Photo Attribution: Georges Biard

The last year has been a challenging one for mega-star Usher.

He’s had to endure relentless media scrutiny and deal with very personal matters — getting engaged, canceling the Wedding only to finally see it through, falling out with his mother, and seeing the death of his father shortly after becoming one himself.

Usher has also learned to change his lifestyle and settle down.

“I was going out night to night, having a different woman in my bed every time I chose, and I began to wonder: Am I really being a playa or am I a whore?”

Usher (Usher Raymond IV) was born on 14 October 1978 in Chattanooga, Tennessee. In 1994, he released his debut album, Usher.

Usher was able to break into super-stardom with the release of his sophomore album, My Way in 1997. Containing the hit songs You Make Me Wanna and My Way, the album gave Usher a handful of awards including a Soul Train award and 2 Billboard awards.

After a four year break, Usher finally returned with the much anticipated 8701 album, which became multi-platinum and gave Usher his first two Grammys.

In 2004, Usher released Confessions, which debuted at #1 on the Billboard 200 and Top R&B/Hip-Hop Album charts, setting seven Soundscan sales records and selling 1.1 million albums in the first week alone.

In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, Usher feels that he finally has a chance to tell his side of the story and tell all what really happened in both his professional and private life.

”This should be the last time that I have this type of dialogue about my wife or my family, and it’s because I’ve never really had the opportunity to speak,” he says, answering a question that hasn’t even been asked, his smooth Southern drawl infused with a hint of combative aggression. ”But I really don’t wanna make my business the focus of what this is.”

Usher’s new CD, Here I Stand (out May 27), which mirrors the singer’s transformation from carefree bachelor to devoted husband and father.

The album’s first single, the sleek and seductive ”Love in This Club,” is already a ubiquitous dance-floor staple that’s hit No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and notched 1.5 million digital sales.

Ames Friedman, CC BY 2.0  via Wikimedia Commons

It seems that Ryan Seacrest has a thriving broadcasting career and several ventures in media. Many believe Ryan Seacrest is at the very forefront of the entertainment industry.

This year marks Ryan’s seventh year as the successful host of the #1 TV show, “American Idol.”  Along with his winning personality, the show has become a true cultural phenomenon, making Ryan Seacrest a household name in the process.

In addition to TV, Ryan reaches millions through the world’s most popular radio countdown show, “American Top 40,” He took over the show from radio legend Casey Kasem. “American Top 40″ still remains an institution in radio. With Ryan running the show, it is heard on more stations and in larger markets than ever before.

Ryan states, “When I moved to Hollywood, one of the first people I ever wanted to meet wasn’t a movie star. It was a disc jockey, it was Casey Kasem.  Kasem is a legend, a guy I used to listen to growing up. And not only listen to, but pretended to be.”

In Los Angeles, Seacrest took over DJ role on the Top-40 radio powerhouse, 102.7 KIIS-FM. The program, “On Air with Ryan Seacrest,” which broadcasts weekdays from 5:00-10:00 AM, is now the No. 1 morning show in L.A.

On his love for radio, “I love it. I love the immediacy of it. I love the spontaneity of it, … I love the fact that every day you see something on TV that you have an opinion about and you want to talk about and the next day you can get on the air and do it.”

There has been many rumors about Ryan’s sexuality and whether he’s gay or not.

He comments, “I know a lot of gay males who I work with that are fantastic people and I love hanging out with them. But because I hang out and bring gay men into my life, does that mean that I’m gay? I promise you that I very much love women.”

Seacrest continues, “I’ve dated some women who have turned me on to some funny things that are strange for men to actually do, but these things have become part of my process. I think the things I do for my appearance help make me look better. I even colour my hair because I like how it makes me look.”

Ivanka Trump is the daughter of former fashion model and athlete Ivana Trump and multibillionaire business mogul-cum-pop culture celebrity Donald Trump.  Ivanka was born in 1981.

She inherited both the traffic-stopping glamour of her mother and the staggering fiscal wealth of both parents — reason enough for her to be selected as one of the chief participants in the 2002 documentary Born Rich, a glimpse into the lives of some of the wealthiest young heirs and heiresses in the world — helmed by Jamie Johnson, prince of the Johnson & Johnson empire.

Trump landed on the cover of Seventeen Magazine at the age of 16, which marked the beginning of a glossy and prestigious career as a fashion model. She then attended Georgetown University and Wharton School of Finance at the University of Pennsylvania, graduating magna cum laude with a degree in economics.

As a young adult, Trump became a frequent guest star on talk programs, news magazines, and reality series such as Late Night with David Letterman, Entertainment Tonight, The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, and Project Runway (appearing as a guest host in 2006). She also hosted the 15th Annual Miss Teen USA Pageant in 1997.

In 2005, Ivanka joined her father’s business organization, working in real estate development.

Starting in 2006, Ivanka began to appear on her father’s popular reality show The Apprentice, becoming a regular boardroom judge the following year, replacing Carolyn Kepcher starting with the sixth season of the series.

Kim Kardashian (full name Kimberly Noel Kardashian) was born on October 21, 1980 in Los Angeles, California, USA. She is the daughter of Robert Kardashian, famous attorney and she is also a socialite.

One of her best friends is Paris Hilton. Just like Paris, Kim was involved in a sex tape scandal after an unknown source sold a tape in which she and her boyfriend, Ray J, were making love. She said she will sue them.

“There is no amount of money that could ever convince me to release any tape, even if I had one. I don’t need the money.”

“I’m not poor; I’m not desperate, I would never attempt to sell a tape,” she says. “It would humiliate me and ruin my family. I don’t need the money. It’s humiliating; it’s embarrassing. It’s something I feel very betrayed by, but I’m not pointing any fingers.”

Kim Kardashian stars in Keeping Up with the Kardashians, now in its second season.

People seem to want to see how this former sex tape star and ex-best friend of Paris Hilton behaves in real life. The truth really is, that despite bringing nothing but some big breasts and a large buttocks to the table, Kardashian isn’t as annoying as most talentless celebrities.

These days, Kim Kardashian is dating NFL star Reggie Bush. She says they hope to get married one day soon.

Sleep off your hard day at the newest luxury hotel in Liverpool – it’s “The Beatles” themed Hard Days Night Hotel.

The hotel is located in the ‘Beatles Quarter’ of the city, and features visually stunning, artwork covering many key events in the lives of John, Paul, George and Ringo.

The numerous artwork, seen throughout the hotel, features the specially commissioned ‘Shannon Collection’ and a unique statue of John Lennon, which greets visiting guests in the hotel atrium.

The hip, 110 room hotel has two extravagant luxury suites. The hotel keeps a wrap on the details of the suites as to amaze the guests of the suites. However, the rumour is that the Lennon Suite features its own white piano – paying tribute to the white piano Lennon plays on the back cover of the Imagine… Album.

John Lennon’s sister, Julia, is quoted saying the $1,300 a night suite is “stunning” and “spectacular”. The other secret suite is the McCartney Suite which is said to pay tribute to his knighthood with the suite’s personal suit of armor.

The hotel isn’t just for Beatles Fans. The four-star hotel, housed within a 19th century mercantile building, also caters to business travelers and tourists with the deluxe rooms which contain en suite bathroom and shower, luxurious double bed, a leather topped desk and panoramic views of the Liverpool skyline.

The Hard Days Night Hotel reservations can be booked on their website http://www.harddaysnighthotel.com or by calling +44 (0)151 236 1964.

Photo by Rueters

The Rolling Stones could very well the best rock ‘n roll band ever. The Beatles are always mentioned in that same breath. Mich Jagger is the Stone’s front man and at age 64, is still going as strong as ever. We should all age like Mick Jagger. His deeply lined face is full of character, he has a full head of remarkably lustrous, seemingly undyed hair, and there isn’t an ounce of fat on his body.

He’s limber and elegant in a dress shirt and sky-blue sweater, suit pants and black high-tops. His face is craggy, but from the neck down, Jagger looks 30.

Jagger’s dancing in performance  has always been like nobody else’s and, incredibly enough, still is. His voice, deeper with age, carries the Stones’ great songs with all the authority it ever had, or more. He is a wonder of nature.

Still, some may see the movie and think: These guys should have hung it up so long ago. Jagger and Keith Richards both turn 65 this year. But to listen to the Stones’ music is to forget all about the idea that rock ’n’ roll was meant only for young people.

The Rolling Stones have always been a law unto themselves. As is Mick Jagger.  Full article

Photo by Rueters

Celine Dion is stepping down after years of success headlining at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas. Whoever took her place would have some big shoes to fill.  I think Caesars did just fine with their choice.

Cher is the epitome of glitz and glamour and will bring the proverbial house down at Caesars. Las Vegas symbolizes the pinnacle of capitalism where money morphs into a chip in a game, where could you find a more appropriate place for an American icon?

At Caesars Palace Cher won’t just be a former sex symbol and idol from the 1970′s she’ll become enthroned as a immortal siren, glittering and perfect like a rhinestone. Luring you into the place where the basis of our society (money) so clearly becomes an abstraction. All meaning will melt away into an atmosphere of glamour.

Susan S. Kurth of Dallas won a $6,714,119 Wheel of Fortune quarter MegaJackpot at Harrah’s Lake Tahoe on Friday.

The 60-year-old homemaker was visiting Lake Tahoe with her husband.

“It’s almost as if I felt the Wheel of Fortune machine wink at me,” she said. “I heard one click, then another, and then I heard music. I realized I had hit the progressive jackpot and all I could think of was finding my husband to share the exciting moment.”

The win will enable the couple to fulfill a lifelong dream, Kurth said.

“My husband is planning to retire soon, and it’s been our dream to build a retirement home in Colorado,” Kurth said. “He’s been telling me that my dream home would cost millions. Winning this jackpot will make our dreams come true.”

Many times in Hollywood or the overall entertainment business, good looks means few brain cells. In the case of supermodel Tyra Banks, that is certainly not the case. Underneath that glamourous exterior lies a fiercely determined businesswoman. Tyra has two hit shows: ”America’s Next Top Model” and ”The Tyra Banks Show”.

But Tyra Banks is not satisfied and has lofty goals. She has designs on building a multimedia empire.  Tyra says, “”Oprah Winfrey is a mogul. Martha Stewart is a mogul. I’m probably a mogul in the making. I’m almost there”

After her unbelievable modeling career wound down, her second life was just starting. The May 2003 debut of her creation America’s Next Top Model, which has grown into a worldwide hit and is embarking upon its 10th cycle (premiering Feb. 20 on The CW) began modestly. The most recent edition was the network’s top-rated series, averaging 5.2 million viewers weekly.

And The Tyra Banks Show — a broad mix of women’s issues and frothy fare — is now a talk-show force to be reckoned with: 4.3 million adult female viewers tuned in weekly this past November sweeps, and, with a median age of 40.

Full article

We’ve all done it at some point in our lives. The rolling of the eyes, the shaking of the head, or just outright laughter as another celebrity hits rock bottom. Whether it’s a DUI, drug conviction, stint in rehab, cheating spouse and subsequent high profile divorce, there’s something that brings us joy in watching a famous celebrity self destruct and meltdown before our eyes.

“There can be no joy in either being smug over the trials of the rich-and-famous or laughing at their addictions,” said Dr. Patricia A. Farrell, a well-known psychologist and author. “What have we become that we eagerly seek out joy in destruction? Is this just the modern version of ‘bread and circus?’ The frenzy that accompanies the current coverage of celebrities like Lindsay Lohan, Britney Spears, Paris Hilton, female rappers and TV actors is spiraling upward. My concern is that it will result in serious physical and mental harm to these individuals as well as innocent bystanders.”

Journalistic archives or “morgues” are full of the stories of the final moments of the famous. “Many of the stories tell about stars committing suicide and provide graphic detail or how they’ve spiraled into addiction. As I’ve said before, who wouldn’t want to escape from the constant pursuit? Do you think a fox in a fox hunt actually ‘enjoys’ the chase? And what happens at the end of the hunt, just before they go to those elaborate buffets? Does the fox come along and laugh about all the near-misses or stumbles of the horses?

These people hunt for what they believe is ‘sport’ of a type and they’ve recklessly rode over people’s property without consideration of the owner’s rights. They believe they have the right to ‘hunt’ and that no one can deny them that pleasure.

“Now, we have a hunt of a different type and the fox often lives to see another day, but in no better shape, mentally. The hunt also has a tradition where the first hunt for a rider is celebrated by smearing blood on the collar of this rider’s jacket. So, the whole intent is blood sport, not riding. I wonder how the papps celebrate their first ‘kill.’ Entertainment is a part of life that all of us need to help us maintain a healthy lifestyle.

“Perhaps it is the war or the present sorry state of the economy,” Dr. Farrell concluded, “but one thing is for sure and that is that things are getting worse, more reckless and the people in the stands watching this chase seem to be giving that ‘thumbs down’ gesture. They don’t seem to want to see a happy ending and that’s not just sad, that’s disturbing.”

Dr. Farrell is the author of “How to Be Your Own Therapist” (Barnes & Noble, 2007, ISBN: 0-7607-9184-8), a licensed psychologist and medical disability consultant. She has appeared on major TV shows such as The Today Show, The View, Good Morning America, Anderson Cooper 360 and is quoted in national newspapers, magazines and news services.

As American Idol gets ready for another season, there’s no doubt that Simon Cowell and his brash personality, at times overshadows the singing contestants. Along with the other two American Idol judges (Randy Jackson and Paula Abdul), Simon has brought American Idol into mainstream pop culture and every day water cooler chat.

Simon Cowell has worked in the music industry for 27 years. He started in the post room at EMI Music Publishing. After starting his own label at the age of 23, Simon joined BMG in 1989 and began a relationship that has now lasted for 20 years. During his time at BMG, Simon has sold over 150 million records and has had over 50 number one records. His artists have included Westlife whose first 7 singles all went to No 1 and most recently Il Divo, whose first 2 albums have collectively sold 15 million copies around the world.

Simon first became a household name in England as a judge of the singing competition Pop Idol. When that hit how was brought to the U.S. as American Idol, well the rest is history. He also wrote the book titled, “I Don’t Mean to Be Rude, But…”.  Beyond his role as a judge,  Simon has produced the following reality TV shows Cupid,  American Inventor,  America’s Got Talent, and Celebrity Duets.

When asked about American Idol’s popularity, Cowell answered “No. 1, it’s a great TV show. The second reason is that it only runs once a year so I don’t think the public is bored with it. Thirdly, it’s probably the most realistic reality show I’ve seen on American TV.  There are so many under the banner that have no reality in them. My idea is to make the audience believe that they are looking through the keyhole. That is the true definition of reality TV.”

When asked who his role model is, “I actually really like Donald Trump. I think he’s entertaining. There are so many unhappy billionaires, and he’s a happy one with a great sense of humor. I didn’t think I’d like him. I like people [who] don’t take themselves too seriously.”

So behind the famous Cowell scowl, is a multi-talented entertainer who has the knack for finding winning shows and winning singers.  Some people hate him and think he’s too harsh. But with his long string of successes, my bet is he’ll be around for a long, long time.