Britney is about to launch the second leg (and what a leg!) of her national "Dream Within a Dream" tour and arrives in California this week to make a video with Mike Myers. Justin just finished his band's tour. They'd like to be alone, if we'd only let them be.... 

Now comes a whole list of people under age 35 whom Premiere magazine says we can trust. May 29, the mag puts Natalie Portman ("Star Wars") on its cover and lists 25 stars said to be "The Next Generation of Hollywood's Power Elite": Hugh Jackman ("X-Men"), producer Nancy Juvonen ("Never Been Kissed" and "Charlie's Angels"), director Christopher Nolan ("Memento" and "Insomnia"), VP Emma Watts of 20th Century Fox, director Wes Anderson ("Rushmore" and "The Royal Tenenbaums"), Jennifer Connelly ("A Beautiful Mind"), director Spike Jonze ("Being John Malkovich" and "Adaptation"), Josh Hartnett ("Pearl Harbor" and "Black Hawk Down").... 

So, OK, I won't list them all! Under 35, eh? Babes, mere babes, but beautiful.... 

One wonders if "Spider-Man" makes Tobey Maguire and Kirsten Dunst big, "bankable" stars? Hmmm. Well, Dunst, who is versatile and just 20, gives the public a chance to get a really good look at her. (She is already a Vanity Fair cover star and can be seen to greatest advantage in "The Cat's Meow," but that little film is unlikely to break any records.) Maguire is a specific type, and this film will surely make him financially secure so he can continue to act when and wherever he likes. He won't have to worry about money. 

The hard part for Maguire will be maintaining the Spider-Man body. Nature has put him on the soft side, which makes him perfect as the action-hero when out of his spider suit. Hollywood has made him a hard-bodied god of the moment. 

Here's a really sweet Maguire story. The tip he gave a waitress recently at an L.A. eatery wasn't only in cash. She told him that she was auditioning for a big role that afternoon and begged for acting tips. Maguire asked to see her script and spent 20 minutes reading the scene over with her, coaching. Unbelievable! 

“I felt sorry for Britney,” explained the comedian, chat show host and footie expert, “because I asked her about Justin and it was real love. She really thought they'd stay together and get married and all that. So I hate him now - I think he's done her wrong. It's unforgivable - and now apparently he'd been telling people on aeroplanes that they've had sex and stuff!”

Speaking exclusively to 95.8 Capital FM, Frank Skinner explained that he had 'really taken to' the 20 year old singer when he heard her practicing 'I Got You Babe', the Sonny and Cher classic she was to perform live on his show. He added “I thought she'd arrive with 400 people and insist on 19 dressing rooms with pink champagne. But she turned up with three people and all she asked for was a mineral water. I really took to her, you know, because she didn't play the starry role.”

"I'm Not A Girl, Not Yet A Woman" on the single charts:
Ireland #6
Czechia #8
Austria #8
Sweden #16
Australia #18
World #23
UK #26
Switzerland #29
Germany #30
Netherlands #33
Belgium #37
Italy #38
France #46

"Britney" on the album charts:
Ireland #3
Austria #16
Belgium #25
Italy #25
UK #28
Australia #29
France #30
Canada #32
Sweden #37
Finland #40
Switzerland #47
Netherlands #75

"Overprotected" on the single charts:
Canada #62
France #68

The blonde pop diva, who has known Britney since the early 1990's, is said to have refused to have her photo taken with the pop princess outside trendy Hollywood club Moomba.

Britney, who overheard Christina's very public outburst, reportedly stormed out of the club to avoid a confrontation.

"I don't want to be in the same picture as that teenybopper trash," Aguilera is heard to have said.

Claiming her career is more credible, she added: "I just could not sing her kind of songs because I think it's sacrificing what you stand for.

"Is Britney being true to herself?" she continued. "I doubt it".

"My songs are as good, if not better than Britney's. It's just that she gets more publicity."

She added: "The acid test will be to see which of us survives the longest." 

VIDEOGAME MAKER THQ Inc. announced Thursday that ‘Britney’s Dance Beat’ for PlayStation 2 has been shipped to retailers nationwide. The game lets players audition to be a backup dancer on Spears’ virtual concert tour by maneuvering one of six characters through a series of practices and auditions to perfect their dance moves.

“Rhythmic pressing of the right buttons to the beat of Britney’s hit songs will unlock exclusive behind-the-scenes video footage and concert clips,” THQ said in a statement. The game also features her music, including new releases “Overprotected” and “I’m a Slave 4 U,” as well as “... Baby One More Time,” “Oops! ... I Did it Again,” and “Stronger.”

 Additional DVD content includes 360-degree immersive video in which the player controls the camera at a concert with the controller, deciding whether to watch Spears and her dancers on stage, or cheering fans in the crowd.

THQ said Spears underwent a cyber-scan to create the most realistic 3D model possible. The game is compatible with most dance or beat pads so that players can watch a digital Spears dance on-screen and attempt to match the dance moves on the dance pad. 

“It is so cool that I have my very own videogame,” Spears said in a statement. “THQ totally captured my dance moves perfectly. I was blown away by how realistic everything looks!” 

THQ vice chairman and COO said “Britney’s Dance Beat … is a new form of entertainment that blends gaming with music, videos and behind-the-scenes access for fans.”

The game is the first to release for a next generation game system under THQ’s exclusive agreement with Britney Brands Inc. to publish games featuring Britney Spears. Britney’s Dance Beat for Game Boy Advance is also available and a PC version will ship in June. 
 

If you caught "Dream Within a Dream" last year, you know what an incredible experience seeing Britney live is. Experience it all over again this summer! Britney is embarking on a limited run North American tour in the summer of 2002.

Britney's invited some hot opening acts to join the "Dream Within a Dream" 2002 tour. Nikka Costa is Britney's special guest at the tour, opening for Britney through the Houston show on June 16th. This funky diva's sure to warm up the crowd. Get more scoop on Nikka at www.nikkacosta.com. 

The hot femme trio 3rd Faze will also be making at appearance during the first leg of the tour. To learn more about this up-and-coming band, check out their Website at www.3rdfaze.com.
 

BILLBOARD HISTORY: Overprotected
week (4) ending 05.11.02 #90
week (3) ending 05.04.02 #88
week (2) ending 04.27.02 #86
week (1) ending 04.20.02 #93 (debut)
 

BILLBOARD 200 HISTORY: Britney
week (26) ending 05.11.02 #68
week (25) ending 05.04.02 #59
week (24) ending 04.27.02 #49
week (23) ending 04.20.02 #50
week (22) ending 04.13.02 #41
week (21) ending 04.06.02 #29
week (20) ending 03.30.02 #34
week (19) ending 03.23.02 #28
week (18) ending 03.16.02 #26
week (17) ending 03.09.02 #25
week (16) ending 03.01.02 #9
week (15) ending 02.23.02 #14
week (14) ending 02.16.02 #17
week (13) ending 02.09.02 #25
week (12) ending 02.02.02 #22
week (11) ending 01.26.02 #21
week (10) ending 01.19.02 #20
week (09) ending 01.12.02 #14
week (08) ending 01.05.02 #12
week (07) ending 12.29.01 #4
week (06) ending 12.22.01 #3
week (05) ending 12.15.01 #4
week (04) ending 12.08.01 #5
week (03) ending 12.01.01 #3
week (02) ending 11.24.01 #2
week (01) ending 11.17.01 #1 (debut)
 

The singer had admitted being besotted with Stevens and had pictures of her on his wall at one point.

But although the Unchained Melody chart-topper says he wants to focus on his singing, he confessed to having a "soft spot" for Britney. 

Jetted off

He told Top Of The Pops magazine: "I have to say I'm over Rachel now - I've moved on.

"Not in a nasty way, it's just that it was a crush when I was younger. I don't have a crush on anyone at the moment."

The Pop Idol runner-up performed with Stevens for a TV special earlier this year. 

Gareth recently jetted off to the US to get away from the attention in the UK and sign a reported record deal.

Split up

Now he says he has a soft spot for Britney Spears, who recently split up from her boyfriend.

"I just wanna focus on my career really, although Britney is an exception," he said.

Asked about his ideal woman the singer said: "I want a bird who's really classy. She has to be able to look good in jeans or a dress." 

Green Day, Blink-182 and Sum41 have long charmed the "TRL" audience with their pop hooks and eye candy videos, but now there's a new crop of punk bands going after pop fans a little more directly. OK, a lot more.

On Punk Goes Pop, released last month on Fearless Records, several up-and-coming punk bands cover hits from the cream of the pop star crop. 

Further Seems Forever speeds up 'NSYNC's "Bye, Bye, Bye," Stretch Arm Strong gives Pink's "Get the Party Started" a hardcore makeover, and the Starting Line turn Jennifer Lopez and Ja Rule's "I'm Real" into a mosh pit anthem.

Britney Spears and Mandy Moore each have two hits remade, including a rollicking "... Baby One More Time," as does Madonna, whose "Borderline" and "Like a Prayer" join covers of "Heaven Is a Place on Earth" and "Send Me an Angel" as the album's retro pop salutes.

Few of the "TRL" usuals are spared, as Punk Goes Pop also features remakes of tracks by the Backstreet Boys, Destiny's Child, Nelly Furtado, Michelle Branch, O-Town and even Faith Hill.

In just a month, Punk Goes Pop has eclipsed the sales of the album's predecessor, 2000's Punk Goes Metal, which features more widely known punk bands, such as AFI, A New Found Glory, Guttermouth and the Aquabats. 

"Some of the kids just getting into Saves the Day and Dashboard Confessional now were listening to Britney Spears last year," Fearless' Wyatt Miller, who organized the album, said. "We wanted to continue the Punk Goes series and Punk Goes Pop was a way to hit that audience and expose the punk bands we like to them."

Miller said not one of the bands he approached for Punk Goes Pop thought the concept was stupid. "Some bands even heard about it and asked us if they could be on it," he said.

Some of the groups, like Noise Ratchet and Yellowcard, have found their pop covers to be the crowd favorites in their live performances.

Fearless did not have to get permission from the artists because the lyrics are not altered, but Miller said he has heard that some of the artists are excited about the compilation. "I guess O-Town have told people to check it out," he said.

Next up for Fearless is Punk Goes Acoustic, which will feature punk and hardcore bands performing their own material unplugged. Miller expects it to be released by November.

Punk Goes Pop track list, according to Fearless Records: 
Dynamite Boy - "I Want It That Way" 
Slick Shoes - "Candy" 
Yellowcard - "Everywhere" 
Stretch Arm Strong - "Get This Party Started" 
Rufio - "Like a Prayer" 
Further Seems Forever - "Bye, Bye, Bye" 
Noise Ratchet - "Crush" 
Element 101 - "I'm Like a Bird" 
Knockout - "Survivor" 
The Starting Line - "I'm Real" 
Keepsake - "The Way You Love Me"
Reach the Sky - "Sometimes"
Fake ID - "All or Nothing" 
Showoff - "Borderline" 
Thrice - "Send Me an Angel" 
Nicotine - "... Baby One More Time"
Student Rick - "Heaven Is a Place on Earth"  

The 20-year-old star lives with her family in a Tudor-style house on an eight acre estate in Kentwood, Louisiana.

Britney has also completed filming a new Pepsi ad with Austin Powers star Mike Myers.

Writing in her diary section on Britney's official website, www.britneyspears.com, Britney's mum Lynne says: "The magazine visited us for three days and took a few pictures of the house.

"The weather was unusually hot for this time of year, so I'm sure they enjoyed doing the pool shots. Lady, our little teacup poodle thought they were here for her. She stole the show with her pink painted toenails, bows and collar to match."

Britney has a cameo role in the forthcoming third Austin Powers movie.