Actor who played Alfred in 'Batman' movies dies at 94

British actor Michael Gough has died at age 94. The star, known for his role as Bruce Wayne's butler, Alfred, in Tim Burton's "Batman" films, passed away on Thursday. The cause of death is unknown.

Vivid CEO Blocks Sale of Usher's Sex Tape
Steve Hirsch, who was behind Kim Kardashian and Kendra Wilkinson's sex tape, purchased Usher's tape and plans on destroying it. In the letter to Usher, he says, "As a result of this being an intimate and very personal tape we can certainly understand why you would want to stop its distribution." Hirsch goes on to say he's shut down "many celebrity sex tapes" ... and claims he's willing to do the same for Usher.
  

Billy Ray Cyrus Calls off Divorce From Miley's Mom
Miley's dad Billy Ray Cyrus had a change of heart and decided to call off his divorce from Tish.  "I've dropped the divorce," Billy said during an interview on The View scheduled to air on Friday. "I want to put my family back together … Things are the best they've ever been." "I feel like I got my Miley back," he added. "I feel like we're the daddy and daughter we were before Hannah Montana." Miley reportedly stopped speaking to her dad after he told GQ magazine that 'Hannah Montana' destroyed their family. He calls it destroyed, I call it paying the bills. That Encino mansion they all live in comes with a hefty mortgage and we all know his achy breaky heart can't afford it.



Darren Aronofsky Exits 'The Wolverine'

Darren Aronofsky has exited "The Wolverine," saying the length of the shoot would have kept him away from his family for too long. The "Black Swan" director split from his longtime partner Rachel Weisz last fall. The couple have a young son, Henry Chance, together. Aronofsky was considered something of an offbeat choice for the "X-Men" sequel, having made his name primarily in arthouse films such as "The Wrestler"and "Requiem for a Dream." The director and Twentieth Century Fox today issued the following statements about his decision to leave the big-budget sequel. Stated Aronofsky: "As I talked more about the film with my collaborators at Fox, it became clear that the production of 'The Wolverine' would keep me out of the country for almost a year. I was not comfortable being away from my family for that length of time. I am sad that I won't be able to see the project through, as it is a terrific script and I was very much looking forward to working with my friend, Hugh Jackman, again."

Joe Jonas and Ashley Green Split
 Just days after Joe Jonas gushed about his girlfriend Ashley Greene to Details magazine, they've decided to split and go their separate ways. A source told the New York Post newspaper: “It was mutual and amicable.” They've been together for about nine months and blame their busy work schedules for the split, which interestingly enough is the same reason Joe claims the relationship was so great during the Details interview.

Vanessa Hudgens Meets with FBI
Who knew Vanessa Hudgens' racy cell phone pics would be a federal case? Yesterday the actress/amateur porn star met with her lawyer and the FBI in Century City to discuss the photos, which were hacked from her Gmail account. A law enforcement source said that they have a lead on an individual who has hacked more than 50 celebrities. Scarlett Johansson is among the list of those this individual has hacked. And we just lost several readers who are now Googling "Scarlett Johansson nude photos".


TV NEWS
Jimmy Smits has been tapped as the last major lead in NBC’s untitled Stephen Gaghan pilot (formerly S.I.L.A.), a complex ensemble drama in the style of  Traffic and Syriana set in the world of crime, law enforcement and politics in sprawling modern-day Los Angeles.


Acting vet and onetime Dirty Sexy Money patriarch Donald Sutherland has landed a lead role in NBC’s comedy pilot My Life as an Experiment.

The New Charlie's Angels. The new, Miami-based Charlie’s Angels stars Minka Kelly (Friday Night Lights) as Eve, Rachael Taylor (Transformers) as Abby, and Annie Ilonzeh (General Hospital) as Kate.

Ramon Rodriguez (Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen) plays a very different kind of Bosley, while Robert Wagner (Hart to Hart) will voice Charlie, whose Townsend Agency.

Lady Gaga Becomes First Artist to Sell 20 Million Singles

Gaga has become the first artist in history to sell over 20 million digital singles. Now that's impressive! The RIAA has recognized her as the highest-certified artist of digital singles in Gold & Platinum history thanks to the following hits:

"Just Dance" 6x multi-Platinum
"Poker Face" 5x multi-Platinum
"Bad Romance" 4x multi-Platinum
"Paparazzi" 3x multi-Platinum
"Love Game" 2x multi-Platinum

Not far behind are Black Eyed Peas' "I Gotta Feeling" with 6x multi-platinum, Rihanna with 19 million and Taylor Swift with 18.5 million.

Celebrities Donate to Japan
Celebrities, fashion designers, movie studios and the general public have all come together to help those affected by the earthquake and tsunami in Japan. It’s nice to see people digging deep in their pockets to help those in need. Here’s a rundown of some of the big donations from people in Hollywood and the fashion industry: Tadashi Yanai, president of Uniqlo is donating $12.2 million of his own fortune, $4.9 million from his company and $8.6 million in coats, jeans, towels and 300,000 pairs of its Heattech thermal underwear to victims.Demi Lovato is a changed woman since leaving rehab and wants to help those in need. She has donated $1 million of her own money to the relief cause. The Walt Disney Company has committed $2.5 million in humanitarian aid to the victims. Fashion house Coach donated $5 million to the Japanese Red Cross. Clint Eastwood and Warner Bros. have committed proceeds from Clint’s Hereafter DVD to Japan. New York Yankees have donated $50,000 to the Salvation Army and $50,000 to the Red Cross. Jack Johnson, who is touring in Japan, has cancelled his tour and is donating to Global Giving’s Japan Earthquake and Tsunami Relief Fund. Google CEO, Eric Schmidt, and his wife Wendy will match the first $100,000 donated via Citizen Effect to the American Red Cross. Lady Gaga designed a white bracelet with red lettering that retails on her website for $5. She raised $250k in 48 hours. Sandra Bullock donated $1 million to the American Red Cross. Charlie Sheen has announced that $1.00 from every ticket to his live show will go to the Red Cross. South Korean production company SM Entertainment has announced that they are donating $900,000 to Japanese Red Cross.

Tickets on sale now for Griots Fire Productions presentation of Long Day's Journey Into Night. Opening night almost sold out!!! Get your tickets at www.griotsfireproductions.com

Rapper Nate Dogg dead at 41

Hip-hop rapper and singer Nate Dogg has passed away at age 41. The West Coast artist had consistently struggled with serious health problems since a stroke paralyzed his left side in late December 2007. Nine months later, he suffered another stroke.  Toward the end of his life, Nate spent a considerable amount of time in medical rehab facilities undergoing physical therapy in an effort to get his mobility back.  Born Nathaniel D. Hale on August 19, 1969, in Long Beach, Calif., Nate began singing in the church where his father was a pastor.  He left home at 16, dropping out of high school to join the Marine Corps, where he served for three years. At 21, he hooked up with Snoop Dogg and Warren G in the rap trio 213.  Nate signed with Death Row Records in 1993. His first hit single, "Regulate," dropped in 1994. Nate would go on to be featured on several Tupac Shakur records before signing with Elektra. The four-time Grammy nominee had his fair share of troubles, having been arrested on drug and weapons charges in 2002, but he will best be remembered for his contributions to and collaborations on over 40 hit singles between 1991 and 2011.

Actor Seann William Scott Checks into Rehab
Seann William Scott, the actor who famously played "Stifler" in the "American Pie" movies" has checked himself in to a treatment center for "health and personal issues."  The nature of Scott's issues are unclear.

Rapper Petey Pablo pleads guilty to weapons charge

Hip-hop artist Petey Pablo has pleaded guilty to possession of a stolen firearm. The rapper, whose real name is Moses Barrett III, appeared in federal court to enter his guilty plea. Federal prosecutors agreed to drop two other charges in a plea agreement. Petey Pablo was arrested last year while attempting to clear security at Raleigh-Durham International Airport. Authorities found a loaded gun in a bag that had passed through an X-ray machine. He faces up to 10 years in prison and is scheduled to be sentenced in June. The rapper is best known for the songs "Raise Up" and "Freek-a-Leek."


TV on the Radio Bassist Sick
"TV on the Radio" bassist, Gerard Smith, has been diagnosed with lung cancer. Smith will miss out on the upcoming tour.  "Gerard is fortunate enough to have health insurance and is receiving excellent medical care. Already we have seen dramatic results," the group said. "We appreciate your concern and support for Gerard and his family."



Yahoo News Boss Headed to Disney
Mark Walker, the head of Yahoo! News, is headed to Disney to work for his old boss Jimmy Pitaro.Walker will spearhead a revamp of Disney.com for Pitaro, now co-president of Disney's online division. Walker's new position will involve developing new directions for Disney.com, such as adding original programming and user personalization.

Rapper Tru Life gets 8 years' prison in NYC attack

A rapper once being promoted as a rising star at a label run by Jay-Z was sentenced Wednesday to eight years in prison for taking part in a deadly attack on a man he said he didn't mean to harm. Tru Life, born Robert Rosado, didn't speak as he was sentenced alongside older brother Marcus Rosado, who admitted stabbing Christopher Guerrero to death and wounding another man in a June 2009 fight that involved both brothers. Marcus Rosado, 39, pleaded guilty last month to manslaughter and got a 10-year sentence; Tru Life, 34, pleaded guilty to gang assault. "Robert is extremely saddened by what happened. Mr. Guerrero did not deserve what happened to him," said the rapper's lawyer, Alan Abramson. Marcus Rosado offered his condolences to Guerrero's family. The slain man's relatives blasted the sentences, set in plea bargains, as too light. "Christopher, who was unarmed and defenseless, was attacked," said Jason Ramirez, the victim's brother. "We believe the system has failed us." Through their lawyers, the Rosados said the 20-year-old Guerrero wasn't their intended target in violence that followed an argument at a nightclub and ultimately sprawled into an apartment building lobby. The Rosados chased Guerrero and Jason Gray into the lobby, where Guerrero was stabbed in the abdomen and Gray suffered a cut that sliced an artery, according to court documents. They got outside and collapsed on the ground, court documents said. not a good day to be a rapper huh? smdh


Reese Witherspoon Getting Married in Two Weeks
Reese Witherspoon will be a married woman in less than two weeks. Reese and fiancé Jim Toth are reportedly planning an intimate "Southern-themed" wedding on March 26th. Around 100 guests have been invited to her estate in Ojai Valley, California.






Julia Roberts is all over a new man. Literally. Chilean newspaper salesman, Miljenko Parserisas Bukovic, has a whopping 82 tattoos of Roberts’ face all over his body. can everyone say WTH?!?! AND CREEPY!!! at least they are all different shots of her, lol




More Photos of Vanessa Hudgens
More naked photos of Vanessa Hudgens have surfaced and if you thought the other photos were bad, these are even more graphic. Vanessa sued the owners of a website back in 2009 for posting the first round of nude pics. The lawsuit stated that the photos were obtained by "unknown methods" and posted without Hudgens' "knowledge or consent." Now Vanessa believes whoever is doing this "has it out for her" because the slow release of these photos seem to coincide with her movie releases. Vanessa's new movie "Sucker Punch" is coming out later this month.
 
Jermaine Jackson has book deal
A long-rumored memoir by Michael Jackson's brother Jermaine is finally coming out. Touchstone announced Jermaine Jackson's "You Are Not Alone: Michael: Through a Brother's Eye" will be released this fall. Touchstone, an imprint of Simon & Schuster, promises a "faithful and loving portrait," but one with "no subject off limits." Jackson spoke in 2003 of wanting to write a memoir, and reports surfaced again after Michael's death, in 2009. i was wondering if him or latoya would write a book first. umm by the way jermaine can you catch up your child support so your baby mama can move out of your mom's house? i'm just saying... but maybe that's why he needs to write the book, lol.

Jason Biggs, Seann William Scott, Eugene Levy reunite for new 'American Pie'

Key members of the original cast of "American Pie" will reunite for "American Reunion," which will bring the popular franchise back to movie theaters, rather than direct-to-DVD. Jason Biggs, Seann William Scott and Eugene Levy are already signed, with Universal in negotiations with Thomas Ian Nicholas, Tara Reid, Chris Klein, Mena Suvari and Jennifer Coolidge. The studio is hoping to bring back most of the original cast. The previous three "American Pie" movies grossed a total of nearly $755 million at the worldwide box office.  yes let's have another american pie movie, b/c the last one was so great... sarcasm, lol.


TV NEWS
You may not have an invitation to Prince William and Kate Middleton's big day – but BBC will be your ticket into the royal wedding. The network will broadcast internationally live footage of the April 29 nuptials, promising an "authentic British take" on all the events.



They keep teasing us with X-Factor judges, and I’m starting to think Simon Cowell just wants to remind us that this show still exists. Island Def Jam’s chairman, Antonio “L.A.” Reid will be one of four judges on the show, and that “it’s a done deal.” An official announcement is expected to be made soon.


David James Elliott has found a new home on TV. The longtime JAG star has joined Leslie Bibb in ABC’s comedy pilot Good Christian Bitches. Elliott, who will guest star in an upcoming episode of CSI: NY, is set to play the husband of the just-cast Kristin Chenoweth.


Friday Night Lights and Good Wife dynamo Scott Porter has joined the cast of Hart of Dixie, the hour-long comedic drama pilot produced by Josh Schwartz and Stephanie Savage and starring Rachel Bilson.
Hart finds Bilson playing Zoe, a young New York City doctor who inherits a medical practice in a small Southern town inhabited by an eclectic group of characters. Porter, whose extremely well received Good Wife stint comes to an end later this month, will play a longtime resident of the sleepy town who develops an intense connection with Bilson’s MD.


Prison Break alum Robert Knepper has secured a supporting part in NBC’s drama pilot Reconstruction. Off the Map‘s Martin Henderson has already been tapped to play the lead.

Charlie Sheen expands live tour to 5 more cities

Charlie Sheen is bringing his live show to five more venues, including New York's famed Radio City Music Hall. Sheen is adding five dates to his Violent Torpedo of Truth tour. Tickets go on sale Thursday for performances in Ohio, Connecticut, Boston and New York. The actor's shows in Detroit and Chicago on April 2 and 3 sold out quickly. Additional performances are scheduled for April 5 in Cleveland, April 6 in Columbus, Ohio, and April 8 at Radio City Music Hall. He will also perform at the Oakdale Theater in Wallingford, Conn., and at Boston's Agganis Arena on April 12. people love watching a train wreck, espeicially in slow motion.

 

 Happy Birthday Baby Daddy #142 Kellan Lutz

 

Usher Sex Tape Coming Your Way
A sex tape featuring Usher and his ex wife Tameka Foster is being shopped around and is expected to leak online any day now. TMZ was approached several days ago by someone claiming to have the sex tape. The person sent them a short video and two photos and to best describe it... "the people in the video are both givers." The video and photos are clear -- it's Usher and Tameka doing the dirty. So how did the sex tape get out? Sources close to Usher believe it could have been stolen out of his car back in December 2009. Usher reported more than $1,000,000 worth of jewelry and electronics taken -- including two laptop computers.

Is Ryan Phillippe's Ex-Girlfriend Pregnant with His Child?

Just as things are heating up again between Ryan Phillippe and Amanda Seyfried comes a potentially serious complication. Alexis Knapp, an actress who dated Phillippe last summer, is pregnant and, a source says, "Alexis has told friends that the child is Ryan's." The baby is said to be due in June. Reps for Knapp and Phillippe did not have any comment. But the source says "Ryan is aware of the situation [and] totally prepared to take responsibility should the child be his." Phillippe, 36, who has two children with ex-wife Reese Witherspoon, 34, was spotted last week cozying up to on-again girl Seyfriend after the premiere for her movie Red Riding Hood., as well as at the opening of his The Lincoln Lawyer on Thursday. Knapp appears in two upcoming movies, Project X this Thanksgiving and the Miley Cyrus film So Undercover, also in the fall.

Gilbert Gottfried Fired by Aflac Over Japan Tweets

Gilbert Gottfried was fired by Aflac from his gig as the voice of its duck mascot in the wake of his controversial series of tweets about the earthquake in Japan. The company released a statement saying, "Gilbert’s recent comments about the crisis in Japan were lacking in humor and certainly do not represent the thoughts and feelings of anyone at Aflac ... Aflac will immediately set plans in motion to conduct a nationwide casting call to find a new voice of the iconic Aflac Duck."

NBA star Dwyane Wade awarded custody of sons

NBA star Dwyane Wade was awarded sole custody of his two young sons after a bitter battle with his ex-wife, lawyers in the case said today. “I am very thankful that the court has given me custody of my boys and they are already at home with me in Miami and settling in,” the Miami Heat guard said in a statement. “Going through a custody trial was difficult and I wish it hadn’t been necessary, but, I felt it was the only way that I could continue to play an active part of my kids’ lives and provide them with a happy and stable home. My hope is that their mother will also choose to play a healthy role in their lives and we can all move on from this in a positive way.” Cook County Circuit Judge Renee Goldfarb issued a 102-page ruling late Friday. “This is a very difficult decision for this court,” her ruling reads. “This will be an abrupt change for the children. However, this court has very grave reservations about (Siohvaughn Wade’s) ability and/or willingness to ease these children through a transition.” Goldfarb’s ruling is meticulous, down to who will have custody of the children on holidays, All-Star Weekend and if the Miami Heat are in the NBA finals. The transition of the children, ages 3 and 8, from Illinois to Florida will occur immediately, according to the judge’s ruling. There will be a 30-day period of adjustment so they can acclimate to their new school and surroundings.  Siohvaughn Wade will fly to Miami every other weekend to spend time with her children, with the exception of a few holidays during which the boys will come to Illinois. For the time being the cost of her trips, including “reasonable” airfare and lodging, will be covered by Dwyane Wade. Siohvaughn Wade is “extremely disappointed,” Haber said. She is considering an appeal of the judge’s decision.

Bryan Adams Expecting Baby with His Personal Assistant

There’s a baby on the way for Bryan Adams. The “Summer of ’69″ singer and his personal assistant, Alicia Grimaldi, are expecting their first child in May, Adams confirmed via his Twitter. “Alicia Grimaldi and I are expecting a baby. She helped me start my foundation years ago and it looks like she’ll be running the family now!” Adams, 51. “Thanks for your support and kind messages, we appreciate it greatly.”
 Actress Ali Larter and her new son Theodore.


Olivia Wilde has filed divorce papers
 The actress cited "irreconcilable differences" as the reason for the divorce. The 27-year-old "House" actress and her husband Tao Ruspoli have been married for eight years. They separated last month. The couple has no children.


Kill Bill Star Wanted
"Kill Bill" star, Michael Madsen, is being looked for by the police. He allegedly owes around $570,000 in child and spousal support debts and missed a hearing in his child/spousal support case last week. The judge found him in contempt and issued a warrant for his arrest. 


Stalker Breaks Into Madonna's Home
Over the weekend, Madonna's home was broken into by yet another stalker. Someone seriously needs to get this woman ADT.  29-year old Grzegorz Matlok was charged with burglary after breaking into the legendary singer's London house on Saturday. Matlok smashed a window and was then able to enter the home. Madonna wasn’t home at the time of the break-in. She was in Bay City, Michigan after her 99-year-old grandmother passed away.


Quentin Tarantino and Neighbor Alan Ball at War
Quentin Tarantino and Academy Award winning writer, Alan Ball, (American Beauty/True Blood) are at war over his loud exotic birds.  Tarantino claims the birds let loose with "blood-curdling screams" and it's affecting his ability to write scripts. According to a lawsuit Quentin filed in  L.A. County Superior Court, Tarantino claims ever since Ball installed an "exotic bird menagerie" Quentin has been forced to endure the "obnoxious pteradactyl-like screams" of the macaw birds. Tarantino says he tried to resolve the matter with Ball himself, but Alan has "done little to eliminate the macaws' daily cacophony" ... so he is asking the judge to force Ball to silence them once and for all.   

 
Comedian Gallagher Out of Hospital
Gallagher is out of the hospital three days after he collapsed on stage during a show in Rochester, MN.  Gallagher will be resuming his tour on March 19th in The Woodlands, TX.  No explanation was given for his hospital stay.

MJ Estate to Alejandra -- MOVE OUT!

The MJ Estate has once again asked a judge to force Alejandra Jackson to move out of the family's Hayvenhurst estate ... and they're demanding she take her kisa with her. Lawyers for the estate just filed a response to Alejandra's request to stay in the house indefinitely ... in which the estate once again makes the point .. she's an UNWANTED house guest with no legal leg to stand on. Alejandra -- who has children with both Randy and Jermaine Jackson -- has refused to leave ... arguing, among other things, that Michael would have wanted her to stay there. Alejandra has claimed the estate has tried to literally starve her out of house and home... by removing all of the food from the property and changing the locks on her.

TV NEWS
Charlie Sheen's mini-tour sold out in just 18 minutes ... and now he's planning on adding extra shows.


Smallville alum Kristin Kreuk apparently was met with a meteor storm of fan criticism after sharing her take on the CW show’s upcoming series finale — so much so that she decided to set the record straight on where she stands. Kreuk said, “I probably won’t watch” the Smallville finale when it airs on May 13. “Maybe later on — like, on DVD or something.” The actress’ honesty about not committing that Friday night to saying so long to the series she called home for seven years must have elicited some slings and arrows from the avid fandom. To fend off the online attacks — after all, she notes, “There are many people who are just waiting for me to say something that they can hate me for” — she posted some clarifications to her Facebook page. “There is no personal reason why I am not watching Smallville weekly. Honestly, I never really did,” she shares. “I know people want to make it a drama … but there is really no drama.” “I may be in the minority, but I thought Lana’s story ended well,” she says of her seven-year run, which was followed by a brief 2009 encore. “I liked that she gained inner strength and … had the courage to walk away from Clark, that her commitment to a greater good outweighed her very human desire to be with Clark."



SYTYCD‘s eighth season is set to kick-off Fox’s summer slate with a two-hour premiere on Thursday, May 26 at 8/7c. As previously reported, Murphy will be back at the judges table with Nigel Lythgoe, along with rotating guests Robin Antin, Lil C, Tyce Diorio, Toni Redpath and Jason Gilkison. Once the audition process wraps up, SYTYCD will move to its regular timeslot — Wednesdays at 8, with results shows on Thursdays.


Fox’s summer sked will also dish out a double helping of Chef Gordon Ramsay, when his two series return for new seasons. Masterchef is back Monday, June 6 at 8 pm, while his torturous reality-competition series Hell’s Kitchen opens for business Tuesday, July 19.


Snooki and Ne-Yo Twitter Fight

After learning that Nicole "Snooki" Polizzi landed the latest Rolling Stone cover, Ne-Yo took to Twitter to share his disbelief. "Wow. Snooki is on the cover of Rolling Stone magazine. Really? I quit. (Just kidding, but almost serious....)," the singer, 28, tweeted. It didn't take long for the pint-size party girl, 23, to fire back. "I was just really upset," she said. I'm a big fan of Ne-Yo. Every song was on my iPod, and I deleted them yesterday just because of his comments." She went on, "Why do you hate me? I'm the nicest person ever. I understand you are a little mad cause your career is not up right now and I'm on the cover, but you know what,like, I'm a nice person and I deserve it, so get over it." For his part, Ne-Yo doesn't want a war with the "Jersey Shore" star, but the crooner is standing his ground. "I don't know her, so I can't disrespect her, but I feel like Rolling Stone is a music magazine," he said. "And for them to put her on the cover, it's like, 'Really?'"

Chuck Reed, Brother of Atlanta Mayor and www.griotsfireproductions.com debuts theatrical presentation of Eugene O'Neill's classic, "A Long Day's Journey Into Night at Atlanta" 14th Street Playhouse, Stage 2 on March 24.

 

NFL owners lock out players

There is no more overtime in labor negotiations between the NFL and the NFL Players Association. Talks for a new collective bargaining agreement fell apart Friday, leading the players' union to move to decertify. Soon after, once the CBA expired at 11:59 p.m. ET Friday, the NFL owners as expected locked out the players, officially triggering the league's first work stoppage in 24 years. "The union's abandonment of bargaining has forced the clubs to take action they very much wanted to avoid," the NFL announced in a statement Saturday. "At the recommendation of the Management Council Executive Committee ... the league has informed the union that it is taking the difficult but necessary step of exercising its right under federal labor law to impose a lockout of the union." By decertifying, the NFLPA has renounced bargaining rights with the league and is now categorized as a "trade association" of current and former players.

'Merry Little Christmas' songwriter Martin dies

Hugh Martin, the composer-songwriter whose works included "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" and "The Trolley Song,"  he was 96. Martin and songwriting partner Ralph Blane co-wrote such catchy tunes as "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas," "The Trolley Song" and "The Boy Next Door" from the musical "Meet Me in St. Louis."  He wrote about his exploits in show business in his 2010 autobiography, "Hugh Martin: The Boy Next Door." Martin is survived by his brother Gordon Martin; nephews Gordon Martin Jr. and Hugh Martin III; and nieces Hanners and Lua Martin Wells.

Justin Timberlake and Jessica Biel Split

Justin Timberlake and Jessica Biel are no longer a couple. Biel is keeping her house in L.A. and she and Timberlake, who started dating in 2007, will remain friends. Reps for the couple released a statement Thursday, confirming the split: "Addressing the media speculation regarding Jessica Biel and Justin Timberlake's relationship, we are confirming that they mutually have decided to part ways. The two remain friends and continue to hold the highest level of love and respect for each other."



Jewel 'fine' after accident

A spokeswoman for Jewel says the pregnant country singer was involved in an auto accident but appears to be fine after being checked out at a hospital. Nicole Perez-Krueger said in an e-mail that hospital tests indicate that Jewel and the fetus are healthy. The Texas Department of Public Safety says the singer and Erath County Commissioner Jim Pack were involved in the two-vehicle collision Friday at a rural intersection in Stephenville. The agency says Pack was driving a fire department truck with his lights and siren on while on his way to a grass fire. Perez-Kreuger says the fire truck struck Jewel's vehicle. The accident is being investigated. Jewel and her rodeo champion husband, Ty Murray, live in Texas.

D'Angelo Settles Case From New York Arrest

R&B star D'Angelo has pleaded guilty to disorderly conduct stemming from an arrest in New York last year. The Brown Sugar singer, real name Michael Archer, was taken into custody after allegedly soliciting an undercover police officer he mistook for a prostitute. He initially pleaded not guilty to the crime and vowed to fight the charge, and he can now put the case behind him for good after reaching an agreement with authorities. D'Angelo, 37, appeared in a Manhattan court on Friday and entered his plea for the lesser charge of disorderly conduct. Prosecutors claim the offense is a violation, not a crime, and state that the star has satisfied their conditions, although they have refused to go into detail about the settlement,

David & Victoria Beckham Expecting a Girl

The soccer star, 35, announced the news at an L.A. Galaxy fan luncheon, ESPN reports. "Obviously, we're very lucky to be expecting again, and this is the first time I'm going to say it: It's a little girl," Beckham shared.  "We're still in shock. Obviously, having three boys, you kind of expect another one, so finding out a little girl is in there is surprising, but, obviously, we are over the moon," he added. "Our three boys are happy and excited, and Victoria is doing well." "We know what to do with boys," said the mother of sons Cruz, 6, Romeo, 8½, and Brooklyn, 12. "But, if it's a girl, we'd be over the moon as well."


Tony Danza Files For Divorce
"Who's The Boss?" star, Tony Danza has filed for divorce from his wife of 24 years, Tracy Robinson.  The couple has been separated since 2006. "Irreconcilable differences" were cited for the split. The couple have two daughters together: Katherine, 24, and Emily, 18. Danza also has one son, Marc, 40, from a previous marriage


'Wire' actress arrested in Baltimore raid
Actress Felicia "Snoop" Pearson, who once dealt drugs in Baltimore before a chance encounter got her a role on HBO's "The Wire," was arrested overnight during a series of raids in her hometown. A five-month drug trafficking investigation, dubbed "Public Enemies," focused on heroin and marijuana distribution. It targeted 79 people; 63 were arrested in the raids. The U.S. Attorney's Office said 24 people face drug charges at the federal level, and 40 more face similar charges at the state level, including Pearson. A federal indictment alleges that the conspirators mainly obtained heroin and marijuana from suppliers in New York and California.



Richard Hatch Goes Back to Jail

Hatch was convicted in 2006 of failing to pay taxes on the $1 million prize he won on the debut season of “Survivor,” the CBS reality TV show. He was released from prison in 2009 and began serving a three-year term of supervised release.  He was ordered to file amended tax returns for 2000 and 2001 as a condition of his release, which Hatch has failed to do. A judge this month found Hatch in violation of his supervised release but postponed a punishment until he could hear more arguments from both sides.  Hatch, who owes about $1.7 million in back taxes, has said he didn’t refile his taxes because he has an appeal pending with the U.S. Tax Court. His lawyer also is scheduled to submit her sentencing recommendation sometime Monday, and U.S. District Judge William Smith has said he’ll schedule a sentencing after he receives the arguments.

Sarah Palin reacts to Moore, Griffin roles

HBO recently announced that Julianne Moore will be portraying the former Vice-Presidential candidate in their upcoming film, "Game Change." It will be based on Mark Halperin and John Heileman's book regarding the 2008 presidential elections, which paints the politician in a less than flattering light. "I think I'll just grit my teeth and bear whatever comes what may with that movie," Palin tells Fox News regarding the film.  As for Moore's role, Palin thinks the actress may owe her a favor. "Well, I am all about job creation," she says. "I guess I could provide some of these gals who pretend like they're me some job security." Adding, "I would ask, though, that -- if they're of the mind of spreading the wealth around -- that perhaps they want to spring for one of my kid's braces or something as they capitalize on pretending to be me."

TV NEWS

Troubled star Tom Sizemore has landed his first starring role in nearly a decade, opposite Ethan Hawke in Fox’s CIA drama Exit Strategy.

Steve Carell's exit from "The Office" is expected to air on Thursday, April 28th. That's the first night of May sweeps, when the networks load up on events and special episodes. Guest star, Will Ferrell will appear on the April 14th, 21st and 28th episodes. He will continue to appear for one more episode after Dunder Mifflin loses Michael Scott. The season finale airs May 19th. 

 

While Rob Lowe's name has been kicked around as a replacement for Charlie Sheen in "Two and a Half Men", you can forget it.  Lowe has a multi-year agreement to star on NBC's "Parks and Recreation".

The lead in the NBC drama pilot Playboy has been recast: CSI: Miami alum Eddie Cibrian is in and Jeff Hephner, who landed the part last week after a marathon of auditions, is out. The decision was made after the pilot’s table read. Sources close to the show say that Hephner, who had never played a lead on a series before, was great in the tests but ultimately the part just wasn’t a good fit. Cibrian is expected start immediately as Playboy is slated to begin filming in Chicago on Tuesday. The potential series is set at the Playboy Club in Chicago in 1963. It centers on Nick Dalton (Cibrian), described as “the ultimate playboy.” He is an attorney in Chicago and a Keyholder at the glamorous, exclusive Playboy Club. A fixer who knows how to make problems disappear, he has mysterious ties to the mob.

Kate Gosselin and all the kids are coming back to TLC starting April 4th. That episode takes the family traveling 21 hours to Australia. Kate will swim with the sharks

Paget Brewster has firmed up her post-Criminal Minds career plans: The fan fave has signed to play the female lead in NBC’s comedy pilot My Life as an Experiment. Produced by Jack Black, Experiment chronicles the adventures of gonzo magazine journalist A.J. Wilder (comedian Jon Dore) and how his unique profession impacts his home life. Brewster will play Stacie, A.J.’s feisty lawyer wife.

Fox has pushed back its big-budget prehistoric adventure-drama Terra Nova until fall. Originally slated to debut via a special two-night sneak peek in May, the Steven Spielberg-produced series will now premiere in the fall. The show’s ambitious visual effects are being blamed for the delay.

This is going to put a serious crimp in Teddy and Henry’s “marriage” on Grey’s Anatomy: Scott Foley is set to play Christine Lahti’s son in the CBS drama pilot The Doctor. Foley — who is currently recurring as Kim Raver’s spouse of convenience on the ABC hit — will costar on Doctor as David, a cocky cardiologist and the son of Lahti’s lead character.

Nickelodeon has greenlit a fourth season of the hit series Yo Gabba Gabba. Production on the kiddie fave’s 13 new episodes begins this summer.

Charlie Sheen's Home Raided

Law enforcement executed a pre-arranged raid on the home of Charlie Sheen after they received a call Thursday that Charlie threatened to harm himself with a firearm. Under the restraining order obtained by Brooke Mueller, Charlie is prohibited from possessing weapons.  Officers were looking for firearms and ammunition. It was reported that Charlie, his lawyers, and several friends were at the dining room table eating hamburgers when the police arrived. He was not placed on a 5150/Involuntary Psychiatric Hold as previously reported.  Brooke is not the only ex-wife trying to keep her kids from Charlie Sheen. Denise Richards is upset because Charlie wants 7-year-old Sam to come over to his house this weekend to celebrate her birthday. Denise is scoffing at the invitation and says Sam isn't going, nor are any of her friends.

Megan Fox goes straight to DVD

It looks like Megan Fox's big-screen career has suffered another blow. Her movie "Passion Play" is bypassing theaters and heading directly to DVD. The flick, which also stars Mickey Rourke and Bill Murray, is due out on May 31. In "Passion Play," the pouty-lipped starlet sports copious amounts of cleavage and a pair of wings while playing a carnival sideshow attraction who comes between Rourke's grizzled jazz trumpeter and Murray's mob boss. The Mitch Glazer-helmed neo-crime noir fantasy, described in the press materials as a "gritty and unpredictable tale of redemption," debuted last fall at the Toronto International Film Festival to mostly negative word of mouth and more than a few walkouts.

Ashley Olsen and Justin Bartha Split

The actress-fashion designer, 24, and her Hangover star beau, Justin Bartha, 32, have parted ways. The private couple, who dated for more than two years, shot down engagement rumors shortly after they got together in 2008.

Jamie Lee Curtis, siblings cut out of Tony Curtis' will

Just months before his death in October 2010, Hollywood legend Tony Curtis changed his will to cut daughter Jamie Lee Curtis and her four siblings out of any inheritance. The will lists the names of all five Curtis children, then contains the statement: "I acknowledge the existence of my children... and have intentionally and with full knowledge chosen not to provide for them." Curtis, who died of cardiac arrest at age 85, instead left his estate to his fifth wife, Jill, who he married in 1998. He was previously married to, among others, actress Janet Leigh. One of Curtis' daughters unsuccessfully contested the will in court. His widow, Jill, released a statement saying, "Tony's last will and testament and his passing wishes are private family matters."


Agreement on rookie wage scale
The NFL and NFLPA have reached a basic compromise on a rookie wage scale that will replace the current rookie salary cap. The NFL wanted first-round picks to sign five-year deals in order to become free agents, but relented, according to the report, and agreed to four years for free agency. The report also stated there is also expected to be a stipulation limiting the amount of guaranteed money and signing bonus offered to draft picks. In addition, the league agreed that all players drafted after the first round would be limited to three-year deals, but teams would be allowed to put restricted free agent tags after the three years. In the old CBA, teams with selections 1-16 in the first round could sign those players for up to six years. Picks 17-32 could sign deals for up to five years.

'Spider-Man' to open in early summer

Producers of Broadway's "Spider-Man" musical postponed the show's official opening for a stunning sixth time, announcing Wednesday that it will not officially open until this summer and that it will bring in a new creative team. Julie Taymor, who directed and co-wrote the book for "Spider Man: Turn Off the Dark," will no longer helm the production but will be a part of the creative team, the producers said. The delay revealed a production so trouble-plagued that it has taken itself out of the running for Tony Award consideration this year, but it will be eligible for the 2012 season. The $65 million show was scheduled to open on March 15. "The team will be implementing a new plan to make significant and exciting revisions to the production," lead producers Michael Cohl and Jeremiah J. Harris said in a statement. "This amended schedule will allow the time necessary to execute the plan, which will include revisions to the script." The show's representative, Rick Miramontez, said no performances will be canceled during the overhaul.

Dad: Bobbi Kristina 'sings a little better' than Whitney

Bobby Brown has tipped his teenage daughter Bobbi Kristina for big things in show business, insisting she "sings a little better" than her superstar mother Whitney Houston. Bobbi Kristina, 18, has already expressed an interest in following in her famous parents' footsteps and breaking into the music industry, and Brown is convinced she has the whole package. In an appearance on "The View" Monday, Brown said, "She sings like a bird. She sings a little better than Whitney and she has my legs so [she can dance]..."

Kid Rock to Receive Honor from NAACP
Kid Rock is set to receive the NAACP's Great Expectations Award at its annual dinner, which typically attracts about 10,000 people, on May 1st...but some supporters may be boycotting the event because they don't agree over  Kid Rock's use of the controversial Confederate flag during performances, saying it's a symbol of hatred and bigotry. NAACP officials defended the honor saying the rocker has consistently lifted up the Great Expectations of many persons concerning the future of the city.


TV NEWS
CBS has officially renewed television’s longest-running reality competition series for two additional seasons. The 23rd and 24th installments of Survivor will air during the 2011-12 TV season. Additionally, Survivor staple Jeff Probst has signed a new agreement which keeps him sealed in as CBS’ host with the most and executive producer of the rural series over the next two editions.


In "Glee" news, Blaine and the Dalton Academy Warblers are releasing an album of their own in April.  So far this season, the Warblers have sung Katy Perry's "Teenage Dream," Train's "Hey, Soul Sister,"  Destiny's Child's "Bills, Bills, Bills," Robin Thicke's "When I Get You Alone" and Wings' "Silly Love Songs."

Elizabeth Mitchell of "Lost" and "V" fame will guest star on Special Victims Unit as a piano teacher accused of killing a little girl.

Did you enjoy the Jerry Springer-ish catfight between Evelyn Lozada and Tami Roman on the "Basketball Wives" season finale? Well, you may never get to see them try to rip off each other's extensions again. Lozada wants off the show because she feels the producers "violated her trust by allegedly divulging sensitive information about an illicit relationship she had in the past."

Julianne Moore is going to play Palin in HBO Films' upcoming adaptation of the best seller "Game Change." Julianne will play Palin in the story that will give a behind the scenes look of what really went down during the 2008 presidential elections.


American Pie‘s Chris Klein has booked a multi-episode arc on FX’s forthcoming Elijah Wood-fronted comedy Wilfred. The series, based on the hit Australian sitcom of the same name, revolves around a guy (Wood), a girl(Californication‘s Fiona Gublemann), and a human/dog hybrid named Wilfred (Jason Gann, reprising his role from the Aussie original). Klein, who recently guest-starred on Fox’s The Good Guys, will play a love interest for Gublemann’s character.



NPR's president and CEO resigned Wednesday in an effort to limit the damage from hidden camera footage of a fellow executive deriding the tea party movement as "seriously racist." Conservatives called the video proof that the network is biased and undeserving of federal funds. NPR's board had pushed for the resignation of Vivian Schiller, whom conservatives also criticized in October for firing analyst Juan Williams over comments he made about Muslims. She was not in the video, which was posted Tuesday by a conservative activist, but she told The Associated Press that staying on would only hurt NPR's fight for federal money. "We took a reputational hit around the Juan Williams incident, and this was another blow to NPR's reputation. There's no question," she said.

Charlie Sheen Issues a 'Half-Apology' to Jon Cryer

Charlie Sheen still continues to bash his former Two and a Half Men boss Chuck Lorre – but when it comes to costar Jon Cryer, Sheen is rethinking his negative comments. "I'll apologize to Jon right now," Sheen, 45, said Wednesday morning on K-EARTH 101 radio station. "I was in a mood and I threw that out to somebody. I didn't know they – well I kinda knew they were gonna print it. Yeah, I knew they were gonna print it. I confuse myself." But to avoid any confusion, Sheen clarifies, "It's a little bit of a half-apology. An apol." Explaining the motive behind Tuesday's rant that called out Cryer, 45, for being "a turncoat, a traitor and a troll," Sheen says, "the reason I was upset is because I didn't get a text or a phone call or anything saying, 'Hey, dude, back off, I got your back, or you got my back or there's a back involved.' "

Mike Starr, 'Celebrity Rehab' alumnus and former Alice in Chains bassist, dies at 44

Former Alice in Chains bass player Mike Starr, who was on the third season of "Celebrity Rehab With Dr. Drew," was found dead in a Salt Lake City home on Tuesday, the Salt Lake City Police Department has confirmed. He was 44. Dr. Drew Pinksy, host of "Celebrity Rehab," responded to Starr's death by tweeting Tuesday, "Devastating to hear of Mike Starr succumbing to his illness. So very sad. Our prayers are with his family."  Starr appeared on the VH1 reality series' third season, which aired in 2009, with a cast that included Tom Sizemore and Heidi Fleiss. He was in desperate need of help: His first appearance included him being treated for a large sore caused by shooting up heroin.  The musician was arrested in Salt Lake City last month for felony possession of a controlled substance. According to police, he had Xanax and the painkiller Opana in his possession at the time of his arrest.

Kandi Burruss' Deceased Fiance's Daughter Shot in the Head

“Real Housewives Of Atlanta” Kandi Burruss’ deceased fiance A.J. Jewell’s daughter was shot in head on Saturday. Asheley Jewell, 15 years old, was driving with friends when someone from another vehicle that was chasing them, opened fire on the car she was riding in. She was hit in the back of the head and is now in critical condition. The police believe it to be a road rage incident.

Mary Stuart Masterson Is Expecting Twins

Mary Stuart Masterson is expanding her family – by two. The actress, 44, and husband Jeremy Davidson are expecting twins this summer. The couple are already parents to a 17-month-old son. "We are four months along. So balancing career and family is becoming increasingly challenging for me," Davidson, who stars on Army Wives, says "And in five months we are going to have three kids under the age of 2. We are in happy shock about it."



Ashlee Simpson and Pete Wentz: Custody Battle Brewing
Ashlee Simpson and Pete Wentz may have seemed extra friendly after announcing their divorce, but clearly that's not the case anymore. Ashlee requested full custody of their two-year-old son, Bronx, but Pete's not having it. Pete's ready to take Ashlee to court to fight for custody--which means things are about to get nasty! "Pete just filed legal papers in response to Ashlee's divorce petition asking the judge for JOINT physical and legal custody of their son." Pete also asked that each party pay for their own legal fees, but Ashlee wants Pete to foot the bill. Hey, she's unemployed!
 



Tiki Barber returning to NFL
Tiki Barber and his agent said that the former Giants running back has decided to return to the NFL. "After seeing my brother still have fun at our age, it reignited the fire. I'm really looking forward to the challenge of seeing if I can get back to the level  of where I was," Barber, who turns 36 in April. "I started working out again recently. It kind of shocked myself. I still had a lot of the strength I had before. I'm really looking forward to making a return." Barber played 10 seasons, all with the Giants. He retired after the 2006 season when he rushed for 1,662 yards. In his final three seasons, Barber ran for 5,040 yards. "We filed papers for Tiki to come out of retirement" Barber’s agent, Mark Lepselter advised. "We filed papers with the commmissioner's office and the Giants. And there are interested parties."  The Giants now have to activate him and when they do, the team said it will release him. “We wish Tiki nothing but the best, and when we are able to make the transaction, we will release him from our reserve/retired list,” the Giants said in a statement. During his time away from the field, Barber served as an NFL broadcast analyst and a correspondent for NBC's "Today" show.

Charlie Sheen lashes out at Jon Cryer, calling former co-star 'traitor'

Charlie Sheen has turned his fire-breathing fists -- or at least his acid tongue -- toward Jon Cryer. The newly unemployed "Two and a Half Men" star reached out to lambaste his former co-star, calling Cryer a variety of unflattering names that start with "T."  Sheen fumed that Cryer had not shown him any support during his very public feud with "Men" creator Chuck Lorre and subsequent firing. Sheen said, "Jon has not called me. He's a turncoat, a traitor, a troll. Clearly he's a troll. He issued a statement. Is it gonna take me calling him a 'traitor, juvenile and scared' for him to get it?"  Cryer has not issued a statement on Sheen's war of words with Lorre -- a Twitter statement from someone claiming to be Cryer and declaring himself "shocked" by the whole Sheen situation turned out to be bogus. A source close to Cryer, 45, insists to the site that the actor has indeed reached out to Sheen, but has declined to comment publicly out of respect.

 

Michaele Salahi Booted From Celebrity Rehab...Because She Didn't Need Rehab!

The controversy is usually over whether a celeb's problems require more than Celebrity Rehab has to offer. Not whether the celeb doesn't have enough to offer the show. But that's apparently why former Real Housewives of D.C. matron Michaele Salahi was more or less fired by Dr. Drew Pinsky.  "The treatment program that Celebrity Rehab documents is intended for individuals with serious substance abuse and addiction issues," VH1 said in a statement. "Prior to the taping of the current season, producers were advised that Michaele Salahi met the criteria to be treated in this setting. However, professional assessments spanning from that time to the present, found that she did not meet such criteria.  "As a result, she is no longer participating in the program." A rep for Salahi said yesterday that the self-proclaimed philanthropist, who didn't appear to suffer from addiction during Real Housewives, was hoping Dr. Drew would "be able to assist her about everything she has endured over the last year." Salahi revealed in September that she suffers from multiple sclerosis, a degenerative disease that attacks nerve cells around the brain and spinal cord. Dr. Drew did a full medical workup on Salahi and she is doing fine, a production source said. But apparently she and her husband are pretty pissed! "She was really leaning on Dr. Drew, who is a respected doctor to get her through some of the issues after the White House, when she went to Congress, when she went into relapse with her multiple sclerosis," Tareq Salahi said. "My wife takes her health situation very seriously, she has a real diagnosis of multiple sclerosis," he continued. "You know, we can show you a bunch of emails about what they wanted her to pretend to be, therefore, but that's going to come out later on with one of the major networks."

Bad Romance: Lady Gaga & Target Break Up

The music superstar has reportedly ended her Born This Way deal with the retail giant. Gaga reportedly pulled out because she doesn't agree with Target's corporate policies on political donations and how they impact the gay community. "Lady Gaga and Target came to a mutual decision to end their overall exclusive partnership a few weeks ago," a rep for the singer tells me. Gaga raised eyebrows among her gay fans when she announced that Target would be releasing an exclusive edition of her new album, Born This Way. Target came under fire from gay groups just months before because it donated to MN Forward, a political action committee that supported Tom Emmer, an antigay politician who made an unsuccessful 2010 run for governor of Minnesota. Gaga had said she had signed off on her deal after meeting with Target executives. "That discussion was one of the most intense conversations I've ever had in a business meeting," Gaga said about three weeks ago. "Part of my deal with Target is that they have to start affiliating themselves with LGBT charity groups and begin to reform and make amends for the mistakes they've made in the past...our relationship is hinged upon their reform in the company to support the gay community and to redeem the mistakes they've made supporting those groups." No word on what went down since that interview took place, but I'm told Target has refused to promise that it would never donate to a political candidate or group believed to be antigay.

 

TV NEWS
The return of serial killer Nate Haskell isn’t all bad for the Vegas crimefighters of CSI. Rather, his latest reign of terror will actually set the stage for the return of former series regular Louise Lombard! CSI alumna will reprise her role as the well-liked Sofia Curtis during May sweeps — and one major thing has changed since we last saw her back in Season 8. “Sofia’s a deputy chief now,” executive producer Carol Mendelsohn reveals. “She’s gotten her shield and she has a real ‘take no prisoners’ attitude.”  “Sofia actually blames Langston and Catherine (Marg Helgenberger) for Haskell’s escape,” the showrunner continues. “And she blames Brass (Paul Guilfoyle).”




The O.C. hottie Chris Carmack (you remember Luke, right?) has landed a part as a musician in the ABC pilot Grace. Eric Roberts is already set to star in the network’s professional dance-based drama.




Dr. Cox alert! John C. McGinley (Scrubs) has joined the ABC comedy pilot Smothered.



NBC has scheduled season finale dates for most of its series, including hour-long finishes for "The Office" and "Parks and Recreation" in May, "Chuck" ending its fourth season on May 16 and a quickly approaching sayonara for "Harry's Law."


Monday, April 4
10 p.m. "Harry's Law"

Friday, April 8
8 p.m. "Who Do You Think You Are?"

Tuesday, April 19
10 p.m. "Parenthood"

Sunday, May 1
8 p.m "America's Next Great Restaurant"

Thursday, May 5
8:30 p.m. "Perfect Couples"
10 p.m. "30 Rock"

Thursday, May 12
8 p.m. "Community" (one hour)
10:30 p.m. "Outsourced"

Monday, May 16
8 p.m. "Chuck"


Wednesday, May 18
10 p.m. "Law & Order: SVU"

Thursday, May 19
9 p.m. "The Office" (one hour)
10 p.m. "Parks and Recreation" (one hour)

Saturday, May 21
11:30 p.m. "Saturday Night Live"

Sunday, May 22
9 p.m. "The Celebrity Apprentice"

Monday, May 23
9 p.m. "The Event"


Tuesday, May 24
9 p.m. "The Biggest Loser"

Chuck Reed, Brother of Atlanta Mayor debuts theatrical presentation of Eugene O'Neill's classic, "A Long Day's Journey Into Night at Atlanta" 14th Street Playhouse, Stage 2 on March 24

check them out on facebook as well www.facebook.com/griots-fire-productions-llc

 

Ex-Raider Smith charged with murder

Former Raiders defensive end Anthony Wayne Smith and two other men were charged with murder in the death of a man more than two years ago. Smith, 43, who lives in Fontana, Calif., was charged along with 41-year-old Charles Honest of Los Angeles and 32-year-old Dewann White of Bloomington, Calif., in the Oct. 7, 2008 death of 31-year-old Maurilio Ponce. Authorities said Ponce was beaten and shot several times and his body was dumped in a poppy field about 11 miles west of Lancaster, which is about 70 miles north of LA. Smith appeared in Lancaster Superior Court Thursday, and his bail was recommended at $1.05 million. Honest and White were scheduled to appear Friday, with a recommended bail of $1 million. Smith, who was living in Marina Del Rey, Calif., at the time of the murder, played for the Raiders from 1991 to 1997. He was selected out of the Univ. of Arizona with the 11th overall pick in the 1990 NFL Draft, and recorded 57.5 sacks during his career.

Director admits 'Transformers 2' was no good

Moviemaker Michael Bay has accepted his "Transformers" sequel was "c**p," insisting the 2007-2008 writers strike turned the film into a rushed mess.  He says, "We made some mistakes... When I look back at it, that was c**p. The writers' strike was coming hard and fast. It was just terrible to do a movie where you've got to have a story in three weeks.  "I was prepping a movie for months where I only had 14 pages of some idea of what the movie was. It's a B.S. way to make a movie." The film's star Shia LaBeouf has agreed with his director's comments. When asked about "Transformers 2: Revenge of The Fallen," the actor recently said, "We got lost. We tried to get bigger. It's what happens to sequels. It's like, how do you top the first one? You've got to go bigger. "Mike went so big that it became too big, and I think you lost the anchor of the movie... You lost a bit of the relationships. Unless you have those relationships, then the movie doesn't matter. Then it's just a bunch of robots fighting each other."

Sheen fired from `Two and a Half Men

Charlie Sheen was fired Monday from "Two and a Half Men" by Warner Bros. Television following the hard-living actor's bouts of wild partying, repeated hospitalizations and a bitter media campaign against his studio bosses. The action was taken after "careful consideration" and was effective immediately, the studio said in a statement. No decision has been made on the show's future without its star, Warner spokesman Paul McGuire said. Sheen, 45, who has used TV, radio and social media to create a big megaphone for himself, was not silent for long. He responded by referring to his bosses with the F-word and, "They lose," followed by the word "Trolls." Asked if he planned to sue, Sheen texted back, "Big." As for his next move, Sheen texted, "A big one." Last month, Warner canceled the remaining eight episodes of what was intended to be a 24-episode season of "Men," citing Sheen's public behavior and rants against Lorre.In a series of interviews, including with ABC's "Good Morning America" and NBC's "Today" show, Sheen boasted about his "epic" partying, said he's fueled by "violent hatred" of his bosses and claimed to have kicked drugs at home in his "Sober Valley Lodge." He glorified himself as a "rock star from Mars" with "fire breathing fists" and "Adonis DNA" and talked about his home life with two women he nicknamed his "goddesses." The actor, who was among TV's highest-paid at a reported $1.8 million per episode for "Men," brashly said at one point that he would ask for $3 million if he signed a new contract for future seasons.
 a pregnant Victoria Beckham, didn't think we would see it, lol.

Guy Ritchie And Jacqui Ainsley Expecting A Baby

The 29-year-old model and the "Sherlock Holmes" director have a baby on the way; the due date is in September. This is the director's third child. He has two sons, Rocco, 10, and David, 5, with ex-wife Madonna, whom he divorced in 2008. Ritchie is currently working on the "Sherlock Holmes" sequel. Meanwhile, Ainsley has modeled for Lynx, Boux Lingerie, Samsung, Sunsilk, Virgin Atlantic, Cosmopolitan and Tatler and appeared in "Die Another Day."



'Rango' No. 1 at box office with $38 million
Paramount's "Rango," the animated Western starring Johnny Depp and directed by Gore Verbinski (Pirates of the Caribbean trilogy), lassoed the year's biggest three-day opening so far with $38 million. In second was the romantic sci-fi thriller "The Adjustment Bureau," which collected $20.9 million. The fantasy romance "Beastly" snared third place with $10.1 million.

Jill Scott Inks Distribution Deal With Warner Bros. Records

After over 4 million records sold and numerous awards across music and film over the past decade, three-time Grammy Award winning singer/actress Jill Scott is proud to announce that she has entered into a distribution deal with Warner Bros. Records. The unique relationship with the iconic label bolsters the Jill Scott brand into the next phase of her successful career. Jill's eagerly awaited fourth studio album, The Light Of The Sun will be released later this year.

Alec Baldwin Joins 'Rock Of Ages' Cast

The man who plays pent-up, suit wearing Reaganite executive Jack Donaghy in "30 Rock" has signed on to play a has been rocker and night club owner in the upcoming film version of "Rock of Ages." The film's director, Adam Shankman, tweeted, saying, "So, based on info I got today, I'm gonna confirm Alec Baldwin as Dennis in Rock Of Ages. Hollah." Dennis is Dennis Dupree, the one-time rock icon hanging on to his glory days. It was reported back in December that he was offered the role.
Baldwin will join Tom Cruise, Julianne Hough and Mary J. Blige in the film.

Emma Watson drops out of Brown University (for now)

Emma Watson, who famously enrolled at Rhode Island's Brown University in 2009, Monday announced that she'll be taking an indefinite leave from her studies at the Ivy League school. In a message posted on her official website, Watson writes about her difficulty "being a student AND fulfilling my other commitments." "I've decided to take a bit of time off to completely finish my work on Harry Potter (the last one comes out this summer) and to focus on my other professional and acting projects," writes Watson. "I will still be working towards my degree... it's just going to take me a semester or two longer than I thought : )."



TV NEWS

Comedian Mike DeStefano, who made it to the last rounds of NBC's "Last Comic Standing," has died, his manager confirmed; he was 44. The HIV-positive comedian, who often joked about addiction and disease, died of a heart attack.  He appeared on the the "Opie and Anthony Show," "Late Night with Conan O'Brien," "Comedy Central's Live at Gotham" and at the HBO Aspen Comedy Festival and the Just for Laughs Comedy Festival in Montreal. He placed fourth on "Last Comic Standing." The comedian also performed in stage shows, including one, "A Cherry Tree in the Bronx," that was to have had a special sneak preview performance at New York's Barrow Street Theater on Wednesday.

Anthony has joined the cast of TNT's "Hawthorne," the hospital drama starring Jada Pinkett Smith.

He reprises the role of Detective Nick Renata, the character he played as a guest star in two episodes last season. Renata and Pinkett Smith's Christina Hawthorne hit it off as he investigated crimes involving the hospital. The show returns for a third season this June.


Law & Order: Los Angeles 2.0.  A retooled version of Dick Wolf’s latest franchise extension will return to NBC’s schedule with a two-hour episode on Monday, April 11 at 9/8c before settling into its regular Monday 10/9c time slot the following week. When the dust settled, original cast members Skeet Ulrich, Regina Hall and Megan Boone were gone. Additionally, Alfred Molina’s DA character, Ricardo Morales, will now work the detective beat alongside Corey Stoll’s TJ Jaruszalski. And Alana De La Garza will reprise her role as ADA Connie Rubirosa from the L&O mothership. Terrence Howard remains as DDA Jonah Dekker.



NBCs Harry’s Law completes its freshman run on April 4



Brothers & Sisters and Everwood alum Emily VanCamp is returning to ABC as the star of a potential new primetime drama, Revenge. VanCamp has landed the lead in the project, written by Swingtown creator Mike Kelley and directed by Phillip Noyce. It’s described as a contemporary re-imagening of The Count of Monte Cristo from a female perspective and centers on Emily Thorn (VanCamp), a mysterious young woman who comes to the Hamptons to exact revenge on the people who destroyed her family.


Hank Azaria has been tapped to star in NBC’s single-camera comedy pilot Free Agents. The project, based on the UK series of the same name, explores the attraction between on-the-rebound PR execs Alex (Azaria) and Helen (TBD).

"Mad Men" star January Jones has ruled out ever portraying Grace Kelly in a movie biopic, saying she's convinced it would destroy her career. The actress has frequently been compared to the legendary Hollywood beauty.  Jones said, "I've been offered a couple of TV movies playing Grace Kelly, and there was no way I would touch them with a 7-foot pole. It would be career suicide. No one would watch them and come away saying anything other than, 'She's so not Grace Kelly.'"

ROLANDA WATTS CHARGED WITH DUI

former talk show host and actress Rolanda Watts was arrested and slapped with a DUI charge over the weekend. Watts was busted after midnight on Saturday in Hollywood.  She was taken to jail in Van Nuys and held on $15,000 bail. She has since been released, but has to appear in court on March 30.

No Alcohol or Drugs Involved in David Arquette Car Crash

David Arquette’s Friday auto accident was not a result of drugs or alcohol, authorities have determined.
“No alcohol or drugs were involved in the crash whatsoever,” Beverly Hills Police Dept. spokesman Lt. Tony Lee said in a statement. “It appears that the accident will be Mr. Arquette’s fault for driving on the wrong side of the roadway.”

Joran van der Sloot to Plead Guilty to Killing Stephany Flores Ramirez

Joran van der Sloot will plead guilty to killing 21-year-old Stephany Flores Ramirez in Peru last May, but will argue temporary insanity, according to reports. The Dutchman, 23, will try for a reduced sentence using the "violent emotion" defense, his lawyer, Maximo Altez, said. The lawyer argues that Van der Sloot killed Ramirez on May 30 after becoming enraged when he realized she had looked at his laptop and learned of his connection to missing American teen Natalee Holloway, who disappeared from the island of Aruba in 2005. Ramirez, a Peruvian business student, was found bludgeoned to death in a Lima hotel room. Van der Sloot stands accused of first-degree murder – in Peru that means a 15- to 35-year sentence if convicted. But if his insanity defense holds up, Van der Sloot could serve only 20 months of a 3-5-year sentence, Altez says.

Rihanna not interested in 'Bodyguard' remake

Rihanna has no interest in filling Whitney Houston's shoes in the upcoming remake of "The Bodyguard" because she refuses to play a singer on the big screen. The pop star is set to showcase her acting talents in the upcoming science fiction film "Battleship" and hopes to follow up her debut with more film roles. But when asked if she was interested in "The Bodyguard" remake, Rihanna told OK! magazine, "Absolutely not. I want to separate the two. I hate it when singers do singing movies all the time because you can never look at them as anybody else."