Despite help from his trusty AutoTune,Kanye West ended 2008 on a very sour note: in Kazakhstan, at an oligarch New Year’s bash, getting all but booed by the audience. As RUSSIA! has reported in the past, most A-list Western celebs are not above whoring themselves at private parties in post-Soviet pleasure dens when the price is right. Sure, a multi-platinum artist like West won’t be telling all his friends that he opened for a Russian dance band called Fast Food, but a gig is a gig. And with $1.5 million on the line for just one show, Kanye probably saves his best performances for these VIP events. Right?

Is it a coincidence that Russia's relationship with Ukraine deteriorated after Dima Bilan was announced winner of Eurovision 2008? In fact, Ukrainian officials challenged the Russian's victory last May. Now, Moscow is hosting Eurovision 2009, and we can only imagine the political tensions that will crop up as a result.