LOS ANGELES -- It looked as if a party had broken out in the Staples Center corridors Wednesday as Clippers employees dressed in cowboy outfits handed out All-Star Game ballots to every fan in sight. Behind them a huge sign read, "Vote For Your Clippers Today"! with the names Blake Griffin, Baron Davis, Al Thornton and Marcus Camby etched into silver stars underneath.
It was tough to carry on a conversation with the board-stomping and chanting in the background threatening to completely drown out my caller, who happens to be an NHL scout. But through the din of the college arena, one sentence came through clearly over the phone:
Who was the evil NBA schedule maker who thought it would be funny to have the Clippers play the Lakers on opening night? It's one thing to be viewed as the "other team" in town, but it's another to be present on the night the Lakers are given their championship rings and unveil their most recent championship banner at Staples Center, which is also the Clippers' home -- although you'd never know it by looking up at the rafters.
The Twilight hunk and the country singer spend the day together in L.A.
The singer delivers a personal message to a special youngster at the Concert for Hope
The windowless suite on the second floor of the Pacific Palms, a resort 20 miles east of Los Angeles, is prosaically named the NFL Presentation Room. In this sterile bunker, decorated with maps, charts, schematics, architectural models and a wall-mounted flat screen tuned to the NFL Network, Southern California real estate developer Ed Roski greets visitors and lays out his plan to build a gleaming pro football stadium a few miles down the road, where the 57 and 60 freeways intersect in the City of Industry.
They say you have to clearly beat the champion if you want to take his belt. Mauricio "Shogun" Rua seemed to have done just that at UFC 104 on Saturday night, but the mere fact that UFC light heavyweight champ Lyoto Machida was still conscious at the end was apparently enough for the judges to give him the victory.
The UFC returns to Los Angeles this weekend for the first time in three years, and once again, MMA's top promotion reminds us that yesterday's greatness doesn't guarantee tomorrow's success.
Ukrainian Vitali Klitschko -- who shares three of the four major heavyweight titles with brother Wladimir -- will put his World Boxing Council (WBC) belt on the line when he meets Cristobal Arreola at the Staples Center, Los Angeles on Saturday.
"This hurts," Tweets the pop star, who'll still continue with her concert tour
LOS ANGELES -- It looked as if a party had broken out in the Staples Center corridors Wednesday as Clippers employees dressed in cowboy outfits handed out All-Star Game ballots to every fan in sight. Behind them a huge sign read, "Vote For Your Clippers Today"! with the names Blake Griffin, Baron Davis, Al Thornton and Marcus Camby etched into silver stars underneath.
It was tough to carry on a conversation with the board-stomping and chanting in the background threatening to completely drown out my caller, who happens to be an NHL scout. But through the din of the college arena, one sentence came through clearly over the phone:
Who was the evil NBA schedule maker who thought it would be funny to have the Clippers play the Lakers on opening night? It's one thing to be viewed as the "other team" in town, but it's another to be present on the night the Lakers are given their championship rings and unveil their most recent championship banner at Staples Center, which is also the Clippers' home -- although you'd never know it by looking up at the rafters.
The Twilight hunk and the country singer spend the day together in L.A.
The singer delivers a personal message to a special youngster at the Concert for Hope
The windowless suite on the second floor of the Pacific Palms, a resort 20 miles east of Los Angeles, is prosaically named the NFL Presentation Room. In this sterile bunker, decorated with maps, charts, schematics, architectural models and a wall-mounted flat screen tuned to the NFL Network, Southern California real estate developer Ed Roski greets visitors and lays out his plan to build a gleaming pro football stadium a few miles down the road, where the 57 and 60 freeways intersect in the City of Industry.
They say you have to clearly beat the champion if you want to take his belt. Mauricio "Shogun" Rua seemed to have done just that at UFC 104 on Saturday night, but the mere fact that UFC light heavyweight champ Lyoto Machida was still conscious at the end was apparently enough for the judges to give him the victory.
The UFC returns to Los Angeles this weekend for the first time in three years, and once again, MMA's top promotion reminds us that yesterday's greatness doesn't guarantee tomorrow's success.
Ukrainian Vitali Klitschko -- who shares three of the four major heavyweight titles with brother Wladimir -- will put his World Boxing Council (WBC) belt on the line when he meets Cristobal Arreola at the Staples Center, Los Angeles on Saturday.
"This hurts," Tweets the pop star, who'll still continue with her concert tour
The singer says of her brother's kids, "That family love will keep them going"
Seventy days after his sudden death, Michael Jackson will be interred in what may or may not be his final resting place Thursday evening.
LOS ANGELES -- Joining forces for a late-notice press conference Tuesday across from the Staples Center, Brazilians Lyoto Machida and Mauricio "Shogun" Rua kicked off a promotion for, what should be, one of the most anticipated mixed martial arts bouts in their nation's history.
World Boxing Council heavyweight champion Vitali Klitschko will defend his title against Mexican-American Chris Arreola at the Staples Center, Los Angeles on September 26 -- the Ukrainian has confirmed on his official Web site.
With Jon Wertheim on vacation, rising American star Sam Querrey graciously agreed to respond to fans' questions. The 21-year-old Querrey is ranked 26th after winning the Los Angeles Open last week, his third consecutive ATP final.
• Looks like they're still hanging out! A bubbly Lindsay Lohan joined Samantha Ronson at her table outside the Chateau Marmont in West Hollywood after midnight. (Earlier, the two took in the "American Idols Live!" tour stop at the Staples Center.) Lohan left a table of her own friends to join her deejay ex, who had asked for Lohan by name when she arrived. The actress was openly affectionate as she spent the night leaning into Ronson and hanging on her every word. Meanwhile, Ronson was more restrained but still sweet.
• Tom Cruise, doing the famous "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)" dance at Beyoncé's concert at L.A.'s Staples Center. "Everyone was laughing and taking pictures," a concertgoer tells us of the scene. When the actor originally arrived - sans wife Katie Holmes, who is filming her new movie in Australia - he waved and smiled at fans who stood up and cheered when they saw him walk in. Cruise then settled in next to the sound booth where he sang (and danced!) along all night.
"He looked like he was just laying there sleeping," a cousin at the viewing and the private funeral tells PEOPLE
"The speakers really spoke from their heart," says the producer of Tuesday's Michael Jackson tribute
The memorial service for singer Michael Jackson cost the city of Los Angeles $1.4 million, the mayor's office said Wednesday.
The songs, the speeches and, of course, Paris - what was the most remarkable part of Jackson's memorial for you?
Michael Jackson's daughter touched the hearts of millions when she bid a tearful farewell to her father at his memorial service in a rare public appearance.
In death as in life, Michael Jackson continues to light up the Internet.
An 11-year-old girl who lost her father made the world cry with her on Tuesday.
No major security problems were reported at Michael Jackson's public memorial service on Tuesday in Los Angeles, California, according to police.
Even if they couldn't be at the Staples Center, Michael Jackson fans across the country gathered to mark the pop sensation's memorial. They packed a diner in Houston, Texas, streamed into a Fort Pierce, Florida, movie theater and amassed beneath a JumboTron in Cincinnati, Ohio.
Find out how many fans are at the memorial and other fun facts about Jackson
Randy and La Toya Jackson are among those at Forest Lawn burial ground on eve of big memorial
"I cannot be part of the public whoopla," the actress says in a string of heartfelt Twitter messages
They poured in to Los Angeles from places far-flung, an army of Michael Jackson fans hoping to collectively mourn their idol in a massive ceremony at the Staples Center downtown Tuesday.
Melvin Price registered for the Michael Jackson memorial ticket lottery in England on Friday and jumped on a flight to the United States over the weekend.
The "onslaught of media attention" will cause a distraction, her attorney says
The cars drove up to the stadium in a steady, orderly stream Monday -- some drivers giddy with anticipation as they entered and shaking with excitement as they exited.
People walked by 12-year-old Yance Phillips as he danced on Hollywood Boulevard on Sunday.
Some lucky Michael Jackson fans got the e-mails they were hoping for Sunday, saying they've won two free tickets to Tuesday's memorial service.
The first official indication that a family service for Michael Jackson will be held at Forest Lawn Cemetery came from a Los Angeles police official Sunday.
About 1.6 million fans registered for a chance at fewer than 9,000 pairs of tickets to Michael Jackson's memorial service next week, organizers said.
Organizers will randomly distribute 17,500 free passes; the ceremony also will be broadcast and streamed live
A guitarist tells PEOPLE the pop star - two nights before his death - was "excited, singing and dancing"
The odds of winning Saturday's lottery for 17,500 free tickets to Michael Jackson memorial may be long, judging from traffic to the Staples Center Web site Friday.
The public service will likely take place Tuesday morning, according to reports
Fans must register online for a lottery to win tickets to the Michael Jackson memorial Tuesday at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, organizers said Friday.
5. Will Courtney Lee be scarred for life? If we're talking about his last-second alley-oop layup that would have won Game 2 of the NBA Finals for Orlando, the answer is no. After he missed that shot, Lee -- a rookie from Western Kentucky -- stood at his locker and answered every question without taking offense.
The Los Angeles Lakers took a 2-0 lead over Orlando Magic in the National Basketball Association (NBA) best-of-seven finals, after securing a narrow 101-96 overtime victory on Sunday.
LOS ANGELES -- As the Lakers and Magic prepped for Game 1 of the NBA Finals, LeBron James was undergoing five hours of dental surgery to remove a benign growth from his right jaw. Which was less painful than the metaphorical dental surgery he had to endure later.
Kobe Bryant inspired the Los Angeles Lakers to a dominant 100-75 home win over Orlando Magic in the first game of the 2009 NBA Finals.
Amenities include halftime drinks at the Wachovia Chairman's Room and court side wait service
There are certain things we're pretty much guaranteed to see Wednesday in Game 5 of the Lakers-Nuggets series. They include:
The singer jokes that he couldn't resist the Staples Center's "Kiss Me Cam"
• Avril Lavigne and hubby Deryck Whibley supported pal Britney Spears at her L.A. show at the Staples Center. Seated 20 rows back, the two rocked out for the night with some friends who accompanied them. "They were enjoying the show," says an onlooker. "They looked really cute together." The twosome slipped out right before the encore and headed in the backstage direction.
The first-time nominees are psyched – and slightly scared – about the show
The Los Angeles Lakers snapped Boston Celtics' 19-game winning streak with a 92-83 home court win at the Staples Center in the highlight of the NBA's Christmas Day program.
LeRoi Moore, saxophonist and founding member of the Dave Matthews Band, died Tuesday from complications stemming from injuries he sustained in an ATV accident, the band's publicist said.
Boosted by immense star power, the L.A. team beat Boston, 87-81
The actor, who is fighting pancreatic cancer, watches the Los Angeles Lakers beat the San Antonio Spurs
Kobe Bryant scored 26 points despite not attempting a field goal in the fourth quarter as his Los Angeles Lakers beat Utah Jazz 111-104 on Wednesday night to take a 3-2 lead in the Western Conference semifinals.
Spears dances along with her mom Lynne nearby the night before she's due in court
This is what O.J. Mayo must have had in mind when he signed to play at USC last year -- Los Angeles and a basketball in the palm of his hand, as he dribbled up court with the clock winding down.
Video courtesy CBS
Amy Winehouse added to her growing trophy collection, winning best new artist and song of the year honors at Sunday night's Grammy Awards – while performers from Carrie Underwood to Kanye West rocked the Staples Center.
The Grammy Awards is celebrating its 50th anniversary – and this year's telecast promises plenty of what the Recording Academy offers best: thrilling live performances with an emphasis on unique musical pairings.
Three months after his mother's sudden death, Kanye West is planning an emotional tribute performance at the Grammy Awards.
Garth Brooks will fight fire with five concerts, including one that'll be seen on the CBS special Garth Brooks: Live in L.A.! Friday at 9 p.m. ET.
Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes have found one way to spice up their marriage – turning out for a second Spice Girls show, this one Sunday night in Las Vegas.
Add another celebrity supporter to the Girl Power agenda: Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger attended Friday night's Spice Girls concert in L.A. The Governator held court in a VIP box at the Staples Center, while David Beckham and the kids cheered on mom Victoria "Posh Spice" Beckham for the second night – though the soccer star clearly didn't want to stand up and show off his dance moves.
It was a family affair Wednesday night at the Spice Girls concert at L.A.'s Staples Center: David Beckham and sons joined pals Tom Cruise, Katie Holmes and daughter Suri to take in the 90-minute Girl Power party.
Over a pre-game beer in the Grand Reserve Room at Staples Center, I recently had the chance to talk to Hall of Fame-bound and current L.A. Kings President of Business Operations Luc Robitaille. Reminiscing about the golden age of the old Forum Club, a mid-90s Hollywood hockey hot spot, we talked Kings history, the team's current roster of promising young talent, marketing (a major part of Luc's new gig), and his desire to bring back the buzz to a team that is now playing second fiddle to the defending Stanley Cup champion Ducks down the road in Anaheim.
LOS ANGELES -- The sound was unmistakable. The message it sent was just as clear.
Once mocked as the beautiful building that didn't attract enough visitors, the newly named 02 has become the capital's coolest venue
Marc Anthony raised eyebrows Friday night when he made a special song dedication to wife Jennifer Lopez at their Los Angeles concert.
Party-hopping was mandatory for TV stars on Sunday, but Kanye West made the night's biggest splash with two surprise post-Emmy performances.
Paris Hilton is looking for her bunnies. It's really not as crazy at it sounds. Saturday night just turned into Easter Sunday morning and she's walking around her Tuscan-style home in the Hollywood Hills looking for her furry friends. "Where are they?" she asks her sister, Nicky, whose lounging by the pool and talking to their friend Brandon Davis. "They're not in the cage."
Architectural firm Nadel Architects hires a new president and wins some high-profile contracts.
Ernie Kent's eyes widened as he heard the question being asked.
I cannot remember the day I became a fan of the Los Angeles Kings. I can remember the Triple Crown line of Marcel Dionne, Dave Taylor and Charlie Simmer; the mania in the man who was Dave "Tiger" Williams; and the first Emperor, Rogie Vachon.
Amelie Mauresmo made a powerful start in her bid to end the year as world number one with a 6-1 6-0 rout of Vera Zvonareva at the WTA Championships.
Upstart extreme sports are getting all grown up.
Better product, lower prices, and they actually give a damn: Major airlines canceled hundreds of flights during the Aug. 14 blackout. JetBlue could've easily followed suit. Instead, the popular low...
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