Joaquin: Junkie or New Borat?

Joaquin Phoenix has a cleft lip to thank for his unique smile

(NEWSER) - Celebrities may look flawless, but the Huffington Post reveals that some of them were born with certain, shall we say, quirks:

• Taye Diggs: The actor was born with polydactyly; in his case, an extra digit on each of his hands. The fingers were removed surgically.

'Young Buck' will be sold along with other assets: trustee

(NEWSER) - Rapper Young Buck could lose more than just his stuff in his bankruptcy liquidation case—he could lose the very right to be called “Young Buck.” His trademarked name will be sold off, along with his other assets, according to the trustee administering his estate. His financial woes stem largely from a beef with onetime mentor 50 Cent ... and Fiddy’s G-Unit Records, with which Young Buck is still under contract. A comment he made in 2007 (about how touring was the only way he could make money) offended 50, who booted him from the G-Unit group but wouldn't release him from the label ... or green-light any new albums, putting his career on ice. More»

Increasingly, rappers sing about brands they sell

(NEWSER) - Rappers have always name-checked alcohol in their music, but nowadays many artists are going beyond references to actually selling their own brands. From the way the Los Angeles Times describes it, Pitbull’s latest hits sound more like advertisements for Voli vodka. He’s part owner of the liquor brand, meaning he’s more than happy to rap about the low-calorie, flavored vodka as the new “it” drink. Ludacris and Snoop Dogg both push cognac, with both artists releasing mixtapes and music videos promoting the drinks. More»

Finally gets all seven, but only after a hint

(NEWSER) - Justin Bieber was on the Late Show With David Letterman last night, and in a clip picked up by Gawker and other outlets, the teen heartthrob struggled just a bit with his geography. One of the perks of fame, he explained to Letterman, is that he’s visited “every continent.” Dave jumped on the opportunity, asking him exactly how many of those there are. “Asia, North America, South America, um, Africa, Antarctica, and the North Pole,” Bieber began. After getting buzzed for his wrong answer, he tried “Canada” before coming up with Australia and, finally, Europe—but only after Letterman gave him a hint. More»

'Late Show' host responds to threat in monologue, top 10 list

(NEWSER) - David Letterman returned to the Late Show last night with an evening full of jokes about—what else?—a jihadist’s death threat against him . “Tonight, you people are more to me, honestly, more than an audience … you’re more like a human shield,” he said, before apologizing for arriving onstage late. “I was talking to the guy from CBS,” he explained. “We were going through the CBS life insurance policy to see if I was covered for jihad.” More»