Kelly Clarkson has been fighting with her record label in an effort to stop the release of her single “Already Gone”.  She co-wrote the lyrics against a trace provided by Ryan Tedder, a music producer.  Turns out, Tedder gave the same track to Beyonce who used the music as the backdrop to her single “Halo”.  

Clarkson says, “No one’s gonna be sittin’ at home, thinking ‘Man, Ryan Tedder gave Beyoncé and Kelly the same track to write to.’  No, they’re just gonna be saying I ripped someone off…I fought and fought”.  In the end, they’re releasing it without my consent.  It sucks, but it’s one of those things I have no control over. I already made my album. At this point, the record company can do whatever they want with it. It’s kind of a sh- – -y situation, but . . . you know, you learn.”

I’ve posted both tracks above.  Which is better?  I’m sure all the Evil Beet regulars know my vote.

Aw, even mainstream media such as Newsweek has turned on Katie Heigl.  They’ve published a not-so-complimentary piece on their website highlighting the most annoying parts of the Grey’s Anatomy actress.  What’s going on?  I guess people are tiring of the constant smoking, the constant whining, and her general inability to let something go (Isaiah Washington).

How did Katherine Heigl fall so far and so fast in esteem? Part of it is pure sexism. Every decade has a Most Annoying Actress (not that long ago, Jennifer Love Hewitt was the object of tabloid disaffection), never an actor, and it’s a distinction doled out via a caveman’s principles. Heigl violates every archaic, unspoken rule of being America’s box-office sweetheart. A lot of actors smoke, curse, drink, and mouth off, but she gets the most grief for it. Last summer, when she was caught flicking a finished cigarette onto the sidewalk, Star magazine quickly tarred her as an environmentally unfriendly “litterbug” who inappropriately goaded a nearby police officer into letting her off without a ticket.

But more than simply daring to challenge chauvinistic mores, Heigl has shot herself in the foot with her delivery. Everybody applauded her defense of Grey’s costar T. R. Knight after costar Isaiah Washington called him a “fag.” But then Heigl kept prattling on and on, even after Washington was fired in disgrace. People started to wonder if Heigl’s comments were less about Knight and more about her. Last July, in an attempt to be noble, she removed herself from the Emmy race because, she said, she had not been “given the material this season to warrant an Emmy nomination.” The press again slammed her for the diva attitude (did she really need to issue a statement? And did she have to insult the show’s writers and producers while she was at it?). When she resubmitted herself in the race this year, Emmy voters failed to nominate her—even though she’s done her best work on the show this season as cancer-stricken Izzie. But forget about Izzie and her eroding brain. Heigl wants all the sympathy for herself. This week, she carped to David Letterman that she’d had a “seventeen- (dramatic pause) hour (dramatic pause)” workday on set, and that she was “going to keep saying this because I hope it embarrasses them [the Grey's Anatomy show runners].” Embarrass them for what? Keeping her employed? To a country nearing 10 percent unemployment, the remark was tone-deaf.

She is an undeniable box office draw, as her newest movie The Ugly Truth premiered this weekend to $27M in ticket sales.  That’s a career best opening for Heigl and her costar Gerard Butler.  Unfortunately, Newsweek wasn’t so impressed with her performance.

Heigl has fared pretty well on the big screen—Knocked Up was a smash, 27 Dresses a modest hit. Now she’s back with The Ugly Truth, a romantic comedy that hits theaters Friday and does her likability no favors. She plays Abby Richter, an uptight local news producer whose staples are Ann Taylor button-downs and sanctimony. When a boor named Mike Chadway (Gerard Butler) with a smutty dating show joins her morning lineup, Abby kicks the shrillness into overdrive, furious that non-news would invade her pristine segment. But then, before you know it, Mike and his 5 o’clock shadow are leaving beard burn all over Abby’s face. Soon, they’re floating away to paradise in a hot-air balloon. Good for them.

Except, you don’t feel very good for them. It’s hard to empathize with Heigl’s character, so thorny and shrill for the first half of the movie, so dumb and willing for the second half. (At a recent pre-screening in New York City, at least five people bolted for the door midway through the movie.) Abby fails to see the vast swath of middle ground between buttoning up to the top button and donning vibrating black-lace panties, which she does meekly at Mike’s command. Just like real life, in which Heigl seems unable to see the acreage between oversharing and keeping her mouth shut. Heigl might be an actress, but she could work on her act.

There’s only one thing that can save Katherine Heigl’s rep.  She needs to start adopting orphans.  Stat!

How many different hotels do you think there are in New York City?  I don’t know the exact number, but I think we can all agree that there are quite a few.  So, why in the world did Rihanna and Chris Brown — the two who aren’t supposed to be within 50 yards of one another — both stay at the Trump International Hotel & Tower this weekend?

The two singers checked into separate rooms on Friday.  They then spent the next two days coming and going in separate cars.  Saturday evening, Brown checked out, once he realized the press caught on reportedly once he realized Rihanna was staying at the same hotel.  If he did violate the restraining order, it would void his probation and he would be charged with misdemeanor (sigh) assault.  Mark Geragos, Brown’s attorney, was asked about Chris’ whereabouts.  He replied, ”I don’t want to be quoted on something hypothetical.”

I’ve had suspicions that these two would eventually get back together.  I am still hoping that I’m wrong.  Please, God.

Former Spice Girl Geri Halliwell stood behind boyfriend Henry Beckwith to block her bod from the paps at a polo match while she readjusted her misbehaving dress. Her beau seems to be a good sport about it, but the photos look ridiculous. Check out the gallery below!

This weekend it was announced that singer LeAnn Rimes and her hubby of eight years (!), Dean Shemeret are separated. After years of speculation regarding Dean’s sexuality and rumors of LeAnn cheating recently, it seems that the couple has decided to finally, and reluctantly, throw in the towel.

LeAnn made her first statement regarding the split at the Deer County Music Festival in Utah yesterday, saying to the crowd

You know, I think that you will all really be able to relate to this next song in your lives. You probably know it’s inevitable that in a relationship, sometimes you will have your heart broken at some point. Sometimes, you might say that you can’t do anything and sometimes, you want revenge. Sometimes, you say, ‘You’re not worth it.’ But sometimes, you don’t, and that’s when you leave it in God’s hands and know that he will take care of it.

While friends and family of LeAnn seem hopeful that she will work it out, they are quick to point out that she was married at just nineteen years old and that their split makes sense given the changes people naturally go through as they move through their twenties.

Now who do we think she’s going to rebound with?

Although we’ve already seen snippets here and there, we have to point out this new trailer for Tim Burton’s Alice in Wonderland, which highlights Johnny Depp’s no doubt brilliant performance as the Mad Hatter.

Who could play this role better than Depp and what director is more capable of taking Alice’s magical dream world from cartoon to live-action more impressively than Tim Burton? I know I can hardly wait for March 5, 2010 and if these teasers continue, I will likely be writing the remainder of my work here from the inside of a theater lobby so I score the best seats possible on opening night.