CelebrityWorld

A multi-million dollar home owned by Rapper 50 Cent went up in flames this morning in a fire viewed as “definitely suspicious” by fire officials. The house was purchased by the platinum selling rapper last year for $2.4 million, and was the center of a hotly contested seperation between 50 and his ex-girlfriend, Shaniqua Tompkins.

At the time of the blaze, Tompkins was at the home with Marquise, the 10 year old son of the rapper, and four other people, all of whom were treated at a local hospital for smoke inhalation. Though he owns the property, 50 Cent, whose real name is Curtis Jackson, does not live in the home and is not currently considered a suspect by investigators.

On the other hand, Tompkins is already placing the blame on 50. “He threatened me”, she said. “He said, “watch what I’ll do. I’ll have sombody kill you”. Tompkins claims that the rapper can’t accept that she has moved on with her life. She says he attempted to evict she and their son from the home last month unless they started paying rent.

Recently, the battle between the couple over the home had become very ‘contentious’, according to Paul Catsandonis, the attorney for Tompkins. He also claims that there was another incident that had become extremely dangerous, though he didn’t give details.

Authorities say that the cause of the fire is currently under investigation.

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Eddie Murphy To Star In New Beverly Hills Cop

He’s Back! Eddie Murphy and Paramount Pictures have agreed on terms which will bring the comedy actor back as Axel Foley in the upcoming “Beverly Hills Cop lV”. Murphy began his film career playing the Detroit police detective in 1984. In the original movie, his character follows a group of criminals to Beverly Hills, where he solves the case with the aide of a laid back Beverly Hills Police Department. Murphy last played the role in 1994.

The “Beverly Hills Cop” franchise has been one of the most successful in Hollywood history, with the three previous installments grossing more than $735 million worldwide. The original alone earned $316 million, and catapulted the “Saturday Night Live” alumnus into super stardom.

Paramount is currently enjoying box office success with another series that it recently dusted off and brought back to life. Last week they released “Indiana Jones, and The Kingdom of the Crystal Skull”, starring Harrison Ford. The film grossed $152 million domestically in it’s five days of release.

Paramount is in negotiations with Brett Ratner, the filmmaker behind the popular “Rush Hour” series to direct.

Hollywood Losses Another Comedy Legend
 

Harvey Korman, who won four Emmys for his comedic roles on “The Carol Burnett Show”, died today at the UCLA Medical Center just four months after surgery for an aneurysm. He was best known for his hilarious sketches on “Carol Burnett”, but also won acclaim playing Hedley Lamarr in the Mel Brooks western comedy, “Blazing Saddles”.

Korman’s death follows a string of high profile passings this week by some of Hollywood’s major screen contributors. Dick Martin (”Rowan and Martin’s Laugh-In”), and  Oscar winning director, Sydney Pollack (”Out of Africa) also died this week.

Roger Korman was 81 years old.

Former CSI star Gary Dourdan pled guilty today to three counts of felony drug possession, stemming from an April arrest in Palm Springs when the actor was found asleep in his parked car. Dourdan was charged for having cocaine and ecstasy in his possession, but another charge for possession of heroin was dismissed.

The 41 year old Dourdan had denied substance abuse accusations for several years, but had been filmed by paparazzi on several occasions leaving nightclubs appearing disheveled and disoriented. As a result of his guilty plea, the actor avoided jail time, but has been ordered to complete a substance abuse program. After completing the program, he must stay out of trouble for 18 months, at which time the charges will be dismissed.

Dourdan left the popular crime investigation series at the end of this season, and will not return next year.

American Idol Winner Tops The Charts

This year’s American Idol winner David Cook is now winning the battle ofthe BillBoard charts. Cook has a total of 17 sogs on the 200 Hot Digital Songs charts, including the new number one, “Time of My Life”, which he featured on the show.

Cook’s entries had a total of 944,000 paid down loads, giving him the best first week total of any American Idol performer. He has two other songs in the top ten; “Big Dream” at number 7, and “I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For” at number 9.

Jury Views Child Sex Tape At R. Kelly Trial

R. Kelly arrives at court before trial

The jury in r&b singing sensation R. Kelly’s sex trial spent 21 minutes watching people’s exhibit no. 1, the infamous sex tape which prosecutors claim involves the singer and a then under age teen. Kelly, 41, appeared uncomfortable while viewing the tape on a small monitor at the defense table.

Jurors also seemed uncomfortable viewing parts of the video, which begins with a man handing money to a young girl, and progresses into scenes showing the girl urinating on the floor while dancing, and ending with the man urinating on the girl.

The singer, known for such provocative songs as “Bump N Grind” and “Trapped In The Closet”, won a grammy in 1997 for “I Believe I Can Fly”. He has adamantly denied that he is the man in the video since the film first started circulating in the internet, and has been able to avoid court proceedings since charges were first filed in 2002.

Prosecutors believe that the movie was shot between 1998 and 2000, when the now 23 year old woman would have been in her early teens. The girl, who also denies being the girl in the video, is reportedly the niece of a former Kelly employee.

           Brad and Angelina’s Posh New Digs

It seems headlining the celebrity circuit at Cannes wasn’t all that the Hollywood power couple was up to this weekend. Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie have added to their real estate holdings by purchasing reportedly shelling out more than $70 million for a 1000 acre estate located in the south of France.

The couple, who are expecting twins, currently own homes in Malibu and Santa Barbara, California, and another in New Orleans, where Pitt is active in rebuilding the city after Hurricane Katrina. They also own homes in Berlin, Germany and a farmhouse in Buckinghamshire, England.

Their new neighbors in France will include Johnny Depp and Bono.

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What Makes A Woman Sexy?

One Night Stands

The stars were out and shinning brightly at The 61st Annual Cannes Film Festival. Some came to tout new projects, but others were there to preview films and take in the festivities. There were plenty of both celebrities and celebrity-watchers, but many of the festival’s enthusiasts left disappointed as the event took seemed to take on a theme of social commentary.

The coveted Palme d’Or, presented for the best picture, went to the French film “Entre Les Murs” (The Class). The story is set in a small school and depicts small stories within a big one, focusing on events in the lives of it’s students.

Benecio Del Toro won the award for best actor for his moving portrayal of Che’ Guevara in the nearly 5 hour bio-pic, “Che”. The film, produced by Steven Soderbergh, follows episodes in the life of the guerrilla leader.

Other stars who attended included; Clint Eastwood, who presented his missing child drama, “Challenging”, Woody Allen with his latest romantic comedy, “Vickie Christina Barcelona” and Madonna, who debuted her humanitarian documentary “I am Because We Are”, about AIDS orphans in Malawi.

More from Cannes…

Brand Pitt and Angelina Jolie

Benicio Del Toro                               Cate Blanchette

                                    Eva Mendes                                    Sean Penn

Indiana Jones Unseats Iron Man At Box Office

The new Indiana Jones sequel, “Kingdom of The Crystal Skull” , projects to be the second best Labor Day Weekend movie release ever, beating out the Chronicles of Narnia follow-up and the number one movie for the past two weeks, “Iron Man”.

Harrison Ford once again reprises his role as the aging archaeologist in the Steven Spielberg directed film. At age 65, and 19 years since last donning his fedora and bull whip in “The Last Crusade”, Ford does a masterful job of leading us to believe that he picked up where he left off in the last Indy installment. Age aside, and looking a little more grizzled, Ford appears lean and agile while leading a stellar cast which includes Cate Blanchette, John Hurt, Karen Allen, and Shia LaBeouf.

Variety estimates a four day opening gross of $126 million, second all time only to Disney’s “Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End”, which opened at the same time last year. “Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian” looks to finish the weekend at number 2, earning $23 million, and “Iron Man” drops to number 3, with $20.1 million.

Laugh In’s Dick Martin Dies At 86

Dick Martin, the wacky half of comedians Rowan and Martin, whose television show “Laugh In” catapulted the careers of Goldie Hawn and Lili Tomlin, died Saturday night at the age of 86.

First aired in 1968, “Laugh In” became an immediate hit with it’s rapid fire scene changes between zany comedy sketches, bikini dance scenes, and political satire. His partner, Dan Rowan, played the straight man to Martin’s off the wall comments and seemingly child-like views of issues. The show also starred Arte Johnson, Ruth Buzzi, Jo Anne Worley, and Henry Gibson.

Born in Battle Creek, MI, Martin worked at a Ford Assembly Plant before trying his hand in stand up comedy. Rowan and Martin toured as night club comedians for years prior to becoming the summer replacement for the Dean Martin Show. They were such a hit that two seasons later, they had their own show.

There will be no formal funeral for Martin at the family’s request.

Few celebrities master the delicate balance of separating their public and personal lives, and to some extent, they are not to blame. Celebrity publicists and spin doctors work around the clock to ensure that their client’s likeness is plastered across as many magazine covers and television screens as possible. It is they who create the buzz, and it is that buzz that sells everything from music cd’s to movie tickets.

Publicists manipulate the media, catapulting struggling artists into superstardom and forever changing their lives. They know the entertainment media aggressively seeks out the latest new sensation, so public persona’s are carefully crafted to compete for “face time”, or as much publicity as can be generated. Unfortunately, once an artist become popular, every aspect of their lives is dissected, and media outlets dig shamelessly for background and lifestyle information.

Some celebrities manage to maintain distance between the press and their privacy. Generally, these are artists who have risen to the level where just their association with a project guarantees its success, or those who have regained control of their lives from the spin doctors. They spend more time honing their craft, than in competing for magazine covers, and it is they whose careers last well beyond the media blitz.

Paul Newman became a heartthrob early in his career. But after his marriage to Joanne Woodward, he shied away from the gossip fodder to establish a marriage and career that endured for more that forty years. More recent celebrities who have successfully kept their personal lives private include, Denzel Washington, Will Smith and Jada Pinkett, Samuel L. Jackson, and Michael J. Fox. In each of their lives, there is also a common thread, and that is family.

There comes a time when one must decide between being a celebrity, and the things that are important to them. Many young celebrities yearn for the spotlight, until something devastating happens in their lives. Then, they shun the same media outlets to whom they sold their souls as struggling artists. It is important that when they achieve a certain level of celebrity, that they begin to take those steps necessary to establish how they want their lives to be in the future. To do that, they must remember that publicists work for them, not the other way around. Creating a plan for the future helps. If an artist achieves fulfillment from their work, and not the facade of their celebrity, they’ll have a much better chance of riding out the strain of negative publicity.

The percentage of celebrities living in crisis is not much different than that of the non-celebrity population. The primary difference is that flaws of the famous are much more visible than those of our friends or family members, who have spent weekends in jail for similar legal infractions. The vast majority of those living in the public eye appreciate where they are in life and learn how to deal with the rigors of celebrity.

We are all familiar with the crash and burn lifestyles of Jimi Hendrix, Jim Morrison, Janis Joplin, and Curt Cobain. Each of them died at the peak of their careers from drug overdoses. River Phoenix collapsed outside of a Hollywood nightclub and later died from a lethal combination of heroin and cocaine, and and current box office sensation, Robert Downey, Jr. has had well documented battles with his addictions. But as abundant as drugs might be in the entertainment industry, they are just as available on any street corner in any large to medium sized city in the US.

The pressures of fame no more contribute to a destructive lifestyle than the pressures of raising a family and wondering how to make ends meet. The emotional stability of the individual is what ultimately determines self appreciation or self depreciation. There are many people who are not famous who are on a path of self destruction. In other words, that same person that has problems as a celebrity would most probably still have problems if they were not famous.

There is very little that can prepare someone for the dramatic life changes that celebrity brings. It becomes even more difficult for a child, who before completing middle school, becomes not only the major bread winner in the family, but also a major corporation upon whom dozens of incomes are dependent.

There is nothing that states that a celebrity should be held to a higher moral or ethical standard than the rest of us. They have not taken vows of celibacy, nor have they sworn to represent our interests in public office. They are simply men and women, and sometimes children, who share the same emotional frailties and short comings that other people experience.

We must always be mindful that sensational media sells. The reason that media outlets bombard us with intimate details of the young and the beautiful is because the general public keeps tuning in. Sometimes, we should ask ourselves whether we would want such an intrusion into our own personal lives.

Sure, many celebrities have chosen to open up their lives for the advancement of their careers. But, what about those who worked hard and struggled just to master their craft? The truth is that no one should be subjected to continuous public scrutiny just for doing their job well, but the reality is that we would rather know what’s going on in the life of Britney Spears, than the life of the master plumber who lives down the street from us.

NEWS FLASH…Britney Spears wants her children back! Britney and Kevin spend weekend together! Britney’s dad given control of her finances! Britney Spears transported by ambulance to the hospital… Now, it seems that Britney and Kevin spend a lot of time doing the nasty over the phone!

When is enough, enough? Or better yet, is there ever a point when enough is too much? The only reason that our media receptors have become over saturated by the likes of Britney Spears is because of the continued demand of interest in her every misfortune. The exposure of her failings have far exceeded any positive exposure that she has gained as a performer, and is being constantly fed by a media that is willing to pay up to $40,000 for previously unpublished photos of the pop queen. Photos have included everything from Britney exiting a vehicle without panties, to the young inexperienced mom having a “bad mom day” with her children. There are reports that magazine sales increase by up to 62 percent with her likeness on the cover, and at every turn consumers are salivating for more.

At 26 years old, Britney has been in the public spotlight for more than 13 years. Though she first performed nationally on Star Search at the age of eight, it wasn’t until she was a regular on Disney’s “The Mickey Mouse Club” three years later that America began it’s love affair with her. Then, she was viewed as the sweet innocent “girl next door” who every pubescent female wanted to emulate, and every teenage boy wanted to take to the prom.

When was the last time anyone mentioned her latest musical output, “Blackout”, which was released just 13 weeks ago. Although the CD peaked at number two on the Billboard charts (largely because of the commotion caused by her controversial appearance at the MTV Video Music awards), it has since fallen to number 48, and continues to decline in sales. Her single “Piece Of Me”, is currently number 20, and is also falling.

It seems that our love affair with Britney as an artist is increasingly being overshadowed by our sadistic desire to relish in every detail of her demise. Have we forgotten that this is a human being, who, although being wealthy and privileged, may suffer from the same emotional frailties that we less fortunate may experience? That every peek into her private life creates exposures that we so closely guard in our own? Has it become so important for us to know every private detail about a public figure?

I’ve never seen a photo of our esteemed president exiting a mens room, though I imagine that at some point during each day he does. There is little doubt that if we as consumers create less demand for Britney sightings, then media outlets will impose less into her life. Maybe, at that point, she can begin to comfortably seek out the professional help she needs in each area of her life and begin the healing process.

Celebrities enjoy the lifestyles that many of us only dream about. They live in palatial estates, drive the most expensive automobiles, eat at the best restaurants, and date the most beautiful men and women in the world. Substantial incomes keep them from the worries of budgeting paycheck to paycheck, and their lives appear to be the substance of dreams Or so we think.

Celebrity news fascinates the general public. Whether it’s a high profile marriage or divorce, gossip journalists overload our senses with every detail of celebrity doings. Cameras chronicle jet-setters entering and exiting rehab, their stays in jail, and everything from partying in the trendiest night spots to walking the dog. Those of us living less exciting lives devour every news item, keeping gossipers in business with our insatiable appetites for more dirt.

Celebrity news takes us from the boring details of our everyday existence to a world many people never experience. Most of us do not mingle in the same circles as Brad and Angelina. We live our lives on the fringes of celebrity escapades, and ridicule when missteps are reported. We are challenged with the struggle to earn even the most modest living, yet we yearn to enjoy some of the basic luxuries that many celebrities take for granted.

We rush to spend hard earned money on products endorsed by our favorite stars. Somehow, it seems that wearing Michael Jordan sneakers or Elizabeth Taylor fragrances makes us less mundane, bringing us a little closer to their world. In reality, we only assist in creating greater wealth for them as our pockets get thinner.

We delight in watching a celebrity’s fall from grace. It’s not a coincidence that the better selling issues of entertainment magazines are the result of celebrity misfortunes. Ironically, it is then that the star demands respect for privacy, while the public craves every detail of their misfortune. We still talk about whether O.J. did it, the erratic behavior of Britney Spears, and the jailing of Paris Hilton. Entertainment news media fiercely competes for the most outrageous stories to satisfy our appetites for gossip, and mainstream society gobbles up every unsavory tidbit.

Many times, their efforts are intrusive. Celebrities are people just like the rest of us, and when they experience difficulties, the go through the same range of emotions. The celebrity mother fighting for the right to keep her children is no different than mothers appearing in family courts around the country every day. If not for a celebrity having a worse day than ours, it seems we would have nothing interesting to talk about. Maybe knowing that they also have frailties makes us feel better about our own lives.