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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Rock, after all, is just diamonds in the rough

The Spokesman-Review

Fashion rocks — and Beyonce put on shimmery hot pants and Rod Stewart wore a three-piece suit with a pocket square to prove it.

They, along with Avril Lavigne, Mary J. Blige, Alicia Keys, the Black Eyed Peas, Andre 3000, Usher and Hoobastank, performed Wednesday night at a special style-themed concert at Radio City Music Hall.

Held as part of New York Fashion Week, the event will be aired on Fox on Sept. 26.

Beyonce announced the birth of her new clothing line, called “The House of Dereon” after her grandmother, Agnes Dereon, a skilled seamstress. It’s expected to hit stores next fall.

Blige, strutting the stage in a white fedora and all-white outfit, knocked the socks off the audience while singing covers of Elton John‘s “Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word” and Janis Joplin‘s “Piece of My Heart.”

And Keys made the fringe of her ice-blue flapper-style dress dance when she performed “Heartburn.”

“Rock stars dress up like beautiful women,” said host Denis Leary. “My first crush was David Bowie.”

Carmen cooks up some hot beefcake

Carmen Electra will host Bravo’s upcoming reality TV competition “Manhunt: The Search for America’s Most Gorgeous Male Model” beginning Oct. 12.

For eight episodes, 15 men will compete in a series of challenges in hopes of snapping up a one-year contract with the IMG modeling agency. Electra will be joined by judges Bruce Hulse and Marisa Miller, both professional models themselves.

A bit too in touch with her feelings

Busty blonde Anna Nicole Smith gave television watchers a bit more than they bargained for when she appared on “The View” Tuesday morning to discuss her upcoming fashion line.

After being asked by co-host Joy Behar whether her breasts were natural, Smith acknowledged they were fake, and proceeded to roll them in her hands.

Blurted co-host Star Jones: “OK, you don’t have to bounce them, Anna! Enough with the feeling!”

Wa-wa wants to leave the glass half full

“The View” head woman Barbara Walters says she’s departing the ABC news magazine “20/20” after 25 years because she wants to “leave at the top.”

“Newsmagazines in general are somewhat in jeopardy, I think,” said Walters, 74, who will be replaced on “20/20” by Elizabeth Vargas.

“And I’ll tell you the way it’s going to be,” she continued. “We’re going to hear that a woman had a love affair with a frog. The producers are going to come to me and say: ‘Barbara, this woman had a love affair with a frog. Diane Sawyer already has the woman lined up. Do you want to do the frog?’

“And I will say, ‘OK, but only if I can get the frog and his mother.’ And they’ll say: ‘But the frog wants an hour. And before you do the frog, the frog is going to do ‘Oprah.’ OK?’ “

Quoteworthy

Gossip queen Liz Smith, on wanting the Fab Five from “Queer Eye For the Straight Guy” to make over filmmaker Michael Moore: “They could give him a shave and a haircut. He doesn’t have to diet — though healthwise, why not? — but he could clean up his look. Maybe then I could pay more serious attention to him. Nobody in public life has to be this unattractive.”

The birthday bunch

Actor Greg Mullavey (“Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman”) is 65. Actress Judy Geeson (“Mad About You”) is 56. Guitarist Joe Perry (Aerosmith) is 54. Actress Amy Irving is 51. Director Chris Columbus is 46. Actor Colin Firth is 44. Rapper Big Daddy Kane is 36. Director Guy Ritchie is 36. Actor Ryan Phillippe is 30.