Gwen Stefani Ain't No Hollaback Boy; Sues Band Hero for Making Her a Man
Listen, if Gwen Stefani wanted to croon like a dude about doing it with hookers, don't you think she would have done it by now?
Unfortunately, the makers of the newly released Band Hero didn't take the hint and allowed for the avatar of No Doubt's frontwoman to be manipulated into doing just that. Which means only one thing: lawsuit time!
The rock band has filed suit against the video game purveyor Activision, alleging fraudulent inducement and breach of contract, claiming that while Stefani, Tony Kanal, Tom Dumont and Adrian Young all signed off on allowing their likenesses to be used, it came with the stipulation that the company could only employ the use of three of their songs, "Don't Speak," "Excuse Me Mr." and "Just a Girl."
Apparently the technical brain-boxes at Activison didn't take the hint from that last song title.
The gamemakers allow players to manipulate Stefani and crew so they can perform more than 60 songs—and here's the sticking point—of other artists, turning the No Doubters, per the lawsuit, into little more than "a virtual karaoke circus act."
The song No Doubt seems to have taken the most issue with is the Rolling Stones' "Honky Tonk Woman," claiming that manipulation "results in an unauthorized performance by the Gwen Stefani avatar in a male voice boasting about having sex with prostitutes."
Not that there's anything wrong with that.
Gwen Stefani Is How Old? Rossdale, Beckinsale Help Mark Milestone
The big 4-0 never looked better.
Gwen Stefani celebrated the advent of her fourth decade with friends and family at an intimate Saturday afternoon gathering at Cecconi's in West Hollywood.
The ab-flaunting singer donned her signature red lipstick as she dined inside the Italian restaurant with hubby Gavin Rossdale, sons Zuma and Kingston, BFF to the stars Kate Beckinsale and the actress's husband, director Len Wiseman.
"There wasn't much gift-giving, but they did bring in a large bouquet of red roses, and as they were leaving, they stuffed some Mylar balloons in the backseat," an eyewitness told E! News
"They are such a class act. They were so gracious with all of the photographers, and Gavin was even joking around, waving and taking pictures on his iPhone as they left," says the source. "I think they chose to have the party in the afternoon because the kids were there."
In spite of the party time, one partygoer was too tired for additional festivities. Little Zuma was spotted snoozing in his car seat next to the birthday girl as the family rode away in their black Range Rover.
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Check out who else is painting the town in our Party Pics gallery.
Which Female Star Has the Hottest Body?
Oh, hello!
As part of our extensive Best of Summer 2009 coverage, we were thinking about all the toned women there are in Hollywood: Jennifer Aniston, Megan Fox and Jessica Biel, just to name a few. These women work really hard to get in shape—hitting the gym, eating right, taking their vitamins and such—and we just thought we should celebrate all that hard work by, um, looking at them.
And taking a poll about which one is hottest. You know, celebrating them.
Anyway, pick your favorite and then post a comment about how awesome this upbeat tribute is, or how disappointed you are in the choices because we forgot [the name of your favorite actress].
See more of Summer's Best Bodies in our gallery, and keep coming back for updates on the season's most sensational stars, stories and scandals.
Exclusive
Inside Gwen & Gavin's Birthday Bash for Baby Zuma
Happy birthday, Zuma Nesta Rock Rossdale!
Gwen Stefani and Gavin Rossdale celebrated their youngest son's first birthday this afternoon with an outdoor soirée.
"I got home from the studio and was cooking burgers at 3 a.m. this morning to prepare for the party," Gavin tells us. "I'm the chef, and Gwen's more of the party planner. She takes care of the presents and the guests. I just love to cook for everyone."
So what do you give an A-list rock star spawn who probably already has everything? Read on to find out...
Gwen and Beyoncé: Way Rich, or Only Super-Rich?
Just how much money does a singer like Gwen Stefani or Beyoncé take home from album sales and concerts?
—Thisfunktional, via Twitter
So you're talking big-big singers, not merely big singers. There's a difference; Carrie Underwood and Lady Gaga are currently on tour, for example, and they're likely raking in thousands of dollars per show. But Stefani and Beyoncé are mini-empresses of financial clout and probably earn much more.
Simply put: Don't listen whenever a big artist complains about the new economy. Gwen and Beyoncé are multimillionaires, but they aren't even the richest rockers out there...
Gwen Stefani Celebrates Kingston's Birthday
Since Gwen Stefani was in the middle of a reunion concert with No Doubt, she had to get creative for her son's birthday.
So she brought Kingston onstage at her Salt Lake City show last night, where the audience sang "Happy Birthday" and he waved to a stadiumwide awww. (But seriously, mom, don't mess with the protective headphones.)
Gwen and Gavin Rossdale's firstborn turns 3 today, and having an entire stadium sing to you doesn't seem like the worst way to celebrate.
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After Five Years, No Doubt Reunites Today
No Doubt reunited this morning for their first live performance in five years on the Today show. Gwen Stefani was back to her funky No Doubt hair minus the pink streaks and braces (ah, remember those days?) while bassist Tony Kanal and guitarist Tom Dumont did the ol' chorus jumping thing. It was just like old times.
Gwen may blame herself—"I was in postbaby mode,” she told Matt Lauer—for taking so long to get the band back together, but Tony says there was more to it than that.
"We got in studio and started writing and realized something was missing. We haven’t played for five years. So we just wanted to get out there again and play and reconnect with ourselves, reconnect with all the people who supported us for so long."
Fortunately, they left out their latest track "Stand and Deliver" in their morning show set and opted for their hits "Spiderwebs," "Don't Speak" and "It's My Life."
Gwen Stefani Stands and Delivers New Tune
Adam and the Ants have walked into No Doubt's spiderweb.
A cover version of the New Wave band's 1981hit "Stand and Deliver" by Gwen Stefani and Co. has leaked onto the Internet and is already getting some serious radio airplay.
While we were a bit nervous going into it, fearing they would try to outdo the original, the group wisely chose to play it pretty close to the vest and, as a result, the song comes across as more of an homage to one of their musical influences than anything else.
No Doubt will be performing the song on the May 11 episode of Gossip Girl, just days after the band kicks off its first tour in five years on May 2 in Atlantic City.
So have a listen here and let us know what you think.
Does Suri Go on Playdates With Shiloh and Kingston?
Why do famous kids seem to only play with other famous kids? How do celebrity playdates work?
—Shadi, Culver City, Calif.
First let's make sure we're looking at an authentic messiah-on-messiah playdate. Suri Cruise playing with the Beckham boys? Real. Suri playing with Shiloh Jolie-Pitt? Not real. Beckhams playing with Kingston Rossdale, son of Gwen Stefani? Real. And we even have photos proving the truly true, absolute realness of this planet-shaking apotheosis—see?
So how do such summits go down? The publicist for the Cruises—who happens to also rep the Beckhams—wouldn't tell me. But I found a real live Hollywood nanny to dish all the details...
No Doubt Gives Fans Hella Good Offer
If you thought U2 selling their new album for $3.99 on Amazon.com was a recession-friendly deal, No Doubt is about to put that to shame.
On Saturday, when fans buy the top price-level tickets ($42.50 or more before taxes and fees) to their latest tour, they'll receive free downloads of the band's entire catalog, including more than 80 tracks from the Gwen Stefani-fronted group's seven studio albums. The band's only new track—a cover of Adam and the Ant's "Stand and Deliver," which they'll play on the May 11 season finale of Gossip Girl—is a part of the package.
"Since the band is heading back on the road, we wanted to find a cool way to get people listening to our music and stoke them with a great deal at the same time," guitarist Tom Dumont says on their website. "With this download, it's easy for fans to get psyched up to hear our music live once again and that rocks."
Now you'll have no excuse to not know all the words when No Doubt's first tour in five years kicks off May 2 in Atlantic City and winds down in Irvine, Calif., Aug. 1.
Gwen Stefani Not Feelin' Hella Good About Hoodies
The "Hollaback Girl" is about to have to hand it back.
Several hooded sweatshirts from Gwen Stefani's Harajuku Lovers children's clothing line have been recalled by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission—and not because they are killer fashion in the good way.
The commission charges that "the jackets have a drawstring through the hood which can pose a strangulation hazard to children," although no such incidents have been reported.
The voluntary recall suggests purchasers of the RSL Hoodie and Lovers Leopard styles trim off the ties or return them for a full, $75 refund. The jackets were sold in Macy's, Nordstrom and other retailers from August 2008 to January 2009.
No doubt the singer is relieved son Kingston Rossdale, 2, is more of a tee and tank top kind of guy.
Rise 'n' Shine: Jude Law Makes a Lovely Lady
• Jude Law is a total babe.
• Hilary Duff and Faye Dunaway could stand to learn a thing or two about peacemaking from Sean Penn and Mickey Rourke. (No word on if the Milk star got the groping treatment, though.)
• Poor A-Rod. It really must be embarrassing having your gal-pal Madonna cavorting around your Yankee territory with even younger boy-toy Jesus Luz.
• Vivica A. Fox and the Psychic Friends Network are not friends.
• Contain your shock. Jessica Simpson and Audrina Patridge are headed straight to video.
• Kingston Rossdale shares his mom, Gwen Stefani, with a friend.
• Erykah Badu's baby is from named Mars.
• Dear Despair, Inc.: These Christian Bale T-shirts are awesome! Must get one. Love, Rise 'n' Shine
Paris Hilton clearly gets the Big Picture if she feels "love is blonde."








