New York Times
Out in Hollywood: Starring Roles Are Rare
THERE’S a bisexual woman in “Bones” and a lesbian couple on “The Goode Family.” “Dirty Sexy Money” features a transsexual and “Brothers & Sisters” a gay marriage. In “Mad Men,” the Emmy-winning drama set in the early ‘60s, there’s Salvatore Romano, a self-loathing homosexual who marries a woman but pines for a male co-worker. Never before have gay story lines been so prominent. Nor have there ever been so many gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender characters on television – 83 by a recent count frothe Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation, not counting reality shows, daytime dramas or gay-oriented cable networks.
And She Is Telling You She Is Just Getting Started
For Jennifer Hudson, an “American Idol” contestant who won an Academy Award, has the moment passed for the singing career she always wanted? “She said, ‘Henry, I want to tell you I’a slow learner, but I will get it,’ ” Mr. Krieger recalled. “I saw the look in her eye, and I believed her. And she did come through, exactly in her way – slowly.”
Songs of Strength, Sweetness, Soul and Blunt Truths
On Robin Thicke’s playlist: music by Duffy, Jack Johnson, Marvin Sapp and Nas.
New York Post
NOW OMAROSA’S IN ‘LOVE’
OMAROSA is going to star in an “I Love New York“-type dating show for VH1, according to reports over the weekend. The lightning-rod for controversy will move into a house with a dozen single men competing for her attention, the Web site MediaTakeOut reports.
WORKING for Sean “Diddy” Combs can open doors – and Rolodexes – but stalking your boss’ famous friends is still frowned upon. “A Sean John employee got his hands on Pharrell Williams’ e-mail address somehow,” a tipster told Page Six. “He e-mailed Pharrell so many times asking if they could work together, but Pharrell had no idea who the person writing to hiwas.” We’re told Williams called Combs. A rep for Diddy told us, “Diddy was not made aware of this incident. A staff member was contacted, and they handled it internally.”
We Hear: THAT rapper TI will perforas part of Patrón tequila’s “Music in Motion” tour tonight at Marquee
JERMAINE Dupri had a little too much of a good time celebrating his 36th birthday. The other night, Dupri and his squeeze, Janet Jackson, went to Tenjune, where, spies say, they shared bottles of Jay-Z’s Ace of Spades Champagne and Patrón tequila with Ne-Yo, Busta Rhymes and Ice-T – until Dupri “vomited in Janet’s lap. Ms. Jackson bolted out of the scene and sped off in her chauffeured Maybach.” A rep for Jackson and Dupri didn’t return calls. A rep for Tenjune declined to comment. Meanwhile, we hear Dupri is under some stress at work. The head of urban music for Island/Def Japut out his lady’s last album, “Discipline,” which flopped. Our insider said, “[IDJ head] L.A. Reid had wanted to make changes to the album, make it fresher with some newer artists added in, but Janet said no – and Jermaine backed her up. He looks silly right now.”
Daily News
Kings of Leon singer comes into his own
Even the greatest singers face a struggle trying to find their true voice. Besides locating the right sounds to surround them, they need to bore deep into their own wisdoand pain to articulate every nuance of the lyrics they mean to convey.
Soul vs. mimicry a thin line for Robin Thicke
We all want to be someone else sometimes. Frothe sound of his new CD, Robin Thicke wants to be a lot of other people, often.
‘Womanizer’ not the brilliant single Britney Spears needs
After delaying the release of the first single froBritney Spears’ upcoming albufor nearly a week, the song, “Womanizer,” finally hit radio waves Friday. Frothe sound of it, it should have been delayed indefinitely.
USA Today
Hudson’s ‘Idol’ prediction is still coming true
NEW YORK – Jennifer Hudson doesn’t like to say “I told you so,” but she told you so. More than four years ago, when the then-unknown singer finished seventh on Season 3 of American Idol, she delivered an “exit speech. I said, ‘I don’t know when or where or how, but God has something in store for me.’ I think the judges or producers kind of laughed.”
Billboard
New Britney Spears Single Hits Radio
“Womanizer,” the first single froBritney Spears’ upcoming albu”Circus,” hit U.S. radio outlets this morning. The track, produced by up-and-coming Atlanta teathe Outsyders, has a thick, synthy sound that should lend itself to remixes and club play.
Plant/Krauss, Iron & Wine Star At ACL Festival
As temperatures soared well into the 90s, American roots music reigned supreme on the second day of Austin City Limits festival (Sept. 27), with Robert Plant & Alison Krauss, Iron & Wine, Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings and Conor Oberst leading the charge.
Best Buy Snags Guns N’ Roses AlbuExclusive
Best Buy is set to be the exclusive retailer for Guns N’ Roses decade-plus-in-the-making new albu”Chinese Democracy” before year’s end, sources close to the situation tell Billboard. Some details of the deal are still being worked out, including the release date.
Ludacris Lets Listeners Inside His ‘Mind’
Ludacris unveiled four tracks frohis new album, “Theater of the Mind,” for fans last night (Sept. 25) at New York’s Tribeca Cinemas, ahead of its Oct. 21 release via Def Jam.
Kanye Won’t Face Felony Charge In Airport Flap
Los Angeles County prosecutors say they have declined to file felony charges against Kanye West for an incident in which a paparazzo’s camera was broken.
Box Office
1. “Eagle Eye,” $29.2 million.
2. “Nights in Rodanthe,” $13.6 million.
3. “Lakeview Terrace,” $7 million.
4. “Fireproof,” $6.5 million.
5. “Burn After Reading,” $6.2 million.
6. “Igor,” $5.5 million.
7. “Righteous Kill,” $3.803 million.
8. “My Best Friend’s Girl,” $3.8 million.
9. “Miracle at St. Anna,” $3.5 million.
10. “Tyler Perry’s the Family That Preys,” $3.2 million.
TV Lineups
Monday, September 29
David Letterman: Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Michael Cera, Pete Seeger
Jay Leno: Russell Crowe, Robert Wagner, Lang Lang
Late Late Show: Melina Kanakaredes, MMA fighter Gina Carano, Amy Macdonald
Conan O’Brien: Bill Maher, Simon Pegg, the Watson Twins
Last Call: Kat Dennings
Daily Show: TBA
Colbert Report: Paul Begala
Jimmy Kimmel: Martin Short, Solange Knowles (R 9/10/08)
The View: Selena Gomez, Jennifer Hudson
Regis and Kelly: Brooke Shields, Ali Larter
Ellen DeGeneres: Lauren Graham, Lance Bass and Lacey Schwimmer, medical researcher Neal Bernard
Tavis Smiley: Yo-Yo Ma, Gov. Jon Corzine
Chelsea Lately: Daphne Zuniga, Randy Sklar, Jason Sklar, Michael Yo (R)
George Stroumboulopoulos: Greg Kinnear, Jack Layton
Bonnie Hunt: Melissa Etheridge, Emily Procter
Tuesday, September 30
David Letterman: Anne Hathaway, Josette Sheeran, the Virgins
Jay Leno: Ellen Degeneres, Jerry O’Connell, Jazmine Sullivan
Late Late Show: TiDaly, Anna Friel, Alice Cooper
Conan O’Brien: Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Michael Cera
Last Call: Bill Tancer, Dan Le Sac vs. Scroobius Pip
Daily Show: Bill Maher
Colbert Report: James Taylor
Jimmy Kimmel: Jon Favreau, the latest castoff fro”Dancing with the Stars”
The View: Bill Maher, Dr. Drew Pinsky, Kevin Farley, Robert Davi
Regis and Kelly: Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Alonzo Mourning
Ellen DeGeneres: Lucy Liu, science educator Steve Spangler, Joshua Radin
Chelsea Lately: Niecy Nash, Brad Wollack, Hyla Matthews, Jamie Kaler
George Stroumboulopoulos: Bill Maher, Larry Charles, Irvine Welsh
Bonnie Hunt: Amy Brenneman, Josh Kelley
Wednesday, October 1
David Letterman: Kate Walsh, Barry Sonnenfeld, Darius Rucker
Jay Leno: Greg Kinnear, Chelsea Handler, Nikka Costa
Late Late Show: Jennifer Love Hewitt, JiParsons
Conan O’Brien: Robin Wright-Penn, Louis CK
Last Call: TBA
Daily Show: Robert DeNiro
Colbert Report: Dave Levin
Jimmy Kimmel: Rosario Dawson, Jamie Kennedy, Gavin Rossdale
The View: Peter Krause, Diahann Carroll, Miss Piggy
Regis and Kelly: Kate Walsh, Kelly Pickler
Ellen DeGeneres: Suzanne Somers, Demi Lovato
Tavis Smiley: ToMorello, Ron Brownstein
Chelsea Lately: Clark Gregg, Billy Gardell, Lavell Crawford
George Stroumboulopoulos: Sean Avery, Tony Campolo
Bonnie Hunt: WilliaBaldwin, Gavin Rossdale
Thursday, October 2
David Letterman: Calista Flockhart, Bill Hader, Lucinda Williams
Jay Leno: Dennis Miller, Jack’s Mannequin
Late Late Show: Lauren Graham, Luke Dempsey, Michael Franti & Spearhead
Conan O’Brien: ToArnold, Ben Folds
Last Call: Shirley Manson, Cut Copy
Daily Show: Clint Eastwood
Colbert Report: Naomi Klein
Jimmy Kimmel: Bill Maher, Jennifer Hudson
The View: Greg Kinnear, the latest castoff fro”Dancing With the Stars”
Regis and Kelly: Calista Flockhart, Jo Frost
Ellen DeGeneres: George Lopez, Jack Hanna
Tavis Smiley: Kerry Kennedy, Don Hewitt
Chelsea Lately: Candis Cayne, Justin Tranter, Scott Thompson
George Stroumboulopoulos: Daniel Levitin, Lauren Graham
Bonnie Hunt: Jamie Kennedy, Kathryn Morris
Friday, October 3
David Letterman: TiRobbins
Jay Leno: Molly Shannon, T.I.
Late Late Show: Randy Newman, Margaret Cho
Conan O’Brien: Greg Kinnear, Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds
Last Call: Bear Grylls, Grizzly Bear (R 5/6/08)
Jimmy Kimmel: Lucy Liu, John Slattery, Morgan Murphy
The View: Anne Hathaway, Troy Dunn
Regis and Kelly: Blair Underwood, Robin Thicke, Jon and Kate Gosselin, guest co-host Mark Consuelos
Ellen DeGeneres: Jenny McCarthy, Amy Macdonald, “Britain’s Got Talent” runner-up Connie Talbot
Tavis Smiley: Zbigniew Brzezinski
Chelsea Lately: Holly Madison, Heather McDonald, Josh Wolf
Bonnie Hunt: Melissa Joan Hart, Erica Durance, bug expert Zack Lemann
— Chriss Coats
Pictured at top (L-R): Neil Patrick Harris and David Burtka (FilmMagic); Jasika Nicole (WireImage).
