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Serena Williams: Emotions won out

2011-09-26T08:25:00.000-07:00

NEW YORK -- Serena Williams says her emotions got the best of her when she berated the chair umpire during her loss to Samantha Stosur in the U.S. Open final.
"My emotions did get the best of me this past weekend when I disagreed with the umpire," Williams tweeted Wednesday. "It has been a long road to get back to the US Open this year, and I am thankful to have had such a great two weeks in New York."

Williams' tweet came two days after she was cited for a code violation and fined $2,000 for verbally abusing chair umpire Eva Asderaki.

Facing a break point while serving in the first game of the second set Sunday night, Williams hit a forehand that she celebrated with a yell of "Come on!"

Asderaki applied the hindrance rule, noting the scream came while Stosur reached out and got a racket on the ball. Asderaki awarded the point to Stosur.

That set Williams off on a series of insults directed at the official, reminiscent of her tirade on the same court when she berated and brandished her racket at a line judge who called a foot fault in the 2009 semifinal against Kim Clijsters.

A sampling of what Williams said, prompting Asderaki to call the code violation:

• "You're out of control."

• "You're a hater, and you're just unattractive inside."

• "Really, don't even look at me."

The United States Tennis Association said Grand Slam committee director Bill Babcock conducted his own review of the incident and determined "Williams' conduct, while verbally abusive, does not rise to the level of a major offense under the Grand Slam Code of Conduct."

Stosur stunned Williams 6-2, 6-3 Sunday, winning her first Grand Slam title. She became the first Australian woman to win a major championship since Evonne Goolagong Cawley at Wimbledon in 1980.

Williams won two tournaments heading into the U.S. Open and was considered a favorite despite being sidelined nearly a year with injuries and health issues. She returned in June after dealing with two foot surgeries and blood clots in her lungs.

Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.

Anderson Cooper, Gloria Vanderbilt Address Carter Vanderbilt Cooper's Suicide

2011-09-21T09:42:00.000-07:00

It's been more than two decades since Anderson Cooper's brother Carter Vanderbilt Cooper flung himself from the 14th-floor terrace of his family's NYC penthouse apartment.

In a rare interview, Anderson, 44, sat down with his mom, Gloria Vanderbilt, and recalls that tragic day in 1988 when Carter, then 23, took his own life.

"When he went … I thought he was going to come back, but he didn't," Vanderbilt, 87, remembers in the one-on-one conversation that airs Monday on Anderson's syndicated talk show. "He let go, and there was a moment when I thought I was going to jump over after him."

But the former fashion designer says Anderson, who was 21 at the time, gave her a reason to continue living.

"I thought of you and it stopped me from [jumping]," Vanderbilt tells her son, whose eyes brim with tears.

Although it is rare to hear Anderson or his mom speak publicly about their family tragedy, Vanderbilt wrote a book in 1997 called A Mother's Story, in which she discusses the medicine allergy she believes caused her son to make the spontaneous decision to kill himself.

"The fatal loss stripped me bare," Vanderbilt says in the book of losing Carter, a seemingly confident Princeton graduate.Although Vanderbilt tells Anderson, "You never get over it, but you learn to live with it," the talk show host and CNN correspondent uses the heartbreaking experience as just one more reason to see his mom as an inspiration.

"You have survived so many things," Anderson says. "This custody battle when you were 10 years old, the loss of your father when you were an infant, the loss of Carter, of my dad, your husband and so many others."

"It hasn't made you tough," he continues. "It hasn't hardened you. You're still open to experience and open to new loss and open to new heartbreak and to new love."

Mom Fights Girl, 12, on Long Island: Cops

2011-09-21T09:31:00.000-07:00

A Long Island mom has been arrested and charged with allegedly encouraging two 12-year-old girls to duke it out during a dispute outside an elementary school -- and then participating in the fight herself.

Daphne Melin of Shirley has been charged with endangering the welfare of a child and attempted assault.

Mary Jones, 11, goes to school with the two girls.

She said she saw "hair tugging and ripping and pushing and then the mom just started beating up the girl."

Police said the fight on Sunday lasted several minutes.

Melin "spit in the girl's face and then grabbed her by the hair and kneed her in the head several times," Suffolk police said.

Melin said her daughter was the victim of cyber-bullying and that she was getting no help from the school, so she took the matter into her own hands.

Sofia Vergara Talks Transexual Body, Gay Friends

2011-09-19T08:30:00.000-07:00

She's one of the most photographed women in Hollywood, with a body and bust line that is practically its own character in every project she's in, but if you ask Sofia Vergara, she's all (former) man.

The "Modern Family" Emmy nominee sat down for an interview with The Advocate, and amongst the gay-themed many topics she touched on, she mentioned "Grilled," a direct-to-DVD film she made in which she plays a post-op transsexual.

"I look like a transsexual anyway," she responded when asked if it was a difficult role to play. "I’m a woman, but I’m super-exaggerated with my boobs, my ass, my makeup, and my accent. When I get ready for an event, I always look at myself in the mirror and say, 'I look like a transvestite!' I love it."

Vergara, who will star in the Farrelly Brothers' revival of "The Three Stooges," be part of the ensemble in "New Year's Eve" and featured in this year's big screen adaptation of "The Smurfs," also says that, unlike many actresses, she's happy to stay in her wheelhouse: making people laugh.

"No, because I’ve never wanted to be taken seriously as an actress!" Vergara said, explaining that she's not worried about being typecast due to her body and accent. "That never even crossed my mind. I don’t want to be serious. I’m not hoping to go read for a part in a serious movie, because I know the roles that I can play: They’re funny, and I love it. And I have no training in acting. I always knew I was funny, because I was the class clown, my family laughed at me, and I loved being ridiculous, but I never thought I’d make money out of being funny either. With my crazy accent, I’m so blessed that I even got a part like in 'Modern Family.'"

Her first true role was in an ad for Diet Pepsi, and wouldn't you know it, in the prime of her career, she went right back to her roots, starring in a recent spot with David Beckham. Which was funny, of course.

But while she isn't searching for for a new kind of role, she is still on the hunt for that perfect bra

Kara Kennedy Allen, Daughter of Former Senator, Dies at 51

2011-09-17T10:51:00.000-07:00

Kara Kennedy Allen, the daughter of Senator Edward M. Kennedy, died Friday while at a Washington-area health club. She was 51.

Her death was reported by her brother, Patrick, the former Representative from Rhode Island, who told The Associated Press that “she’s with dad.” Their father died in August 2009.

Ms. Allen, the eldest of Mr. Kennedy’s children, led a more private life than most Kennedys of her generation. She was a shy person, who was able to go out in public without being recognized. But she also traveled with her father from time to time; in 1984, she went with him to a refugee camp in Ethiopia during a famine.

In 2003, Ms. Allen developed lung cancer, which some doctors deemed inoperable. But she found surgeons who were willing to proceed, and her cancer went into remission. In 2009, she accepted the Presidential Medal of Freedom on his behalf of ailing father.

Patrick Kennedy told The A.P. that he thought his sister’s cancer treatment “took quite a toll on her and weakened her physically.” He says “her heart gave out.”

Ms. Allen graduated from Tufts University in Massachusetts. She served on several nonprofit boards, including the National Advisory Board for the National Organization on Fetal Alcohol Syndrome . She was also a director emeriti of the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum and had previously worked as a television producer.

Survivors include her two children, her mother Joan Kennedy, and her brothers, Edward Kennedy Jr. and Patrick Kennedy.

Scarlett Johansson Leaked Photos 2011 Spark Controversy!

2011-09-17T10:41:00.000-07:00

Scarlett Johansson is the latest victim of leaked nude photos after a hacker busted into her cell phone and posted racy images of her online.

The photos show Scarlett in what appears to be a hotel room. One of the photos shows Scarlett with a towel, revealing her backside while the other shows her completely topless, taking the photo herself while lying on a bed.

Sources connected to Johansson have adamantly insisted that the FBI will be contacted as her team believes this is a criminal act.

The photos can be seen on crushable.com (along with several other sites) or simply type “Scarlett Johansson Leaked Photos” into Google images and you can see a whole bunch of the racy pics.

Scarlett is the latest celeb to fall victim to cell phone hacking. Julianne Hough was the last victim but her photos came up clean. Sure, there were a few racy pics of Julianne but nothing to the extent of what we’re seeing with Scarlett here.

Here’s an idea: If you don’t want the world to see you naked, stop taking nude photos of yourself with your cell phone.

If you’re a celebrity and you have nude photos out there somewhere, just assume they are going to make their way online. They always do.

Scarlett Johansson Latest Female Celeb to Have Phone Hacked, Naked Pictures Leaked

2011-09-14T08:20:00.000-07:00

Back in March, TMZ published a list of female celebrities who had pictures and videos stolen from their mobile devices and email accounts by a group of hackers. Jessica Alba, Vanessa Hudgens and Miley Cyrus were mentioned in the probe -- with Hudgens even allegedly sitting down with the FBI to ascertain how her Gmail account was hacked. Scarlett Johannson was listed as well, though -- at the time -- scandalous photos of the Oscar-nominee had not yet leaked online. That changed Wednesday morning.

A pair of self-shot naked cell phone pictures featuring a woman who appears to look very much like Johansson are pinging around the Internet, which -- per TMZ -- may lead to the FBI being contacted because of the criminal nature of the potential hack. Whether the photos are real or Photoshopped, however, has yet to be determined. (Fleshbot has the NSFW pics.)

Check back to Moviefone for more on the FBI investigation as updates develop.

Hackers Post Nude Photos Of Scarlett Johansson Online

2011-09-14T08:04:00.000-07:00

Call in sick, cancel your meetings, turn off your cell phone. Scarlett Johansson nude pictures have leaked. No work will get done today, since no one on earth has never seen a nipple before. Earlier this year — in March — TMZ published a list of celebrities whose pictures and videos were stolen from their computers and mobile devices. Vanessa Hudgens was the focus of the investigation at the time, and even sat down with the FBI.

But ScarJo was also on the list, and two noodz are online. Although: They might be fakes. But in any case, we really need to take a look at this fucked up situation: Hackers are targeting women, making their personal business public. But also: These women are taking naked pictures of themselves in an era when no personal information is safe. WTF. [Fleshbot (NSFW)

Are Jennifer Lopez and Bradley Cooper Dating?

2011-09-14T07:42:00.001-07:00

Bradley Cooper just can't stop the rumor mill.

After keeping close company with Olivia Wilde in May and then receiving an honor from Charlize Theron last week, The Hangover star is generating the most talk because of his dinner companion this weekend.

She was no other than the recently available Jennifer Lopez.

RELATED: TEXT GOES HERE

Although the Internet lit up with reports of a budding romance between Cooper, 37, and Lopez, 42, a source tells PEOPLE that the dinner Saturday at the New York restaurant Per Se was all business.

The pair, according to the source, are "in discussions regarding a project."
Bradley Cooper

Biggest Loser Sam Poueu's Accident Explained

2011-09-14T07:37:00.000-07:00

The news was as shocking as it was cryptic: Popular Biggest Loser contestant Sam Poueu was seriously injured in a mysterious accident.

Now, his family and that of his fiancée Stephanie Anderson – a fellow ninth season contestant – are revealing to PEOPLE how he was hurt – and how he's finding the strength to recover.

The accident occurred on Sept. 3 in San Francisco when Poueu, after a night celebrating a friend's birthday at a dinner, went to the rooftop of another pal's apartment and the door locked behind him.

Poueu "attempted to climb down the fire escape ladder to drop down into the fourth floor balcony and slipped," the families say in an exclusive statement to PEOPLE. "The San Francisco Fire Department responded within minutes thanks to a neighbor's immediate call."

Poueu "suffered many serious internal injuries and a trauma to the right side of his head," the statement says. "Sam has made positive and encouraging strides since his accident. Since being admitted to the hospital, Sam has stayed strong through three surgeries. To date, many of his internal injuries are on the healing mend."

RELATED: Biggest Loser Contestant In Critical Condition After Falling Off Building

The families add, "He still has a long road ahead and is already a true testament to the power of prayer. Our faith remains that God will heal him completely according to His will. We are thankful for the miracles we have already witnessed in his recovery and are thankful for the dedicated medical personnel attending to him."

Plan to Marry
Poueu, 25, a former security guard, started on the Biggest Loser at 372 lbs. and reached his goal weight of 238 lbs. well ahead of his season's finale. He has been working as a trainer at the Biggest Loser Fitness Ridge Resort in Malibu, Calif.

Anderson, 31, a senior account executive with CBS Radio, accepted Poueu's surprise proposal during the filming of a Biggest Loser special last October. The couple plan to wed in spring 2012.

Poueu's and Anderson's families say, "Please send well wishes, cards, etc. to: Poueu Family, PO Box 214, Cotati, CA 94931."

A trust fund has been set up to help in Poueu's recovery – click here.

"Thank you again for all your prayers," the families say. "Although he is in wonderful hands, we ask for your continued prayers and understanding as Sam and our families get through this difficult time. Praise God for our fighter Sam."

The families add: "We want to thank everyone for all of your prayers, thoughts, well wishes and support during this difficult time."

Avril Lavigne on Kylie Jenner’s Runway Debut: ‘I Love Her Edge’

2011-09-14T06:56:00.000-07:00

When Kylie Jenner sashayed down the runway at Monday night’s STYLE360 Abbey Dawn fashion show, more than a few familiar faces dotted the front row: show spectators included sisters Kim and Kourtney Kardashian and Kendall Jenner, brother Brody Jenner and bro-in-law Kris Humphries.

The perfect synergy of talent and good looks (Abbey Dawn is designed by Brody’s flame Avril Lavigne, after all) resulted in what Kylie dubbed “a family affair.”

“I loved having my family there,” Kylie gushed to PEOPLE after the show. “They made me so much more comfortable!” Aside from taking candids and offering up a congratulatory bouquet, family members also took to the Internet to express their admiration. “She was so fab,” big sis Kim Tweeted, with Brody sweetly concurring: “She looked beautiful and was such a natural. Proud to be her brother.”

Fully embracing the Abbey Dawn aesthetic, which includes slogan tees, studded accessories and party frocks, the 14-year-old even confessed to stealing one element straight off the runway. “I’m obsessed with it,” she told PEOPLE of her newly dip-dyed strands. “I did “Rihanna red” over Spring Break, but I was just like, ‘This isn’t me!’”

But does the novice model she have a future in the industry? “She did a really good job,” Lavigne admiringly told PEOPLE after the show. “I love her edge.”

Amy Smart and Her HGTV Hottie Are Now Married!

2011-09-12T08:54:00.000-07:00

What a joyous occasion it is when two (good-looking) people come together as one.

Actress Amy Smart tied the knot today in Michigan with her HGTV Carter Can man Carter Oosterhouse.

Get all the deets here...

MORE: Amy Smart's Wedding Date and Location Revealed!

The actress and host made it official in Traverse City, Michigan with more than 200 friends and family attending.

As for why the Midwest location? Amy told Us: "He's from there and my parents live there, so it's been my second home since I was very young."

As for the dress, Amy did bride-well-done and donned a Carolina Herrera gown, while her eight bridesmaids all wore navy Ann Taylor dresses. Accessorizing her Herrera gown, Amy stunned in Neil Lane, complete with 6 carat diamond and platinum chandelier earrings and a diamond and platinum bracelet by the famed jeweler.

FASHION: Caption Amy Smart's "Granny Gone Clubbing" Getup

The couple, who reportedly met while attending a green charity event last November, were together only a few months before the handy man popped the question. Obviously, time wasn't a factor in Smart's decision to live the rest of her life with this guy. But the fact that he's practically Prince Charming was.

"I think he's an incredible man on so many levels. He's so kind, so respectful, loving…he's got so many qualities that I can't wait to spend my life with."

...and he's handy!

Congrats to the newlyweds!

Ali Lohan's New Face Explained

2011-09-11T13:46:00.000-07:00

After a new photo of Ali Lohan set off an Internet storm about her dramatic look, her rep says Lindsay Lohan's younger sister, who was recently signed to a modeling agency, did not go under the knife.

"Aliana has never had any type of plastic surgery in her life, nor has she ever considered it," her rep Steve Honig tells PEOPLE, insisting that the perceived changes in Lohan's face are purely natural.

"Her success as a model lies with her natural looks and she has no interest in changing that," the statement continues. "During the past two years, she has gone through a normal teenage growth spurt that has made her taller and slimmer."

The younger Lohan, 17, has been the subject of chatter after stepping out with a noticeably thinner frame and a more drawn appearance.

Lohan's growth "has also slightly changed the composure of her face, all of which is typical of what happens to kids in their mid to late teens," explains Honig. "It's what most people refer to as the awkward stage. Ali is growing up; that's all."

Her modeling agency rep also denied Lohan had plastic surgery.

"As a young girl who is growing up, it's natural for her facial features to change slightly, and we see this with many of the younger models we represent," says Alexis Borges, agency director of Next Model Management L.A. "Aliana is a beautiful 17 year old girl who is growing into her face and body, as is the norm for someone of her age."

Borges adds: "We take pastoral care of our models very seriously and encourage the models to maintain a healthy lifestyle and body shape."
Lindsay Lohan

Salma Hayek's Husband Speaks Out About Child-Support Case

2011-09-11T13:34:00.000-07:00

Salma Hayek's husband has broken his silence in the big-money child support dispute over his child with supermodel Linda Evangelista.

François-Henri Pinault is refuting claims by Evangelista's lawyer that the French businessman has been "paying zero" toward raising the now-4-year-old boy. Evangelista is seeking $46,000 a month in support.

Pinault tells the current French issue of Elle that he has "recognized" the boy since 2007 and that "at every possible opportunity he has participated in my family life whether in France or the United States."

"He is totally integrated within my family," says Pinault, adding that this relationship has extended to his sister Valentina, the child Pinault fathered with Hayek in 2007.

Augustin was born in October 2006, more than eight months after Pinault had been separated from Evangelista and around the time that Pinault started dating Hayek. They were married in 2009.

Reese Witherspoon Hit by Car While Jogging

2011-09-11T08:07:00.000-07:00

Reese Witherspoon was hit by a vehicle on Wednesday afternoon.

The incident occurred during a jog in Santa Monica, Calif., a rep for the actress, 35, confirms to PEOPLE. The driver, an 84-year-old woman, was cited for failing to yield to a pedestrian in a crosswalk, say reports.

Explaining that she was not seriously injured, the rep says Witherspoon is "resting comfortably at home."

Santa Monica police Sgt. Richard Lewis told the Associated Press that Witherspoon was jogging in an unmarked crosswalk when she was struck.

Katherine Schwarzenegger: My Mom And I Are 'Inseparable'

2011-09-10T08:02:00.000-07:00

Though both of Katherine Schwarzenegger's parents attended the Fashion's Night Out event she hosted in Los Angeles Thursday, it was clearly Mother's Day for the eldest child of estranged spouses Arnold Schwarzenegger and Maria Shriver.

"I have the best mother in the whole entire world," Katherine, 21, told PEOPLE. "I could not have asked for a better mom. She supports me in everything that I do. She's always there for me, and we're, like, inseparable."

She added: "I always say we talk way too much. … I actually tell her everything. I should probably stop doing that! Because we're just so close."

Upon arriving at the event – which Katherine hosted at Diane Von Furstenberg to benefit her uncle's charity, Best Buddies International – Maria Shriver greeted Katherine and her friends with warm embraces, telling her daughter: "You look gorgeous."

The proud mom later gushed to a friend: "My little girl. ... It's shocking!"

Brother Patrick 'A Stud'
Katherine, who spent most of the summer vacationing with her mom and siblings, is gearing up for her senior year at USC.

"My goal this year as a senior is to act more my age," she tells PEOPLE. "Last year, I was very caught up in doing my book stuff and traveling and stuff. So I think that this year, I'm really making an effort to have a lot of fun with my friends, to go out, be a 21-year-old and to have fun."

Though she describes her aspiring model younger brother, Patrick, 17, as "such a young little stud," Katherine said she has not given serious thought to her own career path.

"My mom always tells me to live in the moment. So I'm just trying to be a senior in college and when it gets there, I'll think about it then."

Dating Hurdles
Part of that includes looking for someone to date without her famous family getting in the way – something Katherine said she's struggled with in the past.

"I've definitely had a few guys who you think that you like and you go on a date with them and it turns out that their main priority is asking about body building questions or 'Can I go work out with your dad?' " she says. "I'm like, 'Okay! I see where this date is going.' "

She adds: "I just assume that the right person will come along who accepts me for who I am and it won't be such a problem. But it's definitely a challenge, I will say that."

Decker heckled by confused journalists

2011-09-10T06:37:00.000-07:00

Model and actress Brooklyn Decker has had a tougher time of it recently at the US Open than her husband, Andy Roddick, after being heckled in a case of mistaken identity, the New York Post reported Sunday.
Decker was incognito in a long, big sweatshirt as she waited alone for Roddick, who whipped fellow Nebraskan Jack Sock in straight sets, outside the president's gate at 12:45 a.m. on Saturday.

Suddenly, Decker started getting shouted at by a group of impatient journalists who were on the last media bus and thought Decker was holding them up.

The journalists screamed repeatedly at Decker, "Hurry up and get on the bus," not realizing she was Roddick's famous wife and not with the media.

Decker, who appeared to be embarrassed, walked away toward a players' van.

image more

Miley Cyrus defends sexed up image

2011-09-09T08:52:00.000-07:00

LOS ANGELES -- Miley Cyrus defended her vamped up image, saying her provocative antics are par for the course for teenagers experiencing a sexual awakening, Hollywood Life reported Wednesday.

"People see me as this perfect Disney star, and the moment I put out a record that says 'I'm not 11 years old anymore,' people look down on me," she told Prestige Magazine in an interview for their September issue.

"Every 18-year-old explores sexuality and experiments and tries things. For me there's no reason to change that. You have to be true to yourself," she added.

Cyrus' meteoric rise to fame began in 2006 at age 13 with her Disney TV show "Hannah Montana" which parlayed into a massively successful musical tour, chart topping albums and hit movie.

But the teen star was blasted in 2008 for a provocative Vanity Fair photo spread, featuring the teenager and her father, country music singer Billy Ray Cyrus.

She was further scrutinized for a sassy pole dance during her performance at the 2009 Teen Choice Awards, an online video of her giving a lap dance to director Adam Shankman and the memorable footage of her smoking salvia at her birthday shindig last year.

Her latest album, "Can't Be Tamed," has been perceived as her declaration of independence with her sexually suggestive music videos and exotic on-stage dancing.

But Cyrus scoffed at the suggestion she was shedding her good girl image.

"There was this magazine article the other day, showing all the younger celebrities. I was the Girl Next Door or whatever, and I fell under the category of Good Girl Gone Bad. And I was like, 'What the hell, man?' I stay in the house pretty much every day. I don't go out. I've had the same boyfriend for two years," she said.

More neck surgery for Peyton Manning

2011-09-09T08:42:00.000-07:00

Indianapolis Colts quarterback Peyton Manning had further neck surgery Thursday, the team announced, his third procedure in the past 19 months.

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Manning decided to have the surgery after consultation with a half-dozen doctors who reached a consensus that the most viable option would be a one-level cervical neck fusion in the wake of his May 23 surgery to repair a bulging disk. It's unclear whether Manning would be able to return to play this season.

The team said in a statement Thursday that the surgery was "uneventful" and that it would not place Manning on season-ending injured reserve and instead keep him on the active roster.

"This procedure is performed regularly throughout the country on persons from all walks of life, including professional football players. Two former Colts players had this same procedure last winter and have fully resumed their careers," the team said in the statement.

"Rehabilitation from such surgery is typically an involved process. Therefore, there will be no estimation of a return date at this time."

The team said that Manning immediately would begin the rehabilitation program prescribed by his surgeon.

The Colts statement came just hours after team owner Jim Irsay wrote on Twitter that Manning would be out "awhile" and coach Jim Caldwell promised to provide more clarity soon. They could have put Manning on injured reserve to open up a roster spot, but that would have meant he would not play at all in a season that will end with in February with the Super Bowl played at Lucas Oil Stadium in downtown Indianapolis.

An anterior fusion procedure usually involves making an incision in the front of the neck, removing soft disk tissue between the vertebrae and fusing the bones together with a graft. The goal is to ease pain or address a disk problem.
Recovery from the procedure typically takes at least eight to 10 weeks, said Dr. Victor Khabie, co-chief of the Orthopedics and Spine Institute at Northern Westchester Hospital in New York. He has not treated Manning, but is familiar with the procedure and how athletes recover from it.

"It could be season-ending, seeing the piggybacking off of another surgery," Khabie said. "But the athletes I've known over the years, I never count out because they are such great competitors and such great healers."

If Manning recovered in 10 weeks, he would be back around the Nov. 13 game against Jacksonville, the week before the Colts have a bye.

Dr. Andrew Hecht, co-director of spinal surgery at Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York, doesn't believe the injury will prematurely end Manning's career.

Hecht, who works with the New York Jets and New York Islanders, said the biggest risk is healing. He said it typically takes three months for the fusion to occur, though some people heal faster.

"The odds are that he'll end his career when he wants to end his career," Hecht said.

Manning was unavailable for comment, as was his agent, Tom Condon. His father, Archie, and brother, Cooper, whose college career was ended by a severe neck injury, would not specifically address Peyton's surgical decision.

Archie Manning, a former NFL quarterback, only spoke of his son's state of mind.

"I think he's OK, probably because there's a little finality to this deal in terms of playing," the elder Manning told Mortensen. "He's been on the clock since May. He didn't make it. Obviously, it's a big letdown, but he can relax a little bit compared to the intensity of everything he has done trying to rehab."

Earlier Thursday, without confirming any pending surgery for brother Peyton, Cooper Manning told ESPN that a cervical fusion would be a logical step after his brother's slow recovery and setback last week when he experienced more upper back and neck pain.

"Everyone is different, but I've had a fusion and I've known players who have had fusions and went on to play football. ... You can get a pretty good range of motion back and much more stability once it heals," said Cooper, the oldest of three brothers that include quarterbacks Peyton and Eli.

Cooper said he did not have specific knowledge on a decision regarding another operation for Peyton.

"You know Peyton and how he values his privacy even within a very tight family like we have," he said. "We've exchanged some short texts and I've given him his space. He's had a lot going on."

Manning will miss his first NFL game when the Colts open the 2011 season Sunday against the Houston Texans. He had made 227 consecutive starts counting playoff games, including the Super Bowl the Colts won capping the 2006 season. The four-time MVP is 35 years old.

Manning was hopeful that four months of therapy after his May 23 surgery would allow him to resume normal football activity, but his progress was minimal with nerve regeneration and his triceps area remained weak, not allowing him to throw a football with reasonable velocity. He was taken off the PUP (physically unable to play) list last week so he could practice on a limited basis as a part of his therapy in hopes of making progress and measuring his readiness.

However, Manning's progress "plateaued" and pain returned to his upper back and neck region, which initiated a new set of diagnostic tests and the recent prognosis that an anterior cervical fusion would be a wise course of action, sources said.

On Wednesday, in an interview with ESPN 1050 in New York, Colts vice chairman Bill Polian revealed that Manning would not play the opener Sunday at Houston. Manning confirmed the decision in a statement later Wednesday.

The player who can empathize most with Manning is running back Joseph Addai, who injured a nerve in his left shoulder Oct. 17 against Washington, then missed the next eight games.

There were times, Addai recalled, he would wake up during the night with sudden pain. There were other times he couldn't hold up a microphone or the ball would drop out of his hands with a slight bump.

Addai figured the ensuing bye week would give him enough time to heal, but it took him more than two months to get back into a game and he still didn't feel 100 percent until this season.

"After a while it came back, but you don't really know when it's going to come back," Addai said. "It's frustrating."

Addai said Manning asked him about the experience, something the two discussed at length since players reported to camp July 31.

Addai said he's worried about playing the Texans without Manning.

"You know how important Peyton is," Addai said. "I think everybody has to step it up."

Kerry Collins will replace Manning in the lineup Sunday, making him the first Colts quarterback other than Manning to start a game since Jim Harbaugh on Dec. 21, 1997.

The only other time Manning has missed a regular-season snap because of injury was in 2001 against Miami. Backup Mark Rypien fumbled. The Dolphins recovered and drove 59 yards for the winning score. Manning returned on the next series with a bloody mouth. He was later diagnosed with a hairline fracture in his jaw.

Manning, who rarely misses a snap even at practice, has occasionally been sidelined during the preseason.

He sat out one week of training camp in 1998 before signing his rookie contract. A decade later, he missed all of training camp after having surgery twice to remove an infected bursa sac from his left knee. He also missed some practices after injuring his knee during a preseason game against Minnesota in 2001.

Since being taken with the No. 1 overall pick in 1998, Manning has led the Colts to 11 playoff appearances, 11 double-digit winning seasons, eight division crowns, two AFC titles and a Super Bowl championship.

George Clooney and Stacy Keibler Are Still Dating

2011-09-09T07:59:00.000-07:00

George Clooney's summer romance is heading into fall.

A source tells PEOPLE that Clooney, 50, and former WWE star and Dancing with the Stars contestant Stacy Keibler, 31, are still dating.

Speculation that they had cooled off surfaced when Keibler was a no-show on the red carpets at recent film festivals in Venice and Telluride, where Clooney has been promoting his films The Descendants and The Ides of March.

PHOTOS: Stars Light Up the Venice Film Festival

But they may finally be catching up on some quality time: both stars are expected to be in L.A., before Clooney jets to the Toronto Film Festival later this week.

On Friday, Keibler – who dated actor Geoff Stults on-and-off for five years before splitting in 2010 – attended the event Call of Duty XP, where she was coy regarding questions about her Oscar-winning beau, but gave a few hints as to why Clooney may be smitten.

"Anybody that knows me knows that I'm definitely a guy's girl," she told PEOPLE. "I just can really adapt to any kind of environment. So I can get all dressed up and have a great girls' night out, and then can also be playing beer pong with the boys."

"I'm always happy," she added. "Anybody that knows me knows that I'm a very happy person."

Alyssa Milano Gives Birth To Baby Boy

2011-09-01T07:52:00.000-07:00

Alyssa Milano was spotted looking very pregnant earlier this week leaving a gym, but now, she's tucked up, enjoying life as a new mom - the former "Who's The Boss?" actress has given birth.

Alyssa and her husband, David Bugliari, welcomed their son on Wednesday morning at 9:27 AM, the couple confirmed in a statement to Access Hollywood.

PLAY IT NOW: On The Set: 'My Name Is Earl' - Alyssa Milano

"Alyssa Milano and her husband, agent David Bugliari proudly announce the birth of their son, Milo Thomas Bugliari," the statement to Access read.

Milo weighed 7 pounds at birth and was 19 inches long.

VIEW THE PHOTOS: Hollywood Dads & Their Adorable Little Ones!

Alyssa first revealed that she was having a boy back in March, via her personal website.

The actress, a star of the concluded television series "Charmed," married David in 2009 at the Bugliari family estate in New Jersey.

The couple first met in 2006.

VIEW THE PHOTOS: Former Child Stars

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British Heiress Petra Ecclestone Weds in Rome

2011-08-31T09:27:00.000-07:00

And you thought Kim Kardashian's wedding was over-the-top.

British heiress and socialite Petra Ecclestone, the 22-year-old daughter of former Armani model Slavica and billionaire Formula One CEO Bernie Ecclestone, exchanged vows Saturday with businessman James Stunt in a three-day event just outside of Rome.

The wedding took place at Castello Orsini-Odescalchi, the castle where Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes wed in 2006. The bride arrived to the nuptials in a white Rolls Royce and wore a gown by Vera Wang for the outdoor ceremony.

Eric Clapton and the Black Eyed Peas performed for 350 guests – including the Hilton sisters and Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie – at the wedding reception, which also featured fireworks and an acrobatics show. Their engagement party in London in May included a performance by Rihanna.

"The wine and champagne list was really out of the ordinary – even for our standards," a employee of the company that catered the reception tells PEOPLE. "Exclusive French wines were flown especially in."

A media darling in the U.K., Ecclestone made headlines in the States in July, when she purchased Aaron and Candy Spelling's former home in Los Angeles for $85 million. "The Manor" is the largest residence in Los Angeles County.

Ecclestone works as a fashion designer and will release her new Starks handbag line in the States this fall. She had meningitis as a child and now serves as an ambassador for the Meningitis Trust. She and Stunt have said publicly that they've signed a pre-nuptial agreement.

Jessica Alba Debuts Post-Baby Body

2011-08-28T10:14:00.000-07:00

A mother's work is never done!

Thirteen days after giving birth to daughter Haven Garner, a radiant Jessica Alba took 3-year-old daughter Honor Marie to a doctor's appointment in Santa Monica, Calif. Friday.

PHOTOS: Jessica Alba's chic pregnancy style

Dressed in a flowing maxi-dress and a blue button-up, the outing marked the first time the Spy Kids 4 actress has been spotted in public since welcoming her second child with husband of three years Cash Warren, 32.

PHOTOS: Look back at Jessica Alba's first pregnancy

"Flood - sick toddler - newborn - too many people and animals living in three bedrooms = another day in the Warren household," Alba tweeted after Honor's appointment.

The previous night, Alba and her producer husband enjoyed their first date night since their daughter's arrival. "How I missed sushi!" Alba tweeted. "First time out of the house, feeling slightly anxious, but happy Haven is with my mom."

PHOTOS: Stars' incredible post-baby bodies

Alba and Warren's daughter was born at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in L.A. on August 13. The "happy and healthy" baby girl weighed 7 lbs and was 19 inches long.

Jake Gyllenhaal's Exes Taylor Swift, Reese Witherspoon Bond Over Lunch

2011-08-28T10:05:00.000-07:00

Days after returning home from her Hawaiian getaway, Reese Witherspoon had her first A-list outing with none other than country superstar Taylor Swift.

PHOTOS: Taylor Swift's former flames

The two blondes bonded over lunch at Boa Steakhouse in Beverly Hills Friday. After the meal, Witherspoon, 35, even gave 21-year-old Swift a lift home. (See the pictures at Just Jared.)

The women -- who have both dated actor Jake Gyllenhaal -- first got chummy at the Academy of Country Music Awards in April.

PHOTOS: Reese, Jim and her kids -- happy family!

Witherspoon isn't the only big star Swift has spent time with this week. Justin Bieber, 17, surprised the singer on stage at the Staples Center in L.A. Tuesday night, where the two performed a cover of his hit song "Baby." On Thursday, singer-songwriter Jason Mraz, 34, joined Swift for a rendition of "I'm Yours" at the same venue.

VIDEO: Gwyneth Paltrow mocks Taylor Swift

Swift is expected to attend Sunday's MTV Video Music Awards, where she is nominated in the "Best Video With a Message" category for "Mean."

Melissa Gilbert and Bruce Boxleitner Divorcing

2011-08-27T07:54:00.000-07:00

Court records show Melissa Gilbert has filed for divorce after 16 years of marriage to fellow actor Bruce Boxleitner.

The former "Little House on the Prairie" star cited irreconcilable differences in her divorce petition, which was filed Monday in Los Angeles.

The filing states the couple separated in January, shortly after their 16th wedding anniversary.

Gilbert served two terms as president of the Screen Actor's Guild, and Boxleitner has appeared in numerous movies and television series, including "Babylon 5" and both "Tron" films.

The couple has a 15-year-old son together.

Gilbert, who played Laura Ingalls on "Little House," is seeking joint custody of their son and no spousal support from Boxleitner.