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Day in Pop Report for 04/19/2012


Dick Clark Killed By Heart Attack
(Gibson) TV legend and former American Bandstand host Dick Clark has died. According to TMZ, Clark suffered a heart attack on Wednesday (April 18) after undergoing an outpatient procedure in Los Angeles. He was 82.

Clark first became a household name as the host of American Bandstand, which ran as a national series from 1957 to 1989. His name became synonymous with rock and roll, just as it was becoming a giant, mainstream force. Clark helped introduce many of rock, pop and R&B's greatest stars � from Elvis Presley and The Doors to Madonna and Pink Floyd � to a mass audience.

Clark also served as a television producer during his long career, helming The American Music Awards and The Golden Globes telecasts, as well as the game show, the $10,000 Pyramid (which he also hosted). For many Americans, their New Year's Eve traditions included ringing in the new year with the host on his Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve program, which began airing live from New York City's Times Square in 1972. more on this story

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Kim Kardashian For Mayor?
(TMZ) There's a serious move in Glendale, CA to make Kim Kardashian its mayor -- and we know Kim is on board.

Kim made a comment on Khloe and Lamar's show that she was mulling over the idea of running in the city that is a bastion for Armenians.

But now ... several prominent Armenians in Glendale are backing Kim. Former Mayor and current City Councilman Ara Najarian offered to make Kim his Chief of Staff to teach her local politics. What's more ... Artin Sarkissian -- a prominent Glendale realtor -- has offered to find Kim a home in Glendale.

So our Kim sources tell us KK can't believe the response she's getting and she's "seriously considering" buying a house in Glendale and taking Councilman Najarian up on his offer.

The only thing is -- Kim must run for City Council before she's eligible to become Mayor. Members of the City Council rotate into the position of Mayor -- and one thing Kim is good at ... rotating. more on this story

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Lil' Scrappy Hospitalized
(TMZ) Rap star Lil' Scrappy -- who's worked with Lil Jon, 50 Cent, Three 6 Mafia and more -- was hospitalized in Atlanta Tuesday after suffering a nasty asthma attack ... TMZ has learned.

Scrappy tells us ... "I damn near died ... if it weren't for my driver, mom, and rap artist I would have been dead."

The 28-year-old says he had been drinking pretty hard Monday night ... and when he woke up Tuesday morning, he could barely breath and couldn't talk -- "I felt like I was dying."

Fortunately, Scrappy's people rushed him to Emory University Hospital ... where he was treated and released. Scrappy says he now owns a "breathing machine" and tells us, "I will never leave anywhere without it again." more on this story

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Lionel Richie's Tuskegee Goes No 1
Lionel Richie's new country duets album, Tuskegee, has claimed the No. 1 spot on the overall Billboard Top 200 albums chart.

Tuskegee also sits at No. 1 on the Billboard Country Albums chart for the second week.

With the week's sales of 128,553, Tuskegee is now the best-selling country album of 2012. With overall sales of 422,856, the album is quickly approaching the 500,000 in sales required for a gold certification. more on this story

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Lean on Me Star Going To Jail For Massive Drug Buy Attempted
(TMZ) "Lean on Me" star Jermaine Hopkins won't have to wait several years to take his family to Disney World again -- because the actor was only sentenced to 30 days in jail ... after allegedly trying to buy 200 POUNDS of weed from an undercover cop.

Jermaine was sentenced to time served Tuesday -- after spending 30 days in jail following his initial arrest -- so he walked home free the same day. He was also sentenced to 3 years probation.

Jermaine struck a plea deal with prosecutors to reduce his sentence -- pleading guilty to marijuana possession for sale. A charge of illegal control of enterprise (organized crime) was dropped. Jermaine had previously faced up to five years in prison.

Jermaine tells us, "I am so glad to put this legal battle behind me so that I can begin moving forward with re-establishing my acting career."

As we previously reported, Jermaine was arrested in an Arizona sting operation last December -- after allegedly buying 200 pounds of pot from an undercover cop. Officials claim they found an additional 100 pounds of weed in Jermaine's car. more on this story

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Basketball Wives Boycotting Reunion Show
(TMZ) Several "Basketball Wives" are adamantly refusing to tape the big upcoming reunion show next month, TMZ has learned -- and it's all because of the face-slap lawsuit Jennifer Lawrence filed against Nia Crooks.

As we reported, Jennifer is suing Nia for assault and battery over a January 21st incident at a race track in Florida -- when Nia slapped Williams in the side of the head after a nuclear argument. Jennifer says she was injured badly during the attack.

But according to sources at VH1, the castmates are convinced Jennifer's lawsuit was filed out of spite and desperation to dredge up drama around her character -- in the vain hope of securing a spot on the show next season. Our sources also think Jennifer's claim of emotional distress is BS because she never missed a day of shooting.

We're told several prominent castmembers have vowed to shun her completely ... refusing to even speak to Jennifer -- and are threatening not to attend the reunion show early next month if she attends.

And there's this -- the contract signed by the "Wives" castmates specifically states .... "Participant expressly assumes the risk of any physical or emotional injuries participant may suffer as a result of participant's participation in the project."" Watch video of the argument here.

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Mel Gibson May Sue Over Rant Tape Release
(TMZ) Mel Gibson is seriously considering suing Joe Eszterhas for secretly recording him at his home in Costa Rica last December, and then releasing the audio rant.

Sources connected with Mel tell TMZ ... the actor believes he has a "basic human right" NOT to be secretly recorded in his own home.

We're told Mel's people are looking at the laws of Costa Rica to determine if recording laws were violated and, even if they weren't, if Mel's right of privacy was violated by the release of the audio.

Mel explodes in the recording about Eszterhas' lack of progress with "The Maccabees" script -- "What the f**k have you been doing!!" He also unloads on Oksana Grigorieva, calling her a ""F**king c**t, c**ksucking whore."

We're told Mel believes anyone recorded "at their worst moment" would sound awful, and it's unfair to trap people in their refuge.

One Mel source notes with skepticism that Eszterhas has made other allegations against Mel ... that the actor also ranted against the Jews and expressed pleasure that John Lennon was shot and killed .... but none of that is on the tape. more on this story

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Justin Bieber Announces Record Release Date On The Voice
(popmusiclife) Justin Bieber dropped by The Voice Tuesday evening. The pop star was on hand to play a preview clip of the video for his new single, "Boyfriend."

Justin also confirmed some big new for his fans: First, "The record 'Believe' is going to be coming out on June 19," the 18-year-old told host Carson Daly.

Then, in an exchange with Daly, Bieber confirmed that he would return to The Voice in three weeks for the season finale, where he will make his live television debut of "Boyfriend." Watch video here.

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Colors Star Busted For Alleged Felony Fraud
(TMZ) Grand Bush -- who starred in "Colors" -- was arrested Tuesday after cops determined he was trying to pull a fast one by making it look like his car registration was current when it had expired.

G.B. was driving near the beach in L.A. when cops ran his license plate on his 2006 Mitsubishi. The search showed the plates had expired, but something wasn't kosher -- the registrations tags on the plates were up to date.

So Bush was hooked up, taken to the station and booked for felony fraud ... defrauding the DMV.

Bush was released. The case will now be referred to the D.A. for possible prosecution. If convicted, Bush could face 3 years in prison. more on this story

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The Hundred In The Hands Giving Away New Song
(GA) The Hundred In The Hands are giving fans a free download of their song "Keep It Low," the upcoming single release from their upcoming album, Red Night.

The 12" single is due out May 28 via Warp Records and will include an original B-side, "Mountains" and remixes from Andy Stott, Pattern, and JD Twitch of Optimo who supplies two reworks. You can grab the free mp3 in exchange for an email address here.

The Hundred in the Hands chose remixers who have been inspiring them, the band says: "We were listening to Andy Stott's "Passed Me By" and "We Stay Together" EP's a lot as we started the record. So many good ideas and textures, with low end in the extreme that kind of rattled our minds a bit. When it came to looking for people to remix, he was first on the list. The legendary Optimo duo have been such an influence on so many artists in recent years, and in maybe too many cases we end up liking their versions a bit more than the originals. We just had to ask. JD Twitch turned in two versions, each unique and equally epic. We couldn't make up our minds so, we stuck them both on. We'd been hearing bits from Patten and got excited. It's hallucinatory, uneasy and fractured. Pretty much everything we like. "Mountains" was a track that was written totally in the flow of the album but still just couldn't fit in, it just wouldn't play nice with the other tracks and just became its own beast of a thing. This seemed like the best place to let it out." more on this story

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Trouble For Charlie Sheen's Anger Management
(TMZ) Charlie Sheen's show, "Anger Management," hasn't even debuted yet, and already there's a lawsuit over who created it and who gets the big money.

Joe Roth, the epic producer who is responsible for a bunch of shows and movies, including "Major League" and "Bachelor Party" and the guy who is at the helm of "Anger Management," is being sued by Jason Shuman, who claims he's responsible for turning Charlie's show into the TV version of the famous movie.

Shuman says he and Roth had a deal ... and he would get a huge chunk of the "Anger Management" profits. Shuman claims Roth is backing out of the deal, and he wants beaucoup bucks -- more than $50 million.

Roth is the dude who brought Charlie to the table for the new show. more on this story

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Ed Sheeran and Yelawolf EP Coming Next Week
The Slumdon Bridge EP, the Ed Sheeran's four-song collaboration with Yelawolf will be digitally released on April 24th.

"The collaboration with Yelawolf came about through me just being a big fan of his work, and wanting to make some interesting music with him. I reached out, he said yes, we had 10 hours in a studio together and made 4 songs, which I love. I think the EP is a good fusion of both worlds; he's such a talented musician, and a great person," Sheeran says of working with Yelawolf and the process behind "The Slumdon Bridge Ep."

Added Yelawolf, "It was surprising to me that we vibed so well; we did the entire project in one night. Ed is super, super f**kin' talented and I hope I get to work with him again in the future." more on this story

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Run Run Run's Xander Smith Releasing Solo Album
Run Run Run's Xander Smith will release his debut solo album, Hey San Pedro, on May 15, 2012.

To celebrate this release Smith will perform an intimate free gig at Stories bookstore in Echo Park on May 16, 2012 at 7:30pm.

According to the announcement, his debut solo release Hey San Pedro, will give fans a more folksy, singer-songwriter affair. Smith's 10 original tracks are rounded out with a cover of the Tegan and Sarah classic "Walking With a Ghost". more on this story

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Delta Rae To Debut In June
Warner Bros. Records have set a June 19th release date for Delta Rae's debut album, Carry The Fire.

Delta Rae are one of the first signings in quite a while by the legendary Seymour Stein himself, who is renowned for having a keen eye for new talent and had a hand in the careers of such iconic artists as the Ramones, Talking Heads, the Pretenders, Madonna, and The Smiths.

Stein called the band "an important addition to our overall roster. Their music, all original, is a mix of blues, country and gospel with a strong rock and roll influence. I hate labels, but if forced I would have to call their music 'Original Americana,' not unlike what the English are sending over via Mumford & Sons and others. I'm very proud to welcome Delta Rae to Sire. I know you will love Delta Rae and their music as much as I do." more on this story

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Warren Sapp Warns Judge That Jeremy Shockey Might Come After Him
(TMZ) Broke NFL legend Warren Sapp has warned the judge in his bankruptcy case that Jeremy Shockey might sue for defamation ... because Sapp accused him of being the "snitch" in the NFL bounty scandal.

As we previously reported, Shockey has been considering taking legal action against Sapp ... claiming Warren went on the NFL Network and FALSELY identified Jeremy as the man who blew the whistle on the New Orleans Saints just a few months ago.

For those unfamiliar with the bounty scandal ... the Saints were punished BIGTIME when league officials discovered players were encouraged to intentionally injure certain opponents ... and were even rewarded with cash prizes. Bad stuff.

Now, Sapp has filed new docs in bankruptcy court, listing Shockey as a potential creditor ... joining a long list of creditors that includes baby mamas, the IRS and a speech therapist.

Since Sapp initially filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy -- claiming he's broke-ass broke -- he's required to inform the court about any person who could make a financial claim against him.

Obviously, Sapp feels there's a chance Shockey will come after him in court. more on this story

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Blush Releasing New EP in May
(MSO) Blush have set a May 10th release date for their The Undivided EP, with the single "All Stars" set to impact radio on Tuesday, May 1.

The Undivided EP features nine tracks: "Undivided" (feat. Snoop Dogg), and previously unreleased originals: "All Stars," "Warrior," "Sweetly Leave Me" and "Together We're Greater"; along with two remixes of each of the group's first chart hits "Undivided" (Dave Aude Radio Mix and Morgan Page Radio Mix) and "Dance On" (WAWA Radio Mix and Razor N' Guido Radio Mix). In advance of the EP's release, a video for "All Stars" shot in BLUSH's dual home bases of Hong Kong and Los Angeles is set to debut Wednesday, April 25.

With their Billboard Dance/Club Play chart hits, BLUSH now stand alone as the only Asian artists to have their first two singles hit Top 10 on a major U.S. chart. In their short career, BLUSH--Victoria (Hong Kong, China), Natsuko (Japan), Angeli (Philippines), Ji Hae (Korea), and Alisha (India)--have performed alongside some of music's biggest acts including Justin Bieber, the Black Eyed Peas, Jessie J and B.o.B, Far East Movement, among others. The group harmonizes five distinct cultures within one incomparable and infectious sound: a blend of pop, dance, R&B and hip-hop. more on this story

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Miami Heat's Dwyane Wade Plays Pickup Game With Kids
(TMZ) Despite having just crushed the Knicks and Bobcats, Dwyane Wade was still hungry for blood this weekend ... destroying a group of innocent children in a pick-up basketball game ... and TMZ has the footage.

It all went down in NYC's Thompson Park on Sunday ... the NBA All-Star had just wrapped up a sock-shopping session at The Sock Hop in Soho -- and decided to jump in on some kids' pick-up basketball game (wearing slacks, a dress shirt, and a tie).

Within seconds, it was total D-WADE DOMINATION ... and the kids LOVED it. Wade must have played too hard though -- because the very next day against the Nets ... he got benched. Check out video.

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The Comedy Store's 40th Anniversary This Weekend
(MSO) On Saturday, April 21 at 8:00 PM, influential Sunset Strip landmark The Comedy Store will celebrate 40 years of laughs with a star-studded comedy show featuring rising comedians of today and famous alums in attendance.

The lineup includes performances by Comedy Central "Roastmaster" Jeffrey Ross, Paul Rodriguez, Louie Anderson, Paul Mooney, local NBC weatherman and former Comedy Store performer Fritz Coleman, Argus Hamilton, Dom Irrera, Jimmy Shubert, Tony Clifton, ventriloquist Willie Tyler & Lester, Comedy Store co-founder and comedian Sammy Shore, Chris Spencer, Guy Torry, Don Barris, Natasha Leggero, John Caparulo, Rick Ingraham, Brian Holtzman, Taylor Negron, Jeff Altman and Carrie Snow.

The night will also feature special video tributes from Comedy Store alums Robin Williams, David Letterman, Jay Leno, Marc Summers, Pauly Shore and Marc Maron. And in true Comedy Store fashion, guests should be prepared for surprise guests throughout the night. more on this story

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An Evening With Dolly Parton A Big Hit
Dolly Parton has lined up a string of media appearances to promote her recently released DVD/CD "An Evening With Dolly," which remains at No 2 on charts for another week.

Parton is celebrating the continued success of, "An Evening with... Dolly," which was released on April 2 exclusively at all Cracker Barrel Old Country Store locations.

The double-disc set includes live performances of Dolly's biggest hits, including 9 to 5, Jolene, Coat of Many Colors, Here You Come Again, Islands in the Stream, and I Will Always Love You, among others. more on this story

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