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Access Atlanta > Blog > Archives > 2007 > May > 09 > Entry
Akon sorry for windin’ and grindin’
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Here at Buzz Central, we’ve dubbed it the Elton John/Dallas Austin Rule: whenever famous Atlantans leave the comfy environs of our city limits, trouble somehow seems to attach itself to our celebs like that creepy black goo in “Spider-Man 3.”
Case in point: Atlanta-based singer Akon is currently under fire for performing a sexually explicit dance onstage with a 14-year-old girl. The performer is offering an apology to the teen and anyone else who was offended by the display.
Akon, who is in the Billboard Hot 100 Top 10 with his radio hit “Don’t Matter,” was videotaped simulating sex with a girl invited onstage as part of his act during an April 12 concert in Trinidad. After the video was circulated on the Internet, it was revealed that she was 14.
Whoops.
Since the incident, Verizon has pulled out as a sponsor of his tour with Gwen Stefani, for whom he wrote the hit “The Sweet Escape.” The tour comes to HiFi Buys Amphitheatre this Friday.
In a statement released Wednesday to The Associated Press, Akon, 34, said he was sorry for the incident but also said he didn’t know the girl was underage.
“I want to sincerely apologize for the embarrassment and any pain I’ve caused to the young woman who joined me onstage, her family and the Trinidad community for the events at my concert,” Akon said.
“It was never my intention to embarrass or take advantage of my fans in any way, especially those under the age of 18. That is why we tried to make sure that the club did not admit anyone under 18 in the audience,” he said. “Somehow, that standard was not met.”
Meanwhile, on Wednesday TMZ.com was busy displaying video of Atlanta producer Jermaine Dupri sitting in the back of a Los Angeles County Sheriff’s vehicle this week after a traffic stop in Los Angeles. The video on the celebrity Web site shows Dupri’s Lamborghini near the squad car with its doors ajar. The boyfriend of Janet Jackson was eventually allowed to leave seemingly without incident. There was no immediate statement regarding the stop issued from Dupri’s camp here or from L.A. law enforcement officials.
FONDA FILE
During her Tuesday night appearance on “The Late Show With David Letterman,” Atlantan Jane Fonda dished on her personal life to a clearly smitten Letterman. In her 2005 appearance on the show, Fonda mentioned meeting a mystery man at her NYC book signing. After losing his business card, she invited him on-air to call her business office in Atlanta. On Tuesday, he was in the show’s green room. “I’m in love with him,” Fonda told Letterman. She failed, however, to identify the New Yorker. Fonda did say she’s taken her boyfriend to her ranch but he hasn’t as yet received any fly-fishing lessons from her. Explained the actress: “We didn’t spend a lot of time outside.”
WEDDING PITCH
Look for Atlanta Braves pitcher Tim Hudson and his wife Kim on this Sunday’s edition of “Get Married” at 9:30 a.m. on the basic cable channel WE (as in Women’s Entertainment). According to press info, Braves fans will “see the softer side of star pitcher” on the weekly wedding series. The Peachtree City couple will “discuss how they met at Auburn University and reveal how nervous Tim was when he proposed. Kim also recounts sticking to tried-and-true wedding traditions when Tim’s mother gave her something old. Turns out, it was Tim’s baby bonnet, which she wrapped around her bridal bouquet.” Hopefully, someone will be thoughtful enough to send along video footage to us of the reception Hudson will undoubtedly receive from teammates when he shows up in the locker room Sunday afternoon prior to the game in Pittsburgh. …
SICK BAY
Those glow-in-the-dark dancing pink flamingos that greet Mary Chapin Carpenter here each summer will surely be bowing their heads today. The perennial Chastain Park Amphitheatre fave has canceled her June 30 appearance here, along with her entire “The Calling” summer tour. According to the singer-songwriter’s Web site, she recently finished her spring tour, “during which time she experienced pain from a recent back injury. She was subsequently hospitalized for a pulmonary embolism, possibly as a result of her limited movement during the spring tour.” After a brief stay in the hospital, Carpenter is now recovering at home. She hopes to resume touring next year.
BUTTERING UP MOM
Proud mama Paula Deen sent out an e-mail Wednesday informing us that her baby boys, Jamie and Bobby Deen, will pop in to visit for the Mother’s Day edition of “The Rachael Ray Show” Friday (seen locally on WXIA-TV at 3 p.m.).
According to the Savannah restaurateur, the Food Network hosts of “Road Tasted” will be on to share Mom’s Day memories and to promote their new tome, “The Deen Bros. Cookbook: Recipes from the Road.” In the e-mail, the elder Deen says that in advance of the looming holiday, the boys have already dutifully delivered a copy of the book to their maternal figure.
CELEBRITY BIRTHDAYS
Singer Donovan is 61. Singer Bono of U2 is 47. Rapper Young MC is 40. Actor Kenan Thompson (“Kenan and Kel”) is 29.
Contributing: news services
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