‘Epic’
Director: Chris Wedge
Voices: Amanda Seyfried, Colin Farrell
Rating: PG
2 (out of 5) Globes

Perpetual also-rans behind Pixar and DreamWorks Animation, Fox’s Blue Sky Studios previously brought us “Rio” and the absurdly profitable “Ice Age” series. Blue Sky movies have a strictly good-enough-for-government-work feel. Popular without penetrating the zeitgeist, these are marginally adequate entertainments destined to be forgotten on the drive home from the movie theater.

Blue Sky’s latest, the blandly titled “Epic,” is more of the same. Inspired by “The Leaf Men and the Brave Good Bugs,” a 32-page children’s book from “Rise of the Guardians” author William Joyce, director Chris Wedge and a small platoon of screenwriters (including Joyce himself) have fashioned an overcrowded hodgepodge of familiar tropes and Xeroxed bits from other, better movies. It’s the kind of movie that even while watching for the first time you could swear you’ve seen before.

Amanda Seyfried voices Mary Katherine, a tweener who recently lost her mom and is sent to live with her estranged scientist Dad (Jason Sudeikis) in a dilapidated country estate. She wants to be called MK now, and has no patience for her bumbling father’s crackpot theory that there’s an army of insect-sized men flying around the forest shooting bows and arrows on birds affixed with saddles.

But of course he’s absolutely correct. There’s a war going on in the woods, where the brave and noble Leaf Men (led by an uptight Colin Farrell) do daily battle with the sinister Boggans, gargoyle-like creatures who soar around on bats spreading rot and decay.

After much convoluted business involving the queen of the forest (yes, that’s really Beyonce) MK finds herself shrunk down and placed in charge of protecting a pod that’s the mystical key to the survival of the woodlands, or something like that.

The universe of “Epic” is so needlessly overcomplicated that the majority of the movie is just characters standing around explaining the story to one another. But if you’ve seen “Lord of the Rings,” “Avatar” or even “Ferngully: The Last Rainforest,” you’ll already be way ahead of them. Wedge tries to distract from the deja vu with oddball celebrity cameos, including Steve Tyler as a singing caterpillar and Pitbull as a jive-talking frog. But the nicest thing you can say is that at least the movie practices the green environmental message that it preaches: The entire screenplay is recycled.

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Whether you’re tailgating before the show or rocking out inside the venue, summer concerts are a ready-made soundtrack that is just awaiting your participation to build memories. Here are the biggest and best bets for your concert dollar.

Hot 97 Summer Jam
While we usually use this space to lightly make fun of a concert bill, there’s just so many great acts on here that we need to use all of the space to tell you who’s playing: Wu-Tang Clan, Chris Brown, Kendrick Lamar, 2 Chainz, Miguel, Wale, Fabolous, A$AP Rocky, French Monatana and Joe Budden!
June 2, MetLife Stadium

Paul McCartney
Ellen DeGeneres once introduced Sir Paul at the Grammys by saying, “The next performer needs no introduction.” True to her word, she left the stage and let it be for one of the last living Beatles. We’d like to do the newspaper equivalent.
June 8 and 10, Barclays Center

One Direction
If seeing the New Kids/98 Degrees/Boyz II Men show bummed you out, go see a boy band that includes actual boys.
June 28 and 29, Nikon at Jones Beach

Bruno Mars
Bruno Mars has turned his “Unorthodox Jukebox” into a 1980s time machine, which works out just fine for his opening act, Fitz and the Tantrums, who have also set the dial for the 1980s with their brand new “More Than Just a Dream.” Wear your neon jams and join them.
June 29, Barclays Center

Justin Timberlake and Jay-Z: 20/20 World Tour
Arguably the biggest tour of the summer, it remains to be seen how Jay-Z and JT will split the stage on The 20/20 World Tour. We can only hope that there are 20 songs from each artist, rather than a staged recreation of the best moments of ABC’s most popular investigative journalism TV show. That said, it would be awesome if they did that for the first few shows and then switched it up by the time they got here.
July 19 and 20, Yankee Stadium

Americanarama Festival of Music
For a genre that takes itself a little too seriously when at its worst, these three giants of Americana prove that a sense of humor is necessary to separate the wheat from the chaff. By calling their tour Americanarama, Bob Dylan, Wilco and My Morning Jacket are having a good ole time.
July 27, Nikon at Jones Beach

Justin Bieber
Who would have thought at this time last year that the Justin Bieber tour would become the equivalent of the Rolling Stones’ 1972 tour in terms of rumored debauchery? We can only hope he’s still around for his own 50 and Counting tour in 2060.
Aug. 2, Barclays Center

Beyonce
Beyonce was going to release a new album this year. Remember that? Seems like she might not have remembered either, as Mrs. Carter sets out on the Mrs. Carter Show World Tour before her new songs have even hit the market. It’s kind of like when it’s the end of the school year, and absolutely all of your friends are psyched to be done with exams, but you’ve still got one left that you totally forgot to study for. But in this case, Beyonce can just say, “I’m Beyonce, I don’t have to take the final.”
Aug. 3, 4, 5, Barclays Center

Under the Influence of Music Tour
Wiz Khalifa, A$AP Rocky, B.o.B. and Trinidad James are a stellar lineup, but we have to wonder: Now that marijuana is pretty much totally legal, when are musicians going to stop giving their tours titles with little winking references to weed?
Aug. 6, Nikon at Jones Beach

Kenny Chesney
One thing that has not changed in America for the past 100 years: Cowboys are still really good at herding large groups of mammals into confined open-air structures. Eric Church, Eli Young Band and Kacey Musgraves round out this rootin’-tootin’ bill.
Aug. 10, MetLife Stadium

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Carey Mulligan stars as Daisy Buchanan and Leonardo DiCaprio stars as Jay Gatsby in Warner Bros. Pictures’ and Village Roadshow Pictures’ drama “THE GREAT GATSBY,” a Warner Bros. Pictures release.

Today writer/producer/director Baz Luhrmann reminded anybody with internet connection of his unique skill at taking old texts and modernizing them in cinematic majesty. As a new trailer for “The Great Gatsby” hit YouTube, it revealed a colorful, lush and melodramatic universe not too far from the ones he showed us in “Romeo + Juliet” and “Moulin Rouge!” One interesting difference between the upcoming “Gatsby” production and Luhrmann’s earlier works is his collaborator Jay-Z, who supervised the elite soundtrack, the lineup of which was also revealed today.

In an attempt to update the sound of Fitzgerald’s story, Jay-Z and executive music consultant Jeymes Samuel (aka Bullitts) have assembled a cast of some of music’s biggest names in an attempt to create the modern day equivalent of the Jazz Age.

As director Baz Luhrman notes, “F. Scott Fitzgerald’s novel is peppered with contemporary music references specific to the story’s setting of 1922. While we acknowledge, as Fitzgerald phrased it, ‘the Jazz Age,’ and this is the period represented on screen, we—our audience—are living in the ‘hip-hop age’ and want our viewers to feel the impact of modern-day music the way Fitzgerald did for the readers of his novel at the time of its publication.”

That being said, Jay-Z and company do not disappoint. Available on Interscope Records on May 4, the album includes a collaborations between Andre 3000 and Beyonce, Fergie and Q-Tip, as well as tracks by Jack White, will,i,am and Jay-Z, himself.

The full track listing is as follows:

1. 100$ Bill – JAY Z
2. Back To Black – Beyoncé x André 3000
3. Bang Bang – will.i.am
4. A Little Party Never Killed Nobody (All We Got) – Fergie + Q Tip + GoonRock
5. Young And Beautiful – Lana Del Rey
6. Love Is The Drug – Bryan Ferry with The Bryan Ferry Orchestra
7. Over The Love – Florence + The Machine
8. Where The Wind Blows – Coco O. of Quadron
9. Crazy in Love – Emeli Sandé and The Bryan Ferry Orchestra
10. Together – The xx
11. Hearts A Mess – Gotye
12. Love Is Blindness – Jack White
13. Into the Past – Nero
14. Kill and Run – Sia

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Bow down, folks, Queen Bey is back with new music. Not that she was ever gone considering she’s already had an extremely successful year and it’s only mid-March.

Beyonce released her first new track “Bow Down/I Been On” since her album “4″ was released in 2011.

The song sounds much different from the “Single Ladies” Beyonce we’ve come to love. This doesn’t mean it isn’t perfect.

“I took some time to live my life, but don’t think I’m just his little wife / Don’t get it twisted, get it twisted, this my s—, bow down, bitches,” she sings on the track, as if the world hasn’t bowed already.

The song has been streamed on SoundCloud more than 1 million times in about 24 hours.

It is not yet clear whether this new track is part of a new album or released as a bonus single.

Not only did Beyonce release a new song, she also posted a photo of herself as a young girl, dressed like a princess, surrounded by a slew of trophies. It’s so Beyonce, it’s perfect.

This is really shaping up to be Mrs. Carter’s year. She’s already sung the national anthem at President Barack Obama’s inauguration, killed it at the Super Bowl halftime show, released a biographical movie on HBO, and tickets for her upcoming summer tour are already selling like hotcakes.

Follow Mary Ann Georgantopoulos on Twitter @marygeorgant

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We’ve seen many hacking scandals in the past few months, but one hacker might have taken it a step too far.

Twelve big celebrities and political figures including Jay-Z, Beyonce and Hillary Clinton, were all victims of a hack. The person behind the stink posted detailed information about their finances.

A website posted social security numbers, credit card information, mortgage amounts, car loans, phone numbers and other banking information of Jay-Z, Beyonce, Hillary Clinton, Kim Kardashian, Paris Hilton, Mel Gibson, Ashton Kutcher, Joe Biden Robert Mueller, Eric Holder and LAPD Chief Charlie Beck.

Biden and Clinton did not have much of their financial information compromised, though other personal information was posted on the website.

Though its police chief was also a victim, the LAPD has launched an investigation, according to TMZ.

Follow Mary Ann Georgantopoulos on Twitter @marygeorgant

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UPDATE: According to Deputy Commissioner Paul Browne, NYPD Commissioner Ray Kelly is not opposed to the Guns for Greatness program.

“Commissioner Kelly… is working with the organizers to make it happen,” Browne said.

Metro’s original story is below.

Hip-hop music executive Michael “Blue” Williams has pitched the NYPD a different kind of gun buyback program: “Guns for Greatness” — and “Greatness” is Beyoncé and Jay-Z concert tickets.

Williams’ proposal suggests that people turning in illegal firearms receive tickets to some of this summer’s most anticipated shows.

Deputy Commissioner Paul Browne confirmed that NYPD Commissioner Ray Kelly is considering the proposal. Ed Mullins, a sergeant in the detective squad at the 67th precinct, is hoping Kelly approves the program.

“Any program that gets people to turn in illegal handguns is a good program,” Mullins said. “What’s especially good about this program is people look up to celebrities, and we’re now bringing them in to help send the message to get firearms off the street.”

Browne did not elaborate on what Kelly’s hesitations might be, and Mullins couldn’t think of any problems with the program himself.

“I don’t see a downside,” Mullins said. “We’ve done these programs before and they’ve been very successful.”

Typically, the NYPD offers cash vouchers in their buyback programs. Mullins said the funding comes from a variety of sources, including outside sponsors or organizations and individuals within the community.

Follow Danielle Tcholakian on Twitter @danielleiat

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Well, the Oscars are here (well, they’ll be here Sunday) and why can’t sports join in on the fun? And if you’re thinking, ‘What about the ESPY Awards?’, then click a banner ad and move along because they don’t count.

So, to borrow an old Bud Selig phrase, this time it counts. With that, we bring you Playing the Field’s version, better known as the Oscar Pistorius Awards.

Best male athlete in a leading role » LeBron James. As much as we’ve hated on the King in this space in the past — and all apologies to Kobe — he’s the best. He’s flat-out unstoppable right now, and he’s living proof that you can have your cake and eat it, too.

Best female athlete in a leading role » Beyonce. Before you even try and say that Bey isn’t an athlete, take a look at her abs in that GQ photo shoot. If that doesn’t sell you, remember that time she turned out the lights at the Super Bowl? Yes, that happened.

Best supporting male athlete » Oscar Pistorius’ prosthetic legs. The Blade Runner scooped up six Paralympic golds (and didn’t embarrass himself in the real Games). Oh right … he also strapped on those bad boys before shooting and killing his girlfriend. Legs!

Best supporting female athlete » Gabby Douglas’ hair. Douglas, the 17-year-old gymnast nicknamed the Flying Squirrel, turned in one of the most impressive performances in Olympic history. Then several detractors took to Twitter to call out her unkempt hair. Umm, looked fine to us. Then again, our grooming habits our very suspect.

Best producer » John Calipari. Kentucky coach earned his first national championship last April — and while his squad is struggling this year — Cal continues to churn out NBA hits (Nerlens Noel, he’ll be fine once Dr. James Andrews gets done with him, is his latest project).

Best costume design » Andrew Bynum. We’re not even factoring in his ridiculous, ever-changing hairstyles. No, no. Bynum gets this award for pretending to be an actual NBA superstar. Sorry, Sixers fans.

Best music » The real academy prefers original scores. We don’t. We’re giving this one to the Miami Dolphins cheerleading squad for its awesome rendition of that annoyingly addictive Carly Rae Jepsen song.

The post Playing the Field: The Sports Oscars edition appeared first on Metro.us.

After last night’s Super Bowl half time show we’d be hard pressed to find someone who doesn’t want to see Beyonce live.

Right after her fiery performance Beyonce announced her next tour titled “The Mrs. Carter World Tour” in honor of her husband Sean Carter – aka Jay-Z.

Beyonce stunned at the Super Bowl half time show. She was joined on stage with the remaining members of Destiny’s Child and a slew of all-female dancers and musicians. She belted out songs such as “Love on Top,” “Single Ladies,” and “Halo.”

Her tour will kick off in April in Serbia, move through Europe, North America, Canada and then end up where Jay-Z started it all: Brooklyn.  Beyonce will play the new Barclays Center arena on August 3, 2013.  Who’s going?

Follow Mary Ann Georgantopoulos on Twitter @marygeorgant

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Katy Perry’s birthday isn’t until Thursday, she apparently couldn’t wait to get the party started, throwing a lavish Halloween-themed costume birthday party at Los Angeles’ Magic Castle on Friday, according to Us Weekly. And while guests including Kristen Stewart, Neil Patrick Harris and Skrillex were in attendance, the birthday girl — dressed up as a vampire — only had eyes for John Mayer, whose elaborate zombie-hunter costume even involved a prosthetic nose and chin. “They were in their own world. She didn’t even talk to her friends much,” a source says. “It was just her and John. She’s obsessed with him. She said hello to people but then went right back to him.”

While Taylor Swift is over the moon with current boyfriend Conor Kennedy, she reportedly suffered heartbreak at the hands of One Direction member Harry Styles just before meeting Kennedy, according to Radar Online. Apparently the pair dated briefly earlier this year but ended it abruptly when Styles was photographed locking lips with model Emma Ostilly. “Taylor really liked Harry, and even though they weren’t exclusive, he hinted at making it official with her,” a source says. And while Swift was allegedly warned by her personal psychic of impending heartbreak, she was still caught off guard the morning she awoke to a barrage of text messages from Style “begging for a chance to explain and telling her not to believe everything she reads,” the source says. “She immediately googled Harry and found all the stories and pictures of him kissing Emma. She was heartbroken.”

New dad Jay-Z is getting some ace parenting advice from a very distinguished source: President Barack Obama. When the rapper and wife Beyonce met with the president and first lady last month, apparently Obama wanted to know how things were going with 10-month-old daughter Blue Ivy, the president says in an interview with Cleveland’s Z107.9. “I made sure that Jay-Z was helping Beyonce out [with Blue Ivy],” Obama says. “And not leaving it all with mom and the mother-in-law.” The Obamas apparently have a great rapport with Jay-Z and Beyonce. “I’ve gotten to know these guys over the first several years,” Obama says. “They’re good people. They’re down to earth. Beyonce could not be sweeter to Michelle and the girls. So they’re good friends. They really are down-to-earth folks. We talk about the same things I talk about with all my friends.”

“Blue Bloods” star Jennifer Esposito is irate over producers of the hit CBS show sidelining her character due to the actress’ health issues, and she’s taken to Twitter to vent. “CBS put me on unpaid leave and has blocked me from working anywhere else after my doctor said you needed a reduced schedule due to Celiac [disease],” Epostito writes. “CBS didn’t listen to my doc and I collapsed on set. Which everyone saw! After a week off, my doc said I could return to work but CBS implied that I was not truly ill and this was a scheme to get a raise! It’s been almost two months without bringing me back to work and keeping me from working anywhere else! Absolutely shameful behavior.” The show’s studio has responded with a statement saying that Esposito “is a wonderfully talented actress and we hope that she will be able to return at some point in the future.”

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Courteney Cox hasn’t been having much luck in the romance department since her split from husband David Arquette, she admits in an interview with Howard Stern. “No guy’s asked me out. I’m not saying I’m not ready to have a make-out session, but it just makes me nervous. I don’t like to go out in general,” she says. “I have sexual feelings, and there’s ways to deal with that.” But Cox admits that dating needs to make its way to the top of her agenda: “It’s time for me to get out there. It’s not easy to meet people. They don’t call me,” she explains.

Zac Efron and “Mirror Mirror” star Lily Collins were spotted attending a birthday party for a pal of Efron’s together at L.A. restaurant STK recently, prompting speculation that the young actors are now an item, according to People magazine. “They even walked in holding hands,” a source says. “They had a drink at the bar together and then joined the birthday crew on the patio.” That same night, though, Efron hit up nightclub Lexington Social House to hang out with Miley Cyrus.

Blue Ivy Carter, the 1-month-old daughter of Jay-Z and Beyonce, is set to be a household name, so naturally her parents felt the need to trademark it. In late January, the couple filed an application at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office to prevent Blue Ivy’s name from being used, according to the Washington Post. And they weren’t just being paranoid, as the office had already received — and denied — multiple applications for trademarks using the baby’s name, including a fashion design entrepreneur and a fragrance company. Both were rejected, with the office citing that the name belongs “to a very famous infant.”

Jennifer Aniston is used to the rumors and stories about her that keep the tabloids in business, but that doesn’t mean she has to like them. In fact, as she tells InStyle magazine, one — involving Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie — is particularly more annoying than the others. “There are so many,” she says of the misconceptions about her. “I would say the triangle with my ex-husband — and that there’s a feud there. It’s constant. It’s a story headline that won’t go away, but it’s a money thing — a story that has nothing to do with reality.”

Justin Timberlake reportedly skipped the Super Bowl to celebrate his 31st birthday with weekend of skiing in British Columbia, Canada, according to the Calgary Herald. “One of our employees had quite the interesting experience. It was one of those ‘no way, no way, that’s not him’ moments,” the owner of a local ski shop tells the newspaper.  “He was smaller than [we] thought. And he was going around with a bit of a beard.” There was no word if Jessica Biel, to whom he recently proposed, was along for the trip.

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In the wake of his split from Katy Perry, Russell Brand has reportedly set his sights on “New Girl” star Zooey Deschanel — and has been sending her “fun, flirty texts,” according to Hollyscoop. Sources say that Brand “thinks she’s hysterically funny and cute, too. He loves her quirky sense of humor, and thinks they’d be great together both on-and-off screen.” Coincidentally, Deschanel filed for divorce from husband Ben Gibbard just days before Brand filed for divorce from Perry.

While in recent years Angelina Jolie has seemed to tame the bad-girl ways that made her famous, Brad Pitt insists — rather coyly — that her at-home behavior is still pretty fun. “She’s still a bad girl,” Brad says in an interview with CBS This Morning. “Delightfully so. It’s not for public consumption.”

Beyonce showed off her post-baby body in her first public outing since giving birth a month ago, attending husband Jay-Z’s charity concert at Carnegie Hall, according to Us Weekly. The new mom reportedly made the most of her night out at the concert’s after-party, as well. “She made a much bigger effort to say hello to nearly everyone, making rounds around the whole club before joining Jay-Z and guests in the VIP room,” a source says.

All of David Beckham’s professional bona fides didn’t matter when it came to challenging a referee at his son’s soccer match recently, as the heated exchange ended up with Beckham being forced to leave the field. “The kids are 7 years old and he sent the kid off,” Beckham tells Jonathan Ross during an interview, defending his actions. “I was like, ‘Come on, he’s 7, referee, you can’t send him off.’”

Given how much the “Twilight” franchise has changed his life, it’s no surprise Robert Pattinson tends to give a lot of thought to the vampire series — and the ramifications of its success. “Doing something like ‘Twilight’ opens doors and it closes others,” Pattinson tells the Herald Scotland. “You can say, ‘Oh if I was still unknown, then no one would judge me. But at the same time, nobody would give a s— either. It’s a weird little balance.”

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The Clean Cleanse
If Beyonce seeks advice from best friend/health guru/working mom Gwyneth Paltrow on how to slip back into revealing stage outfits, we’re pretty sure she’ll look into this. GOOP, Paltrow’s lifestyle website, supports “Clean,” a 21-day, $425 detox by Dr. Alejandro Junger. It’s designed to reset the body’s natural equilibrium by enhancing your intake of nutritionally beneficial foods (think seeds and green vegetables) and clearing the body of major toxins by cutting out inflammatory and processed foods (including ones high in sugar, caffeine and alcohol).

Tracy Anderson’s ‘Metamorphosis’
Celebrity fitness guru Tracy Anderson is famous for being Paltrow’s long-time personal trainer. Her six-month “Metamorphosis” program, based on body shape and where you tend to gain weight, promises to redefine your silhouette with 30 minutes of dance cardio (think jumping jacks, side kicks and lots of bouncing around) followed by 30 minutes of muscular structure workouts six days a week, parallel to a low-calorie diet. With Paltrow having a stake in Anderson’s Tribeca studio, we can assume she’s made sure BFF Beyonce has a free pass and Anderson on speed dial.

Master Cleanse  (or ‘The Lemonade Diet’)
Beyonce lost 20 pounds in two weeks for her role in “Dreamgirls” by going on the Master Cleanse, a hard-core detoxification process that eliminates toxins from the body. For a minimum of 10 days, you are required to live off 12 glasses of pure water mixed with maple syrup, cayenne pepper and lemon each day. One cup of salt water in the morning and one cup of herbal laxative tea in the evening is allowed in order to help flush toxins out of the body. Although you will still crave solid food, hunger pangs are expected to disappear after the third day — as long as you stay clear of all solid foods that stimulate appetite!

Just being her awesome self
Beyonce practically invented the booty shake, so dropping off the baby weight by doing what she does best is an obvious solution. After grooving to “Glory,” the first duet featuring Jay-Z and Blue Ivy, they might switch to some “Baby Beluga” or “Skinnamarink.”

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The fly, though recently dubbed Scaptia (Plinthina) beyonceae, was discovered in Australia back in 1981, the same year Beyonce was born, according to the Washington Post.  

Bryan Lessard, a researcher at Australia’s Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization, said he hopes the pop diva will take the name as a compliment now that she will be “in the nature history books forever.”

Lessard said the horse fly’s golden bum makes it “pretty bootylicious,” a word made popular by Beyonce’s former girl band Destiny’s Child.

Rock on, Beyonce. Everyone knows that only true divas get Australian horse flys named after them.

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The State Health Department launched an investigation after Beyonce and Jay-Z were rumored to have preferential treatment and VIP access around the hospital, interfering with the stays of other new parents. However, the probe was quickly closed after the Health Department found that Lenox Hill had committed no wrongdoing.

The couple reportedly spent $1.3 million in renovations and security measures for a birthing suit that took up an entire floor of Lenox Hill. Hospital officials deny the couple shelled out that much, but TMZ has obtained photos of Beyonce’s luxury hospital room — and it looks more like a suite at Four Seasons.

Is it time to Occupy Lenox Hill?

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First, Mayor Michael Bloomberg said Tuesday that the couple was entitled  to the superstar treatment they got at Lenox Hill that has been criticized by other new parents, because the famous pair shelled out the cash for it.

Bloomberg defended the rumored $1.3 million spent at the hospital by the couple to ensure absolute secrecy, saying it helped subsidize health care for others, according to DNAinfo. The celebrity parents were at the center of controversy after a new dad whose twins were in the NICU at Lenox Hill said he was barred from seeing his babies while the famous family was on the move inside the hospital.

“If [the hospital] got paid a lot of money and it let them provide services to other people who don’t have insurance or can’t afford it, I’m not so sure it’s a bad thing,” Bloomberg told reporters at an unrelated press conference.

“I don’t think you should keep people from seeing their babies, or whatever, but have different services for people who are full-paying patients. It’s easy to go and criticize, but somebody’s got to pay,” he added.

The couple left Lenox Hill with their new baby late last night. What is being rumored as the first photo of Beyonce with her daughter popped up online today. Go Ham or Go Home asks: real or fake? What do you think?

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I speak, of course, about Blue Ivy Carter, who, according to a press release from her two very famous parents, had a very “emotional and extremely peaceful” birth. And, per the release, came into the world “naturally.”

You hear that? Not only was the birth peaceful, it was “extremely” so, meaning that Beyonce does not vomit or poop herself while bringing life into this world. I doubt she even grimaced or cursed, she is that perfect.

Another perfect (and ridiculous) thing? This baby’s bling lifestyle. Beyonce and Jay-Z reportedly spent $1.5 million on designer toys and nursery furnishings. “Jay-Z bought Beyonce a solid gold handmade Ginza Tanaka rocking horse for $600,000. They’ve even splashed out on a $30,000 magical windmill playhouse for the garden and a mini Bugatti car, too,” a source tells Britain’s Star magazine. “They’ve bought a wardrobe packed with thousands of dollars’ worth of one-off designer baby clothes.” Other items reportedly include a Swarovski crystal-encrusted high-chair, a chic lucite crib and gold and diamond rattles from Tiffany & Co.

Since the source of this story is Star magazine, let’s take this with a grain of salt. A high chair covered in crystals? That has to cause some major diaper rash.

Lohan moves on to Lifetime

If there is a place for Lindsay Lohan (besides rehab), it’s the Lifetime network — she is the embodiment of an after-school special. Luckily, it looks like the disgraced starlet has figured that out. After false starts with shots at playing Linda Lovelace and Victoria Gotti, Lohan is trying the biopic route once again to get her career restarted by signing on to play Elizabeth Taylor in the Lifetime Original Movie “Elizabeth & Richard: A Love Story,” according to Deadline. The film will focus on Taylor’s relationship with Richard Burton.

For more gossip news visit Dorothy Robinson’s Word blog. Follow her on Twitter @DorothyatMetro.
 

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The track, titled “GLORY feat. B.I.C.,” features intimate lyrics about becoming a father, as well as the heartbreak the couple experienced over a past miscarriage.

“All the pain of the last time. I prayed so hard it was the last time,” raps Jay-Z. “…. Last time the miscarriage was so tragic. We was afraid you’d disappear but, nah, baby, you magic.”

In the song, Jay-Z tells Blue Ivy she was “made in Paris” and calls her a “younger, smarter, faster me.”

“Maybe I’ll paint the sky blue. My greatest creation was you,” he says in the song.

The track ends with what we assume is an audio recording of the couple’s newborn baby crying. It almost has us tearing up, ourselves. (Until we remember how Jay-Z and Beyonce prevented other new parents from spending time with their own newborns by hijacking the hospital like a couple of baby-having control freaks).

Hear the song below:

The post ‘Glory’: Jay-Z posts song about new daughter, raps about past miscarriage appeared first on Metro.us.

The famous pair reportedly shelled out $1.3 million to rent out an entire floor of Lenox Hill hospital for the birth of their daughter, Blue Ivy Carter, on Saturday night. They also stationed an entourage of body guards at the hospital, ensuring absolute isolation for Beyonce before, during and after her delivery by C-section.

“They locked us into the NICU and would say, ‘You can’t come out to the hallway for the next 20 minutes.’ When I finally was able to go back out, I went to the waiting room and they’d ushered my family downstairs,” Neil Coulon, a man whose wife also delivered a baby, told the New York Post.

One would expect the star treatment be given to the diva baby of music’s most famous couple, but hospital workers say it was taken to the utmost extreme. In renovations that began two months before the birth, tinted tape covered the windows of Beyonce’s hospital room and its regular door was replaced with one that was bulletproof. The entire floor would reportedly go into “lockdown” mode anytime the superstar family was on the move.

“These are parents who are going through very stressful times,’ Caloun said of parents whose babies are in the NICU. “To have that circus roll into town, having to deal with all this drama because someone is a superstar, isn’t fair.”

The bad press surrounding the birth of his daughter is now just one more problem Jay-Z has to add to his list, which already has 99. 

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There had to have been a musical motive to naming the child Blue (rhymes with “My boo?”). While it’s not likely the name was inspired by albums by Joni Mitchell or Weezer, I bet every time she does a doodle they can call it “The Blueprint” and “The Blueprint II.”  That, and it would have been weird to name her “Hova-ette.”

Yet another celebrity engagement/pregnancy

Sienna Miller has stopped her homewrecking ways, it seems (remember when she allegedly broke up the marriage of Balthazar Getty?). The actress and boyfriend Tom Sturridge are ready to get married and have a family, though which they’ll do first isn’t clear. Miller recently confirmed she’s expecting her first child in June, and now word comes that Sturridge popped the question during a recent vacation to Paris, according to Life & Style. “They’re engaged and really happy. Her family is happy, as they absolutely adore Tom,” a source says. “He filled their hotel suite at the Ritz with flowers and presented her with a vintage Victorian ring.”

For more gossip news visit Dorothy Robinson’s Word blog. Follow her on Twitter @DorothyatMetro. 

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Fellow celebrities and friends of the couple offered their congratulations to the new parents on Twitter.

“Welcome to the world princess Carter! Love Aunty Rih,” tweeted Rihanna.

Gwyneth Paltrow tweeted, “Welcome to the world Blue! We love you already.”

The couple, who married in 2008, reportedly went to great lengths to keep the birth under wraps at Lenox Hill Hospital in Manhattan. Beyonce checked in under the name Ingrid Jackson, according to the Daily News. The parents also spent $1.3 million to rent out the entire fourth floor of the hospital.

Welcome to the world, Blue Ivy Carter! Looks like we were totally off in our baby name predictions.

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It was announced yesterday by a legal inquest looking into the death of the “Back in Black” singer that she had more than five times the legal driving limit of alcohol in her blood when she died on July 23 at age 27, Reuters reports. Her death was deemed “death by misadventure” by British coroner Suzanne Greenaway, who explained that the singer died because of excessive drinking, according to the Evening Standard. “She had consumed sufficient alcohol,” Greenaway says, “and the unintended consequence of such potentially fatal levels was her sudden and unexpected death.”

Even more tragic? The London hearing states the singer had not drank alcohol that month until a fewdays before it killed her. She had no illegal substances in her system.

Her family, who was present at yesterday’s inquest, didn’t talk to the press but released a statement stating: “The court heard that Amy was battling hard to conquer her problems with alcohol and it is a source of great pain to us that she could not win in time. She had started drinking again that week after a period of abstinence.”

Not to make light of Winehouse’s tragic demise but you have to question the Brit-speak ruling.
“Death by misadventure” makes it sound like she was swinging on a vine and then fell into a crocodile pit, right?

Tween Timberlake and Gosling: Lil’ thugs

Oh, to be a fly on the wall during Justin Timberlake and Ryan Gosling’s early years.

Timberlake admitted to Ellen DeGeneres at a visit to her talk show that he and Gosling used to get into a fair amount of trouble when they were castmates on “The Mickey Mouse Club” during their teenage years. “We used to do terrible things. We thought we were so cool. Looking back on them, they weren’t as bad as I thought they were at the time. We stole a golf cart. And we were like, ‘Yeah, man. We’re stealing a golf cart!’” Timberlake says the pair bonded when they lived together while Gosling’s mother stayed in Canada for work. “We were probably a little closer than the rest of the kids that were on the show just because we had to share a bathroom,” Timberlake says.

Beyonce is having a girl! (Maybe!)

I have no idea how In Touch Weekly knows this but they are reporting that Beyonce and Jay-Z are having a baby girl. “Beyonce is thrilled she’s having a daughter,” confides a close friend of the singer’s, explaining that while Beyonce and her husband, Jay-Z, would be happy to have a healthy child of either sex, she’d secretly been hoping for a girl. “She and her mother are so close, and she’s wanted to have that relationship with her own child.”

In the magazine’s defense, they have a 50-50 shot of guessing the truth, which can probably be said for most of their reporting.

For more gossip news visit Dorothy Robinson’s Word blog. Follow her on Twitter @DorothyatMetro.
 

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The November date of Jessica Simpson’s planned wedding to Eric Johnson is reportedly in doubt, and while it’s thought her rumored pregnancy could be the reason, it’s just as likely indecisiveness on the bride’s part. “Everything is up in the air,” a source tells Us Weekly. “She can’t figure out what kind of day she wants. Some days she wants a big wedding in Hawaii, then other days she wants something closer to home.”

Beyonce’s super senses

Beyonce admits that her pregnancy might be driving a wedge between her and husband Jay-Z — at least where his cologne is concerned. “I smell everything,” she tells ET Canada. “If it smells bad, I smell it. My husband’s fragrance, his one that I always love, I hate right now.” And while the pop star claims to not know the sex of the baby, sources tell Us Weekly that the couple has already picked out some pink Louboutin baby booties — and a name.

Lohan has an actual fan

Lindsay Lohan scored a modeling gig showing off German designer Philipp Plein’s 2012 line, and she’s reportedly doing so well during the Lake Como, Italy, photo shoot that Plein has taken a personal interest in the actress, according to Fox News. “Lindsay has been staying in Philipp’s room every night since she arrived. There’s a lot of chemistry there,” a source says, adding that while the two have grown close, they are not an item. It’s turning out well, considering she almost didn’t get the job. “It took two months of various negotiations.”

For more gossip news visit Dorothy
Robinson’s Word blog. Follow her on Twitter @DorothyatMetro.

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Rodriguez and Diaz are done

The on-again, off-again relationship between Cameron Diaz and Yankees star Alex Rodriguez is reportedly off — again. “They broke up recently,” a source close to the couple tells Us Weekly. “They’re still very friendly and like each other. He has an enormous amount of respect for her.” As it turns out, work got in the way this time: “She’s very busy with her career,” the source says. “And he’s had injuries and wants to focus on his game. They’re dedicated professionals.”

We love it too, Sofia

“Modern Family” star Sofia Vergara is OK with her voluptuous figure, even if it helped her land a role as a transexual in a 2006 film, “Grilled.” “I look like a transsexual anyway. I’m a woman, but I’m super-exaggerated with my boobs,” Vergara tells The Advocate. “When I get ready for an event, I always look at myself in the mirror and say, ‘I look like a transvestite!’ I love it.”

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We’ve decided to express our congratulations for the couple in the form of baby name suggestions that we really hope they consider.

1. Sasha F. Knowles-Carter. Beyonce’s alter ego is of course “Sasha Fierce” and we know a little girl for the couple would mean one fierce baby! Typically, we’re not fans of hyphenated last names, but in this case, both parents have dropped their last names, so maybe they’ll express their true identities through their offspring.

2. Roc-a-baby. We have Roc-A-Fella records and Rocawear. This baby could be Jay-Z’s biggest brand extension yet.

3. Lil Hov. Come on, it’s a given that this kid is going to end up in the music industry. Might as well start with a sweet rap name right off the bat. This one is a tribute to one of Jay-Z’s many nicknames.

4. BeyoncJay. For obvious reasons.

5. Marvin or Otis. After Marvin Gaye or Otis Redding, two of Jay-Z’s biggest influences. If anyone else had these names, they’d get beat up on the playground, but we think this kid could stand up for himself.

6. Gloria. Maybe Jay-Z would want to honor his mom, who’s appeared on “The Black Album” talking proudly about her son.

7. LeToya or LaTavia. Those are the exiled members of Destiny’s Child, so not only has Beyonce already stolen the limelight from them, but now she could steal their names. That would be cold. Deliciously, deliciously cold.

8. Brooklyn. This one could actually be for realz. In his song “Hello Brooklyn 2.0,” Jay-Z raps, “Brooklyn, if we had a daughter guess what I’m a call her? Brooklyn Carter.” Granted, Jay-Z is having a baby with Beyonce, not Brooklyn. However, the mom-to-be is apparently a big fan of the name, too, since she was pictured sporting a “Brooklyn” tattoo in 2010.

What would you name Beyonce and Jay-Z’s baby?

The post What should Beyonce and Jay-Z name their baby? appeared first on Metro.us.

“We get quite a few requests for autographs. I mean, every week I sign a hundred or so … but [some] fans will send a picture and it’s them and an impostor,” Fieri told Metro at the Atlantic City Food and Wine Festival over the weekend (apparently there was one of these impostors at the fest). “And I’ll send it back, and I’ll send them a picture, and I’ll autograph it and say: ‘I’m very sorry, this isn’t me.’ And they’re heartbroken, because these clowns stand there and don’t say, ‘No, I’m not Guy.’”

Take note, fans: Next time you see a guy sporting a flame-embossed T-shirt, a goatee and sunglasses inside, think twice before snapping a photo with him. Instead of the famed Fieri, it could just be someone with really bad fashion sense.

The next tattoo

Metro got the scoop on Fieri’s next possible tattoo:?“I think I’m getting a joker card or a Jack, one of the two, of [my kids] Hunter and Ryder, and one side of the card will be Hunter and the other side will be Ryder, just because they are a couple jokers,” Fieri says. “I don’t know. I have a million ideas. I’m always dropping them down on napkins and going to my tattoo artist and talking about them.”

— Reporting by Meredith Engel

Stop making so much sense, Beyonce

You think it’s bad having your mother ask you when you’re going to have a baby? Just try facing the harpies at “The View.” The thought alone is enough to make your ovaries hide behind the couch.
That’s exactly what Beyonce Knowles faced last week when she appeared on the talk show. Luckily, she took it in stride when the baby question was asked. She said when she and Jay-Z have kids isn’t up to them, despite having initially said she expected to have one by the time she was 30. “I thought 30 was so old back then,” says Beyonce, who turns 30 next month. “You know, one day [it will happen]. That’s something that God has to decide. When it happens, it happens. I’m just so happy to be in this place in my life.”

For more gossip news visit Dorothy Robinson’s Word blog. Follow her on Twitter @DorothyatMetro.

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