The unique artistic vision that is Santigold burst onto the scene with her debut album in 2008. Back then the Philadelphia-born Santi White was known as Santogold, but in 2009 she changed to her current moniker. She's written for other artists including Lily Allen and Ashlee Simpson, but now she's got a new record Master of My Make Believe, as well as single Disparate Youth. The 35-year-old is an intimidating solo performer, but she's also known for her collaborations. I asked her to recall her favourites (both her own and others).

Run-D.M.C. and Aerosmith - Walk This Way

I remember being so excited as a little kid about the video. Back then, hip-hop was new and that crazy hair band look was so insane. Coming through the hole with that hair and the lips, visually it was amazing, but the merging of rock and hip-hop at the time was pretty groundbreaking.

Santigold and David Byrne - Please Don't

I worked with David Byrne on a song for his record. Just the fact that it was David Byrne who was coaching me on how he wanted it was the most amazing thing because he's one of my heroes. That he even wanted me for his project was a compliment. He said my show was the best show he'd ever seen and it just blew me away. He's seen so many and his own shows are the most amazing. It pretty much made my year.

Amadou & Mariam (feat. Santigold) - Dougou Badia

I just worked with Amadou and Mariam. That was really special because it was so outside of what I normally do. They're a blind couple from Mali. They compose on an acoustic guitar. We're sitting in a hotel room on the bed playing guitar. They're wanting me to sing along. They wrote the part on the spot and I was like, 'can I go and do something on my computer?' Once we got into it, it really came alive.

David Bowie and Queen - Under Pressure

It's a masterful piece of music, a piece of artwork to aspire to. I didn't even really know who Queen was. I don't think that Freddie Mercury is really one of the people who've influenced me, but I was watching some old VH1 footage of Queen and he's an amazing performer.

Snoop Dogg and Dr. Dre

This is the best collaboration ever. For a whole album, or period of a career. It's one of those magic combinations that works so well. Sometimes you've got this chemistry.

Master of My Make Believe is out on 23rd April. Disparate Youth is out now.

Jay-Z music and F. Scott Fitzgerald prose: two great tastes that taste great together? Apparently so! At least for director Baz Luhrmann. The Australian director used Jay-Z's tunes to break the ice on the set of his highly anticipated adaptation of "The Great Gatsby."

"On my first day he had Jay-Z pumped up full, and we did the entire scene with, you know, Jay-Z in our ear on full blast while acting, and it was just so liberating," Isla Fischer told MTV's Josh Horowitz on the set of her next movie, "Now You See Me."

Fisher, who plays Myrtle in the film, said Luhrmann "understands actors" and how "exposed" they feel. That's great and all, but she doesn't say what Jay-Z song was playing. Come on, Isla! (Fingers crossed it was "Heart of the City," just because.)

Unfortunately, Hova and Fitz-y (we're tight) won't get juxtaposed in finished "Great Gatsby" film; the Jay-Z stunt was just for rehearsal. Too bad, since Luhrmann is known for mixing his current pop-culture obsessions with classic period settings (see also: "Moulin Rouge!" and "Romeo + Juliet").

Starring Fisher, as well as Leonardo DiCaprio, Carey Mulligan, Tobey Maguire and Joel Edgerton, "The Great Gatsby" hits theaters on Christmas Day. Next time you listen to Jay-Z, pour a little out for Myrtle. (Spoiler, but: read the book?)

[MTV via Vulture]

PHOTOS: Jay-Z & Beyonce Watch the Knicks

Don't expect to see James Van Der Beek doing the Tango anytime soon.

The 35-year-old actor is back on television and playing a "bizarre" version of himself, who uses the nostalgia of the "Dawson's Creek" theme song and whipped cream bikini from "Varsity Blues" to bed women in ABC's "Don't Trust the B---- In Apt. 23."

While his washed-up character does campy energy drink commercials, teaches acting classes and has a gig on a "Dancing with the Stars"- type show, you'll never catch the real James Van Der Beek shaking it on TV for your votes.

"My character became this fictional creation concocted in some comedy laboratory," he told Parade. "When we started making up things on my resume that don't exist, it very quickly stopped seeming like me and started seeming like a parody of actors and Hollywood and pop culture in general. I just thought it was so funny ... The less seriously you take yourself, the better work you do in general."

And although he had a "blast" filming the faux "DWTS" experience and actually had to learn to dance, he told the magazine he doesn't think he'll use his new skills on the real show.

"I think it's more fun to do it this way. You can play it for laughs and not have to do all that work!" he said.

Dancing competitions may not be his thing, but Van Der Beek continues to prove he has a great sense of humor about himself.

"One of the things I said right from the start, I told the writers: "Don't ever be afraid of offending me. Always go for what's funniest and if there's anything that's really offensive, I'll tell you to scale back, but don't ever self-edit," he told The Huffington Post. "We didn't find anything that offended me to the point where I said, "We can't do that."

For more with James Van Der Beek, click over to Parade.

More stars who parodied themselves:

On March 9, Cafe Fanny, the extremely popular Berkeley bistro run by celebrity restaurateur Alice Waters, unexpectedly closed its doors.

As with many sudden closures, shocked employees learned of the plan only one day before the restaurant's last. But before a line of reporters and news cameras, Waters -- famous for her stated commitment to sustainability and community -- vowed to take care of her staff at any cost.

"We will take care of these employees," said Waters to a Berkeleyside reporter, promising to pay her staff two weeks of severance pay. "It's a moral responsibility."

But six weeks later, the employees of Cafe Fanny have not received a dime. Waters's company, Chez Panisse, will not even return their emails.

According to former employees who spoke to The Huffington Post anonymously, staff had been informed about the closure and told that they would not be receiving severance pay by Cafe Fanny co-owner Jim Maser. But the next day, an emotional Waters with her hand on her heart told reporters that she would provide employees with two weeks of pay -- even if she had to provide it out of pocket.

"I assumed that we would be paid because that's what Alice told the press," said a former employee. One employee emailed Chez Panisse searching for an update, but received no reply. "After we didn't receive any severance, and we didn't hear anything back from Chez Panisse, it felt like she may have just said that for appearances."

Legally, Cafe Fanny is not responsible for any severance pay. But after Waters's very public pledge, the lack of promised funds -- and communication -- has left some former employees doubting her sincerity. Rumors of a new restaurant in Cafe Fanny's place have not helped.

When The Huffington Post contacted Chez Panisse, a spokesperson sent the following statement:

The Officers of the corporation which owns Cafe Fanny are in the process of winding down the business and potential severance payments are being reviewed along with many other closing expenses.

Alice Waters feels strongly that the loyal and dedicated staff of Cafe Fanny should be paid a severance. She will be funding that payment personally and separate from the corporation.

But ten days later, former employees had still not received any payment, nor had they heard from Waters or Chez Panisse. Rather, they asked reporters at HuffPost if they had learned of any updates.

Watch ABC's video of Cafe Fanny's last day below, and let us know what you think about the controversy in the comments section:

Well, The Daily Show funnyman John Oliver did not exactly recommend stealing the six rather heavy-looking, grand crystal chandeliers at the St. Regis Hotel, but he did refer to them a few times as emblematic of the posh surroundings at the same time that he advised the gown and tuxedo-clad crowd to follow the British's lead when it comes to stocking their museums. "Steal as much as you can. It works for us," he joked. "Then you won't have to have a benefit dinner." Honoring Philippe Dauman, Chief Executive Officer of Viacom, Randy Falco, President and Chief Executive Officer of Univision Communications, and George Kaufman, Chairman of Kaufman Astoria Studios, Mayor Michael Bloomberg included this Museum of the Moving Image event in his rounds, pointing out that the city had more than 50 million tourists last year: "We are the media capital of the world."

Perhaps keyed to the Queens-based museum's recent exhibition of Jim Henson's legacy, he said: "I took Kermit to a Yankee game and offered to buy him popcorn. He's a cheap date. The frog said, I'll just go out in the field and catch some flies."

Then Tony Bennett toasted George Kaufman, emphasizing the importance of his childhood neighborhood, Astoria, to the city. "The teachers and firemen all live there. They make Manhattan work. I love Astoria. "

As celebrants dined on beets and brie, bass over bok choy, Jim Bell introduced Randy Falco -- who he met when Bell was offered a position at NBC. Delighted, the recent Harvard graduate then learned the job was to push Falco, who had ruptured his Achilles tendon, in a wheelchair. Taking the podium, Falco gamely added that he had talked Bell out of pursuing law school: "I think it worked out."

Among the many anecdotes and readings offered by an array of speakers honoring the memory of Christopher Hitchens at the Cooper Union Great Hall, including Salman Rushdie, Olivia Wilde (for whom he babysat), Ian McEwan, Sean Penn, Tom Stoppard, Martin Amis and Graydon Carter, many stories about this beloved, witty, charming and courageous public intellectual stood out. But Stephen Fry read from an essay in which Hitch decried the fate of the Elgin Marbles beneath a photo of the outspoken writer at the Parthenon. What an obsession this theft is for the British!

Fry vowed to rally for their return. Maybe John Oliver should join in.

A version of this post also appears on Gossip Central.

The death of Jonathan Frid last Friday -- Friday the 13th, of course -- will bring a bit of added publicity ahead of next month's opening of the Tim Burton/Johnny Depp big-screen remake of Frid's classic television series, Dark Shadows. It will also guarantee even more comparisons between Frid's beloved characterization of the reluctant vampire, Barnabas Collins, and Depp's soon-to-be-seen interpretation, which, if the trailers are to believed, will take a more comedic look at the venerable bloodsucker.

Frid, an experienced Shakespearean actor but a television novice when he joined Dark Shadows in 1967, admitted that he often had trouble memorizing all the dialogue he was given. That was why viewers would often see him gazing off into the wings in the middle of long speeches: he was looking for the teleprompter. "The glazed look of mystery and tortured solitude that became, I guess, my trademark, was born of the mere wonderment of what came next," Frid wrote. Yet for fans of the show, those searching gazes provided a clue into the heart of the vampire. He wasn't really bad; he was just lost and lonely. Every actor who's slipped on a pair of fangs since owes a debt to Frid. Edward Cullen was an amateur at brooding existentialism compared to Barnabas. Anne Rice's Louis wasn't the first of the undead to give an interview to a writer: Barnabas told his life story to William H. Loomis, played by John Karlen, in a memorable storyline in 1970.

As a gay kid watching Dark Shadows religiously every day, there was something instantly familiar about Barnabas. He had a secret. The very first episode I watched is still burned into my brain, remembered vividly all these years later: Edith Collins, a very old woman on her deathbed, is about to reveal the family secret to her heirs (including Elizabeth Collins Stoddard, played by legendary movie star Joan Bennett). At that moment, Barnabas emerges from the shadows, looming over her bed with his trademark Inverness cape, wolf's head cane, and spiky bangs. "You!" Edith shrieks. "You are the secret!" I was hooked, an obsession that lasted for the next three years.

Barnabas's secret, like my own, was suspected by some, but no one could prove it. Most people considered his secret to be evil, though some, like the show's resident fag hag -- or, rather, eminent psychiatrist, Dr. Julia Hoffman, played magnificently by Grayson Hall -- were more understanding. Barnabas struggled with a certain amount of self-loathing, though at the same time he made the best of things. His secret, in fact, made him very powerful -- stronger than anybody else -- and allowed him to dispatch, with relative ease, the true villains of the series. More than once the Collins family owed their salvation to Barnabas and to the abilities that came with his secret. If Barnabas could do so well with his own situation, I subconsciously reasoned that my own secret might not turn out to be such a hindrance, either.

Dark Shadows was the spark that lit the fire of my childhood imagination. It wasn't polished; it wasn't perfect. But it gave us characters with real personalities and complicated motivations. It gave us storylines that took us down staircases through time and through doors into parallel existences. It gave us such fascinating creatures as the child-devouring Phoenix, brought to fiery life by Diana Millay; the spurned witch Angelique, played with mesmerizing eyes and lilting laugh by Lara Parker; and the sexy werewolf Quentin Collins, played by David Selby, who didn't need to take his shirt off like Twilight's Jacob Black to get attention. Dark Shadows reinterpreted classics like The Turn of the Screw and Rebecca, sending this first-grader scrambling to read the originals long before they were ever assigned in school. But it was always Barnabas, and Frid's empathic, sincere portrayal of him, that was at the heart of the show.

Reportedly, Johnny Depp was out there in TV land at the same time as I was, running home after school to watch the show. The trailers do exhibit an obvious love and understanding of the Dark Shadows mythos, but the slapstick of Barnabas smashing a television set and demanding that Karen Carpenter ("tiny songstress!") reveal herself has left some surprised. With its missed lines and falling tombstones, Dark Shadows was sometimes inadvertently funny, but what made the show work was the fact that the actors and the writers took it all very seriously. Although the premiere of the film is still several weeks away, some diehard fans are already heartbroken that Depp and Burton seem to be poking fun at their memories. Candice Collins, who writes a Dark Shadows blog, called herself "appalled" by the trailer. "I thought it showed a complete lack of respect for [series creator] Dan Curtis and the original cast," she wrote.

With Frid's passing, there will be greater scrutiny of the film and Depp's portrayal of Barnabas. Like William Shatner and Captain Kirk, Frid struggled at times with being so closely identified in the public mind with such an iconic character, but he eventually made peace with Barnabas. "I respected Dark Shadows from my first day of rehearsal to the point of awe," he wrote in 1988. "I was serious about Barnabas, one of the most complex characters I've ever played." The "roars of laughter" he heard from latter-day audiences at his earnest, genuine attempts to find the heart and soul of the melancholy vampire were hurtful. "For me," Frid wrote, "it was never intended to be camp." Dark Shadows, he felt, had become part of American folklore. To treat it with anything less than full respect would be a disservice, he felt, to the show and its fans.

Let's hope Depp and Burton had the same conviction while making their film.

R.I.P., Jonathan Frid -- until someone sneaks into the crypt, of course, and breaks the chains on your coffin.

LONDON — He gets colonic irrigations, Botox injections and vitamin drips, and insists on black toilet paper in his home.

A revealing new biography offers intimate – some might say too intimate – details about Simon Cowell, along with a portrait of the entertainment mogul's savvy business side.

"Sweet Revenge: The Intimate Life of Simon Cowell" is written by British journalist and biographer Tom Bower, whose previous subjects include former British Prime Minister Gordon Brown, jailed media mogul Conrad Black and ex-Harrods owner Mohammad al-Fayed.

His latest portrait of power centers on the tanned and brush-cut Cowell, 52, who has gained fame in both Britain and North America as producer and an acerbic judge on TV talent shows including "The X Factor" and "America's Got Talent."

Bower says he became fascinated by the story of a middle-aged music producer who struck gold by turning the old-fashioned talent contest into a slick 21st-century phenomenon – and in the process earned a fortune estimated at 200 million pounds ($320 million) by the Sunday Times Rich List.

The book paints a picture of a man who struggled for years in the music business, spurred on to success out of a desire to prove his detractors wrong.

"He had 20 years – more than 20 years – of humiliation," Bower said. "At school he was a total failure and as a music producer he was a total failure.

"But what he did have was charm and an ability to understand the music business because of all this failure."

"Sweet Revenge," published in the U.S. by Ballantine Books on Tuesday, is billed as the first book about Cowell written with the mogul's participation – though not his authorization. Bower spent many hours with Cowell aboard his private jet, at his Los Angeles home and on his yacht in the south of France and the Caribbean.

But he says Cowell told some friends and associates not to talk to him. Writing the book became "a cat and mouse game" between him and his subject.

"He clearly wanted his story told properly, but there are parts he didn't want told and it was up to me to find out about them," Bower said.

Cowell has stressed that the book was not written with his approval, tweeting: "This book is not written by me. It is unauthorized. The writer is Tom Bower."

Cowell can't have enjoyed the revelations in The Sun tabloid, which has been serializing the more salacious bits of Bower's book.

Among the details: Cowell gets regular colonic irrigations because "it's so cleansing – and it makes my eyes shine brighter." He is put on a drip of vitamins and nutrients for a half hour each week.

He's not gay, despite long-standing rumors. The book reveals bedroom secrets including a brief affair with former "X Factor" judge Danii Minogue. But Bower says that Cowell isn't interested in serious relationships.

"He is only interested in women who are uninhibited and uncomplicated," Bower said. "He is not interested in relationships. He's a schoolboy."

He is, however, generous. Bower says Cowell gave his ex-fiance Mezhgan Hussainy, a makeup artist on "American Idol," a $5 million Beverly Hills house as a parting gift. Most of his exes have refrained from spilling the beans in the media.

While Britain's tabloids have focused on Cowell's sex life, Bower is more interested in the story of money and power, of "business rivalry and the skullduggery."

At the heart of the book is Cowell's feud with fellow svengali and former Spice Girls manager Simon Fuller. The pair fell out over the 2001 British musical talent-show, "Pop Idol," progenitor of "American Idol." Fuller was listed as creator of the show despite what Cowell said was a verbal agreement to split the credit.

A legal battle between the two men was settled out of court, with Fuller getting the creator credit for "Idol" – though Bower says he found "overwhelming" evidence that Cowell played a vital role.

Bower said Cowell was "naive and humiliated by Fuller's dexterity."

"He didn't understand the importance of owning a format," Bower said. "He learnt his lesson."

He said Cowell became "incensed" by the "created by Simon Fuller" credit on "Pop Idol" and "American Idol," and vowed to create his own rival show.

The result was singing competition "X Factor," which had its debut in Britain in 2004 and in the U.S. last fall. Cowell also created "Britain's Got Talent" and executive produces its U.S. spinoff, "America's got Talent."

Cowell's response to the book, published in Britain on Friday, is so far unknown.

Publicist Max Clifford – who says Cowell pays him hundreds of thousands of dollars a year to keep stories out of the press – said he had advised Cowell not to speak to Bower, because it would undo years of carefully protected privacy.

"He knows it was a mistake," Clifford said.

"For Simon, who has protected his privacy and never, ever spoken about his relationships with anybody, to suddenly be quoted about this, that and the other is to me very damaging.

"Having created an image that's been hugely successful, to see him damage it like that is sad and disappointing," Clifford said.

Bower, though, thinks the book's portrait of Cowell is fairly positive.

While Bower has been openly hostile to some of his previous subjects – he called Gordon Brown a ruthless bully and Conrad Black a crook – he has a soft spot for Cowell.

"He's not a crook," Bower said. "So far he hasn't sued me. And it was good fun.

"He doesn't sit on his laurels. That's what's endearing about him. Although he is vain, he is a perfectionist and a professional – and he understands the business better than most."

____

Jill Lawless can be reached at: http://twitter.com/JillLawless

Lookin’ good, Hil!

Only a few weeks after giving birth to son Luca, new mom Hilary Duff showed off her post-baby body Friday afternoon during a quick trip to Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf in Toluca Lake, CA.

ANCHORAGE, Alaska — Rocker and wildlife hunter Ted Nugent has agreed to plead guilty to transporting a black bear he illegally killed in southeast Alaska.

Nugent made the admission in signing a plea agreement with federal prosecutors that was filed Friday in U.S. District Court.

Calls seeking comment from Nugent, his Anchorage attorney, Wayne Anthony Ross, and assistant U.S. Attorney Jack Schmidt were not immediately returned.

The plea agreement says Nugent illegally shot and killed the bear in May 2009 on Sukkwan Island days after wounding a bear in a bow hunt, which counted toward a state seasonal limit of one bear.

According to the agreement, first reported by the Anchorage Daily News, the six-day hunt was filmed for his Outdoor Channel television show, "Spirit of the Wild." In the hunt, Nugent used a number of bear-baiting sites on U.S. Forest Service property, according to the agreement.

The document says Nugent knowingly possessed and transported the bear in misdemeanor violation of the federal Lacey Act.

Nugent, identified in the agreement as Theodore A. Nugent, agreed to pay a $10,000 fine, according to the agreement, which says he also agreed with a two-year probation, including a special condition that he not hunt or fish in Alaska or Forest Service properties for one year. He also agreed to create a public service announcement that would be broadcast on his show every second week for one year, the document states.

"This PSA will discuss the importance of a hunter's responsibility in knowing the rules and regulations of the hunting activities that they engage in, which is subject to the review and final approval, prior to any broadcast, by a representative of the United States Attorney's Office in the District of Alaska," the agreement says.

Nugent, who signed the document April 14, also agreed to pay the state $600 for the bear that was taken illegally, according to the agreement.

Nugent – a conservative activist famed for his 1977 hit "Cat Scratch Fever" – drew the attention of the Secret Service after he rallied support last weekend for Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney and said of the Obama administration: "We need to ride into that battlefield and chop their heads off in November." His comments were made during a National Rifle Association meeting in St. Louis.

Nugent said on his website Thursday that he discussed the matter with two agents on Thursday while in Oklahoma.

"The meeting could not have gone better," he said. "I thanked them for their service, we shook hands and went about our business. God bless the good federal agents wherever they may be."

Nugent said he was just speaking figuratively and that he didn't threaten anyone's life or advocate violence.

"Metaphors needn't be explained to educated people," he said.

A Secret Service spokesman has said the issue has been resolved.

With hunting, Nugent has run afoul of the law before.

In August 2010, California revoked Nugent's deer hunting license after he pleaded no contest to misdemeanor charges of deer-baiting and not having a properly signed tag.

Nugent's loss of that deer hunting license through June 2012 allows 34 other states to revoke the same privilege under the Interstate Wildlife Violator Compact. Each state, however, can interpret and enforce the agreement differently.

Ah, if walls could talk, the music history these would share. The Malibu home of Grammy award-winning music producer Terry Lewis has come on the market at $4.5 million.

Lewis, who with his producing and songwriting partner Jimmy Jam, has worked with R&B and pop superstars that include Janet Jackson, Usher, Mary J. Blige and Prince.

His five-bedroom Spanish style house sits on a prime Malibu acre and has a pool, media room and gourmet kitchen. The ocean-view estate was built in 2001 and has 6,700 square feet in an open floor plan. There is an outdoor entertainment area that includes both open and covered patios, a spa and sports courts.

In 2006, the Jimmy Jam-Terry Lewis duo won a Grammy for producing Yolanda Adams' "Be Blessed," on her "Day By Day" album. In 2007, Jam and Lewis truck Grammy gold again with Chaka Khan. The pair reunited with The Time at the 2008 Grammys in a medley that included Rihanna.

Photos by Simon Berlyn - Berlyn Photography, courtesy of Susan Monus of Coldwell Banker, who has the listing.

Lindsay Lohan will never step foot in The Standard Hotel again ... or at least for the foreseeable future. She's telling friends the hotel is a curse, causing her nothing but heartache ... and this week's drink-throwing incident was the last straw.

Actor Chris Evans is currently in the middle of a publicity blitz for the film "The Avengers," in which he reprises his role as Captain America.

Among his many promotional interviews, Evans recently chatted with Playboy about everything from losing his virginity to his dental hygiene.

The actor, whose brother, Scott Evans, is gay and who Chris accidentally outed in an interview with The Advocate, also sounded off on his support of marriage equality and his disappointment that gay men and women are still unable marry in most states.

When asked about his feelings on marriage equality Evans stated:

"Are you kidding me? It's insane that civil rights are being denied people in this day and age. It's embarrassing, and it's heartbreaking. It goes without saying that I'm completely in support of gay marriage. In 10 years we'll be ashamed that this was an issue."

Chris Evans isn't the only straight guy to show support for the LGBT community. Below, see a slideshow of other famous straight guy allies.

Raza Jaffrey doesn't get too many opportunities to show off his song and dance skills on "Smash," but that's about to change. His character, Dev Sundaram, boyfriend to Katharine McPhee's character Karen Cartwright, works in the mayor's office. Not much musical moments going on there. However, in Monday night's episode, entitled "Publicity," Jaffrey, who has plenty of experience in British musical theater, gets to show his singing talent in a dream sequence that takes the shape of a Bollywood song and dance number.

Jaffrey explained how his performance of the original song "A Thousand And One Nights" came to find its place in the "Smash" storyline on "Good Day L.A." (weekdays, 7 a.m. PT on Fox).

"I think Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman, our wonderful songwriters, they had an idea. And they came up to me a few episodes in and said, 'We've seen you do some of this stuff before, do you want to do a number?' And I said, 'That'd be fantastic, but I have no idea how you're going to get it in, I work in the mayor's office!'" he said.

Once they figured out the song would be a fantasy, then they had to choreograph the number. "It ended up being the biggest production number we'd done to date," Jaffrey added.

"Smash" airs Monday, April 23 at 10 p.m. ET on NBC.

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.

Having a koala urinate on you isn't pleasant -- especially if it puts you at risk of getting chlamydia.

That's the fear recently faced by Liam Payne and Harry Styles, members of the popular boy band One Direction.

The band is currently touring Australia and New Zealand and, as part of their visit, Payne and Styles each cuddled with a 3-year-old koala named Kat.

But during the encounter, Kat answered nature's call and whizzed right on them, according to HeatWorld.com.

That was bad enough, but the two teen idols, both 18, worried they saw their lives flashing before their eyes when they learned that 80 percent of koalas reportedly have chlamydia, a sexually transmitted disease whose effects include severe conjunctivitis (or "pink eye"), incontinence, prostatitis and kidney damage, according to AOL News.

In some koala cases, the chlamydia is so bad that the animals no longer have the energy to survive and suffer from urinary tract infections that are impairing the reproductive system.

To say that Payne and Styles were shocked to find out that being soaked with koala urine put them at risk is an understatement.

"I'm genuinely scared. This is worrying," Payne told the Sun. "I’d have never picked the thing up if I'd known."

Although transmission from koalas to humans is unlikely, a minority of the creatures have a strain of chlamydia that can be passed to other species, The Frisky reported.

Still, the situation is so dire that experts fear the koala may become extinct in a few decades if a vaccine isn't developed. But that presents problems as well, according to Peter Timms, a Queensland University of Technology professor working on the vaccine.

"We want to make sure the vaccine helps them," Timms told AOL News. "While you might treat the chlamydia, you might make their digestive tracts worse."

As for One Direction? They seem to be handling their fears of marsupial STDs nicely. Shortly after Payne publicly addressed the animal infection issue, he discussed his romantic prowess with a New Zealand TV station.

"Louis and I both have girlfriends, so we must be doing something right," he said, according to the Sun.

LONDON — Hollywood heartthrob Zac Efron says it was luck that propelled him to super-stardom, not his acting ability.

Speaking at the European premiere of his new romantic drama "The Lucky One," the 24-year-old actor said that he's had an easy ride so far, but it's now time to prove he's a legitimate thespian.

"I got into this in a very lucky way, but it wasn't the actor way, you know what I mean?" he said. "I would call what I had very much a lucky break.

"So, my goal over the past few years has been to take a step back, really learn about my craft, and prove to myself that it wasn't just a fluke, that I am here for a reason."

Efron shot to fame at the age of 18 starring in the 2006 smash hit "High School Musical." He went on to star in two more movies in that franchise.

After years of playing school boys, he's hoping his role in "The Lucky One" is a step toward shedding his teen idol image.

The movie is based on the best-selling novel by Nicholas Sparks and sees Efron star as a U.S. Marine sergeant who tracks down a beautiful woman (Taylor Schilling) whose photograph he believes saved his life in Iraq.

"I was proud to have taken this role – it was a scary choice," he said. "I didn't know if I could play a Marine. Everyone you talk to would say I am wrong for this part, but you know, at the end of the day it was a challenge, and I am proud. I think I pulled it off."

According to the film's director Scott Hicks, Efron is certainly a fully fledged, grown-up actor.

"He's a hard-working, committed actor, very committed to his craft and I just thoroughly enjoyed working with him," he said.

Also at the premiere was Efron's co-star Schilling. She also had nothing but praise for the actor, whom she called a "goofball."

"It was a blast," she said. "We never took ourselves too seriously. The work, yes, but we were fooling around the whole time."

"The Lucky One" hits U.K. theaters on Wednesday, May 2. It was released in the U.S. on April 20.

The music may have been Motown, but the contestants seemed like they were still caught up in the heat from Latin week, as several couples were pushed to their sensual limits on tonight's "Dancing With the Stars" (Mondays at 8 p.m. ET and Tuesdays at 9 p.m. ET on ABC).

William Levy and partner Cheryl Burke ended up getting horizontal on the dance floor, while Katherine Jenkins wowed the judges with her newfound saucy spunk. However, Disney star Roson Fegan's attempt at being sexy may have just cost him the competition.

Gladys Knight may be the Empress of Soul -- and a Motown legend -- but she failed to impress the judges with her slow-tempo rumba, leaving her once again on the bottom of the leaderboard.

However, tonight was also a night of incredible comebacks, as Jaleel White finally lived up to his Week 1 potential. Plus, Donald Driver finally scored a number from Len that he agreed with and Gavin DeGraw's hat made a surprise return appearance on Mark Ballas' head. Oh, hat, how we've missed you.

Adding to the Motown pressure, for the first time this season, the contestants had to participate in a dance marathon at the end of show, where the judges awarded each couple an additional 3 to 10 points -- with the most technical and creative couple earning 10 and the least, earning a 3 -- based on who could successfully dance for the longest amount of time.

It was a brutal four-minute Motown marathon, as it tested the stamina of the competitors. Perhaps least surprising, Gladys and Tristan were knocked out first. However, frontrunners Maria and Derek were quickly kicked off the dance floor after them. In the end, Katherine and Mark were the winners, and once again, we were all treated to Katherine's surprised face. That girl puts Taylor Swift to shame.

Now, let's break down the rest of the night:

William Levy & Cheryl Burke
Dance: Rumba

William has a tough job, guys. He has to be sexy all of the time. It's not as easy as it looks. Well, for William, it actually is that easy.

William and Cheryl definitely brought the sex to the ballroom with their sensual rumba, in which they, too, ended up on the floor in a horizontal position. Their hands were just all over each other, and the women in the ballroom were loving it.

Bruno called it "absolute and utter filth" (but the good kind), while Carrie Ann thanked William "on behalf of all of the women out there." But for Len, it was a little on the raunchy side.

"It was good," he said, "But I can't go into ecstasy like some people here." Thankfully, Bruno responded with what we were all thinking: "He needs Viagra."

Judges' score: 27 + 9 = 36

Maria Menounous & Derek Hough
Dance: Foxtrot

OK, Maria, I'm over your psycho dolphin laugh. I'm sorry, but I'm really not sorry. It's kind of annoying at this point. Thankfully, you're dancing is gorgeous.

Maria may have lost her footing -- and let her shoulders come up, according to Carrie Ann -- but it was an otherwise stellar foxtrot set to "Jimmy Mack" by Martha and the Vandellas. It was sophisticated, yet fun.

And the best part? They didn't need to rely on a kiss for shock value. Instead, Maria and Derek kept it classy. Hallelujah!

Judges' score: 26 + 4 = 30

Donald Driver & Peta Murgatroyd
Dance: Foxtrot

Fact: I'm scared of Donald. I'm sure he's a really great guy (when he's winning), but after seeing how he overreacted to his scores last week, I was slightly scared of the football player -- and frightened for Len's life. I know he's competitive, but that was too much. Remember Donald, you have a Super Bowl ring. Therefore, you're already winning at life.

Back on the dance floor, Donald and Peta danced a super fun foxtrot to "The Way You Do the Things You Do" by The Temptations. After giving Donad a less-than-satisfactory 8 last week, Len told the wide receiver that his foxtrot was absolutely "explosive," and for a minute, I thought Donald was going to do a touchdown dance.

Although, he still feels like Donald can do more, so he tells Peta to "work on him" because Len feels that Donald has what it takes to be a great dancer.

Judges' score: 27 + 7 = 34

Roshon Fegan & Chelsie Hightower
Dance: Rumba

The rumba is all about being sensual, but Roshon has a Disney image to uphold, so there wasn't really anything sexy about Roshon and Chelsie's dance. In fact, the sexiest part of the entire performance was Smokey Robinson singing "Cruisin'."

But that wasn't the super cute duo's only problem. In her pursuit to make Roshon more comfortable being sensual, Chelsie caused him to completely overdo it, and the entire routine felt a little more forced than usual. It was lacking the grace and easiness of their stunning Viennese waltz from two weeks ago.

Even though the crowd loved Roshon's rumba, the judges thought that the "Shake It Up!" star over exaggerated his movements. "The movement was clipped and jerky," said Len. "It was like pain-by-numbers."

However, the best part of the night came when Bruno shook his happy hips a little too vigorously -- much to Len's obvious dismay.

Judges' score: 23 + 5 = 28

Melissa Gilbert & Maksim Chmerkovskiy
Dance: Viennese Waltz

Just when I thought Maks was going soft this season, it looks like the fiery dancer is finally back to normal -- and terrorizing Melissa in rehearsals. (Case in point: "Are your f--king legs together?!") Attaboy, Maks!

Since the beginning of the competition, I've wanted Melissa to go home. I just didn't feel like she was really trying. Where some contestants made up for their lack of technique with their big personalities, I just felt like Melissa was lacking on both fronts. However, I have to give Melissa credit tonight because the former TV star looked absolutely gorgeous on the dance floor during her Viennese Waltz.

Not only was she hitting all of her steps, but for the first week ever, she also wasn't being overshadowed by Maks. Her lines were clean, and her movements were smooth. "You work so hard, and it is finally paying off," Carrie Ann said, before telling Melissa to watch her shoulders.

Looks like Maks' tough love delivers results.

Judges' score: 24 + 6 = 30

Katherine Jenkins & Mark Ballas
Dance: Samba

The odds are definitely in Katherine and Mark's favor. Once again, the two came out on top of the leaderboard.

Working her best Snooki poof, the gorgeous mezzo-soprano danced a high-energy, sultry samba to The Temptations' "I Can't Get Next to You." Meanwhile, Katherine's partner Mark borrowed a hat from the Gavin DeGraw Collection. Maybe Gavin left it for him as a bittersweet memento?

Len was so impressed, he even made a funny, dubbing Jenkins "the midwife" of the competition because she successfully delivers week after week.

However, Katherine and Mark have yet to secure a 30, so the race to the first perfect score of the season is still on. Here that, Derek? You still have a chance.

Judges' score: 29 + 10 = 39

Gladys Knight & Tristan MacManus
Dance: Rumba

Thanks to Gladys, I know more about Motown now than I ever did before. For example, before The Temptations were The Temptations, they were The Primes. Also, The Pips used to wip their butts on the softball field. (Gladys was obviously the pitcher.)

She also brought her own secret weapon to rehearsals: Her brother Bubba, the original Pip. He definitely taught Tristan a few things about Motown, like how to snap-clap-move-and-grove properly.

On the dance floor, Gladys and Tristan got off to a slow start (really slow), but you know what? The Temptations were on stage singing "My Girl," so I was thoroughly entertained regardless. Not to mention that Tristan was wearing the cutest hipster glasses ever. However, I could have done without all of the Barney purple.

"Gladys, if I could judge purely with my heart, you would be at the top of my leaderboard," said Len. Of course, that statement was then followed by, "But you're not the best dancer." You better believe that Len's criticism was met with ballroom boos, so the top judge clarified. "You're the most charismatic dancer ... You're easy like Sunday morning."

For me, Gladys and Tristan were the only couple to really capture the soul of Motown. Of course, I'm sure the Empress of Soul had something to do with that.

Sure, Gladys may have forgotten some of her steps, but can I please just have at least one more week of Gladys and Tristan?! I swear, just give me one more week.

Judges score: 21 + 3 = 24

Jaleel White & Kym Johnson
Dance: Cha cha cha

Now, that's what you call a comeback. After weeks of turning out less-than-stellar routines, I was starting to believe that Jaleel was never going to live up to the potential he showed in Week 1. That is, until tonight.

Jaleel's cha cha cha was so energetic that it even made Bruno quote Kelly Clarkson. Say it with me now: What doesn't kill you makes you stronger.

Side note: Jaleel's mom is the cutest mom ever.

Judges' score: 29 + 8 = 37

"Dancing With the Stars" airs Mondays at 8 p.m. ET and Tuesdays at 9 p.m. ET on ABC.

The judges panel may have seen a lot of big names come and go, but one person "American Idol" (Wednesdays and Thursdays at 8 p.m. ET on Fox) viewers can count on being there is Ryan Seacrest.

The host, who has been with "American Idol" since its debut in 2002, has signed on two more seasons of the hit Fox reality competition, which will pay him $15 million annually, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

“For the last 11 seasons, I've had the privilege to be a part of one of television's most iconic shows. It's been a wild ride, and I'm excited for my journey with 'American Idol' to continue,” Seacrest said in a statement. “The legions of fans, amazingly talented contestants, judges, and producers, along with the hard working 'Idol' crew, impress me every time we go on air and make hosting the show a dream job.”

Judge Ryan Jackson and Seacrest -- who is also a radio and E! personality and reality TV producer -- remain the only original faces with the show.

In recent seasons, "Idol" has seen mainstays Simon Cowell and Paula Abdul leave -- and head to "The X Factor" -- and had brief stints with songwriter Kara DioGuardi and talk show host Ellen DeGeneres on the panel. But Seacrest has been there from the start.

“Ryan is one of a kind,” added Mike Darnell, president of alternative entertainment at Fox, said in a statement. “His ability to engage the viewers, keep the contestants at ease during intense moments and adapt to any situation, especially during the live shows, solidifies him as the absolute best in the business. He is an integral part of why 'American Idol' is a true phenomenon, and we can't imagine doing this show without him.”

Amidst the shifts on the judges panel and new competition in the reality TV landscape (like "The Voice"), "Idol" has seen its ratings sink a bit during its current 11th season. In February, in terms of total viewers in the key 18-49 demographic, 7.7 million viewers tuned into "Idol," while "The Voice" had 8.5 million viewers.

There had been reports in 2011 that Seacrest was being courted as a potential replacement for Matt Lauer on "Today." But Lauer is remaining with the show after signing a new deal in early April.

Do you think Seacrest is making the right move?

"American Idol" airs Wednesdays and Thursdays at 8 p.m. ET on Fox.

The handsome, boyish man's man and the powerful, dangerous vixen who steals his heart -- it's a trope that started waaaaay before Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie highjacked the tabloids.

The original outrageous, illicit power couple was none other than the pair who refuse to die in our imaginations -- the fun-loving Roman General Mark Antony and the fascinating Queen of Egypt, Cleopatra VII..

Like Angelina Jolie, the last queen of Egypt had a brood of children. (Though unlike Angelina, she was hardly beautiful.) Just as "Brangelina" (as the couple as been dubbed by the tabloids) parade their young'uns amongst the commoners, the queen also showed off her children to her people. Only instead of charging People magazine outrageous sums for the privilege of gazing upon the royal offspring, the queen commissioned sculptors to act as the paparazzi. Sadly, though, hardly any images of the queen's children survived the passage of time.

That's what makes the recent find (or, more accurately, "identification" of a previously found object), so exciting -- a 33-foot statue depicting the children of the queen and Mark Antony: twins Alexander Helios (sun) and Cleopatra Selene (moon). Researchers have identified the twins as the children of Antony and the queen by various means, including by the fact that the boy is wearing a sun disk, and the girl a crescent-moon disk. The style of the art also dates to the era in which the twins lived.

Cleopatra actually had four children: one with Julius Caesar, and three with Mark Antony -- the twins and another little boy, Ptolemy Philadelphus.

Twins in the ancient world often meant death for the mother, so the successful birthing of live twins would've been seen as a great omen by the Egyptians. And just like the tabloids can't seem to get enough pictures of the Brangelina clan, we can guess that there was great interest in the twins of the most powerful couple of their time.

Is the statue really a depiction of Alexander Helios and Cleopatra Selene? There may be some -- as there always are -- who say "no," accusing the researchers of jumping to conclusions. But whatever the truth, one fact has not changed in a millennia -- our endless fascination with illicit power couples and their genetically blessed children. Especially if they're twins.

Sean Penn isn't necessarily known for his sense of humor, but the dude is funny. There's his still-iconic performance as Jeff Spicoli in "Fast Times at Ridgemont High," his brief flirtation with "The Three Stooges," his self-effacing appearance on "Between Two Ferns" with Zach Galifianakis, and now this: Deadline.com reports that Penn is in talks to join Ben Stiller in "The Secret Life of Walter Mitty."

A remake of "Walter Mitty" has been in development for years. Everyone from Jim Carrey to Mike Myers to Sacha Baron Cohen were involved in discussions to play the lead role, which Danny Kaye originated in the 1947 film. Stiller attached himself to star and direct last April, and casting has been going strong since. Also onboard to co-star are Kristen Wiig, Adam Scott, Patton Oswalt and Shirley MacLaine. Per Deadline.com, Penn's role would be small.

The actor -- who has won two Oscars -- rose to fame after playing Spicoli in "Fast Times." His most recent play for laughs was in the Funny or Die video, "Clinton Foundation: Celebrity Division." Perhaps unsurprisingly considering this casting news, Penn appeared with Stiller in the star-studded spoof. Watch it below.

[via Deadline.com]

PHOTOS: Sean Penn & His Recent Romances

NEW YORK -- Sinead O'Connor says she is canceling her 2012 tour due to her bipolar disorder.

The singer made the announcement Monday in a posting on her website. She wrote that she is "very unwell" and had been advised by her doctor to not hit the road after her "very serious breakdown between December and March."

In December, O'Connor announced her split from therapist Barry Herridge after 16 days of marriage.

The Irish singer-songwriter is best known for the early 1990s hit "Nothing Compares 2 U."

Her latest album – "How About I Be Me (And You Be You)?" – was released in February. The 45-year-old says she had planned the tour because of the album's release, but was "attempting to be stronger than I actually am."

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