ENTERTAINMENT NEWS: Elton John joins with U.S. agencies on new AIDS program

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - British singer and activist Elton John said on Friday a new $7 million partnership between his foundation and U.S. government agencies will help create an AIDS-free society but urged more work to reach that goal.

John met with U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry at the State Department where they announced the joint project to help expand access to HIV services for gays and transgender individuals in Africa.

The new program called Health4Men will involve PEPFAR, the U.S. President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, and the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and initially focus on South Africa.

John said it was "a dream come true" to combine the efforts of his foundation with U.S. government initiatives.

"We should be living in an AIDS-free world, and that people, no matter who they love, who they are, should have a right to be AIDS-free," said John, who is one of Britain's most prominent musicians and gay celebrities.

"I think we will do great work, and we have a lot more work to do, but this is a good start," he added.

Kerry thanked John for his leadership and commended his foundation for "bringing hope and help to a lot of people."

(Reporting by Lesley Wroughton; editing by Andrew Hay)
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ENTERTAINMENT NEWS: Matthew McConaughey enjoying his 'Interstellar' career heights

By Karen Brooks
KILLEEN Texas (Reuters) - Matthew McConaughey's upcoming film about a journey beyond the stars may as well be about the Texas actor's own stratospheric career these days.

From winning his best actor Oscar in March for "Dallas Buyers Club" to his lead role in the highly anticipated space-exploration drama "Interstellar," set to become one of the year's biggest movies, McConaughey has rocketed to a level of stardom unlike anything he said he has ever experienced before.

And he loves it, the actor told Reuters.
"I'm enjoying my career now more than ever," he said during a preview screening for military families at Fort Hood Army base, a few hours away from his ranch in Central Texas.

McConaughey, 44, takes the lead in "Interstellar," out in theaters on Nov. 7, the latest film by "Dark Knight" director Christopher Nolan that McConaughey called "as enormous as anything that's been put on the screen."

"It's got questions that we can talk about until the end of time," he said.
McConaughey plays Cooper, a widowed father and former pilot grounded by his own circumstances, the defunding of space exploration, and other grim developments leading to Earth's fast-approaching demise.

Then Cooper is called upon to head deep into outer space to find a new galaxy for humanity to call home, but he faces leaving his family to pursue mankind's salvation.
"And there's no return ticket," McConaughey says. "That's a hell of a question. That's as hard as it can get."

Cooper's everyman status puts him in contrast to McConaughey's recent collection of antiheroes living on the fringe in movies like "Mud" and HBO's crime drama series "True Detective." Playing homophobic AIDS sufferer Ron Woodroof in "Dallas Buyers Club" earned the actor a Golden Globe and Screen Actor's Guild award.

Once pigeonholed into playing goofy hotshot characters in action movies and romantic comedies, McConaughey's turn towards grittier dramatic roles has been dubbed the McConaissance, a change that he attributes to being more settled and mature in his personal life.

"The target draws the arrow," he said, wearing a trucker hat he designed that reads "Alright" and "just keep living," a nod to his now-iconic Oscar speech. "I think I'm drawing things that are right for me right now."

McConaughey is being drawn back to his lighter roots, saying he is currently conceptualizing his own comedy. The actor betrays nothing else but a sly grin about the "comedy up my sleeve."
The actor said his most exciting and challenging role is being a father to his three young children with his Brazilian model wife, Camila Alves.

"It's a brand new movie every day," he added with a laugh.
His decision to star in "Interstellar" was inspired by his oldest, 6-year-old Levi, who wants to invent a spacesuit that will let him walk on the sun.

"I'm really turned on with what I'm doing day to day, in work and personally," he said. "I'm happy to be able to say that. It's not guaranteed, for sure."
(Editing by Piya Sinha-Roy and Andrew Hay)

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MOVIES: 'Hunger Games,' 'Divergent' pushed aside for new Comic Con fare

SAN DIEGO (Reuters) - Young adult film franchises have dominated the conversation at San Diego's annual Comic Con gathering in recent years, but as the buzz-building convention kicked off on Thursday, the absence of established blockbusters has allowed studios to push new fare targeting a similar audience.

Without the star-studded film panels promoting November's "The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 1," the next installment in the series starring Jennifer Lawrence, or next year's "Insurgent," the sequel to this year's "Divergent" film, convention-goers will fill up on a new crop of dystopian thrillers.

"It does feel strange that there's no big young adult panel at Comic Con this year, but what's interesting is that there are some young adult-orientated panels that are going to pick up the slack," said Dave Karger, chief correspondent of Fandango.

The "Twilight" series, "Hunger Games" and "Divergent" have all been highlights at Comic Con's main Hall H, where audiences are shown exclusive footage and studios organize promotional panels with stars and filmmakers.

The Weinstein Co kicked off the first new film in the dystopian young adult genre this year with a panel on forthcoming sci-fi drama "The Giver," in a bid to draw "Hunger Games" and "Divergent" fans.

"We'd be honored for the fans and fan base of those properties be excited about our film," said Stephen Bruno, president of marketing at The Weinstein Co.

"The Giver," based on Lois Lowry's 1993 book of the same name and out in U.S. theaters on Aug. 15, is about a boy, Jonas, who lives in a seemingly utopian society that is devoid of pain.

When Jonas meets the Giver, the keeper of memories played by Jeff Bridges, and inherits his role, he finds his understanding of the world turned upside down.

"The (Comic Con) audience is correct for the film and the book is a huge beloved entity," Bruno added. "Many have said it's the originator of the young adult dystopian story."

At the panel, audiences were shown an extended trailer featuring key scenes that transitions from black-and-white to color as Jonas begins to better understand the world around him.

"The Giver" comes ahead of the Friday panel for 20th Century Fox's young adult film "The Maze Runner" starring Dylan O'Brien, and "Harry Potter" star Daniel Radcliffe is also expected to draw an avid young crowd for dark fantasy "Horns."

Although there are no panels for "Hunger Games" and "Divergent," fans will still get surprises such as a trailer for "Mockingjay" to be released at a Comic Con event on Friday, and appearances by "Divergent" stars Shailene Woodley and Theo James over the weekend.

But the absence of the blockbuster series also harkens to Comic Con's roots as a welcome home to creative content with fringe and cult audiences.

"Thanks to 'Twilight' and 'Hunger Games,' Comic Con had become in the last six or seven years, a haven for these young adult franchises," Karger said. "But this year is a return to the Comic Con of years ago."

(Editing by Eric Kelsey)

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ENTERTAINMENT STAR: Complex characters, juicy scripts boost Netflix's Emmy nominations

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - A veteran actress says it is the "delicious" scripts and unvarnished realism of the female prison inmates that draw viewers to "Orange is the New Black," while the creator of "House of Cards" credits a ruthless yet vulnerable power couple for the thriller's success.

The unconventional approach to TV at Netflix Inc netted 31 Emmy nominations on Thursday, a major achievement for a company that plunged into original programing just last year.

"Thirty-one nods - not bad for the new kid on the block," said "House of Cards" star Kevin Spacey, nominated for best actor in a drama series for the second straight year.

It is still less than a third of the nominations for cable competitor Time Warner Inc's HBO, but Netflix is now nipping on the heels of networks that have been in the TV business for decades and is advancing careers for people who have been around a long time.

"I have never been nominated for an Emmy before, and I've been acting for 40 years," said Kate Mulgrew, a supporting comedy actress nominee for her role as a powerful inmate in "Orange is the New Black." "It has particular resonance for me."

Netflix made history last year when it shook up Hollywood with the first nominations in major categories for shows delivered exclusively over the Internet. Netflix took home three Emmys for "House of Cards" for its 14 nominations overall.

At that time, "Orange is the New Black," a dark prison comedy, was just gathering steam with its surprising twists and turns in season one.

When a new script arrives, Mulgrew said "my heart pounds a little faster because I know within those pages there is going to be something so unexpected, so awful, so delicious."

The relatable characters, who wear little makeup and only drab prison garb, also drive the show's appeal.

"Those are not surgically enhanced lips," Mulgrew said. "Those are not porcelain veneers. These are real women in a really challenging situation. They are trying, each of them in their own way, to survive it as well as she can. You are drawn in."

'TV SCREENS, TABLETS, OR PHONES'

The diverse cast includes the first openly transgender Emmy nominee, Laverne Cox, for her portrayal of an inmate who committed fraud to pay for a sex change procedure.

Netflix is investing in original shows to help attract new subscribers to its TV and movie streaming service. It has made a mark by releasing all episodes of a season at once, fueling binge-viewing and getting new fans, although the company does not release ratings.

Upcoming Netflix shows include "Marco Polo," an epic drama being filmed in Asia, and comedy "Grace and Frankie" starring Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin.

Other digital outlets have joined Netflix in producing original content but have not made it to the Emmy race. Amazon.com Inc actively campaigned for nominations for its John Goodman political comedy "Alpha House" with billboards and mobile ads urging Emmy voters to recognize the show.

Beau Willimon, creator and executive producer of "House of Cards," said Netflix has "deep respect for the creative process" and allowed him, Spacey and costar Robin Wright to create "layered characters who aren't just reduced to their ambition and ruthlessness."

"They show vulnerability and humanity in ways that surprise us," Willimon said. "I think audiences have come to expect those sophisticated complex characters on their TV screens or tablets or phones."

(Editing by Mary Milliken and Jonathan Oatis)
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ENTERTAINMENT ICON: Ramones punk band co-founder Tommy dies at 65

(Reuters) - Tommy Ramone, the drummer and last surviving member of the hugely influential American punk band the Ramones, has died at the age of 65, an associate said on Saturday.

The death was confirmed by Dave Frey, Director at Ramones Productions, the company that controls the band's copyright. Frey declined to provide additional information.

Born Thomas Erdelyi in Budapest, Hungary, Ramone was the co-founder of the band and its drummer from 1974 to 1978. He was the last surviving member of its original quartet.

The New York band, with mops of long hair, black leather jackets, torn jeans and sneakers, deeply influenced punk rockers in the United Kingdom and the "power pop" of ensuing decades.

They were seen as masters of minimalist, 2.5-minute tunes played at hyperkinetic tempo, such as "Blitzkrieg Bop", "I Wanna be Sedated", and "Sheena is a Punk Rocker."

(Reporting by Eric M. Johnson in Seattle; Additional reporting by Mark Heinrich; Editing by Louise Heavens)
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ENTERTAINMENT STAR: Garth Brooks announces country music comeback, digital downloads

(Reuters) - Country music star Garth Brooks said on Thursday he was coming out of recording retirement and will release new music for the first time in more than a decade.

Brooks, who in recent years has been playing concerts in Las Vegas, said at a Nashville news conference he would also make his music available for purchase on his website.

The "Friends in Low Places" singer, who has sold more than 130 million albums worldwide, is one of the most successful musicians who does not allow Apple Inc's iTunes music store to sell his songs as downloads.

Brooks, 52, will also announce a world tour next week. Five comeback concerts planned for Croke Park stadium in Dublin were canceled on Tuesday after authorities denied permits because local residents objected to the disruption so many successive concerts would bring.

Sony Music will distribute Brooks' forthcoming albums.

(Reporting by Eric Kelsey; editing by Mary Milliken and Gunna Dickson)


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ENTERTAINMENT Hi Ho Silver, Lone Ranger outfit to be auctioned away

DALLAS (Reuters) - The outfit actor Clayton Moore wore when he made appearances as the Lone Ranger character he played on the TV series more than a half century ago will go under the hammer on Saturday with the auction house expecting it to fetch about $150,000.

The ensemble includes a matching light blue shirt and pants made for riding, a red kerchief, Stetson hat, cowboy boots and a belt holster that holds two custom-made Colt pistols.

Moore, who portrayed the justice-seeking masked man on the "Lone Ranger" TV series that ran from 1949 to 1957, wore the outfit for public appearances as the character after the show ended.

Waco businessman Bob Davis bought the Lone Ranger outfit for about $100,000 at an auction in Los Angeles after Moore's death in 1999 and it has remained in the Davis family since then, according to Scott Franks, the owner the A&S Auction Company in Waco that will sell the outfit.

"Since this is only the second time it has come up for sale, there is huge amount of interest in it," Franks said.

(Reporting by Marice Richter; Writing by Jon Herskovitz; Editing by Sandra Maler)
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ENTERTAINMENT TV STARS: The newcomers of 'True Detective,' 'Orange' storm Emmys race

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Television newcomers "True Detective," a crime drama from HBO, and "Orange is the New Black," a dark prison comedy from Netflix, racked up a dozen Emmy nominations each on Thursday in a challenge to stalwarts like "Breaking Bad" and "Modern Family."

Online streaming company Netflix Inc, the big disrupter of the Emmys last year, more than doubled its nominations for TV's highest honors to 31 this year. Its political thriller "House of Cards," which stars Kevin Spacey and Robin Wright, earned 13 nods for its second season.

HBO's medieval thriller and fan favorite "Game of Thrones" received the most nominations - 19 - and pushed the premium cable service's overall nods to 99, the most of any network for the 14th year in a row.

While cable networks and Netflix fared well, the broadcast networks were once again shut out of the top competition, best drama. Last year's winner, AMC's gritty drug tale "Breaking Bad," will compete for its final season, along with the network's ad world drama "Mad Men," "House of Cards," PBS's British period drama "Downton Abbey," "Game of Thrones" and "True Detective."

"It's a horse race between 'True Detective' and 'Breaking Bad,'" said Cynthia Littleton, the TV editor-in-chief at trade publication Variety.

"Homeland," a big winner in its first year, failed to snag a nomination in the best drama category despite good reviews for the Showtime domestic-terrorism tale in its third season. Claire Danes, who has won best lead actress for a drama for the last two years, was nominated again.

FILM STARS SHINE

"True Detective," which follows a sadistic crime spree in rural Louisiana, earned best actor in a drama nominations for both Oscar winner Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson, two of the biggest film stars to move into the thriving television industry.

The co-stars and friends will also do battle with last year's surprise winner, Jeff Daniels from "The Newsroom," as well as Spacey for his conniving congressman, Bryan Cranston for his final turn as the teacher-turned-drug dealer in "Breaking Bad," and Jon Hamm, who plays brooding ad man Don Draper in "Mad Men.

Hamm has been nominated seven times for his role in the series, which ends next year, but he has not won.

In another cross-over from film, FX's "Fargo" mini-series, based on the cult movie from the Coen brothers, notched up 18 nominations, including best actor in a mini-series nods for stars Billy Bob Thornton and Martin Freeman.

In the TV movie category, HBO's "The Normal Heart," based on the true story of an early AIDS activist in New York City, earned 16 nods, including a best actor nomination for Mark Ruffalo and best supporting actress for Julia Roberts.

'QUALITY SELLS' FOR NETFLIX

Last year, Netflix received the first Emmy nominations for shows produced solely for the Internet.

The company has made original programming a priority to lure subscribers around the world, much like Time Warner Inc's HBO. It has also spurred competition from the likes of Internet retailer Amazon.com Inc, which has had less success with its own forays into TV production.

"There is such great television being made in the entire landscape of TV right now, but Netflix has an intense respect for the creative process, and they know that quality sells itself," "House of Cards" creator Beau Willimon told Reuters after the dawn nomination announcement. Netflix's second big bet is "Orange is the New Black," which is based on the real story of a woman who goes to prison on old drug charges. The nominations this year are for season one, although season two was made available all at once last month.

For the year's best comedy, "Orange is the New Black" will compete against ABC's "Modern Family," which won last year. Rounding out the competitors are political satire "Veep" and tech-world take-down "Silicon Valley," both from HBO; CBS nerd-fest "The Big Bang Theory"; and the irreverent comedy "Louie" from FX.

Among the new faces in the lead actress categories were Taylor Schilling as the imprisoned Piper Chapman in "Orange is the New Black" and Lizzy Caplan as sex researcher Virginia Johnson in "Masters of Sex."

"I am shocked and thrilled and shocked and really, really excited," said Caplan. "Champagne before 6 a.m. is OK, right?"

The 66th Emmy Awards will be broadcast live from the Nokia Theater in downtown Los Angeles on Aug. 25.

(Additional reporting by Lisa Richwine in Los Angeles and Patricia Reaney in New York)

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ENTERTAINMENT STAR: George Clooney rejects apology for UK story on upcoming marriage

NEW YORK (Reuters) - George Clooney refused to accept an apology from Britain's Daily Mail after it published what he said was a false story "insinuating religious tensions" by saying his future mother-in-law opposed his marriage to human rights lawyer Amal Alamuddin.

The Oscar-winning actor said the apology showed that the Mail knew the online story about Alamuddin's mother preferring her daughter to marry within the family's Druze religion was a lie when it published it on Monday.

"What separates this from all of the ridiculous things the Mail makes up is that now, by their own admission, it can be proved to be a lie. In fact, a premeditated lie," Clooney, 53, said in a statement published in the newspaper USA Today on Friday.

"So I thank the Mail for its apology. Not that I would ever accept it ...," he added.

The Mail Online story, which was not published in the print edition, said Alamuddin could be cast out of the Druze community because she would not be wed in a Druze wedding. It added that women have been murdered for not abiding by the Druze religious rules.

Clooney rarely comments about his personal life but he took issue with the Mail Online report for "insinuating religious tensions where there are none."

The Mail Online removed the story from its website earlier this week after Clooney said it was fabricated. It apologized for any distress it had caused and added that the report was from a trusted freelance journalist and based on contacts in Lebanon and Britain.

Clooney said the Mail knew the story was a lie and cited another report it had published in April that said Alamuddin's father had married outside the Druze faith and that her mother was not Druze.

"The Mail knew the story in question was false and printed it anyway," said Clooney, who won an Oscar for best supporting actor in 2006 for "Syriana" and shared the best picture award in 2013 for "Argo."

There was no immediate response from the Mail Online about the actor's latest comments.

Clooney has been dating Alamuddin, 36, since October, according to media reports. News of their engagement was confirmed in April when Alamuddin's legal practice in London issued a statement congratulating the couple.

(Reporting by Patricia Reaney; Editing by Mary Milliken and Richard Chang)

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SHOCKING NEWS: ENTERTAINMENT British 'Harry Potter' actor David Legeno found dead in U.S. park

NEW YORK (Reuters) - British actor David Legeno, who appeared as a werewolf in the "Harry Potter" films, was found dead by hikers in a remote area of Death Valley, California police said on Friday.

The Inyo County Sheriff's Office said the body of Legeno, 50, was found early on Sunday morning and a helicopter was used to transport it from the area.

"It appears that Legeno died of heat related issues, but the Inyo County coroner will determine the final cause of death. There are no signs of foul play," the sheriff's office said in a statement.

The burly, London-born, professional boxer and martial arts expert played Fenrir Greyback the ferocious werewolf in several of the "Harry Potter" films. He also appeared on television and in a string of movies, including "Snow White and the Huntsman," "Snatch," "Centurion" and "Batman Begins."

(Reporting by Patricia Reaney; editing by Gunna Dickson)


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ENTERTAINMENT: A Minute With: Mark Ruffalo on mixing it up in acting and film W

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Actor Mark Ruffalo has played characters ranging from a gay AIDS activist and a sperm donor to a recovering sex-addict and an FBI agent and will reprise his role as the Incredible Hulk in next year's "The Avengers: Age of Ultron."

An Academy Award nominee for 2010's "The Kids Are All Right," Ruffalo, 46, is appearing in U.S. theaters in the musical film "Begin Again" and will be seen later this year as an Olympic wrestling champion in "Foxcatcher."

The versatile actor has also worked behind the camera on the award-winning film "Sympathy for Delicious" and is the founder of the non-profit group Water Defense, which works to keep water clean.

Ruffalo, whose brother was murdered in his California home in 2008, spoke to Reuters about his aversion to violent roles, his washed up record producer in "Begin Again" and a desire to return to Broadway.

Q: In "Begin Again" you play Dan, who reassesses his life. Did you identify with your character at all?

A: Only in the most minute way. A lot of times I think as people, as actors, we have pretty much a universal understanding of probably every aspect of what it is to be a human being at some point in your life.

As an actor you are turning up the volume on different aspects and qualities. A lot of Dan I understand but I am not as extreme as him and it hasn't happened to me as extremely as him. But I ... understand what it is to have shifting priorities and feel your fallibilities and your sense of mortality.

Q: The film is very musical. Have you ever played an instrument?

A: I was a bass player in a punk rock band in the 80s, like a garage band, so I knew how to play the bass in a rudimentary way. I'm not saying I am talented in any way.

Q: You've done a lot of indie as well as big studio films. Which do you prefer?

A: They each have their drawbacks and they each have their strong qualities. But essentially you are still doing the same thing in each one. You are listening and responding in a place as a character.

The power of a small movie is the concentration of energy over a specified period of time and the relationship that you have with the people you are working with is much more intimate. In a bigger movie you have the luxury of more time, a bit better toys, more preparation, more comfort but you lose a little bit of the intimacy and the immediacy. I find myself trying to find a way to do both.

Q: Several years ago you moved your family from Los Angeles to New York. Why do prefer New York?

A: Part of it is I grew up in a place that had water and seasons and trees and a lot of greenery. Part of it is the open nature of the culture here. It is a much more diverse culture. It is not so film centric. It is not a one-industry town like Los Angeles can be.

Q: You have played vulnerable, sensitive characters. Are there other types of roles you would like to do?

A: I just want to keep going further and further beyond myself ... The gun-play stuff just doesn't interest me. It is a fantasy in a really destructive way that is very sexist and macho and so I never really found myself being interested in that. I have been a witness to what guns do to people in real life.

Q: Your career started on the stage. Do you want to go back to the theater and Broadway?

A: I'm dying to go back to the stage and have an idea to take this ("Begin Again") to the stage ... I think it is a character that would be great fun to play on the stage ...

There's a lot I want to do. I want to get back into directing. I love that. I'm moving more into producing and I'm doing a lot of work with the environment and renewable energy with Water Defense solutions project.

(Editing by Mary Milliken and Lisa Shumaker)

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ENTERTAINMENT: 'Clinton: The Musical' gets U.S. debut at NY theater festival

NEW YORK (Reuters) - "Clinton: The Musical," a bawdy, raucous farce parodying the sex scandal that rocked the White House, with two actors portraying the dual sides of Bill Clinton, makes its U.S. debut this month during the New York Musical Theater Festival.

Critics have described the show that premiered at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in Scotland in 2012 before transferring to London as "witty, quirky" and a "delicious political satire."

The musical depicts Bill and Hillary Clinton's attempts to save the presidency following his affair with former White House intern Monica Lewinsky.

"Our play is a loving poke at Bill Clinton," Duke LaFoon, who portrays the Bill who gets into trouble, said at a preview. "He is quite the character, so there is a lot there to mine for jokes."

Karl Kenzler, as WJ Clinton, is the idealistic politician who genuinely wants to change the country and help his fellow man.

"Ultimately this show is a sharp farce. It's a parody and people make a lot of comparisons to 'South Park' and 'The Book of Mormon'," Kenzler said, referring to the TV comedy and hit Broadway play.

Written by Australian brothers Paul and Michael Hodge, the show has performances between July 18 and 25th at the festival, a showcase for new musicals.

The musical premieres in New York following publication of Hillary Clinton's memoir "Hard Choices," with the country guessing about whether she will run for president in 2016.

The Clintons did not respond to a request for comment about the show. There are also portrayals of Lewinsky, former Republican Congressman Newt Gingrich and Kenneth Starr, the special prosecutor who issued a report on the scandal.

"When she is asked specifically about the scandal her answer is, 'I'm over that,'" said Alet Taylor, who plays Hillary. "She wants to move forward, so I don't know that our musical represents moving forward, but I think she is aware of it."

Paul Hodge decided to write the musical after seeing a play in Australia with his family about a former Australian prime minister. The idea emerged when his dad suggested that Clinton's story would make a great musical.

Hodge was initially reluctant about having two actors play the former U.S. leader, as suggested by his brother. Then he read Clinton's autobiography.

"He, himself, said he felt like he had led these two parallel lives and other people like his political advisor Dick Morris had little names for him like 'Saturday night Bill' and 'Sunday morning president' or the 'the boy scout and the politician,'" said Hodge.

Director Adam Arian collaborated with Hodge for nearly a year to bring the musical to the United States.

"I think Bill Clinton has a certain humanity that endears him to people and that he has both strengths and weaknesses and I think people understand that he is a human being," said Hodge.

(Editing by Mary Milliken and David Gregorio)

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ENTERTAINMENT: Cute Japan pop star recruits soldiers as Abe boosts military

TOKYO (Reuters) - Just as Prime Minister Shinzo Abe beefs up Japan's military, the armed forces have turned to a 20-year pop idol for a softer touch in recruiting soldiers in a country that revels in all things cute.
"Working for the Self-defense Forces presents boundless dreams - like the earth, ocean and the sea," says Haruka Shimazaki of the all-girl group AKB48 in a new 30-second commercial distributed by the Defense Ministry.
"There's work that you can only do here," she says with a smile. A pink heart-shaped cherry petal spins as she points to the English phrase "You AND PEACE."
The nationally broadcast ad was released last week on the same day that Abe made his latest move toward a more muscular military, easing restrictions on Japanese troops fighting overseas. In April he eased decades-old restrictions on military exports after ending a decade of defense-spending cuts, worrying giant neighbor China.
It was just a coincidence that the ad, part of a broader recruitment drive, came out just when Abe's Cabinet was reinterpreting the pacifist, post-World War Two constitution to allow Japan's 224,526-strong military to defend friendly nations under attack, said a Defense Ministry spokesman.
"We want to give a friendly image and make it easier for youth to apply to the Self-defense Forces," said the spokesman, who asked not to be named, citing ministry policy. "We chose a member of AKB48 because the group is popular and well-known among high school students, the main target of our recruitment."
Shimazaki is one of the more bankable stars of the pop group. Fans recently voted her No. 7 among the 296 members of AKB48 and its sister groups.
The idol was selected, in part, because she had an earnest image, said an official at Asahi Advertising Inc, the ad agency that pitched Shimazaki to the Defense Ministry. Shimazaki previously did a spot for the Japanese Red Cross Society.
The ad follows a tradition of the armed forces using female idols as soft-sell recruitment draws. In a country known for adoring all things cute, the Defense Ministry has also long helped film directors, animators and TV producers produce military-themed content, including a cartoon about schoolgirls fighting tank battles.
Still, Shimazaki may have a tough sell.
Applications for military service run about 10 times the spaces available in recent years, but Abe's recent military moves are not popular. An opinion poll by Kyodo News after last week's historic shift showed 54.4 percent oppose allowing "collective self-defense," compared to 34.6 percent who support the change.
A photo of a bikini-clad critic with the caption "Let's all oppose collective self-defense" has circulated on Twitter and Facebook in response to the Defense Ministry's charm offensive.
(Editing by William Mallard and Nick Macfie)

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ENTERTAINMENT: A Minute With: London's reigning

LONDON (Reuters) - On stage and off, you don't want to tangle with Joyce DiDonato - American soprano extraordinaire and practiced kickboxer too.
The 45-year-old diva has been leaving audiences at the Royal Opera House in Covent Garden roaring for her singing and performing of the hugely demanding bel canto (beautiful singing) role of the doomed Queen Maria Stuarda - Mary Queen of Scots - in the second of Donizetti's three Tudor operas.
There's hardly a more gripping and dramatic scene in opera than the one at the end of Act Two when DiDonato as Maria has a knock-down, drag-out confrontation with Queen Elizabeth I, sung by the up-and-coming Italian soprano Carmen Giannattasio.
They spit insults at each other, DiDonato hurls "vil bastarda" (evil bastard) at her rival and pulls the tablecloth from under Elizabeth's picnic lunch, sweeping all the food and dishes to the floor - all this in the full knowledge that it will ensure she has her head chopped off.
"I feel completely shattered," DiDonato, changed out of her 16th-century-style royal frock into a cocktail dress, told Reuters at a reception after the opening night on Saturday.
"This is the most difficult role I sing so I always have to step back a bit and make sure I've got some bit of me that is engaged just in navigating the vocalizing ... but there are two moments when I just lose it and I'm really not present anymore, and one of them is the confrontation scene," she said.
Otherwise DiDonato - who practices the martial art of kickboxing to keep fit because she finds fitness machines boring and shows off her arm muscles to prove it - thinks that in this production she has finally nailed a role she has also played at the Houston Opera and at the Metropolitan Opera in New York.
"The first time, in Houston, the part was 'singing me' kind of from beginning to end but I got through it. I did a lot of work and when I got to New York I'd say there was about 16 percent of the opera that was still 'singing me' and at some point I just had to get through those particular moments.
"Here I finally feel like now it's mine, I'm choosing in every moment how I want to sing it rather than this is the only way I can do it and I've never felt that with another role. This has been the biggest learning curve for me."
Here's what else she had to say about her long climb to the top of a cut-throat profession, her upcoming South American tour and new album after winning a Grammy in 2012 for "Diva Divo":
Q: You didn't have one of those immediate career successes, and didn't really hit your stride until about a decade ago, when London and European audiences embraced you before you'd become a star at home. Now you are a regular at the Met and sometimes host the global HD broadcasts. What's it like being at the top?
A: If you're at the top the bottom comes very quickly (laughs). But really, the only way through the time when you're not getting work and when it's hard and when things aren't coming is to go back and do the work you have to do. The work is what will get you through and if a singer starts to fail there's no way you can hide it, you have to work with what you have.
Q: You've got a big South American tour coming up and a new album of bel canto songs from Naples, but from some little known composers. Why this flirtation with the southern climes?
A: I was in South America just two years ago and after my first concert in Santiago I was so surprised that first of all it was sold out and then they literally showered the stage with flowers ... These audience were thirsty, and especially the young people, so after the first concert I called my manager and said let's find another tour and we booked it ...
There's a passion, an unfiltered joy and exuberance and that will lead me into the launch of "Stella di Napoli" which is my next album and really it's sort of an homage to bel canto opera.
(Writing by Michael Roddy; Editing by Gareth Jones)
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EXCLUSIVE: Dr Sid and Long Time Fiancée, Simi Osomo To Wed July 27th

Maving Records' artiste, Dr Sid and his fiancee, Simi Osomo did their introduction last year December.

Dr Sid revealed on his instagram page yesterday that he and his Fiancée will be getting wedded on July 27th.

That sounds good!
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ENTERTAINMENT NEWS: WWE News: Update on AJ Lee’s Return To WWE, Is She Really Pregnant?

WWE has been going through a change with their Divas Division, where they are trying to make sure the talent on the main roster is a lot better than we’ve seen in the past and those coming up from NXT are terrific as well. AJ Lee was the unquestioned leader of this division and movement. She excelled dating back to 2012, and the year of 2013 only made her loved more by WWE fans. She was on top of the division, holding the Diva’s Championship and looking like one of the greatest divas ever to come through the WWE.

Her character was amazing, her wrestling was easily great as well. Add in that she could talk on the mic, and you had a girl that could be the cornerstone of your entire Divas locker room and future of the division. Not to mention, she is only 27 years old and is already the longest reigning Diva’s Champion in WWE history.

Then, it seemed to all end. AJ was set to leave the WWE to go on a break, something she actually planned ahead of time. This worked well, as her boyfriend CM Punk had asked her to marry him. This allowed for AJ to ask for more time off to plan a wedding and go on a honeymoon.

WWE has been more than open to working with her, but would love to see her back. She was actually set to be back in the WWE earlier this month, but WWE felt that they could give her more time due to the wedding. Now, they may have to give her more time. It has been “rumored,” I stress that greatly, that AJ is pregnant. The rumor started from an inside source within WWE exposing the information to the ‘net, which made many go nuts trying to get something up regarding it.

I wrote a small story on it last week, saying then as I do now that there is no truth to the matter as of this writing. Now, however, it seems multiple sources “in the know” are confirming the story to be true. This is big if true, due to the fact that losing AJ for a long time would be a blow for the WWE.

AJ was not pregnant while in WWE if she is pregnant at all. If it did happen, it would have happened when she took her break, some time after the RAW following WrestleMania 30.

AJ and CM Punk ended up getting married last Friday, saying that they loved the idea of having their marriage happen on Friday the 13th. It was said then that AJ did not look big at all. Of course for a girl her size, she would show a bit more than someone else if she were pregnant 2 months in. Either that, or she did a great job of hiding her baby bump.

However, no one who attended the wedding commented on AJ looking bigger than normal, which indicated at the time that the pregnancy rumors were not true. She’s also been seen with Punk at hockey and baseball games looking the same over the last few months.

Anyway, the real issue is that while CM Punk’s WWE contract is up next month, AJ’s WWE deal does not expire for a while. She would need to be back in the company soon in order to not have issues with her WWE deal. Of course, if Punk does not care, it’s doubtful she would. The issue, when it comes to AJ and WWE, is that she has commented on how well they treated her over the years, basically taking her off the streets, allowing her to come into the company and using her to her fullest potential. So she would not just screw them like a Punk might, who has always had disputes with management due to an issue of perfection.

If AJ is, in fact, pregnant….she will not be able to return to the WWE until around this time next year. That’s if she returns at all, of course. It’s not uncommon for someone to come back to wrestling after a child is born, so we could see it. However, that would be doubtful.

If AJ is not seen back in the WWE by SummerSlam or so, most can assume pregnancy or simply that she does not want to come back. However, I’d doubt AJ would pull a Punk due to her relationship with the McMahon’s, especially Stephanie. Again, we cannot confirm the pregnancy at this time, but the moment we do know, we will be sure to update you.

[Images Via Bing] Benjamin Ekpenyong

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Bearded Eurovision queen vows fight for tolerance not over

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Vienna (AFP) - Austria's bearded transvestite crowned Eurovision queen Conchita Wurst returned home Sunday to a jubilant welcome, vowing to use her newfound fame to promote tolerance.

"This will remain an issue for a long time and I fear I won't see the end of it in my lifetime," said Wurst, who captured Europe's imagination at this year's edition of the song contest.

"It will be my life's work and I gladly take it on," the 25-year-old drag queen, who is also known as Tom Neuwirth, told reporters in Vienna.

"Yesterday was not just a victory for me but a victory for those people who believe in a future that can function without discrimination and is based on tolerance and respect."

Wurst's participation in the contest had sparked controversy ahead of the finals in Copenhagen, with petitions running in Belarus, Russia and Ukraine for her to be dropped from the competition.
Her win was also greeted by an outpouring of scorn from Russian politicians and stars.

But at Vienna airport, the waifish singer was greeted Sunday by a jubilant crowd that went wild when she stepped into the arrivals terminals in a flowing pale pink skirt and jeans vest.

At least 1,000 fans -- some of them wearing painted beards on their face, including women and children -- had been waiting for hours, playing Wurst's anthem "Rise like a Phoenix" non-stop and singing along at the top of their lungs, while waving Austrian and rainbow signs and banners that read "We love you!" and "Conchita Queen of Love + Tolerance".

Surrounded by an international media scrum, she lifted her Eurovision trophy in the air and smiled to the cameras.

Conchita Wurst representing Austria poses with the trophy after winning the 59th annual Eurovision S …

"I don't really feel vindicated (against her critics). I believe everything happens for a reason," she said afterwards.

She insisted she was no "ambassador of tolerance... I'm just doing my little bit. This is what I was given and I feel it's my duty as an artist to work in that direction."

After her win on Saturday, Wurst cried out: "We are unity, and we are unstoppable."
"That was obviously meant for certain politicians whom we all know," she explained in Vienna. Asked if she meant Russian President Vladimir Putin, who last year signed a law banning "gay propaganda", she replied coyly "among others".

- 'It's the end of Europe' -

Wurst's unusual persona sparked a backlash from eastern Europe and her win saw an outpouring of anti-gay anger from Russian politicians and stars on Sunday.

Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin tweeted that the Eurovision result "showed supporters of European integration their European future: a bearded girl."

Russian nationalist politician Vladimir Zhirinovsky meanwhile predicted: "It's the end of Europe... They don't have men and women any more. They have 'it'."

But Wurst retorted that parents should just tell their children: "He's a young man who wears women's clothes and he wants to show that you don't need to be made fun of for that.

"I think if you say that, kids will understand. Children are far more mature than you might think," she said.

Austria erupted in joy Saturday as Conchita brought the country its first Eurovision victory in 48 years.

One local radio station played "Rise like a Phoenix" on loop 48 times over four hours on Sunday in honour of the win.

Further afield, stars like Lady Gaga and Boy George have also tweeted their support for her.

Cracking jokes, the "bearded lady" as she likes to call herself charmed the media crowd.

"I'm always asked when I first realised that I'd won. Next week I think," she said with a flutter of her long fake eyelashes.

Benjamin Ekpenyong

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Don Jazzy Finally Explains the Meaning Of ‘Dorobucci’

After being bugged enough about what the whole meaning of the crew’s new single ‘Dorobucci‘ is all about, CEO, Mavin records, Don Jazzy, has come out clear about the idea behind the song.

Jazzy who employed the use of urbandictionary.com, points out the meaning of “bucci”. “Bucci” pronounced as b-oo-ch-ee, is anything that is fun, cool, awesome, fantastic or any word of same meaning.

The word is used when something wants to make you say AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH.
E.g “Yeah, it’s totally bucci”.

However, he still keeps the meaning of “doro” hidden and we suspect it may mean something weird or something meaningless though.

But we’ll wait, maybe he’d give out the meaning later.

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Man with the golden voice still going strong, alcohol-free

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You might remember the voice of a once-homeless man named Ted Williams.

He hit the media spotlight three years ago and became known as the man with the golden voice. 'When you're listening to nothing but the oldies, you're listening to Magic 98.9'

Ted Williams, a homeless man from Columbus, Ohio, whose deep, velvety voice and touching story prompted an outpouring of sympathy and job offers from across the country, is interviewed after his appearance on the NBC "Today" television show, in New York, Thursday, Jan. 6, 2011. (AP Photo/Richard Drew)

Well, he's come a long way from standing on the side of the road doing his magical voice for a dollar. HLN has an update:

'Now, he lives with his long-time girlfriend in their own place.'
'This is the house, let me show you, I couldn't believe, Robin, that I have a fireplace! Whoa! A homeless man with a fireplace.'

It's been a long road, and Williams says he has a lot of titles, including former drug addict. He admitted he started drinking again when he was first discovered, but says he's been sober for two years now.

His voice was featured in a Kraft Macaroni and Cheese commercial. 'Kraft homestyle macaroni and cheese ... you know you love it.'

Williams has also reconnected with family members since his life took a turn for the better.

And he's written a book, fittingly called "A Golden Voice." It's advertised as an honest recollection of his life on the streets and his struggles with addiction. But the book has heartwarming moments too.

'It is a deeply American, from-the-heart comeback story about the power of hope, faith, and personal responsibility. '

We're glad to see Williams has been doing so well, and we certainly hope he got to enjoy every bit of that fireplace this winter.

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Mila Kunis Talks Pregnancy for First Time, Has Name Picked Out

Mila Kunis waves to the audience while making an appearance on The Ellen DeGeneres Show, airing on Friday (May 9).

The 30-year-old pregnant actress opened up for the first time about expecting her first child with fianceAshton Kutcher!

Mila said that Ashton prepared for her pregnancy cravings by stocking their secondary fridge with all sorts of foods.

“He assumed that I was gonna have goofy cravings, so he stocked our secondary fridge with weird food,” Milasaid. “Just like pickles, and sauerkraut, or like anchovies, and ice creams…just inc ase at one point during this pregnancy I’d be like I really want something. And it happened last week, I was like oh my God, I need a pickle. Like it was just the weirdest thing. Like I needed this pickle and he was like hold on a second and disappeared in the backyard and came back with the most amazing dill pickle of all time.

Mila Kunis on Her Pregnancy and Engagement

FYI: Mila is wearing Kurt Geiger heels and a Gemfields Zambian emerald watch by Fabergé.

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