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KATY PERRY is refusing to budge from the top of the European singles chart her hit single I KISSED A GIRL is still the continent’s most popular song.
The pop newcomer held off a strong challenge from Pink, who leaps up to two from number 36 on the new countdown with girlpower anthem So What. The Pussycat Dolls round out the top three with When I Grow Up.
Meanwhile, Metallica are celebrating their fourth consecutive week atop the European albums chart with Death Magnetic - their reign means Kings of Leon have to settle for second place with Only By The Night. Coldplay’s Viva La Vida Or Death And All His Friends is at three.

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Actor ZAC EFRON is leaving his HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL days behind him to hit the books at a California university.
The 20 year old has reportedly signed up to study at the University of Southern California early next year (09).
Efron initially applied to the school in 2006, deferring his admission to focus on his acting career and the hit teen musical franchise, according to U.S. magazine Star.
A source tells the tabloid: "Zac wants to earn a college degree. Despite his success as an actor, it’s one of his goals." Earlier this week (beg06Oct08), the pin-up insisted he’s a college natural because he’s a self-proclaimed nerd.
He said, "I got good grades at school - in fact, you’d have called me a nerd."

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SMASHING PUMPKINS documentary IF ALL GOES WRONG is set to get a special release in U.S. cinemas next month (Nov08) - for one night only.
The concert film, shot during the band’s 2007 shows in Asheville, North Carolina and San Francisco, California, features interviews with frontman Billy Corgan and artists like The Who’s Pete Townshend.
It will hit movie theatres across 40 cities on 6 November (08), before being released on DVD five days later.

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LATEST: The upcoming release of GUNS N’ ROSES’ long-awaited LP CHINESE DEMOCRACY has sent bosses at soft drinks giant Dr Pepper scrambling for a refill after they promised to offer free soda to everyone in America if the band released the album by the end of 2008.
Back in April (08), the soda company told the New York Post they’d send everyone in the U.S. a can of Dr Pepper if the rock band released the album at any point in the year.
And now it appears the mythical album will hit record store shelves on 23 November (08), bosses at the company insist they plan to follow-through on their promise.
A company spokesman tells the Page Six, "If the rumours are true, we’re putting the Dr Pepper on ice."

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Rap mogul SEAN ‘DIDDY’ COMBS counts the late FRANK SINATRA as one of his "imaginary friends".
The hip-hop star, who has previously hailed Sinatra as his style icon, pays homage to the entertainer in a new advertisement for Ciroc Vodka.
In the ad, Combs hosts a party in one of Sinatra’s California homes, with the legendary star’s classic song Come Fly With Me playing in the background.
And Combs reveals he hangs out with best pal Sinatra whenever he goes to Las Vegas - but it’s all in his mind.
He says, "There’s nights in Vegas when I have my Frankie baby with me. That’s right, Frank Sinatra is with me. Call me crazy. I’m not afraid to say I have imaginary friends. And Frank is one of them.
"He’s always influenced me and naturally inspired me. So this was me honouring Sinatra, the Rat Pack, and the style and sophistication of that time.
"I love showing people a good time, throwing parties and seeing people have fun. That’s me. And Frank was the same. He loved entertaining."

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METALLICA drummer LARS ULRICH looks set to cash in on an artwork by late graffiti artist JEAN-MICHEL BASQUIAT - the piece is going to auction with an estimated value of $11.1 million (£6 million).
The rocker, who bought Unititled (Boxer) 10 years ago (98), has decided to put it up for sale at New York auction house Christie’s.
Basquiat’s painting, which features a black heavyweight fighter, has been hailed as an "extraordinary" piece of art by Christie’s co-head of contemporary art, Brett Gorvy.
He says, "Untitled (Boxer) is the very best of the artist." Ulrich, an avid art collector, states he is ready to give up the painting for others to enjoy.
He explains, "As a collector, I view myself as a caretaker of works of art, rather than simply an owner. I have been fortunate enough to have shared 10 great years with this truly iconic painting by Basquiat and it is time to put it back into circulation and let someone else enjoy it as much as I have over the last decade." The artwork will go under the hammer on 12 November (08) and is expected to beat the existing record for a Basquiat piece, which was set at $12.95 million (£7 million) in 1981.

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Rocker STING has given up pursuing a career on the big screen - because it’s "too much hard work".
The Police frontman has tried his hand at acting on a number of occasions, and has appeared in movies including 1985’s The Bride and 1998’s Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels, as well as a handful of TV shows.
Sting’s wife Trudie Styler has established herself as an actress and producer - but the singer, who also voiced a character in last year’s (07) animated comedy Bee Movie, admits the profession isn’t for him.
When asked if he’d begin acting again, he replied, "No way, I’ll leave it to my woman. It’s too much hard work."

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Chinese actor KIM CHAN, who has starred in films alongside ROBERT DE NIRO, JERRY LEWIS and JACKIE CHAN, has died.
Kim Chan, born in 1917, passed away on Sunday (05Oct08) in Brooklyn, New York.
His Hollywood career launched when he began playing characters with some knowledge of Eastern culture, eventually landing what became his most famous roles in Kung Fu: The Legend Continues, and as Lewis’ butler in Martin Scorsese’s 1982 film The King of Comedy, where he appeared onscreen alongside De Niro.
The actor emigrated to the U.S. from the province of Canton, China as a young boy, discovering his desire to become an entertainer while working in his family’s restaurant in the theatre district of Manhattan.
Making his film debut in 1957’s A Face in the Crowd, Chan’s other notable films included The Fifth Element, Lethal Weapon 4 and Shanghai Knights, where he played the father of famed martial artist and actor Jackie Chan.
He is survived by his son, Michael Chandler.

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Actress ASHLEY TISDALE has blasted rumours her HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL co-stars are jealous of the romance between ZAC EFRON and VANESSA HUDGENS.
Efron and Hudgens began dating after they appeared together in the first installment of the film franchise.
But Tisdale, who plays Sharpay Evans in the hit movies, insists their relationship did not cause any problems on-set.
She says, "Vanessa and Zac are a great couple. We’re all like brothers and sisters on the set so there’s no jealousy about their romance.
"It’s very sweet to see them so romantic and none of us mind seeing them like this together. They are as much in love off-screen as they are in HSM. There’s such a great chemistry that it is like a fairytale."

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Actress EVA MENDES jumped at the chance to be a spokesmodel for CALVIN KLEIN, because she was convinced it would give her career a big boost.
The Hitch star is the face of the designer’s new underwear range.
She shot print and TV adverts for the campaign with fashion photographer Steve Meisel earlier this year (08) - but the promo, which sees the actress writhing around topless, was deemed too sexy to be shown on U.S. TV in August (08), and several networks refused to air the footage.
But Mendes, who declared Americans too "prudish" for censoring the ad, doesn’t regret making the saucy film because it fulfilled one of her teenage dreams - to follow in the footsteps of Mark Wahlberg, whose rap alter ego was Marky Mark, and supermodel Kate Moss, who both shot to stardom as Calvin Klein models.
She says, "I grew up on those ads. When Kate Moss and Marky Mark - I mean my friend Mark Wahlberg… can’t say Marky cos he hates that - came out with them, I was like 15 years old. Me and my friends just went crazy. Crazy, crazy. He was so gorgeous… delicious… and still is, of course."

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Actor JOSH BROLIN has been tapped to join the league of celebrities playing action heroes on the big screen - he’s in negotiations to star in a film version of comic book classic JONAH HEX.
According to Variety, Brolin is in talks to take on the lead role in the movie adaptation of the popular 1970s DC Comic.
The No Country For Old Men star is a favourite for the title role of Hex, a former alcoholic and confederate soldier-turned-bounty hunter.
Brolin will be in good company if he takes on the role - other actors to bring comic book heroes to life include Iron Man’s Robert Downey Jr., Batman’s Christian Bale, and Spider-Man star Tobey Maguire.

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Mexican singer/actor PABLO MONTERO skipped a court hearing last week (01Oct08) relating to his summer (08) arrest in Florida - because he was too busy working.
The star, real name Oscar Hernandez, was taken into custody by Miami cops for alleged cocaine possession on 11 August (08).
He tested positive for drugs, in violation of the terms of his probation on driving charges in 2007.
Montero was due in a Miami court last Wednesday (01Oct08) to answer the latest charge - but he failed to appear.
His lawyer claimed the no-show was because Montero didn’t gain his immigration documents in time to enter the U.S. - but the 34-year-old blames his commitments to Spanish TV show Fuego en la Sangre instead.
He says, "I couldn’t leave because I was working. I petitioned to leave, but it didn’t work out."

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Veteran Hollywood star KIRK DOUGLAS and his wife ANNE have been honoured for their charity work at Los Angeles’ High Flying Fundraiser.
The couple was praised for their work with their Anne + Kirk Douglas Playground Award programme, which aims to raise money to improve children’s play areas in L.A.
The organisation recently reached its target of 400 grants, totalling $8 million (£4.32 million) in contributions, according to ETonline.com.
And their work was recognised by The Good News Foundation’s annual fundraising luncheon last week (04Oct08), where the Douglases were awarded the Good News Makers of the Year accolade.
But that’s not the only award the Lust For Life actor, 91, will receive this month - he is also set to be lauded at the Ambassadors for Humanity Gala Dinner on 22 October (08).

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An auctioneer caught up in O.J. SIMPSON’s hotel heist has come to the defence of the former sports star, claiming he didn’t deserve the guilty verdict issued in his kidnapping and armed robbery trial.
Simpson was found guilty of all 12 counts in the trial earlier this month (03Oct08), stemming from a heist he took part in at the Palace Station Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas last year (Sep07).
The verdict came 13 years to the day since Simpson was acquitted of the double murder of his wife Nicole Brown Simpson and her friend Ronald Goldman.
But collectibles dealer Thomas Riccio, who arranged the meeting between Simpson and sports memorabilia collector Bruce Fromong, the trial’s chief witness, is convinced Simpson fell victim to a biased jury, blaming his 1995 acquittal for the murder charges for tarnishing the star’s reputation.
Riccio tells the New York Post, "He’s no personal friend. I hardly know him.
We just did two deals together. And this whole Vegas thing took only 10 hours of my life. What I’m saying isn’t popular… (But) what happened 13 years ago, I don’t know. I wasn’t there. I only know he doesn’t deserve 8,000 years plus double life for this.
"(It’s) not like he actually planned an armed robbery. He was just stupid. I told him up front, ‘Have security next door monitoring what goes down because… who knows…’ And he said, ‘No, I got my own guys with me. It’s okay.’ It’s his guys (who) did him in. They set him up. They even had a video camera on him so they could sell it afterwards. And he covered for them, lied to cops, because these thugs were his friends… Simply saying, ‘No one leaves the room until we get this figured out’ constitutes kidnapping in Nevada. That automatically gets you life…
"The hate for him is such that if Satan came up from hell and sat on your lap, it wouldn’t be as bad as doing business with O.J. Listen, they wanted to get him, so they got him. I’m impartial. I’m only saying this: he didn’t deserve it. But 98 per cent of the people want him put away forever. Everyone hates him. My own mother hates him and says he deserves it." Simpson, 61, and his co-defendant Clarence Stewart, are currently being held in a Las Vegas jail where they face life imprisonment when they are sentenced on 5 December (08).
Simpson’s legal team is reportedly planning to appeal the conviction.

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Underground rap supergroup THE WEATHERMEN have credited the death of bandmate CAMU TAO with shocking them into recording their first album together - 10 years after they formed.
The collective, which now consists of hip-hop stars El-P, Aesop Rock, Cage, Tame One, Yak Ballz and Breeze Brewin, released a mixtape in 2003, but have yet to drop a full-length LP.
But rapper/producer Aesop Rock insists they are in the process of making the long-awaited disc after being inspired by Tao’s passing in May (08), following a two-year battle with lung cancer.
He says, "Camu Tao is another member of The Weathermen, who died earlier this year, so it sort of shook us all up to like ‘Let’s do a record together already, it’s pretty silly that we haven’t’.
"It’s been a pretty weird year because of that. That’s kind of the driving force behind us finally getting it in gear to do this record together as a unit, and try to make it finally happen." The as-yet-untitled disc is set to be released through El-P’s Definitive Jux label.

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RBD singer CHRISTIAN CHAVEZ is laughing off rumours he and his partner have been banned from adopting a baby girl from Canada, branding the reports "stupid".
The gay couple, who wed in Canada in 2005, was alleged to have had their application for the adoption refused - but Chavez insists the tale is made up, because he’s not ready for the responsibility.
Chavez, 25, says, "That was another stupid rumour. I’ve always said, I don’t want to adopt. Can you imagine if I just showed up with a baby? That’d be weird! "We can’t imagine having a kid, because we don’t even have a dog, and we wouldn’t even be able to take care of a dog. So we can’t exactly care for a child."

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Beloved music mogul CLIVE DAVIS has taken back an influential post at Sony BMG Music Group, just months after he was stripped of his title as chairman and CEO of the company.
Davis, 76, became one of the most revered men in music through his tenure at the label - where he was largely responsible for the careers of Janis Joplin, Pink Floyd, Bruce Springsteen, Billy Joel and Whitney Houston.
After stepping down, the legendary producer was reportedly installed as the company’s chief creative officer.
But according to the New York Post, the legendary producer’s work with recent breakout stars such as Dreamgirls star Jennifer Hudson and pop sensation Leona Lewis - who became the first British female solo artist in history to debut at number one in the U.S. album charts in April (08) - has prompted label bosses to rethink his staying power.
U.S. label group boss Rob Stringer has since asked Davis to talk with executives at Columbia Records and Epic Records about working on projects for some of the artists on their labels, including Billy Joel and Harry Connick Jr., according to reports.
A source tells the newspaper, "Sony is turning to Clive as a resource because there’s no great artist and repertoire guys there anymore." A spokesman for Columbia Records added: "We’d love to have the opportunity to work with Clive and are discussing various projects."

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Singer ANA TORROJA has been hospitalised with serious injuries after she was involved in a car crash in Spain on Friday (10Oct08).
The Latin Grammy-nominated star, formerly of Spanish pop band Mecano, was one of six people hurt in the accident, which occurred when her car collided head on with another vehicle in Barbate.
Her pal and former Miss Spain Esther Arroyo, who was travelling in the car with Torroja, has also been taken to hospital in Algesiras.
However, a government spokesperson has assured that 48-year-old Torroja’s condition is not life-threatening.

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