April 01, 2011

Colombian singer Shakira is continuing her charity efforts in Haiti by donating $400,000 to help rebuild a school which was damaged by the massive earthquake in the country in 2010. The "Hips Don't Lie" hitmaker announced plans to team her Barefoot Foundation with the Architecture for Humanity charity to help renovate the Elie Dubois school in the capital Port-au-Prince shortly after the disaster hit in January, 2010.

She visited the country earlier this week and announced a deal with the Inter-American Development Bank, which will match her donation to rebuild the education facility. The star says, "I'm convinced the key to achieve a dignified future for the Haitian people is through education."

Actor Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson is refusing to reveal the identity of his current girlfriend, because he's fiercely private and wants to keep his personal life out of the spotlight. The former wrestler split from his wife Dany in 2007 after 10 years of marriage and the pair share a nine-year-old daughter, Simone.

Johnson insists he is still friends with his ex-partner, who acts as his manager, but reveals he has found love again. He tells CNN's Piers Morgan, "[Dany's] happy in a relationship. I'm happy in a relationship too. But it's so incredibly loving and seem less what we have and the best part of that is the example we're showing our little girl."

Jada Pinkett Smith has defended her decision to let her two children start their showbusiness careers at such a young age, insisting they don't shoulder the same burdens as other pre-teen stars because they have no financial pressures.

Jada and her husband Will Smith's son 12-year-old Jaden Smith already has a movie career, starring in 2010's remake of "The Karate Kid", while his 10-year-old sister, Willow Smith, has launched herself as a singer and is currently on tour with Justin Bieber.

Wonder Woman is serving her duty as a crime fighter while Adrianne Palicki continues filming the NBC pilot. On Thursday, March 31, the 27-year-old actress was pictured filming another action scene for "Wonder Woman" in which her character injects something to a man's neck. In some other photos, she is seen putting his foot on the chest of the man who is lying down on the street.

Earlier this week, Palicki was snapped wearing a new Wonder Woman costume during the production in Los Angeles. She was captured on camera filming a running sequence with Willam Belli who dressed like Marilyn Monroe.

At the end of a repeat of episode "The House Guest", "The Vampire Diaries" released a promo for the next six episodes that will lead to the second season finale. Kicked off with the footage of Isobel's return in April 7 episode, the promo went on with Bonnie questioning her fate and Damon preparing to tell a hard cold truth.

"Vampire Diaries" went on a hiatus after February 24. When it comes back, Isobel arrives unexpectedly and her visit upsets Jenna. Meanwhile, Bonnie tries to harness her ancestors' power through a spell, and Matt informs the sheriff that his sister was killed by a vampire.

Beloved U.S. TV star Judge Judy has assured fans she is feeling "well" after checking into hospital for exhaustion on Wednesday, March 30. The former family court judge was admitted to Los Angeles' Cedars-Sinai Medical Center after experiencing intestinal discomfort.

After a series of tests and the all-clear from doctors, the TV personality, real name Judith Sheindlin, checked out on Thursday, March 31. She tells TV show Entertainment Tonight, "I am on my way home. All is well. Thank you all for your loving messages. See you in court. Be on time."

Former "Doctor Who" star David Tennant has become a first-time father - his fiancee has given birth to a baby girl, according to a U.K. Report. The Scottish actor proposed to girlfriend Georgia Moffett in January and the pair was reported to be expecting a child together a few weeks later.

Now Tennant is celebrating after welcoming a daughter, named Olivia, earlier this week (beginning March 28), according to Daily Mail. A source tells the publication, "Georgia and David could not be happier. Olivia is beautiful and their families are over the moon."

Broken Bells have just made public their "Heartless Empire" music video on AOL. Filled with their in-studio performance footage, the clip "shows Mercer helming the seven-piece rock outfit while Danger Mouse hits the drums and ragged guitar chords rip underneath the verby vocals and brass accompaniment."

"Heartless Empire" is taken from Broken Bells' new mini album "Meyrin Fields" which is released a year after their 2010 self-titled effort which received positive reviews. The song reportedly is an unreleased song from their previous studio session.

More than six months after they ended their romance, Miley Cyrus could be back on again with Liam Hemsworth. According to E! Online, the former star of Disney Channel's "Hannah Montana" has been spending a lot of time together with her Australian ex-boyfriend. A source close to 21-year-old Liam said, "They've been trying to do it away from the cameras."

The insider further claimed that the two have even planned a trip together. It is said that "The Last Song" hunk will join Miley when she made a stop in his homeland on her Gypsy Heart tour. Despite the plan, the inside source stressed that the former couple are "taking it slow and just enjoying each other's company."

Chloe Moretz could join "Dark Shadows". The "Kick-Ass" beauty is allegedly in talks with Warner Bros. Pictures to join the cast ensemble for the drama. If she agrees, she will play Carolyn, the daughter of Michelle Pfeiffer's Elizabeth Collins Stoddard, who owns the Collinwood mansion where the supernatural story starts.

Once she signs in, she will join other cast members including Johnny Depp, who stars as the lead character. Eva Green, Jackie Earle Haley, Bella Heathcote, Thomas McDonell are also attached to the project.

Kid Rock is hitting the road this summer with his rumored ex-girlfriend Sheryl Crow after announcing the second leg of his Born Free tour. Crow will support the hitmaker on dates beginning July 2 in Ohio.

The reported former lovers are currently enjoying chart success with their new duet "Collide". They teamed up on 2002's hit single "Picture". They are expected to perform both tracks together as the tour winds through North America throughout July and August.

will.i.am visited "American Idol" for the second time this season. After previously catering the audience of the singing competition with Black Eyed Peas' "Just Can't Get Enough" performance, he has now come back with a different partner, Jamie Foxx.

Together, the duo joined forces to perform "Hot Wings", a soundtrack of animated movie "Rio". They performed with a 12-member drum line and a full team of colorfully dressed dancers as random footage from the upcoming flick was played on the video screens.

For the third time this year, Chuck Lorre made a reference to the awkward situation between him and Charlie Sheen on a vanity card. The producer first did so on "Two and a Half Men" in which he said, "If Charlie Sheen outlives me, I'm gonna be really pissed". Then again in early March through "Mike & Molly". Lorre has just delivered his latest message through "The Big Bang Theory".

Lorre, who is one of the creators of the Thursday comedy, did not call Sheen by name but it was obvious which issue he was addressing. It begins with, "Whenever I've gone through tough times, well-meaning people have told me that God/the universe does not give us more than we can handle. Well, I've been going through a tough time recently, and sure enough, that old saying has been tossed my way on several morose occasions. After some careful consideration, I've decided it's bull$#*!."

HBO has released some clips and a promo video ahead of "Mildred Pierce" part 3 airing on Sunday, April 3. The sneak peeks mostly highlight the hectic situation in the kitchen as Mildred moves forward with preparations for her new chicken-and-pie restaurant.

After a slow start on opening night, the restaurant fills to capacity, and Mildred gladly welcomes Ida - her former fellow waitress at the diner - to help manage the frenzy. Among the guests is Monty, who wastes no time reacquainting himself with Mildred, and impressing Veda with his refined stature.

Rap mogul Jay-Z is facing legal action for trademark infringement over the logo design for his new entertainment company Roc Nation. Executives at lifestyle brand Volcom have taken issue with the diamond design used to promote Jay-Z's music publishing and management firm, claiming the symbol bears a striking resemblance to their own, which has been in use since 1991.

The "Empire State of Mind" hitmaker launched the venture in 2008 and the diamond-shaped logo has appeared on Roc Nation-branded clothing, records and headphones. Volcom bosses allege they initially took their complaint directly to Roc Nation owners, but were forced to pursue the matter through the courts after their note was ignored, according to AllHipHop.com.

"Grey's Anatomy" has treated audience with its first musical episode on Thursday, March 31 and may be back with another one. But first, the show will continue with Callie's storyline. In episode "It's a Long Way Back", the doctor who had a near-death experience demands to see her baby who is in critical condition.

Creator Shonda Rhimes gave her take on Sara Ramirez's character, telling TV Line, "She's been really tough this entire time about her own fertility issues. She's been really stoic and strong and fairly positive about it. This is her weakest moment when she feels the randomness of the world."

James Franco has addressed speculations surrounding his co-hosting gig at this year's Academy Awards. Sitting down with David Letterman for the Friday, April 1 episode of "Late Show with David Letterman", the "127 Hours" star joked that it was his co-host Anne Hathaway that made him look like he was stoned when doing his job.

After acknowledging that he has heard people saying he was under the influence, the 32-year-old actor told David he probably knows the reason why. "I've thought about it. I think I know why, because - I love her - but Anne Hathaway is so energetic, I think the Tasmanian Devil would look stoned standing next to Anne Hathaway," he explained with a smile.

Since Enrique Iglesias withdrew from Britney Spears' tour, there have been a lot of rumors suggesting who will be her opening act. After DJ Pauly D was linked to the "Femme Fatale" traveling show, now Usher or Joe Jonas are added as the other candidates.

The idea of having Usher in the summer tour was brought up by Britney herself. "Oh, I'm so excited. I'm really excited about going on tour, very," she said in a recent interview with MTV. "I think Usher's really great right now. I think he's really hot right now. That would be cool [to tour with him]."

A new promo of "The Voice" has been aired on Access Hollywood, showing the judges during the making of ads for the show. Christina Aguilera, Cee-Lo Green, Adam Levine and Blake Shelton step up one by one to share their most embarrassing moments in the bootleg video which has hit the web.

Having gone through the backlash for forgetting national anthem lyrics at Super Bowl in February, Christina now can laugh at it. The "Beautiful" hitmaker claims, "I think I've got one that'll top it all...," when taking over the mic from Cee-Lo. "I've slipped a little, tripped a little but I forgot the lyrics to the National Anthem at the Super Bowl. I take the cake."

First "Everything Must Go" trailer has been unveiled. The video, released via Apple, follows the unfortunate Will Ferrell's Nick Porter who is sacked from his job and left by his wife. Trying to have a better life, he starts selling all his stuff.

Adapted from a short story by Raymond Carver, the forthcoming movie starts as Nick Porter loses his days as a top career salesman. When he returns home, his wife has changed the lock on their home and dumped all his possessions out on the front yard. Faced with his life imploding, Nick puts it all on the line, or more properly, on the lawn, reluctantly holding a yard sale that becomes a unique strategy for survival.

Rihanna is lending her famous face to raise awareness of the world water crisis. Headlining a new commercial in support of UNICEF Tap Project, the "What's My Name?" singer is featured oozing her sexiness while drinking a glass of tap water. All the while, a voiceover can be heard gushing, "Water so hot it could only come from Rihanna's faucet".

The Barbadian beauty is the latest celebrity who has her own unique tap water bottles which are engraved with their faces. Disney star Selena Gomez, country music beauty Taylor Swift and "Entourage" star Adrian Grenier were the other famous people having the limited edition bottles of water, which fans have a chance to win with a $5 donation.

Cake have just debuted a music video for their latest single "Long Time" on mtvU as part of its Indie Music Month. Instead of featuring the members of the alternative rock band, the animated clip made by Callicore Films revolves around a story of "a vagabond and his monkey."

"No concession. No compromise. Just one direction. That sums up both Callicore and CAKE - the story goes with 'Long Time,' the metaphor of a vagabond sentenced because he didn't follow the same road as others," it was explained.

Pregnant pop star Pink has written a letter to U.S. President Barack Obama urging him to enforce new animal protection laws. The longtime animal rights activist, who famously attacked former leader George W. Bush in her "Dear Mr. President" song, has now written a "Dear Mr. President" letter to Obama on behalf of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals.

The singer is asking him to direct the U.S. Department of Agriculture to re-open and prosecute three cases of egregious cruelty by the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus. According to PETA, the USDA told then-Senator Obama in 2006 that it would "pursue appropriate enforcement action" after learning of the deaths of a young lion and a baby elephant.

Leonard Nimoy has been cast in the new "Transformers" movie. He'll provide a voice for robot warrior Sentinel Prime in the sequel, "Transformers: Dark of the Moon".

Prime, the predecessor of Optimus Prime, is found crash-landed on the moon by the Apollo 11 astronauts in 1969. After being brought to earth, he takes the disguise form of a fire engine and takes part in the film's climactic battle scenes, according to EW.com.

Ayda Field is likely to join the gang of "The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills". After some swirling reports, her representative has finally confirmed that she is indeed offered a part on the reality series. "We've been approached," the rep simply says.

A source close to the production reveals that Field is one of two contenders to join the cast. The other potential new cast is Faye Resnick. "There's two contenders to join the cast," the source tells E! Online. "It is between Faye Resnick and Ayda Field. If I were to put money on it, I would say Ayda will be the new castmember."

Singer Michelle Williams (II) received a strict warning from Los Angeles police on Thursday, March 31, after she was caught using her cell phone while driving. The former Destiny's Child star was on her way to TV news station KTLA for an interview when she was spotted chatting on her phone by cops who pulled her over.

Williams made light of the situation in a series of posts on Twitter.com, writing, "OMG (oh my god)!!! Pulled over by the LA Sheriff's (sic)!!! OOOPS!!! Well my mug shot should be cute, IF it comes to that!!! LOL (laugh out loud)!!!!"

British royal Prince Harry was both surprised and excited when his brother William announced his plans to wed girlfriend Kate Middleton - because he thought his older sibling would never get married. Harry, who will be best man at the royal wedding on April 29, admits he was beginning to think his brother would never propose to Middleton after eight years of courting.

Speaking to reporter Bob Woodruff on U.S. breakfast show "Good Morning America" on Thursday, March 31, Harry said, "We all thought that it was never going to happen for him. But it has happened and everyone is really proud of him."

First unofficial "Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters" photos have hit the web. The fresh pictures, obtained by Accidental Sexiness, see Jeremy Renner and Gemma Arterton donning black outfit on the set in Braunschweig, Germany on Wednesday, March 31.

The forthcoming film follows adult Hansel and Gretel. After they were almost killed by a witch at the gingerbread house 15 years ago, the siblings become bounty hunters and pursue witches. During their effort to fight witches, they meet a corrupt town sheriff named Berringe.

New Kids On The Block and Backstreet Boys, who are going to tour together by the name NKOTBSB this summer, have just dropped a duet track called "Don't Turn Out the Lights". Produced by Eman and written by Claude Kelly, the song is dance pop with mid-tempo synthesized tune.

The pop track was released as the lead single of their joint album. "So don't turn out the lights now, lights now, lights now/ 'Cause in a minute we'll be feeling like never before/ So don't turn out the lights now, lights now, lights now/ I'll be whatever you need and more," sings the boys in the chorus.

Milla Jovovich has suffered an embarrassing wardrobe malfunction. The leading lady of the "Resident Evil" series stepped out on the red carpet at the Royal Albert Hall in London on Wednesday, March 30 to attend Mikhail Gorbachev's 80th Birthday Gala Concert, but her sheer black Valentino dress slipped and accidentally flashed her right nipple.

The little mishap didn't dampen the 35-year-old's excitement about the gala though. On the night of the event, she tweeted, "This is so cool, I'm sitting in Winston Churchill's private box at albert hall for Gorbachev's birthday (sic)." She followed it up, "We're watching a retrospective of british n russian history n I will go up 2 give a speech in russian n present n award!Will keep u updated!"

Warner Bros. Pictures presented The Big Picture 2011 Event at CinemaCon. Taking place at Caesars Palace Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada on March 31, the event was held to promote the studio's upcoming releases such as "Green Lantern", "The Hangover Part II", "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part II" and many others.

Promoting the DC Comics superhero movie adaptation were Ryan Reynolds and his on-screen love interest Blake Lively. The blonde beauty is also honored as Breakthrough Performer at the conference.

Adam Lambert didn't left Lady GaGa's 25th birthday party last Sunday night, March 27 the usual way. Us Magazine has uncovered that the "American Idol" alum came to join the celebration already drunk and managed to force the birthday girl to ask security guards to kick him out after he showed off rowdy behavior during the bash.

In a interview with Morning Dish radio program, celebrity blogger Perez Hilton revealed that the 29-year-old singer was actually not invited to the bash. Still, he came as a guest of the Scissor Sisters, who are GaGa's opening act on tour. Perez further recalled, "Adam showed up beyond drunk. Super sloppy embarrassingly drunk!"

Lionsgate has announced a release date for "The Expendables II". The sequel of "The Expendables" is officially slated to hit theaters across the nation on August 17, 2012, almost two years after the first film was released.

As for the actors, most of the original cast are potential to come back, including Jason Statham, Jet Li, Randy Couture, and Terry Crews. Meanwhile, Bruce Willis and Arnold Schwarzenegger are expected to play bigger roles in the action film, rather than serving as cameos.

"American Idol" contestant James Durbin was in hot water after making a remark that offended Michael Jackson's family. The father of one's stage act on Wednesday, March 30 included a fire-lit piano. He told Ryan Seacrest after his performance, "I have a lot of hairspray in my hair to keep it from jumping around -- so much so, the one thing I was worried about was having a 'Pepsi moment'."

Pepsi moment refers to the 1984 incident when Michael's hair was caught on fire while filming the brand's commercial. He sustained injury to his scalp which later led to his addiction to prescription drugs.

David Cook is gearing up to release the first single from his upcoming second studio album. The 2008 winner of "American Idol" revealed that he's going to drop the fresh material titled "The Last Goodbye" on April 19. He gushed, "Can't wait for you guys to hear it!"

The official announcement won't be made until Friday, April 1, but Cook couldn't wait any longer to share it with his devotees so he posted the news on his Twitter. "The official press release is supposed to come out tomorrow, but I'm impatient, so let me be the first to tell you...," he wrote.

"The Hangover Part II" first full trailer is released. The new video gives a sneak peek to the main characters who travel to Bangkok for Stu's wedding. However, the hilarious gang loses Teddy, Stu's future brother-in-law, and they set up to find him.

The comedy film revolves around Phil (Bradley Cooper), Stu (Ed Helms), Alan (Zach Galifianakis) and Doug (Justin Bartha). After the wonderful bachelor party in Las Vegas, Stu has opted for a safe, subdued pre-wedding brunch. But, things blows up and does not go in line with the plan.

Michael Buble has officially become a married man. The "Haven't Met You Yet" singer wed his 23-year-old fiancee, Luisana Lopilato, in a civil ceremony in Buenos Aires, Argentina on Thursday, March 31, and photos of the couple, which were taken after the service, have come out.

The 35-year-old crooner looked sleek for the ceremony as he donned a grey suit. His bride, however, didn't wore a traditional flowing white gown. Instead, she opted to be dressed in a violet dress and silver heels. After the ceremony, the pair kissed before the fans gathering outside. Luisana later tossed her bouquet of purple orchids into the crowd.

"Mad Men" will likely not last longer than seven seasons. After some tough negotiations, Matthew Weiner has finally signed a new 3-year deal with AMC/Lionsgate to work on the drama series, and he hints it will also be the end of the show.

"These will be the last 3 seasons", Weiner tells Deadline. "I'm going to take it one year at a time without the distraction to ever have to go through this again."

Rockers Paramore are set to host a massive memorabilia sale to raise money for aid efforts in Japan. The Paramore Yard Sale will feature more than 60 items, including musical equipment, clothes and accessories, and all the proceeds will be donated to the Red Cross to help in the aftermath of the earthquake and tsunami which devastated the country on March 11.

Frontwoman Hayley Williams announced the news in a post on her Twitter.com page, writing, "We're raising money by auctioning off our old clothes and such. Thanks again for helping us be a part of relief efforts for Japan! We love Japan."

At 89 years old, Betty White is not stopping at "Hot in Cleveland" and guest star appearances only. NBC has struck a deal with the senior actress to star in "Off Their Rockers", a 12 episode hidden-camera comedy that follows seven senior citizens pranking unsuspecting younger people.

"Betty White is a comedic genius who escalates hilarity in any situation," said Paul Telegdy, NBC's executive vice president, alternative programming, in a statement. "Viewers will thoroughly enjoy watching her pull one over on the unsuspecting youth of America."

Britney Spears is calling for her pop peers Rihanna and Lady GaGa to come together for a girl power collaboration. The "Toxic" star is a big fan of her chart rivals and wants to team up with her fellow singers to record a powerful pop anthem.

When asked her thoughts on Rihanna and Lady GaGa, Spears tells London's Capital FM, "I feel like the genre of women today musically is astounding... that we can do that. "I feel like we actually need to come together and do a song that can actually show how much power we do have - an idea like that would be astounding. That would be fun. A song together like that would be fun."

"American Idol" continues to reduce the number of female contestants. After Ashthon Jones and Karen Rodriguez, the show's viewers opted to let go Thia Megia and Naima Adedapo on the fourth week which saw double eliminations because the judges saved Casey Abrams last week.

Earlier in the night, the gang was divided into teams to perform and Ryan Seacrest announced who stays and who might not after each performance. Lauren Alaina and Scotty McCreery sang "I Told You So" which was brought as a duet by Randy Travis and Carrie Underwood back in 2009. Both of them were safe.

Rapper Nicki Minaj has spoken out to deny reports she is "openly bisexual", insisting the rumors are "definitely not true". The "Your Love" hitmaker has been dogged by speculation about her sexuality after she joked about enjoying a threesome with singer Cassie and model/actress Lauren London last year.

The gossip was fuelled by a U.S. report suggesting she is "openly bisexual" and now she's decided to silence the rumors. She tells rock magazine Q, "That's definitely not true... I guess some people are thrown off by me embracing gay culture. But I don't feel the need to explain that. Unless someone asks me a specific question."

Taylor Swift ended her European tour on a high note on Wednesday, March 30 as she was presented with an honor commemorating 20 million worldwide album sales. The country singer accepted the plaque backstage at the O2 Arena in London before the sold-out final concert on the European leg of her "Speak Now" World Tour.

Swift, who has released three albums in her career, was delighted with the achievement and thanked her fans for helping her reach the milestone. She tells the Associated Press, "It's just sort of beyond my comprehension to get a plaque like that, and the fact the fans have done that much for me in such a short period of time is unreal, and I'm so excited and so thankful.

Carrie Ann Inaba has got engaged on live television. The "Dancing with the Stars" judge was subbing for Kelly Ripa on "Live with Regis and Kelly" Thursday morning, March 31, when her boyfriend Jesse Sloan came with a blissful surprise as he proposed to her in the middle of her co-hosting gig.

When the live show started, Carrie Ann clarified earlier rumors suggesting she was engaged. Holding up her ringless finger, she told co-host Regis Philbin, "He's just a really good guy. He takes good care of me and he's really warm. He loves my cats - we have five cats together - not a lot of men accept a girl who has so many cats."

Katy Perry and Kanye West go sci-fi in a music video for their joint track "E.T." The wife of Russell Brand transforms from an extraterrestrial creature to an otherworldly goddess with braided hair and colorful make-up while floating through the space. Meanwhile, the G.O.O.D Music rapper is dressed casually in jeans, T-shirt and leather jacket as he raps his verses inside an orb-like flying object.

Talking about getting her make-up done, Katy told MTV, "It was, like, five and six hours, each makeup look." She undergoes three different looks of her alien character. One sees her in red-blue-and-white make-up with an all-white ensemble, another has her in flaming-red look with a matching get-up, and the other features her wearing a gold breastplate.