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Entertainment in brief | Jolie takes up teaching

Published:Monday | May 23, 2016 | 12:00 AM
Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt.
Justin Bieber
Prince
Simon Cowell
Taylor Swift
Mary J. Blige
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Angelina Jolie is joining the London School of Economics as a visiting professor.

The 40-year-old actress and human-rights campaigner will give a series of lectures to students of the new one-year MSc course on women, peace, and security, which will run from the beginning of the 2017 academic year.

Angelina - who helped to launch the MSc last year with Britain's former foreign secretary, William Hague - said "I am very encouraged by the creation of this master's programme. I hope other academic institutions will follow this example, as it is vital that we broaden the discussion on how to advance women's rights and end impunity for crimes that disproportionately affect women, such as sexual violence in conflict. I am looking forward to teaching and to learning from the students, as well as to sharing my own experiences of working alongside governments and the United Nations."

According to the LSE, the course is intended to "develop strategies to promote gender equality and enhance women's economic, social and political participation and security". 

Bieber dismisses sward shows

Justin Bieber has slammed award shows for being fake.

The 22-year-old singer - who was criticised for a lacklustre performance of his songs Company and Sorry at the Billboard Music Awards on Sunday - took to Instagram to reveal that he finds award ceremonies "hollow".

He wrote: "I don't know about these award shows.. No disrespect to anybody at any of the shows or the people running it. Nothing but love for you guys and your support. But I don't feel good when I'm there nor after. I try to think of it as a celebration but can't help feeling like people are rating and grading my performance. A lot of people in the audience there to be seem worried about how much camera time they will get or who they can network with. When I'm doing a regular show I feel they are there for the right reasons and to strictly have a good time! But these award shows seem so hollow (sic)."

Justin - who won the Top Social Media Artist and Top Male Artist awards - also hit out at attendees for their "fake smiles" and insisted there is "an authenticity missing" at award shows.

Prince asked Celine for tips

Prince once asked Celine Dion for advice about doing a Las Vegas residency.

The My Heart Will Go On hitmaker has revealed the late music legend - who died in April aged 57 - was keen to find out what it was like performing in Sin City on a long-term basis nowadays.

Celine recalled: "He asked me 'how is it to perform in Las Vegas, and how is it really, because I'm thinking maybe to come, but I really want to know.' "

Despite asking Celine's advice Prince was no stranger to Vegas, having played 40 shows there for his 'Per4ming Live 3121' residency show from November 2006 to April 2007.

Dion thanked Madonna and Stevie Wonder after they performed a duet of Prince's hit Purple Rain at the Billboard Music Awards on Sunday evening. Madonna, 57, also performed a song written by Prince, Sinead O'Connor's classic hit Nothing Compares 2 U.

Cowell plans children's book

Simon Cowell is planning to write a children's book.

The 56-year-old music mogul has been inspired by his two year-old son Eric, who he has with girlfriend Lauren Silverman, and has a number of projects in the pipeline that he is creating especially for children.

He said: "I have thought about it and now I think I'll do it.

It will be about animals... I've had to read a lot of these children's books and they're quite boring, I think I could do it better. I'm going to make a children's TV show as well, a music show for kids."

Simon said Eric will feature in the book, while there will also be a character based on himself.

Simon has been encouraging Eric to shun his favourite TV show Dora the Explorer, in favour of movies which he himself likes, including Toy Story and Shrek. 

Cheeseburger craving for Britney

Britney Spears was craving a cheeseburger after the Billboard Music Awards in Las Vegas on Sunday.

The Piece of Me hitmaker was desperate to chomp down on the greasy high-calorie meal after she spent a large chunk of her evening parading around the stage in flesh-flashing ensembles while performing a medley of her greatest hits to the packed stadium.

She wrote on her Twitter account: "After tonight... All I really want is a cheeseburger #BBMAs. (sic)"

And the shrieks and cheers weren't the only thing that were on the 34 year-old singer's side at the event as Britney also walked away with the prestigious Millennium Award, which was only previously presented to Beyonce in 2011 and the late Whitney Houston in 2012, as an acknowledgement to her outstanding career and influence in the music industry.

Swift and friends get death threats

Taylor Swift and her superstar friends have been threatened with death threats from the same Internet troll.

Police are on the hunt for the alleged online abuser, who is said to have posted messages to the Style hitmaker, as well as several of her friends, including Gigi Hadid and Cara Delevingne, according to gossip website TMZ.

The troll reportedly sent Taylor, 25 years old, a message saying "I will kill some of you" and messaged Cara, 23 years old, saying "I will kill your friends and I am excited about it." They are also said to have tweeted Gigi "people gon die they're gon die die die die! (sic)"

Law enforcement sources told the website that they first heard about the threats from Taylor's pal Jaime King's husband Kyle Newman, after she was sent similar messages. The police then attained a warrant to search through the social media site's records.

Bad Boy reunion in Brooklyn

Sean 'Puffy' Combs was joined by Jay Z, Mary J. Blige and Usher as he appeared in Brooklyn for his Bad Boy Family Reunion show.

The 46-year-old rapper (who is also known as P. Diddy) was also joined on stage by Nas, Rick Ross and Busta Rhymes. French Montana and Lil' Kim also made an appearance.

A source told the New York Post's Page Six column: "Puffy had an after-party in his dressing room. Everyone came backstage to congratulate him."

Naomi Campbell, Alexander Wang and Marc Jacobs attended the event at Barclays Center on Friday.

Puffy was previously forced to add another date to his Bad Boy Family Reunion Show, which was to remember his late friend The Notorious B.I.G on his 44th birthday, after the first sold-out in just seven minutes

He previously shared: "This isn't just another concert - this is hip-hop history. The Bad Boy Family includes some of the biggest names in music and songs that helped define a whole generation of music. Also, we are celebrating one of the greatest of all time - Notorious B.I.G. This will be a night to remember. I can't wait to see you all there."