Sources were quoted Friday saying Philadelphia police were skeptical of the story rapper Beanie Sigel gave about his shooting a day earlier.
Sigel, born Dwight Grant, claimed he was shot in the shoulder during a robbery attempt in the Philadelphia neighborhood where he grew up Thursday morning.
Sigel, 32, said two cars boxed his vehicle in and four men spilled out demanding his money and valuables. After taking about $75,000 worth of goods and $3,000 in cash, one of the attackers fired four shots, one of which hit Sigel in the shoulder, he told police. He then drove himself to the emergency room.
Sources told the Philadelphia Daily News police were skeptical of Sigel`s version of the story.
Nearby residents said they did not hear any gunshots and investigators were having trouble corroborating the story, the sources told the News.
The holdup was attempted around 7 a.m. by five males travelling in two cars, but there was some confusion about where the shooting took place, police said.
Sigel's attorney, Fortunato Perri Jr., said the shooting appeared to be "a random act of violence."
The 32-year-old rapper spent a few hours at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania before leaving around 11:40 a.m. on Thursday in a wheelchair, wearing a hospital gown, blue jeans and a blanket over his head.
He also had a bloodstained towel on his right shoulder. After getting into a black Mercedes, Sigel lowered the car window and said, "I got shot. I'm cool."
Sigel, born Dwight Grant, was released from federal prison in August after serving a year on a gun charge and was acquitted of attempted murder the following month.
His three albums - "The Truth" in 2000, "The Reason" in 2001 and last year's "The B. Coming" - each hit the top five on the US Billboard album chart.
Philly rapper Beanie Sigel has been shot during an attempted robbery, but is in good condition after driving himself to hospital, according to police.
Sigel was being treated at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania after being shot in the arm. Police said the robbery had been attempted by five men in two cars.
According to sources, Beans was in his vehicle on a South Philadelphia street, at the intersection of 22nd and Sigel, the same street that influenced his rap pseudonym, when two other vehicles, one being cited as a black Dodge Mirada with dark tinted windows, closed him in and the five men approached his car.
The alleged gunman has been described as black male in his 30s, with a beard and wearing jeans and Timberland boots. The man fired two shots, at least one striking Beanie in the arm, before the rapper was able to flee the crime scene.
The rapper's hits include 2005's The B Coming and The Truth. He has spent time in jail for gun possession and was recently cleared of attempted murder.
Police said there was some confusion about where Thursday's incident, at about 0800 local time, had taken place.
Sigel has dealt with a string of legal and emotional troubles over the past 18 months.
Sigel, whose real name is Dwight Grant, was cleared of attempted murder last September after facing trial for a second time over the 2003 shooting of a man in a crowded street.
He had been released from jail in August 2005 after serving 10 months for illegal possession of a gun.
Faced the reality that his stepfather was murdered in October.
The star was briefly jailed in November last year for failing to keep up child support payments, and in January 2006 was sentenced to two years' probation for an assault committed in 2003.
Sigel has had three albums in the US top five, and starred in the 2002 film State Property and its sequel.
Hot on the heels of news that Sony Pictures wants to get going on a sequel to the confirmed smash hit The Da Vinci Code, Variety reports that the film's screenwriter, Oscar winner Akiva Goldsman, has been hired to screen adapt author Dan Brown's novel Angels & Demons.
Angels & Demons was actually published before Da Vinci Code, but the latter book's phenomenonal success boosted sales for its predecessor. Sony acquired the rights to Angels when it sealed the deal for Da Vinci.
Variety claims that neither Da Vinci director Ron Howard nor star Tom Hanks, who portrayed symbologist Rober Langdon in the film, have deals in place for Angels & Demons, but they will both reportedly "have first crack at the project."
Variety reminds us that in Angels & Demons, Langdon "tries to solve a murder and unravel a plot by an ancient group, the Illuminati, to blow up the Vatican during a papal conclave."
Angels & Demons will be produced by the Da Vinci's Brian Grazer and John Calley.
For book collectors, the lavish, illustrated edition of Angels and Demons, the prequel to The DaVinci Code, is about the approximate size and heft of a textbook. It’s filled with photos and illustrations of Christian sites and symbols. The book’s hero, one Robert Langdon, Harvard symbologist, must navigate these in order to find an evil weapon -- antimatter.
Antimatter is introduced to the reader on a page labeled, "Fact." And on the next page is an author’s note, telling us, "References to all works of art, tombs, tunnels, and architecture in Rome are entirely factual."
The illustrated edition heightens the documentary feel, with slick photos and artwork to accompany the text. There’s even a photograph of something called a "small antimatter trap," with a photo credit from CERN, the European Center for Nuclear Research.
Angels and Demons, first published in 2000, drew nowhere near the vitriol The DaVinci Code did three years later, in part because it took liberties not with church history but with scientific accuracy.
To be fair, author Dan Brown has taken pains to remind us that his novels are strictly fiction. But the intimation of truth is what made The Da Vinci Code titillating enough to sell over 44 million copies of the book, and millions of tickets at the box office.
Tonight is the showdown. Tomorrow, we find out who has become America's new Idol. And since it's an election year, we tend to examine the voting more closely. Interestingly, the finalists broke down among regional lines -- the now-departed Elliot Yamin is from the Northeast, Taylor Hicks is from the South and Katharine McPhee is from the West. With the huge bloc of Northeastern voters released by Elliott's departure, which way will they swing? West or South? Do we need an electoral college?
It is their destiny to be on American Idol. The story of how top two finalists Katharine McPhee and Taylor Hicks got on the show seems to tell us so.
In a conference call arranged by Star World on Saturday, Katharine and Taylor, who will fight it out today for the coveted title, shared their experiences.
She would have graduated from the Boston Conservatory 10 days ago. Instead, Kat, who dropped out of school, sings for millions around the world today for the chance of a lifetime.
McPhee Has No Regrets
The sultry singer from Los Angeles, California, said she has no regrets. Taking a break from school opened many doors, she said, including “American Idol.”
Taylor Hicks’ lucky break appears to have been borne on the winds of Katrina. He was in New Orleans en route to Memphis the night before the deadly hurricane hit. The Memphis auditions were cancelled. Instead of a refund, the airline gave Taylor a free ticket “to anywhere in America.”
He used the ticket later to fly to Las Vegas, where he caught up with the auditions there.
After completing the first semester of her sophomore year, Katharine, 21, met an agent who promised her TV roles. She was looking in that direction when she made it through the “Idol” tryouts in San Francisco.
Taylor, who made gray hair cool, recalled that his father had been less than enthusiastic about his plan to audition. The older Hicks told his son, “Why don’t you just buy a lottery ticket?”
Three Songs Each
Judge Simon Cowell earlier declared Kat one of the best female vocalists. Having a vocal coach for a mom is her edge over Taylor.
But the struggling musician from Birmingham, Alabama, has the advantage of experience, having performed in nightclubs since he was 16.
“He’s so alive onstage,” Kat says of her rival when asked what she thought he did better. Taylor returns the compliment: “It’s so cool just to listen to her voice.”
For the finale today, both Kat and Taylor get to sing three songs, two of which should be numbers they have previously performed on the show.
Taylor confessed that he never thought he would make it this far, “judging from Simon’s early comments.”
But, even Cowell, who has repeatedly criticized the 29-year-old as “performing like he’s drunk,” has yielded and, last week, predicted that Taylor would be “it.”
Katharine’s fan base has obviously shown some muscle as well. She was in the bottom two and almost got the boot two weeks ago.
“I thought I was the one going home then (it was Chris Daughtry), and I actually felt shitty that I didn’t,” Kat said.
Taylor said he might sneak in a harmonica solo or two in today’s showdown at the Kodak Theater in Hollywood. He said he tried to do that in previous performances but wasn’t allowed to. Whatever happens, he said, he’s “gonna have fun and make America smile.”
What about Kat’s gimmick? “I don’t have any,” she said. “[Maybe] I will just wear a really hot dress and a nice pair of shoes.”
As the top two contenders, Taylor and Kat are guaranteed separate record deals. Her album, Katharine said, would be along the lines of Joss Stone and Norah Jones. Taylor—who had written and recorded songs before “Idol,” said he would like to re-produce and re-record those songs for commercial release.
“I want cutting-edge music in my album,” Taylor insisted.
Asked how he hits the high notes, remembers the words and dances a storm, he simply answered, “Dancing is a lot easier than hitting the high notes!”
In an earlier interview he was asked what he would do if he didn’t win.
“I’ll probably go back to being broke,” he replied in jest.
More recently, he was asked if he would consider living in Hollywood henceforth.
Taylor said, “You know what, I’ll probably live in the tour bus. That has always been my dream.”
As the fifth season of "American Idol" winds to a close, here is where we find the previous winners:
Kelly Clarkson: The 24-year-old spiced up her girl-next-door image -- and distanced herself from "Idol" -- to become a major star, nabbing two Grammys this year for best pop vocal album for "Breakaway" and female pop vocal performance for the song "Since U Been Gone."
Ruben Studdard: The big-voiced soul singer dubbed the Velvet Teddy Bear is, so far, the winner with the slightest payoff. His two discs -- "Soulful" and the gospel-flavored "I Need an Angel" -- chalked up solid sales but lacked the buzz of the records by his female counterparts.
Fantasia Barrino: The Grammy-nominated Barrino -- a 21-year-old single mom and high school dropout from North Carolina -- sold nearly 2 million copies of her 2004 album, "Free Yourself." And she'll star as herself in an upcoming Lifetime movie, "Life Is Not a Fairy Tale: The Fantasia Barrino Story."
Carrie Underwood: The 23-year-old blond, blue-eyed country crooner from Checotah, Okla., has sold about 3 million copies of her 2005 disc, "Some Hearts," the fastest-selling debut of any "Idol" champ. Tom Corson, executive vice president of J Records, which signs the show's singers, predicts Underwood will become the "next Faith Hill or Shania Twain."
ATHENS - - Finland was the surprise winner of the 51st Eurovision song contest on Saturday with the monster-themed hard rock band Lordi beating 23 other competitors.
Lordi scored 292 points from telephone voters in 38 countries with its song "Hard Rock Hallelujah" in a performance in Greece that both shocked and amused viewers.
Finishing in second place was Russia with 248 points going to Dima Bilan's "Never let you go."
Bosnia-Hercegovina was in third place with 229 points going to the group Hari Mata Hari singing the melodic "Layla."
The Eurovision contest, which launched the careers of Abba and Celine Dion, was broadcast live across Europe to an estimated audience of more than 100 million.
In Finland, young people on the streets of the capital Helsinki welcomed the news of their country's Eurovision triumph enthusiastically, although no big celebration was being planned.
"It's amazing that Finland has finally won something. Though I don't like Lordi myself, it's great! We don't win anything," said Mari Pelli, an 18-year-old childminder.
Groups of young people, mostly teenagers or in their early 20s, walked from one bar to another in Helsinki singing the winning song, shouting the lyrics of Hard Rock Hallelujah at the tops of their voices.
"I don't like the band but I'm very happy that they won. Eurovision is a show for entertainment, not for music," said Mikko Mattila, a 30-year-old student.
"It's not Sibelius, but they have their own way. Lordi is the best," said Satu Puolakka, a 19-year-old student.
It's not just online pornography, gambling and free MP3s that put your computer at risk. Search terms will do it, too. The most dangerous search term you can use? It's "free screensavers."
Why? If you type "free screensavers" into any search engine, and it will lead you to unscrupulous Web sites that will try to infest your computer with spam, spyware and dangerous downloads, reports the BBC News. Fully 64 percent of the sites found using this phrase caused problems for users, according to a report from the British company Site Advisor.
Led by from Ben Edelman and Hannah Rosenbaum, the researchers entered 1,394 popular keywords into Google, Yahoo!, MSN, AOL and Ask. Using the Site Advisor security tool, they analyzed the results for each search term. Site Advisor warns users when Web sites are known to be dangerous.
What is "dangerous"? The most benign would try to change users' browser settings to direct them to specific ad sites, while the most insidious would deluge users with spam or bundle adware and spyware with downloads. Using security flaws and loopholes in the browsers, some sites install software on the sly, which can allow the PC to be hijacked or lead to the loss of personal data, reports the BBC.
Here's an example: Once users registered their e-mail addresses, one particularly sinister Web site sent more than 300 spam messages a week.
Across all searches, up to 6 percent of the sites were flagged as dangerous, notes the BBC. "Even a single visit to a dangerous site can have serious and lasting implications for the average internet user," Edelman and Rosenbaum wrote in their report.
A massive auction of Star Trek props, costumes, models and Vulcan tapestry culled direct from Paramount's studio vaults was announced Thursday by Christie's in New York. Though billed as a 40th anniversary event, the sale, to be held Oct. 5-7, will feature less of the 40-year-old variety Starfleet stuff, and more of the Next Generation and beyond variety brands.
"It'll be interesting to see what a Picard sells for versus a Kirk," Beverly Hills-based antiques dealer Joseph Maddalena said Friday.
The newish items--a Captain Picard Next Generation-era jumpsuit (estimated at $8,000-$12,000); a skintight Seven of Nine Voyager outfit ($2,000-$3,000); an imitation-leather Klingon captain's chair from Star Trek V: The Final Frontier ($6,000-$8,000)--are part of a 1,000-plus item lot.
Trek expert Michael Okuda said the sale will be "clearly, the largest, best [Trek] auction." To be sure, the sale will mark the first time Paramount has price-stickered movie- or TV-tested phasers, uniforms and (empty) bottles of Chateau Picard.
Along with wife and fellow Trek expert Denise Okuda, Michael Okuda is cataloging the auction pieces for Christie's. The couple, both veteran crew members of the latter-day Trek series and movies, have spent about three months trolling five Paramount warehouses for suitable Starfleet pieces.
Finds from Trek, circa 1966, were rare, Michael Okuda admitted.
"Very little of the original Star Trek has survived," he said. "Also, back then, no one had any idea that Trek would become the phenomenon it was...We were delighted to find even a few things from the original Star Trek."
Among the delights was a costume worn by Dr. McCoy (DeForest Kelley) in the 1968 episode, "The Tholian Web." Denise Okuda said she found it at the bottom of a box: "My eyes caught a particular color."
More prevalent were artifacts from the movies and relatively recent TV shows, Next Generation (1987-94), Deep Space Nine (1993-99), Voyager (1995-2001) and Enterprise (2001-05).
Okuda said just about everything in the warehouses were fair game for the auction, minus some unspecified "key records" Paramount was keen on keeping. Even with near total access, the couple said they were picky about what they picked--a couple of goblets and glasses from Quark's Deep Space Nine bar, not the whole cabinet-full of them. Michael Okuda said he and his wife were seeking balance: Something for Picard fans, something for Klingon sympathizers, something for costume aficionados, etc.
"We approached it as each piece is competing to be in," he said.
They also were discerning because Trekkers are discerning: "I would disagree that Star Trek fans would buy anything. They know," Michael Okuda said. "...Just because there's Star Trek on it doesn't mean it'll make a lot of money."
Ah, but if it is the right Star Trek item, it can make a lot of money. A whole lot of money.
Maddalena's Profiles in History shop once sold a Captain Kirk tunic from the original Trek series for $48,875. Its auction of Kirk's original space-age La-Z-Boy bridge chair brought in $304,750. (By comparison, Christie's will seek $10,000-$15,000 for a replica of the Kirk chair made for the 1996 Deep Space Nine episode, "Trials and Tribble-ations.") Kirk alter-ego William Shatner even scored $25,000 for a kidney stone. (He passed the money straight to charity.)
Maddalena, who said he unsuccessfully bid to handle the Paramount lot himself, plans to attend the Christie's auction in October. He said he's as curious to see how the newer-era Trek memorabilia, heretofore largely unavailable, does, as he is to see how a giant-sized sale, boasting hundreds upon hundreds of pricey pieces, holds up. ("There's a lot of people who collect this stuff, but...")
At the end of the Starfleet log, Maddalena called the auction a "great opportunity" for Trek fans: "They burst open the vaults." And if only the vaults had been burst open in a third-season episode of say, Voyager, they might be for sale, too.
Pop star Janet Jackson celebrated her 40th birthday with celebrity friends at Hollywood hotspot Shag on Tuesday night. Among the guests were Jackson's boyfriend Jermaine Dupri, rapper Busta Rhymes and Paris and Nicky Hilton.
The star was serenaded by Stevie Wonder, who sang a special rendition of "Happy Birthday." Jackson has recently unveiled a sleek new look for the upcoming release of her new album, 20 Years Old.
Not long ago the singer, who once proudly possessed a gym-toned body, was seen with more than a few extra pounds on her famous frame.
But more recently Janet has dropped the extra luggage, returning to her former svelte self, thanks to a punishing fitness regime to regain that super-fit shape her fans expect.
According to Jermaine Dupri, her main man, Janet had added the pounds deliberately for a possible film role. But Jackson grew tired of the larger figure, wanting to get slim again to promote the new album.
She insists that rumor of demand from her record label to lose the extra pounds are untrue.
"It is not a requirement of her contract to lose weight," a rep of Miss Jackson said.
Rocker Tommy Lee is dating a top porn actress, who has just gone public with their romance.
The Motley Crue drummer, who was once married to Heather Locklear and Pamela Anderson, has fallen for Vivid Video sex kitten Stefani Morgan -- and she's not afraid of letting everyone know about the fling.
The pretty blonde has gone on the record in FHM magazine, insisting she has "no complaints" about Lee.
Morgan, who claims to have dated former 'N Sync star JC Chasez and Paris Hilton's sex video partner Rick Solomon, insists everyone is fascinated by her new beau, who famously showed off his impressive manhood in a sex video on a boat with ex-wife Anderson.
The porn star says, "More guys than girls ask me about Tommy in the bedroom. Everyone asks me, 'So how's the sex with Tommy?' I have no complaints.
"I've had a lot of great sex with other people before, and with Tommy it's awesome. He's also the most down-to-earth person I've ever met. I'm crazy about him."
Morgan, who stars in new porn DVD release "Rawhide," reveals she fell for Lee at a Vivid Video party in January.
A former dancer at Walt Disney World who used to dress as Cinderella and Snow White has been named Playboy's Playmate of the Year.
Kara Monaco, 23, an aspiring actress from Lakeland, Florida, received a check for $100,000, a car and a sports motorbike from Playboy Enterprises Inc., company founder Hugh Hefner announced at the Playboy Mansion.
Monaco, a blonde, hopes to leverage her new role to boost her modeling and acting career.
Kara Monaco was born February 26, 1983 in Lakeland, Florida. Monaco grew up in Orlando, Florida. She was Playboy's Miss June 2005.
Kara has no relation to Kelly Monaco, Miss April 1997.
Prior to becoming a playmate, Kara was working as a bartender and model. In addition to working for Walt Disney World, she modeled for swim wear and lingerie in Florida. Monaco has also appeared in Stare magazine as a bikini model. Her connection with Playboy began when she was chosen as Playboy's Sexiest Bartender 2004.
Kara also appeared on the cover of Playboy's Girls of Summer newsstand special edition in August 2004.
She has appeared in episodes of E! reality TV series, The Girls Next Door.
Kara also appeared in a blue bikini in the 2006 Playmates at Play playmate swimsuit calendar, shot in Las Vegas..
A former dancer at Walt Disney World who used to dress as Cinderella and Snow White has been named Playboy's Playmate of the Year.
Kara Monaco, 23, an aspiring actress from Lakeland, Florida, received a check for $100,000, a car and a sports motorbike from Playboy Enterprises Inc., company founder Hugh Hefner announced at the Playboy Mansion.
Monaco, a blonde, hopes to leverage her new role to boost her modeling and acting career.
Kara Monaco was born February 26, 1983 in Lakeland, Florida. Monaco grew up in Orlando, Florida. She was Playboy's Miss June 2005.
Kara has no relation to Kelly Monaco, Miss April 1997.
Prior to becoming a playmate, Kara was working as a bartender and model. In addition to working for Walt Disney World, she modeled for swim wear and lingerie in Florida. Monaco has also appeared in Stare magazine as a bikini model. Her connection with Playboy began when she was chosen as Playboy's Sexiest Bartender 2004.
Kara also appeared on the cover of Playboy's Girls of Summer newsstand special edition in August 2004.
She has appeared in episodes of E! reality TV series, The Girls Next Door.
Kara also appeared in a blue bikini in the 2006 Playmates at Play playmate swimsuit calendar, shot in Las Vegas..
LAS VEGAS -- It is fewer than 72 hours before the biggest fight of his life and Ricardo Mayorga is angry. For him, it is a familiar state of mind.
Mayorga has been shouting to be heard, first over the din in the poverty-riddled streets of Managua, Nicaragua, and later in the dank world of prizefighting, where he has labored without getting what he believes has been his due for many years.
Today he is shouting at his attorney, Tony Gonzalez, and at his promoter, Don King, in an effort to get more money out of King and HBO, the network televising his light middleweight title defense against Oscar De La Hoya tomorrow night. As usual, no one is listening.
''He ain't changed his mind," King said when asked yesterday if Mayorga has decided to go back on his promise to refuse to fight if he is not paid $8 million, a sum that exceeds the contract he signed by roughly $6 million.
''He ain't got no mind!” King adds. “I don't know what goes through a mind like that, but Ricardo Mayorga is my pick to bring back boxing. I said that right here in Forbes magazine [the financial magazine that did a recent story on King and his empire].
''Why? Because he's a fighter,” King continues. “He's not no rocket scientist. He's a fighter. Now ethics and morals leaves a little bit to be desired, but he's a fighter. You just can't take everything he says like it's holy writ.
“You sign for a fight, you go fight!”
''Wednesday he said he'd give me an hour to agree to the $8 million. The message there was extortion and blackmail, but we ain't got no dispute on what the agreement is. You sign for a fight, you go fight. He signed for $2 million and I owe him $200,000 from his last fight. That's $2.2 million. I asked him, 'Why'd you pick $8 million? Why wasn't it $12 million or $20 million?' I admit, he's always scheming, but it's been 24 hours and he's still here. Of course, he's going to fight.
''I could never condone what he did yesterday but Ricardo is just trying to get into Oscar's head. He's been quite effective, too. He's in my head."
Mayorga holds the World Boxing Council 154-pound title, a belt he won in his most recent fight, against Michele Piccirillo. It's the second time he has been a world champion but he has never cashed the kind of checks that are commonplace for De La Hoya. The same was true when Mayorga lost to Felix Trinidad. It is others who get the millions, he says.
That, at least, is how he sees it. Mayorga's life is a struggle -- to overcome poverty, boxing politics, and the lack of a powerful promoter until King took over his career. Now it is to overcome King himself, who is set to grab half the $4 million fee De La Hoya's promotional company gave him to deliver Mayorga.
Ricardo Mayorga is Trying to Get Into Oscar De La Hoya’s Head
Mayorga is angry at De La Hoya, whom he has publicly insulted repeatedly during the promotion. He has called him a chicken, and worse. He has insulted De La Hoya's wife and his Mexican-American heritage. He even reached out and slapped De La Hoya on the back of the head when he wasn't looking at one news conference during a coast-to-coast tour to hype the fight, a move that caused De La Hoya to uncharacteristically leap up and go after him until cooler heads got between them. Even the usually cool De La Hoya acknowledges Mayorga has done what others could not do: He has gotten under his skin.
''He done insulted Oscar De La Hoya to the point where he can't back down," King said of Mayorga. ''After all that talk, he can't walk out. That can't stand with the ghetto mentality or the barrio mentality. He's got to fight, man."
Mayorga (28-5-1, 23 KOs) knows this. He may, indeed, smoke and drink during training camp and even in his corner after a knockout victory, as he did the night he upset Vernon Forrest three years ago to become welterweight champion. He might act like a lunatic at nearly every public appearance, but King is right about one thing: Mayorga knows what he is. He's not a rocket scientist. He's a fighter. And so he will fight after having built up a powerful distaste for an opponent he barely knows.
Mayorga Has a Powerful Distaste for De La Hoya, an Opponent He Barely Knows
''I really just don't like him on a personal level," Mayorga said. ''I've always had disdain for him, especially now that he's going to fight me. I was in training [for De La Hoya] on my birthday. I wasn't able to have Easter dinner with my family like I usually do. I attribute that all to him. I am going to knock him out, but I want to stop his heart, or detach his retina. One of the two.
''I just don't like him. There's really no explanation. I have absolutely no respect for his punching power. Even if he hits me below the belt, it's not going to even make me wince."
When Mayorga says such things, there is a level of anger in him that percolates so close to the surface, you can almost see it bubbling beneath his skin. But there is also a lunacy to much of what he says and does that makes you wonder if he's simply putting on the world.
The Mayorga Mother’s Day Present: De La Hoya’s Head on the Canvas
Wednesday was such a day. First, he calmly talked about how he would knock De La Hoya out to honor his mother, who was in the crowd, and his country. He was, by his standards, calm.
Then, as the final press conference -- delayed two hours while he sought more money from King, De La Hoya, and HBO -- wound down, he suddenly took the microphone and said, ''There may be no fight."
This is the same guy who said he had been waiting years to fight De La Hoya because he wants to avenge the two beatings De La Hoya gave his idol, Julio Cesar Chavez. Even Mayorga knows he cannot do one and the other at the same time.
''Chavez was one of my great idols when he faced Oscar," Mayorga said. ''That's a perfect example of why I don't like him. Oscar was pretty much in his prime and Chavez was well past his prime. When I remember seeing him beat up Chavez, I remember saying to myself that I was going to avenge his loss and make Oscar pay for what he did to one of my great idols, his own Mexican idol. And I will."
Not if he doesn't show up at the MGM Grand Garden Arena, of course, which is why he'll be there. That and the 2 million reasons King has given him, plus the best reason of all -- De La Hoya is no longer in his prime.
De La Hoya Is Favorite, But No Sure Bet
At 33, he has not fought in 20 months and is 6-4 since starting his career with 31 straight victories. Although still the betting favorite, De La Hoya is not a prohibitive one and King knows it.
''This is a great opportunity for Ricardo," King said.
Even De La Hoya conceded that this week. There might be no better time to face him since it is nearly two years since he was last hit in anger and that night he ended up on his knees, knocked into submission by a body shot from then-middleweight champion Bernard Hopkins.
Mayorga has suggested De La Hoya quit that night, saying he could have gotten up but chose not to. What he perceives to be De La Hoya's vulnerabilities is why he has run 5 miles a day for the past three months and trained between 2-2 1/2 hours a day. It is why, he says, he has refrained from sex, which is not always his training regimen, and only smokes three or four cigarettes a day rather than his usual 2-3 packs.
He has done all this because, for all his threats, Ricardo Mayorga knows what is in front of him tomorrow night -- both a difficult opponent and an opportunity like no other.
''Obviously, this is the biggest fight of my career and of my life," Mayorga said last week. ''With this fight, I can pretty much guarantee my future and my family's future. I'm coming to leave him a failure. I'm coming to win."
But to do all that, Mayorga, the bombastic challenger, has to show up for the fight of his life.
Madonna is back in the saddle and ready to ride again come May 21.
The Material Girl, and Mom, who broke nine bones in a horse riding accident last year, stars with six Andalusian stallions in a 58-page photo spread in W magazine’s June issue, on newsstands May 19.
On the magazine’s cover, she wears equestrian-inspired garb, complete with a riding crop and fishnet stockings.
Madonna, 47, suffered three cracked ribs, a broken collarbone and a broken hand after falling off a horse on Aug. 16.
Her “Confessions Tour” kicks off in Los Angeles on May 21. She will be supporting her 2005 album, “Confessions on a Dance Floor.”
The images - shot by celebrity photographer Steven Klein - feature the star posing topless, wearing fishnet stockings, leather gloves and a riding crop.
A source said: "Madonna still looks amazing even though she is 47. She has always been comfortable about showing off her body.
The images - shot by celebrity photographer Steven Klein - feature the star posing topless, wearing fishnet stockings, leather gloves and a riding crop.
Rapper 50 Cent is calling out talk show host Oprah Winfrey, accusing her of discriminating against rappers.
50 Cent -- real name Curtis Jackson claims that media savvy Oprah rarely invites rappers to her show.
50 Cent claims it's because Oprah doesn't want to offend her predominately white viewers.
The 29-year-old explains, "I think she caters to older white women. Oprah's audience is my audience's parents.
"So I couldn't care less about Oprah or her show."
Winfrey recently made rap headlines when Ludacris appeared on her show to promote his film "Crash" and instead got lectured about his controversial lyrics.
Rapper 50 Cent usually saves his beefs for other rappers, but this time he's going after Oprah Winfrey.
He complained that Winfrey rarely asks rappers to be on her talk show: "I think she caters to older white women. Oprah's audience is my audience's parents, so I do care about Oprah and her show."
Rapper-actor , aka Chris "Ludacris" Bridges, said Winfrey was also "unfair" when he appeared on the show with his co-stars in Crash.
"She edited out a lot of my comments while keeping her own in," he said. "We were doing a show on racial discrimination, and she gave me a hard time as a rapper, when I came on there as an actor."
Luda admits being on The Oprah show was a big, big moment for him even if Oprah dissed him or at least tried to. Prior to Luda, only three rappers had ever appeared on Oprah show. Kanye West to discuss his car accident, Ditty and LL Cool J for clothing and overall stardom, and then Luda as part of the cast of Crash. Although 50 Cent may say, " I couldn't care less about Oprah or her show," Do you think competitive 50 Cent really would NOT want to be a rapper who went one-on-one with the black diva of daytime talk really gave her a piece of his mind? You just know he gets a boner every time he imagines slipping on the gloves to step into the very public, very mainstream arena against Oprah.
Face it. 50 Cent would stand to gain much more from such exposure. And he knows it. What really would be in it for Oprah?
Also, is Oprah's audience really that much different from the audience Barbara Walters and The View serves? 50 Cent appeared to enjoy the adulation from the ladies of The View not long ago when he promoted the release of his latest movie.
So, Mr. 50 Cent, why so much venom for Oprah. Why single her out as anti rappers, a player hater? You certainly don't lack for exposure. You are reaching the demographic you represent and lust for in sufficient numbers. Correct?
It should have come as no surprise to any rapper anywhere, including Ludaris or 50 Cent, that Oprah--like millions of other adult Americans--might express objection to the themes or lyrics rappers rush to embrace. The lyrics shock, titillate, demean. Young folk love that. They love pissing off the grownups, the power vendors. Remove the lyrics and, in many listenings, there is hardly anything to get upset about. Mom, dad, and kid alike could feel it. When it comes to rap, it's the lyrics, Bro'.
According to Luda, "She played me out. But I came back at her strong in defense of hip hop on many things. But Oprah's people censored everything I said. I had so many comments in my defense.
In all honesty Oprah never wanted me on the show. I called my agency and was, like, why am I not able to come. I am on there as an actor, Chris Bridges.
"This can’t be about my lyrics. I am not sure if it was a hate rap thing, or hate my lyrics. I had to fight to get onto Oprah. They called me the night before the show and said ok, although it was 2 months before where everybody else knew."
Yep, maybe it's the lyrics more than the rapper, the substance, or lack of it, more than the popular messenger. But the messenger is not off the hook, especially if the messenger composes, writes and delivers the lyrics.
If you have seen Crash, you may remember that some of the most intense scenes in Oscar-winning movie involve the characters played by Terrence Howard and Chris Bridges. Terrence plays Cameron, an African-American Hollywood executive, and Chris plays Anthony, a young man who commits the carjacking at the movie's opening scenes.
One line by Cameron about the thuggish Anthony, Chris says, really stuck with him. Cameron admonishes Anthony, saying,
"You embarrass me. You embarrass yourself."
"What it did for me…it just makes you realize that [our characters]—not only as black men," Chris adds, "but as a race, as Americans, as human beings—we're only as strong as our weakest link. And that can go for a lot of the things that are going on in America today."
Sources were quoted Friday saying Philadelphia police were skeptical of the story rapper Beanie Sigel gave about his shooting a day earlier.
Philly rapper 
Hot on the heels of news that Sony Pictures wants to get going on a sequel to the confirmed smash hit The Da Vinci Code, Variety reports that the film's screenwriter, Oscar winner Akiva Goldsman, has been hired to screen adapt author Dan Brown's novel Angels & Demons.
Tonight is the showdown. Tomorrow, we find out who has become America's new Idol. And since it's an election year, we tend to examine the voting more closely. Interestingly, the finalists broke down among regional lines -- the now-departed 
As the fifth season of "American Idol" winds to a close, here is where we find the previous winners:
ATHENS - - Finland was the surprise winner of the 51st Eurovision song contest on Saturday with the monster-themed hard rock band Lordi beating 23 other competitors.
It's not just online pornography, gambling and free MP3s that put your computer at risk. Search terms will do it, too. The most dangerous search term you can use? It's "free screensavers."
A massive auction of Star Trek props, costumes, models and Vulcan tapestry culled direct from Paramount's studio vaults was announced Thursday by Christie's in New York. Though billed as a 40th anniversary event, the sale, to be held Oct. 5-7, will feature less of the 40-year-old variety Starfleet stuff, and more of the Next Generation and beyond variety brands.
Pop star Janet Jackson celebrated her 40th birthday with celebrity friends at Hollywood hotspot Shag on Tuesday night. Among the guests were Jackson's boyfriend Jermaine Dupri, rapper Busta Rhymes and Paris and Nicky Hilton. 
She insists that rumor of demand from her record label to lose the extra pounds are untrue.
A former dancer at Walt Disney World who used to dress as Cinderella and Snow White has been named Playboy's Playmate of the Year. 
LAS VEGAS -- It is fewer than 72 hours before the biggest fight of his life and Ricardo Mayorga is angry. For him, it is a familiar state of mind.
Mayorga holds the World Boxing Council 154-pound title, a belt he won in his most recent fight, against Michele Piccirillo. It's the second time he has been a world champion but he has never cashed the kind of checks that are commonplace for De La Hoya. The same was true when Mayorga lost to Felix Trinidad. It is others who get the millions, he says.
''He done insulted Oscar De La Hoya to the point where he can't back down," King said of Mayorga. ''After all that talk, he can't walk out. That can't stand with the ghetto mentality or the barrio mentality. He's got to fight, man."
50 Cent -- real name Curtis Jackson claims that media savvy Oprah rarely invites rappers to her show. 
Luda admits being on The Oprah show was a big, big moment for him even if Oprah dissed him or at least tried to. Prior to Luda, only three rappers had ever appeared on Oprah show. Kanye West to discuss his car accident, Ditty and LL Cool J for clothing and overall stardom, and then Luda as part of the cast of Crash. Although 50 Cent may say, " I couldn't care less about Oprah or her show," Do you think competitive 50 Cent really would NOT want to be a rapper who went one-on-one with the black diva of daytime talk really gave her a piece of his mind? You just know he gets a boner every time he imagines slipping on the gloves to step into the very public, very mainstream arena against Oprah.