Madonna arrived in Malawi on Monday (April 16) with David Banda, the Malawian boy she is adopting, to continue her charity work in the country, Reuters reports. The visit is fueling rumors the singer wants to adopt a second child. ...

Jennifer Lopez hopes to tour in support of Como Ama Una Mujer, she told MTV Europe -- and reveals that she'll have more music out before the year is up. "I have an [English-language] album that's coming out this year that I'm finishing up right now," she said. "First single in June, so it's a big musical year for me." ... Two Anna Nicole Smith diaries up for auction over the weekend failed to sell, ABC News reports. They're now available for a minimum big of $25,000 apiece at Dallas' Heritage Auction Galleries. ...

Senator Hillary Clinton isn't about to get embroiled in the Sanjaya Malakar hubbub, The Associated Press reports. When asked about the "American Idol" hopeful on a New Hampshire radio station, the Democratic presidential candidate diplomatically replied, "Well, you know, people can vote for whomever they want. That's true in my election, and it's true on 'American Idol.' " ... Kirsten Dunst, Tobey Maguire and other "Spider-Man 3" castmembers strolled down the red carpet at film's world premiere in Tokyo on Monday, Reuters reports. ...

Lil Jon even represents Atlanta on ice. He's currently blogging about his love for hockey's Atlanta Thrashers at NHL.com, and revealed that while it's his 8-year-old son that actually plays the game, Jon's got his own place on the NHL team. "[Atlanta goalie] Kari Lehtonen actually has my picture on the back of his helmet," Jon wrote in a recent post. "We always go in the locker room to say 'what's up' to him before a game." Jon admits that he hasn't been following the Thrashers' every move this season, but he's tuning back in for the playoffs -- and hopes to see the team bring the Stanley Cup to ATL. The Thrashers are currently in the first round of playoffs, down 2-0 in a best-of-seven series. ...

M-1 of Dead Prez appeared on Fox News' "Your World With Neil Cavuto" on Friday afternoon to debate hip-hop's role in the Don Imus scandal. The political-minded MC said drawing a parallel between rap lyrics and the racially insensitive remarks that cost Imus his job is like "comparing apples and oranges." Cavuto countered, "If Imus uses the expression and then you use the expression, you've both said 'ho,' " but M-1 noted that he didn't use the word "ho" in his lyrics. The rapper added that there's "something wrong" with offensive language being used whether it's by Imus or in hip-hop, but asserted that there is a difference between Imus' words and rap lyrics due to the "historical relationship of oppression" between black and white Americans. ...

Barry Gibb, the former Bee Gee who in 2006 bought the Johnny Cash Tennessee house that burned down last week, says he and his wife will rebuild a new home nearby. "Linda and I have decided to build our own home on the higher ground surrounding the Johnny Cash and June Carter Cash home and the original foundations shall be kept intact and preserved for the people of Hendersonville and the people of Nashville," he said in a statement obtained by AP. ... A woman injured in a car crash involving Godsmack frontman Sully Erna has had her condition upgraded to serious, according to North Andover, Massachusetts' Eagle-Tribune. Lindsay Taylor, 25, was in a coma and on life support following Wednesday's collision. Taylor was a backseat passenger in a Toyota Camry that was struck from behind by a Hummer H3 driven by Erna, who was not injured in the accident. The crash remains under investigation by state police, but so far, no citations or charges have been filed against any of the drivers involved. ...

Nickelback have raised almost $400,000 for Amnesty International and International Children's Awareness Canada via their aptly titled new single "If Everyone Cared." ... Ben & Jerry's will be releasing a new ice cream inspired by Queen. Called Bohemian Raspberry, it's the latest in a series of music-themed flavors, including Phish Food and Cherry Garcia. Sales of the ice cream will benefit the Mercury Phoenix Trust, which was established to combat AIDS worldwide. ... DJ Clue, Ray J and Lance Armstrong were among the partygoers who helped Q-Tip celebrate his birthday in New York on Saturday. The surprise party was held at a downtown Manhattan loft. ... Richard Gere is getting some serious flak in India after kissing and hugging Bollywood star Shilpa Shetty at a recent AIDS-awareness event, AP reports. Angry throngs burned effigies of the American actor in New Delhi and Mumbai, while protests broke out elsewhere in the country. ...

A Los Angeles Superior Court judge warned prospective jurors in the trial of Phil Spector on Monday that the proceedings will not be a chance for them to have their "15 minutes of fame," AP reports. The prospective jurors were to be directly questioned by lawyers on Monday afternoon, with a focus on the questionnaire answers they provided when screened a month ago. ... The Village People's policeman is off the hook, AP reports. Victor Willis was arrested last month after his girlfriend accused him of choking and threatening her. Maria Velasquez, a spokeswoman for the San Diego City Attorney's Office, said the case would not be pursued for "evidentiary reasons." ... Don Ho, the man who came to personify Hawaiian music, died on Saturday in Honolulu at age 76. Ho, best known for his kitsch classic "Tiny Bubbles," with which he opened and closed each show, died as a result of heart failure, according to The New York Times. Ho was a tourist staple on Waikiki at the Ohana Waikiki Beachcomber hotel for more than 40 years, performing his signature song and telling jokes and hosting his own ABC variety series, "The Don Ho Show," from 1976-77. His daughter, Hoku, who released her own hit album in 2000, was often featured in his live show.

04.13.2007

Gwen Stefani as a brunette? The singer told Harper's Bazaar that she's considered coloring her hair brown -- "Then I said, 'Nah, I'm gonna milk this blond as long as I can." The singer also spoke up on the future of her career. "Some days, I think there's no way to get away with this any longer," she said in an interview published in the magazine's May issue, on newsstands April 24. "I still feel like that sometimes, even though it's been 20 years. But then some days, I just feel really inspired and I really believe in everything. It's like the 15 minutes just keep getting longer." ...

Keeping up with the Joneses got that much more difficult Friday (April 13) with news from Steven Spielberg and George Lucas that Shia LaBeouf has officially been cast in the fourth installment of the "Indiana Jones" series. "We are excited about bringing Shia into our Indy family," Spielberg said in a post on IndianaJones.com. The announcement ends weeks of "Will he or won't he?" speculation, much of it fueled by LaBeouf himself. The 20-year-old "Disturbia" star had previously denied his involvement when news of the casting first leaked and recently told MTV News, "I haven't been presented with the idea. I haven't been approached." In the Friday post on IndianaJones.com, LaBeouf said, "I was hoping the rumors were true, so I couldn't be more thrilled. To be cast in an Indiana Jones film is like grabbing the brass ring and holding on for the ride. I can't wait to take that giant step in front of the Indy cameras." "Indiana Jones 4" will be released worldwide May 22, 2008. ...

A judge has granted C-Murder permission to attend his first book-signing event to promote his street-lit novel "Death Around the Corner." The rapper, currently under house arrest, will participate in the signing during the New Orleans Jazzfest on May 5 at the one of the city's largest black-owned bookstores, Community Book Center. ... A judge has delayed a custody hearing over Anna Nicole Smith and Larry Birkhead's baby, The Associated Press reports. The decision was made to allow the deceased model's mother, Virgie Arthur, more time to negotiate a private-visitation arrangement with Birkhead. In related news, two Smith diaries will be auctioned as scheduled on Saturday, despite her former partner Howard K. Stern's claim that they are stolen property. ...

Ozzy fans, be on the lookout: Select copies of his Black Rain album will contain a code giving the owners first chance at seats for Ozzfest. The specially marked copies will be available at retail stores May 22 but can be preordered in the meantime. The code is good for two tickets, with supplies limited, and will be effective four days before the general public has access to tickets on June 12. ... James Blunt is in the clear. The singer/songwriter will not be charged for allegedly driving over someone's foot after leaving a party in February, AP reports. ...

Fred Durst misses being the frontman for Limp Bizkit, and according to a blog post, he'd like to head out on the road and stage "a landmark event." Durst said, "I would love to do a tour with the original Limp Bizkit" lineup, which no longer includes guitarist Wes Borland, who left the band to launch his own project, Black Light Burns. Limp haven't toured the States since 2003. "Imagine that me and Wes could work things out together and be a band again, friends again," Durst wrote in the post. "We had so many wonderful times. I am proud to say that I have learned so much from my mistakes and it has taken a long time to evolve to this place where I finally let myself be healed. Without Limp Bizkit, I would have never gotten here. Without Wes, I wouldn't know what it is like to work with the best." ...

Julian Lennon, the eldest son of John Lennon, has sold his stake in his father's compositions for the Beatles, according to The Wall Street Journal. Terms of the deal were not disclosed, but a source told the paper that the shares of the catalog were "significant." The deal for the songwriting income generated by the Lennon compositions was made with Primary Wave Music Publishing, which last year paid an estimated $50 million for a 50 percent stake in the music-publishing catalog of late Nirvana frontman Kurt Cobain. ...

Muse frontman Matt Bellamy has spoken out against the Live Earth gigs, saying that it might be hypocritical to stage the event, aimed at raising climate awareness worldwide, when it could have an adverse affect on the climate. "Private jets for climate change, not sure about it, that seems to be a bit on edge really," he told the BBC. Ashok Sinah, a director of Stop Climate Chaos, responded to defend. "They have to reduce carbon emissions, we have to reduce carbon emissions, and in just the same way that we may look at a pop star and say, 'You use more carbon than I do,' people from Africa could look at us and think, 'We don't go flying around everywhere.' I have met people in Africa who haven't even made a phone call, let alone get on a plane." Sinah also noted that the concerts were just the beginning of a larger overall campaign. "We have got to make sure that the people that come to us post-concert are actively engaged and get involved in the campaign." ...

Trey Anastasio pleaded guilty to a felony charge of attempted criminal possession of a controlled substance on Friday, avoiding a possible 14-year prison term. AP reports that Anastasio, 42, accepted a plea deal in his felony drug case that will require the singer to serve 12-15 months in New York's drug court program, during which he'll make weekly court appearances, submit to drug testing and perform community service. The charges stem from a December arrest in which police claim he was found in possession of heroin and an anti-anxiety drug prescribed to someone else and was driving under the influence of drugs and alcohol. ... Heather Locklear's second rock marriage has officially ended. The actress' divorce from Bon Jovi guitarist Richie Sambora was finalized Wednesday, according to an AP report. She filed for divorce from Sambora in February 2006 after 11 years of marriage, citing irreconcilable differences.