LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - The controversial rap star Nicki Minaj, who recently joined the 'American Idol' judging panel, is shown yelling and making heated comments toward her fellow judge Mariah Carey, in a video posted to celebrity website TMZ on Tuesday.
The release of the video, which TMZ reported was recorded during an audition of 'Idol' hopefuls in Charlotte, North Carolina, follows rumors that Minaj and Carey had been feuding.
'Idol' broadcaster Fox is looking to the new line-up of judges, which includes country star Keith Urban, to help revitalize a show that has seen falling ratings in recent years.
Minaj, 29, a rap star known for her outlandish outfits, is shown in the TMZ video yelling and cursing. It is not clear from the clip, which is less than a minute long, what might have led to the outburst or who shot the video.
'I told them, I'm not (expletive) putting up with her (expletive) highness over there,' Minaj is seen saying at one point in the video, as she turns toward Carey.
Carey can be heard in the video speaking in the direction of Minaj, but her words are less audible.
Urban, who is seated between the two women pop stars, at one point raises his arms, and fourth judge Randy Jackson - whose tenure on the show dates from its 2002 debut - can be heard saying 'Hold up' in an apparent effort to defuse the conflict.
A Fox spokeswoman declined to comment on the video.
Minaj, Urban and Carey were brought onto the 'Idol' judging panel in recent months after Aerosmith frontman Steven Tyler and singer-actress Jennifer Lopez each left the show following a two-year stint.
'American Idol' has been a ratings juggernaut since it debuted on Fox a decade ago, but audiences are now only about half the more than 30 million who watched regularly in the show's 2005 and 2006 heyday.
Minaj has emerged as the top female rapper in a hip-hop world dominated by male artists. She burst onto the music scene in 2010 and has become famous for her numerous alter-egos and her multiple hit records, including 'Starships.'
A representative for Minaj could not immediately be reached for comment.
'Idol' fans were divided about the selection of Minaj for the judging panel. Her appeal to young audiences is seen as potentially key to helping 'Idol' regain youthful viewers, but she has also proved controversial. In February, she appeared on the Grammy awards red carpet with a fake pope.
(Reporting By Alex Dobuzinskis; Editing by Eric Walsh)
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Tuesday, October 2, 2012
Grohl says Foo Fighters not splitting, on hiatus
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Lead singer Dave Grohl of Grammy-winning rock band Foo Fighters said on Tuesday the band was not splitting up but was taking a break.
Grohl, 43, fueled speculation about a split by telling fans at a New York festival on Saturday that 'this is the show where we come out and we play as many songs as we can ... I don't know when we're going to do it again,' according to MTV News.
But in a public letter sent by Foo Fighters' representative Dana West, Grohl said the band was taking a break but had no intentions of disbanding.
'I can't give up this band. And I never will. Because it's not just a band to me. It's my life. It's my family. It's my world,' Grohl said.
The singer said he did not know when Foo Fighters was going to play again, but added that 'it's a good thing for all of us to go away for a while. It's one of the reasons we're still here.'
Foo Fighters was founded in 1994 by Grohl, the drummer for grunge band Nirvana, following the death of Nirvana's lead singer Kurt Cobain.
During the hiatus, Grohl said, he will be releasing a documentary and album project called Sound City. 'It could be the biggest, most important project I've ever worked on,' he said.
The band, which also includes bassist Nate Mendel, drummer Taylor Hawkins and guitarists Chris Shiflett and Pat Smear, has released seven studio albums led by singles such as 'Everlong,' 'Times Like These' and 'Learn To Fly.' It has won 11 Grammy awards.
(Reporting By Piya Sinha-Roy)
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Grohl, 43, fueled speculation about a split by telling fans at a New York festival on Saturday that 'this is the show where we come out and we play as many songs as we can ... I don't know when we're going to do it again,' according to MTV News.
But in a public letter sent by Foo Fighters' representative Dana West, Grohl said the band was taking a break but had no intentions of disbanding.
'I can't give up this band. And I never will. Because it's not just a band to me. It's my life. It's my family. It's my world,' Grohl said.
The singer said he did not know when Foo Fighters was going to play again, but added that 'it's a good thing for all of us to go away for a while. It's one of the reasons we're still here.'
Foo Fighters was founded in 1994 by Grohl, the drummer for grunge band Nirvana, following the death of Nirvana's lead singer Kurt Cobain.
During the hiatus, Grohl said, he will be releasing a documentary and album project called Sound City. 'It could be the biggest, most important project I've ever worked on,' he said.
The band, which also includes bassist Nate Mendel, drummer Taylor Hawkins and guitarists Chris Shiflett and Pat Smear, has released seven studio albums led by singles such as 'Everlong,' 'Times Like These' and 'Learn To Fly.' It has won 11 Grammy awards.
(Reporting By Piya Sinha-Roy)
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Lena Dunham vows to put some color into "Girls"
LAGUNA NIGUEL, California (Reuters) - 'Girls' writer, director and actress Lena Dunham said on Tuesday she was adding new, more diverse characters for the next season of her HBO show, after criticism that the first season failed to portray the rich culture of its New York City setting.
And the 26-year-old, who often sheds her own clothes on the show, also acknowledged that, most of the time, 'it's not a good idea to be naked on television.'
Dunham broke out this year as one of Hollywood's hottest young stars with 'Girls,' winning four Emmy nominations for her comedy about four 20-something women who find that work and relationships in New York have little of the glamour seen in 1990s show 'Sex and the City.'
Although Dunham took home no Emmys this year, her success earned her a speaking spot on Tuesday at Fortune magazine's annual Most Powerful Women Summit.
Answering questions in front of hundreds of female business leaders, Dunham said she took seriously criticism of 'Girls' and its lack of minority characters. She said she felt 'heartbreak at the idea that the show would make anyone feel isolated.'
The show's second season next year will feature 'a multitude of new characters in the show. There are some of color. Some are not. Some are Caucasian,' she said.
Dunham said she was responding to viewers 'who are women of color who want to see themselves reflected on screen.'
'All I want to do is make women feel excited and included by the show,' she said.
Addressing her frequent nude scenes, Dunham said she felt they were appropriate because she was the person deciding when to take her clothes off in front of the camera. But she generally advised against it.
'There may be a time when I have to explain to my daughters, 'You probably shouldn't be naked on television.' Most situations, it's not a good idea to be naked on television,' said Dunham, who is single.
'I like doing it because I'm my own boss. I'm writing it. I'm directing it. I'm producing it,' she said, adding that she would refuse to strip for another TV director.
As one of the youngest people to write and star in a television show, Dunham said she feels pressure to represent younger women well so she doesn't create a backlash that would hurt others trying to blaze a path in Hollywood.
'I don't want to do anything that is going to make them think 'this is why we don't give shows to 25-year-old girls,' she said, joking that 'I'd love to have a small dog, (but) I don't think it would be good for all of us if I were to carry a small dog to set with me.'
'Girls' returns for its second season on HBO in January.
(Reporting By Lisa Richwine, editing by Jill Serjeant and Todd Eastham)
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And the 26-year-old, who often sheds her own clothes on the show, also acknowledged that, most of the time, 'it's not a good idea to be naked on television.'
Dunham broke out this year as one of Hollywood's hottest young stars with 'Girls,' winning four Emmy nominations for her comedy about four 20-something women who find that work and relationships in New York have little of the glamour seen in 1990s show 'Sex and the City.'
Although Dunham took home no Emmys this year, her success earned her a speaking spot on Tuesday at Fortune magazine's annual Most Powerful Women Summit.
Answering questions in front of hundreds of female business leaders, Dunham said she took seriously criticism of 'Girls' and its lack of minority characters. She said she felt 'heartbreak at the idea that the show would make anyone feel isolated.'
The show's second season next year will feature 'a multitude of new characters in the show. There are some of color. Some are not. Some are Caucasian,' she said.
Dunham said she was responding to viewers 'who are women of color who want to see themselves reflected on screen.'
'All I want to do is make women feel excited and included by the show,' she said.
Addressing her frequent nude scenes, Dunham said she felt they were appropriate because she was the person deciding when to take her clothes off in front of the camera. But she generally advised against it.
'There may be a time when I have to explain to my daughters, 'You probably shouldn't be naked on television.' Most situations, it's not a good idea to be naked on television,' said Dunham, who is single.
'I like doing it because I'm my own boss. I'm writing it. I'm directing it. I'm producing it,' she said, adding that she would refuse to strip for another TV director.
As one of the youngest people to write and star in a television show, Dunham said she feels pressure to represent younger women well so she doesn't create a backlash that would hurt others trying to blaze a path in Hollywood.
'I don't want to do anything that is going to make them think 'this is why we don't give shows to 25-year-old girls,' she said, joking that 'I'd love to have a small dog, (but) I don't think it would be good for all of us if I were to carry a small dog to set with me.'
'Girls' returns for its second season on HBO in January.
(Reporting By Lisa Richwine, editing by Jill Serjeant and Todd Eastham)
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Natalie Portman mulling several film roles
LOS ANGELES (TheWrap.com) - So what isn't Natalie Portman being courted for these days? There are several roles on offer to the 'Black Swan' actress, include 'Code Name Sasha,' which is being described as a female 'Training Day' meets 'La Femme Nikita' and 'Last Witness,' among others.
'Code Name Sasha' revolves around a single mother who has been engaged in criminal activity since she was a teenager. She is given a chance to get out when the FBI asks her to go under cover to bring down the world's largest gun-running organization. Alexandra Milchan is producing for Paramount.
At Fox, Portman is also being eyed for the film 'Last Witness' for producers Davis Entertainment. She would play a psychologist working with the sole survivor of a bombing in a café in Boston who is suffering from amnesia. Portman is also being courted for the Jackie Kennedy drama 'Jackie' at Fox Searchlight, some media outlets have reported.
A representative for the actress said that Portman has yet to make a decision about these films. Portman has already been announced for the 'Untitled Terrence Malick Project,' 'Thor: The Dark World' and 'Jane Got a Gun.'
Portman will also serve as a producer on 'Jane Got a Gun.'
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'Code Name Sasha' revolves around a single mother who has been engaged in criminal activity since she was a teenager. She is given a chance to get out when the FBI asks her to go under cover to bring down the world's largest gun-running organization. Alexandra Milchan is producing for Paramount.
At Fox, Portman is also being eyed for the film 'Last Witness' for producers Davis Entertainment. She would play a psychologist working with the sole survivor of a bombing in a café in Boston who is suffering from amnesia. Portman is also being courted for the Jackie Kennedy drama 'Jackie' at Fox Searchlight, some media outlets have reported.
A representative for the actress said that Portman has yet to make a decision about these films. Portman has already been announced for the 'Untitled Terrence Malick Project,' 'Thor: The Dark World' and 'Jane Got a Gun.'
Portman will also serve as a producer on 'Jane Got a Gun.'
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Monday, October 1, 2012
Drew Barrymore gives birth to baby girl
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Drew Barrymore has given birth to a daughter named Olive, her first child with husband Will Kopelman, the actress said in a statement on Monday.
'We are proud to announce the birth of our daughter, Olive Barrymore Kopelman, born September 26th, healthy, happy and welcomed by the whole family. Thank you for respecting our privacy during this most special time in our lives,' Barrymore said.
The 'Charlie's Angels' actress, 37, wed art dealer Kopelman in a Jewish ceremony at their estate in Montecito, Southern California in June.
The former child star of 'E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial,' who has since forged a career in romantic comedies such as 'Never Been Kissed' and 'He's Just Not That Into You,' was last seen in whale movie 'Big Miracle,' released earlier this year.
(Reporting By Piya Sinha-Roy; Editing by Cynthia Osterman)
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'We are proud to announce the birth of our daughter, Olive Barrymore Kopelman, born September 26th, healthy, happy and welcomed by the whole family. Thank you for respecting our privacy during this most special time in our lives,' Barrymore said.
The 'Charlie's Angels' actress, 37, wed art dealer Kopelman in a Jewish ceremony at their estate in Montecito, Southern California in June.
The former child star of 'E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial,' who has since forged a career in romantic comedies such as 'Never Been Kissed' and 'He's Just Not That Into You,' was last seen in whale movie 'Big Miracle,' released earlier this year.
(Reporting By Piya Sinha-Roy; Editing by Cynthia Osterman)
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Adele lends sultry voice to Bond theme for "Skyfall"
(Reuters) - Grammy-winning British singer Adele is adding Bond girl to her superstar resume by signing on to write and sing the theme of the latest James Bond film 'Skyfall' - her first song to be released since her best-selling heartbreak album '21' - Columbia Records said in a statement on Monday.
Adele, 24, who swept the Grammy Awards earlier this year with accolades in six categories, will release the song on Friday on her official website, to coincide with the Bond film franchise's 50th anniversary and Global James Bond Day.
The sultry singer wrote 'Skyfall' with long-time collaborator Paul Epworth. She recorded it at London's Abbey Road Studios with a 77-piece orchestra. Adele said in a statement that she was persuaded to do the song after she 'fell in love with the script.'
'I was a little hesitant at first to be involved with the theme song for 'Skyfall.' There's a lot of instant spotlight and pressure when it comes to a Bond song,' the singer said.
'When we recorded the strings, it was one of the proudest moments of my life. I'll be backcombing my hair when I'm 60, telling people I was a Bond girl back in the day, I'm sure.'
The James Bond title songs have become a signature of the films, featuring suave British agent 007 holding a gun in a pose that has become iconic.
Singers who have performed the title songs over the past five decades include Shirley Bassey in 1971's 'Diamonds Are Forever' and 1979's 'Moonraker,' Paul McCartney on 1973's 'Live and Let Die,' and more recently, Madonna on 2002's 'Die Another Day.' Jack White and Alicia Keys performed 'Another Way To Die' from 2008's 'Quantum of Solace.'
'Skyfall,' the 23rd film in the Bond franchise and the third film with actor Daniel Craig in the lead role, will see the womanizing rogue super-spy take on another mission to save the world. The film will be released in Britain and most European nations on October 26. It arrives in U.S. movie theaters on November 9.
(Reporting by Piya Sinha-Roy in Los Angeles; Editing by Jill Serjeant and Jan Paschal)
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Adele, 24, who swept the Grammy Awards earlier this year with accolades in six categories, will release the song on Friday on her official website, to coincide with the Bond film franchise's 50th anniversary and Global James Bond Day.
The sultry singer wrote 'Skyfall' with long-time collaborator Paul Epworth. She recorded it at London's Abbey Road Studios with a 77-piece orchestra. Adele said in a statement that she was persuaded to do the song after she 'fell in love with the script.'
'I was a little hesitant at first to be involved with the theme song for 'Skyfall.' There's a lot of instant spotlight and pressure when it comes to a Bond song,' the singer said.
'When we recorded the strings, it was one of the proudest moments of my life. I'll be backcombing my hair when I'm 60, telling people I was a Bond girl back in the day, I'm sure.'
The James Bond title songs have become a signature of the films, featuring suave British agent 007 holding a gun in a pose that has become iconic.
Singers who have performed the title songs over the past five decades include Shirley Bassey in 1971's 'Diamonds Are Forever' and 1979's 'Moonraker,' Paul McCartney on 1973's 'Live and Let Die,' and more recently, Madonna on 2002's 'Die Another Day.' Jack White and Alicia Keys performed 'Another Way To Die' from 2008's 'Quantum of Solace.'
'Skyfall,' the 23rd film in the Bond franchise and the third film with actor Daniel Craig in the lead role, will see the womanizing rogue super-spy take on another mission to save the world. The film will be released in Britain and most European nations on October 26. It arrives in U.S. movie theaters on November 9.
(Reporting by Piya Sinha-Roy in Los Angeles; Editing by Jill Serjeant and Jan Paschal)
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George Michael cancels Australia tour, cites anxiety
LONDON (Reuters) - British singer George Michael has canceled his tour of Australia due to 'major anxiety' brought on by his recent battle with severe pneumonia, he announced on his website.
The former Wham! frontman said that he would complete his Symphonica Tour dates in Britain in October before seeking treatment.
He had been due to open in Australia in Perth on November 10 before performing in Adelaide, Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Hunter Valley on December 1.
'I have ... announced the cancellation of the shows in Australia which breaks my heart,' Michael said in a statement.
The 49-year-old 'Careless Whisper' and 'Faith' singer fell ill in Vienna last November and was treated under intensive care for a month for a life-threatening illness.
He was forced to postpone his tour but resumed it some 10 months later.
'Since last year's illness I have tried in vain to work my way through the trauma that the doctors who saved my life warned me I would experience,' Michael said.
'They recommended complete rest ... but I'm afraid I believed (wrongly) that making music and getting out there to perform for the audiences that bring me such joy would be therapy enough in itself.'
He said his return to the stage had brought him 'great happiness' and that some of his recent performances were his best to date, but concluded:
'I was wrong to think I could work my way through the major anxiety that has plagued me since I left Austria last December.
'All that's left for me to do is apologize to my wonderful Australian fan base and to promise faithfully that as soon as I completed these shows here in the UK, I will receive the treatment which is so long overdue.'
Tickets to his Australian concerts will be refunded.
Michael has sold an estimated 100 million records over his career, but he has hit headlines in recent years for his personal life more often than for his music.
In 1998 he was arrested in California for 'engaging in a lewd act' in a public toilet and has had a string of run-ins with British police for possession of narcotics. He also served a term in jail for driving under the influence of cannabis.
(Reporting by Mike Collett-White)
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The former Wham! frontman said that he would complete his Symphonica Tour dates in Britain in October before seeking treatment.
He had been due to open in Australia in Perth on November 10 before performing in Adelaide, Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Hunter Valley on December 1.
'I have ... announced the cancellation of the shows in Australia which breaks my heart,' Michael said in a statement.
The 49-year-old 'Careless Whisper' and 'Faith' singer fell ill in Vienna last November and was treated under intensive care for a month for a life-threatening illness.
He was forced to postpone his tour but resumed it some 10 months later.
'Since last year's illness I have tried in vain to work my way through the trauma that the doctors who saved my life warned me I would experience,' Michael said.
'They recommended complete rest ... but I'm afraid I believed (wrongly) that making music and getting out there to perform for the audiences that bring me such joy would be therapy enough in itself.'
He said his return to the stage had brought him 'great happiness' and that some of his recent performances were his best to date, but concluded:
'I was wrong to think I could work my way through the major anxiety that has plagued me since I left Austria last December.
'All that's left for me to do is apologize to my wonderful Australian fan base and to promise faithfully that as soon as I completed these shows here in the UK, I will receive the treatment which is so long overdue.'
Tickets to his Australian concerts will be refunded.
Michael has sold an estimated 100 million records over his career, but he has hit headlines in recent years for his personal life more often than for his music.
In 1998 he was arrested in California for 'engaging in a lewd act' in a public toilet and has had a string of run-ins with British police for possession of narcotics. He also served a term in jail for driving under the influence of cannabis.
(Reporting by Mike Collett-White)
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