Heavy D Dies at 44

Heavy D, the influential 1990s rapper best known for his single "Now That We Found Love," died Tuesday at the age of 44. Heavy D (real name Dwight Arrington Meyers) collapsed outside his Beverly Hills condo after he suffered difficulty breathing while returning from a morning shopping trip, according to police. Heavy D had just returned from shopping and walked up some stairs when he began having trouble breathing.  Adam Mills, a designer who was in the building and knew Heavy D, found him leaning against a railing and clearly in distress.  Adam tells us he cradled Heavy D in his lap as others called 911.  Adam says Heavy D was conscious and said to him, "I can't breathe, I can't breathe." When paramedics arrived, Meyers regained consciousness and was transported to Cedars Sinai Medical Center, where he later died. "There are no obvious signs of foul play, and at this time his death is believed to be medically related," police say in a statement. The case was referred to the Coroner's Office to determine an exact cause of death. Word of the rapper's death spread on Twitter after Grandmaster Flash Tweeted, "I was just told Heavy D passed away" on Tuesday afternoon. Heavy D, who was born in Jamaica, had performed at the Michael Jackson Tribute Concert in Wales on Oct. 8. He released an album in 2009, Reggage, which paid homage to his roots.

 
Brett Ratner steps down as Oscars producer amid controversy
Dogged by growing controversy over his use of an anti-gay slur after a screening of his movie Tower Heist and boorish comments he made about his sex life on The Howard Stern Show, Brett Ratner has stepped down as the producer of this year’s Oscars telecast. Yesterday, in an attempt to tamp down an explosion of bad press surrounding Ratner’s remark that “rehearsal is for fags,” Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences president Tom Sherak expressed support for Ratner, even as he criticized his comments as “inappropriate…dumb and insensitive,” saying that “we all make mistakes and I believe he didn’t mean it.” But the pressure to distance Ratner from the Academy and its most important event clearly became too great, and Ratner told Sherak this morning he would be stepping down.“He did the right thing for the Academy and for himself,” Sherak said in a statement. “Words have meaning, and they have consequences. Brett is a good person, but his comments were unacceptable. We all hope this will be an opportunity to raise awareness about the harm that is caused by reckless and insensitive remarks, regardless of the intent.” Exactly who might step in to replace Ratner (who was partnered with veteran TV producer Don Mischer) is still unclear, as is the question of whether Eddie Murphy will serve as the Oscars host as planned.  

NBA players reject owners' latest offer 

NBA players made it clear Tuesday: No deal. No fear of Commissioner David Stern's ultimatum, either. ''The current offer on the table from the NBA is one that we cannot accept,'' players' association president Derek Fisher said. Instead, the players said they will ask for another meeting with owners before Stern's Wednesday afternoon deadline - and sound willing to agree to a 50-50 split of revenues under the right circumstances - in an attempt to end the lockout and save the season. In an interview on NBA TV, Stern said that whether he agrees to meet ''would be guided by the labor relations committee.'' NBA spokesman Mike Bass said the league has not yet heard from Hunter. A month of the season has already been lost, and the NBA risks losing fans without an agreement soon. Players are willing to negotiate further on the revenue split if they get some concessions on the salary cap system. Without them, Fisher said ''we don't see a way of getting a deal done between now and end of business'' Wednesday. When asked if there's still wiggle room on system issues, Stern said that as of 3 a.m. Sunday there was none left. The players insisted they will not be forced into taking a bad deal by an ultimatum - though Stern refused to call it that.


Pitbull Files Countersuit Against Lindsay
Pitbull's legal war with Lindsay Lohan is getting straight up NASTY -- 'cause now, the rapper's filed new legal docs calling out LiLo for being a liar with a rap sheet longer than her movie credits. Pit just filed a response to Lindsay's "Give Me Everything" lawsuit -- in which she claims the hip hop star owes her money for using her name in the song ... when he rapped, "I got it locked up like Lindsay Lohan." Lohan filed the original suit in NY State Court, stating she was a resident of Nassau County -- but Pit is calling B.S., claiming she's been living in California since 2004 ... and "given her frequent legal troubles, Ms. Lohan possesses irrevocable ties to California that are likely to keep her there for the foreseeable future." Then, Pit spells out why she's full of crap ... noting every, single one of her legal problems in California ... including her multiple stints in the slammer ... the house arrest ... her problems at the Downtown Women's Center ... and all of the community service she's required to complete in the Golden State in the near future. Pit concludes, "Thus, in light of Ms. Lohan's continuing obligations to the State of California, as well as the foregoing facts, Ms. Lohan is a citizen of California, not New York." Pit wants the case transferred out of NY State court and into federal court -- where he thinks he'll have a better shot of taking Lohan down.
Kellan Lutz stepped out at the red carpet premiere of his newest film, "Immortals," with a new lady by his site. The gorgeous girl in white was none other than Sharni Vinson, a 28-year-old Australian actress best known in her homeland for a starring role on the long-running soap "Home and Away," but best known in the rest of the world for her starring role in the movie "Step Up 3D." You also might've seen Vinson pop up on shows like "Cold Case," "My Boys," "NCIS" and "CSI: NY." Vinson can also be seen in the upcoming horror film "You're Next."

Dylan Walsh welcomes baby daughter

Dylan Walsh is a proud papa again. The Unforgettable actor said that he welcomed a daughter, Amelie Belle, six weeks ago. “My best moment of 2011 would definitely be the birth of my daughter … on Sept. 25,” he told the magazine before adding, “Not a whole lot of sleep happening in my apartment.” Walsh has three other children, from two previous marriages.

Michael Lohan Charged
Michael Lohan has just been charged in connection with his 2 most recent arrests -- involving his ex Kate Major -- and now, faces up to 4 years behind bars. Lohan was arrested twice in 2 days 2 weeks ago -- first, for allegedly bruising Major up in her Florida apartment ... second, for allegedly violating a protective order a day later, by trying to contact Major over the phone. MiLo was charged today with 2 misdemeanors for the first arrest -- domestic violence and violation of a domestic injunction. And 2 for the second -- resisting arrest without violence (after allegedly trying to flee from police and falling into a tree) and violating a condition of pretrial release. If convicted on all charges, Michael faces a max of 4 years in jail.


TV NEWS
Rescuers flew a member of the cable TV series "Deadliest Catch" fishing crew to a remote clinic in Alaska after he collapsed and showed signs of shock and dehydration on board a fishing vessel in the Bering Sea. The agency didn't identify the 28-year-old man but said he's a crew member of the 150-foot Wizard, part of the hit Discovery Channel reality series that depicts the crab fishing industry in the dangerous waters off Alaska.


Jeffery Wright — a 2003 Emmy winner for Angels in America — will make a rare TV detour when he guest stars on the Fox drama in early 2012. What drew the acclaimed actor — who will next be seen in the Tom Hanks/Sandra Bullock film Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close — to the small screen? An episode of House that, on the surface at least, has all the markings of an instant classic. Not only is the script by Garrett Lerner, Russel Friend and David Foster juicy as hell — “Nobody’s Fault” casts Wright as a renowned neurosurgeon who is both Foreman’s mentor and the arbitrator of House’s fate — but the hour, will air in early 2012,



Helluva performance by Fox’s Terra Nova on Monday: The dino drama was up 24 percent in the adults 18-49 demo (2.6 rating/6 share) and 17 percent in total viewers (7.6 million). This is all good news for the freshman series, which has yet to learn whether it’ll be back for a second season.



Emilie de Ravin is bringing a whole lot of beauty to the already gorgeous Once Upon a Time. The Lost alumna has been cast on ABC’s fantastical freshman drama, playing the fairy tale world’s illustrious beast lover, Belle. Details surrounding the role are being kept hush-hush, but Belle will appear opposite her burly suitor Gaston, and the two are said to have ties to Robert Carlyle’s skeezy Rumplestiltskin. De Ravin’s Once debut is slated to air in early 2012.



Jennie Garth is set to star in and executive-produce a half-hour comedy pilot for ABC Family, titled Village People. The 90210 alumna will play a single, career-driven woman who adopts a baby from a teen mom, whom she ends up “adopting” as well.



Two and a Half Men is adding a new lady to the mix. Mimi Rogers is set to appear in multiple episodes of the CBS staple, playing the mother of Ashton Kutcher’s Walden Schmidt.


24 fan fave Carlos Bernard has nabbed a recurring gig on TNT’s upcoming Dallas reboot. Making his debut early in the season, Bernard will play a charming businessman from Venezuela who comes to town to sort out a deal with Larry Hagman’s J.R. Ewing.



Treat Williams has landed a guest spot on an upcoming episode of Law & Order: SVU. The NBC procedural has cast the Against the Wall actor as a former quarterback caught with an underage prostitute.



TNT’s Franklin & Bash is courting guest stars galore as it ramps up production on Season 2. Jane Seymour, a Golden Globe winner during her six-season shift as Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman will visit the legal dramedy as the freewheeling, indecisive Earth Mom of Mark Paul Gosselaar’s Peter Bash.


Hellcats alumna Ashely Tisdale will appear in the Valentine’s Day installment of Fox’s Raising Hope, playing Jimmy’s fake girlfriend.



Looks like The Closer is getting spun off without Corey Reynolds. The actor has turned down a spot on Major Crimes, the long-running TNT drama’s upcoming offshoot. In the meantime, Reynolds has signed a talent holding deal at NBC.



Wilmer Valderrama (That 70′s Show) will guest-star on an episode of ABC’s freshman comedy Suburgatory, playing a new age spiritual (and sexual!) guru.