Topic: Common

Video: Common Performs at the White House, Nation Still Intact

Video: Common Performs at the White House, Nation Still Intact

When rapper and activist Common was invited to perform at a White House celebration of poetry earlier this week, Fox News went nuts, accusing the artist of being, essentially, a cop-killing gangsta rapper. Which is absurd, because Common is one of the most positive and socially conscious rappers out there. The show took place last night — here’s Common’s performance, which, shockingly, did not incite a national race riot, and was instead rather lovely. More »

Crush Links: Beyonce’s Intimate, Star-Studded B-Day Bash

Crush Links: Beyonce's Intimate, Star-Studded B-Day Bash

• Jay-Z threw wifey Beyonce an intimate 29th birthday party Saturday night. But apparently his definition of intimate is different from ours, because this party involved filling about-to-open New York hotspot The Darby with orchids and included fellow A-list guests like Alicia Keys, Kayne West and Diddy. (Page Six)

• Natalie Portman will star opposite Robert Downey Jr. in the 3D film Gravity, after Angelina Jolie passed — twice. In this case, we wouldn’t mind being second choice. (Deadline Hollywood)

• But don’t feel sorry for Angelina. She’ll no doubt be unwinding in the $40 million Italian mansion — with vineyard and stables — that she just purchased with Brad Pitt. (Herald Sun)

• Phew — Robert Pattinson won’t be guest starring in an upcoming episode of Entourage. What about True Blood? (E! Online)

• Snooki’s “boyfriend” Jeff Miranda says he gets death threats. Hey, he better treat our girl right or else! (Radar Online)

• As if it couldn’t get any worse for Mel Gibson, ex Oksana Grigorieva wants him to pay $84,000 for the PR team she hired during her very public spat with him. So that’s how much it costs to slowly leak damaging tapes day by day. (New York Post)

• Tennis star Serena Williams is said to have her eye on red hot Canadian rapper Drake, after recently breaking up with rapper Common. Hands off, Serena, Drake is ours! (Page Six)

• Joel McHale is getting to live out lots of mens’ fantasies — he’s set to play Jessica Alba‘s husband in Spy Kids 4. (Variety) More »

Crush This: ‘Robin Hood’, Rom-Coms Rule This Week

Crush This: 'Robin Hood', Rom-Coms Rule This Week

Welcome to Crush This, your weekly guide to what’s new in movies, music and TV. We’ve navigated the inner reaches of our entertainment-obsessed brains in search of all the pop culture landscape has to offer. This week, we’re getting into the summer movie season in earnest, with big releases like Ridley Scott’s Robin Hood with Russell Crowe in the lead role and romantic comedies Letters to Juliet and Just Wright. And don’t miss this week’s season finales of some of your favorite TV shows like Vampire Diaries — especially if they haven’t been renewed by the networks yet. More »