Former ABC News veteran Sam Donaldson is facing a drunken driving charge in Delaware. Police in the southern coastal town of Lewes say the 78-year-old Donaldson was stopped on Dec. 1 for a traffic violation. Police say the officer determined Donaldson had been drinking and gave him field sobriety tests. 

 It will be a very happy holiday for Claire Danes and Hugh Dancy The Homeland star, 33, and her actor husband welcomed their first child, son Cyrus Michael Christopher Dancy, on Monday, Dec. 17, her rep confirmed. Danes, who won an Emmy in September for her role as bipolar CIA-agent Carrie Matheson on the hit Showtime drama, wed Dancy, 37, in a private ceremony in France in 2009.
 Christian Ponder's development as the Minnesota Vikings' quarterback has been slow. He took significantly less time to finish his courtship of ESPN reporter Samantha Steele. Just a few months after meeting Steele on the set of ESPN's "College GameDay" and two weeks after getting engaged, Ponder confirmed the two were married at a Hudson, Wis., courthouse on Monday afternoon. Ponder, 24, has been surprised by the attention the relationship has received and unsuccessfully tried to keep the marriage out of the public eye. "We tried to keep the attention away from us and just went over to Wisconsin and had it done," Ponder said Wednesday during his weekly press conference. "So, it was quick, but it was good." Ponder is used to having the spotlight as Minnesota's second-year starting quarterback, and Steele, 27, is certainly no stranger to the attention. But the two believed going to Hudson — about 40 minutes east of the Twin Cities — might have kept the marriage under wraps. Ponder said it was just the two of them on Monday but that they will have a bigger ceremony in the offseason. "It was important for us to get it done before the holidays and a lot of personal reasons that went into it," Ponder said. News broke of the romance in October when Ponder confirmed the two were dating. Ponder said they were hoping to keep the relationship a secret but knew it would eventually get out. He confirmed later they were engaged on Dec. 4 but refused to get into details. With two games remaining this season, the Vikings are trying to earn a playoff berth with Ponder in his second year as a starter. The timing of the nuptials has brought attention because of Minnesota's postseason push, but Ponder said it hasn't been a distraction to him or the team. "It was a good thing to happen, but it's not going to be a distraction," Ponder said. "I'm still putting in the time that I did Monday and Tuesday and for the rest of the week. . . . (I understand) how big of a game this is for myself and this team. It's important for me." The Vikings (8-6) travel to Houston Sunday to take on the Texans (12-2).

Tebow, girlfriend split
It’s been a busy week for New York Jets quarterbacks. Mark Sanchez threw four interceptions and lost a fumble, Greg McElroy was named the new starter and Tim Tebow felt misled. Sanchez could be traded, Tebow wants to be traded, Michael Vick wants to sign with the Jets and now Tebow has reportedly called it quits with his girlfriend. Tebow broke up with Camilla Belle after weeks of dating. Tebow’s week could only get worse at this point if he found out that McElroy had stolen Belle’s heart, along with his chance to start in the NFL. It may be for the best. Tebow likely won’t be in New York much longer, and there’s not much work for an actress/model in Jacksonville.
 James Marsden is a father for the third time. Brazilian model Rose Costa delivered a son, William Luca Costa-Marsden. The 30 Rock star, who briefly dated Costa after his split from wife Lisa Linde in 2011, picked the name and is being very supportive, a source said.  Marsden, 39, is already dad to daughter Mary James, 7, and son Jack Holden, 11, with Linde.

Mogul gets 30 years in prison: Robert L. Hedrick convicted in child porn case

Robert L. Hedrick, the man behind Texas cargo airline Pan American Airways, was sentenced to 30 years in prison after being convinced for distribution and possession of child pornography, transfer of obscene materials to a minor and attempted sexual exploitation of children. The 61-year-old is facing federal child pornography charges. Police officers posing as 13- and 14-year-old girls caught Hedrick in the act after they managed to engage him in sexually explicit conversations online. His ultimate goal was to get them to send him naked pictures, Assistant U.S. Attorney Violet LaTawn Warsaw determined. After that, undercover authorities found 2,400 images of child pornography saved on three hard drives at his home. Despite this evidence, Hedrick has maintained his innocence. "I can't ask the court for anything," he said in court according to the Associated Press. "I was framed. I didn't do what I was charged and convicted of."  The defense attorney on the case says he denied his guilt because this way he will get an appeal. If he had pled guilty, he would end up dying in prison.

Hugh Jackman officially joins the cast of 'X-Men: Days of Future Past'

A few weeks ago, director Bryan Singer confirmed that Patrick Stewart and Ian McKellan would be returning to the X-Men series in the next installment, Days of Future Past, which features a time travel plotline guaranteed to make the franchise’s already-tangled continuity totally not confusing whatsoever. Now, Singer has announced via tweet that an even bigger X-Men power player will join the Future Past squad. “I would officially like to welcome @RealHughJackman to the cast of #Xmen Days of Future Past. Very excited! More to come…” said Singer. It’s not clear just how involved Jackman will be in the prequel-sequel. He had a 10-second cameo in First Class — which you can watch here in Russian — and given that Jackman has a full-fledged Wolverine solo movie in 2013, it’s easy money that he’ll just have a supporting role in Days of Future Past. 

Paramount sets 'Anchorman' sequel theater release date for December 2013

Paramount Pictures has set the theater release date for the sequel to 2004′s Anchorman for Dec. 20, 2013. Will Ferrell will be back as deep-voiced newsman Ron Burgundy, along with Steve Carell, Paul Rudd, and David Koechner in the comedy directed by script co-writer Adam McKay. McKay has hinted that the sequel will have whole song sequences, and we can only imagine Ferrell’s thick Burgundy mustache fluttering in the breeze during a diva number backed by the Channel 4 News gang.

 President Barack Obama is TIME magazine’s iconic Person of the Year, managing editor Rick Stengel revealed Wednesday as he unveiled the 2012 cover on TODAY. “He’s basically the beneficiary and the author of a kind of a New America, a new demographic, a new cultural America that he is now the symbol of,” Stengel said. Obama became the first Democratic president since Franklin Delano Roosevelt to win two consecutive re-elections with at least 50 percent of the vote, despite the highest unemployment rate in seven decades. Stengel said Obama won support from a core group of voters who “actually don’t care about politics” and felt the president ignored partisanship to do his job. “Using the coalition of the ascendant young voters, millennials, Hispanics minorities, he’s creating a new alignment, a kind of realignment like Ronald Reagan did 40 years ago,” he said. This is Obama's second time on the cover with the iconic title. He also secured the title the last time he won election — in 2008, just after he became the first African American elected president.

Michael Douglas' son Cameron reportedly beaten badly in prison

Michael Douglas' son reportedly has been beaten in a Pennsylvania prison, winding up with a broken finger and a broken leg. Cameron Douglas, 34, suffered the injuries — including a broken femur — after a New York City crime boss put a $100 bounty on his head during the prison flag-football league season because he was a "rat," a prison source said. Although the younger Douglas reportedly dropped out of the league where he was targeted, he nonetheless turned up badly injured. The actor's son blamed his injuries on a handball game, the source said, and a doctor's aide reportedly misdiagnosed the break as a sprain at first. "You don’t break a femur playing handball," the source said, adding later, "He’s still walking around on crutches two months later." Douglas was hit with a five-year sentence in 2010 after pleading guilty to charges of distributing crystal meth and possessing heroin. An additional 4½-year term was tacked onto that last December for having drugs smuggled into the Metropolitan Correctional Center in New York on his behalf. Though serving time at a federal prison in Loretto, Pa., Douglas was in New York to testify against a former supplier. The 4½-year sentence was among the harshest handed down for drug possession by a federal prisoner, according to the New York Times, which said that most prisoners found in possession of drugs are not charged but rather face administrative sanctions such as loss of prison privileges.
  Channing Tatum is set to earn another title: Sexiest Dad Alive. The actor and his wife Jenna Dewan-Tatum ”are pleased to announce that they are expecting the birth of their first child next year,” reps for the couple confirmed.  Crowned PEOPLE’s Sexiest Man Alive in November, the Magic Mike star admitted he and the American Horror Story: Asylum actress, both 32, had babies on the brain, adding a family wasn’t too far off in their future.

Zooey Deschanel and Ben Gibbard Are Divorced

A year after Zooey Deschanel filed for divorce from Ben Gibbard, the pair's marriage is officially over. The New Girl star, 32, and Death Cab for Cutie crooner, 36, were divorced on Dec. 12, according to court documents filed in Los Angeles Superior Court. According to the papers, "Unhappy and irreconcilable differences have arisen between the parties, which have caused the irremediable breakdown of their marriage. There is no possibility that counseling … or mediation could save the marriage." Married in Sept. 2009, Gibbard has said of his former wife, "I was just awestruck that she was even talking to me. I'd seen her movies and obviously I thought she was very beautiful."
 Jeffrey Donovan has a lovely little new costar in his life — a baby girl! The Burn Notice star, 44, and his wife Michelle are proud parents of their first child, a rep for Donovan says.  A special two-hour season finale of Burn Notice, guest starring Sonja Sohn and Alex Carter, airs this Thursday at 9 p.m. EST on USA.

Hollywood Hacker Sentenced To 10 Years In Prison

A federal judge on Monday sentenced a man who hacked into the personal online accounts of Scarlett Johansson, Mila Kunis and other women to 10 years in prison. U.S. District Judge S. James Otero sentenced Christopher Chaney in Los Angeles after hearing from a tearful Johansson in a videotaped statement.. The biggest spectacle in the case was the revelation that nude photos taken by Johansson herself and meant for her then-husband Ryan Reynolds were placed on the Internet. Chaney, 35, of Jacksonville, Fla., pleaded guilty to counts that included wiretapping and unauthorized access to a computer. Chaney also targeted two women he knew, sending nude pictures of one former co-worker to her father. The women, who both knew Chaney, said their lives have been irreparably damaged by his actions. One has anxiety and panic attacks; the other is depressed and paranoid. Both say Chaney was calculated, cruel and creepy. Their accounts as cybervictims serve as a cautionary tale for those, even major celebrities, who snap personal, and sometimes revealing photos. Christina Aguilera said in a statement issued days before the sentencing that although she knows that she’s often in the limelight, Chaney took from her some of the private moments she shares with friends. “That feeling of security can never be given back and there is no compensation that can restore the feeling one has from such a large invasion of privacy,” Aguilera said. Prosecutors said Chaney illegally accessed the email accounts of more than 50 people in the entertainment industry between November 2010 and October 2011. Aguilera, Kunis and Johansson agreed to have their identities made public with the hopes that the exposure about the case would provide awareness about online intrusion. Some of Aguilera’s photos appeared online after Chaney sent an email from the account of her stylist, Simone Harouche, to Aguilera asking the singer for scantily clad photographs, prosecutors said. Chaney was arrested in October 2011 as part of a yearlong investigation of celebrity hacking that authorities dubbed “Operation Hackerazzi.” Chaney’s computer hard drive contained numerous private celebrity photos and a document that compiled their extensive personal data, according to a search warrant.

Oakley: McIlroy, Nike breached deal

Apparel-maker Oakley has sued golfer Rory McIlroy and Nike, saying they breached the world's top-ranked golfer's existing contract with Oakley when he recently signed a new deal with Nike. According to a lawsuit filed Monday in federal court in Santa Ana, Calif., Oakley tried to use its "right of first refusal" to match the Nike offer, but McIlroy and his agent, Conor Ridge, ignored the counteroffer, thereby breaching the Oakley-McIlroy contract. Oakley claims in its lawsuit that its contractual rights for McIlroy's endorsements of its eyewear and performance apparel would be 30 percent of the Nike package. If the reports in European golf publications of a $200 million deal with Nike are accurate, then Oakley offered about $60 million to continue its deal with McIlroy. No one involved in the dispute will confirm the magnitude of the Nike offer, and it is described in the court papers only as an offer of "$_M." According to Oakley, the damage that has resulted from McIlroy's refusal to renew with Oakley is "irreparable" and entitles Oakley to an injunction that would stop Nike and McIlroy from concluding or implementing their contract. Oakley is also claiming money damages but does not specify any amount and asserts that it has spent $300,000 on a photo shoot for the products McIlroy would have endorsed in 2013.

Pre-empted 'Family Guy' and 'Haven' episodes get new airdates

Episodes of "Family Guy" and "Haven" that were pulled from airing following the Newtown, Conn., school shootings have been rescheduled. The "Family Guy" episode "Jesus, Mary and Joseph!," in which Peter tells his version of the nativity story, had been scheduled to air last Sunday (Dec. 16). It and an "American Dad" episode called "Minstrel Krampus" were both pulled following Friday's shootings. "American Dad" hasn't been rescheduled yet, but FOX says the "Family Guy" episode will air in its regular timeslot on Sunday, Dec. 23.Syfy pulled Friday's "Haven" because it contains scenes of violence at a high school. The cable channel has moved the episode, and the season finale originally scheduled for Dec. 21, to Thursday, Jan. 17, in order to "maintain the integrity of the series' serialized nature."

'Project Runway': Michael Kors is out, Zac Posen is in

After spending 10 seasons as a judge on the fashion reality competition Project Runway, Michael Kors is vacating his chair. Though designer is out, he wasn’t “auf’d.” Kors’ schedule kept him from signing on for season 11, but he will return to help judge the finale, according to a statement from Lifetime. Designer Zac Posen, who will fill Kors’ shoes as a “featured judge,” learned a thing or two from his predecessor when he appeared on Project Runway as a guest judge. “I saw he was always a generous, warm mentor,” Posen said.  Kors’ departure is not the only change that’s coming to the runway in season 11; For the first time, the aspiring designers will compete as teams, instead of as individuals. Heidi Klum, Nina Garcia and Tim Gunn, who are all returning to their regular posts, will welcome a slate of guest judges that includes Bette  Midler, Miranda Lambert, John Legend, Joan and Melissa Rivers, and designers Rachel Roy, Tracy Reese, Chris Benz and Project Runway season 4 winner Christian Siriano. Season 11 of Project Runway premieres on Lifetime on Jan. 24 at 9 p.m. ET.


Walk of Shame
Bill Burr, Liz Carey, Ken Davitian, Willie Garson, Lawrence Gilliard Jr, Oliver Hudson, Alphonso McAuley, Kevin Nealon, Tig Notaro, Ethan Suplee and Sarah Wright have all joined the cast of Stephen Brill's comedy "Walk of Shame" at Lakeshore Entertainment and Sidney Kimmel Entertainment. Elizabeth Banks plays a highly-strung news anchor (Banks) who finds herself locked out of her flat after a heavy night of drinking with no money, ID, telephone or keys. She finds herself suffering a series of misadventures as she desperately attempts to attend a very important job interview on time. James Marsden and Gillian Jacobs also star.


There’s Always Woodstock
Katey Sagal ("Sons Of Anarchy") has joined the cast of the indie rom-com "There’s Always Woodstock". Sagal will play a suffer-no-fools owner of the SHOP coffeehouse in the upstate New York town. Allison Miller plays a would-be songwriter who returns to her dead parents’ home in Woodstock, New York for the summer. Rita Merson makes her feature directorial debut.

Rihanna Rents $21.8 Million Bajan Christmas Getaway
Sure, she just bought a $12 million mansion in Los Angeles' Pacific Palisades. And she recently gifted her mom with a five bedroom house in their native Barbados. But all Rihanna apparently wanted for Christmas was a lavish beachfront resort rental. The singer reportedly booked a $21.8 million stay for herself, her mother, Monica  Braithwaite, her younger brother Rajad and various other friends and family at One Sandy Lane -- a sprawling Bajan apartment complex boasting eight, 10,000 square foot apartments, all with five bedrooms and private balconies. All in all, the digs should make for a nice discreet lodging for RiRi, her mom and their offensive tweet-prone houseguest, Chris Brown, who was reportedly also invited to visit.

Walking on Sunshine
Samantha Barks ("Les Misérables," "Groove High") is in talks to join Kylie Minogue and others in the musical comedy "Walking on Sunshine" which is set to 1980s pop songs. The story deals with a mother and daughter who fall in love with the same man in Spain. Max Giwa and Dania Pasquini ("StreetDance 3D") will direct.

The Kardashian-Jenner clan handily prove with their holiday greetings that even California can have a white Christmas. Kim Kardashian revealed a card on her Celebuzz blog, writing, "Here it is!! Our 2012 family Christmas card shot by the amazing Nick Saglimbeni!" "I love our Christmas card!" Tweeted her sister, X Factor host Khloé Kardashian-Odom. "White party."

Hillary Clinton suffers concussion after fainting

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is recovering from a concussion, the State Department says. Clinton has been suffering from a stomach virus, which forced her to cancel a trip to the Middle East. The virus caused her to become dehydrated, and she fainted, hitting her head, the State Department says in a statement. "She has been recovering at home and will continue to be monitored regularly by her doctors," the statement reads. "At their recommendation, she will continue to work from home next week, staying in regular contact with department and other officials. She is looking forward to being back in the office soon." Clinton was scheduled to testify next week before a Senate committee looking into the September attack that killed four Americans in Benghazi, Libya. Two deputy secretaries of state will take her place at the hearing, according to reports.
 Newly-engaged Kelly Clarkson showed off her sparkling new ring on Twitter on Saturday, after announcing Brandon (her beau of one year) had proposed. “Everyone has been asking about my engagement ring, so here it is :)” the 30-year-old “Stronger (What Doesn’t Kill You)” singer Tweeted on Saturday, along with a photo of the stunning bauble on her left hand. The singer announced the exciting news on Twitter on Saturday, writing, “I’M ENGAGED!!!!! I wanted y’all to know!! Happiest night of my life last night! I am so lucky and am with the greatest man ever :)”

 

Morgan Freeman clears up Internet hoax about shootings

Turns out Morgan Freeman hasn't spoken his mind on the school shootings in Newtown, Conn. Having played all manner of heavyweights -- even God -- in his career, Freeman commands attention, and we he speaks out, people tend to listen. So Saturday, when a statement blaming the media for sensationalizing the shootings was attributed to the respected actor, it quickly became a Facebook and Internet sensation. But he never made or posted any statement, his publicist Stan Rosenfield said on Sunday. He said the actor's camp was trying to determine the origin of the hoax statement. "It's because of the way the media reports it," the phony statement read in part. "Turn on the news and see how we treat the Batman theater shooter and the Oregon mall shooter like celebrities. Dylan Klebold and Eric Harris are household names, but do you know the name of a single 'victim' of Columbine?"Disturbed people who would otherwise just off themselves in their basement see the news and want to top it by doing something worse and going out in a memorable way. Why a grade school? Why children? Because he'll be remembered as a horrible monster instead of a sad nobody." The statement also takes CNN to task over its use of the phrase "body count" in relation to the Newtown shootings and said the news coverage would incite more killings. "So congratulations, sensationalist media, you've just lit the fire for someone to top this and knock off a day care center or maternity ward next." Reddit users pointed to long Facebook post by "Mark" of Vancouver that is identical to Freeman's "statement," according to the Inquisitor. "Mark" later commented on his own post, "If I know the Internet, someone will attribute the quote to Morgan Freeman or Betty White and it'll go viral."

Apparently so.
  Donald Faison and Cacee Cobb are married!

After six years of dating (and a year of being engaged), the couple tied the knot at the home of Donald’s former “Scrubs” co-star, Zach Braff, on Saturday. Serving as a bridesmaid for Cacee was her longtime pal Jessica Simpson (who is reportedly pregnant with her second child). Jess wore a long black dress for the wedding, and carried a red rose bouquet. And the singer/reality star/designer wasn’t the only member of the Simpson clan on hand – sister Ashlee Simpson, as well as the girls’ separated parents, Tina and Joe, also attended the wedding. Zach took to Twitter to share a photo of the happy newlyweds, writing, “Knots tied. No I did not run around them with sparklers…” Donald, 38, and Cacee, 35, got engaged in August, 2011. This is the first marriage for Cacee, and the second for the “Exes” star, who has four children from two previous relationships.

 

Hines Ward Paternity Suit

A woman named Melanie Smith filed a lawsuit in Georgia this month claiming former Pittsburgh Steeler, Hines Ward is the biological father of her 1-year-old daughter. According to docs, Melanie wants Hines to admit he fathered the kid, and if he refuses, she wants a judge to order a blood test in order to establish paternity. The maybe baby mama is also asking Hines to start coughing up child support, if it's determined the child is actually his. Ward has a child with ex-wife Simone; they divorced in 2011. Before their divorce Ward was caught in the car with his former DWTS co-star Kym Johnson at 3am after police pulled them over.

 

'The Hobbit' tops box office with record opening

"The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey" launched Peter Jackson's new trilogy with the biggest December box-office opening ever, taking in $85 million in three days. Jackson's prequel to the blockbuster "Lord of the Rings" series, the first of three installments, shattered the record for biggest December debut set in 2007 by "I Am Legend" with $77.2 million.  The debut by "The Hobbit" is bigger than any of the "Rings" movies, including the franchise finale "The Return of the King," which opened to $72.6 million domestically in 2003.  "The Hobbit" is benefiting from a higher mark-up on 3D tickets. It is the first adaptation of the beloved J.R.R. Tolkien books to arrive in theaters in that format, which accounted for 3,160 of the total 4,045 screens and made up 49 percent of the overall gross.

 Samaire Armstrong is a mom! The Mentalist star, 32, recently welcomed her first child, she announced via Facebook on Sunday. “Thank you sooo much for all the love!! Will post pictures after a little rest,” Armstrong writes. “We’re all doing wonderfully. It was an amazing experience and we couldn’t be more thrilled with our new arrival. xoxoxoxoxo!!!!!” The baby is reportedly a boy named Calin. In addition to her role as Summer on The Mentalist, Armstrong is known for playing Juliet on Dirty Sexy Money and Anna on The O.C.

 
Matt Damon: Door is still open for more 'Bourne'

Matt Damon has given fans of the "Bourne" films hope he will return to the franchise after revealing he plans to sit down with director pal Paul Greengrass and plot his most famous character's future. The actor turned down the chance to star in a fourth film and Jeremy Renner took over the lead in what became blockbuster hit "The Bourne Legacy" earlier this year  --  but Damon says he might not be done with Jason Bourne just yet. Damon said "I love the character, and the three movies we did, so I'd love to figure out a way to do another one. I'm going to talk to Paul Greengrass about it." But he doubts a new film would bring him and Renner together: "I don't see those characters teaming up with anybody." Damon also admits he still hasn't seen "The Bourne Legacy" -- but he plans to.  He adds, "Jeremy Renner is a terrific actor. I love everything he does. I have not seen the movie yet, but it isn't in protest or anything. When it came out last summer, I was filming a movie about Liberace right up to the end of August. We then had to rush back to New York, where we live, so we could get the kids settled and into school."

 

Russell Crowe Can’t Wait To Get Home: I Will ‘Try To Bring My Family Back Together’

After a whirlwind year of filming (he’s starring in five films coming out within the next year), Russell Crowe – who is reportedly estranged from wife Danielle Spencer – wants to make things right with his family. “As soon as I finish this job & can get home, my priority is to try to bring my family back together,” the “Les Miserables” star, who is currently shooting “A Winter’s Tale” in New York, Tweeted earlier this week. The actor also slammed reports claiming he’d been spotted getting cozy with Billy Joel’s ex-wife Katie Lee, writing, “These latest reports are false & cruel.”  Russell, who has two sons with Danielle (the family resides in Australia), took to Twitter again on Saturday, counting down the days until he can get back to his family, and letting followers know he won’t put up with negative comments. “I have 3 shooting days to go, then the journey home begins,” he wrote. “Blocked quite a few people this morning, spreaders of hate, stupidity and bs gone.” Russell’s incredibly full film schedule was said to be part of the reason for the reported separation, as the Oscar-winning actor had six films slated for release within a one-year span, including “Man with the Iron Fists,” “Les Miserables,” “Broken City,” “Man of Steel,” “Noah,” and “Winter’s Tale.” Russell and Danielle met 22 years ago on the set of “The Crossing,” and dated, but eventually broke up. The couple reconciled years later, and married in a chapel built especially for Danielle in 2003.
 Electronic music star Deadmau5 took to Twitter to pose this question of girlfriend Kat Von D: "I can't wait for Christmas so ... Katherine Von Drachenberg, will you marry me?" Deadmau5, whose real name is Joel Thomas Zimmerman, included a photo of a diamond ring with the disclaimer, "Changing the diamond to black diamond FYI. Sorry for the jpg … they'll finish the actual ring soon I hope." Von D, 30, a tattoo artist and reality TV star, responded on her Twitter page with a string of exclamation points, then told her followers, "Please excuse me while I go squeeze the hell out of my fiancé!" Deadmau5 then celebrated on Twitter with a three-part profanity and gushed, "brb while i spend the rest of my evening with my future wife :)" This will be Von D's latest shot at marriage. She previously was engaged to Sandra Bullock's ex Jesse James, broke up, reunited, then broke up again.

Spice Girl Mel C addresses Beckham replacement rumors

Spice Girl Melanie Chisholm has blasted reports suggesting Victoria Beckham is set to be ousted from the group in preparation for a new reunion. Bandmates Chisholm, Emma Bunton, Melanie Brown and Geri Halliwell are allegedly keen to get back together and launch a new assault on the pop charts with fresh music and an accompanying tour without Beckham, who has established herself as a top fashion designer since the group split in 2000. A representative for Beckham appeared to fuel the tabloid claims by saying: "Victoria respects all of the girls and will always support them all personally and professionally." However, Sporty Spice Chisholm has moved swiftly to dismiss the allegations, saying the reports are unfounded --  although she stopped short of addressing talk of new Spice Girls music.

Taking to her Twitter.com page on Sunday, she writes, "It seems there has been some Spice related nonsense written today. None of the Spice Girls would ever or could ever be replaced #justsayin."


TV NEWS
Filmdom’s Katniss Everdeen aka Jennifer Lawrence will host the first Saturday Night Live of 2013, to air Jan. 19. Lawrence’s gig was announced during this weekend’s SNL Christmas episode, which opened with the Manhattan Children’s Chorus singing “Silent Night” in remembrance of those who died in the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting… and also found Samuel L. Jackson blurting (most of) the F-word during a cameo in a “What’s Up With That?” sketch. (Kenan Thompson lightly scolded the film star, saying, “C’mon…. That costs money!”)


NBC has ordered three additional episodes of Whitney, bringing its Season 2 order to 16 installments.


Amber Valletta (Revenge), Tina Majorino (Grey’s Anatomy) and Rob Mayes (90210) have been cast opposite Sean Bean in TNT’s drama pilot Legends. From Homeland EP Howard Gordon, the project centers on an undercover agent who’s able to transform himself into a different person with each new job.


Fashion Star‘s second season will bow Friday, March 8, leading into the return of Grimm.

Fox has yanked Sunday’s original episodes of Family Guy and American Dad in the wake of Friday’s elementary school shooting in Newtown, Conn. that left 20 children dead. Although the network has not released an official statement, it’s believed the episodes were pulled because they featured potentially sensitive content.


Felicity fave Rob Benedict will guest-star in a February installment of The Mentalist, playing a professor at a lab where a student was murdered.


An episode of Syfy’s Haven dealing with fictitious violence at a high school scheduled to air tonight has been pulled from the schedule in the wake of this morning’s shocking mass shooting at a Newtown, Conn. elementary school. “In light of today’s tragedy in Newtown, Connecticut, we have decided not to air it,” the network said in a statement. “At this time, no decision has been made as to when the episode will air.”


Following the renewals of both The Exes and The Soul Man, TV Land has opted to cancel Retired at 30 after two seasons.

Tonight's Premiere:NBC: 1600 Penn (sneak preview) at 930p
Tonight's Finales:The CW: Gossip Girl (series finale) at 8p
Discovery Channel: American Chopper (series finale) at 9p
VH1: T.I. & Tiny: The Family Hustle at 9p; Marrying the Game at 930p
NBC: Take It All at 10p

 Nine weeks after giving birth to her daughter Olive, Drew Barrymore is getting into the groove of being a new mom. Starting a family with art consultant Will Kopelman, whom Barrymore married last June, has meant everything to the actress. "I really wanted a wonderful traditional home for my kid," she says. "Will comes from a strong family, he provides a strong family ... It just makes me so emotional because it's like a miracle."
    Amar'e Stoudemire's latest triple double will go down as the most memorable of his life. The New York Knicks power forward, 30, married his longtime girlfriend Alexis Welch on the rooftop deck of their Manhattan home on Wednesday, a date they picked because it was 12-12-12. "I feel blessed," says Stoudemire, who posted a photo of the couple's wedding rings on Twitter. "12.12.12 now has a special & spiritual meaning for us," he wrote. The couple – who have been together for a decade and have three children – had just 12 people at the ceremony. The bride wore a custom dress and the groom was in a tuxedo by Calvin Klein. They both have rings by Shayan Afshar, and her wedding band is by Harry Glinberg. Following the ceremony, they visited the 12-12-12 Concert for Sandy Relief at Madison Square Garden before heading to STK for a reception. Stoudemire and Welch, who were engaged June 2 in Paris, plan to celebrate their love again this summer at a bigger wedding with friends, teammates and family.

Liam Hemsworth's alleged street fight caught on video

Miley's man may have some anger management issues. Liam Hemsworth was involved in a violent brawl outside a Philadelphia bar on Wednesday, with video documenting the incident.  Witnesses say that the "Hunger Games" actor, 22, was departing the bar when he spied a drunken man allegedly throwing rocks at him and his friend. Angered, the Australian star punched the man as his friend held him down on the street. As shown in the video, policeman quickly showed up on the scene. No arrests have yet been made in the altercation. Back in September, Hemsworth and fiancée Miley Cyrus were named in a supposed tussle at Hollywood hot spot Beecher's Madhouse, with Cyrus, 20, allegedly breaking up her husband-to-be's argument with another club goer. "This is completely false and erroneous," Cyrus' rep said at the time.

Ariel Winter to Stay with Sister, Dad to Oversee Estate
The family feud over who should care for Modern Family actress Ariel Winter, 14, has reached a truce – for now. "It looks like the court is going to order therapy and counseling to help keep us together as a family," Ariel's older brother Jimmy Workman told reporters following an L.A. Superior Court hearing Wednesday. "Everything's holding off and everyone's going to counseling," he added. Lawyers for Ariel's mother, Chrisoula Workman, her older daughter Shanelle Gray, 34, as well as the actress, hammered out an agreement to allow Ariel to remain in the care of Shanelle pending a new hearing in March. Said Judge Michael Levanas in open court: "I believe things are going to get better. I'm thrilled we're taking that first step." Judge Levanas also confirmed that Ariel's father, Glenn Workman, will serve as temporary guardian of Ariel's estate.


Kenya Moore's boyfriend insists relationship was fake
"Real Housewives of Atlanta" regular Walter Jackson has revealed he was faking his relationship with Kenya Moore for the cameras. As one of the newcomers on Season 5, the former Miss USA caused a ruckus as early as the second episode, prompting conflict to quickly arise among the cast. Her love interest on the show, Jackson, is now claiming that their relationship on the docu-series was merely for show, because Moore wanted to stir up a controversy.  In recent episodes, Moore touts Jackson as the love of her life and eggs him on to propose to her and start a family. However, Jackson constantly shoots down her advances, and now he's revealing why. He tells Atlanta's V-103 morning radio show, "We did date for three months three years ago and lost touch. In April, she texted me and said she was coming to Atlanta. I was kind of surprised. She said, 'I'm going to be doing this show. What do you think of reality TV?"' And while he was apprehensive about signing on as her faux boyfriend, Jackson says Moore insisted it would be "just like acting." Jackson eventually agreed to be on the program but was never swayed into going through with her marriage proposal ideas. Moore later claimed that the reason Jackson didn't marry her was because he's gay, but he denied her accusations on the radio show. He said, "I'm well established here. Gay has never been in the block. Why she would say that, I don’t know ... I'm not here to bash the show. The producers had no idea we were faking it. It was our secret."

DJs Moved to Safehouses After Death Threats Following Kate Middleton Nurse Suicide Prank

DJs involved in the Kate Middleton nurse prank have been moved to safehouses. The two DJs behind the hoax call that led to the apparent suicide of nurse Jacintha Saldanha, where Duchess Kate Middleton was being treated for extreme morning sickness, have also been put under 24 hour security guards to protect them from attack. The measures have been put in place by their employers, 2Day FM, an Australian broadcaster, after fears of the safety of the DJs arose. Nurse Saldanha was found dead just two days after DJs Mel Greig and Michael Christian called London's King Edward VII hospital, where the Duchess of Cambridge was being treated, pretending to be the Queen and Prince Charles. They tricked the nurse into putting the DJs through to a colleague who updated them with private information about Kate Middleton's condition. During the call Greig put on an accent to sound like the Queen and asked how her "granddaughter" was doing. However, the nurse was said to be devastated at the breach of privacy, and two days later she apparently committed suicide.

L.A. Reid says bye to 'X Factor'

The latest season of The X Factor is down to the wire – but L.A. Reid is already looking ahead to next season. And he's not planning to come back. "I have decided that I will not return to The X Factor next year," Reid, who is chairman and CEO of Epic Records, says "I have a company to run that I've kind of neglected." Of his decision to leave the singing competition, he says, "It saddens me a little bit, but only a little bit."One of the things he's sure to miss is spending so much time with his pal and fellow judge Simon Cowell. "I love Simon. We have a great relationship," says Reid. "We have fun together, we talk, we laugh, we do bad things, we're friends." Reid says being on the show, which also currently stars judges Britney Spears and Demi Lovato, was "a nice break" from his day job, "but now I've got to go back to work." Reid has been a judge on the show for two seasons with Cowell. Nicole Scherzinger and Paula Abdul lasted only one season as judges before leaving.

'The Voice' finale Taps Rihanna, Kelly Clarkson, Bruno Mars and the Killers

The season finale of "The Voice" has enlisted some high-profile talent to help send the show's third cycle off with a bang. Rihanna, Kelly Clarkson, Bruno Mars and the Killers have been tapped to  Rihanna will perform her song "Diamonds," while "American Idol" alum Clarkson -- who has served as a guest mentor on the show, as well as hosting the rival singing competition "Duets" -- is set to sing "Catch My Breath." The Killers, meanwhile, will play their single "Runaways," and Mars will debut the song "When I Was Your Man" from his sophomore album "Unorthodox Jukebox," which was released Tuesday. The season finale of "The Voice" will air live on Dec. 18 at 8 p.m. perform on the two-hour extravaganza, which will culminate with the crowning of a new champion.

NBC will televise the 70th annual Globes awards show on Jan. 13, with Amy Poehler and Tina Fey co-hosting.
Best Motion Picture — Drama
Argo
Django Unchained
Life of Pi
Lincoln
Zero Dark Thirty
Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture — Drama
Daniel Day-Lewis, Lincoln
Richard Gere, Arbitrage
John Hawkes, The Sessions
Joaquin Phoenix, The Master
Denzel Washington, Flight
Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture — Drama
Jessica Chastain, Zero Dark Thirty
Marion Cotillard, Rust & Bone
Helen Mirren, Hitchcock
Naomi Watts, The ImpossibleRachel Weisz, The Deep Blue Sea
Best Motion Picture — Comedy Or Musical
The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel
Les Miserables
Moonrise Kingdom
Salmon Fishing in the YemenSilver Linings Playbook
Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture — Comedy Or Musical
Emily Blunt, Salmon Fishing in the Yemen
Judi Dench, The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel
Jennifer Lawrence, Silver Linings Playbook
Maggie Smith, Quartet
Meryl Streep, Hope Springs
Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture — Comedy Or Musical
Jack Black, Bernie
Bradley Cooper, Silver Linings Playbook
Hugh Jackman, Les Miserables
Bill Murray, Hyde Park on Hudson
Ewan McGregor, Salmon Fishing in the Yemen
Best Performance by an Actress In A Supporting Role in a Motion Picture
Amy Adams, The Master
Sally Field, Lincoln
Anne Hathaway, Les Miserables
Helen Hunt, The Sessions
Nicole Kidman, The Paperboy
Best Performance by an Actor In A Supporting Role in a Motion Picture
Alan Arkin, Argo
Leonardo DiCaprio, Django Unchained
Philip Seymour Hoffman, The Master
Tommy Lee Jones, Lincoln
Christoph Waltz, Django Unchained
Best Director — Motion Picture
Ben Affleck, Argo
Kathryn Bigelow, Zero Dark Thirty
Ang Lee, Life of Pi
Steven Spielberg, Lincoln
Quentin Tarantino, Django Unchained
Best Screenplay — Motion Picture
Argo, Chris Terrio
Django Unchained, Quentin Tarantino
Lincoln, Tony Kushner
Silver Linings Playbook, David O. Russell
Zero Dark Thirty, Mark Boal
Best Original Score — Motion PictureAnna Karenina, Dario Marianelli
Argo, Alexandre Desplat
Cloud Atlas, Tom Tykwer, Johnny Klimet & Reinhold Heil
Life of Pi, Michael Danna
Lincoln, John Williams
Best Original Song — Motion Picture
“For You ” (music and lyrics by Keith Urban), Act of Valor
“Not Running Anymore” (music and lyrics by Jon Bon Jovi), Stand Up Guys
“Safe & Sound” (music and lyrics by Taylor Swift, John Paul White, Joy Williams and T Bone Burnett), The Hunger Games
“Skyfall” (music and lyrics by Adel and Paul Epworth), Skyfall
“Suddenly” (music by Claude-Michel Schonberg and lyrics by Schonberg and Alain Boublil), Les Miserables
Best Animated Film
Brave
Frankenweenie
Hotel Transylvania
Rise of the Guardians
Wreck-It Ralph
Best Foreign Language Film
Amour
The Intouchables
Kon-Tiki
A Royal Affair
Rust & Bone
Best Television Series — Drama
Boardwalk Empire
Breaking Bad
Downton Abbey
Homeland
The Newsroom
Best Television Series — Comedy Or MusicalThe Big Bang Theory
Episodes
Girls
Modern Family
Smash
Best Performance by an Actor In A Television Series – Drama
Steve Buscemi, Boardwalk Empire
Bryan Cranston, Breaking Bad
Jeff Daniels, The Newsroom
Jon Hamm, Mad Men
Damian Lewis, Homeland
Best Performance by an Actress In A Television Series – Drama
Connie Britton, Nashville
Glenn Close, Damages
Claire Danes, Homeland
Michelle Dockery, Downton Abbey
Julianna Margulies, The Good Wife
Best Performance by an Actor in a Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for TelevisionKevin Costner, Hatfields and McCoysBenedict Cumberbatch, SherlockWoody Harrelson, Game ChangeToby Jones, The GirlClive Owen, Hemingway and Gellhorn
Best Performance by an Actress In A Mini-series or Motion Picture Made for Television
Nicole Kidman, Hemingway and Gellhorn
Jessica Lange, American Horror Story: Asylum
Sienna Miller, The Girl
Julianne Moore, Game Change
Sigourney Weaver, Political Animals
Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Series, Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television
Max Greenfield, New Girl
Ed Harris, Game Change
Danny Huston, Magic City
Mandy Patinkin, Homeland
Eric Stonestreet, Modern Family
Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Series, Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for TelevisionHayden Panettiere, Nashville
Archie Panjabi, The Good Wife
Sarah Paulson, Game Change
Maggie Smith, Downton Abbey
Sofia Vergara, Modern Family
Best Performance by an Actress In A Television Series — Comedy Or Musical
Zooey Deschanel, New Girl
Lena Dunham, Girls
Tina Fey, 30 Rock
Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Veep
Amy Poehler, Parks And Recreation
Best Performance by an Actor In A Television Series — Comedy Or Musical
Alec Baldwin, 30 Rock
Don Cheadle, House of Lies
Louis C.K., Louis
Matt LeBlanc, Episodes
Jim Parsons, The Big Bang Theory
Best Mini-Series Or Motion Picture Made for TelevisionGame ChangeThe Girl
Hatfield & McCoys
The Hour
Political Animals
Cecil B. DeMille Award
Jodie Foster

Fired 'X Factor' judge Cheryl Cole sues for Season 2 money: $2.3 million

Cheryl Cole, who was slated to be a judge on the first season of the U.S. "X Factor" but was released from her contract before live shows began, is suing the show's bosses to the tune of $2.3 million. Cole filmed a few episodes of "The X Factor" in 2011 before Simon Cowell decided she wasn't a good fit for the U.S. version of the show and offered her former position on the U.K. judges panel back. Cole left the U.S. version but turned down the U.K. position. "I probably got this wrong, and I'll admit it," Cowell said. "I guess that's what happens when you make reality TV. I take it on the chin." Despite being axed before the show even began airing, Cole was paid her complete salary for Season 1 - $1.8 million. Now, she's suing for her Season 2 money. Cole's attorneys say that she had a pay-or-play clause in her contract, meaning that she gets paid whether she appears on the show or not. She's seeking not only the $2 million she was promised for the second season, but also $100,000 one-time wardrobe allowance, her $25,000 one-time all-inclusive stylist allowance, her $15,000-per-month apartment allowance to rent in Los Angeles, and a $2,500-per-month living allowance.

 Ice-T is giving wife CoCo Austin the cold shoulder over some hot pics she took with another man. The photos, which have since been deleted from Instagram, show the married model, 33, cozying up to rapper AP.9 in Vegas, where she is currently performing in the burlesque revue Peepshow. (Austin replaced former headliner Holly Madison, who is almost seven months pregnant with her first child.) In one snapshot, the blonde bombshell closes her eyes while AP.9 plants an affectionate kiss on her cheek; in another, the rapper buries his face in her neck as she seductively gazes at the camera. Austin's husband, 54, is less than thrilled about the photos and took to Twitter over the weekend to vent his fury in a series of outraged tweets. "Most of [the pics are] disrespectful and in bad taste," Ice-T shared on the micro-blogging site. "She's made me look and feel like s--t." The actor deleted his comments shortly after posting them, but by then, his anger had already gone viral. "I say this on Twitter because there's no way to avoid the obvious misconduct of a married [woman]," he wrote. "That's it. Any more questions, ask [my wife] @CoCosWorld." Austin, for her part, initially tried to downplay the incident, tweeting: "Woke up to people in a panic about some pics. Please guys, I'm happily married, sometimes fans & friends take silly pics. It's harmless." However, she later backtracked and apologized for the photos to both her husband of 11 years -- with whom she stars on the E! reality show Ice Loves Coco -- and her fans. "Ice is right, the pics I took with this man were in poor taste & I disrespected my husband," she shared. "However the pics were the only thing that happened." "I feel so sad. The bottom line is I love Ice & I can understand why he's upset," she added. "There's no excuse for my actions. I'm so sorry baby & to everyone."

 

Salt 2
"The Prince of Tides" and "Seven Years in Tibet" scribe Becky Johnston has been hired to pen re-writes on a sequel to "Salt" at Sony Pictures. Angelina Jolie is expected to reprise her role of CIA officer Evelyn Salt. Jolie is the one who requested rewrites to the earlier draft by Kurt Wimmer and it has apparently taken almost a year to find someone all involved could sign off on.

Get Hard
Kevin Hart has signed on to star in the comedy "Get Hard" at Warner Bros. Pictures. No director is yet onboard, but Gary Sanchez is attached to produce. Will Ferrell plays a wealthy investment banker sentenced to a maximum security prison for a crime he didn't commit. He enlists the help of the man who usually washes his car (Kevin Hart) to prepare him for doing hard time before he has to report to prison in thirty days.

 

The Muppets 2
Ty Burrell ("Modern Family") will replace Christoph Waltz as an Interpol inspector in Disney's sequel "The Muppets 2." James Bobin is returning as helmer and shooting kicks off in winter in London. Waltz was forced to back out due to scheduling conflicts. Two other key roles still to be cast are a Russian femme fatale and a mysterious male lead.

Lady Antebellum's Hillary Scott Is Pregnant

First comes the sound of wedding bells, and next comes the baby rattle. Lady Antebellum's Hillary Scott and drummer Chris Tyrrell, who became engaged on Independence Day in 2011 and married Jan. 7 in upstate New York, are now expecting a child. "Chris & I are excited to announce that our Christmas gift has arrived a little early this year! We are having a BABY!" she wrote on Twitter Friday. "We feel so blessed!!!"

The wedding's back on – though it may be a good idea to save that gift receipt. Hugh Hefner, 86, officially confirms that he is once again engaged to Crystal Harris, 26, telling his Twitter followers, "I've given Crystal Harris a ring. I love the girl." And to prove it, Harris posted photos of the big diamond sparkler, calling it "my beautiful ring." Neither announced a wedding date, though sources say they're planning to tie the knot at the Playboy Mansion in Los Angeles on New Year's Eve.Whether that still happens remains to be seen. This is the plan they had in 2011 – a wedding at the mansion – except that Harris called it off just days before the nuptials were scheduled to happen in front of 300 invited guests.


Guatemala judge orders McAfee released
Lawyer Telesforo Guerra says the judge notified him verbally of the ruling, but that it may take a day for formal written notification to win McAfee's release. Judge Judith Secaida did not return phone calls on Tuesday seeking to confirm the ruling. Guerra said Secaida ruled McAfee's detention illegal, ordered him released and gave him 10 days to put his immigration situation in order. McAfee was detained last week after he sneaked into Guatemala from neighboring Belize. Police in neighboring Belize want to question him in the fatal shooting in November of a U.S. expatriate who lived near his home on a Belizean island.

'How I Met Your Mother' negotiations: Jason Segel 'unlikely' to sign for Season 9

If this season of "How I Met Your Mother" is to be its last, the show's writers will need to know soon so they can set the show's final stories in motion. So it's no surprise to hear that after a quiet period earlier this fall, negotiations for a ninth season have picked up recently. 20th Century Fox TV, which produces the series, is talking with CBS about a renewal at the same time it's discussing new contracts for creators Carter Bays and Craig Thomas and the show's five stars. One of those stars, Jason Segel, is "unlikely" to return for another season. Thomas said at the start of the season that he and Bays would "never ever" want to continue the show without all five regulars, which would seem to point toward an ending this season. On the other hand, Segel hasn't said an unequivocal no to a ninth season of "HIMYM," and CBS may need the show enough to make it worthwhile for the actors to return. If negotiations for a ninth season fail, though, we can probably expect to hear word of "How I Met Your Mother" wrapping up within the next few weeks.

TV NEWS
Dallas has set a date for what is bound to be the the biggest TV swan song of 2013 — the funeral of J.R. Ewing. Three weeks after TV legend Larry Hagman‘s death from cancer complications, Dallas will lay his alter ego — an icon to multiple generations of viewers — to rest in the upcoming second season’s eighth episode, slated to air on March 11 on TNT.  Hagman completed filming a number of Season 2 episodes prior to his sudden passing. Although production was not significantly impacted, producers quickly began crafting a proper sendoff — one that is rumored to feature a number of returning Dallas vets (including several that have not yet been seen on the TNT version.) Dallas‘ sophomore season is set to premiere on Jan. 28.


30 Rock has locked in Ice-T for a series-finale guest spot, the SVU star has revealed via Twitter. Further details about the role are being kept under wraps.


Fresh off the Sons of Anarchy Season 5 finale, Theo Rossi, who plays Juice on the FX biker drama, will guest-star on Law & Order: SVU. Rossi will appear in the Jan. 2 episode of NBC’s long-running procedural as Enrique Rodriguez, a working-class Catholic who is determined to seek justice for his sister when he finds that she was part of a church cover-up. The potential church scandal comes to light as Detective Tutuola angles to prove his ex-brother-in-law (Boardwalk Empire‘s LaRay Harvey) innocent of assaulting a priest (True Blood’s Denis O’Hare). During his run on Sons, Rossi has between seasons also guested on series such as Alcatraz (which starred his real-life girlfriend Sarah Jones), Hawaii Five-0 and Lie to Me.


Former Disney darling Brenda Song has nabbed a recurring role on New Girl. The actress, who currently appears on Scandal, will play a new love interest for Lamorne Morris’ Winston.


Teen Wolf star Colton Haynes has landed a recurring role on Arrow. The actor, who in early October hinted at his departure from the MTV hit, joins the CW drama as Roy Harper, a “handsome, street-savvy” teen who falls for Oliver’s little sister. Fans of DC Comics will likely recall that Haynes’ soon-to-be alter ego has taken on many iterations since his 1941 inception, including Green Arrow’s sidekick Speedy and the Justice League’s Red Arrow. Little is known, however, about how he’ll factor into Arrow‘s mythology, other than that he’s said to be a very “important player.”


Saturday Night Live alum Andy Samberg will host the 2013 Film Independent Spirit Awards, airing Saturday, Feb. 23 on IFC.


Ever wonder how those cunning buyers on A&E’s Storage Wars continue to get so lucky in their attempt to find treasure in abandoned storage units? We’re about to find out: Cast member Dave Hester is suing the cable network and Original Prods., claiming he was wrongfully terminated after he accused the show of committing fraud. According to the suit filed today in Los Angeles Superior Court, Hester was fired from the top-rated series after making light of its “outrageous conduct.” “In one episode a pile of old newspapers announcing the death of Elvis Presley was discovered,” the lawsuit states. “In another episode, a BMW mini car was found buried under a pile of trash. When Hester complained to producers that A&E’s fraudulent conduct of salting and staging the storage lockers was possibly illegal, he was fired.” The suit says that Hester is the most experienced buyer on the show. His bio on the network show site says he’s been at it for 25 years. (He once purchased a box lot at an abandoned moving and storage auction for $750 that contained a painting from impressionist artist Jack Wilkinson Smith, the suit says. He sold it for $155,000). Hester is seeking damages in excess of $750,000 from the show, which is in the second half of the third season. An A&E spokesman said the net does not comment on pending litigation.

 Mexican-American singer Jenni Rivera died in a plane crash Saturday night, her father and brother confirmed. The wreckage was found in the Ejido La Colorada, Municipality of  Nuevo Leon. Gerardo Ruiz Esparza, secretary of communications and transport, said that the plane was not recognizable, but the evidence suggested it was the aircraft carrying the singer. The Learjet carrying the 43-year-old performer lost contact with air traffic controllers after it took off from Monterrey, Mexico, at 3:15 a.m. following Rivera's concert there. Contact was lost about 60 miles away, Mexico's transportation ministry said in a statement. It was scheduled to arrive in Toluca, outside Mexico City, before sunrise. Rivera, a native of Long Beach, Calif., was known as the Diva of Banda with over 20 million albums sold worldwide and recently named one of People En Español's 25 most powerful women. She was also the star of I Love Jenni, a reality show that aired on Telemundo's mun2 documenting the singer's jet-set life as an entertainer and mother of five children. It also featured her publicist, lawyer and makeup artist, who were all on the plane with her. Earlier this month, ABC tapped Rivera to star in her own show. The self-titled comedy, Jenni, would feature her as a strong, middle-class, single Latina woman working to raise a family using unique parenting skills.

  Former South African President Nelson Mandela, in hospital for tests since Saturday, has suffered a recurrence of a lung infection but is responding to treatment, a government statement said on Tuesday. "Doctors have concluded the tests, and these have revealed a recurrence of a previous lung infection, for which Madiba (Mandela's clan name) is receiving appropriate treatment and he is responding to the treatment," the statement said. The 94-year-old former South African president and revered anti-apartheid leader is spending his fourth day in a hospital in the South African capital Pretoria. A statement from the office of President Jacob Zuma, who visited the Nobel Peace laureate Sunday, said, "President Mandela had a good night's rest" and was "in good hands." It also thanked members of the public for their messages of support. Defense Minister Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula told reporters after paying Mandela a visit in Pretoria's "1 Military" hospital that he was doing "very, very well." The military is responsible for the health of sitting and former South African presidents. Mandela, South Africa's first black president and a global symbol of resistance to racism and injustice, spent 27 years in apartheid prisons, including 18 years on the windswept Robben Island off the coast of Cape Town. He was released in 1990 and went on to be elected president in the historic all-race elections in 1994 that ended white-minority rule in Africa's most important economy.

Australian DJs apologize for royal hoax call

They say they expected a hang-up and a few laughs. Instead, the Australian DJs behind a hoax phone call to the London hospital where the pregnant Duchess of Cambridge was being treated were deeply apologetic Monday as they described how their joke ended up going too far. The phone call — in which they impersonated Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Charles — went through, and their station broadcast and even trumpeted the confidential information received. Whatever pride there had been over the hoax was obliterated by worldwide public outrage after Friday's death of Jacintha Saldanha, the first nurse they talked to. "There's not a minute that goes by that we don't think about her family and what they must be going through," 2DayFM radio host Mel Greig told Australia's "A Current Affair," her voice shaking. "And the thought that we may have played a part in that is gut-wrenching."  Both DJs apologized for the hoax and cried when asked about the moment they learned that the Saldanha was dead. But neither described having reservations before the hoax tape was broadcast; they said higher-ups at the station had made the decision to air it. "We didn't have that discussion," Greig said. Southern Cross Austereo, the parent company of 2DayFM, released a statement Monday saying that Greig and Christian's show had been terminated and there would be a company-wide suspension of prank calls. The DJs themselves remain suspended. Saldanha had two children. Her husband, Ben Barboza, expressed his sadness on his Facebook page with a short note "Obituary Jacintha." "I am devastated with the tragic loss of my beloved wife Jacintha in tragic circumstances," he wrote. He said she will be laid to rest in Shirva, India.

 Sugarland‘s Jennifer Nettles welcomed son Magnus Hamilton Miller on Thursday, Dec. 6, her rep confirmed. Baby Magnus is the first child for the Grammy-winning singer, 38, and her husband, entrepreneur Justin Miller. “We are so thankful for all the prayers and support and are excited to take some time together as a new family,” the couple say in a statement. And the timing couldn’t have been better: after tying the knot during a small, sunset ceremony in Tennessee last year, the couple celebrated their first anniversary on Nov. 28.

 

Toni Braxton hospitalized for Lupus and blood clots

R&B singer Toni Braxton has been hospitalized for complications related to her Lupus, she announced via Twitter. "Hey guys, I'm in the hospital for health issues related to Lupus & Blood clots, I will be home soon...Thanks for all the love&support! Xoxo," the singer tweeted on Friday. The 45-year-old revealed two years ago that she was diagnosed with Lupus, a dangerous autoimmune disease. Specifically, she suffers from systemic lupus erythematosus. Braxton's own uncle passed away from complications related to the illness, and her brother suffers from it as well. Braxton was also hospitalized back in January for what she called a "Lupus flare-up." She also suffers from microvascular angina, or "small vessel disease," which makes blood clots particularly common.

 

Ex-President Bush remains hospitalized, stable

Former President George H.W. Bush remains in stable condition in his third week of hospitalization in Houston for treatment of a bronchitis-related cough. Methodist Hospital spokesman George Kovacik said Sunday there was no change in the 88-year-old Bush's condition. Doctors have said over the past several days that the 41st president continues to improve but they're in no hurry to release him. Bush was admitted to the hospital the day after Thanksgiving. Bush and his wife, Barbara, divide their time, spending winters in Houston and summers in Kennebunkport, Maine.

Brent charged with manslaughter

Police charged Dallas Cowboys defensive lineman Josh Brent with intoxication manslaughter Saturday after he flipped his car in a pre-dawn accident that killed teammate Jerry Brown.  Irving police spokesman John Argumaniz said the accident happened about 2:20 a.m. Saturday in the Dallas suburb, hours before Brent was to be on a team flight to Cincinnati for the Cowboys' game Sunday against the Bengals. Argumaniz said the 25-year-old Brown — a practice-squad linebacker who also was Brent's teammate for three seasons at the University of Illinois — was found unresponsive at the scene and pronounced dead at a hospital. the pair had joined a dozen teammates who apparently spent Friday night at Privae, a Dallas club where comedian Shawn Wayans was appearing. Brent released a statement Saturday night through his agent, Peter Schaeffer. "I am devastated and filled with grief," the statement reads. "Filled with grief for the loss of my close friend and teammate, Jerry Brown. I am also grief-stricken for his family, friends and all who were blessed enough to have known him. "I will live with this horrific and tragic loss every day for the rest of my life. My prayers are with his family, our teammates and his friends at this time.” It marked the second straight week the NFL found itself dealing with a tragedy right before gameday. ''We are deeply saddened by the news of this accident and the passing of Jerry Brown,'' Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said in a statement. ''At this time, our hearts and prayers and deepest sympathies are with the members of Jerry's family and all of those who knew him and loved him.'' Officers conducted a field sobriety test on Brent and arrested him on suspicion of driving while intoxicated, Argumaniz said. The charge, a second-degree felony punishable by two to 20 years in prison, was upgraded after Brown was pronounced dead. Argumaniz said Brent, who pleaded guilty to a drunken driving charge three years ago at Illinois, was being held without bond. Brent is named as Joshua Price-Brent in the police news release. Argumaniz said Brent missed a 10 a.m. Saturday booking session with a judge because he was intoxicated. He did not know if Brent had an attorney. Brent was speeding when the vehicle hit a curb and flipped at least once, Argumaniz said. Police received 911 calls from motorists who saw the upside-down vehicle but they did not immediately have any eyewitnesses to the wreck, the police spokesman said. Argumaniz said when officers arrived at the scene on a state highway service road, Brent was dragging Brown from the vehicle, a Mercedes, which was on fire. Officers quickly put out the small blaze, he said. Before he was taken to the jail, Brent went to a hospital for a blood draw for alcohol testing and also received treatment for some minor scrapes. Argumaniz said Brent identified himself to officers as a Cowboys player. Cowboys players were aware of the accident Saturday morning, and coach Jason Garrett told the team about Brown's death on the plane about 1:15 p.m. after asking other personnel to step off the aircraft, team spokesman Rich Dalrymple said. The flight was ''quiet, more than normal,'' Dalrymple said. Former Illinois coach Ron Zook said Brent, a third-year player who made the first start of his career in the opener against the New York Giants, was trying to help Brown make it in the NFL. Brown joined the Cowboys in October after he was released by the Indianapolis Colts. Brown played for San Antonio in the Arena Football League this year. In 2011, he played for Jacksonville in the AFL and the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in the Canadian Football League. In June 2009, Brent pleaded guilty to DUI and was sentenced to 60 days in jail, two years of probation, 200 hours of community service and a fine of about $2,000. As part of his plea deal, prosecutors dropped one count of aggravated DUI/no valid driver's license. Brent successfully completed his probation in July 2011.


'Skyfall' returns to No. 1
In the box-office lull before the arrival The Hobbit next weekend, Skyfall returned to the number-one spot at the box office, becoming the first film since How to Train Your Dragon to lead the chart in its fifth week. It also became the highest grossing Sony release of all time. Way back in sixth, Gerard Butler and Jessica Biel’s new film, a soccer-themed rom-com Playing for Keeps completely missed the goal, debuting with an awful $6.0 million.
1. Skyfall – $11.0 million
4. Rise of the Guardians – $10.5 million
2. The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 2 – $9.2 million
3. Lincoln – $9.1 million
5. Life of Pi – $8.3 million
6. Playing for Keeps – $6.0 million

Rick Ross Cancels Remainder Of His MMG Tour As Safety Concerns Arise

It seemed the Maybach Music Group boss was having a great time on tour with his MMG protégés, Meek Mill and Wale, but he suddenly canceled two North Carolina shows on Thursday night and then the rest of his run on Friday. Rozay has pulled the plug on the tour that was to run up to his New York City show on December 16, a source confirmed with MTV News. That's a total of seven scheduled stops in Nashville, Memphis, Houston, Detroit and the Big Apple; and the previously canceled NC dates. "I want to apologize to all of my fans who I missed performing for due to the cancellations and want to let them know that I will get back to their cities," Rick Ross said on Friday. "I enjoyed my experience with my little bros Wale and Meek Mill and I'm ready to get back in the studio to make good music." A rep for Ross said that though the first leg of the tour was successful the remaining dates were cancelled due to "apparent lack of organization and communication on the part of the tour promoter." Despite the official word, there are rampant reports that Rozay halted his North Carolina dates because he received threats from a street gang known as the Gangster Disciples. In a YouTube clip members of the organization cite grievances with Ross for name-dropping their chairman Larry Hoover on the chorus of his 2010 single "B.M.F. (Blowin' Money Fast)."

Kristen Stewart: 'I Can Confirm' I'm Co-Starring With Ben Affleck In Focus

Kristen Stewart's post-"Twilight" career is off to a good start. After a month of buzz claiming the 22-year-old beauty was being considered to star alongside Ben Affleck in the upcoming Warner Bros. comedy "Focus," Kristen herself has revealed she nabbed the role.  The actress, whose latest movie "Breaking Dawn - Part 2" (the final film in "The Twilight Saga") is still burning up the box office, is thrilled to be getting a humorous change of pace. "It's a comedy. I'm really excited about it," she told the website. "We start shooting in April." Kristen will play a rookie con artist alongside Ben, who will play an experienced swindler. The fraud-loving pair's relationship grows complicated when they begin to develop romantic feelings for one another. 

 

Yet another celebrity is swept up in a nude photo scandal after taking naked pics for a significant other. This time, it's singer Ciara, who allegedly took the photos for her on-again off-again boyfriend 50 Cent as a gift for his birthday in July -- though some sources say the pics may be as much as five years old. This time, the photos weren't stolen from a hacked cell phone or email account, but taken behind-the-scenes at a private photoshoot. Ciara appears nude, except for elaborate decorative body paint.

Beyoncé signs $50 million Pepsi deal

Beyoncé has cemented her place as a top earning pop superstar by signing a lucrative deal with Pepsi worth an estimated $50 million. The singer has previously appeared in Pepsi ads, but she has now stepped up her involvement with the company by becoming the face of the brand and giving Pepsi sponsorship for her albums, concerts, photo shoots and music videos. Pepsi will also provide a multimillion dollar fund for Beyoncé to use to bankroll her own creative projects over the next few years.  Beyoncé says in a statement, "Pepsi embraces creativity and understands that artists evolve. As a businesswoman, this allows me to work with a lifestyle brand with no compromise and without sacrificing my creativity." Lee Anne Callahan-Longo, who runs Beyoncé's Parkwood Entertainment company, insists the deal is more than just a regular brand sponsorship agreement, adding, "It's wise for a brand like Pepsi to give an artist the ability to truly express herself. Instead of just the old-school way of, 'Do you want to be in an advertisement?' This is much bigger. This is, 'How can we create something together that is truly unique?'"  Beyoncé will collaborate with Pepsi on America's upcoming 2013 Super Bowl halftime show, and an image of her face will be stamped on the side of limited edition cans due for release in the spring. The singer's next album is due for release around the time of the massive televised concert in February.

 Nashville star Hayden Panettiere has broken up with her boyfriend of more than a year, New York Jets wide receiver Scotty McKnight, a source confirmed. But the split doesn't appear to be the stuff of a sad country song. The actress, 23, is still friends with McKnight, 24. This is Panettiere's second go at a relationship with an athlete. Before dating McKnight she was with Ukrainian boxer Wladimir Klitschko for about two years.

 

Justin Bieber adds 30 2013 tour dates

Billboard -- Pop star and recent Grammy-snub victim Justin Bieber has added 30 North American dates to his ongoing "Believe" tour, which has been extended through August 2013. The arena trek, which supports Bieber's latest No. 1 album "Believe," kicked off on Sept. 29 in Glendale, Ariz., and has continued across the country this fall. The tour will head overseas beginning in February and return for a fresh run of North American starting on June 22 in San Diego. Tickets for the newly announced "Believe" dates, presented by AEG Live, will go on sale on Dec. 14 and Dec. 21. Although the former Best New Artist nominee failed to garner any new Grammy nods for his "Believe" work, Bieber took home the Artist of the Year trophy at the 2012 American Music Awards last month.
 Over the weekend, the "Diamonds" singer, 24, posed for pal Melissa Forde, sipping wine and smoking by a fireplace in a ski chalet- Rihanna was slightly less relaxed earlier in the weekend -- launching a tirade against, presumably, on-again, off-again beau Chris Brown.  "Examine what you tolerate, goodbye muthaf****," she tweeted Friday, although she didn't clarify the root of her anger. "You give, you get, then you give it the f*** back" and "Claps for the basic b****." The tweets came after Chris Brown was recently seen with his ex-girlfriend.


Adele facing fine over baby registration

British singer Adele is facing a fine after allegedly failing to register her baby's birth with authorities. Adele gave birth to her first child with her partner Simon Konecki on Oct. 19, but she has yet to speak out about the new arrival or reveal the little boy's name. It has now emerged that Adele has failed to file the necessary paperwork with registrars within the required 42-day legal deadline and could now be facing a $1,600 fine.

Brooke Mueller could be jailed for drinking alcohol on probation
In addition to reportedly overdosing on Adderall on Friday (Dec. 7), Brooke Mueller faces more trouble, as she has reportedly violated her probation by drinking alcohol. Charlie Sheen's ex say that when Mueller was hospitalized for the overdose, alcohol was found in her system. Mueller is currently on probation for felony drug possession, and part of the deal is no drinking alcohol. No word on whether prosecutors plan to revoke Mueller's probation. Mueller's rep, meanwhile, publicly denied that she overdosed on drugs, saying she was hospitalized for exhaustion and dehydration

Shannen Doherty may have prevented fan's suicide after calling police

"Beverly Hills, 90210" and "Charmed" star Shannen Doherty received messages on Twitter from a fan in New Jersey who was thinking about suicide. Unsure how to help, Doherty called police in Westhampton Township and explained what was going on.  On the call, Doherty says, "This is going to sound incredibly strange ... my name is Shannen Doherty and I'm an actress. I'm on Twitter, sadly, and there is a girl that is threatening to shoot herself and she lives somewhere over there." At one point in the call, the dispatcher even tells Shannen that her co-workers are big fans. Officers were able to find out where Doherty's 27-year-old fan lived, and they were dispatched to her home. According to the report, the woman was fine and said she had no intention of actually hurting herself.

 remember how Kat Von D tattooed Jesse James' creepy school picture from fifth grade under her armpit right before they broke up for the final time (and she then accused him of cheating on her with 19 women)?  Despite her insistence that she would keep the fittingly placed tat because she lives with "no regrets," Kat apparently had a few regrets. On Friday, the Deadmau5-dating tattoo artist tweeted photos showing her getting the portrait lasered off. "AND SO IT BEGINS!" she wrote. "First round of tattoo removal well underway! :) #freshstart."