CELEBRITY HIP_NEWS ARCHIVE [page 1]

 

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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