Everything Pop Culture: 7/5/09

Monday, July 6, 2009

Paparazzi Video - Lady Gaga Music Videos

CELEBRITY INTERVIEW: DRAKE

Finally. After months of everyone bumping Drake’s “Best I Ever Had”—sweat pants, hair-tied, chillin’ with no makeup on—the biggest song in the country finally gets a video. A video directed by Complex homie Kanye West, no less. And it couldn’t have come at a more perfect time. This past week, the Toronto native’s smash single rocketed up 24 spots to #3 on the Billboard charts, right as he solidified his much gossiped-about record deal.

Just before premiering the highly anticipated video (whatup, OnSMASH!), Drake stopped by the Complex office to discuss working with Kanye, the truth about his new deal, his handicapped experience at the 2009 BET Awards and his thoughts on World Star Hip Hop’s newfound love of Degrassi…

Interview By Damien Scott

Complex: Everyone’s been waiting on this video. Can you take us through the making of it?

Drake: Yeah. The video is directed by Kanye West. Basically we decided, as opposed to taking ourselves super serious, we just wanted to have some fun with it. Myself, being a young man, a young single man at that, I kind of wanted to be real about the way I function with women at this current point in my life. Which is, I don’t have one woman that I call my girl. There’s different girls in my life that play different roles and I see at different times, but collectively they kind of make up the roster of happiness for me [Laughs].

Complex: Understandable. So what’s the concept?

Drake: The concept of the video is, I’m a coach at a high school and the girls of my life are all on my high school basketball team. Throughout the video you see us prepping for this big championship game, and my team ends up losing. You see the looks on their faces at the end of the video, but the moral of the story, I guess, is win or lose, you can still be the best to somebody. When women see the video and see all the breast and ass, hopefully they don’t take offense. Hopefully they see the real meaning.

Complex: Well, now they’ll know.

Drake: [Laughs.] Now they’ll know.

Complex: Kanye is known as kind of a control freak. How was it working with him on set with him directing?

Drake: Me and Kanye have a great eye to eye. I can’t speak for anybody else, but I would give Kanye the utmost credit for actually being one of the most understanding creative people that I have worked with. I think me and Kanye have mutual respect for each another and I listen to what he has to say regardless, ’cause I trust him. I don’t really fight his suggestions [Laughs.] But he was great. It was a long day and I just thank him for dedicating the time he dedicated. He was great.

Complex: Speaking of basketball, you tore your ACL playing basketball, right?

Drake: Yes sir. It was intense casual, I guess [Laughs]. It was just a regular pick up game and I just took the wrong step.

Complex: Damn, that’s horrible. At the BET Awards this past Sunday, everyone was shocked to see you sitting on a stool. Did you ever think to yourself, Maybe I shouldn’t perform?

Drake: That, actually—to be honest—was a terrible idea that I’ll never do to myself again. [Laughs] But I was being pressed from different areas to perform, and I think what really happened at the BET Awards is with the passing of Mike, the climate really changed, as far as the award show goes. I don’t think it called for us to perform “Every Girl” and “Always Strapped,” and I think it was an award show filled with tributes and music and these genuine heartfelt speeches. And to sort of climax out of a very tongue-in-cheek point, and then people misconstruing Wayne’s daughters and her friends coming out on stage…

Complex: Yeah, it really was an awkward moment.

Drake: Yeah, it was just timed very poorly and it definitely wasn’t planned like that, but with that being said, it is what is. I believe in Wayne and myself and it’s nothing we can’t bounce back from. To anyone who was offended, my personal apologies, it wasn’t intended to offend anybody.

Complex: Watching it at home, the BET Awards seemed to be a mess. Did it seem that way in person?

Drake: Well, I can only speak for my portion of it. I had asked for something very specific for my performance and none of those were met, as far as production value, so…

Complex: That’s BET for you…

Drake: I understood my situation, as far as sitting in one place, and figured there was a way to make it interesting. But when I looked around and noticed that none of that was going on [laughs], I kind of just realized that it was going to be a loss for me. But at the end of the day, it is what it is.

Complex: How did you feel when you heard Mike passed?

Drake : Shocking. Because Michael is just one of those people that you just kind of expect to always be there—he’s Michael Jackson. He’s like one of those guys you never think about…

Complex: …as a real person?

Drake: Yeah. I just never thought Mike could die. And it’s tragic. I know before this tour, a lot of people never had the opportunity to see Mike perform. It’s unfortunate and I always find it interesting to see when people pass away and people find this new found love for the person

Complex: Yeah, a lot of people were saying if Mike never passed, a lot of the comedians would have still gone on making jokes and what not.

Drake: Yeah, you know it’s just…it’s a very interesting thing when somebody passes away and people sort of…the world loves Michael Jackson, I just think that there are certain people who use it as an opportunity to talk more. With that being said, I always appreciated what Mike did and my condolences go out to Mike’s family.

Complex: For real. Going back to your music, “Best I Ever Had” jumped to #3 on the Billboard charts. And then you announced yesterday that you signed your deal with Universal…

Drake: Nah…I definitely want to clear this up, I didn’t sign to Universal. I’m actually signed to… a lot of people were telling me, “Oh, you should do it independent.” I’m actually 100% independent. I signed to Cortez Bryant and G. Roberson, my managers, so I signed a joint venture between Aspire Music Group, which is them, and Young Money. So the only part that Universal plays is P&D [pressing and distribution]. I’m not a Universal artist. I’m signed to myself.

Complex: What does Young Money bring to the table?

Drake: Since the beginning of this, Lil’ Wayne has always put himself out there on behalf of me, from spitting my verse at the VMAs, to jumping on the songs that I needed him on and always promoting me. Right now it’s more about building up Young Money, as opposed to what Young Money brings to the table at this point. Obviously, what Young Money brings to the table is Lil’ Wayne. He’s a powerhouse and I felt it was only fair to stay loyal. I thought it was only fair for him to get that look and I wanted the YM logo on the album and to make sure that he knows that I don’t take what he did for me for granted.

Complex: You were entertaining other offers from Atlantic and Interscope, right?

Drake: I can definitely say that I wanted to be over at Interscope for a while, but it wouldn’t allow me to work with Wayne the way that I wanted to work with Wayne. I had to make a sacrifice. But with that being said, if we sell some records and people actually see how the record deal breaks down… Somebody told me they saw my deal the other day and they said it was one of the worst record deals in history [for] the label. That’s a good thing for me. I own everything, I have 100% creative control, I own all my masters, everything. I’m blessed to be in that situation. If we sell some records, I think we’ll just add to the historic pace that this has been going at.

Complex: There was a feeling that if you didn’t sign to a major label, that would signal the demise of the record industry.

Drake: I think that it all depends on the success on the project. I can have this conversation with you and tell you the impact I think it may have, especially when the details of the deal get out. But it’s all dependent on what I do. I first have to make the right album that will sell some records. With that being said, I definitely think it could cause a bit of a shift if we find a way to sell a million records.

Complex: What made you want to strive to stay independent?

Drake: Since I started, I’ve always been giving my music away for free…I’ve always kind of done it for the people, you know? So I just want them to still have some attachment to this project. I don’t want to lose my fans completely because they support me in a way that’s more than just listening to my music. They support me like we’re friends. They support me like they have emotions invested in it. So I want there to be a challenge to it, so when it drops, they’re looking at the numbers, they’re maybe even clicking it twice on iTunes just to prove a point. I want it to be fun, man. This shit is just not exciting if it’s so straight forward like, “I’m putting a record out, go to the store and buy it” and there’s so many people behind it, it has nothing to do with me. You know? It’s like, fuck it, let’s just have fun, let’s see if we can shake up the world, let’s see if we can fuck with the system. I just figure it’d make it more interesting on the album day.

Complex: There were rumors of a $4 million bonus…

Drake: [Laughs] Where is it? Tell me where it is, I’ll go pick it up right now. I got some money. I got a little money. I’ll be alright for a couple months.

Complex: Lately there have been a couple videos on World Star Hip-Hop showing you in your Degrassi days. It doesn’t seem like your past bothers you in any regard…

Drake: I think World Star Hip-Hop thinks it bothers me. There was a time in my life when I really lashed out against World Star Hip-Hop. And it wasn’t World Star Hip-Hop the site, ’cause I’m not gonna pretend like I don’t go there every day. It was just the way people look at World Star Hip-Hop as an outlet for them to talk about shit. There are artists that I feel could be doing a lot better for themselves that go on there and kill their own careers by just talking too much, and I think that they took that personally and now all they do is air Degrassi clips of me and potential things that could embarrass me. But with me, man…the great thing about me being me in this game is that I’ve been so honest up until this point, I really have nothing to hide, I don’t fear any clip, you know? It’s out there already, everyone knows that’s my story. At the end of the day, it’s part of me, it’s my stepping stone. I’m proud of every moment thus far.

FASHION: FRINGE STYLE

Fringe Style

It was as if a single, defined element was plucked from 2008's flapper revival, elaborated upon and then modernised. That element was fringing; and if there's one thing every girl should be partying in during Spring/Summer 2009, it's that perfect fringed piece.

Who designed it

On the Spring/Summer 2009 runways, this burgeoning trend was prominent. Alexander McQueen's pieces were more to the structured side with sinew-esque fringing slinking around the body. Jil Sander's fringing was long and free-flowing, Alberta Ferretti's delicately pretty; while Gaspard Yurkievich took inspiration more from the Burlesque than the Jazz Age.

How to wear it

It depends largely upon the style and themeing of the piece. A pair of long, toned legs work wonders for a short fringed skirt; those lacking need to be a tad more cautious. The appeal of fringing also owes alot to the way it moves, so pay careful attention to buying quality fabrics that shimmy and shine and don't clump unattractively together.

POP CULTURE: ASK MEN- TOP 10 STATUS GADGETS

Top 10: 2009 Status Gadgets

Think an iPhone will still impress? Pick up these 10 gadgets in order to have envious eyes looking your way.

By Adam Weinberg,

Page 1:

This article is sponsored in part by Lexus (What's this?)

From the business world to your immediate group of friends, guys are always trying to one-up each other through their gadgets. In any walk of life where status is important, our personal electronic accessories have always essentially been an extension of personal success. In a market like gadgets that is always evolving, improving and upgrading, your slick and new device may have become nothing more than ordinary by the time you unbox it.

This list of the top 10 2009 status gadgets is designed as a road map to point out what will be some of the most exclusive, talked about, elite gadgets of the coming calendar year. Whether you’re looking for something to show off or just to enjoy the newest and greatest electronics, these status pieces are worth the attention.

Page 2: mypressi TWIST

Price: $129.00

What is it: A sophisticated and compact portable espresso machine that can offer up barista-level coffee anywhere, anytime.

What makes it elite: Espresso no longer has to be associated with big hulking machines and slow-moving coffee shop lines. This stylish gas-cartridge-powered gadget can deliver a flawless shot of caffeine any time you need it. The mypressi TWIST requires no batteries or wire hookups, and it works with your favorite ground blend or a ready to use E.S.E pod to give you plenty of beverage options.

Page 3: Samsung HMX-R10 HD Camcorder

Price: $500.00

What is it: This gadget takes the latest mini HD camcorder craze and supercharges it with high-end features and renowned Samsung style.

What makes it elite: Most compact HD recorders shoot in 720p and have minimal internal storage -- not the HMX-R10. This tiny powerhouse has a 5x zoom that shoots in full 1080p resolution and has a 2.7” LCD touchscreen. Besides the HD filming, the camera is also capable of capturing still photos with up to 9MP. The otherworldly design is both eye-catching and functional, giving you 25 more degrees of field vision for more natural images.

Page 4: Onkyo Bluetooth iPod Headphones

Price: $270.00

What is it: These padded headphones deliver high-quality sound minus the annoying, tangling wires of your standard iPod earbuds.

What makes it elite: Being able to ditch those restrictive white cords isn't the only benefit of using Onkyo Bluetooth iPod Headphones. Specifically, they were designed with a recording-studio-level frequency response time of 50Hz to 20Hz for superior clarity. The whole gadget is encased in a stylish metallic shell, which is a serious upgrade from the clunky plastic you are used to shoving in your ears. The battery life on the Onkyo headphones is an impressive eight hours, allowing you to listen to wireless audio for the duration of a long cross-Atlantic flight.

Page 5: Jawbone PRIME

Price: $130.00

What is it: Aliph’s coveted Bluetooth headsets get a boost in both function and form with the technologically impressive Jawbone PRIME.

What makes it elite: With unique features like the Noise Assassin, no single Bluetooth device is better at canceling out environmental interference and supplying top-notch audio quality. For on-the-go users, Aliph has introduced digital wind reduction for the Jawbone PRIME, making it easy to hold a clear conversation while outside walking or driving on a crowded freeway. For the color-minded status-conscious, this gadget is also offered in a bold array of hues, such as red, yellow and purple.

Page 6: Livio Radio

Price: $150.00

What is it: A poshly designed radio that can stream unlimited music from websites such as Pandora to anywhere you have access to the internet.

What makes it elite: This is the most stylish innovation in internet music services. With built-in Wi-Fi and ethernet capabilities, the Livio Radio gives you easy access to over 11,000 sites and lets you customize your musical preferences by rating each song as it plays. With additional audio inputs for digital music players like the iPod or Zune, the Livio Radio offers endless personal music options with next-generation sensibilities.

Page 7: Dell Latitude E6400 XFR

Price: $4,300.00

What is it: A powerhouse laptop that was engineered from the bottom up to withstand the toughest environments you can throw at it. The rugged and rough exterior gives way to a proficient beast of a computer within.

What makes it elite: There aren't many laptops that are made out of a Ballistic Armor Protection System, but that is exactly what the XFR is. With double the strength of the strongest magnesium alloy models, and a higher drop rating than any other laptop available today, the Latitude is damn near indestructible. The PrimoSeal technology makes the computer virtually invincible to dust, wind and liquid, while protecting the Intel Core 2 Duo processor and 14.1” impact-resistant LCD screen inside.

Page 8: HTC S743

Price: $490.00

What is it: A multimedia-loaded compact smartphone that manages to pack in a slide-out full QWERTY keyboard while still retaining its slim form.

What makes it elite: Located beneath the sleek exterior of the HTC S743 is a Windows Mobile-running smartphone that is as adept at handling business applications as it is personal activities. The robust connectivity of the HTC S743 includes built-in Wi-Fi, Bluetooth support, GPS navigation, and national 3G network usage. The 3.2MP camera shoots both still and video images in bold resolution, with easy uploading and sharing.

Page 9: Omega 2009 Ploprof Diver's Watch

Price: $7,700

What is it: A modern update on the professional diver’s watch, the Omega 2009 Ploprof is the culmination of four years' worth of development and 40 years of history.

What makes it elite: The Omega 2009 Ploprof is more watertight than a military grade submarine, and features elegant and refined pieces such as a coaxial Caliber 8500, a security push lock and a stainless steel case that is ocean-resistant for up to almost 4,000 feet. In fact, the attractive band on the Ploprof is actually made entirely of shark-proof mesh.

Page 10: Nikon D5000

Price: $850.00

What is it: This digital camera bridges the divide between point-and-shoot devices and pro-level DSLRs. The Nikon D5000 is loaded with all the high-end features reserved for complex upper-echelon cameras, but without the high degree of execution

What makes it elite: When it comes to innovation, the Nikon D5000 has it in spades. Starting with the 12.3MP sensor that can shoot not only amazingly clear resolution photography but also high-definition video, this camera is packed with options and capabilities. Thankfully, Nikon has taken a page from the most successful compact digital cameras by allowing you to control the D5000 through an easy and attractive 2.7” LCD touchscreen. This interface puts things like 11-point autofocus with 3D tracking, ISO 6400 and numerous scene modes at the tip of your fingers, and is beyond simple to operate.

Page 11: BeoVision 9

Price: $19,000.00

What is it: A cutting-edge 50” plasma HDTV from the innovating minds at Bang & Olufsen.

What makes it elite: Besides being one of the most uniquely designed flat-panel sets ever created, the super luxurious BeoVision 9 features an integrated center channel speaker with an acoustic lens and an automatically calibrated picture. After every 120 hours of viewing, the BeoVision 9 uses a robotic white balance arm to optimize your TV’s picture quality. In addition to a silver and black color configuration, Bang & Olufsen will also be releasing limited quantities of frames in red and blue.

BOOK REVIEW: GLORIA VANDERBILT- 'OBSESSION'

At 85, a Brahmin in Blue Jeans Writes of Sex, Masks and Veggies

By CHARLES McGRATH

Gloria Vanderbilt’s new novel, “Obsession: An Erotic Tale,” which comes out next week, may be the steamiest book ever written by an octogenarian. And it’s one of very few volumes to arrive on the sex-book shelf accompanied by a blurb from Joyce Carol Oates, who calls it, “a remarkable tapestry of human passion — an interior world of highly charged erotic mysteries that teasingly suggest, but ever elude, decoding.”

In other words, it’s not always clear what’s going on. “Obsession,” published by Ecco, is the story of Priscilla Bingham, the widow of a Frank Lloyd Wright-like architect who, after his death, discovers a cache of letters, wrapped in magenta grosgrain ribbon, revealing in considerable detail his secret, kinky sex life. The author of these letters is Bee, a mysterious woman who may be a figment of Priscilla’s imagination, or possibly Priscilla is a figment of Bee’s. Either way, the letters don’t leave much out.

“Obsession” is written in stylized literary prose that owes something to Pauline Réage’s “Story of O,” and is set in a world that’s partly fantastical. It’s erotica, not porn. But it nevertheless uses vocabulary and describes activities of a sort that readers of The New York Times are usually shielded from. There are scenes involving dildos, whips, silken cords and golden nipple clamps, not to mention an ebony, smooth-backed Mason Pearson hairbrush purchased at Harrods. As the book explains, spanking with a Mason-Pearson is a “serious matter,” not the kind of thing that is rewarded with the “luscious afterglow of warm cocoa butter.” Mint, cayenne pepper and a fresh garden carrot are deployed in the book in ways never envisioned by “The Joy of Cooking.” And there is also a unicorn, though, blessedly, it remains a bystander.

Now 85, Ms. Vanderbilt could easily pass for 25 years younger. She still has the high cheeks and the wide, stretchy smile she flashed back in the ’80s, when she was selling jeans on television. She has a Brahminish, boarding-school accent but a down-to-earth steely determination. On days when she doesn’t write she paints or makes collages and Joseph Cornell-like “dream boxes,” some of which have been featured in literary magazines.

“I’m always in love, that’s one of my secrets,” she said recently, sitting in the living room of her apartment on Beekman Place. “I’m determined to be the best I can be for as long as I can, and when I’m not, I have my plans. I walk a lot and watch my diet. That’s the key of it. I’ve always had a lot of energy.”

Sex, presumably, is something Ms. Vanderbilt knows about, after four marriages, as well as affairs with, among others, Howard Hughes, Gene Kelly, Marlon Brando and Frank Sinatra. She said she wasn’t at all embarrassed about the explicitness of her book, adding: “I don’t think age has anything to do with what you write about. The only thing that would embarrass me is bad writing, and the only thing that really concerned me was my children. You know how children can be about their parents. But mine are very intelligent and supportive.”

Ms. Vanderbilt’s son Anderson Cooper, the CNN newscaster, who read “Obsession” in manuscript, said: “The six most surprising words a mother can say to her son are: ‘Honey, I’m writing an erotic novel.’ But actually she’s pretty unique, and there’s not much she does that’s surprising anymore. At 85, whatever she wants to write is fine with me.”

Laughing, Ms. Vanderbilt said: “I have two very WASPy friends who are quite disapproving. One of them said, ‘I think it’s going to ruin your reputation.’ ” She went on: “But the book couldn’t have been done any other way, because then it would have been boring. I think that all the very graphic sex is true of self-exploration and true of fantasy. I think it’s poetic.”

The idea for “Obsession” came to her, she said, when she was browsing at the Strand one afternoon and spotted a book with the title “If Ever Two Were One,” which instantly became her first sentence. Her mother was a twin, she explained, and the idea of twinship has always fascinated her. Pairs, doubles, mirrors abound in “Obsession,” and the five-story Brooklyn sex mansion where most of the orgies take place is tellingly named the Janus Club. It’s run by Maja, an elegant madame who keeps up standards around the place by dressing her young ladies in Fortuny tea gowns, without underwear, and blindfolding them with masks of dove and marabou feathers. She also looks after the gilt and lacquered sex toys. If “Obsession” is ever made into a movie, Ms. Vanderbilt said, this is the part she would like to play.

Once she started on the book, Ms. Vanderbilt said, the writing, or the first draft, anyway, went very quickly. “It was as if I were channeling it,” she said, and added: “I do think all art is autobiographical, and I do think I know quite a bit about women. I don’t know anything about men.”

There isn’t much of her in Priscilla, she said, who is sexually timid and frustrated, but Bee, who is highly sensual and an orphan, as Ms. Vanderbilt was in a way after her father died and her mother lost custody of her following a long and scandalous trial, is another story. “Bee is me of course,” Ms. Vanderbilt said. “Absolutely. If you’ve never had a mother or a father, you grow up seeking something you’re never going to find, ever. You seek it in love and in people and in beauty.”

To judge from the book, at least, you can enhance your quest by scrubbing your torso with sea salt, bringing the skin to a glow before applying scented gardenia oil and a smidgen of honey aphrodisiac, so that you “can let loose shaking onto the breasts a goodly amount of chocolate sprinkles, which will adhere prettily.”

Ms. Vanderbilt has already rewritten the ending of “Obsession,” and the new version is available as an audiobook recording. She is also thinking about a sequel. “I can sort of see it, but not clearly yet,” she said, and she added that she thought a second installment would be much harder to write, the sex scenes especially. “I think I’ve already covered just about everything,” she said, and she laughed. “Sometimes I really crack myself up.”

TV PREVIEW: THE GREAT DEBATE

VH1 Settles the Most Heated Debates of Pop Culture with 'The Great Debate' Hosted by Michael Buffer

The 5 Night Event Premieres on Monday, July 6th at 10 PM*

NEW YORK, June 2 /PRNewswire/ -- Star Trek or Star Wars? Ginger or Mary Ann? Boxers or briefs? These are some of the most important questions in the history of everything. And now, VH1, the worldwide authority on all things pop culture, is going to answer them--once and for all.

The hottest pop culture debates ever will be argued and settled in "The Great Debate" premiering on Monday, July 6th at 10 PM*. The 5-night event will be hosted by boxing and wrestling ring announcer Michael Buffer, famous for this catchphrase, "Let's get ready to rumble!" No holds will be barred. And all decisions will be final!

Beginning on Monday, July 6th through Friday, July 10th at 10 PM* every night, VH1 will settle the pop culture debates that have caused sleepless nights, ended friendships and consumed millions upon millions of nerd-hours. Each night will grow in intensity, from the "CALIENTE" first hour (Dreamiest Travolta Stud: Danny Zuko vs. Tony Manero) to the "INFERNO" final hour (Who is the greatest band of all-time? Beatles vs. Stones).

In addition to Michael Buffer, celebs of the past and present will appear to make their arguments on these terribly vital issues. Some of the guests include DMC, Gilbert Gottfried, Sir Mix-a-Lot, Hulk Hogan, Jerry Springer, Ray J, Omarosa, Salt-N-Pepa, Tila Tequila, Statler and Waldorf, Shana Moakler and Perez Hilton

Among the topics they'll be debating with the help of VH1 panelists: Who's more bootylicious, Beyonce or J.Lo? Who's tougher, Rocky or Rambo? Whose side are you on, Team Aniston or Team Jolie? What was the most awesome 80's power ballad, "Every Rose Has Its Thorn" or "Home Sweet Home?"

So join VH1 for "The Great Debate" premiering on Monday, July 6th at 10 PM*. The time has come, you've asked the questions and now we're gonna settle them... forever!

Additionally, fans can weigh in on several debates like "Hot or Not?" and "Funny or Not?" online at GreatDebate.VH1.com beginning Monday, June 1. The results of each online debate will appear on-air during the weeklong series.

"The Great Debate" is a production of VH1. Pat Twist and Jon Rubin serve as Series and Show Producers while Jeff Olde, Shelly Tatro and Karla Hidalgo will serve as Executive Producers.

VH1 connects viewers to the music, artists and pop culture that matter to them most with TV series, specials, live events, exclusive online content and public affairs initiatives. VH1 is available in 95 million households in the U.S. VH1 also has an array of digital channels and services including VH1Classic, VH1 Soul, VH1 Mobile, VH1Games and extensive broadband video on VH1.com. Connect with VH1 at VH1.com.

POP CULTURE: SOUTH CAROLINA SERIAL KILLER?? 5TH VICTIM FOUND

'Serial killer' claims fifth victim in South Carolina

Man fatally shoots 5 people in less than a week near Gaffney, South Carolina

"Under the FBI's definition of a serial killer, yes, we have a serial killer," sheriff says

100 investigators from North and South Carolina working the case

People urged to check on relatives, especially those who live alone

From Stan Moberg

CNN

(CNN) -- A 15-year-old South Carolina girl who was shot earlier this week by a man authorities say fits the description of a serial killer has died, police said Saturday.

Abby Tyler died at 11:25 a.m. Saturday at Spartanburg Regional Medical Center, said Chief Rick Turner of the Gaffney Police Department.

Her father, Stephen Tyler, 48, was pronounced dead at the scene of the shooting Thursday in the family-run furniture and appliance store, Tyler Home Center, in Gaffney.

On Friday, the Cherokee County Sheriff's Office released a second sketch of a man believed to have fatally shot five people in less than a week.

"Let me say that under the FBI's definition of a serial killer, yes, we have a serial killer," Sheriff Bill Blanton said in Gaffney, a town in the county of about 54,000 residents 50 miles southwest of Charlotte, North Carolina.

He would not detail what has led investigators to conclude the shootings are linked or how they received the description of the suspect that has led to the two sketches. In addition, he said he did not know whether the shooter knew his victims or whether he may have chosen them at random. Watch locals gather to pray for victims and killer »

Police said he may be driving a light gray or champagne tan 1991-94 two-door Ford Explorer.

The first shooting happened Saturday, when peach farmer Kline W. Cash, 63, was found dead by his wife in their home, said Leigh Caldwell, a victims services coordinator for the sheriff's office.

Blanton said Cash's home may have been robbed.

On Wednesday, the bound and shot bodies of 83-year-old Hazel Linder and her 50-year-old daughter, Gena Linder Parker, were found in the mother's home, where she lived alone.

"We're still trying to determine if anything's missing from there," Blanton said.

Leave has been canceled for all members of the Police Department and the Sheriff's Department, said their respective chiefs, who urged residents to take precautions. Watch how fear has gripped the town »

About 100 investigators from North and South Carolina were working the case, Blanton said.

"I think our community has a right to be concerned," he said. "We're concerned. We're dealing with a man that's killed four people."

He urged residents to check on relatives, especially those who live alone. "We're asking the people in our community to be vigilant, to report anything."

But he cautioned against taking that too far. "Our concern is that people are going to start shooting at shadows," he said.

All AboutMurder and Homicide • South Carolina

Find this article at:

http://www.cnn.com/2009/CRIME/07/04/south.carolina.killings/index.html?iref=mpstoryview

POP CULTURE: NFL'ER STEVE MCNAIR FOUND SHOT DEAD

Former NFL QB Steve McNair found shot to death

NEW: Former NFL QB Steve McNair shot multiple times, including once in head

Gun found near body of woman identified as Sahel Kazemi, police say

Investigators say they do not know circumstances surrounding the shooting

McNair, 36, spent 13 seasons in the NFL, the majority with the Tennessee Titans

(CNN) -- Former NFL quarterback Steve McNair was shot multiple times, including once in the head, at a Nashville, Tennessee, condominium, authorities said Saturday.

Police said they found McNair and a woman identified as Sahel Kazemi shot to death after receiving a phone call about an injured person.

McNair's body was found seated on a living room sofa, authorities said.

Kazemi sustained a gunshot wound to the head, authorities said. Police also said a pistol was found near her body.

Autopsies were scheduled for Sunday.

Asked whether the shooting was a murder-suicide, Don Aaron, spokesman for the Nashville Metropolitan Police Department, said investigators have not classified the incident . He said investigators have not ruled out anything but added that they were not "actively looking at suspects" Saturday night.

"I suspect we'll have something to say tomorrow," Aaron said.

The bodies were found just two days after Kazemi was pulled over in a Cadillac Escalade, registered to her and McNair, and charged with a DUI, Aaron said. McNair was in the vehicle at the time.

Although Aaron described Kazemi as McNair's "friend," a law enforcement source close to the investigation said that the woman is McNair's girlfriend and that the residence is her condominium in downtown Nashville.

Witnesses said McNair was a frequent visitor at the condominium.

Authorities were questioning people who were near the home, but they said no one was in custody.

Police could not provide details about the circumstances of the shooting. Watch police update reporters on McNair's death »

Investigators don't think McNair's wife, Mechelle, who is "very distraught," was involved, Aaron said.

McNair's family issued a statement through a spokesman Saturday, saying, "The families of Steve McNair in Mississippi and Tennessee appreciate the concern, thoughts and prayers during this difficult time of our lost of a husband, father and son. The family requests everyone would allow them time to mourn."

McNair's brother, Fred, also confirmed the death but had no immediate details.

McNair, 36, spent 13 seasons in the NFL, the majority with the Tennessee Titans, and was named the NFL's co-MVP along with Indianapolis Colts QB Peyton Manning in 2003. He spent his last two seasons with the Baltimore Ravens before announcing his retirement in April 2008.

The owner of the Titans, Bud Adams Jr., said in a statement that the organization was "saddened and shocked" to hear of McNair's death.

"He was one of the finest players to play for our organization and one of the most beloved players by our fans," Adams said.

"He played with unquestioned heart and leadership and led us to places that we had never reached, including our only Super Bowl."

The Titans marked a Super Bowl loss to the St. Louis Rams in 2000.

McNair attended Alcorn State in Mississippi.

Dozens of fans who rushed to the crime scene were rattled by the news of McNair's death.

"I'm in shock. It's so hard to believe," Sonya Hughes told CNN affiliate WKRN. "Tennessee Titans, Steve McNair -- on the Fourth of July."

Ludy Wallace, former Nashville city councilman, remembered McNair as a "friendly" guy.

"I think he made an everlasting impression with people he came in contact with and the people that attended his [football] camps," Wallace told CNN affiliate WTVF.

CNN's Mayra Cuevas and Mike Brooks contributed to this report.

Find this article at:

http://www.cnn.com/2009/CRIME/07/04/mcnair.shooting/index.html?iref=mpstoryview

POP CULTURE: ROGER FEDERER WINS WIMBLEDON 2009

Serena tops Venus in straight-sets final

Associated Press

WIMBLEDON, England -- Serena Williams fell to her knees on the grass, eyes closed, arms raised, and threw back her head.

After six years, it was her turn to hold up the Venus Rosewater Dish again.

In the fourth all-Williams final at Wimbledon, Serena beat her sister Venus 7-6 (3), 6-2 on Saturday for her third title and 11th Grand Slam championship.

"It feels so amazing," Serena said. "I'm so blessed. I feel like I shouldn't be holding the trophy. I can't believe I'm holding it. It's named for Venus and she always wins."

Serena came out on top by out-serving her big sister, lifting her game in the tiebreaker and dictating play throughout the second set, finally winning when five-time champion Venus slapped a backhand into the net on the fourth match point.

Serena beat Venus in the 2002 and '03 finals, before Venus prevailed in last year's championship match. Venus was trying to become the first woman since Steffi Graf in 1991-93 to win Wimbledon three years in a row.

Still, the Williams sisters proved their dominance at the All England Club once more, winning their eighth singles title this decade. As always with Williams vs. Williams matches, the celebrations were relatively muted. The sisters embraced at the net, with the 29-year-old Venus patting 27-year-old Serena on the back.

With the 7-6 (3), 6-2 triumph, Serena Williams took an 11-10 edge overall and 6-2 mark in Grand Slam finals against her sister Venus.

"I didn't think about Venus at all today," Serena said. "I just saw her as an opponent. At one point, after the first set, I looked on the side of the court at the stats, and it was like 'Williams, Williams.' I couldn't figure out which was which."

The sisters were due back on Centre Court later for the women's doubles final, where they will face Samantha Stosur and Rennae Stubbs of Australia. They're seeking their fourth Wimbledon doubles title and 10th Grand Slam crown.

Venus had come into the final as the favorite after playing some of the best grass-court tennis of her career. She hadn't dropped a set in 17 straight matches at Wimbledon, but couldn't cope on this day with the fierce competitive drive and relentless power game of her sister.

"This is one of the few times I didn't expect to come out with the win today," Serena said. "When I won that first set, I was like, 'Wow, this is great. No matter what, I'm a set away.' So I was just trying to relax."

The statistics summed up Serena's superiority: She had 12 aces, 25 winners and 12 unforced errors, compared to two aces, 14 winners and 18 unforced mistakes for Venus.

"She played great, especially in the tiebreak," Venus said. "I would just play a good shot and she'd just hit a winner off of it or put me in a position where she could hit another winner. I played a good tiebreak, but she played a great one."

Serena now has an 11-10 edge overall and is 6-2 in Grand Slam finals against her sister. She currently holds three of the major titles -- the U.S. Open, Australian Open and Wimbledon -- and is one Slam win away from tying Billie Jean King at sixth all-time.

"It's unbelievable," Serena said. "I feel like now I'm just not even in a competition of how many I can win. It's just now I'm looking at the next goal of someone like Billie Jean King, who is completely my idol. To get to her level and have 12 would be even better."

Serena said she found no particular significance in stopping her sister from taking a third straight Wimbledon crown.

"She's won seven Grand Slams on her own, five being Wimbledon," Serena said. "You can't compare that, because she's a living legend right now."

Despite her dominance on the big stages, Serena will stay at No. 2 in the world rankings behind Dinara Safina. The Russian reached the top spot this year even though she has never won a Grand Slam title. She was routed 6-1, 6-0 by Venus in the Wimbledon semifinals.

"I think if you hold three Grand Slam titles maybe you should be No. 1, but not on the WTA Tour obviously," Serena said.

"My motivation is maybe just to win another Grand Slam and stay No. 2, I guess," she added with a laugh. "I'd rather definitely be No. 2 and hold three Grand Slams in the past year than be No. 1 and not have any."

Serena became the second player in the Open era to win the Wimbledon women's title after overcoming a match point, having done so in the semifinals against Elena Dementieva. The only other player to do it was Venus, who saved one in the 2005 final against Lindsay Davenport.

On a sunny, breezy day, there was little to separate the sisters for most of the first set, though Venus failed to convert her chances to break in the eighth game. Serving at 15-40, Serena saved the first break point with a second serve into the body that forced a backhand error from Venus. On the second, Venus went for a forehand passing shot that landed just wide of the line. Serena then hit back-to-back aces to take the game.

Serena dominated the tiebreaker, increasing her intensity and grunting volume and pushing Venus around the court. Serena closed it out in style, flicking a picture-perfect topspin lob that floated over Venus and into the back of the court for a winner.

Venus looked flat and demoralized in the second set and, from 2-2, Serena ran off the last four games. The match was essentially over when Venus double-faulted on break point in the sixth game to hand her sister a 4-2 lead. Two games later, Serena failed to convert on three match points before Venus ended the contest with a final backhand error.

"Serena and I, we both expect from ourselves great results," Venus said, refusing to reflect on what the siblings have accomplished. "At the moment, we're just pushing for everything that we can. And maybe when all these moments are over, then we can look back and kind of be amazed."

POP CULTURE: SERENA WILLIAMS BEATS VENUS WILLIAMS IN 2009 WIMBLEDON