Barack Obama Page 10

As if it wasn’t already amazing enough that Chance the Rapper is one of the hottest young musical properties in the world, he’s now seemingly exploring a sideline in modelling, showing off a small range of clothes in tribute to Barack Obama titled ‘#ThankUObama’.

The Chicago-born rapper announced the art project-meets-clothing line on Twitter on Thursday evening (February 2nd), with a link to ThankUObama.Us, along with a selection of photos of him sporting items form the range. Each item is inspired by Obama, either boasting his image or something related to him.

One maroon T-shirt reads ‘Malia’ – the 44th president’s eldest daughter – while another sees his face topped with a crown, imitating the iconic Notorious B.I.G. image.

Continue reading: Chance The Rapper Models '#ThankUObama' Fashion Range

Rock icon Bruce Springsteen secretly played a 15-song acoustic gig at the White House last week, bidding farewell to the outgoing president Barack Obama and his staff.

The 67 year old rock veteran has been a regular visitor to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue throughout Obama’s two terms in office, and he received the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2016.

According to a report on the Springsteen fan site Backstreets – which reports on every gig The Boss performs, no matter how hard it is to get into – the attendance was around 250 staff members at the White House. He was joined by his wife, Patti Scialfa, for two tracks, and he even performed ‘Born In the U.S.A.’ – a track he very rarely plays live.

Continue reading: Bruce Springsteen Plays Acoustic Farewell Gig For Obama At White House

With just a few days left in Barack Obama’s eight-year presidency, some of Hollywood’s greatest are getting wistful about the prospect of him bowing out to make way for the divisive Donald Trump.

One such star is George Clooney, who spoke to The Hollywood Reporter in London at a special screening of Netflix’s Syrian civil war documentary The White Helmets on Monday night (January 9th). The actor, known to be frequently politically engaged, shared his thoughts on the most memorable moment in Obama’s two terms as president.

George Clooney with wife Amal at Cannes in 2016

Continue reading: George Clooney On Barack Obama's Most Memorable Moment As President

We don't know how many mics President Barack Obama has broken in his lifetime from his numerous mic-drop moments but we're guessing it's probably a lot. His latest was his response to Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump's 'Mean Tweet' about him, which he read out on 'Jimmy Kimmel Live'. 

Donald Trump is shut down by Barack Obama

So it was actually more of a phone-drop moment to be precise, but nonetheless Obama nailed his Trump comeback when he appeared on a segment of 'Jimmy Kimmel Live' called 'Mean Tweets', where celebrities read out the funniest put-downs that have been directed at them on Twitter.

Continue reading: President Barack Obama Shut Down Donald Trump's Mean Tweet In 9 Words

Leonardo Dicaprio joined President Barack Obama and atmospheric scientist Katharine Hayhoe in a conversation about global warming during a new event called South by South Lawn (SXSL) at the White House. He was also there to promote his new climate change documentary 'Before the Flood'.

Leonardo DiCaprio talks global issues with Barack Obama

'The Revenant' actor moderated the conference last night (October 3rd 2016) in Washington, D.C., where they talked about the work that was already being done within the US and around the world to tackle the issue, and what we can expect from the world if certain other changes are not made soon under the new presidential leadership.

Continue reading: Leonardo DiCaprio Talks Climate Change With President Barack Obama At South By South Lawn

It would be so easy for President Barack Obama to forget to take his job seriously, to lose himself in the adoration of the people and over-indulge his rockstar status. And yet he doesn't. Even when he hit up Jimmy Fallon on 'The Tonight Show' to 'slow-jam the news', he still managed to be serious about his accomplishments as leader of the United States.

Jimmy Fallon seemed delighted to have Obama on the show

That being said, it doesn't mean he wasn't funny about it. He struggled to keep a straight face when Fallon crooned into the mic: 'Even when Congress tried to block him, he found a way in through the back door', and even joined in a brief rendition of Rihanna's 'Work'. We know what you're all thinking: why can't he just stay? He has an answer to that too. 'I can't stay forever. Besides, daddy's got a Hawaiian vacation booked in about 223 days', he tells the audience, looking at his watch.

Continue reading: President Barack Obama Dances To Rihanna's 'Work' On Jimmy Fallon

President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama are one of the most-loved power couples in the world, but did you ever wonder how these two influential and strong-minded human beings got together? 'Southside With You' reveals it was as simple as ice cream and a movie.

Parker Sawyers and Tika Sumpter star in 'Southside With You'

Written and directed by Richard Tanne in his directorial debut; a filmmaker who is also due to write the screenplay for Julius Caesar biopic 'The Roman'; the story was first envisaged in 2007. The Obamas have never shied away from discussing their personal and family lives, which is what makes them so well-loved. 'Southside With You' explores how this couple; Barack Obama and Michelle Robinson as she was known at the time; first came together after meeting at the Chicago law firm of Sidley Austin in 1989. 

Continue reading: 'Southside With You' Explores Barack Obama And Michelle Obama's First Date

Another SXSW has come and gone and it has definitely been one to remember. As well as the usual display of all the best music to keep tabs on for the rest of the year, there were some brilliant films being premiered and some particularly interesting speakers at this year's SXSW Interactive. Plus, there were some major surprises which were, ironically, only to be expected.

Drake performed a surprise set at Fader Fort

First off, there were rumours all over the place that Drake was going to appear for a surprise set at SXSW this year and indeed we weren't disappointed. It wasn't long after Yo Gotti left the stage at Fader Fort on Saturday (March 19th) that the 'Hotline Bling' hitmaker appeared for his OVO Sound set. He wasn't the only one to take to the mic though as several other artists from his new label project including DVSN, Wood$, Majid Jordan and PartyNextDoor also joined him to showcase the Toronto based Warner Music Group imprint. Drake himself played six songs (sadly none of which were his aforementioned hit) such as 'Energy' and 'Know Yourself'.

Continue reading: Drake, Obama And Willie Nelson: Here Are The Highlights Of SXSW 2016

Finally, Lin-Manuel Miranda's rap musical 'Hamilton' has arrived at its spiritual home, the White House, for a special performance opened by President Barack Obama who revealed it as a favourite in the Obama household. He introduced the Broadway show with much humour and enthusiasm as he explained the significance it has on American history.

Lin-Manuel Miranda brings Hamilton to the White House

'Hamilton is not just for people who can score a ticket to a pricey Broadway show. It is a story for all of us, and about all of us', Obama declared in a riveting speech ahead of the performance in Washington, D.C. yesterday (March 14th 2016). The play was arriving at the White House for the first time and was live-streamed for all to see.

Continue reading: From Broadway To D.C.: 'Hamilton' Finally Arrives On Obama's Doorstep

SXSW has long been known as a festival of firsts, of innovations and of introductions. And now, this year, they have announced that for the first time ever, a Keynote Conversation will be delivered by the US President and his First Lady as part of their Interactive and Music sections.

Barack Obama and Michelle to deliver Keynote speech

President Barack Obama will be opening Keynote on the first day of the citywide Austin festival, March 11th 2016. He'll be talking to The Texas Tribune's Editor in Chief Evan Smith about the roles communities and individuals are playing in political, social and technological development in front of audience featuring creative talents and entrepreneurs. Obama is thought to be planning to discuss the big issues of society from leadership to climate change.

Continue reading: President Obama To Deliver Keynote Discussion At SXSW Interactive

Despite his grave assurances that he would NOT be singing at the start of the evening, President Obama couldn’t help but be swept along at a star-studded tribute event for the music of Ray Charles at the White House.

Paying tribute to the late singer, who died in 2004, the President led the crowd in a sing-a-long during filming the final episode of the current series of ‘In Performance at The White House’ on Wednesday (February 25th), and the last such event of his presidency.

The Ray Charles tribute evening was the last of Obama's 'In Performance at The White House' series

Continue reading: President Obama Pays Tribute To Ray Charles In Last 'In Performance' Of His Presidency

Stephen Colbert made the most of landing the prestigious post-Super Bowl slot on Sunday night, as he mounted an ambitious special edition of ‘The Late Show’ that included a game of catch with President Obama and Chewbacca.

“I’m honoured to follow the Super Bowl,” Colbert said on Sunday (February 7th), opening ‘The Late Show’ and therefore becoming the first live late-night broadcast to get the coveted post-Super Bowl timeslot. “Because we’re broadcasting live tonight, I can do anything and CBS has a team of lawyers standing by to make sure that I don’t.”

Stephen Colbert hosted the post-Super Bowl timeslot on CBS

Continue reading: Stephen Colbert Indulges In Long-Distance Football Catch With President Obama And Chewbacca

President Barack Obama has joined the #OscarsSoWhite debate which is currently dominating this year’s Academy Awards coverage. With a number of Hollywood stars speaking out on the controversy, the POTUS has said Hollywood could benefit by 'making sure everyone’s story is told'.

Barack Obama has joined the #OscarsSoWhite debate.

Speaking to reporters at the White House, Obama described the outrage as “just an expression of this broader issue”, The Guardian reports. “I think that California is an example of the incredible diversity of this country. That’s a strength,” he said.

Continue reading: Barack Obama Joins #OscarsSoWhite Debate, Asks: 'Is Everybody Getting A Fair Shot?'

It’s not every day that one of the most powerful men in the world tells you that one of your songs has been their favourite track of 2015. But that was exactly what happened to Kendrick Lamar when Barack Obama named his tune How Much A Dollar Cost? as his top track of the year.

Kendrick Lamar thinks President Obama's praise is "great"

And what do you then say to the President of the United States when he reveals this? You responded with a cool, calm and collected: "That’s great."

Continue reading: Kendrick Lamar Reacts To President Obama's Praise

Veteran director Steven Spielberg and multi-platinum selling singer Barbara Streisand are among the list of names to receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian honour in the United States.

President Barack Obama will present the awards to an exclusive selection of 17 guests during a ceremony at the White House next Tuesday (November 24th). Among the names to be honoured are singer Gloria Estefan, her music producer husband Emilio Estefan and songwriter Stephen Sondheim, as well as a list of sportsmen, activists, academics and civil servants.

Steven Spielberg

Continue reading: Steven Spielberg, Barbara Streisand Among Recipients Of Presidential Medal Of Freedom

Monika Tano from Birmingham gave birth to her daughter Liliana on 22 July, 2013 - the same day Prince George was born - and now she's celebrating the coincidence again, reports ITV News. Her second daughter Aurelia arrived at 1.47am this morning (Saturday 2 May) at Birmingham Women's Hospital - just under eight hours before The Duchess of Cambridge gave birth to a girl. 

Monika said, "It feels amazing to have two children who share royal births. It is such a fantastic coincidence."

The proud parents present royal baby No 2

Continue reading: Woman's Children Both Share Birthdays With Royal Babies

Let's talk about the White House Correspondents dinner - the only event on the political character where you get to laugh at the speeches completely guilt-free. The night included bits and improv by sharp and hilarious comedians like Cecily Strong, Keegan-Michael Key and even Laverne Cox, but also gave the president a chance to do what he does best - be as funny and charming as he wants. 

One thing is certain - the president knows how to poke fun at himself.

According to his speech,  Obama is bringing a new attitude to the final quarter of his presidency: "Bucket!"

Continue reading: Barack Obama's, Fox And CNN All Receive Thorough Roasting At White House Correspondents Dinner

We didn't think it was possible to pack this much awesomeness into one sentence, but here it is: Michelle Obama and Ellen Degeneres just posted a video of themselves dancing to Uptown Funk. 

Ellen and the First Lady are actually age-old workout buddies.

It was all in honour of the FOTUS' Let's Move campaign, its five year anniversary, to be precise. So, being the skilled multi-tasker that she is, Mrs. Obama decided to kill two (actually, several) birds with one stone. 

Continue reading: Michelle Obama And Ellen Degeneres Also Like To Move It, Especially To The Tune Of "Uptown Funk"

Celebrities can use their platforms for more than just album sales, self promotion and controversy – Katy Perry, of all people, proved as much on Sunday night, when she used her Grammy performance – By the Grace of God – to highlight domestic abuse and give a platform to a survivor. Perry was joined onstage by President Barack Obama, who introduced her.

Katy Perry looking like a beautiful, surreal alien queen at the Grammys.

Continue reading: Katy Perry Collaborates With Barack Obama And Abuse Activist Brooke Axtell For Grammy Performance

If you thought things were getting a little too heavy surrounding the now not to be released comedy The Interview, then President Obama has certainly lightened the mood after he fluffed star James Franco’s name during his year end news conference.

That's James Franco, not Flacco

Speaking about Sony’s decision not to release the film the President said, "I think it says something interesting about North Korea that they decided to have the state mount an all-out assault on a movie studio because of a satirical movie starring Seth Rogen and James Flacco.”

Continue reading: President Obama Mistakenly Calls James Franco 'James Flacco' During Year End News Conference

The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt was recently delayed, causing many fans of the franchise to despair. But there’s been a whole load of news, updates, information and cold hard gameplay to remedy that brief disappointment of late.

First up is an actual release date: The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt will be released on February 24 2015. Next up are details of the various editions: the pre-order-only Collector’s Edition contains a figurine of Geralt fighting a chimera, a 200-page art book, a steel case and a steel wolf medallion, plus you’ll get a beta invite to virtual board game The Witcher: Adventure Game. 

Continue reading: The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt: Release Date Confirmed, Special Edition Unpacked And Gameplay Trailer Revealed

The latest in a month of celebrity bodily fluid-related news: following on from Jennifer Lawrence's Oscars chunder shame, and Paul McCartney's diarrhoea illness, Lea Michele has revealed that she peed herself prior to performing for President Barack Obama and his family at The White House.

The Glee actress has revealed that she was so nervous before her performance that she had to ask her friend Jonathan Groff to help calm her nerves but in doing so he made the actress laugh so much that she accidentally wet herself. She also revealed that she stole toilet paper from The White House because it had the official seal on it.

More: Lea Michele drank wine as a toddler.

Continue reading: Lea Michele Wet Herself Before Performing For Obama, And Nicked Some Presidential Loo Roll

With nothing confirmed, it’s difficult to know who called who what, but TMZ are reporting that Barack Obama, George Clooney and Steve Wynn were all called an  “a—–e” at least once in an alcohol fuelled spat at a fancy dinner in L.A, which occurred two weeks ago at Botero restaurant at Wynn's Encore hotel.

Here's George Clooney. That's about the only fact in this article

Apparently (we’ll be saying that word a lot, or synonyms like, reportedly and allegedly) Wynn said Clooney got drunk on tequila shots and gave it to Wynn when he – allegedly - said something negative about the president. Reportedly, Clooney launched an F-bomb at Wynn and took off. Wynn reportedly told the Las Vegas Review-Journal, "When he's (Clooney) is drinking, he considers himself a close personal buddy of the President. Clooney's fun to be with when he's sober ... . If you have a chance to drink with him, you want to get there early, and don't stay late."

Continue reading: Who Called Who What? George Clooney And Steve Wynn's 'Spat'

George Clooney's business partner says the Monuments Men actor was not drinking shots before his blowout argument with casino mogul Steve Wynn earlier this month. "We weren't drunk," Rande Gerber told TMZ.com.

George Clooney At The Monuments Men Premiere, in London

As the gossip website previously reported, Clooney and Wynn locked horns at a glitzy dinner in Vegas after Wynn called President Obama an a-hole. The actor shot back, calling Wynn the a-hole, before storming out.

Continue reading: George Clooney Wasn't Drunk During Steve Wynn, Obama Argument

There are probably many benefits to being the POTUS, but for a day at least, the biggest one has to be advance access to Season 4 of Game of Thrones. President Obama got to see advance screenings of the highly anticipated new season of the HBO show weeks ahead of its scheduled premiere on April 6.

The POTUS gets the final word on matters of international importance AND Game of Thrones screeners.

Thrones co-creators David Benioff and D.B. Weiss recently told Vanity Fair that the advance screenings did indeed take place, making fans of the show across the world extremely jealous. “One perk of being the most powerful man in the world: yes, you get to see episodes early,” the pair said in a joint email.

Continue reading: Did The Commander-In-Chief Just Binge-Watch 'Game Of Thrones' Season 4?

Barack Obama showed off his acting chops when he was interviewed by Zack Galifianakis on ‘Between Two Ferns’. The President of The United States traded insults with The Hangover star as the pair discussed healthcare reform, bad third movies, the problems with North Ikea and basketball.

Zach Galifianakis and Obama really went at it

It was Mr Obama that kicked off the insults, saying, "When I heard that people actually watch this show, I was actually pretty surprised." To which Zack (I’m not spelling his name out every time) replied: "What is it like to be the last black president?" "What's it like for this to be the last time you ever talk to a president?" Mr Obama replied."It must kind of stink, though, that you can't run three times?" continued Zak.

Continue reading: Barack Obama And Zach Galifianakis Trade Slugs In Hilarious Sit-Down

Not content with glitzy premieres across the globe, George Clooney, Matt Damon and Bill Murray took their World War II black comedy/drama The Monuments Men to the White House to let the most powerful people in the free world take a look.

Bill Murray and George Clooney drive to The White House

That’s right, President Obama and his cronies in Washington sat down, rolled out the popcorn and took in The Monuments Men with a big coke. The big coke and popcorn parts are spurious conjecture, but come on. I mean, come on. The film screened in the Family Theater, and participants had particular historical and social relevance – like the movie itself. This event was not open to the press.

Continue reading: Did Anyone At The White House Enjoy 'The Monuments Men'? Obama?

President Barack Obama played host to some of Hollywood's elites on Tuesday evening (Feb 18th).

The White House opened its East Wing theatre to the cast and crew of George Clooney's new WWII comedy-drama 'The Monuments Men.'

This is the first movie screening in the famed Washington D.C. building since the President announced a moratorium this past November (2013).

Continue reading: George Clooney And Rest Of Cast Attend White House Screening Of WWII Drama 'The Monuments Men'

GQ's least influential celebrities of 2013 list has just been released and there might be a few surprises as well as some obvious names that are highly featured.

Obama was GQs 17th least influential celebrity of 2013

One of more surprising entries comes in at No.17, it is the President of the United States, Barack Obama. According to the magazine, the "majority of this man's presidency watching bad things happen, then hearing a thoughtful speech about how we gotta make sure the bad things never happen again, and then watching as nothing gets done."

Continue reading: Miley Cyrus, Dennis Rodman And Barack Obama All Have Something In Common...They Feature On GQ's Least Influence List

The Vampire Diaries actress Nina Dobrev is the latest high profile support of President Obama's healthcare plans, posing topless with a strategically placed cardboard sign to encourage fans to "get covered."

Dobrev, who says without the insurance "you're naked," praised her homeland of Canada for being at the vanguard of "healthcare for all." The 24-year-old also provided a link to the enrolment site.

Continue reading: "You're Naked": Nina Dobrev Joins Pearl Jam As Supporter Of Obamacare

Queen Latifah is all set to kick off her brand new syndicated television show, which starts tonight on channels across the USA, including CBS. The first show will almost be a Hairspray reunion for the musical's actress who starred alongside John Travolta in the 2007 comedy and will now welcome him as her very first guest on this evening's show premiere.

Queen Latifah Is Set To Host Her Very Own Show.

Indeed she'll be putting her character's name, Motormouth Maybelle, to true use on the new talk show where she'll interview guests in succeeding weeks that will include actors Jake Gyllenhaal, Sharon Stone, Will Smith and Jamie Foxx: all big names who are sure to help the show gain maximum exposure.

Continue reading: Star-Packed Line-Up For Queen Latifah's New Talk Show, Starting Tonight

John McCain iPhone poker game was clearly more important than the crucial Washington hearing on the Syrian regime this week.

While America's most senior foreign policy and military officials were making President Obama's case to forcefully remove Bashar al-Assad, Arizona Republican John McCain was....well, losing at poker.

An eagle-eyed Washington Post photographer snapped an over-the-shoulder shot of Mr McCain playing poker on his iPhone, with the image going viral in minutes.

Continue reading: John McCain's IPhone Poker Game During Crucial Syria Hearing

Sunny is the new White House puppy and member of the Obama family. The White House made an announcement on their official website that the Obama family have a new pet. It has given a unique insight into the lives of the First Family.

Michelle Obama delivering a speech in Florida, February 2013.

Sunny is a Portuguese water dog and the same breed as Bo, the family's other dog. This breed of dog has been specially chosen owing to its "robust coat" (according to MNN) in order to accommodate Malia Obama's allergies. Sunny is just over a year old, and despite her breed, is an American born and bred. She was born in Michigan in June 2012. 

Continue reading: Meet Sunny, The New White House Puppy!

Prime Minister David Cameron has promoted young British musicians by giving all the G8 leaders a 10-track USB stick containing songs from Alt-J, Conor Maynard, Laura Mvula and Gabrielle Aplin with a very prominent theme of love.

Perhaps the Tory party leader is attempting to up his "cool" factor or seem down with the kids - the voters of tomorrow - having also recently been seen at Oxfordshire's Cornbury Festival and regularly sharing his music taste with reporters. The ten songs weren't selected by the busy PM however, rather the British Phonographic Industry (BPI) assembled the tracklist presented to each of the G8 leaders on a USB stick.

Cameron Taking Some Time Out Of Parliament To Soak Up The Sun At Oxfordshire's Cornbury Music Festival.

Continue reading: David Cameron Gives Romantic Mixtape To G8 Leaders, Who's On It?

After The Wire, Luther and Pacific Rim, there can hardly be any doubt – 2013 is the year of Idris Elba. The actor, who rose from humble beginnings, has been on everyone’s lips these past few months and has even been slated to possibly take over as the new 007, when Daniel Craig steps down. That’s all in the realm of speculation, of course, but Elba’s real life successes are not to be discounted.

2013 is the year of Idris Elba.

Even the United States president has apparently taken note. Elba recalled his encounter with Barack Obama in a recent interview with The Sun: “The Obamas invited me to the White House and I had fun, a good time,” he says of his hosts.“David Cameron and his wife were there — he is a Luther fan and so is Barack Obama. “When I saw the President I said, ‘Mr President, I hear I am not your favourite character in The Wire’, and he said, ‘Well, yeah, but Luther — that’s me’.”

Continue reading: On The Rise: Idris Elba On International Recognition And Future Projects

DOMA is dead, America is cheering and Bert and Ernie are celebrating with a quiet night at home – at least this is how The New Yorker envisions the new face of the US. After the Defense of Marriage act was shot down by the Supreme Court yesterday, the magazine released its aptly themed July cover – just on time to catch the end of LGBT Pride month as well. The cover shows Bert and Ernie, the infamous Sesame Street roommates, cuddling in front of a TV with the image of the Supreme Court. While Sesame Workshop has repeatedly stated that Bert and Ernie are just living together platonically, The New Yorker isn’t buying it, and neither is anybody else and what's wrong with being the face of a major social movement anyway?

Obama supports equal marriage rights and now, so does the Supreme Court.

DOMA, the act in question, would have outlawed marriage for same sex couples on the federal level, making it impossible for said couples to marry, even in states, where they were previously allowed to. While the Supreme Court’s ruling against the federal ban on same sex marriage is a new development, the cover itself has been floating around the internet for a while now. First posted by artist Jack Hunter to the tumblr page Blown Covers, the image, entitled “Moment of Joy” originally featured Barack Obama onscreen. This happened right after the president voiced his support for marriage equality, breaking The White House’s long-standing silence on the matter.

Continue reading: The New Yorker Celebrates Historic Moment For Marriage Equality By Outing Bert And Ernie On The Cover

Oh yes, he did – on Monday night, during a concert in Washington D.C., Rolling Stones frontman Mick Jagger decided to throw a quip at President Obama, and a well aimed one at that. “I don't think President Obama is here, but I'm sure he's listening in," the 69-year-old rocker told the crowd, according to tweets from the show, quoted by the Huffington Post. This was, of course, in reference to the recent NSA wire-tapping scandal. Much of the crowd booed at the comment, though it isn’t certain if they were booing Jagger or Obama.

Another reaction was less controversial though – conservative politicians and their supporters certainly had a field day with the comment. It got tweeted by Senator Rand Paul and quickly picked up by his followers - in less than 2 hours, the tweet dialed up three times the number of retweets as Rand's previous tweet, which was posted 20 hours before.

Jagger probably didn’t mean the comment all too seriously, but it does match up with his political stance. The singer has expressed his fondness for the late Margaret Thatcher and his dismay at the way her death was celebrated by her political opponents. Still, apparently there’s no bad blood between the two public figures, despite the claim, posted in a recent biography by David Maraniss that the president used to enjoy impersonating the British rocker in his college days. It’s not like Jagger doesn’t have a few good things to say about Obama though. The singer tweeted the following on Tuesday night: “Was a great show in Washington DC last night ending our US tour. BTW I applaud President Obama's new climate change plans, very refreshing.” Apparently the Monday night comment wasn’t to be taken too seriously.

Continue reading: Conservatives Cheer Over Mick Jagger's Obama Joke

Jennifer Lawrence and Jay Z have been named as some of the world’s most influential people in this year's TIME 100.

The music mogul took number 1 in the Titans category, while the actress topped the list of artists. Each of them will of course be featured on one of Time’s seven special edition covers. The other five will also be graced by people on the list - Elon Musk (CEO and founder, SpaceX; co-founder, Tesla Motors and PayPal), Sen. Rand Paul and teen activist Malala Yousafzai appear on the domestic covers, while Li Na and Aamir Khan will grace the international ones. The issue will also feature a profile of each person on the list, written by another celebrity.

New York mayor Michael Bloomberg profiled Jay-Z, writing: 'Jay-Z embodies so much of what makes New York, New York. Jodie Foster said of Lawrence: 'You'll remember where you were when you first felt it, how you were stuck to one spot like a small animal considering its end.

Continue reading: TIME Magazine's Most Influential 100: Jennifer Lawrence, Jay Z

The second part of President Obama’s interview on the Today show was aired yesterday and he had a lot to say about the coalition government, immigration reform, the abortion issue and yes, even Jay Z and Beyonce’s trip to Cuba.

Well, he said that the White House hadn’t cleared it, at least. After Jay Z released his song Open Letter earlier this month, responding to his critics with the statement that he’d gotten the OK from the Commander and Chief himself, a representative of the Obama administration had to go on record, saying that the president hadn’t dealt with the issue of Jay and Bey’s vacation. Obama simply confirmed this in the interview: “I wasn’t familiar that they were taking the trip,” he said. “This is not something the White House was involved with – we’ve got better things to do.”

The president also apologized for his own blunder earlier this month. During another interview, he referred to California Attorney General Kamala Harris’s good looks, saying that she was the “best looking attorney general” in the US. He later received a lot of flack for the comments, which were perceived as sexist by a number of people. In the Today interview, Obama acknowledged the statement as inappropriate and said: "Kamala knew where I was coming from, but I do think that it was a useful teaching moment for me and for the country. As the father of two daughters, I want to make sure that they’re judged on the merits and not on their appearance.”

Continue reading: Obama Talks Sexist Comments, Jay Z And Beyonce's Vacation During Today Show Interview

Bow Down? Beyonce experienced something for the very first time this week: mixed reaction. The R&B superstar has wowed critics and fans alike with her solo material, though new single Bow Down/I Been On has polarized fans with its strangely out of character lyrics. Check it out. 

Lohan Avoids Jail: How does Lindsay Lohan keep doing it? Faced with a string of offenses, The Canyons actress somehow managed to escape jail again this week, instead getting 90 days of rehabilitation. Hours after her court appearance, she tried to sneak into a nightclub. Hmm.

Continue reading: A Week In News: Beyonce's Bow Down, Emma Watson Passes On Fifty Shades, Lindsay Lohan Avoids Jailtime

Twitter buzzed into life during the third episode of the History Channel's miniseries The Bible last week, with viewers apparently noticing the resemblance between actor Mohamen Mehdi Ouazanni's portrayal of Satan and somebody called, President Barack Obama? According to Topsy.com, there were 20,000 tweets containing the words "Obama" and "Satan" since the airing on Sunday (March 17, 2013).

Though Ouazanni bares a slight resemblance to the current President of the United States of America, many accused the History Channel of right-wing propaganda. However, producer Mark Burnett called the claims "utter nonsense," calling Ouazanni, "is a highly acclaimed Moroccan actor. He has previously played parts in several Biblical epics -including Satanic characters long before Barack Obama was elected as our President." The actor has also had roles in the biblical TV movies, 'Jeremiah' and 'The Ten Commandments.' 

Burnett's wife Roma Downey, also an executive producer of the miniseries, added, "Both Mark and I have nothing but respect and love our President, who is a fellow Christian. False statements such as these are just designed as a foolish distraction to try and discredit the beauty of the story of The Bible." Satan appears in the miniseries, a retelling of the Temptation of the Christ, when Jesus fasted for 40 days in the Judean Desert.

Continue reading: Was President Obama In 'The Bible'? No! It's Utter Nonsense, Says Producer

He was once one of the network's chief political commentators, but now, as Fox Cuts Ties to Dick Morris, he'll have to find pastures new. Morris was mistaken in his staunch predictions that Mitt Romney would win last year's election by a landslide, whereas Barack Obama won what became a very tight race.

According to the Examiner, Morris also came under criticism for accepting payment for advertising on his website from candidates that he discussed for his job. 

Morris has barely been seen on the FoxNews channel since Obama's win, which he reasons was down to his backing of Romney. "The key reason for my bum prediction is that I mistakenly believed that the 2008 surge in black, Latino, and young voter turnout would recede in 2012 to normal levels," he said. We're unsure where Morris may have gathered the kind of evidential reasoning that he surely must have had behind such a bizarre opinion. 

Continue reading: Fox Cuts Ties To Dick Morris After He Made False Predictions

Hey, UK readers, planning on seeing Zero Dark Thirty with a couple of friends this weekend? Of course, you'll be aware it's an Oscar frontrunner. Of course, you'll be aware it's from the director of Hurt Locker, and yes, of course you'll be aware it stars Jessica Chastain and is about the 10 year hunt for Obama Bin Laden. But are you aware of the storm brewing across the pond? If not, here's a guide to the intense criticism the movie has faced in recent weeks.

Political points-scoring began in mid-to-late 2012, when some critics of the Obama Administration accused director Kathryn Bigelow and Sony Pictures of releasing the film in October so that it would support the re-election of President Obama - i.e, the man who gave the command to raid the complex in which Bin Laden was eventually killed. Sony denied the whole thing, stating that the initial release date was chosen because it was the best available spot for an action-thriller. Anyway, the release date was pushed back, but there was more to come.

Next, several Republican sources charged the Obama Administration of improperly providing Oscar-winner Bigelow with classified information about the raid (can you see a pattern emerging here?) The charges became a prevalent election season talking point, with congressman Peter T. Ling requesting that the CIA and the U.S. Defense Department investigate whether or not information was inappropriately released. Both departments said they would look into it, though documents showed no evidence that classified information was leaked to the filmmakers. There was more to come.

Continue reading: Thinking Of Seeing 'Zero Dark Thirty', With Friends? A Controversy Cheat-Sheet!

Beyoncé decided on pre-recording her rendition of the national anthem for President Obama's inauguration because she was midway through intense preparations for her forthcoming Super Bowl performance, according to the conductor of the military band who played with her on Capitol Hill.

Beyoncé was the first ever pop star to be invited to sing the inauguration anthem as 800,000 gathered in Washington D.C. to welcome President Obama into his second term. Around 20 million Americans watched the swearing-in ceremony, though it was the R&B singer who made the headlines after it was speculated she had lip-synced the track. "She's getting ready for the Super Bowl so we didn't have a chance to do anything with her," the conductor of the band who played with Beyoncé told The Times newspaper. It has since been reported that the she recorded the live rendition in a studio, before this was piped out to the masses, to recreate the live feel. However, British audio engineer Ian Shepherd analysed video footage and presented his findings on his Production Recordings web site, arguing that Beyonce did sing live, though a pre-recorded backing track also playing. When Beyonce smiled, Shepherd argued you could "hear this smile in her voice."

Beyoncé and her people are yet to officially comment on the matter, clearly a matter of national importance. 

Continue reading: Beyoncé Lip-Synced To 'Save Herself' For Super Bowl Performance

Commotion over Beyonce's pre-recorded inauguration performance, a very heart warming clip of Steve Harvey, Shakira becomes a Madre and more!

In Defence Of Bey: Music fans recoiled with indignation this week after it was speculated Beyonce had the audacity to pre-record a live performance for President Obama's inauguration in Washington D.C. We'd point you towards the technical difficulties of singing to 800,000 on the sizeable Capitol Hill, and can think of far worse lip-syncing flubs.

Aww, Steve: YouTube fizzed into action this week with a very special video of everyone's favourite TV host Steve Harvey. The Family Feud star was surprised by an old friend, leading him to choke back the tears. We won't say too much, just check it out!

Continue reading: A Week In News: Beyonce Lip-Syncs, Steve Harvey Breakdown, Shakira Gives Birth!

It seemed as though Beyonce Knowles could do no wrong. Married to hip-hop's CEO, Jay-Z, a staunch supporter of President Barack Obama and the strongest female figure in music for years, why, she was the perfect choice to perform the national anthem Obama's inauguration, wasn't she?

Well, it turns out that she was the perfect person to mime Star Spangled Banner, not sing it, as a spokesperson for the event has confirmed to the times that B was moving her lips along but nothing was coming out. The spokeswoman said, "We did pre-record it and it was Beyonce's decision at the last minute to go with the pre-recorded version. We pre-recorded all music as a matter of course and have done since time immemorial," she said. "This is our 54th inauguration...There is no question of there not being any music - it's not because the performer cannot do it."

The stars combined in Washington DC, as part of a run of musical events to celebrate Obama's second inauguration. Kelly Clarkson sung My Country 'Tis of Thee and James Taylor performed America the Beautiful, but, given Beyonce's recent exposure, it's hard to tell who actually sung what. We shouldn't really be surprised, though, as Whitney Houston's 1991 rendition of the anthem -- widely regarded as the greatest we've ever heard from a pop singer was also lip-synched. 

Though 800,000 fans of her father President Barack Obama were packed into Capitol Hill on Monday afternoon (January 21, 2013), young Sasha Obama's yawn became the couple of seconds of video that made the most impression online. The 11-year-old clearly wasn't overawed by the occasion of her father's second inauguration and seemed like she'd had just about enough.

Twitter lit up with excitement over Sasha's apparent boredom at the whole spectacle, with one user, Casey Turner, saying, "Literally every time Sasha Obama is on screen, she isn't paying attention to anything and I really, really love that about her." Sasha and sister Malia - who were also seen playing on their iPhones - seemed to be having much more fun on Saturday, listening to songs like Teenage Dream by Katy Perry at the inauguration ceremony. In a White House news conference last week, President Obama said, "Now that my girls are getting older, they don't want to spend that much time with me anyway, so I'll be probably calling around, looking for somebody to play cards with me or something, because I'm getting kind of lonely in this big house."

During his inauguration speech on Monday, President Obama told the crowd, "'I want to look out one more time because I'm not going to see this again."

Continue reading: Sasha Obama's Yawn Goes Viral: Most Normal President's Daughter, Ever? (Video)

On Saturday (January 19, 2013), 5,000 American kids were treated to a pop spectacle at the Kids Inauguration, at the Walter E Washington Convention Center but will it have any impact on those kids’ future political tendencies? Asides from Usher asserting “the youth matters!” during his aerobically-challenging, dance-heavy performance, the message of the evening seemed to be none more challenging than ‘let’s have fun and celebrate!’

The 5,000 strong crowd, Washington Post reports, was made up primarily of military families, public school kids from DC and a ton of “media folk.” As well as, of course, Sasha and Malia Obama, representing their mom and dad, the First Lady, Michelle Obama and of course President Barack Obama, celebrating the official start to his second term in office yesterday (January 21, 2013). But the evening was low on politics and heavy on pop, with Katy Perry putting in a star turn, in a sparkling, star-spangled onesie and sharing some of her greatest hits for the gathered throng, singing ‘Teenage Dream’ and ‘Firework’ “with gusto.”

The cast of Glee were also on hand with the lightweight entertainment, performing ‘Valerie’ (made famous by Amy Winehouse) and ‘Beautiful’ by Christina Aguilera. Meanwhile, the California boy band Mindless Behaviour might not have the kind of name that you think would get the White House seal of approval but their highly physical performance got the thumbs up from the Obamas, nonetheless. 

Continue reading: Kids Inaugural - Light On Politics, Heavy On Pop Thanks To Katy Perry, Usher And Glee

Michell and Barack Obama wave to the press before their dance

Jennifer Hudson, Alicia Keys and Jamie Foxx were among the celebrities who helped President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama party into the evening on the day that their second term in the White House began. The inauguration itself in Washington DC went down a storm, with the re-elected leader telling his countrymen to "seize the moment", and mentioning many of his pledges that those who'd voted against him last year rallied against, including state welfare and an end to war in the Middle East. 

Continue reading: President Barack Obama And Michelle Celebrate In Style At Jennifer Hudson-Starring Inaugural Ball (Pictures)

Lady GaGa's Born This Way Ball has delighted fans across the USA, including two dates in LA this weekend. The show was described by the OC Register as "a theatrical wonder, a pyrotechnics-free explosion of outrageous sights and chest-thumping sounds that sucks you into its strange futurism even when the concept makes no sense at all." If rumours are correct that she'll be taking some of that theatrical drama to another ball; Obama's Inauguration Ball.

CBS news reports that a rebel source, who isnt officiall authorized to publicize the information, said: "A person familiar with the inauguration tells The Associated Press that [Lady Gaga] will perform at Tuesday's ball for President Barack Obama's staffers."

While the Examiner considers Gaga's performance at the Ball as a 'surprise' but her message through both her 'born this way' campaign and body image revolution are all in line with Obama's political stance on many issues - that of embracing the all and leaving no one behind, particularly in such policies as his 'Obamacare'. 

Continue reading: Lady Gaga Performs In LA And Tipped To Appear At The Inauguration Ball

The NME awards isn't just to praise the biggest and best bands of the year, it is also a platform for popular social commentary, and for a hefty dose of good humored judgement. The categories of Heroes and Villains are a tidy round up of the stars that have done the best and worst work over the year. 

This year's Villain nominations include the obvious choice of David Cameron, but he's facing stiff competition in the form of Harry Styles, Skrillex, Psy, Fred Macpherson and Azealia Banks. Styles being in One Direction (nominated for worst band) is reason enough to be in the list, and Azealia Banks tweeted feud with fellow female rapper Angel Haze in which she used a homophobic slur against Haze certainly makes her a baddy. But as for Fred Macpherson's appearance in the list, we can't quite work out why he's been included, Spector aren't that bad. 

The Hero's list is a far better list and there's no question as to why any of the nominees are included. Dave Grohl brought Nirvana back with the help of Paul McCartney - even if you don't agree with the choice of McCartney, it was a great feat, and Grohl never fails to give his all to music and to an enormous range of bands. Pussy Riot went to prison for speaking openly about LGBT and feminist topics. Frank Ocean brazenly came out in a predominantly heterosexual and largely homophobic hip hop community during 2012, confessing to having fallen in love with a man. Bradley Wiggins is Bradley Wiggins. Barack Obama is Barack Obama. And David Bowie is back. Happy days.

Continue reading: Male Heavy Nominations For NME's Heroes And Villains Inc. Bradley Wiggins, Barack Obama, David Cameron And Harry Styles

Michelle Obama's dress for husband Barack Obama's official swearing-in ceremony in Washington has become a hotly discussed topic online. Mrs Obama fittingly opted for an elegant blue creation at the Sunday morning event in the Blue Room at the White House.

WWD.com was among the first to report on Obama's dress, which is made by designer Reed Krakoff, whose signature collection was started less than three years ago. Krakoff - who is also the president and executive creative director of Coach - said it took him and wife Delphine several hours for it all to sink in. "What's so amazing is it's such a singular moment. It really is a highlight of my career. What we are most proud of is that she would choose to wear something we created for her in New York, and to have that kind of back and forth." He began working on the abstract dress more than three months ago, though is still yet to meet the First Lady. "The First Lady is a strong confident modern woman. She knows what she likes and what works for her and that's what makes a style icon," he said, adding, "She very much embraces fashion but in a way that works for her." Though choosing not to disclose the "elaborate" process behind the making of the dress, Krakoff confirmed that it was made in his West 34th Street studio.

It is not yet known which designer Michelle Obama will wear to the Inaugural Ball on Monday night (January 21, 2013).

Continue reading: Michelle Obama Dress: What Was It And Where Can You Get It?

It may be a star-studded line-up performing at the Barack Obama inauguration today at the White House in Washington DC – featuring Beyonce, Kelly Clarkson and James Taylor - but the event as a whole will be a pared-down affair, in keeping with the expectations that the President wants the public to have about his next four years in charge.

As has been widely reported, Beyonce will be singing the US national anthem ‘The Star-Spangled Banner’, with Kelly Clarkson and James Taylor singing patriotic songs ‘My Country, Tis Of Thee’ and ‘America The Beautiful’ respectively. The ceremony will focus on Obama laying out his vision for the next four years, with the country gripped in financial turmoil. However, if things are going to be relatively austere there, then elsewhere the Kids Inaugural Concert held in honor of the President’s new term saw the likes of Katy Perry and Usher celebrate the new era in style. Hosted by First Lady Michelle Obama at the Washington Convention Center, the event was for her daughters, and saw Nick Cannon emcee the evening, with the Glee cast also among those performing in the evening.

Elsewhere things weren’t so celebratory; a staff writer wrote on his Twitter that rapper Lupe Fiasco – playing the StartUp RockOn concert in Washington as part of the celebrations – launched into a 30 minute tirade against Obama, eventually being led from the stage by security.

Continue reading: Austere Barack Obama Inauguration Ready For Beyonce, Kelly Clarkson And James Taylor

You wouldn’t expect the Obama inauguration to have anything less than a line-up taken from the very top of the music industry, and the US President hasn’t let himself down, after getting Beyonce Knowles on board to perform at the beginning of his second term in leadership.

President Barack Obama will be re-swearing the oaths on January 21 as he prepares himself for another four years in the job, and he’ll be serenaded by not only Beyonce, but by Kelly Clarkson and James Taylor as well. Beyonce was always going to be a popular choice in the Obama household to appear at the event; as People Magazine point out, she and her husband Jay Z have been regular visitors to the White House, whilst the First Lady Michelle Obama has even been known to work out to Knowles’ music. Back in 2009, meanwhile, Beyonce performed Etta James’ classic ‘At Last’ during the Neighborhood Inaugural Ball as the President and his wife took their first dance. We wonder if this will be the first high profile even of her daughter, Blue Ivy, since she turned one year old this week.

Kelly Clarkson will have a tough pair of shoes to fill when she performs. The star will be singing ‘My Country ‘Tis Of Thee’, following soul legend Aretha Franklin, who took on the role back in 2009. James Taylor will sing ‘America The Beautiful’.

Continue reading: Obama Inauguration To Feature Beyonce, Kelly Clarkson And James Taylor

Instagram has been under fire all week after announcing a new terms-of-service policy which gives the company power to sell user photos without compensating the creator, however, one famous celebrity appears to be leading the fight against the social media giant. Kim Kardashian - one of Instagram's most prominent users - is considering deleting her account unless the company revises its new policies.

According to TMZ.com, Kim K is telling friends she's thinking of shutting down her account and setting up at a rival photo-posting company, taking all of her followers with her. It's a pretty big deal considering the reality star has the most users of anyone on Instagram (5,726,343), plenty more than Justin Bieber (4,366,729) and President Barack Obama (1,834,079). Should Kim leave Instagram, her relatives Khloe, Kylie, Kendall and Rob could follow (all of whom are in the Top 10 most followed). One source says Kardashian is planning on waiting to see the revised terms-of-service before making her final decision, though unless radical changes are made, she intends to leave.

Other Instagram users including Kate Walsh and Tiffani Thiessen have also threatened to leave the company, as has Cheryl Burke who tweeted, "Can't believe Instagrams new policy! They r allowed 2 use ALL of ur images in advertising. Will be erasing my account shortly."

Continue reading: Hey Instagram, You Might Not Want To Touch Kim Kardashian's Photos

Forget Goyte, forget Charlie bit my finger, Obama's rap battle or Kony 2012, because Psy's 'Gangnam Style' has become the most-viewed YouTube video of all time. The South Korean pop sensation is approaching 1 billion views for his bizarre dance video, leaving hugely popular clips in his wake.

To clarify, Gangnam Style isn't just the most watched music video of all time, it's the most popular video full stop. Artists and comedians are increasingly using the sharing website to promote their material and it's clearly working with the right videos. "It definitely suggests that there's change afoot," said James McQuivey, an analyst with Forrester Research. "I don't think the change is about one form of entertainment replacing the other. It's about the expansion of the platform to include more things. That will continue." The website now attracts more than 800 million users, who watch more than 4 billion hours of video a month. Gangnam Style, which spread from Asia to the United States and Europe, illustrates the true power of the internet influencing popular culture. "A lot of people are used to us having an insular pop culture, where everything is originating out of the U.S. and spreads to other parts of the world," said YouTube trends manager Kevin Allocca, "YouTube is a global thing - 70% of YouTube's views happen outside of the U.S. You have these things that are phenomena at a global scale."

Psy's breakout video overtook Gotye's 'Somebody That I Used To Know' as the most watched YouTube video of all time, with the Kony 2012 clip in third place. 'Call Me Maybe' by Carly Rae Jepsen and the Barack Obama versus Mitt Romney Rap Battle rounded out the top five. 

Continue reading: Gotye Ya! Psy's Gangnam Style Is Most Watched YouTube Of All Time

With the Democrats looking strong following a series of gaffs by Republican Presidential candidate Mitt Romney, President Barack Obama saw the chance to bring his star power into the fray and enjoyed some mutual back slapping time with Jay Z and Beyonce at an exclusive New York City fundraiser at Jigga's 40/40 club in Manhattan.

The fundraiser for Obama's Presidential campaign saw around 100 people pay roughly $40,000 a seat as the three took centre stage. "I can't tell you how proud we are to host tonight's event with President Obama," said Beyonce, looking stunning in a red cocktail dress and styling her hair into blond curls. "We believe in his vision." A bashful Obama was equally complimentary, comparing the singer to his wife First Lady Michelle Obama and quipping that it was they who took the spotlight rather than him and Hova.

"We both have daughters and our wives are more popular than we are" he commented. "So, you know, we've got a little bond there. It's hard but it's OK." Taking on a more serious tone, Obama insisted that "Beyonce could not be a better role model for my girls," and thanked the star couple for their friendship. A few months ago it was looking decidedly dicey for Obama, but with a series of gaffs by his opponent Romney, not least being video-taped admitting he'd never gain the vote of those dependent on the government for benefits, things are looking markedly stronger for the current President.

A fundraiser hosted by Beyonce and Jay Z at the 40/40 Club has gleamed a healthy addition to Obama’s re-election campaign, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

Things are looking pretty good for Obama’s second term. After appearing on the Late Show With David Letterman in New York on Tuesday (September 18th) Obama arrived to a $4m boost for his re-election hopes at the 40/40 club. The New York joint was the scene for a tremendously successful fundraiser, hosted by Hip-Hop’s favourite couple. "I can't tell you how proud we are to host tonight's event with President Obama," Beyonce told the crowd. "We believe in his vision." The love-in didn’t stop there, and a reciprocal Obama was full of praise for the former Destiny’s Child star: "Beyonce couldn’t be a better role model for our daughters because she carries herself with such class and poise and has so much talent," he explained after confirming his affection for his celebrity pals. "To J and B, thank you so much for your friendship,” he beamed.