7/2/13

Pierce Brosnan's daughter dies of ovarian cancer
Pierce Brosnan’s daughter Charlotte died of ovarian cancer, the actor said on Monday. “On June 28 at 2 p.m. my darling daughter Charlotte Emily passed on to eternal life, having succumbed to ovarian cancer,” Brosnan told the magazine in a statement. “She was surrounded by her husband Alex, her children Isabella and Lucas and her brothers Christopher and Sean. “Charlotte fought her cancer with grace and humanity, courage and dignity. Our hearts are heavy with the loss of our beautiful dear girl. We pray for her and that the cure for this wretched disease will be close at hand soon,” the actor continued. “We thank everyone for their heartfelt condolences.” Charlotte was 41. Her mother, Cassandra Harris, was Brosnan’s first wife and also died of ovarian cancer.

Kyra Sedgwick chops off fingertip
Actress Kyra Sedgwick has lost the end of her finger after a weekend cooking accident. The "Closer" star chopped off the tip of her digit while cutting up vegetables in her kitchen on Saturday, forcing her to make an emergency trip to the hospital. Her husband, Kevin Bacon, alerted fans to Sedgwick's mishap on Twitter by uploading a photo of his wife holding her bleeding finger while seated in a medical waiting room. He wrote, "Kale isn't always healthy... if you chop the end of your finger off." The "Footloose" hunk later posted a snapshot of the actress with a large bandage on her hand, and tweeted, "My baby is fine. All good. Still can't find the tip of that finger."
 After 10 years together, Amar'e Stoudemire wanted wife Alexis to have the wedding of her dreams – so he gave her two of them. The New York Knicks forward, who originally married Alexis on Dec. 12, 2012 in front of an audience of 12 at their New York City home, threw a second ceremony and a large reception on Saturday evening in Miami, Fla. "Great weekend with friends and family. Alexis and I are so blessed and grateful," Stoudemire, 30, Tweeted Monday, sharing a wedding photo. Guests reportedly included Stoudemire's Knicks teammates Carmelo Anthony and Tyson Chandler, as well as Grant Hill and producers Timbaland, Swizz Beatz and his wife, musician Alicia Keys. The nuptials come just five weeks after Alexis delivered their fourth child, son Alijah Carsares. The couple are also parents to daughters Ar'e, 7, and Assata, 5, and son Amar’e Jr., 6.

Mark Burnett's 'The Bible' sequel gets NBC greenlight
Mark Burnett and NBC are forging a holy alliance to bring the sequel to Burnett and his wife, Roma Downey's hit miniseries "The Bible" to the peacock network. The sequel, which bears the working title "A.D.: Beyond the Bible," follows the enormously popular 10-part miniseries "The Bible," which drew a huge audience to History earlier this year. The sequel begins in the dark days after Jesus betrayal and death. "A perfect storm brews in the Holy Land, fueled by social injustice, Roman military oppression and religious unrest. High priests and the Herod dynasty vie for power. Zealot revolutionaries turn to violence to regain what they believe is their promised land," a release from NBC says of the sequel. "And in the face of terrible odds and brutal persecution, the small band of Jesus' disciples stand against the combined might of Rome and their own local authorities. In a generation of rebellion, war, famine and carnage, who can they trust? Who should they fear? Will tomorrow bring a violent death?  For many, it does ... but others survive, and as the storm around them breaks, the fate of Israel, of Rome and of their faith is decided."

Judge tosses three NY lawsuits against ex-Elmo actor
Three lawsuits brought by men who said a former Elmo puppeteer sexually abused them when they were underage were tossed out by a judge who said in a decision published Monday that the men waited too long to sue. U.S. District Judge John G. Koeltl said the claims must be barred because they came more than six years after each man reasonably should have become aware of Kevin Clash's alleged violations and more than three years after each turned 18. One other lawsuit is pending in Pennsylvania.  Clash resigned from "Sesame Street" in November after college student Cecil Singleton sued him for more than $5 million, accusing Clash of having sex with him when he was 15. At the time, Clash said he was leaving his job because "personal matters have diverted attention away from the important work 'Sesame Street' is doing." Clash was the man behind Elmo, the popular furry red monster, for 28 years. Singleton's lawsuit was among those thrown out Monday. Koeltl also rejected lawsuits brought by Kevin Kiadii, who claimed that Clash initiated contact with him on a gay chat line in 2004 when he was 16, and a third person, a Florida resident, who remained anonymous in his lawsuit as he claimed that Clash befriended him in late 1995 or early 1996 when he was 16 or 17. Sex with a person under age 17 is a felony in New York if the perpetrator is 21 or older. Koeltl said Singleton's claim expired in 2009, Kiadii's claim became time-barred at some point between 2008 and 2010 and the case brought anonymously would have expired between 2000 and 2002. In the ruling, the judge said that the time in which someone must bring a lawsuit accumulates after the victimization rather than when the individual realizes subsequent psychological harm. Otherwise, he said, plaintiffs could make claims decades later. "While the plaintiffs may not have recognized the extent of their injuries, they were aware of the defendant's conduct toward them and could have brought claims," Koeltl wrote.
 Henry Cavill and Kaley Cuoco are a new couple. "They were both single and started dating recently," says a source close to the Man of Steel star and Big Bang Theory actress. While Cuoco, 27, and Cavill, who split from his girlfriend, Fast & Furious 6 star Gina Carano, in early May, have yet to step out publicly, they're enjoying getting to know each other.


'American Idol' champ Ruben Studdard to compete on 'The Biggest Loser'
Have you ever seen a Velvet Teddy Bear with rock-hard abs? American Idol alum Ruben Studdard, who beat Clay Aiken back in 2003 to earn the season 2 crown, is moving on to a new reality competition: The Biggest Loser. Studdard — nicknamed the Velvet Teddy Bear for his cuddly physique and silky-smooth vocals — is ready to change that image in the name of health. “I’ve never had an issue with my weight,” Studdard, 35, said.  “[But] my family has a history of high blood pressure, diabetes, heart-related issues — things I didn’t have to deal with yet because I’m young. But I don’t want to be worried at 40, and if I don’t fix things now, I will be.” While Studdard is hardly the first celebrity to lose weight on TV — VH1′s Celebrity Fit Club ran for seven seasons — he is the first famous face to compete on The Biggest Loser, which returns to NBC this fall.

Pharrell Williams requests ruling in trademark feud with Will.i.am.

Singer-songwriter Pharrell Williams wants a judge to rule that a trademark for his “I am OTHER” company is not infringing on Will.i.am’s “I AM” trademark. Pharrell filed legal papers Monday in federal court in Manhattan. He’s seeking a declaratory judgment of non-infringement. The two artists have been in dispute for the past several months over the issue.

Gabrielle Union will star in BET's 'Being Mary Jane'

Gabrielle Union will star in the pilot for BET's new series, "Being Mary Jane," and will return in the role for a full run in January. The show focuses on a woman with a successful career and an ongoing desire for more in her life. With this show, BET enters into the world of cable drama. The character of Mary Jane is described as smart and beautiful at 38, the host of a cable news show. Still, she wants more -- family, love and further success are all goals. "She's flawed," Gabrielle Union said of her character. "She's chasing perfection, and she's falling dramatically short and dealing with the consequences of not having it all in every aspect of her life."Outside of her professional life and personal struggles, Mary Jane also has to deal with a troubled family. "She wants more independence for her family so she can go back to just being a daughter and a sister as opposed to a caregiver," Union explained. The show's supporting cast includes Richard Roundtree, Margaret Avery, Lisa Avery, Lisa Vidal and Richard Brooks. "Being Mary Jane" premieres Tuesday, July 2 at 10:30pm on BET. 8 episodes will follow in January 2014.

Earth, Wind and Fire dropping new album Sept. 10
Earth, Wind and Fire initially wanted to release its new album around the 2012 presidential election, but the band realized it wasn't satisfied with the songs it created. "Now, Then & Forever," the group's first album in eight years, will be released Sept. 10. Singer Philip Bailey says the band called co-founding member Larry Dunn and others to help produce its latest sound. Bailey explains that the 10-track album feels fresh, but it isn't a departure from the band's classic sound. Adds bassist Verdine White: "It doesn't sound like we're trying to be anyone other than Earth, Wind and Fire." "My Promise," their new single, is available Monday. The band is currently on tour.