THE TOWERING WORLD OF JIMMY CHOO THE REVIEWS...READ ALL ABOUT IT!

Booklist Online
Top 10 Business Books 2009, October 1, 2009:

IN OUR PERENNIAL effort to help librarians maintain a wide-ranging business collection, we offer below 10 outstanding titles reviewed in Booklist over the past year that are worthy of inclusion in, and guaranteed to expand the range of, any public library business collection.
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The Herald (Ireland)
There's no business like Choo business!, June 15, 2009:

TAMARA MELLON IS the London society girl whose wedding to millionaire banking-heir Matthew Mellon in 2000 was attended by Liz Hurley and Hugh Grant -- and another 388 guests who mostly wore Jimmy Choos. She is also the glamorous public face of Choo, the designer shoes which were the first sexy stilettos to get a mention on Sex and The City, in spite of Carrie finally falling for Manolo Blahniks.
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The Guardian
Stepping out of the Limelight, June 13, 2009:

IN THE CENTRE of this book there's a slim portfolio of happy snaps - unhappy snaps actually, given that the families in them became estranged, the couples divorced, and the business partnerships sundered in acrimony. The pictures are cropped at the knee, the glam people left footless. Only once is a shoe properly visible. It's the true subject of a portrait of its maker, Jimmy Choo Yeang Keat. He's a severe man seated at his bench, the glue smell of his workshop almost wafting off the page as he lifts a strappy number in his flexible craftsman's hands. One finger lightly supports its pointed toe. This is the shoe as made object; look hard at it, because elsewhere in this book, the shoe as shoe is paid scant attention. Choo doesn't get much more.
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The Wall Street Journal
Cobbler to the Stars , June 3, 2009:

IN THE LATE 1990s, the only luxury shoemaker in the world that might have been considered synonymous with $500 stilettos was Manolo Blahnik. When the shoes-obsessed women of "Sex and the City" made their debut in 1998, they cooed over Manolos. But a rival would soon get its foot in the door with shoppers for high-end women's footwear by launching a campaign to win Hollywood's affections. As Lauren Goldstein Crowe and Sagra Maceira de Rosen relate in "The Towering World of Jimmy Choo," the eponymous company -- led by president Tamara Mellon, who co-founded the business in London in 1996 with Jimmy Choo, a Malaysian-born shoemaker -- decided to make an extraordinary effort to court celebrities' favor and gain wider publicity for the brand.
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The Observer
Of Stilettoes and Socialites, May 31, 2009:

IT IS HARD to remember now, but there was a time, before Sex and the City was the merest diamante twinkle in a television executive's eye, when most women did not think it reasonable to spend £500 on a pair of designer heels. Then, suddenly, for a while before our credit cards were comprehensively crunched, it seemed as though we were saturated by consumerism. It was not so much conspicuous consumption as consumption that wore a floor-length mink coat lined with diamonds and shouted: "Look at me! Look at me!" The rise of the Jimmy Choo shoe empire coincided almost exactly with the boom in the luxury goods market through the late 1990s.
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The Scotsman
Book Review by Kayt Turner, May 31, 2009:

I THINK IT'S fair to say that I Love Shoes. I also love gossip and intrigue...well, who doesn't? So when The Towering World Of Jimmy Choo then to my desk, promising "a story of power, profits and the pursuit of the perfect shoe", I thought that all my Christmases had come at once. Tamara Mellon, Jimmy Choo's president, is a stellar fixture on the party scene and anyone that she doesn't know really isn't worth knowing. Jimmy Choo is a multi-million pound operation and you've got to think that more than a few tears were shed and a few knives drawn along the way.
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The Sunday Times
Book Review by Camilla Long, May 31, 2009:

ONE OF THE cheapest shoes Jimmy Choo ever produced was a high-heeled flip-flop made from terry cloth in the summer of 2003. You may not have been able to walk in them, but, at £185, they were a snip compared with some of the brand's skyscraper styles, shoes hoovered up at £500 a go by women who couldn't work out if they were more obsessed with the brand's snakeskin and satin confections or the sex and social life of Tamara Mellon, the company's glamorous president.
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People Magazine
Style Watch, May 29, 2009:

IF YOU THOUGHT the stiletto heels were glamorous, wait until you read the whole story! The Towering World of Jimmy Choo, by Lauren Goldstein Crowe and Sagra Maceira de Rosen, is a story filled with fashion, glitz, backstabbing and drama. From a dingy warehouse where the Malaysian shoemaker named Jimmy Choo made custom heels for British socialites to heiress Tamara Mellon's tabloid-ready life to sparkling stores on Rodeo Drive, the making of this household name wasn't an easy journey. Get your copy (just in time for beach reading!).
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Seventeen Magazine
Find Out the Crazy History of Jimmy Choo and His Amazing Shoes! , May 29, 2009:

DID JIMMY CHOO really exist before Carrie fawned over them on Sex and the City? The answer is kind of! The new book The Towering World of Jimmy Choo: A Glamorous Story of Power, Profits, and the Pursuit of the Perfect Shoe by Lauren Goldstein Crowe and Sagra Maceira de Rosen gives you an exclusive look behind the scenes at this iconic shoe brand. Jimmy Choo (the man, not the shoe) started out in a little workshop in London making shoes for Princess Diana. Then Tamara Yeardye, a London socialite, convinced him to launch his now famous shoe line and the rest is history! The story is full of major drama and is super interesting...and totally true! So even if you can't afford the shoes themselves, for a much smaller price, now you can know their history! Check it out!
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Glamour Fashion
Four Things You Never Knew About Jimmy Choo, May 18, 2009:

THE NEW BOOK The Towering World of Jimmy Choo: A Glamorous Story of Power, Profits, and the Pursuit of the Perfect Shoe is chock full of juicy details about one of fashion's most successful luxury labels, and I got even more inside scoop from one of the book's authors, Lauren Goldstein Crowe, during a Q&A I held with her this weekend. Find out more, after the jump.
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Forbes
Building A Business On Four-Inch Heels, May 18, 2009:

DESPITE DWINDLING PAYCHECKS, shallow bank accounts and disappearing trust funds, high-priced shoes are still the item du jour in fashionable circles. This season, nothing's creating more buzz than Yves Saint Laurent's cage booties, $1,460, or Louis Vuitton's Spicy sandal, $2,720. That's why Lauren Goldstein Crowe and Sagra Maceira de Rosen's new book, The Towering World of Jimmy Choo: A Glamorous Story of Power, Profits, and the Pursuit of the Perfect Shoe seems prescient, despite the fact that conspicuous consumption was purportedly laid to rest alongside Wall Street back in October.
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Joansbooks.com
Your Jimmy Choos aren't, April 22, 2009:

JIMMY CHOO, THE shoemaker, hasn't had anything to do with Jimmy Choo, the shoes, for quite a while now. That's what this book is about - the way a small, artisanal shoemaking company catering to a select group of wealthy women was turned into an international luxury ready-to-wear brand featured on television...
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Amazon.com
Success Story is Not Even the Word!, April 16, 2009:

WHAT A FASCINATING glimpse into the fashion industry and its treachery, and a powerful story of a very talented man and those who championed his work to make him who he is today. Even though I am not a fashion person in the LEAST, I was interested in reading this book because I was walking in midtown and saw a shoe display that stopped me in my TRACKS. Of course, it was Jimmy Choo. I don't even LIKE heels but I was smitten! So when this book became available on Vine, I knew I had to read it and I was not disappointed. You won't be either!
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Amazon.com
More Than Just a Book About a Luxury Shoe, April 15, 2009:

THE AUTHORS DEEPLY steeped in the fashion industry create a compelling book that is based on the creation of the Jimmy Choo shoe brand. Starting from the humble beginnings of Jimmy Choo himself, building shoes one at a time for a small elite clientele, including Lady Di, to the towering world brought about by the efforts of Tamara Yeardye who saw a dream in expand...
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Booklist
Book Review by Barbara Jacobs , April 15, 2009:

AS THE WORLD economy continues to reel, one burning question prompted by journalist Crowe and financial analyst De Rosen's riveting history of the ups and downs and ups again of the Jimmy Choo brand: Will there continue to be a market for high-end luxury goods? The answer is a toss-up among today's pundits. Then again, so is the response to the question posed first by the authors: Does Jimmy Choo represent a new business model for luxury brands or was it simply in the right place at the right time? There is something Sex and the City-like about Jimmy Choo's rise to fashionista prominence: it's the tale of many machinations, many different owners (three in less than one decade), and clashes of outsized personalities, incuding Jimmy Choo (yes, he exists!), the Malaysian shoemaking talent; Tamara Mellon, the celebrity president (and her parents); Matthew Mellon, her former husband and an American banking scion-cumparty guy; and Robert Bensoussan, farsighted CEO and entrepreneur, among dozens of other celebrities and characters. A fascinating, well-written chronology that draws a chillingly accurate behind-the-scenes portrait of a contemporary fashion brand.
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Nylon Magazine Book Club
Choos or Lose, March 30, 2009:

WHEN I WAS 20, my father gave me the most valuable present I've ever received - even better than a car. It was The Business of Fashion, a book by Teri Agins on what it really meant to work in the clothing industry. Besides being cool and fascinating, it helped me understand my future job in a way no college course could.
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Dark Shadow Magazine
by Genn Shaughnessy , March 20, 2009:

IF YOU'VE SEEN Sex & The City from start to finish, you're well aware of the brand building plugs throughout the series. Did you know that Jimmy Choo was the first shoe brand to be mentioned in it? Towering World of Jimmy Choo: A Glamourous story of Power, Profits and the Pursuit of the Perfect Shoe by...
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Reading With Monie
Behind the Scenes With World Famous Brand, March 1, 2009:

THE TOWERING WORLD of Jimmy Choo is the behind the scenes story of the world famous shoe brand. Jimmy Choo was a young shoemaker who crafted made-to-order shoes for a few select wealthy clients in London when he caught the eye of Tamara Yeardye. Tamara began using Jimmy's shoes in Vogue layouts...
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The Blackberry Craze

Get a blackberry!!!

Just recently, my cousin was ranting on about why I should go and get a BlackBerry. This was the same BlackBerry that was supposedly only for boring old business men. When the BlackBerry initially came out, it was the business phone. It was a boring phone for business men. It was still more advanced than other phones in those as it had emails and some other applications.
The BlackBerry has since evolved and the market has grown to include teenagers. The popular BlackBerries include the pearl, the bold and the storm. The BlackBerry became very popular with all the new features and applications. It is the new fad and if you don’t have a BlackBerry you are lacking behind!!!
It is a phone for everyone, for business people, teens, technology driven folks and just about everyone…

	Ed Hardy Cover for the Blackberry Tour 9630 Current Bid: $7.00
	BlackBerry Tour 9630 Verizon.NEW in the box! NIB Sealed Current Bid: $359.00
	HOLSTER for the Sprint BlackBerry CURVE 8350i Belt Clip Current Bid: $1.99
	Ed Hardy Cover for the Blackberry Tour 9630 Current Bid: $7.00

The world is going mini

You no longer have to get a laptop. The BlackBerry is like a mini computer that fits right into your pocket. Plus it is cheaper than a laptop. Most BlackBerries have Wi-Fi and you can access the internet from anywhere you are as long as there is wireless service where you are. People are dependent on the BlackBerry and use it to organize their life. In fact people are getting addicted to it. If you work into a gathering of young people, almost everyone there would be on their BlackBerries.
The BlackBerry also has an application call BlackBerry messenger which with you can chat with anyone around the world that has a BlackBerry. The idea of being able to text someone no matter where they were in the world sounds crazy to me.

	Blackberry 8520 Gemini Curve
	Blackberry Storm 9500 Unlocked Phone with 3.15 Mega pixel Camera (Black)
	BlackBerry Pearl 8100 Unlocked Phone with Quad-Band GSM,GPRS, EDGE, 1 MP Camera, Camcorder, and Bluetooth--International Version
	BlackBerry Bold 9700 Phone (AT&T)

Applications

The same way the I-phone has a couple of applications, the BlackBerry also has many. There is the Google map, different games, news, weather and all sorts of applications. The BlackBerry also has an application for e-marketing. A wise choice for business men.
The BlackBerry has become one of the best phones one can get. Since there are so many people on the BlackBerry plan, communication has become much easier. As long as you know a person’s ID you can communicate with them and you can also tell where the person is. I know it sounds like an invasion, but if you don’t want a person to find you, you can stay invincible to them.
You might need to get on a BlackBerry data plan to use some of the applications. You can connect to internet without getting on the plan. Check out the hub link below know how to that.
So what are you waiting for? Go and get a BlackBerry.

DA GRIN'S HIP TV INTERVIEW ON THE DAY OF THE ACCIDENT

Hours before his accident, Da Grin had an interview with Hip On TV. These are the excerpts of the interview below;

Hip TV- How does it feel to be a nominee?
Da Grin- I feel so good, I feel so great because last year I was nominated for two categories but I didn't get any but now I feel like I am working. I feel like I am part of the Nigerian acts for me to be nominated for the Hip Hop World Awards. It's like a plus to my career, if I get any. But I hope to win. I really I want to have it all.

Hip TV- Can you recite some of the lines of Pon Pon Pon and infuse Hip Hop World in it?
Da Grin- Sure. Awon artiste ni Naija, imi nu won si ma ja/To ma sare gbagbe bata bi ki bata e ja/
Olorun si n ba elomi se ninu yin, o si n ni hit/To ba to time kan, e yin bawo, e ni le fit/
E ma le, igba yen la ma mo ojuomobale/A ma fi rap wrap yin po ese yin o ni bale/
E wo mi kin n fi fale/E wo mi ki n fi hale/ Toba wad a bi iro, oya now Hip Hop World e je a jale.

Hip TV- Were you expecting a nomination?
Da Grin- Of course, most definitely. If you listened to the C.E.O album, you know definitely know what am talking about when it comes to rap albums.

Hip TV- Now that the nominees list is out, what do you think are your chances? Do you think can knockout the rest of the competition?
Da Grin- Of course now, like I said in the C.E.O album, I put in a lot of work. I talked about the streets, I talked about the hustle, and its not just the Moet, Hennessey thing. So with C.E.O I have got the chance.

Hip TV- Evaluate the chances of the other contenders in your category?
Da Grin- I like Cartiairs album, he is a good rapper. I listened to a couple of songs on Ill Bliss's album, its good. Kel, her album is good but it sounds like a mixtape. The C.E.O album is really on point. It talks about the streets, the ghetto, and the hustle. It talks about how people carry on with their lives and everything. Its not just the Hennessey, Moet and Champagne thing. The C.E.O album is on point.

Hip TV- Okay, say something to your fans.
Da Grin- Yo people just vote for me. Its www.hiphopworldawards.com. Vote for your boy Da Grin a.k.a Fi Mi Le Jo. I also want you to vote for my boy So Sick. (Goes ahead to sing the hook on Stay Fly).

T.I RELEASES ALBUM "I'M BACK"

Check it out now!

T.I. has solidified his comeback with a new video for his street single “I’m Back.” The rapper is gearing up the release of his new album, King Uncaged, which will hit stores on August 17th. Head over to TrapMuzik.com or to watch the clip now, or watch it on youtube.

Copyright: MTV BASE

Henry Simmons Is Tying The Knot Next Month!!!

Mmmmmm some sexiness is going off the market! After being previously linked to Michelle Williams and Eva Pigford, Henry Simmons has reportedly found him a Mrs.!!! TT sources say that Henry is set to be wed this May. Pop the hood for details and photos of the happy couple.

Sources tell TT exclusively that Henry is set to wed “Numb3rs” actress Sophina Brown on May 28th. The pair both were regular cast members of the CBS series “Shark”.

Keep checking TT  for more updates as their big day approaches.

“Not Afraid.” off "Recovery"

According to MTV News, Eminem is scheduled to release his new single, “Not Afraid.” The song is the first offering from his new album, Recovery, and will impact radio this Friday. While details surrounding the upcoming disc are sparse, we are happy to announce that the effort will hit stores on June 22nd. The project is going up against Diddy’s long-awaited Last Train To Paris, Chamillionaire’s Venom LP and Dream’s Love King album.

Copyright: MTV BASE

DMX gets duped, for over a decade

According to New York’s Daily News, DMX has reportedly filed a lawsuit against a company called Rick Kid Entertainment on Monday for allegedly stealing over a million dollars in royalties. The suit reads: “DMX has sold over 30-million albums worldwide and has had number one singles and albums on the Billboard charts, which in turn have generated a great amount of revenue for the defendants, but has left [DMX] with nothing.” The rapper believes Rick Kid pocketed 100-percent of his earnings, instead of 10-percent they agreed to. Due to his recent string of run-ins with the law, he had no idea he’d been ripped off for the past decade.

Copyright: MTV BASE

Ag. President Jonathan sacks Iwu, the INEC boss

The Acting President, Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, has directed the Chairman of the Independent Electoral Commission, INEC, Professor Maurice Iwu, to proceed on pre- disengagement leave with immediate effect.
Picture: Maurice Iwu
This directive is in consonance with Section 155(1) (c), which stipulates that the Chairman and members of the Independent Electoral Commission shall hold office for a period of five years.
This is seen as a welcome development by a cross section of the country. Many people and civil society groups have openly campaign for the sack of the electoral body chairman as a result of his inability to organise credible elections.  Their stance has also been supported by the US government.
His term would have ended in any case on 13th June, 2010 but the decision to remove him early lends credibility to Mr Jonathan’s vow to avoid a repeat of the three violent, rigged polls of civilian rule.
A successor is expected to be named shortly. There are two main contenders, a person familiar with the situation said.

One is Olisa Agbakoba, a former head of the Nigerian Bar Association and a veteran democracy activist jailed under Sani Abacha’s dictatorship of the 1990s. The other is Professor Attahiru Jega, vice-chancellor of Bayero University in the main northern city of Kano.
Both men served on an electoral reform panel headed by Mohammed Lawal Uwais, a former chief justice whose recommendations are regarded by activists and reform-minded politicians as a blueprint for improved elections.
Professor Iwu has also been directed to hand over to the most senior National Commissioner, who shall oversee the activities of the commission pending the appointment of a substantive chairman.

 The Acting President thanked the out going Chairman of INEC for his service to the nation and wished him success in his future endeavours.

Nigerian writers miss out on Caine Prize shortlist

Skill, confidence and ambition characterise the five stories shortlisted for this year’s Caine Prize for African Writing. Chair of the panel of judges for the 2010 award, Fiammetta Rocco, made the observation when the shortlist was announced on Monday, April 26, 2010.

Each hailed for possessing “an added dimension - a voice, character or particular emotional connection- that makes it uniquely powerful. The stories were selected from 115 entries received from 13 African countries.

Despite boasting last year’s winner in E.C. Osondu’s “Waiting,” no Nigerian writer made this year’s shortlist. Nigerian authors Helon Habila (Waiting for an Angel) and Segun Afolabi (Monday Morning) previously won in 2001 and 2005 respectively. This makes Nigeria the most successful country so far in the Caine Prize, as the one with the most number of winners. South Africa already has two winners, and may improve on the tally this year, as it has two writers on the 2010 shortlist.

South African authors Ken Barris and Alex Smith make the list with ‘The Life of Worm’ and ‘Soulmates’ respectively. They are joined on by Kenyan Lily Mabura (‘How Shall we Kill the Bishop’), Zambian Namwali Serpell (‘Muzungu’) and Olufemi Terry from Sierra Leone who completes the shortlist with his short story, ‘Stickfighting Days.’

Literary editor with The Economist, Rocco chairs a panel of judges comprising Granta Deputy Editor Ellah Allfrey (who recently taught an editor’s workshop in Lagos); Jon Cook, a professor at the University of East Anglia, and Georgetown University professor Samantha Pinto.

The 2010 Caine winner goes home with a £10,000 cash award and has the chance to be a ‘Caine Prize/Georgetown University Writer-in-Residence’ during a one-month residence at Georgetown University, Washington DC.

Several well known Nigerian writers have been previously shortlisted for the Caine Prize, including Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, who went on to great acclaim with her award winning second novel, ‘Half of a Yellow Sun’. Others include Oprah Book Club selected author, Uwem Akpan; and Chika Unigwe (author of ‘On Black Sisters’ Street’).

Previous winners include: Zimbabwean author of ‘Harare North’ Brian Chikwava, Ugandan Monica Arac de Nyeko for her short story, ‘Jambula Tree’; and maverick Kenyan writer, Binyavanga Wainaina.

The Caine Prize for African Writing was instituted in honour of Michael Caine, former chair of the Booker Prize Management Committee. Chinua Achebe and a Nobel Laureate-trio of Wole Soyinka, J.M. Coetzee and Nadine Gordimer are patrons of The Caine Prize.

This year’s winner will be announced on Monday, July 5 during an award dinner at the Bodleian Library in Oxford, UK.

Brandy's Blog: I'm Nervous To Be 'Bran'Nu'

Here's how Bran'Nu came about. I was in the car one day rapping. I was just listening to a beat and started flowing off the top of my head. It was crazy. I was like, “Oh my God, I’m learning!” I’ve always loved hip-hop, could always quote all of the verses from rappers like Eminem, Lil Wayne and Jay-Z.
Sometimes I prefer hip-hop over R&B. So I could always do that. But never really seemed to fit. Then I did it one day. I was like “OMG, I could rap, I could rap, I know I can rap, let me call my brother and get confirmation."
So I called my brother to get the confirmation, called my cousin, and I rapped for them and they were like, "B’ you’re onto something." I did it as a hobby for a while and then Timbaland was like, “You gotta do this, you gotta come on the album." For him to think that it was good enough to be on his album was like whoa.
But I’m a little nervous to really do Bran'Nu though on a consistent basis, because I never want my fans to think that I’m going to abandon them. I’m still Brandy. I really do love to rap. It's a part of my personality. I really get to express creatively, but I wouldn’t do a whole rap album. I think it’d be a lie if I did that.
Nicki Minaj is my favorite rapper right now. I love her. She is just so dope to me. I like her style and the way she performs, all of that. She’s different than anybody that has ever been out. I would do a song with Bran'Nu and Nicki. Absolutely. But I need about two weeks with my verse and I’ll be good. Nicki Minaj ain’t about to upstage me :)
As far as the name, Bran'Nu is a name that my momma gave to me a long time ago. People used to always call me Bran'Nu all the time and Timbaland thought that was a brilliant name for it for a whole rap persona.

Ruben Studdard Talks 'Idol'; Wants Diddy To Replace Simon Cowell

A lot has changed on American Idol since Ruben Studdard became the second winner 7 years ago. The R&B crooner aka “velvet teddy bear” says his season didn’t have the luxury of a live band nor did he get to meet Ellen DeGeneres or Kara DioGuardi as judges. In addition, the show’s ratings then were on the rise, unlike this season’s 10% decrease with critics blaming lackluster talent.
“It always makes me laugh when people say the show isn’t as good,” Studdard tells VIBE. “People forget that performers progress as the season goes on. Everybody turns into an artist literally at the last three weeks before the end so I don’t make any comments until I see who’s on the top of the class."
So far Studdard is betting on guitar strumming Casey James, but he's aware of comparisons drawn between he and Michael Lynche. "It’s not because we sound alike,” says Studdard with a chuckle, "I think people just compare us because he’s a big Black guy and I’m a big Black guy."
Another change will be Simon Cowell’s departure when the year is over an upset that Studdard admits will drastically change the show.
“The show will be very different without Cowell, but they have to move on,” says Studdard.
While Idol producers are entertaining the possibility of Howard Stern taking the reigns, Mr. Velvet Teddy Bear has his own idea of who would be a good choice. “Diddy would be a good fit because he has that no nonsense attitude when he’s picking artists but it’s still going to be a hard spot to fill,” he says.
Studdard, who’s latest single "Don’t Make 'Em Like U No More" is still climbing R&B charts, is currently working on his fifth album. It’s in the early stages but he’s pushing for a fourth quarter release, and he still maintains faith that the show where he got his start will help birth more future stars. “As long as America wants to have a part in making people's dreams come true, the show will go on."

Usher Has A Pregnant Fiancée?

According to The YBF, Usher's trading in his recharged bachelorhood for a new wife and baby.
The gossip blog reports that the 31-year-old father of two and ex-husband of celebrity stylist, Tameka Foster-Raymond, is engaged to former Def Jam exec, Grace Miguel, 42, who is also allegedly three months pregnant with his child.
The two were snapped over the weekend in Atlanta's Piedmont Park along with Usher's two sons. In reaction to the photos, Foster tweeted "I thank you all for your confirmation that I'm dealing with a pure bitchass dude. How did this happen? What part of the game is this? Never again."
Although no sources were named, The YBF claims to have received it's news from a credible associate close to Miguel.
In September, In Touch Weekly reported that Usher and Miguel were officially a couple and had been dating for six months and that their relationship caused the demise of Usher's marriage with Foster.
Stay tuned to VIBE.com as this story develops.

Michael Lohan Calling on a Judge to Stop Daughter Lindsay From 'Dying'

Lindsay Lohan is once again struggling with her father, after he called police to her Los Angeles home and proclaimed on national television that he will hire a team of lawyers to force her into rehab.

It is certainly a tumultuous time for Lindsay Lohan, who finds herself back in the headlines after her father Michael called police to her Los Angeles home last week in what he claims was an attempt to stage an intervention and have his youngest daughter, 16-year-old Ali, removed from Lindsay’s residence.
But despite Lindsay’s repeated Twitter outbursts against her “crazy” father, we’re told Michael is hiring a team of professionals to accompany him to the court house in the hopes of acquiring a court order that will force Lindsay into rehab and ensure Ali is removed from Lohan’s home.
On Monday, Michael apparently signed up with Gloria Allred’s daughter, attorney Lisa Bloom and met with chemical addictions specialist Marty Brenner to launch his plan of attack.
“Michael just wants the best for his children, Lindsay is out of control. Ali has been living with her, supposedly getting home schooled, but we don’t know who is monitoring her,” Brenner told Tarts. “There is no reason she should be living there, she should be at home. Nobody is looking out for Lindsay either, Dina keeps saying she has no problems.”
SLIDESHOW: The Extreme Highs and Lows of Lindsay Lohan

Whether suing financial companies or posing in racy spreads, the starlet always seems to be causing a commotion.
WARNING: SOME PHOTOS NSFW

We’re also told that Lindsay often calls and texts her “estranged” father in times of need, but in the public light plays out as if she has nothing to do with him – which confuses Michael greatly.
“He is first of all going to try and talk to Dina and see if they can all work together as a family unit and force Lindsay to get help but that probably won’t happen,” said Brenner. “Her friends have given up on her, if she doesn’t get help, Michael knows she is going to die. No questions about it. She is a loose canon.”
However Dina told Us Weekly on Monday that her daughters have temporarily left the home as they are “so scared” of their father and all three intend to file restraining orders against him.
RELATED: 7 Reasons Why Lindsay Lohan Is the New Britney Spears
Dina also defended her eldest daughter as being a “good role model” for her 16-year-old.
But aside from hiring a group of pros, the first thing Michael Lohan has been told to do is to stop talking to the press.
“He’s trying to help but has gone about it all the wrong way. He’s been drawing attention to the issue the only way he knows how,” added Benner. “No more media.”
And while Michael’s new goal is to keep his press-loving mouth closed, Linds has vowed that she is done with partying.
“Last night never again believe it or not she’s done with the club scene,” Lilo Tweeted on the weekend. "I’ve learned my lesson – sometimes it just takes a glimpse of reality.”

Celine Dion's Home -- The Ultimate Water Park

Celine Dion is literally drowning in money -- so much so, that she just built a massive water park in the backyard of her equally massive Florida mansion.


We have obtained a photo of Dion's $20 million mansion on Jupiter Island -- which is where some of the richest people on the planet live ... and where Tiger Woods is also constructing an oversized estate.

Included in Dion's ridiculous setup -- a huge pool, lazy river and a water slide.

Because why not?

Actress Heather Locklear Arrested for Hit and Run

The "Melrose Place" star is suspected of crashing into a "no parking" sign at 4 a.m.

Heather Locklear was arrested for hit-and-run last Saturday, we have learned.

Law enforcement sources tell our sources that at around 4 AM, someone heard a crash near North Ranch Country Club in Westlake Village, CA.

The person who heard the crash didn't call the Ventura County Sheriff's Department until 7:48 PM that night.  Deputies went out to the area and found a knocked over "no parking" sign and obvious signs of a car that went up the curb, striking the sign. 

Deputies confirmed through investigation that the car in question was Locklear's black BMW.  The collision was very close to Locklear's home.

Deputies then went to Locklear's home, saw damage to the BMW that was consistent with the collision, and arrested her for hit-and-run.

The offense is a misdemeanor, so Locklear was not taken into custody -- just cited and released.  An official from the Ventura County Sheriff's Department tells our sources a hit-and-run citation constitutes an "arrest."

Back in 2008, Locklear was arrested in Santa Barbara for allegedly driving under the influence of prescription medications.
She ended up pleading no contest to a misdemeanor charge of reckless driving and was placed on three years informal probation.  A Santa Barbara prosecutor tells us he's looking into the latest incident, which could be a probation violation.

Kate Henshaw Nuttal

Kate Henshaw Nuttal is crazy about shoes. She simply adores exquisite heels. “I’ve got big feet, so it’s a bit difficult getting my shoe size in beautiful designs, so I covet every lovely pair I lay my eyes on.” She’s also got a thing for perfumes. “I love Joe Malone; and I can die for Cartier.” She’s like the girl next door – fun, clever, charming, and unfeigned.
Eleven years ago a sweet-faced Kate stared at us on our screens. We fell in love with her charming smile and young, girlie persona. She was the new kid on the Nollywood scene. It was a movie titled When The Sunset; there she had her first on-screen kiss with actor Bob Manuel Udokwu. Kate, the face of ONGA seasoning is having the time of her life as she celebrates her recent award at AMAA. The talented mother of one is strutting the red carpet, living the famed life, and stepping up her game…this diva is definitely unstoppable!

Photo of the Day for 27-4-2010

When Flowers Weep Bob Jones

Lady Gaga Sheds 'So Many Tears' Over New Tribute Video

'You make me whole Little Monsters,' she tweets about 'Project Gaga 2010.'

Last month, Lady Gaga took to her Twitter account to express her gratitude for a nine-minute "Happy Birthday" message created by her fans all around the world.
"I've never cried so hard in 24 years, from pure joy and unconditional love," she wrote of the YouTube video, conceived and edited by Gaga superfan Ryan James Yezak. "Tears still streaming."
Well, on Monday (April 26) she turned on the waterworks yet again, this time for a fan-made video called "Project Gaga 2010," which featured her minions — the so-called "Little Monsters" — thanking Gaga "for giving us a voice."
"So many tears, [you] make me whole Little Monsters," Gaga tweeted. "Without [you], I would have no voice. Thank you."
The clip, posted on Sunday, is the largest fan-made Gaga tribute video to date, featuring 268 Little Monsters from around the world (the U.S., U.K., Germany, New Zealand, Greece, Brazil and Italy, to name just a few spots) decked out in their Gaga-iest getups, holding up personalized signs thanking Gaga for inspiring them, providing them with the courage to be unique and, most of all, giving them a voice.
"We have come here today to thank you, Mother Monster, for giving all of us a voice," a voice-over at the beginning of the video states. "We thank you and salute you ... for you have made us all free bitches, baby. Hail the Queen of Monsters."
So far, the video has been viewed more than 35,000 times and early Monday morning the creators of the clip took to their Twitter account to thank Gaga once again — and share the love with the Little Monsters who helped make the project possible in the first place.
"We did this video all together, like true monsters do," they wrote. "We must have all had an amazing Mother Monster, Lady Gaga."
What do you think of the latest Lady Gaga tribute video? Let us know in the comments below!

Whitney Houston concert a near-disaster in London, fans left disappointed

Whitney Houston, seen here in concert at Sydney's Acer Arena, left her fans in London wanting more. Picture: Noel Kessel Source: The Daily Telegraph

Whitney Houston in concert at The Brisbane Entertainment Centre / Adam Smith Source: news.com.au

 
WHITNEY Houston's fans will always love her, but more of them have been left disappointed by her poor London show, where even the star admitted defeat.

20,000 fans filled London's 02 arena to hear the diva perform in her first concert in the city for 11 years.
Houston was obviously having trouble hitting the high notes, and eventually abandoned one of her big anthems, The Greatest Love of All, after a couple of verses.

Her audience had been keeping an open mind after reports from the Birmingham leg of the tour, where Houston's respiratory infection had caused her vocals to be creaky, and she'd suffered a series of technical glitches.
Fans waited with baited breath for the show-stopper I Will Always Love You, but Houston was not able to manage a Hollywood ending, instead stumbling through it, and eventually telling the audience, "she don't want to come, my soprano friend."

She added, "Sometimes the old girl sings, but not tonight. I want to do it, but she doesn't want to... she's getting a little... temperamental, even."
Her backing singers were left to carry the can for much of the concert, while Houston paused and panted for breath.

The singer, whose comeback has been much heralded following her divorce from Bobby Brown and recovery from drug addiction, was not looking as groomed as she has recently, but appeared rather bloated.

Some fans demanded their money back, which doesn't bode well for the London leg of the tour, with Houston scheduled to complete two further concerts.

Lindsay Lohan Deemed "Not Bankable," Given the Ax

Casey Rodgers / AP Images for Ubisoft

After a week of ice throwing, paternal warfare and a rumored watch heist, you'd think it couldn't get much worse for Lindsay Lohan.
It can.
The cactus tripper has been shown the door on her latest film, The Other Side, writer-director David Michaels tells E! News. She simply was "not bankable" and the project wasn't attracting production financing.
"The producers of the movie have reported that financiers have been resistant to finance the movie with Lindsay in the lead role," he says.
The film itself, however, is not in danger.
"There have been several inaccurate articles which have reported that the entire cast has left the movie, and this is entirely untrue," Michaels adds. "In fact, since this announcement, major talent agencies have been calling incessantly to get their clients into the movie…We will announce replacement soon as well as the addition of other formidable actors."
The film focuses on an ambitious egghead as she solves a bizarre mystery involving the eccentric residents of a remote island. Woody Harrelson, Giovanni Ribisi, Alanis Morissette and Jason Lee are among its castmembers, per IMDb.com.

Isn’t He Married??

Here’s a surprise! Everyone’s favorite actor Taye Taye was spotted in Hollyweird with a car full of blonds and brunettes. No Idinza Menzel in sight.
Another on the flippy…

Apple iPad features - Details about Apple's new tablet computer

If you are thinking the Apple iPad is like stretching an iPhone and giving it a great display, you are mostly right. The Apple iPad features aren't a complete surprise. It has a beautiful display capable of showing great HD-quality video and is designed to browse the web, read email, listen to music, browse photo albums, watch videos and read eBooks.
iPad Features - Key Details

• 9.6" long and 7.5" wide
• 1/2" thin and only 1 1/2 lbs
• 9.7" IPS display with multi-touch sensors
• 1GHz Apple A4 chip.
• Wi-Fi 802.11n, Bluetooth 2.1 EDR
• Supports 16 to 64 GB Flash Storage
• Accelerometer
• Compass
• Speaker
• Microphone
• 30-pin connector
• 10 hours of battery life, 1 month standby
• Environmentally friendly being Arsenic-free, BRF-free, Mercury-free, PVC-free and is highly recyclable.
• Runs all iPhone apps, and can run them full screen by doubling the pixels.

iPad Features - More than just a really big iPod Touch
The features of the iPad are impressive, but it is the apps that are going to make the iPad succeed or fail.  In many ways, the iPad is like a really big iPod Touch.  It supports multi-touch, has an accelerometer and runs every app available for the iPhone and iPod Touch.   But the iPad will also have apps designed specifically for it, which will set it apart from the iPhone and iPod Touch.
iBooks.  The iBooks application turns the iPad into a very capable eBook reader.  In addition to having a clear color display, the iPad is able to display newspapers with video.  And with the iBooks application, you will be able to browse through an eStore, buy books and put them in our own electronic bookshelf.
iWork.  This very popular suite of office applications for the Mac has been redefined for the iPad.  Using the multi-touch controls, iWork transforms the iPad from an entertainment device into a work device.   iWork includes a word processor and spreadsheet and will be available from the app store for just $9.99.  That's quite a savings compared to the desktop version.
iPad Features - Accessories
The accessories for the iPad might end up being the real game changer.  The biggest negative of the iPad leading up to the announcement was how it might be an ergonomic nightmare to hunch over a tablet computer typing.  The dock with a keyboard solves that issue.
Keyboard Dock.  The dock will let you plug in the iPad, so it will charge while docked, and because it comes with a keyboard, it really could replace your desktop computer.  If you mostly just use your computer to browse the web, watch videos and send email, the iPad and the Keyboard Dock might be perfect.
Picture Frame.  The iPad is great for displaying photo albums and creating slideshows out of your music library, and the picture frame plays into this ability.
iPad Case.  Yeah, you want to protect your new iPad, but the cool part of the Case is that it can also act as a stand.  This is great for watching movies and makes the case a great combo accessory.
iPad Features - Pricing and Availability
Perhaps the biggest bombshell of the Apple event was the pricing of the iPad.  Many speculated that the iPad would be available for $700 and perhaps as low as $500 with some type of contract.  The entry level iPad beats all of those expectations at $499.   However, while this price sounds great, it only comes with 16 GB of memory and is incapable of connecting to a 3G network, though it does have full Wi-Fi capability.
The Wi-Fi only pricing is $499 for the 16 GB model, $599 for the 32 GB model and $699 for the 64 GB model.  For the 3G-enabled iPad, it is $629 for the 16 GB model, $729 for the 32 GB model and $829 for the 64 GB model.

Message of the Week: The Invisible Guide

Sam Adeyemi Upon departing earth, Jesus promised to send a Comforter to His disciples, another Helper of His kind to be with them, teach them all things and guide them to the truth. He was referring to the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit brings raw spiritual power and energy into our lives, the capacity to make things happen. The moment the power of the Holy Spirit touches a person, he is never the same, he is radically and irreversibly changed.

Throughout the book of The Acts of the Apostles, we read the account of the great works the apostles did under the influence of the Holy Spirit, starting from the day of Pentecost when they spoke in new tongues. It is interesting that the Holy Spirit first took control of the disciples’ tongues because the tongue, even though it’s such a small body part, it can dictate and control a person’s destiny. Therefore, if the Holy Spirit is in control of your tongue, He is in control of your life. He will help you discover your calling and your destiny. It’s only the Holy Spirit Who can give an accurate interpretation of the circumstances of our lives because He was there when God planned our lives. We must work hard at maturing in our relationship with the Holy Spirit because it’s a lifelong walk and we can never know all of God.

The world may not always recognize the Holy Spirit because they don’t know Him, but a relationship with Him remains the most important relationship we could ever cultivate. It might seem awkward building a relationship with an invisible being, but as believers, He is real to us. Never take the Holy Spirit for granted just because He cannot be seen physically, remember He is Omni-present. He is also all knowing and all-powerful. Never attempt to achieve anything in your strength or ability. Rely completely on the Holy Spirit. With the Holy Spirit, no opposition or obstacle will be strong enough to stop you because He will steer you in the right direction always.

Wayne's royalty issues... again

Incarcerated rapper Lil Wayne is reportedly being sued by mega-producer Jim Jonsin for 500-thousand in unpaid royalties for the 2008 smash single “Lollipop.” Interestingly enough, XXLMag.com has learned this isn’t the first time Wayne has experienced royalty issues. Last year, production team Play-n-Skillz publicly claimed the rap star owed them money for the work they did for “Got Money” from Wayne’s Tha Carter 3 album. As yet, Jonsin nor Cash Money Entertainment haven’t released a statement regarding the lawsuit. 

 

 

Ginuwine 'Doesn't Like' Timbaland, Still Calls Him One Of 'Best Producers Ever'

Any student of the ’90s remembers the catchy hits that emerged from Timbaland’s early R&B work with the likes of Aaliyah, Missy Elliott and Ginuwine. The Virginia producer helmed the majority of Ginuwine’s 1996 debut, Ginuwine…The Bachelor, including the No. 1 hit “Pony.”
Years later, their relationship is now fractured, according to Ginuwine. But that doesn’t stop the singer from supporting his former mentor in VIBE’s Best Producer of All Time contest. Timbaland is the No. 1 seed, up against Polow Da Don in the first round in the Mass Appeal category.
“He really hasn’t been interested in working with me, so I can’t speak on the present,” Ginuwine tells VIBE of Timbaland. “But back in the days, it spoke for itself as far as him being the most sought after producer. Music was boring until he came out with that new sound. Back then, I would have described it as futuristic because it was something that had not been done and people jumped on it. If it wasn’t for him making that style as hot as it is, a lot of producers that’s out now maybe wouldn’t even be here.”
The singer adds that he’s still upset at Timbaland for not supporting him promotionally on his 2009 project, A Man’s Thoughts, despite producing a song for the album.
“Me and Tim were real close at one point. A lot of the times that I reached out, there were a bunch of excuses,” explains Ginuwine. “I begged and pleaded with him because I felt a certain way but I was like, is it just a bad vibe that I’m picking up on? Maybe I’m bugging out, I don’t know. But it came out to be true and I still feel like he owes me an apology for that. The reason I’m pissed off at him now is because of what he did. I would’ve been cool and not bothered him if he would’ve said, ‘Nah, I’m too busy,’ or gave me the lame excuse like he’s been giving me. But don’t do it and then not do what you’re supposed to do [to promote the song].”
As for the producers battle, Ginuwine could see Polow having the edge in the first round, only because Timbaland has been leaning more pop lately. But Tim would still have to get past Jermaine Dupri and Swizz Beatz to go against the Neptunes in the final round of his category. Ginuwine thinks he can beat out the Neptunes.
“I would have to go with Tim. I’m still a man. I’m not gonna not say the truth just ’cause I’m mad at you. [Laughs] He’s one of the best producers ever to me,” says Ginuwine. “Pharrell actually came up behind him. And the only reason I said Polow [in the first round], I’m looking at it on a level of what’s out now. But as a whole, there’s no one that can touch Timbaland.”
While some have labeled Timbo a sell-out because of his recent work with pop stars like Justin Timberlake and Nelly Furtado, Ginuwine disagrees.
“I don’t know about the sold out thing. I think any smart businessman would go where the money is bigger, but I also feel like you don’t forget your roots either,” says Ginuwine. “You don’t alienate the people that helped you and started you out… What is it about me now that you just don’t like? And if it is something, say it. I can take truth. I can’t take that kind of stuff and right now I don’t really like him. I really don’t. That’s not being a man.”
Ginuwine is roughly 18 songs into his upcoming seventh album, Elgin, which he hopes to release this August. Producers include Bryan Michael Cox and Diane Warren. “I did a great pop song, a great crossover song with her,” says Ginuwine. He’s also looking to hit the studio with Lil Kim, Trina, Ryan Leslie and the Underdogs

Beyonce did not attend Bella Adenuga’s wedding, yet the wedding ceremony was remarkable.

American born singer, Beyonce Knowles popularly as Beyonce was not at the much talked about Bella Adenuga's wedding, but sure enough, there were a lot of top government dignitaries, traditional Royal fathers, as well as gatecrashers at the wedding of Bella Adenuga and Jameel Disu.

Beyonce was spotted at Hawaii beach vacationing with her family. This was contrary to the news widely publicized on cyberspace.

White Wedding (Pictures from bella Naija.com)

Pre-Wedding Dinner

Traditional Engagement

Family Introduction