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10 Musical Open Letters To Mark This Year Of The Open Letter

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Letter Writing Day may be on December 7, but the music world has been celebrating for a months now with its newfound fondness for posting open letters on the internet. The fun started in early October when Sinead O’Connor penned an open letter to Miley Cyrus, urging her not to "let the music business make a prostitute of you." Then Miley tweeted a bunch of stuff in retaliation. Then Sinead wrote some more open letters. Then Amanda Palmer got involved because no one was paying attention to her.

Since those magical early days, we've been treated to a veritable orgy of open letter-writing. Sufjan Stevens wrote to Miley! Miley composed one for her ex-fiance Liam Hemsworth! The founder GoldieBlox sent one to The Beastie Boys in the wake of the controversy surrounding the company's use of "Girls" that began with their open letter! Everyone with a Twitter account wrote an open letter to anyone we could think of because we all think we’re really funny that way.

But long before musicians were publicly airing their grievances and innermost feelings to the internets, they were expressing them through song.

And so to celebrate Letter Writing Day 2013, the Year of the Open Letter, here's a list of ten of our favourite musical open letters by ranging from Leonard Cohen and Jay Z to Eminem and XTC.


Santa Checks In From Melting North Pole, Says Christmas May Be Canceled (VIDEO)

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Santa, say it ain't so!

In a new video by Greenpeace, Santa has taken a unique approach to fighting climate change: telling children that due to melting ice caps at the North Pole, Christmas may be canceled.

The video, titled "An urgent message from Santa," features a dingy St. Nick in a damp basement, making the video look more like a terrorist tape than a message from Santa.

A closer look reveals that "Santa" is none other than English actor Jim Carter, who is best known as the curmudgeonly butler Mr. Carson in "Downton Abbey."

"Dear children, regrettably, I bring bad tidings," says Carter. "For some time now, melting ice here at the North Pole has made our operations and our day-to-day life intolerable and impossible. And there may be no alternative but to cancel Christmas."

"I have written personally to President Obama, President Putin, all world leaders," he continues. "Sadly, my letters have been met with indifference. Needless to say, these individuals are now at the top of my naughty list."

The video is part of Greenpeace's "Save Santa's Home" campaign, which aims to slow the effects of climate change in the Arctic.

While some called the video "clever" and "creative," others blasted Greenpeace for potentially scaring children.

"Kids freak out even over rosy-cheeked Santas," said CNN's Jeanne Moos. "Not since a real-life bandit robbed a Nashville bank dressed as St. Nick have we seen such a sorry excuse for a Santa."

Nevertheless, the video is certainly entertaining, and it appears Carter, who has been a Greenpeace member for decades, is wiling to do whatever it takes to get the message out. Just don't call him a liberal.

Rapper The Game Donates $17,000 To Slain 7-Year-Old Boy's Family

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The Game is stepping in yet again to help a family in crisis. The "How We Do" rapper is donating $17,000 to the family of 7-year-old Talaib Pecante, who was killed in what is believed to be a gang-related shooting in Los Angeles this week.

The Compton native and father of three told TMZ that he heard about the shooting on the news and was horrified that the act had occurred so close to the holiday season.

As a response, he reached out to prominent individuals in the L.A. area seeking funds, including gang leaders, who all donated $7,000.

By the caption on the photo of young Pecante he posted to his Instagram account, it seems like he donated $10,000 of his own money to the cause as well.



The rapper's decision to ask members of the Bloods, Crips, and other area gangs for donations may be unexpected, but The Game says he hopes that the move will encourage the crews to adopt a city-wide cease-fire for the holiday season.

He's also promoted his cease-fire plea on Twitter with the hashtag #CeaseFireLA, and he has since included other cities in the #CeaseFire movement.

Earlier this year, The Game announced the Robin Hood Project: His pledge to donate $1,000,000 of his own money to people in need by Christmas, a project he documents on Instagram. Back in September, he helped out the family of 6-year-old shooting victim Tiana Ricks. Last month, he donated an additional $10,000 to help the victims of the Philippines typhoon.

Heidi Klum: 'I Wouldn't Model In My Underwear Down The Runway Anymore'

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It's official: Heidi Klum is done with lingerie modeling.

In an interview with Access Hollywood this week, the 40-year-old stunner revealed that she has no plans to return to her Victoria's Secret days and traipse down the catwalk in her skivvies.

"I wouldn't model with my underwear down the runway anymore," she said. "I think that would feel a little uncomfortable." Uncomfortable for Heidi, perhaps, but we have an inkling that more than a few Klum fans will be disappointed at the news.

The model claims that, since celebrating her 40th birthday in June, she was forced to reflect on her age and what that means for her career -- especially since she has no plans to try out plastic surgery. "I've never done anything," she said. "I'd be too scared." Of course, Heidi is doing just fine without routine nips and tucks, and her career is as successful as ever, with or without posing in her undies.

As for the lack of professional lingerie modeling, folks can always check out her Instagram account for some rookie snaps (some of which are taken by her mom, apparently).

Take a walk down memory lane:



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There Was No Shortage Of Ugly Dresses On This Week's Worst-Dressed List

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On this week's worst-dressed list, many stars wore looks that needed to be scaled back. Allison Williams could have landed on the best-dressed list had she not opted for such a massive tulle skirt, while Amy Adams needed to ditch the sheer panel on her dress.

Many stars missed the mark this week, but the most offensive was Lady Gaga's Mona Lisa cape. Though the ginormous Leonardo da Vinci-inspired design freaked us out a little, it was more the fact that Gaga herself was channeling Mona Lisa, with stick straight locks and a ghostly complexion, that made us really squirm.

Check out our picks for worst-dressed of the week and let us know if you agree.

Allison Williams

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The top half of Williams' dress is stunning (as is her hair and makeup), but the bottom half is where she loses us. She is wearing way too much tulle and kind of resembles a cake topper.

Marion Cotillard

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The French actress consistently makes the best-dressed list, but this week her ensemble was all over the place. Between the embellished bodice, white netting, houndstooth print clutch and dark burgundy lip, we're not sure where to look first.

Amy Adams

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Had Adams got rid of the sheer panel at the bottom of her dress, this look would have never made it onto this list.

Rita Ora

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Ora's black and white fur coat and red lipstick are making her look a lot like Cruella de Vil. And her massive gold headpiece and zebra print sandals make this outfit look even more like a costume.

Sienna Miller

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This dress is all kinds of wrong. First of all, it doesn't fit. It's too big through the body, making Miller look sloppy. The necklace is also too heavy for the delicate neckline of her gown, not to mention the entire ensemble is in desperate need of a good steam.

Linda Evangelista

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Well, we know the supermodel can do much better than this. The canary yellow dress paired with those stark black tights is a little jarring, while the frock itself is aging her. We also wish she hadn't gone with such a severe bun or that sparkly headband, it's competing with the pattern on her dress.

Cindy Crawford

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Clearly, it was a rough week for supermodels. This black dress isn't doing Crawford any favors. The material is hardly flattering, especially in the bust area, and the shoulder cut-outs are making the arms of the dress look funny.

Katy Perry

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Hmm, not sure what's going on here. Though the color is beautiful on Perry, the cape and velvet dress are a little too Renaissance to be on a 21st century red carpet.

Lady Gaga

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We've come to expect weird and wacky things from Lady Gaga, but this is a little bizarre, even for her. Though 10-inch PVC platforms and unflattering bronzer have become de rigueur for the pop star, that Mona Lisa cape left us... speechless.

Christina Ricci

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The top of Ricci's dress doesn't mesh well with the bottom half. The tri-color bodice looks out of place against the animal print and is making the outfit more complicated than it needs to be.

More stars who missed the mark:



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Delta Airline Pilot Sends Actress Claire Holt Adorable Thank-You Note (PHOTO)

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Gratitude at 30,000 feet!

Actress Claire Holt, who apparently is a frequent flier with Delta Air Lines, was clearly touched when the pilot of a recent flight sent her a handwritten note thanking her for flying with the company.

The Aussie star, known for her work in hit television shows "The Vampire Diaries" and "Pretty Little Liars," tweeted a picture of the note, written by Captain Mark Kendall on Tuesday.

(Story continues below.)



"Ms. Holt, Thank you for all your business as a Diamond Sky Miler," Kendall wrote. "I appreciate how hard it is to be a Road Warrior, especially at this time of year, but I appreciate it."

A Delta Airlines spokesperson confirmed that the note had indeed been written by Atlanta-based pilot Captain Mark Kendall, a 25-year Delta airline employee, reports ABC News.

Pilots are encouraged to interact with passengers "when time permits," spokesperson Kate Modolo told ABC.

As one of Delta's Diamond Sky Milers, Holt also receives perks like a complimentary Delta Sky Club Membership, as well as priority baggage handling and security line access.

Is Bob Dylan Black?

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Didn't believe it at first, that someone had pressed charges against Bob Dylan had for something he said.

I was sure it was an article from The Onion or some other satirical source that had gotten twisted in the Twitterverse. But then I found articles about it from pretty reliable sources all over the Net.

The upshot was that an organization called the Representative Council of the Croatian Community and Institutions had pressed charges against Dylan for "public injury" and "incitement to hatred." And my first reaction, as a citizen of a country where almost anyone can say almost anything, was, "Really?"

I mean, first of all if they'd just let it lie, most of us would never have read what he said. Or cared. So by pressing charges, they caused a firestorm that sent the allegedly offensive quotes flying around the globe via the traditional and social media. A wee bit counterproductive, yes?

And second of all, no offense, but Bob Dylan isn't say, Barack Obama. As far as I know he's not a policy maker of any kind--a beloved singer of songs, yes, but his words carry very little weight in Washington.

So I thought, "Sticks and stones, people." He's an old man with a faulty filter. Chill.

And then I decided to find out exactly what he'd said. Here's a piece:

"This country is just too f--ked-up about color. It's a distraction. People at each other's throats just because they are of a different color. It's the height of insanity, and it will hold any nation back -- or any neighborhood back. Or any anything back."

No problem there. I'm black. My parents used to take me South every summer from the mid-50's through the early 60's as a "reality check." I drank from "colored" fountains, used "colored" bathrooms. Had an uncle who was partially paralyzed when the Klan attacked.

In fact, when we went to see him and his wife in Mississippi, we had to beep the car horn in a particular way, or risk having our tires shot out by his wife when we turned off the highway onto the dirt road leading to their little farm house. Lest we be mistaken for the "men in white" making a return "visit."

I'd call being forced to live like that "the height of insanity." Point to Bob.

Here's another piece:

"Blacks know that some whites didn't want to give up slavery -- that if they had their way, they would still be under the yoke, and they can't pretend they don't know that. If you got a slave master or Klan in your blood, blacks can sense that. That stuff lingers to this day. Just like Jews can sense Nazi blood and the Serbs can sense Croatian blood."

I beg your pardon?

I will not be pressing any charges. I can't. This isn't France.

But I didn't know Bob Dylan was black. And knew what we thought or felt. I mean, I loved Paula Deen. And we know what she apparently did. Or said.

In fact, on one of those "find your long lost ancestors" shows, she found out her family had owned slaves for real, back in the day. And seemed totally mortified.

But I didn't "sense" that she was "the enemy." She's not the enemy. She's said some dumb things, but I didn't feel threatened by any of it. She's a good cook. I use her recipes all the time. And not once have I felt as if one of her hoe cakes was going to explode in my face or anything.

But what's worse about the dumb thing that Dylan said is how paternalistic it is. Old story: white guy speaks for "colored" people. Or rather, white guy tells "colored" people what to think. Or do, or say--there are lots of variations on that theme.

Bob Dylan doesn't know what blacks can "sense" any more than I know what Serbs can sense. I'm not offended that he said what he said, but I'm a wee bit miffed that he felt he had the right to speak for blacks, Serbs and Croats with such authority.

But this is the country of Rush Limbaugh and a host of others whose words really do incite people to hatred. And we call it "entertainment." I'll never get used to it. But my black father and millions of other soldiers of all hues fought to make sure that even Rush could say whatever the hell he wanted to say forever.

This is America. Home of the brave, land of the free. Sort of. Rumors of a "post racial" America are a bit pre-mature. Those who point to Obama's two terms as proof of how far we've come must keep in mind how Obama has been treated throughout both of those terms as proof of how far we still have to go.

But we can say pretty much whatever we want. And I'm glad.

So, I'm a little mad atcha, Bob. But my dad fought for you, too. And had to deal with a whole lotta racism to do it, back in WWII.

So I hear ya'. But let me speak for myself from now on, okay?

Cynthia Dagnal-Myron's book of essays, The Keka Collection, can be purchased on Amazon.com.

Best Country Music Albums Of 2013

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With any luck, 2013 will be remembered as a transitional year in country music.

For a notoriously conservative genre -- you'll still find less variation in instrumentation, aesthetic, and even vocal performance on a country radio station than anywhere else on the dial -- the story of the year is of a new liberalism bubbling up. Primarily associated with three interconnected emerging artists, Kacey Musgraves, Brandy Clark and Ashley Monroe (all of whom co-wrote their best work with Shane McAnally, the secret throughline in all of this), this new liberalism is thoughtful, critical, and unafraid of firing arrows at the sacred cows of traditionalism.

Take a look at this eclectic list. We'll move from country-rock storytellers like Jason Isbell to the kitchen-sink-on-the-back-porch of Valarie June, from the shimmery country-pop of Caitlin Rose to the ultra-traditional Daniel Romano, and from the plain-Jane simplicity of The Good Family to the miles-over-the-top bravura of Brad Paisley’s own attempt at a progressive, yet radio-friendly record.

If there's anything that binds these records to one another (apart from my having loved them) it's that each of them troubles the very idea of "country music" as much as it is itself a "country record." Each of these albums -- and country music's new liberalism in general -- adopts a critical distance from its own form, recognizing as it does the paradoxical relationship between a fundamentally conservative musical language and the artists' own desires to carry it into less familiar territory. "Same trailer, different park," indeed.

And what's especially heartening about this is how many of these artists have succeeded in finding audiences. They've demonstrated that there is a thirst out there for country music that embraces social critique before social convention, or "weed instead of roses," as Monroe puts it on her ode to the relationship-saving virtues of dope and BDSM sex.

Gay-friendly (McAnally is out and married), pot-happy, marriage-questioning, convention-mistrusting, religion-doubting, racism-confronting and ignorance-mocking, this kind of political consciousness feels less at home in our stereotypical notion of Southern America than the "I Drive Your Truck" (Lee Brice) or "Boys Round Here" (Blake Shelton) version that dominated the charts all year.

Indeed, though radio is still somewhat ambivalent to the trend, Musgraves has received industry recognition, winning a CMA for best new artist, which is a hopeful sign. Here's to more of that in 2014.


Elton John: Russia Needs To End Anti-Gay Prejudice

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British pop icon Elton John at his Moscow concert on Friday called on Russia to end discrimination against gays and lesbians, the Interfax news agency reported.

The openly gay singer said he was "sad to learn" about a Russian "anti-gay law" which bans what it calls homosexual propaganda to minors, Interfax reported.

"He called for renouncing all discrimination, including that based on non-traditional sexual orientation," the agency said, using an expression in Russia for describing homosexuality.

According to Interfax and several messages on social networks, John dedicated his concert to Vladislav Tornovoi, a 23-year-old man tortured to death in May in Volgograd, in southwest Russia, apparently for being gay.

That sordid crime raised an outcry from the gay community and gay rights activists.

John was the first major Western star known for strong support of gay rights to play in Russia since President Vladimir Putin in June signed a national law banning "propaganda of homosexuality" to minors.

The loosely-worded law, aggressively lobbied by conservative lawmakers, can be used to ban any gay rights event, critics say.

John, 66, publicly announced his homosexuality in 1988 and is in a civil partnership. He and his partner, David Furnish, have two children born to a surrogate mother. The singer is a major backer of programmes to help those with AIDS. In 2009, Ukraine refused to let him adopt an HIV-positive toddler.

Before Russia's national law was signed, US pop stars Madonna and Lady Gaga last year used concerts in Saint Petersburg to speak out on stage against local legislation that went in the same direction.

The promoters of Lady Gaga's concert were fined last month by a Saint Petersburg court under a child protection law which includes a ban on gay propaganda.

Russia decriminalised homosexuality in 1993, but its medical institutions continued to class homosexuality as a mental disorder until 1999.

Russian society remains deeply homophobic, with a survey by the Levada independent polling centre in March finding that 34 percent thought homosexuality was an illness that should be treated.



'Fast & Furious 7' Production Will See The Light Of Day, Says Director James Wan

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Hollywood is still mourning the untimely loss of Paul Walker, but, as always, the show must go on. The sentiment comes straight from the mouth of "Fast & Furious 7" director James Wan, who told TMZ on Friday that the next installment in the franchise will eventually be completed.

Production on "Fast 7" was delayed earlier this week. Universal Pictures officially postponed shooting on Wednesday with almost no details regarding its future. Some speculated that the studio would scrap the project altogether, but given how lucrative the "Fast & Furious" franchise has been, those rumors were quickly squashed.

Sources close to the production reportedly told CNN that editors are reviewing footage already shot with Walker to determine what sort of script rewrites would be feasible. The obvious options are all on the table, according to reports: Walker's character could be killed off, another actor may be hired in his stead or the team can use CGI to reconfigure new scenes involving the late actor.

With news that filming on "Fast 7" was already behind schedule prior to Walker's death, it seems unlikely that Universal will manage to uphold the slated July 11, 2014, release.

“Right now, all of us at Universal are dedicated to providing support to Paul’s immediate family and our extended ‘Fast & Furious’ family of cast, crew and filmmakers,” the studio's statement said.

Wan echoed that sentiment when approached by TMZ, calling the tone among the cast and crew "sad" and "somber."

Farrah Fawcett Warhol Portrait Worth $12 Million

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LOS ANGELES (AP) — An Andy Warhol portrait of Farrah Fawcett currently held by actor Ryan O'Neal is worth an estimated $12 million, an appraiser told a jury Friday.

New York art appraiser Lee Drexler testified in a lawsuit by the University of Texas at Austin against the actor in which the school is seeking to gain possession of the Fawcett portrait for its art museum. O'Neal contends the artwork was given to him as a gift by Warhol and did not belong to Fawcett when she died in 2009. The "Charlie's Angels" star left all her artwork to the university; her gift included another version of the Warhol portrait.

Drexler was the university's final witness in its principal case, which started with opening statements Nov. 25. Her estimate could be used by a jury to award damages if it finds that O'Neal improperly took the artwork after Fawcett, his longtime partner, died.

Drexler said because of Fawcett's fame and beauty, Warhol's portrait of her was extraordinary. She noted the artist's works remain hot sellers and said the average auction price for one of his pieces is $7.5 million.

"This is not average," Drexler said of the silkscreen portrait Warhol crafted from Polaroid pictures he shot of Fawcett. "This painting makes your eyes pop. It's magnificent. It's just a gorgeous painting."

O'Neal's attorney Todd Eagen questioned Drexler's appraisal. He noted the university had insured its version of the Warhol portrait for around $600,000, and the version hanging in O'Neal's home was appraised in 2009 for less than $1 million.

Jurors will now hear from witnesses called by O'Neal's attorney, which likely will return the actor to stand and might include an appearance by Fawcett's "Charlie's Angels" co-star Jaclyn Smith. The actor's first witness was Mela Murphy, a hairstylist and close friend of Fawcett who testified that the actress told her in 1994 that one of the Warhol portraits belonged to O'Neal.

Drexler testified as an expert witness and was paid approximately $36,000. She based her appraisal on reviewing photos of the Fawcett portrait and auction prices for other Warhol artwork.

O'Neal is countersuing the university to keep the Fawcett portrait and also obtain a tablecloth Warhol drew hearts on and addressed to the actors.

The university has said if it wins, it plans to display both Fawcett portraits in its Blanton Museum of Art. O'Neal told jurors Monday that if he wins, he intends to leave the portrait to the son he had with Fawcett, Redmond.

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Anthony McCartney can be reached at http://twitter.com/mccartneyAP

Dakota Johnson's 'Fifty Shades' Diet Consists Of A Lot Of Juice

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On the set of "Fifty Shades of Grey," Dakota Johnson has been getting into the role of Anastasia Steele by juicing.

E! reports that Johnson and director Sam Taylor-Johnson have a "standing order" for pressed juices in a Vancouver shop where they are filming scenes for the film.

According to E!'s source, Johnson and Taylor-Johnson are "not doing a cleanse and are basically drinking a couple each day."

So there you have it. Always good to know what it takes to look aesthetically-pleasing while participating in hardcore BDSM that has been equated to "mommy porn."

In a variety of photos snapped on set, it appears Johnson has been keeping up her fit figure and has also been questionably wearing Uggs, which we can only hope are not part of her costume.

Rebecca Black & Dave Days Party All Day In 'Saturday' Music Video

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Rebecca Black was so exhausted by "Friday" that didn't want to get out of bed at the start of "Saturday." But by the new music video's end, she's attending a rollicking party where one guy is dressed as a hot dog and someone else is impersonating Miley Cyrus. In between those two sentiments, Black careens through the town with friends who are kind enough to do the Wave with her and assist in preparing for that night's big party. Black doesn't want Saturday to end, and, really, who would when you can light sparklers on the beach and smash one another's faces in pie during a house party?

Black has joined forces with fellow YouTube sensation Dave Days, who also appears in the video. The first time we see him, he's telling Black he needs to find his pants before joining in on the revelry. It doesn't take much to assess the teen antics going on in this clip, laden with everything from red Solo Cups to Silly String. Because that's what the life of a teenager is like, right?

Ellen DeGeneres' Kim-And-Kanye-Themed Christmas Card Is 'Bound 2' Make You Smile

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Ellen DeGeneres and Portia de Rossi have revealed a Kardashian Kristmas Kard of their very own. The design is inspired, of course, by Kanye West's excessively green-screened new video for the song "Bound 2." As you might have assumed, it is the best thing ever.

ellen

Check out the full segment here:

Anne Hathaway In 'Sound Of Music Live'? Von Trapp Family Reveal Their Ideal Choice For Maria

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Turns out, the real Von Trapp family wasn't so hot on the idea of Carrie Underwood playing Maria in "The Sound of Music Live!"

Myles von Trapp Derbyshire, the great grandson of Maria von Trapp, expressed his disappointment in NBC's casting to ABC News.

“It’s just upsetting that this could potentially be the final broadcast of our story,” he said. “And although her voice is amazing, she doesn’t have acting experience ... It’s just the overall image, she’s a country star, she won ‘American Idol,’ she’s very public in kind of a tabloid way.”

Derbyshire, a 28-year-old New Yorker, said the family got together and chose their own Maria: Anne Hathaway.

“Here’s someone who just won an Oscar for a similar situation [in "Les Miserables"]. She was able to act and sing,” he told ABC. His aunt, Francoise von Trapp, even blogged about the casting decision a few days before the live show. "Carrie Underwood as Maria? Seriously? I mean, I have nothing against her personally -- she's an extremely talented country singer, but I'm pretty sure my father is repeatedly rolling over in his grave."

The Von Trapps weren't the only people who threw shade at Underwood's performance. The Grammy winner told EW she received hate mail ,and Twitter was alive with the sound of snark during NBC's special programming.

Hey, at least the ratings killed.

Danny Glover Recalls Nelson Mandela While Receiving Career Achievement Award In Bahamas

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NASSAU, Bahamas (AP) — Actor Danny Glover has received a Career Achievement Award in the Bahamas as he reflected on the role he played as Nelson Mandela while the South African leader was still in prison.

The 67-year-old actor said late Friday that he was moved by Mandela's political writings as a student in the 1960s and acknowledged he was the only U.S. actor who portrayed him in a film before the publication of his biography and release from prison in 1990. "There's a great deal that comes back over a period of time, those great moments when you thought you were doing something of value, and that the work you were doing as an artist was changing the world," Glover said.

He received his award at the Bahamas International Film Festival a day after the death of the 95-year-old former South African president and anti-apartheid activist. He earned an Emmy nomination for portraying him in the 1987 TV film "Mandela".

"I think this is particularly special because it comes the day after the transition of someone who I never in my lifetime thought I would get the chance to meet, and someone who became a friend. He used to affectionately call me, 'Danny boy'," Glover recalled. "It allows you ... to reflect on this absolutely wonderful opportunity I've had, what are the elements that went into that, to not only allow me to be the artist I've hopefully grown to be, but also the human being and the citizen, which is much more important."

Glover has campaigned globally for humanitarian causes and is best known for playing Los Angeles police Sgt. Roger Murtaugh in the "Lethal Weapon" movies.

Carrie Underwood Says Her 'Sound Of Music' Haters 'Need Jesus'

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Carrie Underwood isn’t letting the critics get her down.
In fact, she’s sending out positive thoughts to those who’ve openly criticized her Sound of Music Live! performance.

“Plain and simple: Mean people need Jesus,” she wrote on Twitter. “They will be in my prayers tonight…”

Allegedly Stolen Piece Of Paul Walker Death Car Posted On Instagram

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A Tujunga man accused of stealing a piece of the wrecked red Porsche Carrera GT that Paul Walker and Roger Rodas were in when they died in a fiery crash appears to have posted a photo of the souvenir on Instagram.


Jameson Witty, 18, was arrested outside his home Thursday.


"Piece of Paul Walker's car. Took it off a tow truck at a stop light," Witty captioned the image on his social media account just before 11 p.m. the night of the crash. The photo appears to show the T-top panel from the roof of the car that authorities said he was arrested for allegedly stealing off the bed of a tow truck as it transported the wreckage to a police impound yard for investigation.


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A second unidentified 25-year-old suspect is making arrangements to turn himself in to authorities in the next few days. It remains unclear what role each of the two men played in the theft.


On Instagram, Witty identified himself as a Paul Walker fan and previous images show he is involved in planning a memorial event for car enthusiast fans of Paul Walker later in this month.


While other fans, and even Walker's friend and "Fast and Furious" co-star Tyrese Gibson, had taken fragments left from the car at the crash site, those pieces were no longer considered evidence and had been left behind by detectives.


Witty and his accomplice face charges of evidence tampering along with theft because they stole a piece from the part of the car that was still in police custody pending additional investigation into the crash.


The remains of the high-performance car were towed away from the Valencia crash scene around 10 p.m. Saturday, and police say several cars followed the tow truck as it transported the wreckage to the impound yard for additional investigation. While the flatbed tow truck was stopped at a red light at McBean Parkway and Newhall Ranch Road, a man allegedly took the roof panel from the wreckage.


Witty remains in custody at the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff's Station in lieu of $20,000 bail, according to sheriff's records.


Walker, an actor and star of the "Fast and Furious" franchise, was a passenger in the rare Porsche driven by financial adviser and part-time race car driver Rodas when it collided with a light pole and tree before exploding, killing both men.


Officials have said speed appears to be a factor, but the investigation into the cause of the crash remains ongoing.


Fans have flocked to the site of the crash, on Hercules Street near Kelly Johnson Parkway, since word of the actor's death spread early Saturday evening. There is a growing sea of flowers, cards and candles for the two men, and deputies have been regularly stationed near the site since the crash.


Warnings have been issued that cars parked illegally will be ticketed and that traffic laws will be strictly enforced after some fans began speeding past the site in homage to Walker's fast-driving character Brian O'Conner in the movie series.


Fans have planned a public memorial at the site for Sunday at noon that is expected to draw as many as 20,000 cars. ___



Madonna's Son Rocco Is A Master Photobomber

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Based on his Instagram account, Madonna's son Rocco spends a lot of time practicing Parkour, which is pretty much what we would assume Madonna's son would spend a lot of time doing. Apparently the obstacle course has also made the 13-year-old a master photobomber. Observe:

Sara Bareilles' Grammy Nominations Come As A Complete Surprise

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Sara Bareilles became the surprise victor during Friday's announcement of the 2014 Grammy nominations. The singer's "The Blessed Unrest" bested Kanye West's "Yeezus," Lorde's "Pure Heroine," Justin Timberlake's "20/20 Experience," Bruno Mars' "Unorthodox Jukebox" and Vampire Weekend's "Modern Vampires of the City," among others, to land a spot amid the finalists for Album of the Year.

"The Blessed Unrest" debuted in July to favorable reviews but has failed to chart on many critics' year-end rankings, including those from Rolling Stone, Entertainment Weekly and SPIN. While the Grammys don't foster the frenzied prognostications that the Oscars and Emmys do, most who chimed in to forecast the potential nominees did not have Bareilles on their radar.

A glance at last year's Album of the Year contenders amplifies the confusion surrounding Bareilles' inclusion. The five honorees -- The Black Keys, fun., Frank Ocean, Jack White and winner Mumford & Sons -- all appeared on a slew of best-of lists, and each act garnered a bundle of additional Grammy nominations. Bareilles, on the other hand, only nabbed one other accolade this year: a nod for Best Pop Solo Performance, for "Brave." (The song will compete against Katy Perry's "Roar," which was accused of having lifted its melody from "Brave.")

"Brave," to a lesser degree, also feels out of place among its counterparts in Best Pop Solo Performance. The song peaked at No. 26 on the Billboard Hot 100, instead finding a more comfortable spot on the U.S. Adult Contemporary chart, where it reached No. 2. Three of the category's other nominees -- Bruno Mars' "When I Was Your Man," Lorde's "Royals" and Perry's "Roar" -- each ascended to No. 1 on the Hot 100, while the fifth entry -- Justin Timberlake's "Mirrors" -- touched No. 2.

Regardless, fans of Bareilles are surely rejoicing in the chanteuse's windfall. The 34-year-old singer's "Love Song" was previously nominated for Song of the Year and Best Female Pop Vocal Performance, the latter of which also hosted "King of Anything" as a nominee in 2011. This year's honors bring Bareilles' Grammy total to four nominations.

The singer took to Twitter on Friday to express her ebullience.


Bareilles will compete against Daft Punk's "Random Access Memories," Kendrick Lamar's "Good Kid m.A.A.d. City," Macklemore & Ryan Lewis' "The Heist" and Taylor Swift's "Red" for Album of the Year.

What do you think? Is Bareilles' recognition deserved, or did she stampede over worthier honorees? Chime in below, and read about more of this year's Grammy snubs here.
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