Nipsey Hussle
Background information
Birth name	Ermias Asghedom
Also known as	Nipsey Hussle
Born	1985
Origin	Los Angeles, California, United States[1]
Genres	Gangsta rap, West Coast hip hop, G-funk
Occupations	Artist
Years active	2003–present
Labels	All Money In,Skee Music,Money Gang
Associated acts	Snoop Dogg, Jay Rock, Game, YG, Danny Green, The Kid Gashi
Website	ihussle.com

Ermias Asghedom, better known by his stage name Nipsey Hussle, is a West Coast rapper from Los Angeles, California.

Music career[link]

Nipsey's first recorded mixtape, was Slauson Boy Volume 1, and soon became the name of his own record label.^[2] In 2008 Nipsey released two mixtapes, Bullets Ain't Got No Name, Vol. 1 and Vol. 2,^[3] before signing with Epic Records.^[4][5] In 2009, his debut single, "Hussle In The House", was released.

In 2009 he released a third mixtape, Bullets Ain't Got No Name, Vol. 3. He appeared with Drake on the song "Killer"^[6] and on the song "Upside Down" on Snoop Dogg's album Malice n Wonderland.^[7] A first studio album, South Central State of Mind, was expected in the summer of 2009 but was never released; it has been postponed indefinitely. The Marathon was released instead on December 21, 2010.^{[citation needed]}

In 2010 he appeared on the song "We Are the World 25 for Haiti".^[8] He was chosen as one of XXL Magazine's "Annual Freshman Top Ten", a selection of ten up-and-coming artists^[9] as "Most Determined"^[10] And continues to have success with the release of his new single "Feelin Myself" featuring Lloyd. The first single off The Marathon mixtape is "Keys to the City" (Produced By E.N.G. & Djay Cas).^[11] He made a guest appearance on fellow rapper YG's 2012 single "Bitches Ain't", also featuring Young Money member Tyga.^[12] It debuted on the Hot 100 at #100 and on the Heatseekers Songs chart at #11.^[13]

Other ventures[link]

Acting career[link]

In 2007 Nipsey had a small part in Bone Thugs-N-Harmony's semi-biographical film "I Tried" directed by Rich Newey. In 2010 he starred in the film Wrath of Cain, starring Ving Rhames.^[14][15]

Discography[link]

Studio albums[link]

Mixtapes[link]

Singles[link]

Solo singles[link]

Promotional singles[link]

As featured performer[link]

Guest appearances[link]

2012

• "Audemar Piguet"-from the mixtape American Me III:The Foundation)

Filmography[link]

Films[link] Year Title Role Notes 2007 I Tried Little Ricky Support role 2008 Three Thug Mice Unknown Main role 2009 Malice N Wonderland Nipsey Support role 2010 The Wrath of Cain Ricky Main role Love Chronicles: Secrets Revealed Janky Support role References[link] ^ Reid, Shaheem; Dukes, Rahman (October 19, 2009). "Nipsey Hussle Drops One More Mixtape Before Debut Album". Mixtape Daily (MTV News). http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1624110/20091016/nipsey_hussle_1.jhtml. Retrieved 27 January 2010.  ^ Nipsey Hussle Bio[dead link] ^ "Who's Next?...Nipsey Hussle", Written by Diamond Bradley, Parlé, Monday, 01 February 2010 ^ // Nipsey Hussle Interview (June 2008) // West Coast News Network. Dubcnn.com. Retrieved on 2011-09-16. ^ XXL Magazine September 2009 Issue ^ // Nipsey Hussle In Store at Regal Tenant. Dubcnn.com. Retrieved on 2011-09-16. ^ >> Snoop Dogg Reveals Tracklisting & Credits For Upcoming Malice N Wonderland Album. BallerStatus.com. Retrieved on 2011-09-16. ^ >> Nipsey Hussle, The Making of "We Are the World 2010". XXLmag.com (2010-02-04). Retrieved on 2011-09-16. ^ >> XXcLusive: XXL's 10 Freshmen for '10 Cover Revealed. XXLmag.com (2010-03-01). Retrieved on 2011-09-16. ^ Nipsey Hussle, Most Determined. Xxlmag.Com. Retrieved on 2011-09-16. ^ Nipsey Hu$$le - Keys to the City | New Hip Hop Music & All The New Rap Songs 2011. HipHop DX (2010-11-22). Retrieved on 2011-09-16. ^ "iTunes - Music - Snitches Ain't... (feat. Tyga, Snoop Dogg & Nipsey Hussle) - Single by YG". Itunes.apple.com. 2012-02-07. http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/snitches-aint...-feat.-tyga/id498358669. Retrieved 2012-03-06.  ^ "Top 100 Music Hits, Top 100 Music Charts, Top 100 Songs & The Hot 100". Billboard.com. http://www.billboard.com/charts/hot-100#/charts/hot-100?begin=91&order=position. Retrieved 2012-03-06.  ^ >> Nipsey Hussle Speaks on Role in New Ving Rhames Movie. XXLmag.com (2009-07-14). Retrieved on 2011-09-16. ^ Paine, Jake. (2009-06-18) Ving Rhames Talks New Film, Nipsey Hussle, Gillie Da Kid. HipHopDX. Retrieved on 2011-09-16. External links[link] Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Nipsey Hussle Official website Nipsey Hussle at the Internet Movie Database Official Tumblr Nipsey Hussle Interview with HipHopAtLunch Persondata Name Hussle, Nipsey Alternative names Short description Date of birth August 15, 1983 Place of birth Date of death Place of death

Chen Show Mao
Member of Parliament for Paya Lebar Division, Aljunied GRC
Incumbent
Assumed office 7 May 2011
Preceded by	Cynthia Phua
Personal details
Born	Taiwan
Nationality	Singaporean
Political party	Workers' Party of Singapore
Alma mater	Harvard University, Oxford University, Stanford University
Occupation	former partner of Davis Polk & Wardwell
Religion	Chinese folk religion[1]

Chen Show Mao (simplified Chinese: 陈硕茂; traditional Chinese: 陳碩茂; pinyin: Chén Shuòmào; born 6 February 1961) is a Singaporean politician and lawyer. He is a member of the opposition Workers' Party, and has been a Member of Parliament for the Aljunied Group Representation Constituency since 7 May 2011. He represents the Paya Lebar ward, replacing PAP's Cynthia Phua.^[2]

Personal profile[link]

Chen was born in Taiwan and moved to Singapore at the age of 11. He studied at Nanyang Primary School, Catholic High School and the Anglo-Chinese School.^[3] Chen was the president of the students' council at National Junior College and graduated as the top student in Singapore for the 1979 "A" level examinations,^[4] scoring straight As in Biology, Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics B, as well as A1s for General Paper and Chinese.

Although Chen had yet to become a Singapore Citizen, he chose to serve National Service. During National Service, Chen served as an infantry platoon commander at the Fifth Singapore Infantry Regiment (5SIR) and as Brigade Adjutant, or DYS1, at the headquarters of the Third Singapore Infantry Brigade (3SIB).^[5] He took up citizenship in 1986, six years after serving National Service.^[6]

Despite graduating as the top student for the 1979 "A" level examinations, Chen did not gain admission into the local medical school.^[7] Thereupon, he pursued his undergraduate studies with major in Economics at Harvard University. Chen graduated from Harvard University in 1986 and from Corpus Christi College, Oxford University in 1988, where he was a Rhodes Scholar.^[8] In 1992 Chen received his Juris Doctor from Stanford Law School and in 2005 received his M.A. from Corpus Christi College, Oxford University.^[9]

Legal career[link]

Chen is a partner in the Corporate department of Davis Polk & Wardwell and a managing partner of the Beijing office. An experienced lawyer, he has practiced in the New York office since 1992, the Hong Kong office since 1999 and the Beijing office since 2007.

Chen advised the Agricultural Bank of China on its recent US$22 billion initial public offering (IPO), which was the second largest IPO in history.^{[citation needed]} He also advised the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (ICBC) on its US$21 billion IPO, as well as China National Offshore Oil Company (CNOOC) on its proposed US$19 billion acquisition of Unocal. Chen also completed the global IPOs of Air China, China Construction Bank, China Unicom, Metallurgical Corp. of China, Sinopec, as well as offerings by the Ministry of Finance of the People’s Republic of China (PRC).^{[citation needed]}

Besides China, Chen has completed international securities offerings and M&A transactions by various companies including Acer, ASE, Asus, AU Optronics, BHP, Foxconn, Freeport-McMoran, HTC, TSMC and UMC. He also worked with financial institutions such as JP Morgan Chase and Morgan Stanley, and the Ministry of Economic Affairs of the Republic of China (ROC).^{[citation needed]}

Beyond that, Chen has worked with sovereign wealth funds such as The China Investment Corporation (CIC), the Development Fund of the ROC and also advised the Shanghai, Hong Kong and Taiwan Stock Exchanges on proposed regulations. Chen was named one of American Lawyer’s 2010 "Dealmakers of the Year" in April 2011.^[10]

On 1 July 2011, Chen announced on his Facebook page that he had retired from active practice as partner of his law firm given his new responsibilities as an MP. The decision was made so that he can spend more time with his family, to better serve his constituency and country, and that he would be exploring alternative work arrangements.^[11]

Political career[link]

During his time abroad, Chen regularly returned home to Singapore to visit his parents, his sister and her family.^[12] In 2007, he visited the headquarters of the Workers’ Party of Singapore, and found, over a period of time, a meeting of minds on their shared goals for Singapore's future. Subsequently, he became a member of the Workers’ Party of Singapore.^[6] Upon his entry into Singapore politics, he was referred to as the Workers' Party "star catch" by the local press. This was mainly because Singapore's opposition parties had previously struggled to recruit top-calibre candidates with profiles comparable to Chen.

Chen stated that he joined the Workers' Party because he believed that "the best way to ensure good governance for Singapore is through the growth of a competitive opposition that offers a credible alternative to the party in government".^[13] During an interview, Chen frankly explained why he decided to join the Workers' Party of Singapore^[14]

On 27 April 2011, Chen submitted his candidacy for the five-member Aljunied Group Representation Constituency with the Workers' Party of Singapore Secretary-General Low Thia Khiang, Chairman Sylvia Lim, Pritam Singh, a postgraduate law student, and Muhamad Faisal Abdul Manap, a freelance counsellor. The incumbent team included two cabinet ministers and one Senior Minister of State, and was helmed by the prominent Minister for Foreign Affairs, George Yeo.^[15]

During the intense nine-day campaign period that followed, Chen was singled out by leaders of the ruling People's Action Party (PAP) for criticism. The PAP's Organising Secretary and Minister for Education, Dr Ng Eng Hen, questioned Chen's motives for entering politics in a letter to The Straits Times. Ng also questioned whether Chen would be able to relate to the aspirations of Singaporeans after having spent most of his career in the United States and China.^[16] The PAP's co-founder and former Singapore Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew also suggested that Chen could return to China after losing in the election.

Throughout the campaign, Chen kept a low profile when the WP was faced with tough questions, instead allowing frontman Low Thia Khiang to take the heat. He displayed his affinity with regular Singaporean culture and Singaporeans by addressing crowds at rallies with smatterings of Malay and Hokkien to dispel the notion that he was a "foreigner", as he had spent many years abroad. He also highlighted at a Workers' Party rally that he came to Singapore at a young age with his parents and sister, that he served National Service, and that he owns an apartment in Bishan and frequently commutes by MRT train.

On 7 May 2011, Chen and his Workers' Party team won the Aljunied GRC with 54.71% of the total votes cast, with Yeo's PAP team obtaining 45.29% of the votes. The victory was considered historic because it was the first time that a GRC seat had been captured by an opposition party, and the first time that two cabinet ministers had lost their seats in a general election. Chen became the first foreign-born opposition MP in the history of Singapore, while his teammates Sylvia Lim and Muhamad Faisal Manap became the first female opposition MP and the first Malay opposition MP.^[17] Also, together with Pritam Singh and Muhamad Faisal bin Abdul Manap, he became one of the first three opposition MPs to be elected into parliament at the first attempt.

Committee of Selection[link]

On 15 October 2011, it was announced that Chen was nominated to sit on the Committee of Selection, making him the first non-People's Action Party MP to be named to this committee.^[18]

Current posts[link]

• Member, Committee of Selection
• Council Member, Workers' Party of Singapore
• Advisor, Aljunied Constituency Committee (AJCC)

References[link]

External links[link]

• Profile at Workers' Party of Singapore website

Offices[link]

Yaw Shin Leong
Yaw Shin Leong during his rally speech at Serangoon Stadium as a candidate of the Workers' Party of Singapore.
Member of Parliament for Hougang SMC
In office 7 May 2011 – 14 February 2012
Preceded by	Low Thia Khiang
Succeeded by	Png Eng Huat
Majority	6,780 (29.63%)
Personal details
Born	(1976-06-02) 2 June 1976 (age 36) Singapore
Nationality	Singapore
Political party	formerly Workers' Party (June 2001 - February 2012)
Religion	Christian[1]

Yaw Shin Leong (simplified Chinese: 饶欣龙; traditional Chinese: 饒欣龍; pinyin: Ráo Xīnlóng; born 2 June 1976) was the Treasurer of The Workers' Party of Singapore,^[2] and was a Member of Parliament representing the constituency of Hougang after the 2011 Singapore General Elections until he was expelled by the Worker's Party in February 2012.

Political career[link]

Yaw joined the Workers' Party in June 2001. He was a promising young man who was elected into Central Executive Council (CEC) a year later. He remained in CEC until 7 February 2012 when he suddenly stepped down from the post of Treasurer.^[3]

In the 2006 Singapore General Election, Yaw was candidate and leader of The Workers' Party team that contested the Prime Minister's seat of Ang Mo Kio Group Representative Constituency. Made up largely of young, first-time candidates under the age of 35, the team was dubbed the "suicide squad" by the media, and the People's Action Party chairman Lim Boon Heng boldly predicted that the Prime Minister's team would win 80 to 85% of the votes, putting the "suicide squad" at risk of losing their deposits. However, Yaw's team managed to secure more than one-third of the votes against the PAP team led by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong.^[4]

Yaw became the Workers' Party candidate for Hougang Single Member Constituency during the 2011 Singapore General Election after the former MP, party leader Low Thia Khiang, opted to vacate his seat of 20 years to contest in Aljunied Group Representation Constituency with other Workers' Party candidates. Low gave Yaw his strong personal endorsement after explaining to the voters of Hougang that his decision to leave was one of the most difficult decisions in his life, saying that he needed to do so in order to break the PAP's monopoly on Parliament.

On 7 May 2011, Yaw won the Hougang Single Member Constituency with 64.8% of the vote beating Desmond Choo of the PAP, who took 35.1% of the vote. His margin of victory was the highest-ever achieved by the Workers' Party since it first won the constituency in 1991. Yaw, along with fellow MP, Dr Chia Shi-Lu and Mr Ong Teng Koon, was invited to join the Advisory Council on Community Relations in Defence (Accord) which he accepted.^[5]

[edit] Appointments Held in Workers' Party^[2]

• Member, The Workers' Party. (Jun 2001 - Feb 2012)
• Legislative Assistant (LA), Mr Low Thia Khiang's MP Office. (2001 - 2005)
• Town Councillor, Hougang Town Council (HGTC). (2001 - 2005)
• Secretary, Hougang Constituency Committee (HGCC). (2001 - 2005)
• Secretary of GRC Area Committee. (2003 - 2005)
• Secretary, Northern Area Committee (NAC), The Workers' Party.(2005 - 2006)
• Co-Secretary, Eastern Area Committee (EAC), The Workers' Party. (2005 - 2006)
• Deputy Organising Secretaries, Central Executive Council (CEC), The Workers' Party. (2002 - 2005)
• Chairman, Youth Action Committee (YAC), The Workers' Party. (2001 - 2005)
• Exco Member, The WP Youth Wing (WPYW). (2005 - 2006)
• Webmaster, The Workers' Party. (2001 - 2004)
• Organising Secretaries, Central Executive Council (CEC), The Workers' Party. (2006 – 6 June 2011)
• Chairman, Central Area Committee (CAC), The Workers' Party. (2006 – 2011)
• Treasurer, Central Executive Council (CEC), The Workers' Party. (7 June 2011 - 7 February 2012)
• Chairman, Hougang Constituency Committee (HGCC). (2011 - 2012)
• Vice Chairman, Aljunied-Hougang Town Council (AHTC). (2011 - 2012)
• Vice Chairman, Hougang Constituency Education Trust (HCET). (2011 - 2012)

Expulsion from Party[link]

In January 2012, news of a rumoured extramarital affair with a fellow member of the Workers' Party broke out.^[6] Yaw said he did not intend to respond to the rumours.^[7] In another report, a married PRC woman claimed to have had an affair with Yaw.^[8]

After Yaw's resignation of his treasurer post, netizens queried and speculated his resignation.^[9]

On 15 February 2012, the Workers' Party announced that Yaw has been expelled with immediate effect, citing 'indiscretions in personal life' as reasons for expulsion.^[10][11] He is the first MP serving for 284 days in the office and the first MP to be ousted for "[breaking] the faith, trust and expectations of the Party and People".^[12]

On 22 February 2012, Yaw emailed the Speaker of Parliament, Michael Palmer, that he will not be contesting his expulsion. As a result, his seat will be deemed vacant as from the date of his expulsion on 14 February 2012.

Personal profile[link]

Yaw's father died when he was 13. His widowed mother then struggled to bring up both his younger sister and himself, supporting them through tertiary education. He is the Programme Director of Eduhearts Consultancy and a Managing Partner of Easto Global LLP. He is also an adjunct Lecturer in Business Studies. He used to be a full-time Business Management lecturer in Raffles College of Higher Education from 2008 to 2010.

Yaw had his secondary and pre-university education in Bukit Panjang Government High School and Jurong Junior College. He holds a Bachelor of Arts (BA, Merit) degree in Political Science & Sociology from National University of Singapore. He also holds a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from University of Western Sydney.^[4]

Yaw served as a combat medic during his National Service. He is currently with the Singapore Armed Forces' ROVERS (Reservist On Voluntary Extended Reserve Service) program. He is a Teochew clansman of the Nanyang Pho Leng Hui Kuan and a member of the Singapore Teochew Poit Ip Huay Kuan. He is married.^[4]

Yaw's first marriage in 2004 to 35-year-old Ng Mei Sze, a teacher and a head of department at a top school, lasted for only about a year. In 2006, Yaw reportedly became attached to his current wife,Lau Wang Lin, and married her in November 2008. It has also surfaced that Yaw had been engaged to a fellow student during his university days, but they later broke up. There were some rumors that Yaw had some inappropriate actions to some of his female students in Raffles College of Higher Education. However, the students have remained silent about what actually happened between them and Yaw.

In December 2010, Yaw published a Chinese book ‘Towards Political Vibrancy & Development’ (迈向政治发展与繁荣) a translation of his selected English blog posts which include reflections on his 10-odd years of political participation.^[4]

References[link]

Linda McMahon
Born	Linda Marie Edwards (1948-10-04) October 4, 1948 (age 63)[1] New Bern, North Carolina
Residence	Greenwich, Connecticut[1]
Education	Bachelor of Arts
Alma mater	East Carolina University (B.A.)[1]
Occupation	co-founder of Titan Sports, Inc. Business Manager (1980-2009)[2] President (1993-2000)[3] CEO (1997-2009)[1]
Employer	WWE (1980-2009)
Home town	New Bern, North Carolina
Net worth	$156-400 million (2010)[4]
Political party	Republican
Board member of	Connecticut State Board of Education (2009–2010)[5] Sacred Heart University (2004–present)[5]
Religion	Roman Catholic, (formerly Baptist)[6]
Spouse	Vince McMahon (1966-present)[1]
Children	Shane McMahon Stephanie McMahon-Levesque[1]

Linda Marie McMahon (née Edwards, born October 4, 1948) is an American professional wrestling magnate and politician.^[7] She is notable for her career developing WWE with her husband Vince McMahon. She was active with the company from 1980 to 2009. During this time, WWE grew from a small regional business in New York to a large multinational. McMahon and her husband became wealthy through the WWE's success, and the McMahon family name is now synonymous with the wrestling industry.^[8] As President and later CEO of the company, she negotiated business deals, launched wrestling merchandise, signed wrestler contracts, and managed and wrote for WWE publications.^[9] She also started the company's civic programs, Get REAL and Smackdown Your Vote. McMahon has occasionally performed in the ring, most notably in a wrestling feud with her husband which climaxed at WrestleMania 17.

McMahon left WWE in 2009 to run for U.S. Senator of Connecticut.^[10] She won the Republican primary and faced Democrat Richard Blumenthal. At one point in the campaign, she approached within three points of Blumenthal, but she lost on election day by 12 percent.^[11] McMahon spent over $50 million of her own money on the campaign.^[12]

Early life[link]

McMahon was born Linda Marie Edwards^[13] to Henry and Evelyn Edwards in New Bern, North Carolina.^[14] She was an only child and grew up as a "jock", playing basketball and baseball. Her parents were both employees Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, a military base. She was raised in a traditional, conservative family and attended Catholic Mass regularly.^[15] During one Mass, Edwards, at the age of 13, happened to meet Vince McMahon, then 16.^[16][17] Her mother worked in the same building as McMahon's mother, although they had not met.

Linda McMahon's parents were both employees at nearby Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point

Vince's mother became good friends with the Edwards family, and Vince, who had lived with several abusive stepfathers,^[15] enjoyed the feeling of stability that he felt at the home.^[15] Edwards and McMahon dated throughout their high school years. She attended Havelock High School and Vince attended nearby Fishburne Military School. During this time, Vince was a "permanent fixture" at her home,^[18] spending hours with Linda and her family. He attended East Carolina University, studying business administration. Edwards was an Honors student in high school and aspired to become a pediatrician.^[19] Shortly after her high school graduation, Vince asked her to marry him. They married on August 26, 1966, when she was 17.^[16][20] She enrolled at East Carolina University in 1966, where she obtained a Bachelor of Arts in French and gained certification to teach.^[21] From 1968-1971, Vince worked as a traveling cup salesman before joining his father's company, the World Wide Wrestling Federation (WWWF).^[22] Linda finished college in three years so she could graduate together with Vince. Their son Shane was born in 1970 followed by daughter Stephanie in 1976.

Early career[link]

In 1969 the McMahons moved to Gaithersburg, Maryland and Vince began working as an independent promoter with his father’s company, Capitol Wrestling, located in Washington, D.C. Linda worked as a receptionist at the corporate law firm of Covington & Burling. She translated French documents and trained as a paralegal in the probate department. Linda learned a great deal about intellectual property rights, which she found useful in her later career.^[9][23]

Financially, the couple fared poorly for several years, and in 1976, while pregnant with Stephanie, Linda and her husband filed for bankruptcy. They also briefly received food stamps,^[24] until her husband took on a 90-hour a week job at a quarry.^[25]

By 1979 Vince had decided to start his own wrestling company. He purchased the Cape Cod Coliseum in Massachusetts and founded Titan Sports, Inc. in 1980. Vince and Linda held small hockey and other sporting events in addition to wrestling at the Cape Cod Coliseum. At one point, Linda cooked meatball sandwiches to feed the fans at these sporting events.^[26] As the company grew, Linda assisted Vince with administration and used her knowledge of intellectual property law to assist in trademark protection for the company. However, during much of these early years, Linda personally had little interest in professional wrestling.^[27]

In 1982, Vince McMahon purchased Capitol Wrestling, better known as the World Wide Wrestling Federation, from his father. This made Vince the owner of a large regional wrestling company, well-established in the Northeast. He later expanded his market by airing WWF shows on national television.

In 1983 the McMahons moved to Greenwich, Connecticut, where they continue to reside as of 2010^[update]. McMahon has 5 grandchildren.

World Wrestling Entertainment[link]

Corporate[link]

Linda and Vince founded Titan Sports, Inc. in 1980.^[28] Many workers in the company referred to her as the “co-chief executive”.^[2] Linda became President and CEO of the company in 1993. The company's explosive growth and the way it transformed the wrestling industry caused some observers to label her and Vince "business geniuses".^[29]

One of Linda’s major interests in WWE was product merchandising.^[30] She negotiated many of the company’s business deals with outside vendors, establishing the company’s first line of action figures, Wrestling Superstars, in 1984.^[31] It was a first in the wrestling industry and helped expand the company’s popularity to children. She also was the primary negotiator for the World Wrestling Federation's 2000 TV deal with Viacom.^[31]

During an interview with the Detroit News, when asked what it was like being CEO in a "testosterone-charged industry", McMahon replied, "It's lots of fun. I'm an only child, so I grew up as my father's son and mother's daughter. I was quite a jock. I played baseball, basketball—I think that background made Vince and I very compatible. I really have a very good understanding of the male psyche—I'm very comfortable in a guy environment. I have to say that there are very strong women in this company as well. Our human resources division and our consumer goods division are headed by women—It's still a testosterone business, and I like it."^[16]

Tom Cole[link]

In February 1992, Tom Cole, a young WWF employee whose job was to set up the wrestling ring, alleged that he had been sexually harassed by several company employees.

According to Politico.com, "the WWF fired two men accused of harassing the young 'ring boys' who followed the wrestling circuit from city to city, and accepted the resignation of a third". "Modest" settlements were paid to three ring boys.^[32] Cole said that Linda encouraged him to share any information he had regarding the Federal steroid investigation.^[32] In 1993, Cole enrolled in college at the company's expense, but after a year of failing grades he was terminated in June 1993.^[32] After he filed for unemployment, Linda McMahon repeatedly challenged him at unemployment hearings with a company lawyer. Cole successfully received unemployment benefits from the company until 1995.^[33]

Cole's story raised questions, however, because he never filed a criminal complaint, came forward only long after the alleged incidents took place and later returned to work with one of the alleged harassers.^[32]

In a 1999 interview, Cole said he was bitter at Linda,^[33] but in 2010, after Politico attempted to contact him, Cole released an email through the WWE praising her. In the email he said, “I can truly say without hesitation I’m thankful for how Linda handled my situation. Without me going out into the world and finding myself, God knows where I'd be. I'm sending a check to Linda's campaign fund this evening. She is after all my favorite type of Politician...Fiscally Sound. As a life long Republican I hope she wins.”^[32]

Steroids and the WWE[link]

Linda became President of the WWF in 1993. At the time, Vince had been indicted on charges he distributed steroids to his wrestlers.^[34] Steroid usage was rampant in the wrestling industry during the 1980s, but after passage of the Anti-Drug Abuse Act, it became an illicit substance. The Act, passed in 1988, making possession and distribution of anabolic steroids a federal crime.^[35] Federal drug enforcement agencies collected evidence on the WWF beginning in 1989, using undercover informants to expose a drug ring inside the company. The FBI and FDA arrested the WWF’s staff doctor, George Zahorian, in May 1990, after months of undercover steroid purchases from him.^[36] On May 27, 1990, they put a microphone on informant William Dunn, a strength trainer from North Carolina, and recorded his conversation with Zahorian during a steroid transaction worth $7,000. After Dunn made his purchase, agents arrested Zahorian and charged him with drug distribution.^[34]

Zahorian went on trial in February 1991, facing drug charges carrying up to 40 years in jail. His trial was widely publicized because wrestlers Brian Blair, Rick Martel, Roddy Piper, and Dan Spivey testified, saying they had purchased steroids from Zahorian after 1988.^[34] Billy Graham, who used steroids for many years, testified to buying steroids from Zahorian and said he became sterile, had liver problems, and suffered a degenerative bone disease as a result. Zahorian’s lawyer said he was the first doctor to be charged under the Anti-Drug Abuse Act and had no way of knowing the law had changed. He was found guilty in 1991 of 12 counts of drug distribution (8 for steroids, 4 for illegally-prescribed painkillers) and was sentenced to 3 years in prison.^{[37][relevant? – discuss]}

In 1991, Vince announced that the company would begin testing its wrestlers for steroids.^[38][39] Two wrestlers, The British Bulldog and Chris Walker, were suspended in May 1992 for violating the policy. The World Bodybuilding Federation, a bodybuilding enterprise started by Vince, was entirely shut down as a result of ongoing steroid abuse. Vince was indicted in 1993 on steroid distribution charges using evidence from Zahorian's case. During his trial, testimony from wrestlers and drug investigators proved that many of the WWF's top stars, including Hulk Hogan, were using steroids to enhance their physiques. Hogan admitted to using steroids during the trial, saying it had been a part of his training regimen for over 13 years, but Vince never had encouraged him to use them.^[40][41] Because of Hogan's testimony,^[42] Vince was acquitted of all charges. The jury ruled that steroid use had been an individual choice, not a company policy.^[41]

Linda's Memorandum to Pat Patterson[link]

During the trial, prosecutors revealed a 1989 memo Linda wrote to the company's Vice President, Pat Patterson. The memo directed Patterson to fire Zahorian and inform him of imminent legal charges charging him with steroid distribution.^[43]

"Although you and I discussed before about continuing to have Zahorian at our events as the doctor on call, I think that is now not a good idea. Vince agreed, and would like for you to call Zahorian and to tell him not to come to any more of our events and to also clue him in on any action that the Justice Department is thinking of taking."

—Linda McMahon, Memo dated Dec. 1989^[37]

Zahorian stated that he received a call from Patterson about a possible criminal investigation, and after their conversation, he immediately brought all documents related to the WWF to a lawyer.^[44] Hulk Hogan, who was receiving steroids from the doctor, said he severed ties to the doctor after a conversation with Patterson.^[45]

Linda's memo to Patterson became known publicly as the "Tip-Off Memo" during her campaign for Senate in 2010.^[46] It became a political liability used against her in both the nomination and general election campaigns.^[47][48]

Federal steroids investigation (2007–2009)[link]

File:2006 Federal Wrestling Investigation.pdf

Following the murder-suicide of Chris Benoit in 2007, the Oversight and Government Reform Committee investigated steroid usage in the wrestling industry.^[49] The Committee investigated WWE and Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA), asking for documentation of their companies' drug policies. Linda and Vince both testified. The documents stated that 75 wrestlers—roughly 40 percent—had tested positive for drug use since 2006, most commonly for steroids.^[50][51]

Committee Chairman Henry Waxman sent a scathing letter to the Office of National Drug Control Policy in January 2009 stating that drug use was "pervasive" in professional wrestling.^[52] The issue lay unresolved when Waxman left the Committee on January 3, 2009 to pursue a chairmanship in the United States House Committee on Energy and Commerce. Before leaving he sent a letter to then-drug czar John P. Walters, requesting that "ONDCP examine steroid use in professional wrestling and take appropriate steps to address this problem." Neither Walters nor his successor, Gil Kerlikowske, ever pursued the matter.^[49] Waxman's own Committee, the Oversight and Government Reform Committee, abandoned the issue after his departure.^[49]

Linda was asked why there had been no follow-up during a televised interview with CBS Face the State on January 20, 2010 and responded, "There's not been any follow-up from any of the inquiries that were made because I believe we had furnished thousands of documents and testimony for them, and I think if they looked at our policy and really delved into it, they would be very satisfied."^[53]

PG rating[link]

Chair shots to the head were discontinued by the WWE as a result of its change to PG

In August 2008, WWE changed its TV Parental Guidelines rating from TV-14 to PG. In December 2008, at a UBS Media Conference, Linda described the new rating as a marketing strategy to attract a young generation of wrestling fans. She explained it as a way to create lasting loyalty to the brand.^[54][55]

Some older fans, who were long-accustomed to more realistic violence, sexual themes, and controversy, felt alienated by WWE's programming change.^[56] There has been speculation that McMahon devised the PG rating change in 2008 to improve WWE's public image in preparation for her political campaign.^{[56][57][58][59]}

Company legacy[link]

During the '80s, the WWF successfully lobbied for deregulation in Connecticut, Delaware, Michigan,^[60] New Jersey,^[61] California,^[62][63] Florida, Pennsylvania,^[64] and Texas.^[65][66][67] By 2000, fewer than half the 50 states had athletic regulations on the wrestling industry.^[68]

As is normal practice for professional sports, WWE classifies its wrestlers as independent contractors rather than employees. The classification spared the company from paying Social Security, Medicare, and unemployment insurance for wrestlers. McMahon stated the WWE wrestlers had lucrative contracts, merchandising deals, royalty payments and appearance fees previously unheard of in the wrestling industry.^[69] She noted that many of the wrestlers had agents, and viewed them like "singers, golfers, or tennis players". The company also offered seminars to help wrestlers pick health insurance plans.^[70]

Under Linda's tenure, WWE became one of the largest recipients of special tax credits for film and TV production granted by the State of Connecticut.^[71][72] During her 2010 campaign, Blumenthal's campaign criticized her and WWE for accepting the tax credits while laying off workers in 2009.^[73]

On-screen roles[link]

Linda often referred to the creative side of WWE as Vince's specialty, stating that she was primarily in the management team, although she appeared in several storylines.^[74] McMahon debuted on WWF TV during the Corporate Ministry storyline, on the May 3, 1999, episode of Raw. During an interview with Fox News, she said that she often did not know what the storylines were in advance and watched events unfold as the general public did.^[74]

In one storyline, Vince abused Linda and had an affair with Trish Stratus as Linda watched helplessly. Their feud reached a climax at WrestleMania X-Seven when Linda awoke from her stupor and kicked Vince in the groin.

Unlike her husband and children, Linda appeared on-screen as a more neutral, rational, and selfless character. She often used her "power" to thwart her family's plans or to punish a heel. However, in October 2005, she briefly turned heel to join with her "evil" family members.

Charitable work[link]

Linda and Vince donated over $8 million in 2008, giving grants to the Fishburne Military School, Sacred Heart University, and East Carolina University. Nonprofit Quarterly noted that the majority of the McMahons' donations were towards capital expenditures.^[75] In 2006, they paid $2.5 million for construction of a tennis facility in Ebensburg, Pennsylvania. As of 2010, Linda McMahon continued to serve on the board of the Close Up Foundation, a nonprofit which offers youth field trips to Washington, D.C. Barack Obama's 2009 and 2010 budgets recommended defunding the foundation.^[75]

Get R.E.A.L.[link]

Linda launched the company's Get R.E.A.L. program to deliver positive messages about education to young adults. The program encouraged literacy through Public Service Announcements, posters, and bookmarks featuring wrestling superstars. In 2000, the American Library Association reported that the WWF's Know Your Role poster (at left), was its highest-selling poster for two straight months.^[76] Since 2006, thousands of posters featuring WWE superstars were distributed to libraries and reading facilities each year.^[77]

SmackDown! Your Vote campaign[link]

Linda initiated WWE's non-partisan voter-registration campaign, "SmackDown! Your Vote", in August 2000.^[78][79] The campaign specifically targeted the 18-to-30 voter demographic, making use of online marketing, public service announcements,^[80] and youth voting partnerships.^[81] The campaign, which registered 150,000 new voters during the 2000 election,^[82] was started in coalition with MTV's Choose or Lose, Project Vote Smart, and Youth Vote 2000.^[83] As of the 2008 election, it listed fourteen voter registration partner organizations.^[84] During the 2008 Presidential election, Smackdown your Vote! registered many voters online, often in affiliation with Rock The Vote.

Special Olympics[link]

Linda and her husband began supporting the Special Olympics in 1986. Linda first developed an interest in the Olympics from her friendship with NBC producer Dick Ebersol and Susan Saint James, who encouraged them to participate in the mid-1980s.^[13] Linda met Lowell Weicker, whose son is developmentally-disabled, through the Special Olympics. In 1995, as Connecticut Governor, Weicker appointed Linda McMahon to the Governor's Council for the World Special Olympics.^[85]

Achievements[link]

WWE has aired an annual Tribute to the Troops for U.S. soldiers in Iraq since 2003

McMahon became a member of the Board of Trustees of Sacred Heart University (Fairfield, Connecticut) in November 2004. She supported many organizations, including the USO, the Make-A-Wish Foundation, the Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation, the Starlight Foundation, and Community Mayors.^[1] In 2005, she won appointment to The Make-A-Wish Foundation of America National Advisory Council and received the Arthur M. Sackler Award from the Connecticut Grand Opera and Orchestra for WWE's support of its arts education program.^[1]

On January 29, 2007, Multichannel News named McMahon to its class of "Wonder Women" for 2007.^[1] The award recognized her outstanding contributions to the cable and telecommunications industries.^[1] In May 2007, she appeared as the keynote speaker at the Girl Scout Council of Southwestern Connecticut’s Women of Achievement Leadership Breakfast.^[86] McMahon herself had been a Girl Scout.^[86]

Under her leadership, WWE was the recipient of the USO of Metropolitan Washington's first ever “Legacy of Hope” award for its extensive support of U.S. troops and the USO's Operation Care Package program. In 2007, the company received the Secretary of Defense Exceptional Public Service Award for its support of deployed service members in Iraq and Afghanistan. In 2008, the company received the GI Film Festival's Corporate Patriot Award.^[87]

On April 13, 2012 Sacred Heart University officially dedicated and opened the Linda E. McMahon Commons Building on its main campus in Fairfield, CT.

Political career[link]

Connecticut Board of Education[link]

McMahon was appointed to the State Board of Education by Governor Jodi Rell,^[88] in January 2009.^[89] Linda went through a confirmation process in the Connecticut State Assembly, where she was questioned on her record as CEO of WWE.^[77] The State Senate approved her nomination by a vote of 34-1 and the House by 96-45, with some opponents expressing concerns that the nature of her WWE activities would send the wrong message. State representative Bruce Morris claimed she lacked "depth of knowledge regarding education". However, state representative John Hetherington said it "would be good to have someone outside the establishment on the board."^[90][91]

On April 1, 2010, McMahon resigned from the State Board of Education, because state law does not allow board members to solicit campaign contributions.^[92]

2010 U.S. Senate campaign[link]

On September 16, 2009, McMahon announced her candidacy for U.S. Senator from Connecticut. She announced she would spend up to $50 million of her own money to finance her campaign and refused outside donations.^[93] She ran for the Republican nomination, campaigning on promises of lower taxes, fiscal conservatism, and job creation. She hired a campaign staff, and delivered speeches that some criticized as too calculated.^[94] Her mail, radio, television, and Internet advertisements quickly gained name recognition and strong poll numbers over her opponents.

McMahon's spending became a key argument of one of her rivals, former Congressman Rob Simmons, who accused of "buying the election". McMahon and Simmons engaged in a frequently bitter contest. At the party convention, McMahon received the most support, but Simmons received enough votes to qualify for the ballot for the August 10 primary, although he was not actively campaigning. In late July—two weeks before the primary—however, Simmons relaunched his campaign by airing ads on TV reminding voters that his name would be on the ballot, participating in debates, and accepting interviews with editorial boards.^[95] A third candidate, Peter Schiff, qualified for the ballot by submitting petition signatures. McMahon defeated her opponents and faced Richard Blumenthal in the general election, losing by 11%.

2012 U.S. Senate Campaign[link]

Immediately after her loss to Blumenthal, McMahon hinted that she would run again for Senate in 2012.^[96] McMahon maintained a high profile following the election, running TV ads,^[97] campaigning for politicians, and making frequent media appearances.^[98] When Lieberman announced that he would retire from the U.S. Senate, she became the Republican Party and Tea Party movement favorite for the 2012 election.^[99]

On September 20, 2011 McMahon officially announced her candidacy in Southington, Connecticut.^[100]

On May 18, 2012 McMahon earned official endorsement by the Republican Party at the Connecticut State Republican convention by a delegate vote of 658 to challenger Christopher Shays' 351.

References[link]

Further reading[link]

• Assael, Shaun; Mooneyham, Mike (2004). Sex, Lies, and Headlocks: The Real Story of Vince McMahon and World Wrestling Entertainment. Three Rivers Press. ISBN 1-4000-5143-6. 
• Kaelberer, Angie (2003). The McMahons: Vince McMahon and Family. Capstone High Interest Books. ISBN 0-7368-2143-0. 

External links[link]

• Linda McMahon U.S. Senate campaign website
• Biography, voting record, and interest group ratings at Project Vote Smart
• Issue positions and quotes at On the Issues
• Campaign finance reports and data at the Federal Election Commission

Professional wrestling portal

• East Carolina University Alumni Profile

Alanis Morissette
Alanis Morissette signing autographs for fans after concert
Background information
Birth name	Alanis Nadine Morissette
Born	(1974-06-01) June 1, 1974 (age 38)
Origin	Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Genres	Alternative rock, pop rock, electronica, post-grunge
Occupations	Singer, songwriter, actress, record producer
Instruments	Piano, guitar, flute, harmonica, bass, vocals
Years active	1987–present
Labels	MCA Canada, Maverick, Warner Bros., Epiphany Music
Associated acts	Tim Thorney
Website	alanis.com

Alanis Nadine Morissette (born June 1, 1974) is a Canadian^[1] singer-songwriter, guitarist, record producer, and actress. She has won 16 Juno Awards and seven Grammy Awards, was nominated for two Golden Globe Awards and also shortlisted for an Academy Award nomination. Morissette began her career in Canada, and as a teenager recorded two dance-pop albums, Alanis and Now Is the Time, under MCA Records Canada.

Her first international album was the rock-influenced Jagged Little Pill, released in 1995. Jagged has sold more than 33 million units globally.^[2][3][4] Her following album, Supposed Former Infatuation Junkie, was released in 1998 and was a success as well. Morissette took up producing duties for her subsequent albums, which include Under Rug Swept, So-Called Chaos and Flavors of Entanglement. Morissette has sold more than 60 million albums worldwide.^[5][6][7] Morissette is also known for her powerful and emotive mezzo-soprano voice.^[8]

Morissette acquired United States citizenship in 2005.^[9]

Early life[link]

Morissette was born June 1, 1974 in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada,^[10] the daughter of Georgia Mary Ann (née Feuerstein), a teacher of Hungarian descent,^[11][12] and Alan Richard Morissette, a French-Canadian high school principal.^[13] She has a twin brother, Wade Morissette, (also a musician) who was born 12 minutes after her.^[14] Morissette was raised Catholic.^[15] She attended Glebe Collegiate Institute (Ottawa, Canada) for high school.

Music career[link]

1987: First Demo[link]

Alanis recorded her first demo called "Fate Stay With Me" at Marigold Studios in Toronto, engineered by Rich Dodson of Canadian classic rock band, The Stampeders. ^[16]

1990–92: Early career[link]

In 1991 MCA Records Canada released Morissette's debut album, Alanis, in Canada only. Morissette co-wrote every track on the album with its producer, Leslie Howe. By the time it was released, she had dropped her stage name and was credited simply as Alanis. The dance-pop album went platinum,^[17] and its first single, "Too Hot", reached the top twenty on the RPM singles chart. Subsequent singles "Walk Away" and "Feel Your Love" reached the top 40. Morissette's popularity, style of music and appearance, particularly that of her hair, led her to become known as the Debbie Gibson of Canada;^[18] comparisons to Tiffany were also common. During the same period, she was a concert opening act for rapper Vanilla Ice.^[19] Morissette was nominated for three 1992 Juno Awards: Most Promising Female Vocalist of the Year (which she won), Single of the Year and Best Dance Recording (both for "Too Hot").^[20]

In 1992, she released her second album, Now Is the Time, a ballad-driven record that featured less glitzy production than Alanis and contained more thoughtful lyrics.^[18] Morissette wrote the songs with the album's producer, Leslie Howe, and Serge Côté. She said of the album, "people could go, 'Boo, hiss, hiss, this girl's like another Tiffany or whatever.' But the way I look at it ... people will like your next album if it's a suck-ass one."^[19] As with Alanis, Now Is the Time was released only in Canada and produced three top 40 singles—"An Emotion Away", the minor adult contemporary hit "No Apologies" and "(Change Is) Never a Waste of Time". It was a commercial failure, however, selling only a little more than half the copies of her first album.^[18][21] With her two-album deal with MCA Records Canada complete, Morissette was left without a major label contract.

[edit] 1993–97: Move to Los Angeles and Jagged Little Pill

In 1993 Morissette's publisher Leeds Levy at MCA Music Publishing introduced her to manager Scott Welch.^[22] Welch told HitQuarters he was impressed by her "spectacular voice", her character and her lyrics. At the time she was still living at home with her parents. Together they decided it would be best for her career to move to Toronto and start writing with other people.^[22] After graduating from high school, Morissette moved from Ottawa to Toronto.^[18] Her publisher funded part of her development and when she met producer and songwriter Glen Ballard, he believed in her talent enough to let her use his studio.^[18][22] The two wrote and recorded Morissette's first internationally released album, Jagged Little Pill, and by the spring of 1995, she had signed a deal with Maverick Records. According to manager Welch every label they had approached had passed on Morissette apart from Maverick.^[22]

	"Ironic" (1996) noicon The two-time Grammy Award-nominated song is considered one of Morissette's signature tunes.
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Maverick Records released Jagged Little Pill internationally in 1995. The album was expected only to sell enough for Morissette to make a follow-up, but the situation changed quickly when KROQ-FM, an influential Los Angeles modern rock radio station, began playing "You Oughta Know", the album's first single.^[23] The song instantly garnered attention for its scathing, explicit lyrics,^[18] and a subsequent music video went into heavy rotation on MTV and MuchMusic.

After the success of "You Oughta Know", the album's other hit singles helped send Jagged Little Pill to the top of the charts. "All I Really Want" and "Hand In My Pocket" followed, but the fourth U.S. single, "Ironic", became Morissette's biggest hit. "You Learn" and "Head over Feet", the fifth and sixth singles, respectively, kept Jagged Little Pill in the top twenty on the Billboard 200 albums chart for more than a year. According to the RIAA, Jagged Little Pill sold more than 16 million copies in the U.S.; it sold 33 million worldwide,^[24] making it the second biggest selling album by a female artist (behind Shania Twain's Come On Over).^[25][26] Morissette's popularity grew significantly in Canada, where the album was certified twelve times platinum^[17] and produced four RPM chart-toppers: "Hand In My Pocket", "Ironic", "You Learn", and "Head over Feet". The album was also a bestseller in Australia and the United Kingdom.^[27][28]

Morissette's success with Jagged Little Pill was credited with leading to the introduction of female singers such as Shakira, Tracy Bonham, Meredith Brooks, Patti Rothberg and, in the early 2000s, Pink and fellow Canadian Avril Lavigne.^[29] She was criticized for collaborating with producer and supposed image-maker Ballard, and her previous albums also proved a hindrance for her respectability.^[18][30] Morissette and the album won six Juno Awards in 1996: Album of the Year, Single of the Year ("You Oughta Know"), Female Vocalist of the Year, Songwriter of the Year and Best Rock Album.^[31] At the 1996 Grammy Awards, she won Best Female Rock Vocal Performance, Best Rock Song (both for "You Oughta Know"), Best Rock Album and Album of the Year.^[32]

Later in 1996, Morissette embarked on an 18-month world tour in support of Jagged Little Pill, beginning in small clubs and ending in large venues. Taylor Hawkins, who later joined the Foo Fighters, was the tour's drummer. "Ironic" was nominated for two 1997 Grammy Awards—Record of the Year and Best Music Video, Short Form^[33]—and won Single of the Year at the 1997 Juno Awards, where Morissette also won Songwriter of the Year and the International Achievement Award.^[34] The video Jagged Little Pill, Live, which was co-directed by Morissette and chronicled the bulk of her tour, won a 1998 Grammy Award for Best Music Video, Long Form.^[35]

Following the stressful tour, Morissette started practicing Iyengar Yoga for balancing, and after the last December 1996 show, she headed to India for six weeks, accompanied by her mother, two aunts and two female friends.^[36]

[edit] 1998–2000: Supposed Former Infatuation Junkie and Alanis Unplugged

	"Thank U" (1998) noicon The most successful single from 1998's Supposed Former Infatuation Junkie was written after a trip to India. "That I Would Be Good" (1998) noicon A live version of this ballad was released to promote 1999's Alanis Unplugged.
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Morissette was featured as a guest vocalist on Ringo Starr's cover of "Drift Away" on his 1998 album, Vertical Man, and on the songs "Don't Drink the Water" and "Spoon" on the Dave Matthews Band album Before These Crowded Streets. She recorded the song "Uninvited" for the soundtrack to the 1998 film City of Angels. Although the track was never commercially released as a single, it received widespread radio airplay in the U.S. At the 1999 Grammy Awards, it won in the categories of Best Rock Song and Best Female Rock Vocal Performance, and was nominated for Best Song Written for a Motion Picture, Television or Other Visual Media.^[37] Later in 1998, Morissette released her fourth album, Supposed Former Infatuation Junkie, which she wrote and produced with Glen Ballard.

Privately, the label hoped to sell a million copies of the album on initial release;^[38] instead, it debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 chart with first-week sales of 469,000 copies—a record, at the time, for the highest first-week sales of an album by a female artist.^[39] The wordy, personal lyrics on Supposed Former Infatuation Junkie alienated many fans, and after the album sold considerably less than Jagged Little Pill, many labelled it an example of the sophomore jinx.^[18][40] However, it received positive reviews, including a four-star review from Rolling Stone.^[41] In Canada, it won the Juno Award for Best Album and was certified four times platinum.^[17][42] "Thank U", the album's only major international hit single, was nominated for the 2000 Grammy Award for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance; the music video, which featured Morissette nude, generated mild controversy.^[38][43] Morissette herself directed the videos for "Unsent" and "So Pure", which won, respectively, the MuchMusic Video Award for Best Director and the Juno Award for Video of the Year.^[42][44] The "So Pure" video features actor Dash Mihok, with whom Morissette was in a relationship at the time.^[38]

Morissette contributed vocals to "Mercy", "Hope", "Innocence", and "Faith", four tracks on Jonathan Elias's project The Prayer Cycle, which was released in 1999. The same year, she released the live acoustic album Alanis Unplugged, which was recorded during her appearance on the television show MTV Unplugged. It featured tracks from her previous two albums alongside four new songs, including "King of Pain" (a cover of The Police song) and "No Pressure over Cappuccino", which Morissette wrote with her main guitar player, Nick Lashley. The recording of the Supposed Former Infatuation Junkie track "That I Would Be Good", released as a single, became a minor hit on hot adult contemporary radio in America. Also in 1999, Morissette released a live version of her song "Are You Still Mad" on the charity album Live in the X Lounge II. For her live rendition of "So Pure" at Woodstock '99, she was nominated for Best Female Rock Vocal Performance at the 2001 Grammy Awards.^[45] During summer 1999, Alanis toured with singer/songwriter Tori Amos on the 5 And A Half Weeks Tour in support of Amos' album To Venus And Back.

[edit] 2001–03: Under Rug Swept and Feast on Scraps

In 2001, Morissette was featured with Stephanie McKay on the Tricky song "Excess", which is on his album Blowback. Morissette released her fifth studio album, Under Rug Swept, in February 2002. For the first time in her career, she took on the role of sole writer and producer of an album. Her band, comprising Joel Shearer, Nick Lashley, Chris Chaney, and Gary Novak, played the majority of the instruments; additional contributions came from Eric Avery, Dean DeLeo, Flea, and Meshell Ndegeocello.

Under Rug Swept debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 chart, eventually going platinum in Canada and selling one million copies in the U.S.^[17][46] It produced the hit single "Hands Clean", which topped the Canadian Singles Chart and received substantial radio play; for her work on "Hands Clean" and "So Unsexy", Morissette won a Juno Award for Producer of the Year.^[47] A second single, "Precious Illusions", was released, but it did not garner significant success outside Canada or U.S. hot AC radio.

Later in 2002, Morissette released the combination package Feast on Scraps, which includes a DVD of live concert and backstage documentary footage directed by her and a CD containing eight previously unreleased songs from the Under Rug Swept recording sessions. Preceded by the single "Simple Together", it sold roughly 70,000 copies in the U.S. and was nominated for a Juno Award for Music DVD of the Year.^[46][48]

[edit] 2004–05: So-Called Chaos, Jagged Little Pill Acoustic and The Collection