Fan Fare
Entertainment behind the scenes
Billy Corgan smashes John Mayer, describes a career burnout in progress
Smashing Pumpkins frontman Billy Corgan knows about dropping out of the limelight, or as he says it, how to “burn” down a career. The 1990s superstar faded from view in recent years, coincidentally just as “Gravity” singer John Mayer was seeing his own career gain steam.
Now, in light of Mayer’s recent misstep in his Playboy magazine interview, Corgan is warning that his fellow rock singer is on a bad path.
“He’s trying to destroy his career,” Corgan tells Rolling Stone, in an outtake posted on Thursday from an interview profile the magazine ran this month.
“Rather than take a year off or change his musical direction … some part of it is irritating his soul to the point where he’s trying to blow it up,” Corgan told the magazine. “Certainly a talented guy, but empathetically, standing on the sidelines, it’s hard to watch someone literally burn their career to the ground — speaking as somebody who’s done it.”
John Mayer apologizes again. But is it enough?
Some people may have heard enough from “Gravity” singer John Mayer this week after his expletive-filled Playboy 
magazine interview and his (too much information! ) musings on black women, pornography, ex-lovers Jessica Simpson and Jennifer Aniston, as well as dropping the “N” word bomb.
It seems Mayer agrees with them. After issuing an apology via Twitter, Mayer broke down on stage towards the end of his concert in Nashville on Wednesday telling fans he had fallen into a “wormhole of selfishness, greediness and arrogance” in his quest to “be clever” and that he now wanted to get back to just being a musician.
Britney Spears lip-synching! What’s new?
Britney Spears? Lip-synching? “Whateverrrr” as the pop princess might put it herself.
Britney has been lip-synching her way through her “comeback” world tour for the past six months, so it’s a bit of a mystery why it’s caused such a fuss in Australia.
John Mayer’s Twitter abstinence is short-lived
Back on Sunday, “Waiting on the World to Change” singer John Mayer intimated on his Twitter page that he was looking to take a break from the social networking website for people with short attention spans.
“Suffering cerebral atrophy,” Mayer wrote. “Since I’ve been communicating in short pulses, I’ve been writing lyrics the same way.”
Motown boss cites Michael Jackson’s “questionable decisions” at memorial
As Michael Jackson’s coffin was wheeled in to the Staples Center about 10:30 a.m. by his brothers wearing matching suits and sequined gloves, the Andrae Crouch Choir set the scene with the gospel tune “Soon and Very Soon.”
After introductory remarks by family friend, the Rev. Lucious Smith, who said, “He is never really gone at all,” Mariah Carey took the stage to sing the Jackson 5 hit “I’ll Be There” with help from Trey Lorenz.10:50 a.m.: Lionel Richie performs the Commodores tune “Jesus is Love.”10:54 a.m.: Motown Records founder Berry Gordy Jr. delivers a light-hearted nostalgic speech, saying Jackson was “like a son to me.” He says Jackson made some “questionable decisions” but “accomplished everything he dreamed of.”11:03 a.m.: A video montage
11:07 a.m.: Stevie Wonder is escorted to the piano. “This is a moment that I wished that I didn’t live to see come … but God must have needed him much more.” He performs “I Never Dreamed You’d Leave in Summer” and “They Won’t Go When I Go.”11:15 a.m. Kobe Bryant and Magic Johnson speak. The latter notably omits Jackson’s father, Joe, in referring to the wonderful family that will embrace Jackson’s three children.11:21: Jennifer Hudson performs “Will You Be There” with audio footage from Jackson.11:25: The Rev. Al Sharpton credits Jackson for eradicating racial barriers, drawing attention to world hunger and for the election of President Barack Obama. “Wasn’t nothing strange about your daddy,” he said in remarks directed to his children. “It was strange what your daddy had to deal with … but he dealt with it anyway.”
11:33 a.m.: Guitarist John Mayer, the only white performer to date and who also shares a publicist with the Jackson family, performs an instrumental version of “Human Nature.”11:39 a.m.: A tearful Brooke Shields says “we were two little kids having fun,” as she recounts their youthful pranks. “He was often referred to as the king, but the Michael that I knew always reminded me more of ‘The Little Prince,’” and she quoted a passage from the Antoine De Saint-Exupery children’s classic.11:48 a.m.: Jermaine Jackson sings what Shields says was his brother’s favorite song, “Smile,” from the Charlie Chaplin film “Modern Times.”11:52 a.m.: Martin Luther King III and Bernice King, children of the Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr., take the stage. Bernice says that even while Jackson was being dogged by “persecutions and accusations” he took the time to call their ailing mother, Coretta, in October 2005. “My only wish is that he could have seen the glow on her face.”11:59 a.m.: Texas Congresswoman Sheila Jackson-Lee recounts the biblical story of the Good Samaritan. “I call Michael Jackson the Good Samaritan. I call him Michael Jackson who cared and loved for the world.”
12:07 p.m.: Usher performs Jackson’s “Gone Too Soon,” stares at the coffin, breaks down and removes his ever-present sunglasses. He is quickly hugged by the Jackson family.12:12 p.m.: Video footage of the Jackson 5 singing “Who’s Loving You.”12:13 p.m. Smokey Robinson: “I wrote that song!” He looks at the coffin. “He’s my little brother over there.”12: 18 p.m.: Shaheen Jafargholi, a finalist on Britain’s Got Talent, sings “Who’s Loving You.”12:22 p.m.: Jackson choreographer Kenny Ortega explains Jafargholi’s presence: He would have performed with Jackson during the planned comeback shows in London.12:24 p.m.: Shades of Live Aid ’85 in Philadelphia. An all-star version of ”We are the World,” with the speakers, performers and the Jackson family taking to the stage. LaToya Jackson — her face is concealed under a massive LaBelle-style hat — clutches her brother’s children. One of them is chewing gum.12:29 p.m.: “Heal the World” follows. Gordy clenches his right fist. The Rev. Jesse Jackson is in a trance-like state.12:34 p.m.: Jermaine Jackson thanks everyone for coming out, says he is lost for words. Marlon Jackson recalls the days they used to watch The Three Stooges. “We will never understand what he endured … Being judged, ridiculed. How much pain can one take? Maybe now, Michael, they will leave you alone.”
12:40 p.m.: In what may be the first time the public has heard her speak. Paris, 11, tearfully says: “Ever since I was born, Daddy has been the best father you can ever imagine, and I just want to say I love him so much.” She immediately was embraced by Janet Jackson, sporting a black beret.12:42 p.m. The coffin is carried out.12:49 p.m.: The worldwide TV feed ends with a reminder that concert promoter AEG Live owns the copyright to the broadcast.
Taylor Swift, “bad boy” John Mayer duet in Los Angeles
In Taylor Swift’s world, boys are evil. The 19-year-old country star has sold millions of copies of her two albums, in which she excoriates the mendacious heartbreakers who ruined her young life. So it was a little shocking when John Mayer, who has broken a few actresses’ hearts along the way, made a surprise appearance on stage during her sold-out Staples Center concert in Los Angeles on Friday. 
The pair duetted on Mayer’s “Your Body is a Wonderland” and then Swift’s “White Horse.” ”Is there a better place to be in Los Angeles tonight?” the rock ‘n’ roll lothario asked, somehow managing to outdraw Swift in the quest for more ear-splitting shrieks from the girls and young women in the 20,000-capacity basketball arena. Swift, the top-selling artist in the United States last year thanks to her No. 1 album “Fearless,” kicked off her first headlining tour a month ago. Dates are on tap through Oct. 10 in Minneapolis/St. Paul. She acknowledged the difficult economic times, and pulled out the stops to give fans value for money. The show ran for just over two hours, and boasted several different sets and at least seven costume changes. At one point, she reappeared at the far end of the venue, playing several tunes close up for fans in the cheap seats, and glad-handing those on the floor as she casually strolled back to the main stage. After a bombastic home stretch of finger-pointing tunes including “You’re Not Sorry,” “Picture to Burn” and finally “Should’ve Said No,” the show ended on a soggy note. Literally. A waterfall appeared on stage, with the word “No” projected onto the cascade. Swift placed herself directly underneath as she belted out the last lines of her defiant ode to a cheating boyfriend. The message was clear: Her songs are a cleansing ritual, and the screaming women soaked it all up.
Jennifer Aniston nude on GQ cover
(Writing and reporting by Alex Dobuzinskis)
“Friends” star Jennifer Aniston appears in a nude cover shot – well, she’s wearing a tie — on GQ magazine that looks like a throwback to her days as a 1990s sex symbol. In that decade, many fans of the TV sitcom thought of her if not so much as the “girl next door” but more like the “girlfriend next door,” whose fictional relationships were a big part of the show.
The 39-year-old star is pictured on the cover of the magazine’s January issue with little but a cute smile and a red, white and blue tie wrapped around her neck. A cover line reads ”Is it just us or is Jennifer Aniston getting hotter?” And inside the pages, there are even more pix – along with the article, of course.
In recent years, Aniston has appeared in several movies, and often has found herself on the cover of one tabloid or another with her latest romantic involvement minutely scrutinized. She has a big Hollywood movie, “Marley & Me,” set to debut in theaters later this month.
Aniston talks to GQ about her relationship with rocker John Mayer, 31, who is often seen with her. But before things got too personal, she deflected some questions. “I am not having his baby. And I have not popped the question,” she says.
But one question seemed to go unanswered: is Mayer the lucky guy who gets to tie her necktie?
