Superstars Bono, Angelina Jolie, and Madonna are among the most well-liked and trusted public figures in the world, according to a new international poll.

Each year The Reputation Institute evaluates politicians, sports stars and celebrities to determine who ranks best in the eyes of the public, and this year Salt star Jolie, U2 frontman Bono and veteran entertainer Madonna made the cut.

The total list of 54 was compiled using information from the general public and measured by the degree to which a person was liked, respected, admired, and trusted.

Former South African President Nelson Mandela topped the list, tennis ace Roger Federer came in at number two, and music mogul/entrepreneur Richard Branson also made the top five.

Beloved TV host Oprah Winfrey and rocker Bono came in at eight and nine, respectively, while Jolie beat out U.S. President Barack Obama (14) and the Dalai Lama (13) for a spot at number 12.

Soccer hunk David Beckham was 24th on the list and Madonna was 29th. Lady Gaga also just made the cut – at 41.

Source:  http://www.torontosun.com/2011/09/23/bono-madonna-most-well-liked-stars

Universal Music Group, in hopes of increasing leverage with retailers and with media outlets, will team its talent-management companies with those of Live Nation Entertainment, The Post has learned.

No money is expected to change hands under the deal, which could be announced as soon as today, sources said. Each company will get a 50 percent stake in the combined companies, sources added.

The Universal companies to be merged include: Trinifold, Twenty First Artists (TFA), 5B and Sanctuary. Together they house artists such as The Who and ZZ Top.

The idea is for the separate units to take advantage of each other’s relative strengths in, for example, negotiating deals with retailers like Target or getting airtime on morning TV shows.

Irving Azoff’s Front Line Management, part of Live Nation, will manage the venture. Front Line represents Christina Aguilera, Jimmy Buffett and Neil Diamond.

Universal is also holding talks with Live Nation about the possibility of releasing Madonna’s upcoming album in spring 2012.

Source: http://www.nypost.com/p/news/business/universal_live_nation_teaming_up_roFAkspqDPGMivM7iEcNvM

Madonna has final cut on her abdication-crisis movie W.E. The N.Y. Post reports she has agreed to about 10 minutes of cuts, after generally brutal reviews at the picture’s debut at the Venice Film Festival and a showing at the Toronto festival.

The 115-minute picture is to open Dec. 9, and the Post says “distributor Harvey Weinstein and the film’s producers have been angling for Madge to slice the running time.”

You know the routine: “It’s great, sweetheart, we love it, really, but it could be even better if we just .” (Translation: “Aaaiiiieeee!”)

The Daily Mail quoted Herself saying “maybe it needs a bit of this and a bit of that, and maybe it’s still a work in progress … For God’s sake, I hope it’s over with soon!”

Source: http://www.montrealgazette.com/news/Madonna+panned+movie+down+size/5427844/story.html

The day Madonna put Jacko’s hand in her cleavage: Craig Brown on the most extraordinary encounters of the last century.

He has a genius for mimicking the rich and famous.

But in a fascinating departure, CRAIG BROWN’s latest book is based totally on fact. Utterly bizarre as these encounters between the rich and famous may seem, each one really did happen. In this glorious series, he picks the most revealing.

And remember: each one actually took place — proof that sometimes, fact truly is stranger than fiction…

MADONNA AND MICHAEL JACKSON
The Ivy restaurant, Beverly Hills, Los Angeles, March 15, 1991

Wondering who might be sufficiently glamorous to accompany her to the Academy Awards, Madonna has a brainwave.

‘How about Michael Jackson? Oh my God, what a great idea!’ she exclaims to her manager, who immediately arranges a preliminary dinner at The Ivy for the two biggest-selling stars in the world.

In the past, Jackson has been puzzled by Madonna. Though he is an astute businessman, he can’t fathom her appeal.
‘What is it about her? She’s not a great dancer or singer.’

Two years ago, he was somewhat put out to discover that she was being advertised by Warner Brothers as the ‘Artist Of The Decade’.
‘It makes me look bad,’ he explained. ‘I’m the artist of the decade, aren’t I? Did she out-sell Thriller? No, she did not.’

At their table at The Ivy, Madonna wears a black jacket and hot pants with lacy stockings. Around her neck hangs a crucifix. Jackson is wearing black jeans, a red shirt and matching jacket, topped off with a fedora. He keeps his dark glasses on.

‘I’m sitting there, you know, trying to be nice. And the next thing I know, she reaches over and takes my glasses off?…?And then she throws them across the room and breaks them. I was shocked. ‘?“I’m your date now,” she told me. “And I hate it when I can’t see a man’s eyes.”?’

As the dinner progresses, Madonna thinks she has spotted Michael taking a crafty peek at her breasts. Grinning, she snatches his hand and places it upon them. Jackson recoils.

When all is said and done, this is not his style. But Madonna is not the kind of person to take no for an answer; later during their dinner, she saucily drops a piece of bread down her cleavage, then fishes it out and pops it into her mouth.

The effect on Jackson is one of instant queasiness. Their exploratory dinner cannot, therefore, be judged a great success, but at least it is not so disastrous as to derail their joint entrance at the Academy Awards ceremony.

They cut a dash together: Jackson in a white-sequinned suit with a large diamond brooch, plus gloves and gold?tipped cowboy boots, Madonna in a skintight low-cut gown, also white?sequinned, and $20?million worth of jewels.

Afterwards, they go to Swifty Lazar’s annual Oscar night party at Spago.

Once inside, it is not long before Madonna drifts towards her former lover Warren Beatty, leaving Jackson all alone. He is rescued by his old friend Diana Ross.

‘Well, I just don’t understand it, Michael,’ Ross says loudly.

‘I mean, she’s supposed to be with you, isn’t she? So, what is she doing with him?’

‘I don’t know,’ whispers Jackson. ‘I guess she likes him better.’

‘Well, I think she’s an awful woman,’ says Diana Ross, reassuringly. ‘Tacky dress, too.’

Source: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2038449/Madonna-Michael-Jacksons-hand-cleavage-Craig-Browns-extraordinary-encounters.html#ixzz1YEdpwsCo

Madonna’s publicist is denying reports that the pop icon wanted volunteers at the Toronto International Film Festival to face away from her as she left a press conference this week.

The singer had already been criticized for slamming the choice of flowers a fan gave her at the Venice Film Festival this month, and making sure reporters only asked a single question at TIFF, where she’s promoting her film “W.E.”

“Neither Madonna nor her security ever gave instructions for the volunteers to turn away from Madonna,” the singer’s spokesperson Liz Rosenberg said in the statement.

“In fact she was so impressed with the volunteers that she publicly thanked them from the stage for their hard work before the premiere of her film last night which earned a standing ovation. She had a wonderful time at the festival and was especially delighted that she got to spend so much time with her fans in front of the theatre which is a famous tradition at the Festival.”

According to the Globe and Mail, eight volunteers claimed they were told by “an outside security firm” to face a wall when Madonna passed through a hallway on Tuesday. TIFF officials confirmed that they did not instruct their volunteers to turn away from Madonna. “We are still trying to figure out who and why anyone would ask the volunteers to turn away from Madonna. She has never and would never ask anyone to do that ever,” concluded Rosenberg.

Source: http://m.ctv.ca/

Thanks to Michael!

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Thanks Chatty Kathy!

Madonna with Abbie Cornish, Andrea Riseborough and Abel Korzeniowski at the Toronto Film Festival Press Conference for W.E. (September 12 2011)