Nicki Minaj named Billboard's "Rising Star"

Singer Nicki Minaj arrives at a party to celebrate the upcoming launch of the Versace for H&M collection in New York November 8, 2011. REUTERS/Lucas Jackson

Singer and rapper Nicki Minaj was named Billboard's 2011 Rising Star on Wednesday, following her international success this year with her album, "Pink Friday."
Minaj, 28, who is signed to Lil Wayne's Young Money Entertainment, took the opportunity of Billboard's announcement to confirm her next album on Twitter.
Set for release on February 14, Valentine's day next year, Minaj's second album will be called "Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded," after the rapper's alter ego, Roman Zolanski.

The New York native stormed the Billboard charts this year, becoming the first artist to have seven songs in the Hot 100 singles chart at the same time, including hits such as "Your Love," "Super Bass" and "Fly" featuring Rihanna, while "Pink Friday" reached No. 1 on the Billboard 200 album chart.
"Nicki Minaj has established herself as a force in hip-hop and pop music, and we're thrilled to recognize her accomplishments over the past year," said Billboard's editorial director Bill Werde on Billboard.com.
Minaj is the fourth recipient of the award, following Jazmine Sullivan in 2010, Lady Gaga in 2009 and Colbie Caillat in 2008, and will join country music star Taylor Swift, who was named Woman of the Year, to collect the award at the annual Billboard Women in Music event in New York on December 2.

(Reuters)  

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Taylor Swift wins Artist of the Year at 2011 American Music Awards

Taylor Swift was crowned Artist of the Year at the American Music Awards for a second time.

Singer/songwriter Taylor Swift, winner of Artist of the Year, Favorite Country Album and Favorite Country Female Artist Awards, poses in the press room at the 2011 American Music Awards held at Nokia Theatre L.A. LIVE on November 20, 2011 in Los Angeles, California. ( Photo by Jason Merritt/Getty Images North America)

"This is so crazy!" the country superstar said after beat such contenders as Adele, Lady Gaga and Katy Perry to capture all three awards that she was nominated for at Sunday's ceremony, including artist of the year, the show's highest accolade that she previously claimed in 2009.

"I ended up writing the record by myself, so the fact that you would honor it this way, you have no idea what this means to me," said Swift after winning the trophy for favorite country album for Speak Now. She was also awarded the prize for favorite country female artist.
Nicki Minaj, the pink-loving hip-hop diva, won two awards on Sunday. She kicked off the 39th annual fan-favourite ceremony by sporting a pair of speakers on her much-talked about posterior and was later honored as favorite rap/hip-hop artist, besting a group that included mentor Lil Wayne, and won favorite rap/hip-hop album for Pink Friday.

"There's so much love in this room," beamed the pink-haired Minaj.
Adele had been the night's leading nominee with four nods, but didn't have much of a presence at the show: She was absent from the ceremony because she is recovering from recent throat surgery. Adele tied Swift with three awards: favorite pop/rock female artist, adult contemporary artist and pop/rock album for 21.
Other winners included Maroon 5 as favorite pop-rock band/duo/group, Blake Shelton as favorite country male artist, Lady Antebellum as favorite country band/duo/group, Beyonce as favorite soul/R&B female artist, Rihanna for favorite soul/R&B album for Loud and Hot Chelle Rae as new artist of the year.

The ceremony inside the Nokia Theatre in an unusually rainy Los Angeles was drenched with 17 musical performances.
Justin Bieber got in the holiday spirit among a forest of neon lights with Under the Mistletoe, and Kelly Clarkson, wearing a glittery red gown with her hair swept to the side, delivered a swinging rendition of her hit Mr. Know It All as back-up dancers dressed as 1930s-era photographers snapped the first-ever American Idol champion.

Jennifer Lopez and Marc Anthony shared custody of rapper Pitbull, who joined the former couple in a pair of separate performances.
Lopez performed essentially a live version of a car commercial starring the "Idol" judge set to "Papi" -- with the car onstage -- before launching into her hit On the Floor. Pitbull later returned to the stage and joined Anthony for Rain Over Me.

Lopez expressed surprise when she won the favorite Latin music artist award.
"It's been up and down and just exciting and overwhelming and so many things," Lopez said of the last year.
Several artists delivered stripped-down performances: The Band Perry crooned an emotional If I Die Young, a pink-haired Perry accompanied herself on guitar for The One That Got Away and a platinum-blonde Chris Brown simply sang "All Back" before being joined by a troop of helmet-clad back-up dancers for a flashy interpretation of Say It With Me.

There were collaborations, too. Lopez joined a glowing-in-the-dark will.i.am for his new single Hard.
Christina Aguilera dueted with Maroon 5 on their Moves Like Jagger, and then Maroon 5 lead singer Adam Levine teamed with Gym Class Heroes for their hit Stereo Hearts.
Bieber joined LMFAO in animal-print pants for the show's finale, which ended with everyone on stage -- including David Hasselhoff -- stripping down to smiley-face underwear.

© Associated Press
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Demi Moore to divorce Ashton Kutcher

In this photo, Ashton Kutcher and Demi Moore attend the Charity Gala at The Ritz-Carlton on October 30, 2010 in Moscow, Russia. (Photo by Victor Boyko/Getty Images)

Demi Moore is ending her marriage to fellow actor Ashton Kutcher, she told The Associated Press on Thursday.
Moore, 49, and Kutcher, 33, were wed in September 2005.
The couple's relationship became tabloid fodder in recent months as rumors swirled about Kutcher's alleged infidelity.
"It is with great sadness and a heavy heart that I have decided to end my six-year marriage to Ashton. As a woman, a mother and a wife there are certain values and vows that I hold sacred, and it is in this spirit that I have chosen to move forward with my life. This is a trying time for me and my family, and so I would ask for the same compassion and privacy that you would give to anyone going through a similar situation," she said in her statement to the AP.

The pair frequently used Twitter to communicate with each other as millions of fans followed along.
"I will forever cherish the time I spent with Demi," Kutcher tweeted Thursday. "Marriage is one of the most difficult things in the world and unfortunately sometimes they fail."
Moore said in 2007 that her relationship with the star of "That '70s Show" and "Punk'd" — who is 15 years younger than Moore — "caught us both by surprise."

"If somebody would have said, 'OK, here is the prediction: You're going to meet a man 25 years old and he's going to see being with you and having your three kids as a bonus,' I would have said, 'Keep dreaming,'" Moore said in a 2007 interview with Vanity Fair. "I think it caught us both by surprise, and particularly him."
Kutcher became a stepfather to Moore's three daughters — Rumer, Scout and Tallulah Belle — from her 13-year marriage to actor Bruce Willis. Moore and Willis divorced in 2000 but remained friendly. Moore and Kutcher were photographed socializing with Willis, and the couple attended Willis' wedding to model-actress Emma Heming in 2009.

Moore and Kutcher created the DNA Foundation, also known as the Demi and Ashton Foundation, in 2010 to combat the organized sexual exploitation of girls around the globe. They later lent their support to the United Nations' efforts to fight human trafficking, a scourge the international organization estimates affects about 2.5 million people worldwide.
Moore can be seen on screen in the recent films "Margin Call" and "Another Happy Day." Kutcher replaced Charlie Sheen on TV's "Two and a Half Men" as is part of the ensemble film "New Year's Eve," set for release next month.
Kutcher's publicist did not immediately respond to an e-mail and phone call seeking comment. No divorce papers had been filed in Los Angeles Superior Court as of Thursday afternoon.

(AP REPORT)

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Bradley Cooper Named Sexiest Man Alive

Hollywood has a new hunk hotter than the rest!

Bradley Cooper has been named 2011's Sexiest Man Alive by People magazine for his baby blue eyes and a smile that lights up the big screen delighting millions of fans.

But according to the mag, the 36-year-old is far more than just his good looks!

He's known for his skills in the kitchen, love of motorcycles and being fluent in French.

"I think it's really cool that a guy who doesn't look like a model can have this [title]," Bradley told the mag. "I think I'm a decent-looking guy. Sometimes I can look great, and other times I look horrifying."

One more reason "The Hangover" star is a good choice for this year's coveted title, his closeness and love for mom Gloria.

After learning about his Sexiest Man Alive title, she instantly came to mind.

"[The] first thing I thought was, 'My mother is going to be so happy,'" the actor recalled.

After a split with Renee Zellweger in March, rumors have swirled about Bradley's love life, including reports that he's dating Jennifer Lopez, something he denies.

"[I'm a] single 36-year-old male," he told the mag. "If you're a single man and you happen to be in this business, you're deemed a player. But I don't see myself as a ladies' man."

Copyright 2011 by NBC Universal, Inc. All rights reserved. 

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Eddie Murphy out, Brian Grazer in at Oscars

In a day of drama befitting Hollywood, Oscar organizers on Wednesday said comedian Eddie Murphy was bowing out as host of the world's top film honors and producer Brian Grazer was stepping in to run the show.

The dual announcements by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences follows Tuesday's departure of producer Brett Ratner who earned the wrath of academy members after using a gay slur at a weekend screening of his new movie, "Tower Heist," which co-starred Murphy.
Ratner had lured the "Beverly Hills Cop" funnyman into the coveted job as Oscar host and after he quit, Murphy tendered his resignation on Wednesday. It appeared to be the first time a host quit the show that annually is among the most-watched programs on U.S. TV and is seen by tens of millions worldwide.
Murphy's departure paved the way for the academy to bring on "A Beautiful Mind" producer Grazer to guide the show from concept to curtain this coming February. It will be up to Grazer to pick a new host for the awards that honor the top films, performances and other movie work of 2011.
"Brian Grazer is a renowned filmmaker who over the past 25 years has produced a diverse and extraordinary body of work," academy president Tom Sherak, said in a statement.
Earlier in the day, on announcing Murphy's departure, Sherak had said, "I appreciate how Eddie feels about losing his creative partner, Brett Ratner, and we all wish him well."
On Tuesday Ratner resigned from the high-profile job in the face of an industry firestorm over his answer to a question at a "Tower Heist" screening about using rehearsals ahead of the film shoot. Ratner replied, "rehearsing is for fags."
Gay rights groups and some members of the academy took issue with his use of the word that is largely viewed as a slur, and Ratner later apologized publicly. But adding fuel to the fire was an interview he gave on the Howard Stern radio show about his sex life. The damage was done.
In his own statement, Murphy seemed almost apologetic for bowing out of the show.
"First and foremost, I want to say that I completely understand and support each party's decision with regard to a change of producers for this year's Academy Awards ceremony," he said.
"I was truly looking forward to being a part of the show that our production team and writers were just starting to develop, but I'm sure that the new production team and host will do an equally great job."
Fortunately for Oscar organizers, the show does not take place until the final Sunday of February, 2012, giving the group plenty of time to put on a show.

(via Reuters)

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Rihanna Live Onstage at The Palais Omnisports de Paris-Bercy(photos)

Rihanna Live Onstage

Rihanna shows off some skin during her concert performance at The Palais Omnisports de Paris-Bercy. The singer's main costume was a colorful embellished bra and pantie .

(October 21, 2011 - Photos by Bauer Griffin)

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Esquire magazine's Sexiest Woman Alive Rihanna poses nude, covered in dirt and leaves

Apparently to Esquire, Rihanna, dirt, twigs and leaves are about as sexy as it gets.
The 23-year-old singer is the magazine’s pick for the Sexiest Woman Alive, following in the footsteps of other beautiful women like Minka Kelly and Christina Hendricks. The magazine’s cover and editorial feature Rihanna writhing around in dirt, strategically covering her naked body parts.
Oh, and there’s a video of her in the dirt too, throwing it all over herself and sticking her finger in her mouth.

Oct. 5: Rihanna performs at the o2 arena in east London, as part of her 2011 'Loud' tour (AP)

Not sexy enough for you?
Fear not, there’s more.
To further illustrate her said sexiness,  there’s talk of her derriere, which is charmingly referred to as a “rump roast.”
While describing one of her performances, the article reads, “she grabs her own radiant a** — she handles it, offers it — like it’s a rump roast. She squats and spreads her legs, settles a hand between them, where it stays. Caresses her breasts. She masturbates a dancer with the help of a cane. She pretends to go down on the keytarist.
Then of course, we learn that she smells like coconut and vanilla, she drinks alcohol (kind of a lot, if the interview is to be believed), and while she doesn’t like it, has no problem telling her employees to “hurry the f**k up” when they struggle to dress quickly enough her during her concert.

Rihanna performs in London (AP)

Still, Rihanna doesn’t  necessarily think she is overtly sexy.
“At the end of a concert, I don’t feel like I’ve been this sexy thing. Really, I don’t even think about it,” she says.
“Honestly, even if it comes across sexual — it has to be a part of my subconscious thought. It’s never deliberate in the rest of the show. I don’t even really… I could see “What’s My Name?” — the dancing is pretty sexy. “Rude Boy.” But I don’t know. I guess people find different things sexy.”The singer also discusses her ex-boyfriend Chris Brown, who was convicted of brutally assaulting her in 2009.
““Even when the world seemed like it was against him, you know?  I really like the music he’s putting out. I’m a fan of his stuff. I’ve always been a fan … I’m really excited to see the breakthrough he’s had in his career. I would never wish anything horrible for him. Never. I never have.”

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Weird News/Kim Kardashian voted most annoying celebrity in poll

LOS ANGELES (TheWrap.com) - It probably won't surprise you, but at least you know you're not the only one: Kim Kardashian has been voted the Most Annoying Celebrity in a Parade magazine pop culture poll.

The famous-for-being-famous Kardashian sister nabbed 29 percent of the votes in the poll, followed by Charlie Sheen with 27 percent, "Jersey Shore" star Snooki with 21 percent, Lindsay Lohan with 16, Donald Trump with five percent and two-time "Bachelor" Brad Womack with one percent of the vote.

In other Parade pop culture poll categories, Emma Watson earned 79 percent of the votes as the Most Likely to Succeed from "Harry Potter"; Ryan Reynolds got 22 percent of the votes as the best potential suitor for royal sibling Pippa Middleton; and Jennifer Lopez got 40 percent of the votes -- to Randy Jackson's 36 percent -- as the Most Replaceable Judge on "American Idol."

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Weird News/Holly Madison insures her breasts for $1 million

"I thought I'd cover my assets," Holly Madison said.

(PEOPLE.com) The reality star recently took out a $1 million insurance policy on her breasts with Lloyd's of London insurance company, she confirmed to PEOPLE exclusively.
Madison, 31, said she did it to protect herself and others who appear in her Las Vegas production, "Peepshow."
"I've heard about people getting body parts insured and I thought, why not?, because if anything happened to my boobs, I'd be out for a few months and I'd probably be out a million dollars," she said. "I thought I'd cover my assets."
Literally.
Madison appears topless during segments of the Vegas show, which, in her mind, made the insurance policy necessary. She also comprehends the quirkiness of it all.
"I think it's kind of funny. I think they're getting the credit they deserve," she said. "They're my primary money makers right now."

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Katy Perry at the Rock in Rio Concert(Photos)

Katy Perry puts on a colourful set for her performance onstage at the Rock in Rio concert. The "Firework" singer invited an overwhelmed fan on to the stage who she then sang to and kissed on the cheek.

(Photos by PacificCoastNews.com) 

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Jason Derulo Flash Mob With Knicks City Dancers(photos)

Singer Jason Derulo performs during his Flash Mob with Knicks City Dancers outside of Madison Square Garden on September 28, 2011 in New York City.

(September 27, 2011 - Photos by Mike Coppola/Getty Images North America)

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Petra at "Camisa Blanca" launch(photos)

Petra Nemcova attends the 'Camisa Blanca' Benefit Collection launch at El Corte Ingles store on Castellana street. (September 23, 2011 - Photo by Bauer Griffin)

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Selena Gomez and Justin Bieber in Malibu

Sept. 23/After spending the day at the beach together on Friday, the singer took girlfriend Selena Gomez on a super-sized date that she's not likely to forget.

After catching their pal Demi Lovato in concert at the Nokia Theater, the couple then headed next door to L.A.'s Staples Center, where they watched the tear-jerking romance Titanic ... alone.

Bieber, according to TMZ, rented out the entire arena so he and Gomez, 19, could watch Kate Winslet and Leonardo DiCaprio in the Oscar-winning classic.

But Bieber, 17, didn't have to pay for it! The Staples Center's management reportedly allowed him the arena, which was available for the night, for free because Bieber has sold out the place three times. (Just don't tell Gomez!)

"Romance isn't dead," Bieber Tweeted Friday. "Treat your lady right fellas."

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Jennifer Garner: 'It Would Be So Weird to Have a Boy'

Jennifer Garner and Ellen DeGeneres

Michael Rozman/Warner Bros.

Raised with two sisters, Jennifer Garner would love for her two daughters to have the same experience.

"Three girls is a great way to grow up," the pregnant actress, 39, says during an interview on the Ellen DeGeneres Show scheduled to air Tuesday. "I'm one of three girls and my little sister is awesome."

Even though Garner says, "It would be so weird to have a boy," she also thinks the experience would be "cool and different."

But Garner also takes hubby Ben Affleck, 39, into consideration, acknowledging that it would be "fun" for him to have a boy because "he likes baseball and all that stuff."

As for the duo's daughters – Violet, 5½, and Seraphina, 2½, "They don't really care about the gender as long as we name it what they want it to be named."

And if the girls have it their way, they could end up with a sibling named "Ralphie, Frankie, Minnie Mouse, Daisy Duck, or Rosemarie."

"Daisy Duck Affleck," Garner says with a laugh. "I can see us going that way."

Source: people.com

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Katie Holmes to Guest Star on How I Met Your Mother!

Katie Holmes to Guest Star on How I Met Your Mother! Who Is She Playing? Could She Be "The One"?

Unfortunately, it's not as everybody's favorite girl down the creek Joey Potter, but we have to admit we're extremely excited to have Mrs. Cruise back on our TVs, if only for one episode. The lucky show to snag Holmes? How I Met Your Mother!

So who is she playing? Let's just say it's a role die-hard fans of the show will remember very well...

The Slutty Pumpkin!

Yes, you read that right. Holmes will be guest-starring on a special Halloween episode of the CBS comedy next month as the infamous Slutty Pumpkin, NYMag.com reports.

We first met the Slutty Pumpkin in season one, where she had a meet-cute with Ted (Josh Radnor) at a Halloween party, but they lost touch. Could she—gasp!—be the mother we've heard seven seasons' worth of stories about?!

Of Holmes' casting, creator Craig Thomas deadpans, "Katie is a lovely and talented actress, which is why we've saved for her perhaps the most classily named character in our show's history."

So what do you think, HIMYM fans? Are you excited to see Holmes hang with the gang? Would you want her to be the mother? Sound off in the comments!

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Top 10 Best Hairstyles At The 2011 Emmy Awards (PHOTOS)

As actresses walked down the red carpet at the 63rd Primetime Emmy Awards and accepted their awards on stage, we had our eye on their perfectly-coiffed hairstyles. From side-swept waves to low chignons to shoulder-length curls, these ladies kept it classic and feminine. Check out our picks for the top hair looks and tell us your favorites below!

10. Side-Swept Waves: Julia Stiles

 
9. Low Chignon: Taraji P. Henson

8. Side-Swept Waves: Sarah Hyland

7. Pin-straight Hair: Gwnyeth Paltrow

6. Blunt Bangs: Lea Michele

5. Shoulder-length Curls: Aubrey Plaza  

4. Low Chignon: Kate Winslet

3. Side-Swept Waves: Sofia Vergara

2. Low Chignon: Kaley Cuoco

 

1. Low Chignon: Minka Kelly

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