At her New Zealand concert on Sunday, Lady Gaga appeared to address Madonna, after the latter kicked off her MDNA Tour by combining her classic Express Yourself with Gaga's similar-sounding Born This Way, then ending the song by chanting "She's not me". In clips posted on YouTube, Gaga told her Auckland audience: "It sometimes makes people feel better about themselves to put other people down or maybe make a mockery of their work. I don't even want to fight back because it's more important to me to keep writing music. Things are really different than they were 25 years ago, and that's what makes Born This Way so relevant for me. We're socially in a different place and it's OK - we don't have to all slice and hate each other."
Jessica Sanchez sings at Pacquiao match
When Filipino viewers tuned in on Sunday to watch their countryman Manny Pacquiao fight Timothy Bradley in Las Vegas, they were treated to a performance by the American Idol runner-up and Filipino-Mexican singer Jessica Sanchez, who sang the US national anthem. Philippine newspapers earlier reported that Pacquiao personally wanted the 16-year-old to sing at the match. The boxer is a fan of Sanchez and even attended the Idol finals show in Hollywood last month. Last week, the famed music producer Tommy Mottola announced on Twitter he was "ready to work" with Sanchez, whether on a debut record or a concert.
Justin Bieber to debut in basketball film
Justin Bieber is in talks to star in a basketball-themed film with Mark Wahlberg. "They're rewriting the script," the Canadian pop star told MTV. "I want to send Bieber the final script once it's perfect," said Wahlberg, who's producing and acting in the film. "Cutting those albums is easy, building a movie career is a difficult thing." Bieber's new album, Believe, is out on Tuesday. * IANS
Simon Cowell launches cooking talent show
Simon Cowell has unveiled his latest TV venture, with competitors squaring off using spatulas instead of microphones. Premiering next February, Food, Glorious Food features the chef Gordon Ramsay hunting for the UK's best home-made dish, with the winning meal to be stocked in Marks & Spencer. "I love my mum's roast potatoes. Shepherd's pie, Cornish pasties - I want stuff like that on the show," Cowell told The Sun.
Charlize Theron shaves head for film
Charlize Theron was recently photographed by MTV News sporting a shaved head, a hairstyle required for her role in the new film Mad Max: Fury Road, which began production this month. "It's time to skin this cat already," Theron told MTV, referring to her hair. "I'm very excited about the movie." The long-awaited reboot also stars Tom Hardy and Nicholas Hoult.
