IAN SOMERHALDER: 2012 SPIRIT AWARDS FAN FAVORITE

He's a favorite with the ladies, and Ian Somerhalder showed up as expected at the 2012 Film Independent's Spirit Awards on Saturday (February 25).

Taking to the Santa Monica locale, the "Vampire Diaries" actor looked suave in a suit as he mingled his way down the purple carpet ahead of the annual beachfront event.

Drawing plenty of star power, the 2012 Film Independent's Spirit Awards will see big names such as Jessica Chastain, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Elizabeth Banks and Ewan McGregor take the stage as presenters.

Meanwhile, the show will air at 10:00 ET on IFC with Seth Rogen handling the hosting duties.

BANKY W FOR COCA COLA

Banky W is the face of a new campaign by Coca-Cola Nigeria. Big boys chopping big money...:-)

NELSON MANDELA IN STABLE CONDITION AFTER SURGERY

Former president of the republic of South Africa, Nelson Mandela is reportedly in stable condition after undergoing a surgery on the night of February 24, 2012.

Mr Mandela was rushed to hospital after initial complaints of long-standing abdominal pains, which needed ‘proper specialist medical attention’.

A government spokesman said the former leader was ‘in good spirits and well’.

I can assure you that the former president is in good spirits and well,’ said Mac Maharaj, a spokesman for South Africa president, Jacob Zuma.

He revealed that further information would be released once Mr Zuma and the Mandela family received a full medical report from doctors, but that the former president’s life was not in danger.

‘This was a long-standing complaint – nothing that cropped up suddenly and needed emergency attention‘, said Mr Maharaj, who was in prison in Robben Island with Mr Mandela.

‘But it is an issue that the doctors treating him felt needed specialist attention, and so arrangements were made accordingly‘.

The 93-year-old statesman and anti-apartheid icon has suffered declining health in recent years.

In a statement, President Jacob Zuma’s office said the ‘love and good wishes of all South Africans and people throughout the world’ were with Mr Mandela, and asked for his family to be given privacy

Mandela recently returned to Johannesburg from his rural home in the Eastern Cape and in January last year, he received treatment in the city’s Milpark Hospital for a serious chest infection.

The ‘Madiba’, as he is fondly called by South Africans, retired from public life eight years ago – his last public appearance was at the World Cup in South Africa in 2010.

WHITNEY HOUSTON'S CLOTHING AND JEWELRY STAGED FOR THE AUCTION BLOCK!

Whitney Houston fans, the late songstress’s clothing and jewelry are already being staged for the auction block next month! But people are asking why are they on sale so soon?

Per reports, at least these three items will be up for auction, the pearl-drop earrings and vest that Whitney wore in the Warner Brothers 1992 film, The Bodyguard, also starring Kevin CostnerKevin Costner, who played the bodyguard, as well as a black evening gown from her personal wardrobe.

The faux pearl earrings are being listed with an opening bid of $600, along with a brown brocade vest listed for $400 and her own black velvet gown, valued at $1,000 but like to sell for far more.

These items are going to be part of the “Hollywood Legends” auction, which is scheduled to run on Saturday March 31, 2012 through Sunday April 1st at the Julien’s Auctions gallery in Beverly Hills, California. Whitney Houston’s fans and investors can bid online, by phone or in person.

Lots will be on view during a free public exhibition that begins on March 19 at the Julien's Auctions gallery in Beverly Hills, only blocks away from the Beverly Hilton Hotel, where Whitney Houston died in room 434 at age 48 on February 11, just one day short of the Grammy Awards.

But why are her personal effects being auctioned off so soon, you may ask? Well, according to celebrity auctioneer Darren Julien, these pieces and other items from Houston’s estate “became available” after the singer's unexpected death and are to be included in a “long-planned” sale of Hollywood memorabilia such as those belonging to other legends, including Clark GableClark Gable's jacket from "Gone With the Wind," a cane that belonged to Charlie Chaplin, and Charlton Heston's staff from “The Ten Commandments.”

As Mr Julien so eloquently put it, Ms Houston is “someone who's going to maintain a collectability.” For Whitney Houston’s fans who never got to meet her or see her in person or at a concert, this is one chance to own something that was very much a part of her life and the auction is a celebration of her life!

KUNLE AFOLAYAN'S 'PHONE SWAP' PREMIERES IN MARCH

The much talked about new movie from Kunle Afolayan ‘Phone Swap’ will open at the cinemas in a matter of weeks.

The new project follows Afolayan’s earlier works ‘Irapada’ and ‘Figurine’. Coming years after his last film, pundits say PS should be worth the wait, just as those who’ve seen the trailer have already given him a pass mark.

‘Phone Swap’ stars the likes of Nollywood actress Nse Ikpe-Etim who is gradually turning into a fan favourite, Joke Silva, Chika Okpala (Zebrudaya), Wale Ojo, Hafiz Oyetoro, Ade Ameh, Lydia Forson and a guest appearance from Afolayan himself.

Synopsis of ‘Phone Swap’

Akin and Mary meet for the first time at an airport where they accidentally bump into each other and mistakenly swap their identical phones .

This leads to a destination mix up after they receive one another’s text regarding a travel destination.

Consequently, Akin ends up traveling to where Mary is supposed to go and vice versa.

Neither knows about the swap until they have reached their opposite destinations and ‘the phone’ stops ringing (In Mary’s case) and ‘Won’t stop ringing’ (In Akins’s case) .

As a result of the phone swap, they agree to help carry out each other’s missions, armed with the information and data on each other’s phone.

But it’s not as easy as they both think as new obstacles and complications rise at every turn as they both struggle to adapt to their alien environment and situation.

Mary has to walk in Akins shoes and represent him in a company meeting while Akin has to represent Mary in her the family meeting. This they do with hilarious results.

Watch the movie’s trailers below…

BEYONCE, JAY-Z AND BABY BLUE IVY HIT THE TOWN

 

Superstar couple Beyoncé and Jay-Z were eyed carrying their little Blue Ivy wrapped up against the icy weather in the West Village today, just weeks after they posted lovable photos of the newborn online. This was the first time the superstar and her husband have been seen together in public with their little bundle of joy heading into Sant Ambroeus restaurant for some lunch today.

Blue Ivy came to the world last month at Lenox Hill Hospital but had been kept away from the public until Feb. 10, when the couple posted poignant photos of the newborn online, along with a heartfelt note.

Little Blue Ivy surely hasn't caught up either singer. It was reported that Beyoncé is working on two projects to be released later this year, while Jay-Z said he planned to work in December this year on a solo project and also on a new album with Kanye West.

When Beyoncé announced last Aug. 28 during the MTV Video Music Awards that she was expecting it triggered 8,868 tweets per second, setting a Twitter record.

Source: New York Post

THE IRS IS ALL OVER OUR SEXY ASSES - ROBIN THICKE AND WIFE

Robin Thicke and his wife made a BLOODY FORTUNE in 2009 and 2010 ... problem is, they forgot to share the love with the federal government ... and now Uncle Sam has issued a lien on their property.

According to official documents filed in L.A. ... Thicke and his super-hot actress wife Paula Patton owe the government $492,583.49 for failing to pay income taxes two years in a row.

Patton isn't just a pretty face ... she received critical acclaim for her role in 2009's "Precious" and co-starred with Tom Cruise in the 2011 flick "Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol."

But a rep for the Thicke family tells TMZ ... the couple is aggressively trying to fix the problem ... telling us, "They've already paid more than half of this and they're working with the IRS to pay the rest."

I DIDN'T DRUNKENLY TORPEDO BAHAMA CONCERT - LIL WAYNE

Lil Wayne claims he did NOT pass out drunk before a Bahama concert in 2009 ... resulting in a canceled show -- this according to new legal docs obtained by TMZ.

TMZ broke the story ... Weezy was sued back in 2009 by a promotion company called Red City Entertainment -- which claimed it fronted $432,000 for a concert in the Bahamas, but Weezy drunkenly slept through the whole thing.

When he failed to show, Red Light claims cops showed up to the rapper's hotel room and found him unconscious.

But Weezy insists it's all BS -- claiming, "At no point [that night] did I become so intoxicated that I passed out on a bed in my suit, or anywhere else."

Wayne says the real reason he didn't show up was because the concert was canceled -- he can't remember exactly why ... but believes it had something to do with technical difficulties, like lighting and sound problems.

Wayne is now asking the court for a judgment in his favor.

AVRIL LAVIGNE IN THE RUNNING FOR 'X FACTOR' JUDGE JOB

With two judging slots to fill, it seems the folks at "X Factor" might not have to look far to fill one of the spots ... because former L.A. Reid protégé Avril Lavigne is interested in the gig ... TMZ has learned.

According to our sources, Avril had her people reach out to the folks at "X Factor" to let them know she'd like to be considered for the job. Our sources says Avril feels that since she came up in the biz at such a  young age, she can mentor the kids on the show the right way.

We're told talks are already happening between the two sides.

Besides her connection to Reid, Avril performed on the finale of season one of "X Factor" with finalist Chris Rene.