Johnny Depp didn't say a word as he stepped onto a small stage at a Lucky Strike bowling alley in Los Angeles, strapped on a guitar and started playing with the band. One song later, Kiss bassist Gene Simmons joined in. The superstar pair capped off a fundraising concert on Sunday for MendingKids.org, an organisation that provides free corrective surgeries for children around the world. The event also featured a surprise reunion of rock group Extreme for a performance of their 1991 classic More Than Words. Depp joined the house band to play Alice Cooper's School's Out. The 52-year-old actor announced last week that he is forming a band with Cooper and guitarist Joe Perry called Hollywood Vampires, and will release a self-titled album next month and donate the proceeds to charity. Depp said later he was "thrilled to be a part of an event that benefits children around the globe. Mending Kids is not only changing the lives of these kids, but making a difference in developing countries that are in need of medical care." Simmons, 65, a supporter of MendingKids.org for several years, invited anyone with US$1,000 (Dh3,673) to donate to the organisation to come up and sing with the band. About 10 donors took him up on the offer. – AP
Tracy Morgan to make SNL return
Tracy Morgan is returning to Saturday Night Live as a guest host on October 17. It will be the former SNL cast member and 30 Rock star's first TV performance since he was seriously injured in a car crash in June last year. A fellow comedian died when the limousine they were travelling in was hit by a Wal-Mart lorry on the New Jersey Turnpike. In June, Morgan was interviewed on the Today show, his first public appearance since the accident. He said: "I can't wait to get back to [comedy], but right now, my goal is just to heal and get better – because I'm not 100 per cent yet. I'm not. And when I'm there, you'll know it. I'll get back to making you laugh. I promise you." NBC also announced that Miley Cyrus will host SNL for a third time to kick off the show's 41st season on October 3. On October 10, actress and comedian Amy Schumer will make her hosting debut. – AP
Hitmaker praises Filipino talent
Grammy-winning music producer David Foster said on Monday he's always on the lookout for fresh talent and Asia, and the Philippines in particular, seems to have a lot of it. Foster was in Manila for a concert yesterday with Natalie Cole, Boyz II Men, Ruben Studdard, Filipino singer Charice Pempengco and new Filipino talent Mark Mabasa. He said that Filipinos have an edge because they grow up on karaoke and American music, and then formulate their own sound. The record producer and composer said Asians are figuring out how to dominate the world with their music, with South Korean K-pop well on its way to doing so. Foster has mentored Filipino singer Charice, who broke into the global music industry after becoming a YouTube star. "It's not that I'm particularly looking for stars in Asia. I'm just always looking for stars and I spend so much time in Asia. I know they are out there," he said, adding that he hopes to find more singers he can help break into the music industry during the second season of Singapore-based Asia's Got Talent, on which he is a judge. – AP
Pharrell and 1D to headline Apple festival
Pharrell Williams, One Direction and Florence + The Machine will perform at the Apple Music Festival next month. Apple announced yesterday that the musicians will be among the headliners during the 10-night festival at London’s Roundhouse beginning on September 19. Their gigs will be broadcast live and on-demand on Apple Music, with additional material available on the app’s Beats 1 radio. 1D’s Niall Horan said the group was excited to return to London “to perform for our fans in the Roundhouse and around the world on Apple Music.” Previously known as the iTunes Festival, the eight-year-old event was renamed after the recent launch of the new Apple Music app. Previous performers have included Adele, Lady Gaga, Justin Timberlake and Elton John. – AP
Actor Hirsch jailed for assaulting woman
Hollywood star Emile Hirsch has been sentenced to two weeks in jail after pleading guilty to assaulting a Paramount movie executive at the Sundance Film Festival. The Into the Wild star also was fined $4,750 (Dh17,447) and ordered to complete 50 hours of community service for attacking Daniele Bernfeld at a disco in Park City in January, at a hearing in Salt Lake City, Utah, which hosts the festival. The actor – who said he was drunk and does not recall the incident – said there was "no excuse. It was wrong, reckless". The 30-year-old recently went to rehab for treatment for alcohol addiction. He also apologised to Bernfeld. – AFP
