Heidi Montag
Montag attending the Girls Gone Wild Magazine second-issue party in Hollywood in June 2008.
Born	Heidi Blair Montag (1986-09-15) September 15, 1986 (age 25) Crested Butte, Colorado, United States[1]
Other names	Heidi Pratt (married name)
Occupation	Reality television personality, recording artist, fashion designer
Years active	2005–present
Television	The Hills (2006-2010) Famous Food (2011)
Spouse	Spencer Pratt (2009-present)
Relatives	Holly Montag (sister) Stephanie Pratt (sister in-law)

Heidi Blair Pratt (née Montag; born September 15, 1986) is an American media personality and singer. She came to prominence with her starring role on the MTV reality series The Hills from 2006 to 2010. In 2007, Montag began working on her debut album, Superficial, which was released in January 2010. She was featured in the second season of I'm a Celebrity... Get Me out of Here! in 2009 and later appeared in VH1's reality series Famous Food during 2011.

In November 2008, Montag and The Hills cast member Spencer Pratt eloped to Mexico. The couple later married in the United States in April 2009. In July 2010, Montag filed for divorce after fifteen months of marriage to Pratt, but called off the divorce in September 2010.

Early life[link]

Montag was born in Crested Butte, Colorado on September 15, 1986.^[1] Her parents, Darlene and Tim Egelhoff, owned a restaurant in Crested Butte, although it was closed after twenty-one years of operation.^[2] Reality television personality Holly Montag is her older sister by three years.^[3] After graduating from high school, Montag moved to California where she enrolled at the Academy of Art University in San Francisco.^[4]

Career[link]

[edit] 2005-2010: The Hills

During freshman orientation, Montag met Lauren Conrad, who at the time was a featured cast member on the MTV reality series Laguna Beach: The Real Orange County.^[5] After the two transferred to Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising in Los Angeles,^[4] Conrad received her own spin-off series The Hills, which premiered on May 31, 2006.^[6] Montag eventually left the Fashion Institute in fall of 2005 when she was hired at Bolthouse Productions.^[7] According to Montag, she dropped out because she "did not find the school challenging."^[8] Within two years, she was promoted to event planner at Bolthouse.^[9]

Montag went on to star in all six seasons of The Hills, but last appeared on the series on the final season's fourth episode after her husband and fellow cast member, Spencer Pratt, had threatened to kill a series producer.^[10] He was due to return to the series after completing anger management training, although his behavior worsened which led to their being completely removed from the cast.^[11] Montag had also filed charges against The Hills creator Adam Divello, claiming sexual harassment.^[12]

[edit] 2007-2010: Superficial

In February 2007, Montag began working on an album with producer David Foster.^[13] In March 2009, Montag hired songwriter Cathy Dennis to work on her debut album.^[14] On the Billboard issue dated July 1, 2009, Montag's song "More Is More" debuted on the Hot Dance Club Songs chart at number fifty, becoming her first song to chart, despite not being released as a single.^[15] After five weeks on the chart, it peaked at number twenty-seven.^[16] On August 23, 2009, Montag performed "Body Language" during the Miss Universe 2009 pageant in the Bahamas.^[17] The performance received generally negative reviews from critics.^[18] Montag's debut album, Superficial, was digitally released on January 12, 2010.^[19] The album was self-funded and cost almost $2 million to record,^[20] and sold just over 1,000 copies in its first week of release.^[21] Montag released a video for "Superficial", the first and only single taken from the album.^[22]

2008-present: Other endeavors[link]

Montag was featured on the front cover of the February 2008 issue of Maxim.^[23][24] Montag debuted her fashion line, Heidiwood, at a fashion show at the Hollywood and Highland shopping center in Hollywood on April 11, 2008.^[25] In October 2008, it was confirmed that Anchor Blue, which had carried Montag’s line, would not be renewing her one-year contract, thus ending the line's run.^[26]

In November 2008, Montag and Pratt took part in scenes for an episode of the CBS sitcom How I Met Your Mother. The two appeared as themselves in an episode that premiered in January 2009.^[27] Montag, along with Pratt, also signed on to appear on the second season of the reality series I'm a Celebrity... Get Me out of Here! in April 2009.^[28] In early June 2009, it was reported that the couple had quit the show,^[29] although they later returned.^[30] The couple ultimately withdrew from appearing on the series after Montag suffered from a gastric ulcer which caused her to be hospitalized.^[31] Her appearance on the show, as well as Pratt's, was criticized after the couple claimed they were subject to torture.^[32][33]

In June 2009, it was confirmed that Montag would pose for Playboy.^[34] She appeared on the cover of the September 2009 issue of the magazine.^[35] In November 2009, Montag and Pratt released their first book, How To Be Famous: Our Guide to Looking the Part, Playing the Press and Becoming a Tabloid Fixture.^[36] In March 2010, Montag was cast in a cameo role in her first feature film, Just Go with It, which was released in February 2011.^[37][38] On April 10, 2010, Montag hosted the grand opening of the Liquid Pool in Las Vegas, Nevada.^[39]

In early 2011, Montag was confirmed to be one of seven celebrities to compete in the VH1 reality series, Famous Food, that premiered in the summer of 2011.^[40] Other cast members included Ashley Dupre, DJ Paul, Juicy J, Vincent Pastore, Danielle Staub, and Jake Pavelka.^[40] The cast members worked to open a Hollywood restaurant; the winner was given a partnership stake in the business.^[40] The series, which ran from July to September 2011, was won by DJ Paul.^[41] In October 2011, Montag announced that she is writing a memoir.^[42]

Personal life[link]

Montag in Las Vegas in December 2007

On March 3, 2008, Montag's stepbrother Eric O'Hara was killed in an accidental fall from an icy roof.^[43]

In 2006, she began dating Spencer Pratt. In May 2007, Montag and Pratt announced their engagement.^[44] On November 20, 2008, Montag and Pratt had a marriage ceremony in Mexico.^[45] No family members were present and the wedding ceremony lasted 15 minutes.^[46] Montag and Pratt married a second time on April 25, 2009 in Pasadena, California.^[47] On July 30, 2010, Montag filed for divorce, citing irreconcilable differences in the petition.^[48] However, the couple called off the divorce in September 2010.^[49] In November 2010, Montag and Pratt announced that the reason behind the couple's divorce was to help Montag's career.^[50] Later that November, Montag and Pratt renewed their wedding vows at a beachfront house in Carpinteria, California.^[51]

Plastic surgeries[link]

In April 2007, Montag had a breast augmentation and rhinoplasty. After much media speculation, Montag spoke to Us Weekly about her surgeries in September 2007.^[52] In January 2010, Montag revealed to People magazine that she had ten plastic surgery procedures in one day, performed by Dr. Frank Ryan on November 20, 2009. Among the procedures were brow-lifts, ear-pinnings, a chin reduction, as well as a second rhinoplasty and second breast augmentation. She revealed that she almost died from too much Demerol, reducing her breath rate to five breaths per minute, but said it was worth it.^[53]

In December 2010, Montag appeared on the cover of Life & Style magazine, revealing scars caused from her surgeries.^[54][55]

Filmography[link]

Published works[link]

• How To Be Famous: Our Guide to Looking the Part, Playing the Press and Becoming a Tabloid Fixture (with Spencer Pratt) (2009)

Discography[link]

Studio albums[link]

Extended plays[link]

Wherever I Am

1. "Your Love Found Me" – 3:52
2. "More Is More" – 3:06
3. "Party Is Wherever I Am" – 3:28
4. "Turn Ya Head" – 3:39
5. "Look How I'm Doing" – 3:39

Here She Is...

1. "No More" – 4:05
2. "Overdosin'" – 3:45
3. "Look How I'm Doing" – 3:29
4. "Turn Ya Head" – 3:39
5. "More Is More" – 3:06
6. "Blackout" – 3:31
7. "Your Love Found Me" – 3:52

Dreams Come True

1. "Your Love Found Me" – 3:53
2. "Party Is Wherever I Am" – 3:30
3. "No More" – 4:02
4. "Overdosin'" – 3:45

Singles[link]

Promotional singles[link]

Music videos[link]

References[link]

External links[link]

Biography portal

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Heidi Montag

• Official Twitter
• Heidi Montag at the Internet Movie Database
• Heidi Montag at Allmusic

Michael Jackson
Jackson at the White House in 1984
Background information
Birth name	Michael Joseph Jackson[1]
Also known as	King of Pop, MJ
Born	(1958-08-29)August 29, 1958 Gary, Indiana, U.S.
Died	June 25, 2009(2009-06-25) (aged 50) Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Genres	R&B, pop, rock, soul, dance, funk, disco, new jack swing
Occupations	Singer-songwriter, musician, composer, dancer, choreographer, record producer, actor, businessman, philanthropist
Instruments	Vocals
Years active	1964–2009
Labels	Motown, Epic, Legacy, MJJ Productions
Associated acts	The Jackson 5 Michael Jackson's Signature
Website	www.michaeljackson.com

Michael Joseph Jackson^[1] (August 29, 1958 – June 25, 2009) was an American recording artist, entertainer, and businessman. Often referred to as the King of Pop, or by his initials MJ,^[2] Jackson is recognized as the most successful entertainer of all time by Guinness World Records. His contribution to music, dance, and fashion, along with a much-publicized personal life, made him a global figure in popular culture for over four decades. The seventh child of the Jackson family, he debuted on the professional music scene along with his brothers as a member of The Jackson 5 in 1964, and began his solo career in 1971.

In the early 1980s, Jackson became a dominant figure in popular music. The music videos for his songs, including those of "Beat It", "Billie Jean", and "Thriller", were credited with transforming the medium into an art form and a promotional tool, and the popularity of these videos helped to bring the relatively new television channel MTV to fame. Videos such as "Black or White" and "Scream" made him a staple on MTV in the 1990s. Through stage performances and music videos, Jackson popularized a number of complicated dance techniques, such as the robot and the moonwalk, to which he gave the name. His distinctive musical sound and vocal style influenced numerous hip hop, post-disco, contemporary R&B, pop and rock artists.

Jackson's 1982 album Thriller is the best-selling album of all time. His other records, including Off the Wall (1979), Bad (1987), Dangerous (1991), and HIStory (1995), also rank among the world's best-selling. Jackson is one of the few artists to have been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame twice. He was also inducted into the Dance Hall of Fame as the first (and currently only) dancer from the world of pop and rock 'n' roll. Some of his other achievements include multiple Guinness World Records; 13 Grammy Awards (as well as the Grammy Legend Award and the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award); 26 American Music Awards (more than any other artist, including the "Artist of the Century"); 13 number-one singles in the United States in his solo career (more than any other male artist in the Hot 100 era); and the estimated sale of over 750 million records worldwide. Jackson won hundreds of awards, which made him the most-awarded recording artist in the history of popular music.^[3] He was also one of the world's most prominent humanitarians and philanthropists; personally, and through his Heal the World Foundation, he donated more than $300 million in charity, and held the Guinness World Record for having supported the most charities out of any pop star.^[4][5]

Aspects of Jackson's personal life, including his changing appearance, personal relationships, and behavior, generated controversy. In 1993, he was accused of child sexual abuse, but the case was settled out of court and no formal charges were brought. In 2005, he was tried and acquitted of further child sexual abuse allegations and several other charges after the jury found him not guilty on all counts. While preparing for his concert series titled This Is It, Jackson died of acute propofol and benzodiazepine intoxication on June 25, 2009, after suffering from cardiac arrest. The Los Angeles County Coroner ruled his death a homicide, and his personal physician was convicted of involuntary manslaughter. Jackson's death triggered a global outpouring of grief, and as many as one billion people around the world reportedly watched his public memorial service on live television. In March 2010, Sony Music Entertainment signed a $250 million deal with Jackson's estate to retain distribution rights to his recordings until 2017, and to release seven posthumous albums over the decade following his death.^[6]

Life and career[link]

Early life and The Jackson 5 (1958–1975)[link]

Jackson's childhood home in Gary, Indiana, showing floral tributes after his death

Jackson (center) as a member of The Jackson 5 in 1972

Michael Jackson was born on August 29, 1958, the eighth of ten children in an African American working-class family who lived in a small 3-room house in Gary, Indiana,^[7] an industrial city near Chicago. His mother, Katherine Esther Scruse, was a devout Jehovah's Witness, and his father, Joseph Walter "Joe" Jackson, was a steel mill worker who performed with an R&B band called The Falcons. Jackson had three sisters: Rebbie, La Toya, and Janet, and five brothers: Jackie, Tito, Jermaine, Marlon, and Randy.^[8] A sixth brother, Brandon, died shortly after birth.^[9]

Jackson had a troubled relationship with his father, Joe.^[10][11][12] Joseph acknowledged in 2003 that he regularly whipped Jackson as a boy.^[12] Jackson stated that he was physically and emotionally abused during incessant rehearsals, though he also credited his father's strict discipline with playing a large role in his success.^[10] Jackson first spoke openly about his childhood abuse in an interview with Oprah Winfrey, broadcast in February 1993. He admitted that he had often cried from loneliness and he would vomit on the sight of his father. Jackson's father was also said to have verbally abused Jackson, saying that he had a fat nose on numerous occasions.^[13] In fact, Michael Jackson's deep dissatisfaction with his appearance, his nightmares and chronic sleep problems, his tendency to remain hyper-compliant especially with his father, and to remain child-like throughout his adult life are in many ways consistent with the effects of this chronic maltreatment he endured as a young child.^[14]

In an interview with Martin Bashir, later included in the 2003 broadcast of Living with Michael Jackson, Jackson acknowledged that his father hurt him when he was a child, but was nonetheless a "genius", as he admitted his father's strict discipline played a huge role in his success. When Bashir dismissed the positive remark and continued asking about beatings, Jackson put his hand over his face and objected to the questions. He recalled that Joseph sat in a chair with a belt in his hand as he and his siblings rehearsed, and that "if you didn't do it the right way, he would tear you up, really get you".^[15][16]

In 1964, Michael and Marlon joined the Jackson Brothers—a band formed by brothers Jackie, Tito, and Jermaine—as backup musicians playing congas and tambourine. Jackson later began performing backup vocals and dancing. When he was eight, Jackson began sharing the lead vocals with his older brother Jermaine, and the group's name was changed to The Jackson 5.^[8] The band toured the Midwest extensively from 1966 to 1968, frequently performing at a string of black clubs known as the "chitlin' circuit", where they often opened stripteases and other adult acts. In 1966, they won a major local talent show with renditions of Motown hits and James Brown's "I Got You (I Feel Good)", led by Michael.^[17]

The Jackson 5 recorded several songs, including "Big Boy", for the local record label Steeltown in 1967, before signing with Motown Records in 1968.^[8] Rolling Stone magazine later described the young Michael as "a prodigy" with "overwhelming musical gifts," writing that he "quickly emerged as the main draw and lead singer."^[18] The group set a chart record when its first four singles ("I Want You Back", "ABC", "The Love You Save", and "I'll Be There") peaked at number one on the Billboard Hot 100.^[8] Between 1972 and 1975, Michael released four solo studio albums with Motown, among them Got to Be There and Ben, released as part of the Jackson 5 franchise, and producing successful singles such as "Got to Be There", "Ben", and a remake of Bobby Day's "Rockin' Robin".

The Jackson 5 "became a cutting-edge example of black crossover artists... five working-class black boys with afros and bell bottoms, and they really didn't have to trade any of that stuff in order to become mainstream stars."^[19]

The group's sales began declining in 1973, and the band members chafed under Motown's strict refusal to allow them creative control or input. Although they scored several top 40 hits, including the top 5 disco single "Dancing Machine" and the top 20 hit "I Am Love", the Jackson 5 left Motown in 1975.^[20]

[edit] Move to Epic and Off the Wall (1975–81)

In June 1975, the Jackson 5 signed with Epic Records, a subsidiary of CBS Records^[20] and renamed themselves the Jacksons. Younger brother Randy formally joined the band around this time, while Jermaine left to pursue a solo career.^[21] They continued to tour internationally, releasing six more albums between 1976 and 1984, during which Michael was the lead songwriter, writing hits such as "Shake Your Body (Down to the Ground)", "This Place Hotel", and "Can You Feel It".^[17] In 1978, he starred as the scarecrow in the musical, The Wiz, a box-office disaster. It was here that he teamed up with Quincy Jones, who was arranging the film's musical score. Jones agreed to produce Jackson's next solo album, Off the Wall.^[22] In 1979, Jackson broke his nose during a complex dance routine. His subsequent rhinoplasty was not a complete success; he complained of breathing difficulties that would affect his career. He was referred to Dr. Steven Hoefflin, who performed Jackson's second rhinoplasty and subsequent operations.^[23]

Jones and Jackson produced the Off the Wall album together. Songwriters for the album included Jackson, Rod Temperton, Stevie Wonder, and Paul McCartney. Released in 1979, it was the first solo album to generate four U.S. top 10 hits, including the chart-topping singles "Don't Stop 'til You Get Enough" and "Rock with You".^[24][25] It reached number three on the Billboard 200 and eventually sold over 20 million copies worldwide.^[26] In 1980, Jackson won three awards at the American Music Awards for his solo efforts: Favorite Soul/R&B Album, Favorite Soul/R&B Male Artist, and Favorite Soul/R&B Single for "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough".^[27][28] That year, he also won Billboard Year-End for Top Black Artist and Top Black Album and a Grammy Award for Best Male R&B Vocal Performance, also for "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough".^[24] Jackson again won at the American Music Awards in 1981 for Favorite Soul/R&B Album and Favorite Soul/R&B Male Artist.^[29] Despite its commercial success, Jackson felt Off the Wall should have made a much bigger impact, and was determined to exceed expectations with his next release.^[30] In 1980, he secured the highest royalty rate in the music industry: 37 percent of wholesale album profit.^[31]

[edit] Thriller and Motown 25: Yesterday, Today, Forever (1982–83)

In 1982, Jackson contributed the song "Someone In the Dark" to the storybook for the film E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial; the record won a Grammy for Best Recording for Children in 1984. In the same year he won another seven Grammys and eight American Music Awards (including the Award of Merit, the youngest artist to win it), making him the most awarded in one night for both award shows.^[32][33] These awards were thanks to the Thriller album, released in late 1982, which was 1983's best-selling album worldwide^[34][35] and became the best-selling album of all time in the United States,^[36] as well as the best-selling album of all time worldwide, selling an estimated 110 million copies so far.^[37] The album topped the Billboard 200 chart for 37 weeks and was in the top 10 of the 200 for 80 consecutive weeks. It was the first album to have seven Billboard Hot 100 top 10 singles, including "Billie Jean", "Beat It", and "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'".^[38] Thriller was certified for 29 million shipments by the RIAA, giving it Double Diamond status in the United States. The album won also another Grammy for Best Engineered Recording – Non Classical in 1984, awarding Bruce Swedien for his work.^[39] Jackson's attorney John Branca noted that Jackson had the highest royalty rate in the music industry at that point: approximately $2 for every album sold. He was also making record-breaking profits from sales of his recordings. The videocassette of the documentary The Making of Michael Jackson's Thriller sold over 350,000 copies in a few months. The era saw the arrival of novelties like dolls modeled after Michael Jackson, which appeared in stores in May 1984 at a price of $12.^[40] Biographer J. Randy Taraborrelli writes that, "Thriller stopped selling like a leisure item—like a magazine, a toy, tickets to a hit movie—and started selling like a household staple."^[41] In 1985, The Making of Michael Jackson's Thriller won a Grammy for Best Music Video, Longform.^[32] In December 2009, the music video for "Thriller" was selected for the National Film Registry by the Library of Congress, "Thriller" is the first music video ever to be inducted.^[42][43][44]