John Mayer criticises Taylor Swift

John Mayer has slammed his former girlfriend, the country pop star Taylor Swift, for her hit song Dear John, which is said to refer to their bitter break-up. Mayer described the song as "cheap" to Rolling Stone magazine. "It really humiliated me at a time when I'd already been dressed down," he said. "I mean, how would you feel if, at the lowest you've ever been, someone kicked you even lower?" Perhaps the success of Mayer's new album, Born and Raised, which debuted at number one in the US charts, will cheer him up. D'Angelo returns after 12 years The reclusive R&B singer D'Angelo made his first live appearance in 12 years at the Bonnaroo Music Festival in Tennessee on Sunday, surprising thousands of fans. D'Angelo and a group of musicians, including his friend Amir "Questlove" Thompson, powered through a 90-minute session that included songs by Jimi Hendrix, Led Zeppelin and The Beatles, but no new music. D'Angelo announced he will go on a European concert tour later this year. Thompson said he hopes the gig will spur his longtime collaborator to push out a new album. * AP Once musical wins big at Tonys The bittersweet musical Once, based on the 2007 Irish film, won eight Tony Awards on Sunday, including best musical, best direction and best lead actor for Steve Kazee. Clybourne Park by Bruce Norris won the Tony for best play and Arthur Miller's Death of a Salesman won the awards for best revival play and best director of a play for Mike Nichols. The controversial musical The Gershwins' Porgy and Bess, which features a shorter version of the opera by George Gershwin, won the awards for best musical revival and best actress for Audra McDonald. * AP Donald Sutherland honoured in France The actor Donald Sutherland has been awarded the Commander of the Arts honour in France for his contribution to cinema. He was decorated at a Saturday ceremony in Paris by the former French culture minister Frederic Mitterrand, who praised the Canadian star's "extraordinary" career with roles in films such as Don't Look Now. Sporting long silver hair for his role in The Hunger Games, Sutherland, 76, thanked his French-speaking wife for introducing him to the country's culture through "cinema, but also cheese and baguettes". * AP Lady Gaga struck in NZ Lady Gaga was struck on the head by a pole while performing in Auckland on Sunday. Videos posted online show a backup performer accidentally striking Gaga with the prop. The singer staggers and rubs her head before leaving the stage. She continued the show, part of a world tour. Gaga's make-up artist Tara Savelo wrote on Twitter on Monday: "Gaga has a concussion but she's going to be OK." From: The National