R.I.P.
MICHAEL JACKSON; 1958 - 2009
Music legend Michael Jackson died Thursday after suffering a heart attack. He was 50 years old. The singer was rushed to UCLA Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead. His 1982 disc, Thriller, still ranks as the world's best-selling album of all time. Jackson's many accomplishments include 13 Grammy Awards and 13 No. 1 singles. Among his collaborators from the rock world over the years were Paul McCartney, Eddie Van Halen and Slash.

Pop Culture Icon, Farrah Fawcett, whose luxurious tresses and blinding smile helped redefine sex appeal in the 1970s as one of TV's "Charlie's Angels," died Thursday after battling cancer. She was 62.

Ed McMahon, the loyal "Tonight Show" sidekick who bolstered boss Johnny Carson with guffaws and a resounding "H-e-e-e-e-e-ere's Johnny!" for 30 years, died early Tuesday. He was 86.

Remember last week's story about the girl who asked for 3 stars to be tattooed to her face, fell asleep & woke up with 56? She blamed the Flemish-speaking tattooist for not understanding her French and English instructions. But she told Dutch TV this week, "I asked for 56 stars and initially adored them. But when my father saw them, he was furious." I knew that story was shakey….

In a shocking upset, USA beat Spain 2-0 in the semifinal of the Confederations Cup in South Africa Tuesday, and will face either Brazil or South Africa in the final on Sunday.

Yanks @ Mets 7pm

The Cleveland Cavaliers completed a blockbuster trade Thursday, bringing superstar center Shaquille O'Neal from the Phoenix Suns to join current MVP LeBron James. The Cavaliers hope they are creating a basketball duo with the drawing power of Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen, Magic Johnson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar - or even Shaq and Kobe Bryant. The Cavs are sending center Ben Wallace and swingman Sasha Pavlovic to the Suns, along with a second-round pick in the 2010 draft and cash.

Singer Gloria Estefan and her husband, producer Emilio Estefan, are buying a "very small" ownership stake in the Miami Dolphins. Owner Stephen Ross began a partnership in May with Jimmy Buffett's Margaritaville enterprise, which includes Land Shark Lager. Buffett has yet to accept Ross' invitation to become a minority owner, but the Dolphins' stadium has been renamed Land Shark Stadium for this season. Buffett wrote a song for the team and will be featured at tailgate parties, Ross has said.

Led Zeppelin's Jimmy Page revealed that he's working on "a big project" during a screening event held Friday in Westwood, Calif., for It Might Get Loud, the new documentary in which he co-stars alongside U2's the Edge and the White Stripes' Jack White. "There's sort of little tastes and shades of it in the documentary," he explains, adding that he doesn't "want to tell anyone about it."

Michael Jordan's son, Jeff, is leaving Illinois after two seasons. The former walk-on guard surprised nearly everyone Wednesday by announcing that he plans to focus on his studies, just a few months after Illinois coach Bruce Weber said Jordan had a chance to earn more playing time and even a leadership role during his junior year. "I loved playing for the Fighting Illini and appreciate the support I was given by my teammates, coaches and the great fans here," Jordan in a statement. "But I have come to the point where I'm ready to focus on life after basketball."

The Beastie Boys have announced a Sept. 15 release date for their next album, Hot Sauce Committee Pt. 1. The 17-track follow-up to the Beasties' 2007 instrumental set, The Mix-Up.

Ozzy Osbourne's long-in-the-works memoir, I Am Ozzy, will finally see the light of day in the United Kingdom on Oct. 1, about two years after its original publication date. The Metal Madman, who participated in a cover shoot for the book this past Wednesday, will embark on a weeklong promotional tour across the pond this fall that will include two in-store signing sessions. Publishers currently are in talks regarding the autobiography's U.S. release.

Chris Brown pleaded guilty to felony assault today in Los Angeles in a deal with prosecutors. Brown was sentenced to probation and community service for beating then-girlfriend Rihanna in a February incident. He must also stay 50 yards away from Rihanna unless the two are present at the same event, in which case he must stay 10 yards away from her, and he is forbidden from contacting her in any way. The deal includes 180 days of community service such as trash removal in Virginia (where Brown resides), along with five years of supervised probation and a court-mandated 52-week domestic violence counseling program. (The singer had faced up to four years in prison if convicted.) Rihanna was not present at the hearing until Brown left the courtroom, at which point she arrived and was given a copy of the judge's stay-away order for Brown. She made no statement.

Paul Stanley reports that Kiss should finish recording their upcoming studio effort later this week. The singer-guitarist says in an online post, "It is classic. It is all written within the band. And it rocks big time!"

The forthcoming Van Halen-themed edition of Guitar Hero reportedly will be released in November or December. The video game's soundtrack will feature 25 of the band's songs, three solos by guitarist Eddie Van Halen and tunes by 19 other acts. Meanwhile, at the Spike network's recent Guys Choice 2009 event, Eddie won the inaugural Guitar God Award from actor Robert Downey Jr.

Shinedown's Brent Smith says he's heard from a reliable source that '90s grunge goliaths Soundgarden are discussing a possible U.S. reunion tour. "I know actually someone specific who [is] in their organization . . . who kind of told me that they're talking about it," reveals the frontman. Another report claims that a comeback trek is "in the works for the summer of 2010." Recently asked about the possibility, Soundgarden singer Chris Cornell replied, "You never know."

On Wednesday night's finale of NBC's "I'm a Celebrity ... Get Me Out of Here," actor Lou Diamond Phillips was named winner. Lou bested wrestler Torrie Wilson and former basketball pro John Salley in the finale, taking the crown for his preferred charity, the Art Has Heart Foundation.

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