charity

New Music Friday – Muse

November 5, 2009 By Holly Stafford 1 Comment

If you are a fan of the “Twilight” series, then you more than likely have heard of Muse, who had a hit off the movies’ soundtrack with the song titled “Supermassive Black Hole,” and the song “I Belong To You (New Moon Remix)” off the next movie in the saga “New Moon.” Considered to be an alternative rock band who formed in the early 90s from Teignmouth, England, the band consists of longtime friends Matthew Bellamy, Chris Wolstenholme, and Dominic Howard. They’ve changed band names a number of times (from names such as Gothic Plague, Fixed Penalty, and Rocket Baby Dolls) before finally deciding on the name Muse. Their sound is a blend of alternative rock, classical, electronica, metal, spanish guitars, and progressive rock.

The band is known for their energetic live performances and front man Bellamy’s avid interests in unconventional things such as global conspiracy, extraterrestrial life, theology and the apocalypse. Their lyrical themes involve madcap conspiracy theory, revolutionary rabble-rousing, weird stuff about aliens, religions and other such classic Muse concerns. They have won many musical awards over the years, including 5 MTV Europe Awards 5 Q Awards, 6 NME Awards, and 2 BRIT Awards. The majority of these awards have been attributed to their live performances.

Muse have been heavily involved with “Teenage Cancer Trust,” a charity that focuses on the needs of teenagers and young adults with cancer, leukemia, Hodgkin’s and related diseases. They have performed at the Royal Albert Hall where they donated all money made from the merchandise stands to the charity. In September of 2008 all three members were awarded Honorary Doctorates of the Arts by Plymouth University.

Muse has released five studio albums, with their latest released this September titled “The Resistance.” It is the first Muse album to have been produced by the band itself. On its release, it topped the album charts in 19 countries and reached number 3 on the American album charts. The first single off the album, “Uprising,” has reached #1 on the Billboard Hot Alternative Songs chart becoming their 6th Top 10 single and first #1 on that chart. You can check out the video for the single above.

Filed Under: "Twilight Saga News", Awards, Music Tagged With: Aliens, Alternative Rock, American, Apocalypse, Billboard Hot Alternative Songs Chart, BRIT Award, Cancer, charity, Chris Wolstenholme, Classical, disease, Dominic Howard, Donated, Electronica, Extraterrestrial Life, Fixed Penalty, Global Conspiracy, Gothic Plague, Hodgkins, Honorary Doctorates of the Arts, I Belong To You (New Moon Remix), Leukemia, Live, Matthew Bellamy, Merchandise, Metal, MTV Europe Award, Muse, New Moon, NME Award, performances, Plymouth University, Progressive Rock, Q Award, Religion, Rocket Baby Dolls, Royal Albert Hall, single, Spanish Guitars, Supermassive Black Hole, Teenage Cancer Trust, Teignmouth England, The Resistance, Theology, Twilight, Uprising, Video

Katie Holmes on ‘So You Think You Can Dance’ – Video

July 24, 2009 By Cara Harrington Leave a Comment

In a pre-taped and pre-recorded performance, Katie Holmes does her best to impress with a version “Get Happy” originally owned by Judy Garland. She was on “So You Think You Can Dance” to pimp her new charity called The Dizzy Feet Foundation. The goal is to help underprivileged kids to experience the art of dance.

Wait…she is helping poor children with the gift of dance? Who is she aiming to help…Oliver Twist perhaps? Those kids are malnourished, but damn they can dance!

Quoteables”

Yeeeah - “Belting out Judy Garland in a pair of fishnets surrounded by sweaty gyrating mens sounds less like a foray into charity and more like Tom Cruise’s wet dream magically come to life. ”

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Image Via: Fox

Filed Under: Celebrity Gossip, Katie Holmes, Television, Videos Tagged With: charity, dance, Get Happy, Katie Holmes, Katie Holmes on ‘So You Think You Can Dance’ - Video, so you think you can dance, Video

Madonna Wins Mercys’ Adoption Appeal

June 12, 2009 By Holly Stafford 2 Comments

Watch out Angelina, looks like Madonna is catching up to you! In a desperate bid to add another baby to her collection, Madonnas adoption appeal for Mercy James has been approved. Overturning a lower court decisions, her Madgesty is now allowed to adopt a second child from Malawi.

Per People:

“I am extremely grateful for the Supreme Court’s ruling on my application to adopt Mercy James. I am ecstatic … My family and I look forward to sharing our lives with her,” Madonna said in a statement through her spokesperson Friday.

Chief Justice Lovemore Munlo ruled that her initial denial by the lower court was based on an old law. Although she hasn’t lived in the country for the required 18 months, the court said it should have taken into consideration her philanthropic efforts in the community. Madonna founded the charity “Raising Malawi” which helps to feed, educate and provide medical care for some of Malawi’s more than 1 million orphans. While preparations to bring 3 year old Mercy to America are now underway, it will take anywhere from 3-5 days to go through the necessary paperwork and to schedule the private jet with either Madonna’s lawyer or the director of her Malawi charity making sure she gets on the plane and arrives to the US okay… Wait, so let me understand this – she made such a big fuss over this adoption ordeal but now can’t find the time in her busy schedule of bumping uglies with Jesus to go and pick up the child herself?

Madonna’s lawyer said she was “ecstatic” when she heard the news that the adoption was finalized. Until she leaves, it is believed that Mercy may be moved to the Kumbali lodge where Madonna stays when she is Malawi. Mercy will join Madonnas other children children Lourdes, Rocco, and David, in New York where it is expected that she will attend nursery school with David. Madonna got her way, as she almost always does. While I find it wonderful that Mercy will now be able to have a decent life, laws are laws and she should have had to follow the requirements just like any other human being would have. I guess this goes to show that money does talk. I hope the Malawi government is proud that they basically sold a child. Am I the only one who sees the wrong in this situation?

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Images Via: Reuters, Wenn

Filed Under: "Brangelina", Celebrity Babies, Celebrity Gossip, Madonna Tagged With: "Brangelina", adopt, adoption, America, appeal, approved, Baby, charity, Chief Justince Lovemore Munlo, child, Children, Court, David, finalized, Jesus, jet, Kumbali Lodge, lawyer, Lourdes, Madonna, Malawi, Mercy James, New York, orphans, Overturning, plane, Raising Malawi, Rocco, Ruling, Supreme Court

Robert Pattinson’s Naked Chest and $20K Kisses

May 27, 2009 By Holly Stafford Leave a Comment

Tell me, who do I make my check out to? “Twilight” hunk Robert Pattinson auctioned off kisses for two people at $20,000 a piece in Cannes at last nights amfAR’s Cinema Against AIDS event. The bidding became so high that Pattinson was split between two bidders, who each paid the massive donation for the chance to win a kiss on the cheek from Sparklepants.

The offer of a special screening of Quentin Tarantino’s World War II revenge movie “Inglourious Basterds” raised 60,000 for the charity. David Furnish, husband of Elton John, generously sold his own watch. Also up for grabs at the auction was one of those ridiculous Chanel-branded Segway scooters and a joking strip-tease from Josh Hartnett. Fortunately for him – and us -bidding never got high enough. Maybe they should have asked Robert Pattinson instead? Bill Clinton’s personal Alpine Alto saxophone, which was signed by the former president, went on to sell for an unbelievable $130K.

Per People:

“Everyone in this room is better off than 99.9 percent of people on this entire earth,” he told the gathering, which also included Marion Cotillard, Robin Wright Penn, Eva Herzigova and Paris Hilton.”

You mean Paris Hilton could actually quit sleezing around for one night for a good cause? I guess miracles do happen!

Sharon Stone hosted the 16th annual event Thursday night at the exclusive Hotel du Cap on the French Riviera. The evening also paid tribute to Liam Neeson’s late wife Natasha Richardson. A emotion-filled Sharon remembered the actress as “a passionate supporter and fund raiser” for the AIDS cause. Later, singer Annie Lennox performed a song in honor of the actress.

Its nice to see stars helping to give back to charities.

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