The daily gossip: Justin Bieber is going to space, and more
5 top pieces of celebrity gossip — from the true identities of Daft Punk to a pregnant, naked Kim Kardashian statue
1. Justin Bieber is going to space
Space is the final frontier, and Justin Bieber is officially set to explore it. The pop star recently paid $250,000 for a seat on Richard Branson's private space shuttle, which will likely launch in 2014. "let's shoot a music video in SPACE!!" tweeted the Biebs, because the other passengers definitely wouldn't mind having their trip to space interrupted by an impromptu Justin Bieber concert. By booking the space flight, Bieber joins a list of celebrities that also includes Ashton Kutcher — which raises the intriguing possibility that this is all just a scheme to send our most irritating celebrities into orbit. [StarPulse]
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2. Ricky Gervais is open to hosting the Oscars
Seth MacFarlane has officially turned down a second chance to host the Oscars, but an equally polarizing comedian has stepped up to offer his services: Ricky Gervais, who you might remember as that guy who made everyone really uncomfortable at the Golden Globes. "It would be a thrill and honor to be asked," said Gervais in an interview with Golden Derby. However, he adds that he's concerned the job would "come with some strings attached," which is generally how it works when you host the biggest entertainment show of the year. [HitFix]
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3. Turns out the members of Daft Punk aren't robots after all
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After years of speculation, the truth has finally come out: Daft Punk — the French duo famous for both their electronic music and their giant robot heads — are actually people, and not music robots sent from the future to make 2013 groovier. The news was broken by fellow musicians The Knocks, who posted a picture of the duo sans helmets to their Facebook page before deleting it and adding the message, "GUESS WE WEREN'T SUPPOSED TO POST THAT PIC :X" But they weren't even close to being fast enough to beat the hundreds of people who immediately saved a copy. So alas, the members of Daft Punk aren't robots‚ but given that the picture captured them playing a game of "champagne pong," they're still probably much cooler than you are. [Gawker]
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4. Warner Bros. might be adding zombies to its Archie movie
You might remember Archie comics, which tell the story of a dorky, redheaded high schooler and his inability to choose between the two women that inexplicably love him. What you might not remember is the part where Archie and his friends attempt to survive in a zombie apocalypse — but given current market trends, that's the version that Warners Bros. is developing anyway. If the film makes it through development, expect it to hit theaters within the next few years, when everyone is bored of zombies and obsessed with some other kind of monster. (We're guessing yetis.) [Deadline]
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5. Sculptor makes naked, pregnant Kim Kardashian statue
How can modern artists get major entertainment websites to pay attention to their work? By basing it on all of America's most vapid celebrities. E! Online has a picture of artist Daniel Edward's latest sculpture, which depicts a nude, pregnant, and unsettlingly armless Kim Kardashian. In a press release, Edwards suggested that visitors to the sculpture "give a respectful rub for good luck and success" — so if that's somehow an offer you can't refuse, plan a trip to Los Angeles' LAB ART Gallery before it's too late. [E! Online]
Scott Meslow is the entertainment editor for TheWeek.com. He has written about film and television at publications including The Atlantic, POLITICO Magazine, and Vulture.
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