Usher To Donate Gadhafi Money To Charity

'I will be donating all of my personal proceeds...to various human rights organizations,' singer says of concert linked to Libyan dictator.
By Shawn Adler


Usher (file)
Photo: Getty Images

R&B superstar Usher announced Friday (March 4) that he was donating to various charities proceeds from appearing at a private event at St. Barts linked to Libyan dictator Moammar Gadhafi, according to a statement made to the Associated Press.

The Grammy award winner's renouncement comes after similar announcements from singers Mariah Carey, Nelly Furtado, and Beyoncé, all of whom were revealed to have performed at private concerts linked to the Middle Eastern leader, who has faced open revolt and major political uprisings since February.

"I am sincerely troubled to learn about the circumstances surrounding the Nikki Beach St. Bart's event that took place on New Year's Eve 2009," Usher said of the concert, at which he appeared alongside Beyoncé but did not perform. "I will be donating all of my personal proceeds from that event to various human rights organizations."

Usher has already begun the process, having made a donation to Amnesty International, the AP reports. The exact size of the donation is not known.

The New Year's Eve gig was reportedly for Moammar's fourth son Muastassim, who an unnamed music industry source told MTV News has a history of throwing lavish parties "jammed" with supermodels.

Beyoncé, who sang at the event, donated all proceeds from her performance to the Clinton-Bush Haiti Fund, established in the wake of the Haitian earthquake.

"All monies paid to Beyoncé for her performance at a private party at Nikki Beach St. Barts on New Year's Eve 2009, including the commissions paid to her booking agency, were donated to the earthquake relief efforts for Haiti over a year ago," the "Halo" singer's publicist said in a statement to The Huffington Post. "Once it became known that the third-party promoter was linked to the Qaddafi family, the decision was made to put that payment to a good cause."

Singer Nelly Furtado tweeted February 28 that she plans to make similar amends.

"In 2007, I received 1million$ from the Gadhafi clan to perform a 45 min. show for guests at a hotel in Italy," she tweeted. "I am going to donate the $."

The leader of Libya since a successful military coup in 1969, Gadhafi has reportedly lost control of much of his country as a result of widespread uprisings. The United Nations voted unanimously to refer the dictator to the International Criminal Court for crimes against humanity.

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Source: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1659301/usher-donate-gadhafi-money-charity.jhtml

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Conrad Murray Found Guilty In Michael Jackson's Death

Jury took nearly nine hours to return a verdict against Jackson's former doctor.
By Gil Kaufman


Michael Jackson
Photo: Getty Images

After nearly six weeks of testimony and several gasp-inducing courtroom moments, the jury in the involuntary manslaughter trial against former Michael Jackson doctor Conrad Murray rendered a guilty verdict Monday (November 7) after almost nine hours of deliberation.

The verdict came after 49 witnesses took the stand and the prosecution presented often-bruising testimony against Murray, a cardiologist with clinics in Texas and Las Vegas who was recruited in 2009 by Jackson to help the then-50-year-old star stay healthy in the run-up to his planned 50-date comeback tour, This Is It.

The prosecution brought a long list of medical experts and emergency-room doctors to the stand to testify that Murray had not followed proper procedure in dealing with Jackson when the singer was in distress on the morning of June 25, 2009. They also presented evidence that the care Murray provided for Jackson in the weeks and months leading up to that fateful morning were substandard or outside the bounds of legal and ethical requirements. The witnesses concluded that Murray lacked the proper monitoring equipment to administer the surgical anesthetic propofol to Jackson, an off-label use of the intravenously delivered drug that was reportedly employed to help chronic insomniac Jackson get to sleep.

Investigators found that Murray ordered nearly 4 gallons of propofol in his treatment regimen for Jackson and administered the drug inside the singer's rented home, a practice that all the prosecution experts said was unheard of. Jurors also heard testimony about how Murray left Jackson's bedroom for a period after providing him with propofol and spent his time making calls and sending texts to a former girlfriend. When he realized Jackson was in distress, Murray gave the pop star CPR on a bed, a decision that also deviated from the suggested method requiring a hard surface under the patient.

Murray was additionally faulted for waiting more than 20 minutes to call 911, not keeping proper records and failing to tell the paramedics and ER doctors that he had given Jackson propofol.

While prosecution witnesses claimed Murray acted with "gross negligence" in treating Jackson, the physician's own team of lawyers countered with a string of defense witnesses who called into question claims made by Jackson's bodyguard that he requested that staffers hide bottles of propofol before he dialed 911. Other character witnesses testified to the generous, attentive nature of Murray's medical practice, while expert defense witnesses cast doubt on the theories about Jackson's death provided by the prosecution's star witness, Dr. Steven Shafer.

Murray, who was slated to make $150,000 a month to care for Jackson, had pleaded not guilty to the single felony charge and is now facing four years in prison. But new sentencing laws in California aimed at mandatorily reducing state prison overcrowding mean that, as a nonviolent offender with no prior record, he is likely to be sentenced to county jail instead. If that is the case, his sentence could be reduced further.

He also still faces a civil lawsuit brought by MJ's father, Joseph Jackson, which seeks financial restitution. Both Joseph Jackson and Michael's mother, Katherine, were on hand to hear Monday's verdict, along with several of the singer's siblings and a throng of sign-waving fans gathered in support of both Jackson and Murray.

Agree With The Verdict? Was Justice Served? Tell Us On Facebook!

MTV News is covering the Conrad Murray trial live. Go to MTVNews.com for breaking news, reactions and analysis from Los Angeles or tune to MTV for the latest updates.

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Source: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1673906/michael-jackson-conrad-murray-verdict-guilty-involuntary-manslaughter.jhtml

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Frank Ocean Cancels NYC Show After Promising New Orleans Debut

MTV's RapFix hit Odd Future crooner's NOLA concert a day before he canceled NYC date via Tumblr.
By Nadeska Alexis


Frank Ocean
Photo: MTV News

Frank Ocean, Odd Future's much-buzzed-about crooner, seemed to be just getting started when he suddenly canceled his scheduled Sunday show in New York just one hour before his set time citing illness. The jaunt was interrupted only a day after Ocean played the first date on a mini-tour that kicked off in his native New Orleans on Saturday.

Back in February, Ocean independently released Nostalgia, Ultra via Tumblr, and since then the popular mixtape has been pegged for re-release on Def Jam, thanks to the hit singles "Swim Good" and "Novacane," which both made their way from the Internet to the radio. In early October, the 24-year-old singer/songwriter announced plans to embark on an intimate six-city tour in support of the mixtape.

The Odd Future member kicked off his short-lived run with a solo show in his hometown of New Orleans on Saturday night, but after performing soundcheck at the Bowery Ballroom the following day, he canceled the show.

While some fans were already lined up outside of the venue, Ocean retreated to Tumblr to pen a new post titled "New York Is Cancelled."

"Or should i say postponed," Ocean wrote. "I played last night in new orleans, on antibiotics and some other meds. got sick a cpl days before i left los angeles. woke up this morning in new york and could barely speak. called a doctor to my hotel, got a steroid shot. took some more meds. laid in bed all day till soundcheck, got to the venue and could barely sing any of my songs. im really sorry yall. i been workin on this show for months, did everything i could to make it special for yall. i'll be back soon as i'm healthy. thats my word. tickets will be valid for that, or you guys can get refunded. damn this sh--."

During his New Orleans show on Saturday night, it took the shy performer some time to warm up to the crowd. He delivered several tracks from Nostalgia, Ultra, including "Lovecrimes," "Swim Good" and "Novacane," while slipping in some material from his upcoming album. Ocean also performed the hooks from his Watch the Throne features "No Church in the Wild" and "Made in America."

Before the cancellation, the tour was expected to stop in the Netherlands, London and Paris before concluding in Los Angeles on November 15; no word yet on whether those shows will go on.

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Source: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1673853/frank-ocean-new-york-show-cancellation.jhtml

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Beyonce's Team Shoots Down Fake Baby-Bump Rumors

Publicist calls rumors 'stupid, ridiculous and false.'
By Gil Kaufman


Beyoncé in the "Countdown" video
Photo: Columbia

Beyoncé has had to deal with dozens of scurrilous, absurd and outlandish rumors over the course of her career. And like most stars, she has ignored the majority of them, responded to some and mostly just let the talkers talk. But after the Internet blew up earlier this week with rumors that the pregnant singer was sporting what some were calling a "fake" baby bump during a recent TV appearance, enough was enough.

Beyoncé's publicist, Yvette Noel-Schure, told ABC News on Tuesday that the allegations are "stupid, ridiculous and false." The rumors were sparked by an appearance Beyoncé made on Australia's "Sunday Night HD" in which her midsection seemed to deflate and fold over in an odd manner when she sat down for an interview while wearing a loose-fitting red dress.

It was during that appearance that Beyoncé — who revealed her pregnancy — at the 2011 VMAs confirmed that the child she is expecting with hubby Jay-Z is due in February. "I just feel like it's time and I'm very grateful that God has blessed me with the biggest gift any human can have," B said during the interview. "If there's any time, right now is the time, and I'm so happy."

Before the bump-troversy erupted, Beyoncé told Harper's Bazaar that she doesn't get worked up over gossip. "I am finally at the stage in my life where I am not so concerned with other people's opinions about my life decisions," she said. "It is really liberating to know what I want, to know what truly makes me happy."

And while the super-couple have always kept their private life off limits, the "Countdown" singer did reveal a bit about her relationship with Jigga in the November issue of the magazine.

"We took our time and developed an unbreakable friendship before we got married. ... But like anything great and successful in your life, marriage takes hard work and sacrifice," she said. "It has to be something both you and your husband deeply want. The best thing about marriage is the amount of growth you have because you can no longer hide from your insecurities. There's someone right there calling you out on your flaws and building you up when you need the support. If you are with the right person, it brings out the best version of you."

What do you think of B's "bump-troversy"? Share your thoughts in the comments section.

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Source: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1672384/beyonce-baby-bump.jhtml

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Drew Barrymore, Eddie Murphy Top Forbes Overpaid Actors List

Will Ferrell came it at #3 on tally of Hollywood stars who aren't worth the salaries they bank.
By Jocelyn Vena


Eddie Murphy
Photo: Getty Images

On the same weekend that Eddie Murphy opens his comeback flick "Tower Heist" comes the news that he joins rom-com queen Drew Barrymore atop a list of Hollywood's most overpaid actors in the business. Forbes makes the case that these two movie stars aren't worth the bank they are making.

The site used an involved equation to figure out which celebrities would make the list. Celebrities qualified for it based on a set of criteria. One: They had to earn a large salary. Two: They had to have at least three films released in at least 500 theaters in the past five years. (Animated flicks and films released after May 1, 2011, didn't count.)

But wait, it didn't stop there. Using their Celebrity 100 list, Forbes calculated each star's earnings and then looked at film budgets and returns to figure out the income for the movies.

All caught up on that? OK, so here's how it shook out. Barrymore lands at #1 on the list. Her recent box-office failures "Everybody's Fine" and "Lucky You" only racked up $24 million combined. While her ensemble film "He's Just Not That Into You" netted $180 million globally, the publication didn't count it toward her profit margins since she wasn't the sole marquee name in the flick. Barrymore returns 40 cents for every $1 she makes.

Despite the success of "Shrek," which falls in the animated category, Murphy landed right behind Barrymore thanks to films that billed him as the headlining name. "Imagine That" and "Meet Dave" earned $72 million combined and cost a combined $115 million to make. So what does that mean? It means that Murphy returned $2.70 for every $1 he was paid. Forbes put that equation in perspective, noting that Nicole Kidman (#10 on the list) returns $6.70 for every $1 she earns.

Coming in at #3 is Will Ferrell, who had topped the list for the past two years. Reese Witherspoon is #4 on the list and Denzel Washington finds himself at #5.

For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com.

Source: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1673756/eddie-murphy-forbes-overpaid-actors-drew-barrymore.jhtml

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Is Kate Middleton Pregnant?

The royal family might be expanding sooner than everyone thought. It’s hard to imagine the slender Kate Middleton with a baby bump, but the Duchess of Cambridge sparked pregnancy rumors Wednesday after refusing to taste peanut paste during a royal appearance in Denmark, ABC News reports. Middleton politely declined to try the peanut product while [...]

Source: http://www.celebritymound.com/is-kate-middleton-pregnant/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=is-kate-middleton-pregnant

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'Twilight' Fan-Favorite Moment #2: Edward's Proposal

We're counting down your favorite 'Twilight Saga' moments before Rob, Kristen and Taylor join us live tonight at 7:56 p.m. ET on MTV!
By Eric Ditzian


The proposal in "Eclipse"
Photo: Summit

Kristen Stewart was worried. Capturing Edward Cullen's proposal to Bella Swan in last year's "Eclipse" came with all sorts of potential hitches. A teen girl and a 100-plus-year-old vampire deciding to get married? A scene that legions of fans had been anticipating for years and which they'd undoubtedly scrutinize? Stewart didn't want to mess it up.

"Well, to decide you're gonna marry someone at 18 is a pretty hefty decision. And I didn't want to look stupid," the actress told us months before the film hit theaters. "I didn't want it to look like kids getting married. You know what I mean? I wanted to be, like, 'Oh! Wow! I would say yes too.' "

"Oh, wow" neatly summarizes moviegoers' reaction to the moment, because the proposal scene was picked as the #2 "Twilight" moment in our fan-voted poll. The ultimate winner will be announced today, just hours before the debut of "MTV First: Breaking Dawn - Part 1," our exclusive interview with Stewart, Robert Pattinson and Taylor Lautner. At 7:56 p.m. ET, the three stars will introduce a never-before-seen clip from the upcoming film, which arrives in theaters on November 18. The interview will then continue on MTV.com for a full 30 minutes.

Until then, take a trip back in time and relive that beloved proposal scene. Hear, once again, Edward announce, "Isabella Swan, I promise to love you every moment forever. Would you do me the extraordinary honor of marrying me?"

What do you think she answered? Right. And what do you think Stewart thought of the whole thing? "You try to do it for real, and it felt good," she told us.

Be sure to tune in to "MTV First: Breaking Dawn - Part 1," which kicks off Thursday, November 3, on MTV at 7:56 p.m. ET, followed by a Q&A with Kristen, Rob and Taylor on MTV.com!

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Source: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1673661/twilight-favorite-moment-edwards-proposal.jhtml

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Kim Kardashian Seeks "Closure" By Visiting Kris Humphries

Continuing to wade her way through the strenuous life situation in which she currently faces, Kim Kardashian made the last minute decision to pay her estranged husband Kris Humphries a visit at his home in Minnesota.

The E! reality star jetted out of Los Angeles while arriving at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport around 5:30 a.m. on Sunday (November 6), after which she was driven to Humphries' Chanhassen, MN residence.

Spotted later the same day conversing on her cell phone outside the lakeside property, Miss Kardashian reportedly made the trip because "she felt like she owed it to Kris to talk things through with him face-to-face," reports TMZ.

While it is not being deemed as a reconciliation at this point, Kim and Kris - who were married for a short 72 day time period upon the filing of divorce papers - are said to be meeting with a pastor to discussion their feelings surrounding the end of their wedlock.

Contrary to rumors circulating the gossip world, no camera crews were involved in the trip - as Kardashian is simply thought to be seeking closure.

Source: http://celebrity-gossip.net/kim-kardashian/kim-kardashian-seeks-closure-visiting-kris-humphries-559139

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