Elvis Presley, From Birth to

The Presleys were a family of modest means. They lived near family and Elvis was close to his Aunts, Uncles, Cousins and Grandparents. While attending the Assembly of God Church, he was exposed to his first taste of music. In 1945 at the age of 10, his first performance was at the Mississippi and Alabama Fair in a talent contest. Within a year Elvis got his very first guitar.

As with many, the Presley family were struggling money-wise and decided to move to Memphis, Tennessee in 1948, hoping for a better life. Things were still hard, both Gladys and Vernon worked as much as they could but they still struggled. Things were so hard Elvis also worked, while attending LC Humes High School to help his family.

Elvis began to develop his own style while in high school. He slicked back his hair and grew his famous sideburns. He won the high school talent competition and even played an encore.

In June 1953, Elvis graduated high school and began working at a mechanics shop. During the summer he made his first demo at The Memphis Recording Service. He recorded "That's When Your Heartaches Begin" and "My Happiness". He changed jobs frequently and started to go to night school to be an electrician.

The owners of the recording studio in which Elvis had been making demos, paired him up with some other local artists. While working at Crown Electric Presley had his first recording, contracted with the recording service, released and started to perform at local events and bars. Elvis was even booked on The Grand Ole Opry, although it was dubbed a disaster. He was told not to quit his day job.

Late in 1954 Elvis signed on with KWKH radio for a year. This is when Elvis met 'Colonel' Tom Parker. Tom Parker was known to manage other artists including Eddy Arnold and Hank Snow.

Bob Neal became Presley's manager in January of 1955. This union did not last long. By August Hank Snow Attractions was in control of Elvis' career. Hank Snow Attractions was owned equally by Snow and Tom Parker. Soon after ,Colonel Parker became in complete control of Elvis, Snow and Neal are no longer connected to Presley.

The new management seemed to work as a benefit for Presley. Colonel Parker sold Elvis' Sun contract (The Memphis Recording Service) to RCA. Hill and Range Publishing company also got in on the action of the rising star and helped create Elvis Presley Music Inc. Elvis and the publishing company shared ownership of his songs.

Only one year after his first manager signed him on, Elvis began recording "Heartbreak Hotel" with RCA and teamed up with the Jordanaires, a gospel quartet. Presley and the Jordanaires worked together well into the late 1960s.

"Heartbreak Hotel" was released on January 27, 1956. It went to number one on Billboard's pop singles chart for eight weeks and hit number one on the country chart and number five on the R&B chart.

"Heartbreak Hotel" began Elvis' road to stardom and fame. The next 20 years were filled with music, movies, military marriage and divorce. Elvis Presley died August 16 1977 due to heart failure. He was only 42 years old.

Michael Russell Your Independent guide to Celebrities

All Time Greatest Singers

Anybody can argue about who's the best at any particular occupation. The all time "best" lists are in no way either right or wrong. But they sure are a lot of fun to come up with. People love lists. They love to see what other people think so that they can send in letters and emails arguing with those lists.

Well, according to almost every list ever made, from TV Guide, to Entertainment Weekly, to you name it, the most popular, if not the greatest singer of all time, was Bing Crosby. Crosby had no less that 383 songs in the top 30 during his lifetime, including 41 number 1 hits. Crosby had a one of a kind voice that simply dominated the music scene from 1931 to 1954. His biggest hit of all time was "White Christmas", which radio stations still play today when Christmas time comes around. Not only was it Crosby's biggest hit but it was the biggest selling single of all time. It was number one on the charts for an amazing 14 weeks. There is no artist that has come even close to Crosby's popularity, not even the man most lists have at number 2.

That would be the great Elvis Presley, who was the most popular singer of the last half of the 20th century. Presley is given credit for almost single handedly starting the rock and roll revolution. His style completely changed the look and feel of popular music. His popularity ran from 1956 to 1981. He had 85 songs in the top 30 and a total of 18 number 1 hits. His biggest hit of all was "All Shook Up" which was number 1 on the charts for a solid 9 weeks.

Surprisingly, at least as far as popularity goes, no other stars even come close to the popularity of Crosby and Presley. However, there have been other great singers during the 20th century and certainly somebody, even if he or she is far from the front runners, has to come in at number 3. Unfortunately, this is where most lists usually go off in their different directions. Many are split between pre 1950s singers and post 1950s singers and the top 10 in many lists is so varied that it is hard to get a sense of who the majority of the people feel should be in that top 10.

For example. Many lists have Al Jolson at number 3 because of his 91 charted hits and 23 number 1 hits. But other lists don't even have Jolson listed, probably because he was in an era that has long been forgotten. Certainly Jolson had one of the most unique voices of all time. Some lists have Elton John coming in at the third position because of his 47 top 30 hits and 8 number 1 hits. Much of John's appeal must be credited to his ties to many other people as well as his tributes to Marilyn Monroe and Princess Diana. And yet, there are lists that don't even have Elton John in the top 30.

Much of the problem probably can be attributed to who you ask. Younger people will lean more towards the post 1950s era while older folks will go for the old time standards. That's why to find Crosby and Presley at the top of most lists is truly a tribute to these two great singers.

Michael Russell Your Independent guide to Guitars

Guitars - Guitar Players And Their Axes

Everybody has their idea of what the coolest and best guitar to play is. Some people go with the Gibson Les Paul while others follow in the footsteps of the Beatles and go for the Rickenbacker. But what about the guitar players themselves and the guitars they used? What guitars DID the great guitar players use? Because there have been so many guitar players, we're only going to cover a few of them and their guitar of choice.

Let's start with somebody who really doesn't stick with any one type of guitar. A perfect example of this type of person would be Eric Clapton, who just happens to be one of the greatest guitar players of all time. Today, Clapton plays mostly a Fender Stratacaster. But throughout his career he has played a Gibson L-5, Martin 000-28EC, Gibson Les Paul (during his early years) and several Guild acoustic guitars.

Everybody knows the hard rock group Aerosmith, featuring lead guitarist Joe Perry. So what is Joe's guitar of choice? Joe is another one who has played several guitars including the Gibson Les Paul and Fender Stratacaster. Joe definitely doesn't buy off the rack as one of his guitars goes for a whopping $3,999.

If you're familiar with the rock group Kiss, then you no doubt know Paul Stanley. If you're wondering what kind of guitar Paul Stanley plays, he made this quite clear in an interview when he was asked this question and responded by saying (in pure Paul Stanley style) "I can play any damn guitar I want. I choose Silverstone. The Guitars Are Great Playing, Great Sounding and Great Looking Guitars. These Are Today's Style. We Need More Kids Playing Music and Very Few Could Afford Signature Guitars Priced Over $1000. Silvertone Offers The Quality Any Guitar Player Would Be Proud To Own. I Guarantee It".

You heard it straight from Paul's mouth.

Not all musicians are so outspoken. However John Lennon was not one of those. Having once proclaimed that the Beatles were bigger than Jesus Christ, which didn't go over too well with anybody, thus leading to the burning of their albums, John Lennon was pretty much responsible for putting Rickenbacker on the map by playing only Rickenbacker guitars. Lennon had as many as five of these guitars in his brief life.

Jimi Hendrix, who is arguably the greatest guitar player who ever lived, played a number of guitars. The truth is, it didn't matter what Hendrix played. Nobody else sounded like him. But one thing that Jimi is not remembered for is probably one of the nicest things he ever did for anyone. Just before he died, he reunited with an old girlfriend who he married and gave a black Fender Stratacaster to. Now that is love.

For all the guitar players that have come and gone, there have been the guitars that they either made famous or made them famous, depending on who you ask (the guitar company or the artist himself). But one thing is for certain. For almost all of these great musicians it probably wouldn't have mattered what they played. It would have still sounded great.

Michael Russell

Your Independent guide to Guitars

Most Popular Radio Announcers

Remember the days when you used to be able to turn on the radio and not have to worry about what was going to come out of the announcer's mouth? Those days are long gone. Today, with celebrities link Howard Stern, nobody is safe from the trash talk dancing through the air waves. But there was a time when radio was really a class act and the announcers were as popular as the music they played.

There was probably no greater DJ team than the group put together by WABC Radio in New York. The station ultimately lost out to the AM-FM wars of the 1980s, but during its prime, WABC was the most popular radio station in the country and the jocks were household names that eventually went on to other things when the station changed over to talk radio.

The morning started with Harry Harrison. Coffee and music was his trademark. Harry had a pleasant voice and was very easy to listen to. He wasn't the most interesting of the WABC jocks but he always made you feel at home. Harrison could be heard from 6 to 10 every morning for over 15 years. His spot in the lineup was the springboard for what was to follow.

From 10 AM to 2 PM was Ron Lundy. Lundy was the fat jolly fellow who always started his broadcast day with a "good morning love" to his audience. Lundy had a more bubbly personality and voice than Harrison, but was still rather reserved in comparison to the man who would follow him at 2 PM.

At 2 PM everyday nobody knew what to expect. The man behind the mic was as unpredictable as the weather. His name was Dan Ingram, who also did many voice-overs for TV commercials and many of the WABC commercials as well. Ingram was without a doubt the most colorful DJ that WABC ever had. He was as outrageous as you could get without having to resort to off color humor. One afternoon he would preface each record he played with the intro to a James Brown song, "Make It Funky" where the song starts out with Brown asking his friend, "Bobby, what you wanna play now?" The answer was, "Whatever we play, we got to make it funky". And then they would count off and just at the end of the count off Ingram would put on whatever song he decided to play. Dan Ingram was so far ahead of his time. And he was the perfect lead in for the man who counted down the top 20 every Tuesday.

Bruce Morrow was called Cousin Brucie. He WAS the voice of WABC radio and his shows, which ran for almost 20 years were the highlight of the WABC broadcast day. He had the largest listening audience of any show in the New York area. The advertising spent during his 4 hours from 6 PM to 10 PM was astronomical for the time. Bruce Morrow was the dessert after a main course that was the best that radio had to offer.

Today, WABC is just a memory. But if you look it up on the Internet, you will see many sites dedicated to this once great radio station and the great DJs who graced their air waves.

Michael Russell Your Independent guide to Arts

5 Publicity Secrets of Celebrity Stars

There's a publicity myth that is bigger than any best seller, any box office blockbuster, and any classic that has stood the test of time. The biggest publicity myth is this: *Instant* success happens overnight. A passage in The Course in Miracles says, *Only infinite patience produces immediate results.*

1. Never turn down an opportunity.

Actor James Woods had a mission. He wanted to work with director Martin Scorsese. At the time Scorsese was directing the movie *Casino.* Though typically agents don't want their clients to call directors themselves, Woods' agent knew Scorcese relished direct contact. She advised him to leave him a personal message even though all the major roles were taken.

Woods called Scorsese and left a message on his answering machine that said, *Any part, any time, any where, any price.* It happened that that very same night the director was lying in bed watching the movie Citizen Cohn and asked his then girlfriend what she thought about James Woods for the part of Lester Diamond. Right after that conversation he listened to Woods' message. He offered Woods the role even though he was afraid that he would be insulted by the bit part.

Make it a point to say *yes* when opportunity finds you. You never know who is watching, listening, or reading.

2. Stand up for a cause.

Christopher Reeve, who played the role of Superman, was successful in bringing international awareness to the paralyzed populace. Until his death he was the embodiment of super-human powers in his determination to re- learn to walk. He became an eloquent speaker and an image of courageous perseverance for our nation.

Demonstrate to the world what is important to you by dedicating a part of your pocketbook or time to support a worthy organization. When you make it your business to get involved with issues that are already meaningful in your life, it becomes easy to find a place for your services within your community.

3. Arrest the audience with the invisible.

The public's fascination with Sharon Stone's private parts in the movie, *Basic Instinct,* launched her career even though we never actually saw her *flower* in that famous interrogation scene. While your privates might not cause quite the same stir as Stone's, what you don't show can be titillating. Don't tell all. Let people speculate. Allow enticement to be a preview for your next big entrance.

4. Toot your own horn...lightly.

The object of publicity is to invite others to man the vehicle that sounds the gorgeous rhythms of your life. Think of yourself as providing the license to drive your best qualities forward. There is an art to giving a well-timed beep on your own behalf. Horn-tooting is a delicate business. Too loud and you bring out the fight in people. Too soft and you risk not being heard.

5. Give good copy.

People whose ideas are ready-to-quote get more air time and print space than those whose comments need editing. Writer Dorothy Parker was a goddess of good copy. She could be counted on to say things like, *Wit has truth in it; wise- cracking is simply calisthenics with words.* You can get a sense if you are giving good copy by observing your interviewer. If you're being interviewed by phone listen for computer keyboard clicking. If there's no clicking, there's no quoting.

Giving good copy takes practice if it doesn't come naturally to you. The easy formula is this: quotable quips are always short: 1-3 lines. They are often funny, gutsy, controversial, shocking, to the point, and sometimes include innuendo.

Copyright (c) 2006 by Susan Harrow. All rights reserved.


About the Author:
Susan Harrow, PRSecrets.com, is a media coach, marketing strategist, author of *Sell Yourself Without Selling Your Soul.* Clients include CEOs, authors, entrepreneurs who have appeared on/in Oprah, 60 Minutes, TIME, USA Today, NY Times.

Celebrity Twins & Their Engagements

Tia Mowry & Cory Hardrict

Most recently, actress Tia Mowry announced her engagement to her boyfriend of six years, Cory Hardrict. Tia is probably best remembered from the sitcom Sister, Sister in which she stared as a twin who was separated from her sister (played by her real life twin sister, Tamara Mowry) and adopted by different people. Cory, who is also an actor, gave her a card saying he wanted to be committed to her, then he used his little brother to trick her into thinking he was joking while at the same time playing a song called “Let's Get Married.” After all the joking and mixed signals passed, Cory dropped to his knee and proposed the old-fashioned way.

Sophie Monk & Benji Madden
In other twin engagement news, Benji Madden who plays guitar for the band Good Charlotte, asked his girlfriend, Sophie Monk to marry him in December 2006. Benji's twin brother, Joel, is the lead singer for Good Charlotte. Like the girls Joel has dated (specifically Hillary Duff), Sophie is an actress and singer. Sophie was part of a girl group called Bardot that was formed through a television show in 2000. She also appeared in Date Movie and Click.

When Benji asked her to marry him, he took Sophie on vacation to the Australia's Gold Coast where she grew up. He popped the question while her parents watched, then he presented her with an amazing engagement ring: a platinum band holding a 2-carat diamond surrounded by 100 smaller diamonds.

Lessons to Learn
So what can we learn from Tia and Benji's experiences. Well, we can learn that just because one twin gets engaged, it doesn't mean the other one has to as well. While rumors suggest that Benji's brother is currently dating Nicole Richie, there's no word on who Tia's twin is romantically linked to.

But, more importantly, we can learn that above all else it's important to involve family in your engagement plans. Tia became engaged at her parent's house, and both her brother and Cory's brother took part in the plans. It was truly a family affair. With Benji, he flew all the way to the other side of the world just so Sophie could be with her family when he asked her the all important question. That's love.

Of course you don't have to fly to Australia or play a joke on your future wife to make the engagement moment special. All you really need to do is at least call her parents and let them know of your intentions. If she's close to her parents, then consider inviting them all out to dinner together, maybe even including your parents, when you ask her the question. After all, over the next few months as you plan the wedding, all of you are going to become very close, hopefully.

He ran hotels and restaurants for 10 years, organising many successful weddings in the process. His wife Sue is a wedding coordinator who has help many nervous brides and their families. Visit www.theweddingwizards.com for 100's of tips showing you how to plan a great wedding day

Jennifer Love Hewitt is reportedly pregnant

Jennifer Love Hewitt is reportedly pregnant and was expecting her first baby with fiancé Ross McCall in June. It's been talk of the town when everyone noticed the changes in her figure, larger than the usual. And it's never been an issue to her since its normal for every mothers-to-be to have that not usual body.

Jennifer Love Hewitt as Melinda Gordon the main character of the television series called “Ghost Whisper”(2005-2007), a strong willed girl with strange ability to hear spirits that able her to speak with them. She help them complete their task so they will be put to rest, and allow them to crossover into the light.

This Texas- born Jeniffer has been seen in the television series called “Confessions of a Sociopathic Social Climber” (2005), as Katya Livingston, in “Christmas Carol” (2004), as Emily, in “In The Game” (2004), as Riley Reed an up-and-coming sports producer and single mom that becomes an on-camera reporter for ESPN, in “The Audrey Hepburn Story” (2000) a biographic made-for-TV movie, she played as Audrey Hepburn the most famous Hollywood actress.

She has also been seen in the Movies called “Garfield” (2004), as Liz a young veterinarian and known as the real owner of Odie, “Garfield: A Tail of Two Kitties” (2006), in the second movie here she is Jon's girlfriend, in “The Devil and Daniel Webster” (2004), as the Devil character of Satan also known as the prince of darkness, in “If Only” (2004), as Samantha Andrews an impetuous musician that dies in an accident after the fight with his boyfriend, in “The Tuxedo” (2002), as Del Blaine a science geek that was partner with a secret agent Devlin, in “I know what you did last summer” (1997), as Julie James one of the teens being hunted down after their car hit a stranger and dump the body into the sea, in “I Still Knew What you did Last Summer” (1998), the murderous fisherman is back to once again find and kill the survivors of the first movie. Jennifer has been nominated for Favorite Best Actress and Best Performance in movies and television programs many times.

About The Author-- This article was contributed by Shannon Carter of Hollywood Celebrity Archives it consist of the latest news about your favorite celebrity including the movies they were involved.

Sex and the City’s Willie Garson Wins HollywoodPoker.com’s Celebrity Poker Night Tournament

HollywoodPoker.com (http://www.hollywoodpoker.com), online poker home of celebrities, saw Willie Garson of the upcoming Sex and the City: The Movie winning last week’s Canadian Poker Night tournament.

A frequent celebrity online poker player at HollywoodPoker.com, Garson dominated the online tables last week. The Canadian Poker Night is part of the site’s three weekly Celebrity events which include bounties for players who knockout a celebrity during the tournaments. Thousands more were added to players’ bankrolls for taking out celebrities, bringing total payouts so far to over $265,000.

Garson had a showdown with player beebo0x to emerge as the winner. A regular with many celebrity bounties under his belt, beebo0x figured his suited connectors would hold him well for the win. As it turned out, both players managed an Ace pair on the board. Fortunately, Garson’s Cowboy kicker delivered him the winning hand.

“It was a good day and the cards were on my side,” said Garson. Commenting on how it felt to knockout fellow celebrities Christopher Rich (Reba), Kato Kaelin (Revamped) and Ken Howard (Cane, and Sylvester Stallone’s Rambo), Garson added: “It felt great because there are so many really good players on the site.”

To play in exclusive celebrity events and win big dollar bounties, join HollywoodPoker.com’s weekly Celebrity Bounty Series.

About HollywoodPoker.com

HollywoodPoker.com (http://www.hollywoodpoker.com) is ``Where The Stars Come To Play!’’ Their mission is to provide players with world-class, secure online poker entertainment with access to exclusive celebrity games. HollywoodPoker.com delivers the most technologically advanced online poker games, regular tournaments with huge prize pools, the industry's most professional and responsive player support team and vibrant and exciting game rooms and community message boards. At HollywoodPoker.com every player gets the star treatment. A membership to this exclusive club includes a chance to win some of the millions of dollars up for grabs in tournament prize pools as well as access to three exclusive celebrity bounty events every week.

Over 200 celebrities can be found on HollywoodPoker.com. Celebrities that have played in recent events include James Woods (Shark), Vince Van Patten (World Poker Tour), Jason Alexander (The Grand), Dennis Quaid (Smart People), Jon Favreau (Iron Man), Joshua Malina (Big Shots), Mimi Rogers (The Loop), Willie Garson (Sex and the City: The Movie), Stephen Collins (7th Heaven), Seth Meyers (Saturday Night Live), Kelly Hu (In Case of Emergency), Meat Loaf (Urban Decay) and many others.

For additional media information, please contact: PR@hollywoodpoker.com

Paris Hilton invites rapper Ditch to private birthday bash at Area nightclub

Rapper Ditch has been invited to a private birthday bash for Paris Hilton at Area nightclub in Hollywood, Ca Saturday February 9th 2008. The rapper has come highly into focus in the past year with a major deal for his new album Public Intoxication which features rap legends old and new. The private birthday bash will ring in a month long celebration for Paris Hilton, who began celebrating her birthday with 50 cent in New York this weekend. Ditch has been rumored to have dated pornstars, Latia Lopez, Jesse Jane, and Jayden James in the past.

Before They Were Famous: Top 10 Celebrity Lorry Drivers

Actors, athletes and mass murderers – it takes all sorts to drive lorries. With brief details of their involvement in the trade and subsequent celebrity, here is a countdown of the top 10 stars who worked as lorry drivers before they were famous, with varying degrees of success.

# 10 Chris Tarrant:

This radio and television presenter, best known for hosting the TV game show ‘Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?’, pursued a number of jobs before finding his feet in television. Tarrant’s former roles include long-distance lorry driver, security officer and schoolteacher.

# 9 Chris Eubank:

Chris Eubank is notable for being the only member of our list to have taken up lorry driving after he become famous. October 2003 saw a politically motivated Eubank descending on Whitehall in his personal HGV to protest against the war in Iraq. The former world middleweight champion boxer ended up being arrested for blocking the entrance gates to Downing Street, driving around Parliament Square sounding his horn, with a knife in his pocket, and reversing into a delivery van.

# 8 Rock Hudson:

Hudson was a popular American film and television actor and a romantic leading man in the 1950s and 1960s. During WW II, Hudson served as a Navy airplane mechanic and after the war he was a truck driver. His size and good looks got him into movies.

# 7 Chevy Chase:

Our number seven is an Emmy Award-winning American comedian, writer, and television and film actor. Before his breakthrough as a comedian, Chase worked as a truck driver, cab driver, motorcycle messenger, waiter, busboy, construction worker, audio engineer, produce manager in a supermarket, salesman in a wine store and theatre usher.

# 6 Long Distance Clara:

The only woman on our list and, unfortunately, fictional, juggernaut-driving Clara was the star of 80s children 's cartoon 'Pigeon Street’. Some see Long Distance Clara as an unsung feminist icon - her marriage to chef Hugo demonstrated a refreshing reversal of gender stereotypes.

# 5 Charles Bronson:

Charles Bronson was an American actor of ‘tough guy’ roles who made his name starring in a number of major Hollywood flicks including ‘The Great Escape’ and ‘The Dirty Dozen’. Before becoming famous, Bronson was drafted into the army and was assigned to the Air Corps in 1943. He started as a truck driver and then trained as a pilot, winning awards for good service.

# 4 Richard Pryor:

Pryor was the first African American stand-up comedian to speak candidly to mixed audiences using the language and jokes of the black community. He worked in numerous jobs before finding fame, including truck driving and meatpacking.

# 3 Liam Neeson:

Liam Neeson is a movie star most well known for his role as Oskar Schindler in the 1993 blockbuster ‘Schindler’s List’. Irish-born Neeson once worked as a truck driver as well as a forklift operator for Guinness, an assistant architect and an amateur boxer.

# 2 Sean Connery:

This retired Scottish actor is best known for starring as James Bond in seven Bond films. Heart-throb Connery joined the Royal Navy after leaving school but was discharged on medical grounds. He went on to a succession of jobs, including lorry driver, labourer and lifeguard.

# 1 Elvis Presley:

The American singer, musician, actor and cultural icon took up truck driving as one of his jobs after graduation. The future ‘King’ drove a truck for the aptly named ‘Crown Electric Company’. Presley even took up wearing his hair longer with a ‘ducktail’ - the style of truck drivers at the time. A musician for whom a young Elvis Presley auditioned advised him to 'Stick to driving a truck, because you'll never make it as a singer'.

The Mass Murderer - Peter Sutcliffe:

Quite possibly the most evil and deranged presence in the history of lorry driving, the ‘Yorkshire Ripper‘ is far too nasty to make it into our top 10. Between 1975 and 1984, this lorry driver and former gravedigger killed 13 women in a five-year reign of terror before being sentenced to a minimum of 30 years in jail. On his arrest, Sutcliffe claimed that God had told him to go out and kill prostitutes. A sad blemish on the good name of lorry driving.

Celebrities who were lorry drivers before they were famous – a heady mixture of the talented, the eccentric, the unpleasant and the downright brilliant. Who knows what magical creatures are sitting behind the wheels of our country’s lorries today?

About the Author

Luke Humble is the Website manager for The Transport Exchange Group. Their two exchanges, Courier Exchange and Haulage Exchange, provide more backloads for their members.

Celebrity Sleepwear Has Arrived!

You have visions of roaming around in the comfortable and stylish sleepwear that the celebrities wear. It’s not a dream! Celebrity sleepwear has arrived for everyone to enjoy!

Celebrities are awfully busy and when they make it home they want to relax in comfy pajamas and feel comfortable. But it isn’t just the stars that lead such busy lives. Women all over the universe are pulled in so many directions between work, kids, parents, and other commitments when evening arrives they to want to be comfortable and relaxed. Looking good and feeling great go together and a fun pair of pajamas can do just that whether you are celebrity or an average woman.

Just because we are talking about sleepwear doesn’t mean it has to boring. It can be comfy, sexy, and make you feel soooo good! Just like the rest of your wardrobe has style so can your pajamas.

This year both Oprah and Martha Stuart have put together cozy sleepwear pick lists which are a list of sleepwear items the celebrities love and every woman should have a chance to enjoy.

How about a pair of Cat PJ’s just like the one’s worn by Grace on Will and Grace? In fact these are a hit with Regis and Kelly, The Wayne Brady Show, and The Bachelor as well. What’s left to say? Cute, comfy, and washable.

Or how about the sushi flannel just like the Gilmour Girls wear? It’s all there for the taking? David and Goliath are also making a big comeback for the gals that have a whole lot of attitude and personality.

Nick and Nora sleepwear is simply a must have and celebrities all over Hollywood are enjoying a relaxing evening in it! Choose from cows, circus animals, cow jumping over the moon, home on the range, or a host of other themes. These whimsical fun nostalgic prints are a must have. Comfortable, cozy, fun, and washable.

This season retro sleepwear is ever so popular. Remember the draw string cotton knit cherry pie sets that Cameron Diaz, Jennifer Aniston, and Sharon Stone were wearing. You can buy yourself an identical pair. Women have never had as many choices to look good and feel great in sleepwear.

Now you can have the same thread count in your pajamas as you do in your sheets once only reserved for the rich and famous. Remember the PJ’s Courtney Cox lounged around in on Friends. You can have a pair just like them. Silky smooth, breathable, washable, and durable!

Flannel has made a huge comeback thanks to celebrities like Jessica Simpson, Julia Roberts, and even John Travolta who were quick to recognize flannel can indeed be sexy. Perhaps not your G rated lingerie but never the less great sex appeal!

Cotton PJ Sets are also very popular with their drawstring pants and T style tops they are perfect to curl up in and watch a good sitcom. Or how about the Spreegirl Tank and Gym short sets? Perfect for the warmer weather.

Bedhead pajamas have been a hit with a host of TV show star from Everybody Loves Raymond to Friends. And stars like Rosie O’Donnell, Jodie Foster, and Oprah Winfrey can’t get enough of these in the personal collections. They’ve even been featured in In Style.

In fact recently Oprah launched a website called Sleepheads.com which caters to the needs and wants of busy celebrities like Jennifer Garner, Michael Varton, or Teri Hatcher. But wait, it also caters to the rest of us. Now you can easily buy the exact same sleepwear the stars are buying.

Recently there have been several other web sites come online that are also offering celebrity style sleepwear. Now you can purchase a terrific selection of celebrity sleepwear from a variety of site. Celebrity sleepwear has finally arrived at your door! You too can enjoy the comforts of the rich and famous and you can do it on a budget!

Deon Melchior is the Editor and Publisher of Article Click. For more FREE articles for your ezine and websites visit ArticleClick.com. Article Click is a free content article directory. This means that as a publisher you may reprint the articles that are included in our site, as long as the article is unedited and the author box is included with it's live hyperlinks.

Celebrity Doggy Owners

Hollywood is full of dog lovers! Runyan Canyon, which is located off Muholland Drive in the Hollywood Hills, is a popular doggy hiking spot in Los Angeles. Dog lovers from all litters of life enjoy the picturesque scenery found on this hiking trail. A doggy lover can start their hike at the Muholland entrance and strut down the hillside spotting numerous celebrity doggy lovers.

Within steps of entering the park a hiker could stumble into Shannon Elizabeth, who has seven good little doggies and the hiker could strike up a conversation regarding Animal Avengers. Animal Avengers is Shannon's charity and she would say, "Pound animals are the best animals because they know you rescued them." You might recognize Shannon Elizabeth if you watched the American Pie movies.

Further down the path you could bump into Oprah (if she's in town) and Oprah would discuss www.petfinders.com. You see Oprah paid for advertisements directing evacutees of hurricane Katrina to be re-united with their lost pets. Oprah's self proclaimed daughter is a cocker spaniel named Sophie.

If you like Desperate Housewives a run in with Nicollette Sheridan could be a welcomed surprise. Nicollette has a couple of pooches named Fatty, a collie/terrier mix and Oliver, a golden retriever. We're sure she treats her pups with more love than her Desperate Housewives character treats Teri Hatcher! Just kidding, of course! About half way down the paved trail, the view on a clear day stretches past Santa Monica with Catalina Island cresting on the horizon. Stopping to sip some water, Charlize Theron might plop down beside you with her four good little doggies. Charlize recently posed with her doggy Sparky in a PETA ad.

By the time a hiker reaches the bottom of the hill, the hiker could have met Drew Barrymore another puppy lover. Drew rescues homeless dogs as apart of 1-800-SAVE-A-PET. "Sharon! Bloody hell! Sharon!" Climbing back up the trail, the hiker could hear the rants of Ozzy Osbourne screaming after his wonderful wife, Sharon. Ozzy and Sharon are good little doggy lovers too! They have Pomeranians as you might have seen on their MTV show.

There are many more celebrity doggy lovers like Pamela Anderson, Tori Spelling and Paris Hilton, who loves her beautiful Chihauhaus! And, it is possible that a hiker could see one of these celebrities on their walk at Runyan Canyon. But, you don't have to be a celebrity to love your goodlittledoggy!


About the Author: http://www.goodlittledoggy.com

Celebrity Baby Names

Celebrities are not like everyday people. They have busy schedules, drive expensive cars, and wear jewelry that others can only dream of owning. Maybe it is because celebrities are so far removed from normal life that they often give their babies unusual names.

Some names are just a little different. John Travolta and Kelly Preston have two beautiful children. Their daughter's name is Ella Bleu. Their son's name is Jett. Jett is different, but anyone who knows anything about John Travolta knows he has a love for flying. Gwyneth Paltrow, pregnant again, came under scrutiny for naming her first child Apple. While it is unusual, it is somewhat cute, like in the "apple of their eye." Chris Martin, her husband, tired of the controversy over the name Apple, has jokingly stated their second child, whether male or female, will be named Banana. Another cute name is Dandelion, the name of Keith Richards' daughter. Julie Roberts recently gave birth to twins - a boy and a girl - and received flack over the names she chose. She received almost as much grief over the choice for her daughter's name, Hazel, as she did the more eccentric choice of Phinnaeus for her son.

Many people speculated what Madonna would name her first child. Lourdes Maria seems a fitting name for child who's mother's name is Madonna, but she often goes by Lola. Her son is named Rocco, which sounds a bit like a cartoon character, but at least it is a tough sounding name. Actor Casey Affleck and fiancé Summer Phoenix recently had a son named Indiana August, which leads one to wonder what state and month their son was conceived in. Toni Braxton has two sons, Denim and Diezel. While both useful products, they make somewhat strange names for children. Rob Marrow decided it would be cute if he named his daughter Tu Simone Ayer, calling her Tu Morrow. Wonder if she will think it is cute 20 years from now? Actor Jason Lee named his son Pilot Inspektor, but magician Penn Jillette may have topped them all. He named his daughter, Moxie Crimefighter, saying "because when she's pulled over for speeding she can say, `But officer, we're on the same side, my middle name is CrimeFighter."'

If you think it is a new trend, think again. Back in 1971, David Bowie and his then wife Angela decided to name their son Duncan Zowie Heywood Jones. He soon became known as Zowie Bowie. Cher named her children Chastity Sun and Elijah Blue.

The Phoenix family is well known for their unusual choice of baby names. Summer Phoenix's siblings are the late actor River Phoenix, actresses Rain and Liberty Phoenix and actor Joaquin Phoenix. Joaquin felt his name was so out of place with his siblings, that when he was four, he decided to change his name to Leaf. By the early 1990's, he had reverted back to using his birth name. Another family infamous for their choices of baby names is the Zappa family. Frank's children are Dweezil, Moon Unit, Ahmed Emuukha Rodan and Diva Muffin. While many people think that Dweezil is his given name, his birth name was originally Ian Donald Calvin Euclid Zappa because the hospital refused to register the name Dweezil. Always called Dweezil, when he was a child, he wanted to make the name official and his parents took him to have it changed legally. Paula Yates, former wife of Sir Bob Geldof and girlfriend of late rocker Michael Hutchence, also had a knack for giving her children unusual names. Among her brood are Fifi Trixibelle, Peaches Honeyblossom Michelle Charlotte Angel Vanessa, Heavenly Hiraani Tigerlily, and Little Pixie.

Some celebrity baby names make sense if you know the story behind them. Eurythmic's Dave Stewart named his son Django after jazz guitarist Django Reinhardt. Stevie Wonder named his son Mandla Kadjaly Carl Stevland, however Mandla means "powerful" in Zulu and Kadjaly means "born from God" in Swahili. Helen Hunt just gave birth to a baby girl she named Makena'lei Gordon. The name Makena'lei is from a friend's dream and means "many flowers of heaven." Gordon, an unlikely girl's name, was to honor of Helen's father, television director Gordon Hunt. Nicolas Cage just named his new baby boy Kal-el. Because Nicolas took his stage name of Cage from comic book character Luke Cage, he decided to name his son Kal-el after one of his favorite comic book heroes. Kal-el is Superman's kryptonian name.

So, do the children like these unconventional names given them by their parents? In some cases, they do. The Phoenix's seem to love their nature-inspired names and the Zappa children seem to have had no ill effects from their eccentric names. However, some children tire of the peculiar names quickly. Zowie Bowie had had enough of his moniker by the time he was 12 and asked to be referred to as "Joey." Although Dandelion Richards does not seem too bad, she has since started referring to herself as Angela. Recently, Peaches Honeyblossom Michelle Charlotte Angel Vanessa Geldof has been the most outspoken about the odd choice her parents made in naming her. She has been quoted as saying, "I hate ridiculous names. My weird name has haunted me all my life."

While having an unusual name might be difficult for any child, the celebrity of a child's parents may enhance it even further. Thankfully, celebrity children who decide they don't like their given names can switch to a nickname or even eventually have their names legally changed.

About the Author: Julie Parker is a successful writer and publisher providing valuable tips and advice on finding the top baby names, unusual baby names, and baby name meanings. Her numerous articles offer thoughtful tips and valuable insight into baby naming. Check out the "Top 100 Baby Names" list from the last 6 years.

Spice Girls: What They Really, Really Want Is For You To Love Them... Again

“Yo, I'll tell you what I want, what I really really want,

So tell me what you want, what you really really want,

I wanna, I wanna, I wanna, I wanna, I wanna really,

Really really wanna zigazig ha.”

Apparently the concert-going public has spoken and what they really, really want is to see the Spice Girls perform together once again.

They’re back…!

Just when you thought the whole reunion nostalgia thing must be losing its steam, one of the most famous of the “girl bands,” The Spice Girls, have just launched a reunion tour that will take them well into 2008. With Simon Fuller once again steering the ship, there is little doubt that this will be a heavily promoted, successful, and lucrative endeavour for all involved.

A pop music phenomenon, the Spice Girls launched a career that included three albums, multiple world tours, sales of 55 million records and even a Spice Girls movie. Like few groups before them, the Spice Girls became a fixture in the British press. Their Girl Power mantra (emphasising loyalty and friendship) was heavily marketed and made the Spice Girls internationally famous. They were unabashedly pop, shamelessly aggressive self-promoters, and their individually developed personas brought comparisons to the Beatles and Beatlemania. While British radio had been dominated in the early 90’s by guitar-based bands like Blur and Oasis, the Spice Girls were pure pop and aimed squarely at a young female audience.

It all started in London in 1993 with an open audition for a girl group being put together by Bob and Chris Herbert. Their group - Touch - was finalised based on these auditions and the line-up included Victoria Adams, Melanie Brown, Melanie Chisholm and Geri Halliwell. The women were moved into a house together and began a demanding routine of song and dance rehearsals. The pace was too much for the fifth member of Touch, and she left to be replaced by Emma Bunton.

After a disagreement over the band’s direction with Chris Herbert, the band quit and broke away in 1994. In the fall of that year they met Simon Fuller (yes, that Simon Fuller; not the caustic judge, but the creator of the various Pop Idol television series including American Idol) and by spring of 1995, they had signed with Fuller and his company, 19 Management.

In September 1995, the band officially became the Spice Girls and Fuller landed them a recording contract with Virgin Records. He quickly whisked them off on a promotional tour of the United States followed by filming for their first video, Wannabe. By May of 1996, Wannabe was a hit on video stations and the Spice Girls were on the road to fame.

In July of 1996, Top of the Pops magazine ran a feature on the Spice Girls, in which the editor suggested that nicknames for each of the Spice Girls might be a good idea: Posh, Ginger, Baby, Scary and Sporty made their first appearance in the music press and the nicknames stuck.

Simon Fuller turned out to be a master of promotion and worked every angle to get the Spice Girls out there. They toured the United States again, appeared at a Christmas tree lighting in London in 1996 that drew 500,000 people, and began promoting a myriad of products, including Pepsi, Polaroid and Cadbury’s. By February 1997, Wannabe had become the number one song in the UK and US charts, and by this point, the Spice Girls had amassed world CD sales of six million, along with seven million singles. Not bad for a debut.

Their follow-up album, Spice, was released in March of 1997, and sales climbed to 14 million copies by July of that year. Their third album, Spiceworld, was released shortly after in November 1997, and just prior to the release of their movie, Spiceworld, on Boxing Day of 1997. The film grossed $75 million worldwide. Then in a bombshell announcement, the Spice Girls dropped Simon Fuller as their manager just prior to the start of a massive world tour. Probably not a good move, given that he appeared to be crucial to their success.

1998 started off with the news that Victoria Adams was engaged to soccer star David Beckham. In February, the Spice Girls began the previously planned, 102-date world tour in support of Spiceworld, but the cracks were beginning to show. Geri Halliwell failed to appear at several gigs in Norway in May and soon released a letter announcing her departure from the group. In June, the Spice Girls, minus Ginger, undertook the American leg of the tour, but rumours of the group’s imminent demise were fuelled by the news in August that both Victoria Adams and Melanie Brown were pregnant. The Spiceworld Tour concluded with a pair of sold out shows at Wembley Stadium, but it was to be their final tour.

Brown married in 1998 followed by Adams in 1999. In October 2000, the Spice Girls released their final album, Forever. They never officially broke up, but the group didn’t release any more material and each went her own way.

Discography

1996: Spice (UK #1)

1997: Spiceworld (UK #1)

2000: Forever (UK #2)

2007: Greatest Hits (UK #2)

Number 1 Singles (UK Charts)

1996: Wannabe, Say You’ll Be There, 2 Become 1

1997: Mama/Who Do You Think You Are?, Spice Up Your Life, Too Much

1998: Viva Forever, Goodbye

2000: Holler/Let Love Lead The Way

So where have the Spice Girls been for the past seven years?

Melanie Brown (aka “Scary Spice,” aka “Mel B”) released a solo album in 2000 and has since concentrated largely on an acting career. Her credits include roles in the BBC3 sitcom Burn It, movies Lethal Dose and The Seat Filler, a Broadway appearance in the musical Rent, a part in The Vagina Monologues in London, and appearances on television reality shows This Is My Moment and Dancing With The Stars. A second solo CD was released in 2004, after her autobiography was published in 2002. Melanie has two children, daughters Phoenix Chi and Angel Iris. Brown garnered considerable tabloid press in 2006 when a relationship with actor Eddie Murphy ended, with Brown claiming that Murphy had fathered Angel Iris.

Melanie Chisholm (aka “Sporty Spice,” aka “Mel C”) has enjoyed a busy solo career since the Spice Girls split up, releasing four albums and performing a hit duet with Canadian singer Bryan Adams. She formed her own label, Red Girl Records, and has been actively touring in support of her material.

Victoria Beckham (aka “Posh Spice”) has recently had considerable attention with the American tabloid press, following her move to Los Angeles with husband, soccer star David Beckham, who joined the L.A. Galaxy football team. The Beckhams have three sons. Victoria hasn’t pursued a solo singing career, unlike the other girls, but has followed her interest in fashion, acting as a guest fashion editor with Harper's Bazaar magazine and releasing several clothing lines as well as her own fragrance (Intimately Beckham). Beckham has made several television appearances, including a stint on Ugly Betty. Beckham has also published a fashion guidebook and an autobiography.

Geri Halliwell (aka “Ginger Spice”) has released three solo albums, contributed a hit single to the movie Bridget Jones’s Diary (It’s Raining Men), released two autobiographies, released two yoga videos, and appeared on the television show Sex In The City. Apparently not content to sit still, Halliwell is also an ambassador for The Prince’s Trust, has written six soon-to-be-published children’s books and became a mother with the birth of daughter Bluebell Madonna in 2006.

Emma Bunton (aka “Baby Spice”) has released three solo records, appeared on BBC1’s Strictly Come Dancing, and in August of 2007, became a mother with the birth of her son, Beau Lee.

So, now we come to 2007. Hard feelings are put aside, and everyone is back on board. Even Simon Fuller. A formal announcement of the reunion was made via a press conference on 28th June: the Spice Girls would reunite for a world tour to support the release of a greatest hits CD. The tour will be filmed for a documentary to be released by the BBC. And true to their past pattern, the Spice Girls and Fuller are already lining up corporate sponsors for the tour, including a £5 million fee to appear in advertisements for the Tesco supermarket chain.

The initial concert took place on December 2 in Vancouver, Canada. A sell-out crowd of 16,000, which paid up to $550 CDN for tickets, was reportedly heavily skewed toward the teen female demographic. Reviews of the concert were good - the Telegraph’s Catherine Elsworth said:

“They performed for almost two hours, rattling through 22 songs including old favourites such as Spice Up Your Life and Wannabe as well a few covers and tracks the girls had recorded while pursuing solo careers. The exuberant set - which took in eight costumes and elaborate choreography including a spot of pole dancing - had fans screaming from beginning to end and betrayed no signs of the intervening years.”

Sounds like the Spice Girls shouldn’t have any problems selling tickets for the rest of the tour dates.

Links
www.thespicegirls.com

About the Author: This article was written by Brad Moon for Viagogo.co.uk, a leading European ticket hub. Viagogo connects buyers and sellers of tickets, concert tickets, theatre tickets and more. Viagogo also guarantees all the transactions, so if you are looking for tickets online, Viagogo is the place to go!

Interview With TV’s Mike Nelson

Do you have to move to Los Angeles to write for the entertainment business, or can you stay where live took you so far and still be that same writer?

Michael J. Nelson would probably suggest the latter as he's enjoyed a successful, busy career while never giving up his midwestern roots. He is an author, comedian, essayist, commentator, TV writer and generally far too clever for the likes of Hollywood. According to his bio, he grew up in lovely Geneva, Illinois, but his parents moved to rural Wisconsin when he was 12 because "they wanted to make a more desolate life for him."

When the comedy circuit exploded in the mid-1980s, Nelson was quick to jump on that bandwagon, performing at clubs and colleges throughout the midwest. Some friends from the stand -up circuit asked him to "do some typing" for their show, Mystery Science Theater 3000. Nelson accepted, staying on for ten years, "talking to plastic puppets on a daily basis."

His first book, Mike Nelson's Movie Mega Cheese takes several Hollywood efforts to task - laying waste to them with laughter and a little good-natured rage. He was a natural choice to go after such sinkers when you consider what he'd spent the previous 10 years doing at the office.

In the year's since MST3K hung up its satellite, Nelson has remained in the show's hometown of Minneapolis, MN with his wife and children - turning down the occasional offer to defect to Hollywood. But, he is still in demand in the movie criticism business, providing funny commentary tracks on several classic DVDs, such as House on Haunted Hill, Plan 9 from Outer Space and Reefer Madness.

Hollywood came calling for Nelson's services more than once, but Nelson never regretted staying in the midwest: "I had no desire to move out there. I don't regret it all. I still work on the occasional thing with Hollywood here and there."

Nelson cited a negative experience working on the MST3K feature film for keeping Hollywood at a safe distance: "Making the MST film was not a smooth ride. We went from having total creative control that we earned by building a show up through an audience to taking silly orders from people who thought they knew our jobs better than we did. When it went to the movie stage they said we had no knowledge how to make a show. It was very hard to market that. It was a tough go. They wear you down throughout the development process and take a lot of the joy out of the experience."

Turning his attention to the Hollywood efforts of the last few years, Nelson noted the decline of the big Hollywood blockbuster and lauded it as a positive turn of events.

"I have only recently begin to think that there's a glimmer of hope for the movie business these days because several blockbusters have not done well - as if movies audiences are sending a message. They don't care if Hollywood wants to make big spectacle movies for foreign audiences that can sell in different markets. Maybe audiences are saying that films are below our intelligence and we don't want to spend $10 to sit through them anymore."

"People have been burned too many times in theaters. They're more cautious now. Nobody wants to waste their money on another Michael Bay film with a ridiculous story that doesn't involve an audience. So, I'm feeling a little bit of optimism that movie fans are rejecting the same old films that Hollywood is telling them to like."

"Don't get me wrong. I have no problem with big blockbusters. If they're done well, I enjoy them. But, the formula is so tired that they're rarely done well anymore."

"There's so much exhausting hype for every movie because each film has to open huge right away, first weekend - and, they have to be successful right away or they're considered failures. There are plenty of smaller movies being made, and I might be a little more drawn to them because there's less of a storm swirling around those movies - and, there's a better sense of creative control behind them with the writers and filmmakers."

While Nelson is the first to admit that he's hardly a film industry insider, he confessed to a little speculation and agreed with the popular theory that corporate management, branding and over-marketing hurt many films before, during and after production.

"It seems to me that the tightening down of corporations on the money behind these films is taking them away from the writers and directors who would be best able to make them - and make them work. I don't want to use cliche terms like "the suits" or anything like that, but I don't think the corporate people leave the writers and filmmakers alone enough to allow them to make good movies."

But, Nelson never ruthlessly blames the writers or filmmakers for the end results finding their way to the screen, "Even though the concept behind the film might have been a commercial formula, somebody had to sit down and type the words. It's very difficult, lonely work - and once it's on the page, anything can become of it during production and everyone can attack it."

"Bad movies come from a lack of originality. There's a big mechanism out there for making movies, TV and books. That said, I don't understand this fever for some hook - any hook - to build a story around. That's why we're being bombarded with remakes. Studios are looking to make movies with the least amount of risk possible."

"I don't know how you fix it. Maybe the studios should give a little more control to the writers and directors - unless they screw it up, too. Then I don't know where that leaves us."

I do hope that writers out there keep working to offer stories they enjoy - whether or not Hollywood thinks they're worthy of that hype.

Jordan Williams is the owner of eWeb TV World, giving you the inside scoop on todays hottest TV shows. You can get insider news, reviews, and more at:
www.ewebtvworld.com

America's Continuing Infatuation with Hollywood

Hollywood movie stars have almost reached god-like status in the United States. They are envied, adored, worshipped, and admired. What is it about these people that is so intriguing and why do we devote so much time and energy trying to find out about their personal lives?

Anyone questioning whether or not America is obsessed with Hollywood needs only turn on the television to see how movie stars and celebrities dominate our news and just about everything we see. Even the fashion magazines have movie stars on the cover; the super models have been banished to the back pages. Movie stars and celebrities are everywhere but what makes these people so special?

Perhaps an answer could be found in their flawless beauty and public image. People are generally in awe of these stars because of the image that they represent. They seem to have everything going for them beauty, glamour, money, name and fame. Most people can only dream of having these things. However, no one knows that these stars are carefully prepared from every angle, be it hairstyle, make-up, dress or public dealing.

Watching our favorite Hollywood stars in films and on television also can give people the mistaken impression that they know what a person is like. They can feel a sort of camaraderie to certain actors. However, in reality move stars have private lives as well as we really don't know what they could be like on a personal level, no matter how many interviews of them we've seen.

Hitting big time in Hollywood is based on good luck and pure timing. As a Hollywood actor to get yourself meaty roles you have to know the right people and be in the right place at the right time. Dazzling good looks will also go far in getting you noticed.

This also extends to musicians. Just take a look at all of multi-millionaire pop singers and ask yourself how many of them can actually sing? Considering all the recent accusations of lip-synching, the answer is not many. It's sad that looks have become more important to so many people than talent.

Though the stars love to be adored by the public and the media alike, they also have to face the repercussions of being too much in the limelight. Many of the stars have been troubled by star fixated fans some of whom actually become stalkers and harass them. This problem is more in mentally weak people who develop a personal relationship with the onscreen personas of the stars.

Hollywood influence does have its limitations though. Many stars rallied in the last US election to encourage people to vote against George Bush. He did win the election again, so it would seem that people aren't quite as influenced by Hollywood as many had originally thought.

Hollywood movie stars make millions of dollars from their fan support and people love to see them any chance they get. Tabloid papers spout lies and trash about the rich and famous, and yet people buy them up like hot cakes. America's obsession with Hollywood doesn't show any signs of slowing down.


About the author: Jasmine Almira is the chief editor for Fox Hollywood, a fantastic website to visit if you're looking for accurate up to date advice and discussion about Hollywood. For further information on Hollywood please visit: http://www.foxhollywood.com/articles

This article is available as a unique content article with free reprint rights.

Celebrity Babysitting Snippets ...

Tom Cruise allegedly hired a whole team of babysitters for his children so that he could join his (then) fiancée, Katie Holmes in lengthy gym sessions. They both looked svelte in the wedding photos so it must have worked!

Before fame hit, Little Eva was a regular babysitter for the daughter of Gerry Goffin and Carole King. King was working on a song one day when Eva started to dance. The result was ‘The Loco-Motion’.

Martha Stewart’s daughter, Alexis, has a radio talk show called ‘Whatever with Alexis and Jennifer’. When Jennifer was growing up, her babysitter was actress Phoebe Cates.

Jude Law had an affair with his children’s’ nanny, Daisy Wright, which lost him Sienna Miller. Bet he wished he’d hired Nanny McPhee!

A New York nanny was recently arrested and charged with stealing jewelry - $500,000 worth, from clients including Robert De Niro and Candice Bergen.

Both Robin Williams and ‘Law and Order’ actor, Joe Piscopo married women who had formerly been nannies to their children.

At the Academy Awards, actress Julia Roberts did a ‘to-camera’ Happy Birthday to Marva - the nanny to Julia’s twins, Phinnaeus and Hazel. Marva was allegedly chosen from over 100 applicants. Julia Roberts is rumoured to have conducted interviews and done background and credit checks on all of them. Julia is the reader of the audio version of ‘The Nanny Diaries’.

Author and nanny Tracy Hogg was called the ‘Baby Whisperer’ by her famous clients. She cared for over 5,000 babies including the offspring of Jodie Foster, Cindy Crawford, Michael J. Fox, Calista Flockhart and Jamie Lee Curtis. Tracy sadly died of melanoma aged 44.

Notorious Hollywood ‘Madam’, Heidi Fleiss, worked as a babysitter from the age of 12. She was so good at it that she began a babysitting service, employing her friends to share the load. This was how she first found that she was a good businesswoman!

Billy Crystal’s father managed the Commodore Music Shop on 42nd Street in New York. His uncle founded Commodore Records – a jazz label. Billy grew up surrounded by jazz greats and his babysitter was Billy Holliday!

When Keanu Reeves was a kid, his babysitter was Rock musician Alice Cooper.

As a teenager, actress Gina Davis worked as a babysitter for a famous New York member of ‘the mob’.

‘American Idol’ judge, Paula Abdul was seven years old when Michael Bolton first babysat her. She says that Michael is such a good father today because he got his training while babysitting her!

It’s rumoured that actor Al Lewis (‘Grandpa’ in TV’s The Munsters) once hired the notorious Charles Manson to babysit his sons.

“Quote, unquote”

“The only reason he had a child is so that he can meet babysitters.”

David Letterman talking about Warren Beatty in 1991

“A good film is when the price of the dinner, the theater admission and the babysitter were worth it.”

Alfred Hitchcock

“I babysat for my nephew and it’s not as glamorous as it looks.”

Beyonce Knowles


Visit www.superbabysitting.com for free babysitting tips, advice and how to claim a first aid book and babysitters handbook.

Lindsay Lohan’s Hit and Run Accident

Walking the streets of Los Angeles is becoming more and more hazardous, given the amount of drunken celebrities on our roads. This past weekend we became aware that Lindsay Lohan was arrested in Los Angeles for hit and run, and driving while under the influence of alcohol. It also appears that the police located a white powdery substance believed to be cocaine either within Ms. Lohan's vehicle or person.

The preliminary information gathered from the police revealed that Ms. Lohan had two passengers in the car at the time she crashed into a curb and some shrubbery, causing injury to herself and her vehicle. Ms. Lohan then fled the scene of the accident without notifying the police. She was later located at a nearby hospital by the police who observed she was exhibiting signs of alcohol influence.

Apparently this was the third car accident for Ms. Lohan within two years. Ms. Lohan, who has been in and out of a rehab center for alcohol abuse, is obviously a dangerous driver.

From the prosecutor's point of view, Ms. Lohan should be sentenced to a significant amount of jail time for this offense, possibly six months. Any defense attorney in Los Angeles will tell you that the District Attorney's Office and the Courts do not treat cases like this lightly. The aggravating factors involved with this case include: 1) Ms. Lohan fled the scene of an accident; 2) There were two passengers within her vehicle who could have been injured; 3) Ms. Lohan has a history of bad driving; and 4) She caused injuries to herself.

In California, first time DUI offenders are sentenced to attend a DUI class, pay approximately $1,100 of fines, and placed on three years summary probation. Hit and run offenders who have caused injuries, on the other hand, can be charged with a felony, and usually receive stiff prison or jail time, depending upon the seriousness of the injuries.

Unfortunately, the Los Angeles courts tend to coddle our celebrities, so I am not expecting Ms. Lohan to be sentenced similar to what an ordinary citizen would receive under similar circumstances. In my opinion, we are not doing Ms. Lohan or the public any favors by treating this crime lightly. There is no better way to catch a person's attention than to sentence him or her to a healthy dose of jail time.

Ms. Lohan is also a huge role model for thousands of would be actresses. I believe we send the wrong message to our youth when we treat celebrities as royalty, as if they are above the law. The impression we do not want our youth to have is that law enforcement gives these people special treatment because being drunk and out of control is are essential ingredients to their success.

In cases like this numerous commentators discuss the stress of the actress and the demands of their jobs as an excuse for their behavior. I agree that celebrities do suffer from a lot of stress. However, in no way can they be excused for drunk driving. Celebrities like Lindsay Lohan, more than most people, can afford a private driver, call a cab, or call upon a friend to drive them home.

From the defense point of view, there may be a "no drive" defense, given that the police did not observe Ms. Lohan driving and we know there were two other people in her car, who could claim to have been driving. However, as I tell my clients who face similar charges, we will not know what defenses, if any, are available until we see the police reports. In this case, the passengers may have told the police that Ms. Lohan was driving, and it appears there may have been a photographer that places her behind the wheel.


Donald P. Schweitzer
Law Offices of Donald P. Schweitzer
201 South Lake Avenue, Suite 700
Pasadena, California 91101
(626) 683-8113
http://www.PasadenaCriminalDefense.com

Only Limited Tickets To Bon Jovi Concert Are Left!

Jon Bon Jovi continues to be the most loved musician on the earth! But will his next destination be the world of politics? Well, that’s for him to decide; till then, his fans can have the time of their life by grooving at his concerts and on his albums.

With cropped hair and a sexy smile, Bon Jovi continues to win hearts with every tune of his band. At 45, he can boast of album sales of about 120 million. This is the same guy who swept floors at the recording studio of his cousin Tony Bongiovi at the age of 17!

For those rare souls who aren’t familiar with this pop legend, Bon Jovi (his complete name is John Francis Bongiovi Jr.) is an American musician, singer, songwriter, and actor. He founded the rock band under the name of Bon Jovi and is its lead singer. This band has sold more than 100 million albums across the continents!

After a traumatic flick with marijuana during his teenage years, he stays miles away from drugs. He has been married to his childhood sweetheart Dorothea for the last 17 years.

It was not a bed of roses for Bon Jovi to achieve what he has today. It was in 1980 when the recording of “Christmas in the Stars: The Star Wars Christmas” album was been done in the presence of Meco. His cousin Tony recommended John for his song “R2-D2 We Wish You A Merry Christmas.” This was John’s first recording in a professional way.

Later, he had a short stint with the band ‘Scandal’. His raw talent was noticed by Mercury Records and Atlantic Records. Bon Jovi had already started a band under his initials and endeavored to unveil his talent. This step proved to be a success, as record executive Derek Shulman entered John into an agreement with Mercury Records, which was a part of the famous company named PolyGram.

After this, the band named Bon Jovi came into being. With the manager Doc McGhee’s help, ‘Bon Jovi’ released its debut album named “Bon Jovi” on January 21, 1984. It was a huge success and sold over 500,000 copies in the US alone. It achieved ‘gold’ status and was, later, released in UK. The sensation had begun!

The band’s revolutionary album “Slippery When Wet” was a tribute to the strip clubs of Vancouver. The pop-rock anthems of this album honored blue-collar, macho heroes.

And now, the band is ready with their latest album “Lost Highway”. It has been recorded in Nashville and will be released in Sydney soon. It consists of a duet with LeAnn Rimes, the nation’s music superstar. This album, too, is based on an interesting theme.

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Al is the webmaster of the Tickets Bon Jovi site, a New York City entertainment website with reviews and news on every event, as well as tickets Bon Jovi information.

Britney Spears Displays Signs of schizophrenia

After weeks of incredible strange behavior the question is now being raised if Britney is only Bipolar or possible even Insane. Now that you have all finished having a good laugh at what many believe is quite obvious, we will discuss the reasons why Britney might actually be insane. Originally Britney was thought to be suffering from mental problems, this was later said to be the result of a Bipolar Disorder however sources close to Britney are now claiming that her medication isn't working. This is actually very startling news because if it is not a Mental condition brought on by a Disease or Disorder then the only other likely cause of her strange and sometimes insane behavior would be the legal Defense of Insanity.

Insanity, or madness, is traditionally a certain type of behaviour where someone risks oneself and others, and is generally associated to social taboos (parental authority, for example). Greek tragedies and Shakespeare often refers to madness in this sense. Psychologically, it is a general popular and legal term defining behaviour influenced by mental instability. It is defined by the Merriam-Webster dictionary as a deranged state of the mind or lack of understanding. Today it is most commonly encountered as an informal term or in the narrow legal context of the insanity defense, and in the medical profession the term is now avoided in favour of specific diagnoses of mental illness as schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders.

As you can see from the example we provided this describes britney alot better. Her behavior resembles those of a schizophrenic a lot more than those of a person with Bipolar. Generally people whom have Bipolar don't realize it for years because it can have very mild effects and only present itself at various times. A schizophrenic person on the other hand often shows constant signs and display various strange kinds of behavior. Bipolar people tend to become more violent and angry, while schizo's(yes I just used that term hah) tend to display more strange behavior rather than violent behavior, don't become confused however as schizo's(I am on a roll) can display very violent behavior when frustrated or provoked but this is generally more a result of provoking the person than a random outburst. Britney Spears could very well be Mentally Insane. It should be noted that Britney is still under medical observation, they are still trying to correctly diagnose her condition leaving many to believe it indeed is Schizophrenia. Being Bipolar doesn't normally lead someone to begin speaking in a British accent like Britney has begun doing however Schizophrenic people tend to become delusional which leaves us to once again believe and agree that Britney has Schizophrenia.


Mitch is the developer of Britney Spears News Flash, features many articles giving readers insight on the rise and fall of Britney Spears with 24 hour coverage. http://www.britneyspearsnewsflash.com More articles are available at Brtiney Spears News Flash Read More Now .