Keys’ son, grandma inspire app for kids
Alicia Keys, after giving birth to her son two years ago, said she wanted to create tools for children. Now she’s launching an app for kids.
“The Journals of Mama Mae and LeeLee” is about a young New York City girl’s relationship with her wise grandmother. Keys produced music for the interactive app, which will be released today for $3.99.
“It’s a new adventure for me, and I’m really enjoying it,” the Grammy Award winner said in an interview Wednesday.
The app is loosely based on Keys’ relationship with her grandmother. It’s centered in LeeLee’s bedroom, and it allows users to read books, play music and write in a journal.
Ex-manager dishes dirt on Spears’ dad
Britney Spears’ ex-manager described from the witness stand Wednesday a scene of domestic warfare, saying the superstar’s father chased him around a kitchen, punched him and threatened his life.
Sam Lutfi, who is suing Spears’ parents for defamation, testified while they watched from across the courtroom.
He denied accusations made in a book by Lynne Spears that he was a Svengali who became the gatekeeper of her daughter’s world, locking her parents out of her life.
He contends he was a benevolent caretaker who protected Britney during her highly publicized meltdown.
Lutfi’s direct testimony concluded in dramatic fashion as he was overcome by tears while describing the aftermath of the publication of the book.
“After the book came out, there was a huge spike of death threats that were pretty bad,” he testified. “People I know were shunning me. Websites were created to kill me. People wished I was dead.”
Cruise sues over stories of Suri in news
An attorney for Tom Cruise said he filed a $50 million defamation lawsuit Wednesday against the publishers of Life & Style magazine for articles that said the actor has abandoned his 6-year-old daughter Suri.
Cruise’s attorney, Bert Fields, said to falsely claim the actor deserted his daughter is a “vicious lie.”
“Tom is a caring father who dearly loves Suri. She’s a vital part of his life and always will be,” Fields said. “To say it in lurid headlines with a tearful picture of Suri is reprehensible.”
The birthday bunch
Singer-actress Barbra Cook is 85. Actress Nancy Cartwright (“The Simpsons”) is 55. Actor Adam Goldberg (“Saving Private Ryan”) is 42. Country singer Chely Wright is 42. Actor Craig Robinson (“The Office”) is 41. Actor Mehcad Brooks (“Desperate Housewives”) is 32. Singer Katy Perry is 28. Singer Ciara is 27.