Madonna tour toes the line
CARDIFF, Wales – Even at 50, the queen of pop just can’t stop courting controversy.
As Madonna kicked off her international “”Sticky and Sweet”” tour Saturday night, she took a none-too-subtle swipe at the presumptive Republican nominee for U.S. president.
Amid a four-act show at Cardiff’s packed Millennium Stadium, a video interlude carried images of destruction, global warming, Nazi dictator Adolf Hitler, Zimbabwe’s authoritarian President Robert Mugabe – and U.S. Senator John McCain. Another sequence, shown later, pictured slain Beatle John Lennon, followed by climate activist Al Gore, Mahatma Gandhi and finally McCain’s Democratic rival Barack Obama.
The rest of the show had the usual Madonna fixtures: sequins, fishnets, and bondage-style outfits drawn from the 3,500 items of clothing reportedly whipped together by 36 designers specifically for the tour. Dancers sauntered across stage in top hats and tail coats, and Madonna tried her hand at break-dancing and pole-dancing.
“”Sticky and Sweet”” moves across Europe throughout September. From there, it goes to North America in October before wrapping up Dec. 18 in Sao Paulo, Brazil.
Michael Phelps to write new book
NEW YORK – Olympic superstar Michael Phelps will write a book telling the story behind his historic eight gold medal wins just in time for the holiday season, Free Press, an imprint of Simon & Schuster, announced Friday.
In “”Built to Succeed,”” Phelps will also cover his philosophy on training and competition, as well as his life being raised by a single mother and coping with an attention-deficit disorder, the publisher said.
The book is scheduled to be released in December.
Phelps, 23, became the winningest Olympian ever at this summer’s Beijing games, earning eight golds to add to six previous Olympic first-place victories. He holds seven world records.
Gwen Stefani gives birth to second child
LOS ANGELES – It’s Love, Angel, Music, and Baby No. 2 for Gwen Stefani, who on Thursday gave birth to a boy.
Zuma Nesta Rock weighed 8 pounds and 5 ounces when he was born, according to publicist Dave Tomberlin.
“”Mother, baby and family are all happy and healthy,”” he said in a statement.
The pop star and fashionista already has one son, Kingston, with her husband, rocker Gavin Rossdale.
Celebrity Birthdays
Actor Sean Connery is 78. Singer Rob Halford of Judas Priest is 57. Director Tim Burton is 50. Country and western singer Billy Ray Cyrus is 47. Actress Ally Walker of “”Profiler”” is 47. Guitarist Vivian Campbell of Def Leppard is 46. TV chef Rachael Ray is 40. Country singer Jo Dee Messina is 38. Model Claudia Schiffer is 38. Actor Eric Millegan of “”Bones”” is 34. Actor Kel Mitchell of “”Kenan and Kel”” is 30. Actress Rachel Bilson of “”The O.C.”” is 27. Talk show host Regis Philbin is 77. Bassist Gene Simmons of Kiss is 59. Actor Blair Underwood is 44.
