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Day in Pop Report for 02/17/2012


Whitney Houston Had a Premonition About Her Death?
(TMZ) Whitney Houston told friends she "really wanted to see Jesus" in the days before her death ... and claimed she had a feeling the end was near for her ... this according to several of Whitney's friends.

TMZ has learned ... Whitney had been very spiritual in her final days ... quoting the bible, singing hymns and engaging in intense conversations about Jesus Christ and the afterlife with her close friends and family members.

We're told .... on Friday , one day after she performed, "Yes Jesus Loves Me" at Tru nightclub in Hollywood, Whitney told one of her friends, "I'm gonna go see Jesus ... I want to see Jesus."

The next morning, hours before her death, Whitney was discussing a bible passage involving John the Baptist and Jesus ... when Houston flashed a big smile and remarked, "You know, he's so cool ... I really want to see that Jesus."

Another source tells us ... Whitney had been telling friends she "felt like her time was coming" ... and wanted to make sure she spent her time praising her lord and savior whenever she could.

Unfortunately, Whitney's premonition came true. more on this story

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Coke Bust for Beyonce, 50 Cent Producer
(TMZ) Hip-hop producer Scott Storch -- a recovering drug addict -- was arrested in Vegas earlier this month for possession of cocaine ... TMZ has learned.

According to law enforcement, Storch was arrested at a Vegas hotel around 8:30 AM on Feb. 4.

Sources tell us ... the arrest went down after an employee called police to complain that Storch wouldn't pay for his room.

When cops arrived to the scene, we're told officers discovered Storch was in possession of cocaine. Storch was hauled to a nearby police station ... where he was released on $5k bond.

Storch -- who has worked with stars like Beyonc�, 50 Cent, Dr. Dre, Snoop, Pink and more -- famously blew a $30 million fortune after getting hooked on drugs back in 2006. He eventually checked into rehab and has been working on his recovery ever since.

Scott was out in L.A. this weekend acting like nothing ever happened -- casually joking about one of his former artists, Brooke Hogan, while smoking a cigar. more on this story

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American Idol Cop Contestant Blasts Producers
(TMZ) Former "American Idol" contestant and police officer Alisha Bernhardt tells TMZ, she is NOT a cold-hearted bitch -- which is why she's upset at "Idol" producers over how they portrayed her on last week's show.

In case you missed it -- Alisha was the girl who couldn't find a group to perform "Joy to the World" with ... and unleashed a torrent of bitchiness in frustration.

But Alisha -- who was eliminated Wednesday night -- tells us, producers edited the show to make her look more like a loudmouthed fight-picking ice queen than she really is.

Alisha insists ... that's just not an accurate reflection of her character -- in reality, she's a really nice person. There's not much she can do legally speaking ... but hey, it's good to know. more on this story

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Vh1 Next Season of Behind The Rap (Music)
Vh1 continue the rap heavy focus for the next series of episodes of Behind The Music with specials planned for Game, T-Pain, Akon, Brandy and Nas. Here are the details they sent over:

"Behind The Music: Game" � Premieres Thursday, March 22, 2012 At 9pm Et/Pt: "Behind The Music: Game" tracks the unlikely rise of a young gangbanger from Compton into the most successful west coast rapper since N.W.A. and Snoop Dogg. Born into a life of drugs and hustling, by the age of seven he was in a foster home. By high school, he was a full-time gang member and drug dealer. After being shot five times and left for dead, Game dedicated himself to becoming a rapper and against all odds, rose to the top of the genre, putting west coast gangsta rap back on the map. Despite numerous beefs, battles with depression and multiple arrests, Game has managed to stay on top with four consecutive #1 hit albums. Featuring candid, no holds barred interviews with Game, his family and close friends, Behind the Music: Game is a riveting portrait of one of hip-hop's most misunderstood artists.

"Behind The Music: T-Pain" � Premieres Thursday, March 29, 2012 at 9PM ET/PT: "Behind the Music: T-Pain" explores the rise of a shy kid from Tallahassee, Florida to the heights of the music industry. T-Pain was born Faheem Najm into a stable, middle class family that supported his natural curiosity and talent in music at a very young age. An outsider in school, T-Pain spent his childhood locked in his makeshift bedroom "studio," producing his own music, eventually dropping out of the 8th grade to pursue his dreams full-time. As a teenager, he found local success with a group called the Nappy Headz. Frustrated by the lack of opportunities in Tallahassee, the falling apart of his family and a tense relationship with his father, T-Pain ran away from home and signed with Akon's fledgling label, Konvict Records. Finally on the national scene, his use of auto-tune created a signature sound and he quickly became one of the most sought-after producers, working with everyone from Lil Wayne and Britney Spears. A multi-platinum selling artist in his own right with 2005's Rappa Ternt Sanga, 2007's Epiphany, 2008's Thr33 Ringz and his most recent release rEVOLVEr, T-Pain has produced and been featured on over 45 top ten songs and 16 No. 1's.

more on this story

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Big Time Rush Releasing Beatles Cover Album
Nickelodeon's Big Time Rush have set a March 6th iTunes exclusive release for the soundtrack to their movie, Big Time Movie.

The Big Time Movie Soundtrack features covers of the beloved Beatles classics Help!, A Hard Day's Night, We Can Work It Out, Revolution, Can't Buy Me Love and I Want To Hold Your Hand*. Big Time Movie will premiere Saturday, March 10 on Nickelodeon.

In Big Time Movie, Kendall, James, Carlos and Logan head to London for their first big world tour, but instead get mixed up in a mission to save the world. With their bags switched at the airport, they inadvertently gain possession of a fearsome device that, in the wrong hands, could destroy the world. The guys must tap into their inner spy as their adventure finds them driving exotic cars and jumping out of helicopters, while trying to make it to their first world tour concert on time. Hot on their trail are evil henchmen named Maxwell, British secret agents and Swedish spies as well as billionaire businessman, Sir Atticus Moon who wants back his precious device code named: "The Beetle," an anti-gravitational device with enormous power. Once they learn they're carrying this precious cargo, the guys get pulled into a madcap mission throughout London, which threatens the onset of their world tour. With the help of teen spy Penny Lane, the guys set out to save Penny's father MI6 Agent Simon Lane and stop Sir Atticus Moon's plot to use "The Beetle" to gain world domination. more on this story

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Will Smith Hosting Kids' Choice Awards
Nickelodeon has released the nominee list and details for their 25th Annual Kids' Choice Awards, which will be hosted by Will Smith and will air live from USC's Galen Center in Los Angeles on Saturday, March 31, at 8 p.m. (ET/tape delayed for West Coast).

Here is what they had to say followed by the list: A star-studded line-up will be vying for the coveted Kids' Choice Blimps at this year's show, as kids honor their favorites spanning the worlds of film, music, TV and sports, including Jessica Alba, Antonio Banderas, Justin Bieber, Big Time Rush, Jack Black, Ty Burrell, Jim Carrey, Miranda Cosgrove, Tom Cruise, Johnny Depp, Lady Gaga, Selena Gomez, Victoria Justice, Bruno Mars, Taylor Lautner, Danica Patrick, Katy Perry, Michael Phelps, Daniel Radcliffe, Adam Sandler and Kristen Stewart. Beginning March 1, kids will be able to cast their votes in 20 total categories across all of Nickelodeon's digital outlets, including Nick.com, Nick Mobile app as well as Nickelodeon's Facebook page and Twitter feed.

Wizards, Smurfs and a martial arts panda dominated the movie categories, with the Harry Potter franchise conjuring up top nods with four nominations for Favorite Movie, Favorite Book (the Harry Potter series), Daniel Radcliffe for Favorite Movie Actor and Emma Watson for Favorite Movie Actress. The Smurfs nabbed three nominations, including Favorite Movie, Sofia Vergara for Favorite Movie Actress and Katy Perry for Favorite Voice in an Animated Movie. The mega-hit Kung Fu Panda franchise ate up nominations for Favorite Movie, Favorite Cartoon and Jack Black for Favorite Voice in an Animated Movie. more on this story

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Dierks Bentley Surprises Wounded Warrior With $50K
Earlier this week Dierks Bentley surprised a military family with $50,000 to help with their financial struggles on The Ellen DeGeneres Show.

Sgt. Chad Sparks was actively serving when he lost a finger on duty and was forced to return home to care for his injury.

He and his wife have been trying to make ends meet by selling their furniture, appliances and other personal items on Craigslist to help support their one-year-old daughter as Sgt. Sparks faces redeployment to Afghanistan.

To watch Bentley surprise the The Sparks Family, click here

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Hot Chelle Rae Score Another Platinum Hit
Hot Chelle Rae have scored another platinum award after selling a million copies of "I Like It Like That."

"I Like It Like That, " is the follow up single to their double platinum hit "Tonight Tonight" from their second studio album Whatever .

The band just kicked off their 33+ date headlining tour last week on February 10th in Metarie, LA, with multiple dates already sold out in New York, Boston, Philadelphia, Chicago, Los Angeles, Minneapolis as well as this week's Denver show. more on this story

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Bobby Brown Welcome at Whitney Houston's Funeral
(TMZ) Whitney Houston's family has finally reached out to Bobby Brown ... and have formally invited him to attend Whitney's funeral in NJ on Saturday ... TMZ has learned.

Houston family sources tell us, "At the last minute, the family felt that it would keep the peace at the funeral [to have Bobby there] ... even though some family members were against it."

As we previously reported, several Houston family members were strongly opposed to inviting Brown to the funeral because they blame him in part for contributing to Whitney's downfall.

Sources close to Bobby tell us family friends had warned him not to go to the funeral ... but now, with the change of heart, Bobby will definitely be there.

Brown has agreed to perform at a concert at an Indian casino in Connecticut hours after the funeral ... and we're told he plans to leave NJ on a private jet so he can make it to the show on time. more on this story

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Zach Rogue of Rogue Wave's Release The Sunbird Releasing New EP
Zach Rogue of Rogue Wave's Release The Sunbird will release a new digital EP, Imaginary Summer, next Tuesday February 21st.

The EP will be comprised of tracks from the Come Back to Us recording sessions, as well as two tracks, "I Will Walk" and "Silence," which Zach recorded with his touring band, and a beautiful cover of The Talking Head's "Road To Nowhere."

Zach Rogue started Release The Sunbird in the summer of 2010 in order to scratch the itch of trying something new creatively after years spent on the road with his band Rogue Wave. His initial efforts were recorded at his friend Mike Bridavsky's Russian Recording studio in Bloomington, Indiana. The resulting Come Back To Us was a critical success, not only engaging his Zach's fans in the Rogue Wave community, but also gaining him a host of new fans brought in solely on the quality of the album. more on this story

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Alabama Shakes Tour and TV Special Coming
Alabama Shakes have a busy spring ahead of them including a new tour, taping an episode of Austin City Limits and an appearance at SXSW. We were sent these details:

Alabama Shakes will kick off their spring tour on March 9 with a sold-out show at Chicago's Lincoln Hall. On March 13, the band will tape an episode of the legendary PBS program "Austin City Limits," which will air later this year.

Alabama Shakes will play two shows in New York City - The Bowery Ballroom on April 11 and the Music Hall of Williamsburg on April 12. In addition to their North American and European headline dates, the band will perform at the Hangout, Sasquatch and Bonnaroo music festivals. more on this story

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Jenny McCarthy Lands New Vh1 Show
(PR) VH1 have announced plans to launch a new series, "The Jenny McCarthy Show" that will celebrate as well as skewer everyone and everything in pop culture, news, fashion, TV, movies and the web.

The series will also feature guest panelists and celebrity interviews. "The Jenny McCarthy Show" is set to premiere on VH1 in the summer/fall of 2012.

"Jenny is a great comedic talent with a sharp wit and magnetic personality, and we couldn't be happier to welcome her to the VH1 family. Our viewers connect with smart, funny, and outspoken women and Jenny certainly represents all of those elements wrapped up in a style that makes people smile," said Jeff Olde, EVP of Original Programming and Production.

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Reggie Bush Comments on Kim Kardashian Speculation
(TMZ) Reggie Bush ain't going back to the Kardashian well ... telling TMZ he's 100% NOT dating his old flame Kim ... despite an expensive lunch date this past weekend.

Reggie was hanging out on Rodeo Drive in Bev Hills when we asked if he was back on with his reality ex. Reggie couldn't have been more clear -- hell no.

TMZ broke the story ... Reg and Kim were spotted on a lunch date at the Beverly Hills Hotel this weekend.

Sometimes a really expensive salad is just a really expensive salad ... but sometimes it's not. more on this story

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Dead Fashion Designer Sued for Sexual Harassment
(TMZ) Dead men tell no tales ... and they can't really defend themselves in court either ... which might be why deceased Beverly Hills fashion titan Bijan is being sued for sexual harassment by his former assistant.

Before Bijan died last year, he famously ran "the most expensive [clothing] store in the world" ... where he outfitted everyone from Obama to George W. Bush ... Schwarzenegger, Jay Leno and Michael Jordan.

But according to Brittany Anderson, Bijan was a sexual terror behind the scenes ... who was constantly commenting on her "voluptuous figure" and informing her that he "wanted her sexually."

Anderson claims she told Bijan she had a BF in an effort to curb the sexual harassment ... but instead of backing off, Bijan allegedly retaliated by demoting her.

Anderson is suing for unspecified damages. Bijan could not be reached for comment. more on this story

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Mysterious Actor Vs Lisa Ragland Over Ring
(TMZ) Breaking off an engagement SUCKS ... especially when the breaker-offer REFUSES to return the $90,000 engagement ring ... this according to a big actor who has sued his ex-fiancee.

For some reason, the lawyer repping the actor has filed the lawsuit under the fictitious name, John Doe. The actor is suing Lisa Ragland -- claiming she broke off their engagement in 2003 but REFUSED to return the $90,000 engagement ring.

Sources connected to the case tell us "John Doe" is not Ian Ziering, who was also engaged to Ragland around the same time. Our sources tell us ... it's a "huge actor."

According to the lawsuit, after Ragland called off the engagement, she told the actor she lost the ring ... and he believed her.

That is, until 2010 ... when she fessed up and admitted she had the ring all along. So now Doe is suing her for either return of the ring or its full cash value.

Here's the deal -- under California law, if an engagement is called off, the guy always gets the ring back ... and it doesn't matter who broke it off. The ring is considered a "gift in contemplation of marriage" ... so if the marriage doesn't take place, the ring goes back.

Stay tuned. more on this story

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