Kristen Stewart Says BAFTA Nomination, Win Was Crazy

Before she graced the stage to accept the Orange Rising Star award at the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) awards on Sunday (February 21) in London, "Twilight" superstar Kristen Stewart chatted about the overwhelming fan support she had been receiving while in the U.K. It is the same fan support that garnered her an award on Sunday.

"I mean we've been here a couple of times for the 'Twilight' press and they’ve always been pretty cool," Kristen said about the British fans who voted her the winner of the Orange Rising Star award at the BAFTAs over the weekend. "It feels really good. I've never been to an award shows, especially of this caliber and especially considering that I'm actually up for something is crazy."


While Kristen had no problem making her speech once she got up to the stage to accept her award, as it turns out as she was walking the carpet earlier that night she seemed to have a little stage fright about her chances of remembering what she'd want to say once she got up there. "I have like three sentences that I really hope to God [I remember]," she shared. "Anyone of the other nominees could win and I would be [fine]. I don’t know if you’ve seen 'Prophet' or 'An Education'. I'm so proud of everyone."

Kristen hasn't been shy about her gratitude for her fans. Recently she sat down with MTV News at the junket for her latest flick, "The Yellow Handkerchief" she had only kind words for the fan support that may have had something to do with the release of the small indie flick. "I mean, that's amazing," she explained. "I like them, and why [wouldn't they get a release]? People should see them."


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Jennifer Lopez No Longer an Epic Talent

The question mark that punctuates Love? just got more pronounced.

Not long after literally flopping at the American Music Awards, Jennifer Lopez has parted ways with her longtime label, Sony's Epic Records.

"Jennifer had a wonderful relationship with the Sony Music Group, and they have shared many successes together, but the time was right to make a change that best serves the direction of her career as an actress and recording artist, she is grateful and appreciative to everyone at Sony for all that they accomplished together," Lopez's manager, Benny Medina, said in a statement Monday.

But this also means that Lopez's upcoming seventh studio album is now homeless, so we must ask, What about Love?

The album was due out in April but, according to Deadline Hollywood, which first reported the Epic-Lopez split, Love? isn't finished yet and might never be completed.

Of course, one theory is that Sony dropped Lopez because the creative well had run dry, but the official word remains that her contract had simply expired and the parties amicably opted not to renew.

We expect she'll be back on her Louboutins in no time, however. J.Lo's camp is already said to be negotiating a deal with another label, and the songstress will pull double duty on Saturday Night Live this weekend as both host and musical guest.

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Lady Gaga breaks down at photo shoot

The pressure of constantly being in the spotlight may be starting to take its toll on Lady Gaga.

It has been reported that the star broke down and started crying at a recent photo shoot for Q magazine.

According to the Mirror, the US singer burst into tears halfway through the shoot at London's Mayfair Hotel, saying: "I'm just not in a good place right now."

The incident followed bizarre behaviour throughout the shoot, with Gaga walking out at one point.

She is said to have hated all the photos and then insisted she would only continue if her boyfriend took the pictures instead.

A source told the news provider: "The magazine wasn't going to stand for that so they told her people where to go. Her behaviour was weird."

It is the second time that claims have surfaced that Lady Gaga may be suffering from an over-demanding schedule.

She had to cancel a gig in the US recently after she collapsed - suffering from dehydration and exhaustion.

Lady Gaga is currently touring the UK and plays the Liverpool Echo Arena tomorrow night (February 24th).

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'Hurt Locker' sweeps BAFTAs

"The Hurt Locker," a gripping ensemble drama about a bomb-disposal unit in Iraq, swept the British film awards Sunday, winning best picture and best director and beating out "Avatar" in nearly all categories in which both movies went head to head.

It was a triumphant evening for "Hurt Locker" director Kathryn Bigelow, whose low-budget war drama nabbed six of the eight awards for which it was nominated, and a disappointment for her ex-husband, James Cameron, who looked on stoically as his 3-D extravaganza "Avatar," which earned him those same top prizes recently at the Golden Globes, managed wins only for visual effects and production design.

Bigelow, the first woman to win for best director here, dedicated her award to "never abandoning the need to find a resolution for peace." At a news conference afterward, she dismissed any talk of rivalry with Cameron, saying it was "a real honor" to be nominated in his company.

"The Hurt Locker" writer Mark Boal also won for original screenplay. The film is nominated for nine Oscars, including best picture, director, actor and screenplay.

Despite the victories for Hollywood, it was also a night for Britain to honor its own here inside the Royal Opera House, with victories in the leading actor and actress categories for two homegrown talents who are considered longer shots at the Oscars next month.

With Britain's Prince William applauding approvingly in the audience, Colin Firth ("A Single Man") beat out Jeff Bridges, the heavy Oscar favorite for "Crazy Heart," and Carey Mulligan took home the award for her role as a young ingénue in the British film "An Education," a breakout performance that has had critics on both sides of the Atlantic raving.

Firth drew laughs by thanking "the fridge guy" in his acceptance speech, that being the refrigerator repairman who knocked on his door just as he was about to shoot an e-mail to director Tom Ford declining the role of a bereaved gay professor.

"All I know is, don't ever press 'send' until you have had your fridge repaired," Firth said.

He also thanked Ford, better known as a fashion designer, for making him feel "a little more worldly, better informed, better groomed, more fragrant and more nominated than one has ever been before."

Mo'Nique won as expected for supporting actress in "Precious: Based on the Novel 'Push' by Sapphire," and Christoph Waltz for supporting actor in " Inglourious Basterds." Both actors have dominated this awards season in their categories.

Whether the acting awards will presage what happens at the Oscars on March 7 is hard to say. Although Meryl Streep was nominated here as lead actress, Sandra Bullock was not, since "The Blind Side" has yet to open in Britain.

Critics in Britain started tagging Mulligan as Oscar-worthy from the moment "An Education" was released. She refused to get her hopes up by preparing an acceptance speech, however, and insisted after her win that she had no expectations for the Oscars either. "That I'm really not going to prepare for. That genuinely is a foregone conclusion," Mulligan told reporters. "I'm just going to enjoy that."

Other winners for the British Academy of Film and Television Arts awards Sunday included: "Up in the Air" for adapted screenplay; "Up" for best animated film and score; "Fish Tank" for best British film; "Young Victoria" for both costume design and hair and makeup; "A Prophet" for top film not in English; and Duncan Jones for outstanding debut for the film "Moon."

As at the Oscars, raucous fans who braved the wet and chilly English weather jostled near the red carpet, screaming like a colony of gulls as celebrities went by and begging for autographs while television presenters gushed over fashion choices, however questionable.

The decibel level hit almost painful heights when "Twilight" stars Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart appeared. Stewart went on to win the night's rising star award, the only category to be decided by public vote.

The loudest red-carpet reception, though, went not to movie-star royalty but to the real kind: Prince William, who helped present a special award to Vanessa Redgrave.

The ceremony was hosted by comedian Jonathan Ross; one of his better zingers described "Avatar" as "such an unstoppable juggernaut that I assumed it was made by Toyota."

Hilary Duff is engaged to hockey star

Hilary Duff is engaged.
Ice hockey player Mike Comrie proposed to the 22-year-old singer and actress while they were enjoying a romantic holiday in Hawaii last week. Hilary "happily accepted" and the pair are now planning a wedding later this year.

"Mike asked Hilary to marry him while they were vacationing in Hawaii," Hilary's representative confirmed. "After having been together for over two years, they are very excited to share this happy news. They are thankful for all of your warm wishes."

Hilary started dating Mike, 29, in 2007. They have been inseparable ever since, with Hilary attending almost every hockey game Mike plays in, while he accompanies her to film premieres and press conferences.
Their engagement does not come as a complete surprise. Paparazzi images taken yesterday morning appeared to show Mike down on one knee presenting a tiny box to Hilary in their lavish Hawaiian hotel room. At the time the photographs were taken, both Hilary and Mike refused to comment.

Hilary has previously dated Good Charlotte rocker Joel Madden and singer Aaron Carter.

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JK Rowling plagiarism claim: key passages

These are examples of ideas that JK Rowling stole from Willy the Wizard for the Goblet of Fire, according to lawyers acting for Adrian Jacobs' estate. 

 

Playing chess on wizard trains, which lawyers allege Rowling took to form the idea of the Hogwarts Express
"These were Pullman-like trains made of see-through platinum, and inside the trains were chess rooms. Willie was handicapped 18. There were Wizard Chess Masters who were virtually unbeatable. Willie had made a daring move. He didn’t want to watch his opponent’s response and his mind wandered at the moment that Angel Sandy had tapped violently on the train window."

A wizards' college, which lawyers allege Rowling took to form the idea of the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry
"Willy had been clever at wizards’ college particularly in ancient wizardry histoire....
"Wizard Cassius had been his companion at the Junior wizards’ advanced students course in Palermo, and Willy had saved Cassius’ life."
A wizards' contest, which lawyers allege Rowling took to form the idea of the Triwizarding Tournament
 
"A voice began to boom from the walls of the great hall. 'We are here today for me to inaugurate the year of the wizards’ contests. Each of you will be given details of the competitions, prizes and penalties. Au revoir, tout a’ l’heure, etc.’. Duke Louis Dix-Sept jumped onto the back of one of his panthers and Goboldyquick he disappeared, carriage and all."

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Elton John and Partner David Furnish Fell in Love 'Very Quickly'

If guests at Elton John's legendary Oscar bash need some juicy fodder to prep for this year's party, they've got it – straight from the host himself.

In the most recent issue of Parade magazine, the British singer shares intimate details about his love life before and after he met his longtime partner, David Furnish.

John, 62, says his previous romances, always with "someone younger," were lopsided. He confesses he would "smother them with love," exotic trips and expensive gifts like Cartier watches and sports cars.

"They didn't have jobs. They were reliant on me. I did this repeatedly," he says of his former flames. "In six months they were bored and hated my guts because I'd taken their lives and self-worth away. I hadn't intended to."

But he's in a much better place with Furnish, his partner since 1993.

"He was very well dressed, very shy," John says of their first meeting. Noting that he was "instantly" attracted to Furnish, the singer says their relationship took off from there. "The next night we had dinner. After it, we consummated our relationship. We fell in love very quickly."

RELATED: Elton John Falls in Love Again – with America

Still, the pair works to keep their relationship strong. "Every Saturday for 16 years, we've sent each other a card," he says, "no matter where we are in the world, to say how much we love each other.


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Tiger Woods Surfaces in Florida!

Tiger Woods's reintegration into public life has begun. The golfer, who later this week plans to issue an apology and discuss his future, is seen jogging on Wednesday in Orlando, Fla., near his home.

Although his wife, Elin Nordegren, has been frequently photographed, this is the first time Woods has been spotted in Florida since the sex scandal exploded last November.

A statement posted on his Web site says Woods will be addressing a group of "friends, colleagues and close associates" on Friday at a golf course in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla. The media will be invited, but can't ask questions.

"While Tiger feels that what happened is fundamentally a matter between him and his wife, he also recognizes that he has hurt and let down a lot of other people who were close to him," the statement says. "He also let down his fans. He wants to begin the process of making amends, and that's what he's going to discuss."

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Lady Gaga top winner at BRITs

Pop star Lady Gaga was the top winner at the BRIT awards this year scooping three trophies.
The Pokerface hitmaker won in the categories International Female Solo Artist, International Breakthrough Act and International Album for her The Fame, reported The Telegraph.

 

The 24-year-old singer was moved to tears when she went up to accept her third award.

"I was really excited about winning the first two awards, but this one means more because I worked so hard on this album for so long, and when I think about all that I went through and all the years of struggling and my fans - they were the first ones to recognise my abilities," said Gaga.

She later donned a white wig and mask and performed Telephone on the piano saying, "This is for Alexander McQueen" in tribute to the fashion designer who died last week.

Other winners at the February 16 event were singer Lily Allen for British Female Solo Artist and rapper Dizzee Rascal who bagged the Best British male solo artist award. Former pop group Spice Girls' rendition of Wannabe/Who Do You Think You Are in 1997 was named as the Best Brits performance of the last 30 years.

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Kevin James to Host Kids' Choice Awards

Kevin James, get ready to be slimed.

The star of Paul Blart: Mall Cop has signed on to host Nickelodeon's 23rd Annual Kids' Choice Awards in Los Angeles on March 27, and he can barely contain his, uh, excitement at the prospect of feeling the green goo.

"In short, I guess you could say hosting the Kids' Choice Awards completes me," James jokes.

There may be a little more pressure than usual as this year's show comes with presidential aspirations. Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama have been nominated for their first Kids' Choice Award in a newly formed category Cutest Couple. They're up against Edward & Bella and Jacob & Bella from The Twilight Saga: New Moon and Neytiri and Jake from Avatar.

The Twilight gang dominated the nominations with five nods. Three-time Kids' Choice Winner Miley Cyrus scored four nominations, while the Jonas Brothers and the brothers Sprouse (Dylan and Cole) scored three nominations each.

Also up for awards are: Nickelodeon star Miranda Cosgrove and her show iCarly; Selena Gomez and Wizards of Waverly Place and Demi Lovato's Sonny With a Chance.

Beyoncé, Lady Gaga, Taylor Swift, Zac Efron, Ray Romano, Sandra Bullock and The Black Eyed Peas are just some of the many artists vying for the coveted orange blimp.

Beginning Feb. 25, kids will be able to cast their votes here in 19 categories on Nickelodeon's Web site. Surprise awards will also be announced during the live telecast.

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Chynna Phillips Enters Rehab due to Anxiety

Chynna Phillips of the pop group Wilson Phillips checked herself into rehab for anxiety over the weekend, her manager, Lizzie Grubman, tells PEOPLE exclusively.

Phillips is the half-sister of Mackenzie Phillips, whose claims last fall about a sexual relationship with their father put the family into crisis.

"After much thoughtful deliberation Chynna Phillips has checked herself into an undisclosed treatment facility for anxiety," Grubman says in a statement. "With the full support of her family and friends, she is looking forward to her recovery. We ask that people respect her and her family's privacy at this time."

Phillips, 42, is married to Gossip Girl star Billy Baldwin, and they have three children.

She came forward on The Oprah Winfrey Show to support her half-sister, who made headlines with her revelations their father, "Papa" John Phillips, raped Mackenzie when she was 19 and that she had an on-and-off sexual relationship with him over the course of a decade.

"I pray that we all get closer through this crisis," Chynna said at the time. "With prayer, anything is possible. But I would be lying to you if I didn't tell you that there are going to be some huge obstacles in front of us."

She also told PEOPLE: "It's such an uncomfortable subject for any family to talk about."

In September, the day before Mackenzie made her explosive claims, Chynna released her first album in years, One Reason, with Vaughn Penn.


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She's 0-for-2 in the marriage game, but that won't stop Madonna from judging other people's domestic disputes.

The pop icon will appear on NBC's The Marriage Ref, the Jerry Seinfeld-created show about warring couples that premieres Feb. 28, the network confirms.

Twice divorced (from Sean Penn and Guy Richie), the Material Girl will sit on a celebrity panel to determine the winner of the family feud.

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Jennifer Garner Thinks Love Shouldn't Cost a Thing

Jennifer Garner acknowledges that while Valentine's Day can be an "obnoxious" holiday, she thinks guys could use some lessons in the sentimentality department.

Garner, who appears in the star-studded rom-com Valentine's Day, told George Lopez on Thursday's Lopez Tonight" that the most important thing guys can do is "acknowledge, in some sweet way … 'I love you.' Just make us feel wooed."

She added: "Write a quick note or pick flowers or pick the grass out of your backyard and show up with it with a sweet smile … You don't have to spend a lot of money, just be sweet."

The mom of two, 37, looked anything but sweet, however, when she mimicked a scene from Valentine's Day and destroyed a heart-shaped piñata with Lopez.

"In Mexico you smash piñatas, in Greece you smash plates. We have the Demolition Derby, but that's it," Garner said. "White Americans, we need to find something to smash. It's good for you!"

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Baldwin clashes with photographer

Alec Baldwin clashed with a photographer in New York on Thursday just hours after his hospital scare - prompting police to restrain the star outside his apartment building.

 
Baldwin was admitted to hospital in the early hours of the morning following a 911 call from his home, believed to have been made by his 14-year-old daughter, Ireland. He was quickly released from the medical facility and a representative for the star called the admission a "misunderstanding".

Baldwin carried on with his work schedule on Thursday morning and upon returning to his apartment at the end of the day he was greeted by a throng of paparazzi and reporters waiting outside.
As Baldwin entered the building he was swarmed by snappers, and the New York Daily News reports one of the crowd tapped him on the arm, while Baldwin yelled, "Don't touch me! I'm calling the cops!"
Shortly afterwards four police cars arrived on the scene, and footage obtained by ETOnline shows the actor rush out of the building and allegedly grab one of the photographers by the jacket, before being pushed away by two cops.

A source tells Radar Online, "The police entered the lobby and Alec pointed out the (photographer). Then, without any warning, Alec ran out of the lobby into the street, chased by police, and grabbed the jacket of the New York Post photographer - and the police had to restrain him and then brought Alec back inside."

ETOnline reports police made no arrests and no charges are set to be filed following the incident. 


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Alex Lambert: American Idol Group Day Favorite

Round 2 of Hollywood week started with 96 contestants and ended up with just 71 left after the group day episode. Group day is where the remaining 96 contestants must form into groups, agree upon a song, learn the lyrics, plus choreograph the entire number within the time span of twelve hours and perform as a team.

Out of the initial 96 contestants who entered Group day, only 71 survived to get to the next round.
Alex Lambert stood out as one of the best performers in round 2, despite having problems with his group leader Mary Powers.
Lambert is from North Richland Hills, Texas. His musical influences are Willie Nelson and Johnny Cash.


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Del Toro: I don't consider myself a hollywood hunk

BENICIO Del Toro can’t understand why people find him attractive.
The 42-year-old actor — who was rumored to have had a brief romance with Scarlett Johansson — is always bemused when he finds himself mentioned in Sexiest Actor polls, but is pleased with the attention.
“I don’t know, what is sexy? It’s part of the game and I’m not complaining,” he told Parade magazine. “But I have never seen myself in a magazine and gone, ‘Whoa, he’s a hunk.’ I’m just an actor and I make movies. I’m not kidding.”

Benicio plays a werewolf in new horror movie The Wolfman and has revealed he drew on his mother’s death when he was just nine years old to fuel the anger felt by his lycanthropic character.
“Anger is not a hard emotion to get to as a male actor,” added Benicio, who appears alongside Sir Anthony Hopkins and Emily Blunt in the film.

“Where does it come from? Life, I guess. I remember the anger I felt when my mother died of hepatitis when I was nine. It was a terrible time in my life and I still feel it.
“I guess it helped make me something of a rebel when I was in school. And I did get into some trouble. I didn’t get good grades, and a lot of teachers turned their backs on me.”

Del Toro recently admitted he doesn’t have a good track record when it comes to relationships.
“I haven’t had a good track record in terms of my relationships because I’m into doing my own thing,” he said in December.

“I like having a lot of time to be by myself and read and be kind of in my own world. So that’s often not easy for women to accept and I can understand that.
“But I’ve learned to be more giving of myself in general over the last few years and it’s made things less complicated in some ways.”

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7 ways to avoid being a clichés on Valentine's Day

You can't win. If you ignore Valentine's Day, she'll be angry, and if you show up with a bundle of chocolates and flowers, you've become a cliché. So how do you thread the needle? Here are seven ways to avoid being a cliché on Valentine's Day:

VALENTINE'S DAY RECIPES



1. Avoid restaurants. Reservations are brutal, your waiter will be in a rush, and, most important, you will feel like a schmuck for dining with a roomful of married couples who only go on date night once a year. The better move is to..


2. Cook her dinner. You will accomplish two things: saving money and getting more intimate. Obviously, it's not a good idea to default to Bachelor Meal 101: pasta and marina. Get creative. Show effort. And if you're a lousy cook? She'll still appreciate the gesture.



3. No coupon books. Remember these? They might seem cute. You get all creative, and make her a little coupon book with things like "Good for one free massage." But think about it. This really is the move of a shy second-grader, and is that who you want to be?


4. Don't ignore it. Maybe you -- and she -- think that Valentine's Day is the ultimate cliché and that, therefore, you can ignore it altogether. All you've done is turned it into a different kind of cliché. You're sort of like those anti-conformist high school students who display their individuality by rebelling in exactly the same way. Lots of women say that they hate Valentine's Day. Very few mean it.


5. Personalize the gift. Chocolates, roses, hearts -- these are cliché because they're overly generic, they speak to Every Woman, not your woman. Pretend, for a second, that it's her birthday. What do you get her? Go with that, and then Valentine-it-up with red wrapping paper.



6. Use flowers only as an "add on." You cannot -- cannot -- just get her flowers and a box of chocolates. This will turn you into a cheeseball. However, assuming your woman likes flowers, use them to accent another gift.


7. Get her tickets. Not necessarily tickets for something on Valentine's Day itself -- again, overpriced, overcrowded -- but tickets for some night in the future. Here's why this works: It's more intimate than your average physical object. Tickets also can be packaged and presented on Valentine's Day, and it's something that you can do together, as a couple.

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John Mayer's Racist Comment

The Black and the White are still the two major existing racist difference in the World. Adding on to it is John Mayer's statement that he does not open up to Black women as his manhood is white supremacist.

For john Mayer, white is beautiful. When it comes to friendship he opens his hearts to all but about intimate relation, it's only the white skin which is invited. A racist practice which is confirmed by him itself.

He had recently been heard referring to a Black Women as Napalm. It is a dark coloured thickening agent, which might have it's own use but is ugly to look at. So, is it Mayer tactful use of words, to refer the Black beauties as ugly?

While on one hand, other celebrities are looking down on such a comment, there are others who are respecting his honesty.

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Hands Off Megan Fox's Thumb

It's probably true that Megan Fox is known more for her stunning looks than her screen roles ("Transformers," anyone?). But even though the actress made her Super Bowl ad debut for Motorola lounging in a bathtub wearing nothing but bubbles, all eyes were not on the obvious: her thumb.

The actress -- who is basically perfect in every way, does have one slight imperfection: a wide right thumb. The hand got face time last summer after publicity shots of the actress -- and her unusual-sized thumb -- first surfaced. Technically called brachydactyly, the club-thumb trait is no big deal -- you just have a big thumb.

The condition, which literally means "short finger," is usually hereditary and is not considered serious. But when the Super Bowl ad aired with a close-up of Motorola's digital gadget, Megan's digit seemed to have been replaced with a slender stand-in, sending the blogosphere into a serious uproar -- and Web searches into the stratosphere. The Daily Mail pointed an accusatory finger at the phone maker, and claimed they brought in a thumb-double for Megan's not-so-pretty appendage.

Fingers flew on the Web, with one-day searches on Yahoo! for "megan fox hands" increasing an astounding 800%. Lookups for "brachydactyly megan fox," "megan fox super bowl commercial," and "megan fox toe thumb" all saw huge gains.
While there remains no official word on thumb-gate, you can watch the ad and decide for yourself.

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Anne Hathaway thinks she is weird looking

Anne Hathaway thinks she is "really weird" looking.
The 'Alice In Wonderland' actress isn't concerned if other people don't find her attractive as she is comfortable with herself and would rather be "authentic" than pretty.

She said: "I think I've got really weird features. I have very large features on a very small head. But, you know, I'm not going to beat myself up. It's my face. I'm not very pretty. But that's OK because I do know that I look like myself, and I think at the end of the day, as nice as pretty is, authenticity is more important."
Despite not worrying about her features, Anne takes care to work out regularly because she hates looking out of shape.

She told America's InStyle magazine: "If I don't work out at all, I have too much curve and no tone - which is not OK. It's about finding balance."
The 27-year-old star also spoke about her fashion choices, insisting she always opts for things she likes rather than trying to make a statement.
She explained: "I don't time anything. I never plan an image I want to project. It's always very much where I am right now."

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Robert Pattinson: Emilie de Ravin is Quite Charismatic

Robert Pattinson smiles sweetly down as Emilie de Ravin in this new still from their upcoming romantic drama, Remember Me.
The 23-year-old star dished on his on-screen love interest to ET, passing along many compliments to the 28-year-old Aussie actress.

 
Rob shared, “I was shooting the end New Moon in Italy and we were going through casting for [Remember Me]. The director said, ‘I think I found this girl I think you’ll find quite interesting,’ and sent me this e-mail with her audition tape.

My Internet connection was so slow that I could only get the beginning, which was her messing up for about 35 seconds. She was really funny, you know, messing up and kind of quite charismatic — but I didn’t know that she was messing up at the time, I thought she was actually doing the scene and kind of just improvising with it and just making it up.”
Remember Me hits theaters on Friday, March 12.

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'Percy Jackson and the Olympians' Drops Several New Clips

Several new clips from "Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief" have come out. Sharing a lot of new scenes from different parts of the film, the new snippets give preview to Percy Jackson as an ordinary student who comes to find out that he in the son of a god in addition to following his dangerous journey to take back the lightning bolt.

 

In related news, Logan Lerman and some of his co-stars including Brandon T. Jackson, Alexandra Daddario and Pierce Brosnan were pictured attending the New York premiere of the film. Held on Thursday, January 4, the special screening took place at the AMC Lincoln Square.

Set in the 21st century, "Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief" centers its story on 12-year-old Percy who discovers that he is the demigod son of the Greek god, Poseidon. He embarks on a journey across modern-day America with his friends to save his mother, return Zeus' stolen lightning bolt, and prevent a war between the gods. Directed by Chris Columbus, this Fox 2000 Pictures' film will open wide in U.S. theaters on February 12.

photo credit: just jarred jr.
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Linkin Park's New Album in Mike Shinoda Blogs

After explaining to MTV about the possibility of releasing Linkin Park's next studio album "toward the end of the year", Mike Shinoda posted on his blog a math equation regarding when is actually the right time to drop a new effort.

He started it by pointing out that music fans have flooded his web with comments following the album delay. He wrote, "The 200+ comments and peripheral noise got me thinking: what does it all mean? I decided to figure it out. The most obvious way to create logic out of it? Algebra has always seemed very logical to me..."

"A lot of you seemed to want us to take our time in the studio, stressing that quality (Q) is more important than release date (D). Others disagreed, arguing that releasing sooner (D) should be put above the other (Q). Next, some argued that Linkin Park quality is multiplied by time (so time is 'T'). Others argued time doesn't affect the quality (no 'T'). I guessed that the soonest this year we could get an album out would be March(3). The latest this year would be December(12)..."

"So I believe that makes the equation: Q(T)/D(12) = D(3)/Q. On the left, quantity and time over the latest possible 2010 release (12th month); on the right the soonest possible release (3, meaning March) over quantity times the LP quality 'X' factor. What I really wanted to know was how much time you wanted us to take (T)."

"Balancing this equation out (and crossing the reoccurring variables)...you get T/12=3. That means T=36. So it looks like you guys figured it out for us. What you're telling us is that you want a new album out in December 2012. That gives us a ton of time. Thanks for the help, guys."

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Do-It-Yourself SuperBowl Commercials

BE afraid, Madison Avenue. Be very afraid.

That seems to be the message in the aftermath of the crowded, frenetic advertising bowl that took place inside Super Bowl XLIV on Sunday. Among those commercials consistently deemed most effective, memorable and talked-about, many were created or suggested by consumers — or produced internally by the sponsors — rather than the work of agency professionals.

That should give the modern-day “Mad Men” pause, particularly since so many people watched the game — an average of 106.5 million, the Nielsen Company reported, the largest audience ever for a television show.
Most notable, according to a cascade of surveys, polls and analyses released on Monday, were a couple of commercials for Doritos snack chips sold by the Frito-Lay division of PepsiCo, along with a spot for the search-engine services provided by Google. The Doritos commercials were created by consumers and the Google spot was created internally.


For instance, the two Doritos commercials were among the most-watched among all the spots in households with TiVo digital video recorders. The commercial called “House Rules” finished first and the commercial called “Underdog” came in fourth.
“The answer is not that everyone should fire their agencies and have users create campaigns,” said Todd Juenger, vice president and general manager for TiVo audience research and measurement. Rather, he added, consumers seem to know best what other consumers will like to watch in the “unique” ad environment of the Super Bowl.
“House Rules” was in fifth place, as of Monday afternoon, among all commercials from the game played by visitors to the FanHouse section of AOL. Both “House Rules” and “Underdog” received high ratings from those visitors, averaging four out of five stars.

In two separate surveys among users of Twitter, Doritos finished first. In the BrandBowl — conducted by Mullen, an agency owned by the Interpublic Group of Companies, and Radian6 — the Doritos brand generated the most Tweets. In a monitoring of Twitter by Colle & McVoy, part of MDC Partners, using a tool called Squawq, the “House Rules” commercial emerged as the leader.

“House Rules” was also the most-liked Super Bowl spot as of Monday afternoon in an online vote at Hulu.com, which will continue through Tuesday night, and “Underdog” was ranked fourth. In a poll on ChaCha, a free answers service, users — primarily teenagers and young adults — said their favorite commercials were for Doritos.
The Nielsen BuzzMetrics service of Nielsen found that Doritos was the “most buzzed-about” advertiser during and after the game, followed by Google.

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Jolie, Pitt Sue British Newspaper

Hollywood couple Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt are suing Britain's News of the World tabloid over allegations it published about their relationship, their London lawyers said on Monday.
In a story published on January 24, the weekly newspaper reported that the couple planned to separate imminently and had agreed on how they would divide their assets and custody of their children.
Pitt, 46, and Jolie, 34, have six children and joint assets estimated by the News of the World at 205 million pounds ($319 million).

Schillings law firm described the allegations as "false" and has taken its case to the High Court in London.
Keith Schilling of Schillings said the News of the World failed to meet the couple's "reasonable demands" for a retraction of the story and apology "for these false and intrusive allegations which have now been widely republished by mainstream news outlets.

"We have advised them to bring proceedings which they have now done," he added in a statement.
Sorrell Trope of Trope and Trope, identified by some media reports as the Los Angeles divorce lawyer representing the couple, has confirmed to Schillings that the company had no involvement with Pitt and Jolie.
The movie stars, who are not married, appeared together in public at Sunday's Super Bowl professional football championship in the United States, smiling, laughing and being photographed.


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Ornussa Cadness unleashes 'inner tiger' in PETA ad

In a move to spread awareness about the ills of keeping tigers in captivity, the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) released its latest eye-catching ad: popular model Ornussa Cadness wearing nothing but painted-on tiger stripes.

 

In the ad, PETA and Cadness wanted to remind Filipinos that 2010 is the "Year of the Tiger" in Chinese astrology, and that these animals should be allowed to live in their natural habitat instead of being trapped in zoos.

Cadness, who is of Thai and New Zealand descent, had her "outfit" designed by tattoo artist Gene Testa and makeup stylist Leo Posadas.
Brillante Mendoza designed the set, while Xander Angeles shot the PETA ad.
"We are asking Filipinos to celebrate the year of the tiger by refusing to patronize zoos that keep these magnificent animals confined to cramped and barren concrete pens," PETA campaigner Christine Lee said in a statement released Monday.

"What amounts to a few fleeting moments of 'entertainment' for zoo visitors results from a lifetime of misery for tigers and other animals," she added.
According to PETA, an adult tiger's territory can cover more than 160 square kilometers of land, a space that even the biggest zoos cannot provide.

The entire Manila zoo, for one, measures only 0.055 square kilometers.
As tigers experience physical and mental frustration from being in captivity, PETA said they acquire an illness called "zoochosis," which is characterized by abnormal, neurotic, and self-destructive behavior.

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Why Kendra Wilkinson Cried After the Super Bowl

It was an emotional scene after the Super Bowl: Kendra Wilkinson in tears as she rushed out of the stadium holding her baby son.

But the reality star says she wasn't upset over the Indianapolis Colts' loss to the New Orleans Saints on Sunday in a game in which her husband Hank Baskett mishandled an on-side kick, leading to a Saints scoring drive.

"I wasn't cryin cuz of the damn game it's cuz the paparazzi have no soul... they wouldn't leave me n family alone!!!!" she wrote on her Twitter page Monday.

She added: "People like to twist this stuff... we asked them to stop cuz of the baby n they were way too close n they didn't care at allllllll."

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Kevin Federline Says He'd Get Married Again

Wedding bells could be in Kevin Federline's future.

Britney Spears's ex-husband, who is currently dating former college volleyball star Victoria Prince, hasn't soured on marriage, even though his divorce from Spears led to depression that fueled his overeating and made him "borderline obese."

"Anything is possible," he told Ryan Seacrest on his KIIS- FM radio show Monday. "Would I get married again? Definitely."

Asked if his divorce from Spears had made him wary of marriage, he said, "No, I'm not. I just want to be happy. Right now, I really am happy. Victoria's a great person. She's an incredible person."

Federline, whose recent weight gain landed him a spot on the new season of VH1's Celebrity Fit Club, which premieres Monday night, has said he was upset at being too out of shape to play with his kids – but that helped motivate him to lose weight.

The star revealed to Seacrest that his weight ballooned above 230 pounds.

"I was borderline obese," said Federline who is joined in his weight-loss crusade by ex-girlfriend Shar Jackson.

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Charlie Sheen Charged with Assault on Wife

Charlie Sheen was charged Monday with a felony menacing charge and two misdemeanors but the judge eased the terms of a restraining order so the actor may now return home with Brooke Mueller and their two young sons.

The star of Two and a Half Men and Mueller both appeared in an Aspen, Colo., court for the hearing stemming from their Christmas Day fight that sent the actor to jail.

"Charlie and Brooke kissed and hugged and looked pretty happy to get beyond this hurdle,” Mueller's lawyer Yale Galanter tells PEOPLE. "They are on their way home to Los Angeles together."

"They finally got their restraining order lifted. They're finally able to communicate," adds Sheen's attorney, Richard Cummins. "You can imagine how hard it is to be married and not have any communication for some time. They're heading out to California so they can they work on their issues between them, and take care of their children and move forward with their lives."

At the hearing, Sheen, 44, was formally charged with felony menacing and two misdemeanors: third-degree assault and criminal mischief. But the judge modified a retraining order so that the couple can now be together as long as Sheen refrains from drinking alcohol, possessing guns or harassing Mueller, 32.

"Charlie is looking forward to going home and being with his children and with Brooke," says Mark Burg, Sheen's friend and Two and a Half Men producer who gave Sheen a place to live while the restraining order was in effect. "Hopefully this will all be behind him soon.”

Mueller arrived in Aspen over the weekend after spending 10 days at the Two Dreams Outer Banks Drug and Alcohol Rehab Center where she “has become herself again”, her mother Moira FIore tells PEOPLE.

"We will have to see what happens down the road,” Galanter says. "But for now we are glad to move on from the holiday issues. We will see where the next few weeks takes us."

top 40 Hollywood earners of 2009.

Who made the most in Hollywood last year? Not James Cameron.

The director of the raz-tastic action film "Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen," Michael Bay, earned more money than both Steven Spielberg and James Cameron in 2009.
Bay netted $125 million in the past year, which put him in the number one spot on Vanity Fair's list of the top 40 Hollywood earners of 2009.

Executive producer of "Transformers" as well as "The Lovely Bones" Steven Spielberg landed in second place with $85 million, followed by "2012's" Roland Emmerich ($70 million,) "Avatar's" James Cameron ($50 million) and "The Hangover's" Todd Phillips ($44 million).

To do the math, Vanity Fair used sources that had access to real numbers, like agents, studio executives, lawyers and on occasion, the stars themselves. Vanity Fair's list is limited to "creative figures—producers, directors, stars—in film," according to a press release.
The top ten Hollywood earners were men, but there are a few young women on the list, including Emma Watson of the "Harry Potter" franchise.

Watson, who earned $30 million in 2009, made more money than industry veterans Sarah Jessica Parker ($24 million) and Cameron Diaz ($27 million), as well as "Twilight" star Kristen Stewart ($16 million).
Below are the top 40 earners for 2009. For analysis and a breakdown of the numbers, visit VanityFair.com. The March issue will be on newsstands Tuesday, February 9.

1. Michael Bay, producer-director ($125 million)
2. Steven Spielberg, producer-director ($85 million)
3. Roland Emmerich, producer-director ($70 million)
4. James Cameron, producer-director ($50 million)
5. Todd Phillips, director ($44 million)
6. Daniel Radcliffe , actor ($41 million)
7. Ben Stiller, actor ($40 million)
8. Tom Hanks, actor ($36 million)
9. J. J. Abrams, producer-director ($36 million)
10. Jerry Bruckheimer, producer ($35.5 million)
11. Tyler Perry, actor-director-producer ($32.5 million)
12. Adam Sandler, actor-producer ($31.5 million)
13. Denzel Washington, actor ($31 million)
14. Emma Watson, actor ($30 million)
15. Rupert Grint, actor ($30 million)
16. Owen Wilson, actor ($29 million)
17. Nicolas Cage, actor ($28 million)
18. Russell Crowe, actor ($28 million)
19. Cameron Diaz, actor ($27 million)
20. Brian Grazer, producer, and Ron Howard, director-producer ($25.5 million)

21. Johnny Depp, actor ($25 million)
22. Steve Carell, actor ($25 million)
23. Robert De Niro, actor ($24.5 million)
24. Sarah Jessica Parker, actor ($24 million)
25. Katherine Heigl, actor ($24 million)
26. Shawn Levy, director-producer ($23 million)
27. Oren Peli and Jason Blum, writer-director-producers ($22.5 million)
28. Robert Downey Jr., actor ($22 million)
29. George Clooney, actor ($22 million)
30. Matt Damon, actor ($22 million)
31. Reese Witherspoon, actor ($21 million)
32. Angelina Jolie, actor ($21 million)
33. Jennifer Aniston, actor ($20 million)
34. Sandra Bullock, actor ($20 million)
35. Robert Pattinson, actor ($18 million)
36. Clint Eastwood, actor-director-producer ($17 million)
37. Kristen Stewart, actor ($16 million)
38. Mark Wahlberg, actor ($16 million)
39. Shia LaBeouf, actor ($15 million)
40. Brad Pitt, actor ($13.5 million)

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Facebook gives itself a birthday face-lift

(CNN) -- Facebook has given itself a face-lift for its sixth birthday.
The online social network -- which now boasts a population of 400 million people -- unveiled on Thursday night several surface changes to the look and feel of its home page.
"Facebook began six years ago today as a product that my roommates and I built to help people around us connect easily, share information and understand one another better," founder Mark Zuckerberg wrote in a blog post on Thursday night.

"We hoped Facebook would improve people's lives in important ways. So it's rewarding to see that as Facebook has grown, people around the world are using the service to share information about events big and small and to stay connected to everyone they care about."
Facebook's population grew by more than 200 million people in the last year alone, to a total of 400 million users now, Zuckerberg said in the post.

For comparison, the site's current population would make it the third-largest country in the world, behind only China and India and ahead of the United States, which has about 308 million people.
Many of the changes made to Facebook on Thursday were relatively minor.

Users can more easily access Facebook applications and games, as well as a list of friends who are currently online. The search function on the site became more prominent. And Facebook's news feed is now divided into categories for "top news" and "most recent" posts from Facebook friends, a slight change from the previous arrangement, which also allowed users to sort posts by what's newest and what's most relevant to them.

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Chelsea Clinton Still Shopping for a Wedding Dress

here are wedding bells in Chelsea Clinton's future – but what about a wedding dress?

According to her mother, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, that's still a work in progress.

"If you don't tell anybody, Candy, we're still looking," Clinton joked during a wide-ranging interview with CNN's Candy Crowley that aired Sunday. "I don't have a dress yet, and Chelsea doesn't either. We're working on it."

After discussing everything from Haiti to health care, terrorism and President Obama's position on North Korea and Iran, Clinton answered a few lighter questions. Describing herself as a "proud MOTB" [mother of the bride], Clinton said, "It's a new status for me being an MOTB but I am very proud to have that status."

Crowley then jokingly asked which is harder, negotiating Middle East peace or negotiating this wedding? "I'd probably call it a draw about now," Clinton said, laughing.

Chelsea Clinton, who is engaged to childhood friend Marc Mezvinsky, is expected to marry this summer. A date has not been made public.

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Jamie Lynn Spears Moves out – and Moves on with New Guy

Jamie Lynn Spears and boyfriend Casey Aldridge have split, according to sources close to the couple, and the former Nickelodeon star is now moving on in a new relationship with Hammond, La., businessman James Watson.

"She's going through a lot of changes," says a Spears family friend. "It has been painful. She's a young mother and struggling in a lot of areas."

Spears moved out of the Liberty, Miss., house she shared Aldridge and their 19-month-old daughter, Maddie, about six weeks ago and is now living with her mother, Lynne, according to sources. The teenagers had planned to marry after Spears, then 16, became pregnant, gave birth to their daughter and set up house together. After a wreck last April that landed Aldridge in the ICU after he crashed his truck, a family source told PEOPLE that Aldridge was "thinking a little more seriously about things." Still, a wedding never materialized.

"She did a lot of growing up but he didn't," says a source. "I think she put up with more than she cared to put up with. She just got enough of it and was tired of the situation."

Spears, 18, has recently begun dating Watson, 28, who owns a multimedia company close to Kentwood, La., according to a Spears family friend, who says, "he seems to be a nice guy."

Watson would not comment on his relationship with Spears when he spoke to PEOPLE. A rep for Spears has not commented on the status of their relationship nor her split from Aldridge.

Rather than stay in their former home alone, Aldridge is doing long-term construction work in another state, according to a source who spoke to him about the break-up.

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Kelly Clarkson Wades Into Taylor Swift Controversy

Four days after what critics described as Taylor Swift's "pitch-challenged" performance at the Grammy Awards, Kelly Clarkson has weighed in on the controversy after Swift’s record label CEO criticized American Idol.

In a blog post, Clarkson responded to recent comments by Big Machine Records’s Scott Borchetta, who told the Associated Press that the four-time Grammy winner "is the voice of this generation. She speaks directly to [her fans], and they speak directly back to her."

He added, "This is not American Idol. This is not a competition of getting up and seeing who can sing the highest note. This is about a true artist and writer and communicator."

In a letter addressed to Borchetta, Clarkson wrote that she understood why he would defend Swift – he said, "We had a volume problem in the ear ... She couldn't hear herself like she had in rehearsal" – but said she found it "upsetting" that he attacked the star-making TV show.

"We not only hit the high notes, you forgot to mention we generally hit the 'right' notes as well," the American Idol winner wrote.

Clarkson admitted that she, too, has had "shaky" performances, "and what my manager or label executives say to me and the public is 'I'll kick butt next time' or 'every performance isn't going to be perfect.' … I bring this up because you should take a lesson from these people and instead of lashing out at other artists (that in your 'humble' opinion lack true artistry), you should simply take a breath and realize that sometimes things won't go according to plan or work out and that's okay."

She signed the post, "One of those contestants from American Idol who only made it because of her high notes" – and added a winking smiley face.

Clarkson later Tweeted an assurance that she wasn't "dissing Taylor," and noted, "I buy her albums and cover her songs, obviously I'm a fan."

(Her rendition of Swift's "White Horse" can be heard on YouTube. She's also covered her song "Cold As You.")

Swift, who is currently on tour in Australia, has yet to join the public discussion, but Clarkson's fellow Idol winner David Cook seemed to appreciate the sentiments.

He Tweeted, "Kudos, @kelly_clarkson. Love it."

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Susan Boyle, 'David After Dentist' top YouTube in 2009

(CNN) -- A dazed boy's musings after a trip to the dentist's office had a good run.
But even with foggy pronouncements like "I have two fingers," he was no match for Britain's talented Susan Boyle.
Boyle's surprising vocal performance on "Britain's Got Talent" was far and away the most-watched video of the year on YouTube -- racking up more than 120 million views, according to the site.

"David After Dentist," filmed by the boy's father as he was clearly still loopy from medication, was a distant second with about 37 million views.
This year is the first time YouTube has released a year-end list. On its blog, YouTube called 2009 "the biggest year yet" for online video.

"Some moments were big [President Obama's inauguration], some small [a Minnesota wedding party erupts into dance], some expected ["New Moon"], some surprising [Susan Boyle] -- but all of them inspired, entertained and connected millions of people around the world via YouTube," read the blog.
Titled "JK Wedding Entrance Dance," the video of a wedding party's choreographed entrance to the tune of Chris Brown's, "Forever," finished third with about 33 million views while the trailer for the hotly anticipated movie "Twilight: New Moon" was fourth with 31 million.

An advertisement for Evian bottled water that featured babies roller-skating to Sugar Hill Gang's "Rapper's Delight" was fifth with about 27 million views.

Boyle, a 47-year-old, unemployed, Scottish charity worker, leapt to international stardom after first taking the stage on the British reality show. Audience members and judges seemed to smirk at her frumpy appearance before she rendered a show-stopping version of "I Dreamed a Dream" from the musical "Les Miserables."
Boyle would go on to finish second on the contest but her album, released late last month, instantly went gold with more than 701,000 sales in its first week in the United States.

YouTube also announced its top search terms for each month of the year -- a list that serves as an instant reminder of the top pop culture moments of 2009.

In the United States, the year started with "Obama inauguration" as the fastest rising search term in January and ended with "Tiger Woods" as the most popular term of December.

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Rihanna and Chris: One year later

(CNN) -- It's been 12 months since the private lives of Chris Brown and Rihanna spilled out into the Los Angeles streets following a violent argument while driving home from a pre-Grammy party.
According to a sworn statement by Los Angeles Police Detective DeShon Andrews, Brown punched her in the face numerous times, put her in a headlock, bit her fingers and ear and threatened to kill her.

Brown pleaded guilty to felony assault in June and lost several public endorsements. In August, he was sentenced to five years' probation in addition to 1,400 labor-oriented community service hours.
One leaked photo, a few soul-baring interviews and two questionable album covers later, both of the young singers now find themselves at uniquely different points in their careers.

Rihanna steered clear of the spotlight for several months, re-emerging in New York City last spring, boldly walking the red carpet at the Costume Institute Ball, with a new look and a new album to begin promoting.
"There's no restriction on Rihanna, but he [likely] can't go anywhere without his judge's permission," said RollingStone.com deputy editor Caryn Ganz. "He has to appear for court appearances to prove that he's doing his community service," noting that the legal issues don't make it any easier for the star to move forward with his career.

Brown did release a pop-inflected album, "Graffiti," on December 7, which has sold a little more than 250,000 copies. He also sold out stops on his fans' appreciation tour, but those performances were in smaller venues than he'd played previously.

"In the immediate aftermath of the incident, there was all of this 'dead' talk -- nobody will work with him, he'll never be able to sell another record -- and that's turned out to not be true," she said. But, Ganz noted, "Rihanna is clearly doing better than he is, both in sales figures and public reception."

To date, Rihanna's literal take on being "Rated R" has sold more than a half-million since it dropped November 23. She's also taken to the stage again, performing everywhere from NBC's "New Year's Eve with Carson Daly" to the "Hope for Haiti Now" telethon. "Rated R" is her fourth studio release; it entered the Billboard Hot 200 chart at No. 4, and sold more in its first week than "Good Girl Gone Bad."
Brown's last album, "Evolution," sold more in its first week at 294,000 than "Graffiti" has in its seven weeks on the shelves, Ganz said.

FULL STORY