Russell Brand Deported From Japan Over Criminal Past

We all know it can be hard to keep your nose clean in Hollywood.

But “Arthur” star Russell Brand found out the hard way.

Brand, who is married to pop star Katy Perry, was visiting Japan to be with his wife while on tour but was detained at the airport.

After a background check the Japanese authorities decided they did not want the likes of Mr. Brand in their country so they deported him.

Brand, who openly admits his years of drug and alcohol abuse, and past arrests, says that his prior bad history prompted Japan to ask him to leave.

His recent wife Katy Perry tweeted,

"So...my husband just got deported from Japan. I am so sad. I brought him all this way to show him my favorite place #tokyodreamscrushed"

Brand, ever the comedian, tweeted back,

"Planning escape from Japanese custody. It's bloody hard to dig a tunnel with a chopstick. "Stockholm syndrome kicking in. Just asked my guard out for (vegetarian) sushi. He giggled."

Perry later said she still loves Japan and her Japanese fans, and will continue her tour and does not hold any grudges since she knew what she was getting into with Russell.

For his part, Brand can still be seen legally in the smash summer hit movie “Arthur”, about a drunken playboy who stands to lose a wealthy inheritance when he falls for a woman his family doesn't like.

He is currently filming “Rock of Ages” with A-list actors Tom Cruise, Alec Baldwin, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Mary J. Blige, Paul Giamatti, and Bryan Cranston.

“Rock of Ages” is and adaption of the hit Broadway show and will tell the story of a small-town girl who arrives in Hollywood at the height of the 1980’s rock-music scene.

Watch Review of Russell Brand in Arthur



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Justin Bieber’s Manager Scooter Braun Found Guilty in 2009 Mall Mob Incident

Remember the “Free Scooter” campaign of 2009?

Back in November 2009, Justin Bieber’s manager Scooter Braun was arrested at New York’s Roosevelt Field Mall for not cancelling a performance before the crowed grew unruly.

Almost 3,000 Bieber fans had shown up to see the singer perform when police were called to control the crowd.

Braun was told to cancel the performance and use Twitter to tell the fans to disperse.

Police cancelled the event but not after 5 people were injured and Braun had been arrested on charges of reckless endangerment and criminal nuisance.

The next day, Bieber was seen sporting a t-shirt with the slogan “Free Scooter”.

Today, Scooter and Bieber’s record label Island Def Jam agreed to plead guilty on one count of violating a county safety ordinance. A rep commented,

“Basically they are just trying to settle the case and make it go away. It is water under the bridge and was only a moderate safety infraction. This way both sides can move on and put this issue behind them. After reviewing the case, both sides agreed things could have been handled better by everyone involved.”

Island will pay a small fine of $8,000 to settle the case and Bieber is ordered to do a PSA (Public Service Announcement) about cyber bullying.

Not bad when you consider that Bieber makes $300,000 per show, and has pulled in over $100 million dollars over the last year between his “My World” concert tour and widely successful 3D movie “Never Say never”.

For his part, Bieber is finishing his tour in Australia this week and has plans to move on to Japan later this month.

But his tour management company and stage crew have mounted a mutiny of sorts and are refusing to work in Japan due to the risk of radiation from last month’s earthquake and tsunami.

Related: Bieber’s crew refuses to work in Japan – Mutiny!

If the team can’t come to some sort of agreement soon, the May 17th and 19th shows in japan may have to be cancelled. Both Avril Lavigne and Slash have already cancelled shows at the same stadiums in Japan over health fears.

Once his tour is over later this month, Bieber plans to return to the U.S. and finish work on his third album and begin shooting his new movie with Mark Wahlberg.

Related: Boy arrested for throwing eggs at Justin Bieber
Related: Miley Cyrus does Justin Bieber on SNL - Video
Related: Justin Bieber’s new wax figure does not look like him

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Justin Bieber’s Tour Crew Refuses to Return to Japan – Might Cancel Shows

It’s not easy being the world’s most popular 17-year-old Pop star.

And we also know that Justin Bieber is not the kind of performer who likes to cancel a show.

But today during a crew meeting in Adelaide Australia, were Bieber is performing, the road and stage crew overseeing his tour said they refused to return to Japan for more concerts due to fears of radiation from the recent nuclear disaster.

Since the earthquake and Tsunami last month they fear the risk of cancer and other illnesses is too great, and say they refuse to return for shows on May 17th and 19th.

Bieber has already visited Japan on his My World Tour, and is scheduled to return later this month to both Tokyo and Osaka.

The crew reminded Bieber’s manager, Scooter Braun, that both Avril Lavigne and Slash have cancelled shows at the same venues over health fears.

Braun was overheard yelling and cursing at the crew telling them that the Japanese Government had told him there was no risk at all and that they should do what is right for the kids.

At this point there is a mutiny and the crew says they refuse to return.

Bieber himself has not made any comments on the subject and a simple statement released by his PR rep said “They are working through the issue now”.

Watch Justin Bieber on Japanese Television


Related: Justin Bieber pelted with eggs in Australia
Related: Bieber to star in movie with Mark Wahlberg
Related: Is Justin Bieber the next Pele? Spain thinks so

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Aflac Hires Actor Daniel McKeague For New Duck Voice – Video

Looks like Gilbert Gottfried really is out of a job.

After two months of speculation that Aflac Insurance may rehire Gottfried, they have announced the new voice of the Aflac Duck.

Ladies and gentlemen, please meet Daniel McKeague.

McKeague was one of over 12,000 actors who tried out for the iconic voice of the Aflac Duck.
The actor is a 36-year-old radio sales manager from Hugo, Minnesota.

“I have long admired people who can act and make the most of their voice and have tried to emulate them, and I want to thank Aflac for the incredible honor of voicing the greatest icon in corporate America and representing a company that not only leads its industry but also leaves a positive social imprint in every community it serves.”

McKeague was hired after Gottfried made insensitive comments about the disaster in Japan last month and was fired by the insurance company.

How To Wear Estate Jewelry On St Patricks Day

Choosing to go for just a wee bit of green
this is my estate jewelry choice for St Patricks Day

I love the collar design and the big pebble like gemstones

It's definitely makes a statement but a soft one.
Isn't it pretty?

Multi Gemstone Collar Necklace in Gold Vermeil $2550

And thank you to the Duchesse, aka one of the famous O'Malley sisters, for picking out a few affordable and St Patrick's Day approved pieces with gorgeous green from Beladora2.com

and to superglam preggers Faux Fuchsia for posting about the Beladora.com and Beladora2.com donations from all March sales to the Japan Earthquake and Pacific Tsunami Relief Fund.
So Erin Go Shop

Beladora Getting On Board For Japan Earthquake and Tsunami Relief

Even though Beladora is based in Beverly Hills, we are not a Beverly Hills - centric company.
Because our business is online, our clients are from
Brazil, Mexico, United Arab Emirates, Turkey, Greece, Italy, Spain, France, Switzerland, Germany, Belgium, England, Canada, Hong Kong, China, Taiwan, Singapore, New Zealand, Australia...
and I probably missed a few other countries.

We are deeply concerned about the situation in Japan. 
Liz Kollar, our Beladora Creative Director has aunts, uncles and cousins who are Japanese, and who thankfully were out of the major quake/tsunami zone.  Because of her family, Liz is in the loop on a lot of what's going on the there and we do know that it is winter, supplies are low, and things are bad all over Japan.

I have already made a donation personally towards the relief efforts in Japan.
But I can do more than just make a personal donation.

So, I've decided  that Beladora.com and Beladora2.com,
which have donated to causes such as ovarian cancer research in the past,
will now donate a portion of all March sales to the
American Red Cross Japan Earthquake and Pacific Tsunami Relief Fund.

Maybe you have a birthday or anniversary coming up. 
Maybe you need a special gift.
Maybe you want to start early on your holiday shopping.
Or maybe you've have a piece of estate jewelry on your Beladora wish list. 
With jewelry priced at $195 and up, there is probably something that you could use.
Please consider making a purchase from Beladora or Beladora2 this month.

Sunday At Home or Creating Order Out of Chaos

Like the rest of the world, I can't stop watching the videos from Japan.
This one from the BBC shows when the tsunami first hits the land
It's truly frightening to see the unrelenting power of the tsunami.

As for the report that radiation has leaked from Japanese nuclear plants is going to cross the Pacific and hit the west cost

It is admitted that the first plant has melted down, and 6 more nuclear power plants in Japan are in danger. If they fail, this situation could get even worse. Japanese authorities are distributing potassium iodide to its population for thyroid protection.

For U.S. populations, we can hope that most of the radiation will disperse into the ocean and never reach us, however, with the U.S. West Coast in the direct path of the jet stream from Japan, it is a good precaution to stock up on potassium iodide or natural iodine from kelp, which can prevent the absorption of radioactive iodine, the most common complication from radiation poisoning.

OK, so I didn't run out and buy potassium iodide
Instead I took a clue from Faux Fuchsia and went out to brunch
which is something that I rarely do
But when life brings you circumstances that you can do nothing about
it's good to spend time with your brood

and enjoy a bloody mary
and catch up on what's going on in the lives of your children and their significant others

Since the weather was warmish we sat outside and enjoyed the sun.

Later in further FF style there was some gardening

specifically cleaning up my wildly growing mint, parsley and cilantro

and of course some cooking

with Chicken Chasseur de Ville for Sunday dinner

which was super easy to action

OK, so I admit that it wasn't real poulet chasseur because I left out the mushrooms and the cognac

but it was tasty anyway

Here are the basics

Saute some chicken ( I used organic boneless chicken thighs) in a little butter and oil

remove chicken from pan and add chopped red onion, chopped roasted red pepper, chopped garlic and cook vegetables until soft.

Add one can of chopped tomatoes (I used the no salt added kind) and some red wine and bring to a boil

Return the chicken to the pan and add some fresh parsley, basil and a bay leaf

Cover and cook in the oven for about 30 minutes

Serve with asparagus and hot baguette

There is something so calming about domestic activity

because when mother nature, who's not your friend by the way, brings you chaos

organizing your home, a reasonably achievable goal,

brings you at least some semblance of order out of chaos.

Earth Shifting On Its Axis...Again

Putting all of our petty woes into perspective
At any time and without warning
a quake of such magnitude that an entire country moves
and the earth itself shifts on its axis

(CNN) -- The powerful earthquake that unleashed a devastating tsunami Friday appears to have moved the main island of Japan by 8 feet (2.4 meters) and shifted the Earth on its axis.


"At this point, we know that one GPS station moved (8 feet), and we have seen a map from GSI (Geospatial Information Authority) in Japan showing the pattern of shift over a large area is consistent with about that much shift of the land mass," said Kenneth Hudnut, a geophysicist with the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS).
Reports from the National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology in Italy estimated the 8.9-magnitude quake shifted the planet on its axis by nearly 4 inches (10 centimeters).

To put things in perspective
the Sendai earthquake was about 1000 times more powerful than the earthquake in New Zealand

Like after the 2004 tsunami which killed 230,000 people, the US is sending in the Pacific fleet, literally.
But how much help aid can they offer at this point with thousands dead, thousands missing
power and water out for millions
and a potential Chernobyl style meltdown.


Glenn Reynolds, for years, has been linking to sites about disaster preparedness. 
It's one thing if you live out in the wilds of Idaho or Wyoming to have this list and/or this list of emergency supplies. 
But who in a major metropolitan area keeps these things around the house?
At the very least, anyone who lives in California should have one of these at home and in the car.
I've ignored the whole subject of disaster preparedness for years
Perhaps today is the day to start taking it seriously.

Living In The Ring Of Fire

If you haven't seen the video of the horrendous tsunami in Japan

watch it here.

Chile, New Zealand, Japan

Is California next?

Those of us who live in the Pacific Ring of Fire can never be complacent.