See Toronto alive with bike-riding leprechauns and green beer

Robin & me covering ‘Kids’ by MGMT, ‘Not Tonight’ by Tegan and Sara and ‘Superstition’ by Stevie Wonder as our band (that’s in the works) Riddle Me This.

I hope you like them!

Photo by EuPaparazzi on Flickr

In a recent interview with songwriter, Heather Bright, who recently co-wrote “Trouble For Me” for Britney Spears’ new cd Femme Fatale she criticized popstars who get writing credit when they don’t write.

Bright thinks Spears deserves kudos for her honesty and feels it’s unfair for Spears to be criticized, a lot of other stars don’t write but get credit anyway.

On her blog, she wrote

“Britney’s one of the few artists I’ve worked with who didn’t try to take something that wasn’t hers …  If I ever have another song that she wants and another artist happens to want the same song … Britney will get it EVERYTIME! Because she’s honest!  And she treats her writers and producers with respect and dignity.”

When Bright was asked how Justin Bieber scored writing credit on his hit “Somebody to Love” she laughed before replying “Umm… How did  he get a writing credit on it?”

 Bright’s being risky when she messes with Bieber, who was recently compared to Michael Jackson in an article “Is Justin Bieber Poised to Be the next King of Pop?”.

Fortunately Bright’s trying to break away from songwriting for others and get into the spotlight herself.

Gemma Ward's back after a 3 year break from the industry

Supermodel Gemma Ward is on the cover of Harper’s Bazaar Australia and acting three roles in play The Ugly One after her three year break since Heath Ledger’s death.

 Ward, 23, has been on the cover of over 20 magazines in her young life, but stepped out of the spotlight after Ledger’s accidental drug overdose.

In a recent interview with Australia’s The Herald Sun, Ward said that they were both going through personal troubles when they met in New York in 2007.

“I kind of met him at first and said, ‘Listen, my mum’s living with me right now and I’m kind of going through a hard time and I’m not interested in having a serious relationship with somebody right now,’” Ward recalls. “And he was like, ‘Let’s just be there for each other through these hard times …’ And we developed a relationship and we started seeing each other.”

 Ward, who’s been criticized for gaining weight before, once again made news for gaining weight during her recent stint from stardom.

“It’s nice to have a job where you’re laughing the entire way through the day,” she said in a press conference with Nine News when talking about the play.

Do you care who Justin Bieber’s dating?  If so, you’re not alone.   Articles, videos and pictures about Justin Bieber and Selena Gomez are constantly bombarding the internet.

Do you know what day of the week it is?  Or would you like some assistance from Rebecca Black, a 13 year old from Anaheim, California whos single ‘Friday’, by Ark Music Factory went viral.

Have you tried all 31 flavours and are looking for something new and exciting?  London Icecream makers, The Icecreamists, have come up with something new . . . an icecream flavour made from human breast milk that they’ve cleverly called “Baby Gaga”.  But, Lady Gaga is unimpressed that its name could seem linked to her in any way.

Watch if you enjoy some good ol’ light-hearted commentary about the ever-increasing crazyness that is today’s pop culture.

My opinions are far from in check.

 His first tour stop happened last night in Detroit and left Sheen saying “Too bad, I already got your money,” to the bored audience that felt like suckers for buying a ticket in the first place.

Maybe this will teach people that crazy youtube videos don’t always translate into live talent.

If I believed he genuinely lost his mind perhaps I’d be more inclined to watch his interviews and read up on his tour, or even attend his show when he comes to Massey Hall . . .but I think he’s offending anyone who has ever been mentally ill by marketing it to a sickening extent.

How can anyone believe he’s truly lost his marbles when he’s got tour dates scheduled left, right, and centre?
In my opinion he realized that he couldn’t live off Two and a Half Men forever so he hit the crack pipe a little harder.

Please stop bi-winning, Charlie! It’s getting old. If you’re really sick go see Dr. Drew.. I’m sure you’d be an interesting addition to Celebrity Rehab.

by Angela George on Flickr

by: Liz Flowers

British Investigative Journalist Brian Deer came to Toronto’s Ryerson University to talk to a lecture hall of second-year journalism students on Feb. 16 about how he uncovered the truth behind the faulty claim against the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine being linked to autism.

Deer’s findings were initially published in the Sunday Times on Feb. 8, 2009, and early January of this year the truth was published in the British Medical Journal.

The initial study was published in The Lancet on Feb. 3 1998 and was written by former medical researcher Andrew Wakefield.

Wakefield based the study on a link between the MMR vaccine and a bowel disorder. He claimed that out of 12 children tested, nine had symptoms of the disorder.

Hysteria over the connection between the vaccine and autism was assisted by newspapers. Coverage claimed that Wakefield was right, which led the public to be fooled as well.

“With this vaccine scare, it was kept alive by people who gather together via the internet to gang up and support a certain opinion,” Deer said.

But Wakefield had been selecting children to come in to the hospital for research, and “fixing” the results to suit his study.

It was uncovered that lawyers were paying Wakefield $750, 000 US to attack the vaccine, Deer said.

Wakefield was going to make even more if he proved that the MMR vaccine was unmarketable. He sent a cheque to Deer as incentive for him to stop his research.

Early this year, the British Medical Journal referred to Wakefield’s study as a “deliberate fraud”.

There have been three dozen charges laid against Wakefield, who denies that he had any conflict of interest. But his payout says something entirely different.