Beyonce, Swift win big at Grammys
LOS ANGELES, Feb. 1 (UPI) -- Taylor Swift's "Fearless" won the album of the year prize at the 52nd annual Grammy Awards ceremony in Los Angeles Sunday night.
The CD also earned the award for best country album, while Swift's song "White Horse" garnered the gongs for best country song and best female country vocal performance.
Sunday was also a tremendous night for Beyonce, who walked away with six Grammys, a record for a female artist.
Her CD "I am... Sasha Fierce" won the prize for best contemporary R&B album, while her hit "Single Ladies... (Put a Ring on It)" won the honors for song of the year, best R&B song and best female R&B vocal performance. She also won the award for female pop vocal performance of the year for her song "Halo" and for best traditional R&B performance for her rendition of "At Last."
"Make it Mine" by Jason Mraz won the award for male pop vocal performance of the year and the Zac Brown Band was named best new artist.
Kings of Leon's "Use Somebody" won the awards for record of the year, best rock song and best rock song by a duo or group with vocals.
"Run This Town" by Jay-Z, Rihanna and Kanye West won the trophies for best rap song and best rap/sung collaboration. Jay-Z also picked up the statuette for best rap solo performance for "D.O.A."
Eminem's "Relapse" was named best rap album and his song "Crack a Bottle" featuring Dr. Dre and 50 Cent earned the title of best rap performance by a duo or group.
Stephen Colbert won the Grammy for best comedy album for "Christmas: The Greatest Gift of All" and Green Day picked up the trophy for best rock album for "21st Century Breakdown."
The Black Eyed Peas earned the statuette for pop vocal album for "The E.N.D.," and Lady Gaga won awards for best electronic/dance album for "The Fame" and for best dance recording for "Poker Face."
The star-studded telecast featured on-stage collaborations by Lady Gaga and Elton John; Jamie Foxx, T-Pain and Slash; Mary J. Blige and Andrea Bocelli; and Eminem and Lil Wayne. The Black Eyed Peas, Beyonce, Pink, Swift, Bon Jovi and the Jonas Brothers also performed throughout the show.
Another highlight of the evening was a tribute to late pop star Michael Jackson, who was posthumously honored with a lifetime achievement award.
His 12-year-old son, Prince Michael, and 11-year-old daughter, Paris, accepted the award in their father's place.
"Thank you. We are proud to be here to accept this award on behalf of our father, Michael Jackson," Prince Michael told the crowd. "First of all, we'd like to thank God for watching over us these past seven months and our grandma and grandpa for their love and support. We would also like to thank the fans. Our father loved you very much because you were always there for him."
"Daddy was supposed to be here. He was going to perform this year because he couldn't perform last year. Thank you. We love you, Daddy," added Paris.
Celine Dion, Jennifer Hudson, Smokey Robinson, Usher and Carrie Underwood performed Jackson's "Earth Song" live along with the late icon's pre-recorded voice.
'Transformers,' 'Lost' lead Razzie nods
LOS ANGELES, Feb. 1 (UPI) -- Hollywood's "Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen" and "Land of the Lost" earned seven nods apiece when Razzie Award nominations were announced Monday.
The Golden Raspberry Award Foundation said it will announce the winners of its prizes for last year's Berry Worst "Achievements" in Film at a ceremony at Hollywood's Barnsdall Gallery Theatre March 6 -- the night before Oscars recognizing the best in film for 2009 are to be handed out.
Razzie nominations are traditionally announced the day before Oscar nominations are revealed. This year's Academy Award nominees are scheduled to be announced Tuesday.
"Transformers" earned Razzie nods for worst director and worst picture, as well as worst remake, rip-off or sequel, worst screenplay, worst supporting actress for Julie White, worst screen couple for Shia Le Bouf and either Megan Fox or any Transformer, and worst actress for Fox, who was dually nominated for this film and "Jennifer's Body."
"Land of the Lost" star Will Ferrell is listed in the categories of worst actor and worst screen couple, along with any co-star, creature or comic riff.
The film itself is also nominated for worst picture, worst director, worst screenplay, worst remake, rip-off or sequel and worst supporting actor for Jorma Taccone.
Rounding out the list of worst picture contenders are "Old Dogs," "G.I. Joe: The Rise of the Cobra" and "All About Steve."
In addition to Ferrell, the nominees for worst actor are all three Jonas Brothers for "Jonas Brothers: The 3-D Concert Experience," Steve Martin for "Pink Panther 2," Eddie Murphy for "Imagine That" and John Travolta for "Old Dogs."
Competing with Fox in the worst actress category are Beyonce for "Obsessed," Sandra Bullock for "All About Steve," Miley Cyrus for "Hannah Montana: The Movie" and Sarah Jessica Parker for "Did You Hear About the Morgans?"
Nominees were determined by mailing ballots to 647 Foundation members in 46 U.S. states and 19 foreign countries.
The organization said the Razzies were created in 1980 as "a logical antidote to Tinsel Town's annual glut of self-congratulatory awards by John Wilson, author of "The Official Razzie Movie Guide' and 'Everything I Know I Learned at the Movies.'"
Tyler's lawyer fights replacement plans
BOSTON, Feb. 1 (UPI) -- Steven Tyler's lawyer has sent a letter to his U.S. band Aerosmith warning the musicians not to replace Tyler while he is in rehab, Billboard.com reported.
Guitarist Joe Perry recently said he and his fellow band members are talking to singers about standing in for Tyler while he undergoes treatment for an addiction to painkillers and has surgery for performance-related injuries.
But Billboard.com said Tyler's attorney, Skip Miller, sent Aerosmith manager Howard Kaufman a letter last week, requesting he "immediately cease and desist from engaging in acts and conduct to the harm and detriment of your own client, Aerosmith, and our client who is one of its members."
Miller added in his letter: "Contrary to all common sense, you are seeking to bring about the replacement of Steven Tyler. Aerosmith without Steven Tyler is like the Rolling Stones without Mick Jagger, or U2 without Bono. While this management strategy may get the band on the road a few months sooner, it ultimately could destroy Aerosmith."
The lawyer also told Billboard.com he has scheduled a meeting Feb. 9 for interested parties to discuss the band's future.
"Steven Tyler does not want lawsuits," Miller said. "We do not want to go in that direction. The direction we want is Aerosmith, with Steven Tyler, touring in Europe, touring Latin America, releasing a new album ... This is the direction it's all intended to go. It's just amazing to me current management would be taking any other position."
Kristen Bell and Dax Shepard get engaged
LOS ANGELES, Feb. 1 (UPI) -- Kristen Bell's publicist has confirmed the U.S. actress is engaged to marry her longtime beau, actor Dax Shepard.
The film stars have been together for more than two years.
Bell's representative confirmed to UsMagazine.com exclusively the happy news of her betrothal.
A source told the magazine's Web site Shepard, 35, proposed to Bell, 29, during the holidays and the actress reportedly was wearing her new engagement ring on the red carpet at the Grammy Awards show in Los Angeles Sunday night.
Bell is best known for her portrayal of a teen private detective in the TV series "Veronica Mars." She has also starred in the movies "Forgetting Sarah Marshall" and "When in Rome."
Shepard's film credits include "Without a Paddle," "Zathura," "Employee of the Month" and "Baby Mama." He will soon be seen in the TV drama "Parenthood."
