The Band singer Levon Helm is dead at age 71 after a long battle with cancer, the Times Herald-Record reports. He passed away April 19 at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York.

Helm's guitarist and band leader, Larry Campbell, confirmed Helm's death with the Times Herald-Record:

"We lost Levon at 1:30 today surrounded by friends and family and his musicians have visited him ... As sad as this was, it was very peaceful."

Helm was diagnosed with throat cancer in 1998. A message posted on his website by his family on April 17 announced he was "in the final stage of his battle with cancer."

Helm achieved fame as singer and drummer for the roots rock group, The Band, and he can be heard on their classic tracks, including "The Weight" and "Up on Cripple Creek." He also played Loretta Lynn's father in "Coal Miner's Daughter," among other roles.

In 2007, Helm won a Grammy Award for Best Traditional Folk Album for his studio album, "Dirt Farmer," and his 2010 album, "Electric Dirt," won the first-ever Grammy Award for Best Americana Album. He followed his win in 2011 by taking home the same award for his live album, "Ramble at the Ryman."

Helm's former bandmate, Robbie Robertson, released a statement Wednesday.

"...Levon is one of the most extraordinary talented people I’ve ever known and very much like an older brother to me. I am so grateful I got to see him one last time and will miss him and love him forever..."

Helm's family also thanked his fans for their dedication on his website:

"Thank you fans and music lovers who have made his life so filled with joy and celebration... he has loved nothing more than to play, to fill the room up with music, lay down the back beat, and make the people dance! He did it every time he took the stage..."

Helm is survived by his wife, Sandy, and daughter, Amy.

Other notable deaths:

Erykah Badu’s steadfast pursuit of creativity and inspiration has been an ongoing challenge for the R&B songstress throughout the course of her career. The celebrated soul singer and mother of three recently extended her benevolent aspirations with Hennessy’s “Wild Rabbit” campaign.

During a recent interview with the Huffington Post, the Dallas native opened up on her second partnership with the luxury cognac brand, thoughts on a possible duet with Jay Electronica, and how she balances her career as a midwife.

What attracted you to become a brand ambassador for Hennessy’s “Wild Rabbit” campaign?

This is not my first time being involved in a Hennessy campaign. My first one was a couple of years ago, it was called “Hennessy Artistry: The Art Of Mixing.” It was where Hennessy had given artists [signed along with unsigned artists] a platform to express their art and music. And it was really cool. The Roots curated it and I thought that was a really good fit. Ahmir [Questlove] always does such a good job bringing in artists and doing a musical montage to keep a show going, and they asked me to do that this year. And I was more than pleased to do that. This year’s campaign is called “The Chase: Following Your Wild Rabbit.” It promotes never giving up, unshakably following the thing that guides you.

What would you consider to be your Wild Rabbit?

After they asked me to be a part of it they asked me what would my wild rabbit would be, and I didn’t have to think about it, I knew it would be my heart, making decisions in my life based on that. Including art and music, or love. And that’s why I’m involved, I get to put together some shows, speak to young people about their passion and their drives, never settling, and conquering their fears.

You also have a Hennessy cocktail that is inspired by you. Did you have any involvement in the creation?

That’s not my area. [Laughs] They are certain people who put those things together, because of course the object is to sell Hennessy. I wasn’t even aware that I had a drink until a couple of weeks ago. I don’t drink.

In terms of your performance sets, are you doing anything special or performing any new songs?

I’m doing a mixture. My shows are just going to be my shows; I didn’t do anything different or special for it. I think that’s one of the reasons why they choose me is because it’s going to be who I am in whatever venue that I’m in. Whether it’s new, or catalog, or impromptu.

Are you working on any new music projects or groups?

I just had a project come out called Rocket Juice and the Moon, with myself, Tony Allen [the drummer from Fela!], Flea [bass player from the Red Hot Chili Peppers], and Damon Albarn [from the Gorillaz]. I also have a group called The Cannabinoids, which consists of myself and eight other musicians on stage with me -- actually, they’re not musicians they’re producers. And we create music live on the spot. I created the group so it could keep me creative, and it also keeps me connected to my roots. All of the producers in the group are a part of my history. We have an album coming out in the last quarter of this year. My solo album also comes out in the last quarter.

Do you have a working title for your solo project?

I don’t have a title yet. That always comes last after I put the body of work together and sequenced it, found the right photos and artwork. Then usually the title comes to life.

On the album, can fans expect a collaboration between yourself and Jay Electronica?

Perhaps. We’ve done a lot of songs together, but sometimes you don’t like it or it doesn’t feel quite cohesive yet , but we’ve been working on it. We don’t have any plans, that kind of stuff just happens … He’ll have an idea and then I come in and put something down. And sometimes something comes, sometimes nothing ever comes. But we have a collection of those songs that we didn’t quite love.

With you being a midwife how do you balance your career between being an artist and providing care for expecting mothers?

That keeps me really, really busy because I never know when a mom is going to go into labor. So that means if I’m at a show and I get a page then I got to go. [Laughs] Or if I’m at the studio and I get a call then I have to go.

How do you factor that scheduling into touring across the country or overseas?

If I know that I’m going overseas, I usually know that a year in advance. I wouldn’t take a mother as a client until I get back. And I usually take two moms at a time. And we start generally around four or five months, and work throughout the pregnancy. And then after the baby is here we work up until when they feel they have a good grasp on being a mom.

Are you working on any philanthropic events?

I have a DJ camp coming up. This season is going to include DJing, teaching the history of Hip Hop, learning how to scratch with records. Learning how to DJ without Serato, and then learning how to work Serato. I think it’s important in my community because it’s a means of supplementary income to young people who are really interested in music. And we just wanted to offer that through my non-profit organization, B.L.I.N.D.

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Throughout the first three seasons of Bravo's "The Real Housewives of New Jersey," Caroline Manzo has been the mother hen. Housewives have come and gone -- including her younger sister Dina -- but Caroline has remained the most level-headed, stern-voiced, big-hearted member of the cast. However, her image seems to have taken a hit going into Season 4 (premiering Sunday, April 22 at 10 p.m. ET on Bravo).

When viewers last saw Caroline on "The Real Housewives of New Jersey" Season 3 reunion, she was arguably the most emotional and upset we'd ever seen her ... and fellow original housewife Teresa Giudice was at the center of it all.

The cast -- which also includes Caroline's sister-in-law Jacqueline Laurita, who seemingly refused to attend the reunion, and relative newcomers Kathy Wakile, who is Teresa's cousin, and Teresa' sister-in-law Melissa Gorga -- was in the midst of filming Season 4 when the reunion taped. Though Caroline famously once said that her family is "thick as thieves," there was a lot of bad blood amongst the New Jersey housewives. Viewers sadly learned that Caroline's relationship with Dina had been strained and, as Caroline recently told HuffPost TV, that remains true to this day.

Below, the New Jersey native opens up about whether or not she and Dina will be able to patch things up, what went wrong with Teresa, the topic that she knows will lead her to "cry a lot of tears" while watching, why the ham game is retired and the reason why she'd stop doing the show.

Your family always seems to genuinely have so much fun together. And with each season, we get a little bit of insight into the silly things that you do together, like the ham game and Chris' Cajun voice. What can we look forward to this season?
I don't know. There's so many crazy things we do. There's a million different voices and I don't know what they'll capture, but the Cajun voice has never gone away. When the phone rings and it's Christopher, it's like, [imitates Cajun voice] "Hey Mama!" So that is still very prevalent. As far as anything else, it's something we don't think about, it's very natural to us. What the camera captures, I'm not sure, so I guess we'll find out together!

But the ham game, that's retired.
It's retired because now, they pay rent and they have to pay for their own ham. It cracks me up because I always said to them, "Wait 'til you pay for your own ham." And now, it's like hilarious because I'll hear one of them say, "Why'd you order that movie? You didn't need to buy that movie. It costs X amount of dollars." So they're very conscious now of the money they spend on silly things, like ham that they're gonna throw. They got their big boy pants on now.

In the Season 3 reunion, when viewers last saw you, things were very emotional and heated between you and Teresa. And you mentioned that you should have taken your own advice two years ago and taken her out of your life. What did you see in her that made you say that?
Oh, you know, just behavior patterns that you don't agree with; philosophies on life that you don't agree with. And you give people a pass a lot. Time after time, you attribute it to a bad day or a large age difference. And then, after a while, you start to realize, "Wait a minute. It's more than that." Things that I just let slide, for one reason or another, they just started to get compounded, and then you realize this is a pattern and it's in somebody's DNA, if you will. And then you make a decision.

Was Teresa even a friend of yours to begin with?
Teresa was and still is Dina's friend. The viewers make assumptions that we were best buddies, but no, she was part of a group, an ensemble that we traveled with. So my relationship with her was very different than it was with Jacqueline or than it was with Dina -- especially Dina. She was a friendly acquaintance: Yes, I stood up for her, and yes, I protected her because it's human decency to be that way. If you know someone and they're in a situation, of course you want to help them out, of course you want to protect them when they need it. It's just the right thing to do. It's just the right way to behave. It's kind of like love-they-neighbor policy. But the relationship between Teresa and I was never that deep. I did respect her as human being and as a person, but we never were girlfriends where we hung out and went to dinner and went shopping and talked on the phone. That never was a relationship that she and I shared.

It always did seem like you two were in very different places, with your kids moving out and she was still having kids when the show started.
It has nothing to do with who she is or who I am; I am a lot older than her. I am in a different place in my life than she is and that's all it is. It's just a matter of there not being that much in common between us to have that deep of a relationship. It's not a matter of me feeling that I was better than her or that I didn't like her; it's just a matter of us being different people in different places in our lives.

In the trailer for Season 4, we see you tell Teresa that you can't even look at her. Is your relationship with her at a point now that it's not even salvageable?
You can never say something's never salvageable, but when you're sorry you have to mean it. You have to be genuine in what you say. And if you're not genuine in what you say then don't waste your words. The story's gonna be told throughout the season and I hope people at the end of the season will have enough information to form their own opinion. And when they form their own opinion, I'm very well aware that some people are going to say, "I agree with Caroline" and some people are going to say, "I don't agree with Caroline." But that's what makes the world go round. So right now, where I am, is pretty much where you saw me last, but you'll see the story play out in the season and who knows where we'll wind up.

Going back to Season 1 and instances like that dinner with Danielle, when everyone defended Teresa, do you have any regrets?
Not at all. That's how I felt in the moment and I stand by what I said and what I did, absolutely. I don't have any regrets. I would only regret something that I did in a thoughtless manner. I was reckless with Kathy and Melissa when I first met them. And I felt badly afterwards and I owed them an apology, and I made sure that apology was made nationally. I'm not ashamed to say I did something wrong and I acted badly.

And now, most viewers of the show know -- from the Season 3 reunion and the Season 4 trailer -- that Teresa has driven a wedge between you and Dina. When I first saw that, it broke my heart. How are you two now?
It's the same. And if it breaks your heart, can you imagine how I feel? I remember the day she was born. I decorated her cradle. I remember when my mom told me she was pregnant with her. I'm 11 years older than Dina. She's more than my baby sister, but again, I have never shied away from anything negative and I've said many many times, "Look at the footage." We fight. I'm one of 11 kids. We fight all the time. And a fight can last a day, a week, a month, a year, who knows? But we always come back, and Dina will be back.

It's not just me. If it were just me, I would have to look and say, "Okay, Caroline. What'd you do? What'd you say?" And I don't know and I still don't know, but I'm going to leave it at that. Whatever beating I take in the press and through the court of public opinion, I'm willing to take that beating because I won't hurt my parents. I don't want to make this into something bigger than what it should be. It's a very personal thing. It's a very hurtful thing. But in time, we will mend and quite frankly, the only people that I have to worry about what they feel is my family. And I will always behave in a manner that will make them proud and I'll show my kids that sometimes, you gotta take a little beating in life to do the right thing. I'm willing to take the beating.

And speaking of your family, how has this affected them? Has there been any point where they wanted you to bow out of the show?
No, never. Never never never never. You'll see my brother get married on the show this season. You've seen a couple of my other sisters, my mom, my dad. We're a huge family. We're a very passionate group of people, but I swear to you, the day this show affects my family life in a negative way where I have to worry about a relationship ending because of a television show, I will be gone faster than a blink of an eye. Because at the end of the day, that's all that matters.

So there's never been a point where you've considered leaving the show?
Listen, it's like any other job in the world. You have your good days and you have your bad days. I have had some amazing opportunities and done some amazing things because of this television show. And I will forever be grateful to Bravo for it. And I've had some really crappy days because of the show. But, guess what? People go into work and have amazing and crappy days. That's life. But the minute it affects my role in my life as Albert's wife and my kids' mother, I'm gone.

What can we expect as the lighter moments of what seems to be a very drama-filled Season 4?
We had a lot of fun on our trip to California. Just stupid, slapstick, kind of make-no-sense comedy. Like real belly laughs. I look forward to watching my kids and what they're doing in their lives because it's just a "proud mommy" kind of thing. I think this year you see a lot more of the guys and they're funny. And they kind of get us through a lot of nonsense, which is great.

What can you tell us about what's going on with Ashley?
Right now, she's living in LA. She's been there about eight months and she's doing well and she's learning what it takes to survive on her own. She's had to make some sacrifices and adjustments. And I think her relationship with Jacqueline is stronger than ever. It's good to see her grow up the hard way and she's gonna take her lumps, but, you know what? That's good. That's positive. She will grow from this and be a better person because of it. So I think she's in the right place right now. She's probably in the best place she could be.

It seems like every season there's a moment that gets very emotional with your daughter Lauren, usually centering on her struggles with her weight. Are either of you ever worried about talking about that on national TV?
That was Lauren's decision to make. I will never ever put my children in a position where they have to talk about something that they're not comfortable with. And she has found through her journey that so many people are saying, "Thank you for having the courage to put it out there because not many do." And I will say that over the past year, Lauren went into a dark place that had me very, very worried and that story plays out. I couldn't be prouder of her. She's still on her way to finding out who she is, but you're going to see some pretty deep moments with Lauren this year … I'm sure I will cry a lot of tears watching it because there's no pain like the pain of a parent when their child hurts.

When was the last time you saw Danielle?
Oh my god. I don't even know. It was probably the reunion [for Season 2]. I don't know anything about her life now. It's something, someone that passes through your life as many other people have, and I don't even think about her. I don't want it to seem like I'm saying that in a negative way; she's just not a part of my life. I don't know where she is, what she's doing and listen, live your life. That's fine.

Who is your favorite non-Jersey housewife?
They're all such amazing personalities and I'm not just saying that to be politically correct, but they all have something about them that cracks me. Lisa Vanderpump comes walking in and she's dressed to the nines at 2 in the afternoon. She cracks me up. I don't even know. She's always on. And then you have the Atlanta girls with their one-liners that have me rolling on the floor. You wanna insult somebody, you call one of the Atlanta girls cause they do it in style. It's hilarious. And the New York ladies are such Type A personalities that having a conversation with them, you need a Xanax after, and you're cracking up laughing because they're funny. So I can't say I have a favorite because each one offers me something that I get a kick out of.

Well, being from New Jersey, I have to say you all hold a special place in my heart.
Thank you. You get us. We're a special breed.

"The Real Housewives of New Jersey" Season 4 premieres on Bravo on Sunday, April 22 at 10 p.m. ET.

"CSI: Miami" is on the bubble. The traditionally highly-rated yet slumping forensic procedural was not among the 18 shows CBS renewed in mid-March, leaving its status uncertain after its Season 10 finale. Eva La Rue, who plays Detective Natalia Boa Vista on the series, addressed the show's tenuous position on "Live! With Kelly" (weekdays on ABC), and said she thinks they deserve a chance to end the show the right way.

"It's not fair, we didn't get to tie it up right. After 10 seasons, we ended in a bar. That doesn't seem right," La Rue lamented. Season 10 of "CSI: Miami" was cut to 19 episodes to accomodate the premiere of Robert De Niro's rookie cop drama "NYC 22."

La Rue does have a back-up plan if CBS decides not to bring "CSI: Miami" back for a proper series finale, however. She booked a guest-starring role in Mandy Moore's as-yet-untitled ABC pilot in March.

TV Replay scours the vast television landscape to find the most interesting, amusing, and, on a good day, amazing moments, and delivers them right to your browser.

Taylor Swift as Joni Mitchell? Maybe!

According to Variety, the pop star is hoping to play the famed singer-songwriter in "Girls Like Us," a drama about Mitchell, Carly Simon and Carole King.

Before you get too excited (or too infuriated, depending on your feelings for TaySway), consider these caveats: Swift hasn't been offered the role just yet, and the movie itself doesn't have a green light. Per Variety, it's "tentatively skedded" to start this year (trade-speak, FTW). If this casting madness sounds familiar, that might be because you remember the blog Crazy Days and Nights reporting Swift was attached to play Mitchell back in February.

Swift has long sought an entrance into feature films. She was reportedly on the shortlist of actresses to play Eponine in Tom Hooper's highly anticipated adaptation of "Les Miserable," along with Lea Michele and Scarlett Johansson. Unfortunately for Swift, the role ended up going to relatively unknown stage actress Samantha Barks.

On the bright side, Swift has appeared in the feature film "Valentine's Day" (opposite then-boyfriend Taylor Lautner), and provided her voice to the 2012 blockbuster "The Lorax." She also sorta acted like Katniss Everdeen in the video for "Safe & Sound," Swift's contribution to the "Hunger Games" soundtrack.

Mitchell, who turns 69 this year, is one of the most renowned singers all time. Her classic albums include "Blue," "Ladies of the Canyon" and "Court and Speak."

For more on "Girls Like Us," including which "Midnight In Paris" actress could play Carole King, head over to Variety.

[via Variety]

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PHOTOS: Taylor Swift's Surprised Faces

Emma Roberts is kind of our hero.

The 21-year-old actress and girlfriend of "Glee" star Chord Overstreet headed to lunch in Beverly Hills on Thursday wearing a super cute polka dot top but of course, Emma soon found herself being tailed by the paparazzi.

After Roberts ducked into her restaurant, the photographers decided to take photos inside the backseat of her car (questionable?), and their lenses seem to have found something surprising lying right out in the open: a pair of bra-stuffing devices.

The squishy chest enhancers, which are informally known as "chicken cutlets" for what they resemble (it's gross, we know), can be bought at stores like Victoria's Secret.

Not that we're dissing Emma. Hey, if you enhance your look with a little silicone help, no need to be ashamed! After all, you've got some famous Hollywood company.

Check out the photos below, and view more pics of Emma at X17online.com.

PICS:

See some embarrassing celeb beauty mishaps below (cringe!):

When Lena Dunham, the star of HBO's new comedy "Girls" sat down on "The View" couch Friday, she quickly referenced the talk show's discussion about the rough sex in "50 Shades of Grey" from earlier in the week.

"I was at home watching the other day, as I often am, and I heard Barbara ask Elisabeth if she enjoyed rough sex, and I felt that at that moment, I could just die, and it'd be just fine, I'd be happy," Dunham joked.

This, of course, gave Walters a perfect opening to ask about the uncomfortable sex scene in the "Girls" premiere. "I found it sort of shocking, but I also found it sort of depressing. There you are with this guy that you keep going back to, talk about rough sex, he doesn't care about you, he does it from behind ... is this the way it really is?" she asked.

"For some people," Dunham replied. "I wasn't claiming that this relationship was an entire generational representation, but more the specific story of this one girl who has a very complicated relationship to her self-esteem and her sexuality, and I hope to explore that."

Allison Williams, Dunham's "Girls" co-star and the daughter of "NBC Nightly News" anchor Brian Williams, added that, "These feelings of searching for yourself and feeling insecure and maybe trying something that you're not sure about, that is something that is universal."

TV Replay scours the vast television landscape to find the most interesting, amusing, and, on a good day, amazing moments, and delivers them right to your browser.

Rihanna isn't dating Ashton Kutcher, but there might be another romantic prospect in her life.

The 24-year-old gave her Twitter followers a play-by-play of how she spent last night with Melissa Forde.

"I'm on my first date in almost 2 yearz," Rihanna wrote before revealing she was spending "#datenight" with "my lover for the night @mforde11" and posted a photo of the two of them.

The pair was spotted holding hands as they left a Malibu restaurant and later partied at the Roxbury in Hollywood. "Pre game after dinner, before the clurrb," she wrote and added, "2night is gon' be a good one, I could feel it! #1LOVE #420 #MARLEY."

Could the singer have found love with her friend? Rihanna never censors herself and from her tweets, we get the feeling this was more than just a girls' night out.

"Beautiful is great, submissive is even better. Bawse bitch who's submissive yet the captain of the ship n HONEST...#priceless #marryME," she tweeted at nearly 6 a.m, adding, "But she bad... So maybe she won't.... But shit, then again maybe she will."

We know Rihanna is a fan of "S&M," so the two might be a match. According to RadarOnline, there's a history of speculation that the two have been romantically linked because they have matching tattoos that read, "never a failure, always a lesson.”

In 2009 rumors that Rihanna was a "closet bisexual" started after photos of the singer fondling the breasts of a female friend surfaced online, but the then 21-year-old singer laughed them off, insisting she just appreciates the female form.

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It's hard to believe the muscled Marine in "The Lucky One" is the same theater geek who danced his way around The Disney Channel a few years ago. It's official: Zac Efron is all grown up.

Efron, 24, stars opposite Taylor Schilling, 27, in the big-screen version of Nicholas Sparks' romance novel, which hits theaters April 20. Though we'll see his character romance the pants off his leading lady -- literally! -- Efron revealed his own method of hitting on women when asked by Women's Heath.

"So do you like 'High School Musical?'" I'm kidding! If the situation's right, buy someone a drink. Think on your toes, use what's around you, and come up with something organic and fun."

Somehow we don't think he has much trouble in the dating department. For more from Efron's interview, head over to Women's Health.

Check out photos of Efron from before his "High School Musical" days in 2004 to this week's red carpet premiere of "The Lucky One" below:

Oprah may soon have another big get on her hands: Demi Moore.

Star magazine reported this week that the star and the daytime queen have grown very close since Moore's painful split from Ashton Kutcher, with Oprah taking on the role of a "life coach" for Moore. (Will we be seeing the actress on an episode of "Oprah's Life Class" any time soon?) And, just as important, Moore has reportedly agreed to give Oprah her first post-divorce interview.

It would be another boost for Oprah's struggling OWN network, which, even though it has suffered through low ratings and layoffs, has also seen high viewing figures for world exclusives such as her interview with the family of Whitney Houston.

Happy 4/20, aka National Pot Smokers Day. Care for a hit of "Obama Og"? Or "Vin Diesel"? Some marijuana dispensaries continue to name their weed after celebrities, even if the likes of Tom Cruise and Jeremy Lin occasionally object.

As these small businesses fight to survive a federal crackdown, some are even thinking of unionizing.

Is it any surprise then that a few might also turn to bold-faced name-power to help? Sure, the stores may be violating licensing rights without the stars' permission. And sometimes these mom-and-pot shops show questionable taste (Whitney Houston Og, for shame). But we're not their mother. Click onward for the A-list brands of herb on the market.

Schmidt has a workout video. Your day just got better, didn't it?

To say "New Girl's" Schmidt is the breakout character of the 2011-2012 season is pretty much a big understatement. Played expertly by Max Greenfield, you can't help but love the self-professed d-bag.

In the video, created by Greenfield, the ladies man teaches a spin class and warns he's not some amateur spinner, he's a "cardio freak." Because in Schmidt's world, spinning is about the rhythm of the music meeting the rhythm of your heart "in a culmination of spirituality in the form of stationary bicycle riding."

Plus, he's decked out in super tight bike shorts and a revealing tank top. Enjoy!

Want more Schmidt? Check out his dating profile video.

Leave it Willie Nelson to proclaim "Roll me up and smoke me when I die" at the start of his latest track, "Roll Me Up," featuring famous stoner Snoop Dogg, Kris Kristofferson and Jamey Johnson. Nelson conveniently released the song on 4/20, the unofficial marijuana holiday.

O.G. stoner Nelson croons along with Snoop on the country track, which features the West Coast rapper using his twangy voice. "Call my friends and tell them there's a party, come on by," he sings, "Just roll me up and smoke me when I die."

For an extra gimmicky kick, fans can head on over to Willie Nelson's website to listen to the track and watch a digital blunt burn out.

Snoop and Nelson aren't the only ones to have mastered the art of crafting the perfect 4/20 song. Jimi Hendrix released "Purple Haze," every stoner's go-to track, in 1967, and nearly 10 years later, in 1976, Peter Tosh dropped the weed-smoking holiday's anthem, "Legalize It."

HuffPost Entertainment rounded up a few of our favorite stoner songs -- and added some of our readers' helpful suggestions -- to create the Ultimate 4/20 Playlist.

Take a listen below and tell us what you think. Did we miss any of your favorites? Let us know in the comments!

With 4/20 upon us, today marks the release of the first-ever family authorized documentary, "Marley," chronicling the life and times of legendary musician Bob Marley. Directed by Academy Award-winner Kevin Macdonald and executive produced by Marley’s eldest son, Ziggy, the bio-doc is the first U.S. film to be released simultaneously in theaters and stream online and features rare footage and performances of the late icon.

In celebration of the definitive documentary’s release, Marley opened up to the Huffington Post about his involvement with the project, his new satellite radio show, and the idea of embarking on a Marley family tour.

How does it feel to have a film debut in theaters in addition to simultaneously streaming it across digital media platforms such as Facebook?

I think it’s cool. It’s good to be ahead of the game. It’s always good to be doing something fresh. I think that it’s a fresh way to putting out the films that I’m involved in.

With this being the first official documentary supported by the Marley family, how much creative input did the family have in the production?

Well, we were involved from the get-go with facilitating everything that was happening in the film, including speaking to people to let them know our involvement with this to ensure that it was cool to talk to this producer. And everyone was being very open because they knew that we were a part of this thing and it wasn’t some random person trying to make a film about Bob. They knew that this would be the real deal. And that’s how we worked with the producers and the director in the film and just got everything done. And also set the tone on what it should be and give our opinions on the different versions until we reached a final cut.

Was it a marketing ploy to release the film on 4/20, due to your father’s association with marijuana?

Yeah, I think 4/20 is a special day. Of course, with our culture we use herb for so many different things not just for smoking. I think it’s something that we’re not going to hide from, and I think it’s appropriate because it’s a part of our culture and a part of Bob’s music. If you love Bob’s music, well guess what, herb is a part of Bob’s music.

The film covers an array of topics including Bob’s extramarital affairs. In your opinion, did you consider that to be a challenge in projecting?

Not really. We just wanted to make sure that everything remained in perspective. And that in no way anything that we did in terms of that subject would be disrespectful to his wife and our mother. So we had to keep everything in perspective and make sure it was done as respectful as it can be. My mother was very cordial in speaking about it and just telling people the truth about how the relationship was with her and Bob.

In addition to you serving as a executive producer of ‘Marley,’ you also recently launched your own satellite radio show.

Yeah, I have a satellite radio show called “The Legends of Reggae.” It’s a cool way to branch out and do other things. I’m paying respect to the legends of reggae. Everyone knows my father, Bob Marley. He’s the brightest light in reggae. However, I want to also highlight other musical artists who paved the way along with my father, and even before my father. So I’m just paying respect and kind of documenting the history of the music for the next generation, especially for the people of Jamaica to have some perspective on the music that is our legacy. Similar to how people in America know George Washington and Abraham Lincoln and stuff like that, I want to have that for the people, especially in Jamaica, to know that Dennis Brown and The Abyssinians, and artists that are not as popular or some that the next generation may have forgotten. Just something to give them a little bit of the history so they will know.

Are you planning any tours in the coming months?

Yes, I have my album out called “Wild And Free,” and I’m touring the states this summer. So people can look out for that.

Can fans expect the entire Marley family to get together and do a big tour?

Yeah, you can expect that. We’ve been talking about that for so long. I hope it happens soon. We’ll have to wait and see.

WATCH:

"The Daily Show's" Senior Muslim Correspondent, Aasif Mandvi, talks his role on the show and how he uses humor to open minds.

What goes on there?

Adam Levine was spotted filming scenes for his "Payphone" music video on Thursday in Los Angeles, and we're pretty stumped as to what we can expect plotwise.

Photos show a bloodied Levine balancing a traffic cone on his chin. Although it's not clear if those images will actually be a part of the video or are just Levine engaging in a little on-set tomfoolery, we're amused either way. And we've got to hand it to Levine. Forget juggling apples or spinning plates; the Maroon 5 frontman's traffic cone skills take these kinds of acrobatics to a whole new level.

Check out Adam's cone skills below:

Colton Dixon was eliminated from "American Idol" on Thursday night in a move that shocked fans and viewers of the show. Friday, Dixon appeared on "Good Day LA," (weekdays, 9 a.m. PT on Fox) and pointed to his poor song choice as the reason why he was sent packing. Then, watching his final "Idol" performance for the first time, he was nearly overcome with emotion.

"I think song choice killed me this week. Nothing against Lady Gaga and 'Bad Romance,'" he said, a selection the judges told him could have been better. "I agree with them. I should have thought of that when choosing songs, and it was my bad. I paid the consequences and here I am," he said regretfully.

Dixon also responded to reports that "Idol" producers had tried to get him to tone down his religious tweeting. While Dixon confirmed that the show's producers sent all the contestants a "word of warning" that religious or political tweets might cost them votes, he said the show had been very supportive of his faith throughout the competition.

At the end of the segment, "GDLA" played some highlights of Dixon's final "Idol" performance, when he sang "Everything" by Lifehouse. "That's the first time I've seen it since last night," Dixon said, choking up a bit. "That's my song, dangit, I can't do this," he joked. Dixon also noted that "it was awesome" to see his fellow "Idol" contestant Phillip Phillips praying for him while he was singing that song.

TV Replay scours the vast television landscape to find the most interesting, amusing, and, on a good day, amazing moments, and delivers them right to your browser.

AfterEllen.com is Logo's site for lesbians and bisexual women in entertainment and media, which means we pride ourselves on knowing all kinds of Sapphic pop-culture facts. Each week we'll share some of the best tidbits on The Huffington Post in our new series, "Best Lesbian Week Ever."

Here's who and what was on our raging gay radar this week.

Rosie takes on a street preacher: A video of Rosie O'Donnell went viral this week when the former talk show host told off a homophobic man with a megaphone who called her a lesbian pig. Her retort: "I'm going to go home and f--k my wife." Keeping it sassy, Ro.

Jessie J is not a secret lesbian: With celebrities becoming more out and proud these days, unauthorized biographers are having to get more creative with making s--t up. Chloe Govan writes that J is not bisexual, as she has said, but instead a closeted lesbian who said she was bisexual to be more "trendy." Jessie refuted the idea on Twitter. Something tells me she won't be buying a copy of Jessie J: Who's Laughing Now? although I would if I were her, just to see what else I was keeping from myself.

Melissa Etheridge's baby mama drama: With a public legal battle over money owed to ex Tammy Lynn Michaels, Melissa has been the focus of tabloids this week. Tammy told us over at AfterEllen that she feels she was kept from having a career because Melissa would never take time off from her own to be with their children. Meanwhile, Melissa's new girlfriend, Nurse Jackie showrunner Linda Wallem, announced she is leaving her job to focus more on her "stepchildren" -- a.k.a. Melissa's four kids (two with Tammy and two with Melissa's other ex, Julie Cypher). Speaking of Julie Cypher, I wonder if she's an amused spectator at all of this.

Get your Hole, one night only: While Hologram Tupac was performing at Coachella last weekend, real-life Courtney Love joined ex-bandmates, like out drummer Patty Schemel, for a Hole reunion in New York City. They made it through an entire song, "Miss World," and Courtney even made a joke about Patty leaving her "without a strap on." A guitar strap, that is.

Lesbians are hilarious: We were fodder for jokes on Kathy Griffin's new Bravo talk show ("I thought Coachella was a lesbian folk festival for potheads"), Don't Trust the B---- in Apt. 23 (" Girls? I'm not a fan of the lady cave either, but in a pinch..."), and 30 Rock, when a young girl who wants to get a haircut like Scout from To Kill a Mockingbird asks for Liz's advice to confirm she would end up looking like a lesbian. Do people really find these things funny anymore? I know plenty of straight people who have terrible bowl cuts.

Don't be out in the Boy Scouts: While the Girl Scouts might be a breeding ground for lesbian feminists, the male counterpart just can't go for that. Gay mom Jennifer Tyrell was forced to resign from being her son's troop's den mother, all because she is, in fact, a fan of the lady cave. "Avowed homosexuals" are not allowed to lead cub scouts, which is really unfortunate, because I bet Jennifer Tyrell could teach those boys how to build fires, tie knots, and curse out homophobic street preachers while balancing multiple baby mamas.

Kellie Martin defies DADT on Army Wives: After that "Child Celebrities Opposing Kirk Cameron" video last week, it seems Kellie Martin has really committed to the cause. The former Life Goes On star is playing a gay army captain on the Lifetime series. Somewhere Tracey Gold is pissed she didn't get called in to audition.

Jack & Diane minus the Mellencamp: The lesbian werewolf film has been in the works since 2003 and is finally making its debut at the Tribeca Film Festival this weekend. With Riley Keough playing a brooding, androgynous, supernatural creature who romances Juno Temple, and Kylie Minogue playing an inked-up tattoo artist, this will either be good or so bad it's good. The first clip that was released, however, has us thinking it's the former, thankfully.

Queen Latifah is full of Pride: What kind of budget does Long Beach Pride have that they got Queen Latifah to agree to perform on their main stage? She does know this is a gay thing, right?

One of our favorite things about Selena Gomez is that she isn't afraid to be a little silly.

Even though she's 19, Selena has always felt younger than her age. Last year, the Mexican actress/singer told Latina Magazine: “I’m 18, but I feel like I’m still 15. I feel very young at heart, and I still want to jump up and down on my bed singing and rocking out.”

And, because Selena feels so young, she doesn't take herself too seriously, and loves to be funny and silly in her music videos. And, her new music video,"Hit the Lights" is no exception!

The video is chock-full of all the silliness and good-natured fun we've come to expect from Selena's music videos: there are gigantic yellow balloons, colorful sunglasses, teenagers doing backflips, people wearing T-shirts embroidered with smiley-face logos, and kids using watermelons to play the drums. There's also a fun scene featuring a bunch of kids playing with flashlights at night, and a shot of Selena sinking in a sea of pink balloons, while wearing hot pink glasses and a pink skirt.

We love Selena's hilarious and fun new music video and it got us thinking of some of her other funny videos.

CHECK OUT THIS SLIDESHOW OF THE FIVE FUNNIEST SELENA GOMEZ MUSIC VIDEOS OF ALL TIME!

April 20 is a very important day for George Takei: it's his birthday. This year's a particularly momentous one for the"Star Trek" legend, as he turns 75. The beloved pop-culture icon has had a long and illustrious career, from television to movies to politics; and he has no plans to slow down, as he will soon be making his Broadway debut in "The Allegiance Musical."