Archive - Sep 2008

NEW YORK (AP) — A representative for Janet Jackson says the singer has been hospitalized after falling ill shortly before a concert.

According to statement released by W&W Public Relations, the singer canceled her concert in Montreal on Monday after she "got suddenly ill" during her sound check and had to be rushed to the hospital just before show time.

The statement says Jackson is being monitored at the hospital and hopes to reschedule the show. No further information was given about Jackson's condition.

A phone call placed to W&W after hours went unanswered, and a representative did not immediately return an e-mail seeking more information.

Jackson, 42, is on a North American tour

Buy from Amazon: Heath Ledger DVDs  

On 27 September 2008 Heath Ledger's father Kim stated that Matilda Rose would inherit the entire estate valued at 20 million U.S. Dollars. He is quoted as saying "There is no claim. Our family has gifted everything to Matilda."

Related story
- Death of Heath Ledger
- Heath Ledger's new movie reported "Oscar worthy"

Controversy over will
After Heath Ledger's death, in response to some press reports about his will, filed in New York City on 28 February 2008, and his daughter's access to his financial legacy, his father, Kim Ledger, said that he considered the financial well-being of his granddaughter Matilda Rose the Ledger family's "absolute priority" and her mother, Michelle Williams, "an integral part of our family," adding "They will be taken care of and that's how Heath would want it to be." Some relatives of Heath Ledger may be challenging the legal status of his will signed in 2003, prior to his involvement with Michelle Williams and the birth of their daughter and not updated to include them, which was filed in New York and divides half of his estate between his parents and half among his siblings; they claim that there is a second, unsigned will, which leaves most of that estate to Matilda Rose. Williams' father, Larry Williams, has also joined the controversy about Ledger's will as it was filed in New York City soon after his death.

Continues on next page

On 31 March 2008, stimulating another controversy pertaining to Ledger's estate, Gemma Jones and Janet Fife-Yeomans published an "Exclusive" report, in The Daily Telegraph, citing Ledger's uncle Haydn Ledger and other family members, who "believe the late actor may have fathered a secret love child" when he was 17, and stating that "If it is confirmed that Ledger is the girl's biological father, it could split his multi-million dollar estate between ... Matilda Rose ... and his secret love child." A few days later, reports citing telephone interviews with Ledger's uncles Haydn and Mike Ledger and the family of the other little girl, published in OK! and Us Weekly, "denied" those "claims", with Ledger's uncles and the little girl's mother and stepfather describing them as unfounded "rumors" distorted and exaggerated by the media.

On 15 July 2008, Fife-Yeomans reported further, via Australian News Limited, that "While Ledger left everything to his parents and three sisters, it is understood they have legal advice that under WA law, Matilda Rose is entitled to the lion's share" of his estate; its executors, Kim Ledger's former business colleague Robert John Collins and Geraldton accountant William Mark Dyson, "have applied for probate in the West Australian Supreme Court in Perth, advertising "for 'creditors and other persons' having claims on the estate to lodge them by 11 August 2008 ... to ensure all debts are paid before the estate is distributed...." According to this report by Fife-Yeomans and earlier reports citing Ledger's uncles, which do not include his actual posthumous earnings, "his entire fortune, mostly held in Australian trusts, is likely to be worth up to $20 million."

Locklear was arrested and released in Santa Barbara, California on September 27, 2008 on suspicion of driving while under the influence of prescription drugs.

Paul Leonard Newman (January 26, 1925 - September 26, 2008) was an American actor, film director, entrepreneur, race car driver, racing team owner and humanitarian. He won numerous awards, including an Academy Award, two Golden Globe Awards, a Screen Actors Guild Award, a Cannes Film Festival Award, and an Emmy award, along with many honorary awards. He won several national championships as a driver in Sports Car Club of America road racing and his race teams won several championships in open wheel Indy Car racing. He was also the founder of Newman's Own, a food company from which Newman donated all profits and royalties to charity. As of May 2007, these donations have exceeded US$220 million. Newman died at his long-time home in Westport, Connecticut after a battle with lung cancer.

Illness and death
Newman was scheduled to make his professional directorial stage debut with the Westport Country Playhouse's 2008 production of John Steinbeck's Of Mice and Men, but he stepped down on May 23, 2008, citing health issues.

In June 2008 it was widely reported that Newman, a former chain smoker, had been diagnosed with lung cancer and was receiving treatment at Sloan-Kettering hospital in New York City. Photographs taken of Newman in May and June showed him looking gaunt. Writer A.E. Hotchner, who partnered with Newman to start Newman's Own salad dressing company in the 1980s, was quoted in the media as saying that Newman told him about the disease about 18 months ago. Newman's spokesman told the press that the star is "doing nicely," but neither confirmed nor denied that he had cancer. In August, Newman reportedly had finished chemotherapy and had told his family he wished to die at home. His daughter, Nell, is poised to take over Newman's Own.

Paul Newman died of lung cancer on September 26, 2008 aged 83 at his long-time home in Westport, Connecticut. He was surrounded by his family and close friends

Related Blog - Paul Newman to die at home

Paul Newman - Hud

Paul Newman Filmography, awards, and nominations 

** Connie Haines' mother Mildred JaMais is still alive at 109 years of age.

Yvonne Marie Antoinette JaMais (January 20, 1921 – September 22, 2008) was an American singer who performed under the stage name Connie Haines. Her 200 recordings were frequently up-tempo big band songs with the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra and Frank Sinatra.

Life and career
She began performing at age 4, and by age 9 had a regular radio show performing as Baby Yvonne Marie, the Little Princess of the Air.

After a number of regional successes and winning the Major Bowes contest, she was hired by Harry James, who asked her to change her name. She and James both later joined Tommy Dorsey, and Haines credited Dorsey with developing her style further. Haines performed in a number of films, including Duchess of Idaho.

She died in Clearwater Beach, Florida of myasthenia gravis.

Travis Landon Barker (born November 14, 1975) is an American drummer, who achieved most of his fame by drumming for the band Blink-182.

On September 20, 2008, Barker was injured when the Learjet in which he was flying crashed outside of Columbia, South Carolina. The jet, a Lear 60, was headed for Van Nuys, California. According to the Federal Aviation Administration, the plane was departing the airport, when air traffic controllers saw sparks emanating from the plane, which went off the runway, smashed through a fence, crossed a nearby road, slammed into an embankment and caught fire. Barker had performed the night before at an event with former Jane's Addiction singer Perry Farrell, Gavin DeGraw and DJ AM. Barker is listed in critical condition, and was transported to the Augusta Georgia Burn Center in Augusta, Georgia.

DJ AM was also injured in the crash and is also listed in critical condition. Four others were killed in the crash, three males and one female, with autopsies being performed to identify the bodies.  Two of the deceased were crew members, and two were passengers, including Chris Baker, Barker's personal assistant. Columbia Mayor Bob Coble said of the accident, "It's absolutely terrible and tragic."

Natalie Cole hospitalized in Hepatitis C setback

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Grammy Award-winning singer Natalie Cole has been hospitalized in New York after suffering a setback in her battle against Hepatitis C, her spokeswoman said on Friday. Cole, the 58-year-old daughter of legendary singer Nat King Cole, has canceled her tour dates for October but is expected to make a full recovery, the spokeswoman told Reuters. Cole's unexpected hospitalization was first reported by Entertainment Tonight.

Actor Ryan O'Neal, 67, and 23-year-old Redmond - his son with actress Farrah Fawcett - were busted Wednesday on felony drug charges.

Deputies found what is believed to be methamphetamine on them during a probation sweep of their Malibu home. Father and son were later released on $10,000 bail each.

Click for complete article

Former child star Gary Coleman was charged Wednesday with reckless driving and disorderly conduct following an argument in a bowling alley in Utah.

Click for complete story

Norman Jesse Whitfield (943 – September 16, 2008) was an American songwriter and producer, best known for his work with Berry Gordy's Motown label during the 1960s.  He is credited as being one of the creators of the Motown Sound, as well as one of the major instrumental figures in the late-60s sub-genre of psychedelic soul.

Whitfield died on September 16, 2008 after a long bout with diabetes, among other illnesses.

Richard William Wright (July 28, 1943 -  September 15, 2008) was a self-taught pianist and keyboardist best known for his long career with Pink Floyd. Though not as prolific a songwriter as his bandmates Syd Barrett, Roger Waters and David Gilmour, he wrote significant parts of the music for classic albums such as Meddle, Dark Side of the Moon and Wish You Were Here, as well as for Pink Floyd's final studio album The Division Bell. Wright’s richly textured keyboard layers were a vital ingredient and a distinctive characteristic of Pink Floyd's sound. In addition, Wright frequently sang background and occasionally lead vocals onstage and in the studio with Pink Floyd (most notably on the songs "Time," "Echoes," and on the Syd Barrett composition "Astronomy Domine").

Death of Richard Wright
Richard Wright died of cancer on 15 September 2008.
Richard Wright was 65 years old at the time of his death

Charlie Walker (November 2, 1926 - September 12, 2008) was a country musician. He was a member of the Grand Ole Opry since 1967.

Born in Copeville, Texas, Walker worked as a DJ in the early 1950s before signing with Decca Records. His first hit, "Only You, Only You," was co-written with Jack Newman and reached #9 on the country chart in January 1956. Walker later signed with Columbia and reached #2 with a Harlan Howard song, "Pick Me Up On Your Way Down." His other hits include "Who Will Buy the Wine," "Wild as a Wildcat," "Don't Squeeze My Charmin," and "I Wouldn't Take Her To A Dog Fight Even If I Thought That She Could Win." Walker died in Nashville on September 12, 2008.

Today (Friday September 12, 2008) Village People will receive 2,369th star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Village People sang YMCA, Macho Man, In The Navy and other Dosco songs.

Evan Tanner (February 11, 1971 –  September 8, 2008) was an American professional mixed martial arts fighter. He was a former UFC Middleweight and USWF Heavyweight champion with a professional record of 32 wins and 8 losses. He was also the first American to win the Pancrase Neo-Blood tournament in Tokyo, Japan.

Death of Evan Tanner

According to San Diego Union-Tribune, Tanner was found Monday, September 8, 2008 in the Palo Verde mountain area, the Imperial Valley Press has reported.

Tanner, 37, had embarked on a camping trip some time around Sept. 2 into the desert-like region north of Brawley, Calif., approximately two and a half hours east of San Diego.

Sherdog.com has ascertained various unconfirmed reports that Tanner’s body was identified Monday and that relatives have been notified. An autopsy is scheduled for Tuesday.

Deana Epperson, who grew up across the street from Tanner and his family in his hometown of Amarillo, Texas, said she'd been told that the fighter had texted friends in Oceanside as late as Thursday, telling them that he'd run out of water and gas for his motorcycle. Authorities were then contacted to try and locate the fighter.