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Reclusive former FUGEES star LAURYN HILL made a surprise appearance at Ne= w Zealand’s Ragamuffin festival on Saturday (23Jan10).
Hill’s performance of Doo Wop (That Thing) was her first public show in= almost three years.
The Killing Me Softly singer stepped back from the limelight in 2008 af= ter a series of poorly-received shows, and cancelled scheduled festival a= ppearances.
Her former Fugees bandmate Wyclef Jean was scheduled to appear at the f= estival, but pulled out due to his involvement in the Haiti earthquake re= lief effort.
Joining Hill on the Ragamuffin bill were Sean Kingston and Shaggy, amon= g others.

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LADY GAGA is nursing a nasty injury on tour, after burning her arm on a c= urling iron.
The singer prompted speculation when she was spotted on stage in New Yo= rk last week (21Jan10), sporting several large burn marks on her left arm= ..
It was suggested GaGa may have hurt herself swinging from ropes during = her energetic stage routine, but the star’s publicist has revealed she su= ffered the injury backstage while styling her own hair.
Her representative David Tomberlin tells WENN, "(The burns were caused = by a) curling iron."

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JOSH DUHAMEL gave U.S. TV viewers a laugh on Tuesday (26Jan10) with a biz= arre tribute to comedian MARTIN SHORT - after impersonating his neurotic = nerdy character Ed Grimley in an impromptu dance performance.
Duhamel felt like a kid again when his idol Short stepped in to co-host= morning show Live with Regis & Kelly, because he grew up watching his co= medy.
And the Transformers star praised the funnyman with a dance tribute to = his Saturday Night Live character Grimley - by styling his hair into a sp= ike, pulling up his pants and two-stepping awkwardly across the set.
Duhamel laughed, "This man was my idol growing up - hit the music!" But the actor was left awestruck after Short got up to join him, adding= , "That was my dream come true!"

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Filmmaker and long-time NEIL YOUNG collaborator LARRY JOHNSON has died, a= ged 62.
The documentarian, who picked up an Oscar nomination for his work on 19= 70 film Woodstock, passed away on Thursday (21Jan10). The cause of death = was not known as WENN went to press.
Johnson met Young at the New York state festival and the pair went on t= o work together on a number of multi-media projects, including last year’= s (09) Neil Young Archives: Volume I, on which he was credited as a produ= cer.
Paying tribute to his friend, Young says, "He never lost the eye and ea= r of an original artist, one unafraid to listen to himself first. Even mo= re, he also kept his playful spirit and sense of humour."

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NELSON MANDELA’s ex-wife WINNIE is furious about plans for a new biopic o= f her life starring JENNIFER HUDSON - because she was "never consulted" a= bout the project.
The Oscar winner was unveiled as the lead in South African filmmaker Da= rrell J. Roodt’s new movie Winnie, documenting her life and marriage to t= he former South African president.
But Winnie Mandela is "extremely concerned" about the proposed movie be= cause she has not been approached to provide input.
In a letter sent from her attorney Bowman Gilfillan to the film produce= rs, the legal adviser expresses his client’s anger and disappointment at = being left out of her own story.
He writes, "It is difficult to understand how a production bearing the = name of an individual who has not been consulted at all could ever be app= ropriate or tell the full story of that individual’s life as media report= s suggest this production is intended to.
"This is certainly the case here, where our client has not responded to= allegations and comment which have been made about her, precisely becaus= e she has sought to protect her sphere of personal privacy as best she ca= n in extremely difficult and turbulent times." Roodt’s film has already stirred controversy in South Africa - members = of a local actors’ union hit out at Hudson’s casting last month (Dec09), = insisting an actor from Mandela’s native country should have been cast as= the title character in a movie so important to South Africa’s history. (=

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JOSH DUHAMEL has heaped praise on students in Los Angeles for helping to = raise funds for the Haiti relief effort by participating in a charity run= in California.
Duhamel led the two-mile (3.21-kilometre) Youth Run 4 Haiti along Santa= Monica Beach on Saturday (23Jan10) to raise funds for the Caribbean coun= try, which was rocked by a 7.0 magnitude earthquake on 12 January (10).
The actor recruited runners at schools across Los Angeles, asking them = to pay a minimum entrance fee of $10 (=C2=A36.30).
Thousands turned out to show their support - and Duhamel is in awe of t= heir philanthropy.
In a message posted on the Transformers star’s website on Saturday, he = wrote: "Well, we did it! I just have to say that I am so proud of all of = you that came to our big event today.
"I can’t say for sure, but I think we had around 3,000 people there. Th= e youth of LA just set an amazing example for the rest of the country and= the world! I wish I could personally thank all of you… so grateful for= you and admire your compassion for the people of Haiti.
"I would love to get all of your emails, so the next time we all have t= o get together in an emergency I can call on you. Much love." All money raised from the run will be donated to the American Red Cross= effort for Haitian Earthquake Relief.

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ORLANDO BLOOM is desperate to reprise his role as an elf-prince in upcomi= ng LORD OF THE RINGS prequel THE HOBBIT - he’s already asked PETER JACKSO= N for a part in the new movie.
The British actor landed his breakthrough role playing Legolas in Jacks= on’s 2001 epic The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, and he = went on to star in the two sequels.
Work has now begin on a prequel, based on J. R. R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit= - the book which began the fantasy story franchise - and Bloom wants to = be involved.
He admits he has already emailed Lord of the Rings director Jackson, wh= o will write the screenplay for the film, to inquire about the casting.
He tells MTV.com, "I shot an email to Pete and I said, ‘You know, if yo= u want me to don the blond wig and pointy ears again, I’d be honoured to = do it.’ He said - funnily enough - ‘Well, we’ll see’. They’re very, very = hush-hush." But Bloom admits the decision may rest with Guillermo del Toro, who wil= l direct the blockbuster.
He adds, "It’s Guillermo’s movie and I’m a huge fan of that man. He’s o= bviously going to take his own idea of it, but I’m excited for that movie= .. I think it’s going to be great." The film will be released in two parts, with the first picture expected= in 2012.

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JOSH DUHAMEL is keen to fight crime with SAMUEL L. JACKSON in new superna= tural thriller SYMPATHY FOR THE DEVIL - but studio bosses have yet to con= firm the collaboration.
Recent reports suggest the Pulp Fiction star has signed up to play a Lo= uisiana lawman alongside Duhamel in the new picture from director Boaz Ya= kin.
Duhamel admits he’s spoken to Jackson about working together - but so f= ar he’s only heard rumours about the project.
He says, "I don’t know if it’s true or not. We (Jackson and I) talked a= bout doing something last year (09). I’m always the last one to find out,= but I would love to work with Sam."

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JUDE LAW is happy to surrender his status as a Hollywood heart-throb to R= OBERT PATTINSON - insisting the young TWILIGHT actor has already taken hi= s place.
Law, 37, is convinced he is now too old to be considered a pin-up, espe= cially as so many young stars are breaking into the movie business and se= curing legions of loyal followers.
And the Brit is relieved he can finally shed his image as a Hollywood h= unk - because he has always been uncomfortable with the title.
He tells Germany’s Sueddeutsche Zeitung newspaper, "If I have a look ar= ound at the moment I feel great relief because finally others are enterin= g the limelight. Men like Robert Pattinson must now play the Adonis. For = me it was always a restraint, a restriction.
"My goal was always to be recognised as a good actor but no one was int= erested in that, simply because society just wants to warm towards your a= ppearance. This is the great blemish of society.
"When you suddenly appear on the scene and you are the new face, everyt= hing centres on you. I experienced this in my mid-20s and I found it rath= er hard."

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RACHEL WEISZ and JUDE LAW are the toast of London’s West End after pickin= g up the top prizes at the Critics’ Circle Theatre Awards.
Oscar-winner Weisz landed the coveted Best Actress trophy for her portr= ayal of Blanche Dubois in a production of Tennessee Williams classic A St= reetcar Named Desire.
Law was honoured with the award for Best Shakespearean Performance for = his leading role in Hamlet, which he later reprised on Broadway.
Mark Shenton, chairman of the Critics’ Circle, the body which votes for= the awards, insists the pair proves Hollywood stars can flourish in the = theatre as well as onscreen.
He says, =E2=80=9CCelebrity casting is viewed a little suspiciously, bu= t Jude Law and Rachel Weisz proved they can still cut it.=E2=80=9D The other main prizes went to Mark Rylance, who was named Best Actor fo= r his role in Jerusalem, which also took the award for Best New Play, whi= le Spring Awakening was crowned Best Musical at the ceremony in London on= Tuesday (26Jan10).

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SINITTA has MARIAH CAREY to thank for a blossoming new romance after the = HERO singer introduced her to businessman STEFANO ZAGNI.
The 1980s pop star filed for divorce from financier Andy Wilner last ye= ar (09) and in November (09), Carey decided it was time for Sinitta to st= ep back into the dating scene - and introduced her to Zagni.
Sinitta tells Britain’s Closer magazine, "It’s early days, I’m just fig= uring things out. It was very sweet of Mariah to introduce us and Stefano= is a lovely man. It is a bit early to make big claims of romance, but we= are getting to know each other. We are taking each day as it comes and w= e’ll see what happens!" Zagni is the founder of Angel Champagne - the brand which boasts Carey = as a spokesperson.

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JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE was starstruck as he manned phones during GEORGE CLOONE= Y’s Hope For Haiti Now telethon on Friday (22Jan10), insisting it was "su= rreal" to be working with so many celebrities in aid of the country.
The singer joined a host of A-listers including Leonardo DiCaprio, Juli= a Roberts, Drew Barrymore and Tom Hanks to accept viewers’ donations to s= urvivors of the tremor, which struck Haiti on 12 January (10).
And Timberlake, who also performed a cover of Leonard Cohen’s Halleluja= h on-air, admits he was in awe of his fellow volunteers’ efforts after ho= st Clooney wrapped up the TV special.
Timberlake tells Access Hollywood, "When George (Clooney) kind of came = into the (room afterward) and said, ‘OK you guys, that was amazing,’ ever= ybody kind of got up and applauded. We were hugging and everybody kind of= stood there and talked to each other for a while and so it was a feeling= of unity. It was really cool.
"It was definitely a surreal moment to see everybody in the same room. = It says a lot about everyone who attended. It says a lot about George tha= t he’s beloved and it says a lot about the size of everyone’s heart and s= oul to be there." And the My Love hitmaker delighted in fielding calls from fans, who pok= ed fun at his many appearances on U.S. TV skit show Saturday Night Live.
He adds, "I mostly got, probably more calls from New York… They were = patching all the New York calls, I think, to me. It was immediately all t= hese SNL references came out and we had some laughs. I had a good time ta= lking to people."

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KELLY OSBOURNE is hoping to kick-start her acting career in 2010 - the re= ality TV star has begun auditioning for screen roles in Hollywood.
Ozzy Osbourne’s 25-year-old daughter has made a handful of appearances = on TV programmes, but now she’s meeting with casting directors in a bid t= o launch a new career as a film star.
In a column in Britain’s Closer magazine, Osbourne writes, "I had an au= dition for a film role last week - I can’t say what it is yet - and I’ve = just heard back that I’m still in the running. The audition was pretty sc= ary - you turn up and there’s a room full of people all going for the sam= e role. It feels very competitive as everyone’s checking each other out." And Osbourne - who completed a stint on Dancing With The Stars last yea= r (09) - admits she thought she’d ruined her chances when she took a tumb= le while waiting for her audition: "Something really mortifying happened = - I sat down on a chair in the waiting room and somehow it flipped and I = landed on the floor. So embarrassing!"

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JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE has joined Hollywood actress ANNE HATHAWAY as one of th= e winners of Harvard University students’ 2010 Hasty Pudding Award.
Hathaway was recently named Woman of the Year, and Timberlake has now b= een announced as the institution’s Man of the Year - meaning the pair wil= l both take part in the drama club’s wacky annual festivities in February= (10).
The Hasty Pudding Theatricals, America=E2=80=99s oldest undergraduate d= rama troupe, hosts an event every year to honour stars who make a "lastin= g and impressive contribution" and they have named Timberlake as "one of = pop culture=E2=80=99s most influential entertainers." Previous winners include Renee Zellweger, who was dressed in a fat suit= at last year’s (09) celebrations, and Spider-Man star James Franco, who = was given a blonde wig, gold bra and high-heeled shoes to wear at the cer= emony.
Timberlake will appear at the Massachusetts institution on 5 February (= 10).

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Heavy metal rockers HEATHEN have baffled fans by scrapping their upcoming= European tour without explanation.
The American hitmakers were set to launch the gigs in March (10), but t= he dates have now been axed.
A post on the band’s website failed to explain the move, but promised t= he concerts will be rescheduled.
The statement reads: "Unfortunately, Heathen will be rescheduling the d= ates for their European tour. The band is disappointed that they will not= be able to hit the road in March but is working hard to schedule tour da= tes in order to support the new album, The Evolution of Chaos, worldwide.= New tour dates will be posted as soon as they are confirmed." (JMA&LR/WN=

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ONEREPUBLIC star RYAN TEDDER has criticised executives at LEONA LEWIS’ re= cord label for failing to promote the singer’s latest track - insisting H= APPY could have been a number one hit.
The singer/songwriter penned Lewis’ best-selling single Bleeding Love, = and they teamed up again to produce the lead track from her second album,= Echo.
But despite reaching number two in the British charts, the ballad faile= d to make the top 10 in the U.S., scraping into the Billboard Hot 100 at = number 31.
And Tedder puts the blame firmly on Lewis’ record label, insisting boss= es shouldn’t have released the song when they knew the singer wasn’t avai= lable to promote it in America.
He tells Digital Spy, "I know exactly why (Happy flopped in the U.S.) a= nd I actually told the label what was going to happen. In the U.S., unles= s you’re Justin Timberlake or Beyonce, you cannot put out a song and not = be in the country when it comes out. Leona was gone for six weeks when Ha= ppy came out because she was promoting the record in other countries - it= wasn’t her fault; she just couldn’t be (in) two places in once.
"I asked them to do what they did with Bleeding Love. They should have = waited until it became a proper hit in loads of different countries and t= hen put it out in the States. For whatever reason, it had already been de= cided that the release was going to be simultaneous. From the day Happy c= ame out I never felt completely confident. It was very disheartening beca= use I’ve never put so much time into one song."

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A public memorial service for BROKEN HOPE vocalist JOE PTACEK will be hel= d in Graslake, Illinois on Saturday (30Jan10) - ten days after his appare= nt suicide.
Ptacek lent his voice to the long-defunct death metal band in the 1990s= ..
He died on 20 January (10) of an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound = to the head, aged 37.
Family, close friends and fans are expected to gather at St.Gilbert’s C= hurch for the service at 10am local time.

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American jazz drummer ED THIGPEN, who toured with ELLA FITZGERALD, has di= ed. He was 79.
Thigpen, who was inducted into the Percussive Arts Society Hall of Fame= , passed away on 13 January (10) at Hvidovre Hospital in Copenhagen, Denm= ark. He suffered from Parkinson’s disease and was hospitalised with heart= and lung problems before Christmas (09).
Thigpen performed with the Billy Taylor Trio from 1956 to 1959 - the sa= me year he replaced guitarist Herb Ellis in the Oscar Peterson Trio.
He toured with jazz legend Fitzgerald from 1967 to 1972, and later sett= led in Copenhagen. There, he worked with a number of artists, including A= lice Babs, Kenny Drew, Clark Terry, Milt Jackson, Monty Alexander and Tha= d Jones.
Thigpen’s longrunning career was immortalised in 2009 documentary film = Ed Thigpen: Master of Time, Rhythm and Taste.
He is survived by a son and daughter.

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