PEOPLE

Taylor Swift to co-host Grammy special Dec. 5

10/30/2012
BLADE STAFF AND NEWS SERVICES
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    • Taylor Swift will co-host the Grammy nominations television special.

    Grammy officials say the pop star will join LL Cool J as hosts of the Dec. 5 special, airing live on CBS from Bridgestone Arena in Nashville. This is the first year the nominations special has been broadcast from Music City.

    Grammy officials also announced Monday that rising country star Luke Bryan has been added to the telecast as a performer, joining Maroon 5 as the only acts announced so far. More performers will be revealed at a future date.

    Swift has won six Grammys. She released her latest album, “Red,” last week.

    The 55th annual Grammy Awards will be held Feb. 10 in Los Angeles.

    Oops

    Police say a security guard at actor Tom Cruise’s house used a stun gun on a would-be prowler, but the man turned out to be an intoxicated neighbor who may have mistakenly entered the property.

    Lt. Lincoln Hoshino says the confrontation occurred at Cruise’s Beverly Hills residence Sunday night when the actor and his family weren’t home.

    The guard saw a man “climbing a fence to gain access to the property” and he used the stun gun to detain him for police.

    The officer tells City News Service that the man was identified as a 41-year-old neighbor who lives in an adjacent property, and was intoxicated at the time.

    The man was taken into custody for trespassing and treated at a hospital for any problems stemming from the stun gun.

    ‘Skyfall’ No. 1

    Sony Pictures is spying a hit in its latest James Bond film, as Skyfall premiered at No. 1 in 25 foreign countries this weekend.

    The film, starring Daniel Craig in the 23rd entry featuring 007, collected an impressive $77.7 million overseas this weekend, according to an estimate from Sony, which is distributing the film internationally.

    Skyfall, financed by Sony and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer for just under $200 million, doesn’t hit U.S. theaters until Nov. 9.

    Of the 25 international markets that the film played in this weekend, it easily did best on Bond’s home turf, Britain.

    The picture sold $32.4 million worth of tickets there — the biggest opening of the year so far and 30 percent ahead of the opening for Craig’s last Bond film, 2008’s Quantum of Solace.

    Business also was strong in France, where the movie grossed $9.1 million, and in Russia, where receipts amounted to $8.6 million. Solace ultimately collected $417.7 million abroad, roughly 71 percent of its worldwide gross.

    The strong international bow for Skyfall bodes well for its prospects in the United States, especially since early reviews have been exceptionally positive.

    As of Sunday, the movie had earned a 94 percent fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

    Time out

    Green Day is canceling the rest of its 2012 club schedule and is postponing the start of the 2013 arena tour.

    Bass player Mike Dirnt says Billie Joe Armstrong’s “well-being is our main concern” in the band’s decision to clear the schedule through Feb 8.

    He says in a statement Monday that Armstrong is doing well in his attempt to shake substance abuse problems that emerged publicly in September when the singer-guitarist had a profane meltdown on the stage of the iHeartRadio Music Festival in Las Vegas.

    The Grammy-winning punks also moved up the release date of “Tre,” the third installment in a trilogy of albums released over a period of months. The album will be released Dec. 11, more than a month ahead of schedule.

    Madonna booed

    Madonna drew boos and triggered a walkout by several concertgoers after she touted President Obama on her “MDNA Tour” in New Orleans.

    The Material Girl asked during Saturday night’s performance: “Who’s registered to vote?” She added: “I don’t care who you vote for as long as you vote for Obama.” Drawing boos in touting Obama over Republican Mitt Romney, Madonna followed: “Seriously, I don’t care who you vote for ... Do not take this privilege for granted. Go vote.”

    Madonna is often outspoken. Some Colorado fans, mindful of a mass shooting there, complained she used a fake gun to shoot a masked gunman in a recent concert act in Denver.

    A Madonna concert in Paris in July drew ire when a video showed a swastika on a politician’s forehead.