Meredith Vieira, 57, took the job in 2006 when Katie Couric became anchor at the CBS Evening News. Couric, 54, is also reportedly leaving. For Meredith Vieira, there may be no tomorrow at Today. Weary of the early hours and concerned about her husband, who has multiple sclerosis, Vieira is expected to leave as co-anchor when her contract expires later this year, TV Guide reports. Meredith Vieira (born December 30, 1953) is an American journalist, television personality, and game show host. Sh
Watch Justin Bieber and Lady Gaga Helping Japanese, JB Lady Gaga VideoWatch Justin Bieber and Lady Gaga Helping Japanese, JB Lady Gaga VideoWatch Justin Bieber and Lady Gaga Helping Japanese, JB Lady Gaga Video Justin Bieber and Lady Gaga Helping Japanese, JB n LG, Justin Bieber and Lady Gaga Justin Bieber and Lady Gaga Helping Japanese, JB n LG, Justin Bieber and Lady Gaga Justin Bieber and Lady Gaga Helping Japanese, JB n LG, Justin Bieber and Lady Gaga Justin Bieber and Lady Gaga Helping Japanese : Justin Bieber and Lady Gaga have lent their name and their words of encouragement to a great cause. Both artists have recorded videos in which they send prayers and urge fans to donate whatever they can afford to the victims of this month’s earthquake and tsunami in Japan. Bieber will also record a song for a CD whose proceeds will benefit those affected, while Lady Gaga’s bracelets have raised $1.5 million for the crises. Watch Justin Bieber and Lady Gaga Helping Japanese, JB Lady Gaga VideoWatch Justin Bieber and Lady Gaga Helping Japanese, JB Lady Gaga Video Justin Bieber and Lady Gaga Helping Japanese, JB n LG, Justin Bieber and Lady Gaga Justin Bieber and Lady Gaga Helping Japanese, JB n LG, Justin Bieber and Lady Gaga Justin Bieber and Lady Gaga Helping Japanese, JB n LG, Justin Bieber and Lady Gaga
An all-star line-up of artists have contributed their works to aid the relief efforts for the victims of the disaster in Japan. Music from the hottest artists around has been compiled into Songs for Japan, an all-star album created to raise money for earthquake relief efforts. Available today on iTunes, the 38-track digital disc includes Nicki Minaj’s “Save Me,” Eminem’s “Love the Way you Lie (ft. Rihanna),” Beyoncé’s “Irreplaceable” and Cee Lo Green’s “It’s Okay.” The download is $9.99; a physical double disc will be released next month. The charity album is a joint effort between Universal Music Group, Sony Entertainment Music, Warner Music Group and EMI Music. More than 10,000 people have been declared dead, according to Japan’s National Police Agency. Proceeds from Songs for Japan will be donated to the Japanese Red Cross Society to assist survivors. The tracklist for the double-disc is hella long but here goes: John Lennon, “Imagine (Remastered)” U2, “Walk On” Bob Dylan, “Shelter From the Storm” Red Hot Chili Peppers, “Around the World (Live)” Lady Gaga, “Born This Way (Starsmith Remix) Beyonce, “Irreplaceable” Bruno Mars, “Talking to the Moon (Acoustic Piano Version)” Katy Perry, “Firework” Rihanna, “Only Girl (In the World)” Justin Timberlake, “Like I Love You” Madonna, “Miles Away (Live)” David Guetta, “When Love Takes Over (feat. Kelly Rowland)” Eminem, “Love The Way You Lie (feat. Rihanna)” Bruce Springsteen, “Human Touch” Josh Groban, “Awake (Live)” Keith Urban, “Better Life” The Black Eyed Peas, “One Tribe” P!nk, “Sober” Cee Lo Green, “It’s OK” Lady Antebellum, “I Run to You” Bon Jovi, “What Do You Got?” Foo Fighters, “My Hero” R.E.M., “Man On the Moon (Live)” Nicki Minaj, “Save Me (Clean Version)” Sade, “By Your Side” Michael Buble, “Hold On (Radio Mix)” Justin Bieber, “Pray (Acoustic)” Adele, “Make You Feel My Love” Enya, “If I Could Be Where You Are” Elton John, “Don’t Let the Sun Go Down On Me” John Mayer, “Waiting On the World to Change” Queen, “Teo Torriatte (Let Us Cling Together)” Kings of Leon, “Use Somebody” Sting, Steven Mercurio & The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, “Fragile (Live in Berlin)” Leona Lewis, “Better In Time” Ne-Yo, “One In a Million” Shakira, “Whenever, Wherever” Norah Jones, “Sunrise” Way to go guys, hopefully your musical contributions will help aid the millions of people who need assistance in Japan. Do something good, go cop that people!! Source
Singer will take the stage with Sugarland’s Jennifer Nettles to perform new track on April 3. By Jocelyn Vena Rihanna Photo: Lester Cohen/ WireImage Rihanna will take the stage on April 3 when the Academy of Country Music Awards show kicks off in Las Vegas. According to RyanSeacrest.com , the singer is expected to perform her Loud ballad, “California King Bed,” alongside Sugarland frontwoman Jennifer Nettles. Other ACM Awards performers include Jason Aldean, Toby Keith, Miranda Lambert, Brad Paisley, Taylor Swift and Keith Urban, Alabama, Dierks Bentley, Ronnie Dunn, Sara Evans, Martina McBride, Reba, Blake Shelton, Carrie Underwood and Zac Brown Band with James Taylor. Robert Pattinson and his “Water for Elephants” co-star Reese Witherspoon have been tapped to present at the show, as have Seacrest and “Entertainment Tonight” correspondent Nancy O’Dell. Reba McEntire and Blake Shelton will host the ACM Awards, which will air on CBS. The night will also be filled with A-list nominees including the contenders for Entertainer of the Year, Jason Aldean, Toby Keith, Miranda Lambert, Brad Paisley, Taylor Swift and Keith Urban. Swift is also up for Top Female Vocalist of the Year against Lambert, Reba McEntire, Carrie Underwood and Lee Ann Womack. Swift’s Speak Now is also contending for Album of the Year. In addition to her ACM performance, Rihanna is contributing music to a forthcoming digital-only album being compiled to benefit the victims of the Japan earthquake and tsunami. She also appears on the April cover of Vogue magazine. Related Artists Rihanna
Joe and Nick Jonas also send their well-wishes to the people of Japan. By Gil Kaufman Two women are surrounded by debris in Japan on Monday Photo: Michael Lavine Katy Perry has been very vocal over the past few days in urging her fans to donate to the Red Cross to help the victims of Friday’s devastating 9.0 earthquake and tsunami in Japan. On Tuesday (March 15), while in Germany for a tour date, Perry requested that fans buy merch at her show to benefit relief efforts. “If u go by the merchandise stand, purchase a KP light-up wand. All proceeds will go 2 to #Japanredcross,” she tweeted. “And when I play … Firework, let’s ignite the light for them tonight. I will be doing this for future shows so be ready!!!” The Jonas Brothers’ Joe Jonas recorded a special message for victims of the disaster on Monday and also encouraged the band’s fans to contribute to the Red Cross to help those affected by the 9.0 tremor, which has caused widespread property destruction, left thousands dead and unleashed a potential nuclear crisis thanks to the damage at a pair of power plants. “Hi everybody, it’s Joe here. I’m just sending a little video message to the victims in Japan that have been hit by this horrible tragedy,” said Jonas, who was sporting a few days’ beard growth and looking visibly pained by the situation. “My thoughts and prayers are with you guys. The ones who’ve lost loved ones, I’m so sorry and I’m praying every day for you guys.” Brother Nick Jonas posted a message as well, saying, “our thoughts are with people in Japan, our prayers are with you as well during this tough time. God bless and we’re all praying for you.” The Brothers’ “Camp Rock” co-star Meaghan Martin recorded a similar video . “I just wanted to send my love and thoughts and prayers to those in Japan affected by the earthquake and the tsunamis in the Pacific,” she said. “And everybody all over the world with friends and family members traveling in those locations. My thoughts and prayers are with you and together we can get through this.” “Twilight Saga” star Ashley Greene spoke to Examiner.com about the delays to “Breaking Dawn” filming that took place on Friday when the movie’s cast was evacuated from their Vancouver set due to tsunami warnings brought on by the quake. “Everything kind of got turned upside down and inside out,” she said of the interruption of the film’s schedule. “We got the least of the brunt of things. We have to be thankful for that. But really, it’s more about that we had to pick up and move to a different location and switch scenes around, but we are certainly moving forward and carrying on. It’s not really going to affect the film too harshly.” Greene urged people to send their prayers and donations to the people affected by the tragedy. “I think it’s something unpredictable and horrible and unexpected and really unfortunate and heartbreaking,” she said. “I certainly send out my prayers and my thoughts to the people and to their loved ones and lost ones. And hopefully, we as Americans are going to do everything we can to help them rebuild.” Also pledging to help in recent days is 1980s boy band Boyz II Men, who are raising money for the victims of the tragedy through the Red Cross. “Boyz II Men have a very special relationship with the people of Japan,” the group wrote in a statement about their goal of raising $100,000 for the relief agency . “We have been going to Japan for the past 20 years and we are deeply concerned for the people of Japan and especially for our friends and fans who reside in Sendai and all the areas affected by this earthquake and tsunami … We can proudly say that Sendai is a beautiful city and we have performed there many times. In fact, we are planning to perform in Sendai in November of 2011 as part of our 20th Year Anniversary Tour.” So far, their efforts have resulted in more than $15,000 in pledges from fans, who’ve contributed amounts ranging from $10 to $1,500. Verizon Wireless announced on Monday that it will offer its customers free calls to Japan from now through April 10. The deal covers most calls to Japan and includes free text messaging and multimedia messaging to Japan for its post-paid customers. Calls made from Japan on a Verizon residential landline will also be free. From P. Diddy to Conan O’Brien, Chris Brown, former “Star Trek” actor George Takei, Lady Gaga, Linkin Park’s Mike Shinoda and actor Charlie Sheen, numerous stars have stepped up to help raise funds. On Monday, Blink-182’s Mark Hoppus offered a number of rare band items for sale in an eBay auction that will also benefit the Red Cross. For more information on what you can do to help with earthquake and tsunami relief efforts in Japan, head to MTV Act , or text REDCROSS to 90999 to make a $10 donation.
Singer Phil Labonte tours picked-over convenience store, feels aftershock at the Tokyo airport. By Gil Kaufman All That Remains Photo: Prosthetic Records Massachusetts metalcore band All That Remains had barely arrived in Tokyo last Friday for a soundcheck for their show that night when a massive 9.0-magnitude earthquake shook Japan and they found themselves caught in the midst of one of the worst disasters to ever befall the island nation. While Tokyo was mostly spared the devastation that nearly wiped out a number of northern cities closer to the epicenter following the deadly combination of the largest quake to hit Japan combined with a massive tsunami, ATR singer Phil Labonte and his crew definitely felt the ground shake. They ran down five flights to the street to see what was going on as the light fixtures and doors shook back and forth violently in the building. As they hit the street, they could see skyscrapers swaying from the initial trembler and several strong aftershocks. In an exclusive video diary recorded for MTV News on his iPhone, Labonte described the aftermath of the quake and the challenges the band faced in trying to catch a flight out of the shattered nation Saturday. The clip opens with images of confused and scared-looking Japanese citizens standing in the street as aftershocks continued to rattle the city. “Our area around [the venue] wasn’t really affected in the way [the northern city of] Sendai was. There was no tsunami, there was no major damage to any buildings,” he said, noting that you could sense “something has gone on” when you walked around on the streets outside his hotel. After a large aftershock in the middle of the night on Friday that set off alarms in the hotel, Labonte said he packed up his bags as a precaution in case he had to run outside in an emergency. “That’s really all that I’ve been doing is watching the news,” he said, before walking across the street to tour a neighborhood convenience store. Confirming reports, Labonte filmed images of store shelves stripped bare of food and water, with row upon row of essentials snatched up by worried citizens. “As you can see, a lot of food is not here,” he said. “You imagine all these shelves would be full in one of the most modern cities in the world. … Most of the water’s been picked away clean … and it happened pretty fast too.” While awaiting their flight to San Francisco at the Narita International Airport on Saturday morning, Labonte said things were initially calm. With the exception of a few bedrolls laid out on the floor by people who seemed stuck at the airport, he said things looked pretty business-as-usual despite the emerging picture of the massive damage done to northern cities such as Sendai and the then-burgeoning threat posed by failing nuclear-reactor cooling systems. “There’s some places where it looks like people have been camping out, trying to get out. I guess there’s been a lot of delayed flights,” he said. With nearly eight hours to go before their flight left, Labonte checked back in a short time later to report a strong aftershock, which he said caused the large floor-to-ceiling windows in the departure terminal to flex in and out. “It’s still a pretty active situation. It’s changing pretty much by the minute,” he said. Finally, the band made it onto the flight, and Labonte reported that the band and crew were all OK. “I should take a second to send our deepest sympathy to all the people that have had loved ones lost. … It’s really awful and we’re very fortunate to not only have gotten out of Japan with no injuries and survived with not a scratch on anyone, but to be able to actually document this.” A number of artists, from Katy Perry and Lady Gaga to the Jonas Brothers , Blink-182’s Mark Hoppus and Diddy have urged fans to donate to the Red Cross and offered their condolences to the victims of the natural disaster. For more information on what you can do to help with earthquake and tsunami relief efforts in Japan, head to MTV Act , or text REDCROSS to 90999 to make a $10 donation. Related Artists All That Remains
To raise money for earthquake relief, Mark Hoppus puts handwritten lyrics and other memorabilia up for sale. By Gil Kaufman Blink-182’s Mark Hoppus Photo: Ethan Miller/ Getty Images Blink-182 are the latest artists to get involved in trying to aid the victims of Japan’s deadly earthquake and tsunami. The reunited pop punk trio’s Mark Hoppus has set up an eBay auction site on which he’s offering up a number of rare items in an effort to raise funds for the survivors of the massive 8.9-magnitude quake that hit the country on Thursday. Singer Hoppus has donated a raft of items, from the original handwritten lyrics sheet for the group’s early hit, “Rock Show,” which is already drawing bids in excess of $17,000, to used backstage passes, the band’s dressing-room sign from the 2000 MTV Video Music Awards and the orange sweater Hoppus wore in the “Dammit” video. At press time all items had gotten significant bids, including a “What’s My Age Again” promo CD ($2,025), the VMA sign ($3,050), the orange sweater ($2,226.99), a hand-painted Blink bunny figurine ($1,000) and the backstage pass ($905). Hoppus announced his intention to raise the funds on Friday, just hours after the quake struck, tweeting , “So sad for what’s happening in Japan. Gonna dig in the bins & find some old blink-182 items to auction for the Red Cross.” He then chronicled each item as it went up and solicited fans for requests on what things they’d be interested in bidding on. Hoppus joined a growing group of artists offering their assistance in raising funds for the Japanese people , including Lady Gaga , Linkin Park’s Mike Shinoda and actor Charlie Sheen. For more information on what you can do to help with earthquake and tsunami relief efforts in Japan, head to MTV Act , or text REDCROSS to 90999 to make a $10 donation. Related Artists blink-182
Park’s Mike Shinoda has designed T-shirts to benefit the relief effort. By Gil Kaufman Lady Gaga Photo: Ian Gavan/ Getty Images As the situation in Japan continues to deteriorate in the wake of Friday’s massive 8.9 magnitude earthquake, the need for assistance has spurred a number of stars to reach out to fans to enlist their help. Just days after announcing the initial dates of his first tour, the My Violent Torpedo/ Defeat Is Not an Option Show , troubled actor Charlie Sheen announced that he will be donating $1 from each ticket sold to the Red Cross Japanese Earthquake Relief Fund. Linkin Park’s Mike Shinoda has also gotten into the game quickly, designing T-shirts to benefit his band’s Music for Relief charity . One shirt features the image of a paper crane-like white butterfly above the LP logo, and the other one reads “Not Alone” in a red, white and blue font. Donations of $10 can be made by texting “MFR” to 85944. After tweeting on Sunday morning, “Remember as you go about your day please #prayforjapan & if you are able, text REDCROSS to 90999 to donate $10 to Japan’s emergency relief,” Katy Perry followed up later in the day with the message , “Imagine … if we ALL texted REDCROSS to 90999 we’d have raised over 60 million dollars for #JAPAN RELIEF! BE THE CHANGE YOU WANT TO SEE! BE!” A growing collection of stars is urging fans to donate to Japanese earthquake relief. On Friday, Lady Gaga sprung into action and offered her fans a special wristband whose proceeds will go to help the victims. “I Designed a Japan Prayer Bracelet. Buy It/ Donate here and ALL proceeds will go to Tsunami Relief Efforts. Go Monsters,” Gaga wrote . She also urged fans to visit the Citizen Effect website, where contributions will be matched by Google CEO Eric Schmidt and his wife, Wendy. They’ve offered to match the first $100,000 donated to a special fund set up to help the Red Cross deliver emergency services to people in Japan. Other celebrities urging action include Justin Bieber, Taylor Swift, Adam Lambert, Diddy and many more who’ve sent their prayers to those affected via Twitter. Britney Spears encouraged fans to donate to relief organizations, tweeting , “So tragic. My heart is breaking for Japan.” Also making pleas were Conan O’Brien , Chris Brown and George Takei , each asking their followers to donate to the Red Cross. As the official death toll in the worst quake to hit the island nation mounted on Monday (March 14) to 1,833 — with thousands more believed to have perished — Japan was facing a growing threat from a number of hobbled nuclear power plants. A second explosion in two days occurred at the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear plant on Monday morning, just hours before the plant’s #2 reactor lost its cooling abilities. While no significant release of radioactive materials is believed to have occurred yet, the race to cool down and secure the nation’s nuclear plants is as urgent as the search for survivors from the devastating natural disaster. New images and video continue to emerge that paint a partial picture of the destruction in towns such as the 20,000-resident Minami Sanriku, which CNN reported had been turned into a virtual pile of rubble by the quake and the ensuing tsunami. As gas and food stocks run low, Japanese citizens have been asked to ration their supplies while the United States and 69 other nations have pledged to help with search and rescue efforts. For more information on what you can do to help with earthquake and tsunami relief efforts in Japan, head to MTV Act , or text REDCROSS to 90999 to make a $10 donation. Related Artists Lady Gaga Linkin Park
Wow… Police say the man they call the “Kensington Strangler” has confessed to three murders , after a month-long series of fatal attacks on women in the lower Northeast section of Philadelphia. Antonio Rodriguez, who was linked to the sexual assaults and murders of Elaine Goldberg, 21, Nicole Piacentini, 35, and Casey Mahoney, 27, via DNA, told detectives Tuesday that he picked his victims at random, paid them for what he described as “rough sex,” and then killed them during that act. Rodriguez’s confession came one day after police had identified the 22-year-old drifter as a “strong person of interest” in the case, reports The Philadelphia Daily News. Detectives told CBS affiliate KYW that Rodriguez showed very little remorse during questioning and offered very little in way of a motive for the murders, other than the violent attacks “just happened.” Police say they were able to link Rodriguez to the crimes after his name, along with a DNA sample he submitted to state police after he was jailed on drug charges, appeared in the state’s offender database. As of now, Rodriguez has not been charged in the murders and is being held on what is known as a “wanted card” for skipping a meeting with his probation officer, reports The Philadelphia Daily News. All three of the slain women were murdered in November and December in a stretch of Kensington known for open prostitution and drugs. Other women came forward, claiming to have barely survived sexual assaults and strangulation attempts. In all, Rodriguez is believed to have sexually assaulted three other women who survived. Well at least this crazy motherf*cker is off the Philly streets…and the innocent man that was put on blast via Facebook can sleep easy. Source
Carrie Underwood makes her big screen debut in Soul Surfer . Co-starring Dennis Quaid and opening on April 15, the film is based on the true story of Bethany Hamilton, a young woman who loses her arm in a shark attack and then finds the courage to re-enter the ocean. The former American Idol champion actually has acted before. She guest-starred on an episode of How I Met Your Mother in early 2010. Below, get a look at her in Soul Surfer . Soul Surfer Trailer
