Report: Feds transferred T.I. over business flap (AP)

ATLANTA – Grammy-winning rapper T.I. was sent back to federal prison after corrections officials discovered a manager and a TV producer were traveling with him on a luxury bus as he transferred to a halfway house in Georgia, according to documents obtained Thursday by The Associated Press.

The two were not authorized to travel or conduct business with T.I., whose real name is Clifford Harris, during the 375-mile journey from the Arkansas federal prison, the Department of Justice incident report said. It said T.I. indicated he was discussing a new reality series and book with the individuals but said he wasn't being interviewed.

T.I. was making the journey last week after he had been released a month early from a sentence for violating probation, and a VH1 reality show and book deal were announced within hours of his release. Attorney Steve Sadow said the rapper didn't violate prison rules because those deals already were finalized.

"There wasn't any business to conduct," he said. "These were just two people riding back with him."

The Bureau of Prisons declined to comment. The performer remains in federal custody.

T.I. made the trip from Arkansas to Atlanta with his wife, Tameka Cottle Harris, manager Brian Sher and producer Cris Abrego, the co-president of 51 Minds Entertainment, a company that specializes in reality TV shows, according to letters provided to the AP.

Sher and Abrego said in letters sent to Bureau of Prisons officials that they had visited with T.I. a few times before his release and that no business was conducted during the ride to Atlanta. T.I.'s business attorney, Jonathan Leonard, said in a letter sent Tuesday to federal officials that the TV deal was negotiated and signed in late July and processed through his office. He said the book deal HarperCollins Publishers was sealed in June 2011.

"It appears that some of the information listed in the report was obtained from internet reports and not from Mr. Harris," Leonard said in the letter.

Cottle Harris said in a letter that her husband's team decided the bus would be safer and make it more difficult for paparazzi to pull up next to the vehicle and take pictures or record video.

T.I. had initially served about seven months in prison in 2009 after he was arrested for trying to buy unregistered guns and silencers from undercover federal agents. He was on probation after he was released and ordered not to commit another crime or to illegally possess any controlled substances. He then was arrested in Los Angeles in September 2010 after authorities said he was found with four ecstasy pills.

He was sentenced to 11 months in prison for that violation and had been set for release at the end of September, but he was allowed to transfer to an Atlanta halfway house about a month early. He was returned to federal prison a day later, and Sadow said T.I.'s legal team is fighting the move.

"TI was never told that only his wife was permitted to travel with him and was never instructed or directed to list each and every person that would be traveling with him," he said.

"It is disingenuous at best for BOP to see the private bus, escort T.I. to the private bus, watch him enter the private bus, observe the bus driver and then say the only people authorized to be on the private bus are T.I. and his wife."

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Bluestein can be reached at http://www.twitter.com/bluestein

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Kim's wedding is big business for the Kardashians (AP)

By SANDY COHEN, AP Entertainment Writer Sandy Cohen, Ap Entertainment Writer – Fri Aug 19, 10:54 am ET

LOS ANGELES – Call it wholly monetized matrimony. Kim Kardashian and Kris Humphries are set to be married Saturday in a lavish, made-for-TV celebration of love, devotion and product-placement.

The reality-TV bombshell and her pro-basketball boyfriend will wed at a canyon estate in the tony seaside town of Montecito, near Santa Barbara, Calif. The exact location of the black-tie ceremony has been kept secret, but everything else about the extravaganza — the dress designer, the cake maker, the stationer, the gift registry, the Kardashian-brand perfume — has been touted `til death do us part on celebrity websites, entertainment shows and Kardashian's own blog and Twitter pages. The bridesmaids are even wearing green.

Still, "there are so many surprises!" Kim Kardashian gushed at a party to celebrate the launch of her new Sears clothing line, Kardashian Kollection, mere days before the nuptials. "I think it's just going to be so much fun. I'm really looking forward to the wedding."

Kardashian went on to extoll the deep love and compatibility she and Humphries share. "We have a really good balancing system," she said, before working it back to the clothing line. "Like our personalities — he lets me chill and he gives me my space when I need to design and approve the shoes and the clothes and everything. We just have a good connection."

The marriage will be Kardashian's second and Humphries' first. (She was previously married to music producer Damon Thomas from 2000 to 2004.)

Much has been made of the Kardashian-Humphries wedding invitations, which were decorated with black crystals and arrived in silver boxes. Guests were asked to wear black and white and to keep ceremony details confidential. Even more has been made of the couple's wedding registry at Geary's of Beverly Hills, which totals $172,000 and includes such items as a $1,650 coffee pot and two $1,250 sterling silver vegetable spoons.

Entertainment media have breathlessly reported every available detail on the pending nuptials. And when Kardashian's sisters revealed at Wednesday's launch event that the bridal party will be wearing green, they said it as if dropping a national secret.

Mom Kris Jenner was coy even about her dress, saying only that "it's beautiful" — which would be fitting, of course, for the royal reality-TV wedding of the year, with some speculating its price tag could reach $10 million.

But such expense will surely be offset by the bouquet of wedding deals now in place.

The ceremony and everything leading up to it will be featured in a two-part special on E!, the same network that airs "Keeping Up with the Kardashians" and its spinoffs, "Khloe & Lamar," "Kourtney and Khloe Take Miami" and "Kourtney and Kim Take New York."

The special won't air for two months, though, prompting Online card company someecards.com to offer a greeting that reads: "Here's hoping Kim Kardashian's marriage lasts until her wedding special airs in October."

Then there's the magazine exclusive (reportedly with People) that will feature photos and details about the nuptials and the sure-to-be-star-studded guest list. And don't forget Kim Kardashian's Love, a limited-edition perfume that is being sold for $100 a bottle to commemorate the occasion.

Kardashian also constantly updates her five million monthly website visitors and more than nine million Twitter followers about her progress with her pre-wedding workouts (with celebrity trainer Gunnar Peterson), her dress fittings (with designer Vera Wang), and her invitation designer (Lehr & Black).

"She's certainly not the first (celebrity) to capitalize on her wedding and photos and the press to get everything paid for and more," said marketing expert Ryan Schinman, chief of Platinum Rye Entertainment. "It's the first that feels a little commercial. But from what everyone sees, she's very much in love, as long as her fiancA© doesn't mind one of the most special moments in their lives being followed and shared with the rest of the world."

Kardashian has made a fortune selling her most intimate moments, from the sex tape that surfaced in 2007 to this weekend's wedding.

And it doesn't stop there. While her everyday activities are documented in her family's reality show, the 30-year-old stylist and former closet-organizer-to-the-stars also has several namesake perfumes, a shoe-shopping website, promotional deals with Sketchers shoes and QuickTrim weight-loss supplements, a series of fitness DVDs, and that new Kardashian Kollection at Sears.

"She's single-handedly been able to bring her entire family into the mix, not just Kim but the entire Kardashian clan," Schinman said. "Corporate America has woken up to the fact that this girl has such a following that she would be an ideal spokesperson who can really help move products, whether it's her own products in beauty and fashion or endorsing traditional companies like Sketchers.

"Right now, there's not a hotter reality personality out there than Kim."

And by selling the wedding, she helps keep it that way. Her fans are hanging on every incremental announcement, said Gillian Sheldon, vice president of programming for BUZZMEDIA, which produces the Kardashians' websites.

"People have shared in her love story and everyone is so excited," Sheldon said. "Not everyone can be invited to her wedding, but she brings people in with her blog, with a TV special on E!. She genuinely wants to share the moment with her fans because she cares that much about them."

Kardashian's website will feature a "virtual guest book" fans can sign on her wedding day, Sheldon said.

Could there be a backlash against the beautiful socialite-turned amateur porn star-turned reality TV entrepreneur for having a made-for-TV wedding? Schinman says no.

"People expect it from her," he said. "She needs to stay relevant and this has to be shared because that's how she makes her money."

It's all part of the lucrative Kim Kardashian brand. And one she zealously protects. Last month, Kardashian sued Old Navy for using a model who resembles her in its advertising.

"She is the brand and the people behind her are the people that are making the business decisions," Schinman said. "Part of it is luck, part of it is timing, and part of it is great business."

Kardashian said "I do" to that years ago.

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Online:

http://kimkardashian.celebuzz.com/

www.twitter.com/KimKardashian

http://www.eonline.com/on/shows/kardashians/index.html

www.someecards.com

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AP Entertainment Writer Sandy Cohen can be reached at www.twitter.com/APSandy.

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Factbox: Business History Reveals Horrors of a Trump Presidency (ContributorNetwork)

COMMENTARY | It was the announcement that shocked no one. At an NBC event to announce its new fall lineup Monday, Donald Trump announced that he would not run in the 2012 presidential election, according to CNN. Trump originally told media that his announcement would follow the season finale of his prime time show, "Celebrity Apprentice." The early announcement likely would have soothed fidgety advertisers not sure about signing on for the coming season if Trump bailed on his show.

The reason Trump's announcement went as expected by most Americans is that he never had any intention of being a serious candidate. Why would he? He would have to disclose what has, up until now, been private financial information. He would have to give up many of his business dealings and divest himself of several investments. He would have to serve the financial needs of the country rather than his own. He would have to clean up his mouth and learn diplomacy -- something Trump has never been good at. He would have to work with others, both those who do and do not agree with his policies. He would have to make sound financial decisions -- another skill Trump sorely lacks.

But wait a minute, you might say. Trump is a brilliant businessman. His name is all over buildings around the world. He's one of the world's richest men. Isn't he? Here's a short history of Donald Trump and his business acumen:

* When Trump took over his father's company, Elizabeth Trump and Son, as CEO, his first task was removing his grandmother's name from the company and renaming it The Trump Organization.

* Trump's penchant for highly leveraged real estate deals left him unable to meet his financial obligations starting around 1988. By 1989, the only financing he could obtain was through high-interest rate junk bonds, which he continued to issue even after it was clear that he would not be able to make interest payments on his current debt.

* In 1991, at $3.8 billion in debt, Time reports Trump was forced by his creditors, including bond-holders, to dismantle most of his real estate holdings to begin to repay some of his debt. He dangled on the edge of personal bankruptcy but was able to come to terms with creditors on every holding except the Taj Mahal casino, which filed for bankruptcy protection. When the Taj Mahal re-emerged from bankruptcy, Trump had lost half-ownership in it to the bond-holders.

* In 1992, the Trump Plaza Hotel filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy and lost 49 percent ownership in the complex.

* By 1994, Trump had sold off much of his real estate in order to settle almost a billion dollars in personal debt and $3.5 billion in business debt.

* In 2002, the Securities and Exchange Commission filed charges against Trump Hotels and Casino Resorts Inc. for improper and misleading statements on its 1999 earnings release. The case was settled privately.

* In 2004, Trump Hotels and Casino Resorts once again filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. Trump was forced to give up another 29 percent of his ownership in the company to bond-holders to restructure. His ownership of the company dropped to 27 percent and he stepped down as CEO.

* In 2008, Trump became embroiled in a lawsuit with Deutsche Bank over the financing of the Trump International Hotel and Tower in Chicago. Sales of the units were sluggish due to the real estate crisis, and Trump stopped payments on his loan, invoking a clause in his contract. Both parties came to an agreement to allow the project to continue; it is still not 100 percent sold yet.

* In 2009, Trump Entertainment Resorts filed Chapter 11 bankruptcy and Trump was forced to vacate the Board of Directors.

* Trump estimates his own net worth at tens of billions of dollars, stating that he does his valuations "in his head." Deutsche Bank estimated his net worth at $788 million in 2005. Trump lost a libel suit against a writer for estimating his net worth at $150 to $250 million, according to the New York Post.

With four business failures to his name, the loss of much of the ownership of his "empire" and continuing pomposity toward his own skills and abilities, the announcement Monday may have shocked no one, but certainly resulted in a collective sigh of relief in both Republican and Democrat circles. Trump got two free months of publicity for his television show and the American public got something more important: a terrifying glimpse of what the Donald might do if he got a hold of the federal coffers.

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Olympic gold medalist switches to show business (AP)

HONG KONG – Liu Xuan energetically walked on stage as the celebrity entertainment for a Mother's Day event at a Hong Kong mall. The 2000 Olympics balance beam champion had traded her tights for a green blazer, blue jeans and white high heels.

Liu made small talk with the host, decorated cakes with two families and watched teenagers carve patterns into different fruits. Fans held up large placards with her name and mobbed her for autographs and photos afterward.

Meet the new Liu Xuan, Hong Kong actress-singer.

A decade after taking gold in Sydney, the 30-year-old former gymnast has launched a second career in this financial center, which is also a hub for the Chinese-language entertainment industry.

After retiring in 2001, Liu has dabbled as an actress, host, gymnastics judge and commentator. She graduated from the elite Peking University with a degree in journalism in 2005. But she has focused on an entertainment career since signing in 2009 with leading Hong Kong broadcaster TVB, the former training ground for the likes of Stephen Chow, Wong Kar-wai and Chow Yun-fat.

This has been Liu's coming-out year — she released her debut pop album with a Hong Kong label in February and starred in a 30-episode TVB kung fu drama released in March.

Liu said she wants to show that elite athletes can successfully reinvent themselves after their days of competition end. She serves as an example for mainland Chinese athletes who trade their childhoods for rigorous sports programs that can leave them with little other career skills.

"We have seen in the mainland many past champions are not leading good lives," Liu told The Associated Press. "What we can do is show that after athletes retire, they don't just coach or become businessmen or political leaders. There are so many professions in the world. I hope they can blend into society."

Others have also had success with the transition, including retired Olympic champions Li Ning and Deng Yaping. Li, also a gymnast, re-emerged as a sports apparel mogul. Table tennis player Deng studied economics at Cambridge, helped manage the 2008 Beijing Olympics and became a media executive.

Liu discussed her athlete-entertainer career switch in a small, stuffy makeshift dressing room after Saturday's mall event.

Recording her new album "Beautiful Faces" taught her that making music can be more about building the right mood than any practice-makes-perfect strategy she may have used for gymnastics.

"The producer said at the recording studio, 'You need to be relaxed when you sing. You need to enjoy the process. But now you are just resorting to rote repetition. That won't work. Come out and take a rest," Liu said.

She said her gymnastics training came in handy for her role as the feisty wife of a kung fu master in the TVB drama "Grace under Fire," but she had to learn how to manage the strength of her kicks and punches.

She also had to endure the notoriously frantic shooting schedules of the Hong Kong entertainment industry, which left her with just four hours of sleep per night.

Still, she says the hardship pales in comparison to her gymnastics training. Liu lived at a sports institute in her southern hometown Changsha before moving to Beijing to join the national team at age 13. After she moved to the Chinese capital, she saw her parents once a year — or not at all.

Liu's native dialect is Mandarin and her new career has required her to master Cantonese dialect used in Hong Kong. She is now fluent enough to speak at public events and be interviewed — although her dialogue on "Grace under Fire" was still dubbed.

The initial response to Liu's career change is promising.

Her duet with Malaysian-Chinese singer Michael Wong from "Beautiful Faces" has done well on Hong Kong pop charts. "Once I Fall in Love You Are the One" reached No. 10 on RTHK, one of the territory's leading radio stations.

"Grace Under Fire" has seen its ratings climb steadily since its debut on March 7, with estimated viewership peaking at just over 2 million people in this city of 7 million for the series finale on April 17.

She is in talks about another TVB drama. Liu says she wouldn't mind becoming an action star although she thinks she can handle non-action roles.

Her music so far has mostly been the mellow ballads that dominate Chinese pop, but Liu said she prefers an edgier rock sound, citing Avril Lavigne as a favorite Western singer. The former gymnast also has written lyrics, penning one number inspired by a female friend hurt by a selfish boyfriend.

Liu is not the only former Chinese Olympic champion eyeing an entertainment career. Former diver Tian Liang, a two-time Olympic gold medalist, is trying his hand at acting. His latest movie, "A Beautiful Life," in which he plays the male lead's autistic brother, will be released in mainland China on Friday.

Liu said she feels that even though she is a rookie performer, the bar is set higher for her because of her successful gymnastics career.

"I need to work even harder," she said.

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