Insurance firm won't back 50 Cent in lawsuit

When being shot nine times is one of your claims to fame, you have to make sure your insurance company has your back. Apparently 50 Cent's insurance company has different ideas. Insurance carrier National Fire reportedly informed Fiddy this week that it is not liable for damages in a lawsuit filed against the rapper by a Washington, DC area DJ who claims Fiddy and his crew beat him up, stole his phone, and released a song dissing him last year. The DJ, Richard "Zxulu" Dunkerson, claims 50 and his G-Unit crew mocked him for wearing a wireless headset when they saw each other at a DC radio station last year. Dunkerson alleges that he responded by positioning his fingers in the Star Trek salute and saying, "Greetings, my Vulcan brother," according to a report in the New York Post. Dunkerson is seeking $10 million in damages. National Fire says it is not liable because 50--real name Curtis Jackson--violated his coverage by waiting a year before telling the firm about the lawsuit.

Dog mags vote Spears worst celeb owner

If you get rid of your dogs to please your husband and then you get rid of your husband, you're officially a bad dog owner, according to The New York Dog and The Hollywood Dog magazines. The publications voted Britney Spears as the World's Worst Celebrity Dog Owner in 2006, primarily because she got rid of her dogs to please husband Kevin Federline, from whom she filed for divorce last month. "Britney was the overwhelming choice," editor Hilary O'Hagan said in a statement. "She once had three Chihuahuas and never left home without at least one of them. "As soon as she met K-Fed and had kids, they disappeared. It was either Mr. Federline or Lucky. Unfortunately, Britney chose the wrong dog and the rest is history." Talk show host Oprah Winfrey was voted the best dog owner

Simmons opines on laziness of entertainers

KISS frontman Gene Simmons thinks most entertainers are lazy. But do Simmons and Rolling Stone Mick Jagger fit that description? Speaking with Contactmusic.com last week, Simmons said, "They'd [Rolling Stones] probably now be asking you if you want fries with that. That includes Jagger and myself. "Classical musicians are real musicians, the rest of us are lazy entertainers who never took time to learn how to play our instruments properly and can't read or write music." In a post on his Web site a few days later, Simmons recanted the comment--sort of. "Not entirely what I meant," he wrote. "While it's true I believe most entertainers have little qualification to do anything else in life, Jagger is a graduate, I'm told, of a London Economic School ... and I hold a BA in Education...which meant I taught 6th grade, among other jobs. While the article was meant to make a point, and didn't really apply to Jagger or myself, I still stand by the general notion about most entertainers." Thanks for checking in Gene.

Yorke rips album speculation

Each time Radiohead has issued one of its sporadic updates about its forthcoming new album, the Internet has gone abuzz in anticipation. Radiohead frontman Thom Yorke has had enough, but he's happy to continue feeding the frenzy. In a post on the band's Web site, Yorke blasted reports that his solo piano performance for Nigel Godrich's new show, included the songs "Videotape" and "Down Is The New Up," which are rumored to be on Radiohead's forthcoming album. "Oh really? Says who?" Yorke wrote. "They obviously know more than I do myself. We don't know what will make it to the record, neither do they, neither do you. It drives me nuts the way people take it upon themselves to fluff stuff up like this. I just played a couple of songs on piano that happened to be ones that the band were working on at the time. And that was quite a while ago now. Sheesh."

Yorke did write that he is very proud of his performance of "Videotape," although "it doesn't sound like the version that we are working on now ...Which is even better...They are sketches obviously just me on the piano. Check it out." Yorke also said that the band is taking a holiday break and will resume recording in January. "Have a good Christmas everyone if you celebrate it that is, love peace and hope for the future," he concluded.

Kelis inks ad deal with Ford

Kelis has been tapped to be the face of an urban marketing campaign for the new 2007 Ford Edge. The singer has recorded a new song about the Ford vehicle. The song, called "Push It To The Edge," is set to be featured in ads that begin airing December 20. "With a bold style that breaks the rules, Kelis is the perfect spokesperson for the Edge urban marketing campaign," Ford's Jeri Ward said in a statement. Kelis issued a statement of her own, saying, "I am an informed buyer who likes to shop around for what I like. I prefer bold designs and that's what I see when I look at the Edge. I believe it was built to defy expectations and change people's perceptions, two concepts that have helped me define who I am."

'NSYNC singer goes Dancing

Former 'NSYNC star Joey Fatone will join the next round of celebrity reality competition Dancing With The Stars. The singer broke the news over the weekend on a radio show in Florida. Fatone said producers had previously approached him three times about being on the show, but he declined--until now. He explains his change of heart by saying, "Well, it's kind of popular now! I like doing it because it's challenging." The hit show will return for a fourth season in March 2007.