Chicago Sun-Times :: Entertainment ::

John Legend's new sound shows he's an 'Evolver'

BY STEVE JONES Gannett News Service — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 04:00 CST

John Legend is that rare R&B/pop star whose success is measured in album and ticket sales rather than airplay. �I haven�t been a big singles artist, but when I do concerts, the people who buy my album want to hear all the tracks that never got played on the radio,� he says. �So we try to give them as much as we can in the show,� like his Chicago performances tonight at Friday.

Corgan lightens it up for 2nd homecoming show

BY MARK GUARINO — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 04:00 CST

Coming from a 41-year-old man wearing a floor-length tiered skirt, fistfuls of rage might feel a little insincere. So Billy Corgan lightened up. At the Chicago Theatre on Wednesday, Corgan and his resuscitated Smashing Pumpkins performed the second of two homecoming shows that complimented the excessive rock portion of the first night with an evening of finely textured folk and light pop.

Familiarity breeds love for 'Porgy'

Thu, 20 Nov 2008 04:00 CST

Hedy Weiss: As with any work performed at Lyric Opera of Chicago, the titles of the arias in "Porgy and Bess" are printed as part of the synopsis in the program. But unlike most operas, even the most familiar works of Puccini and Mozart, this is one case where the audience can easily sing along.

Broadway in Chicago 2009 tickets on sale this week

FROM SUN-TIMES STAFF REPORTS — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 04:00 CST

Subscription series sales for the Broadway in Chicago 2009 season begin at 8 a.m. Friday exclusively through the group's Web site. The series includes �Legally Blonde: The Musical,� a revival of �Fiddler on the Roof,� the acclaimed �Spring Awakening" and the world premiere of �The Addams Family.�

Publicist: Hilton, Madden split

FROM THE ASSOCIATED PRESS — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 04:00 CST

Paris Hilton and her boyfriend of nine months, Benji Madden, have broken up. Hilton publicist Alanna McCarthy said Wednesday that the two ''remain very good friends.'' She wouldn't say more. Hilton and Madden have been photographed wearing rings with each other's initials. The 27-year-old socialite also joined her boyfriend when he toured with his rock band, Good Charlotte.

Scurrilous: Chicago's No. 1 Couch Potato

Thu, 20 Nov 2008 04:00 CST

'Buffalo' star roams

Jackman's the 'Sexiest'

Thu, 20 Nov 2008 04:00 CST

Hugh Jackman says wife Deborra-Lee Furness teased him after finding out he'd been named ''Sexiest Man Alive'' by People magazine. ''God bless her, she said, 'I could've told them that years ago!' " he recalled. "And then she said, 'Obviously Brad [Pitt] wasn't available this year.' And I said, 'That was a joke, right?' '' The magazine's executive editor, Jess Cagle, said Wednesday on NBC's ''Today'' that Jackman is not only at a career peak, with the ''X-Men'' movies and his upcoming epic with Nicole Kidman ''Australia,'' but he's also ''built like a tank.''

Pensions frozen at Random House, Inc.

FROM THE ASSOCIATED PRESS — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 04:00 CST

NEW YORK---- The country's largest trade publisher, Random House Inc., has frozen the pensions of its current employees and eliminated them for future hires, the latest cutback in an industry hit by declining sales and anticipating, at best, a difficult 2009.

Corgan lightens it up for 2nd homecoming show

BY MARK GUARINO — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 04:00 CST

John Legend's new sound shows he's an 'Evolver'

BY STEVE JONES Gannett News Service — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 04:00 CST

Wilco drummer, classical collaboration rises above

BY WYNNE DELACOMA — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 04:00 CST

Glenn Kotche is not your average rock-and-roll percussionist. Eighth blackbird is not your average classical music sextet. Put the two together, and the result is a vastly above-average night in the concert hall.

Corgan lightens it up for 2nd homecoming show

BY MARK GUARINO — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 04:00 CST

John Legend's new sound shows he's an 'Evolver'

BY STEVE JONES Gannett News Service — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 04:00 CST

Miley Cyrus in diva mode over Justin Gaston

Thu, 20 Nov 2008 04:00 CST

Bill Zwecker: Thanks to her ''Hannah Montana'' bonanza, Miley Cyrus has jillions of young fans, but we keep hearing the teen sensation's diva behavior is often now in high gear. Maybe it's because she she was under the weather with a bit of a flu bug at the Hollywood premiere for her new ''Bolt'' film, co-starring John Travolta, but sources backstage say Cyrus ''was really ugly'' when talking about her dad, Billy Ray Cyrus.

Jennifer Hudson won�t perform at Star Plaza

Thu, 20 Nov 2008 04:00 CST

THE SCOOP: DUE to the recent Hudson tragedy, singer Jennifer Hudson will not be performing with Brian McKnight on Nov. 28 at Star Plaza in Merrillville. Brian is still set to perform.

Publicist: Hilton, Madden split

FROM THE ASSOCIATED PRESS — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 04:00 CST

Michael Jackson to testify in London

BY ASSOCIATED PRESS — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 04:00 CST

LONDON---- Michael Jackson has agreed to appear in person at a London court to respond to a Bahraini sheik's $7 million lawsuit, the singer's lawyer said Thursday.

Ben Affleck visits Congo

BY ASSOCIATED PRESS — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 04:00 CST

GOMA, Congo---- Ben Affleck is visiting refugee camps in war-torn eastern Congo, where at least 250,000 people have been displaced by recent fighting, and says more aid money is needed.

Taco Bell gets tough with 50 Cent

BY ASSOCIATED PRESS — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 04:00 CST

NEW YORK---- Rapper 50 Cent is facing a challenge to his street cred -- from Taco Bell.

Muhammad Ali bout could clear man of murder

BY MAURICE POSSLEY Special to the Sun-Times mauricepossley@gmail.com — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 04:00 CST

A Sun-Times special report: On Sept. 15, 1978, the night Muhammad Ali made boxing history by defeating Leon Spinks to win the heavyweight championship for a record third time, a security guard was robbed and killed while on duty at a Masonic temple in Harvey. Four days later, Harvey police detectives said Anthony McKinney, 18, had confessed to killing Donald Lundahl with a single shotgun blast to the head.