Paul McCartney and Britney Spears top "Idol" wish list

The following italicized article is from www.reuters.com:

Former Beatle Paul McCartney and pop star Britney Spears are at the top of Simon Cowell's celebrity wish list as possible mentors on the upcoming season of "American Idol."

But the chances of getting McCartney to appear on the most-watched American television show seem slim.

"We try every year to get Paul McCartney on but for whatever reason he won't come on," the judge told reporters on a conference call on Wednesday.

Cowell said he would welcome the chance to see Spears on the show, which returns for its 8th season on January 13. The singer is on a comeback roll with a No.1 album and upcoming tour after almost two years of personal woes.

"She would be first on the list. I would love to see her mentor the contestants. But if she doesn't want to do that and she wants to come on the show to perform, I would welcome her any time," Cowell said.

He said he would also like to see Beyonce and would welcome back singer-songwriter Lionel Richie and movie director Quentin Tarantino, who was a guest judge in 2004.

"American Idol" has produced some bonafide stars since its 2002 debut, including Grammy award winners Kelly Clarkson and Carrie Underwood.

Former contestants Jennifer Hudson and Jordin Sparks were both nominated earlier this month for Grammys.

"I absolutely love it when that happens," Cowell said. "There is so much snobbery in the music business about what we do on this show. So I think it is fantastic.''

Source: Reuters

Britney Spears’ “Womanizer” Hits The Air

The following italicized article is from www.reuters.com:

Britney Spears is making her comeback — again. First step: release a catchy single. And so, on Friday Britney’s song “Womanizer” finally hit airwaves, four days after its scheduled release and a week after a snippet was leaked.

The song is an upbeat if slightly repetitive electropop number lasting about 3:40. It comes off Spears’ album “Circus,” which is set to be released on her 27th birthday on Dec. 2. The song was produced by The Outsyders, a group based in Atlanta.

It has lyrics that include: “You say I’m crazy/ I got your crazy/You’re nothing but a womanizer” In the song’s chorus, Britney sings, “Boy, don’t try to front/I-I know just-just what you are/Womanizer, you’re a womanizer, baby.”

It remains to be seen what Britney’s fans think of the song, but it’s definitely catchy. In a snap judgment, the Los Angeles Times music blog Soundboard reached the conclusion that “Britney is back. She actually seems to be awake this time.”

Last year in late August, Britney released a song, “Gimme More,” which was also billed as a “comeback” tunes after months of Britney finding herself making headlines for erratic behavior. At that time, she was embroiled in a bitter custody battle over her two sons with ex-husband Kevin Federline.

She sang “Gimme More” at the MTV Video Music Awards in September ‘07, but was panned by fans and critics. By January of this year, she found herself in a Los Angeles-area hospital under psychiatric evaluation.

But since February, after her father and lawyers took control of her affairs, Britney has seemed to be on the mend. In fact, at this year’s MTV VMAs, Britney won three awards for her song, “Piece of Me.”

So one wonders: could this “comeback” be the real deal.

Source: Reuters

Britney’s New Single. Back For A Re-Mix?

The following italicized article is from www.reuters.com:

Radio stations were supposed to start playing Britney Spears’ new single “Womanizer” on Monday. But instead the pop star’s record label pushed back the release by a week.

The last minute delay comes after a 37-second segment of “Womanizer” was leaked and played on the Web site of a Nashville, Tennessee, radio station on Friday. The leak had a short life that day, as Spears’ record label, Zomba Label Group/Jive Records, told the station to take the song off its site.

Wendy Washington, a spokeswoman for the record company, said on Monday that the single’s release was pushed back.

“Yes, the mix is being finalized and is expected to be done within a week,” Washington said.

The leaked segment of “Womanizer” was not an immediate hit with commentators on the Web. The site Hollyscoop.com said the fake song “Candy From Strangers,” posted online last week by a Spears impostor, was more catchy than the leaked song from Spears herself.

The single is off Spears’ album “Circus,” which is scheduled to be released on the pop star’s 27th birthday on Dec. 2.

Spears has a lot riding on the album, because after a turbulent public meltdown last year she appears to have gotten her life back on track, giving her the chance to make what could be the biggest comeback in years in the rollercoaster music business.

Source: Reuters

Britney Spears to pay $20,000 a month child support

The following italicized article is from www.reuters.com:

Singer Britney Spears will pay child support of $20,000 (10,000 pounds) a month to ex-husband Kevin Federline for the care of their two children and will make a final payment of $250,000 to his lawyers, according to an agreement between the couple filed in court on Friday.

The monthly child support payment is a $5,000 increase over what Spears and Federline, a dancer and rap singer, agreed to last year, the court papers showed.

The agreement comes a week after lawyers said they had agreed to a final settlement in the child custody case, averting the need to go to trial.

In an order filed on Friday, the August trial was called off.

Federline's attorney, Mark Vincent Kaplan, told several media organizations on July 17 the agreement would allow Federline to retain sole custody of his children with Spears -- Sean Preston, 2-1/2, and Jayden James, 22 months.

Spears' $250,000 payment for Federline's legal expenses is due July 30.

Spears, 26, and Federline, 30, married in 2004, split up in late 2006 and their divorce was finalized last year. Spears lost custody of the two boys in January after two brief hospitalizations for psychiatric evaluation.

Source: Reuters

Danielle Steel Talks About Britney's Situation

The following italicized article is taken from www.theinsideronline.com:

In a rare interview, New York Times best-selling author DANIELLE STEEL comments on BRITNEY SPEARS' situation telling Reuters, "I feel so sorry for her."

Steel speaks from experience. Her son NICK was diagnosed at the age of 16 with bipolar disorder and committed suicide more than a decade ago at the age of 19.

"Usually bipolars present extremely well and they can bounce into court ... look very together and be a complete mess three hours later on the streets somewhere," she told Reuters at an event for the 10th anniversary of the creation of the Nick Traina Foundation. "There's nothing you can do."

In echoing the recent and widespread speculation regarding Britney, Steel suggests that her problems, "illustrate the drama and dilemma of the family of mentally ill people in this country -- it's a very, very tough thing."

But she says there is hope for the troubled pop star and her family. "If it is the case (that she has bipolar), she can get on track with the right treatment and medication," she says. "In the case of Britney Spears' parents what you have to be is extremely loving, extremely resourceful and extremely persistent and every time you're defeated, just go at the problem again."

Source: The Insider Online