CelebrityWorld

John McCain is looking for any publicity he can get.

Just days before the U.S. presidential elections, Sen. John McCain seems to be grasping for media exposure. Usmagazine.com is reporting that the Arizona senator will appear on “Saturday Night Live” this weekend, probably in an effort to increase his visibility to the voting public and add more life to his campaign.

It’s no secret what the long running satire has done for the celebrity of his running mate, Sarah Palin . And after the thirty minute Barack Obama infomercial aired on Wednesday pulled in more than 33.5 million viewers, McCain’s campaign is even getting trumped by the announcement of Joe the Plumber’s country music career being launched. Everyone seems to get more media attention than McCain these days.

But this is not McCain’s first visit to SNL. He appeared on the program in May and joke about his age, saying “I ask you: what should we be looking for in our next president? Someone who is very, very, very old.”

McCain also hosted Saturday Night Live in 2002.

Republican Presidential Candidate John McCain may be having a tough time gaining political ground on his democratic counterpart, Barack Obama , but his campaign may go down in history for launching the careers of more new celebrities.

Since his third and last presidential debate with Obama, McCain has been barnstorming the country with either one or both of his two protoge’s, Sarah Palin and Samuel Wurzelbacher, better known as “Joe the Plumber “. Unfortunately, both seem to draw more media attention than McCain.

Joe The Plumber became a household name during that last debate, and since then, he’s become a national celebrity. Costume specialty shops are reporting that “Joe the Plumber” costumes are a hot commodity for Halloween, and McCain is already featuring a national “Joe the Plumber” advertising campaign.

Now, it seems that Joe the Plumber wants to cash in on his fifteen minutes of fame.

CelebrityWorld has just discovered that Wurzelbacher has recently contracted the services of a Nashville public relations firm to handle his personal appearances, and the firm is saying that Wurzelbacher is now considering a career in country music.

I don’t know about the rest of the world, but in my opinion, Joe the Plumber has already stretched his fifteen minutes of fame about twelve minutes longer that Joey Buttafuoco . I don’t mind the McCain campaign enlisting Joe the Plumber to encourage voter participation, it’s just that the guy is now giving his opinion on foreign policy.

And he can’t even see Russia from his back yard!

The World As I See It

                 William “Flex” Balfour and Julia Hudson

As the world grieves the death of Jennifer Hudson’s family , new details emerge about William Balfour , the man being held by police in Chicago as a primary suspect.

William Balfour has become a celebrity. His “Myspace page” has received thousand of hits in the past few days from both friends, and people curious to find out more about the man associated with the murders of Darnell Donnerson, Jason Hudson, and Julian King .

On Myspace, Balfour indicates that he likes to be called “Flex”. He lists his occupation as a baker, and says that he is a “Proud parent”. There are pictures of his wife and stepson, Jennifer Hudson’s sister Julia and her son, Julian, and one of his brother-and-law, Jason. From all appearances, Balfour seem to be a loving husband and a good father.

But there also appeared to be another side to “Flex”. His criminal record dates back to 1998, when he was arrested for driving a stolen vehicle. While out on bail, he was seen breaking into a Chevy Suburban. As the owner of the vehicle tried to stop him, Balfour sped away with the man clinging to the roof rack.

Balfour led police on a high speed chase through city streets and highways, finally crashing into a telephone pole with the vehicle’s owner still on top. He was sentenced to seven years in prison for carjacking and attempted murder, and was released in May, 2006.

After his release, he rekindled a relationship with Julia Hudson, and they were married in December of the same year. The couple moved in with Julia’s mother, and there seemed to be constant bickering between Balfour and Donnerson, according to Michelle Balfour, William’s mother.

Balfour moved out of the home in May 2008, and in June, he was detained by Chicago police after he was spotted fleeing a site where gunshots were fired. After searching his vehicle, they found what turned out to be a rock of crack cocaine estimated to have a street value of about $100.

According to his parole officer, Balfour could have been sent back to prison on a parole violation, but entered a note in his record which read, “Per supervisor… no warrant. Agent to monitor offender, impose sanctions”.

Balfour was a no-show for a meeting with his parole officer on Friday, the day that the bodies of Donnerson and her son were found.

Andrew Young and T.I make an unlikely duo, but the two have recently joined forces to campaign against gun violence, one of the biggest problems facing Urban America today.

While the world grieves with Jennifer Hudson after the high profile shooting deaths of her mother, brother, and nephew, the former United Nations ambassador and Grammy Award winning rap star are introducing a film discouraging gun violence.

The film, “Walking With Guns “, is an hour long documentary which Young and T.I premiered in Atlanta on Sunday, and is scheduled to broadcast nationally on television stations Nov. 2nd.

The timing of such a program couldn’t be better.

On the same weekend that Young and T.I. introduced their hour long documentary, the entertainment world was devastated by the tragic murders of Darnell Donnerson and Jason Hudson , the mother and brother of the “Dreamgirls” oscar winner. The body of seven year old Julian King , Hudson’s nephew was found Monday, also riddled with several gunshot wounds.

“Walking With Guns” follows T.I. as he visits a New York rehabilitation center and speaks with patients who have been victims of gang warfare. T.I., who pleaded guilty last year to federal firearms violations, also talks on the film about how to avoid violent situations.

Democratic presidential contender Barack Obama took a moment away from campaigning to join celebrities and other supporters worldwide in offering prayers and support to Jennifer Hudson and her family.

“Michelle and I are absolutely heartbroken to learn about this unimaginable tragedy, and we want Jennifer to know that she is in our thoughts and prayers during this difficult time,” Obama commented.

But his is just one of many offerings of support and condolences that Hudson has received since Friday, when her mother and brother were shot to death in the Chicago home where Hudson was raised.

Queen Latifah, Hudson’s co-star in the recently released “The Secret Life of Bees”, told Access Hollywood “our hearts broke for her and we immediately began to pray for her strength and comfort and that of her family, as well as for the safe return of her nephew.”

As news spread throughout the entertainment community, many celebrities expressed their deepest condolences, including Cedric the Entertainer, Sarah Jessica Parker, Fergie, and Sherri Shepard, who spoke with Hudson just two weeks ago on the daytime talk show “The View”, where the two discussed the Academy Award winner’s close relationship with her mother.

Hudson also announced on Sunday that she was offering a $100,000 reward for the return of her seven year old nephew, who has been missing since Friday.

From clockwise;The Donnerson home, Oscar winner Jennifer Hudson, Hudson’s nephew Julian King, and her mother, Darnell Donnerson.

Jennifer Hudson has become a rising star in the world of celebrity entertainment, but now, the entire entertainment world has been saddened by the violent deaths of Hudson’s mother and brother.

According to a publicist for Hudson, the singer is devastated by the brutal murders, and by the disappearance of her seven year old nephew.The bodies of Hudson’s mother, Darnell Donnerson , 57, and her 29 year old brother, Jason Hudson , were found by by police Friday at a Chicago home listed as owned by the actress and her mother.

Preliminary autopsy reports conducted early Saturday state that Donnerson and Jason Hudson died of gunshot wounds, and their deaths were ruled as homicides, according to the Cook County Medical Examiners office.

The Chicago Tribune is reporting that William Balfour , the boyfriend of Hudson’s sister, Julia Hudson, is being held in custody. Balfour was taken into custody after a manhunt that lasted several hours, and an Amber Alert has been issued for Julian King, Julia Hudson’s seven year old son.

Illinois Department of Corrections records indicate that Balfour was currently on parole after having spent seven years in prison for attempted murder, hijacking a vehicle, and possession of a stolen vehicle.His mother, Michelle Davis Balfour states that he had been married to Julia Hudson until a recent separation, and had at one point lived in the Donnerson home.

Jennifer Hudson won an Academy Award for her portrayal of “Effie” in the 2006 movie version of the Broadway hit, “Dreamgirls “. She first gained public recognition as a finalist on the third season of hit television show, “American Idol “.

Hudson has been touring the country recently to promote her latest film, the critically acclaimed “The Secret Life of Bees “, which opened in theaters last week.

William Balfour is currently on parole for attempted murder

The World As I See It

                     Ed McMahon goes hip hop for FreeCreditReport.com

Ed McMahon is not the only celebrity who has felt the pinch of a tightening economy, but he’s certainly been the most visible. So, the former “Tonight Show ” sidekick and Star Search host has literally taken his financial woes to the streets by not only appearing, but rapping to a hip hop beat in two FreeCreditReport.com commercials.

In the commercials, McMahon sports a hip hop influenced sweat suit and a gold chain around his neck. His videos bring back the image of Rodney Dangerfield’s “Rapping Rodney” video from the 1980’s.

The country’s financial melt down touched almost everyone this year. Even P. Diddy cut back on flying his private jet because of the rising cost of fuel. But McMahon seemed to have creditors coming out of the woodworks, and they were after any assets that they could get their hands on.
Back in June, CelebrityWorld told you about foreclosure proceedings on Ed McMahon’s Beverly Hills Mansion , but American Express and other private lenders were also after what ever they could of the 85 year old pitchman’s money.

Whether McMahon can rap his way out of his problems is yet to be determined. But he seems to be enjoying his new found celebrity.

“I’m very proud that I have two videos now,” McMahon said in an interview with Us magazine. “I’m rapping up a storm.”

The World As I See It 

                   Check out Mariah Carey’s interview and clips from “Tennessee” 

Mariah Carey made her big screen debut in the 2001 film, “Glitter “, which made just about everyone’s list as the worst film of the year.

Now the pop music diva is giving acting another shot.

This time, Carey’s starring in the indie film, “Tennessee “, in which she plays a waitress named Krystal who dreams of a singing career. Unlike “Glitter”, MC’s performance appears much more toned down and a lot more sincere.

In the film, two brothers played by Adam Rothenberg and Ethan Peck, travel from New Mexico to Tennessee to reunite with their estranged father after one of the brothers is diagnosed with leukemia. They meet Krystal along the way, and she decides to join them on their trip, with hopes of getting a shot at singing in Nashville. Along the way, she becomes somewhat of a mother figure to the two young men.

What’s interesting is that in the film, Carey aspires to sing country music, and actually performs a song that she co-wrote with country music superstar, Willie Nelson .

The film got good reviews while appearing at the Tribecca Film Festival , and is expected to reach theaters in December.

The World As I See It

Lil Wayne may never be mistaken for Cliff Huxtable, Bill Cosby’s character on “The Cosby Show”. My guess is that he ain’t puffing on a premium cigar in the photo above.

But Dwayne Michael Carter, Jr. might be enjoying the best year of his life in 2008,  and becoming a new dad might just be the icing on the cake for the 26 year old rapper from New Orleans who has won virtually every major award in hip hop this year.

Wayne welcomed Dwayne Carter III into the world Wednesday afternoon at the Christ Hospital in Cincinatti. There’s been no word on the identity of the mother, but sources for the rapper say that both mother and child are doing well.

Sunday, Lil Wayne announced on BET’s Hip Hop Awards that “I got a son about to be born any day now, so shout out to him.” He also added, “Pray for me”.

He made the announcement as he accepted the award for Lyricist of the Year.

It’s been long four years since the celebrity spotlight burned brightly on Marshall Bruce Mathers III , better known to his legion of fans as Eminem . That’s how long it’s been since he released his last studio album, “Encore”.

But don’t let it be said that he’s been resting on his laurels.

Eminem is back, and he’s back with a vengeance. Last week, CelebrityWorld reported that the slim shady man was recently crowned “Best Rapper Alive” by a fan vote in Vibe magazine. And now, his new release, “Relapse “, is already getting tons of positive buzz on the Internet. But to top it all off, Eminem has just released a no holds barred memoir about his life as one of the biggest celebrities in hip hop.

“The Way I Am ” chronicles Eminem’s rise from a difficult childhood in Detroit, through his years of sweeping floors in a factory and flipping burgers as a short order cook. He also opens up about his two marriages to his high school sweetheart, Kimberly Anne Scott, the death of his best friend, and his struggles with drug abuse.