That's still a lot of money.

Jonathan Ross could have his £6million annual salary slashed by two-thirds as he enters talks with the BBC over his contract. Corporation bosses are set to offer him £2million a year after it was revealed the presenter has himself offered to take a 50 per cent pay cut. Insiders said the BBC will offer him the lower figure because Ross is refusing to sign a ‘golden handcuffs’ contract, which would ban him from working for another broadcaster. decision not to pursue an exclusive contract – which was revealed by the Daily Mail in October – has handed the BBC a major advantage in talks with the presenter.Ross is its highest-paid star with a three-year £18million deal, which ends next July.But sources close to the star made clear he was prepared to accept a drastically smaller package – a two-year contract worth up to £6million. It means he would be paid around the same as Graham Norton, who is set to take a £500,000 pay cut on his current £2.5million-a-year salary.Norton, whose contact is up at the end of the year, is almost certain to sign an exclusive deal with the BBC, which would see his yearly pay drop to £2million.The proposals – which are not a final written offer – were made at a meeting between Ross and BBC executives earlier this week.a source close to the presenter said: ‘The truth of it is there has been a meeting which wasthe first time they have got together about the deal.Nothing has formally been offered. He is very happy at the BBC and they have been very good to him. He is being very successful and he wants to stay and the ball is in his court.‘He is aware that with the climate now everybody has got to do it. It was not discussed if it would be exclusive but it will be a two-year-deal not three. He is fine with that.

‘He will carry on doing what he is doing – the record industry and film industry love his talk show on Friday night.’

Another source said that BBC bosses and Ross are desperate to complete a deal quickly because of the looming General Election.

Insiders believe that if the Conservatives – who have threatened to force the BBC to reveal the salaries of its big name performers – win power, then the corporation would come under pressure to slash the pay of its top stars even further.

Bruce Forsyth, radio host Chris Moyles and comedy actor Alan Davies are among the stars who have already taken a pay cut.

A BBC spokesman said the corporation did not comment on talent deals.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2009/dec/17/jonathan-ross-bbc-pay-deal

Coldplay has a nostalgic moment

COLDPLAY have revealed the tempting full catalogue for their upcoming End Of Decade auction.

The band are selling off instruments, clothes, artwork and memorabilia to raise money for charidee, mate.

The strangest bit of gear I spotted for sale is their muddy Wellington boots from their second Glastonbury appearance in 2000.

I'm amazed they ever kept them at all, but they were stored after the show.

CHRIS MARTIN and Co warn any bidders this will be the smelliest lot.

But I noticed they are also selling guitarist JONNY BUCKLAND's cap which he wore every night on the Viva La Vida tour. That's got to be kicking up a bit.

They are also flogging their stage jackets, which cannot be fresh.

All cash raised from the auction - running from today until December 31 - is going to the band's favorite charity Kids Company.

I’m not going to lie, there’s plenty of awesome things they are selling.

I also took the liberty to find the catalogue and some information about the Kid’s Company.

About Kids Company

The entire proceeds of Coldplay's End of Decade Clearout Sale will go

directly to Kids Company.

Kids Company was founded in 1996. The charity's aim is to provide

practical, emotional and educational support to vulnerable inner-city

children and young people in London.

Many of the 14,000 children reached by Kids Company’s services have

experienced severe and multiple trauma. Often these are "lone

children" living in chronic deprivation, with little or no support and

face the daily anxieties of caring for their family as the role of

parent and child is reversed.

The charity gives them hope by providing a safe, caring, nurturing

environment where support is tailored to the needs of each individual.

Their aim is to empower children, who have experienced enormous

challenges, to lead positive lives. They offer unrelenting love for

every child, whatever it takes.

Kids Company's staff are constantly inspired by the courage and

dignity expressed by vulnerable children in the face of overwhelming

challenges, and in everything they do, the child is put first.

In 2007 Kids Company was awarded the Liberty and JUSTICE Human Rights Award.

if you were interested in buying anything:

http://bit.ly/cpauctioncatalogue

God save the Queen? or the fans?

JOHN LYDON won't be sending COLDPLAY or RADIOHEAD Christmas cards.

In typically grumpy form, the SEX PISTOLS legend let rip at the bands led by CHRIS MARTIN and THOM YORKE, suggesting they don't care about their fans.

He said: "Coldplay and Radiohead bug the hell out of me because it's so soulless. It just seems pointless. It's nice, but it's tosh. They don't care about you. They care about lining their coffers."

This from the man who has starred in an advert for butter.

He added: "There's nothing about heart and soul, they don't know about people dying, living, aspiring."

“Chris Martin is so concerned by what his fans think he can barely stay sane.”

This is upsetting, a former legend, bashing on what he probably wish he still had, yet could he actually be onto something? I mean radiohead and coldplay do seem to have sold out shows and also seem to be in the good light with most people. Is it that they don’t do anything that’s not unexpected of them? They really could be fooling everyone and everyone could be pretty much buying into it and thinking it’s the normal thing to do with what they are presented with. It’s just a bit strange that Johnny would concern himself with something so trivial and not be worrying about other issues. It seems more like a jealous rant rather than a thought provoking idea. How many people are going to believe a man who’s known for vices versus groups known for charitable behavior. I guess it all comes down to the audience.

Courtney taken to Court.

It's now emerged her estranged daughter FRANCES BEAN COBAIN has slapped a restraining order on her troubled mom. It’s sad that pretty much everyone is breathing a sigh of relief. Days after losing custody of 17-year-old Frances to her father KURT's mom Wendy O'Connor and sister Kimberly, Courtney unleashed her wrath on Facebook.In a series of shocking rants, the HOLE rocker, 45, branded her daughter "deluded", "deceptive" and a "liar". Sadly, those words seem to be used to describe Courtney herself in recent years.Adding to the drama, a judge has now issued a temporary restraining order forbidding Courtney to have any contact with Frances.Another hearing has reportedly been set for January to make the order permanent.Meanwhile, tragic NIRVANA icon Kurt's uncle has spoken out to shed light on what caused the breakdown in Courtney's relationship with Frances.Charles Fradenburg said his sister Wendy "has been trying to get custody of Frances for quite a few years".He added: "Courtney is not fit to take care of Frances, she can barely take care of herself."Courtney wasn't doing any parenting at all, she was hiring nannies to do all of the work."This is a wonderful thing for the family."Hopefully, something works out. In the sense that Frances is actually happy where she is whether it’s with her mom or her dad’s mom. Afterall, it shouldn’t be about the entertainment factor of this trail, but for the well-being of Frances.

50 cent could wish he was dead?

MOST people look forward to climbing the charts to raise their profile - but 50 CENT reckons his popularity will soar when he DIES. It’s a bit sketch to think that some people look forward to dying in the sense of popularity. One seems to questions whether they say things like this to get a reaction and have higher sales while they are alive or merely because they don’t care how much they make now, but to always be remembered.

Surely 30 million record sales prove he's pretty popular when he's alive.

It’s just astonishing that what he’s actually saying is pretty true. I mean I’m pretty sure the popularity doubles when an artist dies only because the artist is no longer there to make more of what was being made. It becomes a bit of a collector’s item to have what they put out when they were alive. At the same time one can argue that if they weren’t making bank to begin with then how much can one actually be remembered for when dead? You have to have a fan club while alive if you wish to have any when dead.

He said: "As an artist you're greater in your absence than in your presence.

"Everyone liked MICHAEL JACKSON more the week after he passed away than the week before.

"Maybe they'll like me more when I'm gone. I'd definitely like to be remembered as a great artist."

The Dead Man Running actor also denied plans to quit music for acting, saying: "I'll always be a rapper first and foremost."

Oh Lady Gaga-inspirational speeches?

I love Lady Gaga just as much as the next person, don’t get me wrong. But telling her audience that glitter can solve a world war is a bit ridiculous.

She said: "With you little monsters there is no hate in the world, there is only love.

"And you know, I believe that if a world war took place that you would all sing and dance and throw glitter until everybody stopped.”

GaGa then offered some further words of wisdom, saying: "Sequins are much more fun than bombs."

Never one to keep things simple, Lady G wore a variety of costumes for her New Jersey gig including a white KYLIE-esque suit reminscent of the I Just Can't Get You Out Of My Head video.

I believe that she hopefully didn’t mean that statement as a I’m ready to save the world statement in case they need me.

She may just have been hinting at how easily her audience could be swayed by praise. None of her music is violent, so it could also mean she is not giving a reason for her audience to act out in violence and is therefore not condoning such a thing. She’s done many a great things, regardless of how controversial she is. She’s pretty admirable in the sense that she’ll say and do what she was regardless of what people think, but also is it that she does what she does for a reaction? It’s great either way. Keep it up, Lady Gaga, Keep it up.

The Government Hates Rap?

There have been numerous occasions when I have been lost with a group of out- of -towners in my car. We somehow tend to always find a way to wander onto a sketchy street called Martin Luther King Blvd. I used to always think that perhaps only ours was a bit unsafe, but the non-locals always seem to reassure me that the Martin Luther King Blvd in their neck of the woods is also not so welcoming. As I was lost on this street, my ipod decided to greet me with the sounds of Chris Rock's stand up performances. This particular one happened to be "The Government Hates Rap?" It had been a while since I last heard it, but with just finishing our chapters on Hip Hop and Rap, I felt a new interest in listening to it. He starts off with why he believes the government hates rap. He's wondering why ,, There's been numerous occasions when I have been lost with a group of out of towners in my car. We somehow tend to always find a way to wander onto a sketchy street called Martin Luther King Blvd. I used to always think that perhaps only ours was a bit unsafe, but the non-locals always seem to reassure me that the Martin Luther King Blvd in their neck of the woods is also not so welcoming. As I was lost on this street, my ipod decided to greet me with the sounds of Chris Rock's stand up performances. This particular one happened to be "The Government Hates Rap?" It had been a while since I last heard it, but with just finishing our chapters on Hip Hop and Rap, I felt a new interest in listening to it. He starts off with why he believes the government hates rap. He brings up points on how Tupac Shakur was shot on the Las Vegas Strip after a Mike Tyson match with plenty of witnesses, but the gunman still has not been caught? Yet, the American government can go to Iraq and find Saddam Hussein in a hole? How is it that we can find Saddam in a hole in Iraq, but we can’t figure who killed Tupac in front of circus circus? They’re many more instances in which people are left wondering why? I guess it’s a bit of a conspiracy, but as I was driving home I couldn’t help but really wonder.

Sit back, Relax, and Enjoy the Dirt

When you were younger, did you enjoy getting dirty? Making mud pies, throwing dirt, playing with paint; it was a natural stress reliever. Something that would make you smile, well, until you got yelled at by your parents. Well, what if it was the dirtiness and freedom that caused you to appreciate the little things? Discovery channels “ Dirty Jobs” may be that little “something something” that’s missing from your life, what New Orleans natives would call Lagniappe. During our tough economy, we begin to realize how every job counts. Mike Rowe’s Dirty Jobs does just that. “Dirty Jobs” has made stars-for-a-day of dung beetle farmers, camel herders, chewing-gum scrapers and other working folk as they take Rowe under their wing for a day. "It never set out to be preachy or be a morality play -- it's just a simple, fun show," said Rowe, whose own eclectic resume includes stints as a musician, shopping-network pitchman and television news reporter. "In some ways, I think the headlines in the papers today have caught up with the themes of 'Dirty Jobs.' " Mike Rowe takes on jobs that are even scary to other tradesmen featured on the show. Rowe is unabashed in showing the hard, dirty work others do to make the viewers' daily lives run smoothly. But, he said, he works to avoid stereotyping his subjects -- positively or negatively. Last year, with the U.S. economy in a tailspin, Rowe said he couldn't help but apply the things he'd seen and learned on the show to the nation's financial situation. In a nine-minute video posted to his Web site on Labor Day, Rowe urged his fans to rethink what it means to have a "good job." "Rosie the Riveter is retired to some convalescent home with all the other icons of work that used to embody what work was," Rowe said on the video. "We don't have American icons any more -- we have American idols. We're worshiping the wrong stuff and it's hurting us." The show was on a bit of a hiatus, but thankfully 11 new episodes of new dirty work are soon to emerge.

HelloGoodbye to the Gosselins

While reading Carissa's blogpost on the FCC, I thought about what else was out there that would be better left out of reach of family homes. TLC's Jon and Kate Plus 8 came to mind. The show, which is about a bickering couple and their eight adorable kids, emphasizes on the daily life struggles and kodak moments of having 8 kids.At first, this quickly became a family favorite. As the seasons progressed it became obvious that something was not right. Kate's verbal abuse and Jon's faithfulness were questioned. Most recently, the couple of 10 years has called it quits. Ever since then it's been a question of whether to keep the show or drop it completely. This past friday, TLC sued Jon Gosselin on the account of a breach of contract. A CNN insider has come forth to state that there's enough footage to last until mid-November. A basic way of saying we have enough to satiate the American audience if they need one last Jon and Kate fix.TLC would like to be able to replace "Jon & Kate" with the renamed series "Kate Plus 8," but the network will have to get past Jon Gosselin first.The network announced in September that "given the recent changes in the family dynamics, it only makes sense for us to refresh and the program to keep pace with the family.TLC's "deeper focus on Kate's role in the family and her journey as a single mother" apparently didn't go over well with Jon. Days after learning about the network's new show, the father of eight barred TLC from continuing production on his Wernersville, Pennsylvania, property, citing concern for his children and effectively pulling the plug on his wife's solo spotlight.It's unclear when either of the Gosselins will return to television after "Jon & Kate" becomes part of reality TV history, but I'm pretty sure not everyone wants to join in to watch.

What would you do with a Hammer?

Somebody Call 911

Getting me fired up on a daily basis isn't as easy as one might think. But, when it comes to politics or things that i'm passionate about..I may fire back. For instance, the NRA, FEMA, stupid political leaders who shouldn't have the positions they have (ie Mahmoud Ahmadinejad),etc etc. These things pretty much get at me and not in the I ate the leftovers you were planning on eating kind of way, but in the are you serious type of way.