MADONNA - CONCERTGOERS HAVE SWEET TOOTH FOR MADONNA'S 2008 TOUR

MADONNA - CONCERTGOERS HAVE SWEET TOOTH FOR MADONNA'S 2008 TOURMadonna's Sticky and Sweet tour was the highest-grossing series of concerts in 2008, with a massive worldwide haul of $281.6 million (£193 million).

The Material Girl's global jaunt, which featured a virtual duet with Justin Timberlake and a Ukranian gypsy band, also became the eighth highest-grossing tour of all time in the US, according to music trade publication Pollstar.

Madonna's touring fortunes contrast with upheaval in her personal life - divorcing filmmaker Guy Ritchie after almost eight years of marriage - and recent professional woes, with her latest single Miles Away one of the worst performing of her career.

The 50-year-old's Sticky and Sweet tour also broke her own record for the most successful by a solo artist, surpassing the $193.7 million (£127.5 million) grossed by 2006's Confessions show.

Celine Dion's Taking Chances tour, which visited 24 countries, was the second highest earner of the year with $236.6 million (£162 million) while Bon Jovi's latest jaunt pulled in $176 million (£121 million).

While Pollstar reported concert attendance levels in the US dropped in 2008, it confirmed average ticket prices had risen some eight per cent to $66.90 (£46).

"We've had a better year than we really should have expected, given the economic environment," said editor Gary Bongiovanni.

He added ticket sales for high-profile artists such as Britney Spears and Bruce Springsteen were unlikely to be hit by the global financial crisis.

The top ten highest-grossing tours of 2008 are:

1 Madonna - £193 million
2 Celine Dion - £162 million
3 Bon Jovi - £121 million
4 Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band - £114 million
5 The Police - £83 million
6 Neil Diamond - £65 million
7 Eagles - £61 million
8 Andre Rieu - £53 million
9 Kenny Chesney - £49.7 million
10 Coldplay - £49.5 million

PAMELA ANDERSON - SALOMON SUED OVER ASSAULT CLAIMS

PAMELA ANDERSON's ex-husband RICK SALOMON is facing legal action from a woman who has accused him of involvement in an assault at a party.
Salomon, who split from Anderson after just 10 weeks, has been named in a suit filed by Gertrude Harutunian at Los Angeles County Superior Court on Tuesday (30Dec08).
In the papers, Harutunian claims she was the victim of an assault at an event hosted by Salomon at his Hollywood home last July (08).
The suit accuses Salomon of standing by and allowing his roommate, Buddy Segal, to "strike, hit and throw" her at the party.
The papers claim Salomon "watched and conspired with Segal to hurt and injure (her)."
Harutunian is seeking unspecified damages, according to TMZ.com.

BOB MARLEY - MARLEY SONGWRITER FORD IS DEAD

The songwriter credited with composing BOB MARLEY's classic hit NO WOMAN, NO CRY has died.
Vincent Ford, 68, passed away in hospital in Jamaica last week (beg22Dec08) from complications caused by diabetes.
Ford, who lost both legs to the disease, wrote the legendary track which appeared on Marley's 1974 Natty Dread album.
Ford also penned three songs for the late star's Rastaman Vibration LP in 1976.
Marley died of cancer in 1981 aged 36.

TOM CRUISE - VALKYRIE BOSSES 'FACE LAWSUIT' OVER HITLER GLOBE

Bosses of TOM CRUISE's new movie VALKYRIE are reportedly facing possible legal action over the use of a Nazi prop in the film.
The movie, which tells the true story of a plot to assassinate Adolf Hitler, includes scenes featuring the Nazi leader's famous globe, on which he planned his military strategy.
Now the owner of the real globe is contemplating a lawsuit against film bosses for breach of copyright, according to New York Post gossip column PageSix.
Art collector Robert Pritikin paid $100,000 (GBP68,483) for the globe in 2007, and copyrighted its likeness to prevent its use by right-wing propaganda groups.
And he was reportedly "stunned" to see a replica version used extensively in Valkyrie.
Porn director-turned-private-eye Paul Barresi, who is investigating the case, says: "Pritikin believes the globe should be used as a teaching tool so the lessons of Hitler's nightmare can keep history from repeating itself."

Criss Angel Sort of Proposes to Holly Madison

Criss Angel Sort of Proposes to Holly Madison

Congratulations, Holly Madison and Criss Angel. You're sort of engaged!

According to E!, the couple was spotted at Berger & Son Fine Jewelers in Las Vegas on Christmas Eve, checking out rings.

A witness claims "they were looking at one ring and Criss said, 'Would you marry me?'"

Madison's response?

"[She] didn't say anything. She just looked at him."

Looks like the magician will need to pull a different trick out of his bag if he wants to hook this Playmate.

Khloe Kardashian Lands A Boyfriend

Khloe Kardashian Lands A Boyfriend

Animal-lover Khloe Kardashian has finally bagged herself a man.

Guess that puts all the lezzie rumors to rest - until she decides that going bi would be good for her "career."

Turns out KK has been dating a boy since earlier this summer, on the DL.

The youngest of the Kardashian trio is seeing Minnesota Timberwolves guard Rashad McCants.

And E! online is confirming the happy news of the love birds, adding that it was her big sis Kim Kardashian that introduced them.

The two were spotted Wednesday night in Vegas together getting to celebrate the New Year.

Khloe says Kim "introduced us back in July and we have been dating ever since."

Weird.

Wonder why they're hardly seen out together!

Something sounds odd about this.

But let's see where this "relationship" goes.

Kiki Drunks, Looking Lovely - As Usual!

Kiki Drunks, Looking Lovely - As Usual!

We all know Kirsten Dunst dresses and looks like [fill in the adjective]/

It's no surprise.

But, in a new interview with UK's OK magazine, Kiki goes out of her way to defend the fact that she apparently doesn't care how she dresses.

The 26 year-old says, "I don't have the energy to care if people criticise the way I look. I'm over getting dressed up, although it's fun sometimes - like when my younger brother Christian and I got ready together to go to the Oscars. But other than that, though, I couldn't care less."

Seriously, no one else could care either.

But Kiki continues, "Being fun is way better than being beautiful. I would rather entertain people."

The only way we can imagine Drunkst entertaining us is by looking hideous!

Oprah Gives $365,000 to Atlanta Inner City School

What a happy holiday for some Atlanta-area students!

The Ron Clark Academy in Atlanta got the attention of the nation when the video above of its students performing an election rap they wrote appeared on YouTube.

Teachers at the school are known to use rapping, dancing and drumming to help students learn.

Headmaster Clark, who taught in one of New York City's toughest schools and wrote the best-selling teaching book The Essential 55, opened the ATL school last year with proceeds from his book and private donations.

Nearly all of its 80 students are from middle- and low-income households.

Parents pay a small part of the tuition and the rest is paid by donors. It costs approximately $14,000 to educate each student.

Well, the generous Oprah Winfrey can be listed as one of the school's benefactors.

On Wednesday, Clark revealed to his students that Super O gifted the school $365,000!!

"We teach school all day and fundraise at night," said Clark. "To have an unsolicited gift come like that is incredible."

When Clark shared the news with the school community, the children, parents and teachers reportedly erupted in deafening cheers!

The donation will likely go to scholarships for students.

It's enough to pay for roughly 26 children to attend the school for one year!

In a letter that accompanied the check, Winfrey calls Clark a role model and applauds the "profound difference you're making with your passion for teaching."

The check was issued by the Oprah Winfrey Foundation, which gave $4 million to educational programs in 2008.