Serena Williams can add one more achievement to her Hall of Fame resume: Olympic champion. The 14-time Grand Slam winner won a major tournament on the hallowed grounds of Wimbledon for the second time this summer, destroying top-ranked Maria Sharapova in the Gold Medal match by a score of 6-0, 6-1. It was the most lopsided women’s final in Olympic history. Williams lost only 17 games across six matches and let out a scream and even did a little dance upon taking the decisive point. “I don’t think I’ve ever danced like that,” she said afterward. “I don’t even know where the dance came from.” Serena now moves on to the doubles semifinals alongside sister Venus. It’s been quite a year for the legendary star. “I was so focused here,” she said. “I remember I was serving and I was thinking: ‘Serena, this is your best chance to win a gold medal. You’re at Wimbledon, you’re on grass, you play great on grass, pull it together, just win this.’ And that’s what I thought about.”
Jersey Shore Season 6 will kick off Thursday, October 4, with a second season of popular spinoff Snooki and JWoww also reportedly picked up by MTV. It’s hard to believe this will be the sixth season of debauchery from the ensemble that first graced our TV screens in early 2010. Brings a tear to your eye. So much has changed since the early days, most notably Jionni LaValle getting Snooki pregnant and The Situation getting sober following a trip to rehab. What can we expect in Jersey Shore Season 6? Snooki, as we know, is expecting her first child and reportedly living in her own pad next door to the familiar cesspool, while Mike no longer drinks . Right there, they’ve reduced the number of peeps boozing by a quarter and the overall drama in the house by even more. Will it still be awesome TV? With most of the cast in relationships, there may also be less hooking up. On the flip side, JWoww and Roger may start fights if they don’t get smush room dibs. One crazy episode we will get to see is Deena Cortese getting arrested in the middle of the day for her drunken disorderliness. Good times. Pauly and Vinny will no doubt take their burgeoning platonic man-love to new heights, new catchphrases will be created, and the Shore Store will be staffed by rich slackers. What do you think? Will you watch Jersey Shore Season 6?
John Travolta is finally firing back at Fabian Zanzi, the one-time cruise ship worker who accused the Hollywood legend of sexually assaulting him in 2009. Travolta filed legal documents yesterday claiming the employee is lying. Fabian Zanzi claims Travolta exposed himself during a neck massage aboard a Royal Caribbean cruise, then offered to pay him $12,000 to keep it quiet. Zanzi detailed his salacious allegations in a lawsuit back in June. Travolta’s attorney, Marty Singer, responded to the claim, admitting John was on the cruise but denying all the allegations of misconduct against him. Singer notes that Zanzi filed a report with Royal Caribbean over the alleged incident when it happened, but failed to mention any of the sexual details. Travolta, who was also accused of similar actions by two male masseurs this spring, wants the lawsuit dismissed and for Zanzi to pay his legal fees. Separately, Doug Gotterba and Robert Randolph have both alleged sexual relationships with Travolta; he has denied or not responded to all claims. [Photo: WENN.com]
Rihanna has sued her former accountants for mismanaging the singer’s finances, claiming they earned huge commissions yet cost her millions of dollars. In a lawsuit filed in Manhattan federal court, the 24-year-old singer and her tour company, Tourihanna, is seeking an unspecified amount of damages. The pop superstar’s dealings with accountancy firm Berdon LLP and former employees Michael Mitnick and Peter Gounis are the subject of the lawsuit. The suit, first filed late in Tuesday ahead of the July 4 U.S. holiday, claims the accounting firm caused “significant financial losses” between 2005 and 2010. She accuses the firm of charging “exorbitant” commissions from Rihanna ‘s 2010 “Last Girl on Earth Tour” and mishandling Rihanna’s foreign and domestic taxes. “Between 2005 and 2010, Tourihanna suffered significant losses due to defendants’ financial mismanagement and other acts and omissions,” the lawsuit said. Rihanna, whose real name is Robyn Fenty, is referred to in the suit as a financial novice who found fame at a young age and relied heavily on her accountants. In 2005, the Barbados native was 16 years old and “a minor with a booming music career and no knowledge or understanding of financial matters whatsoever.” The lawsuit said the accountants concealed facts regarding her finances and earned commissions on Rihanna’s revenue that was “exorbitant and expensive.” In addition, the firm assumed control over the singer’s affairs beyond the industry standard and failed to maximize her personal net worth and long term wealth. The lawsuit said Rihanna lost millions during “The Last Girl On Earth” tour after the firm failed to reconcile costs versus revenues while still paying itself millions. It estimated that between 2007 and 2010, the accountants earned commissions equaling 23 percent of total tour income, compared with 6 percent for Rihanna. The firm did not do monthly planning reports and performed little record-keeping of Rihanna’s personal and business expenses, including those for Tourihanna. For example, during 2008 and 2009, the accountants kept only 2 percent to 4 percent of all receipts for expenses charged on the singer’s personal credit card. It also failed to uncover millions in unpaid royalties and problems with the way in which Universal Music Group (UMG) was tracking Rihanna’s song royalties.
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – It’s the Fourth of July holiday, and Hallandale Beach was packed with people enjoying the sun, the sand, and the water. But the lifeguards were on a skeleton staff. Local Ten spoke with three lifeguards who were fired this week and four others who gave notice that they were quitting after a rescue took place on Monday afternoon. “The person was drowning outside our buoy lines. It’s an unguarded zone,” said Szilard Janko. Tomas Lopez was the guard who ran off of his stand and past his guard area to reach the man in need. “So I started running. I didn’t see the person at first,” said Lopez. He was able to reach the unidentified man, carry him to safety away from the water, and conduct rescue techniques until EMTs reached the beach. But just minutes after he filed his rescue paperwork, Lopez was fired on the spot. Lopez was told he was fired because he left his zone and saved someone outside the buoys in a part of the beach his company is not paid to protect. “So while he was off, we had two other guards watching his zone so the beach was secure,” said Szilard Janko, another lifeguard. Janko quit his job in solidarity, standing by his colleague’s side for saving a man’s life. “I think we should be able to rescue anybody, anywhere,” he said. Both Lopez and Janko are 21 years old and have been lifeguards for less than a year. They said they knew the rules but could not imagine leaving someone to drown when their job is to save lives. The now unemployed lifeguards said Monday’s incident was the first time they were forced to decide between following the rule about the assigned zones or attempting to save a life. “I’m not going to put my job over helping someone. I’m going to do what I felt was right and I did,” said Lopez. The firings continued after Monday’s rescue. Szilard Janko’s 16-year-old brother Zoard Janko was also let go. “If I see anyone drowning, regardless of where they are, I’m going to save them because I’m a lifeguard and, even as a human, I’m going to save someone if I see they need help, and they told me I was fired,” said Zoard Janko. Zoard Janko said he was fired after a manager asked if he’d leave his assigned zone to help someone in an unprotected area and he told his boss that he would. Jeff Ellis Associates, an Orlando-based company, is contracted by the city and paid to man the beaches, but only in the most populated spots. When asked what the lifeguards are supposed to do when someone is drowning outside the guarded zones, the men explained they were told to call 911. Former Vice Mayor of Hallandale Beach Bill Julian was outraged over what is happening on the beaches in his city. “This young man is a hero. He should not be fired,” said Julian. Julian was in office when the contract bid was given to Jeff Ellis and Associates, and he is not happy with how they are overseeing the beach rescues. “Looking back at the contract we approved, as a former vice mayor, as a cost-saving measure, I think now is the time not to renew and get our guys back under our control,” he said. The company has been guarding certain spots of Hallandale Beach since 2003, but that contract expires this year. As of now, seven lifeguards are no longer patrolling Hallandale Beach, all because a man’s life was saved outside of an assigned area. “I understand it’s wrong not to leave someone there, and they are grown-ups and they don’t understand it,” said Zoard Janko. youtube local10
Can’t play with a rude gyal’s money Rihanna is suing her former accountants, saying they spent years mismanaging her finances and cost her millions of dollars during a recent tour. The lawsuit, filed in federal court in Manhattan, accuses the singer’s former accounting firm, Berdon LLP, and two accountants of causing “significant financial losses.” In addition, “gross mismanagement” of the singer’s finances cost her millions of dollars during her 2010 “Last Girl on Earth” tour. “Between 2005 and 2010, Tourihanna suffered significant financial losses due to Defendants’ financial mismanagement and other acts and omissions,” the lawsuit states. Tourihanna was the concert touring company established by Berdon on Rihanna’s behalf, according to the suit. The lawsuit lays out Rihanna’s musical career, which took off at the age of 16 when she signed with Island Def Jam Music Group and moved from her native Barbados to the U.S. The lawsuit portrays the singer—known for pop staples like “Umbrella”—as a financial amateur who placed a great deal of trust in her accountants as she rose to fame and wealth. “In 2005, when Fenty was 16 years old, Berdon was hired to provide her with accounting, business and financial management services for all aspects of her rapidly growing music career,” the lawsuit states. “Because she was a minor with no knowledge of the music industry or financial matters generally, Fenty placed Berdon in a position of trust and loyalty.” Among other allegations, Rihanna said the firm and the two accountants hired to manage her finances earned “commissions” based on the singer’s gross receipts. However, such an arrangement isn’t standard for the accounting industry, according to the lawsuit, which called the commissions “exorbitant and excessive.” You better get yo money RihRih!!! Source
Also in Wednesday afternoon’s round up news, iTunes heads to major Asian markets for music and movies. World’s oldest and biggest LGBT film festival announces its winners, the Directors Guild names awards dinner chair, while BAFTA announces its new chairman. CBGB film festival locks its program and Hayden Christensen can proceed with a lawsuit. iTunes Heads to More of Asia Apple launched the iTunes store in Hong Kong, Singapore, Taiwan as well as Brunei, Cambodia, Macau, Malaysia, Philippines, Thailand, Sri Lanka and Vietnam the online outfit said Wednesday. In addition to local and international music offerings, customers will also be able to rent or purchase movies, of course. The major studios should be happy with iTunes’ new reach. Winners Unveiled at World’s Oldest LGBT Film Festival San Francisco’s Frameline Film Festival awarded its Juried Outstanding First Feature to Facing Mirrors by Negar Azarbeyjani while Outstanding Documentary went to The Invisible Men by Yariv Mozer. Thom Fitzgerald’s Cloudburst took Best Feature Film in the Audience Award category, while Call Me Kuchu by Katherine Fairfax Wright and Malika Zouhali-Worrall took Best Documentary Film. Best short in the category went to Mitsuyo Miyazaki’s Tsuyako . For more winners and descriptions, see the Frameline website . Michael Stevens Named Chair of DGA Awards Michael Stevens will serve as the chair of the 65th Annual Directors Guild of America (DGA) Awards Dinner taking place at Hollywood and Highland in Los Angeles on February 2, 2013. Stevens is an Emmy Award-winning producer, director and writer of more than 30 prime-time event and concert specials. CBGB Film Festival Locks Slate The CBGB movie is being made but for those who need more, there’s the CBGB Film Festival. The world premiere of The Rise and Fall of The Clash is on tap as well as debuts of Bob and the Monster about Bob Forrest as well as What Did you Expect? The Archers of Loaf live at Cat’s Cradle /. The festival takes place at the Landmark Sunshine Cinema in New York July 5 – 8. See the site for more details. Around the ‘net… BAFTA Appoints John Willis its Chairman Willis replaces Tim Corrie as head of the British Academy of Film and Television Arts. Willis is head of production company Mentorn Media and a 30 year-member of BAFTA, winning a BAFTA award for Best Factual Program in 1976 for Johnny Go Home , Deadline reports . Scarlett Johansson Hacker Must Pony up $66K to Actress Computer hacker Christopher Chaney of Jacksonville, FL circulated nude photos of Scarlett Johansson and Christina Aguilera after breaking into the email accounts of their mutual stylist. He received a 71 month prison sentence from federal prosecutors and ordered to pay $150K to his victims including $66,179.46 to Johansson, $7,500 to Aguilera and $76,767.35 to The Secret Life of an American Teenager actress Renee Olstead, Vanity Fair reports . Whoopi Goldberg Opens Kickstarter Campaign The View talk show host is hoping to raise $65K on the crowd-funding site for her documentary on stand-up comedian Moms Mabley who rose to national prominence in the ’60s. Indiewire speaks with Goldberg. Court OKs Hayden Christensen Lawsuit Star Wars actor Hayden Christensen and his brother Tove have been given the go-ahead to pursue a lawsuit against USA Networks an appeals court said Tuesday. The pair along with Forest Park Pictures claim the network’s show Royal Pains , about a doctor who makes house-calls to the rich and famous in the Hamptons is eerily similar to a pitch they made in 2005 about a doctor who makes house calls in Malibu, California, Reuters reports .
What in the entire f***?!??! Kanye West and Kim Kardashian are being sued by the wackjob who holds the Guinness book of world records as the most litigious man in the world. Jonathan Lee Riches filed the lawsuit in Northern District of West Virginia on June 21 citing that he stumbled upon a secret Al-Qaeda terrorist meeting where he saw Kim, Kanye, Kris Jenner, Bruce Jenner, Khloe and Kourtney. Riches has stated that he discovered all of the defendants at an Al-Qaeda secret training camp in West Virginia on June 17 where they were allegedly pleading their allegiance to the organization, burning the U.S. flag and stomping on pictures of President Barack Obama. Now we don’t buy all that but the lawsuit is definitely legit. We were able to get the actual copy of the suit itself. The suit gets into details which includes Kanye West selling Air Yeezy 2′s to fund Al-Qaeda. Check out the official copies of the lawsuit below. This has to be the ultimate troll! While Kanye might like to dress up like a Jihadi couture ninja in his videos and Kim may hold weapons of mass destruction in her pants, we heavily doubt these two have teamed up with Al-Qaeda. However, we have a feeling they are still planning total world domination. Source
What in the entire f***?!??! Kanye West and Kim Kardashian are being sued by the wackjob who holds the Guinness book of world records as the most litigious man in the world. Jonathan Lee Riches filed the lawsuit in Northern District of West Virginia on June 21 citing that he stumbled upon a secret Al-Qaeda terrorist meeting where he saw Kim, Kanye, Kris Jenner, Bruce Jenner, Khloe and Kourtney. Riches has stated that he discovered all of the defendants at an Al-Qaeda secret training camp in West Virginia on June 17 where they were allegedly pleading their allegiance to the organization, burning the U.S. flag and stomping on pictures of President Barack Obama. Now we don’t buy all that but the lawsuit is definitely legit. We were able to get the actual copy of the suit itself. The suit gets into details which includes Kanye West selling Air Yeezy 2′s to fund Al-Qaeda. Check out the official copies of the lawsuit below. This has to be the ultimate troll! While Kanye might like to dress up like a Jihadi couture ninja in his videos and Kim may hold weapons of mass destruction in her pants, we heavily doubt these two have teamed up with Al-Qaeda. However, we have a feeling they are still planning total world domination. Source
