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| 01/04/09 |
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Country: United Kingdom
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LATEST 4 |
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Frankie Kicked Off X Factor
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Frankie Cocozza has been pictured leaving the X Factor house yesterday evening after being axed from the show following claims he boasted about cocaine-fuelled sex sessions.
The cocky wannabe rockstar was ordered to leave the house yesterday morning after he had broken a golden rule, which it soon emerged was related to drug use.
Frankie was spotted leaving the Hertfordshire mansion as night fell with his suitcase in hand.
The teen spoke to camera crew before he got into a waiting taxi and departed.
Earlier he was filmed as he arrived at the house to pack his belongings.
The 18-year-old released an apologetic statement admitting his life had gone out of control and that his behaviour off stage had over-stepped the rules of the competition.
Frankie was overheard by production staff bragging about his Saturday night shenanigans, which forced them to break the news to their superiors.
Sources claim that Cocozza was off his face during Sunday nights results show after getting just 30 minutes of sleep following his hard partying the night before.
Despite his questionable vocals and inflated opinion of himself, the teen seemed to be winning over the public.
He escaped the bottom two last weekend, which saw the shock dismissal of boy band The Risk and Johnny Robinson.
But now Frankies backstage antics and wild behaviour have seen him get the boot from producers and he has been sent home packing.
On Tuesday afternoon, a statement was released, with Frankie saying: Id like to apologise to Gary, my fellow contestants and everyone who has voted for me, but, as of today, I will no longer be in The X Factor.
My life during the show has gone out of control and my behaviour off stage has over-stepped the rules of the competition.
I no longer deserve my place in the show, so I am therefore leaving. I would like to thank everyone who has supported me.
Last night a senior show insider was unforgiving about the wannabes dismissal, telling the Daily Mail: Frankie is the worst role model we have ever had on the show.
We couldnt have someone who thinks they are the next Pete Doherty - and more importantly, acting like it - performing to millions of impressionable children and teenagers. We did what we had to do and told Frankie to go.
An X Factor spokesperson confirmed the news, saying: Frankie is leaving the show today after breaking competition rules.
He is going to take some time out before continuing his career as a singer.
Yesterday mentor Gary Barlow, who has not tried to curb the teens errant behaviour throughout the competition, said: Frankie has apologised publicly as well as personally to me and the producers for his actions that lead to him leaving the show.
Im hugely disappointed that hes thrown away an opportunity like this after working so hard to get here. Im sorry to see him go as weve been through a lot together in such a short time.
And he added, throwing a lifeline to the young singer: I hope Frankie continues to look to me as a friend and supporter and works it all out, picks himself up and somehow tries to turn this into a positive.
The painful break-up sent the singer down a path of self-destruction which saw him start smoking, drinking and experimenting with drugs, she said.
Blonde Yasmin, 18, who lost her virginity to Frankie aged 15, alleged how she once caught him with a bag of former legal high mephedrone, often referred to by its street name meow meow, at a party.
And last month, Frankie admitted he had ended up in a bad way after he started taking the drug before it was made illegal in 2010.
He said: Ive done stupid things. I wasnt doing anything with my life. I was on the dole and depressed.
The singer will be edited out of the MS Christmas advertisement this week, along with other eliminated contestants.
Cocozza courted controversy from the start, when Gary Barlow originally chose him for live shows over singer Joe Cox for the boys category.
His vocals were weaker than his competitors, but ITV chiefs sold him to the public as a cheeky chappy; a Robbie Williams character who didnt need the voice as he had the charisma.
Yet, the teenager sealed his own fate after weeks of constant partying, taking girls back to the house he shares with other contestants, excessive drinking and continual lack of sleep.
More than 100 complaints from viewers were logged, with Ofcom launching separate inquiries into Cocozzas swearing on stage and allegedly glamorising alcohol consumption.
Before his performance on Saturdays show, Gary was filmed advising him on his behaviour.
Im not going to tell you not to be a teenager, the mentor tells him. Have a good time.
But dont do something thats going to make everyone hate you. Every time I open a newspaper its got your name on it, and I think Thats a load of votes gone.
My advice is get serious. This is a massive, massive opportunity.
Following the live show, in which Frankie performed a disastrous rendition of I Gotta Feeling by The Black Eyed Peas, he headed from the X Factor studios to an off-licence with friends.
He then went to a private party, later moving on to Funky Buddha where he met up with a fan before heading to a West London flat with several girls in tow.
A source said: At one point Frankie was seen at a window in just his boxers.
The party went on until 7am - not the best preparation for Sundays show.
One of the girls in question, blonde Becca Hills told The Sun: We went clubbing, then all went to an apartment for a party. Some stuff might have happened...
He didnt do anything wrong, but Im guessing I wont be seeing him again from what Ive heard about him.
Yesterday, Ofcom launched three investigations into the X Factor two relating to the behaviour and portrayal of the teenager and one into the mishandling of an on-air competition.
The first inquiry is examining the broadcast of swearing before the 9pm watershed.
Ofcom received 102 complaints when, on the October 23 show, Cocozza shouted ****ing have it, get in there after avoiding eviction in the public vote.
A second investigation relates to a clip aired the previous evening showing what contestants had been doing during the week.
Cocozza was seen spending his free time partying in London nightclubs and Ofcom received 28 complaints that it glamorised and encouraged the misuse of alcohol.
Even though ITV apologised, watchdog bosses were said to be taking the swearing extremely seriously as it comes just weeks after it warned broadcasters over programmes aired before 9pm.
Guidelines issued in September followed 4,500 complaints over soft porn performances by singers Rihanna and Christina Aguilera in last years X Factor final.
The new regulations aim to help broadcasters comply with the Broadcasting Code rules for pre-watershed content, paying particular attention to family viewing programmes, trailers and soaps.
Last night, an Ofcom source said: One of the big issues is the use of the word ****ing before 9pm.
There is serious significance here as we only put the new guidelines out recently.
The other issues are in terms of the potential glamorisation of the misuse of alcohol.
Ofcom is also investigating an on-air competition broadcast on October 22 in which multiple-choice answers were apparently mixed up.
Today, bookmakers Paddy Power refunded Cocozza bets, returning in excess of 10,000 to people who optimistically bet on him to win.
Paddy Power said: Frankie punters didnt get much of a run for their money so were only too happy to have a decent excuse to give their money back.
Liverpudlian hairdresser Marcus Collins remain the bookies 9/4 favourite ahead of Janet Devlin at 3/1 and Craig Colton at 7/2.
Earlier today Frankie posted on his Twitter page that he would be shooting the video for the X Factor charity single Wishing On A Star tomorrow, but he has since deleted the post.
Yesterday, The Risk revealed they had warned Frankie to cut down his partying.
Andy Merry said: We said to him, Youve got a great opportunity, just calm down a bit, while Ashford Campbell added: He balances the work and the play - but at the minute I think hes just enjoying the playing.
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09/11/11 |
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8555 |
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Heavy D Dies Aged 44
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They released their debut album Living Large in 1987, with hits including Now That We Found Love and Whos The Man.
The rappers sheer size and crossover success helped make him a major rap star in the 1990s.
Heavy D became president of Uptown Records, by then the label behind acts such as Mary J Blige.
He performed the rap portion of Michael Jacksons single Jam and acted on TV and on the big screen, with credits including Big Trouble, Life and The Cider House Rules.
A Beverly Hills police spokesman confirmed officers were called to an apartment complex at 11.25am after receiving a report of a man collapsed in a walkway.
Police said he was found conscious but struggling to breathe.
According to TMZ.com Heavy D was taken to hospital but was pronounced dead at 1pm.
The star last tweeted just hours before he collapsed, as a mark of respect to the late boxing legend Joe Frazier.
SMOKIN JOE FRAZIER..RIP.. truly one of the best heavyweight champs that ever lived.. GODS SPEED, MR FRAZIER! the rapper tweeted.
An hour later Jamaica-born Heavy D tweeted his final message: BE INSPIRED!
Grandmaster Flash was one of the first to announce the news of Heavy Ds death.
He tweeted: I was just told Heavy D passed away.
The post caused an avalanche of messages from Heavy D fans around the world.
On October 8 he performed alongside La Toya Jackson at the memorial concert for Michael Jackson at Cardiffs Millennium stadium.
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09/11/11 |
| Views |
8632 |
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Berlusconi Agrees To Resign
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Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi has confirmed he intends to resign after key economic reforms have been approved.
His announcement follows a vote in parliament on the budget in which he appeared to lose his majority.
Both allies and opponents have been urging Mr Berlusconi to step down as Italys debt crisis grows.
Borrowing rates have shot up in recent days, raising concerns over whether Italy can service its debts.
While Italys deficit is relatively low, investors are concerned that the combination of Italys low growth rate and 1.9tn euro (1.63tn; $2.6tn) debt could make it the next country to fall in the eurozone debt crisis.
The European commissioner for economic affairs, Olli Rehn, described the countrys economic and financial situation as very worrying.
Mr Berlusconi has dominated Italian politics for the last 17 years.
He has survived more than 50 confidence votes, but has recently become mired in a series of legal and sex scandals as well as the political and economic crises.
Appropriate consultations
The euro rose sharply against the dollar following the news of Mr Berlusconis decision.
Speaking on TV, the prime minister said he would have preferred to call early elections but the final decision rested with President Giorgio Napolitano.
Once this finance law is approved, along with the amendments on everything which Europe has asked of us and which the Eurogroup has asked for, I will resign, so that the head of state can open consultations, he said.
The BBCs Alan Johnston in Rome says there has been speculation that an interim government of technocrats might be ushered in, a move that Mr Berlusconi clearly opposes.
But the question of who led the government was less important than doing what is right for the country, Mr Berlusconi added.
Earlier, President Napolitano announced the decision in a statement.
Once this engagement is fulfilled, the prime minister will hand in his mandate to the head of state who will proceed with appropriate consultations, paying close attention to the positions and proposals of all political forces, he said.
Mr Berlusconi had shown his awareness of the implications of the results of todays vote as well as concern for the urgent need to give prompt answers to the expectations of European partners, Mr Napolitano added.
Correspondents say the budget law is expected to be passed by the end of the month.
But the opposition is looking for the measure to be approved in 10-15 days. Opposition parties will meet on Wednesday morning to discuss timings.
Mr Berlusconi won Tuesdays vote, but only because the opposition did not take part.
Only 308 MPs voted in favour, far below the 316 needed for an absolute majority.
Both coalition ally Umberto Bossi of the Northern League and opposition leader Pierluigi Bersani had called on the prime minister to step down.
Market volatility
International money markets are now forcing Italy to pay interest rates that could eventually ruin it, putting extraordinary pressure on Mr Berlusconi, our correspondent says.
Doubt about Italys governance and its ability to repay its debts have sent the markets seesawing over the past two days.
On Tuesday, the cost of government borrowing spiked at a new record of 6.76% after the vote, around the 7% threshold at which Portugal and Ireland were forced to accept bailouts.
Correspondents say the government has been slow to implement austerity measures, and the prime ministers various scandals have been seen as an unwelcome distraction at a critical time.
Mr Berlusconi, who first took power in 1994, is Italys longest serving post-war prime minister.
He is also thought to be worth $9bn (5.6bn), and controls an empire spanning media, advertising, insurance, food and construction.
He has been accused of embezzlement, tax fraud and false accounting, and attempting to bribe a judge. But he has always denied wrongdoing and has never been definitively convicted.
Mr Berlusconis political struggles have been accompanied by a string of lascivious reports in the Italian press about his private life, culminating in his trial on charges of paying for sex with an under-age prostitute.
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08/11/11 |
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8687 |
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Conrad Murray Found Guilty
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Los Angeles (CNN)-- A two-year legal battle over who was responsible for Michael Jacksons sudden death came to a dramatic close Monday as a California jury found Dr. Conrad Murray guilty of involuntary manslaughter.
Dr. Murray appeared to show no emotion as the verdict was read by court clerk Sammi Benson, but La Toya Jackson, the late pop icons sister, let out a loud, but short, scream.
A loud celebration erupted among Jackson fans outside of the downtown Los Angeles County courthouse, where emotions ran so high at least one woman fainted.
Murray was immediately handcuffed and taken away by deputies after Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Michael Pastor denied bail.
This is not a crime involving a mistake of judgment. ... This was a crime where the end result was the death of a human being, Pastor said in explaining his decision to remand Murray to police custody. That factor demonstrates rather dramatically that the public should be protected.
Sentencing was set for November 29, with Murray facing up to four years in prison on the conviction.
Defense attorney Ed Chernoff told CNN the defense teams main job right now is to prepare for sentencing and limit the amount of time that Murray spends in jail.
What matters most right now is trying to keep Dr. Murray from taking up a prison cell in this community, Chernoff said. Thats what were focusing on right now and well deal with an appeal after that.
When asked if he was shocked by the verdict, Chernoff said, No.
Another of Murrays lawyers, Nareg Gourjian, told CNN on Monday night the outcome may have been different had the defense been able to introduce additional evidence -- like on Jacksons past drug use and financial condition.
Gourjian described his client as devastated by the verdict, adding Murray is trying to stay positive with more legal options ahead of him.
Were hoping that the appeals court will have something to say about this, the lawyer said.
Murray served as Jacksons personal physician as Jackson prepared for his comeback concerts, with Murray giving him the surgical anesthetic propofol to help him sleep nearly every night for the last two months of his life, according to testimony.
Jacksons death on June 25, 2009, was caused by acute propofol intoxication in combination with two sedatives, the Los Angeles County coroner ruled.
The verdict followed about nine hours of jury deliberations, which began Friday morning in the downtown Los Angeles County courthouse.
Los Angeles County District Attorney Steve Cooley thanked jurors for their hard work and thoughtful deliberation, and expressed gratitude that they recognized the overwhelming evidence against Murray in finding him guilty.
Prosecutor Michael Walgren personally expressed his sympathies to the Jackson family who he said lost not a pop icon, but a son and brother.
Fans gathered outside of the courthouse ahead of the verdict with signs of support for Jackson including one banner that read, We miss Michael. The crowd began celebrating once word of the guilty verdict reached them, chanting Rest in peace. Passing cars honked their horns, as people nearby hugged, cried and yelled out in joy.
An emotional La Toya Jackson on Monday thanked all those involved in the trial, calling the decision a victory.
Everybody was wonderful, La Toya Jackson told HLNs Jane Velez-Mitchell as she left the Los Angeles courthouse.
Crowd outside erupts in jubilations
The seven men and five women on the jury heard 49 witnesses over 23 days, including Murrays girlfriends and patients, Jacksons former employees, investigators and medical experts for each side.
A statement released by Jacksons estate Monday said that justice has been served.
Defense lawyers contended the matter was a negligence case that should instead be heard by the state medical board.
If it were anybody else but Michael Jackson, would this doctor be here today? lead defense lawyer Ed Chernoff asked in his closing.
Jurors were left to decide if the propofol overdose was infused into Jacksons blood by a steady intravenous drip, as the prosecution contended, or if Jackson injected himself using a syringe left nearby by Murray, as the defense argued.
He was just a little fish in a big, dirty pond, Chernoff said, pointing the finger at other doctors who treated Jackson, and Jackson himself.
Deputy District Attorney David Walgren attacked the defense for trying to blame everybody but Conrad Murray, poor Conrad Murray.
If allowed more time to argue, I am sure they would find a way to blame Michaels son, Prince, Walgren said in his closing rebuttal.
Walgren painted Murray as a selfish doctor who agreed to take $150,000 a month to give Jackson nightly infusions of propofol in his home, something prosecutors argued an ethical doctor would never do because of the dangers.
Murrays license to practice medicine is now suspended, according to the Medical Board of California, which decides if a doctor can legally work in the state.
In the light of the conviction, the board now will open an investigation to determine whether or not to fully revoke Murrays right to practice medicine in the state, spokeswoman Jennifer Simoes said.
The main criteria in deciding whether to revoke, suspend or take other action against any doctor is assessing how substantial a crime is related to the practice of medicine. There is no timeline as to when the board might act regarding Murray, said Simoes.
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08/11/11 |
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8688 |
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