Bats and Boyles!

Yup, it's a two-fer of entertainment news, just for YOU, my dear readers. First up, Ozzy Ousbourne is suing former Black Sabbath bandmate Tony Iommi for copyright infringement. The short, No-Babbling-Ozzy version is pretty simple: Iommi has been using the Black Sabbath name, music, and logo for his own show, claiming 100% of the copyright and the money coming in from his Black Sabbath tour. Ozzy says that his unique vocals made the Black Sabbath copyright valuable, and he wants 50% of everything Iommi has earned, including promo stuff like T-shirts, from the last 12 years. According to Ozzy, the ideal arrangement would be that all four original members ( Geezer Bulter and Bill Ward being the other two) share equally, 25% each, of all the income from Black Sabbath stuff, regardless if it's Tony or Ozzy touring with the name. I personally applaud Ozzy, and think that Iommi should see the light- 25% of Ozzy's Black Sabbath income could easily outpace 100% of his Ozzy-less Black Sabbath.



And speaking of British singing phenomenons, if you haven't heard Susan Boyle sing, man are you lucky, to still have that incredible experience in front of you. Turn up the volume, get your friends , even your boss will stop to listen to her-

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=deRF9oEbRso

Unfortunately, the British papparazzi are even more invasive and relentless than their American counterparts, and EVERYTHING Susan has done since that first performance has not only been thoroughly documented, but also been the target of any and every snide remark that could be made; they talk about her weight, her age, her "lack of fashion", her hairstyle, even her eyebrows. So it isn't even a little surprising that she has finally reached her breaking point, and has been checked into the Priory Clinic in London (the same clinic that treated Kate Moss's heroin addiction and got her straight) earlier today, to be treated for extreme exhaustion. In Susan's case, I don't think "exhaustion" is a code word for "incredibly drunk/alcoholic". That the actions of the British tabloid reporters/photographers is a large part of Susan's problem is not only not in doubt, it is the focus of comments made by Scotland's First Minister Alex Salmond, who blasted the media, saying "elements of a press who like nothing better than to build people up and then drag them down."

Here's hoping that Susan gets better and can continue to perform, it would truly be a sin to keep such a fantastic voice away from the world.



(both stories from AP)