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Apprentice delayed until summer

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 11:18:35 -0600

The 2010 series of The Apprentice is being delayed until the summer to avoid a clash with the general election, the BBC has confirmed.

It follows a ruling by the BBC Trust that there would be an increased "risk to impartiality" after Lord Sugar's appointment as Labour's business tsar.

The move will allow the show to run without a break after 3 June, the last possible date for the election.

Series six was originally due to run for three months from March.

The programme's offshoot, Junior Apprentice, will also be delayed until the summer.

The change in scheduling may mean that the entrepreneurial contest will be pitted against the final series of Big Brother on Channel 4, which is expected to start at the end of May.

The BBC Trust said in July there was no breach of editorial guidelines with Lord Sugar's dual roles on The Apprentice and as a government advisor, but admitted that extra care would have to be taken with the programme's timing.

This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.

Grubtown Tale takes funny prize

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 10:40:09 -0600

By Genevieve Hassan
Entertainment reporter, BBC News

A book about a repulsively smelly man has won the Roald Dahl Funny Prize, honouring humorous books for children.

Grubtown Tales: Stinking Rich and Just Plain Stinky by Philip Ardagh was named the winner in the seven to 14 age group category.

While Sam Lloyd's Mr Pusskins Best in Show won the six and under age group.

The winners were presented with a cheque for £2,500 and a bottle of wine from Roald Dahl's personal wine cellar at a London ceremony.

Ardagh saw off stiff competition from authors including Anne Fine and Little Britain star David Walliams, who was nominated for his debut novel, The Boy in the Dress.

The judges, which included author Michael Rosen and the comedian Bill Bailey, praised Ardagh's book about a town of oddballs trying to rid themselves of the repulsive Manual Org.

'Ridiculously funny'

They were delighted by the character whose breath smells of "two-thirds of a pickled raw herring, a pickled onion, eleven gherkins and one jar of sandwich spread (one month past its sell-by date)".

"The Grubtown joke is really a perpetual revelling in the stink," Rosen told the BBC news website.

"Children live in a world where they're constantly being cleaned and this book releases that pressure saying you don't have to be clean while reading it."

Rosen also praised Mr Pusskins for being a "ridiculously funny book, full of marvellously mischievous cartooning".

Bill Bailey added: "The final two that won have terrific energy and they make you smile as soon as you start reading it.

"The cover of Mr Pusskins shows a catblow drying himself with a hairdryer - that's hilarious!"

Philip Ardagh has written over 70 books for children and collaborated with Sir Paul McCartney in 2005 on his children's book, but has never been awarded a major literary prize before.

Brighton-based Sam Lloyd's first book, Mr Pusskins, was a New York Times Children's Bestseller when it was released in 2006.

Rosen founded the prize last year as part of his children's laureateship.

"I was lying in bed thinking isn't it odd we celebrate the very best children's books but nearly always the funny books get pushed to one side because they don't deal with the big stuff," he said.

"I thought why haven't we, in the book world, found a way of celebrating this and rewarding those people.

"So I went to Booktrust and we approached the Roald Dahl foundation and they said 'yum, yum, yes please' or words to that effect."

Booktrust is an independent charity dedicated to encouraging people of all ages to engage with books.

This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.

Chipmunk suffering 'exhaustion'

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 09:14:57 -0600

Chart topping rapper Chipmunk has cancelled all of his upcoming appearances due to 'exhaustion' says his record label.

'Blocked' film gets DVD release

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 08:00:29 -0600

A documentary which rapper Lil Wayne tried to block being shown will now be officially released.

'Carol' ends Jackson's UK reign

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 06:44:53 -0600

Disney animation A Christmas Carol has topped the UK and Ireland box office chart in its first week, displacing Michael Jackson's This Is It.

The new version of Dickens' seasonal tale, which stars Jim Carrey as the voice of Scrooge, raked in £1.89m.

Jackson's concert footage movie slid to two, while Pixar cartoon Up at three has made £31.4m over four weeks.

The Men Who Stare At Goats, which stars George Clooney, was a new entry at four with takings of £1.2m.

Science fiction thriller The Fourth Kind made its debut at number four, while horror movie Jennifer's Body was the only other entry inside the top 10 at seven.

While Up is the highest-grossing film on this week's chart, This Is It follows with total takings of more than £8m after just two weeks.

This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.

Aerosmith 'seeking new frontman'

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 06:41:49 -0600

Aerosmith singer Steven Tyler has left the band, but they hope to continue with a new frontman, guitarist Joe Perry is reported as saying.

"Steven quit as far as I can tell," Perry told the Las Vegas Sun newspaper, basing his information on an interview Tyler gave to Classic Rock magazine.

In the article, the singer said he planned to pursue a solo career, but stopped short of saying he had quit.

Perry later admitted on Twitter that he and Tyler had not spoken for months.

The frontman "hasn't called me in months", he wrote. "Last time I phoned him he hung up on me."

"In the meantime Aerosmith is positivly [sic] looking for a new singer to work with," he added.

'Sabbatical'

The band's troubles began in August when Tyler fell off stage, breaking his left shoulder, at a gig in South Dakota.

The rest of the tour was cancelled after doctors told the singer he needed time to recuperate from his fall.

However, they regrouped last week to play a show at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

The show was deemed a success by local media - with the Khaleej Times reporting that Tyler "dipped and dived on stage in a performance one might normally expect from a teenage boy band".

But, according to Classic Rock magazine, none of the band had set eyes on the frontman before the show's opening number.

Perry spoke to the BBC News website a few days later at the Classic Rock awards in London and said the band was on "sabbatical".

"It's indefinite," he added.

Tyler and Perry, dubbed the "Toxic Twins" during their early, drink-and-drug-fuelled years, wrote such classic-rock staples as Walk this Way and Love in an Elevator together.

Their musical relationship has been likened to that of their role models, Mick Jagger and Keith Richards of the Rolling Stones.

But relations have soured in recent years. In September, Perry told the Associated Press news agency he and Tyler "haven't written a song together alone in the same room in over 10 years".

Representatives for the band were not immediately available to comment on the band's rather public spat when contacted by the BBC.

This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.

Watchdog rules out X Factor probe

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 06:21:28 -0600

Broadcasting watchdog Ofcom says it is not investigating some 3,000 complaints to ITV about X Factor hopefuls John and Edward Grimes staying in the contest.

ITV, whose message boards was deluged after Sunday's result, said the show "can divide opinion and provoke comment from our viewers".

The Irish pair survived the sing-off with Lucie Jones after judge Simon Cowell turned to the public result.

Cowell has been criticised for not casting his vote for a second week.

'Big stars'

Sara Nathan, showbusiness editor of the Daily Mail, told BBC 5 live: "This is why there have been 3,000 complaints to ITV."

But she added the music mogul "was doing the right thing".

"You have to go slightly past a singing competition and realise this is now a big reality juggernaut.

"'Jedward' could be fantastic. They could be really big stars," Ms Nathan said.

Maureen Coleman, writing on The Independent's website, asked: "Was this a Machiavellian master-stroke on the part of the most influential man in the entertainment industry"

An Ofcom spokesman said that it launches formal investigations into complaints including the treatment of TV show contestants and flaws in voting processes, but not the outcome of programmes.

But the watchdog added that it reviews every complaint that it receives.

One complainant to ITV's X Factor message board said of Sunday's result: "He [Cowell] will make more money out of the twins being on the show."

"After banging on, week in week out, about how the twins were rubbish and it was a singing competition, he threw away the chance to prove it," said another.

Cowell has consistently criticised the twins, saying he would leave the country if they won the show.

This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.

In pictures

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 05:49:13 -0600

Obama celebrates Sesame Street 40th

Andre wins libel damages from Now

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 05:18:18 -0600

Peter Andre has accepted "substantial" damages in London's High Court over claims he was lying when he portrayed himself as a loving father and husband.

The personality had sued IPC Media for £300,000 over an article published in Now magazine this July titled "Jordan Explodes: 'Tell the Truth Peter!'"

It dealt with the acrimonious end to Andre's marriage to ex-glamour model Katie Price, formerly known as Jordan.

The pair have maintained a constant media presence since their separation.

Andre's solicitor, Gordon Williams, told the court that Now magazine had suggested the star may have been at fault for two accidents suffered by Harvey, Price's disabled son by footballer Dwight Yorke.

Mr Williams told the court: "Separately, Mr Andre was also said to have demanded sick sexual threesomes from his wife, which horrified her and which she did not enjoy, feeling used and like a sex doll.

"As a result, Mr Andre was said to be lying in portraying himself as a loving father and husband."

The singer, 36, was present in the London courtroom for a brief hearing before Mr Justice Eady.

He declined to reveal the amount of the damages, but said he was "pleased" that Now had accepted that the story was untrue.

He added: "I take my responsibilities very seriously. I would never do anything to hurt my children, whom I love very much."

The singer has two children from his marriage to Price - Junior, who is four years old, and Princess Tiaamii, who is two.

The couple were granted a divorce last month.

This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.

Live UK football for iPhone users

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 05:06:37 -0600

Pay-TV provider BSkyB is to show live Premier League matches on Apple's iPhone.

Users can watch live sports on Sky Sports and ESPN as well as Sky News over a wi-fi connection for £6 a month.

Besides the Premier League, users can also watch Scottish football, cricket and golf via Sky's new application.

BSkyB, which is 39%-owned by Rupert Murdoch's News Corp, has been launching applications for news and sports to try to expand its reach on mobile devices.

To watch sports on a normal television, Sky charges from £26.50 a month for Sky Sports 1 or 2, or £35 for its total sports package - excluding ESPN.

Sky Mobile TV, the latest application, is free to download.

"Our new Sky Mobile TV app combines the demand for great live TV on the move with the high quality viewing experience offered by iPhone and iPod touch," said David Gibbs, Sky's mobile general manager.

Sky says there have been 2 million downloads of Sky applications on the iPhone to date, including Sky Sports and Sky Sports Football Score Centre.

Other users have been able to watch Sky Mobile TV on other mobile phones over the 3G network from several mobile phone companies.

In September, both Orange and Vodafone announced that they would be offering the iPhone, expanding its reach as O2's exclusive contract expires.

This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.

The 'aha moment' between Oprah and an insurance company

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 03:56:06 -0600

Oprah Winfrey's production company and a US insurance firm have reached an amicable settlement over rights to the phrase "aha moment".

Earlier this year, Harpo asked the Mutual of Omaha to stop using the phrase to promote its products and creating an association with Winfrey.

The talk show host has often uses the slogan on her programme to describe "flashes of understanding".

Representatives for Harpo and Mutual declined to give any further details.

Campaign

The Omaha-based company responded to Harpo's request with legal action stating it had obtained preliminary approval of a trademark on "aha moment".

Mutual also said it had conceived the slogan in early 2008 and encountered no opposition when it made its application to the US patents office.

Harpo made no response to Mutual's move asking a court to declare it had not infringed Winfrey's rights.

The insurance company asked for their claim to be dismissed last month.

They used the slogan in a website campaign in which users chose the best "aha moments" to be at the heart of a series of TV adverts.

The 10 stories are still appearing on their internet site, while the company calls itself "proud sponsor of life's aha moments".

This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.

Timberlake stalker must stay away

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 03:18:55 -0600

Justin Timberlake has been granted a permanent restraining order against a woman accused of stalking him.

The singer, 28, said in court documents that Karen McNeil repeatedly trespassed and broke into his Los Angeles home last month.

McNeil, 28, who represented herself in court, said she thought that she was destined to marry Timberlake and "to rule" with him.

She was ordered to stay away from the star and his home for three years.

Timberlake described McNeil as an "obsessed and mentally unstable stalker" whom he "does not personally know or have any relationship with".

'All lies'

"Ms McNeil's ever-increasing, aggressive and harassing conduct are extremely distressing," he said in a written declaration.

"I fear for my personal safety, and that of my family and friends."

During the hearing, Judge David Cunningham ordered a five-minute break after an outburst by McNeil when he issued the order.

Outside court, she said: "That was all lies. I did not break into Justin's house. I was let on the property."

Last month, Timberlake was granted a temporary restraining order after Ms McNeil was arrested on his property having brought a taxi full of her belongings along with her.

Timberlake was not in court for the hearing.

This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.

Carry on regardless...

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 02:49:33 -0600

By Liam Allen
Entertainment reporter, BBC News

The Beautiful South are the latest band to keep going without their lead singer - Paul Heaton. But how can bands succeed without their creative force

When the band formerly known as The Beautiful South begin their tour of the UK on Tuesday night, former lead singer, songwriter and creative force Paul Heaton will be conspicuous by his absence.

The band, one of few major acts to boast three lead singers, announced they were splitting in January 2007 "due to musical similarities" after almost 20 years together.

"I can understand people thinking 'how can they do it without Paul Heaton' It's the unknown quantity"

New Beautiful South singer Dave Hemingway

"Paul decided to leave the band and do some solo stuff and at that time we thought, 'oh well, that's it then, we can't really do it without him'," explains one of their two remaining singers, Dave Hemingway.

At the start of this year, the band - minus Heaton, guitarist and co-writer Dave Rotheray and bassist Sean Welch - decided they were missing it too much.

A few phone calls later - including one to Heaton to get his blessing - and New Beautiful South were formed.

"We've gone from having three singers to two singers which is still one more singer than some bands have," says the 49-year-old Hemingway, whose voice can be heard on the band's only UK number one single - 1990's A Little Time.

"It's not as different as you may imagine," says Hemingway, who has taken over most of Heaton's lead vocals.

THE BEAUTIFUL SOUTH'S TOP 10 HITS

Song For Whoever - No 2, June 1989
You Keep It All In - No 8, Sept 1989
A Little Time - No 1, Oct 1990
Rotterdam - No 5, Oct 1996
Don't Marry Her - No 8, Dec 1996
Perfect 10 - No 2, Oct 1998

"We've got the songs and people know the songs and if they like them they can enjoy the gig."

Messages on fan pages show that some don't see things quite so clearly.

"Poor copy without the master - living off Mr Heaton's quality," wrote one. "There isn't a Beautiful South without Paul Heaton. Paul Heaton is Beautiful South," said another.

"I can understand people thinking 'how can they do it without Paul Heaton'" says Hemingway.

"It's the unknown quantity. People are always gonna be sceptical about whether or not we can do it so hopefully with this tour we'll put those doubts aside."

'Reinterpret songs'

In 2004, veteran singer Paul Rodgers was asked to fill the biggest shoes of them all - those of pop's most flamboyant performer, Freddie Mercury.

"Freddie was Freddie - absolutely. He broke the mould and he was a fantastic frontman and I would never take anything away from him"

Paul Rodgers

Brian May invited Rodgers - best known for fronting 1970s rock band Free, of All Right Now fame - to become Queen's lead singer.

An invitation to join the band for a one-off performance at their induction into the UK Music Hall of Fame was soon followed by the announcement of a European tour.

Rodgers says: "There were some 40-odd songs that they had on the boil and they said, 'Paul, learn those by Thursday and I'm, like, oh you're kidding'."

The title chosen for the new outfit, "Queen + Paul Rodgers", was crucial to the success of the project, the 59-year-old says.

"If we'd have gone out and tried to call it Queen, it would definitely have been me trying to replace Freddie and I didn't think that was being honest and I don't think anyone could replace Freddie," adds Rodgers, who was also a member of rock supergroup Bad Company.

"But what I can do is reinterpret their songs my own way and hope that people like it."

Earlier this year, it was announced that the project was being "put on the back burner".

WHAT A CARRY ON

The Jam reformed in 2007 - minus Paul Weller - as From The Jam to tour the UK and the US
Drummer Phil Collins took over as lead singer of Genesis in 1975 after Peter Gabriel left
Marillion have released a number of albums since Steve Hogarth took over from Fish in 1989
Blaze Bayley replaced Bruce Dickinson in Iron Maiden in 1994. Dickinson has since rejoined

In their five years together, Queen + Paul Rodgers played to hundreds of thousands of fans across the world, releasing live DVDs as well as studio album Cosmos Rocks.

"Freddie was Freddie - absolutely," says Rodgers.

"He broke the mould and he was a fantastic frontman and I would never take anything away from him.

"Perhaps I'm more down to earth, more nitty-gritty, more of a soul/blues singer."

While both Queen and Rodgers agreed that Mercury could never be replaced, the remaining members of 1980s band Hot Chocolate feel differently about Errol Brown.

The band - who had huge hits with songs including You Sexy Thing and It Started With A Kiss - split with lead singer Brown in 1986 but decided to continue without him.

In 1994, they were joined by singer Greg Bannis.

"He was on Stars in their Eyes as Errol and he did a great impersonation of Sexy Thing," says lead guitarist Harvey Hinsley.

"I mean, I've never heard anything so good in my life. I thought it was absolutely spot on."

After one rehearsal, Hot Chocolate fronted by Bannis performed their first gig together.

Fifteen years later, the same line-up continues to play gigs across Europe on the lucrative 1970s and 1980s nostalgia trail.

New Beautiful South's UK tour begins at Birmingham's O2 Academy on Tuesday night, ending at The Junction in Cambridge on 26 November.

This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.

Britney 'upset' over miming row

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 02:32:31 -0600

Britney Spears is "extremely upset" over reports fans walked out during her first Australian tour because she was lip-synching, her promoter has said.

Paul Dainty told The Australian newspaper the claims were "an absolute fabrication".

Australian media suggested some fans left after three songs due to Spears's miming and "lacklustre" performance at Perth's Burswood Dome.

A spokesman for the venue said it had received no complaints about the show.

"It's the biggest lie I've ever heard," Mr Dainty said.

"I'm so angry. We can take heat if there's something wrong and people can review shows badly - that's something you have to live with - but to say people stormed out of the show was an absolute fabrication.

"Britney is aware of all this and she's extremely upset by it - she's a human being," he added.

'Incredible spectacle'

The singer has been at the centre of debate over lip-synching since she arrived in Australia last week, even though it is no secret she mimes during her show.

Virginia Judge, the fair trade minister for the state of New South Wales, ignited the argument by suggesting concert tickets should carry disclaimers about whether parts of concerts were pre-recorded and mimed.

Mr Dainty said it was well known parts of Spears's concert was lip-synched and denied the suggestion it was hidden.

"It's been all over the internet for nine months - this show is about an incredible spectacle, which it is," he said.

More than 17,000 fans, who had paid between AUS$200-$1500 (£110-£830) for a ticket, attended the first date on Spears's tour.

The singer is performing 15 dates across the country as part of her Circus tour which kicked off in New Orleans in March.

This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.

Ex-Radio 2 presenter Laycock dies

Mon, 09 Nov 2009 16:38:08 -0600

Former BBC Radio 2 presenter Malcolm Laycock died on Sunday, his agent says.

Mr Laycock left Sunday Night at 10 - a programme dedicated to music of the 1930s and 40s - in the summer after spending 14 years as its presenter.

His decision - due in part to disagreements with the station - prompted outrage among his listeners.

Bob Shennan, controller of Radio 2 and 6 Music, said Mr Laycock's former colleagues were "shocked and saddened" to hear of his death.

"Malcolm was a much-loved and highly respected broadcaster, renowned for his skill as a presenter and producer, and his passion for music and radio," he said.

Mr Laycock's radio career spanned four decades, during which he worked on Radio 2, BBC London and the BBC World Service as well as helping to set up London's Jazz FM.

He was awarded a Sony Radio Award for his programme Billie Holiday In Her Own Words.

He produced many programmes for Radio 2 including Voices and Back Numbers, and documentaries on Nat King Cole, Josh White and Harlem's Savoy Ballroom.

Mr Laycock was also known internationally for his broadcasts for BBC World Service.

These included six years presenting the weekly Jazz For The Asking programme, and for his many series of Kings Of Swing and The Big Band Singers, and for the documentary Glenn Miller - The Legacy.

This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.

Kay records Children in Need song

Mon, 09 Nov 2009 10:19:42 -0600

Comic Peter Kay is to record a charity single for this year's Children in Need appeal, which he says has the potential to be "another Amarillo".

The as yet unnamed track will be accompanied by an all-star video featuring almost 100 famous faces.

Kay, 36, said making the video had been "a real labour of love".

The comedian's cover version of Tony Christie's Is This the Way to Amarillo, released in aid of Comic Relief, was the UK's best-selling single of 2005.

He went on to release two more charity singles, raising funds for Comic Relief and the NSPCC.

'Astonished'

Kay's Amarillo video featured a host of famous faces, among them Sir Michael Parkinson, Ronnie Corbett and children's character Mr Blobby.

But the Phoenix Nights star has pledged even more celebrities when the video is unveiled on Children in Need night on 20 November.

"It's taken two years of planning to create the video and I just know people are going to be both astonished and delighted," he said.

The comic's efforts have been applauded by Children in Need chief David Ramsden, who said the charity was "really excited".

"We're sure Peter Kay's Midas touch will help to create an iconic charity single," he added.

This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.

Henry up for stage prize

Mon, 09 Nov 2009 09:07:17 -0600

Comedian Lenny Henry has been nominated for a London Evening Standard theatre award - for outstanding newcomer.

The 51-year-old has been cited for his Shakespearean acting debut in Othello, currently running in London's West End.

Rachel Weisz's work in A Streetcar Named Desire sees her up for the best actress award - renamed this year in honour of the late Natasha Richardson.

Enron, based on the collapse of the US energy giant in 2001, is up for best play, best director and best actor.

So is Jerusalem, a play about contemporary rural England that, like Enron, enjoyed sold-out success at the Royal Court theatre earlier this year.

In all, Royal Court productions or co-productions have generated 11 of this year's nominations.

'Particularly strong'

Sam West and Mark Rylance are recognised for their respective work in Enron and Jerusalem, both of which will have West End runs in the New Year.

Simon Russell Beale and Ken Stott - respectively seen in West End productions of Shakespeare's The Winter's Tale and Arthur Miller's A View from the Bridge - complete the best actor shortlist.

Henry Hitchings, the Standard's chief theatre critic, said the best actor category was "particularly strong" this year.

"When we had the discussion about best actor, there were lots of good names in the mix," he continued.

Other familiar names in the running this year include Juliet Stevenson, up for best actress for her work as a violinist with multiple sclerosis in Duet for One.

The winners will be announced on 23 November at a lunchtime ceremony at the Royal Opera House, to be hosted by broadcaster Kirsty Young.

This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.

Golden Age

Mon, 09 Nov 2009 07:03:59 -0600

By Emma Jones
BBC News reporter at the London Film Festival

Twenty years ago, the fall of the Berlin Wall marked the beginning of the end of Communism in Europe.

Across Eastern Europe, the people came out in public revolt against the regimes - including the dictatorship of Nicolae Ceausescu in Romania.

Director Cristian Mungiu has brought to life some of the most popular urban myths about the Communist era in Romania in his film, Tales from the Golden Age.

They include countryside mayors having to hang fruit from the trees and paint the grass before a visit from Ceausescu; a policeman trying to silently gas a pig so his hungry neighbours will not realise he has pork to eat on Christmas Day; teenagers selling bottled air ahead of inspections from the Ministry of the Environment.

Twitter postings

"The last years of the Ceausescu regime were the worst in our history," Mungiu explains.

"But their propaganda machine always referred without fail to that period as 'the golden age'."

Mungiu has won the prestigious Palme D'Or at Cannes Film Festival for his gritty and hard-hitting film Four Months, Three Weeks and Two Days, but Tales is comic, surreal and poignant.

Imprisonment is never far from people's minds as they seek to survive under the twisted logic of the regime.

"I was 21 years old when the Wall fell and a few weeks later, so did the regime in Romania, so I remember many of these legends," says Mungiu.

"I really wanted to make a film for my audience, so I opened up this project to other Romanian directors, and to the public.

"We got a lot of buzz on Twitter and Facebook, with people posting up stories and memories from their youth and adolescence. I thought it was important to get these stories made, before we forget about them."

Mungiu chose the myths, and wrote the screenplay, as well as editing the final cut - but the five different stories are all directed by different Romanian film-makers.

The movie evoked a surprising amount of nostalgia among the public in Romania, particularly with the older generation.

Power cuts

"It's not a kind nostalgia but amongst those over the age of 60, yes certainly. They suffered, yes, but the state was everything, they offered a job for life and then a stable retirement," says the director.

"That sense of stability is now gone. For some people, lack of freedom was less important than a steady job."

Mungiu himself says that as a teenager during the last years of Communism, his biggest memory is the frequent power cuts rather than a regime of terror - but as a young man, he was hopeful freedom would arrive.

"When we heard the Wall was falling in 1989, we knew it was only a matter of time," he recalls.

"We knew a free Europe was coming, we were all listening to the radio, wondering what was happening in our capital. Then by the end of the year, the fear of the system was vanishing and there were people on the streets."

Ceausescu and his wife Elena were shot dead on Christmas Day 1989 after a two-hour trial.

"It was shocking," Mungiu adds.

"Even when it was being reported, we did not believe it for a long time."

The director's whole life changed thanks to the momentous and tumultuous events of those weeks in 1989.

Train drama

"I would never have been allowed to study film. I was going to become a teacher," he says.

When it came to making Tales from the Golden Age, Mungiu had so much material he could have made two films.

Some of these myths are really funny and spectacular. In the end I had to settle on the ones that convey what ordinary life really was like for Romanians."

And his favourite from the ones he had to leave out

"In the last years, we were supposed to bury people in the area where they had died. A market developed in transporting bodies of people who had passed away far from their local area.

"The story goes that a couple of guys were paid to move an old guy. They put him on a train, wrapped him up and pretended he was drunk and asleep. Then they went to the bar.

"The train started to jolt, and the old man fell into the lap of a young couple in the same carriage. They gave him a violent push, and then discovered to their horror he was dead. They thought they had killed him, panicked and threw his body out of the train window.

"The body was discovered later, and the legend is that someone actually ended up doing time for killing a man who was dead anyway."

Tales from the Golden Age is on release in the UK now.

This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.

In the Loop scoops Scots Baftas

Mon, 09 Nov 2009 05:59:00 -0600

The political satire In the Loop has swept the board at the Scottish Baftas.

The spin-off from the BBC TV series The Thick of It won three awards for best actor, best director and best writing.

Peter Capaldi, the foul-mouthed spin doctor in the satire, was named best actor and Daniela Nardini won Best TV actress for her role in New Town.

In the Loop's Glasgow-born writer and director Armando Iannucci, who picked up the best director award, said it was a good night for Scots Italians.

Robert Carlyle was named best TV actor for his film The Unloved while BBC Scotland's Rab C Nesbitt Christmas special was named best entertainment programme.

Special awards

Crying With Laughter, the debut feature film by writer and director Justin Molotnikov, picked up the Feature Film award.

The film, which was part-funded by BBC Scotland, beat Richard Jobson's New Town Killers and Kurdi.

There were also special awards for composer Patrick Doyle, director Bill Forsyth and broadcaster Sir Jeremy Isaacs.

In the news and current affairs category, there was a Bafta for BBC Scotland's undercover investigation, Britain's Homecare Scandal.

The awards, which celebrates the best of Scottish film, TV and multimedia, were held in Glasgow's Science Centre.

This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.

Top Gear 'ad' breached guidelines

Mon, 09 Nov 2009 05:54:23 -0600

A spoof car advert shown on the BBC's motoring show Top Gear was too graphic for the time of its broadcast, the broadcasting watchdog Ofcom has ruled.

The mock advert, which featured a man committing suicide by shooting himself in the head, prompted 50 complaints.

The BBC argued that the advert, shown before the 2100 watershed on 2 August, was "ludicrous and obviously comic".

But Ofcom found the programme in breach of its guidelines, saying it "exceeded audience expectations".

More soon.

This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.

'Jedward' saved by X Factor fans

Mon, 09 Nov 2009 05:19:12 -0600

Lucie Jones has been voted off the ITV1 talent show The X Factor after public support saved twins John and Edward Grimes following the sing-off.

Judge Simon Cowell could have voted to send the twins, nicknamed "Jedward", out of the competition, but said: "I am going to let the public decide."

Judge Louis Walsh had voted to keep the double act, whom he mentors.

But fellow judges Dannii Minogue and Cheryl Cole both wanted 18-year-old Jones to remain in the contest.

After the result of public voting was announced, Jones said: "I'm gutted but the boys deserve to be here - they work harder than anyone."

The 17-year-old Dublin twins have divided the judges' and public opinion, with critics saying they lack the singing ability to justify their continued presence in the competition.

Minogue, who mentored Jones, said: "I just wish all the good singers good luck in the singing competition.

"It shouldn't have happened," she added.

Cowell has previously joked he will leave the country if John and Edward win, but on Saturday's programme he praised their performance of the Ghostbusters theme.

"It was possibly more entertaining than anything you have done before. Well done," he said.

This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.

Winslet up for European film gong

Mon, 09 Nov 2009 05:03:26 -0600

Kate Winslet is among the British nominees at this year's European Film Awards (EFAs), to be presented in the German city of Bochum next month.

The 34-year-old is up for best European actress for The Reader, the Holocaust drama that won her an Oscar this year.

Also cited in her category is newcomer Katie Jarvis, recognised for her work in Andrea Arnold's drama Fish Tank.

Danny Boyle's Slumdog Millionaire is up for five awards, including European film, director and actor.

French prison drama A Prophet leads the pack with six nominations, including one for best European Film.

Winslet's nomination follows reports she is worth an estimated £60m to the British economy, according to calculations made by the UK Film Council.

Competition

The actress was reportedly chosen as a test case earlier this year in an internal attempt by the government-funded body to place a monetary value on the UK's creative industries.

Slumdog Millionaire's Dev Patel faces competition for the best European actor prize from Steve Evets, star of Ken Loach comedy Looking for Eric.

Other British talents recognised include Slumdog writer Simon Beaufoy and its cinematographer Anthony Dod Mantle.

Hosted by Germany every other year, the awards have been bestowed by the European Film Academy since 1988.

Last year's ceremony, held in the Danish capital Copenhagen, saw Dame Judi Dench receive a lifetime achievement honour.

This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.

Singing to health

Mon, 09 Nov 2009 03:55:32 -0600

By Jane Elliott
Health reporter, BBC News

Joe Dexter describes his band, Orange, as "Green Day meets The Cure".

He wrote his first single at just 13 and three years later the American-based band had their first recording deal.

Now, still aged just 21, British-born Joe has released his third album and finished a tour.

His achievements are remarkable by any musical standards, but are even more so when you learn that Joe, who is the lead singer, has the lung condition cystic fibrosis - as well as asthma and diabetes.

"It never stops me from doing my music or pursuing any dreams I might have," he said.

"I do personally think that doing something like singing, which is a vocal and breathing exercise, is actually beneficial to your lungs"

Joe Dexter

And Joe even feels that being a singer might help him.

"I always find after a good hour or more of singing my lungs are a lot clearer and I can breathe easier.

"Maybe I've found the miracle treatment for cystic fibrosis!"

Joe takes a host of treatments every day including six tablets with every meal to help him digest his food, antibiotics three times a week to kill infections, and multi-vitamins.

He also takes daily drugs to control his diabetes and asthma.

Therapy

Caroline Elston, an expert in respiratory medicine at London's Kings College Hospital, agrees that singing professionally can have positive benefits.

"There are a number of patients with cystic fibrosis who have gone into singing professionally," she said.

"There is nothing to suggest it would do any harm and lots of theoretical reasons why it would do good.

"Professional singers train their breathing muscles and there should be some benefits in this."

Research has suggested that singing might be beneficial in other lung conditions such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, Ms Elston said.

But she warned: "The downsides would be related to the time it takes to tour and the toll on the body, the physical exhaustion and [difficulty of] fitting the treatments in.

"It is finding a balance between the singing, the treatments and the touring."

Joe Dexter agrees: "It is more of a challenge though, especially when it comes to touring.

"Doing something so physically demanding every night on top of having to deal with taking care of my lungs can be quite challenging."

'Living my dream'

"After most tours I end up in hospital," the singer admitted.

"A lot of times when my friends and band mates are smoking, drinking and partying, I'll be in my hotel room doing my treatments.

"Having cystic fibrosis affects everything I do, every day. My doctors are amazed that I seem to be capable of doing what I do. They often call me a 'medical mystery'.

CYSTIC FIBROSIS

Cystic fibrosis (CF) affects more than 8,000 people in the UK and is the commonest inherited disease
It is estimated about five babies are born with CF each week in the UK
It affects the internal organs, especially the lungs and digestive system, by clogging them with thick sticky mucus. This makes it hard to breathe and digest food

"But I always try to take care of my health the best that I can and sometimes that can be limiting especially when it comes to touring.

"I use a lot of alternative remedies such as Bach flower essences and I also do Reiki on myself pretty regularly."

Joe, who has been based in the US for 17 years, said: "I have never let having cystic fibrosis stop me from living my dream and I want to play music for the rest of my life. I will never let my health stop me.

"You need to truly believe in yourself because there are always people around who say you should not really do that and you can't do that, but I have never listened to that and so far I am ok and still doing it.

"You just have to believe in yourself and be really positive.

"If you go by text books I probably shouldn't be able to do what I do.

"I plan to keep on surprising people for as long as I can."

This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.

Saharan band win Uncut award

Mon, 09 Nov 2009 03:14:34 -0600

A band of Tuareg musicians from the Sahara region have been crowned the winners of this year's Uncut Music Award for best album.

Tinariwen won for their fourth album Imidiwan: Companions, beating the likes of Kings Of Leon and Bob Dylan.

The prize is handed to the album judged to be the "most inspiring and rewarding" of the past 12 months.

Tinariwen, who formed in 1979 in northern Mali, were the only non-US act on the shortlist of eight.

The group rose to prominence in the 1980s, raising awareness of political issues faced in the region.

'Common language'

They later brought their plight in the southern Sahara to the wider world through their mix of electric blues with Middle Eastern and African sounds.

Tinariwen were a unanimous choice by the 11 judges which included Billy Bragg, Radio 2 DJ Mark Radcliffe and Fleet Foxes frontman Robin Pecknold, who won the award last year.

Uncut magazine editor Allan Jones said: "It speaks a common language. You don't have to have the lyrics translated to know what they're talking about. You don't need to listen to the words of rock 'n' roll to be excited by it."

Tinariwen's Ibrahim Ag Alhabib said: "It gives us the strength to carry on working and spreading the message about the peace of our desert home and I'm glad that our music can cross the frontiers and talk to people around the world."

Other acts in the running for the award included Wilco, Animal Collective, Dirty Projectors, Grizzly Bear and The Low Anthem.

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Carrey's Carol tops US box office

Mon, 09 Nov 2009 03:07:42 -0600

Disney's animated version of Charles Dickens's A Christmas Carol has topped the North American box office chart in its first weekend on release.

However, its $31m (£18.5m) haul was less than some experts had expected to make in cinemas in the US and Canada.

According to Disney, nearly three-quarters of A Christmas Carol's sales came from cinemas showing it in 3D.

Last week's top movie, Michael Jackson concert documentary This Is It, fell to second place in this week's rundown.

This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.

Pop in recession?

Mon, 09 Nov 2009 02:52:55 -0600

The internet may have been a miracle for music fans, Duran Duran star John Taylor says, but instant access to decades of recordings and artists' inner thoughts is not all good.

In an extract from a speech marking the 40th anniversary of the first message sent over the internet, Taylor explains why the likes of Twitter and YouTube may harm future pop and rock stars.

By John Taylor
Duran Duran bassist

I hated being a teenager, until I discovered just how powerful the world of popular music was. It helped me find an identity and find myself.

Not just the notes and beats, but the icons and the haircuts and the clothes and the liner notes. Music saved me in a way, or at least it gave me a sense of direction of how life could be.

I became a teenager in 1972. In 1972, I was listening to music that was almost exclusively made in 1972. Some of it had been made in 1971, but that was about it, with few exceptions.

"The speed and growth of new technology has actually served to disguise how little real growth is taking place at the artistic level"

Something the internet has most definitely done is bring more music from more places and more eras into the hearts and minds of us all, but young people in particular, which is great.

Most students I know have an extremely broad appreciation of music. Far broader than I did. Obviously classic rock is very popular, but so too are all sorts of vintage and world music.

My stepson is at New York University (NYU) and he was telling me how he's currently into Cole Porter, music from the 1920s and swing music from the 40s. So the availability and accessibility of music on the internet today is truly incredible, and I applaud anything that can inspire interest or curiosity in anyone.

But this also means that those of us who before would have been looking towards the current culture for inspiration are now often to be found, like my stepson, in various backwaters of older music.

Creative recession

This relative lack of need for current, innovative culture can cause, has caused, is causing - maybe - the innovative culture to slow down, much as an assembly line in Detroit slows down and lay-offs have to be made when the demand for a new model recedes.

And the speed and growth of new technology, which has been so heralded and so much fuss has been made of, has actually served to disguise how little real growth is taking place at the artistic level.

"I'm still buying copies of that first Roxy Music album, I'm almost embarrassed to say"

In September 1972, Roxy Music appeared on prime time TV in the UK. It was their first national TV exposure, a three-minute appearance performing their first single.

And the way they looked and sounded stunned me, and a generation of mes.

But we had no video recorders, and of course there was no YouTube. There was no way whatsoever that I could watch that appearance again, however badly I wanted to. And the power of that restriction was enormous.

The only way I could get close to that experience was to own the song. I lived in the suburbs, so I had to ride my bike for miles before I could find a store that sold music, let alone one that had the record in stock. It was a small trial of manhood and an adventure.

But once I had that song, I could play it whenever I chose. I had to go on a quest of sorts to get it, but my need was such that I did it.

The power of that single television appearance created such pressure, such magnetism, that I got sucked in and I had to respond as I know now previous generations had responded to Elvis Presley on the Ed Sullivan show, or The Beatles, or Jimi Hendrix. I believe there's immense power in restriction and holding back.

Fading star power

When artists today are asked to Twitter their every thought, their every action, to record on video their every breath, their every performance, I believe they're diluting their creative powers, their creative potency and the durability of their work.

And in the long run I believe they're also diluting the magical power and the magnetic attraction that they can or will ever have over their audience.

I wonder - if I'd had unlimited access to that first Roxy Music TV appearance, if I'd had unlimited access to knowledge of their personal quirks, if I'd been able to access film footage of every performance, every rehearsal, every interview they gave that year from around the world, then I believe the bubble of my obsession would have burst a long, long time ago and I'd have ceased being a fan a long time ago.

I'm still buying copies of that first Roxy Music album, I'm almost embarrassed to say - import copies on premium vinyl, anniversary CD copies, Japanese imports with paper sleeves, iTunes downloads when I'm on the road and need a fix. Such was the power of that initial strike.

John Taylor originally delivered his speech at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) on 29 October.

This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.

O'Grady creates penguin artwork

Mon, 09 Nov 2009 00:46:36 -0600

Television and radio presenter Paul O'Grady has created a work of public art for a new trail in Liverpool.

The penguin dressed up as an old lady is one of 200 of the animals across the city over Christmas and New Year for the Go Penguins event.

Birkenhead-born O'Grady has designed "Owl Ma Penguin" which is inspired by his childhood memories of older women, locally called "Mary Ellens".

The Go Penguins project is part of Liverpool's Year of the Environment.

The art trail is being used to highlight the dangers of global warming and polar ice melting.

"If my attempt at being Leonardo Da Vinci can help people stop, have a laugh and think about global warming then I'll be very happy"

Paul O'Grady

The entertainer's penguin is 5ft (1.5m) tall and is wearing a leopard skin head scarf and slippers with a fur trim.

O'Grady said: "You don't see them any more, but Mary Ellens were complete with hair curlers, wrinkly stockings and an old Mac."

He got involved in the project as a supporter for the World Wildlife Fund (WWF).

O'Grady's "Owl Ma" will take pride of place at The Adelphi Hotel.

He added: "Penguins are fantastic little animals and it's heartbreaking to think what we're doing to the earth is threatening their very existence.

"If my attempt at being Leonardo Da Vinci can help people stop, have a laugh and think about global warming then I'll be very happy.

"I had a real ball doing this design - I wanted to create the image of some of the women who I would see around Paddy's flower market or on their way to their cleaning jobs."

The public art trail launches on 23 November across Liverpool, St Helens and Wirral until January.

This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.

JLS oust Cole from top of chart

Sun, 08 Nov 2009 13:05:48 -0600

Former X Factor contestants JLS have ousted show judge Cheryl Cole from the top of the singles chart.

The boy band topped the chart with Everybody in Love, their second single, knocking Cole's Fight For This Love off the top spot it had held for two weeks.

However, the Girls Aloud singer stayed at number one in the albums chart with her debut long-player 3 Words.

Veteran US rockers Bon Jovi saw their new album The Circle enter the chart at number two.

New entries in the singles chart included Kesha at number six with Tik Tok, and Chase and Status's End Credits at number nine.

Foo Fighters' Greatest Hits album entered at four, while classical singer Katherine Jenkins made number nine with The Ultimate Collection.

JLS are the first British act to have had two number one hits in the same year since McFly in 2006, the Official Charts Company said.

Member Oritse Williams said: "To have our first two singles go to number one is more than we ever expected."

Cole's single Fight for this Love was the fastest selling debut single of the year, followed by JLS' first release Beat Again.

This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.

Kelly is latest Strictly casualty

Sat, 07 Nov 2009 15:33:42 -0600

Coronation Street star Craig Kelly has become the latest celebrity to be voted off BBC One's Strictly Come Dancing.

The show's judges voted unanimously to save EastEnders' Ricky Groves and partner Erin Boag, who faced Kelly and Flavia Cacace in the show's dance-off.

Afterwards, Lancashire-born Kelly said it was "great" he had lasted until this edition of the programme, broadcast from Blackpool's Tower Ballroom.

Eight celebrity contestants remain in the latest series of the hit show.

Kelly found himself in the dance-off after registering his lowest ever score - 17 out of a possible 40 for his cha-cha-cha.

But after hearing the judges' scores, he had complained: "That's disgraceful, I can't believe that."

The Tower Ballroom was home to the BBC's long-running Come Dancing show, which ran from the 1940s to 1990s.

As part of Strictly's visit to the town, the BBC staged mass dance events in Blackpool's Winter Gardens.

The contestants also paid a visit to Catterick Garrison, in North Yorkshire, to meet troops in training for deployment to Afghanistan.

This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.

Sadler's Wells role for Phillips

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 18:12:14 -0600

Former Strictly Come Dancing judge Arlene Phillips is to become a director of Sadler's Wells theatre, the choreographer has revealed.

Ms Phillips, whose dismissal from the show sparked accusations of ageism, has been working with the London venue as a judge on a dance competition.

She said she was "thrilled" to join the theatre, which specialises in dance.

More than 4,000 people complained after the 66-year-old was dropped from the Saturday night show.

The BBC denied the decision to replace her on the programme was on the basis of her age.

'Incredibly exciting'

Ms Phillips' career has flourished despite her exit from Strictly Come Dancing - she is an expert for The One Show on BBC one, a member of the government's Dance Champions Group is due to appear as a judge on the BBC's new talent show So You Think You Can Dance.

"The quality of work programmed by the theatre is exceptional"

Arlene Phillips

Her duties on Sadler's Wells board of directors will include overseeing the theatre's governance and acting as an ambassador for it.

She said she was "delighted" by the move.

Ms Phillips added: "The quality of work programmed by the theatre is exceptional, and the range of work presented truly reflects the spectrum of what dance has to offer.

"I'm thrilled to be joining the team at Sadler's Wells to support their aims at this incredibly exciting time for dance."

She has been serving as one of the judges for Sadler's Wells online Global Dance Contest.

The judging panel shortlisted 10 finalists from more than 170 applicants from 34 countries across the world and the final winner will be announced on 18 November.

Her appointment takes effect with a board meeting on 25 November.

This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.

Eminem 'wins 3D horror film role'

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 06:58:06 -0600

Rap star Eminem is to appear in a 3D hip-hop horror movie, according to trade paper Screen International.

The performer will also produce Shady Talez, a horror anthology described as a cross between Creep Show and vintage TV programme The Twilight Zone.

If it comes to fruition, the film will be Eminem's first big-screen appearance since his role in 2002 release 8 Mile.

Announced last year, Shady Talez will feature three stories offering a hip-hop spin to classic horror films.

The film is being produced by DJ Classicz, a division of Davis Entertainment - the US company behind the Garfield and Aliens vs Predator movies.

The project will also incorporate a four-issue Shady Talez comic book series, due out in 2010.

Eminem, 37, won the best male prize at Thursday's MTV Europe Music Awards but was not in Berlin to collect his prize.

The rapper - real name Marshall Bruce Mathers III - topped charts on both sides of the Atlantic earlier this year with his latest album Relapse.

This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.

Ladies' night

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 04:06:54 -0600

By Emma Jones
Entertainment reporter, BBC News

Host Katy Perry may have an album called One of the Boys - but it was definitely ladies' night in Berlin at the MTV Europe Music Awards (EMAs).

Beyonce wins MTV Europe hat-trick

Controversy over U2's Berlin wall

Beyonce took three prizes - best female, best song and best video - Lady Gaga was awarded best newcomer and Briton Pixie Lott was given the MTV push artist award.

There were also performances on the night from Leona Lewis, Shakira and Beyonce - not to mention Perry.

She was back as host for the second year running and didn't disappoint, with at least half a dozen changes of outfit.

She performed her links from swings and giant cocktail glasses and even paid homage to Liza Minnelli in Cabaret during a song medley.

"Some of the things that the girls are doing, the way they are performing and delivering it - even halfway done in rehearsals - is just brilliant," Perry told BBC News.

"It feels like entertainers at their prime, which they have to be these days."

Christmas market

This year, the event returned to Berlin - the scene of MTV's first ever European Music Awards in 1994 - to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall.

It was fitting, then, that Tokio Hotel - one of Germany's most successful bands of all time - took best group ahead of the international competition.

Of course, a number of the artists at this year's EMAs could not remember the fall of the wall.

Among them was Pixie Lott.

"I was born in 1991," she said apologetically.

U2, meanwhile, had already achieved international stardom.

They took best live act and proved they deserved it by playing a free concert for 10,000 fans at the Brandenburg Gate. Rapper Jay-Z, who won best urban act, also took part.

As well as being a spectacular televisual event, the EMAs give record labels the chance to showcase their star artists for the Christmas market.

Rock singer and actress Juliette Lewis, who presented an award, said: "I like to think that the power these days is truly with the independent artists and not so much these big corporate conglomerates.

"That said - here we all are. The artists show up, and I am here too to celebrate that music and those artists."

As well as Beyonce's big wins, it felt like another night of safe choices. Green Day won best rock act, Placebo were best alternative act and Eminem was best male - beating Robbie Williams who pulled out of the event last week.

MTV's equivalent awards in the US, the Video Music Awards, were wreathed in controversy after Kanye West interrupted Taylor Swift's acceptance speech.

One could sense the organisers' relief that this had passed off without incident.

The press may have been disappointed - it is, after all, when things go wrong that awards ceremonies grab the biggest headlines.

The most memorable event at this year's EMAs was the appearance of former Baywatch star and sometime pop star David Hasselhoff to present a prize.

He had sung on top of the Berlin Wall in 1989 and was introduced as "the man responsible for the fall of the wall".

That seemed like a fitting tribute to Germany's embrace of pop culture in the intervening two decades.

This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.

Obama inspired

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 02:56:52 -0600

By Mark Savage
Entertainment reporter, BBC News

Backstage at New York's Madison Square Garden, Jon Bon Jovi gathers his bandmates together and makes a speech.

"Twenty-five years ago, almost to the week," he begins, referring to the group's first show at the venue, as a support act for ZZ Top.

"We are not supposed to still be here."

It's one of several moments of black humour in the band's new documentary, When We Were Beautiful.

Zip forward 13 months from that concert - the last date of the band's Lost Highway tour - and Jon Bon Jovi is in London to meet the press.

Where, then, does he think the band are supposed to be at this stage

"I don't know!" he confesses. "I never envisioned what the road should look like 25 years later.

"My vision only took me as far as the year 2000, when we were going to be living in space, and I'd be 38 years old.

"I thought life was going to end in 1999. To think that 10 years later, I'd be sitting here with another album is truly astounding."

The telling part of this answer is not the superstar's gratitude for his success - it's that, back in 1983, when he was working part time in a women's shoe shop, Jon Bon Jovi had a career plan that took him right up to millennium eve.

And it worked: Bon Jovi sold more than 100 million albums during those first 16 years, the sort of figure that the music industry is unlikely ever to see again.

'Happy and excited'

This is partly because the singer takes his job very seriously indeed.

Several times in his documentary, he calls himself the "CEO of a major corporation who has been running a brand for 25 years".

It helps that, like the blue-collar characters that populate his songs, Bon Jovi believes in the redemptive power of work.

"It seemed overnight that the world changed"

Jon Bon Jovi

When his friend and colleague Richie Sambora suffered the double blow of divorce and the death of his father, the singer's advice was to get back into the recording studio.

"It gave him solace to take his mind off the rest of the world, which was causing him pain," Bon Jovi explains. "He didn't really want or need to be alone at that time.

"Two years later, he doesn't even look like the same guy. I'm so happy and excited for him."

Those sessions produced 2007's Lost Highway - influenced by Nashville but never straying too far from the band's stadium rock comfort zone.

After touring that record, the group were supposed to take a break, releasing an updated greatest hits to coincide with the documentary - but events overtook them.

"It seemed overnight that the world changed," Bon Jovi explains. "Both the economic bubble burst and a new president was elected in America. It was a big, seismic shift.

"We started to focus not on writing a couple of pop songs for a greatest hits, but to really open our eyes and ears to what was going on around us, and this album fell into place.

"Then the problem was that we had this group of songs and we had to determine if they were going to be released in a timely manner or if we held on to them for the sake of our own sanity."

Sanity, it seems, was not an option.

The band released The Circle this week, and it is one of their loudest, most heartfelt albums in a long time.

Inspiration came directly from America's 24 hour news channels. Work For The Working Man is based on a news report about a small town in Ohio, whose local economy was destroyed when shipping company DHL closed its local depot.

"Everything was gone," Bon Jovi recalls. "Even the jobs that weren't directly related were indirectly related - the restaurants that supported the workers, you know"

"Here you had a healthy workforce who wanted to work, but all the jobs were gone. That's been repeated time and time again in the States over the last year."

Rather than an angry lament, the song is a typically rousing Bon Jovi anthem. The chorus sees the singer "raise a hand" to offer assistance - while the verses portray a down-on-his-luck worker holding down two jobs, and making ends meet "by the grace of God".

White House walls

Surely, with 7.2 million US jobs wiped out by the current recession, it's disingenuous to suggest there is always light at the end of the tunnel

"I try to see the sun shining through the clouds," the singer bats back.

"I'm a realist, but there's no need to be down if you've got your health and determination."

To prove the power of his message, the singer informs me that President Obama's chief adviser David Axelrod has hung the lyrics in his White House office.

"He's had them framed, before the album's even out, as an inspiration to the work they're doing every day," he says with an understandable degree of pride.

Bon Jovi sang at the President's inauguration in January - "it was a memory I'll keep forever" - after taking time out to join the campaign trail last year.

We speak on the day that Jimmy Carter claims racism lies behind the vitriolic backlash against Mr Obama's healthcare plans. I wonder if this most American of rock stars agrees

"That's the America I know," he says with a weary sigh. "Yes, it is.

"There are a segment of people who can't get over the fact he is half African-American.

"And, yes, it upsets me. As a world citizen and a traveller, I was always much more open minded to other cultures and belief systems. Even socialised medicine.

"I thought that we made great progress with the election of this president. We've made some, not as much as I'd have liked to think."

It's a sombre note in an otherwise upbeat interview - but, like the plucky characters who populate his songs, Bon Jovi won't give up without a fight and some ol' time philosophising.

"There's no reason why you can't turn things around," he says. "All I try to do is pave my own road. If people find a message of optimism in these songs, then so be that.

"I'm not on the soapbox preaching, I'm just trying to make my world a little better."

The Circle and documentary film When We Were Beautiful are out now on Mercury Records. An accompanying book is also available via Harper Collins.

This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.