Britney Spears - Fans Justify The Appeal

Just like his hit tune, Justin Timberlake fans are "Lovestoned" and counting the days until his concert performance tonight at Gwinnett Arena.

The pop star Britney spears who vowed to bring "sexy back" with his latest album, "Future Sex/Love Sounds," has succeeded.

Cameron Diaz, Jessica Biel and, of course, Britney Spears makes some baby boomers melt too. Timberlake's style is naturally reminiscent of Michael Jackson, but he also brings the type of heat that oozed from George Michael's 1980s hits "I Want Your Sex" and "Father Figure."

This will be Timberlake's second concert in metro Atlanta this year. He performed at Philips Arena in February.

On concert day, hundreds of smitten ticket holders are expected to show up early to angle for the center-stage seats. Here's three concertgoers' take on Timberlake:

Erica Pickens, 34

Pickens, from Lawrenceville, works as an administrative assistant at a construction company. She's a recent Timberlake fan.

• How he hooked her: "His looks got me. I saw him on 'Saturday Night Live' and I started watching everything he was in. I saw [the films] 'Alpha Dog' and 'Black Snake Moan' and I said, 'I really like Justin.' "

• His February concert in Atlanta: "I missed it. At one point, I was trying to go to see him in concert out of state. The next thing I knew, he was in New Orleans. My boyfriend at the time was like, 'This is stupid. You're talking gas, hotel, concert tickets. Just buy the CD.' I said, 'No, you don't understand, this is Justin.' "

• Britney Spears fantasy: "I'm trying to win a dream date with Justin on Q100. They'll fly you to a concert. Then I'll get to see him twice."

Ansley Stephenson, 17

Ansley is a rising senior at North Gwinnett High School and lives in Buford.

• Nobody ranks with Justin: "He kind of has that Southern charm thing going on. Whenever [me and my friends] walk down the magazine aisles, if there's a picture of Justin, we buy the magazine."

• If she met him: "I would just run up to him and say, 'I'm your biggest fan.' I would try not to be rude. I was in Los Angeles last week with my family and I was looking around hoping I would see him."

Emily Shaw, 17

Emily, a rising senior at North Gwinnett High School, lives in Suwanee.

• Hunting Justin ... tickets: Just before Timberlake's concert tickets became available last April, Emily and a friend got on a school computer and waited down to the second for them to go on sale. They bought four tickets in upper-level seats but then learned that general admission seats could put them center stage.

Still holding four tickets, Emily went to Ticketmaster at Publix and found four general admission seats.

But there was a glitch — Publix didn't accept personal checks for ticket purchases. Emily ran home for the cash. When she returned the tickets were no longer available. She waited 20 minutes and four tickets popped up for sale. She then owned eight tickets at $96 each. She later sold the original four to a friend.

"It was an emotional roller coaster," she said. "With going back to school, it's the only thing that makes me excited about August."

• Worthy concertgoers: "My little sister Allison [age 12] is really excited to go. But I've been quizzing her ... about what Justin's songs are. I want her to be ready and worthy of going to the concert with such good seats."

Hot Britney Spears News : Oprah Most Powerful Celebrity

TALK show queen Oprah Winfrey has replaced Tom Cruise as the most world's most powerful celebrity and jailbird Paris Hilton has dropped off the annual Forbes magazine list of the 100 most influential stars.

Golfer Tiger Woods ranked second while singer Madonna was No. 3 on the list, which aggregates earnings and media presence to evaluate a celebrity's power.

Winfrey jumped two spots on the ninth annual list, released on Thursday, with earnings of US$260 million (S$400 million) from various media ventures. Woods moved up from No. 5 but made less than half Winfrey with US$100 million in the past 12 months.

Editor of the Forbes Celebrity 100 Power List, Lea Goldman said Winfrey's ranking was no surprise.

'She is pretty much a top five perennial, just based on her earnings alone she usually ranks up there,' Ms Goldman said.

The Rolling Stones, who Forbes said earned US$88 million this year, took the fourth spot.

After making the Forbes rankings for the past three years, hotel heiress Hilton was off the 2007 list. Also not making the cut were actress Lindsay Lohan, who has not made the list since 2005, and singer Nude Britney Spears, last ranked in 2002.

'We look at celebrities as brands and when you talk about those girls, you're talking about diminished brand value,' Ms Goldman said.

'It's not enough to just be a headline, and it's not enough to pocket a paycheck - you have to have both.'

Cruise dropped to No. 8 from top spot last year, yet still showed his power by securing a deal with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer to revive United Artists movie studio.

Two other actors broke in the top 10 this year and surpassed Cruise with Brad Pitt hitting No. 5 and Johnny Depp taking the sixth spot.

Singer Elton John moved up this year's list to No. 7 from the 16th position with US$53 million in earnings, while Jay Z, the rap star-turned-music executive and boyfriend of singer Beyonce, made his debut at No. 9, with US$83 million.

Director Steven Spielberg rounded out the top 10 with earnings of US$110 million. -- REUTERS

Eight Items or Less: Perez Hilton's Dildos, Puma's Shoe Jungle and Britney Spears's M&Ms

1. PAPER cover girl Dita Von Teese took her clothes off (again) at a benefit for the Museum of Sex last night in New York. The evening was hosted by Perez Hilton (pictured) who entertained the sparse crowd by throwing out neon dildos and introducing his new favorite band Dragonette. The catchy-Canadian act is currently living in London where their eponymous debut album was just released on Mercury Records. Several band members were sporting fresh Ben Sherman gear scored the night before at the store's first anniversary party where they also performed.

2. Must be the shoes! The Chelsea Art Museum (556 W. 22nd St.) is exhibiting a life-sized jungle made entirely from tennis shoes. The installation, sponsored by Puma, is the work of Federico Uribe and will be up until the end of the month. Take the kids.

3. The M&Ms are appearing at Miami club Mansion (1235 Washington Ave., $40, no cell phones or cameras) on Sunday night. Who? It's not the "melt in your mouth" candy but the melted-down bald singer Britney Spears.

4. No more events on July 7th, please, our calendar is full. Not since January 1, 2001, has a date attracted so many numerologists and publicists. Already scheduled for 7/7/7 are several Live Earth benefits as well as the official announcement of the New 7 Wonders of the World.

5. Culture Check: air f*****g and chongas.

6. Song of the day: "Disco Lady" by Johnnie Taylor. Re-awakened from deep in our popper-adled brain by www.musicovery.com somewhere in the calm-positive disco section. Warning: do not look at this site while at work! The psychedelic graphics will attract your boss like moths to a flame.

Kevin Federline Slams Sexxy Britney Spears' New Man as 'Trash'

Failed rapper Kevin Federline has slammed Britney Spears' new man as "trash".

The estranged husband of the 'Toxic' singer was unimpressed when, he heard Howie Day had spent the night at Britney's house reports Female First.

A gossip told America's Star magazine: "When Kevin heard they had a
sleepover at her house, everyone wanted to know about it. He lit up a cigarette and said he guessed you have to head to the dump to
find trash, referring to how Britney and Howie met while in rehab."

A second source said: "People have told hot Britney Spears point-blank this guy has a
permanent barstool in the 'Loser Lounge'.

"I was with her when one of her most trusted girlfriends told her, 'You
cannot let this guy into your life - after he gets a little publicity he
will be gone.' But when people say stuff like that, it's music to hot Britney Spears's
ears. She likes the drama."

Britney Spears's friends and family fear , the troubled singer is digging a deeper grave with her relationship to Howie Day, 26.

Her mum Lynne has questioned Howie Day's motives, but 25-year-old Britney refuses to listen reports NOW Magazine.

In 2004, Howie was arrested for reportedly locking a fan in the bathroom of his tour bus after she allegedly refused his sexual advances, plus breaking the mobile phone of another who was trying to call the police.

The next year, he was arrested in Boston for verbally abusing a flight crew while under the influence of alcohol and sleeping pills.

'Lynne wants Britney to take time out before she leaps into anything. But Britney's telling her to butt out and it's causing rows.'

Hot Britney Spears met musician Howie while she was allegedly treated for alcoholism and post-partum depression at Malibu's Promises Centre.