Chris Brown Withdraws From Kids Choice Awards In Light of Rihanna Controversy

Chris Brown has withdrawn his name from two categories at this year's Nickelodeon Kids Choice Awards due to the two felony charges he is facing as a result of the alleged February 8th assault of Rihanna. "Unfortunately, the controversy surrounding the incident last month has shifted the focus from the music to whether he should be allowed to be among those nominated," a spokesperson told CNN. Brown had been nominated in the Favorite Male Singer and Favorite Song categories. Brown was also featured on the Kids Choice Awards' Website yesterday until his picture was taken down on the KCA Nominees page.

"We agree with and respect his decision, and are looking forward to presenting a great event for our audience," Nickelodeon said of Brown's withdrawal. Public outcry had been building for the last week after the Kids Choice Awards announced their nominees including Brown, who will be arraigned April 8th. Still, the network didn't eliminate Brown from contention until the 19-year-old star withdrew his nominations. Brown isn't the only controversial figure to be nominated for an award, he's just the only one to withdraw. There's also bong-smoking Michael Phelps for Favorite Athlete, Waffle House rumbler Kid Rock for Favorite Male Singer and teen mom Jamie Spears and her Zoey 101 for Favorite Show.

In other Brown news, the singer's manager Tina Davis has denied she and her client are involved romantically, despite reports that she was the "mysterious woman" who sent the text message to Brown that set off Rihanna on February 8th. "The relationship between Ms. Davis and Mr. Brown is that of manager and client. There has never been any other relationship," Davis' lawyer told ET. "The rumors in circulation are false. There are no e-mails between Ms. Davis and Mr. Brown of the type which have been described in media reports. If the source of the false rumors is identified, legal action will be taken." The police warrant in the case described the woman who texted Brown as someone he had a "previous sexual relationship with."

Related Stories:

• Rihanna Will Testify If Subpoenaed in Chris Brown Case
• Chris Brown Enters No Plea In Rihanna Assault Case, Arraignment Pushed to April 6th
• Chris Brown Charged With Two Felonies In Rihanna Assault Case, Faces Up to Nine Years In Prison

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Song Stories

“Piano Man”

Billy Joel | 1973

Billy Joel’s first hit, “Piano Man,” was – ironically – an autobiographical lament about how his first album wasn’t a hit. When Cold Spring Harbor didn’t take off, Joel briefly became a lounge pianist in Los Angeles, and this song, about that experience, expressed his frustrations and fears at the time: “And they sit at the bar and put bread in my jar/And say, ‘Man, what are you doing here?’” “It was all right,” Joel said later, about the gig. “I got free drinks and union scale, which was the first steady money I’d made in a long time.”

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