Dirt

“Don’t cry Bobby, now Willy’s really free…”

Web site Zap2it.com reports that more than 700 fans attended a memorial service for Keiko, the whale featured in 1993’s Free Willy.

At an aquarium in Newport, Oregon, the supporters lit candles and toured exhibits of the sea creature’s life and times. Poor Keiko died of a cold this past December.

His contributions to the film industry aside, Keiko (or his subsequent celebrity status) raised awareness for the release of animals in captive like himself.

Not to worry, the three-ton whale died under the close supervision and care of scientists. No official word on a posthumous biography and accompanying DVD box set…yet.

Xtina and Chingy???

She wants to get dirrty and he’s reportedly going to be right thurr for it. MTV.com said that Christina Aguilera’s management has reached out to rapper Chingy to open for an alleged Xtina tour kicking off in April.

One problem: If Christina’s the headliner, where’s the album? Her multi-platinum disc Stripped (8 million copies worldwide thus far) debuted on Billboard charts in October 2002, an album she’s released five smash singles from and already toured domestically with Justin Timberlake.

The diva has been dropping hints that she’s hard at work writing for a third LP during recent interviews to promote MAC Cosmetics Viva Glam line, special edition makeup sold to raise funds for AIDS research.

Chingy’s camp is still considering the offer, despite total silence from Aguilera’s reps, but…April? It’s doubtful even a voice like Christina’s can soar fast enough to write, record and promote a record in less than two months.

But neverrr say neverrr.

More Nipplegate fallout…

Janet, Janet, Janet. You’re redefining overexposed.

Banished from the Grammy’s, maligned by industry peers and now pissing off old-school icons.

Take Lena Horne for instance. The hey-day diva is scratching her claws at the back of Miss Jackson, allegedly telling People Magazine she’s “appalled” by Janet’s halftime shenanigans and no longer approves of Janet playing her in a made-for-TV movie based on Horne’s life.

Meow, baby. Meow.

Touchy, Touchy

It’s that time of the month for everyone in Tinsel town. Native Americans are riffed by Outkast’s Grammy performance saying their use of teepees, war paint and feathers were degrading and unnecessary.

Christian pop singer Stacie Orrico decried Britney and Christina for being overtly sexual, saying they set bad examples for young girls who think “the only thing that makes them special or beautiful is their sexuality.”

And nasty Meg Ryan’s attack of a Jane Magazine reporter after said sleuth tried to dig into Meg’s personal life. Ryan even refused to answer trademark magazine hypotheticals (if you could be any kind of nail polish, what would it be?) saying, “It doesn’t advance anything.”

Chalk it up to a messy week. I know Sex and the City is over, but anger is never the answer! Seek a qualified crisis counselor, people; it’s helped me move on.

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Matt Donnelly can be reached at mattdonn@temple.edu