ANAHEIM, Calif. - Miley Cyrus' 16th birthday party was more boisterous than sweet. Cyrus celebrated the hallmark birthday at an over-the-top Disneyland celebration Sunday — even though she doesn't actually turn 16 until Nov. 23. The theme park was closed for the supersized soiree, which included a four-song performance by the teen queen and a fireworks display above Sleeping Beauty Castle and 16 giant inflatable candles.
"Miley is really hard to surprise," her father Billy Ray Cyrus said at the event.
Organizers estimated over 5,000 people attended the special party, which cost $250 a ticket. On the event's purple carpet — that's Cyrus' favorite color — the "Hannah Montana" star bragged that her parents bought her a new puppy for her birthday. What else does Cyrus want for her birthday? A new car? Perhaps a later curfew?
"My parents shut down Disneyland for me, so I'm good for a while," Cyrus said.
Cyrus' father opened up for his daughter with a few of his own songs, including "Achy Breaky Heart." His daughter donned a white ruffled skirt and jersey-like vest with "Sweet 16" printed on the back for her truncated concert. At one point, Cyrus boarded a boat in the park's Rivers of America and crooned such tunes as "Breakout" and "G.N.O."
Throughout the evening, several popular attractions, such as Big Thunder Mountain and Pirates of the Caribbean, remained open to partygoers. Additional activities, like receiving a "Hannah Montana" makeover and playing the upcoming Disney Interactive Studios rhythm video game "Ultimate Band," were also made available to attendees.
Partygoers ogled celebrities roaming around the park throughout the party. David Archuleta and his entourage skipped the line to ride Space Mountain. Jennie Garth and her family ducked out before the fireworks display capping the celebration. Other stars in attendance included Steve Carell, Cindy Crawford, Tyra Banks and Jennifer Love Hewitt.
Disney used the event to promote their upcoming "What Will You Celebrate?" marketing initiative, which encourages tourists to take "celebration vacations" with their families. Beginning in 2009, guests at Disneyland and Walt Disney World in Florida can gain free theme park admission on their birthday with a valid ID and proof of birth date.
Over at Disney's California Adventure, Disneyland's sister theme park, an entirely different celebration was occurring during the Sweet 16 event: the 11th annual Gay Days Anaheim, an unofficial gathering of gays and lesbians at the Disneyland Resort. Event producer Jeffrey Epstein said Cyrus' affair didn't conflict with Gay Days Anaheim.
"We're happy to share our big weekend with Miley," said Epstein. "While it may be a small world after all, we think it's big enough for both groups to have a blast."
BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. - Former "American Idol" contestant LaKisha Jones has tied the knot
The Flint, Mich.-native married financial adviser Larry Davis at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel on Sunday.
Some fellow "Idol" alums attended the wedding, including Sanjaya Malakar, Haley Scarnato and Melinda Doolittle.
Jones was booted from "Idol" in May 2007, finishing as fourth runner-up. She has an album due out in February 2009.
The couple will honeymoon in Barbados.
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Following are the top 10 films at the North American box office for the three-day weekend beginning on October 3, led by the new release "Beverly Hills Chihuahua," according to studio estimates compiled on Sunday by Reuters
1 (*) Beverly Hills Chihuahua $29.0 million
2 (1) Eagle Eye .............. $17.7 million
3 (*) Nick & Norah's.......... $12.0 million
4 (2) Nights in Rodanthe...... $ 7.4 million
5 (-) Appaloosa............... $ 5.0 million
6 (3) Lakeview Terrace ....... $ 4.5 million
7 (5) Burn After Reading ..... $ 4.1 million
8 (4) Fireproof .............. $ 4.1 million
9 (*) An American Carol. ..... $ 3.8 million
10 (*) Religulous ............. $ 3.5 million
NOTE: Last weekend's ranking in parentheses. * = new release.
TOTALS TO DATE
Eagle Eye .............. $ 54.6 million
Burn After Reading ..... $ 51.6 million
Lakeview Terrace ....... $ 32.1 million
Beverly Hills Chihuahua $ 29.0 million
Nights in Rodanthe ..... $ 25.1 million
Fireproof .............. $ 12.5 million
Nick & Norah's ......... $ 12.0 million
Appaloosa .............. $ 5.6 million
"Beverly Hills Chihuahua" was released by Walt Disney Pictures, a unit of The Walt Disney Company.
"Eagle Eye" was produced by DreamWorks Pictures and released by Paramount Pictures, both units of Viacom Inc.
"Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist" was released by Columbia Pictures and Screen Gems, both units of Sony Corp.
"Nights in Rodanthe" and "Appaloosa" were released by Warner Bros. Pictures, both units of Time Warner Inc.
"Lakeview Terrace" was released by Screen Gems, a unit of Sony Corp.
"Fireproof" was released by privately held Samuel Goldwyn Films.
"Burn After Reading" was released by Focus Features, a unit of General Electric Co's NBC Universal.
"An American Carol" was released by Vivendi Entertainment.
"Religulous" was released by Lionsgate, a unit of Lions Gate Entertainment Corp.
(Reporting by Mary Milliken, editing by Jackie Frank)
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. - In a show defined by throbbing dance music, tight choreography, spectacular stage sets and stunning visuals, perhaps the most stirring moment during the kickoff concert to Madonna's "Sticky & Sweet" tour came when the Material Girl stood onstage with just her guitar and a few musicians for an acoustic set
As she sang the emotional song from her movie "Evita," Madonna couldn't help but wink and smile at the roaring sold-out crowd as she sang the song's main refrain and title: "You must love me."
Maybe that's because she knew she was right. Even the superstar's most cynical critics couldn't walk away from her two-hour extravaganza at the Izod Center on Saturday night without being thoroughly wowed. It was not only the spectacle of the concert, but the performer herself, as she reasserted her musical relevance and dominance in her 25th year in the spotlight.
Madonna is not the world's most gifted singer or dancer or even musician, but she may be its greatest performer. From the moment she first appeared on stage, looking taut and chiseled in a black bra and shorts with a mesh layer overlay, she turned the arena into a massive dance club and a nonstop party. The zooming "Candy Shop," off her most recent CD "Hard Candy," set it off as Madonna strutted onstage flanked by an army of dancers. While they may have executed the show's most intricate dance moves, the ever-fit Madonna dazzled on her own with sinewy steps that belied her AARP-status.
Though the show's first moments were devoted to her new album, it didn't take long for her to seamlessly groove back in time, performing one of her '90s gems, "Human Nature." The already funky, synthesized tune got an even funkier update, as Madonna utilized the vocoder trend with her background vocals. The unapologetic anthem was highlighted by a video that showed Madonna being watched by a security camera in an elevator; as the song went on, Britney Spears' image intertwined with her blonde musical mentor, looking frightened and frail under the camera's lens before striking a decidedly confident pose at the song's end.
It's a testament to Madonna's musical chops that her new music blended so expertly with some of her greatest hits: Elements of "4 Minutes" were mashed up with "Vogue" for a flashback that managed to be both classic and cutting edge. While she sang many of her classics, such as "Like a Prayer," "La Isla Bonita," and "Ray of Life," those moments weren't relegated to short renditions during the retrospective medley part of the show, like many veterans do. They were given full attention with colorful, dazzling displays and new arrangements that made them seem as exciting and fresh as when they first made their debut. "Get Into the Groove" was re-imagined with the help of a DJ, a double-Dutch playing Madonna and cartoons by the late Keith Haring. During one of her many guitar-playing moments, she gave a rocked out performance of "Borderline" to the feverishly energetic crowd.
While the "Sweet & Sticky" tour would have been a triumph in any year, it was particularly impressive coming off her somewhat lackluster "Confessions" two years ago, which seemed more like a labored, carefully designed exercise than a joyful performance.
Not so this time around. Instead of performing at the crowd, she was performing for and with them, bringing them into her world with warmth and appreciation. Even when she scolded the few in the audience who weren't on their feet with unprintable language, she was jovial and endearing.
Jabs at Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin — "Sarah Palin is not in my show!" were not daggers, and she even added, "Nothing personal." And the one preachy moment — in which she implored the audience to "save the world" through a series of video images that interspersed the world's atrocities with her ideas hopeful images, including Democratic candidate Barack Obama — wasn't as over the top as might be expected (with the exception of the interloping of video of Republican candidate John McCain in with world dictators and Adolph Hitler).
With her induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame this year and her 50th birthday, it would have been easy for Madonna to turn her latest tour into some kind of nostalgia show. It probably would have been an enjoyable experience nonetheless.
But then again, it wouldn't have been Madonna — the consummate artist who always stretches the limits, exploring new ideas to stay relevant. On Saturday, she proved to be more than relevant — she's still music premier performer.
PARIS - Paris Fashion Week ended on Sunday, capping a season which saw designers play it safe to coax customers into stores despite the global financial crisis
"I don't think it's been as exciting as other seasons," Alexandra Shulman, editor-in-chief of British Vogue, told The Associated Press. "On the whole, most of the designers here have kind of stuck to what they know they can do, and not really tried anything that's going to scare the horses."
Major trends included lashings of color and print, sheer fabrics, sequins for day and sky-high hemlines.
"We've seen a lot of very short clothes, which goes against the old idea that when the economy is bad, hemlines go down," Shulman said.
LOUIS VUITTON
The skirts at Louis Vuitton suggested the economy will be skyrocketing by next summer.
"There's next to nothing, there's nothing, and then there's less than nothing," designer Marc Jacobs joked backstage, referring to the miniskirts that were sliced in the back to reveal a hint of bare bottom.
Models paraded to a soundtrack of Edith Piaf songs in outfits that blended a retro peak-shouldered silhouette with exotic embellishment, to stunning effect. Feathers, totems and beads dangled off fierce platform sandals, while waists were nipped in with leather obi belts.
Vuitton chairman and CEO Yves Carcelle refused to discuss the economy, preferring instead to greet celebrity guests including rocker Lenny Kravitz and director Sofia Coppola, who currently stars in ads for the brand with her father Francis Ford Coppola.
He was no doubt hoping brightly colored handbags trimmed with leopard skin will keep the tills ringing for the French luxury powerhouse. Actress Kerry Washington was already putting in her orders, pronouncing a scoop-backed black satin dress with sequined sleeves "amazing."
"I tend to just gravitate toward more classic lines," she told The AP. "It's always hard for me to go too rock 'n roll."
MIU MIU
Guests arriving at the Miu Miu show in an 18th century style mansion were greeted with foie gras and pink champagne, but the clothes read like a manifesto against conspicuous consumption.
Models with sleek hairdos and crimson lips marched robotically in burlap dresses pocked with holes. Italian designer Miuccia Prada also put fine fabrics through the wringer, ripping tears into a scarlet silk pleated cocktail dress that was layered with a short pleated apron.
References to ancient civilizations ran through the collection, with clashing tops and skirts that featured photo prints of mosaics and classical art. Perhaps the message was that fashion fades, culture remains.
LANVIN
Lanvin designer Alber Elbaz knows his customer well — he regularly checks sell-through figures to find out what works on the shop floor.
His spring-summer collection combined clean lines with opulent volume in gowns made from vibrant silks that looked like they had just been thrown on. Fabric flounced over one shoulder or draped above the hip in deep swirls.
Pattern made an appearance in a sky blue leopard print silk dress with a matching clutch. Standouts included a blush pink slim satin trench worn with a tone-on-tone statement necklace.
"Thank you!" said a beaming Jim Gold, president and CEO of New York luxury department store Bergdorf Goodman, as he congratulated Elbaz backstage.
The Israeli-American designer said his job was to create desire.
"Women are not going to buy less, they're going to buy different. I think that they're going to buy emotional pieces that they cannot resist," he told reporters. "They may skip dinner or lunch, but they will get the dress."
