A new voice is coming to "CBS Evening News." Actor Morgan Freeman has recorded a new voiceover introducing the news program hosted by Katie Couric. Freeman replaces the late Walter Cronkite, who recorded the previous "Evening News" intro when Couric began hosting the show in 2006. CBS chose to keep the legendary anchor's voice on the air for nearly six months following his death in July 2009. The new voiceover by Freeman will give the network the freedom to record different introductions when Couric is on location and for special reports.
Almost a year after her very public break up with singer Chris Brown, Rihanna may be getting back into the dating game. Several sources have linked the singer with Los Angeles Dodgers baseball star Matt Kemp. TMZ.com posted a photo of the pair cuddling up, and another of the two sharing a kiss over New Year's weekend in Mexico. Other sites, such as HollywoodLife.com, are reporting that Rihanna and Kemp spent New Year's Eve together in Dubai, where the singer performed at the EmiratesPalace. The 25-year-old Kemp is an outfielder for the Dodgers who lives in Los Angeles. Rihanna and Chris Brown were the subject of numerous headlines last year after Brown assaulted Rihanna following a pre-Grammy Awards party in Los Angeles. Brown later pled guilty to a felony charge and accepted a plea deal of community labor and five years probation.
Singer Ke$ha of "TiK ToK" fame is releasing her debut album today. Titled "Animal," it contains her number one hit single, which currently sits atop the Billboard Hot 100 chart. According to "The Wall Street Journal's Speak Easy" blog, the 22-year-old singer, who has written for Miley Cyrus and provided background vocals for Flo Rida, co-wrote all the songs on her record.
Fifth season "American Idol" runnerup Katharine McPhee is releasing her new album today. The singer's sophomore effort is called "Unbroken" and features four singles that have already been released. They are: "Had It All," "How," "Lifetime," and the ballad "Say Goodbye." The 25-year-old tells USAToday.com that she's grown to the point where she looks back on her "American Idol" experience and can't believe how bad she was. McPhee says that looking back, she can see, quote, "Where I was uncomfortable, where I was pushing, where it wasn't about the simple storytelling of the song, it was about trying to perform, and that really doesn't work." She adds that traveling around the country to perform at different types of gigs has taught her how to truly be a recording artist. This record is McPhee's first release on Verve Forecast Records and features songwriting help from eighties pop star Richard Marx. Catch McPhee's new album, "Unbroken," in stores now.
Nick Jonas is starting off his new year with a generous donation to the North Texas Food Bank. DallasNews.com reports that Jonas made a pledge of 25-thousand dollars from his family foundation during a tour he took of the food bank on Saturday, January 2nd. His visit took place just hours before he kicked off the first date of his tour with his new band, The Administration, at Dallas' House of Blues. Once Jonas received a tour of the food bank, he consulted with his father before announcing his contribution. The singer also rolled up his sleeves to help put together bags of children's snacks. He says, quote, "If there's something I can do to help -- volunteer here today or giving a financial gift -- that's something I can do." Jonas' visit was in partnership with NBC's "The Biggest Loser" and the national food bank organization Feeding America. His father says that his three sons together -- Kevin, Joe, and Nick -- have donated a total of one-point-five-million dollars to charity in each of the last two years. Nick Jonas and The Administration are scheduled to play their next concert date January 6th in WashingtonD.C. at the WarnerTheater.
Fans are getting their first look at photos from Kevin and Danielle Jonas' honeymoon. People.com reports the newlyweds traveled to Cabo San Lucas, Mexico the day after their December wedding. The magazine has also posted an exclusive photo of the new Mr. and Mrs. Jonas posed on a boat in front of Cabo's famous Lover's Beach. They stayed at the One & Only Palmilla resort for a honeymoon they call a "dream come true." The issue of "People" magazine that contains several Jonas wedding photos is on news stands now. Expect to see the new Mrs. Jonas flashing her wedding bling in the photos. According to NationalJewelerNetwork.com, Kevin's wedding band from Jacob & Co. features over two carats in accent diamonds. Danielle's eternity band dazzles with nearly four carats of diamonds. The couple wed on December 19th at HuntingtonNew York's OhekaCastle.
Questions about Jennifer Lopez's revealing New Year's Eve getup are finally being answered. Tongues have been wagging about the "catsuit" Lopez wore for her performance on "Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve" on ABC. UsMagazine.com is now revealing that the costume's designer is Paula Bradley. Singer Lopez slipped into something much less revealing for Sunday's Miami Dolphins home game against the Pittsburgh Steelers at Landshark Stadium. She walked the orange carpet in a belted and cowl neck floor-length print dress with her hair up. Lopez's husband, Marc Anthony, singer Gloria Estefan, Emilio Estefan, and Robin Givens all came out to watch the Dolphins play. Fergie of the Black Eyed Peas and her husband, actor Josh Duhamel, also took in the game. Guitarist and singer Orianthi was the entertainment and performed on the Landshark tailgate stage.
The previously unreleased Michael Jackson track "Another Day," which just leaked online over the weekend, might not be around much longer. According to TMZ.com, Sony and the attorneys for Jackson's estate are looking to have the song pulled from the Internet. The track reportedly includes vocals from rocker Lenny Kravitz. Following "Another Day's" leak, Kravitz posted a video online claiming that he has no idea how the song made it to the Internet. Kravitz says he produced the track and co-wrote it with the "King of Pop," adding that the version currently online is not final. The "American Woman" singer goes on to say that he hopes fans will one day be able to enjoy the finished version of the song.
Lady GaGa is so moved by her fans that she says they make her cry. The singer tells Rhapsody TV's "The Box Versus" series, quote, "I cry probably every day because my fans make me cry during my show." In the series, GaGa, placed in a black box, answers questions such as what her own reality TV show would involve if she had one. The "Bad Romance" singer answered that her perfect reality TV show is "no reality TV show." She also talks about how she'd love to be an honorary member of Yoko Ono's Plastic Ono Band if given the chance and how the first piece of music that ever moved her was Stravinsky's "The Firebird" ballet.
Just because their new movies aren't out yet doesn't mean you won't find two "High School Musical" stars in a theater. RadarOnline.com reports that singer and Disney actress Vanessa Hudgens took in a late-night screening of "Avatar" Sunday night in Hollywood along with boyfriend and fellow "HSM" star Zac Efron. The couple went out to the movies dressed in casual jeans and looking cozy as they held hands. Efron's upcoming film, "The Death and Life of Charlie St. Cloud" also stars actress Kim Basinger and hits theaters on June 11th. Hudgens stars with Neil Patrick Harris and Mary-Kate Olsen in "Beastly" which is also set for a summer opening on June 30th. For now, the two actors are just checking out America's number one film.
The All-American Rejects are starting the new year intact. Singer Tyson Ritter and keyboardist Nick Wheeler have kissed and made up -- literally -- after a disagreement that took place before Christmas. Ritter sent out a tweet after 11:00 p.m. on New Year's Eve that read, quote, "Nick and I made up. I mean made out." The accompanying photo showed Ritter and Wheeler in a lip lock while wearing New Year's hats. Wheeler also tweeted a photo of the two kissing to go along with his message. It read, quote, "Yeah...so this happened...And now, all is well...happy new year y'all!" Ritter had tweeted on December 21st that he, quote, "Just walked out on dinner with wheels, I'm over this." A tweet from Wheeler just 18 minutes later read, quote, "Fed up with Ty and his BS...I'm out! Forever!" There's no word on what the pair's disagreement was about, or what would have caused Wheeler to want to walk away from the All-American Rejects for "forever."
The daughter of the New York Jets owner and heiress to the Johnson & Johnson fortune has died in Los Angeles. Thirty-year-old Casey Johnson, who was linked romantically to reality star Tila Tequila, had a history of drug abuse, but the cause of her death is not immediately clear. Tequila initially noted on her Twitter account that Johnson had passed away. A spokesman for Jets owner Woody Johnson told the New York "Daily News" the family, quote, "Is mourning its tragic loss, and asks for privacy during this very difficult time." Johnson recently cut off his daughter from her trust fund after her refusal to enter a drug rehabilitation clinic.
Actor Vince Vaughn is officially off the market. People.com reports that the "Wedding Crashers" star wed fiance Kyla Weber Saturday in a small, private ceremony outside his hometown of Chicago. Family and friends joined the couple for their nuptials at an historic mansion. Vaughn proposed to Weber, a Canadian real estate agent, last Valentine's Day. It is the first marriage for both. The actor told "People" in September that he was more than ready to leave bachelorhood behind. He said he wanted his life "to be about other people" and that he wants to start a family. Vaughn said, quote, "It's the first time that I really want to have kids."
Before its first episode even aired on Monday night, season 14 of "The Bachelor" was addressing a scandal. Production on the ABC matchmaking-show hit a road bump during its taping last year when it was revealed that a male producer had a relationship with one of the 25 female contestants selected to compete for the affections of "Bachelor" star Jake Pavelka. "Bachelor" host Chris Harrison confirmed the relationship on Monday, stating that the network had to address the situation in an episode that will air later this season. Harrison said in an interview, quote, "It was incredibly unfortunate. Horrible decisions were made." Harrison continued, quote, "It was embarrassing for us and in fairness to Jake and for the other women, [we said], 'Let's nip this in the bud and take care of it.' And that's what we did." Although Harrison wouldn't release the names of the producer or the contestant involved, he did confirm that neither party continued on with the show. ABC airs "The Bachelor" on Monday nights.
Pop diva Mariah Carey will be adding to her trophy case tonight. The singer, whose 2001 film "Glitter" was critically panned, will be honored with the Breakthrough Performance Award during tonight's Black Tie Awards Gala at the 21st Annual Palm Springs International Film Festival in Palm Springs, California. The award stems from Carey's performance in the gritty urban drama "Precious." Festival Chairman Harold Matzner says in a statement that Carey, quote, "Completely transformed herself from a glamorous music icon to a forthright social worker for the role of Ms. Weiss in 'Precious'." Winning the award for Breakthrough Performance puts Mariah Carey in the company of previous festival honorees such as Jennifer Hudson, Freida Pinto, and Felicity Huffman. The Palm Springs International Film Festival begins today and runs through January 18th.
The show must go on for embattled actor Charlie Sheen. People.com reports that Sheen was back at work on the CBS comedy "Two and a Half Men" on Monday. This, after a highly-publicized Christmas Day arrest in connection with an alleged domestic dispute with wife Brooke Mueller. The actor participated in a table read for the sitcom in Los Angeles. An unnamed on-set source spoke highly of the 44-year-old's professionalism, saying, quote, "In six and a half years of Two and a Half Men, he has been completely professional and never misses work. He is always on time and is completely committed." Meanwhile, Mueller and the couple's two infant sons -- Max and Bob -- remain in Aspen, Colorado, where the incident took place. The couple has stated that they hope to work on their marriage.
The fertility doctor who made the "Octomom" a phenomenon is under fire this week. TMZ.com reports that the Medical Board of California wants Dr. Michael Kamrava's license revoked or suspended. The Board states that Dr. Kamrava's famous patient Nadya Suleman was, quote, "placing her offspring at risk for potential harm." The Board adds that the California fertility specialist acted with "gross negligence" in his handling of Suleman's requests, adding, quote, "His failure to recognize that [Suleman's] behavior was outside the norm and that her conduct was placing her offspring at risk for potential harm." Suleman made national news in January 2009 with the birth of her eight children via in-vitro fertilization.
GracelandMansion is preparing to welcome fans of the late King of Rock this week. This Friday, January 8th marks what would have been Elvis Presley's 75th birthday. In honor of the milestone, Graceland -- the Memphis, Tennessee home of the late rocker -- will host a "75th Birthday Celebration" from January 7th through January 10th. Thousands of fans from around the world are expected to be there for the multi-day party. Also in attendance will be Elvis' only child Lisa Marie Presley and his former wife, Priscilla. In addition to events at Graceland, the city of Memphis is hosting soirees, lectures, and fundraisers for Elvis devotees in town this week. Included in these are an "Elvis Dance Party" at the Memphis Marriott East, "Conversations on Elvis," hosted by historian Roy Turner, and a celebration of the King's catalog by guests at the Memphis Symphony Orchestra. For a complete list of celebrations for Elvis, visit www.elvis.com.
