The Smiths will create exclusive content in honor of Earth Day and the duo’s action film “After Earth.” Their film is set on Earth 1,000 years after humanity has fled, with Jaden on a mission to find help for his injured father, battling animals and an alien.

In their roles as Metro’s special guests, Jaden and Will Smith will imagine what the world will look like hundreds of years from now when it comes to environmental impact, advances in technology and transport, and media. The pair will also sit for an exclusive Q&A with Metro. All content will run in Metro’s print and digital editions around the world.

“There are some things only the world’s largest newspaper can do,” says Metro’s Global Editor-in-Chief Margaret Samways. “And given our global reach, we’re thrilled Jaden and Will can contribute to an issue pegged to Earth Day. Especially before the aliens arrive.”

Will Smith’s coming to Metro! How big a fan are you?

How big is your Willie Style? In anticipation of special guests Will and Jaden Smith, who will appear in our April 22 Earth Day issue, we want you to…

MATCH THE SONGS TO THE LYRICS:

THE SONGS

“Men in Black”
“Gettin’ Jiggy Wit It”
“Miami”
“Parents Just Don’t Understand”
“Boom! Shake the Room”

THE LYRICS

A. Women used to tease me
Give it to me now nice and easy
Since I moved up like George and Weezie

B. Pay attention, here’s the thick of the plot
I pulled up to the corner at the end of my block
That’s when I saw this beautiful girlie who was just walking
I picked up my car phone to perpetrate like I was talking

C. Smooth and individual
Rhymes always original
Like the Dr. Jekyl man and this is my Hyde side
I am the driver and you’re on a rap ride

D. So I’m thinking I’m a scoot me something hot
In this south-sea meringue melting pot
Hottest club in the city and it’s right on the beach
Temperature get to ya it’s about to reach
Five-hundred degrees

E. Let me see ya take a walk with me, just walk it with me
Take a walk with me c’mon
And make your neck work
Now freeze…

Scroll down for the answers….

CORRECT ANSWERS:

A. “Gettin’ Jiggy Wit It”
B. “Parents Just Don’t Understand”
C. “Boom! Shake the Room”
D. “Miami”
E. “Men in Black”

The post Two Smiths, One Big Issue: Will Smith & Jaden Smith to curate Metro appeared first on Metro.us.

The soap opera between Chris Brown and Rihanna continues: The on-again, off-again couple with the rocky past has reportedly called it quits, according to E! News. While Brown has been spotted in New York entertaining a mystery blonde, Rihanna has finishing up her latest international tour and spending time in L.A. between gigs, but sources say there’s no new man in her life and that she’s shifting her focus off her love life and onto planning future tours and launching a new fragrance line.

Berry: ‘feels fantastic’
After confirming that she is pregnant with her second child, Halle Berry is speaking out herself about the joyous news. “I feel fantastic,” the Oscar-winner tells CNN of expecting a baby with fiancé Olivier Martinez. “This has been the biggest surprise of my life, to tell you the truth. I thought I was kind of past the point where this could be a reality for me. So it’s been a big surprise and the most wonderful.” While reports have claimed that Berry is expecting a boy, she’s playing coy about gender, saying only, “I don’t know, I don’t know.”

Drake takes on Bieber’s fans
Former “Drake & Josh” star Drake Bell is picking a fight with Justin Bieber’s fans online, which may not be the smartest move. “I don’t ‘hate’ Justin Bieber. His fans are the problem,” Bell tweeted last month, but this past weekend he really got into it. “I love when beliebers say they loved me on ['Drake & Josh'] but what happened to the old Drake,” he wrote. “[Bieber], you have the most insane fans in the world.” He also poked fun at Bieber himself, and the stunt inevitably earned him a slew of angry responses. “Putting a moratorium on tweets about beliebers,” he finally wrote. “Just wanted to show how sick and twisted people can get.”

Don’t mess with the ‘A-Team’
Liam Neeson and Bradley Cooper are suing a pair of companies for allegedly using photos of the “A-Team” co-stars in advertisements without their permission, according to court documents procured by E! News. Neeson and Cooper claim Vutec Corporations and First Impressions Theme Theaters are guilty of trademark infringement, negligence and  violating their rights of privacy and publicity for using their images in print and online ads and in other promotional materials. The suit was filed in Los Angeles Superior Court. The actors are seeking damages and attorney fees.

Bynes on her ‘fake’ stories
Amanda Bynes takes issue with Page Six’s story earlier this week that she her erratic behavior during a gymnastics class got her booted. “I’m suing every blog saying I was kicked out of gymnastics,” Bynes posted on Twitter. What is wrong with you people? What would you do if you found fake stories about you?” Also, to make good on her earlier request that online outlets only use photos from her Twitter account and not unflattering paparazzi shots when reporting on her, Bynes posted a slew of photos from the last few years to Twitter, nothing which ones are her favorites.

The post The Word: Chris Brown and Rihanna are no longer. Probably. appeared first on Metro.us.

Metro’s Valentine’s Day Issue (February 14, 2013) will kick off a two-week photo contest that gives you the chance to meet Justin Bieber, plus concert tickets and backstage passes!

Here at Metro, the world’s largest global newspaper, we are celebrating Valentine’s Day with a special edition dedicated to love. International superstar Justin Bieber will collaborate with Metro to show the love to one lucky fan, who will win a once-in-a-lifetime VIP experience during Bieber’s “Believe” tour in Europe!

The Love Issue features an exclusive Q&A with Bieber, a playlist of his favorite love songs, an ode to the lost art of the love letter, a romance guide and a roundup of the most impressive public displays of affection. The content will appear across all 23 Metro countries.

The Love Issue will kick off the two-week contest, with the winner announced on March 4 — and it could be you!

Here’s how you can enter the contest, starting February 14:

1.     Photograph yourself with the Metro Love Issue in a place you’d take Bieber on a date.

2.     Upload your photo to Metro’s Facebook “I BELIEBE IN LOVE” app (available starting February 14). Make sure you choose and like the Metro US Facebook page of the city closest to you (Metro Boston, Metro New York or Metro Philly). The app will be a featured tab on each city’s Facebook page.

3.     Solicit votes for your photo by generating “likes.” The more “likes” a photo gets, the better their chances of being personally selected by Bieber to win! Gather votes via Twitter using the hashtag #IbeliebeinLove and the handles of each Metro US city after you follow us (@metronewyork, @MetroBOS and @MetroPhilly).

4.     If you’re the lucky winner, your experience at the concert and backstage with Biebs will be covered globally in Metro!

Good luck, Beliebers! Be sure to check out Metro’s interview with Bieber for the inside scoop on his new album, “Believe Acoustic.”

Find the official contest rules here.

The post BELIEBE in Love! Win a VIP experience with Justin Bieber on his European tour appeared first on Metro.us.

A huge thanks to all our readers who entered the contest, but there can only be one winner from each city.

Congratulations to the owners of these three incredible lights displays. They’ll each be receiving a $150 gift card to Macy’s. Their dazzling creations will also be featured in Metro on Dec. 24.

Presenting the winners of Metro’s 2012 Show Us Your Lights contest! Happy Holidays!

New York City

Louis and Lucy Chiacchere of Dyker Heights, Brooklyn.

“People call our home the ‘Snoopy House’ and if you stop by you will know why,” Louis said.

We can see why and it looks great, Louis! Congratulations!

Philadelphia

Robert Pearce of South Philly.

Extra points for synching his lights display with holiday music.

Well done, Robert! Looks (and sounds) spectacular! 

Boston

Angela Rourke of Saugus.

Angela was thrilled to learn that her home won the contest and said her husband is the mastermind behind their intricate holiday display.

Congratulations to you both!

Honorable mentions

Glenn and Carmen Wolin of Flatbush, Brooklyn.

Richard and Debra Dyer of Valley Stream, New York.

Nora Ecker of Marlton, New Jersey.

The post Winners announced in Metro’s Show Us Your Lights contest! appeared first on Metro.us.

If this sounds like you…

Show us your lights!

Metro is looking for the best and brightest holiday decoration displays! Send us your photos and we’ll be featuring the craziest, merriest and most awe-inspiring homes on the pages of Metro and on Metro.us.

One lucky winner from each of our three cities — Boston, Philly and New York City — will receive a $150 gift card to Macy’s.    

So enter today for your chance to be featured in Metro!

But first, a few rules:



All entries must be sent to holidaylights@metro.us

Deadline is Dec. 20. Winners will be announced Dec. 24.

 


Check out these holiday decorations in Clinton Hill, Brooklyn:

Photographs by Miles Dixon

The post Show us your lights: Enter Metro’s holiday decoration contest appeared first on Metro.us.

Branson, joined by Metro deputy editor contest winner Juan Nicolas Pinzon Guevara of Bogota,  Colombia, offered his unique take on the news of the day under the theme of “Risky Business.” In international news, he weighed in on the war on drugs after a story broke overnight of a U.S. Border Patrol agent shot and killed near the U.S.-Mexico border.

“I mean, I think there will still be thousands of people killed unless they change the war on drugs,” said Branson, an outspoken advocate to decriminalize drugs. “The war on drugs is not working — and that’s a very good example of the war on drugs not working. The sooner they change the approach to drugs, the better.”

On the topic of censorship in Russia and Muslim unrest following the controversial film deemed insulting to the Prophet Mohammad, Branson defended free speech — but also urged responsibility.

“The idea of people being sent to prison for speaking out about anything is ridiculous,” he said. “If you’re going to make something where you think people may be killed, you better make sure it’s worth it.”

On a story out of New York about a bisexual teen girl being asked to leave school for wearing a T-shirt that said “I enjoy vagina,” Branson recalled the hurdles in naming his own company Virgin, after it was said to be a rude word.

“She should be allowed to do a bit of campaigning. Of course she should stay at school, that’s ridiculous,” Branson said of 15-year-old Brianna Demato of Woodhaven. “When we first came up with the name ‘Virgin,’ we weren’t allowed to register it for five years because they said it was rude. And we ended up having to go to the English dictionary to prove that ‘virgin’ was actually the opposite of rude. I don’t see why. I mean, most women have vaginas, so why shouldn’t they be able to mention it?”

The innovative entrepreneur also offered his modern take on breakups, saying there is no reason why two people can’t remain in touch after ending a romantic relationship.

“I think if you’ve had a relationship with somebody, you should be best friends for life,” Branson said.

Look for more of Branson’s thoughts, including his position on global warming, the voter ID law recently struck down and a sneak peek at several of his projects in tomorrow’s edition of Metro!

Sir Richard Branson, right, is joined by deputy guest editor Juan Nicolas Pinzon Guevara and Metro US Editor-in-Chief Tony Metcalf. (Photos by Miles Dixon/Metro)

The post PHOTOS: Sir Richard Branson’s take on news of the world as Metro’s global guest editor appeared first on Metro.us.

The 2013 catalog, printed in 27 languages for distribution in 38 countries, looks almost alike worldwide, displaying identical interiors of kitchens and bathrooms. However, in the Saudi version women appear to be removed from the images. Metro Sweden first discovered the inconsistency on Ikea’s online catalogs earlier this week.

For example, in the Swedish version of the catalog, a mother can be seen standing at a sink beside her child in a bathroom. But in the Saudi catalog, the mother is absent.

In another image, a young girl who appears to be doing homework has also been airbrushed.

Under Saudi Arabia’s strict Muslim law, women are not allowed to drive, vote or be outside of their home without the guardianship of a male relative.

Sweden’s Minister for Trade Ewa Björling said the retouched images are a sad example of the oppression of women.

“You cannot retouch women from reality,” she told Metro. “If Saudi Arabia doesn’t allow women to be seen or work they miss out on half their intellectual capital. These images are yet another sad example of the long road to gender equality in Saudi Arabia.”

Ikea has since apologized for the catalog retouching. “As editors of the catalog, we are sorry about this,” Ikea spokesperson Josefin Thorell told Metro. “We should have reacted and seen that this is in conflict with Ikea’s values.”

The Ikea group will “revise their procedures” to avoid similar situations in the future. It is still unclear whether the Saudi catalogue will be withdrawn or not.

What remains unclear is who is responsible for the decision to airbrush women out of the catalog – Ikea or a local entity in Saudi Arabia.

A spokeswoman for Inter Ikea Systems, a branch of Ikea that oversees franchises, says that the Swedish retailer should take the blame.

“What has come out during our contacts with Saudi Arabia during the day is that it isn’t the local franchise that has done something wrong. It is our responsibility at Inter Ikea Systems,” Ulrika Englesson Sandman told Metro Sweden.

“The franchise owner has been presented with images without women. The image with a woman in the bathroom and the female designer could very well have been featured in the catalog for Saudi Arabia.”

Now Ikea are mulling over on how to proceed. One alternative is to print a new catalog.

“The catalog has already been distributed, are we going to print it again? Those are options we are looking at,” said Sandman.

Saudi Arabia has three Ikea stores, in Jeddah, Riyadh and Dhahran.

The post Ikea airbrushes women out of images in Saudi Arabian catalog appeared first on Metro.us.

“The Global Guest Editor provides a huge opportunity to Metro’s advertisers and partners,” says Yggers Mortensen, CEO and publisher of Metro US. “Through this unique event, we can deliver a massive reach and impact to our clients and provide an opportunity to communicate and interact with our highly interesting target group. Additionally, these events strengthen and sharpen our brand and show the power of our global presence.”

The Lady Gaga campaign reached an astonishing 800 million people, and the Karl Lagerfeld edition, campaign and surrounding PR reached more than 1 billion people; the same impact is expected with Branson’s special issue. The events were broadcast on most major news stations around the world in both previous cases.

Metro is the meeting point between readers and advertisers, and the Global Guest Editor initiative provides a unique opportunity for advertisers to receive the attention of millions of Metro readers and be associated with a true business and lifestyle mogul. It is a great opportunity for new brands to reach our global audience.

“We are honored to host such a prestigious, global figure, and fascinated to see what insight he can give,” says Metro US Editor-in-Chief Tony Metcalf. “He is one of the business icons of the late 20th century.”

Sir Richard Branson is the founder of Virgin Group, which has created more than 300 branded companies ranging from airlines, mobile, financial services, clean tech and space travel; it employs approximately 50,000 people in 30 countries with more than $21B in revenue. “SCREW NEWSPAPERS AS USUAL” is a continuation of the ideas he championed in his recent book, “SCREW BUSINESS AS USUAL,” where he shares his and others’ exciting vision for doing business — a vision that turns capitalism on its head and shifts values from a solely profit focus to a focus on people, communities and the planet, along with profits.

As global guest editor, Branson will spend the day in the Metro US newsroom, where he will work with editors, guide the news coverage and comment on the day’s news for the edition along the theme of “Risky Business.” All content will run in Metro newspapers around the world.

The post Sir Richard Branson joins Metro as guest editor appeared first on Metro.us.

You probably recognize her as the lead role of “The Closer,” but today Sedgwick will use her role as Metro guest editor to warn our readers on the problems of pollution and over-consumption.

“If you collect all the plastic you use over the entire year, it would fill this entire room. And only ten percent of what we think we are recycling is actually getting recycled,” said Sedgwick. “They’re not breaking plastic bottles down again and remaking them into plastic bottles. Most plastic ends up in the ocean.”

The increasing problem of plastic pollution and waste are two issues that are near to Sedgwick’s heart. She asks all Americans to eschew plastic water bottles and use stainless steel and to replace that cardboard coffee cup with a re-useable mug.

“I will go really thirsty before I buy a plastic bottle because I know the pyramids will turn into dust
before that plastic bottle disintegrates,” she said. “It’s so easy to get a stainless steel water bottle.”

“And think about
how much money you’re saving, too,” she continued. “You pay $4 for each new plastic water
bottle, when you could just buy one water bottle and fill it up at the
tap.We need to try not to start the waste from the
beginning.”

Sedgwick is a native New Yorker and lives in the city with her husband, Kevin Bacon.

Stay tuned for her column!

The post ‘The Closer’ star Kyra Sedgwick serves as Metro’s guest editor appeared first on Metro.us.

Karl on the Queen’s Jubilee:

I think [Queen Elizabeth] looks very good in her recent photos even better than a few years ago – beautiful, a bit like Queen Mary. She looks a little bit like her grandmother – a more smiley version. In terms of what she wears, she’s come into herself a little bit more – whatever that is.

Is the monarchy still relevant?

It’s good for the tourists because it brings a lot of money in. It’s totally unnecessary, but it’s pleasant. Why not have the monarchy? People can dream about it.

Karl on Lana del Rey:

I prefer Adele and Florence Welch. But as a modern singer she is not
bad.The thing at the moment is Adele. She is a little too fat, but she
has a beautiful face and a divine voice. Lana del Rey is not bad at all.
She looks very much like a modern-time singer. In her photos she is
beautiful. Is she a construct with all her implants? She’s not alone
with implants.

UPDATE: Lagerfeld has clarified his remarks on Adele’s weight.

Karl on women in Russia:

If I was a woman in Russia I would be a lesbian, as the men are very
ugly. There are a few handsome ones, like Naomi Campbell’s boyfriend, but
there you see the most beautiful women and the most horrible men.

Karl on M.I.A. and her middle finger:

Nowadays people give the middle finger quite quickly – it’s not the best behavior. Everybody does that, what’s new about that? It’s just become a bad habit. People in magazines are 50% bimbo and 50% pregnant women.

Karl on the Greek economic crisis:

Greece needs to work on a cleaner image. It’s a big problem, as [Greeks]
have this reputation of being so corrupt. You can’t be sure the money
will go where it’s supposed to go. They need to build trust, and that
takes time too. Nobody wants Greece to disappear, but they have really
disgusting habits – Italy as well.

Karl on Barack Obama‘s claim that he “deserves” to be re-elected:

Yes he does, especially because of Mrs. Obama. I’m a big fan of Mrs. Obama – and her face, I think, is magical. He would not be there without her. There was an article by some stupid woman, I forgot who, and she said she [Mrs. Obama] was poorly dressed. Mrs. Obama is not a fashion statement, she has other things to do. …My favorite line of Mrs. Obama is when a journalist asked her if she thought her skirts were not too tight and she answered, “Why you don’t like my big black ass?” This is a line I admire. She got me with that. So I want Mr. Obama who I think is very okay— because there is nothing better anyway — [to be re-elected], especially because of her.”

I never voted in my life. I will never vote. I know too much about politics from what’s going on backstage. To vote you have to believe all that garbage that they promise you, and they can’t keep those promises. If someone gave me an Obama pin, I would just put it on.

UPDATE: Kristina Schake, Director of Communications to First Lady Michelle Obama released a statement regarding Lagerfeld’s comment saying, “Mrs. Obama never made that statement.” 

Karl on sustainable fashion:

I don’t know what you consider as sustainable fashion. Do it, but don’t make a subject out of it. It’s a little bit boring.

Karl on Syria:

Some people say it will be worse if [President Assad] goes. It’s very
difficult now to say. What he does is beyond awful. I think the man is
frightening.

Karl on racism in soccer:

If
it is not clear yet, then wait for it to be clear. They say a thing and
then they forget what they said. It’s very difficult today, as you open
your mouth and everything is printed somewhere. You cannot even make
private jokes anymore.

Karl on political correctness:

Be politically correct, but don’t become a bore for that. People should be sensitive in these matters, but not make so much noise. Be politically correct, but do we have to know your opinion?

Related:

VIDEO: Karl Lagerfeld visits the Metro office

Straight outta ‘212’: Rapper Azealia Banks

Nine women, nine global cities all in KARL (PHOTOS)

The post Karl Lagerfeld on Adele, the Greek crisis and M.I.A.’s middle finger (UPDATED) appeared first on Metro.us.

Lagerfeld will guest edit all Metro editions around the world. As
part of the project, he will create a series of collectible sketches,
illustrations and columns as well as choose the stories for the
newspaper and give his notoriously provocative comments on the news of
the day.

The issue will also include a series of guest appearances by
celebrities and fashion personalities from Karl’s world. The
collaboration is just one of several moves the creative director of
Chanel and Fendi has made toward fashion demo-cracy lately. The special
issue will come just weeks after Lagerfeld launches a new lower priced
line called “Karl.” 

The post Karl Lagerfeld to guest-edit Metro appeared first on Metro.us.

That’s because in the early 1980s, AIDS only seemed to affect the overlooked, ostracized gay community; but throughout “The Normal Heart,” this acronym is ominously absent as research has not yet progressed so far as to identify the syndrome. It’s a nameless, faceless terror attacking those with no power to fight it — a group that, similar to the disease at large, is still struggling in search of recognition and identity.

Though the premise of this play sounds monstrous and depressing, it is a relatable, moving, vital piece of art calling attention to a cause that’s still highly relevant today. The social and political issues remain unresolved even 30 years later.

This revival (contending for five Tony Awards) is co-directed by Broadway heavyweights Joel Grey and George C. Wolfe. The cast features many players from the small screen, including Jim Parsons (“The Big Bang Theory”), Lee Pace (“Pushing Daises”) and John Benjamin Hickey (“The Big C”). Coming off a strong directing spree, Joe Mantello returns to acting as the angry, confused, railing Ned Weeks — an activist who learns to love just when it seems the four-letter word is destroying his friends, his community and his faith.

Though laughter intermittently accompanies wrenching sobs, the simply staged and beautifully written play strikes an even more invaluable balance: “The Normal Heart” supplies a powerful call to action that gives modern meaning to all of its historical heartbreak.

The post Breathtaking revival is full of ‘Heart’ appeared first on Metro.us.

A peek inside:

Before

 After

Makeup Your Mind: Express Yourself, $45, www.narscosmetics.com

The post Your new beauty bible appeared first on Metro.us.

1.Vanessa Hudgens: “A pair of shoes.”

2. Brooklyn Decker: “This big, giant book of Rolling Stone covers. Annie Leibovitz shot most of them. I actually just ordered it like three weeks ago so it should be waiting at my house when I get home.”

3. Designer Christian Siriano: “I bought a book on Parisian interior design. I buy a lot of books on Paris interior design. I don’t speak French, I just love the rooms, and the last one I bought was fully in French and it was gorgeous.”

4. Stylist Mary Alice Stephenson: "A tie for [my friend] Bill. There was a bidding war on this tie. It’s vintage Hermes."

5. Designer Prabal Gurung: “A lot of books for my nephew and niece. And I bought a little Tinkerbell outfit for my niece. She loved it.”

6. CFDA Fashion Incubator manager Johanna Stout: “The last thing I bought on Amazon was a digital camera. It was great, I got to compare the different models, price points, capabilities — Amazon’s the biggest e-commerce platform, and they do it best.”

The post Myhabit.com: Addicted to shopping? There’s a new habit-forming site in town appeared first on Metro.us.

It just seems that whenever he makes contact, the ball has this funny tendency to sail over fences.

Entering last night’s game in the Bronx, Toronto’s Bautista was pounding one homer in every 9.7 at-bats since 2010. Quite a jump from 29.7, which was his  rate from 2004 to 2009.

“It’s more of the timing of everything,” the major-league leader in homers said before crushing his 19th jack in a 7-3 win over the Yankees. “I start way earlier and I’ve been talking about that for the last two years. It has created a night and day difference because I can get myself to that good hitting position consistently – see the ball better and attack the ball before it gets too deep in the strike zone and those good hitting counts, it’s no joke.

“You can look up historically when people are hitting 2-0, 3-1 counts batting average and power production is way better than 0-2 or behind in the count."

The numbers certainly tell the story. After facing those counts, Bautista is hitting .435 with 17 home runs and 37 RBIs since the start of last season.

Also telling the story is the difference in Bautista’s on-base percentage from last year. It currently sits at .500 after being .378 and that is the by-product of improved patience.

“I haven’t really changed much,” said Bautista, who also leads the majors with 45 walks “It’s just that I’m more patient and that’s allowing me to get more walks and also get into more hitting counts, and that has led to a higher batting average.”

And a higher OPS. His whopping 1,316 OPS is .214 points higher than the next best figure belonging to ex-Yankee and current Cardinal Lance Berkman.  Bautista also leads the majors in runs scored (39), total bases (115) and extra-base hits (88).

He’s not the only surging slugger in this series.

The Yankees’ Curtis Granderson has hit 30 home runs since August 14, six fewer than Bautista in that span. He is the third Yankee to reach 16 home runs in the first 45 games (Tino Martinez 1997 and Alex Rodriguez 2005 and 2007), leading to the chatter about being a power hitter.

“I’m not that type of guy, if it happens – great,” said Granderson, who is on pace for 54 long balls after never having more than 30 in a season. “It’s not something I try to do. I don’t put myself in a category like Bautista or a Ryan Howard or an Alex Rodriguez, except for the fact we’re all baseball players.”

Manager Joe Girardi, though, clearly sees the similarities.

“Bautista you saw a whole year of the same thing and now you’ve seen two months of it,” Girardi said. “Curtis, it’s been the past four months, but it was two months one year and maybe people forget. It’s not glaring how many home runs he hit last year, but then you look at his two months this year and you say, wow, he’s got a lot at this point. It’s two guys that have made adjustments and have become big power hitters.”

So now the AL home run race presently comes down to two well-adjusted outfielders in the AL East.

“After you hit a certain amount of home runs, you can’t help it and people are going to give you all that treatment,” Bautista said. “Whether that means they’re going to change the way they pitch to you or not, then that’s different but he is a power hitter and he might as well embrace it as soon as possible.”

The post Bautista’s bombs are ‘no joke’ appeared first on Metro.us.

Widely regarded as the world’s biggest pop star, the 25-year-old New Yorker has also been busy promoting her second full-length studio album "Born This Way" which is available in stores from May 23.

Gaga arrived at Metro’s offices wearing pink hair in a beehive style, black high heels, fishnet stockings and a black brassiere-like top.

"I’m sorry if my business attire is a little different" she joked as she shook hands with staff.

Gaga took charge of the morning editorial meeting, offering her opinion on a range of topics from bullying to the Japan earthquake to who her heroes are.

She immediately set out her vision for the paper in her role as guest editor for the day, touching on themes she has already mentioned as part of her mission as an entertainer.

"I feel so privileged I get to make music every day," she told staff. "If you have revolutionary potential you have a moral obligation to make the world a better place."

Her new record is the follow-up to her 2008 debut album "The Fame", which went on to sell more than 12 million copies and topped the charts. An extended play release "The Fame Monster" came out the following year.

Gaga, whose real name is Stefani Germanotta, has a huge and famously devoted fanbase around the world whom she calls her "little monsters".

In turn she refers to herself as "Mother Monster" whose every public appearance is a piece of performance art and outlandish fashion statement rolled into one, turning her into a cultural phenomenon as much as a musician.

"I really appreciate the opportunity and it’s a wonderful chance for me to show the world that little monsters are not just a fan thing, but exist outside the music world altogether," Gaga said of her editing activities at Metro.

Gaga’s more notorious outfits to date have included a raw meat dress she wore to the MTV Video Music Awards last year and her arrival at the Grammy Awards in February encased in a giant egg.

"I’m half living my life between reality and fantasy at all times," the "Just Dance" and "Poker Face" singer recently told the Guardian newspaper. "It’s best not to ask questions and just enjoy."

It is not all just about enjoyment, however, and music writers and commentators who have interviewed the singer note a messianic dimension to her ambition which appears to go beyond merely selling records.

Her own online biography concludes: "And, now, I’m just trying to change the world one sequin at a time," albeit with "a wink in her eye."

It is not all plain sailing for the multi-Grammy Award winner, however.

The huge impact of The Fame means the pressure is on for Born This Way to match that commercial and critical success.

Religious groups accuse her of blasphemy, there was dissent in the ranks of her legions of fans over the cover art to Born This Way and she has reacted angrily to suggestions that the first single from the new record was copied from Madonna’s 1989 hit "Express Yourself".

The post Lady Gaga stops by as Metro’s guest editor appeared first on Metro.us.