Junior Seau, Former NFL Star, Dies in Apparent Suicide

Former NFL linebacker Junior Seau was found dead inside his Oceanside, Calif., home on Wednesday after police responded to a call about a gunshot. Seau, 43, died of a "self-inflicted gunshot wound to the chest," San Diego Chargers Chaplain Shawn Mitchell said. Seau – full name: Tiaina Baul Seau, Jr. – was an Oceanside high school football phenom and a 1990 first-round draft pick out of USC. He played for the nearby San Diego Chargers until he signed with the Miami Dolphins before the 2003 season. He spent portions of the last four seasons with the New England Patriots before retiring in January. Two years ago, he was arrested on a domestic violence charge – the victim was described as a girlfriend – only hours before he drove his white Cadillac SUV off a cliff in nearby Carlsbad. No alcohol or drugs were involved in the car accident, police said, and the linebacker's ex-wife, Gina Seau, and their four children saw him in the hospital. The charges were dropped. In addition to his football career, Seau owned two Southern California restaurants named Seau's and ran a nonprofit organization that bore his name and donated nearly $4 million for services and scholarships to children and young adults.
  When J.R. Martinez brought home the season 13 mirror ball trophy on Dancing with the Stars last November, he was a proud man. But nothing beats the feeling Martinez had when he and girlfriend Diana Gonzalez-Jones welcomed daughter Lauryn Anabelle Martinez on Wednesday evening, May 2 in Los Angeles; who weighed in at 7 lbs., 13 oz. and is 21 inches long. The Iraq war veteran and Gonzalez-Jones met when he landed a role on All My Children in 2008, and announced in December that they were expecting their first child.

Designer Louboutin hits back in red sole lawsuit

Renowned French shoe designer Christian Louboutin has defended his court battle to protect his famous red stiletto soles. Louboutin, who is suing fellow French fashion house Yves Saint Laurent for trademark infringement in a U.S. court, argues that he is not trying to monopolize the color red. The designer said he is defending his ownership to "a specific color in a specific place" of a shoe. In an interview Louboutin called YSL's parent company PPR hypocritical because one of its brands, Gucci, also claims ownership of a specific color combination — red and green stripes — in its logo. Louboutin was in London to open a major retrospective exhibition at the Design Museum to mark the 20th anniversary of the brand.

 There’s another baby on the way for Anansa Sims! The plus-size model, 33, and her husband, David Patterson — who are already parents to 9-month-old daughter Ava. Someone else who’s just as thrilled about the fall arrival? Sims’s own mother, former supermodel Beverly Johnson. “I was excited the first time, but I think I’m more excited this time because you see how much joy Ava brings and how much love you have,” the proud grandma, 59 said. Sims and Patterson tied the knot nearly two years ago in Ohio. The family reality show, Beverly’s Full House, airs Saturdays at 10 p.m. on OWN.

Jordan Hill Turns Himself In
L.A. Lakers star Jordan Hill turned himself in to authorities earlier today -- after allegedly choking out his girlfriend during a nuclear argument in Texas back in February. Hill showed up to court today in Houston to face the felony domestic violence charge -- and the judge set bond at $5,000. Hill was briefly taken into custody before immediately bonding out. The judge set no travel restrictions on his bond -- so the case shouldn't affect his playoff run. But the judge did impose a protective order -- barring Hill from contacting or going anywhere near his ex. Hill is due back in court on June 8th.

Identity Thief
Jon Favreau has joined the cast of Seth Gordon's comedy "Identity Thief" at Universal Pictures. Jason Bateman plays a man whose life is upended when his identity is stolen by a woman (McCarthy). Favreau will play Bateman's boss.


No Good Deed
Mexican actress and telenovela queen Kate del Castillo ("La Reina del Sur") has joined the cast of Sam Hiller's thriller "No Good Deed" at Screen Gems. The story revolves around a former DA-turned-stay-at-home mom (Taraji P. Henson) and her two small children who are kidnapped from their home by a mysterious stranger (Idris Elba). Del Castillo will play the stranger's cheating ex-fiancee.
 Pregnant Drew Barrymore Displays Growing Bump in Flirty, Belted Dress.


Lady Gaga, Taylor Kinney Split

Lady Gaga recently hit the road -- and told beau Taylor Kinney to do the same! The pop singer, 26, and the Vampire Diaries star, 30, are now "on a break." Still, the couple of 10 months weren't exactly destined for the altar, says the friend. "Taylor was all about himself, a typical actor, and didn't completely get Gaga," says the friend. Lady Gaga is about to embark on a 110-city tour for her Born This Way Ball.

 

 

Luck
HBO has taken a $35 million impairment charge for the early cancellation of its ill-fated gambling series "Luck". The series was canned midway through production of the second season's second episode after a third horse had to be euthanized. A bunch of that money is said to be paying off commitments to the show's creators and stars, as well as other production costs on the series.

Fig Newtons get a new name

It is at Nabisco, a unit of Kraft where the famous Fig Newtons cookies have lost part of their name. They are simply called Newtons now. The fig is still inside the cookie -- in three versions, including original and fat-free. Other versions include strawberry, raspberry and minis.


TV NEWS
Starz’ Spartacus is adding a trio of attractive newcomers for season 3. Three actresses are joining the show’s cast for the next round, which follows Spartacus as his army spars with top Roman leaders. New Zealand actress Anna Hutchison, who played a free-spirited temptress in Cabin in the Woods, will play Laeta, “the privileged wife of a Roman dignitary who becomes entangled in the struggle against Spartacus.”  Australia actress Jenna Lind (Underbelly II) plays Kore, a “loyal slave to Marcus Crassus (played by Simon Merrells), the Roman tasked to bring an end to Spartacus and his rebellion.” And New Zealand’s Gwendoline Taylor (Go Girls) will play Sibyl, “a beautiful young slave rescued from Roman cruelty.”


Erstwhile 24 bacon-saver Mary Lynn Rajskub and Lost alum Patrick Fischler will both guest-star in the penultimate episode of Grey’s Anatomy Season 8. In the episode, airing May 10, Rajskub and Fischler will play a couple in the midst of their third honeymoon when they come to Seattle Grace complaining of mysterious symptoms. The Grey’s finale airs the following Thursday, May 17.


22-year-old "Harry Potter" star Daniel Radcliffe and 41-year-old "Mad Men" star Jon Hamm are set to to play the same character in a four-part British TV miniseries for Sky Arts. The story follows Russian doctors after the first World War. Hamm will will narrate the story but "will still interact with his younger self, Daniel, during some of the scenes."


In a surprising move, HBO has decided not to move forward with its starry series adaptation of The Corrections. The cabler made the decision after viewing the pilot, which boasted an enviable cast including Ewan McGregor, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Chris Cooper and Dianne Wiest.