Billy Joel

'American Idol' Report Card: Jessica Sanchez, Elise Testone Lead The Pack

22 Mar 2012 12:56:21 EDT

Top 10 take on the songs of Billy Joel with mixed results on Wednesday night's show.
By James Montgomery

It was difficult to decide what was the most shocking part of Wednesday night's "American Idol": Erika Van Pelt's new "Little Nicky" hairdo? The fact that Elise Testone may have finally found her way out of the bottom three? Or that, with the full Billy Joel catalog at their disposal, none of the contestants decided to take on "The Stranger" or "I Go to Extremes"?

Nah, we're gonna say it was whatever Heejun Han was attempting to do with his mid-set strip show (just in case you haven't watched yet, boy was this a special episode of "Idol"). Anyway, while we're still scrubbing H.H. from our collective consciousness, we took a minute to hand out some grades for a truly Joel-a-riffic night. Who rode high on the River of Dreams? Who drove their car into a house in the Hamptons? Read on to find out!

Jessica Sanchez: She's the one to beat, and now she seems to know it, as evidenced by her thorough throttling of "Everybody Has a Dream." It was perhaps a bit too literal (like, we get it, this is your dream), but dang, when she lets it rip, there's really no one else who even comes close. Standing ovation, massive praise from the judges, the overwhelming desire to just give her the crown right now ... with Sanchez, it's the same every week, just like our grade for her performance. A

Elise Testone: It only took her three weeks, but Testone finally found her groove, positively killing "Vienna" (wait, that sounds weird). Her full repertoire was on display, and she even worked in some of those goofy hand gestures that all the great divas make when they know they're on point. And she was. She earned a richly deserved standing ovation for her efforts, and if she's in the bottom three again this week, America is officially the worst. A

Erika Van Pelt: Her newly darkened hair only added to her attitude, and there was plenty of it on display during her version of "New York State of Mind." Sultry and soulful, if perhaps a touch too lounge singer for our liking, but still, she was miles above pretty much everyone else on this night ... and for once, people are actually talking about her. Even if it is because of her hair. Small victories, folks. B+

Skylar Laine: She's got a great voice, and the fact that she's still standing in the competition is proof that she's a survivor, but still ... it would be nice to see her step outside her country comfort zone for once. Shoot, she did Garth Brooks' version of "Shameless." Kinda screechy in parts, but a solid ending probably ensures she's safe for another week. The judges didn't do her any favors, though. B-

Hollie Cavanagh: Another week, another big ballad from the pint-size powerhouse. This time it was "Honesty," and yes, as Steven pointed out, it was plenty pitchy. Randy also got in on the act, giving her the dreaded "come on now." Yowch. Perhaps the cracks are starting to show. Also, it would be nice to see her change things up a bit, provided she's still here next week, of course. C+

Joshua Ledet: His roller-coaster ride through "Idol" (The highs! The lows! The Mantasia!) bottomed out this week, as he struggled to connect with "She's Got a Way." Still, he battled through, hit some nice notes (and some not-so-nice ones, too), but we have a creeping suspicion the Josh-a-coaster might be entering its final turn, which is a shame, considering all he's capable of. Like the suddenly sage-like Randy said, "Never ever feel defeated!" C

Deandre Brackensick: He kicked off the show with an even — if forgettable — version of "Only the Good Die Young," and after three weeks of live performances, "even" and "forgettable" are about par for the course for him. Earned polite praise from the judges, a few screams from the crowd, wore a cool vest thingy, but perhaps this is the week the somewhat-good really do die young. C-

Colton Dixon: Oh, no way, he did "Piano Man"! Shocking. Also, lyrical content aside, isn't this song supposed to be fun? Not in Colton's world, apparently. Gave J.Lo goosies, probably because she was sitting on an air conditioner or something. The girls in the audience liked it, too, so once again he'll be safe, but c'mon man, lighten up a bit. And change your hair. It's not 2003 and Warped Tour doesn't kick off for a few more months. C-

Phillip Phillips: Totally "Phillip Phillps'd" (thanks Steven!) "Movin' Out," which basically means he slowed the thing down to a dirge and growled a bunch. Congrats, dude, you proved it's possible to suck the life out of even the most jovial of tunes! Randy, who was apparently watching a different show or something, called it "one of the best renditions of the song ever." Go buy a house out in Hackensack, dawg. D

Heejun Han: He mystified both Diddy and Tommy Hilfiger, which hasn't happened since Nelly decided to get into the clothing game, then went out and mystified everyone watching "Idol" with his goofy version of "My Life." Apparently it was supposed to be funny or something. Gee, it's a good thing the judges decided to keep him and not, you know, someone who actually wanted to win this thing. Note to Heejun: You're not as clever as you think. F-

Get your "Idol" fix on MTV News' "American Idol" page, where you'll find all the latest news, interviews and opinions.

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Billy Joel

Billy Joel, Christie Brinkley Release Statement About Alexa Ray's 'Devastating Heartbreak'

10 Dec 2009 09:19:00 EST

Ex-couple refer to daughter's 'dangerous actions' and accuse the media of spreading 'vicious lies.'
By Gil Kaufman

After days of speculation and tabloid coverage of the alleged suicide attempt by their daughter, Billy Joel and ex-wife Christie Brinkley issued a statement on Wednesday about the incident that lead to 23-year-old Alexa Ray Joel's hospitalization on Saturday.

"Every parent can imagine the pain and anguish we face as parents of a daughter who is working to recover from the dangerous actions she took while suffering a devastating heartbreak," the couple said, referring to Alexa Ray's hospitalization due to a reported overdose of the homeopathic anti-inflammatory Traumeel. "As much as we hate dignifying tabloid stories with a response, we feel we must set the record straight to protect our family. The story that ran in the New York Post on December 8th, and has been subsequently spread across the Internet, is filled with vicious lies and attempts to smear our character and that of our beloved daughter," they said, referring to a story the tabloid printed on Tuesday claiming that the suicide attempt came after a turbulent family vacation with Brinkley in Turks and Caicos.

"We ask the public and legitimate media outlets to please 'consider the source' and to not further exacerbate our daughter's situation by repeating and legitimizing these false reports." The couple did not specify what heartbreak Alexa Ray suffered, but the aspiring singer has reportedly struggled for some time following a breakup with bandmate and on-again, off-again boyfriend Jimmy Riot.

Following the weekend hospitalization, Alexa Ray has been resting comfortably at an undisclosed location and, according to a spokesperson, is "feeling much better."

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Billy Joel

Alexa Ray Joel Is 'Feeling Much Better' After Overdose

08 Dec 2009 18:09:00 EST

'I want to thank everyone for their outpouring of love and support,' Billy Joel's daughter says.
By Gil Kaufman

After a weekend hospitalization due to a reported overdose of a homeopathic anti-inflammatory medication, Alexa Ray Joel released a brief statement on Monday thanking fans and friends for their support.

"Alexa is feeling much better. She is with her family and looking forward to getting back on track," spokesperson Claire Mercuri wrote in an e-mail to MTV News.

"I want to thank everyone for their outpouring of love and support," the daughter of Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Billy Joel and legendary supermodel Christie Brinkley said in the statement.

The 23-year-old singer was set to headline at the 86th annual tree-lighting ceremony for the New York Stock Exchange on Thursday but has canceled the gig, according to Mercuri. She has also canceled her Thursday appearance at a J&R Music store in Manhattan.

Joel was rushed to a New York hospital on Saturday afternoon, following an apparent overdose of the homeopathic anti-inflammatory pill Traumeel in what some are calling a suicide attempt. The singer was said to be despondent over a breakup last year with bandmate and former boyfriend Jimmy Riot. She reportedly took the pills — an alternative to ibuprofen — and called 911 when she began having trouble breathing. Medical experts told the New York Daily News that it is virtually impossible to overdose on the all-natural Traumeel.

The New York Post reported that Ray Joel took eight Traumeel pills and panicked before calling 911. A source reportedly told the paper that EMS received a message from the 911 that said, "Female caller. Took eight pills. Wants to die. Now feels funny. Wants to live."

The maker of the supplement, Heel USA, posted a statement about the incident on its Web site on Monday, wishing Joel and her parents well and explaining the proper use of the drug. "Traumeel has been used safely for 60 years in 60 countries," it read. "It is a homeopathic medicine made of very small doses of botanical and mineral natural ingredients for the temporary relief of muscular pain, joint pain, sports injuries and bruising. It is neither an antihistamine nor muscle relaxant as reported in some entertainment news stories. ... [S]ide effects are very rare."

Joel was released from a New York hospital on Saturday night and is resting at an undisclosed location.

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Billy Joel

Alexa Ray Joel Out Of Hospital After Homeopathic Overdose

07 Dec 2009 13:06:00 EST

Daughter of Billy Joel and Christie Brinkley was rushed to hospital on Saturday.
By Gil Kaufman

Alexa Ray Joel, 23, the daughter of Billy Joel and ex-wife Christie Brinkley, is resting at an undisclosed location after being rushed to the hospital on Saturday afternoon for what is being described as an overdose of homeopathic medication.

According to Newsday, Joel's family said the aspiring singer had taken an overdose of the homeopathic anti-inflammatory medication Traumeel. She was rushed to a Manhattan hospital after her roommate called 911 at around noon on Saturday. An unidentified police source told the New York Daily News, "She said [Alexa] had taken pills and was feeling despondent. ... She said she wasn't feeling good about herself."

Joel reportedly told medics she was having trouble breathing after taking some pills. The Associated Press reports that police say it is unclear whether the overdose was a suicide attempt or accidental. Sources told the Daily News that Joel had been distraught since her breakup with boyfriend and bandmate Jimmy Riot almost a year ago.

Emerging from the shadow of her father, one of the most popular and beloved American singer/songwriters of the 1970s and '80s, Alexa Ray has been trying to launch her own career in music. She released her debut EP, Sketches, in 2006, and was scheduled to perform twice in Manhattan this Thursday: at J&R Music World and at the New York Stock Exchange tree lighting. It was unknown at press time if she would still make those engagements, and a spokesperson for the singer could not be reached for comment at press time. Her latest single is a ballad called "Invisible," which her site describes as telling "the story of disappointment over losing love and self-esteem and finding female empowerment."

Billy Joel told Newsday that his daughter "is going to be fine." Alexa Ray is the only child of Joel and Brinkley, who divorced in 1994 after nine years of marriage. Joel has discussed his own suicide attempt by drinking furniture polish at age 21 following a hard breakup with a girlfriend. He has also battled with alcoholism, receiving treatment in 2002 and 2005. His third marriage, to Katie Lee, who was just five years older than Alexa when they married, ended in 2009 after five years.

Brinkley, long considered one of the most beautiful models of the modern era, has been married four times and recently suffered through an ugly divorce from ex-husband Peter Cook.

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Billy Joel

Howard Stern's Wife, Beth Ostrosky, Talks About Recent Wedding

14 Oct 2008 15:14:00 EDT

'Between getting married, the honeymoon and my marathon training, it's been crazy,' she tells MTV News.
By Chris Harris, with additional reporting by Sarah Muller

Howard Stern'sHoward Stern's fans know her as "the lovely Beth O," the object of Double A's affections and the svelte blond model who's been by the shock jock's side since 2000. But on October 3, Stern and Beth Ostrosky made it official, tying the knot after a 20-month engagement.

They had a quiet ceremony officiated by Mark Consuelos, the husband of "Live With Regis & Kelly" co-host Kelly Ripa, and held at the ritzy Le Cirque restaurant in Manhattan. The wedding was attended by 180 guests, including Joan Rivers, Chevy Chase, Rob ZombieRob Zombie, Jimmy Kimmel, Sarah Silverman, John Stamos, Barbara Walters and Donald Trump. During the evening, the Sterns were serenaded by 1970s songbird Phoebe SnowPhoebe Snow, who sang the wedding classic "You Send Me," and Billy JoelBilly Joel entertained guests with a rendition of "The Stranger" during the reception. Train's Patrick MonahanTrain's Patrick Monahan also performed before the night was through.

(Check out pictures of Sarah Silverman, Rob Zombie and more celeb guests at the wedding.)

"Chevy Chase doing an impromptu [and X-rated] speech was fun," Ostrosky told MTV News on Monday night outside the New York premiere of "Filth and Wisdom," a new film that marks Madonna's directorial debut. "Billy Joel serenading us was not planned, and my best friend got up and spoke. Jimmy Kimmel made a surprise speech at the altar as Mark Consuelos was officiating. It was so much fun."

The last few weeks have been especially busy for Mrs. Howard Stern, 36, who has been training for the upcoming New York City Marathon, set for November 2. Ostrosky, who is a vocal proponent of animal rights, is participating in the marathon to raise money for the North Shore Animal League. She hopes to raise more than $250,000 for her cause, which fans can support by visiting her Web site, GoBethO.org.

All the proceeds raised through Ostrosky's sponsorships will benefit the Animal League's mission to find permanent homes for more than 20,000 orphaned animals.

"Between getting married, the honeymoon and my marathon training, it's been crazy," she said. "I did my first 20-mile [run] on Saturday, and we moved. We've moved into a new apartment, so it's all at once."

How did Ostrosky keep up her training amid all the hectic wedding planning? "That, to me, is the top priority," she said of the marathon. "The getting-married part was easy. The planning was a little more difficult, but it was the training that took top priority."

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Madonna Shocks, Justin Timberlake Pays Tribute At Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame Ceremony

11 Mar 2008 09:07:00 EDT

In induction speech, Timberlake recalls getting vitamin B12 injection -- in the butt -- from Madonna.
By Chris Harris

NEW YORK — As Rock and Roll Hall of Fame ceremonies go, Monday night's didn't seem to promise much controversy, like Van Halen's induction last year or the Sex Pistols' the year before that, unless you consider the induction of dance-pop icon Madonna into the hallowed hall to be scandalous.

And apart from a handful of Eliot Spitzer quips, the evening — which also saw the inductions of John Mellencamp, Leonard Cohen, the Ventures, the Dave Clark Five, Little Walter and '70s hitmakers Gamble and Huff — didn't have much controversy either. That is, until Madonna opened her mouth.

After an innuendo-filled introduction from Justin Timberlake (during which he lauded Madonna for her "shapely body of work" and for how she's "always been a woman on top" who "fully enjoys that position"), the sinewy singer ascended the stage and thanked seemingly everyone who helped shape her career, from her earliest dancing teachers to the critics who have blasted her over the years, and told her she was "talentless, that I was chubby, that I couldn't sing, that I was a one-hit wonder — they helped me too, because they made me question myself and they pushed me to be better, and I am grateful for their resistance."

(Check out 52 different music videos from Madonna's long and legendary career right here.)

Then, Madonna clarified a story Timberlake told during his introduction. He'd recalled getting an injection of vitamin B12 in the butt from Madonna during recording sessions for her new album. Timberlake said that, during the sessions, he started feeling ill. That's when Madonna proceeded "to pull a Ziploc bag of B12 syringes out [of her purse]." He said she then instructed him to "Drop 'em."

"I don't know what you say to that, so I immediately dropped my pants," he said. "She gave me a shot in my a-- and looks at me and says, 'Nice top shelf.' That was one of the greatest days of my life."

Madonna, however, remembered the incident slightly differently. "Everything he said is basically true, but I didn't say 'Drop 'em.' I said, 'Pull your pants down.' I like to be accurate because you know I am a control freak."

After quoting from the Talmud, she called Timberlake — who'd said, "She became the biggest name on the planet the old-fashioned way: She earned it" — a "f---er." Moments later, she blurted out the word "mother----er" for no discernable reason.

Those words served as a fitting preamble for the punk-paced covers of Madonna songs from a leathery and topless Iggy Pop, who, along with the Stooges, paid tribute to the singer with covers of "Burning Up" and "Ray of Light," during which Pop tossed out an F-bomb. At one point during that performance, the cameras panned to a horrified-looking Clive Davis.

(Check out this backstage footage of Madonna greeting Iggy and the Stooges — including bassist/rabid Madonna fan Mike Watt — after their performance.)

After Pop hobbled offstage, Billy Joel — there to induct his pal John "You'll Always Be the Cougar to Me" Mellencamp — spit out a string of obscenities too, eliciting laughter from an audience that included Chevy Chase, Michael J. Fox, Meg Ryan and even Princess Firyal of Jordan.

The night got off to a much slower start, by comparison. After some opening remarks from Rolling Stone founder and Rock Hall chairman Jann Wenner, legendary R&B singer Patti LaBelle stirred the decked-to-then-nines audience with a towering rendition of Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes' "If You Don't Know Me By Now," which was written and produced by inductees Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff.

"You've been touching the world with your music for so many years," LaBelle exclaimed, honoring the team responsible for '70s-era soul hits from Lou Rawls, the O'Jays, Jerry Butler and many others. "You've touched my life. You've done a wonderful thing. Keep on touching, brothers."

Also inducted — posthumously — was legendary blues harmonica player Little Walter, who died in 1968; he joined the hall in its sidemen category, as he was a frequent collaborator of Muddy Waters'. Ben Harper said of Walter, who helped pioneer the use of electronic distortion, that "he defined an instrument, he defined a sound, he defined a genre."

Surf-rock icons the Ventures were inducted next, and followed up the honor by performing two of their biggest hits, "Walk, Don't Run" and the theme from "Hawaii Five-O." John Fogerty, who introduced the Ventures, praised the band for having recorded 250 albums over the course of their career. "Nowadays, some of us would be happy to sell 250 records," he joked, making a reference to the dire state of the music industry.

A pink shirt-sporting Lou Reed strutted onstage to induct revered songwriter Leonard Cohen. His often disjointed tribute to Cohen included a recitation of the genius musician's lyrics — printed out on at least 30 pages Reed pulled from his pocket. "We're so lucky to be alive at the same time Leonard Cohen is," Reed noted, before Damien Rice delivered a rendition of Cohen's "Hallelujah." "This is a very unlikely occasion for me," Cohen, wearing a black tux, admitted. "It is not a distinction that I coveted or even dared dream about. So, I'm reminded of a prophetic statement of [music critic and longstanding Bruce Springsteen manager] Jon Landau in the early '70s. He said, 'I have seen the future of rock and roll and it is not Leonard Cohen.' "

After Madonna's induction and Joel's hilarious introductory speech, Mellencamp — sounding like he'd just downed a shot of molten steel — emerged to claim that "nobody put themselves behind the eight-ball more than I did." He spoke of having surgery when he was just six weeks old, explaining that doctors had worried he'd be paralyzed below the neck. The 56-year-old rocker said he never knew of the surgery until his teen years, when a classmate asked him about the scar behind his neck. "I'm lucky to be standing here for any number of reasons," he said, after snuffing out a cigarette as he mounted the stage.

Last came '60s popsters the Dave Clark Five, whose singer, Mike Smith, died just two weeks ago. Clark admitted it was a bittersweet time for the English group. "We wanted it to be the five of us here, but we know he's smiling down on us, knowing he's a hall of famer," Clark said, adding that he's absolutely delighted that his band's being inducted into the "American" rock hall.

Actor Tom Hanks inducted the band, and told stories about first seeing them on "The Ed Sullivan Show." Finally, Joan Jett, Fogerty and Mellencamp capped off the long night, playing the group's "Bits and Pieces" and "Glad All Over."

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John Mayer, Others Announced As Grammy Performers; Plus Common, Timbaland, Pitbull, Baby Bash, Big Pun & More, In For The Record

08 Feb 2008 17:07:00 EST

Com names new LP; Timbaland plans straight-to-cell-phone album; Pitbull, Baby Bash to co-headline MTV Trés tour.
By MTV News staff

In addition to adding the two most-nominated artists of the year to the performing roster for Sunday's Grammys — Kanye West and, via satellite, Amy Winehouse — the show will also feature live sets from John Mayer and gospel great BeBe Winans. Added as presenters are Usher, Will.I.Am, Dierks Bentley, Cuba Gooding Jr., Carole King and Roselyn Sanchez. ...

Common has come up with a title for his new LP: The Believer. The Chicago legend told MTV News he hopes it will be out by November. ... Timbaland has signed a deal to release a straight-to-mobile-phone album, one track at a time over the next year. The unusual scheme hatched with Verizon Wireless, which will give its V Cast subscribers an exclusive chance to access the songs each month, according to Billboard Biz. Tim, who is up for five Grammys, will work with a different artist on each track while touring the country on the Verizon Mobile Recording Studio Bus, which will spin off making-of footage for V Cast subscribers on a dedicated Timbaland channel. Each mobile track will be released just days after it is produced in full-length download, ringtone and ringback version, and will only be available through V Cast and Verizon for $1.99. At the end of the year, a compilation album will be released through Verizon. ...

Pitbull and Baby Bash likely ran into each other at last year's Wango Tango music festival in Southern California — they both performed there — and now the two are joining forces for MTV Trés' Sucker Free Latino spring tour. The two headliners will hit 13 cities starting March 15 in Orlando, Florida, and ending April 4 in San Diego. ... Family, friends and close music-industry associates of the late Big Pun gathered in a private ceremony Thursday night at New York's Studio 450 to honor the eight-year anniversary of the Latino rapper's untimely death. Donations were made both to Pun's family and his foundation, the Christopher Rios Memorial. An attendee told MTV News that the rapper's daughter, Vanessa, paid tribute to her father with a rendition of Dolly Parton's "I Will Always Love You." ...

Teddy Geiger is still busy working on the follow-up to 2006's Underage Thinking — as well as his role in the upcoming flick "The Rocker" — but in the meantime the 19-year-old troubadour has launched a cell phone contest with Mozes. During the month of February, fans can leave messages for Geiger on Mozes.com, after which he'll pick one of the fans to chat with. ... Flyleaf and Seether will team up this spring for an eight-week U.S. tour that kicks off April 8 in Denver and runs through May 31 at a yet-to-be-announced city. A partial list of dates can be found at either band's Web site. ... Thrice have a busy May ahead — the SoCal rockers have a show booked for almost every night that month. The band will actually set out on tour the month before that, beginning April 16 in San Diego, and will bring it to a close May 29 in Hollywood. ...

Members of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, "Saturday Night Live" castmembers Andy Samberg and Seth Meyers, and others turned up at New York's Webster Hall on Monday night for a party thrown by Chloë Sevigny. The actress invited legendary punks the Slits to play at the event, which celebrated Sevigny's new clothing line. ... Working for a Nuclear Free City — whose Businessmen and Ghosts album was a finalist for this year's Shortlist Music Prize — are hoping to capitalize on the success with a brief run. The Brits will hit the road February 29 in San Francisco and continue playing gigs through Austin, Texas' South by Southwest fest in mid-March. ... Still hooked on Phish? Fans can gobble up a bunch of rare items donated by the now-defunct jam heroes for an online charity auction being put on by the mother of the band's drummer, Jon Fishman. Posters signed by Trey Anastasio and Page McConnell, as well as rare Phish shirts and additional items from Oysterhead, Moe. and the String Cheese Incident. Proceeds from the auction, which ends February 21, will go to the Mimi Fishman Foundation, which raises funds for various charities. ...

Now that his Rolling Stones movie, "Shine a Light," is about to hit the big screen, legendary director Martin Scorsese is set to begin work on a yet-untitled documentary about reggae icon Bob Marley. Variety reports that the movie will be authorized by Marley's family and will be released in February 2010, on what would have been Marley's 65th birthday. ... Walt Disney Parks and Resorts are creating a live-performance attraction based on "American Idol" at Disney's Hollywood Studios theme park in Florida. The yet-unnamed attraction, which should open this year, will allow budding singers to "audition" on an "Idol"-like set in front of an audience of 1,000, with a daily winner getting a pass to the show's regional auditions. Visitors will be able to pick their song beforehand, rehearse in a sound booth and, if they pass the audition, work with a vocal coach before performing in front of the live audience and a panel of judges during one of the seven daily shows. ...

Republican presidential candidate John McCain might have a lot of independent-minded supporters, but heartland rocker John Mellencamp ain't one of 'em. The Arizona senator and Republican front-runner stopped playing the unabashedly liberal Indiana singer/songwriter's "Our Country" at his campaign events after Mellencamp's publicist sent a letter questioning the logic of using the tune, according to The Associated Press. "Are you sure you want to use his music to promote Senator McCain's efforts?" read a letter sent to the candidate's campaign on Monday. "Logic says that the facts might prove to be an embarrassment, were they to be circulated widely." The McCain camp said Thursday that the song, and a few others by Mellencamp, would no longer be played at events. Mellencamp publicist Bob Merlis told AP that the situation made Mellencamp uncomfortable and that he couldn't imagine McCain would want to be associated with him. "You know, here's a guy running around saying, 'I'm a true conservative,' " Merlis said. "Well, if you're such a true conservative, why are you playing songs that have a very populist pro-labor message written by a guy who would find no argument if you characterized him as left of center?" ...

Billy Joel will be the last artist to play New York's Shea Stadium before it's torn down. The piano man will perform at "The Last Play at Shea, From the Beatles to Billy" on July 16, during the New York Mets' final season before moving to Citi Field in 2009. The show will make Joel the only artist to have played both Yankee and Shea Stadiums.

2.7.08

Lindsay Lohan just spoke publicly for the first time since leaving rehab in early October — she gave an interview to the U.K. edition of Glamour for its new cover story — but the starlet has more to say. She told Harper's Bazaar for its own LiLo cover story that she'd like to have a low-key relationship, that she's trying to smoke cigarettes less often and that she's "always been a homebody." She also spilled who she would like to make music with next — "I'd love to work with Timbaland. I'd love to work with Kanye West, 50 Cent if I could" — and admitted, "When I look back on this last year, it's like, what was I thinking?" Harper's Bazaar's March issue, in which the story appears, hits stands February 19. ...

Christina Aguilera just made her first public appearance this week since giving birth in January, and now comes news that the singer is already digging into her next album. "This whole incredible thing has taken place in my life," the new mom recently told Ryan Seacrest on his radio show, so there's "so much in me to write about. The next record, I want to have a lot of fun with it. [I've been] brainstorming for the last nine months. This next album will have a whole new me, a different me, so it's a lot to look forward to." She also spoke about her son, Max Liron Bratman — "he's constantly changing, and doing these incredibly cute things and stinky things" — and even touched on Paris Hilton spilling the beans about Aguilera's pregnancy during VMA weekend last year. "It was funny," Aguilera said, taking the high road. "We all looked at each and laughed it off. She did it in a sweet way. It wasn't a tattle-on-me sort of thing." ...

Britney Spears' father, Jamie, had previously been granted temporary conservatorship powers over the singer for a week, during which time it was expected when the powers were granted that she would be in the hospital. Now that she's out, some legal questions were raised in court Thursday (February 7) when Spears' co-conservator, Andrew Wallet, and the attorneys for the conservatorship appeared for an emergency ex parte hearing. Since the hearing was closed and the court documents were sealed, according to a court clerk, no one could say what happened in the hearing. But Adam Streisand, who tried to represent the singer at a previous hearing,<

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Amy Winehouse Stumbles Through EMA Performance; Plus Justin Timberlake, Avril Lavigne, Britney Spears, Lindsay Lohan & More, In For The Record

01 Nov 2007 20:57:00 EDT

Avril beats out JT at EMAs; Spears sued by former manager; Lohan doesn't want deposition videotaped.
By MTV News staff

Amy Winehouse stumbled through her performance at the MTV Europe Music Awards on Thursday (November 1) shortly after giving a very brief acceptance speech when she won the Artists' Choice honor. The singer — who was announced as a last-minute addition to the show when she canceled her planned performance at the mtvU Woodie Awards on November 8 — gave a brief "thanks" when she accepted the award, and later appeared to have difficulty remembering the words to her own song and danced unsteadily as she performed. And while this year's MTV Video Music Awards belonged to Justin Timberlake (and Rihanna), JT wasn't able to replicate his success abroad at the EMAs. While he was the most nominated artist, he left with no awards — and maybe even more stunningly, he was outdone by Avril Lavigne, who nabbed Most Addictive Track ("Girlfriend") and Solo Artist of 2007. Other winners included Nelly Furtado (Album of the Year), Linkin Park (Band of 2007) and 30 Seconds to Mars (Rock Out). Justice won the Video Star prize, which they also took home last year. ...

Britney Spears is being sued for $15,000 by a former manager who says she didn't keep up on her payments to him of commissions on her royalties for her first four albums — including on her $7 million advance in 2002 — movies, tours, books, etc. Johnny Wright, who was her manager through February 2003, filed a breach-of-contract suit in Orange County, Florida, claiming Spears didn't provide proper accounting of all her gross receipts. He is seeking compensatory damages, consequential damages, pre- and post-judgment interest and attorney's fees. ...

Like Britney before her, Lindsay Lohan is trying to make sure that her upcoming deposition — pertaining to a lawsuit filed over her 2005 car accident in West Hollywood, California — won't be videotaped, according to the Los Angeles Daily News. Her lawyers are reportedly requesting that the deposition — which Lohan is scheduled to give December 3 — be sealed instead if their request is denied. "The court should act to prevent such an unwarranted invasion of [Lohan's] privacy, especially where the nature of the allegations ... are so inflammatory," her court papers state, according to Daily News. Her lawyers are also requesting that deposition testimony and written responses from other witnesses be made unavailable to the public. Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Michael L. Stern denied a motion by her attorneys on Friday for an immediate ruling on whether the deposition will be videotaped, saying he will consider it November 28 instead. ...

Don Imus' radio comeback is now set in stone: The controversial shock jock will be back on the airwaves after a nine-month hiatus on December 3. Imus will return to New York's WABC-AM, which is home to another inflammatory jock, Rush Limbaugh. The Rev. Al Sharpton, a vocal Imus critic, issued a statement on the development through his National Action Network, saying they've "always maintained that wherever Don Imus goes back to work, the company should clearly outline to advertisers and trade organizations like the National Association of Black Journalists how they intend to safeguard against Mr. Imus returning to his former vile and biased behavior. One would think if they were sincere about his apologies and his new commitment they would enthusiastically meet with advertisers and the NABJ to voice these assurances. If they do not, then we exercise the right in the next 30 days to visit advertisers to ask what has changed since they withdrew their support to Mr. Imus's show six months ago. If there are no guarantees that the same conduct they withdrew support from will be duplicated upon his return, we will certainly act accordingly. Mr. Imus has the right to make a living, but we have the right to make sure he does not come back to disrupt our living. Particularly since these are the commitments he made personally." ...

Vanessa Hudgens isn't all smiles these days — the "High School Musical" star is battling with one of her managers over money she allegedly owes him, according to TMZ.com. Brian Schall claims Hudgens owes him $150,000 after he helped her earn more than $5 million by advancing the starlet's funds for her recording and songwriting career. But Hudgens argues that she was too young to sign her contract — when she did so in October 2005, she was 16 years old — and she subsequently disaffirmed it on October 9 of this year, according to the site. Papers filed in court by her lawyer say California's Family Code "provides that the contract of a minor is voidable and may be disaffirmed before (age 18) or within a reasonable time afterward." ... In related news, Aaron Carter has extricated himself from a contract he signed with Lou Pearlman, according to TMZ. The singer's attorney filed suit against the disgraced boy-band mogul in May 2006, requesting that Carter he released from the contract, which he signed as a minor. A bankruptcy judge ruled in Carter's favor and ordered that the contract with Pearlman and his label, the bankrupt TransContinental Records, is no longer in effect — but it's not yet known who orders Carter's recordings with the label. Carter is also seeking an accounting of royalties. ...

What do Justin Timberlake, Christina Aguilera, Prince, Genesis, Kenny Chesney, Maná and the Police have in common? Well, in case you're not on the concert-revenue tip, they've been drawing fleets of fans to their shows, making them finalists for the 2007 Billboard Touring Awards. JT and the Police are among the nominees for Top Tour and Top Draw, while Timberlake has also been noticed in the Breakthrough Artist category. Aguilera has a nod in the Top Package category for her tour with Pussycat Dolls and Danity Kane, and she's up for Breakthrough Artist as well. Prince's stretch of 21 shows at London's O2 arena earned him a spot in the Top Boxscore category, along with Bonnaroo and the U.K.'s Download Festival. The awards — based on the artists' box-office performance from January 1 through September 30, as reported by Billboard's Boxscore chart — will be presented 5 in New York as part of the 2007 Billboard Touring Conference. ...

Lance Bass' publicist is denying that the 'NSYNC star was ever married, despite what E! Online reports Bass said in a recent interview, according to The Associated Press. "People do stupid things in the heat of the moment," he had said, referring to a trip to Vegas he supposedly made with an ex-girlfriend. "I've been in Vegas where I've gotten married for, like, five minutes ... it was one of those crazy moments where you're with a friend and you're like, 'Hey, wouldn't it be fun if we did this?' And that's all that happened. It's the Vegas thing to do ... the only reason we did it is because we wanted to get free drinks all night. And we didn't get one. We're like, 'We just got married!' They're like, 'Ah. Whatever.' " But Bass' publicist Ken Sunshine subsequently told AP that, "He never really got married. That's why there's no record of it. ... By saying he was married in Vegas, it was a way to get free drinks." A clerk at the Clark County marriage license bureau said no license under Bass' name could be found in a search of records dating back more than 30 years, according to AP. Bass has been making the rounds to promote his new memoir, "Out of Sync" — which reveals why he kept his homosexuality hidden for as long as he did. ...

The Emmy Award-winning television program "Biography" will air a program on Guns N' Roses on November 29. The show will be part of a string of music documentaries that is also set to include Jennifer Lopez and Fleetwood Mac. ... Try this marketing scheme on for size: The Jonas Brothers are partnering with Gibson Guitars to record their next album while aboard one of the company's tour buses as they trek along the West Coast on the Miley Cyrus/ Hannah Montana Best of Both Worlds Tour. The group will also be playing additional gigs on the tour, and at special shows in Nashville and Memphis, Tennessee, fans will be able to enter a contest for a private meet-and-greet at Gibson Guitar Showrooms. ... Joel Madden has dismissed rumors of tension between he and girlfriend Nicole Richie, while the pregnant socialite has also denied a report that she has been smoking, according to People. "Having a baby is the most exciting thing that's ever happened to me, and to us," Madden said. His band Good Charlotte recently toured Australia, after which he and Richie spent "a great little getaway" in Thailand. "Now we're just getting home, getting settled in L.A. and getting ready," he said. Their baby is reportedly due in January. ...

Da Brat was reportedly involved in a serious physical altercation early Thursday morning at Jermaine Dupri's Atlanta nightclub, Studio 72. According to WSB-TV in Atlanta, police arrested Da Brat (real name: Shawntae Harris) on felony aggravated-assault charges after she got into a heated confrontation with a waitress. Da Brat is said to have struck the waitress in the face with a bottle of

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Busta Rhymes Opens With A Bang, Scoring His First #1 LP

21 Jun 2006 10:29:00 EDT

Three Days Grace, Billy Joel also debut in Billboard top 20.
By Chris Harris

Chopping off his signature dreadlocks probably had nothing to do with it, but perhaps aligning with Dr. Dre's Aftermath imprint did the trick. Whatever the reason, Busta Rhymes should be sporting the widest grin he can muster today as the latest SoundScan totals show that The Big Bang will open at #1 on Billboard's album chart, marking a first in a career that spans 15 years, seven solo albums and a stint with Leaders of the New School.

Week-one sales of The Big Bang, Busta's first collection of fresh material since 2002, topped out at nearly 209,000 copies — more than enough to earn Rhymes his inaugural chart-topping debut. The success has to taste sweet for Busta, especially after his last release, 2002's It Ain't Safe No More, opened at #43 with 62,000 scans — the rapper's first LP to debut outside of the top 10.

Rhymes' current retail dominance helped him usurp the Billboard crown from previous champs AFI. Second-week sales of the rockers' Decemberunderground slipped 43 percent to finish the week with 104,000 sales and the chart's #3 ranking. The Dixie Chicks' Taking the Long Way spends a second-straight week at #2 after selling 130,000 units.

There's no stopping the soundtrack to the Disney Channel original movie "High School Musical," which climbs one spot to #4 with 79,000-plus scans after 23 weeks in stores. The #5 slot belongs to a newcomer: One-X, the second LP from Canadian rockers Three Days Grace, which sold 78,000 copies its first week out. The soundtrack to the animated feature "Cars" follows at #6 with 75,000 scans, just in front of Stadium Arcadium, the Red Hot Chili Peppers' Rick Rubin-produced double album. During its sixth week of release, Arcadium sold another 74,000 copies to finish at #7.

Rascal Flatts' Me & My Gang holds at #8 with 73,000 scans, followed at #9 by Yung Joc's New Joc City, which slides six spots with nearly 70,000 sales. Ice Cube's Laugh Now, Cry Later drops to #10 after selling 64,000 copies during its second week in stores.

Busta and Three Days Grace led a total of 13 new releases that will crack the Billboard 200. Billy Joel's 12 Gardens Live, a two-disc souvenir from the Piano Man's recent 12-show stand at Madison Square Garden, opens at #14 with 44,000 scans. Widespread Panic's Earth to America put up first-week sales of close to 21,000 for a #48 bow. Sonic Youth's Rather Ripped debuts at #71 with 16,000 sold, while Shadows Fall claim #83 after first-week interest in the New England metallers' Fallout From the War turned into 13,000-plus sales.

Regina Spektor debuts at #135 after selling nearly 8,000 copies of Begin to Hope. Anatomy Of, an album's worth of covers from Ozzfest 2006 performers Between the Buried and Me, finishes at #151 with sales just shy of the 7,000 mark. Keb' Mo's Suitcase claims the #176 slot, selling close to 6,000 copies, and Frankie J just makes the cut at #198, selling 5,000 copies of his new Spanish-language album, Un Nuevo Dia.

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