Facts Of The Day

“I felt we’ve only just started to pick up steam. Why would we want to stop now? We all know we have so much more in us yet.” Rocker JOSH HOMME confirms supergroup THEM CROOKED VULTURES, which also features DAVE GROHL and JOHN PAUL JONES, has plans to make a second album.

Italian prime minister SILVIO BERLUSCONI has been named Rock Star of the Year by Italian Rolling Stone magazine, as a tribute to his “lifestyle worthy of the greatest rock star”. The 72 year old, who is set to divorce his wife of 19 years, has hit headlines for his womanising ways and publicly admitted he is “no saint”.

Rock superstars U2 will headline the 40th anniversary of Britain’s Glastonbury Festival next year (10) - marking the Irish band’s first ever appearance at the iconic music event. BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN made his Glastonbury debut when he hit the stage this summer (09).

Colombian pop star SHAKIRA is heading to England’s prestigious Oxford University to speak about her charity, The Barefoot Foundation, which aims to improve education for impoverished children. The singer will address the Oxford Union on 7 December (09).

The American Music Awards telecast on Sunday night (22Nov09) was a big hit in the U.S. - more than 14 million music fans tuned in making the show the highest rated since 2002.

LEONA LEWIS has splashed out $2.9 million (?1.8 million) on a four-bedroom house in Los Angeles.

GREEN DAY are to re-record their 21 GUNS hit with the cast of their AMERICAN IDIOT musical. The song will be available to download at the end of November (09).

LADY GAGA is to play a show to a royal audience - the singer will take to the stage in front of Britain’s QUEEN ELIZABETH II at the Royal Variety Performance in London next month (Dec09).

Novelist COLUM McCANN has picked up the 2009 National Book Award for Fiction for Let the Great World Spin. McCann was honoured in New York on Wednesday night (18Nov09).

British girl group SUGABABES have recorded a Christmas single. Their cover of Eartha Kitt hit Santa Baby will be available online over the festive season.

A model of movie ape King Kong, which featured in the climax of the classic 1933 film, is to be auctioned off. The skeleton, which lost its fur over the decades, is estimated to fetch up to $240,000 (?150,000) when it goes under the hammer in London on Tuesday (24Nov09).

THE HILLS star LAUREN CONRAD will add fashion guru to her resume in 2010 - she has written a new style guide which will be released at the end of next year. She says, “This guide will offer simple, practical tips to help anyone look fabulous.” The book won’t be Conrad’s first - her novel, L.A. Candy, was a number one bestseller on the New York Times list and the follow-up, Sweet Little Lies, will hit stores in February (10).

Colombian-born pop star SHAKIRA listened to BOB DYLAN and LEONARD COHEN lyrics to learn English.

Supermodel-turned-photographer HELENA CHRISTENSEN has launched an exhibition of photos she snapped in Peru documenting the locals’ struggle to cope with climate change. The star’s show, Meltdown, will be displayed in London’s Proud Gallery until 29 November (09).

Basketball giant SHAQUILLE O’NEAL is hoping to score a slam dunk in the art world by curating his first exhibition, Size DOES Matter, in New York in February (10). The sports star has selected a number of pieces from top contemporary artists relating to the theme of scale.

GOSSIP GIRL star LEIGHTON MEESTER has been named GQ magazine’s Obsession of The Year.

TWILIGHT hunk KELLAN LUTZ declined a $5,000 (?3,125) donation to his favourite charity, the Humane Society, because he refused to take his shirt off on national TV for the cash. The offer was made by Ellen DeGeneres on her U.S. chat show.

Singer/songwriter CAROLE KING’s sprawling Idaho ranch was once owned by the state’s one-time governor Chase Addison Clark. The King of Sweden and movie icon Clark Gable were among the guests to stay at the historic Robinson Bar Ranch, which now houses King’s recording studio.

THE TWILIGHT SAGA: NEW MOON has surpassed Star Wars: Episode III: Revenge of the Sith and film franchises including Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings as leading online ticket seller MovieTickets.com?s number one pre-release.

Australian artist/singer ROLF HARRIS has teamed up with STATUS QUO’s RICK PARFITT in a bid to land the U.K.’s Christmas number one single. They’ve recorded festive song CHRISTMAS IN THE SUN.

WHITNEY HOUSTON will perform on the finale of U.S. reality show DANCING WITH THE STARS on 24 November (09).

MORRISSEY’s scrapped show in Liverpool, England won’t be rescheduled. The former Smiths frontman fled the stage just two songs into his gig earlier this month (Nov09) when he was hit on the head with a large plastic beaker of beer.

LEONA LEWIS has recorded the signature song for upcoming science fiction film AVATAR. The British singer’s track I SEE YOU runs over the credits of the much-hyped JAMES CAMERON epic, which hits movie screens in December (09).

Scientist DR. BROOKE MAGNANTI, from Bristol, England has been unmasked as the former hooker behind hit TV show SECRET DIARY OF A CALL GIRL. Dr. Magnanti, who hid behind the pseudonym ‘Belle de Jour’ to write the original blog on which the show is based, confesses she worked as a vice girl when she was a student in London in 2003.

Australian electro DJ duo the PRESETS are set to share another life experience - they both set to become first time fathers. Longterm music partners JULIAN HAMILTON and KIM MOYES both found out about the impending parenthood earlier this month (Nov09).

JACKSONs JANET and RANDY played percussion on late brother MICHAEL’s 1979 hit DON’T STOP ‘TIL YOU GET ENOUGH.

Rap mogul DIDDY made pal JIMMY KIMMEL’s 42nd birthday extra special on Friday (13Nov09) by presenting the TV chat show host with a signed portrait of himself and toasting him with his very own cocktail, made from Diet Snapple iced tea and Diddy’s Ciroc vodka. The rapper served up the treats as a guest on Jimmy Kimmel Live! on Friday night.

Actor TERRENCE HOWARD once lost his driving license for nine months after he was clocked speeding through Pennsylvania at 114 miles per hour.

Former BLOSSOM star JOEY LAWRENCE is to become a dad for the second time. He is expecting a baby girl with his wife CHANDI YAWN-NELSON. The couple’s second daughter, who they have already named Liberty Grace, is due in April (10).

Actress BRIDGET MOYNAHAN has signed up as the new face of Garnier Nutritioniste skin care.

STING will help raise funds for the restoration effort at the Academy of Music in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania at the end of January (10) when he performs hits from his career with the Philadelphia Orchestra.

British actor CHRISTOPHER ECCLESTON has taken on the role of JOHN LENNON for a new BBC drama. The ELIZABETH star plays the late BEATLE in NAKED, which tells the story of Lennon’s life.

Reality TV star KIM KARDASHIAN hosted a baby shower for her pregnant sister KOURTNEY on Saturday (14Nov09). More than 80 guests, including BRITTNY GASTINEAU, attended the party held at the family home in Hidden Hills, California.

JON BON JOVI’s birth name, Bongiovi, means good fisherman in Italian.

Rocker STING has teamed up with blind Australian singer GURRUMUL for a special version of his hit EVERY BREATH YOU TAKE. The performance will air on French TV show Taratata on 16 December (09).

Former DALLAS star VICTORIA PRINCIPAL has donated $25,000 (?15,600) to environmental group Tree People to help officials restore areas of California’s Angeles National Forest recently destroyed by wildfires.

Rocker JON BON JOVI’s mother, Carol, was one of the first Playboy bunnies.

R&B singer CASSIE has lent her support to disgraced CHRIS BROWN by appearing as his love interest in his new video. The promo for CRAWL premiered on U.S. TV on Friday’s (13Nov09) Wendy Williams Show. It’s his first official single since his violent bust-up with ex-girlfriend RIHANNA in February (09).

Fans can bid for an ALICE COOPER signed guitar at a charity auction in New Zealand on Saturday (14Nov09). All proceeds from the fundraiser will go to the Raukatauri Music Therapy Trust.

British actor JOE MCFADDEN and Irish star NIAMH CUSACK slept on the streets of London on Thursday night (13Nov09) as part of an initiative to raise awareness of youth homelessness.

Former B2K boyband members LIL’ FIZZ and J-BOOG are launching their own clothing lines. Fizz is designing fashions for Nightlife and Boog is working on his F&B range.

THE OFFICE creator RICKY GERVAIS is returning to the workplace - he’s helped create a new TV sitcom set in a mobile phone shop. PHONESHOP debuts in the U.K. on Friday (13Nov09).

METALLICA star LARS ULRICH and colourful TWISTED SISTER frontman DEE SNIDER have landed cameo roles in RUSSELL BRAND’s new comedy GET HIM TO THE GREEK.

QUEEN LATIFAH’s pals call her ‘Naked Girl’ because “I like to be in the nude at home - I let it all hang out.”

LEONA LEWIS will be embarking on her first tour next year (10). The BLEEDING LOVE hitmaker will start the gigs in Britain on 28 May in Sheffield, England and wrap up on 27 June in Dublin, Ireland.

MARTIN SCORSESE will give budding directors a chance to quiz him on his filmmaking skills as part of the The Rolex Mentor And Protege Arts Initiative. The talk will take place in London on 3 December (09).

QUEEN LATIFAH’s new fragrance, Queen, has a hint of tequila.

British singer JAMIE T has rescheduled his U.K. tour after cancelling a string of gigs when he fell ill with laryngitis. The performances, which were due to kick off on 1 October (09) will now take place in the New Year (10) with the first date in Nottingham, England slated for 19 January (10).

JOHN TRAVOLTA and his daughter ELLA BLEU have filmed a new video, featuring Bobby Brown’s hit Every Little Step You Take. The Travoltas sing and dance in front of a massive ‘Ella Bleu’ as clips of their new family film Old Dogs flash onto the screen.

Actor GEORGE HAMILTON is headed to the Australian outback to compete in U.K. reality TV series I’M A CELEBRITY… GET ME OUT OF HERE!

Actor MATT DAMON is showing off his humanitarian side by narrating a video about global hunger for the U.S. State Department.

U.S. cult rockers MY MORNING JACKET are about to get animated for an upcoming appearance on cartoon show AMERICAN DAD. The group will play themselves opposite superfan Zach Galifianakis in a 22 November (09) episode of the hit show.

Action man ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER, the California Governor, is heading to Iraq to visit U.S. troops next week (beg16Nov09). He had to scrap a trip to the warzone in July (09) because of the state’s budget crisis. His exact schedule has not been released for security reasons.

Pop star AARON CARTER has written a new song about his experience on U.S. TV show DANCING WITH THE STARS - called DANCE WITH ME. The singer was voted off the programme on Tuesday night (10Nov09).

Oscar favourite UP will compete with ASTRO BOY, CLOUDY WITH A CHANCE OF MEATBALLS, CORALINE and DISNEY’S A CHRISTMAS CAROL for next year’s (10) Best Animated Film Academy Award. The 20-strong submissions list, which will be whittled down to five by February (10), also includes Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel, Fantastic Mr. Fox, Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs, Mary and Max, Ponyo and Monsters vs. Aliens.

WARREN BEATTY will receive the Art Directors Guild’s coveted honorary Outstanding Contribution to Cinematic Imagery Award in February (10).

GIRLS ALOUD singer CHERYL COLE is to team up with SNOW PATROL for charity. THE X FACTOR judge and the band will perform track SET THE FIRE TO THE THIRD BAR at the Children In Need benefit concert on Thursday (12Nov09).

Music mogul SIMON COWELL, pop stars LILY ALLEN and DIZZEE RASCAL, and fashion designer STELLA McCARTNEY are among the most influential celebrities in London, according to the Evening Standard newspaper’s annual list of the U.K. capital’s most powerful people.

ENTOURAGE actor KEVIN CONNOLLY auctioned off two walk-on parts on the hit U.S. TV series for $58,000 (£36,250) this month (Nov09) at the Magic Foundation’s Texas Hold ‘Em tournament. Proceeds from the winning bid will benefit the Entrepreneur Foundation of Central Texas - a local non-profit organisation promoting entrepreneurship within the community.

U.S. TV actor JENSEN ACKLES is engaged to his longtime girlfriend, ONE TREE HILL star, DANNEEL HARRIS.

SPANDAU BALLET singer TONY HADLEY has won the outstanding achievement honour at the BT Visit London Awards for his contribution to the U.K. capital’s cultural heritage.

The brains behind acrobatic circus troupe Cirque du Soleil have created a new tribute to ELVIS PRESLEY, which will open in Las Vegas in December (09). Viva Elvis will debut at the Aria Resort & Casino at MGM Mirage’s CityCenter complex.

The chief executive of Universal Music, LUCIAN GRAINGE, ‘bought’ music mogul SIMON COWELL for an hour as part of a charity auction in the U.K. on Thursday night (05Nov09) - for a whopping $30,400 (£19,000).

TRANSFORMERS moviemaker MICHAEL BAY has signed on to direct the new Victoria’s Secret holiday ad.

ASHTON KUTCHER is expanding his online empire. The actor’s popular Twitter.com blogs are now being translated into French, Spanish and Japanese to gather more fans from around the globe.

Former EURYTHMICS star DAVE STEWART has teamed up with Oscar winner A.R. RAHMAN to create the music for a new high-energy movie about an urban dance competition. HONEY filmmaker BILLE WOODRUFF will direct the film, which will reportedly star newcomer CINDY GOMEZ.

BEYONCE proved her superstar status at the MTV Europe Music Awards in Berlin, Germany on Thursday (05Nov09) - a body double performed her raunchy routine during the soundcheck.

BLINK-182 star MARK HOPPUS can add music journalist to his resume after signing on to pen a weekly online blog for America’s Spin magazine. Each week the rocker will pick a new act he has discovered and write about them in his Hopp On Pop column.

Rapper 50 CENT’s new cologne, Power, features hints of black pepper, coriander and oak-moss. It hits stores on Friday (06Nov09).

THE PIXIES opened their latest reunion tour in Hollywood on Wednesday (04Nov09) with a showing of LUIS BUNUEL’s 1929 surrealist movie short Un Chien Andalou - the inspiration behind their fan favourite Debaser - which opens the band’s cult 1999 album Doolittle. The group is performing the album in its entirety on a sold-out tour of America.

Boxer and singer MANNY PACQUIAO youngest daughter is called Queen Elizabeth. She’s named after Helen Mirren’s character in The Queen - one of the fighter’s favourite films.

Singer ALICIA KEYS will debut her new jewellery line, the Barber’s Daughters, at a two-day retail event at New York’s Collette Blanchard Gallery later this month (23-24Nov09).

The cast of U.S. TV hit GLEE’s rendition of JOURNEY’s DON’T STOP BELIEVIN’ has become a big hit - the tune has been downloaded over 500,000 times.

PARANORMAL ACTIVITY actress KATIE FEATHERSTON was paid $500 (£313) for her breakout role in the low-budget horror film - which has grossed $85.8 million (£53.6 million) at the U.S. box office since its release on 25 September (09).

Rockers WEEZER are keeping fans warm this winter by launching their own Snuggie, a blanket with sleeves. The official Weezer Snuggie, manufactured by Allstar Products Group, features the band’s logo and comes with a free copy of their new album RADITUDE.

Troubled singer AMY WINEHOUSE’s dad MITCH is filming a new documentary for U.K. TV about families struggling to support a relative with a drug addiction.

LAUREN LAVERNE, former frontwoman of cult British band KENICKIE, is writing a series of novels about a 15 year old girl dreaming of rock stardom.

SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE child star AYUSH MAHESH KHEDEKAR is well on his way to escaping the slums of Delhi, India after landing the lead in a new Swiss film. The young star, who famously appeared to jump into excrement in the Oscar-winning film, will lead the cast in Shyam’s Secret next year (10).

Folk rocker DEVENDRA BANHART’s middle name is Obi - after STAR WARS sage OBI-WAN KENOBI.

THE STROKES frontman JULIAN CASABLANCAS is getting in the Christmas spirit by releasing I Wish It Was Christmas Today as a holiday single seven-inch record in December (09).

JIM CARREY and his A CHRISTMAS CAROL co-stars BOB HOSKINS and COLIN FIRTH teamed up to switch on Central London’s Christmas lights prior to the world premiere of their festive 3-D film on Tuesday (03Nov09).

The home in San Francisco, California where hit 1990s teen drama PARTY OF FIVE was set is up for sale. The 19th century townhouse boasts seven bedrooms and five bathrooms, and is listed for a cool $7.2 million (£4.5 million).

Three members of SYSTEM OF A DOWN gave fans a Halloween treat on Saturday night (31Oct09) with a reunion show in Los Angeles. Drummer JOHN DOLMAYAN, guitarist DARON MALAKIAN and SHAVO ODADJIAN performed three songs together as part of the bass player’s Halloween party at The Roxy in West Hollywood.

U-571 and PAY IT FORWARD star JON BON JOVI is to be the subject of JAMES LIPTON’s indepth U.S. chat show INSIDE THE ACTOR’S STUDIO. The rocker says, “He (Lipton) made us sit there for four hours! He wouldn’t stop asking questions. But it worked. I think it’s gonna make for an interesting programme.”

Czech model PAULINA PORIZKOVA has landed a role in U.S. soap AS THE WORLD TURNS.

POISON star BRET MICHAELS and SHARON OSBOURNE will work out with fans in New York on Tuesday (03Nov09) as part of a charity push. Rock’s odd couple will hit the 24 Hour Fitness gym on 5th Avenue from 10am to 1pm.

A Texas BATMAN fan has put an exact replica of ADAM WEST’s Batmobile up for auction online. Fred Grout fashioned a rear fire-spitting jet and red bat hubcaps on the frame of a 1970 Lincoln Continental but has so far refused a bid of $30,152 (£18,845) on eBay.com.

ALANIS MORISSETTE performed the U.S. National Anthem before Monday night’s (02Nov09) World Series baseball clash between the New York Yankees and the Philadelphia Phillies in Pennsylvania. The singer dashed to Philadelphia after completing the New York City Marathon on Sunday (01Nov09).

BEYONCE is serving up a Thanksgiving treat for her U.S. fans - a TV special featuring the R&B superstar in concert during her recent Las Vegas residency will air in America on 26 November (09).

Las Vegas is the place to be on New Year’s Eve (31Dec09) if you’re a 50 CENT or BLACK EYED PEAS fan - the rapper will be hosting an end-of-the-year party at Sin City’s Pure nightclub, while the Peas will perform at a rival Hogmanay bash at the late DJ-AM’s venue LAX.

ALANIS MORISSETTE completed the New York marathon in an impressive time of four hours, 28 minutes and raised nearly $4,000 (£2,500) for her chosen charity - the Maasai Wilderness Conservation Trust. Former E.R. star ANTHONY EDWARDS, actor EDWARD NORTON and illusionist DAVID BLAINE also donned their running shoes to compete in the event.

The cast of hit musical TV series GLEE performed the American National Anthem to thrilled baseball fans during the World Series clash between the New York Yankees and the Philadelphia Phillies on Saturday night (31Oct09).

GIRLS ALOUD singer SARAH HARDING has bought her own London nightclub with boyfriend DJ TOM CRANE. It is due to open in November (09).

BOYZONE are to pay tribute to their late bandmate STEPHEN GATELY’s rise to stardom in new film. The Irish singer died from a build-up of fluid on his lungs at his home in Majorca, Spain on 10 October (09), aged 33.

British reggae rockers UB40 are holding a benefit gig in their home town of Birmingham, England on Tuesday (03Nov09) - to raise funds for their favourite local bar, which is under threat of closure.

JACK WHITE’s band THE DEAD WEATHER will be playing a free show in London on Saturday night (31Oct09) to celebrate Halloween. The rockers will don fancy dress and are urging fans to attend covered in fake blood, with White insisting the most imaginative outfit will win a prize.

Outlandish British singer PATRICK WOLF is heading back to school - he will give a lecture to brainy students at Britain’s prestigious Oxford University. He will lead a discussion with academics on 10 November (09).

Former GUNS N’ ROSES guitarist SLASH teamed up with ALICE COOPER on stage in Los Angeles on Wednesday night (28Oct09). The VELVET REVOLVER star joined the shock rocker for a rendition of classic track SCHOOL’S OUT, with the pair taking to the stage in matching top hats.

France’s First Lady CARLA BRUNI-SARKOZY’s childhood home is up for sale for a massive $28 million (£17.5 million). The castle in Turin, Italy has 40 rooms and comes with 175 acres of land including vegetable gardens, ancient greenhouses and a caretaker’s residence.

“It started to come in like peach fuzz… It was great. I always wanted to shave.” CHER’s former daughter CHAZ BONO on the highlights of becoming a man.

MARC ANTHONY became the first National Football League (NFL) club owner to sing America’s National Anthem on live TV when he performed before the Miami Dolphins clash with the New York Jets earlier this month (Oct09). Anthony is a co-owner of the Dolphins.

Rockers FOO FIGHTERS are hitting the social networking scene - the band will broadcast its Studio 606 gig live from California via Facebook. The session will be streamed on Saturday (31Oct09) and fans will able to watch by clicking on the group’s official page.

Sex-change celebrity CHAZ BONO is chronicling his gender reassignment in an upcoming book, which will feature photographs of his gradual transformation from woman to man. Cher’s former daughter, Chastity, began treatment to become Chaz in March (09).

JAMES CAMERON’s much-anticipated new movie AVATAR is set to break records when the trailer airs before the Dallas Cowboys’ home game with Seattle Seahawks on Sunday (01Nov09). Not only will the teaser land the largest live viewing in history when 80,000 American football fans see it at Cowboy Stadium in Texas, but the venue’s giant HD screen is the world’s largest, according to Guinness.

AMERICAN IDOL pin-up ADAM LAMBERT was a chorus boy in the U.S. touring production of stage musical WICKED for two years.

DONALD TRUMP and his daughter IVANKA picked the same wedding planner to create their perfect nuptials - PRESTON BAILEY.

“I’m too lazy to get the costume and all that. A couple of years ago I was so lazy I just bought a O.R. scrubs and went as Zach Braff to a party - no make-up. Some people legitimately thought Zach Braff was at a party.” DAX SHEPARD’s likeness to SCRUBS star Zach Braff is a big plus at Halloween.

Pretty hitmaker COLBIE CAILLAT’s new album was produced by the man behind FLEETWOOD MAC’s epic RUMOURS - her dad KEN CAILLAT.

R&B hitmaker NE-YO has been unveiled as the spokesmodel for U.S. clothing brand Alfani Red. The So Sick singer/songwriter signed a one-year deal with department store Macy’s to front their designer men’s wear and launched the campaign at its flagship store in New York City on Tuesday (11Aug09).

JAMES McAVOY is battling cancer for his next role - he will play a young victim who fights the disease throughout his 20s. The untitled movie is based on the life of screenwriter WILL REISER, and will be produced by SETH ROGEN.

BROTHERS & SISTERS star SARAH JANE MORRIS is pregnant with her first child by musician husband NED BOWER. The actress is due to give birth early next year (10).

Actor RICHARD GERE is selling his Long Island, New York farmhouse for a reported $6.5 million (£4.3 million) - $3.8 million (£2.5 million) more than he paid for it in 2001. The seven-bedroom home is set in 1.2 acres and boasts a heated pool, guest house and artist’s studio.

MTV is abandoning its famed studio in New York’s Times Square - executives at the TV station’s parent company Viacom have chosen not to renew their contract after the lease agreement expires at the end of the year (09). The studio, located in the heart of the Big Apple, was the home of their music video chart show TRL: Total Request Live, which went off air last year (08).

Beverly Hills’ famous Hugo Boss building on Rodeo Drive has been sold for a whopping $28 million (GBP18.6 million). Investors from Hong Kong paid $2,471 (GBP1650)-per-square-foot for the prime real estate.

NIGHT AT THE MUSEUM: BATTLE OF THE SMITHSONIAN star BILL HADER is to be a dad. The funnyman’s wife Maggie Carey is expecting the couple’s first child at the end of September (09). The couple wed in 2006.

World renowned architect FRANK GEHRY, the man who designed the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, Spain has teamed up with BRAD PITT’s Make It Right Foundation to come up with the layout for the charity’s new set of duplex houses for displaced families in New Orleans, Louisiana, who were left homeless by 2005’s Hurricane Katrina.

LIZ HURLEY’s producer ex STEPHEN BING provided his own private jet to fly the two U.S. journalists, who had been held captive in North Korea, home on Tuesday (04Aug09). Euna Lee and Laura Ling were granted a special pardon during former U.S. President Bill Clinton’s visit with Korean leader Kim Jong Il.

Taiwanese pop star JAY CHOU is preparing to fight crime as SETH ROGEN’s sidekick in MICHEL GONDRY’s upcoming film version of THE GREEN HORNET. The singer will play Kato after STEPHEN CHOW pulled out of the role last month (Jul09).

G.I. JOE: THE RISE OF COBRA stars CHANNING TATUM and SIENNA MILLER helped to kick off a day of trading on Tuesday (04Aug09) when they rang the opening bell at the New York Stock Exchange. The actors were accompanied by co-star Rachel Nichols, director Stephen Sommers and producers Lorenzo di Bonaventura and Brian Goldner as they swapped Hollywood glamour for the hustle and bustle of Wall Street to promote the new action movie.

Rocker JOHN MAYER has allowed cameras into his New York City home. The singer’s luxurious loft apartment is featured in the new issue of Elle Decor magazine and shows off his private chambers, which include furnishings designed by fashion brand GEORGIO ARMANI and prints of legendary artists including JIMI HENDRIX and MILES DAVIS.

Fashion designer TOM FORD will premiere his directorial debut at this year’s Venice Film Festival in Italy. A SINGLE MAN, based on a book by author CHRISTOPHER ISHERWOOD, will compete for the event’s prestigious Golden Lion award when it is unveiled in September (09).

Hip-hop legend JAY-Z has teamed up with quirky electronic duo EMPIRE OF THE SUN for his latest album THE BLUEPRINT 3. He is reportedly set to release the duet with singer LUKE STEELE, WHAT WE TALKING ABOUT, as the next single from the highly-anticipated record, after the RIHANNA and KANYE WEST collaboration RUN THIS TOWN.

BEYONCE and THE BLACK EYED PEAS will be headlining a concert in Singapore next month (Sept09) to coincide with the country’s Formula 1 Grand Prix and the first F1 Rocks Event. N.E.R.D, ZZ TOP and SIMPLE MINDS will also perform over the three-days from 24 September.

Former SPICE GIRLS star MELANIE BROWN is heading back to her native Britain for her next TV job. The Los Angeles-based star is set to join the presenting panel of U.K. TV show LOOSE WOMEN - the British version of America’s THE VIEW - for a week-long guest slot next month (Sep09).

Rocker JACK WHITE opens new guitar documentary IT MIGHT GET LOUD by constructing a one-stringed instrument using wood, an amplifier and a Coke bottle.

THE WHITE STRIPES rocker JACK WHITE is releasing a solo song later this month (Aug09). White wrote and recorded Fly Farm Blues during the filming of DAVIS GUGGENHEIM’s upcoming music documentary IT MIGHT GET LOUD.

Veteran U.S. comic BILL CROSBY will receive the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor at Washington’s John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts on 26 October (09). He will be handed the honour by fellow sit-com legend JERRY SEINFELD.

BRAD PITT’s kids served up the perfect Father’s Day gift for their biker dad back in June (09) - they scrawled all over his all-white helmet. Eldest son Maddox wrote ‘DADDY’S HELMET’ in permanent black marker pen above the visor.

Award-winning playwright DAVID MAMET is adapting THE DIARY OF ANNE FRANK for a new Disney film. The book details young Holocaust victim Anne Frank’s daily struggle to remain hidden from the Nazis during World War II.

METALLICA, TOOL and the FOO FIGHTERS are among the heavy rock acts contributing to a new KILLING JOKE tribute album.

Hong Kong director JOHNNIE TO will be honoured for his career achievements at South Korea’s Pusan International Film Festival in October (09). Moviemaker To will hold a master class during the eight-day event, while 10 of his films will also be screened throughout the festival.

Singer JAMES TAYLOR plans to donate his $500,000 (£334,000) earnings from upcoming performances at a Massachusetts music festival to the Boston Symphony Orchestra. The Fire And Rain hitmaker begin five days of gigs at the Tanglewood Music Festival on 27 August (09).

Dutch DJ TIESTO’s new album, KALEIDOSCOPE, is to be a star-studded affair - the release will feature guest appearances from Sigur Ros star Jonsi, Kele Okereke of Bloc Party, Nelly Furtado, Calvin Harris, Tegan & Sara and Metric star Emily Haines.

Fallen rap mogul MARION ‘SUGE’ KNIGHT is selling off his Las Vegas mansion. The four bedroom, seven bathroom property, which was used as the home of ROBERT De NIRO’s character in 1995 crime classic CASINO, is on the market for $1.5 million (£1 million), reports TMZ.com. Knight filed for bankruptcy in 2008.

British soul singer BEVERLEY KNIGHT is launching K Cosmetics, a make-up range for black women.

The WHITE STRIPES, DEAD WEATHER and RACONTEURS star JACK WHITE’s Third Man Records company is to launch a ‘pop-up record store’ in Los Angeles next week (26-28Aug09). The store, located at 448 South Main Street, will boast all things relating to White’s three bands. A similar venture in New York recently included a surprise Dead Weather gig.

WALL-E director ANDREW STANTON’s movie adaptation of EDGAR RICE BURROUGHS’ JOHN CARTER OF MARS is becoming a star-studded affair - British trio SAMANTHA MORTON, POLLY WALKER and DOMINIC WEST have been added to the cast. The threesome will join TAYLOR KITSCH, LYNN COLLINS and WILLEM DAFOE in the Disney film, which chronicles a Civil War veteran’s mysterious transportation to Mars.

The crypt above movie icon MARILYN MONROE’s final resting place was sold for $4.6 million (£2.9 million) on Monday (24Aug09). Bidding for the site at Westwood Village Memorial Park Cemetery in Los Angeles, where Monroe was laid to rest in 1962, started on auction website eBay.com on 14 August (09).

Country star TAYLOR SWIFT is holding an online raffle for fans - the lucky winner will get a personal audience with the singer when she travels to New York for a show on Thursday (27Aug09).

RONNIE WOOD’s estranged wife JO and former tennis ace MARTINA HINGIS are set to don their dancing shoes as they join the celebrity line-up of U.K. TV talent contest STRICTLY COME DANCING.

BOB DYLAN’s first Christmas album, scheduled for release in October (09), will be called CHRISTMAS IN THE HEART. The collection will feature holiday standards including Little Drummer Boy and Here Comes Santa Claus. Proceeds from the album will benefit hunger relief organisations.

BRAD PAISLEY and CARRIE UNDERWOOD have been recalled as the hosts of the Country Music Association Awards in November (09). The couple teamed up to present the awards show in 2008. Between them, the pair has 16 CMAs.

ED WESTWICK’s manipulative GOSSIP GIRL character is going gay - in a bid to win his girlfriend a place at university. Rich kid CHUCK BASS will have a same-sex smooch with actor NEAL BLEDSOE in the show’s upcoming third season.

Cult rockers MORPHINE are planning to release a new album of unreleased studio and live material in October (09) to mark the 10th anniversary of singer MARK SANDMAN’s death. The remaining members of the band will also perform a memorial gig in Massachusetts on 27 September (09).

California Governor ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER has his sword from 1982 move CONAN THE BARBARIAN on display in his office in the state capital, Sacramento.

The bosses at vodka firm Grey Goose will debut an orange-flavoured beverage at the Emmy Awards on 20 September (09).

Oscar nominated Mexican singer LILA DOWNS has been forced to pull the plug on a free show in Santa Monica, California on Thursday (27Aug09) after failing to recover from an appendectomy in time. The star, who provided music for Salma Hayek’s Frida film and performed at the 2003 Academy Awards, was booked to play at the Santa Monica Pier Twilight Dance Series.

Rock ‘n’ roll legend JERRY LEE LEWIS is set to mark his 75th birthday next month (Sep09) by releasing a new single. MEAN OLD MAN, which Lewis recorded with KRIS KRISTOFFERSON, was made available for download on Tuesday (25Aug09).

The father of Hollywood’s new scream queen, SCOUT TAYLOR-COMPTON - the star of both HALLOWEEN remakes - is a mortician.

DAVE GROHL’s new supergroup THEM CROOKED VULTURES made a surprise appearance in London on Wednesday night (26Aug09). The band, which also includes LED ZEPPELIN’s JOHN PAUL JONES and QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE’s JOSH HOMME, made their U.K. debut supporting the ARCTIC MONKEYS at the O2 Brixton Academy. They are also rumoured to be making a surprise appearance at this weekend’s (29-30Aug09) Reading and Leeds Festival in Britain.

Country star JACK INGRAM has set a new world record by sitting for 215 radio interviews in 24 hours. The fun-loving singer decided to promote his new album, Big Dreams & High Hopes - which was released on Tuesday (25Aug09) - by chatting to radio stations around the world.

BILLY BRAGG will stage the North American premiere of his revamp of Ode to Joy, the chorale finale of Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony, in Santa Monica, California on Saturday (29Aug09). Bragg rewrote the lyrics to the choral favourite - originally based on Friedrich Schiller’s 1786 poem An die Freude. The piece debuted at London’s Royal Festival Hall in 2007. This will be it’s third performance.

Hollywood actor HUGH JACKMAN has thrown his support behind a dance organisation in his native Australia. The X-MEN star has become patron of the Bangarra dance company.

A movie telling the story of THE BEATLES manager BRIAN EPSTEIN and his early years with the band is in the pipeline. A LIFE IN THE DAY was written by Tony Gottelson and will be produced by David Permut, reports Variety.

Country singer GAVIN DEGRAW and hip-hop band THE ROOTS are among a list of musicians who have signed up to perform a free concert in New York next month (11Sep09) on the eighth anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, marking the first annual U.S. National Day of Service and Remembrance.

Country singer GAVIN DEGRAW and hip-hop band THE ROOTS are among a list of musicians who have signed up to perform a free concert in New York next month (11Sep09) on the eighth anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, marking the first annual U.S. National Day of Service and Remembrance.

MARY J. BLIGE has teamed up with designers at GUCCI to create a watch that will benefit her charity The Foundation for the Advancement of Women Now (FFAWN). A portion of the proceeds from each watch will go to the organisation, which helps women get on their feet after traumas and aids in career advancement and education.

FLORENCE AND THE MACHINE star FLORENCE WELCH proved her daredevil credentials at the U.K.’s READING FESTIVAL on Friday (28Aug09) - she climbed 30 feet (nine metres) up a stage support and dangled from the girder by one hand during her set.

PINK wrapped up her record-breaking tour of Australia on Saturday (29Aug09) at Sydney’s Acer Arena. The singer has spent more than three months travelling the country, playing her FUNHOUSE roadshow 58 times for more than 660,000 fans.

HARRY POTTER star DANIEL RADCLIFFE attended Britain’s Reading music festival over the weekend (29-30Aug09) in disguise. The young actor covered his face with a Batman mask to make sure he wasn’t recognised in the crowd.

DAME VERA LYNN has become the oldest living artist ever to appear in the U.K.’s top 20 album chart. The 92 year old’s WE’LL MEET AGAIN - THE VERY BEST OF VERA LYNN beat off competition from the likes of U2 and BLUR to score the number 20 slot - 70 years after her Second World War heyday.

Action man-turned-California Governor ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER has scored a Twitter.com milestone - he passed the one million followers mark over the weekend (29-30Aug09). Among politicians, only President Barack Obama and his one-time presidential rival Senator John McCain have more followers

MADONNA’s boy toy, JESUS LUZ, has a cameo in the pop superstar’s new CELEBRATION video.

The singer is seen stripping her man, who plays a DJ in the promo, before planting an open-mouthed kiss on his lips.

ERIC CLAPTON has boosted U.S. comedian JAY LENO’s star power as he returns to TV this month (Sep09) - the rocker will perform with Bruce Hornsby and his band the Noisemakers during the inaugural week of the new Jay Leno Show. The premiere of the hotly-anticipated programme on 14 September (09) will feature Jay-Z, Rihanna and Kanye West. Comedian Jerry Seinfeld will be Leno’s first guest.

Country duo SUGARLAND will join BOB DYLAN and STING on the musical wish list this Christmas (09) - they will release their first holiday album, Green and Gold, on 6 October (09). The album will include five original songs co-written by band members Jennifer Nettles and Kristian Bush, as well as classics like Winter Wonderland and Silent Night.

The Muppets have got talent - Miss Piggy and Kermit the Frog will make a guest appearance on an episode of AMERICA’S GOT TALENT on Wednesday night (02Sep09). The puppets will perform to celebrate the 40th anniversary of Jim Henson’s Sesame Street.

DAME SHIRLEY BASSEY’s teenage granddaughter is trying her hand at fame - by auditioning for British TV talent show THE X FACTOR. TATJANA, 17, sang country star FAITH HILL’s hit THERE YOU’LL BE in front of judge SIMON COWELL.

British socialite TARA PALMER-TOMKINSON has contributed a song to the soundtrack of new thriller movie THE HEAVY, which stars CHRISTOPHER LEE, VINNIE JONES, and SADIE FROST.

Celebrity chef GORDON RAMSAY has got a roasting from clients - four of his restaurants in the U.K. have been named among the country’s ten most disappointing eateries in a survey by respected Harden’s Guide. Complaints from diners included poor dishes and sky-high prices.

Anticipation for the TWILIGHT sequel is so great in America, online tickets for the first midnight shows have gone on sale two months early. Fans who can’t wait to see The Twilight Saga: New Moon on 19 November (09), can now book their seats through website Fandango.

GLORIA ESTEFAN was rocketed into space on her 52nd birthday (01Sep09). Her hit MI TIERRA was transmitted to the Discovery space shuttle by NASA as a special tribute to the Cuban star.

The music of JOHNNY CASH, ELVIS PRESLEY, JERRY LEE LEWIS and CARL PERKINS is heading to Broadway. A new show, titled Million Dollar Quartet, is set to hit New York City in the spring (10). The stage spectacular is inspired by a 1956 jam session between the four legendary musicians and will feature classic hits like Presley’s Blue Suede Shoes and Cash’s I Walk The Line.

Rapper LIL WAYNE will kick off a new season of VH1’s biography show BEHIND THE MUSIC. He’ll open up about his upbringing and past marriage, as well as his financial woes on the show, which relaunches in America on 10 September (09).

MADONNA’s daughter LOURDES wasn’t the only one to join her mother on stage in Israel during the last concert of her Sticky & Sweet tour. The singer’s nine-year-old son ROCCO was also part of Wednesday night’s (02Sep09) performance - taking to the DJ decks during her rendition of MUSIC.

MADONNA’s daughter LOURDES recreates her superstar mother’s infamous wedding dress pose in the video for the singer’s new track CELEBRATION. The Queen Of Pop toted the look in the promo for her 1984 track LIKE A VIRGIN and again at that year’s MTV Video Music Awards.

Rap superstar JAY-Z counts Ancient Greek poet Homer’s The Odyssey, author James Redfield’s The Celestine Prophecy, Gary Zukav’s The Seat of the Soul, and American comedian and social activist Dick Gregory’s autobiography N**ger among his favourite books.

NOEL GALLAGHER is reportedly set to give his side of the OASIS split in an interviewer to journalist-turned-talent show judge PIERS MORGAN. The chat will take place on the AMERICA’S GOT TALENT star’s LIFE STORIES series on British network ITV1 later this year (09).

Fans of Brit pop band BLUR are fuming after a council in London accidentally painted over a famous graffiti cartoon by street artist Banksy which was featured on the cover of the band’s 2003 single Crazy Beat.

Veteran singer TOM JONES has agreed to perform a one-off concert in Dublin, Ireland later this month (Sep09) to celebrate the 250th anniversary of drinks brand Guinness. The star says, “I hope I don’t consume too much of it before I start singing.”

The London house where JOHN LENNON and YOKO ONO shot their nude cover for the TWO VIRGINS album is set to be given a commemorative plaque. The BEATLES legend will be one of only a few people to be honoured twice with a blue plaque, placed on homes or buildings of cultural significance in the U.K. - his childhood Liverpool home also bears the prestigious honour.

NOEL GALLAGHER has headed to the Italian isle of Sardinia to escape the fallout from the OASIS split - while his brother LIAM holidays just miles away on the Italian mainland at Lake Como.

MICK JAGGER and JERRY HALL’s 17-year-old daughter, Georgia May Jagger, has signed on as the new face of Hudson Jeans.

Dancers hired for MICHAEL JACKSON’s This Is It dates served as ushers at the King of Pop’s funeral at Glendale Forest Lawn Memorial Park in California on Thursday (03Sep09).

METALLICA stars JAMES HETFIELD and LARS ULRICH have turned reporters for the day to interview ALICE IN CHAINS for a special U.S. radio broadcast. The rockers questioned the band for the upcoming Inside Alice In Chains: Black Gives Way to Blue programme, which will air on radio stations across the U.S. on 25 September (09).

Rapper T-PAIN is sharing Auto-Tune technology with the masses - the hip-hop star’s I AM T-PAIN iPhone application allows fans to record their own songs using his trademark sound.

Beloved comedian JERRY LEWIS raised $60.5 million (£40 million) for the Muscular Dystrophy Association, which funds research to find a cure for the disease, at his annual Labor Day telethon on Monday (07Sep09).

Rocker LENNY KRAVITZ is embarking on a U.S. tour later this year (09) - including a six-night stint in New York. The trek will kick off in the Big Apple on 11 October and conclude in Tunica, Mississippi on 30 October, ahead of his appearance at the Voodoo Music Festival in New Orleans, Louisiana. on 1 November.

America’s DANCING WITH THE STARS professionals MAKSIM CHMERKOVSKIY and KARINA SMIRNOFF have split just two months after postponing plans to wed. The reality TV couple announced its engagement last December (08).

TYRA BANKS is launching her own online fashion, beauty and lifestyle magazine on her official website.

Actor VIGGO MORTENSEN is preparing to hit the stage in Madrid, Spain for a Spanish-language production of Ariel Dorfman’s Purgatorio. The bi-lingual star can speak fluent Spanish.

Jazz musician DAVE KOZ is to be honoured with the 2,389th star of the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Barry Manilow will be among the guest speakers when Koz’s star is unveiled in front of Capitol Records on 22 September (09).

OPRAH WINFREY had to ask MICHAEL JACKSON’s mother KATHERINE for permission to re-air her 1993 interview with the King of Pop as part of an upcoming tribute to the late star on her daytime talk show.

Pop star LADY GAGA took pity on an over-excited teenage fan during an appearance at a record store in London on Tuesday (08Sep09). The singer hugged the boy after he burst into tears when he met her.

JIMMY BUFFETT, GEORGE CLOONEY’s journalist father NICK and spaceman BUZZ ALDRIN joined
presidents BARACK OBAMA and BILL CLINTON and top U.S. broadcasters to pay tribute to revered newsman
WALTER KRONKITE in New York on Wednesday (09Sep09). The beloved news anchor died in July (09), aged
92.

A 1966 magazine signed by late BEATLES legend JOHN LENNON and containing an interview in which he famously claimed the band was more popular than Jesus has
sold at auction for $12,713 (£8,475). A New York-based surgeon purchased the issue of Datebook.

Rock & Roll Hall of Fame bosses have lined-up an all-star list of honourees including BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN, U2, STEVIE WONDER, METALLICA and ARETHA
FRANKLIN to perform at the organisation’s 25th anniversary concert in New York next month (Oct09).

Singer REGINA SPEKTOR is collaborating with playwright Tina Landau on a Broadway musical. BEAUTY, set to open in 2011, is a new take on the classic Brothers Grimm
fairy tale Sleeping Beauty.

RADIOHEAD are the kings of U.K. festivals - they were voted Best Band of the Summer in a poll by British rock magazine NME for their performances at the Reading and
Leeds festivals this year (09).

Opera star KATHERINE JENKINS will join tenor ANDREA BOCELLI for a duet on his upcoming TV special Andrea Bocelli And Friends Christmas Special, set to air in the

U.S. in December (09). Other acts scheduled to perform are NATALIE COLE, MARY J. BLIGE and THE MUPPETS.

JOHN LENNON’s widow YOKO ONO is donating $390,000 (£260,000) to the John Lennon Awards Scheme to give scholarships to disadvantaged students attending
Liverpool John Moores University in the Beatles legend’s hometown

Pop star CYNDI LAUPER will play a psychic in U.S. TV cop show BONES.

MATT DAMON staged a slow-motion fight sequence as part of a skit to promote his new movie THE INFORMANT on U.S. late night show JIMMY KIMMEL LIVE! on
Tuesday (15Sep09)

The title track of WHITNEY HOUSTON’s hit comeback album I LOOK TO YOU was written for the singer by R. KELLY 10 years ago.

Former DUKES OF HAZZARD star JOHN SCHNEIDER will lead the parade and festivities at the 20th Annual World Chicken Festival in London, Kentucky later this month (24-27Sep09).

CARLETT JOHANSSON, U2 and COURTNEY LOVE are to team up at AIDS benefit (RED)Nights in New York next month (04Oct09).

Former S CLUB 7 singer RACHEL STEVENS has a perfect derriere - she has been voted Rear Of The Year in the annual British contest.

Pregnant supermodel GISELE BUNDCHEN is selling her two Manhattan homes for a whopping $18.45 million (£12.3 million). The Brazilian beauty has listed one downtown
penthouse triplex for $4.5 million (£3 million) and a townhouse in New York’s star-studded West Village for $13.95 million (£9.3 million).

EMINEM appeared in a series of comedy skits at the MTV Video Music Awards on Sunday night (13Sep09) with funnyman TRACY MORGAN, playing the comedian’s
trainer as he fought to become a VMA winner.

KATY PERRY joined namesake rocker JOE PERRY for a rendition of QUEEN’s WE WILL ROCK YOU anthem at the MTV Video Music Awards on Sunday night (13Sep09).
The pair of Perrys made way for British funnyman Russell Brand, who was hosting the prizegiving for a second successive year.

Rockers the ALL-AMERICAN REJECTS arrived at the MTV Video Music Awards in New York on the back of a truck with a marching band.

TAYLOR SWIFT performed her hit YOU BELONG WITH ME on the platform of the 42nd Street subway station in New York as part of the MTV Video Music Awards on
Sunday night (13Sep09). The country star raced up the stairs to street level and concluded the song from the roof of a Big Apple yellow taxi.

SARAH JESSICA PARKER’s mole is back for the SEX AND THE CITY movie sequel. The actress had her chin mole removed after playing Carrie Bradshaw in the first film,
but her character’s still exists, and has been recreated with the help of make-up.

RUMER WILLIS showed off her pie-making skills on late-night TV in America on Friday (11Sep09) when she presented TV host JIMMY KIMMEL with a coconut
banana-cream pie she had made before his show. The comedian made Willis try a slice first, fearing her prankster stepfather Ashton Kutcher had filled the pie with “Vaseline
and shaving cream”. Kimmel was so impressed, he quipped, “I’m going to finish this in the car on the way home.”

MADONNA’s best pal, actress DEBI MAZAR, has a secret olive empire - she and her husband GABRIELE CORCOS are writing a cookbook and planning a skincare line
inspired by olives they grow at their home in Florence, Italy

Spaceman BUZZ ALDRIN, who inspired the MTV Video Music Awards ‘Moonman’ prize, announced Sunday night’s (13Sep09) first honour on the red carpet before this year’s
prizegiving - for Breakthrough Video. Lessons Learned by Matt & Kim won the award.

TAYLOR SWIFT arrived at the MTV Video Music Awards in a horse-drawn princess carriage, confessing, “I really like fairytales.”

LADY GAGA showed up at the MTV Video Music Awards sporting a gold Phantom of The Opera mask, with Muppet frog Kermit as her date. The singer kissed the puppet
as she stepped out of her limousine. She joked, “This is our first date. We’ve been eyeing each other for some time… You’re so handsome tonight, Kermit!”

PINK and her husband CAREY HART scored the best arrival at the MTV Video Music Awards on Sunday night (13Sep09) when they showed up on the back of a fire engine.

Actress RUMER WILLIS was born on the set of dad Bruce’s In Country, but has never seen the 1989 film.

Acting twins MARY-KATE and ASHLEY OLSEN turned cocktail waitresses for the night on Thursday (10Sep09) at Manhattan’s Bergdorf Goodman designer store to celebrate the city’s Fashion’s Night Out event, which kicked off New York Fashion Week.

DENNIS QUAID was offered the role of LUKE DUKE in the DUKES OF HAZZARD TV series but turned it down. TOM WOPAT eventually landed the part.

A life-long BOB DYLAN fan paid $4,500 (£2,700) for a harmonica once owned by the folk legend at an auction in Norwich, England on Thursday (10Sep09).

COMMON is proving to be a supportive boyfriend to lover SERENA WILLIAMS - the rapper/actor was snapped carrying the tennis superstar’s racket bag, handbag and snacks as she prepared to face off against Melinda Czink at the U.S. Open in Queens, New York on Wednesday (02Sep09). Williams went on to crush her competitor, winning the match 6-1, 6-1.

Artist-turned-director SAM TAYLOR-WOOD’s JOHN LENNON biopic NOWHERE BOY will debut as the closing movie of the London Film Festival on 29 October (09).

PATRICK SWAYZE’s 1989 movie ROAD HOUSE played 45 times on U.S. cable channels AMC, A&E and CMT in the past 12 months.

FALL OUT BOY’s PETE WENTZ and PANIC! AT THE DISCO stars SPENCER SMITH and BRANDAN URIE formed a one-off supergroup, called the Decaydence All-Stars, for the Warped Tour 15th anniversary party in Los Angeles on Sunday night (06Sep09). The trio and pals performed Blink-182’s Dammit and Journey’s rock classic Don’t Stop Believin’. Katy Perry, Ice-T and punk acts NOFX, Bad Religion and Rise Against also performed.

Officials in West Hollywood have declared Thursday 10 September (09) OZZY OSBOURNE Day - in honour of the veteran rocker’s long music career and his decision to perform at Los Angeles’ Sunset Strip Music Festival on Saturday (12Sep09).

Scottish singing sensation SUSAN BOYLE is set for another talent show appearance - but this time she won’t be competing. The Britain’s Got Talent star, who wowed the world with her rendition of I Dreamed A Dream from Les Miserables, is set to take a break from recording her debut album to fly to America for a performance on the season finale of America’s Got Talent on 16 September (09).

OASIS are set to battle it out against rival Britpop group BLUR at the forthcoming Q Awards, despite announcing their split last month (Aug09). The WONDERWALL hitmakers will go head-to-head with the PARKLIFE stars for the Best Live Act honour, alongside U2, ARCTIC MONKEYS, THE PRODIGY, KASABIAN and TAKE THAT.

Veteran singer TONY BENNETT will open up his own performing arts school in New York on Monday (21Sep09). He’s named it the Frank Sinatra School in tribute to his late friend.

Singer TORI AMOS is getting in the Christmas spirit early - she’s recording an album of holiday tunes. MIDNIGHT GRACES, which will feature traditional carols and seasonal songs, will be released in November (09).

SACHA BARON COHEN is bringing his alter ego BORAT to THE SIMPSONS - the comedian will voice his comedic creation on an upcoming episode of the long-running TV series.

Pregnant supermodel GISELE BUNDCHEN has been appointed a goodwill ambassador for the United Nations Environment Programme.

The executive producer of medical drama E.R. and THE WEST WING has been elected president of the Writers Guild of America for a second term. John Wells won a tight race at the end of last week (ends18Sep09). He defeated former M*A*S*H and Frasier writer Elias Davis, the union’s secretary treasurer who had been endorsed by the outgoing president, Patric M. Verrone.

Irish actress ELAINE CASSIDY has become a first-time mum after giving birth to baby daughter Kila. The Others actress and her husband Stephen Lord welcomed the tot last Wednesday (16Sep09).

Top BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN tribute act the B STREET BAND will perform a marathon gig at B.B. Kings Blues Club and Grill in New York on Wednesday night (23Sep09) to mark the rocker’s 60th birthday.

Singer ROBBIE WILLIAMS is set to play his first concert in Britain in more than three years, with a gig at this year’s (09) BBC Electric Proms. The London show will take place on 20 October (09).

All 16 items in the BEATLES remastered catalogue hit the Amazon.com top 20 within a day of going on release on 9 September (09). More than 235,000 copies of albums like Abbey Road and Let It Be were sold around the world in the first two days.

The Hollywood home actor CHARLIE SHEEN renovated and is now selling was built by silver screen hunk RUDOLPH VALENTINO and features bathroom tiles from JOHNNY DEPP’s home.

AEROSMITH will perform as part of the Formula One racing season’s final weekend on 1 November (09). The rockers will take to the stage in Abu Dhabi to play for race fans.

LA TOYA JACKSON has landed a role as a TV reporter on U.S. TV news show Access Hollywood - her first job will be to cover talent contest Dancing With the Stars.

Hip-hop heavyweights EMINEM, KANYE WEST and LIL WAYNE have joined forces to record a tribute track to basketball player LEBRON JAMES. The tune, Forever, will feature in the upcoming James documentary More Than A Game.

GEORGE HAMILTON and ALANA STEWART’s son ASHLEY HAMILTON has become the first celebrity to be voted off the new season of U.S. talent show DANCING WITH THE STARS.

Aussie rockers WOLFMOTHER are planning a free show in Sydney to promote the release of their latest album COSMIC EGG. The gig will take place at Playing Moore Park’s Entertainment Quarter on 2 October (09).

MACY GRAY was voted off the new season of DANCING WITH THE STARS on Wednesday night (23Sep09), shortly after ASHLEY HAMILTON learnt he was leaving the U.S. talent show.

Former BAYWATCH star DAVID HASSELHOFF reported for jury duty on Thursday (24Sep09) when he turned up to a Los Angeles courthouse for a selection procedure. The actor/singer will have to wait to see if he has been chosen as a juror in an upcoming civil case.

MOULIN ROUGE! and AUSTRALIA director BAZ LUHRMANN is to sit in for absent dancing expert Len Goodman when the Dancing With The Stars judge takes a week off from the U.S. show next week (beg28Sep09).

JAKE GYLLENHAAL has been immortalised in Lego to mark his upcoming turn in Disney movie PRINCE OF PERSIA: THE SANDS OF TIME. The miniature action figure will be released next year (10) to coincide with the film’s release in May, 2010.

U.S. TV mogul LES MOONVES and his wife, presenter JULIE CHEN, have become parents - the couple’s baby son, Charlie, was born on Thursday morning (24Sep09).

ALICE COOPER, MOBY, HENRY ROLLINS and MALCOLM McDOWELL have teamed up to star in new vampire movie musical SUCK.

EDDIE MURPHY’s 19-year-old daughter BRIA, with ex-wife NICOLE MURPHY, has made it to the final fashion show for the latest season of TYRA BANKS’ hit reality show AMERICA’S NEXT TOP MODEL.

NATURI NAUGHTON won the lead in the FAME remake by singing Whitney Houston’s One Moment In Time at her audition.

ASHLEE SIMPSON-WENTZ turned 25 on Saturday (03Oct09) at the Wet Republic pool at the MGM Grand Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas. Her husband Pete Wentz and sister Jessica were among the guests.

MICHAEL BEARDEN, the musical director for Michael Jackson’s This Is It tour, has landed a new job as the band leader for comedian George Lopez’s new U.S. late night talk show, Lopez Tonight.

Model KATHY IRELAND became the latest celebrity to be voted off U.S. TV talent show DANCING WITH THE STARS on Tuesday night (29Sep09).

MINISTRY and REVOLTING COCKS star AL JOURGENSEN has added his name to the list of stars celebrating Christmas musically this year - the rocker is releasing a new holiday single, which will be available as a download on 20 October (09). The untitled track is a collaboration with The Mission guitarist Mark Thwaite.

Rocker JACK WHITE can add video director to his impressive resume after taking charge of his band the DEAD WEATHER’s new promo for I CUT LIKE A BUFFALO.

More than 550 screenings of MICHAEL JACKSON’s THIS IS IT concert rehearsal movie have sold out, four weeks before the film hits cinemas. Tickets went on sale on Sunday (27Sep09).

LILY ALLEN is set to work with rapper DIZZEE RASCAL next year (10). The star will play two concerts with the BONKERS hitmaker in the U.K. in March.

Rocker RYAN ADAMS has auctioned off a collection of his own artwork to raise funds for AIDS and homelessness charities. The exhibits will be on display at the Morrison Hotel Gallery in New York until 15 October (09).

WHOOPI GOLDBERG and JOY BEHAR turned up the heat on U.S. TV show THE VIEW on Thursday (24Sep09) when the red-headed comedienne planted a big kiss on the Oscar winner’s lips. Behar’s same-sex kiss occurred as she demonstrated the do’s and don’ts of appropriate friendly greetings.

Filming on the set of SETH ROGEN’s new comic book caper THE GREEN HORNET had to be temporarily halted on Tuesday (29Sep09) due to a bomb scare. The crew found an unidentified metal object in a parking lot and called bomb squad experts, who blew up the object with a robot. It was determined the item was not an explosive.

Funnyman RICKY GERVAIS has entered the Guinness Book of Records because his podcasts are so popular. 170 million people have downloaded his cyber musings, making them the most downloaded podcasts.

MEGADETH frontman DAVE MUSTAINE is working on an autobiography, titled HELLO ME… MEET THE REAL ME. It will be published in late 2010 and is being co-written by New York Times journalist Larry Layden.

A TV commercial for LEONA LEWIS’ upcoming album has been banned by the U.K’s advertising watchdog - because it claims the record is “new” when, in fact, six of the 13 tracks are already available online.

U.S. First Lady MICHELLE OBAMA is returning to kids show SESAME STREET to urge America’s youth to grow their own vegetables on the iconic series’ 40th anniversary episode on 10 November (09).

LADY GAGA is to be honoured as Billboard magazine’s Rising Star at the publication’s annual Women in Music event on Friday (02Oct09) in New York. Singer BEYONCE will also be named Woman of the Year at the ceremony.

HARRY CONNICK JR. has recorded a French and Italian version of the BEATLES’ AND I LOVE HER with former model and French First Lady Carla Bruni. The U.S. crooner says, “She’s the First Lady of France (and) I’m probably not allowed to say how sexy it was, but it was pretty sexy.”

KYLIE MINOGUE will appear on SIMON COWELL’s U.K. TV talent show THE X FACTOR on Saturday (03Oct09). The pop star will join sister DANNII, who is a judge on the show, as she mentors contestants.

STELLA McCARTNEY has shrugged off the global economic downturn - her fashion line posted profits of $2.7 million (£1.8 million) last year (08), up 70 per cent on the previous 12 months.

SEX & THE CITY: THE MOVIE hunk GILLES MARINI has bought his wife her dream house as a 32nd birthday gift.

KATY PERRY is to host this year’s MTV Europe Music Awards for the second consecutive year - the first star to present the show two years in a row. The I KISSED A GIRL hitmaker will host the bash in Berlin, Germany on 5 November (09). GREEN DAY and LEONA LEWIS are slated to perform at the event.

THE OFFICE star ANGELA KINSEY spent her childhood in Indonesia after her father landed an engineering job in Jakarta when she was just two years old. Her family stayed there for 12 years before returning to her native U.S.

MOTORHEAD star MIKKEY DEE has finished third in the Swedish version of reality TV show I’M A CELEBRITY… GET ME OUT OF HERE! The drummer was forced to sit out most of the band’s current North American tour in order to take part in the show, Kandisdjungeln.

Rap icons DIDDY and DR. DRE have teamed up to create a new iPod earphone line, called Diddy Beats.

Newlyweds KHLOE KARDASHIAN and basketball star LAMAR ODOM were serenaded by soul star BABYFACE at their Los Angeles wedding reception on Sunday (27Sep09).

TILDA SWINTON was crowned the most stylish woman in Scotland at the 2009 Scottish Woman of the Year awards on Sunday (04Oct09). The actress, who lives in the country’s highlands, recently learned she’s a direct descendant of 14th century Scottish king ROBERT THE BRUCE.

British actor DOUGLAS HODGE will reprise his Laurence Olivier-winning role as boisterous drag queen Albin in the hit London musical LA CAGE AUX FOLLES next month (30Nov09). He will star in the show for five weeks, before jetting to New York to rehearse for the 2010 Broadway revival of the show.

Over 500,000 bluegrass fans attended investment banker WARREN HELLMAN’s Hardly Strictly Bluegrass festival in San Francisco, California over the weekend, making the three-day event one of the largest free festivals in America. Tom Morello, Emmylou Harris and Robert Plant were among the big names on the bill.

Funnyman RICKY GERVAIS has recreated boxing legend MUHAMMAD ALI’s iconic 1968 Esquire magazine cover for the publication’s latest issue - donning just a pair of white shorts and boxing boots with arrows piercing his body.

PARAMORE singer HAYLEY WILLIAMS has had the words ’shave me’ tattooed on her ankle - after her bandmates repeatedly wrote the phrase on her hairy legs.

AMY WINEHOUSE will appear on British celebrity TV talent show STRICTLY COME DANCING - singing backing vocals for her 13-year-old goddaughter DIONNE BROMFIELD.

British actor STANLEY HOLLOWAY - who appeared in classic movies including MY FAIR LADY and BRIEF ENCOUNTER - is to be honoured by English Heritage. The home in east London where he was born has been given a commemorative blue plaque, placed on buildings of cultural significance in the U.K.

LADY GAGA is set to appear in an upcoming episode of hit TV series GOSSIP GIRL. The POKER FACE singer will perform on the show as herself.

Tennis ace SERENA WILLIAMS is baring all for the new issue of ESPN magazine. The sporting star strips off for the publication’s upcoming Body Issue.

SINEAD O’CONNOR has recorded new vocals for live renditions of U2’s YOUR BLUE ROOM tune from their 1995 Passengers album.

Previously unheard JACKSON 5 tracks are to be released on an upcoming greatest hits compilation. I WANT YOU BACK! UNRELEASED MASTERS will feature 12 songs by the band and is set to hit stores next month (Nov09). One new track, THAT’S HOW LOVE IS, will be released as a single to download on iTunes.

BUENA VISTA SOCIAL CLUB star OMARA PORTUONDO has been given permission to tour the U.S. for the first time since 2003. The U.S. Treasury Department has allowed the 78-year-old Cuban singer to perform at the San Francisco Jazz Festival on 20 October (09) and in Los Angeles on 23 October (09).

French electro-pop duo DAFT PUNK will make a cameo in Disney’s Tron remake. The act is providing the soundtrack for the film, which is set for release at the end of next year (10).

SIMON COWELL is planning on giving most of his 50th birthday presents to the Battersea Dogs Home in London. The pup-loving music mogul threw a lavish bash at the weekend (03Oct09), but actually celebrates his big day on Wednesday (07Oct09).

MADONNA’s best pal DEBI MAZAR is the latest celebrity to be voted off U.S. TV competition DANCING WITH THE STARS on Tuesday night (06Oct09). U.S. politician Tom DeLay also hung up his dancing shoes after doctors diagnosed him with stress fractures in his feet.

LILY ALLEN made her runway debut at the Chanel fashion show on Tuesday (06Oct09) - she popped out of a bale of hay to perform her hit NOT FAIR for fashionistas at the barnyard themed extravaganza in Paris, France.

Rock legend DAVID BOWIE is set to be a hit with a new generation - he has been transformed into a Lego character. The LET’S DANCE singer will appear in toy form on the new Lego Rock Band computer game.

New mum JENNIFER HUDSON uses LET IT BE ME, a song she has just recorded with ROD STEWART, to calm ber baby son down before a nap - the two-month-old tot loves the track.

FOOTLOOSE star KEVIN BACON performed the National Anthem prior to Game One of baseball’s National League Division Series between the Philadelphia Phillies and the Colorado Rockies at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on Wednesday (07Oct09).

Acting couple GOLDEN BROOKS and D.B. WOODSIDE have become parents to a baby girl. Dakota Tao Brooks-Woodside was born on 1 September (09).

Hit U.S. TV musical/drama GLEE is a big hit on iTunes - 16 of the show’s songs have already sold over one million downloads on the website and 10 of the tracks are in iTunes’ top 200.

Singer JASON MRAZ’s green credentials will be honoured by The Environmental Media Association in a ceremony on 25 October (09).

American TV presenter DREW CAREY has promised to donate $1 million (£666,670) to a cancer charity if he reaches a million followers on his Twitter.com account by the end of the year (09). Carey currently has just under 60,700 followers.

German writer HERTA MUELLER has been selected as the 2009 Nobel Prize literature winner. She’ll receive $1.4 million (GBP933,300) at a ceremony in Stockholm, Sweden in December (09).

Between them, new couple KATY PERRY and RUSSELL BRAND have over 1.8 followers on Twitter.com

THE SIMPSONS matriarch MARGE is to bare all for a three-page pictorial in Playboy magazine. The yellow cartoon character will appear ‘naked’ on the November (09) cover of the men’s publication

VINCE VAUGHN met his fiancee at a pal’s nuptials. The WEDDING CRASHERS star proposed to KYLA WEBBER on Valentine’s Day (14Feb09).

Singer/songwriter BEN HARPER and actor JACK BLACK teamed up to perform QUEEN and DAVID BOWIE’s hit UNDER PRESSURE on America’s The Jay Leno Show on Thursday night (08Oct09).

Rapper JAY-Z has set another record - his upcoming show at London’s Alexandra Palace next month (Nov09) has sold out in just 15 seconds.

Veteran crooner BARRY MANILOW will join NEIL DIAMOND, BOB DYLAN and STING in the race for a festive number one - the singer is releasing a Christmas album. In The Swing of Christmas will feature traditional tunes like Silver Bells, Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer and Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas.

Reality TV star KOURTNEY KARDASHIAN is expecting a baby boy. The star announced her shock pregnancy to on/off partner SCOTT DISICK in August (09)

Former LIBERTINES star CARL BARAT plans to shoot a movie with REVEREND AND THE MAKERS singer JON McCLURE. Barat will act in the film, while McClure will direct.

Australian pop star NATALIE IMBRUGLIA has agreed to make a special appearance at a charity gig in London to benefit a 20-year-old girl who is suffering from cystic fibrosis. The singer will headline the SaveJess event to help raise money to fund a lifesaving operation for Jessica Wales.

THE GRADUATE filmmaker MIKE NICHOLS has been selected to receive a Life Achievement Award from the American Film Institute at a gala in Los Angeles next summer (10).

CHRISTOPHER LLOYD is set to play The Grinch in a special holiday production of Dr. Seuss’ How The Grinch Stole Christmas! The Musical at Los Angeles’ Pantages Theatre. JOHN LARROQUETTE also joins the cast as Old Max in the live show, which debuts in November (09).

An explicit modelling shot of STEPHANIE SEYMOUR has been sold for $46,875 (£32,000) at New York’s Sotheby’s auction house. The racy snap, which shows Seymour wearing a see-through dress and flashing the camera, was won by an unknown bidder on Friday (09Oct09).

Veteran crooner ANDY WILLIAMS is set to become one of the oldest performers to play at Britain’s legendary Glastonbury Festival. He has been booked to appear at the 2010 event, just months after his 82nd birthday.

MADONNA’s brother CHRISTOPHER CICCONE will unveil his new paintings at the Avant Gallery in Miami, Florida during the Art Basel event in December (09).

Glam rockers KISS are getting their own personalised M&Ms. Each piece of candy will bear the image of a bandmember’s face.

Cult heavy metal act ANVIL are to make their movie debut as themselves in new comic book caper THE GREEN HORNET, starring SETH ROGEN.

TWILIGHT hunk TAYLOR LAUTNER showed his support for good pal TAYLOR SWIFT at the weekend (09-10Oct09) when he attended both of the country star’s gigs in Chicago, Illinois. The actor was spotted in the crowd and later shared a lingering embrace with Swift onstage. The two Taylors have previously denied reports they’re dating.

Former schoolfriends who topped the U.K. charts in 1980 are reuniting to record their hit song for charity. Members of the ST WINIFRED’S SCHOOL CHOIR - now in their 30s and 40s - will re-make THERE’S NO ONE QUITE LIKE GRANDMA in aid of Age Concern and Help The Aged.

British actress ALICE EVE has signed up for nanny duty in the new SEX & THE CITY movie sequel - she’ll play character Charlotte’s child minder in the film.

PULP star JARVIS COCKER will receive an honorary doctorate at Sheffield Hallam University in England, where he studied as a teen. The rocker will collect the degree at a ceremony next month (Nov09).

Stars including COLIN FIRTH, JIM CARREY and BOB HOSKINS will light up London this Christmas. All three actors, who star in a new animated version of A Christmas Carol, will take part in the ceremony to switch on the holiday lights in the British capital on 3 November (09).

Fans of LINDSAY LOHAN’s on-off girlfriend SAMANTHA RONSON can now live like the star - the DJ is renting out her Hollywood Hills mansion. The spacious three bedroom, two bathroom property is available for a cool $4,395 (£2,930)-a-month.

THE SIMPSONS creator MATT GROENING is set to curate Britain’s All Tomorrow’s Parties music festival next year (10). The cartoonist will be responsible for selecting the entire line-up for the event, which will take place in Minehead, England in May (10).

KATY PERRY and DITA VON TEESE have sparked a run on stockings and suspenders in the U.K. - sales figures have soared since the pair was pictured wearing the sexy lingerie at Paris Fashion Week earlier this month (Oct09).

SEAN ‘DIDDY’ COMBS and DR. DRE are teaming up to release their own line of headphones. The ‘Diddy Beats’ will be available in 2010.

Punk icons SUBLIME will play their first show since the death of frontman BRAD NOWELL in May, 1996 at the Smokeout Festival in California on 24 October (09). The surving members of the group last performed together on the day before the Nowell tragedy. The band are now fronted by vocalist-guitarist Rome.

Sexy WATCHMEN star MALIN AKERMAN shaved off her eyebrows and donned a bald cap to portray a woman suffering from hairloss disease alopecia universalis in new film HAPPYTHANKYOUMOREPLEASE.

90210 star ANNALYNNE McCORD is planning a very special Halloween costume party in Las Vegas this year (09) - she’ll host sister Rachel’s 21st birthday bash at the Tabu Ultra Lounge inside the MGM Grand on 31 October (09).

BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN, U2 stars BONO and THE EDGE and SHERYL CROW will be among the guests joining ELVIS COSTELLO for the second season of his Spectacle: Elvis Costello With… TV show, which debuts in December (09).

The four surviving members of BOYZONE will act as pallbearers at STEPHEN GATELY’s funeral on Saturday (17Oct09). RONAN KEATING, SHANE LYNCH, KEITH DUFFY and MIKEY GRAHAM will carry the late star’s coffin along with two members of Gately’s family.

The members of Britpop group BLUR have been turned into LEGO versions of themselves for the upcoming music video game LEGO Rock Band. Blur join Iggy Pop and David Bowie, whose LEGO avatars have already been revealed.

U.S. reality TV star MELISSA RYCROFT has become the latest celebrity swine flu victim. The 26-year-old former The Bachelor star has been diagnosed with H1N1.

MADONNA’s 2005 megahit HUNG UP hit the top of the charts in 45 countries.

Comedian/singer ERIC IDLE teamed up with acclaimed hip-hop group THE ROOTS for a performance of his song ALWAYS LOOK ON THE BRIGHT SIDE OF LIFE during an appearance on U.S. TV’s Late Night with Jimmy Fallon on Wednesday (14Oct09). The Roots, the show’s house band, provided musical backing for Idle and whistled along during the tune’s chorus.

PINK FLOYD legend DAVE GILMOUR will be handed a honorary doctorate from his hometown’s Anglia Ruskin University. The guitarist will be made a Doctor of Arts at the ceremony, which will take place in Cambridge, England in November (09).

The original members of QUEEN have been turned into LEGO versions of themselves for the upcoming music video game LEGO Rock Band. FREDDIE MERCURY, BRIAN MAY, JOHN DEACON and ROGER TAYLOR join IGGY POP and DAVID BOWIE, whose LEGO likenesses have already been revealed.

Filmmaker and producer JOSS WHEDON will direct an upcoming episode of hit U.S. TV musical series GLEE. Whedon was the man behind the musical episode of BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER.

RUFUS WAINWRIGHT will take the stage with stars including BOY GEORGE, ED HARCOURT and ELBOW frontman GUY GARVEY at his upcoming Christmas concert in London. A Not So Silent Night will take place at the British capital’s Royal Albert Hall on 9 December (09).

U2’s concert at the Pasadena Rose Bowl in California on 25 October (09) will be streamed live on the internet via YouTube.

A clump of hair believed to have been cut from ELVIS PRESLEY’s head when he joined the army in 1958 has sold for $15,000 (£10,000) at an auction house in Chicago, Illinois.

Fans of THE SIMPSONS have been asked to create a new character for the hit cartoon. The show’s website is asking the public to come up with a name, catchphrase and description of the role to air in an episode in January (10).

SIR PAUL McCARTNEY, LILY ALLEN, LEONA LEWIS, TAKE THAT and DAME SHIRLEY BASSEY will take to the stage at London’s Royal Albert Hall on 20 November (09) to raise funds for BBC charity Children In Need.

Rapper VANILLA ICE is reviving his career in South Africa by signing on to appear in TV commercials for Castle Lite beer. The star scored a big hit in 1990 with his single ICE ICE BABY but has failed to replicate the same success in his latest ventures.

Former SPICE GIRLS MELANIE BROWN, EMMA BUNTON and GERI HALLIWELL are set to fight it out for Britain’s Celebrity Mum of the Year Prize.

RIHANNA unveiled her comeback single RUSSIAN ROULETTE on her official website on Tuesday (20Oct09). The track, written by NE-YO, is the first release from the R&B beauty’s upcoming album RATED R, which hits music retailers on 23 November (09). The disc is Rihanna’s follow up to 2007’s GOOD GIRL GONE BAD and her first new song since her highly-publicised fight with ex-boyfriend CHRIS BROWN in February (09).

LADY GAGA has given former AMERICAN IDOL runner-up ADAM LAMBERT a boost - she has written a track for his upcoming album.

R&B beauty KELLY ROWLAND is playing 50 CENT’s love interest in the rapper’s new video for BABY BY ME. The promo will also feature NE-YO.

Scottish actor GERARD BUTLER showed off his musical credentials on Thursday (15Oct09) when he jammed with THE ROOTS on U.S. TV. The Ugly Truth star joined comedian/presenter Jimmy Fallon on Late Night With Jimmy Fallon for a duet of The Doors’ classic Roadhouse Blues, backed up by the acclaimed hip-hop band.

A London theatre has scored record sales for KEIRA KNIGHTLEY’s West End debut. Ticket sales for The Misanthrope pulled in over $1.5 million (£1 million) in just four days. The play, an updated version of Moliere’s 17th century comedy, will open on 7 December (09).

A rare BEATLES album has been found in the attic of a late Capitol Record executive. Oregon collector John Tefteller found the Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band record while sifting through vinyl at the request of the unnamed music boss’ widow. The album features executives’ heads replacing those of the celebrities on the original sleeve. Tefteller’s research suggests only 100 copies of the sleeve were produced - as 1967 Christmas gifts.

Bosses at leading concert agency Ticketmaster have risked the wrath of strict vegetarian MORRISSEY - tickets for the singer’s upcoming U.S. tour come with a coupon for a free burger at fast food chain Denny’s “after the show”.

British model AGYNESS DEYN is set to swap the catwalk for a movie set - she’s starring in a short film alongside LAW & ORDER actor LINUS ROACHE. The untitled project will be directed by artist PETER MCGOUGH.

Singer JEWEL is the latest star to land her own meal at U.S. diner chain Denny’s. The star has her own signature dish, Jewel’s Acoustic Smoked Chicken Quesadilla, featured on the restaurant’s Allnight Rockstar menu, joining Rascal Flatts and rockers Hoobastank, who share the culinary honour.

A dozen strands of MICHAEL JACKSON’s hair, which were collected after the star’s head was burnt during the filming of a Pepsi commercial 25 years ago, has been sold at an auction in London for $1,710 (£1,140).

THE BEATLES: ROCK BAND has sold more that 500,000 copies since it hit shelves last month (Sep09). The game has shifted 595,000 units, outselling GUITAR HERO 5 by almost 100,000 in the same time period.

Reality TV sensation SUSAN BOYLE is heading back to the small screen to film a Christmas special. The 48 year old will appear before a star-studded crowd to film An Audience With Susan Boyle, which is due to air in the U.K. in December (09).

GIRLS ALOUD star CHERYL COLE has invited fans to join her for a no-holds-barred live video webcast on Thursday (22Oct09) on her MySpace.com page. The singer has promised to answer any questions fans throw at her.

AIR star NICOLAS GODIN is a qualified architect.

Country star GARTH BROOKS’ new Las Vegas deal has earned him a new private jet - casino boss Steve Wynn will fly the singer from his Oklahoma home to Sin City for upcoming shows at the Wynn’s Encore Theatre, and once the residency is over, Brooks gets to keep the plane.

U2’s upcoming show at Pasadena, California’s Rose Bowl will be the biggest ever gig at the famous venue - more than 96,000 fans are expected to attend the sold out concert on 25 October (09).

Back To The Future star CHRISTOPHER LLOYD has become JIM CARREY’s festive stage double - the actor played Ebenezer Scrooge on stage in A Christmas Carol last Christmas (08) and he’ll be playing The Grinch in Dr Seuss’ How The Grinch Stole Christmas in Los Angeles this holiday season. Carrey played The Grinch on the big screen in 2000 and this yule, he’ll portray Scrooge and the Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present and Yet To Come in Robert Zemeckis’ movie adaptation of Charles Dickens’ festive story.

VINCE VAUGHN’s mum was so taken with her husband Vernon’s name, she decided to give all family members the V.V. initials. Vince has sisters called Victoria and Valerie, and even the family pet dog is part of the tradition - he’s called Vladimir.

Actor TAYE DIGGS has teamed up with THE MUPPETS for a new Disneyland TV commercial. The hunky star is part of MISS PIGGY’s dream sequence in the ad.

The fashion world will honour screen legend-turned-princess GRACE KELLY on Thursday (22Oct09) when she will posthumously receive the Rodeo Drive Walk of Style Award in Beverly Hills. Exclusive French jeweller Cartier will also be honoured at the ceremony.

SIR PAUL McCARTNEY is to tour Europe for the first time in five years. The gigs will kick off in Hamburg, Germany on 2 December (09), taking in cities including Paris and Berlin, before finishing up in London on 22 December (09).

ADAM STREISAND, the new lawyer hired by MICHAEL JACKSON’s mother Katherine, is BARBRA STREISAND’s cousin.

THE STROKES star JULIAN CASABLANCAS is set to become Mr. November in Los Angeles - he’ll perform solo shows at the Downtown Palace Theatre every Friday throughout the month.

Film composer ENNIO MORRICONE’s upcoming concert at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles has been cancelled. The 80-year-old composer and conductor was due to take the stage at the Bowl on Sunday (25Oct09). Details about the cancellation have not been released. Morricone was scheduled to conduct the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra and the Angeles Chorale in works from his four-decade career in the movie business, including excerpts the scores to The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly, Cinema Paradiso, Once Upon a Time in America and The Mission.

Hip-hop veteran TRAE is celebrating after welcoming a baby boy into the world on Wednesday (21Oct09). The identity of the tot’s mother has yet to be unveiled and it is currently unknown whether the newborn is the rapper’s first child.

EVA LONGORIA-PARKER is so impressed with the London Fog fashion photos which feature her and husband Tony Parker she has asked for a couple of portraits, so she can hang them up at home.

THE HOLD STEADY frontman CRAIG FINN has added screenwriter to his resume after signing up to adapt author CHUCK KLOSTERMAN’s 2001 memoir FARGO ROCK CITY as a movie.

MARY-KATE and ASHLEY OLSEN are designing a new line of kids’ clothes for U.S. chain JCPenney. The fashion-conscious pair will take a break from work on their high-end clothing ranges to put together Olsenboye, an affordable line for children.

Former OASIS singer LIAM GALLAGHER is set to face his fans via video link. The star will take questions from devotees and answer them online using a web-cam, but Gallagher is refusing to take questions about the band’s split - he will only talk about the launch of his Pretty Green clothing line.

R&B singer R. KELLY has broken a chart record set by NAT KING COLE. His new track NUMBER ONE became his 35th top ten single when it reached number eight on America’s Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Song chart, surpassing Cole’s previous best.

Eighties pop icons FRANKIE GOES TO HOLLYWOOD will be handed the Classic Track honour at London’s Q Awards ceremony on Monday (26Oct09) - for their controversial hit RELAX. The song topped charts across Europe and made number ten on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1984 after it was banned by the BBC for its sexually provocative lyrics.

Actor BENJAMIN BRATT is returning to the hit TV cop show which landed him an Emmy Award nomination. The star will reprise his character Det. Reynaldo Curtis on Law & Order. Bratt appeared on the show for four seasons in the 1990s.

Director TERRY GILLIAM was the stand-in for ROBERT DE NIRO’s hands during reshoots for BRAZIL.

All 15 shows on TAYLOR SWIFT’s 2010 U.S. tour sold out in minutes on Friday (23Oct09). Tickets for her four New York area concerts sold out in just 120 seconds.

BON JOVI are to become the latest group to appear on British TV talent show THE X FACTOR. The band will mentor the contestants and sing live on SIMON COWELL’s programme on 1 November (09). SHAKIRA has also been lined up to appear on the series, while LADY GAGA is in talks with producers to perform.

Oscar winning song JAI HO has claimed another prize in Belgium at the recent World Soundtrack Academy Awards. A. R. Rahman’s Slumdog Millionaire track was named Best Original Song Written for Film.

Marketing bosses at 20th Century Fox have come up with a way to turn upcoming Christmas movie ALVIN & THE CHIPMUNKS: THE SQUEAKQUEL into a Halloween hit - they’re offering free pumpkin stencils of their rodent star in America’s newspapers, urging fans to ‘Munk Your Pumpkin’.

KATY PERRY turned 25 in style on Saturday night (24Oct09) with a CHARLIE & THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY-themed party in Los Angeles. The I Kissed A Girl hitmaker was joined by boyfriend RUSSELL BRAND and pal TAYLOR SWIFT as The Beach restaurant on Sunset Boulevard was turned into a dessert dream for the night.

RIHANNA will set sail on the Royal Caribbean’s MS Oasis of the Seas to celebrate the cruise ship’s debut on 19 November (09). The Umbrella beauty will perform during a three-night preview journey before the vessel’s maiden voyage in December (09).

SLASH joined the BLACK EYED PEAS for a rendition of GUNS N’ ROSES anthem SWEET CHILD O’ MINE prior to U2’s record-breaking concert at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California on Sunday night (25Oct09).

Bosses at film company Warner Bros. have threatened legal action after a restaurant owner in London announced plans for HARRY POTTER-themed dinner parties - complete with cauldron cakes, butterbeer, and pumpkin pasties. The executives are concerned the events will infringe their copyright.

Singer TIM McGRAW has upgraded the skeet shooting range at his Tennessee farm so a pal can train for the Olympics.

KATY PERRY gets all wet in the video for 3OH!3’s Starstrukk - the pop star performs her guest solo segment in the song while standing in a fountain, wearing a pink and black wetsuit.

Pop star LADY GAGA has a new pet - the singer has just taken charge of a black shiba inu dog.

More than 2.5 million U2 fans hit the web to watch the rockers’ Pasadena Rose Bowl concert YouTube.com on Sunday (26Oct09).

American football icon BRETT FAVRE bought country star TIM McGRAW a Hellcat superbike for his 40th birthday.

LADY GAGA signed up to guest on an upcoming episode of GOSSIP GIRL because her 17-year-old sister is a huge fan of the TV show.

Newlyweds KHLOE KARDASHIAN and basketball star LAMAR ODOM have sealed their love with new tattoos. The couple has had each other’s initials inked on their hands.

DAVID BECKHAM has received an apology on behalf of fans who turned on him earlier this year (09). Beckham was criticised by Los Angeles Galaxy supporters over his temporary move to Italian side AC Milan - but Greg Delgado, founder of the Galaxy supporters’ club, has said sorry after the soccer ace steered the team to the Western Conference title on Sunday (25Oct09).

AEROSMITH frontman STEVEN TYLER is going solo for an evening. The singer will host a charity event, titled Dream On, An Intimate Evening with Steven Tyler, in Concord, New Hampshire on 23 January (09). The night will see him perform and stage a question-and-answer session with the audience to raise money for good causes.

The lorry-driving license actress MICHELLE MONAGHAN studied for before shooting new movie TRUCKER has expired but she isn’t complaining. She explains, “I found out that if I get pulled over or get a ticket for any reason, the fine triples if you have a Class-A driver’s license.”

OZZY OSBOURNE and his manager wife SHARON will guest-host an upcoming edition of hit U.S. wresting show WWE RAW.

Fans are being offered a lock of LADY GAGA’s hair as part of a new $100 (GBP62.50) gift pack. The Lady Gaga Super Deluxe The Fame Monster Pack also features posters and dolls.

CREED star BRIAN MARSHALL owns a bed-and-breakfast guesthouse in Costa Rica.

Rockers PEARL JAM are the latest group to be immortalised in a video game. The ALIVE hitmakers are working on their own version of musical play-along ROCK BAND, which saw sales soar with the launch of a BEATLES version earlier this year (09).

The DEFTONES will play a benefit concert in Los Angeles on 19 November (09) to raise money for their seriously ill bassist CHI CHENG, who was left in a coma following a car crash last year (08).

SUSAN SARANDON showed off her ping pong skills on U.S. TV on Tuesday (27Oct09) when she teamed up with actress OLIVIA MUNN to challenge presenter JIMMY FALLON and American comedian ARTIE LANGE to a table tennis match on LATE NIGHT WITH JIMMY FALLON. Sarandon, who co-owns table tennis club Spin in New York, and Munn won the game 3-1.