"Circus" to top Billboard 200!

Photo credit: Jive Records
According to hitsdailydouble.com and other album sales predictions, Britney Spears' sixth studio album, titled "Circus", will top the Billboard 200 chart this week. Far exceeding expectations of 300,000 copies, "Circus" is looking to sell between 450,000 and 500,000 copies in its first week of release, making it one of the years top selling albums (and second highest female debut of the year). The astounishing figures come thanks in part to a flurry of media appearances including Good Morning America, New York & Los Angeles' tree lightining ceremonies, MTV's VMA's, Madonna's Los Angeles tour stop, and a documentary titled "For The Record" which was one of the most watched shows on MTV this year. First single "Womanizer" has been topping the charts for several weeks now and shattered several records, new single "Circus" is already picking up a lot of spins on radio. Spears' last effort, "Blackout", opened with about 290,000 copies but quickly experienced a decline in sales because an enormous lack of promotion (other than the tragic 2007 MTV VMA's performance) and negative press left and right which saw the pop star lose custody of her kids, shave her head entire bald, drink and drug fueled episodes all over Southern California and multiple involuntary psychiatric stays in the UCLA mental health facility. Akon's new album is expected to come in behind Spears with the 2nd highest debut with sales in the 80,000-90,000 range.

Update: "Circus" sold 505,073 copies in its first week of release in the U.S.

Here's the video for her new single "Circus":

Comedian Jean Jacques Draws Big Support

He's at it again! He is making people laugh! That's right, it's upcoming comedian Jean Jacques! All About M.E. caught up with the comedian after his latest show at a private function this past Friday in Studio City.

All About M.E.: You're pretty good at this thing.
Jean Jacques: You know, I try. You're only as good as your worst show and tonight wasn't my worst show. So I'm pretty good, I guess.

All About M.E.: Way to be modest.
Jean Jacques: I'm trying.

All About M.E.: Try harder. What do you think is the most difficult thing when it comes to being a comedian?
Jean Jacques: Making people laugh. A lot of times people will assume that because we're in comedy, that we're good at making people laugh. I've had sets where I felt like I was going to die because the room was silent.

All About M.E.: Sounds like a very humbling experience.
Jean Jacques: It is. Scary too. Sad part is nobody is there to rescue you. You just have a terrible set and forget about it.

All About M.E.: Finally, what's next for Jean Jacques?
Jean Jacques: Good question. I'll have to keep you guys guessing (laughs). Seriously, there are movie plans in the works as well as a book I am trying to get published. So just keep your ears to the streets.

All About M.E.: Will do. Thanks a lot and good luck.
Jean Jacques: Likewise. Thank you!


For those interested in Jean Jacque's comedy, please visit Jean Jacque's MySpace for more information and continue to stay connected with All About M.E.

Miley Cyrus May Be Filing a Petition of Emancipation

Photo Credit: Vanity Fair

Miley Cyrus, of Hannah Montana fame, is reportedly in discussions with her attorney about filing a Petition of Emancipation form. Sources say she has been repeatedly butting heads with her parents, country singer/father Billy Ray Cyrus and manager/mother Tish, over her relationship with 20-year-old underwear model, Justin Gaston, that started in May 2008.

Star Magazine insiders say Billy Ray is beginning to have doubts about his daughter’s relationship with Gaston.

Miley was left in tears after her dad ordered her to stop seeing Justin during a recent confrontation.

"Billy Ray also thinks Justin is a bit of a mooch and doesn’t want him taking advantage of Miley,” a source close to the Cyruses tells Star Magazine. Miley told her dad to back off. She is sick of him trying to hold her down, and feels she is old enough to make her own decisions.”

CSUN Wind Ensemble

Photo Credit: Shant Kazandjian

On the evening of November 25th, 2008 the California State University, Northridge's (CSUN) Wind Ensemble performed “...and This Is Now”, the second of four shows scheduled throughout the 2008/2009 school year in honor of the university's 50th anniversary.

The follow-up to their October 7^th performance, “That Was Then...”, began with the conductor, Lawrence Stoffel, taking his place on stage and welcoming the audience to the second performance of the 2008/2009 year.

“It is a great time to be alive,” said Stoffel. “Music is changing at a rapid rate. The music played when I was a little boy is much different than the music my ensemble will be playing tonight. Everything you will hear tonight was written after the 1990s, which coincidentally is the year the freshman students at CSUN were born,” said Stoffel with a smile.

Lawrence Stoffel assumed the position of Director of Bands at California State University, Northridge in 2004. There he serves as conductor of both the internationally-recognized Wind Ensemble and the Wind Symphony. Stoffel holds the degrees Doctor of Music from Indiana University, the Master of Music from the University of Colorado, and both the Bachelor of Arts in Music and the Master of Education degrees from the University of California–Los Angeles.

One of the contributers to Tuesday night's performance was Elizabeth Sellers, director of the Media Composition Option for the Music Department at CSUN.

“In Spring of 2008 I was approached by Larry Stoffel about writing a new fanfare for the Wind Ensemble, to mark the 50^th Anniversary of CSUN and its band program,” says Sellers. “As I did preliminary research before beginning to write I thought about all the CSUN students who come from very different ethnic backgrounds. My hope is that the optimism, vitality and exuberance of our great CSUN students, past and present, speak to you.”

Sellers' graduates have won local, national and international awards. Sellers is also in demand professionally. Scoring credits include UnBowed, which premiered in Hollywood, won festival awards and aired on cable television. Sellers received Primetime Emmy honors for contributing to the Emmy Award winning achievement of Outstanding Music Direction for the 2002 Winter Olympics.

“The performance we played in October's performance, “That Was Then...”, was music that was around when CSUN first opened 50 years ago. Tonight, we played music that current students have probably heard throughout their life. The concerts we perform during the 2008-2009 year are a tribute to the evolving music that CSUN students have experienced during their lifetime,” says Brayan Morales, one of the ensemble's oboe players.

The Wind Ensemble's next performance will be in February titled “Hurray for Hollywood!” Stoffel explained the performance will include songs from motion pictures that have been made famous because of Hollywood Blockbusters. He thought it would be appropriate to dedicate a part of CSUN's history to Hollywood, because it is so close to what we call “home”.

California State University, Northridge's (CSUN) Wind Ensemble perform Peter Graham's "The Red Machine" during their "...and This Is Now" performance.

Bronx Mowgli Wentz

Photo Credit: Getty Images File Photo

Ashlee Simpson and husband Pete Wentz, from Fall Out Boy fame, welcomed their first child last night, a son. They named their child Bronx Mowgli Wentz and he weighed in at 7 lbs., 11 oz., and was 20 1/2 inches long.
"Ashlee, Pete and baby Bronx are all healthy and happy, and thank everyone for their well wishes!" a spokesperson tells PEOPLE.
The trend of having celebrity children have original names continues with this couple.

Big Show 8 - Ludacris Feature

Photo Credit: Richard Castañeda / Daily Sundial Staff Photographer
Big Show 8 - Ludacris
The Big Show 8 featuring UNI, Black Violin, DJ Eric D-Lux, Tyrese, Lil' Fate and headliner Ludacris drew thousands Saturday at CSUN on October 11, 2008. The Atlanta rapper pleased the crowed with almost and hour of hits from his expansive repertoire that spans six hit albums. The concert was slated to begin at 12 noon but started at around 1PM to many anxious fans.

UNI, with their backing band, got the crowd pumped with songs like "Fat Girl" and the MTV backed "Beautiful Day". Next up was Black Violin which features two emcees that also play the violin along mixed tracks by a DJ. The host for the event DJ Eric D-Lux kept the crowd pumped for Ludacris with t-shirt and CD giveaways and an impromptu dance competition.

Ludacris took the stage with Lil' Fate who is a long time friend of Ludacris and is a member of DTP (Disturbing Tha Peace) which Ludacris has been supported throughout his entire artistic career. The rapper performed a slew of hits including "Moneymaker", "Move Bitch", and "Roll Out". Ludacris was joined onstage by R&B singer Tyrese which got the insane crowd even more riled up. In between songs Ludacris kept the dialogue interesting with quirky remarks leading up to the next song he performed. The rapper also integrated comments about CSUN into many of his hits which kept the crowd excited throughout the entire performance. The rapper ended the concert when he felt that his voice was giving out and launched a towel he used throughout the concert into the crowd which incited a small riot of fans eager to attain the souvenir.

"It was the best concert I've been to this year, it was crunk!" said Sandra Reyes, a Los Angeles Valley College student. "Ludacris was awesome, I had a great time!", said Loretta Miranda, a CSUN student. These sentiments seemed to echo throughout the crowd as the massive event concluded.

According to Audrey Younna, A.S. Space Executive Director, Big Show 8 began its process in January. "We sat down and started the planning process right after the last big show and saw what went wrong and what went right. We started surveying students for data," said Younna.

So who organizes garnering big name acts to the Big Show year after year? In the past the Big Show concert series has seen diverse acts such as Jimmy Eat World, Ne-Yo, Common, amongst others. "Myself and my advisor. We work with a middle agent who is the middle man that makes sure that the type of artist student want to see is met," said Younna.

Massive promotion made the event a complete success, drawing thousands more than previous years. "We started advertising at freshman orientation. We advertised at the presidents' picnic, matador nights and we had a zone system where we zoned out all the colleges. We also used myspace, facebook, other concerts, we bought an ad on myspace and we we promoted on power 106," continued Younna.

So what's next for Big Show? The unprecedented turnout this year is a mighty feat to surpass for next years show but Younna ensures us that the process will begin shortly once more. "We've evaluated this big show, what we need to do financially, the space for it and once winter break comes along that's when the big show planning process begins and we start the survey process to see what genres students want - students have been wanting rock so we're thinking of doing a mix of hip hop and rock, having a hip hop act and a rock act, but it all depends on the survey process and the budget we receive from the A.S."

According to Associated Students Space the total number of CSUN students who got tickets to the show was 5,394. Of those 5,394, 796 were student guests/faculty/staff and 29 off campus tickets were sold. 6,219 tickets were distributed. The actual attendance was estimated at 4,500.

Below is a link with pictures from the event, an interview with Valley College Student, Sandra Reyes, and a few videos of the concert:


 

Lindsay Lohan attacked for wearing fur!

Photo Credit: http://www.stylefix.net

Lindsay Lohan was in France this past Saturday supporting her girlfriend, DJ Samantha Ronson, when an anti-fur activist doused the actress with a bag of flour in front of dozens of onlookers. Lohan, who repeatedly wore an anti-fur pin and has publicly denounced the use of fur, was reportedly mortified and angered by the attack as she made her way into the Champs-Elysees. Lohan's fur wearing tendencies were first brought into the spotlight when she allegedly stole a woman's fur coat (worth $11,000) at a New York club in May.

When asked why she threw the bag of flour at Lohan, the fur activist responded with, "she's a fur hag! she wears real fur!" Although many online sources claim that the activist is linked with PETA, the organization has not taken responsibility for Saturdays incident. PETA did, however, issue this statement regarding Lohan:

”Lohan has enraged animal lovers by appearing in at least two different fur coats in recent days, despite PETA’s repeated pleas that she consider how animals suffer for every fur garment and stop wearing their skins She was named on PETA’s annual Worst Dressed List earlier this year”

Robbie LeBlanc, who works for PETA Europe, issued this statement as well:

”There is nothing remotely fashionable about the torture and death of animals killed for fur. Lindsay Lohan might be able to ignore images of bloody animals skinned alive for their pelts, but we hope a dash of flour will help her rise to the occasion and forsake fur once and for all”

Lohan's girlfriend, Samantha Ronson, blogged about the incident on her MySpace blog, saying:

"It's a pity that some groups feel the need to assault people as opposed to fighting with words, Whenever I feel the need to vent about something that feels unfair to me I reach for my computer, I don't run out of the house with abusive intentions. I don't expect everyone to react the same way, but I do expect people to respect each other."

Here's a couple pictures as well as a video from the incident:

  

Los Fabulosos Cadillacs

Photo Credit: www.myspace.com/lfcoficial

Josué Arias (of Gardenia fame) attended Los Fabulosos Cadillacs' long-awaited return to the stage. This is his blog about the event.

Estadio Caliente
Tijuana, Baja California
14 de Noviembre, 2008

There are rock bands, and then there is Los Fabulosos Cadillacs. I mean, don't get me wrong, there is a lot of good music out there, but there are not that many bands in latin america that have such importance and history as Los Fabulosos Cadillacs. They are as rugged as rock gets. They are as universal as rock gets. Who can resist such captivating percussive rhythms, screaming horns, aggressive guitars, ridiculously refined bass lines and the presence and unique voice of Vicentico? If you only know Los Cadillacs because of "El Matador" this is not for you. This is for those of us who anticipated and waited more than 7 years to see them again, for those of us who take-on nicknames based on their songs (i.e. The Matador, El León), and especially for those who could not attend because a border stands in the way of enjoying not just a concert, but a historic moment- this recap is for you.

30,000 + filled the stadium waiting to see Los Cadillacs. Some first timers, others seeing the cadillacs for the third time (*yours truly) and others countless times, but as soon as the lights dimmed, you knew that the place was about to explode. The first song was a given, they would start with "El León". But first they came out with the 007 james bond theme as they walked into the stage. The crowd was screaming and clapping in unison, one voice welcoming back their heroes from their 6 year sabbatical. At around 9:15pm, a bomb went off in Tijuana. There are very few things you can compare to the beginning of a concert of this magnitude. It was an unreal moment, I was in the pit jumping as those iconic horn lines of "Manuel Santillan, El León" blazzed out. The pit is not for the faint of heart. You are not here to be seen or to look pretty as they play their songs for you. A Cadillacs show is about participation, about moving, about letting loose and about going crazy. This was definitely one of the best crowds I've ever been a part of. Everybody there knew every word to every song they played. This might be an easy feat if what you are watching is Mana or RBD, but a band that does not that kind of over-exposure and availability, it is very impressive.

If you name a Cadillacs song, they probably played it that night, with the exceptions of from the top of my head, "El Muerto" and "La Vida". I don't know the particular order of the songs, I know "El León" was first and like tradition, "No me sentaria en tu mesa" was last.

A highlight of the night was their percussive tribute to Gerardo "Toto" Rotblat, their percussionist who passed away earlier this year. The tribute was a 6/8 percussive pattern to his images on the big screen and that led into "V. Centenario", one of their heavier songs. It was brutal in the pit. Punk rock man is intense. haha.

Featured Comedian: Jean Jacques

His name is Jean Jacques. Standing at a slender 5'10", this Los Angeles native is one of the biggest, young comedians to hit the Hollywood comedy circuit. All About M.E. recently caught up with Jean Jacques hours after he returned from New York to do a show.

All About M.E.: When did you start doing comedy?
Jean Jacques: The first time on stage I was 19.

All About M.E.: You have family back East and went to stay with them for a while but came back. Why?
Jean Jacques: I moved back because school was too expensive and my teacher when I was 14 told me, you need to be on stage. So that always stuck with me.

All About M.E.: OK, that's what's up. Describe yourself.
Jean Jacques: Surreal, political, race relations, personal comedy. My comedy, it allows the crowd to spend time in my brain

All About M.E.: Wow! Alright. Lastly, what is your message to all the fans out there?
Jean Jacques: There is no message. I'm letting the public get to know me. Once they know me, I'll give them a message.

Jean Jacques will be performing at several Hollywood comedy clubs until the end of the year. Be sure to check him out!

Featured Artist: Gardenia

Photo Credit: Walter Giordani

Rock en Espanol is nothing new to anyone that has been a huge fan since the creation of Latin Rock by Carlos Santana in the late 60s. Since then, pioneer bands like East Los Angeles’ own Los Lobos, Tierra, El Chicano, and Malo opened the stage for new Latin Rock bands to come from both sides of the border. Gardenia, a band from the San Fernando Valley, is hoping to create a name for themselves in this very competitive and growing genre.

Gardenia's original name, Arepa, came from a type of food common throughout Central and South America. The name stands as a testament to their aspirations toward mass appeal and camaraderie through the universality of music. When talking about the band's name, guitarist and UCLA alumnus David Villafaña said, "It's like a word analogy. The idea was that music is kind of what feeds the soul."

Gardenia, the band, is made up of three musicians: Villafaña on guitar; Pollyanna Salas-Uruea, on vocals and Josué Arias, a California State University, Northridge alumnus on percussion.

Now two years old, Gardenia's considerable talents have allowed them open for fiery Mexican rocker Ely Guerra at the Knitting Factory last summer. Gardenia has also played The Greek Theatre, the Joint, Hollywood Park and "every venue possible at UCLA," said Villafaña with proud enthusiasm.

Coming from El Salvador, Colombia, and Mexico, the members of Gardenia strive to incorporate the varied styles of their respective nationalities into music they make. Gardenia's songs run the range from intense emotional ballads about love and loss to socially conscious statements on immigration.

Buenos Aires-born, Grammy award-winning Latin rock producer, songwriter and performer Gustavo Santaolalla is one if the most influential and respected music producers in Latin America. He has contributed to the success of different artists and the making of some of the best rock albums in Spanish. From alternative groups like Cafe Tacuba, which won a Latino Grammy for the Reves/Yo soy album, to the pop and radio-friendly style of Juanes, He also produced the soundtrack for the hit film that stormed the world's movie theaters, Amores Perros. In an interview, Santaolalla compares producing to drawing: "It you know how to draw, you can make Cubism, but first you have to know how to draw".

Nowadays with the help of Satellite Radio and networks like MTV Tr3s, people all over the world are able to find out about up and coming bands. In Latin America, Latin Rock is blowing up with groups from Mexico like Jaguares, Maná, and Caifanes. America is also producing some of the most popular Latin bands in the world. Independent record labels like California's Aztlan Records and New York's Grita Records, have devoted themselves to signing the best Latin Rock Bands; Riverside's own Voodoo Glow Skulls playing a Latin version of punk, Orange County's Manic Hispanic and East Los Angeles's Union 13 representing Latins in the hardcore punk scene.

Gardenia is putting on the finishing touches to release their first album by the end of the year. You can check out Gardenia's Myspace profile and listen to their new single "No Vuelvas Mas" here.
You can also check out photos from their show at The Joint here.

Destroy The Skies / Suffokate Show Nov. 30th Cobalt Cafe

Photo Credit: Jason Middleton

One of the San Fernando Valleys finest upcoming metalcore bands, Destroy The Skies, will be performing at The Cobalt Cafe in Canoga Park on Sunday November 30, 2008. The band, which has been together for several years and has undergone a couple of lineup changes, will be a supporting act for Suffokate, one of California's greatest metalcore bands. Oscar, one of Destroy The Skies' guitarists, also attends CSUN. Other bands performing include The Breathing Process, They Were Martyred and Through The Agony. Advance tickets are $10 and can be purchased from the Destroy The Skies band members through their MySpace link and tickets at the door are $12. Doors open at 6PM. The Cobalt Cafe is the premiere venue of the San Fernando Valley which hosts bands, musicians, poetry nights and open mic nights. The Cobalt Cafe is located at 22047 Sherman Way Canoga Park, CA 91303.

For tickets contact: http://www.myspace.com/destroytheskies

Show flyer:

BET's Rap City is WRAP City

That's right. Rap City is a WRAP! Kapeesh! Fin! It is a wrap! Saturday night BET aired the final episode of Rap City. Many viewers are probably thinking, "I didn't even know Rap City was still on." After Big Tigger left, it seemed as if the show went downhill with hosts J Nicks, Mad Linx, and Q45.

The show, which first aired in 1989, was BET's longest running show and has been an iconic staple for artists rhyming their way into the rap game.


The finale included appearances from Bow Wow, 50 Cent, Busta Rhymes, LL Cool J, Wu Tang Clan, Jim Jones, Juelz Santana, Nas, and Weezy all had a few words for the show's ending.

Hosts for Rap City were Joe Clair, Chris Thomas, Prince Dajour, Big Lez, Big Tigger, J Nicks, Mad Linx, and Q45.

Joaquin Phoenix Annouces Retirement

Photo Credit: WireImage

Joaquin Phoenix, stunned the public with the announcement that he would be retiring from acting. The two-time Oscar nominee stated this on the red carpet at a Monday benefit for the Association of Hole in the Wall Camps, a charity founded by Paul Newman.

Phoenix said that "Two Lovers," his upcoming romantic drama with Gwyneth Paltrow and Vinessa Shaw , will be his final on-screen role.

Phoenix is apparently giving up acting to pursue music, a passion of his since he learned to play guitar to play the role of Johnny Cash in 2005's "Walk the Line."

"Two Lovers," Phoenix's final film, premiered earlier this year at the Cannes Film Festival to mostly positive reviews. The picture is scheduled for release on February 13th, 2009.

T.I. Put in His Vote...Who's Next?

America!

On November 4th, we will vote for the 42nd and next President of the United States of America. Wednesday night, Presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama aired a 30-minute advertisement focusing on America's economy and what needs to be done. Rapper, T.I., was one of the millions of Americans to watch the ad.

Earlier in the day, T.I. exercised his right to vote in Georgia. "Now rather than just talking about it, I'm being about it. I'm leading by example, and it makes me feel a lot better", he said in an interview. TIP also mentioned that this was the first time in his life that he's ever voted. Originally he thought he was unable to vote because he is a convicted felon, but after researching Georgia law, it read that only people on probation or currently serving a prison sentence are not allowed to vote.

Come November 4, go out and vote!

In other related hip hop news, the Houston All-Stars (Bun B, Chamillionaire, and Paul Wall) released a track entitled "Obama 08". It can be heard here: Obama 08

Events Calendar - Halloween Week 10/30-11/3

Photo Credit: www.colourlovers.com

The following events take place between Oct. 30 and Nov. 3 and are all in the Los Angeles area...make sure to check venue/band sites in case there are any cancellations...HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!

Oct. 30

Cobra Starship, Forever The Sickest Kids - pop/punk - House of Blues Sunset Strip, West Hollywood

The Heavy - R&B/soul - The Echo, Echo Park

Jenny Lewis, Beachwood Sparks, Pierre De Reeder - indie/rock - Orpheum Theater, Los Angeles

Neil Young, Death Cab For Cutie, Everest - indie/rock - The Forum, Inglewood

Oct. 31

Bullets & Octane - rock - The Roxy, West Hollywood

Cypress Hill, The Cool Kids - hip-hop/rock/electro/indie - The Wiltern, Los Angeles

The Damned, The Adolescents - House of Blues, Sunset Strip, West Hollywood

Indie 103.1 Halloween Bash - Drop Dead, Gorgeous, Darker My Love, The Juan MacLean - punk,/emo/dance - Natural History Museum, Exposition Park, Los Angeles

HARD Haunted Mansion - DJ AM, Justice, Boys Noize, DJ Paparazzi, Crystal Castles, and many more - electro/dance - Shrine Expo Hall, Exposition Park, Los Angeles - SOLD OUT!

Love Grenades - pop/indie - The Echo, Echo Park

Jason Mraz - adult contemporary/indie/pop/hip-hop - Greek Theater, Griffith Park

Rise Against, Alkaline Trio, Thrice, The Gaslight Anthem - punk/emo/rock - Hollywood Palladium, Hollywood (3 day event - Oct. 31, Nov. 1, and Nov. 2)

Tiger Army, The Quakes, 12 Step Rebels - punk/rockabilly - The Grove of Anaheim, Anaheim

Nov. 1

All Time Low, Mayday Parade, The Maine - pop-punk/emo - House of Blues Sunset Strip, West Hollywood

Godhead - goth/industrial - Whisky a Go Go, West Hollywood

Horrorpops - punk/rockabilly - The Avalon, Hollywood

Maxwell, Jazmine Sullivan - R&B - Shrine Auditorium, Exposition Park, Los Angeles

Yelle, Passion Pit, Funeral Party - dance/electro/indie/pop - Henry Fonda Theater Music Box, Hollywood

Nov. 2

Russell Brand - British comedian, host of 2008 MTV VMA's - Largo, Los Angeles

"Skaloween" - Voodoo Glow Skulls, Left Alone, and almost 20 other ska/punk bands - ska/punk - Knitting Factory, Hollywood

Suicide Silence, After The Burial, Emmure, Beneath The Massacre, Architects - metal/deathmetal - House of Blues Sunset Strip, West Hollywood

Nov. 3

The Last Shadow Puppets - indie/dance - Mayan Theater, Los Angeles

Lykke Li, Friendly Fires - dance/pop - El Rey Theater, Los Angeles

Mando Diao - garage punk - The Troubadour, West Hollywood

Tragedy Strikes the Hudson Family as Three Family Members are Found Dead.

Photo Credit: http://www.daylife.com/home

Police found the bodies of Jennifer Hudson's mother, Darnell Donerson, and brother, Jason Hudson, on Friday afternoon after a family member came to their home and saw signs of violence inside.

William Balfour, 27, the estranged husband of the boy's mother, Julia Hudson, was brought in for questioning Friday night. He was initially described by police as a suspect in the investigation.

Hudson's nephew's, 7-year-old Julian King, body was found Monday on Chicago's West Side.

The body was found in the back seat of the white Chevrolet Suburban police were looking for in their search for Julian, three days after actress-singer Jennifer Hudson's mother and brother were found shot to death in the mother's house in Englewood.

The SUV containing King's body was found by a 75-year-old who lives on the block, John Louden. He saw the SUV while walking his dog. He said police showed up in about five minutes after his wife called them. They discovered the child inside.

Jesse McCartney Shoots New Music Video

Photo Credit: AOL Images

21-year-old singer Jesse McCartney is staying busy working on new projects. His most recent project is the filming of his brand new music video to his hit song "It's Over". The video, which I am going to be in, was shot on Monday, October 20th in Hollywood on the top of the historic Roosevelt Hotel. The video's concept has McCartney falling for a beautiful young lady only to find out she's disappeared and is being seen with another man. His song "It's Over" says just that - it's over! Expect the video to premiere very soon!

In rumor control, actress-turned-singer-turned-actress Hayden Panettiere was on the set of the video. Hayden and Jesse were apparently an item some months ago however there was no cuddling between the two on set. Panettiere released her debut CD on Hollywood Records in the late summer. No word on whether both are dating as of now.

Amy Winehouse Hospitalized!!

Photo Credit: www.celebrific.com

Amy Winehouse was rushed to the hospital Sunday night and is being treated for a lung and chest infection. Reports surfaced that she checked into rehab (again) but her publicist told People magazine: "Amy is in hospital being checked out with for a chest infection. She is not back in rehab. She should be fine and is expected to return home soon"

Earlier in the year Winehouse was rushed to the hospital for a reported lung infection and was diagnosed with the early stage of emphysema.

Comedian Rudy Ray Moore Dies at 81.

Photo Credit: http://www.cobraverde.com/index.php

1970s Blaxploitation comedian and rapper, Rudy Ray Moore has died at the age of 81.

Moore died Sunday evening at an Akron nursing home from complications of diabetes, said his brother, Gerald Moore. Services will be held in Akron and Spokane, Washington.

Moore played the title role of a flashy, fast-talking pimp and title character fresh out of jail in the 1975 movie Dolemite. In later years Moore collaborated with 2 Live Crew, Big Daddy Kane and Snoop Dogg becoming an influence to a generation of rappers.

Rudy Ray Moore was part of the heyday of black "party records." His stage personality featured blunt sex routines. He never crossed over to the mainstream audience like others during that time.

The Washington Post said in a 1992 profile that “Moore was elaborately boastful, profane and scatological tales of life in the old-style urban subculture of pimps, prostitutes, gamblers and badmen.”

Moore's other notable acting credits during the era of black action films included The Human Tornado in 1976 and Disco Godfather in 1979.

The following clip contains brief nudity and adult language:

Lady Gaga - The Fame

Photo Credit: Interscope Records

Lady Gaga (real name: Joanne Stefani Gabriella Germanotta) is preparing to release her major label debut album and there is quite a buzz around this singer/songwriter. Her album, The Fame, is being released in the U.S. on 10/28/08 and the major online presence of the artist is predicted to propel the album nationally. First single, "Just Dance", which features Akon and Colby O'Donis and was produced by RedOne, has over 13 million hits on YouTube. Lady Gaga's MySpace Music profile also has over 13 million plays on the songs posted on site.

Lady Gaga is a singer songwriter from New York who has written songs for various artists including Britney Spears, The Pussycat Dolls and New Kids On The Block. Her album features electro, glam rock, reggae, dance, piano ballads, 80's music, with quirky lyrics and most of the songs are beat driven - she's found a way to integrate varying styles and actually makes it work to her advantage. Her songs have been featured on many hit shows including "Just Dance" on the MTV hit show The Hills, "Poker Face" on The CW hit show Gossip Girl, "Beautiful Dirty Rich" on ABC hit show Dirty Sexy Money, and "The Fame" on the Australian version of Make Me A Supermodel. Her production company Haus of GaGa has garnered Lady Gaga a wide array of exposure through media, technology and fashion - she has performed on various TV shows like Rove, Jimmy Kimmel, So You Think You Can Dance? Sommerkrysset, and the Miss Universe Pageant.

Lady Gaga, who attended various music schools (including NYU) and learned to play piano by the age of four, started out at New York clubs performing with bands and other artists and built a small empire through word of mouth and internet self promotion which has reached catastrophic levels that garnered her a record deal with Interscope Records.

Official Site: http://www.ladygaga.com/
MySpace Music Profile: http://www.myspace.com/ladygaga
YouTube Channel: http://www.blogger.com/youtube.com/user/ladygagaofficial?ob=4
MTV Profile: http://www.mtv.com/music/artist/lady_gaga/artist.jhtml

"Just Dance" music video:

Saw V Call Scares People

"Hello DeJuan, do you want to play a game? You'll never know how it ends."

The highly successful Saw series, which is set to release Saw 5 on October 24th, is getting themselves into trouble with their new ad campaign. The movie had a promo where users could go online and enter in a telephone number and Jigsaw would call the number provided and say, "Hello (name provided), do you want to play a game? You'll never know how it ends." This upset many unsuspected callers who then called their local authorities. The ad campaign has since been removed from the official website for Saw 5.

Saw 5 will be in theaters nationwide on October 24th.

J.Lo and Marc Renew Vows

Photo Credit: AOL Images

Jennifer Lopez and husband Marc Anthony were in Las Vegas over the weekend celebrating Marc's 40th birthday. While they were there, they caught up with Criss Angel for a special showing and shortly thereafter, renewed their vows inside the Forum Tower Penthouses at Caesar's Palace.

The couple, who have been married since June 5, 2004 in Lopez's backyard, have not officially commented on the vow renewal.

Marc and Jennifer married just five days after Marc's previous marriage ended in divorce.

Road to Recovery

Photo Credit: http://www.eonline.com/
Barker (left) with DJ AM (right)

Travis Barker and Adam “DJ AM” Goldstein survived a crash that occurred just before midnight on September 19 in Columbia, S.C. They were the only ones who escaped the crash surviving the two pilots and two passengers. The two passengers were Barker's assistant Chris Baker, and security guard Charles Still.
Travis Barker says seeing DJ AM has helped his recovery from the plane crash they survived.
"I got to see AM the other day. Seeing him after he was discharged was an inspiration. I saw just how awesome the doctors' work here is, and got to see how well he is doing. I am so happy to see him doing well, and we are both so lucky and grateful that we are alive today," Barker wrote on his MySpace blog Saturday.
"I want to give my deepest thanks to everyone who has helped deal with the current situation," the former Blink 182 drummer said. "First and foremost, Chris and Che were my friends. I would give up anything to have them here with us today, healthy and happy. "
KROQ is hosting a very special event to welcome home DJ AM. The party will be filled with huge DJ performances, all by personal friends of AM including MARK RONSON, CUT CHEMIST, MIXMASTER MIKE, STEVE AOKI, MOMJEANS AKA DANNY MASTERSON, DJ VICE, DJ HOMICIDE, DJ SPIDER, JUS SKE, GRAHAM FUNKE, STONEROKK, DJ FASHEN & MIKE B.
The welcome home party goes down on Tuesday October 14th at Avalon Hollywood from 10p-3am. Tickets are $20 each at www.wantickets.com with proceeds going towards the memorial funds of those lost in the recent tragedy.
Barker also says he will undergo is seventh surgery this week, and that on Saturday he was able to to move all the fingers on his right hand for the first time since the crash.

Slice's Match Ends in 14 Seconds. With Him on the Floor.

Photo Credit: www.cagepotato.com

During a nationally televised Saturday night match on CBS, Kimbo Slice lost by a technical knockout (TKO) in 14 seconds into the main event against Seth Petruzelli.

A crowd favorite with a reputation for great brawling skills, Slice was a favorite coming into the match. Because of a last-minute replacement, Petruzelli was given an opportunity to fight in the main event after original opponent, Ken Shamrock, suffered a cut above his left eye a few hours before the bout.

The match was over before the crowd even realized it had begun. The bell was rung and Petruzelli took a defensive guard against Slice's aggressive fighting style. After spotting an opening, Petruzelli quickly threw a short right hook, dropping Slice on all fours. After that, it was easy for Petruzelli to pound on Slice, landed a series of rights to the face. The referee was forced to jump in and stop the fight.

Many folks considered this a major upset. Others like Dana White, president of the Ultimate Fighting Championship, claim it's just an example of how badly Slice was over-hyped.

"He might be the toughest guy at the barbecue," White said earlier this summer. "But there's no way he's one of the best in Mixed Martial Arts (MMA)."

Kimbo Slice gained fame through the Internet by competing in and winning in backyard brawls.

Reason Rhymes His Way Into Hollywood

Photo Credit: The Carr Administration

Last night was a historic night for Orlando rapper, Reason, who performed for the first time in Hollywood at the Standard Hotel's Purple Lounge on Sunset Blvd.

"I came in here not knowing what to expect and I shut it down. The crowd was really feeling me. I'm excited to see what's next", he said after performing his hit songs "Stacks" and "Check My Swag".

The performance was attended by nearly 100 people who came as far as New York for the show. Although the relatively small crowd may have made it seem like the venue was close to empty, those in attendance let their presence be known as cheering could be heard from the hotel lobby. John, who flew from New York for the event said, "Reason is going to go far. Check his stats and watch him perform - he's incredible!"

Reason is currently working on a mixtape entitled "Rehab is for Quitters" which should hit stores later this month or early November. To hear more of Reason, visit him at http://www.myspace.com/thebestreason.

His Sunday night "Soul Night" performance will hopefully become a regular one as he is slated to perform again on the first Sunday in November.

October Performance And Exhibition Calendar

Here's a list of various events organized by the Mike Curb College of Arts, Media, and Communication, all of these events take place on campus during the month of October.

October

1-11 Hans Burkhardt: the CSUN collection
Main Gallery, Art and Design Center

3 CSUN Symphony
Lawrence Stoffel, guest conductor
Plaza del Sol Performance Hall
8 p.m., $10 / $7 / $5

4 Smothers Brothers
Plaza del Sol Performance Hall
8 p.m., $45

5 Faculty's Composer's Recital
Featuring works by: Daniel Hosken, Daniel Kessner, Liviu Marinescu, Elizabeth Sellers, and William Toutant
Musical Recital Hall, 8 p.m., $10 / $7 / $5

7 Wind Ensemble
"That Was Then: Looking Back at the Past 50 Years of Band Music."
Lawrence Stoffel, conductor
Plaza Del Sol Performance Hall
8 p.m., $10 / $7 / $5

10 Jazz "A" Band
Matt Harris, director
Guest Artist, Bill Reichenbach, bass trombone
Plaza del Sol Performance Hall
8 p.m., $10 / $7 / $5

10-12 The Importance of Being Earnest
Little Theater, Nordhoff Hall, Rm 121
Wed/Thurs 7:30 p.m., Fri/Sat 8 p.m., Sun 2 p.m.,
$16 / $14, $13 / $8 students
Sun Oct 12 interpreted performance for deaf

Long before Monty Python, this wickedly irreverent masterpiece, The Importance of Being Earnest, earned its place as Britain's top comedy. An acerbic mix of wit, manners, and mistaken identity. Written by Oscar Wilde. Directed by Ron Popenhagen.

11 Laurine Phelut, classical guitarist
presented by the American Guitar Society
International Concert Series
Musical Recital Hall, 8 p.m.,
$20 / $15 AGS members / $10 students & seniors

Founded in 1923, the American Guitar Society proudly presents Laurine Phelut. Appearing in the Music Recital Hall Oct 11.

15-19 The Importance of Being Earnest
Little Theater, Nordhoff Hall, Rm 121
Wed/Thurs 7:30 p.m., Fri/Sat 8 p.m., Sun 2 p.m.,
$16 / $14, $13 / $8 students
Wed Oct 15 features a post-show discussion

Long before Monty Python, this wickedly irreverent masterpiece, The Important of Being Earnest, earned its place as Britain's top comedy. An acerbic mix of wit, manners, and mistaken identity. Written by Oscar Wilde. Directed by Ron Popenhagen.

24 Paul Taylor Dance Company
Plaza del Sol Performance Hall
Fri 8 p.m., $45

"The Paul Taylor Dance Company is one of the most exciting, innovative and delightful dance companies in the entire world." - The New York Times

24-30 Lynelle Miliate: Master of Fine Arts
Photography
West Gallery, Art and Design Center

27 Faculty Artist Series
Andy Malloy, trombone soloist
Music Recital Hall, 8 p.m., $10 / $7 / $5

30 An Evening of Small Group Jazz
Matt Harris, Gary Pratt and Gary Fukushima, directors
Music Recital Hall, 8 p.m., $10 / $7 / $5

31 Le Nozze di Figaro
Opera composed by Mozart;
David Scott and Judy Scott, directors;
David Aks, music director and conductor
Campus Theater, Nordhoff Hall, Rm 100
Fri/Sat 8 p.m., Sun 3 p.m.
$20 / $17, $13 / $8 students

31 Art the Vote: Graphic Design
Student Exhibition
Through November 6
Faculty Advisor, Paula DiMarco
West Gallery, Art and Design Center

31 Robert Barbera Invitational
The Communication Studies department and the Matador Forensics Society sponsors the Robert Barbera Invitational, an annual intercollegiate forensics tournament that brings competitors from colleges and universities around the nation. The invitational offers three exciting days of competition in parliamentary and policy debate, as well as public speaking.

SNL VP Debate Skit

Photo Credit: NBC

Saturday Night Live aired it's third Sarah Palin skit starring Tina Fey this Saturday. The skit features Queen Latifah as moderato Gwen Ifill, Jason Sudeikis as Joe Biden and Tina Fey as Sarah Palin. The skit parodies all three participants in Thursday nights debate, making fun of Ifill's pending book release, Biden's need to emphasize the end of his sentences and his love/hate relationship with John McCain and of course Palin's tendency to dodge questions and change the subject, along with her overuse of the word "maverick". The three skits have proven to be ratings gold for SNL as ratings have soared well above the ratings of the show this time last year. Although Tina Fey is not currently on the SNL lineup, her appearances are being decided on a week to week basis and she might reprise her role as Sarah Palin in the near future. Here's a clip of the latest skit, enjoy!

O.J. Simpson Found Guilty

Photo Credit: Annie Leibovitz

A jury convicted Orenthal James “O.J.” Simpson on all twelve counts of armed robbery and kidnapping late Friday night. He was then handcuffed and taken into custody. He'll be sentenced December 5.
Simpson, 61, faces a possible life sentence for a six-minute confrontation with two sports memorabilia dealers last year at a down-market casino hotel.
Simpson's attorneys pledged to appeal. His longtime lawyer, Yale Galanter, cited jury selection as one basis for a new trial. None of the jurors were black.
Prosecutors painted Simpson as masterminding the alleged robbery of two sports collectibles dealers in a hotel room last year. The Hall of Fame running back rounded up five cohorts friends and told two of them to bring guns.
Simpson has said he and his associates were trying to retrieve stolen mementos from collectibles dealers Bruce Fromong and Alfred Beardsley in the Palace Station hotel room.
"We may quibble with how it was done, what was done," said Simpson attorney Galanter in his closing argument. "You may all say he didn't use common sense. But the real issue is whether he had criminal intent to commit a crime."
Prosecutors, however, say the group stole up to $100,000 in footballs, plaques and baseballs at gunpoint from the dealers, who had been tricked into thinking they were meeting a wealthy buyer.
Simpson maintains he never saw guns during the alleged robbery or asked anyone to bring one, although nearly everyone in Room 1203 testified to seeing at least one pistol. Two men -- Michael McClinton and Walter Alexander -- told jurors they carried a .45-caliber Ruger and a .22-caliber Beretta, respectively, at Simpson's request.
Jurors also heard phone calls that Simpson made from jail, a voice-mail in which Alexander appeared willing to slant his testimony for money, and a secret exchange between investigators at the crime scene in which they mocked the double-murder acquittal.
At the end of his closing argument, the prosecutor displayed Simpson's mugshots on a screen overlaid with the word "guilty."
The 1995 case Simpson was involved in became a cultural flash point that drew huge courthouse crowds and polarized black and white Americans.