Julie Taymor has been back in the headlines in the last few weeks following her million-dollar lawsuit against the producers of Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark, the Broadway musical she spent nine years creating with musicians Bono and The Edge of U2. In a new interview, Taymor reveals that she was blindsided by her firing, and she also claims that her rockstar colleagues were not always present during the show's extensive preview period. 

"Waits used to scream in closets to mess up his voice"

Wow guys, no tours for us this summer. Hot off the news that Christina Aguilera has postponed her upcoming summer tour until 2011, U2 has canceled all of their summer dates! Following an urgent rush to the hospital for back surgery, U2 lead singer Bono was instructed to recuperate for at least eight weeks, forcing the band to pull out of a high profile appearance at the UK's Glastonbury Festival, as well as the band's first ever shows in Utah. The earliest date at which Bono could return would be August 6th, when U2 is scheduled to perform in Turin, Italy. Speaking to Glastonbury officials, Bono expressed his regret at having to miss the festival: "I'm heartbroken. We really wanted to be there to do something really special - we even wrote a song especially for the Festival.'"

● U2 and Jay-Z recording a song for Haiti that will so totally kick “We Are the World’s” ass. [BBC] ● Now instead of 'I Love You,' say 'Tweet Me' with your Valentine’s Day candy. Because that's better. [URLesque] ● Billy Baldwin has been cast on Gossip Girl as Serena’s erstwhile father. Stephen and Daniel continue looking for work. [E!]

I had this frightening dream last night. I was doing community service at the Silver Shires Home for The Olds and upon finishing my shift, I heard some hoots and hollers erupt from the Bingo Room. When I went to investigate what was happening, I found Edina, Harry, Phillip, and Nancy-Ann all having a gay old time laughing. They had passed around a crumpled piece of people with some scratchy handwriting that said 2010 Grammy Nominations and included phrases like "Dave Matthews Band" and "Jason Mraz" on it. Well, I just about fainted. And when I came to, I was mortified to find that this wasn't simply a sweet dream, but a beautiful nightmare come true. Far too true. A firm probe reveals that on this shortlist, the only word many of these performers and tunes should see follow Best is Substitute For a Coaster.

Oh hey! So remember how all of these singers and non-singers were assembling over the weekend as part of a big-deal happy birthday to the Virgin Prunes' Gavin Friday? All that revelry went down last night at Carnegie Hall, and even from the nosebleeds, one couldn't help but admire the bombshell demeanor of ScarJo or the delightfully sloppy all-over-the-placeness of Courtney Love (who, by the by, had three costume changes). Sure, even piss-drunk Shane McGowan, who got up to scream into the microphone and kick the air with unparalleled vigor and vim, brought a little something special to the night. But then, excellent things worth writing home happened, things that were only ambiguously classed under "with Special Guests" on the event programs.

Sure, in ways, it's an unlikely if disparate meshing of talent. But this concert, the latest in a series of events produced to fight the spread in AIDS in Africa as a part of (RED)NIGHTS, finds an anchor in celebrated singer-composer-painter Gavin Friday, a childhood friend of Bono. His band is among those performing. Other performers besides Johansson and Love include Antony Hegarty, Rufus Wainwright, Martha Wainwright (last seen celebrating Édith Piaf), Andrea Corr (yes, of those Corrs), Laurie Anderson, and perennial post-punk princess Lydia Lunch.

● Warren Beatty has a new film project in the works -- his first in almost a decade -- and he wants Lindsay Lohan to act opposite him. The only catch is Lohan must live with Beatty during the filming ... I suppose as a way to monitor her partying ways. Sounds like a movie in itself. [FoxNews] ● Evidently Ben Stiller’s Joaquin Phoenix/Hasidic meth lab worker bit was a surprise to Oscar producers. Stiller created the bit and kept it a secret till he got on stage after he had a meltdown over the planned script. [P6] ● Kanye West was left embarrassed, for once, after fashion maven Vivienne Westwood had no idea who he was. West congratulated the designer on her show, and Westwood just stared at the "greatest rapper of our generation" blankly. Word is Kayne's head exploded Murakami-style from the diss. [NYDN]

● After almost two months out of the spotlight, Sarah Palin has regrouped and is taking shots at Tina Fey and Katie Couric. [CNN] ● Alex Rodriguez must have a thing for cougars. He was reportedly putting the moves on fashion maven Donna Karan over New Year's. [Stylelist] ● Irish rock legends U2 prove that you’re never too established to be influenced by others. Their new album, No Line on the Horizon, is inspired by Led Zeppelin and Jack White. [NME]