Beyonce, Mariah Carey, Others Performed Private Shows For Gadhafi Family

USA TODAY has reported that entertainers such as Beyonce, Mariah Carey, Nelly Furtado and Usher have all performed private shows paid for by Libyian dictator Moammar Gadhafi. Mariah Carey is deeply embarrassed about the news and has pledged to donate her salary to charity from her private show.

Gadhafi is thought to have an oil income wealth estimated at between $17-$20 billion dollars. He continues to spend massive amounts of money on a lavish billionaire lifestyle, even as his country is embattled in a civil war with rebel forces hoping to overthrow him. These rebel forces include elements that range from intellectuals and moderate democrats all the way to Al Qaeda Islamic radicals.

While some big name performers can rake in a $1 million salary for performing one show for someone like Gadhafi, many of his own people live in deep poverty or struggle with life in his country which is ruled with an iron hand. The massive appetite for oil from Libya of countries like the U.S. and China also only helps to keep dictators like Gadhafi in power for decades. Currently, world oil and gas prices have rising at an alarming rate as some oil fields in Libya are burning from the civil war.

Many stars perform controversial private concerts. Elton John performed at a lavish 2010 wedding for right wing radio host Rush Limbaugh, even though much of the politics of Limbaugh is sharply in contrast to the pro-Gay and more progressive politics of Elton John.

Parrothead leader, Jimmy Buffet has a happy go lucky sound. However, there wasn't as much joy when he got tripped up for performing a 2001 private show for former Tyco executive L. Dennis Kozlowski who was later convicted of misappropriation of funds from the corporation. Film footage of the lavish Roman-themed party with Jimmy Buffett performing only became a huge embarrassment to the performer who might have lost some long time fans for his part in the scandal.

Declining Cd sales and lower gross revenues of concerts due to rising ticket prices in a bad economy begin to make doing lavish private shows look more attractive to many performers. However, since the 2001 scandal involving Jimmy Buffett, entertainers need to ask more questions to avoid a negative backlash.

No! God No!: Gary Busey On A Stripper Pole

Some things just aren't right. This is one of them.

Actor Gary Busey was photographed in these very frightening images taken during a cast party for CELEBRITY APPRENTICE last Sunday. Oh, thanks so much for sharing this with us TMZ. My life will never be the same from this day on now.....

Cd Review: GLEE SEASON TWO VOLUME 5

The latest soundtrack album from the hit FOX TV show, GLEE, just dropped on March 8. And it may set a record for the most singles ever released from an album. So far 14 of the 16 tracks have been released as singles from the brand new album. One of the latest singles is Gwyneth Paltrow doing a rip-roaring cover version of the old Gary Glitter single from the UK, "Do You Wanna Touch Me(Oh Yeah). Gwyneth Paltrow also covers the old Prince single, "Kiss", as well as Fleetwood Mac's "Landslide".

The album manages to do great covers of Rod Argent's, "She's Not There", as well as covers of Queen and The Human League and others. In so many ways, this is a very satisfying album of well executed cover versions of songs. In crisp digital sound, this album brings new life to some old analog recorded classic rock songs.

GLEE has certainly achieved something very rare here. It is the first musical TV show that's actually been a hit. Other shows such as ABC's COP ROCK were complete disasters.

The Bottom Line: While this album will appeal mainly to kids, a few older rock fans like me certainly enjoyed Gwyneth Paltrow's excellent cover of "Do You Wanna Touch Me(Oh Yeah)", this is an excellent version of the song, virtually just as good as what both Gary Glitter and Joan Jett once did for the song. And the music video from the show is a real bonus. This album has many high points and few low ones. Very good. +++(Three Stars, good. Money well spent here. Buy this Cd!)

Charlie Sheen Meltdown Update: Sheen's Contract Dispute And New Feud With Jon Cryer

Embattled actor Charlie Sheen is now claiming that he has a "Michael J. Fox clause" in his TWO AND A HALF MEN contract with Warner Bros. , where they have to pay him his nearly $2 million an episode salary regardless of whether he appears in the show or not. Warner Bros. claims just the opposite, that they have the right to fire him for due cause. Very likely lawyers and courts will have to settle this huge contract dispute.

Strangely, it was Charlie Sheen who replaced Michael J. Fox on his set of the hit ABC comedy SPIN CITY after Fox became too ill with Parkinson's Disease to continue work on the program. Fox was in the first four seasons of the show, but as his illness worsened, Charlie Sheen took over the male lead in the show for season five and six. The show suffered a big ratings loss in the final two years, dropping from #33 in the ratings with Fox as lead actor, to #56 & #78 with Sheen as lead before being canceled.

It will be interesting whether Warner Bros. and Sheen can resolve this huge difference of opinion without a court battle. My best guess is no. Look for the legal fireworks kids!

As much news as this is, Sheen made more news for opening up a new public feud with fellow actor Jon Cryer. Cryer has claimed that he has attempted to make contact with Sheen since the big news that he was being booted from the show. However, Sheen claims just the opposite, calling Cryer a "troll" and other derogatory terms. Sheen claims the other cast members "aren't trolls" because they've reached out to him recently.

Ironclad Performance Wear's Cycling Team

Ironclad is one of the premium brands of extremely high quality work gloves and other products. They have an Oregon based cycling team they sponsor to help promote the company that comprises some very fine athletes who seem like Olympic quality contenders in every regard who compete in races. One of the Ironclad athletes, Lana Pressey, 28, daily commutes many miles from Portland to Beaverton to work, in all types of weather, rain or shine, heat or cold, to build up muscle tone to win races. The members of the Ironclad team are as serious as they come about winning races and staying in top shape.

Many athletes of the Ironclad team actually live together, allowing them to workout together by going on constant training rides and keeping in top physical condition. As serious as they are as athletes, play time sometimes means enjoying a good beer and having fun with the rest of the team members. These athletes work and play hard.

But, cycling in all sorts of weather has it's own perils. Not only are cold snaps hard on the hands and other body parts, but cold and flu season recently hit the team sort of hard as well. But, you can't keep good athletes down for very long. Just like the Ironclad products, these team members are iron tough contenders.

From a sociological view, it becomes pretty apparent that the Ironclad team provides the members a strong sense of team effort and something to believe in. The Ironclad athletes are so devoted that the organization is much like a religion to it's members. They're just that serious.

With this much sense of team effort and purpose, you can't help but see how this team wins so many races.

Sometimes many athletes don't get all of the fanfare that some Olympic contenders do. But, many train and workout just as seriously as the top household sports names do. Ironclad should be very proud of their athletes. They have a serious and tough team of top contenders they field in any race they enter.

Jennifer Aniston Sex Tape: Want To See Her Cute Puppies?

Jennifer Aniston Sex Tape! Want to see her cute puppies? Well, that's what Smartwater is naming the latest promotional video produced by the company featuring some very funny moments. Watch and enjoy!

DVD Review: KNUCKLEHEAD

KNUCKLEHEAD is a surprisingly funny interesting offensive little trash comedy. While almost universally torn apart by the critics, this film had me laughing at how outrageous it really was. 7 foot 485lb. wrestling star Paul Donald Wight, Jr. who is better known as The Big Show is surprisingly funny here in a really stupid role in this outrageous story of a down on his luck con man heavily in debt to a bookie who hires the gentle giant to solve his problems.

This isn't high art here, kids. You might even groan a little that I can even recommend something like this. But, this second attempt at filmmaking by the WWE is a lot better than many critics will lead you to believe. Sometimes you can a little bit of a gem in the trash, and this wacky little film is about as close as you might come. It's a pure popcorn trash comedy that worth a viewing for a few laughs.

The Bottom Line: An unbelievably bad idea for a film makes for a half ways enjoyable night of comic viewing. ++1/2(Two and a half stars, or a little better than fair. So horrible it's sort of good).