Did Obama Crush on Linda Ronstadt?

Linda Ronstadt is one of a dozen entertainers and artists to receive this year's National Medal of Arts awards, given annually by the National Endowment for the Arts in Washington DC, but Linda's honor came with a little something extra at the July 26th ceremony: a celebrity crush. Specifically, US President Barack Obama himself, who confessed by whispering in her ear that he once harbored a boyhood crush on her.

Although he admitted to the confession while presenting the award, Linda had nothing to say about the incident, either on or off stage. The award, which this year also went to DreamWorks head Jeffrey Katzenberg and documentarian Albert Maysles, is described by the Endowment as "the highest award given to artists and arts patrons by the federal government. It is awarded by the President of the United States to individuals or groups who are deserving of special recognition by reason of their outstanding contributions to the excellence, growth, support, and availability of the arts in the United States."

Beetles Kill George Harrison... Tree

The Quiet Beatle himself, George Harrison, spent lots of time in Los Angeles near the end of his life, during the battle with lung cancer that eventually took his life in 2001. So it was only natural that nearby Griffith Park would have dedicated a tree to George, an avid gardener in his spare time, But the recent death of the Cayman Islands Pine planted as tribute is ironic indeed, because it was taken down by the city due to an infestation of...

wait for it... beetles. Specifically, bark beetles, who have been thriving in the recent warmer winters L.A. has been experiencing of late. The irony was not lost on the city itself, whose memorial attracted thousands of Beatles fans, including Harrison's friends and family. The good news is that another tree has already been selected to take its place above the plaque that features George's quote: "For the forest to be green, each tree must be green."

New Trailer from James Brown Biopic

One of the most anticipated musical films of the year, the James Brown biopic Get on Up, has finally dropped a second trailer -- the final one before the premiere, running nearly three minutes -- to match the first one featuring Chadwick Boseman as the iconic Godfather of Soul. It shows him living up to his other big moniker, The Hardest Working Man in Show Business, as he learns his craft in prison, takes a local club by storm, shows off his signature coif and legendary dance moves, and gives instruction to his band mates backstage. On the dramatic side, it offers glimpses of Brown's troubled relationship with his estranged mother, his womanizing, and the notorious drug-fueled 1988 incident that led to another three years in prison. Boseman, who played Jackie Robinson in 42, looks and sounds like Soul Brother No. 1 right down to his speech patterns, but it remains to be seen if The Help director Tate Taylor can do the story justice. Get on Up opens in theaters on August 1.

Elton John to Retire?

Don't worry, Elton John fans -- Captain Fantastic isn't going anywhere anytime soon. The iconic pop rocker told fans from the stage on July 15 that he was ready to call it quits, informing those in attendance at St. Tropez's Festival de Carcassone that he was ready to spend some time with his family:"No more shows, no more music, no more songs." Fortunately, he seems to have backtracked almost immediately, as a spokesman reassured the press the next day that the Rocket Man "was only joking." Elton's done this kind of thing before -- not only did he try retirement for real back in 1977, only to reemerge a few months later, but last year he warned the BBC that he'd give it all up in a few years when his on Zachary, nearly two now, began school.