June 18, 2007 at 03:52:00 PM | more stories by this author
Spears' attorney threatens lawsuit; Dylan honored in Italy; fugitive to return to US; Rod marries again; Parton is Girl Scout; Starr inks download deal.
Britney's attorney threatens lawsuit
Britney Spears' turmoil has been fodder for many a punch line over the past several months--make that years--but a series of billboards for a morning radio show have apparently gone too far, according to a letter sent to radio station conglomerate Clear Channel by her attorney. The ads pair a heavily circulated image of a bald Spears looking angrily at a camera with a photo of MJ Morning Show cohost Todd Schnitt (who uses the air name MJ Kelli).
The billboards are headlined, "Total Nut Jobs," "Shock Therapy," and "Certifiable." According to a June 14 letter sent to Clear Channel by attorney Lynda Goldman, Spears' "likeness has a multimillion-dollar value for authorized commercial exploitations" and, as a result, she is entitled to "very substantial damages" from Clear Channel. The MJ Morning Show airs on several stations across Florida. The Spears billboards, which first appeared in April, advertised the program in Tampa, Jacksonville, and Clearwater.
Dylan honored in Spain
Bob Dylan has been awarded Spain's Prince of Asturias arts award in Madrid. In a statement, the prize foundation said that Dylan, 66, "is considered one of the most important figures of song, a form in which he combines, in a majestic way, the beauty of his poetry and ethical commitment." Dylan's hits include "Blowin' in the Wind," "Like a Rolling Stone," and "All Along the Watchtower." His most recent recording, Modern Times, on the Columbia Records label, entered the US album charts at No. 1 one week after it was released in 2006.
In related Dylan news, the rumor mill is swirling that PBS is set to follow up its much acclaimed No Direction Home documentary with a sequel. In an OnMilwaukee.com story about the Kettle of Fish bar in New York, which is a haven for Wisconsin sports fans, its owner, Patrick Daley, said a PBS crew was in his bar recently to talk about Dylan, who used to frequent the pub years ago. "We're in Dylan's autobiography," Daley told the site. "In fact, there's a gal who's doing a PBS documentary, following up the last documentary on Dylan, and she is going to do some interviews in here over a couple of weeks."
Boy band impresario to face US charges
The long saga of boy band impresario Lou Pearlman, who has been on the lam from federal law enforcement officials for most of 2007, is almost over. The 53-year-old Pearlman, who created the Backstreet Boys and 'N Sync and several other boy bands, was arrested in Indonesia last week on one count of bank fraud. He was expelled from the resort island of Bali after the FBI contacted authorities there, then transferred to US custody and flown to Guam.
Today, Pearlman, 53, agreed to be returned to his home state of Florida from Guam to face a federal bankruptcy charge, officials said. Pearlman will be transported from the US territory within 10 days, most likely to Hawaii or California, before eventually being sent to Florida. Pearlman stands accused of fraudulently securing nearly $20 million in bank loans with documents from a made-up accounting firm. The criminal complaint against him was filed in March and unsealed last week after authorities found him.
Assets have been liquidated in two bankruptcy cases against Pearlman and his companies, and the entertainment mogul has for months ignored court actions against him.
The FBI noted that Pearlman was booked under the alias "Incognito Johnson" at his hotel in Bali. Pearlman argued that using an alias was "normal in the industry" to stave off paparazzi and other media. He likened himself to Tom Cruise and Jennifer Lopez, saying they would never use their real names when booking a hotel.
Florida investigators separately allege Pearlman defrauded more than 1,000 individual investors out of more than $315 million in a long-running Ponzi scheme. Several banks say he collectively owes them more than $120 million, according to bankruptcy court documents.
Rod Stewart married again
Yet another model wants Rod Stewarts body and thinks he's sexy. The 62-year-old rocker married model Penny Lancaster in a private ceremony Saturday on the Italian Riviera, gathering with a few friends and family in a 17th-century villa, according to Italian news reports. The couple wed in Santa Margherita Ligure, just outside the posh Portofino resort on Italy's northwestern coast, according to the ANSA news agency and other reports. His label was not immediately available for comment. The couple has a son together. It was Stewart's third wedding.
Dolly Parton is a Girl Scout
Dolly Parton was named a lifetime member of Girls Scouts of Tanasi Council in Tennessee during a presentation before 1,000 Girl Scouts at her Dollywood theme park over the weekend, according to the Associated Press. "While I was never a Girl Scout myself when I was a kid, I always wanted to be," Parton said in a statement. "This great honor lets me live out a dream and to be part of an organization that stands for many of the same values I do and Dollywood does." Parton accepted a lifetime membership pin and led the audience in the Girl Scout Promise.
Ringo inks deal to bring catalog online
The Beatles aren't yet on iTunes, but the solo material of the Fab Four's drummer will soon be. Ringo Starr has signed a deal to release his Capitol/EMI catalog online. Downloads of his hit 1970 album, "Beacoups of Blues," and 1973's "Ringo" will be available Aug. 28, along with a compilation album, Photograph: The Very Best of Ringo Starr, his publicist said. The best-of collection, with tracks such as "It Don't Come Easy" and "Sentimental Journey," will also be released on CD and as a collector's edition CD/DVD package featuring a film and video clips.













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