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PARIS—The hat that Michael Jackson wore just before performing his signature moonwalk dance for the first time sold at an auction in Paris on Tuesday, Sept. 26, for 77,640 euros ($82,170).

The black fedora had been estimated at 60,000 to 100,000 euros by the Hotel Drouot auction house.

It was the highlight among around 200 items of rock memorabilia, though the top price went to a guitar owned by the legendary bluesman T-Bone Walker, at 129,400 euros.

Jackson whipped off the hat while breaking into his hit “Billie Jean” during a televised Motown concert in 1983, at the height of his fame.

Moments later, he showed off what would become his trademark move—the moonwalk, a seemingly effortless backwards glide while appearing to walk forwards.

Music memorabilia has become big business.

Co-organizers Lemon Auction made a splash last year with the sale of the guitar smashed by Noel Gallagher on the night Oasis split up in Paris following a fight with his brother Liam. The instrument went for 385,500 euros.

This month, a series of auctions for items belonging to Freddie Mercury —including the piano on which he composed “Bohemian Rhapsody”—brought in a total of 46.5 million euros for Sotheby’s, attracting bidders from 76 countries.  / ra

A source close to pop singer Usher claims he intends to have “tastefully dressed” pole dancers as part of his 2024 Super Bowl Halftime show.

The “DJ Got Us Falling In Love” singer often features stripper-styled dancers and pole dancers in his stage shows in Las Vegas and apparently he wants to bring that same aesthetic to the NFL. But he also seems to understand that half naked pole dancing strippers is not exactly a fitting style of entertainment for the NFL’s family-friendly big game.

“Usher plans on having… pole dancers — dressed in a tasteful manner, of course as well as dancers on roller skates,” a source told PageSix. “He is definitely keeping in mind that his younger fans will be watching.”

“[Usher] just wants to set himself apart and make history as one of the greatest performers to hit the world stage,” the source continued, “Beyoncé, Rihanna, Dr. Dre, Prince and Michael Jackson have all made memorable moments and now that Usher is taking the stage he wants to do something different, unforgettable and over-the-top.”

The singer also intends to launch his next album on Super Bowl Sunday with “Coming Home,” which marks his fist new album since 2016.

“t’s an honor of a lifetime to finally check a Super Bowl performance off my bucket list. I can’t wait to bring the world a show unlike anything else they’ve seen from me before. Thank you to the fans and everyone who made this opportunity happen. I’ll see you real soon,” he wrote.

The NFL insists that Usher’s show will be a show “for the history books.”

“Usher is an icon whose music has left an indelible mark on the cultural landscape throughout his career, we couldn’t be more excited to have him headline this year’s Apple Music Super Bowl Halftime Show,” said Seth Dudowsky, the head of music for the NFL. “We look forward to working with Usher, Roc Nation and Apple Music to bring fans another Halftime Show for the history books.”

Several Super Bowl Halftime shows have sent viewers complaining. In 2012, rapper M.I.A. came under fire when he flipped the audience the bird during his part in Madonna’s halftime show.

But the most controversial show of all occurred in 2004 when singer Justin Timberlake ripped away co-star Janet Jackson’s breast cup on her costume to reveal her bare right breast festooned with a nipple ring. The incident was infamously dubbed the “Super Bowl wardrobe malfunction.”

The act ended up getting Jackson fired a week later from the Grammy telecast.

In 2018, Timberlake said that he has apologized and “made peace” with Jackson over the controversial show.

Super Bowl LVII will be played in Las Vegas on Feb. 11, 2024.

Follow Warner Todd Huston on Facebook at: facebook.com/Warner.Todd.Huston , or Truth Social @WarnerToddHuston

MANILA, Philippines–Another international pageant titleholder is heading to the Philippines, with reigning Miss Supranational Andrea Aguilera scheduled to visit next month.

The international pageant announced this on social media Wednesday, Sept. 27, showing a photo of the queen with “Philippines” prominently displayed.

Aguilera , the first Ecuadorian woman to capture the Miss Supranational crown, won in the pageant’s 14th edition held in Poland in July. Pauline Amelinckx from the Philippines finished second in the competition.

The Belgian-Filipino model and host was appointed Miss Supranational Philippines after finishing in the Top 3 of the 2023 Miss Universe Philippines pageant in May, her third time to compete in the said national contest.

Upon Amelinckx’s homecoming in August, Miss Universe Philippines National Director Shamcey Supsup-Lee proclaimed her as the first titleholder of The Miss Philippines Culture and Heritage Celebration .

The Miss Supranational organization said Aguilera will be in the Philippines from Oct. 22 to 26 to “visit some social and charitable initiatives” and to attend the final shows of The Miss Philippines and Mister Pilipinas Worldwide.

The two searches will hold back-to-back final competition shows at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City on Oct. 24. Twenty-one ladies are competing in The Miss Philippines, while 17 men are participating in the Mister Pilipinas Worldwide contest.

Both searches will serve as culminating events of the first-ever “The Filipino Festival” celebration next month, and are presented by Kemans. The winners will each receive a Wuling mini electric vehicle and a custom-made trophy exclusively designed by Jef Albea. /ra

Rishi Sunak ‘s dithering over the possible abolition of inheritance tax commands the full attention of Prince Harry .

Although living in California , he is officially domiciled in the UK.

Any inheritance he might have received from the Queen and Prince Philip and, in due course, his father could be taxable.

Should he change his domicile, he would need to sever most ties with the UK.

The advantage for him is the absence of a US federal inheritance tax. Only six states impose their own. California isn’t one of them.

The late Queen, to avoid any inheritance tax, is believed to have left everything to Charles with a separate set of instructions as to whom she wishes to be given what.

That way the taxman can’t get his pound of flesh. In 1993 then PM John Major agreed that bequests made from sovereign to sovereign were exempt from inheritance tax.

However, there is no legal obligation on Charles to carry out his mother’s wishes when passing on bequests.

So it could be up to William eventually to decide whether to pass on any of his father’s largesse he might leave to Harry. With fraternal relations in the freezer, it might not be a foregone conclusion.

Whispers that BBC Radio 4 Today’s Amol Rajan doesn’t get on with fellow presenters Nick Robinson, Martha Kearney and Mishal Husain have been firmly dismissed by the multi-tasking Rajan.

‘The idea that this is some hotbed of tension and difficulty is wrong,’ he tells Radio Times.

‘I really like Nick, I respect him. It’s the same with Martha and Mishal.’

But then, in a Bridge Too Far comment, he adds: ‘I’m full of unashamed love for Today. I’m also full of love for the BBC.’ Steady Amol.

Reprising her role as Doctor Who’s assistant, Catherine Tate, pictured, alarms Tardis aficionados by admitting she is not a fan.

‘No I am not,’ she says. ‘I don’t understand it. It is probably not childish enough for me. I think my comprehension is probably a bit too low for sci-fi. It just baffles me.’

And she doesn’t even watch it, saying: ‘I had no idea they even carried on when David Tennant and I left.’

Shouldn’t the name of her character Donna Noble be changed to Don’t Know Noble?

Rupert Everett says his days of describing Madonna as ‘a whiny old barmaid’ and Julia Roberts as ‘smelling vaguely of sweat’ are over.

‘I can’t any more,’ he says, ‘It’s just too exhausting. And too terrifying. You have to be incredibly careful now.’

Too late to make amends to Michael Jackson, RIP. Rupe said he ‘looked like a character from Shrek’.

University Challenge viewers’ sympathies were with announcer Roger Tilling, who this week faced the nameplate for a Warwick student that read AKARAPONGPISKADI.

‘This is a wonderful, beautiful Thai surname,’ wailed Roger in a tweet. ‘But just bear with me while I go off and have a quick cry…’

Topline

Usher was recently announced as the 2024 Super Bowl headliner following Rihanna’s record-breaking performance at this year’s Super Bowl, begging the question of whether the Grammy-winning singer can top the performance in viewership.

Key Facts

Key Background

In 2019, Roc Nation became the official Live Music Entertainment Strategists of the NFL. It, along with Apple and the NFL, announced Usher as the next Super Bowl halftime headliner on Sunday. Usher is an eight-time Grammy award-winning singer who has been performing in Las Vegas under residency since July 2022. The year 2024 will see Usher’s Las Vegas residency extended, along with his Super Bowl halftime show and the release of his ninth studio album. Usher joins his peers Beyoncé, Rihanna and The Weeknd in adding a Super Bowl halftime performance to their list of music achievements. The Super Bowl halftime shows featuring pop singers of the day essentially started with Michael Jackson headlining the show in 1993, as the NFL pivoted away from smaller acts that often involved collegiate marching bands. Here are the 10 most viewed Super Bowl halftime shows of all time:

1. Rihanna (2023): 118.7 million views
2. Katy Perry (2015): 118.5 million views
3. Lady Gaga (2017): 118 million views
4. Coldplay (2016): 115.3 million views
5. Bruno Mars (2014): 115.3 million views
6. Madonna (2012): 114 million views
7. Beyonce (2013): 110.8 million views
8. Black Eyed Peas (2011): 110.2 million views
9. Justin Timberlake (2018): 106.6 million views
10. Shakira and Jennifer Lopez (2020): 104.1 million views

Further Reading

Usher Will Headline The 2024 Super Bowl Halftime Show (Forbes)

Super Bowl Draws Near-Record 113 Million Viewers—Just Shy Of Fox’s Lofty Expectations (Forbes)

The Most-Watched Super Bowls Of All Time (Forbes)

Super Bowl Viewership Drops To Lowest Level Since 2007 (Forbes)