Mary J. Blige to Headline 2010 Essence Music Festival in New Orleans

R&B singer Mary J. Blige will headline the 2010 Essence Music Festival in New Orleans. The event, which is billed as one of the nation's largest annual events, celebrating black music and culture, will be held July 2 - 4.

A full list of performers have not been released yet. The performers will hit the stage at the Louisiana Superdome and motivational seminars will be held during the day at the Morial Convention Center.

Mary J. Blige has performed at Essence eight times. This year she is expected to perform songs from her latest studio album, "Stronger with Each Tear."

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Billboard Live Presents Alicia Keys at The Apollo in HD on Jan. 7, 2010, in Downloadable Free Concert

BillboardLive.com has teamed up with R&B powerhouse Alicia Keys to show off its new technology which allows fans to watch free concerts broadcast in high definition (HD) via iPhone or iPod Touch. You can access the live performance, which will be available on January 7, 2010, by logging on and downloading the Microsoft Silverlight and OWL (Our World Live) HD player onto your computer free of charge. Once the download is completed, fans will have the ability, for the first time ever, to view the concert from up to five different camera angles of their preference, according to Eurweb. Of course, this depends on the viewers' bandwidth.

The concert, featuring the 12-time Grammy Award winning singer, will take place at 6 p.m. PST at The Apollo Theater in New York City. Keys will also be introducing new artists who will also perform during this broadcast. Alicia Keys latest album, The Element of Freedom, debuted in the No. 1 spot on Billboard's R&B
Albums and Digital Albums charts and No. 2 on Billboard's Top 200 Albums charts, according to Nielsen/Soundscan.

To watch the promo for the concert on BillboardLive.com, CLICK HERE.

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Beverly Johnson Sued by Former Boyfriend Mark Burk, Claims They Had Oral Agreement for Money

Beverly Johnson has been sued by her former boyfriend, Mark Burk, who claimed she failed to live up the an oral agreement in which she promised to pay him half of whatever she earned while they were together. He said they agreed that they would act like husband and wife.

According to TMZ, in the lawsuit, which was filed in California, Burk claims Johnson agreed to support him "for the rest of his life in the same style and manner that was established" during their relationship.      

Burk's lawsuit states they broke up in December 2008 and Johnson has yet to pay him any money.  Burk is seeking $5 million in damages. This is laughable and I hope the judge throws this case out. I find it hard to believe that Beverly Johnson had to resort to a "pretend" husband because she couldn't find a real one.

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Patrick Disney Miller, Grandson of Late Walt Disney, Arrested on Suspicion of Illegal Gun Possession

Patrick Disney Miller, grandson of Walt Disney, has been arrested early Wednesday on suspicion of illegal gun possession.

Los Angeles Police Officer Karen Rayner told the Los Angeles Times that Miller, 42, was taken into custody about 5:30 a.m. at his home in Woodland Hills. She said a LAPD gun unit was there to serve a search-and-arrest warrant.

Miller was booked in Van Nuys for investigation of possession of a firearm by a felon and selling ammunition or reloaded ammunition for a handgun. Miller is currently being held in lieu of $70,000 bail.

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Barry Carpenter, Former Martins Ferrry, OH, Police Chief Sentenced to Prison in Parker-Broderick Surrogate Break-in Case

Barry Carpenter, a former Martins Ferry, Ohio police chief, has been sentenced to two years and eight months in prison in connection with the break-in at the home of the surrogate who bore twins for Sarah Jessica Parker and Matthew Broderick. He was convicted last month on charges of receiving stolen property, theft in office and evidence tampering but he was acquitted of other counts, including burglary.

Carpenter tendered his resignation two weeks ago as chief in Martins Ferry, where the celebrity couple’s surrogate lived. Carpenter and Police Chief Chad Dojack of neighboring Bridgeport were accused of conspiring to steal items from the woman’s home to sell to paparazzi. Dojack’s trial is scheduled for February.

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Tyra Banks Announces the End of the "Tyra Banks Show" at the End of Fifth Season in Spring 2010

Tyra Banks has decided to bid adieu to her show after five seasons and two Daytime Emmy awards. She told People magazine that this will be the last season for her show in the spring of 2010. She said, “I’ve been loving having fun, coming into your living rooms, bedrooms, hair salons for the past 5 years.”

Don't cry for Tyra Banks. She will reportedly turn her focus to the launch of Bankable Studios, a N.Y.-based film production company currently reviewing possible projects. Staying true to a stated mission of hers, she told People, “My next huge steps will allow me to reach more women and young girls to help us all feel as fierce as we truly are.” Banks says.

She wrote in an open letter on her Web site, “There’s a lot cooking right now and a lot of fire burning in my heart.” “And I salute you my amazing family of viewers; without you there never would have been a Tyra Show. I really love you all.”

Well, Tyra Banks certainly won't make as enormous a dent as the reigning Daytime talk show queen Oprah Winfrey. who made a similar announcement about the end of her show earlier this fall, but still she managed to reach an audience of young women who adored her. Tyra Banks isn't departing the world of television. On the contrary. She will be back on "America's Next Top Model," which is slated to return for its 15th season in February, as well as her ABC show "True Beauty."

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Ivana Trump Escorted Off New York-Bound Plane from Florida After Becoming Belligerent

Police say Ivana Trump, 60, was escorted off a New York City-bound Delta Air Lines in Florida after she became belligerent because children were running and screaming in the aisles. Hmm. Where were their parents while they did this and I didn't realize that kids could run around in a plane before it takes off. 

Authorities said Trump, ex-wife of Donald Trump, cursed at the children Saturday and at flight attendants who tried to calm her. A flight attendant reportedly offered to switch her seat in first class and she became even more irate.

Ivana Trump has not been charged in the incident at Palm Beach International Airport. Palm Beach County sheriff's deputies asked her to voluntarily exit the plane, but they said she refused and was then escorted off. Well, I guess the recession has affected even Ivana Trump. I would have guessed right off that she would fly private instead of commercial. Besides, for a woman her age, her behavior was a disgrace. She could have handled this matter more diplomatically instead of treating first class to a "blue light" special.

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