How does Kid Rock still have a career? Who is buying his music? Someone please explain this to me. The middle-aged rapper/rocker was supposed to co-headline the Download Music Festival in June, but pulled out at the last minute. Rock (aka Bob Ritchie) was unimpressed with the conditions backstage, and when the show organizers refused to suplly food and drinks for his crew, he hit the road- but not before leaving a lovely parting gift for the festival’s promoter.

CHART-topping hip-hop rocker Kid Rock has revealed the reason he pulled out of this year’s Download Festival – they didn’t give him a big enough caravan.

In June organisers of the hard rock festival released a statement claiming he would not be playing after being rushed to hospital.

But Kid, 37, says that he wasn’t ill. He told me: “They treated me like f***. There was just one trailer for my whole band. We had no water, no bathroom, no rider.

“The final straw was when they wouldn’t give my crew any food or drinks vouchers.

“I called the promoter and told him he had two hours to get it sorted or I was out. They did nothing so I visited the promoter’s office, took a piss on his couch and left.”

With one of their headliners gone organisers released a statement that read: “We’ve had the curse of Download.

“Kid Rock is not very well, we’ve had to rush him to hospital in Nottingham. He apologises to his fans.”

But the All Summer Long hitmaker told me: “I was wandering the streets in Birmingham, trying to find a good movie to watch.”

Kid has vowed never to play Donnington again. He said: “I’d like to do something like Glastonbury instead next year. That has a much better vibe.”

[From the Daily Star]

I should point at that Glastonbury was the festival where Amy Winehouse showed up smashed out of her mind and was punching fans. So, yeah, I’m sure that “vibe” fits right in with Rock and his crew. He didn’t get a big enough trailer. Boo hoo. Tell that to some kid playing his heart out to 7 people in a rat-infested dive bar in middle America. As for Kid’s retaliation tactics, need I remind everyone that the guy is 38 years old? I really think being a rock star enables some people to remain 10 years old forever.

Note by Celebitchy: I really like Kid Rock’s new single, All Summer Long. And I don’t really agree with MSat that it’s diva-ish to request a decent trailer with water, a toilet and catering. But if this story is true he shouldn’t have lied and said he’s sick, and if did pee on someone’s couch that’s out of hand.

Here’s the All Summer Long video.

Kid Rock is shown in St. Tropez on 7/27/08. Credit: ANG/FamePictures

Sharing music is easy these days. Downloading music is just a mouse click away. The music “stealing” business probably started with Napster. The communal music haven then felt the wrath of angry musicians whose sales took a hit. The rich get richer and the poor get poorer, but Kid Rock has gone nuttier than squirrel crap. He is now “encouraging” us to steal.

“The whole debate on downloading music has gone too far,” he said. “There are record companies suing kids. You can illegally download my music, steal it if you will. Because I’m fucking rich. How can I bitch about you downloading a song or two?”

What I would encourage you to do? Let’s level the playing field. Steal everything. If you want a new MP3 player or a computer… Do you know how much money Apple and Microsoft have? Go in there, get a new laptop and run. You need a new car? Go steal a Toyota.”

[All Headline News]

His recent ranting about the fact that iTunes is stealing everyone’s money and he wasn’t getting enough cash from the deal has hit a nerve. He has since pulled his music from the catalogue. And is now an advocate file sharing.

Rock’s boycott of the major music companies started when Atlantic Records requested that he “publicly denounce file sharing.” Rock basically told them to stick it where the sun doesn’t shine and went on to explain his thoughts on the matter.

“ITunes takes the money, the record company takes the money, and they don’t give it to the artists,” added the country rock rapper. Instead, he says, the internet offers a “great opportunity for everyone to be treated fairly, for the consumer to get a fair price, for the artist to be paid fairly, for the record companies to make some money.”

[Wired Listening Post]

Strangely enough…it makes some sense. Of course, I am not saying we should start using the five finger discount, but the digital music industry is still making the larger profit of the musical revenue. I adore Kid Rock and his trashtastic, down to earth and semi-rational ways.

Then again, anything he does is more acceptable than Heidi Montag and her continued ear raping. That’s the real injustice.

Picture note by JayBird: Here’s Kid Rock performing at the Shepherd’s Bush Empire in London on June 11th. Images thanks to WENN.

Summertime is here, and you know what that means you have to get ready for: a sudden, inexplicable wave of celebrities suffering from massive dehydration. You may say to yourself, “Oh that makes sense, it’s summer.” But the percentage of celebrities who suffer from hospital-worthy dehydration is about 300 times greater than it is in the rest of the population.

Kid Rock started off this year’s dehydration season by knocking a few too many back on Thursday night, which led to him being rushed to a Nottingham, England hospital right before he was scheduled to perform at a music festival.

Kid Rock was rushed to the hospital minutes before he was to head on stage Friday at a music festival in England, according to British press reports. Organizers of the Download Festival said the rocker, 37, had been hospitalized in Nottingham, which is 99 miles north of London. He was suffering from stomach cramps and dehydration, his spokesman told the music magazine NME.

Rock had been due on the festival’s main stage around 3.30 p.m. Friday, but an announcement came over the public-address system a few minutes before saying Rock was unwell.

He had reportedly attended a late-night event at Central London’s Whisky Mist nightclub that had continued into the early hours of June 13.

[From People]

Something tells me that if anyone is upfront enough to admit why he was so dehydrated, it’s Kid Rock. He also recently told The Guardian that he and Tommy Lee have patched up their feud – in fact Rock used the word “friends” to refer to the two of them. And while he says he’s alright with Pamela Anderson, he admitted he doesn’t go out of his way to chat her up. “If I see her, I say hello, but I kind of don’t want to be on that scene… I touched the stove, it’s f—— hot, I don’t want to touch it any more.”

I think a lot of people feel that way about Pamela Anderson’s stove. Except Tommy Lee.

Here’s Kid Rock leaving Whiskey Mist at Zeta in Mayfair… and Bungalo 8 earlier in the evening of June 12th, the night before he suffered from dehydration. Images thanks to WENN.

Yes, a Waffle House brawl in Atlanta landed him behind bars for a few hours. If it was anyone other than Kid Rock I wouldn’t buy it. Police have revealed that Kid, a.k.a Robert Ritchie, made a pit stop at the Waffle House on Buford Highway in the wee hours of the morning after a performance. With his entourage surrounding him as he enjoyed his breakfast, another male patron of the restaurant “exchanged words” with a female member of the group that ignited a disagreement that spilled into the parking lot and morphed into a physical fight. The reported crazy-making left one person, believed to be the instigator Harlen Akins, treated at a local hospital for cuts and bruises. Kid Rock and 5 of his fellow Waffle House brawlers were taken into police custody after his tour bus was pulled over. He can now add a misdemeanor charge of simple battery to his resume. But don’t cry for Kid Rock. He was out of DeKalb County Jail around 5 p.m. Sunday. He was even up to signing autographs on his way out.

Fox 5 News has learned that musician Kid Rock was arrested in Atlanta overnight in connection with a brawl at a Waffle House in DeKalb County Police tell us the singer, also known as Robert Ritchie, stopped at the restaurant at 5:15 this morning after performing at The Tabernacle.

A male customer recorgnized [sic] a woman in Kid Rock’s entourage, and police say that customer and the woman had words. That escalated into an argument, then a phjysical [sic] fight in the parking lot of the Waffle House, located on Buford Highway. Police were summoned, and Kid Rock’s tour bus was pulled over a short time later.

He and five members of his entourage were taken into custody on a misdemeanor charge of simple battery. The customer, who police identify as Harlen Akins, has been charged with one felony count of second degree criminal damage to property for allegedly smashing a window at the restaurant.

He was taken to Northside Hospital and treated for cuts, bruises and lacerations. No member of Kid Rock’s entourage was hospitalized. Kid Rock bonded out and left the DeKalb County jail just after 5.pm. Sunday, signing autographs as he made his way to the tour bus.

[From My Fox Atlanta]

Note by Celebitchy: Kid Rock is no stranger to fisticuffs. He famously got into an altercation with Tommy Lee at the VMAs this year, saying that he “had it coming” after harassing him over his divorce with their mutual ex, Pamela Anderson. Tommy Lee said he was minding his business and that Rock up and punched him on the cheek at the VMAs. He said he was about to put the smack down on him for the unprovoked attack when bodyguards separated the two. “This is what people do when they have shitty albums and their careers are going down the drain,” Lee added.

Rock was also arrested in February, 2005 for punching a DJ in a strip club after they got into an argument over the music he was playing. Rock pled no contest to misdemeanor assault and the DJ is suing him for a million dollars.

I can’t wait to hear Kid Rock’s side of this latest fight, told with his typical bravado and attention to detail. If he has any sense he’ll avoid talking to the press and will issue a carefully worded statement about what happened, saying that he’s grateful no one was seriously injured. It’s Kid Rock, though, so you know he’ll talk a lot of smack about the guy and we’ll get a colorful account of how he and his friends were innocent victims despite the fact that it was the other guy who was hurt.

Here’s a collection of Kid Rock’s mug shots, thanks to The Smoking Gun. Header image is his most current booking photo thanks to My Fox Atlanta.

Barely a year goes by that Pamela Anderson doesn’t indulge in a long term relationship that seems a little dubious – like her bikini clad wedding to Kid Rock that ended after four months, apparently because of her cameo in Borat. Perhaps when he watched the movie that was the first he’d heard of her sex tape with Tommy Lee?

Of course, her current beau is Rick Solomon, the man from the One Night In Paris sex tape, so at least she doesn’t need to conceal that part of her past from him, although for his sake I hope he never watched Barbed Wire.

Onetime Baywatch star Pamela Anderson and Rick Salomon, a former boyfriend of Paris Hilton, applied for and were granted a marriage licence in Las Vegas on Saturday, the syndicated TV show Access Hollywood has reported.

Representatives for Anderson and Salomon were not immediately available for comment.

Sydney Morning Herald

Pam had previously told Ellen Degeneres that she was engaged.

Pamela has been married twice before, to Tommy Lee and Kid Rock, and Rick Solomon was married to Shannon Doherty and has two children with first wife Elizabeth Daily. Maybe Pam’s boys Brandon, 11, and Dylan, 9, could be playmates with Rick’s girls Hunter and Tyson of the same ages.

Just because the wedding is in Las Vegas doesn’t mean it’s going to happen right now quickie style – that’s where Pammy works with magician Hans Klok. Rick also works there as a poker player, which means the previous engagement she was talking about to Ellen was to Rick. Well probably.

“I paid off a poker debt with sexual favors, and I fell in love,” Anderson, 40, told DeGeneres. “It’s so romantic. It’s romance.

“I’m not really engaged. I don’t know what I am,” Anderson added. “We may never get that far. We’re in love. This is nice.”

E! Online

Paying off a debt by sexual favours? I can’t imagine anything more romantic.

Note by Celebitchy: Paparazzi photo agency X17 is reporting that Pam and Rick got hitched in Vegas this weekend. There’s no proof other than a rumor, but I would assume that Pam would cash in on the pictures, even if it was a just a drunken trip to a hotel chapel followed by a cheap buffet feast. She wouldn’t be ashamed.

Pamela Anderson may be 40 but people still want to see her naked in flattering light with the right amount of airbrushing. She has been offered $1 million to pose nude in Playboy together with Denise Richards, her co-star in the upcoming film Blonde and Blonder.

Pals Pamela Anderson and Denise Richards are considering a $1 million offer to pose nude together in an upcoming issue of Playboy magazine. Both blondes have disrobed for the men’s magazine in the past, and now Playboy boss Hugh Hefner wants the actresses to team up for a spread in the January 2008 issue of the publication. A source tells the Globe, “Neither Pam nor Denise has committed yet, but they’re seriously considering it.” Anderson has appeared nude in Playboy a record 12 times, while Richards stripped for the December 2004 issue.

Contact Music

In other Pamela Anderson news, friends of the blonde are concerned that she is partying too hard.

A source revealed to the New York Post that pals of the former ‘Baywatch’ babe were worried that she might be seriously harming herself with all the partying and drinking.

“She drinks, she does stuff . . . and she’s got hepatitis C. Her liver is shot but she keeps living this crazy lifestyle. We don’t think she understands how serious this is. She has two kids and may not be around to see them grow up at this rate,” the paper quoted a source, as saying.

And, things got even wilder when Anderson started hanging out with Paris Hilton’s sex-tape partner, Rick Salomon.

“They went wild over the VMA weekend. I just watched them party with my jaw open,” the source said.

topnews

It’s a girlfriend’s first responsibility to let their friend know, in the nicest possible way, that the guy they’re dating is a chump. I’m pretty sure the man who profited from his sex tape with Paris Hilton is going to be at best dubious boyfriend material. Then again, perhaps the same could be said for Tommy Lee, who gave Pamela Anderson Hepatitis C. Or even Kid Rock, who managed to remain married to her for four months before divorcing her. Maybe Pammy is taking man advice from good friend Denise Richards.

Kid Rock got in a fight with Tommy Lee right at the VMAs last night, and he is even said to have popped him, although I couldn’t tell in the video of the incident, it’s all just a lot of flailing around from far away with Rock looking pissed and trying not to lose his cigar..

Here’s the video from MTV via TMZ.

TMZ says that Tommy Lee got booted from the VMAs right afterwards while Kid Rock was allowed to stay and was not immediately arrested for punching Lee.

Vegas cops issued a statement saying they were there quickly and that Kid Rock got a citation for misdemeanor battery. Cops were said to be looking for him after the VMAs. He will have to appear in court in Vegas in 3-5 weeks.

There was a recent story about Tommy Lee that he had sex with some chick on a table at a public nightclub. Maybe Lee was telling him not to disrespect the mother of his children with such nasty antics, or maybe they were arguing about Pamela herself. She is notorious for on-again off-again relationships that never really end, particularly with Tommy, so I wouldn’t be surprised if she had something going on with him again. She has been seen out on the beach in Malibu with Rick Solomon, the guy who made and marketed the Paris Hilton sex tape, but it’s unknown if they’re an item.

MTV reports that Pamela Anderson and Kid Rock ran into each other right before the VMAs and that it was quite an awkward moment:

As Pam made her way into that area from outside, Kid Rock was entering the same space, which is only like 5′ by 10″, but through the casino side entry. They didn’t notice each other — Pam chatted with Hans Klok, with whom she’s starring in a Vegas show, and Kid Rock sipped his Bud Light. But a minute or so later, Rock turned around and he and Pam were looking right at each other. “Hey,” Pam said to her ex-beau softly, with a cordial smile. It was one of those, “Oh, wow, you, yeah, OK,” moments. Very awkward. And everyone in that room picked up on it.

[From MTV.com]

Maybe that’s why tensions were high when Rock ran into Lee. Even if Lee hasn’t rekindled his relationship with the mother of his children, he still gets to see her often enough and I doubt she has much to do with Rock.

Pamela Anderson and Kid Rock are shown at the VMAs last night. Thanks to WENN for these photos.

Update: The NYDaily News had this pic of Anderson on Lee’s lap at the VMAs and said that this might have provoked Rock, along with the fact that Lee is said to have ignored him. Here’s the description of the incident.

Witnesses claimed Tommy Lee of Motley Crue may have provoked Kid Rock by reintroducing his lap and pawing hands to Anderson.

Rock took exception to Lee’s behavior, decking him in front of Sean (Diddy) Combs.

“It looked like Tommy Lee initiated it because Kid Rock was ignoring him,” said rap producer Rich Nice. “And Tommy Lee kind of antagonized him. And then when Tommy Lee stood up, it looked a little weird, like, ‘Yo, what?”‘

Nice said Kid Rock threw the first punch, backhanding Tommy Lee.

“And then Tommy Lee looked like he was trying to get at him to aggressively retaliate and then Kid Rock hits Tommy Lee again - bong,” Nice said.

[NY Daily News]

Kid Rock spent Christmas in Iraq and is performing for troops there. He says that it’s important that we remember our servicemen and women over the holidays no matter what our views on the war in Iraq:

The Michigan country-rap-rock star will perform for troops stationed in Kuwait and Iraq through Dec. 29. The shows are sponsored by two U.S. Department of Defense programs, Armed Forces Entertainment and America Supports You.

Kid Rock, 35, a native of Romeo in Macomb County whose real name is Robert Ritchie, explained his decision to perform for the troops on his Web site:

“This year for Christmas I wanted to make sure somebody was thanking our troops for their service, no matter what our views are on the current situation in Iraq. I could be spending Christmas with my family, but in my heart I know this is the right thing to do — not only for our men and women in service, but also to set an unselfish example for my son and send a strong message to the world to be thankful and think of others at Christmas time.”

Kid Rock first visited troops in the Middle East in 2003, when he traveled to Kuwait, Qatar, and Iraq as part of a U.S.O. tour.

Thanks to Kid Rock for reminding us about the troops this Christmas season. Other entertainers visiting the troops include World Wrestling Entertainment, which held a Tribute to the Toops show that aired on the USA Network on Christmas night.

There are several servicemen and women who read the blog and comment here. My cousin is serving in Iraq and has a wife and two toddler sons at home. It must be so hard to be away from your family at Christmastime and our thoughts and wishes go out to the troops serving overseas.

Pictures of servicepeople celebrating Christmas from DefendAmerica.mil and Columbus Federal Voice. Who wants to look at pictures of Kid Rock?

Pamela Anderson was at the tattoo artist about to get inked with her new husband Kid Rock’s name when she had a reminder of how fleeting relationships can be. The tattoist told her that he’d recently done some work on her ex husband, Tommy Lee. That is said to have reminded her of the ring tattoo of Tommy’s name she had around her wedding finger, which she changed to “Mommy!” once they broke up. Pamela hightailed it out of there, and it’s a good thing because her relationship with Rock lasted only a few weeks longer:

Here’s a PAMELA ANDERSON story I heard last week, but now I’m glad I didn’t tell you - because her decision to divorce KID ROCK makes it a truly poignant tale! Pam popped into Vancouver’s West Coast Tattoo to ink her new hubby’s name on her bod… but suddenly paused when the tattoo artist bragged he’d just illustrated the skins of the “Rock Star: Supernova” cast - including ex-hubby TOMMY LEE. In a sudden memory of how fleeting love can be, Pam eyed her ring finger - where Tommy’s name had been tattooed in happier days - then nixed a Kid Rock tat, saying: “Maybe I’d better wait and see how things work out!” (WHEW!…Close call, girlfriend.)

It seems like the only names you should ever get tattooed with are the names of your parents or kids, or maybe a friend who has died who you can no longer argue with.

There may be another reason Pam decided against getting a tattoo at that point. She claimed that she contracted Hepatitis C from Tommy Lee after sharing a tattoo needle with him. So any tattoos she got while she was married to him must remind her of their failed relationship and the chronic illness he left her with. That didn’t stop her from running back to him for a public makeout session after she filed for divorce, though.

Anderson has said that she’s coping with her divorce from Kid Rock by doing lots of baking and home decorating. From what I remember of an MTV show I saw of her house, she likes that feminine shabby chic french country style. Maybe she should call up Tori Spelling to come help her out.

Update: Popoholic has a top five list of celebrity tattooed babes. Pamela Anderson comes in at five, and Angelina Jolie predictably tops the list. Her “Know your rights” upper back tatoo was visible at the NY premiere of The Good Shephard this week.

In true Pamela Anderson form, she reconnected with two of her exes right after splitting with her husband of four months, Kid Rock. Of course Rock was also one of Pamela’s old loves that she just couldn’t let go of and hastily married after a summer fling.

Is newly single Pam Anderson torn between two exes? On Nov. 27, within minutes of filing for divorce from hubby of four months Kid Rock, 35, she was on the phone reconnecting with her “forever flame,” ex husband Tommy Lee, 44! “He asked me is it true you are getting divorced, and if it is true, what are you doing later?” Pam told the TV show Extra. Five days later, Pam and Tommy spent the day watching their sons Brandon and Dylan play football and basketball. “They were kissing and hugging most of the afternoon,” an eyewitness tells Star. Tommy may have some competition. On November 26- the night before she filed for divorce – a wedding ring –free Pam was in San Diego’s Stingaree nightclub attending a party for her ex boyfriend, San Diego Chargers footballer David Binn, 34. “They looked very comfortable and seemed to be tuning out the other partygoers,” an eyewitness tells Star. “It was clear that she was there for David.”

[From the Star Magazine e-mail newsletter]

Kid Rock has also turned back to an ex. He was seen out with Conchita Leeflang, who he dated after his first breakup with Pamela Anderson in 2003. Word is that he never lost touch with Conchita and Pam suspected him of cheating with her during their brief marriage.

The GQ Interview that came out right after Pam and Kid split may offer clues as to why their marriage was doomed. They fought in front of the journalist, with Pam scolding Kid for his
love of hunting and use of the word “gay”

Recalling their 29 July (06) marriage in the current December 2006 issue of the publication, rap rocker Rock growled the guests were made up of “whoever could afford to come,” adding, “None of my friends were there”. He later claims, “I’m not in charge of this relationship”.

When his new wife attempted to correct him, stating, “They’re all your friends, baby..”. Rock snapped, “None of my friends were there”.

Then, in a further exchange, the couple disputed the use of the word ‘gay’ when tough guy Rock, real name Robert Ritchie, insisted, “That just takes the gay metre right to the end” when asked to confirm he sang U2’s With Or Without You to his new bride on their wedding day.
Anderson attempted to correct him by saying, “That’s enough with the gay word. That’s not nice,” but her husband glibly jokes, “It’s a new word. All the kids are using it”.

The actress/model even threatened divorce, which she filed for last week (ends01Dec06), when her husband jokes about her animal rights work.

Asked by the magazine if his wife’s love for animals is making an impact, Rock jokes, “Now I shoot the deer and she saves it,” which prompts angry Anderson to retort, “That’s divorce right there. You shoot anything, it’s over.

Nice to know these two are able to learn from their mistakes.

Images from Splash News Online and Conchita Leeflang’s myspace.