It's Official: Cheryl Cole OUT of US X Factor!

NO MORE CHERYL!

It's finally been confirmed that Cheryl Cole is indeed out of the US version of X Factor.

FOX, Fremantle, and Syco TV have released a statement confirming that former host Nicole Scherzinger will be replacing the British pop star on the judging panel, which also features Simon Cowell, Paula Abdul, and L.A. Reid.

The Internet was abuzz with reports that the producers wanted Cheryl Cole back, but it is clear now that those plans fell through. She was allegedly fired from the series two weeks ago, but there was no confirmation from either side.

The question now remains whether Cheryl will receive the money she was promised in her contract, or if the producers found a loophole to prevent paying her.

Now that she's out of both versions of X Factor, will there be a Girls Aloud reunion?

US X Factor Drama Continues! Producers Want Cheryl Cole To Get Work Visa

The cat-and-mouse game between ousted judge Cheryl Cole and the X Factor producers continues!

According to an exclusive report by The Hollywood Reporter, Cheryl Cole is being asked by Fremantle North America, the show's production company, to visit the U.S. Embassy in London to apply for a work visa in order to do the show. A source close to Cheryl claims that she was never fired from the show and that Cheryl is apparently in the process of getting her visa.

The source is also claiming that Fremantle is ultimately trying to avoid breaching the $2.4 million contract they signed her to and paying her out, calling it a "chess match".

Meanwhile, over in the UK, the judges of that version of X Factor are claiming that Cheryl Cole is fine and she will bounce back. Apparently she spoke to both Louis Walsh and new judge and Take That member Gary Barlow about her "firing".

Once again, this all smells of either a publicity stunt or a really elaborate test of Cheryl's popularity.

Keep it locked here as this catastrophe continues to unfold before the September premiere.

Rihanna Hits Back At Parents Television Council Over "Man Down" Criticism!

Rihanna has hit back at criticism over her newest video for single "Man Down".

The pop star was attacked yesterday by the watchdog group Parents Television Council after the video aired on BET. The group accused Rihanna of promoting cold, calculated murder as a proper form of justice in the video. The murder in question was of the character's rapist. The group also pointed out that if Rihanna's ex-boyfriend Chris Brown had made a similar video, he would have been chastised. Therefore, Rihanna should not have been allowed to.

Well, Rihanna has responded to the comments via her highly entertaining Twitter account. Rihanna said in a series of tweets: “I’m a 23 year old rockstar with NO KIDS! What’s up with everybody wantin me to be a parent? I’m just a girl, I can only be your/our voice!  Cuz we all know how difficult/embarrassing it is to communicate touchy subject matters to anyone especially our parents!”

Directly responding to parents who would've been offended by the video: “And this is why! Cuz we turn the other cheek! U can’t hide your kids from society,or they’ll never learn how to adapt! This is the REAL WORLD! The music industry isn’t exactly Parents R Us! We have the freedom to make art, LET US! Its your job to make sure they dont turn out like US.”

I absolutely agree with her on this one. While I will concede Rihanna is certainly a role model for young girls, it is the parents who should be guiding their children and leading by example.

Honestly, I feel like parents put way too much weight into what media their children consume. If your children are raised in a positive environment, then children are likely not to follow what they see on TV and in video games. For instance, I've played Grand Theft Auto and Halo for years, and I've never had or expressed homicidal tendencies. Then again, I was raised by very good people.

Do you think that Rihanna is right, and that parents are more responsible than the entertainment industry? Let me know in the comments!

Rihanna's Murderous "Man Down" Music Video Sparks (Unnecessary) Outrage with Parents Television Council

Yesterday on BET, and today on VEVO, Rihanna premiered the video for other new single "Man Down".

Never one to miss the chance for nice, old-fashioned scolding, the Parents Television Council has taken pop star Rihanna to task for it, according to TMZ.

The group, which was made famous by a Gossip Girl ad repeating their criticisms, is accusing her of advocating the "cold, calculated execution of murder" in her video. Following the song to a tee, the music video tells the story of a young girl (Rihanna) who shoots a man from her window near a train station. The man she shot was the same man who accosted her in an alley the night before and raped her.

The non-profit organization brought Chris Brown into the argument as well, claiming that "if Chris Brown shot a woman in his new video and BET premiered it, the world would stop. Rihanna should not get a pass..."

As inappropriate and irrelevant as it was to bring Chris Brown into the discussion of this video, I would have to agree on that point. If Chris did a video like this, even I would catch a case about it. It would obliterate his career, no doubt.

However, I think that artistic license should be applied in Rihanna's case. Obviously, Rihanna is not saying to people that murder is a just response to something as traumatic as rape. It is a understandable reaction, though, to harm the person to harmed you back. Despite the wishes of the PTC, life is not a High School Musical-esque fantasy, where the worst curse word you'll hear is crap. People have darker sides, born especially from trauma and pain. Rihanna is simply exploring that, which she is allowed to as an artist. It's called artistic expression.

While I commend them for their efforts to protect children, I think they really should be advising parents on how to properly monitor their kid's programming, instead of attacking the producers of that programming.

I also happen to think this is one of her best videos to date. The ending was shocking, raw, and considering her past, very brave of her.

Do you think Rihanna went too far with her video? Check the video out and let me know:

"I Know Nothing": Paula Abdul Clueless Over Cheryl Cole's Firing

Cheryl Cole and Paula Abdul at first X Factor auditions
(photo courtesy of Daily Mail Online)

The Cheryl Cole/US X Factor drama just keeps getting worse and worse.

Now Paula Abdul, who was the last judge announced for the show, is claiming she had no idea that her co-judge was reportedly sacked.

The former American Idol judge, when asked about Cheryl during an interview in Singapore, reacted with surprise, claiming that her traveling has prevented her from having any information on the subject.

"You probably know more than I do," Paula said.

Paula also came to Cheryl's defense: "All I can tell you is that she is lovely and I was really excited about the relationship and friendship we were forging. And regardless I am really looking forward to continuing that. She's wonderful."

One of the reasons given for Cheryl's firing from the series was her lack of chemistry with Paula, so her advocacy for Cheryl certainly raises an eyebrow.

Once again, there has been zero confirmation from an official source, so my theory that this is a hoax still stands. Meanwhile, British tabloids are now claiming that the British X Factor is holding off on announcing its judging panel, hoping Cheryl will return to the program.

Is Cheryl Cole's Firing From US X Factor a Media Hoax?

Was Cheryl really sacked?

Unless you went to Cabo and had no internet access for the past few days, then you've heard (hopefully from me first) that British pop star Cheryl Cole has been fired from her judging position on the American edition of X Factor. The shocking decision to sack the beauty comes three weeks after the announcement that she was hired, and days after she was last seen at the auditions.

The report originated from the reliable blog TMZ, and spread like wildfire. Nearly every news outlet, even the New York Times, was reporting the news, only citing TMZ's original post. They claimed that Cheryl was sacked because of her accent and the supposed poor chemistry she had with other judges, Paula Abdul in particular.

What is particularly confusing about this mess is that no one, and I mean no one is actually able to confirm from official sources, like FOX or Simon Cowell. Calls to set the record straight through Twitter were ignored. No one is delivering any information, despite the continuation of the auditions, this time in Dallas.

While reports from Britain claim Cheryl is back on their side of the pond, no one, except the usual suspect sources, is offering any details about why she was fired, and what her future plans are.

The silence regarding such a hot button topic makes me wonder whether this isn't a clever ruse on Simon Cowell's part to drum up interest for his new show.

Chris Brown Issues Official Apology After Twitter Rampage

Yesterday, singer Chris Brown and Raz-B were engaged in a vicious, homophobia-laced battle on Twitter. Facing considerable backlash, Chris sent celebrity website TMZ an official apology:

Yesterday was an unfortunate lack in judgment sparked by public Twitter attacks from Raz B, who was bent on getting attention.  Words cannot begin to express how sorry and frustrated I am over what transpired publicly on Twitter. I have learned over the past few years to not condone or represent acts of violence against anyone.  Molestation and victims of such acts are not to be taken lightly; and for my comments I apologize -- from the bottom of my heart. I love all of my fans, gay and straight. I have friends from all walks of life and I am committed, with God's help, to continue becoming a better person.

As I have said many times before, I really don't think Chris has the innate maturity yet to handle websites like Twitter, where he faces criticism on a regular basis. While Raz-B's comments were uncalled for, Brown had absolutely zero reason to respond, and when he did, he took it too far. Kudos to him for apologizing quickly, but I really think he needs to continue with whatever therapy he is doing. Or, he simply needs to grow up.

Hopefully, he takes his new tweet to heart:

Since new years is coming up my resolution is to shut the hell up and and vomit on every track I touch!!! #tiredofplayinggames!!!

As for Raz-B, with all of these allegations and everything going on in his life, he is in desperate need of therapy and mental support.

I'm glad that this whole mess is over.

Chris Brown Begins Damage Control....

After the epic hot mess that was his Twitter fight with B2K member Raz B, Chris Brown has already begun damage control for his homophobic slurs that he tweeted. He tweeted:

BTW... i love all my gay fans and this immature act is not targeted at you!!!! love

I doubt that all of this will be resolved with a simple post-fight disclaimer. Whether he meant it to be insulting to his fans or not, the fact is, he said it and it was wrong.

As I wrote in my last post, the whole thing didn't need to happen. Smh.

Twitter / @Chris Brown : BTW... i love all my gay f ...

Chris Brown Attacks B2K's Raz B with Gay Slurs On Twitter

Chris Brown goes in on Raz B on Twitter,
but were Brown's insults
 about his sexuality too much?

R&B singer Chris Brown and former B2K member Raz B were embroiled in a war of words on Twitter this afternoon.

Actually, it was more of a gunshot from Raz B and nuclear missiles from Chris Brown.

Raz B was inexplicably tweeting Rihanna multiple times, trying to seduce her. Amongst those tweets was one where he accused her ex-boyfriend and batterer Chris Brown of disrespecting her. While his tweets have me questioning his mental stability, I don't think they were anything too horrible, although a bit rude and unnecessary.

Clearly, Chris disagreed with my take.

So, what exactly did he say? Check out all the tweets after the jump:

CNN's Don Lemon Reveals Childhood Sex Abuse On Air

CNN anchor Don Lemon stunned viewers this past weekend when he revealed that he was a victim of sexual abuse as a child.

Lemon was interviewing three members of Bishop Eddie Long's church Saturday night about allegations of sexual abuse involving him and four teenage men when he shared the startling secret. During the live broadcast, Lemon said his attention was caught when the men all had the same story about their abuse, which was apparently similar to his own abuse. It was the first time he has spoken about his abuse publicly and that he hadn't even told his mother until he was 30 years old.

Despite his revelation and his questions to the bishop's supporters about his innocence, Lemon insisted that they stand by him, while keeping an eye open.

After his admission, Lemon was flooded with responses from Twitter and Facebook, to which he responded: "Thank you all for your kind words. I had no idea I'd say that on national tv. It just came out. Sadly, it's the truth for so many young men".

I, for one, commend Don Lemon's bravery and strength in conducting the interview considering his past, and for sharing such a tragic element of his childhood in order to inspire others suffering in similar ways.

Some Notes About Mel Gibson's Rants Against His Ex

By now, everyone has heard at least one of the shocking angry rants from movie star Mel Gibson against his baby's mother Oksana Grigorieva. Instead of writing an essay about the tapes, I won't even give him that much of my time and just list some important notes to take away from the whole fiasco.

Note 1: His career, as he and we know it, is over
While many people have warned against such strong statements, it is pretty hard to imagine what kind of career this man will have after the full scope of these tapes are realized. He has shown bigotry against everything not white male: blacks, gays, jews, hispanics, and women. You could essentially use those tapes as an encyclopedia of slurs. Ironically, the industry he works in is filled with plenty of the people he harshly insulted. I can't imagine any actor, actress, producer, director, or even gaffer who is one of those denominations who would want to work with him.

Note 2: He cannot hide behind alcohol this time
Mel Gibson's infamous 2006 anti-semitic rant was the result of being pulled over by police and arrested for a DUI. While he could argue that the nasty incident was the result of the booze, there is no excuse that could explain away blatant racism, misogyny, and unspeakable violence. Sorry, there's no way to get out of this one, Mad Max

Note 3: He needs help. Serious. ass. help.
While he may a racist, a misogynist and an alleged perpetrator of unspeakable violence, but it is also clear he is in desperate need of therapy. Anger management, sensitivity training, the works. Not only is his behavior completely unacceptable in most circles of humanity, it is also unhealthy. When you're unhealthy, you usually got to a hospital. I'm sure Bellevue has openings this time of year.

It's a damn shame that an actor that I have enjoyed in films could have fallen so far from glory.

iPhone 4 Disaster: Will Apple Recall iPhone 4 Over Antenna Issues?

Experts are suggesting that Apple recalls the iPhone 4, or risk irreparable damage to reputation

Class action lawsuits, ordering drama, signal issues, and now calls for a recall? Apple is arguably suffering the backlash from hell.

I am a proud owner of an iPhone 3GS (iPhone 3G before switching it out a week after I bought it to get the latest model). While I could've easily purchased another phone for a lot less than my current one, I did for one reason. I bought the iPhone because I knew that Apple only made quality products that would last me a significant while.

While I still believe that to be true, there is no doubt that Apple's sterling reputation for engineering excellence has been tarnished by the widely reported signal issues associated with the latest iteration of the iPhone, iPhone 4.

Despite the multitude of new features, it hasn't prevented people from noticing that, when held a certain way, the cell signal is degraded to almost nothing. Apple has remained relatively mum on the subject, only copping to a software issue, but the issues have now begun to affect the acclaim of the hard-won Apple brand of perfection. This week, Consumer Reports magazine, which offers recommendations on products, has revealed that they wouldn't recommend the iPhone 4 after testing it and confirming the reality of the signal issues. Despite not receiving the recommendation, iPhone 4 still ranked highest amongst all smartphones.

Now, the Cult of Mac blog is suggesting, with commentary from multiple experts in public relations, that the only way to prevent a widespread Apple crisis is to recall the popular phone and fix the hardware, not the software. The experts, including "Master of Disaster" White House consultant Chris Lehane has related the iPhone 4 issues to the recent Toyota recall crisis, where over ten million vehicles were recalled worldwide, sparking government hearings over the matter. They believe that the cost of a recall doesn't overvalue the reputation of the Apple brand, and that a recall is the only way to resolve the issue. Lehane even referred to Apple's response to the furor over their 2007 iPhone price cut. Instead of ignoring disgruntled customers, Apple CEO Steve Jobs offered both an apology and refunds. Lehane was quoted as saying: "Apple must protect its brand image, its crown jewels, at all cost. Apple has enormous consumer loyalty but it depends on whether people believe it’s credible."

I completely agree with the PR experts on this one. If there is no software fix to this issue, then Apple has really no choice but to recall the phones and fix them. People, like me, don't pay up to $500 for phones that can suffer from such terrible signal strength (and that's considering we are dealing with AT&T here). Apple has always prided itself on its customer service and quality product. Well, they clearly gaffed on the latter, so its time to prove they are still the company to beat with the former.

UNbelievable! Chris Brown Releases New Single Following BET Awards Breakdown

Was Chris Brown's tears a career ploy? If his new single says anything about it...

You have got to be kidding me!

As I wrote in my Three Steps To Salvage Chris Brown's Career post, the first step he needs to take is to NOT milk his emotional BET Awards performance for what's it worth.

What does he go and do?

Milk it!

As I was perusing the new iTunes releases this morning, I noticed a pretty familiar name, especially considering Sunday: Chris Brown. It was in the What's Hot section, and it was a new single, called "Deuces" (the single also features the b-side "No Bullshit"). I looked at the release date and was shocked to find June 28th, 2010 there. As in the day after he sobbed like a baby on national television.

I'm sorry, but there is no way in hell you can tell me it was a coincidence that Chris Brown released a new single the day after his Michael Jackson tribute. The release of this singles bring forward two thoughts. One, that Chris timed the release perfectly so to benefit from the possibility of a re-ignited career. That appears to be true. Two, that his tears on the show may actually have been a PR cry for sympathy, believing people would be more open to buying his new music if he showed how emotional MJ and the whole night was making him.

Newslash, Chris. You got it terribly wrong.

If his breakdown was an act to garner sympathy and sales, then Chris Brown is a damn fool. Using the memory of Michael and the emotions it still inspires in people is tantamount to spitting on his grave and is absolutely shameful. I was one of the people who gave Chris the benefit of the doubt, believing he finally understood why his career fell to hell, but he didn't even wait 24 hours before proving me wrong.

For fans of Chris Brown who want to purchase the single, you can buy it with the link below. I know I certainly won't.

http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/deuces-single/id378611185

Career Rehab: Three Steps To Salvage Chris Brown's Career

After a career-shifting performance at the BET Awards, is Chris Brown ready for pop glory again?

Last year, I wrote a post offering fallen pop prince Chris Brown advice as to how he could save his damaged career. Of course, he followed none of my advice and proceeded to dig a hole so deep that he might as well be dead in the industry. I mean, he's doing underground mixtapes with Tyga, for heaven's sake.

Now, after a pretty spectacular showing at the BET Awards and public favor beginning to turn his way, let's try this again. Here are three simple steps for Chris Brown to successfully put the past behind him and rehab his image and career.

STEP 1: DON'T MILK BET AWARDS PERFORMANCE
People are already believing that Chris Brown's emotional breakdown during his MJ tribute was a well-played PR ploy to garner sympathy. I would like to believe that he was being earnest, but it would be easy to change my mind, especially if he goes around talking about all the time. While I'm sure the media will be clamoring for a quote about his tears, the smartest thing Chris could do is to remain quiet and allow the performance to speak for itself. Chris has a bad habit of incoherence and talking way too much, and I just know he would put a foot in his mouth. And then, any good feelings he would have garnered would be right out the window. In fact, he'd be hated more for using the memory of Michael Jackson to boost his own popularity. Career suicide that would be.

STEP 2: CONTINUE MATURING (AND USE TWITTER A LITTLE BIT LESS)
If I am right, and Chris was overwhelmed by the prospect of reviving his dying career, then I am also inclined to believe that he is ready to behave like an adult and not a petulant child. The biggest turn-off about post-Rihanna Chris was his whining, sense of entitlement, and overall childishness. Whether he was accusing of retailers of blackballing his CD or blasting bloggers and fellow rappers on Twitter, Chris was acting not like a man who royally screwed up and was remorseful, but a 5-year old who got his toy taken away for being bad. The biggest step to image rehab is proving you can learn from your mistakes and grow. While it's great that he has Team Breezy enabling his crap, it doesn't really mean much when your album is outsold by Susan Boyle. Grow up, prove it, and mainstream music will take you back.

STEP 3: RELEASE A LEGITIMATE ALBUM NEXT YEAR WITH ACTUAL SMASHES
While Graffiti partially flopped because of the Rihanna scandal (seriously, releasing less than a month after hers?), it was also because the music sucked. Honestly, it wasn't good, especially coming after the massive success of Exclusive. He had pop crossover hits like "Forever", "With You", and "Kiss Kiss", as well as urban smashes like "Take You Down". He needed to come a lot harder than fluff like "I Can Transform Ya". The album itself was also terribly inappropriate for the timing; when the world needed maturity from him, we got child's play. He couldn't have possibly gotten away with a song like "Take My Time", right? With his new album, he needs to grow up musically, while still producing a good pop hit. And by grow up, I don't mean sleaze. How about sharing the struggles that he went through on the road to redemption, a la T.I's Paper Trail? Honestly, pop music needs Chris Brown back. Whether he is ready or not is all up to him, and his producers.

Does Michael Jackson's Son Prince Michael Have Vitiligo? Pictures Say Yes!

Prince Michael Jackson in Hawaii on Thursday (note the blotch of white skin on his armpit)

It seems like the questions about the biological parentage of Michael Jackson's children has gotten some answers.

This past Thursday, Michael's three children Prince, Paris, and Blanket were vacationing in Hawaii with their grandmother, probably to avoid the media circus that would come with their father's death anniversary. While at the beach, pictures of Prince show a rather large splotch of discolored skin below his right shoulder. The discoloring appears to be vitiligo, the infamous disease that Michael revealed he had in a 1993 interview with Oprah Winfrey. He also revealed that vitiligo was inherited, and that he got it from his father's side.

This suggests, if not confirms, that Michael is the biological father of at least his two children with ex-wife Debbie Rowe. In the weeks following his death, there was rampant speculation that neither he or Rowe were the kids' biological parents. Many potential parental candidates were listed, including Michael's dermatologist Dr. Arnold Klein, who denied it.

Vitiligo is an illness that destroy the skin's pigmentation, which can lead to unsightly blotches all over the skin. Michael told Oprah that he had the illness after rumors claimed he was purposely bleaching his skin to become white. He claimed that the illness became noticeable around the Thriller release and that he used make-up to even out his skin tone. Even after the revelation, rumors continued that he was bleaching his skin on purpose. An autopsy performed concluded that he indeed did have the disease.

Frankly, this is as much proof as I need that Prince and Paris (and possibly Blanket) are his children. Not that it matters much anyway. Regardless of their paternity, they are Michael's children, and will forever be known as such.

Check out more photos after the jump:

Miley Cyrus MegaRant: Perez Hilton in Upskirt Photo Uproar and She Says "I'm Not Trying to Be Slutty"

A lot of Miley news out there, most of it ridiculous, but I figured it deserved some notice.

First off, Perez Hilton has really put his foot in it this time.

The gossip blogger has incited an uproar after he posted a picture of Miley Cyrus getting out of car and accidentally flashing her naked crotch. Besides being ridiculously inappropriate, there are legal ramifications, since Miley is only 17 years old, which would mean the photo can be considered child pornography.

The self-proclaimed (and falsely proclaimed) Queen of All Media posted a video on his popular website as an official statement about the picture, which he took down quickly after putting it up. In the video, Perez uses the "would I be that stupid" argument to explain his actions. He also uses it for Miley, claiming she wouldn't be so stupid to walk out the house without underwear on, and that her underwear can be clearly seen in another paparazzi photo.

It really was a non-apology, since Perez employed ridiculous amounts of sarcasm, even teasing a possible nude crotch shot of himself while wearing a fake fur coat.

In the video, he asks if he would be so stupid to post these photos up.

Um, yes he would.

This is the same guy who stupidly called will.i.am a faggot, resulting in him getting socked in the face. He also stupidly accused Michael Jackson of faking his heart attack to get out of his tour, minutes before the King of Pop died.

So, yes Perez, you would be that stupid.

He also claimed that he loved Miley Cyrus. That's funny, since he makes a big, fun day out of calling her virtually every name in the book, including the crown jewel, "Slutty Cyrus".

Give me a break.

Speaking of being slutty, Miley (who hasn't commented on the Perez situation) recently explained her new raunchy image with this quote:

"I'm not trying to be slutty. I'm not trying to be like, go to the club and get a bunch of guys...What I'm trying to do is make a point with my record and be consistent, in the way my record sounds and the way that I dress".

Newsflash, Miley. Yes, you are trying to be slutty!

While her album is called "Can't Be Tamed", I can't imagine anything on the album that requires her to look like a Britney wannabe on the cover, have a sexless bird orgy in the video, have a faux-makeout session with another girl on Britain's Got Talent, and ride a pole on top of an ice cream truck at the Teen Choice Awards. It's absolutely absurd, and terribly transparent. She is trying to garner attention for herself and break the Hannah Montana image that has made her millions of dollars.

It's not the first time she has made a statement like this one. Just recently, Miley said that she doesn't listen to pop music, except for Lady Gaga. Another newsflash, Miley. You make pop music! You've called Britney and Beyoncé your idols, and they make pop music!

This girl needs a reality check about her career, before she heads down the path paved by Lohan.

MegaRant, over.

UNBELIEVABLE: MJ's Death Is Katherine's Fault, Says Joe Jackson

Just when you thought that Joe Jackson couldn't get any more reprehensible...

The Jackson patriarch decided to honor the one-year anniversary of his son's passing by blaming his wife Katherine for her son's demise. In a taped interview with British newspaper News of the World (the same tabloid that exposed Sarah Ferguson last month), he revealed that he told Katherine that Michael would still be alive if she had intervened more in his life. The tabloid also reported that Joe blew up at Katherine in the moments after Michael was declared dead. "I couldn't bottle up my feelings," Joe reportedly told the newspaper.

June 25th will mark the first anniversary of Michael Jackson's shocking death from an overdose of propofol. Joe believed that if Katherine had spent more time with him, then Michael would have been "relaxed" and healthier. He said that Katherine didn't want to invade Michael's privacy, an issue they argued about many times. Joe believed that Michael was looking "frail" and "a bit funny" in the last months of his life, and that Katherine could have made the difference.

Joe also talked about Debbie Rowe's involvement in Michael's children's lives. According to him, the kids do acknowledge her existence, and that she has spent time with them. He notes, however, that there isn't a closeness between them yet.

Joe Jackson has done some pretty questionable things since Michael's untimely passing, but blaming his wife for her son's death is the worst, by far. What makes it even more outrageous is that he is slating her so close to MJ's death anniversary. It makes a person (me) wonder how much he really cares about his family. Katherine is trying to raise her grandchildren in peace, while he is gabbing with tabloids about his private family matters.

Top 5 Biggest Religious Scandals in Pop Music

With all this talk of Lady Gaga's religious symbolism in her new video "Alejandro", it only makes sense to examine the biggest music clashes with the religious world. Looking at these five pop moments, Gaga's doesn't seem too big (although the rosary eating could definitely hold its own).

5. Michael Jackson at 1996 BRIT Awards - While there was no official comment from any religious association, the King of Pop's performance of "Earth Song" ruffled more than a few feathers. Some people (infamously including Jarvis Cocker) weren't too impressed with MJ's assumption of the Messiah role as he emerged from his tattered black robes in a white outfit and spread his arms out in an epic (read Jesus) pose while children surrounded him in praise. The aforementioned Cocker stormed the stage during the performance.



4. Madonna On The Cross at Confessions Tour - Leave it to her Madgesty to take the Messiah thing even further. During her performance of "Live to Tell" on her 2006 Confessions Tour, Madonna sang from a huge glass cross with a thorned crown on her head as images of AIDS-suffering African children were played in the background. The Catholic community was none too happy. Germans wanted her sued for blasphemy, the Vatican condemned her Rome concert, and a cardinal from Italy called for her excommunication.



3. Sinéad O'Connor Rips The Pope - During a powerful performance of Bob Marley's song "War", the "Nothing Compares 2 U" singer pulled out a picture of the Vatican leader and ripped it up, screaming "fight the real enemy" in front of a stunned audience. The demonstration was in response to the sex abuse scandals surrounding the church. The country was outraged; her albums were burned, the legendary Frank Sinatra wanted to fight her, and she was booed off the stage at a Bob Dylan tribute concert. In a perfect bit of irony, O'Connor as ordained as a Catholic priest in 1998.

2. Madonna's "Like a Prayer" Video - 1989 was a huge year for the Material Girl. She was releasing a new album Like a Prayer, and was releasing the title track as the lead single. She signed a $5 million deal with Pepsi to use the music video in a commercial. What the soda company, and the rest of the planet, wasn't anticipating was how scandalous the video would be. The video, about a woman witnessing the murder of another girl by three men and a black man going down for the crime, featured all kinds of Catholic symbolism. There was dancing in front of burning crosses, stigmata, dancing suggestively in a church, and kissing a black Jesus Christ. Pepsi was furious and yanked the commercial after only two airings. The video, twenty years later, stands as one of the most influential of her career, and the first that challenged the boundaries of pop music.

1. John Lennon Calls The Beatles Bigger Than Jesus - In the 60's, there was nothing bigger than The Beatles. It seemed so rooted in fact that John Lennon made a remark that nearly destroyed their careers in the United States. In an interview with the Evening Standard in 1966, Lennon talked about the decline of Christianity, and said that the group was bigger than Jesus. The comment made zero waves in the UK, but when republished by a teen magazine months later, the outrage was palpable. Radio stations banned their music, their records were publicly burned, and their concert tour was threatened with violence from many sources, including the Klu Klux Klan. Eventually, the furor calmed and The Beatles' status as pop legends was secured, but there was little doubt of the magnitude those comments made. Ironically, the backlash, as short as it was, proved just how massive The Beatles were, so maybe Lennon wasn't far off.

I Felt "Fireworks" With Rihanna, Says Drake

Rapper Drake is dropping his debut album Thank Me Later next week and has revealed some interesting information about the opening track and a certain Bajan pop beauty.

The Young Money rapper spoke to the New York Times about his new album, and spoke for the first time about his quickie relationship with pop star Rihanna. Last year, the pair were spotted kissing at the Lucky Strike bowling alley in Manhattan, sparking rumors that he was her first boyfriend after her assault by Chris Brown. According to Drake, though, it was hardly a relationship.

"I was a pawn," Drake told NYT. "You know what she was doing to me? She was doing exactly what I've done to so many women throughout my life, which is show them quality time, then disappear. I was like, 'Wow, this feels terrible.' "

The rapper also speaks about the relationship in the song "Fireworks", his collaboration with Alicia Keys. On the song, Drake raps: "I could tell it wasn't love, I just thought you'd fuck with me. Who could've predicted Lucky Strike would have you stuck with me. Damn, I kept my wits about me luckily. What happened between us that night, it always seems to trouble me. Now all of the sudden these gossip rags wanna cover me and you makin' it seem like it happened that way because of me. But I was curious and I'll never forget it baby. What an experience. You could've been the one, but it wasn't that serious."

Wow, clearly someone was feeling it more than the other. Not surprising, since Rihanna is easily one of the hottest stars on the planet. You can't blame a guy for feeling a bit burned. At least we get a great song out of it. On the song, Drake also raps about his relationship with jailed mentor Lil' Wayne and his mother.

Thank Me Later drops in stores on June 15th (it leaked online last week, if you're adventurous, or know how to use Youtube well).

Katy Perry Blasts Gaga's "Alejandro" Video as Blasphemous and Cheap?

Did Gaga go too far with Alejandro? Katy Perry may think so

The music video for Lady Gaga's new single "Alejandro" was sure to inspire some ire. Surprisingly, it appears that Katy Perry is one of the first none to pleased with the eight minute epic.

The pop star, whose music video for "California Gurls" is also due out this week, wrote on Twitter, "Blasphemy as entertainment is as cheap as a comedian telling a fart joke." While she never actually mentioned Gaga, it was evident what she was referring to; in the video, Gaga is dressed as a red and white latex-wearing nun who eats a rosary.

While there is a chance that she may not be going after Gaga, it does bring forth an interesting point regarding shock imagery and entertainment. While I personally wasn't offended by the video (I'm a Baptist Christian), there will definitely be people who find the video's religious symbols a bit to hot for the collar (pun slightly intended). However, this isn't the first time that religion has found its way into pop music. The most obvious example is Madonna, who danced in front of burning crosses and made out with black Jesus in the "Like a Prayer" video. The worst that happened to her was losing a Pepsi endorsement (for which she was already paid for). On the other hand, Sinead O'Connor flushed her career down the toilet by ripping up a picture of The Pope on Saturday Night Live in 1992. Let's not forget pop stars behaving as if they're Jesus; Kanye West covered a magazine wearing the crown of thorns, and Michael Jackson was criticized for his 1996 BRIT Awards performance, where he appeared messiah-like while he sang "Earth Song".

Katy is definitely entitled to her opinion, but I don't think Gaga was being blasphemous or using religion for cheap thrills. Honestly, "Like a Prayer" was riskier in that respect.

What do you think? Where does Gaga lie on the religious pop shock spectrum?