Usher To Donate Gadhafi Money To Charity

'I will be donating all of my personal proceeds...to various human rights organizations,' singer says of concert linked to Libyan dictator.
By Shawn Adler


Usher (file)
Photo: Getty Images

R&B superstar Usher announced Friday (March 4) that he was donating to various charities proceeds from appearing at a private event at St. Barts linked to Libyan dictator Moammar Gadhafi, according to a statement made to the Associated Press.

The Grammy award winner's renouncement comes after similar announcements from singers Mariah Carey, Nelly Furtado, and Beyoncé, all of whom were revealed to have performed at private concerts linked to the Middle Eastern leader, who has faced open revolt and major political uprisings since February.

"I am sincerely troubled to learn about the circumstances surrounding the Nikki Beach St. Bart's event that took place on New Year's Eve 2009," Usher said of the concert, at which he appeared alongside Beyoncé but did not perform. "I will be donating all of my personal proceeds from that event to various human rights organizations."

Usher has already begun the process, having made a donation to Amnesty International, the AP reports. The exact size of the donation is not known.

The New Year's Eve gig was reportedly for Moammar's fourth son Muastassim, who an unnamed music industry source told MTV News has a history of throwing lavish parties "jammed" with supermodels.

Beyoncé, who sang at the event, donated all proceeds from her performance to the Clinton-Bush Haiti Fund, established in the wake of the Haitian earthquake.

"All monies paid to Beyoncé for her performance at a private party at Nikki Beach St. Barts on New Year's Eve 2009, including the commissions paid to her booking agency, were donated to the earthquake relief efforts for Haiti over a year ago," the "Halo" singer's publicist said in a statement to The Huffington Post. "Once it became known that the third-party promoter was linked to the Qaddafi family, the decision was made to put that payment to a good cause."

Singer Nelly Furtado tweeted February 28 that she plans to make similar amends.

"In 2007, I received 1million$ from the Gadhafi clan to perform a 45 min. show for guests at a hotel in Italy," she tweeted. "I am going to donate the $."

The leader of Libya since a successful military coup in 1969, Gadhafi has reportedly lost control of much of his country as a result of widespread uprisings. The United Nations voted unanimously to refer the dictator to the International Criminal Court for crimes against humanity.

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Harry Potter, Severus Snape Soar In Early World Cup Voting

Hermione Granger is also dominating in the first round of the MTV News tournament.
By Eric Ditzian


Alan Rickman as Professor Snape in "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2"
Photo: Warner Bros.

Don't pooh-pooh Filius Flitwick! That's just one of the lessons coming into focus little more than 24 hours into the epic showdown we call the "Harry Potter" World Cup.

Though the diminutive master of Charms nabbed just a 10 seed in our monthlong tournament, in which fans have been voting online to choose the greatest character in the fantasy franchise, Professor Flitwick has raced out to a commanding first-round lead over his fellow Hogwarts colleague, and number-seven seed, Sybill Trelawney. But voting in the initial round doesn't close until midnight on Monday, meaning there's more than enough time for Trelawney fans to divine a whole lot of votes in her honor.

Other contests seem less prone to an upset. Honestly, what are the chances Harry Potter himself, facing off against Dark Arts devotee Quirinus Quirrell, gets an unexpected first-round ouster from the World Cup? As of this writing, the boy wizard has wrangled more than 95 percent of the vote. His pal Hermione Granger, meanwhile, has garnered more than 98 percent of the vote in her battle with often-salacious journalist Rita Skeeter.

See photos of all of the "Potter" World Cup players.

But that was all to be expected. Early voting has also shown us some characters that could become Cinderella stories. Dobby the House Elf, the adorable rascal who made the ultimate sacrifice to save Harry and company, shot out to a maybe-we-should-call-it-now lead over Gryffindor half-blood Dean Thomas. Maybe now it's time for Dobby, who's always been the servant until now, to lead a fan-supported charge. Yet the floppy-eared elf could well run up against Severus Snape, who himself is dominating a first-round matchup with Death Eater spawn Vincent Crabbe, in the Sweet 16.

Snape, as "Potter" buffs know, has one of the most complex and satisfying character arcs in the entire series. Only Dobby, we presume, stands between him and an Elite Eight showdown with Harry. That's the main action in the Privet Drive quadrant of the bracket. Over in Godric's Hollow, while Hermione is busy wiping the floor with Rita, the phoenix Fawkes is straight up embarrassing poor Nearly Headless Nick. But voting in Albus Dumbledore's game hasn't even started. If you ask us, anyone who thinks someone like Dark Arts defender Remus Lupin is going to stand in the way of a Hermione vs. Dumbledore Elite Eight face off is crazy.

See the full bracket and vote!

Things haven't even gotten started on the other side of the bracket. There's a whole lot of Weasley brawling going on in the Hogsmeade section, not only with Ron securing the top seed but with Arthur cruelly conjuring up a war with his son Percy. But all that may become background noise once Cedric Diggory (memorably, if briefly, portrayed onscreen by one Robert Pattinson) gets in on the action. Even Ron Weasley, he who won the heart of Hermione, might not be able to take down the "Twilight" heartthrob. Voting kicks off Wednesday.

And then in Diagon Alley, we find perhaps the tournament's most competitive corner. Count 'em off: Lord Voldemort, Draco Malfoy (whose Tom Felton has collected two straight MTV Movie Award Best Villain wins), Sirius Black and his murderer, Bellatrix Lestrange. About the only thing we can predict at this point is that Lord V is going to freaking destroy Moaning Myrtle, who might need a new nickname soon. Voting in these matches begins on Thursday.

Who is the best "Harry Potter" character of all time? The "Harry Potter" World Cup will find out! Voting is going on now over on the MTV Movies Blog, and you can also get the debate going on Twitter with the hashtag #mtvpottercup.

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Source: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1666155/harry-potter-severus-snape-world-cup.jhtml

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Nicole Scherzinger & Lewis Hamilton: Beverly Hills Lovers

Rounding out their weekend with a romantic dinner for two, Nicole Scherzinger and boyfriend Lewis Hamilton shared a meal at the Montage Hotel in Beverly Hills, California on Sunday (June 19).

The former "Pussycat Dolls" singer and her Formula One driver beau looked adorable as they sported matching all-black outfits for their outing - with Nicole wearing a trendy fedora hat and shorts with leggings while Lewis kept it casual in a cotton shirt and jeans.

In related news, Cheryl Cole's "Girls Aloud" band-mate, Kimberley Walsh, has taken to her OK magazine column to dismiss any reports that Scherzinger purposely wore a similar outfit to Cole's at her debut to US "X Factor" auditions, as she explained, "I'm certain it's just a coincidence. That block color look is a real fashion trend."

Walsh continued, "Nicole wouldn't want to get a dig in about Cheryl, she's a really nice girl and she's always been really friendly towards her so I don't think it's anything to do with that," adding, "I reckon it's just a story whipped up by the media to cause controversy."

Source: http://celebrity-gossip.net/nicole-scherzinger/nicole-scherzinger-lewis-hamilton-beverly-hills-lovers-516619

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Ryan Dunn Remembered By 'Jackass' Co-Stars, Fans

'Ryan will be missed and remembered by us all,' the 'Jackass' crew says in a statement.
By James Montgomery


Ryan Dunn and Bam Margera in 2008
Photo: Jordan Strauss/ WireImage

As news of "Jackass" star Ryan Dunn's death began to circulate on Monday (June 20), those who knew him best paid tribute to their fallen friend and struggled to come to terms with the loss of a man whose antics touched the lives of many.

In a message posted on the website of Dickhouse Entertainment (the producers of the wildly popular "Jackass" series and shows like "Rob & Big" and "Wildboyz"), Dunn was remembered by Johnny Knoxville, director Jeff Tremaine and "the entire 'Jackass' family" as a "brother," though the pain of his death was understandably evident.

"I don't really know what to say right now everybody, because the sadness is overwhelming, but today we lost one of our own. Our brother Ryan Dunn has passed. He died in a car wreck in West Goshen, Pennsylvania this morning at 3 a.m. Goddamn, that's tough to write," the statement read. "Our hearts go out to his family and his beloved Angie. Ryan will be missed and remembered by us all. Thanks for the kind words of support everybody."

See photos of Ryan Dunn throughout his career.

Knoxville also added in a tweet, "RIP Ryan, I love you buddy." And two of his "Jackass" co-stars, Jason "Wee-man" Acuna and Dave England, followed suit, writing, respectively, "You were always a happy kick-ass dude" and "I love you Ryan. I'm gonna miss you bad."

Other stars who knew the 34-year-old daredevil also paid tribute, including director Sofia Coppola, who was once married to "Jackass" co-creator Spike Jonze; fellow reality-TV star Tom Green; and Good Charlotte's Benji and Joel Madden. "Just heard that Ryan Dunn from Jackass died last night in a car wreck. Rest In Peace Ryan," tweeted Green. "R.I.P Ryan Dunn. Very sad news," write Joel Madden.

Remember Ryan Dunn with us on our Facebook page.

Friend and motocross racer Carey Hart remembered Dunn, writing, "You were an amazing guy and you were cut way too short.

"Enjoyed the times we had," Hart continued. "My heart goes out to his family and friends."

Dunn's fans also expressed their sadness on MTV.com, filling our site with messages like, "We will never forget all the laughs you gave us" and "Rest in peace, bro. You're pranking God now, that lucky bastard."

Van Toffler, president of MTV Networks Music/Film Group, also reflected on the loss. "We are devastated by the tragic loss of Ryan Dunn — a beloved member of the MTV family for more than a decade," Toffler said in a statement. "He made us all laugh and had the tireless enthusiastic approach to life of your favorite middle school friend. Our thoughts and deepest condolences are with Ryan's family and friends. The Jackass brotherhood will never be the same."

Share your memories of Dunn in the comments below.

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Source: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1666070/ryan-dunn-dead-dies-car-crash.jhtml

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