American Idol
American Idol trimmed four more hopefuls from its ranks Thursday night, leaving an even dozen to duke it out in the finals.
In the final round of multiple eliminations, Kinnik Sky, Will Makar, Ayla Brown and Gedeon McKinney were issued walking papers, a result that even the judges predicted incorrectly.
Sky and Makar were the first to fall, after each received the lowest number of votes in their gender group. Both seemed resigned to their fate and maintained their composure as they gave their last performances.
Then it came time to name the six girls who would be continuing on to the finals. One by one, Paris Bennett, Katharine McPhee, Kellie Pickler, Mandisa and Lisa Jackson all made their way across the stage, leaving Brown and Melissa McGhee waiting to learn which one of them would claim the last spot.
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Aerosmith's Mystery Ailment
Aerosmith
It seems that Steven Tyler is feeling less than F.I.N.E fine.
The Aerosmith frontman has reportedly come down with an unspecified illness that has forced the veteran rockers to cancel a string of recent tour dates.
No details of Tyler's ailment have been made public and no notice of the cancellations has appeared on the band's official Website.
Though published reports have identified Tyler as the ailing band member, the band's spokesperson stopped short of a confirmation.
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Usher Wants to Teach Teens How to Succeed
Usher
Grammy-winning R&B artist Usher wants to teach teenagers how to succeed in the sports and entertainment industries.
Usher will promote the sports and entertainment industries as valuable career paths for those who are prepared when he speaks at a March 18 teen leadership seminar sponsored by the YMCA in Cleveland.
More than 400 seventh- through 12th-graders are expected at the three-day Midwest Black/Hispanic Achievers Teen Leadership Summit.
Usher, whose full name is Usher Raymond IV, was part of a group headed by Dan Gilbert that bought the NBA's Cleveland Cavaliers last year for $375 million.
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Judge Tells Man to Stay Away From Ronstadt
Linda Ronstadt
A Colorado man accused of stalking singer Linda Ronstadt for nearly a decade has been ordered by an Arizona judge to stay away from her.
Ronstadt has upcoming concerts and fears for her safety because of Bernie Salazar Ortiz's long history of stalking her and his schizophrenia, court documents indicate.
Pima County Superior Court Judge John Davis issued a preliminary injunction against Ortiz on March 7 at the request of attorneys for Ronstadt.
The injunction says Ortiz cannot appear at any of Ronstadt's concerts, come within 1,000 feet of her or contact her in person by phone or in writing. He also can't deliver, directly or indirectly, any cards, packages, flowers or other items.
Court documents indicate Ortiz began trying to meet Ronstadt in May 1997 through her siblings.
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Jackson Must Pay Workers or Face Lawsuit
Michael Jackson
State regulators said Friday they will go after Michael Jackson in court if he fails to meet a Tuesday deadline to pay $100,000 in penalties and $306,000 in back pay owed to nearly 50 workers at his Neverland Ranch.
"If they don't comply then we file suit to get a judgment," said Dean Fryer, a spokesman for the California Department of Industrial Relations.
The ranch operators have until the close of business Tuesday to pay up.
"It's pretty clear that they owe this money," he said. "We've got all these wage claims. People are telling me they haven't been paid from Dec. 19."
Jackson spokeswoman Raymone K. Bain said the entertainer was on a plane from London to the Persian Gulf nation of Bahrain most of the day on Thursday after traveling in Europe.
She said he learned of the situation at Neverland when he arrived in Bahrain late in the day, but she had been unable to discuss it with him because of the time difference.
"He's been made aware," Bain said. "I'm sure this will be resolved."
Jackson, who has been living in Bahrain since being acquitted of child molestation charges last year, has been rumored for some time to be in financial trouble.
Forensic accountant John Duross O'Bryan testified at Jackson's trial that the entertainer had an "ongoing cash crisis" and was spending $20 million to $30 million more per year than he earned.
There have been rumors repeatedly denied that Jackson might sell some of his assets, which include the ranch, several homes and a stake in the Beatles record catalog.
Thomas Mesereau Jr., a former Jackson lawyer, said he had been "in touch with people involved with Michael" and "I'm not aware of any plans to sell the ranch."
On Thursday the state barred scores of Jackson employees from working at Neverland after learning that workers compensation coverage had lapsed in January.
Some workers who live on the 2,600-acre estate can remain, but no work can be done until the ranch either obtains coverage or hires an outside company that has it, Fryer said.
The state gave ranch operators five days to appeal the decision and 30 days to appeal a $69,000 fine $1,000 for each worker but in the meantime all work must stop, Fryaer said.
An accounting firm that handles ranch finances for Jackson "assured us that they are trying to comply" and had informed employees that they had to stop work, Fryer said.
"To our knowledge at this point they are complying and we will follow up to ensure they are complying," he said.
The ranch includes several amusement park rides and has been home over the years to elephants, giraffes, snakes, orangutans, tigers and a crocodile. Fryer said local animal welfare agencies were notified of the shutdown so they could make arrangements to feed and care for the animals.
The animal activist group People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals called Friday for Jackson's menagerie to be removed from the ranch and placed in sanctuaries.
"Mr. Jackson is universally known for his love of animals. We hope that he will accept PETA's offer to help ensure that none of the animals at Neverland end up at shabby roadside zoos or exotic-animal auctions or in the hands of exotic animal brokers, breeders, or dealers," PETA said in a letter faxed to Bain.
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