Leave it to Texas to take the whole fried food thing way over the top. At the state’s annual fair, the Big Tex Choice Awards had amateur fry chefs dropping everything from bubble gum to salsa into vats of boiling oil.
About that bubble gum first, though: There isn’t actually any gum in the treat. It’s actually, according to "Today," a bubblegum-flavored marshmallow ball dipped in batter, fried, then topped with icing. It topped some other serious contenders — including deep-fried salsa, deep-fried pineapple upside-down cake and fried tacos — to take honors as the most creative entry.
The contest’s big winner, though, was deep-fried buffalo chicken in a flapjack which took home honors as the tastiest entry. It is, as one would imagine, a "buffalo chicken strip coated in pancake batter, rolled in jalapeno breadcrumbs, deep fried and served with a side of syrup."

along with all the other stuff

Shoe must be mad … Lady GaGa

The singer said she can hear noises coming from her shoes.

GaGa said: "There’s this one pair of shoes I’ve had for years and they cost like $25.

"I have such an emotional attachment to the shoes that every time I see them I can hear the fans screaming.

"And I can feel the bass coming through the floor."

It’s probably just the noise from the hamster wheel on her head spinning round.

The US star has written songs about almost everything weird but says her next song is going to be about her feet.

When asked about forthcoming projects, she replied: "My feet. I’ve done the hair, so my feet, I think."

Can’t wait to sing along to a tune about bunions and hairy toes.

Getting older … Coldplay

Special guests SFTW are side of stage at Cape Town Stadium as Coldplay prepare for their first ever show in South Africa.

And as with all their gigs, Coldplay are ready to give their all tonight.

After an hour of vocal warm-ups, the band are geeing each other up with just minutes to go.

Drummer Will Champion performs some eye-watering leg stretches before they gather in a hug. Chris Martin, Jonny Buckland, Guy Berryman, Will, unofficial fifth member and manager Phil Harvey and, er, SFTW after Chris drags me into the huddle.

Then they run on stage to play new tracks Mylo Xyloto and Hurts Like Heaven.

"We’re so happy to be here finally, after 12 years. It took us that long to get a visa. We apologise," jokes Chris to an ecstatic crowd who are being showered with paper butterflies.

All day the city’s been buzzing about Coldplay. The customs officers at the airport ask: "Are you here for Coldplay?" while fans queuing outside the stadium are treated to a pre-show of sorts as the band arrive to do a sound check.

Cape Town is one of three spectacular Coldplay shows SFTW has witnessed this summer in the run-up to the release of fifth album Mylo Xyloto — the others being Glastonbury and Lollapalooza festival in Chicago.

It’s been 11 years since the band — who all met as students in the late Nineties at University College London — had their first Top 40 hit, Shiver.

In the band’s dressing room frontman Chris, 34, says: "We have been Coldplay all our adult lives. So when we re-emerge every three years, we realise pop stars are getting a lot younger.

"We forget we’re getting older because we’re together all the time. We’ve not seen each other grow up, we think we are the same age as when we started."

Coldplay’s last album, 2008′s Viva La Vida Or Death And All His Friends, was a real step forward for the band. Back then Chris told SFTW: "It’s a bit of a risk because there isn’t a Yellow."

Working with super-producer Brian Eno, they experimented. And the marching drums, spine-tingling atmospherics, strings and timpani all paid off.

The album became the world’s biggest-selling album of 2008. But Chris explains: "Not in any individual country, which is funny. We were not the most popular band in any country… just the world!"

And so follow-up album, the unusually titled Mylo Xyloto, has been made by a band finally at ease with themselves.

No longer worrying if they are perceived as cool or naff, Coldplay simply don’t care as long as the music they make meets their own approval.

Guitarist Jonny, 34, says: "We’ve spent so long being solely bothered about what the five of us, Brian Eno and (producer) Markus Dravs think that we are happy with it."

Chris adds: "Each song goes through such a harsh selection process just to get recorded.

"It makes The X Factor seem like a walk in the park. We scrapped a full album before this. But we always do that." Will, 33, says: "We’d started an acoustic album but then we wrote Paradise and knew the acoustic thing didn’t have legs."

Bassist Guy, 33, adds: "We’ve been brave and bold with these songs. There are more modern, urban and dance influences in there. We approached it with a lot of confidence."

The last few years have clearly been a learning curve for Coldplay.

Chris says: "I’ll be honest. On the last album a few things happened that we’d never experienced before, like lawsuits and really vitriolic criticism.

"After all that hurt it makes you tighter and adds fire to everything. It was a closing of ranks."

Coldplay were accused of plagiarism three times for their song Viva La Vida. First by American band Creaky Boards and then Yusuf Islam claimed it was similar to his song Foreigner Suite.

Creaky Boards retracted while Yusuf declared he wasn’t angry and would "love to sit down and have a cup of tea with Coldplay to let them know it’s OK".

However, in December 2008, American guitarist Joe Satriani filed a copyright infringement suit against Coldplay, claiming Viva La Vida borrowed from his instrumental track If I Could Fly.

The case was dismissed in September 2009 by the California Central District Court with both parties potentially agreeing to an out-of-court settlement.

Chris says: "We got to a very low place on the last record where we felt not very popular. But it was refreshing as it made us start from scratch. A clean slate. So many people had made up their minds about us already that we had nothing to lose."

Mylo Xyloto is an album bursting with colours.

Paradise and Every Teardrop Is A Waterfall are up there with their catchiest of singles.

It’s Coldplay at their poppiest with huge urban and R&B influences. And no more so than on Princess Of China, which features Rihanna. Chris says: "We love Rihanna’s music. We love so many different kinds of music that there is really nothing to lose by reflecting that in your record." It’s a concept album following boy and girl characters — Mylo and Xyloto — in a scary and oppressive world.

Starting from scratch … Chris Martin in action

Will says: "They fall in love and try to escape together, the songs following what happens. Charlie Brown is about running away while Paradise is about feeling lost. The ending is very powerful and about love conquering all."

Jonny adds: "People listen to albums as a whole a lot less now, but we wanted this one to be heard like that."

Mylo Xyloto sees Brian Eno take on a bigger role with Coldplay. No longer just a producer, Jonny says he was "like a band member", joining them to play keyboards.

Chris laughs: "Last time he was a Dumbledore figure. He’d come in, do magic and then disappear, leaving cryptic clues to what we were supposed to do."

Guy adds: "But this time Brian was really doing what he loves doing best — sowing the seeds of ideas and letting them grow."

The album was recorded at their studio as well as on the road in Japan, Australia, LA and Chicago.Chris explains: "The morning of Lollapalooza we’d just finished the song Up In Flames. It was a Phileas Fogg recording session. Once Will agreed it was good then we knew we could hand the album in as he is our strictest member."

Chris says being away from his family — wife Gwyneth Paltrow, 39, and daughter Apple, seven, and son Moses, five — is hard but could be worse. He says: "It’s not like being on an oil rig or being a soldier. We are talking about being away a week at a time and then you can meet them in Bognor or wherever you are going next. And I also buy a lot of Lego to take home."

After the show, we head off to a party at a club called Trinity.

The band don’t have a party-hard reputation but they are still in good spirits. Magician David Blaine is there, showing off his tricks to the band’s crew, family and friends.

Chris says: "Things have moved so fast for the band that we don’t have a lot of time to reflect.

"We’re so grateful for where we have got to, though sometimes it feels like a never-ending tour!"

Jonny adds: "But we luckily don’t share rooms any more."

"But we still get changed in a van like the old days," interrupts Chris. "Granted it’s on the way to an aeroplane, but if you can’t see each other in your underpants every day then you are not a real band any more."

So have Coldplay grown accustomed to the fame, headlining huge festivals like Glastonbury or playing to 50,000 fans a night?

"It’s never normal," says Chris. "But it’s not as mad as it used to be. I only get recognised when I’m with my wife. And then they spot her, so that’s great.

"I recently had a cab driver say to me, ‘You look like that singer’. I said ‘I am’, and he just laughed.

"But I never think of this as real life. On tour everything revolves around you so getting home is a head-f***, but something you need.

"One day you’re headlining Wembley and the next you’re arguing with a mum at school about parking. Now that is real life."

JENNIFER Lopez is refusing to face up to reports she’s dating Bradley Cooper – despite the pair being caught in a car together.

A woman identified as the singer/actress hid behind her hands as the Hangover star – wearing a baseball cap and shades – kept his eyes on the road in Los Angeles.

The pair – who were spotted enjoying dinner together in New York last month – have always maintained their relationship is purely plutonic.

However, J.Lo appears to have been on hand to celebrate Bradley’s win at last night’s Scream Awards, where the actor picked up the Best Thriller prize for Limitless.

Jeep date … Jennifer Lopez and Bradley Cooper

A source revealed: "After their date in New York, Bradley and Jennifer stayed in touch.

"She does like his attention and it makes her feel good that he seems so into her. She has a fun time with Bradley and he makes her laugh. She likes him."

Jennifer split from Latin singer Marc Anthony – father to her three-year-old twins Max and Emme – earlier this year after a seven-year marriage.

Bradley has been linked to actresses Olivia Wilde, Scarlett Johansson and Jennifer Aniston. His two-year romance with Renee Zellweger ended in March.

Move over, Elisabetta — George Clooney has a new, even leggier gal pal. The eternal bachelor was photographed hugging rumored girlfriend Stacy Keibler in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, where they were reportedly vacationing with friends.

Keibler tweeted a photo of the gorgeous resort with the note, "Chasing the last days of ‘summer.’ #paradise."

It’s certainly paradise for Clooney, who seems to be smitten with the 32-year-old former WWE wrestler and "Dancing With the Stars" finalist. "George is very sweet to Stacy," a source tells People. "He gives her a lot of attention and is always complimenting her."

And the feeling is mutual. "They don’t really know where things are going to go, and it doesn’t bother her," a Keibler pal tells People. "They’re just having fun, and Stacy is enjoying every moment of it."

Click here for more Stacy Keibler photos from X17

But don’t expect Clooney to be tied down for long. The actor just broke up with Italian model Elisabetta Canalis in June, after she mentioned getting married. In fact, Hollywood’s most eligible bachelor has sworn he’ll never marry again after divorcing actress Talia Balsam.

Fun Down Under … Leonardo DiCaprio

Every film he does is decent, his bank account is bulging – and he can’t know what a bedroom drought feels like.

After splitting with Blake Lively earlier this month Leo – now in Australia filming Baz Luhrmann’s The Great Gatsby – already has six local models on speed dial.

The girls targeted him in the VIP area at exclusive Sydney club Beach Haus and convinced him to take their digits. A source said: "The models are all tall, blonde and stunning.

"They went up to him all at the same time as they travel in a pack.

"When he and his pals have wanted some female company, he’s got the models to join them at the Star Casino, where he has a super-suite in the hotel."

If they come as a pack, that’ll save a few pence – he only needs to send one text and they all come running.

Ashton Kutcher has been spotted wearing his wedding ring, despite claims he allegedly cheated on wife Demi Moore.
The 33-year-old appeared on stage at Bill Clinton’s ‘Decade of Difference’ concert on Saturday amid speculation the Hollywood couple are set to divorce.
The Two and a Half Men star is alleged to have bedded Sarah Leal at the Hard Rock Hotel in San Diego, on his sixth wedding anniversary.
The 23-year-old blonde, who claims Kutcher told her he and his wife had split, has reportedly gone into hiding and hired a top lawyer to thrash out a six-figure deal for her story.

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Ashton Kutcher puts on a brave face at the Decade of Difference fundraiser

However, the actor put on a brave face as he smiled and waved to fans at the fundraiser, at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles.
Ashton also spoke about DNA foundation, the anti-child sex trafficking organisation he and his wife created last year, before introducing a performance from chart-topper Usher.
A few days earlier, the star and Demi, 48, were pictured together wearing their wedding rings as they stepped out in Beverley Hills.

Ashton Kutcher and Demi Moore

However, the couple left in separate cars and a removal van was spotted leaving the couple’s LA home around the same time.
The Charlie’s Angels star is believed to be “distraught” over her husband’s rumoured infidelity and has reportedly consulted divorce lawyers.
The heartache also seems to be taking its toll on the mum-of-three, who has lost a lot of weight recently.
A source close to the star told US Weekly: "She is superskinny, and it’s hard to look at. She’s very upset, and hasn’t been eating. It’s taking a toll."

Lindsay Lohan could be sentenced to nearly a year-and-a-half in jail if Judge Stephanie Sautner decides she violated her probation, MSNNEWS.net has learned.

The computations are complicated, because Lohan has had so many cases. But based on the 120 day suspended sentence for shoplifting, time served under house arrest, and her prior DUIs, the actress could be thrown in jail for a long, long time.

Lohan must be in court Wednesday to face the judge, and the judge has lots of questions, including why Lohan, 26, was a no-show nine times at the Downtown Women’s Center, where she was performing her community service, TMZ reports. 

And the judge will almost certainly want to know why Lohan didn’t comply with the order to spend a minimum of four hours at a time when she showed up at the Women’s Center.

TMZ first reported that Lohan was booted from the Women’s Center because of all the problems and reassigned to the American Red Cross.

And one more thing. 

The judge will almost certainly ask Lohan why she didn’t meet with her shrink every Monday for one hour, as required by court order.  Lohan claims she did a bunch of therapy sessions by phone.