Madonna thanks exes for encouraging movie career (Reuters)

VENICE, Italy (Reuters) – Pop star Madonna thanked her ex-husbands for encouraging her to take up a career in movies, as she arrived in Venice on Thursday for the world premiere of her lavish royal drama "W.E."

The 53-year-old American has been married to actor and director Sean Penn and British film maker Guy Ritchie -- and has spent much of the last few years behind the camera rather than on the stage.

W.E., her second feature film, appears at the Venice film festival outside the main competition, but the presence of one of the world's biggest celebrities inevitably dominated the attention of the world's press.

The film re-tells the story of American divorcee Wallis Simpson, whose affair with Britain's King Edward VIII led him to abdicate the throne.

It does so through the eyes of another American Wally Winthrop, played by Abbie Cornish, who lives in New York in the 1990s and becomes obsessed with the life of a woman with whom she bears an uncanny resemblance.

"I am and was attracted to very creative people which is why I married Sean Penn and Guy Ritchie, two very talented directors," Madonna told reporters after a press screening of W.E.

"They both encouraged me as a director and as a creative person to do what I did, and they were both very supportive," added the singer, who wore a short-sleeved black dress with white trim.

There was applause for the movie after the first screening and one early review, in the Daily Telegraph, gave W.E. three stars out of five.

"Her version of their (the Windsors') lives is a fantasia that will not trouble historians," wrote David Gritten. "Yet oddly, that's a relief after so many stale, plodding TV documentaries about this unlovely couple."

PARALLELS BETWEEN MADONNA, WALLIS

Madonna said she saw parallels between herself and Simpson, a woman who was vilified by many for her role in a constitutional crisis but who is sympathetically portrayed in W.E. by Andrea Riseborough.

Like Simpson, Madonna is a woman who lives her life in the public glare, and is also an American who moved to England for several years while married to Ritchie.

"I identified with her in that I think it's very common when people become celebrities or public figures or icons that we are often reduced to a soundbite and that you're given a few attributes and then you're not allowed to have anything more than that," she said.

"I did go through periods of feeling like I was an outsider when I first moved to England.

"I certainly didn't feel like that by the time I'd lived there for 10 years. And I feel, since I moved there, that I feel very welcomed by England."

Asked why she chose Simpson as a subject, Madonna replied:

"I was deeply and utterly swept up in trying to understand the reason that this man, King Edward VIII ... would relinquish this great position of power for love."

She added that she hoped the success of "The King's Speech," set at the same time and in a similar world to W.E., would help, not harm her project.

"I was a little bit nervous, because I thought, 'oh dear, if someone else is making a movie about the same time-frame, then who would be interested in my movie?'

"But then I saw the film and I saw that it was from a completely different point of view and I view the success of that film as sort of laying the groundwork for my movie.

"So there is a little bit of history and a little bit of knowledge and we are not starting with a blank slate."

(Reporting by Mike Collett-White, editing by Paul Casciato)

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Maroon 5 making moves thanks to 'Jagger,' 'Voice' (AP)

NEW YORK – Before joining NBC's "The Voice," Adam Levine says some folks assumed he was some "singing bimbo that likes girls." So he's grateful to the show for providing a bit of clarification on his image.

"It was a nice opportunity to show my personality — that I have a brain," said the lead singer of Maroon 5. "It's also true: I am a bimbo and I like to sing and I like girls, but there's more to my personality; it's a little more dynamic than that, and I like to show that on the show. It's cool."

The singing competition — which also features Christina Aguilera, Cee Lo Green and Blake Shelton as music coaches — was a hit in its first season. The four coaches chose teams of eight after an audition process that allowed them only to hear the contestant's voice, but not to see them. Once teams were whittled down to one contestant for each coach, Levine's mentee — the crooner Javier Colon — was crowned the winner.

"The Voice" helped showcase the playful and sillier side of the heavily-inked Levine. Band keyboardist Jesse Carmichael says Levine's presence on the show "was so positive for him definitely as a person, but for us as a band, too."

Now, the group is taking advantage of the buzz: They recently released "Moves Like Jagger," which features "Voice" co-star Aguilera, and it will be the No. 1 song on the Billboard Hot 100 charts Thursday. It also hit No. 1 on the European and Canadian charts.

The dance song is a departure for the pop-rockers, and they say they're rushing to get a new album out this fall. In the past, the group released an album every three or four years.

"We're going to make it as quickly as we can (and) ride this wave of momentum," Levine said in an interview last week.

"That's too long," he explained about past breaks between records. "We can't do that anymore. We've got to keep moving."

The Grammy-winning group's 2002 debut, "Songs About Jane," sold 4.7 million units and they followed that with another multiplatinum-seller, 2006's "It Won't Be Soon Before Long." Last fall, they dropped their third album, the gold-selling "Hands All Over," which was re-released to feature "Jagger."

On Maroon 5's upcoming album, the group says they want to take a new direction. "Jagger" was produced Benny Blanco and Shellback, hitmakers for acts like Katy Perry, Ke$ha and Britney Spears.

"We can definitely stand to take more risks," Levine said. "It's awesome to have that little feeling in your stomach like, `Oh, this isn't safe, this isn't normal for us' ... (and) if you don't do that, I think you're dead a as band."

The second season of "The Voice" premieres after the Super Bowl on Feb. 5.

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Online:

http://www.maroon5.com/

http://www.nbc.com/the-voice/

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Mesfin Fekadu covers entertainment for The Associated Press. Follow him at http://twitter.com/musicmesfin

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Ore. band thanks Chicago PD for finding equipment (AP)

CHICAGO – Members of the Oregon-based band Portugal The Man thanked Chicago police on Tuesday, offering to send them "a pile of doughnuts," after investigators recovered thousands of dollars worth of gear stolen from the band's van following an appearance at the Lollapalooza music festival.

A mechanic was accused of buying the items — including vintage guitars and amps, keyboards, effects pedals, drums and microphones — at a flea market in Chicago even though he knew they were stolen. Police said $80,000 worth of equipment was found in his home.

On the rock band's Facebook page, front man John Gourley wrote that band members were depressed over the theft when they got a call from their tour manager that the items had been found.

"Thank you Chicago PD and don't be offended when we send a pile of doughnuts over," Gourley wrote. "We are understanding in its simplicity. It's like a marathon runner eating a stack of pancakes before the run. It is much needed energy in your long days of crime solving and we appreciate this because, well, doughnuts are delicious.... All respect."

Juan Ocampo, 39, was charged with one count of felony theft and ordered held in jail in lieu of $10,000 bond after police found about $80,000 worth of the equipment Monday in his apartment, Assistant Cook County State's Attorney Erin Antonietti said.

During his bond hearing, Ocampo said he knew the instruments and sound gear were stolen when he agreed to purchase them for $1,000, Antonietti said.

"He said he was scared to bring the items to a flea market all at once and planned to resell it a little at a time," Antonietti told Judge Ramon Ocasio III.

Ocampo also told investigators that he was afraid to sleep in his apartment while the items were there because he thought they were probably stolen, adding he was staying at his girlfriend's house, prosecutors said.

According to a police report, Ocampo said a man whose name he didn't know sold him some of the instruments for $500 and indicated he had more. Ocampo said he agreed to buy a guitar, drum and keyboard and indicated he would pay him the additional $500 after he sold some of the instruments.

Lollapalooza, a three-day music festival, was held in Chicago last weekend.

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Angelina Jolie thanks Italian islanders for hosting refugees (AFP)

ROME (AFP) – Hollywood star Angelina Jolie on Sunday made a surprise visit to the Italian island of Lampedusa, thanking residents for hosting thousands of refugees who have fled unrest in north Africa in recent months.

The US actress travelled from Malta with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees Antonio Guterres to the Mediterranean island that has been flooded with more than 40,000 asylum-seekers since the start of 2011, the UN refugee agency said.

Jolie, also a goodwill ambassador for UNHCR, attended a small ceremony honouring those who died at sea after packing themselves on overcrowded vessels to escape the violence in North Africa.

The Catholic organisation Sant Egidio says 1,820 migrants fleeing north Africa, most from countries in sub-Saharan Africa, have drowned in the Mediterranean Sea this year while trying to reach Europe.

Jolie noted the horrific decision forced on those who had no choice but to try crossing unpredictable seas on makeshift rafts, risking drowning and starvation.

In Malta, Jolie and Guterres visited detention facilities where some new arrivals are held while their asylum requests are processed.

"We've spoken about our shared concerns about making sure asylum claims are processed as quickly as possible so no one is sitting in a prison-like situation and waiting on a decision about their status," Jolie said.

"They are not asking to go to any particular country, they just want to find safety to work and to have freedom."

Guterres noted that island residents had some difficult moments of late, particularly in March, when a surge of people arrived on the island after fleeing Libya when NATO began bombing targets linked to Moamer Kadhafi's regime.

On Friday, Jolie visited a camp in Turkey where some 9,600 Syrian refugees are camped after fleeing their government's brutal crackdown on pro-democracy demonstrators.

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Gaga gives heartfelt thanks at fashion award event (AP)

NEW YORK – It seems the fashion crowd, especially when fully decked out for Monday night's Council of Fashion Designers of America awards, can be pretty intimidating: CNN anchor Anderson Cooper said so, actress Naomi Watts said so, and even Lady Gaga said so.

On stage to accept her award as the year's top style icon, a soft-spoken, maybe even teary-eyed Gaga said she was nervous.

"All of you made me feel like a star before I was," she told the audience at Lincoln Center that boasted bold-faced names such as Marc Jacobs, Anna Wintour, Diane von Furstenberg, Donna Karan and Michael Kors.

She talked about how important fashion was in her life as a pathway to self-discovery, artistry and confidence. As a teenager, she'd save her money to buy vintage Thierry Mugler from a neighborhood thrift shop, checking in with the salesman regularly to make sure her favorite pieces hadn't sold while she was raising the cash. She planned her outfits for Friday night parties as if she was going to the Oscars, she said.

"As much as this award means to me personally ... I just want you to know how much this means to young Americans," Gaga said.

But the music star and style risk-taker, wearing a corset get-up by Mugler, a label now helmed by her friend Nicola Formichetti, got her swagger back as she recalled getting the text message from Wintour that she had been picked for the prize.

She said she thought the message was from a friend named Anna and replied with a bleep-worthy response. The text back from the Vogue editor-in-chief said, "How lovely."

That led to laughter — and so did Cooper's montage of his early days as a preteen model.

Cooper, a longtime friend of CFDA president von Furstenberg, said he decided to show his photos to prove his fashion cred since he was acting as master of ceremonies. (He also is the son of late designer jeans magnate Gloria Vanderbilt and worked as a fit model for both Calvin Klein and Ralph Lauren, who made his tuxedo.)

"There was no way you'd be critical," he joked, "or that's what Diane said, anyway."

Watts, dressed in a metallic T-shirt-style gown by Francisco Costa for Calvin Klein, presented the top womenswear honor to Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez of Proenza Schouler. But she seemed to find the awkward walk across a long stage intimidating in her high heels. "That was easy," she said as she reached the podium. "Fun doing it in a room full of supermodels."

Top models Doutzen Kroes, Karlie Kloss, Miranda Kerr, Alessandra Ambrosio and Chanel Iman were indeed in the house, on the arms of their favorite designers. Karolina Kurkova, in a striking hooded jumpsuit made of green sequins, read the names of the winners in the Swarovski emerging-talent categories: Eddie Borgo for accessories, Robert Geller for menswear and Prabal Gurung for womenswear.

Kurkova took a moment to sing for Gaga — "I'm your biggest fan," she said — and then Gurung asked during his speech if he could pose with Gaga. "That will make me the coolest uncle," he boasted.

But it was the nod from his fellow designers as well as retailers, stylists and editors that the rest of his family would find impressive, Gurung said. "I'm just a guy from Nepal. I will call my mother and say, `It's OK. I turned out fine.'"

The two standing ovations of the night went to photographer Arthur Elgort and designer Marc Jacobs, who was there for his "half-lifetime achievement award," according to presenter Sofia Coppola.

"This achievement is born of love, passion, creativity ... and a hell of a lot of hard work," said Jacobs, who is 48.

He added, "I believe we all know and feel the greatest reward is the process itself."

Other highlights:

_Kanye West, saying he was a huge fan, handed the international design prize to Phoebe Philo of Celine. He said he's been known to go into a Celine store and try on the clothes — womenswear, no less — "knowing that would get me bashed by the hip-hop blogs."

_Michael Bastian was named best menswear designer, and Alexander Wang as accessories designer.

_Jessica Alba, showing off her baby bump in a coral-and-purple gown by von Furstenberg, gave the CFDA Founders Award to InStyle fashion director Hal Rubenstein.

_Kors said he always enjoys this event because he likes being surrounded with "people who have a passion for fashion."

"Tonight is about not only people who make the clothes, but also the photographers, writers and the people who wear the clothes."

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Chavez thanks Shakira for red, autographed guitar (AP)

CARACAS, Venezuela – Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez is thanking Colombian singer Shakira for an autographed red guitar that he says the artist sent him as a gift.

Chavez says he stayed up late strumming on the electric guitar and singing songs.

He told Venezuelan state television on Sunday: "Thanks to Shakira for that."

Information Minister Andres Izarra posted a photo of the guitar on Twitter after it arrived on Saturday.

Chavez said the musician asked to see him when she performed in Caracas in March, but that her flight was late and they were unable to meet.

Chavez says he was surprised by the gift, and has been practicing on the instrument while recovering from a knee injury.

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Miley Cyrus Returns to Twitter Thanks to Charlie Sheen

On March 29 Miley Cyrus did something she swore she'd never do again: She returned to Twitter.

In 2009, Cyrus quit the social networking site behind her, claiming it interfered too much in her private life, and shut it down for good and has been Twitter-less since then -- until now.

Most recently, Cyrus tested the waters and tweeted via her producer Rock Mafia's page two weeks ago. "This is my new way to connect," she tweeted. "When I need to speak out I will tweet from

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