CELEBRITY HIP_NEWS ARCHIVE [page 1]

 

BILLY JOEL IS RECOVERING FROM SURGERY [AP News, 11/25/2010]

Billy Joel's spokeswoman Claire Mercuri told People magazine Wednesday, November 24, 2010 that the 61-year-old pop star had both hips replaced last week to correct a congenital condition. She says Joel, the Rock and Roll Hall of Famer responsible for such hits as "Piano Man," "Uptown Girl" and "New York State of Mind," is "doing extremely well." Joel toured this year and was recently promoting the documentary film "The Last Play at Shea." There's no word on when he plans to perform on stage again.

 

IT'S A BOY FOR JOHN TRAVOLTA AND KELLY PRESTON [AP News, 11/25/2010]

John Travolta and Kelly Preston will have a new guest at their Thanksgiving table. A publicist says the couple welcomed a baby boy Tuesday, November 23, 2010 in Florida. They named their new son Benjamin. The eight-pound, three-ounce boy was born at an undisclosed Florida hospital. Spokeswoman Samantha Mast said in a statement late Tuesday that the couple and their daughter, Ella Bleu, "are ecstatic and very happy about the newest member of the family." The statement says Preston and baby Benjamin "are healthy and doing beautifully." This is the third child for Travolta and Preston, who were married in 1991. Their eldest child, son Jett, died last year at age 16.

 

BEYONCE WILL BE A GREAT MOM" says her mom [Aceshowbiz, 11/25/2010]

Beyonce Knowles' mum has fueled ongoing reports suggesting the R&B superstar is expecting her first child by cooing about the singer's mothering skills. Designer Tina Knowles denied reports Beyonce is with child a month ago, but she seems sure she'll be a grandmother again soon - and insists her eldest daughter and husband Jay-Z will make great parents. Knowles tells People.com, "They have what it takes to be great parents. They're good people and they're really positive and they're talented and they've had a lot of practice with my grandson - their nephew. So I know they're going to make great parents." "Beyonce is very caring and patient and loving, so I know she'll be a great mom."

 

RIHANNA COULD BE A MOM IN A YEAR [Aceshowbiz, 11/25/2010]

Rihanna is beginning to think about starting a family with baseball player boyfriend Matt Kemp, but insists she'd have to put her career on hold to become a mum. The pop star, who debuted her new album "Loud" in the U.S. top five on Wednesday, November 24, 2010, insists she's not pregnant right now but accepts she could be a first-time mum in a year. She tells Interview magazine, "It could be a year from now. It could be 10 years from now. Whenever is right. I mean, I have a lot of other stuff to accomplish before I get to kids. Whenever the time is right, I'll just know." And she insists she'll make a great mum - unless her first child is a daughter: "If I had a girl, she'd probably be really rebellious. She would be like a bundle of karma." Rihanna is also considering where she'd like to raise a family, admitting her dream of returning home to Barbados is a little far fetched. She adds, "I can't live that far away from everything now, without kids, so I certainly couldn't raise kids (there) with the demanding schedule that I have."

 

GEORGE LOPEZ AND WIFE HAS FILED FOR DIVORCE [Talk Ent, 11/25/2010]

George Lopez's wife, Ann has formally filed for divorce after 27 years of marriage to the comedian, and RadarOnline.com has the documents confirming the details of the split. Ann, who donated a kidney to the entertainer five years ago, cited irreconcilable differences with the actor as the cause for the split, and is seeking joint custody of their daughter, as well as spousal support and payment of her legal bills. Ann, according to the court docs, wants to keep any jewelry, other personal effects, and earnings and "accumulations of Petitioner from and after the date of separation to be confirmed as separate property.” According to the court docs, Ann hasn't stated a date of separation, leaving it to be determined. The couple have one child together, daughter Mayan, 14. "George and Ann Lopez have made the decision to end their 17-year marriage. The decision is amicable and by mutual agreement,” the comic’s rep said in September.  "They remain dedicated parents, and committed partners in business and their philanthropic organization, The Lopez Foundation."

 

RAPPER DMX DENIES PROBATION VIOLATION CHARGES [AP, 11/25/2010]

Rapper DMX is denying allegations that he violated his probation by using cocaine and OxyContin. A court official ordered the 39-year-old performer, whose real name is Earl Simmons, to remain in a Phoenix jail after he denied the charges on Wednesday, November 24, 2010. The official scheduled another hearing next month. Court documents allege that he failed to submit to drug testing and drove on a suspended license. He was arrested last Thursday and was being held without bond. Simmons' attorney said he had been working with his client and probation officials, and expected the arrest. Simmons was placed on probation last year after convictions for attempted aggravated assault for throwing a food tray at a jail guard, and theft for trying to using a fake name to avoid paying a $7,500 hospital bill.

 

RAPPER DMX ARRESTED ON POSSESSION [BBC News, 11/22/2010]

Rapper DMX was taken into custody after being arrested on suspicion of possession of the drug Oxycontin and failing to submit to drug testing. The 39-year-old is being held in a Phoenix county jail without bail. The rapper last violated his probation in March by using illegal drugs and was sentenced to six months in jail and another 20 months probation. According to court documents, it is alleged the rapper, whose real name is Earl Simmons, also used cocaine and drove on a suspended license. "Mr Simmons has several felony convictions, and has been given multiple opportunities to succeed on probation," court papers said. "He has been directed to treatment, as well as choose his own treatment program, and continues to use illegal drugs following these opportunities."

 

JAY-Z THE RAPPER AND BUSINESSMAN [Guardian.co.uk, 11/22/2010]

Jay-Z is one of the best-known musicians in the world. He has won 10 Grammy awards, 11 No1 albums and his supremely talented wife – singer Beyoncé is herself worth more than $100 million. Two years ago he defied naysayers at Glastonbury with a critically acclaimed headline appearance on the Pyramid stage, and has proved to have a wide crossover appeal that has helped him amass a huge personal fortune. His business acumen is widely recognized. While an unsigned aspiring rapper, Jay-Z founded Roc-A-Fella Records, a trail-blazing move with many canny artists, such as UK rapper Dizzee Rascal, following in his footsteps. CEO of the Roc Nation music publishing and entertainment empire, he also co-owns the 40/40 nightclub chain, a sports bar and lounge in New York and is part-owner of the NBA's New Jersey Nets. When the 40-year-old sold his Rocawear clothing brand to the Iconix Brand Group in 2007 he netted $204 million. This year saw a new revenue stream emerge in the form of the Broadway show Fela!, in which he has an investment, and his Blueprint 3 tour, has grossed more than $1 million a concert this year.

 

WESLEY SNIPES HEADED TO JAIL [CBC, 11/22/2010]

Blade star Wesley Snipes has been taken into custody and will begin his three-year prison sentence for tax crimes, TMZ is reporting. A federal judge in Ocala, Fla., ordered the actor to surrender to authorities early Friday. He had been out on bail while awaiting an appeal of his conviction. Snipe's attorneys had asked for a review of the actor's federal sentence and a new trial on charges of willful failure to file his income tax returns. They argued jury members had a preconceived opinion of Snipe's guilt before they served on the jury. U.S. District Court Judge William Terrell Hodges turned them down in a 16-page decision. "The defendant Snipes had a fair trial; he has had a full, fair and thorough review of his conviction and sentence.... The time has come for the judgment to be enforced," he said. Snipes will be sent to federal prison, likely within 500 miles of his Florida home. Snipes had earned more than $38 million US from 1999 to 2006 but had filed no tax returns, nor paid any taxes. He had been advised by Kenneth Starr, a celebrity accountant who is under investigation for allegedly cheating wealthy and elderly clients out of tens of millions of dollars. The 48-year-old Snipes starred as Blade, a vampire who protects mortals, in the film trilogy and also appeared in Spike Lee's Jungle Fever and more recently, Brooklyn's Finest.

 

REWARD OFFERED TO FIND PUBLICIST RONNI CHASEN KILLER [BBC News, 11/22/2010]

The Palm Springs film festival has offered a $100,000 (£62,500) reward to help find the killer of a Hollywood publicist shot dead in her car. Ronni Chasen, 64, was killed as she drove home from a party after Monday's Hollywood premiere of the Cher and Christina Aguilera film Burlesque. Festival chairman Harold Matzner paid tribute to "a genius at her craft". Beverly Hills police said nothing had been ruled out, including a carjacking, a random or a targeted attack. Authorities have searched her Los Angeles home and her West Hollywood office but have yet to find a motive. Friends of Ms Chasen, who was working on a campaign to get the Burlesque soundtrack nominated for an Oscar,  said they were unaware of her having any enemies. Residents said they heard gunfire in the early hours of Tuesday morning. "A publicist doesn't make that type of enemies," said singer-songwriter Carol Connors, a friend. Palm Springs chairman Mr Matzner said Ms Chasen was "a very good lady and a good friend" whose death was "sad and mystifying." Publicist Michael Levine has started a fund which he hopes will raise a further $25,000 (£15,600) towards a reward for information leading to her killer's conviction. Ms Chasen, who worked on such films as Driving Miss Daisy, the 1994 remake of Lolita, was shot several times in the chest as she drove through Beverly Hills in the early hours of Tuesday morning. Her car was found crashed into a lamppost on Whittier Drive, south of Sunset Boulevard.

 

BEYONCE'S PARENTS DIVORCE CASE DISMISSED [Aceshowbiz, 11/18/2010]

Beyonce Knowles's parents Mathew and Tina Knowles have had their divorce case dismissed after failing to appear in court. The "Crazy in Love" superstar's stylist mum filed papers in Harris County, Texas in November 2009 to put an end to her 29-year marriage. The news emerged weeks after Mathew Knowles, Beyonce's manager, was accused of fathering a child with Los Angeles resident Alexsandra Wright. The Knowles were due to go to trial on Monday, November 15 but a judge put a stop to the proceedings after a no-show from both parties, according to TMZ.com. As WENN went to press, it was not clear whether the estranged couple had called off the divorce and reconciled. Wright, who claims to have had an 18-month fling with Knowles, gave birth to baby boy Nixon in February this year and the music mogul has been paying her child support amid reports a DNA test was positive.

 

HOLLYWOOD PUBLICIST RONNI CHASEN SHOT [Aceshowbiz and Yardflex, 11/18/2010]

Top Hollywood publicist Ronni Chasen has died following a mysterious shooting incident in Beverly Hills. She was 64 years old. The PR queen's roster of talent included tragic actress Natalie Wood, composer Hans Zimmer and movie producer Richard D. Zanuck. She also represented Michael Douglas. She was shot multiple times while driving her Mercedes-Benz early on Tuesday, November 16, 2010 while driving home from the premiere of "Burlesque" at the Grauman's Chinese Theater. The Beverly Hills police, who were called to the spot, later released a statement mentioning that Chasen was found in the vehicle with apparent multiple gunshot wounds to her chest. She was taken to a local hospital, where she was later pronounced deceased. Police have launched a major search for her killer. Chasen was struck down in the midst of her busiest time of year — Hollywood's award season, when the movie studios mount expensive campaigns to promote their better films for awards consideration using spin-specialists like Chasen. She also was working with 20th Century Fox on a supporting actor Oscar campaign for Michael Douglas in "Wall Street 2: Money Never Sleeps," according to Allen Berry, a publicist for the actor.

 

BEYONCÉ COMMERCIAL FOR THE PERFUME "HEAT" BANNED IN UK [Talk Ent, 11/18/2010]

Beyoncé's commercial for the perfume Heat is banned from daytime TV because of its sexual imagery. It's deemed "too sexually provocative" to be seen by young children and will not be shown on British TV before 7.30 PM. The Advertising Standards Authority deemed the ad, in which Beyoncé writhes around in a low cut dress, "unsuitable to be seen by young children". ASA's statement: "Beyoncé's body movements and the camera's prolonged focus on shots of her dress slipping away to partially expose her breasts created a sexually provocative ad that was unsuitable to be seen by young children. We considered that the ad should not have been shown before 7.30pm due to the sexually provocative nature of the imagery".

 

EVA LONGORIA FILES FOR DIVORCE FROM TONY PARKER [Aceshowbiz, 11/18/2010]

Eva Longoria has filed for divorce from husband of three years, NBA basketball star Tony Parker. The "Desperate Housewives" star entered the divorce papers in Los Angeles County Superior Court on Wednesday morning, November 17, 2010, citing irreconcilable differences for the split, seeking spousal support and requesting her name to be restored from Parker's name to Eva Jacqueline Longoria, Us Magazine reported. Furthermore, according to TMZ, the separation is caused by Tony's infidelity. Eva was said telling "Extra" host Mario Lopez that she found hundreds of text messages from another woman on Tony's phone. The "Over Her Dead Body" actress also reportedly told Mario that the other woman is the wife of Tony's teammate, who according to the site is San Antonio Spurs star Brent Barry.

 

FOXY BROWN DID NOT "MOON" NEIGHBOUR [Talk Ent, 11/18/2010]

Rapper Foxy Brown vowed Tuesday to fight charges that she mooned her Brooklyn neighbour and shouted obscenities at her. "We will fight this," Brown said after her lawyer refused to accept a plea deal in the case and demanded a trial during a Brooklyn Supreme Court hearing. The hotheaded rapper, whose real name is Inga Marchand, was arrested in July and is accused of shouting "Kiss my black a--" at neighbor Arlene Raymond when she ran into her on a Prospect Heights street. Brown then exposed her behind to Raymond, according to a police report. "She [Brown] did not moon that woman," Brown's lawyer Salvatore Strazullo said outside the courtroom Tuesday. "We want this case dismissed," he said. Raymond had a restraining order against Brown stemming from a 2007 incident when the rapper beaned her with a BlackBerry. She is facing one year in prison on a misdemeanor charge of violating the protection order.

 

BON JOVI INVITED RIHANNA TO PERFORM ON STAGE [Talk Ent, 11/08/2010]

Bon Jovi invited Rihanna to perform with him on stage during a secret gig ahead of the 2010 MTV Europe Music Awards at the Teatro Circo Price on Saturday (November 6) in Madrid, Spain. The 22-year-old Loud singer and Bon Jovi performed his classic hit “Livin’ On A Prayer“.  “When I found out Bon Jovi wanted me to sing with him, I flipped. I could not believe it.” She later tweeted, “Wait!…did I just rock out with Bon Jovi tonight??? WTFFFF!!!!!!!”

 

POP STAR LILY ALLEN IN HOSPITAL [BBC News, 11/08/2010]

Pop star Lily Allen is in hospital with blood poisoning just days after suffering a second miscarriage, her spokesman confirmed. Allen, 25, is being treated for septicaemia, and thanked fans for their messages of support. She was around six months pregnant when she lost her baby earlier this week. "She is responding well to treatment and her condition continues to improve," her publicist said in a statement. "Lily thanks everyone for their messages of support and again asks that she and partner Sam Cooper be left alone whilst she recovers."

 

PREGNANT ALANIS MORRISETTE ON VACATION [Talk Ent, 11/08/2010]

Singer Alanis Morrisette and husband Souleye, aka Mario Treadway, were recently spotted on a beach in Mexico while on vacation. As the couple walked hand-in-hand in the sunshine, Alanis looked ready to burst in her simple black bikini, but still gamely took some gentle exercise with her man. It was clear the couple was celebrating the imminent birth of their baby, due around Christmas. Alanis held her baby shower in Santa Monica last week and approximately 25 guests attended the party. Among the gifts was a bag featuring the words, 'it's a boy'. It's clear Alanis, 36 and Mario, 30, are delighted to be expecting their first child.

 

LIL WAYNE BANNED FROM CONSUMING ALCOHOL [Aceshowbiz, 11/08/2010]

Rapper Lil Wayne has been sentenced to serve 360 hours of community service in his adopted Miami, Florida as punishment for a drug possession charge from 2008. The hitmaker flew to Yuma, Arizona on Friday, November 5 for sentencing, just a day after his release from New York's Rikers Island prison, where he served eight months for illegal weapons possession. The hearing stems from an arrest in the town two years ago when border patrol officers pulled over his tour bus and reportedly found cocaine, ecstasy and a handgun on board. Lil Wayne pleaded guilty to one count of felony possession of a dangerous drug; the other drug charges and the gun charge were all thrown out. Following the sentencing, Lil Wayne jetted off to Miami for a welcome home party at exclusive strip club King of Diamonds. According to TMZ, the 28-year old rap star plans to celebrate his release from prison with proteges Drake and Nicki Minaj and record label boss Baby Williams. But there's one catch - the probation documents Wayne signed on Friday clearly state that he "may not consume or drink any substance containing alcohol" as long as he's on probation. That means he'll be sober at his big party.

 

NICK CANNON STUNNED BY MARIAH CAREY'S HIGH HEELS COLLECTION [Aceshowbiz, 10/30/2010]

Mariah Carey's concerned husband Nick Cannon is calling on his pregnant wife to box up her famous high heels now she's expecting the couple's first child. The pop superstar confirmed rumors she was expecting earlier this week and her husband is already worried she might topple over again - like she did during a concert in Singapore in September. Cannon grumbled about his battle to keep his glamorous wife out of heels during his U.S. radio show, Rollin' With Nick Cannon, on Friday, October 29, revealing "I come home yesterday to help my wife get ready for her video shoots and she has these 19-inch heels on." "So I go into the closet searching for some flats for my wife... She got a lot of damn shoes - it's like a freakin' Macy's. (But) Mariah Carey does not own one pair of flat shoes. And then we did find some flats and they were a regular ballet slipper... I was like, 'I don't think so'." Carey phoned in to defend herself, explaining, "To be fair, I had some boots from Aspen, some Dior boots!" But Cannon wasn't happy with the idea of his wife tramping around New York in "ski boots" and added, "I'm going shoe shopping today, needless to say, to buy you some flat shoes."

 

CELINE DIONE ORIGINALLY EXPECTING TRIPLETS? [Aceshowbiz, 10/30/2010]

Celine Dion revealed that she was originally expecting triplets but lost one of her babies early in the pregnancy. According to E! Online, the 42-year-old singer, who gave birth to premature twin boys on Saturday, October 23 at St. Mary's Medical Center in West Palm Beach, Florida, disclosed the sad news during an interview with French news station.  During the chat, which was conducted prior to the twins' births, Celine said that a few days after learning that she was having a bun in the oven, one of the babies' heart stopped beating. Six days after delivering the babies, Celine and husband Rene Angelil revealed the boys' names after considering "nearly 15,000 names." They decided to name their babies Eddy and Nelson. The name Eddy comes from Eddy Marnay, Celine's first five records producer, while Nelson is taken from President of South Africa from 1994 to 1999, Nelson Mandela.

 

ALICIA KEYS SHARES EXCITEMENT OF NEWLY-BORN SON [Aceshowbiz, 10/30/2010]

New mum Alicia Keys has opened up about the joy of motherhood, insisting she spends hours just staring at her "most perfect" son Egypt. The "Fallin'" singer gave birth to her first child earlier this month, October 14 and Keys admits she's fascinated by the new addition to her family because she can't believe the "miracle" she has created. In a post on her official blog, she writes, "I'm most enamored with anatomy at this point. The miracle of the human body. The ability to create all these small amazing machines of veins, capillaries, digestive systems, eyes, ears and noses." "I can spend hours looking at one little ear! Have u ever noticed how complex just an ear is? "I've never seen a more beautiful face in my life! The most perfect eyes and beautiful nose, the sweetest lips and skin so soft and kissable! Never have I felt such disbelief, such awe, humility, godliness, such strength, power and possibility." And Keys admits the little boy is already inspiring new music, "I've never believed in greatness and the never ending Higher Power more than now! And I can't believe he's mine! Oooh! I feel a song coming on...."

 

VEGAS DROPS CHARGES AGAINST SUGE KNIGHT [E! Online, 12/8/08]

Maybe figuring it had already been quite a day, a Las Vegas judge has let Marion "Suge" Knight off the hook. Battery and drug-possession charges against the former Death Row Records honcho were dismissed Friday, December 5 after prosecutors informed the court that they were having evidence-gathering troubles and "witness problems." Knight was charged Nov. 18 with two felonies and one misdemeanor for allegedly smacking around his girlfriend while driving down the famed Vegas Strip—with Ecstasy and hydrocodone in the car—on Aug. 27, according to authorities. Police said that they witnessed the unseated rap mogul roughing up his lady friend, Melissa Isaacs, who was afterward treated at a nearby hospital for unspecified injuries. The charges were dismissed "without prejudice," however, meaning the Clark County District Attorney's Office can reopen the case at a later time.

 

BOLLYWOOD FEVER,  SHAH RUKH KHAN 'KNIGHTED' [AFP, 12/8/08]

Bollywood fever has hit Malaysia as Indian movie icon Shah Rukh Khan flew in to be awarded the nation's equivalent of a knighthood. Khan was presented with an award from Malacca which carries the title "Datuk", equivalent to a British knighthood, after a 2001 film which was set in the southern state boosted its profile as a tourist destination. The actor was decked in a gold and black traditional Malay outfit for the Saturday ceremony, which was attended by more than 500 invited guests. The crowd -- including the wives and teenaged children of diplomats and politicians -- shrieked his name and mobbed the star. The 42-year-old heartthrob is well-loved in Malaysia, where Indian films have a huge following among ethnic Indians, majority Muslim-Malays and the ethnic Chinese community as well. "It is a wonderful honor, it is very, very prestigious for me and... for all the people who act in films in my country," Khan told reporters.

 

JAMIE FOXX SUGGEST "A PITBULL" DOG FOR THE OBAMAS [AP, 12/8/08]

As the quest for the first dog continues, Academy Award winner Jamie Foxx thinks he's come up with the perfect solution for the President-elect and his family. "A pitbull," the entertainer said. "(I'm) trying to pick out Barack Obama's Christmas puppy right now, so we're working hard on that," he joked. "I think I'm going to get him a pitbull, we just got to keep it street." Foxx made the comments after performing at the annual Rockefeller Center Christmas tree lighting in New York last week. "I'm just celebrating Barack Obama (and) celebrating the new president," he said. Obama's presidential win isn't the only thing the Grammy-nominated singer is celebrating. Foxx is also gearing up for the release of his third CD, "Intuition," in stores December 16, 2008. He calls it his "best work ever." "I got the best of Timbaland, the best of Kanye (West), The-Dream, the best of Lil Wayne (and) the best of T.I.," he said as he rattled off some of the album's top collaborators. "Intuition" is Foxx's follow-up to 2005's "Unpredictable," a platinum CD that hit No. 1 on the Billboard charts. Foxx says that he's asking Santa for the same gift this year. "For Christmas, I definitely want another No. 1 album," he said.

 

OPRAH NAMED ENTERTAINMENT'S MOST POWERFUL WOMAN [Reuters, 12/8/08]

The Hollywood Reporter on Friday, December 5 named Oprah Winfrey the most powerful woman in entertainment on its annual "Power 100 List." Winfrey, whose "Oprah" talk show began in national syndication 22 years ago, played a role in the victory of President-elect Barack Obama by endorsing him early in his run and by supporting him throughout the campaign. The Top 10 in the Women in Entertainment Power 100 list are: • Oprah Winfrey, chairman of Harpo Inc. • Anne Sweeney, president of Disney-ABC Television Group and co-chairman of Disney Media Networks • Amy Pascal, chairman of Sony Pictures Entertainment Motion Picture Group and co-chairman of Sony Pictures Entertainment • Nancy Tellem, president of CBS Paramount Network Television Entertainment Group • Stacey Snider, co-chairman and CEO of DreamWorks • Bonnie Hammer, president of NBC Universal Cable Entertainment and Universal Cable Productions • Judy McGrath, chairman and CEO of MTV Networks • Mary Parent, chairman of MGM Worldwide Motion Picture Group • Dana Walden, chairman of 20th Century Fox Television • Nina Tassler, president of CBS Entertainment.

 

"TWILIGHT" DIRECTOR NOT RETURNING FOR SEQUEL [E! Online, 12/8/08]

Catherine Hardwicke delivered the biggest opening weekend ever for a female film director—not to mention Robert Pattinson to the screaming fans—but it doesn't look like she'll be getting the chance to top that record with the next Twilight film. The helmer has parted ways with the series. The story broke today on Nikki Finke's Deadline Hollywood Daily, and by Sunday night Variety had a statement from the director. "I am sorry that due to timing I will not have the opportunity to direct New Moon," said Hardwicke. "Directing Twilight has been one of the great experiences of my life, and I am grateful to the fans for their passionate support of the film. I wish everyone at Summit the best with the sequel—it is a great story." So it is. Considering all the elements that went into the film—a successful series of novels, an attractive cast and, of course, teen vampirism—does this seem like a decision that might put the series in jeopardy, or is it just par for the course in Hollywood?

 

MARILYN MANSON'S NEW GIRLFRIEND IDENTIFIED [Aceshowbiz, 12/7/08]

Marilyn Manson's new leading lady, who previously was said to be his ex-girlfriend Evan Rachel Wood lookalike, has been identified. The lady is claimed to be Isani Griffith, who works as a model. Marilyn introduced Isani to the press at his inaugural U.S. exhibition, called "Marilyn Manson: Trismegistus," during Art Basel Miami 2008 on Thursday, December 4. "That's my special lady friend," the rocker said. Marilyn Manson, 39, and Isani Griffith, 24, reportedly began dating shortly after he was dumped by Evan Rachel Wood last month. On Wednesday, December 3, the new lovers were photographed walking hand-in-hand during an outing in Miami. Prior to dating Evan and Isani, Marilyn was married to burlesque queen Dita Von Teese. He had his divorce to her being finalized in December last year after two years of marriage.

 

DEL TORO ATTENDS SCREENING OF "CHE" IN HAVANA [AP, 12/7/08]

Actor Benicio del Toro says protesters at the Miami screening of "Che" should have watched the film first. Del Toro plays Argentine-born Ernesto "Che" Guevara, a hero of the Cuban revolution and global icon. He says the role was difficult and took a lot of time. Cuban exiles protested the movie in Miami last week. Many opposed Guevara for executions of officials from Fulgencio Batista's government, which was toppled in 1959. But del Toro says "a lot of the people protesting the movie hadn't seen it." He spoke Saturday as about 1,500 people attended the screening of the movie by director Steven Soderbergh at a film festival in Havana. The Puerto Rican actor won the Cannes Film Festival's best-actor prize for his performance.

 

CATE BLANCHETT: A STAR GETS HER STAR IN HOLLYWOOD [AFP, 12/7/08]

Australian actress Cate Blanchett has accepted the role of an Oscar-winner honored with her own star on Hollywood's old-school Walk of Fame. The new name on star number 2,376, Blanchett was joined for the ceremony by directors Steven Spielberg, with whom she worked on the fourth instalment of "Indiana Jones," and David Fincher, whose "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" opens this month starring Blanchett and Brad Pitt. While deeply committed to theatre and film in her home country, Blanchett has found the time to build an A-list international film career, including nominations for many Academy Awards. Now 39, the mother of three and winner of an Oscar in 2005 for her portrayal of Katharine Hepburn in "The Aviator," last January she was nominated for best actress in "Elizabeth: The Golden Age" as well as for best supporting actress for her gender-bending turn as Bob Dylan in "I'm Not There."

 

"MY THREE SONS" ACTRESS BEVERLY GARLAND DIES AT 82 [AP, 12/7/08]

Beverly Garland, the B-movie actress who starred in 1950s cult hits like "Swamp Women" and "Not of This Earth" and who went on to play Fred MacMurray's TV wife on "My Three Sons," has died. She was 82. Garland died Friday, December 5 at her Hollywood Hills home after a lengthy illness, her son-in-law Packy Smith told the Los Angeles Times. Garland made her film debut in the 1950 noir classic "D.O.A.," launching a 50-year career that included 40 movies and dozens of television shows. She gained cult status for playing gutsy women in low-budget exploitation films such as "The Alligator People" and a number of Roger Corman movies including "Gunslinger," "It Conquered the World" and "Naked Paradise." "I never considered myself very much of a passive kind of actress," she said in a 1985 interview with Fangoria magazine. "I was never very comfortable in love scenes, never comfortable playing a sweet, lovable lady." Garland showed her comedic chops as Bing Crosby's wife in the short-lived sitcom "The Bing Crosby Show" in the mid-'60s. She went on to be cast in "My Three Sons" as the second wife of MacMurray's widower Steve Douglas during the last three seasons of the popular series that aired from 1960 to 1972. Her television credits also include "Remington Steele," "Scarecrow and Mrs. King," "Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman," "Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman" and "7th Heaven." Garland was born Beverly Fessenden in Santa Cruz, Calif., in 1926, and grew up in Glendale. She became Beverly Garland when she married actor Richard Garland. They were divorced in 1953 after less than four years of marriage. In 1960, she married real estate developer Fillmore Crank, and the couple built a mission-style hotel in North Hollywood, now called Beverly Garland's Holiday Inn. Garland, whose husband died in 1999, remained involved in running the North Hollywood hotel. She was the honorary mayor of North Hollywood and served on the boards of the California Tourism Corp. and the Greater Los Angeles Visitors and Convention Bureau.

 

VINNIE JONES GETS INTO BAR FIGHT OVER ROLE IN "X-MEN" [AFP, 12/6/08]

British football star turned tough-guy Hollywood actor Vinnie Jones was hospitalized and arrested after he got into a bar fight over his role in the film X-Men. Witnesses said the fight began Friday, December 5 when Jones tried to join a game of pool in the small town of Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Jones took offense when one of the men identified as Juggernaut from "X-Men: The Last Stand" which he apparently took as a slight against his more significant roles. "He started pushing my other friends around," said Juan Barrera, 24, who sat nearby while his roommates played pool. "He said he's been in so many other movies or whatever." Police said Jones charged at a local patron, 24-year-old Jesse Bickett, who then hit Jones in the face with a beer glass. His face bloodied, Jones was walking to the restroom to clean up when he saw Barrera and punched him in the face, Barrera told AFP. Barrera said he hit Jones once or twice in the face before bar staff kicked him out.Jones was treated for facial injuries at a local hospital where was arrested for misdemeanor assault early Friday morning, police said. Formal charges have not been filed, and no court date has been set. Police charged Bickett with felony aggravated assault, but his mother says it was self-defense. "He's got major hospital bills hanging over his head," Deb Bickett said. "He (Jones) doesn't want to run into me." After a football career in which he developed a brutal "hard man" reputation, Jones debuted as an actor in "Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels." His other film credits include "Snatch" and "Gone in Sixty Seconds." His manager said Jones was vacationing in the area but declined to comment on the brawl.

 

SHIA'S SHATTERED HAND KEEPS HIM UNEMPLOYED [E! Online, 12/6/08]

Shia LaBeouf isn't feeling very hands-on right now. A source confirmed to E! News Friday, December 5 that the severe injury the Eagle Eye star suffered to his left hand in a July 27 rollover crash has forced him to pull out of his latest film. "Shia's hand is totally shattered; it's much worse than anyone thought," the source said. The 22-year-old LaBeouf, who was able to work around the injury to complete filming on Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen, dropped out of the upcoming technology-themed thriller Dark Fields. Production had already been delayed thanks to its now former star's medical issues. But at least it looks as if a solution is in sight. LaBeouf, who already underwent one extensive surgery in the days immediately following his accident, requires a second procedure to further repair the area around his thumb.

 

HUNDREDS HONOUR LATE "PLATINUM BLONDE"  BASSIST MacLEAN [CBC, 12/6/08]

Hundreds of mourners gathered in Toronto Thursday, December 4 to pay tribute to former Platinum Blonde bassist Kenny MacLean, who died suddenly late last month. Friends and family thanked fans for sharing their thoughts and prayers. "For those who have sent condolences and posted tributes, we thank you — there have been so many," said MacLean's brother, Donald. "Every musician, writer and artist knows there's a hell of a price to pay for being in this business … [Kenny] had demons along the way, but in the last year he found the strength to deal with them head on," he added, listing his late brother's work on a new solo album, record label and other recent musical endeavours. As well, the 52-year-old MacLean had been in the midst of reuniting his former Platinum Blonde bandmates for a gig prior to his death. Also on Thursday, friends and family announced plans for a free tribute concert in MacLean's honour at Toronto's Mod Club on December 17, 2008. MacLean was discovered unresponsive in his home and recording studio on November 24. A post-mortem indicated late last week that he died of natural causes.

 

WITNESS: "SOPRANOS" ACTOR KNEW FRIEND HAD GUN [AP, 12/6/08]

Former "Sopranos" actor Lillo Brancato knew a fellow junkie was carrying a gun before a break-in that led to the deadly shooting of an off-duty police officer, a drug dealer testified Friday, December 5. Joseph Borelli's testimony could prove vital in Brancato's second-degree murder trial, which may hinge on whether the jury believes the "A Bronx Tale" star knew about associate Steven Armento's loaded weapon. Brancato says he didn't. But Borelli testified that Armento pulled the gun on him, while Brancato watched, minutes before the shooting on December 10, 2005. The two had dashed to Borelli's house after trying to break into a nearby Bronx apartment looking for drugs to steal, said Borelli, 53, who said he had been Brancato's heroin and crack dealer. Defense lawyer Joseph Tacopina has acknowledged Brancato was a "strung out" drug addict. But Tacopina has said the former actor never intended to hurt anyone. Tacopina has portrayed Borelli as a liar looking for leniency in his own legal troubles. Brancato, 32, made his 1993 debut in "A Bronx Tale" opposite Robert De Niro. He has appeared in more than a dozen other movies and played a doomed aspiring mobster in HBO's "The Sopranos."

 

PINUP BETTIE PAGE HOSPITALIZED AFTER HEART ATTACK [AP, 12/6/08]

Bettie Page, a 1950s pinup known for her raven-haired bangs and saucy come-hither looks, was hospitalized in intensive care after suffering a heart attack, her agent said Friday, December 5. "She's critically ill," Mark Roesler of CMG Worldwide told The Associated Press. He said the 85-year-old had been hospitalized for the last three weeks with pneumonia and was about to be released when she had the heart attack Tuesday. Page was transferred to another hospital in Los Angeles and remained in intensive care Friday. A family friend, Todd Mueller, said Page was in a coma. When asked to confirm, Roesler said, "I would not deny that," but he would not comment further on her condition. Page, a secretary turned model, is credited with helping set the stage for the sexual revolution of the rebellious 1960s. She attracted national attention with magazine photographs of her sensuous figure that were tacked up on walls across the country. Her photos included a centerfold in the January 1955 issue of then-fledgling Playboy magazine, as well as controversial sadomasochistic poses. Page later spent decades away from the public eye, and during that time battled mental illness and became a born-again Christian. After resurfacing in the 1990s, she occasionally granted interviews but refused to allow her picture to be taken. Mueller credits his business dealings with Page for bringing her out of seclusion. He said he first met her in 1989 when he offered her "a bunch of money" to show up at autograph signings. "I probably sold 3,000 of her autographs, usually for $200 to $300," he said. "Eleanor Roosevelt, we got $40-$50. ... Bettie Page outsells them all."

 

HOLLYWOOD'S NO. 1 WOMEN: WINFREY AND JOLIE [AP, 12/6/08]

Oprah Winfrey tops The Hollywood Reporter's Power 100 list, an annual ranking of the most influential women in the entertainment industry. The chairman of Harpo Inc. was selected "based on her dizzying array of Oprah-branded media and her immense cultural influence," editor-in-chief Elizabeth Guider said in a statement Friday. The Hollywood Reporter also ranks the industry's highest-paid actresses each year. Angelina Jolie is No. 1, commanding more than $15 million a movie, followed by Julia Roberts and last year's top earner, Reese Witherspoon.

 

CELINE DION PLANS TO EXPAND HER FAMILY, HAS FROZEN EMBRYO [Acehowbiz, 12/6/08]

Slated to do more shows until late next year, Celine Dion has stated that after completing her concert tour she's planning to have more children with husband Rene Angelil. To CBS "Early Show" host Julie Chen, she said "Yes, we do have a frozen embryo. We'd love to extend the family," when asked to verify the rumours that she wants to expand her clan and has a frozen embryo. "I started to talk to Rene Charles about it. He said 'Can we have four and five?'" Celine said about discussing the idea of having more children with her 7-year-old son Rene Charles Angelil. "So if we're blessed again, I will be very happy to come back and do another interview with you and talk about it. I will be the first one to be extremely happy." Speaking about Rene Charles, Celine admitted she sometimes feels guilty for taking him on the road as she is touring, realizing the fact that "children need stability." She told Julie, "We are normal people, but we have a very, very different life...I'm proud of Rene-Charles because he copes and he's let me do my things. But I tell you, when I am in my PJ's, that's his favorite time and it's mine too." Celine Dion has been married to her manager-husband Rene Angelil since 1994. Their son, Rene Charles Angelil, who was born in January 2001, was conceived by in vitro fertilization after six years of trying.

 

KEVIN FEDERLINE TELLS HIS STORY OF LIFE WITH BRITNEY SPEARS [Aceshowbiz, 12/5/08]

Britney Spears' former husband Kevin Federline has an exclusive tell-all interview with People, during which he reveals his side of the story about marrying the pop superstar. He talks about everything, from his first meeting with her and his happiest memories of their marriage, to the joint custody of their sons; Sean Preston and Jayden James. "I met her at a club in Hollywood, Joseph's," the so-called wannabe rapper tells People at the beginning of the interview. "Our eyes met and that was it. We just hit it off right away. I learned real fast how much of a whirlwind the press and everything was." He, furthermore, reveals "Well, getting married. I never thought that I would get married but it wound up happening. That was a really, really, happy, exciting moment. I pretty much realized that I was giving my life to her, and I was doing it without question", when recalling the day he wed Britney. On their failed marriage, Kevin confesses to People, "It's hard enough to be in a marriage, and then have a kid, then kids, it changes everything." He continues, "For me, I'd become more concerned with my children. Not that I ignored Britney, but my kids are always most important ... I mean, we were having complications. I didn't give her an ultimatum, but I was trying to work stuff out with her, and she didn't even talk to me or anything and went behind my back and filed [for divorce]. [I was] completely blindsided." Though so, he insists he still cares for Britney, claiming "Just because I'm not in love with her doesn't mean that I don't love her. I'm definitely rooting for her. There's nothing more that I want than for her to be in the best health and doing what she loves to do." During the interview, Kevin Federline also addresses on more personal issues, like a possible reconciliation with Britney Spears, their sons Sean Preston and Jayden James' personalities, and his life at home with the boys. The full version of the interview is featured on the latest issue of People, going on sale Friday, December 5, 2008.

 

CIARA TO BE FEATURED ON VICTORIA'S SECRET CATALOG [Aceshowbiz, 12/5/08]

Rumour has it, R 'n' B singer Ciara is about to be recruited as a new model for Victoria's Secret and will possibly be featured on its catalog. MediaTakeOut broke the news Wednesday, December 3, claiming in a report on its site that the music star is expected to sign a deal "soon." Citing its most "reliable snitches," the gossip site stated both Victoria's Secret and Ciara will start working together "as early as possible next year" when "a number of the current model's contracts expire". Ciara reportedly is very happy about her future partnership with the brand. Ciara herself has yet commented on the report. Her people also haven't issued a single word on that matter. On Tuesday night, December 2, Ciara was seen joining Victoria's Secret's Angels Heidi Klum and Miranda Kerr at the Grand Opening of the Victoria's Secret Lexington Avenue Flagship store. The brand's famous faces Selita Ebanks, Marisa Miller, Alessandra Ambrosio and Doutzen Kroes were also in attendance.

 

DON CORNELIUS ENTERS 'NOT GUILTY' PLEA [AP, 12/5/08]

Former "Soul Train" host Don Cornelius has pleaded not guilty to spousal battery charges. Court records show Cornelius entered the plea to five misdemeanor counts through his attorney Thursday, December 4. The 72-year-old producer was arrested in October after police responded to a domestic dispute call at his Hollywood Hills home. He was charged last month with spousal battery, assault with a deadly weapon and dissuading a witness from making a police report. The records indicate Cornelius was not in court Thursday, but was ordered to appear for a January pretrial hearing.

 

"PERSONS OF INTEREST" NAMED IN RUFFALO SHOOTING [E! Online, 12/5/08]

Beverly Hills police announced Thursday, December 5 that two "persons of interest" have been identified in their investigation into the shooting of Mark Ruffalo's younger brother, 39-year-old Scott Ruffalo—what officials are now calling an attempted murder. In a press release issued by police department spokesman Lt. Tony Lee, authorities say that they're looking to question a man by the name of Brian Scofield Adham and a woman named Shaha Mishaal in connection with the shooting. No further information regarding their relationship to the victim was released. A Beverly Hills Fire Department crew responded at about 1:10 a.m. on Monday to a report of a man who had fallen in the 400 block of North Palm Drive in Beverly Hills. Upon arrival, they found that Scott Ruffalo had sustained a head injury, which turned out to be a gunshot wound. A rep for Mark confirmed to E! News yesterday that Scott was hospitalized in critical condition and was fighting for his life.

 

"PRICE IS RIGHT" STAR GENA LEE NOLIN GIVES BIRTH TO A GIRL [Aceshowbiz, 12/4/08]

A baby girl has been born for actress Gena Lee Nolin and her husband, NHL hockey player Cale Hulse. The newborn baby, named Stella Monroe Hulse, was born on Wednesday, December 3 in Scottsdale, Ariz. She weighed 7 lbs. 3 oz. and was 20 1/2 inches long at time of birth. Jerry Shandrew, a representative for Gena confirmed the baby's birth to People, stating "Mom and baby are both healthy and doing very well." Jerry added, "The whole family is very excited to welcome baby Stella home". Stella is the second child for Gena and Cale. They also have one son, named Hudson Lee Hulse. In addition to both, Gena and Cale also have one kid each from their previous relationships, named Spencer and Caia. Gena Lee Nolin is best known for her television appearances on "The Price Is Right" and "Baywatch" in the 1990s. She married Cale Hulse, her third husband, in September 2004.

 

JAZMINE SULLIVAN HITS IT BIG WITH 5 GRAMMY NODS [AP, 12/4/08]

Jazmine Sullivan's first song was a No. 1 hit on the R&B and hip-hop charts, and her raspy voice has drawn her comparisons to Lauryn Hill. Still, the singer-songwriter was struggling for name recognition in a crowded field of music newcomers. The Recording Academy just made it easier for her. On Wednesday, December 3 it nominated her for five Grammys, including best new artist. Her nominations match veterans like John Mayer and Alison Krauss. And she's only 21. Besides the best new artist nod — which pits her against the Jonas Brothers, U.K. songstresses Adele and Duffy and country act Lady Antebellum — Sullivan's CD, "Fearless," was nominated for best contemporary R&B album. She was also nominated for best female R&B vocal for "Need U Bad," best traditional R&B vocal for "In Love With Another Man," and best R&B song for "Bust Your Windows." "Fearless" was released by J Records in September. She also co-wrote a song on Jennifer Hudson's debut CD.

 

MARK RUFFALO'S BROTHER FIGHTING FOR LIFE AFTER BEING SHOT IN THE HEAD

[Aceshowbiz, 12/4/08]

A publicist for Mark Ruffalo has confirmed the actor's brother, Scott Ruffalo, is fighting for his life after being shot in the head in Beverly Hills early Monday, December 1. No record on the name of the hospital where he is treated. Scott, 39, was found in critical condition at his apartment with a gunshot wound to the head. Beverly Hills Police confirmed the incident, claiming it as "suspicious", reasoning that the events leading to the incident remained unclear. But they have not yet determined if the shooting is a crime or not. Speaking about that matter, Beverly Hills Police Department spokesman Tony Lee explained, "Our detectives will not say if it was a shooting. All we can say is that we are investigating some suspicious circumstance that [occurred] early Monday morning." Investigation, in the meantime, is still undergoing. Entertainment Tonight which broke the news on Wednesday, December 3 claimed "the Ruffalo family is being very supportive of each other during this family tragedy." Scott Ruffalo, who is two years younger than Mark Ruffalo, is a hairdresser who has worked in salons in Santa Monica and Beverly Hills. He has held a California state cosmetology license since 1991. As for his personal life, Scott is married to Luzelena Ruffalo and has one stepdaughter named Lucinda.

 

OPRAH WINFREY STAYS WITH "THE OPRAH WINFREY SHOW" UP TO 2011 [Aceshowbiz, 12/4/08]

President-elect Barack Obama's biggest supporter, Oprah Winfrey, finally has made a statement concerning previous rumors saying that she has a plan to leave her hit reality show, "The Oprah Winfrey Show". The media mogul, who has recently guest starred on Tina Fey's "30 Rock", said that she has full intentions on riding out her contract. As reported by Extra TV, the 54-year-old television host has stated she will fulfill her contract until it expires in 2011. "I'm a girl that keeps her word. I have a contract till 2011, so right now that's what I have until someone writes me another one. I'm going to fulfill my contractual obligations and fulfill them happily," Oprah said. In another news, "The Oprah" show will be brought to the U.S. capitol, Washington D.C., during the week of Barack Obama's inaguration day on January 20, 2009. The special episode will be tapped on Monday, January 19 at the Kennedy Center Opera House. "I'm going to break that right here, that's where I'm going to be. See you there, that's the place to be," Winfrey told Access Hollywood on Wednesday, December 3, 2008.

 

SOULJA BOY TAKES PART IN TOY DRIVE [Aceshowbiz, 12/4/08]

Hip-hop artist Soulja Boy will take some time off from recording his upcoming LP to take part in the yearly Toyz N Da Hood charity event, which donates holiday toys throughout Atlanta during the month of December. Offering a helping hand, he will on December 19 help to  host the annual event at Atlanta's Walmart, located on 6149 Old National Highway. There he will help with gifts, and sign autographs and copies of his latest music effort, titled "iSouljaBoyTellem". Participating on the 6th annual toy drive, Soulja expresses his gladness, saying "It's all about putting smiles on kids' face this holiday season. I'm happy to do anything I can during these hard economic times to make a kid's holiday season a little brighter. " He then recalls his old days before he became famous, revealing "Growing up I didn't have much, so I can relate to these kids and know how important it is to them. To see how excited they get when we donate all these toys is worth anything I can do to make that possible." To support the toy drive, Toyz N Da Hood, which was founded by Hittmenn DJ president Robert "Kaspa" Smith, is partnering with the non-profit Kids with Strong Opinions, Inc. to hold a toy donation drive which will be running through December 17. The drive will run at various Atlanta middle and high schools. The school who can collect the most toys will win a free concert featuring local top hip-hop stars. The toys collected will be donated to underprivileged kids and low-income families.

 

KID ROCK UPSET AT GA. JUDGE'S RULING [AP, 12/4/08]

Kid Rock is upset that he can't pick the good deed that will serve as his punishment for a brawl at a Georgia Waffle House. In a post on his Web site, the rocker blasts a judge for denying his request to serve his 80 hours of community service by performing for U.S. troops stationed in the Middle East. "Apparently he thinks it's more important that I do something else rather than sing, shake hands, take pictures and spend time with the men and women who put themselves in harms (sic) way to protect the very freedom he and all of us live by," the singer wrote in a holiday message posted on his site. Georgia State Court Judge Alvin T. Wong, who denied the request Sept. 30, sees it differently. He noted that Kid Rock, whose real name is Robert J. Ritchie, had performed for the troops before and "would do so even if he was not under a sentence to perform community service. "Besides, giving him credit for something he would otherwise love to do in front of a camera completely defeats the punitive purpose of performing community service," Wong wrote. Ritchie and members of his entourage were arrested last October after they became involved in a fight at a Waffle House in suburban Atlanta after a concert. He pleaded no contest to one count of battery and other charges were dropped. He later returned to a Waffle House and helped raise nearly $20,000 for an Atlanta homeless shelter. Ritchie in his post noted the event, and that the judge didn't give him credit for that either. Ritchie wrote that Wong's ruling was a "slap in the face" and he is having trouble thinking of a better form of community service. The singer is currently on tour in Europe, and plans to participate in U.S.O. concerts scheduled for mid-December.

 

"BLUE" FORMER MEMBER LEE RYAN AND FIANCEE WELCOME BABY BOY [Aceshowbiz, 12/3/08]

Lee Ryan, the former member of boyband Blue, and his fiancee Samantha Miller have welcomed the arrival of their first child, a baby boy. Celebrity Baby Blog reports the pair named their newborn son Rain Amethyst Lee. He weighed in at around 8 lbs. His birth date hasn't been disclosed though. Lee Ryan revealed during his 25th birthday in June this year that he had impregnated Samantha Miller, his fan. At the same time he also confirmed he planned to wed her soon. The confirmation sent shock to Lee's friends and family. In July, report surfaced claiming Lee dumped Samantha after a series of heated arguments. She was claimed to be in complete shock over the separation. However, Lee was quick to put the brake on the false report, insisting he and Samantha were still engaged. No wedding plans have been made by Lee and Samantha.

 

JAMIE FOXX ADDED AS 'CHRISTMAS IN ROCKEFELLER CENTER' PERFORMER [Aceshowbiz, 12/3/08]

Jamie Foxx is lined up as one of the musical guests at holiday event "Christmas in Rockefeller Center". He will be performing on-stage at the NBC's annual tree-lighting ceremony on December 3 at 8 - 9 P.M. ET/PT. Joining him at the event are Miley Cyrus, Beyonce Knowles, David Cook, Jonas Brothers, Faith Hill, Tony Bennett, Harry Connick Jr., Rosie O'Donnell, The Broadway Kids, Rascal Flatts, and Solange Knowles. The star-studded show will be hosted by Al Roker and is going to be held at Rockefeller Center's Art Deco plaza in Manhattan. "This year brings more star power than ever before, for the lighting of the world's most famous Christmas tree," Bob Holmes, the executive producer of the show, told OK! Magazine. "We couldn't be more proud of all the people who have come together to make this special happen for all the families tuning in."

 

CABLE GIANT, BLUE JAYS OWNER TED ROGERS DIES AT 75 [CBC, 12/3/08]

Canadian media magnate Ted Rogers, founder and CEO of Rogers Communications, has died. Rogers, 75, died at his Toronto home early Tuesday, December 2 surrounded by loved ones, said a statement from the company's board of directors. He had recently been admitted to hospital for a cardiac condition. "We wish to express our deepest sympathy to Loretta and all of the Rogers family for this loss," said Alan Horn, chairman of Rogers Communications and acting CEO. "Ted Rogers was one of a kind who built this company from one FM radio station into Canada's largest wireless, cable and media company — a leader also in giving to the community through his and Loretta's many philanthropic initiatives. He will be sadly missed." Rogers continued to play an active role in the company, which owns the Toronto Blue Jays, five Citytv television stations across the country, as well as the Rogers cable TV, wireless, radio and magazine businesses, including Maclean's and Chatelaine. Funeral arrangements will be announced by the family. He is survived by his wife, Loretta, whom he married in 1963, and their four children — Edward, Lisa, Melinda and Martha.

 

SWAYZE SAYS HE'S WINNING FIGHT AGAINST CANCER [AP, 12/3/08]

Patrick Swayze is angry about tabloid reports that say he doesn't have long to live. The actor, who was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer earlier this year, issued a statement Tuesday, December 2 affirming that so far he is winning his fight against the disease and responding well to treatment. Says Swayze: "They're reporting that I'm on my last legs and saying goodbye to my tearful family! ... It's upsetting that the shoddy and reckless reporting from these publications cast a negative shadow on the positive and good fight I'm fighting." Swayze, who stars in the upcoming A&E series "The Beast," says such coverage is tantamount to "emotional cruelty," and angers him "when hope is so precious."

 

EX-MEDICAL STAFF ADMITS TO PEDDLING FARRAH FAWCETT'S FILE [E! Online, 12/3/08]

Look what curiosity did to the profit-seeking cat. Former UCLA Medical Center employee Lawanda Jackson pleaded guilty Monday, December 1 to peddling confidential information about Farrah Fawcett's cancer battle to the National Enquirer and using her boss' password to access records belonging to dozens of patients, including Britney Spears and Maria Shriver. The single charge of violating medical privacy law for commercial purposes carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison, followed by three years of supervised release and a $250,000 fine. Sentencing has been scheduled for May, 2009. In March, UCLA fired 13 staffers and disciplined at least 12 others—including a number of doctors—for poking around in Spears' medical records without cause, unleashing a Los Angeles Times investigation into what appeared to be a chronic problem at the hospital over the past decade. Tom Cruise and Mariah Carey turned out to be among the 1,041 patients who reportedly had their files riffled through, while since 2003 nearly 165 employees have been either fired or otherwise punished for privacy breaches. Jackson, who worked as an administrator for 32 years at UCLA's various Southland locations, resigned in July 2007 and was indicted in April in U.S. District Court. She and her attorney declined to comment after today's hearing.

 

EXTRA JUMP RUMP, NO CARBS FOR VICTORIA'S SECRET MODELS [AP, 12/3/08]

Let's take a moment to savor this little tidbit: Even Victoria's Secret's hand-picked "angels" ramp up the cardio and cut out the carbs before they parade around in their underwear for a nationally televised broadcast. Marisa Miller, Doutzen Kroes and Miranda Kerr are the newest models to be given their wings by the lingerie giant, joining Heidi Klum, Karolina Kurkova, Adriana Lima, Alessandra Ambrosio and Selita Ebanks as the brand's top models. All three of the newbies had graced the Victoria's Secret catwalk before but they weren't fully part of the family until they went to Miami last month for the new runway show spectacle that will be seen on CBS Wednesday night, December 3, 2008.

 

KIRSTEN DUNST GETS ORDER AGAINST ALLEGED STALKER [AP, 12/2/08]

Kirsten Dunst doesn't need Spider-Man — she's got an assistant who recently proved capable of protecting the actress. Dunst's assistant performed a citizen's arrest on a man who bypassed security and showed up at the actress' Hollywood home in November. Dunst was not home at the time. Police and Dunst sought a restraining order against Christopher Smith after his Nov. 20 arrest. Documents show state police have found Smith at Dunst's home several times in recent weeks. The actress wrote she is "quite frightened" of Smith, whom she has never met. Records do not indicate whether Smith has an attorney. He is due in court later this month on a trespassing charge. Dunst's restraining order could be made extended on Dec. 22, 2008.

 

'CSI' STAR MARG HELGENBERGER AND HUSBAND SPLIT [Aceshowbiz, 12/2/08]

Actress Marg Helgenberger and her actor husband Alan Rosenberg have decided to go separate ways after 19 years of marriage. Her representative publicly confirmed their separation Monday, December 1, giving no words on the reason for their split. "After 19 years of marriage, Marg and Alan have decided to take some time apart," Marg's representative said in a statement. "They love and respect each other and remain committed to their family." Marg Helgenberger is well known for her role as Catherine Willows in CBS' "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation". Alan Rosenberg, meanwhile, is recognized as stage and screen actor, as well as the current president of the Screen Actors Guild. He occasionally appeared with Marg in several episodes of "CSI". Marg and Alan first met on the set of "Ryan's Hope" in the 1980s. A few years later they began dating and in 1989 they eloped in San Francisco. Their son, Hugh Howard Rosenberg, was born in October the following year.

 

DANIEL RADCLIFFE: "GETTING NAKED ON STAGE NEVER BE THE MOST COMFORTABLE THING" [Aceshowbiz, 12/2/08]

Portraying the character of Alan Strang in stage play "Equus", Daniel Radcliffe finds the nude scene he has to do in front of the audience as "never be the most comfortable thing." To James Lipton on Bravo's Inside the Actor's Studio, he says "Personally, not my thing. For some people it's great! But not for me" when referring to his nude scene on the Peter Shaffer's play. And to overcome the apprehension, as he revealed to James, he trained for 18 months to make sure his body was built up for the role. He, moreover, also worked with a vocal coach. "I got kind of fit because I knew I'd be appearing naked," he confessed. "The play was there to do. Someone had to do it. If you take the job, you take everything that comes with it." Addressing on the one thing that many people would like to know, which is what if he got "an erection on stage", Daniel said it never happened though he thought "that would be great". His full interview with James Lipton can be watched on Bravo TV. Daniel Radcliffe, famous for his role as the boy wizard Harry Potter in "Harry Potter" movies, played the role of Alan Strang, a mentally disturbed boy who pokes horses in the eye with a metal wire and strides them naked for sexual thrills, in both Broadway and London's West End. Next for him is a reprising role in the next installment of "Harry Potter," titled "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince", which is slated for a July 2009 release.

 

GLITZY "CADILLAC RECORDS" PREMIERE IN NEW YORK [Aceshowbiz, 12/2/08]

After a premiere in Los Angeles late November, "Cadillac Records" brought the glam to New York. On Monday, December 1, the drama musical saw a star-studded screening event being held at AMC Loews 19th Street in the Big Apple, where stars from Beyonce Knowles to Kelly Ripa were spotted. Though missing out on the signature red carpet, the premiere extravaganza was still attended by Knowles' co-stars, Adrien Brody, Columbus Short, Eamonn Walker, Emmanuelle Chriqui, Gabrielle Union, Mos Def, Chyna Layne and Jeffrey Wright. Producer Sofia Sondervan and director Darnell Martin also made time to come to the event. Beside all of the film's cast and crew, celebrity guest, like Akon, Ne-Yo, Sean "P. Diddy" Combs, Carmen Ejogo, Mark Consuelos, Tamara Tunie and Elsa Pataky, have also been seen among the attendees. Hip hop mogul Jay-Z was also spotted coming to the evening event alongside wife Knowles. "Cadillac Records" is directed and scripted by Darnell Martin. It is a drama musical chronicling the rise of Chess Records and its recording artists that include Muddy Waters, Little Walter and Howlin' Wolf. It will come out to the U.S. big screen on December 5, 2008.

 

TINA FEY TELLS ALL ABOUT SCAR ON HER FACE AND HER LOVE FOR CUPCAKES

[Aceshowbiz, 12/2/08]

Former "Saturday Night Live" cast member Tina Fey opens up to the January 2009 issue of Vanity Fair magazine about the story behind the scar on the left side of her face. Besides, she also talks about her loves for cupcakes, strippers role and nice people. Publicly addressing the scar on her left cheek for the very first time, Fey admits "It's impossible to talk about it without somehow seemingly exploiting it and glorifying it." She goes on telling the publication that she got the scar when she was still 5 years old when a stranger walked into the front yard of her Upper Darby, Penn., home and cut her face, leaving a scar on her left cheek. "She just thought somebody marked her with a pen," her husband Jeff Richmond adds. As a result of the incident, Fey thus doesn't "enjoy any kind of danger or volatility". "I don't have that kind of 'I love the bad guys' thing. No, no thank you. I like nice people," she reveals. And that is one reason why she loves her husband Jeff very much. Talking about her love for cupcakes, Fey jokingly tells Vanity Fair's Maureen Dowd, that it's okay to indulge before the Vanity Fair photo shoot with famed photographer Annie Leibovitz because "Annie's going to photograph my soul, right?" Furthermore also revealing her love for strippers role, the actress explains, "I love to play strippers and to imitate them. I love using that idea for comedy, but the idea of actually going there? I feel like we all need to be better than that. That industry needs to die, by all of us being a little bit better than that." In addition to the interview, Tina Fey also takes over the cover of Vanity Fair's January 2009 issue, which will go on sale on Wednesday, December 3 in New York/L.A. and December 9, 2008 nationwide.

 

BONO GETS THE (RED) OUT FOR "WORLD AIDS DAY" [E! Online, 12/2/08]

Bono's adding to his résumé for sainthood. For today's 20th anniversary of World AIDS Day, the U2 frontman and all-around good guy is helping launch (RED)WIRE, a music-themed site to benefit the cause. "Through music [people] are not just celebrating their life, they are celebrating lives and the saving of them," Bono says in a video message. And he's getting some help from a few all-star pals. Among the featured tunes: the Dixie Chicks' "Lucky Ones," the Texas trio's first new music since 2006's Taking the Long Way; Jay-Z's "Brooklyn Go Hard," featuring Santogold; the Coldplay-Kylie Minogue duet "Lhuna"; and U2's cover of Greg Lake's "I Believe in Father Christmas." There are several live video clips, such as Elvis Costello and The Police uniting for a "Watching the Detectives"/"Walking on the Moon" medley and John Legend's in-studio performance of Bob Marley's "Redemption Song." Also debuting is the latest Killers Christmas single. For three years running, the group has released a holiday single to benefit the (RED) campaign, starting with "A Great Big Sled" in 2006 and last year's "Don't Shoot Me Santa." This year, the group collaborated with Elton John and Neil Tennant of the Pet Shop Boys for "Joseph, Better You Than Me." "This is our third Christmas year in a row, and we donate the proceeds to the (RED) campaign," Killers' singer Brandon Flowers tells E! Online. "I was sitting at the piano playing around with different chords and I started thinking about Joseph. I don't know, would you call him Jesus' stepfather? When you think of Joseph, the only thing that comes to mind is Joseph walking next to a donkey with Mary on it, and that's about it. He doesn't get much of a story, so we tried to bring Joseph to life." Though music fans can preview the site today via MSN, the magazine will officially be available Dec. 10. Everyone who signs up before that day will be recognized as a "Founding Member" and receive a bonus track by Jay-Z. Subscribers will get two exclusive new songs every week, one by a major artist and another by an emerging artist, as well as updates on Africa, photography and video shorts. Half the $5 monthly subscription rate goes to the Global Fund, which provides medicine to African AIDS patients with a focus on women and children.

 

KRISTEN STEWART DOTES PRAISE ON "TWILIGHT" CO-STAR [Aceshowbiz, 12/2/08]

Being in the same scene with movie heartthrob Robert Pattinson, Kristen Stewart has only good words for the actor, praising him as the perfect star to play the role of vampire Edward Cullen in "Twilight." She even says she cannot imagine another actor in the role.  "Not to put down any of the other actors who came in, because they were really good, but everyone came in playing Edward as this perfect, happy-go-lucky guy," Kristen tells Teen Magazine's winter issue. "But I got hardcore pain from Rob. It was purely just connection," she adds.  Both Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattinson, who play on-screen lovers in "Twilight", gain fame and receive intense media attention after the romance-thriller-action flick hit the No.1 spot on the box office, after its first weekend screening. Due to the success of the vampire drama, a sequel titled "New Moon" has been in the making. Kristen and Robert are rumored to get a major paycheck boost for the planned sequel, reportedly $12 million each. Robert himself has admitted to research his role as Edward Cullen very seriously by reading "Twilight" book by Stephenie Meyer. "I kind of tried to read the book from Edward's perspective," so he says. "He's this guy seen through the eyes of someone who is completely, obsessively in love with him. So I tried to make a reality about it and take it to how he sees himself."

 

ROBERT PATTINSON ALWAYS FANCIES RUMOURED GIRLFRIENDS [Aceshowbiz, 12/2/08]

Movie hottie Robert Pattinson has no problem with the many media reports claiming him dating particular ladies because he admits he always fancies the girls rumoured to be his girlfriends. "I am single at the moment but I read stories in the magazines and papers that I am dating so and so or I am dating so and so. But it's not true. But they are very good guesses because I always fancy the girl they pair me up with," he shares. He then goes on adding, "I'm hoping it's the girl herself who has made it up - then I'm in with a real chance. Maybe I should start getting in contact with them." Defending his single status, Robert thus puts to rest Internet reports claiming him dating the likes of Camilla Belle and Kristen Stewart. This isn't the first time that Robert Pattinson reveals his struggles to find a date. Previously, in an interview on "The Ellen DeGeneres Show," he openly stated that he might be staying single "permanently" reasoning no one wants to date him. "No one else seems to get into a relationship with me. It's really strange," he told Ellen DeGeneres. "People like screaming at me. Actually, they like screaming at me in relationships as well. No one wants to commit." Robert, who gains his worldwide fame for playing the role of Edward Cullen in box office flick "Twilight," was spotted walking along Melrose Avenue on Saturday, November 29. He was photographed kindly stopping for a young fan to chat and pose for pictures.

 

BOY GEORGE DENIES HE INTENDED TO HURT ESCORT [AP, 12/2/08]

Singer Boy George admits in a recording played in a London court that he restrained a male escort with handcuffs. But the former Culture Club singer says he had no intention of hurting the man. He also denies he tried to assault the escort or that he swung a chain at him. The singer, whose real name is George O'Dowd, is on trial for the false imprisonment of 29-year-old Audun Carlsen. O'Dowd says in a police recording played Monday, December 1 that he asked Carlsen to come to his apartment. O'Dowd says he wanted to ask Carlsen if he had tampered with his laptop. The '80s pop icon has a history of drug abuse and served a community service sentence in 2006 in the United States after falsely reporting a burglary.

 

MIRANDA KERR DENIES SHE IS ENGAGED TO ORLANDO BLOOM [Aceshowbiz, 12/2/08]

Aussie supermodel Miranda Kerr puts to rest the mounting reports claiming she has been engaged to actor boyfriend Orlando Bloom. A representative for her has publicly declared the engagement reports as "completely false and misleading." The representative adds, "Miranda herself has clearly stated she is not engaged. There is nothing else to be said." Miranda Kerr and Orlando Bloom have been dating since October last year. Despite split report, they are still very much together and even have been rumoured to get engaged. The engagement report took its toll over the weekend when the Sydney's Sunday Telegraph 'exclusively' revealed the pair plans to marry next year after they "celebrated their engagement with a romantic getaway in Venice last week." Making it clear that she and Orlando are not engaged just yet, Miranda however has publicly revealed her dream to have a family. "I've always wanted kids, so ... someday ... eventually, yes, it will happen," so she told Page Six magazine. She continued stating, "My ideal situation would be to live on a farm in a solar-powered house with a hammock and a vegetable patch. When this is all over that's where I'll be."

 

IVANA TRUMP SEPARATES FROM FOURTH HUBBY RUBICONDI [AP, 12/2/08]

Ivana Trump has issued a statement confirming reports of marital discord with Italian entrepreneur Rossano Rubicondi. Trump, who married Rubicondi in April, says she filed a legal separation agreement three months ago. Trump says she kept quiet about it because she didn't want to ruin Rubicondi's chances as a contestant on the Italian edition of the reality TV show "Survivor." Rubicondi is Trump's fourth husband. After about six years of dating, they tied the knot in a lavish ceremony at her ex-husband Donald Trump's estate in Palm Beach, Florida. Says Trump: "Rossano wants to live in Miami and work in Milan. ... But, I am a New Yorker and my family, friends and businesses are here. As the beautiful song says, 'Que sera sera!'"

 

ACTRESS ROSELYN SANCHEZ MARRIES ERIC WINTER [AP, 11/30/08]

Puerto Rican actress Roselyn Sanchez has gotten married at a historic San Juan fort in front of 250 guests that included Eva Longoria Parker. Sanchez and actor Eric Winter arrived Saturday, November 29 at the San Cristobal fort in a white Mercedes Benz. Guests also included actor Amaury Nolasco and Gov. Anibal Acevedo Vila and his family. Sanchez wore a princess-style dress with hand-embroidered pearls and diamonds created by Venezuelan designer Angel Sanchez. Winter wore a Calvin Klein suit. The couple expects to honeymoon in the Mayan Rivera. The 35-year-old Sanchez appears in the CBS series "Without a Trace" and produced the 2007 movie "Yellow." The 32-year-old Winter has appeared in the soap "Days of Our Lives."

 

NE-YO REACHED OUT TO JENNIFER HUDSON, SEND 'COUNTLESS E-MAILS' POST FAMILY TRAGEDY [Aceshowbiz, 11/30/08]

R 'n' B singer-songwriter Ne-Yo told Valerie Nome of OK! magazine's Red Carpet Confidential that he did reach out to Jennifer Hudson after learning her mother, brother, and young nephew were all slain. He even admitted to have made phone calls to the former "American Idol" finalist and also sent her "countless emails." "I sent countless e-mails, I've tried to call a few times - of course, I'm not expecting her to answer the phone, going through what she's going through," Ne-Yo confessed. "But I've sent her countless e-mails letting her know that my prayers are with her and her family, and just hold your head up. God has a plan for everything." Ne-Yo and Jennifer Hudson sing the same genre of music and they have worked together on his second album "Because of You". She lent her voice for one of the LP's tracks, titled "Leaving Tonight."  Apparently, fame doesn't promise Ne-Yo everything he wants as he revealed he couldn't get his dream dog, explaining "I want one, but I'm never in one place long enough to have one. And I don't want a little dog that you can carry around with you. That's not for me. I want a Rottweiler. I want a dog you can ride like a horse. But you can't take a Rottweiler on the plane with you. It would be bad."

 

STATION TAKES CALL LETTER OF TV SHOW [AP, 11/30/08]

WKRP is back on the air in Cincinnati — but this time it's for real. A low-power TV station has changed its call letters to WKRP, the same as the fictional radio station in the 1970s hit series "WKRP in Cincinnati." The station changed its call letters to promote its new digital TV signal. It formerly went by WBQC-TV. General Manager Elliott Block says the new call letters give the station recognition because so many people remember the television sit-com.

 

MICHAEL J. FOX SHARES HIS BATTLE WITH PARKINSON'S [Aceshowbiz, 11/30/08]

Michael J. Fox has been acting very open about his condition since he first publicly disclosed in 1998 that he was diagnosed with Parkinson's and to the latest issue of People magazine he shares his battle with the disease. He, moreover, also tells of his optimism seeing the years ahead. To the weekly celebrity magazine, Michael reveals though he has found a successful combination of medications to keep his symptoms under control, still he can't stop the progress of his Parkinson's. That's why there is time when he enters the so-called "bradykinesia" stage during which his arms hang heavy at his side. He, however, won't give up his hope, insisting, "Based on how I feel now. I'll be okay for at least 10 more years." Hence, he refuses to be pitied by other people as for him having Parkinson's "is part of an amazing life". He adds, "It's part of what makes my life amazing." Michael J. Fox is a TV and film actor who is best known for his role as Marty McFly from the "Back to the Future" trilogy (1985-1990). He married his actress wife, Tracy Pollan, in July 1988. They are parents to four children; Sam Michael, twins Aquinnah Kathleen and Schuyler Frances, and Esme Annabelle. Michael was first diagnosed with Parkinson's in 1991, but only made it public in 1998. Two years later, he announced a semi-retirement from acting and has since spent most of his time with his wife and children. Besides, he also helps raising funds for The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research. The full story on Michael J. Fox and his Parkinson's battle can be read on the newest issue of People, hitting the newsstands Wednesday, December 3, 2008.

 

ASHLEE SIMPSON AND PETE WENTZ'S BABY'S PICS WORTH $2 MILLION [Aceshowbiz, 11/29/08]

While talks on the name of Ashlee Simpson and Pete Wentz's newborn son, Bronx Mowgli Wentz, are still heating up, new rumour has surfaced by the hour that the first pictures of the infant might worth $2 million. Though so, it is not yet known if the new celebrity parents would like to sell the exclusive first pics of their son and which tabloid would nab the rights to publish the shots. Regarding Bronx's photo fortune, U.S. publicist Howard Bragman explains his point of view, "I see Ashlee and Pete coming in at the low seven figures mark. Two million seems like a good, solid figure for Ashlee and Pete. It's a two-celeb couple, so that's a boost for them." Comparing Ashlee and Pete to Hollywood mega-watt couple Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie, who according to various reports receive $20 million for the first pics of their twins Vivienne Marcheline and Knox Leon, Howard thinks, "Nobody does this better than Angelina. She and Brad Pitt have been very careful to make it clear that the money they've been getting has been part of their charity outreach work. The big bucks are a nice perk, but for them, the publicity is priceless." Ashlee Simpson, who gave birth to Bronx Mowgli Wentz last Thursday, November 20, has yet commented on the report. She and her husband Pete Wentz have been laying low since they welcomed their son into the world.

 

WHITNEY HOUSTON DENIES REUNION WITH EX [AP, 11/29/08]

Whitney Houston has issued a statement denying the rumours of a reunion with Bobby Brown. Acting on behalf of Houston, the singer's publicist Nancy Seltzer calls speculation that the exes are getting back together "a complete fabrication." Seltzer pinpoints the rumours to a report in Wednesday's Chicago Sun-Times that said Houston and Brown had been spotted out and about in Georgia looking romantic. Houston and Brown divorced in April 2007 after 14 years of marriage. During their tumultuous union, Brown was arrested on drug and alcohol charges, and Houston twice entered drug rehabilitation programs. Houston has custody of their teenage daughter, Bobbi Kristina.

 

WINONA RYDER MISSING LOANED BULGARI DIAMONDS [Aceshowbiz, 11/29/08]

Hollywood movie actress Winona Ryder finds herself at the center of new controversy after reportedly losing borrowed Bulgari diamonds loaned to her for an awards ceremony appearance in Spain. The jewels are said to be worth $125,000. According to TMZ, Winona had been lent a diamond-encrusted bracelet and ring to wear to a Marie Claire magazine party in Madrid on Sunday, November 23. She also had been given a dress, shoes and some other stuff to wear to the event. The bracelet and ring went missing after she reportedly handed them to the front desk at the hotel where she stayed, in an envelope to be kept in the venue's safe. However, the hotel bosses failed to locate surveillance footage to prove her handing the pricey stuff. Bulgari executives, thus, have asked police to investigate the missing gems. At press time, police are not considering Winona as suspect in the case. And while investigation is still on-going, TMZ claims as being informed by its sources that the bracelet and ring might be missing from Winona's hotel room, claiming the star checked out of the hotel the following day after the event and left all the loaned stuff in her room as "no one from Marie Claire was around to collect" them. The dress and other stuff were all still in the room, whereas the jewels went missing. TMZ, furthermore, claims Winona "never said she had taken the jewels to the front desk, and whoever planted the story may be covering up for someone who had access to the room after she left." A spokesperson for Winona has not yet responded to requests for comment. Representatives for Bulgari have declined to address report on their missing jewels.

 

DAVID BECKHAM, KATY PERRY AND CELEB FRIENDS DO ADIDAS TV [Aceshowbiz, 11/29/08]

Sportsman David Beckham and singer Katy Perry are among the many stars featured in the new promotional TV advertisement for Adidas. In addition to them both, the 1980s-style hip-hop house party-themed ad also features the likes of Estelle, Missy Elliott, hip-hop mogul Russell Simmons, band The Ting Tings, and rappers Method Man, Redman and Darryl McDaniels a.k.a. Run DMC. The ad, aimed to mark Adidas' '60 Years Of Soles and Stripes' anniversary, sees David smiling as he enters the suburban house. Inside, he is taped holding a drink and talking to Boston Celtics basketball player Kevin Garnett. Both males are seen laughing. Adidas' 1980s-style hip-hop house party-themed ad is soundtracked to Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons' 1967 hit "Beggin'" by DJ Pilooski.

 

CARLA BRUNI JOINS FIGHT AGAINST AIDS [AFP, 11/29/08]

French first lady Carla Bruni-Sarkozy is joining the worldwide fight against AIDS as a goodwill ambassador for the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, officials said Thursday, November 27. The wife of President Nicolas Sarkozy is to unveil details of her new mission at a news conference on Monday with the fund's executive director Michel Kazatchkine, the French presidency said. The weekly l'Express magazine reported that Bruni, 40, has agreed to be a goodwill ambassador for the protection of mothers and children against AIDS. Based in Geneva, the fund oversees hundreds of programs in 136 countries through public-private partnerships that have raised more than 11 billion dollars. Bruni, who married Sarkozy in February, expressed an interest in work to battle HIV following a visit to South Africa, which has one of the world's largest AIDS caseloads. The supermodel-turned-singer has said she hoped her status as French first lady could be used to advance a worthy global cause.

 

BEYONCE: I AM... BIGGER THAN NICKELBACK, DAVID COOK [E! Online, 11/27/08]

Apparently, it takes two Beyoncés to beat a pair of rock studs. In one of the year's more competitive sales weeks, Ms. Knowles' double-disc I Am...Sasha Fierce rolled past rockin' new albums by Nickelback and David Cook that would have topped the charts most any other week. Beyoncé scored her third No. 1 album in three tries by selling 483,000 copies, easily eclipsing Nickelback (No. 2, 327,000) and the reigning American Idol champ (No. 3, 289,000). Beyoncé did have a little help, though. In the spirit of Eminem-Slim Shady and T.I.-T.I.P., the singer introduced her more aggressive alter ego, Sasha Fierce, on the album's second disc. Up until this time, Sasha only appeared in live performances.I Am topped 2003's Dangerously in Love debut (317,000), but trailed 2006's B-Day (541,000). She also gets family bragging rights over Jay-Z, who sold 425,000 first-week copies of American Gangster last November. Beyoncé also dominated the Digital Tracks charts with "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)" debuting at No. 1 on 204,000 downloads, dropping her single "If I Were a Boy" to No. 2 on 160,000 downloads. About the only thing Beyoncé didn't do is beat Taylor Swift for the year's biggest female debut (592,000 for Fearless, which fell to No. 4 this week). Nickelback's Dark Horse galloped in a strong second place. The Canadian rockers, who signed an all-inclusive deal with Live Nation earlier this year, just announced the launch of their North American tour in Nashville on Feb. 25. Cook, meanwhile, got plenty of cougars to shell out for his eponymous debut. Here's a recap of the top 10, based on figures from Nielsen SoundScan: • I Am…Sasha Fierce, Beyoncé • Dark Horse, Nickelback • David Cook, David Cook • Fearless, Taylor Swift • The Promise, Il Divo • Twilight soundtrack, various • Now That's What I Call Music! 29, various • High School Musical 3: Senior Year soundtrack, various • And Winter Came, Enya • Black Ice, AC/DC.

 

BRITNEY SPEARS FEELS 'OLD AND BORING' [Reuters, 11/26/08]

Britney Spears says her life is so dull under her father's watchful eye that she feels old and boring. With her new album "Circus" out next week, the 26-year-old singer is working on a comeback after seeing her life spiral out of control with a run of strange behavior, a bitter custody battle over her two sons and the loss of her rights to administer her own affairs. "I feel like an old person now," Spears told Rolling Stone in an interview for the music magazine's December 11 issue. "I do! I go to bed at, like, 9:30 every night and I don't go out or anything, you know what I mean? I just feel like an old fart." In 2007, the Louisiana native was a near-constant figure on the Hollywood party scene. She shaved her head, then wore a pink wig and spoke with a fake British accent. By early this year, she was hospitalized twice for psychiatric evaluation. By February, a California court named her father as a conservator of her estate, giving Jamie Spears control over her personal and business affairs. Since then, she seems to have put her life back in order. "Womanizer," the first single from "Circus," reached the top of Billboard's Hot 100 singles chart in October. The album is set for release on December 2, the singer's 27th birthday, and she plans to tour this spring to promote it. In excerpts posted online on Tuesday, the story "Britney Returns" --details limitations put on her life by her conservatorship and notes she is watched constantly by guards hired by her father. The interviewer was restricted from asking Britney about her troubled months. Instead, she talks about her current life and going on chaperoned dates with men who failed to impress her. She jokingly describes one as "an older version of Harry Potter but skinnier." Spears also discusses being a mom to her two sons, Sean Preston, 3, and Jayden, 2, whom she sees three days a week. "To be a really good mom, I feel your child needs to be your full-time job," Spears told the magazine. "I want to raise my kids and share all of those precious moments with them." The Rolling Stone with Spears on the cover hits newsstands on Friday.

 

MARIAH PASSES ON THE BUBBLY ...BECAUSE OF BABY? [E! Online, 11/26/08]

Ellen DeGeneres knows how to put a possible baby-carrier in a corner. Hey, the Emmy-winning talk-show host had to ask about guest Mariah Carey's rumoured expectant status. But while she pretended to let the pop diva off the hook Tuesday, November 25 after receiving an elusive, "No, that's OK [to ask]," DeGeneres instead offered up a glass of champagne to ring in the non-news. "You don't have to answer that. Let's just toast with champagne," the chat maven benignly offered, after which Mimi became all flustered, first going the feigned shock route and then trying to insist that 3 p.m. was too early for her to start drinking. "I can't believe you did this to me, Ellen," laughed the Grammy winner, who swapped vows with now 28-year-old Nick Cannon in April. "This is peer pressure!" "No, let's toast to you not being pregnant," Ellen insisted. "I can't believe her," Mariah said. "Why would we toast to that? How about to the future? For both of our futures, who knows what they hold. "She then only pretended to sip the bubbly. So on second thought..."You're pregnant," Ellen said. But still Mariah resisted: "I didn't say that. No, no, no. My mother would be at home like, on the computer like, What are you talking about? We will let you know when we're going to have a family." Well, maybe Mariah wasn't thirsty this afternoon, but who doesn't want to clink-and-drink with Ellen? Other than pregnant people, that is?

 

NEW DAUGHTER FOR "TAKE THAT" SINGER OWEN [BBC, 11/26/08]

Take That singer Mark Owen has become a father for the second time after his partner gave birth to a girl. Willow Rose Owen was born on Tuesday, November 25 morning at a hospital in London. Owen, 36, and partner Emma Ferguson already have a young son called Elwood. A spokesman for the band said: "Mark, Emma and Elwood are thrilled. Mum and daughter are very healthy and happy." Take That are expected to top the UK singles chart on Sunday with their latest single, Greatest Day. The band's second album since they reformed, The Circus, will be released on Monday.

 

NICK JONAS AND LIL WAYNE MAKE ANNUAL "POWER 40" LIST [Aceshowbiz, 11/26/08]

Becoming famous as one piece of the Jonas Brothers, Nick Jonas has been included in Details magazine's annual list of "The Power 40." The 16-year-old boy, who serves as singer and guitarist of the boy band that he established alongside his brothers Kevin Jonas and Joe Jonas, is ranked 24th in the prestigious list. Also making the list, which comprises of everyone from soldier to actor to pastor, is Lil Wayne. He secures the 29th spot in the list. Details calls the rap artist "Crossover Kid" and credits the success of his sixth studio album "Tha Carter III", which sold more than 1 million copies in its first week on the market. Beside them two, there is also actor Tom Cruise who makes the list at No. 7 and is called the "Leading Man" by Details. Concerning his newly attached predicate, he is featured on the cover of the publication's "The Power Issue", which goes on sale next Tuesday, December 2. Meanwhile, singer John Mayer is counted among "The Power 40" too. The so-called "Press Whore" nabs the 11th spot. The No. 1 spot in list is secured by president-elect Barack Obama's secret service agents, whereas its very last spot is claimed by Thomas Beatie, a trans-gender man who chose to become pregnant because his wife was infertile. The full list of "The Power 40" is on Details' official website.

 

"MY CHEMICAL ROMANCE" SINGER TO BE A DAD [AP, 11/25/08]

My Chemical Romance singer Gerard Way's newest creation isn't a CD — it's an upcoming baby. A rep for the singer says Way, 31, and wife Lindsey, bass player of the band Mindless Self Indulgence, are expecting their first child. The baby is due early in the summer 2009. The pair have been married since Sept. 4, 2007. My Chemical Romance is known for hits like "Famous Last Words" and "Welcome to the Black Parade."

 

MADONNA TELLS AP WORK GOOD DISTRACTION FROM SPLIT [AP, 11/25/08]

Madonna's marital breakup is tough, but she says she's grateful that her heavy workload "provides a distraction that keeps me going." "I'm sad about my personal life, but I feel very blessed and very lucky that I have the opportunity to do what I do in my professional life," Madonna told The Associated Press in an interview Sunday, November 23. "It would be horrible if I was just thinking about getting a divorce and had nothing to do." Last week, Madonna and Guy Ritchie were granted a preliminary decree of divorce after eight years of marriage. Among her current projects is promoting her documentary "I Am Because We Are," which explores the impoverished Arican nation of Malawi, where more than 1 million children are orphaned by AIDS. The film has its TV premiere on Sundance Channel Dec. 1, 2008.

 

JASON LEE AND CEREN ALKAC 'JUST GOT MARRIED' [Aceshowbiz, 11/25/08]

A confirmation has come from Jason Lee that he and his girlfriend Ceren Alkac have tied the knot. "My wife is Australian," Life & Style Weekly quotes the actor as telling Sydney Sun-Herald newspaper. "And she is my wife now 'cause we just got married and you can report that!" Jason, nevertheless, doesn't mention on when and where exactly he married Ceren. The marriage confirmation itself comes nearly five months after he fueled wedding speculation following him being seen in line for a marriage license at the Norwalk, Calif. courthouse in late June. Jason Lee, best known for his role as Earl J. Hickey in TV sitcom "My Name Is Earl", and Ceren Alkac are longtime lovers. Their first child, a daughter whose name is kept under wrap, was born on August 10 this year. In addition to the little girl, Jason also has one son, named Pilot Inspektor Riesgraf-Lee, with former fiancee, actress Beth Riesgraf.

 

FOX'S HANNITY LOSING LIBERAL HALF [AP, 11/25/08]

Fox News Channel's Sean Hannity is losing his liberal half. Alan Colmes of the network's "Hannity & Colmes" said on his Web site Monday, November 24 that he'll be leaving the prime-time show after 12 years. He said he approached a network executive earlier this year about doing something else. Colmes will continue as a liberal commentator on Fox programs, keep doing his own radio show and is developing a weekend show at Fox News. There was no immediate word about whether he will be replaced on the popular prime-time program. Hannity has been the bigger star in media circles and recently signed a contract extension. Hannity also does his own solo weekend show at Fox.

 

HILARY DUFF SMITTEN WITH ROBERT PATTINSON [Aceshowbiz, 11/25/08]

Everyone is catching the fever of box office hit "Twilight" and Hilary Duff isn't an exception as she has admitted to have a crush on its main star Robert Pattinson. Revealing her love for the British actor, she tells the press that she even jokingly warns her boyfriend Mike Comrie she's on the hunt for her own bloodsucking beau. "I told my boyfriend, I was like, 'Edward Cullen ... I mean, find me a vampire, you might be done ...!' He's handsome," so Hilary says. It is not known how Mike responses to her joke. In other Hilary Duff news, she recently has secured a deal with NBC to star on the network's yet-to-be-titled sitcom series. Additionally, an announcement has also been made by Ben Silverman, the co-chairman of NBC's Entertainment/Universal Media Studios, that Hilary will be signed to guest star in various current NBC's shows over the next year. Hilary herself has expressed her willingness to star in the network's series, like "The Office" and "30 Rock".

 

WINEHOUSE HUSBAND LOSES APPEAL OVER JAIL SENTENCE [AP, 11/25/08]

A British court on Monday, November 24 rejected an appeal by the husband of singer Amy Winehouse against his sentence for assault and obstructing justice. Blake Fielder-Civil was sentenced in July to 27 months in prison for beating up pub manager James King and then offering him a bribe to keep quiet about it. Fielder-Civil, who had spent nine months in jail awaiting trial, was released earlier this month on condition he live at a drug rehabilitation center. Two Court of Appeal judges turned down an appeal against the sentence. Judge Christopher Pitchford encouraged Fielder-Civil to continue his drug treatment, saying it was only if "these attempts are successful that he has a worthwhile future." Fielder-Civil, 26, said after the hearing that he was "disappointed but not really surprised." Winehouse and Fielder-Civil married in Miami in May 2007, but he was arrested six months later. Winehouse, 25, has become an international star since she released the Grammy-winning album "Back to Black" in 2006. But her music has been overshadowed by reports of drug use, run-ins with the law and her tempestuous marriage.

 

ENCORE IN LAS VEGAS TO HAVE 'SINATRA' RESTAURANT [AP, 11/25/08]

Fans of Frank Sinatra will get a kick out of a new Italian restaurant planned for the Las Vegas Strip. Casino mogul Steve Wynn tells the Las Vegas Review-Journal that a restaurant at Encore, his newest resort, will be named Sinatra. Wynn says the singer's family has loaned him Sinatra's Oscar and Grammy Awards, which will be featured prominently in the restaurant. He says Paul Anka has promised the gold record that he won for writing the English lyrics for "My Way," which Anka wrote with Sinatra in mind. Encore is scheduled to open Dec. 22, 2008.

 

USHER CONFIRMS SECOND BABY'S SEX AND EXACT DUE DATE [Aceshowbiz, 11/22/08]

R 'n' B singer Usher has exclusively confirmed to Access Hollywood that his wife Tameka Foster is pregnant with their second child, due to be born next month. "Definitively. We're actually expecting, if you didn't hear, in December," so the music performer said backstage at his concert at L.A.'s Club Nokia on Wednesday, November 19 when asked about reports on him expecting another child. "One of the best Christmas gifts there is to have!" Refusing to spill the beans on the baby's sex and exact due date, Usher said, "some things have to remain personal" while jokingly adding, "I'll give you a clue - it's a baby." As for name, he said he and Tameka have been considering on "a few names", but are open to any suggestions from the public. "If you guys have any unique [names], please feel free to hit me up. Let me know," he stated. It wasn't until the following day though that Usher made public the baby's sex and due date. In an interview with Stevie Wonder for Stevie's KJLH-FM morning radio show on Thursday, November 20, he publicly confirmed that his second baby with Tameka will be a boy. He also revealed the baby is due to be born on December 15, 2008. Usher and Tameka Foster, who used to be his stylist, got married on August 3 last year. Their first child, son Usher Raymond V, was born in November the same year. Usher, in the meantime, is headlining his "One Night Stand Tour 2008" accompanied by Toronto's own DJ Starting From Scratch. Last Saturday, November 15, he performed at the Fontainebleau Hotel in Miami Beach, Florida as the opening act for this year's Victoria's Secret Fashion Show.

 

TOBEY MAGUIRE WIFE EXPECTING BABY NO. 2 [AP, 11/22/08]

Spider-Man has another baby on the way. Kelly Bush, publicist for "Spider-Man" star Tobey Maguire, says the 33-year-old actor and his wife, Jennifer Meyer, are expecting their second child in the spring. Maguire and Meyer were married last year. They have a 2-year-old daughter, Ruby. Meyer is the daughter of Ron Meyer, president and chief operating officer of Universal Studios. Maguire's screen credits also include "Seabiscuit" and "Wonder Boys."

 

ACTRESS SIENNA MILLER WINS DAMAGES FROM PAPARAZZI [Reuters, 11/22/08]

British actress Sienna Miller won 53,000 pounds ($80,000) in damages from a photo agency on Friday, November 21 over claims of paparazzi harassment in a settlement her lawyer said could have significant implications for other celebrities. Miller, 26, star of movies like "Alfie" and "Layer Cake," had sued Big Pictures and its founder Darryn Lyons claiming they had invaded her privacy and were responsible for a campaign of harassment which had made her life intolerable. On Friday, her lawyers said they had reached an agreement with Big Pictures and Lyons over the two separate claims. The photo agency agreed to pay damages, Miller's costs and also undertook not to photograph her at her home or make any effort to pursue her for pictures.

 

TACO BELL TO 50 CENT: "YOU'RE A GANGSTA WANNABE" [E! Online, 11/22/08]

Taco Bell is using fightin' words in its latest beef with 50 Cent, calling him out as "a self-described former drug dealer and hustler" and otherwise faux gangsta. In July the rapper, otherwise known as Curtis Jackson, sued the fast food chain for $4 million for trademark infringement after the company wrote an open letter asking the star to find a little loose change and make his name 79 Cent, 89 Cent or 99 Cent for one day in honor of Taco Bell's value menu. In return, the chalupa slingers would send $10,000 to Fiddy's favorite charity. Now the burrito bunch is filing a federal lawsuit of their own, calling the previous suit "another of Jackson's attempts to burnish his gangsta rapper persona by distorting beyond all recognition the bona fide, good faith offer that Taco Bell made." The lawyer for Taco Bell also claims the company's letter falls under the free speech protection outlined in the First Amendment and writes, "Jackson has used his colorful past to cultivate a public image of belligerence and arrogance and has a well-publicized track record of making threats, starting feuds and filing lawsuits." Not surprisingly, Fiddy's attorney is downplaying the action, wondering "why they would decide to use his name in their ad campaign if they think he's such a bad character."

 

MADONNA, GUY GRANTED QUICKIE DIVORCE [E! Online, 11/22/08]

On the off chance she wasn't already, Madonna was just given carte blanche—by the British courts, if not her now ex-hubby—to pursue Alex Rodriguez as blatantly as she wants. Likewise, Guy Ritchie is free to rock 'n' roll with whomever he pleases. London's High Court this morning, November 21 granted the onetime super couple a preliminary decree of divorce. According to a sworn statement released by the court, it was Madonna who filed for the divorce, citing "unreasonable behavior" on Ritchie's part. Neither Madonna nor Ritchie appeared at the morning's ultra-brief—theirs was one of 17 decrees granted in under six minutes—session.

 

MAN CHARGED WITH HITTING "STARGATE" ACTOR [AP, 11/22/08]

Authorities have charged a man with assault for allegedly striking "Stargate Atlantis" actor Jason Momoa in the face with a beer glass, causing wounds that required 140 stitches. Los Angeles County prosecutors on Friday, November 21 announced a felony assault with a deadly weapon charge had been filed against 21-year-old Dominic Bando. He's accused of attacking Momoa at a Hollywood restaurant Nov. 15. Jail records show Bando was arrested and released that day by Los Angeles police. Records do not indicate whether he had an attorney. Prosecutors said in a news release that Momoa required reconstructive surgery to repair his injuries. Momoa plays Ronon Dex on "Stargate Atlantis" and has a daughter with girlfriend Lisa Bonet.

 

ASHLEE SIMPSON GIVES BIRTH TO BABY BOY [Aceshowbiz, 11/22/08]

Following earlier report claiming Ashlee Simpson has been in labor, a new report has just surfaced by the hour that she has given birth to a baby boy. A spokesperson for the family confirms the good news to People, saying mother and infant "are all healthy and happy," adding that Ashlee and her husband Pete Wentz "thank everyone for their well wishes!" Giving more details about Ashlee and Pete's newborn baby, the representative says he is named Bronx Mowgli Wentz. He weighed 7 lbs., 11 oz., and was 20 1/2 inches long at time of birth Thursday night, November 20. Earlier Thursday, In Touch Weekly reported that Ashlee Simpson was in labor at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles. The publication got a confirmation from a family insider who claimed the singer was "in labor." As of press time, there has yet record if Ashlee and her baby boy are still staying at the hospital.

 

BRANDY LIED ABOUT HER MARRIAGE TO MUSIC PRODUCER [Aceshowbiz, 11/21/08]

R 'n' B singer Brandy has admitted in a tell-all interview with US Weekly that her marriage to music producer Robert Smith is fake. She also opens up how she hides the fact about the fatal crash accident she was involved in two years ago that left a 38-year-old woman dead, from her little daughter Sy'rai Iman Smith. In February 2002, Brandy announced she and Robert had married the year before. At almost the same time, she also publicly revealed that she was expecting her first child. In June the same year, she gave birth to daughter Sy'rai and had the event being documented in MTV reality series, called "Brandy: A Special Delivery". However, Brandy then reportedly divorced Robert. In a radio interview in 2003, she claimed her marriage to Robert actually never happened. Opening up about that matter to the newest issue of US Weekly, Brandy explains, "I lied because of the fear of what people would think and the pressure to be a good role model," but "Our relationship was very real, we just weren't legally married." On not telling Sy'rai about the fatal traffic collision, occurring in December 2006, Brandy says, "It was a very tough time, and I still have never talked about it with Sy'rai. I had to be a mother and stay strong for her. I'd cry when she'd go to sleep so she wouldn't see me like that - I had a responsibility to her." Despite all the struggles, Brandy manages to stand still and face her future. She is having her fifth studio album "Human" to hit the U.S. stores on December 9, 2008. And above all, she has a very positive sense about the forthcoming LP, gushing "I think this is my year because I've decided that I'm going to go with the flow in my life. The purpose of my life is music. It's my responsibility to give the fans something they've been waiting for, something they deserve." Brandy's tell-all interview can be read on US Weekly's newest issue, already on newsstands.

 

MADONNA, RITCHIE TO BEGIN DIVORCE IN LONDON [AP, 11/21/08]

A court schedule says Madonna and Guy Ritchie will be granted the first stage of their divorce in London Friday, November 21. London's High Court lists "Ciccone M L v Ritchie G S" as one of 16 cases for "matrimonial and civil partnership causes for pronouncement of decree." A judge will grant the couple a preliminary divorce decree, or decree nisi. After six weeks and a day they likely will be granted a decree absolute and the divorce will become final. It is unusual for the couple to attend court in such cases. The couple announced last month they were divorcing after almost eight years of marriage.

 

BERNIE ECCLESTONE'S WIFE FILES FOR DIVORCE [AFP, 11/21/08]

The wife of Formula One boss Bernie Ecclestone has filed for divorce, her spokeswoman said Thursday, November 20. The announcement that the couple, who have two adult daughters, were to split after 24 years of marriage prompted immediate speculation about the scale of the settlement Slavica Ecclestone might receive. The Ecclestones were listed at number 20 in The Sunday Times newspaper's rich list this year, with their wealth -- mainly derived from motor racing -- valued at 2.4 billion pounds (2.8 billion euros, 3.5 billion dollars). Media reports suggest that the Croatian former model moved out of the family home in Chelsea, an affluent part of west London, the weekend of the Brazilian Grand Prix, when Lewis Hamilton became F1 world champion. Ecclestone, 77, is chief executive of Alpha Prema which owns Formula One. Last year he also took over Championship football club Queens Park Rangers with Renault team boss Flavio Briatore.

 

SEAN STEWART SETTLES CASE OVER FIGHT [AP, 11/21/08]

A case against Rod Stewart's son over a brawl at a Hollywood nightclub has been resolved. Seal Bral, an attorney for the man who sued Sean Stewart in 2007, says the parties reached a settlement after undergoing private mediation. A Los Angeles court dismissed the case on Tuesday, November 18. Daniel Refoua sued Stewart over a fight at a nightclub in 2006 he says left him with a broken nose and other injuries. The case had been scheduled to go to trial in January, although Stewart's attorneys had been seeking a dismissal. An attorney for Stewart did not return a phone message Thursday. Stewart appeared in the A&E show "Sons of Hollywood" and is also one of the patients featured on this season's "Celebrity Rehab with Dr. Drew" on VH1.

 

HUGH JACKMAN CROWNED PEOPLE'S "SEXIEST MAN ALIVE" [AP, 11/21/08]

Hugh Jackman says wife Deborra-Lee Furness teased him after finding out he'd been named People magazine's "Sexiest Man Alive." Recalling Furness' reaction, Jackman says: "God bless her, she said, 'I could've told them that years ago! And then she said, 'Obviously Brad (Pitt) wasn't available this year.' And I said, 'That was a joke, right?'" The magazine's executive editor, Jess Cagle, said Wednesday on NBC's "Today" show that Jackman is a "surprising choice," but he'd been on the editors' minds "for a long time and it seemed like this was the year to do him." Cagle pointed out that not only is Jackman's career at its peak, with the "X-Men" movies and his upcoming epic with Nicole Kidman "Australia," but he's "built like a tank."

 

BECKHAM'S CHILDHOOD HOME ATTRACTS MILLION-POUND BIDS [AFP, 11/20/08]

Buyers have put in offers of one million pounds (1.5 million dollars, 1.2 million euros) for the house where footballer David Beckham lived as a baby, the businessman handling the sale said Wednesday, November 19. The three-bedroomed terraced house in Leytonstone, north-east London, is near a busy dual carriageway and a railway line but has attracted three bids worth four times the 250,000 pounds paid for similar houses in the area. Local businessman Colin Evans said the owners were weighing up the offers, one of which is reported to have come from an unnamed Australian fan of Beckham, and would make a decision later this week. Evans said he discovered the footballer's link with the house while researching a book on famous people from the area. When he told the owners of the news, they checked the facts themselves and found it was true. "They were very moved when they found out and they made me the sole agent for the sale," Evans said. He said Beckham's family lived at the house for two years after he was born on May 2, 1975, before moving to Chingford, also in north-east London. Beckham's spokesman confirmed the family lived there when he was a baby. The England international is due to join AC Milan on loan in January to stay fit during the close season for his Major League club LA Galaxy.

 

NAOMI CAMPBELL TO OPEN RETRO PHOTO SHOW [AP, 11/20/08]

Quick everyone, hide your cell phones. Naomi Campbell is coming to town. Campbell and her posse of famous pals and photographers will descend upon Miami to present a collection of photographs of the supermodel. Organizers from Art Photo Expo Miami say it is rare that top photographers such as Arthur Elgort, Albert Watson and Steven Meisel exhibit their work together. The show — running from Dec. 2-7, 2008 — will feature more than 50 photographs and several illustrations of Campbell, which will be for sale. The show coincides with the international art fair Art Basel Miami, but is not connected to it. The retrospective is part of a larger exhibit called In Fashion Photo, which will display an additional 250 photographs.

 

SINGLE ROBERT PATTINSON SAYS NO ONE WANTS TO DATE HIM [Aceshowbiz, 11/20/08]

Being hounded by many female fans wherever he goes due to the fact that he is the main cast in the hit movie "Twilight", Robert Pattinson however confesses he is still single. Asked by Ellen DeGeneres during a taping for her talk show, "The Ellen DeGeneres Show", if he's single, he says "yeah." Robert goes on telling Ellen that he might be staying single "permanently" as no one wants to date him. "No one else seems to get into a relationship with me. It's really strange," he admits. "People like screaming at me. Actually, they like screaming at me in relationships as well. No one wants to commit." Robert Pattinson's interview with Ellen DeGeneres will be aired this Friday, November 21, the same day his much-awaited big screen flick "Twilight" hits the theaters in the U.S. Meanwhile, by declaring publicly his single status, Robert thus quashes media speculation that he is dating actress Camilla Belle. Rumors on him dating Camilla were provoked by their togetherness at an after party for the Los Angeles premiere of "Twilight" Monday, November 17.

 

INDIAN FILM STAR MN NAMBIAR HAS DIED [BBC, 11/20/08]

Veteran Indian film star MN Nambiar has died at home in the southern city of Madras (Chennai) after a brief illness. Nambiar, who was 89, was frequently cast as a villain during his career which spanned six decades. He made his screen debut in 1935 and went on to act in more than 1,000 films in Tamil, Hindi and several other languages. Nambiar was deeply religious and loved to keep fit. His discipline made him a role model for many Indian actors. Correspondents say he was also free from the scandals and rumours which are common in the Indian film industry.

 

PUBLICIST: WINONA RYDER HOSPITALIZED IN U.K. [AP, 11/20/08]

Winona Ryder was briefly hospitalized after falling ill on a flight to London's Heathrow Airport on Wednesday, November 19, her publicist said. Mara Buxbaum said the 37-year-old actress was taken to a west London hospital "as a precaution" and had been released. "She's fine now," Buxbaum said. She declined to go into details of Ryder's illness. British Airways said a flight from Los Angeles to Heathrow requested priority landing after a female passenger "required medical attention" and was taken to a local hospital for treatment. "Our cabin crew looked after the female passenger as much as they could onboard and our passenger services staff also accompanied her to the local hospital," the statement said. "We wish her well." Ryder, who began her film career as a teenager in 1986, earned back-to-back Oscar nominations in the 1990s for "Little Women" and the "The Age of Innocence." She's also known for youthful roles in films including "Heathers," "Edward Scissorhands" and "Girl, Interrupted." She has mostly stayed out of the headlines after her 2002 conviction for stealing several thousand dollars worth of merchandise from a Saks Fifth Avenue store in Beverly Hills, Calif. Ryder had prescription drugs in her possession when she was arrested — but a drug charge was dropped after a doctor said he had prescribed the medication. A probation report stemming from the shoplifting incident showed that Ryder had dozens of prescriptions filled by 20 doctors over three years.

 

BBC BOSSES IN HOT SEAT OVER LEWD PHONE CALLS [Reuters/Hollywood Reporter, 11/19/08]

BBC bosses came under fire from British politicians Tuesday after admitting "serious editorial lapses" over the Russell Brand affair, in which the bawdy comic broadcast a series of obscene phone calls. BBC Trust chairman Michael Lyons and director general Mark Thompson testified to the Culture Media and Sport select committee that the public broadcaster's editorial standards had failed at a senior level. "There are many aspects of this affair that I would have liked to see handled differently," Lyons told an all-party committee of members of parliament. The row began in October after BBC Radio 2 broadcast a recorded phone calls to actor Andrew Sachs during which Brand and co-presenter Jonathan Ross bragged about Brand's alleged sexual relationship with the granddaughter of the "Fawlty Towers" star. In the aftermath of a furor that drew nearly 50,000 complaints from the public, BBC management suspended TV and radio star Ross for 12 weeks, and both Brand and Radio 2 head Leslie Douglas resigned. Thompson said the BBC has improved its editorial standards. But with the number of BBC outlets across television, radio and the Internet, he admitted: "Sometimes we will get it wrong." "This is a very untypical, utterly unacceptable but genuinely exceptional lapse," Thompson added.

 

SPITZER PROSTITUTE SITS DOWN FOR TV INTERVIEW [AP, 11/19/08]

The prostitute at the center of the salacious scandal that brought down former New York Gov. Eliot Spitzer and generated national headlines is going to dish on her life as a pricey escort. ABC says Ashley Alexandra Dupre sat down with Diane Sawyer on the program "20/20." Dupre reveals how an "upper middle-class, girl next door got into the profession and the psychological journey she continues to experience." Spitzer resigned March 12 after it was disclosed he had used Emperors Club VIP. Dupre worked for the escort service. On Thursday, federal prosecutors said they wouldn't bring criminal charges against Spitzer, marking the end of the saga. Four people pleaded guilty to running the prostitution operation. The show will air Friday at 10 p.m.

 

MILEY CYRUS ORDERED TO DO CHORES TO DEAL WITH STARDOM [Aceshowbiz, 11/19/08]

Being in the same scene with Miley Cyrus on the comedy musical "Hannah Montana: The Movie", Vanessa Williams testified that the young actress-singer has been ordered by her family to do the chores and is given a "master class" in which she's been taught how to deal with stardom. Both are the things that keep Miley grounded, Vanessa told OK! magazine. Vanessa, who has witnessed the daily life of Miley and her family in their farm, praised the Disney star to have the "foundation" to deal with fame that prevents her from public break down. "She grew up in Tennessee on a great farm. They've got horses, she drives all the 4x4s, they make the kids do chores," Vanessa told OK! at the Mayor's Awards ceremony at the Apollo Theater in Harlem. Furthermore, Vanessa revealed that being on the road with her singer father Billy Ray Cyrus has taught Miley one or two lessons in dealing with popularity. "She's lived a relatively normal life, watching her dad on the road, so she knows that aspect, but she also knows work," so Vanessa stated. "That's why she's such a professional." Miley Cyrus and Vanessa Williams' big screen flick, "Hannah Montana: The Movie", is slated to hit the U.S. theaters on April 10, 2009. Billy Ray Cyrus also joined the cast.

 

VICTORIA'S SECRET SHOW, SOIREES ROCK SOUTH BEACH [E! Online, 11/18/08]

Victoria's Secret brought the sexy to South Beach Saturday, November 15 at their annual fashion show, featuring Angels' Heidi Klum, Alessandria Ambrosia, Miranda Kerr, Karolina Kurkova and more supermodels strutting their stuff. While Diddy, Terrence Howard, Paris Hilton, Kim Kardashian, Lenny Kravitz, Martha Stewart and John Stamos all scored front row seats to the show and Usher's performance at the Fontainebleau Resort, Aubrey O'Day was relegated to fifth row status. During the show, models catwalked carefully, as the runway was filled with broken glass. "I already cut my foot once in rehearsal!" Karolina told me backstage before she hit the stage. Luckily, the leggy model worked the runway with no problem during the real thing. And once the sexy show ended, the serious partying began... At the official afterparty at LIV, Diddy, Terrence Howard and the VS models had their own VIP area on the stage, while all other stars in attendance had to settle for tables on the dance floor stocked with bottles of Belvedere. As for the rumor Miranda Kerr is engaged to Orlando Bloom, insiders insist it's not true. The adorable Aussie chatted up Stavros Niarchos with no bling on her ringfinger. Former friends Paris and Kim had tables directly across from each other, and it seems like Kim's got more famous friends these days. While Paris was joined only by her BFF candidates, Kim had her sister Kourteney, Kristin Cavallari, Mario Lopez all hanging out with her. Heidi Klum opted to avoid the packed club, instead heading to Blade with hubby Seal. The lovey dovey duo held hands and sipped champagne as they hung with Usher and Lenny Kravitz. And although A-Rod skipped the VS show, he made a late night appearance at Blade. The Victoria's Secret Fashion Show airs Dec. 3, 2008 on CBS.

 

JACKSON SUED OVER RECORD CONTRACT [BBC, 11/18/08]

Pop star Michael Jackson is facing a £5m legal action for allegedly breaking a recording and entertainment contract with the King of Bahrain's son. Sheikh Abdulla Bin Hamad Bin Isa Al-Khalifa's action is being heard at the High Court in London. The royal became a close friend of Mr. Jackson during his six-month stay in Bahrain three years ago. The dispute comes just days after the singer had to give up his Neverland ranch due to financial problems. The Sheikh claims that proceeds from the recording deal would enable Jackson to pay back loans he gave the star to help him out of financial difficulties. Mr. Jackson has said the payments were gifts and details of a project were never finalized. In 2006, plans were announced for the star to release a new album on a label based in the Gulf state and owned by the Sheikh. During the previous year, a Bahraini official said Mr. Jackson was staying in the country "to relax" shortly after being cleared of child abuse charges in the U.S.

 

PERFUME MAKER SUES PRINCE OVER CONTRACT IN NY [AP, 11/18/08]

A perfume company is claiming Prince and his music publisher failed to honor a contract to help market a fragrance named for the album "3121." The breach-of-contract lawsuit was filed Monday, November 17 by Revelations Perfume and Cosmetics Inc. in New York. The company says it licensed Prince's name, likeness and the album title "3121" to market its fragrance. Revelations says it spent $2.5 million and agreed to pay Universal half of net profits from sales of the perfume. But it claims Universal and Prince haven't participated in various promotions since the fragrance launch in July 2007. Universal spokesman Peter LoFrumento calls the claims "completely without merit." Prince's music studio in Chanhassen, Minn., did not answer several calls.

 

HEATHER LOCKLEAR CHARGED WITH DRIVING OFFENSE [Reuters, 11/18/08]

Prosecutors on Monday, November 17 charged actress Heather Locklear with driving under the influence of prescription drugs. Locklear, 47, was arrested in September in the city of Montecito about 90 miles northwest of Los Angeles when a California Highway Patrol officer found her car parked on a highway and blocking a traffic lane. A toxicology test showed Locklear had prescription medication in her system, but not alcohol or illegal drugs, said Lee Carter, senior deputy district attorney for Santa Barbara County, California. She was charged with a misdemeanor and not a more serious felony count, Carter said. Locklear became a star in the 1980s drama "Dynasty." In the 1990s, she starred in the drama "Melrose Place." Her ex-husband is rock guitarist Richie Sambora of the band Bon Jovi. The actress is expected to be arraigned on January 26, 2009. Her attorney could not immediately be reached for comment.

 

RAPPER WEST CRITICIZES PAPARAZZI [BBC, 11/17/08]

Rapper Kanye West has criticized paparazzi photographers after he was briefly arrested following an incident at a Newcastle nightclub. West was detained early on Friday morning, November 14 following a complaint from freelance photographer Terry Blackburn. But West, who featured on Estelle's number one single American Boy earlier this year, was released without charge. "Right now, the paps are above the law and the people who they shoot are below it," he wrote on his official website.  Mr. Blackburn told BBC 1Xtra on Friday the incident happened outside the Tup Tup Palace club in the city centre. He said: "He had four women around him. As I approached the car which he was getting into, he ran around the back and I ran around the front to try and meet him around the side. "Just as soon as I put my camera up to my face, that was it - he just pushed it in my face." The incident left him with his nose "cut open", Mr. Blackburn claimed. But West said: "When I left the club, I was encountered by a thirsty paparazzi as usual. He felt he had more rights to my space than me, so I put my hand up to prevent him from taking my image. "I didn't assault him, merely putting my hand up to cover his lens. My security yelled, 'Get the camera off him.' "I guess in all the commotion the camera scraped his nose." West was later arrested by officers at his hotel in Gateshead, and taken to a police station. "The cops were very cordial but told me they had to arrest me because a complaint was filed," he said. "That was the bogus part. They still had to go through the motions. "When I got back to the hotel there were paparazzi hanging above the bridge above the hotel trying to get a shot of me getting out of the police van. Even though I wasn't charged, the damage was done." West added: "Let us not forget that the paps killed Princess Diana. When will there be a law passed... that someone has to ask to take a photograph of you? That would seem like common courtesy. "What should be illegal is pictures taken with the intent to sell - like drugs with the intent to sell." "I am not a celebrity," he continued. "I am a normal person that's just famous. I refuse to sneak in and out of back doors and kitchens of hotels." West, whose UK tour ends in Manchester on Monday, was also involved in a scuffle with a photographer at a Los Angeles airport in September.

 

SNOOP DOGG'S UPSCALE COMMUNITY EVACUATED [E! Online, 11/17/08]

Oprah Winfrey and Rob Lowe aren't the only celebs affected by the raging wildfires ripping across Southern California this weekend. Snoop Dogg's family members and staff were among 26,000 residents forced to evacuate their homes on Sunday, November 16 due to an uncontrollable blaze that has already destroyed 150 homes and threatens 3,500 more. The Grammy-winning rapper owns a multimillion-dollar home in The Country Estates, an exclusive, gated hillside community in Diamond Bar, Calif. A reporter for Los Angeles' KNX 1070 radio caught up with members of Snoop's entourage, who said they were on their way to retrieve possessions and memorabilia from his house. The rapper was not home at the time of the evacuation. As part of the "Triangle Complex" fire, the inferno has already scorched 10,000 acres and spans four counties: Orange, Los Angeles, San Bernardino and Riverside.

 

JOAN CUSACK LINED UP FOR TWO NEW TV PROJECTS [Reuters/Hollywood Reporter, 11/17/08]

Joan Cusack has lined up two TV projects, developing a comedy at NBC set in the world of psychiatry and starring opposite Mae Whitman in the Lifetime original movie "Acceptance." The NBC project is based on an idea by the actress, whose recent roles include "Friends with Money" and "Kit Kittredge: An American Girl." Plot details were not disclosed. "Acceptance," based on the novel by Susan Coll, centers on an overachieving high school student (Whitman) dealing with the stress of her senior year and applying to college. Complicating things is the fact that her parents are splitting up, and her mother (Cusack) is focused on getting her daughter into a top school so she's better able to find a husband. Cusack next appears in the films "My Sister's Keeper" and "Confessions of a Shopaholic." Whitman most recently was in "Nights in Rodanthe" and next appears opposite Cusack's brother, John, in "The Factory."

 

O.C. ACTRESS ENGAGED [E! Online, 11/17/08]

There's going to be a fall wedding for Autumn Reeser. The former O.C. actress is engaged to writer/director Jesse Warren, according to Usmagazine.com. Reeser, 28, and Warren, 30, met as students at UCLA. When asked when they'll wed, she said, "It'll be fall for sure. I'm thinking probably San Diego so far, that's where I'm from." Reeser was last seen in the now defunct CW series Valentine.

 

"TODAY" SHOW ANN CURRY STRUGGLING AT KILIMANJARO [AP, 11/16/08]

Climbing Africa's Mount Kilimanjaro is no weekend hike, and the "Today" show's Ann Curry was feeling it on Saturday, November 15. The NBC reporter was sent on assignment for the popular morning show's "Ends of the Earth" feature, which begins Monday, November 17. The program's four chief personalities will embark on lengthy road trips to illustrate environmental stories. "Today" is sending Meredith Vieira to Australia to report on drought and Al Roker to geologically active Iceland. Matt Lauer, who already globe-trotted this spring for the "Where in the World is Matt Lauer" segment, will be exploring the natural beauty of Belize.

 

DEBBIE MATENOPOULOS "DEEPLY SADDENED" BY DIVORCE [AP, 11/16/08]

Not every story can be a good one. Debbie Matenopoulos, host of E!'s Daily 10, has separated from her husband of five years, music exec Jay Faires. Faires filed for divorce Wednesday, November 12 in Los Angeles Superior Court, citing irreconcilable differences as the reason and requesting that the court not award his future ex-wife any spousal support. The petition states that the duo, who tied the knot in July 2003, split up in March. They have no children. "I am deeply saddened by the dissolution of my seven-year relationship with my husband, a man I truly believed I would be with forever," Matenopoulos said in a statement to E! News. "Although my public persona may seem unconventional at times, I do not take marriage and family lightly, and I am quite traditional."

 

MONK TO CLEAN UP FOR ONE LAST SEASON [E! Online, 11/16/08]

After six years of getting his hands dirty and then vigilantly scrubbing them clean, Monk is gearing up—probably pretty carefully—for his last case. USA announced Friday, November 14 that it has picked up its Emmy-winning detective series Monk for an eighth and final season that will air next summer. The "Characters Welcome" network has ordered up 16 episodes, and E! News is hearing that the finale will clue Monk in on who killed his dearly departed wife, Trudy, the tragedy that turned him into the OCD-addled mystery-solver who cable audiences have come to love. "We want to build to a spectacular conclusion for this wonderful show," said Jeff Wachtel, executive VP of original programming for USA Network. "By many measures, Monk is the most successful series in the history of basic cable television—and it was certainly the original tentpole of our 'Character' brand. Our fans have been extremely dedicated and season eight should prove to be a very satisfying reward." Monk, which marked its 100th episode last month, averaged 5 million viewers per episode in 2008, so the series definitely isn't being put out to pasture on a downswing. On whether playing such a neurotic, tic-ridden character has rubbed off on him over the years, three-time Emmy winner Tony Shalhoub told USA Weekend in June: "I think I had low levels of those kinds of quirks, as a lot of people really do, but it's definitely grown over time. I'm not really the kind of actor who brings my work home with me so much, normally, but I sort of feel infected by this character in a way. I think about things that I normally wouldn't otherwise."

 

ANIMAL RIGHTS GROUP THROWS FLOUR ON FUR-CLAD LOHAN [AP, 11/16/08]

U.S. actress Lindsay Lohan has been pelted with a flour bomb on arrival at a Paris nightclub wearing a fur stole. Animal rights activists showered the 22-year-old actress with flour when she went to the VIP Room Theater in the early hours of Saturday,November 15 with her friend, disc jockey Samantha Ronson. The owner of the nightclub helped Lohan dust off her blue sequined dress and black stole before she posed on the red carpet. Ronson went on to spin tracks for a crowd that included reggae rapper Shaggy and "I Kissed a Girl" singer Katy Perry.

 

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