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A year later, Jackson fans still out in force

admin — Wed, 23 Jun 2010 11:17:09 +0000

LOS ANGELES – Erin Jacobs once traded her brand new bicycle for tickets to see Michael Jackson. Now, more than 25 years later, it’s her time, organizational skills and gas money that she’s giving to the King of Pop.

As an organizer of two major fan groups, Jacobs is just one of thousands of supporters keeping Jackson’s legacy alive — along with the pursuit of justice for his untimely death a year ago this Friday.

Since then, the singer’s notoriously loyal followers have traded vigils at the hospital and family home for pilgrimages to his tomb and protests at the courthouse where the doctor charged with killing Jackson will be tried.

"It’s absolutely humbling that he has so much support from fans," Jacobs said in a recent interview.

A travel agent who lives in Yorba Linda, California, Jacobs made her first 50-mile (80- kilometer) trip to the Forest Lawn cemetery in Glendale, California, shortly after Jackson was buried there in September. It was a personal trip.

These days, Jacobs has gone on to coordinate monthly pilgrimages to the cemetery by the Official Michael Jackson Fans of Southern California.

Hundreds are expected at Forest Lawn on Friday to commemorate Jackson’s death. The singer’s tomb inside the cemetery’s gothic Great Mausoleum remains closed to the public, and Friday’s memorial won’t change that.

But through the efforts of Jacobs and others, it’s become a place where Jackson’s international fan base comes to grieve. Many who can’t make it in person send letters, poems, artwork and other gifts so that Jacobs and others can deliver them to the cemetery, where they are placed at the singer’s tomb until new items arrive.

"A year later, it feels like it was yesterday," Jacobs said.

Another focal point for Jackson fans has become the downtown Los Angeles courthouse where Dr. Conrad Murray will be tried on an involuntary manslaughter charge for Jackson’s death.

Celine Dion: Pregnancy is ‘physically, emotionally exhausting’

admin — Mon, 31 May 2010 21:08:36 +0000

(PEOPLE.com) — For Celine Dion, the sixth time was the charm, but her hope to expand her family was an arduous year-long journey.

"I feel like I’ve been pregnant more than a year," Dion, 42, whose previous IVF attempts had failed, told the French-language Le Journal de Montreal. "I never gave up. But I can tell you that it was physically and emotionally exhausting."

"Everyone knows that Celine has guts and is determined," adds husband, René Angelil. "These treatments were truly hard on my wife’s body. It wasn’t simple at all."

But the perseverance paid off when the couple found out they are expecting twins. "There were truly great emotions after all our efforts," says the singer.

Those efforts included traveling from her Florida home to New York for months of treatments and also turning to acupuncture from a Montreal-based specialist.

"My doctors had to constantly reassure me. I [wanted] to see the babies," she says. "Each week I had sonograms. I heard their heart beats."

Sarah Palin to appear in 8-part documentary on TLC

admin — Thu, 25 Mar 2010 20:23:39 +0000

(CNN) – Former Alaska governor and vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin will appear in a new eight-part documentary series on the TLC network, parent company Discovery Communications said Thursday.

The show, "Sarah Palin’s Alaska," will be "about the remarkable Governor Palin and her home state of Alaska," the Discovery statement said. Its executive producer will be Mark Burnett, who previously was executive producer for "Survivor" and "the Apprentice."

"Discovery Communications is so excited to help Sarah Palin tell the story of Alaska, and to have a great documentary filmmaker in Mark Burnett helping to reveal Alaska’s powerful beauty as it has never been filmed, and as told by one of the state’s proudest daughters," Peter Liguori, chief operating officer of Discovery Communications, said in the statement.

"We are confident ‘Sarah Palin’s Alaska’ will be another compelling television event," said Eileen O’Neill, TLC president and general manager, in the statement.

Discovery Communications did not specify a date for the series premiere.

Mark Burnett Productions previously co-produced "Eco-Challenge" for Discovery Channel from 1996 through 1999, according to the statement. Burnett was quoted in the statement as saying Palin has "a dynamic personality that has captivated millions … I can’t think of anyone more compelling than Sarah Palin to tell the story of Alaska."

Variety reported on Tuesday the former Republican vice presidential nominee will likely nab $1 million an episode for the program.

Filed under: television

Robert Pattinson, Kristen Stewart ’save lives’ by not tanning

Ade — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 19:44:30 +0000

"Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart are saving thousands of lives from cancer – by maintaining their pale complexions," Entertainment Daily writes quoting experts who argue the Twilight couple is promoting healthy skin by not showing off overexposure to sunlight.

The vampy fame surrounding vampires like "Edward Cullen" in Twilight and Alexander Skarsgard’s True Blood character "Eric" offers youth another side of beauty that doesn’t include exposing skin to harmful, UV rays. While Pattinson and Stewart aren’t the first celebs to go pale, Dr. Raj Mallipeddi says the pale skin pair has good celebrity pull with tweens and will ultimately help to reduce cancer rates.

“People have to want to resemble the individual giving the message," Dr. Mallipeddi said to The Daily Star. "If that image comes in vogue then people will follow suit and ultimately that could be better for people’s skin." Mallipeddi’s opinion is also supported by in-vogue cosmetics company, Urban Decay Cosmetics. A rep for the company, Eric Jimenz, agrees, saying, "Due to films such as Twilight, people see that pale skin can still be sophisticated, timeless and glamorous.”

Ironically enough, the UK is being led by celebrities like Kelly Osbourne and Nicole Roberts, to take a stand against tanning. Osbourne, who was lauded for her use of self-tanner on America’s Dancing with the Stars, went on to endorse a self-tanning lotion, St. Tropez..

"Must get to bed im shooting an ad for st. tropez tomorrow. Crazy I know who would have thought I would be the face of a spray tan!" the 25-year-old Kelly tweeted pre-shoot. Later adding, "This shoot is really fun just got my spray tan and I can’t get over how good it looks I’m not orange at all!"

Miley Cyrus new music video ‘When I look at you’ from ‘The Last Song’

Ade — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 06:22:45 +0000

All those Miley Cyrus’s fans finally get a peek into her upcoming new movie, The Last Song. The popular singer has just released a new music video featuring a song from the movie, When I Look at You which contains scenes from the movie.

In her new movie Cyrus plays another rebellious teen that has had trouble since her parents’ divorce. Her Mom feels it would be best if Cyrus and her younger brother go and spend the summer with their Dad.

Over time, Cyrus adjusts, and falls for a character played by rumored boyfriend Liam Hemsworth. She of course grows up some too and begins to reconnect with her Dad who shares her love of music. And since it is a Disney movie, they make sure to tighten the connections with Mom and little brother in the process as well.

‘Hurt Locker,’ ‘Avatar’ face off at UK film awards

Ade — Sun, 21 Feb 2010 17:48:56 +0000

LONDON – The intense war drama "The Hurt Locker" and the blockbuster sci-fi spectacle "Avatar" are squaring off at the British Academy Film Awards — a curtain raiser for their Academy Awards battle in Los Angeles next month.

British coming-of-age drama "An Education" is also a favorite for the London prizes, attended by a mix of homegrown celebrity and Hollywood imports.

Kate Winslet, Uma Thurman, Colin Firth, Dustin Hoffman and "Twilight" star Robert Pattinson are due to attend Sunday’s ceremony at London’s Royal Opera House, with Prince William in attendance to add real royalty to showbiz aristocracy.

William’s office said the prince would present an award, although it did not confirm the recipient. Media reports said it would a lifetime achievement honor to actress Vanessa Redgrave.

"Avatar," "An Education" and "The Hurt Locker" all have eight nominations, including best picture. "Avatar" director James Cameron and "Hurt Locker" director Kathryn Bigelow, former spouses turned awards-season rivals, are competing for best director.

Setting the stage

Ade — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 17:47:09 +0000

Actors Bob Martin and Beth Leavel in the Broadway production of The Drowsy Chaperone. (Joan Marcus/Associated Press) In the tumultuous first decade of the 21st century, creative forces in the performing arts chose to either engage or escape. Many artists wrestled with the trauma of 9/11, or the controversial invasion of Iraq. Yet it was also a boom time for nostalgia, as witnessed by the endless parade of musicals based on familiar songs and well-loved films. The following is a year-by-year look…

I am very selfish and ambitious: Ranbir Kapoor

Ade — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 17:18:24 +0000

New Delhi: Three-films-old Ranbir Kapoor likes to describe himself as "selfish and ambitious" but the actor says that despite his 75-year-old Kapoor legacy in Bollywood, he feels like "a kid in Disney Land".

The 27-year-old actor says he has a long way to go to realise his dreams and he does not want to limit himself to acting alone. Like his grandfather, Raj Kapoor, the young star says he wants to try every aspect of film making at some point in his life.

"I am very selfish and ambitious. What I have today is not even 10% of what I want to achieve. I am extremely passionate about films and every success that I meet is never enough for me, because I have lot of dreams," Ranbir said.

Celebrities, lobbyists, fundraisers among early visitors to Obama White House

Ade — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 20:55:45 +0000

WASHINGTON – Celebrities George Clooney and Oprah Winfrey and prominent lobbyists, corporate executives and Democratic fundraisers were among the first to score visits with President Barack Obama, his wife Michelle or top aides at the White House, newly released records show.

The White House late Friday afternoon posted a list of roughly 480 records in response to questions about whether specific people visited the president’s home. It plans to start disclosing comprehensive visitor lists in coming months.

The records are a step toward making good on Obama’s promise of transparency. But they also show that despite a campaign pledge to reduce special-interest influence on policymaking, lobbyists are getting face time with him and his aides.

The visits included in the records released Friday include roughly eight dozen with Obama.

Chris Brown, Mika, Katy Perry and Norah Jones premiere new videos

Ade — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 06:14:00 +0000

Chris Brownâ€™s video for â€œI Can Transform Yaâ€ has amazing dance routines and special effects, but itâ€™s hard not to refuse to take it serious at all. First of all, Brown has this upset look upon his face, as if his â€˜transformationâ€™ is due to someone f***ing him over. No, no, Chris, you f***ed someone over, there is a…