Representative Jackson Needs ‘Extended Treatment’

.S. Representative Jesse Jackson Jr. needs “extended in-patient treatment,” and his medical condition is “more serious” than initially thought, the Illinois congressman’s office said today.  “Recently, we have been made aware that he has grappled with certain physical and emotional ailments privately for a long period of time,” according to an e-mailed statement today from Jackson’s office. “At present, he is undergoing further evaluation and treatment at an in-patient medical facility.”  There were no additional details in the statement on the condition of Jackson, a Democrat who represents Chicago’s south side and some suburbs, or where he is being treated. His office said on June 25 that he had started a medical leave on June 10 because he was suffering from exhaustion.  Jackson, 47, who is more than halfway through his ninth term in Congress, has faced political and personal stress as he fended off a primary challenge in March from former Representative Debbie Halvorson.  The House Ethics Committee confirmed in December that it was conducting an inquiry into whether Jackson had improperly lobbied then-Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich for appointment to the U.S. Senate seat vacated by Barack Obama in 2008 after his election as president.  One of the figures at the center of the alleged scheme, Chicago businessman Raghuveer Nayak, was arrested on June 20 on unrelated federal charges that alleged he paid bribes and kickbacks to doctors for patient referrals, according to a statement by the U.S. Department of Justice. Nayak alleged to federal investigators that Jackson had him pay to fly a female “social acquaintance” of Jackson’s from Washington to Chicago at the congressman’s request, the Chicago Tribune has reported. Jackson, a son of civil rights leader Rev. Jesse Jackson, said in a 2010 statement that the situation was a “private and personal matter between me and my wife that was handled some time ago.” Representative Jackson appeared as a defense witness for Blagojevich in May 2011, when he testified that he didn’t raise money for any candidate except himself. Jackson denied any wrongdoing and said that Blagojevich, when running for governor, asked for a $25,000 contribution and that Jackson said no. Blagojevich was found guilty in June 2011 of 17 of the 20 counts against him, which included wire fraud, attempted extortion, bribery, extortion conspiracy and bribery conspiracy. He was sentenced Dec. 7 to 14 years in prison.

Usain Bolt skipping Olympic tuneup in Monaco

Usain Bolt has more than Yohan Blake to worry about ahead of the London Olympics. Now he's got an injury to contend with and likely won't run again until the Games. Exactly one month before the 100-meter final at the Olympics, Bolt pulled out of the July 20 Monaco Diamond League meet Thursday with a "a slight problem" that occurred during the recent Jamaican Olympic trials, his coach Glen Mills said. The withdrawal followed the double blow of losing in the 100 and 200 to training partner Blake at the trials, a reality check before the Olympics. Bolt was scheduled to run the 200 in Monaco in his final tuneup before the games, but will now come to the Olympics following two losses. Despite the withdrawal, the 25-year-old Bolt insisted he'll be at the Games to retain the 100, 200 and 4x100 relay titles he won in Beijing four years ago in world-record times. "I am happy to have earned my spot on the Jamaican Olympic team despite the challenge," Bolt said in a statement. "I will be in London to defend my titles." After congratulating Blake with a big hug after the 200 in Kingston on Sunday, Bolt lay flat on his back and had his right hamstring stretched out by a trainer. His loss two days earlier in the 100 came after a poor start. "After careful assessment I have had to withdraw him from the Samsung Diamond League Meeting in Monaco on July 20 to give him sufficient time for treatment and time to train and prepare for the Olympic Games in London," Mills said. Mills said the injury was from "Usain's participation at the National Trials in Kingston this past weekend where he had a slight problem." He didn't elaborate on the nature of the injury.
 Meet little Samuel! Ben Affleck and Jennifer Garner stepped out to celebrate the Fourth of July in Pacific Palisades, Calif., with all three of their kids in tow – providing the first glimpse of their youngest, son Samuel, 4 months. The couple was joined by daughters Seraphina, 3½, and Violet, 6½, at Wednesday's patriotic party.

Rihanna sues ex-accountants for millions in losses

Rihanna sued her former accountants Thursday, blaming them for tens of millions of dollars in losses, shoddy bookkeeping, a failure to recommend she trim expenses when a 2009 tour was losing money and an ongoing audit by the Internal Revenue Service. The lawsuit in federal court in Manhattan sought unspecified damages against New York-based Berdon LLP and two accountants. A Berdon spokeswoman said the company had no immediate comment.  The singer, suing under her real name, Robyn Fenty, alleged through her attorneys that the defendants drained tens of millions of dollars from revenues while she launched four national and international tours over a five-year period. By the "Last Girl on Earth" tour in 2009, Rihanna learned that the tour had managed "significant net losses" despite robust revenues, though the defendants had managed to pocket 22 percent of the tour's total revenues while paying Rihanna just 6 percent of revenues, the lawsuit said. It said Berdon's unusual accounting practice of paying itself a percentage of gross tour income as commissions left it no incentive to "counsel" Rihanna to reduce expenses or put in place appropriate financial controls. The lawsuit alleged that the practice of paying itself commissions on revenues was not standard in the accounting and business management industry and created a clear conflict of interest. Rihanna's lawyers also blamed the accounting firm for an ongoing IRS audit of her tax returns, saying she was forced to spend significant resources to correct errors resulting from negligence. Since firing the firm and its accountants in September 2010, Rihanna's fortunes already have reversed, the lawsuit said. The "Loud" tour stretching from June 2011 to December 2011 produced a net profit equal to more than 40 percent of total tour revenues, it added. According to the lawsuit, the singer hired the accountants in 2005 when she was a 16-year-old from Barbados launching her career. She alleged that they repeatedly breached their agreements, engaged in misconduct and malfeasance, paid themselves excessive commissions, created entities without regard to their effect on her taxes and failed to document revenue and expenses and implement a proper budget. The lawsuit also blamed the company for Rihanna's 2009 purchase of a new home, saying competent business managers would have told her that her tour was losing money and that it would not be advisable to buy such an expensive home at that time. Last year, Rihanna sued a real estate company in Los Angeles over the $6.9 million purchase of a hillside home in 2009, saying it had serious structural defects that made it inhabitable.

Report: Heat make pitch to Ray Allen

Ray Allen seems to be taking a serious look at joining the NBA champion Miami Heat.  A person familiar with the situation told The Associated Press that the free agent guard visited the Heat in Miami on Thursday. Allen was planning to remain in South Florida until Friday, according to the person who spoke on condition of anonymity because no details of the meeting were publicly revealed. Miami's desire to add Allen is no secret. League MVP LeBron James has tweeted about the notion, and posted a doctored-up image of Allen wearing a Heat jersey on his Facebook page earlier this week with the message, ''This looks damn good to me.'' And Dwyane Wade posted a cryptic message on his Twitter account Wednesday night, saying Thursday would be ''a big day'' for the Heat. No deal could be finalized until at least July 11 because of the NBA's moratorium. Allen has spent the last five seasons with the Boston Celtics, who have offered the NBA's 3-point field goal leader a $12 million, two-year deal. The Heat - who have ousted Boston from the past two NBA postseasons - can only offer Allen the mini mid-level exception, which would pay about $3 million this coming year. From an offensive standpoint, Allen would seem to be a perfect fit because the Heat have spent two years trying to surround James, Wade and Chris Bosh with shooters who extend defenses and create room around the basket. Miami was 9-1 in the playoffs when connecting on at least eight 3-pointers in a game, and just 7-6 when not. Allen is coming off surgery to remove bone spurs from his right ankle. But he clearly can still shoot, and made a career-best 45 percent of his attempts from 3-point range for the Celtics this past season.

Fired Lifeguard Offered His Job Back – And He Says No

Fired Florida lifeguard Tomas Lopez has been offered his job back after being let go for saving a swimmer outside his jurisdiction – and the 21-yea-old has declined the offer. "It's another chapter in my life closed and I am just going to continue to get my schooling finished and get on with my career," Lopez said on Thursday. The much-publicized incident took place at Hallandale Beach, north of Miami, on Monday, when Lopez instinctively went after a drowning man, though the swimmer outside of Lopez's coverage zone. Lopez said the man had turned blue and "was having a lot of trouble breathing." The pink slip was handed down by the Jeff Ellis Management company, which said lifeguards are not insured to go beyond the perimeter of the beach for which they are responsible. As for the drowning victim, a nurse on the beach assisted him until emergency medics arrived. He was rushed to Aventura Hospital and on Thursday was said to be in good condition.
  Cam Gigandet and longtime love Dominique Geisendorff are expecting their second child. The couple, who were spotted strolling on the beach in Malibu, Calif. on Wednesday, are already parents to daughter Everleigh Rae, 3. Gigandet, 29, can next be seen in the film Free Ride, costarring Anna Paquin, and will soon appear in Red Sky and Code Name: Geronimo as well.

Previously-unheard Amy Winehouse vocals to be featured on Nas' album

Late British soul star Amy Winehouse looks set for another posthumous return to the charts --- a previously unreleased collaboration with rapper Nas is to feature on his upcoming album.  The "Rehab" hitmaker was introduced to Nas by their mutual friend and producer Salaam Remi, and they teamed up to record "Like Smoke," which was included on "Lioness: Hidden Treasures," the first Winehouse project to be released following her sudden passing last year. This week, new vocals from the tragic singer surfaced online on the track "Cherry Wine," taken from Nas' forthcoming album "Life Is Good."  On the chorus, she sings, "Where is he/the man who is just like me/I heard he was hiding/somewhere I can't see. "'I'm alone/and I realize that when I get home/I want to go to my red and my cherry."  "Life Is Good" will be released in the U.S. on July 17, a week before the first anniversary of Winehouse's death.

Jillian Michaels' Bentley is stolen and wrecked

Jillian Michaels no doubt has a lot weighing on her mind right now. The former "Biggest Loser" trainer found herself on the, well, losing end of a break-in at her home. It seems Michaels woke up on Tuesday morning and noticed the keys to her Bentley were missing. Sure enough, upon stepping outside, she saw that her expensive set of wheels was indeed gone. Police later spotted the stolen vehicle being driven, but soon after a pursuit began, the suspect ended up crashing into a light pole. The man was subsequently taken into custody and is also believed to be the person who burglarized Michaels' residence as well.

TV NEWS
Is Seth Meyers the next Regis Philbin? The Saturday Night Live funnyman is currently the frontrunner to succeed the retired co-host on Live! With Kelly. Meyers’ new hosting gig, however, isn’t a done deal just yet. Live! producers are said to have narrowed down the potential-host field to three, with former NFL star Michael Strahan and recording artist Josh Groban also in the running. All three have showcased their skills opposite Kelly Ripa in recent months, and will likely continue to do so until a new co-host is named for the upcoming season, which begins in September. Meyers begins a five-day hosting stint on Monday, July 9 — the talker’s first week-long fill-in since Neil Patrick Harris late last year.


Eileen Davidson is returning to “Days of Our Lives” this fall, October 11. With her “The Young and the Restless” character Ashley set to leave the canvas, Davidson will bring villainous Kristen back from the presumed dead and into the "Days" action this October. It’s unclear whether doppelganger Susan Banks will follow. In Davidson’s final years at “Days,” she played five roles, including Susan’s brother Thomas, Sister Mary Moira and Penelope, with it all leading up to Kristen’s presumed death. In reality, Kristen was left stranded with the island harem she’d sold Susan into, while Susan was off enjoying her life.


Fox has banished the George Lopez-hosted Take Me Out to Saturday nights at 9/8c


Irish beauty Sarah Bolger shall also be a Sleeping Beauty, on ABC’s Once Upon a Time. Princess Aurora, will be introduced during the sophomore run of Once, which was last season’s highest-rated freshman drama. The fantastical series will again air Sundays at 8/7c; ABC has not yet announced their fall premiere dates.


NBC is said to be eyeing an all-star edition of Celebrity Apprentice, and past “celeb” participants are coming out in droves to take part in the latest cycle. Former winners Piers Morgan, Joan Rivers and Bret Michaels are currently in the running to join, as well as “standouts” Gary Busey, Trace Adkins, Jesse James, Omarosa, Gene Simmons, Lennox Lewis, Meat Loaf, Marlee Matlin, Sharon Osbourne, Cyndi Lauper, Marilu Henner and Dennis Rodman.

Brandon and Kelly and Dylan, oh my! Jennie Garth gave Beverly Hills, 90210 fans a treat on Wednesday when she tweeted this pic of a reunion between the members of West Bev’s most beloved love triangle, as she, Jason Priestley and Luke Perry reportedly shot an Old Navy commercial.


FX, which currently pumps out repeat broadcasts of "Two and a Half Men" and "How I Met Your Mother," has secured the privilege of adding "Mike & Molly" to its pre-primetime comedy roster. The article also says FX is paying a relative bargain-priced sum of under $1 million an episode, and that fans can expect "M&M" to appear on its schedule as of September 2014.


90210 is losing its southern drawl in Season 5: Justin Deeley is poised to exit the CW soap after just one season. According to sources, the actor — who first joined 90210 last year as Austin, a California cowboy with a thing for AnnaLynne McCord’s Naomi — will be written out in the season premiere (airing Monday, Oct. 8 at 8/7c). However, a rep for the show maintains that the “door is still open for him to reappear in future episodes.”