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Day in Pop Report for 09/18/2012


Mariah Carey and Nicki Minaj Clash At American Idol Taping
(TMZ) Mariah Carey wasted no time proving what we told you 2 weeks ago -- there's only room for one diva on "American Idol."

Carey and Nicki Minaj went at it during the first "A.I." taping Sunday in NYC. When Nicki started critiquing a contestant, Mariah would interrupt -- not once, but many times. Each time Mariah interrupted, Nicki fought back by loudly talking over Mariah.

One "A.I." spy said Mariah and Nicki tried to cover their disdain for each other but everyone saw through it, adding, "These girls just don't like each other."

You may recall, we reported when producers called Mariah to tell her that Nicki would probably be joining her as a judge, she hung up the phone. more on this story

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25th Anniversary Deluxe Edition of Michael Jackson's Bad Released
Epic/Legacy are celebrating the 25th anniversary of Michael Jackson's Bad with a new Deluxe Edition featuring 3CDs and DVD, which is being released today. They sent over these details:

The era of BAD represented Michael Jackson's creative 'coming of age' as a solo artist in charge of every aspect of his career � from recording to touring to endorsements to merchandising. This was the first album on which nearly all of the songs were written by Michael. It was also was the first album in history to produce FIVE consecutive #1 singles. It was the first time Michael would tour as a solo artist − his vision, his decisions on what the show would be. The enormous success of the BAD album and tour was a pivotal moment in Michael Jackson's growth as a composer, performer and producer, cementing his role as the King of Pop.

BAD produced ten chart-topping singles, nine groundbreaking short films, and to date the BAD album has generated over 45 million units in sales. BAD was nominated for six Grammys and won two. The album also earned Michael the first-ever Video Vanguard Award at the MTV VMA Awards. Now, 25 years after the phrase "Who's Bad" became a generation's cultural catchphrase, the legendary album and record-breaking BAD tour are being celebrated. more on this story

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Jerry The King Lawler Released From Hospital Following Heart Attack
(TMZ) MAJOR GOOD NEWS for Jerry "The King" Lawler ... the wrestling legend was released from the hospital after suffering a heart attack last week ... TMZ has learned.

The WWE just released a statement to TMZ ... saying, "Jerry 'The King' Lawler has been released from a Montreal medical facility and will be heading home in the next several days."

The statement continues, "We continue to wish Jerry all the best, and we look forward to him returning to WWE in the future."

As we previously reported, Lawler nearly died after suffering the heart attack on live TV during a taping of "Monday Night Raw."

No word on when ... or if ... he plans to return to the announcer's booth. more on this story

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Christina Aguilera Previews Your Body Video
(popmusiclife) Christina Aguilera previewed a clip of her new video for "Your Body," during The Voice on Monday night.

The track is the lead single from her forthcoming album, "Lotus," which is due November 13. Aguilera has been in the studio for the past year putting together her fifth album.

Working with writers and producers such as Alex Da Kid, and Sia, the effort also features collaboration with Cee Lo Green, Aguilera's co-star on NBC"s The Voice. Watch the tease here.

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Olympic Gold Medalist Shaun White Arrested
(TMZ) Olympic gold medalist Shaun White was arrested several hours ago after allegedly getting wasted at a hotel and badly injuring himself ... sources tell TMZ.

Sources tell TMZ ... White was in a Nashville hotel when he allegedly trashed his room in a stupor. When he was confronted by hotel staff, Shaun allegedly pulled several fire alarms and then ran fast ... so fast he fell and split his head open.

Law enforcement tells us Shaun was arrested for public intoxication and vandalism, but was taken to a hospital for treatment first. more on this story

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Jon Cryer In Violent Bike Crash
(TMZ) Jon Cryer nearly died during his violent bike crash this weekend ... but the actor tells TMZ the very first thought that raced through his mind was, "NOT THE FACE!"

Cryer just called in to "TMZ Live" ... telling us he luckily didn't break any bones during his crash in the Malibu triathlon ... but says "I've left a lot of my skin on the Pacific Coast Highway."

As we previously reported, Cryer wiped out during the cycling leg of the race ... explaining, "You know how cyclists wear the leotard that offers zero protection? I used that to break my fall."

The "Two and a Half Men" star -- who was racing for the Stand Up to Cancer organization -- says the worst part of the whole experience wasn't the blood and the bruising ... it was the PARKING TICKET he got after going to the doctor.

Painful. more on this story

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Lana Del Rey's Cover of Blue Velvet Streaming Online
(popmusiclife) Lana Del Rey will star in H&M print ads as well as a full-length video of Lana singing a cover of "Blue Velvet," shot by director Johan Renck.

"Blue Velvet" was written in the 1950s, and became a Top 20 hit for Tony Bennett in 1951.

The most popular recording of the song is that of Bobby Vinton, which hit number one on the Billboard Hot 100 on September 21, 1963, and held the top spot for three weeks.

Fan can now hear Del Rey's full version of the song here.

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Amanda Bynes Denies Crazy Reports
(TMZ) Amanda Bynes is ADAMANT ... she's not crazy AND she definitely doesn't smoke weed in her car ... that's what the actress is telling close friends.

Amanda's friends have been reaching out lately because they want to help her ... but she's telling them to back off because "everything's fine."

The actress says ... the stories about her mental state "are being blown way out of proportion."

She is also telling friends ... the picture TMZ posted of her smoking from a drug pipe inside her car is not what it seems. She says she was smoking tobacco ... despite the fact that her cup-holders had remnants of what appeared to be marijuana.

As we previously reported, we spoke with several people who have witnessed Amanda's behavior recently, who say she's chatting with inanimate objects ... talking to herself in the gym ... and they fear she may be suffering from serious mental issues.

In other Amanda news ... she's still facing TWO hit-and-run charges, one DUI charge and her license is still suspended. And her car got impounded this week. more on this story

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Details About Leaked Drake Song
Capitol Records sent over some details about the Drake song, "Where Were You?" which leaked this past weekend:

"Where Were You" is a collaboration between Toronto producers Boi-1da and D10 and Capitol Records artist Colin Munroe. The track was originally titled "Whatever Became of You" and was submitted for Drake's 2010 release Thank Me Later. Drake recorded additional features on the track. Although the song didn't make the album's cut, that didn't diminish the excitement for the track.

Meanwhile, Colin recorded a solo version, keeping his original chorus and penning new verses. The official version of the song appeared two weeks ago on Colin Munroe's mixtape #UnsungHero. It's still called "Whatever Became of You". It's was produced by Boi-1da and D10 with additional production by Colin Munroe. 40's engineer, Noel Cadastre mixed the joint. We're really glad that it's part of Colin's repertoire. It's a beautiful and haunting track that definitely deserves some shine.

Listen to Colin Munroe "Whatever Became of You" here and #UnsungHero Mixtape via Karmaloop here.

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Mike Doughty Releasing Covers Album
Mike Doughty have set a November 6th release date for his new album, "The Flip Is Another Honey," which will feature covers of songs by John Denver, Cheap Trick, the Stone Roses, Stephen Sondheim and more. We were sent these details:

The title, taken from a 1956 Variety review of a Jerry Lee Lewis single, means "the b-side is also fantastic."

Doughty has long included choice covers in his repertoire, putting his mark on songs by Mary J. Blige, Kenny Rogers, Neutral Milk Hotel and Daniel Johnston in the studio, and Guns 'N' Roses, The Magnetic Fields and more in concert. But "The Flip Is Another Honey" is the first full album on which Doughty lends his unmistakable voice to other writers' songs. "Take Me Home, Country Roads," is a cover of the John Denver song, performed here with guest vocalist Rosanne Cash. The opening track "Sunshine" finds Doughty rapping around samples of Denver's voice. "Sit Down, You're Rocking the Boat" is a straightforward version of the song from the musical "Guys and Dolls" by Frank Loesser. "Reach Out" is an obscure Cheap Trick tune from the soundtrack of the early 80s animated film "Heavy Metal," which segues into a version of Josh Wink's 90s EDM classic "Higher State of Consciousness." Other artists Doughty covers on the album include Randy Newman, Thin Lizzy, Doveman, Red House Painters, Low, Camille, and Cat Iron (via 15 60 75 The Numbers Band). more on this story

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Jazz-Fusion Trio HBC Releasing CD
Jazz-Fusion legends Scott Henderson, Jeff Berlin and Dennis Chambers, will release their new album, HBC, on October 16, 2012. Glass Onyon sent over these details:

"The trio is all about interplay," explains guitarist Scott Henderson. "Jeff and I have always had a very high level of communication when we play together, and putting Dennis in the mix notches it up even higher. He's an extremely musical drummer, but at the same time has the ability to bring the energy up to scary levels." Bassist Jeff Berlin adds, "We pretty much have the same vision of how three strong players should sound together. We function well on many levels; we're friends and love to hang. We're also individually dedicated to high standards of playing."

The music on the CD reflects the influences and spirit of HBC. Tracks include covers by Weather Report, Herbie Hancock, Billy Cobham and originals penned by Henderson and Berlin individually. Says Jeff. "We all agreed to the repertoire but Scott picked most of the songs." Scott explains, "I thought it would be cool if a guitar trio covered songs by keyboard players like Joe Zawinul and Herbie Hancock, though we did some Wayne Shorter tunes as well." more on this story

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Man Who Killed Niecy Nash's Brother May Have Killed Again
(TMZ) The man who shot and killed comedian Niecy Nash's brother 19 years ago has allegedly killed AGAIN -- this time murdering his wife ... and the comedian says she's appalled that another family has been ruined by this "heinous" killer.

Robert Lee Heard was arrested Saturday in Shreveport, LA for allegedly stabbing and killing his 35-year-old wife Demetra Doyle Heard.

In 1993 a 16-year-old Heard was convicted of shooting and killing Nash's brother, Michael Ensley, at a Reseda, CA high school. He was committed to a juvenile corrections facility until 2002.

Then in 2003, he was convicted of attempted first-degree murder and sent to prison ... but was released in 2011. That is until this weekend ... when police found his wife stabbed to death.

Nash tells TMZ ... "No family should have to endure the loss of a loved one at the hands of a previously convicted violent criminal."

Nash added,"I am deeply saddened to hear that the man who murdered my brother, Michael Ensley, has been charged with murder again."

And Nash went on ... saying "I grieve for every family who has been victimized by this heinous individual. My prayers and love go out to the family of Demetra Doyle Heard during this trying time." more on this story

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Seth MacFarlane Pondering Ted Sequel
(TMZ) Seth MacFarlane says he's still making up his mind about doing a sequel to his smash hit "Ted" ... telling TMZ, "We're thinking about it."

Seth was hanging out in New York this weekend with his "Ted" co-writers Alec Sulkin and Wellesley Wild .... just a few days after NBCUniversal CEO Steve Burke proclaimed, "We'd like to see a 'Ted 2' as soon as we can."

FYI -- "Ted" made over $400 MILLION at the box office worldwide ... so, we're guessing the only thing Seth and his team are "thinking about" is how much money they're going to demand. more on this story

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Save By The Bell's Mr. Belding Turns Pro Wrestler
(TMZ) Mr. Belding is a trash-talking ... stomach-kicking ... stone cold stunning PRO WRESTLER ... and TMZ has the video to prove it.

It all went down at an event in Jersey ... where 61-year-old Dennis Haskins was serving as host and guest enforcer for a Pro Wrestling Syndicate event called "Saved By the Ring Bell."

Belding not only whooped some ass ... he dragged his victim all around the ring and taunted him mercilessly ... while a masked man in a pink unitard egged him on.

Slater would be proud. Watch the video here.

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Kristin Chenoweth Slowly Recovering From Neck Injury
(TMZ) Kristin Chenoweth says she's making steady progress in her recovery from the freak neck injury she suffered on the set of "The Good Wife" ... but tells TMZ she's not out of the woods yet.

Chenoweth completed a physical therapy session in Hollywood Monday ... and afterward, the actress told us she's working hard to get her life back to normal ... saying recovery is "slow but wonderful."

We broke the story ... Kristin had to be rushed to the hospital back in July, when she was struck in the head by a piece of lighting equipment on the NY set of the CBS drama.

Kristin later quit the show, claiming she was simply too injured to continue ... and yesterday the 44-year-old made it clear, she's STILL not ready to ditch the neck brace. more on this story

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Modern Family Star Accused of Starting Fight At Dodgers Game
(TMZ) "Modern Family" star Eric Stonestreet picked the fight between himself and a Cardinals fan this weekend at the Dodgers game -- this according to the Cardinals fan, who tells TMZ, Stonestreet took a friendly rivalry WAAAY over the line.

The Cardinals fan in question -- a guy named Michael Gallagher -- says the drama began when he heckled Matt Kemp for grounding out at the bottom of the 8th.

Gallagher says he yelled, "Hey Kemp, 0 for 4, nice job!" ... and Kemp rolled his eyes, laughing it off.

According to Gallagher, Stonestreet was sitting next to him and yelled back, "Matt Kemp should've come over and punched you in the face."

Gallagher claims Stonestreet then approached a security guard and said something to the effect of ... "Someone needs to kick this guy's ass."

Gallagher tells us, Stonestreet continued to yell insults at him and his friend, such as "Nice v-neck" -- and finally his friend snapped, yelling back, "Well you're a fat ass!"

According to Gallagher, that's when things got out of hand -- and the actor came over to exchange words up close.

Security quickly intervened and escorted everyone up to the main concourse -- at which point Gallagher says Stonestreet whipped out the infamous line ... "Don't you know who I am?"

Gallagher says security let Stonestreet go back to his seat, but kicked him and his friend out -- for no good reason. As for Stonestreet, the "Modern Family" actor told us nothing happened, despite admitting he was escorted out of his seat. more on this story

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Floyd Mayweather Jr.'s Ex Forgives Him For Beating
(TMZ) The woman Floyd Mayweather Jr. beat in front of their children is a forgiving soul, claiming she no longer holds a grudge and wants to bury the hatchet.

Josie Harris tells us, she and Floyd are trying to put their fighting past behind them so they can raise their three kids in a stable environment.

You'll recall ... Floyd was popped back in 2010 after Josie accused him of striking her "multiple times in the head with his fist" and then threatening to kill her. Josie and Floyd's children were present.

Floyd later pled guilty to misdemeanor domestic violence and served two months in jail.

Now Josie says, "S**t happens. I'm not mad at him at all ... I love Floyd to death."

She adds, "[Floyd] loves his kids and is a great father. He would never do anything like that again ... I'm sorry the situation happened ... now we will just progress and start over and move forward together." more on this story

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Heidi Klum's Boyfriend Texting Violation
(TMZ) Heidi Klum's boyfriend -- formerly known as "The Help" -- was pulled over in L.A. last week ... after cops caught him doing the same thing everyone in L.A. does all the time ... texting while driving.

TMZ has learned ... Martin Kristen was pulled over on the 405 Freeway near the Sunset exit ... after a California Highway Patrol officer noticed the guy texting while driving a black Mercedes Benz passenger van.

Cops tell us Martin was cited and sent on his way. We're told Heidi was NOT in the car at the time of the incident ... and obviously, neither was Seal. more on this story

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