HOLLYWOOD - Top Story: Lisa Marie Talks About Love and Jacko
Lisa Marie Presley confesses she was in love with Michael Jackson when she married him in 1993. In an interview with Rolling Stone magazine, Presley also admits she and Jackson had sex "for a while" and that at first Jackson was "very real" with her when they were alone, drinking, cursing and cracking jokes with her. But, she said, eventually she felt manipulated by Jackson to improve his image with publicity stunts like kissing the pop oddity onstage at the 1994 MTV Video Music Awards. The next year, when they appeared on ABC's PrimeTime Live with Diane Sawyer, Presley claimed she was put on the defensive and wanted to protect Jackson, believing she could save him from his critics and together they could "save the world." Presley's debut album, To Whom It May Concern, will be released on April 8.
Cannes Opens with "Fan"fare
The Cannes Film Festival has chosen the Gallic swashbuckler Fanfan La Tulipe to open its festivities May 14, Variety reports. The film, starring Vincent Perez and Penelope Cruz, is a remake about a gypsy girl (Cruz) who tricks handsome peasant Fanfan (Perez) into joining the French army by predicting he'll marry one of the king's daughters.
Duct Tape Shuts Sheen Up
Although the thought may have crossed the minds of many of the actor's detractors, West Wing star Martin Sheen voluntarily covered his mouth with a piece of duct tape that read "Peace" and led 60 protesters in a prayer vigil Wednesday, The Associated Press reports. Though he didn't speak, his statement was read out loud: "Nationalism and militarism have become the gods of our idolatry at the expense of our humanity."
Poking Fun at Saddam
Uncle Saddam, a satirical documentary which portrays Saddam Hussein as a personal hygiene fanatic and someone who likes to fish with hand grenades, will be released on DVD April 2, Reuters reports. Shot by French freelance journalist Joel Soler, the footage was smuggled out of Iraq after Soler visited the country on the pretext of chronicling Iraq's suffering under U.N. sanctions. Reuters reports the film gained critical acclaim two years ago at film festivals, yet prompted death threats against Soler at his Los Angeles home.
Killer Virus Stops Rolling Stones Concerts
Due to an outbreak of a lethal strain of pneumonia that has killed 50 people in Southeast Asia, the Rolling Stones postponed two concerts in Hong Kong. According to Reuters, the veteran British rockers, currently on their Licks world tour, were to perform Friday and Saturday but plan to "reschedule as soon as possible," the band said in a statement.
Don't Leave a Message for Snoop Dogg
In a lawsuit filed on Monday, a California man claims his life is in danger because rapper Snoop Dogg used part of a phone message he left in a song to get back at Snoop's rival, mogul Suge Knight, Reuters reports. The suit said the message included support for Dogg in his "turf war" with Knight, which the rapper then put in the song "Pimp Slapp'd" on his album Paid the Cost To Be Tha Boss without the permission of the man, known as "John Doe." "Unfortunately it is so real that (the) plaintiff now fears for his life...Mr. Knight is a burly, convicted felon and is rumored to be involved with gangs, to threaten, assault and hurt people," the lawsuit said.
Anti-Piracy Pamphlets Hit Campuses
The music industry is going to school to prevent online piracy. According to Reuters, the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI), a global trade group representing major and independent music labels and publishers, started distributing pamphlets on university campuses around the world, highlighting the illegality of downloading music and movies from online sources.
Role Call: Sizemore Gets Cozy With Paparazzi
Tom Sizemore (Dreamcatcher) is in final negotiations to join actor Cole Hauser (Tears of the Sun) in Paparazzi for 20th Century Fox. Variety reports the film revolves around a movie star (Hauser) who plots revenge after suffering a near-tragedy due to relentless hounding by a photographer.