Marissa DuBois in Slow Motion Full Fashion Week 2023, Fashion Channel Vlog,

Wednesday, March 21, 2012

Outrage, protests grow over shooting of unarmed Florida teen


trayvon martin was shot february 26 , 24 days later there is still no arrest. his mother says she cannot eat or sleep until zimmerman is behind bars . al sharpton is organizing a bill rally tomorrow night at the first shiloh baptist church in sanford. he is with us now. thank you for your time. what is the goal tomorrow?


>> i think we still must press for the arrest of this shooter. this man has not been arrest zd and almost a month now, coming up on a month.


>> a man that the police have 911 tapes where he says he was pursuing trayvon, and this man claims self defense when he was pursuing the victim. here is a man not even registered as a real watch person as you would call.


Members of Trayvon Martin's family plan to be among demonstrators in New York for a "Million Hoodie March," a reference to the attire the 17-year-old was wearing when he was shot.
"A black person in a hoodie isn't automatically suspicious. Let's put an end to racial profiling," the online protest page says.
More than 800,000 people have signed a petition on Change.org demanding the arrest of the shooter, George Zimmerman.
Martin was fatally shot February 26 while walking to the house of his father's fiancee in Sanford, Florida, after a trip to a convenience store. Zimmerman, a neighborhood watch leader, said he shot the teen in self-defense.
Zimmerman has not been arrested or charged in the killing of the black teenager. A police report describes Zimmerman as a white male; his family says he is Hispanic.


people said they enhanced the tape and you have some who believe that they heard the racial slur . the bottom line , though, regarding evidence if the tape was edited, regardless of what words were there, that would be substantial. that is something that we saw in mississippi, other parts of this country, when police and authorities help in covering up if these allegations are true.


>> i think that's what is so chilling here, not only about the allegations of the tape but the whole case says we made a lot of progress in this country, but what does it say if we can put an african-american man in the white house and we can't walk an african- american child to the store to get skittles? i think that is what is really hit a lot of americans saying, wait a minute, we can't stand for this.


>> we know you will be in florida. we hope you can join us from there live as you will be with the family once again, and also tonight on politics nation reverend al will be joined by trayvon's parents tonight at 6 p.m . eastern time here on msnbc. thank you, sir.

KISS, Motley Crue to rock Tulsa this summer


The rockers will embark on a 40-plus city jaunt simply dubbed “THE TOUR” on July 20 in Manassas, Va., and visit Aaron’s Amphitheatre at Lakewood three dates later on July 24.


Tickets to the Lakewood date are on sale at 10 a.m. Saturday for $29 (lawn) and $29-$150 (reserved). Those with Citibank credit cards can get a jump on buying, starting at 2 p.m. Wednesday through www.citiprivatepass.com.


While the apparently never-retiring KISS (currently Paul Stanley, Gene Simmons, Tommy Thayer and Eric Singer) has toured in the past with fellow longhairs Poison (in 2003) and Skid Row (in 2001 for the, ahem, KISS “Farewell Tour”) and the original lineup of the Crue has also rocked stages with Poison (2011) and Aerosmith (2006), this unholy matrimony of fist-pumping glam rock is seen by many ‘80s rock fans as the ultimate pairing.


KISS and Motley Crue did share a stage in 1982 for the “Creatures of the Night Tour,” when the Crue was in its infancy and KISS was dealing with the departure of Ace Frehley and arrival of Vinnie Vincent.


Jul 20                     Bristow, VA                                        Jiffy Lube Live 
Jul 21                     Virginia Beach, VA                           Farm Bureau Live at Virginia Beach 
Jul 22                     Raleigh, NC                                         Time Warner Cable Music Pavilion at Walnut Creek 
Jul 24                     Atlanta, GA                                         Aaron’s Amphitheatre at Lakewood 
Jul 25                     Charlotte, NC                                    Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre 
Jul 27                     West Palm Beach, FL                      Cruzan Amphitheater 
Jul 28                     Tampa, FL                                            1-800-ASK-GARY Amphitheatre 
Jul 31                     Pelham, AL                                         Oak Mountain Amphitheatre 
Aug 3                     Houston, TX                                       Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion 
Aug 4                     Dallas, TX                                             Gexa Energy Pavillion 
Aug 7                     Albuquerque, NM                           Hard Rock Casino Presents The Pavilion 
Aug 8                     Englewood, CO                                 Comfort Dental Amphitheatre 
Aug 10                  Phoenix, AZ                                        Ashley Furniture HomeStore Pavilion 
Aug 11                  Las Vegas, NV                                    Mandalay Bay Arts Center 
Aug 12                  Chula Vista, CA                                  Cricket Wireless Amphitheatre 
Aug 14                  Irvine, CA                                            Verizon Wireless Amphitheater 
Aug 16                  Concord, CA                                       Sleep Train Pavilion at Concord 
Aug 18                  Auburn, WA                                       White River Amphitheatre 
Aug 19                  Ridgefield, WA                                  Sleep Country Amphitheater 
Aug 24                  Grand Junction, CO                         Rock Jam 
Aug 26       Tulsa, OK                       BOK Center (on-sale 3/30) 
Aug 27                  Maryland Heights, MO                  Verizon Wireless Amphitheater 
Aug 29                  Minneapolis, MN                             Minnesota State Fair (on-sale 3/31) 
Aug 31                  Cincinnati, OH                                    Riverbend MusicCenter 
Sep 1                     Noblesville, IN                                   Klipsch Music Center 
Sep 2                     Pittsburgh, PA                                   First Niagra Pavilion 
Sep 4                     Nashville, TN                                      Bridgestone Arena 
Sep 5                     Clarkston, MI                                     DTE Energy Music Theatre 
Sep 7                     Tinley Park, IL                                    First Midwest Bank Amphitheatre 
Sep 8                     East Troy, WI                                      Alpine Valley Music Theatre 
Sep 11                   Allegan, MI                                         Allegan County Fair (on-sale 5/5) 
Sep 12                   Cleveland, OH                                   Blossom Music Center 
Sep 13                   Toronto, ON                                       Molson Canadian Amphitheatre 
Sep 15                   Darien Center, NY                           Darien Lake Performing Arts Center 
Sep 16                   Mansfield, MA                                  Comcast Center 
Sep 18                   Scranton, PA                                      Toyota Pavilion at Montage Mountain 
Sep 19                   Camden, NJ                                        Susquehanna Bank Center 
Sep 21                   Holmdel, NJ                                        PNC Bank Arts Center 
Sep 22                   Wantagh, NY                                      Nikon at Jones Beach Theater 
Sep 23                   Hartford, CT                                       Comcast Theatre 

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (Three-Disc Combo Blu-ray/DVD) – Blu-ray


Backed by plenty of critical support and some modest commercial returns, "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" gets launched on DVD and Blu-ray this week, looking to scoop up some of the adult demographic that missed it in theaters. Also hitting stores this week will be "The Muppets," the highly acclaimed family film starring Amy Adams and Jason Segel that was a solid success for Disney last November. Roman Polanski's star-studded satire "Carnage" is another title reaching the home market this week and Jonah Hill fans can check out screwball comedy "The Sitter." Thriller "Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy" gives adults another option and a new special edition Blu-ray set is launching this week for cult hit "Battle Royale."


Now near the top of the A-list, director David Fincher delved back into darker territory with his adaptation of "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo," a film that should remind audiences a lot more of "Seven" and "Fight Club" than "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button." With an acclaimed performance from star Rooney Mara, "Dragon Tattoo" was mostly a hit with adult audiences when it reached theaters this past holiday season, though it didn't take off at the box office the way that Sony/Columbia had hoped. But even though "Dragon Tattoo" wasn't a runaway commercial hit, it still racked up a steady $229 million worldwide and announced a new action character that can carry a franchise.


Frode then calls Blomkvist to see if he’s interested in a job, doing an investigation of a cold case.  Blomkvist is taken to an isolated island owned by the Vanger family.  He’s asked by Henrik Vanger (Christopher Plummer) to investigate the death of his grandniece Harriet who vanished from the island in the 1960s and was never seen again.  Harriet’s brother Martin (Stellan Skarsgard) now runs Vanger Enterprises. 
They have always presumed Harriet was dead but Henrik gets a birthday present mailed to him every year and it is something that only she knew.  He has assumed that these have come from her killer and has led to his obsession with finding out what happened to her.
Now the aging Henrik wants to have other eyes look over the case so that he might have a resolution before he dies.  Mikael moves into a guest house and begins his investigation.  His sleuthing will bring the case back to life but also put him on a collision course with Salander.  
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo comes from the hit book by the late Stieg Larsson, one of a trilogy of books he was tinkering with that were only found on his computer after his too soon death. 
They turned into an international hit and even into Swedish films.  It wasn’t too unexpected when Hollywood turned their attentions to them.  It did seem a bit odd since films had already been made and had a somewhat successful theatrical and home video release - but that didn’t seem to stop anyone. 
I will say that I found the original film excellent.  I’ve not found time to read the books but hope to one day, as well as watching the second and third Swedish films.  The initial thought was that why mess with a film that was great already, but in our age of remaking remakes I guess we should’ve just been happy that they were tackling more adult material instead of PG-13 hooey. 
I would say that both films are at least equal.  I can’t pick the winner in this race, but each has charms all its own.  Fincher’s certainly is glossier, but both feature fantastic performances.  It’s not just a matter of filming in English as Fincher puts his own spin on things. 

R. Kelly Releasing 'Trapped In The Closet' Series On IFC

Get ready for more drama from Sylvester, Twan and Pimp Lucius - R. Kelly is delivering more chapters of "Trapped in the Closet." 


The outrageous musical series started off as five videos for the R&B singer's dramatic cliffhanger songs in 2007. It quickly became a cult classic, and he added more chapters, put the accompanying videos on a DVD and also teamed up with IFC to premiere it.



For the next chapters, Kelly is teaming up with IFC again. He said in a statement Wednesday: "The Alien is back and It has brought friends along." 


There has been no date set for the video series as yet, but now's a better time than ever to revisit the previous clips, which rolled out from 2005 to 2007. The soap opera series began with a one night stand and wove into an extended tale of sex and lies, starring Kelly's alter ego Sylvester.


"When I first began experiencing the unknown journey of writing Trapped in the Closet I knew after the first chapter that I had tapped into something that was not of this earth," R. Kelly said in a statement. "Being the nosy person that I am, I more than anyone wanted to know what the second chapter would be. And now here we are at chapter 23, trapped in the million dollar question – what the hell is the package? Well, ladies and gentlemen, not only am I ready to reveal what the package is, but I have many more chapters to share."

El DeBarge at Key Club

 El DeBarge, singer of the '80s hit "Rhythm of the Night," was arrested in the Los Angeles area on Monday for possession for sale of narcotics, E! News has confirmed. 


DeBarge, who was recently videotaped having an emotional reunion with old pal Whitney Houston just days before her death, was booked and released on $30,000 bail and is due in court on April 9, according to the entertainment website.


The 50-year-old singer has been arrested several times for drug possession since 2001 (in 2008, he was sentenced to two years in prison for possession of crack and drug paraphernalia). 


Then again, Thursday’s performance, which lasted less than an hour, felt plenty volatile all by itself, with false song starts, a baffling dance contest and the temporary disappearance partway through of DeBarge, who tearfully retreated behind a curtain at the rear of the stage after singing “Rhythm of the Night.” (A handful of associates coaxed him back out.) So perhaps he was apologizing for more immediate craziness. “I’ve done a couple of no-shows, but I couldn’t do one in L.A.,” DeBarge said near the end of the concert, adding that he was suffering from the flu. “I promise I’ll make it up to you.”


What made this especially frustrating was how good DeBarge could be at the Key Club when he put his frazzled mind to it. Backed only by a drummer and the L.A. hip-hop veteran DJ Quik — the latter of whom sang a bit of Eddie Kendricks’ “Intimate Friends” during DeBarge’s unannounced intermission — the 50-year-old demonstrated how little age has coarsened his feather-light tone in “Stay With Me” and “Time Will Reveal.” His keyboard playing, too, remained nimble and expressive, particularly in a delicate reading of the title track from “Second Chance,” which he said had been one of Whitney Houston’s favorite songs.


It was easy to think of Houston throughout Thursday’s show, as DeBarge’s erratic behavior continued to draw focus away from his music. In “Rhythm of the Night” he spent an enormous amount of time selecting someone from the crowd to compare moves with a mohawked dancer he described as his protĂ©gĂ©. And after “Time Will Reveal” he demanded, without apparent provocation, “Don’t feel sorry for me! We’re good!”


And yet just when you were wondering how much blearier things might become, DeBarge planted himself behind his keyboard at center stage and offered up a pair of tunes — first “All This Love,” then “I Like It” — that felt totally snapped-down, as though they were beamed in from some other show. “I Like It” was almost scarily intense, DeBarge’s eyes flashing with the kind of purpose he’d seemed incapable of earlier in the evening; DJ Quik looked on, seemingly impressed.

El DeBarge arrested in Encino on suspicion of drug possession


El DeBarge is racking up a bevy of greatest hits—on his sprawling rap sheet.


E! News has confirmed that the "Rhythm of the Night" singer (real name: Eldra DeBarge) was arrested in the Los Angeles area on Monday for possession for sale of narcotics, adding yet another notch to his long history of run-ins with the law.


Police confirm that DeBarge was arrested at 2 p.m. in Encino. No other details were available.


He was booked and released on a $30,000 bail and is due in court on April 9.


The singer, who was most recently spotted having an emotional reunion with old friend Whitney Houston at a Hollywood club just days before her death, has a troubled history with the law, and with drugs.


Undercover narcotics officers were conducting an investigation near White Oak Avenue and the 101 Freeway early Monday when they spotted the singer and another man acting suspiciously, said LAPD spokeswoman Norma Eisenman.


Officers recovered narcotics from an area where DeBarge had been standing, Eisenman said.


El DeBarge, best known for the Grammy-winning song "Rhythm of the Night" in the mid-1980s as part of his family's group DeBarge, was booked on suspicion of possession for sale of drugs.


The other man, Curtis Freeman, was arrested on suspicion of attempted drug possession.


DeBarge attorney Spencer Vodnoy said he was skeptical about the initial booking charge of possession for sale given his client's struggle with drug use.


"The DeBarge family is very close knit and have had their struggles with substance abuse," Vodnoy said. "They will do what they always have done, which is to support their sibling through this."

Spring Break Lessons From Hugh Hefner and Ted Turner


Michael Bay's decision to alter the mythology of 'Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles' is causing a commotion, Hugh Hefner's son, Martson, pleads no contest in battery case, Adam Levine in talks to join 'American Horror Story', Hilary Clinton joins in latest search for Amelia Earhart, and more. 


Director Michael Bay is retooling the backstory for the latest installment of the "Ninja Turtles" franchise.
Michael Bay revamping the mythology of'Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles'


Back in the 60s, there were not as many famous senior citizens in the public eye who had already traveled that playboy path. Young people back then wrongly assumed that they would find fulfillment in living with such reckless sexual abandon. Today however, we have many notable examples of old men who have spent their lives pursuing "tons of sex" with multiple partners. We also have many women who have been with those men for a brief time and seen how quickly their partner leaves them for the next "babe" he gets in his sights.


If this lifestyle was truly able to deliver the satisfaction it promises, then surely we would see it in the lives of Hugh Hefner and Ted Turner and their many female conquests. Today, Ted commands the attention of his four lovers (or his "lusters" if you will). He gives each woman one week of his time every month. How generous of him. Are the lucky ladies happy with the arrangement? "Sort of," said Ted. Sounds like Ted's spin rather than their honest assessment of the situation. Is Turner still lonely even in the midst of so many women? "Maybe a little," he admits. Now that sounds deeply fulfilling for everyone involved, doesn't it? Talk about "livin' the dream." Not exactly.

Kendra lands new WE reality show, 'Kendra On Top'


Congratulations to Kendra Wilkinson-Baskett on landing a new reality show on WEtv called 'Kendra On Top'! Kendra says she "parted ways" with E! Entertainment Television who aired her former reality programs, 'Kendra' and 'The Girls Next Door'. WE ordered 14 episodes of the show, the one-hour premiere and one-hour finale plus 12 half-hour episodes that start production this month. The show will focus on Kendra's life as a wife and mother and husband Hank's life after professional football. They will even show their precious son, Little Hank, 2, on his first day of preschool!


Yes, Kendra, 26, is returning to reality TV. And as she chatted with us on Monday, she giggled every time she said the name of the new show, Kendra On Top.


"Of course you can look at it however you want to look at it, but the reason we named it that was because everyone said, 'Kendra, you're the most fit, you're the best wife, you've got the best family.' Everyone's been saying those words to me so we summed it all up."


She adds, "You can take it and play with it and have fun with it. I'm OK with it, 'cuz I'm a free person, I'm open. That's the fun part of it, but the real meaning is where my life is now."


Even though she is still close friends with Hugh Hefner, Kendra has no plans to pose for Playboy again anytime soon. She is happy to stay focused on her life as a wife and mother. She says, "I felt like my life was injected with steroids. I'm bigger, I'm better. I'm the best person, the best parent. I want to be happier, more fulfilled." WEtv says that Kendra will also show how to be a mommy and a hottie at the same time! Kendra and Hank have already had publicity shots done for the new show. It starts production in Los Angeles this month.

Hugh Hefner's son Marston pleads to domestic violence


Hugh Hefner’s son, Marston Hefner, pleaded no contest to a misdemeanor domestic violence charge for an incident involving his girlfriend, Claire Sinclair, the 2011 Playmate of the Year.
The 21-year-old Playboy scion pleaded no contest Tuesday to corporal injury to a spouse or cohabitant and is expected to undergo a year of domestic violence counseling, Pasadena City assistant prosecutor Chris Blankenhorn told City News Service. He has also been ordered to stay away from Sinclair for three years.
Marston Hefner was arrested last month after police were called to the Pasadena apartment he shared with 20-year-old Sinclair. Sinclair, a Bettie Page look-alike, had minor injuries and sought a restraining order against Hefner the next day.
Posing for TMZ.com, she revealed a giant purple bruise on her arm and claimed the heir had been violent before.
The playmate told ABCNews.com that she would not press charges if Hefner issued an apology. “I’m looking forward to a public apology,” Sinclair told ABCNews.com last month. “I am against any sort of domestic violence so once that’s done, I’m ready to bury this and leave it in my past.”


Hefner is expected to receive one year of domestic violence counseling and be ordered to stay away from Sinclair for three years, Blankenhorn said.


Sinclair, who was named the 2011 "Playmate of the Year," was shown with a bruise on her arm in a photo on the celebrity website TMZ shortly after the incident first came to light.

Katy Perry Denies Dissing Beyoncé, Tells Rumormongers "Get a Life!"

 Katy Perry really wants to hook up with Rihanna, on a song at least. The two have teased fans for quite some time about getting together and making a track to please both the Katy Cats and the Rihanna Navy.


When MTV News sat down with Katy during "MTV First: Katy Perry" — airing Wednesday (March 21) at 7:23 p.m. ET on MTV, followed by a 30-minute chat on MTV.com — the singer opened up about the pressure she feels to make the collaboration happen.




"I've always wanted to and she's always wanted to and that's very genuine," she explained. "We're not just shooting the sh--. We're not, like, just kind of beating around the bush. But really we want to."


Here is the catch. "It's just that I think it's gotten to such a head that if we do something that's not the greatest, it's going to be so anticlimactic," she said. "So we've already thought about it."


As it happens, the alleged diss hit the headlines yesterday, when Katy's interview with the British radio giant went online. During the Q&A, Perry was asked if she and BFF Rihanna would ever make good on their promise to join musical forces, and her answer seemed to go out of its way to spare her colleagues' blushes.


"I was telling her, you know that Eurthymics song with Aretha Franklin, Annie Lennox, 'Sisters Are Doin' It For Themselves'?" Katy said.


"That's like the kind of song that I'd want to do instead of, like, 'Hips Don't Lie,' which was still a great song by Shakira and Beyoncé. I mean, not 'Hips Don't Lie,' what's that duet? 'Beautiful Liar.'"


With friendly nonfeuds like that, who needs real ones?

Katy Perry Ditches The Crown And Bros Down In London


We're just excited as you are about the premiere of Katy Perry's "Part of Me" video tonight at 7:23 p.m. ET on MTV. But before Katy herself introduces 


the video and answers your questions on MTV.com following the debut, we have a wish list of five things we'd love to see in the visuals.


There are publicists and managers, stylists and makeup folks, at least one assistant, the odd journalist and a few rather fashionable gentlemen whose roles are not clearly defined (though they smoke cigarettes and usually speak French). And on Monday, when I met up with Katy in London, there was also a documentary crew in tow — two camera guys, a director and a field producer — bringing the sum total of her posse to 15. And they make their presence known from the second they descend on the scene, snapping Polaroids, hanging wardrobe, moving furniture, gabbing, texting, dabbing, smoking, quietly judging (I am nothing if not insecure). It's a whoosh of activity that not only announces her arrival, but makes you realize that it truly takes an army to make the Katy Perry machine operate on a daily basis.


Katy definitely knows this, as she explained during our interview — we're premiering her brand-new "Part of Me" video tonight, which was the impetus for this chat — most of her favorite memories all involve her team. A recent one being the night she was reunited with some 40 members of her California Dreams Tour crew for a dinner that quickly devolved into an impromptu dance-off, which is why her neck was totally killing her on this day. She may be the queen bee, but she's definitely not opposed to getting down and dirty with her drones. Not as if she'd ever refer to them as such.


Though it's impossible to truly get a read on anyone in an hour, I will say this about Katy Perry: Unlike Britney Spears or Lady Gaga — both of whom are plenty nice — she still seems like a pretty normal person, albeit one with blue hair. She screws around a lot (she jokingly threatened to punch me in the face if I kept screwing up my lines), displayed an impressive acumen for swearing and even worked the word "bro" into our conversation on at least six occasions. She spoke with great pride about the rigorous boot-camp training she underwent for the "Part of Me" video, even extolling the virtues of the MRE rations she dined on during production ("they tasted like a McRib!"). She can play the piano surprisingly well, as she displayed on the baby grand in our penthouse and openly pined for McNuggets (and if you're keeping score at home, that's the third time she referenced McDonald's during our interview).

Netflix orders 'Hemlock Grove' TV series


Netflix Inc. (NFLX) plans to stream a new, original series, “Hemlock Grove,” with 13 episodes beginning in 2013.


The Los Gatos, California-based online film and TV service has exclusive rights to the program, a monster murder-mystery based on a Brian McGreevy novel and starring Famke Janssen and Bill Skarsgard, the company said today in a statement. Gaumont International Television is producing the series.


Netflix is branching out from library content to offer new, original programming to compete for subscription revenue with Time Warner Inc.’s HBO. Netflix is considering partnerships with cable operators to expand the reach of the online service, which has more than 23 million streaming customers, Chief Executive Officer Reed Hastings said this month.


“Hemlock Grove” starts with the body of a young girl, mangled and murdered in the shadow of the former Godfrey steel mill. Some suspect an escapee from the White Tower, a biotech facility owned by the former steel magnates. Others believe the killer could be Peter, a 17-year-old Gypsy kid from the wrong side of the tracks, who tells his classmates he’s a werewolf. Or it could be Roman (Skarsgard), the arrogant Godfrey scion, whose sister Shelley is disturbingly deformed and whose mother, Olivia (Janssen), the otherworldly beautiful and controlling grand dame of Hemlock Grove.


As the crime goes unsolved and outlandish rumors mount, Peter and Roman decide to find the killer themselves, confronting unspeakable truths about themselves and Hemlock Grove as the mystery unfolds.


“Eli Roth is a master of this genre and Brian McGreevy’s brilliant novel gives Roth a world where he can create his magic,” said Ted Sarandos, Netflix Chief Content Officer.   “‘Hemlock Grove’ is a sly blend of J.D. Salinger and Mary Shelley and will appeal to a broad base of fans captivated by these rich characters and stunning visuals.”


“I've been waiting for years to dive into television, and Eric Newman and I founded Arcade to do elevated genre projects exactly like ‘Hemlock Grove’.  Brian McGreevy's novel blew me away, and the material lends itself perfectly to long format storytelling.  ‘Hemlock Grove’ is smart, dark, complex, and at times terrifying,” said Eli Roth.

Nicki Minaj's 'Beez in the Trap' Sparks Drama Between Rival DJs


According to Hot 97's Funkmaster Flex, he recently stole an email from DJ Clue. The email contained a file of Nicki Minaj's latest song "Beez In The Trap," which was set to be played on Clue's radio show. Instead, Flex dropped a bomb on the track while also speaking about why he decided to hack Clue's account.


"Let me talk to you once more. You was talking yesterday [like] you want to go. Make sure you're ready to go-pause button-'cause you lost your exclusive tonight. You guys been tweeting about it all day and I took it. Okay? Now, don't make me have to talk to you like this again [laughing], you clown. I'm so built for this. Listen to me June-June, and you listen to me good. I ain't hold this crown for so many years for some box-head cornball to get a record tonight that you thought you was gonna get. Now, you just shut up."


Whatever the order of events, Nicki's "Beez in the Trap" single clearly came out on top. The '80s-inspired track is a departure from "Right by My Side," the R&B duet that Minaj and Chris Brown released earlier on Tuesday. Instead, "Beez" finds the Harajuku Barbie once again taking aim at unnamed rap chicks. "Bitches ain't sh-- and they ain't sayin' nothin'," she boasts on over a sparse drum track. Underground favorite 2 Chainz doesn't compromise a thing spitting alongside the multiplatinum rapper. He drops a charismatic 16-bar verse where he goes on about his Lexus LS 450, True Religion jeans and his pimp ways.


With the newly released Roman Reloaded tracks, Nicki seems to be striking a balance between melodic pop tracks ("Starships," "Right By My Side") and the rap fare that she came into the game with ("Stupid Hoe," "Roman Reloaded").


"April 3 is gonna be a doozy. It's gonna be crazy," Nicki promised when MTV News caught up with her at the NBA All-Star Game in February. "It's gonna be important for just hip-hop culture and pop culture. It's gonna be very big."

Nicki Minaj on making her musical mark: 'I've just been constantly

 Nicki Minaj became the first female to grace FORBES’ Hip-Hop Cash Kings last year, pulling in $6.5 million, enough to land the No. 15 spot on the annual accounting of rap’s top earners. Expect her bulging bank account to grow even more in 2012 following a massive deal she recently signed with Pepsi.


According to Derek Jackson, the Glu agency chief who brokered the agreement, Minaj will become the face of a new Pepsi beverage nearing its debut. He said the pact, which includes a commercial filmed in South America last month (pixely footage has already leaked on YouTube), is a multimillion-dollar deal.


Minaj, 29, has already achieved the kind of career milestones that artists twice her age would hope to reach, but the "Superbass" singer isn't content to slow down or settle anytime soon.




Nicki Minaj admits that her biggest goal has always been to stand alone independent of  other artists.(Christian Anwander/Complex)
"I happen to be a pessimist, and maybe that's a good thing because I don't stop to smell the roses - which is not a good personal thing," she said. "I don't stop and enjoy those moments. ... Always on to the next and never in the moment."


The rap diva performed with music legend Madonna and fellow female bad-ass M.I.A at the Super Bowl this past February, and has deals with both M.A.C. Cosmetics and OPI nail polish.


And at present, her album "Pink Friday" has gone double-platinum.


But fame and success has come at a price for the self-professed "homebody."


Her very public feud with fellow rapper Lil Kim continues to be tabloid fodder and her bizarre antics and outfits are criticized as much as they're lauded.

Reese Witherspoon Picks Up 'Pennyroyal’s Princess Boot Camp'

Reese Witherspoon picks "Pennyroyal's Princess Boot Camp" as the first project of her and Bruna Papandreas' new banner Pacific Standard. They have nabbed the rights to the children's book series which was written by M.A. Larson, to be made a feature film. 


Witherspoon, who is rumored expecting her first child, is attached to play a supporting role. Pacific Standard, which is also developing the two-book series, is looking at "Pennyroyal's Princess Boot Camp" as a potential franchise. 


The first book of the series is the debut novel by Larson, a Minnesotan native who studied filmmaking at the University of Miami who became Nichols’ assistant when the legendary producer-director-writer was working on Angels in America, Closer and Spamalot. Larson later moved to Los Angeles where he was a staff writer on Cartoon Network shows and has been writing on various kids-oriented channels such as Disney XD, Nickelodeon and Discovery Kids.

Princess Boot Camp was recently picked up by Putnam’s Children’s as a two-book series.

Pacific Standard is developing the books, which is the first official project from the fledgling company, as a potential franchise.
“Finally, there is a princess story that reflects the values young women truly want to embody,” said Witherspoon in a statement.  “These princesses are strong, independent and fierce and the knights are their match. In telling their story, Larson has created a magical universe that everyone will love to get lost in."

Reese Witherspoon Expecting Baby No. 3

As multiple insiders confirm in the new Us Weekly, out now, Reese Witherspoon is pregnant with her third child -- her first with husband Jim Toth. And while the Oscar-winning actress, who turns 36 Thursday, isn't planning on announcing the big news, the evidence is becoming clear.


After weeks of speculation – whipped up after the actress sported a series of loose, bump-concealing frocks – several Witherspoon pals confirm that yes, the Oscar winner and her husband of almost one year, Hollywood talent agent Jim Toth, are expecting their first child together. 


On Wednesday, just as Us Weekly broke news of her baby-to-be, Witherspoon and a female pal were photographed taking a two-hour hike in the Santa Monica Mountains near her home in the Brentwood area of Los Angeles. "You could definitely see a small bump, which she covered-up with a loose fitting sweatshirt," an observer says. The star "was in good spirits" during the strenuous hike, pointing things out to her friend along the trail.


"Her baby bump is still small, but very noticeable," the onlooker adds. "But she is in great shape -- the hike was not that easy!"
Just a week and a half ago, in between promotional duties for her flick This Mean War, Witherspoon hung out by a hotel pool March 10 with gal pals in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil. Already mother to daughter Ava, 12, and son Deacon, 8, with ex Ryan Phillippe, the star covered up her small baby bump in a casual blue cotton dress worn over a bathing suit.

'Hunger Games': To like the movie, do you have to read the book?

The red carpet event at the School of Visual Arts Theatre was leaked on Twitter, drawing an unexpected crowd of admirers.


Held at bay by barricades and private security, fans cheered wildly as stars of the film pulled up in black cars. Actress Jennifer Lawrence walked over to greet the throng that was kept outside the W. 23rd St. theater.


“I can’t stay long,” Lawrence told the crowd outside screaming her name.


The fleeting encounter left 16-year-old Daniela Nogina of Brooklyn dazzled.


For most reviews, “Hunger Games,” which has currently sold more advance tickets than any non-sequel, scored ratings of at least four out of five stars, three out of four stars, and a few "A" grades. Critics particularly praised actress Jennifer Lawrence’s performance as heroine Katniss Everdeen, who volunteers to replace her sister in the deadly Hunger Games run by a dystopian government.


“At its center is Jennifer Lawrence, an ideal choice to play this strong, independent young woman,” Associated Press reviewer Christy LeMire wrote of the film. “There’s a youthful energy and even a vulnerability that make her relatable to the core, target audience of female fans. Lawrence is endlessly watchable." 


Chicago Tribune reviewer Michael Phillips said he would praise Lawrence as the best thing in the film if the rest wasn’t equally as good. 


“The young actress received an Oscar nomination for her work in "Winter's Bone," and her performance here is no less fierce and purposeful,” he wrote. 


“Liam! Liam! Over here,” shouted Simone Colson, 21, of Staten Island, who only got a wave from the actor who plays Gale Hawthorne in the film based on Suzanne Collins’ bestselling young adult book.


Organizers of the screening, hosted by The Cinema Society and the Calvin Klein Collection, pleaded with media outlets to keep the event secret to avoid gawkers.


But Allison Ortiz, 22, of Manhattan said she heard about it on Twitter.


“I was the only one here for hours,” Ortiz said. “Then people started showing up.”


The movie, set for a national release on Friday, got a five-star review Tuesday from Daily News film critic Joe Neumaier, who called it “exciting and thought-provoking in a way few adventure dramas ever are.”


Earlier Tuesday, fans descended on Union Square by the hundreds, drawn by a craving to meet the stars of the movie scheduled to appear at the Barnes & Noble store at the northern end of the square.


Some fans camped out long before dawn, hoping to get into a special 8 p.m. event promoting the film and Collins’ wildly popular trilogy.


Fifteen-year-old Lauren Silver, who lives in Manhattan, admitted she skipped school to stand in line.


“We have doctors notes,” she said.


As Lauren spoke, she displayed the yellow wristband that guarantees she’ll get a chance to meet the movie stars when they finally arrive.


“It was so worth it,” said an exhausted Lauren, who brought her copy of the book and a magazine for stars of the movie to sign.


Fans of “The Hunger Games” descended on Union Square by the hundreds Tuesday, drawn by a craving to meet the stars of the much-anticipated movie.

Mauritania to hand over ex-spy chief to Libya

 Libya is vying with France and the Hague-based International Criminal Court (ICC) to try Gaddafi's former right-hand man, arrested on Friday when he flew in to the Mauritanian capital Nouakchott using a false passport.


Mauritanian sources played down Libyan suggestions that a deal to extradite Senussi was almost finalized and said other countries also had a say in the case.


"We have an assurance from Mauritania that it will extradite ... Senussi, but there are legal procedures which must be respected and we will wait," Libyan government spokesman Nasser al-Manee told reporters before boarding the plane.


"No date has been set for his physical extradition, but it will be soon," he added. A diplomatic source said the plane later took off as scheduled.


Libyan Deputy Prime Minister Mustafa Abu Shagour, leading the delegation, said after talks with Mauritanian President Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz on Tuesday that Aziz had given his consent to Senussi's extradition, adding he would "soon be in a Libyan prison."


The former intelligence chief is accused of attacking civilians during the uprising in Libya last year and of the 1989 bombing of a French airliner. He was considered Qaddafi's "black box" and known to be among his inner circle of confidants. He was also the ousted leader's brother-in-law.
Al-Senoussi was detained Saturday in Mauritania.
The International Criminal Court, France and Libya have all said they want to prosecute al-Senoussi.
He is wanted in Libya for a number of crimes, including his alleged role in the Abu Salim prison massacre of more than 1,200 prisoners by Qaddafi's regime in 1996.
Judges at the Netherlands-based ICC issued an arrest warrant for al-Senoussi last June on two counts of crimes against humanity -- murder and persecution -- for allegedly masterminding attacks on civilians in the early days of the uprising that eventually toppled Qaddafi from power.
Mauritania is not a member of the court.
The court also indicted Qaddafi but the ousted leader was killed by rebel fighters in October. Libyan authorities say they want to put Seif al-Islam, one of Gadhafi's sons, on trial at home instead of turning him over him to the court.

Mitt Romney says he's 'almost there' after Illinois


CHICAGO — Mitt Romney swept to victory in the Illinois Republican primary on Tuesday, using the full force of his campaign and an argument that he has the best chance of defeating President Obama to overcome doubts among the more conservative voters at the heart of his party.


Tonight's win means we are that much closer to securing the nomination, uniting our party, and taking on President Obama," the Republican front-runner wrote in a campaign email sent late Tuesday.


He urged the party to fall in line behind his bid, saying, "We are almost there."


The former Massachusetts governor and his allies spent hundreds of thousands of dollars more than Santorum and his backers in Illinois, and it showed in the results: Romney was beating Santorum by 47 percent to 35 percent.


As Mr. Romney addressed supporters in a hotel ballroom in the Chicago suburb of Schaumburg, he congratulated his rivals and immediately turned his focus to the president. He belittled Mr. Obama’s experience as a constitutional law professor at the University of Chicago and as a community organizer on the South Side of Chicago, saying the president was ill suited to lead the nation to economic prosperity.


“It’s time to say this word: enough. We’ve had enough,” he said. “We know our future’s brighter than these troubled times. We still believe in America, and we deserve a president who believes in us, and I believe in the American people.”


Illinois is the third state in the industrial Midwest that Mr. Romney has carried in the last month. The electorate, particularly in the suburbs of Chicago, where he overwhelmed Mr. Santorum, was also reflective of relatively moderate states that will vote across the Northeast in April.


Surveys of Illinois Republicans leaving polling places showed that Mr. Romney not only won among the groups that usually support him — moderates, college graduates and wealthier voters — but also was competitive among Mr. Santorum’s generally more loyal coalition of Tea Party supporters and married women.


Mr. Santorum, who had been badly outspent by Mr. Romney and his supportive “super PAC” on television here, was winning in the rural and western portions of the state, a point he emphasized as he spoke to his supporters Tuesday night in his home state of Pennsylvania, a must-win for him on April 24.

Romney looks to seal the deal


Former Florida Governor Jeb Bush endorsed Mitt Romney after Romney’s lopsided win in Illinois Tuesday night. The former Florida Governor – a Republican heavyweight – called on members of the party to coalesce behind Romney.
“Congratulations to Governor Mitt Romney on his win last night and to all the candidates for a hard fought, thoughtful debate and primary season,” said Bush in a statement. “Primary elections have been held in thirty-four states, and now is the time for Republicans to unite behind Governor Romney and take our message of fiscal conservatism and job creation to all voters this fall.  I am endorsing Mitt Romney for our Party’s nomination.  We face huge challenges, and we need a leader who understands the economy, recognizes more government regulation is not the answer, believes in entrepreneurial capitalism and works to ensure that all Americans have the opportunity to succeed.”


The Illinois victory appeared to follow established patterns so far in the Republican race, with Romney doing well in urban and suburban areas while top conservative rival Rick Santorum ran strong in rural areas.
In Chicago, Romney had 55% of the total with 99% of precincts reporting, while Santorum notched 25%, according to the city's election website. In Lake County, one of the surrounding counties near Chicago, Romney had 56% with all precincts reporting, according to the clerk's office website, and Santorum had 28%.
Texas Rep. Ron Paul and Gingrich, who is battling Santorum for conservative support against the more moderate Romney, trailed well back, according to unofficial results from local clerks and election boards.
"We thank the people of Illinois for this extraordinary victory," Romney told supporters in the Chicago suburb of Schaumburg Tuesday night. "Elections are about choices. Today, hundreds of thousands of people in Illinois joined millions of people in this country in this cause."
The results gave Romney at least 41 of the 54 delegates up for grabs in the state, increasing his total to 562, according to CNN's estimate. Santorum is second with 249, Gingrich third with 137 and Paul last with 69.

Peyton Manning consider the Chiefs

 KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Kansas City Chiefs have aggressively sought to improve their offense this offseason, signing running back Peyton Hillis, tight end Kevin Boss and right tackle Eric Winston.


When Pioli went to Kansas City, he had no qualms about bringing Cassel with him, but in the three years since he's been with the Chiefs, Cassel has been up and down. And aside from a solid 2010 season, Cassel has been down more often than not.




“Clearly he had a plan. He let me know that,” Pioli said. “He didn’t get into the details. He was up front about what he was doing, some of the visits he wanted to take, and we initially weren’t a part of that.”


Manning wound up agreeing a $96 million, five-year deal with AFC West rival Denver.


“I’ve spent a lot of time with him, around him, communicating with him, competing against his teams. He had a plan, he executed it and he never explained to me, nor did I ask,” Pioli said.


The Chiefs were among the teams rumored to be in the running for Manning after owner Clark Hunt expressed his admiration for him during a television interview. Pioli had also said that he wanted to create competition for Matt Cassel as the team’s starting quarterback.


Cassel will be returning from a season-ending injury to his throwing hand. The team recently signed former Broncos backup Brady Quinn to create some depth.


Pioli refused to get into details about his conversations with Manning and his agent, but he did say that Cassel was aware that discussions had taken place. Pioli also said he’s comfortable with the three quarterbacks currently on the roster — he drafted Ricky Stanzi in the fifth round last season — which makes it unlikely that the Chiefs will select another in the April draft.

Peyton Manning: The NFL’s Best Salesman


The Peyton Manning sweepstakes came to an end Monday when the free agent quarterback informed the NFL teams pursuing him that he intended to sign with the Denver Broncos.


That was the fun part. While it’s not like the hype is about to die down, the discussion can now turn to the performance Manning can give for one team rather than several, and what the Broncos can expect from the $96 million, five-year contract they doled out for the former Colt. NFL.com’s Bucky Brooks sees an offensive system that will be entirely tailored to Manning’s strengths, and a young receiving corps that can only benefit from his experience. More importantly, Manning’s considerable ability to work in a no-huddle offense will be more potent than ever in Denver’s high-altitude environment. “Opponents routinely wilt under the challenging conditions of the Rocky Mountains; the no-huddle will only exacerbate the difficulties of playing in thin air,” he writes. “With defenders playing at a rapid pace without the opportunity to get an occasional breather on the sideline, the Broncos will eventually wear down their opponents.” ESPN’s Bill Williamson also anticipates a quick learning curve for Manning, and sports analytic firm numberFire predicts his numbers will be comparable to his last few healthy years in Indianapolis, assuming his neck is back to normal. The only sure bet is that Denver’s accounting team will be a lot busier: ticket demand for the Broncos home games jumped up a reported 25%, preceding an inevitable merchandising boost.


The Titans lost their bid to bring Manning back to the state where he played in college for the University of Tennessee.


John Elway said at the news conference that current Broncos starting QB Tim Tebow took the news of Manning’s decision to play at Denver with class. As AP explained:


Broncos executive John Elway says Tim Tebow was disappointed but very positive when they talked about Denver’s plans to sign Peyton Manning.


Speaking Tuesday at a news conference to introduce the 11-time Pro Bowl selection as the newest Bronco, Elway said Tebow’s response was typical of the exciting young quarterback.


Elway said Tebow was “very positive. He’s like, ‘We’re talking about Peyton Manning. I understand what you’re doing.’”


Tebow turned Denver around last season but misfired on passes and was often more effective as a runner. Manning is one the best QBs in league history and won a Super Bowl in 2007.


Elway didn’t say exactly what will happen to Tebow but, “It would be our goal for us to get (Tebow) in the best situation possible.”

Cornered Suspect Planned New Attack, French


TOULOUSE, France — A 23-year-old man suspected in the methodical killings of four men and three children in this region over the past 10 days barricaded himself in a small apartment building in Toulouse early Wednesday as negotiators tried to secure his surrender.


French police have named Mohammed Merah, A 24-year-old Toulouse resident of Algerian descent, as the suspect in the shooting deaths of four people at a Jewish school on Monday and three soldiers in two other shootings. Mr. Merah has claimed to have links with al Qaeda, telling police trying to secure his surrender that his goal was to avenge Palestinian children and object to the French army's presence in Afghanistan.


Officials identified the man in French media reports as Mohammed Merah, a French national of Algerian descent. Interior Minister Claude Guéant, speaking at the site, said the man told negotiators that he belonged to Al Qaeda and that the attacks were meant to avenge the deaths of Palestinian children and to protest French military deployments abroad.


Investigators believe the suspect was the motorcyclist behind the killings of three paratroopers in Toulouse and the nearby city of Montauben, all three of Arab descent, over the past 10 days ago. They also believe he conducted an attack on Monday outside a Jewish school that killed a rabbi, two of his young children, and an 8-year-old girl. The gunman held the girl by the hair to execute, pausing to switch to a 9-millimeter gun when his .45 jammed. Investigators believe he was wearing a camera around his neck at the school to record his murders.


The chief editor of France 24 said in a televised interview that she had spoken by telephone to a man who claimed to be the shooter in the hours before the police surrounded his building. “He was calm, was speaking in very good French and punctuated by Arabic expressions,” said the editor, Ebba Kalondo. She said he spoke of planning more attacks and that he intended to post video of his killings online.


The suspect had traveled to Pakistan and Afghanistan and called himself a mujahedeen, or freedom fighter, and had been under surveillance by the French domestic intelligence service for several years, Mr. GuĂ©ant said, “though nothing whatsoever allowed us to think he was at the point of committing a criminal act.” He became a suspect on Monday afternoon, after investigators traced an IP address, used in connection with the killing of the first paratrooper 10 days ago, to the suspect’s mother, according to Pierre-Henry Brandet, a spokesman for Mr. GuĂ©ant.


Aviv Zonabend, the vice president of the local branch of the Crif, France’s most prominent Jewish organization, who met with Mr. GuĂ©ant on Wednesday morning, gave a slightly different account, saying that investigators apparently had been unable to locate the suspect before the shootings on Monday.

Students protest against Arpaio outside Phoenix high school


Police arrested six demonstrators, including two minors, at a student-led rally to protest Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio’s immigration policies, the local press reported.
The protesters included students from Trevor Browne High School and other area high schools and colleges.
They rallied Tuesday in the intersection of 75th Avenue and Cheery Lynn Street, forcing police to close 75th Avenue in both directions.


Students were mainly in attendance with a few adults as well. The students running the protest and leading the different chants.


The protesters were also chanting directly to the sheriff in saying, "Arpaio we're here, we're undocumented and have no fear."


The protest is in response to Arpaio and his stance on immigration enforcement.


One of students on the megaphone could be heard saying, "We are not scared of Arpaio, come and meet us. We want to meet you."


Police informed the protesters they were illegally blocking the street. According to one, they believe a statement needs to be made.


"We're going to ask them all to leave the roadway and those who don't will be arrested," said Phoenix police officer James Holmes. "Anyone 18 or over who is arrested will go to the Fourth Avenue Jail and will be processed for breaking the law. Anyone under the age of 18 will go to the juvenile detention center."


Many of the protestors said they do not fear jail time.


"We worry every day and it's time for us to use that same fear we have for the love of our families and say, 'We're not going to be afraid anymore,'" one protester told KNPX- TV.


Other chants that could be heard were; "Arpaio we're here, we're undocumented and we have no fear;" "We're fired up. Can't take no more;" "Up, up with education; down, down with deportation;" "Arpaio we're here. Our community has no fear;" and "No justice, no peace. No racist police."

Robert De Niro: I’m prone De Niro captures father's character


So you write a soul-baring memoir of your relationship with your fame-hungry, delusional, alcoholic and sometimes homeless father, and now Robert De Niro wants to play him in the movie. You figure your father will be thrilled, right?
University of Houston creative writing professor Nick Flynn had no delusion that his dad would be pleased.
"He said Dustin Hoffman should play him."
The movie, "Being Flynn," based on Nick Flynn's much-praised 2004 memoir, "Another Bull**** Night in Suck City," is now showing in San Antonio. Julianne Moore plays Flynn's mother, and Paul Dano plays young Nick in his 20s. De Niro, not Hoffman, plays his father, Jonathan Flynn.


De Niro’s performance style was informed by the two dominant mid-20th-century approaches to acting. By the mid-1950s, anyone who wanted to be somebody came through the Actors Studio, led by Lee Strasberg, who honed an approach to acting that critics were referring to as “Method acting.” Today, we think of a Method actor as one that inhabits his character to the degree that the actor literally puts himself in the shoes of his character – even when he is not on camera. However, there was another acting technique during the era being taught by Stella Adler, where Marlon Brando studied and with whom De Niro enrolled.


Adler taught that the actor does not embody the character so much as he becomes the character onstage (or film) through the actions of the play (or script). Like most actors of the time, De Niro ended up studying both at Stella’s school and the Studio. The schism between Strasberg and Adler created the greatest polemic of 20th century acting, as De Niro recalled when he sat down to discuss his earliest days as an actor and his latest film.

Robert De Niro's Racial First Lady' Joke: Inappropriate



While DeNiro was clearly being mock ironic by recalling the kind of comments that many whites made about blacks within living memory, he ran afoul of the unwritten rule Obama and his tight knit team of advisers have operated under going back to his 2008 campaign. Anything that reinforces racial divisions or focuses attention on the president's race should be avoided.  


Brace yourself for the joke that the GOP presidential hopeful also said would "divide the country."


From The Hill:                                                                


While introducing the first lady at a New York City fundraiser, De Niro jokingly suggested that America isn’t “ready for a white first lady.”


“Callista Gingrich. Karen Santorum. Ann Romney. Now, do you really think our country is ready for a white first lady?” De Niro said, to laughter from the crowd. When someone in the audience yelled, “No!” De Niro continued, “Too soon, right?”


The actor later on Tuesday released a statement saying he had not meant to offend anyone with his comment.


“My remarks, although spoken with satirical jest, were not meant to offend or embarrass anyone — especially the First Lady,” he said, according to reports.


There's no room in the 24 hour news cycle of sound bites to evaluate whether anyone was actually offended or to analyze the ways in which the impact of a racial joke is informed by our country's history and the context in which it's told. So it makes sense that the White House has backed away from the statement. But we wonder whether anyone was able to listen to Gingrich's comparison of De Niro to Limbaugh with a straight face.

Robert De Niro apologizes for "first lady" joke at Obama fundraiser

 Robert De Niro said he meant no offense when he joked at a presidential fundraiser featuring Michelle Obama that America might not be ready for a white first lady.




"My remarks, although spoken with satirical jest, were not meant to offend or embarrass anyone - especially the first lady," De Niro said in a statement.


The tough-talking actor was host of the re-election fundraiser Monday night in New York. He opened by listing the wives of Republicans running for president.


Addressing a starry exclusive crowd in the back room of Locanda Verde, De Niro deadpanned: “Callista Gingrich. Karen Santorum. Ann Romney. Now do you really think our country is ready for a white First Lady?”


The NYC crowd roared its approval, but Gingrich did not appreciate the humor. During a campaign stop in Shreveport, La., on Tuesday, he blasted the actor and called for the President to apologize on his behalf.


“I think Robert De Niro is wrong,” Gingrich said at the top of his speech at Strawn’s Eat Shop. “I think the country is ready for a new First Lady, and he doesn’t have to describe it in racial terms.”


Gingrich described De Niro’s comment as “beyond the pale,” adding: “I call on the President to apologize for him.”


The snowy-haired candidate had barely finished speaking when the First Lady’s press secretary issued this statement:


“We believe the joke was inappropriate,” said Olivia Alair.


De Niro spokesman Stan Rosenfield informed media outlets that the actor was not going to respond to Gingrich’s criticism.


“It was obvious satire,” Rosenfield said in an email.


Satire is something that the First Lady’s Secret Service contingent would appreciate.


The handful of suit-wearing, earpiece-sporting presidential protectors who stood guard outside Locanda Verde while Obama fired up the crowd inside turned out to be a real bunch of cut-ups.