Erykah Badu is not only causing some excitement with her new song “Window Seat,” but she is also causing a bit of a stir with the video she shot in Dallas’ Dealey Plaza (the site where President John F. Kennedy was assassinated in 1963) where she strips, gets completely naked, and ends the video mimicking being shot.  But it isn’t just that Erykah Badu got naked for the “Window Seat” video that is controversial, it is the how and why of the video that is in question as well. 

Erykah Badu described the “Window Seat” video as “guerilla style,” according to CNN, shot in a single stream without actors.  The video follows Badu as she walks through popular Dealey Plaza, passing hundreds of tourists in Dallas taking in the historic site of the John F. Kennedy assassination.  Along the way she begins to strip.  By the time she reaches the area where President Kennedy was shot, she is naked.  She then mimics being shot, her head snapping back.  She falls to the ground as if dead. 

Badu, sometimes referred to as the Queen of Neo-Soul, says that the video is a statement against “groupthink,” a phenomenon that presents itself when a group of people refuse to express their individuality within a group, often to the detriment of themselves and others, because of fear or love or respect of others within the group. 

It is unclear (thus far) if Erykah Badu is making a statement in the “Window Seat” video about the single bullet and the single assassin theories that have been the officially recognized find of the U. S. government via the Warren Commission that investigated the assassination of President John F. Kennedy.

If that weren’t controversial enough, Erykah Badu got naked in broad daylight in front of real, unsuspecting people, including children.  She later wrote on Twitter: “there were children there. i prayed they wouldnt b traumatized.” 

Dallas Police noted that what Erykah Badu, a Dallas native, did was a Class B misdemeanor, but they were not interested in pursuing the singer and mother of three.  They acknowledged, though, that had they been there during the Eryka Badu’s strip scene, they would have been forced to arrest her.

For her part, Badu said that at first she was very nervous, was “too busy lookin for cops,” but the more clothes she shed, the more liberated she felt.  She said people were trying hard to ignore her (which is evident in the video) and some made comments about how she should be ashamed of herself. She later tweeted:  “i been naked all along in my words actions and deeds. thats the real vulnerable place.” 

And at the video’s end?  She said, “We ran.” 

A publicity stunt?  A marketing tool?  A political or social statement?  A work of art?  All the above?  Erykah Badu is as cognizant as the next recording artist that controversy sells — and naked controversy sells better.  Her latest album, “New Amerykah Part Two: Return of the Ankh,” was released Tuesday,  just days after the “Window Seat” video launched.

Tiger Woods’ wife, Elin Nordegren, will not attend the Masters to watch her husband’s return to golf in April, according to RadarOnline.

It was previously reported that the former model was contemplating taking their kids to Sweden during the prestigious tournament, and People followed up yesterday to add that she does not want to attend the Masters.

If Nordegren does not show up, her decision may be for the best. After all, Joslyn James, the porn star who claims to have been impregnated by Woods on two separate occasions, will be stripping in nearby Atlanta all weekend long. This is the same woman who published extremely graphic text messages that she says Woods sent her during their affair. And if previous reports are true, James in particular repulses Tiger’s wife(even though there are other porn actresses associated with Woods).

She’s always been a bit left of center, but now soul singer Erykah Badu has touched a nerve in her hometown of Dallas with a controversial new music video, which alludes to the JFK assassination and shows her completely in the buff. She shot the Window Seat video at the site of the Kennedy assassination, Dealey Plaza, and in it she strips down and is then shot and instantly killed at the historic site. “It’s in poor taste and poor judgment, in my opinion,” one resident told The Dallas Morning News. Badu says the video is “about liberating yourself.”

What is your opinion about her Window Seat video? Do you think it’s disrespectful or do you think it is truly artistic?

In the uncut video, Badu gets out of a Taxi and walks down the streets while undressing. She strips down to nothing and then dies in the street where President John F Kennedy was killed.

The song has a good beat, but what is the message? If you have any ideas let me know by posting a comment below.

“Beverly Hills, 90210” actress Shannen Doherty was the first contestant eliminated from the 10th season of “Dancing with the Stars” on ABC Tuesday night.

Doherty, who made it clear from the beginning that she had a fear of performing live, was able to work through her fears for two dance performances (week 1 Viennese Waltz; week 2 Jive) with professional dance partner Mark Ballas.  The actress said she pushed through her fears to dance on the show for her father, who recently suffered a stroke.  Her father sat in the front row for his daughter’s dances, beaming with pride.

Upon being eliminated on Tuesday night, Doherty stated that she is not a dancer, but an actress.  She also mentioned that her partner, Mark Ballas, would not have been able to dance with her had she continued to next week. Mark Ballas suffered a knee injury and said he would have been out for about six weeks. His father, dancer Corky Ballas, would have filled in as Doherty’s partner, in which Doherty said she wanted to keep it in the family.

Doherty is best known for her role as Brenda Walsh on “Beverly Hills, 90210,” which she reprised in season one of the CW’s new “90210.”  She also starred in other TV shows, such as “Charmed,” and movies including “Heathers” and “Mallrats.” 

Joining Doherty in the bottom two for the first elimination round was actress Pamela Anderson.  Anderson will join the rest of the cast next week for new dance performances. 

Aside from the elimination, there were highlights to the evening including a performance by legendary group The Beach Boys with special guest John Stamos, a special dance performance for victims of the Haiti earthquake, and performances by the show’s professional dancers.

(Click here for a complete list of this season’s “Dancing with the Stars” cast and their partners.)

“Dancing with the Stars” airs with live performances on Mondays at 8 p.m. (ET) on ABC.  Elimination episodes air on Tuesdays at 8 p.m. (ET).

It’s baseball season and Howard Stern got into the swing of things by having baseball great Pete Rose and his beautiful girlfriend, Playboy model Kiana Kim, on his XM Sirius Satellite show Tuesday morning.  So now everyone is looking for her pictures on the internet.  The beautiful model’s pictures can be found just about anywhere a search engine has access. 

There was plenty of baseball talk — the 2010 season begins on April 4 — and Howard Stern questioned Pete Rose about his chances of being reinstated in Major League Baseball (Rose, baseball’s all-time hit leader, was suspended in 1989) in order to get into the Baseball Hall of Fame.   But Howard Stern’s attention was equally on Kiana Kim. 

Kiana Kim, 29, is 39 years Pete Rose’s junior, so he seems to still be hitting above average.  Kim is also gearing up for April.  She will appear in the Playboy feature “Sexy 100 of 2009.”  (Perhaps Pete Rose is hitting way above average.)  

Kiana Kim has a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Marketing from Arizona State and she and Pete Rose  have been dating since 1999.  Thus far, marketing herself may be the only business she really needs to go into. 

Given Howard Stern’s propensity for scheduling Playboy models, it might be safe to say that his interest in Pete Rose, whose fall from grace in baseball and attempts to regain eligibility have become a perennial baseball debate and somewhat trite, was a ruse to get Kiana Kim on the show.  Besides, having the real Playboy model in front of you is always better than the pictures. 

Ask Pete Rose.

Author Stephenie Meyer, of the “Twilight” teen vampire romance series, will release her first new title in two years stemming from a character from her “Eclipse” novel.

The 192-page novella called “The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner” will be released on June 5 in the United States and Britain, Little, Brown book publishers announced on Tuesday.  The English-language version of the novella will be available to read online at www.breetanner.com from June 7 until July 5.

“I’m as surprised as anyone about this novella,” Meyer said in a statement, explaining that she wrote the story to give the point of view of the newborn vampire of Bree, who is featured in the third book in the “Twilight” series, “Eclipse.”

The character of Bree is shown in the next movie adaptation of the book series, “The Twilight Saga: Eclipse,” which will premiere in the U.S. in June.

In book form, “Twilight” and its sequels “New Moon,” “Eclipse” and “Breaking Dawn”, have sold 100 million copies worldwide, according to Little, Brown Book Group. 

The movie adaptations of the book have helped turn the “Twilight” franchise into a phenomenon and made stars of the actors, most notably Robert Pattinson, Kristen Stewart, and Taylor Lautner.

Hello Kitty wine will soon be available, but there are debates as to whether it is appropriate.

Some critics say having a cartoon character on a bottle of wine promotes underage drinking. But for others, it is just considered a fun bottle for adults who grew up (mostly in the 1980s) enjoying Hello Kitty products by Sanrio.

In fact, the product’s tagline reads: “Our favorite girl has grown up!”  And so have lots of fans of Hello Kitty.

For those interested, there will be four different types of wine: the Angel and Devil Pinot Neros, Brut Rose, and a demi-sec Sweet Pink sparkling wine. The wines are produced and bottled in Italy, and will be available for purchase on the Hello Kitty Wines website soon (NOTE: site is under construction).  Prices will reportedly range from $19.99 to $29.99.

Do you think it is appropriate to have a cartoon character on a bottle of wine? Share your thoughts below.

Reality star Kate Gosselin had some drama with her partner, Tony Dovolani, on “Dancing with the Stars” this week, prompting Dovolani to say he “quit.”

(Watch the video below to see the argument between Kate Gosselin and Tony Dovolani, and then their performance from Monday night.)

Tensions during rehearsals over teaching techniques had professional dancer Dovolani, who is usually more reserved, telling Gosselin, “I quit.” He later returned and said that he “over-reacted.”  Gosselin said it was a “miscommunication.”

“I don’t like speaking when I’m upset because I don’t ever want to bring back words that I don’t mean and ‘I quit’ I guess was one of them,” said Dovolani in an Entertainment Tonight report.

The pair continued with rehearsals, and completed their performance during Monday’s show to the Jive.  They earned only 15 points, with a combined score from last week’s results.

The first elimination for this season of “Dancing with the Stars” will be Tuesday (tonight) at 8 p.m. (ET) on ABC. The show will also feature a performance by The Beach Boys, as well as a Stars of Dance performance for Haiti.   For more about the show and voting, click here.

Click here for a complete list of this season’s “Dancing with the Stars” cast and their partners.

She’s India’s tennis ace. He’s a high-profile Pakistani cricketer. They are the citizens of rival nations, and yet they’re all set to get married in Hyderabad early next month.

Sania Mirza and Shoaib Malik are planning a small, private ceremony in Hyderabad, but their match will inevitably generate huge interest in their respective countries.

The couple will be based in Dubai, though Sania will continue to play tennis and represent India, while Shoaib will turn out for Pakistan. The alliance has been blessed by both families.

Malik, 28, has been fighting a 12-month ban by the Pakistan Cricket Board for poor performance and indiscipline.

“This is the biggest day of my life. I have been in the media glare for too long, and would appreciate a little privacy at this very personal moment,” Sania, 23.

Shoaib, 28, has pledged Sania his support: “I fully understand what it takes to be an international sportsperson. I’ll support Sania in her career as long as she wishes to play.”

“Representing India at the 2012 Olympics is very important for her, and I will be the proudest husband if she can win a medal for her country,” he said.

Marriages between citizens of the rival nations are not entirely uncommon, with Muslim families who migrated to Pakistan after the nation was carved out in 1947 maintaining ties with families who remained in India.

Chaz Bono is asking a judge to formally change his name and gender.The 41-year-old writer, activist and reality-TV star, was born a girl to Sonny Bono and Cher. He filed a petition to change his name and gender last week.

Bono’s doctor filed a declaration with the court indicating he performed a gender-change operation last year. Formerly called Chastity, Bono has called the gender change “the best decision I’ve ever made.”

Bono says he always felt like a boy growing up and came out as a lesbian 11 years ago. Now he’s undergone gender-reassignment surgery and hormone therapy.  He tells ABC: “To me, gender is between your ears, not between your legs. I’ve felt male as far back as I can remember.”