Beyonce booked for Super Bowl

FOOTBALL’S FAVE DIVA: It’s still four months away, but the NFL confirmed on Twitter yesterday that Beyoncé will headline the halftime show at the next Super Bowl in New Orleans. This won’t be her first Super Bowl appearance; she sang the national anthem in 2004 when the New England Patriots defeated the Carolina Panthers to win the championship in Houston, her hometown. Beyoncé leaked the news herself on her Tumblr blog, posting a picture of herself with the date of the Super Bowl written on her face inside eye black. A headline above the photo reads, "Countdown to Touchdown," a reference to a track off her last album, 4. Lawrence Randall, the NFL’s head of programming, told the N.Y. Times that the league had spoken to Beyoncé in the past about doing the show, but those talks had never led to a deal because of scheduling conflicts and other issues. "This year all the stars aligned," he said. Randall also noted that the NFL sees Beyoncé as the perfect performer to carry the show. "All her songs are great for stadium play," he said. (10/17a)