CULTURE

The Venice film festival promises a pop superstar and a whiff of scandal Thursday, with Madonna presenting her second feature and Roman Polanski notable by his absence at the world premiere of his new picture.

Cher took to Twitter to defend her son Chaz Bono's decision to compete on Dancing With the Stars, after some fans hit the show's Web site and other blogs and message boards to protest the the casting of the singer's son on the show.

Oscar-nominated actor Robert Downey Jr. and his wife Susan Levin are expecting their first child together.

It is unclear what Hollywood Leaks hopes to gain

The Dancing With the Stars 2011 cast features some controversy figures.

The following books are about transgender, transition experiences.

Watch out for a hurled tomato in Bunol, Spain. The annual Tomatina festival brought in five truckloads of tomatoes for one hour of messy fun.

Just because everyone speaks English, doesn't mean we all speak the same language. Here are some well known (and some surprising) vocab differences between American and British English.

Rapper T.I., real name Clifford Harris Jr., was welcomed by well-wishes from family, friends and fans after he was released from federal prison Wednesday a month earlier than expected.

Lucimar Pereira, the world's oldest living person, is set to celebrate her 121st birthday on Sept. 3 with her family in an indigenous Amazonian community.

Akwaaba. Welcome, to the road less traveled!

Archeologists at the Archaeological Park Carnuntum, east of Vienna, have uncovered a massive amphitheater that reportedly rivals that of Rome's Colosseum.

There was no damage to the car or the Bieber

It's cool (literally), and the glaciers won't be here forever!

ABC network has drawn criticism in many unfamiliar forms this week for its decision to cast transgender Chaz Bono, real name Chastity Sun Bono, the only child of famed entertainers Sonny and Cher, on its upcoming season of Dancing with the Stars. Although, one organization commended the network.

Chad Ochoncino previously gave a ring to his Dancing With the Stars partner Cheryl Burke

15 Muslims were arrested in Rye, New York after Playland Park officials refused to allow women to wear traditional religious headscarf on certain rides.

The 50-year-old actor was promoting his new film, The Ides of March.

The Economist has just released its annual report of the world's most liveable cities. Is your city on the list?

California man denies child abuse, girlfriend defends him.

ABC announced Monday the new cast for the 13th season of Dancing with the Stars, but since the big reveal, it hasn't been all glam and sequins and roses, as the network has received a litany of complaints regarding one of the contestants.

Certainly one of the most unforgettable aspects of the MTV Video Music Awards was Lady Gaga--er, Jo Calderone. We've seen her--um, him, in Gaga's You and I video that was released early in August, but where exactly this Mr. Calderone come from? In a press conference after the VMA show, Jo Calderone himself explained his background. He is amechanic from New Jersey with roots from Perlemo, Sicily. He is not a guido, not a singer, a model, or an actor. I'm just, ah, a guy. I......

The complete cast was revealed on Wednesday morning.

Gaga is known for being a vocal lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender advocate-perhaps the most active in the pop world. Could her gender bending role be interpreted as a message or statement about sexuality?

Starting September 1, First Class passengers on select American Airlines flights will be offered the new “turndown service” that includes slippers, pajamas and high-end toiletries.

“Lost” star allegedly hit woman in chest, groin areas.

George Clooney explores the dirty side of politics in The Ides of March, the opening movie at the Venice film festival in which an aide to a Democratic presidential candidate learns how dispensable ideals can be.

Husband and wife songwriting team Marilyn and Alan Bergman have won three Academy Awards and two Grammys, but their biggest reward in a long career just may be writing for Barbra Streisand.

Former WWE star Matt Hardy started his own suicide hoax after posting a bogus Goodbye video on YouTube Tuesday, which led police to his brother's North Carolina home.