Weird Al Reflects On Download Experiment

Weird Al Yankovic has weighed on his first experiment to make available a new song digitally while the song it parodies was still hot on the charts.

"Whatever You Like," a takeoff on T.I.'s hit of the same name, sold 21,000 digital downloads in its first week as an iTunes exclusive, according to Nielsen SoundScan. It sold another 7,600 this week.

"I probably won't be as inclined to announce new singles in advance, though," Yankovic says on his MySpace blog. "I've learned from hard experience that iTunes is not able to guarantee a time -- or, apparently, even a day -- that a song will go live online. So perhaps it's best for me to wait until a new song is actually available, and THEN announce it.

"Also, I'm not sure that I'd agree to give iTunes any kind of an exclusivity window in the future," he continues. "It seems like the amount of publicity I received from them didn't really compensate for the sales I lost by not also having my song available elsewhere."

"Whatever You Like" is now available via all digital retailers.

Guns N' Roses to finally release `Democracy' album

NEW YORK – After years of delay, Guns N' Roses is finally releasing "Chinese Democracy."

Geffen Records has announced that the band's eagerly awaited album will be released Nov. 23 at Best Buy stores and the retail chain's Web site.

"Chinese Democracy" is the first album of new Guns N' Roses material since 1991's "Use Your Illusion I" and "Use Your Illusion II."

The band, fronted by Axl Rose, has sold 90 million albums and made a splash in the '80s with the hits "Sweet Child o' Mine," "Paradise City" and "Welcome to the Jungle."

Their 14-track album includes the song "If The World," which is part of the soundtrack to the recent film "Body of Lies." The band recently completed a world tour.

Shatner upset Takei didn't invite him to wedding

LOS ANGELES – William Shatner is setting his phaser to stun against his old "Star Trek" co-star George Takei. In a video posted on Shatner's Web site Wednesday, he lashed out at Takei for not inviting him to his wedding last month.

The 77-year-old Kirk said Takei, who played Enterprise helmsman Sulu, apparently harbors a grudge against him that kept him from being invited to Takei's nuptials.

"The whole thing makes me feel badly," Shatner said in the video. "Poor man. There is such a sickness there. It's so patently obvious that there is a psychosis there. I don't know what his original thing about me was. I have no idea."

Takei and Brad Alman tied the knot Sept. 15. "Star Trek" alums Nichelle Nichols and Walter Koenig — who played Uhura and Chekhov, respectively — were among the attendees at the multicultural ceremony at the Japanese American National Museum. Takei and Altman had previously stated that Shatner was invited to their wedding, but he never RSVPed.

"It is unfortunate that Bill was unable to join us for our wedding as he indeed was invited to attend," Takei responded. "It is our hope that at this point he joins us in voting no on Proposition 8, which seeks to eliminate the fundamental right for same-sex couples to marry in California."

Shatner said he felt he never knew Takei when they worked together on the original TV series and later in the "Star Trek" films.

The "Boston Legal" co-star also attacked Takei's decision to come out of the closet later in life, saying "Who cares? Be gay. Don't be gay.

Terrence Howard: 'Iron Man' replacement a surprise

LOS ANGELES – Terrence Howard says was surprised to learn that Don Cheadle would replace him in "Iron Man 2."

"It was the surprise of a lifetime," the actor and musician told National Public Radio on Tuesday. "There was no explanation, (the contract) just up and vanished."

Howard said he read news reports that money was the issue, saying the contracts he signs apparently "aren't worth the paper that they're printed on sometimes."

Cheadle assumes the role of James Rhodes, a character that becomes Iron Man's sidekick War Machine in the comics, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Robert Downey Jr. will reprise his role as weapons mogul Tony Stark.

Howard, who also starred in "Hustle & Flow," is promoting his new album "Shine Through It."