GOSSIP

Worst movie ever made?

Halle Berry must be laughing. The Oscar-winning actress stepped down from acting in the romantic comedy Gigli in 2001 with Jennifer Lopez stepping into her shoes as the leading lady. Now, the movie is being slated as one of the worst movies ever made. According to the Los Angeles Times, it is "unwatchable," and USA Today commented that the movie was so bad it seemed like it would never end. Indeed, the movie is so famously bad that even the Indian newspaper the Hindustan Times published a story about how boyfriend and girlfriend Ben Affleck and J.Lo (or "Jenny" as she wants to be called now) have promised never, ever to make a movie together. We can only hope...

Jacko turning Japanese

Just when it looked as if Michael Jackson's weird behaviour and diminishing record sales might finally finish him financially, he's discovered one country that still appreciates him. The self-styled king of pop has signed a deal to endorse a new line of clothing in Japan. The agreement was signed in April and Michael Jackson-themed suits and jackets will be available next year.

There is no news as to exactly what the clothes will look like, but it's rumoured that they will not be based on Jackson's famously disturbing one-glove and surgical mask combo or his outlandish leather suit from the Bad era.

Ice Cube off the hook

Rapper/actor Ice Cube has received an apology from the Chicago Police department. While searching for a man who has attacked three women, the police issued a description of the attacker saying he "resembles the popular rap artist Ice Cube" while playing one of Ice's (or is that Mr Cube's?) videos in the background. The star was in town filming Barbershop 2 and many of the cast and crew from the movie saw the news report. After an apology was issued, the public safety alert was changed so as not to include references to the star.

Vocabulary

slated (v): in this usage, to plan that something will happen at a particular time in the future
comment (v): to express an opinion about something
diminishing (adj): getting smaller or less in quantity/importance
financially (adj): related to money
endorse (v): to say in an advertisement that like a particular product so that other people will want to buy it
combo (n): combination
outlandish (adj): strange or extremely unusual      
resemble (v): to look like or be similar to another person or thing

Idioms/expressions

stepping into someone's shoes (idiom): taking over someone's role, job, etc.