Music world slams Kanye West over Taylor Swift outburst

Pop stars have slammed Kanye West after the rapper shocked the MTV Video Music Awards by crashing the stage during teen star Taylor Swift's acceptance speech. West stunned audience members during Sunday's extravaganza in New York after rising country star Swift, 19, won a statuette for best female video for her hit song You Belong With Me.

Swift had just started speaking when West abruptly cut in and declared that he felt the award should have gone to R'n'B star Beyonce.

"Taylor, I'm really happy for you, and I'm gonna let you finish, but Beyonce had one of the best videos of all time," West said, to a chorus of boos.

Beyonce, who looked clearly embarrassed by the outburst, later invited Swift to share the stage with her after receiving her own award.

However it did little to stem a chorus of condemnation directed at West by other music world figures.

Singer Pink registered her disapproval with a tweet on micro-blogging site Twitter on Monday. "My heart goes out to Taylor Swift. She is a sweet and talented girl and deserved her moment. She should know we all love her," Pink said. Another post used abusive language to disparage West.

A post from singer Katy Perry meanwhile said West's outburst was comparable to "stepping on a kitten."

And singer Kelly Clarkson took aim at West with a post on her official blog.

"What happened to you as a child?? Did you not get hugged enough??," Clarkson wrote. "I just pity you because you're a sad human being."

West issued an apology for his tirade on a blog, but the post had been removed from his site early on Monday.

"I'm sooooo sorry to Taylor Swift and her fans and her mom. I spoke to her mother right after and she said the same thing my mother would've said," West said. "I'm in the wrong for going on stage and taking away from her moment! Beyonce's video was the best of this decade.

"I'm sorry to my fans if I let you guys down."

Women take ‘Sex’ to the top of the box office

LOS ANGELES - Sarah Jessica Parker and her gal pals have not lost their sex appeal.

The big-screen “Sex and the City” — reuniting Parker and TV co-stars Kim Cattrall, Kristin Davis and Cynthia Nixon — strutted to a $55.7 million opening weekend, far exceeding Hollywood’s box office expectations.

That was nearly twice the forecast by distributor Warner Bros., whose head of distribution, Dan Fellman, said he had hoped the movie might deliver a $30 million debut.

“Women power,” Fellman said. “It was outstanding this weekend.”

Analysts had figured Paramount’s “Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull” might stay atop the box office heap, but it slipped to second place with $46 million in its second weekend. “Indiana Jones” raised its 11-day domestic total to $216.9 million.

“Sex and the City” put up numbers never before seen for a movie aimed mainly at women, who do not tend to rush out in huge numbers for opening weekends the way males do.

“Sex and the City,” released under Warner’s New Line Cinema banner, had the best debut ever for an R-rated comedy, topping the $45.1 million opening of “American Pie 2.”

The movie landed at No. 5 on the all-time list among R-rated films, behind “The Matrix Reloaded” ($91.8 million), “The Passion of the Christ” ($83.8 million), “300” ($70.9 million) and “Hannibal” ($58 million).

“This is a blockbuster for women. This was to women what ‘Indiana Jones’ and ‘Star Wars,’ let’s say, are to men,” said Paul Dergarabedian, president of box office tracker Media By Numbers.

The movie picks up four years after the series finale, in which Parker’s Carrie Bradshaw and her Manhattan buddies left behind their randy ways to settle into monogamous relationships. In the film, they deal with family and commitment issues while still flaunting their bawdy humor and trendy sense of style.

Hollywood skeptics had doubted the commercial prospects for a movie adaptation of “Sex and the City,” which ended its six-year run in 2004. Originally airing on premium cable channel HBO, the show had a loyal but limited fan base and held little appeal for young males, the backbone of the box office.

However, “Sex and the City” mania grew as the movie’s release approached, with many women organizing girls-night-out parties to see it with friends on opening day Friday.

“That’s why Friday was quite a frenzy,” Fellman said. “There were women that came in and bought out entire theaters in advance and invited all their friends.”

Women made up 85 percent of the audience on Friday, Fellman said.

Eddie Murphy to star in ‘Beverly Hills Cop 4’

LOS ANGELES - If Indiana Jones can make a successful comeback after almost 20 years, why not the Beverly Hills Cop?

Paramount Pictures has given the go-ahead for a fourth installment of its “Beverly Hills Cop” franchise, with Eddie Murphy on board to return to the role that launched his movie career, the studio said on Thursday.

Brett Ratner, the filmmaker behind the similarly themed ”Rush Hour” movies starring Chris Tucker and Jackie Chan, is in negotiations to direct the latest “Beverly Hills Cop” adventure, a Paramount spokesman said.

Fashion icon Yves Saint Laurent dead at 71

PARIS, France (AP) -- Legendary designer Yves Saint Laurent, who reworked the rules of fashion by putting women into elegant pantsuits that came to define how modern women dressed, died Sunday evening, a longtime friend and associate said. He was 71.

Pierre Berge said Saint Laurent died at his Paris home following a long illness.

A towering figure of 20th century fashion, Saint Laurent was widely considered the last of a generation that included Christian Dior and Coco Chanel and made Paris the fashion capital of the world, with the Rive Gauche, or Left Bank, as its elegant headquarters.

In the fast-changing world of haute couture, Saint Laurent was hailed as the most influential and enduring designer of his time. From the first YSL tuxedo and his trim pantsuits to see-through blouses, safari jackets and glamorous gowns, Saint Laurent created instant classics that remain stylish decades later.

When the designer announced his retirement in 2002 at age 65 and the closure of the Paris-based haute couture house he had founded 40 years earlier, it was mourned in the fashion world as the end of an era. His ready-to-wear label, Rive Gauche, which was sold to Gucci in 1999, still has boutiques around the world.

AC Milan sign Zambrotta from Barcelona

(CNN) -- AC Milan have signed Italy international defender Gianluca Zambrotta from Barcelona, the Serie A club announced on Sunday.

Milan did not release financial details, but Gazzetta dello Sport reported that the former European champions paid $14 million for Zambrotta and will pay another $3.1 million if they finish in the top three in Serie A next season.

Milan finished fifth in Serie A and had to settle for a UEFA Cup place -- and lost in the first round of the knockout stages to Arsenal in their unsuccessful defense of the Champions League last season.

Zambrotta, 31, joined Barcelona from Juventus after Italy's 2006 World Cup triumph. He had spent seven-years at Juve who were relegated for their part in a match fixing scandal. The defender is key member of the Italy team that will play in the European Championship this month in Switzerland and Austria and has been a target for Milan for some time.

Milan needed a defender after Brazilian fullbacks Cafu and Serginho left at the end of the campaign while veteran Paolo Maldini is also yet to sign a new deal for what will be his final season.

Arsenal midfielder Mathieu Flamini was Milan's first signing for next season and several more deals are expected this summer.

Contador powers to Giro d'Italia victory

Story Highlights

• Tour de France champion Alberto Contador of Spain wins Giro d'Italia in Milan
  
• He is first non-Italian to ride to victory in three-week stage race since 1996
  
• Astana rider finishea one minute 57 seconds ahead of Italy's Riccardo Ricco

Cameron Diaz: I want it all

Actress Cameron Diaz talks candidly about love, guys, friends, family and charting her own course.Casual style. Diaz doesn't strive to be taken seriously. Her style is relaxed, never more evident than with her wardrobe.

"I don't like overdone or being too put-together," she explains. "I like casual chic. Eclectic style. I want to feel like I can go anywhere, whatever I'm wearing."

Today is no exception. She's half glam, half laid-back. Her casualness comes courtesy of frayed jeans that show off her lightly tanned legs.

"I found these jeans today and was, like, 'Well hello, Abercrombie jeans!' They're really old, and I love them. I don't care that they've got holes in them." She has paired them with a simple black sweater and added a dash of glitz with a crystal-and-gold cocktail ring from Barneys. "I'm Cuban, so I'm drawn to things that sparkle. I like to use accessories to give things a bit of my own flavor."

Men
So, is Diaz dating? "I'm a woman," she says, like, Duh! "Of course I'm dating. And is that so surprising? Oh my god, she's dating!" So when you make a reported $15 million per movie, how do you make the call that someone is boyfriend material? "I trust my judgment," she says.

And though she won't divulge whom she's spending time with, she's clear on what she's looking for. "My list is all about balance. You can have smart but not funny. You can have funny but not very smart. You can have intellectual but not social. But ... I want it all!"

Not that her life has gone exactly as planned. "I thought I'd be married and have kids by the time I was 22. But when I got to 22, I realized that wasn't what I wanted, which was a huge lesson for me," she says. "Am I going to have a baby? Who knows? I don't. I'm not going to live my life looking just for that. How can I know what my future holds?"

She pauses, then offers an answer: "How about this -- I am happy right now. Does that count for anything?"

Family
Diaz lives 45 minutes from her family and has always spent a great deal of time with them. She raves about her parents, crediting them with fostering her sense of humor. "They just celebrated their 39th wedding anniversary. They're just really good, cool people."

This is one woman with a well populated inner circle. Says Diaz: "I know I'll never be in a situation where I can't get to somebody for support." That support will never be more important. Sadly, after this interview was conducted, her father, Emilio Diaz, passed away unexpectedly. In the following days, the actress released a statement on behalf of her sister and mother: "My dad was so loved by so many people, and his humor and spirit will always live in our hearts."

Two of her father's favorite groups were the ocean conservation organizations Reef Check and Surfrider. To honor her father, she has asked that donations be made to those organizations in his name.In her interview, Diaz remembered how her dad taught a then scrawny young girl how to fight bullies in school. "He said he'd always back me up if I got in trouble. He is a good man, stand up and loyal."

She is so lovely, my daughter must look like her next time...

Kate’s rebound romance with Lance Armstrong

Just days after the news of her split with Owen Wilson hit the headlines, Kate Hudson hit the town with Lance Armstrong. Recent public outings between the pair fueled fresh rumors of a rebound romance for the “Fool’s Gold” actress, and some reports suggest the match has been in the works for weeks.

On Friday night, the new duo dined at Austin’s Eddie V’s restaurant. “They came in and had dinner together, it's true,” an insider told People.

By Saturday, Kate and Lance were back for more at Hula Hut — this time accompanied by friends and the cyclist’s children, Luke, Isabelle and Grace. “They ordered dinner – tacos, burgers and fries and that sort of stuff,” a spywitness from the restaurant revealed. “They looked like they were having fun.”

王菲捐600萬今晚復出開金口

王菲與李亞鵬出錢出力，救助地震災民。

　　(星島日報報道)四川大地震災情嚴重，中港台三地演藝界均同心協力籌款賑災。而王菲自誕下幼女李嫣後，3年來一直專心相夫教子，再沒有踏足過舞台，早前有傳她被1億利誘復出亦不為所動，今次王菲不但捐錢為大地震賑災，更會重出江湖，為央視的籌款晚會擔任表演嘉賓，令人動容。王菲雖然從未正式封咪，但自患有兔唇的幼女李嫣出世後，已絕江湖，全心全意在家中相夫教子。早前有傳王菲被麥當娜所屬的唱片公司以1億元利誘復出，她依然不為所動。

　　不過，一向予人我行我素形象的王菲，今次就因為四川大地震災情嚴重而激發善心，決定為四川災民重拾塵封多年的咪高峰，獻唱籌款救災。已為人母的王菲，最能感受到孩子需要的
愛，眼見四川兒童死傷無數，有的流離失所，同為人母的王菲豈能坐視不理。據悉，王菲將於今晚參加中央電視台舉辦的《愛的奉獻》2008抗震救災大型募捐活動表演。除了王菲之外，是次活動亦有演藝界超過200人參與。王菲已答應現身獻唱一曲《但願人長久》作募捐呼籲，其他較為港人熟悉的演出者，還包括王菲的好友那英、韓紅、毛阿敏、孫楠及劉歡等。

　　其實，王菲今次為四川地震災民不但出力賑災，更自掏腰包落力捐錢，由她成立的嫣然基金捐款500萬救助災區兒童，又與丈夫李亞鵬以個人名義捐助100萬救助正處於水深火熱的同胞。

　　另外，自從5月12日四川大地震後，中國各地紛紛舉辦不少籌款活動。由於災情嚴重，死傷者中更有不少是小孩子，令人慘不忍睹，范冰冰日前在電影人迎奧運抗震救災暨《一個人的奧林匹克》首映儀式舉行時，看到災區片段就哭得梨花帶雨，但她亦能從傷心之中振作起來，積極參與各項籌款活動。她表示，這兩天都接到很多義演活動，亦設法找一些她曾代言的廣告商募捐，希望大家都能為幫助災區出一分力。

　　此外，著名影星斯琴高娃前日於北京舉行的捐款義演獻愛心活動上，即場捐款20萬元，並與一班電影人為四川災區人民重建家園募捐籌款。

Gwyneth Paltrow is back -- and on her terms

NEW YORK (AP) -- When Gwyneth Paltrow made the rounds to promote "Iron Man," the buzz wasn't about the Oscar winner's return to the screen after an extended hiatus. It wasn't about the curious casting of a serious actress as a superhero's secretary.

It was about her shoes. Paltrow's sky-high stilettos, shoulder-length curls and up-to-there skirts were seen as a sign: She's shedding her stay-at-home mom sweat pants and is ready to reclaim her throne in the celebrity pantheon.

"In England, there were pages in the newspaper on my various footwear," she says. "I think there's some excitement that I'm back in high heels and, you know, being glamorous."

She says this while decked out in another pair of killer pumps, with no sense of surprise that a change of clothing could set off a minor tempest of speculation about her life.

Paltrow has what might be called a conflicted relationship with Hollywood. Even when she's not working, she's tailed by paparazzi and scrutinized for her fashion, her mothering and her marriage to a famous rock star, Coldplay frontman Chris Martin.

That union is one she works hard to keep private. She calls the latest gossip about the state of her marriage, fueled by her daring outfits and the couple's refusal to appear on red carpets together, "hilarious."

The fascination with her private life has been frustrating, but also meant she lost little luster in the few years that she's focused on her daughter Apple, 4, and son Moses, 2.

"There were some days where I thought, after I had my son and I couldn't lose the weight and I was in sweat pants and I was depressed and I was thinking, you know, will I ever be able to go back? Will they take me back?" she said.

Those feelings were exacerbated by the postpartum depression she says she experienced after the birth of her son.

She left Hollywood a few years earlier following the death of her father, director Bruce Paltrow, with the feeling that she had already finished what she set out to accomplish. She'd done star turns in critically acclaimed movies. She'd won an Academy Award for "Shakespeare in Love." She'd been the "it" girl on the arms of Brad Pitt and Ben Affleck.

It was time for her to focus on her family.

"You know, they change so quickly and the idea of somebody else being there when they do their first this or say their first that is just like, it makes me die," she says.

Her kids know her only as Mommy. "They've never seen me on-screen or anything. They have no idea."

But Hollywood years can be like dog years -- three of them offscreen can seem like a decade, enough to torpedo a star's career.

"I think especially in my own business it confounded people that I was willing to walk away from that and to lose my place on the A-list and say, it's not important to me right now in my life," she says.

"Iron Man" marks her big comeback after small parts in "Running With Scissors" and her brother's film, "The Good Night." In the first of the summer blockbusters, she joins an all-star cast of Robert Downey Jr., Terrence Howard, Jeff Bridges and director Jon Favreau. With a $100 million-plus opening weekend, it's become the first blockbuster of the summer.

"As soon as we heard she was interested, we put her in the movie," Favreau says. "Gwyneth is refined, classy, smart and mature. She seemed a good pairing for Robert (Downey Jr.). It was a very quick decision."

For Paltrow, the supporting role of Pepper Potts, the dutiful assistant and possible love interest, was a good transition, allowing her to work two or three days a week while the rest of the cast went off to blow things up in the desert.

She spent time with her children at the family house in California that her mother, actress Blythe Danner, subsequently sold. "It was just sort of reliving my own childhood again but with them, and it was just kind of a magical time."

Working with Downey was also invigorating.

"He would come into the trailer in the morning when we were going to read the scene and he would literally ball up the script and throw it against the wall and say, 'This sucks, let's start over,' " she says. "So it was like, 'OK! Well! What are we going to do today?' "

Downey insists there were no hurt feelings about the give-and-take: "I don't think 'genius' and 'superhero script' belong in the same sentence," he says.

Both stars have indicated they are open to sequels -- and Marvel has already announced that "Iron Man 2" is slated for 2010.

So Paltrow is back, but on her terms. After shooting the upcoming "Two Lovers" with Joaquin Phoenix, she's taking the rest of the spring and summer off.

"I don't think I could go back to ever doing three, four, five movies a year. There's just no way. There's no way," she says. "Maybe when they're in college. But by that point no one will want me in a movie anymore, probably."

Growing pains for the Miley Cyrus phenom

Photo ‘scandal’ exposes debate about how Disney mega-star will evolve

NEW YORK - “You get the best of both worlds,” Miley Cyrus sings in the theme song of her hugely popular Disney Channel show, “Hannah Montana.” It’s a reference to her character’s secret double life as both a rock star AND a normal schoolgirl.

Offscreen, though, this 15-year-old phenom is starting to learn how hard it really is to have the best of both worlds: as a G-rated Disney superstar AND a real-life, growing teenager with an eye on a long career.

Cyrus, whose fresh, easy charm and down-home southern appeal have catapulted her to an astonishing level of celebrity, especially in the past year, found herself having to apologize Sunday for some entirely un-Miley photos in Vanity Fair magazine.

Anna Kournikova refusing to marry Enrique Iglesias

Spanish pop singer Enrique Iglesias says he has tried repeatedly to convince his girlfriend Anna Kournikova to marry him - with no luck.

Iglesias spoke to reporters at the weekend after arriving in the Dominican Republic for the first of nine concerts planned across Latin America.

Iglesias says he's been involved with the tennis star for at least three years and says she keeps ignoring his appeals to wed. In his words: "I always try, but she pays me no attention."

The Madrid-born artist is the son of crooner Julio Iglesias.

AP

Forbidden Kingdom' top slot

Forbidden Kingdom' takes top box office slot

• Story Highlights
• "The Forbidden Kingdom" features Asian superstars Chan and Li in multiple roles
  
• Last weekend's No. 1 movie, "Prom Night," fell to third with $9.1 million
  
• Romantic comedy "Forgetting Sarah Marshall" took second place with $17.3 million
  
• Movie attendance is running 6.5 percent behind that of 2007