Tuesday, July 20, 2004
Ronstadt speaks her mind,gets booted from casino
LAS VEGAS -- Linda Ronstadt not only got booed, she also got the boot after lauding filmmaker Michael Moore and his new movie, "Fahrenheit 9/11," during a performance at the Aladdin hotel-casino.
Before singing "Desperado" for an encore Saturday night, the 58-year-old singer called Moore a "great American patriot" and "someone who is spreading the truth." She also encouraged everyone to see the documentary about President Bush.
Ronstadt's comments drew loud boos, and some of the 4,500 people in attendance stormed out of the theater. People also tore down concert posters and tossed cocktails into the air.
"It was a very ugly scene," Aladdin President Bill Timmins told The Associated Press. "She praised him and all of a sudden, all bedlam broke loose."
Timmins, who is British and was watching the show, decided Ronstadt had to go -- for good. Timmins said he didn't allow Ronstadt back into her luxury suite and she was escorted off the property.
Ronstadt's antics "spoiled a wonderful evening for our guests and we had to do something about it," Timmins said.
Timmins said it was the first time he'd sent a performer packing.
"As long as I'm here, she's not going to play," Timmins said.
Ronstadt had been booked to play the Aladdin for only one show.
Calls to Ronstadt's manager were not immediately returned.
In an interview with the Las Vegas Review-Journal before the show, Ronstadt said, "I keep hoping that if I'm annoying enough to them, they won't hire me back."
Monroe's tapes revealJoan Crawford's pass
LOS ANGELES -- Can you imagine saying "no" to Joan Crawford? Marilyn Monroe did, when the imposing Hollywood legend made an aggressive pass at her, according to Matthew Smith's new book.
"Marilyn's Last Words: Her Secret Tapes and Mysterious Death," which is based on recordings of Monroe's sessions with her psychiatrist, Ralph Greenson, reveals that when the aging star of "Mildred Pierce" put the moves on the country's reigning sex symbol, Monroe shot her down. "I told her straight out I didn't much enjoy doing it with a woman," Monroe says on one of the tapes. "After I turned her down, she became spiteful."
PETA online poll honors'Sexiest Vegetarians'
NEW YORK -- The secret to Grammy-winning hip-hop? Maybe it's the veggies.
Andre 3000 of OutKast has been voted the "World's Sexiest Vegetarian" in PETA's annual online poll. He shares the honor with actress Alicia Silverstone.
More than 12,000 votes were cast in the annual contest run by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals. Results were released last week.
Previous winners include Tobey Maguire, Lauren Bush and Shania Twain.
Silverstone and Andre 3000 beat out other contenders not known for their eating habits: John Cleese, Prince and "Weird Al" Yankovic.
Andre, 30, is the flashier side of the hip-hop duo OutKast.
OutKast's hip-hoppy jive won three trophies at the 2004 Grammy Awards: best urban-alternative performance for "Hey Ya!" and best rap album and overall album of the year for "Speakerboxxx/The Love Below." It was the first rap album to win most of the awards in top categories.
Silverstone, 27, has starred in films including "Clueless" and "Batman & amp; Robin."
Today's birthdays
Actress-singer Sally Ann Howes is 74. Video artist Nam June Paik is 72. Rockabilly singer Sleepy LaBeef is 69. Sen. Barbara A. Mikulski, D-Md., is 68. Actress Diana Rigg is 66. Rock musician John Lodge (The Moody Blues) is 61. Country singer T.G. Shepherd is 60. Singer Kim Carnes is 58. Rock musician Carlos Santana is 57. Rock musician Paul Cook (The Sex Pistols) is 48. Actress Donna Dixon is 47. Country singer Radney Foster is 45. Actor Frank Whaley is 41. Rock singer Chris Cornell is 40. Rock musician Stone Gossard (Pearl Jam) is 38. Actor Reed Diamond is 37. Singer Vitamin C is 35. Actor Simon Rex is 30. Actor Charlie Korsmo is 26. Actor John Francis Daley ("Freak and Geeks") is 19. Actress Billi Bruno ("According to Jim") is 8.