We Had Him

But we do know we had him, and we are the world.

What a beautiful, touching and very fitting tribute. I do love this poem, as I love all of Dr. Angelou’s poetry. After the jump, watch video of Queen Latifah reading the last portion of this poem on stage at the Staples Center during the Michael Jackson Memorial Service earlier this week …

The video is also comprised of scenes from many of the vlogs that Imogen has been releasing in the last two years that she has been writing and recording her album. After the jump, check out the fun video trailer in full …

When Mel B unveiled her body in a Vegas burlesque show it was her killer abs that had everyone talking. The former Spice Girl had obviously spent hours in the gym in preparation for her revealing role. But after seeing Carmen Electra onstage she may wish she hadn’t bothered. The ex-Baywatch star stole the show with her abundant curves - and her decision to go topless. While Mel B kept her modesty, just, by leaving her underwear on, Carmen had no hesitation in going topless. This is perhaps understandable considering her early career … Last night the curvy 37-year-old wore high heels, stockings and suspenders as she cavorted on a sofa shaped like a giant pair of red lips. Her second routine, Chain Gang, saw her caged like a wild animal as she thrashed behind bars and revealed her tasseled breasts. But it was her finale that drew gasps from the audience, as she went fully topless. Carmen is the guest star in the famous Crazy Horse Paris show at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas until Monday.

Oh, Carmen … you minx, you. As some of you may know, Carmen Electra has previously had no problems showing off the good stuff having posed nude for Playboy magazine a few times previously. This topless performance should really come as no surprise to anyone who knows her ;) After the jump, check out the NSFW money shot of Carmen performing with the Crazy Horse Paris ladies sans top …

At least she looks classy. Nice boobs, too. I’m sure now that folks know that Carmen will be guest performing at Crazy Horse Paris many more will be clamoring for tickets to see her perform live. You go, Carmen. You do your thang, girl.

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Poor kids. Clearly, both Sean P. and JJ were having issues with spending time with their father … both Sean P. and JJ looked like they really didn’t want to leave Britney. These pics, as heartbreaking as they are, are actually really sweet. I’m sure it’s hard for the kids to get jostled back and forth between parents … it’s a shame they can’t just stay with their mother full time ;(

[Photo credit: X17]

On the eve of what could have been one of the greatest comebacks in music history, this month Q delves inside the mad, bad world of Michael Jackson. Charting the story of the last four years of his life, we journey through the personal, emotional and financial turmoil of the great icon. Q salutes the Thriller album as tribute to the King of Pop. A remarkable work by a truly remarkable pop star.

Because this issue went to press before MJ’s untimely death two weeks ago today, the magazine posted this disclaimer on their website:

Please note that this issue went to print prior to the sad news of Michael Jackson’s death. We hope that no offence is caused by its content in light of the tragic passing

After the jump, if you are so inclined, check out one more photo of MJ from this photoshoot with Q magazine. As unflattering as these photos are, they are among the last photos that MJ posed for before his death …

From the blog Boy Culture: A devastating portrait of the late Michael Jackson appears on the cover of Q Magazine (August 2009), possibly the last coverstory he posed for in advance of his This Is It comeback shows at London’s O2 Arena. John Wright shot the pulls-no-punches photo, in which the performer’s face appears remarkably gaunt, he has salt-and-pepper stubble on his chin, his lips are bright red, his tortured nose looks ready to be brushed away and—above a surprisingly hairy brow—the netting holding his wig in place is clearly visible under a pound of makeup. Wright reported that Jackson’s demeanor at his 90-second (!) photo shoot (he seems to have wrung only two shots out of it) was that of an unfailingly polite person whose parents would “be proud of how you’d brought him up.” Ironic. The feature, “Michael Jackson Unmasked,” was written by Cole Moreton. It is a warts-and-all story of how Jackson was lured back to the stage that begins: “Will he turn up? Will he sing more than a few lines? Can Michael Jackson really survive 50 shows or will his body or mind, both seemingly so fragile, disintegrate under the pressure of it all?” The hard-hitting report is prefaced online with an apology considering it went to press before Jackson answered the latter question. The mag also includes a truly fascinating read on “The Making of Thriller” … It’s unfortunate timing, but the article rings true, especially in light of the probably understandable and predictable deification process that’s been happening in the wake of his shocking death.

Wow. It remains to be seen if Q magazine would’ve chosen to publish the article anyway if there was time to stop the mag from going to press but, in all honesty, I doubt they would’ve. There were so many questions as to whether or not MJ was up to the task of performing his 50 shows … and I suppose those questions were answered by his death. But I know that Michael Jackson really had a strong chance at pulling off one of the biggest comebacks in entertainment history. It’s a shame he wasn’t able to give the shows a shot … based on what we’ve seen from rehearsal footage, the This Is It Tour would’ve most likely been a stunning spectacle.

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… and I am happy to report that the place is great. Good drinks, amazing food and very fun decor. Honestly, tho, the highlight was getting to spend time with Jordan who we don’t get to see nearly enough. A fun night was had by all.

No plans for tonight … of course, there are always options. I guess we’ll have to wait and see where the day takes us.

I really love films like this (check out D-9.com to see how fun the official website is). Taking conventional thought and turning it completely around. We abhor the notion of segregating different races from one another but, in this film, we seem happy to segregate alien species from humans. I love this teaser video … I can’t wait to see more (but not too much more as to ruin the movie before we get to see it). After the jump, check out the new trailer for District 9 in full …

AS HAYDEN PANETTIERE WALKS a deserted strip in Hollywood, the 19-year-old star of NBC’s Heroes glances around nervously, occasionally spinning her head to check behind her. Wearing short denim shorts and brown UGGs and toting a big bag, the diminutive actress looks like an elfin princess on the run. “Hello,” she says, walking into a little vegan restaurant, greeting me as she shrugs off her load. She orders a bowl of brothy vegetable soup and twirls her little gold whale-tail necklace, a symbol, she explains, of her devotion to the cetacean cause. The petite, bronzed blonde keeps looking out the window, over her shoulder. Not surprisingly she’s afraid she’s been followed—Panettiere has become the ultimate tabloid chum. She has lived her whole life in the public eye. “I started doing this, and I know it sounds absurd, but 11 months old, I did my first commercial.” The daughter of an actress and a New York City firefighter, Panettiere spent her childhood bouncing between 30-second spots and roles on One Life to Live and Guiding Light. “I remember hearing in first grade, ‘Oh, why does she get to skip school?’” she says. “It wasn’t like I suddenly started feeling different. I always knew that I was. I never felt I missed out—in fact, it was like, ‘Oh, thank God I’m not that.’” Namely, she means, a regular kid. It’s not easy being beautiful and special and talented, and Panettiere lived through her share of Mean Girls shit. Mostly homeschooled, she occasionally returned from acting gigs to her public school in Rockland County, New York, and her classmates’ wrath. In middle school, she was punched in the face by “a very angry, very sad girl,” she says, as if echoing the words her mom used to comfort her at the time. “I was tortured, emotionally tortured by these girls. Every time I came back from filming, it would be me trying to find my way back into the clique. And they weren’t having it.” Panettiere seems to have emerged victorious from her teen trials. After a series of minor TV and movie roles, she was cast at age 16 as Heroes’ invincible cheerleader, Claire, and quickly blossomed into the queen of high-school geeks of all ages. (Her new teen comedy, I Love You, Beth Cooper, is about a nerd who falls for the hottest, most popular girl in school—notice a trend?) … There have been times when the media scrutiny was more than she could take. “It’s turned my life upside down and shaken it,” Panettiere says, referring to the incident in August 2008 in which her father was accused of hitting her mother and later charged with misdemeanor battery. Her father called it a misunderstanding, saying, “Nothing actually happened,” then pleaded no contest. “It was very tough, especially since it’s my family,” Panettiere says. “It’s one thing if you do it to me. I get frustrated, but I can handle it. But when it involves my family, my friends, forget it—I lose my . . . ” Panettiere pauses—then regains control. “I learned the game. The more I react, the angrier I get, the more satisfaction they get. That’s exactly what they want.” As Panettiere drains her bowl of soup, two young Orthodox Jewish men who have been circling in front of the restaurant finally come inside, holding cameras. “Excuse me. I’m sorry, I know this is extremely rude, but we’re from the East Coast and you’re the first famous person we’ve met. Is there any way I would be able to get a picture of you?” “You don’t want to meet famous people.” “If it’s possible, please,” the guy says. Panettiere puts down her spoon, and as they awkwardly drape their arms around her, she gives the camera a practiced look. “Thank you so much. Thank you. I’m sorry,” they say as they back out of the restaurant, already reviewing the images on the camera. “I gave them a half-smile,” she says matter-of-factly. “It’s a survival skill.”

On the one hand, I think it’s totally inappropriate to bother someone for a photo or autograph while they are eating … that should go without saying. But for Panettiere to feel she needs to employ “survival skills” when she is recognized by fans then she prolly should seek a different career. I can totally understand how the constant crush of fame can get tiresome but I also know that celebs really love the money and cache that comes from being famous. It is absolutely a double-edged sword … you take the good with the bad. In my personal experience, Hayden has been nothing but totally sweet to me. I’ve met her a few times … we chatted for a bit at the Star Trek premiere a couple of months ago. BUT, one of my very good friends suffered an unpleasant encounter with her when he tried to say hello to her at a public event (not while she was eating, not while she was talking to anyone else … at a promo event that she was paid to attend). I mean … I get it but when fame starts getting too much to bear, mebbe it’s time to try something else? I do enjoy her work and I will prolly see Beth Cooper when it opens (tho, I doubt the friend who she was mean to will want to come with me) but I’d rather the girl keep her sanity and get out of the limelight rather than become a bitter person.

[Photo credit: Matthias Vriens for DETAILS; Source]

I opted out of showing any further photos of R. Pattz in that studded jean vest … I think the leather jacket is a much better look for him. Also, you can never have enough wet R. Pattz, right? So … now that we’ve seen a few more photos of Rob from this famed photoshoot … do YOU think that this is the sexiest Robert Pattinson photoshoot ever?

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