Being Bobby Brown

Fourfour has counted down the top 20 quotes from Being Bobby Brown, complete with audio clips.

Click here for the list. A nice recap of a hysterical, dysfunctional train wreck.

Like She Needs Another One

Courtney Love says the baby she is carrying is definitely British comedian Steve Coogan's baby - because she hasn't slept with another man for a year.

The wild rocker confused everyone last week by denying she was expecting a child and her two-week fling with the funnyman. . But now the singer has reportedly told Britain's News of the World newspaper: "I'm pregnant. I only found out 72 hours go. I've only told three people and you're the fourth. I haven't even told Steve yet.

"I've been really unslutty and really picky. I haven't been with another man for a year, which is how I know the baby is his." The blonde star says she is now considering whether to keep the baby. She is quoted as saying: "I'm old and this maybe my last chance to conceive another child." On her unlikely choice of partner, she said of Steve - whose TV alter-ego is nerdy radio DJ Alan Partridge: "Steve is not the sort of man I usually go for. Honey, name the 20 sexiest man in the world and I've slept with them. "But I was lonely at the time and he made me laugh. He was the most magical person I've met in a really long time."

Another One Bites the Dust

It looks like splitsville for Kathleen Turner and her longtime hubby, Jay Weiss.

The Tony-nominated star of "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?" and her landlord husband, who have a teenage daughter, are reportedly separating. Turner met Weiss when she rented an apartment from the real-estate mogul and the two got hitched in 1983. Known for her hard-partying ways, Turner was once in a rock band called the Suits alongside her wealthy spouse. A rep for Turner declined to comment.

Stone Won't Play Turner

Sharon Stone is furious Catherine Zeta-Jones will play Lana Turner in a new biopic, because she was the screen legend's first choice.

The Postman Always Rings Twice actress met Stone before she died of throat cancer in 1995 and Stone reveals Turner wanted her to star in a movie celebrating her life. The film will look at eight-times married Turner's tumultuous marriage to gangster Johnny Stompanato, to be played by Keanu Reeves, who was killed in 1958 by her daughter Crane.

Stone says, "I met Lana in her final years and liked her a great deal. She was every inch the movie star and we got along really well. She said if there was a film to be made on her life, then I was her choice. Lana's life is one of the more interesting of the Hollywood greats. Lana really rocked."

Dr. Phil's Son Is No Fool

The son of TV psychologist Dr. Phil has proposed to former Playboy playmate Erica Dahm, one of the triplet Dahm sisters.

Jay McGraw, 26, got engaged to Dahm in Dallas, Chandler Hayes, a spokesman for Dr. Phil McGraw, said Monday. Dahm exclaimed, "Oh gosh, is this real?" after the Aug. 26 proposal, Hayes said. The couple will wed in Los Angeles but the date was not revealed.

Jay McGraw designed the 5-carat diamond, emerald and platinum engagement ring. He told syndicated TV show "The Insider": "I asked her father for her hand in marriage first. I finally told my parents and they are ecstatic. She's the one I want to spend the rest of my life with."

Ashlee Digs the Ladeez

Ashlee Simpson says she fantasises about being Brad Pitt for a day - because she'd love a liaison with Hollywood beauties Angelina Jolie and Jennifer Aniston.

The 20-year-old blonde admits it would be a dream come true to trade places with the Hollywood hunk - so she could get close to the gorgeous actresses. She told People magazine: "I'd love every woman to love me. (I would want to be with) Angelina Jolie! Well, and Jennifer Aniston. I'll take them both."

--Gives new meaning to her grin in the above pic w/ Hohan.

Charlize Gets "Arrested"

Charlize Theron is about to join up with one of TV's wackiest families. The Oscar winning actress will play the British love interest of Jason Bateman's character on FOX's "Arrested Development," according to The Hollywood Reporter.

Theron is scheduled to appear in five episodes of the sardonic series, beginning with the second show of the upcoming third season, which kicks off on September 19.

• The LLama Butchers linked with Gratuitous Llama Netflix Virgin Movie Review #2*
  
  

Kanye Sues

Music star Kanye West filed a $1.3 million lawsuit Monday against a Chicago DJ.

In the federal court suit, the award-winning rapper claims the disc jockey, Eric "E-Smooth" Miller, wrongly tried to distribute some unreleased songs he had helped West produce before the hip-hop star became famous. Attorneys for West claim that Miller used a counterfeit contract forged with West's signature earlier this year, in an alleged attempt to sell the recordings to prospective buyers. So far, there has been no official comment from Miller or his representation.

Chelsea's Single

Former First Daughter Chelsea Clinton and her longtime boyfriend Ian Klaus have called it quits.

"They are no longer together," a source close to Clinton confirmed. And Klaus isn't wasting any time getting back to the dating business.

Early last week, the tousled-haired history buff - having recently returned from a lengthy stint in Iraq doing humanitarian work - was seen romancing a "curly blond-haired girl, looking very much together," said a source. "It was a date, a romantic thing," says the source. "The girl Ian was with went to college with him [before he met Chelsea]. He told her he wasn't seeing Chelsea anymore."

Clinton and Klaus, both 25, had dated since 2002, after they met at Oxford University. But rumors about their relationship troubles have abounded since January, when Klaus, an American-born Rhodes scholar, left for Iraq.

In the past year, Chelsea has been linked to her childhood friend Marc Mezvinsky, a Goldman Sachs employee who is the son of former Iowa Congressman Ed Mezvinsky and former Pennsylvania Congresswoman Marjorie Margolies-Mezvinksy.

Art's Still High at Woodstock

Singer Art Garfunkel, who pleaded guilty last year to pot possession in upstate New York, was charged again Sunday after a marijuana cigarette was allegedly found in the ashtray of his car, state police said.

The 63-year-old Garfunkel, who lives in Manhattan, was charged after being pulled over for failing to stop his vehicle at a stop sign, The Daily Freeman of Kingston reported Tuesday.

Upon approaching Garfunkel's car, a trooper noticed a strong odor of marijuana and a subsequent search turned up a joint in the ashtray, the newspaper reported. He was issued a ticket and is due back in Woodstock Town Court on Sept. 22.

In January 2004, Garfunkel was charged with marijuana possession after state police stopped his limousine for speeding in the Ulster County town of Hurley, which is near Woodstock some 55 miles southwest of Albany. During that stop, police found a small amount of pot in Garfunkel's jacket.

--He just can't stop reliving his days from Woodstock.

Stones and NASCAR?

The Rolling Stones and NASCAR have partnered for a promotional video that rolls into cinemas nationwide September 2.

At nearly 2 1/2 minutes, the NASCAR spot features "Driving Too Fast," a track from the Stones' new album, "A Bigger Bang," due out in the United States on September 6 through Virgin.

Running through September 29, the ad will run on more than 5,800 movie screens, including those owned by leading theater chains, Regal and United Artists. Akin to a music video, the spot sheds light on the NASCAR Nextel Cup Series races on TNT. For the Stones, the exposure also coincides with their new world tour, which reaches Detroit Wednesday.

--First they partner with Mercedes, and now NASCAR? I'm not really getting it--it's not like they're new and need to get their name out there.

Together?

Rumor has it that this is the newest celebrity coupling:

--Pic from Miu at A Socialite's Life.

Is Susan Rexic?

It's a face-off between Teri Hatcher and Rachel Hunter, the former supermodel and Rod Stewart ex.

"When women get too skinny, like Teri Hatcher, it shows on their faces and ages them," Hunter tells Web site medindia.com. But the incredibly shrinking "Desperate Housewives" vixen said recently that getting stick thin wasn't her choice. "If I didn't have this job, I wouldn't even walk into a gym, so I do feel pressure to look my best," Hatcher said.

Hatcher also said: "To think that I would need to stop eating and be anorexic and sick to get a job is the wrong message to send to girls and women in our society, and that really bugs me," she said. "I am all about health, and to me size is not what defines your health. It never crossed my mind that if I were thinner, I would get more jobs."

Paris Says...

Paris Hilton cast more doubt on her supposedly impending nuptials to Paris Latsis during the MTV Video Music Awards festivities in Miami.

The party-hearty heiress seemed less than enthused about marrying the Greek-born Latsis when a pal asked her about it Sunday morning at Pharrell Williams' bash at the Yahoo! Music Penthouse high atop the Setai hotel. "I don't know," Hilton shrugged when pressed about whether she was really getting hitched. "I'm just having fun!"

She further fueled speculation by holding hands with Scott Storch, the executive producer of her upcoming album and her constant companion over the weekend. Storch, the mastermind behind such hits as 50 Cent's "Candy Shop" and Beyonc�'s "Baby Boy," put Hilton up at his lavish South Beach mansion, which features a 100-foot yacht docked behind it. The former boyfriend of jail-bound rapper Lil' Kim also escorted Hilton to the award show after pulling up to the red carpet in a silver Ferarri.

Relocating

Chris Martin and Gwyneth Paltrow are leaving the UK after being frightened by the recent terror attacks on London.

The pair have decided that a new home in Los Angeles will be the perfect location to bring up their one-year-old daughter, Apple. As well as the recent London bombings, an attempted break-in has also scared Coldplay singer Chris.

"Chris thinks LA will provide a better quality of life," one friend told the Daily Star. Gwyneth is also pleased that she will be close to Hollywood, which she hopes will help her career.

Ben Markets Deoderant

Ben Affleck has signed a deal to be the new face of Lynx deodorant in the UK.

The ads featuring Ben will hit British screens next year reports The Sun. Unilever confirmed that the ads will continue to have a tongue-in-cheek theme.

--I've always thought it was odd how celebs do ads for everything under the sun in Europe, yet rarely do here. If it's viewed as selling out here, it's still selling out if you do it in a foreign country. At least Catherine Zeta Jones has the guts to be open about it.

Gwyneth's Advice

Gwyneth Paltrow says the publicity of Brad Pitt's breakup with Jennifer Aniston could have been avoided.

"It would have been a lot easier on Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston now if they had not talked to the press about each other and everything to begin with," Paltrow says in this week's Time magazine, currently on newsstands.

The 32-year-old actress went through heavy tabloid coverage herself when she dated Pitt in the nineties. She and Pitt broke off their engagement in 1997. "I learned my lesson at 24," Paltrow says of the public relationship.

Paltrow, now married to Coldplay frontman Chris Martin, values her privacy. The couple have a 1-year-old daughter, Apple. "Our marriage is between us," she says. "If we decide to continue being together or not, it's our business."

'Lil Wench

Lil' Kim proved herself to be a first-class pain on a USAir flight from Fort Lauderdale to New York last night. The Brooklyn-born "Queen Bee" � who's headed to prison for a year and a day on a Manhattan perjury rap � was almost booted off the plane after a loud argument with a flight attendant.

An on-board snitch texted the New York Post, minutes before the 6 p.m. takeoff, "Lil' Kim totally freaked out on the attendant. Some first-class seat mix-up. Called the agent a racist and pulled a 'Do You Know Who I Am?' The attendant had no idea and could have really cared less. Taking off shortly. She's now seated in back row of first class and has to be served by the flight attendant who she fought with. Things seem a little tense up there."

Happy Birthday ImprovOlympic

When a comedian from Chicago makes it big on "Saturday Night Live" or joins the writing staff of "Late Night With Conan O'Brien," it's often the world-famous comedy troupe Second City that gets the credit. But for nearly 25 years, much of the celebrated talent from Second City's live sketch shows, like Mike Myers, Chris Farley and current "SNL" cast members Amy Poehler and Tina Fey, has also trained at ImprovOlympic.

It's a program with a fiercely loyal roster of alums, including actor-comedians Andy Richter, Andy Dick and Tim Meadows, many of whom flocked to Chicago for the chance to perform Saturday at a sold-out 25th anniversary reunion show.

"The ImprovOlympic was where I first started out and it was the petri dish in which all the talent fungus grew," Poehler said. "We all started out here and we're all really good friends so along with it being a great night to perform, it's just a great time for everybody to come back ... kind of like comedy high school."

Casting directors who previously would only visit the Second City stage are now making an effort to check out the talent at I.O. clubs (the group changed its name after the U.S. Olympic Committee threatened a trademark lawsuit) in Chicago's Wrigleyville neighborhood and Los Angeles, said owner Charna Halpern, 53.

CK Goes Chick Rock

Choice Calvin Klein�the jeanswear, underwear, and swimwear line targeted at a demographic of 18-26 year-old women�has announced that they have partnered with The Veronicas, a new band from Australia, for a multifaceted Fall 2005 promotional campaign.

To kick off the promotion, a four page advertising insert will run in the October 2005 issues of Jane and Teen Vogue. It will feature a removable branded card with details on how readers can download The Veronicas� new single, �4-Ever,� from their debut CD, �The Secret Life of�The Veronicas,� via a microsite at www.choicecalvinklein.com.

The online promotion will also be supported by custom e-mail blasts sent by both magazines to target select readers, promoting the upcoming performances and tagging the website. Supplemental e-mails will be sent to targeted readers of Allure, Nylon, Lucky, and Marie Claire.

--I wonder if they'll be like the Fantas.

Dorothy's Stolen Slippers

A pair of ruby slippers worn by Judy Garland in "The Wizard of Oz" and insured for $1 million is missing from a Grand Rapids museum.

Police Chief Leigh Serfling said the slippers were stolen late Saturday or early Sunday. Someone entered the museum through a window and broke into the small display case holding the slippers. "There's not a whole lot of evidence," Serfling said. "We're hoping that someone in the community has seen something."

Children's Discovery Museum director John Kelsch said the slippers belong to a Los Angeles man who loaned them to the museum for several weeks this summer. The children's museum houses the Judy Garland museum, which displayed the same pair of slippers last year. Garland was born in Grand Rapids in 1922. "The slippers are a major attraction at our museum," Kelsch said in a news release Monday. "It is our hope that the slippers can be recovered immediately."

Four pairs of ruby slippers worn by Garland in the movie are known to exist, including one pair on display at the Smithsonian Institution. Another pair sold at Christie's auction house in 2000 for $666,000.

Little Marc

Injecting style into the wardrobe of fashion-conscious children was never Marc Jacob's intention but, nevertheless, Little Marc has been born.

Jacobs and his partner, Robert Duffy, have created a range of children's clothing for 2-7 year-olds based on the signature thermal cashmere underwear of their men's and women's collections. Despite denying that the range will become a stand-alone project or that it is destined for expansion, Little Marc will launch in Florida this week with a range of hooded tops, long johns and crewnecks in three sizes and Jacobs told WWD: "Should it naturally evolve, we will prepare ourselves and we will do what it takes to be organised about it, but at the moment, it's just a whim."

--You know Maddox Jolie will be sportin' this line soon.

VMA's

Violence at VMA Party:
When rap mogul Suge Knight was wounded during a party, hundreds of people were in the nightclub. But when police interviewed the guests, most claimed to have seen nothing.

A police report described the man who shot Knight in the leg Saturday at a party held in conjunction with the MTV Video Music Awards as black and wearing a pink shirt.

Miami Beach police spokesman Bobby Hernandez said early Monday there had been no further developments in the case. He told The Miami Herald that the investigation was being hampered by witnesses' unwillingness to talk. "We don't have any physical description. We don't know how many subjects were involved, which is mind boggling, with all those people around," Hernandez told the newspaper.

The party, hosted by Kanye West, at the Shore Club hotel in Miami Beach.

Here is a list of last night's winners.

--I didn't watch all of the pre-show, but of what I did see, I thought it was odd that NO ONE mentioned the shooting AT ALL.

Big Sis Regulates

Britney Spears stormed the set of little sister Jamie Lynn Spears' Nickelodeon show, "Zoey 101," last week and screamed at a 13-year-old co-star who had been feuding with Jamie Lynn � leaving the traumatized tweenster in tears.

According to an on-set snitch: "Britney had the talent coordinator bring [co-star] Alexa Nikolas over to Jamie Lynn's trailer � where she proceeded to scream that Alexa was an 'evil little girl,' and that she had better watch herself or she 'will never work in this town again!' "

The source adds, "Alexa was in tears. She was sobbing and totally upset � I mean, she has been buying Britney CDs since she was 6, and then Britney tears her to pieces? It was totally uncalled for. While Jamie Lynn is the star, Alexa still works there and it is technically her set. And the fight was a petty, 13-year-old thing between Alexa and Jamie Lynn, who is becoming a real pest. Britney should have stayed out of it."

Another source says Jamie Lynn is "a real diva, and is even worse now because she is in the midst of contract negotiations and asking for a lot of money." A spokeswoman for both Spears sisters says: "Jamie Lynn and another girl on set were having problems, as 13-year-olds do. Britney did have words with the girl, but felt she was sticking up for her sister. She did not yell by any means, she just gave the girl a sisterly talking to and wondered why they just couldn't all get along."

What?

Pamela Anderson has pledged never to have cosmetic surgery above the neck - because she doesn't want to look like a "crazy woman."

The actress, who famously enhanced her breasts, insists she'll never go under the knife to change the way her face looks because she wants to grow old gracefully.

She says, "I don't judge anybody for doing it but I don't really think I want to. "I think, as we get older, it gets more interesting. I don't want to turn into one of those crazy (women). Everyone starts looking the same."

MK To Be Face of CK?

Will Mary-Kate Olsen follow in Kate Moss�s footsteps?

The former child sitcom star is said to be mulling a mega-bucks contract to become the new face of Calvin Klein.

The younger (by two minutes) half of the Olsen twins, stands five-feet, two-inches and was admitted to a clinic last year for an eating disorder. Still, she and sister Ashley are considered style icons by some, as the New York Times noted earlier this year, �In fact the twins are trendsetters for the latest hipster look.�

�[Calvin Klein] who famously launched the career of waif-like Kate Moss in a series of ads, wants Mary-Kate. . . to be featured in a campaign for his upcoming high-end collection,� according to an upcoming issue of InTouch Weekly.

Dirty Dancing Forever

Patrick Swayze never knows when "Dirty Dancing" fans will strike. "It's incredible," says the actor, who played the hip-swinging Johnny Castle in the hit 1987 film.

"All of the sudden I'll be pinched on the rear and jump and turn around and I'll see this little blue-haired old lady running back to her group of friends going: 'I did it, Martha. I did it!' "

While Swayze went on to star in films like "Road House," "Point Break" and "Ghost," he's probably best known for "Dirty Dancing," in which his bad-boy character teaches teenager Baby (Jennifer Grey) some risque moves during her summer vacation. The movie plays endlessly on TV, and one U.K. poll recently named the scene in which Swayze lifts Grey out of the lake during a dance lesson as Hollywood's greatest ever.

"Little girls who weren't even born when the movie was made (are) huge fans. It's hysterical," says Swayze's wife of 30 years, dancer Lisa Niemi.

Tommy Flashes His Peacock

"Tommy Lee Goes to College" was supposed to be "Steve Perry Goes to College." And that's not even the strangest thing about how NBC's new reality hit came to be.

First of all, the show was actually the brainchild of electronic music artist BT, best known for producing 'NSYNC's "Pop" and the idea came to him while working on a project quite different than the fish-out-of-water series. "When I was scoring 'Monster,' [Journey frontman] Steve Perry licensed us a Journey track and he came down to see the movie and fell in love with the scoring process. And more important than that, he started hanging out with us all the time at my studio," BT recalled.

Perry was so fascinated because he had never been formally educated in music, which spawned a thought it BT's head one afternoon. "I stood up on the soundstage and said, 'I have the funniest idea for a reality show,' " BT said. " 'We take a rock star and we put him in college. Picture him like failing the final in music theory class on his own song and doing beer bongs with college chicks.' And everyone was dying laughing and I went on for like a half hour. And, mind you, the film we are working on is blood and guts and people crying every day."

The next day, one of the movie's producers, Brad Wyman, shared BT's idea with the Creative Artists Agency. "They called me and said, 'We can get this made and you can be a producer and do the music,' " BT recalled. "And I said, 'Well, I don't even own a television. I haven't watched TV in like five years. They're like, 'That doesn't matter. Call Steve.' " BT called the Journey singer, who was flattered but not interested. "He was like, 'Dude, there's no way you're going to humiliate me on TV. I want to learn some of that stuff,' " BT remembered. "So I called CAA and they were like, 'Can you think of anyone else?' I said, 'Let me make a phone call.' I called Tommy and told him the idea. There was an awkward silence and then he goes, 'Dude, can I live in the chicks' dorm?' So I called CAA and said, 'I got the f---ing guy for sure.' "

BT describes their first meeting, with NBC, as legendary. "Tommy, in the middle of the meeting, gets up on the table, drops his pants and goes, 'Look, I got a peacock like the NBC peacock,' " BT said. "He's like, 'We could do ads that instead of NBC say NBLee.' And cut to us leaving and they're like, 'Don't take this to anyone else. We'll write you a check right now.'

"We were literally walking off the NBC lot and some friends called me and they were like, 'Did you hear about this meeting where Tommy pulled his pants down?' " he continued. "I was like, 'How did you hear about that? That was 10 minutes ago.' "

Immediately, Lee began applying to schools and was eventually accepted into six. "I thought Nebraska was the funniest, just because it's so fish-out-of-water," BT said.

Bad

Natalie Portman channels her inner B.A. Baracus:

G&R Lawsuit

Two former members of the rock band Guns N' Roses have sued frontman Axl Rose for allegedly naming himself sole administrator of the group's copyrights.

The suit was filed Aug. 17 in federal court by Slash and Duff, otherwise known as Saul Hudson and Michael McKagan. It accuses Rose of profiting from their revenue shares to the tune of about $500,000 a year.

The suit claims Rose directed the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers to send all publishing royalties to his publishing company, bypassing the band's other partners. Rose is "suffering an apparent attack of arrogance and ego. He is no longer willing to acknowledge the contributions of his former partners and bandmates in having created some of rock's greatest hits," the suit said.

Tom Hanks Is Vice-President

Tom Hanks has been named the new vice president of America's Academy Of Motion Picture Arts And Sciences - the body which awards the Oscars.

The star has been nominated for Academy Awards five times, and was named Best Actor in 1994 and 1995 for his performances in Philadelphia and Forrest Gump respectively. Hanks succeeds previous vice president Sid Ganis, who has been named president after Frank Pierson's four year term in charge of the prestigious academy came to an end on Tuesday.

Downey, Jr. Marries

Robert Downey, Jr., married his longtime girlfriend Susan Levin on Saturday.

The wedding began at 6:30 p.m. in the Long Island, New York, town of Amagansett. The ceremony took place under a gazebo built for the occasion, with guests sitting on white benches.

Guests included Keanu Reeves, who arrived by motorcycle, Billy Joel, Sting and actress Ellen Barkin. The reception followed at the same location, with tables decorated in red and gold and topped with exotic greenery instead of flowers.

Earlier Saturday afternoon, Downey did a 30-minute Kung Fu session, then went for a swim with his son, Indio. "He really blew off a lot of steam," says a friend. At lunch, Downey didn�t eat much. "He just drank a lot of water," adds the friend. "He was too nervous."

The rehearsal dinner Friday night was held at the East Hampton Point Restaurant, hosted by Levin�s parents. Guests included Sarah Jessica Parker and Robert Downey, Sr.

Downey, 40, and Levin, 31, met in 2002 on the set of Gothika, the psychological thriller he made with Halle Barry, which Levin coproduced. The couple were engaged in November 2003 when Downey presented Levin with an engagement ring made of diamonds and a rare African sapphire.

Farley Gets Star

Comedian Chris Farley was a motivational speaker, a rabid fan and a topless dancer on "Saturday Night Live." On Friday, the late comic was the toast of his castmates as they honored him with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

"I think it's sweet that everyone still has a real nice place in their hearts for him, they still remember him," said actor-comedian David Spade, who appeared with Farley during his 1990-95 reign on the show. "He goes down as one of the greats. And I still think about him every day," Spade said.

Fans, friends and family surrounded Farley's star, the walk's 2,289th, in front of the Improv Olympic West theater where the actor used to perform. Among other celebrities in attendance were "SNL" alums Chris Rock and Adam Sandler. "I think every fat comedian owes him 80 bucks that's working today," Rock said.

On The Road With The Stones

Mercedes-Benz is launching the new R-Class sports tourer by taking it on the road with The Rolling Stones.

The Mercedes R-class is the official automobile partner of the Stones� A Bigger Bang concert in the U.S. and Canada. �This initiative partners the energy and creativity of the world�s most legendary band with the automotive industry�s most legendary brand,� said Mercedes rep Carol Goll.

In addition, the sponsorship will include �Rock the R� online sweepstakes where lucky winners will get two first-class roundtrip airline tickets and accommodations to see Mick, Keith, and boys up close during the European leg of their tour. The car will also be featured on-location at each stop of the Bigger Bang tour, which kicked off in Boston on August 21. The R-class cars will be available in dealerships this fall.

When Bad Clothes Happen to Good People

--Normally, Jessica looks phenom. I'd raid her closet any day. Unfortunately, she took a wrong turn with this ensemble. It's not just bad...it's awful.

Hat=Stupid. Way too Captain and Tennille for me.

Lips=Too much collagen.

Shirt/Poncho Thingy=Disastrous. Looks a blanket I have in my trunk.

Shorts/Capris=Not my favorite, but that's the best thing about the outfit.

Boots=Um, can you say Pussycat Doll pleather?

BAD IDEA

"Old School" writers Todd Phillips and Scot Armstrong are getting ready for a reunion.

Variety reports DreamWorks has given the duo the go-ahead for "Old School 2," a follow-up to the hit 2003 comedy starring Will Ferrell, Vince Vaughn and Luke Wilson as middle-aged frat boys. Phillips and Armstrong previously collaborated on the original "Old School" and last year's "Starsky & Hutch."

Casting for the planned sequel has yet to be announced.

--This is a terrible idea. Leave it alone!

Nicky's a Bridesmaid--Twice

Hotel heiress Nicky Hilton has upset her sister Paris by becoming bridesmaid to her bitter rival Nicole Richie.

Nicky will be part of Nicole's bridal party when she weds DJ Adam Goldstein. This is despite Paris falling out with her The Simple Life co-star.

Nicky is also supposed to be part of Paris' bridal party when she weds fiance Paris Latsis. "My friend Nicole Richie is also engaged so I'm in the bridal party for that one too," she told Hello magazine. "I've got some organizing to do. I've never been to a bachelorette party so I don't know where to start."

KFeddy Gets A Job

Britney Spears' husband Kevin Federline has reportedly found a job.

He is working as a dance instructor as Darrin Henson's dance school in Los Angeles. Henson has choreographed routines for Spears, 'N Sync and Jennifer Lopez.

Kevin has been unemployed for the majority of his relationship with the singer. He is also working on his debut album reports IOL.com.

Love?

It may be a love match between tennis ace Andy Roddick and court queen Maria Sharapova.

The Russian tennis player, in town for the U.S. Open, unveiled her new fragrance Wednesday night � and guests did a double take when Roddick showed up to "support his friend." But while Roddick, who used to date Mandy Moore, says things are strictly platonic with the leggy lovely, his pals are saying they are an item. "They are together," insisted a close source.

Snoop's Skateboards

Hip-hop star Snoop Dogg is venturing into the world of skateboarding, with the launch of the Snoop Dogg Board Company.

The rapper's older brother, Bing Worthington Jr, came up with the idea to create the company, which will boast a complete line of long and short skateboards, accessories and backpacks, according to AllHipHop.com.

Duane Pacha, president of Pentagon Distribution, says, "Snoop Dogg's brother, came to us with a vision of bridging these two industries together because there is already so much crossover between skateboarding and the rap/hip-hop market." Plans are also in the pipeline for Sdbc to launch a complete line of high-end Snoop Dogg luggage and travel bags, which will hit stores in January.

Many Kids, Many Wives

Rapper/Actor Mos Def is one busy guy. Rumor has it that the Brooklyn-born performer, whose real name is Dante Terrell Smith, has five children by five different women.

But that's not all: The latest rumor is that the devout Muslim has two wives. One of Mos Def's many former flames said that he married Wife No. 2 after knowing her for just a few days.

Posh Digs Cigars

Victoria Beckham is addicted to cigars.

The former Spice Girl and mother-of-three has reportedly become a regular shopper at London's exclusive tobacconist, Davidoff. Pals of the star originally thought recent photos of her puffing on a cigar while partying on a yacht was a one-off to celebrate clinching a deal with fashion designer, Roberto Cavalli, but now believe she is hooked on the tobacco.

A source said: "The pictures threw everybody. They just assumed the cigar was purely for the cameras - but it seems she actually loves them." The Beckhams' ex-nanny, Abigail Gibson, revealed Victoria smoked cigars to help her lose weight after having third son Cruz in February. The star is said to love their rich aroma and exotic taste and the Beckhams are planning to add a cigar cabinet to their Madrid home.

Tara Comes Clean

Like anyone needed Tara Reid to admit this. You weren't fooling anyone with denials, Tara.

The scars were kind of a dead giveaway.

Wilson Under Fire

The state attorney general of Tennessee wants the country singer who made the song "Redneck Woman" a hit to stop "glamorizing" the use of smokeless tobacco at her concerts.

State officials said Gretchen Wilson can be seen on concert jumbo screens pulling a can of Skoal from her pocket while performing her new song, "Skoal Ring." That may violate the 1998 settlement between states and tobacco companies forbidding tobacco ads targeting young people, Attorney General Paul Summers said.

"Many young people attend your concerts and purchase your music and T-shirts," Summers wrote in a letter he sent to Wilson Thursday. "Because your actions strongly influence the youth in your audience ... I ask you to take steps to warn young people of negative health effects of smokeless tobacco use."

Calls to Wilson's representatives at her music label Sony Music Nashville were not immediately returned Thursday. Wilson won wide acclaim and a Grammy with her debut single "Redneck Woman."

The title of her song "Skoal Ring" refers to the wear mark left by carrying a can of smoking tobacco in a pocket of blue jeans. In the final verse of the song, Wilson sings that she gets turned on by the taste of smokeless tobacco on her man's lips.

Crowe Ponies Up Some Cash

Russell Crowe has reached a settlement with a Manhattan hotel employee who claimed the actor threw a phone at him, according to a statement released Thursday by the actor's publicist.

The Academy Award winner allegedly struck concierge Nestor Estrada in June while Crowe was in New York to promote his movie "Cinderella Man," in which he portrayed a boxer.

"Both sides expressed satisfaction at the resolution," the statement said. Terms of the settlement were not disclosed.

--Any guesses on how much Crowe had to give him?

Mary Heads Back to TV

Mary Tyler Moore will return to the soundstage where "The Mary Tyler Moore Show" was filmed in the 1970s when she guest-stars in three episodes of "That '70s Show."

Moore will play a local newscaster who hires Jackie as her personal assistant. Beloved by her audience, Moore's character isn't so charming when the TV cameras are off, as Jackie discovers.

The episodes will air next year, the Fox network said Wednesday.

Poor Sienna

Troubled actress Sienna Miller has added fuel to speculation about her well-being since her split from Jude Law. The star was snapped leaving a party with red scratches up her left arm.

Sienna, who had been partying at the Dukes Of Hazzard after-show bash, flashed her arm to the cameras. She revealed a set of sore-looking cuts covering her forearm.

Speculation has already begun about the cause of the wound, but the Daily Mirror newspaper said they were the result of a swimming accident.

Jessica As Juliet?

Jessica Simpson is desperate to hone her acting skills on the London stage - but will consider nothing less than a role in a Shakespeare play.

The 25-year-old star now considers herself a seasoned actress and is convinced a classic production would finally eradicate her dumb blonde image. Simpson says, "When I arrived in England the first thing I did was go straight to the Globe Theatre.

"For me that is the home of acting and writing. "I have always loved Shakespeare. That's the job I want - anything at the Globe."

--Right on. She's already pondered the great philosophical questions, such as "Is this chicken what I have here, or is this fish?" Why not tackle, "To be or not to be?"

Wahlberg Loves Third Nip

Four Brothers star Mark Wahlberg has decided not to go under-the-knife to remove his third nipple - because he has grown to love it.

The rapper-turned-actor considered having an operation to lose the extra nipple after all the media attention it attracted. But he has revealed to Rolling Stone magazine: "I've come to embrace it. That thing's my prized possession."

The Crue and Sgt. Pepper

The Crue searches for its Sgt. Pepper:

Mark Mick Mars' words: There will be another M�tley Cr�e record � and oh yes, it will be "something really outstanding."

But first, the Cr�e's got some touring to do � eight months' worth. Once the reunited band has been around the world and back, that's when Mars, Nikki Sixx, Tommy Lee and Vince Neil plan to cut the Cr�e's next outing, the follow-up to 2000's New Tattoo.

"There is a new album in the works, but we're taking our time on it," Mars said. "For me, I would like to see like a Sgt. Pepper, an Electric Ladyland, something really outstanding and new. I have a zillion ideas and I'm sure Nikki and Tommy and Vince do, as well. We just haven't sat down and started working together yet, because the tour's been so extensive."

Baby News

Former Punky Brewster star Soleil Moon Frye and her husband, Jason Goldberg, welcomed their first child on Wednesday. A baby girl, Poet Sienna Rose Goldberg, was born at 2:20 am in Los Angeles and weighed 7 lbs. 13 oz; she was 19 inches long.

--Poet? Good Lord...

Comedian Jerry Seinfeld and his wife Jessica are the proud parents of a new baby boy, born Monday at New York's Cornell Medical Center, the New York Post reports. Shepherd Kellen Seinfeld is the couple's third child. He follows brother Julian, 2, and sister Sascha, 4.

Bloom and Bosworth Back Together

Orlando Bloom has rekindled his romance with ex-girlfriend Kate Bosworth and insists he's never been happier - despite reports she enjoyed a passionate love-affair with director's assistant Lundi Shackleton.

Bosworth and Bloom dated for three years before parting in January to concentrate on their careers, but got back together when the Troy star flew to Australia to win her back.

Bloom gushes, "I'm really happy, Kate is a great girl. I am having a really good time. "I went out to Australia to see Kate and she's doing an amazing job. "She's such a talented actress, she's beautiful girl, she's a beautiful person and we are having such a great time together."

Stick With Singing

The only thing worse than Ryan Seacrest's clothing line could be this:

Justin Timberlake is launching his own clothing label.

He has teamed up with best friend Trace Ayala to create a range of clothes. Justin said: "This clothing is representative of where we come from - it's sort of country, but it's also got a little edge and a little chic to it." The line will be called William Rast - after their grandfathers reports ITV.com

Justin added: "We just kind of picked the two people who are most influential in our lives, and that's our grandfathers. William is my grandfather's first name and Rast is Trace's grandfather's last name." The clothes will initially only be available in Bloomingdales in New York.

Casting News

Brad Pitt has found himself a leading lady for his Jesse James movie. Award-winning stage, TV and screen actress Mary Louise Parker has been cast as Zee James, the outlaw's wife in The Assassination of Jesse James.

Filming begins on the duster in the Calgary area Monday, so Parker is expected to arrive in the city later this week. Parker joins Pitt and Casey Affleck, who plays Robert Ford, the man who shot James.

Mimi's Big Arrival

Mariah Carey is planning to arrive at this weekend's MTV Video Music Awards in Miami onboard a 120-foot yacht, according to the New York Post.

The 35-year-old is due to perform at the awards where she is nominated for two Moonmen - Best Female Video and Best R&B Video for her No. 1 single "We Belong Together."

Gearing Up For the Open

The Williams sisters, Venus and Serena, are as aggressive in marketing at the U.S. Open as they are on the court.

Today, Serena will play with doubles twins Mike and Bob Bryan on a specially installed court on the roof of Manhattan Land Rover and then test-drive one of their 2006 models. Tomorrow, Venus will challenge all comers to serve an ace against her in Pershing Square just south of Grand Central. For every ace, American Express will donate $1,000 to the "Aces for Kids" program.

Before the first match on Monday, Serena will show what the word "freebie" means to new imports Ana Ivanovic of Serbia and Tatiana Golvin of France, when they get pampered with Stila cosmetics in a suite at the Parker Meridien. They'll also haul away $1,000 goody bags.

Baby Phat to Take Over RCMH

Never one to be press shy or anything less than ostentatious, Kimora Lee Simmons will mark a milestone when she presents her spring Baby Phat collection in New York on September 10 at 9pm. Her show will take place at New York�s Radio City Music Hall, making her the first designer to stage a fashion show at the legendary space.

�Not only are we making fashion history, but this way everyone invited will be able to get in and, more importantly, get a seat,� noted BJ Coleman, the PR director for Baby Phat. �There will be no standing.� The approximate 3,000 seat capacity venue will hopefully fit the bill this time around, and do away with the drama many editors�including a very public Andr� Leon Talley�experienced at Sky Studios last season when they could not get in. Coleman went on to say that having the show at Radio City was the right synergy, as Kimora was inspired by Hollywood glamour for her spring collection. �This event really represents all that is glamorous,� he noted. �It�s meant to have a real red carpet feel.�

As part of a special promotion leading up to the fashion show, Baby Phat will be staging a special incentive program at its Prince Street store in Soho, whereby a certain number of consumers�to be decided by Baby Phat�will be offered the opportunity to attend the fashion show with each $250 or more retail purchase.

--She annoys me to no end.

Icky

There are simply some patterns that few people (especially pregnant ones) should attempt. See exhibit A:

--And one other thing--I think the length is a hazard...she could trip and fall at any moment!

TomKat Update

Because it's been awhile since I gave you a TomKat update:

Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes are reportedly planning an extravagant Arabian Knights wedding.

Insiders claim the smitten couple are set to marry at Mexico's luxury Maroma resort, after Tom saw a wedding there earlier this year. The Hollywood actor has reportedly told wedding planner Kevin Lemon to create "the event of the decade."

The wedding that made Tom fall in love with the resort took place in May, and featured a romantic beach ceremony followed by a candlelit procession to the castle for the reception. A source revealed to Britain's Sunday Mirror newspaper: "Tom was really impressed by what he saw. That's when he got his people to call Kevin Lemon and they said, 'Can you make it identical but with millions of flowers?'"

Pathetic

Liar, liar, pants on fire...

RIP

Brock Peters, who began his Hollywood career in the landmark productions of "Carmen Jones" and "Porgy and Bess" and gave a heartbreaking performance as the black man falsely accused of rape in "To Kill a Mockingbird," has died at age 78.

Peters had been receiving chemotherapy after being diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in January, according to Marilyn Darby, his longtime companion. His condition worsened in recent weeks and he died peacefully in bed Tuesday, surrounded by family, she said.

Peters was born George Fisher on July 2, 1927, in New York. His long film career began in the 1950s; he appeared in "Carmen Jones" (1954) and in "Porgy and Bess" (1959).

Something's Gotta Give

This certainly seems to be life imitating art, or vice versa...

Hollywood star Keanu Reeves has dumped 28-year-old actress Lynn Collins- and is reportedly dating Diane Keaton.

Reeves dated Collins for three months after meeting her on the set of new movie Mare II.

Keaton, 59, and 40-year-old Reeves co-starred in Something's Gotta Give and were romantically linked earlier this year - before Reeves met Collins.

Fashion Fore!front

Samuel L. Jackson, Rob Lowe and Andy Garcia will be set against Sir Steve Redgrave, Damian Lewis and Jodie Kidd in the first ever US v Europe All Star Cup celebrity golf tournament over the weekend � and they'll all be dressed by Tommy Hilfiger.

The event will be held at Celtic Manor golf resort, site of the 2010 Ryder Cup, from August 27-29 and will feature celebrities from both continents playing in teams captained by Colin Montgomerie and Mark O'Meara. For all the action, they will be wearing key pieces from Hilfiger's European Golf Collection, while for more formal moments they will be supplied with looks from his American Classics Tailored and Women's Sportswear Collections. Player of the tournament will also receive a special limited edition jacket.

"Sport and style are integral to my design philosophy," says Hilfiger, who has dressed the Ferrari Formula One team and the US Olympic Freestyle Ski team in the past, as well as Arsenal football club for the formal wardrobe for the 2005 FA Cup Final. "This event is an incredible opportunity to showcase not only the unique fashion, lifestyle and performance qualities of the European Golf Collection, but also our tailored, and men's and women's sportswear lines."

Umm...

I have NO idea what happened to the server exactly. Sorry for the disruption in your quest for gossip!

:)

Deep Thoughts

Britney Spears' husband Kevin Federline has turned to holistic healer Deepak Chopra for spiritual guidance.

Father-of-two Federline, who will celebrate his one-year wedding anniversary with Spears next month, was recently spotted carrying Chopra's The Book Of Secrets, which gives 15 spiritual pointers for enlightenment.

Of parenthood, Chopra writes, "Growing children learn many roles simultaneously, and the role learned at home is only one of many."

--I wonder if weed and Cheetos are two of the fifteen pointers.

Ledger Eggs Stalkerazzi

Australian actor Heath Ledger has taken to throwing eggs at the paparazzi when he catches them staking him out.

The actor is particularly annoyed by the presence of photographers when he's relaxing with his friends and relatives, so he now attacks them with eggs whenever he has any to hand. He says, "I've thrown an egg. Not at them just kind of next to them so it splatters up against them. That's how pathetic it is. That's what we're reduced to. You can't actually stand up and slap them. When they kind of spy in on you and you're trying to like bathe out in the sun, and you're with your girlfriend and your friends and your family... it actually feels like you're getting a slap across the face. And we can't physically stand up and hit them back, of course, it would be rude and against the law. So you just get an egg."

Mena Urges To Quit Smoking

Former smoker Mena Suvari is now so anti-tobacco she has agreed to front a new campaigned aimed at urging young women to quit.

The American Beauty star has signed up as a spokeswoman for anti-smoking charity Circle Of Friends, which offers help to those desperately trying to turn their backs on cigarettes. Suvari admits she started smoking when she was a teenager, but she was able to kick the habit with the help of family and friends - and then the loss of a relative to a smoking-related illness prompted her to be more active.

She says, "One of the things you learn being in the public eye is that you have the ability to raise awareness about serious issues, and, in the process, really help people. I've chosen to get the word out to women, especially young women, that tobacco is not glamorous - it's addictive and smoking takes a serious toll on your health."

Simpson Diva Behavior

Jessica and Ashlee Simpson are seeking a new sponsor for their MTV Video Music Awards after-party because Jessica's outrageous demands have forced People magazine to pull out.

The singing sisters are planning to host a huge party and perform together at the Setai resort, Miami on August 28 and assumed People would be happy to pick up the bill - but the magazine baulked when they realized the extent of Jessica's planned extravagance.

An insider tells PageSix.com, "Her demands became outrageous. She wanted everyone to set up shop at 6am and be there for 24 hours. "She wanted $20,000 for hair and make-up, $80,000 for a technical production budget which her father, Joe, was overseeing, and over 30 rooms at the Setai."

And People were further upset when Jessica signed a $200,000 contract allowing OK! magazine exclusive access.

A Simpson representative says, "There were discussions with People about their VMA after-party, but Jessica and Ashlee were unable to do the party with them because of other sponsors involved with the event that would create conflicts with Jessica's master licensing deal and Ashlee's contract with Thermasilk. "Both girls are extremely conscious of their business deals and would do nothing to violate those relationships."

Moore To Slim Down?

There may soon be less of Michael Moore.

The portly propagandist is doing a stint at the Pritikin Longevity Center & Spa in Aventura, Fla. � also known as the "fat farm for the rich." Moore is learning how to cook healthy meals and exercise and attending classes on "life re-education."

The program starts at $3,800 a week and promises enrolees they'll "learn a new approach to eating," "never have to diet again," and can lose up to 12 pounds in the first three weeks. The facility also has "cosmetic/medical treatments, such as intense pulsed light, botox injections, and Restylane."

Pitt Stands Up For Aniston

Brad Pitt has blasted the media for using unflattering pictures of estranged wife Jennifer Aniston to illustrate how badly his relationship with Angelina Jolie has hit the former Friends star.

The 41-year-old actor has blasted the press for false reports the former Friends actress has lost weight as a result of her former spouse's romance with his Mr. And Mrs. Smith co-star. However, Jolie and the Pitt deny they are a couple.

He says, "They look for the worst photos they can find, even if they're ancient, and manufacture a terrible story about her supposed loss of weight or something like that, and it's completely untrue." "It's the most wretched thing I've heard in my life. I've never seen such cruelty, even in a primary school."

"Jen is the sweetest, kindest woman that you could imagine. I really don't mind what they do to me, but to take advantage of someone who's the sweetest and most pleasant person in the world, and to do it day after day, seems to me despicable."

--And in other Brangelinaston news, Brad and Jen make their split official.

Organic Baby Food?

Liz Hurley is adding to her green credentials by launching a range of organic baby foods.

The new brand has apparently been inspired by her three-year-old son Damian.

She said: "I found all I wanted to do was give him perfect, unadulterated food. "It would be wonderful to come up with good, maybe even convenience, food which is really healthy, low-calorie, organic and delicious."

No Breakdown For Joaquin

Joaquin Phoenix has denied tabloid reports that he had a breakdown while filming a scene related to Cash's brother's death in "Walk the Line," the upcoming Johnny Cash biopic.

Phoenix banged his head on a bedpost during a scene in which Cash is going through drug withdrawal in an attempt to get into his character's emotional state. He was acting, not flipping out, he tells Newsweek magazine, now on newsstands.

His brother River Phoenix died of a drug overdose outside a Los Angeles nightclub in 1993 when he was 23. Cash also lost his older brother at a young age, but Phoenix sees no connection. "I don't need to pull from my experience for a character, and I've never understood why actors would, except for lack of ability, imagination or research," he says. "I had all three things, so this is a little frustrating to me, because it denies my work and the research that I did."

Phoenix continues: "It bothers me that this happens, because it's slightly exploitative. Suggesting that I would use this personal part of my life for a (expletive) movie ... it kind of makes me sick."

New Juicy Campaign

Juicy Couture goes live�in Times Square, that is.

The company famous for its �I Love� moniker has taken over a series of billboards facing Broadway will broadcast five images of actress/musician Taryn Manning dressed in the company�s fall/holiday collection. The actress, currently in Hustle & Flow, was photographed by Melodie McDaniel alongside a slew of cool and contemporary males wearing the Juicy Couture men�s/holiday line.

A ticker tape runs across the bottom of the billboard displaying such phrases as �Juicy Loves Men�s Vogue,� �Juicy Loves New York,� �Juicy Loves the CFDA (referring to their recent membership into the organization),� and �Juicy Loves Jen,� in an obvious nod to whom their terrycloth-and-velour-clad backs are in favor of when it comes to Angelina Jolie vs. Jennifer Aniston.

Garofalo on "West Wing"

Janeane Garofalo will guest star as a controversial media strategist for three episodes on NBC's "The West Wing" this fall.

Garofalo's character, Louise Thornton, is hired by Democratic Congressman Matt Santos (Jimmy Smits) as the new director of communications for his presidential campaign. She urges Josh Lyman (Bradley Whitford) and the other staffers to stop playing politics and start concentrating on connecting with the electorate.

Her first appearance is expected to air Oct. 2, NBC said in a statement.

Crazy Stones Fan

The legendary Rolling Stones opened their long-awaited North American concert tour at Fenway Park in Boston Sunday night, and the anticipated event was not without some serious drama.

According to police, one female fan is recovering at a nearby hospital after suffering two broken ankles and a broken wrist. A fire department official reported that the unidentified woman was spotted hanging from the rafters of the concert venue before falling nearly 40 feet.

Meanwhile, thousands of devoted fans enjoyed both old favorites and some brand new hits from the group's upcoming album A Bigger Bang, set for release next month. One notable omission was their new single "Sweet Neo-Con," which has made news headlines recently for its controversial political theme which appears to send an anti-Bush administration message.

Sad

The Coast Guard says it is investigating the disappearance of Olivia Newton-John's longtime boyfriend, who failed to return from an overnight fishing trip off the California coast seven weeks ago.

Patrick Kim McDermott, 48, left San Pedro, 20 miles south of Los Angeles, June 30 on an overnight fishing trip. The Los Angeles Police Department said McDermott has been listed as missing.

Coast Guard officer Nathan Henise told The Associated Press Monday that McDermott was last seen on the fishing vessel and that his personal items were found on the boat. "We're treating it as a missing person case," Henise told the AP. "Everyone is being interviewed, everyone on the boat."

Newton-John on Monday urged anyone with information on his disappearance to contact authorities. "I'm hopeful that my treasured friend is safe and well, and I'm grateful to the officials who are working so hard to find Patrick, whom I love very much," she said in a statement. "I ask anybody with information that could help to please please come forward."

Keys To Act

Grammy-winning soul star Alicia Keys is eyeing a role as a ruthless assassin alongside Ben Affleck, in a new action comedy called Smokin' Aces. The singer is also expected to star alongside Ryan Reynolds and Jeremy Piven in the movie, which will be directed by film-maker Joe Carnahan.

In Smokin' Aces, Reynolds will play an FBI agent masterminding a manhunt for Piven's loudmouthed stand-up comedian character. With the comic making plans to testify against the mafia, Keys and a collection of fellow hired killers seek to cash in on the contract on his life, reports MTV.

Keys recently signed a deal portray piano player Philippa Schuyler in Halle Berry's film based on the book Compositions In Black And White.

Stalkerazzi At It Again

Scarlett Johansson's trip to California theme park Disneyland ended in disaster Friday afternoon, when her Mercedes hit another car as the paparazzi chased her.

According to eyewitnesses, the star was driving near the tourist attraction's entrance with two pals, when she swerved to get away from pursuing photographers and hit another vehicle containing a woman and her two young daughters.

An onlooker says, "The front of Scarlett's Mercedes damaged the side of the other car pretty badly. Scarlett looked really shaken up and when both cars pulled over in a safe spot, she apologized profusely to the other woman. After that, they spent around 40 minutes on their phones, sorting out all of their insurance and legal paperwork." A Mercedes representative arrived soon afterwards with a new car for the actress to drive home. Johansson's publicist Marcel Pariseau states, "The fender bender was induced by the paparazzi, who chased her for 45 minutes."

Cheadle Visits Hotel Rwanda

Don Cheadle has finally visited "Hotel Rwanda."

The 40-year-old actor toured the Hotel des Milles Collines in Rwanda's capital Kigali last month, speaking with several of the more than 1,000 people who were sheltered there during the country's 1994 genocide by manager Paul Rusesabagina, the character portrayed by Cheadle in the film.

"All of their experiences were the stuff of epic films � things they had to go through in those 100 days," Cheadle told The Associated Press in an interview this week. "It was amazing."

Cheadle, who earned an Oscar nomination for "Hotel Rwanda," had never seen the hotel because last year's film was shot primarily in South Africa. Through the movie, however, he developed a new passion for the vast continent. "I felt drawn to that area, and felt drawn in any way I can to bringing attention to the place, and any way that I can," he said.

During his 2 1/2-week visit in late July, he met with Rwandan President Paul Kagame, attended the premiere of "Hotel Rwanda" in Uganda and toured displaced-person camps in the country's northern provinces. More than 1.5 million Ugandans have fled their homes to avoid a campaign of murder, rape and abduction waged by rebel group Lord's Resistance Army. Cheadle met with young girls who said they were taken as wives by rebel soldiers.

Pammie Sings

Pamela Anderson is following in the footsteps of her ex-husband Tommy Lee and former fiance Kid Rock - by becoming a singer.

The former Baywatch actress, who already counts novelist, fashion designer and animal rights activist as a few of her many titles, has recorded a track with fellow Canadian Bryan Adams - and she's impressed with the results.

She says, "Bryan Adams is a friend of mine and Canadian. He talked me into recording a song with him. We went to the Chateau Marmont (in Hollywood) and hung out for a while."

"He said he wanted me to do a harmony on one of his songs called When You're Gone. I actually sang with him and it didn't sound bad. I'm surprised... I really loved it and had a really good time. It comes out in October on his Anthology album."

Get Well, Natasha

American Pie star Natasha Lyonne is reportedly fighting for her life in a New York City hospital, after being found with hepatitis C, a heart infection and a collapsed lung.

The New York Post reports that the missing actress has been found struggling to survive in the Beth Israel Hospital's intensive care unit.

The publication says that as well as the range of health problems she's battling, Lyonne was also found with track marks, and is undergoing methadone treatment, typically used to help heroin users. Her father,, who visited the 26-year-old actress a week ago, tells Access Hollywood, "I read the article. I'm crying, actually. It's terrible. That's my little girl. It's a terrible tragedy. But she's gonna get better. We're all praying for her and she's a tough girl.

"As we see in the paper, she's probably with the wrong crowd, but the main thing she picked up is (hepatitis C) in Bulgaria (while shooting her 2001 movie The Grey Zone)."

And Braunstein is certain the New York Post will face legal action for exposing details of Lyonne's condition, explaining, "There's a confidentiality between patient, doctor and hospital, so all of this is gonna be probably a major lawsuit."

mtvU

mtvU's faculty of one-time college professors this fall include Martha Stewart, Kanye West, Melissa Etheridge and Shimon Peres.

Stand In, where celebrities are surprise university lecturers, is the most popular series on the MTV spinoff channel, which is beamed into dorms at 730 colleges and available online. The network doesn't tell students in advance what to expect. Some past episodes were filmed at Temple, Fordham and the U.S. Naval Academy.

West, whose debut album is called The College Dropout, is expected back on campus to talk about music composition. Etheridge will talk to a health class about her breast cancer scare and Peres will meet with students studying the Middle East.

For Stewart, mtvU producers are trying to locate an agricultural school where she can lecture about landscaping, said Stephen Friedman, the network's general manager. Criminal justice won't be on the syllabus for Stewart, who is finishing up her home confinement following a five-month prison term for lying about a stock sale.

"No, that's not one of the topics were looking at," Friedman said.

Bree Engaged

Desperate Housewives star Marcia Cross doesn't just have an Emmy nomination � she has a fianc�.

The 43-year-old actress, who plays perfectionist Bree Van De Kamp on the hit ABC show, is engaged to stockbroker Tom Mahoney, 47. She accepted his proposal last weekend, her publicist, Heidi Slan, said.

"The happy couple have not set a date for the wedding yet," Slan says. It will be the first marriage for both.

Dolly's Does a Cover Album

Dolly's Got a New Album:

Dolly Parton does them one better on "Those Were the Days."

Not only does she put a country spin on songs such as "Turn, Turn, Turn," "Crimson and Clover" and "Me and Bobby McGee," she gets some of the artists who wrote or popularized the originals to join her.

Roger McGuinn, Kris Kristofferson, Yusuf Islam (formerly Cat Stevens), Keith Urban, Alison Krauss, Norah Jones, Judy Collins and many others lend their talents.

McCarthy and Husband Split

Jenny McCarthy and her husband, director John Asher, have filed for divorce in Los Angeles after nearly six years of marriage.

The couple, who met in 1999 when Asher directed McCarthy in the film Diamonds, are citing irreconcilable differences," according to her rep Brad Cafarelli.

McCarthy, 32, and Asher, 34, who wed on Sept. 11, 1999, have a 3-year-old-son, Evan.

Clooney's New Movie

The New York Film Festival will say hello on opening night with "Good Night, and Good Luck," George Clooney's depiction of McCarthyism and TV news in the 1950s.

Clooney directs for just the second time (his first film was 2002's "Confessions of a Dangerous Mind," about game show host Chuck Barris) and co-stars as CBS News producer Fred Friendly. David Strathairn plays Edward R. Murrow, who scrutinized Sen. Joseph McCarthy's communist witch hunt.

Miller Time

When it's Miller Time, Miller Brewing knows how to party. The nation's second-largest and oldest major brewer threw a 150th birthday bash Saturday with more than 100 descendants of the Miller family attending.

Lured by the Goo Goo Dolls, Bon Jovi and Miller beer, the invitation-only event called "The Big Brew-Ha" was expected to draw about 35,000 people to Miller Park, less than a mile from the brewery.

"This celebration has been 150 years in the making, and it's one that no other major American brewing company is able to celebrate," said Miller Brewing President and CEO Norman Adami. "We are here to celebrate a major milestone, but more importantly, we are here to celebrate the employees, past and present, who made the last 150 years possible."

Adami read a letter from President Bush, who called the story of Miller a testament to innovation.

Fashion Fighting Censorship

Marc Ecko, fashion designer, is getting into government with his latest project: a campaign to get Mayor Bloomberg to reverse his decision to ban a Marc Ecko graffiti party, scheduled for next Wednesday.

The urban sportswear designer held a press conference yesterday with civil rights attorney Daniel Perez and a slew of New York graffiti artists, announcing an Ecko lawsuit against the City of New York for revoking the company�s street permit for the event.

Billed as a �graffiti street festival� by Ecko Unlimited, the scheduled party would take place on 22nd St. between Tenth and Eleventh Avenues from 10pm from noon until sundown, and feature ten fake subway trains, available for tagging by 20 graffiti artists selected by the company. The event�s permit was recently revoked by the city, who deemed the party illegal because of strict anti-graffiti laws.

Speaking to a select crowd yesterday at the Ecko Unlimited headquarters, Marc Ecko said, "We developed plans for this event over 10 months ago�we have worked hand-in-hand with [the city] to ensure this event was executed within their guidelines and would be a fun and carefree day of expression for all involved�I am not a provocateur and I have tremendous respect for our elected officials. But I can�t stand here today and say that I condone censorship, and that is exactly what I am faced with when a permit we have had in hand for several weeks and have worked on for several months is unjustly revoked."

"This is a case about censoring our rights, those who believe in graffiti art, to paint live and to choose our canvas and our means of expression. Even after we went as far as securing a single security guard for each artist, arranging for barricades to surround each mural, and get signed contracts from the artists which would subject them to heavy fines if a single drop of paint left the designated painting area.�

It's a Sport

Tales from the Des Moines Fair:

"These are the rules for the mullet hunt," Sandy Davis announces to the six other women, her pink "Mullet Hunters" shirt catching curious glances from the people around her. "Then we'll get going."

The rules are simple and to the point.

1. Find the mullet.

2. Verify. The mullet must be three times longer out back than up top, and it must extend from the bottom of the hair.

3. Get the mullet man's (or woman's) name. Record it in the team's official Mullet notebook.

4. Mark the target. Use the Homer Simpson "Mmmm Mullet!" stamp to ensure this mullet cannot be used by the opposition.

5. Return in one hour to crown a Mullet Champion.

Got one: Sandy Davis stamps the hand of Arthur Slaughter of Pratt, Kan., on Monday. Davis' group took part in a mullet hunt, tracking down people sporting mullet hairdos at the Iowa State Fair.

Kim Burch, happily drinking vodka and Kool-Aid, starts frantically clapping her hands. "Come on, come on, come on, let's go, come on!"

Preston Federline

Britney Spears is expecting a boy � and plans to call him Preston.

The pop princess, due to give birth next month, spent loads of cash on an after-hours shopping spree at exclusive Beverly Hills store Petit Tresor.

She emerged with bags packed with clothes for a boy. And a columnist said: �They are mulling over several names but the one they favor is Preston.�

--Do they make infant "Rock Out With Your C@*k Out" trucker caps? I may have to purchase one for 'lil Preston Federline.

Blogad Love

Be sure to take the "It's all good...It's the 90's Trivia Game" for a chance to win $10,000!!! (see Blogad on the left side of the page).

Good luck!

Get Better, Em

Eminem has checked himself into a treatment center for dependency to sleep medication, his publicist tells Reuters.

The announcement came two days after the Grammy-winning rapper, 32, had called off his 10-concert European tour, scheduled to kick off Sept. 1 in Germany, citing exhaustion. In a brief statement, Dennis Dennehy said Eminem (real name: Marshall Mathers III), "is in the hospital under doctors' care."

Eminem completed the American leg of his "Anger Management" tour last week and this week his label, Interscope Records, issued a statement saying: "Eminem is currently being treated for exhaustion, complicated by other medical issues. The shows are not expected to be rescheduled."

Levine and Sharapova?

Maroon 5's Adam Levine is reportedly dating tennis hottie Maria Sharapova.

The two have apparently been going on secret dates after they met in happening New York club, Hiro at the tennis star's eighteenth birthday party.

Adam was previously dating model Kelly McGee. He has also reportedly been on dates with Natalie Portman. However, it seems that Adam is now happily ensconced with Maria and the pair have reportedly being "seeing each other quietly for months," according to The Sun.

--I know Iceman will be saddened by this news.

Immature

Gwen Stefani is reportedly set to snub the MTV Video Music Awards - because she wasn't allowed to perform.

Despite being nominated for a string of trophies, sources claim the singer is planning to boycott the Miami ceremony later this month because she wasn't asked to sing on the show. However, MTV bosses are still hoping Gwen will turn up to collect any awards she might win.

A spokesperson told America's New York Daily News newspaper: "We love Gwen and we hope she will be able to join us, as we know her fans would love to see her on this big night - especially since she's heavily nominated."

Gwen is nominated for an impressive six prizes - Video of the Year, Best Pop Video, Best Female Video and Best Choreography in A Video for 'Hollaback Girl', and Best Art Direction and Best Editing for 'What You Waiting For?'.

However, the stunning singer will not be joining the scheduled performers, including Coldplay, Mariah Carey, Green Day, Shakira, Ludacris and Kanye West.

Whatever

WTF?

Pamela Anderson may not be planning to remarry her ex-husband, Tommy Lee, but she did throw a wedding � for her dogs. In Malibu on Wednesday, two of her pooches were "wed" before 20 guests, including Anderson's ex, surfer Kelly Slater (walking one of the pups).

Alba News

A sequel to this year's "Fantastic Four" is in the works, and the original stars are set to reprise their superhero roles � except for Jessica Alba.

After starring in the first flick with Michael Chiklis and the lesser-known likes of Ioane Gruffud, Chris Evans, and Julian McMahon, the actress is uncertain the follow-up would be a judicious career move.

Instead, rumor has it that Alba has agreed to star alongside Jimmy Fallon in the movie remake of the classic sitcom, "I Dream of Jeannie." She'll get to show a lot more skin than Barbara Eden, who was forced by censors to cover her navel.

--Enough with the damn remakes!

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Coach Snoop In Trouble

It's the biggest scandal to hit Southern California Pee Wee football since, well, ever. Some parents in Los Angeles are accusing Snoop Dogg of using his fame and a tricked-out team bus to lure players to his new football league, which is threatening to wipe out decades of youth football history in the area.

The peeved parents claim that because of Snoop's star power, the once mighty Rowland High School football program in Rowland Heights, California has dwindled, shrinking from nine squads of 5-14 year olds to just three, while its formerly sturdy cheerleading squad has atrophied from 80 girls to just nine, according to a Los Angeles Times report.

"I'm mad at Coach Snoop," 10-year-old Rowland player Xavier Bernal said. "He was so cool; he told me to play my heart out and to play everything I've got. But now I just want to ask him, why did he take all our players?"

According to disgruntled parents and kids, the rapper, who is an alum of his hometown's Long Beach Poly Junior Jackrabbits, lured players to his new Snoop Youth Football League conference with gifts and the promise of riding on a team bus that is tricked out with TVs for watching game tape and a bumping stereo that pumped out his old team's theme song, "Drop It Like It's Hot."

Simpson a Showgirl?

First Celine. Then Madonna (but she declined). Now Jessica:

Jessica Simpson has been offered her own Las Vegas show.

The signer has been approached by businessman George Maloof, who wants to employ her to perform at his Palms Resort And Casino.

Her representative said: "I can confirm that there was interest on the Palms' part, but it's not an offer the Simpsons are considering." Jessica and her husband Nick Lachey bought a luxury apartment in a new development within the Palms Resort earlier this year.

Jolie News

Finally, an Angelina Jolie movie her kids can watch. Jolie has signed on to star in a big-screen adaptation of the epic English poem "Beowulf" to be directed by Robert Zemeckis.

The film, like Zemeckis' previous movie, "The Polar Express," will use performance-capture technology to transform live acting into computer animation, according to The Hollywood Reporter. The story of the Scandinavian hero of the sixth century who slays a beast will star Ray Winstone as Beowulf, who saves the Danes from Grendel the monster, portrayed by the always creepy Crispin Glover.

Jolie, who played Colin Farrell's youngish mother in "Alexander," will again portray a maternal character in the film, taking on the role of Grendel's mom. The cast also includes Anthony Hopkins, Robin Wright Penn and John Malkovich. The movie is scheduled for a 2007 release.

In the meantime, Jolie started work this week on "The Good Shepherd," a World War II-era drama following the dramatic early years of the CIA. The film, which co-stars Matt Damon, is being directed by Robert De Niro in his only official stint behind the camera since the 1993 gangster drama "A Bronx Tale."

--And in other Angelina news, it seems she and Brad are planning to get married.

6FU

Saying "goodbye" to yet another, groundbreaking HBO show...

"Yo! Stop it!"

Kanye West says "gay" has become an antonym to hip-hop - and that it needs to be stopped. During an interview for an MTV special, the 27-year-old rapper launched into a discussion about hip-hop and homosexuality while talking about "Hey Mama," a song on his upcoming album, "Late Registration."

West says that when he was young, people would call him a "mama's boy." "And what happened was, it made me kind of homophobic, 'cause it's like I would go back and question myself," West says.

West says he changed his ways, though, when he learned one of his cousins was gay. "It was kind of like a turning point when I was like, `Yo, this is my cousin. I love him and I've been discriminating against gays.'"

West says hip-hop was always about "speaking your mind and about breaking down barriers, but everyone in hip-hop discriminates against gay people." He adds that in slang, gay is "the opposite, the exact opposite word of hip-hop."

Kanye's message: "Not just hip-hop, but America just discriminates. And I wanna just, to come on TV and just tell my rappers, just tell my friends, `Yo, stop it!"

H&Mdenim

H&M is a company known for making a splash, whether through its shockingly affordable prices or its headline-grabbing events.

Capitalizing on the latter, the Swedish retail giant is launching H&Mdenim, a new line of high-premium denim that will feature 100 different styles for men and women, available in a slew of washes and shades, featuring special touches like grommets and rhinestones. The line, which will range in price from $39.90 to $69.90, hopes to catapult H&M into the denim market, an area that the company hasn�t been known for in the past.

A special advertising campaign�which will, nationally, run exclusively in the September and October issues of Interview magazine as well as other regional publications throughout the country�has been created by controversial lensman David LaChapelle to accompany the denim launch, scheduled for the end of September. A pre-launch of select styles is currently in H&M stores now.

To celebrate the occasion, H&M will host a party along with LaChapelle and Interview magazine at Splashlight Studios on September 14 during Fashion Week. At the event, guests will view a six-minute short film developed by LaChapelle that features Mary J. Blige and former American Idol contestant Tamyra Gray wearing H&Mdenim. In addition, as part of the company�s media plan, the short film will play during previews in select movie theaters across the nation.

--If you haven't checked out H&M, you really should. To my Indy readers, we're getting one at Circle Center. I know this is a favorite "label" of many of my readers, so I wanted to make sure I posted this. ;)

Barry's Bling

Barry Manilow is getting into bling.

Manilow has introduced a line of jewelry he's simply calling the "M Jewelry Line." The first items are a silver bracelet, a silver ring, crystal earrings and a crystal necklace.

Manilow's name is not anywhere on the items. They are available through his official Web site.

--I say stick to writing the songs that make the whole world sing.

Morbidity @ Blender

Madonna's bone-breaking fall from a horse is causing the morbid editors at Blender to recalculate her life expectancy.

The magazine's Web site routinely predicts when today's celebrities will croak using factors like medical history, genes, education and lifestyle, and had estimated Madonna's expiration date at a formidable 86.

But now that Madonna (above), 47, had her equine accident � which could happen again � the editors are apparently busy trying to figure out whether to shave some years off that ambitious checkout time.

LV TP

You know Jessica Simpson will be buying this by the case.

Lavigne Punk'd

Avril Lavigne was left in floods of tears recently, when she was made to believe she'd blown up a car and a bike. The Canadian singer became the latest victim on Ashton Kutcher's hit prank show Punk'd after parking her car while out with a friend.

As soon as she stepped out of the garage, Kutcher's team got straight to work, posting a fake reserved sign and blocking Lavigne's car in with another vehicle before she returned. After complaining to the attendant about being stuck in her spot, Lavigne was asked by the staffer to help him move the car. But chaos soon ensued when the car rolled out of everybody's control and into a transformer, which caught on fire, engulfing a neighbouring motorbike in flames.

Shocked Lavigne fought back tears as both the owner of the bike and the car screamed at her in disgust. And she was so upset that even when Kutcher appeared from behind the scenes and informed her it was a prank, she burst into tears.

The Royals Come to Springfield?

Britain's Princes William and Harry are being lined up for cameos in 'The Simpsons'.

The royal siblings are both being considered for parts in the hit animated show and are set to be approached by bosses with an offer. Executive producer Al Jean has revealed the plans, and claims he is interested in featuring both William and Harry in a storyline where one of the princes becomes character Lisa's dream boyfriend.

He said: "We've thought about approaching Harry and William because I believe they are fans of the show. It would be funny to make one of them Lisa's boyfriend. I know they're image conscious but I don't know what harm it would do."

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Private Divorce

Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston have hired a judge so the details of their divorce remain private.

Jennifer filed for divorce in January citing "irreconcilable differences." The public will not hear details of their divorce in open court paper. Instead they will negotiate their split in front of temporary judge Jill Robbins in their lawyers' offices.

According to Contactmusic.com celebrity divorce lawyer Raoul Felder said: "This is a rent-a-judge situation. It's something that can only be done in the state of California." The completion date for the divorce is set at June 30, 2007.

Brosnan Says "Bye" to Bond

A single, surprising phone call and it was over. That's how Pierce Brosnan says he learned that his services as James Bond would no longer be required.

"One phone call, that's all it took!" the 52-year-old actor tells Entertainment Weekly magazine in its Aug. 19 issue. Brosnan starred in four Bond films. He says that before they stopped negotiations, the producers had invited him back for a fifth time. "You know, the movie career for me really started with Bond," says Brosnan, acknowledging that by the time "GoldenEye" premiered in 1995, he was already 42. He then starred as 007 in "Tomorrow Never Dies" (1997), "The World Is Not Enough" (1999) and "Die Another Day" (2002).

His departure from the role was a "titanic jolt to the system," says Brosnan, followed by "a great sense of calm." "I thought. ... I can do anything I want to do now. I'm not beholden to them or anyone. I'm not shackled by some contracted image. So there was a sense of liberation."

Brosnan says he's grateful to have had the role, but adds: "It never felt real to me. I never felt I had complete ownership over Bond. Because you'd have these stupid one-liners � which I loathed � and I always felt phony doing them." He plays a foulmouthed, skirt-chasing hit man in the upcoming film "The Matador."

"(For this) to come on the heels of my departure from the world of Bond is sweet grace, to play this one as a farewell to that chapter in time � it certainly wasn't planned."

Pray For Cojo

Steven Cojocaru is looking for another kidney transplant after the first donated kidney had to be removed due to infection.

Cojocaru, a correspondent for syndicated TV shows "Entertainment Tonight" and "The Insider," received a kidney from a friend in January. That kidney was removed in June after it became infected with a virus that can afflict transplant recipients and lead to eventual loss of the organ.

The red carpet mainstay says the virus is now gone, leaving him in proper shape for a new transplant. He is seeking the right donor match. "Now I feel 100 percent," Cojocaru tells Us Weekly in an interview. "I'm alive and kicking and concentrating on buying my fall wardrobe!"

The 40-something fashion commentator suffers from polycystic kidney disease, a hereditary disorder that causes the growth of cysts on the kidney. After going though "drama detox," Cojocaru says he's now ready to return to work. He plans to be back on the red carpet for the MTV Video Music Awards in Miami on Aug. 28.

Cojocaru says he's "determined" to get another kidney and is trying to "help make donating kidneys the new, trendy, hot thing to do. Hotter than buying a house in Malibu."

"Kidneys are the new black!" he joked.

Banana Republic News

Banana Republic takes center stage with its fall advertising campaign, using the opportunity to align itself with the work of Michel Gondry.

Several years ago, Gondry, the director of Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, created a 1:39 music video to accompany Gary Jules� version of the song Mad World, originally performed by Tears for Fears. Banana Republic executives came across Gondry�s music video on his director�s reel and felt that it would be fitting for its fall ad campaign, reinforcing the notion of finding art in everyday moments.

With the launch of the company�s fall campaign comes www.FindtheArtintheEveryday.com, a website vehicle to showcase the Gondry short. As part of a promotion to tie into artful associations, there�s a page on the site where Banana Republic will be giving away free tickets to MoMA to the first 750 people who provide their address and contact information. Don Fisher, Gap Inc.�s founder, and his wife, Doris, are said to be among the nation�s largest collectors of modern art.

The New Yorker Festival, which runs from September 23-25, will present the Gondry film adjacent to the different festival events.

Teb's Troops

A fellow attorney, sorority sister, and friend asked me to help spread the word regarding a good cause. Please read:

Teb's Troops is a not-for-profit organization started after Tricia E. Black, or Teb as she is known by her friends and family, after she was diagnosed with stage IV metastatic melanoma. At the time of her diagnosis, Teb was 29 years old and living in Indianapolis, Indiana with her husband and 9-month-old son.

Wanting to rally her "troops" during her war with cancer and desiring to make something positive come from the negative, Teb asked her friends to help her design and sell a bracelet, the profits of which would go to organizations that support the treatment, prevention, and research of cancer, including melanoma.

Teb is now asking you to enlist as one of her troops by purchasing a Teb's Troops bracelet to show your support for teb and the fight against cancer.

Please click here to purchase a bracelet.

Click here to read Teb's personal blog.

Which Team Are You On?

Toni Braxton shows where her loyalty lies as she exits Beverly Hills' Kitson boutique on Monday. The celeb-friendly shop has reported that "Team Aniston" shirts are outselling "Team Jolie" tops 25-1.

Em Cancels Tour

Eminem, who last week finished the American swing of his "Anger Management" tour, has canceled his European tour, apparently on doctor's orders, his record label has announced.

"Eminem is currently being treated for exhaustion, complicated by other medical issues. The shows are not expected to be rescheduled," says a brief statement from Interscope Records.

The 32-year-old rapper was set to begin on Sept. 1 in Hamburg, Germany, and finish, 10 concerts later, on Sept. 17 in Dublin, Ireland.

Madonna Injured

Madonna's 47th birthday celebration was marred Tuesday when she suffered several broken bones in a horse riding accident at her country home outside London, her publicist told The Associated Press.

The superstar was treated and released from a hospital after sustaining three cracked ribs, a broken collarbone and a broken hand, according to Liz Rosenberg, her spokeswoman based in New York.

Madonna's husband, director Guy Ritchie, took her to the hospital, Rosenberg said. The accident occurred Tuesday at Ashcombe house, the couple's 1,354-acre estate about 100 miles southwest of London.

Madonna and an assistant were riding when Madonna, on a horse she wasn't accustomed to riding, took a tumble. Her children, Rocco and Lourdes, were at the home but weren't with her at the time, Rosenberg said.

"The whole family was out in the country, celebrating her birthday," Rosenberg said. Rosenberg said she didn't know if Madonna was returning to her Ashcombe estate after her release from the hospital.

Even Tara Has Standards

According to the publicity for her new show, party girl Tara Reid is "improving world relations, one party at a time".

However, a visit to a nightclub in Berlin was too crazy for Reid. She was so shocked by the hard-core goings-on she locked herself in her hotel room - and took the first flight out the next day.

A spy says: "Tara was visiting the city as part of her reality TV travel show Wild On Tara. "She arrived on Friday and was supposed to spend the weekend touring the hot spots but she was so shocked at the first stop in the KitKatClub on Saturday that she fled." Tara, 26, flew to London on Sunday morning - three days early.

A KitKatClub spokesman confirmed that guests get to fulfil their fantasies and said the sight of black leather and a lot of naked flesh had been too much for the star. He continued: "Tara threw her complimentary glass of champagne across the club in disgust and fled back to her suite at the Palace Hotel before flying back to London."

Still Gushing

In an interview with Heat magazine, Katie Holmes reveals that Tom Cruise is in fact her "hero".

"I've been a fan of his for so long... When you find yourself in love with someone like that for real, it's almost like being in a dream. A very nice dream. "I have never met anyone who is so full of life, so secure in who he is and what he does. It's a beautiful thing to be able to fall in love with a man like him," she gushes.

"He's very generous and very supportive. He's the smartest man. Full of life. "He's incredibly interesting to be around: his enthusiasm is infectious. I love him. I feel like it's a privilege to have met him and become part of his world."

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Lindsay Says...

Teen star Lindsay Lohan has slammed her father Michael's demands for a cut of her fortune - she insists all he has ever given her is pain.

Lohan, who will testify at her parents' divorce trial in New York City, is fuming at her father because she suffered a traumatic family life at his hands.

She says, "He doesn't even deserve my respect. (He would) go out and not come home at night and make me and my mom stay up and wonder where he was and then show up three days later. "So I don't think he deserves anything."

Forgiving

Jude Law's reconciliation with fiancee Sienna Miller has stepped up a gear - the British heart-throb will accompany Miller to her sister's wedding next month.

The actress was left heartbroken by Law's admission last month that he had enjoyed a month-long fling with his children's nanny Daisy Wright while filming.

But their showdown talks about the future of their relationship left them determined to move on from the infidelity together - and next month's show of unity will be the first step, reports British newspaper The Sun. A friend says, "Jude is delighted and Sienna wants him there. He's keen to show her family he still loves her."

Not Directed at Lindsay?

Ashlee Simpson's new single includes the chorus "I didn't steal your boyfriend," but she claims it's not directed at Lindsay Lohan, as tabloid readers might assume.

(Simpson allegedly wooed actor Wilmer Valderrama away from Lohan.)

"It's not about one person in particular, it's just something every girl can relate to," Simpson said of "Boyfriend" at Sunday's 2005 Teen Choice Awards "It's a song about [how] every girl out there sometimes thinks you stole her boyfriend. It's just making fun of that."

ESPN Hollywood

Fulfilling a need that probably doesn't exist, "ESPN Hollywood" offers a new fluffy, fast-paced simulated newscast bursting with reports on the ever-widening intersection between the worlds of sports and show business.

What can you expect to see? Monday's premiere led off with an interview with Shaquille O'Neal in which, among other things, the famed basketball center and star of such noted pictures as bombs as "Steel" and "Kazaam," reports that he continues to get loads of offers to do movies, "but I'm waiting for the right role."

Then there was a segment on the celebs at Sunday's Teen Choice Awards, with the focus on tennis' Anna Kournikova. Then there was the feature on New England Patriots QB Tom Brady, keyed to his appearance in and on a new issue of GQ. Brady apparently was not available for an interview so the GQ writer had to suffice.

The show gave the daily list of sports celeb birthdays, including Ben Affleck's 33rd, included because he is a Red Sox fan.

Andrews and co-host Mario Lopez are great at smiling and speaking in tones that suggest what's being said is important. They pack lots of pseudo-news nuggets into the broadcast, and the show looks slick enough to have been cloned from "Entertainment Tonight" or "Access Hollywood." So if you've got a yen for mental cotton candy, there's a new dealer in town.

--It's like the G2 meets MP&S!

Wear Your Pepsi Pride

There�s Pepsi One and Pepsi Lime, and now there�s a new line of Pepsi clothes.

Launching this fall by the Joester Loria Group, the line claims it�s �refreshing� the brand with a new series of vintage-inspired apparel and accessories.
The line was inspired by old Pepsi advertisements and logos, including a string of 1960s and 1970s ads with a racecar aesthetic. Accordingly, the new collection includes striped polo shirts in faded colors with Pepsi patches sewn on the sleeves and chest, plus boy-cut underwear with vintage Pepsi logos and pinup advertisements on the back. The line also includes sleepwear and Pepsi-Cola jeans.

Because soda-inspired products make great gifts, the clothing collection is set to debut for the holiday season at Delia*s and JCPenney, which unlike WalMart or Target, doesn�t sell soda alongside its clothing.

Brainless Quiz

Bourbon Congratulations! You're 130 proof, with specific scores in beer (60) , wine (83), and liquor (78).

Screw all that namby-pamby chick stuff, you're going straight for the bottle and a shot glass! It'll take more than a few shots of Wild Turkey or 99 Bananas before you start seeing pink elephants. You know how to handle your alcohol, and yourself at parties.

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President Walken?

He plays a member of the White House in the hit comedy 'The Wedding Crashers,' but is actor Christopher Walken aiming to take over George W. Bush's job in 2008?

An Internet rumor that Walken plans to run for president has been circulating -- a Web site for his "campaign" has even been set up at www.walken2008.com -- but a rep for the actor says the story is false. "It's one-hundred percent not true," says the rep.

The faux-Web site claims to quote Walken as saying, "It's time to get America back on track." According to the rep, "[It] sounds like someone got a little too excited over his role as Secretary of the Treasury in 'The Wedding Crashers' and now they want to make him president."

Angelina Takes Cameras to Kenya

Angelina Jolie and noted economist Dr. Jeffrey Sachs are taking a trip to Kenya to deal with issues of poverty and to inspire young people to take action.

Their journey is being documented for a Sept. 14 MTV special, The Diary Of Angelina Jolie & Dr. Jeffrey Sachs in Africa, the music cable network has announced. The 30-minute program will follow the actress and Sachs on their trip to Sauri, a remote group of villages in Western Kenya. There, Sachs's United Nations Millennium Project team is working with mothers, children, teachers, health workers and village elders to end poverty, hunger and disease, MTV says in its statement.

The special's airdate will coincide with the opening of the U.N. Special Summit on the Millennium Development Goals, which in 2000 were adopted by nearly 200 world leaders to reduce extreme poverty, disease, and hunger by 2015.

"We are at a unique threshold in human history, where the crisis we face in Africa is matched only by our degree of hope that we can and will be a force for positive change," Jolie, 30, says in a statement. "I'm certain the stories in this special will inspire viewers the same way these experiences have inspired me, and I'm hopeful that increased awareness of the issues in Africa will bring about a new wave of progress and activism among young people everywhere."

Demi Wants Babies With Ashton

Though the pregnancy rumors that spread earlier this year were largely denied or ignored by the parties involved, Demi Moore suggests that her relationship with Ashton Kutcher could easily accommodate marriage and kids.

"It's right in there with everything we would like to share with one another and with others," Moore, 42, says in an interview with Harper's Bazaar for its September issue.

"The next phase? The growth of my partnership with Ashton. The growth of our union. The growth of our family ... which is all the things we truly desire ... to expand our family," she says.

Moore says a good night with Kutcher is spent "sharing a bath with one another and watching Court TV. Snuggling up naked."

Asked if the two plan to wed, the Charlie's Angels star says, "I feel that we are and that we don't need something formal, so to do so isn't a big deal one way or the other. It's not like we're holding out." Whether they marry soon or not, Moore says that she and Kutcher are meant to be together. "You talk about meeting your soul mate," Moore tells Harper's Bazaar. "I truly feel I have been given that gift. And believe me, I wasn't some lightweight package. I'm, like, the package that didn't just come with luggage � I had trunks."

She's No Celine

Madonna has rejected an offer to star in her own Las Vegas show.

The singer, who celebrates her 47th birthday today, was reportedly offered $150 million to appear at a leading Vegas casino.

The singer declined the offer from Jack Wishna, one of the biggest deal makers on the Strip, according to the New York Post.

Run, Daniel, Run

Anna Nicole Smith is devastated after discovering her 19-year-old son Daniel wants to move out of the family home.

Despite his age, the pair have a close bond and Anna Nicole still kisses him good night every night. So shes struggling to come to terms with the news he wants to go away to college. She writes in her column for the National Enquirer, "Daniel has told me that he might want to move out of the house for college. I am completely devastated - the tears wont stop falling."

"You have to understand, my relationship with my baby is special. I was only 17 when he was born, and it's an understatement to say I've been through a lot since then. "Through all my ups and downs, Daniel is the only person who has been with me the whole time. We've gone through everything together. He's my rock.

"We really have grown up together. Many times in my life Daniel has been my reason for living. "I cant imagine not being able to kiss him goodnight before I go to bed. But he's 19 and Ill support him in whatever he decides - because, when it comes down to it, I only want the best for him."

--God, do you blame the kid? Run, Daniel, run.

Ashlee Back to SNL?

Ashlee Simpson is ready to return to the scene of the crime.
She is in talks with "Saturday Night Live" to host and perform on the show in October, close to the release date of her sophomore album, "I Am Me."

"It's not confirmed yet, but I want to do it," she told Billboard in her first interview about the new album. "I've battled those demons. I'm ready to go back out and do it again."

Lest anyone has forgotten, Simpson, in support of her first CD, "Autobiography" � which bowed at No. 1 last year and has sold 2.9 million copies � appeared on the show last October. As she prepared to sing her second song, a prerecorded vocal track of her first performance erroneously began playing, revealing that she had been lip-syncing.

Simpson, who said she had to use prerecorded vocals because her acid reflux had left her unable to sing, was pilloried for passing off her performance as live. Not surprisingly, that event and the aftermath found their way onto the new album. Two songs make reference to the embarassing gaffe.

"I've obviously fallen on my face before in front of a bunch of people but I've learned it's a beautiful thing and it's OK for people to be broken" she says.

Hendrix Played the Gay Card

Jimi Hendrix might have stayed in the Army. He might have been sent to Vietnam. Instead, he pretended he was gay.

And with that, he was discharged from the 101st Airborne in 1962, launching a musical career that would redefine the guitar, leave other rock heroes of the day speechless and culminate with his headlining performance of "The Star-Spangled Banner" at Woodstock in 1969.

Hendrix's subterfuge, contained in his military medical records, is revealed for the first time in Charles R. Cross' new biography, "Room Full of Mirrors." Publicly, Hendrix always claimed he was discharged after breaking his ankle on a parachute jump, but his medical records do not mention such an injury.

In regular visits to the base psychiatrist at Fort Campbell, Kentucky, in spring 1962, Hendrix complained that he was in love with one of his squad mates and that he had become addicted to masturbating, Cross writes. Finally, Capt. John Halbert recommended him for discharge, citing his "homosexual tendencies" -- four years before Arlo Guthrie suggested that path for avoiding military service in the protest song "Alice's Restaurant."

Got Talent?

Lions Gate Films is holding a talent search contest to promote the film Undiscovered.

The movie, which follows a group of aspiring entertainers as they cross paths and try to establish careers in L.A., is singer Ashlee Simpson's first foray into feature films.

The top winners of the talent search will win a walk-on role in an upcoming Lions Gate film, a trip to a Lions Gate premiere, the chance to record your song from Undiscovered and a $25k scholarship to music school. To enter, visit the movie web site at http://www.undiscoveredfilm.com.

Brinkley's Back

Christie Brinkley was a supermodel before there was such a word, and a large part of her popularity came through 20 years of CoverGirl ads. When the company approached her earlier this year to rekindle their relationship, Brinkley didn't blink.

"After all, it's fun work if you can get it," says Brinkley, who spent a day romping on the beach with her horse, dog and her two younger children, daughter Sailor, 7, and son Jack, 10, with the cameras rolling for the TV and print ads that break this week.

"We've been having a ball today. It's like a time warp. It's as if those 10 years between never happened," she says by cell phone from the shoot in the Hamptons on New York's Long Island.

Of course, what is different is that Brinkley is now 51 and she's pitching a line called Advanced Radiance, makeup intended for women 30 and older. "There is such an age phobia in this country and this ad is showing me being comfortable with the age I am. I think it's a good positive image, something you don't see enough of. ... CoverGirl is making an effort to show a wide range of beauty - different ethnicities and age groups," she says.

Sounds Like An Oscar Winner

The Game will make his acting debut in a new urban action thriller called Waist Deep.

The rapper will star as the lead of a vicious criminal gang in the movie to be directed by Vonde Curtis Hall who made Mariah Carey's 2002 flop movie Glitter.

Jackman Says No To Bond

Hugh Jackman has reportedly turned down the chance to be the next James Bond.

The Melbourne Age says the Australian refused the chance to play 007 in the next three Bond films. Jackman, who was reportedly the frontrunner for the role, turned it down after talking with wife Deborah-Lee Furness.

He reportedly didn't feel he needed to play Bond in order to boost his already high profile career.

Connick Jr.'s Back on Broadway

Jazz crooner Harry Connick Jr. and "The Pajama Game," one of the musical theater's biggest hits of the 1950s, will be back on Broadway next year.

The musical will open March 2 at the American Airlines Theatre as part of the Roundabout Theatre Company's 40th anniversary season, spokesman Matt Polk said Monday. Preview performances begin Jan. 27.

Connick, a pianist, singer and bandleader best known these days for his role as the duplicitous Dr. Leo Markus on television's "Will & Grace," will play the role originated in 1954 by John Raitt. The production is scheduled for a 20-week run, ending June 18.

"The Pajama Game," which has a score by Richard Adler and Jerry Ross, tells the story of labor unrest in an Iowa pajama factory and the romantic involvement between the plant supervisor (the role Connick will play) and a union activist, portrayed in the original by Janis Paige.

The score for "The Pajama Game" includes hits such as "Hey There," "Small Talk," "Steam Heat" and "Hernando's Hideaway." The original book by George Abbott and Richard Bissell will be revised by Peter Ackerman.

Target and The New Yorker

Target has �purchased� the entire August 15-22 issue of The New Yorker, meaning that only the mass retailer�s advertisements will run in the magazine�s pages.

This is the first time a single advertiser has commanded an entire single issue since the publication was founded 80 years ago in 1925. Companies like Gap, Tiffany & Co., Louis Vuitton, and Gucci under Tom Ford have wholly sponsored previous editions of Visionaire while covers of its sister publication, V, in the past have been dedicated to heavy advertisers like Dior, Burberry, and Adidas.

But what connection does Target have with the readership of The New Yorker, which boasts a median age of 48 and median household income of $81,000? To visualize the collaboration and maintain the magazine�s mix of humor and investigative reporting, Target recruited artists and illustrators such as Milton Glaser, Gary Baseman, Ruben Toledo, Robert Risko, Yuko Shimizu, Andre Dubois, and Melinda Beck to create one-of-a-kind advertising/art images that will be exclusive to this issue.

To launch and celebrate the issue, Target and David Carey, the magazine�s vice president and publisher, are hosting a barbecue at the home of Katharina Otto and Nathan Bernstein on Sunday to honor the chairmen of the Watermill Center summer benefit. The dress code? Tr�s chic red and white, but of course.

Kim Knows Homely

Flowers and an apology? It almost sounds like a boyfriend trying to get out of the doghouse. But, in this case it's Rod Stewart's daughter, Kimberly, trying to make amends to Jennifer Aniston.

Stewart tells "Access Hollywood" that she regrets calling Aniston "homely" during an interview with Blender magazine. In that interview, Stewart is quoted as saying about Aniston, "I like her 'cause she's, you know, homely."

Stewart goes on to say that Aniston has to have something else going for her because "it's not like she's gorgeous or anything."

Stewart says she learned of Aniston's hurt feelings by reading Aniston's revealing interview with Vanity Fair. Aniston says reading Stewart's opinion of her literally ruined her night. She says "I got my feelings very hurt."

Stewart says she feels "awful." She says "it was just one of those things you say and then you bite your tongue."

--Oh, and she thinks she's cute? Gross!

Paris and Tinkerbell Break Up

Paris Hilton has split with her teacup Chihuahua, Tinkerbell.

The miniature mutt has been callously replaced with a smaller version called Bambi.

"[Paris] only likes them when they're very small, and Tinkerbell got too big," a pal told New York Magazine.

The former A-list animal companion has been sent to live with Hilton's mother, Kathy. While comparable canines usually cost between $2,000 and $3,000, Tinkerbell's bloodline commands upwards of $10,000.

The Blind Leading the Blind

Madonna has persuaded Britney Spears to donate $32,000 to leaders of Kabbalah - so the star's unborn baby will be accepted into the controversial religion.

The 23-year-old singer is due to give birth next month and donated money to Spirituality for Kids- a Kabbalah club for children - at her mentor's request.

A source tells British newspaper The Daily Mirror, "Britney made the charity donation last month. "Madonna suggested Spirituality For Kids because she thinks it's amazing. "She has told her that introducing her baby to Kabbalah as soon as possible will be greatly beneficial to everyone involved in the child's upbringing. "She thinks Madonna's a great role model and would never question her advice."

Oh Here's a Shocker

She penned her own life story Learning To Fly while still in her twenties, but Victoria Beckham claims she hates reading books.

In a leaked interview from Spanish magazine Chic, Posh admitted she has never read a book.

And presumably that must mean she hasn't bothered to plough through hubby David's two autobiographies, or indeed her own book, committed to print by writer Michael Joseph. "I haven't read a book in my life," she told the magazine. "I haven't got enough time. I prefer to listen to music, although I do love fashion magazines."

She also did spoke out about her desire for a baby girl. "I can imagine myself painting her nails, helping her with her make-up, choosing clothes with her," she daydreamed.

--Oh, like this is surprising.

ABC's Plea to Longoria

Eva Longoria was stunned by the response to a magazine interview she gave confessing her love of vibrators - she was sent hundreds of sex aids by her fans.

The star claimed she relies on her vibrator and all women should own one - and was overwhelmed when "truckloads" suddenly arrived through the mail. She says, "People sent them to me by the truckload. Boxes and boxes and boxes. I gave them to all my girlfriends.

But Longoria has been warned to watch her raunchy mouth by bosses at network ABC - who are owned by family friendly Disney and were shocked by her sexy confession. She adds, "ABC said, 'Will you please stop saying vibrator.'"

Debut Date Changed

Producers of Nicole Richie's film debut Kids In America have moved the release date forward two weeks early, so the socialite won't have to compete with her former friend Paris Hilton in the box office.

Earlier this month, movie-maker Andrew Shaifer, who produced and wrote Kids In America, accused the team behind Hilton's Pledge This! of purposefully synchronizing the release date of November 4th, 2005 to generate publicity.

The Simple Life reality TV co-stars mysteriously fell out in January and have refused to divulge the reason behind their rift, with Hilton saying, "All I will say is that Nicole knows what she did and that's all I am ever going to say about it."

In reflection, Shaifer has decided to release Richie's debut on October 21st, 2005. He tells gossip site PageSix.com, "My concern now is that Paris is going to continue to play follow the leader. She will try to horn in on Nicole's PR again."

Bad Marriage

Mariah Carey says during her five year marriage she prayed to be kidnapped.

The singer was married to music boss Tommy Mottola for five years until 1998 and says she often fantasised about being kidnapped so she could get out of the relationship.

According to IOL.com quoting Allure magazine she said: "I longed for someone to come kidnap me back then. I used to fantasise about that a lot. I'd have my pocketbook with me at all times in case I had to make an escape."

Anderson to Open Nightclub

Pamela Anderson seems to have hooked up with attention-grabbing photographer David LaChappelle to open a nightclub.

"It's not a done deal, but Dave LaChappelle and I are probably opening up a club in Las Vegas," the busty pin-up told contactmusic.com. "I've invested with a few friends."

Taking Time Off

Health Ledger revealed that when his baby pops out, he's going to take a year off from acting to be a hands on dad.

His girlfriend Dawson's Creek star Michelle Williams is due in the autumn and is currently sporting a huge diamond ring on her wedding ring finger. They met last year on the set of Brokeback Mountain and have been dating ever since.

Currently promoting his latest film The Brothers Grimm - in which he stars alongside Matt Damon, he revealed his plan to rest easy once the baby is born.

"I want to spend at least a few months bonding," WENN reports him as saying. "I might do something in the middle of next year because I'll have had a year off by then."

Lipstick Jungle

"Sex and the City" fans, listen up! The popular HBO series' creator, Darren Star, has snatched up the rights to "Lipstick Jungle," the latest book by Candace Bushnell, two months before it even hits shelves.

Star, who's now working on "Kitchen Confidential" for Fox, is said to be adapting "Lipstick Jungle" for a TV show that will be like "Sex" but have older characters. It's the story of three powerful New York women � a fashion editor, a fashion designer and a producer � and their love lives. Production should start next year.

Teen Choice Awards

A story told by an old man proved popular with young people as the multigenerational love story "The Notebook" took eight categories Sunday at the 2005 Teen Choice Awards.

The tear-evoking tale, based on the novel by Nicholas Sparks, was the favorite drama and date movie among teens. The film's young male lead, Ryan Gosling, won for actor in a drama, and his co-star, Rachel McAdams, won for actress in a drama. Gosling and McAdams won for best movie chemistry, and their rain-soaked kiss in the film earned awards for best movie liplock and best movie love scene.

Ashton Kutcher took home three of the awards, including favorite TV actor in a comedy. The perennial teen favorite has won 11 of the awards, more than anyone else.

The awards show, hosted by Rob Schneider and Hilary Duff at the Gibson Amphitheatre in Universal City, will be broadcast at 8 p.m. EDT Tuesday on Fox.

Trump's a Blogger

Donald Trump has joined the blogosphere.

In his first posting on "The Trump Blog" on the Trump University Web site, the tycoon lambastes disgraced Tyco CEO Dennis Kozlowski, who is awaiting sentencing for swindling hundreds of millions of dollars from his company. "The people at the forefront of these squalid affairs give business a bad name. Maybe they are greedy, maybe they're 'ethically challenged,' but ultimately they're incompetent. If you have to lie, cheat and steal, you're just not doing it right," says The Donald, who also attacks Kozlowski for his "tackiness." "My biggest problem with Kozlowski wasn't the alleged corruption, but the lack of taste."

Roberts To Quit Hollywood?

Julia Roberts has reportedly made her last movie and will quit acting after appearing on Broadway next year so she can spend time with her baby twins.

The Oscar winner recently went back to work for the first time after giving birth to Phinnaeus and Hazel last November, appearing in a music video for rocker Dave Matthews. She has only done voiceover work - for animated movies Charlotte's Web and Ant Bully - since wrapping 2004 movie Ocean's Twelve. Roberts will spend the rest of the year preparing for her theatre debut in Three Days Of Rain which opens next March - and then retire from acting for good.

According to sources close to the star, 37-year-old Roberts has had enough of acting, wants to enjoy time with the twins and husband Danny Moder - but she has just one more career goal left to achieve. A friend tells the National Enquirer, "Julia is done with Hollywood and starring in a Broadway play is the chance to make a graceful exit. She's been talking about leaving Los Angeles and stopping the movie roles ever since the twins were born late last November. She wanted a change of scenery, a change of pace and a new challenge."

On her Broadway ambitions, the source adds, "She wants to take some chances. Julia doesn't to be known simply as a movie star - she wants to be known as the consummate actress. She wants her kids to be able to look back on her career as something more than just the star of Pretty Woman."

She Misses Her Curves

Renee Zellweger says she misses her fuller figure.

The actress put on weight to play Bridget Jones and claims she she got more male attention when she was heavier. The 36-year-old actress told a German magazine that it was a sad day when she had to throw away her D-cup bra after dropping from a size 14 back to a size 6.

She said: "I was looked at by men so much more when I had something under my blouse."

More Episodes

When "The Sopranos" finally arrives next year for its sixth season, fans of the HBO mob drama will get more than they expected.

Eight "bonus" episodes are planned in addition to the 12 previously announced for the series, set to return in March 2006 after nearly two years without a first-run episode, HBO said Thursday.

"When something is as remarkable as 'The Sopranos,' our audience would like to see it continue as long as possible, so we are thrilled that (series creator) David Chase felt there are more stories to be told," HBO Chairman Chris Albrecht said in a statement. There will be a break between the first set of episodes and the arrival of the extra eight hours in January 2007 but production on them will be continuous, HBO said.

The intermission between last season and the upcoming one will end up totaling a viewer-frustrating 21 months: The fifth year concluded in June 2004, although reruns have been airing.

Death Doesn't Necessarily Kill Popularity

Lucille Ball is America's most beloved dead star. The company that developed the "Q score" that broadcasters and advertisers quietly consult to measure a personality's popularity has done a survey that tests the reputation of performers who have gone on to that big soundstage in the sky.

The redheaded sitcom star of the 1950s and '60s, who died in 1989, has topped past "Dead Q" lists as her comedies seemingly live forever on television, said Steve Levitt, president of Marketing Evaluations, Inc., which conducts the tests. "What is there not to like about Lucy?" he said.

Bob Hope, John Wayne, Jimmy Stewart and Red Skelton follow her on the popularity list.

For 41 years, Levitt's company has given consumers a list of names and asked if they know the people and to rate how much they like them. From their responses they calculate the Q score, a measure of both familiarity and likability. Advertising executives use the information to make sponsorship decisions, while broadcasters check Q scores to see how well their news and entertainment stars are connecting.

Tom Hanks has been the most popular live star in the last few surveys.

Dead stars still do business, though. Coors used film clips of Wayne in a popular commercial, while Fred Astaire has danced to hawk a vacuum cleaner.

"Some of these deceased personalities have Q scores equal to or greater than some of the live personalities we measure," Levitt said. Two performers are relatively new to the list: Johnny Carson and John Ritter were both ranked among the 10 most popular dead stars. Others offer a reminder of television's power to keep people figuratively alive; "The Honeymooners" star Jackie Gleason, who died in 1987, is still remembered and beloved. "Peanuts" creator Charles Schulz and Michael Landon fill out the top 10.

Out of 169 personalities tested, diet doctor Robert Atkins had the lowest score. Tupac Shakur and Johnnie Cochran also have high negative ratings, Levitt said.

Everyone Loves Kate

Lindsay Lohan puts Sienna Miller's style all down to Kate Moss.

The 19-year-old actress admits she is a die-hard Moss fan, and couldn't believe that boho chic only took hold when Sienna hit the limelight last year. "Kate Moss is my fashion icon," Lohan said. "She looks great. She wears things that could take someone hours to put together, but she probably doesn't take that much time. It's boho chic, which is very in right now. Yeah, [I like Sienna], but Kate started that."

The Sun, meanwhile, reports today that Kate has rekindled her relationship with Pete Doherty after he set fire to his bed last weekend in a bid to show her how much he loves her. "It's been a tough few weeks for Pete," said a friend. "He split with Kate, sacked his manager and got arrested for fighting a reporter. Things came to a head at the weekend. He was so frustrated he smashed up a guitar and set fire to his bed. Kate got to hear about it and let him come and stay. She still thinks she can sort out Pete and all his problems."

Independent Study For Olsen

It's going to be a little tougher for Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen to meet for coffee between classes this fall.

While Ashley will reportedly be returning to Manhattan for her sophomore year at New York University, her darker-haired sister will be pursuing independent study opportunities elsewhere, reportedly at a California art school, according to US Weekly magazine.

However, the teen queens' rep, Michael Pagnotta denied reports that Mary-Kate was transferring from NYU's Gallatin School, where the 19-year-old twins completed their freshman year in May. "Mary-Kate is not transferring from NYU," Pagnotta said in a statement to E! News. "She will be doing approved independent study for credit through the Gallatin School in the fall. She will continue to be enrolled there."

He Pimped Her Ride

Pop beauty Jessica Simpson had a birthday dream come true when husband Nick Lachey treated her to 'car jewelry.'

The singer turned 25 on July 10th and was thrilled when Nick presented her with new chrome rims to make her car dazzle. She says, "Really truly, that's what I wanted. I was so excited - he pimped my ride!

"I don't really know anything about cars, but I knew that I needed to roll up with some cool looking rims. They're custom painted the same color as my car which is kind of an olive green but with silver in it. "The chrome rims are painted too and that is what I really wanted. Jewelry for my car!"

Good Luck, Ben

Ben Affleck is trying to kick his cigarette habit for the sake of his baby.

Expectant bride Jennifer Garner is also helping the Hollywood star try to beat the habit. A source told the Boston Herald, ''Jen didn't want him smoking around her while she was pregnant.

''And for sure she doesn't want him smoking once the baby is born.''

Think Pink

It�s only August, but retailers are already looking to October, when National Breast Cancer Awareness Month drapes magazines spreads in a wash of pink.

Getting a jump on the race is Nautica, who announced this week their $25,000 donation to the Susan G. Komen Foundation, plus a new line of sleepwear to help the cause.

Nautica�s limited edition �Pink� collection debuts this fall at department stores around the country. Packaged with a card promoting early detection among women, the collection includes a robe, cotton pajama set, and a pair of sueded jersey pajamas.

With purchase, customers also get a pair of socks�in pink, of course.

Another Bochco Cop Show

Steven Bochco is headed back to the cop beat, this time for the WB.
The "NYPD Blue" co-creator has pacted with the WB to create and write a young-skewing hourlong cop/mystery show revolving around two Hollywood homicide detectives at the LAPD.

Project marks the first time in recent memory Bochco has decided to pen a pilot solo rather than partnering. Bochco said the untitled project will be "a little lighter in tone. It's not heavy-duty or long on procedural. It owes more to 'Columbo' than 'CSI.' "

Bochco said the project "will have a certain fun quotient" as well as a mystery element to it, in part to make it more appropriate for the younger WB demo. "These are two young, smart, clever detectives who are a little sideways sometimes," he said. "They get the job done in a different way."

Unusual Subject For a Musical

Peter Sellars has an unusual new creation: turning the world's first atomic bomb project into music.

The director is collaborating with Pulitzer prize-winning composer John Adams on a new stage work called "Doctor Atomic." It's the story of how physicist J. Robert Oppenheimer and his team, racing against Hitler, created the world's first atomic bomb in the New Mexico desert.

"This is an awesome subject that can't be dealt with in a rational way," said Adams, who joined Sellars at Lincoln Center on Thursday to introduce the new opera to the media. "It's about flesh-and-blood people screaming at each other, and loving one another."

With a bare-bones set whose modernism reflects the ground zero of that era, "Doctor Atomic" is now in rehearsal for an Oct. 1 premiere at the San Francisco Opera, which commissioned the work and will present it at the War Memorial Opera House. "Doctor Atomic" is also to be staged in 2007 by Chicago's Lyric Opera Chicago and the Netherlands Opera, which both co-produced the work.

For the text, Sellars used once top-secret government and military documents obtained through the Freedom of Information Act, as well as personal letters from scientists to President Truman urging him not to use the atomic weapon. Noted Sellars: "Documents that were top secret and never meant to be seen are now set to music."

The story focuses on a night in July 1945, during a rainstorm, when the brilliantly charming Oppenheimer and his youthful team prepared to test detonate the first atomic bomb at their secret location near Los Alamos. Huge moral issues loomed over this so-called "Manhattan Project," which included the plan to unleash the furious force that in August 1945 would kill more than 120,000 Japanese in Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

"Trapped in the Closet" Cliff Notes

If you're having trouble following R. Kelly's "Trapped in the Closet" series of videos, then this is for you.

--Genius.

LeBlanc Gets "Friendly" With Stripper

Matt LeBlanc spills his guts to this week's National Enquirer about how he almost cheated on his wife with a naked stripper at an all-nude club in Victoria, British Columbia.

LeBlanc's strangely fascinating confession � headlined "My Wild Night With a Stripper" � features photos of the unshaven actor holding his head in apparent shame and somberly sitting at a table with Enquirer reporter Steve Dennis.

LeBlanc tells the improbable tale of how he was mauled by the "sexually aggressive" stripper while partying at the nudie joint during a motorcycle trip with five buddies. "The stripper was all over me," LeBlanc claims. "I was drinking, and she was crossing the line . . . She was in my face, pushing her breasts into me and grabbing my hands to go all over her body. She was telling me to caress her and in my head I'm thinking, 'What's going on?' If I had been sober, perhaps I would have acted quicker, but I was pretty drunk . . . When I realized the situation that was unfolding I felt I was being careless and irresponsible, and I had to get the hell out of there . . . I could not wait to get home. The guys said a trap had been set for me and I fell right in it, and that's why I feel stupid and careless now."

--"If I had been sober..." Give me a break.

Depp To Do Porn?

Johnny Depp says his next movie might be a porn film because he doesn't want to be typecast.

He told German magazine Gala: "These kind of characters are not so far from my own personality, but I don't want to become typecast as an eccentric.

"Maybe next time I should do something totally different and film a cracking porn with Tim [Burton]. That would really send my popularity down to the depths!"

Jess on Angelina

Jessica Simpson has revealed: "I want to save the world". The actress said she wants to do missionary work, visit Third World countries and adopt children.

In an interview with OK! magazine, Jessica also told how meeting Hollywood vixen Angelina Jolie left her with "an incredible peace." Asked about whether she has plans to have babies with hubbie Nick Lachey, she told the magazine: "If I got pregnant, I'd be ecstatic, but we're not trying. We're definitely practicing though! "There's still so much stuff that we want to do together. "We'd still like to do some mission work, visit Third World countries - I have this whole plan to save the world.

"I've been visiting orphanages with my parents since I was a little girl. That has taught me so much about friendship and family. "I definitely want to adopt. I don't know if we'll do it first or after, but we will."

Speaking about her meeting with Angelina Jolie, Jessica said: "Angelina is one of my biggest role models. "I got to interview her recently. I didn't know her at all, but just sitting in front of her, I felt this incredible peace. "She was breathtaking. I couldn't help but stare, but it's her inner beauty that you really feel. "She's had her struggles and she's been open and honest and I love that about her."

Reese Says...

Reese Witherspoon surfs the internet to see what people think of her.

The 'Legally Blonde' star confessed she spends hours cruising online chat rooms late at night. She is quoted in Britain's Daily Express newspaper as saying: "I'll go on the internet late at night and find out what people really think about me."

She admits she is sometimes hurt by the comments she reads. She revealed: "It hurts my feelings sometimes though, because I get comments like, 'She looks weird', 'I hate her movies' and 'She stinks'". "Oh God, it feels terrible. Everyone is entitled to their opinion though I think I should just move on".

She claimed she can't understand the media attention she gets because she is as normal as everyone else She said: "I can't believe that someone is so interested in all the pictures of me at the grocery store. "It's like everyday I'm wearing the same sweat suit It's like: 'Is this really interesting? And to whom?' But if that makes people feel: 'Hey, she's a slob like me,' then I am all for it I am a slob like everybody else!"

More Trouble for Love

Troubled rocker Courtney Love's life has hit more turbulence, with Los Angeles authorities declaring she has failed a drug test and violated her probation.

Los Angeles Superior Court judge Rand Rubin issued a bench warrant for the former Hole frontwoman yesterday, ordering her to return to court on August 19 for a review of her rehab reports. The judge then told her attorney, "(Do) something to solve Love's problem, or we're going to give her a year (in prison)." Love - who recently announced that she's "clean and sober" - could also potentially lose custody of Frances Bean Cobain, her 12-year-old daughter with late husband Kurt Cobain.

Deputy district attorney Gina Satriano says 41-year-old Love failed a drug test when she was hospitalized in July after fainting during a party at Hollywood's Roosevelt Hotel. At the time, Love's attorney, Michael Rosenstein, announced that Love was "living a drug-free life". In February, Love was sentenced to three years' probation and anger management counseling after pleading no contest to misdemeanor assault on a woman at the home of her former boyfriend.

Martin Snubs the PM

Coldplay frontman Chris Martin has snubbed British Prime Minister Tony Blair's invitation to meet him at his London residence - because the Yellow star feared it would damage his image.

A galaxy of stars, including rockers Oasis and Sir Elton John, have accepted invitations to Blair's Downing Street home. And Martin respects the British premier, but does not want to be seen publicly socializing with the leader of the Labor party, for fear of offending his fans who may disagree with Blair's political goals and stance over the war in Iraq.

He says, "I'm not going to go. I really like Tony Blair. He's interested in the same things as I am - he plays the guitar and he always gives the impression of doing what he can to help. "But I don't particularly want to be photographed with him at the moment."

Simpson's New Line

Jessica Simpson, who wears only the skimpiest of denim garments in The Dukes of Hazzard, has rolled out a retail line of jeans for plus-size women.

The $59 slacks, available at Avenue stores, fit sizes 12-24, reports USA Today.

"We have people 300 lbs. or 90 lbs. come up to Jessica and say, 'I'm just like you,'" Jessica's father and manager, Joe Simpson, tells the paper, adding: "It's not about the outside. It's what's inside."

Goodbye, Miss Ellie

Barbara Bel Geddes, the winsome actress who rose to stage and movie stardom but reached her greatest fame as Miss Ellie Ewing in the long-running TV series "Dallas," has died. She was 82.

The San Francisco Chronicle said Bel Geddes, a longtime smoker, died Monday of lung cancer at her home in Northeast Harbor, Maine. Jordan-Fernald Funeral Home in Mount Desert, Maine, confirmed the death Wednesday, but owner Bil time for Barbara."

In March 1984, Bel Geddes was stricken with a major heart attack. Miss Ellie was played by Donna Reed for six months, then Bel Geddes returned to "Dallas," remaining until 1990, a year before CBS canceled the show.

Hagman said he had encouraged Bel Geddes to give up the smoking habit, but it was doctors who got her to quit after the heart attack, he said. He recalled the makeup room on the "Dallas" set as being so filled with her cigarette smoke that he would ask to be made up in his dressing room. Of the lung cancer deaths of Peter Jennings and Bel Geddes, Hagman said: "I hope it's a wake-up call to a lot of people."

"Dallas" came late in her career. She had retired to take care of her husband, Windsor Lewis, after he fell ill with cancer in 1966. He died in 1972. Her earnings depleted by his long illness, she found work scarce for a middle-aged actress and said she was "flat broke" in 1978 when she accepted the role as Miss Ellie.

In 1945, Bel Geddes made a splash on Broadway at 23 with her first important role in "Deep Are the Roots," winning the New York Drama Critics Award as best actress. Yet her biggest Broadway success was "Mary, Mary," a frothy marital comedy by Jean Kerr, which opened in 1961 and ran for more than 1,500 performances.

--Before I ever had heard of or seen "Dallas," I knew Bel Geddes from her dark role in Alfred Hitchcock's "Vertigo." She was not a typical "Hitchcock blonde," but she nailed the part of Jimmy Stewart's manic friend, Midge. Check it out, if you haven't seen it.

Poor Jose

Jose Canseco said a lot about his steroid abuse in his best-selling autobiography, "Juiced." But he left out the part about his shrunken, um, well...

His ex-wife Jessica, who met the slugger on her third day waiting tables at Hooters in Cleveland, now reveals in Playboy: "Jose's were non-existent. They're not there . . . It wasn't until we separated and I dated that I realized it . . . With other guys I was like, 'Wow, those are some very large . . .' "

Kinda Like "Jenny-867-5309"

A Brooklyn-based indie rock band, Kids Against Combs, just finished an album that used the private phone number of Fox News' Sean Hannity as its title.

Sean Hannity (631) 673-8003 was set to be released on July 21 by 10-34 Records. But, according to a press release sent out last week by the band, Kids Against Combs were issued papers on July 15 from Hannity�s attorneys, "threatening to sue both parties if they proceeded with releasing an album named after Hannity�s home phone number and containing the political pundit�s home address in the CD�s liner notes." (The digits, meanwhile, are now disconnected; "changed to an unlisted number," says the recording.)

The band also alleges that spies from the Hannity camp � or at least some people who "looked extremely conservative Republican" and "not the type of folk that would be at any sort of live performance, except for maybe Paul Anka or Wayne Newton" � arrived to scope out a KAC performance the next day. Luckily, the band had freshly printed copies of the album for sale, sans home address and retitled The Album Formerly Known As Sean Hannity�s Phone Number ... Currently Sean Hannity Is a Democracy Subverting Douche Bag.

Snoop's Cleared

A makeup artist who sued Snoop Dogg and several members of his posse for allegedly drugging and raping her backstage at the "Jimmy Kimmel Live" show two years ago has dropped her lawsuit.

The accuser said in a statement that "the matter has been resolved amicably," according to The Associated Press. Snoop's publicist said "absolutely no money" was paid by the rapper (whose real name is Calvin Broadus) in reaching a settlement. The woman's attorneys filed the request August 3 to dismiss the suit with prejudice, which means that it can't be refiled.

The woman, who had done the rapper's makeup before a series of four guest appearances on the late night talk show, claimed she was drugged when someone spiked her champagne before the final appearance. No criminal charges were ever brought against the rapper or his entourage.

Snoop sued the makeup artist in December 2004, one month before she filed her suit against him. The rapper's claim stated that the accuser had been attempting to extort $5 million from him in exchange for her silence. His suit requested punitive damages and an injunction to bar the accuser from threatening him in the future. Snoop Dogg's attorney has requested that this suit be dropped as well.

Sad

Matthew McGrory, the deep-voiced 7-foot-plus actor who moved from appearances on Howard Stern's radio show to a high-profile role as a gentle giant in the movie "Big Fish," has died. He was 32.

McGrory died Tuesday at his home in Los Angeles, said director Drew Sky, who was working with him on his current movie, a biopic of wrestler-turned-actor Andre the Giant . Paramedics determined he died of apparent natural causes, police said.

McGrory, who had size 29 1/2 shoes, appeared on Stern's show in the 1990s and received other attention from the national media even before he became an actor. He attended law school and showed up in music videos before starting his career in Hollywood B-movies.

--He was great in "Big Fish."

Laughter Through Tears

Hugh Grant's quirky sense of humor helped his mother through pain. The "Love Actually" star is quoted in "What Can I Do to Help? 75 Practical Ideas for Family and Friends from Cancer's Frontline" on how he cheered up his mother by playing tricks on her after she was hit with the disease.

His "favorite" was "secretly activating her hospital bed so that the head and legs both lifted to put her in an amusing jack-knife position," he wrote. "I blow-dried her hair on the day before she died, which was frankly not the success I had hoped for, and which may � I now concede � have finished her off."

Christina Says...

Christina Aguilera has warned pop rival Britney Spears not to expect a comeback after her baby is born - because she's "let herself go" too much to reclaim her sex symbol status.

The singer is horrified by the deterioration in Spears' appearance since she announced she's expecting her husband Kevin Federline's child earlier this year.

And Aguilera hopes Spears will be content with motherhood, because she doubts she'll ever be a pop star again. She says, "She's let herself go. I can't see a comeback on the cards."

Tara's Misunderstood

Tara Reid can't wait until her new travel TV show hits the small screen in the US, because it will destroy the bad reputation she believes the press has unfairly handed her.

The actress-turned-presenter is thrilled she has been finally given the chance to take on the tabloid press and prove they judged her unfairly - when Wild On Tara airs on E!.

She says, "When people see this show, they'll say, 'We've been picking on this girl for ten years for no reason. She makes everyone around her have a good time.' And viewers will have a good time too."

Woods Wonders Where to Park

When Tiger Woods arrived early Monday morning at the Baltusrol Golf Club on the first practice day of PGA Championiship week, he found a rusty silver Honda with Pennsylvania plates in his reserved space, the Star-Ledger reports.

So while officials called to have the interloper towed, Woods found another spot � the one reserved for Jack Nicklaus, whose place in history he might one day share as well.

Wanted Hair

Women want Jessica Alba's hairstyle more than any other celebrity's, according to July user statistics from BeautyRiot.com. Jessica Alba, Jessica Simpson and Ashlee Simpson drew the most interest from women seeking hairstyles and makeup inspiration and ideas, measured by user stats from the celebrity beauty and hairstyles Web site in May 2005.

Out of more than 300 different celebrity hairstyles available to view and print, Jessica Alba's long, brown, honey-highlighted 'do was the most popular among BeautyRiot's over 500,000 July visitors. The "Fantastic Four" star's hairstyle pictures made up over 10% of the site's total page views. Jessica Simpson came in at second place, and her sister Ashlee Simpson was number three. Ashlee Simpson's famous black shag hairstyle, notably, was the third most visited page on the Web site in July.

Lovely

Eminem dropped his trousers and farted into a microphone during a performance.

The 32-year-old rapper's concert at Madison Square Gardens was the latest stop on his Anger Management Tour which also features 50 Cent, reports the New York Post.

Another Hollywood Breakup

Keira Knightley and her longtime boyfriend, Irish model Jamie Dornan, have split up.

"Keira and Jamie have decided to call a halt to their relationship in its current phase but they remain completely committed to each other as friends and will continue to see each other in this capacity," Dornan's rep says.

Knightley, 20, and Dornan, 22, met at Manhattan photo shoot in August 2003. They kept their romance quiet for nearly a year before making their first public appearance together in May 2004. Recently, the couple attended the opening night of As You Like It starring Sienna Miller in London.

"I think it's important to make time for the people in your life who you love and who love you back," Knightley said last July of her romance with Dornan.

Dornan will appear in Sofia Coppola's upcoming film Marie Antoinette, starring Kirsten Dunst.

Glamorama

Target had a �vertical catwalk,� and now Marshall Field�s has a fashion show to rival the VMAs. On August 12th, the midwestern department store hosts its Glamorama party, complete with a special video by Sean Combs and a fashion show called �Glam Rocks,� with live music and designer labels.

The Chicago party lists Mr. Combs as its Honorary Chairperson. Since he�s unable to attend the event in person, he made an exclusive video for Marshall Field�s to kick off the festivities.

After he gets beamed to Marshall Field�s fans on the big screen, clothes by Blumarine, Etro, Jean Paul Gaultier, John Varvatos, Just Cavalli, Matthew Williamson, Paul Smith, D&G, Dolce and Gabbana, and Tuleh will hit the catwalk, followed by the debut of Sean by Sean Combs, a women�s collection by the hip-hop mogul.

During the fashion show, the B-52s will perform alongside the East Village Opera Company, and American Idol host Ryan Seacrest will make a special appearance to promote his new label, R Line.

Besides being a concert, Glamorama is also a charity event. Proceeds from the Marshall Field�s production go to the Art Institute of Chicago.

Starbucking

Documenting a caffeine-powered quest to visit every Starbucks in the world has become the mission of a Nebraska attorney.

Bill Tangeman, 32, of Kearney, who was a journalist before going into law, is making a documentary film about a Houston native who goes by the name Winter, who set out in 1997 to get a caffeinated drink at every corporate-owned Starbucks store on the planet.

On his Web site (http://www.starbuckseverywhere.net) Winter, who was born Rafael Antonio Lozano, said that as of Aug. 8, he had visited 4,775 Starbucks in North America and 213 in other parts of world. Outside of North America, Winter has gone to Starbucks in Spain, England, France and Japan. There are 5,715 corporate-owned Starbucks in the world, according to the Seattle-based company's August newsletter on it Web site.

"Every time I reach a Starbucks I feel like I've accomplished something," Winter said, "when actually I have accomplished nothing." Tangeman wanted to film a documentary for years. When he read an article about Winter last year, he realized he had found his muse. "I found his story fascinating," Tangeman said Monday.

Tangeman got in touch with Winter and has since spent several days on the road with him, gathering about 40 hours of film for the movie, which will be called, "Starbucking."

Tangeman wants to complete "Starbucking" by the end of the year in hopes of submitting it to the Sundance Film Festival, which begins in late January in Utah.

Casting News

Gwyneth Paltrow is to star in a movie about the Watergate scandal.

The film will be an adaptation of John Jeter's play Dirty Tricks. Jeter's play was a one-woman production, focusing on the late Martha Mitchell, who had the nickname "the mouth that roared" because of her whistleblowing. Meryl Streep and Annette Bening will also star in the film reports Variety.

Streep will play Martha Mitchell, the wife of then-US attorney John Mitchell, who was known for making revelatory phone calls to journalists. Among the journalists she briefed was Bob Woodward, who broke the news of the scandal that brought down President Richard Nixon in 1979. She also spoke to White House correspondent Helen Thomas, who will be played by Bening in the film.

Paltrow will portray Maureen Dean, the wife of White House counsel John Dean, who was dragged into the scandal of the break-in at the headquarters of the opposition Democratic Party.

Mags Show Real Bodies

Mixed among the pages of dazzling celebrities and rail-thin models that dominate fashion and teen magazines is a surprising sight: young women with thicker thighs and flabbier abs.

In Seventeen, Teen People, CosmoGirl! and Teen Vogue are bathing suit sections partly illustrated by less-than-perfect figures and tips on maximizing assets and minimizing defects.

Editors say they are using more average women and fewer models to reflect changing body types and to help self-conscious teens see that not everyone is perfect.

"It's not going to help my reader if we only show girls who are size 6's," said Atoosa Rubenstein, editor of Seventeen magazine. "Everyone is beautiful, it's just a matter of confidence, and we try to show that."

Dove recently started an ad campaign featuring "real" women - ranging from size 6 to 14 - that shows them wearing only bras, panties and big smiles on billboards, bus stops and trains in Chicago, New York, and other cities. The ads are designed to sell products from Dove's firming collection - lotions and creams meant to reduce the appearance of cellulite.

--I'm curious as to what you guys think about this. A friend of mine and I were discussing this trend not too long ago, and SHE said that SHE doesn't like the trend. SHE said, "I realize that the models don't represent the vast majority of women. But personally, I'd rather look at good looking people." Thoughts?

Caption This

Like Willy Wonka?

What Tara Reid says about her new show:

"This is nothing like the old Wild On with a bunch of frat kids going crazy," the bubbly Reid says. "It's about finding the culture and monuments. It's like you're following me on this incredible journey, and you're going to feel like you're one of my friends.

"You're going to see the people and the country and events and things we do. I feel like Willy Wonka, and I'm taking you into the chocolate factory. It's a classy show."

Singleton Says...

Producer John Singleton has hit out at criticism new black movie Hustle & Flow was written and directed by a white man, Craig Brewer - insisting they are missing the point of what is a 'black movie'.

The film, which stars Terrence Howard as a pimp who tries to make it as a rapper, has earned vast critical acclaim since its release in the US last month - but Brewer's participation has raised eyebrows in the black community. But Singleton says, "That guy's got so much soul. More soul than a lot of brothers out here. What is a black film? Is an Eddie Murphy film a black film. People all over the planet are fascinated with black culture. Black culture is pop culture." And he is pleased he surprised some of his own critics: "People think I'm some militant guy, and my first protege wears a cowboy hat. I want to produce his first redneck movie."

Cohn Shot in Head

A Grammy-winning musician and husband of ABC news reporter Elizabeth Vargas was treated at a hospital and released Monday after being shot in the head during an attempted carjacking following a performance.

Marc Cohn, who had a hit with the song "Walking in Memphis" and won the Grammy for best new artist in 1992, was struck in the temple Sunday night when a man fired into his band's van in a parking garage. A suspect was being sought.

Police spokesman Sonny Jackson said the bullet appeared to have been slowed by the van's windshield and by striking the vehicle's driver first. "Frankly, I can't tell you how he survived," Jackson said.

Cohn was alert and talking when emergency workers took him to the hospital from the concert site at Botanic Gardens. The bullet grazed Cohn's driver and tour manager Thomas Dube, who also was treated and released.

--If any of you haven't heard his song, "True Companion," download it now. It's amazing.

Making Up

Making Up?

--'The O.C ' star Mischa Barton has reportedly rekindled her romance with Brandon Davis.

Sources claim the stunning actress is back in the arms of her ex-lover - but the pair are trying to keep their reunion secret. A friend revealed: "Mischa doesn't want anybody to know about it yet, because she doesn't want people to think she's one of those girls who always breaks up and then gets back together".

--Jude Law and Sienna Miller have reportedly rekindled their romance - but their wedding is still off.

Law is said to have persuaded the stunning actress to forgive him after he admitted sleeping with his children's nanny. A source is quoted in Britain's News of the World newspaper as saying: "They have decided to give things another go. "They had a heart to heart and told each other a lot of home truths.

Zoolander Sequel

Owen Wilson and Ben Stiller are set to return as Zoolander's two stupid male models in an upcoming sequel.

Wilson insists he's keen to revisit the project that became a surprise cult hit in 2000. He tells website Moviehole.net, "We're talking about that now."

Jessica Lynch Goes To College

Jessica Lynch is heading to college: She'll be combining more than a fair share of street smarts as she cracks the books as a scholarship student at West Virginia University in Morgantown.

The 22-year-old former prisoner of war � whose dramatic rescue from an Iraqi hospital inspired the TV movie "Saving Jessica Lynch" � tells Time magazine: "I have to say I am a little nervous � the freshmen that I'll be with were eighth-graders when I graduated from high school."

Lynch, who hopes to graduate and become a kindergarten teacher, walks with a cane � the result of her two spinal fractures, nerve damage and a shattered right arm, right foot and left leg sustained when her Humvee crashed during the firefight in the Iraqi town of Nasiriyah in March 2003.

Gag

Just when everyone was about to forget Ashlee Simpson's embarrassing "Saturday Night Live" appearance last October, Jessica's sister has two tracks on her latest album, "Beautifully Broken" and "Who Will Help Me When I Fall," about being caught lip-synching.

Her manager/preacher/father, Joe, is milking the incident to promote Ashlee's second CD, "In Another Life." "There's no way to run away from failure, because in everyone's life, you're going to meet it," he told MTV. "So we try to teach our girls the way to do it is head on. Pick yourself up, dust yourself off and go at it."

--Oh, gag.

Monroe Got Freaky With Crawford

Transcripts of apparent conversations between actress Marilyn Monroe and her psychiatrist have shed new light on her state of mind before she died in 1962. John Miner, who worked for the District Attorney's office in Los Angeles, says he made the transcripts as part of his investigation into Monroe's death.

Miner says they support his belief that Monroe was a victim of foul play. The actress died of barbiturate poisoning in August 1962, aged 36. Her death was ruled a probable suicide.

Also revealed in the transcripts: Monroe also described a sexual liaison with actress Joan Crawford, her failed marriages to baseball player Joe DiMaggio and playwright Arthur Miller, and gave a frank assessment of her physical attributes.

Albright To Pen Books

Former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, author of a best-selling memoir, has reached an agreement with HarperCollins to write two books.

The first book, "The Mighty and the Almighty, will be published next spring and will concentrate on religion and its role in international policy.

"Secretary Albright's thoughts on the complexities of foreign policy in an age of religious extremism are required reading: bold, frank, clearly argued and informed by experience. This will be a powerful and enlightening contribution to our understanding of the present crisis," HarperCollins senior vice president and publisher Jonathan Burnham said Monday in a statement.

Burnham worked on Albright's memoir, "Madam Secretary," when he was president and editor-in- chief at Miramax Books. Albright served as secretary of state from 1997 to 2001.

Her second publication, currently untitled, "will be an illustrated book on Albright's collection of decorative pins of historical and personal significance," according to HarperCollins.

The Big 3-0

Happy 30th Anniversary, Mom and Dad! :)

Stalkerazzi Gets Shot

A photographer was shot in the leg with a BB gun outside a home where he believed Britney Spears was attending a bridal shower Saturday evening, authorities said.

It was unclear who fired the BB as the photographer was staking out the event at the Malibu home, sheriff's Lt. Steve Smith said. He said firefighters bandaged the man's leg and he went to a hospital.

"It could've been somebody driving by, walking by, we have no idea where it came from," Smith said.

The photographer, identified as Brad Diaz, was about 200 yards from the home outside the home's long driveway when he was hit, Smith said. He was one of about 10 photographers standing in the street.

--I bet KFeddy was bored at the shower and started target practice.

Ick

I'm getting a headache just looking at this:

Sienna and Gwen To Team Up

Sienna Miller is set to team up with Gwen Stefani in a new film. The 23-year-old has bounced back from her recent troubles by landing the lead role in the forthcoming flick Factory Girl.

The much talked-about movie tells the story of ill-fated heiress Edie Sedgwick who became Andy Warhol's muse. Gwen will play a smaller part as fellow "factory girl" Richie Berlin, while acclaimed Australian actor Guy Pierce takes on the challenge of becoming the iconic artist at the centre of their attention.

Reece Says...

Reese Witherspoon has hit out at Jessica Simpson, accusing her of cashing in on her stupidity.

The actress was appalled with Simpson's behavior in her reality show Newlyweds, insisting she should be ashamed not celebrate her ignorance.

Witherspoon, 29, says,"Creating a cultural icon out of someone who goes, 'I'm stupid, isn't it cute?' makes me want to throw daggers. "I want to say to them, 'My Grandma did not fight for what she fought for, just so you can start telling women it's fun to be stupid.'"

Real World: Key West

The next Real World will be filmed in Key West. This will be the second time the series has been shot in Florida.

The actual house will be on Key Haven, slightly north of Key West and outside the city limits. According to The Key West Citizen �the cast will work and play in Key West.� And the paper confirms that �the Pineapple Gallery on Duval Street was in the running to be the production site.� Producers instead chose a location in Key Haven, �the upscale enclave a couple miles north of Key West.�

Production will begin soon, �during the final months of hurricane season when the islands are much less frequented by tourists,� the paper reports. But if a hurricane does come, the cast �will uproot their world and leave real fast, with camera crews capturing the chaos every step of the way.�

More Bobby

Two episodes have been added to Bravo's summer reality series "Being Bobby Brown," which follows the lives of the R&B singer, his wife, Whitney Houston, and three of his children.

"The first eight episodes of `Being Bobby Brown' have kept Bravo viewers buzzing," Bravo President Lauren Zalaznick said in a statement Friday. "We hope two new episodes will satisfy viewers' appetites for more Bobby and Whitney."

Brown, a former member of New Edition, married Houston in 1992. He took off with singles such as "Don't Be Cruel" and "My Prerogative," but became known more for his drug and alcohol troubles.

"Being Bobby Brown" airs on Thursday nights. The new episode on Aug. 18 will take an inside look into the couple's homes in Georgia and New Jersey. The Aug. 25 finale will feature clips from the series and extra footage of Brown, the network said Friday.

Dream On

Jennifer Lopez believes her over-exposure in the media has prevented her from having a more diverse movie career.

The 36-year-old Latina beauty found it easier to convince directors of her suitability for a role when she was an unknown - leading to parts in films including Out Of Sight and Oliver Stone's U Turn. However, in recent years stories of her diva-like demands and romances have made it harder for film-makers to distinguish between fact and fiction.

Lopez says, "In the beginning, I was a blank slate. I got to work with all these great directors because I was just a girl who came in there and did well in the audition. Then when I became famous, I was being offered movies that I could star in but that's all I was being offered. When I think I should be seeing the big directors, they don't even consider me. They see me as a sexy singer and too much in the media."

--I'm sure it can't be the fact that you can't act.

Richie To Model With Fiance

Nicole Richie has a new co-star - fiance Adam Goldstein. The couple appear together in print ads for Bongo jeans.

Richie, the 23-year-old daughter of R&B crooner Lionel Richie and co-star of "The Simple Life" reality series, became engaged to Goldstein in February. advertisement She is continuing as Bongo's junior brand spokesperson for a second season. Goldstein, a professional club disc jockey who goes by DJ AM, appears with Richie to launch the new collection of Bongo men's apparel.

"We asked them to act naturally and for them that meant a ton of PDA, as a result, many of the ads will feature them cuddling and kissing," Bongo Creative Director Dari Marder said in a recent statement. "We chose New York City's hot spot AER Lounge to host a party for the newlyweds-to-be and invited their friends and shot the campaign at the same time."

The ad campaign is debuting in September issues of magazines such as Seventeen, Elle Girl and Rolling Stone.

Murphy To Divorce

Comedian Eddie Murphy and his wife, Nicole, are splitting up.

On Friday, Nicole, a 37-year-old former model, filed for divorce from the Nutty Professor and Shrek star in Los Angeles after 12 years of marriage.

"The welfare of our children is our main concern and their best interest is our first priority," Murphy, 44, said in a statement issued by his rep, Paul Bloch.

The pair have five kids. Their youngest daughter, Bella Zahra, is 3 years old. Their eldest, Bria, is 15. The couple met in 1988 and wed in 1993. Nicole is asking for custody of the kids and is seeking spousal support.

Aniston Says "No" To Friends Reunion

Jennifer Aniston has reportedly pulled out of a Friends reunion show because she wants to distance herself from her character Rachel Green.

The rest of the Friends cast have signed on to appear in an upcoming documentary about the show, but Jennifer has refused to appear.

According to Moviehole.net a source said: "All the cast members are up for a documentary based on the show, which would have featured exclusive interviews with the cast, except Jennifer Aniston.

"Rumor is she is still too distraught about the split from Brad Pitt, while others cite the fact that she wants to move away from her Rachel image for good."

Osmond Garage Fire

A fire at the home of entertainer Marie Osmond destroyed a garage and her office above it, her husband said. There were no injuries.

"We were very blessed," Brian Blosil told Salt Lake City television station KSTU.

The fire started Friday night in the garage, while Blosil was napping with one of the couple's eight children upstairs. He said he heard the other children screaming about a fire.

"I ran though the house, got all my kids," he told the television station. Neighbors were already at the home helping pull down pictures and closing doors.

Sad

Peter Jennings was the face of ABC News.

The suave, Canadian-born broadcaster delivered the news to Americans each night in five separate decades. He was there for every big story, be it war or weather.

Jennings, who announced in April that he had lung cancer, died Sunday at his New York home, ABC News President David Westin said in a statement. He was 67.

"Peter has been our colleague, our friend, and our leader in so many ways," Westin said. "None of us will be the same without him."

Brainless Quiz

Charlie Spears-Federline?

Britney Spears has said that she wants to tattoo her baby's name on her body. And apparently the name that might be attached with her for life will be Charlie.

She came up with the name idea after she had attended the premiere of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory .

Her husband Kevin Federline is not as keen on the name as Britney. He is more into the name Kevin Jr.

Tommy Glad He Chose Booze

Rocker Tommy Lee is glad he chose alcohol when his ex-wife Pamela Anderson asked him to choose between her and drink - because his fans would have been disappointed if he ditched his wild lifestyle.

Anderson's father was an alcoholic, so she begged the Tommy to stop getting drunk, because it brought back unhappy memories. But he refused to shatter his rock 'n' roll reputation.

He explains, "Here's the deal. Her father was an alcoholic so she's very sensitive about it. She'd freak out hearing an ice cube hit a glass. "From the stories she's told me I think her father was pretty crazy and I reminded her of that.

"I didn't want to give up drinking because I believe I can have moderation in my life. I did give up for a year, but I felt my fans would be disillusioned if they met their favorite rock star and he was drinking Evian."

Theron To Wed?

Charlize Theron and Stuart Townsend will marry at their Malibu, California home this summer, according to reports.

After four years of dating, the couple - who met on the set of 2001 movie - are finally ready to exchange vows. The Monster Oscar-winner has been busy making plans and shopping for a wedding dress with her mother Gerda.

A friend tells American magazine In Touch Weekly, "It's so hush hush that they have sworn everyone to absolute secrecy and haven't revealed the exact date or location yet. But the wedding will definitely be in the Los Angeles area - more than likely at Charlize Malibu waterfront home - within a month or possibly even sooner."

Young Hollywood

Ashton Kutcher and Lindsay Lohan top the list of power-wielding players in Young Hollywood, according to Teen People's edition that hits newsstands Friday. The top 10 list was compiled by reader votes.

The 27-year-old Kutcher has starred in the films "Guess Who" and "The Butterfly Effect," and produced MTV's "Punk'd" and WB's "Beauty and the Geek." Lohan follows Kutcher, on the strength of reports the 19-year-old actress is now pulling down over $7 million per movie.

Readers picked Orlando Bloom for third place. Bloom, 28, has starred in the "Lord of the Rings" films, "Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl" and "Kingdom of Heaven." Hilary Duff charts fourth on the magazine's Young Hollywood ladder. Duff, 17, spans music, movies, TV and fashion - including an accessories line called Stuff by Hilary Duff. She's followed by Reese Witherspoon, whose production company is aptly named Type A.

The list is rounded out by Natalie Portman, Jake Gyllenhaal, Jessica Alba, Scarlett Johansson and Nick Cannon.

Mind Your Manners

Mind your manners around Joan Collins.

The "Dynasty" diva has written a scathing denunciation of the state of civilization after attending a black-tie ball in London where "a six-foot-tall, middle-aged, horse-faced male pushed past me, trod on the hem of my dress and rushed outside to climb into the taxi that the doorman had waiting for us."

Collins, in her tirade in London's Daily Mail, blames "the awful, pervasive disregard that we have for civility today." She asks, "Why do young people consider it cool to be arrogant, swaggering and rude? Why do so many people in England seem so cynical and self-centered?"

Quotable

"Gay men, oh they love me. It's like I'm the new Cher."

--Said by Kelly Clarkson

Summer Song Faves

What's your favorite summer song from the '60s, '70s or '80s? A random telephone poll of 1,000 adults by VH1 Classic had more men picking the Rolling Stones' 1965 ode to sexual frustration, "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction," than any other tune.

Women went for "I Got You Babe," Sonny & Cher's portrait of domestic bliss � at least until their divorce. That was also from 1965.

Others in the top five were The Police's song about an obsessive boyfriend, "Every Breath You Take," from 1983; the Doors' "Light My Fire" from 1967; and, from the Commodores in 1978, "Three Times a Lady."

CNN Suspends Novak

Robert Novak, whose revelation of a CIA officer's name in a 2003 column has sparked a federal probe, was suspended by CNN after he swore and walked off the set during a live taping of "Inside Politics."

CNN correspondent Ed Henry said afterward that he had been about to ask Novak about his role in the investigation of the leak of Valerie Plame's identity, which the columnist has repeatedly refused to comment on.

The incident occurred Thursday as Novak and Democratic operative James Carville were handicapping the Senate candidacy of former Florida Secretary of State Katherine Harris. Novak said the opposition of the Republican establishment in Florida might not be fatal for her.

"Let me just finish, James, please," Novak continued. "I know you hate to hear me, but you have to." Carville, addressing the camera, said: "He's got to show these right wingers that he's got a backbone, you know. It's why The Wall Street Journal editorial page is watching you. Show 'em that you're tough."

"Well, I think that's bull---- and I hate that," Novak replied. "Just let it go." As moderator Henry stepped in to ask Carville a question, Novak walked off the set.

A CNN spokeswoman, Edie Emery, called Novak's behavior "inexcusable and unacceptable." Novak apologized to CNN, and CNN was apologizing to viewers, she said. "We've asked Mr. Novak to take some time off," she said.

Posh Says...

Victoria Beckham says there are lots of things about her body she would like to change. She says she also agrees with plastic surgery.

According to OK! magazine she said: "There are loads of things I don't like about my body. I don't like my hair, my belly button, my stomach or my fingernails.

"Also I have no definition, probably from having babies. I could go to the gym but I haven't got the time or the energy." She added: "I don't think there's anything wrong with cosmetic surgery - if it's right for you and you're doing it for the right reasons"

50 Pokes Fun

For a record considered to be just a warning shot, 50 Cent's "Piggy Bank" continues to have the largest ripple effect of any rap song this year. Last week Nas finally responded to the cut, and this week 50 issued a video mixtape that includes a full-length clip for the song.

The video is animated and starts with three boys walking down "Beaver Street" when one of them stops at an arcade. The kid is infatuated with a game called "Rapper Knockout," which stars 50 Cent as a ring king beating opponents to a pulp. The video then takes a look inside the video game as 50 squares off against Fat Joe. The animated Joe is afraid to go the ring at first, and gets pummeled when he finally enters.

The same fate holds true for an animated Jadakiss, which Fif imagines dressed up like a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle � complete with Raphael's red mask and a slice of pizza � wearing a belt with a buckle that says "Jada."

Later, 50 depicts Game as a Mr. Potato Head doll with a "Wanksta" headband and Cassidy as a young kid wearing a pink hoodie with "I'm a Hustler" embroidered on it. Cass gets punched in the stomach by two kids. In a separate scene, another kid is seen wearing Superman's tights and cape while running down the street. Instead of the Man of Steel's S, he has a red logo of Nas' name on his chest and is chasing a "Milkshake" truck before jumping at the vehicle and falling flat on his face.

"Piggy Bank" is one of 21 videos slated to be included in a special-edition reissue of The Massacre, which is due on September 6.

What Coulda Been

Actress Sela Ward might have been a Desperate Housewife � but she turned it down.

Ward, who won an Emmy in 2000 for her role in Once and Again, was being considered to play divorc�e Susan Mayer on ABC's mega hit Desperate Housewives.

"I was sent the script . . . it was the Teri Hatcher role," she says. So what happened? "I just couldn't sign a six-year contract. I had just finished Once and Again, and my mother had died. It was a very difficult time."

Ward, 49, passed on the part but says that it wasn't a firm offer. "It wasn't, 'Here's the money, here's the deal.' It was a feeler." Still, she says, "I regret not being on a show that successful."

Daddy Dearest

To add fuel to Jennifer Aniston's sad fire, there are now reports that Angelina Jolie's adopted son, Maddox , calls Brad Pitt "daddy."

According to Us Weekly, while filming an Edwin Jeans commercial for the Japanese market in Lancaster, Calif., Maddox started crying for Pitt, yelling, "Where's my daddy?" In addition, Pitt and Jolie are serious about building a family, a source told the mag. Pitt's name was left off adoption papers for little Zahara Jolie, whom the actress recently took in from Africa, only because his divorce is not yet final, Us Weekly says.

We're OK

Once again, the Jessica Simpson-Nick Lachey-marriage-is-over reports have been shot down � this time by Nick himself.

Cohosting TV's "Live With Regis and Kelly" with Kelly Ripa on Wednesday, Lachey, 31, said everything is "absolutely wonderful" with Simpson. The singer also denied being jealous of Simpson's career.

"Everything is absolutely wonderful in marriage, in life and love, and we've been saying it for months now, it's just, 'We're okay,'" he said. "I love my wife to death and I support the heck out of her as any husband would."

In Wednesday's newspaper, New York Post gossip columnist Cindy Adams strongly reiterated her claim made earlier in the week that the Simpson-Lachey marriage was over. Adams wrote that the two had "hired divorce lawyers, already drawn up divorce papers, even actually signed divorce papers."

Nothing Says Love Like A Tat

David and Victoria Beckham have had matching Hebrew tattoos to show their love for one another.

The superstar couple decided to get the skin etchings to mark their sixth wedding anniversary and have chosen the same romantic phrase from the Hebrew bible. It reads: "I am my beloved, my beloved is mine" The wording is often used by Jewish couples on their wedding rings.

Becks, 30, had the design etched onto his forearm, above another a tattoo of Victoria's name in Hindi. Former Spice Girl, Posh, opted for a less obvious version of the same phrase - on her neck.

Becks also the name of his three sons, Brooklyn, six, Romeo, two, and baby Cruz tattooed on his body, along with many more.

PETA Loves Duff

Hilary Duff has been praised by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) for her cruelty-free cosmetics line.

The animal-rights activist group, which recently launched a campaign against Jennifer Lopez for her love of wearing fur, has opted to give Duff a seal of approval for her stance in favor of animals.

The manufacturer singer's cosmetics line, Stuff by Hilary Duff, has just signed a statement of assurance promising it does not test products on animals, reports Mtv News.

BabyTalk

Singer Michelle Branch has given birth to a 7 lb. 12 oz. baby girl named Owen.

Branch, 22, is resting comfortably in a Los Angeles hospital. The singer and her husband, Teddy Landau, who is the bass player in her band, were married in July 2004. This is their first child.

And in other Hollywood baby news...

Oscar winner Holly Hunter is to be a first-time mother � to twins � at age 47, her rep confirms.

"She is expecting with twins, and she is due this winter," says her rep. The gender of the babies is not yet known. The father is Hunter's partner, British actor Gordon MacDonald. This will mark his first time out as a dad.

Word To the Wise

Jessica Simpson has urged Britney Spears and Kevin Federline to abandon their reality show after the first series, before it ruins their lives.

Simpson and her husband Nick Lachey were tied to making three seasons of their show Newlyweds: Nick And Jessica and she regrets signing two years of their lives away.

She tells the singer, and star of Britney And Kevin: Chaotic, "Only do one season and make sure your contract is good." "We were locked in. We thought it was going to be a six-episode documentary about being a newlywed. It ended up being two years."

Em's Diva Behavior

Move over J.Lo. When it comes to dressing-room demands, Eminem has the pop diva's measure - and more.

The rapper has a string of quirky demands for his forthcoming tour - including massive buckets of Kentucky Fried Chicken. Also on his list is a fully equipped 'arcade-style' dressing room, complete with monster TV with PlayStation, a ping-pong table and a basketball hoop. He added that the room had to be big enough to "comfortably accommodate eight persons".

According to the Daily Mirror, the 32-year-old's catering needs for his Manchester gig on September 14 also stretch to two cases of Heineken lager, two bottles of Hennessy cognac and three bottles of Cristal champagne. A source told the paper: "The artist wants 10 low-carb protein bars, 12 cans of low-carb Myoplex body-building meal-replacement formula and half-a-dozen cans of low-carb protein shakes."

Famous for his love of facials, Eminem has also asked "that the services of a masseur" be available to him.

Kanye Relies on Mom

Kanye West recently said that his mom chooses his girlfriends.

And given his latest revelations, it's a good job, too. If he had his way, he'd only date porn stars and exotic dancers.

Boasting of his "extensive porno collection", he says: "There's always different girls you want to see, so I'll just buy them all... Strippers are people too. I like to have a good conversation with them, hear about some of the things they're going through."

Wayne Manor Away From Home

A hotel has dedicated a room to Batman.

The room at the Hilton hotel in Buenos Aires, Argentina resembles a cave and is full of interactive games and videos showing sequences of batman movies. It even has a secret passage that leads to the adjacent room.

A spokesperson for the hotel said: "We decided to dedicate the room to Batman because we think he is the coolest superhero and with the new movie out lots of people got into the batmania again."

It's Over

Time to face the facts: Dave Chappelle's hit Comedy Central series isn't coming back, says one of its stars. "`Chappelle's Show' is over, man. Done," comic Charlie Murphy told TV Guide. "It took me a long time to be able to say those words, but I can say it pretty easy now, because it's the truth."

Chappelle's sudden "spiritual retreat" to South Africa on the eve of his show's third season has left the series in limbo since May. About half of a new season had been filmed before Chappelle left, Murphy said.

"I'm disappointed it ended the way it did, but I'm not angry with anybody," he said. "`Chappelle's Show' was like the Tupac of TV shows. It came out, it got everybody's attention, it was a bright shining star, but it burned out and for some strange reason, it burned out quick."

Comedy Central has always said the door is open for Chappelle to return, spokeswoman Aileen Budow said Wednesday.

Help Out John

John Mayer has writer's block - and he wants your help. The soft-voiced rocker is calling on fans to make a song out of some lyrics that didn't make it onto his upcoming album.

"I'm inviting all aspiring songwriters to write their own chords and melodies around my lyrics," Mayer writes in the September issue of Esquire, on newsstands Aug. 15. "You can tell people we wrote a song together."

Mayer, who has written a monthly column for Esquire for more than a year, urges people to send a CD of their song to the magazine's music department. The lyrics and information on submissions, due Sept. 30, can be found in the upcoming issue. One line reads: "I've got dreams to remember, I've got days to forget/I've got some phone calls in to God but he ain't called me back just yet."

The best submissions will be featured on Esquire's Web site. Mayer will pick the winner, who will receive a Fender John Mayer Signature Stratocaster guitar.

BlogBoom

The blogosphere is continuing to grow, with a weblog created every second, according to blog trackers Technorati.

In its latest State of the Blogosphere report, it said the number of blogs it was tracking now stood at more than 14.2 million blogs, up from 7.8 million in March.

It suggests, on average, the number of blogs is doubling every five months.

Oh No

I sure hope not:

Sienna Miller is six weeks pregnant with estranged fiance Jude Law's child, according to an American magazine.

Star claims the couple told their parents the happy news just two days before revelations Law had an affair with his children's nanny emerged. The pair split following the claims, and Law's admission he slept with Daisy Wright while filming movie All the King's Men in America last year - but they reportedly met in private in England for secret talks in a bid to rescue their relationship. Miller has refused to comment on the pregnancy claims.

Papa Joe Puts Up His Fists

In an interview with "Access Hollywood," Joe Simpson, father and manager of pop stars Ashlee and Jessica Simpson, says that they have "hired the most powerful lawyer in the city" to take on publications that he claims run false reports about his family.

"What we've done is hire the most powerful lawyer in the city to start taking these people on," said Simpson. "You can only say, 'No that's not true'...so often and then everybody thinks you are lying."

The pop stars' father also says he believes the stories published about them have gotten out of hand. "I had Botox, who believes that? Jessica had plastic surgery, who believes that?," he said. "I mean, they just print it because Jessica sells magazines, Ashlee sells magazines and we don't have any responsibility in the media anymore. You can say whatever the hell you want to and it's not right."

When asked what he thought would make the reports stop, Simpson replied, "I don't know. A law suit big enough to get their attention."

--Dude, I believe you had Botox.

A Horrible Idea

Oh, for the love of God, NO:

Newlyweds Jennifer Garner and Ben Affleck are keen to star in Daredevil 2 together, in their first screen collaboration as husband and wife.

The pair, who married earlier this summer, first met on the set of Daredevil in 2003, and are hoping to revisit the action thriller after their first child is born this autumn.

Garner says, "Ben says it's in the early stages, but he is hopeful. It would be fun to work together, not to mention convenient."

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'Bout Time

Jack Kerouac's "On the Road," the classic novel of the Beat Generation, is coming to the big screen.

The men behind "The Motorcycle Diaries" � director Walter Salles and screenwriter Jose Rivera � are working on a script for producer Francis Ford Coppola, FoxNews.com's Roger Friedman reports.

Billy Crudup is set to star as legendary speed freak Neal Cassady, with Scarlett Johannson or Chloe Sevigny being talked about as Kerouac's girlfriend, Joyce Johnson.

Courteney + Coco= Cute

Courteney + Coco = Cute

Another Campbell Catfight

Naomi Campbell just can't stop smacking people around. Yesterday, Italian newspapers reported Campbell attacked Yvonne Scio, the sexy Italian actress who was once involved with Rocco DiSpirito, last Saturday night at the Hotel Eden in Rome, sending her to the hospital.

A source said that Scio and Campbell were getting ready to go out for the evening when they got into a vicious catfight. Scio says she was kicked and punched, suffering a badly cut lip. She filed a complaint with police and hired a lawyer. Campbell's European rep denied the allegations.

Ricci To Pig Out

Actress Christina Ricci is set to adopt a bizarre new look for her latest movie, Penelope - she'll be playing a woman with a pig's nose.

She is preparing to transform her looks for a less then flattering guise in the independent comedy, which she's excited to unveil to fans. She says of the film, "It's a modern-day fable about this girl whose family lineage is cursed. She's born with a pig's nose!" "And the only way to break the curse is for someone of her own kind to accept and love her. My agent was actually afraid to send the script to me because she thought I'd be offended."

Deuce For Sampras

Tennis great Pete Sampras and his wife, actress Bridgette Wilson-Sampras, have welcomed another baby boy into the family.

Ryan Nikolaos Sampras was born Friday in Los Angeles and weighed in at 6 lbs. 4 oz. "Mother and son are doing great," the couple's rep says in a statement.

Sampras, 33, and Wilson, 31, who wed in 2000, also have a 2-year-old son, Christian.

Perry's Next Gig

The usually-comedic Matthew Perry will take on a more serious role for an upcoming TNT original movie, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

The former "Friends" star will play an inner-city teacher in 'The Ron Clark Story.' The script is based on the true story a teacher who left the safety of his small-town North Carolina life to accept a job in one of the most challenging educational environments in the country, New York's East Harlem district. Clark's brave risk paid off, however.

In 2000 he was honored for his tireless work and dedication to students from underprivileged backgrounds, as the recipient of Disney's prestigious Teacher of the Year Award.

To Sin Again

Brittany Murphy has agreed to appear in Sin City 2.

According to OK! magazine she said: "I'm absolutely thrilled. It's exciting to be a part of something so big and artistically groundbreaking. "I love the film and I'm ecstatic to be working with director Robert Rodriguez and the crew again."

The film is due to be released next summer.

New Kenneth Cole Campaign

They don�t have famous models or stylish celebrities, but thanks to their controversial�and sometimes bizarre�messaging, Kenneth Cole�s print campaigns are some of the most anticipated of the season.

In a briefing, the sportswear company revealed that their new campaign revolves around the theme, �What�s Really Material?� Kenneth and his creative team commissioned notorious photographer Terry Richardson to shoot the new spreads, which include separate advertisements for men�s apparel, women�s apparel, handbags, footwear, outerwear, eyewear, and watches.

While previous Kenneth Cole ads featured clean shots of clothing and simple graphics, the new slew of Kenneth Cole posters and billboards are modeled after tabloid and newspaper layouts, with spliced shots of models, clothing, and accessories pasted into the frames.

Taglines from the ads include �AIDS doesn�t kill stylish people�if they use a condom,� �Identity theft is no longer a problem�it�s actually quite easy,� and �Same sex marriages should be banned�from being banned.� The ads will run in national publications including Harper�s Bazaar, InStyle, Cargo, New Yorker, Dwell, and GQ.

Long Drive

On Wednesday evening, golfer John Daly will attempt to hit a golf ball into the next country--and clear Niagara Falls in the process.

Daly is hoping to become the first man to hit a ball from Table Rock, Canada, near the Horseshoe Falls, onto Goat Island, N.Y. The event is part of ceremonies opening Thundering Waters Golf Club, a course he designed in Niagara Falls, Ont.

"I have hit some towering drives in my time," Daly said in May, "but to try and clear Niagara Falls would be an awesome feat."

J.Lo Preggers?

Jennifer Lopez is reportedly pregnant.

According to America's Star magazine a source said: "It's very top secret right now. She could be six to seven weeks gone".

The star is married to singer Marc Anthony.

If I Were A Gay Man...

Burt Reynolds was so impressed with country legend Willie Nelson when they met, the actor's now convinced they'd have made the perfect gay couple.

Reynolds and Nelson teamed up to make appearances in the upcoming movie adaptation of cult TV show Dukes of Hazzard, and twice-divorced Reynolds admits he almost immediately saw a perfect partner in the singer.

He says, "When I worked with Willie Nelson - who is just about the nicest man I've ever worked with in my life - I thought, 'If I'd have been gay, it would've saved me millions, just because we'd still be happily married.'"

And in other Burt news...

Burt Reynolds holds such a deep regret about turning down the role of James Bond in the 1970s, he still wakes up in a cold sweat thinking about it.

Late James Bond producer Albert R 'Cubby' Broccoli offered Reynolds the chance to follow Sir Sean Connery as the slick sleuth, but the actor rejected the opportunity - an action he has lived to regret ever since. He says, "Sean Connery had said he wanted more money and left and (Cubby Broccoli) came to visit me and said, 'We want you to play James Bond.' "And I said, in my infinite wisdom, 'An American can't play James Bond. It just can't be done.' "Now, in the middle of the night, you hear me wake up in this cold sweat going, 'Bond, James Bond.'"

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Kate's Krystals

Kate Hudson says she sprays herself with water to protect herself from bad vibes.

"It's not like a holy water, just something to cleanse myself if someone's really negative," she says. "And I carry around crystals, too. I feel it's important to protect yourself."

Ananova.com reports Hudson would love to be psychic. "I think it's fascinating," she said. "We can see our three-dimensional world � that's where we exist � but it's proven that we exist in a multi, multi-dimensional realm and how amazing to be able to tap in to those other dimensions."

--Personally, I'd prefer pepper spray or a gun to protect myself, but what do I know?

Nice Try, Jude

Jude Law is trying to woo back Sienna Miller - by asking her to have babies.

Smooth-talking Jude, who admitted having a fling with nanny Daisy Wright, told the 23-year-old actress he wants to have her baby to prove his commitment to her.

A friend told the News Of The World: "Jude has begged Sienna for forgiveness and says he wants to have her baby. "Sienna was stunned when he raised the subject, but Jude insisted it would prove his commitment to her.

"He loves Sienna more than anything in the world and he really believes that a baby would seal their relationship if she could only bring herself to forgive him."

--Um, yeah. Good one, Jude

Wow

Was anyone else as shocked as I was about this?

[Warning: Six Feet Under spoiler revealed by clicking.]

Trump Doll a Flop

Not everything Donald Trump touches turns to gold. Macy's has stacks of Donald dolls originally priced at $25 but now being unloaded for $2.49 apiece. The Trump toy speaks 17 different phrases, including "You're fired!," when you press his button.

A Macy's spokesman pointed out the doll was introduced as a novelty gift for the holidays last fall. "We have Donald Trump suits and watches and shirts and they are all doing phenomenal business," the flack said. "Men want to dress like Donald Trump." But they don't want his doll.

Jen Says...

Jennifer Aniston reveals fury, pain and even sarcasm � as well as forgiveness � in her first interview since her January separation from her husband of 4 1/2 years, Brad Pitt.

In a story titled "Jen Finally Talks! (And talks and talks. And cries. And talks....)" for September's Vanity Fair magazine, the former "Friends" star declares: "Am I lonely? Yes. Am I upset? Yes. Am I confused? Yes. Do I have my days when I've thrown a little pity party for myself? Absolutely. But I'm also doing really well."

Aniston, who filed for divorce in March, speaks out about erroneous reports claiming she didn't want to start a family with Brad ("I've never in my life said I didn't want to have children. I did, and I do, and I will!") and she gives her reaction to seeing published photos of her estranged husband frolicking with his Mr. & Mrs. Smith costar, Angelina Jolie. "The world was shocked, and I was shocked," says Aniston, 36. "I'd be a robot if I said I didn't feel moments of anger, of hurt, of embarrassment." As for the shots of Pitt and Jolie playing with her young son Maddox, "I can't say it was one of the highlights of my year," Aniston admits.

Aniston is working with a therapist to deal with the situation, she tells the magazine, which has released advance copies of the issue to media outlets. As for what happened behind the scenes of Mr. & Mrs. Smith, Aniston, who says she had bought Brad's claim that he remained faithful to her, now says: "I just don't know what happened. There's a lot I don't understand, a lot I don't know, and probably never will know, really. "I choose to believe my husband," she goes on to say. "At this point, I wouldn't be surprised by anything, but I would much rather choose to believe him."

Even so, Aniston (who reportedly grows tearful when asked to comment on rumors that Jolie might be pregnant with Pitt's child), says: "There's a sensitivity chip that's missing (from Brad). ... He makes his choices. He can do � whatever. We're (about to be) divorced, and you can see why."

Unable to resist taking a swipe at Pitt's recently peroxide-enhanced scalp, Aniston snaps: "Billy Idol called � he wants his look back."

And yet, she reveals, "I love Brad. I really love him. I will love him for the rest of my life. He's a fantastic man. ... I really do hope that someday we can be friends again."

Bacall's Bark

God, I love her:

Lauren Bacall has a few unkind words to say about Tom Cruise. In an interview in the Aug. 8 issue of Time magazine, now on newsstands, the 80-year-old actress says, "When you talk about a great actor, you're not talking about Tom Cruise."

"His whole behavior is so shocking," she says. "It's inappropriate and vulgar and absolutely unacceptable to use your private life to sell anything commercially, but I think it's kind of a sickness."

Bacall was alluding to Cruise's displays of emotion and public courting of Katie Holmes in the weeks leading up to the release of his new film, "War of the Worlds." Cruise and Holmes became engaged in June after he proposed at the Eiffel Tower in Paris.

--I love that she has no problem calling him out for being a total joke. However, I have to say that I do think he was "great" in a couple of his movies.

Pod Person

Lindsay Lohan has Rachel Zoe; Scarlett Johansson has Annabelle Tollman; now Britney Spears has A Pea in the Pod. Britney has teamed with the maternity chain store to style her throughout her first pregnancy.

Britney will sport Pea in the Pod offerings from designers like Diane Von Furstenberg, Three Dots, and Seven for All Mankind, and she�s not the first famous face to do so: moms like Debra Messing, Cate Blanchett, and Kate Hudson have also used the Philadelphia-based store to keep them outfitted during their high-profile pregnancies.

Britney�s first baby, with husband Kevin Federline, is due to arrive this fall. While tabloids speculate the new arrival will actually be twins, Britney maintains she is eating�and dressing�for two and not three.

An Expensive Stick

It didn't come cheap, but an anonymous bidder now owns a piece of Jedi history. A light saber used by Mark Hamill when he played Luke Skywalker in the original "Star Wars" sold for $200,600 Friday in an auction of movie props and costumes, said Joe Maddalena, president of Profiles in History, which held the auction.

Other items included a light saber used by the character Darth Vader in "Star Wars," which fetched $118,000; a leather jacket worn by Harrison Ford in "Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade," which brought in $94,400; and a leather jacket worn by Arnold Schwarzenegger in "The Terminator," which went for $41,300.

The "Star Wars" items were offered by Gary Kurtz, producer of the first two movies, who put up 75 pieces from his private collection to raise money to open a public film archive.

Of Course

Britney Spears has booked a Kabbalah blessing for her baby.

She has booked the Kabbalah's LA headquarters for the September ceremony nine days after the baby is due.

She plans to invite up to 70 close family and friends.

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Stork Visit

Ben Stiller and his wife, Christine Taylor, have welcomed a baby boy.

Quinlin Dempsey Stiller was born July 10 in Los Angeles and weighed in at 8 lbs. 2 oz.

The 39-year-old Meet the Fockers star and Taylor, 34, who costarred with him in Dodgeball and Zoolander, already have a daughter, Ella, 3. The couple wed after a whirlwind courtship in May 2000.

Thanks, But No Thanks

Interview magazine shouldn't be too proud of itself for scoring that three-page photo spread of Britney Spears and Kevin Federline in the mag's new music issue.

The pix � which feature Britney Spears in a French maid's outfit and the scuzzy Federline with slicked-back hair in a tuxedo doting on each other � were offered to Blender, Elle and Glamour, but all passed.

Indiana's Mid-Life Crisis

Harrison Ford has spoken out for the first time about the 'mid-life crisis' he suffered following his 60th birthday.

The Indiana Jones star left his wife Melissa Mathison and began dating much younger actress Calista Flockhart shortly after the landmark. And while he refuses to use the words 'mid-life crisis,' Ford acknowledges entering his seventh decade had a profound impact on his life.

He says, "I am not the first man who wanted to make changes in his life at 60 and I won't be the last. It is just that others can do it with anonymity. I was interested in changing my life. I have always had the ability to change and become other people through my acting. I took a good look at myself and decided I wanted something different from the way I was living. That's not such a bad thing, is it? But, because of my past, I think it took a lot of people by surprise. They wondered what was happening to me. I was very much aware of what was happening. I'm living the way I want to live."

How You Doin'?

Former Friends star Matt Leblanc is increasingly infuriated he cannot shake off his character Joey Tribbiani's stupid reputation.

The 38-year-old is fed up with fans who think he is like Joey and can't stand fans using Joey catchphrases on him.

And Friends spin-off Joey is doing nothing to stem the tide of comments. He says, "Slowly, I speak slowly! I always have the upper hand in those conversations." "People expect me to be just like Joey. I've lost count of how many people have said, 'How you doing?'"

Just Say No to PETCO

PETCO will have to wing it without Pamela Anderson at the pet store chain's 40th anniversary convention next week � the animal-loving actress refused to endorse the chain because it sells live birds.

In a letter to Petco CEO Kevin Whalen, Anderson said, "I would gladly do the appearance if Petco pledges to end the sale of all birds, big and small, by January 2006." The company said it couldn't accommodate her conditions, as it plans to continue to sell small and medium-sized birds. So Pam has pulled out.

Weird Diet

Christina Aguilera is said to be following an extremely weird diet which is based on the texture and color of her food.

The star is apparently following a diet of meals made up of four food items; crunchy, soft, hot and cold. A source who is close to the star revealed that the singer's plate must also have food in bold and contrasting colors.

"She has a chef with her most of the time to whip up exactly the right meal," the source said.

Naomi and Kid Rock

Rumor Has It:

Naomi Campbell has been quietly seeing redneck rapper Bob "Kid Rock" Richie, a source says. "They hooked up in Europe" and supposedly had a whale of a time in bed together, said a spy.

Julia to Do Broadway

Julia Roberts is preparing to make her return to acting by doing something she's never done before: starring on Broadway.

The 37-year-old actress plans to make her debut in a revival of Richard Greenberg's three-person play, Three Days of Rain, the New York Times reported Friday. This will be her first major acting gig since giving birth to twins late last year.

The production will begin a 12-week limited engagement next March at a theater yet to be named, and will be directed by Joe Mantello, one of Broadway's most sought-after directors. No other details, including other cast members, were announced.

Longoria: "I'm Sorry, Jen"

Eva Longoria is deeply ashamed of herself for wearing an "I'll have your baby, Brad" t-shirt, and has sent Brad Pitt's estranged wife Jennifer Aniston a written apology for the distress it caused.

The Desperate Housewives actress caused a media frenzy when she was photographed wearing the top while shopping, as it was seen to mock Aniston's alleged reluctance to have children with Pitt.

Longoria says, "I do regret wearing it and I have written to Jennifer Aniston to express my sympathies over her marriage."

Green Day To Enter Movie Biz?

Green Day will bring their hugely successful album American Idiot to the big screen.

The trio have been approached by several Hollywood producers keen to make a big-budget movie-adaptation of the best-selling album. And while the rockers are keen to start filming American Idiot: The Motion Picture next year, they first want to secure complete control over the project.

Frontman Billie Joe Armstrong says, "There's a lot of strange people out there in Hollywood, so we have to stick to our guns." "We want to have control over everything that's on the album." "If we're going to look at a film, we have to think of it the same way as how important the record is to us."

Kidman Casting News

Nicole Kidman is to star in Invasion, a remake of the cult horror classic Invasion Of The Bodysnatchers.

According to Production Weekly Kidman will play Carol, a woman who uncovers a conspiracy in a small town where the inhabitants' personalities appear to be changing. Filming is due to begin in Baltimore in October with German director Oliver Hirschbiegel.

Kidman is also due to star in another remake in Wong Kar-wais' A Lady From Shanghai originally made in 1948 with Orson Welles who also directed the movie and Rita Hayworth.

The remake is due to be filmed in Russia later this year. Set in the 1950s the movie revolves around a glamorous woman in danger and in love with a spy.

A Beautiful Friendship

Saks Fifth Avenue announced on Monday that it would become the exclusive New York retailer to offer the Neil Lane jewelry collection. Located in the fine jewelry department on the first floor of Saks� flagship, the Neil Lane boutique will launch this October with a star-studded gala.

Known as the �Star Jeweler,� Lane�s creations are highly sought after in Hollywood for social occasions and red carpet events alike. A New York native, Lane moved to Paris after college to pursue a career in jewelry design, where he began the collection that informs his designs to this day. Upon returning to the states in 1982, he moved to Los Angeles and opened his now-renowned jewelry emporium on Beverly Boulevard.

Ronald Frasch, vice chairman and chief merchant for Saks said in a statement, �Everyone at Saks Fifth Avenue is thrilled to be hosting Neil�s first boutique in New York City, and we welcome him back to his New York roots. The partnership between Saks Fifth Avenue and Neil Lane will bring high fashion and Hollywood glamour to Manhattan.�

Spiderman Villain Announced

Spiderman 3 Villain Announced:

The villain in the next installmemt of the Spiderman franchise is not Venom nor Sandman, as has been rumored, but The Chameleon, who "will use his powers of performance and identify theft to bridge a gap between MJ and Peter Parker in this film."

The report suggests that an official announcement won't be made until just after Thanksgiving, at which point we can expect the release of an animated Chameleon DVD.

Thomas Hayden Church has been cast as The Chameleon.

Wedding Bells

Sheryl Lee Ralph showed up nearly two-and-a-half hours late to her own wedding to Pennsylvania Sen. Vincent Hughes at the First African Methodist Episcopal Church in Los Angeles on Saturday..

The former Moesha star, 49, wore an off-the-shoulder champagne-colored silk charmeuse Tadashi gown with Swarovski crystal straps and a seven-foot train, topped by a light gold silk peu de soire brocaded coat. Completing her princess look: a $16,000 Mikimoto pearl-and-diamond tiara fastened to her updo.

Preceded by her 10 bridesmaids � including singer Patti LaBelle, Divorce Court judge Mablean Ephriam and actress Loretta Devine � Ralph held her Swarovski-crystal-studded bouquet of orchids, Casablancas, calla lilies, stephanotis, and roses as she walked down the aisle to the strains of an 82-person choir. The 48-year-old groom, a state senator from Philadelphia, wore a Jasper black tuxedo with a white tie, a stephanotis boutonniere, and $15,000 Mikimoto pearl-and-white gold cufflinks.

To celebrate the occasion, 425 guests were in attendance at the chapel, which was decorated in all-white flowers � including orchids and lilies � and white chiffon and pearls draped on the aisle.

10th Planet?

Astronomers announced Friday that an object they discovered in the distant reaches of the solar system is large enough to be the 10th planet -- a claim likely to reignite a debate over just how many objects should be called planets.

The object -- 96 times as far from the Earth as the Earth is from the sun, or nearly 9 billion miles away -- was first photographed in October 2003 by astronomers at the California Institute of Technology's Palomar Observatory, north of San Diego.

While researchers say they aren't yet sure of its actual size, they have determined the object is bigger than Pluto, the smallest planet and the one most distant from the sun.

"If Pluto is a planet, it seems reasonable that something that's bigger than Pluto, and further away than Pluto, should be called a planet, too," said Mike Brown, a Cal Tech planetary scientist who made the discovery with colleagues Chad Trujillo of the Gemini Observatory and David Rabinowitz of Yale University.