George Michael found success quickly in the US, briefly eclipsing even superstars such as Michael Jackson and Madonna at the tail end of the 1980s.
But his experience and life in America were soured by a fight with his record label and arrest in a public bathroom that forced him to come out as a gay man.
As a solo artist and with Wham!, the singer collected 10 No 1 singles on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, including Faith, Father Figure, One More Try and Careless Whisper, Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go and Everything She Wants.
Over on the albums charts, Wham! claimed a No 1 with its breakthrough album Make It Big, while Michael led the list as a soloist with Faith, spending 12 weeks in the top spot in 1988.
As the Rolling Stone writer Greg Pond noted that year: “He is only 24 – three years younger than Prince, five years younger than Michael Jackson, and outselling both of them. He is ridiculously famous; he has more money than he can spend. And for most of his brief career, he has had virtually no artistic credibility.”
I Knew You Were Waiting, his duet with Aretha Franklin in 1987, earned him a Grammy award for best R&B performance. But it was his first solo album, Faith, released in 1987, which catapulted him to true American superstardom.
That album’s first single, I Want Your Sex, was banned by some radio stations, adding to its appeal. US radio host Casey Kasem would not say the song’s name on the air.
Faith spent 51 non-consecutive weeks in the top 10 of the Billboard 200, eventually selling more than 10m copies, and won album of the year at the Grammys in 1989.
But Michael’s fortunes soon began to slip. He believed his record label Sony had not sufficiently promoted Faith’s follow-up, Listen Without Prejudice Vol 1. Michael’s label complained that the David Fincher-directed video for Freedom 90, while featuring emerging supermodels Naomi Campbell and Christy Turlington, did not feature the singer, causing the album to perform poorly compared with its predecessor.
In 1992, Michael went to court in an attempt to break free from his recording contract. He later explained he was “trying to get myself into a situation where I worked with a company that had some respect for me”.
But he lost the case, which had prevented him from releasing any new material for two years, and was obliged to pay Sony $30m -$40m (£24m-£33m) to release him.
The dispute put him in the same situation as Prince, who was also mounting a high-profile campaign against his label at the time. Prince reportedly kept phoning Michael during the trial. “I just never rung him back. We weren’t exactly in the same boat. All I really wanted to say to him was, ‘Wipe that fucking word [‘slave’] off your cheek, you’re not exactly doing me any favours’,” Michael said.
Despite making new deals with Virgin in Britain and DreamWorks in America that gave him the artistic freedom he craved, Michael had trouble coming up with new material.
He told friends that it did not matter that he had signed with Geffen, run by a prominent gay executive and founder David Geffen, because the music industry functioned as an old boys’ club, its contracts based on those used to tie stars to studios.
“It was part of the reason he turned his back on America,” recalls Kim Bowen, a close friend of the singer who before his death was announced had been opening Christmas presents for her children sent by the singer.
According to Bowen, his arrest in 1998 for engaging in a lewd act in a public restroom in Beverly Hills and the subsequent response changed his view of the country. “He was such a fabulous, truthful gay man and he loved America, but when all the stuff went down he was just over it,” says Bowen, who styled the Outside video. “America had loved him so much, I think it really broke his heart.”
But the star’s tribulations were a source of strength for many gay men and women, Bowen believes.
“His coming out, which he did not plan and was not managed by any publicity machine, was a very painful thing for him. But the way he handled it, and the way he braved it, and the way he made it all right for them, empowered a generation of young men.”
That may turn out to be Michael’s true legacy in the US. He sold his house in Beverly Hills and visited only sporadically. In 2008, Michael appeared in the TV series Eli Stone and performed on American Idol in 2008. He released a new track called December Song in the same year and in 2011 participated in James Corden’s first Carpool Karaoke with a cover version of New Order’s 1987 hit True Faith.
Monday, December 26, 2016
Friday, November 25, 2016
The Newsroom's Alison Pill Welcomes Her First Child, a Baby Girl, With Actor Joshua Leonard
The actress, best known for starring on HBO's The Newsroom, welcomed her first child, a baby girl named Wilder Grace Leonard with hubby Joshua Leonard just in time for the Thanksgiving holiday.
Alison shared the exciting news on Instagram Friday with a precious family photo and sweet message for her baby girl: "So much to be thankful for. Wilder Grace Leonard, born November 19, 2016. 'Oh, earth, you're too wonderful for anybody to realize you.... Do human beings ever realize life while they live it?— Every, every minute?'"
Wilder's proud papa and Bates Motel actor shared the same photo to his own Instagram account.
Pill first revealed she was expecting back in July, slightly more than a year after the lovebirds tied the knot in May 2015 during a Quaker-inspired ceremony. Alison and Joshua announced their engagement four months prior.
Throughout her pregnancy, Alison has maintained her busy work schedule, including a promotional tour for her just-released film, Miss Sloane. Of balancing soon-to-be motherhood with a demanding career, Pill teased on Instagram, "When you're an inch from 37 weeks pregnant and you're pretending your brain still works enough to do interviews for a smarty pants political thriller..."
You go, girl.
Alison shared the exciting news on Instagram Friday with a precious family photo and sweet message for her baby girl: "So much to be thankful for. Wilder Grace Leonard, born November 19, 2016. 'Oh, earth, you're too wonderful for anybody to realize you.... Do human beings ever realize life while they live it?— Every, every minute?'"
Wilder's proud papa and Bates Motel actor shared the same photo to his own Instagram account.
Pill first revealed she was expecting back in July, slightly more than a year after the lovebirds tied the knot in May 2015 during a Quaker-inspired ceremony. Alison and Joshua announced their engagement four months prior.
Throughout her pregnancy, Alison has maintained her busy work schedule, including a promotional tour for her just-released film, Miss Sloane. Of balancing soon-to-be motherhood with a demanding career, Pill teased on Instagram, "When you're an inch from 37 weeks pregnant and you're pretending your brain still works enough to do interviews for a smarty pants political thriller..."
You go, girl.
Thursday, November 24, 2016
Kim Kardashian Is Staying by Kanye West's Side as He Continues Hospitalization
Kim Kardashian is spending Thanksgiving by her husband's side.
E! News has learned that Kanye West will remain hospitalized during the holiday, and Kim is currently with him.
"Kanye is trying to get better, but he has not been released yet because he and the doctors feel he needs more time to recover," a source tells E! News.
"Kim is indeed with him and will be by his side for a while today. She plans on going to eat with her family later and the kids. North and Saint [West] just think their dad is away now. Kanye wants to get better, so that's s big part in this healing process. Kim is overwhelmed but is doing the best she can."
As for Yeezy's current status, another source tells E! News, "he is actually doing really well."
Earlier this week, we reported that the rapper voluntarily admitted himself into a Los Angeles area hospital. According to a separate source, the star had been working around the clock on fashion design, his tour and other projects. It ultimately became exhausting and a bit too much to handle for the A-list star.
"She is just holding things down like Kanye did for her when she needed support," a source previously shared with E! News exclusively. "Kim is doing much better and is strong. This shall pass she believes."
"Kim is by his side now and will stand there till everything gets better," our insider shared. "Their time together was just about support. Kanye will be ok. He has a good set of doctors and the main thing is he wants to get through this."
"Kim was concerned that he may have been taking on too much with all these shows," a source explained to E! News. "It was many things on his plate that started to pile up at once."
Under his doctor's direction, Kanye doesn't have a phone or computer as he continues his hospital stay.
E! News has learned that Kanye West will remain hospitalized during the holiday, and Kim is currently with him.
"Kanye is trying to get better, but he has not been released yet because he and the doctors feel he needs more time to recover," a source tells E! News.
"Kim is indeed with him and will be by his side for a while today. She plans on going to eat with her family later and the kids. North and Saint [West] just think their dad is away now. Kanye wants to get better, so that's s big part in this healing process. Kim is overwhelmed but is doing the best she can."
As for Yeezy's current status, another source tells E! News, "he is actually doing really well."
Earlier this week, we reported that the rapper voluntarily admitted himself into a Los Angeles area hospital. According to a separate source, the star had been working around the clock on fashion design, his tour and other projects. It ultimately became exhausting and a bit too much to handle for the A-list star.
"She is just holding things down like Kanye did for her when she needed support," a source previously shared with E! News exclusively. "Kim is doing much better and is strong. This shall pass she believes."
"Kim is by his side now and will stand there till everything gets better," our insider shared. "Their time together was just about support. Kanye will be ok. He has a good set of doctors and the main thing is he wants to get through this."
"Kim was concerned that he may have been taking on too much with all these shows," a source explained to E! News. "It was many things on his plate that started to pile up at once."
Under his doctor's direction, Kanye doesn't have a phone or computer as he continues his hospital stay.
Thursday, October 27, 2016
Heidi Klum, Jon Hamm and More Stars Step Out for the 2016 amfAR Inspiration Gala in Los Angeles
What happens when you mix stylish celebs and an admiration for inspiration? Yes, the 2016 amfAR Inspiration Gala! Great guess, you guys.
Stars like Heidi Klum, Dita Von Teese, Jane Lynch, Cheyenne Jackson, Jon Hamm and more dressed up in some of their finest and stepped out to the black carpet tonight in Los Angeles to support a great cause.
amfAR, The Foundation for AIDS Research, will honor Jeffrey Katzenberg and Charlize Theron for their outstanding contributions to the fight against AIDS.
The Inspiration series was launched in 2010 to celebrate men's fashion and style while raising funds for amfAR's lifesaving AIDS research programs. Along with being held all over the globe, including New York, Paris, Los Angeles, Toronto, Miami, São Paulo, and Rio de Janeiro, the Inspiration series has helped raise more than $26 million to date.
Stars like Heidi Klum, Dita Von Teese, Jane Lynch, Cheyenne Jackson, Jon Hamm and more dressed up in some of their finest and stepped out to the black carpet tonight in Los Angeles to support a great cause.
amfAR, The Foundation for AIDS Research, will honor Jeffrey Katzenberg and Charlize Theron for their outstanding contributions to the fight against AIDS.
The Inspiration series was launched in 2010 to celebrate men's fashion and style while raising funds for amfAR's lifesaving AIDS research programs. Along with being held all over the globe, including New York, Paris, Los Angeles, Toronto, Miami, São Paulo, and Rio de Janeiro, the Inspiration series has helped raise more than $26 million to date.
Friday, September 30, 2016
Angelina Jolie's Divorce Team Consulting With Real-Life 'Scandal' Inspiration Judy Smith
Angelina Jolie is bringing out the big guns amid her very public divorce from Brad Pitt.
The actress' team is consulting with world-renowned crisis manager Judy Smith, ET confirmed on Thursday.
Smith, who was the real-life inspiration for Kerry Washington's character, Olivia Pope, on the hit ABC drama Scandal, has been retained by the 41-year-old Oscar winner's reps as they continue to meet with Pitt's team to hash out the details of their divorce.
The 57-year-old "fixer" is the owner of Smith & Company, which has advised many embattled celebrities such as Wesley Snipes, Monica Lewinski and Michael Vick, as well as a number of large corporations who were struggling with image problems and negative publicity.
Pitt recently brought a heavy hitter onto his legal lineup as well, hiring Beverly Hills attorney Lance Spiegel as one his lawyers. Spiegel has famously represented a number of celebs in family law issues, including Eva Longoria during her divorce from Tony Parker.
WATCH: Brad Pitt Seeking Crisis Management Amid Child Abuse Allegations and Angelina Jolie Divorce
Jolie filed for divorce from Pitt earlier this month, citing "irreconcilable differences." In her divorce filing, she asked for physical custody of their children -- 15-year-old Maddox, 10-year-old Shiloh, 12-year-old Pax, 11-year-old Zahara, and 8-year-old twins Vivienne and Knox.
As the contentious divorce negotiations continue, a source close to the dispute between Jolie and Pitt told ET on Wednesday that the stars' camps have been having "productive discussions."
"The fact that things have quieted down is a good sign for everyone," the source notes. Check out the video below to hear more.
The actress' team is consulting with world-renowned crisis manager Judy Smith, ET confirmed on Thursday.
Smith, who was the real-life inspiration for Kerry Washington's character, Olivia Pope, on the hit ABC drama Scandal, has been retained by the 41-year-old Oscar winner's reps as they continue to meet with Pitt's team to hash out the details of their divorce.
The 57-year-old "fixer" is the owner of Smith & Company, which has advised many embattled celebrities such as Wesley Snipes, Monica Lewinski and Michael Vick, as well as a number of large corporations who were struggling with image problems and negative publicity.
Pitt recently brought a heavy hitter onto his legal lineup as well, hiring Beverly Hills attorney Lance Spiegel as one his lawyers. Spiegel has famously represented a number of celebs in family law issues, including Eva Longoria during her divorce from Tony Parker.
WATCH: Brad Pitt Seeking Crisis Management Amid Child Abuse Allegations and Angelina Jolie Divorce
Jolie filed for divorce from Pitt earlier this month, citing "irreconcilable differences." In her divorce filing, she asked for physical custody of their children -- 15-year-old Maddox, 10-year-old Shiloh, 12-year-old Pax, 11-year-old Zahara, and 8-year-old twins Vivienne and Knox.
As the contentious divorce negotiations continue, a source close to the dispute between Jolie and Pitt told ET on Wednesday that the stars' camps have been having "productive discussions."
"The fact that things have quieted down is a good sign for everyone," the source notes. Check out the video below to hear more.
Thursday, August 25, 2016
Roselyn Sanchez Opens Up About Selena Quintanilla's Legacy: "We Worship Her"
With just days from the unveiling of Selena Quintanilla's wax figure, Roselyn Sanchez reflects on what the late singer means to the Latino community.
"It [Selena's legacy] means everything. It's so incredibly sad, but her legacy is so huge for the Mexican community and Latinos in general." Sanchez said to Telemundo's MVTO. "She was able to do so much, even though she had a short life. She's adored. She was a good singer, a good talent, and a good person."
Because of the Queen of Tejano music's fans, the number of those that love her and her music continues to grow every day.
"It's incredible the phenomenon of Selena until this day is the same. We worship Selena because she had the potential to do an incredible crossover, even though she did—she was the pioneer. Everybody wants to be that, and she did it before anybody else," the actress explained.
Another Selena Quintanilla fan is Eva Longoria, who will also be receiving her star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, and made a heartfelt post on Instagram calling the late singer her "inspiration." Sanchez had the same words to describe Longoria, the executive producer of Devious Maid, and her longtime friend.
"I've learned everything from Eva. I always think of Eva as next level. You know what I mean? Eva is somebody that's doing it all. She's involved in politics, philanthropy, directing, producing, writing, just got a master's degree. It's like you're able to do it all and do it well. She's not only one of my good friends but an inspiration," Sanchez said. "We started together. So I've seen her grow and become this influential person for the Latino community. It's been incredible to watch and incredible to see her dreams come true."
"It [Selena's legacy] means everything. It's so incredibly sad, but her legacy is so huge for the Mexican community and Latinos in general." Sanchez said to Telemundo's MVTO. "She was able to do so much, even though she had a short life. She's adored. She was a good singer, a good talent, and a good person."
Because of the Queen of Tejano music's fans, the number of those that love her and her music continues to grow every day.
"It's incredible the phenomenon of Selena until this day is the same. We worship Selena because she had the potential to do an incredible crossover, even though she did—she was the pioneer. Everybody wants to be that, and she did it before anybody else," the actress explained.
Another Selena Quintanilla fan is Eva Longoria, who will also be receiving her star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, and made a heartfelt post on Instagram calling the late singer her "inspiration." Sanchez had the same words to describe Longoria, the executive producer of Devious Maid, and her longtime friend.
"I've learned everything from Eva. I always think of Eva as next level. You know what I mean? Eva is somebody that's doing it all. She's involved in politics, philanthropy, directing, producing, writing, just got a master's degree. It's like you're able to do it all and do it well. She's not only one of my good friends but an inspiration," Sanchez said. "We started together. So I've seen her grow and become this influential person for the Latino community. It's been incredible to watch and incredible to see her dreams come true."
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