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Usher wants a “Harem Of Women”
‘Maybe I can find a couple of women who are open-minded’ singer says.
Mario Anzuoni / Reuters
Single since his ugly 2009 divorce from Tameka Foster, the 32-year-old star isn’t itching to walk down the aisle again. “Seeing how marriage didn’t work out for me the first time, I’m in no rush to do it again,” Usher tells Playboy Digital.
Instead? “Maybe I can find a couple of women who are open-minded,” the “OMG” singer muses. “Look at how Hugh Hefner does it, with a harem of women.”
And he’s got his pick of harem candidates, Usher says, with tons of women hitting on him. “Sh*t, what haven’t they said to me?” he laughs. “Every so often you meet a woman who’s very aggressive. ‘I’ll make you feel things you’ve never felt in your life.’ ‘Once you get it, you’ll never let it go.’ All that.”
Did the lines ever work? “A couple of times,” he admits.
But the star also thinks that his split from Foster, with whom he has two sons (Usher V, 4, and Naviyd, nearly 22 months), helped boost his fame. “In an era when sensationalism is more prevalent than anything, yeah,” he says. “People love a train wreck. Lindsay Lohan — everybody is eager to see how that comes out. This is somewhat the same thing.”
Soul singer Solomon Burke dead at 70
- He was part of the legendary 1960s Atlantic stable with Ray Charles, Ben E. King and Wilson Pickett
- His hits include “Got to Get You Off of My Mind” and “Tonight’s the Night”
- He was hailed as “the greatest soul singer of all time”
(CNN) — Soul singer Solomon Burke has died at the age of 70 in the Netherlands, his Dutch representative said Sunday.
Hailed by Atlantic Records producer Jerry Wexler as “the greatest soul singer of all time,” Burke was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2001.
Burke joined the Atlantic Records stable in 1960, putting him in the company of Ray Charles, Ben E. King and Wilson Pickett.
His first hit with them came almost immediately, with “Cry to Me.”
He had top R&B hits in 1965 with “Got to Get You Off of My Mind,” and “Tonight’s the Night,” the rock museum says in Burke’s biography.
He continued to tour until his death, and was scheduled to perform Tuesday in Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
Toni Braxton Can’t Unbreak Her Financial History, Files for Bankruptcy. Again.
Today 11:04 AM PDT by Gina Serpe
Chris Weeks/WireImage.comFile for bankruptcy once, shame on you. File for bankruptcy twice…well, shame on you again.
The fiscally responsible world has once again been given the opportunity to wag the collective finger (or, even better, toss the name of a good accountant) at Toni Braxton, who last month filed yet again for Chapter 7.
So how much, exactly, is Braxton in the hole for? Get this…
She doesn’t even know. (Hey, at least she’s taking this financial irresponsibility thing all the way.) But she does know that her debts fall somewhere between $10 million and $50 million.
MORE: View the bankruptcy filing
Yes, she could be $50 million in debt. And since she’s not exactly known for a flashy, extravagant, Diddyesque show of a lifestyle (her own personal worth tops out at $10 million, according to the documents), it begs the question how on Earth did she fall so deep into the red?
Let’s just say, that must’ve been some termite problem.
The 43-year-old lists any number of creditors seeking repayment on her bankruptcy filing, and while there’s the expected usual suspects (Wells Fargo Bank, the IRS, medical bills—she suffers from pericarditis and two years ago was hospitalized for an undisclosed condition), there are also some left-field companies looking for their money.
Orkin Pest Control, for one. The City of Los Angeles Parking Violations bureau, for another (remembering those alternate side of the street parking days can be a real bitch).
Also on the list: Tiffany & Co., Neiman Marcus, Screen Actors Guild, William Morris Agency, DirecTV, American Express, Nevada Power Company, ADT Security, Airport Concierge Servives, Atlantic Records, BMW Financial Services, The Westin, The Four Seasons Hotels and the Flamingo Las Vegas, where she headlined a five-nights-a-week show, Revealed, from 2006-08.
Her second round of troubles began earlier this year, when the IRS placed a lien against her for $396,000.
Braxton previously filed for bankruptcy back in 1998.
—Reporting by Claudia Rosenbaum
Calif. court hears Jackson dad’s estate appeal
AP – FILE – In this March 5, 2009 file photo, US singer Michael Jackson is shown at a press conference in … LOS ANGELES – Michael Jackson’s father was “grievously wronged” by a probate court that decided last year not to let him try to replace the administrators of his son’s estate, an attorney argued Wednesday.
The arguments by attorney Brian Oxman, who represents Joe Jackson, were heard by a three-judge panel of the California Second District Court of Appeal after a probate judge ruled last November that Joe Jackson did not have standing to intervene in the matter.
The appeals panel did not issue a ruling but did question the legal steps Joe Jackson had taken after being left out of his son’s will and whether the moves warranted revisiting the challenge to the administrators.
Associate Justice Laurie D. Zelon asked why Joe Jackson had withdrawn a petition to receive a monthly stipend from the estate before the probate court had a chance to rule on the request.
Oxman said the petition had seemed duplicative after Joe Jackson filed a wrongful death lawsuit in June against a doctor who has pleaded not guilty to involuntary manslaughter in the death of the pop star.
Attorney Howard Weitzman, who represents the estate, countered that pursuing the stipend petition would allow Joe Jackson to be questioned under oath about various other matters.
Zelon also noted that Oxman hadn’t told the probate court that his client was considering the wrongful death lawsuit.
“I must beg this court’s forgiveness. I must beg the probate court’s forgiveness. The magic words ‘wrongful death’ did not pass my lips,” Oxman said.
Associate Justice Fred Woods questioned why Joe Jackson hadn’t filed a creditor’s claim with the estate, since he has claimed his son supported him financially throughout his life.
Oxman said there was never a contract between Michael Jackson and his father for assistance.
Attorneys for Jackson’s estate reminded the appeals panel that the singer had omitted his father from his will and he was not considered a beneficiary of the estate.
“He is not an heir,” estate attorney Howard Weitzman told the panel in brief remarks.
Attorneys for the singer’s mother, Katherine Jackson, and his three children also argued against Joe Jackson’s petition.
Michael Jackson’s will appointed attorney John Branca and music executive and family friend John McClain to oversee the pop singer’s estate, which has earned tens of millions of dollars since Jackson’s death in June 2009 at age 50.
CMA donates $2.9 million for flood relief, music
AP – In this June 10, 2010 photo, Carrie Underwood performs during the CMA Music Festival at LP Field in … NASHVILLE, Tenn. – The Country Music Association is donating more than $2.9 million to Nashville-area flood relief and music education programs.
The record donation comes from the net proceeds of this year’s CMA Music Festival held June 10-13 in Nashville.
The money will be split evenly between CMA’s “Keep the Music Playing” campaign and The Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee, which provides grants to help flood victims.
This year’s festival went on as planned just one month after a devastating May flood caused more than $2 billion in damage in Nashville alone.
Artists who performed included Carrie Underwood, Tim McGraw, Brad Paisley, Lady Antebellum, Rascal Flatts, Jason Aldean, Miranda Lambert and the Zac Brown Band.
CMA board member Kix Brooks announced the donation Wednesday at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum.
“Thank you for loving me”_ Donna Summer
The lights went down, the trumpeteers blew their horns announcing the arrival of the Queen- the Queen of Disco that is- Donna Summer. Dressed in royal purple, Summer commanded the stage with her presence and her huge voice at the Hard Rock Live August 18 bringing the crowd to their feet with her famous “Dim all the Lights” and “Love to Love You Baby”
Singing, “I’m a Fire” her Spanish lyrics ‘que sera esta vida
o yo te quiero, yo te quiero, yo te quiero esta manana’ had the crowd cheering. Asking the crowd where they came from brought even more cheers especially for Cuba. Don’t get me wrong the crowd was very diverse, showing how Summer has crossed all ethnic backgrounds and brings everyone together.
For three lucky ladies in the front row Summer pulled them on stage as back- up singers for “On the Radio” and called it Donna Summer Karaoke time. For the ladies, Annie Balliro, Stacey Sanchez and Nina Warsager it was a memory in the making. “Her spirit is beautiful. She looked amazing.” shared Annie Balliro. For Nina Warsager it was the “best birthday of my life!” Summer even sang “Happy Birthday” to her with the crowd signing along. Having the queen of disco sing to you, now that trumps everything.
It just shows how humble summer is and she continually thanked the crowd “for loving me”. She shared, “that no matter how she feels it’s her job to come out and make people happy. Performers aren’t always happy but it’s the music that is majic.” This lead into “Let it be Magic’ energizing the crowd.
Summer shed some tears during her tribute to the late Michael Jackson singing ‘Smile” which was originally sung by Nat King Cole, in 1954.
Smile, what’s the use of crying?
You’ll find that life is still worthwhile,
If you just smile.
This was her message last night as she continued to sing hit after hit, shedding a few tears, inspiring people to love and forever thanking the audience for loving her over the years. The queen of disco showed she still has a voice that blows you away even at 61.
She is a performer. From her elaborate dresses (4 dress changes) to her diamond studded microphone. The show moved through the royal entry, into south of the border and a ‘rain” section complete with dancers, two back up singers and a 7 piece band.
She may have said “It’s very difficult to be a diva these days” but Donna Summer has come a long way from singing in the choir. We are thankful that this lady listened to the epiphany she heard as a child from God to use her voice to become a star. You’re a star amongst stars Donna. We love you.
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