Britney Spears, George Clooney, Dennis Rodman and more...

Britney Spears: When Michael Douglas appeared on NBC's
Will & Grace, he was hilarious as a gay cop. Access
Hollywood reported today that Spears will make a cameo

appearance on the series before it goes off the air in May after an
eight year run at the top. No episode details were released to the
press, but that might be good news. It gives the writers time to
actually write a fictional role for Spears in case she wants to try to
match Madonna's guest star turn on the series in 2003 when she
played Karen's (Megan Mullally) temporary roommate Liz.

Bob Woodruff: The injured ABC News anchor is heading home. He
and cameraman Doug Vogt will be treated at Bethesda Naval Hospital in
Maryland when their airplane lands later today. People working with them
told reporters that Vogt has been joking with his caregivers and is fully alert.
Woodruff is not so lucky. He has been responsive to medical probes to his
extremities, but is still in serious condition with brain injuries that
were either caused by shrapnel or a major concussion.
ABC has not announced how it plans to staff World News Tonight, which
was supposed to be anchored by Woodruff and Elizabeth Vargas

after the death of Peter Jennings.

George Clooney: The former ER doctor made out like a bandit
this morning when he picked up three Oscar nominations. Clooney was chosen
in the Best Director and Best Screenplay categories for Good Night, and Good Luck and the
Supporting Actor category for Syriana. Fans of the Johnny Cash
biopic Walk the Line will not be happy when they hear that the film
was not chosen in the Best Picture category. Movies that did make the
grade include Brokeback Mountain, Capote, Crash, Munich

and Good Night, and Good Luck. Even though their movie was not chosen,
stars Joaquin Phoenix and Reese Witherspoon did earn nominations for
their superb turns as the talented Cash couple. Visit the official
Oscars Web Site for a list of all the nominees.

Coretta Scott King: Atlanta Mayor Andrew Young announced this morning
that the civil rights pioneer passed away last night in her sleep. Mrs.
King had been in declining health since suffering a stroke and heart
attack last year. When Martin Luther Kings, Jr. was murdered in Memphis,
1968, it was Mrs. King who kept his dream alive, who continued to demand
racial balance while promoting peaceful means to reach that objective. She
led the fight, led her four children and led the nation into the future
with the creation of the Martin Luther King Jr. Center for Nonviolent
Social Change. No funeral or memorial information has been released to the
public. Visit the King Center Web Site to see how you can help
keep the Kings' dream alive.

Doug Liman: When I saw the filmmaker's ensemble comedy drama Go in
1999, I thought he was the most interesting new director on the scene.
William Fichtner fans who watch Invasion should rent the flick just
to see what Fichtner did to Jay Mohr and Scott Wolf. ABC confirmed that
it has a development deal with Liman to turn his Mr. and Mrs. Smith

movie into a pilot for a possible series next year. The movie version
about competing assassins wasn't as good as the off-set love story between
stars Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie. Don't expect them to show up in the ABC version.

Dennis Rodman: The third annual Lingerie Bowl will have to take place
without its Commissioner. The former NBC rebounding machine has been
forced to withdraw from the February 5 event at the L.A. Memorial Coliseum
because online casino and sportsbook company Bodog.com is one of the
sponsors. Rodman's position as worldwide spokesperson for GoldenPalace.com
requires that he not promote other similar businesses. This year's
Lingerie Bowl will showcase supermodels as they play full-contact football
in lingerie. Jenny McCarthy and Cindy Margolis will serve as hosts.
Amy Fisher and Joey Buttafuoco are scheduled to take part in the coin
toss at the fifty yard line. The Lingerie Bowl will be broadcast live on
pay-per-view cable ($19.95) beginning at 7:30pm.

Natasha Lyonne: If the American Pie actress
isn't careful, her next dessert will be served in the slammer. Last
week, she and her attorney failed to appear in court again to answers
charges that include a threat of bestiality. Lyonne's former roomie
alleges that the actress threatened to sexually molest her dog during a
domestic spat. Lyonne missed earlier court appearances while she was in
the hospital being treated for hepatitis C and a collapsed lung. The
Manhattan Criminal Court judge had no sympathy for the troubled
defendant. On Friday, he issued a warrant that calls for her arrest.

Tom Cruise: Sofa-hopper didn't hear his name called out
when the Oscar folks announced their Academy Award nominations this morning,
but he doesn't have to feel slighted at all. The Golden Raspberry Award
Foundation have him listed as one of the actors who might win this
year's Razzie Award as Worst Actor for his performance in War of
the Worlds. Other thespians in the hunt for the main Razzie
reward include Rob Schneider for Deuce Bigalow: European
Gigolo, Jamie Kennedy for Son of the Mask,

The Rock for Doom and Will Ferrell for two
flicks, Bewitched and Kicking & Screaming.
If Schneider loses this one, there is no justice in Hollywood.

---SUGGESTED READING----


Lohan Gets Stitched Up after Teacup Accident

CSI-like Shows Give Criminals Helpful Tips

ABC's 'Commander in Chief' Will Take a Break

Andrew Lloyd Webber to Revive 'Evita' Show

Doo-wop Band Wins Legal Settlement from Pepsi

Lez Zeppelin: A Girl Band That Flips the Page

Nicole Kidman, Minnie Driver, Stevie Wonder and more...

Celebrity News Date: Thursday, January 26

Nicole Kidman: The Oscar-winning actress can add another honor
to her career book, one that is far more important than her movie career
awards. The United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM) announced
today that Kidman has been appointed to the position of Goodwill
Ambassador to help the organization champion women's rights. She told
reporters at a press conference at the United Nations Headquarters in
New York City, "I don't pretend to be an expert on the issues that
UNIFEM addresses. But I'm here to learn and lend support to help make
visible the very real and immediate problems and the successful
strategies that UNIFEM and the women they support work on everyday."
Kidman, who wants to focus her attention on the increase of violence
against women in the world, will meet with women in different countries
to find out how their lives can be made safer. Countries being
considered for her first trip include Sudan, the Democratic Republic of
the Congo, Liberia, Afghanistan and Cambodia.

Minnie Driver: The English actress must have found something that she
likes in American television when she guest starred in multiple episodes
of Will & Grace. FX confirmed that she and Yemen Emmy-winning comedian
Eddie Izzard will star in a drama pilot that centers around a family of
con artists who try to go the straight and narrow after mommie dearest
(Driver) gets out of prison. Lowlife will begin production in March in
a city that really needs the work, New Orleans.

Stevie Wonder: Imagine the singer's surprise when he found out that
an internet user was promoting a site called stevie-wonder.com that was
not licensed by the legendary performer. He didn't wonder how to change
that situation long. The Grammy-winner filed a complaint with the
National Arbitration Forum asserting that only a person or business
associated with the real deal can use his name online. So be it. The Forum
ruled in his behalf and the fan opened another tribute site using the name
"steviewonder-unofficial." Fans who have sites that pay tribute to
celebrities using all or part of their names have reason to fear the Forum's decision.
It could mean the end to their own online tribute sites.

Bono: American Express, Converse, Gap and Giorgio Armani are
companies that have joined with the U2 frontman to help him fight the
AIDS epidemic in Africa. New products that hit the market under Bono's
brand name "Red" will help fund the battle because the international
corporations have agreed to donate a portion of the products' profits to the Global
Fund, which provides assistance to organizations that fight Aids,
tuberculosis and malaria. Bono told reporters, "Red is a 21st century
idea. I think doing the Red thing, doing good, will turn out to be good
business for them." It will also be good business for all of us. AIDS
is everywhere. New products that will be marketing as "Red" include
Converse sports shoes made with African mud-cloth, Emporio Armani
sunglasses embossed with a "Red" logo and Gap "Red" T-shirts.

Meg Ryan: What do Ryan and Angelina Jolie have in common other than
the fact that both are actresses who need another hit soon to make up for
some bad career choices -- think Against the Ropes (Ryan) or Mr. and
Mrs. Smith (Jolie) for starters? They both have new children to raise
who have safe homes now because of adoption. US Weekly reports that Ryan
has returned to Brentwood, California after spending a week in
China in order to adopt a daughter. The baby is under a year in age. Ryan
also has a 13-year-old son thanks to her marriage to Dennis Quaid. The
44-year-old actress did not tell reporters the name of daughter.

Kanye West: The rap superstar is in hot water again, and this time
I don't agree with his critics. West is featured on the cover
of the new Rolling Stone magazine with a crown of thorns and
a drip of blood on his cheek. It's an obvious reference to his
mega-hit "Jesus Walks," but some Christian critics are outraged
over the image. Why? Any images or writings that keep the
Son of God in the news is a good thing.

Hattie McDaniel: The late actress once told a reporter, "I'd
rather play a maid than be one," in order to explain why she was
willing to play servants in so many movies. It makes sense to me, and it
did to Oscar voters too. She won an Academy Award for playing Mammy in
Gone With the Wind. Starting today, the United States Postal Service
is offering a 39 cents stamp that honors McDaniel for her career and
efforts to promote racial equality. She is the 29th honoree in the U.S.
Postal Service's Black Heritage commemorative stamp series. Other African
Americans with stamps that honor them include Martin Luther King, Jr.,
Scott Joplin and Thurgood Marshall. McDaniel is in good company.

---SUGGESTED READING----

Fox's 'American Idol' is Becoming Quite the Bully


Sharpton Criticizes 'Boondocks' Over the N-word

'Lost' Star Josh Holloway is Top In Touch Hunk

Famed Dancer Fayard Nicholas Died Tuesday at 91

Disputed Memoir Author Heads to Oprah's Show

Chris Penn Autopsy is Labeled as Inconclusive

In case you've been busy answering all the spam e-mails
that creep into your computer to drive you nuts,
click News Archives
to catch up with the celebrity world.

TVNow is a fan of the DVD sets produced by Treeline Films, so much so that
we now sell most of them. They are the first products we have endorsed in ten years.
Click any of the following links for information:

Classic Mystery (50 movies),
Classic Westerns (50 movies),
Classic Musicals (50 movies)
and Family Classics (50 Titles).
$28 per set is an amazing price. We guarantee satisfaction.

Britney Spears, Matt Dillon, Rosanne Cash and more...

Celebrity News Date: Monday, January 23

Britney Spears; It's not often that a celebrity has anything
nice to say about paparazzi, but don't be surprised if the singer throws a little love their way in the future. Access Hollywood reports that Spears and her brother, Bryan Spears, were stranded on a Los Angeles freeway Sunday night when their Ferrari broke down. Photographers who had been following the couple stayed with them until the were escorted to safety in the back of a squad car. It's one small
act of kindness, but maybe the gesture will help smooth some old wounds.

Matt Dillon: The actor's recent superb turn in
Crash as a racist cop has not gone unnoticed. He was
recently nominated for a Golden Globe Supporting Actor Award for that role. Over the weekend, Dillon was serenaded by Anna Nalick at a special event in Park City, Utah that ended with him
being honored with the 2006 Ray-Ban Visionary Award, given each year to
the actor or executive whose body of work showcases vision, imagination
and originality. Indie fav Lili Taylor, who co-stars with Dillon
in Factotum, presented the award to him. Their movie is
one of the films featured at this year's Sundance Film Festival. The
actor is known for his ability to play any type of role, from the
obsessed private investigator in There's Something About
Mary to the Crash cop. In 2002, he sat in the
director's chair for the Cambodian crime drama City of
Ghosts, which he co-wrote with Barry Gifford. When
Clint Eastwood retires, Dillon certainly is in position to
continue the trend of actor's becoming successful filmmakers.

Rosanne Cash: The singer won't be counted as one of the
moviegoers who helped make Walk the Line a hit even though
the movie is about her famous parents. In the January 30 issue of
Newsweek (on newsstands today), Cash tells Senior Writer Malcolm Jones,
"You know, I just don't have a need to see the Hollywood version of
my father's drug addiction and my parents' breakup." Johnny
Cash fans should not hold that against her. As talented and
dedicated as he was, the Man in Black had his warts, like we all do.
It's just sad that his time in the spotlight made them grow.

Geena Davis: The lady in charge of the White House for ABC's
Commander in Chief must feel pretty good today now that
NBC has given up on fielding another leader on The West
Wing. Kevin Reilly, President of NBC Entertainment, announced on
Sunday that The West Wing will end its seven season run on
May 14 with an hour-long retrospective at 7pm and a series finale
episode at 8pm. Jimmy Smits fans who thought that the actor would
take over Martin Sheen's spot on the political drama will not be
happy with the news. The Emmy-winning show has been nominated for
television's top prizes ninety times and won a Peabody Award for
Excellence in Television and three Television Critics Association
Awards. But in the end, it was a lady leader who took over the country.

Harry Belafonte

Celebrity News Date: Sunday, January 22

Harry Belafonte: It's time for the singer to pack his bags. A
vacation to Guantanamo Bay is in his future. Yesterday, he took on the Bush administration again during a speech at the 49th annual conference for members of the Association of the Performing Arts Presenters in New York City. He told attendees, "We've come to this dark time in which the new Gestapo of Homeland Security lurks here, where citizens are having their rights suspended." The new attack on the Bush people follows the entertainer's speech in Venezuelan where he labeled the President of the United States, "the greatest terrorist in the
world." Arts Presenters press materials claim that the reason its
members attend the conference is "to gather with other experts and industry specialists to share ideas, conduct business and see
performances." Members sure got a Belafonte performance on Saturday to remember.

Kate Beckinsale,Tony Franciosa, Jennifer Garner and more...

Celebrity News Date: Saturday, January 21

Kate Beckinsale: The release of her new horror flick, Underworld Evolution, caused the folks at ugo.com to run a poll to determine if visitors would rather be vampires or werewolves. The blood suckers won with sixty percent of the votes. Beckinsale's Underworld sequel continues the saga of the war between the fanged forces and the hairy horrors called Lycans. It should surprise nobody that people prefer to be vampires. Shaving is too much of a problem for werewolves, whereas Nosferatu types tend to have killer wardrobes.

Anthony "Tony" Franciosa: He was one of those intense actors who
honed his talents at New York City's Actors Studio in the fifties -- think
Marlon Brando, James Dean, Monty Clift, Rod Steiger and Paul
Newman for starters. All of them based their performances on their own
life experiences. It was and is still called method acting and Franciosa
was a good student. He won the Golden Globe in the Best Motion Picture
Actor in a Drama category for Career in 1960. In 1958, the Oscar folks
nominated him for the Best Actor prize in A Hatful of Rain, which also
earned the explosive actor a Tony nomination for the Broadway version. He
also starred on television in The Name of the Game (1968-71) and

Finder of Lost Loves (1984-85). A family spokesman announced on Friday
that Franciosa died of a stoke on Thursday at the UCLA Medical Center
with his wife, family members and numerous friends by his side. He
was 77-years-old at the time of his passing. In a strange twist of fate, his
former wife, actress Shelley Winters, died last Saturday. They were
married when he starred in Career and A Hatful of Rain. No funeral
or memorial information was released to the press.

Jennifer Garner: Movie fans who follow the actress know that she has
a dog named Martha Stewart. Garner called the real Stewart this week
during a segment of the syndicated Martha show to congratulate her
for the 15th anniversary of Stewart's "Living Magazine." When
the television host asked how Garner's pooch is adjusting to having a baby
in the house, the Alias star replied, "She has been a little
jealous, but just the other day she finally came over, gave the little
newcomer a lick and they made peace." It's the lick part that bothers
me because I have a dog and know all too well the various objects and body
parts she likes to lick. Ben Affleck should consider brushing Martha
Stewart's teeth after every meal and after long "business" walks if doggie
dearest is going to be bathing his daughter.

Friday Factoids

Fran Drescher: The star of The WB comedy hit Living with
Fran has some very specific guidelines for the men who want to
be loving with Fran. During her interview with Tony Danza for his
syndicated show, Drescher made it clear that she does prefer to date men
younger than her because they are more fun most of the time. There is
the exception to the rule. The actress told Danza, "if I’m, you know,
being intimate with them in any way, and they say to me, "I can’t
believe I’m doing this with The Nanny," I mean, that is it. You
are so out of there." If you ever land a date with Drescher,
remember to be on your very best, and don't mention the "Nanny" gig no matter what.

Angelina Jolie: The alleged sonogram picture of Jolie's 5-month-old
unborn baby was sold on eBay this week to GoldenPalace.com, the same wild
company that ponied up $25,000 to acquire William Shatner's kidney
stone. The image of Brad Pitt's future child sold for $3,800. The casino
folks like the Jolie/Pitt pairing. Last year, the company bought a jar on
eBay that contained the captured air of the couple as they walked the red
carpet at the premiere of Mr. And Mrs. Smith.

Tom Hanks: The former cross-dressing tube star is still a movie king
in the eyes of the 1,001 folks who took an Harris Interactive poll in
December to determine the most popular movie stars. Johnny Depp took
second place, followed by John Wayne and Harrison Ford in a tie for
third place. The fifth place winner was Julia Roberts. Poll-taker
politics figured in the equation in an odd way. Hanks won the race in the
East, Midwest and West, but Southerners chose Brad Pitt. Hanks is the
more conservative pick, but conservatives in the South took Jolie's hunk
instead. Go figure.

Lindsay Lohan: I wonder if the young star cleared her mother's
interview that made its debut last night on E! News. Dina Lohan was
interviewed Wednesday at the Ford Supermodel of the World event in New
York City. When the subject turned to her daughter's recent asthma problem
that resulted in a hospital stay, mom told her interviewer, "Lindsay
has had bronchial asthma since she was two. She's completely fine,"
before adding "She does need to stop smoking ... and she's on a pill to
help her do that." Any 19-year-old asthma sufferer who smokes is not
fine, not today or any day. If the pills don't help, mom Lohan should sew
her daughter's lips together for about a week. That makes it tougher to inhale.

Will Smith: The rapping actor once known as The Fresh Prince of
Bel-Air will add the title "television director" to his resume soon. Smith
and his wife, Jada Pinkett Smith, produce the UPN series All of Us,
which is inspired by their own domestic adventures. The Independence
Day star will direct a future episode that centers around young
Bobby's (Khamani Griffin} use of the dreaded "N" word.
An air date for the episode has not been announced yet.
A UPN spokesman also told reporters that Chris Rock plans
to direct a future episode of his hit series, Everybody Hates Chris,
that will focus on the issue of school bullies.

Emma Samms: On February 20, ABC's daytime drama General Hospital
will present episode number 11,000. The event will be marked by the return
of former series star Emma Samms in the role of Holly Sutton Scorpio, the same
character she brought to life over twenty years ago. The special episode
will feature a reunion between Samm's character and Robert Scorpio
(Tristan Rogers) and Luke Spencer (Anthony Geary). The actress told
reporters, "I’m so thrilled to be visiting Port Charles again. Among
the many jobs I’ve had over the years, General Hospital has always been
close to my heart. I’m so looking forward to seeing a lot of dear
friends." You can bet the farm that longtime fans will be looking
forward to that day too.

Wilson Pickett: In the sixties, I played drums for a touring
band that featured R&B music to the max, and my favorite song to play
because it revved up crowds was "In the Midnight Hour." Written by
Wilson Pickett and legendary R&B guitar master Steve Cropper, the
song hit the charts and made a star of Pickett. His management company announced on
Thursday that the 64-year-old singer died of a heart attack in
Virginia, the state I was born in and the one I spent so much time in to
rock the house as a teen. Other Pickett songs that dancers always asked
for were "Mustang Sally" and "Land of 1,000 Dances." He was inducted
into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1991. No funeral or memorial
information was announced. Funky dance to honor Pickett this weekend. He would want it that way.

Shannon Elizabeth, Kiefer Sutherland, Jerry Springer and more...

Celebrity News Date: Tuesday, January 17

Shannon Elizabeth: The American Pie actress has
a popular show, Cuts, on UPN, but it's her four-legged
friends that have her visiting the Sundance Film Festival this weekend.
On Saturday (January 21), Cesar(R) Canine Cuisine will present a
cocktail party to benefit the Animal Avengers charity. Elizabeth and her
pup will serve as co-hosts. All funds raised during the event will be
used to rescue animals from dangerous situations and to care for them until
they can be placed with responsible owners. The Cesar(R) Spa at the
Festival is where celebs and their small dogs go for the star treatment
and to primp for Sundance premieres and parties. Word has it that most
of the tail-waggers get better treatment there than most of us will ever experience anywhere.

Kiefer Sutherland: Jack Bauer (Sutherland) is back. David Palmer
(Dennis Haysbert) is a dead former President, gunned down in his hotel
room. Michelle Dessler (Reiko Aylesworth) is dead. Her husband, CTU
specialist Tony Almeida (Carlos Bernard), is recovering from near-fatal
injuries ... and all of the people just mentioned were in great health and
safe before 24 kicked off the fifth season with a four-hour special
that began Sunday night. Fox executives announced last night that the
first episode averaged seventeen million viewers, the largest audience in the
history of the show. Maybe if everybody in the cast is killed when the new
season ends, that episode will break another record. Welcome back, Jack.

Felicity Huffman: The Desperate Housewives star will have to let
her castmates touch her Golden Globe so they'll know how it feels to be a
winner. Even though Huffman, Marcia Cross, Teri Hatcher and Eva
Longoria were nominated in the Best Actress in a TV Musical or Comedy
category, it was Showtime's Mary-Louise Parker who walked away with the
gold for her pot-filled romp in Weeds. As for Huffman, she won the Best
Actress Award in the Movie Drama category for playing a man who deals with a son
and an upcoming sex change operation in Transamerica. Visit the
official Golden Globe Web Site for
a list of all the winners.

Ellen DeGeneres: Speaking of awards, did you know that the funny
host's gabfest, The Ellen DeGeneres Show, has won nine Daytime Emmy
awards? Executives in charge of The WB hope that same magic will fall on
her new comedy pilot for their network. DeGeneres and her brother, Vance
DeGeneres, have been given the okay to write the pilot episode of an
untitled comedy series that features family life from the point of view of
people and their pets. She told reporters, "Joining forces with my
brother has long been a dream of ours. Of course, that dream used to
involve world domination. But a show on The WB works, too." Ms.
DeGeneres will also voice the family dog.

Jerry Springer: This is either good news or bad news depending on
what state you live in this year. Ohio residents have been given Springer's
assurance that the trailer park exploitation king won't run for the
Senate. He won't have time to serve the state. NBC Universal Domestic
Television announced over the weekend that Springer has been given a new
deal that will keep him hosting his talk show for years to come. In the
"Ripley's" moment of the month, Springer's bosses reminded reporters that The
Jerry Springer Show has been renewed in more than eight-five percent of
the country through the 2006-2007 TV season.

Michael Jackson: The singer was able to beat a jury, but can he
withstand a full assault from the folks at PETA (People for the Ethical
Treatment of Animals)? I think not. The organization has asked the United
States Department of Agriculture to investigate allegations that the
animals at his California retreat are not being cared for properly. People
have told PETA reps that most of the animals are not getting food on a
consistent basis and that their living areas are not kept clean. If the
government agency finds that Jackson's animals are in jeopardy, they can
seize them ... but the singer won't be that easy to nab.
He now lives in Bahrain.

Oprah Winfrey: No matter what you normally think about Winfrey's
choices of books for her book club, do pay attention to her latest
selection. The popular host chose Elie Wiesel's "Night," a personal
chronicle of the author's family's experience in the Auschwitz death camp.
The 77-year-old Nobel Peace Prize winner wrote "Night" fifty years ago,
but its message is more useful today than then. Young people need to be
constantly reminded of the Nazi reign of terror in order to make sure
that a similar event doesn't take place on their watch.

---SUGGESTED READING----

'X-Files' Creator Taking Fox Folks To Court

Reese Witherspoon Tried to Get Out of 'Walk'

Steve Carell Enjoys His Golden Globe Moment

Beat Museum Finally Opens in San Francisco

CNN Report: Confessions of a Former James Bond


Former Child Actor Joe Pichler is Missing

David Letterman and Conan O'Brien

David Letterman: Tabloid reports that claim the CBS Late
Show host plans to retire soon are wrong. A spokesman for his
Worldwide Pants company made it clear that his boss was not only happy
with CBS, but also in the mood for a contract extension. Letterman might
want to think about hiring a bodyguard to sit by his side during show
tapings too. Last Wednesday, while talking about the danger of squirrels
mating with the rats in New York City, he joked, "I think the last
person who actually mated with another species was... well, it was Maria
Shriver." Her husband, California girly-man taunter Arnold
Schwarzenegger, might have a thing or two to say about that ... in person.

Conan O'Brien: Speaking of words to live or die by, this
little reminder to the White House should generate some business for the
IRS or some other enforcement agency this week. Last week, the NBC
Late Night host took on the most powerful man in the world
when he said, "According to the White House, while President Bush was
spending the holidays at his Texas ranch he was clearing brush and a
tree branch cut his face. As a result, the tree was cut down and
tortured by Dick Cheney." Sad, but potentially true, the joke just
might give Congress a good reason to hold another hearing about the
possible abuse of prisoners of war.

John Wayne, Shelley Winters, Gene Hackman and more...

Celebrity News Date: Sunday, January 15

John Wayne: Folks who think that Wayne was just an average
actor surrounded by better actors and directors need to study his
brilliant performance in director John Ford's The
Searchers. His portrayal of a racist who was willing to kill his
niece (Natalie Wood) because she lived with her Indian kidnappers
is proof positive that The Duke was one of the best actors of his
generation. On Wednesday, May 10, PBS will showcase Wayne and Ford in a
new American Masters presentation that will take a close
look at their unique relationship that resulted in films that helped
define the American western experience in ways that movie fans could
understand and enjoy. Their remarkable body of work includes

Stagecoach, Fort Apache, She Wore a
Yellow Ribbon, Rio Grande, The Horse
Soldiers, The Alamo, The Man Who Shot
Liberty Valance and The Searchers. Mark this one
down on your calendar. It will be a fun ride.

Shelley Winters: Talk about a classy dame, and I mean that as
a compliment, the double Oscar winner (The Diary of Anne
Frank and A Patch of Blue) was quite a woman. She
made headlines with romances with folks like William Holden,
Burt Lancaster, and husbands Vittorio Gassman and
Anthony Franciosa, but it was Winter's talents on the screen and
stage that Hollywood and Broadway critics will forever remember. She
stole scenes from Montgomery Clift and Elizabeth Taylor

in A Place in the Sun and Gene Hackman in the
The Poseidon Adventure, two films that earned the actress Oscar
nominations. She also won an Emmy Award in 1963 for an episode of
Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre. Even Robert
Mitchum's evil character in Night of the Hunter didn't
keep Winters from shining. She died of heart failure Saturday morning at
The Rehabilitation Centre of Beverly Hills. Winters was 85 at the time of
her passing. No funeral or memorial information was announced.

Lou Rawls: More honors to report this weekend. On Friday, the United
Negro College Fund (UNCF) announced the creation of the Lou Rawls Lifetime
Achievement Award to honor the late singer's longtime commitment to the
UNCF. The Award will be presented each year during the annual television
entertainment program, An Evening of Stars. Rawls created the
television special using the title The Lou Rawls Parade of Stars.
Since 1979, the program has helped the organization raise more than $200
million. UNCF President and CEO Michael L. Lomax, Ph.D., delivered the
eulogy at Rawls' funeral Friday in Los Angeles. The following statement
by Lomax fits a lot of us like a favorite glove: "For almost fifty
years he was the voice of our lives. Whether we were with -- or trying to
be -- 'Groovy People' or trying to escape from 'A World of Trouble,' we
did it to Lou Rawls' music." Amen!

Brad Pitt: Hanging around with Angelina Jolie is quickly turning
the Hollywood star into a man on a mission to better the lives of children
in poorer nations. Haitian performer Wyclef Jean can confirm that fact.
In November, the singer/songwriter launched food distribution programs in
two of Port-Au-Prince, Haiti's most violent and vulnerable neighborhoods,
Cité Soleil and Bel Air. On Friday, Pitt and Jolie visited the area while
the actress was on break from filming Robert De Niro's The Good
Shepherd in the Dominican Republic. The stars plan to look at ongoing
projects set up by Jean's Yéle Haiti charity and to help distribute food
and toys to young boys held at a juvenile prison. There is enough negative
press about the Hollywood power couple to fill a warehouse. Maybe it's
time for people to remember that they also work hard to better the lives
of others, especially Jolie, who is a Goodwill Ambassador for the United
Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. Visit the Yéle
Haiti Web Site to
see how you can help the organization improve the lives of people less
fortunate than most of us.

Roger Ebert: The Chicago Sun-Times film critic and his television
partner Richard Roeper announced their lists for the ten worst films of
2005 on Friday. They will discuss their favorite losers this weekend on
the syndicated Ebert & Roeper review show. The gentlemen movie
scholars both agreed that Rob Schneider's comedy attempt Deuce Bigalow:
European Gigolo and Jessica Simpson's hot, but awful, Dukes of
Hazzard were the two worst movies of the year. Ebert put "Deuce" at his
top spot, while Roeper gave that dishonor to "Dukes."
Watch the review show this weekend to see what other film flops
made their lists to see what you have in common with the two high-paid reviewers from Chicago.

Friday Factoids:

Steven Spielberg: Who will be the next young star to benefit
from working with Spielberg's team on another sci-fi miniseries?
Dakota Fanning made her mark as the lead in the filmmaker's
superb alien adventure Taken, which was written entirely
by Les Bohem. They're at it again. Sci Fi Channel announced
yesterday that Spielberg and Bohem are in charge of the twelve-hour
miniseries Nine Lives. The story centers around the
dangerous adventures of folks who are able to meet recently deceased
loved ones by going through near-death experiences themselves.
Unfortunately, their explorations in the afterlife can unleash evil
forces into the real world with catastrophic results. Sci Fi Channel
expects to debut the miniseries in 2007. As before, Bohem will write all episodes.

Bonnie Hunt: She's one of David Letterman's favorite guests because
of her infectious laugh and great stories, but the actress is terrific in
dramas too. Her new film, Loggerheads, the story of a North Carolina
woman still struggling with the fact she once gave up her baby for
adoption, is getting rave reviews and she is one of the main reasons for
the applause. ABC announced this week that the network ordered a comedy
pilot from Hunt and her pal Don Lake about a divorced woman who makes
ends meet as a detective. Maybe ABC executives will treat this one better
than the Hunt/Lake sitcom Life with Bonnie.

Tony Shalhoub: Monk fans will be tuned to his
adventure tonight on USA Network as the funny detective
investigates the case of a fashion model to see if the man convicted
of the dastardly deed was the real killer. It won't be Shalhoub's last
case. His network announced yesterday that the critically acclaimed
series has been renewed for seasons five and six.
After the announcement, Jeff Wachtel, USA's executive vice president,
said, "we are confidant that it (Monk) will have a long, successful life on
USA for many years to come." It wouldn't bother this writer if
the network adds a few more seasons to the new deal.

Ewan McGregor: The Oscar-winning director Peter Jackson should have
cast the former Moulin Rouge! star in King Kong, not as the hero,
but as the hairy beast that fell in love with the beautiful blond and the
bright lights of New York City. Scarlett Johannson told movies.com
columnist Jeanne Wolf that McGregor is a beard in search of a body. They
starred in director Michael Bay's sci-fi action flick The Island.
The actress described their lip-lock moments as follows: "I didn’t
think kissing him was that bad, but he did have to stop and shave in the
middle of a scene even though he’d shaved that morning. The man has really
got some beard on him." A hairy actor in the role of Kong would have saved
millions in special effects. There's always the possibility of a sequel.

Faye Dunaway: I first saw the Florida actress when she hung out the
window and called to Clyde Barrow (Warren Beatty) in director Arthur
Penn's brilliant crime drama Bonnie and Clyde. It's hard to believe
that the unforgettable scene that thrilled me took place almost forty years
ago. Time flies when you're having fun, which is what I'll be doing on
Thursday, January 26, when I tube surf to CBS to watch CSI: Crime Scene
Investigation. Dunaway guest stars in that episode as an ex-showgirl
with mob connections who is caught up in a murder investigation. Put her
in a window and I'll believe anything she says.

Felicity Huffman: The actress is finally getting noticed for her work
on ABC's Desperate Housewives. That's why folks will watch her Sunday
(January 15) segment on 60 Minutes, but the Wisteria Lane action won't
be the main topic of her interview. Huffman, with all her beauty and
talent, once battled bulimia and anorexia until therapy sessions helped
her overcome the problems. When Huffman says, "I know what it's like to
wake up and be in agony in your own skin," parents should pay
close attention. If they have children who also have food issues, it would be
good to let them see how a former sufferer survived, and even prospered, years later.

Melissa Joan Hart: Kudos are in order for the former star of
Sabrina The Teenage Witch and her musician husband, Mark Wilkerson
(Course of Nature). On Wednesday, the happy couple welcomed into this
world a nine-pound baby boy, Mason Walter Wilkerson. Speaking about her
first born, Hart told reporters, "He was a little stubborn, but all is
well." If that didn't sound so painful, I'd send her husband a cigar.
Maybe some aspirin in her direction would be a better gift.

Pat Morita, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Tori Spelling and more...

Pat Morita: The late Karate Kid star will be honored at this year's Asian Excellence Awards, which will take place at the Wiltern LG Theatre in Hollywood, California. The special will air on AZN Television on the first day of the Lunar New Year, January 29, at 8pm. Morita died on November 24 of natural causes at his Las Vegas home at the young age of 73. The Asian Excellence tribute segment will include comments from the "Kid" himself, Ralph Macchio, and a performance by Fort Minor featuring Linkin Park’s Mike Shinoda. On the awards front, Sandra Oh (Grey's Anatomy) should win in the Outstanding Female TV Performance category and Naveen Andrews (Lost) should walk away with the Outstanding Male TV Performance award.

Arnold Schwarzenegger: Is it time to terminate the California Governor's driving privileges because he is a known law-breaker. Last weekend, Schwarzenegger and his young son were injured when the actor's Harley Davidson collided with a car that backed onto the road in front of them. They were treated at Santa Monica's St John's Hospital and released after Schwarzenegger was given fifteen stitches to close his wound. According to the police report, the state's leader does not own a valid American license to operate a motorcycle. Don't be surprised if Schwarzenegger gets off with just a slap on the wrist. Maybe he should pardon himself ahead of time.

Tori Spelling: 2006 is starting off great for the former "90210" resident. First, she got engaged to Dean McDermott after ditching her husband, Charlie Shanian four months ago -- and yes, she was not divorced when she said "I will." Yesterday, VH1 announced that it has chosen Spelling's series So Notorious to be the first comedy show on the music network. "Notorious" centers around the exploits of Spelling as she tries to adjust to life after moving out of her mansion. It's not a reality show. The episodes are supposed to be fiction. The pilot episode features Farah Fawcett as a new neighbor and Loni Anderson as Spelling's mom. It will debut on VH1 April 2. Wouldn't April Fools Day have been a better launch date?

Eric McCormack: Fans of the actor will be tuned to Will & Grace tonight for another live episode, but will his mind be on the NBC series or his new deal with Lifetime Entertainment? McCormack and Michael Forman's Big Cattle Productions' comedy series Lovespring won a production order that should land the series on the Lifetime Network this summer. The actor told reporters, "We really wanted a good home for this show, somewhere that it would be coddled and nurtured, so where better than the best women's network?" Lovespring centers around the exploits of a matchmaking service made up of relationship counselors and a staff psychologist who try to help their clients find love in all the right places.

William Shatner: Fans of ABC's Boston Legal will still have their favorite lawyer even though Shatner will pop up on TV Land on Wednesday, March 22 in a new episode of Living in TV Land. The former Star Trek star will perform with rock and roller Ben Folds at the piano in front of a live audience. His song list will include comedic biographical songs from his recent album "Has Been." He will also be seen in performance mode with Joe Jackson and Brad Paisley. In addition to the musical madness, the episode will showcase the actor at the Emmy Awards, at a Star Trek convention and on the set of ABC's Boston Legal. Color us there, Denny Crane.

Regis Philbin: Isn't it time for the Live with Regis and Kelly star to take a break? The New Year's Eve gig is hardly over and he's already booked as a guest star on "Live" co-host Ripa's ABC series Hope & Faith again. Philbin will reprise his role as car salesman Handsome Hal, who is in serious trouble this time. Hal's wife left him and he got busted for running a scam at his car dealership. In an effort to boost his spirits, Faith (Ripa) suggests that they combine talents to co-host Glen Falls morning television show. The new episode will air during the February sweeps period.

Donald Trump, Jessica Simpson, Goldie Hawn and more...

Celebrity News Date: Tuesday, January 10

Donald Trump: The real estate reality star has his fun side, especially on a golf course. Trump announced today that he plans to award one golfer a cool million if that duffer can win his tournament in May that will take place at the Trump International Golf Club at Raffles Resort Canouan Island, The Grenadines. Trump told reporters, "I am going to personally give one million dollars to the one golfer who can prove they have the skill and nerve it takes to survive under the most extreme pressure on one of the world's most demanding courses." The May 21-26 contest is open to all professional or amateur golfers 18 years
of age or older who are not currently members of the PGA Tour, LPGA Tour, Champions Tour, Nationwide Tour or European Tour. There is a down-side folks. Participants will have to fork over a $15,000 entry fee. Now that's a hefty greens fee that most of us will avoid. If you've got the cash and game, visit the Trump Golf Web Site to enter the event.

Dakota Fanning: Most of the reports today about last night's Critics'
Choice Awards focus on Brokeback Mountain's three honors, including
Best Picture, or Philip Seymour Hoffman's choice as Best Actor for his
brilliant portrayal of Truman Capote in Capote. I'd like to mention
the winner in the Young Actress category because she survived the alien
assault in War of the Worlds while working with sofa man, Tom
Cruise. Fanning has already stolen scenes in more than ten quality
productions, including Steven Spielberg's epic alien television
miniseries Taken. She will turn twelve in February. Maybe the folks in
charge of the Oscars should send her one now. It's obvious that she will
win one soon. Why wait? Other Critic's Choice winners include, Best
Actress Reese Witherspoon for Walk the Line, Paul Giamatti in the
Supporting Actor Category for Cinderella Man, Amy Adams

(Junebug) and Michelle Williams (Brokeback Mountain) in the
Supporting Actress Category, and Ang Lee as Best Director for
Brokeback Mountain. Freddie Highmore was chosen as the Best Young
Actor for Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.

Jessica Simpson: It must be expensive falling out of love. Simpson
and her ex-roomie Nick Lachey have decided to sell their
Mediterranean style house that was featured on their hit MTV reality lovefest
Newlyweds. According to reports out of Hollywood, they want $3.75
million for their famous digs. I think Jim Carrey should buy the house
and set it up as a museum. He told a reporter last week that he will never
use his love life to promote himself or a project. He made it clear that
people like Simpson and Paris Hilton use their private lives in
shameless self promotions that he doesn't approve of or fully understand.
Carrey said, "I think people feel desperate to be noticed
sometimes." Simpson and Hilton sure fit that statement.

James Spader: I'm beginning to think that the Emmy-winning
star of ABC's Boston Legal has a thing for mature women.
Spader's character, Alan Shore, has already helped Catherine Piper (Betty White)
beat a murder rap for braining her male friend with a frying pan.
On the Tuesday, January 24 episode titled "Too Much Information,"
Shore will once again be asked to get Piper out of trouble
after she goes on a spree of convenience store holdups.
Of course, it could be the writers who love White so much.
When the former star of Golden Girls fed the
baby crocs in Lake Placid with a gleam in her eye, I became
a fan again too. Spader is wise to keep the lady out of the slammer.

Goldie Hawn: HBO and the U.S. Comedy Arts Festival (USCAF) announced
Monday that Hawn will be honored at the festival, which will be held in
Aspen, Colorado for five days beginning March 8. The former Laugh-In
star will receive the 2006 AFI Star Award to recognize her excellence in
film and television work. She told reporters, "I'm thrilled to have my
AFI star in the same constellation as the previous recipients of this
award." Those past winners include Albert Brooks, Billy Crystal,
Diane Keaton, Whoopi Goldberg, Steve Martin and many other notable
yuksters. Jean Picker Firstenberg, CEO of the Institute said, "A
gifted actor and a proud producer of both films and family, Goldie makes
us smile, and there is no greater gift in the world today." Laughter
is the best medicine. In times of war, it's always good to remember that.

Uma Thurman: The simple fact is that the lovely actress who
kicked so many butts in the Kill Bill flicks is one tough broad. Case
in point: Thurman recently explained how she has chosen men friends in the past by
saying, "I've studied them carefully like a hunter watches its
prey." The star also told reporters that she can't stand men who don't
flush the toilet. That makes me wonder how she watches her prey in action
to see if they do actually close the deal in the bathroom.

Lucy Lawless: Speaking of tough ladies, this little item about the
former Xena star is noteworthy, especially for fans of UPN's superb
series Veronica Mars. Lawless guest stars in the Wednesday, January 25
episode "Donut Run" as the leader of an FBI team that is after Duncan Kane
(Teddy Dunn). She isn't the only top guest star in the mix that night.
Former Angel vixen Charisma Carpenter reprises her role as Kendall
Casablancas, a heat-seeking missile that's always aimed at young men.

Eli Roth, Evangeline Lilly,Harry Belafonte and more

Eli Roth: The director is making quite a bloody splash in Hollywood these days. His new horror flick, Hostel, won the weekend box office race with a $20.1 million haul. Roth made his mark in the horror genre when his 2002 Cabin Fever film, which was made for less than $1.5 million, grossed more than twenty times that amount in America alone. The filmmaker told reporters, "I feel so incredibly lucky that the public responded to a film this intense. It's an honor to be listed in the same box office column with my idols Steven Spielberg and Peter Jackson." Hostel's budget was under $5 million. He has already turned that into more than $15 million in profits after only one weekend. Maybe his name really does belong in the same column as the award-winning directors he mentioned.

Evangeline Lilly: The lovely star of the monster ABC hit Lost told a reporter recently that fame is nice, but that it does create problems. Case in point: she claims that admiring fans have been stealing some of her knickers (undergarments} and selling them on eBay.com to make some illegal jack. That makes me wonder how the fans get to her knickers in the first place. Security on the Lost set is tighter than security at the White House. If the garments are being stolen from her home, Lilly has a much bigger problem to worry about -- think slasher or stalker for starters. It's time for her to padlock the panties and hire an armed guard.

Harry Belafonte: In 1995, the legendary entertainer starred with John Travolta in White Man's Burden, the story of an alternative America ruled by wealthy, powerful African Americans who made white men do their chores. Belafonte is a powerful, white man's burden this week for real. While visiting Venezuela over the weekend with other notables on a mission to improve relations with Venezuelan leader Hugo Chavez, Belafonte told the leader, "No matter what the greatest tyrant in the world, the greatest terrorist in the world, George W. Bush says, we're here to tell you ... not hundreds, not thousands, but millions of the American people support your revolution." The numbers in his statement are probably a tad too large, but it's the terrorist tag he put on President Bush that will makes things tough for him with the IRS and other government agencies when he comes home. I wonder how his tropical work song "Day O" will sound with prison inmates singing harmony on the chain gang.

Reese Witherspoon: In real life, June Carter Cash was an award-winning country western singer. Witherspoon was wise to play her in Walk the Line because her decision is already landing her awards too. On Saturday, the National Society of Film Critics named Witherspoon as Best Actress for her work in the Cash biopic. The organization gave the Best Actor nod to Philip Seymour Hoffman for his brilliant portrayal of Truman Capote in Capote, which was chosen as the Best Film. David Cronenberg bagged the Best Director honor for A History of Violence. Other major winners include Ed Harris in the Supporting Actor category for Cronenberg's movie and Amy Adams in the Supporting Actress category for Junebug.

Stevie Wonder: The passing of Lou Rawls did not stop plans for many stations in this country to air the An Evening of Stars Tribute to Stevie Wonder over the weekend. Rawls started the entertainment specials under the name The Lou Rawls Parade of Stars. Since 1979, the event has raised more than $200 million to benefit the United Negro College Fund (UNCF). The weekend broadcast was recorded in September and featured Rawls and other artists in tribute mode for the legendary Stevie Wonder. It aired on WGN and BET as well as many local stations in more than seventy broadcast markets. Rawls performed two songs on the program, Wonder's "You Are The Sunshine of My Life" and "It Was A Very Good Year." It really was a very good year annually for the UNCF with the late singer in charge of the show. He will be missed.

Martin Luther King Jr.: And speaking of men who made a difference in the lives of millions of Americans, this little item deserves a mention today. Wal-Mart Stores Inc. announced on Thursday that the company retail web site will no longer offer movie suggestions to people who buy entertainment products. It seems that the software screwed up and linked the legendary Civil Rights leader King and other prominent African Americans to the DVD movie Planet of the Apes. Wal-Mart spokeswoman Mona Williams issued an apology that reads in part, "We are heartsick that this happened and are currently doing everything possible to correct the problem." The company that likes to offer cheap prices seems to use cheap software too. Let's all hope their mistake is never repeated again.

Britney Spears: The pop superstar's mother, Lynne Spears, was interviewed on Access Hollywood Friday and offered some fresh information about her daughter and her son-in-law, Kevin Federline. As expected, Britney was applauded for being a very protective mother. Federline also got high marks because, as grandma Spears put it, "Kevin does change diapers." What wasn't clear is whose diapers she was referring to in the statement.

Jennie Garth, Hugh Hefner, Lindsay Lohan and more...

Jennie Garth: The former Beverly Hills, 90210 star has a hit on
The WB, What I Like About You, and a fondness for kids. She Maria
Bello, Kenneth Cole, Tyra Banks and other celebrities styled special
teddy bears that went on sale yesterday to help 1-800-flowers.com raise
funds for the international charity Save the Children, which helps
children in need in the United States and around the world have better
lives and more hope for their futures. Garth explained her design when she
said, "I have two beautiful little girls, and at our house we like
anything shiny. My daughters, with their sparkly eyes, were my
inspiration." Visit the teddy bear Web Site to
see what the stars came up with to help the kids. Bids for items will end on January 13. Each
winning bidder will receive the collectible teddy bear and its framed, autographed sketch.

Hugh Hefner: The legendary man with the eye for the ladies is
joining the satellite radio revolution. Hefner's Playboy Enterprises,
Inc. and SIRIUS Satellite Radio today announced an agreement to launch a
new Playboy-branded radio channel that will debut later this quarter.
The channel will be broadcast from Playboy's Andrita Studio in Los
Angeles and will also include remote reports from the Playboy Mansion.
Future shows include a style segment, a Playmate interview segment, and
a live call-in chat with the company founder himself, who will probably
be dressed in PJs with about a dozen ladies by his side. It sounds sort
of cool, but why will anybody opt for the audio version? The magazine's
photos will be extremely difficult to view with the human ear.

Aidan Quinn: If the actor has family members in the Terre Haute,
Indiana area, they'll have to move to watch his news series, The Book of
Daniel, which debuts on NBC this coming Friday. WTWO-TV, the network
station in that area, will not be showing the series because Quinn's
imaginary partner in the series is Jesus Christ. The station's general
manager told reports that complaints from viewers and his own dislike for
the concept left him no choice but to dump the show. Of course, one does
have to wonder what the folks complained about since they haven't seen any
episodes yet. The NBC affiliate in Little Rock, Arkansas has also decided
not to air "Daniel." Pardon this writer for asking a simple question:
Isn't a fictional Christ on the tube better than a fictional serial killer or rapist?

Lindsay Lohan: The young star is getting a lot of press this week
because of her Vanity Fair cover and article. That's what she should
expect after admitting to using drugs and battling a case of bulimia. Add
her asthma episode to the mix, and it's been a busy week for her. This
little addition to the story deserves a mention. Her nude beach photo
shoot for Vanity Fair was almost witnessed by a kid. Lohan told her
interviewer, "There was a 7-year-old boy that was walking with his
mother down the beach. She was holding him, covering his eyes." Ten to
one the little tyke told all his buds on the block that he saw the
19-year-old actress nude. That's what guys do. We lie.
We also dream, as he will probably be doing for another six months
or until the next nude photo shoot on the sand.

Obie Trice: Talk about a lucky camper, the Shady Records recording
artist is one fortunate son who should be in the hospital or morgue ...
not at home. On December 31, Trice was shot in the head while out for a
spin on a Detroit freeway. Hospital doctors sent him home the same day
because the bullet's position in the singer's skull makes surgery too
unsafe at this time. Trice released a statement to
the press last night that reads in part, "This is living in Detroit,
and that's all. You hear about it because it's me, I got ties to Eminem or
whatever, but I got people that are out there dealing with it every single
day where I'm from." The sad fact is that he is right. There are people
dealing with gun shot wounds every hour in the country. Will it ever end?

Jon Stewart: According to rumors that started on the West Coast
yesterday, the Comedy Central Daily Show star will host the Academy
Awards when the 78th annual special airs on March 5. Stewart has never hosted
the premiere movie awards show before, but does have experience with the
concept. He has been the headliner for two Grammy Awards shows. If Oscar
officials allow his writers to make the trip with him, it will be one
great night. The Daily Show has been nominated for nine Emmy awards,
winning four, including the Outstanding Variety, Music or Comedy Series
Award in 2005.

Martha Stewart: Our favorite former felon must need a little cash now
that her Apprentice show is over -- it was not renewed. Martha
Stewart Living Omnimedia, Inc. announced today that it has entered into a
relationship with EK Success, LTD and GTCR Golder Rauner, LLC to
manufacture, market and sell Martha Stewart Crafts products all over this
galaxy and beyond. The tools, templates and paper products will be sold in
craft stores and on the internet. The first Stewart Crafts products will
include scrapbooking merchandise. Her company expects the new line to be
in stores by the fourth quarter this year.

Nick Nolte: If you can believe Los Angeles Superior Court Judge
Lawrence Mira, it's okay to drive on a highway if Nolte is out
for a spin. Mira expunged Nolte's criminal record this week after being satisfied
that he has successfully overcome his fondness for chemicals. In 2002, the
actor was arrested for driving under the influence of drugs. He has been
in and out of rehab ever since. The arrest photograph of Nolte, which made
him look like a man who caught his thumb in a live electrical outlet, was
posted all over the internet and published in numerous tabloids. Come to
think of it, if Nolte pulls up to the stoplight in the lane next to you
and has that "fried" look, leave your car immediately and call 911.

Reese Witherspoon, Stevie Wonder, Lou Rawls and more...

Celebrity News Date: Sunday, January 8

Reese Witherspoon: In real life, June Carter Cash was an award-winning country western singer. Witherspoon was wise to play her in Walk the Line because her decision is already landing her awards too. On Saturday, the National Society of Film Critics named Witherspoon as Best Actress for her work in the Cash biopic. The organization gave the Best Actor nod to Philip Seymour Hoffman for his brilliant portrayal of Truman Capote in Capote, which was chosen as the Best Film. David Cronenberg bagged the Best Director honor for A History of Violence. Other major winners include Ed Harris in the Supporting Actor category for Cronenberg's movie and Amy Adams in the Supporting Actress category for Junebug.

Stevie Wonder: The passing of Lou Rawls will not stop plans for many stations in this country to air the An Evening of Stars Tribute to Stevie Wonder this weekend (January 7 and 8). Rawls started the entertainment specials under the name The Lou Rawls Parade of Stars. Since 1979, the event has raised more than $200 million to benefit the the United Negro College Fund (UNCF). This weekend's broadcast was recorded in September and does feature Rawls and other artists in tribute mode for the legendary Stevie Wonder. It will air on WGN and BET as well as many local stations in more than seventy broadcast markets. Rawls performs two songs on the program, Wonder's "You Are The Sunshine of My Life" and "It Was A Very Good Year." It really was a very good year annually for the UNCF with the late singer in charge of the show. He will be missed.

Martin Luther King Jr.: And speaking of men who made a difference in the lives of millions of Americans, this little item deserves a mention today. Wal-Mart Stores Inc. announced on Thursday that the company retail web site will no longer offer movie suggestions to people who buy entertainment products. It seems that the software screwed up and linked the legendary Civil Rights leader King and other prominent African Americans to the DVD movie Planet of the Apes. Wal-Mart spokeswoman Mona Williams issued an apology that reads in part, "We are heartsick that this happened and are currently doing everything possible to correct the problem." The company that likes to offer cheap prices seems to use cheap software too. Let's all hope their mistake is never repeated again.

Britney Spears: The pop superstar's mother, Lynne Spears, was interviewed on Access Hollywood Friday and offered some fresh information about her daughter and her son-in-law, Kevin Federline. As expected, Britney was applauded for being a very protective mother. Federline also got high marks because, as grandma Spears put it, "Kevin does change diapers." What wasn't clear is whose diapers she was referring to in the statement.

Friday Factoids:

Martha Stewart: The decorating queen will not be decorating her office walls with the latest legal papers associated with her 2004 conviction for lying to the government about a stock sale. A federal appeals court ruled today that her conviction was valid. Stewart has been trying to make it seem like she was innocent of all charges. Her decision to spend time in the slammer while waiting to see how the federal appeals court would rule surprised many legal observers.

Lou Rawls: Last month, I reported that the singer was battling lung cancer at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center. His wife, Nina, told reporters then that he was also diagnosed with brain cancer in May. She called his condition dire and said that doctors told her that he would not live much longer. Unfortunately, they were right. Rawls passed away today at the hospital with his wife by his side. He was 72 at the time of his passing. During his time in the sun, the performer won three Grammy Awards and appeared in many films and on television shows as a singer and an actor. His version of "You'll Never Find Another Love Like Mine" still ranks as one of the best songs on the market. No funeral or memorial information has been released yet.

Brad Garrett: Now that everybody has to love Raymond in syndication mode, the talented comedian is free to pursue other projects and relax for a spell. Case in point: On February 15, Garrett will serve as the Master of Ceremonies at Card Player Magazine's Player of the Year Awards Show Gala at the Music Box Theater in downtown Hollywood. Bodog.com is sponsoring the event and expects most of the top poker players, including celebrity gamblers, to be in the house for the fun. Garrett is no stranger to the action. He made the final table in the celebrity and NBA player charity tournament at The Mirage during the 2005 World Series of Poker event. During his ten season run as Robert Barone for CBS, Garrett won three Emmy Awards. In 2002, he was also nominated in the Outstanding Lead Actor in a Miniseries or a Movie category for his portrayal of Jackie Gleason in Gleason.

Reggie Bush: The electrifying Southern Cal running back might have been the main draw for the Rose Bowl, but it was QB Vince Young's Superman act on the field that led the Texas Longhorns to the national title. 35.6 million television viewers watched the action on ABC. Even though the network has been hosting Monday Night Football for more than ten years and features college matchups every weekend during gridiron season, the Rose Bowl total set the record for most viewers during one football game. Bush, So Cal QB Matt Leinart and Young all had superb games, but it was the Longhorn star who should use the bowl victory as the reason to be chosen number one in the NFL draft. If he stays in college for another season, one injury could cost him more than $100 million. He and his family should take the money and run. Why not? As Young showed clearly Wednesday night, nobody can stop him.

Sheryl Crow: Fans of the Grammy-winning recording star should tune in Animal Planet's Trail Mix special on Sunday, January 29 at 8pm (ET/PT) to watch her show how much she appreciates and loves her horses. Hosted by Broadway star Linda Eder, the two-hour broadcast will feature horse-loving folks who entertain with their voices as they explain how their four-legged friends improve their lives, on and off the stage. Crow told reporters, "They want that relationship with you just like you want that relationship with them, that union, that bond." Saddle up with the singer and enjoy the ride even more because it will be presented in HD mode.

Lindsay Lohan, Howard Stern, Johnny Depp and more

Ted Koppel: It didn't take the former Nightline host to land on his feet after leaving ABC. Discovery Communications announced today that he will host and produce long form programming shows that will examine major global topics and events exclusively for the Discovery Channel. Koppel, his longtime Executive Producer Tom Bettag and eight Nightline staffers all head to Discovery to begin their new careers. The veteran newsman said, "The ten of us are enormously excited to be at a place that wants nothing more than to produce the kind of television journalism that focuses on issues that matter to the largest number of people." Does that mean that he didn't focus on those issues with ABC?

Jimmy Kimmel: It's almost time for the Super Bowl and the folks in charge of Kimmel's "Live" show want to milk that football puppy for all its worth. The host and his entire staff will move to the GEM Theatre in downtown Detroit in order to broadcast special episodes from Tuesday, January 31 through Friday, February 3. Kimmel's ratings have increased more than ten percent since he added a tie to his on-screen wardrobe. Don't expect him to put on a football jersey with the ABC logo without wearing the tie. His new fans will bolt if the clean look disappears.

Woody Allen: Most movie fans think that King Kong and The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe have been duking it out for the past two weekends to see which film is the box office champ. Here's a newsflash for you. Allen's Match Point is the box office king ... if one just counts the per screen average money take. It has only been playing on eight screens in New York and Los Angeles, but the movie's $91,000 per screen average is amazing. "Kong" only averages a tad less than $6,000 per screen. "Narnia" doesn't even register that high. Jonathan Rhys Meyers and Scarlett Johansson star in Allen's film about a former tennis star (Meyers) in England who falls in love with his friend's American fiancée (Johansson). It will open in wide release on January 20.

Lindsay Lohan: The 19-year-old actress was admitted to a hospital in Miami Monday after a suffering a major asthma attack. How did most of us writers forget that she was diagnosed with the condition as a child? An asthma attack can put a severe drain on someone's entire system. He spokeswoman, Leslie Sloane Zelnick, told the press, "She's had attacks before, but not that many, and not recently." Maybe some of Lohan's weight problems are associated with the health problem. It's hard to eat hearty when one can hardly breathe. The actress is expected to leave the hospital later this week. Her next film project is Chapter 27, which centers around the murder of John Lennon. Unfortunately, it's based on fact, not fiction.

Howard Stern: Give the folks in Canada a little credit for choosing their entertainment with care. Stern's new show on Sirius satellite radio will debut in America next Monday (January 9). It won't debut north of the border at all. Sirius Canada Inc. has decided not to air the program and it just might have something to do with Stern's foul mouth. In 1997, The Howard Stern Show was taken off Canadian stations after he got in trouble with the Canadian Broadcasting Standards Council -- think censors with a capital "C."

Johnny Depp: Hollywood power couple Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt made more headlines in 2005, but not enough to beat Depp for the imdb.com Starmeter title of "most searched actor in 2005" on the popular movie web site. Depp took first place for the second year in a row. Jolie and Pitt were in second and third place respectively. Jennifer Aniston fans will not like the news that Pitt's former wife landed in twelfth place. The Friends star seems to be losing her battles with Jolie on all fronts. Maybe Vince Vaughn can help her celebrate 2006 in style.

Neil Strawser: Folks my age should remember the CBS newsman for his radio coverage of President John F. Kennedy's assassination and his reports on the tube from the Guantanamo Bay Naval Base in 1962 during the Cuban Missile Crisis. It was a dangerous time to be a teen and reporters like Strawser, Douglas Edwards and Walter Cronkite helped us better understand the world that we would inherit and lead in the future. CBS issued a press release last night to announce that the 78-year-old veteran newsman died of a heart attack at his home in Washington, DC on New Year's Eve. Strawser is survived by his wife and five children. His funeral will be held this coming Saturday at Christ's Church on Capitol Hill.

Tara Reid, George Lopez, Ryan Seacrest and more...

Tara Reid: Peck's other bad girl has a couple of New Jersey teens in her headlights. The girls have petitioned the actress to help them stop local businessmen from turning a wooded area near Reid's childhood home into a housing development in Wyckoff. The land is also located near Coolidge Elementary School, which played host to Reid when she was a child. The high schoolers sent a letter that asks the star to buy the wooded parcel and keep it as is, open space with a wonderful view. The Township of Wyckoff Planning Board will meet again on January 11. Will a celebrity be in the house?

George Lopez: The ABC comedy king is a star now because Sandra Bullock caught his comedy act and convinced him that he would succeed on the tube with her help as producer. Now he wants to do the same for Lisa Vidal (The Division) and her sisters, Christina Vidal (Freaky Friday) and Tanya Vidal (The Division). Lopez met Lisa on the set of his 2004 Christmas movie Naughty or Nice and was intrigued with her stories about her family, so much so that he convinced the ladies to put their act on the tube. He and Laura Kightlinger (Will & Grace) will executive produce a sitcom about their relationships. Kightlinger will write the pilot episode.

Ryan Seacrest: How many hats can the American Idol host wear before his head disappears under the weight. Last seen on ABC's New Year's Eve special with Dick Clark, Seacrest also has his popular radio countdown show, American Top 40, as well as his L.A. morning drive-time radio show for Clear Channel's 102.7 KIIS-FM. Add E! News to his schedule. E! Entertainment Television confirmed today that it reached a multi-year agreement with Seacrest that will allow him to develop and produce multiple series projects for the network via his Ryan Seacrest Productions (RSP) banner. The not-so idle "Idol" star will also become managing editor and lead anchor of E! News in March. If he can make the show a tad more accurate, he should win an Emmy next year.

Drake Bell: Fans of Nickelodeon's Drake and Josh shouldn't hold it against the actor if his series starts its fourth season late or is interrupted. Last Thursday, his 1966 Ford Mustang was involved in a head-on collision with a Mercedes on Pacific Coast Highway. Bell was rushed to a Santa Monica Hospital, where he was treated for a fractured neck, broken jaw and facial lacerations. The actor is currently being treated at the UCLA Medical Center. Fortunately, Bell's injuries are not life-threatening. He will need dental and plastic surgery in the future. Don't be surprised if his hit Nickelodeon series doesn't begin until the Fall.

Mira Sorvino, Catherine Zeta Jones, Ben Affleck and more...

Celebrity News Date: Monday, January 2

Mira Sorvino: The Oscar-winning actress was one of the reasons that Lifetime Television finished 2005 ranked number one among all ad-supported basic cable channels in the original movie category. Led by Sorvino's Human Trafficking with Donald Sutherland, the network of choice for women and wise men averaged 4.1 million viewers for fifteen cable films. Those numbers will drop in 2006 if the folks in charge of DISH Satellite don't mature and renew their Lifetime contract. On New Year's Eve, DISH turned off the feeds for Lifetime Television and Lifetime Movie Network -- the two most popular networks for women in America. Lifetime CEO Betty Cohen told reporters, "We regret the disruption of service our viewers are experiencing, but appreciate all of the support they are already showing and we hope DISH network will listen to them and give them back their Lifetime." Lifetime executives did offer DISH a contract extension offer to keep the channels on the air, but the offer was turned down after DISH executives made it clear that they want a more profitable business arrangement.

Catherine Zeta-Jones: Here's a New Year's Eve resolution that needs to be implanted into the lovely thespian's brain. Zeta-Jones is a longtime smoker who still lights up, especially on long private flights that make her nervous. Britain's Daily Mirror reports that she is finally ready to kick the habit because her two kids are old enough to ask questions about her behavior that she can't answer -- think, mommy, why are you on fire today? Of course, if Michael Douglas continues to smoke in the presences of his wife and kids, Zeta-Jones will find it extremely hard to quit. Maybe she should sew his lips together the next time he falls asleep.

Ben Affleck: If his acting career continues on a downward path, he could save money and make money by turning to the real estate business. Affleck has told reporters that he plans to sell the Brentwood house he bought from Melissa Etheridge for five million dollars. If he gets a real estate license in California, the Oscar-winning co-writer of Good Will Hunting could earn a hefty commission by selling his pad. If would at least be enough to pay for diaper service. On December 1, Affleck and his wife, Jennifer Garner, become parents for the first time when baby girl Violet entered the world.

Matthew McConaughey: Texas officials are glad that the actor doesn't help eliminate littering in the state the same way he talks with gal pal Penelope Cruz... without words. He recently told a reporter, "It’s amazing how much better you can communicate when you get rid of all those damn words! You start behaving like you do with a child who can’t speak yet. You do charades, and it really works." McConaughey is one of the native Texans who appear in a 2006 PSA to combat the littering tendencies of folks in the area and tourists. He told an interviewer, "There aren't many things that are universally cool, and it's cool not to litter. I'd never do it." Can you imagine the actor trying to communicate that thought to viewers with only a bongo and his acting talent? The new television campaign will debut during the Cotton Bowl on Fox Monday (January 2). Some of the Texans who also appear in the PSA include Lance Armstrong, Jennifer Love Hewitt, the Los Lonely Boys, Chuck Norris and Lee Ann Womack.

Adam Brody: Considering how popular Fox's star of The O.C. is with viewers because of his fine work as Seth Cohen, it's somewhat surprising to learn that he had to rely on NBC, not his own network, to get a potential new vampire series he will executive produce off the ground. Brody and Natalie Chaidez have been given the greenlight to create a working script for a series that will center around the exploits of a rookie cop in Los Angeles who works in a special unit to battle vampires that survived the end of Joss Whedon's terrific series -- Angel and Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Fox executives might be on the losing end of this deal when the sun goes down. Fans who watched Angel and the chief Slayer on the planet take on the blood suckers are waiting in the wings to embrace a new hero.

Steve Harvey: If you are one of the people who have a tendency to pork up during the holiday period, tune in Harvey's radio show on Monday (January 2) to find out how to lose pounds and win money at the same time. The comedian has partnered with L.A. Weight Loss Centers, Inc. to help his fans and himself shed tonnage without going crazy. Twenty-five listeners will be given the opportunity to join Harvey in a weight loss challenge that will result in someone winning $10,000. Harvey's fellow dieters will be chosen from listeners in New York, Detroit, Philadelphia, Chicago, Kansas City, Los Angeles and the Washington, DC area.