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| March 10, 2007 |
| Eminem May Eat Show Cancellation Decision |
Eminem has been forced to answer for actions taken nearly two long years ago, when the Detroit-raised rapper failed to appear for a show in Ireland back in September of 2005.
Superstar Eminem canceled the Slane Castle event just weeks before it happened, forcing the Irish show promoter to get stuck with the bill. “Show organizer MCD was forced to refund more than 80,000 tickets. The concert date was never made up. MCD’s three London-based insurers failed to cover the promoter’s costs. MCD sued the insurers for breach of contract, seeking up $2 million to recover the costs of the cancellation.”
“Justice Peter Kelly, who is overseeing the case, wrote to the U.S. District Court of Eastern Michigan in Detroit, asking that Eminem, whose real name is Marshall Mathers III, tell his side to a judge in his hometown,” E! News reported. His testimony would then be read into the court record in Dublin.
Of course, there has been an appeal by Eminem to keep his medical records out of the public eye, but that decision remains open-ended. It is now up to Irish courts as to what the final verdict will be and who will ultimately pay the financial burden. |
posted by viraks @ 8:05:00 AM  |
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| Madonna: Nanny Memoirs and Unsafe Parenting |
Madonna is in the media’s eye again as two events catch America’s attention. Her former nanny is trying to tell all, as she searches for a publishing house to listen. Also, Madonna and Guy Ritchie have been accused of not properly securing their 17 month old child in their SUV. It seems as if there is only bad news for Madonna this month.
The celebrity couple and their children were leaving their temple, when an onlooker observed that David hadn’t been correctly restrained in his seat.
A witness told a tabloid publication “There was no car seat. Madonna sat in the middle row, and they left with David on her lap.” The very next day, Madonna performed a similar stunt, this time with young Rocco not safely restrained.
These brief glimpses into Madonna’s life seem to only be the beginning of what is to come. There are plenty of publishing houses who are dying to get the rights to her nanny’s memoirs. The 80 page preview will give a further taste as she will “provide a laundry list of alleged details pertaining to Madonna’s marriage to Ritchie, their children’s behavior, the family’s participation in Kabbalah, and the motivation behind Madonna’s decision to adopt a boy from Malawi.”
Undoubtedly there will be further information on Madonna and her family. The Gossip Girls will continue to bring you Madonna’s entertaining saga. |
| posted by viraks @ 8:01:00 AM |
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| Mark Ruffalo, Wife Expecting Third Child |
Zodiac star Mark Ruffalo and his wife, Sunrise Coigney, are expecting their third child, a representative confirms to PEOPLE.
When his new movie premiered in Hollywood March 1, the actor, 39, told PEOPLE that he longed for another child to fill out his brood, which already includes son Keen, 5, and daughter Bella, 1.
"I wouldn't be surprised if that doesn't happen real soon," he said. "We're seriously in heaven with the kids."
Columnist Liz Smith was the first to report the pregnancy. Asked about the best thing part of fatherhood, Ruffalo said, "It's all the sweet, gentle things that they bring to your life – and their innocence."
Ruffalo, 39, and Coigney, 34, owner of the L.A. boutique Kaviar and Kind, wed in 2000. The actor struggled for years to break into show business, working L.A. restaurants and taking bit parts before earning a lead role in 2000's You Can Count on Me.
He is currently in Europe shooting The Brothers Bloom with Adrien Brody and Rachel Weisz. |
| posted by viraks @ 7:59:00 AM |
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| Eva Wants Kenny Chesney to Sing at Wedding |
As her July 7 wedding to Tony Parker draws nearer, Eva Longoria has a surprise to spring on the event's entertainer.
"My friend Kenny [Chesney] is going to sing at my wedding, the Desperate Housewives star tells Cosmopolitan for its April issue. Except there's one snag: "He just doesn't know it yet," Longoria admits.
As for what is already planned, Longoria, 31, looks forward to having a family, though when it will start may still be open to discussion.
"I never had a timeline for my life. I didn't say I wanted to be married at 28 and have three kids by the time I was 32," she says. "I do want to have a family at some point. I also want to adopt. I don't feel pressure to have kids because I know there are so many out there."
Asked what excites her most about the wedding to come, Longoria exclaims, "My dress, my dress, my dress! I wish I could wear 10 dresses to my wedding. It's so sad that you put it in storage and then never see it again."
She has a remedy for that, though: "I am going to sleep in mine after I wear it."
Longoria is far more serious when discussing how she and San Antonio Spurs point guard Parker deal with conflict. "We never go to bed angry, which sometimes frustrates Tony because he'll be like 'Please. I have a game tomorrow. I need sleep,' " she says. |
| posted by viraks @ 7:52:00 AM |
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| Naomi Campbell 'Happy' to Mop Floors |
One thing Naomi Campbell's not angry about: doing the dirty work.
Set to begin mopping floors for five days at New York's Sanitation Department on March 19 as her court-determined community service for throwing her mobile phone at her housekeeper, the supermodel – who has had previously acknowledged issues with her temper – tells PEOPLE, "I'm happy to do it."
Says Campbell: "I never spoke about what I wouldn't do, and what I would do – I'm just doing what I'm told to do and that's it."
And once it's over, Campbell promises, "I'll get on with my life, and it's over."
Exhibiting a kindler, gentler nature all around, Campbell, 36, also says that after the fall fashion shows in New York she intends to clean out her closets, sell her clothes and then donate the money to charity.
"I have so much storage full of clothes – it's a waste. I could be helping, benefiting – and that's what I want to do," Campbell said as she had her hair done before the Fashion Week Live show in Houston. "I need to clean out – it's also cleansing for me."
The past few weeks, Campbell says she was in Los Angeles hashing out TV-show ideas. Rather than a reality show that would expose her life, the way Newlyweds did for Jessica Simpson and Nick Lachey, Campbell would prefer to do something more like American Idol, where she could help change people's lives.
"I don't want to put my life out there for no reason, I want someone to get some sort of job," she says. |
| posted by viraks @ 7:48:00 AM |
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| Salma Hayek: Engaged and Pregnant! |
Double the good news for Salma Hayek: The actress is engaged to businessman boyfriend François-Henri Pinault – and she's pregnant.
"Businessman, François-Henri Pinault, and his fiancée, Salma Hayek, are happy to announce they are expecting the arrival of their first child," Hayek's rep confirmed in a statement Friday.
The news, first reported by New York Daily News columnist Ben Widdicombe (via gossip site Perez Hilton), comes just days after a photo of Hayek made the Web rounds prompting speculation that she was expecting.
The pair have kept a relatively low profile since their relationship began – though Hayek, 40, has joined Pinault for occasional public events, including one in April at the festivities surrounding the inauguration of the Pinault Foundation's Modern Art collection in Venice's Gritti Palace.
Pinault, 44, is the CEO of luxury goods firm PPR, which owns Gucci and Yves Saint Laurent, as well as a French department store and national music chain. His father, François, is an avid art collector owning more than 2,500 valuable pieces, including Picassos, Miros and work by contemporary artitsts including Damien Hirst. Familiar on both European and American fashion and art circuits, the family fortune is estimated in excess of $7 billion.
Pinault, who was once linked to Nicole Kidman, was previously married and has two children.
Hayek has most recently had her hands full on Ugly Betty, both as a guest star and as the executive producer of hit ABC show. Hayek previously dated actor Edward Norton for four years until 2003, before linking up with Josh Lucas, with whom she split in 2004. |
| posted by viraks @ 7:42:00 AM |
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| N.J. town changes decision on 'Sopranos' filming |
Tony Soprano is welcome in the North Jersey town of Bloomfield.
Earlier this week, the town's mayor and council had denied a permit to film the series' final scene, saying they found the HBO mob drama a disparaging portrait of Italian-Americans. (HBO, like CNN, is a unit of Time Warner.)
Township attorney Brian Aloia has decided, however, that the town clerk is required to issue a filming permit and the council doesn't have a say unless the permit requires a waiver. A waiver wasn't needed for "The Sopranos" shoot because producers would be filming in a commercial area instead of a residential one after 8 p.m., he said.
HBO was to shoot the scene at an ice cream shop in Bloomfield. The town borders Newark, where fictional mob boss Tony Soprano grew up.
Aloia said the clerk must issue a permit after determining that a shoot fulfills certain legal requirements, such as having adequate insurance.
"She must look at the application in an objective manner," he said. "She cannot consider, for instance, what's being filmed or in this case if she likes the show or doesn't like the show."
Permits were approved last week. But after complaints, the council voted again on Monday and rejected them. |
| posted by viraks @ 7:41:00 AM |
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| Snoop, Diddy launch hip-hop peace tour |
U.S. rap stars Sean "Diddy" Combs and Snoop Dogg, who were bitter rivals in a notorious feud between East and West Coast hip-hop in the 1990s, said on Friday they had buried the hatchet once and for all.
At a news conference in Helsinki to launch a joint European tour, they said they had "moved on" from the days when members of the two music scenes clashed rather than collaborated.
"That was a time in history," Combs told reporters ahead of the tour's opening concert. Snoop Dogg's Web site lists 22 gigs, ending in Nottingham, England, on April 2.
"We want to entertain, we want to make music, we want to make people feel good," said Combs, 37. "We ain't no gangsters. We are men first, we are fathers.
"Everybody has a past; everybody grows up, matures and moves on. And right now our mission is to make people dance and feel good."
During the 1990s feud, Combs represented the east, as head of the New York-based Bad Boy Entertainment, while Snoop Dogg was the top act for rival Death Row Records in Los Angeles, California.
The battle was fought largely through public pronouncements and antagonistic lyrics, but it did occasionally spill into violence. |
| posted by viraks @ 7:40:00 AM |
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| Boston lead singer found dead in his home |
Brad Delp, the lead singer of the 1970s and '80s rock band Boston was found dead at his home in southern New Hampshire on Friday, local police said.
Delp, 55, apparently was home alone and there was no indication of foul play, Atkinson, New Hampshire, police said.
With Delp's big, high-register voice, Boston scored hits with "More Than a Feeling," "Long Time," and "Peace of Mind."
The band's popularity peaked in the late 1970s, but it remained active off and on, producing its last album "Corporate America" in 2002.
Delp was born in Boston, Massachusetts, and bought his first guitar at age 13 after seeing the Beatles on the Ed Sullivan Show, according to his Web site. Since 1994, he spent his spare time working in a tribute band called Beatle Juice, the band's Web site said.
The band's Web site carried a statement, "We've just lost the nicest guy in rock and roll." |
| posted by viraks @ 7:38:00 AM |
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| '300' far from perfect |
The fanboys are raring for this one. As of Wednesday, two days before "300" opened, the Internet Movie Database gave director Zack Snyder's historical epic a user rating of 8.6 out of 10, based on more than 7,000 votes. The breakdown reveals that 6,000 of the voters are males under the age of 29, and that more than 80 percent rated the film a perfect 10. (The figures weren't much changed as of Friday.)
All this excitement for a historical epic set in ancient Greece, starring such actors as Gerard Butler, Dominic West and David Wenham. What gives?
Seven years ago, "Gladiator" used CGI to paint in crowds and armies and even resurrect actor Oliver Reed after he died during the shoot. But "Gladiator" looks like an artifact from a bygone age beside "300," based on a Frank Miller's graphic novel about the Battle of Thermopylae in 480 B.C.
Ridley Scott dragged his crew to Italy, Malta, Morocco and Britain. Snyder recreated ancient Sparta and famed Thermoplyae -- where 300 Spartans held off an invasion force of more than 100,000 -- without leaving his virtual studio in Montreal. Photo-realism is dead, or at least on its way out.
"300" morphs between live actors and a graphic animated world that is both cheaper and more malleable than the usual movie sets. Instead of the traditional cast of thousands, the credits list more than 200 visual effects artists. Along with "Sin City," the previous adaptation of a Miller work, "300" etches out the horizons of a new cinematic landscape.
So one can see why there would be such enthusiasm for the project. But, having actually seen the flick in question -- unlike, perhaps, a number of its eager IMDb supporters -- I'm afraid I cannot share their enthusiasm, though I suspect it delivers exactly what they think it does: blood and thunder.
Really stylized blood and thunder, too. Thermopylae doesn't look remotely like Greece; it looks more like the inside of a computer game.
Reproducing Lynn Varley's double-page panels as if the comic book were their storyboard, Snyder and cinematographer Larry Fong bleed detail and color from the grainy, sepia visuals, save for the Spartans' swishing crimson cloaks, the bronze of their round shields and rippling torsos.
Perhaps it's this remove from reality that allows the filmmakers to revel in an orgy of violence with impunity. The battle, which dominates the movie, is a nonstop slaughterhouse with the ferocious Spartans lopping and chopping their way through their innumerable foes (including rampaging rhinos and elephants, scuttled off the cliffs to their doom). |
| posted by viraks @ 7:28:00 AM |
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| Wedding bells for pregnant Hayek |
Actress and producer Salma Hayek is engaged and expecting her first baby, her spokeswoman has said.
The 40-year-old is set to wed businessman Francois-Henri Pinault but no other details were given. It is not known when the baby is due.
Hayek is currently enjoying success as an executive producer on hit comedy drama Ugly Betty. She also stars in the show as magazine editor Sofia Reyes. Hayek was nominated for an Oscar for biopic Frida in 2002.
Her other films include After the Sunset and Spy Kids 3-D: Game Over. Hayek began her career acting in Mexican TV soaps before moving to Hollywood in 1991. Her first break came opposite Antonio Banderas in the 1995 film Desperado.
Hayek's fiance is the chairman and chief executive of luxury goods company PPR, which owns designer labels including Gucci, Yves Saint Laurent, Stella McCartney and Balenciaga. |
| posted by viraks @ 7:27:00 AM |
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| Dancing on Ice gets green light |
ITV's Dancing on Ice is going ahead on Saturday as planned, after auditors found the show's telephone voting procedures were fair. The investigation followed a decision made by ITV to suspend all its premium rate votes and phone-ins.
It came after claims that shows which used such lines were conning viewers.
"Viewers will be able to vote as normal for their favourite celebrities in Saturday's semi-final," said ITV director of television Simon Shaps. Premium-rate phone line regulator Icstis is investigating other programmes, and has recently met broadcasters about claims that callers did not get a fair chance of winning.
It has already announced that firms which provide premium rate phone-in services will need to be licensed in future.
Brainteaser audit Five has suspended various quiz shows that use premium rate services after an audit showed winners had been faked on its daily Brainteaser show.
On one occasion a member of the production crew went on air posing as a "winning contestant".
Separate investigations are also being held into Channel 4's Richard and Judy and ITV1's Saturday Night Takeaway. The BBC's Saturday Kitchen is also being examined after viewers were asked to phone in to appear on the following week's programme, despite it being filmed just minutes after the live show. |
| posted by viraks @ 7:25:00 AM |
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| Life on Mars car up for auction |
The brown Ford Cortina featured in hit BBC police drama Life on Mars is up for auction on eBay in aid of Comic Relief.
Bidding has reached £8,100 so far. The auction ends on Wednesday.
The 1974 model stars in the time-travel series which tells the story of a modern-day policeman who finds himself transported to the 1970s. The car is described as having "one or two battle scars" from police chases. Other Ford Cortinas on eBay currently have bids of between £500 and £5,000.
It has a "superb tan interior" and comes with a road-worthy N-registered number plate from the era.
Timewarp The car has been converted to take unleaded petrol. The second series of Life on Mars, which is currently on air, is also the last. Viewers will find out how John Simm's character, Detective Inspector Sam Tyler, became stuck in the past.
Producers have promised a "natural and explosive climax", but have filmed two separate endings "to keep everyone guessing".
The first series of Life on Mars was broadcast last year. It was a hit with critics and audiences alike, and won an international Emmy award for best drama series. |
| posted by viraks @ 7:23:00 AM |
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| No charges over Big Brother row |
No criminal charges will be brought in connection with the Big Brother racism row, Hertfordshire Police has said.
The Crown Prosecution Service has decided that what occurred was "clearly offensive" but "not criminal".
The inquiry centred on a series of clashes between Shilpa Shetty and three other housemates - Jade Goody, Jo O'Meara and Danielle Lloyd. The row sparked a diplomatic incident following the treatment of Shetty, who went on to win the Channel 4 show.
The police force said programme-makers Endemol and Channel 4 had "declined to co-operate" with their requests for unedited footage from the programme. But the constabulary decided it was not in the public interest to make arrests or pursue footage through the courts.
'Further footage'
A Channel 4 spokesman said: "In response to Herfordshire Police's statement issued today, Channel 4 was in an ongoing dialogue with the police and provided them with access to many hours of broadcast programmes.
"A substantial amount of further footage was requested and our policy, consistent with that of all broadcasters, is to require the police to obtain a court order before such material is handed over," he added.
The police said they wanted to speak to six of the former housemates but Goody and her mother, Jackiey Budden, who also appeared in the show, declined.
One of those who was interviewed was model Danielle Lloyd, who asked to meet the police herself.
"During the interviews, everybody stated that they had not witnessed or perceived they were a victim of any racist behaviour," the police statement said. |
| posted by viraks @ 7:20:00 AM |
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| Comedian Vine out of Fame Academy |
Stand-up comedian Tim Vine is the latest contestant to be voted out of the BBC's Celebrity Fame Academy.
He had to battle it out with Mel Giedroyc to get through to the next round but failed to win the backing of his fellow singing students.
There are now 10 stars left in the contest, with the winner to be chosen on Comic Relief night on 16 March.
All proceeds from the competition go towards supporting projects in Africa and across the UK. |
| posted by viraks @ 7:19:00 AM |
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| Drug centre suing Courtney Love |
Rock singer Courtney Love is being sued by a Californian drug rehabilitation centre over an alleged unpaid bill of $181,000 (£93,705).
The Beau Monde centre says it has repeatedly asked for the bill to be settled since Ms Love's stay in 2005. The 42-year-old was ordered into a drug treatment programme by a court for probation violations.
Her lawyer said he expected the legal action "will be resolved to the satisfaction of all parties shortly".
The action, filed at Orange County Superior Court, alleges Ms Love paid $10,000 (£5,177) up front to the Beau Monde before entering the facility but failed to pay the remaining fees.
"Although demanded multiple times by plaintiff, orally and in writing, none of the balance stated has been paid," it says.
Ms Love, the widow of rock star Kurt Cobain, was sentenced to 180 days drug treatment for violating probation in three separate cases, including assault and battery and illegal possession of painkillers. Her treatment was deemed a success by a judge, who cut the length of her probation period. |
| posted by viraks @ 7:06:00 AM |
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| March 9, 2007 |
| TomKat Out Shopping For Baby Boy Nursery |
Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes have been out shopping, looking at nurseries for baby boys. This move has obviously sparked rumors that they may be expanding their family.
The couple, known as ‘TomKat,’ were seen at Hollywood’s Petit Tresor, which is an exclusive shop that’s popular with celebrity parents. While at the store, Tom and Katie asked to look at themes for a boy’s nursery, and reportedly were interested in the sports, nursery rhyme, cartoon and blue themes.
A source told TMZ: “I overheard Tom and Katie saying, ‘We want to be prepared for a baby boy.’ ”
The estimated cost of the eggshell blue-themed baby nursery is $45,000. It includes a custom-made blue and white antique crib, blue bedding and blue walls with floating clouds, according to TMZ.
Not finding anything right away, it was reported that TomKat asked shop assistants to come up with a series of design ideas for them… with a deadline of April 15. |
| posted by viraks @ 6:11:00 AM |
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| Gisele Bundchen and Tom Brady: Baby On The Way? |
Gisele Bundchen is rumored be pregnant. More interestingly, if found to be true, it would be boyfriend Tom Brady’s second baby announcement, by the second woman, in three weeks!
The word is, Gisele might be over two months pregnant, according to reports on a popular Brazilian celebrity website. The site’s claim was picked up and reported by ESPN sports television, so it may just have some truth to it.
Meanwhile, the Brazilian supermodel’s representative is yet to comment.
Budchen, who previously dated Leonardo DiCaprio, has been dating the New England football star Tom Brady since just before Christmas. The pair made their first public appearance in New York in January and were seen enjoying a trip to Paris last month, according to Life Style Extra.
As mentioned earlier, these claims come only three weeks after Tom’s actress ex-girlfriend Bridget Moynahan revealed that she is pregnant with his baby. The two dated for three years before parting ways in December.
Gisele recently spoke of beginning a family, but had said that she was in no hurry.
Bundchen said: “I’d be lying if I said I didn’t want a family. My parents have been married for 35 years and have six children. The thing is, I’m just 26-years-old, so I have plenty of time.” |
| posted by viraks @ 6:08:00 AM |
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| Johnny Depp’s Ailing Daughter “Much Better” |
According to British news sources, Johnny Depp’s 7-year-old daughter has reportedly been receiving treatment in a British hospital.
Britain’s Daily Mirror newspaper has reported that “Lily-Rose, the daughter of Depp and French singer Vanessa Paradis, was admitted to a hospital nine days ago and was in a serious condition.” The location of the hospital and what exactly is wrong with Lily-Rose is said to be known by the newspaper, but is not being revealed to preserve the family’s privacy.
A hospital source told the NY Post, “"He has not asked for any special favors but just wants the best for his child, like any parent. It is such a difficult time for him but he is hanging in there for the sake of his daughter, and the whole family is just praying that she gets better. They are taking each day as it comes. It’s been an emotional rollercoaster for all of them and he’s been worrying himself silly. He’s a devoted dad and is spending as much time as he can with Lily.”
With great pleasure, we would also like to report that just hours ago, things have turned brighter.
“We are happy to report that their daughter is doing much better,” Depp’s publicist, Robin Baum, told reporters. “The family greatly appreciates the continued support and respect of their privacy” Baum continued.
Depp, 43, is in Britain to film “Sweeney Todd,” director Tim Burton’s musical about the legendary “demon barber of Fleet Street.” The film also stars Sacha Baron Cohen (aka Borat) |
| posted by viraks @ 6:03:00 AM |
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| Scarlett Johansson: “I Look Like A Boy” |
Scarlett Johansson is widely considered to be one of Hollywood’s most desirable women. With that being the case, it is interesting to hear that she is paranoid she has a boy’s face on a woman’s body.
The 22-year-old actress said in a recent interview with Parade magazine: “I think I look kind of like a boy. I mean, not my body, obviously.” Despite her own concerns, Scarlett is happy to have people lust after her.
She said: “It’s a nice compliment, I guess. It’s funny, because for a male actor the idea of being sexy can be very daunting. A lot of young male actors want to be chameleons and play all different kinds of characters. For a woman, I think it’s always a compliment to have people think you’re attractive.”
Scarlett also spoke of how she goes about keeping a social life with her high profile status.
She said: “Of course, I go out with my friends a lot, and we always have a good time. I’m 22, and we dance and have fun. I don’t feel paranoid about that. But I just lay low… and sometimes you get caught, and there’s nothing you can do about it.”
Don’t take this to mean that Scarlett is a wild partier. The actress actually seems to have her head squarely on her shoulders.
Scarlett told Parade: “I’m very responsible when I’m working. I’ve just been doing it for a long time and I’m not the kind of person who is going to show up to work three hours late, or maybe not come at all.
“That’s just not who I am. That just has to do with the fact that I understand that everybody else comes to work and we would all like to get an extra four hours of sleep, but what can you do?” |
| posted by viraks @ 5:56:00 AM |
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| Timbaland and Timberlake To Help Spears? |
The ultimate beat-crafter, Timbaland, who has produced hits for Justin Timberlake amongst others, is dying help the troubled Britney Spears get it together again.
“I feel her pain; it really bothers me,” the 34-year-old rapper-producer told Entertainment Weekly. “I’m the type of person who tries to save the world. I just want to take her away, go overseas and work it out.”
Timbaland mentioned that he invited Timberlake, his “best friend” and Spears’ ex-boyfriend, to be part of the plan to help Britney.
“I asked Justin, `How would you feel about me working with Britney?’ I had to ask him that,” Timbaland is quoted as saying. “I said, `Would you do it with me?“‘
According to Timbaland, Justin agreed.
“I just want to hold her hand,” he says. “I need Justin to talk to her. Help her, please!”
Now this might just work… but how would Federline feel about the situation. After all, as long as he cares for Britney, people have been viewing him in a different light. We get the feeling that he likes this newfound praise! |
| posted by viraks @ 5:51:00 AM |
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| Kate Walsh Says She's a 'Late Bloomer' in Love |
As her 40th birthday approaches in October, Grey's Anatomy's Kate Walsh says she is only now ready to get her love life in order.
"I'm a bit of a later bloomer," the actress, who plays Dr. Addison Montgomery-Shepherd on the ABC hit, tells Best Life in its April issue. "I need to do with relationships what I've done with work."
The San Jose, Calif., native admits she's made some bad choices before. "In the past, I've been work, work, work – and then I'm done and 'cause I'm tired and desperate, I'm like ... YOU!" she says, as though reaching for the nearest male body.
In retrospect, she says she just wasn't ready for the ups and downs of a serious commitment. "I realize it's a juvenile fear, but I haven't wanted to be in a relationship where I'm doing a downward dog and some guy is just like, 'I hate you. I hate it when you do whatever that thing is that you do that I hate.' "
She'd better get used to it: Her work schedule won't slow down if the proposed Grey's spinoff starring her character is picked up by ABC (the network is planning to test out the show with a special two-hour episode of Grey's).
But when Walsh does find her real-life McDreamy, he doesn't need to be as hunky as her onscreen love interests. "I don't need someone with a hot body," she says. "He can be fat or overweight and have a belly. It's very much about style and substance and humor, interest, curiosity and really being smart."
But it doesn't help that with her new maturity has come a demanding job playing primetime's most notorious maneater. "Here I am working 13-, sometimes 16-hour days, and trying to date and it's so new to me to date more than one person at a time. Sometimes I feel like, What am I doing? Am I becoming my character, or is my character becoming me?" |
| posted by viraks @ 5:46:00 AM |
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| Kate Winslet Wins Libel Damages over Diet Claims |
Kate Winslet has won undisclosed libel damages from a magazine that accused her of using a diet doctor.
Britain's glossy Grazia magazine printed allegations in early February saying the five-time Oscar nominee had approached a doctor for help with her weight, despite the fact that she has previously said she will not bow to Hollywood pressure to be skinny.
"I am delighted that this matter has been resolved, and the record set straight," Winslet said in a statement after Friday's win. "I am not a hypocrite. I have always been, and shall continue to be, honest when it comes to body/weight issues."
London legal reps for the mother-of-two Winslet launched libel proceedings against the magazine and on Friday won an apology, along with damages and legal costs.
In the article, headlined "Kate's mystery visits to diet doctor," Dr Yi Pan discussed treatments he offered celebrities at his Chinese Healing Insitute in California. Winslet, it was revealed in court, did receive treatment from Dr Pan, but for a neck injury and not for weight loss.
"[Grazia] stated [in the article]... that Kate had approached a doctor for help with her weight despite the fact that she has previously said that she will not bow to Hollywood pressure of being skinny," her attorney, Rachel Atkins, from law firm Schillings told the court Friday. "The article suggested she had lied to the public."
Approached by PEOPLE, reps for Grazia declined to comment on the decision, nor did they reveal the extent of damages and legal costs they must pay. Winslet has announced that the damages she receives will go to help people with eating disorders.
"Grazia magazine has apologized to me in full, and admitted that their story was incorrect, which gives me tremendous peace of mind," Winslet added in her statement. "I feel very strongly that 'curves' are natural, womanly and real."
"I shall continue to hope that women are able to believe in themselves for who they are inside, and not feel under such incredible pressure to be unnaturally thin," she said. "I am donating the 'damages' given to me by Grazia, to an eating disorder charity." |
| posted by viraks @ 5:34:00 AM |
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| Depp's ailing child 'much better' |
LONDON, England (AP) -- Johnny Depp's 7-year-old daughter, who has reportedly been receiving treatment in a British hospital, is "much better," the star's publicist said Thursday.
Britain's Daily Mirror newspaper reported that Lily-Rose, daughter of Depp and French singer Vanessa Paradis, was admitted to a hospital nine days ago and was in a serious condition. The newspaper said Thursday it knew the location of the hospital and the nature of the child's ailment, but wasn't revealing details to preserve the family's privacy.
"We are happy to report that their daughter is doing much better," said Depp's publicist, Robin Baum. "The family greatly appreciates the continued support and respect of their privacy."
Depp, 43, is in Britain to film "Sweeney Todd," director Tim Burton's musical about the legendary "demon barber of Fleet Street." |
| posted by viraks @ 5:31:00 AM |
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| 'American Idol' down to its final 12 |
NEW YORK (AP) -- "American Idol" slimmed down the competition Thursday night, leaving 12 finalists to compete for the ultimate prize -- a record contract.
Antonella Barba, Sabrina Sloan, Jared Cotter and Jason "Sundance" Head were cast off by the viewer voting, which drew about 37 million calls and text messages.
The performers who made the cut were Blake Lewis, LaKisha Jones, Chris Sligh, Jordin Sparks, Phil Stacey, Melinda Doolittle, Brandon Rogers, Gina Glocksen, Chris Richardson, Stephanie Edwards, Haley Scarnato and Sanjaya Malakar.
The show's tense final moments belonged to Malakar and Head, who were waiting to find out who would take the competition's 12th spot -- and who would go home. Judge Paula Abdul was stunned to hear that Malakar, who is not exactly a judge favorite, was staying.
"I'm speechless," Abdul said. "This is a singing competition, and Sundance, you've been one of our finest."
How'd this happen? "The volume was turned down," quipped Simon Cowell, who has criticized Malakar, 17, of Federal Way, Washington, for his "weird" stage presence.
"Somebody give me a job," the 28-year-old Head, from Porter, Texas, said before leaving the stage. "I need a job."
The elimination of the talented Sloan, 27, from Los Angeles, was another letdown for the judges. "Sabrina should be in that top 12, dawg," lamented Randy Jackson, who said "America got that one wrong."
None of the judges was complaining when Barba, the focus of recent attention over some racy Internet photos, was shown the door. Each week, Cowell could be counted on to tell the 20-year-old Jersey girl that she wasn't good enough to be in the talent contest. |
| posted by viraks @ 5:09:00 AM |
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| US actor charged over death crash |
Former Prison Break star Lane Garrison has been charged with manslaughter and drunken driving after his car crashed, killing a 17-year-old passenger.
Mr Garrison's Land Rover hit a kerb before crashing into a tree in Los Angeles on 2 December last year. The crash killed Vahagn Setian, 17, and injured two 15-year-old girls who were also in the car.
Mr Garrison, 26, was freed on bail. He is due to appear at Beverly Hills Superior Court on 11 April.
'Sense of responsibility' The actor is charged with four offences - manslaughter while intoxicated, driving under the influence causing injury to multiple victims, driving with a blood-alcohol level above the legal limit causing injury, and giving alcohol to a minor.
The judge has banned Mr Garrison from driving, drinking alcohol and going to bars. He is also barred from contacting victims or witnesses of the crash. The actor's lawyer, Harland Braun, said his client "has a deep sense of responsibility".
He said Mr Garrison is "going to accept responsibility for his conduct. The only question is what is that level of responsibility".
In a statement, members of Mr Setian's family said they were "gratified" by the charges.
"They have lost their only child to Lane Garrison's recklessness," they said in the statement released by their lawyer, Paul R Kiesel. Mr Garrison played David "Tweener" Apolskis in Fox show Prison Break. His character was killed off last year. |
| posted by viraks @ 5:00:00 AM |
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| Rocker Van Halen goes into rehab |
Rock guitarist Eddie Van Halen has confirmed he is going into rehab, which may delay his band Van Halen's planned reunion tour.
The 52-year-old, who has battled alcoholism in the past, said he is seeking treatment to "work on himself".
"At the moment I do not feel that I can give you my best," he said in a statement to fans. He is due to tour North America this summer with former Van Halen singer David Lee Roth.
"Some of the issues surrounding the 2007 Van Halen tour are within my ability to change and some are not," he said.
Induction "As far as my rehab is concerned, it is within my ability to change and change for the better," he added.
The band, best known for hits such as Panama and Hot for Teacher, are scheduled to be inducted into the US Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in New York on Monday.
It is not clear whether Eddie Van Halen will attend the event. Roth last performed live with the band in 1984, before he was replaced a year later by Sammy Hagar.
Last year the band's original bassist, Michael Anthony was replaced with Van Halen's teenage son, Wolfgang.
Van Halen released their self-titled debut album in 1978 and became one of the most influential rock bands of the 1980s, selling an estimated 75 million albums worldwide. In a 1995 interview with Rolling Stone magazine, Van Halen admitted he had already entered rehab twice. |
| posted by viraks @ 4:54:00 AM |
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| Hurley set for big India marriage |
British actress Elizabeth Hurley and her new husband, Arun Nayar, are set to marry for the second time in the city of Jodhpur in western India. The couple, who were married last week in a private ceremony in England, will hold a traditional Indian wedding since Nayar has family connections in India.
Security is tight at the royal Umaid Bhavan palace, where the ceremony is expected to be held on Friday evening. The couple arrived on Wednesday in time for a number of pre-wedding parties. The wedding will reportedly be conducted according to Indian rituals with a Hindu priest.
There are also reports that Arun Nayar will also arrive at the venue riding a white horse, followed by a marriage procession according to Indian customs.
'Auspicious' The bride and groom are expected to wear traditional outfits. While it is unclear which designer's creation Ms Hurley will wear, Mr Nayar's clothes have been designed by friend and Indian designer Rohit Bal. Among the guests who have turned up for the wedding are Greek prince Nikolaos Pavlos, his girlfriend Titiana, Indian industrialist Gautam Singhania and socialite Parameshwar Godrej.
An astrologer in Jodhpur, Madan Purohit, said Friday was an auspicious day for the couple to get married again.
"From an astrological point of view, if they get married today, they can be assured of a long, successful and happy life together," he said.
The tight security was beefed up further on the big day to keep paparazzi away. |
| posted by viraks @ 4:49:00 AM |
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| Michael adds fresh Wembley date |
Singer George Michael has added a second Wembley Stadium date to his summer tour. The former Wham! star will be the first performer to play at the new London stadium on 9 and 10 June.
Tickets for the 9 June show went on sale on Thursday and some are now being advertised on the online auction site eBay for £300. The tour begins in Denmark on 18 May. He will also appear in Glasgow, Manchester, Plymouth and Norwich.
Stadium delay The pop star will also visit France, Italy, Belgium, Germany, Slovakia, the Czech Republic, Sweden, Holland and Hungary as part of the 26 Live Stadium Tour.
A series of hold-ups has led to the opening of the £757m Wembley venue bring delayed. The 43-year-old played several key gigs at the old Wembley stadium, including Live Aid in 1985 and Wham's farewell concert in 1986 with ex-bandmate Andrew Ridgeley.
Michael is currently facing a drugs trial after being charged with being unfit to drive through drugs and cautioned for cannabis possession. During a hearing at Brent Magistrates' Court on Wednesday the prosecution also added a indictment of being in charge of a vehicle while unfit through drugs. |
| posted by viraks @ 4:47:00 AM |
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| Walsh to step down from X Factor |
Music mogul Louis Walsh will no longer act as a judge in the next series of The X Factor, ITV has announced. The Irishman will continue to manage acts off-screen, while two new judges will join regulars Simon Cowell and Sharon Osbourne.
The show's host Kate Thornton is also being replaced and is moving on to present new programmes with ITV. A new category will be introduced to the show's revamped format, while the age limit will also be lowered.
Walsh said he would "focus my energy on my day job as an artist manager," including the relaunch of Boyzone.
"I am also looking forward to continuing my work with Simon and The X Factor team managing the stars from this year's series," he added.
'New dimension' Walsh, who also manages chart-topping boy band Westlife, steered Shayne Ward to a victory in the second series, and mentored series one runners-up G4.
In the most recent series, won by Simon Cowell's protegee Leona Lewis, Walsh took charge of the groups category and failed to steer any of his acts into the final stages. Thornton, who has hosted the ITV show for three years, is in line to present Sir Elton John's 60th birthday celebrations from New York, and is already in talks about another new project.
Paul Jackson, ITV's director of entertainment, said: "We are always looking at ways of keeping the format as fresh and exciting as ever. Having an extra judge and additional category will give the show a whole new dimension." |
| posted by viraks @ 4:45:00 AM |
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| Winslet accepts libel settlement |
Actress Kate Winslet has accepted a "substantial" settlement in her libel action over a magazine claim that she had visited a diet doctor.
Grazia magazine had suggested she was concerned about her weight, despite publicly criticising Hollywood's obsession with thin women. The weekly has apologised and accepted that she went to the doctor in connection with a neck problem.
The settlement will be donated to an eating disorder charity. The story surfaced after Winslet visited the Chinese Healing Institute in Santa Monica, California. At the time the 32-year-old, who was nominated for best actress at this year's Oscars, said she was "very upset".
In a statement Grazia said: "We are satisfied that she did not go to [a doctor] seeking any treatment for weight loss.
"We are very happy to set the record straight and sincerely apologise to Kate for the distress caused."
Through her solicitor, Ms Winslet said: "I am delighted that this matter has been resolved, and the record set straight. I am not a hypocrite.
"I have always been, and shall continue to be, honest when it comes to body/weight issues."
In December she said her concern over the effect of fashion magazines on girls was so great she refused to have them in the same house as her six-year-old daughter, Mia. |
| posted by viraks @ 4:39:00 AM |
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| March 7, 2007 |
| Jessica Biel’s Fashionable Paris Birthday |
Jessica Biel just celebrated her 25th birthday this past weekend in the romantic city of Paris. After recently breaking off a relationship with Derek Jeter and being linked to Justin Timberlake, Biel opted to enjoy fashion week and her special day with some friends.
The highly fashion-conscious actress arrived in Paris last Tuesday to take in as much of Paris Fashion Week as possible. Over the weekend, Biel attended designer Giambattista Valli’s show and extended her night by making it her birthday celebration.
"I’m in Paris with my friends. Just being here is enough,” said Biel, who arrived at the designer’s post-show party at Salons France Ameriques with two of her close friends shortly after 11 p.m, according to People.
Biel and her friends headed straight for the VIP room where People reports “they enjoyed their champagne whilst chatting vividly.” Other party attendees included Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen, supermodels Jessica Stam, Daria Werbowy, and Gemma Ward.
At about 1:30 a.m., Biel was surprised with an elegant chocolate birthday cake with “Happy Birthday Jessica” written on it.
Biel was reportedly overjoyed to see the cake… “she clapped her hands, hugged the designer Valli and could not wait to enjoy her piece of cake.”
Biel joked, “I’m not one of those skinny actors. I’ve got meat on my bones.” Jessica continued partying with her friends until 02:30 a.m., when she headed back to her hotel. |
| posted by viraks @ 10:42:00 AM |
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| Courtney Love Makes Paris Hilton Drug Party Claims |
Most likely bitter over being a target of Brandon Davis’ cruelty, Courtney Love is claiming that drugs were available at Paris Hilton’s recent birthday party.
As reported by The Gossip Girls, the former singer joined Paris for a belated birthday celebration in Beverly Hills restaurant The Prime Grill on February 25th. It was reported that Paris’ longtime pal, oil heir Brandon Davis, was a little out of control that evening. Davis was said to be so abrasive that his actions led to early departures of both Paula Abdul and Love.
In the aftermath of the embarrassing fracas, according to the NY Daily News, Courtney has revealed that she saw a pile of “white powder” in the restroom.
The former rocker, who is not a stranger to drugs, has seen her claims end up jeopardizing the latest series of ‘The Simple Life’, starring Paris and Nicole Richie.
The pair are working as camp counselors in the reality show, but their suitability as role models, which camp counselors are, has now been questioned.
Jerry Silverman of the Foundation for Jewish Camping said: “Counselors are trained, recruited, and tested. We take it very seriously.” With her background, it is unusual that Love decided to take this public. That is why we’re assuming it HAD to have something to do with Davis’ actions |
| posted by viraks @ 10:40:00 AM |
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| Jennifer Aniston Dating… Not Vince Vaughn? |
Jennifer Aniston is rumored to be on the move towards getting into a new relationship. After a period of calm, reports that Vince Vaughn was desperate for a reunion first surfaced, and now it is rumored that another man may have entered Aniston’s life.
According to the Daily Express, it is reported that while Jennifer was recording her kiss scene with best friend Courteney Cox during a guest star appearance on the tv show ‘Dirt’, the former ‘Friends’ star also got a date.
Supposedly, the rumor is that Aniston met a cameraman named Mike on the set, and he asked her to join him for dinner.
“They’ve been out several times since then, including once to a bowling alley and a dinner date at Marix, one of her favorite L.A. restaurants,” a source told the Daily Express.
Aniston’s reps, meanwhile, have been telling Extra that the story is not true. But, keep in mind, this is the same publicist who denied that Jen was dating Vince Vaughn… while they were dating.
Speaking of Vince, the buzz over this past weekend was that Paris Hilton was flirting it up with the actor at the World Poker Tournament Invitational, held at the Commerce Casino in California. This deserves less attention, as we all know that Paris flirting with someone is no indication of relationship material. An eye will be kept on the situation, though. |
| posted by viraks @ 10:39:00 AM |
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| Joel Madden Accused Of Battery By Paparazzi |
A female photographer has recently accused Good Charlotte frontman Joel Madden of battery charges, according to police reports.
“A woman came in yesterday and filed a complaint,” Lt. Mitch McCann of the Beverly Hills Police Department said Tuesday. “She claims Mr. Madden hit her with the heel of his hand. He allegedly made forcible contact.”
TMZ first reported the alleged incident, which happened outside the popular Beverly Hills eatery Mr. Chow’s on Sunday. The confrontation is said to have occurred over the weekend, after Madden challenged the photogapher when she attempted to take his picture.
She said that Madden had swung his arm and hit her left breast “with the heel of his hand.” She had to see a doctor for treatment afterwards and said the blow had left a mark, according to SAWF sources.
Madden, who dated Hilary Duff before his current relationship with Nicole Richie, has had run-ins with the paparazzi before. The rocker was previously caught on video throwing a punch at one of the shutterbugs outside of another Beverly Hills restaurant.
The police have made note that they take all claims very seriously. Meanwhile, Madden’s representatives have not commented on the situation. |
| posted by viraks @ 10:37:00 AM |
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| Ashlee Simpson Settles For A Neptune |
Coming off of a recent break-up, Ashlee Simpson has been rumored to be out on the town, hitting on musicians and actors alike.
Ashlee recently split from Fall Out Boy lead singer Pete Wentz, so she decided to spend Saturday night at LA’s club Les Deux, looking for a new man. A seemingly successful Simpson ending up leaving with Neptunes star Chad Hugo.
A source told the NY Post: “She tried to pick up Ryan Phillipe, but he wasn’t interested. So then she hung out with Chad all night and left with him.”
However, Ashlee’s representative has denied the reports, saying: “That is not true. She is working with Chad on her new album. There is nothing romantic going on.”
In a recent interview, Ashlee confessed that she is obsessed with rock musicians.
She said: “I love guys that play guitar. Every girl does. But I also like guys who have a great sense of humor and don’t take themselves too seriously.”
Then she’s probably lucky that Ryan Phillipe wasn’t interested… huh? |
| posted by viraks @ 10:35:00 AM |
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| Britney Spears’ Rehab Troubles Continue |
It has been two long weeks since Britney Spears checked into rehab. During this time, Britney has had a difficult time making it and broken a few rules along the way, leaving her friends and family wondering if she will complete her stint at the Promises center.
“Sources tell us that Britney is miserable in rehab and she’s breaking rules,” Us Weekly Editor Katrina Szish divulged. “She’s left on shopping trips and using her cell phone too much.”
Britney was somewhat stiff-armed into entering rehab by her family, manager, and ex-husband, Kevin Federline. How committed she is to the program is still up in the air. The question on everyone’s mind is whether she entered solely to retain custody of her children or because she realized that she has a problem.
“Britney originally agreed to go to rehab so she could see her children, otherwise she would not have gone,” Katrina told Entertainment Tonight.
According to the editor, if Britney does not complete rehab, she will have virtually no shot at winning her bid for custody of her two children with Federline.
“At this point, Britney’s family is concerned she won’t last 30 days,” Katrina adds. “If Britney leaves early, she could risk losing custody of her kids.”
The problem according to another Us Weekly source is that Britney has it in her head that she is suffering from postpartum depression, nothing more.
“She’s convinced she’s suffering from postpartum depression and does not think she has an alcohol or drug problem,” the source informed. “She’s angry at her family and her manager for pressuring her to enter the program. She feels she was ambushed.” |
| posted by viraks @ 10:34:00 AM |
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| Cameron Diaz, Justin Timberlake Hook-Up Central |
The Cameron Diaz and Justin Timberlake flings just keep on coming. While Justin shot off to an early lead with Scarlett Johansson and Jessica Biel, Cameron hasn’t taken long to catch up, with Tyrese Gibson being the latest name on the list.
Cameron and Tyrese partied it up at exclusive Los Angeles Xenii nightclub. The hip hot spot also saw Ray J and Lil Kim getting hot and heavy, while the Simpson sisters mingled amongst friends.
Apparently, Cam and Tyrese made no attempt to hide their feelings, according to numerous sources. One of these informing the NY Daily News, “They made out right in front of me on the dance floor.”
According to AHN, Diaz and Gibson were also seen at a pre-Oscar’s party hosted by Harvey Weinstein, Tamara Mellon and Tracey Edmonds.
Cameron’s rep denies the two are dating, but with Cameron’s recent history, very few truly believed that this was a long-term relationship in the making in the first place.
Since officially splitting from Timberlake in January, Diaz has also been linked to surfer pal Kelly Slater and actor Djimon Hounsou.
pos |
| posted by viraks @ 10:33:00 AM |
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| Madeley warns mugger on live TV |
TV host Richard Madeley interrupted his Channel 4 show on Tuesday to issue a warning to his daughter's mugger.
"I'd just like to make a gesture at this point to the person who stole our daughter's mobile phone," Madeley said, shaking his fist at the camera.
Chloe Madeley, 19, was chatting on her mobile in west London when a girl ran up behind her and took her phone.
Her father told viewers of Richard and Judy she "got jacked on the street" and was unhurt but "had her hair pulled".
Chloe is the daughter of Richard Madeley and his wife and co-host Judy Finnigan. A spokesman for the show said the couple were "relieved" she was OK.
Chloe was attacked on Portobello Road in Notting Hill, where she is doing work experience with a PR company.
A Metropolitan Police spokesperson said the mugging was being investigated by the Notting Hill robbery squad, who were looking for a female suspect aged about 18. |
| posted by viraks @ 10:29:00 AM |
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| Jodhpur set for Hurley marriage |
The city of Jodhpur in western India is getting ready for the next leg of the wedding of British actress Elizabeth Hurley and her new husband, Arun Nayar. Large numbers of policemen have been deployed from the airport to the three hotels where the couple and their celebrity guests will be staying.
The couple were married on Friday in a private ceremony in England. They are now holding a traditional Indian wedding since Nayar has family connections in India. The couple arrived in Mumbai (Bombay) on Monday night where a pre-wedding party was hosted for them.
Celebrity guests The pair were mobbed by media at Mumbai airport, then drove to the south of the city, where Mr Nayar's parents live. In Jodhpur, the couple will be staying at the Umaid Bhawan Palace, the Maharaja of Jodhpur's palace-turned-luxury resort.
At the palace grounds, workers are levelling the cricket pitch where, according to some reports, the celebrity guests will take part in a cricket match. Besides the Umaid Bhawan, wedding guests will also be put up at two other five-star hotels, the Ajit Bhawan and Balsamand Palace.
Reports say several celebrity guests are expected, including Sir Elton John, actor Hugh Grant and Bill Gates. Local police will help escort the guests to their hotels after which guards hired from a private security firm will take over.
The BBC's Sanjoy Majumder says it is the biggest, possibly the most glamorous, event of the year in Jodhpur. |
| posted by viraks @ 10:27:00 AM |
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| Brosnan set for Abba show movie |
Pierce Brosnan has agreed to be in the big-screen adaptation of the hit Abba musical Mamma Mia. The former Bond actor said he leapt at the change to act opposite Oscar winner Meryl Streep, film industry tabloid Daily Variety reported.
The show tells of a young woman trying to find out the identity of her father, played out to a soundtrack of hit songs from the Swedish super group. Brosnan will play Sam, one of the possible fathers. "I said 'yes' right away because it meant working with Meryl Streep," Brosnan said.
"Secondly, I saw the show with my family in London, and found it just so wonderfully happy and joyful, and so pitched in time forever in the 1970s.
"What a kick in the pants, to be able to go off and spend time with Meryl on some Greek island, singing Abba songs."
'Great chemistry' Brosnan sang Irish folk songs in the drama Evelyn, and sang onstage early in his career but is not normally associated with musicals. Producer Judy Craymer said: "Pierce brings a certain smooch factor, and we think he'll have great chemistry with Meryl in a romantic comedy.
Since its opening in London in 1999, Mamma Mia has grossed more than $2bn (£1.03bn) in worldwide ticket sales, making it one of the most successful musicals of all time. |
| posted by viraks @ 10:25:00 AM |
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| Robbie Williams is out of rehab |
Singer Robbie Williams has come out of rehab after spending three weeks in a clinic in Arizona being treated for a dependency on prescription drugs. Williams' spokeswoman confirmed he was out and said the singer would now continue with an "after-care programme in Los Angeles".
He is being looked after by his mother Jan and a drink and drugs counsellor, who has flown to the US.
The former Take That star checked himself in on his 33rd birthday. It was not the first time the British star had been in rehab. He was also treated for a drink and drug addiction after leaving the boy band in 1995.
'Added pressure' Speaking on the day Williams went back into rehab, his mother told BBC Radio Stoke it was a "gift" for her that he sought treatment.
"He's a very public figure and all the media attention at the moment is added pressure on him," she said. Last year, the he took part in a BBC documentary on bipolar disorder, in which he spoke frankly of his experience with depression. He admitted to taking antidepressants and said his condition made him "stop going out". "I'd get up in front of 40,000 people and say: 'Look at me, I'm ace,'" he said.
"Then as soon as I got off stage, I'd get in the tour coach and go back to my bedroom and pull the duvet over my eyes." In another TV interview, broadcast in 2004, Williams said he only gave up drugs and alcohol because they made him too fat.
Meanwhile, Williams' former Take That bandmates are enjoying a hugely successful comeback. Their new single Shine is at number one in the UK charts, they recently won a Brit Award for best single and have just announced another UK tour.
Williams' career, however, has taken a downturn in recent months. The singer, who has won more Brit Awards than any other artist, was only nominated for one gong this year - best British live act - which he failed to win.
His latest album, Rudebox, was panned by critics and the first single from the album only reached number four in the UK. In September, his Asian tour was called off because of stress and exhaustion. |
| posted by viraks @ 10:21:00 AM |
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| Queen Latifah's challenges go beyond acting |
PASADENA, California (AP) -- Queen Latifah never does the expected. So when asked about the challenges of playing an HIV-positive wife and mother, as she does in HBO's "Life Support," her answer was, indeed, surprising.
"The only challenge was trying to stay in character when you've got people driving past you on the street going, 'Queen!' 'Do it Latifah!' 'That's LATIFAH!' " she says of the on-location shoot in Brooklyn last year for HBO's "Life Support" (Saturday, 8 p.m. EST, currently on HBO On Demand).
"Most people try to be respectful, but they're excited to see you and they're hitting you with the name or some record that you did, so that was the greatest challenge," she says. "Playing this character wasn't."
To play Ana, a peer counselor at an AIDS facility in Brooklyn whose past drug addiction has put a strain on her family relationships, Latifah (nee Dana Owens) channeled the muse of the New York streets where the New Jersey girl hung out as a teenager.
"I grew up around these women and around these streets, so it was probably one of the more relatable backdrops that I've been able to sort of step into," says Latifah at a press conference.
"I really felt like I really could relate to the characters, to the situations, a family disrupted by drug addiction. I could relate to that just in my own family," she continues. "So I could relate to Ana's sense of wanting to get out there and see what life had to offer, although we took dramatically different turns. And redemption as well, having the second chance of really trying to repair those relationships after you feel like, OK, I messed up, but I'm back on track and I really want to get things back to where they were."
Such street-wise sensitivity was exactly what director Nelson George wanted.
"One of the nicest things about working on the movie was watching through the monitor -- her face -- there's so much going on in it and so much thought," says George, who co-wrote the film -- based on his own HIV-positive sister -- with the writing team Jim McKay and Hannah Weyer.
"A good actor thinks, they're not acting, they're thinking, and she thinks all the time. She was definitely one of the few people I thought had that combination of charisma and realness to pull it off. I just knew this was a part that the sister could rock!" |
| posted by viraks @ 10:19:00 AM |
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| Big Bopper autopsy puts rumors to rest |
KNOXVILLE, Tennessee (AP) -- J.P. "The Big Bopper" Richardson suffered massive fractures and likely died immediately in the 1959 plane crash that also killed early rock 'n' rollers Buddy Holly and Ritchie Valens, a forensic anthropologist said Tuesday after exhuming the body.
The performer's son, Jay Richardson, hired Dr. Bill Bass, a well-known forensic anthropologist at the University of Tennessee, to look at the remains in Beaumont, Texas.
There have been rumors a gun might have been fired on board the plane and that the Big Bopper might have survived the crash and died trying to get help.
Bass took X-rays of the body and found nothing Tuesday to support those theories.
"There was no indication of foul play," Bass said in a telephone interview from Beaumont. "There are fractures from head to toe. Massive fractures. ... (He) died immediately. He didn't crawl away. He didn't walk away from the plane."
The rock 'n' roll stars' plane crashed after taking off from Mason City, Iowa, on February 3, 1959 -- a tragedy memorialized as "the day the music died" in Don McLean's song "American Pie."
Jay Richardson, who performs in tribute shows as "The Big Bopper Jr.," didn't know his father, who gained fame with the hit "Chantilly Lace." His mother was pregnant with him when his father died.
The Civil Aeronautics Board determined pilot error was the cause of the crash. A gun that belonged to Holly was found at the crash site, fueling rumors that the pilot was shot, but no one has ever proved a gun was fired during the flight.
Richardson watched Bass open the coffin on Tuesday and observed his examination. He said he was pleased with the findings because it proved the investigators "knew what they were talking about 48 years ago."
"I was hoping to put the rumors to rest," he said.
Bass and Richardson were surprised to find the body preserved enough to be recognizable.
"Dad still amazes me 48 years after his death, that he was in remarkable shape," Richardson said. "I surprised myself. I handled it better than I thought I would."
The body was reburied in the cemetery but in a different plot where there will be room for a graveside statue to be installed later.
Bass, 78, is a pioneer in his field and has worked on such famous cases as confirming the identity of the Lindbergh baby that was kidnapped in 1932 and murdered. |
| posted by viraks @ 10:18:00 AM |
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| Jolie's adoption should move swiftly |
HANOI, Vietnam (AP) -- Angelina Jolie plans to adopt a young Vietnamese boy and he probably will be moving to the United States in no more than three months, Vietnam's top adoption official said Wednesday.
Jolie chose the boy, who is between 3 and 4 years old, during a recent visit to the Tam Binh orphanage on the outskirts of Ho Chi Minh City, said Vu Duc Long, the head of the justice ministry's international adoption department in Hanoi.
Under ordinary circumstances, it takes about four months to process an adoption after the forms arrive, Long said. If the prospective parent already has chosen a child, the adoption can be completed in just three months.
"Three months would be the longest," Long said, adding that Jolie's case could be processed faster than that.
Long confirmed last week that Jolie had filed adoption papers, but did not provide any details about the child or how long the process would take.
Jolie initiated the adoption process in the United States, but her application only arrived at Long's office last week. His department has approved the application and sent it to officials in Ho Chi Minh City, who also must review it.
Jolie and her partner, Brad Pitt, have three children: 5-year-old Maddox, adopted from Cambodia; 2-year-old Zahara, adopted from Ethiopia; and another daughter, Shiloh, who was born to the couple in May.
The pair made a surprise visit to the Tam Binh orphanage at Thanksgiving, when they were spotted cruising around Ho Chi Minh City on a motorbike. |
| posted by viraks @ 10:11:00 AM |
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| March 4, 2007 |
| Beyoncé Knowles's Clint dream |
Beyoncé Knowles wants to make a film with Clint Eastwood.
The 'Dreamgirls' star - who saw Clint at the Oscars but was too shy to speak to him - insists it would be a dream come true to be directed by the Hollywood legend.
Beyoncé said: "I think Clint Eastwood is amazing. I'd love to be directed by him in a film."
Clint isn't the only big name star Beyoncé wants to work with.
The singer-and-actress has also revealed she would love to star in a movie with Oscar winners Denzel Washington and Halle Berry.
Beyoncé said: "There are so many people I'd love to work with. Denzel, Halle Berry, the list goes on.
"But I consider myself very lucky to have worked with Jennifer Hudson and Eddie Murphy and all the 'Dreamgirls' cast already." |
| posted by viraks @ 3:48:00 AM |
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| Angelina Jolie: 'pitt Completed Me'. |
ngelina Jolie: 'pitt Completed Me'.... Finding love with Brad Pitt completed Angelina Jolie's life, the actress claims.
Jolie insists she was happy as a single mother - but has only really appreciated the joys of family life since she has had the actor to share them with.
The 31-year-old says, "Before I met Brad, there were many times I'd be up exhausted with my son Maddox in the middle of the night and there was nobody there who appreciated my efforts. When he said his first word, there was nobody that I could look at and explode in excitement with. It made me very close to Mad, but now there's the joy of waking up and sharing the burden.
"I think, as a woman, having a partner who appreciates you as a mom and who is going to remember those things about you and your history with the children is very special." |
| posted by viraks @ 3:41:00 AM |
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| End in Sight for Celine Dion's New Day |
Producers have announced that Celine Dion's hit Las Vegas concert spectacle will close Dec. 15 after nearly five years of playing nightly to 4,000-strong audiences at Caesars Palace.
The French-Canadian diva's $100 million deal was originally for three years, but due to the apparent eagerness for yet another song and dance extravaganza on the Vegas Strip, her run was eventually extended through 2007.
"The fans have been so supportive of us, and I want to thank them for taking this journey with me," Dion, who was forced to cancel five dates in December while she battled a respiratory infection, said in a statement. "When I began this adventure four years ago, I had no idea how magical this experience truly would be. As we prepare ourselves to say goodbye, I know this will be the best year yet."
According to concert organizers, the show will be filmed Jan. 17-21 for a TV special and subsequent DVD, and the coming year will feature new costumes and the addition of a "stunning" performance of "River Deep, Mountain High" to Dion's established repertoire, which has included a lineup of her greatest hits, including the Titanic ballad "My Heart Will Go On" and "Because You Loved Me."
Over the years, more than 2.5 million people have turned out for A New Day..., which has grossed more than $320 million to date, making it one of the top-five moneymakers every year until 2006. Last year her $78.1 million box office was pushed to sixth by the Rolling Stones, Barbra Streisand's return to the stage, Tim McGraw and Faith Hill's Soul II Soul jaunt, the Madonna juggernaut and Cirque du Soleil's Delirium.
"A New Day... has been a phenomenal success and has surpassed anyone's expectations," AEG Live/Concerts West president John Meglen said. "That Celine still is selling out 4,000 seats a night after almost four years is a testament to her artistry, her passion and the connection that so many fans feel with her."
The final block of tickets to see Dion perform in her specially built $95 million theater goes on sale Mar. 1.
While Caesars hasn't announced a replacement for Dion yet (Elton John currently uses the theater on some of her off nights), visitors to Vegas won't exactly want for entertainment once she leaves. Also taking up residence in Sin City during the past year were the latest Cirque du Soleil extravaganza, Love, set entirely to a digitally remastered Beatles score, and Prince, who will be playing weekends at his newly opened 3121 club at the Rio for the foreseeable future. |
| posted by viraks @ 3:15:00 AM |
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| Orlando Bloom and Penélope Cruz Spotted Kissing |
ORLANDO BLOOM AND Penélope Cruz spent the whole night kissing at Prince's Oscars party. Orlando took Penélope's mind off her Best Actress disappointment by passionately embracing her at the party held at Prince's Hollywood home on Sunday night.
A source told the New York Daily News newspaper: 'Penélope and Orlando couldn't keep their hands off one another - they were making out the whole night. It was crazy! Touching, kissing - even a little bit of groping. And in view of tons of actors, too, like Leonardo DiCaprio and Ryan Gosling.'
The couple also 'flirted outrageously' at a pre-Oscars party at Los Angeles' members club Soho House. A source said: 'Orlando and Penélope flirted outrageously while playing pool. Penélope seemed more than a little smitten and afterwards they retired to a corner for drinks - they couldn't keep their hands off each other.'
The 32-year-old Volver actress also helped Orlando celebrate his 30th birthday at Los Angeles nightclub Teddy's last month, where the couple were said to be inseparable. A source said:
'Penélope was never further than arm's length from Orlando, even when he was surrounded by other women on the dance floor |
| posted by viraks @ 2:37:00 AM |
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| Mother tells of Robbie's 'living hell' |
Troubled pop star Robbie Williams is suffering a "living hell" because of his drug addictions - according to his mother Jan.
The Stoke singer is being treated for addictions to caffeine and prescribed medication in Arizona's The Meadows Clinic.
The latest problems come after years of battling alcohol and drug addictions - and 52-year-old Jan - herself a drugs counsellor - claims Robbie is desperately unhappy.
Admitting she missed the signs of his troubles in advance, Jan says, "There was one time when he came home in the middle of all his drink and drugs problems - and he lay down with his head on my lap and he was sobbing.
"It is very, very hard when your child has problems, alcohol and drugs just don't affect the person who takes them. As a mother it was mind-blowing. Even though I was relatively skilled it just went under the net and I never saw it.
"Some of it has been a living hell."
Jan is currently in Arizona, visiting Robbie, who is half-way through an eight week stay at The Meadows. |
| posted by viraks @ 2:33:00 AM |
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