Cover has rapper as Jesus

Cover has rapper as Jesus
NEW YORK -- Kanye West, with a crown of thorns atop his head, poses as Jesus Christ on the cover of the upcoming issue of Rolling Stone. The outspoken rapper defends his brash attitude inside the magazine's pages, on newsstands Friday. West also says his hit song "Gold Digger" was the best song last year and that it should have been nominated for the Grammy's best rap song category. The 27-year-old is nominated for eight awards, including album of the year for his sophomore album, "Late Registration." The Grammys will be presented Feb. 8. West has always been forthright in saying what he feels, most famously when he said "George Bush doesn't care about black people" during a telethon for Hurricane Katrina victims.
Gallagher likes U.S. cars
LOS ANGELES -- "7th Heaven" actor David Gallagher loves cars -- as long as they're made in America. It's been nearly a decade since Gallagher landed the role of Simon Camden, evolving from a cute towhead into the troublesome teen on the WB series. Behind the scenes, he's had a passion for American muscle cars. The 20-year-old actor has 11 of them. "I'm way into cars," Gallagher told duPont Registry's Celebrity Car magazine, which features a photo spread of his collection in the winter issue of the quarterly, now on newsstands. His collection includes a 1964 Chevrolet Impala, a 1971 Oldsmobile 442, a 1973 Ford Mustang convertible and a 1967 Pontiac Firebird. He also has a red Dodge Viper and a Plymouth Prowler.
Shields says baby's a girl
NEW YORK -- Brooke Shields, who is pregnant with her second child, says of her baby due in May: "It's a girl!" "I wasn't sure I was going to make this public," Shields told People magazine in a report Tuesday. "I'm thrilled for my daughter to have a little friend. Two Tauruses, it's a huge trick being played on me." Shields' daughter, Rowan, who is 2, was born in May. The 40-year-old actress has been married to TV writer-producer Chris Henchy since 2001. Shields chronicled her post-pregnancy experiences in a memoir, "Down Came the Rain: My Journey Through Postpartum Depression." Her outspoken support of antidepressants prompted the criticism of Tom Cruise, a Scientologist who opposes psychiatry and prescription medication to battle depression. The actress, who began modeling as a toddler, has appeared in films including "Pretty Baby," "The Blue Lagoon" and "Endless Love." Her TV sitcom, "Suddenly Susan," ran from 1996-2000.
Pesci hit me, student says
BOCA RATON, Fla. -- A college student has filed a police report alleging that actor Joe Pesci punched him in the mouth after he snapped a photo in a shopping center parking lot. Juan Carlos Montenegro, 24, filed the report Sunday against Pesci. The 62-year-old actor, who won an Oscar for his role in 1990's "Goodfellas," hasn't been charged. Sgt. Jeff Kelly said police weren't sure if the man who allegedly struck Montenegro was Pesci. Pesci's screen credits also include roles in "My Cousin Vinny," "Casino" and "Raging Bull."
Camp to teach mandolin
OWENSBORO, Ky. -- A museum dedicated to preserving bluegrass music is planning a weekend camp this summer to teach people how to play the mandolin like Bill Monroe. The study of Monroe's style is important because he revolutionized the way the instrument is played, said Justin Holt, a spokesman for the International Bluegrass Music Museum in Owensboro. A pioneer in bluegrass music, Monroe developed an up-tempo, fiddle-based approach to mandolin while most other mandolin players have used a guitar-based approach, Holt said. The camp, which will take place Sept. 8-10 to mark the birth and death of Monroe, will be led by five of the top Monroe-style pickers -- Frank Wakefield, Mike Compton, Skip Gorman, David Long and Red Henry.
Today's birthdays
Actor Charles Lane is 101. Actress Anne Jeffreys is 83. Actor Paul Newman is 81.Cartoonist Jules Feiffer is 77. Sportscaster-actor Bob Uecker is 71. Actor Scott Glenn is 67. Singer Jean Knight is 63. Activist Angela Davis is 62. Rock musician Corky Laing (Mountain) is 58. Actor David Strathairn is 57. Singer Lucinda Williams is 53. Rock singer-musician Eddie Van Halen is 51. Reggae musician Norman Hassan (UB40) is 48. Actress-comedian Ellen DeGeneres is 48. Hockey star Wayne Gretzky is 45. Musician Andrew Ridgeley is 43. Rhythm-and-blues singer Jazzie B. (Soul II Soul) is 43. Actor Paul Johansson is 42. Gospel singer Kirk Franklin is 36. Actress Jennifer Crystal is 33. Rock musician Chris Hesse (Hoobastank) is 32. Actress Sarah Rue is 28. Country musician Michael Martin (Marshall Dyllon) is 23.