La Toya Jackson’s New Memoir Details Conspiracy To Murder Michael Jackson (Photos)

Tuesday (June 28, 2011) night, I had the utter pleasure of meeting the sweet, soft spoken La Toya Jackson at her book signing for Starting Over, at the Barnes & Noble at The Grove LA.  Over a thousand excited fans showed up for the rare opportunity to meet their idol, and many were seen leaving the scene in tears of joy after they had accomplished what they stood waiting in line for hours to do.

I went to the event as both press and a true fan and happy that I was able to express to La Toya my heartfelt appreciation for the wisdom, kindness and lightheartedness she displayed on the latest season of Celebrity Apprentice. If you watched her on that show, you know what I mean. If you didn’t, the gist of it is that La Toya always remained her humble self despite the fact that all of the women on the show ganged up on her, some in the most vile and disrespectful ways. La Toya never threw mud back and only expressed forgiveness when given a chance to speak. It was refreshing to see a woman being a lady on reality TV these days.

In her new tell-all memoir, La Toya pays tribute to her late brother, Michael Jackson, revealing intimate moments she shared with the deeply troubled pop legend.

Rick and Kathy Hilton With Latoya Jackson and Jackson’s manager, Jeffre Phillips

La Toya was the first of MJ’s sibling to arrive at the hospital after Michael was rushed there two years ago, and as the informant on his death certificate, she noticed suspicious details and demanded a second autopsy. For the first time, she unveils shocking behind-the-scenes dealings that she believes led to her brother’s demise and she provides unprecedented insight into the destruction of one of the most dynamic artists in history.

La Toya claims there was a conspiracy to murder Michael. “People come into your life, wiggle their way in, control you, manipulate, control your funds, your finances, everything that you have,” she told Piers Morgan on CNN last week. She said her brother told her right before his death: “La Toya, I’m going to be murdered for my music publishing catalogue and my estate.”

La Toya has been consistent in her allegations since Michael’s passing. In her memoir, La Toya offers more detail on who wanted Michael dead in her opinion and reveals how much MJ himself knew about the plot. She told Morgan: “Michael told me that they were going to murder him. He was afraid for his life. I believe that when Michael walked in that house that night, whatever it was that greeted him, he knew that his end was upon him. And as soon as he had passed, some of the very people he had expressed suspicions about now controlled his estate.”

Although Dr. Conrad Murray, Michael’s private physician, will solely stand trial for MJ’s death, La Toya suggests he is not even at the center of the conspiracy to kill MJ. “I truly feel Dr Murray was simply the fall guy,” she told Extra. “I think it’s too easy to blame him. I think the investigation needs to go … further.”

Celebs who came out to support La Toya’s book signing:
Lisa Vanderpump and Ken Todd (Real Housewives of Beverly Hills)
Corbin Bleu (High School Musical)

Actor Flex Alexander, wife recording artist Shanice and their children Elijah Alexander and Imani Alexander

SPOTTED: Bethenny Frankel (Photos)



SPOTTED: Bethenny Frankel at a book signing at Barnes & Noble at The Grove in Los Angeles, CA June 20, 2011. 


Fans lined up for hours for a chance at a meet and greet with Frankel, the star of the hit Bravo series, Bethenny Ever After, and formerly Real Housewives of New York City. Oh, and Skating with the Stars.

Frankel signed copies of her new book — the New York Times Bestseller, A Place of Yes, which has quickly become a new fan favorite. Frankel has over 500,000 followers on Twitter, and from the looks of the many who showed up to meet her in person, she has fans who are continually inspired by all that she has accomplished and continues to accomplish.

A BIG BIG thanks to The Grove for providing all of the pics below:

SPOTTED: Nick Jonas (Exclusive Photos)

SPOTTED: Nick Jonas at The Grove in Los Angeles June 13 for an interview with Mario Lopez of Extra.

Nick, without girlfriend Delta Goodrem in tow, took time to take a picture or sign autographs with every one of the hundreds of fans gathered around the Extra stage.

Enjoy the photos.

Nick meeting Rick Caruso, owner of The Grove
Nick meeting lucky fans

Nick and Mario Lopez chatting with Extra crew

VIDEO: Barry Manilow Got Paid $100 For One Of The Most Recognizable Commercial Jingles

SPOTTED: Barry Manilow at The Grove for an interview with Mario Lopez of Extra and and a live performance Thursday June 9, 2011.

Manilow’s biggest song hits include Could It Be Magic, Mandy, Can’t Smile Without You, and Copacabana (At the Copa). But he has also written some of the most recognizable commercial jingles ever created including these decades-long favorites: State Farm Insurance (“Like a good neighbor, State Farm is there…”) and Band-Aid (“I am stuck on Band-Aid, ’cause Band-Aids stuck on me!”). Interesting fact: Manilow told the crowd today that he received a measly $100 and $500 for these amazingly successful ads.

You can watch the interview and Barry’s performance below!

WATCH THE VIDEO!

SPOTTED: Super 8 Cast! (Photos)

SPOTTED: The super talented young cast of Super 8 was at The Grove for an interview with Mario Lopez of Extra. The cast described the movie as sci-fi, comedy, romance, action, and suspense all packed into one sure to be blockbuster summer movie!

Joel Courtney, Ryan Lee, Riley Griffiths, Zach Mills, and Gabriel Basso play the lead roles in this JJ Abrams/Steven Spielberg collaboration.

I saw a screening of this movie and will write a review here soon, but what I will say for now is that I was so THOROUGHLY impressed with the acting of this young ensemble, especially new comer Joel Courtney, that I loved what would have otherwise been a so-so thriller. What sold this movie for me was the cast’s ability to completely draw me in to the story lines of the more innocent and simpler times of the late 1970’s (simpler at the beginning anyway). I was also surprisingly moved by the young love story between Courtney and Elle Fanning. Elle, Dakota’s younger sister, proved that talent runs deep in that family! And Joel proved that he can play lead, even a romantic one, when surrounded by an awesome cast.

Enjoy these pics – I am sure you will see more of these young and coming actors in other movies soon:






Mario showing Super 8 EW Cover to The Cast
A fan asked Joel to autograph a $100 bill!
Joel and me 🙂

Riley and me 🙂

Ryan and me 🙂

VIDEO: Jimmy Buffett Talks About His Margaritaville Video Game (Photos)

SPOTTED: Jimmy Buffett at The Grove, LA, for an interview with Jerry Penacoli of Extra. Jimmy talked about his new “Margaritaville Online” video game made for Facebook and iOS devices, due out this fall. This online video game will target Buffett’s devoted followers, known as Parrotheads.

Buffett plays himself in the game and says about the game’s development, “I was pretty actively involved in it because the key to it was finding somebody who basically knew the myth and basically were Parrotheads before. I didn’t want to have to explain myself to anybody anymore.”

Watch this video to see how he describes the game:

Photos: ‘Wonder Woman’ Lynda Carter Sings! Who Knew?



Lynda Carter, the original Wonder Woman, is a singer. Who knew? 

She was spotted Monday June 6 at The Grove, first for an interview with Mario Lopez of Extra and then for a signing of her new CD, Crazy Little Things, at  Barnes & Noble. 
The CD was recorded at Starstruck Studios and The Compound in Nashville and was released in April. It has 13 tracks of cover songs.

SPOTTED: Ice-T & Coco Austin Talk Wedding Vow Renewal (Video & Photos)



SPOTTED: Rapper and Law & Order: Special Victims Unit star Ice-T and his actress/model wife Coco Austin were at The Grove for an interview with Mario Lopez of Extra. Ice-T’s son, Ice Marrow, Jr. (The Real Teens of Hollywood) and their dog Spartacus joined in for the fun.

The couple have been married for ten years and now have their own reality show, Ice Loves Coco, debuting on E! on June 12, 2011.

The duo renewed their wedding vows on Friday, June 4, 2011 while the cameras were rolling for their new show. The event took place at the W Hotel in El Lay.

Watch the video clip below to hear Ice-T say that the renewal was his idea because when the two first got married, they had eloped. He had said he wanted to do the renewal within five years, but it took him ten years instead because he is a “normal man.”