The Taste of Fame — Center stage, silver screen, joyful new mom. How do I keep this show on the road? Milk. Its wholesome goodness helps make my family strong at every stage. Talk about a powerful performance. Got Milk?

I love me some J. Hud but this outfit? No. I dunno why she needs to wear one of Liberace’s old bath robes … it’s not a good look on her. After the jump, check out Jennifer Hudson’s other Got Milk? promo ad which, IMHO, looks a bit better than this one …

My Goodness — A lot has changed since I first hit the stage. Now I’m a news mom with an audience of one. And who’s the star of my show? Milk. It’s the elixir that builds strong families. Talk about a powerful performance. Got Milk?

This photo is MUCH better … I think the jacket works better with the collar down, don’t you? Yes. In other J. Hud news, it is being reported that her sophomore album will be released in May and her next film Winnie, will be a biopic on the life of South African First Lady Winnie Mandela. Bizzy times ahead for Jennifer Hudson, I hope she’s drinkin’ a lot of milk to keep her strong and healthy!

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Producers were putting the final touches Tuesday to a remake of “We Are The World” with stars such as Barbra Streisand, Wyclef Jean and Celine Dion lending their support for Haiti’s quake victims. It was 25 years ago that Michael Jackson, Bob Dylan and Bruce Springsteen joined others at the famed A&M Studios in Hollywood for an all-star recording of the same song to benefit famine relief in Africa. That effort, USA for Africa, raised 63 million dollars. This time, dozens of other A-listers — who also include Usher, Lil Wayne, Pink, Natalie Cole and the Jonas Brothers — took to the same soundstage late Monday for an hours-long recording that dragged into the night. The aim is to raise money to help survivors of the massive January 12 quake that killed 170,000 people and devastated what was already the poorest country in the Americas. No cameras were allowed inside, but the song’s producers said “We Are The World – 25 For Haiti” will air during NBC television’s coverage of the opening of the Winter Olympics on February 12. More than 70 stars — many of them hip-hop artists — lent their voice to the effort, none of them participants in the original recording. Rapper Wyclef Jean, a Haiti native, said in a statement he was “proud to be joined by so many members of the artistic community that want to support the region and have donated their time and talents to providing an effective way for the global community to get involved with helping the Haitian population.” The original tune was co-written and produced by Jackson, who died June 25 of cardiac arrest, Lionel Richie and Quincy Jones. Richie and Jones produced the new version. Academy Award-winning filmmaker Paul Haggis, who directed “Crash” and also co-wrote “Million Dollar Baby,” filmed the session for an accompanying video. “What an unbelievable group of people who have come together to give their voices, for a cause to start the healing of a people who have experienced a devastation of such magnitude,” said Richie. Among the other performers spanning a broad swath of genres and ages, from 83-year-old Tony Bennett to 15-year-old Justin Bieber, were Carlos Santana, Brian Wilson and Al Jardine of the Beach Boys. “It kind of hit me that I guess this is something way more important than I could have ever imagined,” rapper Lil Wayne, who is playing Bob Dylan’s part from the original recording, told a news conference. The recording was timed just a day after the 52nd Annual Grammy Awards to ensure the maximum number of stars would attend. The contemporary version of the song and the video will be available to buy through online and traditional retailers. Producers say all proceeds will go “directly” to earthquake relief efforts in Haiti.

This is such a fantastic idea … what a great way to raise money for Haitian relief. It’s such a shame that Michael Jackson couldn’t be part of this redux but it was nice of Kanye West to wear one of MJ’s jackets so that he could be there in spirit. I can’t even begin to express how much of an impact the original We Are The World had on me when it was released in 1985. I loved that song so much … I would sit by the radio and record it on cassette tapes every time it aired … I would have cassette tapes with just this song recorded on it over and over again. I’m really looking forward to hearing this version. I’m not sure why this report claims there were “no cameras” allowed in the studio because there were and a lot of photos have been made available. After the jump, check out some individual shots of some of the folks who participated in We Are The World: 25 Years for Haiti yesterday …

Barbara Streisand and Snoop Dogg, y’all … how awesome is that? I can’t WAIT to hear this new version of We Are The World … but while we wait for its release, let’s take some time to watch the music video for the original version recorded 25 years ago:

The Grammys rode the 3-D wave Sunday with a special-effects-laden tribute to the late Michael Jackson in an awards show that featured many big spectacle moments. Jackson’s children, Prince Michael, 12, and Paris, 11 appeared after the tribute to accept a lifetime achievement award for the pop star, who died in June of a prescription drug overdose. Carrie Underwood, Celine Dion, Jennifer Hudson, Smokey Robinson and Usher performed in the tribute, mingling their voices with the voice of the late King of Pop against the backdrop of a 3-D film featuring Jackson’s 1995 eco-friendly “Earth Song.” Free 3-D “Grammy” glasses were distributed at Target stores nationwide so viewers could watch the show in 3-D from their living rooms. Part of the Jackson film shown during the Grammys aired in the recent documentary “This Is It” which was shot during rehearsals for Jackson’s comeback tour and showed the pop star looking fit just days before his death in June 2009. Jackson had intended the environmentally themed song and film to be part of that tour, which was supposed to have begun in July 2009. He was considered one of the most commercially successful entertainers of all time whose music and videos transformed the art and broke down racial barriers. The clip features a lush forest through the eyes of a young girl.

I hope you hung on to your 3D glasses because uploaded video clips of the Earth Song performance will (kinda) appear in 3D if you watch them on your computer :) In addition to the technologically fitting tribute performance last night, MJ’s children Prince Michael Joseph and Paris Michael Katherine appeared on stage to accept the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award which was awarded to MJ posthumously during the show:

After the jump, check out video of MJ’s kids accepting his award on stage, check out a backstage photo of Prince and Paris posing with their little brother Blanket AND bust out those 3D glasses, yo, you can watch Earth Song in 3D right here on the blog …

It’s amazing how much MJ’s kids have grown up in the past few months. Paris, especially, looks like a young lady already! The clip of Prince accepting the award is really sweet, check it out:

It was an incongruous group. On one level were Hollywood royalty Barbra Streisand and Jane Fonda, Joan and Jackie Collins. In their sights, on the next level down, were Mary J Blige, Taylor Swift, Maxwell, Fergie and the Black Eyed Peas, Keyshia, Mos Def, Nelly, Jonas Brothers, Russell Brand and his fiance Katy Perry, the Kings of Leon, Usher and Jon Bon Jovi and many others. They were seated in what is known as the ‘pit’ inside the Beverly Hilton’s international ballroom. The old guard and the new guard of Hollywood movies and rock ‘n’ roll were gathered for the annual pre-Grammy party hosted by music industry mogul Clive Davis, known as ‘golden ears’ for his ability in finding and developing music artists. Some claim the pre-Grammy bash on Saturday night is bigger, and better, than the official Grammy show on Sunday night. It’s certainly a looser affair. Celebrities knock back wine and champagne and table hop. The evening saw Mary J Blige publicly humiliate her band in front of an audience that included recording industry titans and some of the biggest names in rock. The singer lost her cool as, ironically, she was about to sing a song titled No More Drama … Diva she may be but, to be fair to Mary J. Blige, she did sing beautifully and by the time she completed her performance her behaviour towards the band was forgiven and she earned a standing ovation … The night’s most amusing sight was observing Joan Collins and sister Jackie on their feet and waving their arms as Fergie and the Black Eyed Peas performed on stage. At least they moved in time to the music. Jennifer Hudson,who won a best supporting actress Oscar for her performance in Dreamgirls, performed a string of its associated with Barbra Streisand. Beforehand Hudson joked that she was frightened she would forget the lyrics. ‘They kept changing what songs I’d sing so I had to stay focused’, Hudson told the Daily Mail. Clive Davis hailed Oscar, Grammy and Tony award winner Streisand as a ‘unique, singular artist’ who boasted a number one album in five consecutive decades. ‘She’s the movie soundtrack of our lives’, Davis said of Streisand. Other big names at the pre-Grammy gig included Oscar winning actor Jamie Foxx and Harry Connick Jr. Rhianna sat at a prime table in the ‘pit’. This time last year she was seated at a similar table with Chris Brown … His name was missing from every Grammy party this weekend. However, Rhianna’s career has never been hotter and on Saturday everyone in the international ballroom queued to hug her.

Yes, as you may recall it was after Clive Davis’s Pre-Grammy Gala last year that Brown brutally and criminally assaulted Rihanna. I’m so happy to see that Rihanna had no qualms about attending this event a year later, especially considering the horrible memories it is bound to dredge up. Grammy weekend does not get started until Clive throws his party so … it is now officially upon us. The Grammy Awards air LIVE on the East Coast starting at 8pm ET. Make sure you pick up your 3D glasses at Target so you can watch the tribute to Michael Jackson in 3D:

[Photo credit: Wireimage; Source]

Most new mothers will take any opportunity to show off photographs of their bundle of joy. And Jennifer Hudson was certainly no exception as she proudly shared her snaps of her baby boy David with Oprah Winfrey. Speaking to the Queen of Chat on her show yesterday, the singer cooed over recent photos of her four-month-old son and revealed that she is planning to make his first Christmas a special one. She said: ‘I’m going to go crazy. He’s very aware but he’s so young and it’s his first Christmas, so you have to go all-out.’ And she said she would like to get him his own Santa and toy store, and added: ‘I kind of want to get him his own Santa Claus and just have like a toy store in the house, full of things.’ Hudson, 28, gave birth to David Daniel – named after his father, Jennifer’s fiancée David Otunga – in August this year … Hudson has been a regular guest on The Oprah Winfrey Show, and gave the chat show host her first interview since the family murders in February this year. On yesterday’s show, after gushing about baby David to Oprah and her other guests, country music duo, Sugarland, she joined the pair on stage for a rendition of the Christmas carol, Silent Night.

What a little cutie … and he’s gotten so big since we saw him last. While I don’t really understand the need to go all crazy for baby’s first Xmas (especially considering he prolly won’t know what the hell is going on), I can imagine that a new mom’s excitement might feel the need to go all out. Jennifer brought along another cute photo of lil’ David — check it out after the jump …

This baby is cute, y’all … and it sounds like he is going to have the best Xmas ever.

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Motherhood definitely seems to agree with Jennifer Hudson, who gave birth to her first child, David – named after her fiancé, David Otunga – on Aug. 10. “I love being nurturing and caring because I love to see other people happy,” says Hudson. “Who better to devote my time to than my own child?” From singing lullabies (“He can be crying at the top of his lungs and just turn off like a switch”) to frequent bottle-feedings (“I’ve never seen a baby eat like he does!”), the singer (who chose not to address the tragic loss of her family members last October) offers PEOPLE an intimate look into her new life as a mom.

Would you be supportive if he wants to pursue a career in entertainment?
“We’ll definitely encourage education. His father is an education fanatic so we definitely want him to get an education and go to school. My mom always said, ‘Whatever you want to do, I’ll support you as long as you’re happy.’ So I will do the same.”

He is so precious … mother and son look so adorably cute!! J. Hud did a great job of keeping her pregnancy underwraps, we didn’t know for sure she was pregs until about 2 months before her due date. With all the heartbreaking tragedy that Jennifer endured last year, I’m so happy to know that she and her growing family are doing fine. Little David Daniel is a darling … congrats again, J. Hud!!

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Dreamgirl Jennifer Hudson just met her little dream boy. Tragedy took a backseat as the Oscar winner and fiancé David Otunga welcomed David Daniel Otunga Jr. late Monday, E! News confirms. The tot weighed in at 7 pounds, 14 ounces. The 27-year-old former American Idol contestant never officially announced her pregnancy, although speculation began when she wore increasingly loose-fitting tops. In early June, her longtime friend Felicia Fields admitted to having attended Hudson’s gender-neutral baby shower in their hometown of Chicago. Hudson and Otunga decided to wait to find out the tyke’s sex until his birthday.

‘Tis true, there was no official confirmation about her pregnancy until word of a baby shower back in June made its way to the Internets. J. Hud suffered far too much tragedy already last year with the tragic loss of her mother, brother and nephew so I hope this birth brings her all the joy and happiness in the world. I wish the Hudson-Otunga family a long lifetime of bliss together … much, much love and congrats!!!

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His was a tumultuous life and a chaotic death, but Michael Jackson’s funeral and memorial Tuesday were orderly and celebratory, moving and bittersweet, as family, friends and fans around the world joined in lamenting the loss of the King of Pop. It was one of the most-watched celebrity sendoffs in history, telecast across multiple channels and streamed across the Internet. But the predicted traffic and crowd-control nightmares did not materialize. Thousands of police officers helped keep the ticketless crowd to a minimum — about 1,000 people vs. the 250,000 feared — and the motorcade with Jackson’s hearse encountered few problems traveling blocked-off freeways to downtown. The goodbye to Jackson started early with a private service for family and close friends at Forest Lawn in the Hollywood Hills. (A crash was heard as drivers slowed to watch the procession leave the cemetery). A star-crowded memorial program followed, at the downtown Staples Center, that was spiritual, smoothly entertaining and jubilantly roof-raising as Jackson was hailed as a superstar and humanitarian. “The King of Pop has gone to meet the King of Kings,” intoned the Rev. Lucious Smith, pastor of the Friendship Baptist Church in Pasadena. It was a day filled with touching moments, perhaps the most poignant when Jackson’s daughter, Paris, 11, took the microphone. “I just want to say ever since I was born, Daddy has been the best father you can ever imagine. And I just wanted to say I love him so much,” she said, breaking into tears. That followed two hours of farewell tributes from musicians, athletes and friends of Michael Joseph Jackson, who died suddenly June 25 at age 50. The crowd of 20,000 was alternately reverent and boisterous. They watched in solemn silence as the likes of Stevie Wonder, Lionel Richie and Mariah Carey sang sweetly, and older brother Jermaine crooned Smile, the theme from Charlie Chaplin’s classic film Modern Times. Usher sang Jackson’s sadly prescient Gone Too Soon as he caressed the golden casket spotlighted in front of the stage and draped in flowers. But when Kobe Bryant walked in, many jumped to their feet and started cheering and taking pictures; some reached over for high-fives. They cheered loud approval for the Rev. Al Sharpton’s fiery eulogy and laughed at a story Magic Johnson told about fried chicken. And they snapped photos with phones and rained shout-outs of “I love you, Michael!” during lulls … Other celebrities in the crowd: Cicely Tyson; P. Diddy; Rick, Kathy and Nicky Hilton; Lil Kim; Chris Brown; and Tatum O’Neal. Diana Ross and Nelson Mandela sent messages. Also absent: Jackson’s longtime pal Elizabeth Taylor, who said in a Twitter post she couldn’t bear to be part of the public hoopla, and Debbie Rowe, Jackson’s ex-wife and mother of Jackson’s two oldest children. Outside the Staples Center, the mood was festive. Vendors hawked T-shirts, buttons, photos and other memorabilia … As the memorial service ended, Jackson’s three children and eight siblings — his brothers were all wearing one beaded white glove in his honor — gathered onstage to say thanks. “We will never understand what he endured … being judged, ridiculed,” said brother Marlon, choking up. “Maybe, now, Michael, they will leave you alone.” The Rev. Smith closed by noting: “All around us are people of different cultures, different religions, different nationalities. And yet the music of Michael Jackson brings us together.” After the memorial, the family went to the Beverly Wilshire Hotel for a private reception. It was unclear whether Jackson’s casket would be returned to Forest Lawn for burial or taken to another final resting place.

I have to tell you that I was touched by the service more than I thought I would be. As I’ve tried to make clear, I’m not the biggest Michael Jackson fan in the world (there are plenty of uberfans all around the globe who are more fitting of that title than I) but I really wanted to pay respects to such an icon of pop culture. I didn’t count in being as affected by the memorial service as I was. Mariah Carey’s performance brought the first tears to my eyes … Brooke Shields’s eulogy brought them back. When Paris Michael Katherine, MJ’s 11 year old only daughter, spoke at the end of the service I absolutely burst out crying. There wasn’t a dry eye anywhere in our vicinity. Paris’s comments were so heartfelt, so honest … so raw. I’m sure it was difficult for most to keep from crying as she declared her love for her daddy. She said, “I just want to say… ever since I was born…. daddy has been the best father you can imagine. And I just want to say I love him so much.” In case you missed it, you can watch Paris’s short speech after the jump …

I realize that this clip has been played over and over again all day long yesterday and even today … but, for me, it was THE most touching and humanizing part of the entire memorial service. If you see anything from the service, it should be this:

A weekend baby shower in downtown Chicago confirmed what has long been rumored: Jennifer Hudson is pregnant. “It was a baby shower, a quiet gathering of friends and mostly family,” singer/actress Felicia Fields, a longtime Hudson friend, said of Saturday’s get-together in a relative’s home. “They’re really trying to keep it kind of quiet.” South Side native Hudson, the 27-year-old singing star who won the 2006 best supporting actress Oscar for “Dreamgirls,” is engaged to former reality TV star David Otunga, who’s currently pursuing a pro wrestling career. Hudson has said she no longer would live in Chicago after her mother, Darnell Donerson, brother Jason and nephew Julian King were found murdered in October, with William Balfour, the estranged husband of Jennifer’s sister Julia, charged with the crimes. Hudson recently finished a co-headlining concert tour with singer Robin Thicke, with an April 25 show at the Arie Crown Theatre. Her manager and publicist previously denied that she is pregnant. “It was a nice time that we had,” Fields said of the shower. She didn’t want to get into when the baby is due, but speculation is that Hudson is many months along—an impression bolstered by her appearance of late. As for whether Hudson received blue or pink gifts, Fields said, “They don’t know [the gender]. More yellow.”

I am so thrilled for her! Jennifer is such an amazing talented actress and singer, it is really great to know that she is enjoying some happy personal triumphs as well. I cannot image how difficult it must have been for her to deal with the sad loss of her family members but she has managed to solider thru the darkest time in her life and come out relatively happy on the other side. I wish her nothing but joyous happiness and lifelong bliss with her growing new family. Congrats!!

[Photo credit: Wireimage; Source]

Everyone was lookin’ their swanky best … Jennifer Hudson and Carrie Underwood looked lovely (tho, I preferred the dress that J. Hud changed into for her onstage performance) and Jesse McCartney looked crazed as he latched on to Paris Hilton’s teet for their odd photo op. Dunno what the kid was trying to accomplish but I hope he bathed afterward.

It turned out that Alison Krauss and Robert Plant were the big winners of the evening … along with Adele who took home the award for Best New Artist (edging out Duffy and the Jonas Brothers — thank God!). After the jump, check out some photos from the Grammy Press room of some of the winners with their trophies and find out who won what at last night’s affair …

Robert Plant and Alison Krauss were the big winners at the 51st annual Grammy Awards Sunday night. They won album of the year for Raising Sand; record of the year for their performance of the song “Please Read the Letter”; and three other honors. The duo upset rapper Lil Wayne and British rock band Coldplay; those artists had the best-selling albums of 2008. Lil Wayne took home three Grammys, including best rap album, and Coldplay also won three awards, including song of the year. The pairing of former Led Zeppelin singer Plant with bluegrass fiddler and singer Krauss turned out to be a surprise hit with critics and fans last year. The demure Krauss only spoke once during the Grammy telecast, when she and Plant accepted the album of the year award. “It’s been a wonderful time, and especially [with] Robert, there’s never a dull moment,” Krauss said. “I’d like to say I’m bewildered,” Plant added. “In the old days, we would have called this selling out. But I think it’s a good way to spend a Sunday.” It was an emotional Sunday for singer Jennifer Hudson. Less than four months ago, her mother, brother and nephew were murdered. The former American Idol contestant and Oscar winner fought back tears as she picked up her first Grammy — for best R&B album. “I first would like to thank God, who has brought me through. I would like to thank my family in heaven and those who are here today.” It was Hudson’s second public performance since the tragedy. She sang a week earlier at the Super Bowl. Unheard Controversy The Grammy ceremony was, for the most part, relentlessly upbeat. Members of Coldplay bounded onstage wearing blue, purple, green and red jackets to accept the song of the year award. But the song, “Viva La Vida,” is the subject of a copyright infringement lawsuit: In December, guitarist Joe Satriani filed suit in federal court alleging the band ripped off his 2004 instrumental, “If I Could Fly.” The suit generated a lot of coverage in the press and online, but Satriani may have a tough time proving his case. Some online music lovers have pointed out similarities between his tune and a 2002 release by the Argentine group Enanitos Verdes. Like the charges of musical plagiarism, the biggest news of the night went unmentioned during the telecast. Just as the ceremony was getting under way, the popular 19-year-old R&B singer Chris Brown was turning himself in to Los Angeles police for allegedly assaulting a woman early Sunday morning. Brown was scheduled to perform, as was his girlfriend, Rihanna, and both were nominated for Grammys. Neither won and both canceled — at the last minute. That led to a lot of speculation that Rihanna was the woman Brown assaulted. Los Angeles police declined to name the woman. Meanwhile Grammy organizers scrambled madly to fill their slots. The head of the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences, Neil Portnow, said the Grammys have never faced a situation like this. “Everybody has certain problems at times in their lives, things that you wish maybe didn’t happen, maybe you’re not proud of,” Portnow said. “I’m not a judgmental kind of an individual. I’m sorry they weren’t there for their moments on the stage. I think that’s the thing that is most unfortunate to me at the moment.” Los Angeles police say Brown was booked on suspicion of making a felony criminal threat and released after posting $50,000 bail.

UGH, it is *impossible* to talk about last night’s Grammys without the Chris Brown story getting a mention. In any event, I was pretty pleased with many of the winners … tho, I didn’t see that Plant/Krauss thing coming. I thought for sure that Coldplay would clean up … I’m kinda glad that they didn’t. I don’t really love them but I do enjoy that Viva La Vida song … but, I was not a fan of the way Coldplay ripped off the Wiggles with their very colorful outfits:

I’m just sayin’. And, it MUST be said that Katy Perry put on the WORST PERFORMANCE of the night:

I’m so over all of her hype, I’m glad that she didn’t win anything … she sounded horrible live in person and I’m ready for her bandwagon to jump the track and go away. Adele and Estelle, on the other hand, are amazing performers and I was THRILLED with their wins. Those ladies can sing and I’m happy they were rewarded for their talents.

David and I had such a great time and it was all due to the kind generosity of our friends at ABSOLUT Vodka … and as a result, I’d like to mention that ABSOLUT debuted a new commercial in relation to their In An ABSOLUT World campaign during last night’s Grammy Awards telecast — the first time the company has aired a commercial in primetime. In case you missed seeing it last night, here it is again: