Monday Memo

The film "The Hunger Games: Catching Fire" topped the weekend box office earning over $160 million dollars. "The Best Man Holiday", "Free Birds" and "Last Vegas". Pop music's biggest stars turned out for the 44th annual American Music Awards. Singer Rihanna was honored with the first every Icon Award in addition to winning Favorite R&B/Soul Female. Justin Timberlake won Favorite Pop/Rock Male and Favorite R&B/Soul Male. Macklemore & Ryan Lewis won Favorite Rap/Hip Hop Group. Macklemore paid tribute to Trayvon Martin and later quoted slain civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Justin Timberlake gave a rousing performance. Rapper Lil Mama joined TLC for a performance. All in all, the show was a well produced and exciting one. Dr. Conrad Murray is now making strange claims regarding his time with the late Michael Jackson. The doctor now says that Jackson had a problem when using the bathroom and couldn't put on a condom. In addition, Murray ads that the day the singer died, he injected himself with the drug that ultimately killed him. The Jackson family hasn't responded. Singer Chris Brown has caught a break in his impending assault case. The judge residing over the matter has approved a request made by Brown's lawyer for him to skip the court date so that he can continue his stay in his impatient rehab treatment. The court date was set to address Brown's alleged assault of a photograph seeking fan in front of a Washington D.C. hotel last month. The D.C. court demands that any defendant appear in court for hearings pertaining to a case, even misdemeanors. The California court that sent Brown to rehab, however, demands that he remain in rehab or risk violating his probation. Thankfully, Brown's attorney was able to get his client out of flying to D.C. for the assault hearing and continue his treatment. After a film featuring Wu Tang Clan member ODB wasn't shown, fellow member RZA stated during an interview with the Associated Press that while the group is working on a new album, Raekwon has refused to participate. Members Ghostface Killa, Method Man, GZA and Inspectah Deck have all contributed verses. RZA added that the rest of the group may vote on whether to move forward with Rae but he hopes he doesn't get that far. In the meantime, Raekwon has begun promoting his new single "All Aboout Me" featuring Estelle. On the tube: "Almost Human" on Fox, "How I Met Your Mother" on CBS, "Dancing With The Stars" on ABC and "The Voice" on NBC. Happy Monday!