PR-Inside.com Entertainment News

BRITNEY SPEARS’ naughty new video IF U SEEK AMY will debut online on Thursday (12Mar09).
Virgin Mobile USA, the sponsor of the pop star’s current The Circus tour, will premiere the promo 11am U.S. east coast time.
The video will appear exclusively for 24 hours on the Virgin Mobile USA website, as well as on Britney.com and BritneySpears.com.
Spears plays a pie-baking, sexy housewife in the video and wears a 1950s-style blonde wig, pink shirt and short white skirt for suggestive scenes. Insiders claim the promo is "very provocative".
The song If You Seek Amy has caused a storm of controversy, with family groups urging radio stations to ban the tune - because of its racy, suggestive lyrics; broken down, Spears appears to be singing ‘F-*-*-K me’ in the chorus.

Movie & Entertainment News provided by World Entertainment News Network (www.wenn.com)

THE WHO frontman ROGER DALTREY has paid tribute to dying British reality TV star JADE GOODY for her "courageous" battle against cancer.
The legendary rocker is a tireless campaigner and fundraiser for the Teenage Cancer Trust, and has sent his sympathies to Goody, who has just weeks to live after she was struck with the disease.
He tells Sky News, "There but for the grace of God go all of us. I think she’s been incredibly courageous. She’s made the maximum use of every minute of her life since she’s had that disease, and good luck to her." Goody, who shot to fame with her headline-grabbing appearance in the U.K.’s version of Big Brother in 2002, was diagnosed with cervical cancer last August (08).

Movie & Entertainment News provided by World Entertainment News Network (www.wenn.com)

Comedian and folk singer GEORGE MCKELVEY has died at the age of 72.
The TV comic, who made appearances on America’s Johnny Carson and Merv Griffin shows, died of a stroke in Hemet, California on Friday (06Mar09).
McKelvey began his career as a folk singer in the late 1950s and scored a hit in the mid-1960s with My Radiation Baby (My Teenage Fallout Queen).
He then became a big name on the Colorado comedy scene, where he mentored a young Steve Martin.
Martin landed his big break filling in for McKelvey onstage after the veteran broke his leg in a skiing accident.

Movie & Entertainment News provided by World Entertainment News Network (www.wenn.com)

U2 thrilled 200 fans at Hollywood’s historic Capitol Records building on Monday night (09Mar09) by chatting about their career and new album in a cramped studio.
The intimate chat session, fronted by Garbage singer Shirley Manson, kicked off the band’s U2 3 Nights Live radio broadcasts, which aired live on select stations across America.
A planned performance was scrapped because drummer Larry Mullen was feeling unwell. He left the chatting to his three bandmates, arriving for the last 10 minutes of the interview.
But the live chat room wasn’t all talk - questions and answers were interspersed with tracks played from U2’s new album No Line on the Horizon, which is expected to debut at number one in the U.S. chart on Wednesday (11Mar09).
Two upcoming radio chats in Chicago, Illinois and Boston, Massachusetts will feature performances, according to U2 insiders.

Movie & Entertainment News provided by World Entertainment News Network (www.wenn.com)

Former THE SMITHS frontman MORRISSEY has scrapped yet more dates on his massive world tour - sparking fears a large chunk of the jaunt will be axed.
The British singer was due to kick off the road trip with a show in Boca Raton, Florida last month (Feb 28), with a further 31 U.S. gigs scheduled before the tour moves to Europe in April, concluding in Russia this June (09).
But he has scrapped a string of dates due to a mystery illness which has seriously affected his voice.
Morrissey has managed just one performance out of the first seven dates so far - and that show, in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, was cut short when the star struggled to hit the right notes throughout the set.
The following two dates - in Atlanta, Georgia on Saturday (07Mar09) and Asheville, North Carolina on Monday (09Mar09) - were axed hours before showtime.
And fans now fear more cancellations will be announced - with some casting doubt on the future of the tour.
Writing online, one says: "What I don’t understand is…why he schedules so many shows in a row without a decent break in between. The man is 50 yrs old…that would be hard on anyone…does he really think he can pull that off? My guess is there are many more canceled shows to come." Another adds: "Morrissey has simply bitten off more than he can chew." A representative for the singer was unavailable for comment as WENN went to press.

Movie & Entertainment News provided by World Entertainment News Network (www.wenn.com)

Legendary singer TINA TURNER has axed two shows on her comeback tour of the U.K. after falling ill with respiratory influenza.
The Simply The Best hitmaker was due to play dates in London and Sheffield, England on Wednesday (11Mar09) and Thursday (12Mar09) - but she has now cancelled the shows.
Doctors advised the 69-year-old, who is performing in the U.K. for the first time in nine years, to rest for six days before attempting to sing again.
In a statement, a spokesman for the star says, "Tina always wants to give one hundred per cent and has been overwhelmed by the reaction from her U.K. fans at the gigs last week. She regrets this decision to postpone and the inconvenience to all those fans with tickets, but wants to make sure each concert she does is memorable for everyone." The two cancelled shows will be rescheduled to take place in May (09).

Movie & Entertainment News provided by World Entertainment News Network (www.wenn.com)

Rapper-turned-reality TV star COOLIO has been charged with possession of cocaine and battery following his arrest at a Los Angeles airport on Friday (06Mar09).
The Gangsta’s Paradise hitmaker, real name Artis Leon Ivey Jr., was was booked and released on $10,000 (£7,220) bail after security staff at LAX airport allegedly found crack cocaine on his person.
Airport officials claim the rapper grabbed a screener’s arm in an effort to stop the search, reports TMZ.com.
Ivey, Jr. faces one felony count of possession of cocaine base, one misdemeanor count of battery and one misdemeanor count of possession of a smoking device.
He is due back in court on 3 April (09) and faces up to three years in state prison if convicted.

Movie & Entertainment News provided by World Entertainment News Network (www.wenn.com)

Tony Award-winning Irish actress ANNA MANAHAN has died of multiple organ failure at the age of 84.
Manahan, whose career on the stage, television and film spanned over 60 years, died on Sunday (08Mar09) in Waterford, Ireland.
She made her Broadway debut in Brian Friel’s Lovers in 1969, which earned her a Tony nomination for Best Supporting or Featured Actress in a Drama.
But it was her role as Mag Folan in famed Irish playwright Martin McDonagh’s 1996 production Beauty Queen that finally earned her the Tony in 1998 for Best Supporting Actress in a Drama.
She also starred in plays written by Irish writers including J.M. Synge, Oscar Wilde, James Joyce and Sean O’Casey, and appeared in numerous TV series, most recently in 2004’s Fair City.
Her film career saw her star alongside the likes of Sir Laurence Olivier, Peter Cushing, Kenneth Moore, and Dame Maggie Smith, while her best-known roles were in 1991’s Hear My Song and 1994’s A Man of No Importance, featuring Albert Finney and Sir Michael Gambon.
In 2002, Manahan was granted the freedom of the city of Waterford for life achievement in the arts.
She is survived by two brothers, Val and Joe.

Movie & Entertainment News provided by World Entertainment News Network (www.wenn.com)

TRANSFORMERS star MEGAN FOX and actor BRIAN AUSTIN GREEN are reportedly seeking professional help to save their romance.
Friends close to the couple insist reports suggesting the engaged pair had split are not true, but they have "hit a rough patch".
A source tells In Touch Weekly magazine, "They didn�t break up. They hit a rough patch." Fox was spotted taking Brian�s son, Kassius, to school, and the pair was also seen holding hands in public.
A friend tells the publication, "These two are very much in love and plan to be together for a long time.
"They decided to enter counselling in hopes of staying together. It was a mutual decision. Lots of couples go to therapy together, and they are committed to try and make it work."

Movie & Entertainment News provided by World Entertainment News Network (www.wenn.com)

Actress MARISKA HARGITAY is expected to make another swift return to the set of her hit TV series LAW & ORDER: SVU - just days after she was rehospitalised for treatment of a partially collapsed lung.
The Emmy-winning star has been struggling with the injury since January (09), when she first underwent surgery after a sledge-riding accident.
Hargitay took two weeks out of her schedule to recover from the operation before heading back to work.
But she was admitted to a New York hospital again last week (02Mar09) after experiencing discomfort in her chest.
And, despite her previous experience, the 45-year-old is determined not to miss out on more work - she will rush back to the set in the next couple of weeks so she will only skip one episode of filming, according to her spokesman Gary Mantoosh.
Mantoosh has declined to say whether or not she remains hospitalised.

Movie & Entertainment News provided by World Entertainment News Network (www.wenn.com)

U.S. President BARACK OBAMA has been tipped for an acting career when he retires from the White House - wrestler-turned-Hollywood star DWAYNE’ THE ROCK’ JOHNSON wants the politician to play him in a movie about his life.
Johnson claims he’s often mistaken for the Democrat, because they both have links to Hawaii and both sound alike - and he’s convinced Obama could bulk up to mimic him onscreen.
The Scorpion King star tells Moviefone.com, "Barack Obama (should play me). I hear that (we sound alike) all the time. You know I’ve gotten to know him, and he’s a big time athlete, and loves athletics, so I’m sure he could bulk up." Johnson admits he’s flattered by the comparison to Obama - who he now considers a pal, adding, "All the comparisons have been such an honour - how cool! We make a hell of a pair. We had an opportunity to talk before the election. We talked about everything from our roots in Hawaii, our family and the importance of great leadership for our country, which is certainly one of the many things he provides." And the actor even discovered there’s a huge collection of his movies in the White House: "He (Obama) did tell me that I was one of Michelle Obama’s favourite actors. He was telling me that (the girls, Sasha and Malia) were big fans of The Game Plan."

Movie & Entertainment News provided by World Entertainment News Network (www.wenn.com)

JANE FONDA’s return to Broadway has divided New York’s theatre critics - who have described her performance as a terminally ill academic in 33 VARIATIONS as both "elegant" and "strained".
The Oscar-winner, 71, took to the stage in the Big Apple for the first time in 46 years on Monday (09Mar09), to star alongside Samantha Mathis and Colin Hanks in the Moises Kaufman play.
A star-studded audience, including Renee Zellweger, Dolly Parton, Geoffrey Rush and Rosie O’Donnell, rewarded the actress with a standing ovation - but the celebrity turnout wasn’t enough to fully win over reviewers.
A critic for the New York Times put aside what is branded as a "clunky" opening to applaud Fonda for her "elegantly restrained" performance, while a Washington Post writer adds, "Fonda’s agelessness owes something to both the longevity of her fame and the intensity of her struggle against physical decline… On this occasion, she not only manages to transcend time, but also the material." But a reviewer for Backstage.com is more hesitant: "Her voice is occasionally strained, and she lacks the passion to make us care… Despite (co-star Zach) Grenier’s robust performance and solid work from Samantha Mathis, Colin Hanks, Don Amendolia, Susan Kellermann, and Erik Steele, these Variations are on themes that are all-too-familiar." Fonda made her Broadway debut in 1960 play There Was a Little Girl, earning her a Tony Award nomination for best featured actress, and her last stint came in 1963 drama Strange Interlude.
33 Variations is scheduled to run until 24 May (09).

Movie & Entertainment News provided by World Entertainment News Network (www.wenn.com)

RIHANNA’s producer has assured fans the R&B star is "trying to move forward" following her alleged altercation with boyfriend CHRIS BROWN last month (Feb09).
The Umbrella singer, 21, has returned to the studio, just a month after Brown left Rihanna needing medical attention after a reported fight in Los Angeles.
Brown has been charged with assault and making criminal threats and is due back in court next month (Apr09).
Producer Adanis Shropshire admits the star is still recovering from the incident - but is attempting to get on with her life.
He says, "She’s doing OK. Of course, you know the situation, but she’s alright. You gotta remember she’s a kid still. With anybody goes through something you’ve got to bring yourself out of it. Her refuge is music, like it should be. Of course there are still remnants of ‘whatever’ from time to time, but she’s trying to move forward. She’s just easing back into it." And Shropshire reveals they have been forced to use sneaky tactics to avoid the star being hounded by paparazzi photographers on her way to work.
He adds, "She tries her best to avoid (the photographers), from time to time they catch her. (We’ve used) back doors, (and have sent) fake cars with nobody in them into the studio."

Movie & Entertainment News provided by World Entertainment News Network (www.wenn.com)

USHER has slammed rumours CHRIS BROWN pressured him to retract comments he made about the under-fire star’s alleged fight with RIHANNA.
During an appearance on Jermaine Dupri’s reality show Living the Life, Usher was filmed looking at recent photos of Brown frolicking on a jet-ski. He remarked that the 19-year-old should "have a little bit of remorse" less than a month after the reported altercation with girlfriend Rihanna in Los Angeles.
Usher issued a statement clarifying his comments just days later, insisting his words "were taken out of context and blown out of proportion".
The singer was rumoured to have been pushed into putting out a press release, with a source telling the New York Daily News, "Usher was basically forced to issue a retraction. After all of his comments came out, Usher got a call from Chris… Chris got tough with everyone present in that video. He wanted silence from all parties involved.â�� Brown’s spokesperson has branded the story "completely untrue", and now Usher’s representative has spoken out to address the claims.
The rep says, "He was not asked or forced (to apologise). Usher issued an apology for the comments made towards all parties mentioned in the clip."

Movie & Entertainment News provided by World Entertainment News Network (www.wenn.com)

Actors KEANU REEVES, LUKE WILSON and ADRIEN BRODY are getting behind the wheel to compete in the 2009 Toyota Grand Prix in Long Beach, California.
The stars will race for charity against celebrities including Mad Men’s Jon Hamm, model Tyson Beckford and actresses Raven-Symone and Mary Lynn Rajskub, star of U.S. TV series 24, at next month’s (18Apr09) event.
The winner will land a $15,000 (£10,870) cheque for their chosen charity.

Movie & Entertainment News provided by World Entertainment News Network (www.wenn.com)

Hollywood actor RICHARD GERE is hopeful the historic election of U.S. President BARACK OBAMA will inspire China’s citizens to one day elect a Tibetan leader - ending decades of conflict between the two nations.
The star is a political activist and a Buddhist, and is particularly passionate about Chinese/Tibetan relations.
He appeared in Washington D.C. on Monday (09Mar09) to urge U.S. Congressmen to lend their support to Tibet in the country’s fight against oppression by the Communist government in neighbouring China.
And Gere admits he has high hopes that the inauguration of Obama as the first black leader of the U.S. this year (Jan09) will have a positive effect on the China/Tibet conflict.
He says, "Thirty years, 20 years ago, who would have thought there could be a black president of the United States? Things change rapidly - and it’s usually in crisis and tragedy that things change the most.
"I can see a time when there may well be a Tibetan-Chinese prime minister or president or whatever form of government there is then. But the words have to be spoken." Gere is also confident about the role international governments could play in persuading Chinese officials to take a softer line with Tibet.
He adds, "I think the economy and our fear of losing the Chinese market is a straw dog. I don’t buy it at all.
"China has so committed itself to the world economic system that it can’t go back now. They can’t function without us and they can’t function without Europe.
"I think we are actually in a very strong position vis-a-vis China." China fought an uprising in Tibet by invading the country in 1959, sending Buddhist leader the Dalai Lama into exile in India.

Movie & Entertainment News provided by World Entertainment News Network (www.wenn.com)

Scottish folk band RUNRIG have been forced to cancel their upcoming European tour - after guitarist MALCOLM JONES collapsed from a mystery illness on Sunday (08Mar09).
The 49-year-old star was returning to his home in Fife, Scotland after a gig when he fell ill at Waverley railway station in Edinburgh.
Jones was admitted to hospital and is said to be in a serious condition. No further details about his ailment were made available as WENN went to press.
The group was due to play a string of concerts in Europe - but the tour has now been scrapped.
A statement issued on the band’s website reads, "We regret to announce that guitarist Malcolm Jones has been taken ill and as a result we have been forced to cancel the forthcoming tour of Germany, Austria and Switzerland.
"We are deeply sorry for the short notice and obvious inconvenience that this will cause. Ticket holders should contact their vendor for refunds.
"We will give you more information as soon as possible. However, in the meantime, we are sure you will join us in wishing Malcolm a speedy recovery."

Movie & Entertainment News provided by World Entertainment News Network (www.wenn.com)

British pop group THE TING TINGS have apologised to fans after they were forced to turn devotees away from a show in London last week (06Mar09) following a power failure.
The duo was scheduled to perform at the city’s O2 Academy Brixton on Friday (06Mar09) night but organisers had to scrap the sell-out show because of electricity problems at the venue.
And the late notification meant many fans were not told of the cancellation until they arrived at the concert.
However, the hitmakers have vowed to make up for the disappointment.
A statement from the band reads, "It’s a shame and we appreciate the support of all our fans who’ve turned up. We can’t wait for a rescheduled Brixton date.â�� This is the third time the beleaguered venue has been hit by a power failure in recent months - a January (09) gig by U.K. rapper The Streets was postponed following electricity problems, and the final gig in the Kerrang Magazine music tour was also cancelled for the same reason just days later.

Movie & Entertainment News provided by World Entertainment News Network (www.wenn.com)