Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck hold lavish estate wedding

WASHINGTON, United States - Celebrity couple Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck tied the knot Saturday -- for the second time in just over a month -- in a lavish ceremony at the "Good Will Hunting" star's estate, US media reported.

The A-list lovebirds already wed in Las Vegas in mid-July, but made it official again, this time in front of friends and family at Affleck's 87-acre (35-hectare) waterfront compound in the southeastern US state of Georgia.

Among the Hollywood types in attendance at the three-day affair were longtime Affleck pal Matt Damon and director Kevin Smith, People magazine reported.

Guests wore all-white while Lopez donned a Ralph Lauren dress made in Italy, according to Fox News.

Images posted by celebrity gossip site TMZ ahead of the wedding showed dinner seating being arranged on what appeared to be a large, covered dock, with a substantial barge for pyrotechnics floating nearby.

The pair -- he is 50 and she is 53 -- first met on the set of the widely panned movie "Gigli" in 2002.

They became a media sensation as they dated but postponed their planned 2003 nuptials, then announced their relationship was over in early 2004.

"Bennifer" -- the couple's public nickname from their first highly publicized relationship -- set the internet alight last year when photos of them together again began circulating. 

Lopez and Affleck announced their engagement in April.

Lopez posted a video of herself appearing emotional and admiring a green ring in her newsletter, "On The JLo." US media reported that the ring was an emerald-cut pale green diamond.

This is the fourth marriage for Lopez and the second for Affleck.

Lopez discussed her renewed relationship with Affleck in an interview with People in February.

"It's a beautiful love story that we got a second chance," she said.

Agence France Presse

A-Rod, J-Lo recruit NFL stars for Mets bid

NEW YORK -- Alex Rodriguez and Jennifer Lopez have recruited three NFL figures as part of their ambitious bid for ownership of the New York Mets baseball franchise, ESPN reported on Monday.

ESPN says that Hall of Fame linebacker Brian Urlacher, Super Bowl-winner Travis Kelce and former Dallas Cowboys ace DeMarco Murray have joined the Rodriguez-Lopez investor group.

"We couldn't be more excited to have such high-quality individuals as part of our group," ESPN quoted Lopez and Rodriguez as saying.

Former New York Yankees legend Rodriguez and pop star Lopez, who are engaged to be married, have submitted a $1.7 billion (1.5 billion euro) bid for the Mets, according to reports.

Hedge fund billionaire Steve Cohen, who was close to taking over the team last year before a deal collapsed, has reportedly bid $2 billion for the club.

While Rodriguez and Lopez have reportedly pumped $300 million of their own fortune into the bid, it was not clear how much other investors had contributed.

"Being a former athlete and having a chance to be a part of a group trying to purchase a professional team, it's pretty cool," Urlacher told ESPN.

"It's especially cool to be involved with Alex. Alex is the man."

Kansas City Chiefs tight end Kelce described the proposed takeover deal as a "a crazy opportunity."

"I had a chance to meet Alex Rodriguez a couple years ago and just told him how much of a fan I was as a kid of him," Kelce said.

"I'm very thankful for the success that I've had in the NFL, to have an opportunity like this come across the table. I couldn't think of a more unique set of people to be in charge of this."

Agence France-Presse

MLB: A-Rod, J-Lo take second swing at buying Mets -- report

Alex Rodriguez and Jennifer Lopez reportedly aren't giving up on their desire to purchase the New York Mets.

While the power couple's first attempt at acquiring the team recently fell apart, they are now working with JPMorgan Chase bankers to produce a second bid, the New York Post reported Friday night.

The newspaper cited anonymous sources saying that actress-singer Lopez and retired baseball star Rodriguez are willing to invest "hundreds of millions" out of their pockets to acquire the Mets.

Per the Post, the Wilpon family, who own the Mets, are growing more eager to unload the team as their finances take a hit due to baseball's shutdown during the coronavirus pandemic. 

The newspaper added that the Wilpons are now willing to package SNY, the Mets' cable network, for sale along with the club.

The Wilpons' previous unwillingness to include SNY in the deal helped sink the first bid from Rodriguez and Lopez, according to the Post.

The Wilpons initially were reported to be shopping the Mets in December, when billionaire hedge-fund founder Steve Cohen attempted to acquire 80 percent of the team. Cohen already was a minority owner of the team.

Cohen announced in February that his bid to gain controlling interest had failed, news that was followed shortly by reports of interest from Rodriguez and Lopez.

Last month, Forbes placed the Mets' value at $2.4 billion, a 4 percent rise from last year. 

The Mets' ranked sixth on Forbes list of values for Major League Baseball teams, trailing only the New York Yankees ($5 billion), Los Angeles Dodgers ($3.4 billion), Boston Red Sox ($3.3 billion), Chicago Cubs ($3.2 billion) and San Francisco Giants ($3.1 billion).

Rodriguez, 44, was a three-time Most Valuable Player and 14-time All-Star in a 22-year major league career that included stints with the Seattle Mariners (1994-2000), Texas Rangers (2001-03) and New York Yankees (2004-13). 

His career accomplishments were tarnished by his admitted use of performance-enhancing drugs.

Lopez, 50, has enjoyed success as both a movie star and a singer. Fox Business reported in February that her net worth is between $225 million and $400 million, with Rodriguez's net worth estimated at $300 million to $350 million.

-reuters-

MLB: A-Rod, J-Lo eye bid for share of Mets -- report

Alex Rodriguez and his fiancee, Jennifer Lopez, a world-renowned entertainer, are looking to raise capital in an attempt to make a bid to purchase a stake in the New York Mets, Variety reported Monday.

According to the report, Rodriguez and Lopez have retained JPMorgan Chase in their quest for partners.

Billionaire and minority owner Steve Cohen's attempt to buy an 80 percent stake of the Mets for $2.6 billion fell through in February after Mets owner Fred Wilpon reportedly changed the terms of the deal at the 11th hour. 

Under the construct of that deal, Cohen would have taken control of the club in five years. No such clause would be part of this deal, Variety reported.

Cohen, 63, paid $40 million for an 8 percent stake of the Mets in 2012.

The Mets are utilizing Allen & Co.'s Steve Greenberg to manage the any potential sale.

The combined net worth of Rodriguez and Lopez is around $700 million, per Variety.

Forbes currently lists the Mets' value at $2.4 billion, which ranks sixth among Major League Baseball teams, trailing only the New York Yankees ($5 billion), Los Angeles Dodgers ($3.4 billion), the Boston Red Sox ($3.3 billion), Chicago Cubs ($3.2 billion) and the San Francisco Giants ($3.1 billion).

Field Level Media/Reuters

Taylor Swift, Oprah join huge global event to celebrate coronavirus workers

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Taylor Swift, Jennifer Lopez and Oprah Winfrey have joined a global broadcast special telecast this weekend that will recognize the efforts of workers on the front lines of the coronavirus outbreak, organizers said on Tuesday.

The “One World Together at Home” event, a combination of music, comedy and stories from doctors, nurses and grocery workers, also announced an additional six-hour streaming event that will include appearances by major sports stars, including British Formula One racing champion Lewis Hamilton, U.S. women’s World Cup soccer player Megan Rapinoe, World Cup skier Lindsey Vonn and dozens of other singers, actors and social media influencers.

The April 18 streaming event will precede the two-hour show to be broadcast across multiple North American and international television networks on Saturday evening in the biggest effort so far to show solidarity with frontline workers.

All those taking part in the event, organized by the World Health Organization (WHO) and advocacy group Global Citizen, will appear remotely due to social distancing and shutdowns aimed at curtailing the spread of the disease that has killed more than 124,000 people worldwide.

“Our hope for the special is that everyone will come away believing that we, as a shared humanity, can emerge from this moment forever grateful for the work of doctors, nurses, teachers, grocery store workers, and all those who are the backbone of our communities,” Hugh Evans, co-founder and chief executive of Global Citizen, said in a statement.

Lady Gaga announced the event last week but it has since expanded dramatically and now includes some of the biggest celebrities in the world, including Celine Dion, Billie Eilish, John Legend, Elton John, Paul McCartney, Chris Martin, Andrea Bocelli and Michael Buble.

While the special is not billed as a public fundraiser, it is also aimed at encouraging philanthropists and companies to dig into their pockets and contribute to the WHO’s Covid-19 Solidarity Response Fund. Gaga said last week that more than $35 million had been raised from corporations.

“When we do air live on April 18th, put your wallets away, your credit cards away, anything away that you need to and sit back and enjoy the show that you all very much deserve,” Gaga told a news conference last week.

Reporting by Jill Serjeant; editing by Jonathan Oatis

With Latin beat, J-Lo and Shakira project power of women at Super Bowl showcase

Jennifer Lopez and Shakira brought an energetic jolt of Latina star power to Sunday's Super Bowl halftime show, delivering hip-shaking choreography and a medley of infectious hits to one of the world's glitziest stages.

Latin artists Bad Bunny and J Balvin appeared as surprise guests in the extravaganza, which signaled its Latin American influences from the onset, when Shakira greeted the stadium audience in Spanish with "Hola, Miami."


Dressed in a sequined, ruby-red outfit with matching boots, Shakira led her team of dancers through snippets of hits such as "Whenever, Wherever" and "Hips Don't Lie" before giving way to J-Lo.

Lopez made her entrance in black leather and studs on a stage set resembling the top of the Empire State Building, as "Jenny from the Block" proudly announced she was from the Bronx, New York.

The 12-minute halftime show, along with commercials, has become a popular feature of the Super Bowl spectacle on par with the game itself, which draws some 100 million television viewers in the United States.

In Miami, a majority Latino city, where the Kansas City Chiefs played the San Francisco 49ers for the championship of the National Football League, the show's organizers had discreetly built up expectations for a display of girl power with a Latina twist.

The backgrounds of the two headliners fit two of the demographics the National Football League is trying to attract to expand its fan base: women and Latinos.

J-Lo, 50, is the Bronx-born child of Puerto Rican parents who, as her own hit "Jenny from the Block" attests, rose from humble roots to become an international star of Hollywood movies and popular music with her own fashion and fragrance lines.

As her set progressed, J-Lo changed in a wink into a lacy body suit, unfurling a rectangular boa with the U.S. flag on one side and the Puerto Rican flag on the other. It was a subtle reminder that Puerto Ricans -- hit by a Category 5 hurricane in 2017 and more recently set back by a series of earthquakes -- are Americans, too.

She then strutted to "On the Floor," a 2011 hit, and "Let's Get Loud," a track from her debut 1999 album, featuring a girls' choir.

Shakira, 43, who is from Barranquilla, Colombia, in building up the show she let it be known she sympathized with Latinos in the United States, where anti-immigration rhetoric has become more open in recent years.

"Latinos are going through a difficult time in the U.S. right now, and I think it's very important for us to convey a message of unity and also to show what a relevant force the Latin community is in this country," Shakira told reporters on Thursday.

This year's Super Bowl broke ground for women in high places, including in the ownership of both teams (Denise York of the 49ers and Norma Hunt of the Chiefs), and on the sidelines, where San Francisco's offensive assistant Katie Sowers became the first woman to coach in a Super Bowl.

"That statement alone is empowering," Lopez told reporters on Thursday, referring to the women owners and halftime headliners.

The Super Bowl halftime show started out 53 years ago with university marching bands, a high school drill team and two guys flying with jet packs. It has since evolved into a showcase for A-list talent, including Michael Jackson, the Rolling Stones, Madonna and Lady Gaga.

One of the more notable performances came in 2004 when Justin Timberlake tugged on Janet Jackson's clothes, briefly exposing a breast adorned with a nipple shield. The U.S. Federal Communications Commission sought to fine broadcaster CBS $550,000 for indecency over the incident, which Timberlake famously dubbed a "wardrobe malfunction," but the fine was overturned in the courts.

source: news.abs-cbn.com

Bryant death has Lopez and Shakira planning Super Bowl message

MIAMI (Reuters) - Kobe Bryant’s death in a helicopter crash has reminded everyone how fragile life is, Jennifer Lopez and Shakira said on Thursday, and the pop superstars plan to use their Super Bowl halftime show to convey that message.

“Life is so fragile and that is why we have to try and live every moment as intensely as we can,” Shakira told a packed news conference. “We will be celebrating life, celebrating diversity in this country.

“I am sure he (Bryant) will be very proud to see the message we are going to try to convey on stage because I think it is a very big moment for our community, the Latino community in this country.”

Stopping short of saying they were planning a direct tribute to Bryant, the 18-times NBA All-Star who was killed in the crash along with his 13-year-old daughter Gianna and seven others on Sunday, Lopez and Shakira promised a fun, power-packed 12-minute show but wanted to make a point.

“I think this is just affecting everybody so much because it is reminding us, again, how fragile life is and how we have to appreciate every single moment,” Lopez said. “It can be taken away from us so easily.

“We have to love each other, we have to be together, we have to support each other we can’t be so at odds all the time. That’s part of our mission and our message too.”

Like the Super Bowl commercials, the halftime show is an event unto itself, attracting a stand-alone audience that has no particular interest in the game.

The halftime shows typically feature many of the world’s top-selling artists and last year’s with headliners Maroon 5 attracted nearly 100 million viewers.

The last time the Super Bowl was staged in Miami in 2010 British rock giants The Who topped the bill.

With Miami’s large Latino community and Latin vibe, Shakira and Lopez, performing together for the first time, would appear to be the perfect fit for this year’s Super Bowl.

Lopez, an actress and singer known for hits such as “Love Don’t Cost a Thing” and “If You had My Love”, stars in the movie “Hustlers” which is generating buzz in Hollywood.

Colombian singer Shakira, a three-times Grammy winner, is one of the world’s best-selling Latin music stars. She found international fame with her 2006 single “Hips Don’t Lie”.

While the singers offered no hint of any political protest they made it clear their presence on the Super Bowl stage was sending a strong message, particularly to young Latino girls.

“The 49ers and Chiefs are run by women and you’ve got two women heading the halftime show. That statement alone for me is empowering,” Lopez said.

“When I think of my daughter, when I think of all the little girls in the world to see that, two Latinos doing that at this time in our country it is just very empowering.”

Editing by Ed Osmond

source: news.abs-cbn.com

Jennifer Lopez, Shakira to play Super Bowl halftime show

LOS ANGELES, United States—Pop superstars Jennifer Lopez and Shakira will perform together during the widely watched US Super Bowl halftime show in February, the singers and broadcaster Fox Sports said on Thursday.

"First time together on stage... on the world's biggest stage. Welcome @JLo and @Shakira to the #PepsiHalftime show," a tweet from Fox Corp's Fox Sports said.

The National Football League's Super Bowl championship, to be played in Miami on Feb. 2, 2020, is the biggest annual event on US television. The halftime show typically features some of the world's most well-known performers. Last year's telecast attracted 98.2 million viewers.

Lopez, an actress and singer known for hits such as "Love Don't Cost a Thing" and "If You had My Love," currently stars in the movie "Hustlers," which is generating buzz in Hollywood as a possible Oscar contender.

Colombian singer Shakira is a 3-time Grammy winner, and one of the world's best-selling Latin music stars. She found international fame with her 2006 single "Hips Don't Lie."

Lopez said in a statement she was thrilled to be performing at the show with a fellow Latina. "I can't wait to show what us girls can do on the world's biggest stage," she said.

Shakira said the opportunity was "a true American dream, and we are going to bring the show of a lifetime!"

Rock band Maroon 5 played during last year's halftime show. Other performers have included Lady Gaga, Madonna, Prince and Beyonce.

source: news.abs-cbn.com

Tom Hanks and J-Lo strippers raise pulses at Toronto film fest

TORONTO -- Scantily clad strippers and softly spoken kids' TV stars were on show Saturday as the Toronto film festival hit its stride
with a wide range of hotly anticipated premieres.

Screams from the red-carpet crowd could be heard blocks from the city center as Jennifer Lopez headed a cast of glamorous leading ladies for the world premiere of "Hustlers."

Constance Wu ("Crazy Rich Asians") and singers Cardi B and Lizzo appear in the star-studded movie about New York strippers who turned the tables on wealthy businessmen during the financial crisis.

The real-life tale -- billed as a female "Wolf of Wall Street" -- depicts how a group of women resorted to increasingly criminal tactics, such as spiking men's drinks before emptying their bank accounts, as the stock market crash hit strip club receipts.

Lopez said the film puts a spotlight on how society is more harsh to judge women than men "when they're stealing or robbing people blind."

Men "are doing it on this big corporate level and these girls are doing it that kind of small street level -- and they get off and (the girls) go to jail," she said.

Introducing the film, director Lorene Scafaria dedicated it "to strippers and sex workers everywhere."

Earlier, Tom Hanks kicked off the evening with "A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood," based on the unlikely true friendship between a cynical investigative journalist and Fred Rogers, the impossibly nice US television presenter he is sent to interview.

The movie, directed by Marielle Heller on a gala night dedicated to female filmmakers, blends Rogers' trademark nursery-rhyme stylings with hard-edged family drama, and drew a lengthy ovation at its world-first showing.

While describing Hanks as the perfect casting to play a beloved national treasure, Heller insisted the "Forrest Gump" star's preparations for the role had been "transformative."

"He did not just slip on this cardigan and 'boom' he was Mr. Rogers -- he actually truly goes to a very deep place," she told AFP.

Hanks said had been too old to watch the long-running "Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood" program while it aired, admitting he "didn't get" the "really weird black and white TV show" as a child, but was won over by its host.

"Mr. Rogers doesn't want anything except for people maybe to understand themselves and the world a little better," he said.

Matthew Rhys, the Welsh actor who plays the film's journalist, said Rogers -- who died in 2013 -- "bucked the norm" of goofy custard pie-throwing theatrics on kids' TV.

"That's the last thing children want -- they want calm, they need to be treated maturely," he told AFP.

'Sinister undercurrent'

Across the street, Eddie Murphy marked his big screen comeback by attending the premiere of "Dolemite Is My Name," his biopic of US comedian Rudy Ray Moore, famed for his outlandish 1970s Blaxploitation character.

The "Beverly Hills Cop" star, who recently announced he would return to stand-up comedy from next year, received a standing ovation from the Toronto crowd.

Also in town were 007 actor Daniel Craig and "Captain America" Chris Evans for "Knives Out," the Agatha Christie-style whodunnit movie from "Star Wars" director Rian Johnson.

Craig praised the cast for the film -- described by the Hollywood Reporter as a "deviously irreverent crowd-pleaser" -- as "a lightning in a bottle situation."

Earlier on Saturday, Oscar-winner Jamie Foxx called on America to tackle the "sinister undercurrent" of racism in its justice system, after his courthouse drama set in a starkly polarized Deep South debuted the previous night.

Foxx and Michael B. Jordan -- two of Hollywood's top black A-listers -- co-star in "Just Mercy," the true story of a black man put on death row in Alabama in 1988 for the murder of a young white woman he did not commit.

"We wanted to make sure people understand how tragic it is, and how commonplace it is -- it happens all the time," said Foxx, who plays wrongfully convicted Walter McMillian.

The Toronto International Film Festival, the largest in North America, runs until September 15.

source: news.abs-cbn.com

It's official! Jennifer Lopez, A-Rod are engaged

NEW YORK - Jennifer Lopez and retired baseball great Alex Rodriguez have been one of the most glam celebrity couples in recent years. Fans, get ready: a J-Rod wedding is on the cards.

Lopez and Rodriguez confirmed on Instagram late Saturday that they are engaged.

Both posted a picture of their hands at sunset, with Lopez's enormous diamond ring. 

While the multi-hyphenated singer-actress-dancer-producer only captioned the pic with heart emojis, Rodriguez went a bit farther, writing in lower-case letters: "she said yes."

Lopez, 49, and Rodriguez, 43, have been a couple for about two years. 

Lopez, currently the executive producer and judge on NBC reality dance competition show "World of Dance," is set to go on tour later this year across North America. She wrapped up a Vegas residency in 2018.

She has been married three times: to Ojani Noa, back-up dancer Cris Judd, and singer Marc Anthony, with whom she has 11-year-old twins. She also had a high-profile relationship with actor Ben Affleck.

Rodriguez retired from Major League Baseball in 2016, after a lengthy career, mostly with the New York Yankees. He won one World Series title with the Yankees and was an All-Star 14 times.

His achievements were tarnished by his admission that he used performance-enhancing drugs. He was suspended for the entire 2014 season.

Rodriguez currently works as an on-air baseball analyst.

He has been married once. He and ex-wife Cynthia Scurtis have two daughters.

source: news.abs-cbn.com

Did you know? Steven Tyler thought Pia was J. Lo

MANILA – It seems that Aerosmith lead singer Steven Tyler could not tell reigning Miss Universe Pia Wurtzbach and singer Jennifer Lopez apart.

Wurtzbach made the revelation in an Instagram video over the weekend, as part of her “Two Truths and a Lie with Miss Universe segment.”

The Filipina-German beauty queen said she and her manager saw Steven Tyler, who called her “J. Lo.”

“I was walking here with my manager, Esther. We saw Steven Tyler and then he called me J. Lo,” she said. “Now I think that’s a compliment. So that is actually true.”

Wurtzbach went on to share that the other “truth” is that she “used to build her own computers from scratch.”

The “lie,” meanwhile, is that she “took secret weekend trips to Paris.”

“I’ve never been to Paris, although I lived in London for about three years. I know it’s (London) very close to Paris, but I’ve never visited Paris,” she said.

Wurtzbach recently visited Manila to discuss with President Rodrigo Duterte the possibility of holding the next Miss Universe pageant here in the Philippines.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Jennifer Lopez performs in stunning Michael Cinco gown

Pop star Jennifer Lopez wore a stunning cape with a flowing train made by Dubai-based Filipino designer Michael Cinco as she performed with acclaimed writer and rapper Lin-Manuel Miranda on "The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon" Tuesday night.

Lopez sang "Love Make the World Go Round," a tribute song to the victims of the mass shooting that took place in Orlando, Florida last month that left 49 dead and 50 injured.

Cinco, in an Instagram post, shared that the design for the hand-painted train was inspired by the beautiful stained glass windows of the iconic Sainte-Chapelle in Paris. She took off the cape when Miranda joined her midway through the song.


Proceeds from sales of "Love Make the World Go Round" will go to the Hispanic Federation's Proyecto Somos Orlando fund, which provides mental-health services.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Designer to the stars: 10 international celebs in Michael Cinco

MANILA – Michael Cinco has certainly come a long way.

He is considered as of the world’s most sought-after Filipino fashion designers, with his couture creations worn by both local celebrities and international stars.

Here’s a look at some of the big-name celebrities who have been spotted wearing Cinco’s dresses.

Mobile users can view the desktop version of this slideshow here.

1. Jennifer Lopez

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

IN PHOTOS: Taylor, JLo, Britney hit Billboard red carpet

Taylor Swift, Jennifer Lopez, Iggy Azalea, Britney Spears and many other big stars in music and beyond rocked the red carpet at the 2015 Billboard Music Awards in Las Vegas on Sunday night (Monday morning in Manila).

Swift dominated this year’s awards after winning Top Artist, Top Female Artist, Top Billboard 200 Album (for “1989”), Top Billboard 200 Artist, Top Hot 100 Artist, Top Digital Songs Artist, Top Streaming Song – Video (for “Shake It Off”), and the fan-voted Billboard Chart Achievement Award.

Other big winners include Sam Smith (Top Male Artist, Top New Artist and Top Radio Songs Artist), Iggy Azalea (Top Rap Song for “Fancy,” Top Streaming Artist and Top Rap Artist), One Direction (Top Touring Artist and Top Duo/Group), Pharrell Williams (Top R&B Artist, Top R&B Song for “Happy” and Top R&B Album for “G I R L”), John Legend (Top Radio Song and Top Streaming Song – Audio for “All of Me”) and Hozier (Top Rock Artist and Top Rock Song for “Take Me to Church”).

Here’s a glimpse of the red carpet looks at the 2015 Billboard Music Awards. Which one is your favorite?

Mobile users can view the desktop version of the slideshow here.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

WATCH: Tour JLo's former house that Pacquiao wants to buy

One of the homes that boxing champ Manny Pacquiao is planning to buy is located in Beverly Hills, California and was once owned by international superstar Jennifer Lopez.

Located at 12055 Summit Circle, the Mediterranean-inspired home has seven bedrooms, 7.5 bathrooms, a his and hers closet, an open kitchen and a home theater.

The patio comes with a built-in barbecue, a pool with fountains, a spa and an outdoor fireplace.

Take a tour of the property by watching this video by the Beverly Hills real estate firm Nelson Shelton and Associates which was uploaded on YouTube in 2013.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Pacquiao makes an offer for JLo's mansion

Filipino boxing icon Manny Pacquiao is planning to buy a mansion once owned by international superstar Jennifer Lopez in Beverly Hills, California.

Pacquiao, who is in the US to train for his upcoming May 2 bout against American boxer Floyd Mayweather Jr., told ANC on Tuesday that he went house-hunting.

“Nag-offer na ako. Maganda kasi 'yung bahay tapos gated siya and hindi basta basta 'yung tao makakapunta,” he said.

Although he refused to divulge the amount of his offer, Pacquiao clarified that he is still in the process of negotiation. A TV report earlier said the house costs $12 million or over P500 million.

“Nagtatawaran pa,” he said, laughing.

Pacquiao said among the house's features that he liked is the saltwater swimming pool.

Meanwhile, the Filiipno boxer also reported that he has started training with his coach, Freddie Roach.

“'Yung training so far so good. Maganda naman. Today is the first day [of my training with Freddie Roach] and happy naman siya. We are focusing on what we are going to do in the last six weeks of our training. Nagfo-focus kami sa strategy and style,” he said.

Pacquiao said he has to be in tip-top condition for what is probably the most important fight in his career.

“Nasa Panginoon na kung paano tayo mananalo. Ang focus natin ngayon is maging 100% physically and higit sa lahat, spiritually and mentally focused,” he said.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Jennifer Lopez turns out for Versace at Paris fashion

PARIS - Jennifer Lopez on Sunday provided the star power at Paris fashion as designer Donatella Versace kicked off six days of haute couture catwalk shows.



The Italian designer sent out opulent blue fur coats, voluminous silk ball gowns and gold-buckled corsets in what she called a celebration of "construction and deconstruction".

In a string of a asymmetrical looks, jackets and trousers were cut away to one side while one skirt was slashed so high it revealed the model's hip.

Plunging fronts and backs had thin strips of vinyl embroidered on transparent fabric to create graphic shapes.

US actress Lopez, wearing a strapless white gown, posed with Versace on the steps of the Paris Chamber of Commerce and Industry near the Champs-Elysees where the show was held.

French designer Fred Sathal, meanwhile, was fashionably late for her return to Paris couture after an absence of eight years.

Sathal's "colour light" show got the couture collections for autumn/winter 2014/15 off to a sparkling start after a 50 minute delay.

The designer used beading and embellishments to create a swishing, shimmering effect, especially on mini-dresses with heavily-fringed hems.

A recurring fabric used in trousers, coats and kaftan dresses was inspired by an artist's paint palette.

And Sathal did not shy away from fur with one supremely over-the-top cape made entirely from fox tails.

Around 30 haute couture fashion shows, including those by some of the biggest names in fashion such as Chanel and Christian Dior, will be held in Paris over the next week, wrapping up on Friday.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

JLo to perform at World Cup opener after all

RIO DE JANEIRO - Pop superstar Jennifer Lopez will perform at the World Cup opening ceremony after all, FIFA said Tuesday, two days after it announced "production issues" would prevent her traveling to Brazil.

Lopez, who recorded the official World Cup song, "We Are One," with rapper Pitbull and Brazilian singer Claudia Leitte, will perform it with them and Brazilian drumming collective Olodum as originally planned at Thursday's kick-off, FIFA said.

"FIFA and the Local Organizing Committee are delighted to announce that we will have the full line-up of stars," it said in a statement. "The performance by Pitbull, Claudia Leitte, Jennifer Lopez and Olodum will be the climax of the ceremony."

More than 60,000 people will be in Sao Paulo's Corinthians Arena to watch the ceremony and kick-off match between Brazil and Croatia. Around a billion people are expected to tune in on TV worldwide.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

J.Lo, Pitbull, Claudia Leitte to sing official World Cup anthem

RIO DE JANEIRO - US pop music stars Jennifer Lopez and Pitbull will join Brazilian singer Claudia Leitte on the official World Cup anthem "We Are One," FIFA announced in Rio on Thursday.

"Only music and football can attract 80,000 people to a stadium, but a concert has just one artist, while football has 22," said FIFA Secretary General Jerome Valcke at Brazil's Maracana Stadium.

"We are here to break down barriers and show that through sports and music we are one," said Pitbull, a Cuban-American rapper whose real name is Armando Christian Perez, at the event held here five months before kickoff.

Leitte said the song would show off her country's love affair with musical and sporting rhythm.

"Music is my passion and football is the passion of the Brazilian people," the singer said.

"We want to show the passion and the culture -- that's what we have in this record. We are in the finishing phases.

"This music will be a golazo!" she added, using a term which means "great goal" in Spanish and Portuguese.

Lopez was not in Rio for Thursday event.

Former Brazilian skipper and World Cup winner Cafu said the song "incorporates the rhythms of Brazil and of the Brazilian people -- people will dance to the World Cup beat."

Alexandre Schiavo, president of FIFA commercial partner Sony Music Brazil, also praised the happy marriage between football-loving Brazil and its infectious music.

"Brazilian music is very rich and music and football is a passionate combination," Schiavo said.

Organizers hope the recording enjoys similar success to Colombian star Shakira's "Waka Waka" signature tune from the last World Cup, held in South Africa in 2010.

That track was a huge success, notching up more than half a billion Youtube views.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Philippine All Stars to open for Jennifer Lopez

MANILA, Philippines -- Bruno Mars, Justin Timberlake, Nicki Minaj and Ne-yo are just some of the international acts whose Manila concerts featured the Filipino hip-hop group, the Philippine All Stars.

Tonight another global superstar will be added to the resume of the lauded dance group.

The Philippine All Stars will be the opening act in Jennifer Lopez’s one-night-only concert at the SM Mall of Asia Arena on Monday for the Manila leg of the actress-singer’s Dance Again World Tour.

“Malaking privilege talaga to open for her. Siya ang isa sa mga inspirasyon namin sa dancing, lalo na ang mga girls,” said the group’s Krista Roma.

Although the dancers admit to feeling nervous about tonight’s concert, they are also excited to take the stage for their performance, especially since they look up to Lopez for her dance choreography as shown in her music videos like “Jenny on the Block.”

For the male members of the Philippine All Stars, they are also hoping to catch the attention of Lopez, widely considered among the hottest women on the planet, especially since the latest boyfriend of the former “American Idol” judge is her dancer Casper Smart.

And just as Lopez has served as an inspiration for the Pinoy dancers, the Philippine All Stars are also hoping to impress the Hollywood star.

"Gusto namin ipakita na world-class ang dancers natin dito sa Pilipinas dahil naniniwala kami talaga magaling tayo sa pagsayaw," Roma said.

Celebrities star-struck

Meanwhile, another self-confessed fan of Lopez is Kapamilya star Maja Salvador.

The “24/7 in Love” star even posted a picture of Lopez on her official Twitter account after she saw the “Dance Again” hitmaker in a five-star hotel this morning.

“I died! Just saw J-Lo working out! OMG! Thank you, Lord! Dream come true!” she posted on Twitter.

“Una naka swim ko kids niya pagbalik ko ng gym waaaaah nandun na siya! #number1FanofJLO Thank you Lord! Happiest day!” she said in another tweet.

“Just talked to J-Lo! Me: Can I have a picture with you? J-Lo: Can you meet me downstairs please ‘coz I’m kinda mess right now... I love you!” Salvador said.

Other celebrities also expressed their excitement with tonight’s concert, including TV host Mariel Rodriguez and broadcaster Karen Davila.

“Excited to watch @JLo tonight! I'm an original fan! Love her roots, story, rise to the top, music and sexiness!” Davila said on her Twitter account.

Singer Zsa Zsa Padilla said she already saw Lopez perform in Los Angeles.

“J-Lo is muy caliente! Saw the show in Staples and I'm feeling pretty left out not watching it again. Enjoy,” she said on Twitter.

Even the social media team of the Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) can’t help but be swept by the J-Lo fever.

“ADVISORY: @JLo concert 2nyt at SM MOA. Expect traffic buildup at area as many fans have been waiting for tonight to dance again,” the MMDA said on its Twitter account. – Report from Ginger Conejero, ABS-CBN News

source: abs-cbnnews.com