Hillary Duff
Photo: Bruce Glikas/ Getty Images

Hilary Duff has signed on for a multi-episode arc on Gossip Girl, according to EW.com. Duff will play a character named Olivia Burke, a movie star who attends New York University in search of a traditional college experience. Blair (Leighton Meester), Dan (Penn Badgley) and Vanessa (Jessica Szohr) were also accepted to NYU, and Duff winds up becoming Vanessa's roommate in the third season of the show, which debuts this fall.

Duff told in December that she had become a fan of "Gossip Girl," and her favorite character was Chuck Bass. "I don't know why, because he's so bad and terrible," Duff said. "He is so sad that I feel bad for him," she admitted.

According to E! News, newly single Dan, who broke off his relationship with Serena last season, is looking to find love with Olivia and doesn't even know she's famous. Dan, according to E!'s sources, is looking to get serious with Duff's character.

At the time, Duff was developing her own pilot for NBC called "Barely Legal." She told E! News, "It's exciting. I've been meeting with writers. I'm ready to get back on TV." Producers eventually passed on "Barely Legal," but producers for "Gossip Girl" soon found a spot for the Disney teen queen on the show. She makes her debut in the fourth episode of the season, scheduled to air on October 5.

• Hilary Duff

Hilary Duff
Photo: Jesse Grant/ Getty Images

It's May — you know what that means. It's getting warm, the flowers are blooming and the time-honored tradition of prom is back again. So get your corsages, turn up the cheesy music and fuel the limos, because this week we're catching up with your favorite stars and helping them relive their prom memories.

Hilary Duff was already a working actress when her prom season rolled around, which meant she wasn't in a real high school that had a real prom. Despite already being a red-carpet fixture, she felt like she was missing out on a key milestone.

"I was homeschooled, so I didn't go to a regular prom," she told MTV News. "But I felt like I missed out a little bit."

To remedy the situation, Duff decided to have a DIY prom with her best friends. "My girlfriends and my sister, we threw an '80s prom party," she explained. "So we all went out and got, like, vintage prom dresses and they all had to be under $80 and we looked like big, funny cupcakes."

Not only did they embrace the decade's decadent fashion, they also cranked up some classic '80s tunes on their boom boxes. "We just danced all night to the Cure. We had fun. We had our own prom."

We'll have lots more celebrity prom stories rolling out throughout the week (and check out even more celebrity prom coverage on the MTV Buzzworthy blog)!

• Hilary Duff

Audrina Patridge
Photo: Miranda Penn Turin

Sure, everyone expects hot stars like Angelina Jolie (#26), Scarlett Johansson (#34), Penélope Cruz (#30) and the Pussycat Dolls' Nicole Scherzinger (#46) to make Maxim magazine's Hot 100 for 2009. But the men's magazine's annual roster of sexy ladies has also become a home for reality-TV stars, including some girls from "The Hills."

After starring in her spin-off, "The City," this year Whitney Port made her big debut at #83. Audrina Patridge, meanwhile, jumped 17 spots from #74 last year to #57 this year. But it's not such good news for Heidi Montag: Despite making music videos in her bikini, the new Mrs. Pratt fell to #81 this year, dropping a whopping 45 spots. And it might be even worse news for Lauren Conrad, who completely fell off the list after making it to #56 on last year's list.

Although Maxim's #1 hottest woman in entertainment won't be revealed until Wednesday (May 13), some other big names from the list have already been released. Hilary Duff was named the 31st hottest babe, thanks in part to her role as Bonnie Parker in "The Story of Bonnie and Clyde," due out in 2010. Singer Ciara has her steamy duet with Justin Timberlake to thank for making the list at #32. Funny girl and MTV Movie Awards nominee Anna Faris made the list at #39. "Twilight's" Nikki Reed (#42) and Ashley Greene (#68) also made the list, along with a couple of the Jonas Brothers' favorite ladies: Joe Jonas' current girlfriend, Camilla Belle, is at #72, and ex Taylor Swift is at #50.

• Our Nominees For The 2009 Maxim Hot 100

• Pussycat Dolls
• Hilary Duff
• Ciara
• Taylor Swift

Hilary Duff
Photo: Jason Merritt/ FilmMagic

Hilary Duff isn't new to starring in her own sitcom. She made a name for herself playing the title character in "Lizzie McGuire" on Disney, and now she's ready to move on from tween fare to take on a more challenging role: a lawyer.

The comedy, "Barely Legal," stems from Duff's NBC production deal and revolves around the true story of Kathleen Holtz, who passed the California bar exam in 2007 at age 18 to become the state's youngest lawyer, according to Reuters.

Back in November, when Duff appeared on the "TRL" finale, she spoke to MTV News about the deal and shared what sort of work she'd like to do with the network.

"I get to call all the shots!" the 21-year-old joked. "I think I would like to do something funny, so probably a comedy.

"I would like to do something funny ... or I would like to kick ass or something," she continued. "[I'd want to] be some kind of ... not a superhero, but some young person that's empowering and that does something no one expects from her, like take care of problems."

Through the network deal, Duff will not only work on her own show, but will also get to make cameos and have story lines on already-existing shows. And she already has a wish list of guest appearances.

"[NBC has] great shows to have arcs on," Duff said. "I would love to do something on 'The Office.' '30 Rock' is great, very funny. Many people have done lots of guest spots on it this season."

• Hilary Duff

Tim Kash and Hilary Duff backstage at "Total Finale Live" on Sunday
Photo: MTV News

Hilary Duff is no stranger to working on sitcoms, having started on Disney's "Lizzie McGuire." Now, after launching a successful career in movies and music, she's ready to head back to the small screen, this time for NBC.

"Well, right now it's a development deal," she told Tim Kash backstage at "Total Finale Live" Sunday night. "We're going to be working together to try to put a great show together. It's not like I know what the material is going to be yet.

"I get to call all the shots!" the 21-year-old joked. But though she's in control, she doesn't seem to have pinned down any specifics about what she wants to do. "I think I would like to do something funny, so probably a comedy. It's hard to sit here and say, 'I want to be this character and this character.'

"I would like to do something funny ... or I would like to kick ass or something," continued the star of "A Cinderella Story" and "Cheaper by the Dozen." "[I'd want to] be some kind of — not a superhero, but some young person that's empowering and that does something no one expects from her, like take care of problems."

Through the network deal, Duff will not only work on her own show, but will also get to make cameos and have story lines on already existing shows. And she already has a wish list of guest appearances.

"[NBC has] great shows to have arcs on," Duff said. "I would love to do something on 'The Office.' '30 Rock' is great, very funny. Many people have done lots of guest spots on it this season."

• TRL's Total Finale Live: Highlights

• Total Finale Live: Backstage Highlights
• Total Finale Live: Show Highlights
• Total Finale Live: Press Room

• Hilary Duff

Hilary Duff backstage at "Total Finale Live" on Sunday
Photo: Benjamin Wagner/MTV News

Hilary Duff was just 2 years old when Depeche Mode's "Personal Jesus" was released, but that didn't stop her from building a new song of her own — "Reach Out" — around it. The song is featured on her greatest-hits LP, Best of Hilary Duff, which hit stores last week.

" 'Reach Out' is a sample of a Depeche Mode song, 'Personal Jesus,' " she told MTV News at the "Total Finale Live" on Sunday (November 16). "It's different for me. It's a little dancey, and there's a rapper named Prophet who's on it who's really cool and kinda fresh."

In addition to "Reach Out," Duff has another new song on the album, called "Holiday," which found her working with OneRepublic's Ryan Tedder. She describes the song as "a really personal [one]."

Duff isn't just giving her fans her greatest hits — soon the singer/actress will be back in the studio recording new material. "I'm going to start working on a new album in two weeks," she said.

These days, even with a NBC development deal in the works that will bring the singer back to the small screen, she's spending her days "hard-core writing and figuring out what direction to go in."

And the former Disney star said she's looking to go edgier than the music she's done in the past. But she can't help but embrace her feminine side.

"I like so many different kinds of music," she said. "Something poppy and catchy — I'm girly but I think I'm kind of tough, so maybe a little rock influence."

For everything on "Total Finale Live," including bonus performances, behind-the-scenes action and more, head to TRL.MTV.com. Plus, check out our stage-door interviews with 50 Cent, Taylor Swift, Ludacris and many more superstars at the big show.

• 'Total Finale Live': Stage-Door Interviews
• TRL's Total Finale Live: Highlights

• Total Finale Live: Backstage Highlights
• Total Finale Live: Press Room
• Total Finale Live: Show Highlights

• Hilary Duff

Bob Duff, Hilary Duff and Sue Duff in 2003
Photo: Jean-Paul Aussenard/ Getty Images

Hilary and Haylie Duff's father, Bob Duff, was sentenced to 10 days in jail after he was found in contempt of court in Houston on Wednesday (August 28), according to the Houston Chronicle. The Duff parents were in a Harris County court to determine the fate of Hilary's 21st birthday party.

Hilary's mother, Susan Duff, wanted her ex-husband to contribute $25,000 to a birthday party and gift for the young star, the same amount he gave to Haylie, now 23, two years ago. Hilary turns 21 on September 28.

The sisters' mother claimed that the $10,000 her husband pays her in interim support each month is "not even enough to pay my own bills" and that she relies on Hilary, whom Bob's lawyer referred to as her "adult millionaire daughter," for financial support. She added that the actress is "emotionally upset by the abandonment of her father" and deserves "to have some kind of recognition for a young life well-lived."

When asked where her ex would get the money to afford the lavish party and gift she replied, "I know he's a millionaire, and he's got the funds."

During Bob's time on the stand, he agreed that Hilary should have the same gifts as her older sister. He was then ordered to pay $12,500 toward the party.

The real trouble came when he was found in contempt of court for violating an injunction against selling assets without court approval. He was ordered to pay the money he earned from selling stocks last month into a court repository — a total of $367,537.

His lawyer, Robert Piro, plans to file an appeal. When Susan saw her ex-husband being dragged away in handcuffs she was heard saying, "This isn't what I wanted."

• Hilary Duff
• Haylie Duff

Miley Cyrus
Photo: Scott Gries/Getty Images

First, Jonas Brothers frontman Joe Jonas came to Miley Cyrus' defense, after snapshots showing her in her bra and underwear surfaced online. Now it seems that Hilary Duff is in the "Hannah Montana" star's corner too.

Tween star Duff told People.com that she's not about to pass judgment on the 15-year-old pop sensation — and Disney's main moneymaker — just days after Cyrus issued a statement apologizing both for the controversial photos and for ones she'd taken for an upcoming Vanity Fair spread. Cyrus, who expressed embarrassment over the pictures, appears to be topless in the images, which were shot by celebrity photographer Annie Leibovitz.

In the statement, Cyrus said, "The pictures of me on the Internet were silly, inappropriate shots. I appreciate all the support of my fans, and hope they understand that along the way I am going to make mistakes and I am not perfect. I never intended for any of this to happen, and I am truly sorry if I have disappointed anyone. Most of all, I have let myself down. I will learn from my mistakes and trust my support team. My family and my faith will guide me through my life's journey."

"Everyone goes through things and takes their own path," Duff told People during a junket promoting her upcoming film, "War Inc." "Who am I to judge decisions that she made?"

Duff, however, said she would never elect to follow Cyrus' lead. "People are pushing you to do something, and if you want to do it, that's your choice, you know?" she said. "It's not what I would choose to do, but if she did, then that's fine. That's her choice."

Duff — who is 20 and has seemingly managed to evade the same pitfalls that have tarnished the reputations of contemporaries like Vanessa Hudgens, Lindsay Lohan and Britney Spears — said she has long relied on her family and friends to guide her professional decisions.

"I've had a lot of help from people," she explained. "It's a joint effort with my family and everyone helping me balance my life."

But Duff and Jonas aren't alone. It seems everyone's been weighing in on Cyrus' scandalous snaps, including actress Jamie Lee Curtis, Nick Cannon, Rosie O'Donnell and "Hills" stars Heidi Montag, Lauren Conrad and Spencer Pratt. Whether they're chiming in for some much-needed press or out of genuine concern, we may never know.

(Even one of our own MTV News interns weighed in on the controversy.)

Curtis, in an interview with People on Monday, said that she could understand Cyrus' embarrassment, having taken some topless photos herself recently for a spread in AARP the Magazine — and later took a stab at Miley's parents, for not looking after their daughter's best interests.

"I too was a little embarrassed by my recent topless 'scandal' and the subsequent parodies," she explained. "But I am an adult woman. I protected myself during the shoot and I can take the heat. I only wish that her guardians had protected her. Of course she is embarrassed. She is a young girl. She shouldn't have to deal with any of this. I don't feel that she was duped. I know the integrity of Ms. Leibovitz and the magazine, and I know there were people present at the shoot that should have been looking out to make sure that this didn't happen."

O'Donnell also came to Cyrus' defense, posting a lengthy video on her blog, telling the media to "leave Miley Cyrus alone." O'Donnell added that working with Leibovitz can be a rather daunting experience. "Listen, Annie Leibovitz — I had two photo shoots with her. You kind of do what she says. It's intimidating. I also didn't think it was a pornographic photo in any capacity. I thought it was sort of a beautiful portrait."

Montag told "Extra" that Cyrus is "a young girl in Hollywood, and she's just having fun — [she]'s exploring herself." Pratt didn't think the photos were "bad" and went so far as to dub them "artistic." Conrad, for her part, agrees. "I found it a bit silly," she said. "I thought she looked beautiful in the pictures. I didn't find it that inappropriate."

Cannon — who skirted questions about his rumored engagement to Mariah Carey at the MTV News office on Monday — said that he'd yet to see the Vanity Fair pictorial, but that didn't stop him from commenting on Mileygate. "Is she showing her achy-breaky? Hannah's got her Montana all the way out?" he asked. "Kids are going to be kids. I'm pretty sure it was something extremely innocent. You media people blow things out of proportion. It's too much access nowadays. I'm pretty sure every 15-year-old girl has probably done what she did, but now, just because the media can get a hold of it, it just got out there. I'm pretty sure Dolly Parton's got some old 15-year-old naked pictures too."

• Miley Cyrus
• Hilary Duff
• Nick Cannon

Hilary Duff
Photo: Scott Wintrow/Getty Images

First, Jonas Brothers frontman Joe Jonas came to Miley Cyrus' defense, after snapshots showing her in her bra and underwear surfaced online. Now it seems that Hilary Duff is in the "Hannah Montana" star's corner too.

Tween star Duff told People.com that she's not about to pass judgment on the 15-year-old pop sensation — and Disney's main moneymaker — just days after Cyrus issued a statement apologizing both for the controversial photos and for ones she'd taken for an upcoming Vanity Fair spread. Cyrus, who expressed embarrassment over the pictures, appears to be topless in the images, which were shot by celebrity photographer Annie Leibovitz.

In the statement, Cyrus said, "The pictures of me on the Internet were silly, inappropriate shots. I appreciate all the support of my fans, and hope they understand that along the way I am going to make mistakes and I am not perfect. I never intended for any of this to happen, and I am truly sorry if I have disappointed anyone. Most of all, I have let myself down. I will learn from my mistakes and trust my support team. My family and my faith will guide me through my life's journey."

"Everyone goes through things and takes their own path," Duff told People during a junket promoting her upcoming film, "War Inc." "Who am I to judge decisions that she made?"

Duff, however, said she would never elect to follow Cyrus' lead. "People are pushing you to do something, and if you want to do it, that's your choice, you know?" she said. "It's not what I would choose to do, but if she did, then that's fine. That's her choice."

Duff — who is 20 and has seemingly managed to evade the same pitfalls that have tarnished the reputations of contemporaries like Vanessa Hudgens, Lindsay Lohan and Britney Spears — said she has long relied on her family and friends to guide her professional decisions.

"I've had a lot of help from people," she explained. "It's a joint effort with my family and everyone helping me balance my life."

(.)

• Hilary Duff
• Miley Cyrus
• Jonas Brothers

Amy Winehouse and husband Blake Fielder-Civil
Photo: Dave Hogan/Getty Images

The trial involving Amy Winehouse's husband, Blake Fielder-Civil, has been delayed in light of allegations that he "perverted the court of justice," or the U.S. equivalent of obstruction of justice. He was back in court on Monday (November 12) for a brief hearing, and according to Agence France-Presse, he smiled throughout the session. The trial, previously slated to start Monday, has been adjourned until November 23, and Fielder-Civil — who was arrested last week following a raid on his and Winehouse's London home — is to remain in custody until then. Michael Brown, a 39-year-old who is supposed to stand trial with his friend Fielder-Civil, was not in court on Monday, and a judge issued a warrant for his arrest. BBC News also reports that James King, who was allegedly beaten by Fielder-Civil and Brown in June, was one of the men arrested last week, and that he has also been charged with the aforementioned crime. Fielder-Civil was remanded on technical bail. ...

Teeing with JT: Justin Timberlake has inked a five-year deal with the PGA Tour that will find him hosting a tournament in Las Vegas next year. "Justin Timberlake Shriners Hospitals for Children Open," which will be played October 13-19, will help raise funds for the Shriners group, which provides medical care at no charge to children under 18 years old. The singer will play in a celebrity-golf game that week as well. "Raising money to better children's lives while playing golf? I can't think of a better way to pass the time," he said in a statement. ... Timberlake's visibility has also landed him on Barbara Walters' "10 Most Fascinating People of 2007" list, and they'll be seen chatting on an hourlong ABC special set to air December 6 at 10 p.m. ET. Former President Bill Clinton, Jennifer Hudson, Posh Spice and two surprise guests will also appear on the show. ... Could J.K. Rowling top Nobel Peace Prize winner Al Gore on a competing list, Time's Person of the Year? That's how the voting is shaping up on the Time Web site, although, as it indicates, the editors reserve the right to give the honor to the person of their choosing. Senators Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama are also in the running, and the December issue will be on sale December 21. ...

Radiohead have set the North American release date for In Rainbows. The album will hit stores January 1 through the band's own TBD Records (which, as expected, is teaming with ATO Records Group for the release), with "Bodysnatchers" and "Jigsaw Falling Into Place" as the first two singles. According to a press release, more information on the album and the band's tour plans will be announced soon. ... In case teens need an extra incentive to rack up credit-card debt, branded cards featuring Hilary Duff and Usher are on the way, according to Brandweek. Duff is getting a prepaid Visa gift card "aimed to show the young ones how to manage their pocket change (and learn about service fees)," according to the branding-news magazine, while Usher has a Debit MasterCard that features an empowerment message. The Platinum Plus Visa card devoted to Elvis Presley actually has a charitable aspect, as money from it goes to a foundation that helps homeless families. A Kiss credit card is available too. ...

Tom Morello, guitarist for reunited rockers Rage Against the Machine, serenaded some 3,000 people involved in the Hollywood writers' strike outside 20th Century Fox Studios in Century City, California, last week, the Los Angeles Times reports. ... Chiodos, Mindless Self Indulgence and Finch are among the first confirmed bands for next year's Bamboozle Festival, which is scheduled for May 3-4 at the Meadowlands Sports Complex in East Rutherford, New Jersey. The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus, Jack's Mannequin, Less Than Jake, Forever the Sickest Kids, Scary Kids Scaring Kids, I Am the Avalanche and the Starting Line have also been booked for the bill. ... Xzibit has signed on for a tour of duty in Oliver Stone's upcoming Vietnam movie, "Pinkville." The film revolves around the 1968 My Lai Massacre, during which 500 people — mostly women, children and the elderly — were killed by U.S soldiers. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the "Pimp My Ride" host will play a soldier who is convinced he acted ethically when he carried out his orders. ...

My Chemical Romance's Bob Bryar has issued a statement concerning the band's cancellation of a recent gig at the University of Maine, which had prompted school officials to consider legal action against the band. Late last week, the college's newspaper, The Maine Campus, announced that MCR would be paying the student government $20,500 in restitution fees for scrapping the October 27 show. The student government had previously said it would pursue legal action against the band unless it paid all expenses incurred by Monday, arguing that if it did not recoup the money, it would cost more than $2 from each student's activity fee. "We are very sorry about canceling our recent show in Maine. I have been having many problems with my wrists over the past few years," Bryar wrote in his statement. "They have been getting worse but I kept playing. I have seen many doctors to get some relief so I wouldn't have to stop playing. I guess I pushed it too hard this time. During our [recent] show at Maxwell's [in Hoboken, New Jersey], I got a golf ball-sized lump in my wrist, I started to not only have pain, but lose control and feeling in my fingers. I went through a process to control the swelling and attempted to play the show [opening for] Bon Jovi the next day. The Bon Jovi show was really bad for me — I was dropping sticks and could barely hit my drums. After that show, we decided I had to go get immediate treatment. I had to leave the tour. Being the stubborn person I am, I made a last-minute decision to give it another shot on the second Bon Jovi show. It didn't work, [and] we had to cut the set in half. We have a fill-in now as I am getting treatment. He learned the songs in one day." At press time, the identity of Bryar's fill-in was unconfirmed. ...

In a note posted on his Web site late last week, Kid Rock gave props to the head of his security team, Little Bear, for "finding a hidden camera in the dressing room at the show at the Myth Nightclub" in Minneapolis on Thursday night. "Little Bear, who runs SpyOps.net, discovered the device before the show and alerted the authorities, who are now investigating," Rock wrote. TMZ obtained photos of the alleged spycam from Little Bear that appears to indicate it was set up to broadcast on the Internet, but in a statement from the club released to the Star Tribune, the management explained, "The green-room camera in question is part of the venue's security aspect, available for viewing by head of security only ... Rock's allegation that there was some kind of Internet broadcast in progress is simply not true and without foundation." ...

The Broadway stagehands' strike isn't just affecting theatrical productions — Duran Duran's 10-night residence at New York's Ethel Barrymore Theatre has also been stymied by the protest. The band canceled its Saturday night show and moved its Monday and Tuesday gigs to the Roseland Ballroom. "We are really disappointed that we weren't able to finish up the run on Broadway, which has been in the planning for months," singer Simon LeBon said, according to BBC News. "However, we are relieved that there was somewhere else available to us so that we don't have to disappoint our fans by not playing." ... With Army of Anyone's future in doubt — the band, featuring former Filter frontman Richard Patrick and two former members of Stone Temple Pilots, is said to be on "hiatus" — drummer Ray Luzier has opted to handle drum duties during Korn's upcoming European tour, set to begin in early 2008. Luzier replaces Slipknot's Joey Jordison, who in turn replaced Terry Bozzio earlier this year, as the band's touring drummer.

11.9.07

Britney Spears fans must be asking themselves why the singer risks getting behind the wheel anymore. According to a video posted on TMZ.com, the singer blew through a red light and made an illegal turn against oncoming traffic, with her two sons in the backseat of her Mercedes as she was driving in Los Angeles on Thursday. The footage also apparently shows Spears' court-appointed monitor ducking in the passenger seat. The video came to light following Thursday's emergency hearing in her child-custody dispute with Kevin Federline, her ex-husband. Federline's lawyer Mark Vincent Kaplan hadn't seen the footage by the time the hearing commenced, and there's no word yet if this will affect his motion to prevent Spears from driving with her kids. A spokesperson for the Los Angeles Police Department told MTV News on Friday that authorities weren't planning to cite Spears with any traffic violations because they hadn't been made aware of any unsafe left turns. The spokesperson also said police hadn't heard anything further about Spears recently running over a cop's feet. ...

Weezer fans, the countdown for a new album has begun. The band's mysterious AlbumSix.com Web site has posted release dates for two upcoming projects: Alone: The Home Recordings of Rivers Cuomo, which is due December 11, and the simply titled Album Six, which is poised for an April 22 release. ...

Chamillionaire invited old pal Paul Wall to perform with him onstage at a BET Black College Tour stop at Texas Southern University earlier this week. The once-feuding Houston rappers performed their classic collaboration, "N Luv Wit My Money." ...

The nominees for this year's People's Choice Awards rolled out Thursday — and not surprisingly, they're the usual suspects who have been cropping up in other awards competitions throughout the year. Beyoncé is up for three awards; while Justin Timberlake, Maroon 5 and Daughtry landed two nods each. Also in the running in various categories are: Kanye West, Gwen Stefani, Rihanna, Linkin Park, the Killers, John Mayer, Ne-Yo, Plain White T's, Timbaland, Shop Boyz and Shakira. As for the movie contenders, Matt Damon, Jessica Alba, Jamie Foxx, Brad Pitt, Johnny Depp and others are all in the running. The awards show will air January 8 at 9 p.m. ET on CBS. ...

Radiohead have been busting out some surprise covers on Radiohead.tv, which has featured live webcasts by the band for the past two days. Alongside live versions of their own songs, Radiohead have ripped into Björk's "Unravel," the Smiths' "The Headmaster Ritual" and New Order's "Ceremony," according to RollingStone.com. ...

Prince is "not suing his fans," his U.K. tour promoter AEG Live insisted in a recent statement, according to TheDailySwarm.com. Earlier this week, Prince fan sites claimed to have been hit with cease-and-desist letters from his lawyers demanding the sites remove all images, artwork and fan-submitted pictures related to the singer. "Prince is not suing his fans, is not looking to penalize fans and nor is he looking to or inhibiting freedom of speech in any way," the statement reportedly read. "In fact, he is simply looking to provide Prince fans with exclusive music and images entirely free of charge, and bypassing unofficial and unauthorized phony fan sites that exploit both consumers and artists." AEG did, however, single out the fan sites that assembled to create a new URL, PrinceFansUnited.com. While the promoter said mediations are being conducted between the parties to resolve the issue, it claimed, "The three sites in question have falsely positioned themselves as representatives of millions of Prince fans. In fact, many have come out in support of Prince at his official site and even on the messageboards of the unofficial sites in question." More revealing perhaps is that, according to the reported statement, Prince is taking on ThePirateBay.com, the self-proclaimed world's largest BitTorrent tracker. "They are in fact exploiting copyrighted material for their commercial gain," the statement claimed. "The site has flouted constant legal notices from artists and corporations throughout the world while cashing in on advertising monies. All the time, they keep up the pretence of being an anarchist, 'free music' fan site when it is really a massive moneymaking venture." ...

ThePirateBay.com is likely hoping it doesn't meet the same fate as Demonoid, a Canadian BitTorrent tracker that recently folded after coming under fire from the Canadian Recording Industry Association, according to Idolator.com. The CRIA has allegedly threatened the company that had been renting servers to Demonoid, which had moved its hosting company from the Netherlands to Canada because the latter country reportedly has less strict copyright-infringement laws. ... This year's Bang! Festival is a bust. The two-day event, which was set to feature Kanye West and Smashing Pumpkins as headliners and go down this weekend in Miami, has been postponed, according to the Bang! Web site. No reason was announced for the postponement, although tickets can be refunded at point of purchase. ...

Neverland Ranch is safe ... for now. That's the word from a spokesperson for Michael Jackson, who denied reports Thursday that the embattled singer's mansion is facing foreclosure. A day after notice of default on Neverland was made public, spokeswoman Raymone K. Bain issued a statement saying Jackson was never in default on the loan. Bain explained that Jackson's former advisers refinanced the loan in 2006 and that the loan matured last month, and now he's refinancing again. "Mr. Jackson is in the final stages of refinance and will not lose Neverland Valley Ranch," Bain said. The copy of the default notice posted on the Web site of local station KSBY-TV said that as of October 12, Jackson owed $23,212,963 on a $23 million loan. ...

California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger is trying to terminate the nearly weeklong Hollywood writers' strike. According to Reuters, the actor-turned-politician said on Thursday that he has taken on an unspecified backstage role in trying to end the strike, which is already having a serious impact on shows like "Desperate Housewives" and "24." Schwarzenegger revealed during a press conference at the State Capitol in Sacramento, "I'm talking to the parties that are involved because I think it's very important that we settle that as quickly as possible, because it has a tremendous economic impact on our state." He did not, however, specify his role in the talks. ... Ellen DeGeneres has also made her feelings about the strike known — she has crossed the picket line, People reports. While her talk-show peers have taken an indefinite hiatus, the TV host is continuing to film her daytime program, "Ellen." She skipped her monologue on Friday (November 9), saying she was doing so in honor of her writers. As for the rest of the show continuing, she qualified on her show, "It's sweeps, which is a very important time in television, because that's when you do your best shows, your funniest material." The Writers Guild of America responded to DeGeneres on Friday, saying it was "extremely disappointed to see that Ellen has chosen not to stand with writers during the strike," according to UsMagazine.com. "Ellen's peers who host comedy/variety shows have chosen to support the writers and help them get a fair contract, Ellen has not. On her first show back, Ellen said she loves and supports her writers, but her actions prove otherwise." ...

Krist Novoselic, former Nirvana bassist and current member of Flipper, kicked off his Seattle Weekly blog this week. In his first entry, he posted about Kurt Cobain, Nirvana's iconic "Smells Like Teen Spirit" video and anarchy, one of the clip's prevalent themes. "Indeed, [ex-Bikini Kill singer and Cobain friend] Kathleen Hanna wrote, 'Kurt Smells Like Teen Spirit' on Kurt's apartment wall," he said in the post. "I recall seeing it and thinking, 'Too much cheap red wine!' I don't know why she wrote it, but I know for sure that Kurt Cobain did not have any odor problems. Even though his place was a mess, he took care of his hygiene. This person would soak in the bath night after night only listening to the Beatles." ...

A rededication ceremony for the Peace Garden at the Tupac Amaru Shakur Center for the Arts in Stone Mountain, Georgia, is set for Saturday afternoon. The ceremony will begin with a drumline procession into the Peace Garden, followed by a performance from Pac's Kids (students from the center's outreach program); a prayer for peace from the late rapper's mother, Afeni Shakur; and a ribbon-cutting. The free ceremony will end with the release of butterflies. The rededication comes three weeks after vandals defaced a statue of Tupac Shakur in the garden by pasting racist messages on it and hanging a wooden cross around its neck. Earlier this week, a man was charged with felony second-degree criminal damage to property in connection with the incident. Kenneth Anthony Wilson, 43, is being held in DeKalb County jail on a $1,500 bond, though a police spokesperson told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution that authorities doubt Wilson, who is black, had a racial motive in the incident. ...

Hallmark has filed a motion seeking the dismissal of Paris Hilton's lawsuit. The heiress is suing the company for a half-million dollars for using her photo and "That's hot!" catchphrase on one of its cards. Hallmark argued in a statement that, "Hilton has become a household name, based in large part on her efforts to draw attention to herself," according to "Access Hollywood." "Having done so, she has subjected herself to public scrutiny and the parodist's pen. The First Amendment does not allow her to respond by welcoming the fawning and flattering, but silencing the critical and comical." ...

Winona Ryder, mommy dearest to ... Spock? You read it right — the 36-year-old actress will play the mother of Zachary Quinto's character in J.J. Abrams' upcoming "Star Wars" reboot, Variety reports. She joins Simon Pegg, Eric Bana and other previously announced members of the cast. ...

The popular Pandora Radio Web site made the jump to cell phones on Thursday when AT&T announced that it will offer personalized radio stations from Pandora on eight of its cell phones. As on the Web site, AT&T users can type in a song or artist and start listening to a personalized station within seconds on their handset, according to a press release from AT&T announcing the deal. Songs heard on Pandora can also be bookmarked and purchased later at the AT&T Mobile Music Store. The service is free for five days and then costs $8.99 a month.

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