Chris Daughtry
The fab four – Chris Daughtry, Taylor Hicks, Katharine McPhee and Elliott Yamin – paid tribute to the King this weekend, when this season's American Idol finalists went to Graceland, Elvis Presley's Memphis estate, where they were greeted by the late music icon's ex-wife, Priscilla Presley, and his daughter, Lisa Marie Presley.
Cameras were there, too: The visit will appears as part of Tuesday's edition of the FOX talent hunt, which will carry an Elvis theme. Music producer Tommy Mottola will also critique the performances.
Priscilla, 60, said the visit of the young hopefuls was most appropriate. "Elvis, too, had to audition," she said, according to the Associated Press. "He was laughed at. He was basically booed off stage. He had to struggle with the fact that he came from very humble beginnings and didn't have opportunities to have others experience his talent.
" Priscilla, who joined Lisa Marie and the contestants for lunch, said of Idol: "I think it's a great thing. I love the fact that these are people from all over the United States who probably would never have had the opportunity to be in this position."
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Keith Richards Has Brain Surgery
Keith Richards
Keith Richards underwent surgery to relieve a blood clot on his brain caused by a recent accident while on vacation in Fiji, according to news reports Down Under. The Rolling Stones guitarist, 62, was recovering in New Zealand after the surgery, reports the New Zealand Herald.
The operation reportedly was to relieve a subdural hematoma – a blood clot on the brain. The procedure normally involves drilling a hole through the skull to remove the clot, reports Reuters. Last Tuesday, a spokeswoman for the Stones said Richards was making "a speedy recovery" after his injury, while Auckland's Ascot Hospital duty manager Geoff Sparks told the Associated Press: "I can categorically confirm Mr. Richards ... is no longer a patient in this hospital. He has been discharged."
Richards had been flown to Auckland, New Zealand, for observation after sustaining a "mild concussion" while on vacation in Fiji, said the rep.
Various news reports have said that Richards fell from a coconut tree, a Jet Ski or a combination of the two.
The Rolling Stones have not made an official announcement as to the cause of Richards's mishap but say that the European leg of the band's world tour would begin, as scheduled, on May 27 in Barcelona.
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Lindsay on Her Life: 'Everything's Fine'
Lindsay Lohan
Lindsay Lohan found herself in the hot seat on Monday's Today show, facing a grilling from interviewer Matt Lauer – who introduced the 19-year old actress by saying she's "known these days as much for her night life as she is for her day job."
Lohan, who stars in the upcoming Just My Luck and A Prairie Home Companion, met his questions head on, though she did take issue when Lauer brought up a recent Vanity Fair cover story that suggested she had a problem with substance abuse.
"Everything's fine," said Lohan waving off the remark. Yet concerning what Lauer called the general "package of publicity" that has surrounded her, Lohan said: "What you read about is what you read about, and the only people who really matter to me – their point of view in my life – is my family and the people who work closely with me who I trust and admire and will continue to have in my life."
Regarding reports about her, she said, "There always are so many false accusations in those tabloids, and they manifest all these relationships and stories, yada yada. I just laugh it off." Stressing that she's "not complaining," Lohan did reply, when asked if she finds it difficult to be her: "It's not that it's harder for me, but I work harder than most of my friends' parents, I think. I'm the hardest working person I know." Still, she emphasized, she'd have it no other way "Hopefully," she said philosophically, "people will know me for my work – not my car accidents."
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Tom's Mission Falls Short of Expectations
Tom Cruise
Hollywood tongues are wagging over the weekend's less-than-expected box-office tally for Mission: Impossible III – and asking if Tom Cruise's image may be to blame.
With an estimated $48.025 million in its till, M:I3 fell below industry expectations and nearly $10 million below the franchise's previous installment, reports the Associated Press.
Traditionally tight-lipped about his private life, Cruise suddenly shifted gears last year and starting posing for paparazzi while kissing his then-girlfriend Katie Holmes. Other public displays included jumping up and down on Oprah Winfrey’s couch while professing his love for Holmes and also spouting his Scientology beliefs on the Today show.
Cruise's studio downplays the suggestion that the star's private life weakened this weekend's box office. "I don't think so," says Rob Moore, Paramount's head of worldwide marketing and distribution. "There's no question it concerns us if the press is writing about things other than the movie. If people are writing about his personal life, then by definition, they're not writing about the movie." Conversely, says Paul Dergarabedian, president of the box-office tracking firm Exhibitor Relations: "There's a lot to be said for how a star's public persona can affect a movie's box office.
Expectations were really high for this film. I think it's a good number, but people were obviously expecting better numbers." The numbers that were expected were in keeping with those delivered by Mission: Impossible II, which debuted with $57.8 million from Friday to Sunday over 2000's Memorial Day weekend, and Cruise's War of the Worlds, which premiered with $64.9 million from Friday to Sunday over Fourth of July weekend last year. Along with a potential Cruise backlash, the new movie (which earned generally favorable reviews) may have suffered because of the long six-year gap since the last Mission: Impossible, says AP.
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Garcia, Anthony Honored at Alma Awards
Marc Anthony, left, and his wife, Jennifer Lopez, arrive for the 2006 National Council of La Raza ALMA Awards in Los Angeles, Sunday, May 7, 2006.
Capping a week dominated by the national debate on immigration policy, Sunday's 2006 ALMA Awards celebrated positive portrayals and outstanding achievements by Hispanic artists from the worlds of music, television and film.
Marc Anthony and Andy Garcia were honored with special tributes. Awards also were given in 15 other categories in ceremonies at the Shrine Auditorium.
Anthony received the Celia Cruz Award for Excellence in Music, and R&B crooner Brian McKnight feted the singer by performing his Grammy-nominated hit "You Sang to Me" in both English and Spanish. Garcia took home the Anthony Quinn Award for Excellence in Motion Pictures.
"You know Anthony Quinn is a great inspiration to me and to all of us," the Oscar-nominated actor said backstage. "So the fact that his name is associated with this award and that my name is associated with him is a big honor for me."
Colombian songstress Shakira and reggaeton artist Daddy Yankee were named outstanding musical performers. Shakira also won the Best Spanish Album award.
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The Three Blondes of Buzz
Celebrities aren't the only ones who suffer from "exhaustion." In recent months, many regular folks have grown "really, really tired" of Britney, Paris, and Jessica. The trio's lackluster performance in Search supports the claim. While, all things considered, the divas are still big in Buzz, their intense overexposure may be taking a toll.
Searches on the formerly white-hot Britney Spears are down 42% this month. Granted, she's still in our top 500 terms, but this downward trend must be distressing for the Cajun chanteuse. Even worse, queries on Britney's hack-tastic hubby Kevin Federline are actually up 11% over the past 30 days. Oh, the indignity of it all!
The always amorous Paris Hilton has fared better. Although searches on Paris have dipped over the past few months, queries on the vapid vixen jumped 32% for the week thanks to her split with Stavros Niarchos. Now, rumors of a relationship with former USC quarterback Matt Leinart are sure to push her buzz even higher. For someone with no known skills, Ms. Hilton certainly knows how to stay in the public eye. Paris, your publicist is worth every penny.
Let's not forget Jessica Simpson. The oft-ogled actress has become a pariah in the Buzz lately. Her searches are off 54% over the past 30 days, and recent pictures from the paparazzi have been far from flattering. As if that weren't bad enough, interest in Jessica's ex, the dreamy (if cheesy) Nick Lachey, is up 129%. Poor Jessica—she must be exhausted just thinking about it.
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