Cher: A lot on her head

Timeless actress, singer and all-around entertainer Cher has a lot on her head. Literally.

An independent research study personally funded by the diva extraordinaire's longtime fashion collaborator and personal friend Bob Mackie has found that Cher's intricate wigs on average weigh 5 lbs (2.27 kg) apiece.

"It really shocked us that her wigs are that heavy," said Artemio Gomez, a wiggery aficionado and fan of Cher's since 1998. "That is a lot to put on your head."

Gomez led a team of four people who meticulously went through Cher's extensive wig collection and catalogued every single piece. The heaviest wig the diva has ever put on her head was a 22-pound customized piece that included a plastinated possum. She wore it at some stops of her legendary "Farewell Tour" which grossed nearly $250 million and was seen by over 3.2 million spectators.

"It's mind-boggling that she was able to go through her numbers without falling over. She really is a true professional," said Gomez.

The average female wig weighs around half a pound, but with Cher, "everything has to be bombastic."

"It's all about volume for Miss Sarkisian," said Gomez. "Anything lighter than 3 pounds just won't cut it."

When reached for comment, Mackie clarified he had Cher's full support for the study before he commissioned it.

"This is not something I just sprang on her. She knows about it," said Mackie. "She actually was genuinely interested to know how heavy her wigs are."

They tried to make me go to the dentist, I said no, no, no...

London, UK -- Amy Winehouse has donated a tooth she had lost to meth abuse to help out Haitian earthquake victims.

The controversial "Rehab" singer made the impromptu announcement at the Regent Street Tesco in London while out shopping for a pack of cigarettes and flip-flop sandals earlier today.

"She was walking through the condiments aisle when she had the epiphany and decided she needed to announce it right there and then," said Winehouse's UK publicist Chris Goodman. "She called me right that instant and I scrambled to organize a hasty press conference in front of the old bloke that was handing out Kleenex coupons. Sincerest apologies to him."

"This is for Haiti obliterated," said Winehouse to the crowd of reporters and bystanders. The singer immediately left the store after making her brief speech, leaving her publicist to field questions.

Goodman said he is pleased by Winehouse's decision, but admitted it took him by surprise.

"That tooth had been her lucky charm. She wrote most of 'Back To Black' whilst sucking on that sweet putrid thing," he said. "Needless to say, this is a huge, huge thing for her."

The details are still being worked out, but Goodman said it is "already nearly fairly certain" that Christie's in London will be carrying out the auction. Goodman is confident the loose tooth, which Winehouse herself extracted during a meth-induced episode of paranoia, will fetch bids as high as half a million pounds Sterling.

"This tooth is a piece of modern pop culture history, and it deserves to be revered as such," said Goodman.

Winehouse is the latest in a growing number of famous celebrities coming forward and reaching out to the disadvantaged people of Haiti.

Earlier this week, Britney Spears announced she is auctioning off a dress she wore to the 2008 MTV Video Music Awards and donating the proceeds to organizations helping victims of the Haiti earthquake.

Last week, a widely-televised telethon organized by George Clooney raised over $57 million USD in donations. The Nielsen Co. announced Monday that an estimated 83 million people saw at least a brief part of the fundraiser broadcast Friday by more than 30 television networks. The audience watching the two-hour event at any given time averaged 24 million viewers.

Bailey: A Prince fan, perhaps?

Piscataway, NJ -- An accountant who displayed no trace of grief or sadness during Michael Jackson's televised memorial service Tuesday has been ordered by his employer to submit to psychiatric evaluation immediately.

Terrance Bailey, 37, called the decision "completely ridiculous" and said he plans to file a harassment complaint with the New Jersey Human Rights Board.

"Just because I didn't participate in a nationwide grieving session for a pop singer doesn't mean I need to get checked in the head," Bailey said. "If there is anyone who needs to get evaluated, it's my boss."

Bailey said his entire department was given the afternoon off Tuesday, provided that they stayed and watched the entire memorial proceedings on TV in one of the company boardrooms. Everyone but Bailey welcomed the idea.

"He stuck out like a sore thumb. While everyone in the room was all tears, he was playing Solitaire on his laptop," said his co-worker Merena Gomez, 27. "He is inhuman, that man. I mean, Michael Jackson died. At least look sad or something."

Montgomery Frost, 56, said he stands by his decision to send Bailey to psychiatric evaluation, saying: "This company must know that its employees are fit to work here - mentally and physically. I cannot risk taking a chance, not after his cold hearted behavior during the memorial telecast. It is disturbing."

When asked what he thought of Michael Jackson's sudden death from cardiac arrest on June 25th, Bailey refused to comment. "That's a whole other can of living, moonwalking worms. I'm not touching that one with a 10-year-old hotdog," he said.

Darren Hayes: Devious prankster

London, England -- Britain's Got Talent contestant and YouTube sensation Susan Boyle is actually former Savage Garden frontman Darren Hayes in a fat suit, an anonymous source has revealed to several tabloid newspapers in London.

The bombshell revelation came as a simple handwritten note that said "Darren Hayes is Susan Boyle. Don't believe what you see." The note was accompanied by a DVD containing what appears to be hidden camera footage of a man resembling Hayes "changing" into Susan Boyle while singing "I Dreamed A Dream," the same song she sang recently on the hit British talent contest.

"We are taking it with a grain of salt, but the evidence is very compelling." says The Sun's Jon Gaunt. "The man in the video, if that is indeed Darren Hayes, looks and sounds very similar to Susan Boyle."

The video clip quickly made its way to YouTube but was taken down just as swiftly by YouTube personnel, following threats of legal action from Darren Hayes' camp. The Australian singer has yet to release an official statement regarding the matter, and attempts to contact Susan Boyle directly for comment have been unsuccessful, causing speculations to fly all over the Internet.

Many fans believe that the pop star has been inspired by the antics of American actor Joaquin Phoenix, who has recently "switched" to a rapping career and displayed odd behaviour publicly. Rather than follow a similar path, Hayes chose to embody the essence of a 47-year-old perky virgin from West Lothian, Scotland who could sing really well.

"I have seen the video and have no doubt it's Darren. He is a devious prankster at heart," says Devon Laitmark, 25, on a Darren Hayes fan forum. "The question is why? What's the payoff?"

Whatever it is, fans are lapping it up. Excitement is already building up for Susan Boyle's next performance on the third season of Britain's Got Talent. The contestant received a standing ovation after her performance of "I Dreamed A Dream" from Les Miserables and is touted as a strong contender to win the title this year.

Eminem: Thug Lite?

Manhattan, NY -- "Crack A Bottle," the new single by Eminem, Dr. Dre and 50 Cent this week soared to the top of the Billboard Hot 100 Chart and set a new Nielsen SoundScan record for opening week download sales (418,000), but the nation at large is blithely unconcerned.

In a nationwide telephone survey conducted by the Brooklyn-based Holcombe Institute of Public Opinion Measurement (HIPOM), respondents expressed general nonchalance toward the rap troika and their seemingly impressive achievement. An overwhelming 91% of those polled said they didn't know about the new single. 80% said they really don't care.

"Eminem is still putting out music? That's crazy shit, man. I used to listen to him back in high school," said one respondent, Levon Deshaw, 23. "I don't think anyone cares about him or 50 Cent anymore. It's all about T.I. and Lil Wayne now. For real."

Another respondent expressed disbelief that the single sold that many copies.

"I don't know who bought that shit, but it sure ain't me or my homies," said self-proclaimed Los Angeles street thug Jozell "Jack Knife" Barton. "We can't listen to someone who dumps their wife and then marries her again, like, four times. Or says they hate gays, and then goes and kisses Elton John. That's not thug."

Eminem's manager Paul Rosenberg downplayed the results of the informal survey, calling it a "load of bull and then some."

"People love angry white boys who can rap," said Rosenberg. "You just wait and see. Shady's gonna make them shake in their seats again with his shenanigans."

In response to Rosenberg's comments, HIPOM spokesperson Leila Samson said: "It would seem that Mr. Rosenberg and his team are out of touch with reality, because according to our research, the American people couldn't care less about Eminem anymore."

The rapper's new album, Relapse, is expected to hit record stores in April or May.