Lauren Scruggs, a fashion model and blogger who had worked in the wardrobe department of Gossip Girl, lost her left hand and suffered severe facial injuries after she accidentally walked into a spinning airplane propeller in Texas on Saturday. Scruggs, 23, who runs the fashion blog LOLO, was climbing out of a two-seater plane at a private airport in McKinney, Texas when the accident happened. Scruggs had been flying around the state to look at Christmas lights. Her hand was later amputated by surgeons and the FAA is investigating the accident. She also sustained severe head and shoulder injuries during the mishap, according to a family spokesperson who posted on the website Caring Bridge. "After exiting a propeller plane, an accident occurred where she walked into the front of the prop," the post reads. "Struck on the left side of her body, Lauren's hand, head, and shoulder area were hit." An update on the site Monday afternoon said Scruggs was recovering from multiple emergency operations. "Lauren's surgery went very well this morning," according to the statement. "She is now resting in ICU with the family. She is able to open her right eye to see while her left eye is still bandaged. Please continue to pray for the vision of her left eye, as we will not know the status of her sight for some time."

 

Giuliana Rancic to Undergo Double Mastectomy

Giuliana Rancic will have a double mastectomy after lumpectomies failed to completely eradicate her breast cancer. Appearing with husband Bill Rancic on NBC's Today show, the E! host, 36, said the couple considered another lumpectomy and radiation. But they are choosing the more drastic option, she said, because they want to be sure the cancer is gone, and make it much less likely to return – less than a 1 percent chance, according to her doctors.  "For me, it was important to get the cancer out," she said. "That's what I wanted to do, just get it out." The couple's desire for children did play a part. The years of medication that follow the lumpectomy-radiation option would have meant delaying parenthood for several years. But the real decision was more basic than that.  "At the end, to be honest, all it came down to was just choosing to live, and not looking over my shoulder for the rest of my life," Rancic said. She said her husband's support was crucial in reaching the decision. "Bill said to me, 'I just need you around for the next 50 years, kid,' " she said. "He said, 'I don't care what you look like, I don't care about the physical portion of this. I just need you around for the next 50 years. So, let's just get you healthy.' And that certainly helped me come to a decision." She added: "I couldn't be more at peace with the decision. But it's hard, and I still break down some nights ... But I'm okay."


Karina Smirnoff, Brad Penny Split
Karina Smirnoff finally has that Mirror Ball Trophy, but she no longer has baseballer Brad Penny in her life. A source says that the 30-year-old Dancing with the Stars pro and Penny have ended their relationship. In October, the duo "postponed" their wedding, according to a source. At the time, they were "still together, but [had] conflicting schedules." Smirnoff and the Detroit Tigers player, 33, went public with their romance in 2009, after she and fellow DWTS pro Maksim Chmerkovskiy called it quits. 

Benicio Del Toro Passes on Playing Star Trek 2′s Khan

It’s a day of good and bad news for J.J. Abrams, fans and everyone involved with the production of Star Trek 2. On Friday, news broke that the long-rumored villainous Khan would in fact be featured in the sequel to Abrams’ quasi-reboot of the franchise, a role that was expected to be played by Benicio Del Toro whose been in talks for the part over the last month. Today, while it was announced that Peter Weller (RoboCop) is joining the cast in a supporting role, joining Alice Eve who’s playing a new character, reports are also indicating that Benicio Del Toro has dropped out of the project. Del Toro’s reps couldn’t come to terms of a monetary figure with Paramount to star as Star Trek 2′s villain so he’s now out.
 Rosie O'Donnell has a lot to celebrate. The TV star, 49, not only launched The Rosie Show on Oprah Winfrey's OWN network in October, but now she's preparing to say "I do" to girlfriend Michelle Rounds. She broke the news to her audience Monday during a break set aside for commercials during the taping of her show in a Chicago studio. The duo met earlier this year at a Starbucks. In October, O'Donnell joked that her "gaydar was way off" because she thought Rounds was heterosexual and just 28 years old, when really she is a gay woman and 40. "It's fun and very exciting," O'Donnell recently said about the relationship. "I did not expect it."

Country Singer John Rich Kicked Off Southwest Flight After Crew Deems Him Too Drunk to Fly

Country singer John Rich was booted from a Southwest airplane yesterday after crew members determined he was too inebriated to make the trip from Vegas to Nashville. The "Big & Rich" singer appeared drunk as he was boarding the flight, which was scheduled to depart at 10:50 AM.  Rich reportedly got into a verbal argument with a couple of passengers before boarding the plane and continued to display drunken behavior once he was allowed inside the main cabin. Crew members approached Rich, determined they could not permit him to stay on the flight, and asked him to get off the plane.

Christie Brinkley hit with $531K tax lien by IRS

Christie Brinkley vows she'll immediately repay the $531,000 she owes in back taxes. New York's Daily News recently reported the Internal Revenue Service has filed a tax lien against the supermodel. Brinkley says in a statement the lien was a "result of an error" and pledges it will be paid in full by Wednesday. Brinkley says she regrets not paying more attention to her accounting. She says she's been focused on her parents, who are dealing with "serious health issues."

 

’24′ Movie Aiming for a Spring 2012 Start Date

Jack is back – for real this time. At the beginning of the year, a report claimed that Fox was unsatisfied with Billy Ray’s script for the big screen version of the hit series 24 and that the movie was in temporary limbo. Not long after, however, Kiefer Sutherland said that the movie was still in the works and that certain elements of Ray’s script were still in play. Now, just like its hero, the 24 movie has burst back to life to kick terrorist butt. According to a new report, 24 is just about ready for the big time, pending some last-minute tweaks to the screenplay from new screenwriter Mark Bomback (Unstoppable, The Wolverine).

Matthew Barnaby charged with DWI

Matthew Barnaby was arrested and charged with driving while intoxicated on Monday morning. Following the arrest, ESPN terminated its contract with Barnaby, effective immediately. He had worked as an NHL analyst for ESPN since 2008. "We spoke with Matthew and informed him that we terminated his contract, effective immediately," an ESPN spokesman said. Barnaby was arrested by members of the Erie County Sheriff's Department after deputies were called to respond to a Porsche Cayenne driving on its front rim, causing sparks. The Sheriff's Department said in a report that Barnaby failed several field sobriety tests and refused a breath test (which led to the revocation of his driver's license). In May, Barnaby was accused of causing an estimated $300 in damage after kicking a garage door in an attempt to enter the suburban Buffalo home where his estranged wife and two children live, Erie County District Attorney Frank Sedita's office said. He pleaded not guilty to five charges and was ordered to complete 500 hours of community service to have charges dropped. As part of the ruling, Barnaby also was issued a one-year order of protection from his wife. He was barred from taking what was described as any "offensive" action against his wife, and also was ordered to avoid contact with his wife's boyfriend, the DA's office said. Barnaby also was ordered to continue attending anger management counseling.


TV NEWS
Ice Cube is looking to catch some bad dudes on FX. The actor-rapper is in the early stages of developing a drama called Eye for an Eye, about a paramedic who wants to avenge victims of violent crimes. FX ordered a script from Ice Cube, who will star and executive produce the project with Prospect Park. If ordered to series, Eye for an Eye would mark Ice Cube’s first starring role on TV. Ice Cube also serves as an executive producer on the TBS sitcom Are We There Yet? that is based on his 2005 movie of the same name.


Once Upon a Time has found Belle’s burly suitor, Gaston. Psych vet Sage Brocklebank will portray the infamous Beauty and the Beast baddie on ABC’s fantastical freshman drama.


Showtime has ordered a second season of Lisa Kudrow’s half-hour comedy Web Therapy. The upcoming run — which set to debut in 2012 — will be made up of at least 10 episodes and feature guest appearances by Conan O’Brien, Minnie Driver, Rosie O’Donnell, Molly Shannon, Selma Blair and Oscar winner Meryl Streep.


VH1′s Single Ladies has officially replaced the departing Stacey Dash with All My Children alumna Denise Vasi. Season 2 of the primetime soap is set to bow next summer.


CBS is revamping the names of two of its upcoming series: ¡Rob!, the Rob Schneider family comedy, will now be (less excitedly) known as Rob, and the midseason cop drama The 2-2 is now NYC 22.


True Blood star Ryan Kwanten is set to drunkenly woo Zooey Deschanel’s character on the Valentine’s Day-themed installment of Fox’s hit freshman comedy.  Oliver, a potential one-night stand whom Jess meets at a bar on the romance-centric holiday. Thing is, Jess’ new guy is as dull as his abs are defined.


Perfect casting alert! Dean Winters — who in recent years has shined as Dennis, the deadbeat ex of 30 Rock‘s Liz Lemon — will play Will Arnett’s über-competitive brother on NBC’s Up All Night.