New England Sun-Times

You may have seen the hulking 6-4 frame of Vincent Ward on the big screen in movies like: 'Bringin' Down the House', 'Oceans Eleven', 'Traffic' and 'Get Smart's Bruce and Lloyd'. But have you heard the actor's new CD? Ward waxes poetic in the CD "Eargasms", which includes beautifully-arranged Neo Soul and R&B music back drops to sensual poetry with erotic overtones. Not quite what some of his movie fans would expect from the promising actor known as 'The Next Big Thing', but the CD has been making waves across the country and Ward is pressing forward with his new-found career. Ward is the executive producer of the project, which includes the singles "Miss Smooth" and "Reaching for the Drawer". Veteran radio host Coka Lani interviewed the Actor/Poet and was "blown away" by the material on the CD. Not intended for radio play, "Eargasms" is dominating the poetry circuit with V...

The soul diva has struggled with her own drug demons in the past and tried to help Amy before she deteriorated. Amy was just 27 when she died and had a much- publicised battle with drink and drugs.  Chaka Khan has overcome her own substance abuse issues, but unfortunately it was too late for the ‘Valerie’ singer. Khan has fond memories of her.  ‘When I first met her, we hugged like we knew each other all our lives.  I loved her, I really loved her.’  She was keen to stay in touch with the singer but said she knew Amy wasn’t ‘long for this world.’  Chaka said she was so young and rebellious, and reminded her of her younger self. ‘She struck a chord in my heart, but she was so high I was talking to the drugs.’

Cee Lo Green is doing a lot of big things lately. The former Goodie Mob rapper-turn-TV-host has landed a deal with Grand Central Publishing to produce a memoir supposedly entitled Forget You? next year. Cee Lo is working with former Goodie-Mobber, Big Gipp, and Rolling Stone writer, David Wild, to produce the book. There are no details on exactly what the book will be about but in a press release, Cee Lo ha a few words to say about it: "After reading my book, there will be no doubt that I am meant to be. You will enter into the supernatural, the surreal and extraordinary. As Cee Lo Green, aka ‘everybody’s brother,’ I will make you a believer." It's... about... to go... DOWN!

Actress Halle Berry was spotted on Monday (February 27) in Los Angeles spending some time with fiance Oliver Martinez. The Oscar-winning actress dressed the part of a low-key superstar, with her white ball cap, slouchy sweats and a boot for her injured foot. Halle and Oliver held hands as they walked and enjoyed each other's company. As previously reported, Berry broke her foot in September while "walking in Majorca on a day off from filming" her latest project "Cloud Atlas." Halle backed out of hosting the Oscars on Sunday because she wanted to devote time to healing her broken foot. The 45-year-old actress can be seen below in more photos of the couples' outing. Enjoy the pics!

Dennis Budziszewski, 63, of Canton, is a retired auto worker and says he is a Democrat who is voting for Rick Santorum in the Michigan primary as a protest against Mitt Romney. / KIMBERLY MITCHELL/Detroit Free Press If Mitt Romney loses Michigan tonight, it could be because of people like Dennis Budziszewski, 63, of Canton. A diehard Democrat and retired autoworker, Budziszewski REALLY doesn’t like Romney, and instead cast a ballot for former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum. Come November, he will vote for President Barack Obama. But today, he just wants to embarrass Romney. “I’ve been pushing this on Facebook for days,” he said. “There’s a very real possibility we can pull this off.” Some Democrats have put together a fairly organized effort to get Democrats to vote for Santorum or Ron Paul in order to rob victory from Romney. The Santorum campaign joined the effort Monday with a robocall aimed at Democrats urging them to vote for him because Ro...

(RTTNews.com) - Uma Thurman is reportedly expecting her third child. It will be the first child for the "Kill Bill" star with her current boyfriend, businessman Arpad Busson. She has two other children Maya, 13 and Levon, 10, with ex-husband Ethan Hawke. Busson and Thurman first connected in 2007 but parted ways in 2009. He also has two children from his previous relationship with model Elle MacPherson. Speaking of motherhood with Candid Magazine, Uma said it has redefined her identity: "It's the greatest gift I've ever been given. Having children flips the game from being about you to about what you can create in a home and what your responsibilities are." Next up for Thurman is a co-starring role in "Bel Ami" opposite Robert Pattinson. She spoke on her co-star with MTV, noting: "Robert Pattinson is, I think, going to be a really serious actor," she shared. "I think he's incredibly concrete in his...

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - Jan Berenstain , who with her husband, Stan, wrote and illustrated the Berenstain Bears books that have charmed preschoolers and their parents for 50 years, has died. She was 88.   Berenstain suffered a severe stroke on Thursday and died Friday without regaining consciousness, her son Mike Berenstain said. The gentle tales of Mama Bear, Papa Bear, Brother Bear and Sister Bear were inspired by the Berenstain children, and later their grandchildren. The stories address children's common concerns and aim to offer guidance on subjects like dentist visits, peer pressure, a new sibling or summer camp. The first Berenstain Bears book, "The Big Honey Hunt," was published in 1962. Over the years, more than 300 titles have been released in 23 languages - most recently in Arabic and Icelandic - and have become a rite of passage for generations of young readers. "They say jokes don't travel well, but family humor does,"...

Octavia Spencer has completed her sweep through awards season by winning the Best Supporting Actress award at the 84th Academy Awards on Sunday. Spencer -- whose role as the outspoken maid Minny in "The Help," has been honored by the Golden Globes, the Critics Choice Movie Awards, the Screen Actors Guild Awards and nearly every other awards body over the last few months -- won the Oscar over a field that included her castmate Jessica Chastain, as well as Berenice Bejo ("The Artist"), Melissa McCarthy ("Bridesmaids") and Janet McTeer ("Albert Nobbs"). Also read: The Complete List of Oscar Winners It was the first Oscar win and the first nomination for an actress whose career has flourished mostly on television. Before "The Help," Spencer was best-known for her recurring role on "Ugly Betty" and had also appeared on the series "CSI," "The Big Bang Theory," "Dharma & Greg"...

AUSTIN, Texas, January 11, 2012 — HomeAway, Inc. (NASDAQ: AWAY), the worldwide leader in online vacation rentals– today announces the launch of its new national advertising campaign centered around the key message, “Let’s Stay Together.” The campaign focuses on families and groups creating lasting memories out of where they stay, not just where they go. The HomeAway® ad campaign licenses the rights to Al Green’s 1972 classic hit, “Let’s Stay Together,” and debuts in select markets during the January 15, 2012 NBC television broadcast of the 69th Annual Golden Globe Awards. The new campaign goes beyond focusing solely on the shortcomings of hotels, and celebrates the benefits of vacation home rentals, including more space, value and amenities, and promotes renting a home on vacation as the ideal way for families and groups to come together. “This campaign speaks to our key purpose, which is to bring people together to create unforgettable experiences while on vacation....

Actress Viola Davis hit the red carpet at the Oscars with her husband wearing a stunning green Vera Wang dress. Viola strolled in and showed off her slightly red-dyed natural hair style. She decided to shed the wig and just "be herself". Viola said she wanted to represent for her mother and all the women who represented her and came before her, and that going natural best represents that. In just a few, we will all see if Viola gets the coveted Oscar award just as our beloved Halle Berry did a few years back. Check out some of the pics of Viola here:  Viola Davis and husband hit the red carpet at The Oscars 2012 Viola looking lovely as ever

MASHANTUCKET, Conn. -- Rapper Jim Jones was arrested Saturday in a brawl that broke out after a party hosted by Sean "Diddy" Combs at the Foxwoods Resort Casino, police said. A total of five people were charged in the fight that started after 2 a.m. in the foyer of the MGM Grand casino, where Combs headlined a "platinum party" as part of a 20th anniversary celebration for Foxwoods. A state police detective was treated for minor injuries at a hospital and was released, police said. Jones, a hip-hop artist and actor whose "We Fly High" was one of 2007's top-selling rap tracks, was charged with resisting arrest for an alleged assault on an officer and breach of peace, state police spokesman Lt. J. Paul Vance said. The other four people arrested faced charges including inciting to riot. Vance said he was not certain how the altercation began. Jones said on Twitter that he posted $40,000 in bond, adding later Saturday: ...

Johannesburg (CNN) — South African anti-apartheid icon Nelson Mandela successfully underwent hernia surgery Saturday, a family member told CNN Saturday. Mandela was “comfortable” and in “a satisfactory condition” Saturday, said the South African president, who referred to the medical event only as “a planned procedure.” The 93-year-old likely will be discharged within the next two days, a Mandela relative told CNN. Considered the founding father of South Africa’s democracy, Mandela became an international figure when he endured 27 years in prison for fighting racial segregation. He was freed in 1990, and three years later, he and then-South African President F.W. de Klerk won the Nobel Peace Prize. In 1994, Mandela was elected president, serving one term as he promised. On Saturday, President Jacob Zuma said Mandela was being treated for a “longstanding abdominal complaint.” The president referred to Mandela by his affectionate clan name Madiba. “Madiba is...