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<title>Wonderwall RSS Feed</title>
<link>http://wonderwall.msn.com</link>
<description>WonderWall RSS Feed</description>
<language>en-us</language>
<ttl>10</ttl>
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<title><![CDATA[Buchanan to take legal action over Berrabah bully slurs?]]></title>
<category>movies</category>
<link>http://wonderwall.msn.com/movies/buchanan-to-take-legal-action-over-berrabah-bully-slurs-1527528.story</link>
<description><![CDATA[Former Sugababes star Keisha Buchanan is considering taking legal action after her ex-bandmate Amelle Berrabah branded her a bully, according to reports.The singer was ousted from the popular Brit trio in September (09) after months of friction with fellow Sugababes Berrabah and Heidi Range.
  The 25 year old was quickly replaced by Eurovision star Jade Ewen, even though she was the only original remaining member of the group following the departures of Siobhan Donaghy in 2001 and Mutya Buena in 2005.
  A number of reports claimed Buchanan was forced out of the group after allegedly bullying Berrabah, who subsequently checked into a European facility to be treated for nervous exhaustion.
  And now Buchanan wants to set the record straight by meeting with lawyers next week (begs30Nov09) to seek legal advice about the bullying slurs, according to Britain&amp;#039;s the Daily Mirror.
  In a post on her Twitter.com blog on Tuesday (23Nov09), Buchanan writes, &amp;quot;To those who accuse others of being a bully for self gain, think first! It&amp;#039;s a very serious allegation.&amp;quot;]]></description>
<pubDate>Wed, 25 Nov 2009 00:11:37 PST</pubDate>
<source>WENN</source>
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<title><![CDATA[Cowell produces Boyle story]]></title>
<category>movies</category>
<link>http://wonderwall.msn.com/movies/cowell-produces-boyle-story-1527530.story</link>
<description><![CDATA[Music mogul Simon Cowell has produced a documentary based on his talent show protege Susan Boyle.The movie, I Dreamed a Dream: The Susan Boyle Story, will debut on America&amp;#039;s TV Guide Network next month (Dec09).
  Boyle, who was a runner-up on British TV show Britain&amp;#039;s Got Talent, has broken Amazon.com records this week (beg23Nov09) by scoring the biggest pre-release sales ever.]]></description>
<pubDate>Wed, 25 Nov 2009 00:11:37 PST</pubDate>
<source>WENN</source>
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<item>
<title><![CDATA[Grohl thought Nirvana Reading show would end band]]></title>
<category>movies</category>
<link>http://wonderwall.msn.com/movies/grohl-thought-nirvana-reading-show-would-end-band-1527527.story</link>
<description><![CDATA[Dave Grohl was convinced Nirvana&amp;#039;s concert at the U.K.&amp;#039;s Reading festival in 1992 would be so disastrous, it would end the band&amp;#039;s career forever.The trio&amp;#039;s headlining slot at the event has become one of the most famous performances in the outdoor event&amp;#039;s long history.
  But drummer Grohl feared the show, which kicked off when frontman Kurt Cobain was pushed onto the stage in a wheelchair, would ruin the group as the bandmates were barely talking at the time.
  He says, &amp;quot;Kurt had been in and out of rehab, communication in the band was beginning to be strained. Kurt was living in L.A., Krist (Novoselic) and I were in Seattle. People weren&amp;#039;t even sure if we were going to show up. We rehearsed once, the night before, and it wasn&amp;#039;t good. I really thought, &amp;#039;This will be a disaster, this will be the end of our career for sure.&amp;#039; And then it turned out to be a wonderful show, and it healed us for a little while.&amp;quot;]]></description>
<pubDate>Wed, 25 Nov 2009 00:11:37 PST</pubDate>
<source>WENN</source>
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<title><![CDATA[Hart facing police action over theatre outburst]]></title>
<category>movies</category>
<link>http://wonderwall.msn.com/movies/hart-facing-police-action-over-theatre-outburst-1527535.story</link>
<description><![CDATA[Harry Potter star Ian Hart is facing police action after allegedly threatening a member of the audience while he was acting in a London play.The British actor, best known for playing Professor Quirrell in 2001&amp;#039;s Harry Potter and the Philosopher&amp;#039;s Stone, was appearing in West End show Speaking In Tongues on Monday (23Nov09) when he shouted at Gerard Earley, telling him to shut up. 
  When the show finished, Earley claims he stood to applaud the cast but was stunned when Hart ran off the stage and into the crowd, allegedly lunging at him and accusing him of making too much noise, prompting an usher to restrain the actor.
  Earley says, &amp;quot;I was very scared. He was standing up and leaning over me. I felt threatened when he started screaming and I couldn&amp;#039;t make out what he was saying - he was pretty feral at that point... I thought he was going to jump down but (co-star) John Simm put his arm up to stop him. Then he just ran off the side of the stage. He came back out and ran at me. I&amp;#039;d sat back down by then and he was screaming and shouting, incoherent with rage. He was saying, &amp;#039;You&amp;#039;re disrespecting me, you&amp;#039;re not respecting the other actors.&amp;#039;&amp;quot;
  Earley claims he&amp;#039;s considering whether to take legal action after Hart allegedly threatened to slap him: &amp;quot;I&amp;#039;ve contacted the police about the procedure for reporting assaults. I haven&amp;#039;t ruled it out.&amp;quot;
  Last week (beg16Nov09) Hart admitted he wasn&amp;#039;t a fan of performing on stage, explaining, &amp;quot;I simply don&amp;#039;t enjoy the process, I don&amp;#039;t enjoy the relationship between the audience and the actor... I find it hard work.&amp;quot;]]></description>
<pubDate>Wed, 25 Nov 2009 00:11:37 PST</pubDate>
<source>WENN</source>
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<title><![CDATA[Andrews to make London concert comeback]]></title>
<category>movies</category>
<link>http://wonderwall.msn.com/movies/andrews-to-make-london-concert-comeback-1527524.story</link>
<description><![CDATA[Dame Julie Andrews has bounced back from a botched throat operation - she&amp;#039;s set to perform a comeback concert in London next year (10).The Sound of Music actress, whose voice once spanned four octaves, underwent surgery in 1997 to remove non-cancerous nodules from her throat.
  It left her voice ravaged and she filed a medical malpractice lawsuit against doctors at New York&amp;#039;s Mount Sinai Hospital. The case was settled out of court in 2000.
  She feared she would never be able to perform again but her voice coach, Dr. Steven Zeitels, has been experimenting with chemical engineer Professor Robert Langer, of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, in a bid to find a cure.
  Langer believes he&amp;#039;s made a breakthrough, which involves injecting man-made gel into Andrews&amp;#039; vocal cords to restore their elasticity, allowing her to sing once more.
  And the treatment appears to be working as the star is set to announce a homecoming show at London&amp;#039;s O2 Arena - and Andrews insists she can&amp;#039;t wait to return to the spotlight.
  She says, &amp;quot;To perform once again in my homeland on the London stage will be a wonderful moment - it is where it all began for me.&amp;quot;
  Her manager, Steve Sauer, adds, &amp;quot;Julie cannot sing as she once did. Fortunately she has subsequently been able to regain some of the notes she was once well known for. The show will be a beautifully woven blend of her singing along with her guest stars.&amp;quot;]]></description>
<pubDate>Wed, 25 Nov 2009 00:11:37 PST</pubDate>
<source>WENN</source>
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<title><![CDATA[Eminem's mum to wed man who sued her]]></title>
<category>movies</category>
<link>http://wonderwall.msn.com/movies/eminems-mum-to-wed-man-who-sued-her-1527529.story</link>
<description><![CDATA[Eminem&amp;#039;s mum Debbie Nelson is set to marry her agent - even though he sued her last year (08).The rapper&amp;#039;s mother is to wed Neal Alpert, who filed suit against Nelson, her co-author and publishing company last April (08) for a share of the profits from her tell-all book My Son Marshall, My Son Eminem.
  The case was dismissed in summer (09) and the pair has since rebuilt their relationship by becoming engaged.
  Alpert confirmed the news to RadarOnline.com, while a source tells the website, &amp;quot;It&amp;#039;s going to be a nice-sized wedding, that&amp;#039;s for sure. When it comes to marriage it&amp;#039;s not about the sex, it&amp;#039;s about being with your best friend. He has always been a gentleman and respectful and never sold her out for a penny, even when he had the chance.&amp;quot;
  Nelson had not commented on the report as WENN went to press.]]></description>
<pubDate>Wed, 25 Nov 2009 00:11:37 PST</pubDate>
<source>WENN</source>
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<title><![CDATA[Fans want ABBA to reform]]></title>
<category>movies</category>
<link>http://wonderwall.msn.com/movies/fans-want-abba-to-reform-1527531.story</link>
<description><![CDATA[Swedish group Abba is the band most fans in the U.K. would like to see reform, according to a new poll.The Waterloo hitmakers, who disbanded in the 1980s, took the top spot in the list, beating defunct groups The Police and Pink Floyd, who were voted in second and third places in the survey.
  Recently split Oasis, The Sex Pistols, The Clash, The Jam and The Smiths also featured in the study by royalties company PRS for Music.]]></description>
<pubDate>Wed, 25 Nov 2009 00:11:37 PST</pubDate>
<source>WENN</source>
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<title><![CDATA[Jenkins pulls out of concert due to illness]]></title>
<category>movies</category>
<link>http://wonderwall.msn.com/movies/jenkins-pulls-out-of-concert-due-to-illness-1527526.story</link>
<description><![CDATA[Opera star Katherine Jenkins has pulled out of a London concert after she was admitted to hospital with a stomach bug.The Welsh singer was due to perform at the iTunes concert in the British capital on Tuesday (24Nov09), as well as a string of promotional appearances for her new album Believe.
  But she was forced to pull out of her commitments after contracting a virus and rushing to seek medical care.
  She&amp;#039;s now recovering at home and has promised fans she&amp;#039;ll make up for the missed show.
  Taking to her Twitter.com blog, she writes, &amp;quot;Still feel pretty awful (Norovirus apparently). Just wanted 2 (sic) say sorry 2 (sic) all those who were coming to iTunes. A hospital visit last night has made a big difference and I feel I am coming out the other side of it. I hate letting you all down.&amp;quot;]]></description>
<pubDate>Wed, 25 Nov 2009 00:11:37 PST</pubDate>
<source>WENN</source>
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<title><![CDATA[Lautner refuses to discuss or dismiss sexuality stories]]></title>
<category>movies</category>
<link>http://wonderwall.msn.com/movies/lautner-refuses-to-discuss-or-dismiss-sexuality-stories-1527533.story</link>
<description><![CDATA[Taylor Lautner has sparked new rumours he&amp;#039;s still figuring out his sexuality after refusing to deny gay reports in a new Rolling Stone magazine interview.The Twilight hunk faces tough questions as the cover star of the new issue of the music magazine and, after playing coy about his rumoured romance with singer Taylor Swift, he fails to address suggestions he might be gay.
  As interviewer Neil Strauss probes him about his sexuality, Lautner says, &amp;quot;OK, I see where you&amp;#039;re going. Interesting choice,&amp;quot; adding cryptically, &amp;quot;There&amp;#039;s a lot of rumours out there.&amp;quot;
  Refusing to confirm or deny his romance with Swift, Lautner also tells the magazine the two Taylors are &amp;quot;close&amp;quot;.]]></description>
<pubDate>Wed, 25 Nov 2009 00:11:37 PST</pubDate>
<source>WENN</source>
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<title><![CDATA[Phillips cut out of family Thanksgiving celebration]]></title>
<category>movies</category>
<link>http://wonderwall.msn.com/movies/phillips-cut-out-of-family-thanksgiving-celebration-1527532.story</link>
<description><![CDATA[Actress Mackenzie Phillips has been told to stay away from her extended family&amp;#039;s Thanksgiving Day get together on Thursday (26Nov09) because she&amp;#039;s not welcome after going public with incest claims against her late father.Phillips stunned the world earlier this year (09) when she revealed she and her father, Mamas &amp;amp; The Papas star John Phillips, had a decade-long romance, which began with a non-consensual sex encounter.
  She went public with the shocking revelation in her bestselling book High on Arrival - and then appeared on U.S. TV shows to discuss her twisted relationship with her late dad.
  The big reveal split her family, with half-sister Chynna supporting her decision to come forward and stepmother Michelle Phillips insisting Mackenzie was wrong to go public with the incest claims.
  And now it seems John&amp;#039;s Mamas &amp;amp; The Papas bandmate and ex-wife is having the final say on the controversy by insisting Mackenzie stays away from the family over Thanksgiving.
  Mackenzie says, &amp;quot;I have been uninvited to the family Thanksgiving, which is very difficult.&amp;quot;
  Meanwhile, in a recent interview with U.S. news show Entertainment Tonight, Michelle states she still struggles to believe her recovering drug addict stepdaughter&amp;#039;s incest story: &amp;quot;I respect John, I will always respect him as a musician and a man... If these accusations were gonna be made, they should have been made while John was alive.&amp;quot;
  Mackenzie has confessed she knew the revelations in her memoirs would upset her stepmother. In a TV interview in September (09), the actress said, &amp;quot;There are a lot of people who won&amp;#039;t be happy about this book because they don&amp;#039;t want these truths revealed about a man who was a hero to them and some of those people are in my own family.&amp;quot;
  Speaking to Entertainment Tonight on Monday (23Nov09), Michelle states, &amp;quot;I really don&amp;#039;t wanna discuss this at all. I refuse to get drawn into the controversy.&amp;quot;]]></description>
<pubDate>Wed, 25 Nov 2009 00:11:37 PST</pubDate>
<source>WENN</source>
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<title><![CDATA[Reiser teams up with Fordham for music debut]]></title>
<category>movies</category>
<link>http://wonderwall.msn.com/movies/reiser-teams-up-with-fordham-for-music-debut-1527536.story</link>
<description><![CDATA[U.S. funnyman Paul Reiser has launched a music career by teaming up with British singer Julia Fordham for a new album.The Mad About You and Beverly Hills Cop star is in the studio with Happy Ever After singer Fordham and they&amp;#039;ll release their first album in 2010.
  Fordham tells WENN, &amp;quot;Along with being an actor and comedian, Paul is also a classically trained pianist and studied composing and arranging at college.&amp;quot;
  Meanwhile, the Brit is launching an acting career with appearances on pal Tracey Ullman&amp;#039;s upcoming sketch show State of The Union.
  Fordham adds, &amp;quot;Tracey is a blinding talent and the only hard part of being in a scene with her is to try and remember to keep your jaw from dropping to the floor as you marvel at her all round splendidness.&amp;quot;]]></description>
<pubDate>Wed, 25 Nov 2009 00:11:37 PST</pubDate>
<source>WENN</source>
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<title><![CDATA[Stallone blasted for driving offence]]></title>
<category>movies</category>
<link>http://wonderwall.msn.com/movies/stallone-blasted-for-driving-offence-1527534.story</link>
<description><![CDATA[Sylvester Stallone has been slammed for flouting driving regulations by squeezing two children into the passenger seat of his car.The action man was snapped in his Mustang on Sunday (22Nov09) with two young girls sharing the front seat - a flagrant violation of California state law. 
  LAPD Detective Bill Bustos tells RadarOnline.com, &amp;quot;California law states you must have only one passenger per seat. Driving with two passengers in one seat is vehicle code violation 27360. You must have one passenger per seat belt.&amp;quot;
  And the Rocky star has also been blasted by the California Department of Motor Vehicles as the seat only has one seat belt: &amp;quot;Children ages six and older, but less than 16, and children under age six who weigh more than 60 pounds, must be properly secured in an appropriate child passenger restraint system or safety belt which meets federal safety standards.&amp;rdquo;
  Stallone is not the only celebrity to be caught out violating motor laws recently - David Beckham was photographed using his cellphone while driving last month (Oct09), and Arnold Schwarzenegger&amp;#039;s wife Maria Shriver was also caught chatting on her handset.]]></description>
<pubDate>Wed, 25 Nov 2009 00:11:37 PST</pubDate>
<source>WENN</source>
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<title><![CDATA[Winfrey calls on famous friends for heroes concert]]></title>
<category>movies</category>
<link>http://wonderwall.msn.com/movies/winfrey-calls-on-famous-friends-for-heroes-concert-1527525.story</link>
<description><![CDATA[Oprah Winfrey showed off her celebrity pulling power again during her U.S. TV show on Tuesday (24Nov09) when she introduced Alicia Keys, Jennifer Hudson, Andrea Bocelli, Mary J. Blige, Sugarland and Tim Mcgraw to her stage for a tribute to the heroes of the U.S. Airways Flight 1549 miracle.Winfrey saluted hero pilot Captain Chesley &amp;#039;Sully&amp;#039; Sullenberger III and the first responders who saved the lives of passengers after the flight was forced to crash land in the Hudson River, offshore from Manhattan in New York City in January (09).
  And she organised a special concert for the heroes, featuring her famous friends.
  The celebrities briefly appeared at the end of Oprah for the musical salute, which was taped after the show and will appear on TV on Monday (30Nov09).]]></description>
<pubDate>Wed, 25 Nov 2009 00:11:37 PST</pubDate>
<source>WENN</source>
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<title><![CDATA[West smashes face in drunken fall]]></title>
<category>movies</category>
<link>http://wonderwall.msn.com/movies/west-smashes-face-in-drunken-fall-1527537.story</link>
<description><![CDATA[E.R. star Shane West was so drunk after watching Katy Perry perform at a club in Los Angeles, he fell over and cut his face.The actor was enjoying the pop star&amp;#039;s show at Boulevard3 last week (18Nov09) and he was having such a good time, he decided to take the party back to his house.
  But the fun came to a finish when he tripped up and fell face-first in his backyard, leaving him with several bruises and cuts, according to RadarOnline.com. 
  The star kept a low profile to hide his injured face until he flew out of America over the weekend (21-22Nov09) to embark on a U.K. tour with his band The Germs.]]></description>
<pubDate>Wed, 25 Nov 2009 00:11:37 PST</pubDate>
<source>WENN</source>
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<title><![CDATA[Kingsley to play Mogul emperor who built Taj Mahal]]></title>
<category>movies</category>
<link>http://wonderwall.msn.com/movies/kingsley-to-play-mogul-emperor-who-built-taj-mahal-1527523.story</link>
<description><![CDATA[HONG KONG (AP) -- Ben Kingsley, famous for his Oscar-winning portrayal of Indian independence hero Mohandas Gandhi, is reaching deeper into the country's history with a new role as the Mogul emperor who ordered the construction of the Taj Mahal. Kingsley will star as Shah Jahan in "Taj," 27 years after his award winning performance in "Gandhi." Indian superstar and former Miss World Aishwarya Rai Bachchan will play Mumtaz Mahal in the $25-30 million production, the British actor's production company, SBK Pictures, said in a statement sent Wednesday. The Taj Mahal was built by Mogul Emperor Shah Jahan between 1632 and 1654 for his favorite wife, Mumtaz Mahal, who died while she was giving birth to their 14th child. Soon after its completion, Shah Jahan was deposed by his son and imprisoned at the nearby Agra Fort. "With my passion for India and the Taj Mahal now becoming one of the Seven Wonders of the World, I am compelled to ask 'why' and 'how' this scream of grief frozen in marble came into being," Kingsley said in the statement. The company said it is recruiting a director for the script penned by British writer David Ashton and is scheduled to meet with Indian investors later this month. Kingsley, whose credits also include "House of Sand and Fog," "Schindler's List" and "Sexy Beast," is well-known in India for his Gandhi role. With Bachchan, one of the country's biggest stars, also on board, the project is likely to generate keen interest in India. Bachchan, whose recent credits include "Jodhaa Akbar," "Sarkar Raj" and "The Pink Panther 2," is married to Abhishek Bachchan, the son of Indian screen legend Amitabh Bachchan. SBK Pictures said shooting will start in mid- to late 2010. ]]></description>
<pubDate>Tue, 24 Nov 2009 23:32:38 PST</pubDate>
<source>The Associated Press</source>
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<title><![CDATA[Donny Osmond Prevails on 'Dancing with the Stars']]></title>
<category>movies</category>
<link>http://wonderwall.msn.com/movies/donny-osmond-prevails-on-dancing-with-the-stars-1527522.story</link>
<description><![CDATA[Confetti rained down on the dance floor in celebration of new &amp;quot;Dancing with the Stars&amp;quot; champion Donny Osmond and partner Kym Johnson. After a long season full of injuries and flu, but also the forging of new friendships and memorable routines, Donny and Kym rose above the other 15 couples. All of the contestants who had been eliminated in earlier rounds laced their shoes back up to perform one last dance. Familiar faces from previous seasons, such as Jeffrey Ross, Adam Carolla, Cloris Leachman, Jerry Springer, Jerry Rice, and Steve Wozniak, also made cameo appearances. Chart-topper Whitney Houston entertained with two songs, &amp;quot;Million Dollar Bill&amp;quot; and &amp;quot;I Wanna Dance with Somebody.&amp;quot; Other highlights from the evening included NFL Hall of Fame inductees Jerry Rice and Michael Irvin duking it out to a Paso Doble with a golden football to earn a coveted mirror ball ring. Len Goodman evaluated, saying, &amp;quot;We've discussed it…you've got to be game ready…and we all think that Michael, you are the winner. However…we decided that the battle of the bodies went to Jerry.&amp;quot; Both athletes were presented with a ring. Jeffrey Ross returned to induct a new member to the &amp;quot;Loser's Club.&amp;quot; As a result of his elimination in the first round, Ashley Hamilton was bestowed with the honor. Finalists Donny &amp;amp; Kym, Kelly Osbourne &amp;amp; Louis Van Amstel, and Mya &amp;amp; Dmitry Chaplin had one last opportunity to impress the judges by performing an encore routine of their choice. With mom Sharon, dad Ozzy, and brother Jack rooting her on, Kelly and partner Louis took to the dance floor for their Viennese Waltz. Judge Len Goodman sincerely commented, &amp;quot;Of all the celebrities we've had on the show, I will miss you the most.&amp;quot; Bruno recapped, &amp;quot;You may come from rock and roll royalty, but you have earned your place as a ballroom princess.&amp;quot; Carrie Ann Inaba came to the revelation that &amp;quot;of all the seasons, I don't know if anyone has ever touched me as much as you have when I watch you dance.&amp;quot; The judges awarded their honorable effort with 26 points. Mya and Dmitry jived their way to a score of 28. Bruno referred to her as &amp;quot;Mya the Magnificent. Sharp, slick. You never miss a beat.&amp;quot; Calling her a &amp;quot;star,&amp;quot; Carrie Ann said, &amp;quot;Every season we have somebody that sets the pace for the whole season…that has been you from day one.&amp;quot; Len said she was &amp;quot;without doubt, fantastic.&amp;quot; Donny and Kym certainly left a lasting impression, earning a perfect score of 30 for their Argentine Tango. Carrie Ann remembers that throughout the competition, &amp;quot;You've graced us with some incredible show-stopping performances.&amp;quot; Len continued with the rave reviews: &amp;quot;What you've never lost is your 100%, coming out here and performing.&amp;quot; Seated next to ET's&amp;nbsp;Mary Hart, sister Marie&amp;nbsp;Osmond was on the sidelines to support her brother.&amp;nbsp; Ecstatic with his victory, Donny carried his wife from the audience to the dance floor. All the newly crowned champ could utter was, &amp;quot;Oh, yeah!&amp;quot; Mya gracefully accepted her second place finish, saying, &amp;quot;We were so happy to come this far…we had the time of our lives.&amp;quot; Kelly responded to her third place finish, saying, &amp;quot;It's been the most beautiful amazing experience…thank you America...It's because of you that I've grown so much.&amp;quot; Related stories:&amp;nbsp;Donny Osmond: 'We're beating each other up!'&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;Inside Donny Osmond's Top-Secret 'DWTS' Rehearsal&amp;nbsp;]]></description>
<pubDate>Tue, 24 Nov 2009 23:00:00 PST</pubDate>
<source>Entertainment Tonight</source>
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<title><![CDATA[Hong Kong director takes on Mulan with real actors]]></title>
<category>movies</category>
<link>http://wonderwall.msn.com/movies/hong-kong-director-takes-on-mulan-with-real-actors-1527521.story</link>
<description><![CDATA[HONG KONG (AP) -- More than a decade after Disney made a blockbuster animated film out of a folk tale about a young woman in ancient China who takes her father's place on the battlefield, a Hong Kong director is taking on the story of Hua Mulan with real actors. Jingle Ma said his live-action version of "Mulan" avoids glorifying one of China's best-known female folk heroes, instead focusing on her vulnerabilities and relationships. Ma said he delved into Mulan's trepidation when killing for the first time and confronting the death of her comrades. "The animated movie tells you she is cheerful. She's a little godlike in that she can solve all her problems. She can use her wits to solve many of her problems. But it doesn't discuss her deepest emotions," he said in a recent interview. In Ma's 115-minute movie, which opens in China, Singapore and Malaysia on Friday, gone are the goofy antics of a sidekick dragon voiced by Eddie Murphy and the smooth Broadway-style numbers performed by "Miss Saigon" star Lea Salonga, replaced with the bloody, gritty reality of war. One of the movie's shots shows Mulan, played by Chinese actress Zhao Wei, sprayed with blood on her face after killing a general from a foreign tribe invading mainland China. Zhao, whose credits include Stephen Chow's "Shaolin Soccer" and John Woo's historical epics "Red Cliff" and "Red Cliff II," is known for her pretty looks but also boyish demeanor that Ma says made her a good fit for the lead role. The Hong Kong director said he was looking for an actress who was athletic and well-built enough to be a credible male soldier. "If you put a woman with a slender face among tens of thousands of soldiers, I don't think she would have an easy time," Ma said. It's debated whether Hua Mulan is a historical figure. The basis of the folk story is largely a 300-word poem from the Southern and Northern dynasties (420 to 589) that gives the broad sketches of her life, leaving plenty to the imagination of the storyteller. Ma, who is best known for his romantic films, fills the gaps with a sentimental portrayal of Mulan. In between her brutal military campaigns, Mulan falls in love with fellow general Wentai (Chen Kun) and is devastated when she is led to believe that he died in battle. When Wentai volunteers himself as a hostage to the invading tribe so his trapped comrades can be freed, Mulan goes undercover among the enemy to rescue him. "Most people think Hua Mulan is a god, but I think Hua Mulan is a woman," Ma said. American and European distribution deals for the 80 million Chinese yuan ($12 million) production are still being negotiated. While Ma said he wants his movie to go global — the 1998 Disney film made more than $300 million worldwide — he said his first mission is to tell a Chinese story for the Chinese. "I don't know if foreign audiences will like this movie, but I want to do a good job in our domestic market first. If foreign audiences like it as well, that's a bonus for me," he said. ]]></description>
<pubDate>Tue, 24 Nov 2009 21:27:03 PST</pubDate>
<source>The Associated Press</source>
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<title><![CDATA[Donny Osmond wins 'Dancing with the Stars']]></title>
<category>movies</category>
<link>http://wonderwall.msn.com/movies/donny-osmond-wins-dancing-with-the-stars-1527520.story</link>
<description><![CDATA[NEW YORK (AP) -- Donny Osmond is the new champion of "Dancing with Stars." Osmond took home the show's mirror ball trophy Tuesday in the season finale of the ABC contest reality program. Osmond, the former teen pop star of the singing Osmond family, says the show has been highlight in his career. He bested the singer Mya, who some expected to win. She had the highest scores going into the finale. Three celebrities remained heading into the finale of the show's ninth season. Kelly Osbourne, the daughter of Ozzy Osbourne, was the first eliminated. Former Congressman Tom DeLay also returned Tuesday. DeLay had to withdraw from the show in the third week due to injury. Winners of "Dancing with the Stars" are chosen by a combination of scores from judges and votes from viewers. ]]></description>
<pubDate>Tue, 24 Nov 2009 20:17:26 PST</pubDate>
<source>The Associated Press</source>
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<title><![CDATA[25 recordings inducted into Grammy Hall of Fame]]></title>
<category>movies</category>
<link>http://wonderwall.msn.com/movies/25-recordings-inducted-into-grammy-hall-of-fame-1527519.story</link>
<description><![CDATA[LOS ANGELES (AP) -- The Doors' "Riders On The Storm" and the Beach Boys' "California Girls" are among 25 recordings being inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame. The Recording Academy said Tuesday that the hall of fame now includes a total of 851 titles that were selected to represent the triumphs and achievements of the recording arts. The inductees were drawn from all categories of music. Other recordings selected this year include: James Brown's "It's A Man's Man's Man's World;" Jose Feliciano's "Feliz Navidad;" Janis Joplin's "Pearl;" the Isley Brothers' "Twist and Shout;" Louis Armstrong's "Lazy River;" and Muddy Waters' "I Feel Like Going Home." ——— On the Net: The Recording Academy, http://www.grammy.com/ ]]></description>
<pubDate>Tue, 24 Nov 2009 17:42:59 PST</pubDate>
<source>The Associated Press</source>
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<title><![CDATA[Gibson guitars accused of using illegal wood]]></title>
<category>movies</category>
<link>http://wonderwall.msn.com/movies/gibson-guitars-accused-of-using-illegal-wood-1527509.story</link>
<description><![CDATA[Bosses at guitar giants Gibson are under investigation by U.S. authorities amid accusations they&amp;#039;re using illegal wood to make their instruments.The makers of the iconic Les Paul guitar, played by the likes of Eric Clapton and Jimmy Page, allegedly used rosewood sourced from Madagascar. Use of the wood is banned in the U.S. for environmental reasons.
  Executives at Gibson&amp;#039;s headquarters in Nashville, Tennessee claim they only bought wood from legal sources, through a German supplier, and are &amp;quot;fully co-operating&amp;quot; with investigators.]]></description>
<pubDate>Tue, 24 Nov 2009 17:31:50 PST</pubDate>
<source>WENN</source>
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<title><![CDATA[Cumming lands OBE honour]]></title>
<category>movies</category>
<link>http://wonderwall.msn.com/movies/cumming-lands-obe-honour-1527515.story</link>
<description><![CDATA[Scottish actor Alan Cumming has been awarded an Order of the British Empire (OBE) medal from Princess Anne at Buckingham Palace in London.The X2 star was honoured on Tuesday (24Nov09) for his services to film, theatre and the arts, as well as his work as a gay rights campaigner.
  Dressed in a traditional Scottish kilt, Cumming said, &amp;quot;I have a voice because of my work. I&amp;#039;m loud and I speak my mind. I feel it&amp;#039;s a lucky position to be in - that people want you to speak out for something you want to say anyway. My work has enabled me to do something with my opinions for good.&amp;quot;
  The actor, who has also appeared in TV shows including Sex &amp;amp; the City, Frasier and Third Rock From The Sun, was joined by his husband Grant Shaffer, his mum and brother at the ceremony.]]></description>
<pubDate>Tue, 24 Nov 2009 17:31:50 PST</pubDate>
<source>WENN</source>
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<title><![CDATA[McCulloch: 'U2 are for teenagers']]></title>
<category>movies</category>
<link>http://wonderwall.msn.com/movies/mcculloch-u2-are-for-teenagers-1527510.story</link>
<description><![CDATA[Echo &amp;amp; The Bunnymen frontman Ian Mcculloch has sparked a new war of words with longtime rock rivals U2, branding the Irish band&amp;#039;s music &amp;quot;flag-waving&amp;quot; and &amp;quot;immature&amp;quot;.The outspoken British rocker has been a fervent U2 &amp;#039;hater&amp;#039; for decades and uses interviews to poke fun at Bono and his bandmates.
  Often bitter about the fact U2 have become one of the world&amp;#039;s biggest supergroups, McCulloch insists he would never emulate U2 - because their music only has commercial appeal.
  He tells New York magazine, &amp;quot;Bands all say they want to be as big as U2, but weirdly no one ever says they&amp;rsquo;re influenced by them. That&amp;rsquo;s because there&amp;rsquo;s nothing there, really. They&amp;rsquo;ve got good tunes, and you can see that it works on 14 year olds. 
  &amp;quot;But I can&amp;rsquo;t see mature people or kids, who are looking for something, something deep - something that you just know it&amp;rsquo;s art and it&amp;rsquo;s going to change your life - caring. For U2, it&amp;rsquo;s always flag-waving and &amp;#039;Yippee&amp;#039;&amp;quot;.]]></description>
<pubDate>Tue, 24 Nov 2009 17:31:50 PST</pubDate>
<source>WENN</source>
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<title><![CDATA[Lautner was bullied at school]]></title>
<category>movies</category>
<link>http://wonderwall.msn.com/movies/lautner-was-bullied-at-school-1527514.story</link>
<description><![CDATA[Twilight hunk Taylor Lautner was bullied at school over his love for acting.The star has catapulted to fame playing Jacob in the vampire verses werewolves film franchise, but he admits life was difficult as a drama nerd.
  He tells Rolling Stone magazine, &amp;quot;I was never extremely confident. Because I was an actor when I was in school there was a little bullying going on. Not physical bullying but people making fun of what I do.
  &amp;quot;I just had to tell myself, &amp;#039;I can&amp;#039;t let this get to me. This is what love to do and I&amp;#039;m going to continue to do it.&amp;#039;&amp;quot;]]></description>
<pubDate>Tue, 24 Nov 2009 17:31:50 PST</pubDate>
<source>WENN</source>
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<title><![CDATA[Lee recruits heavyweights for drumming group]]></title>
<category>movies</category>
<link>http://wonderwall.msn.com/movies/lee-recruits-heavyweights-for-drumming-group-1527508.story</link>
<description><![CDATA[Tommy Lee has created a new drumming supergroup, called Bezerk.The band features Red Hot Chili Peppers&amp;rsquo; Chad Smith, Velvet Revolver&amp;rsquo;s Matt Sorum, Incubus&amp;rsquo; Jose Pasillas and Godsmack&amp;rsquo;s Sully Erna.
  They&amp;#039;ll debut at Guitar Center&amp;rsquo;s Drum-Off &amp;lsquo;09 Grand Finals at Los Angeles&amp;rsquo; Wiltern theatre on 8 January (10).
  The concert will also feature a tribute to late Led Zeppelin rocker John Bonham, featuring his son Jason, who replaced him in the band for a one-off reunion in 2007.]]></description>
<pubDate>Tue, 24 Nov 2009 17:31:50 PST</pubDate>
<source>WENN</source>
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<title><![CDATA[Mendes recreates video leafblower effect on TV ]]></title>
<category>movies</category>
<link>http://wonderwall.msn.com/movies/mendes-recreates-video-leafblower-effect-on-tv-1527516.story</link>
<description><![CDATA[Eva Mendes recreated her windswept look in the new Har Mar Superstar video on late-night TV in America on Monday (23Nov09) - with the help of a leafblower.The sexy actress appears to be taking a full-on gust in the face in the Tall Boy promo and she told comedian George Lopez the effect was created by garden equipment.
  She told the chat show host, &amp;quot;This video was shot for no money, so when you don&amp;#039;t have money... you gotta get creative. To get this cool special effect we, basically, used a leafblower.&amp;quot;
  Lopez learned about the story before the show and had a leafblower backstage. The actress switched it on and pointed it in the host&amp;#039;s face to recreate the video effect.]]></description>
<pubDate>Tue, 24 Nov 2009 17:31:50 PST</pubDate>
<source>WENN</source>
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<title><![CDATA[Kid Rock still blames Creed star for sex tape shocker]]></title>
<category>movies</category>
<link>http://wonderwall.msn.com/movies/kid-rock-still-blames-creed-star-for-sex-tape-shocker-1527507.story</link>
<description><![CDATA[Kid Rock has never forgiven former pal Scott Stapp for not destroying the 1999 sex tape that came back to haunt them in 2006.The Creed singer shot home video footage of himself and Rock, real name Robert Ritchie, cavorting with strippers in the latter&amp;#039;s trailer backstage at a Metallica show - and immediately regretted keeping hold of the tape after it was stolen and released online three years ago.
  He tells Spin.com that the blunder cost him his friendship with Kid Rock.
  He explains, &amp;quot;What sucks about that is Bob and I were friends. He&amp;#039;d been over to my house and we jammed and hung out. We were in Tampa playing with Metallica, and I walked into his trailer and there were some strippers. It&amp;#039;s a time in his life and a time in my life that we&amp;#039;d like to put behind us and not publicise because we have children now, and they&amp;#039;re in school, and their friends read.
  &amp;quot;I know he was pretty p**sed off at me when that (video) came out. We haven&amp;#039;t sat down face to face. I did apologise to him that I didn&amp;#039;t just burn that thing. I thought that was a skeleton in the closet that would never find the light of day.&amp;quot;
  But Stapp insists the video isn&amp;#039;t as shocking as some have suggested it is: &amp;quot;Well, there&amp;#039;s no sex on the sex tape. For it to get characterised that way, I mean, that kind of sucks.&amp;quot;]]></description>
<pubDate>Tue, 24 Nov 2009 17:31:50 PST</pubDate>
<source>WENN</source>
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<title><![CDATA[Parents group insists Lambert cancellation is an 'overreaction']]></title>
<category>movies</category>
<link>http://wonderwall.msn.com/movies/parents-group-insists-lambert-cancellation-is-an-overreaction-1527505.story</link>
<description><![CDATA[Officials at the U.S. parental advocacy group upset by gay star Adam Lambert&amp;#039;s shocking American Music Awards performance on Sunday (22Nov09) have accused TV bosses who axed the American Idol star from a TV breakfast show of overreacting.ABC heads chose to scrap Lambert&amp;#039;s live performance on Good Morning America on Wednesday morning (25Nov09), fearing his shocking three-song set would be inappropriate for breakfast TV viewers after the singer stunned America with a risque, sexually-charged finale at the AMAs.
  But Dan Isett, spokesman for standards organisation Parents Television Council, insists the TV executives have been too harsh on the talent show star.
  He says, &amp;quot;I do think it&amp;rsquo;s a little bit unfortunate... The idea that he should be scrubbed from TV completely is not where we&amp;rsquo;re going. It may be a bit of an overreaction on ABC&amp;rsquo;s part.&amp;quot;
  And Isett insists his organisation was simply upset because the powers that be didn&amp;#039;t censor Lambert&amp;#039;s AMAs live performance, which was heavily edited when it aired three hours later on America&amp;#039;s west coast.
  He adds, &amp;quot;The important thing is that networks have the easy ability to air on a delay to prevent this sort of thing.&amp;quot;
  The PTC officials complained to ABC bosses, who aired the awards ceremony, stating they were sickened by Lambert&amp;#039;s &amp;quot;simulated sex and other demeaning behaviour&amp;quot; on the show. ABC bosses received over 1,500 complaints about Lambert&amp;#039;s provocative performance.
  But ABC TV executives loss is rival network CBS&amp;#039; gain - Lambert will perform live on that channel&amp;#039;s The Early Show.
  The singer was billed to pre-tape a performance for the show after his ABC appearance; he&amp;#039;ll now play live.
  Lambert will also appear on The Late Show With David Letterman on Wednesday night (25Nov09), when he&amp;#039;ll sing his Pink-penned song Whataya Want From Me. That performance was taped on Monday (23Nov09).]]></description>
<pubDate>Tue, 24 Nov 2009 17:31:50 PST</pubDate>
<source>WENN</source>
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<title><![CDATA[Richie still bedbound following pneumonia scare]]></title>
<category>movies</category>
<link>http://wonderwall.msn.com/movies/richie-still-bedbound-following-pneumonia-scare-1527513.story</link>
<description><![CDATA[Nicole Richie is still bedbound at home in Los Angeles as she recovers from her pneumonia scare.The socialite checked herself into Cedars-Sinai Medical Center last week (begs16Nov09) after struggling to shake off what she thought was a cold.
  Her boyfriend, Joel Madden, announced on Twitter.com the star was back at home, but several days later, Richie has revealed she&amp;#039;s still struggling to get her health back on track - and she&amp;#039;s crediting her fans&amp;#039; support for helping her through.
  Taking to her online blog, Richie writes &amp;quot;Right now it&amp;#039;s important for me to stay in bed and recover. Reading all of your messages on Twitter and my website has really brightened my spirits and I am so grateful for the support. I look forward to seeing you all very soon and wish you a happy Thanksgiving. I&amp;rsquo;d like to thank you all for the kind words and well wishes over the past few weeks.&amp;quot;]]></description>
<pubDate>Tue, 24 Nov 2009 17:31:50 PST</pubDate>
<source>WENN</source>
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<title><![CDATA[Rihanna laughing off bisexual rumours]]></title>
<category>movies</category>
<link>http://wonderwall.msn.com/movies/rihanna-laughing-off-bisexual-rumours-1527506.story</link>
<description><![CDATA[R&amp;amp;B star Rihanna is unfazed by rumours alleging she&amp;#039;s a closet bisexual after saucy photos surfaced online depicting the singer groping a female friend.The Umbrella beauty famously dated fellow pop star Chris Brown for two years, before their relationship came crashing to an end when he beat her up in February (09).
  She has repeatedly denied reports romantically linking her to rapper Drake and actor Tristan Wilds, declaring she was not yet ready to date.
  But temporarily swearing off men has only reignited allegations she&amp;#039;s secretly harbouring a love for women, which have been circulating the internet since images of Rihanna getting wild with pals surfaced online in January (09).
  One picture showed Rihanna fondling the breasts of a gal pal - but the 21 year old has laughed off the saucy snap, insisting she&amp;#039;s just a big flirt who appreciates the female form.
  She tells New York DJ Angie Martinez, &amp;quot;There are tons of them (photos of her grabbing boobs) online! I don&amp;#039;t have a lot so anytime I see a good rack (pair of breasts), I grab &amp;#039;em. Women are beautiful. I&amp;#039;m not into them, but they&amp;#039;re beautiful. Girls just wanna have fun!&amp;quot;]]></description>
<pubDate>Tue, 24 Nov 2009 17:31:50 PST</pubDate>
<source>WENN</source>
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<title><![CDATA[Rihanna not happy with Brown's confidantes]]></title>
<category>movies</category>
<link>http://wonderwall.msn.com/movies/rihanna-not-happy-with-browns-confidantes-1527504.story</link>
<description><![CDATA[Rihanna has hit out at confidantes of her ex-boyfriend Chris Brown after they took to the internet to criticise her for telling all about their volatile relationship in an explosive TV interview.The Umbrella hitmaker opened up for the first time about Brown&amp;#039;s February (09) attack on her earlier this month (Nov09) in a revealing discussion with broadcaster Diane Sawyer.
  Rihanna revealed how Brown &amp;quot;blacked out&amp;quot; as his punches rained down on her, adding, &amp;quot;It wasn&amp;#039;t the same person that says I love you. It was not those... eyes. He had no soul in his eyes - just blank.&amp;quot;
  Her candid chat infuriated Brown&amp;#039;s associates and dancer pals, and many turned to Twitter.com to defend the Kiss Kiss singer and accuse Rihanna of lying for the cameras.
  One dancer wrote, &amp;quot;I wish dancers can speak about things that really go on! Let me just say, Chris Brown was pushed to the extreme!&amp;quot;
  Another confidante added, &amp;quot;Shame on Rihanna.&amp;quot;
  But Rihanna was shocked to learn who had written the online posts - because she used to call them friends too.
  She tells New York DJ Angie Martinez, &amp;quot;I saw it. It tricked me out (angered her) because I know a few of them.&amp;quot;
  The Bajan beauty insists she only sought to break the taboo surrounding domestic violence by talking so openly about the bust-up - and she&amp;#039;s upset Brown&amp;#039;s confidantes misinterpreted her comments as an attack on her ex.
  She says, &amp;quot;I kinda expected it (backlash). They think that I&amp;#039;ve got an agenda to destroy his career. That interview was solely to do with inspiring these young girls and providing a voice for them so they can have something to hold onto.&amp;quot;
  Brown pleaded guilty to beating Rihanna and recently started a five-year community service sentence. He was also ordered to stay at least 100 yards away from his ex for the next five years.]]></description>
<pubDate>Tue, 24 Nov 2009 17:31:50 PST</pubDate>
<source>WENN</source>
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<title><![CDATA[Sade returns in time for Valentine's Day]]></title>
<category>movies</category>
<link>http://wonderwall.msn.com/movies/sade-returns-in-time-for-valentines-day-1527512.story</link>
<description><![CDATA[Sade is set to give fans a St. Valentine&amp;#039;s Day (14Feb) treat next year (10) by releasing her first album of new material since 2000 just before the most romantic day of the year.The Smooth Operator hitmaker returned to the studio in June (09) and the comeback album was completed last month (Oct09), according to Billboard.com.
  It will feature a guest spot from Sade&amp;#039;s Sony labelmate Maxwell.]]></description>
<pubDate>Tue, 24 Nov 2009 17:31:50 PST</pubDate>
<source>WENN</source>
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<title><![CDATA[Reed upsets neighbours with Adele problem]]></title>
<category>movies</category>
<link>http://wonderwall.msn.com/movies/reed-upsets-neighbours-with-adele-problem-1527517.story</link>
<description><![CDATA[Twilight star Nikki Reed has an Adele problem - she loves playing the British singer&amp;#039;s music at full blast and annoying her neighbours.The actress admits she&amp;#039;s &amp;quot;obsessed&amp;quot; with the Chasing Pavements singer and can&amp;#039;t resist the urge to turn her up when she&amp;#039;s at home.
  She tells Spin.com, &amp;quot;The great thing about Adele is if you put her on top volume, you actually sound like her while you&amp;#039;re singing. I&amp;#039;ve gotten a few complaints from the neighbours.&amp;quot;
  But Reed has no plans to perfect her Adele routine in karaoke bars: &amp;quot;I don&amp;#039;t drink, and karaoke is something you should only do drunk.&amp;quot;]]></description>
<pubDate>Tue, 24 Nov 2009 17:31:50 PST</pubDate>
<source>WENN</source>
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<title><![CDATA[Washington civil rights concert tops greatest gigs poll]]></title>
<category>movies</category>
<link>http://wonderwall.msn.com/movies/washington-civil-rights-concert-tops-greatest-gigs-poll-1527511.story</link>
<description><![CDATA[The March on Washington event in 1963, featuring Bob Dylan, Joan Baez and folk icon Pete Seeger, has beaten The Beatles&amp;#039; Ed Sullivan shows and Dylan&amp;#039;s controversial Newport Folk Festival gig to top a list of America&amp;#039;s greatest concerts in the past 50 years.Elvis Presley&amp;#039;s NBC TV special in 1968, The Beatles at Shea Stadium, the Sex Pistols final show in San Francisco, California and Jimi Hendrix&amp;#039;s show-stealing performance at Woodstock also made the top 10 in Relix magazine&amp;#039;s poll.
  Editor Josh Baron admits the number one choice might not be obvious to music fans, but the Washington, D.C. civil rights event and gig was &amp;quot;our country&amp;#039;s greatest (concerts).&amp;quot;
  He adds, &amp;quot;While it is a day most remembered for profound speeches... music had a significant voice that day too.&amp;quot;
  The highlight of the civil rights event was Martin Luther King Jr&amp;#039;s stirring &amp;#039;I Have a Dream&amp;#039; speech.]]></description>
<pubDate>Tue, 24 Nov 2009 17:31:50 PST</pubDate>
<source>WENN</source>
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<title><![CDATA['American Idol' Returns in January]]></title>
<category>movies</category>
<link>http://wonderwall.msn.com/movies/american-idol-returns-in-january-1527518.story</link>
<description><![CDATA[
FOX announced its 2009-2010 mid-season schedule today.
January starts off on a high note when the ninth season of &amp;quot;American Idol&amp;quot; -- television's No. 1 series -- begins with a two-night premiere Tuesday, Jan. 12 at 8 p.m. and Wednesday, Jan. 13 at 8 p.m.
Also returning in January is the action-thriller &amp;quot;24,&amp;quot; starring Keifer Sutherland as Jack Bauer. &amp;quot;24&amp;quot; clocks in with a two-night, four-hour premiere beginning on Sunday, Jan. 17 at 9 p.m. and concluding on Monday, Jan. 18 at 8 p.m. on FOX.
Related stories:&amp;nbsp;Simon Cowell and Leona Lewis Dish on New Music&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;Who is the Highest Earning Man in Primetime?&amp;nbsp;]]></description>
<pubDate>Tue, 24 Nov 2009 17:27:00 PST</pubDate>
<source>Entertainment Tonight</source>
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<title><![CDATA[Regular series key Nielsen win for CBS]]></title>
<category>movies</category>
<link>http://wonderwall.msn.com/movies/regular-series-key-nielsen-win-for-cbs-1527502.story</link>
<description><![CDATA[NEW YORK (AP) -- CBS flexed its strength in scripted series to sail to the top of the weekly television standings. Ten of the 11 most popular dramas or comedies in prime-time TV were CBS shows. The Nielsen Co. says the lone exception was ABC's "Grey's Anatomy." Leading the way, as it has most of this season, was CBS' Tuesday night powerhouse "NCIS." Keeping ABC close last week was "Dancing With the Stars." Its ratings have been down with this crop of dancers, but it is approaching the end of a competition, so last week it was the second most popular show. The "American Music Awards" grew its audience for the third consecutive year. ]]></description>
<pubDate>Tue, 24 Nov 2009 17:17:46 PST</pubDate>
<source>The Associated Press</source>
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<title><![CDATA[Capsule reviews: `The Road,' `Old Dogs' and others]]></title>
<category>movies</category>
<link>http://wonderwall.msn.com/movies/capsule-reviews-the-road-old-dogs-and-others-1527503.story</link>
<description><![CDATA[Capsule reviews of films opening this week: "Me and Orson Welles" — In Richard Linklater's adaptation of the historical fiction novel by Robert Kaplow, our view of the great, charismatic director and thespian isn't straight on, but sideways. We see Welles (Christian McKay) from the perspective of an aspiring teenager, Richard Samuels (Zac Efron), who lands a bit part in Welles' 1937 production of Shakespeare's "Julius Caesar" at the Mercury Theatre in New York. Fame is imminent for Welles, and he knows it. Richard passionately wants to be around theater, movies and music: It's a picture of the artist as a young heartthrob. Though Efron's fly on-the-wall performance is effortless and confident, it also lacks heft. McKay, a previously unknown British theater actor, has Welles down pat: the ever-shifting eyebrows, the sonorous, arch baritone, the "old man." Though this brisk, amiable film revels in the backstage banter and ramshackle rehearsals of a theater company coming to life, it fails to heed Welles' own advice: "Make 'em sweat." PG-13 for sexual references and smoking. 114 minutes. Two and a half stars out of four. — Jake Coyle, AP Entertainment Writer ——— "Ninja Assassin" — When considering the meager merits of this blood-splattered bone-snapper, it's best to remember the words of John Goodman's PC-challenged character in "The Big Lebowski": "The man in the black pajamas, Dude. Worthy ... adversary." The makers of "Ninja Assassin" want to make those words real and rescue the ninja from the province of turtles. They have a funny way of paying respect to the sword-wielding saboteurs, though. Director James McTeigue ("V for Vendetta") is clearly more interested in spraying geysers of digital blood than in establishing the ninja as a foe to be taken seriously. Another problem: Since the movie's ninjas only come out in the dark, the fight scenes are murky and almost impossible to follow. No worthy adversaries here. Korean pop star Rain and Naomie Harris lead the cast of the movie, which centers on a rogue hit man who betrays his clan of assassins. R for strong bloody stylized violence throughout, and language. 99 minutes. One and a half stars out of four. — Glenn Whipp, For The Associated Press ——— "Old Dogs" — In case anyone in the audience isn't sure when to cackle, coo, snicker or sigh, the makers of this dead stray of a family comedy have provided a handy on-screen prompt. It's an old dog, reacting with grunts of canine confusion or curiosity over the antics of Robin Williams and John Travolta. Director Walt Becker cuts away to the pooch, the aging pet of Travolta's character, so often that maybe the dog should have shared top billing in this rubbish about middle-aged buddies caring for young twins one of them never knew he fathered. After ham-fisted flashbacks chronicling Williams' whirlwind romance with a woman played by Kelly Preston, Travolta's real-life wife, the movie stumbles from one clumsy anecdotal sketch to the next as she dumps the surprise 7-year-olds (one played by Travolta and Preston's daughter) on the guys. A real family affair for Travolta, but not for the rest of us. PG for some mild rude humor. 89 minutes. One and a half stars out of four. — David Germain, AP Movie Writer ——— "The Princess and the Frog" — The spirit of Walt Disney lives on in this return to hand-drawn animation by the studio that pioneered the art form. Disney has gone back to its roots with a fresh, funny retelling of a classic fairy tale. This isn't the second coming of "Beauty and the Beast" or "The Lion King." It's just plain pleasant, an old-fashioned charmer that's not straining to be the next glib animated compendium of pop-culture flotsam. Updating the Brothers Grimm tale "The Frog Prince" to the Louisiana bayou in the 1920s, the film centers on a waitress (voiced by Anika Noni Rose) whose dream of opening her own restaurant is sidetracked when she encounters a smooth-talking prince (Bruno Campos) transformed into a frog. Directors Ron Clements and John Musker ("The Little Mermaid") deliver a satisfying gumbo of snappy dialogue, lovable characters, bright-hued images and toe-tapping tunes by Randy Newman, all of it spiced up with just the right touch of voodoo peril. G. 95 minutes. Three stars out of four. — David Germain, AP Movie Writer ——— "The Road" — Director John Hillcoat's adaptation of Cormac McCarthy's Pulitzer Prize-winning novel strives to stay close to the book, but it fails to translate its essence and somehow feels more dreary than it should — which is saying something for a story about the apocalypse. Despite its end-of-the-world setting — an ashen wasteland dotted by marauding cannibals — McCarthy's book is, at heart, a father-son parable. We know them only as The Man (Viggo Mortenson) and The Boy (Kodi Smit-McPhee). Hillcoat's film feels altogether uncertain, unable to find the scene-to-scene drama of their tenuous survival. Our dominant impression of the Man is his morbidity; Mortensen, a fine actor, doesn't evoke the weighty, terse steadfastness of the Man. Adapting a masterpiece such as "The Road" is a thankless task, but the film doesn't work on its own merits. "The Road" should reverberate with the most central questions of life and death, hope and despair. Rated R for some violence, disturbing images and language. 113 minutes. Two stars out of four. — Jake Coyle, AP Entertainment Writer ]]></description>
<pubDate>Tue, 24 Nov 2009 17:11:30 PST</pubDate>
<source>The Associated Press</source>
</item>
<item>
<title><![CDATA[Review: `Old Dogs' proves a mangy mongrel]]></title>
<category>movies</category>
<link>http://wonderwall.msn.com/movies/review-old-dogs-proves-a-mangy-mongrel-1527501.story</link>
<description><![CDATA[In case anyone in the audience isn't sure when to cackle, coo, snicker or sigh, the makers of "Old Dogs" have provided a handy on-screen prompt. It's an old dog, shown in closeup, reacting with little grunts of canine confusion or curiosity over the antics of Robin Williams and John Travolta in this dead stray of a family comedy. Director Walt Becker cuts away to the pooch, the aging pet of Travolta's character, again and again. So often, in fact, that maybe Sebastian, the 9-year-old dog playing the creaky old pet, should have shared top billing with Travolta and Williams in this rubbish about middle-aged buddies caring for young twins one of them never knew he fathered. At some point, you half expect to hear the dog's thoughts, like the yammering pets in "Look Who's Talking Now," the last in Travolta's talking-baby series (a movie franchise that seems like Preston Sturges compared to this). Whatever the old dog might want to say, it's bound to have been more interesting than anything uttered by the two-legged creatures in "Old Dogs." Becker, who scored a hit working with Travolta on 2007's dumb but inoffensive "Wild Hogs," takes things down a notch or two for "Old Dogs." Travolta plays swinging bachelor Charlie to Williams' mopey Dan, pals since childhood who run a successful sports-marketing agency. The movie opens with a flurry of ham-fisted flashbacks as Charlie inexplicably starts a crucial business meeting by chronicling Dan's whirlwind marriage to Vicki (Kelly Preston, Travolta's real-life wife) seven years earlier. Dan and Vicki split immediately, but the brief marriage resulted in twins (Conner Rayburn and Ella Bleu Travolta, Preston and Travolta's daughter). With Charlie and Dan caught up in negotiations for the biggest deal of their careers, Vicki arrives needing to stash the kids with their dad for two weeks while she's off doing jail time for a political protest. Will the parentally inept Dan prove he can be a dad to his twins? Will the kids' shenanigans foul up Charlie and Dan's big deal? Will their friendship survive the strain, will business or family win out? Will Sebastian ever speak his mind? We all know the answers before the movie starts. The fun is supposed to be in getting there, but "Old Dogs" is no fun whatsoever, just a collection of stale kibble. Working from a screenplay by David Diamond and David Weissman, Becker offers bad gags about doggie incontinence, golfballs to the groin and repetitive jokes about people mistaking Travolta and Williams as grandparents. The physical humor is crude and often cruel, a hand model's precious digits mashed by a car trunk, a Frisbee football game that gives way to mean-spirited elbows and crushing tackles. A family affair for Travolta, the movie also serves up a couple of his siblings among a group of incredibly annoying singing waiters and waitresses (yeah, singing waiters are supposed to be annoying; doesn't make them funny, though). Emitting falsetto shrieks much of the time, Seth Green makes a nuisance of himself as Dan and Charlie's protege, while Lori Loughlin just simpers along as a translator that wolfish Charlie hits on. Matt Dillon, Ann-Margret and the late Bernie Mac turn up in succession as "Old Dogs" stumbles from one clumsy anecdotal sketch to the next. Luis Guzman and Dax Shepard appear in terribly unfunny bits as feuding child-proofers, though luckily for them, both actors are unbilled, so they can avoid their share of the blame for this mess. Travolta and Williams truly put some energy into their characters, but there's nothing there for them to play. "Old Dogs" is so empty-headed, all they can do is put on goofy, sometimes creepy, faces and try to make observations about their aging bodies sound amusing. We understand that actors want to keep busy, they want to work with people they admire, they have to do commercial projects to buy the Hollywood goodwill to film those small, artsy things they REALLY want to make. And of course, they do want to make lots of money. But come on, guys. Did the family dog eat all the other big studio scripts you had piled by your bedsides, leaving only this poo to thumb through? If Sebastian could talk, even he might say, "I need a better agent." "Old Dogs," a Walt Disney Pictures release, is rated PG for some mild rude humor. Running time: 89 minutes. One and a half stars out of four. ——— Motion Picture Association of America rating definitions: G — General audiences. All ages admitted. PG — Parental guidance suggested. Some material may not be suitable for children. PG-13 — Special parental guidance strongly suggested for children under 13. Some material may be inappropriate for young children. R — Restricted. Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian. NC-17 — No one under 17 admitted. ]]></description>
<pubDate>Tue, 24 Nov 2009 17:07:09 PST</pubDate>
<source>The Associated Press</source>
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<item>
<title><![CDATA[Fox releases January return dates for 'Idol,' '24']]></title>
<category>movies</category>
<link>http://wonderwall.msn.com/movies/fox-releases-january-return-dates-for-idol-24-1527500.story</link>
<description><![CDATA[NEW YORK (AP) -- Fox network is unveiling big plans for January. They include bringing back "American Idol" with a two-night season premiere Jan. 12 and 13. Then the network starts the clock ticking for a new season of its suspense drama "24" with a two-night, four-hour event airing Jan. 17 and 18. Before all that, Fox honors "The Simpsons" on Jan. 10. The night starts with the 450th episode of the animated series. Bart and his pal Milhouse try to kelp kids' show host Krusty the Clown regain his popularity after network executives force him to hire a female sidekick. That episode will be followed by a one-hour retrospective documentary, "The Simpsons 20th Anniversary Special." ]]></description>
<pubDate>Tue, 24 Nov 2009 16:27:11 PST</pubDate>
<source>The Associated Press</source>
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<title><![CDATA['Dancing with the Stars' to crown new champ]]></title>
<category>movies</category>
<link>http://wonderwall.msn.com/movies/dancing-with-the-stars-to-crown-new-champ-1527499.story</link>
<description><![CDATA[NEW YORK (AP) -- Mya, Danny Osmond and Kelly Osbourne will soon find out who is the new champion of "Dancing with the Stars." The winner will be chosen Tuesday evening in the two-hour finale of the ninth season of the ABC show. The singer Mya scored 87 out of 90 points in her three dances Monday with professional partner Dmitry Chaplin. Osmond finished second with 85 points, and Osbourne landed in third with 76 points. It's been an eventful season for the show. Most notable was former Congressman Tom DeLay's brief appearance. He withdrew from the competition in the program's third week. ABC can expect high ratings for Tuesday's finale. Last week's results show attracted an audience of 16.2 million. The gymnast Shawn Johnson won last season's "Dancing with the Stars." ]]></description>
<pubDate>Tue, 24 Nov 2009 16:08:42 PST</pubDate>
<source>The Associated Press</source>
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<title><![CDATA[Taylor Lautner: "I feel like I have lived as Jacob"]]></title>
<category>movies</category>
<link>http://wonderwall.msn.com/movies/taylor-lautner-i-feel-like-i-have-lived-as-jacob-1527488.story</link>
<description><![CDATA[By Michelle LanzIn the first "Twilight" film, Taylor Lautner's Jacob character was just a skinny kid in a bad wig. But the 17-year-old returns in the sequel "New Moon" as a buff, swoon-worthy heartthrob who has Twi-hards asking, "Edward who?"Now a bona fide star, Taylor graces the December issue of Rolling Stone and opens up about playing Jacob, what's going on between him and Taylor Swift and what he was like in high school.On how "Twilight" has changed his life:"This could have happened to anybody who played Jacob. I was just lucky enough to be the one that has the opportunity. I'm so grateful. It's 'Twilight.' It's not me personally."RELATED: See the rest of Taylor's hot pics from Rolling StoneOn his high school experience:"I definitely hope I was never the bully. I was never extremely confident. Because I was acting, when I was in school there was a little bullying going on. Not physical bullying, but people making fun of what I do...I just had to tell myself I can't let this get to me. This is what I love to do. And I'm going to continue doing it."RELATED VIDEO: Check out the behind-the-scenes footage of Taylor's cover shootOn not being promiscuous:Yeah, I would need to know the person. I'm really big about, like, commitment. Loyalty is a major thing for me."RELATED: See the online exclusive Q&amp;A with Taylor LautnerOn whether he and Taylor Swift dated:"We got along great. We instantly clicked. And she's ... she's an amazing girl. Aside from being beautiful, she's extremely funny, charismatic and fun to be around, so we definitely got along. We're close."RELATED: See more pics of Taylor LautnerOn whether he's tried cocaine:"A line of cocaine?! No. I've never done any drug."RELATED: Check out our "New Moon" premiere arrivals galleryOn his "Twilight" character Jacob's frustration with Bella (played by Kristen Stewart):"If I was Jacob, and I feel like I have lived as him, it gets so annoying. Because she's in the car with you one moment, about ready to kiss you and then leaves with Edward. And then she's back with you, you know?"RELATED VIDEO: See zealous fans pack the 'New Moon' premiereOn the next chapter of the "Twilight" series:"'Eclipse' was actually my favorite of the series. It's the height of the love triangle. I think it's going to be good. That tent scene is the biggest thing possible. She's cold and I'm hot so [since vampires are cold], are you going to let me crawl in the sleeping bag with her, or are you just going to let her die?"]]></description>
<pubDate>Tue, 24 Nov 2009 15:40:53 PST</pubDate>
<source>WonderWall</source>
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<title><![CDATA[Celebritweets: Pigging Out Edition]]></title>
<category>movies</category>
<link>http://wonderwall.msn.com/movies/celebritweets-giving-thanks-edition-5321.gallery</link>
<description><![CDATA[Taylor Swift scarfs a whole basket of mini muffins and more food-related tweets.]]></description>
<pubDate>Tue, 24 Nov 2009 15:33:19 PST</pubDate>
<source>Wonderwall</source>
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<title><![CDATA[Perez Hilton wrongly impregnates Nicole Kidman]]></title>
<category>movies</category>
<link>http://wonderwall.msn.com/movies/perez-hilton-wrongly-impregnates-nicole-kidman-1527492.story</link>
<description><![CDATA[ 
 (PerezHilton.com)
Perez Hilton blocks Gossip Cop on Twitter because he’s so afraid of us and our fact-checking ways.
Well, “Cop Blocker” Hilton has once again employed his fertile imagination and, unbeknownst to Nicole Kidman, impregnated her.
Last night, Hilton wrote that &amp;#8220;Kidman looked like she was sharing a baby secret… as she held her protruding belly and a finger up to her lips!”
He added, “She is glowing!”
Guess what? Like Halle Berry, Penelope Cruz, Katherine Heigl and countless other stars who Dr. Hilton claimed were pregnant, Kidman is also NOT expecting.
A rep for the actress assured Gossip Cop that Hilton’s guesswork was “not true.”
Since we don&amp;#8217;t block anyone, you can follow us @GossipCop on Twitter for the most accurate celebrity reporting, or check us out at GossipCop.com for updates!
]]></description>
<pubDate>Tue, 24 Nov 2009 15:28:39 PST</pubDate>
<source>GossipCop</source>
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<title><![CDATA[Jim Brochu recreates a funny, volatile Zero Mostel]]></title>
<category>movies</category>
<link>http://wonderwall.msn.com/movies/jim-brochu-recreates-a-funny-volatile-zero-mostel-1527491.story</link>
<description><![CDATA[NEW YORK (AP) -- Comedian and actor Zero Mostel was a very funny and at times very angry man, known for his loyal friendship and volatile personality. Actor Jim Brochu has created a very funny, at times very angry one-man play, "The Zero Hour," in which he captures the essence of Mostel while revisiting a dark period in American history. Directed by three-time Academy Award nominee Piper Laurie, the humor-laden yet thoughtful production is now playing off-Broadway at the Theatre at St. Clement's. Whether sitting at a table or hurling himself around a re-creation of Mostel's beloved watercolor-painting studio, Brochu gives an enthusiastic, unrestrained performance as the outsize, opinionated, triple Tony Award-winning actor. He looks uncannily like Mostel, complete with weirdly forward-combed hair, bulging eyes and a wide range of expressive stares and wild gesticulation. With wonderful comedic timing, Brochu covers highlights of Mostel's life by having his character give an often intense, occasionally true interview to an unseen, unheard newspaper reporter. Brochu repeats the question, then launches into his version of the answer. The dialogue is peppered with well-timed jokes and near-constant humor. But Brochu also depicts Mostel's serious outrage at the U.S. House of Representatives' Un-American Activities Committee hearings in the early 1950s. The hearings resulted in blacklisting people, primarily in the performing arts, after they were named by others — truthfully or not — as having been communists. Brochu's Mostel tells emotion-laden stories about friends whose careers and lives were ruined by the blacklist, which meant they couldn't get work. He bitterly discusses some individuals who ratted on friends and colleagues, caustically referring to the man who named him, along with more than a 150 other people, as "the Babe Ruth of stool pigeons." In the play, Mostel characterizes the HUAC hearings as a government-sponsored attempt to eradicate the influence of Jewish artists, writers and directors on the general public. Mostel rhetorically asks the reporter, "Why were they targeting actors? Did they think we were giving acting secrets to the enemy?" Although Brochu has said the play is a tribute to Mostel, he doesn't hesitate to show the darker side of his complex subject. While Mostel speaks lovingly to the reporter about his wife, Kate, he yells nonsense at her and slams down the phone whenever she telephones him during this interview. He addresses the reporter's inquiry about him being difficult to work with by telling backstage stories about the films and plays he worked on, citing instances in which he was, in fact, difficult — airily explaining how his repeated failures to "stick to the script" improved things. When the reporter yet again questions his version of history, Mostel demands incredulously, "You're asking an actor for the truth?" Zero Mostel died suddenly at age 62 in 1977. Brochu's living restoration has brought Mostel's larger-than-life personality back into the spotlight for a laugh-filled, much-welcomed presentation. "The Zero Hour" runs through Jan. 31. ]]></description>
<pubDate>Tue, 24 Nov 2009 15:11:58 PST</pubDate>
<source>The Associated Press</source>
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<item>
<title><![CDATA[Gossip Cop breaks up Nikki Reed engagement rumor]]></title>
<category>movies</category>
<link>http://wonderwall.msn.com/movies/gossip-cop-breaks-up-nikki-reed-engagement-rumor-1527493.story</link>
<description><![CDATA[ 
(GettyImages.com)
“’New Moon’ star Nikki Reed is honeymoon bound,” reports the National Enquirer.
The weekly says, “The gorgeous actress recently said yes to boyfriend Paris Latsis’ marriage proposal – and the two are telling pals they owe their engagement to his ex-girlfriend” Paris Hilton.
Part of that is true – Reed is gorgeous.
As for the other stuff, a so-called “friend” says, “If Paris Hilton hadn’t dumped [Latsis], he and Nikki might have never met.”
Possibly, but while the article claims they “are planning a mid-2010 wedding in Greece,” where the shipping heir’s family is from, it does not provide one single detail about how he popped the question.
Gossip Cop contacted a source close to Reed, who told us it&amp;#8217;s “not true” they&amp;#8217;re engaged.
As for down the road, it could happen – Latisis was quick to put a ring on it when he dated Hilton.
Follow @GossipCop on Twitter for the most accurate celebrity reporting, and check GossipCop.com for updates!
]]></description>
<pubDate>Tue, 24 Nov 2009 14:55:54 PST</pubDate>
<source>GossipCop</source>
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<item>
<title><![CDATA[See What Lisa Rinna Looks Like Without Any Makeup]]></title>
<category>movies</category>
<link>http://wonderwall.msn.com/movies/see-what-lisa-rinna-looks-like-without-any-makeup-1527494.story</link>
<description><![CDATA[Lisa Rinna is known for glamming it up on the red carpet.
But the actress, 46, wanted to give fans a glimpse of what she looks like when she's not in front of the camera.
See what Lisa Rinna looks like in a bikini
So she's posted a photo of herself - without any makeup on!
"This is what it looks like before beauty team arrives," she Twittered Monday. "Just keepin it real ppl!"
See why Lisa Rinna and these other stars made Us' "skimpiest bikinis of all time" slideshow
Earlier this year, Rinna expressed regret over getting so much plastic surgery.
Check out these shocking celeb makeovers
She told the web site momlogic.com that she "overdid" it by getting dermal filler injection Juvederm in her cheeks.
See more plastic surgery nightmares!
"When you change your face, you don't look like yourself," she said. "Looking fresher is one thing. I look like a freak! I always said I wouldn't change my face, but I did it."Get more Us! Follow us on Twitter, Friend us on Facebook, Subscribe to Us Weekly]]></description>
<pubDate>Tue, 24 Nov 2009 14:45:45 PST</pubDate>
<source>USMagazine</source>
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<title><![CDATA[Undressed! for Nov. 24]]></title>
<category>movies</category>
<link>http://wonderwall.msn.com/movies/undressed-for-nov-24-5299.gallery</link>
<description><![CDATA[Kim's cup is half-full and other celebrity fashion catastrophes in this edition of Undressed!]]></description>
<pubDate>Tue, 24 Nov 2009 14:37:05 PST</pubDate>
<source>Wonderwall</source>
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<title><![CDATA[Boys Like Girls to Perform at Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade]]></title>
<category>movies</category>
<link>http://wonderwall.msn.com/movies/boys-like-girls-to-perform-at-macys-thanksgiving-day-parade-1527483.story</link>
<description><![CDATA[The band Boys Like Girls may not be a household name just yet, but they're hoping that after performing on Thursday at Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, they will be.
Find out what your favorite stars should be thankful for this Thanksgiving!
The band will sing their latest single, "Two is Better Than One," in NYC Thursday. The song features country crooner Taylor Swift, 19, in what was the first time she has ever contributed vocals to another artist.
Boys Like Girls will also appear on the Today Show Thursday morning and will perform on ABC's The View on Dec. 8.
See photos of today's top news stories
The band is currently on a U.S. headlining tour with Cobra Starship.Get more Us! Follow us on Twitter, Friend us on Facebook, Subscribe to Us Weekly]]></description>
<pubDate>Tue, 24 Nov 2009 14:18:35 PST</pubDate>
<source>USMagazine</source>
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<item>
<title><![CDATA[John Mayer on pop music: "I'm not exactly Bob Dylan"]]></title>
<category>music</category>
<link>http://wonderwall.msn.com/music/john-mayer-on-pop-music-im-not-exactly-bob-dylan-5327.gallery</link>
<description><![CDATA[John Mayer talks about his music, his haters , and his ex-lovers in the latest Details.]]></description>
<pubDate>Tue, 24 Nov 2009 14:12:37 PST</pubDate>
<source>Wonderwall</source>
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<title><![CDATA[Jolie &amp; Depp set for steamy shower sex scene in The Tourist?]]></title>
<category>movies</category>
<link>http://wonderwall.msn.com/movies/jolie-depp-set-for-steamy-shower-sex-scene-in-the-tourist-1527475.story</link>
<description><![CDATA[Brad Pitt might want to give his partner Angelina Jolie&amp;#039;s next movie a miss as it features a steamy shower sex scene with People magazine&amp;#039;s new Sexiest Man Alive, Johnny Depp.Pitt and Jolie first fell in love playing husband and wife on the set of 2005 action film Mr. &amp;amp; Mrs. Smith, but their saucy scenes have nothing on what&amp;#039;s planned for Jolie and Depp in upcoming film The Tourist.
  Life &amp;amp; Style magazine has obtained a draft of writer Julian Fellowes&amp;#039; screenplay, and there&amp;#039;s one naked shower encounter between Jolie&amp;#039;s Interpol agent Cara Mason and Frank Taylor, Depp&amp;#039;s character, that is sure to be a major talking point when the film is released.
  The script draft reads, &amp;quot;The outline of her naked body is visible in the shower. Frank walks to the shower and opens the glass door. Walking in, he lifts Cara against the glass, clutching at her slithery body, kissing her frantically. She kisses him back with ardour, wrapping her dripping legs around his back.&amp;quot;
  The script continues, &amp;quot;Cara turns abruptly to Frank and presses her body against his. He&amp;#039;s taken by surprise but willingly responds to her advance, wrapping his arms around her back. They exchange a long, passionate kiss.&amp;quot;
  The film is slated for a 2011 release.]]></description>
<pubDate>Tue, 24 Nov 2009 14:06:50 PST</pubDate>
<source>WENN</source>
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<title><![CDATA[Keys stalled album to land Beyonce duet]]></title>
<category>movies</category>
<link>http://wonderwall.msn.com/movies/keys-stalled-album-to-land-beyonce-duet-1527472.story</link>
<description><![CDATA[Alicia Keys put back the release date of her latest album so she could include a duet with pal Beyonce.The singer/songwriter had initially planned to release The Element of Freedom on 1 December (09), but earlier this month (Nov09), it was mysteriously pushed back to 15 December (09), and now Keys has explained why fans will have to wait two more weeks.
  The album now features duets with Beyonce and newcomer Drake.
  The Beyonce duet, Put It In A Love Song, was not featured in the initial release. Keys&amp;#039; duet with Beyonce&amp;#039;s husband Jay-Z on Empire State of Mind is currently at number one in America.
  Keys is going ahead with a World Aids Day (01Dec09) concert in New York, which was to coincide with the original release date. The event will be streamed live on YouTube.com.]]></description>
<pubDate>Tue, 24 Nov 2009 14:06:50 PST</pubDate>
<source>WENN</source>
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<title><![CDATA[Hudson to shine at state dinner]]></title>
<category>movies</category>
<link>http://wonderwall.msn.com/movies/hudson-to-shine-at-state-dinner-1527469.story</link>
<description><![CDATA[Jennifer Hudson has been revealed as the star guest at U.S. President Barack Obama&amp;#039;s first state dinner on Tuesday night (24Nov09).The American leader and First Lady Michelle Obama will entertain 320 guests at the top-secret function, which is being held on the White House&amp;#039;s South Lawn in Washington, D.C.
  Those dining will include Hollywood heavyweights Steven Spielberg and agent Ari Emanuel - the brother of Obama&amp;#039;s chief of staff, Rahm Emanuel.
  The guest of honour will be India&amp;#039;s Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and his wife.]]></description>
<pubDate>Tue, 24 Nov 2009 14:06:50 PST</pubDate>
<source>WENN</source>
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<title><![CDATA[Chaplin museum set for Switzerland]]></title>
<category>movies</category>
<link>http://wonderwall.msn.com/movies/chaplin-museum-set-for-switzerland-1527478.story</link>
<description><![CDATA[Silent movie icon Charlie Chaplin&amp;#039;s home in Switzerland is to be turned into a museum.The mansion at Corsiersur-Vevey by the shores of Lake Geneva was Chaplin&amp;#039;s last home before his death in 1977. It has been chosen as the site for the museum over the star&amp;#039;s homes in London and Los Angeles.
  His son Michael says, &amp;quot;He was very happy here.&amp;quot;
  The museum, which will feature feature objects from Chaplin&amp;rsquo;s life and career, is expected to open in 2011.]]></description>
<pubDate>Tue, 24 Nov 2009 14:06:50 PST</pubDate>
<source>WENN</source>
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<item>
<title><![CDATA[Crawford was Sand's toyboy lover]]></title>
<category>movies</category>
<link>http://wonderwall.msn.com/movies/crawford-was-sands-toyboy-lover-1527474.story</link>
<description><![CDATA[Model/actress Shauna Sand has confessed to romancing Gossip Girl hunk Chace Crawford when he was a teenager.The actor was an 18-year-old schoolboy when he first met mother-of-three Sand, who is 14 years his senior, at a party in Malibu, California in 2003.
  The pair exchanged numbers and soon embarked on a sexual relationship, reports America&amp;#039;s Star magazine.
  Sand, who separated from her actor husband Lorenzo Lamas in October 2002, admits she wasn&amp;#039;t sure about dating someone so young and even had to check his ID to make sure he was of age.
  The busty blonde tells the publication, &amp;quot;Chace came up to me out of nowhere. He was incredibly beautiful - I immediately fell in love with him! We immediately started dating and I even gave him a key to my apartment.
  &amp;quot;The first night he came to my place, I actually grabbed his wallet out of his jeans on the floor and checked his ID to make sure he really was 18! And he looked even younger than that.&amp;quot;
  Sand claims Crawford was shy when it came to sex: &amp;quot;He tried, but you could tell he didn&amp;#039;t have a lot of experience in bed. He was so incredibly nervous; he was practically trembling! I tried to teach him a thing or two - and I think I did.&amp;quot;
  The couple reportedly dated on and off until 2006, and enjoyed a brief reunion in July 2007 before Gossip Girl made its TV premiere and Crawford became an overnight sensation.
  Sand has since lost touch with Crawford, who now lives in New York, but she insists she is happy for her former toyboy.
  She adds, &amp;quot;I haven&amp;#039;t really seen or spoken to him much since then. But I&amp;#039;m thrilled with the success he&amp;#039;s found... He will always be in my heart.&amp;quot;
  Crawford, now 24, was romantically linked to Twilight actress Ashley Greene earlier this year (09).]]></description>
<pubDate>Tue, 24 Nov 2009 14:06:50 PST</pubDate>
<source>WENN</source>
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<title><![CDATA[Aniston's 'men' Mayer and Butler meet over dinner]]></title>
<category>movies</category>
<link>http://wonderwall.msn.com/movies/anistons-men-mayer-and-butler-meet-over-dinner-1527479.story</link>
<description><![CDATA[Rocker John Mayer interrupted a recent interview with a Details magazine reporter to spend 20 minutes chatting with reported love rival Gerard Butler.Both stars have been romantically linked to Jennifer Aniston in recent months and Mayer officially dated the actress last year (08), but their unplanned meeting in Los Angeles was natural and friendly - and observed by a journalist.
  Mayer reportedly spotted the Scottish actor dining at the Chateau Marmont hotel while he was being interviewed for Details.
  He broke off from his chat to walk over and greet Butler, who seemed delighted to see Mayer.
  The reporter, Steven Daly, writes, &amp;quot;For 20 minutes, the rest of the world disappears as the pair huddle together in what appears to be an intense discussion.&amp;quot;
  Upon his return, Mayer insists the two men &amp;quot;talked about New York,&amp;quot; adding, &amp;quot;We&amp;#039;re in a bit of the same position of being branded womanisers.&amp;quot;
  Both Mayer and Butler have denied recent romantic links to Aniston.]]></description>
<pubDate>Tue, 24 Nov 2009 14:06:50 PST</pubDate>
<source>WENN</source>
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<title><![CDATA[Bailey Rae welcomed back by fans at first full show since husband's death]]></title>
<category>movies</category>
<link>http://wonderwall.msn.com/movies/bailey-rae-welcomed-back-by-fans-at-first-full-show-since-husbands-death-1527468.story</link>
<description><![CDATA[Singer/songwriter Corinne Bailey Rae made her first concert appearance since her husband&amp;#039;s drug overdose death in March, 2008 at a gig in London on Monday night (23Nov09).The Put Your Records On singer performed tracks from her new album, The Sea, at the Tabernacle, and was treated to a standing ovation from fans as she took the stage.
  One screamed, &amp;quot;We missed you!&amp;quot; prompting Bailey Rae to respond, &amp;quot;I missed you too.&amp;quot;
  Bailey Rae played a brief set at charity Mencap&amp;#039;s Little Noise Sessions at London&amp;#039;s Union Chapel on 19 November (09), but Monday&amp;#039;s show marked her full live comeback.]]></description>
<pubDate>Tue, 24 Nov 2009 14:06:50 PST</pubDate>
<source>WENN</source>
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<title><![CDATA[Nirvana's Bowie tune tops covers list]]></title>
<category>movies</category>
<link>http://wonderwall.msn.com/movies/nirvanas-bowie-tune-tops-covers-list-1527471.story</link>
<description><![CDATA[Nirvana&amp;#039;s rendition of David Bowie&amp;#039;s The Man Who Sold The World has topped a new list of the greatest cover tunes of all time.The track beat out Jimi Hendrix&amp;#039;s version of Bob Dylan&amp;#039;s All Along The Watchtower and Talking Heads&amp;#039; tribute to Al Green, Take Me to the River, to top the new list, compiled by beverage firm Southern Comfort and U.S. music magazine Spin.
  Also making the top 10 are The Clash&amp;#039;s Police and Thieves, which was originally recorded by Junior Murvin, Elvis Costello&amp;#039;s cover of Nick Lowe&amp;#039;s (What&amp;#039;s So Funny &amp;#039;Bout) Peace Love and Understanding, Prince&amp;#039;s Nothing Compares 2 U as sung by Sinead O&amp;#039;Connor and Devo&amp;#039;s rendition of the Rolling Stones&amp;#039; (Can&amp;#039;t Get No) Satisfaction.]]></description>
<pubDate>Tue, 24 Nov 2009 14:06:50 PST</pubDate>
<source>WENN</source>
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<title><![CDATA[Lohan goes topless for steamy magazine photoshoot]]></title>
<category>movies</category>
<link>http://wonderwall.msn.com/movies/lohan-goes-topless-for-steamy-magazine-photoshoot-1527476.story</link>
<description><![CDATA[Lindsay Lohan is set to shock in a racy new photospread for French fashion magazine Purple.The Mean Girls star appears topless in a series of sexual poses in the provocative Terry Richardson shots, which will feature in an upcoming issue of the publication.
  In one steamy snap, Lohan simulates a threesome with a male and female model, according to U.S. magazine Life &amp;amp; Style, which has obtained the pictures.]]></description>
<pubDate>Tue, 24 Nov 2009 14:06:50 PST</pubDate>
<source>WENN</source>
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<title><![CDATA[Mendes fronts new anti-fur film]]></title>
<category>movies</category>
<link>http://wonderwall.msn.com/movies/mendes-fronts-new-anti-fur-film-1527480.story</link>
<description><![CDATA[Eva Mendes has turned her back on fur after learning how animals are killed for their pelts - and now she&amp;#039;s fronting a hard-hitting new PETA video about the horrors of the trade.The sexy star admits she once wore fur to a Hollywood event, but she&amp;#039;ll never repeat her mistake.
  And, by way of repenting, she&amp;#039;s hosting a new Internet expose about the fur industry.
  The film includes the latest investigation of fur farms and markets in China, the world&amp;#039;s largest fur exporter.
  Mendes tells WENN, &amp;quot;Millions of animals are killed for their pelts each year... I didn&amp;#039;t always know how animals were killed for their fur, and I even wore fur once myself.
  &amp;quot;When I learned how cruel the fur industry is - and that there are no laws protecting these animals - I swore that I&amp;#039;d never wear it again. Please join me today as we go behind the scenes of the international fur trade, and find out how you can look glamorous without supporting animal suffering.&amp;quot;
  Mendes admits she has become a leading celebrity animal rights advocate after her pet dog Hugo came into her life.
  She explains, &amp;quot;It literally changed my life, getting my dog. Every choice that I make, I always think about my little Hugo and think, &amp;#039;God, would I eat him? Would I cage him up? Would I skin him?&amp;#039; No, of course not.&amp;quot;
  Mendes joins a growing list of celebrities fronting various PETA anti-fur campaigns - they include Charlize Theron, Christina Applegate, Roselyn Sanchez, Pamela Anderson, Nia Long, and Christy Turlington.]]></description>
<pubDate>Tue, 24 Nov 2009 14:06:50 PST</pubDate>
<source>WENN</source>
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<title><![CDATA[Lambert 'respects' morning TV show axe]]></title>
<category>movies</category>
<link>http://wonderwall.msn.com/movies/lambert-respects-morning-tv-show-axe-1527467.story</link>
<description><![CDATA[American Idol star Adam Lambert &amp;quot;respects&amp;quot; U.S. TV bosses&amp;#039; decision to scrap his performance on a national breakfast show following his outrageous American Music Awards finale.The openly gay singer caused controversy at the prizegiving on Sunday (22Nov09) in Los Angeles when he closed the show with a risque rendition of his debut single For Your Entertainment, locking lips with his male keyboard player and performing over-the-top sexually-charged routines with back-up dancers.
  Network bosses at ABC, who aired the event in America, were flooded with 1,500 complaints from angry viewers and now Lambert&amp;#039;s daring set has cost him a slot on Good Morning America (GMA) on Wednesday (25Nov09).
  Speaking out about the axed show, Lambert admits he can understand why executives would be concerned.
  He says, &amp;quot;It&amp;#039;s really not that big of a deal. I&amp;#039;m not a babysitter, I&amp;#039;m a performer... Obviously I respect their decision, they gotta do what they gotta do. It&amp;#039;s too bad, I think there were a lot of fans who were excited to come see me.
  &amp;quot;They (executives) probably had a lot of pressure coming at them from certain people who weren&amp;#039;t happy about it. I respect their decision. I don&amp;#039;t necessarily agree with it.&amp;quot;]]></description>
<pubDate>Tue, 24 Nov 2009 14:06:50 PST</pubDate>
<source>WENN</source>
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<title><![CDATA[Reed has her sights on Jones role]]></title>
<category>movies</category>
<link>http://wonderwall.msn.com/movies/reed-has-her-sights-on-jones-role-1527473.story</link>
<description><![CDATA[Twilight star Nikki Reed is eager to play singer/songwriter Rickie Lee Jones if there&amp;#039;s ever a biopic in the works.The actress admits she&amp;#039;s a huge fan of the Chuck E&amp;#039;s In Love singer and even went to see her perform in Los Angeles on St. Valentine&amp;#039;s Day in 2008 on her own.
  She tells Spin.com, &amp;quot;She seems eccentric. She started telling stories about her childhood, and I was thinking, &amp;#039;Oh, maybe this is the night when she wants to make this a personal experience.&amp;#039; But it turns out she does that all the time.&amp;quot;]]></description>
<pubDate>Tue, 24 Nov 2009 14:06:50 PST</pubDate>
<source>WENN</source>
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<title><![CDATA[Sambora lands street honour]]></title>
<category>movies</category>
<link>http://wonderwall.msn.com/movies/sambora-lands-street-honour-1527470.story</link>
<description><![CDATA[Bon Jovi fans can now walk all over rocker Richie Sambora - the guitarist has been honoured with his own New Jersey street.He unveiled Richie Sambora Way in his native Woodbridge on Tuesday (24Nov09).
  The hitmaker earned the street honour for his community work, which includes launching a fundraising programme to sponsor teenager Kelly Mahon, who was diagnosed with a brain tumour in 2007. Mahon is a student of Sambora&amp;#039;s old school, Woodbridge High.
  The new street leads up to his alma matter.
  Sambora has also donated $40,000 (&amp;pound;25,000) to the school to pay for a new weight room, which has been named after his father, Adam, who lost his battle with cancer two years ago.
  Speaking at the ceremony, he said, &amp;quot;Use it in good health my friends, and win, win, win, win, win.&amp;quot;]]></description>
<pubDate>Tue, 24 Nov 2009 14:06:50 PST</pubDate>
<source>WENN</source>
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<title><![CDATA[Winfrey bails out mum]]></title>
<category>movies</category>
<link>http://wonderwall.msn.com/movies/winfrey-bails-out-mum-1527477.story</link>
<description><![CDATA[U.S. talk show queen Oprah Winfrey has ended a year-long legal dispute between her mother and bosses of a Wisconsin clothing boutique, paying out $155,547 (GBP97,220) to settle an outstanding bill.Vernita Lee had an open-ended charge account with Brookfield boutique Valentina Inc. and racked up the bill in 2008, according to court papers.
  She was sued by the company for failing to pay the bill in agreed monthly increments of $2,000 (GBP1,250).
  Lee filed a counter claim, insisting she should not have to pay interest on the account because store bosses extended credit to her even though they were well aware of her troubles managing debt, according to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel:
  Winfrey&amp;#039;s payment officially settles the suit.]]></description>
<pubDate>Tue, 24 Nov 2009 14:06:50 PST</pubDate>
<source>WENN</source>
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<title><![CDATA[Review: `Me and Orson Welles' is snappy if slight]]></title>
<category>movies</category>
<link>http://wonderwall.msn.com/movies/review-me-and-orson-welles-is-snappy-if-slight-1527481.story</link>
<description><![CDATA[As an icon prone to caricature, Orson Welles ranks right up there with Truman Capote and Ray Charles. But in "Me and Orson Welles," our view of the great, charismatic director and thespian isn't straight on, but a sideways glance. We see him from the perspective of an aspiring teenager, Richard Samuels (Zac Efron), who lands a bit part in Welles' 1937 production of Shakespeare's "Julius Caesar" at the Mercury Theatre in New York. Welles, then only 22, had just begun to make a name for himself on radio and on stage with his "Voodoo Macbeth," which he set in Haiti. His "Caesar" — "a lean, brutal `Caesar,'" as he calls it in the film, set in contemporary Fascist Italy — was a sensation. Welles would soon after begin work on "Citizen Kane." Fame was imminent and Welles knew it. Christian McKay, a previously unknown British theater actor, plays Welles in Richard Linklater's "Me and Orson Welles," and he clearly has the part down pat — the ever-shifting eyebrows, the sonorous, arch baritone, the "old man." McKay's Welles is arresting in its accuracy, though at a certain point its polish keeps Welles under a sheen. He does, though, convey Welles' mix of genius and — like his "Caesar" — his brutality. He commands his theater company just as he commands our attention. He is enthralled by creation and reinvention, and has little patience for the "agents to his vision." The lowliest of those agents is Richard, the "Me" of the title. In just one day, he manages to skip away from high school in New Jersey, chat up two attractive girls, impress Welles enough to land a role in "Caesar," and learn how to pay the ukulele. Fans of Efron ("High School Musical," "17 Again") may wonder just what teenybopper optimism can't accomplish? Richard's path in life is unsure, but he passionately wants to be around theater, movies and music. It's a picture of the artist as a young heartthrob. Efron has an easy, natural presence on screen and his performance is effortless and confident. But it also doesn't carry much weight, and the biggest problem for "Me and Orson Welles" is that when McKay fades from view and Efron is left to carry the film, it feels slight. But much of what Linklater has crafted is substantial. The director ("Dazed and Confused," "Before Sunset," "Waking Life") has a particular talent in chronicling coming-of-age stories and romances with equally levelheaded naturalism. In this case, the romance is with theater, or more generally, the creation of art. "Me and Orson Welles" cherishes ramshackle rehearsals and backstage banter. Linklater brings out the inner dynamics of the company: Welles placating the ego of his Antony, George Coulouris (Ben Chaplin), arguing with his producer and partner John Houseman (Eddie Marsan), worrying about theater superstitions, like that a bad thing must happen before opening night ("some malevolent spirit must be exorcised," intones Welles). Just before the curtain rises, Welles tells his cast: "Make 'em sweat" — and one wishes Linklater's film had just a little of the same urgency and aspiration. The wide-eyed Richard — "Junior" to Welles — takes it all in like a fly on the wall. He falls in with Sonja Jones (Claire Danes), a young aspiring actress working as an assistant to Welles. Like many in the film, she's bristling with ambition. Dreaming of a career in Hollywood, she's angling to meet producer David O. Selznick — a goal that will easily supersede any relationship that develops between her and Richard. "Me and Orson Welles" is based on the historical fiction novel by Robert Kaplow. Though the backdrop of Welles and his theater company is based on history, Richard's story is wholly imagined. The production design by Laurence Dorman is excellent. Though the New York exteriors resemble the fake-looking studio facades of something like "Newsies," the inside of the Mercury Theater — where most of the film takes place — feels true. Ultimately, "Me and Orson Welles" is about a life-changing brush with fame, a brief moment in time with a swelling star — and the presumed, lasting influence of witnessing the thrill of an artistic life. It doesn't have anything close to the heft of Welles, but it's snappy enough that it might have conjured a wry smile or two from the old man. "Me and Orson Welles," a CinemaNX and Isle of Man Film release, is rated PG-13 for sexual references and smoking. Running time: 114 minutes. Two and a half stars out of four. ——— Motion Picture Association of America rating definitions: G — General audiences. All ages admitted. PG — Parental guidance suggested. Some material may not be suitable for children. PG-13 — Special parental guidance strongly suggested for children under 13. Some material may be inappropriate for young children. R — Restricted. Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian. NC-17 — No one under 17 admitted. ]]></description>
<pubDate>Tue, 24 Nov 2009 14:04:50 PST</pubDate>
<source>The Associated Press</source>
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<title><![CDATA[A noble tradition: Entertainers misbehaving on TV]]></title>
<category>movies</category>
<link>http://wonderwall.msn.com/movies/a-noble-tradition-entertainers-misbehaving-on-tv-1527466.story</link>
<description><![CDATA[NEW YORK (AP) -- Entertainers have been misbehaving on TV — or accused of it, at least — long before singer Adam Lambert was even born. A half-century ago, the king of controversies was whipped up by none other than the King, Elvis Presley, although no one seemed more mystified by all the fuss than Elvis himself. Yes, he was shown on-camera only from the waist up, to protect the nation's youth from the sight of his gyrating nether regions. But contrary to popular myth, Presley had already been exposed on several variety shows before this defensive camera work was introduced. In fact, this was his third appearance on "The Ed Sullivan Show" when, the night of Jan. 6, 1957, he performed a number of songs — all while limited to waist shots. And it followed by several months his first, full-body "Sullivan" appearance. New York Times TV critic Jack Gould likened that spectacle in September 1956 to Presley's "striptease behavior on last spring's Milton Berle program." "The issue is not one of censorship, which solves nothing," Gould boldly ventured. "It is one of common sense." A decade later, The Doors' lead vocalist, Jim Morrison, took leave of his senses (but exercised artistic freedom) by defying the dictates of the all-mighty Sullivan. On Sept. 17, 1967, this rising rock foursome was appearing on "Ed Sullivan" to perform their breakout hit, "Light My Fire." But the show's producers demanded a change in the line, "Girl, we couldn't get much higher," fearful as they were that it was making a drug reference. During the rehearsal, Morrison complied and sang a modified lyric. Then, on the show's live telecast, he sang "Light My Fire" the original way. The Doors were not invited back. On Oct. 3, 1992, Irish singer Sinead O'Connor went further and defied the Catholic church. Appearing on "Saturday Night Live," she sang "War," written by the late Bob Marley, a fellow critic of Catholicism. When she was done, she held up an 8-inch-by-12-inch photo of John Paul II and ripped it to pieces, saying, "Fight the real enemy." She flung the pieces toward the camera, then blew out several candles. Many viewers and church members expressed outrage following the broadcast. Unlike "SNL," the MTV Video Music Awards seems to encourage outrageous displays by its participants. The night of Aug. 28, 2003, Madonna didn't disappoint, memorably sharing an openmouthed kiss with both Christina Aguilera and Britney Spears. Of course, they were humbled just a few months later by a Super Bowl-scale lapse in good taste. As no one needs to be reminded, the halftime show for Super Bowl XXXVIII ended shockingly (and, according to its performers, accidentally) when Justin Timberlake committed a wardrobe malfunction on Janet Jackson's right breast. It was a rule-breaking, groundbreaking moment in TV. The debate and hysteria unleashed at that instant over public morals hasn't come close to subsiding. We can thank Adam Lambert for the latest reminder. ——— The Associated Press News Research Center contributed to this report. ]]></description>
<pubDate>Tue, 24 Nov 2009 14:04:35 PST</pubDate>
<source>The Associated Press</source>
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<title><![CDATA[American Idol Alum Hits Broadway!]]></title>
<category>movies</category>
<link>http://wonderwall.msn.com/movies/american-idol-alum-hits-broadway-1527484.story</link>
<description><![CDATA[Jennifer Hudson is causing a trend!
Much like the American Idol alum, Season 7's second runner-up Syesha Mercado has joined the cast of Dreamgirls. But unlike Hudson's Oscar-winning turn in the 2006 movie adaptation, Mercado is singing and dancing on Broadway!
The show's co-choreographer, Shane Sparks, talked to Usmagazine.com about Mercado's theater debut, adding that her turn on American Idol helped prepare her for the stage.
See photos of last season's American Idol contestants!
"Any show where you&amp;rsquo;re constantly doing what you love to do, working with different singers, different producers, in a different environment, it always helps you grow," Sparks -- who is also a choreographer for So You Think You Can Dance and a judge on MTV's America's Best Dance Crew -- told Us. "That&amp;rsquo;s why she&amp;rsquo;s so well rounded for this show now... That girl is so groomed as an actress."
She picked up his choreography perfectly, he tells Us.
See photos of today's top news stories
"She never had a problem with any of the moves," said Sparks, who admitted that he's the one who had a challenge converting his well-honed hip-hop skills to Broadway.
"I&amp;rsquo;ve done staging for So You Think You Can Dance, but staging for a Broadway show is totally different," he says. "Because you've got to worry about upstage, downstage, stage right, stage left!"
Sparks, who will be returning to SYTYCD for the Dec. 6 show, will also be heading all over the nation come January to audition performers for the next season of America's Best Dance Crew.
See more photos of stars on the dance floor
Of the stops in NYC, Denver, Boston, L.A. and Atlanta, he says he's excited: "This will be the first season that we actually go out on the road to have auditions!"Get more Us! Follow us on Twitter, Friend us on Facebook, Subscribe to Us Weekly]]></description>
<pubDate>Tue, 24 Nov 2009 14:02:15 PST</pubDate>
<source>USMagazine</source>
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<title><![CDATA[Swift rebuttal to Taylor’s love triangle with Kristen Stewart and Taylor Lautner]]></title>
<category>movies</category>
<link>http://wonderwall.msn.com/movies/swift-rebuttal-to-taylors-love-triangle-with-kristen-stewart-and-taylor-lautner-1527495.story</link>
<description><![CDATA[ 
(GettyImages.com)
&amp;#8220;Taylor Swift warns Kristen Stewart: Hands off my man,” screams the headline of a story in Now magazine.
Yep, you read that right.
The mag continues, “Furious Taylor Swift feels threatened by Kristen Stewart’s flirting with her Twilight co-star Taylor Lautner.”
Really?!
According to Now, “Taylor and Kristen have been photographed constantly at film premieres &amp;#8211; and it&amp;#8217;s getting on the country singer&amp;#8217;s nerves.”
But, um&amp;#8230; Now does know they’re co-stars promoting a film, right?
Well, either Now made this up entirely or they have a completely miserable source because their so-called “source” claims that, despite Stewart being reportedly linked to Robert Pattinson, Swift believes &amp;#8220;she&amp;#8217;s secretly longing to get her hooks into Taylor even though they&amp;#8217;re just good friends.”
Gossip Cop checked with people close to Swift, and frankly they were speechless. Nevertheless, when they were able to formulate words, they told us that Now&amp;#8217;s story is &amp;#8212; wait for it &amp;#8212; totally ridiculous. 
Follow @GossipCop on Twitter for the most accurate celebrity reporting, and check GossipCop.com for updates!
]]></description>
<pubDate>Tue, 24 Nov 2009 14:01:53 PST</pubDate>
<source>GossipCop</source>
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<title><![CDATA[Idol Finalist Calls Adam Lambert "a Sham"]]></title>
<category>movies</category>
<link>http://wonderwall.msn.com/movies/idol-finalist-calls-adam-lambert-a-sham-1527485.story</link>
<description><![CDATA[American Idol alums are split when it comes to Adam Lambert's racy performance at the American Music Awards on Sunday.
"I honestly had no problem with Adam's AMA performance," season 5 contestant Kevin Covais tells Usmagazine.com. "After watching him take risks on Idol, it was about what I expected. Despite being a bit risque, I don't feel like it pushed the envelope that much further from what we normally see these days, especially on primetime television. I see no reason why he should be punished by ABC."
See what Adam Lambert and all the stars wore to Us' Hot Hollywood party
As a gay man, season 1's Jim Verraros tells Us the performance meant a lot to him.
"We need this, and we need him,"&amp;nbsp;Verraros tells Us. "We need to have him out there - he's a gay pop singer from America. But I am torn -- I just don't know if I would have done that kind of performance for my first nationally televised show. I think had he done it at a more intimate club environment, it would have gone over a lot better."
&amp;nbsp;
But season 3's Diana DeGarmo says Lambert shouldn't be shocked at the harsh reaction. (About 1,500 people called in complaints; ABC's Good Morning America also canceled Lambert's Nov. 25 appearance because of his "controversial American Music Awards performance.")
Watch a VIDEO of Adam Lambert before his controversial AMAs performance
Says DeGarmo, "When you take a big risk like that, you can't be surprised when there are repercussions for your actions."   If anything, it should help out his career.  "Plus, with all of the buzz around the performance, his sales shouldn't suffer whatsoever," she tells Us.
Look back at Adam Lamber when he was on Idol
Covais agrees.
"I think the performance does more to help his cause than hurt it," he tells Us. "He definitely has everyone's attention."
See the weight ups and downs of your favorite Idol stars
But season 3's Jon Peter Lewis says Lambert shouldn't be calling his performance art.  "All this nonsense about Adam Lambert's whole project being art is bogus," he told Us. "That idea is absurd. It's like calling Thomas Kinkade art. What a sham."Get more Us! Follow us on Twitter, Friend us on Facebook, Subscribe to Us Weekly]]></description>
<pubDate>Tue, 24 Nov 2009 13:39:59 PST</pubDate>
<source>USMagazine</source>
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<title><![CDATA[UPDATED: “New Moon” — New Big Numbers]]></title>
<category>movies</category>
<link>http://wonderwall.msn.com/movies/updated-new-moon-new-big-numbers-1527465.story</link>
<description><![CDATA[ 
 (Summit)
Sources at Summit Entertainment tell Gossip Cop that &amp;#8221;The Twilight Saga: New Moon&amp;#8221; grossed &amp;#8212; adding Monday &amp;#8212; an astonishing $153.6 million .
Follow @GossipCop on Twitter for the latest in accurate celebrity reporting, and check GossipCop.com for updates!
]]></description>
<pubDate>Tue, 24 Nov 2009 13:28:16 PST</pubDate>
<source>GossipCop</source>
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<title><![CDATA[UPDATED: “New Moon” Much More Dominant Than Estimated]]></title>
<category>movies</category>
<link>http://wonderwall.msn.com/movies/updated-new-moon-much-more-dominant-than-estimated-1527461.story</link>
<description><![CDATA[ 
(Summit)
Sources at Summit Entertainment tell Gossip Cop that &amp;#8221;The Twilight Saga: New Moon&amp;#8221; grossed &amp;#8212; adding Monday &amp;#8212; an astonishing $153.6 million .
Follow @GossipCop on Twitter for the latest in accurate celebrity reporting, and check GossipCop.com for updates!
]]></description>
<pubDate>Tue, 24 Nov 2009 13:28:16 PST</pubDate>
<source>GossipCop</source>
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<title><![CDATA[Nicole Richie: I Need to "Stay in Bed and Recover"]]></title>
<category>movies</category>
<link>http://wonderwall.msn.com/movies/nicole-richie-i-need-to-stay-in-bed-and-recover-1527462.story</link>
<description><![CDATA[Nicole Richie says she is still recovering after being hospitalized for pneumonia.
"Right now it's important for me to stay in bed and recover," she blogged Tuesday. "Reading all of your messages on Twitter and my website has really brightened my spirits and I am so grateful for the support. I look forward to seeing you all very soon and wish you a happy Thanksgiving."
See Nicole Richie and other stars' amazing post-baby bodies
Richie, 28, also apologized for missing promotional appearances, but said, "I&amp;rsquo;d like to thank you all for the kind words and well wishes over the past few weeks."
See what Nicole Richie looked like pregnant
Last week, her beau Joel Madden also reassured fans that Richie was OK.  "All is well," he wrote, "and we are home with no problems."
See adorable photos of Nicole Richie's daughter, HarlowGet more Us! Follow us on Twitter, Friend us on Facebook, Subscribe to Us Weekly]]></description>
<pubDate>Tue, 24 Nov 2009 13:24:41 PST</pubDate>
<source>USMagazine</source>
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<title><![CDATA[Nadya Suleman: I Might Have More Kids in the Future]]></title>
<category>movies</category>
<link>http://wonderwall.msn.com/movies/nadya-suleman-i-might-have-more-kids-in-the-future-1527463.story</link>
<description><![CDATA[Is 14 enough for the Octomom?
Maybe, maybe not.
Check out shots from Nadya's family album
In a new interview for Good Morning America, Nadya Suleman doesn't dismiss the possibility of having more children.
"If I wanted to do it the traditional way and get married, that's like another chapter," Suleman, 34, tells GMA's Kate Snow of getting pregnant again -- but the prospect of more mouths to feed at the moment makes her laugh.
From Kate to Nadya: see photos of controversial star moms
The mother, interviewed in her home in La Habra, Calif. as she gets her kids ready for bed, says that she typically sleeps two to three hours a night.
A day in the life of Octomom: see the slideshow
She shares some staggering numbers: $1000 in food and 700 diapers per week, 4.5 gallons of milk and eight loads of laundry per day, and a team of five nannies costing $10,000 per month.
Which is why, Suleman says, she agreed to allow a film documentary crew to follow her around for a series of specials (not a reality TV show), including one that's already aired in the United Kingdom. Her payment: approximately $250,000 in the first year.
What are Octomom and other celebs thankful for this holiday season?
"I'm dammed if I do and dammed if I don't," she tells potential critics. "Because if I don't do what I need to do in the media to take care of and support the kids, I can't take care of them."Get more Us! Follow us on Twitter, Friend us on Facebook, Subscribe to Us Weekly]]></description>
<pubDate>Tue, 24 Nov 2009 13:11:04 PST</pubDate>
<source>USMagazine</source>
</item>
<item>
<title><![CDATA[Octo-Mom: I Might Have More Kids in the Future]]></title>
<category>movies</category>
<link>http://wonderwall.msn.com/movies/octo-mom-i-might-have-more-kids-in-the-future-1527486.story</link>
<description><![CDATA[Is 14 enough for the Octomom?
Maybe, maybe not.
Check out shots from Nadya's family album
In a new interview for Good Morning America, Nadya Suleman doesn't dismiss the possibility of having more children.
"If I wanted to do it the traditional way and get married, that's like another chapter," Suleman, 34, tells GMA's Kate Snow of getting pregnant again -- but the prospect of more mouths to feed at the moment makes her laugh.
From Kate to Nadya: see photos of controversial star moms
The mother, interviewed in her home in La Habra, Calif. as she gets her kids ready for bed, says that she typically sleeps two to three hours a night.
A day in the life of Octomom: see the slideshow
She shares some staggering numbers: $1000 in food and 700 diapers per week, 4.5 gallons of milk and eight loads of laundry per day, and a team of five nannies costing $10,000 per month.
Which is why, Suleman says, she agreed to allow a film documentary crew to follow her around for a series of specials (not a reality TV show), including one that's already aired in the United Kingdom. Her payment: approximately $250,000 in the first year.
What are Octomom and other celebs thankful for this holiday season?
"I'm dammed if I do and dammed if I don't," she tells potential critics. "Because if I don't do what I need to do in the media to take care of and support the kids, I can't take care of them."Get more Us! Follow us on Twitter, Friend us on Facebook, Subscribe to Us Weekly]]></description>
<pubDate>Tue, 24 Nov 2009 13:11:04 PST</pubDate>
<source>USMagazine</source>
</item>
<item>
<title><![CDATA[Review: A sweet, extended 'Peter and the Wolf']]></title>
<category>movies</category>
<link>http://wonderwall.msn.com/movies/review-a-sweet-extended-peter-and-the-wolf-1527460.story</link>
<description><![CDATA[NEW YORK (AP) -- At last, the back story of "Peter and the Wolf." With the well-earned blessing of Sergei Prokofiev's estate, director Anne Geenen has added a 30-minute prequel to the classic children's musical about the boy who captures a wolf and combined it with an original score (by Philip Feeney) for a sweet production currently showing at the New Victory Theater. "Listen — sleigh bells," calls out narrator Brian Blessed, the veteran British actor and a bearded soul in a heavy plaid coat who could pass for a lumber-cutting cousin of Santa Claus. With a shot of holiday spirit, and a bow to the 15-piece orchestra placed at audience level, Blessed relates how Peter and friends meet in a shadowy, pine-filled forest — crimson leaves scattered on the ground — and swear they have spotted a wolf. "Wolves exist in a world greatly changed by people," Peter is warned, "they have never depended on man, they eat when they are hungry, sleep when they can." "Then, I too will be a wolf," Peter decides, just as the first act ends. Since commissioned in 1936, "Peter and the Wolf" has been a dance between instrument and character and between character and the actor's movements. So a sweet ripple of flute introduces the green-shirted Peter, played by Maurizio Montis, who steps and kicks lightly with boneless, innocent grace. The wolf — played by Marco Chiodo and accompanied by the advance of French horns, is a perfect sourpuss with a weighted stride, bleached hair and a fixed scowl, like the front man for a New Wave band. Supporting characters: Christian Celini as the blubbery, daffy duck, scored by an absent-minded oboe, Eva Grieco as the flighty bird (happy flute), Alessandra Cito as the self-satisfied cat (a prowling clarinet). Peter's bald, bespectacled grandfather is played by Daniel Rosseel, his face pinched as if he had spent a lifetime as a fact checker for The New Yorker. His music is provided by a fussy bassoon, the notes a proper placing of noun and verb. "Peter and the Wolf" has a running time of 90 minutes, including intermission. The show ends Nov. 29. ——— On the Net: http://www.newvictory.org ]]></description>
<pubDate>Tue, 24 Nov 2009 13:10:04 PST</pubDate>
<source>The Associated Press</source>
</item>
<item>
<title><![CDATA[Adam Lambert: I Have No Plans to Apologize for AMA Performance]]></title>
<category>movies</category>
<link>http://wonderwall.msn.com/movies/adam-lambert-i-have-no-plans-to-apologize-for-ama-performance-1527464.story</link>
<description><![CDATA[He may have been booted from his Good Morning America appearance, but Adam Lambert isn't sorry.
See more of the biggest celebrity scandals of last year
"I don't feel I owe anyone an apology for anything," he told Ryan Seacrest in an interview hours after GMA canceled his appearance following his racy American Music Awards performance Sunday night. "I performed, it was late-night TV, I did something that female performers have been doing for years, no different. It's just the fact that I'm me and it's a little different for people. It's really not that big of a deal."
See who the best dressed stars were at the AMAs!
Lambert, 27, added: "There's a slight double standard. We've seen female pop performers doing extremely sexual routines for years and all of the sudden a guy does it and it's crazy."
ABC had cited his "controversial American Music Awards performance" as the network's reason for uninviting the American Idol alum, adding that GMA was "concerned about airing a similar concert so early in the morning."
Check out more photos of Adam Lambert from the American Idol finale
Although Lambert said "I'm not a babysitter, I'm a performer," he understood ABC's decision.
"They gotta do what they gotta do," said Lambert, who will now appear on Wednesday's The Early Show on CBS instead. "They probably had a lot of pressure coming at them from certain people who weren't happy about it. I respect their decision -- I don't necessarily agree with it, but they need to do what they need to do."
Still, he told Seacrest the news was disappointing.
See Adam Lambert and other stars who were honored at Us' Hot Hollywood party last week!
"It's too bad," he said. "I think there were a lot of fans who were excited to come see me."
Lambert does admit that he got "extreme" during his show-closing number at the AMAs.
"It's choreography, we were dancing," he said. "The sexuality of it kind of got a little more extreme when I got up on stage. I think the adrenaline kind of took me over, and I admit it, and I'm proud of the fact that I did get a little carried away."&amp;nbsp;Get more Us! Follow us on Twitter, Friend us on Facebook, Subscribe to Us Weekly]]></description>
<pubDate>Tue, 24 Nov 2009 13:02:47 PST</pubDate>
<source>USMagazine</source>
</item>
<item>
<title><![CDATA[Adam Lambert: I Have No Plans to Apologize for AMAs Performance]]></title>
<category>movies</category>
<link>http://wonderwall.msn.com/movies/adam-lambert-i-have-no-plans-to-apologize-for-amas-performance-1527487.story</link>
<description><![CDATA[He may have been booted from his Good Morning America appearance, but Adam Lambert isn't sorry.
See more of the biggest celebrity scandals of last year
"I don't feel I owe anyone an apology for anything," he told Ryan Seacrest in an interview hours after GMA canceled his appearance following his racy American Music Awards performance Sunday night. "I performed, it was late-night TV, I did something that female performers have been doing for years, no different. It's just the fact that I'm me and it's a little different for people. It's really not that big of a deal."
See who the best dressed stars were at the AMAs!
Lambert, 27, added: "There's a slight double standard. We've seen female pop performers doing extremely sexual routines for years and all of the sudden a guy does it and it's crazy."
ABC had cited his "controversial American Music Awards performance" as the network's reason for uninviting the American Idol alum, adding that GMA was "concerned about airing a similar concert so early in the morning."
Check out more photos of Adam Lambert from the American Idol finale
Although Lambert said "I'm not a babysitter, I'm a performer," he understood ABC's decision.
"They gotta do what they gotta do," said Lambert, who will now appear on Wednesday's The Early Show on CBS instead. "They probably had a lot of pressure coming at them from certain people who weren't happy about it. I respect their decision -- I don't necessarily agree with it, but they need to do what they need to do."
Still, he told Seacrest the news was disappointing.
See Adam Lambert and other stars who were honored at Us' Hot Hollywood party last week!
"It's too bad," he said. "I think there were a lot of fans who were excited to come see me."
Lambert does admit that he got "extreme" during his show-closing number at the AMAs.
"It's choreography, we were dancing," he said. "The sexuality of it kind of got a little more extreme when I got up on stage. I think the adrenaline kind of took me over, and I admit it, and I'm proud of the fact that I did get a little carried away."&amp;nbsp;Get more Us! Follow us on Twitter, Friend us on Facebook, Subscribe to Us Weekly]]></description>
<pubDate>Tue, 24 Nov 2009 13:02:47 PST</pubDate>
<source>USMagazine</source>
</item>
<item>
<title><![CDATA[Review: Bradley's 'Imperial Cruise' goes adrift]]></title>
<category>movies</category>
<link>http://wonderwall.msn.com/movies/review-bradleys-imperial-cruise-goes-adrift-1527458.story</link>
<description><![CDATA["The Imperial Cruise: A Secret History of Empire and War" (Little, Brown and Company, 400 pages, $29.99), by James Bradley: Theodore Roosevelt is one of the most admired figures in American history. He was the Rough Rider who charged up San Juan Hill during the Spanish-American War. The youthful president who busted trusts, offered square deals, spoke softly and carried a big stick and won the Nobel Peace Prize for mediating the Russo-Japanese War. He was the conservationist who promoted the national forest system in the West and reserved lands for public use. James Bradley, whose previous war-themed books "Flags of Our Fathers" and "Flyboys" were well-received best-sellers, paints a much different picture of T.R. in his new offering, "The Imperial Cruise." In Bradley's view, Roosevelt wasn't so much a bull moose as he was a bully — and a racist whose love of Anglo-Saxon culture shaped his overly aggressive foreign policy. We see the president — referred to throughout as "Teddy" or "Big Stick Teddy" — dropping racial epithets into his writings and conversations and implementing a race-based foreign policy designed to benefit majority white nations at the expense of the rest of the world. The book's stated goal is to retrace the route taken by a Roosevelt-dispatched diplomatic mission to Asia in the summer of 1905. The president sent his secretary of war, William Howard Taft, his daughter, Alice Roosevelt, seven senators, 23 congressmen and military and civilian officials on an ocean liner headed to Asia. The Americans made stops in Tokyo, Manila, Hong Kong and Seoul and, according to Bradley, so fouled up matters that the "bruises... would catalyze World War II in the Pacific, the Chinese Communist Revolution, the Korean War and an array of tensions that inform our lives today." Bradley's previous books focused on the horrors of war and the courage of the American forces in World War II. He should know a thing or two about these subjects, considering his father, John, helped raise the American flag on Iwo Jima. In "Imperial," though, Bradley moves outside his comfort zone, and the results are uneven. The book ostensibly is about the Taft party's travels and how it implemented Roosevelt's race-hating strategies. But he spends dozens of pages on difficult-to-get-thr ough histories of the Philippines, Japan and the other countries on the itinerary and doesn't spend enough time on the trip itself. At times, it reads like a term paper — too fact-heavy and lacking drama. Other times, it's a page-turner with solidly attributed eye-opening passages about how American servicemen used the now-controversial waterboarding technique during the conflict in the Philippines. It's up to readers to decide whether Bradley is right to argue that Roosevelt's Asian meddling negatively impacted history. They will find, though, a book that lacks a solid focus. Like a ship sailing slightly off course. ]]></description>
<pubDate>Tue, 24 Nov 2009 12:53:29 PST</pubDate>
<source>The Associated Press</source>
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