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Embattled reggae star BUJU BANTON is appealing to a Florida judge for leniency following his conviction on drug charges earlier this year (11).
The Jamaican hitmaker was arrested in 2009 after he was busted for allegedly planning a cocaine deal with two other men. Banton, real name Mark Myrie, reportedly boasted about his drug connections to a federal informer on a flight from Spain to America.
The case originally went before a judge last year (10) but ended in a mistrial after the jury failed to reach a unanimous verdict on four charges.
A second trial got underway in a Tampa court in February (11), and during his testimony, Banton insisted he was simply trying to impress the undercover informant with details of a fictional drug deal.
He was convicted on three counts, including conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute cocaine, and is facing a minimum of 15 years in prison when he is sentenced on 23 June (11).
But Banton insists he doesn’t deserve such a long term behind bars and his lawyer David Markus filed a request for a shorter sentence on Thursday (09Jun11), claiming 15 years is "way more than necessary" as he only played a small role in the drug deal.
Markus has submitted letters of support for his client from actor Danny Glover and fellow reggae star Stephen Marley and highlighted his charity work in a bid to land a reduced sentence.

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Funk legend SLY STONE was forced to skip a court hearing on Friday (10Jun11) after he was hospitalised with heart problems.
The reclusive Sly and the Family Stone frontman is facing a charge of cocaine possession stemming from an arrest in April (11). Stone was a passenger in a pal’s car when police pulled them over for a minor traffic violation. A subsequent search of the vehicle turned up the illegal substance.
The veteran singer, real name Sylvester Stewart, was due to appear before a Los Angeles judge to answer the count on Friday morning, but his lawyer James Silverstein turned up without Stone and explained his client had been taken ill.
The judge postponed the hearing and ordered the 68 year old to return to court on Wednesday (14Jun11).
However, Silverstein is confident Stone will not face prosecution because he is adamant the drug was not his.
He tells TMZ.com, "The evidence is clear that the vehicle was not his. I believe that this case his highly defensible, and Stewart should never had charges filed against him.
"We firmly believe the DA (District Attorney) will lose this case at trial without us having to put on one witness."

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Rocker JACK WHITE is divorcing his model/singer wife KAREN ELSON after six years of marriage.
The former White Stripes star wed the British beauty in Brazil in 2005, but the couple - parents of daughter Scarlett and son Henry - announced its split on Friday (10Jun11).
In an email sent out to friends and family, White and Elson write, "We remain dear and trusted friends and co-parents to our wonderful children.
"We feel so fortunate for the time we have shared and the time we will continue to spend both separately and together watching our children grow." However, the parting lovers insist their break-up is more than amicable - and they’re throwing a "divorce party" in Nashville, Tennessee to mark the occasion, stating the evening will "re-affirm our friendship and celebrate the past and future with close friends and family." This is White’s second failed marriage. He was previously wed to former White Stripes bandmate Meg White. They remained friends and continued to perform together after they divorced in 2000.

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JUSTIN BIEBER’s girlfriend SELENA GOMEZ is in hospital after complaining about nausea and a severe headache on Thursday (09Jun11).
The singer/actress taped an interview for U.S. TV’s The Tonight Show with Jay Leno on Thursday afternoon, but felt queasy after coming off stage and was taken to a Los Angeles medical centre.
She spent the night under doctors’ care and is still undergoing tests to determine the exact nature of her illness, according to TMZ.com.

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The woman who was left mutilated following an attack by an acting ape has undergone a full face transplant in Massachusetts.
Charla Nash was left severely mutilated and disfigured after the terrifying encounter with her friend’s pet in 2009.
The ape, Travis, who had appeared in TV commercials, ripped off Nash’ hands, face, nose, lips and eyelids. He was shot and killed by police.
The Boston Globe reports she underwent a 20-hour operation last month (May11) at Brigham and Women’s Hospital. Surgeons hope the transplant will help Nash eat and breathe normally again.

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JENNIFER LAWRENCE was left red-faced during a visit to LENNY KRAVITZ’s house when the singer caught her holding one of his Grammy awards and pretending to make an acceptance speech.
The actress became friends with the rocker’s daughter Zoe during the making of superhero movie X-Men: First Class and was invited to visit the Fly Away hitmaker’s home.
Lawrence was left alone on one visit to see her pal and couldn’t resist inspecting Kravitz’s trophy collection, and she was left embarrassed when the singer walked in on her midway through her monologue.
She tells Britain’s Marie Claire magazine, "I was round Lenny Kravitz’s house. Anyway, I was all by myself in his home and I looked around and I saw his collection of Grammys. I just couldn’t resist, so I went and grabbed one and started giving an imaginary acceptance speech.
"Next thing, I just hear this deep voice from behind me go, ‘So, how does it feel, Jen?’ I turned around and there’s Lenny with his huge bodyguard friend. I was gonna come up with something about polishing it. But, hey, I’m fooling no one."

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Actor JASON LEE has been handed the honour of serving as grand marshall at Sunday’s (12Jun11) NASCAR ENERGY 500 race.
The Almost Famous star, who is a big fan of the sport, will signal the start of the five-hour Sprint Cup Series event at the Pocono Raceway in Pennsylvania - and Lee can’t wait to step on the fabled track.
Speaking on U.S. TV’s Live with Regis and Kelly on Friday (10Jun11), he says, "I will be the grand marshall. I will get to say, ‘Gentleman, start your engines!’ I’m just gonna yell it as loud as I can. It’s gonna be great, I love NASCAR."

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Comedian TRACY MORGAN has issued a public apology after upsetting fans with homophobic remarks made during a recent stand-up show in Nashville, Tennessee.
The 30 Rock star took to the stage at the city’s Ryman Auditorium for a comedy show on 3 June (11), but the fun ended when Morgan made a series of offensive comments about homosexuality and joked he would "stab" his son if he was gay.
The story hit the headlines and invoked the wrath of gay rights groups, with a representative for the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLADD) urging Morgan to change his act.
The controversy has prompted Morgan to respond to critics and express his regret at his choice of material.
In a statement released on Friday (10Jun11), Morgan wrote, "I want to apologize to my fans and the gay & lesbian community for my choice of words at my recent stand-up act in Nashville.
"I’m not a hateful person and don’t condone any kind of violence against others. While I am an equal opportunity jokester, and my friends know what is in my heart, even in a comedy club this clearly went too far and was not funny in any context."

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Singer/actress JENNIFER HUDSON has been hospitalised after experiencing "abdominal pain" moments before she was due to perform on U.S. TV.
The Grammy and Oscar winner had two big gigs lined up for Friday morning (10Jun11) and took to the stage in New York’s Central Park as planned for breakfast show Good Morning America as part of the ABC network’s annual Summer Concert Series.
She then dashed across Manhattan to the CBS channel studios to headline this week’s Early Show Outdoor Concert Series - but the gig was axed at the last minute when she fell ill.
A representative broke the news to photographers and fans waiting patiently for the show to start, telling the crowd Hudson was "unable to perform" and had been taken to hospital to seek treatment for stomach issues.
No further details were available as WENN went to press.

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Actor/rocker JARED LETO’s band 30 SECONDS TO MARS were the toast of the British rock scene on Thursday night (09Jun11) after picking up two trophies at the annual Kerrang! Awards in London.
The rockers beat out competition from frontrunners My Chemical Romance by winning awards for Best International Band and Best Single for their hit Hurricane.
Leto took to Twitter.com to announce the big win to fans, writing, "THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE TWO KERRANG AWARDS!! Its because of this wonderful family that we won
. We accept them, with love, on your behalf." My Chemical Romance, who were nominated in five categories, grabbed one win - for Best Video (Na Na Na).
In the newcomer categories, Asking Alexandria took home the Best New British act while Best International Newcomer went to Black Veil Brides.
And the evening saw some of the most iconic heavy rock acts altogether in the same room - Alice Cooper was presented with the Kerrang! Icon prize, Korn were added to the magazine’s Hall of Fame, while Def Leppard walked away with a trophy for inspiration.
Ozzy Osbourne’s son Jack collected the former Black Sabbath frontman’s Kerrang! Legend Award.
The ceremony also marked the 30th anniversary celebrations for the British rock magazine.
The full list of winners is as follows: Best British Newcomer - Asking Alexandria Best International Newcomer - Black Veil Brides Best Single - Hurricane by 30 Seconds To Mars Best Video - Na Na Na by My Chemical Romance Best Live Act - All Time Low Best Album - There Is A Hell, Believe Me I’ve Seen It
. There Is A Heaven, Let’s Keep It A Secret by Bring Me The Horizon Best British Band - You Me At Six Best International Band - 30 Seconds To Mars Classic Songwriter - Biffy Clyro Kerrang! Icon - Alice Cooper Inspiration Award - Def Leppard Hall Of Fame - Korn Kerrang! Legend - Ozzy Osbourne

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MARC ANTHONY stormed out of an interview with a Univision TV reporter on Wednesday (08Jun11) after she refused to stop quizzing him about his wife JENNIFER LOPEZ’s ongoing legal battle with her ex-husband OJANI NOA.
Lopez’s lawyers have won the latest round of the fight to keep intimate footage of their client from porn sites after Noa’s girlfriend, the new owner of the home video clips, and his manager Ed Meyer went to court to appeal a lock on the film.
Meyer, who has since started mailing segments of the video to news agencies and websites, has revealed he has received lucrative offers from X-rated film sites to buy the footage, even though it’s not a sex tape.
And when Anthony was asked to comment about the story during an interview in his New York office, he turned frosty, repeated "Next question" six times and then walked out - after chatting for less than three minutes.

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Legal representatives for THE DOORS have threatened to file suit against the owner of a French bar dedicated to the legendary rockers.
Lawyers acting on behalf of the Light My Fire hitmakers are challenging Christophe Maillet to change the name of the Paris establishment Lezard King, remove all The Doors-themed cocktails from its drinks menu and take down all posters from the bar. The venue’s name is a tribute to The Doors’ tragic frontman Jim Morrison, who was nicknamed the Lizard King.
Maillet admits he failed to seek authorisation for the bar’s name and will bow to their demands if they refuse to step down, reports the AFP.
He says, "The Doors did not want to be associated with a drinks bar… I thought I was doing a good thing, burnishing the image of The Doors. I didn’t ask permission but I suspected they would immediately refuse if I did." Maillet has been given 60 days to make the changes or face legal action.
Morrison died from a drug overdose in Paris in 1971 and was laid to rest in the local Pere Lachaise cemetery.
His bandmates, Ray Manzarek and Robby Krieger, will be in the French capital next month (Jul11) for a concert to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the rocker’s death. Krieger and Manzarek will perform at the Bataclan on 3 July (11).

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Eighties pop pin-up COREY HART has revamped his cult hit SUNGLASSES AT NIGHT for his protegee.
The reclusive songwriter has always refused to allow anyone to reinterpret his first hit, but now he’s hoping to give Marie-Christine - the first artist signed to his Siena Records label - a big boost by revamping the 1984 anthem.
Hart tells Spinner.com, "I’ve refused maybe 35 requests by successful artists (to sample or cover the song)… but she (Marie-Christine) sings it a hell of a lot better than I do; I don’t come close to having the soul she does." The Haitian/Canadian singer revamps the tune on her new single Girl in Shades.
And Hart has landed his protegee another big boost on her debut album - Stevie Wonder agreed to guest on a cover of his tune Keep on Running.

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The celebrity judges on hit U.S. TV talent show THE VOICE have pledged to return for a second season.
Cee Lo Green has broken the news that he, Adam Levine, Christina Aguilera and country star Blake Shelton will be back, despite reports suggesting Levine and Aguilera are not getting along as the series’ first season comes to an end.
Green tells HollyScoop.com, "It’s broadened my horizon, it’s been a very learning experience. It’s been a treat, very simply said. I’m very fortunate for the opportunity. I want to make the most of it. It seems to be going great. People are really, really embracing the show and they’re really enjoying themselves… and we have officially been picked up for a second season." As far as the feuding between his fellow judges Aguilera and Levine, Green says, "It’s a bit of bantering, if you will. Of course there’s a bit of friendly competition… but we’re very comfortable with each other."

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Rapper FLO RIDA has been released from a Florida jail following his arrest for driving under the influence (DUI).
The Low hitmaker, real name Tramar Dillard, was pulled over while driving his $1.7 million (£1.06 million) luxury Bugatti sports car in the early hours of Thursday (09Jun11) after police allegedly spotted the star’s vehicle swerving between lanes.
He was taken into custody after reportedly failing a roadside sobriety test and was booked for DUI and driving on a suspended licence, according to TMZ.com.
He walked free on Thursday afternoon after posting $2,000 (£1,250) bail.

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The original KARATE KID, RALPH MACCHIO, plans to celebrate his 25th wedding anniversary by renewing his vows with wife PHYLLIS - and writing a book about his amazing marriage.
The actor wed Phyllis Fierro in April, 1987 and he’s planning a big bash to celebrate the anniversary next year (12) - but he also wants to give others the chance to see how it’s possible to make a Hollywood marriage work.
He tells Life & Style magazine, "We’re talking about renewing our vows. That would be really nice. We have a lot to celebrate; we’ve been through so much. We’ve earned it." And Macchio insists the couple’s secret is simple: "Commitment… Believing that you’re meant to be together and knowing at the end of the day that this is the person I should be with." His solid marriage will form the basis of a new tell-all - inspired by the success of pal Rob Lowe’s new biography.
The actor explains, "I think it’s time to tell my story. I don’t have a crazy background, but I have some things to tell.
"(Lowe’s book was) definitely interesting."

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KELSEY GRAMMER’s ex-wife CAMILLE has landed a small victory in the first round of the couple’s bitter custody battle - a judge has granted her request to ban any friends and relatives from living at the former couple’s vacation properties.
The former Frasier star has filed for primary physical custody of their six-year-old son Jude, effectively splitting him from his sister Mason, nine.
Camille, who has challenged Grammer’s claim by lodging her own legal papers for sole custody of both kids, has raised fears for her children’s privacy while staying at their various holiday homes and requested a judge to forbid any overnight stays by members outside of their immediate family, reports TMZ.com.
Her lawyer Neal Hersh brought the motion before a judge on Thursday (09Jun11) and he ruled in her favour, stating that any visitors had to get written consent from both Grammer and Camille.
Grammer is pushing for the custody case to go to trial.

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Director JULIE TAYMOR’s battle for royalties allegedly owed to her by the producers of Broadway’s SPIDER-MAN stage show is heading to arbitration.
Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark, which opened for previews last year (10), has been plagued by numerous problems, including on-set accidents, delays and spiralling costs.
The Across The Universe moviemaker stepped down as the musical’s director in March (11), shortly before the superhero show was closed for a major overhaul.
Taymor claims she has yet to receive full compensation for helping to create the $70 million (£43.75 million) spectacular, which has been years in the making, and officials at the Stage Directors and Choreographers Society filed an arbitration claim against producers on Thursday (09Jun11) on her behalf.
In the papers, union bosses allege producers "failed to pay to Ms. Taymor any royalties for the run of the production".
Phil McKinley was hired to replace Taymor and the musical, which recently reopened for previews, is set to officially launch on Tuesday (14Jun11).

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