“The more there are — the less I am,” jokes Richards in a Canadian exclusive interview from “an undisclosed island” location.

“I love OTHER people’s birthdays.”

Talk of finality is only natural. After all, with the veteran British bad boys of rock currently touring North America — including three Canadian dates starting Saturday at Toronto’s Air Canada Centre — everyone wants to know if this is the group’s farewell trek.

Like that 1965 Rolling Stones song, The Last Time, so perfectly put it: “Well this could be the last time, This could be the last time, Maybe the last time, I don’t know.”

(Significantly this was the band’s first single to be written by Richards and singer Mick Jagger, who is also 70 this year.)

One thing Richards knows for sure is that the group is constantly being reminded about their half-century together on the 50 & Counting Tour — named for the band’s 50th anniversary trek — which actually started last fall with a handful of shows in Paris, London and the New York area.

“I don’t know how much the guys really think about it but we’re obviously made aware of the fact that it’s 50 years,” Richards says.

“If the guys didn’t carry a calendar, which they don’t, I don’t think they’d be so much aware of it. Just saying (instead), ‘Hey great. We’re just going on the road. Fantastic!’ ”

The Rolling Stones multi-media 50th anniversary celebration began last year with a hardcover coffee table book, 50; a documentary, Crossfire Hurricane; and a greatest hits compilation, GRRR!, featuring two new Richards and Jagger songs, Doom and Gloom and One More Shot.

Richards says he always keeps his hand in songwriting.

“It’s an ongoing process — you write songs, even when you don’t want to,” he says.

“Ideas come and you gotta jot that down and then you sit around. Songwriting still continues. I’ve been doing some stuff with (drummer-producer) Steve Jordan, I’ve been keeping my hand in with all of that. I haven’t been absolutely not playing or doing anything. I made that record (2013′s My True Story) with Aaron Neville too. I’ve been working as a session man lately.”

Still, Richards says he can see himself releasing a solo album at some point sooner than later.

“I wouldn’t want to cloud the issue with the Stones thing going on but maybe at the end of the year or whenever the Stones collapse again. Maybe, yeah, I’ve got some stuff and I’d like everybody to hear.”

As for guitar playing, it will always be in his blood.

“I just did that last night,” Richards says when I suggest I can see him playing acoustic guitar on a beach.

“Always keep a hand with the acoustic. You’re a musician, every time you play, it’s sort of a little bit special. It doesn’t matter for who or where it is. Some of my best stuff, I’ve only played for myself. I could never quite get it over again but that’s one of those things about being a musician. I’m stuck with it honey!”

Perhaps all of the original Stones — the only other one is drummer Charlie Watts, 71, since longtime member and guitarist Ronnie Wood, 65, joined the band in 1975 as a replacement for Mick Taylor (who is also part of 50 & Counting) — Richards is the one who always seems keen to play live.

And yet he says he waits for the others to call him to duty.

The Stones’ initial 2012 dates were two years in the works, says Richards.

“It takes that long to wind everybody up into the right frame of mind,” he says.

“I basically wait for a couple of phone calls and one has to come from Mick and one has to come from Charlie Watts. And when they both say yeah, I say, ‘You’re feeling itchy huh? Let’s scratch it.’ But I’m always ready.”

So far, since the official May 3 launch at the Staples Centre in L.A. — preceded by a surprise club show — A-list guests on the 50 & Counting Tour have included Keith Urban and Gwen Stefani in L.A., Tom Waits in Oakland, John Fogerty and Bonnie Raitt in San Jose and Katy Perry in Las Vegas.

The North American tour features the same iconic lips and tongue stage that was used in the 2012 shows.

“There’s not too many gadgets this time,” Richards says. “I mean, the only gadgets are us!”

Once the Stones cross the pond in the summer, they’ll play the Glastonbury festival June 29 for the first time and two shows at London’s Hyde Park July 6 and 13. The last time they played at Hyde Park was in 1969 following the shocking death of founding guitarist Brian Jones two days earlier; he was replaced by Taylor.

“It is really sort of an English thing,” Richards says.

“Glastonbury is one of those places we always wanted to play but never been there when it’s on … So, at last, this year it seems like we stitched it up. And I’m looking forward to that. Even if it pisses with rain. The usual mudpile.”

And Hyde Park, obviously has major significance.

“For the Stones, it’s a sort of touch base thing,” he says. “It was an amazing show in ’69, half a million people there, and at the same time, Mick Taylor and I, it was our first time on stage together. It was a whole mixture of emotions and worries and at the same time, great fun. It was a great show, it turned out.”

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Written by torontosun.com

The post Keith Richards Keeps Rolling With The Stones appeared first on The Griper.

Rocking a bodysuit and thigh-high tights, Madonna talked with Penacoli about her “MDNA” tour and working with her children, Lourdes, 16, and Rocco, 12. “It was great to have a working family… to me that’s my idea of fun, to be creative, to do what I love to do and see my kids working around me and earning their way in life. My daughter worked in the costume department and she loved it. My son was in the show, and he loved it.”

Madonna explained how she juggles raising her four children, including son David Banda and daughter Mercy James, both 8. “I try to find the right balance between being there for them and guiding them and also being an artist. I’m trying to find enough time in the day to do those jobs well.”

The mom continued, “I try to be very clear with them. This is my persona for work. What we aspire to do is to work and to be good people. If you don’t have those two things, fame is nothing, so I try to drill that into their heads.”

Madonna also loves fashion and told Jerry that when she posed with Kim Kardashian at the Met Gala it was the second time she had met the reality TV star. “I met her years and years ago when she was a little girl, believe it or not. She told me she was a huge fan of mine, and it was during the time I was wearing all of the rubber bracelets on my arms. I took off all of the bracelets and gave them to her and then I completely forgot about it. She reminded me when I saw her the other night. Now she’s a pregnant lady!”

As for her infamous feud with Elton John, John recently confirmed to “Extra” the two made up. Madonna confirmed the reconciliation at a restaurant in Nice, France. “After we kissed and hugged, he paid for my dinner, as he should.”

For those who did not catch Madonna’s “MDNA” tour in person, a TV special will air June 22 on the Epix movie channel. She also announced to Penacoli that the tour special is being released on DVD and Blu-ray in September.

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Written by extratv.com

The post Exclusive: Madonna on Family, Fashion and Feuds appeared first on The Griper.

The actor recently opened up to Esquire Magazine about why he’s SO HAPPY these days with her baby mama Angelina Jolie and how despite the fact that he has few friends these days, he’s at a great point in his life. Because after all, it’s your family that matters the most, right? Check out some highlights of what he says below:

He forgets people’s faces and names all the time: “So many people hate me because they think I’m disrespecting them,” he says. “So I swear to God, I took one year where I just said, This year, I’m just going to cop to it and say to people, ‘Okay, where did we meet?’ But it just got worse. People were more offended. Every now and then, someone will give me context, and I’ll say, ‘Thank you for helping me.’ But I piss more people off. You get this thing, like, ‘You’re being egotistical. You’re being conceited.’ But it’s a mystery to me, man. I can’t grasp a face and yet I come from such a design/aesthetic point of view. I am going to get it tested.” It’s gotten to the point where he doesn’t even like going out — “that’s why I stay at home” — but he’s also a public person, the center of crowds. “You meet so many damned people,” he says. “And then you meet ‘em again.”

On his family making him happy: “I have very few friends. I have a handful of close friends and I have my family and I haven’t known life to be any happier. I’m making things. I just haven’t known life to be any happier.”

On changing the direction of his life: “I’d get so far and then want to do something else. I mean, I’m two credits short of graduating college. Two credits. All I had to do was write a paper. What kind of guy is that? That guy scares me – the guy who always leaves a little on his plate. For a long time I thought I did too much damage – drug damage. I was a bit of a drifter. A guy who felt he grew up in something of a vacuum and wanted to see things, wanted to be inspired. I followed that other thing. I spent years f–king off. But then I got burnt out and felt that I was wasting my opportunity. It was a conscious change. This was about a decade ago. It was an epiphany – a decision not to squander my opportunities. It was a feeling of get up. Because otherwise, what’s the point?”

On missing his kids when they’re not around: “I always thought that if I wanted to do a family, I wanted to do it big. I wanted there to be chaos in thehouse… there’s constant chatter in our house, whether it’s giggling or screaming or crying or banging. I love it. I love it. I love it. I hate it when they’re gone. I hate it. Maybe it’s nice to be in a hotel room for a day – ‘Oh, nice, I can finally read a paper.’ But then, by the next day, I miss that cacophony, all that life.”

On his social life:

“I have very few friends. I have a handful of close friends and I have my family and I haven’t known life to be any happier. I’m making things. I just haven’t known life to be any happier.”

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Kristen Stewart is so heartbroken over her break up with Robert Pattinson and we totally understand. We told you that the 23-year-old is refusing to leave her house because she’s so upset and now we’ve learned that several of her friends are stopping by to give her support.

How Kristen Stewart’s Friends Are Supporting Her

We told you that Rob put a bunch of his things in garbage bags and threw them into the back of his red pickup truck. We thought he was moving out for good but it turns out he’s still going to be living with K-Stew, just not every single day. They’re actually going to be dating other people — so sad! But luckily Kristen has good friends around her to help her like Taylor Lautner and Scout Taylor Compton.

“She’s depressed and rightly so,” she said. “Her good friends have been hanging out with her at her house giving her support. She has quite a few close friends. Rob just kind of comes and goes as he pleases. Kristen is letting Rob spend as much time as he wants with the dogs–they are like their kids. And it’s not like Rob is all cheery and happy. This is a tough time for both of them. But Kristen seems to be taking the split the hardest.”

We told you that a friend of Kristen’s told us that they’re allowed to go on dates with other people!

“They are basically allowed to date other people and Kristen is super sad over the whole thing,” the source said. “She has absolutely no desire to date anyone and the thought of Rob possibly seeing other people has made her sick to her stomach. She’s depressed and rightly so. Her good friends have been hanging out with her at her house giving her support. This is a tough time for both of them. But Kristen seems to be taking the split the hardest.”

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Written by hollywoodlife.com

The post Kristen Stewart: How Friends Supported Her As Robert Pattinson Packed Up appeared first on The Griper.

The two remained close until a few years ago, when Galifianakis went mainstream with the first Hangover film.

Though they briefly lost touch, when Galifianakis learned that Haist had become homeless, he quickly found her a one-bed, one-bath apartment to live in, and has been covering her rent and utilities ever since.

More than that, Galifianakis has made it a habit of taking Haist with him to red carpet events in Hollywood — and even sends her in his place when he can’t attend.

“If he’s in town, he takes me. Otherwise he lets me take a friend,” Haist, 87, told the New York Daily News. “I dress up nice and a friend helps me with my makeup. It’s fun, not something I’ve ever dreamed I’d experience. The limo takes me home afterwards.”

Haist, who shares Galifianakis’ mischievous sense of humor, says she enjoys the bewildered looks on the faces of fans who have no idea how she ended up among the glitterati.

“All the fans were taking photos and I waved at them, I said, ‘They don’t know who I am!’,” Haist said.

The frail octogenarian, who still works at Fox Laundry, will walk alongside Galifianakis once again at this Monday’s premiere of the Hangover Part III.

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Written by gawker.com

The post Zach Galifianakis’ Red Carpet Date: A Woman He Saved from Homelessness appeared first on The Griper.

The Big Apple wants to take a bite out of t-shirt sales by Khloe Kardashian and husband Lamar Odom, claiming their logo is a ripoff of one that belongs to the state.

Khloe and Lamar have been given five days to make things right or face a lawsuit from the state, according to the New York Daily News.

Khloe has been photographed wearing the T-shirt, which features the statue of liberty in an emblem that looks very, very similar to one created by New York’s Department of Agriculture.

Of course, Khloe’s t-shirt sells for $35! It is made by Rich Soil, a company she owns with Lamar.

The state sent a legal letter to the company demanding sales of the lookalike t-shirt be stopped instantly and wanting an estimate of how much money the design earned, according to the Daily News.

The News reported:

“The State of New York has invested substantial time, effort and resources creating the respect and goodwill associated with the trademark,” Susan Rosenthal, a lawyer for the Department of Agriculture, argued in a letter sent to Rich Soil on Friday.

Rosenthal said the state will take legal action if Khloe does not comply with the state’s demands.

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The footage, filmed for People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals by award-winning ad agency BBDO, features a distraught chimpanzee languishing in a stark, barren cell, pacing back and forth with no one to interact with and nothing to play with.

It was shot to illustrate the tragic lives of animal ‘actors’ and urges viewers to put themselves in the great ape’s place.

Ironically, the life-like ape in the ad was not an animal at all, but the result of cutting-edge computer graphics.

Brody says, “The bottom line is that we no longer can excuse the exploitation that exists in this world. Great apes are no exception. They are extremely sensitive, intelligent, and emotional beings. It’s sad that they’re still commonly used in television and film, especially when we know how much they suffer behind the scenes.

“Acting should be left to actors – and that means human beings who have a choice in the matter.”

Brody isn’t the only Oscar winner to team up with PETA to speak out against the abuse of apes in the entertainment industry; his The Darjeeling Limited and Fantastic Mr. Fox co-star Anjelica Huston hosts the video No More Monkey Business, which PETA has sent to many ad agencies that have since agreed never to feature great apes in their commercials

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Written by starplse.com

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We have confirmed our Friday near-deal exclusive report that Destiny’s Child founding member Kelly Rowland and Latin singer Paulina Rubio will be the new Factor judges for season three. They’ll join executive producer-judge Cowell and his fellow lone surviving panelist from last season, pop singer Demi Lovato.

Yes: It’s Simon and three talented attractive women. The combination is certain to prompt some smirking, but the move makes Factor the first major U.S. broadcast singing competition series to have a female majority on its panel. The ensemble also targets a diverse collection of music fans of varying ages: Lovato (age 20) is a current pop singer, Rowland (32) leans toward R&B, and Rubio (41) sings Latin dance music. And of course Cowell (53) lends his experience as a music producer, reality TV icon and talent spotter.

Another plus: The new hires have prior experience judging a major music competition series (unlike, say, ex-X Factor judge Britney Spears, or American Idol‘s Nicki Minaj or Mariah Carey). Rowland was a judge on the UK version of X Factor, while Rubio judged the Mexican version of The Voice.

So what the new Factor panel arguably lacks in headline-generating celebrities, it could gain in having judges with experience doing live performance critiques. After all, we’ve seen that enormous star wattage on talent shows does not necessarily equal a ratings boost.

The deals are being signed Monday afternoon in a nick of time as X Factor starts production on season three tomorrow (Rowland has signed; Rubio will sign within the hour). Now Fox will turn its attention to filling out the judges panel of American Idol. In recent weeks, panelists Randy Jackson and Nicki Minaj have said they won’t be back, Keith Urban says he’d like to return, and Mariah Carey has ducked the press. NBC’s rival The Voice firmed up its judges panel for the next two cycles last week.

Though Cowell may be excited about the new Factor panel, he took a moment this weekend to reminiscence about his former American Idol co-stars. “Randy leaving Idol made me remember that Paula, Randy, me and Ryan had the best time,” Cowell tweeted. “I miss them.”

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Written by ew.com

The post Simon’s Angels: ‘X Factor’ New Judges Confirmed appeared first on The Griper.

The keyboard player, who co-founded the band with Jim Morrison, passed away at a clinic in Germany, according to a post on the band’s Facebook.com page. He was 74.

Bandmate Robby Krieger has released a statement which reads, “I was deeply saddened to hear about the passing of my friend and bandmate Ray Manzarek.

“I’m just glad to have been able to have played Doors songs with him for the last decade. Ray was a huge part of my life and I will always miss him.”

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The “Beauty and the Beat” singer was accepting the Milestone Award when the crowd seemed to erupt in boos. Looking a bit confused, Bieber went on to assert that he thinks only the “craft” and his music should be considered, arguing that “none of the other bull” mattered. While it’s unclear what Bieber was referencing, he has had a number of bad public relations moments as of late, having lost his temper with the paparazzi in London and being caught smoking marijuana.

“This is not a gimmick,” Bieber said. “I’m an artist and I should be taken seriously.”

Bieber beat out a number of other artists, including Bruno Mars and Taylor Swift for the award. The Milestone Award was actually Bieber’s second trophy of the night. He also took home “Top Male Artist.”

It’s unfortunately not the first time Bieber has been booed. He’s previously encountered a similar reaction at a Canadian Football Game, a New York Knicks basketball game and at one of his own concerts, where he arrived hours late.

Other wild moments from the evening included Miguel coming up short on a jump move and landing on an audience member’s neck, Nicki Minaj giving Lil Wayne a lapdance and Prince closing out the show with a killer performance.

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Sorry Bieb…you lost me at Artist and really lost me when you chose to now include Jesus in your acceptance speech. Spare us little boy, you’re a teen idol who fortunately for yourself have made enough money that despite a bruised ego can live the remainder of your years, quite happily. Perhaps a new tattoo will cheer you up. Welcome to the Moroon Club.

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