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ODD News.

Angelina Jolie Out-earns Jennifer Aniston

Angelina Jolie may be a famous do-gooder and jet-setting parent, but she's also a butt-kicking actress who earned an estimated $27 million last year, making her the highest earning female celebrity in Forbes' list. Her film, Wanted, earned a whooping $341 million worldwide, and her next film, Salt, is already money in the bank because she gets a big upfront paycheck for playing a disgraced CIA agent.

Coincidences! Jennifer Aniston is a close second in Forbes' list, earning $25 million for her work in the $244 million romantic comedy Marley & Me and the upcoming comedy The Baster. And she's still earning money from Friends and for endorsing Glaceau's SmartWater.

These two rivals are followed by Meryl Streep and Sarah Jessica Parker, earning $24 million and $23 million, respectively.


Source: Forbes

Photo: (c)Jeff Vespa/WireImage/Getty Images

"False Emotions" for Michael Jackson?

Are those claiming to grieve over Michael Jackson's death just pretending? Is this collective outpouring of grief from everyone everywhere around the globe all a big balloon of . . . hot air?

It's a hard question to ask, and the answer is even harder to tackle. But Hadley Freeman from the Guardian dares to ask and answer this question anyway. It's not easy given the current situation, where all TV and radio stations across the world broadcast the story of the life, music and death of the iconic Michael Jackson, hour after hour, over and over again. With Hollywood celebrities coming out of the woodwork to "pay tribute" of the "what a great man Michael Jackson was" variety, to "fans" gazing forlornly in front of the camera saying they love Michael Jackson so, and that they have tickets to his upcoming concert this year "This is it!"

Hadley Freeman thinks "that the desire for collective emotion leads only to false emotion" in the case of the death of Michael Jackson. Freeman touches on the "multiplicity" of media, saying "Jackson's was not an unblemished life and this makes it tricky for the news channels and tweeting celebrities who long for nothing more than to bathe in the soapy, sudsy pleasure of hyperbolic adoration and eulogies."

Many people share the same skepticism. While not in any way disdaining the feelings of truly grieving Michael Jackson fans, it's worth remembering that when he was alive, the Hollywood press fed Michael Jackson's quirky life unmercifully to the voracious appetite of fans. They consumed him and all that he was, but seldom was there a show of support for the man, more a show of mockery for his quirks. And now with his sudden passing and faced with all this belated tributes and accolades, well.... the irony of it is just too striking to ignore.

Source: Guardian (UK)

Photo: AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko

Goodbye, Michael Jackson

The dazzling lights of Hollywood tinseltown dimmed somewhat today with the passing of one of the most famous Hollywood celebrities of all time -- Michael Jackson. The New York Times reported on Michael Jackson's death Thursday afternoon at the U.C.L.A. Medical Center, where Jackson was rushed from his mansion by paramedics from the Los Angeles Fire Department, after reportedly collapsing of cardiac arrest. Michael Jackson was 50 years old.

One of the biggest Hollywood stars with mega-watt status like Elvis Presley and the Beatles, his death reverberated across the nation today, with radio stations playing a marathon session of many of his famous songs such as “Don’t Stop ’Til You Get Enough,” “Billie Jean” and “Black and White”.

Despite his descent from being one of the most famous Hollywood stars to one of the most weirdly controversial (pedophilia case, multiple plastic surgeries, bankruptcy, making his children wear masks, etc.), Michael Jackson's singing, dancing and song-writing talent, together with his Hollywood star power, is still hard to beat by ordinary Hollywood celebrities of today.


Source: The New York Times
Photo: AP Photo

Hot "Baile" for Clinton?

Shades of Monica or not? He's not from the Hollywood set, but former President Bill Clinton's sojourn to Buenos Aires just recently was covered by the Washington Post. And one of the juiciest tidbits that surfaced in that trip (and closest to Hollywood-style tidbits at that) was that Clinton and his pals partied in a famous cabaret called Crocodilo for a "noche de soltero" (boys' night out). And that a well-endowed brunette by the name of Andrea Rincón danced a "baile hot" private number for him.

The Post went on to say that the hot baile dancer was paid "very well" for that lap dance, but not by Clinton. Rincón says she just danced, and did not speak to him.

Clinton's camp countered that Rincón's story "is completely false. They were at the hotel playing cards with the former and current presidents". They were playing "Oh, Hell," a spokesman said.

Oh, well.

Source: Washington Post
Photo: AP Photo/Matt Sayles

Cher's Daughter Will Become Her Son

Multi-hyphenated Hollywood-royalty-civil-rights-advocate-journalist-author-musician Chastity Bono is about to add a new hyphen to her name: Cher's-daughter-turned-son.

TMZ reported that Sonny and Cher's darling daughter has began the process of changing his/her gender to become their son.

"Yes, it's true -- Chaz, after many years of consideration, has made the courageous decision to honor his true identity," says Howard Bragman, who is Bono's publicist. He says Chastity already turned Chaz when he/she "came out" in his/her early twenties, and now asks for the respect of the media to complete the process.

Oh well, there goes the dream of all-dolled-up tiny little Chers!

Source: TMZ
Photo: Getty Images

Miss Cali Loses Her Crown - Finally?

Miss California Carrie Prejean will go down in pageant history, not for winning the pageant, but for losing the crown barely months later. Oh, also for being a media fodder instead of a world peace advocate.

Her controversial belief against gay and lesbian marriage in California angered the gay community and supporters right at the pageant Q&A, and their hostility did not let up after she was crowned. Then pictures of her in racy costumes and poses began to surface, and this new controversy brought her dangerously close to possible violations of the Miss California pageant contract.

It took pageant owner Donald Trump's defense of Prejean a month ago for the dust to settle down on the controversial pictures, when Trump dismissed the photos and allowed her to stay. And yet now, a month later, Trump himself gave the word to fire Prejean, according to Fox News.

The reason? "I told Carrie she needed to get back to work and honor her contract with the Miss California Organization and I gave her the opportunity to do so," Trump said in a press release. "Unfortunately it just doesn’t look like it is going to happen and I offered . . . my full support in making this decision."

It's not meant to be, dahling. Beauty pageants are sooo Hollywood!

Source: Fox News

Photo: AP

Nude Madonna and Her (ex) Man Painting Sells

The anonymous collector is probably a fan. Glasgow artist Peter Howson's painting of pop star Madonna -- nude -- with former husband Guy Ritchie has been sold to a buyer outside Scotland, who bought the oil painting way above its reserve price of $24,000 required by McTear's Auctioneers in Glasgow, according to BBC.

The painting "Madonna & Guy" was made in 2005 and is one of many portraits of the pop star in varying states of undress. It failed to sell at an auction last month, but nailed the sale this month for an "excellent price", considering that Madonna and ex-husband Guy Ritchie divorced last November after an 8-year marriage.

The oil painting depicts two figures in the nude, with the female figure reclining and the male figure resting his hand on her thigh. No insult to the artist, but if he called this art work "Jon and Kate", my art-idiot self will probably believe him.

Source: BBC

Photo: PA

Whitney Houston's Comeback

Whitney fans, rejoice! After years of nothing but bad news on the singer's life -- drug problems, health issues, legal battle with father John Houston, divorce with singer Bobby Brown, and financial problems -- Whitney will finally stage a comeback with an as-yet-untitled album on Arista Records, set for September 1 release, according to Billboard.

This album is readied for release even as early as now, with Whitney's official website running track previews of her up-coming album. Producers and songwriters who believe in the singer's great voice is said to be helping in the creation of the comeback album, namely will.i.am, Sean Garrett and Akon.

"The voice is there; I don't think anyone could ever take that from her. As long as we apply that voice to hit records, she'll be right back where she left off," Akon told Billboard in 2007.


Source: Billboard
Photo: Getty Images

Daddy Lohan: I Didn't Threaten to Kill My Fiancée

Leave it to the Lohans. Is it because Lindsay is surprisingly silent these past weeks that Dad Michael has to pinch hit for her to keep feeding the rumor mill? Michael Lohan is facing a misdemeanor charge for aggravated harassment wherein he allegedly got into an altercation last March 18 with his fiancée Erin Muller and threatened to kill her.

"He allegedly called Erin Muller on the telephone and stated in sum and substance that he would kill her and himself if Erin Muller left him," according to Suffolk County D.A. Lohan counters by telling E! News that it isn't so, and that Erin has told the court that she won't pursue the charged and will let it all drop. He claims that the media just blew the whole thing out of proportion.

Source: E! Online
Photo: Gary Gershoff / Getty Images

Vanessa Hudgens: Bare Movie Role Ahead?

So soon after the High School Musical franchise ended for her, is Vanessa Hudgens already desperate for work?

Without major prompting, the actress told E! Online this week that she'd gladly get naked in a future film.

"I will show nudity in a film when the time is right," Vanessa said. "Right now, I wouldn't feel comfortable doing it, but like I said, when the time's right, if it's an amazing movie that I'm really passionate about and that's what it calls for, then we'll see."

Might Hudgens be aiming for retribution against Zac Efron, following his risqué photo shoot in Interview magazine in March?

After all, it's not like Hudgens needs to make any birthday suit promises in order to land a role.

This summer, she begins shooting a pair of movies: Beastly, a retelling of Beauty and the Beast; and Sucker Punch!, based on a girl that is sent to a mental institution by her stepfather.

Vanessa's history of nude photos might actually hurt her bare box office appeal. Why shell out $10 for a movie ticket when someone can surf the Web for free?

Jessica Biel: my "hotness" is a problem

For Jessica Biel, her body and good looks are the main culprit why she doesn't always get the plum roles in Hollywood films. Despite her performance in The Illusionist that earned her decent reviews, good roles are still not hers for the picking, so she tells Allure magazine. She envies the likes of Scarlett Johansson and Natalie Portman, who can do so.

Biel, whose recent film -- Powder Blue -- went straight to DVD, is better known for her high-profile dates than her acting portfolio. She is currently dating Justin Timberlake, and has been linked to Derek Jeter and Chris Evans in the past.

Good roles, good roles. Aren’t those given to good actresses? Just asking...


Source: USMagazine.com
Photo: AP Photo/Chris Pizzello

Tin "Cannes" Alley?

Are Cannes' glory days of chic, glamour and sophistication truly gone? Apparently so. The beaches of Cannes are littered with crass personalities with hardly an ounce of Gregory Peck, Audrey Hepburn or Bette Davis in their styles. Most people congregate to Cannes during the festival that has no business being in the event. They are party-goers who love the gregarious scene during festival season, and in no way connected to the film industry, if at all.

Legitimate and long-time Cannes attendees mourn the 60s when the crowd is "more classy". Hollywood A-listers quickly abandon Cannes after doing their required premier and party duties, while those few who are left, like Jim Carrey and Brad Pitt, hide in their rooms. It's all downhill after that, with the likes of Paris Hilton hosting a yearly party in Cannes -- for fun, what else?

Source: MailOnline

Photo: Getty Images

'Angels and Demons' actor: Brown's a "terribly bad writer"

He joins the cast of "Angels and Demons", but he's no fan of its author, Dan Brown. Swedish actor Stellan Skarsgard, who plays the head of the Pope's Swiss Guard in the film, says he accepted his role in the film only after reading the script by director Ron Howard. Skarsgard cheekily said, "I think Dan Brown is a terribly bad writer, but he has cliffhangers after every chapter which makes you continue reading".

Oh, he also thinks "Angels and Demons" is better than the first film, "The Da Vinci Code". Is it because he's in it? Tom Hanks, by the way, reprises his lead role as Harvard professor Robert Langdon.

Source: Associated Press
Photo: AP Photo/Andrew Medichini

Miley's "goofy" Kodak Moment and a Law Suit

When you're a famous teenager, a simple photo of you and your friends slanting your eyes can be considered a "racial insult" and could earn you a class suit. How's that again? As kooky as it sounds, Hannah Montana pop-princess Miley Cyrus was actually sued by Lucie Kim for insulting the Asian-Pacific Islander population in L.A. County, simply because she gestured THE gesture. Kim contested in her suit that Miley Cyrus should pay $4,000 for each Asian-Pacific Islander person that Cyrus inflicted with civil rights damages, totaling $4 billion if you counted the size of the ethnic mix of Asian and Asian-American people in the region.

Miley's legal team fired back with a testy challenge citing "equal access to public accommodations" and basically saying Cyrus did not discriminate and that Kim doesn't deserve payment for being offended.

Source: E! Online
Photo: AP Photo/Matt Sayles

LiLo's House - Ransacked or Just Messy?

Apparently, not keeping a clean house is detrimental when you're burglarized in Hollywood. That's what happened to Lindsay Lohan when police responded last Tuesday to a security alarm that was triggered at Lohan's home. When police came over to investigate, they thought at first it was ransacked, then after poking around they decided it was just plain messy.

But recent developments say Lohan's house was attempted for burglary, after all. This after a security video caught two unidentified men attempting to break into LiLo's L.A. home, with a four-door gray station wagon parked in front of the house just before 3 p.m. So the security alarm was triggered alright, by these two men... or by a rat perhaps?

Source: People
Photo: INF