JK Rowling outside of federal court today.
JK Rowling is suing RDR books for attempting to publish a print version of a popular Harry Potter fan website, The Harry Potter Lexicon. The suit was filed last year and Rowling will be in U.S. District Court for hearings this week.

Rowling herself is a big fan of the site, and she even wrote on her website in 2004 that she used the Harry Potter Lexicon site to fact check her own work. Selling an encyclopedia that would include many of her own definitions for such things she invented for the Harry Potter series as spells, potions, magical creatures, Quidditch rules and wizarding history would be an extreme copyright violation, she contends, and is much different than a website. Her lawyer says that she personally compared the lexicon to her work and is prepared to testify about the similarities.

The author of the intended Harry Potter encyclopedia, 50 year-old former teacher and librarian Steven Vander Ark, says that he was initially reluctant to publish the book due to the copyright issues. He had the publisher include a section in his contract that they would provide free legal assistance as well as pay for any damages if a lawsuit was brought against him.

Lawyers for the publishing company are not fighting the copyright claim, but plan to defend that the Encyclopedia is legal because it’s for research or another “greater purpose”:

One of [Rowling’s] lawyers, Dan Shallman, on Friday told Judge Robert P. Patterson, who is hearing the trial without a jury, that Rowling “feels like her words were stolen.”

He said the author felt so personally violated that she made her own comparisons among her seven best-selling novels and the lexicon and was ready to testify about the similarities in dozens of instances.

David Saul Hammer, a lawyer for RDR Books, which plans to sell the lexicon, said the publisher will not challenge the claim by Rowling that much of the material in the lexicon infringed her copyrights.

But the judge will decide whether the use of the material by the small Muskegon, Mich., publisher was legal because it was used for some greater purpose, such as a scholarly pursuit.

In court papers filed prior to the trial, Rowling said she was “deeply troubled” by the book.

“If RDR’s position is accepted, it will undoubtedly have a significant, negative impact on the freedoms enjoyed by genuine fans on the Internet,” she said. “Authors everywhere will be forced to protect their creations much more rigorously, which could mean denying well-meaning fans permission to pursue legitimate creative activities.”

[From The Huffington Post]

I read all the Harry Potter books, but I’m not a huge fan and I kind of took them at face value and never tried to dig deeper into the very engaging world Rowling created. You can see how fans would want to get into the fine details of the books and how an encyclopedia of all of the items and history could serve that purpose. That should be Rowling’s decision to put something like that for profit, though. She was supportive of this website until they tried to turn it into a book that would infringe on her ideas and writing, and she has every right to sue to stop its publication.

Update: According to BBC News, Rowling plans to write her own Harry Potter encyclopedia.

The Internet is abuzz today with rumors that Justin Timberlake recently called his ex, Britney Spears, to express his concern over her health and wish her well. So far, I haven’t seen a single credible source to support this phone call. A teen magazine called “Twist” reportedly broke this story, but I couldn’t find it anywhere on the Twist website. Here is one version of the rumor:

After more than three years of not having contact with Britney Spears, the singer Justin Timberlake spoke for the first time with his ex- girlfriend.

Justin was worried about Britney’s health, and called his ex- father-in-law Jamie Spears, Jamie was dining with Britney at the Katsui restaurant.

According to Twist magazine Jamie gave the call to his daughter.

Britney asked her dad, “Are you sure he wants to talk to me?”

“She was very excited and shaking, ” said a witness.

[From Oh No They Didn’t]

There are a lot of things wrong with this- most blatantly, Jamie Spears was never Justin’s father in law. Secondly, if Justin truly is concerned about his ex, why would he wait until now to reach out to her? I think this is wishful thinking on those fans who still think Justin and Britney belong together. And finally, if this alleged witness was close enough to hear all of this, why does the story end there? This sounds like an April Fool’s joke.

Picture note by Celebitchy: Britney is shown at Tracey Ross boutique in Sunset Plaza in LA yesterday, where she needed a police escort to help her through all the photographers. Thanks to WENN.

Iggy Pop, Madonna, and Justin Timberlake. Iggy Pop’s bandmate is quoted below
Madonna was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame with a ceremony at Manhattan’s Waldorf-Astoria Hotel last night. Justin Timberlake introduced her, and Iggy and the Stooges covered two of her hits, “Burning Up,” And “Ray of Light.”

Madonna personally asked Iggy Pop to perform her songs at the ceremony as a protest against the fact that his seminal group has never been asked to join the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame despite being nominated several times. Stooge’s guitarist Ron Asheton gave an interview ahead of the performance and said that his group was the anti-Madonna and that he didn’t even know any of her songs . He also said she’s “using us for business purposes”

“The Stooges represent everything that’s against what she is,” Asheton told the Free Press from his New York hotel this afternoon. “I don’t wish her ill. I don’t hate her or anything. But I’d never even heard of these songs until I had to listen to a tape and figure out what’s going on with them.”

In reality, Asheton says, Madonna asked the Stooges to perform as an act of protest: The group, widely considered a linchpin of early punk, has yet to be inducted by the rock hall, despite six appearances on the nomination ballot. By inviting the group on stage, she sends a message, says Asheton.

Last year’s rock hall ceremony featured a similar demonstration, when the night’s inductees performed the Stooges’ “I Wanna Be Your Dog” during a jam session finale.

“Basically she was upset that we’ve been nominated so many times and never made it, so she asked us to play in protest. And it was under those auspices that I thought we were doing it,” Asheton said. “At first I went, ‘Whaaat?’ Then Iggy said, ‘Why don’t you think about it?’”

It came together quickly: Madonna reached out to Iggy Pop just two weeks ago, Asheton says. The band, which had not performed together since closing out its latest tour in December, worked on the songs long-distance, with the Ashetons in Ann Arbor and Iggy home in Florida.

“Iggy said, ‘We’re gonna rock them up — just play ‘em like Stooges songs,’” Asheton recounted. “They actually sound pretty cool. We just rock ‘em out. You wouldn’t even recognize them as Madonna songs. I never thought I’d say this, but I’ve actually enjoyed playing them…”

“I thought that right off the top — that, gee, I just heard she’s got a record coming out, and she’s trying to get a little Stooge shine. She’s a savvy businesswoman,” he said. “I think she actually does like the band. She wouldn’t have asked for us if she didn’t. But she’s also using us for business purposes.”

[From Detroit Free Press]

Madonna was said to look uncomfortable at first when Iggy and the Stooges were performing “Ray of Light,” Iggy jumping around without a shirt as usual, but was said to be laughing afterwards.

In Timberlake’s introduction, he talked about how Madonna gave him a B12 shot in the butt while he was working with her, and made a couple of Britney references:

“Madonna has changed the way our world sounded, she’s changed the way our world looked, and somehow she’s still found time to publicly kiss at least someone I may or may not have kissed myself,” Timberlake said. (It was not the only time Timberlake invoked Britney Spears; later, he said, “the world has long been full of Madonna wannabes, and I might have even dated a couple.”)

[From The Detroit News]

In Madonna’s acceptance speech she said the “F” word a couple times, and made two drug references, but the Detroit News called it “honest and sincere.” Madonna thanked her ballet teacher in Detroit who “told me at the age of 14 that I was special, that I needed to believe in myself, that I needed to go out into the world and pursue my dreams.” She also said of the people who told her she couldn’t make it, “who said that I was talentless, that I was chubby, that I couldn’t sing… they pushed me to be better, and I am grateful for their resistance.”

Also inducted in to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame last night were John Mellencamp, Leonard Cohen, Gamble & Huff, late blues singer Little Walter, The Ventures and The Dave Clark Five. The lead singer of The Dave Clark Five, Mike Smith, passed away late last month, but his bandmate Dave Clark said “At least Mike knew he was a Hall of Famer.”

I am looking hard to find a clip of The Stooges performance of “Ray of Light” last night. Let me know if you’ve it and I’ll add it to the post.

Thanks to PRPhotos for these pictures.

I like Justin Timberlake well enough. I don’t agree with him that he’s the beginning and end of sexy or anything, but aside from the massive ego trip he doesn’t really bother me. Madonna… is Madonna. Speaking of massive ego trips. Even when I do like her music, I find her personality to be so grating that it’s hard to enjoy much of what she puts out. I’ve never really thought of her as someone who’s emotionally generous, but it turns out I was all wrong about that. She calls the experience of writing and singing with Justin Timberlake like, “psychoanalytic sessions.” I don’t want to slam on Justin for no reason, but I don’t hear him talk and see someone with that level of depth. But apparently Madonna disagrees with me, as per usual.

In a new interview, Madonna, 49, says collaborating with the “SexyBack” singer, 27, was sometimes so intense it felt like being in therapy. “We kind of had psychoanalytic sessions whenever we wrote songs. We’d sit down and start talking about situations. And then we’d start talking about issues or problems or relationships with people,” Madonna tells Interview magazine. “That was the only way, because you know, writing together with somebody is very intimate.”

The two musicians, who worked on Madonna’s new single “4 Minutes to Save the World,” immediately clicked, she adds. “He’s open and he’s got talent. He’s a songwriter. I haven’t worked with a lot of songwriters where I’m instantly connected and start riffing and playing with the rhythm of the words. He’s as interested in rhythm of words as the meaning of words. I enjoyed that process with him.”

[From People]

That’s very nice of her, and it seems very out of character for Madonna to talk like that about someone. Madge is a notorious workaholic and perfectionist, as is Justin. I imagine that they’d get along very well in their working styles. But to infuse Justin with such depth… I just don’t know where to go with that. Obviously it’s hard to comment on just how deep a celebrity really is, unless you know them or they’re blatantly vapid like Paris Hilton or something. But just how deep can “Summer Love” and “What Goes Around Comes Around,” really be? If nothing else, good for Madonna in being kind. Justin’s ex, Britney Spears, used to be under Madonna’s tutelage, but the pair haven’t mentioned in each in several years. I’m pretty sure Madge never compared spending time with Brit to therapy – unless maybe in the context of, “That girl needs some.” I bet you $100 we see Madonna making out with Justin on the stage at the next MTV Video Music Awards. That’d be about as bizarre as when she made out with Britney.

Header image of Madonna and Justin when they were recording together in London on July 14th, 2007. Images thanks to PR Photos.

Lately everything Justin Timberlake touches seems to turn to gold. Well, with the exception of Britney Spears of course. But pretty much everything else associated with Justin seems to do well, and now he’s decided to branch out into television production. I have no idea what he’s ever done that makes him qualified to produce TV, but apparently people that know a lot more about television than I do (Hi Jeff Zucker!) seem to think Timberlake’s got what it takes. And/or they’re hoping he’ll bring sexy back. Sorry, it’s hard not to make that joke. Justin is executive producing a new show for NBC called, “My Problem with Women,” an American adaptation of a Peruvian comedy.

Timberlake will serve as an executive producer for the first time on a scripted television project.

“I am very excited to be collaborating with Reveille to bring this hugely successful format to NBC,” Timberlake said.

The show is about a young bachelor who sees a therapist to try and figure out his romantic problems. It is based on Mi Problema con las Mujeres, which has been sold to 20 countries around the world.

The American version will be produced by Reveille, Frecuencia Latina International and Power

[From Broadcasting & Cable]

Adapting one show in multiple countries has become incredibly popular in the last ten years. There are a ton of shows that didn’t really translate, but a few notable ones that have done exceptionally well, like “Ugly Betty,” and “The Office.” Howard T. Owens, one of the other executive producers, says Justin’s on board because “We think he is one of the best artists in the world across different platforms, and we want to tap his creative energy and storytelling abilities.” Huh. Most of the storytelling I’ve heard Justin Timberlake do involves seducing women, one night stands, and laughing at Britney Spears when she found out that Kevin Federline did to her what she did to Justin. Ain’t that the way it goes.

Here’s Justin leaving Butter in New York City on February 5th. Images thanks to Splash.

The Daily Mail had these humorous photos of Justin Timberlake in the upcoming comedy The Love Guru, which stars Mike Myers and also features Jessica Alba and Romany Malco. Myers plays a goofy Indian spiritual guru while Timberlake is an athlete who tries too hard to be sexy. Here’s the plot synopsis:

Pitka (Meyers) an American raised outside of his country by gurus, returns to the States in order to break into the self-help business. His first challenge: To settle the romantic troubles and subsequent professional skid of a star hockey player (Malco) whose wife left him for a rival athlete (Timberlake).

[From IMDB]

There are rumors that Justin Timberlake and Jessica Biel are on the rocks because they don’t have time to see each other with their busy careers. For now it sounds like speculation as the story I read about it wasn’t well sourced. Timberlake was also recently spotted out having lunch with Kate Hudson, but it’s possible they’re just friends.

Here’s the trailer for The Love Guru. It was co-written by Mike Myers and directed by Marco Schnabel. It looks a lot like Austin Powers, which was also written by Myers and directed by Schnabel. I never thought those films were particularly funny, but a lot of people love Austin Powers, and this will probably be a hit.

The Love Guru is out in the US on June 20.

I have never understood what the big deal is with Justin Timberlake. I think he’s surprisingly talented, but what the hell is so irresistibly sexy about him? It seems like he’s considered the ultimate celebrity to date. He’s cute, but I wouldn’t exactly call him the cat’s meow. He’s more like that plaintive cry they make when they see a bird at the window. It’s kinda cute, but entertaining for only so long. When Justin first started dating Jessica Biel, everyone seemed to act like she was so lucky to get to be with him. She’s gorgeous! He’s certainly a bigger celebrity, but it’s not like an upside down Beauty & the Beat situation. But apparently Justin didn’t realize how lucky he was. According to Star, he recently cheated on Jessica with Kate Hudson. Jessica was in England filming her new movie “Easy Virtue.” Indeed.

JT flew VIP class on Virgin Atlantic Airways and was first off the plane when it arrived at Heathrow Airport. He dashed to a waiting Range Rover for the 30-mile, 110-mph trip to 16th-century Englefield House, where Jess is working on the romantic comedy Easy Virtue. And he arrived not a moment too soon. Jessica, 25, was furious, insiders tell Star, when she got wind of the reports that he had hooked up with Kate Hudson at Hollywood club Villa on Jan. 11.

…Justin spent an evening flirting with Kate, 28. While reps deny the hookup, an eyewitness said, “They seemed to be so into each other.” By the end of the evening, Justin was “full-on kissing her. They barely came up for air!” That’s all Jessica need to hear to go ballistic.

[From Star, Feb. 11th 2008, print edition]

According to Star, Jessica claimed she couldn’t trust Justin. Shocking. Several people on the movie set said the reunion seemed stiff and uncomfortable, and Jessica wasn’t exactly throwing herself back into Justin’s arms. The mag goes on to say that Justin wined and dinned Jessica and won his way back into her heart in less than 36 hours.

“After dinner, Justin “waited until he was in the back of his Range Rover, then cupped her face in his hand,” an eyewitness reveals. “Jessica brushed the hair out of her face, and he moved in for a kiss. It was a very romantic gesture.”

[From Star, Feb. 11th 2008, print edition]

You know what else is a romantic gesture? Not making out with other women when you’ve got a girlfriend. Maybe I’m old fashioned, but that always works for me. Flying to London and driving 110-mph to get to me is really sweet, but certainly less so when you’ve been shoving your tongue down other girls’ throats.

Picture Note by JayBird: Jessica Biel and Justin Timberlake in happier times this past summer.

When I heard that Justin Timberlake and Kate Hudson were seen out together I thought that sounded random, but then searched the site and realized that these two were once briefly linked and that I even reported on it.

There was a rumor last year that Kate Hudson and Justin Timberlake hooked up at Kate Hudson’s New Year’s eve party to celebrate 2007 and that they suspiciously disappeared together upstairs at Kate’s place for several hours. Timberlake was still with Cameron Diaz at the time, which led to a story that Kate told Cameron the next time she ran into her that it wasn’t true that she slept with Justin that night.

Now Kate and Justin are said to have gone out to a club together and to have been spotted making out there, a claim Justin’s rep denies. Justin is supposedly still with Jessica Biel while Kate Hudson is thought to be single after a breakup with Dax Shephard.

While his girlfriend Jessica Biel is away in England filming her next movie, Justin Timberlake has been hanging out with a former hook-up buddy.

JT and Kate Hudson were seen arriving at West Hollywood club Villa at the same time on Friday and then leaving just minutes apart a few hours later.

Star magazine even reported that the pair made out at the club, but JT’s team have strenuously denied those claims.

[From News.com.au]

Maybe it’s true that these two met coincidentally at the club and that the makeout part is fabricated. Either way, it doesn’t seem like there’s much to go one to suggest they’re anything more than friends until there are more photos and sightings.

Kate Hudson and her Fool’s Gold co-star Matthew McConaughey are among the presenters at next week’s SAG awards, which will proceed despite the writer’s strike as the WGA has granted the awards a waiver. Look for more star power than usual as the celebrities try to get their awards show fix.

Kate Hudson is shown at 2007 Movies Rock on 12/2/07 and Justin Timberlake is shown on 9/9/07 at the MTV VMAs, thanks to PRPhotos.

Justin Timberlake didn’t make any friends on his recent Australian tour – he apparently got a free meal at The Jade Buddha, valued at $150, but didn’t leave a tip. Which is probably okay since it isn’t customary to tip in Australia. However, going outside and telling people that he “can’t believe they let you reproduce children” is not okay, even in Aussie.

So, I’m on Justin watch in Auckland ready for some rude and lewd behavior, and he’s apparently being absolutely charming. He and girlfriend Jessica Beil (are they official yet?) indulged in some local culture by seeing a Maori Haka welcome.

“Justin wanted to see the ‘Ka Mate Ka Mate’ haka, so we incorporated that into the welcome,” Kylie Poihipi, who was Timberlake’s usher, said.

“He was scared as [radio DJ] Stacey [Morrison] and I ushered him towards the kapa haka group. He asked, ‘Are they going to kill me’? We explained that we had to see if he came as a friend or an enemy. He said, ‘I come in peace’.”

Morrison and her Maori TV presenter husband Scott were asked to organise the welcoming party for the superstar at Auckland’s Viaduct Harbour. Morrison had printed flyers for Timberlake’s 100-strong crew with explanations of Maori tradition and expected behaviour.

New Zealand Herald

JT was then expected to respond in kind with a song, as all guests are. If you have ever seen a haka performed, then you won’t say no. He responded with You Are My Sunshine, and said “Kia Ora” a few times, which is a Maori greeting and after three years here I still can’t pronounce it.

Justin was significantly more generous to the welcoming committee than he was at the restaurant – he gifted them with 50 tickets to his show. This is extra generous as only 30 people were in the troupe.

Jessica and Justin lingered after the show and mingled with the performers. Maybe his Brisbane behaviour was just bad shellfish.

Picture note by Celebitchy: Justin Timberlake is shown in the header image during his satellite acceptance speech at the American Music Awards on 11/19/07, thanks to Splash News for this photo.

Sir Ian McKellen, best known for his portrayal of Gandalf in “Lord of the Rings,” is one saucy old cat. He is so deliciously gay and open about anything that is on his mind. His gay rights lobby group, Stonewall, fights for equality and has been a passion of his for years. But his current wish is to have Justin Timberlake portray him in a musical about his life.

“The ‘Lord of the Rings’ star is keen to see his eventful life played out on stage and thinks the pop heartthrob would be the perfect person to portray him.

‘Justin vaguely resembles people in my family, and I think he is really talented.’”

[Monsters and Critics]

While Ian is a Justin Timberlake fan, he is first and foremost fiercely protective of his sexuality. Jake Gyllenhaal didn’t make an impression on him while answering questions about “Brokeback Mountain” last year during an interview.

“I got very upset when one of the actors (Jake Gyllenhaal) said it was the most terrifying job he’d ever had because it involved him kissing another man. Imagine how rude that is. Suppose I’d said the most appalling thing I ever to do was kiss Helen Mirren!”

[From Female First]

This is just a prime example of his personal views on Hollywood and homosexuality. In his experience the industry encourages gay actors to keep their gender preference under wraps. At times he was even asked to deny any gay allegations.

“I think to myself, ‘Can people whose minds work like that make good films? And if at the heart of Hollywood there is that lie, how many other lies are there?’ And it’s the producers who have this problem - God knows what sort of people they are - who think that it’s impossible for you and me to fancy the same person. Well, what dull lives they must have.”

[Monsters and Critics]

It is no secret that his goal is to prove that who you love, despite their gender, should not be an obstacle in any career path. Ian has also lent advice to educate the young gay community is Britain. His thoughts, along with 19 other prominent homosexuals across the pond, have been printed in a booklet designed to educate, encourage and provide help for the target audience of gay adolescents.

He is such a talented actor. I am so glad that people like Ian are out there fighting for rights like a curmudgeon superhero.

Ian McKellan is shown at The Orange British Academy Film Awards on 2/12/07, thanks to Splash News.