Fans' memories of 'N Sync, Sting, Bobby Sherman | Newsweek Entertainment

ENTERTAINMENT
Baby One More Time
Oscar Raymundo 9/8/2008 12:00:00 AM
MTV's Video Music Awards are famous for last year's hapless performance by an out of shape (and visibly out of mind) Britney Spears. Cut to last night and this year's show. Set in Hollywood's Paramount Studios, this year's show was hosted by relatively-unknown UK comedian, Russell Brand, and featured performances by the Jonas Brothers and Lil' Wayne.
DIVA BEHAVING BADLY
Sir Elton John’s Fight Club
9/6/2008 12:00:00 AM
Elton John is such a whiner, his boyfriend once made a film about him called "Tantrums & Tiaras." The latest: a spat with Lily Allen—something about drinking and snorting at an award show. Some of John's Greatest Snits:
CAMPAIGN 2008
The Hot New Celeb? Sarah!
Ramin Setoodeh 9/4/2008 12:00:00 AM
Barack Obama seemed to be the biggest celebrity in the world—until Sarah Palin came along. If you've got any doubt, just look at the covers of this week's top celebrity tabloids. Us Weekly has Palin cradling her 5-month-old newborn Trig, with the tawdry headline BABIES, LIES AND SCANDAL. OK Magazine has almost the exact same photo, with the more sympathetic angle: A MOTHER'S PAINFUL CHOICE. And Palin gave her first exclusive interview to People magazine, which reports on "Sarah Palin's Family Drama," including the pregnancy of her 17-year-old daughter Bristol. The way in which all these magazines are covering Palin, you'd think she was related to Britney Spears, not possibly the next vice president of the United States. But that's exactly the point.
SOCIETY
Hopelessly Devoted
Alicia Coffman 6/20/2008 12:00:00 AM
I understand those tween girls who are swooning over the new Jonas Brothers movie. I'm a formerly obsessive teen-idol fan myself. And I started young: I was in third grade when I wrote my first fan letter. It was to Zachary (Zack) Morris, the blond main character of the '90s sitcom "Saved by the Bell." I addressed the note simply to "Zack." I was too young to realize that was only Mark-Paul Gosselaar's character's name. I was certain that each Saturday morning I was watching what would now be considered a reality show.
NEWSMAKERS

The rumor mill has long been unkind to pop power couple Britney Spears and Justin Timberlake--last June, a radio station claimed that they had died in a car crash--but now it's getting downright vicious. Britney and Justin might be, could be, we don't really know, to tell you the truth, broken up. Here's what we do know: Justin was spotted last week at a club (not the Mickey Mouse Club) gyrating with a comely female. Shortly after, Britney was seen crying in an L.A. cafe. (Say, how come stars always cry in public places?) Spears quickly hit MTV to deny the split; Justin's reps didn't return calls seeking comment. But if everything's peachy, then why the tears? Who knows? A bad BLT, perhaps? Because we're pretty sure Justin's slinky dance partner was just 'N Sync-mate Lance Bass.
MUSIC
REVENGE OF THE NERDS
Lorraine Ali
They put the resounding thump in Britney's "I'm a Slave 4 U," the bounce in Jay-Z's "I Just Wanna Love U" and the only interesting bits in 'N Sync's "Girlfriend." If there's been a new beat or rhythm stuck in your head lately, it's most likely a tune produced, written or tweaked by the Neptunes. Last week five songs by the production duo were simultaneously on Billboard's Hot 100.