My name is Kellie; Frank Maloney'tries to live as a transgender!

By Sam Webb for MailOnlin
The ex-wife of boxing promoter Frank Maloney has spoken of the heart-rending moment their marriage ended - when he told her he wanted to live as a woman.

Last week fight promoter Frank Maloney shocked the world of boxing by revealing he is undergoing a sex change.

Wearing a wig, lipstick, dress and heels, the 61-year-old currently lives as a woman called Kellie. She was pictured ringside for the first time since she made her revelation, attending a bout in Erfurt in Germany last night.

Now Tracey Maloney, 47, has spoken out about the late-night confession that brought to a close their two decades of marriage.

Heartbreak: Tracey Maloney, 47, has spoken out about the
late-night confession that brought to a close her marriage to former
boxing promoter Frank Maloney

Tracey and Frank Maloney before they separated. The marriage had been
in trouble for years, with Maloney struggling with depression and
suicidal thoughts, before it all came to a head in October 2009

Retired boxing manager Kellie Maloney (formerly known as Frank Maloney) looks on before a title fight in Erfurt, Germany. His ex-wife Tracey has spoken of the traumatic night he revealed to her his
secret'I wouldn’t have married him if I’d known he was a woman,' she told the Sunday Mirror.

The marriage had been in trouble for years, with Maloney struggling with depression and suicidal thoughts, before it all came to a head in October 2009.

He called her down to the kitchen at 4am as he sat at the table in tears. Finally, he admitted: 'I'm a woman.'

Ms Maloney said: 'I was utterly devastated. I knew at that moment that he had opened the lid on a box that could never ever be closed again.'

She added that he tried to convince her to maintain the facade of a happy marriage despite his confession.

The 61-year-old says she is amazed by the positive reaction of both the public and the boxing community. She also spoke of her shock at Kellie's coming out last week, claiming she would have held on to the secret for the sake of their daughters.

'He is a brilliant father but it’s been devastating for them. He was their hero.'

Ms Maloney says many of the details of her ex-husband's transformation were first revealed to her because of the media coverage.

A 1997 photo of WBC heavyweight champion Lennox Lewis, right, and his promoter Frank Maloney, as they celebrate his victoryover Oliver McCall at the Hilton Hotel in Las Vegas

She added that the two remain friends, even speaking on the phone daily, although she cannot bring herself to call him by the name Kellie.

The former boxing manager, who guided Lennox Lewis to the world heavyweight title, retired in October – claiming she had fallen out of love with the sport.

But it has now emerged that Maloney walked away to begin preparing for a new life as a woman, revealing: ‘I can’t keep living in the shadows’.

Maloney, who has three daughters from two marriages, is now more than a year into the transition period, learning to live as a different gender.

Change: Maloney is now more than a year into the transition period, learning to live as a different gender Under NHS guidelines, transsexuals have to live as a woman for two years before they are allowed corrective surgery.

So far the process has involved secret hormone therapy, hours of hair removal electrolysis, voice coaching and counselling.

She spoke about her ordeal in an interview on Good Morning Britain last week.

She said: 'I think I would have killed myself if I hadn't come out. I was angry with my children, my wife, it was destroying my relationships.

'That's what made me do it'.

Maloney said the hardest part was telling his wife, but says they remain ‘very good friends’.

'We’re separated now, divorced, but she’s very supportive.

'One of the saddest things, when it was coming out of my mouth, when I was telling her, I wanted to sort of catch it and put it back in, and I realised once I’d said it and we looked at each other, we knew that our marriage was over.

'But we are very good friends and we’re soul mates still, and my children have been first class.

'My eldest daughter has really been with me.

'Sophie is with me today, my 19 year old, and my young 13 year old, she’s really good. I’ve got a great team of support around me - TG
[transgender] pals, everyone has been really fantastic.'

Maloney, who was known for wearing Union Jack suits, said it would have been impossible to tell anyone in the macho world of boxing – despite making the careers of British Commonwealth and European champions such as cruiserweight title holder David Haye.

Kellie Maloney seen out walking her dogs in London last week. He said the 'feeling of wanting to be like and dress like a woman has always been there'Maloney insists she doesn’t want a new relationship.

Born in Peckham, South London, the former promoter has been politically active in the past. In 2004, Maloney stood as an independent during the London mayoral vote and was the Ukip candidate in Barking, East London, at the 2010 general election.

Yesterday, a number of boxers expressed their support. Former WBO cruiserweight champion Johnny Nelson said: ‘Ignorance is the problem of others, not yours.’

Former welterweight champion Ricky Hatton added: ‘He’s still a top guy, so I don’t care.’ And Lennox Lewis posted on Facebook: ‘This world we live in

isn’t always cut and dried or black and white, and coming from the boxing fraternity, I can only imagine what a difficult decision this must be for Kellie.’

 | Mail Online

How you can fly by private jet for less than the cost of budget airline

They are regarded as toys of the wealthy elite, but flying on a
private jet could cost less than you think - even beating the price of a
budget airline ticket.

An industry expert has revealed that by
booking a last-minute trip when a plane is 'repositioning',
holidaymakers can snap up a private jet experience for a fraction of the normal rate.

Jet
company PrivateFy is encouraging travellers to buy up 'empty legs',
flying with a jet that would otherwise be travelling without passengers,
when tickets could be available for as little as £138 each way.

Scroll down for video

More and more people are paying for flights on private jets that are often available at competitive prices


By making the most of an empty private jet and negotiating directly
with the owner, the company claims groups can enjoy all the perks of
elite travel, without the sky-high prices.

Adam Twidell, CEO of PrivateFly, explained: 'An empty leg comes about when a private jet is repositioning.



'As the aircraft is flying empty, the owner or operator will often be
happy to sell this one-way leg at a big discount – often a fraction of
the full price.

'Europe’s private jet traffic sees a significant
peak in the summer, so there are many more empty leg flights available,
and amazing deals to be had.'

 

A tour of a luxurious Bombardier Global Express private jet

With
flexibility around what date you travel, and with a group large enough
to offset the one-off chartering fee, everyday Britons are travelling at
rates which can rival or better those of the budget airlines.

A
brief search today on private jet price comparison website Victor
revealed you and six friends could travel from London to Corsica on
Thursday - on board a Hawker 400XP - for just £1,650.

That equates to just £235 per person.

Mr Twidell said: 'Some of
our flights this week beat their airline one-way equivalents. Deals
include London to Cannes for £171 per person and London to Paris for
£138 per person.

'Long
haul empty legs are also available further in advance that can beat
first class fares, including London to Hong Kong in a Gulfstream GIV for
£3,750 per person.'

Star treatment: One company has revealed how tourists can fly for as little as £138 on a private jet


However, Clive Jackson, the chief executive of Victor, told The Sunday Times that empty-leg flights could be cancelled if the plans of the person chartering the plane at full price changed.

He
said: 'It is an unregulated industry and that worries me. There are no
obligations from the person selling you that plane as to what they have
to disclose.

'Beware of the fact that an empty leg can get
cancelled an hour before you are due to fly on it and you have no
redress whatsoever.'

Mr Twidell added: 'If people are prepared to
book last minute and travel as a group, the cost per person can be less
than business class – or even low cost airlines in some cases.

'They
are usually one-way flights and while a return flight can sometimes be
matched up, others enjoy a private jet experience in one direction, and
make their own way home. Private jets don’t have to just be for
billionaires, VIPs and rock stars.'

Russia conducts checks at McDonald's restaurants in Urals region: Itar-Tass

 

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russian food safety watchdog Rospotrebnadzor is conducting unscheduled checks at McDonald's restaurants in Sverdlovsk region, Itar-Tass news agency reported, citing local watchdog official Natalya Lukyantseva.

On Wednesday, Rospotrebnadzor ordered the suspension of operations at four McDonald's restaurants in Moscow over what it said were "numerous" sanitary law breaches.

(Reporting by Polina Devitt; Editing by Christian Lowe)

| Reuters

Robin Williams Cremated, Ashes Scattered in San Francisco Bay

Robin Williams has been laid to rest, his ashes scattered in San Francisco


Beloved actor and comedian Robin Williams has been laid to rest.

PHOTOS: Robin's most iconic roles

According to his death certificate, the Mrs Doubtfire star has been cremated and his ashes scattered in San Francisco bay.

The certificate, first obtained by Radar Online, was issued in Marin County on Wednesday, August 20, and states Williams' cause of death as "pending investigation."

It also states the actor’s funeral took place at Monte's Chapel of the Hills, a funeral home in leafy San Anselmo, CA.

PHOTOS: Stars gone too soon

The Oscar winning star was found dead in his home on Monday August 11th having apparently taken his own life. His wife Susan Schneider said in a statement
three days later, that her husband had been suffering from a deep
depression and had recently been diagnosed with Parkinson's Disease.

"Robin's sobriety was intact and he was brave as he struggled with
his own battles of depression, anxiety, as well as early stages of
Parkinson's Disease, which he was not yet ready to share publicly," she
wrote.

PHOTOS: Celebrities remember Robin

The official cause of death is expected be ruled within the next few weeks, pending results of toxicology tests.

As Us Weekly reported previously, Williams will be honored and celebrated by Billy Crystal and Sara Bareilles at the 66th Emmy Awards on Monday, August 25.

 - Us Weekly

U.S. Still Obsesses Over Beyoncé-Jay Z Cuba Trip

Photo: Ramon Espinosa/AP

While we lie awake most nights worrying about the state of Beyoncé and Jay Z's marriage, after it was reported
that their controversial April 2013 trip to Cuba was "fully licensed by
the United States Treasury Department" we accepted that they didn't
violate U.S. sanctions. However, it seems the U.S. government has spent
the last year and four months ruminating about its brief encounter with
America's royal couple. On Wednesday the Treasury Department's Office of
Inspector General issued a 9-page report confirming
that Bey and Jay had a license to visit the country and didn't abuse
it. "Based on our review of available documentation and applicable
regulations and guidance, we found no indication that U.S. sanctions
were violated, and we concluded that the Office of Foreign Assets
Control’s decision not to pursue a formal investigation was reasonable,"
the report said. The Treasury Department is looking so crazy right now
that it may as well be gyrating around Jay Z in a leotard.

 -- NYMag

Pierce Brosnan's 'November Man' Gets Sequel Ahead of the Film's Release

Relativity announces 'The November Man 2' a week before the first film is set to make its way out in the United States.

---

A sequel to spy thriller "The November Man" has apparently got greenlight before the first film hit theaters. Former James Bond depicter Pierce Brosnan is expected to reprise his role as Peter Devereaux, a lethal and highly trained ex-CIA agent, in the second film.

"
'The November Man' is a gritty series that re-invents the spy genre
with its master Pierce Brosnan by combining the best elements of James
Bond and Jason Bourne while echoing the cool, sleek action movies of the
70s," said Relativity's Robbie Brenner. "We are excited to launch 'The
November Man' later this month and to continue to explore Peter
Devereaux's dangerous world with Pierce over the years to come."

Brosnan
himself stated, " 'The November Man' is an iconic, tough character and I
am excited to partner with Relativity to continue to bring him to
life."

Adapted from Bill Granger's novel, the first film will be
released on August 27 Stateside. It follows Devereaux being lured out
of retirement for one last mission. Olga Kurylenko and Luke Bracey are among the cast members.

© AceShowbiz.com

Ever See a Fish Eat a Shark?

A group of fisherman off the coast of Florida shot this moderately
horrifying video of a prehistoric-looking fish taking down a small shark
in a single bite.

The Nightmare of the Sea—an appropriately named Goliath grouper fish—can apparently grow up to 800 pounds and live as long as 50 years. According to ABC, grouper fish normally don't eat sharks, but do apparently enjoy silently stalking divers from time to time, so just think about that the next time you go in the ocean.

Ben Affleck Injured on ‘Batman v Superman’ Set?

Working
on an action movie can be physically-demanding for actors, and in some
cases it leads to an injury or two along the way. Earlier this year,
Harrison Ford was forced to miss two months of principle photography on Star Wars: Episode VII as he recuperated from a broken leg.


While Ford is now set to resume filming,
the star of a different highly-anticipated tent-pole project may have
hurt himself on set. That would be Ben Affleck, who’s playing
Batman/Bruce Wayne in Zack Snyder’s Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice.

Star Magazine (hat tip to Batman-News) is reporting that the Oscar winner suffered a shoulder strain as shooting on Batman v. Superman continues. As Star
is a tabloid, one may question the validity of their claims, but the
video above does indeed show Affleck favoring his left shoulder while
speaking with a person who appears to be a doctor (cut to the 55 second
mark).


This isn’t the first time Affleck has been rumored to be injured while the Man of Steel followup is in production. When the film was delayed several months back,
it was rumored to be as a result of Affleck damaging his ribs while
skiing, though a Warner Bros. exec denied that was the case.


The
42-year-old’s shoulder condition seems to be so severe that his stunt
double was required to complete tasks such as lifting a small child, as
shown in the second set video (above). Affleck was apparently even sent
home from the set in order to recover.


Obviously, this setback is nowhere near as serious as the one that
sidelined Ford, but fans will no doubt be wondering how this development
affects the BvS shooting schedule.


The good news is that Affleck was seen on set just two days after
suffering the injury. Medical is advising him to take it easy for the
time being, but sources say he “can act” in scenes that feature Bruce Wayne and not the Caped Crusader. It’s just the stunt work that will have to wait.

If true, this bodes well for Snyder and his team, as they are aiming
to conclude production this November. By all accounts, Affleck should be
able to handle dialogue-heavy scenes that don’t ask for any heavy
lifting while the stunt double fills out the Batsuit for the next few
days.


Given that Wayne’s face is largely obscured by the cowl, it wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world if Affleck didn’t do all of the fights himself. It looks like the show will go on as planned.


Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justicewill be in theaters March 25, 2016.

Hot 100: MAGIC! Still No. 1, Ariana Grande & Iggy Azalea Triple Up In Top 10 | Billboard

MAGIC!'s pop/reggae smash "Rude" leads the Billboard Hot 100 for a
sixth week, narrowly fending off Meghan Trainor's "All About That Bass,"
which surges 4-2 and takes over atop the Streaming Songs chart. Plus,
Ariana Grande's "Break Free" and Iggy Azalea's "Black Widow" soar into
the top 10, granting both artists a rarity of three songs each in the
region.

Meanwhile, get ready for Taylor Swift's new "Shake It Off" to challenge for the top spot on next week's Hot 100. (Read on …)


Let's dig right into the numbers behind a busy new Hot 100, as we do each Wednesday.

"Rude" again maintains its hold atop the Hot 100 despite not leading any of the chart's main component lists that rank airplay, sales and streaming. Even though it's not No. 1 in any main measurement, it continues to show strong numbers overall. "Rude" holds at No. 2 on Radio Songs (which it led for a week) with 161 million all-format audience impressions, down 3 percent, according to Nielsen BDS. It also keeps at No. 2 on On-Demand Songs (2.9 million, down 3 percent), which it led for three weeks. It drops from its No. 2 peak on Streaming Songs to No. 4 (7.7 million U.S. streams, down 7 percent) and falls 5-7 on Digital Songs with 104,000 downloads sold (down 15 percent) in the week ending Aug. 17, according to Nielsen SoundScan; it crowned Digital Songs for three weeks.

Trainor's "Bass" blasts 4-2 as the Hot 100's top Digital and Airplay Gainer and vaults 5-1 on Streaming Songs, up by 32 percent to 8.1 million. The newcomer's doo-wop/pop hit rules Digital Songs for a second week with 239,000 sold, up 21 percent. "Bass" extends its record for the most consecutive weeks winning the Digital Gainer award to five. In its second week on Radio Songs, the track charges 45-24 (47 million, up 64 percent).
With "Rude" down by 7 percent in overall Hot 100 points and "Bass" up by a hefty 29 percent, the latter should be ready to overtake the former next week. The uncertainty is whether Swift's "Shake" will bypass it and block it from the top. (Keep reading …)
Sam Smith's 'Stay' Hits No. 1 On Pop Songs
As "Bass" jumps, Sam Smith's "Stay With Me" dips to No. 3 after two weeks at its No. 2 Hot 100 high. It remains the most-heard song in the U.S. (in the week ending Aug. 19), logging a second week at No. 1 on Radio Songs (175 million, up 1 percent). "Stay" collects a third week atop On-Demand Songs (3.1 million, down 4 percent), while descending 4-5 on Digital Songs (105,000, down 15 percent; it led the list for two weeks last month) and 4-8 on Streaming Songs (6.1 million, down 3 percent).

Two songs rocket into the Hot 100's top 10, both by artists who've made themselves quite at home in the region in recent weeks. Grande's "Break Free," featuring Zedd, flies 18-4, capturing top Streaming Gainer kudos and powering 28-3 on Streaming Songs with a 187 percent increase to 7.9 million following the Aug. 12 premiere of its official video. It also roars 14-4 on Digital Songs (116,000, up 54 percent) and 15-12 on Radio Songs (59 million, up 7 percent).

Meanwhile, Azalea's "Black Widow," featuring Rita Ora, snares a 15-8 advance on the Hot 100, likewise leaping after the arrival of its video (on Aug. 13). The collab climbs 40-7 on Streaming Songs (6.1 million, up 155 percent), 7-3 on Digital Songs (125,000, up 17 percent) and 26-20 on Radio Songs (50 million, up 14 percent).

The ascents make it three songs apiece for Grande and Azalea in the Hot 100's top 10 this week. The pair's team-up, "Problem," falls 6-7 (after reaching No. 2 for five weeks); Azalea's former seven-week No. 1 "Fancy," featuring Charli XCX, slides 3-5; and, Grande's diva-off with Jessie J and Nicki Minaj, "Bang Bang," slips 9-10 (although up by 3 percent in overall chart points). How rare is it for female artists to lock up three top 10 spots simultaneously? Grande and Azalea join only Adele and Ashanti in achieving the feat. Adele did so with "Set Fire to the Rain," "Rolling in the Deep" and "Someone Like You" (Nos. 2, 5, and 7, respectively) on the March 3, 2012, chart, while Ashanti tripled up with her own "Foolish" and two featured roles, on Ja Rule's "Always on Time" and Fat Joe's "Wut's Luv?," for two weeks in 2002. Grande, thus, joins Adele as the only women to monopolize three top 10 ranks simultaneously as a lead artist.

Beyond only women, an act claiming at least three top 10 spots on the Hot 100 at the same time is scarce. The others: the Beatles logged a record five for two weeks (April 4, 11) in 1964; 50 Cent and T-Pain each scored as many as four top 10s at a time; and Akon, the Bee Gees, Chris Brown, Lil Wayne and Usher have each tallied three, bringing the total to just 12 acts upon the additions of Grande and Azalea this week.

Notably, this week marks the first time in the Hot 100's 56-year history that two acts each triple up in the Hot 100's top 10 simultaneously.

More Grande- and Azalea-related honors: With "Free," Zedd scores his highest Hot 100 rank, surpassing the No. 8 peak of his own "Clarity," featuring Foxes, last year. "Widow," meanwhile, marks Ora's first top 10. She debuted with the No. 62-peaking "How We Do (Party)" in 2012; she also pushes 90-83 this week with her own "I Will Never Let You Down."

If you read the fine print (literally, in Billboard magazine, where songwriters show on the Hot 100), you'll notice that Katy Perry adds to her Hot 100 top count, as she's one of the six writers of "Widow"; Perry originally considered it for her album Prism before she gave a demo of it to Azalea to finish. The only other Hot 100 top 10 boasting a Perry writing credit but not artist billing? The cast of Fox's Glee sent its cover of her 2010 No. 1 "Teenage Dream" to No. 8 later that year. (Perry has co-written all 13 of her top 10s as an artist.)

Rounding out the Hot 100's top 10, Nico & Vinz's "Am I Wrong" drops 5-6 (after reaching No. 4) and Sia's "Chandelier" backtracks to No. 9 from its No. 8 high, although up 8 percent in points.
Taylor Swift's 'Shake It Off' Set to Take Off on Hot 100

The most exciting action on next week's Hot 100 might belong to a song not yet on the chart: Swift's "Shake It Off." The song barely misses this week's list, fueled by its first two days of airplay; still, it enters Radio Songs at No. 45 with 29 million in all-format audience. Because the Hot 100's sales and streaming tracking weeks run Monday through Sunday, while airplay covers a Wednesday-Tuesday schedule, only the song's airplay counts toward this week's Hot 100; next week, once sales and streaming join the mix, "Shake" should battle for No. 1. With industry sources suggesting that the high-energy lead single from 1989 (due Oct. 27) could debut with 425,000-450,000 downloads sold, Swift could shake all the way to No. 1 next week.

We'll find out the next winner on the Hot 100 a week from today.| Billboard

James Franco and Zachary Quinto Show Off Laid Back New Looks for Upcoming 'Ex-Gay' Film 'Michael'

James Franco and his Michael co-star Zachary Quinto debuted

via Instagram this week their new looks for the upcoming film about
'ex-gay' activist Michael Glatze.
Franco now sports the 90s blonde look of Glatze, while Quinto shows off some bangs and more in an XY t-shirt. XY was the (now shuttered) gay twink magazine founded by Glatze back in 1996.


Wrote Franco:


Let's Party! Blondes have more fun!! But do you respect me?????


Wrote Quinto:


a little xy trailer time (with early 2000s bangs) after my pretend beebee@jamesfrancotv told me to put my salmon lips on his bagels.


Quinto will reportedly play the former boyfriend of Glatze in the film.


Think these two are pulling off the 90s/early 2000s look?

Everyday Carry Trays|Cool Material

Tossing your wallet, keys, and random everyday carry items haphazardly
on your nightstand after work looks sloppy. Problem is, most valets on
the market look like they belong in a dusty antique shop and not on your
dresser. These simple leather valets are a stylish alternative. Each
Everyday Carry Tray is handmade in Minneapolis using belt-weight leather
and solid brass rivets. They’re sturdy and raw, and a perfect home for
your daily necessities.

Keanu Reeves May Be Heading To TV

It seems like every day a Hollywood actor is making the jump to
television. Sometimes that news is met with a shrug. Sometimes it’s met
with an ecstatic air guitar solo.


Well, today is definitely the latter.


That’s because Deadline
is reporting that Keanu Reeves is attached to star in a TV adaptation
of Barry Eisler’s John Rain books. Reeves will star as the title
assassin with a silly name and a particular set of principles.


Rain’s specialty is that he makes his hits look like the target died
of natural causes, and like all mystery novel heroes who are also
assassins, he’s got rules, like no women or children.

Reeves has had a hard time finding his footing in the movies world
after the “Matrix” trilogy ended, and I think this is exciting news for
him. Taking the role of Rain is more than enough justification to get
Reeves punching and kicking on TV every single week.


Since this project is still in the early stages of development,
there’s no network attached, but hopefully with Reeves on board, someone
will snap this up quickly.

Tiger Woods Is a Terrible Golf Coach [VIDEO]

Tiger Woods Is a Terrible Golf Coach [VIDEO]

David Letterman Remembers Robin Williams: I Had No Idea He Was in Pain

Before his death, Robin Williams was putting on a
happy face to everyone — even those to whom he was closest. The late
actor's longtime friend and fellow comic, David Letterman, opened up about Williams' death on The Late Show on Monday, Aug. 18 and said he "had no idea" that Williams "was in pain."

"I guess like a lot of us, most of us, I've been thinking about Robin Williams," Letterman said of the star, who died on Aug. 11 at the age of 63. "I knew Robin for 38 years. 38 years. Which in and of itself is crazy how time…" Letterman trailed off as he started choking up.
"I met him at the Comedy Store [in Los Angeles]," the Late Show host, 67, continued of the Oscar winner. "He and I were kids… we wanted to make people laugh… In those days we were working for free drinks… It wasn't until I started the NBC version of this show… it wasn't until then that I sort of got to really know Robin Williams. He would come on to promote movies, or concerts, or whatever he was talking about, and he was always so gracious and we would talk about the old times. It was just a pleasure to know the guy. He was a gentleman and delightful."
PHOTOS: Celebrities remember Robin Williams
In the days following Williams' suicide, it has since been revealed that the beloved star was in the early stages of Parkinson's and struggling with an ongoing battle with anxiety and depression. Fans and friends alike continue to comment on Williams' warm spirit even in the face of adversity.
A pal to many big-name stars, Williams got to know Letterman in his early comedic and television days.
"In the old days, he was kind enough to ask me to appear on his Mork & Mindy show," Letterman said of Williams. "Now, this is a double-edged sword. He did it only because he was trying to help other fledgling, starting-out comics. The other side of the sword is, I had no business being on that show. I can't… I have no business being on this show! But he gave me a job! And in those days, jobs were hard to come by, and there I was and I was on Mork & Mindy."

PHOTOS: Robin Williams' greatest roles
"I can remember between the dress rehearsal and the actual taping of the show, the director of the program Howard Storm comes up to me and he says, 'Well, you've been trying all week. This is your last chance.' So even to the detriment of the show, Robin was kind enough to invite me to come on because he thought, 'Why can't I spread this around and have some of my friends share in my success?' Which is exactly what he did."
Letterman later returned the favor, hosting Williams on Late Night and the Late Show.
"He was on our show, this show and the old show, a total of nearly 50 times," the talk show host explained. "Two things would happen because Robin was on the program. One, I didn't have to do anything. All I had to do was sit here and watch the machine. Two, people would watch! If they knew Robin was on the show, the viewership would go up because they wanted to see Robin. Believe me, that wasn't just true of television, I believe that was true of the kind of guy he was. People were drawn to him because of this electricity. This, whatever it was, that he radiated, that propelled him and powered him."
PHOTOS: Stars we've lost in 2014
Letterman went on to share a vintage photo of himself with Williams, comedian and actor Richard Pryor, and Comedy Store founder Mitzi Shore — an image he said he will cherish even more now that Williams has passed. He then shared more footage of himself and Williams from the many years of their friendship.
"We put together a segment of Robin Williams' appearances, and moreover, more than anything, it will make you laugh, and really, that's what we should take from this," Letterman said. "He could make you laugh under any circumstances."
The touching montage showed clips from Letterman and Williams' interviews, jokes, and skits over the years, highlighting moments of the men laughing together, shaking hands, and clearly delighting in each other's presence."
PHOTOS: Stars gone too soon
"Oh my," an emotional Letterman said when the video came to a close. "Well, what I will add here is, beyond being a very talented man, and a good friend, and a gentleman, I'm sorry, like everybody else, I had no idea that the man was in pain, that the man was suffering. What a guy, Robin Williams."
Watch Letterman's tribute to Williams in the video above.

 - Us Weekly

UK Syria fighters: Details continue to emerge

Details are emerging of the British Muslims who appear in an apparent recruitment video for jihadists in Iraq and Syria.

Two of the men are Nasser Muthana and Reyaad Khan, both 20 and from Cardiff.

The BBC has learned a third Briton in the video is from Aberdeen, where he has been named locally as Raqib.

The video, which cannot be verified, was posted by online
accounts linked to militants from the Islamic State of Iraq and the
Levant (Isis).

Isis has a presence in Syria and is engaged in fierce fighting with Iraqi government forces.

'Betrayed Britain'
In the video Reyaad Khan, who went to Cantonian High School
and St David's Catholic College in Cardiff, is seen holding a gun and
sitting next to his friend Nasser Muthana.

“Start Quote

My sons have betrayed their family and betrayed their country which is Britain”

End Quote
Ahmed Muthana

Nasser Muthana - who has been
offered places to study medicine by four universities - appears in the
footage, using the name Abu Muthanna al-Yemen and urging others to fight
in Syria and Iraq.

His father, Ahmed Muthana, said his son - who he described as
quiet, well-educated and intelligent - had left the UK to fight in
Syria in November.

Mr Muthana said he was "heartbroken".

"I don't think that's Nasser talking, it's someone else is
teaching him to talk like this because the attitude of Nasser is 100%
completely different," he said.

He also told the BBC that his 17-year-old son Aseel had travelled to the country in February.

The electronics engineer, who has two other sons, aged 23 and
10, said police took computers and mobile phones from the family home
in Butetown, Cardiff, after he disappeared.

Aseel Muthana (left) and his older brother Nasser (right)

"They have never told us if they found anything on them," he said,

"But when I saw my sons on their computers they would be watching films or wrestling which they were very interested in."

His sons had "betrayed their family and betrayed their
country which is Britain" and he feared they would "come back to me in a
coffin", he added.

Meanwhile, the mother of Reyaad Khan said she believed her son had been brainwashed and appealed for him to come home.

"Reyaad, please come back home," she told Sky News.

"I'm dying for you. You're my only son. Please come home,
Reyaad. Please send me son back home. He's my one and only son. I and my
family need him back."

She added that she was "absolutely shocked and devastated".

Her son's Facebook page revealed that he had fairly typical
interests for a young man of his age, including computer games, Chelsea
football club and his family's new pet kitten.

However, it also shows that in 2012 he became angry about an online video which lampooned Islam and the Prophet Muhammad.

The man from Aberdeen, identified in the apparent Isis video
as Brother Abu Bara' al Hindi, was born in Bangladesh but grew up in
Scotland, the BBC has learned.

One former acquaintance spoke of his shock at seeing the man
sitting with other self-declared jihadists, holding a gun, and urging
other people from the West to take part in jihad.

The former acquaintance, who does not want to be named for
fear of retribution, said the man had regularly been in trouble as a
young teenager.

"I was shocked," he told the BBC, adding "it seemed utterly mad".

Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (Isis)



Isis grew out of an al-Qaeda-linked organisation in Iraq

• Estimated 10,000 fighters in Iraq and Syria
• Joined in its offensives by other Sunni militant groups,
  including Saddam-era officers and soldiers, and disaffected Sunni tribal
  fighters
• Exploits standoff between Iraqi government and the minority
  Sunni Arab community, which complains that Shia Prime Minister Nouri
  Maliki is monopolising power
• Led by Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, an obscure figure regarded as a battlefield commander and tactician

Sheikh Zane Abdo, from South Wales Islamic Centre, says it is "quite obvious" there is a problem with extremist views in Cardiff

Zane Abdo, imam of the South Wales Islamic Centre, said he knew
the families of both Cardiff men that appeared in the video, but the
men didn't attend his classes or sermons.

"They went though a phase of practising their faith a lot more outwardly, but they were very normal boys," he said.

He said he believed the men had been groomed.

"These are young men who are very sincere, they want to do
something good. But you can be sincere and you can be sincerely deluded
in what you want to do, and they have been groomed to think a particular
way."

The imam also told the BBC he had spoken about them in his sermons.

"I spoke about the older one going abroad in a sermon, seven
months before the media heard anything, saying it was wrong. When the
younger one went, I myself gave a more explicit sermon based on
scriptures, of why this is wrong," he said.


BBC News - UK Syria fighters: Details continue to emerge