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Sideshow: Pussy Riot at Penn, 'Blurred Lines' takes a big hit

A lot of people think "Blurred Lines," the 2013 smash hit for Pharrell Williams, Robin Thicke, and rapper T.I., sounds like Marvin Gaye's 1977 hit "Got to Give It Up." Gaye's family did, which is why they sued for $25 million. On Tuesday, an L.A. jury agreed.

Pharrell Williams, leaving federal court last week after testifying at trial, was found with Robin Thicke to have infringed on the copyright of the Marvin Gaye song “Got to Give it Up” for their hit “Blurred Lines.”
Pharrell Williams, leaving federal court last week after testifying at trial, was found with Robin Thicke to have infringed on the copyright of the Marvin Gaye song “Got to Give it Up” for their hit “Blurred Lines.”Read more
    by The Inquirer Staff | Columnist
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Pussy Riot at Penn!

Next Tuesday, from 4:30 to 6 p.m. at the Penn Museum's Harrison Auditorium, 3260 South St., two members of the Russian band Pussy Riot, cofounders Nadya Tolokkonnikova and Masha Alyokhina, will be on hand for "A Conversation with Pussy Riot." They'll screen their film I Can't Breathe, followed by a discussion. Free.

'Got to Give It Up,' indeed

A lot of people think "Blurred Lines," the 2013 smash hit for Pharrell Williams, Robin Thicke, and rapper T.I., sounds like Marvin Gaye's 1977 hit "Got to Give It Up." Gaye's family did, which is why they sued for $25 million. On Tuesday, an L.A. jury agreed, and now the "Blurred Lines" creators must pay the Gaye family $7.3 million for copyright infringement. (The tune has earned more than $16 million, with Pharrell and Thicke making more than $5 million each.)

It's a huge bomb for the music industry. Some had feared a big award might dampen the creative use of sampling in recordings. Which it might.

Iggy rejiggers 'Escape' tour

Iggy Azalea's "Great Escape" concert was slated to blaze through the Wells Fargo Center on May 10. Well, seems there's been a hitch. The blaccented, caboose-famed Aussie announced "production delays" on Tuesday, saying the tour "will not be ready this spring." She wants to deliver "the show she envisaged to share with her fans," the strangely Englished announcement says. Guess so. Now it will kick off in San Diego on Sept. 18 and jam through here on Oct. 10. If you already had tickets for May, hold on to 'em: They'll be honored in October. Alas, Nick Jonas and Tinashé won't be the opening acts now. Replacements are being scrambled for.

An assortment of sweets

Hahahaha, Heidi Klum! In 2011, you insured your lovely legs for $2 million. Hahahahaha, Rihanna, your picturesque pins are insured for a measly, trifling $1 million. Meanwhile, Wyomissing's own Taylor Swift, about to go on her 1989 tour, just insured her gamesome gams for $40 million. . . .   Jennifer Conrad has sued Keyshawn Johnson for divorce, a full seven months after their big beach wedding. . . . Tim Burton will direct a live-action version of Dumbo for Disney.  

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    The Inquirer Staff