Hollywood Smackdown: Etta James and Beyoncé Become Latest Catfight

The entertainment industry seemed to have gone off the deep end this week with all the fighting. But honestly, it's just the age-old battle between the old and young.

Hilary Duff vs. Faye Dunaway

It all began with an announcement at the end of January. It was revealed that the iconic film Bonnie & Clyde would be remade, reason enough for the original stars, Warren Beatty and Faye Dunaway, to take a step back. But upon hearing that Dunaway's part would be given to former Queen of the Tweens Hilary Duff, the Mommy Dearest star supposedly snapped,

"Couldn't they at least cast a real actress?"

Beatty's part will be played by Kevin Zegers, the star of such classics as Airbud, Zoom and The Jane Austen Book Club. Duff has only recently broken away from her Cinderella Story/Material Girls/Lizzie McGuire image with the movie War, Inc..

Anyone else would curl up in the fetal position, but this is Young Hollywood, so we've got to talk back. When E!Online asked Duff if Dunaway's criticism affected her, she said,

"Not really. I think that my fans that are gonna see the movie don't even know who she is. . . I think it was a little unnecessary, but I might be mad if I looked like that now too."

Ouch.

Stephen King vs. Stephenie Meyer

At the beginning of the week, best selling author Stephen King was giving an interview with USA Weekend, when the interviewer asked him how he felt about the success of Meyer and J.K. Rowling. King calmly replied,

"The real difference is that Jo Rowling is a terrific writer and Stephenie Meyer can't write worth a darn. She's not very good."

King went on to explain that Meyers' story is intriguing because of her audience.

"It's very clear that she's writing to a whole generation of girls and opening up kind of a safe joining of love and sex in those books."

But don't feel bad, Stephenie! King expressed his disgust for Dean Koontz and James Patterson, too.

Etta James vs. Beyoncé

Although the two women appeared to get along a year ago when Beyoncé was playing a younger James in the movie Cadillac Records, James seems to have changed her opinion.

The New York Daily News reported that James pulled a double whammy in front of an audience at the Paramount Theatre, slamming both Beyoncé and President Obama. Apparently, she was upset that the songstress performed her song "At Last" for the presidential inauguration.

"I tell you that woman he had singing for him. . .she gonna get her ass whupped. . .I can't stand Beyoncé. . .(she) had no business. . .singing my song that I been singing forever."

Later, she made quips about President Obama's "big ears" and said that "He ain't my President."

Obviously, James was upset that President Obama didn't ask her to sing her song at inauguration, an understandable frustration. However, it's not exactly something the 71-year-old James should have been so outspoken about.

Bill Zwecker, Filmmaker Robs Classic. . .Why?, Chicago Sun Times

Peter Gicas, Hilary Duff Disses Faye Dunaway, E!Online

Gina Serpe, Smackdown of the Week: Stephen King vs. Twilight's Stephenie Meyer, E!Online

Carrie Melago, Etta James Takes Shots at Beyoncé and President Obama, New York Daily News