Star Talk

Tony Snow, Jennifer Hudson, Sean Penn, Heather Locklear and much more

2007-03-27T11:14:00.000-07:00

Tony Snow: Even though liberals aren't fond of the White House Press Secretary's boss, they cut Snow some slack because he has always been a consistent newsman who gives credit where credit is due. Case in point: He recently said, "When you see an Elizabeth Edwards saying, "I'm going to embrace life and I'm going to move forward," that is a wonderful thing." Snow, who had his colon removed in 2005, underwent surgery Monday to remove a small growth in his lower right pelvic area. He was told that is was cancerous and that he will need more treatments again. A second report stated that he has cancer of the liver. During the White House press briefing today, Dana Perino told reporters, "He said he's going to beat it again." She was clearly shaken by the news. There was no spin, no political agenda at play. Perino is like most of us. She wants the best for her friend and co-worker. Keep the Snow family in your thoughts and prayers.

Sean "Diddy" Combs: Fans of the rap superstar in England won't be able to see him perform on his current European tour. His record company reported that he canceled all of his UK gigs because the government would not issue a visa to his performance partner, Snoop Dog. Snoop gave British law enforcement officials a major headache the last time he was in the area. He was arrested at London's Heathrow airport last year after members of his traveling party got into a mini-battle that left seven police officers injured. The Diddy/Snoop tour will issue refunds to people who bought tickets for the concerts.

Jennifer Hudson: The former American Idol contestant has been a busy lady since winning the Supporting Actress Oscar for her stunning performance in Dreamgirls. During the GLAAD (Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation) Media Awards Monday in New York, she had a chance to meet one of the women she considers tops in the music world. Hudson presented the Excellence in Media Award award to Patti LaBelle to honor her dedication to the gay and lesbian community as well as the work she does on behalf of the AIDS community. Before the singers left the stage, they delighted the crowd with an a cappella version of "Nobody Knows the Trouble I've Seen." Rosie O'Donnell scored with the audience when she accepted the Outstanding Documentary award for All Aboard! Rosie's Family Cruise. Other winners included Bravo's Project Runway and the independent film Quinceanera. A complete list of all the people and shows honored can be found at the GLAAD web site.

Sean Penn: The Oscar-winning actor was in Oakland over the weekend to either speak at an anti-war rally or to find a company that can plug the hole in that boat he tried to rescue people with in New Orleans. At a town hall meeting attended by numerous politicians, he said, "Let's make this crystal clear: We do support our troops, but not the exploitation of them and their families." Penn added later, "Iraq is not our toilet. It's a country of human beings whose lives that were once oppressed by Saddam are now in Dante's Inferno." The star also referred to the pro-Bush crowd as "smarmy pundits." It's probably that reference that will get him kicked off the White House Christ card list this year.

R. Lee Ermey: Speaking of military matters, this item from the History Channel caught TVNow's attention this morning. Ermey singed a new multi-year deal with History that will keep his popular Mail Call (web site) series running beyond its current eighth season. The former Full Metal Jacket star uses the show to educate viewers about combat and the tools soldiers need to be successful on the field of battle. Ermey's new deal also calls for him to play a major role in the network's online sites and to help develop new programming.

Heather Locklear: The actress left quite an impression on ABC suits when she starred on Boston Legal two years ago in the role of Kelly Nolan, a murder defendant who was called "The Black Widow" by the media. The two-part episode offered viewers the chance to see Alan Shore (James Spader) and Brad Chase (Mark Valley) put aside their petty differences for the good of their beautiful client. ABC announced that Locklear will play the lead role in the new comedy pilot See Jayne Run. She will play a successful investment banker who tries to leave her hard-edged work personality at the office when she goes home at night to be a mother with nanny issues. Other actors assigned to the project include Ava Gaudet, Jarrad Paul, Kurt Fuller and Stephen Rannazzisi.

Anna Nicole Smith, James Gandolfini, Britney Spears and more...

2007-03-26T15:02:00.000-07:00

Anna Nicole Smith: A "breaking news" event played out on television this morning that was fit for a king, or at least the death of a king. Broward County Medical Examiner Joshua Perper made it clear that Smith died from an accidental overdose of legal drugs. Chief Charlie Tiger of the Seminole police department also said that her death was not caused by any type of foul play. When the model was found unresponsive at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Hollywood (Florida), she had nine drugs in her system. Maybe someone should look into the conduct of the people who acquired the drugs and gave them to her. Smith had a high temperature for days before she died. Her death could have been prevented so easily!

James Gandolfini: The actor has banked a ton of cash since taking on the role of Tony Soprano in HBO's The Sopranos, so he should have a say in how his series ends this year. In April, DISH Entertainment Magazine has an interesting section that features comments from ten of the award-winning drama's stars. If he was writing the final episode, Gandolfini would like to see Tony, "whacked and fed to the ducks." The actress who plays his shrink on the show, Lorraine Bracco, would probably agree, and who can blame her. She told DISH that her favorite client mooned her one day. Now that really is cruel and unusual punishment. The final nine episodes will begin airing on HBO Sunday, April 8.

Britney Spears: If you read gossip news today that suggests the fallen pop star is back in the hospital, ignore most of it. She has not had a relapse and is not going nuts. Spears visited Century City Hospital to have repair work done on one of her molars. The entire procedure took less than an hour. Prior to the emergency, she was seen shopping with her bodyguard and cousin. To be honest about it, the singer was in more danger from the paparazzi that followed her to the hospital than the tooth.

Richard Dreyfuss: When Dreyfuss talks about being a responsible citizen, he backs it up with actions. The Oscar-winning star of The Goodbye Girl is the co-founder of L.A. Works, a nonprofit, public action and volunteer center in Los Angeles. He also serves on the Board of Directors of the Los Angeles ACLU Foundation. Today (Monday, March 26), he will be the keynote speaker at the Philadelphia Bar Association's Quarterly Meeting. Association Chancellor Jane Dalton said, "Mr. Dreyfuss speaks passionately and eloquently about the importance of an enlightened populace that understands the need for reason, logic, clarity, dissent, civility and debate." The actor plans to talk about the importance of civic education.

Johnny Depp: Earlier this month, TVNow reported on the actor's daughter, 7-year-old Lily-Rose, when she was in a London hospital fighting for her life. According to the British newspaper The Sun, there was a very good reason for Depp and his life-mate, Vanessa Paradis, to spend all their waking hours by their child's side. Lily-Rose was infected with the E.coli virus, which is normally passed to its victims through food or drink. In children, the virus can cause severe diarrhea that results in dehydration. Untreated, the condition can be fatal. Fortunately, Depp's daughter responded to treatment and is recovering at home in France. The actor is scheduled to resume his work on the movie version of Sweeney Todd on Monday.

Skeet Ulrich: Fans of the Jericho star will be able to find the latest series episodes via Sprint. CBS and Sprint announced that network programming is coming to Sprint TVSM with live mobilecasts, full episodes and video clips from many popular CBS programs. Of course, there's a price for this new digital adventure. CBS plans to sell advertising across its programming on the Sprint TV platform. The new service will include daily clips from The Late Show with David Letterman and The Late Late Show With Craig Ferguson. Live nightly mobilecasts of The CBS Evening News with Katie Couric will be included with the package.

Dylan Walsh: Former Still Standing star Jamie Gertz doesn't have to worry about Walsh rearranging her face while they are in Calgary, Alberta even though the Nip/Tuck star plays her estranged husband in the Lifetime flick Christmas Miracle. He wasn't allowed to carry his surgical equipment across the border. The original movie centers around a father's (Walsh) surprise visit to see his two daughters in Idaho that becomes a nightmare when he talks his wife (Gertz) into a quick snowmobiling trip to the local mountain. A massive blizzard strikes the area and the pair gets stranded in the storm. For the first time in many years, they are forced to work together if they want to survive. Christmas Miracle will premiere in December on Lifetime Television.

Emilio Estevez, Andre Agassi, Ray Liotta and more...

2006-10-08T13:35:00.000-07:00

Emilio Estevez: Martin Sheen's son is making a lot of people happy with his new movie, Bobby, which centers around the assassination of Robert F. Kennedy and what the political murder did to some of the people who were at the Ambassador Hotel on that tragic day in American history. Estevez wrote and directed the important movie. He did it right, so right in fact that the Kennedy family has announced its support of the movie. Mrs. Robert F. Kennedy said, "Our family is grateful to Emilio Estevez and the extraordinary cast of 'Bobby' for remembering Robert Kennedy's life and his commitment to social justice, peace and equality. Hopefully the film will inspire a new generation to make gentle the life of the world." The phrase "make gentle the life of the world" deserves to be repeated and the advice, if followed, would greatly help all of us. Bobby will be released nationwide on November 23.

Andre Agassi: Saturday night, the Andre Agassi Charitable Foundation (AACF) raised more than $8.6 million during the gala benefit held at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas that featured performances by Phil Collins, Michael Buble, Counting Crows, Ellen DeGeneres, John Mayer, Sarah McLachlan, Tears for Fears and Oleta Adams. The big money really started rolling in during the auction phase of the event. Agassi's wife, Stefanie Graf, paid $360,000 for two of his rackets -- the one he used to win his first tournament and the one he played with in his last match at the 2006 U.S. Open. Monies raised will be used by AACF to fund various charities in the area that assist at-risk youth. Agassi's eleven Grand Slam events have raised more than $60 million for charity.

Ray Liotta: The talented Goodfellas star is not used to failure. Welcome to the television world, sir. CBS executives announced Friday that his new crime series, Smith, which centers around a gang of thieves and their high-dollar, violent heists, has been pulled off the schedule. It's Tuesday night time slot will be taken over by reruns of Criminal Minds and CSI: Crime Scene Investigation. Even though Liotta's show features some terrific actors like Virginia Madsen, Simon Baker and Amy Smart, it has no redeeming characters, no heroes that a viewer can pull for in tense situations. Since the word "cancel" has not been mentioned yet, it's not too late for Smith writers to correct the situation.

Shiri Appleby: When I interviewed (web site) the former Roswell star for an ABC Family movie, she admitted that she doesn't watch the sci-fi series in rerun mode too often. Shari said, "It's sort of like looking at a picture of yourself for five years. You check it out and then move on to the next project." That next long-term project could be on USA Network. She will star in the cable channel's To Love and Die in L.A., a Lorne Michaels assassin comedy about a young woman who thinks she can solve the abandonment issues in her life if she can locate her missing father. When she finds him, she discovers that he is a contract killer and begins to think that his career choice might work for her. Word of warning to the show's writers: don't make the Smith mistake and force the actress to play someone without a conscience. Study Luc Besson's The Professional to see what I mean.

Friday News:

Smokey Robinson: The Legendary Motown artist is taking his act to the soap opera world. Robinson will guest star on a two-part NBC's Days of Our Lives episode that centers around Marlena Black (Deidre Hall), who is lost in the snowy wilderness and in need of immediate help. The singer will rescue Marlena and carry her back to his cabin so that she can be warmed by his fire. He will also perform "I Love Your Face" from his recent "Timeless Love" album. Robinson's Days of Our Lives episodes will air on November 14 and 15. He will also be honored during the 2006 Kennedy Center Honors for his lifetime contribution to the arts and American culture. The event will be held on Sunday, December 3rd with President Bush and First Lady Bush in attendance at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. The Honors Gala will be recorded for later broadcast on the CBS Network for the 29th consecutive year as a two-hour prime time special.

Eva Longoria: It's time for the Desperate Housewife star's agent to demand that ABC adds a hazardous duty pay clause to her contract. For the second time in a year, Longoria had to be carried from the show's set to the hospital after being injured. This week, she slipped coming out of her trailer and bruised her ribs. A year ago, she needed medical help after being hit in the head by equipment. The injuries don't seem to cause production problems as far as timing goes, but considering the high cost of medical services these days, a hospital visit could break the show's budget for the month.

Adrian Pasdar: The actor can fly. So can Milo Ventimiglia. They play brothers on NBC's critically acclaimed new series Heroes, which centers around ordinary people with extraordinary powers who will pool their talents soon in order to save the world a lot, which Buffy did often without taking to the skies. NBC executives are thrilled with the show. They announced yesterday that Heroes has been given a full-season order. Who can blame them? An average of 13.5 million viewers have watched each of the first two episodes on Monday nights at 9pm.

Cher: Who knew the singer's personal possessions would be worth so much money? Cher auctioned off many of her personal items at a Sotheby's event held at the Beverly Hilton Hotel Tuesday and Wednesday. She told reporters that the sale was to help her pay to redecorate her home in Malibu and to fund some worthy charities to be named later. Some folks with big money paid attention to her statement. $3.5 million was the total take after the sale ended. The big ticket items included a 2005 Bentley Continental GT Coupe at $204,000 and an outfit designed by Bob Mackie at $60,000. In July, Cher said that she would under-price many of the items so that her fans could afford to buy them. She must have been talking about the relatives of Middle East oil barons who buy her records.

Rosie O'Donnell, Gene Kelly , Steve Irwin and more...

2006-09-05T02:46:00.000-07:00

Rosie O'Donnell: If ABC's The View producer ever tries to book Brad Pitt for the show, his appearance better be set for a day when new co-host O'Donnell is on vacation. Newsweek's senior writer Marc Peyser spoke with her for an article that appears in the September 11 issue of the magazine (on newsstands today). When she had a popular talk show of her own, O'Donnell often said how much she cared for Tom Cruise. She added to that prior history by telling Peyser, "I love him, and love is eternal. It never went to sexual. My Angelina Jolie crush was much more sexual than my Tom Cruise crush ever was." The Newsweek issue didn't have to be labeled with an "X" for content because O'Donnell didn't elaborate on her Jolie crush. If nothing else today, that simple fact should be rewarded with a sigh of relief.

Gene Kelly: The late actor's Singin' in the Rain was honored by the American Film Institute (AFI) when it was declared the Greatest Movie Musical of all time Sunday night during a special concert featuring Director John Mauceri and the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra. Kelly co-directed, acted and sang in the classic 1952 MGM production with Donald O'Connor, Debbie Reynolds, Jean Hagen and Cyd Charisse. When I interviewed O'Connor a few months before his death, he explained his energetic work with Kelly as follows: "I didn't smoke then, and I don't smoke now. We worked every day. That keeps you in pretty good shape. We could go for a long time in one take. You had to be in good shape with Gene Kelly." The top five AFI picks also include West Side Story (1961), The Wizard of Oz (1939), The Sound of Music (1965) and Cabaret (1972). Visit the official AFI web site for a list of the Institute's 25 top Movie Musicals.

Steve Irwin: The man known to millions as the "croc hunter" was killed earlier today while filming a documentary entitled "Ocean's Deadliest." Irwin was swimming in shallow water at Australia's Batt Reef off Port Douglas when a stingray stung him in the chest. Early reports in Australia suggest that the stingray's barb pierced his chest and punctured his heart. The 44-year-old daredevil was snorkeling in shallow water when he was fatally wounded. His manager, John Stainton, told reporters, "It's likely that he possibly died instantly when the barb hit him, and I don't think that he felt any pain." Irwin was able to use his popularity and money to champion causes that made his Australian neighbors proud. Prime Minister John Howard said, "He was a wonderful character. He was a passionate environmentalist. He brought joy and entertainment and excitement to millions of people." No funeral or memorial information has been released to the press yet.

Brooke Shields: The battle between the actress and Tom Cruise appears to be over for good. Friday night, she spoke with Jay Leno about the feud that was caused when the Mission Impossible star questioned her use of medication to treat postpartum depression. Shields told The Tonight Show audience that Cruise came to her house to apologize for getting her involved in his rant. She said, "He came over to my house, and he gave me a heartfelt apology," She later added, "I didn't feel at any time that I had to defend myself, nor did I feel that he was trying to convince me of anything other than the fact that he was deeply sorry." Maybe the leaders of North Korea and America can meet somewhere to make nice with each other like the two Hollywood stars. The world would be a safer place.

Britney Spears: The folks in charge of GoldenPalace.com don't believe the press reports that the former pop star's career is in the tank. On the contrary, the executives have total faith in Spears and her husband's (Kevin Federline) ability to rise above their negative press. GoldenPalace bought another Spears eBay goodie from a caterer who worked the couple's table at a music industry event dinner. Spears' half-eaten egg salad sandwich and a corn dog that was sampled by both stars sold for $520. The online casino folks will add the food to their Spears collection, which includes among other things her baby pacifier and a used pregnancy test kit. Maybe now we have a better idea why so many people think the celebrity world is full of kooks.

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.

Barry Manilow, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Kiefer Sutherland

2006-08-28T08:33:00.000-07:00

Barry Manilow: It's a good thing the singer dropped by the Emmy Awards Sunday night to honor Dick Clark by performing the American Bandstand theme "Bandstand Boogie." He was able to kill two birds with one song when he picked up the Emmy for outstanding individual performance in a variety or music program. Manilow is scheduled to have hip surgery today to repair cartilage tears in both hips. After accepting his Emmy trophy, he told the audience, "This goes into the operating room with me tomorrow morning as a good luck charm." Manilow canceled his performances in Las Vegas so that he will have eight weeks to recover from the surgery.

Julia Louis-Dreyfus: If there was any doubt left that the actress has ended the Seinfeld jinx, it was eliminated in spades Sunday night when she won the best actress in a comedy series Emmy for The New Adventures of Old Christine. When asked by a reporter why her series is a hit while Friends star Lisa Kudrow's nominated show The Comeback has been canned, Louis-Dreyfus told reporters, "Getting a show on the air and getting it to stick is a bigger challenge than ever." Give her an "A" for telling the truth. Networks no longer are willing to give a series enough time to develop a following -- think ABC's Invasion and NBC's Surface for starters. The viewers are the losers.

Kiefer Sutherland: Cheers to Emmy voters for finally giving the actor credit for his work on the Fox drama hit 24. Sutherland won the outstanding lead actor in a drama series award for playing Jack Bauer, a special CTU operative who has saved the world almost as many times as Buffy did. His proud father, Donald Sutherland, was at the ceremony to see his son grab the gold after being denied the trophy the last four years. He has been nominated all five seasons the series has been on the air. 24 also took top honors in the best drama series category and Jon Cassar won the best drama director award for his work on the show. Actually, the Emmy voters did pretty good this year when choosing the best shows on television. NBC's The Office won the best comedy series award even though the star of the show, Steve Carell, lost out in the best comedy actor category to Monk star Tony Shalhoub.

Andre Braugher: The actor didn't really have to show up Sunday to see what an Emmy looks like up close. He won the best drama actor award in 1998 for Homicide: Life on the Street, so he has one at home. Now he has two to showcase. Braugher won the best actor in a miniseries or movie Emmy Sunday for FX's miniseries Thief. He also got something else to carry home, an added bonus. Braugher asked Barry Manilow for an autograph. When I interviewed him two years ago, he made it clear how much he loves the arts. Last night, he was not only an honoree, he was a fan too. Visit the official Emmy Awards web site for a list of all the winners and event photographs.

Martin Sheen: Is the actor ready to begin training for a run at public office? It would make sense. He has been arrested too many times to count for protest work he participated in and often led to champion various liberal causes. Reuters reports that The West Wing star plans to begin classes next month at the National University of Ireland (NUI) in Galway, Ireland. He will be focusing his mind on English literature, philosophy and oceanography courses. NUI, which gave Sheen an honorary degree last year to honor his acting and social activities, told Reuters that it's new pupil will begin classes in September.

Weekend Reports:

Matt LeBlanc: TMZ.com uncovered a not-so-friendly story about Joey that he would prefer to stay hidden. A year ago, LeBlanc told the National Enquirer that the stripper he met while drinking too much was the one to blame for his marital problems. The NE article quoted him as saying that she was, "pushing her breasts into me and grabbing my hands to go all over her body." Not so, says Stephanie Stephens. She filed a lawsuit against the actor in Los Angeles on Tuesday that alleges LeBlanc slandered her with his "false statements." Her suit is somewhat confusing, to say the least. She claims that she did not touch LeBlanc in a sexual manner while disclosing that he and she met in the privacy of her home. LeBlanc was married at the time. Having some drinks with a stripper in the privacy of her home was not a good plan. The actor's wife filed for a divorce in March. Stephens is seeking unspecified damages to make up for LeBlanc's damaging words about her noble behavior.

Angelina Jolie: It's time for the actress to find a way to meet with her father, Jon Voight, so that they can start the long process of healing their relationship. She does so much good work in poor nations to help children who are trapped in poverty that it's hard to imagine her not being able to communicate with her dad. When Jolie and Brad Pitt attended the birthday party for Scott Caan recently, the Hollywood power couple sat in the car for thirty minutes because Voight was at the affair. Pitt went in, Voight exited and finally Jolie made the scene. She can function in an African village surrounded by children with AIDS, yet the actress cannot function when Voight is nearby. Both of them are old enough to quit acting like children.

Pam Anderson, Dr. Phil, Jay Leno and more...

2006-06-29T00:38:00.000-07:00

Pam Anderson: When the news leaked out last week that the former Baywatch blonde bomber plans to strip naked in the window of fashion designer Stella McCartney's London clothes shop on behalf of animal rights group PETA, internet searches for information about the event and her images put the celebrity star at the top of the Lycos 50 Top 10 Search Terms list for the week ending June 24. She edged out Paris Hilton, who still interests internet users who want to find some of her sex videos on the net. Nudity and sex lead the list. What does that say about society in general?

Dr. Phil: He can probably answer the question posed in the prior article, but not on August 10. He will be busy that day trying to help the families of the New Orleans police, fire fighters and emergency personnel who gave so much of their time and resources to the people of New Orleans when Hurricane Katrina struck. Dr. Phil will host a benefit concert at the New Orleans Arena to raise money for those worthy families. Speaking about the first responders in a statement released to the press, he wrote, "Most of their homes are gone and their surviving family members and loved ones are in other cities. They're fighting an uphill battle not only emotionally, but financially, to get their lives back on track." Brooks & Dunn, Kix and Ronnie, Brian McKnight, Allen Toussaint and comedian Jeff Foxworthy will entertain the concert attendees with songs and jokes. Tickets to the "Dr. Phil and Friends" concert can be purchased at all Ticketmaster locations or at the Ticketmaster Web Site.

Dr. Phil: The Tonight Show host has been a steady presence at the The Carousel of Hope charity event benefiting childhood diabetes for years, helping the Barbara Davis Center for Childhood Diabetes (Web Site) and other diabetes organizations raise money. This year's gala will be held on Saturday, October 28 in Beverly Hills at the Beverly Hilton. Leno will return in the role of Master of Ceremonies. Music greats Quincy Jones and Clive Davis will be honored with special Awards. Barry Manilow will headline the performance roster with the help of music director David Foster. Since its founding in 1977 by Marvin and Barbara Davis, The Carousel of Hope has raised over $70 million to help the Denver, Colorado Davis Center provide specialized care for more than 5,000 children and young adults with diabetes.

Michael Jackson: It seems that the controversial singer's trip to Ireland this week is as much about business as it is a vacation. He plans to move to a European location as soon as he pulls his belongings out of Bahrain. It's part of a new business strategy that will land him back in the recording studio and on a concert tour within a year. Jackson dumped his business managers and closed down MJJ Productions. Raymone K. Bain told reporters that she is the general manager of the new Michael Jackson Company and that the singer hired a New York City firm "known for restructurings and turnarounds" to oversee his business affairs. Unless she and the New York firm can figure out a way to talk millions of people into forgetting the child molestation charges Jackson beat in court, all they're really doing is rearranging the chairs on the deck of his Titanic after it sank.

David Cassidy: Stick the former Partridge in a pear tree and let him cheer today. He has good news to proclaim. Cassidy's actress daughter, Katie Cassidy, has been chosen to star as Lucy Ewing in the big screen version of the television primetime soap Dallas. Katie can currently be seen on the big screen in Adam Sandler's hit romantic comedy Click. She also guest starred on ABC's mega hit The Lost and numerous episodes of 7th Heaven in the role of Zoe. John Travolta will play J.R. Ewing in the Dallas flick. Jennifer Lopez is in the mix as Sue Ellen. The movie is scheduled to begin production October in order to be ready for release sometime next year.

Boy George: The former lead singer for Culture Club used to be known for trash-talking on stage and in the media. It's time for him to meet the trash in an up close and personal way. As part of his sentence for pleading guilty in March for submitted a false burglary report to the New York City police, the "Karma Chameleon" kid has been ordered by the court to do five days of community service work as an employee of the Department of Sanitation. If some of the NBA refs could force trash-talking basketball players to take part in the same cleanup program, it would be a better game.

Karl Rove, Jack Black, Britney Spears and more

2006-06-13T11:34:00.000-07:00

Celebrity News Date: Tuesday, June 13
Karl Rove: The water running down your street today is not from tropical storm Alberto. It is from the tears of Democrats in your neighborhood who found out this morning that Rove is free and clear to help Republicans in their efforts to keep control of Congress and the Senate. Rove's attorney, Robert Luskin, told reporters that special prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald informed him yesterday that charges will not be filed against his client in the Valerie Plame leak case. Luskin said, "We believe the special counsel's decision should put an end to the baseless speculation about Mr. Rove's conduct." Can Rove help his friends keep their political power? Only time and elections will answer that question. Even though this is a celebrity news area, it's time to realize that the bright lights of Washington have turned most of the power players into celebs ... whether we like it or not.
Jack Black: If you think that your dad should be crowned "Father of the Year" on Father's Day Sunday, stand in line. The funny actor who taught music to high school kids in The School of Rock already knows who should be crowned the Father King ... him. Black and his wife, Tanya Haden, welcomed into the world a baby boy on Saturday. He told reporters, "I'm going to be the best daddy on the planet and I'm going to enter the best daddy competition. And I'm going to win it." Other fathers should ignore his proclamation because the new comedian in the family is the couple's first child. The 36-year-old actor is currently running the press gauntlet to promote his new movie, Nacho Libre.
Jay Leno: Hosting The Tonight Show for NBC has turned the comedian into a popular star, one that people want to share time with over a chow bag. According to a new Esquire poll of more than 1,000 men conducted by Beta Research Corp., the guys chose Leno as their ideal dinner companion ahead of second place finisher Bill Clinton. George Clooney and the current President Bush followed the leaders of the pack. Is this news that deserves reporting? Only if you find it strange that a comedian was the poll winner instead of history makers like the Pope, the new leader of Iraq or the CEO of a Fortune 500 company. Sure, Clinton and Bush made the list, but let's face it -- men want to find out more about Monica and have a desire to hunt on the Bush ranch.
Al Gore: The former Vice President plans to use the money he makes from his book and documentary about global warming to train a small army of 1,000 people to teach students in American high schools about his version of the future that threatens the survival of mankind. Gore, who will appear on CNN's Larry King Live tonight to share his horror stories, told reporters, ""This moment cannot be allowed to pass." Gore's An Inconvenient Truth has been seen at the Sundance Film Festival, Cannes and in select cities. It has not been scheduled for wide release yet. He continues to say that he has no plans to run for the Oval Office in 2008.
Britney Spears: Speaking of the future, it will come too soon for the pop star's critics. Her candid interview with NBC's Matt Lauer will air on the Today Show this Thursday (June 15). Taped at the star's abode, the session covers her husband, Kevin Federline, her learning experiences as a mother and the camera crazies known as paparazzi who seem to be too eager to interrupt their lives. Spears seems to be making a direct plea to the photographers when she says, "You have to realize that we're people and that we just need privacy and we need our respect. And those are things that you have to have as a human being." Don't expect the camera lens to be closed on her case, not while publishers are still willing to pay tons of money to acquire embarrassing, unauthorized photos of celebrities.
Bob Dylan: Fans of the legendary performer and songwriter got good news yesterday when Columbia Records announced that his first new album in five years, "Modern Times," will debut in stores and online August 29. Dylan's 44th album will introduce ten new songs he penned. Columbia Records Chairman Steve Barnett told reporters. "A new Bob Dylan record is an event. Bob is that rare artist whose music defies all trends and resonates throughout all levels of our culture, and he continues to be as contemporary and relevant as any artist in music." Barnett and his star need to go ahead and grease the company cash registers. Dylan's popular weekly XM Satellite Radio show, Theme Time Radio Hour, will help generate a ton of album sales.
Ben Roethlisberger: (UPDATE at story end.) He led the Pittsburgh Steelers to a 21-10 victory over the Seattle Seahawks in Super Bowl XL, which was quite an accomplishment for the 23-year-old quarterback. Today, at 24, he led with his head in a motorcycle accident with a car. A witness at the scene told reporters that Roethlisberger went over his handle bars and hit his head on the windshield of the car. He was bleeding and confused after the serious accident. No protective headgear is required of motorcycle riders in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. If Roethlisberger's career ends because of the collision, expect lawmakers to finally deal with the issue. He was taken to Mercy Hospital. (Tuesday UPDATE) The quarterback underwent seven hours of surgery to repair multiple fractures to his jaw and nose. Sources close to the Steelers report that it will take a minimum of seven weeks for Roethlisberger to heal. Here's a thought: He always uses his helmet while playing football. Maybe Roethlisberger will start using one on his motorcycle in the future. The Steelers should make him sign a new contract to that effect.
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Copyright 2006: TVNow Syndicated News

Maureen Stapleton, Bruce Willis, John Lennon and more...

2006-03-13T14:14:00.000-08:00

Sarah Jessica Parker: The former Sex and the City star rode her popularity gained from that HBO series to the box office championship over the week. She and Matthew McConaughey star in Failure to Launch, the story of a thirties man who needs a reason to move out of his parent's home. Even though Roger Ebert panned it with a one-star review and other critics scoffed at the movie, it made its debut with an estimated $24.6 million in ticket sales. Two more new flicks round out the top three -- Tim Allen's remake of The Shaggy Dog ($16 million) and the horror remake The Hills Have Eyes ($15.5 million). Fourth place went to Bruce Willis' action thriller 16 Blocks with $7.3 million, followed by fifth place winner Madea's Family Reunion with $5.8 million.

Maureen Stapleton: In 1982, the actress won a Best Supporting Actress Oscar for Warren Beatty's epic Reds. Stapleton died today of natural causes at the age of eighty. She was also nominated by the Academy in 1959 for Lonelyhearts, in 1971 for Airport and in 1979 for Interiors. An Emmy winner in 1968 in the Best Actress category for Among the Paths to Eden, Stapleton was also known as one of the best thespians on the stage, winning several Tony Awards in the Best Actress category, including for The Rose Tatoo and for The Gingerbread Lady. Her son, Daniel Allentuck, did not release any funeral or memorial information today.

Bruce Willis: Old habits die hard ... for actors and addicts, so it's time to examine the argument between Willis and Colombia's Ambassador to the United States, Andr�s Pastrana. While moonlighting as a politician recently to promote 16 Blocks, Willis suggested that the American government should do whatever is necessary to end the lucrative drug business in Columbia, which includes the use of force. Last week, Pastrana sent a letter to the actor that blames the drug traffic from his country to the United States on Americans who are users. As long as drugs are illegal in America, taxpayers will spend billions each year on law enforcement to battle the problem. As long as drug lords are allowed to run wild in South America, they will continue to be a problem. Legalize drugs via the prescription route and both problems disappear. Money can then be spent on treatment instead of enforcement and Columbian drug lords can go legit in the coffee business.

John Lennon: The latest issue of Parade Magazine states that the late singer/songwriter earned $22 million last year, which means that there is gold in them there hills when Lennon's name is mentioned. Case in point: On April 24, In Demand Pay-Per-View television will broadcast a 90-minute special called The Spirit of John Lennon that will feature psychics around the world in a joint seance session to find out if he has a new song or two for his fans and other information. State of the art infra-red cameras will be in place for the entire seance, so any wandering spirit that drops by to get the skinny from Lennon will be on display for all the paying world to see.

Michael Jackson: What's up with the former king of the music world and his sister, Super Bowl star Janet Jackson? Are they too famous to be respectful to their friends. On Saturday, the man who played drums for the Jackson 5 more than fifteen years was buried. Johnny Jackson Jr., no relation to the Jackson family, was stabbed to death on March 1 in Gary, Indiana. Tito, Marlon, Jermaine, Jackie and Randy Jackson attended the weekend funeral services in Gary to say their last goodbyes to their former comrade in rock who once lived with them in Los Angeles. Michael and Janet were no-shows ... no-shows with no class.

Alicia Silverstone: She's pretty, talented and the networks seem to be clueless about the type of series that Silverstone can turn into a hit. NBC had her heading up a matchmaking service in Miss Match, which tanked in 2003 after eleven episodes aired. ABC announced this month that she will headline a comedy pilot called Pink Collar that focuses on the female experience in corporate America. Comedies, light relationship dramas ... has everybody forgotten how menacing the actress was in the 1993 stalker drama The Crush with Cary Elwes? If "Pink" tanks too, Silverstone's agent should start looking for a good mystery or medical drama. She can handle the load.

Bill Paxton: The actor's new HBO series, Big Love, centers around his marriage to three women and he is already acting like the man in the house off the set. Last Wednesday (March 8), Paxton and his co-stars, Jeanne Tripplehorn, Chlo� Sevigny and Ginnifer Goodwin, dropped by the set of ABC's The View to discuss the Sunday night premiere of their series. When co-host Joy Behar asked Sevigny about her oral sex scene with Vincent Gallo in Brown Bunny, you could see Paxton's blood begin to boil. When he and the stars finished and went backstage, he made it clear in no uncertain terms that he will never appear on The View again. It will be interesting to see if his three women can beat the lovely ladies on ABC's Grey's Anatomy Sunday at 10pm.

Sharon Stone: Most of the headlines about the actress last week focused on her admission that she did go nude again for Basic Instinct 2. She turned forty-eight on Friday, so I won't mention that. She isn't the only actress past forty to buff-it -- think Kathy Bates in About Schmidt and Diane Keaton in Something's Gotta Give for starters. What's more interesting about Stone is her statement to the Sunday Times in London about her near-death experience when she was battling brain cancer. She said, "I did see people I knew had died, as close and real as any living being. I felt I only had to step over a narrow line and I�d have joined them." It's good that she didn't make that leap. Her fans would miss her and I would never be able to ask her if the folks she saw wore clothes.

George Clooney: Score one for the actor and minus one for Page Six, which recently reported that Teri Hatcher's decision to go public about being sexually abused as a child was prompted by her alleged relationship with the ER veteran. Clooney told Access Hollywood, "It is to Teri's credit that she's telling a very courageous story to help others. As for the tabloid part of the story, she would never say that. I know the story is attractive but it isn't true ... and it takes away from her brave decision." With friends like him and her castmates on Desperate Housewives, Hatcher will weather the storm and make a difference in other victims' lives.

Jennifer Love Hewitt,Dana Reeve,Andy Richter and more...

2006-03-07T11:19:00.000-08:00

Jennifer Love Hewitt: The ghost business is alive and well on CBS. The former Party of Five star's drama Ghost Whisperer, about a woman who communicates with the dead to help them resolve Earthly issues, has been renewed for a second season. CBS made the announcement this week at the same time the network gave second season orders to Alyson Hannigan's relationship comedy How I Met Your Mother and Mandy Patinkin's gruesome crime drama Criminal Minds, which focuses on a group of profilers who go after the country's most twisted criminal minds. Other popular CBS shows picked up for another year include all the "CSI" entries, Two and a Half Men, The Amazing Race, Survivor, NCIS, Numb3rs and Without a Trace.

Dana Reeve: The Christopher Reeve Foundation lost another champion. Dana Reeve, the loving wife of the late actor Christopher Reeve, lost her battle with lung cancer yesterday. When her husband passed away, the grand lady continued their fight to help members of the paralysis community. Recently, the Foundation has been trying to educate citizens about President Bush's proposed cut in funding for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in his budget for Fiscal Year 2007. Dana Reeve was only 44 at the time of her passing. She is survived by a son, her father, two sisters and two stepchildren. No memorial or funeral information has been announced.

Andy Richter: The funny man who used to sit by Conan O'Brien every night will work for his boss again. NBC ordered a comedy pilot from O'Brien's company that centers around the misadventures of an accountant hired by clients who think he is a private detective. Andy Barker P.I. will also feature Amy Farrington as the faux investigator's wife. O'Brien, who will serve as a series executive producer, and Jonathan Groff wrote the pilot script. Richter's comedy gem Andy Richter Controls the Universe was one of the funniest shows on television in 2002. The Fox Network rewarded it with a cancellation order. Maybe NBC will treat him better.

Michelle Trachtenberg: The actress will always be known as the person who spoke the last line in Buffy the Vampire Slayer. As the Slayer's sister Dawn, Trachtenberg asked Buffy, "What are we gonna do now?," in the last episode. With The First eliminated, fans have been hoping that the answer to her question will be found in a feature film version of the series. Until then, Trachtenberg will continue as a quality guest star on other series. In the Tuesday, April 4 episode of the Fox medical drama House, she plays a recent heart transplant patient. Maybe Joss Whedon will see the episode and be inspired to resurrect the Summers gals.

Candace Bushnell: SIRIUS Satellite Radio announced today that the creator of Sex and the City has signed a deal that will put her on the radio this spring. Bushnell will host Candace Bushnell's Sex, Success and Sensibility, a live weekly four-hour talk show that focuses on womens issues in the work place and at home. Bushnell told reporters, "Women today are charting new territory -- balancing busy careers with their families and trying to find time for the all the relationships in their lives. I can't wait to connect with them on the air." Her series will be broadcast on SIRIUS Stars channel 102.

Bob Woodruff: The 44-year-old ABC News anchor is slowly making progress. His brother told ABC's Good Morning America that he recognizes people and can say a few words now. He also has been able to walk some. The newsman and his cameraman, Doug Vogt, were injured in Iraq late January when their Iraqi mechanized vehicle encountered a roadside bomb. Vogt is currently being treated for his injuries in France. Woodruff's chair on ABC's World News Tonight is being filled by Charles Gibson and Diane Sawyer while he recovers.

Sherry Stringfield: ER fans got used to the fact that the Emmy-nominated actress who played Dr. Susan Lewis didn't like to stay on the same set too long. She quit the series in 1996 and returned five years later. She is gone again, and that might be good news for CBS executives. Stringfield has been cast in the network's drama pilot Company Town as a whistleblower who needs protection after releasing secret information about her employers at an investment firm. Another NBC veteran, Blair Underwood (L.A. Law and LAX), will play an FBI agent in the new drama.

Robert Redford, Jennifer Lopez, Tom Hanks and more...

2006-02-16T12:50:00.000-08:00

Robert Redford: Folks at the White House already know that the Sundance Kid has been gunning for the Bush administration for years, so it should not surprise them that he found a way to link Watergate to the President during his AP interview about All the President's Men. At one point in the conversation, the actor says, "You can go right down the list ... of things like Watergate happening almost on a regular basis with this particular administration." Don't be surprised if military experts appear in the Sundance neighborhood soon to search for weapons of mass destruction. The Bible states that the tongue is mightier than the sword. If that's the case, Redford is a warrior.

Jennifer Lopez: When her fans first heard the singer's hit Get Right on the radio, chances are it didn't get air time the right way. During a Primetime special that airs on ABC tonight at 10:30pm, New York Attorney General Eliot Spitzer confirms that many radio stations accept money and gifts as payola in exchange for promoting records on the air. Artists' mentioned as beneficiaries of the illegal deals include Lopez, Celine Dion and John Mayer. The payola scandals in the early days of rock and roll almost doomed the music genre. It was a bad practice then. It is still the wrong way to operate.

Tom Hanks: The actor won't have to worry about shooting new scenes for Da Vinci Code in order to appease leaders of the Catholic Church. Opus Dei announced that it has asked that references to the Catholic Church that harm the faithful be eliminated in the film, but the organization will not call for a mass boycott of the movie when it opens worldwide in May. An estimated 2,000 priests are members of Opus Dei. Their call for a boycott would not fall on deaf hears. There are more than 85,000 members in the organization who could make trouble for the film. By asking for changes only, the leaders of Opus Dei are getting their word out without taking extreme measures. Everybody is covered and nothing gets changed. Sounds like politics to me.

Tyra Banks: The America's Next Top Model creator still likes to do a little modeling in her free time. Case in point: Fans of the hit CBS daytime game show The Price is Right will notice that Banks shows up during the Friday (February 17) broadcast as a "Barker's Beauty," presenting several games and prizes. After filming the segment, she told reporters, "I've been watching since I was a little girl and now I'm a Barker Beauty and I feel like I'll always be one -- at least after three hours of hair and makeup!" After three hours of hair and makeup, even I could hand out prizes for Barker.

Michael Jackson: A California court ruled yesterday that the gloved wonder no longer has sole custody of the two children birthed by Deborah Rowe. In 2001, she signed an agreement to give up custody to the singer, an agreement that no longer has any legal standing. Jackson will have to face the possibility that Rowe will now try legal means to regain control of her children. Jackson's past controversial actions and Rowe's willingness to part with her kids in the beginning prove that neither parent is ready to raise children on this planet.

Connie Britton: Folks who watched Grey's Anatomy last week saw Kyle Chandler get vaporized by an explosion. I bet that scared Britton, who currently has a recurring role on 24 as Diane Huxley, the kind lady who looked after Jack Bauer while he played dead. She just signed with NBC to reprise her movie role as the wife of the football coach in the television series based on the hit flick, Friday Night Lights. Chandler will play her husband in the pilot.

Simon Cowell: He is cold and cruel at times. So is the weather at the Winter Olympics in Torino, Italy. But Cowell is the heat that turns Fox's American Idol into must-see television each week. The Tuesday night "Idol" broadcast was seen by 27 million viewers. NBC's Olympics coverage during the same time period maxed out at 16.1 million. Cowell, Paula Abdul, Randy Jackson and show host Ryan Seacrest already have their gold medals in the form of hefty paychecks. More folks should be watching the medals contests in Italy. They don't happen every year.

Maria Shiver, Jenna Elfman, Bob Barker and more...

2006-02-12T10:41:00.000-08:00

Maria Shiver: The First Lady of California wants to terminate the desire of Americans to chow down on fatty and unhealthy foods. Shriver is one of the 300 hundred major entertainment, political and health leaders who will meet on Wednesday (February 15th) at the Four Seasons Hotel in Beverly Hills to discuss ways that her state can work with different organizations to educate people on the health problems associated with obesity, including diabetes, which affects an estimated 21 million people in this country. Obesity raises a person's risk of developing diabetes by up to 93 percent. The Health Focus 2006 luncheon was put together by the Entertainment Industry Foundation, Novo Nordisk, a world leader in diabetes care, and Prevention magazine. Shriver and her powerful allies want to help develop unique ways that the entertainment community can deliver positive health messages in their creative works.

Jenna Elfman: Courting Alex star Elfman wants to hold court with a lucky fan in the future, someone who would like to share a lunch date with her in Los Angeles. She is one of the many stars participating in the fourth annual Communities in Schools Lunch with a Leader online celebrity auction to raise funds that will benefit Communities in Schools, the nation's largest dropout prevention organization. Other celebrities with time to spare for fans include singers Alicia Keys and Patti LaBelle, NASCAR legend Richard Petty, CBS news anchor Bob Schieffer and USC's Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Matt Leinart. The special auction ends February 20. Visit the Lunch with a Leader Web Site for more information on the campaign and the kind stars involved with the project.

Bob Barker: The price is not right as far as the veteran game show host is concerned. He knows that trying to keep elephants housed at the Los Angeles Zoo is not worth the pain seen daily at the pachyderm exhibit. Only one elephant is healthy enough to be on display for visitors. The other two are too sick to perform. Barker appeared at the Friday City Council meeting to ask the leaders to retire all three elephants to a friendly sanctuary so that they can end their lives in peace. He told members, "I came here today to ask, to beg you to vote to release those elephants from that zoo. They have lived in misery." No action was taken on his request. If you live in the city, let the City Council know how you feel about the matter.

Sharon Stone: At 47, the actress no longer has any desire to go out in public wearing clothes that show too much skin. Even though she does nudity in films, Stone thinks that a public appearance is quite different. She especially loathes the low-cut, revealing dresses that younger celebrities wear to major events. The actress told Britain's Esquire magazine, "I find the acres of shoved-up boobies so much more horrifying than walking across the room nude. One is much more honest whereas the other looks like you have your ass on backwards." Stone's fans can expect to see a lot of the actress when her new thriller, Basic Instinct 2, debuts in late March. According to numerous press reports, she chose to shoot her nude scenes without help from a body double.

Friday Reports:

Benjamin Bratt: The star of NBC's E-Ring has been named to host the Volvo for Life Awards Ceremony when it takes place at the Rainbow Room in New York City on April 12. The event will honor hometown heroes in the categories of safety, quality of life and environment who truly deserve the recognition. One winner will be chosen as "America's Greatest Hometown Hero," an award which comes with the use of a free Volvo automobile every three years for life. Music for the gala will be provided by Avril Lavigne. Visit the Volvo for Life Web Site to learn more about the Awards ceremony and to nominate a hero from you area.

Patrick Dempsey: Fans of the actor's ABC series Grey's Anatomy will have a valid reason to visit the race track soon. Dempsey has been named as a co-owner of the Vision Racing team that fields fast machines for IndyCar competition. It's not the star's first brush with auto racing. He currently drives professionally in "Grand American Cup" class sports car racing with Hypersport. Dempsey told reporters, "I am thrilled to be a part of the Vision team and I feel like a kid in a candy store." Don't be surprised if "Grey's" fans drop by the track to sample some of that candy. Let the race begin.

Jane Seymour: The former Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman star has a unique gig in New York City on Tuesday, February 14. She and actor husband James Keach will take a free romantic carriage ride through Central Park. The Valentine's Day event is sponsored by international businessman and philanthropist Henri Zimand in memory of his late wife Anda. He is giving away 1,000 carriage rides and donating $100 to breast cancer prevention for every ride taken. Seymour will also announce the winner of a "love letter" writing contest and read the missive aloud to the audience. Anyone in the area can drop by Columbus Circle at Central Park South from 10:00am to 6:00pm on the 14th to apply for a ride. The offer will be available for one week.

Tom Sizemore: The actor is lucky, or he has enough money to pay for a savvy attorney who knows how to keep him out of the slammer. On Thursday, Sizemore was sentenced to three years probation after admitting that he used methamphetamine in January. He will also have to take part in a three month stay at a drug treatment facility. Of course, he has been ordered to do rehab time before, which seems to be a waste of time so far. If the Saving Private Ryan star didn't have the cash to dash to his lawyer's office, he would be in lockup like most repeat offenders in this country.

Gwyneth Paltrow: The Oscar-winning actress might find it hard to move back to America if she ever gets tired of the damp weather in England. In a recent interview published by Britain's Star Magazine, she said, "Brits are far more intelligent and civilized than Americans." If nothing else, that little dig at her homeland will probably land Paltrow on the terrorist watch list. It probably won't bother her or her Coldplay husband Chris Martin or their kids. Life in London seems to suit them much better than earthquake central in California.

Britney Spears, Randy Jackson, Dave Chappelle and more...

2006-02-09T11:03:00.000-08:00

Britney Spears: Oops, she's defending the decision to allow her infant son to ride on her lap again. During an interview with Access Hollywood that will air today, the pop star says, "Being put in the situation that I was in, it was kind of bad with the paparazzi. Last week, my mom and I went out and they were on us really bad. So you do instinctively what you need to do." What she needs to instinctively do is protect her child better when he is a passenger in her car. As of today, no law enforcement official in L.A. has used photos and film of the incident as evidence to charge Spears with a traffic violation. Expect that to change soon.

Randy Jackson: The American Idol judge was one of three stars from the Fox series who competed with an "Idol" episode last night by appearing on the CBS Grammy Awards. Jackson played bass for the band that fronted the Sly and the Family Stone tribute, which included a vocal segment with "Idol" winner Fantasia. First "Idol" champion Kelly Clarkson performed her hit single "Since U Been Gone" before she won a Grammy for Best Pop Vocal Album and another one for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance. During her acceptances speeches, the former waitress forget to mention the series that launched her career. Visit the official Grammy Web Site for a complete report on all the winners.

Dave Chappelle: Give the Comedy Central laugh king credit for making an appearance on the Grammy Awards even though he was obviously nervous. It's going to take him some time to reload his joke machine. On Sunday (February 12), Chappelle is on the Bravo hot seat with Inside the Actors Studio host James Lipton in charge of the interrogation. When asked why he split the scene for Africa, the comedian told Lipton, "I knew that in Africa I'd have a place to sleep, before adding, "they would call me crack head and all these things in the country where I'm from. In Africa, they didn't know anything." He's back folks, but it might take time for him to get his act together. I'll wait.

Oprah Winfrey: Are you ready for Oprah Radio? The folks in charge of XM Satellite Radio think so. They announced today that she will appear on and oversee a new XM radio channel titled, Oprah & Friends, which will debut in September and feature a weekly reality radio show with Winfrey and Gayle King. There will also be segments featuring many of the people who appear on The Oprah Winfrey Show. The host with the most told reporters, "Together with my friends, we look forward to creating programming that will entertain, inform and inspire our listening audience on XM." Maybe I can inspire Winfrey to let me bank one week's worth of interest earned by her bank account. Her new XM deal will earn her company $55 million over a three year period.

Tom Cavanagh: CBS doesn't have much faith in the former Ed star's new series, Love Money. The promising series about a record executive and his friends will leave the schedule in March to make room for the new drama thriller The Unit, which stars 24 fatality Dennis Haysbert and Scott Foley. Cavanagh's new series has rock and roll and an attractive cast. What it also has is competition in the Tuesday 10pm time slot from NBC's annual ratings winner Law & Order: Special Victims Unit and ABC's legal comedy drama Boston Legal. Instead of taking the "Monkey" off Cavanagh's back, CBS executives should find it another spot on the schedule. Give the star a banana and a break.

Tom Selleck: When I interviewed (Web Site) the actor about his new Jesse Stone tele-movie franchise he produces for CBS, his laughter got the best of me. Selleck is a happy man who has known for a long time that laughter is always the best medicine, which might explain why he guest stars on the funniest show on television, ABC's Boston Legal, on Tuesday, February 21. He appears as Shirley Schmidt's (Candice Bergen) ex-husband, Ivan Tiggs, on a mission to get Shirley to be the "best man" at his upcoming wedding. You read that right ... "best man." Denny Crane (William Shatner) will have some competition that night.

Al Michaels: The legendary sports announcer is no longer a player on Monday Night Football. After ESPN took over the program from ABC, Michaels was not part of the team announced to call the action for the sports network. ESPN's loss could be NBC's gain. The network has been courting him for years, He would be a natural lead man for NBC's new Sunday Night football shows. Even non sports fans followed his coverage of the 1989 San Francisco earthquake that interrupted World Series play between the San Francisco Giants and Oakland Athletics. Lives were lost. Buildings and roads were destroyed. The World Series was delayed for ten days. Michaels was nominated for a News Emmy for his coverage of that tragic event. UPDATE: NBC announced that Michaels will team again with John Madden for Sunday Night NFL Football this fall.

Jack Black, American Idol, Lucy Lawless and more...

2006-02-07T08:34:00.000-08:00

Celebrity News Date: Tuesday, February 7

Jack Black: The School of Rock star is excited by his new gig for
Nickelodeon. He has been chosen to host the 19th Annual Kids' Choice
Awards on Saturday, April 1 from UCLA's Pauley Pavilion. Movies nominated
for the top award include Are We There Yet?, Charlie and the
Chocolate Factory, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire and Herbie:
Fully Loaded. Television series in the hunt for top honors include

American Idol, Drake & Josh, Fear Factor and That's So
Raven. Black told reporters, "I'm super excited to be hosting
Nickelodeon's Kids' Choice Awards because when you're doing a show for the
kids, you can get extra crazy and loony." Of course, the acting
comedian hasn't needed a reason before to act crazy, so his observation
will translate to a fun time for viewers.

Lucy Lawless: The former Xena studette's guest starring
appearance on Battlestar Galactica must have made her feel safe in
space. Sci Fi Channel executives confirmed yesterday that Lawless will
reprise the role of D'Anna Biers in a ten-episode arc during the third
season of 'Galactica.' Her character was introduced to viewers as an investigate reporter
who turned out to be a deadly human-looking Cylon agent on a mission to
learn more about her human enemies. Production on the third season will
begin in April. Lawless turns up again in the Friday, February 24, episode
titled "Downloaded" that educates viewers on Cylon society.

Miss Piggy: The PBS beauty queen is in a funk today after reading the
new budget proposed by President Bush, which cuts funding for the
Corporation for Public Broadcasting by more than $150 million by 2008.
Conservatives have long held that the PBS stations favor liberals, which
might be true. They also complain that there is not enough family-friendly
programming on television. I guess Miss Piggy's family is not friendly enough
for the folks who run the country. Her bacon is cooked.

B.B. King: The master bluesman has sadness in his heart this month.
His 2-year-old white female Maltese, Lucille, has been missing for more than
one week after she disappeared while being cared for by King's co-manager.
Neighborhood alert posters and calls to animal shelters in the West Hollywood area have
produced no results. The L.A. Times reports that the legendary performer
is now offering an autographed copy of a signature "Lucille" guitar to the
person who returns his missing friend or provides information that
pinpoints Lucille's location.

Tony Danza: The host of The Tony Danza Show deserves a special
Emmy for his efforts to bring his show to viewers on Monday. Over the
weekend, an electrical malfunction on his set caused the studio to
overheat, which set off the sprinkler system. The resulting water damage made it
impossible for Danza's folks to safely seat an audience for the show, but
it didn't stop Surface star Lake Bell from guesting with class. Of
course, she's seen so much water on her hit NBC science fiction series
that a wet studio probably seemed like a desert to her.

Jodie Foster: Being an Oscar-winning actress doesn't keep
The Silence of the Lambs star from doing ordinary housekeeping and
maintenance chores like most of her fans. On Sunday (February 12),
Foster will join entertainment industry volunteers when they
work to improve the living quarters of a senior citizen in
Reseda, California. The home maintenance
program, which is designed to help low-income folks and the elderly, is
run by Rebuilding 'Together (Web Site).
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences provides funding and
personnel support for the rebuilding effort.

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Sean Combs, Lindsay Lohan, Naomi Watts and more...

2006-02-01T10:19:00.000-08:00

Sean "Diddy" Combs: When the man smells money in the air, hegets moving. Case in point: Tonight, Combs will launch his firstfragrance, Unforgivable, at New York's members-only Core Club. That's the same product that was featured in a print ad that was canned after retailers complained that it was too "hot" and "raunchy." Some of the celebrities expected to attend the Wednesday sniff party include Lindsay Lohan, Naomi Watts, Pam Anderson, John Legend, Slayer number two, Eliza Dushku, Jay-Z and other notables. Sean John's Unforgivable will land in department stores on February 15 with a $55 price tag for 2.5 ounces. Like I said in the beginning -- Combs smells money.

Julia Roberts: When the Oscar-winning actress steps on the stage at
the Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre to star in Richard Greenberg's Three
Days Of Rain in late March, it will have already rained money on the
show's producers. The show had one day ticket sales totaling more than $7
million. Roberts, Paul Rudd and Bradley Cooper star as three people
who come together to split the assets left behind by their fathers, who
owned a profitable architecture firm. "Three Days" will run from March 28 to June 18.

George Clooney: One would think that the actor and filmmaker is flush
with cash this year after working on and in Good Night, and Good Luck
and Syriana. Not so according to the former ER doctor himself.
Clooney told E! News that his first assignment after hearing that he
was nominated for three Oscars was to shoot a coffee commercial, "to
pay for the last couple of years." If the handsome actor continues to
pick his roles so wisely, he won't need commercials in the future.

Anthony Stewart Head: Another former "Buffy" star is heading to tube
land. The Slayer's favorite witch, Willow (Alyson Hannigan), stars in
the CBS comedy How I Met Your Mother. David Boreanaz split for

Angel and now excels in the hit Fox drama Bones. Charisma
Carpenter left for Angel, and now has a hot recurring role on
Veronica Mars. James Marsters ditched Spike's white locks and now
has evil intentions on Smallville. ABC announced that Head, the actor
who played the stuffy librarian watcher who looked after Buffy Summers,
will headline the comedy pilot Him & Us. The new series, which was
inspired by Elton John, follows the exploits of a gay rock star who relies
on his manager and friends to help him deal with the fact that he is so
yesterday. When will Sarah Michelle Gellar and Nicholas Brendon

land on the tube again?

Elton John: Speaking of Sir John, this important item deserves a
mention. The English rocker and David Furnish will host the 14th Annual
Academy Award viewing dinner and after-party on Sunday, March 5,
at the Pacific Design Center in West Hollywood. The worthwhile charity
event is used to raise funds for the Elton John AIDS Foundation (EJAF),
which has raised over $80 million to support HIV/AIDS prevention and
service programs all over the globe since its inception in 1992. Guests
that evening will have a posh dinner, watch the Oscars and then party
with the celebrities. This year's event co-chairs include Tom Hanks and
Rita Wilson, Nicole Kidman, Sharon Stone, Sheryl Crow, Donatella
Versace and Dame Elizabeth Taylor.

Matthew Modine: When I interviewed Modine and asked about his
terrific turn in the AIDS-related television movie And the Band Played
On, he spoke about the need for AIDS education in the 1980s because it
would have helped people understand some of the dangers of being sexually
promiscuous. Maybe he can educate folks with his new series, The
Bedford Diaries, which will debut on The WB Wednesday, March 22, at 9pm.
Modine stars in "Bedford" as the professor in charge of a "Sex and the
Human Condition" seminar at a liberal-arts college in New York. Former
Gilmore Girls hunk Milo Ventimiglia and Audra McDonald (Mister Sterling) co-star.

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

2006-01-31T10:44:00.000-08:00

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.

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

2006-01-27T01:06:00.000-08:00

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.

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.

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

2006-01-23T11:43:00.000-08:00

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

2006-01-22T06:42:00.000-08:00

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...

2006-01-21T13:25:00.000-08:00

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...

2006-01-17T15:34:00.000-08:00

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.

David Letterman and Conan O'Brien

2006-01-16T11:04:00.000-08:00

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...

2006-01-15T09:29:00.000-08:00

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...

2006-01-12T08:30:00.000-08:00

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...

2006-01-10T13:19:00.000-08:00

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

2006-01-09T07:42:00.000-08:00

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.