Well it didn’t take long for rumors of Madonna being a diva-esq bitch to surface on her latest tour. Madge has been a legendarily demanding over-perfectionist since her early days. In fact a lot of people have argued that’s why she’s been successful for so long, and maybe that’s true. Still you’d think that with her crazy amount of money it wouldn’t be impossible for her to show some kindness to her employees – she’s got over 250 of them on her current Sticky & Sweet tour.

Members of Madonna’s Sticky & Sweet tour crew are reportedly fuming after they were forced to stay in a cheap hotel while she booked in to a luxury castle.

Several of the 250-strong staff are said to be unhappy at their travel and accommodation arrangements for the mammoth jaunt, which began last month. It is claimed they were furious at being booked on no-frills airlines while the Material Girl flew by private jet.

Britain’s Daily Mirror newspaper also reports that there is growing resentment after the singer recently stayed at a $20,000 a night castle on the Cote d’Azur, while some crew were put up in a $92.50 a night hotel.

A source tells the newspaper, “Everyone is absolutely furious with her… they feel they are being treated like second-class citizens, despite all their hard work over the last few months.”

[From Starpulse]

This is one of those stories that – if it’s true – I could argue both sides. On the one hand Madonna is their employer, and she’s only responsible for making sure they have safe, reasonable accommodations. There’s no union stipulation that they must be in fancy or even nice digs, as far as I know. She’s paying them a legal wage and all that.

But I’m guessing most of the employees are actually annoyed because they’re working their butts off and they probably don’t get much credit. I would think if anyone’s show would be demanding in all aspects, it’d be Madonna’s. Everyone needs positive reinforcement. Perhaps if she were more liberal in showing her appreciation in other ways, her crew wouldn’t begrudge her the $20,000. Okay any reasonable person would probably be annoyed by that – but maybe less so. And these are the guys who set up her trap doors and special effects. I’d want them on my good side.

Here’s Madonna leaving her gym in London after a workout today. Images thanks to WENN.

Well John Mayer is back to his manwhoring ways. Not that anyone’s surprised – the only shocking part of the revelation was that it took him so long. Okay in all honesty Mayer probably waited all of half an hour to boink a new chick after he and Jennifer Aniston broke up. And it was only that long because he had to stop to fill up his gas tank and grab some Doritos. Nothing helps you out with the ladies like a guitar and some nacho cheese breath.

But In Touch is officially (as in “stop the presses!” officially) reporting that Mayer drunkenly hooked up with a cocktail waitress last night – and he also claimed he didn’t want to have the number one song on the charts.

While he may have started a whirlwind romance in Miami with Jennifer Aniston a few months ago, John Mayer ended his two-month world tour by partying with a different blonde in, yep, Miami. (This time around, the blonde was a cocktail waitress, not an A-list actress.) The singer was as talkative as ever on-stage, admitting, “We’re all drunk. Only on-stage can you openly drink on your last night.”

He then went on about the downsides of fame: “I don’t want to have the number-one song. I want to be number eight. It’s a much better place to be. Because as soon as you become fashion… you get crushed.” And though he didn’t mention his ex Jennifer he did say at one point, “I had a conversation recently and a lot of tears were exchanged.” Post-show, John went to the club SET on South Beach with his waitress, where they stayed until about 3 a.m.

[From In Touch]

So it’s pretty clear where In Touch’s loyalty lies. And if you’re unclear, click the link to the article, and then take note of the article’s address. What an unfortunate (and I’m sure accidental) place to cut off the title: “John Mayer ends tour with cock.” I’m sure it’s just some requirement of their technical programming.

I love John’s great quotes from the night. “Only on-stage can you openly drink on your last night.” I think he meant “Only on your last night can you openly drink on-stage.” But I could see how all the drunkenness might make the technicalities of that complex sentence a little tough to get out. And then the thing about wanting to be number eight instead of number one.

That’s like when I claim I don’t want to be thin, and it’s really much healthier to be chubby. No one believes it, you’re just trying to convince yourself. We’d all like to weigh 20 pounds less and have a number one Billboard single. It’s a universal truth. But when you can’t have that, might as well settle for nailing a cocktail waitress.

Here’s John performing in concert at the Cruzan Amphitheatre in West Palm Beach on Sunday night. Photographer: Michael Allen. Images thanks to WENN.

I think we were all able to call B.S. on this rumor from the moment it came out: Britney Spears and Justin Timberlake are NOT reuniting for a duet. Some things are just too good to be true. Like lies.

Britney and Justin – together again?

Unfortunately for fans of the former pop couple, it’s not to be, as Access Hollywood has learned that the pair will not be recording a duet for Brit’s upcoming album, contrary to reports.

Justin “is not scheduled to be in the recording studio with Britney,” a rep for the “SexyBack” singer told Access. The pop stars haven’t sung together publicly since they shared a stage with Aerosmith, Nelly and Mary J. Blige at the 2001 Superbowl, during Justin’s N*Sync days.

Britney’s spending her summer in the studio recording a follow-up to last year’s “Blackout.” She’s also been working on her bod, showing off a fit figure in the new issue of OK!

[From Access Hollywood]

This rumor has been circulating for years – pretty much since the two broke up. And every time Britney either needs someone to “save” her (or her career) or gets things back on track the rumor resurfaces. Justin once angrily asked a paparazzo why he was the one who was always expected to save her, especially considering they’d been broken up for years by the time she had her breakdown. Fair enough.

While it doesn’t sound like they’re mortal enemies anymore, I highly doubt the two will ever be friends again. Apparently Justin gave Britney quite the snub at a Robin Thicke concert recently.

Britney Spears ventured out for a rare night on the town recently - and ended up in the same club as her ex, Justin Timberlake. On Agust 14, Britney hit West Hollywood’s House of Blues for a Robin Thicke concert and spotted her former beau on a date with girlfriend Jessica Biel.

“Britney was smiling and singing along to songs,” a witness says. “She kept eyeing Justin but stopped short of actually walking over to say hello. Justin kept his back to her. She was obviously waiting for him to turn around, but he never did!” Britney even watched the couple while Justin gave Jessica a long kiss on the lips.

Adds the witness, “When the concert was over, Jessica and Justin left together, and Britney exited in the opposite direction.”

[From In Touch, Sept. 1, 2008, print ed.]

I was mostly surprised Justin Timberlake was at a Robin Thicke concert. He’s like the hotter, more talented, lesser-known version of Justin. I assumed there was some sort of dramatic guy rivalry there, but apparently not. And it seems like a Britney Spears rivalry is more than enough for any guy to deal with.

Here’s Britney arriving at Conaway recording studios in Los Angeles with her mother Lynn on Wednesday. Images thanks to WENN.

Amy Winehouse –who TMZ just referred to as a “medical oddity” – continued her confusing jaunt up and down the ladder of sobriety and sanity this weekend. She gave two performances – one where she looked more hobotastic than ever before, and another – a mere 24 hours later – where she looked like a pre-fame classic, healthy Amy. The difference was so astounding that you would have sworn the pictures were taken at least several months – not hours – apart.

The singer’s face was locked in a grimace, and she looked in some pain as she walked to her Camden home from her car at around 1.30am in the early hours of this morning. Amy’s appearance was in contrast to the groomed and glam singer who hit the stage at Hylands Park in Chelmsford, Essex yesterday. Especially as just 24 hours later a dishevelled Amy was clad in rolled-up jeans, a skimpy vest and headscarf, and kept the crowd at Weston Park, Staffordshire, waiting 15 minutes before taking to the stage.

Despite her revived appearance in graphic print mini-dress and fresh blooms in her hair, Amy was still smarting from the boos her Saturday night performance had earned her. Her stuttering performance saw hordes of fan stream away from the main stage. She told the crowd: ‘You’re a really nuts crowd. I’m not on drugs, honest. So boo you guys for yesterday.’

Gone was the dank hair, listless eyes, worn skin - and boos from the crowd. Instead fans were treated to a vibrant performance. Just 24 hours earlier, she had been sallow-faced and grubby with dark smears of make-up around her eye. She coughed and spluttered her way through the set, forgetting the words to Back to Black and mumbling to herself between songs. The 24-year-old dedicated Wake Up Alone to husband Blake Fielder-Civil, who is serving a 27-month prison sentence, which prompted a smattering of boos from the crowd.

[From The Daily Mail]

The Daily Mail’s comparison of the two performances was written in their classically terrible and confusing style. Just know that whenever they’re saying something bad they’re talking about Amy’s Saturday performance, and whenever it’s something good they’re referencing her performance on Sunday night (with the exception of her appearance on the way home that night). They needlessly bounce back and forth and make it almost impossible to sort through what’s what, and it’s even more confusing when you read the article in its entirety.

Suffice it to say Amy Winehouse looked like a wreck, and then looked alright, and then looked like a wreck again. No big surprise. Fox News reported that Amy looks even worse close up, noting, “bits of her dry skin were ‘flying off around the bar as she danced,’ a mole reveals. ‘She should be in hospital not alone in a sleazy bar.’” Gross. But totally Winehouse.

The first set of photos (with Amy wearing the black and white checkered top) is from the V 2008 Festival on Saturday in Stafford. Photographer: Nick Pickles. The second set of photos (wit Amy wearing the dress) is from just one day later at the concert in Chelmsford. Images thanks to WENN.

I used to find Dolly Parton really tacky. But then I matured and realized just how freaking awesome she is, because she embraces her tack. She works it like a drag queen. In fact she’s acknowledged that she looks like a hooker. And she’s fine with it, and has certainly cultivated a unique persona for herself.

Dolly had a few sassy comments about Britney Spears and Lindsay Lohan during her concert Sunday night at Los Angeles’ Greek Theatre. And of course she wasn’t above poking fun at herself either.

Dolly Parton says it’s time to leave a couple of the world’s most famous starlets alone. “Poor little Britney Spears and Lindsay Lohan,” Parton said at her concert last night at L.A.’s Greek Theatre. “Ain’t it awful? If those little girls slept with as many men as they say in the tabloids, why their little butts would have more fingerprints than the FBI!” All kidding aside, Parton said, “I kinda feel sorry for them. We should give those two a break.”

She even got a bit political—kinda. Some fans wore T-shirts reading, “Dolly for President.”

“I don’t think so!” Parton said of her presidential aspirations. “I think there have been enough boobs in the White House.” Commenting on how times have changed, she said of this year’s presidential race, “We’ve had a woman, we have a black man and an old stiff.” But that’s as serious as she got when it came to current events. “People are always asking me in interviews, ‘What do you think of foreign affairs?’ I just say, ‘I’ve had a few.’ “

[From E! News]

I think there’s been some debate over whether or not Dolly comes up with her own quips on the spot. I’d like to imagine that she does, and it best fits with my image of her as a sassy old broad. And I don’t care who wrote it, that “fingerprints on their butts” line is classic. I’m going to see how often I can work that into everyday conversation from now on. And if I ever meet Lindsay or Britney, I’m going to have to ask if it’s true. I’m guessing it’s one of those “behind every joke there’s a little truth” situations.

Here’s Dolly Parton at a and greet for her new Broadway show ‘Nine to Five the Musical’ held at the New 42nd Street Studios in New York City on July 15th. Photographer: Joseph Marzullo. Images thanks to WENN.

The Britney Spears Slow Comeback Tour continues. And in Britney’s case, I think a slow, steady, gradual comeback really is best. Britney is going to be on Madonna’s upcoming tour – but in a smaller, digital way. She’s filming something – though no one will really say what – that’s going to be shown at the concerts. And I think that’s a pretty good baby step. She can’t mess up anything that’s pre-recorded. I assume.

Britney Spears will team up with Madonna – virtually – during the singer’s upcoming Sticky & Sweet tour.

“Britney is going to film something for Madonna’s show in the next week or so,” Madonna’s rep, Liz Rosenberg, tells PEOPLE.

As for details about what they will be doing – and where it will be filmed – Rosenberg says, “I don’t know. It’s a secret.”

Contrary to published reports, Spears is not in New York to film the video segments, nor has she already shot anything.

Spears is not expected to perform with Madonna, whose tour kicks off in Wales next month. The U.S. leg of her tour starts Oct. 4 in East Rutherford, N.J.

[From People]

It sounds like Madonna is trying to help Britney out – but in a way that will still work with her perfectionist nature. Brit has really been looking good lately – and appears to be working on her appearance to get back into performing mode. Here she is looking happy (albeit displaying a bit of the bipolar joker grin) as she left a hair salon yesterday. Images thanks to WENN.

Amy Winehouse was let out of the “virtual prison” that is her home (I say that with marked sarcasm) to perform at the Rock in Rio music festival yesterday. Amy’s record label let her off her leash – or maybe just got one of those invisible fences people use to keep their dogs from wandering – to perform her third concert in a week. By most accounts she did a decent job – but she openly drank red wine throughout her performance. Because having a couple drinks is much, much more important than doing a good job performing for people who spent a lot of money to see you. And it’s more important than your career. Or your life.

Soul diva Amy Winehouse sipped from a glass of red wine and looked a bit unsteady on her feet as she appeared in front of a large audience at the Rock in Rio music festival southeast of Madrid on Friday.

Then, as tens of thousands cheered, she threw off a pair of high stiletto heels in favor of white moccasins, donned a white electric guitar and settled into an intense rendition of some of her best known songs, including “Rehab.”

Winehouse delivered a strong vocal performance accompanied by her octet plus two male backing vocalists.

Once finished at Rock in Rio, she did not stay for an encore and left the outdoor concert venue by helicopter.

[From the Huffington Post]

There’s a new website out there that has people guess when Amy will die. The winner gets an iPod or something. I know it’s meant to be funny, but I think that’s pretty crass. Clearly the girl needs all sorts of help, and it’s hard to have much faith that she’ll be able to get her act together anymore. Every two weeks we hear some proclamation about how she finally gets how badly off she is, and she’s ready to change. And of course nothing comes of it. But there’s a big difference between losing hope and essentially placing a wager on when someone will die.

Here’s Amy Winehouse out in Golders Green looking for her favorite snacks. The troubled singer popped into one shop and was given a gherkin to try, which she smudged on the glass counter - then bizarrely cleaned it off with her rear. Although to be fair, that’s not the weirdest thing we’ve seen her do. Images thanks to Splash.

Update by Celebitchy: Here are photos of Amy drinking on Friday on stage at the Rock in Rio festival. The images Jaybird mentioned are at the end of this set. Thanks to WENN.

And here are the videos, thanks to user tejeral on YouTube:

Rock in Rio Madrid 2008 - Amy Winehouse - Part-1

Rock in Rio Madrid 2008 - Amy Winehouse - Part-2

Rock in Rio Madrid 2008 - Amy Winehouse - Part-3

The Amy Winehouse rollercoaster was up and down again this weekend. She gave what was widely reviewed as a good performance at Nelson Mandela’s birthday celebration on Friday night. Surprise and congrats, right? Well, almost.

On Saturday, Amy performed at the Glastonbury Festival in front of around 80,000 people. That’s right, Amy Winehouse actually showed up for two scheduled gigs in a row. And while she was again said to do a pretty good job with the singing, that all took a nosedive during her performance of Rehab.

Amy walked into the mosh pit (protected to an extent by some sort of anti-crush barrier), where she ended up throwing a couple of punches and elbowing a fan. Yep, the woman who lets fans come right to her door, chats them up, and signs autographs for them will also knock them out, if need be.

Amy Winehouse has returned to the stage at the Glastonbury Festival and appeared to throw a punch at a fan. She lashed out at someone who tried to grab her hair as she finished her set alongside fans in front of the stage, her spokesman said.

Winehouse’s one-hour performance was her first full UK show for seven months. It drew a huge crowd to the Pyramid Stage but split opinion among fans. Her spokesman said at least 75,000 people watched and that organisers had never seen the field so full.

“The ‘lashing out’ was when someone tried to grab her hair and she reacted,” the spokesman said. But footage of the incident did not clearly show what provoked her lunge. The Grammy-winning singer was on fine form and in good voice for most of the set, going some way to dispelling fears about her health.

She jumped down into the security pit for the last two songs, separated from the fans by a crush barrier. “Thanks for your support,” she told them earlier, as she performed tracks such as Cupid, Rehab and Tears Dry on Their Own.

[From the BBC]

CNN reported that one of the fans tried to grab Winehouse’s breast, not her hair. Either way if someone is grabbing at your body, instinct is to get away. Though I’m not sure if punching is necessary. Watching the video, it’s clear that Winehouse is upset, but she seems so wobbly that it’s hard to tell if she’s really lashing out because she’s been attacked, or because she’s drunk or something. Amy does appear to stumble around a bit in some extended versions of the clip, but no one is claiming she seemed out of it during her performance.

I’m guessing if someone was going for Winehouse’s hair, it’s probably just because they saw something dangerous in it; perhaps a preying mantis or some sort of grenade or something. Who knows what the hell could land up there without Amy’s knowledge. She probably just gave a bloody nose to a guy that was trying to save her life.

Here’s Amy performing at the Glastonbury Festival on Saturday. Images thanks to WENN.

Tim McGraw doesn’t need security – he can take care of himself, play a couple instruments, sing a song, and haul an unruly fan on stage and kick him out all without missing a beat. McGraw was performing in Auburn, Washington on Tuesday when he saw a male audience member attack a female. Without missing a beat, McGraw somehow managed to haul the large gentleman on stage and kick him out. And still sing his song. Damn.

If Tim McGraw isn’t looking for trouble, it must’ve been looking for him. Fan video shot Tuesday in Auburn, Wash., shows the country singer help eject an unruly fan.

McGraw shouts “Get rid of this guy,” summons security and helps arriving crew members haul him onstage. When the heavyset fan moves toward McGraw, the singer threatens him with a cocked fist as he’s hauled away.

The band’s performance of “Indian Outlaw” never stopped. And as if on cue, McGraw steps to the mic and picks up with the line “I ain’t lookin’ for trouble … .”

A statement from McGraw’s representative says he witnessed the man rush up and attack a female, and he intervened when security couldn’t respond quickly enough.

[From the Huffington Post]

I’m not one for country music, but damn, that was impressive. I’m seeing the whole genre in a new light now. McGraw must have really learned how to take care of business after that female fan grabbed his balls and wife Faith Hill had to set the woman straight. I’m told nothing will teach a guy how to respond quickly better than having something like that happen.

And there’s video! I now find Tim McGraw remarkably attractive. Header photo of Faith Hill and Tim McGraw leaving the Oscar party held at a Mansion in February. Images thanks to WENN.

Kanye West was not feeling the love this weekend at the Bonnaroo music festival in Tennessee. His late night performance at the festival was delayed for two hours due to circumstances beyond his control, but that didn’t stop concert goers from chanting “Kanye Sucks.” Even though it wasn’t Kanye’s fault that the show was delayed- it was actually because Pearl Jam’s set went an hour long and it took a long time to unload their set and bring on West’s elaborate stage show-fans assumed that the delay must have been due to his notorious diva behavior. See, this is what happens when you regularly act like an egomaniacal jerk.

Kanye West’s late night performance at Bonnaroo was delayed nearly two hours, angering the festival crowd who responded by chanting “Kanye sucks” and pelting the empty stage with glow sticks.

West had been scheduled to take the main stage at the Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival at 2:45 a.m. Sunday morning. While the sleepy thousands in the audience waited, a message on the jumbotrons told them West’s show would be delayed until 3:15 a.m., and when that didn’t happen, that he would start at 3:30. West didn’t hit the stage until 4:25 a.m.

The delay was caused by problems setting up West’s elaborate stage set, which included an interplanetary landscape of a wavy black platform with a slanted floor in the middle and a video screen above. West performed a spectacular galactic-themed concert complete with interaction with his spaceship, a disembodied female voice named Jane (a kind of sexier HAL).

Ken Weinstein, a spokesman for the annual festival held on a 700-acre site south of Nashville, said the delay was simply a matter of unloading the Pearl Jam stage (the band went an hour past its scheduled end time, playing until about 1:15 a.m.) and loading the West stage.

The festival, which boasted more than 150 acts spread out over four days, was otherwise very punctual. The West delay was all the worse because of its already very late schedule, and many campers lost energy before the concert and returned to their sleeping bags. Midway through his performance, the morning light showed that the crowd had dwindled substantially.

West had originally been slated to perform at 8:15 p.m. Saturday night, but requested a late night performance. At least in the first hour of his performance, West didn’t address the crowd regarding the delay.

Later Sunday, the Bonnaroo crowd was still upset. Pedal steel guitarist Robert Randolph led a “Kanye sucks” chant.

A spokesperson for West didn’t immediately return a request for comment.

[From Yahoo!]

Given his ridiculous behavior in the past, it’s hard to have sympathy for Kanye on this latest incident, even if the delay wasn’t really his fault. It sounds like the audience didn’t have much good will toward West to begin with. To his credit, though, he does put on a hell of a show. But I wonder if he would have been better off taking the 8:15 p.m. slot right from the beginning. I’m sure his elaborate set wasn’t quite as exciting at 4 in the morning. Also- I guess I am way too old to consider going to one of these festivals, because the idea of staying up all night like that makes me want to go back to bed this morning.

Kanye West is shown performing at the “HOT 97 Summer Jam concert at Giants Stadium in
Rutherford, New Jersey” on 6/1/08, thanks to WENN.