A federal judge on Thursday sentenced the actor Wesley Snipes to three years in prison for willfully failing to file tax returns. Mr. Snipes, who was convicted in February, received one year for each count, to be served consecutively, and an additional year of probation. The sentence was handed down by Judge William Terrell Hodges of Federal District Court. Mr. Snipes, who apologized for his actions before the sentence was announced, showed no immediate reaction to the verdict.

Judge Hodges allowed Mr. Snipes and a co-defendant, Douglas Rosile, to remain free on bond until they were summoned by either the United States Marshals Service or the Federal Bureau of Prisons. The sentencing came at the end of a daylong hearing in which lawyers for Mr. Snipes argued for leniency while federal prosecutors sought the maximum penalty possible.

The case was the most prominent tax prosecution since the billionaire hotelier Leona Helmsley was convicted of tax fraud in 1989. Mr. Snipes, who has built a worldwide following acting in films like the Blade vampire trilogy, must pay up to $17 million in back taxes plus penalties and interest. In a prepared statement, Mr. Snipes said: "I'm very sorry for my mistakes. I acknowledge that I have failed myself and others." But in the statement, which ran to nearly 10 minutes, Mr. Snipes never mentioned the words "tax" or "taxes."

"He never stated he didn't pay his taxes or show any remorse for it," said Robert O'Neill, the acting United States attorney for the Middle District of Florida, the lead prosecutor on the case. Mr. Snipes even tried to make a down payment on his taxes before sentencing; his legal team offered Judge Hodges three checks totaling $5 million. Judge Hodges refused the checks, saying he did not have the authority to accept them. Prosecutors also declined to accept the checks. An Internal Revenue Service employee eventually accepted the checks on behalf of the Treasury Department.

Mr. Snipes's legal team also questioned the validity of federal sentencing guidelines. At one point, one of his lawyers, Carmen Hernandez, described herself as "an expert on sentencing." Judge Hodges replied, "If I may be so bold, I've also had some experience with that." A jury found Mr. Snipes guilty on Feb. 1 of three misdemeanor counts of willfully failing to file tax returns, but acquitted him of felony conspiracy and tax fraud charges and three additional counts of failure to file. The jury also convicted two co-defendants, Eddie Ray Kahn and Mr. Rosile, on felony charges. Mr. Snipes was a member of American Rights Litigators, an organization founded by Mr. Kahn. Prosecutors have described that organization and its successor company, Guiding Light of God Ministries, as illegal tax-evasion schemes.

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Madonna Thinks Tom Cruise Is Getting a Raw Deal

Madonna talked with New York Magazine about lots of interesting things. She thinks Tom Cruise is getting a raw deal in the press, even if he does worship turtles and frogs. Wait, what?

Interviewer: Tom Cruise was at a recent fund-raiser [for Malawi]. Do you sympathize with him?

Madonna: I do. I don't care if people worship turtles or frogs--if they're good people, that's all I care about, and he is a good person. I think he gets a raw deal, just as I think the orphans in Malawi get a raw deal, just as I think a lot of marginalized people get a raw deal.

How big a check did he write to Raising Malawi? Ok, that's pretty cynical of us. We just can't help ourselves. But we do love Madonna.

Posted on April 21, 2008
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Kelly Clarkson Sings for Pope Benedict

Kelly Clarkson was asked to sing "Ave Maria" for Pope Benedict during his American visit. "Ave Maria" is usually sung by a trained opera singer for such occasions and Kelly is a pop singer, but she really has a fabulous voice. We think she did a great job. The Pope was quite pleased with her closing performance at a giant youth rally today in Yonkers, New York: he reportedly got up to greet her at the close of her performance, which is quite an honor (in addition to leading the world's Catholics, he is also a head of state). Here's a video of her performance:



Posted on April 19, 2008
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The Real Reason Jessica Simpson Was Hospitalized

Star Magazine claims that Jessica Simpson's recent hospitalization was because of binge drinking and alcohol poisoning, not because of a kidney infection as was originally reported.

A source tells Star the singer was hospitalized after months of hard drinking with beau Tony Romo. Even more shocking, Jess asked for a pregnancy test! Ashlee Simpson's big sis was rushed to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in L.A. on March 28 and remained there for four days. Reps for the singer said she was being treated for a "kidney infection," but an insider tells Star it was more than that. Jessica's health problems were "brought on by drinking an obscene amount of alcohol," says the source. "She was treated for a kidney infection, a bladder infection and a urinary tract infection."

Adding to her distress, anxious Jessica asked doctors to give her a pregnancy test! "She was a nervous wreck," says the insider. "She was three weeks late and convinced she was pregnant. She was feeling really weak and really scared. She was unraveling."

*****

"She used to keep her drinks to a minimum, because she's very conscientious about the calories," says a source. "But Tony and his buddies really party hard, and I think they expect Jessica to keep up with them. But she is like a third of their weight and just can't hold as much as they can."

Jessica, dear, you can't possibly try to keep up with Tony Romo in a drinking contest. Give up and order a Diet Coke!

Posted on April 18, 2008
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Madonna's Video Message to Her Fans

Madonna has a message for her fans who are making their own videos to her new single "Four Minutes to Save the World." We're a little shocked: Madonna remembers how to use a vacuum cleaner??? We're impressed, because surely she has a veritable army of housekeepers at this point in her life.

Posted on April 17, 2008
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Ashlee Simpson Eating For Two Now

Despite Pete Wentz's denials, it looks like Ashlee Simpson is pregnant, after all. People magazine reports:

Ashlee Simpson is pregnant and plans to get married next month at a private residence in Southern California, a source close to her family tells PEOPLE. Simpson, 23, is engaged to Fall Out Boy bassist Pete Wentz, 28, who initially blasted pregnancy rumors as a "witch hunt."

But on Tuesday, Simpson, sidestepped the rumors during an interview with MTV after taping TRL in New York, saying simply, "Some things you want to keep personal." And now the source tells PEOPLE that not only is Simpson pregnant, but that she's planning to have her wedding in May at a friend's house in La Jolla, Calif., north of San Diego.

People doesn't print stuff like this without a good source, so....congratulations to the happy couple!!

Posted on April 15, 2008
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Pete Wentz Denies Ashlee Baby Rumors

Now that Pete Wentz and Ashlee Simpson are engaged, the tabloids are claiming that Ashlee is pregnant and has a due date in October. But Pete Wentz says that's a "witch hunt" and not true.

In an e-mail to MTV News, he denied reports that that surfaced Monday (April 14) on the Web sites of OK! magazine and Us Weekly that he and Simpson, 23, and Wentz, 28, are expecting their first child. "There is a witch hunt for people to be pregnant whenever they get engaged in Hollywood," he wrote. "This is all news to me. I can't wait for the story about how I'm really in a gay relationship and this is all just a cover. ... I mean really, this is crazy. ... I mean we're engaged, that's true, and happy about it." Asked again if he was denying reports that Simpson is pregnant, Wentz replied, "Yeah."

OK! and Us Weekly both cited unnamed sources close to the couple in their stories. OK!, which reports that the baby is due in October, offered as "proof" an account of Ashlee dealing with a "fierce bout of what appeared to be morning sickness" during a lunch at Malibu's Chart House restaurant. "Ashlee would like to walk down the aisle before she's showing," a source told OK! "Although she's very cute the way she's always checking out her belly now and asking everyone, 'Am I showing yet?' "

The report then goes on to say that the couple are currently living in Simpson's Hollywood Hills home, but that "they are already talking about finding something more kid-friendly."

We'll believe Pete for now. After all, it will become quite obvious quite soon if there is any truth to the rumors.

Posted on April 14, 2008
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Amy Wnehouse's New Addiction

Amy Winehouse has a new addiction: ironing. Yes, that's what we said. Ironing.

The troubled star, 24, has been ironing everything she can get her hands on - even towels, sheets and scarves.

A source said: "She has become absolutely obsessed with ironing things. Not just her clothes but also towels, sheets, scarves. Anything really. She's a very obsessive person and has always been addicted to something. We've had cannabis, cocaine, crack, heroin and her husband Blake Fielder-Civil."

"All the others have been rather more destructive, apart from knitting, which she has also had an on/off love affair with. But ironing is definitely her new favorite."

An on again, off again affair with knitting? Obsessive ironing? This is just eight kinds of crazy. Still, the OCD cleaning thing is better than crack or heroin. We're just saying.

Posted on April 13, 2008
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Miss Texas Wins Miss USA Pageant



Crystle Stewart was crowned Miss USA 2008 at the conclusion of the telecast from the Planet Hollywood Resort and Casino Theatre for the Performing Arts, in Las Vegas, Nevada on Friday, April 11, 2008. Crystle hails from Missouri City, Texas and runs a party planning and motivation speaking company. She also models on the side. We wish her a scandal-free year ahead!

Posted on April 12, 2008
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Mario Lopez Heads to Broadway

Mario Lopez is about to make his Broadway debut. On April 15, 2008 he'll star in A Chorus Line as Zach, the director who is casting the chorus roles for a new Broadway musical.

"Every actor dreams about appearing on a Broadway stage. I have as well, and have been searching for the right time and opportunity," said Mario. "A Chorus Line is a legendary musical and I am so honored to have been chosen to join the amazing cast and be a part of the Broadway family."

Mario will star in the show until Sunday, September 7 with a hiatus from Sunday, May 11 through Tuesday, June 3rd. We think he's going to be fabulous. And he was totally robbed of the win on Dancing with the Stars.

Posted on April 11, 2008
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Ashlee Simpson and Pete Wentz Engaged

Ashlee Simpson and Pete Wentz are engaged.

Ashlee Simpson, 23 and her rocker boyfriend, Pete Wentz, 28, are tying the knot, Usmagazine.com has confirmed. A rep for Simpson tells Us, "Yes, they are happily engaged." Earlier today, the singer told Us, "I'm really happy!" One possible cause for the quickie engagement - a pregnancy, to which her rep had no comment and referred Us to friendsorenemies.com, where Simpson posted the following Wednesday:

"We know there has been a lot of speculation recently about Pete and I, and we wanted our fans to be the first to know, because you guys are the best. Yes, we are thrilled to share that we are happily engaged." Simpson and Wentz began dating in late 2006. (See what a body language expert had to say about their relationship here.) "They are ecstatic and can't wait to be man and wife," a source tells Us. "They will be getting married before the end of the year."

Will he wear guyliner to the wedding? We certainly hope so!

Posted on April 10, 2008
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Anderson Cooper Refuses to Exercise

CNN's Anderson Cooper appeared on Regis and Kelly in a segment in which Kelly Ripa leads an exercise class. The catch? Kelly demands that Anderson do the most ridiculous exercises on the planet. Being media savvy, he refuses to do the most unflattering ones, no doubt knowing that the clips would appear all over the Interwebs in a hot minute. But he can't stop laughing. And Kelly Ripa is absolutely obsessed with "the burn". It's very funny -- take a look.



Posted on April 8, 2008
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Pamela Anderson's Bithday Gift to Hugh Hefner

Pamela Anderson certainly surprised Hugh Hefner for his 82nd birthday.

What do you get Hugh Hefner for his birthday? Pamela Anderson, who appeared on the cover of Playboy more than anyone else (12 times), gave him a birthday dance in her birthday suit.

Anderson surprised Hefner, who was in town to celebrate his 82nd birthday, when he returned to the Sky Villa supersuite named after him at the Palms Fantasy Towers late Saturday. When Hefner walked in, Anderson walked out of a bedroom wearing only high heels.

"He was stunned. He had the biggest smile I've ever seen," said Palms owner George Maloof, who dedicated a table in the Playboy Club to Hefner later in the evening.

Were there cameras there recording the event for posterity? Because that is one of the most memorable birthday gifts we've ever heard of. Were the Girls Next Door jealous? Or just happy to have the night off?

Posted on April 7, 2008
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Cameron Diaz Does GQ



Cameron Diaz graces the cover of GQ UK and looks absolutely amazing. Cameron told GQ: "A while ago I put some weight on my ass." "Looked mighty fine, I can tell you." Can't really argue with that. See more pictures from the photoshoot here.

Posted on April 5, 2008
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Nicolas Cage Absolved of Dastardly Dognapping Allegations

Nicolas Cage and Kathleen Turner have reached a settlement in the lawsuit in which Nic sued Kathleen for saying in her autobiography that he kidnapped a dog and been arrested twice for DUI.

Neither was at London's High Court to hear 44-year-old Cage's solicitor, Simon Smith, tell Mr Justice Eady of the "utter falsity" of the allegations in Send Yourself Roses. He said that an extract of the book, which appeared in the Daily Mail in January, described their experience of working together on the movie Peggy Sue Got Married in 1986.

Turner, 53, stated that her co-star was "arrested twice for drunk-driving and, I think, for stealing a dog. He'd come across a Chihuahua he liked and stuck it in his jacket." Mr Smith said that Turner, Associated Newspapers and Headline Publishing Group now accepted that, owing to a mistake on Turner's part and despite the other defendants' publishing in good faith, the allegations were defamatory and false and ought never to have been published.

They personally apologised for the damage caused to Cage's personal and professional reputation and for the considerable distress and embarrassment. They had agreed to reimburse all his legal costs and make a substantial donation to a charity chosen by him to benefit the victims of elder abuse. Mr Smith said the defendants had also given a contractual undertaking never to republish the allegations and had agreed to publish an apology in the Daily Mail and remove the article from its websites, and insert a correction/apology in the book.

Jane Phillips, counsel for the defendants, said they sincerely apologised and accepted that the allegations were false. Outside court, Mr Smith said: "My client is extremely pleased with the outcome, which sets the record straight, since he has never been arrested for drunk driving, dog theft, or anything else."

Thank goodness that Nic has been cleared of the dastardly charges of absconding with someone else's chihuahua. Because that really is a terrible thing to say about someone.

Posted on April 4, 2008
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Rumors of a Shakira Sex Tape Hit the Net

International superstar singer Shakira may be facing a sex tape scandal. A videotape supposedly exists which records Shakira and two men.

A home-made tape could involve Spanish singer-songwriter Alejandro Sanz, Colombian pop diva Shakira and her boyfriend, Antonio de la Rua, in sexual intercourse together aboard a yacht owned by Sanz. According to Internet portal Infobae.com, the tape is being held by the prosecutors evaluating the case against Carlos Gonzalez and his wife, Sylvia Alzate, Sanz ex-employees who are accused of extortion against the artist.

This morning, People en Espanol released an article citing that both artists' agencies have denied the existence of such a tape. In a recent interview, Javier Ceriani, host of the radio show "Zona Cero", said "there's word of a private video taped in a yacht, which could involve Alejandro Sanz, Shakira and Antonio de la Rua, but this material is in the prosecutors' hands".

He stated that, according to the prosecutor, "if some of this tape's content would be made public, it could seriously threaten the singer and couple's private life".

Besides trying to commit extortion, Gonzalez and Alzate also stole a yacht, a jet ski and a computer. In their declaration, they testified that Sanz would force them to work more hours than permitted by the United States' laws. By the end of 2005 there was a rumor that Shakira had ended her relationship with de la Rua and initiated a romance with Sanz, around the same time they recorded their hit, 'La Tortura'.

Because Shakira's rep denied the story to People en Espanol, we'll reserve judgment on this one. But the Internets are going crazy with speculation.

Posted on April 2, 2008
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Amy Winehouse Moving Because of Demons

Amy Winehouse is moving again. This time it's because her house has "demons" in it.

AMY WINEHOUSE is set to move house for the third time in less than four months. She is said to be tormented by "demons" in her new pad in Camden, North London.

*****

Wino wants to quit her home just a few weeks after moving in because she feels her surroundings have contributed to her disturbed state of mind. But as she stepped out yesterday I worry there may be other nasties lurking - what scars may those long black gloves be covering? A pal said of her latest pad: "She feels it is full of bad vibes and demons bringing her down."

The star quit Camden for Bow, East London, late last year to escape bad memories. Amy then collected more bad memories in Bow, where The Sun's shock video of her smoking crack cocaine was filmed in January. She then went back to Camden, but believes the demons followed her.

Ah, the old "demon-infested home" complaint. We can't tell you how many times we've had to move because demons kept reappearing. Perhaps a nice exorcism is in order.

Posted on April 1, 2008
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The Allure of Mariah Carey

Mariah Carey is on the cover of Allure magazine. She talks about her new album, her childhood and how she knows everyone thinks she's a ditz. And she just doesn't care.

Carey says it's hard to reconcile her achievements and her bombshell persona. "It's a dichotomy, I understand," she says, "I understand that people think I'm a ditzy moron."

The singer owns an estimated 1,000 pairs of shoes-Manolo Blahniks, Jimmy Choos, and Diors in every color imaginable-and has been known to entertain guests in pink pom-pommed "house" heels.

Our favorite Mariah moment is the classic episode of MTV's Cribs when Mariah worked out on the stepper in four inch heels. Now that's a Diva! Mariah is on track for another #1 hit with her single "Touch My Body".

Posted on March 31, 2008
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Madonna Won't Sing

Madonna graces the cover of Vanity Fair in May looking quite fabulous. She's been doing interviews lots of places to promote her upcoming album, which drops on April 29. In an interview with New York's Z100 FM radio station she says that it would take a lot of money to get her to sing "Like a Virgin" again. Like $30 million or so.

"I'm not sure I can sing 'Holiday' or 'Like A Virgin' ever again," the singer tells New York's Z100-FM in an interview scheduled to air Friday. "I just can't -- unless somebody paid me like $30 million or something. [Like if] some Russian guy wants me to come to the wedding he's going to have to a 17-year-old, you know it."

*****

--On Justin and the Shot: "First of all, I've seen enough butt ... The reason I gave him a B-12 [shot] is because we only had a certain amount of days in the studio and I didn't want him to use that as a lame-ass excuse not to come to work. Okay? It's got nothing to do with butt. I promise you. Listen, I don't need to give him a shot to see his butt. Duh."

-- On Britney Spears's New Record: "I actually love Britney Spears' new album ... I usually work out to her record. I do a combination of pilates and dance aerobics."

-- On Her Chances If She Were On American Idol: "I went to a lot of auditions for musical theater and conventional mainstream things - and I always got cut immediately. So I'm pretty sure the same thing would happen to me."

Ah, Madonna. We just never grow tired of her.

Posted on March 28, 2008
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Paris Belly Dances in Turkey

Paris Hilton was a judge at a Turkish beauty pageant and had to go on stage and perform with a belly dancer. She gamely shimmies and shakes. Paris said to Reuters: "This is my first time judging anything like this. I'm going to look at how the girls carry themselves, what they look like, the way they dress and what they say."



Posted on March 27, 2008
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Jamie Lynn Spears Engaged

US magazine reports that 16 year-old Jamie Lynn Spears, is engaged.

Pregnant 16-year-old Jamie Lynn Spears and boyfriend Casey Aldridge are engaged, his cousin, Tina Robinson, confirms to Usmagazine.com. "He proposed a few days ago, and she accepted," Robinson tells Us. Robinson says she hasn't seen a ring and didn’t know whether they would wed before or after Jamie Lynn delivers.

"They probably weren't expecting [the proposal] to be, like, right now, but with her being pregnant, that really pushed it up," Robinson tells Us. Spears and Aldridge, 18, announced they were expecting their first child together in December. Around the time of their big news, Aldridge's uncle, Odus Jackson, 71, told Us he was "hopeful" for a future wedding. "It would be something that we could all look forward to in time and that it would not be a forced thing even if it happened," he said.

It is legal in most states to married at 16 with a parent's permission and in this case we suppose it makes sense. So, uh, congratulations!!

Posted on March 26, 2008
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Future High School Musical Stars?

These three young kids could be the next stars to come out of the High School Musical phenonmenon. They are Matt Prokop, Justin Martin and Jemma McKenzie-Brown. They have been casted to play sophomore "Wildcats" in Walt Disney Pictures' upcoming film, High School Musical 3: Senior Year.

Commenting on the announcement, Ortega said, "Peter Barsocchini's exciting script for High School Musical 3 called for the addition of three sophomore characters, so we set out on a massive casting search across North America and England to find just the right young actors to play the parts. We think these talented performers will bring lots of humor, new twists, and musical fun to the film. Jemma was one of the many young actresses that we met in London, and she impressed us with her singing and dancing, in addition to being very exciting and effervescent. Matt has a terrific personality, and a great sense of comedy and fun. And Justin had a great presence and charisma, besides being a wonderful comedic actor who could really dance. I am confident that the three new actors joining our original cast will help to bring great musical thrills, surprises and a lot of fun to Senior Year and the halls of East High."

Jemma McKenzie-Brown's previous television credits include a supporting role in the BBC production of "The Amazing Mrs. Pritchard." Matt Prokop has had featured film roles in "Marked," "Walking Miracles," "Somewhere Else" and "Four Square." His television credits include "The Office," "The O.C.," and Disney Channel's "Hannah Montana." Justin Martin's film credits include "Raisin in the Sun," "The Vineyard," and the upcoming "The Soloist." He has also appeared in the television shows "Cold Case," "Judging Amy," "Malcolm in the Middle," "The Bernie Mac Show," among others. For the Broadway stage, Martin appeared as Young Simba in "The Lion King."

"High School Musical 3: Senior Year" finds high school seniors Troy and Gabriella facing the prospect of being separated from one another as they head off in different directions to college. Joined by the rest of the Wildcats, they stage an elaborate spring musical reflecting their experiences, hopes and fears about their future. With incredible new music and exciting dance numbers designed to take maximum advantage of the big screen, this motion picture extravaganza delivers plenty of high-energy entertainment from East High's talented ensemble. The feature film will be shot on location in Utah and set for release in theaters on October 24, 2008.

If they get to perform in any of the musicals then they are sure to become stars as teens replay the music videos over and over and over again on YouTube. It won't be long before they each have their own tube of High School Music hand cream.

Posted on March 24, 2008
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Amy Winehouse Bares All for Charity



Amy Winehouse posed naked -- except for some strategically place duct tape and her guitar -- to raise breast cancer awareness among young women in the new issue of Britain's Easy Living magazine.

Posted on March 24, 2008
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Britney Spears to Guest Star on How I Met Your Mother

Britney Spears will appear on the How I Met Your Mother sitcom on Monday night. Here are a couple sneak peaks from the show.





Posted on March 23, 2008
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Jennifer Lopez's New Babies Debut in People Magazine



People magazine has the exclusive pictures of Jennifer Lopez's new twins. The magazine reportedly paid $6 million for the exclusive and promised never to call her J Lo again. We'll see if that's true: if People ever refers to her as JLo again, well, it was all just a rumor.

The twins, Max and Emme, are simply adorable. They were born on February 22, 2008 in Long Island, New York.

Posted on March 22, 2008
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Adriana Lima and a Palm Frond



Adriana Lima graces the cover of GQ magazine wearing a palm frond and not a whole lot else. You can see the whole photo spread a behind the scenes video at GQ.

Posted on March 20, 2008
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Carnie Wilson's Weight Battle Continues

Carnie Wilson talks with OK! magazine about her weight gain after having her first child. Carnie had gastric bypass surgery and lost 150 pounds, but put some back on after having a baby. Now she wants to lose it again.

In 1999, Carnie Wilson famously underwent gastric bypass surgery to cut 150 lbs. off her 300-lb. frame. Her struggle with her weight wasn't over, though, as she gained back the pounds carrying daughter Lola, now 2. But after a stint on VH1's Celebrity Fit Club, Carnie shed another 22 lbs. That was two years ago. Now, a month away from her 40th birthday, Carnie weighs 208 lbs. and wears a size 16. Opening up to OK!, the singer says she has hit "rock bottom" with her weight.

"Everyone can see that I'm bigger, but I cannot hibernate," she tells OK!. "I've never lied or been dishonest about what's going on in my life. Even all these years later, having had such a great weight-loss story, being back in this place is so familiar. And it hurts. I don't want to feel this way anymore. It doesn't feel good when you have to struggle to get your pants on."

The source of her tremendous weight gain is snacking. Since having her daughter, the former Wilson Phillips star says she turned all her focus on her little girl, leaving little to no attention to her weight or diet.

One thing we find disturbing is all these stories about people who gain the weight back that they lost from gastric bypass surgery. We wish her all the best.

Posted on March 19, 2008
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Halle Berry Has a Baby

Halle Berry had her baby: it's a little girl and her name is Nahla Ariela Aubry. Nahla's daddy is model Gabriel Aubry.

What's behind the name? "Nahla is the Arabic word for 'drink of water,'" Pamela Redmond Satran, the co-author of The Baby Name Bible and Cool Names for Babies tells Us. "Ariela is related to the Hebrew Ariel, which means 'lion of god.'

"Nahla is one of those names that is occasionally found among people of African or Arabic descent, but isn't commonly used in any particular culture," she adds. Both names also have a connection to the big screen. "Nala was the name of Simba's lioness mate in Disney's The Lion King, so it kind of has an African flavor as opposed to a genuine African pedigree," says Satran. And Ariela's "Disney antecedent," she says, is Ariel in The Little Mermaid.

Berry and Aubry welcomed the girl Sunday. Aubry's sister, Eugenie, told Us he couldn't contain his excitement when Berry went into labor. "He called my father to say, 'It's time! It's happening!'" Eugenie said. "She was about to give birth. He sounded a bit nervous but happy!"

With two parents who look like they do, you just know that little Nahla is going to be just gorgeous. We need baby pictures, now!

Posted on March 18, 2008
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Jessica Simpson Entertains Troops in Kuwait

Actress and singer Jessica Simpson visited U.S. troops in Kuwait last week. The AP says she signed autographs and performed songs, including "God Bless America." She also visited with troops in Iraq in 2005 with Nick Lachey.



Posted on March 16, 2008
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Hometown Remembers Cheerleader Turned Prostitute

It has only been three days since the shocking story broke that New York Governor Eliot Spitzer has been paying to have sex with a high priced call girl. In that short amount of time we quickly learned the identity of the hooker Spitzer had been with. Now everyone knows who that call girl is (Ashley Dupre) and that she has a MySpace page with a blog and a song. The Associated Press visits here hometown along the Jersey Shore in this video clip. Her classmates knew her as Ashley Youmans. She was a member of the cheerleading team and she left the high school late in her sophmore year. Ashley's mother still lives in the town.



Posted on March 13, 2008
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Beverly Hills, 90210 Spinoff In the Works

They're Back! A sequel to Beverly Hills, 90210 has been greenlit and will be headed to a television near you in the near future.

he CW network is developing a contemporary spinoff of Aaron Spelling's seminal 1990s teen soap "Beverly Hills, 90210," sources said. Details on the project -- including which if any of the characters on the original series will make the transition to the spinoff -- remain sketchy. The spinoff, which is close to getting a writer, has been put on the fast track by the network. It is expected to decide whether to order a pilot by the end of the month. According to sources, "Beverly Hills, 90210" creator Darren Star is not involved. This would be the second spinoff from the series about privileged teens living in Beverly Hills, which aired on Fox from 1990-2000. The first one, the Star-created "Melrose Place," had a successful seven-year run on Fox. It didn't feature any major characters from "Beverly Hills."

We have to know: will any of the original cast be in it? Maybe as alcoholic, drug-addicted, dysfunctional parents? Because we would love to see Shannen Doherty back in the zip code that made her a star.

Posted on March 13, 2008
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Tori Spelling is sTory Telling

Tori Spelling has a new book out, sTori Telling, which tells the story of her life so far. She appeared on Good Morning America to talk about her dysfunctional relationship with her mother Candy, how she blew $200,000 in a shopping spree and how she turned her life around. As anyone who has seen her reality shows knows, she's funny and self-deprecating. Take a look:



Posted on March 11, 2008
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Lisa Marie Presley Suing Over Tabloid Reports

Lisa Marie Presley is so mad over the unflattering stories about her weight (when it turned out she is pregnant) that she's suing the British tabloid that ran the story.

U.S. singer Lisa Marie Presley, daughter of Elvis Presley, is suing Britain's Daily Mail newspaper for an article alleging she was "piling on the pounds" and which forced her to announce that she was pregnant. "My client is deeply upset and offended by this article, especially as it was widely published just as she and her family were meant to be celebrating her happy news," said lawyer Simon Smith, who will represent Presley at London's High Court.

The Mail, published by Associated Newspapers, reported last week that Presley was gaining weight. Presley, 40, wrote last week that she had been forced to "show my cards and announce under the gun and under vicious personal attack that I am in fact pregnant. "Once they got a glimpse of my expanding physique a few days ago, they have been like a pack of coyotes circling their prey whilst eerily howling with delight," she wrote on her blog at MySpace.com. "Starting with a London publication and then New York and Chicago all writing false defamatory degrading stories about all of the dark possible reasons I could be putting on weight," she added.

Unfairly attack a woman as fat, humiliate her with unflattering photos, insult her dead icon father and pay the price, tabloids! We have no idea what the British laws are on this kind of lawsuit. In America, it would be a harder case to make for libel because she is a celebrity.

Posted on March 10, 2008
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Lisa Marie Announces Pregnancy, Blasts Tabloids

Lisa Marie Presley was recently hounded by the tabloids for gaining weight. They were really quite vicious. Well, it turns out that she's pregnant, and she's not happy with the way the press has behaved. She posted this on her blog:

"Confirmation under the gun. After being the target all week of slanderous and degrading stories, horribly manipulated pictures and articles in the media, I have had to show my cards and announce under the gun and under vicious personal attack that I am in fact pregnant.

Once they got a glimpse of my expanding physique a few days ago, they have been like a pack of coyotes circling their prey whilst eerily howling with delight. Starting with a London publication and then New York and Chicago all writing false defamatory degrading stories about all of the dark possible reasons I could be putting on weight. The US tabloids have been calling all day wanting confirmation on all kinds of insane theories.

They couldn't wait to find out if my weight gain was because I was just overeating, in which case It would be open season and they can do the old following in her fathers sad and unfortunate demise story again or less interesting for them and probably much to their dismay, I could just be pregnant and therefore have a legitimate reason for weight gain at which point they should probably wipe the saliva off of their fangs and put them back in their mouths or they may expose the black little souls that they are. Now that things are confirmed, hopefully they can stop all of the harassment and I can stop dodging the continuous bullets.

It is unfortunate that I couldn't have announced something that is this much of a blessing and that has made us so incredibly happy under better circumstances. How they have handled themselves with this has been nothing short of irresponsible and disgusting.

Pardon my seething contemptuous tone but ladies, You KNOW if you were pregnant and you felt you were expanding uncontrollably by the moment as a result and the worldwide media started badgering and harassing you for it, plastering you everywhere in an unflattering light, you would be mortified as well.

Sincerely,

--LMP

Can't say we blame her. The side by side pictures of her with her father near the end of his life were particularly low, we thought. But the British tabloids have no shame, that's for sure.

Posted on March 7, 2008
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Britney's Dad In Control Until Summer

Britney Spears' father Jamie will be her conservator until July, according to a new court ruling. He will be paid compensation of $2500 a week and is allowed to lease a car.

A court has ordered the troubled pop star's estate to pay James Spears' $2,500 in weekly compensation and authorized him to lease a car. On Wednesday, his authority to handle his daughter's affairs, which was scheduled to expire March 10, was extended until July 31.

Los Angeles Superior Court Commissioner Reva Goetz ordered the weekly payments in documents released by the court Thursday but signed on Wednesday. James Spears, who recently worked as a caterer, was named conservator of his daughter and co-conservator of her estate after she was hospitalized twice in January.

Goetz also ordered Spears' estate to make a $58,800 payment to Samuel D. Ingham III, the court-appointed attorney who represents Britney Spears in the conservatorship case. She also authorized the pop star's psychiatrist to hire two other doctors and pay them retainers totaling $9,000 from her estate.

An attorney for James Spears, Vivian Thoreen, argued in court documents that the extension of the temporary conservatorship was necessary because Jon Eardley, an attorney who made an unsuccessful attempt to move the probate case to federal court last month, had filed additional papers in U.S. District Court. Those documents were under seal.

The commissioner was reportedly impressed at the improvement in Britney's behavior and health since her dad took over. We think the amount he's being paid is fair: it's a nightmarish, 24/7 job. And he seems to be really helping her.

Posted on March 6, 2008
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Steve-O Arrested

This is one of the least surprising celebrity arrestes. Jackass star Steve-O was arrested on suspicion of vandalism. Fox News says a neighbor of Steve-O's made a citizen's arrest. The police then arrested Steve-O at his home.

Police arrested the 33-year-old co-star of MTV's prank-filled program at 5 a.m. Monday after a neighbor made a citizen's arrest following a dispute over a fence, Los Angeles police Officer Ana Aguirre said.

Steve-O, born Stephen Glover, was booked at a Hollywood police station on suspicion of vandalism and an outstanding traffic warrant, Aguirre said. He was also booked for investigation of possessing a controlled substance for allegedly having a small quantity of drugs on him, Aguirre said.

Other headlines say Steve-O made a jackass of himself. In this AP video Steve-O talks about piling narcotics into his body.



Posted on March 4, 2008
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Will Ferrell as a Marshmallow Peep

Just Born, Inc., the makers of marshmallow Peeps, recently conducted an important celebrity survey so we are sharing it with you. Here is the survey including the questions that were asked. On the right is Will Peeps - it's what actor Will Ferrell would look like as a marshmallow peep. It looks like Jackie Moon, Will Ferrell's character in Semi-Pro.

If Peeps came to life, what male public person or celebrity might it become? The male person most resembling Peeps either in physique, colorful attire, or sweet nature/personality is:

• Will Ferrell won for the second consecutive year with 27.6% of this year's vote.
• Will Smith came in 2nd with 19.1% of the vote, a first time Peeps winner.
• Johnny Depp came in 3rd (11.5%) this year, having been 2nd in 2007.

What female public person or celebrity might Peeps become? The female celebrity most resembling Peeps either in physique, colorful attire or sweet nature/personality is:

• Ellen DeGeneres won, a rise from 3rd place in 2007!
• Reese Witherspoon came in 2nd (15.5%).
• Jessica Simpson came in 3rd tied with Miley Cyrus/Hannah Montana. Simpson won in 2007. Falling out of the top three was Oprah in 4th place.

"What public person or celebrity is most in need of Peeps?"

• President Bush won for the third consecutive year (21.3%).
• Hilary Clinton came in 2nd with 16.5 % of the votes.
• Simon Cowell came a distant 3rd, with 10.5% of votes.

Posted on March 1, 2008
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Angelina Jolie Talks About Iraq and the Surge

Angelina Jolie wrote an Op Ed piece for The Washington Post about the refugee situation in Iraq. She says we can't leave until we do something about all the people who've lost their homes in Iraq because of the war. And she sort of says that the surge is working, at least as far as the aid workers are concerned.

Today's humanitarian crisis in Iraq -- and the potential consequences for our national security -- are great. Can the United States afford to gamble that 4 million or more poor and displaced people, in the heart of Middle East, won't explode in violent desperation, sending the whole region into further disorder?

What we cannot afford, in my view, is to squander the progress that has been made. In fact, we should step up our financial and material assistance. UNHCR has appealed for $261 million this year to provide for refugees and internally displaced persons. That is not a small amount of money -- but it is less than the U.S. spends each day to fight the war in Iraq. I would like to call on each of the presidential candidates and congressional leaders to announce a comprehensive refugee plan with a specific timeline and budget as part of their Iraq strategy.

As for the question of whether the surge is working, I can only state what I witnessed: U.N. staff and those of non-governmental organizations seem to feel they have the right set of circumstances to attempt to scale up their programs. And when I asked the troops if they wanted to go home as soon as possible, they said that they miss home but feel invested in Iraq. They have lost many friends and want to be a part of the humanitarian progress they now feel is possible.

It seems to me that now is the moment to address the humanitarian side of this situation. Without the right support, we could miss an opportunity to do some of the good we always stated we intended to do.

Angelina seems really committed to her job as a goodwill ambassador for the United Nations High Council for Refugees. And she's certainly raising some interesting issues.

Posted on February 28, 2008
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Marion Cotillard Wins Best Actress in Oscar Upset



Marion Cotillard was the surprise winner of the Best Actress Oscar last night. The 32 year old French actress won for her portrayal of legendary french chanteuse Edith Piaf in La Vie En Rose. Marion gave a charming acceptance speech, saying "It is true there are angels in this city. Thank you so, so much!" Her custom-made mermaid gown was created by Jean Paul Gaultier.

You can see the entire list of winners here. You can see coverage of the Red Carpet fashions here.



(Photo courtesy A.M.P.A.S..)

Posted on February 25, 2008
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Britney Can See Her Children

TMZ reports that Britney Spears will be allowed to see her children again, in a supervised setting. Her dad helped arrange the visit and K-Fed didn't object so long as there are precautions to keep the children safe.

[L]awyers for both sides have agreed to visitation in a therapeutic setting. Now we've learned the specifics. The kids can visit with momma, provided Jamie Spears and her psychiatrist are present. There are other strings, but at a minimum Jamie and the shrink are required.

We're told both sides are impressed that Jamie has stabilized Britney and the whirlwind surrounding her crazy life, and that's a core reason why a deal was struck.

Sources say Britney will begin seeing her kids again imminently.

The judge extended the restraining order against Sam Lufti: he can't even talk to Britney. She's been better lately, taking her medications and keeping to a sane schedule. Things are better without Sam drugging her, that's for sure. Kudos to her parents for doing everything they can to save her life. We hope Britney can keep it up.

Posted on February 22, 2008
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Judge Denies Motion to Move Britney's Case to Federal Court

A judge has denied an effort by Sam Lufti to move Britney Spears' conservatorship case out of the California state courts and into federal court on the grounds that Britney's civil rights are somehow being violated.

U.S. District Judge Philip Gutierrez ruled the claims "may not arise under federal law" and indicated that not all necessary supporting documents were submitted, according to court papers. Gutierrez did give attorney Jon Eardley, who sought to move the case in Spears' name, until Feb. 29 to demonstrate why it should not remain in state court.

Spears, 26, has been hospitalized twice since early January for psychiatric evaluation and earlier this month, a Los Angeles court gave temporary control -- also known as conservatorship -- over her business and personal affairs to her father, Jamie Spears, along with attorney Andrew Wallet. If the case were moved, Jamie Spears could lose temporary conservatorship, which now extends until March 10.

Last week, Eardley filed papers seeking to move the case to federal court on the singer's behalf, but it remains unclear exactly who hired Eardley. The lawyer's spokesman, Michael Sands, also represents Sam Lutfi who was Spears' manager until the conservatorship was granted, and Sands has said he was "not at liberty to discuss" who hired Eardley. A temporary restraining order has been issued against Lutfi to keep him away from the singer. In separate court documents, lawyers for Jamie Spears called Eardley's filings "a brazen -- but vain -- attempt to strip a probate court" from extending the conservatorship.

Unfortunately the federal judge gave Sam's attorney's until the 29th to add the appropriate documents they failed to attach to their pleadings. This entire motion is outrageous. Sam Lufti is the one who has been feeding Britney mixes of drugs, according to sworn declarations in the state court case. Britney's parents are trying to save her life. To try to move this case to federal court on a civil rights basis is a disgusting move by Lufti to take back his control over Britney and her money.

Posted on February 21, 2008
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Paula Abdul is Dancing Like There's No Tomorrow

Paula Abdul shows that she's still got it going on in her new video "Dance Like There's No Tomorrow." That's Randy Jackson playing the guitar in the background. Paula looks great, sounds great and she's still got the moves. Time for a comeback!



Posted on February 20, 2008
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Attributor Finds Megan Fox's Image is Web's Hottest

According to results released from Attributor Corporation, the image of Megan Fox (on the right) from Maxim magazine's "2007 Hot 100" list is the most popular across the Web. Megan Fox may have only ranked 18th on Maxim's Hot 100 but Attributor found that her image is the most copied on the Internet. They say the viral appeal of Fox's image propelled it throughout the Web, appearing many more times than images of list-toppers Lindsay Lohan (officially ranked number one by Maxim) and Jessica Alba (officially ranked number one by FHM). The image shows Megan Fox in a scene from the Transformers movie.

According to Attributor, images of the official winners, Alba and Lohan, were also popular across the Web with respective rankings of two and five. The study ranked female celebrity images from FHM and Maxim's sexiest women lists of 2007 in terms of how frequently they were copied across the Web using Attributor's image monitoring platform. You can see the rankings below.

Attributor Top Ten Hottest Images of 2007 List

1. Megan Fox
2. Jessica Alba
3. Rihanna
4. Halle Barry
5. Lindsay Lohan
6. Eva Mendes
7. Angelina Jolie
8. Jessica Simpson
9. Christina Aguilera
10. Uma Thurman

You can read more about Attributor's findings here in their blog.

Posted on February 19, 2008
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