#PrayForDemi: Stars rally behind Demi Lovato for recovery from alleged drug overdose

HOLLYWOOD — Celebrities from the music industry turn to social media to express their support to international pop star Demi Lovato after she was hospitalized due to suspected drug abuse.

The hashtag #PrayForDemi trended on Twitter and several celebrities posted supportive words Tuesday, including Missy Elliott, Ariana Grande, Brad Paisley, Kesha, Bebe Rexha, Meghan Trainor, Maren Morris, Kehlani and British electronic group Clean Bandit, whose current single "Solo" features Lovato.


In her Twitter account, Lady Gaga called everyone to rally behind Demi, saying she is happy that the singer is alive.

“We should all wrap our arms of love around Demi Lovato. I am so happy you’re alive. Thank God. If I know my monsters as well as I believe I do, we all wish you self-compassion and inner peace. And may you receive the love so many have for you. #ImConfidentInDemi Demi, I love you,” Lagy Gaga wrote.

Meanwhile, Bruno Mars tweeted: “Sending love and prayers to Demi Lovato,” while Ariana Grande wrote: “i love u @ddlovato.”



TV host Ellen DeGeneres also sympathizes with the “Skyscraper” singer, saying: “I love @DDLovato so much. It breaks my heart that she is going through this. She is a light in this world, and I am sending my love to her and her family.”


Singer Meghan Trainor also tweeted: “@ddlovato we love you.”

Meanwhile, country music singer-songwriter Brad Paisley said Demi is one of the kindest person he has ever met.

“Praying for her right now, addiction is a terrifying disease. There is no one more honest or brave than this woman,” Brad wrote.

source: philstar.com

Argentine court to try Justin Bieber for photographer assault

BUENOS AIRES | An Argentine court has ruled that pop star Justin Bieber must face trial for allegedly assaulting a photographer outside a nightclub in 2013, according to a decision published Thursday.

Judge Alberto Banos ordered Bieber to go on trial on charges of robbery, attempted robbery and assault with minor injuries, according to the decision.

The case dates to a stop in Buenos Aires on the Canadian heartthrob’s Believe tour.

According to the complaint, a bodyguard, following Bieber’s orders, forcefully seized photographer Diego Pesoa’s camera and cellphone outside a nightclub in the upscale Palermo neighborhood in November 2013.

Bieber has ignored court orders to appear before the judge, prompting Argentina to request an Interpol Red Notice for his arrest.

The plaintiff’s lawyer, Matias Morla, welcomed the ruling.

“The judge’s decision is excellent and represents a new slap in the face to Justin’s arrogance,” he said.

“Justin has hidden behind his fame and money to escape justice. Now he will have to observe the court ruling of a sovereign country like Argentina and show up to testify like any other citizen,” he told Argentine newspaper Diario Popular.

Bieber, 22, once enjoyed a squeaky clean image, but has recently had frequent run-ins with the law, including in the United States and Canada.

source: interaksyon.com

Justin Timberlake kicks off concert documentary at Toronto festival

TORONTO | Pop star Justin Timberlake’s new concert documentary was a joy to make because the lack of rigid plot or story structure makes shooting such productions the “purest form of film making,” director Jonathan Demme said on Wednesday.

“Justin Timberlake and the Tennessee Kids,” which premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival on Tuesday, was filmed at the final performances of the singer’s world tour in Las Vegas in January 2015.

It begins with a pre-show band huddle and then launches within minutes into the action-packed dance and musical spectacle from onstage.

“When we film music, to me that’s the purest form of film making,” Demme said in an interview in Toronto with Timberlake. “There’s no script that has to be followed. The only narrative is the music itself.”

Demme, known for “Philadelphia,” “The Silence of the Lambs,” and concert films such as “Stop Making Sense” with Talking Heads, said being in the middle of the show makes even a non-musician such as himself feel part of the music.

“We’re feeling it, so intense, and capturing it, it’s like, ‘We’re in the band now!’” he said.

The film, which will be released on Netflix on Oct. 12, is a culmination of Timberlake’s 134 shows and 2 years on the road on a tour billed as one of the highest-grossing of the decade.

Timberlake said on Wednesday he initially was nervous because he was being himself, instead of portraying characters as he usually does on screen.

“Last night I had a bit of that,” he said. “I was going like, ‘Oh, wow, a lot of people are going to see this now.’”

But Demme had told him that, in a way, performing on stage was playing a character as well, Timberlake said.

“Being on stage is intuitive but it’s also a bigger version of yourself,” he said.

Timberlake is a Demme fan and said the movie maker had captured the concert well, including his supporting cast. While Timberlake was the focus, the film did not neglect the Tennessee Kids, Timberlake’s 25-piece band whose members were given liberal screen time.

“I feel proud for everyone else in the show, the musicians and the dancers, because they’re such a part of what’s happening,” Timberlake said.

“I just kind of feel like I’m standing in the middle of them. I’m really happy for them to be showcased the way that they are.”

source: interaksyon.com

Justin Bieber flirts with retirement in Christmas Eve tweets

NEW YORK | Teenage pop star Justin Bieber sent out a series of mixed messages over his Twitter feed on Tuesday night, one of which said he was retiring, on the eve of the Christmas Day release of the latest film chronicling the life of the Canadian singer.

The tweet to the 19-year-old’s nearly 48 million followers – “My beloved beliebers I’m officially retiring” – was quickly followed by another message: “I’m never leaving you, being a belieber is a lifestyle.”

And then: “IM HERE FOREVER.”

Representatives for Bieber did not immediately respond to a request for clarification.

The Canadian singer has been involved in a series of headline-grabbing incidents over the past year.

In March, the singer scuffled with a photographer outside a London hotel during a European tour. Later that month, police were called to his Los Angeles area home after a neighbor claimed he had been threatened and struck by Bieber.

In June, Bieber struck a photographer with his Ferrari sports car while driving away from a comedy club in Los Angeles, though police said the accident was not considered a hit-and-run.

The movie, “Justin Bieber’s Believe,” which takes the name of Bieber’s third studio album, could help repair his image after the difficult year.

“I think people forget that it’s a 19-year-old kid, trying to figure it out,” Bieber’s manager, Scooter Braun, told ABC News, adding the film shows Bieber as “a human.”

At one point in the film, director Jon Chu suggests Bieber’s life could become a “train wreck.”

The “retirement” message went out on the night of Christmas Eve and by the following morning had nearly a quarter million retweets and over 185,000 favorites.

Twitter user @theycallmejerry tweeted: “A life without Justin Bieber. A life without my idol, hero, inspiration, my everything. Not the best thing to think about on Christmas Eve.”

On the other end of the spectrum, Twitter user CozImAGuy said, “Justin Bieber retiring is the greatest Christmas gift EVER.”

source: interaksyon.com

Pop singer Miley Cyrus named MTV’s best artist of 2013

NEW YORK | Miley Cyrus, the pop star who caused a sensation with her raunchy performance at this year’s MTV Video Music Awards, was named best artist of 2013 by the cable TV network on Tuesday.

MTV said the singer dominated the music charts and the headlines with the release of her album “Bangerz,” her jaw-dropping performances at awards shows and her hosting stint on the television sketch show “Saturday Night Live.”

“She is the third artist to receive the distinction of being named MTV’s Best Artist of the Year with past honorees including Katy Perry (2012) and One Direction (2011),” MTV said in a statement announcing the results.

Cyrus, 21, was also ranked MTV.com top artist, based on fan visits to the site, and had the most watched video of 2013 with her live performance with singer Robin Thicke at the VMAs.

In an MTV documentary released in October, the “We Can’t Stop” singer admitted that she was out to shock and to push the boundaries. She said she was unapologetic for her provocative performance with Thicke.

Cyrus, the former Disney Channel star who shot to fame in the show “Hannah Montana,” has made a concerted effort to shed her good-girl teen image with her suggestive performances and revealing outfits.

Hip-hop artists Macklemore and Ryan Lewis came in second on the MTV list of best artists for 2013, with Justin Timberlake, rapper Kanye West and British boy band One Direction rounding out the top five.

Katy Perry was No. 6, followed by rapper Drake, R&B singer Bruno Mars, 17-year-old New Zealand-born singer/songwriter Lorde and Lady Gaga.

source: interaksyon.com

Britney Spears inks 2-year deal as Planet Hollywood Las Vegas resident artist

NEW YORK | Britney Spears, the pop star and former “X-Factor” judge, is heading to Las Vegas with a two-year residency deal to perform at the Planet Hollywood Resort and Casino.

The former child star, whose hits include “Baby One More Time” and “Toxic,” will perform 50 shows a year starting on December 27. Tickets for the shows go on sale on Tuesday.

“I love it here. The energy here is really, really good,” Spears said in an interview from Las Vegas on Tuesday on ABC’s “Good Morning America.”

“I am definitely going to do the greatest hits but I am going to have to put my new material in it to keep it fresh,” she said.

The announcement ended speculation that Spears, 31, would follow in the footsteps of other top-selling artists such as Canada’s Celine Dion and Britain’s Elton John, who had long-term contracts in the gambling mecca.

Terms of Spears’ two-year deal have not been released. Dion’s three-year deal was said to be worth $100 million.

Caesars Entertainment Corp, which owns Planet Hollywood and resorts and casinos, said in February that it was in talks with Spears about a headlining residency at its resort.

Spears hit the big time in the 1990s, and was one of the biggest pop stars of the 2000s. But her early fame was followed by troubled years during which she lost custody of her two young sons and spent time in rehab.

She was a judge on the popular singing competition show, “The X Factor,” in 2012 but left after one season.

source: interaksyon.com

Katy Perry confronts Australia’s opposition leader on gay marriage

SYDNEY | US pop star Katy Perry on Thursday took Tony Abbott to task over his stance on gay marriage, telling the Australian opposition leader she would not vote for him.

Abbott’s three daughters, aged 20 to 24, are Perry fans and he phoned in when she was a guest on Sydney’s 2DayFM radio station.

He said his “big question” was when would the 28-year-old again tour Australia.

“When are you coming back (to Australia)? We need you, we want you,” Abbott said.

Perry, however, was keener to discuss the policies of his conservative coalition ahead of elections on September 7.

“Oh come on, that’s not a political question. Let’s talk about gay marriage,” she replied from the United States, urging voters to speak out against Abbott’s stance on the issue.

“I love you as a human being but I can’t give you my vote,” Perry said, adding: “I just don’t believe in your policies so that’s what a lot of people should be doing.”

Despite having an openly gay sister, Abbott is opposed to same-sex marriages, in contrast to election rival Prime Minister Kevin Rudd, who has vowed to introduce a bill legalizing the unions if returned to office.

Questioned later by reporters about Perry, Abbott, seen as the favorite to win the election, said they “respectfully disagreed”, although they did agree to meet for lunch when Perry heads to Australia next year.

“I respectfully disagree with a number of people, including my own sister, on this subject, but no doubt we’ll all continue to say our piece,” he said, adding of his chat with the singer: “My daughters for once were envious of their dad.”

While leading in opinion polls, Abbott’s campaign has been littered with gaffes this week, including one on gay marriage Tuesday when he said: “I’m not someone who wants to see radical change based on the fashion of the moment.”

He later back-pedalled, saying it was a “very significant issue” among many in his party.

Perry is best known for hit songs such as “Teenage Dream,” California Gurls,” and “I Kissed a Girl.”

Abbott said her catchy hit “Hot n Cold” would make a good election anthem for his party, but Perry was not so sure.

“I don’t know, I don’t know if that’s the best song we can pick for a politician,” she said of a song that begins with the lyrics: “You change your mind like a girl changes clothes”.

source: interaksyon.com

Justin Bieber lashes out at media’s ‘countless lies’ about him

LOS ANGELES – Pop star Justin Bieber struck back at his critics on Thursday, denouncing the “countless lies” written about him after a week in which he canceled a concert, collapsed on stage and had a run-in with paparazzi.

In a lengthy posting on his Instagram profile, the 19-year-old singer said he was not going into rehab, contrary to some media speculation, and felt he had done nothing to deserve the negative press surrounding his European tour.

“Everyone in my team has been telling me, ‘keep the press happy’ but I’m tired of all the countless lies in the press right now. Saying I’m going to rehab and how my family is disappointed in me,” Bieber wrote.

Saying he wanted to let his fans know directly how he felt, Bieber added: “I’m a good person with a big heart. And don’t think I deserve all this negative press I’ve worked my ass off to get where I am and my hard work doesn’t stop here … All this isn’t easy. I get angry sometimes. I’m human. I’m gonna make mistakes. I’m gonna grow and get better from them.”

The clean-cut Canadian teenager has had a meteoric career since being discovered on YouTube in 2008.

But he hit the headlines for all the wrong reasons last week when he turned up two hours late for a London concert, collapsed on stage in London with shortness of breath on another night, and was caught on camera cursing at a pushy photographer.

He was spotted wearing a bizarre gas mask on a night out in London, and one British tabloid labeled him “Pop brat Justin.”

On Monday, he canceled one of two planned concerts in Portugal this week. A statement cited “unforeseen circumstances,” but local media in Portugal reported that ticket sales for the gigs had been slow.

Bieber, who has more than 35 million Twitter followers, suggested on Thursday that envy of his success might lie at the root of the jibes from the news media.

“I’m 19 with 5 number one albums, 19 and I’ve seen the whole world. 19 and I’ve accomplished more than I could’ve ever dreamed of, I’m 19 and it must be scary to some people to think that this is just the beginning,” he wrote.

Bieber played a concert, apparently without incident, in Madrid on Thursday before moving on to Barcelona and other European cities later this month.

source: interaksyon.com

Singer Shakira, soccer star Gerard Pique welcome baby boy

BARCELONA – Singer Shakira gave birth to her first child, a boy, on Tuesday in Barcelona, the Colombian pop star said on her website.

The “Hips Don’t Lie” singer and her boyfriend, the Spanish soccer player Gerard Pique, named the six-pound, six-ounce boy Milan.

“Milan (pronounced MEE-lahn) means dear, loving and gracious in Slavic; in Ancient Roman, eager and laborious, and in Sanskrit, unification,” the star said in a statement posted on her website.

“Just like his father, baby Milan became a member of FC Barcelona at birth,” the couple joked in a statement. Pique is a defender for Spanish La Liga runner-up FC Barcelona.

Shakira, 35, announced her pregnancy in September after bowing out of a performance in Las Vegas.

The couple last week asked fans to donate gifts such as mosquito nets and vaccines to help needy children in an online baby shower. Shakira is a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador.

Shakira has signed on to be a judge on the upcoming season of the hit singing contest “The Voice,” which is broadcast by U.S. network NBC. She and R&B singer Usher will replace judges Christina Aguilera and Cee Lo Green.

The singer fist met Pique, 25, in 2010, but only confirmed that they had been in a relationship in March 2011.

source: interaksyon.com

Lady Gaga's high-end Manhattan resto hit over filthy habits

LONDON -- The high-end Manhattan restaurant owned by pop star Lady Gaga and her family has been slapped after the Dept. of Health uncovered violations.

Joanne Trattoria on the city's West Side restaurant was smacked with a shameful 'C' grade, the lowest possible rating.




This, after health officials uncovered its filthy habits, reported Daily Mail online.

They did not say what these habits were.

source: interaksyon.com

Madonna provokes lawsuit with swastika video

PARIS – France’s far-right National Front said Sunday it plans to sue Madonna over a video at the US pop star’s concert in France showing party leader Marine Le Pen with a swastika on her forehead.

“We cannot accept such an odious comparison,” National Front vice-president Florian Philippot said, adding that the legal action would be filed this week.

The video, which served as a backdrop for Madonna’s performance of the song “Nobody Knows Me”, flashed a picture of Le Pen’s forehead superimposed with a swastika, followed by an image resembling Nazi leader Adolf Hitler.

There was an audible gasp from the audience at the Stade de France on Saturday when the image of Le Pen appeared briefly on a giant screen in a video clip which also showed Madonna’s face merging with a number of public figures including Pope Benedict XVI and toppled Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak.

“Projecting such an image of Marine Le Pen with a swastika implies that she is a Nazi,” National Front lawyer Wallerand de Saint-Just told AFP, adding that the civil complaint for insult would be lodged with a court this week.

Tour promoter LiveNation declined to comment on the National Front action against the queen of pop, who has been no stranger to controversy during her long career.

“This is just another provocation in Madonna’s world tour so that people will talk about her,” Philippot charged, claiming that the stadium was “far from full” for Madonna’s gig and that the tour was a “fiasco”.

“Marine Le Pen will defend not only her own honor but her supporters and the millions of National Front voters.”

Le Pen, a French presidential candidate, had already warned the US superstar in June that she was mulling legal action after the video was shown at Tel Aviv gig in May when Madonna, 53, kicked off her world tour.

“(When) old singers want to get people to talk about them, it’s understandable that they do such extreme things,” the 43-year-old Le Pen said at the time.

SOS Racisme however said it supported Madonna, paying tribute to her “resolutely anti-racist” stance. “She made clear last night that the fight against discrimination is a fundamental battle.”

About 70,000 people were at the Stade de France to watch the “Material Girl” perform on Saturday night, the latest concert in her “MDNA” tour which covers about 30 countries in the Middle East, Europe and the Americas and will wrap up in Australia in 2013.

Madonna will next appear in France in Nice on August 21.

In 1987, Madonna caused a stir when she threw her panties into the crowd at a concert where then president Jacques Chirac was in attendance.

On her latest world tour, she made headlines when she flashed a nipple at a gig in Turkey’s largest city of Istanbul last month.

Le Pen, the daughter of National Front founder Jean-Marie Le Pen, won 18 percent in the first round of the presidential election in April.

But she lost her bid to win a seat in legislative elections last month although the party — which wants to ditch the euro and battles against what Le Pen calls the “Islamisation” of France — returned to parliament for the first time since 1998.

source: interaksyon.com

Nicki Minaj dazzles Manila fans in sellout concert party

To describe Nicki Minaj as pretty in pink is quite the understatement.

Whether it’s in the VIP room of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport upon her arrival Tuesday, at the Manila Diamond Hotel during her press conference or at the Mall of Asia Arena where the lone Asian leg of her “Pink Friday Tour” was staged Wednesday night, the American pop star born in Trinidad-Tobago was a consistent charmer throughout her short and sweet Philippine sojourn.

“I think Manila had the loudest encore screams I’ve ever heard! ‘WE WANT MORE, WE WANT MORE!!!!’ So I ran back out in my new pink robe! Ha!,” Nicki tweeted nine hours after her well-received performance of her hits, including “Fly,” “Starships” and “Super Bass”, which got the crowd chanting in unison along to its infectious chorus, “Boom, badoom, boom, boom, badoom, boom, bass!”

And as the rapper slash singer slash songwriter slash voice actress promised upon her arrival at the airport, there were indeed “lots of energy, lots of craziness and lots of wigs” at the sold out show which continued to trend in Twitter under the hash tag #PinkFridayManila.

“I’m still singing the songs from last night! Yiiii sooo love you @NICKIMINAJ and your neon outfits last night! :) ,” tweeted Twitter user Carino Silerio the morning after the concert party.

Jemille Benitez posted a similar sentiment with “On my way to school. Feeling energetic today because of #PinkFridayManila last night :) earphones on, Minaj’s playlist On. :) ”

And Angelo Gallardo said, “So no encore performance in last night’s #PinkFridayManila but @NICKIMINAJ went out in her robe to thank the fans! Thats sweet of her.”

In the equally standing-room-only press conference that preceded her show by several hours, Nicki not only gamely answered the questions of journalists and bloggers alike, the Grammy-nominated artist was also a model of punctuality as she actually arrived at the venue at the exact 11am call time.

Expressing her displeasure over lazy people, Nicki also admitted to admiring rapper Jay-Z as well as pop, soul and R & B divas Lauryn Hill, Mariah Carey and the late Whitney Houston.

Asked to reveal her favorite song outside of her own big hits and compositions, she replied by saying it’s “Somebody That I Used To Know” by Gotye, which was also nicely covered by the Canadian indie group, Walk Off The Earth.

Despite her extremely busy schedule and phenomenal success that saw her 2010 debut album “Pink Friday” peak at number one in the Top 200 album chart of Billboard magazine, Nicki also said she puts a lot of premium on her alone time.

“I always maintain some by myself and meditate and focus,” she confessed. “I’m just myself when I’m in my computer and take my mind off the world.”

When asked about her frequent collaborations with several artists and producers, including Carey, Rihanna, the Black Eyed Peas, Chris Brown, Britney Spears, Kesha, Hit-Boy, Dr. Luke and 2 Chairz, Nicki said her criteria for choosing who to work with depends on a case-to-case basis.

“I usually just ask people that I’m a fan of and listen to the beat and see if it makes sense if I can do something with him, her or them,” she pointed out.

As for her song about heartbreak like “Fly” that also featured Rihanna, Nicki admits that there’s “lots of crying” involved.

“I always think to myself, it was nice seeing you but I haven’t gone through a lot of breakups to write more songs about the subject,” she replied. “I’ve always been involved in long-term relationships. But not right now.”

When press conference host Tim Yap asked Nicki about her current status on her BBM instant messaging application on her BlackBerry smartphone, Nicki said that she just sets it to the default “Available” and writes “Barbie” as a nod to her fixation with Barbie dolls.

Finally, when asked to give fashion tips to her fans, the flamboyantly-dressed pop star has this to say. “I would say that there is always someone out there who would always find you attractive so you have to find yourself attractive as well and have to confidence to carry yourself.”

Nicki Minaj’s new album “Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded” is available in both standard and deluxe edition CDs exclusively under MCA Music at Astroplus and Odyssey Music & Video or online via www.MyMusicStore.com.ph

source: interaksyon.com

Usher feels 'near a rebirth' on new album

NEW YORK - Almost 20 years have passed since R&B fans first took notice of Usher Raymond on 1994's debut album "Usher." At that time, he was just a baby-faced teenager singing about things he hadn't yet experienced.

Over the years, fans have watched Usher grow into a man and become one of the top-selling pop stars of the last two decades, documenting his personal highs and lows through his music.




But ask Usher, and he says his evolution has just begun.

Now a seasoned performer and 33-year-old father of two young boys, Usher takes himself to new places musically with his seventh studio album, "Looking 4 Myself," out June 12. The lead single "Climax," marries R&B and electronic music, and sets the tone for 14 tracks of electronic, soul and hip-hop sounds.

Usher gets personal on "Sins of My Father," a song about the consequences of growing up without his dad. The album's thumping second single, "Scream," and the will.i.am and Keith Harris production, "Can't Stop Won't Stop," are party anthems in the vein of "OMG," his hit single from 2010's "Raymond v. Raymond."

On June 11, Usher introduces his album with a performance, directed by filmmaker Hamish Hamilton, at London's HMV Forum for the "American Express Unstaged" live stream music series.

Reuters spoke with Usher about "Looking 4 Myself," his upcoming show and the new direction he's taking musically.

Q: You said this is your most artistic album to date. How was working on this project different?

A: "It was damn near a rebirth. I felt open and creative because I didn't have anything in my mind. At some point, after making music for a long time, you have to find very new creative and innovative ways to do what you love.

"I've felt restricted in a lot over the last several years and maybe it's because I was holding myself back. Maybe I felt like I needed to conform to some specific standard. I got to the point where I said, 'I gotta go with what I feel and hopefully people will follow me.'

Q: Will your old fans get it?

A: "I always try to find a way for everybody to feel like they got something. On this album, dance or electronic music is not just your typical electronic experience - it's been Usherized. I put it all in there - soul, R&B, hip-hop, electronic and I make it work, because I believe it."

Q: What's the overall vibe of the album?

A: "I was a little held up in my emotions, and I used my music as a diary to log some of what I was dealing with. And then there are songs that are made to have fun. They're not deep."

Q: Michael Jackson is one of your more obvious influences. Who are some artists you've been influenced by that may surprise people?

A: "Picasso. I find inspiration in the fact that he found different ways to articulate himself. His artistic vision adjusted and he allowed himself to be in the moment and to be a part of what was going on around him in the art world.

Q: Tell us some of your favorites from the album?

A: "Songs like 'Euphoria' I feel really push the envelope. (Producers) Swedish House Mafia hadn't really done a lot of songs with vocal artists. I felt privileged to be able to work with them. I think a lot of people will relate to 'Looking for Myself.' People question, 'Would I be better if I found someone to relate to, or do I just need to get to know myself better?

"'I Care for You' - that song is my heart. Saying 'I care for you' is like saying 'I love you' without saying those words. I think those can be dangerous words so I had to find a creative way to say it without saying it. 'I love you' can be scary, it can be dangerous."

Q: What can fans expect from your June 11 show?

A: "Performing over the last few years, I notice that people almost don't even watch the show anymore. They're on their phones - texting, tweeting or recording.

"We wanted to make this interactive for the fans so, they'll be able to create their own avatar and have it dance on screen with me. It's something that Hamish (Hamilton), and my entire team felt would be very unique. Fans can tweet while I'm on stage. I'll be able to interact with them - I may comment on tweets that come through."

Usher's "American Express Unstaged" concert will stream live on Monday June 11 at 4:00 p.m. edt. — Reuters

source: gmanetwork.com

Cher Causes Controversy With eBay Listing For Australian City Key

In a move more reminiscent of a downtrodden, retired NFL player, Cher is (allegedly!) hawking an exceptional item from her personal collection on eBay: an honorary key to the city of Adelaide, Australia, which was presented to her by the city's mayor, who is not exactly thrilled with the discovery of the auction.

Either Cher or a trusted confidante of the singer, put the key up for auction, which has left the mayor “exceptionally disappointed” with the iconic pop star.

The Sydney Morning Herald reports that the auction appeared a few days ago and the high bid as of this moment is a whopping $95,900 with only a few hours left. The key was presented to Cher in November 1990, as labeled on the key’s plaque, when she performed at the Australian Grand Prix formula one race. The description touts it as a “very unique item from Cher’s own personal collection!” and adds that the key will come with the original box, a hand-written sticky note and certificate of authenticity.

Mayor Stephen Yarwood isn’t happy about it, saying, “It must be very embarrassing for her if she is selling it because she needs the money.” (Editor’s note: Ouch! Editor's note 2: We doubt Cher needs any money following her recent, very lucrative Las Vegas residency.)

"I would have thought that getting the key to a city like Adelaide would have had some value to her, but obviously it doesn't because she wouldn't have got rid of it," he lamented.

Cher has been quick to react, suggesting through a tweet that it must be some kind of accident, writing, “Im upset 2& trying 2get2 bottom! I Think my office fkd up?” in response to a fan’s question.

That’s all Cher has mentioned of the incident. However, the actual eBay seller, known as "Linda," commented with further clarification. "Cher receives many awards and gifts from all over the world," the seller wrote. "At certain times she goes through her huge collection and decides to share many of these special treasures with her fans, with all the proceeds going to Cher's Charitable Foundation.”

The text begins to read quite defensively as the seller continues, "I think the city of Adelaide should be proud of what this plaque & key are doing for those in need or suffering. Cher is incredible, kind and generous and in no way meant to slight the people of Adelaide. Thank you for your understanding."

The auction is still up, so apparently it’s not too much of a mix-up for Cher to actually end its sale.

source: http://newsroom.mtv.com/2012/04/25/cher-causes-controversy-with-ebay-listing-for-australian-city-key/