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Sideshow: For Boyle, a modest dream

Her first album remains at the top of the Billboard charts for the second week in a row. The TV Guide Network aired a one-hour special about her last night. And yet when asked by People magazine what the singing sensation has splurged on since becoming fa

Her first album remains at the top of the Billboard charts for the second week in a row. The TV Guide Network aired a one-hour special about her last night. And yet when asked by People magazine what the singing sensation has splurged on since becoming famous, Susan Boyle didn't mention a car, a house - not even the services of a personal trainer. Ever so humbly, Boyle said she bought "a red couch and some cushions." Move over, Suze Orman! Boyle's got financial restraint and a nice voice.

Taylor 2 redeems himself

Having stood idly by when his "really close" friend Taylor Swift was so rudely dissed by Kanye West at this year's MTV Video Music Awards, New Moon boy toy Taylor Lautner used his appearance on Saturday Night Live to show what he could have done at the time. Using some impressive martial-arts moves, Lautner gave a swift karate kick to West's cardboard cutout image, knocking its head to the ground. Before that, he twirled a very, very sharp-looking object. We forgive him.

Audiences give princess some love

The Princess and the Frog got a big wet kiss from family audiences with a No. 1 weekend of $25 million in ticket sales.

The Disney animated musical, which expanded nationwide to 3,434 theaters this weekend from two, is a twist on the Brothers Grimm fairy tale. The Princess and the Frog, featuring music by composer Randy Newman, is set in New Orleans during the 1920s. Oprah Winfrey and Terrence Howard are among those lending their voices to characters.

Disney's Buena Vista ranks fourth among the six major studios in U.S. ticket sales this year with $1.14 billion as of yesterday, according to researcher Box Office Mojo.

The Blind Side, a football drama starring Sandra Bullock, dropped to second place, taking in $15.45 million. Opening at No. 3 with $9.1 million was Clint Eastwood's Nelson Mandela drama Invictus, starring Morgan Freeman and Matt Damon.

Talk about customer service

Now Paul Anka is getting advice about his soon-to-be ex-wife Anna from an executive at the place he buys his cars, according to TMZ.com.

Eric Brooks, president of L.A. Car Connection, sent Canadian crooner Anka a letter last week that attempted, we think, to comfort him - by describing his wife as one of the most foulmouthed and unreasonable people. Ever.

Note these cheering words, like, "I have never heard so much vulgar words and profanity come out of someone's mouth within a 30-second episode." Apparently, staff members at the dealership have had many unpleasant experiences with her and her Mercedes Benz S63.

Brooks finishes off his note by saying, "I can assure you that you deserve much better."

Well, if your car dealer says so ...

Did you see this coming?

First Gillette, now Accenture. In a statement released yesterday, the global consulting and outsourcing firm said Tiger Woods was "no longer the right representative" after the "circumstances of the last two weeks." Those circumstances, for those of you living under a rock, are allegations that the married father of two had multiple affairs.

Since when do corporations shy away from associating with - even promoting - philandering professional athletes? In fact, isn't this the stuff of a good ol' reality show? We thought cheating equals ratings. Perhaps this is the new reality? We can only hope.

In the meantime, Woods is taking an indefinite leave from golf to work on his marriage - a true athletic feat.