Michael Jackson Memorial Participants Revealed

The celebrity contingient set to take part in tomorrow’s Michael Jackson memorial service have just been announced by the Jackson family. Here’s the list:

Kobe Bryant, Mariah Carey, Andrae Couch Choir, Ron Boyd (family friend), Berry Gordy, Jennifer Husdon, Shaheen Shaheen Jafargholi (finalist on Britain’s Got Talent), Magic Johnson, Martin Luther King III, John Mayer, Bernice A. King, Lionel Richie, Smokey Robinson, Rev. Al Sharpton, Brooke Shields, Pastor Lucious Smith (family friend), Usher and Stevie Wonder.

Jackson’s close friends, Dame Elizabeth Taylor and Diana Ross (named as the Jackson children’s second guardian in the will), are the most notable omissions from the list.

It is believed that both women will be attending Jackson’s private funeral instead, set to take place a few hours before the public memorial at the Staples Centre in Los Angeles.

[Source]

Jennifer Hudson Lip Synched National Anthem

Yesterday there was a lot of fuss made about the performance of Jennifer Hudson at the Super Bowl, which is fair enough, given this was her first performance since the the shooting deaths of her moths, brother and nephew.

It turns out though that her performance was not quite as legit as it first appeared; Jennifer actually lip synched the national anthem.

This is the reason, given by the show’s producer, Ricky Minor:

“This was such an important performance, because it’s the first time everyone has seen Jennifer.

“But she’s in such a great place, with such great spirits, and time can heal her wounds. She’s on fire right now and totally grounded.”

“That’s the right way to do it.

“There’s too many variables to go live. I would never recommend any artist go live, because the slightest glitch would devastate the performance.”

This is no big deal. It is not like this is the first time someone has lip synched something at an important event.

Life Imitates Art For Knowles & Hudson

Ok, I admit it: I sat through the entire length of Dreamgirls without falling asleep. But only just.

I won’t regale you with my thoughts on the movie – let’s face it, you either loved it, or you hated it – but what I will say is that the best part of the film is Beyonce and Jennifer’s character’s bitter relationship. I’d praise the pair on their superb acting, only I don’t think there was much acting at all in certain parts of the film.

Back when Dreamgirls was first released (and gaining all those nominations), rumours were flying left and right that the former Destiny’s Child frontwoman was so “jealous” of co-star Jennifer Hudson’s “almost instant” fame that the pair barely spoke. And of course, when Hudson won that Oscar, and Knowles didn’t even get a nod for her efforts, it made things between the two even worse.

Beyonce’s camp were quick to quell the jealousy rumours, so when Hudson’s family were brutally killed recently, no one thought anything of the Pink Panther star’s appearance at the funerals.

But according to “Superstar James” (a close friend of Jennifer’s and the Hudson family), Beyonce wasn’t actually at any of the funerals, and just “accepted credit” for going. In fact, if James is to be believed, the singer-turned-actress hasn’t even reached out to her “supposed” friend, Jennifer, at all.

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