Entertaining Posts

Wednesday, May 18, 2011

New Lady Gaga album leaks ahead of May 23 release

LOS ANGELES | Wed May 18, 2011 9:06pm EDT

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Lady Gaga's heavily-hyped new album "Born This Way" made its way to the Internet on Wednesday, five days ahead of its official release on May 23.

All fourteen tracks from the album were initially streamed in Europe on a special website to readers of the London-based free newspaper Metro, which Gaga guest-edited on Monday as part of a promotional blitz for the new album.

They were also released on Wednesday to premium subscribers in Sweden, Norway, Spain, the Netherlands and Finland of the music streaming service Spotify.

But all the tracks soon made their way to the Internet, giving U.S. fans and reviewers an early chance to weigh in on the third album from the New York pop-dance performance artist.

Four of the singles have already been released by Gaga, including the title track which sold one million copies in five days in February and became the fastest-selling single in iTunes history.

But Rolling Stone magazine said in a track by track review on Wednesday that Gaga had "still managed to pack in some surprises".

Entertainment Weekly called it "an inconsistent blend of icy techno-pop and greeting-card empowerment that's more a triumph of production than songwriting."

Dan Martin with British music website NME.com described the album as "a relentless torrent of heavy metal rave pop." Martin added that "Born This Way" is "an exercise in the pushing of everything to its ultimate degree. And for all the black, white and silver, it passes that test with flying colors."

U.S. fans on Wednesday were split between downloading the album illicitly or waiting until its official release next week.

"Pretty stupid to preview it and not think such a highly anticipated album would leak. She should have just waited to release her album when it was meant to be released," commented a writer called Carrie on the Entertainment Weekly website.

Gaga's Interscope Records, part of Universal Music Group did not return calls for comment.

Gaga, 25, was named by Forbes on Wednesday as the world's most powerful celebrity, partly due to her dominance of social media, where she has 32 million Facebook fans.

"She can use Twitter and Facebook to work the 'little monsters' into a frenzy that leads to record sales and media attention. She's the best example of how celebrities will need to manage their careers in the coming years," Forbes editor Dorothy Pomerantz said.

(Reporting by Jill Serjeant; Editing by Zorianna Kit)

Lady Gaga ousts Oprah on Forbes celebrity power list

NEW YORK | Wed May 18, 2011 3:36pm EDT

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Flamboyant pop singer Lady Gaga ousted U.S. media mogul Oprah Winfrey to top this year's Forbes celebrity power list released on Wednesday.

Gaga, whose real name is Stefani Germanotta, moved up four positions from last year to claim the top spot in Forbes' annual "The Celebrity 100" 2011 list that measures power by entertainment-related earnings, media visibility and social media popularity.

Forbes rated the American singer-songwriter No. 1, estimating her earnings in the past 12 months as $90 million, but also noting her 32 million Facebook fans and 10 million Twitter followers.

"Lady Gaga beat Oprah this year because of her social media power. She can use Twitter and Facebook to work the "little monsters" into a frenzy that leads to record sales and media attention. She's the best example of how celebrities will need to manage their careers in the coming years," Forbes editor Dorothy Pomerantz said.

Winfrey, who next week ends "The Oprah Winfrey Show" syndicated TV chat show after 25 years, dropped one place from last year to No. 2 earning an estimated $290 million.

Canadian pop star Justin Bieber, 17, was the youngest to make the list and debuted at No. 3, earning $53 million from concerts and sales from his concert movie and documentary "Never Say Never."

Coming in at No. 4 was U2, earning $195 million and Elton John, who earned $100 million.

Forbes said its earnings figures consist of pretax income between May 1, 2010, and May 1, 2011

Rounding out the top ten for 2011 was golfer Tiger Woods, earning $75 million, country singer Taylor Swift, rock band Bon Jovi, British music producer and "The X Factor" judge Simon Cowell and U.S. basketball player LeBron James.

Other big newcomers include singer Katy Perry at No 12, British director and producer Christopher Nolan at No. 47, actress Natalie Portman at No. 75.

Former "Real Housewives of New York" star Bethenny Frankel, who used her latest TV show, "Bethenny Ever After" to promote her Skinnygirl brand of drinks she sold for $100 million, landed at No. 42.

The biggest gainer from last year's list was Leonardo DiCaprio, moving up 56 spots to a ranking of 71.

Dropping out of this year's list that includes film and television actors, TV personalities, models, athletes, authors and musicians, was Britney Spears, who didn't tour in 2010, as well as "Harry Potter" star Daniel Radcliffe.

The collective total earnings of the top 100 dropped this year from last year, from a collective $4.7 billion to $4.5 billion.

Donald Trump, who this week dropped out of a U.S. 2012 Republican presidential bid, benefited from the increased media attention by breaking into the top 20 at No. 17, according to Forbes.

The full list can be viewed at www.forbes.com/celebs.

(Reporting by Christine Kearney, editing by Jill Serjeant)

Director Trier stirs up Cannes with Nazi comments

By Mike Collett-White

CANNES, France | Wed May 18, 2011 8:40am EDT

CANNES, France (Reuters) - Danish director Lars Von Trier's comments on Wednesday at a press conference in Cannes at which he jokingly declared himself a Nazi caused consternation at the film festival and offense among Jewish groups.

The Danish maverick is at the annual film festival with his competition film "Melancholia," a grand cinematic statement on life, death and the universe which wowed a packed audience at a press screening in the giant Grand Theater Lumiere.

But his provocative comments, apparently made in jest, threatened to overshadow the triumph many journalists and critics felt his movie to be.

The Hollywood Reporter's headline was "Lars Von Trier Admits to Being a Nazi, Understanding Hitler," adding that the 55-year-old had "pulled a Mel Gibson" in reference to the latter's anti-Semitic slurs in 2006 that harmed his reputation.

The American Gathering of Holocaust Survivors and their Descendants said in a statement: "Holocaust survivors condemn Von Trier's repulsive comments as an insensitive exploitation of victims' suffering for self-serving promotion and publicity.

"His bizarre comments may have been made in jest and for shock, but those subjected to the brutalities of the Nazi regime cannot find amusement in recalling the torture and deaths of those terrible times.

"We cannot give a review of his film, but as a person Von Trier is a moral failure."

STARS SQUIRM

Flanked at the news conference by his two leading stars Charlotte Gainsbourg and Kirsten Dunst, Von Trier made several references to making a long porn film featuring the actresses.

As the conference drew to a close, the director, who won the Palme d'Or in Cannes for best picture with "Dancer in the Dark," was asked to expand on comments he made in a recent interview regarding his interest in the Nazi aesthetic.

"I thought I was a Jew for a long time and was very happy being a Jew," said Von Trier, who, according to biographies, believed his father to be Jewish until his mother revealed to him on her death bed that his father was actually German.

"Then later on came (Jewish and Danish director) Susanne Bier and then suddenly I wasn't so happy about being a Jew. No, that was a joke, sorry.

"But it turned out I was not a Jew but even if I'd been a Jew I would be kind of a second rate Jew because there is kind of a hierarchy in the Jewish population.

"But anyway, I really wanted to be a Jew and then I found out I was really a Nazi, you know, because my family was German, Hartmann, which also gave me some pleasure."

Dunst was visibly uncomfortable as he continued his monologue, which drew laughs then gasps among reporters.

"What can I say? I understand Hitler. I think he did some wrong things, yes absolutely, but I can see him sitting in his bunker in the end.

"I think I understand the man. He's not what you would call a good guy, but I understand much about him and I sympathize with him a little bit. But come on, I'm not for the Second World War, and I'm not against Jews.

"I am of course very much for Jews. No, not too much because Israel is a pain in the ass. But still, how can I get out of this sentence?"

He expressed admiration for Nazi architect Albert Speer before ending another rambling sentence with: "OK, I'm a Nazi."

The last question he faced was about whether "Melancholia" was his answer to the Hollywood blockbuster and whether he could make a movie that was even bigger in scale.

"Yeah, that's what we Nazis ... we have a tendency to try to do things on a greater scale. Yeah, may be you could persuade me." As a passing shot, he referred to the press conference as the "final solution with journalists."

Dunst, who was not smiling by the end, could be heard saying: "Oh Lars, that was intense."

(Reporting by Mike Collett-White, editing by Paul Casciato)

Tuesday, May 17, 2011

Hollywood stars turn out for farewell Oprah show

By Matthew Lewis

CHICAGO | Wed May 18, 2011 12:44am EDT

CHICAGO (Reuters) - Oprah Winfrey neared the end of her quarter-century reign on national television on Tuesday night with a star-studded send-off featuring Beyonce, Madonna, Aretha Franklin, Tom Cruise, Michael Jordan and many others who honored the talk show queen's efforts to boost education and fight poverty.

"She's a self-made woman who's been at the top of her game for over 25 years -- and she's still kicking ass," Madonna told a delighted audience of about 13,000 in a Chicago arena.

Wearing a purple gown, the pony-tailed Winfrey basked in the night of tributes from A-list celebrities and friends. Billed as "Surprise Oprah! A Farewell Spectacular" because Winfrey was kept in the dark about the guest list, the show will air in two parts on May 23 and 24.

Winfrey's final original "Oprah Winfrey Show", whose contents are still under wraps, will air on May 25, bringing to a close 25 years of the most-watched daytime talk show on U.S. television.

"Your show has turned surprise into an art form," actor Tom Hanks told Winfrey on Tuesday. "Oprah Winfrey, today you are surrounded by nothing but love. Your studio was not big enough to hold it all, so here we are," Hanks said, gesturing around the glittering basketball arena and concert venue.

Madonna praised Winfrey for her courage. "It's no secret that millions of people are inspired by Oprah," she said. "I am one of those people ... She fights for things she believes in, even if it makes her unpopular."

A slimmed-down Aretha Franklin, now recovered from major surgery six months ago, sang "Amazing Grace" to a stunned Winfrey. Beyonce, who performed her new single "Run the World (Girls), said that because of her "women everywhere have graduated to a new level of understanding of what we are, who we are, and who we can be."

FEELING THE LOVE

Maria Shriver, whose estranged husband Arnold Schwarzenegger on Tuesday admitted fathering a child in an adulterous relationship, also came to Chicago to pay tribute to her 30-year friendship with Winfrey. "You've given me love, support, wisdom, and most of all, the truth," Shriver said.

A beaming Cruise told Winfrey it was an honor to have been on her show 12 times since 1988. Referring to his first appearance on the show 23 years ago, Winfrey quipped, "You looked like you were 10."

The special also included appearances by Will Smith, Oscar-winning actress Halle Berry, singer-actress Queen Latifah, Josh Groban, Patti LaBelle, Jerry Seinfeld, John Legend, broadcaster Diane Sawyer and basketball star Michael Jordan.

Winfrey, regarded as the most influential woman on U.S. television, is wrapping the final season of her syndicated Chicago-based show to devote more energy to her fledgling OWN cable network, which launched in January.

On a night of both performances and tributes, Jamie Foxx and Stevie Wonder serenaded Winfrey with "Isn't She Lovely" and country band Rascal Flatts sang "I Won't Let Go".

R&B star Usher closed the evening by singing the rousing spiritual "Oh Happy Day" and was joined by Winfrey and many of the other celebrities, clapping and singing.

Overcome by emotion, Winfrey declared, "I feel the love, and I thank you for it."

(Reporting by Matthew Lewis, editing by Jill Serjeant)

Pete Townshend says 2012 memoir a "rite of passage"

NEW YORK | Tue May 17, 2011 6:16pm EDT

NEW YORK (Reuters) - A long-awaited memoir by British rock guitarist and the Who songwriter Pete Townshend will be finished and published by next year, book publisher Harper Collins said on Tuesday.

The 65-year-old musician, idolized since rising to prominence with The Who in the 1960s, said in a statement released by the book publisher the autobiography is "not a vanity for me. It is an essential rite of passage."

Townshend, who Rolling Stone magazine said has been writing a memoir since the 1990s, has forged a reputation not only as the main songwriter for one of Britain's most influential bands, but a rock commentator who has also published works of fiction and essays in the past.

"Rock 'n' Roll is a tough career, however cynically or comically it is portrayed by its detractors," Townshend said in the statement. "I am lucky to be alive and to have such a crazy story to tell, full of wild adventures and creative machinations. I am happy that I am able to write my book myself, in my own 'voice'."

Harper Collins, which said it has acquired the world English-language rights to the memoir, said in a news release the book would "at long last tell his dramatic story in a full and frank autobiography," and include the history of the band's roots to its rock opera "Tommy."

The publisher did not say if Townshend would address being cautioned by the British police in 2003 for accessing child pornography on the Internet.

At that time Townshend blamed the book, saying he was researching material for a childhood autobiography after believing he had been sexually abused between the ages of five and six and a half while in the care of his maternal grandmother.

In the statement issued Tuesday on Townshend said that while "I am not my favorite subject", he was looking forward to learning while finishing his writing.

"So the year ahead spent writing will also trigger the last vital bit of 'growing up' required by the now pensionable fellow who once wrote 'I hope I die before I get old'. I want to write a book that is enjoyable to read, but above all, I want it to be honest."

Last week it was announced that Townshend gave Roger Daltrey, the only other surviving members of The Who, his blessing to take the 1969 rock opera "Tommy" on a six-week North American tour beginning in September.

(Reporting by Christine Kearney, editing by Jill Serjeant)