Sean Kingston Stabilized After Jet Ski Accident

Hip-hop star Sean Kingston was operating a jet ski in Miami Beach early Sunday evening when the watercraft collided with the Palm Island Bridge. His condition has now been stabilized. "Sean was heading west from the MacArthur Causeway and Miami Beach Islands when his personal watercraft collided with the bridge, and he and his female passenger ended up in the water," Jorge Pino, spokesman for the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission, the lead investigative agency of the accident, said.  "A good Samaritan tended to the two of them until Miami Beach Fire Rescue arrived and saw there were injuries," added Pino. The rescue team's assessment was to transport the star and his female passenger to Jackson Ryder Trauma Center in Miami around 6 p.m. The singer's publicist, Joseph Carozza, issued the following: "Sean Kingston is now stabilized and has moved from the trauma unit to ICU. Sean's family thanks everyone for their prayers and support during this time." Pino said investigations into the cause of the accident are still underway, but "nothing indicates there was alcohol involved."

Pregnant Celebs

Tony Romo, Candice Crawford Wed in Dallas

An NFL lockout couldn't stop Tony Romo from scoring the ultimate touchdown this weekend – the Dallas Cowboys quarterback married Candice Crawford on Saturday evening at Arlington Hall in Dallas, his rep confirmed. "It was perfect! From the ceremony in beautiful white, to a vibrant after-party and great music selected by Tony himself," says a source, noting the packed dance floor. Reportedly, 600 guests attended. Cowboy players past and present, such as Troy Aikman, Roger Staubach, Dez Bryant and Miles Austi, as well as team owner Jerry Jones, were seen helping the couple celebrate their nuptials in the historic building tucked in the city's Oak Lawn neighborhood. Crawford is a pageant queen, KDAF-TV anchor and the younger sister of Gossip Girl's Chace Crawford.


Rapper Ja Rule Headed to Prison
In a few days, Ja Rule will go to prison to begin serving his two-year sentence for weapons charges. He's not worried about the things you'd expect a prison-bound man to be stressed about, though. Instead, he's scrambling to make sure that his latest record will be ready to release before he gets locked up. Ja Rule, who plead guilty to the felony weapons charge over 6 months ago, was granted an unusual amount of time before entering prison so that he could finish his album and resolve a federal tax problem.

Ana Ortiz Expecting Second Child

Ana Ortiz is thinking blue for baby number two! The former Ugly Betty star and husband Noah Lebenzon are expecting their second child. “We know it’s a boy! [We] are trying to come up with some names that we can agree on,” Ortiz, 40, shares. Having just signed on for a role on HBO’s Hung, the actress reveals her pregnancy won’t be written into the storyline. “They are shooting around it,” she reveals. “It’s been an interesting journey.”

Adrianne Curry and Christopher Knight Split

After five years of wedding bliss, Adrianne Curry and Christopher Knight have decided to end their marriage. The couple announced their split on the five-year anniversary of their wedding. In a statement released by the couple’s long-time friend and manager Phil Viardo – Christopher Knight and Adrianne Curry are calling it quits. “Actor Christopher Knight and his wife, model and television star Adrianne Curry have announced today on their five-year wedding anniversary that they are separating,” Viardo confirmed. After starting a relationship with what seemed to be irreconcilable differences, the couple has reached a period where those differences are no longer appreciated. The decision was mutually reached after it became clear to both that some perspective was needed in order to assess their unique union. Not unlike all marriages, work must be put in. “Obvious to both Knight and Curry was that their marriage would require more effort then a garden-variety relationship. They are taking time to see if they want to continue to put in that extraordinary effort. The couple has mutually determined that they are at a place where moving forward will require a step back. They still love one another but need some distance to consider their future. “Both Knight and Curry decided to release this joint announcement today in order to preempt any potential rumors and gossip and ask that their fans and the media respect their privacy during this delicate period.” Adrianne and Chris famously met as housemates on the hit VH1 television series, “The Surreal Life”. Their on-screen romance lead to the creation of their own spin-off series, “My Fair Brady”, which documented their relationship from courting to the engagement and finally to the televised wedding and their first year of marriage.

'Hangover' lingers with record $105.8M weekend

Hollywood has hustled up a hangover for the record books. "The Hangover Part II" set a new high for comedy debuts with $105.8 million over the long Memorial Day weekend. The blockbuster sequel also led Hollywood to a new revenue record of around $280 million for the holiday weekend. That surpassed the previous record of $254.6 million in 2007. Opening at No. 2 behind "The Hangover Part II" was another sequel, DreamWorks Animation's "Kung Fu Panda 2," with $62.2 million.


1. "The Hangover Part II," $105.8 million.
2. "Kung Fu Panda 2," $62.2 million.
3. "Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides," $50.4 million.
4. "Bridesmaids," $21 million.
5. "Thor," $12 million.
6. "Fast Five," $8.2 million.
7. "Midnight in Paris," $2.6 million.
8. "Rio," $2.4 million.
9. "Jumping the Broom," $2.35 million.
10. "Something Borrowed," $2.3 million.

 

J.Lo's home movies cleared for sale

Because of a judge's ruling Thursday, the girlfriend of Jennifer Lopez's former husband plans to begin shopping hours of videos of the "American Idol" judge from before she became a superstar, a producer involved with the project says. The ruling continues years of feuding over the tapes between Lopez and Ojani Noa, who was married to Lopez for 11 months beginning in 1997. A judge had ordered Noa and producer Ed Meyer not to release a movie about the relationship or Noa's 11 hours of home videos of Lopez. Noa met Lopez when he worked in a Miami restaurant and later managed her restaurant, Madre's, in Pasadena. Meyer says that the order preventing the release of the movie and videos doesn't apply to Noa's girlfriend, Claudia Vazquez, who formed a partnership with Meyer and Noa. A judge ruled Lopez can't try to prevent Vazquez from selling the footage, so she plans to begin shopping it around on Tuesday in hopes of marketing it as a box set for fans, Meyer said. Though the videos contain "a lot of nudity," Meyer said, the footage Vazquez hopes to sell is nonsexual and features Lopez singing and spending time with Noa's family. "It's the nicest collection of home videos that you can imagine," said Meyer, who estimates the videos could be sold for millions of dollars.



TV NEWS
HBO "Entourage" star Debi Mazar is heading to Charming, California for Season four of FX's gritty motorcycle drama, "Sons of Anarchy." Debi Mazar confirmed that she is doing a multi-episode arc as SAMCRO's federal parole officer agent. Mazar joins Danny Trejo, Rockmond Dunbar and Fernanda Andrade as guest stars to the mototcycle drama.


Transformers: Dark of the Moon actor LaMonica Garrett has joined Sons of Anarchy‘s fourth season as another new Charming cop. Prison Break‘s Rockmond Dunbar was set to play the FX drama’s new sheriff, Garrett has landed a multi-episode arc as Deputy Sheriff Cane, “also a no-nonsense type,” he reveals. As of now, Garrett has only worked opposite Dunbar, but he teases that there are some heated scenes with SAMCRO on the way.


Paget Brewster will continue on Criminal Minds next season, while new series regular Rachel Nichols has officially been let go. Meanwhile, co-star Thomas Gibson still doesn’t have a deal for next season, with negotiations ongoing.



Roseanne Barr is in talks to guest star on NBC’s new midseason sitcom, Are Your There, Vodka? It’s Me, Chelsea. Barr would play Chelsea Handler’s aunt.


Niecy Nash, the star of the cable series "Clean House," married Tucker, an electrical engineer, in an outdoor ceremony followed by a reception inside a tent at the Church Estate Vineyard in Malibu. A two-hour special will air on TLC June 4th.



Syfy’s buzzy new action series Alphas premieres July 11.


Looks like Snooki has already encountered drama in Italy – but it has nothing to do with booze or boys. The Jersey Shore star was taken to a police station to fill out an accident report on Monday after she was involved in a fender bender with a patrol car in Florence, Italian police confirmed. Deena Nicole Cortese and a member of the show's production team were also in the Fiat Multipla when Nicole "Snooki" Polizzi, who was driving, crashed into the back of a traffic patrol car, sandwiching her vehicle between the highway wall and the police cruiser. No one was in serious condition, although a male and female police officer were taken to the emergency room of the local Careggi hospital to be treated for whiplash, bruises and cuts.

Celeb Prom Photos

Settlement reached in Eddie Long case

Bishop Eddie Long, the Atlanta-based megachurch leader, has reached an out-of-court settlement with four young men who accused him of sexual coercion, representatives for both sides said Thursday. B.J. Bernstein, the attorney representing the men, said in a statement that the lawsuits against Long and his church have “been resolved.” They reportedly settled for $15 million dollars. Bernstein's two-paragraph statement said that neither she nor the accusers would talk about the lawsuits “now or in the future.” Art Franklin, a Long spokesman, said Thursday that the pastor settled because it “is the most reasonable road for everyone to travel.” “This decision was made to bring closure to this matter and to allow us to move forward with the plans God has for this ministry,” Franklin said in a statement. Long is an internationally known televangelist who crusaded against gay marriage, and the lawsuits against him drew national attention. The settlement comes eight months after Long, the senior pastor of New Birth Missionary Church in Lithonia, Georgia, said from the pulpit of his 25,000 member megachurch that he vowed to fight the accusations against him, with the congregation cheering in response. Long vowed to "vigorously" defend himself against the charges. "This thing I'm gonna fight," he said just days after the lawsuits surfaced. Long entered into mediation talks in February. According to news reports, the sessions between Long and his four accusers -Anthony Flagg,  Maurice Robinson, Jamal Parris and Spencer LeGrande - were tense. The suits accused Long of using his position to coerce the men into having sexual relationships with him while they were teenage members of his congregation. The lawsuits say Long engaged in intimate sexual acts with the young men, such as massages, masturbation and oral sex. Long took the young men on trips including to Kenya, according to the suits. He allegedly enticed the young men with gifts including cars, clothes, jewelry and electronic items. Long's attorneys deny those allegations and maintain that the pastor was attempting to be a father figure to the youths by providing them with financial assistance and encouragement.

Amy Winehouse Is Back in Rehab

The singer's rep confirmed that the 27-year-old singer checked into a rehab clinic on Wednesday as part of an ongoing battle with alcohol addiction. She "has embarked on a treatment program at the Priory Clinic. She wants to be ready for performances in Europe this summer and decided to seek an assessment. She will remain at the Priory on doctors' advice," the rep said in a statement. According to a source close to the singer, it was a move initiated by her father Mitch Winehouse. "Her dad sat her down and said 'I think you're drinking too much again.' So she agreed to go an assessment to stop it becoming a bigger problem." The singer downed a miniature bottle of Smirnoff vodka on her way to the clinic on Wednesday, "in typical Amy style," said the friend. Fortunately the singer, who has a series of summer gigs planned in Europe kicking off June 18, took heed to her father's words and checked herself into the clinic. "She's determined, and this is all off her own back," said the source. "It's just a lapse. There are ups and downs on the road, and there have been mostly ups recently. But this is a down and she's done the right thing and gone to rehab."

Arnold’s Other Mistress Speaks

Gigi Goyette, a former child actress who appeared on Little House on the Prairie, claims that she had an affair with Arnold Schwarzenegger while he was married to Maria Shriver. In an interview, she apologizes to Shriver.  Gigi said, “I am very sorry for the mistakes I made in the past and for being intimate with your husband, and I would hope that you would forgive me for that.” Schwarzenegger’s attorney Marty Singer fired back, saying: “This woman recently sold at least four stories to the tabloids relating to my client. She’s just a person who wants to make money selling stories. Her actions speak for themselves.” Goyette’s lawyer, Glorid Allred, says the reason her client is coming forward now “is to set the record straight about the nature of her relationship with Arnold.”  According to Allred, Goyette’s relationship with Schwarzenegger began when the actress was 17 years old and continued, on and off, until 2000 or 2001.

Lady Gaga’s “Born This Way” Expected To Sell Over 800,000 Copies In First Week

Lady Gaga’s Born This Way is expected to sell between 800,000 and 850,000 copies in its first week according to early estimates. The sales week runs through Sunday, and the official number won’t be announced until next Wednesday.  But the numbers could be better than that.  Some people say it’s possible that it could hit the one million mark, which would make it only the third album in the past three years to pull that off.  The other two were Taylor Swift’s “Speak Now,” which did it in October of last year and Lil Wayne’s “Tha Carter 3,” which did it in June of 2008.



Sarah Palin 'furious' at Bristol's new Disney Show star boyfriend
Mounting evidence that Sarah Palin may have bought a $1.7million home in Arizona has sparked speculation she will run for president next year. But it seems the real reason for the move could be more personal - to keep tabs on her daughter, Bristol. The Tea Party politician is reportedly furious at the 20-year-old's new relationship with Disney's Kyle Massey, who she met on Dancing with the Stars last year. Bristol and Kyle are soon to appear in a new reality show for the BIO Channel, which will follow them as they set up a charity alongside Kyle's elder brother, Chris. The couple's growing relationship sparked the idea for the show - and Mrs Palin isn't happy about it.

Coalition battles Grammys over category cuts

A coalition of musicians is demanding the Recording Academy restore more than 30 categories cut from the Grammy Awards, alleging the reductions unfairly target ethnic music and were done without the input of its thousands of members. A protest was held Thursday in Beverly Hills, Calif., at an academy board meeting. A modest turnout of musicians hoisted signs above their heads with such slogans as "Grammys Honor All Music" and "It's Not Just About Rap, Rock or Country." Some Latin jazz protesters brought instruments and turned the rally into a spontaneous jam session. It was part of a campaign by those upset by last month's decision to reduce the Grammy fields, which this year totaled 109, to 78.  In a letter delivered to the Recording Academy Thursday afternoon, musicians ranging from Carlos Santana to Paul Simon and Herbie Hancock demanded the reinstatement of the categories. "We will not be disenfranchised," the letter warned.
Grammy President and CEO Neil Portnow said changes would be in effect for the 2012 Grammys. He urged dissenters to work with the academy, which would examine the effect of the changes for the 2013 awards.  Santana and his musician wife, Cindy Blackman Santana, wrote their own letter to the academy, saying: "To remove Latin Jazz and many other ethnic categories is doing a huge disservice to the brilliant musicians who keep the music vibrant for their fans — new and old. ... We strongly protest this decision and we ask you to represent all of the colors of the rainbow when it comes to music and give ethnic music a place in the heart of music lovers everywhere." Sanabria, who is working with musicians including Eddie Palmieri and Arturo O'Farrill, said ethnic music was unfairly targeted, and called it a "subtle form of racism."

Silverchair Break Up

Silverchair have announced they are calling it quits, at least for the foreseeable future. In a lengthy statement posted on their Facebook page this morning, the veteran Australian three-piece said that "after much soul-searching … [we're] putting Silverchair into 'indefinite hibernation'." "Back in 2009 we went into the studio to start work on a record," the statement reads. "Initially things were going well and as a result we did some shows in 2010 to maintain creative momentum. However, over the months that followed in the studio it became clear to us that we were moving in different directions. Despite our best efforts over the last year or so, it's become increasingly clear that the spark simply isn't there between the three of us at the moment." Silverchair, which includes singer/guitarist Daniel Johns, bassist Chris Joannou and drummer Ben Gillies, released their last album, Young Modern, in 2007. In their statement, the band said the parting is amicable, and that they remain friends. "The three of us still truly care about each other," the statement goes on to say. "At the moment Ben's busy in the studio recording his own music, Chris is working on various business, musical and charitable ventures while Daniel is creating a film soundtrack and working on other musical projects. We hope you'll continue to take an interest in our individual work over the years ahead."



Nighy, Beckinsale, Biel Join Total Recall
Bill Nighy, Kate Beckinsale, and Jessica Biel are all confirmed to be joining the cast of Columbia Pictures’ Total Recall remake. They will be joining Colin Farrell and Bryan Cranston in the remake, directed by Len Wiseman

'The Lion King' to return to theaters in 3-D

Disney's "The Lion King" will be back in movie theaters on Sept. 16 -- this time in 3-D -- the studio announced.  By converting and re-releasing the movie, Disney joins a trend. Earlier this week, Paramount, 20th Century Fox and Lightstorm Entertainment announced they are converting the 1997 masterpiece "Titanic" and will have it in movie theaters on April 6, 2012. "The Lion King" was first released in 1994. It grossed more money -- $783.8 million -- than any other hand-drawn animated movie.


TV NEWS
Oprah doesn’t do mediocre — and neither do her ratings. The Queen of Daytime took her final bow on Wednesday, raking in her largest at-home audience in 17 years. The Oprah Winfrey Show‘s series finale posted a 13.3 household rating, the talker’s highest number since a February 1994 installment titled “People Shed Their Disguises.”


Mad Men‘s Jon Hamm just got the kind of promotion that I dare say would impress even Don Draper: The actor will step behind the camera to direct the Emmy winning drama’s fifth season premiere. “The wheels have officially been set in motion to make that happen,” Hamm tells says. “It’s a very exciting challenge that I’m looking forward to with a mixture of utter fear and excitement.”



Frances Conroy (Six Feet Under) and Alexandra Breckenridge (Life Unexpected) have joined the cast of Ryan Murphy’s buzzy FX pilot, American Horror Story, as — get this — the same character. The actresses will play a housekeeper, albeit at different stages in her life, who haunts the residence at the cold, black heart of the drama.



Remember when Entourage creator Doug Ellin announced plans to get Charlie Sheen on the HBO comedy’s final season? Well, it’s a done deal — meaning he’s done trying to secure a deal for the embattled star. “I never heard back. Looks like it will not be happening,” Ellin said.

CNBC Anchor Mark Haines Dies at 65
Longtime CNBC anchor Mark Haines passed away unexpectedly Tuesday night. The cause of his death was not revealed. Haines was 65. CNBC anchor Carl Quintanilla read a statement announcing his colleague's passing on the air Wednesday morning shortly before 10 a.m. ET.  "It is with deep regret and a heavy heart that I let you know that Mark Haines passed away last night in his home," Hoffman said in an email to staffers. "I know all of you join me in sending our heartfelt condolences to Mark's wife, Cindy, his son, Matt, and his daughter, Meredith." Hoffman added: "With his searing wit, profound insight and piercing interview style, he was a constant and trusted presence in business news for more than 20 years. From the dotcom bubble, to the tragic events of 9/11, to the depths of the financial crisis, Mark was always the unflappable pro. Mark loved CNBC and we loved him back. He will be deeply missed." Haines was the founding anchor of CNBC's morning flagship program Squawk Box and also co-anchored the network's spinoff Squawk on the Street with Erin Burnett, until she departed the network earlier this month. 
 Singer Keyshia Cole wed longtime love, NBA star Daniel "Boobie" Gibson over the weekend, they revealed via Twitter. "It's OFFICIAL!" Cleveland Cavaliers player Gibson wrote, sharing numerous wedding pics from the special day. "Mr. and Mrs. Gibson. We appreciate all the well wishes." A rep for Cole, 29, confirmed the couple's engagement in January 2010. They welcomed their first child, Daniel Hiram Gibson Jr., two months later.

John Edwards May Face Indictment

John Edwards soon may be charged with breaking campaign finance laws by using political funds to cover up his affair and out-of-wedlock child with Rielle Hunter during his 2008 presidential run.  "We've learned that the government is pressing ahead to prosecute, and this phase of the case is swiftly coming to a conclusion," a source said. "We've learned that the government is pressing ahead to prosecute, and this phase of the case is swiftly coming to a conclusion," a source said. Investigators believe that money from outside political groups and Edwards's donors was paid to Hunter and onetime aide Andrew Young to keep the affair and love child a secret. An attorney for Edwards, Gregory Craig, confirmed the government is preparing a criminal case. "John Edwards has done wrong in his life – and he knows it better than anyone – but he did not break the law," says Craig. "The Justice Department has wasted millions of dollars and thousands of hours on a matter more appropriately a topic for the Federal Election Commission to consider, not a criminal court." A source close to Edwards says he has, in recent weeks, appeared despondent over the case and isolated himself at the family's sprawling Chapel Hill, N.C., home, where he is sole parent to his two young children, Emma Claire, 13, and Jack, 11.


Bill Nighy to Star Opposite Colin Farrell in 'Total Recall' Remake

The film, which starts shooting in June in Toronto and will be directed by Len Wiseman, also stars Bryan Cranston as the villain, and Kate Beckinsale and Jessica Biel as the female leads. Ethan Hawke is on board for a cameo. The movie ditches the Martian storyline from the original pic and instead involves nation states Euromerica and New Shanghai. Farrell plays Douglas Quaid, a factory worker in the latter who begins to believe he is a spy — although he doesn't know for which side. Nighy will play Quatto, the leader of the resistance. (In the 1990 movie, the character, called Kuato, was played by Marshall Bell with the conceit that the leader was actually a small mutant living off the human.)

 Kris Humphries proposed to Kim Kardashian with a custom-designed 20.5 carat Lorraine Schwartz diamond ring. That’s twice the size of Khloe’s! "I just knew I wanted it to be big," says Humphries. "I didn't expect this at all," Kardashian says of the romantic, surprise proposal. "I was in such shock. I never thought it would happen at home, and I never thought now." The couple have been dating six months.

 

TV NEWS
The people have spoken. Scotty McCreery is your new American Idol.


Oprah Winfrey's OWN network stopped programming from 4pm-5pm when her final show aired in the East coast.  A message appeared on the screen directing viewers to the finale.  The cable channel is also planning six days of special Oprah-themed programming May 25th-May 30th every night at 8pm and from 11a-6p Memorial Day Weekend. Winfrey's hiatus from the small screen will be brief as she is slated to launch her new nighttime show, Oprah's Next Chapter, on OWN in January 2012.


There’s some drama going down at Simon Cowell’s new show X-Factor. Cheryl Cole was named a judge for X-Factor a few weeks back, but it looks like she’s off the show. Nicole Scherzinger will now replace Cheryl and Steve Jones will host the show solo.


The Beek is back — and channeling his inner-Sean Parker with a Law & Order: CI guest spot. Before returning to TV full-time with the midseason ABC comedy Apartment 23, James Van Der Beek will pop up on a Social Network-flavored installment of the USA Network procedural. The actor is set to play Rex Tamlyn, an overconfident, hard-partying playboy and partner in a Facebook-Like website devoted to “connecting people who share fleeting romantic encounters.” The pulled-from-the-headlines aspect of the episode involves a lawsuit surrounding a stolen idea. The not-so-true-to-life part: Two dead bodies turn up in the company’s office.


Sons of Anarchy, will welcome former Prison Break star Rockmond Dunbar as Charming’s new no-nonsense sheriff. Dunbar‘s multi-episode arc on the FX hit’s fourth season puts the new law enforcer at odds with SAMCRO, whose days of having the law in their hands has long passed. The actor most recently played a cop on FX’s short-lived Terriers.


VH1 is reviving its cult hit Pop Up Video after a near 10-year hiatus. Sixty half-hour episodes have been ordered of the music video-mocking series, set to bow this fall.


The Finder is on the prowl for a new female lead. Sources close to the Bones spinoff confirm that Saffron Burrows is leaving the show and her role is being recast. The ex-Law & Order: Criminal Intent detective played a cocky bar owner and helicopter pilot opposite star Geoff Stults. An insider says the role is being reimagined. Last week, Fox announced that The Finder would inherit Bones‘ Thursday timeslot in January when the latter show goes on hiatus to accommodate Emily Deschanel’s maternity leave.


History Channel has greenlit The Hatfields and McCoys, a miniseries about the infamous feuding families. The epic event, starring and produced by Kevin Costner, will make its debut in 2012, coinciding with the 150th anniversary of the war between the two households.


Showtime’s Dexter is also adding some new blood to the gang in Season 6, casting Billy Brown (aka Light’s Out‘s Death Row Reynolds) as Miami Metro’s new feather-ruffling detective.


Ronnie and "The Situation" got into a major fist fight with each other Monday night in Italy and it looks like the sitch got his butt kicked. Situation has red marks covering his face around his left eye and Ronnie's knuckles were torn up and bleeding. Supposedly, the fight originally started as a fight between Ronnie and Sami.

‘Oprah Winfrey Show’ Final Guest Revealed
The secret has been revealed. The final guest on the very last “Oprah Winfrey Show” is… No one. According to sources at the taping in Chicago, Ill, it was neither a celebrity nor a newsmaker who graced the stage alongside the exiting talk show host as she wrapped up her run as daytime’s reigning talk show queen after 25 years. Instead, the show, which airs on Wednesday, May 25, features just Oprah sharing her life lessons and revisiting clips from her quarter-century on the air as “The Oprah Winfrey Show” host. “This is my love letter to you,” Oprah reportedly said. While the talk show host’s eyes were moistened with tears at times during the taping, she never lost her composure, like she did last week as the “Surprise Oprah! A Farewell Spectacular” episodes were filmed, ending up in what she called the “ugly cry.” Although no one joined Oprah as a guest, several celebrity friends were in the audience sources said, including Maria Shriver, Suze Orman, Tyler Perry, trainer Bob Greene, best friend Gayle King and longtime partner Stedman Graham. Also in attendance was one of Oprah’s biggest influences – her fourth grade teacher, Mrs. Mary Duncan — whom she has long credited for helping a young Oprah realize her potential. “It was in her class that I really came into myself. After all these years, I could say thank you to a woman who had a powerful impact on my early life,” Oprah previously said.

'Hangover 2' can be released with Tyson tattoo, judge says

A St. Louis judge has ruled that "The Hangover: Part II" can be released as planned despite a tattoo artist's lawsuit over the inclusion of a Mike Tyson-style tattoo on the face of Ed Helms' character. "We are very gratified by the Court's decision which will allow the highly anticipated film, 'The Hangover Part II' to be released on schedule this week around the world. Plaintiff's failed attempt to enjoin the film in order to try and extract a massive settlement payment from Warner Bros. was highly inappropriate and unwarranted," Warner Bros. said in a statement. S. Victor Whitmill, a tattoo artist who designed the Maori-inspired tattoo and claims it is copyrighted, sued in Federal District Court in St. Louis to ask the judge to stop Warner Bros. from featuring the tattoo in its advertising or in the movie, which would prevent the film from being released. He also sought damages for "reckless copyright infringement."

Tim McGraw files countersuit against record label
Tim McGraw has filed a countersuit against Curb Record in response to the breach of contract suit Curb filed May 13 relating to McGraw's "Emotional Traffic" album. McGraw's counter breach suit seeks advance payment and recording-fund reimbursement, unspecified damages, and a jury trial. The suit also asks that "Traffic" be deemed McGraw's last album due the label and for McGraw to be "free to begin recording for himself or any other party as of July 23, 2011." Curb alleged in the May 13 complaint that McGraw's "Traffic" tracks were recorded too early prior to its delivery "in a transparent tactic to attempt to fulfill his contractual recording commitment to Curb prematurely in breach of the recording agreement." Curb's position in the suit is that McGraw's recordings should be "topical and new" and that the artist had agreed that each new album be recorded "no earlier than 12 months and no later than 18 months" following the delivery of the previous album. The suit alleges McGraw began recording "Emotional Traffic" tracks "in 2008 or before," prior to the allowable period under contract, according to Curb.

Oscar voting to be done online

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is planning to change its voting system to allow members to make their picks electronically, rather than through mailed, paper ballots the way they have for years. The approximately 6,000 members of the Academy received a letter recently, asking that they provide updated email addresses. No exact timetable for the shift is in place, but this is the first step, Academy spokeswoman Leslie Unger said. The change, which The New York Times first reported, could result in an earlier Oscar ceremony. The show usually takes place in late February.



Lenny Kravitz signs on for key "Hunger Games" role
Lenny Kravitz has joined the cast of "The Hunger Games" in a role that fans of Suzanne Collins' best-selling trilogy have been anxious to see filled. The actor-musician will play Cinna, the fashion stylist assigned to Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence) as she prepares to take part in the Hunger Games. His stunning and unique designs play an integral role in her performance in the Games. "When I saw Lenny's work in "Precious," I was just knocked out," director Gary Ross said. "It was quiet and strong and understated and open-hearted: all qualities which define this character." Josh Hutcherson and Liam Hemsworth also star in the movie, which Lionsgate is set to release March 23. Kravitz was nominated for an NAACP Image Award and an ensemble SAG Award for his role in "Precious." He also has appeared in "The Diving Bell and the Butterfly" and "Zoolander." He is set to release his ninth studio album, "Black and White America," on August 30.

'Spider-Man' film crew trapped on New York City rooftop

Crewmembers working on the upcoming "Spider-Man" film were left trapped above New York when a crane broke down. Three production workers were setting up a camera platform on a rooftop in Manhattan to film shots for the next installment in the superhero franchise, "The Amazing Spider-Man," starring Andrew Garfield as the webslinger. The crane used to hoist the crew to the top of the building broke down, leaving the workers stranded six stories above the city streets. Emergency services were called and firefighters performed a rescue with a cherry picker to get the men down.



Chris Meloni Exits Law & Order: SVU
Chris Meloni will not be reporting back for duty when Law & Order: Special Victims Unit launches its 13th season this fall. Protracted talks between the actor — who has played Detective Stabler since the NBC crime drama’s 1999 debut — and studio NBC Universal broke down on Tuesday, says a source. Franchise creator Dick Wolf is said to already be searching for a big name to bring in opposite the series’ female lead, Mariska Hargitay. Hargitay’s own deal to return for Season 13 remains unaffected. Just last week, new NBC boss Robert Greenblatt said he felt the network was in “pretty great shape” as far as Meloni’s prospective deal goes, though he did allow for the possibility of SVU one day moving forward minus its two original leads. In fact, there was very recently talk that Jennifer Love Hewitt (Ghost Whisperer) might join the series midway through the coming season to replace Hargitay. “Jennifer Love is somebody we’ve been circling,” Greenblatt told us, “but I don’t know that that is going to happen at all.”


TV NEWS
Hines Ward can add a disco-ball trophy to his Super Bowl shelf. The Steelers wide receiver and former Super Bowl MVP won the "Dancing With the Stars" title Tuesday, besting actresses Kirstie Alley and Chelsea Kane to become the season 12 champ. The champion was chosen by viewer votes combined with judges' scores. Ward and professional partner Kym Johnson came into the season finale tied for first place with Kane. The couple added another 30 points to their total Tuesday. The 35-year-old Ward is the second professional football player to win the "Dancing" crown. Emmitt Smith won in 2006.



Lauren Alaina, one of the two American Idol finalists, lost her voice hours before the show. Show insiders say that during rehearsal this afternoon, Lauren was supposed to sing three songs. She’s apparently been losing her voice, and while she got through the first song, she struggled with the second and flat out couldn’t perform the third.


Battlestar Galactica vet Edward James Olmos has booked a major role on the upcoming sixth season of Dexter, a Showtime rep confirmed. Olmos will play a brilliant and charismatic professor of religious studies. The actor joins recently announced Season 6 guest stars Colin Hanks and Mos.


Nancy Grace is departing the syndicated legal show Swift Justice after one season. Las Vegas Judge Jackie Glass, who presided over the case that sent O.J. Simpson to jail for his role in an armed robbery at a Las Vegas hotel in 2008, will replace her as host for Season 2. Grace said she's leaving the show partly due to the fact that production is relocating from Atlanta to Los Angeles and also to spend more time with her family.



Tennis star Anna Kournikova will take a swing at getting contestants into shape on The Biggest Loser next season. With Jillian Michaels set to leave NBC's hit weight loss show, Kournikova has been confirmed as the new trainer for season 12. The decision to go in a new direction with the show's trainer is part of an overall reboot. "We intentionally tried to not replace Jillian," executive producer Todd Lubin tells the publication. Next season the show will be "getting slightly away from just the tape measure, and getting into overall well being and health," says Lubin. "That's where Loser needs to go."



HBO has picked up On Freddie Roach, a six-episode docu-series about the famed boxing trainer. The Peter Berg-produced project is slated for an early 2012 bow.


Emily Maynard returned the engagement ring Brad Womack gave her when he proposed in the season finale back in November. A show insider says, “It’s completely over now.” In a joint statement last month, the couple said, "It has been a bumpy couple of months for us. Our priority right now is to focus on our relationship."

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TV Actress Phyllis Avery Dies at 88

Phyllis Avery, who played the wife of Ray Milland in 75 episodes of the 1953-55 CBS comedy Meet Mr. McNulty, died of heart failure at her home in Los Angeles. She was 88. In McNutley (later called The Ray Milland Show), Milland played a professor at a college for girls, with Avery as his wife, Peggy. During her 50-year career, the petite blonde also co-starred in the 1960-62 CBS soap opera The Clear Horizon and on such shows as Peter Gunn, Have Gun -- Will Travel, The Rifleman, The Millionaire, Rawhide and Perry Mason. Survivors include daughters Avery and Anne and granddaughter Martine.


Barbara Stuart Dies
Actress Barbara Stuart, who appeared in dozens of television series and movies, including "Bachelor Party," "Airplane!" and the legal drama "L.A. Law," has died. She was 81. Her first TV series was "I Led 3 Lives" in 1954. Since then, Stuart appeared on "The George Burns Show," "The Twilight Zone" and "Starsky and Hutch," among many others. She played Tom Hanks' future mother-in-law in "Bachelor Party" in 1984.
She was born Barbara Ann McNeese on Jan. 3, 1930, in Paris, Ill. Stuart is survived by her brother, Richard, and three stepchildren.


Estella Warren Arrested for DUI, Assault, Escape
Actress/model Estella Warren is in jail right now, after allegedly slamming into three cars, kicking a cop and escaping from the police station ... law enforcement. The crazy incident occurred Monday night just before midnight.  Cops say Warren was driving in L.A. when she struck 3 parked cars in her Toyota Prius. Warren drove away but cops spotted her and placed her under arrest for driving under the influence, though not before she resisted and kicked an officer. Warren was taken to the police station in handcuffs, and during the booking process she managed to get out of her handcuffs and then run out the back door!  Warren was quickly recaptured. Warren is being booked for felony escape.  We're told she will also be booked for assault, hit and run and DUI. Warren's bail was set at $100,000.


KISS Drummer Arrested
Former KISS guitarist, Vincent Cusano, (Vinnie Vincent), allegedly smacked his wife in the face and dragged her through a pile of broken glass Sunday night. His wife, Diane, arrived at the Sheriff's Office "covered in blood" saying that she had just escaped their home after the couple got into a fight about another woman her husband was talking to. Diane told police the 58-year-old Vincent threw her on the ground four times, but she eventually escaped and drove herself to the station. Cops dispatched officers to the home where they found "four sealed containers containing deceased dogs." Diane told the cops the dogs had been "killed by one of their aggressive dogs." Vincent was eventually arrested and booked for aggravated domestic assault.  Alcohol is thought to have played a part in the incident.


David Schwimmer and Zoe Buckman welcome daughter
Schwimmer's wife, British photographer Zoe Buckman, who he quietly married in 2010 amidst little media fanfare, gave birth to their daughter Cleo Buckman-Schwimmer on May 8 in New York. He's currently working on the third "Madagascar" film, in which he voices Melman.

Harold Camping's new judgment day prediction: Oct. 21 the world will end

Harold Camping isn't bothered by the fact that he miscalculated Judgment Day. The radio evangelist had predicted that the "saved" would be "taken up" on May 21, 2011 -- this past Saturday -- and that the world would be rocked by a global earthquake. "If people want me to apologize, I will apologize," said Camping Monday (May 23) on his Family Radio show, two days after the supposed event. "I did not have all that worked out as accurately as I should have had it. That doesn't bother me at all." But, calling the event an "invisible judgment," Camping said he believes his prediction was correct and that something did happen, but that something was "spiritual," not "physical." He also made a new prediction because, gosh darn it, he believes the end of the world is still coming -- just five months later than his original prediction. Mark your calendars: Camping's updated date for Armageddon is Oct. 21, 2011. And, despite his earlier projections, it won't be an uncomfortable five months for us. The end, he said, will come quietly. When asked by a reporter if he would give up all his worldly possessions on that day, Camping replied, "What would be the value of that? If it's Judgment Day, it's the end of the world." What about people who -- believing his prediction -- depleted their life savings to promote his message? Camping said the country experienced a recession and that "lots of people lost their homes and jobs." "People cope," he added, also saying that people gave out of a "desire to propagate the gospel and that he will not be returning the money.
 In their first royal duty since their wedding on April 29, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge met briefly with President Barack and First Lady Michelle Obama at Buckingham Palace on Tuesday, right before William's grandmother, Queen Elizabeth, hosted a special lunch for the American visitors. Lasting between 15 and 20 minutes in the 1844 room in Buckingham Palace and described as "relaxed," the meeting was held so they could trade talk of William and Kate's upcoming tour of the U.S. – they will visit California in July – and, it is believed, they chatted about the couple's wedding.


Sofia Coppola to marry in southern Italy
US film director Sofia Coppola will marry French rock singer Thomas Mars in August in her family's ancestral town of Bernalda in southern Italy. The wedding will take place in Palazzo Margherita, the 19th-century villa that Coppola's legendary filmmaker father Francis Ford Coppola restructured in the town. Coppola was previously married to director Spike Jonze, whom she divorced in 2003, four years after their wedding. She and Mars, the lead singer in the French rock band Phoenix, have two children and live in Paris.
Hollywood heavyweights Steven Spielberg, Al Pacino, Sylvester Stallone and Nicholas Cage are all expected to attend the wedding, the report said. The 40-year-old director is a winner of the Golden Lion in Venice for her film "Somewhere" and is perhaps best known for her 2003 work "Lost in Translation" starring Bill Murray which was nominated for four Oscars.


Joakim Noah Fined
The NBA has fined Chicago Bulls center, Joakim Noah, $50,000 for targeting a fan with a homophobic slur during Sunday night's playoff game against the Miami Heat. The fine is exactly HALF the amount the league fined Kobe Bryant when he hurled the same word at a referee during a game earlier in the season.


Gwyneth Paltrow Record Deal Falls Apart
Gwyneth Paltrow's talks for a record deal with Atlantic Records have reportedly fallen apart.   There was a rumor that Paltrow wanted $1 million to sign, but that is a ridiculous figure. Paltrow's rep says that Atlantic was not the only company pursuing her, and she still has not decided if she even wants to record an album.

Two people taken to hospital after explosion on 'Hobbit' set

Two crew members working on "The Hobbit" have been taken to hospital after an explosion at the New Zealand studio where the movie is filming. Emergency services were called to the Stone St. Studios in Miramar on Tuesday morning after a blast in one of the workshops where technicians were working on a statue prop. Two men suffered minor burns and were transported by ambulance to a local hospital for treatment. "The Hobbit" unit publicist Ceris Price tells the New Zealand Herald, "A couple of the guys... [were left with] mild burns but nothing serious ... One of them had some burnt nostril hairs and, apparently if that's the case, there is always the risk of inhalation so they get checked out."

TV NEWS
Bette Midler has been cast opposite Al Pacino in HBO’s upcoming Phil Spector biopic. “The Divine Miss M” will play Linda Kenney Baden, the music producer’s defense attorney during his first murder trial. Arrested Development‘s Jeffrey Tambor has also joined the flick as another of Spector’s defense attorneys.


As a kid in the 1960s, reality TV king Mark Burnett was thrilled by the special-effects miracle of a sundered Red Sea in "The Ten Commandments." "How cool was that?" said the producer of "Survivor" and "The Apprentice," who watched Cecil B. DeMille's 1956 film when it aired on television. Now it's Burnett's turn to wow a small-screen audience with epic Scripture stories: He and his wife, actress Roma Downey, are producing the 10-part docudrama "The Bible" for the History channel. It's set to air in 2013, History channel President Nancy Dubuc said Tuesday. The series will combine live action with computer-generated imagery to retell stories ranging from Noah and the Ark to Exodus to the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus. Shooting is planned for the Middle East and elsewhere. Burnett said he and Downey (who starred in a different look at faith, the fantasy series "Touched by an Angel") have been working on the project for two years. Both grew up with Scriptures, he in England and she in Northern Ireland, but aren't on a mission, Burnett said.



U2 members Bono and the Edge will perform on the American Idol season 10 finale on Wednesday. They will appear with cast members of the Broadway musical "Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark". Bono and the Edge are the show's composers. 


Lethal Weapon badass Danny Glover is set to guest star in an episode of USA Network’s Psych this fall.. Glover plays a minor league baseball coach who calls upon the expertise of James Roday’s Shawn when their hitting instructor, um, drops dead. As TVLine first reported, the actor will also appear on TNT’s Leverage this summer.


Showtime’s primetime lineup is losing some of its personality: The pay cabler has canceled United States of Tara. A Showtime rep confirms the Emmy winning dramedy’s current third season — set to conclude on June 20 — will be its last. On the bright side, the cable net has renewed Edie Falco’s Nurse Jackie for a fourth season.


LisaRaye says the argument between her and Stacey Dash on the set of their new show Single Ladies did not get physical and they have made up and the show will continue. Single Ladies the movie will air Monday at 9p and the series will begin Monday June 6th.


Nickelodeon has picked up How to Rock Braces and Glasses, a live-action musical comedy starring 14-year-old multi-hyphenate — and daughter of hip hop star, Master P — Cymphonique Miller. Rock is slated to premiere in 2012.

Jordan Ward, one of the original teen moms on MTV's "16 and Pregnant" revealed Monday that she is pregnant again...expecting a baby sister for 17-month-old Noah.  Her husband, Brian, is reportedly headed to the Air Force in a month to work as a linguist.  She posted the news on her Facebook wall and says she doesn't care what anyone thinks, she is married, pays her bills and can handle two kids.