Dan Aykroyd appeared on the Tonight Show last night to promote the James Brown biopic Get On Up. While there, he shared a story about the time he and Bill Murray ran into James Brown in a rental car lot.
A 45-year Scottish property developer who had become so rich he was able to retire at 36 was sentenced to five years in jail this week following a major cocaine bust last year.
An "intuitive psychic" healer named Aiden is her new manager. James Brown's body goes missing from its crypt. Socialite shocked to discover racism, anti-semitism, homophobia make you unpopular. Corey Haim died of a too-big heart. Friday gossip is so alone.
Tonight 60 Minutes aired its much-anticipated Michael Vick interview, conducted by James Brown of CBS Sports, the first time Vick has spoken publicly about his crimes since being sent to prison for running a brutal dog-fighting ring.
♦ Good news for downtown hipster boys: Chloë Sevigny is expanding her Opening Ceremony clothing line to include menswear. [Nylon]
♦ Just because you're a celebrity doesn't mean that your clothing line will be successful, points out WWD: Scarlett Johansson and Mandy Moore both have failed attempts behind them. But Mary Kate and Ashley Olsen, because they were apparently blessed at birth with the ability to mint money, have ever expanding fashion companies. [WWD]
Apparently James Brown was unable to hit it and quit: "The late soul legend has another daughter and it may not be his last. An unnamed woman has proved through DNA testing that the singer, dubbed the Godfather of Soul, was her father. She is the third person to do so since Brown's death last December and other tests are pending." [Telegraph (U.K.)]
Caught outside the Apollo Theater in Harlem, people waiting to pay their respects to James Brown. Lots of dancing feet involved.
While porcupine-becoiffed superproducer Brian Grazer (don't worry—we won't use the headshot) has long been developing a big screen treatment of James Brown's life story with the cooperation of the legend himself, just two days after the singer's death comes a report that Spike Lee has signed on to direct. And although Grazer wasn't necessarily looking for a Hollywood ending, something about Brown hip-gyrating off this mortal coil on Christmas Day makes for a satisfyingly spectacular conclusion to the life of a Soul Messiah:
The late James Brown is evidently the hardest working man in death. Following his stint at the Apollo, the well-traveled Godfather of Corpses will be on display in Augusta, Georgia at James Brown Arena, which, it should be pointed out, is an arena bearing the name of James Brown.
James Brown may have missed his planned NYC gig at BB King's club, and his alleged widow isn't having much luck getting into his house. But on Thursday, the Godfather of Soul will make one more date at Harlem's Apollo Theater, lying in state for fan viewing. It's a little creepy, sure, but also a little perfect. If we weren't here tomorrow, we'd probably be there.
When there's blanket coverage of a celebrity death, it's always fun to compare the way it's handled by different news outlets. So: who do you think described James Brown's signature style and moves most whitely and dorkily?
