoy of Gym Class Heroes will also hit the awards' stage as additional presenters.
 
ALICIA KEYED INTO AMAs; COLDPLAY HOT ON HEELS [E! Online, 10/15/08]
Alicia Keys is the all-American girl. The R&B diva scored a leading five nominations for this year's American Music Awards, nabbing nods for Favorite Album and Favorite Female Artist in both Pop/Rock and R&B genres, as well as scoring a nomination for Artist of the Year. Already the Best Act in World courtesy of Britain's Q Awards, Coldplay is looking for some U.S. of A. love. The Chris Martin-led crew's nods included Favorite Album for Viva la Vida or Death and All His Friends, and Artist of the Year nomination, vying against Keys, Lil Wayne, Chris Brown and the Eagles. As it is, the O.G. rocking Eagles matched Coldplay's four nominations. Four-time AMAs host Jimmy Kimmel, along with Jesse McCartney and Dancing With the Stars pro turned country twanger Julianne Hough, revealed the nominees this morning, October 14. Rihanna, Ne-Yo, Taylor Swift, the Pussycat Dolls and New Kids on the Block will be among the performers on the 36th Annual AMAs, joining the previously announced Jonas Brothers and Pink. For the second consecutive year, all winners will be chosen by fans via online voting at amavote.com. Voting will close Nov. 7. The show will air live from Los Angeles Nov. 23 on ABC. Complete list of nominees are available online.
 
BEACH BUNNY SWIMWEAR: READY FOR THE YACHT [Fashion Wire Daily, 10/15/08]
Let's face it, when it comes to actually swimming, Beach Bunny Swimwear and designer Angela Chittenden really don't expect women to get into the water and get wet while wearing their bathing suits. But that said, the 60 looks that came down the runway at the Mercedes-Benz Los Angeles Fashion Week show on Monday, October 13 were cute and sexy, and perfect for lounging on the yacht or slinking around the pool in Las Vegas. The Spring 2009 show began with a nautical theme, with a bikini in navy lace paired with a tiny white cheerleader-skirt bottom; then a navy leather bikini wowed the crowd, with its gold chain embellishments on both tiny top and bottom. The audience in the also tiny Lightbox Stage at Smashbox Studios noticed immediately that while the suits were mostly minuscule, the models were not, at least not on top, where they were busting out all over, many with a less-than-natural look to them. The look was perfect, however, when paired with the slightly trashy theme of the Beach Bunny line, of bringing "the boudoir to the beach." It was hard to tell the difference sometimes, like with the "Need You Tonight" suit, a white triangle top paired with white-and-fuchsia lace "skimpy" bottoms; that is a bedroom-only suit, for sure, as is the "Lady Marmalade," a pink satin bikini trimmed in vintage black lace. More wearable for public display are the cute "Wicked Games" black croc buckle bikini, the groovy "Can't Buy Me Love" trapezoid one shoulder bikini done in aqua, and the "Stop and Stare" zebra bandeau, a suit covered in chains and embellishments. That one does look like it might get awfully hot in the sun, however, with all that metal to heat up. Chittenden also threw in a few bathing suit cover-ups, including a form-fitting fuchsia romper with ruffles, a low-cut silk chiffon tunic studded with large stones, and the "French Kiss," a satin underwire bubble dress that again would look a bit odd on the beach, but great in the bedroom.
 
KEVAN HALL SETS THE BAR HIGH AS LA FASHION WEEK BEGINS [Fashion Wire Daily, 10/14/08]
You know you are doing something right when a star-studded packed house repeatedly breaks out in cheers and applause in the midst of your runway show; that's what happened to designer Kevan Hall as his latest womenswear collection launched this season's Los Angeles Fashion Week on Sunday, October 12. Hall, showing his Spring 2009 designs, as usual did not disappoint his legions of fashionista fans with this show, his "Stage Door" homage to the classic, movie-star ready designs of the legendary Adrian. And, as usual, Kevan Hall set the standard that all other designers showing this week will be hard-pressed to match. "I was a little nervous about this show," Hall revealed after receiving a standing ovation from his diverse fans, including actresses Dana Delany, Rachel Griffiths, Tia Mowry, Gina Torres, Garcelle Beauvais-Nilon, stylist George Blodwell, Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, and Hall's brother, actor-director Vondie Curtis-Hall. "It was a bit different for me, this show, because I changed up the feel of the show, and went more for a classic vibe." Which meant evoking the gorgeous looks of yesteryear. Think of the most beautiful clothes that stars like Grace Kelly, Lauren Bacall, Katharine Hepburn, Joan Crawford, or Jean Harlow wore in their heyday, and that's what Hall presented on the runway. Hall sent 54 exemplary red-carpet-ready looks down the runway. A master of the evening gown, Hall used his signature "hot" colors brilliantly, in looks ranging from a bright yellow dress with a high-necked bodice over a flowing skirt to a strong turquoise satin-crepe beaded spiral strap dress to a heavily beaded apple-toned tulle and organza "Society" gown, complete with train. Women in the audience were getting very emotional about his clothes, literally gasping with glee as his citrine silk charmeuse color-block "Harlow" dress arrived, and grinning giddily at one of the more casual looks, a black-and-white silk shantung gingham "Bacall rehearsal blouse" paired with skinny black silk pencil pants and a wide patent leather belt, that evoked the best of the 1950's, with a definite modern edge. This Kevan Hall collection continues in his tradition of creating exquisitely tailored clothes that flatter a woman's figure and set her instantly apart from the crowd; perhaps that's why "Desperate Housewives" star Dana Delany told Hall afterward that she now knows "exactly what she's going to wear during awards season."
 
WHITLEY KROS: RAGAMUFFIN BOHEMIANS [Fashion Wire Daily, 10/14/08]
Designers Sophia Coloma and Marissa Ribisi are the women behind Whitney Kros, the casualwear label chosen to be the "Mercedes-Benz Presents" Designers at the Mercedes-Benz Spring 2009 Los Angeles Fashion Week being held at Smashbox Studios in Culver City all this week. The duo, which claims inspiration for their latest offerings as being a Bohemian combination of the influences of Morocco, Greece, Bob Dylan, and Allen Ginsberg, showed their line on the Main Stage on Sunday night, October 12, with mixed results. Characterized by ill-fitting, baggy, shapeless tops paired with what they call a "playful short," the clothes often made the stick-slim models look frumpy, like ragamuffins or street urchins who had scavenged for their clothes; and as one onlooker commented, "if the models don't look good, what would the rest of us look like?" It was a question that repeated itself throughout the show, as those shorts, a misguided melding of those unflattering, very short running shorts from the Seventies combined with satin tap pants, kept reappearing. First paired with a "poncho striped knit," a big shapeless top with blue shorts barely peeping out, then done in a diamond print with a clashing tunic, then in navy with white piping paired with a sheer white tunic and blue "Raleigh" oversweater, and on and on in a variety of other iterations. It was not a look that lent itself to a must-have list, even for the most die-hard fashionista. And the fashionistas were in the house, famous faces from film, television, and music, including Anne Archer, Justine Bateman, Selena Gomez, Aubrey O'Day, who came along with her pink-dyed pooch, and the Masterson brothers, Danny and Chris. The audience did see a few wearable items in the 43-look show, including a couple of variations of Whitley Kros' "Crete" dress. That long, flowy sheath actually had a shape, with v-neck, knotted shoulder straps, and a knotted back; shown in a light plaid and a white-backgrounded floral, it was the clear winner.
 
OASIS "DIG" UP TOP SPOT ON UK ALBUM CHART [Reuters, 10/14/08]
Oasis went straight to No. 1 on the UK album charts Sunday, October 12 with their first album in three years, continuing their unbroken string of chart-toppers. "Dig Out Your Soul," Oasis' seventh album, ended the two-week reign of cult American rockers Kings of Leon's "Only by the Night," which slipped to No. 2. Oasis, led by brothers Liam and Noel Gallagher, first went to No. 1 with their 1994 debut "Definitely Maybe." The news was not all good for the band, though; the album's first single, "The Shock of the Lightning," tumbled 13 places to No. 16 in its second week. The band's previous album, 2005's "Don't Believe the Truth," yielded two chart-toppers. Bob Dylan was a new entrant at No. 9 on the album chart with "Tell Tale Signs," the latest entrant in his "Bootleg" series of rare and unreleased recordings. There was little change at the top of the singles chart, with American singer Pink holding on to No. 1 with "So What." Still at No. 2 was Kings of Leon with "Sex on Fire," while the all-girl band Sugababes rose one place to No. 3 with "Girls."
 
RAPPER WILLIAMS JOINS MADONNA GIG [BBC, 10/13/08]
Rap star Pharrell Williams has made a surprise appearance with Madonna in a New York date on her world tour. Williams, who co-produced and sang on Madonna's Hard Candy album earlier this year, joined her on stage during her final song of the show - Give It 2 Me. Madonna also continued her recent attacks on Republican vice-presidential nominee Sarah Palin. Playing a screeching note on her guitar, she said: "This is the sound of Sarah Palin thinking."  After singing an a capella version of her 1989 hit Express Yourself, she told the crowd: "I'd like to express myself to Sarah Palin right now." She also threw condoms into the crowd at Madison Square Garden, saying that they promoted safe sex as they had a picture of Mrs. Palin on them. The anti-Republican barbs came a few days after Madonna told another concert audience: "Sarah Palin can't come to my party. Sarah Palin can't come to my show. It's nothing personal." Throughout the tour, which started in Cardiff on 23 August, Madonna had stoked political controversy with one video segment which splices an image of Republican presidential nominee John McCain among those of Adolf Hitler, Robert Mugabe and scenes of destruction and starving children. A spokesman for Mr. McCain's campaign has called Madonna's actions "outrageous, unacceptable and crudely divisive all at the same time". Pharrell Williams has appeared on the Sticky and Sweet tour before, but only in video form. During previous dates, he and Madonna's other recent collaborators - Justin Timberlake, Kanye West and Britney Spears - have "performed" in the show as lifesize images on moving video walls. At the New York show - the 21st date on the four-month world tour - there was a more tender moment as Madonna dedicated a song to her eldest daughter Lourdes to mark her 12th birthday. She performed You Must Love Me, which she originally sang when she starred in the 1996 movie adaptation of the hit musical Evita. Madonna told the crowd: "My beautiful Lola is 12 today but when I first sang this song she was growing inside me."
 
ALBERTA ENTRY IS GOLDEN IN HOCKEY NIGHT ANTHEM CHALLENGE [CBC, 10/12/08]
After 14,871 entries flooded in and thousands of voters cast their ballots for each of the two finalists, Canadian Gold, a Celtic-themed piece by Beaumont, Alta.'s Colin Oberst was chosen to introduce Canada's longest-running television program. His victory was announced on Saturday's Hockey Night broadcast featuring Toronto hosting Montreal and Vancouver in Calgary. Toronto teenager Robert Fraser Burke's Sticks to the Ice finished second. "I'm thrilled that it's an ordinary Canadian whose passion for hockey will be forever associated with the show," said Scott Moore, executive director of CBC Sports. "The process has shown the passion that Canadians have for hockey, Hockey Night in Canada and for music. "I think it's so appropriate that such a passionate hockey fan is the final winner." Oberst is an elementary school teacher who also doubles as an avid music writer and member of an Edmonton band. He takes home the $100,000 top prize and half of the lifetime royalties, with the other 50 per cent invested by the CBC in minor hockey across the country. Burke, the 13-year-old son of a music teacher, is a pianist who sings in a choir and performs in the school band. The contest to find new theme music for Hockey Night in Canada was launched June 19 by CBC Sports after it didn't renew the rights to The Hockey Theme, which were subsequently purchased by CTV Inc. Each of the five semifinalists in the anthem challenge were profiled on The Hour with George Stroumboulopoulos and later on the Hockey Night In Canada Anthem Challenge special, when the original compositions — produced by Bob Rock, a multiple Juno Award winner — were played in their entirety. "You just get this overwhelming sense of pride," Oberst said while working with Rock at the taping of the theme in Toronto. "Everything just jelled into this amazing song that went way over my expectations."
 
LEONA LEWIS "BEST KEPT SECRET" ALBUM LAUNCHED [BBC, 10/12/08]
A small London-based record label is planning to release an album that Leona Lewis recorded before winning the third series of The X Factor in 2006. UEG Music claim they spent around £70,000 trying to launch the 23-year-old, who is now signed to Sony BMG. They have already released the album, called Best Kept Secret, in Japan and plan a UK release in January, 2009. But Lewis's lawyers insist UEG does not have her consent or the rights to start selling the record. UEG's Barry Bee has told Newsbeat his company had approached Lewis's new label after she won the TV talent contest. He said: "We went to her and said, 'Look, we've got the album here, do you want to buy the rights?', and they refused. "We had costs that we incurred and we needed to recoup them. "So, as per the arrangements we have with all our artists, we put them out and they get a 50% share of any profits." In an interview with Newsbeat in 2007, Lewis acknowledged the album's existence but seemed sure it would never see the light of day. She said: "Like lots of people who want to be singers, I used to record stuff and put it down. "But for me, it's just songs that I did to get experience in the studio and not songs I would release in that form. "Obviously, they won't be released because it's not in their rights to do so because I never signed anything to say that they could be released." The album even features a track called Private Party that became an underground hit on the urban music scene in 2005. But Best Kept Secret isn't the only material Lewis recorded before she found fame. She recorded another album, called Twilight, which was never released commercially - although she did perform some live tracks with Radio 1's Colin Murray in 2004. UEG plan to release Best Kept Secret in the UK in January but rolled it out in Japan this July, where it sold more than 10,000 copies in its first week. In a statement, Lewis's lawyers said: "This album is a rework of demo recordings that Leona did before she entered the X Factor. "As far as we are concerned, UEG do not have either the right for these recordings to be released or Leona's consent for such a release. "We are in the process of taking the appropriate action in relation to this. But UEG's Barry Bee insisted the label was in control of the recordings. He said: "We do have the rights. We had stuff out in 2004-2005. "All we seek is acknowledgement and to let people hear what she did. It's good stuff."
 
TIM ROBBINS GETS STAR ON HOLLYWOOD WALK OF FAME [AP, 10/11/08]
Tim Robbins is known in Hollywood as an Academy Award-winning actor, director, activist and hockey fanatic. On Friday, October 10 he added comedian to his repertoire while getting a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. "I used to take the bus from here to Burbank to go to work," he recalled. "When the bus was late, I would walk up and down and throw my cigarettes down. Now I have the honor of having this done to my star." Guests at the ceremony included Robbins' longtime partner, Susan Sarandon, as well as relatively diminutive actor Jack Black, who said he has known the tall, lanky Robbins for 25 years. "I literally looked up to him," Black joked.  Robbins was nominated for a best-director Oscar in 1996 for "Dead Man Walking," a movie he co-wrote about the death penalty. Sarandon's role in it won the Oscar for best actress. "I am so pleased to be a part of his life, and I want to present Tim's best production — our three kids," Sarandon said. Born in West Covina, Calif., and raised in New York City, Robbins came from a family of entertainers. His father, Gil Robbins, played with the folk group The Highwaymen in the 1960s. Robbins, 49, is known for his proclivity for bold roles. He has appeared in critically acclaimed films such as "Mystic River," "The Shawshank Redemption," "Jacob's Ladder" and "The Player." In Clint Eastwood's "Mystic River," Robbins won a best supporting actor Oscar in 2004.
 
"LOST" ACTRESS MADER JOINS "GOATS" HERD [Reuters/Hollywood Reporter, 10/11/08]
Rebecca Mader, best known for playing scheming redhead Charlotte on ABC's "Lost," is in final negotiations to play Ewan McGregor's wife in "Men Who Stare at Goats." Based on the book by Jon Ronson, the Iraq-set movie centers on a desperate reporter (McGregor) who stumbles upon the story of a lifetime when he meets a man (George Clooney) who claims to be a former secret U.S. military psychic soldier. Clooney's business partner Grant Heslov will direct, and will produce with the actor.
 
JOSH FREESE TO RESIGN FROM NINE INCH NAILS [Aceshowbiz, 10/10/08]
Nine Inch Nails' frontman, Trent Reznor, reveals that the band's current drummer, Josh Freese, will leave the band after completing San Antonio's live performance held on October 23. "Josh Freese fans, be sure to check out a show on the upcoming North American leg of the tour, as sadly they will be the last ones he's playing with us. He informed me he's leaving the tour at the end of this year," he says. Speaking further about their future relationship after the break-up, Trent convinces that they will still be friends. "Yes, we are still dear friends. No, I'm not sure what we are going to do," he explains in a statement. Previously, Nine Inch planned to release a branded version of iPhone music game, TapTap Revenge. The special edition of the popular game would reportedly include 16 songs from the band's most recent albums, "The Slip" and the all-instrumental "Ghosts I - IV". Some of the tracks have been re-edited for the game.
 
MEAT LOAF SUFFERING FROM VERTIGO [E! Online, 10/11/08]
Looks like Meat Loaf came down with a case of the Janet Jacksons. The classic rocker has been discharged from a London hospital after undergoing three days of "testing and evaluation" for an undisclosed ailment…not that it was all that undisclosed earlier in the week. The Bat Out of Hell singer was admitted to the London Clinic on Monday night, October 6, going directly to the private hospital after a literally trippy appearance at the Q Awards, where he was honored with the Classic Song gong for his 1979 hit. "I've got to go to the doctor right after this is over," Meat Loaf, who at one point during the show nearly fell off the stage, told press on the red carpet before entering the ceremony. "I suffer from vertigo. I woke up this morning in a spinning vertigo. When you wake up and the room starts moving around on you, you know you're in trouble." While keeping quiet on any potential diagnosis, the 57-year-old star's publicist, Kirt Webster, said that the singer has nevertheless been cleared by doctors to travel to the U.S., where he's due to perform at a handful of gigs in Florida next week.
 
DOCS SCRAP JANET JACKSON'S CONCERT COMEBACK [E! Online, 10/11/08]
The Rhythm Nation will have to carry on for another weekend without its leader. Needing more time to recuperate from what ails her, Janet Jackson will not be returning to her Rock Witchu tour tomorrow in Connecticut as promoter Live Nation previously announced. This will be the seventh show that the Grammy-winning pop diva has been forced to postpone since falling ill during a sound check in Montreal last week. No details have been forthcoming about what exactly is plaguing the 42-year-old artist. "Janet Jackson's anticipated return to her Rock Witchu tour tomorrow in Uncasville, Conn., has been postponed due to doctor's orders," a rep for Live Nation said in a statement to Access Hollywood. Instead, the "Miss You Much" singer should be ready to go onstage Monday at the Turning Stone Resort & Casino in Verona, N.Y. As has been the case with other missed dates, tickets for the Uncasville show will be honored when the gig is rescheduled.
 
LIL JON INKS NEW DEAL WITH UNIVERSAL REPUBLIC [Aceshowbiz, 10/10/08]
Lil Jon is confirmed to sign a deal with Universal Republic to release his forthcoming solo debut album. According to the label, the new deal includes a label imprint, a recording agreement, and a digital presence. "Lil Jon is a larger than life figure who casts a giant shadow over every facet of the entertainment business," Monte Lipman, President and CEO of Universal Republic Records, says commenting on the agreement. "His name is synonymous with brand-building and we want him plugged into multiple Universal Republic platforms for maximum results. I view him as our Urban Music Czar. Now, if he'd only send me a couple of cases of that wine." In line with the label's excitement, the rapper is also thrilled "to find a new home in the Universal Republic." He says, "They've got a great team over there. A lot of big things comin' from me, get ready. I been workin' hard on my new material and it's time everybody hears it." Previously, Jon decided to explore his music sound in his upcoming album by changing its old title "Crunk Rock" as a reflection of his new music direction. "It's totally given me a new energy, a new everything," he speaks of the decision. "When you have a lot of stress and negativity around you, when you cut that away, you cleanse...I'm starting over, basically." However, the new title is still under wrap.
 
EX-GUN N' ROSES MEMBERS FORMING SUPERGROUP [Aceshowbiz, 10/10/08]
According to antiMusic, former members of Guns N' Roses have created a new supergroup. Named Guns of Destruction, the group will reportedly feature Steven Adler, Tracii Guns, as well as Chip Z'Nuff of Enuff Z'nuff. Furthermore, the new band will make their first live appearance which will likely have some very special guest stars. The show will be held on November 19 at Hollywood's Key Club but none of the guest performers has been announced. Previously, Eric Dover of Slash's Snakepit was rumored to be involved in the band's upcoming performance but the gossip had been turned down. "Tracii had called me to ask about doing a few cover gigs, but I'm not joining a supergroup. They're all great guys, but Sextus is my focus," Eric explained in a statement.
 
MARISA MILLER DONS SKIMPY OUTFITS IN HARLEY DAVIDSON AD [Aceshowbiz, 10/10/08]
Channeling her modeling skills as a catwalk hottie and one of Victoria's Secret's Angels, Marisa Miller is featured wearing skimpy outfits in a series of promotional ads for Harley Davidson's new V-Rod Muscle motorcycle. Starting from this Friday, October 10, Harley will launch the supermodel's ads, including video, wallpapers and downloadable photos promoting the new ride, which the company referred as "sporty, sleek bike that targets a younger, urban and affluent demographic." "To represent such an iconic American brand is incredible," Miller said in a statement about becoming the model of the ad. "I have grown up watching my dad and uncle ride Harleys. It's amazing to circle back at this point in my career, and work with a brand I have so much respect for." Some pictures of Miller's ads for Harley Davidson's new V-Rod Muscle motorcycle and behind-the-scenes footage of the shoot can be seen on The Sun. More information on the V-Rod Muscle can be gotten on Harley-Davidson.com. Aside from her modeling career, Miller currently is busy promoting the latest Victoria's Secret's fragrance called "Very Sexy Dare". She, additionally, also becomes the celebrity endorser for Remington's ShortCut clippers not to mention her many other promotional ads for several products.
 
JOHN LEGEND MAPPING WORLD TOUR WITH RAPHAEL SAADIQ [Aceshowbiz, 10/8/08]
John Legend is eager to promote his upcoming third major studio album entitled "Evolver" by hitting the road with Raphael Saadiq for a world tour. Kicking off on November 19 in Minneapolis, the roadshow will include at least thirteen fixed dates before wrapped up on December 13 in North Carolina. Meanwhile, speaking of his upcoming effort, Legend says that the album is different from the ones that he previously recorded. "It's a lot of love and relationship songs, as people probably would expect from me," he explains about the album theme. Furthermore, expected to hit the market on October 28, his record will be released under the courtesy of GOOD Music and Columbia Records. Guest artists on the album include Kanye West, Brandy, Estelle, and Andre Benjamin aka Andre 3000 from OutKast who has helped Legend in his lead single, "Green Light". John Legend's confirmed tour dates: • November 19 - Northrop Auditorium in Minneapolis • November 20 - Chicago Theatre in Chicago • November 24 - Wharton Center For Performing Arts in E. Lansing, Michigan • November 26 - Masonic Temple Theatre in Detroit • November 28 - Roy Thompson Hall in Toronto • November 29 & December 1 - Wellmont Theatre in Montclair, New Jersey • December 2 - Orpheum Theatre in Boston • December 5 - Tower Theater in Philadelphia • December 8 - Lyric Theatre in Baltimore • December 9 - Constitution Hall in Washington, D.C. • December 10 - Peace Center in Greenville, South California • December 12 - Ovens Auditorium in Charlotte, North California • December 13 - Durham Performing Arts Center in Durham, North California.
 
ESTELLE TO RELEASE MIXTAPE FOR THE STREETS [MTV, 10/8/08]
British heroine, Estelle "American Boy", has promised to release a mixtape CD for the streets soon.  "It's coming," she promised. "I've done mixtapes forever. I've been in the game almost 10 years. When I started, [mixtapes] were just picking up. I feel [making them] is a good way to get to the kids who are not sold on your album and might not like the single you put out. They get to figure out whether they like you or not." Estelle — whose favorite DJs include Drama, Clinton Sparks and Neil Armstrong — is still not sure whose material she'll use to craft the mixtape. "I don't know who I wanna put on there," she said. "I'm having this moment of Marvin Gaye, Coldplay, Santogold and really old-school reggae. God knows what's gonna be on there. I mean, primarily on a mixtape, you take a bunch of songs and just rip them. But I'm having a real Coldplay moment right now. I'd love to sing on a [new] Coldplay song. And I use one of the Coldplay songs in my set, 'God Put a Smile Upon Your Face.' "
 
EMINEM WINS VIBE MAGAZINE'S BEST RAPPER ALIVE COMPETITION [Aceshowbiz, 10/8/08]
Notwithstanding with his extended absence from music industry, Eminem has won an online poll of Best Rapper Alive conducted by Vibe magazine that also lists Jay-Z, Nas, Kanye West, T.I. and Rick Ross among its heavy contenders. More than 920,000 votes were cast in the contest, held for three months long, beginning on July 21, 2008. Triumphing over the other candidates, Eminem receives 69 percent of the votes in the finals. He, thus, will be rolled out in the magazine's November 2008 issue which will feature presidential hopeful Barack Obama on its cover. "It's obviously an honor to have won the fans' support by being voted the Best Rapper Alive," Em said in a statement released Tuesday, October 7. "I don't think that there is any one rapper that is simply the best, though. Everyone who was in consideration and many others are the best at certain things, and at what they do. But since Vibe's offering the distinction, hell yeah, I'll accept!" In addition to the Best Rapper Alive predicate, Eminem also received praise from Vibe's music editor, Sean Fennessey, who considered him as "one of the most successful MCs of all time, he's also one of the most beloved. The proof is in the voting." 
 
LINKIN PARK CANCELS CHINA TOUR  [AP, 10/8/08]
Linkin Park is canceling its China tour because lead singer Chester Bennington has suffered a back injury. The band didn't say Tuesday, October 7 how Bennington suffered the injury. A statement posted on Linkin Park's official Web site said the band was canceling shows scheduled for October in Beijing, Shanghai, the central city Wuhan and the southern gambling enclave Macau. The band also canceled its show in Taipei, the capital of Taiwan. The concerts were fundraisers for victims of May's deadly earthquake in China's Sichuan province. Linkin Park said it will still donate to reconstruction efforts, with the promoter of its Chinese concerts, Emma Ticketmaster, also chipping in and the World Bank matching the band's contributions.
 
JUNOS STRUM $7.9M ECONOMIC TUNE FOR CALGARY [CBC, 10/8/08]
Amid the gloom of economic turmoil, organizers of the 2008 Juno Awards in Calgary have announced a significant return for the city and province from the event in April. Highlights from an economic impact study of the music awards celebration, released on Tuesday, October 7 showed an increase in the local and provincial gross domestic product, as well as in job opportunities, said Calgary Arts Development. According to the study by Leger Marketing, the event held in Calgary April 3-6 generated: A total of $7.9 million for Calgary and $3.4 million for the rest of Alberta; An estimated $5 million in direct expenditures by out-of-town visitors, the Juno Award organizers, and the Canadian Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences; $3.5-million impact on Calgary's GDP; $1.8-million impact on rest of Alberta's GDP; 82 full-time job equivalents in Alberta and $1.7 million in tax revenue for all three levels of government. "This study also shows the value of events like the Juno Awards in generating economic spinoffs and new opportunities for local artists and the tourism industry," said Terry Rock, president and CEO of Calgary Arts Development in a news release. The four-day event, which organized performances across the city and allowed fans to meet their favourite musicians, culminated with a televised awards ceremony at the Saddledome. The awards were dominated by singer Feist, who won a total of five Junos.
 
MIU MIU: MOSAIC MOOD, MARVELOUS MODE [FWD, 10/7/08]
PARIS - The very term intellectual fashion conjures up images of dark, lumpy and staid clothes, which is the exact opposite to what we got at the tour de force Miu Miu collection for spring 2009 Sunday, October 5 in Paris. This was intellectual fashion of the highest order, yet the result was an exhilarating display of style, graphic punch and aesthetic panache. But, even if Miu Miu was built on the past - using a series images culled from ancient Greek and Roman mosaics - it was far and away the most modern and innovative. Like a genuine intellectual, designer Miuccia Prada thinks through the idea first before undertaking its elegant and extensive execution. Take just one notion; the way Miuccia built columns into most looks, cutting her tops, low-waist skirts and sheaths with plisse vertical lines, mimicking fluted classical columns. Even the models' hair came with indented flutes, repeating the column motif. Beginning in mono-color, the designer gradually added the Pompey mosaics, heads of gods and devils or geometric patterns, all that tad ruined, before they all moved down to create a series of great new shoes in the same hues and prints easily the best footwear seen anywhere this season. The execution was so perfect from the devore, holed and pitted fabrics to the craftily built in imperfections that our favorite look didnt even have any mosaics; just Russian model Natasha Poly in an ever so wrecked beige burlap cocktail with matching bags and pumps. Perfectly judged, decidedly new. "I wanted to dig into the past to understand ourselves today better," was Miuccia's explanation backstage, as she nibbled on rose champagne and foie gras. Adding to the arty novelty, a team from architect Rem Koolhaas' studio created large cine noir Pop Art blow-ups of the many actresses Miu Miu has featured in its campaigns, from Kim Basinger and Kirsten Dunst to Drew Barrymore and Selma Blair. These hung above the audience in approving silence on the goddesses who traipsed down the catwalk.
 
COLDPLAY HEATS UP "Q" AWARDS [E! Online, 10/7/08]
So much for crafting a rock-star attitude. Chris Martin, he of the newly crowned Best Act in the World Today, has reverted back to his humble beginnings. Coldplay captured the two most prestigious gongs at the Q Awards Monday, October 6 in London, Best Album for Viva la Vida, or Death and All His Friends, and the sure-to-be-disputed Best Act in the World Today. While accepting the album prize, Martin boasted that Coldplay is "the greatest band in the world." But it didn't take Martin long to retract the claim. "Well, not quite the biggest band," the frontman said. "U2 are on holiday. Radiohead are on holiday." Coldplay, meanwhile, was on a roll. The outfit-coordinated Martin-fronted group returned to the stage later in the ceremony to accept the coveted award for Best Act in the World. "I don't think we're the best act in the room, let alone the world," he said. (No wonder Gwynnie loves him.) Although Coldplay clearly made the most of its evening, other winners included Duffy, who won the award for Breakthrough Artist, Keane, Vampire Weekend, the Kaiser Chiefs, the Last Shadow Puppets, Adam Ant, who won the Q Icon Award, and Meat Loaf. One of the more touching moments came after Pink Floyd's David Gilmour was honored with the Outstanding Contribution to Music Award, which he dedicated to his late bandmate Richard Wright. Gilmour gave a toast to the keyboardist, imploring the crowd to stand and raise their glasses to his memory and legacy. "There's all sorts of music that I will not be able to play again without him," Gilmour said. "That's a source of sadness for me." Both nominees and winners for the awards are voted on by readers of Q, Britain's monthly music magazine.
 
R. KELLY SETS STAGE FOR TOUR DAMAGES [AP, 10/7/08]
R. Kelly believed he could win, and he did. The legally blessed R&B star has been awarded nearly $3.4 million in damages from concert promoter Leonard Rowe after a court-approved arbitrator determined that Rowe had been selling investment shares in Kelly's Double Up tour without the singer's permission. Georgia-based Rowe Entertainment was also ordered to foot the bill for the lawsuit Kelly filed in February, in which he charged that Rowe had failed to pay him several million dollars in tour proceeds, per court documents filed Monday, October 6 in Los Angeles Superior Court. "I agreed to let Leonard Rowe promote my tour because he convinced me he was an underdog who deserved a chance to prove himself," Kelly said in a statement released by his rep, Allan Mayer. "Like the saying goes, no good deed goes unpunished." This hasn't been the greatest fiscal quarter for Rowe. A judge also ordered him in early September to pay Kelly's onetime fellow road warrior Ne-Yo, who was unceremoniously dumped from the Double Up tour last November after only two performances, $700,320 in damages. Rowe had claimed Ne-Yo failed to complete the proper paperwork that would have truly cemented the deal, while the "So Sick" singer contended he was tossed after getting a better reaction from fans and critics than Kelly received. The tour, which also featured Keyshia Cole and J. Holiday, continued, even after Kelly's tour bus was stopped for speeding on Dec. 19, causing the Grammy winner to miss a Chicago court date in connection with his then-pending child pornography case. Despite being chided for his "brazenness," Kelly was allowed to keep performing. In June, he was found not guilty of making a sex tape with an underage girl, felony charges that were years in the making.
 
KILLERS ANNOUNCE 2009 TOUR DATES [BBC, 10/7/08]
The Killers have announced plans to play a major UK tour in 2009, including two London dates at the O2 Arena. The Las Vegas band, who will release their new album Day & Age on 24 November, will hit the road for 10 shows in February. Tickets are due to go on sale at 10am on 10 October. Meanwhile, the band are due to showcase their new album when they play a special Radio 1 gig at Royal Albert Hall in London on 3 November.  The whole gig will be broadcast live on Radio 1 on Zane Lowe's show on the night of the the gig. Their UK tour kicks off at the O2 arena on 23-24 February and takes in further dates at arenas in Birmingham (26), Cardiff (28), Sheffield (March 2) , Nottingham (3), Aberdeen (5), Glasgow (6), Newcastle (7) and Manchester (9).
 
MADONNA GIVES FANS A TREAT WITH "STICKY & SWEET" TOUR [AP, 10/6/08]
In a show defined by throbbing dance music, tight choreography, spectacular stage sets and stunning visuals, perhaps the most stirring moment during the kickoff concert to Madonna's "Sticky & Sweet" tour came when the Material Girl stood onstage with just her guitar and a few musicians for an acoustic set. As she sang the emotional song from her movie "Evita," Madonna couldn't help but wink and smile at the roaring sold-out crowd as she sang the song's main refrain and title: "You must love me." Maybe that's because she knew she was right. Even the superstar's most cynical critics couldn't walk away from her two-hour extravaganza at the Izod Center on Saturday night, October 4 without being thoroughly wowed. It was not only the spectacle of the concert, but the performer herself, as she reasserted her musical relevance and dominance in her 25th year in the spotlight. Madonna is not the world's most gifted singer or dancer or even musician, but she may be its greatest performer. From the moment she first appeared on stage, looking taut and chiseled in a black bra and shorts with a mesh layer overlay, she turned the arena into a massive dance club and a nonstop party. The zooming "Candy Shop," off her most recent CD "Hard Candy," set it off as Madonna strutted onstage flanked by an army of dancers. While they may have executed the show's most intricate dance moves, the ever-fit Madonna dazzled on her own with sinewy steps that belied her AARP-status. Though the show's first moments were devoted to her new album, it didn't take long for her to seamlessly groove back in time, performing one of her '90s gems, "Human Nature." The already funky, synthesized tune got an even funkier update, as Madonna utilized the vocoder trend with her background vocals. With her induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame this year and her 50th birthday, it would have been easy for Madonna to turn her latest tour into some kind of nostalgia show. It probably would have been an enjoyable experience nonetheless. But then again, it wouldn't have been Madonna — the consummate artist who always stretches the limits, exploring new ideas to stay relevant. On Saturday, she proved to be more than relevant — she's still music premier performer.
 
TEEN ATHLETE'S KILLING LAMENTED IN ICE CUBE "WHY ME?" VIDEO [AP, 10/5/08]
The unlikely stars of Ice Cube's new video are the grieving relatives of a 17-year-old high school football star who was shot to death outside his home. The song "Why Me?" speaks out against senseless violence and gun crime devastating communities. Cube says Jamiel Shaw Jr.'s family is a powerful illustration of the pain that lingers after a murder. "It just was a tragic, tragic story of why," Cube says. "Young people are dying for no reason all over the world that don't know why. It's ugly, everywhere." Shaw had been on track for a college sports scholarship when he was gunned down in March a few yards from his house in a working-class neighborhood south of downtown Los Angeles. His mother was serving in the Army in Iraq at the time. Pedro Espinoza, an illegal immigrant and suspected gang member who had been released from jail a day earlier on weapons charges, has pleaded not guilty to murder. Prosecutors say Espinoza drove to Shaw's neighborhood and shot him after asking him about his gang affiliation. Police have said Shaw was never in a gang. The rap video begins with the tightly framed, sorrow-filled faces of Shaw's parents and aunt. His father recounts a final conversation with his son. "To drive this home, it was only right to use real family and not use a bunch of actors," Cube says. His video features photographs of dozens of other crime victims blowing from a tree, then across the sand in the desert. It also depicts a young man in a football jersey being gunned down on a street. As he lays dying, he asks, "Why me homie, why me?" Espinoza's early release from jail led the Shaws to call for the passage of "Jamiel's Law," which would push Los Angeles police to crack down on illegal immigrant gang members. Cube says the video is not meant as an endorsement of the move. "It ain't really a commentary on that," he says. "You've got a person being killed by a person he don't know for a reason he don't know ... Who cares if it was an immigrant or if it was a taxpaying citizen?" For the Shaws, appearing in the video was a chance to further their petition drive to qualify the proposed law for the November ballot. "Every time I start watching it, I start crying," Jamiel Shaw Sr. says. "At the same time, I feel good that we are getting the word out."
 
VALENTINO DESIGNER BITTER TO BE LEAVING [Reuters, 10/5/08]
Italian designer Alessandra Facchinetti said she was bitter to be leaving the Valentino fashion house after learning from media reports that the company was replacing her, Italian newspapers said on Sunday, October 5. "I am very embittered," La Repubblica quoted Facchinetti as saying. "I thank Valentino (group) for appreciating my 'creative contribution' and my 'refined talent'. It's a shame that they have not been adequately used." Facchinetti took over from founding designer Valentino Garavani, whose floor-sweeping gowns were a favorite with Hollywood stars, when he retired in January. The private equity group Permira bought the fashion group last year. Maria Grazia Chiuri and Pier Paolo Piccioli, who were in charge of designing accessories for the group, would replace her, newspapers said. Valentino is trying to broaden the brand's appeal and attract younger customers.
 
USHER'S "COMFORTABLE AND INTIMATE" LINGERIE LINE UNDERWAY [Acehowbiz, 10/4/08]
Turning up at the Marlies Dekkers show Sunday night, September 28, Usher has revealed plans to launch his own line of lingerie. The collection will be for men and women and he promised it will be "comfortable and intimate." "You may have heard that I might be launching a lingerie line for men and woman," the singer and father of one said during the Paris Fashion Week event, adding that "comfort and intimacy" are very important. No name and exact release date have been confirmed though. Some collections of his lingerie line have already been debuted, being featured in the music video for his single "Trading Places", the third song from his album "Here I Stand". The clip has been premiered Thursday, October 2. In support of the LP, which already hit the stores May 27, 2008, Usher is planning to embark on a 15-date tour called "One Night Stand" for women only. The tour will kick off November 2 later this year in Atlantic City, New Jersey. In the meantime, Usher is waiting for the birth of his second child with wife Tameka Foster. The couple, who wed in August 2007, welcomed son Usher Raymond V in November the same year.
 
BEYONCE KNOWLES ADDRESSES FANS ON ALBUM [Aceshowbiz, 10/4/08]
Mid the circulating rumors that her new album will not be finished in time, Beyonce Knowles releases a statement on her official site, giving fans an update to her album's progress. The R'n'B singer said that over 70 songs have been recorded in the past twelve months and that it will be her most raw album that she ever worked on. "My music will explain it all," Beyonce begins her message. "I have worked on this album for close to one year. I have taken the time so I can create my sound. Something that says who I am at this stage in my life. I have poured my heart and soul into it. It is my baby. Despite the delay rumours, the album is still scheduled for a November 18 release. Two singles "If I Were a Boy" and "Single Ladies" will be released in advance on Tuesday, October 7. She is also expected to perform one of them at the upcoming MTV European Music Awards, held on November 6, 2008.
 
GWEN STEFANI'S HARAJUKU LOVERS CHARACTERS COME TO CANADA [E! Online, 10/4/08]
Gwen Stefani’s Harajuku Lovers charactersGwen Stefani’s Harajuku Lovers characters Love, Angel, Music, Baby and G will be hitting the streets of Toronto and Montreal for the weekend in a special Harajuku Lovers trailer that will travel each city, sharing perfume samples and blasting Gwen’s music, so keep an eye out when wandering the downtown core! The songstress, designer and style icon has launched five new scents — her second foray into fragrances after the perfume for her other fashion line, L.A.M.B. Leslie Oglesby, the Global Marketing Director for Gwen Stefani Fragrances says "Gwen is amazing and totally down to earth, like talking to your sister. She's passionate about her fragrance line and is very easy to work with." Oglesby also adds that Gwen knew exactly what she wanted each scent to smell like so the creation process was an easy one. Each fragrance represents one of the Harajuku Lovers featuring an adorable Harajuku doll complete with hand-painted features and tiny clothing and nail decals. And each scent embodies the spirit Gwen imagines each character has. Love is super cute and frilly with notes of pink pomelo, living hydroponic lace rose and creamy vanilla orchic. L’il Angel is sassy and sexy featuring pineapple, candied violet and lollipop accord. Music is tough with an attitude. Her scent is a mix of sparkling pear, sweetpea and sleek woods. Baby, of course, is girly and sweet. Baby is a powdery musk blend of white rose, orange flower and white musk. Finally, the lady herself, G is the leader of the pack and her modern gourmand scent reflects her California roots with fresh coconut, jasmine sambac and cotton woods.
 
YVES SAINT LAURENT: SOLEMN AND SOBER [FWD, 10/4/08]
PARIS - The mood got very somber and rather solemn Thursday, Oct. 2, when viewing the spring 2009 collection of Yves Saint Laurent, the first women's show presented by the house since the death of its founder.  His departure on June 1, 2008, was recalled in the all-white, mass card like invitation - whose interior read Merci Monsieur Yves Saint Laurent 1936-2008 - to the show in the Grand Palais, an occasion attended by Saint Laurent's longtime partner Pierre Berge and blond party gal muse Betty Catroux. Sobriety extended to the cut and color of the collection; from the tear drop pattern Japanese bat wing jackets and crushed shantung, anthracite trench-coats to military culottes and metallic caged booties, worn by most models. "I wanted an oriental element, but Orientalism as it was first seen by people in the 19th century," said designer Stefano Pilati, explaining his silhouette. The bright tones one normally associates with YSL were pretty much absent, in a summer collection that was largely black, with hints of midnight blue, khaki and flesh. But Pilati had the nerve to take this label somewhere new with some novel experimentations in weightless fabrics and layered sheer looks. His tailoring, whether ribbon trimmed capes or two audacious culotte/cocktails, was also admirable, even if his choice of color was a bit too downbeat. Besides being a very talented designer, Pilati has grown into being one of fashion's great stylists. His shows are exactly and elegantly staged from the silver shade of the catwalk and silvery gray bleacher seats to the metallic, uncovered Mizzen Hut structure, built underneath the giant expanse of Grand Palais. Sobriety was also apparent in the everything from the model's hair - a taut, peaked chignon, with hints of green and red dye - to the to the minimalist synthesizer barrage on the soundtrack. Nothing was left to chance, just the way Yves would have liked it.
 
KID ROCK GOES DIGITAL WITH RHAPSODY [Reuters/Billboard, 10/4/08]
Kid Rock has ended his resistance to digital music services by granting Rhapsody a four-month exclusive offering of his recordings. Starting Friday (October 3), Rock's music on Rhapsody, the online music service run by RealNetworks, is available for digital-rights-management-free purchase as full albums only, while individual songs can be downloaded only under the subscription plan, or streamed via the service's 25-free-songs-a-month offer. Rock has been a vocal advocate of keeping music available only as full albums, a stance that is the root cause of his music's continued absence from the iTunes music store. Apple's Steve Jobs insists on selling all music as both albums and as singles. The addition to Rhapsody does not come as a complete surprise; Rock told Billboard in September that he was planning to add his music to digital retailers soon. After Rhapsody's exclusive offer ends, Rock's catalog of recordings likely will appear on additional services, with the caveat that any making the music available for sale must do so as full albums only. The lack of Kid Rock music on iTunes has led to two cover versions of his hit single "All Summer Long," both of which have posted respectable sales numbers. Hit Masters' version has sold more than 267,000 downloads, according to Nielsen SoundScan, while Rock Heroes' take on it has shifted 137,000.
 
TINA TURNER OPENS 36-DATE NORTH AMERICAN TOUR [AP, 10/3/08]
After an eight-year hiatus, Tina Turner brought her famous voice and energy back to the stage Wednesday, October 1, opening her 36-date North American tour with a hit-filled concert at the Sprint Center. The 68-year-old singer said it was the right time to hit the road. "It has to be now," she said. "I can still do it. (I'm) still in shape enough physically, mentally and I think this was about the best time to do it." Turner performed fan favorites such as "Typical Male," "What's Love Got to Do With It?" and "Private Dancer." An entertainer for 50 years, Turner said she can "still give a great show," adding that her longevity inspires fans of all ages. "Why I dance at such a pace is because it feels good with the dance and I'm known for that kind of energy," she said. "Young kids can really relate to that as well. So I think that my (fans') age group ranges from young to old, to my age, because of the energy projected from the stage."
 
ASTLEY SHORTLISTED FOR MTV EUROPE AWARDS [AP, 10/3/08]
Eighties pop singer Rick Astley has become the surprise contender for best act ever at this year's MTV Europe Music Awards in Liverpool. The star, who has never been nominated in the history of the event, is up against U2, Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera, Green Day and Tokio Hotel. The winner, chosen by fans online, will be unveiled at the show on 6 November. Astley returned to prominence this year when internet users were "tricked" into watching the video of his biggest hit. A craze called "Rickrolling" saw web users unwittingly follow links to Astley's videos. It led to millions of plays of Astley's song Never Gonna Give You Up, which reached number one in the UK in 1987. It went on to become a number one hit in 15 other countries. "Rick's fans have obviously decided that he deserves recognition as a pop icon and no doubt they are determined to make sure he wins on the night," said the award show's producer Richard Godfrey. Madonna is up for the video star category with 4 Minutes - the only nomination she has received this year. The 50-year-old pop star will battle it out with 30 Seconds to Mars, Santogold, Weezer and Snoop Dogg, who hosted the ceremony last year.
 
ARTISTIC DIRECTOR MAXWELL WON DRAMA AWARD [CBC, 10/3/08]
Shaw Festival artistic director Jackie Maxwell has won the 2008 Herbert Whittaker/Drama Bench Award, given annually by the Canadian Theatre Critics Association for outstanding contributions to theatre. Maxwell will be awarded the prize, which has previously gone to artists such as Brent Carver and Robert Lepage, next Monday, October 6. Maxwell said in a statement Wednesday she was "touched and honoured" to receive the award, named after a former Globe and Mail theatre critic. Maxwell has been artistic director of the Shaw Festival in Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ont., since 2001. Born in Belfast, Northern Ireland, she studied drama at the University of Manchester and acted in Ireland and Britain before coming to Canada in 1978. She has been a freelance director and worked with the National Arts Centre in Ottawa, the Factory Theatre in Toronto and the Charlottetown Festival.
 
LENNY HENRY TO STAR AS OTHELLO ON STAGE [BBC, 10/3/08]
Comedian Lenny Henry, best known for his stand-up shows, is to make his stage acting debut in the role of Othello, it has been announced. The star, who turned 50 this year, will star in a production of Shakespeare's famous tragedy on a national tour. Henry said he was inspired to tackle the role 17 years ago when he made the film True Identity - in which his character attempted to play Othello. The production will tour the UK next year. Henry told BBC News it would be a "challenging" experience. The comedian will unveil his interpretation of the noble Moor who reduced to savagery by the manipulative Iago as part of next year's spring season at the West Yorkshire Playhouse. Performances will also be held in Scarborough, Coventry, Bath, Kingston, Newcastle under Lyme and Halifax. Henry, who hit the limelight after winning talent show New Faces in 1975, revealed he had been put off Shakespeare at school. "I'm slightly allergic to Shakespeare," he said. "Our English teacher threw some books at us one day in class in Dudley and said 'will you read this?' "It sort of killed it for us because we didn't know it was a play, we didn't know you were supposed to stand up and act it out. "It just felt like some lump, ancient language that we didn't really understand." But the star said he had since studied several of the great writer's plays. "I've come to the conclusion that it's for everybody. Shakespeare is for all of us. "These are primal stories about death, revenge, love, passion and politics," he said.
 
STELLA McCARTNEY: IF I WAS YOUR BOYFRIEND [FWD, 10/2/08]
PARIS - One fashion house that seems poised to ride out the current financial crisis is surely Stella McCartney, the London-based designer who staged a wittily tailored spring 2009 collection in Paris Thursday, Oct. 2, that was all about women raiding their boyfriends' wardrobe for clothes and inspiration. Silk jackets came long and loosely cut with mannish lapels, boyish shantung shirts appeared in combo with just knickers, as if each model had grabbed what they wanted out of their main squeeze's closet as they headed out to a gallery opening. And though the cut was large and roomy, Stella is also no slouch when it comes to tailoring, as one splendidly designed boiler suit meets men's tuxedo amply underlined. But in a show brimming with Stella's own brand of pop insouciance, the best looks were McCartney's dresses - either a series of mesh cocktails where summer scenes were applied with huge stencils or a flurry of nattily draped mini dresses with front petal folds. "I love what my little girl does, especially the dresses. They were so cool," opined Sir Paul McCartney, who sat front row, one block down from L'Wren Scott, stylist and gal pal of Mick Jagger, who was wearing her own clobber. Ironically, though the show was staged before a mammoth, 12,000 square-foot children's comic cloth backdrop by artist twins Jake and Dino Chapman, the collection was almost completely mono-color. But its flesh, sand and dusty blush hues were just right. The slick show came two weeks after Stella's latest savvy and commercially excellent exercise collection for adidas was unveiled to acclaim in London. And retailers, scores of whom packed into the Carreau du Temple exhibition space for McCartney's show, raved about her sell-through, her Russian agent bragging that he did $6 million wholesale volume last year.
 
POLARIS WIN 'COMPLETELY OVERWHELMS' SOLO ACT CARIBOU [CBC, 10/1/08]
An "overwelmed" Dan Snaith, better known as Canadian electronic musician Caribou, walked away with the third annual Polaris Music Prize in Toronto on Monday night, September 29. The solo performer, who hails from Dundas, Ont., took home the $20,000 cash prize for his fourth, full-length album Andorra, which a cross-country panel of 11 music journalists, critics and writers named the past year's best Canadian release. "If I seem completely overwhelmed it's because I am," he said in a statement after his win. "The Polaris is such an amazing forum for music that might not otherwise get recognized to such an extent." More than 400 people gathered at Toronto's Phoenix Concert Hall for Monday night's ceremony, which included performances by many of this year's shortlisted artists, including: Vancouver's Black Mountain; London, Ont. artists Shad and Basia Bulat; Ottawa's Kathleen Edwards; Montreal's Plants and Animals; Charlottetown's Two Hours Traffic. According to a prize spokeswoman, the jury faced a tough decision Monday night, with three of the 10 finalists considered frontrunners. "There were three clear frontrunners after the first ballot," said Liisa Ladouceur, who oversaw the voting process. "Ultimately the album selected was one that touched the most jurors for the greatest number of reasons. They felt this record can be loved by anyone and everyone." Founded by former record label executive Steve Jorden, the Polaris celebrates excellence, creativity and diversity on the Canadian music scene by selecting finalists and an eventual winner without any consideration given to sales figures. The fledgling award has developed a bit of a reputation for celebrating little-known artists over established names. For instance, last year, Patrick Watson won over better-known colleagues such as Arcade Fire and Feist. The inaugural winner was solo act Final Fantasy.
 
PARIS: CHRISTIAN DIOR LIGHT [FWD, 10/1/08]
No self-respecting gal would ever need a backstage pass if she donned most of the looks in the Christian Dior spring 2009 collection so naughtily chic and suggestively racy were the clothes in the latest collection by John Galliano presented Monday, Sept. 29. We got another, sassy yet not shocking, dose of two mega trends in the current season at Dior - Eighties silhouettes and a yearn for the symmetry of Ancient Egypt. Galliano to his credit is never a literal designer, so his jaunt down the Nile was a cool, clever take on all things African, from tribal necklaces to the best series of heels seen on Paris runways in eons. To wit, fetishistic primitive statues of naked women used as four-inch heels that added oomph and humor to some great python, glitter or animal print shoes. An impressive casting emoted in flirty chiffon minis worn with waxy bomber jackets or taught wee boleros, and a series of great see-through boudoir vampish cocktails and columns looks. John's other charming idea was his broken mosaic moment featured in the shoes and in some great half-moon bags. Both were strong commercial winners. The collection was curiously understated for a Galliano designed collection, but then again, given the current financial moroseness, John's sentiments might be right. With many nervous buyers, several lamenting that "we have no open to buy," creating a tightly focused Dior collection seemed to make sense. So steering away from his more avant garde fantasies, and creating a little dose of Dior Light seemed a subtle enough response.
 
MTV EUROPEAN MUSIC AWARDS [CBC, 10/1/08]
British band Coldplay and Welsh soul singer Duffy have each scored three nominations for the MTV Europe Music Awards. But the awards, to be held in Liverpool Nov. 6, 2008, also chose nominees from among top U.S. acts, including Pink, Linkin' Park and Foo Fighters. Britneys Spears, who is making a comeback from pop limbo, has two nominations, for best act and best album for Blackout. Coldplay earned an act of the year nomination as well as best album for Viva La Vida or Death and All His Friends. Their single Viva La Vida is nominated for most addictive track. Competing with Coldplay for best act are Spears, Leona Lewis, Rihanna and British soul singer Amy Winehouse. Aimee Anne Duffy, the singer-songwriter with the stage name Duffy, is nominated for best new act as well as best album for Rockferry and most addictive track for Mercy. All the other best new act nominees are U.S. acts, including Katy Perry, the Jonas Brothers, Miley Cyrus and Colorado-based band One Republic. Perry's breakout hit I Kissed a Girl is also a contender in the most addictive track category along with Pink's So What and Kid Rock's All Summer Long. Linkin' Park and Metallica each have two nominations in the headliner and rock out categories. MTV viewers will be able to vote for their favourite acts online until Nov. 2, 2008. The European music channel claims 30 million people watched the MTV Europe Music Awards in 2007.
 
ROBIN WILLIAMS MAKES ROYAL DATE [BBC, 10/1/08]
Hollywood actor Robin Williams is to return to the UK stage for the first time in 25 years in a show to mark the Prince of Wales's 60th birthday. The 57-year-old will join John Cleese and Rowan Atkinson in a production of We Are Most Amused at London's New Wimbledon Theatre on 12 November. The event will raise money for the Prince's Trust. Further acts will be announced closer to the time. The show will be broadcast on ITV1 shortly after the event. Prince Charles will attend with The Duchess of Cornwall. Many comedians will be featured in the show, doing a mix of stand-up and sketches. In a statement ITV said: "The line-up will bring together the very best in comedy talent - from much-loved established names to fresh young acts from the stand-up circuit." Tickets will be available to buy from Wednesday.
 
PARIS FASHION SHOWS DEFY GLOOMY WORLD CLIMATE [Reuters, 9/30/08]
France's ready-to-wear spring and summer shows began in earnest on Monday, September 29 with Christian Dior's collection, as the world of fashion flew in the face of an increasingly ominous world environment. Dior's show at the Tuileries gardens marked the start of the main part of the industry showpiece after the annual spring-summer shows began at the weekend with collections from a clutch of younger designers. "Tribal chic. Studded. Belted. Degrade," read the notes to Dior designer John Galliano's show in which he sent a parade of teenaged models in diaphanous party dresses stalking down the catwalk to a pulsing rock beat. "It's very young, transparent, light and quite sober," actress Marisa Berenson told Reuters Television after the show. "There were some wonderful mixtures of colors as he always does but I liked the lightness and the transparency." Around 100 designers will be showing collections over the coming week, sending models, stylists, reporters and fashionistas racing around the French capital, seemingly oblivious to turbulence menacing the global economy. As bank regulators and government leaders in Washington and Europe struggle to control a global financial crisis that has brought low some of the biggest names in banking and threatens the global economy, the industry was looking on the bright side. "There are countries where there is growth," Sidney Toledano, head of Dior Couture, told Reuters. "We have a strategy of building up in emerging countries and reinforcement in mature markets," he said. Outside the Dior show, jostling cameramen and celebrities striking artful poses in the autumn sunshine sounded a traditional fashion note as reporters scrapped it out for insights from the stars. "It's very fluid, very Lolita, very sexy, very modern," actress Eva Green, a former Bond girl and face of Dior told journalists. Economic crisis may cut into the conspicuous luxury on display just a stones throw away from where fashion-lover Marie Antoinette was beheaded in 1793 but, for the moment, the fashion world was maintaining a brave face. "I think there will always be people looking for beautiful, luxurious things to brighten up their days and I know I look to fashion as a form of escape," burlesque artiste Dita von Teese told Reuters. "Maybe other people do too."
 
POLARIS TURNS SPOTLIGHT ON YEAR'S BEST CANADIAN POP MUSIC ALBUMS [CBC, 9/30/08]
Musicians, fans, industry representatives, critics and music writers assembled in Toronto Monday, September 29 to celebrate the country's best pop albums of the past year, regardless of radio play or sales. After an evening of performances from some of this year's finalists, Canada's Polaris Music Prize — inspired by the U.K.'s influential Mercury Prize — will be awarded Monday night. "In terms of variety, in terms of genres and styles and intensities, they're 10 very different artistic statements, all very passionate in their own way," prize founder Steve Jordan said. Vying for the third edition of the $20,000 honour are musical acts of different genres, hailing from across the country. The nominees are: Little Jabs by Two Hours Traffic (Charlottetown); Parc Avenue by Plants and Animals (Montreal); In Our Bedroom After the War by Stars (Montreal); Asking for Flowers by Kathleen Edwards (Ottawa); LP by Holy F--- (Toronto); Andorra by Caribou (Dundas, Ont.); Oh, My Darling by Basia Bulat (London, Ont.); The Old Prince by Shad (London, Ont.); Reunion Tour by The Weakerthans (Winnipeg); In the Future by Black Mountain (Vancouver). The idea is to get the word out about excellent albums, Jordan said. "A lot of records out there are completely worthy of an audience, but not necessarily being given a lot of mainstream commercial acceptance," said the former record label executive. "We're trying to bring a concerted marketing approach to records that may be considered marginal for reasons beyond their control." Monday night's gala will be hosted by CBC Radio 3's Grant Lawrence at Toronto's Phoenix Concert Theatre. The festivities will be carried live by CBC Radio 3 and Sirius Satellite Radio channel 86. Past winners of the young prize include Patrick Watson and Final Fantasy.
 
A MEMORY OF PAUL NEWMAN [BBC, 9/29/08]
BBC News website readers have been sending in their memories of film legend Paul Newman, who died on Friday, September 26. One of them is Paul Ambrose, who recalls how his son, Nicholas, received an unexpected visitor in London's Barts hospital. My wife and I will never forget it. Nicholas was 14 and was in Barts hospital for the latest in a series of operations for a brain tumour. He was back on the ward and just coming round from the anaesthetic. My wife and I were sitting beside him, and I looked across the ward and saw Paul Newman standing talking to the ward professor. He had his sunglasses on, but there was no mistaking who it was - and when he lifted the glasses we all saw those incredible blue eyes. He came over to talk to us and stayed chatting for about half an hour. He showed a lot of concern for why we were there, asking us about Nicholas. When Nicholas came round I said to him: "Do you know who has come to see us?" Nicholas, who was still very sleepy, looked towards the end of the bed and said: "It's Butch Cassidy!" One of the nurses on the ward happened to have a polaroid camera and we took photos of Nicholas with Paul Newman, which it's really lovely for us to have (picture online). He was just an ordinary man. I remember he was very into motor racing and told us how excited he'd been about Nigel Mansell driving for his team at Indianapolis. Nicholas was a very good artist and Paul spent time looking at his work and commenting on his drawings. He asked Nicholas if he would send him one, which Nicholas did. Paul wrote back to say thanks. He was a very thoughtful man. He mentioned his charity for sick children, The Hole in the Wall Camp, and said he was starting one in Ireland. He told Nicholas that he should come there for a visit once he was feeling better. Sadly, Nicholas never made it out to Ireland as he died ten months later. We'll never forget that day - it was the 29th of April 1994. We felt honoured Paul had taken the trouble to spend time with us. It's so lovely to have that photograph, with Nicholas and Paul together.
 
NEWMAN PLANNED FOR CHARITABLE LEGACY AFTER DEATH [AP, 9/29/08]
Paul Newman broached the subject of his philanthropic legacy several years ago while fishing with friends Robert Forrester and David Horvitz off the Outer Banks of North Carolina. Even though he was a Hollywood icon — a 10-time Academy Award nominee known for his performances in such classic films as "Cool Hand Luke" and "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid" — it was a rare moment in which Newman reflected on how he would be remembered after his death, Horvitz recalled Sunday, September 28. "Most of the time he didn't think about legacy," he said. "He was pretty much in the moment." But Newman, who died Friday, September 26 of cancer at age 83, told the men he wanted to be remembered for the "Hole in the Wall" camps he helped to start across the world for children with life-threatening illnesses and to make sure that 100 percent of the profits from his popular food company, Newman's Own, would continue to benefit such camps and thousands of other charities. Horvitz is chairman of the Association of Hole in the Wall Camps, which has 11 camps across the globe. Newman told him that he had been lucky in life, born with piercing blue eyes and gift for acting, and how it was unfair that so many innocent children were unlucky to have been burdened with devastating diseases such as AIDS or leukemia. "He felt a need and an obligation to try to give back," Horvitz said. "He loved the camps. He loved being there. He loved being with the kids," he added. "He loved their smiles and their laughter." In 1982, Newman and writer A.E. Hotchner started Newman's Own to market Newman's original oil-and-vinegar dressing. It began as a joke and grew into a multimillion-dollar business. Newman and his food company have given more than $250 million to charity over the years. Last year, $28 million from the sale of pasta sauces, salad dressings, popcorn and other products was distributed to a variety of social causes, including the Safe Water Network, which Newman helped start to provide safe drinking water to impoverished communities in places like India and Africa. Until two years ago, Newman had the task of personally distributing the company's profits. But he and Forrester set up a private, independent foundation, known as Newman's Own Foundation, to carry on the work without Newman. "Really, everything is in great shape," Forrester said of the foundation and the company after Newman's death. "He said, 'When I'm not here, this foundation is to continue the tradition of giving all of this money away,'" said Forrester, the foundation's vice chairman. Forrester joked how such planning wasn't part of Newman's nature. A sign famously hangs in Newman's Westport, Conn., offices that reads, "If I had a plan I would be screwed." Newman welcomed the opinions of others as he pursued the business and his philanthropic efforts. Forrester explained how the actor believed in the benefit of "creative chaos," where, as in a movie set, different people offer ideas about how a scene should be handled. "That was Paul's enduring philosophy, and it worked," Forrester said. "It sounds awful, but it was part of Paul saying everybody had a voice." At Forrester's request, Newman came up with what he wanted the Newman's Own company — he hated the word "brand" — to stand for. Newman listed quality food, fair labor practices, a mission focused on philanthropy and not profit, and an open environment in the workplace, not a bureaucratic one. Forrester said that mission will continue, even though Newman is gone. Also, his smiling face will still appear on bottles of marinade and boxes of frozen pizza, and his wife, actress Joanne Woodward, will still sit on the Newman's Own Foundation Board of Directors. Newman typically sat in on all the board meetings, with the exception of the most recent one, about a week ago. Forrester said Newman's friends at Newman's Own — some who have worked there from the early days of the company — plan to look for ways to expand the business in order to carry out the actor's wishes and give away even more money. "We're stewards of this legacy," he said.
 
BEYONCE KNOWLES CONFIRMED TO PERFORM AT 2008 MTV EUROPEAN MUSIC AWARDS [Aceshowbiz, 9/28/08]
MTV has announced that Beyonce Knowles will be one of the artists to perform at this year's MTV European Music Awards. She will likely sing one of her rumored-to-be-pushed-back songs, "If I Were a Boy" or "Single Ladies", at the event which will be broadcast live from Liverpool Echo Arena on Thursday, November 6, 2008. Furthermore, MTV has also revealed that Beyonce is nominated for Ultimate Urban Artist, competing with Alicia Keys, Chris Brown, Kanye West, and Lil Wayne. Meanwhile, Britney Spears will go head to head in Album of the Year with Alicia, Coldplay, Duffy, and Leona Lewis. A complete list of the event's nominees can be found on their official website. MTV promises to announce the other performers in the next few weeks.
 
TRACY LAWRENCE TO PERFORM AT 2008 INSPIRATIONAL COUNTRY MUSIC AWARDS
[Aceshowbiz, 9/28/08]
Power Source Music Group announces that Multi-award winning country artist, Tracy Lawrence, and Lyric Street's country musician, Phil Stacey, will perform at the 14th Annual Inspirational Country Music Awards show. The award show will be held on Thursday, October 16, 2008 at 7:00 P.M. CST at the Trinity Music City U.S. Auditorium which is located in Hendersonville, Tennessee. Multi-platinum recording artist Collin Raye will be hosting the annual event as well as performing. Other artists to appear at the show are The Isaacs, Point of Grace, Del Way, Mike Manuel, Sandra Dee, James Payne, Last Light Band, Mike Rimmey, Greg McDougal, and Tammy Cochran. Meanwhile, additional performers and presenters will be announced in the coming weeks leading up to the show. The Inspirational Country Music Awards is a yearly event that is dedicated to honor the biggest names and emerging talented artists who perform Christian and Inspirational Country music. It is also aimed at drawing music fans, broadcast media, and country top artists to showcase their songs and discuss music-related issues. A complete list of events can be checked on their official website.
 
BORAT STAR BUSTED FOR STUNT DURING MILAN FASHION SHOW [CBC, 9/27/08]
Outrageous comic actor Sacha Baron Cohen found himself in hot water again on Friday, September 26 after storming onto the catwalk at a fashion show in Milan. Cohen, in costume and in character as usual, leaped onto the runway during Spanish designer Agatha Ruiz De La Prada's show in Milan and strutted around before security chased, captured and turned him over to police, reported Italy's ANSA news agency. The Cambridge University-educated star was detained and later released. The British star is filming a new movie based on another of his over-the-top characters: Austrian fashion reporter Bruno. The mockumentary Bruno: Delicious Journeys Through America for the Purpose of Making Heterosexual Males Visibly Uncomfortable in the Presence of a Gay Foreigner in a Mesh T-Shirt is slated to hit theatres in May 2009. Fashion houses were put on alert this week after Cohen and his camera crew snuck by security into the backstage area of Italian label Iceberg before its show on Wednesday. On Thursday, security guards were apparently successful at blocking Cohen and his crew from entering the DSquared fashion show of Toronto-born, Milan-based fashion designers and twin brothers Dean and Dan Caten. In December, Cohen told the U.K.'s Daily Telegraph newspaper that he was retiring his previous characters Ali G and Borat. Famed for outlandish interviews Cohen rose to fame with the former hit cable TV program Da Ali G Show, which showed him conducting interviews — in the guise of his outrageous characters — with unsuspecting subjects, including famous faces like Newt Gingrich and Donald Trump. His 2006 mockumentary Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan became a cult hit, despite sparking lawsuits from some of his embarrassed interviewees. During filming of Borat in 2005, organizers of a Virginia rodeo said Cohen nearly provoked a riot with his appearance, in which the actor made subversive comments about the U.S. involvement in the Iraq War and sang a mangled version of the Star Spangled Banner. His other film credits include Madagascar, Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby and Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street.
 
ELTON JOHN ROCKS ATLANTIC CANADA [CBC, 9/27/08]
The Rocket Man opened the Atlantic Canada leg of his Elton John's Greatest Hits 2008 tour to a standing ovation Friday, September 26 evening from an audience sporting bright red boas, outrageous hats and novelty sunglasses. The pop legend's two concerts at the Halifax Metro Centre have been hotly anticipated events, with tickets sold out within hours of going on sale July 18. In recent weeks, Halifax radio stations staged contests, awarding tickets to the winners. One Sackville, N.S., woman snagged a pair for having an image of the singer's face tattooed on her leg. And, in a surprise box-office release Friday morning, tickets were made available for both Friday and Saturday shows at about $115 each. Scott Ferguson, executive vice-president of Trade Centre Ltd., which runs the Metro Centre, wouldn't say how many tickets were released Friday, only that they were quickly snapped up, the Canadian Press has reported. Diehard fans who missed out on the surprise release may have been able to score tickets over the internet, where scalpers were trying to hawk them Friday afternoon for about $900 a pair. Scalpers were also outside the arena, offering tickets for two and three times their face value. John will perform at the Moncton Coliseum on Sunday, at the Harbour Station in Saint John, N.B., on Tuesday, and at the Mile One Centre in St. John's, N.L., on Thursday and Friday. His managers turned down a request for a concert at the Charlottetown Civic Centre because of concerns about the security arrangements.
 
ISRAELIS FLOCK TO PAUL McCARTNEY SHOW [BBC, 9/26/08]
Former Beatle Sir Paul McCartney has played his first gig in Israel in front of an estimated 40,000 cheering fans. The 66-year-old singer kicked off the historic concert with the familiar Beatles' song Hello, Goodbye at Tel Aviv's Yarkon Park. Some fans turned up wearing "I love Paul" and Beatles T-shirts. Earlier the star said he was "not nervous, but excited" ahead of the gig, which comes 43 years after The Beatles were banned from performing in Israel. Back in 1965 The Beatles were scheduled to perform, but were prevented taking the stage because of fears they could "corrupt the nation's youth". Before Thursday's September 25 concert Sir Paul said: "You couldn't keep me off that stage." He shrugged off Palestinian pleas to boycott Israel in protest over its military and settlement activity. "I was aware of the criticism," the ex-Beatle said. "But I thought it was best to go with a message of peace and find out myself what the situation was." On stage he addressed fans in English but with a smattering of Hebrew, the Associated Press reported, wishing fans happy new year ahead of the Jewish holiday next week. During Give Peace a Chance, he stopped and let fans sing the chorus, while fireworks lit the sky during Live and Let Die, AP said. Since arriving in the region the singer has visited the town Bethlehem in the West Bank. Some 40,000 Israeli fans arrived to watch him perform at the concert, dubbed Friendship First. Looking back, Sir Paul said the 1965 ban "didn't really faze" the Fab Four, but joked it had hit the mother of Brian Epstein, their Jewish manager, quite hard. The star was in a more reflective mood, however, when he compared the barrier Israel is building in and around the West Bank to the Berlin war. "I went through the Berlin Wall in the years when it was still standing and it was so symbolic," he said after passing through the barrier to get between Jerusalem and Bethlehem. "It's sad to think people can be physically divided like that. It's not good for anyone." Israel says the barrier, which was declared illegal by the international court in the Hague in 2004, is for its security, but the Palestinians say it is a device to grab land. Palestinian activists had asked Sir Paul to cancel the one-off gig because of Israel's occupation of the West Bank. But the performer - who said he was not "a political animal [but] a humanitarian" - said he "thought it was a good time to come and take a look at the situation".
 
JEWELS RETURN TO RUNWAY AT MILAN FASHION WEEK [AP, 9/25/08]
MILAN, Italy - Baubles and bangles have returned to the Milan runway after several seasons locked tightly in the jewelry box. Even at Jil Sander, the most minimalist of labels, diamond studded earrings sparkled from the models' pierced ears. In general the jewelry is down to earth, with the novelty of pieces of wood used to fashion necklaces and bracelets. Ethnic jewelry of the silver-and-stones kind is also popular. Earrings tend to be large and dangling, like the ones at Marni made out of heavy stone and crystal appliques. Bracelets usually come in strands, wrapping around the wrist like a cuff. GUCCI: For summer wear, Gucci's creative director Frida Giannini, an accessory expert, opted to limit jewelry to large precious stones, including amethyst, agate and crystal, which more often than not she used as embroidery for her eveningwear, including the latest Gucci black suede clutch. Daywear at Gucci is all about holidaying, starting with the crisp summer suit with boyish jacket and cropped trouser, worn with a cocky straw hat and the new leather backpack. The Safari style pops up everywhere, from miniskirt and rolled shorts to strapless jumpsuit. The sporty outfits are spiffed up by gold zippers and large pockets. Mini kaftans offer a poolside alternative that can also drift into the summer night. For evening, Giannini envelopes her women in ultra light, long gowns, that could double for tents. Large brooches sewn into the fabric and made out of precious stones hold these gowns together. MARNI: The collection described in the designer's fashion notes as a "contemporary take on couture fashion," centers around coordination. Everything blends together, from the dress or skirt, to the tops, to the two-tone cardigans, which accompanied many of the outfits. Intricate embroidery with raffia, tulle and little round disks, enhance the sophisticated feel of the collection. Jewelry at Marni is larger than life, with heavy use of geometric and floral shapes. CAVALLI: In a surprise shift of fashion gears, Roberto Cavalli, known for his racy styles, chose sweet over sexy for next season. His latest collection was dotted with embroidered mini gowns, reminiscent of an imaginary "couture Barbie," especially when shown off by the long-legged, demurely coifed models. There were also plenty of shimmery shorts and cropped jackets in the collection for Barbie to change into after the ball. But be not fooled. As designer Cavalli said after the show, "Naivite is not part of my vocabulary."
 
McCARTNEY IN BETHLEHEM: I'M CARRYING PEACE MESSAGE [AP, 9/25/08]
Paul McCartney said Wednesday he's carrying a message of peace for Israel and the Palestinians, rejecting criticism of his planned concert in Tel Aviv. McCartney toured the West Bank town of Bethlehem, visiting the Church of the Nativity, built over the traditional birthplace of Jesus. The 66-year-old former Beatle ducked into the fourth-century church through its low, narrow entrance, taking pictures with a small camera. He lit two long, tapered white candles in different parts of the church, saying each time that they were "for peace." After posing for pictures with fans outside the fortress-like church, McCartney was asked to respond to criticism from some Palestinians that his visit to Israel supports its occupation of the West Bank. He said his visit Wednesday to the West Bank showed he was not playing favorites. "I'm here to highlight the situation and to say that what we need is peace in this region, a two-state solution," he said, referring to Israel and a Palestinian state. "I get criticized everywhere I go, but I don't listen to them," McCartney said. "I'm bringing a message of peace, and I think that's what the region needs." McCartney arrived Tuesday night ahead of his concert Thursday in Tel Aviv's largest park. Four decades ago the Israeli government banned a planned concert by the Beatles, ruling that the rock group's performance could corrupt the morals of Israel's youth.
 
BURBERRY: ROMANTICALLY RURAL [FWD, 9/24/08]
MILAN - There's a moment when sad is beautiful and melancholy has a certain brilliant charm, which was the case Monday, September 22 in Milan when witnessing the romantically rural collection by Burberry for Spring 2009. Burberry's creative director Christopher Bailey, who keeps a house on the Yorkshire moors, went for posh, yet very hip, pastoral this season with muddied hews and weather beaten finishes. Many models wore plaid rain caps as they trudged down the catwalk, made of country farmhouse kitchen black slate, seemingly escaping a downpour. Half the opening looks were dip dyed as if the elements had soiled their trim, or weathered their finish to a fine dreamy patina. The heart of the matter was the unlikely, yet thrilling, choice of combinations: ever heard of fluted chiffon pants, scrawny, semi sheer cashmere tops and ragged raincoats as a combo? It sounds a tad improbable, but it worked with great charm and looked new. "I was inspired by a book I read called Garden People. So I wanted a country gal moment but sophisticated at the same time," explained Bailey backstage. The mood throughout was nostalgic as Bryan Ferry crooned through a dark dirge of lost love, "Make You Feel My Love." And the heartrending finale was a tremendous climax with Bailey's broken lace or faux lizard coats and trenches, great poet rock princesses' looks all of which were stunning. As ever, Bailey whipped up some great accessories, from clunky, African wood bracelets to a great series of lovingly worn and faded leather outback rider bags. Other standouts were long linen jackets, as if borrowed from the boyfriend, sensational experimental test tube skirts, faux jodhpur-jogging pants and a marvelous series of lace looks finished with erratic sequins and baubles. Bailey is a famously hard working designer who brings all the elements to bear in any show to best present his aesthetic. Take this show, where the paper lace covered invite mimicked the very fabrics that climaxed the show, and where the walls of the exhibition space were composed of staggered plastic panels that aped the great new hyper pale and uber enlarged plaid used, brilliantly, in leather trimmed clutches, finely cut trenches and picnic dresses.
 
APPLE, OPRAH DUBBED ARTISTS' BEST FRIENDS [E! Online, 9/24/08]
The best part about selling out? Seeing your records follow suit. It's a lesson learned by Feist, the Ting Tings and even Coldplay, all of whom managed to bring major attention to their music this year after receiving the Midas touch of Steve Jobs by being featured in Apple commercials. According to Billboard, placement on an iPod/iTunes ad was the No. 1 way for an artist to break through to the mainstream. Although, as Jerry Seinfeld can attest, appearing in a Microsoft ad can draw in a fair share of press as well... Second to iPod power is Oprah Winfrey, who apparently does for albums almost what she does for books. Namely, make them fly off the shelves. According to the trade magazine's special issue Maximum Exposure: The 100 Best Ways for Your Music to Get Attention, a daytime stop on Winfrey's couch is the second most potent way—something Simon Cowell was no doubt aware of when he had his British protégé Leona Lewis make her U.S. TV debut on Oprah in March. After belting out "Bleeding Love" to the queen of daytime, the single jumped to the top of Billboard's Hot 100 chart, making Lewis just the third U.K. solo female to do so. For the residual handful of people not convinced of Winfrey's sway, a guest spot by Reba McEntire, Kelly Clarkson and Justin Timberlake on the show in September 2007 in support of Reba Duets resulted the following week in the best sales figures of the country legend's career. Other Top 10 powerhouse placements: a spot on a commercial running during a special event, i.e. the Super Bowl or the Olympics (No. 3); getting a tune butchered, er, covered on American Idol (No. 5); placement in either the Guitar Hero or Rock Band video games (Nos. 6 and 10, respectively); or having the honor of being chosen for the opening credits of a movie (No. 7). Make that a hit movie, as "Suddenly I See's" KT Tunstall found out after the opening weekend of The Devil Wears Prada made her tune the season's must-have, jumping from two to tens of thousands of downloads in just one week. While any sort of publicity, particularly that of the televised variety, not all talk-show appearances are created equal—at least in terms of moving units. The Late Show With David Letterman may not have as many viewers as The Tonight Show, but the ones it has are clearly superior (and don't they know it) when it comes to music sales, ranking 11 slots higher, at No. 42 to Jay Leno's 53. Meanwhile, a spot on the Today show plaza is apparently worth more than a couple minutes at Good Morning America, with the Peacock's a.m. show ranking 21st to GMA's 46th. Here's a rundown of the Top 10 appearances: Appearing in Apple TV ad; Performance on The Oprah Winfrey Show; In a TV commercial that runs during a special event with significant viewership (Super Bowl, Olympics, etc); Featured as iTunes' Free Single of the Week; Covered on Fox's American Idol; Placement in Activision's Guitar Hero; Played during a hit movie's opening credits; Placement in a high-rotation TV ad for Nike; Performance on Lollapalooza main stage and Placement in MTV's Rock Band.
 
VH1 CROWNS "FIGHT THE POWER" AS BEST HIP-HOP SONG [AP, 9/24/08]
Let the debates begin: VH1 has compiled its list of the 100 greatest hip-hop songs, and Public Enemys black power anthem "Fight the Power" tops the list. The cable channel will count down its list in series of shows starting Monday. At No. 2 is the Sugar Hill Gang's groundbreaking song, "Rapper's Delight," followed by Dr. Dre's "Nuthin but a 'G' Thang" at No. 3. Run-D.M.C.'s "Walk This Way" with Aerosmith and Grandmaster Flash & the Furious Five's "The Message" round out the top five. Salt 'N Pepa was the only female act in the top 10, with their early hit "Push It." Two of rap's biggest names — Jay-Z and Eminem — didn't make the top 10, though they are in the top 20. Other acts on the list include the Notorious B.I.G., Tupac, Snoop Dogg, Biz Markie, Black Sheep and J.J. Fad. The list comes as VH1 prepares to honor the pioneers in rap once again as part of its annual Hip-Hop Honors show, which this year celebrates Slick Rick, De La Soul, Cypress Hill, Naughty by Nature and Too Short. That show airs Oct. 6, 2008.
 
BIG BOI DROPS LONGTIME MANAGER, TO JOIN GRAND HUSTLE [Aceshowbiz, 9/24/08]
Big Boi of OutKast reportedly decides to end his contract with Family Tree Entertainment. If the rumour were true, Big Boi will no longer be controlled by his longtime manager, Blue Williams who is also the CEO and founder of the Family Tree Group. The gossip swirls even deeper with a claim that T.I.'s current manager, Jason Geter, has approached Big Boi and asked him to join Grand Hustle family. Unfortunately, there hasn't any words from Big Boi referring to both issues. Outside the split rumour that starts to flow in the media, Big Boi is scheduled to release his solo debut album, "Sir Luscious Left Foot: The Son of Chico Dusty", on October 28, 2008. Planned to come out with 16 tracks, the upcoming effort will carry "Something's Gotta Give" where he teams up with Mary J. Blige, and "Royal Flush", which features Andre Benjamin aka Andre 3000 and Raekwon. While fans wait for Big Boi's album, his band mate, Andre, has also confirmed that he has been working on new materials for his solo debut album. Yet, he hasn't spoken out about its title and release date. "It should be dropping by the end of this year or early next year.
 
BRITNEY SPEARS FURIOUS OVER LEAKED "WOMANIZER" AUDIO [Aceshowbiz, 9/24/08]
Britney Spears is reportedly upset due to the leak of her new single "Womanizer". Her mother, Lynne Spears, says, "The fact someone has secretly recorded rehearsals and leaked her single on to the internet has really upset her." Not only Britney who is mad over the illegal posting of her unfinished song, Jive/Zomba Records have also "been frantically trying to pull the material from the internet" and claim that "it's not good for Britney's comeback if people aren't getting to listen to the polished version." Speaking of her daughter's comeback plan, Lynne hints that the "Piece of Me" singer will be hitting the road. "She's releasing music, she has plans to do tours and some other little secrets that I can't tell you. It's going to be fabulous though," she reveals. "Womanizer" was previously posted briefly on Nashville Radio Station before it was taken down at her label's demand. Meanwhile, the people from the radio station who uploaded the song snippet has reportedly been fired. "Don't expect any posts from (Adam Davis)," a written statement on the station's site read. "He is not here. We are sorry to inform you he is not on the air with 'Woody & Jim In The Morning'. No details will be given at this time, however we are sure you can fish around the internet gossip blogs to figure stuff out." Furthermore, Jive/Zomba recently announce that "Womanizer" will be returned to the mixing room for a final touch. "The mix is being finalized and is expected to be done within a week," a spokesperson from the label explains. However, as the label gave no words concerning Britney's upcoming album, "Circus", it means that the record will still be scheduled to hit the market on December 2, 2008.
 
ALICIA KEYS WANTS TO TEAM UP WITH AMY WINEHOUSE IN 007 SONG [Aceshowbiz, 9/23/08]
Alicia Keys has revealed that the collaboration with troubled singer Amy Winehouse in James Bond theme song will be "awesome". She states, "I would have loved for her to do it, it would have been awesome. All three of us should do it." Titled "Another Way to Die", the soundtrack for "Quantum of Solace" has been spinning on the radios since September 19. Speaking of the just-finished work, the R&B singer says that "the Bond thing is an amazing process" and she feels "great" to be "a part of it." Previously, Amy was asked by the movie producer to record a theme song for the film. However, due to her bad health condition, the offer had been pulled off. Alicia along with Jack White of The White Stripes had then been picked up to replace her. Referring on the cancellation, Amy slammed the song that Alicia and Jack worked on together, claiming that the song was "clean-cut and boring." She was furious and promised to give a better song for the movie. She said, "When I do release mine, and I am tempted to do it on the same day, this would be the bigger hit. If they change their minds, I'm waiting!" However, Amy may be unable to fulfill her promise as she reportedly has a problem during her recording session in the studio for her next album. A source says that she can't even finish two songs after six-month of work. "If six months produces two half-baked tracks how long will an album take?" the source explains. "With all the problems surrounding her personal issues and addictions we are really concerned it will never get finished."
 
JANET JACKSON PARTS WAYS WITH ISLAND DEF JAM [Reuters/Billboard, 9/23/08]
After just 14 months on Island Def Jam, Janet Jackson announced Monday (September 22) her departure from the label. According to Jackson's publicist, the label agreed to dissolve its relationship with the artist at her request. After a long stint with Virgin, Jackson inked a deal with Island in July 2007 and released her label debut, "Discipline," in February. When album sales failed to meet expectations, the singer expressed dissatisfaction with Island Def Jam, first telling SOHH.com that the label "stopped all promotion whatsoever on the album" after releasing the first single, "Feedback." Earlier this month, she hinted about potentially severing ties with the label to Billboard, stating, "I can't say if we'll be working with them in the future. I don't know what the future holds between the two of us." Executive produced by Jackson and her boyfriend, Island Urban president Jermaine Dupri, "Discipline" debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 in March with 181,000 copies sold. But it has shifted only 415,000 copies in the United States so far, according to Nielsen SoundScan, and spent just 14 weeks on the chart. Now, Jackson "will have autonomy over her career, without the restrictions of a label system," according to a statement from her management team. "Always known to break new ground and set trends, Janet's departure from Island makes her one of the first superstar artists to have the individual freedom to promote their work through a variety of avenues such as iTunes, mobile carriers and other diverse and innovative channels." Jackson is on the road for her first tour in seven years, "Rock Witchu," with support form LL Cool J and Donnie Klang. The outing began September 10 in Vancouver and runs through October 22, 2008 in Dallas.
 
CAVEMAN GETS INTO WALK OF FAME [AP, 9/23/08]
Getting into the Madison Avenue Advertising Walk of Fame is so easy, even a caveman can do it. The Geico Caveman and the Serta Sheep advertising icons have been elected to the Walk of Fame in midtown Manhattan after online voting by the American public. The U.S. Postal Service slogan "We Deliver For You" and the UPS tagline "What can Brown do for you?" also were inducted Monday, September 22, the first day of Advertising Week. The Madison Avenue Advertising Walk of Fame was created by Advertising Week, a weeklong gathering of marketing professionals. Organizers have filled the Walk of Fame with bronze plaques and lamppost banners honoring such past inductees as Tony the Tiger, the Pillsbury Doughboy, the Geico Gecko and Colonel Sanders.
 
AMY WINEHOUSE CAN'T FINISH NEW SONGS, NEEDS TO SORT HERSELF OUT [Aceshowbiz, 9/22/08]
After reportedly lingering on the recording room for six months to work on new materials for her upcoming not-yet-titled album, Amy Winehouse can only take home two unfinished songs. "If six months produces two half-baked tracks how long will an album take?" a source comments on her troubled recording session. The rumor has then made her doubted to be able to release another album in the near future. "With all the problems surrounding her personal issues and addictions we are really concerned it will never get finished," some close friends say. "Unless she sorts herself out and gets some focus it might never happen." Most recently, when asked if there is a chance for Amy to sing some songs which are left over from Oasis' new album "Dig out Your Soul", Noel Gallagher says that he prefers to choose Duffy rather than Amy. "Amy Winehouse? She'll be dead before I write another one," he states. "Duffy's alright. I could imagine her singing a few of the tracks."
 
STAR-PACKED TRIBUTE FOR SIR CLIFF [BBC, 9/22/08]
Singer Sir Cliff Richard has marked 50 years of chart success with a star-studded tribute in central London. Organised by children's charity the Variety Club, the event was attended by Cilla Black, Gloria Hunniford, Andrew Lloyd Webber and Sir Tim Rice. Cherie Blair, David Gest and Dame Kelly Holmes also joined the celebrations as the 67-year-old performer marked his half-century in show business. Last week he enjoyed another Top 10 hit with Thank You For a Lifetime. The single entered the chart at number three, scuppering his attempt to score a UK number one in each of six consecutive decades. The singer showed no signs of disappointment, though, as he posed for photographers and signed autographs outside the Dorchester hotel. "Cliff is a true national treasure with a career that has spanned 50 years," said John Sachs, chair of Friday's lunchtime event. Sir Cliff is also promoting an autobiography, entitled My Life, My Way, which is currently top of the Sunday Times non-fiction book chart.
 
RUN-D.M.C., METALLICA NOMINATED FOR ROCK HALL OF FAME [AP, 9/22/08]
Run-D.M.C. could "Walk This Way" into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. The 1980s rap act, along with Metallica and the Stooges are among the nine nominees for next year's hall of fame class, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Foundation announced Monday, September 22. The other nominees are guitarist Jeff Beck, singer Wanda Jackson, Little Anthony and the Imperials, War, Bobby Womack, and disco and R&B group Chic, the only nominee back from last year's ballot. The five leading vote-getters will be announced in January and inducted April 4, 2009, in Cleveland. The ceremony typically has been held in New York but is returning to Cleveland after more than a decade-long absence. Tickets will be made available to the public for the first time. Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five opened the door for rap at the Rock Hall as the first hip-hop act to be inducted in 2007. Now, Run-D.M.C., nominated in the first year of its eligibility, has the chance to follow on the strength of rock and rap blends such as the 1986 cover of Aerosmith's "Walk This Way" and classics like "It's Tricky" and "My Adidas." Metallica jumped on the heavy metal wave of the '80s and 25 years later is still selling out arenas. This month the group released "Death Magnetic," which marks a return to its early speed metal days. The Stooges, recently given props in the film "Juno," get another shot after last appearing on the ballot two years ago. Left off the ballot were Stevie Ray Vaughan and Bon Jovi. Both had been eligible for the first time. To be nominated an act must have released its first single or album 25 years prior. More than 500 musicians, industry professionals and journalists vote on the inductions.
 
GIANFRANCO FERRE: SCULPTED SAMURAI GEOMETRY [FWD, 9/22/08] 
MILAN - Gianfranco Ferre, oft described as the architect of fashion, saw his label and ideas rebuilt lovingly Sunday in Milan at the debut show by the house's new design duo Tommaso Aquilano and Roberto Rimondi. In what was definitely Milan's most anticipated show this week the duo concentrated their skills on two key facets of Ferre's oeuvre - his famed architectural volumes and the late designer's unique sense of grand, ruffled style. Curiously, the Ferre it most recalled to mind was Gianfranco's fertile, and grandest period, as couturier of Christian Dior, back in the early Nineties. But the use of exceptional fabrics, sense of haute gamme novelty and experimental cutting were all very much in synch with Gianfanco's DNA. From the first look, a technical silk shirt and white organza shirt, both of them mega ruffled, it was clear that Aquilano and Rimondi had delved deep into the house's huge archives. Their opening looks were too weighed down with Plexiglas accoutrements, but the show suddenly hit its stride with sculpted dresses, kicked up with huge flayed pockets, and lovingly embroidered with tough "samurai" trim. One splendid gray bustier dress with inverted pocket fins was the best cocktail we've seen on any runway this season. Ferre was also loved for his majestic white blouses and this show had plenty of great examples - staggered ruffled organza shirts with elegance and sophistication. Several exceptional passages mimicked Yoroi armor with horizontal cords that looked laminated and shoulder fins. And the tailoring - from Pagoda shouldered tops to silk suits with patent leather shoulders - was very much in the Ferre groove. Paired with some remarkable shoes with semi-circular see-through plastic heels, and chunky Lucite bracelets, the look was suitably exotic, and in the current zeitgeist mock futurist. It's true that the silhouette did recall the whole obsession with power Eighties dressing we have seen in New York and Milan, but being in step with your time is never a bad thing, "Architecture, beauty and perfection," was how one half of the duo, Aquilano, described the collection to FWD. You could sense a new broom had swept through Ferre walking into the house's fine via Pontaccio show space. Where previously Gianfranco staged shows in a black-walled space with an awkward "H" shaped catwalk, this season all was white in art theatre setting, where the models did a circular tour. Ferre's Achilles Heel was a weakness for long and rambling shows, but this was tightly edited to just 40 looks, and the music, by DJ Michel Gaubert, was a suitably quirky selection of minimalist trance sounds. Not everything worked; especially some openers, where the cut and silhouette were just a tad too far fetched, and the obsession with Plexiglas was, well, a tad perplexing. Plus, the attempt to mimic the show's architectural forms with twisted hair structure just made the models look too weird for the actual clothes. It's also true that Aquilano and Rimondi did not receive a standing ovation, more a respectful and long applause. But revamping Ferre for the 21st century was always going to be a tricky task; and these guys look like they have the design chops and panache to do it. If anything made that seem certain it was a particularly cool looked worn by model Suvi, a cotton, layered blouse with double pocket black pants, which said loud and clear this duo will respect and get the Ferre DNA, but also take it somewhere excitingly new.
 
PUCCI NAMES REPLACEMENT FOR MATTHEW WILLIAMSON [Reuters Life!, 9/21/08]
Italian fashion designer Emilio Pucci, owned by France's LVMH, has appointed Peter Dundas as artistic director. Dundas will start on October 1, 2008 and replaces Matthew Williamson who is leaving after three years at the brand. Dundas was artistic director at Emanuel Ungaro until 2007 and before that was chief designer at Roberto Cavalli from 2002 to 2005. He also worked as a designer with Christian Lacroix. Emilio Pucci is known for its colorful, abstract and psychedelic designs on silk, favored by stars such as actress Nicole Kidman and singer Kylie Minogue. The house was founded by Marquis Emilio Pucci and took off during the 1950s on the back of a streamlined ski outfit he designed which featured in Harper's Bazaar. He set up his atelier in the family palace in Florence and turned the ballroom into a place for entertaining clients. In the 1990s, Laudomia Pucci started to take over the business from her father. LVMH took a 67 percent stake in the label in 2000 and Laudomia Pucci became image director.
 
MASTER P LAUNCHES CLOTHING LINE FOR PLUS-SIZE WOMEN [Aceshowbiz, 9/21/08]
Revealing his intention to venture into business other than music by changing his stage name to P. Miller last month, Master P has announced the launch of a new women and girls clothing line called "Miller Peaches" which is specially dedicated to plus-size women. In companion to the line's debut, he also announces a nationwide search for a spokesmodel for the brand. "Miller Peaches" clothing line specializes in stretch denim for those with curvier physiques. It combines designer style with great value and is targeted at young women from various backgrounds. The line will retail for anywhere between $10 to $20. "P. Miller truly is a complete lifestyle brand, which now includes P. Miller Designs for young men, Miller Peaches for young women, Kids, Shoes and Accessories lines," Miller said in a statement. "This brand seeks to cloth the entire family from head to toe and target the African American and Hispanic minority customers and make history by being a quality, affordable, urban lifestyle brand for the community." As for the nationwide search for a spokesmodel for Miller Peaches, called "The Great American Girl Search," it will take place via the music mogul's Better Black TV Network. "We are looking for The Miller Peaches Great American Girl ... is it you?" asked Miller. "Tell us what makes you The Miller Peaches Great American Girl for a chance at an opportunity with our national advertising campaign for Miller Peaches clothing." Early last month, Miller publicly announced he officially changed his name into P. Miller reasoning it as a way to reflect his manhood and mark him venturing into business other than music. Only days later, he revealed plans to launch family-friendly cable network, Better Black Television, which will start airing in 2009.
 
LED ZEPPELIN TO REUNITE WITH NEW SINGER [Aceshowbiz, 9/21/08]
Jimmy Page, John Paul Jones, and Jason Bonham reportedly give their frontman Robert Plant an ultimatum, saying that if he refuses to re-join Led Zeppelin on their comeback tour, he will then be replaced by a new singer. "They will be finalizing plans for shows over the next couple of months and will tell Robert that if he doesn't want to be involved they will go ahead without him," a source says. Speaking of the possible reunion, the source reveals that the three members of the band "are determined a tour will go ahead next year" and there's an American guy who has been standing in for Robert regularly and doing a great job. The source close to the band states, "They've been rehearsing frequently in London and the band is really gelling." Furthermore, some claim that Robert's reluctance to re-join the band happens because he has worked on a side project with country singer Alison Krauss. Their duet on an album called "Raising Sand" has been honored as Album of the Year at Americana Music Association's 7th Annual Honors & Awards show at Nashville's Ryman Auditorium on September 18, 2008. Previously, Robert admitted that huge amounts of paperwork from the record industry bureaucracy have put him off the idea of the band's comeback plan. Despite the band's last year's success at London's O2 arena, the rocker explains that just for the O2 show, they have to deal with "endless paperwork" that stressed them out. "I'm thinking of compiling them for a book, which I feel sure would be hailed as a sort of literary version of Spinal Tap," he adds.
 
LILY COLE POSES NUDE FOR FRENCH PLAYBOY, SPARKS CONTROVERSY [Aceshowbiz, 9/21/08]
English model and actress Lily Cole is baring all in French edition of Playboy magazine. The 20-year-old beauty is photographed in 14 pages and on the front cover of the men's publication. Lily poses for a shoot inspired by the cover of French musician Serge Gainsbourg's 1971 album "Histoire de Melody Nelson" for the magazine's cover shoot. She is photographed holding a teddy bear, wearing nothing but a pair of white socks. Her 14 pages of pictures inside haven't been disclosed. French Playboy's fashion director Alex Aikiu told Mail Online Lily did not ask for a high amount of fee for the shoot. "We just paid her the editorial fee any magazine would. Lily said yes right away," Alex said. Alex, furthermore, revealed that the interview Lily has with Playboy is "very intimate, very psychological." "For us, Playboy isn't Pamela Anderson. It doesn't matter how big your boobs are - it's about what's inside the woman," he explained, adding "it's all about being sweet and innocent." Much contrary to Alex's perception, Lily's nude pose for Playboy has sparked controversy among particular groups, some of which argue that her raunchy pictures will be degrading the reputation of Marks and Spencer, the fashion brand for which she's currently working. They insist the brand to drop her as its model, accusing it to indirectly support Playboy if it does not drop her. A Christian Voice spokesman even call on customers to boycott the store. Despite the controversy, Marks and Spencer has stated it will still use Lily, arguing she "is a popular, high profile, model who is very much in demand, and this is one of the key reasons why we have chosen to work with her." A spokesperson for the label insisted, "It's entirely her own choice as to what other work she accepts and we would not wish to interfere with her career."
 
JANET JACKSON PERFORMED X-RATED SHOW IN LOS ANGELES [Aceshowbiz, 9/21/08]
During her live "Rock Witchu" concert at Los Angeles' Staples Center on September 17, Janet Jackson delighted fans with her onstage raunchy performance. The concert goers went wild when she pulled a man from the audience, tying him to a wooden frame and caressed him in private places. At one point, the singer was also seen lowering on top of the man while he was slowly laid down on the stage. The audience was left open mouthed when on the concert's LCD screens, the man was seen whispering, "I Love You, Janet." The "Feedback" singer kicked off the tour in Canada earlier this month to promote her current effort "Discipline", which has been available for purchase since February. As a headlining act was rapper LL Cool J while former Spice Girls' member, Geri Halliwell, Janet's boyfriend Jermaine Dupri, and Queen Latifah were sitting in the audience. The gig featured 38 songs, five costume changes, a dozen dancers, and a set that included not only fireworks but actual flames of fire shooting into the air. The extravagant show was then wrapped up with a "Thank you so much" saying from the singer.
 
IN LONDON, VIVIENNE WESTWOOD TURNS UP THE HEAT [Reuters, 9/19/08]
Warm, sun-kissed colors evoking the exotic combined with edgy tailoring and feminine draping captured the mood of British designer Vivienne Westwood's Red Label collection at London Fashion Week on Thursday, September 18. One of the most anticipated shows of the week treated a celebrity-filled audience to a collection which oozed British cool and showcased all Westwood's trademark elements, such as masculine tailoring and cleavage-hugging, corseted gowns. "This summer our Red Label girl is on another journey. Her destination is a very hot place ... she may find herself in the desert," the show notes said. Harem pants, hooded dresses and geometric ethnic-inspired prints gave an air of the desert, while punchier fabrics such as black PVC and gold lame referenced Westwood's pioneering punk-rock beginnings in the 1970s. In keeping with the arid theme, models sported floppy sun hats worn long at the back of the neck, while one model went topless, wearing only a gold lame wrap-around skirt. "It's the second line and I get a lot of help with that. For example, a man who worked with me for 20 years, he put that together an awful lot," Westwood told reporters after the show. "I've got this big archive ... my next collection is in Paris, it's called Do It Yourself." While the pieces were overwhelmingly influenced by the heat of the desert and journeys to faraway places, British checks in light summer wools brought practicality to the collection. An atmospheric, moody soundtrack accompanied the show in front of an audience that included Joely Richardson, Pamela Anderson, Kate Moss and Dita von Teese. "I think that Vivienne was one of the first designers that really piqued my interest in modern fashion. I remember saving up all my money for those famous court shoes and they are still in a primo spot in my wardrobe," von Teese told Reuters. Pamela Anderson was accompanied by a masked friend, rumored during the show to be pop singer Michael Jackson. Westwood's personal assistant was overheard by a Reuters witness telling two members of the audience that Anderson's mysterious plus-one was the reclusive "King of Pop."
 
HANK WILLIAMS JR. HAILED AS BMI ICON [CBC, 9/19/08]
Hank Williams Jr. will be named a BMI Icon at the annual celebration of the best in country music by the performing rights association Broadcast Music Inc. The Nashville-based celebration Nov. 11 will include a musical tribute to Williams, who wrote and performed 10 No. 1 country hits, including Country Boy Can Survive, Born to Boogie, Dixie On My Mind, Family Tradition, Whiskey Bent and Hell Bound and Texas Women. The honky-tonk singer is best known to mainstream audiences for writing the Emmy award-winning theme to Monday Night Football, based on his song All My Rowdy Friends Are Coming Over Tonight. Williams, 59, is the son of late country singer Hank Williams, who nicknamed him Bocephus after Grand Ole Opry comedian Rod Brasfield's ventriloquist dummy. Williams Sr. died in 1953. Early in his career Williams Jr. sang his father's songs and imitated his style, but he began writing his own songs and struck out on his own in the 1970s. He'll be honoured at a ceremony that includes naming of the country songwriter, country publisher and most performed country song of the year.
 
FEIST, K.D. LANG AND NICKELBACK TO BE FETED FOR INTERNATIONAL ACHIEVEMENTS
[CBC, 9/18/08]
Feist, k.d. lang and Nickelback will be honoured for their international achievements at a Western Canadian Music Awards gala on Oct. 19, 2008. The Alberta music stars are being recognized for their international stature and significant album sales, the Western Canadian Music Alliance, which hosts the annual awards, announced Wednesday, September 17. The gala will be staged at the Meyer Horowitz Theatre in Edmonton. Leslie Feist, who performs under her surname, was born in Amherst, N.S., and grew up in Calgary. She soared to international acclaim with her breakout hit 1 2 3 4. Her album, The Reminder, sold more than a million copies worldwide and earned four Grammy nominations. She won five Juno Awards in 2008, including Single of the Year for "1 2 3 4". Lang, from Consort, Alta., is considered among the most accomplished female rock and country musicians. Earlier this year, she was inducted into Canada's Walk of Fame in Toronto. Juno Award-winning Nickleback was formed in Hanna, Alta., and is now based in Vancouver. It has sold more than 26 million records worldwide and garnered a World Music Award for World's Best Rock Group in 2006.
 
BRYAN ADAMS ROCKS FOR PEACE [CBC, 9/18/08]
Bryan Adams will start his European tour a day early by flying to Tbilisi, the capital of Georgia, for a free concert on Friday evening, September 19. The Canadian rocker's website calls the concert a "symbolic gesture of peace." It will take place at 8 p.m. local time in Tbilisi's Rikhe district. The Sept. 19 date is symbolic because it comes 40 days after the first loss of life in the current conflict in Georgia. Russia launched a heavily criticized military operation after an Aug. 7 Georgian crackdown in South Ossetia, which is pushing for independence from Georgia. The Orthodox Christian faith, the predominant religion in the area, believes that the souls of the departed continue their journey 40 days after death. It is not the first time Adams has visited a country after civil unrest. He's also visited Vietnam, Pakistan, Jordan and Sri Lanka. On Aug. 21, Valery Gergiev, conductor of the Mariinsky Theatre orchestra and the London Symphony, and an ethnic Ossetian, held a requiem concert in South Ossetia's shattered capital, Tskhinvali. Adams' whirlwind tour continues Sept. 20 in Buchares, then takes him to England, France, Germany, Holland, Denmark, Italy, and finishes Oct. 4 in Alicante, Spain.
 
PAC-MAN THE MUSE FOR LONDON DESIGNER GILES DEACON [Reuters, 9/17/08]
Giles Deacon, one of Britain's most talked-about fashion designers, stunned audiences at London Fashion Week on Tuesday, September 16 with a collection that took as its inspiration the 1980s computer game Pac-Man. Deacon, who launched his Giles label in 2003 and has also designed for Daks, is known for pushing boundaries on the catwalk and for challenging traditional ideas of womenswear. A futuristic, sci-fi thread ran through the 37-outfit collection, which included billowing, show-stopping gowns. Deacon's show bucked the trend for floaty fabrics, ultra-feminine lines, high-waisted trousers and muted colors seen at many other collections showcased at Fashion Week. British model Erin O'Connor was in the audience. "I'm still quite reeling, to be honest. It was an awful lot to take on board. It was extraordinary and I loved the playful Pac-Man references," O'Connor told Reuters after the show. Christopher Kane, another young British favorite, sent large circles of fabrics on silky blouses, elegant opaque shift dresses and oversized sequins down the runway on Tuesday. Like Paul Smith, Ossie Clarke and Julien Macdonald, who all showed this week, Kane's colors were either muted, block or earthy, with gentle and sharp tailoring. Deacon's collection, on the other hand, was largely monochrome with flashes of silver lame and PVC -- sometimes quilted -- or bright blocks of turquoise, peach and red, reminiscent of TV sci-fi show "Lost in Space." Shapes were strong and cut a sharp sillouette against the brightly-lit venue. Models sported oversized spherical helmets in the shape of Pac-Man and the character was embellished on many of the dresses, some of which were made from grey and monochrome camouflage fabric. "The helmets looked incredibly heavy -- I did sort of feel for the models," O'Connor added. "He's (Deacon) quite incomparable ... it is so new and it isn't ever really seen around by any other designers."
 
MAVADO, BEENIE MAN NOMINATED FOR MOBO AWARDS [Yardflex, 9/17/08]
Four VP artists, Etana, Mavado, Busy Signal and Tarrus Riley have been nominated in the category of Best New Reggae Artist for the upcoming 13th annual MOBO Awards. Beenie Man is also listed as a nominee for an award at the event that salutes Music Of Black Origin each year. Taking place at the Wembley Arena in London, England on October 15. 2008, the ceremony will be a culmination of the online voting now in progress at www.mobo.com. More than an awards ceremony, MOBO represents innovation, aspiration a diversity that endorses the history of music from Black origins; while working through its productions and many other activities – on increased awareness of this musical culture and the future of its development. Voted Best New Reggae Artist by Rolling Stone Magazine, Mavado was an overnight sensation and his distinct forceful voice has been churning out hits since his debut single “The Real McKoy” in 2004. The album “Gangsta For Life” was his 2007 VP Records release and his sophomore album will be out in December 2008. Mavado’s collaborations with hip-hop stars like: Jay-Z, Foxy Brown and G-Unit have helped to send him catapulting to the top of dancehall rock. Etana's 2006 hit, “Wrong Address” gave her strong footing in the reggae music world and that was followed by more number one songs: “Roots” in 2007 and “Warrior Love” in 2008. Winner of four Best Female Vocalist awards, her latest album “The Strong One,” was release in June, 2008. Busy Signal who released smash hits like: “Jail,” “These Are The Days,” “Unknown,” “Tic Toc” and “Wine Pon Di Edge”, became a household name beyond Jamaican dancehall circles in 2005. His breakthrough hits like: “Born & Grow” and “Step Out” illustrated Busy’s creativity that has been proven outstanding. A member of the powerhouse – Alliance, his upcoming album, “Loaded” will be released on September 23, 2008 on the VP Records label; and it includes chart topping favorites like, “Jail” and “Unknown Number.” Leading the 2008 annual International Reggae and World Music Awards (IRAWMA) with seven nominations, Tarrus Riley brought his mesmerizing roots and lovers rock style to the world with huge hits like, “She’s Royal” and “Stay With You.” His album, “Parables,” released by VP Records in 2006 is full of Tarrus’ hot tracks that won him the IRAWMA for Best Male vocalist. He also received the award for Best Song for “She’s Royal.”
 
Q&A: DESPITE HITS, NE-YO FEELS UNDER-APPRECIATED [AP, 9/16/08]
Ne-Yo knows that people appreciate his music. After all, his first two albums have gone platinum and the singer-songwriter has also helped pen some of the biggest songs of other artists' careers, including Beyonce's Grammy-nominated "Irreplaceable" and Rihanna's recent smash, "Take A Bow." Still, Ne-Yo (born Shaffer Smith) still feels that he hasn't gotten the acclaim or respect that he deserves as an artist. Just before the release of his third album, "The Year of the Gentleman," the 28-year-old sat down to talk about his upcoming CD, his image and his reasons for feeling under-appreciated. AP: Where were you artistically when you started working on the album? Ne-Yo: To be honest, I was confused. I knew I wanted to take it to the next step, the next level. And for the life of me, I didn't know how I could do that while staying in my urban boundaries. And then I realized, "I gotta step outta my urban boundaries. I gotta come out of urban, and you know, venture out and listen to some different stuff. Gather some inspirations in order to take this next step." So that's what I did. I started listening to a lot of old pop music like the Beatles, and Elton John, Billy Joel and Phil Collins. Stuff like that. AP: Did you ever want to do the kind of R&B that 1990s groups like Jodeci, Shai and Silk did? Ne-Yo: I definitely had a respect for that kind of R&B. That was an era when I thought R&B was real. 'Cause for a minute R&B was very phony. AP: What do you mean? Ne-Yo: I don't wanna name any names right now. You're gonna get me in trouble. But you know what I'm talking about. There was an era when R&B wasn't hot. ... The whole hip-hop/R&B era just kinda threw me for a loop. Around early 2000 when every song kinda sounded like (one note repeated). Like for real, one note the whole song? That never made sense to me. 'Cause like, if you're gonna rap — rap. If you're gonna sing — sing. Don't try to do this combination hybrid of the two of them that sounds like (garbage). I didn't dig it. I just never got into it. AP: And that made you do what? Ne-Yo: That made me go back to my roots. That made me go back to the R&B I grew up listening to. The New Editions. The Boyz II Mens. Even farther back. The Temptations. The Billy Oceans and Smokey Robinsons. That type of thing. Where it was more about melodies and lyrics that actually had something to say. So I went back to that. So that's where inspiration for the first record came from. And we was real scared with the first record 'cause it didn't sound like what was going on with the radio at the time. Everybody was very much hip-hop/R&B. Everybody was very much Ciara- and Sean Garretted-out. No disrespect to Sean Garrett (writer of Ciara's debut single "Goodies"), but I think he kind of fathered that era. And it was a cool little era for what it was. But it wasn't necessarily for me. AP: What part of your music do you feel is really under-appreciated? Ne-Yo: I honestly don't feel that it's my music that's under-appreciated. I think that it's me that's under-appreciated. As an artist, period. 'Cause I look at it like — OK, two multiplatinum albums. Yeah. Grammy. Two years in the game. I won my first Grammy off my second album, right? Multiple, multiple No. 1s for myself and for other people. However, (I've) never seen the cover of Vibe magazine. Never seen the cover of People magazine. Never seen the cover of, you know, Rolling Stone magazine. And won't. 'Cause these people feel that for whatever reason, because I'm a fully functional adult and not a heroin addict, that I won't sell magazines. AP: Who does the business want you to be? Ne-Yo: Everybody wants me to be the (guy) who's (sleeping with) every celebrity woman in the industry. Everybody wants me to be this (guy) in the club, popping 17 bottles just because. Everybody wants me to be Diddy, and that's not me. AP: You're always the nice guy on songs. There has to be a bad guy that you want to show off, right? Ne-Yo: Yeah. And it's not that I haven't tried. But management, (the) label — they feel that I've created this image for myself, this box for myself. And they want to keep me in this box. And I've told them, "Y'all don't understand there's so much more to me that you're not allowing me to show the world. Maybe if y'all allowed me to show these other sides of me, then (people) would pay more attention to me instead of saying, 'Oh, Ne-Yo. Oh great music, great songwriter — what's Little Wayne doing?'"
 
JONAS BROTHERS WANT "GIRLS ALOUD" TO OPEN THEIR TOUR [Aceshowbiz, 9/15/08]
Jonas Brothers recently revealed that they are huge fans of hot female group Girls Aloud and had asked the girls to headline their recent series of live performances across America this summer. "We're huge fans of " Girls Aloud". They are all really talented. We were looking into taking the girls on a U.S. tour this summer," Kevin Jonas said in a statement. However, the two groups' busy schedules had prevented them from hooking up. "The timings didn't work out," Kevin added as saying. Due to the cancellation, the Jonas trio had then decided to sign "Barney & Friends" star Demi Lovato as a special guest in their "Burnin' Up" tour. Even though they had failed to take the girls for this year's tour, the band refuse to step back and still want the U.K. girls on their stage. "Next time we're going to make sure something does happen," the teen boys explained. Furthermore, the Jonas Brothers recently announce that they eyed Britney Spears and Chris Brown as their collaborators for their future project. The band say that the possibility to mix their pop rock sound with Chris' R&B music is thrilling as the combination will be very unique. Meanwhile, for Britney, the threesome state that they admire the singer and if they get a chance to team up with her, their collaboration will be "crazy."
 
BREAKTHROUGH SPANISH  SONG "LA BAMBA" STILL GOING STRONG [Reuters/Billboard, 9/13/08]
"La Bamba" was the first Spanish-language song to hit No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart, and its universal catchiness has led to big business for the hundreds-of-years-old Mexican folk tune. Singer-songwriter Ritchie Valens' "La Bamba" made it to No. 22 on the chart in 1959 -- the year of his untimely death in a plane crash -- but it wasn't until 1987 that the song reached No. 1, in the form of Los Angeles band Los Lobos' cover of the song from the Valens biopic "La Bamba." The soundtrack from the movie shipped more than 2 million copies, according to the Recording Industry Association of America. That success ushered in "La Bamba" covers by everyone from regional Mexican stars Selena and Valentin Elizalde to Wyclef Jean, Jose Feliciano and animation character Dora the Explorer (featuring Los Lonely Boys). Don Ho and Dusty Springfield also have recorded the song; Valens' copyrighted arrangement has had 1,187 licenses for mechanical and digital use registered with the Harry Fox Agency (HFA) since it was added to the agency's system in 1973. "There's so few songs that have over a thousand licenses," HFA Latin licensing agent Eduardo Morales said. "It's basically things like Christmas songs, 'La Bamba' and 'Happy Birthday."' The song's popularity has remained strong, with publisher EMI Longitud issuing licenses for everything from karaoke machines to fitness videos, children's musical toys and "American Idol: World's Worst Auditions." A recent license for "La Bamba" went to Sega for its rhythmic videogame "Samba de Amigo," which is being released for the Wii after previous incarnations in arcades and on Dreamcast.
 
BEHIND THE FIRST DAY OF JANET JACKSON'S "ROCK WITCHU" TOUR [Aceshowbiz, 9/12/08]
The first day of Janet Jackson's "Rock Witchu" tour was captured on her boyfriend, Jermaine Dupri's camera and labeled "The First Night". The footage gives inside looks to the venue while it's still empty, Janet's dressing room access and moments before the concert was about to take off. Janet launched her first tour in seven years in Vancouver, Canada on Wednesday, September 10 and was welcomed with a rave. At one point, Janet literally sobbed on the stage because of fans' response that became overwhelming. The star was seen fighting back tears during the fan-appreciation session. The concert presented 36 hits, some come from fans choice, that spawn her 30 years of career in music. There was also a virtual duet section where Janet collaborates with Nelly and Dave Navarro who were present in pre-recorded videos. For the highly-energetic concert, Janet said that she also owed it to her performers team. "Every tour it gets better, and better and better," Janet told ET Online. "We get closer and closer. I think we watch over one another." "Rock Witchu" tour is in support of her tenth studio album "Discipline". Her next stop would be Oakland, C.A. on Saturday, September 13. Janet Jackson's "Rock Witchu" tour will be in Toronto on September 28, 2008 at Air Canada Centre.
 
NELLY "BRASS KNUCKLES TOUR" BEGINS SEPTEMBER 12 [Klassic Magazine, 9/12/08]
St. Louis rapper, Nelly has hit the road for a nationwide tour in support of his upcoming album "Brass Knuckles".  Starting on September 12, four days before the album release, the gig, allegedly named "The Brass Knuckles Tour" will take over Reno, Nevada. Then, the multi-platinum selling artist will travel throughout major cities including San Francisco, Dallas, Baltimore, and Washington D.C., before wrapping it up on October 8, 2008 in New York City. He tours with Janet Jackson on the "Rock Witchu" tour.
 
DECEMBERISTS TOUR IN NOVEMBEREST [Aversion, 9/12/08]
The Decemberists have a small batch of concerts lined up to support their upcoming wave of singles. The act unveiled plans to play a modest November tour in support of its Bridesmaid Revisisted series of singles. The singles sort of follow up 2006's The Crane Wife (Capitol), at least until the act gets around to releasing a proper album. The Decemberists' 9-date tour starts November 5 in New York with a final stop at Moore Theatre, Seattle on November 30, 2008.
 
FOALS DROP DIGITAL EP IN FRONT OF TOUR [Aversion, 9/12/08]
Foals have a digital EP ready to help pave their way into another short tour of the United States. The Oxford, England-based band returns Tuesday (Sept. 9), with its Gold Gold Gold EP from Sub Pop. The six-song EP, which is available only as an iTunes exclusive, follows up the band's debut, this year's Antidotes (Sub Pop). Certainly not coincidentally, the band returns to American soil later that week for a seven-date run that includes stops at three festivals. Gold Gold Gold's track listing is: Olympic Airways (single version); Dearth; Gold Gold Gold; Titan Arum; Red Socks Pugie (Henrik Schwarz remix) and Casisus (Kieran Hebden version). Foals tour begins on September 13 in Denver with a final stop at Treasure Island Music Festival in San Francisco on September 20, 2008.
 
AC/DC REVEALS U.S. TOUR DATES [Aversion, 9/12/08]
AC/DC is coming up from down under for a tour to support its upcoming Black Ice album. The best part is, to hear the tour, unlike the album, you don't have to set foot in a Wal-Mart. AC/DC will be in Toronto at the Rogers Center on November 7, 2008. Their 22 date tour begins October 28 at Bank Arena, Penn and ends December 18 at Cable Arena in North Carolina.
 
"COCO CHANEL" TELEPIC BOASTS PLEASING AROMA [Reuters/Hollywood Reporter, 9/12/08]
Throwing inconvenient truths out the window, Lifetime's new biopic of haute designer Coco Chanel is a delicious extravagance, a telefilm sometimes rapturous in the way it looks and feels. Not that there isn't enough truth here, it's just that whatever might have been truly a wart or flaw in Chanel's character (she was said to have a lover who was a Nazi, for one) is beautifully veiled or just plain missing. No matter. This original movie is a delight to watch. This is no brief encounter with Coco. With its three-hour running time, it lingers maybe a little too long in some places and not long enough in others. We could have been spared much of the movie's first hour, where we are stuck partying with our heroine at the home of her first lover -- well, her first, at least according to this telepic -- in and about the time of World War I. Said lover takes Coco to his mansion but refuses to marry her. She eventually leaves. But we'd still know who Coco (real name: Gabrielle) was even if we'd had less of the endless dancing, dialogue and drinking. On the other hand, we could have spent much more time with Shirley MacLaine, who plays Coco later in life -- in 1954, to be exact -- when she makes her glorious comeback after her fashions have fallen out of favor with society for too long a time and she is positioned on the brink of financial and emotional disaster. Playing the younger Coco, Barbora Bobulova is convincing as a woman who rises from humble beginnings and finds her own self-worth after much hard work. This actress has great conviction, not to mention a love affair with the camera that keeps our eyes glued to her nonstop. Director Christian Duguay gives his characters lots of freedom to be eccentric as well as determined, and Enrico Medioli makes eccentricity a main ingredient of his script. Coco must be nothing less if she's to succeed as a designer in a French society that is at times nothing less than ruthless. We don't get a great deal of character development, nor do we always get the truth, but with "Coco," there is plenty to see and do. Most importantly, we get at least three minutes with that famous little black dress. Told in flashback (a form that works well here), "Coco" is more than anything else gorgeous to watch. The sets are smashing, the fashions beautiful, the entire look of the production first-rate. Production designers Francesco Bronzi and Chantal Giuliani, along with art director Pierre Michon, costume designer Pierre-Yves Gayraud and cinematographer Fabrizio Lucci, create a fictional world that brings Coco's life and times to life with great flair. It's hard to leave when it's over.
 
MOTHER'S DAY AT WOMEN IN HOLLYWOOD [E! Online, 9/12/08]
Someone call the babysitter! Mommies with new babies at home Nicole Kidman, Halle Berry, Salma Hayek and Isla Fisher are among the eight women who will be honored by Elle magazine next month at the 15th Annual Women in Hollywood Tribute. Other honorees include Jane Fonda, Sigourney Weaver and Catherine Hardwicke, director of the upcoming big screen adaptation of Twilight. The festivities happen Oct. 6 at a VIP dinner at the Four Seasons hotel in Beverly Hills. Women in Hollywood was started by movie magazine Premiere, but was taken over by Elle when it folded last year.
 
FROM UNUSUAL TO EVERYWHERE AT NY FASHION WEEK [AP, 9/12/08]
How does a seemingly unusual trend — to wit, harem pants — end up on almost every runway at New York Fashion Week? The spring previews, entering the home stretch on Thursday, September 11 with runway shows from Calvin Klein and Vera Wang, brought together more than 100 designers. But the fashion world is a small one, after all. For harem pants, the seed may lie across the Atlantic, where the look was reportedly worn by a very chic French editor. Fashion designers visit the same cities, see the same people, stay in the same hotels and see the same art exhibits. "Fashion designers see someone like her and think they look cool," says Amy Astley, editor in chief of Teen Vogue. "Trends by their very nature aren't for everyone, but everyone likes to try them." The trouble is, it'll be hard for anyone who is not a tall, slim French editor to pull off such draped, billowy pants. But that didn't stop anyone from Phi, showing Thursday, to Proenza Schouler, Miss Sixty, Betsy Johnson, Nicole Miller and Tahari from sending them down the runway. New York Fashion Week wraps up Friday, September 12. Architectural shapes, great coats and a lot of white: In the words of designer Francisco Costa, those are key elements of a classic Calvin Klein collection. Costa's spring collection was heavy on each. This was the brand's 40th anniversary, drawing a crowd that included Tyra Banks and Eva Mendes, and the collection was more conceptual than Costa's previous work for the label. Vera Wang's runway gleamed on Thursday, with mirrored-tile embellishment on stunning dresses and tops, as well as chunky beaded motorcycle belts and bib necklaces. Wang also presented what could be the black dress of the season — a T-shirt silhouette in silk and cotton that could be dressed up, dressed down or worn effortlessly on its own. Against the backdrop of a giant clock, Cynthia Rowley presented clean geometric shapes and patterns. The clothes and accessories were sporty and sexy, including tank dresses with color blocking, dresses with one sleeve and skirts, jackets with a shape cut out of the back. Rebecca Taylor traveled back to the bohemian 1970s for her spring collection, sending floaty frocks and separates with bell sleeves, tiny ball trims and billowy silhouettes down the runway. Stylists were gown-shopping for celebrity clients at Thursday's presentation by J. Mendel — and they found several candidates for the red carpet at the upcoming Emmy Awards. Stylists Mary Alice Stephenson and Rachel Zoe joked that they were fighting over an electric blue silk chiffon gown with a crystal chain. Never one to skimp on the extravagance, Lebanese-American eveningwear designer Reem Acra piled on the silks and jewels for a spring collection made for a Mediterranean princess. She delivered a collection of bright evening wear and cocktail-ready separates to a packed house that included soap star Leven Ramblin, actress Sanaa Lathan, Danity Kane singer Aubrey O'Day and singer Ashanti.
 
ELTON JOHN TO PERFORM TWO CONCERTS IN ST. JOHN'S [CBC, 9/11/08]
Rock legend Elton John may be playing two back-to-back dates in St. John's in October, but that doesn't mean he'll be waking up with a view of Signal Hill. John will instead fly out of St. John's on the night of Oct. 2, after completing a sold-out show at Mile One Centre in St. John's. He will stay overnight in Halifax, and then fly back to St. John's the next day for the follow-up concert, said Sheena McCrate, senior manager for sales and marketing at Mile One Centre. John is evidently using Halifax as the base of operations for a tour of his Atlantic Canadian dates, which include performances in Moncton, Saint John and Halifax.
 
TIMBALAND SUING AUSTRALIAN PROMOTER OVER BREACH OF CONTRACT [Aceshowbiz, 9/11/08]
Timbaland charges an Australian tour company, Showtime Touring Group, for allegedly ruining his scheduled tour in the country. As written in the 18-page lawsuit, Timbaland tries to defend himself over the canceled shows by pledging that he wanted to "set the record straight" for his Australian fans about the "last minute before the cancellation." The suit reveals that Showtime agreed to pay Timbaland AUS$1.26 millions for the tour and provide him and his staff with "first-class vehicles" and "first-class, five-star hotel accommodation." In return for that, the rapper would perform for a minimum of 40 minutes and a maximum of an hour at each show. However, according to the suit, "from the moment the parties signed the contract at issue, Showtime breached its obligations" and failed to make the required payment. The rapper was originally scheduled for July's shows in five different venues; Sydney, Melbourne, Perth, Adelaide, and Auckland. Yet, they were all postponed to August before permanently canceled. As written in the legal document, his lawyer says, "Timbaland initially offered to postpone the tour dates to permit Showtime to get its act together so that he could entertain his fans. Showtime, however, was still unable to comply with its basic contractual obligations ..." The powerhouse music producer, who has teamed up with big singers, including Madonna and Justin Timberlake, also accuses the Australian company of releasing misleading information about the show and resulting on his tarnished image. In a statement reported by the Australian press, the company announced that the tour was called off due to "a lack of contact from Timbaland and his management." Unfortunately, Showtime's publicist could not be reached for comment.
 
STEVIE WONDER EUROPEAN TOUR A WONDERFUL RETURN FOR FANS [BBC, 9/10/08]
With a canon of classic songs, unbowed enthusiasm and his musical faculties still sharp, Stevie Wonder has opened his first European tour for a decade. The U.S star took fans at Birmingham's National Indoor Arena on a two-hour journey through almost 50 years of songs that helped shape soul and pop. A sold out crowd of 13,500 saw him play with a 10-strong band and four backing singers, including his daughter Aisha. Wonder, 58, now visits Manchester and London before other European cities. With a musical catalogue that few can match, Wonder took a couple of detours but made sure his biggest hits were in the bag. They ranged from 1960s Motown standards like Uptight through the groundbreaking 1970s funk of Superstition to his 1980s pop smash I Just Called To Say I Love You. Wonder's mid-'70s albums will go down as his masterpieces, and he saved their highlights until last. Superstition merged into Sir Duke, which segued into I Wish before the finale of As - a breathless medley that left the crowd on a high. But with time running out, the most anticipated songs were also the most rushed. Dressed all in black, with a growing girth and receding hair, it is now 45 years since Wonder had his first hit as The 12-Year-Old Genius, and 23 since he last reached the top of the charts. But the massive cheer that greeted Wonder at the start of the night confirmed his status as one of pop's sacred stars. For the first tune, he reached for the harmonica, coaxing intricate nuances as easily as if it were a grand piano. His other instruments - and that includes his voice - were played the same way, with sincere, soulful expression, warm passion and jazzy improvisation. His vocal cords and his fingers are in fine condition, and he is one of the most irrepressibly enthusiastic men in pop, brimming with infectious energy. He led lots of audience participation, getting the crowd to chant or sing lines, and told us how much he loved us several times, thanking us for everything we had done for him. Then things took a turn for the bizarre with an appearance by Hull City footballer George Boateng. He presented Wonder with a statue of Arthur Wharton, the UK's first black professional footballer, and in return the singer added his voice to the campaign for Wharton to be more widely recognized. But during the second half of the show, proceedings got back on track and the hits came thick and fast. Living For the City was followed by Signed, Sealed, Delivered and Uptight, and the 13,500-strong chorus was in fine voice for My Cherie Amour and For Once In My Life. Those last songs summed up Wonder's greatest achievements, weaving a vibrant tapestry of melodic adventure, dynamic arrangements, bubbling soul and indefatigable spirit.
 
OASIS POSTPONES CONCERT, MAN CHARGED OVER ASSAULT [CBC, 9/10/08]
Oasis has postponed its concert in London, Ont., scheduled for Tuesday night, September 9 after an attack on Noel Gallagher, which left him with injuries to his ribs and hip. The lead guitarist was attacked on Sunday night, September 7 at the finale of the Virgin Festival on Toronto Island. "Despite resting up yesterday, the extent of his injuries mean he will not be able to perform tonight," announced the tour's producer, Live Nation, in a news release Tuesday morning. "The band is very keen to complete their Canadian tour and options for rescheduling the final London, Ontario, show are currently being looked into. Ticketholders are asked to retain their tickets until a further announcement is made." Gallagher was attacked by a man who rushed from the back of the stage and pushed him to the ground. The man then started towards Gallagher's brother, Liam, who raised his fists ready to fight. Before anything else could happen, security tackled the man and dragged him away. After a five-minute pause, the show continued. Noel was taken to hospital after the show to be examined for a suspected fractured rib and ligament damage, according to a posting on the band's website on Monday. "It all happened so quickly that I wasn't in a position to evaluate who was doing what to whom," said concertgoer David Lee, who said the venue went quiet after the attack. "I supposed one word to describe that is they were stunned into silence," Lee, 53, told CBC News on Monday. Lee was filming the concert on his digital camera when the incident occurred and posted the video on You Tube. Toronto police have charged Daniel Sullivan, 47, of Pickering, Ont., with assault. He was released from custody on a promise to appear in court Oct. 24, 2008.
 
OLYMPIC SWIMMER DARA TORRES MODELS AT FASHION WEEK [AP, 9/8/08]
After winning three silver medals in Beijing, Olympic swimmer Dara Torres has mastered another daunting challenge: walking the runway at New York Fashion Week. The 41-year-old modeled two looks for the Sunday, September 7 afternoon presentation of Charles Nolan's spring collection at the designer's Chelsea studio. Torres, a 12-time Olympic medalist, made her catwalk debut in a blue-and-white striped tank top and navy swim shorts while carrying her 2-year-old daughter, Tessa, who clung to her mother as people clapped and cameras snapped photos. Torres' short haircut was styled in 1920-style waves, which enhanced the drama of her next look: a black jersey and silk taffeta wrap dress. Backstage in pants and a T-shirt after the show, Torres recalled: "There was a girl (modeling) who said that she was really nervous and I said, 'Swimming in the Olympics is much more nerve-wracking!'" Torres said she did worry, however, that she might stumble on the runway like Carrie Bradshaw did in "Sex and the City." "I'm not used to wearing heels," she explained. "I wear flats and flip-flops all the time." Torres has been making numerous TV appearances and speeches in the post-Olympics publicity blitz, and plans to "get back in the water and swim some" starting next month. She said Tessa enjoyed modeling with mom. "She was not into walking alone with me out there, but as long as I held her she was fine," she said. "She was backstage dancing around with all the models and stuff and having fun." Nolan — who presented chic and wearable clothing for women including a lime green drop-waist dress and a striped boatneck top with cropped trousers — said Torres was a perfect fit to show off his designs. "I was so inspired by her," he said. "It's one thing to look great at 41 — it's another thing to be able to make the Olympic team competing against 16-year-olds, and then win a silver medal!"
 
WWE STEPS UP PUSH IN JAPAN MARKET [AP, 9/7/08]
Posing proudly for a snapshot with a glittery championship belt, Seigi Nishiyama is among some 600 other sports fans packing a Tokyo theater who can't get enough of World Wrestling Entertainment. "The stories are so much more detailed compared to Japanese wrestling it's like watching a movie," the 34-year-old food manufacturer employee said Sunday, September 7, wearing a black T-shirt featuring the Undertaker, a WWE wrestler. World Wrestling Entertainment's big push to step up its Japan business is nowhere clearer than at the SummerSlam Festival, a raucous party charging 3,500 yen ($30) admission for an en-masse viewing of WWE pay-per-view videos on giant screens. The videos can also be watched at home. But the event brings some extra fun — guest wrestlers flown in from the U.S., booths selling WWE T-shirts and keychains as well as plenty of camaraderie with a niche but seriously dedicated crowd. The U.S. entertainment and sports company, based in Stamford, Conn., racks up annual global sales in pay-per-view of $100 million. It won't disclose regional breakdowns, but it sees this country as one of its most important overseas markets. The latest push is spearheaded by the WWE's first Japan office, which opened earlier this year — its only overseas office devoted to a single nation. The office hopes to woo Japanese newcomers, including teens and families, not just the usual fans in their 20s to 40s. It remains to be seen whether WWE can follow in the footsteps of earlier successful American imports, including Hollywood movies, hip-hop music and Disneyland. Japan has its own brand of professional wrestling that is less outright fictional than WWE. The WWE is open about how no real fighting is involved. Historically inspired by its American counterpart, Japanese wrestling boasts its own heroes and themes. WWE's only Japanese Superstar Shoichi Funaki, 40, who goes by his ring name Funaki, acknowledged Japanese are just starting to enjoy WWE — with all its boisterous exchanges and flamboyance, complete with heckling, not just focusing on winning or losing. Funkai said working with the WWE entails communicating a created character as a full-fledged entertainer, not just an athlete, besides the more obvious challenges such as mastering English and staying in top-notch shape. WWE TV shows feature three ongoing story lines, each with their set of characters, called Raw, SmackDown and ECW, or Extreme Championship Wrestling. Viewing events like Sunday's unveils the climax of the tales. The stories then take a new turn and continue toward the next climax. "Even if you've never watched it before, you can jump in and start watching because it's good vs. evil," said Ed Wells, Vice President and General Manager and WWE Japan. "We always refer to ourselves as sports entertainment. We created that genre in the U.S. And it's something that we are now, as of this year, taking really worldwide." Takayuki Hioki of Sports Marketing Japan, which runs WWE's Web and mobile businesses here, says WWE can grow popular in the same way major league baseball has caught on with Japanese baseball fans. The WWE mobile Web site, which offers ringtones, screen wallpaper and video clips, already has 35,000 users in Japan, who pay 300 yen ($3) a month for the service, Hioki said. Atsushi Onita, a Japanese wrestler who is not with the WWE and a former legislator, who is respected as a social figure in Japan, said the WWE can boost its chances for success by making cultural adjustments such as headhunting stars who appeal to Japanese tastes — perhaps a sumo-wrestling champion. But Onita was hopeful WWE's arrival would boost the popularity of wrestling overall that he believes is getting bashed by newer combat sports like K-1. "Japanese are a very suppressed people. And so it takes a special kind of performance skill to fire up their passion. You can't overdo it," he said in a telephone interview. "But I wish WWE all the best."
 
BCBG MAX AZRIA DELIGHTS IN DRAPING [Fashion Wire Daily, 9/7/08]
BCBG Max Azria kicked off the first official day of fashion shows at the Bryant Park tents in New York on Friday, Sept. 5, drawing celebrity fans such as Jamie-Lynn Sigler and Vivica A. Fox to ogle a parade of diaphanous, modern dresses, the key statement made by designer Max Azria for his Spring 2009 collection. "All the collection was about asymmetry, volume and draping," said Azria backstage post-show. "It was also about softness and freedom to move inside the garment. It's extremely sophisticated, but at the same time extremely sexy." Utilizing lightweight fabrics like crepe and jersey, Azria created a sense of movement as well as goddess-like femininity. Depending on whether the draping hugged or fell off the body as flat sheets of fabric, it satisfied differing sensibilities: one that preferred to show off curves or perhaps a tiny waist, and one that favored geometric form over body-consciousness. Luckily, with the addition of a belt, which many of the looks were styled with, the same dress could express more than one aesthetic. Tanks layered over cropped, jodhpur-like pants, jackets in techno fabrics and jersey jumpsuits added another dimension to Azrias vision of the modern urban woman - aside from the rather silly-looking mauve short jumpsuit draped in a way that could only be described as looking like diapers - but ultimately they were no match for the simplicity and ease of the dresses. Especially eye-catching were the ones featuring color blocking, as though slabs of grey concrete had suddenly been given shock treatment with a light saber, and the shoes - a BCBG staple - followed suit with glossy patent leather heels in bright colors. Spring 2009 has to be a season of color," said Azria. "Color looks like happiness and we need to wear something happy." The brand, known for bridging the gap between high design and reasonable price point with over 500 stores globally, is among the powerhouse labels showing this week in New York that can claim widespread influence across a diverse cross-section of the fashion buying public - here, the runway is reality.
 
N.E.R.D. AND COMMON JOIN FORCES IN "INVINCIBLE SOUNDS OF SUMMER" TOUR
[Aceshowbiz, 9/6/08]
Hip hop group N.E.R.D, who are comprised rappers Pharrell Williams, Chad Hugo, and Shay Haley, are scheduled to hit the road with rap peer Common. Called "Invincible Sounds of Summer", the gigs will be kicked off in Houston on September 9 and wrap up in Miami on October 10, 2008. According to their promoter, in the tour, N.E.R.D will sing new tunes from their third and latest record, "Seeing Sounds", which has just been released in June. Meanwhile, Common is going to bring out his forthcoming "Invincible Summer", which has been pushed back from June 24 to September 22. Outside the joint tour, N.E.R.D and Common also have their own shows. Pharrell and friends are set for a live performance at France's Austin City Limits Music Festival on September 26 while Common will perform at a benefit concert for his Common Ground Foundation. The charity gig will take place at the House of Blues in Chicago where The Roots, Pharrell, will.i.am, Bilal, and other big artists are also scheduled to appear. Tickets for the shows are on sale through ticketmaster.
 
NEW YORK FASHION WEEK STARTS WITH A MESSAGE: RELAX [AP, 9/6/08]
The glamorous set had a message for economic worrywarts as New York Fashion Week kicked off Friday, September 5: Chill out. A loose, beachy vibe infused the first collections for spring 2009, drawing inspiration from fantasies of far-off places. Tropical prints combined with an easy slouch to evoke less stressful times. "When the economy is so bad and with the horrible things happening all around the world, one gets inspired to create a certain kind of beauty," designer Narciso Rodriguez told The Associated Press before the shows began. He promised an "anti-stress" collection later in the week. On Friday, BCBG's fresh-faced models had the air of waking up late at a small beach resort, tossing on whatever was nearby. Perry Ellis had two words for its beach-bound customer — "leisure suits." And Elie Tahari dressed the glamorous couple on a seaside vacation, sipping frosty cocktails with warm sand between their toes. When the economy slumps, some designers turn to bright colors and go beyond basics to lure customers into stores. But this Fashion Week, labels were also counting on currency-rich foreign buyers to take advantage of the weak dollar. Mercedes Benz Fashion Week runs through Sept. 12, 2008, with more than 100 shows over eight days.
 
BLAND: ANYTHING BUT BORING [Fashion Wire Daily, 9/5/08]
Rest assured, not every fashion designer showing during New York Spring 2009 Fashion Week, Sept. 5 - Sept. 12, will cater to the Carrie Bradshaws or "Gossip Girls" of the fashion buying public. Some, like up-and-coming designer Teddy Willoughby of Bland, who will present his Spring 2009 collection at splashy downtown art gallery Deitch Projects Wednesday, Sept. 10, have a different customer in mind altogether. "I'm into cool working girls who are doing things," said Willoughby at his studio on Wednesday, Sept. 3, in the midst of making final adjustments to his designs. "Art gallery girls, artists, movers and shakers." Think Kim Basinger's character in '80s movie "9 1/2 weeks" - she plays a SoHo art dealer - strong, beautiful and edgy; women whose closets might be full of Japanese labels like Yohji Yamamoto or Comme des Garcons or Alaia and Balenciaga. Willoughby's designs feature structured tailoring mixed with unexpected soft draping on the neck, back and shoulders that one imagines looking really great at a sci-fi cocktail party in a white cube. He reassigns techno fabrics, like materials used for backpack straps, as the basis for a dress. Or "trucker hat" mesh fabric is used to add texture and internal structure. Other fabrics are cleverly used for a girdle effect - hiding and reshaping the hips on a dress that might leave the shoulders and legs are left exposed. Willoughby also plays with transparency and matte effects in the fabrics, and the effect is a collection that can either be turned up or down depending on the time of day - chic for daytime behind a gallery desk, or scintillating at night. For Willoughby, 28, who studied at Parsons and worked for a few years as a freelance designer "in the Seventh Avenue scene," he said, decided to start a label of his own last year. He was already making clothes for art world friends, including costumes for the annual Art Parade sponsored by Deitch Projects and Paper magazine. This season marks his first official foray onto the fashion calendar with a two hour presentation that will be part fashion show, part dance performance and part art installation. Willoughby's accessories deserve a mention as well - rubberized matchbooks and faux cigarette butts as lapel pins and barrettes, for one, and sunglasses fabricated to look like the gridded see-through rulers used by designers. He calls them "surreal conversation pieces."
 
OPRAH WINFREY HOSTS OLYMPIANS IN CHICAGO [AP, 9/3/08]
Thousands of spectators cheered Olympic medalists Michael Phelps, Dara Torres and Kobe Bryant on Wednesday (Sept. 3) as the city of Chicago got a high-profile boost to its bid to host the 2016 Summer Olympics. Oprah Winfrey was taping the season premiere for "The Oprah Winfrey Show" at a downtown park, and she invited 150 U.S. Olympic athletes to join her. The athletes were introduced under a shower of red, white and blue confetti. Winfrey intends the show to be both a welcome home for athletes who competed in Beijing and also a chance to showcase Chicago as the city bids for the 2016 Games, said Harpo Productions. Hundreds of fans stood in line for hours outside Winfrey's Chicago studio last weekend to wait for tickets. Some camped out in lawn chairs. For those who couldn't get passes for the 2,000 seats, about 7,000 lawn spots were made available. Another 2,000 seats were set aside for the Olympians' family and friends. Tickets for Winfrey's Chicago tapings are usually available only by phone and are nearly impossible to get. The 23rd season premiere of Winfrey's talk show will air Monday (Sept. 8). Chicago is a finalist for the 2016 Games along with Tokyo; Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; and Madrid, Spain. The International Olympic Committee will choose the 2016 host next year.
 
LETTERMAN WILLING TO GO THE DISTANCE  . . . AND BEYOND [AP, 9/3/08]
David Letterman wants to stick with CBS' "Late Show" through his contract — and maybe longer — as rival Jay Leno prepares to surrender the "Tonight" reins next year. "The way I feel now, I would like to go beyond 2010, not much beyond, but you know, enough to go beyond. You always like to be able to excuse yourself on your own terms," Letterman said in an interview in Rolling Stone magazine. "If the network is happy with that, great. If they wanna make a change in 2010, you know, I'm fine with that, too," Letterman said. Letterman, along with Chris Rock and Tina Fey, is featured on the comedy-focused cover of the Rolling Stone issue out Friday. Letterman, 61, questioned why NBC is proceeding with its plan to remove Leno, who consistently tops the late-night ratings. Conan O'Brien will take over "Tonight" in June 2009, with Jimmy Fallon moving into O'Brien's "Late Night" chair. "Unless I'm misunderstanding something, I don't know why, after the job Jay has done for them, why they would relinquish that," Letterman said, adding, "I have to believe he was not happy about it." Letterman speculated whether "that's actually what's going to happen," while acknowledging NBC might be too far down the road to retreat. NBC is angling to keep Leno, 58, with NBC Universal but the late-night king has indicated he's ready to jump ship. Eager NBC competitors, including other networks and syndicators, are prepared to help him make the leap. Letterman, who called O'Brien "a very funny guy," was asked about facing him as the new "Tonight" host. A cautious Letterman said he couldn't predict the outcome. "It will be weird to see Conan at 11:30, don't you think? Which is not to say he can't succeed, but, no, I don't know what the competition will be like. I hope we're able to do OK." In the Rolling Stone article, Letterman discusses guests including Madonna, Oprah Winfrey and Howard Stern, with the most moving remarks about musician Warren Zevon, who appeared on "Late Show" shortly before his 2003 death from cancer. Letterman recalled his "heartbreaking" meeting with Zevon in a dressing room after the show. "Here's a guy who had months to live and we're making small talk. And as we're talking, he's taking his guitar strap and hooking it, wrapping it around, then he puts the guitar into the case and he flips the snaps on the case and says, 'Here, I want you to have this, take good care of it.' And I just started sobbing. "He was giving me the guitar that he always used on the show. I felt like, 'I can't be in this movie, I didn't get my lines.' That was very tough," Letterman said.
 
MEET MAX FACTOR'S NEW LEADING LADY, GISELE BUNDCHEN [Aceshowbiz, 9/3/08]
Adding to her status of World's Richest Supermodel, Gisele Bundchen has agreed to become the new face of cosmetics giant Max Factor. Her recruitment as the top brand's latest celebrity model is meant to mark its 100th anniversary in 2009. Being tapped to front the ad for Max Factor's ColorGenius Face Collection, Gisele is replacing Carmen Electra, who was the face of the company for three years. Her ad for the product will start showing up on fashion magazines in October, but a sneak peek of it has been leaked online. In other Gisele news, she graces the cover of Arena magazine's September issue in gold-colored bikini. Exposing her curvy body under the headline that read "Gisele, The World's Sexiest Business Woman," she also strikes some raunchy poses for the publication in the edition which already hit the newsstands.
 
STEIFF TO MAKE LAGERFELD TEDDY BEAR [AP, 9/2/08]
Ever felt like cuddling up with Karl Lagerfeld? A German company is making a high-style teddy bear modeled on the Paris-based fashion designer, right down to his white-collared shirt and jet black tie. The Steiff company, which makes stuffed animals, got Lagerfeld's blessing to design the bear. It will be offered in a limited edition of 2,500 — at a price of about $1,450 per bear. The bear will be available starting Sept. 15, 2008 through the company's Web site or in select stores. It is covered in alpaca wool and stands 15 inches tall. It will be decked out in clothes and accessories Lagerfeld himself approved — sunglasses, jeans and a belt buckle studded with his own initials. Lagerfeld said in an interview released by Steiff that he had a teddy bear as a child. "I really love animals, particularly when they are stuffed with cotton or polyester," said Lagerfeld, who grew up in Hamburg, Germany. "That way you can guarantee that they won't bite, won't claw, won't smell bad and make your things dirty." But Lagerfeld said he is not likely to take the bear to bed. "I sleep totally alone, only with myself," he said.
 
MARILYN MONROE FILM FOOTAGE FOUND IN AUSTRALIA [Reuters, 9/2/08]
An amateur film of Marilyn Monroe on the set of "Some Like It Hot" has surfaced in Australia almost 50 years after it was shot and is being put up for auction. Auctioneer Charles Leski said the 2.5-minute-long, 8mm film shows Monroe and co-star Tony Curtis on the set ahead of shooting a beach scene in which the actress is bouncing balls to get the actor's attention. The footage, which also shows director Billy Wilder, was taken in early 1959 by a U.S. naval officer who was invited to the set of the movie after Monroe visited his base in San Diego. The film, in its original Kodak box, was passed on to his daughter who lives in Melbourne, Australia, when he died and she decided to put it up sale, thinking it may be of some significance to the film world. "It's been a significant part of the family folklore for many decades but it has been sitting in her drawer for about a decade as she didn't know what to do with it or if it had some broader interest," Leski told Reuters. Earlier this year, a 47-minute amateur film of Monroe and Clark Gable on the set of the 1961 film "The Misfits" sold in the United States for US$60,000 after it was put up for sale by the family of an actor who had a small part in the movie. Leski said this latest find was older and likely to attract private and public interest with "Some Like It Hot" listed by the American Film Institute as the greatest American comedy film of all time. "It is color which is very nice because the film "Some Like It Hot" is black and white," he said. "From a documentary point of view there is still great interest in any Marilyn Monroe image, moving or still, or any recording of her voice, as she has been such an iconic presence in the 20th century. Her influence on fashion, film and comedy and many other areas still continues." Monroe died in August 1962, aged 36, from a drugs overdose. The lot, including a CD copy and a DVD copy together with the original film, will be offered for sale by Leski Auctions in Melbourne on September 25, 2008 with a pre-sale estimate of A$20,000 - A$30,000 ($17,000-$25,500). The purchaser also acquires full commercial rights.
 
MADONNA'S TOUR CREW TO WALK OUT OVER 'SECOND CLASS' TRAVEL [Aceshowbiz, 9/2/08]
Madonna is reportedly having some troubles with the crew, who are backing up her "Sticky and Sweet" world tour. According to Mirror, many of her 250 strong troupe of crew members threaten to quit due to a low-budget travel arrangement. "Everyone is absolutely furious with her and some of them want to walk out of the tour," an insider tells the British newspaper. The paper also reports that despite the crew's hard work in the past few months, Madonna is trying to cut her expense by giving her crew a 50-pounds-per-night dingy Campanile hotel. To make matters worse, the workers are also reportedly forced to fly on to a low-budget airline, easyJet flight. On the contrary, Madonna, husband Guy Ritchie, daughter Lourdes, and sons Rocco and David are enjoying a VIP treatment at Chateau Saint Jeannet with a cost of 11,000 pounds per night. The "Give It to Me" singer also books out a luxurious private jet for her family. "Now [staff] are being forced to stay in horrible places and fly on low-cost flights, while she is in the lap of luxury. Several are already talking about walking if things don't improve," the insider reveals as quoted by Mirror. The insider continues saying that the crew have been offended and felt like being treated as a second-class citizen by the diva. The insider says, "They feel they are being treated like second-class citizens, despite all their hard work over the last few months." On top of all her VIP treatment, Madonna has also made a series of demands, which include a helicopter to take her from the August-26 show stage to her luxurious castle. Besides, she has also kept a team of 12 staff on hand including six beauticians, her own chef, and chiropractor. The "Sticky and Sweet" tour has been started since August 24 at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff and this week, it is scheduled to reach Amsterdam, Dusseldorf, and Rome. After further dates in the UK and mainland Europe, the gig, which is produced by Live Nation Global Touring, will stop in North America next month.
 
JANET JACKSON "ROCK WITCHU TOUR" OPENED BY LL COOL J [Aceshowbiz, 9/1/08]
Jermaine Dupri has helped Janet Jackson's fans to have more details on her upcoming "Rock Witchu" tour again. The producer who is also Janet's long-time lover went behind the scene of her concert rehearsal, digging out the opening act of the tour straight from Janet's mouth plus giving a look into the costumes. In the video that was posted on his official YouTube account, Dupri who was denied a backstage pass initially, took the audience to the dressing room where Janet was standing in front of the mirror. Janet, seemingly annoyed by the presence of the camera, reluctantly spilled that rapper LL Cool J will open the North American leg of her tour. Previously, Dupri had posted a similar footage where he went inside the rehearsal to "getchall some info". Holding the handy cam, he entered the music booth where musicians were practicing the songs and the main stage where a backing dancer showed some moves for the concert. "Rock Witchu Tour" that will support Janet's tenth studio album "Discipline", will kick off September 10, 2008 in Vancouver, B.C. The complete tour dates can be seen on her official site.
 
SPRINGSTEEN ENDS WORLD TOUR AT HARLEY CELEBRATION [AP, 9/1/08]
Bruce Springsteen ended his world tour over the weekend, toned down but revved up. Springsteen played more than 30 songs over 3 1/2 hours Saturday (Aug. 30) night on Milwaukee's lakefront for Harley-Davidson's 105th anniversary celebration. He made few comments between songs. Only for a few moments before "Livin' in the Future" did the rocker — who often brings his liberal-leaning political comments to the stage — stray into politics. Springsteen performed to a crowd not unlike the one that gave Republican presidential candidate John McCain a warm welcome Aug. 4 at the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally in South Dakota. Many roared their motorcycles during McCain's speech. Springsteen said "Livin' in the Future" was about what was happening now: cheese, Harley-Davidson motorcycles (tailoring it to his Wisconsin crowd), transfats, "500 channels of nothing on" and the Bill of Rights. But he also mentioned wire tapping and rendition — the secret transport of terror suspects from one country to another. "Things that basically at the heart are un-American," he said. The crowd gave spattered groans but mostly stayed silent. He did not play "Born in the U.S.A," his anthem about the difficulties Vietnam war veterans faced, or the anti-war ballad "Devils and Dust" about Iraq. Springsteen's Saturday performance was his last stop on his tour. His Web site said Springsteen and the E Street Band have performed 100 concerts for more than 2 million fans. Milwaukee-based Harley-Davidson expected more than 100,000 people from around the nation and world to participate in the four-day celebration that officially started Thursday in Milwaukee and its suburbs. It included a parade through the city, a party along the lake, activities at the new Harley-Davidson Museum, a special exhibit at Discovery World and other big-name bands.
 
"NAZI FEARS STOPPED ME SNORTING COCAINE": MIRREN [AFP, 9/1/08]
Oscar-winner Helen Mirren admitted she loved snorting cocaine and only stopped due to the capture of Nazi war criminal Klaus Barbie, in an magazine interview out this month. The respected British actress, 63, who won an Academy Award for her portrayal of Queen Elizabeth II in "The Queen", told the October issue of GQ men's monthly that she took the drug until her late thirties. She only quit after the notorious Barbie was caught in Bolivia in 1983, and believed to have been making money from the Class A drug. The star, knighted in 2003, also talked about meeting Queen Elizabeth, and spoke further about her date rape experiences. Mirren said she used to take "a bit of cocaine. I loved coke. I never did a lot, just a little bit at parties. "But what ended it for me was when they caught Klaus Barbie, the Butcher of Lyon, in the early eighties. "He was hiding in South America and living off the proceeds of being a cocaine baron. "And I read that in the paper, and all the cards fell into place and I saw how my little sniff of cocaine at a party had an absolute direct route to this fucking horrible man in South America. "And from that day I never touched cocaine again. Until that moment I had never grasped the full horrifying structure of what brings coke to our parties in Britain." Mirren said she hated marijuana and once tried the hallucinogenic drug LSD but found it a horrifying experience. She said she was not a "royalist" but had become a "Queenist" after portraying the British sovereign. "It's a miracle she's never gone mad," she said. "She is a remarkable person, who has achieved an amazing thing with a life she neither chose for herself, nor particularly wanted." Mirren finally met Queen Elizabeth at Ascot races earlier this year, having turned down an invite to Buckingham Palace because she was filming. "She said, 'Hello, it's lovely to meet you'. And that was about it, other than horsey chat," said Mirren. Queen Elizabeth's husband Prince Philip "just talked about the sandwiches, and the horses. Then the queen invited us all outside to watch the racing. "I think it was just a gesture to say, 'It's OK, we're cool about the film. And that was plenty enough for me." Mirren, who has spoken in the past of her date rape experiences in her youth, said she had a sheltered upbringing in a convent school and did not have the courage to stand up to men. She did not report the incidents to the police. "You couldn't do that in those days," she said. "It's such a tricky area, isn't it? Especially if there is no violence. I mean, look at Mike Tyson. I don't think he was a rapist. "I was (date-raped), yes. A couple of times. "Not with excessive violence, or being hit, but rather being locked in a room and made to have sex against my will." She said that if a woman voluntarily ended up in a man's bedroom, took all her clothes off and engaged in sexual activity in bed with him, she had the right to say "no" at the last second and if the man ignored her it was rape. But she added: "I don't think she can have that man into court under those circumstances." Mirren, often considered a sex symbol, added: "I might have a certain appeal in some way or another, and maybe part of that is sexual, but I am not beautiful."
 
JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE SHOOTS SHORT FILMS TO PROMOTE CLOTHING LINE "WILLIAM RAST" [Aceshowbiz, 8/29/08]
Keeping his lips tightly sealed about his role with clothing label "William Rast", Justin Timberlake simply let his projects do the talking. The singer-actor is channeling his diverse inner creativity, making a series of short films to promote the line, which he co-founded with friend Trace Ayala back in 2005. Attempting a different approach towards marketing, Justin enlists the help of model, stylist, and designer Erin Wasson to star in the trailers. The short films feature Justin as William Rast, an outlaw who is forced to stay in his hideout in the woods with his girlfriend and "partner in crime" Birdie, played by Wasson. During their hiding there, the twosome video tape each other, talking about love and their situation. Besides starring in, Justin also helps writing, directing, and composing the musical score for the trailers. His starring role in the trailers, aimed to promote the premium denim and lifestyle brand's autumn/winter collection, marks his first time ever starring in an advertising campaign for the clothing line. One of the trailers in the series can be watched in the video below, whereas the others can be seen on William Rast's official site. In addition to those, there are also some coming-soon trailers.
 
FROM A TO Z, NEW BOOK FROM NINA GARCIA NAMES MUST-HAVES [Fashion-Wire Daily, 8/29/08]
Editor Nina Garcia, who takes her fashion eye to Marie Claire starting in September, is well-known as one of the judges for "Project Runway," where she dispenses thoughtful, and sometimes scathing, critiques of the designers' projects each week. In person, Garcia exudes a kind of polished professionalism that is elegant, yet welcoming, like a stylish friend who always knows the right thing to wear for any occasion but also doesn't mind taking you shopping so that you can find the perfect outfit as well. So it makes sense that her latest book, "The One Hundred," dishes up all fashion tips a woman needs to know to put together a killer, timeless wardrobe. For people tired of chasing trends, the book is a perfect antidote. With charming illustrations by renowned fashion illustrator Ruben Toledo, "The One Hundred" is an A-Z guide of Garcia's picks for wardrobe essentials. Garcia had a book signing in Saks Fifth Avenue on Wednesday, Aug. 27, 2008.
 
ARMANI DESIGNS VILLAS AT $1.8 BILLION EGYPTIAN RESORT [Reuters, 8/28/08]
Giorgio Armani will design his first villas for a $1.85 billion gated community development in Egypt that is just two hours' drive from Cairo, the Italian fashion designer said on Wednesday (Aug. 27). Emaar Properties is building the 9.9 billion Egyptian pounds ($1.8 billion) gated community at Sidi Abdel Rahman Bay, on 1,544 acres of what Armani described in a statement as "the best stretch of beach on the north coast" of Egypt. The villas will be up to 500 square meters in size and with up to four bedrooms, each with its own pool. Armani, best known for his classic, flowing clothing lines and penchant for black, said the villa designs would be "taking the 'Live with Armani' philosophy to Egypt." Armani, along with several other designers such as fellow Italian Versace, is branching out of clothing into areas such as interior design and home furnishings as they attempt to maximize the value of their brands across continents and class. The villas' architecture will be "based on the functionality and aesthetics of volume, light and surface." All the villas will feature automated security systems, temperature and drapery control, lighting and air-conditioning. Armani said he used "elements that capture the serenity and calm of beach-front living" in the designs. The 6.5 million square meter gated community includes a beach resort, marina, golf course and hotels. Armani has already designed a hotel in Emaar's Burj Dubai development, including guest rooms, restaurant and spa as well as luxury apartments.
 
ANGELA MERKEL TOPS FORBES LIST OF POWERFUL WOMEN [AFP, 8/28/08]
German Chancellor Angela Merkel was Wednesday named the world's most powerful woman by Forbes Magazine, putting her at the top of the prestigious list for the third year in a row. Merkel soundly beat the likes of US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, who fell from fourth place last year to seventh place, and former US first lady and Democratic presidential contender, Senator Hillary Clinton, who was ranked 28th by the magazine -- three places lower than last year. Runner-up in the rankings was the little known Sheila Bair, head of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), the US agency that "maintains the stability and public confidence in the nation's financial system by insuring deposits, supervising financial institutions, and managing receiverships." The third-place finisher was another unknown, Indra Nooyi, chief executive of US softdrink giant, PepsiCo, who was one of 54 business leaders on the list. Argentine President Cristina Kirchner, one of 23 politicians on the list, is in 13th place. Other notable women on the list include French Economy, Finance and Employment Minister Christine Lagarde, in 14th place; Italian-born Sonia Gandhi, head of the Indian National Congress Party, ranked 21st; and Queen Rania of Jordan, in 96th place. Six of the top 10 women are American, with the remaining four from Germany, Australia, Singapore and France.
 
MADONNA COURTS CONTROVERSY AGAIN OVER McCAIN VIDEO [Reuters,  8/28/08]
Madonna has always reveled in controversy and with the recent launch of her concert tour, "Sticky & Sweet," the 50-year-old pop star has kicked up a new fuss by comparing John McCain to Adolf Hitler in a video. The dust-up is the latest in a career of risky moves that have paid off handsomely for Madonna, whose tours and albums have long mixed music with politics, sex and religion. While other stars rose to fame in the 1980s then faded away, "Material Girl" Madonna has become a global star and even courted controversy to stay relevant to younger audiences. "Madonna seems to be an extraordinarily brilliant business woman in the business of culture," said Robert Thompson, a professor of media at and pop culture at Syracuse University. "She's controlled her controversy, so every time she's been in controversy it does her good not bad," he told Reuters. As her world tour opened in Cardiff, Wales, over the weekend, Madonna showed a video montage juxtaposing images of Hitler with McCain, the Republican senator from Arizona running for president against Democratic Sen. Barack Obama. The Democrats on Monday launched their nominating convention. McCain's campaign blasted Madonna with a campaign spokesman telling media organizations that the video was "outrageous, unacceptable and crudely divisive." Abraham Foxman, national director for Jewish group The Anti-Defamation League also issued a statement calling it "outrageous to invoke Nazi imagery in the context of John McCain's candidacy." In 2005, Rabbis criticized Madonna over a song, "Isaac," that they said used an inappropriate reference to a 16th century mystic. Madonna also has drawn the ire of the Vatican over sexual themes such as simulating masturbation on stage. Her 1989 song "Like A Prayer," with links between religion and eroticism, caused Pepsi-Cola to cancel a sponsorship deal. In 1992, she released a book called "Sex" with nude pictures of the star that caused a media sensation, and in 2003 her same-sex kiss with Britney Spears at MTV's Video Music Awards proved to be yet another celebrity news firestorm. While Thompson noted that Madonna has successfully boosted her career in the past with controversy, he added that celebrities should speak their minds if they want.
 
RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE DRAWS 9,000 IN DENVER [AP, 8/28/08]
An anti-war concert headlined by the reunited Rage Against the Machine drew thousands of fans to the Denver Coliseum, many with tattoos, body piercings or "Iraq Veterans Against the War" T-shirts. The mood was both laid-back and political as the show got under way Wednesday morning. A juggler performed on the sidewalk near a replica of a Guantanamo Bay prison cell. The band State Radio opened while activists met backstage to plan a march once the show is over. By the time Rage Against Machine took the stage, police estimated the crowd at 9,000. When the concert concludes, Iraq war veterans and other protesters plan to march about four miles from the coliseum to the Pepsi Center, where the Democratic National Convention is being staged. Protest organizers urged anyone participating in the march and willing to be arrested during a sit-in at the convention site walk at the front of the line. Organizers said it would be an act of civil disobedience, not a violent protest. Protesters have been told not to react to the police presence or risk getting hit with pepper spray. About 8,000 free tickets were handed out by lottery for the show, sponsored by Tent State University and Iraq Veterans Against the War. Rage Against the Machine also plans a concert Sept. 3 in Minneapolis during the Republican National Convention, which takes place just across the Mississippi river in St. Paul.
 
PHELPS & CO. BLOW U.S. TV. RECORD OUT OF THE WATER [E! Online, 8/27/08]
Sure, it lasted for 17 days (not including soccer)—but still! Thanks to NBC's multipronged, round-the-clock coverage, the 2008 Summer Olympics reached 214 million viewers, making it the most-watched event in U.S. television history, according to numbers released Tuesday (Aug. 26) by Nielsen Media Research. The extra eyeballs glued to such spectacles as Michael Phelps' acquisition of a record eight gold medals, the triumph of the itty-bitty Chinese women's gymnastics team and the U.S. "Redeem Team's" total domination over all comers in basketball helped the Beijing games surpass the previously most-watched event of all time—the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta—by 5 million viewers. Beijing also blew Athens away by 11 million. "This audience record is something I thought I'd never see again, but what really satisfied me is the way in which these Olympics truly captivated and seemed to inspire our country," said Dick Ebersol, chairman of NBC Universal Sports & Olympics and executive producer of the network's Olympics coverage. "For me, the greatest measure of success at an Olympics is the number of messages I received from parents of young kids who have fallen in love with the Olympics. That child means more to me than anything because I think a love affair with the Olympics is the greatest in all of sports." So, who cares if the closing ceremony in Atlanta attracted more viewers (34.1 million) than Sunday's finale (27.8 million)? The people who didn't tune in over the weekend were probably just West Coasters who were too tired from staying up until 1 a.m. on work nights to watch their favorite events.
 
KATE HUDSON SUED OVER VOLCANIC ASH HAIR PRODUCTS [Reuters, 8/27/08]
"Fool's Gold" star Kate Hudson has been sued by a firm that says hair care products she developed with hair stylist-to-the-stars David Babaii are based on ideas for using volcanic ash that the firm developed. But Hudson, 29, and Babaii on Tuesday (Aug. 26) said through representatives the lawsuit, which was filed by a California corporation called 220 Laboratories Inc, is "without merit." Hudson and Babaii are partners in the company David Babaii for WildAid, a hair care products company that donates 10 percent of profits to WildAid, a wildlife conservation group. In the lawsuit, which was filed on Friday in Los Angeles Superior Court, 220 Laboratories said it entered into an "oral contract" with Babaii to develop and manufacture hair care products in 2006. The idea for the product was to use volcanic ash from the Vanuatu Islands of the South Pacific. But Babaii went on to use a company called Universal Packaging Systems Inc to develop the products -- using the volcanic ash component. Hudson promoted the product in a 2007 interview with Vogue magazine and said she was one of the developers, the lawsuit states. Brad Cafarelli, a spokesman for Hudson, said in an e-mail that the claims by 220 Laboratories are baseless. "Kate does not know the plaintiffs and has never met with them or spoken with them," Cafarelli said. In its lawsuit, 220 Laboratories' allegations against Hudson, Babaii and Universal included misappropriation of trade secrets, fraud and breach of contract. The company is seeking an injunction to block David Babaii for WildAid from using its "trade secrets" in the sale of hair care products. The company said it also seeks damages in an amount to be proven at trial. Hudson is the daughter of Oscar-winning actress Goldie Hawn. She has appeared in the movies "You, Me and Dupree," "Almost Famous" and "Fool's Gold. 
 
MADONNA'S STICKY SWEAT TOUR [E! Online, 8/27/08]
Before her Sticky & Sweet concert tour even kicked off, Madonna had already hit the road, driven out of her multimillion-dollar gym by horny construction workers. Despite spending a reported $24 million remodeling the building next to her Mayfair mansion for a state-of-the-art workout palace, the U.K. Mirror reports that Madge finally moved to another gym after seven months of putting up with construction noise, not to mention the "leering, crude comments and wolf whistles of builders working nearby." You'd think if anyone could put up with taunting and sexual innuendo, it would be the Material Girl, but a close pal says it's more the noise than the drooling boys that drove her to train elsewhere: "Madonna felt as if she has been living in a siege situation. The noise of the drilling meant she was forced to listen to her iPod at full volume, potentially damaging her ears." Whatever she did to get in shape, however, it worked—and then some! And while we have sympathy for her predicament, not to mention admiration for her extreme workout dedication, we also find it curiously comforting that not even a superstar can avoid getting screwed by overpriced, behind-schedule construction contractors.
 
PINK FLOYD, RENEE FLEMING RECEIVE 2008 POLAR PRIZE [AP, 8/27/08]
Sweden's King Carl XVI Gustaf on Tuesday (Aug. 26) presented the 2008 Polar Music Prize to American soprano Renee Fleming and Pink Floyd band members Nick Mason and Roger Waters for their contributions to popular music and opera. Swedish Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt said the British rock band had made "a monumental contribution ... and captured the mood and spirit of a whole generation in their reflections and attitudes." Fleming was praised for her "sublime, unparalleled voice and unique stylistic versatility" by Peter Gelb, general manager of the Metropolitan Opera in New York, who read the award citation. The audience gave the prize winners a standing ovation when they arrived to receive the awards, each worth $157,700. The ceremony was held in the Stockholm Concert Hall. A two-time Grammy winner, Fleming, 49, has performed on international stages since her debut more than 20 years ago. Pink Floyd, founded in the early 1960s, reached critical acclaim and popularity with albums such as "Ummagumma," "The Dark Side of the Moon" and "The Wall." Mason, 63, said the band was honored to receive the award and that fellow band members David Gilmour and Richard Wright were sorry they couldn't attend. The Polar Music Prize is Sweden's biggest music prize and is usually split between pop artists and classical musicians. It was founded in 1989 by Stig Anderson, manager of Swedish pop group ABBA. Past winners include Paul McCartney, Isaac Stern, Bruce Springsteen, Pierre Boulez and Quincy Jones. The 2007 award went to jazz saxophonist Sonny Rollins and composer Steve Reich.
 
"100 THINGS" CO-AUTHOR DAVE FREEMAN DIES IN LA [AP, 8/26/08]
Dave Freeman, co-author of "100 Things to Do Before You Die," a travel guide and ode to odd adventures that inspired readers and imitators, died after hitting his head in a fall at his home. He was 47. Freeman died Aug. 17, 2008 after the fall at his Venice home, his father, Roy Freeman, told the Los Angeles Times on Monday. An advertising agency executive, Freeman co-wrote the 1999 book subtitled "Travel Events You Just Can't Miss" with Neil Teplica. It was based on the Web site whatsgoingon.com, which the pair ran together from 1996 to 2001. Freeman's relatives said he visited about half the places on his list before he died, and either he or Teplica had been to nearly all of them.The book's recommendations ranged from the obvious — attending the Academy Awards and running with the bulls in Pamplona, Spain — to the more obscure — taking a voodoo pilgrimage in Haiti and "land diving" on the Island of Vanuatu, which Freeman once called "the original bungee jumping." The success of "100 Things" inspired dozens of like-minded books, with titles such as "100 Things Project Managers Should Do Before They Die" and "100 Things Cowboys Fans Should Know and Do Before They Die." Freeman graduated from the University of Southern California in 1983, briefly working for an ad agency in Newport Beach before moving to New York to work for Grey Advertising. On Sept. 11, 2001, Freeman watched the second plane hit the World Trade Center from his apartment just blocks away. He moved back to Southern California to be closer to his family.
 
"FLASHBACK" TOUR OFFERS CLASSIC ROCK FOR FANS [Reuters/Billboard, 8/26/08]
Music by Jimi Hendrix, Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin, the Doors, Janis Joplin and Deep Purple, among others, will be performed live by the Mystic Orchestra as part of "Flashback -- the Classic Rock Experience." The nearly 50-date U.S. arena tour launches Wednesday (August 27) at the Mobile Civic Center in Mobile, Alabama. Inspired partly by Paul O'Neill's Trans-Siberian Orchestra (TSO), which features a full rock band, a string section, multiple vocalists and a laser/light show, "Flashback" boasts 14 musicians and singers, along with an 11-piece string and horn section. The concert's approximately 30-song set features such classics as Hendrix's "Purple Haze," Led Zeppelin's "Stairway to Heaven," Pink Floyd's "Money" and the Doors' "Light My Fire." The idea to create "Flashback" came after seeing a TSO concert in 2006, veteran promoter and "Flashback" producer Rick Bowen told Billboard.com. "In a lot of ways (TSO has) plowed the ground for us, because we combine rock music and orchestra music together," he said. "We've just taken it to the classic rock platform and tried to play the very best of the music in the era of the late '60s and early '70s." "Flashback" will feature LED lighting, lasers, pyrotechnics and a 30-foot inflated zeppelin that will hang in the center of arenas. Seven video screens will play vintage video footage by artists whose music is featured during the nearly three-hour show. The first leg of "Flashback" will visit 6,000- to 25,000-seat U.S. arenas through the beginning of November. "We want to build a fan base, have a fair-priced ticket and have the show proliferate with other versions that come out in the future," Bowen said. "We're looking for an eight-to-10-year lifespan on this show, not a one-time go-around." The second leg of "Flashback" is tentatively scheduled to begin in mid-February 2009 and run through early spring, Bowen said.
 
COLDPLAY LOVE MAKING MUSIC! er CLOTHES! TOGETHER [E! Online, 8/26/08]
The whole stars-getting-their-own-fashion-lines thing is way out of control. (Hello, LiLo, L.C., J.T., Posh, Diddy et al.) But there are some celebs who might actually deserve it. Case in point, the lads of Coldplay, who have discovered that the band that sews together, rock 'n' rolls together. Frontman Chris Martin tells the U.K.'s Mirror that sewing is what keeps the group so tight-knit. "Making clothes together in our studio makes us feel complete. We probably sound like a group of grannies in a knitting circle, but it's the truth, and it gives us some control over our visual identity." And while other rock 'n' roll bands immediately devour the minibar or trash their hotel rooms on tour, Coldplay has other check-in priorities: "We see if they have a sewing kit in the amenities drawer in case we feel inspired," says Martin. "When you are a big band and everyone is taking shots at you, the more things you can do together the better. And if you're wearing uniforms made by your own hands it helps achieve that." That being said, we'd love to hear the band do a cover version of Neil Young's "The Neeedle and the Damage Done." We're sure they'd bring a unique perspective.
 
TORONTO RADIO STATION MIX FM REBRANDED VIRGIN RADIO 999 [CBC, 8/25/08]
British mogul Richard Branson's Virgin brand spread further into the Canadian market on Monday (Aug. 25), as a Toronto radio station became Virgin Radio's first North American commercial FM station. As of Monday afternoon, Toronto's MIX FM 99.9 became Virgin Radio 999, owner Astral Media announced. Though the station will continue with its current adult contemporary hits format, changes will include several new shows on the roster, including a new local afternoon drive program as well as the addition of broadcaster and TV presenter Ryan Seacrest's syndicated evening radio program. "Virgin Radio International is experiencing phenomenal growth around the world and recently we have expanded to Italy, France, Dubai and India. We are thrilled to add Canada to the list," Branson, Virgin Group chair, said in a statement. Aside from its radio broadcasting arm, which initially launched in the U.K. in 1993, the Virgin brand spans a range of sectors, including cellphones, transportation, financial services and music performance, publishing and retail.
 
PAUL McCARTNEY TO PERFORM IN TEL AVIV [AP, 8/25/08]
Sir Paul McCartney is set to perform in Israel, 40 years after his legendary band, the Beatles, were banned from playing in the Holy Land. Israeli media were abuzz with excitement on Sunday (Aug. 24) with news of McCartney's visit. The rock star was scheduled to play earlier in the year, but the show was canceled. Israeli media reported McCartney would perform in Tel Aviv on September 25, 2008. Tel Aviv city officials could not be reached to confirm the report. McCartney's publicist, Stuart Bell said, "Nothing's been confirmed." The Beatles were set to tour the Jewish state in 1965, but they were refused entry permits over concerns the group's lyrics could corrupt Israeli youth.
 
TRUMP'S GAZILLIONAIRE BUILDING IN DUBAI [E! Online, 8/25/08]
If Donald Trump has decided who he's going to support for president, he isn't saying. However, he does have at least one thing to say about Barack Obama picking Joe Biden as his running mate. "It was an unusual choice," Trump told me last night about Biden at the Los Angeles-area gala to celebrate the Trump International Hotel & Tower, his new gazillionaire building in Dubai. "But I wish them luck." The real estate magnate was quickly ushered into one of two temporary domes housing a Hollywood-worthy presentation of the Dubai project, which Trump is developing with the Middle East's Nakheel real estate conglomorate. A mini-replica of Dubai was on display as a booming movie-trailer-like voice was blasted through a speaker system boasting of the money that's being poured into the Middle Eastern region. Trump's 26-year-old daughter Ivanka explained that Dubai was one of 70 projects she's working on for her father's company. "We have so many opportunities to grow and there are just markets that are exploding all over the world," she said, after rattling off a list that included Egypyt, Peru, China and India. "They're all going on at the same time right now. They're all active and all moving forward." Believe it or not, the Trumps haven't thought about an Apprentice challenge in Dubai for the upcoming season of their reality competition show. "We'll have to credit you if we do," Ivanka told me when I suggested the idea. Meanwhile, stars like Orlando Bloom, Kate Walsh, Ali Larter, Hayden Panettiere, Lucy Liu, Aaron Eckhart and Hilary Swank showed up for the swanky affair, which took place at a sprawling Bel-Air estate owned by a South African family that apparently makes its money in the fashion biz. Christina Aguilera performed. So why did these celebs come out for Mr. Trump and his Dubai dreams? No one will actually confirm on the record, but one well-informed partygoer told me that many are not only offered cash, but also luxurious trips to the Middle East. The region is swimming in money. Some property developers have offered potential investors incentives like free jets and sports cars if they buy into their properties, according to the partygoer: "They say there's a Maserati in the garage waiting for them. I heard of one place where they're giving away a Leaarjet!"
 
BARACK AND MICHELLE OBAMA -  PARTNERS, FRIENDS AND LOVERS [AFP, 8/24/08]
Fans adore her as an inspiration and style icon. Right-wing foes have dubbed her an angry black radical. But for first-lady-in-waiting Michelle Obama, she is first and foremost a mom. As her husband Barack Obama is poised to make history by being crowned the Democratic Party's first black presidential nominee, Michelle, 44, is doing her best to stay level-headed. Initially she had sought to stay in the shadows, partly out of a natural tendency to shun the limelight, but mainly for the sake of their young daughters, Malia, 10, and Sasha, 7. But amid the excitement whipped up by Barack's electrifying campaign for change, Michelle was thrust increasingly into the fore, emerging as a feisty, engaging and charismatic woman with a fierce independent streak. Her simple, strong dress style often accompanied by fake gobstopper-size pearls, and her hair flip have drawn comparisons with one of America's most beloved former first ladies Jackie Onassis. And her candid relevations of life with Obama, 47, and her struggle to juggle family life with her husband's political ambitions have also won her a legion of fans. On Monday she will deliver the keynote speech at the opening of the Democratic Party convention in Denver, lighting the touch paper for four days of political pageantry aimed at propelling her husband into the White House. And the tall -- (five feet, 11 inches (1.8 meters) in her stocking feet) -- athletic lawyer, who lists Stevie Wonder as her favorite musician on her Facebook page and once earned twice as much as her husband, could prove a very modern kind of first lady. With degrees from both Princeton and Harvard, Michelle has come a long way from her modest upbringing in a lower middle class family deeply rooted in Chicago's black community.  Should the couple be elected in November to the White House, Michelle knows firmly where her priorities lie. "My first job in all honesty is going to continue to be mom-in-chief," she told Ebony magazine this month, to ensure their daughters "are settled and that they know they will continue to be the center of our universe." Michelle herself moved to soften her image, taking on a new chief of staff and appearing on daytime television talk shows. She told Ebony magazine she wanted people to get to know her and her husband and to see "that we all represent what is good and wonderful about America." "Barack and I -- as partners, as friends and as lovers -- we accessorize each other in many ways," she added.
 
MALAYSIA ALLOWS AVRIL LAVIGNE TO HOLD CONCERT [Reuters, 8/24/08]
Malaysia has allowed Canadian pop star Avril Lavigne to hold a concert ahead of the country's independence day celebrations, reversing a decision to bar the performance following protests by an Islamist party. The decision to allow the August 29 concert in Kuala Lumpur was taken at a cabinet meeting after studying the assurances given by the concert organizer, Bernama quoted Arts and Culture Minister Mohamad Shafie Apdal as saying. The government had previously asked Lavigne's promoters to change the date of the concert after the opposition, Parti se-Islam Malaysia, objected to it, saying that mainly Muslim Malaysia should not ape Western values and cultures. Although Malaysia, which marks its 51st year of independence from Britain on August 31, is a moderate Muslim country with sizeable non-Muslim minorities, conservative groups often frown upon departures from strict interpretations of the Koran. "In giving the approval, the cabinet also instructed the (arts and culture) ministry to monitor the concert to ensure that the performances do not clash with the Malaysian culture and values," Shafie was quoted as saying. Last October, U.S. R&B star Beyonce Knowles axed her debut concert in Malaysia in protest against the country's ultra-strict dress code and over fears of a Muslim outcry over her show. But a year ago, U.S. singer Gwen Stefani performed in Malaysia despite calls from Muslim students to cancel the concert because they deemed it too obscene.
 
SINGAPORE TO EASE BAN ON POLITICAL FILMS NEXT YEAR [Reuters, 8/23/08]
Singapore will ease a 10-year-old ban on films that promote a politician or political party next year, the Straits Times reported on Saturday (Aug. 23), citing a government minister. Lee Boon Yang's remarks followed an announcement by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong this week that the government may relax a ban on both political films and demonstrations to keep up with the spread of video and other free expression on the Internet. The government may allow films that are factual documentaries or recordings of live events that were "held in accordance with the law," the newspaper quoted Lee Boon Yang, who is in charge of Information, Communications and Arts, as saying in an email. "However, political commercials and films which are dramatized and made to distort issues or create a slanted impression should not be allowed," the minister said. The southeast Asian city-state, which has been ruled by the People's Action Party for more than 40 years, bans the production and screening of all political films, imposing a maximum fine of S$100,000 ($73,000) or a two-year jail term on offenders.
 
SPAIN'S PRINCESS LETIZIA UNDERGOES NOSE SURGERY: ROYAL PALACE [AFP, 8/22/08]
Princess Letizia, the wife of the heir to the Spanish throne, Crown Prince Felipe, had surgery on her nose last week to fix a breathing problem, the Royal Palace said Friday (Aug. 22). The septorhinoplasty -- an operation to straighten the cartilage and bone that separates the nose into two sides -- was carried out by palace medical staff to fix a deviated septum, it said. Patients with a deviated septum -- the wall between the left and right sides of the nose -- find that one side of their nose is wider than normal and one is narrower. The consequences of a deviated septum can range from a mild impact on breathing to a complete lack of function of one or both nostrils. Even if there is little or no breathing disturbances, a deviated septum can make the exterior bridge of the nose look crooked. Princess Letizia, 35, was included in Vanity Fair magazine's latest yearly International Best-Dressed List along with French First Lady Carla Bruni and Kate Middleton, the girlfriend of Britain's Prince William. Her first public engagement since the surgery came Thursday when she visited some of the 19 survivors of a Spanish airliner crash along with her husband at a Madrid hospital. The Spanair plane bound for Spain's Canary Islands crashed Wednesday shortly after take-off from Madrid airport, killing 153 people.
 
DUFFY SET AS OPENING ACT ON COLDPLAY'S TOUR [Aceshowbiz, 8/22/08]
This fall, Duffy will travel with Coldplay to north America in support of the band's world tour. She will open the band's gig and use the opportunity to promote her debut album called "Rockferry" which was already released in March. The "Mercy" singer will also start kicking off her own major gigs in San Diego on October 9, 2008. She will then continue performing in Los Angeles, Vancouver, Seattle, and Chicago before joining Coldplay on stage in Cleveland, New Jersey, Boston, Washington DC, and Philadelphia. Furthermore, with a major 12-dates UK tour, including a performance at Newport Center, Duffy is reported to be very busy this year. Next month, she will appear on CBS's "The Late Show". After that, she will also perform at the all-star Fashion Rocks concert held in Radio City Music Hall. Duffy's tour date with Coldplay: Cleveland at OH Quicken Loans Arena on October 21; E. Rutherford at NJ IZOD Center on October 26 and 27; Boston at MA TD Banknorth Garden on October 29; Washington at DC Verizon on October 31 and Philadelphia at PA Wachovia Center on November 1, 2008.
 
JAMES BOND 'BROUGHT MUSICIANS TOGETHER' [BBC News, 8/22/08]
White Stripes frontman Jack White says James Bond was the key to finally getting him to work with Alicia Keys. White and Keys have recorded the duet Another Way to Die, the theme tune for the next Bond film, Quantum of Solace. But White has said he had been wanting to collaborate with the award-winning R&B star for "a couple of years". Meanwhile, the US cinema release of Quantum of Solace has been pushed back by a week after the new Harry Potter film was also delayed.  Quantum of Solace will now hit the big screen on 14 November, 2008. White, who also performs with The Raconteurs, said: "Alicia put some electric energy into her breath that cemented itself into the magnetic tape. Very inspiring to watch. He said the the collaboration "gave me a new voice, and I wasn't myself any more". He added: "I drummed for her voice and she mimicked the guitar tones, then we joined our voices and screamed and moaned about these characters in the film and their isolation, having no-one to trust, not even themselves. Maybe we became them for a few minutes." The move by Sony to delay the release of Quantum of Solace follows Warner Bros' decision last week to push back Harry Potter And The Half-Blood Prince from 21 November to July 2009. "Harry Potter moving out gave us an opportunity to get a little closer to the holidays," Sony worldwide marketing chairman Jeff Blake said. "Bond has a really good history of not only playing through Thanksgiving but going deep into the Christmas holidays." Quantum of Solace will receive its world premiere 29 October in London, two days before its UK opening. Prince William and Prince Harry will attend the screening.

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