BaconBitsNews

2013-07-30T10:53:00.001-04:00

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7/5/13

2013-07-05T10:45:00.000-04:00

Kerry Washington's real life took an unexpected twist. The Scandal star, 36, and San Francisco 49ers corner back Nnamdi Asomugha, 31, are married, according to a copy of their marriage license. The extremely under-the-radar pair said "I do" on June 24 in Hailey, Idaho. Witnesses were listed as her parents. The couple began to date last summer. The marriage is the first for Washington, who hasn't been known to publicly speak about her personal life in recent years. Shortly after splitting from fiancé David Moscow, the actress said in 2007, "I was always that girl who was in long-term relationships, and I was never really single. I had always met guys in other ways and never really did the whole dating scene where you go out on multiple dates with different guys."
Busy Phillips welcomed her second daughter. The Cougar Town star, 34, and her screenwriter husband Marc Silverstein welcomed their second daughter on Tuesday, July 2, her rep confirmed. So this happened…” Philipps Tweeted Wednesday, sharing a black and white photo of herself cuddling her newborn. The new addition joins big sister Birdie Leigh, 4½.
Here comes the bride, all dressed in ... black! Avril Lavigne and Nickelback's Chad Kroeger put a rock and roll spin on traditional wedding attire as they exchanged vows in the South of France Monday. Hello! Canada exclusively reports that Lavigne, 28, wore a black tulle Monique Lhuillier gown and donned a bouquet of black roses.Shakira's ex-boyfriend has been denied a court request to gain access to the superstar's Swiss bank account in their ongoing legal wrangle. The Colombian beauty has been locked in a bitter battle with Antonio de la Rua since last year (12), when he filed a multi-million dollar lawsuit against her, insisting he is entitled to a share of her massive fortune for reportedly acting as her manager and helping to negotiate lucrative contracts during their 10 years together. He cites an oral agreement between the pair as grounds for his claim. The singer denied the accusations and asked a U.S. judge to dismiss the case, maintaining her former partner did advise her on some decisions but was never officially employed as her manager. She also insisted she was already famous when they met in 2000 and that the only agreement she signed with de la Rua was a 2006 document stating they would both keep their own assets if they split. Earlier this week (begs01Jul13), she filed court documents detailing old emails sent to her in 2011 by her ex, who clearly stated, "I am not a partner in any of your companies. You are the sole owner of all of them" in a bid to prove he has no rights to her money. It has now emerged that de la Rua, the son of former Argentine president Fernando de la Rua, has been trying to access Shakira's finances in Switzerland, where he alleges the bulk of their assets from their business partnership is held. However, a judge in Geneva dismissed his claim last month (Jun13) due to a lack of evidence, and declared the pop star the sole owner of the account. It is de la Rua's latest effort to grab a chunk of Shakira's fortune - he filed his initial lawsuit in New York and followed it up with similar documents in Los Angeles. Shakira has since moved on with Spanish soccer star Gerard Pique, the father of her baby son Milan.
Actress Beverly Mitchell, 32 and husband Michael Cameron welcomed daughter Kenzie Lynne in March. The 7th Heaven actress married in 2008.

Rapper 50 Cent denies kicking ex-girlfriend

Rapper 50 Cent denies allegations he attacked his ex-girlfriend and trashed her condo. The "In da Club" singer's lawyer says there's no warrant outstanding on the domestic violence and vandalism charges against 50 Cent, whose real name is Curtis Jackson. If convicted, he faces up to five years in jail and $46,000 in fines. The woman told police that during a June 23 argument, Jackson began destroying property at her Toluca Lake condo before she locked herself into a bedroom. She says Jackson kicked open the bedroom door and kicked her, causing injury. Police estimated about $7,100 in damage to the home. The woman told police she had been in a three-year relationship and has a baby with Jackson. His arraignment is July 22.
Three months ago, rumors swirled that actress Eva Longoria was dating Miami-based entrepreneur and philanthropist Ernesto Arguello. While it wasn't true at the time, it is indeed the case now, the actress says. "I think that's why our relationship is so special – we truly started as friends,” says Longoria, 38, who met Arguello, 34, last year when he was cast in Ready For Love, the reality dating show she produced. (Arguello's romance with his pick, former Miss USA Shandi Finnessey, ended in 2012.) While the show aired this spring, buzz swept Hollywood that the two were an item. However, it wasn't until recently that their friendship turned romantic. “I guess we have the press to thank for pushing us to see something we didn't see!" jokes Longoria, who just returned home from a trip to Nicaragua where she was introduced to his entire family. And both have a passion for philanthropy. Longoria recently accompanied Arguello to his native country of Honduras to visit the school he built in his community, and to see the homes he has built for impoverished families. "Their friendship and their similar philanthropic interests laid the foundation for their new romance," the source adds. "They're very much in love."

Timbaland had falling out with Jay-Z

Hip-hop superproducer Timbaland almost missed out on the chance to work with his longtime collaborator Jay-Z on his new album after the old pals had a falling out. Timbaland is featured in new advertisements for "Magna Carta Holy Grail," with the commercials depicting him in the studio with Jay-Z, Rick Rubin, Swizz Beatz and Pharrell Williams as they discuss their ideas and tracks for the project. However, Timbaland reveals Jay-Z almost didn't invite him to take part in the process due to a personal slight following their last collaboration on "The Blueprint 3" in 2009. The producer refuses to go into detail about the issue, but suggests all was resolved between the two friends after he apologized. During an interview on rap mogul Sean 'Diddy' Combs' new RevoltTV network, he says, "Jay and I fell out; I missed his 40th [birthday] ... It was over petty stuff. It was more personal stuff and disagreements. It was not industry-related. It was personal and I was wrong... "It [the fall-out] was low key, nobody know about this ... But when you're real friends, you will disagree and not speak and come back together and realize that you're better together than apart."
Add John Barrowman to the list of people who have raced to the altar following the Supreme Court's decision last week to legalize gay marriage in the state of California. The Arrow actor, 46, married Scott Gill on Tuesday. The couple, who have been together for 20 years, had been in a civil partnership since 2006.

Marc Anthony makes chart history in America
Marc Anthony has made history at the top of the Billboard Hot Latin Songs chart by becoming the first artist to score more than eight weeks at number one with a single for 13 years. The singer's "Vivir Mi Vida" has held the top spot for nine weeks, but he has another 11 weeks to go to match Son By Four's "A Puro Dolor," which spent 20 weeks at number one in 2000. "No Me Ames," Anthony's duet with his ex-wife Jennifer Lopez, spent seven weeks at the top of the charts in 1999. Meanwhile, Natalie Cole's gamble in recording an all Spanish-language album has paid off -- "Natalie Cole En Espanol" has shot to the top of the Top Latin Albums chart in America.

7/2/13

2013-07-02T09:07:00.000-04:00

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

7/1/2013

2013-07-01T10:02:00.000-04:00

Jim Kelly, who played a glib American martial artist in 1973's Enter the Dragon with Bruce Lee, has died. He was 67. Marilyn Dishman, Kelly's ex-wife, said he died Saturday of cancer at his home in San Diego. Sporting an Afro hairstyle and sideburns, Kelly made a splash with his one-liners and fight scenes in the martial-arts classic. His later films included Three the Hard Way, Black Belt Jones and Black Samurai. Kelly said he started studying martial arts in 1964 in Kentucky and later moved to California where he earned a black belt in karate. He said he set his sights on becoming an actor after winning karate tournaments. He also played college football. The role in the Bruce Lee film was his second. He had about a dozen film roles in the 1970s before his acting work tapered off. In recent years, he drew lines of autograph seekers at comic book conventions.

Cirque du Soleil performer dies after accident during show
A Cirque du Soleil performer died Saturday after an accident during a performance of the show "Ka" at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, authorities announced Sunday. Sarah Guyard-Guillot, 31, was pronounced dead shortly before midnight Saturday, according to the Clark County Coroner's Office. A cause of death has yet to be determined. Audience members told the Las Vegas Sun that a performer suspended by a wire in the show’s final scene dropped a distance of nearly 50 feet into a pit below the stage. “Initially, a lot of people in the audience thought it was part of the choreographed fight. But you could hear screaming, then groaning, and we could hear a female artist crying from the stage,” Dan Mosqueda, who was attending the show with his family said. The newspaper also reported that Guyard-Guillot was a mother of two young children and had spent 22 years as an acrobatic performer. "I am heartbroken. I wish to extend my sincerest sympathies to the family. We are all completely devasted with this news. Sassoon was an artist with the original cast of KÀ since 2006 and has been an integral part of our Cirque du Soleil tight family. We are reminded, with great humility and respect, how extraordinary our artists are each and every night,” Cirque du Soleil said in a statement released Sunday. Performances of "Ka" have been indefinitely suspended, the company announced.

BET AWARDS FASHION... more news below

Jessica Simpson Welcomes Son Ace Knute
Jessica Simpson‘s tiniest fashion star has arrived! The Fashion Star mentor, 32, and her fiancé, Eric Johnson, welcomed son Ace Knute Johnson on Sunday, June 30, her rep confirmed. The middle name honors Johnson’s Swedish grandfather, the rep explains. The new addition joins big sister Maxwell Drew, who celebrated her first birthday May 1.

Deion Sanders and Pilar Sanders officially divorced: NFL star tweets marriage advice

Deion Sanders and Pilar Sanders' nasty split is finally over. The former NFL player took to Twitter to announce that the "drama" came to an end on June 28. "Thank God Thank God! This 2 year Drama filled divorce is over. Prenup stood, Custody of All kids,pay yo own fees! God is Faithful! Truth," he tweets.
But Sanders didn't stop there. He shared some key advice for other men looking for their dream women: namely, don't let good looks deceive you. "Men Listen closely! Don't choose a woman with your Flesh choose her with your Spirit & Heart. Yo flesh will Lie until yo flesh die. Truth," he adds. "Thru Trials&Tribulation u get a chance 2 witness many people around u & how they may vary from situation 2 circumstance. Learn & Live! Truth" Unfortunately for Deion, his ex-wife's attorney says the case isn't quite over yet. Several of Pilar's claims, including fraud, breach of fiduciary duty and mental and physical abuse, will by heard by a jury in a separate case.
Brooke Hogan is engaged. Dallas Cowboys offensive lineman Phil Costa proposed to Hulk Hogan’s 25-year-old daughter this weekend in Las Vegas. Brooke shared the exciting news on Instagram, writing, “Happiest moment of my LIFE. I am marrying my best friend.” “I wouldnt choose anyone else. I am so lucky and so grateful,” she added, along with a photo of her now-fiance popping the question on one knee, with the Vegas skyline in the distance.

The Heat Hotter At Box Office Than White House Down
Sandra Bullock and Melissa McCarthy brought “The Heat” against Channing Tatum and Jamie Foxx at the box office. The Fox action-comedy starring the funny ladies as mismatched police detectives earned $40 million in its opening weekend, topping the $25.7 million debut haul of Sony’s “White House Down,” according to studio estimates Sunday.m“White House Down,” which features Tatum as a wannabe Secret Service agent and Foxx as the president, came in fourth place. Disney’s animated prequel “Monsters University” remained the valedictorian in its second weekend, earning $46.1 million in the top spot at the box office. Paramount’s zombie drama “World War Z” also took another bite out of the office in its second weekend with $29.8 million in third place.

RAPPER LIL SCRAPPY LEAVES REHAB
Rapper Lil Scrappy has kicked his addiction to marijuana after a successful stint in a rehabilitation facility. The hip-hop star, real name Darryl Kevin Richardson II, voluntarily checked into a treatment center in Atlanta in May to seek professional help for his habit after allegedly failing a court-ordered drug test. On Saturday, June 29, he was released from rehab and his attorney Mawuli Mel Davis insists Lil Scrappy has changed his ways. Former MTV VJ Damien Fahey married style blogger Grasie Mercedes on Friday in Camarillo, California. Fahey is best known for his time as a host on Total Request Live, while Mercedes also has an MTV connection, as the style expert on Girl, Get Your Mind Right. Mercedes took to Twitter and Instagram to share her wedded bliss with her more than 5,000 followers, including this picture of the newlyweds dancing with the caption “Just the most perfect day!”:

Drake bails on BET Awards at last minute: Was Chris Brown the cause?

Drake was noticeably missing from the 2013 BET Awards. Not only was he scheduled to perform at the awards show, but he was also the night's top nominee. So what forced him to pull out from appearing at the last minute? According to new reports, Chris Brown. A source says that "the reason Drake isn't [at the BET Awards] is 100 percent all about Chris Brown." Drake reportedly didn't let the BET organizers know about his absence until the last minute, but it might have been for the best. Allegedly Drake didn't want to risk starting a fight with Brown, his longtime rival, at the awards show. During a recent interview with GQ, Drake admitted that he doesn't think his rivalry with Brown will end well. "If I think about it too much, I feel it wrapping around my foot, like I get a feeling it could end really badly," he said. For his part, Brown was a big presence at the awards show. Not only did he perform early on, but he also won the FANdemonium award. During his acceptance speech, Brown made sure to remind viewers that he's just a normal guy, and that they shouldn't believe media reports on him. Of the awards announced, Drake won the Coca-Cola Viewer's Choice, Best Video and Best Collaboration awards. His absence was never explained during the 2013 BET Awards. Drake took to Twitter after the BET Awards ended and gave a different reason for not appearing: his album. "Thank you to BET and to the fans for voting! I'm home finishing the album and spending time w/ family before we begin our journey Sept 17," he tweets. "Congrats to Kendrick as well! NWTS."

Buju Banton gun conviction scrapped over juror's criminal intent

Buju Banton just lucked out. The reggae singer had been charged with a gun conviction from a 2011 trial, but U.S. District Judge James S. Moody recently opted to overturn the charge. The reason? It turns out Terri Wright, a jury foreman, allegedly did independent research while serving on the case and shared it with the other jurors. Wright has now been charged with criminal contempt. The drug conviction against Banton, for which he is serving 10 years in prison, still stands. Banton's attorney reportedly says they are considering filing an appeal to overturn that as well, though a decision has not been made. Banton may face a retrial. Banton has currently served 40 months of his sentence, which was over a cocaine conspiracy and trafficking. Wright is now looking at a fine and a maximum of six years in prison.

Jennifer Lopez apologizes for singing to Turkmenistan ruler

Jennifer Lopez apologized Sunday after a barrage of criticism followed her singing "Happy Birthday" to the leader of Turkmenistan, a country described by human rights groups as "among the most repressive in the world." The singer and actress performed in the former Soviet bloc country on Saturday night. A statement released Sunday by her publicist to the Associated Press said the event was hosted by the China National Petroleum Corp. and wasn't a political event. However, the country's leader, Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow, attended. Berdimuhamedow has been criticized for his oppressive rule by Human Rights Watch and similar organizations. Lopez's publicist said the event was vetted by Lopez's staff: "Had there been knowledge of human rights issues any kind, Jennifer would not have attended." The birthday serenade was a last-minute request made by the corporation to Lopez before she took the stage, and she "graciously obliged," the statement said.

TV NEWS

Happy Endings won’t get one: The cancelled ABC comedy is officially done and will not continue on another network. Sony Pictures TV, which produces the series, has ended its search for a new home for the ensemble sitcom. A possible move to USA Network — widely believed to be Endings‘ most likely savior — was nixed earlier this month. NBC and TBS reportedly were possible contenders as well, but neither panned out.

In what could be viewed as promising news for fans of Alicia and Will, The Good Wife is throwing some hard-to-resist temptation Peter’s way. Hunted heroine Melissa George is joining the CBS drama’s Season 5 cast in the recurring role of Marilyn, newly-elected Governor Florrick’s in-house ethics counsel.

Jayma Mays has signed on for a new show. The actress, who plays Emma Pillsbury on “Glee,” will star as Debbie – sister to Will Arnett’s Nathan Miller – in Greg Garcia’s upcoming CBS comedy, “The Millers." The multi-camera series also features Margo Martindale and Beau Bridges. Jayma, 33, will continue to appear on “Glee” in her current recurring role.

The crossover special Phineas and Ferb: Mission Marvel — in which the titular pals help dis-empowered superheroes such as Spider-Man and Hulk get their mojo back — will premiere Friday, Aug. 16 on Disney Channel, while Disney Channel SVOD and verified WATCH Disney Channel will offer a first look on Aug. 12.

Glee is thinning its ranks as it heads into Season 5. Original castmembers Heather Morris (who plays Brittany), Mark Salling (Puck), Amber Riley (Mercedes) and Harry Shum, Jr. (Mike) will not be returning to the Fox musical dramedy as series regulars. Additionally, Dianna Agron (Quinn) — who was only seen in a handful of episodes last season — is not slated to be back, save for a possible guest appearance here and there. The casting moves hardly come as a surprise, considering four of the five characters graduated McKinley at the end of Season 3, and a fifth — Morris’ Brittany — got accepted to MIT in last month’s Season 4 finale.

The coming season is going to be a romantic one for one lucky Revolution-ary. Jessica Collins (Rubicon, The Nine) has booked a recurring role on Season 2 of the NBC drama as a love interest for… Well, that part is a bit of a mystery. Collins — who appears in at least the first four episodes — will play Cynthia, a beautiful young woman of deep faith. Her winning humor and blazing intelligence capture the heart of one of the show’s leading characters.

The Mormon church-owned NBC affiliate KSL Salt Lake City announced on its Facebook page that it will air Saturday Night Live this fall for the first time since 1995. Other NBC fare in recent years deemed too racy for the outlet include The New Normal and The Playboy Club.

Drake might have been the top nominee at the 2013 BET Awards, but he wasn't the top winner. Heck, he didn't even show up! The winners were spread out pretty evenly across the wide pool of nominees.
Check out the full list of winners below.

Best Collaboration
2 Chainz f/ Drake - No Lie
A$AP Rocky f/ Drake, 2 Chainz and Kendrick Lamar - "Problems"
French Montana f/ Rick Ross, Drake and Lil Wayne - "Pop That"
Kendrick Lamar f/ Drake - "Poetic Justice"
Justin Timberlake f/ Jay-Z - "Suit & Tie"
Kanye West f/ Big Sean, Pusha T and 2 Chainz - "Mercy"

Best Male Hip Hop Artist
2 Chainz
A$AP Rocky
Drake
Future
Kendrick Lamar

Best Female Hip Hop Artist
Azealia Banks
Eve
Nicki Minaj
Rasheeda
Rye Rye

Best Actor
Don Cheadle
Common
Jamie Foxx
Samuel L. Jackson
Denzel Washington

Subway Sportswoman of the Year
Gabrielle Douglas
Brittney Griner
Candace Parker
Serena Williams
Venus Williams

Subway Sportsman of the Year
Victor Cruz
Kevin Durant
Robert Griffin III
LeBron James
Ray Lewis

Best Gospel Artist
Deitrick Haddon
Lecrae
Tamela Mann
Mary Mary
Marvin Sapp

YoungStars Award
Gabrielle Douglas
Jacob Latimore
Keke Palmer
Jaden Smith
Quvenzhané Wallis

Best New Artist
Azealia Banks
Joey Bada$$
Kendrick Lamar
Trinidad Jame$
The Weeknd

Best Male R&B/Pop Artist
Chris Brown
Bruno Mars
Miguel
Justin Timberlake
Usher

Best Female R&B/Pop Artist
Beyoncé
Tamar Braxton
Alicia Keys
Rihanna
Elle Varner

Best Group
Macklemore & Ryan Lewis
Mary Mary
Mindless Behavior
Slaughterhouse
The Throne (Kanye West & Jay-Z)

Video of the Year
2 Chainz f/ Drake - "No Lie" A$AP Rocky f/ Drake, 2 Chainz and Kendrick Lamar - "Problems"
Drake - "Started From The Bottom"
Drake f/ Lil Wayne - "HYFR"
Kendrick Lamar f/ Drake - "Poetic Justice"
Macklemore & Ryan Lewis f/ Wanz - "Thrift Shop"
Miguel - "Adorn"
Rihanna - "Diamonds"
Justin Timberlake f/ Jay-Z - "Suit & Tie"
Kanye West f/ Big Sean, Pusha T and 2 Chainz - "Mercy"

Video Director of the Year
A$AP Rocky & Sam Lecca
Benny Boom
Director X
Dre Films
Hype Williams
Best Actress
Angela Bassett
Halle Berry
Taraji P. Henson
Gabrielle Union
Kerry Washington

Best Movie
"Beasts of the Southern Wild"
"Django Unchained"
"Something from Nothing: The Art of Rap"
"Sparkle"
"Think Like A Man"

Coca-Cola Viewers Choice Award
A$AP Rocky f/ Drake, 2 Chainz and Kendrick Lamar - "Problems"
Drake - "Started From The Bottom"
Kendrick Lamar - "Swimming Pools (Drank) "
Miguel - "Adorn"
Rihanna - "Diamonds"
Justin Timberlake f/ Jay-Z - "Suit & Tie"

Centric Award
Tamar Braxton - "Love and War"
Fantasia - "Lose To Win"
Miguel - "Adorn"
Nas - "Daughters"
Charlie Wilson - "My Love Is All I Have"

2013-06-28T10:07:00.000-04:00

Could little Angelo be any more adorable? We're finally getting a close-up look at Adele and her beau Simon Konecki's 8-month-old son's cute little face. The 25-year-old Grammy winner stepped out with Angelo this morning in NYC for a trip to the Central Park Zoo. Accompanied by five pals, Adele was snapped holding Angelo in one arm while kids played around the mother-son duo.

Aaron Hernandez Being Investigated for Two More Murders
Former New England Patriots star Aaron Hernandez, who has been charged with a murder and cut from the team, is also being investigated in connection with a drive-by shooting that killed two men. Hernandez spent the night in jail after authorities led him from his North Attleboro, Mass., home on Wednesday and then charged him in the murder of Odin Lloyd, whose body was found in an industrial park about a mile from Hernandez's house. police are also looking into his possible involvement in a July 15, 2012, early-morning ambush of a car in Boston that left the driver and one of the passengers dead of gunshot wounds. A third man was injured. ABC says Hernandez was spotted earlier that night involved in an altercation at a nightclub.

Serena Williams vs. Andy Murray: New battle of the sexes?

As Wimbledon rolls on, tennis star Andy Murray has challenged Serena Williams to a match, and she seems willing to accept. Inspired by a suggestion that came via Twitter, Murray -- currently ranked No. 2 in the world -- made the offer official in an online column for the BBC: "I have been challenged by someone on Twitter to taking on Serena Williams," Murray wrote. "I'd be up for it, why not? "I've never hit with her but she's obviously an incredible player and I think people would be interested to see the men play against the women to see how the styles match up. It's happened in the past with Jimmy Connors and Martina Navratilova. How about Las Vegas as a venue?" Murray was referring to a 1992 showdown in which Connors defeated Navratilova in Vegas. That event was promoted as a revival of two famed "Battle of the Sexes" showdowns between Bobby Riggs and female opponents Margaret Court and Billie Jean King. Riggs handily defeated Court, but lost to King in straight sets. Williams' response to Murray's challenge? "That would be fun. I doubt I'd win a point, but that would be fun," she told reporters in the UK. Williams previously faced off against a male opponent when she took on Karsten Braasch at the Australian Open in 1988. The 16-year-old Williams lost 6-1. "I was really young," she acknowledged. "I'm a lot more experienced now."

Lauryn Hill Partially Responds To Racism Accusations
With less than two weeks until her 3-month prison term begins on July 8th, Lauryn Hill has taken to Tumblr to address some of the accusations about her. From taxes to racism, she covers all territories. "The concept of reverse racism is flawed, if not absolutely ridiculous," Hill says at the opening of her Tumblr manifesto. While Hill has been taken to task in the past for her stance on racial issues, her most recent backlash has arrived from the release of her track "Neurotic Society." In the song she alludes to the notion that homosexuality has caused the fall of society. Not a good look, Lauryn. But back to the lecture at hand. She continues on in her piece titled "MLH On Racism" to hit race issues from a spiritual angle, stating that "Spirituality and morality were replaced by capitalism, and with it a conscious shift of focus toward the exploitation of the vulnerable." With capitalism clearly comes the desire to acquire capital, which is where her IRS issues arguably come into play. Here is her take on that: I shuddered during sentencing when I kept hearing the term ‘make the IRS whole’… make the IRS whole, knowing that I got into these very circumstances having to deal with the very energies of inequity and resistance that created and perpetuated these savage inequalities. The entire time, I thought, who has made black people whole?! Who has made recompense for stealing, imposing, lying, murdering, criminalizing the traumatized, taking them against their wills, destroying their homes, dividing their communities, ‘trying’ to steal their destinies, their time, stagnating their development, I could go on and on. Has America, or any of the nations of the world guilty of these atrocities, ever made black people or Africa whole or do they continue to sit on them, control them, manipulate them, cage them, rob them, brutalize them, subject them to rules that don’t apply to all? Use language, veiled coercion, and psychological torment like invisible fences to keep them locked into a pattern of limitation and therefore control by others. You have to remain focused to cease from rage.

Terminator' reboot opening June 26, 2015: First in a new trilogy
"The Terminator" will be back in theaters in 2015. Paramount Pictures has announced a reboot of the beloved sci-fi franchise will open June 26, 2015. Arnold Schwarzenegger has already confirmed he will return in the title role, but the film is expected to launch a brand new standalone trilogy rather than continue where 2009's semi-disastrous "Terminator: Salvation" left off. Paramount will distribute and is financing the project in a partnership with Megan Ellison's Annapurna Pictures and David Ellison's Skydance Productions. Laeta Kalorgridis ("Avatar," "Shutter Island") and Patrick Lussier ("Drive Angry") are attached to write the screenplay. "Terminator" co-creator James Cameron is not involved in any official capacity, although he will regain rights to the franchise in 2019 -- which could complicate bringing a full trilogy to fruition.

‘Fifty Shades of Grey’ Gets Aug. 1, 2014 Release
After taking its time finding a director to helm the ship, Universal and Focus are charging full-speed ahead and giving their adaptation of “Fifty Shades of Grey” an Aug. 1, 2014 release date. This news comes a week after the two studios named Sam Taylor-Johnson as the pic’s director after a long and thorough search. Universal and Focus also stalled in finding other elements of their adaptation of the popular E.L. James series, including lining up a writer and producers. Those jobs eventually went to Kelly Marcel and Mike De Luca and Dana Brunetti respectively.
It must have been a gleeful moment for Renee Puente, whose boyfriend Matthew Morrison popped the question on Thursday. The Glee star, 34, has been dating Puente, 26 and a model, since 2011. The news of their engagement was reportedly announced at the White Tie and Tiara Ball in London by the event's hosts – and Morrison pals – Elton John and David Furnish. Coldplay's Chris Martin joined John to serenade the newly engaged couple with a duet of "Your Song."

Kat Von D, Deadmau5 Break Up: Deejay Responds to Cheating Rumors
Deadmau5 spoke out about the breakup on his Facebook page. "Kat and I split in November and I moved back home to Toronto. During this time, while we were broken up, I did have relations with another woman," he wrote. "Following that, Kat and I reconciled and I acknowledged being intimate with another person while we were estranged." "We did move past those issues, and I proposed to Kat in mid-December," he continued. "At the end of June, it was clear that the relationship was not working and we mutually ended the engagement. I was not, at any point, unfaithful to Kat during our time together."

2013-06-27T08:57:00.000-04:00

Prosecutors say NFL star Aaron Hernandez 'orchestrated execution,' concealed evidence
Former New England Patriots tight end Aaron Hernandez drove his friend to a remote spot in an industrial park in the dead of night and — still fuming from a fight at a nightclub three nights earlier — "orchestrated his execution," prosecutors alleged in a Massachusetts court Wednesday. Hernandez pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder and five firearms charges, including possessing a large-capacity firearm, more than a week after the body of Odin Lloyd, 27, was found near his Massachusetts home. A judge ordered him held without bail. Hernandez "drove the victim to the remote spot, and he then orchestrated his execution. That's what it was," First Assistant District Attorney William McCauley said in Attleboro District Court. "As (Lloyd) tried to turn, he was shot in the back, and the defendant and his confederates stood over him and delivered the two fatal shots," McCauley said, adding: "He orchestrated the crime from the beginning and took steps to conceal and destroy evidence." After getting into the car, Lloyd allegedly texted a family member, asking, "Did you see who I am with," prosecutors said. He then texted that it was Hernandez and followed it up with "Just so you know" in another text message, the prosecutors alleged during the arraignment.Later that morning, between 3:23 a.m. and 3:27 a.m., employees who were working the overnight shift at the industrial park where Lloyd's body would later be found reported hearing gunshots, authorities said. It's not clear who investigators believe fired the shots. Lloyd's bullet-punctured body was found by a jogger June 17 in an industrial park a mile from Hernandez's North Attleborough home. The death was ruled a homicide. Less than two hours after the arrest, the Patriots announced they were releasing Hernandez. "A young man was murdered last week and we extend our sympathies to the family and friends who mourn his loss. Words cannot express the disappointment we feel knowing that one of our players was arrested as a result of this investigation. We realize that law enforcement investigations into this matter are ongoing. We support their efforts and respect the process. At this time, we believe this transaction is simply the right thing to do," a statement from the team read. The Patriots drafted Hernandez in 2010. Last summer, the team gave Hernandez a five-year contractworth $40 million, including a signing bonus of $12.5 million. Hernandez lives with his fiancée and their infant.
Is Tony Parker ready to wed again? Maybe, according to Twitter. During a live chat on the social media site on Wednesday, June 26, the 31-year-old basketball player hinted that he and girlfriend Axelle Francine may have gotten engaged. Responding to a fan's question about his favorite thing to do to unwind after a game, Parker tweeted, "Spend time with my fiance [sic]. #TissotTimeOut." (Tissot is a Swiss watchmaker; Parker is one of the brand's ambassadors, along with NASCAR driver Danica Patrick, and was doing the Q&A in connection with the company.) Parker and Francine have been together for two years.

will.i.am is taking legal action against Pharrell for his use of the "I am" phrase. In court documents the rapper/producer claims he owns the copyright to the two words and states that Pharrell's logo for his creative brand "i am OTHER" looks "confusingly similar" to will.i.am's "I AM" logo. The "i am OTHER" brand was created by Williams as a "creative venture and way of life," he writes on his site, with brands such as Billionaire Boys Club & ICECREAM and Brooklyn Machine Works as part of the company. In will.i.am's opposition document, he claims that "the registration of the mark... is likely to dilute the I AM mark and the WILL.I.AM mark." Williams was "disappointed that Will, a fellow artist, would file a case against me," he said in a statement following the lawsuit. He continued, "I am someone who likes to talk things out and, in fact, I attempted to do just that on many occasions. I am surprised in how this is being handled and I am confident that Will's trademark claims will ultimately be found to be as meritless and ridiculous as I do."

NeNe Leakes' second wedding to Gregg Leakes was twice as nice as their first! Real Housewives of Atlanta star and her ex-husband tied the knot again on Saturday, June 22. The nuptials were filmed for NeNe's upcoming spinoff, I Dream of NeNe: The Wedding, premiering this fall on Bravo. The Atlanta ceremony was a star-studded affair, with current and former costars Kim Zolciak, Phaedra Parks, Portia Stewart, Kandi Burruss and Lisa Wu in attendance. Several other Real Housewives personalities -- including Orange County's Gretchen Rossi and fiance Slade Smiley, plus Miami's Marysol Patton -- turned up for the event. Former Real Housewives of New York City star Jill Zarin also attended with her husband, Bobby, as did Millionaire Matchmaker's Patti Stanger.

Annie
Cameron Diaz has boarded Columbia Pictures' upcoming musical adaptation Annie. Sandra Bullock was previously up for the role, but lost interest. The film will be set in a modern day environment and centers on an orphan named Annie (Quvenzhané Wallis), who is confined to an orphanage run by a cruel supervisor named Agatha Hannigan (Cameron Diaz). She is sent to Oliver Warbucks' (Jamie Foxx) home for a short time and convinces the wealthy industrialist to help her find her parents. Along the way, Miss Hannigan, her evil brother, Rooster, and a female partner scheme up a plan to impersonate her family and gain the rewards.

Wal-Mart, Home Depot end relationships with Paula Deen

Wal-Mart has moved to sever ties with Paula Deen, the fourth company to do so after a week of scandal that’s knocked the queen of Southern comfort off her throne. Home Depot followed suit shortly after. "We are ending our relationship with Paula Deen Enterprises and we will not place new orders beyond those already committed,” Wal-Mart spokesperson Danit Marquardt said on Wednesday. “We will work with suppliers to address existing inventories and agreements." Wednesday evening, a spokesperson for Home Depot confirmed to NBC News that the company will stop carrying Paula Deen-branded items under their kitchen and cookware category as a result of the scandal. The Food Network, Smithfield Foods and Caesars Entertainment also terminated their partnerships with Deen, who appeared in her first live interview on TODAY Wednesday to discuss the controversy over her use of racial slurs. Target, Sears and QVC all said they were evaluating their relationships with Deen late last week. Wal-Mart, the world's largest retailer, has carried a variety of Paula Deen-branded products including cookware and health and wellness products for several years.
Kat Von D has a history of sharing her relationship milestones on social media. Remember her infamous 2011 Facebook post about soon-to-be-ex-fiancé Jesse James that began, "Today I encountered the 19th girl to add to the list of people Jesse cheated on me with during this last year"? Kat Von D and deadmau5 got engaged on Twitter, so it’s only appropriate that things also ended via the micro-blogging site. So, something tells us that her plans to become Mrs. Deadmau5 during an underwater-themed ceremony on Aug. 10 may have hit a snag. "Cheating on your loved one is the most hurtful thing one could do," the tattoo artist, 31, tweeted on Wednesday. "I hate to have to admit, that this relationship is indeed over." When a follower cautioned, "Don't take him back no matter what. Ur worth more than that," she responded, "Never."

TV NEWS

If you have A) yet to fire them up on your PC, B) can’t figure out how to feed a $5 bill into your Mac to pay for Hulu Plus or C) simply need to see Melissa Archer on a bigger screen, Oprah Winfrey’s OWN cable network will be encoring the first 40 episodes of The Online Network’s All My Children and One Life to Live relaunches. OWN’s 10-week summertime “second window” for the serials kicks off Monday, July 15, with AMC airing at 1 pm ET, and OLTL following at 3 pm. The half-hour episodes will air Monday through Thursday of each week.

When Elementary goes across the pond for its Season 2 premiere, we’ll meet at least one member of Holmes’ estranged family. Welsh actor Rhys Ifans, known to The Amazing Spider-Man fans as Dr. Curt Connors (aka The Lizard), has taken on the recurring role of Sherlock’s sibling Mycroft.

Brace yourselves. "Laguna Beach" and "The Hills" are coming back. MTV will re-air its once successful reality series and equally popular spin-off as a part of the network's "RetroMTVBrunch" slate beginning July 8. As an added bonus, MTV will air a never-before-seen, alternate ending to "The Hills," the network announced. Laguna Beach: The Real Orange County" aired from 2004 to 2006, and "The Hills" aired from 2006 to 2010, launching the (mostly C-level) careers of stars Lauren Conrad, Kristin Cavallari, Brody Jenner, Heidi Montag and Whitney Port. MTV's "Laguna Beach" and "The Hills" marathons begin Monday, July 8 at 9 a.m. ET/PT on MTV before moving to 8 a.m. ET/PT the following day. "The Hills" alternate ending airs Friday, Aug. 9, at 11:30 a.m. ET/PT on MTV.

Fox is hereby the fourth broadcaster to let loose with their premiere dates for the fall season, leading with The X Factor‘s two-night, three-hour Season 3 premiere. On tap for midseason: American Idol, The Following and the new series Rake, Gang Related, Surviving Jack, Us & Them and Murder Police. The summer series 24: Live Another Day premieres in May 2014.

Wednesday, Sept. 11
8 pm The X Factor (season premiere Part 1)
9 pm MasterChef (season finale)
Thursday, Sept. 12
8 pm The X Factor (season premiere Part 2, two hours)
Monday, Sept. 16
8 pm Bones
9 pm SLEEPY HOLLOW (new series)
Tuesday, Sept. 17
8 pm DADS (new series)
8:30 pm BROOKLYN NINE-NINE (new series)
9 pm New Girl
9:30 pm The Mindy Project
Wednesday, Sept. 18
8 pm The X Factor (two hours)
Thursday, Sept. 19
9 pm Glee
Friday, Sept. 27
8 pm MASTERCHEF JUNIOR (new series)
9 pm SLEEPY HOLLOW encores
Sunday, Sept. 29
8 pm The Simpsons
8:30 pm Bob’s Burgers
9 pm Family Guy
9:30 pm American Dad
Monday, Nov. 4
8 pm ALMOST HUMAN (new series)
Friday, Nov. 8
8 pm Bones (new time slot premiere)
9 pm Raising Hope
9:30 pm ENLISTED (new series)

2013-06-26T10:06:00.000-04:00

New England Patriots star tight end Aaron Hernandez was taken out of his home in handcuffs on Wednesday morning, more than a week after a body was found near his home in Massachusetts.The body of Odin Llyod, 27, was found June 17 about one mile away from the tight end's North Attleborough home. The death was ruled a homicide; Hernandez, who signed a five-year contract with the Patriots last year, has not been named as a suspect in the case. Lloyd has been described as a semi-professional football player with unspecified ties to Hernandez.
Something old, something new ... and definitely something blue! George Lucas's gorgeous bride Mellody Hobson chose the hue for her flowers, and in their wedding photo, the newlyweds are beaming at each other above the bouquet's pop of color. Their nuptials Saturday were a star-studded event with 200 guests including Samuel L. Jackson, Ron Howard, Steven Spielberg, Oprah Winfrey, Harrison Ford, Calista Flockhart and Tyler Perry. Lucas, 69, and his new wife, 44, got engaged in January, after dating since 2006.

Suspect in rapper's Lil Snupe's death surrenders
Police in north Louisiana say a 36-year-old man accused of killing the 18-year-old rapper known as Lil Snupe has turned himself in to authorities. Winnfield Police Chief Johnnie Ray Carpenter said in a news release that Tony Holden turned himself in Tuesday morning. He was booked into the city jail on charges of first-degree murder, armed robbery and illegal possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. No bond has been set. It was not immediately known whether Holden had an attorney. Police say Holden shot the rapper, whose real name is Addarren Ross, last Thursday after an argument broke out during a video game at a friend's apartment. Ross, of Jonesboro, had been shot twice in the chest. Ross had recently signed a recording deal with the Meek Mill's Dream Chasers label.

Report: Pippen was spit on by fan
New details have emerged regarding the weekend altercation between former Chicago Bulls star Scottie Pippen and an autograph-seeker that left the man hospitalized with a head injury. The unidentified victim was inside a restaurant, Nobu Malibu in Malibu, Calif., taking photos as Pippen dined with his family Sunday evening, Los Angeles County Sheriff's Capt. Patrick Davoren said. When Pippen went outside to the parking lot, the man continued taking pictures and sought the Hall of Famer's autograph, Davoren said. An argument ensued that led to the violence, investigators said. Pippen may have been provoked by the alleged victim. According to the source in the report, it was the fan who started the fight. The source said the fan spit on Pippen and called him a racial slur. Pippen was also holding his 4-year-old daughter at the time, the source told the Daily News. The source went on to add that, “When Scottie left, this guy had no injuries. Scottie is very upset about the way this has been portrayed.” Pippen's lawyer, Mark Geragos, is considering a counter claim against the fan for assault and making a false police report, the source said. Several witnesses described the fan as intoxicated, sheriff’s spokesman Steve Whitmore said. Investigators were interviewing several witnesses on Monday to determine whether Pippen should be charged with assault with intent to commit great bodily harm. The 47-year-old Pippen won six NBA titles with Michael Jordan and the Bulls, and in 1996 was named one of the NBA's 50 greatest players. He was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2010. Pippen is a special adviser to the Bulls' president and chief operating officer. The team declined to comment Monday.
With dozens of journalists tailing her every move, Academy Award-winner Halle Berry appeared at the California Capitol on Tuesday to testify for a bill that would limit the ability of paparazzi to photograph the children of celebrities and public figures. "My daughter doesn't want to go to school because she knows 'the men' are watching for her," the actor told the Assembly Committee on Public Safety. "They jump out of the bushes and from behind cars and who knows where else, besieging these children just to get a photo. Berry, who is pregnant, said she was speaking in favor of the anti-harassment bill by Sen. Kevin de Leon, D-Los Angeles, as a "mother of a daughter and the baby boy in my belly. "If it passes, the quality of my life and my children's lives will be dramatically changed," she said.

Mariah Carey delays new album release
Mariah Carey has pushed back the release of her new album in order to perfect the project. "The Art of Letting Go" was set to hit shelves on July 23, but the pop star took to her Twitter account on Monday night to tell fans she is delaying the release. In a series of posts, she writes, "While making this album, I got so immersed in the creative process that I just don't feel I would be doing it justice to release it on 7/23. "I'd rather not exclude meaningful songs," she adds. "I want to give you this album as it's meant to be heard. When I'm ready, you'll be the first 2 know!"

Paula Deen: I would not have fired me
In an emotional interview, her first since she admitted having used racial epithets, Paula Deen tearfully told TODAY's Matt Lauer Wednesday that she is not a racist; that as a businesswoman, she does not think her firing from Food Network was the right decision, and that she was unsure whether the N-word was offensive to black people. When asked by Lauer whether she was a racist, Deen replied simply, "No." Then she added, "I believe that … every one of God’s creatures was created equal. I believe that everyone should be treated equal, that’s the way I was raised and that’s the way I live my life" When Lauer asked if Deen, who was let go from the Food Network Friday, believed her offense was a fireable one, Deen said it was not. "Would I have fired me? Knowing me? No," she said. "I am so very thankful for the partners I have who believe in me." The fallout from Deen’s admission that she’s used the N-word and had considered throwing a “plantation-style” wedding – which came to light during a legal deposition on May 17 and went public early last week – was fast and furious. By Friday, Food Network announced it was canceling Deen’s contract, after she failed to appear for a scheduled interview with Lauer and started posting a series of strange apology videos on YouTube. By Monday, Smithfield Foods terminated its partnership with her, and QVC, Sears and Target were all reevaluating their relationship with the Southern star, who raked in $17 million in 2012 through all her ventures and was the fourth highest paid chef last year, according to Forbes.

Child 44
Philip Seymour Hoffman has joined the cast of Daniel Espinosa's Stalinist-Russia set thriller "Child 44" at Summit Entertainment. Tom Hardy, Gary Oldman, Noomi Rapace, and Joel Kinnaman also star. Hardy plays a Soviet police officer investigating a child killer in a country where the official party line is that there is no crime.
Holly Madison's engagement ring is an 18-carat, cushion-cut yellow diamond surrounded by pink and yellow diamond flowers.

2013-06-25T12:49:00.000-04:00

'I Am Legend' Novelist Richard Matheson Dead

Richard Matheson, the author of sci-fi classics including "I Am Legend" and "The Shrinking Man," died in his Calabasas, Calif. home on Sunday. He was 87. His daughter, screenwriter Ali Matheson, shared the news on Facebook. "My beloved father passed away yesterday at home surrounded by the people and things he loved...he was funny, brilliant, loving, generous, kind, creative, and the most wonderful father ever," Matheson wrote. "I miss you and love you forever Pop and I know you are now happy and healthy in a beautiful place full of love and joy you always knew was there." While Matheson is primarily known for his many novels and short stories that have been adapted for film and television, he also had a prominent screenwriting career. He wrote 17 episodes of "The Twilight Zone," including one based on his own short story, "Steel," which was the inspiration for the 2011 Hugh Jackman movie, "Real Steel." Similarly, he adapted his short story "Button, Button" for a 1986 episode of the sci-fi series. "The Box," a 2009 Richard Kelly film, was based on the same story. Other TV writing credits include "The Alfred Hitchcock Hour," "Lawman," "Night Stalker" and "Duel," a 1971 made-for-TV movie directed by Steven Spielberg. Films "Stir of Echoes," "What Dreams May Come," "The Incredible Shrinking Man," "The Legend of Hell House" and "Somewhere in Time" are all based on his novels. "I Am Legend," a 1954 novel about the last man on Earth after a vampire pandemic wipes out mankind, inspired the 2007 Will Smith film of the same name, as well as 1964's "The Last Man on Earth" and 1971's "The Omega Man," starring Charlton Heston. Matheson had four children with his wife, Ruth. Three of his children, Chris, Richard Christian and Ali, are also writers with a lengthy list of TV and film credits to their names.
Their love is written in the stars! "Star Wars" creator George Lucas married businesswoman Mellody Hobson on Saturday. Lucas, 69, and Hobson, 44, announced their engagement in January 2013. Lucas and Hobson met at a business conference in 2006. Hobson, a Princeton University graduate who is also the head of a Chicago-based investment management firm, joked about their unlikely pairing during a January 2012 appearance on OWN's "Oprah's Next Chapter." "How else would a financial person and a movie person ever be at the same place at the same time?" she said with a laugh. This is the first marriage for Hobson and the second for Lucas, who was previously wed to film editor Marcia Griffin from 1969 to 1983. The exes adopted a daughter, Amanda, and Lucas adopted two more children, Katie and Jett, after their split. In addition to serving as chairman of the board of DreamWorks Animation, Hobson is also a money and personal finance contributor to ABC News. Lucas -- who also created the "Indiana Jones" franchise -- sold his television and film production company, Lucasfilm Ltd., to the Walt Disney Company for $4.05 billion in October 2012.

'Kick-Ass' creator speaks out after Jim Carrey snubs film

The creator of the "Kick-Ass" movie franchise has hit back at Jim Carrey after the actor publicly withdrew his support for the film over its depiction of violence. The "Dumb & Dumber star" announced on Sunday he had experienced a change of heart about the upcoming release of "Kick-Ass 2," following the gun massacre at Connecticut's Sandy Hook Elementary School last December. He tweeted, "I did Kickass (sic) a month b4 (before) Sandy Hook and now in all good conscience I cannot support that level of violence. My apologies to others involve (sic) with the film. I am not ashamed of it but recent events have caused a change in my heart." Mark Millar, who wrote the "Kick-Ass" comic books and is a producer on the films, admits he is "baffled" by Carrey's statement as he insists the star knew all about the script's gory content when he signed up for the role. Millar also reveals Carrey was drawn to playing Colonel Stars and Stripes as the character is a vigilante who refuses to use a gun. "I'm baffled by this sudden announcement as nothing seen in this picture wasn't in the screenplay eighteen months ago. Yes, the body count is very high, but a movie called 'Kick-Ass 2' really has to do what it says on the tin," Millar wrote on his website. "Ironically, Jim's character in 'Kick-Ass 2' is a born-again Christian, and the big deal we made of the fact that he refuses to fire a gun is something he told us attracted him to the role in the first place. Ultimately, this is his decision, but I've never quite bought the notion that violence in fiction leads to violence in real life any more than Harry Potter casting a spell creates more Boy Wizards in real-life."

Jodie Sweetin is on the verge of ending her third marriage. The former Full House star, 31, filed for legal separation from Morty Coyle, her husband of a little more than a year, according to court documents filed in Los Angeles. The actress cited irreconcilable differences. Sweetin is seeking custody of the pair's 2-year-old daughter Beatrix, as well as ownership of their 2000 Toyota Avalon. Sweetin, who was previously wed to Cody Herpin and Shaun Holguin, referred to then-fiancé Coyle as "wonderful and fantastic" in 2011. The actress and her ex – who got engaged on Sweetin's birthday in January 2011 – kept their marriage secret for a little more than a year saying, they decided to make it public on their first anniversary.

Holly Madison Is Engaged to Pasquale Rotella

Holly Madison is about to be the bride next door. Madison, 33, announced that her boyfriend Pasquale Rotella popped the question on her blog Monday. "I got engaged on Sunday!" the reality star wrote. "My fiancé was so wonderful in creating such a romantic night! He proposed to me at the top of the ferris wheel at EDC Las Vegas." She continued, "I was so happy that so many of our close friends were there to share the wonderful moment with us! We rode around the festival on the art cart until the sun came up! I couldn't have asked for a more wonderful or magical proposal!" The couple welcomed daughter Rainbow Aurora in March.

Paula Deen Loses Ham Endorsement Deal
Paula Deen's racial slur scandal is costing her an endorsement deal with Smithfield, the pork company that sold a ham with her name and face on it. "Smithfield condemns the use of offensive and discriminatory language and behavior of any kind," Smithfield says in a statement. "Therefore, we are terminating our partnership with Paula Deen. Smithfield is determined to be an ethical food industry leader and it is important that our values and those of our spokespeople are properly aligned." Deen's deal with Smithfield was announced in September 2006. This is the latest blow to Deen, who was dropped from the Food Network on Friday after 11 years as one of the channel's biggest stars. The business deals are falling under scrutiny following the uproar over her admitted use of the N-word in the past. "Smithfield was a key deal for her empire," Allen Salkin, author of the upcoming book From Scratch: Inside the Food Network, says. "In addition to paying her handsomely as an endorser, the ham company helped her charitable image by delivering truckloads of meat to food banks in her name." There is a lot more at stake than Deen's deal with Smithfield. Her deals with QVC, where she sells cookware, publisher Random House, Inc., which has a book by Deen coming out in October, diabetes drug makers Novo Nordisk and Sears Holdings have all said they're monitoring the situation.

TV NEWS
After being dropped by the Food Network amid controversy last Friday, Paula Deen is set once more to make an appearance on Today. Matt Lauer first announced the news during Monday’s show, insisting that Deen “told us she will be here” on Wednesday. Deen was previously scheduled to appear on NBC’s morning show on Friday. However, the Southern-fried chef abruptly canceled her appearance following the fallout from a recent deposition in which she admitted to using the N-word and expressed a desire to throw a southern-style wedding with black waiters acting as pre-Civil War-era “slaves.”

Downton Abbey is bracing for another American invasion. Paul Giamatti (Sideways, Cinderella Man) is joining the Masterpiece/PBS phenom’s Season 4 cast as Harold Levinson, the maverick, playboy brother of Cora (Elizabeth McGovern) and uncle to Mary (Michelle Dockery) and Edith (Laura Carmichael).

Discovery’s coverage of Nik Wallenda‘s high-wire walk across a Grand Canyon chasm averaged 8.5 million total viewers on Sunday evening, with 13 million laying witness to the daredevil’s actual 22-minute trek.

Desperate Housewives vets Max and Charlie Carver have joined HBO’s buzzy drama pilot The Leftovers. Based on the 2011 novel of the same name, the prospective series — from Damon Lindelof (Lost) and Tom Perrotta (Election) – examines life on Earth after a Rapture-like event occurs. The twins, who will play laid-back teen brothers, co-star alongside the previously cast Justin Theroux (The District) and Liv Tyler (Armageddon).

The Season 6 finale of Mad Men on AMC, meanwhile, drew 2.7 million viewers — the show’s most-watched closer to date. (The Season 5 climax drew 2.6 million viewers).

For a second year running, The CW is launching its fall TV season in October, opening with Hart of Dixie and its relocated Beauty and the Beast, then finishing things up at the end of the month with its fashionable Friday combo of Carrie Bradshaw and Tyra Banks. On tap for late fall/midseason: The final, shortened season of Nikita plus the new dramas Star-Crossed and The 100.

MONDAY, OCTOBER 78 pm Hart of Dixie
9 pm Beauty and the Beast
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 98 pm Arrow
9 pm THE TOMORROW PEOPLE (new series)
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 108 pm The Vampire Diaries
9 pm REIGN (new series)
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 158 pm THE ORIGINALS (new series)
9 pm Supernatural
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 258 pm The Carrie Diaries
9 pm America’s Next Top Model: Guys and Girls

On NBC the fun officially begins Monday, Sept. 23 with the two-hour premiere of The Voice — which welcomes back Christina Aguilera and Cee Lo Green — at 8/7c. James Spader’s new crime drama The Blacklist follows The Voice‘s return at 10.
MONDAY, SEPT. 23
8 pm The Voice (two hours)
10 pm THE BLACKLIST (new series)
TUESDAY, SEPT. 24
8 pm TBD
9 pm The Voice (Tuesday premiere)
10 pm Chicago Fire
WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 25
8 pm Revolution
9 pm Law & Order: SVU (two hours)
THURSDAY, SEPT. 26
8 pm Parks and Recreation (hour-long)
9 pm THE MICHAEL J. FOX SHOW (new series, double-episode premiere)
10 pm Parenthood
FRIDAY, SEPT. 27
9 pm Dateline (two-hour premiere)
WEDNESDAY, OCT. 2
10 pm IRONSIDE (new series)
THURSDAY, OCT. 3
8:30 pm WELCOME TO THE FAMILY (new series)
9 pm SEAN SAVES THE WORLD (new series)
9:30 pm The Michael J. Fox Show (regular time slot premiere)
TUESDAY, OCT. 8
8 pm The Biggest Loser
FRIDAY, OCT. 25
8 pm Dateline (regular time slot premiere)
9 pm Grimm
10 pm DRACULA (new series)

2013-06-24T09:54:00.001-04:00

James Gandolfini funeral to be held Thursday
The funeral for James Gandolfini has been scheduled for Thursday in Manhattan, HBO confirmed Sunday on behalf of his family. The service will be held at the Cathedral Church of Saint John the Divine in Manhattan at 10 a.m. The 51-year-old actor, who won three Emmys for his portrayal of crime boss Tony Soprano on The Sopranos, died of a heart attack Wednesday in Rome. Gandolfini’s remains are expected to be repatriated to the U.S. as early as Monday.
Real Housewives of Atlanta star NeNe Leakes remarried her ex-husband Gregg Leakes at the InterContinental Buckhead Hotel in Atlanta on Saturday, a rep for the reality star confirms. NeNe – who has also starred on The New Normal, Glee, Celebrity Apprentice and was recently a judge for Miss USA – and Gregg filed for divorce in 2011 after 14 years of marriage. But after season 4 of RHOA documented NeNe's attempts at dating, the pair reunited by season 5 when Gregg spent the season attempting to rekindle the romance.

Monsters University' scares up $82 million, 'World War Z' shatters expectations
Pixar earned its 14th No. 1 at the box office this weekend. Monsters graduated with $82 million from 4,004 theaters in its debut weekend, making it the second biggest Pixar opener of all time behind Toy Story 3, which bowed with $110.3 million in June 2010. In second place, the Brad Pitt vehicle World War Z went totally viral with an excellent $66 million debut from 3,607 theaters. World War Z became the biggest opening of Brad Pitt’s career, ahead of Mr. and Mrs. Smith, which opened with $50.3 million in 2005.
1. Monsters University – $82 million
2. World War Z – $66 million
3. Man of Steel – $41.2 million
4. This Is the End – $13 million
5. Now You See Me – $7.9 million

Kelly Rutherford Files for Bankruptcy
Kelly Rutherford has filed for bankruptcy. The Gossip Girl actress's financial problems stem from the lengthy custody dispute involving her ex-husband Daniel Giersch. The bankruptcy petition, according to legal documents obtained, shows that Rutherford, 44, spent almost $1.5 million on legal fees as the divorce/custody battle played out in court, adding that she also owes $350,000 in income taxes for 2012 and has an American Express bill of $25,251. Rutherford and Giersch filed for divorce in 2009 after just two years of marriage. In 2012, the custody battle over the couple's two children, Hermes, 6 and Helena, 4, intensified when it took an international turn. Giersch, a wealthy German entrepreneur who resides in Monaco, was barred from returning to the U.S. because of a revoked visa. With a 50/50 custody split, both Rutherford and Giersch shared parenting duties but because of Giersch's travel restrictions, the children are living with him. In September 2012, a judge ruled that Rutherford's schedule was flexible enough to travel back and forth to Monaco to visit her kids.
Congratulations are in store for rocker Scott Weiland! The former frontman of Stone Temple Pilots and Velvet Revolver wed photographer Jamie Wachtel, 35, on Saturday night at their Los Angeles home.

Future of Paula Deen's Deals Uncertain Amid Racial Slur Scandal
Another serving of drama may be coming for Paula Deen, who could lose more deals on the heels of her firing from the Food Network. A representative for the shopping network QVC, which sells her cookware, released a statement Sunday that expressed "concerns [over] the unfortunate Paula Deen situation," adding, "QVC does not tolerate discriminatory behavior." Following the celebrity chef's admission that she used a racial slur in the past, the network is "closely monitoring these events and the ongoing litigation," continues the representative's statement, "We are reviewing our business relationship with Ms. Deen, and in the meantime, we have no immediate plans to have her appear on QVC." Deen, 66, issued a statement less than 24 hours after the Food Network announced on Friday it was dropping the longtime star. "I have had the pleasure of being allowed into so many homes across the country and meeting people who have shared with me the most touching and personal stories," she said. "This would not have been possible without the Food Network. Thank you again. Love and best dishes to all of y'all." Deen also has a book, titled Paula Deen's New Testament: 250 Favorite Recipes, All Lightened Up, due to arrive in stores this October. Her publisher, Random House, Inc., has not cancelled her contract. However, a spokesman for Random House, whose imprints include Ballantine Books, says, "We are monitoring the situation closely."

James Gandolfini Autopsy Confirms Actor Died Of Heart Attack
An autopsy on James Gandolfini confirmed the “Sopranos” star died of a heart attack, with no evidence of substance abuse or foul play. Michael Kobold told reporters that Gandolfini’s body has been released to a funeral director and that the family was working with the Italian government to speed up the bureaucratic red tape to get the body back to the United States soon. While the process can take up to 10 days, Kobold said the family was hoping to have the body repatriated by mid-week with a funeral planned in New York by Saturday at the latest. Gandolfini, 51, died Wednesday night after being discovered in a Rome hotel room by a family member.

Country singer Jessie James has married Denver Broncos wide receiver Eric Decker at an intimate ceremony in Colorado. The couple exchanged vows in front of family and friends at a church in Castle Rock, Colo., on Saturday, June 22, and the ceremony was followed bwith a reception at the Castle Cliff Estates. The couple met in 2011 and became engaged last year.

Jim Carrey denounces the violence in his new movie, 'Kick-Ass 2'
Jim Carrey is taking a stand, perhaps at the expense of his struggling career. The former A-lister took to Twitter on Sunday to distance himself from his forthcoming movie, "Kick-Ass 2." "I did Kick-Ass 2 a month b4 Sandy Hook and now in all good conscience I cannot support that level of violence," he explained, referring to the Connecticut elementary school shooting that killed 20 children and six adults. "My apologies to others involve[d] with the film. I am not ashamed of it but recent events have caused a change in my heart." Carrey plays Colonel Stars and Stripes in the R-rated sequel, in which he goes vigilante opposite original leads Aaron Taylor-Johnson (Kick-Ass) and Chloe Grace Moretz (Hit-Girl). In addition to wielding a baseball bat and siccing his canine sidekick on bad-guy testicles, the square-jawed, flat-topped colonel offers these words of wisdom in the trailer: "Try to have fun. Otherwise, what's the point?" No word on whether Carrey plans to donate his paycheck from the cartoonishly violent film to a fund for Sandy Hook victims (or Columbine, or any of the multitude of school shootings that occurred before he signed on to the movie). Meanwhile, the actor has agreed to make "Dumb and Dumber To," a project that coincidentally brings out our violent side. Carrey's public stance confuses comic book writer and "Kick-Ass" creator/exec-producer Mike Millar, who says he's "magnificent" in the flick. "Jim is a passionate advocate of gun control, and I respect both his politics and his opinion, but I'm baffled by this sudden announcement as nothing seen in this picture wasn't in the screenplay 18 months ago," Millar explains in a blog post. "Yes, the body count is very high, but a movie called 'Kick-Ass 2' really has to do what it says on the tin. A sequel to the picture that gave us HIT-GIRL was always going to have some blood on the floor, and this should have been no shock to a guy who enjoyed the first movie so much. … This is fiction, and like Tarantino and Peckinpah, Scorsese and Eastwood, John Boorman, Oliver Stone and Chan-Wook Park, 'Kick-Ass' avoids the usual bloodless body count of most big summer pictures and focuses instead of the CONSEQUENCES of violence."

'Independence Day 2' to Debut on July 3, 2015
“Independence Day 2” will hit theaters on July 3, 2015, Fox said Thursday. It was one of several movie date moves by the studio, which also set a July 31, 2015, for the release of “Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children,” its adaptation of author Ransom Riggs' childrens' bestseller. “Dawn of the Planet of the Apes” will now debut on July 18, 2014, rather than May 23 of that year. “X-Men: Days of Future Past,” which had been set for July 18, is shifting to May 23.

Paris Jackson Is Headed for Additional Treatment
Paris Jackson is continuing to seek treatment. A source close to the Jackson family says that Paris, 15, may be headed to a longer-term treatment center out of state after her stint in a psychiatric facility at UCLA Medical Center in Los Angeles. "Paris will be staying at least another week, and then she'll be going to a facility for additional care," says the source. The move comes after much discussion within the Jackson family about how best to care for Paris. The teen, who has a recent history of mental health issues that include cutting, was hospitalized on June 5 for taking pills and harming herself with a knife. "This has been so hard for Mrs. Jackson," says the source of grandmother Katherine, who has legal co-guardianship of Paris. "She keeps saying she's never had any experience of how to deal with someone in this situation."

'Sweetest comeback': Twinkies to hit shelves July 15
Hostess is betting on a sweet comeback for Twinkies when they return to shelves next month. The company that went bankrupt after an acrimonious fight with its unionized workers last year is back up and running under new owners and a leaner structure. It says it plans to have Twinkies and other snack cakes back on shelves starting July 15. Based on the outpouring of nostalgia sparked by its demise, Hostess is expecting a blockbuster return next month for Twinkies and other sugary treats, such as CupCakes and Donettes. The company says the cakes will taste the same but that the boxes will now bare the tag line "The Sweetest Comeback In The History Of Ever."

2013-06-21T10:41:00.000-04:00

Kim Kardashian's Baby Name: Finally Revealed!

And we have a name. Five days after Kim Kardashian and Kanye West welcomed their baby girl, the new arrival's name has been revealed. But it's one that Kardashian previously said was not an option. The reality star and the rapper named their daughter North West, a source confirmed. Back in March, Kardashian, 32, denied rumors that her boyfriend, 36, wanted that name for their baby. Apparently, the new mom had a change of heart – or direction. The name news Thursday night, citing the birth certificate from Cedars-Sinai hospital.

Arrest warrant issued for Hernandez
Authorities have issued an arrest warrant for New England Patriots tight end Aaron Hernandez. The warrant is for obstruction of justice in connection with the murder investigation of 27-year-old Odin Lloyd, who was found dead in an industrial park less than a mile from Hernandez's North Attleboro, Mass., home Monday. State police are returning to the home of New England Patriots’ tight end Aaron Hernandez with a warrant based on evidence that "he destroyed his home security system.'' Citing an investigator and “other law enforcement sources,” the report states that the system, including video surveillance, was intentionally destroyed. It added that Hernandez’s attorneys had turned over a cell phone he used "in pieces.” The report further states that police are investigating information that a “team of house cleaners were hired on Monday to scrub his mansion.” Surveillance from Hernandez's neighborhood has been found that shows Hernandez with Odin Lloyd and two others only hours before Lloyd's body was found. The 23-year-old Patriots TE has retained a lawyer following a state police search of his North Attleborough, Mass., home, according to multiple reports. Boston reported that Hernandez was driving a car with three other men as passengers, including the 27-year-old later identified as the homicide victim, hours before the victim’s body was discovered near Hernandez's home. Hernandez tried to work out at Gillette Stadium on Thursday but was turned away by team staff. Rachel Zoe‘s latest collaboration is on its way — she’s pregnant! The celebrity stylist turned fashion designer and her husband Rodger Berman are expecting their second child.

Robert Downey Jr. to return for 'Avengers' 2 and 3

The suspense is over: Robert Downey Jr. will return as Tony Stark/Iron Man in not just "The Avengers 2," but also "The Avengers 3." Marvel broke the news itself on its own website, adding that "The Avengers 2," once again written and directed by Joss Whedon, will begin production in March 2014 for release in May 2015. A release date has yet to be set for "The Avengers 3." The terms of Downey's contract -- for which negotiations were reportedly tense -- were not disclosed. For now it looks certain that we will not see a fourth "Iron Man" film in Marvel's Phase 3 slate of movies, which will take place between the next two "Avengers" movies. Marvel has yet to announce any of its Phase 3 projects except "Ant-Man," although more "Thor" and "Captain America" sequels are likely, as well as standalone movies starring the Hulk, Doctor Strange and possibly Black Panther.

Helena Bonham Carter cast as fairy godmother in Disney's 'Cinderella'

Helena Bonham Carter has just scored a fairytale role. The "Les Miserables" actress has been cast in Disney's upcoming live-action version of "Cinderella," playing the fairy godmother, Disney said. Bonham Carter joins a cast that includes "Wrath of the Titans" actress Lily James in the title role, Cate Blanchett as the wicked stepmother and "Game of Thrones" star Richard Madden as the Prince. Kenneth Branagh is directing the project, which evolved from a pitch that Disney bought from "The Devil Wears Prada" writer Aline Brosh McKenna. Alli Shearmur and Simon Kinberg are producing. Disney bought the pitch for the big-screen take on the classic folk tale from writer Aline Brosh McKenna, whose credits include "The Devil Wears Prada," in 2010.

"Real Housewives of Atlanta" star Kenya Moore has been evicted from her Atlanta, Ga., home. On Tuesday, the former Miss USA officially lost her luxurious mansion when a Fulton County judge ruled in favor of the plaintiff, Moore's former landlord Conya Dillon. Dillon sued Moore for failing to pay the full rent payment in May, which went against the terms and conditions of the lease. Following the verdict, Dillon released a statement: "The decision to file this eviction notice regarding Ms. Moore was reached after pursuing every possible amicable way to settle this matter privately. I am grateful that the judicial system has brought finality to this eviction process and I look forward to regaining possession of my home." Moore, who reportedly paid $3,999 per month for the Atlanta house, has yet to comment.

TV NEWS
Maybe Sarah isn’t done with Hank yet? Ray Romano will reportedly reprise his role as the mopey photographer who stole Sarah’s (Lauren Graham) heart on Parenthood. Romano is expected to star in up to 14 episodes when the drama from Jason Katims returns to NBC on Thursdays at 10 this fall.

"Reliable Sources" host Howard Kurtz is leaving CNN for Fox News. The news comes just over a month after Kurtz apologized for his incorrect coverage of NBA player Jason Collins' coming out as gay. In a "Reliable Sources" mea culpa, he said his joking about Collins was "completely inappropriate" and apologized for errors, saying that as a reporter covering the media he should be held to a higher standard.

2013-06-20T10:04:00.000-04:00

Actor James Gandolfini, best known for playing Tony Soprano on the Emmy-winning series The Sopranos, has passed away after suffering a heart attack. He was 51. HBO said in a statement: “We’re all in shock and feeling immeasurable sadness at the loss of a beloved member of our family. He was special man, a great talent, but more importantly a gentle and loving person who treated everyone no matter their title or position with equal respect. He touched so many of us over the years with his humor, his warmth and his humility. Our hearts go out to his wife and children during this terrible time. He will be deeply missed by all of us.” The actor was on vacation in Rome, Italy at the time, a statement from his managers added. The three-time Emmy winner, who most recently appeared in The Incredible Burt Wonderstone and Zero Dark Thirty, was set to star in upcoming HBO series Criminal Justice. The actor's son Michael, 13 reportedly found his father alive, but in distress in the bathroom of their hotel room in Italy. Gandolfini was taken to Policlinio Umberto hospital where he was later pronounced dead. In addition to his 13 year old son Michael, Gandolfini is survived by his wife, Deborah, his sister and 9-month-old daughter, Liliana.

Italian designers Dolce and Gabbana convicted of tax evasion
An Italian court on Wednesday sentenced Italian fashion designers Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana to one year and eight months in prison for tax evasion. The pair's lawyer, Massimo Dinoia, said they planned to appeal, adding that the case is "groundless." The designers, known for their sexy styles favored by celebrities such as Madonna, Naomi Campbell and Katy Perry, have denied the charges. The case dates back to 2004, when two of the company's main brands were sold to Luxembourg-based holding company Gado. Prosecutors alleged that the sale was made to avoid declaring taxes on royalties deriving from the two brands' activities. Under Italian law, the pair wouldn't go to prison because sentences of less than three years are served with house arrest or community service. Moreover, the designers have the right to appeal the verdict twice, and Italian courts often take years to reach a final decision. Public prosecutor Laura Pedio dubbed the operation as a "sophisticated tax fraud" and originally asked for a two-year jail term for the duo. If the conviction is upheld, the pair would also need to pay a fine to Italy's tax agency for €500,000. Over the last five years, Italian tax authorities have ratcheted up pressure on tax evasion in an effort to claw back an estimated €120 billion a year in unpaid taxes, cracking down in particular on the use by Italian companies of offshore centers to avoid taxes. According to Italian tax authorities, the country lost about €17 billion in undeclared or under-declared income to offshore centers last year, compared with €11 billion for 2011, with Luxembourg the leading country used by Italian individuals and companies seeking to hide money abroad. Corporate tax rates in Luxembourg can be close to zero, while they are about 28% in Italy. While Dolce & Gabbana has emerged as one of the most high-profile cases pursued by Italian tax authorities, Italian authorities have gone after other fashion groups in the past. In 1996, Giorgio Armani received a nine-month suspended sentence and was fined $64,000 for paying off tax authorities in exchange for favorable audits. Mr. Armani admitted to having paid the bribes. Late last year, prosecutors launched an investigation into whether the Marzotto family, a wealthy textile dynasty, and four managers dodged 65 million euros in Italian income taxes when it sold fashion house Valentino through a Luxembourg holding company in 2007. Earlier this year, the family paid the taxes that the state claimed it owed, but will face a criminal trial later this year.

Paula Deen: I Used the N-Word, but Don't Condone Racism
Celebrity cook Paula Deen said while being questioned in a discrimination lawsuit that she has used racial slurs in the past but insisted she and her family do not tolerate prejudice. The 66-year-old Food Network star and Savannah restaurant owner was peppered with questions about her racial attitudes in a May 17 deposition by a lawyer for Lisa Jackson, a former manager of Uncle Bubba's Seafood and Oyster House. Deen and her brother, Bubba Hiers, own the restaurant. Jackson sued them last year, saying she was sexually harassed and worked in a hostile environment rife with innuendo and racial slurs. According to a transcript of the deposition, filed Monday in U.S. District Court, an attorney for Jackson asked Deen if she has ever used the N-word. "Yes, of course," Deen replied, though she added: "It's been a very long time." Asked to give an example, Deen recalled the time she worked as a bank teller in southwest Georgia in the 1980s and was held at gunpoint by a robber. The gunman was a black man, Deen told the attorney, and she thought she used the slur when talking about him after the holdup. "Probably in telling my husband," she said. Deen said she may have also used the slur when recalling conversations between black employees at her restaurants, but she couldn't recall specifics. "But that's just not a word that we use as time has gone on," Deen said. "Things have changed since the '60s in the South. And my children and my brother object to that word being used in any cruel or mean behavior. As well as I do." The civil lawsuit was filed in March 2012 in Chatham County Superior Court and was transferred to federal court a few months later. Deen and Hiers have both denied the allegations made by Jackson, who is white.

E L James Reveals Director for Fifty Shades of Grey Movie

E L James, the author of the best selling franchise Fifty Shades of Grey, has remained tight-lipped about the upcoming film adaptation – until now. On Wednesday, James, 50, revealed on Twitter that the movie had finally found its director. "I'm delighted & thrilled to let you guys know that Sam Taylor-Johnson has agreed to direct the film of Fifty Shades of Grey," James Tweeted. Taylor-Johnson, 46, – who is also professionally known as Sam Taylor-Wood – made her directorial debut in 2008 with Nowhere Boy, a film about John Lennon's childhood. Her relationship with that film's 23-year-old star, Aaron Johnson, made headlines when the couple tied the knot in 2012 despite a 23-year age difference. She also directed a short film called Daydream which starred Snow White and the Huntsman director Rupert Sanders's ex-wife, Liberty Ross. As far as who will play Shades's leading roles, Alex Pettyfer has reportedly shot an audition scene, while Emma Watson denied rumors she'd been cast as the stunning but impressionable Anatasia Steele.

Serena: 'Sorry for what was written'
Serena Williams says she's reaching out to the family of the victim in the Steubenville rape case after the tennis star was quoted in a Rolling Stone article saying "she shouldn't have put herself in that position." "I am currently reaching out to the girl's family to let her know that I am deeply sorry for what was written in the Rolling Stone article," Williams said in a statement released through her agent Wednesday. "What was written -- what I supposedly said -- is insensitive and hurtful, and I by no means would say or insinuate that she was at all to blame." The comment was made in one paragraph of a lengthy story posted online Tuesday about Williams, a 16-time Grand Slam title winner who is ranked No. 1 heading into Wimbledon, which starts next week. Two players from the Steubenville, Ohio, high school football team were convicted in March of raping a drunken 16-year-old girl; one of the boys was ordered to serve an additional year for photographing the girl naked. The case gained widespread attention in part because of the callousness with which other students used social media to gossip about it. "What happened in Steubenville was a real shock for me. I was deeply saddened," Williams said in the statement. "For someone to be raped, and at only sixteen, is such a horrible tragedy! For both families involved -- that of the rape victim and of the accused."

Rumored Kimye Baby Name 'Kaidence Donda West'

Kim Kardashian and Kanye West have yet to confirm the claims they've named their daughter Kaidence Donda West, following a report that a nurse at the hospital where the baby was born last Saturday let the name slip.

Jamaican track star suspended

Veronica Campbell-Brown's agent insists one of the cornerstones of Jamaica's wide-ranging sprint success ''is not a cheat,'' even though the test results read differently. While her case is being decided, the three-time Olympic gold medalist will sit out and her country will try to make sense of one of its longest-held fears: a high-profile track star getting busted for doping. Campbell-Brown, or ''VCB'' as she's simply known in sprinting circles, tested positive for a banned diuretic at a meet in May and will serve a suspension while anti-doping officials rule on the positive drug test, island track officials announced Tuesday. After days of swirling rumors, the Jamaica Athletics Administrative Association said the 2004 and 2008 Olympic champion at 200 meters was suspended from competition while a disciplinary panel reviews the case. They said the matter is being handled according to rules of track's international governing body, the IAAF. Campbell-Brown's manager, Claude Bryan, said the accusation came as a ''shock to her'' and the 31-year-old champion is determined to clear her name. ''Veronica is not a cheat, she has, via hard work and dedication, accomplished a record on the track which is absolutely remarkable,'' Bryan said in a statement.

TV NEWS
FX has ordered an untitled sitcom that would star Kelsey Grammer and Martin Lawrence as Chicago lawyers. The cable net ordered 10 episodes of the sitcom from Bob Boyett (Family Matters, Full House) and Robert Horn (Living Single, Designing Women). The comedy is about the two lawyers who come from “vastly different backgrounds who unexpectedly meet in court on the worst day of their lives. Brought together by fate and greed, they develop a partnership and friendship, forcing each other to find the balance between the ethical and the unscrupulous in both their professional and personal lives.” The pickup comes via a 10/90 deal, which means that should the series meets its designated ratings during its initial 10-episode run, FX will order an additional 90 episodes (a la Charlie Sheen’s Anger Management).

Deputy Leo is patrolling once more. As long suspected, New Girl star Max Greenfield will return for the Veronica Mars movie, the actor recently confirmed. Fans will remember Greenfield as the young P.I.’s one-time love interest and a member of the sheriff’s department. Greenfield joins a cast that already includes former series regulars Kristen Bell, Enrico Colantoni, Jason Dohring, Percy Daggs III, Chris Lowell, Tina Majorino, Francis Capra and Ryan Hansen.

Hemlock Grove will continue to serve up scares. Netflix has ordered a second season of the original series from exec producer Eli Roth, the streaming service announced on Wednesday.

Pretty Little Liars is taking a (bigger) turn for the soapy. One Life to Live vet Kamar de los Reyes will guest-star on an upcoming installment of the ABC Family sudser. He’ll play a prolific swim coach known for sending his students to the Olympics.

Liv Tyler has booked her first TV gig. The Lord of the Rings actress has joined the cast of The Leftovers, an HBO drama pilot from Lost cocreator Damon Lindelof. Based on Tom Perrotta’s book, the project is set after the Rapture and tells the story of those folks who didn’t quite make the cut.

2013-06-19T10:45:00.000-04:00

Journalist Michael Hastings dies at 33
Michael Hastings, the journalist best known for the 2010 Rolling Stone story that led to the resignation of Gen. Stanley McChrystal, died Tuesday in a car crash in Los Angeles, his employers at BuzzFeed and Rolling Stone announced. He was 33. "We are shocked and devastated by the news that Michael Hastings is gone," BuzzFeed editor-in-chief Ben Smith said in a statement Tuesday evening. "Michael was a great, fearless journalist with an incredible instinct for the story, and a gift for finding ways to make his readers care about anything he covered from wars to politicians." Fellow reporters and others Hastings came across throughout his career took to Twitter to pay respects and remember the man known for his confident and fearless style. Three years ago, Hasting's work became the focal point of Washington when Rolling Stone published his piece "Runaway General," which featured McChrystal, then head of the U.S.-led coalition in Afghanistan, critiquing how President Obama and his administration were conducting the war. Days after the article was published McChrystal went to the White House to hand the president his resignation. Hastings also wrote two books, "The Operators: The Wild and Terrifying Inside Story of America's War in Afghanistan," which was based on his time with McChrystal and military leaders in Afghanistan, and "I Lost My Love in Baghdad: A Modern War Story," the story of how his then-fiance was killed by a car bombing while serving as an aide worker in Iraq. He is survived by his wife, Elise.
The husband of celebrity chef and author Nigella Lawson has accepted a police citation and admitted that he assaulted his wife after a public argument at a London restaurant on June 9. Charles Saatchi, 70, was interviewed by British police for five hours about the fight, where he was seen with his hands around Lawson's neck in a row he first downplayed as merely a couple's tiff. Photographers outside the restaurant captured the images of the confrontation, which were published this weekend to great public outcry. Saatchi received a formal police citation on Monday, called a caution, which means he admitted his actions. Had he not come clean, formal charges could have been brought. Saatchi, a wealthy art collector and global ad agency co-founder who married Lawson, now 53, in 2003, had first sought to downplay the exchange as a "playful tiff" and defended that while the photos showed his hands on Lawson's neck, he did not have her in a tight grip. He said the photos made the exchange look worse than it actually was. But he admitted to police that he had choked his wife in a fight at a Mayfair area restaurant. Lawson was seen crying on the street outside the restaurant after the incident. Lawson has not commented publicly on the incident. Her rep confirmed Monday that she had taken her children and left her home, although it was not known if the move would be permanent.

Nick Stahl Placed on Involuntary Psych Hold
Nick Stahl's troubles are far from over. The "Terminator 3" star, who made headlines all throughout last year after going missing in June, checking into rehab, and then running away again, is now reportedly in a psychiatric hospital. A pal took the troubled actor to an L.A. hospital around 3:30 a.m. early Tuesday, June 18, and later, Stahl was placed on a 5150 (or involuntary) hold shortly afterward. Further details about the circumstances surrounding the drastic hold have not yet been released. Earlier this month, the 33-year-old actor seemed to be in higher spirits following a lifelong struggle with drugs, alcohol and personal issues. Stahl's wife, Rose Murphy, was the first to initially call attention to Stahl's problems. In May 2012, after Stahl went missing, she filed a missing persons report, only to hear back from him several days later that he had checked himself into rehab.
Meet Emerson Jay Swisher! Nick and JoAnna Garcia Swisher introduce their 4-week-old daughter in a sweet shot posted on their Twitter pages Tuesday.

Dave Chappelle to headline monthlong comedy tour
Dave Chappelle is making his most substantial return to stand-up comedy with a one-month tour for Funny or Die. The comedian will headline the Oddball Comedy and Curiosity Festival, which kicks off Aug. 23 in Austin, Texas. The 13-date, two-stage tour concludes Sept. 22 in Phoenix. The 39-year-old Chappelle has occasionally performed impromptu sets in comedy clubs, but has largely avoided comedy and public life since abruptly leaving his hit Comedy Central series, "Chappelle's Show," in 2005. Also on the bill are Flight of the Conchords, Hannibal Buress, Kristen Schaal and Al Madrigal.

Edward Furlong Charged with Assaulting Girlfriend
Actor Edward Furlong pleaded not guilty Tuesday in Los Angeles Superior Court to assaulting his girlfriend and threatening her if she called police. Furlong, 35, who most recently appeared in The Green Hornet but is best known for Terminator 2, was being held on $100,000 bail in his latest scrape with the law. The actor faced two pending misdemeanor battery cases and was under a restraining order when he went to his girlfriend's home in West Hollywood on May 21 and allegedly assaulted her and damaged a laptop and photo gear, according to the L.A. District Attorney's Office. Charged with three felonies and a misdemeanor, Furlong could be sentenced up to four years in prison, if convicted. A preliminary hearing was set for July 1.

Police Search NFL Star Aaron Hernandez's Home In Connection with Possible Homicide
State and local police spent hours at the home of New England Patriots tight end Aaron Hernandez on Tuesday night as another group of officers searched an industrial park about a mile away where a body was discovered the day before. Police at the scene and prosecutors would not comment on the actions while Sports Illustrated, citing an unidentified source, reported that Hernandez was not believed to be a suspect in what was being treated as a possible homicide. Police had spoken with Hernandez, the magazine said. No cause of death had been released for the body found about 5:30 p.m. Monday. Hernandez is represented by the Athletes First agency, which said it has no comment "on the Aaron Hernandez situation." The player's mother said by telephone from Connecticut on Tuesday she had no knowledge of a case involving him. In 38 games, the 6-foot-1, 245-pound Hernandez has 175 receptions for 1,956 yards and 18 touchdowns. He missed 10 games last season with an ankle injury and had shoulder surgery in April, but is expected to be ready for training camp. The Patriots have not said which shoulder was operated on. Last summer, the Patriots gave Hernandez a five-year contract. It was worth $40 million, according to reports, and came just months after the team secured Gronkowski through 2019.

Katy Perry: Russell Brand Said He Was Divorcing Me Via Text
Katy Perry says Russell Brand was "a magical man" when they met four years ago, but the spell wore off shortly after their Indian wedding in October 2010. And it bottomed out when the actor sent her a text 14 months later informing her he planned to file for divorce. "He's a very smart man, and I was in love with him when I married him," Perry tells Vogue in a revealing cover interview for its July issue. "Let's just say I haven't heard from him since he texted me saying he was divorcing me December 31, 2011." Perry, 28, says that Brand, 38, seemed to have difficulty accepting her role as a successful musician and businesswoman – even if that's what he thought he wanted. "At first when I met him he wanted an equal, and I think a lot of times strong men do want an equal, but then they get that equal and they're like, I can't handle the equalness," she says. Perry moved on with musician John Mayer in 2012, and says their coupling was much more than a casual rebound relationship. Despite his lothario reputation, she says, Mayer is a great guy with a "tortured soul." "I was madly in love with him. I still am madly in love with him," says Perry, who was spotted out with Mayer earlier this month. Adds the pop star, who is currently at work on her third album, "All I can say about that relationship is that he's got a beautiful mind. Beautiful mind, tortured soul. I do have to figure out why I am attracted to these broken birds."

Anger Management's Selma Blair Abruptly Exits in Midst of Show's 90-Episode Run
The doctor is out. Confirming recent rumblings, Anger Management producer Lionsgate has announced that Selma Blair‘s days as therapist Dr. Kate Wales have abruptly come to an end, just as the FX sitcom reaches the midway point in shooting its 90-episode second season. “Selma Blair will not be returning to Anger Management,” reads a brief statement from the studio, “and we wish her the very best.” Blair openly complained about series lead/executive producer Charlie Sheen’s work ethic (or lack thereof). After Sheen got wind of the criticism, he allegedly fired the actress and refused to shoot if she showed up for work. Sheen fired Blair via text, and that she was not the only cast member — just the most vocal — to complain about his work habits. Her role will not be recast; instead, a new female character will fill the void as the show quickly revamps upcoming scripts to stay in production. Episode 25 of Anger Management‘s second season airs this Thursday at 9:30.

2013-06-18T10:58:00.000-04:00

Meet little Everly Tatum! Parents Channing Tatum and Jenna Dewan-Tatum shared an adorable family picture on Sunday, June 16, debuting their baby daughter to the world.

'Sin City' sequel release delayed by 10 months to August 2014
In sad, stressful news for fans of Robert Rodriguez and "Sin City," the long-awaited sequel to the violent, artistic film has been pushed by 10 months. "Sin City: A Dame to Kill For" will be released on Aug. 22, 2014 from its original scheduling of October this year. Because of the change in schedule, director Rodriguez will have only one film, "Machete Kills," released in 2013. The old release schedule had placed "Machete" and "Sin City" almost back-to-back in theaters. Set to be released by the Weinstein Company, the sequel features the character of Dwight (played by Clive Owen in the first film and by Josh Brolin in the upcoming film), a physically altered man who is "hunted down by the only woman he ever loved ... and then watches his life go straight to hell." That woman is Ava Lord (Eva Green), quite possibly the "Dame" of the movie title. It's been 8 years since the original "Sin City" movie, so one more delay seems fitting in a way. In addition to Brolin and Green, the movie stars Mickey Rourke, Jessica Alba, Bruce Willis, Rosario Dawson, Jaime King, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Dennis Haysbert, Christopher Meloni, Jeremy Piven, Ray Liotta, Juno Temple, Stacy Keach and Julia Garner.
Olympic diving champion Greg Louganis is about to take the plunge – the marrying kind, that is. He and his partner, paralegal Johnny Chaillot, will walk down the aisle this fall, the diver says. "I finally met my soul mate – the more I fall in love with Johnny, the more I fall in love with myself. This is what the universe had in store for both of us," Louganis, 53, says. Louganis is widely considered the greatest diver in history. He is the only male to sweep both the 3m and 10m diving events in consecutive Olympic Games ('84 and '88). During his career he earned a total of five Olympic medals, five World Championship titles and 47 national titles. He is currently a mentor for the U.S. Olympic diving team, a judge for the Red Bull Cliff Diving Tour, a dog agility competitor and a motivational speaker. He is also the subject of a feature-length documentary film, Back on Board. Earlier this year, Louganis starred as a coach on ABC's reality diving competition, Splash. Chaillot, 52, currently works for the powerhouse Los Angeles-based law firm Loeb & Loeb, in the Trust and Estates Litigation Department.

The Gunman
Ray Winstone has joined the cast of Pierre Morel's "The Gunman" for Silver Pictures and Studio Canal. Winstone plays the mentor of a hitman (Sean Penn) who is betrayed and then hunted by the organization he worked for. Javier Bardem and Idris Elba star as the villains of this lethal game of cat and mouse. Jasmine Trinca stars as the female lead.

The 33
Jennifer Lopez has signed on to star in the Chilean miner drama The 33, alongside Antonio Banderas, Martin Sheen and Rodrigo Santoro. Antonio Banderas will play the miner Mario Sepulveda, a.k.a. Super Mario, with Martin Sheen playing Mario's father and Rodrigo Santoro playing another one of the 33 miners, who were trapped underground for 69 days in 2010. No details were given regarding Jennifer Lopez's role.
Celebrating their first Father’s Day as a family, Shakira posed with her main men — boyfriend Gerard Piqué and the couple’s 4-month-old brown-eyed boy — in a photo posted on Sunday to her Facebook page.

Suite Francaise
Sam Riley ("Control," "On the Road") has joined the cast of Saul Dibb's WW2 drama "Suite Française" based on Irene Nemirovsky’s novel. Riley will play the role of a French soldier named Benoit. The story follows a young woman (Michelle Williams) in Nazi-occupied France who ends up falling in love with a German officer (Matthias Schoenaerts). Dibb and Matt Charman adapted the story, and shooting begins in Belgium and Paris later this summer.

Kim Kardashian Is Close to Choosing Baby Name
Even though Kim Kardashian and Kanye West's bundle of joy decided to arrive earlier than planned, the reality star didn't require a cesarean section to deliver her daughter, a source confirmed. "She was admitted with medical complications and her doctor made the decision that her baby needed to be delivered. Kim had a natural birth," the source says. "If Kim would have had very serious complications, her doctor would have decided to do an emergency c-section instead." As for the baby girl's name, Kardashian, 32, has mentioned in the past that it will likely begin with a 'K,' but so far, she and West, 36, remain undecided, although a second source says that they are close to a final decision. "Kim is being very protective of the baby and she says there is no official name," the first source notes.

TV NEWS
Jake Ballard will continue to be a presence in Olivia Pope’s life for the foreseeable future. Scandal has officially promoted Scott Foley to a full-fledged series regular ahead of the show’s third season.

After shooting a pilot earlier this year for the highly-anticipated Boy Meets World follow-up, Girl Meets World, Disney Channel has officially announced that they will move forward with the show, which is now set to premiere sometime in 2014.

The Client List‘s renewal process seems to be at a pregnant pause. Star Jennifer Love Hewitt, who is expecting a child with co-star and fiancé Brian Hallisay near the end of the year, reportedly wants her real-life baby daddy to play her fictional one on the Lifetime drama.MBoth the network and the show’s higher-ups haven’t decided how to handle her character’s on-screen pregnancy in the upcoming third season.

The MDA Show of Strength Telethon will air exclusively on ABC Sunday, Sept. 1.

HBO’s True Blood returned with less bite in the ratings this summer, though competition from the NBA Finals might have been to blame. The sixth season of the vampire drama debuted to 4.5 million viewers Sunday evening, down 13 percent from last year. But last summer the show wasn’t against ABC’s coverage of the basketball championships.

The doctors are in — and they’re staying. Grey’s Anatomy has formally handed series regular promotions to Camilla Luddington, Gaius Charles, Jerrika Hinton and Tessa Ferrer — who play Interns Jo, Shane, Stephanie and Lea, respectively — ahead of the show’s 10th season.

“Two and a Half Men” executive producer Chuck Lorre said Angus T. Jones is expected to appear occasionally on the CBS sitcom when it returns this fall. “Angus is going to college in the fall, which is, I think, wonderful, which is appropriate, and he’ll be on the show as available around his college schedule,” Lorre added.

Happy Endings alum Nick Zano is teaming with big-screen star (and longtime friend) Channing Tatum and producer Reid Carolin (Magic Mike) on a half-hour comedy project. Written by and starring Zano, Nicky is based on Zano’s experience as a boy raised in a multi-generational household of seven women.

While rivals say they plan to spread around their premiere dates next season, CBS is continuing on the traditional path of launching nearly all their shows during the big late September premiere week. As usual, Survivor will debut one week early. The network also announced the February premiere of cyber-cop drama Intelligence starring Josh Holloway.

Wednesday, Sept. 18
8:00-9:30 PM SURVIVOR (27th edition premiere) Sunday, Sept. 22
8:00-11:00 PM, ET/ THE 65TH PRIMETIME EMMY® AWARDS

Monday, Sept. 23
8:00-9:00 PM HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER (9th season premiere)
9:00-9:30 PM 2 BROKE GIRLS (3rd season premiere)
9:30-10:00 PM MOM (Series Debut)
10:00-11:00 PM HOSTAGES (Series Debut)

Tuesday, Sept. 24
8:00-9:00 PM NCIS (11th season premiere)
9:00-10:00 PM NCIS: LOS ANGELES (5th season premiere)
10:00-11:00 PM PERSON OF INTEREST (3rd season premiere)

Wednesday, Sept. 25
9:00-10:00 PM CRIMINAL MINDS (9th season premiere)
10:00-11:00 PM CSI: CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATION (14th season premiere)

Thursday, Sept. 26
8:00-8:30 PM THE BIG BANG THEORY (7th season premiere)
8:30-9:00 PM THE MILLERS (Series Debut)
9:00-9:30 PM THE CRAZY ONES (Series Debut)
9:30-10:00 PM TWO AND A HALF MEN (11th season premiere)
10:00-11:00 PM ELEMENTARY (2nd season premiere)

Friday, Sept. 27
8:00-9:00 PM UNDERCOVER BOSS (5th season premiere)
9:00-10:00 PM HAWAII FIVE-0 (4th season premiere)
10:00-11:00 PM BLUE BLOODS (4th season premiere)

Saturday, Sept. 28
10:00-11:00 PM 48 HOURS (26th season premiere)

Sunday, Sept. 29
7:00-8:00 PM 60 MINUTES (46th season premiere)
8:00-9:00 PM THE AMAZING RACE (23rd edition premiere)
9:00-10:00 PM THE GOOD WIFE (5th season premiere)
10:00-11:00 PM THE MENTALIST (6th season premiere)

2013-06-10T08:07:00.003-04:00

Bacon Bits is on vacation, but I will be tweeting, especially late breaking news. Find me on twitter @baconbitsnews

A rundown of this weekends news...

The Purge won the box office with $36+ million

Cyndi Lauper and her show Kinky Boots won big at the Tony Awards

Actress Lindsay Price married celebrity Chef Curtis Stone

Serena Williams & Feder won the French Open

And Erin Brocovich was arrested for DUI

2013-06-06T00:48:00.000-04:00

Attorney: Paris Jackson hospitalized but OK

The 15-year-old daughter of Michael Jackson is physically fine after being taken to a hospital early Wednesday, an attorney for Jackson's mother said. Perry Sanders Jr. wrote in a statement that Paris Jackson is getting appropriate medical attention and the family is seeking privacy. "Being a sensitive 15-year-old is difficult no matter who you are," he wrote. "It is especially difficult when you lose the person closest to you. Paris is physically fine and is getting appropriate medical attention. Please respect her privacy and the family's privacy." Paris frequently posts messages about her life on Twitter, where she has more than a million followers. One of her most recent posts was from the Beatles' song "Yesterday": "yesterday, all my troubles seemed so far away now it looks as though they're here to stay." Another post included the question, "I wonder why tears are salty?"MA 20-minute video of the teen applying makeup was posted to YouTube last week. Paris says on Twitter she doesn't know how the video, in which she repeatedly asserts, "I am so weird," ended up on the site. "I hope you guys liked it tho and didn't think i'm too crazy," she wrote. "i get weird when i'm not around people lol." Katherine Jackson shares guardianship of her son's three children — Paris and her brothers Prince, 16, and Blanket, 11 — with the singer's nephew, TJ Jackson. Messages left for TJ Jackson's attorney were not immediately returned. "We appreciate everyone's thoughts for Paris at this time and their respect for the family's privacy," Debbie Rowe's attorney Eric George wrote in a statement.

Carey Mulligan most likely to play Hillary Clinton in biopic 'Rodham'

The juicy role of Hillary Clinton in James Ponsoldt's indie biopic "Rodham" is Carey Mulligan's to lose and has been for several weeks now, numerous individuals familiar with the project said. Despite previous reports that actresses such as Jessica Chastain and Scarlett Johansson were vying for coveted role, the decision has always been between Mulligan and Jennifer Lawrence.

Wesley Snipes, Nicolas Cage, Jackie Chan, Milla Jovovich joining 'Expendables 3'

Sylvester Stallone continues to be the best thing that ever happened to aging action stars. The producers of "Expendables 3" are in advanced negotiations with Jackie Chan, Nicolas Cage, Wesley Snipes and Milla Jovovich (a relative whippersnapper at 37) to fill out the cast of mercenaries, Lionsgate CEO Jon Feltheimer said during a conference call with investors Friday. The foursome's pedigree is heavy on the pyrotechnics. Chan is the star of the "Rush Hour" franchise, and has brought his brand of balletic martial arts to films like "Supercop" and "Crime Story."

Timberlake, Affleck and some hungry crocodiles star in 'Runner, Runner'

Ben Affleck will follow up his Oscar-winning "Argo" work by stretching his villainous muscles as an offshore gambling kingpin in "Runner, Runner." The high-stakes drama marks a departure for Affleck, who usually gets to wear the white hat even when engaging in criminality in films like "The Town." It pits him against Justin Timberlake, who at 32 looks a bit long-in-the-tooth to be playing a Princeton whiz kid who loses his tuition money playing online poker. Timberlake finds himself seduced by Affleck's luxurious lifestyle and starts working for the big man himself, but being his protegé comes with the risk of being fed to the crocodiles.

Did you know The Rock has had a top ten movie for 15 straight weekends?

How’s your year going? Probably not as well as the Rock’s. The former wrestling star (and host of TNT’s The Hero, which premieres tomorrow night) is in the midst of an amazing box-office streak. He’s starred in four movies so far in 2013 — Snitch (Feb. 22), G.I. Joe: Retaliation (March 28), Pain and Gain (April 26), and Fast & Furious 6 (May 24) — and while they haven’t all been massive hits, three of them opened at No. 1. All together they’ve grossed over $937 million worldwide, giving the Rock (a.k.a. Dwayne Johnson) some major box-office bragging rights. “As you know, I’ve been around for some time now,” the Rock told EW recently. “This is my 12th and 13th year in the business. Building an empire was the goal.” And built an empire he has! In fact, for the past 15 weekends — yes, since Feb. 22 — the Rock has had at least one movie in the Top 10 at the U.S. box office. And considering audiences’ enduring love of the Fast franchise, he’s got a few more weekends left before that streak ends, too.

TV NEWS

Showtime has canceled The Borgias, its period drama that stars Jeremy Irons as Pope Alexander VI. Season-to-date, the drama has been averaging 2.4 million weekly viewers across platforms. The final episode of the drama from Neil Jordan (The Crying Game, Interview with the Vampire) will air on June 16th at 10 p.m. ET/PT.

Kim Zolciak doesn't waste any time. Just nine months after giving birth to son Kash, the "Real Housewives of Atlanta" alum, 35, is expecting another baby with husband Kroy Biermann. This will be the reality star's fifth child. In addition to Kash, she and Atlanta Falcons defensive end Biermann, 27, are parents to son KJ, 2 and Kash 12 months. Zolciak also has two older daughters, Ariana and Brielle, from previous relationships.

For the first time, a cable show is the top-rated scripted series on television -- and we have zombies to thank. AMC's "The Walking Dead" was not only the highest-rated scripted show of the 2012-13 season, but the second highest-rated show overall, behind NBC's "Sunday Night Football." It's a victory not just for cable, but for scripted TV. For nearly a decade, the reality competition "American Idol" was television's top-rated series. (It was only in 2011-12 that "Idol" was surpassed by football.) "Walking Dead" wasn't the top scripted show, however, in total viewers. That was CBS's "NCIS," which averaged more than 21.3 million per episode. "Big Bang" averaged about 18.7 million.

America’s Next Top Model‘s 20th (!) cycle — which, for the first time, features female and male competitors — premieres Aug. 2 on The CW.

The diva has lost her boss. Drop Dead Diva regular Josh Stamberg, who plays law-firm partner Jay Parker, won’t be returning to the Lifetime series. The actor’s exit is the result of budget cuts that came with the surprise fifth season renewal; other belt-tightening measures include reducing production to seven days per episode and doing less on-location filming. Despite Parker’s absence, his co-worker and former girlfriend Kim Kaswell will be carrying his child in the new season, debuting June 23 at 9/8c.

Bridget Regan continues to be a red-hot property, now with a major arc on White Collar.

The Beauty and the Beast stunner will recur in nine episodes of the USA Network drama as Rebecca Lowe, a rare book scholar and, ultimately, a new love interest for Matt Bomer’s Neal. As such, Regan will no longer be guesting on Sons of Anarchy this coming season.m

2013-06-05T10:38:00.000-04:00

KATE WINSLET PREGNANT WITH HER THIRD CHILD

Kate Winslet is pregnant! The actress is expecting her third child, and her first with husband Ned Rocknroll. "Kate and Ned are delighted" over their impending arrival, their rep said. The actress has two children, Mia, 12, with director Jim Threapleton, and Joe, 9, with director Sam Mendes. The "Titanic" star wed Ned Rocknroll, whom she met through pal Richard Branson, in a private ceremony in New York in December 2012 that was attended by longtime pal Leonardo Dicaprio.

Porn star 'Mr. Marcus' sentenced to jail in LA for exposing female co-stars to syphilis

An adult video star known as "Mr. Marcus" was sentenced Tuesday to 30 days in jail for knowingly having exposed at least two female co-stars to syphilis last year. Spencer, who admitted having altered documents recording the results of mandatory medical tests all porn actors must take, pleaded no contest in Los Angeles Superior Court to knowingly exposing another to a communicable disease. He was also sentenced 36 months' probation and 15 days of community labor. Spencer worked on two videos later in July. Two women who appeared in the videos noticed that the form had been altered and turned him into police. They tested negative for the disease, the city attorney's office said. Heather DeAngelo, who acted in porn videos under the name Lylith LaVey, has sued Spencer for intentional infliction of emotional distress. That case is in the discovery phase in Van Nuys Superior Court.

Jennifer Love Hewitt Expecting First Child

Jennifer Love Hewitt is about to add mommy to her resume. The Client List starlet, 34, is expecting a child with costar and real-life beau Brian Hallisay, her rep confirmed. “This is a wonderful time and we are looking forward to starting our family together,” a statement reads. The baby on the way will be the first for Hewitt and Hallisay, 34. The couple are reportedly engaged as well.

Guardians of the Galaxy

Benicio Del Toro has joined the growing cast of the epic superhero fantasy "Guardians of the Galaxy" at Marvel Studios. The story revolves around a U.S pilot (Chris Pratt) who bands with a group of ex-cons from other planets after he’s thrust in the middle of a universal conflict. The character Del Toro will play has not yet been revealed, but the deal is said to involve multiple films. Zoe Saldana, Lee Pace, Michael Rooker, Glenn Close, John C. Reilly, Karen Gillan and Dave Bautista also star.

Jane Got a Gun

Boyd Holbrook ("The Host," "Behind the Candelabra") has joined the cast of Gavin O'Connor's western "Jane Got a Gun" at Relativity Media and The Weinstein Company. Ewan McGregor plays an outlaw who clashes with Natalie Portman and her ex-lover (Joel Edgerton) whom she seeks assistance from to protect her home. Holbrook will play McGregor's younger brother.

The Anomaly

Chris and Liam's brother Luke Hemsworth, "The Vampire Diaries" star Ian Somerhalder, and acting veteran Brian Cox are set to star in Noel Clarke's sci-fi action-thriller "The Anomaly". The Simon Lewis screenplay follows the travails of a traumatized ex-soldier who wakes up in the back of a van, alongside a kidnapped boy, to find that he only has only nine minutes and 37 seconds of consciousness to work out why and how he got there.

MLB may ban A-Rod, Braun

Major League Baseball apparently has secured a star witness in its investigation of performance-enhancing drug use among active players: Tony Bosch, founder of the now-defunct Biogenesis wellness clinic at the center of the probe. MLB has searched for evidence of PED use by Ryan Braun, Alex Rodriguez and others over the past several months. But they didn’t have an informant with intimate knowledge of the PED-related activity to substantiate information contained in documents related to Biogenesis. That has changed. Bosch “reached an agreement this week to cooperate with MLB’s investigation” into Biogenesis. In return, according to the report, MLB has agreed to drop a lawsuit it had filed against Bosch earlier this year and “put in a good word with any law enforcement agency that may bring charges against him.” MLB has pursued Braun with particular vigor since his 50-game suspension for a positive PED test was overturned in February 2012. Now, the question is whether Bosch can provide MLB investigators with evidence – on the roughly 20 players associated with Biogenesis – that would withstand inevitable appeals before arbitration panels similar to the one that exonerated Braun. Because federal agencies aren’t known to be involved in the probe, MLB lacks subpoena power and has hit roadblocks in some attempts to obtain evidence. Thus, the deal with Bosch represents perhaps their best chance to obtain the information required to make a compelling case before the arbitrators. MLB is seeking 100-game suspensions against the players involved – the punishment for a second offense of baseball’s Joint Drug Prevention and Treatment Program. ESPN listed the following players among the potential targets for discipline: Braun, Rodriguez, Melky Cabrera, Bartolo Colon, Yasmani Grandal, Nelson Cruz, Francisco Cervelli, Jesus Montero, Jhonny Peralta, Cesar Puello, Fernando Martinez, Everth Cabrera, Fautino de los Santos and Jordan Norberto.

Kenya Moore Getting Evicted

Kenya Moore may soon go from “Gone With the Wind Fabulous” to just “gone” if she doesn't settle an eviction lawsuit. court documents that were recently filed in Fulton County by her landlord, Conya Weems, citing that the former Miss USA-turned-reality-star was short $848 on her $3,999 rent for the month of May. In addition to defaulting on unspecified terms and conditions on the six-bedroom, six-bathroom mansion in Roswell, Ga. Weems is reportedly seeking $2,500 in eviction fees and damages, in addition to rent for the month of June. Moore has until June 7 to respond to Weems' motion.

TV NEWS

Justin Theroux has scored the lead in Damon Lindelof's HBO drama pilot "The Leftovers". The story is set after the Rapture happens and follows those left behind in a suburban community. Theroux will play chief of police Kevin Garvey, a father of two who is trying to maintain some semblance of normalcy in this world.

There’s claws for celebration over at MTV, where Teen Wolf opened Season 3 on Monday night with its largest audience ever — 2.4 million total viewers — and its highest rating to date in the target 12-34 demo.

After ABC cancelled cult comedy "Happy Endings," Sony TV began exploring interest in the property at other networks such as USA. A few weeks later, USA has opted not to proceed with the pickup due to the low ratings on ABC.

2013-06-04T10:57:00.000-04:00

David 'Deacon' Jones dies at age 74
David ''Deacon'' Jones, the original sackmaster, has died. The sports world reacted quickly at the news of Deacon Jones' death. The Hall of Fame defensive end credited with terming the word sack for how he knocked down quarterbacks, was 74. The Washington Redskins said that Jones died of natural causes at his home in Southern California on Monday night. ''Deacon Jones was one of the greatest players in NFL history. Off the field, he was a true giant,'' said Redskins general manager Bruce Allen, whose father, George, coached Jones with the Los Angeles Rams. ''His passion and spirit will continue to inspire those who knew him. He was a cherished member of the Allen family and I will always consider him my big brother.'' Because sacks didn't become an official statistic until 1982, Jones' total is uncertain. His impact as a premier pass rusher and team leader is not. Jones was the leader of the Rams' Fearsome Foursome unit from 1961-71 and then played for San Diego for two seasons before finishing his career with the Redskins in 1974. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1980 and made the league's 75th anniversary all-time squad.n''Deacon Jones has been the most inspirational person in my football career,'' said former teammate and fellow Hall of Famer Jack Youngblood. Jones made the Pro Bowl every year from 1964-70 and played in eight overall. He combined with fellow Hall of Famer Merlin Olsen, Rosey Grier and Lamar Lundy on a defensive line that at times was unblockable. Jones also had several small acting roles both during and after his playing career. Olsen died in March 2010 at age 69 and Lundy died in February 2007 at 71. Grier, who is 80, is the only surviving member of the Fearsome Foursome. He was a guest star on a handful of television shows - including episodes of ''Bewitched,'' ''The Brady Bunch'' and ''The Odd Couple'' - and appeared in the 1978 Warren Beatty film ''Heaven Can Wait.'' Most recently, Jones was the CEO of his own foundation, which he began in 1997. He also made several trips to visit troops on active duty in the Middle East.

Jermaine Dupri may lose song rights in lawsuit
Jermaine Dupri may lose the rights to some of his So So Def label's music thanks to a $1.9 million lawsuit. the mogul is being sued by SunTrust bank for defaulting on a $4.9 million loan from 2010. The bank says that Dupri backed up the loan with copyrighted music from the label, which boasts releases by Xscape, Da Brat, Jagged Edge, Lil' Bow Wow and more. Dupri is no stranger to financial woes, having taken out the initial loan in 2009 to pay off taxes and liabilities, which he restructured the following year. He's also twice faced foreclosure on his $4 million Atlanta mansion, but the sale has yet to take place.
Charice Pempengco, a Filipino singer who played an exchange student in “Glee,” says she’s a lesbian and has apologized to her family in an emotional TV interview. The 21-year-old said on Sunday’s talk show on ABS-CBN TV that she wants to apologize to those who do not understand and cannot accept her. She mentioned her mother and brother. “I don’t know what the problem with that is because for me, that isn’t a problem,” Charice said, adding: “To all those who will accept me, thank you very, very much.” Charice said that after her public coming out, she could now “leave my house without hiding anything.” Most comments online and in the local media were supportive of Charice.

Miguel Leg Drop Victim May Sue
The girl who took Miguel's leg drop to the head at the Billboard Music Awards last month suffered serious trauma -- symptoms consistent with brain damage, the victim's lawyer says. Miguel took a flying, theatrical leap across the stage and landed with thunderous force on Khyati Shah's head. Vip Bhola, Shah's lawyer, says, "Some of the difficulties she's experiencing are cognitive in nature and lead to suspicion of a neurological head injury." Bhola says BMA responded to the accident with a pathetic gesture -- an ice pack designed to soothe a bruised elbow. The attorney insists his client should have been rushed to the hospital. Bhola says his client is waiting for test results from a neurologist. When the results are in -- sometime next week -- Khyati will decide if a lawsuit is in the cards.
Lake Bell and Scott Campbell's nuptials literally set tongues wagging. The actress and her groom, a tattoo- and fine-artist – who invited a slew of Hollywood A-listers to their wedding – also included two of their biggest VIPups: their "dogs of honor" Texas and Margaret. Bell, 34, and Campbell, 36, exchanged vows at the Marigny Opera House in New Orleans Saturday. Bell wore a custom-designed Marchesa Couture gown for the non-denominational ceremony, while her groom wore Marc Jacobs. Among the star-studded guest list: Jennifer Aniston and Justin Theroux, Cameron Diaz, Eva Longoria and Kate Bosworth.

Channing and Jenna Dewan-Tatum Welcome Daughter Everly
Channing Tatum is now officially the Sexiest Dad Alive. He and wife Jenna Dewan-Tatum welcomed daughter Everly on Friday, May 31 in London, they announced on their respective websites. Both parents posted “Welcome to the World!” with the message: “Jenna Dewan-Tatum and Channing Tatum are thrilled to announce the birth of their daughter, Everly Tatum, who was born on May 31st in London. Sending love and light to Chan, Jenna, and Ms. Everly!” It is the first child for the couple, who wed in 2009 after meeting on the set of Step Up. They announced their pregnancy in December. Everly arrived in London, where the couple has been residing while Tatum, 33, films Jupiter Ascending with Mila Kunis.

Scott Weiland sues over Stone Temple Pilots ouster
Scott Weiland has countersued his former band mates in Stone Temple Pilots claiming they had no right to expel him and shouldn't be allowed to perform with a new lead singer. Weiland's suit was filed Friday in Los Angeles Superior Court, one week after his former collaborators sued to get him to stop using the band's music in solo performances. The singer's case claims the three other members of Stone Temple Pilots had no right to oust him from the band and are damaging his solo career. He is seeking more than $5 million in damages, although any award would have to be determined by a judge or jury. The lawsuits are the latest development in the band's public breakup. Weiland was ousted from the group in February and said he learned of the decision when it was reported in the media. "How do you expel a man from a band that he started, named, sang lead on every song, wrote the lyrics, and was the face of for 20 years, and then try to grab the name and goodwill for yourselves," Weiland's complaint states. "You don't, but three of the instrumentalists from the band Stone Temple Pilots tried." Skip Miller, an attorney for the remaining band members, said the band had every right to fire Weiland. "He's dead wrong and he knows it," Miller said. "The band had no choice." The group has performed with new frontman Chester Bennington and Miller said it is moving on without Weiland.

TV NEWS

Former Storm Chasers star Tim Samaras and colleague Carl Young, along with Tim’s son Paul, were killed Friday while following a tornado in Oklahoma. Discovery, which aired Storm Chasers for five seasons, will dedicate tonight’s special “Mile Wide Tornado: Oklahoma Disaster” to the trio’s memory. The cable net released this statement: “We are deeply saddened by the loss of Tim Samaras his son Paul and their colleague Carl Young. Our thoughts and prayers go out to their families.” National Geographic also had this to say about the trio: “We were shocked and deeply saddened by the news that longtime National Geographic grantee Tim Samaras was killed in a tornado in Oklahoma on Friday, along with Tim’s son Paul and their colleague Carl Young. Tim was a courageous and brilliant scientist who fearlessly pursued tornadoes and lightning in the field in an effort to better understand these phenomena.

The Doctor is out. Or at least he will be soon. The BBC announced today that Matt Smith will leave Doctor Who after four years on the long-running program. Smith, who arrived on the show in 2010, will part ways with the TARDIS at the end of this year after starring in the 50th Anniversary special in November. According to the BBC, he’ll also regenerate one last time for this year’s Christmas special.

It appears the waning interest in American Idol has taken a toll on the traditional summer tour of finalists: 19 Entertainment has eliminated nine concerts in its North American tour.
Cities affected included Las Vegas, St. Louis, Detroit and Oakland, among others. The tour was originally set to begin on June 29; now it’s been pushed to July 19. The Idols will now perform in 30 venues nationwide. The 12-year-old reality franchise was down 23 percent to 15.2 million viewers and has gone from the No. 1 show to a mere Top 5 show. Three of the judges have already announced their departures — Randy Jackson, Mariah Carey, and Nicki Minaj.

Oxygen has ordered a third season of Best Ink, to premiere in late 2013.

A few more major players have joined Will Ferrell’s upcoming IFC six-part series The Spoils Of Babylon. Jessica Alba, Val Kilmer, Michael Sheen and Tim Robbins have boarded the project, which is based on the fictional best-selling novel by author Eric Jonrosh (Ferrell) and chronicles the lives of the wealthy Morehouse family. Previously cast actors include Tobey Maguire, Kristen Wiig and Haley Joel Osment.

2013-06-03T11:21:00.002-04:00

Jean Stapleton, the versatile actress who will forever be remembered for her long-running role as the dim-witted but deep-hearted Edith Bunker on the groundbreaking 1970s sitcom All in the Family, died Friday at her home in New York City, her family confirms. Stapleton, who was 90, succumbed to natural causes. Having already established a career during the 1950s and early '60s for playing nosy neighbor roles in such Broadway smashes as Damn Yankees, Funny Girl and Bells Are Ringing, in which she played the owner of the titular answering service. It was also during the stage run of Bells Are Ringing, in 1957, that Stapleton met and married William Putch, a concert promoter who also ran the 453-seat Totem Pole Playhouse summer stock theater in Pennsylvania – where, for the next quarter century, even at the height of her TV stardom, Stapleton would appear. Stapleton entered the TV pantheon with her high-pitched comic voice (which was a gross exaggeration of her own), perfect timing (especially when Edith would be slow to catch on to something) and unrelenting love for her husband Archie Bunker (even while overlooking his bigotry, which she never shared). Winning three Emmys for the role, Stapleton played Edith to Carroll O'Conner's Archie from 1971-79, then asked to be written out of the show as the series continued under slightly different formats. Once she left All in the Family she continued to make TV appearances, such as when in 1996, as if to counteract her trod-upon Edith persona, she played the imperious sister of Doris Roberts's character on Everybody Loves Raymond. She also appeared in the movies Michael and You've Got Mail, and returned to her stage roots, touring in a critically acclaimed one-woman show about Eleanor Roosevelt – a real-life role she had also played in the 1982 CBS movie Eleanor: First Lady of the World. Bill Putsch, with whom Stapleton had two children, Pam and John, died in 1983.

Mookie Blaylock In Serious Condition After Fatal Car Accident
Former NBA All-Star guard Daron "Mookie" Blaylock has been upgraded to serious condition a day after his SUV crashed head-on into a van and killed a woman. Atlanta Medical Center spokeswoman Nicole Gustin confirmed that the Blaylock's condition had improved since he was airlifted to the hospital. Police said the former Atlanta Hawks player was initially placed on life support and was in critical condition late Friday even after he was taken off of it. Blaylock, 46, was driving in neighboring Jonesboro Friday afternoon when he crashed, said Clayton County police spokesman Clarence Cox. Police said his SUV crossed the center line and slammed into an oncoming van. The van's passenger, 43-year-old Monica Murphy, suffered internal bleeding and died. Her husband Frankie Murphy, 41, broke an ankle. Allen said that Blaylock has had "a history of seizures," and police were trying to find out if a seizure may have led to the accident. Blaylock was a first-round draft pick by the New Jersey Nets out of Oklahoma in 1989. He played for the Atlanta Hawks between 1992 and 1999, appeared in the 1994 NBA All-Star game and had his best season in 1996-97, averaging 17.4 points and 5.9 assists. In 13 NBA seasons with New Jersey, Atlanta and Golden State, he averaged 13.5 points and 6.2 assists.

Five Stairsteps singer Clarence Burke Jr. dies
Clarence Burke Jr., lead singer of the group the Five Stairsteps that sang the 1970 hit "O-O-H Child," has died. He was 64. His manager, Joe Marno, says Burke died Sunday in Marietta, Ga., where he lived. The cause of his death was not disclosed. Formed in Chicago in 1965, the Five Stairsteps included Burke and four siblings. The group had several hits in the 1960s and '70s, including "You Waited Too Long," ''World of Fantasy," and "Don't Change Your Love." The Los Angeles Times says the group disbanded in the late 1970s, but the brothers briefly reformed as the Invisible Man's Band and had a 1980 success with the dance single "All Night Thing."

Andre 3000’s Mother Dies; Rapper’s Mother Was 58
Andre 3000’s mother died in her sleep early Tuesday at her Georgia home, a representative for the rapper at the firm Sunshine Sachs said Wednesday. Sharon Benjamin-Hodo was 58. She died in Rex, Ga. No other details were provided. Benjamin-Hodo was the founder of The Starlight Camp, a program that supports underprivileged children. It is part of the New Morning Light Missionary Baptist Church in Conley, Ga. She is survived by her husband, Robert Hodo, who is the church’s pastor. Andre 3000 was born Andre Lauren Benjamin. He turned 38 on Monday. He is one-half of the Grammy-winning hip-hop duo OutKast and has appeared in several films. He will play Jimi Hendrix in the biopic “All Is by My Side,” due out this year.

Philip Seymour Hoffman completes rehab for narcotics
After 23 years of sobriety, Oscar-winning actor Philip Seymour Hoffman began abusing prescription painkillers about a year ago. When he found himself snorting heroin -- a habit he says only lasted for about a week -- he realized he needed help and checked into a detox center on the East Coast. The 45-year-old completed the treatment program last Friday and says he's grateful to "a great group of friends and family" for supporting him in getting clean.

Bruno Mars's Mother Dies of Brain Aneurysm
The mother of Grammy-winning pop star Bruno Mars has died in Hawaii. Bernadette Hernandez died Saturday of a brain aneurysm, according to a publicist for Mars' label, Atlantic Records. Hernandez was 55 years old. She died in Honolulu at Queens Medical Center; no other information was given. Mars, 27, is one of pop's top acts with several No. 1 hits including his most recent, "When I Was Your Man." His mother, a hula dancer and a singer who immigrated from the Philippines, nurtured her son's interest in music at an early age.

CHANNING TATUM, JENNA DEWAN-TATUM WELCOME BABY
Channing Tatum and wife Jenna Dewan-Tatum are officially parents! The gorgeous couple welcomed their first child in London. Channing, 33, and Jenna, 32, had planned on having their little one overseas, due to their filming schedules. “Jenna’s actually gonna be working and she’s coming over [to London] pretty much almost four weeks before she’s gonna have the baby,” the “Magic Mike” star revealed during an appearance on “Jimmy Kimmel Live After The Oscars” in February. Channing and Jenna met in 2006 while co-starring in the dance movie, “Step Up.” They got engaged in 2008 and tied the knot in July 2009 in Malibu, Calif.
Surrounded by friends and family, American Idol finalists Ace Young and Diana DeGarmo were married Saturday evening at the Luxe Sunset Boulevard hotel in Los Angeles, PEOPLE confirms. "Today was the best day of my life," Young, 32, said. "Diana and I are in it forever. She's my best friend." DeGarmo, 25, wore a form-fitting Sareh Nouri gown with pearls and rhinestones.

Fast & Furious Wins Box Office
"Fast & Furious 6" zoomed to the top of the box office for the second straight week, beating out two new films for the No. 1 spot. The film made an estimated $34.5 million in its second weekend. It's now the second highest-grossing movie in the "Fast & Furious" franchise and is on pace to overtake "Fast Five" ($209.8 million) in the next few weeks. The weekend's two big new releases finished second and third. "Now You See Me" ($28.05 million) finished a little ahead of "After Earth" ($27 million), constituting something of a surprise. "After Earth," a sci-fi movie starring Will and Jaden Smith, had been projected to make about $35 million. "Star Trek Into Darkness" and "Epic" tied for fourth this weekend with $16.4 million each. "The Hangover Part III" dropped to sixth with $15.9 million.
Top Five:
1. "Fast & Furious 6," $34.5 million
2. "Now You See Me," $28.05 million
3. "After Earth," $27 million
4 (tie). "Star Trek Into Darkness," $16.4 million
4 (tie). "Epic," $16.4 million

Court OKs lawsuit against Oprah Winfrey's use of 'own your power'
It may truly be empowering to "Own Your Power," but an appellate court panel said Friday that Oprah Winfrey, her Harpo Productions and the Hearst Corp. can be sued by a motivational speaker and radio-show host who claims the line violated her trademark and was illegally used on an "O" magazine cover and a related event. A three-judge panel of the 2nd Circuit Court of Appeals overturned a lower court's decision that said the use of the line amounted to "fair use" and threw out claims made by Simone Kelly-Brown against Winfrey, Hearst, as well as corporate sponsors of the event. The appellate court ordered the lower court to reconsider the case, in which Kelly-Brown sought an injunction to stop Winfrey's use of the phrase. The case stems from the prominent use of the line on the front cover of the October 2010 issue of O. "Own Your Power," touted the cover, which featured the requisite photo of Winfrey and the secondary headline: "How to Tap into Your Strength, Focus Your Energy, Let Your Best Shine." One of the stories in the edition was about "The 2010 O Power List: 20 Women Who Are Rocking the World." The issue was promoted in a Sept. 16 New York event called "Own Your Power," which was then featured in the December edition of the magazine and identified as the "first-ever own your power event." Kelly-Brown, who registered "Own Your Power" as a blue and white trademark in May 2008, sued, arguing both that the magazine's use of the line -- though in a different typeface, different color and different capitalization -- represented an attempt to seize her trademark and confused people.MShe argued that the confusion was detrimental to her brand, and she fielded numerous inquiries from people who were confused between her events and Winfrey's. While judges were unanimous Friday in overturning the lower-court opinion dismissing Kelly-Brown's suit, they offered two sets of reasoning.

ANNA NICOLE'S ESTATE WINS MILLIONS IN SANCTIONS
The daughter of late model Anna Nicole Smith, Dannielynn, could be awarded as much as $49 million in sanctions per court orders from the estate of E. Pierce Marshall, the son of Anna Nicole's once-husband J. Howard Marshall. a California federal judge has ordered Marshall's estate to "pay sanctions over 'massive discovery abuse' in the Koch Industries heir's scorched-earth legal battle against his stepmother, the late 'Playboy' model Anna Nicole Smith." For over a decade, Smith's estate has been attempting to recover hundreds of millions of dollars from the estate of her husband J. Howard Marshall, who died in 1995 at the age of 90, a year after he married the then-26-year-old model. The sanctions against the estate of E. Pierce Marshall, who passed away in 2006, were issued due to his alleged attempts to delay the transfer of wealth to Smith's estate, including purportedly "shipping crucial legal documents to a lawyer in Lake Charles, La. to try and keep them out of the hands of Smith's lawyers." the judge didn't specify the monetary amount of damages, but suggested last March that it could reach up to $49 million. "This is a complete vindication of Anna Nicole's rights, and a total condemnation of what was done to her," Phil Boesch, lawyer of Smith's estate, told Forbes. "We are confident that the amount Anna's estate and daughter Dannielynn will finally be awarded will be fair and substantial."

The Man from U.N.C.L.E.
Tom Cruise has dropped out of starring in the big screen adaptation of 1960s spy series "The Man from U.N.C.L.E." at Warner Bros. Pictures. The long in-development project originally had George Clooney was attached to star and Steven Soderbergh directing. Both talents dropped out, at which point Guy Ritchie and then Cruise came onboard. Cruise's departure is said to be due to his commitment to a fifth "Mission: Impossible" which is aiming to shoot later this year. Both Ritchie and actor Armie Hammer remains attached to "U.N.C.L.E." for now. “Man of Steel” star Henry Cavill is in talks to take over Tom’s role in the upcoming spy thriller, “The Man From U.N.C.L.E.”

Think Like a Man Too
Production for Think Like a Man Too has begun. In the highly anticipated sequel to Screen Gems' hit comedy Think Like a Man, which was inspired by Steve Harvey's best-selling book Act Like a Lady, Think Like A Man, all the couples are back for a wedding in Las Vegas. But plans for a romantic weekend go awry when their various misadventures get them into some compromising situations that threaten to derail the big event. The film stars Terrence Jenkins, Michael Ealy, Jerry Ferrara, Meagan Good, Regina Hall, Kevin Hart, Kevin Hart, Terrence Jenkins, Jenifer Lewis, Romany Malco, Gary Owen and Gabrielle Union, who all return and reprise their original roles. Adam Brody, Wendi McLendon-Covey and David Walton join the cast. Tim Story (Think Like a Man, Fantastic Four, Barbershop) returns to direct the sequel.

Hilary Clinton Biopic
Scarlett Johansson, Reese Witherspoon, Jessica Chastain and Amanda Seyfried are all said to be under consideration to play Hillary Clinton in the forthcoming indie biopic "Rodham" at Temple Hill Entertainment. The 2012 Black List script by South Korean screenwriter Young Il Kim is set during the height of the Watergate scandal in the 1970s. At the time, Hillary Rodham was the youngest lawyer chosen for the House Judiciary Committee to Impeach Nixon. She soon finds herself forced to choose between a destined path to the White House, and her unresolved feelings for former boyfriend and Arkansas law teacher Bill Clinton.

Brooke Mueller still trying to give her brother custody of twins
While Charlie Sheen's second ex-wife, Brooke Mueller, continues to battle her drug addiction at the Betty Ford Center, her lawyers have been making various plays to transfer temporary guardianship of her twin boys with Sheen. Max and Bob are currently living with Denise Richards, but reports are that Mueller wants them moved to her brother's home instead. attorneys went back to court for the third time on Friday with the goal of convincing a judge that the children would be better off with their uncle. They were reportedly unsuccessful -- for now.

Courteney Cox and David Arquette's Divorce is Final
Courteney Cox and David Arquette's marriage is officially over. Just shy of their 14th wedding anniversary, the couple's divorce was finalized in Los Angeles Superior Court on Tuesday. Cox, 48, and Arquette, 41, announced their separation in October 2010 after 11 years of marriage. In June 2012, they filed divorce papers citing "irreconcilable differences" on the same day, which would have been their 13th wedding anniversary. The former spouses are parents to daughter Coco, almost 9, and have maintained a friendly relationship since their split.

Mayim Bialik and Michael Stone Finalize Divorce
After almost a decade of marriage, Mayim Bialik and Michael Stone have finalized their divorce. According to documents filed in the Los Angeles Superior Court, the pair – whose separation was announced in November – officially ended their marriage on May 1. Bialik, 37, first announced news of her divorce on her blog, calling the situation a "terribly sad, painful and incomprehensible [thing] for children. It is not something we have decided lightly."

TV NEWS
Neil Patrick Harris is returning to host the Emmy Awards this September. This will mark the second time that Harris, who's also hosting this year's Tony Awards, has hosted the television awards ceremony. He also hosted the 2009 ceremony.

HBO’s Liberace biopic Behind the Candelabra lit up the network’s ratings Sunday night. The Steven Soderbergh film delivered 2.4 million viewers in its first airing, making it the most-watched HBO Film title in almost a decade (since 2004′s Something the Lord Made). Across two Sunday plays, Candelabra totaled 3.5 million viewers. The performance is especially impressive coming on Memorial Day weekend, when TV viewing levels typically decline several percent. Compare Candelabra‘s performance to HBO’s previous recent record-settter Game Change, which had 2.1 million viewers for its Saturday night debut last year. Candelabra stars Michael Douglas as the Vegas legend and Matt Damon as his young lover Scott Thorson, whose memoir of their rocky five-year relationship served as the basis for the film.

ABC Family has picked up (a lot!) more Melissa & Joey. The cabler on Tuesday gave the sitcom (which returns May 29) a Season 3 back order and renewed it for a fourth season, making it ABC Family’s first comedy to reach 100 episodes.

CNN’s new Morgan Spurlock-helmed and -hosted docu-series Inside Man premieres Sunday, June 23.

The Americans‘ Matthew Rhys will portray Pride and Prejudice‘s Mr. Darcy in BBC’s upcoming three-part project Death Comes To Pemberley. Based on the suspense novel by P.D. James, the project — which is timed to P and P‘s 200th anniversary — centers on three of author Jane Austen’s iconic characters: Elizabeth Bennet, George Wickham and, of course, Mr. Darcy.

Tyler Perry’s The Haves and the Have Nots on Tuesday night drew 1.8 million total viewers — aka the most watched series premiere in OWN history.

White Collar has found a new follower. Erstwhile The Following baddie/Common Lawman Warren Kole has nabbed a recurring role in Season 5 of the USA Network drama. Kole will play Agent David Seigel, Neal’s overly ambitious new FBI handler who takes over for the now-jailed Peter.

Turns out, Katie Couric was approached about returning to the Today show in the wake of a recent decrease in ratings. “There were some cautious overtures to me to possibly come back,” she revealed during an appearance on Howard Stern’s radio show. When asked if she’d seriously consider a comeback, Couric coyly responded, “For me, that was the best job.”

All that’s missing now is the pizza place. Two and a Half Men is adding a full-time female to its Season 11 cast to fill the void left by departing half man Angus T. Jones. the CBS comedy is looking for an actress in her late teens to early 20s to play the long-lost daughter of Charlie Sheen’s late alter ego, Charlie Harper. The character will turn up in the show’s season premiere and promptly move in with Walden (Ashton Kutcher) and her uncle Alan (Jon Cryer).
Kim Kardashian and Kanye West are thinking pink. The couple is expecting a daughter in July, the reality star, 32, confirmed Sunday on the season premiere of Keeping Up with the Kardashians. “I’m so excited we’re having a girl. Who doesn’t want a girl? I think they are the best,” she said on the show. “I know that’s really what Kanye has always wanted — he wanted a little girl.”Kardashian celebrated her baby shower the same day the announcement aired.

2013-05-30T01:15:00.002-04:00

Five Stairsteps singer Clarence Burke Jr. dies
Clarence Burke Jr., lead singer of the group the Five Stairsteps that sang the 1970 hit "O-O-H Child," has died. He was 64. His manager, Joe Marno, says Burke died Sunday in Marietta, Ga., where he lived. The cause of his death was not disclosed. Formed in Chicago in 1965, the Five Stairsteps included Burke and four siblings. The group had several hits in the 1960s and '70s, including "You Waited Too Long," ''World of Fantasy," and "Don't Change Your Love." The Los Angeles Times says the group disbanded in the late 1970s, but the brothers briefly reformed as the Invisible Man's Band and had a 1980 success with the dance single "All Night Thing."

Andre 3000’s Mother Dies; Rapper’s Mother Was 58
Andre 3000’s mother died in her sleep early Tuesday at her Georgia home, a representative for the rapper at the firm Sunshine Sachs said Wednesday. Sharon Benjamin-Hodo was 58. She died in Rex, Ga. No other details were provided. Benjamin-Hodo was the founder of The Starlight Camp, a program that supports underprivileged children. It is part of the New Morning Light Missionary Baptist Church in Conley, Ga. She is survived by her husband, Robert Hodo, who is the church’s pastor. Andre 3000 was born Andre Lauren Benjamin. He turned 38 on Monday. He is one-half of the Grammy-winning hip-hop duo OutKast and has appeared in several films. He will play Jimi Hendrix in the biopic “All Is by My Side,” due out this year.

Vince Vaughn announces he and wife are expecting second child
Vince Vaughn is going to be a dad again. The settled-down “Swingers” star announced the happy news in an interview with Ellen DeGeneres set. He said his wife, Kyla Weber, is due in early August. “We’re expecting our second child,” he told Ellen. Vaughn, 43, married Weber, 35 in January 2010. The couple welcomed their first child, daughter Locklyn Kyla Vaughn, that December.

More Cannes style... more news below

Police backtrack on charges against Maurice Jones-Drew
Hours after releasing a statement Tuesday that said Jacksonville Jaguars running back Maurice Jones-Drew had been charged with misdemeanor battery, the St. Augustine (Fla.) Police Department released a new statement that said he has not been charged. "Jones-Drew has not been charged with any crime and maintains his innocence," the statement read. "He is cooperating fully with our investigation. This matter is an on-going investigation at this time. As soon as we complete our investigation we will send out a release with our findings or conclusion." According to a police report, the 28-year-old Jones-Drew became involved in an incident around 8 p.m. Sunday at the Conch House Restaurant and Marina. An altercation broke out on the restaurant's dock after a staff member confronted a group of customers about touching a female guest. The staff member told police he asked the group to leave and a member of the group smacked him on the chest. Things began to escalate and, when a security consultant stepped in and grabbed the arm of one of the men in the group, another man — identified in the police report as Jones-Drew — allegedly punched the security guard in the left cheek. Jones-Drew, however, maintains his innocence and, according to multiple reports, his agent says he left the scene and was not involved in any matter. The security guard was taken to Flagler Hospital. He suffered a jaw contusion but "no breaks or fractures." St. Augustine police collected statements from three witnesses, as well as video footage from the restaurant's security cameras. The Jaguars released a statement saying they are aware of the situation, but they declined any further comment.
Candice Accola got engaged in Florence, Italy, the "Vampire Diaries" actress announced via Instagram on Wednesday. The 26-year-old star shared two pictures of her diamond engagement ring. "Cheers from the future Mr. & Mrs. Joseph Aaron King!" she wrote. King, 33, who is the guitarist for rock band The Fray, himself showed off a picture of his new fiancée with her engagement bling on his own Instagram account, captioning the photo "I'm a lucky man." Accola, who plays vampire Caroline Forbes on the supernatural drama, was previously linked to her costar Zach Roerig. The show returns for a fifth season this fall on The CW.

The Man from U.N.C.L.E.
Tom Cruise has dropped out of starring in the big screen adaptation of 1960s spy series "The Man from U.N.C.L.E." at Warner Bros. Pictures. The long in-development project originally had George Clooney was attached to star and Steven Soderbergh directing. Both talents dropped out, at which point Guy Ritchie and then Cruise came onboard. Cruise's departure is said to be due to his commitment to a fifth "Mission: Impossible" which is aiming to shoot later this year. Both Ritchie and actor Armie Hammer remains attached to "U.N.C.L.E." for now. “Man of Steel” star Henry Cavill is in talks to take over Tom’s role in the upcoming spy thriller, “The Man From U.N.C.L.E.”

Think Like a Man Too
Production for Think Like a Man Too has begun. In the highly anticipated sequel to Screen Gems' hit comedy Think Like a Man, which was inspired by Steve Harvey's best-selling book Act Like a Lady, Think Like A Man, all the couples are back for a wedding in Las Vegas. But plans for a romantic weekend go awry when their various misadventures get them into some compromising situations that threaten to derail the big event. The film stars Terrence Jenkins, Michael Ealy, Jerry Ferrara, Meagan Good, Regina Hall, Kevin Hart, Kevin Hart, Terrence Jenkins, Jenifer Lewis, Romany Malco, Gary Owen and Gabrielle Union, who all return and reprise their original roles. Adam Brody, Wendi McLendon-Covey and David Walton join the cast. Tim Story (Think Like a Man, Fantastic Four, Barbershop) returns to direct the sequel.

Hilary Clinton Biopic
Scarlett Johansson, Reese Witherspoon, Jessica Chastain and Amanda Seyfried are all said to be under consideration to play Hillary Clinton in the forthcoming indie biopic "Rodham" at Temple Hill Entertainment. The 2012 Black List script by South Korean screenwriter Young Il Kim is set during the height of the Watergate scandal in the 1970s. At the time, Hillary Rodham was the youngest lawyer chosen for the House Judiciary Committee to Impeach Nixon. She soon finds herself forced to choose between a destined path to the White House, and her unresolved feelings for former boyfriend and Arkansas law teacher Bill Clinton.

Brooke Mueller still trying to give her brother custody of twins
While Charlie Sheen's second ex-wife, Brooke Mueller, continues to battle her drug addiction at the Betty Ford Center, her lawyers have been making various plays to transfer temporary guardianship of her twin boys with Sheen. Max and Bob are currently living with Denise Richards, but reports are that Mueller wants them moved to her brother's home instead. Attorneys went back to court for the third time on Friday with the goal of convincing a judge that the children would be better off with their uncle. They were reportedly unsuccessful -- for now.

Courteney Cox and David Arquette's Divorce is Final
Courteney Cox and David Arquette's marriage is officially over. Just shy of their 14th wedding anniversary, the couple's divorce was finalized in Los Angeles Superior Court on Tuesday. Cox, 48, and Arquette, 41, announced their separation in October 2010 after 11 years of marriage. In June 2012, they filed divorce papers citing "irreconcilable differences" on the same day, which would have been their 13th wedding anniversary. The former spouses are parents to daughter Coco, almost 9, and have maintained a friendly relationship since their split.

Mayim Bialik and Michael Stone Finalize Divorce
After almost a decade of marriage, Mayim Bialik and Michael Stone have finalized their divorce. According to documents filed in the Los Angeles Superior Court, the pair – whose separation was announced in November – officially ended their marriage on May 1. Bialik, 37, first announced news of her divorce on her blog, calling the situation a "terribly sad, painful and incomprehensible [thing] for children. It is not something we have decided lightly."

Amanda Bynes: My Case Will Be ‘Dropped’; Actress Also Claims Rihanna-Bashing Tweets Were Fake
Is Amanda Bynes drama coming to a close? Following her arrest last Thursday, and subsequent sexual harassment claim against a New York City Police Officer, the actress says her case is about to end. “My lawyer is getting my case dropped! There was no proof of sexual harassment or drugs. Instead of me asking for the cop to be arrested for sexual harassment, I want my case dropped as well,” the retired actress Tweeted on Tuesday. She also Tweeted, “His punishment will be being the cop who sexually harassed someone who would never find him handsome enough to be my boyfriend. That’s worse than any time in jail. But I am suing him for money compensation. I love having more money in my bank!” Following Bynes’ sexual harassment allegations, the NYPD investigated her claim and found no evidence of any wrongdoing. The retired actress also made headlines over the weekend after a series of Rihanna-bashing Tweets surfaced on her Twitter feed. Bynes claimed the posts were fake. “I saw a bunch of mocked up tweets about me bashing Rihanna in my mentions. I’m followed by so many people that someone is always mocking up fake tweets so I feel the need to address them,” she wrote on Monday. Adding, “Rihanna and I met and I’m sure we’ll be in a music video together one day!”

TV NEWS
Neil Patrick Harris is returning to host the Emmy Awards this September. This will mark the second time that Harris, who's also hosting this year's Tony Awards, has hosted the television awards ceremony. He also hosted the 2009 ceremony.

Mike & Molly‘s Season 3 finale — which was pulled from CBS’ schedule last week because its tornado-related story arc hit too close to home after the real-life twisters in Oklahoma — will air this Thursday at 8:30/7:30c.

HBO’s Liberace biopic Behind the Candelabra lit up the network’s ratings Sunday night. The Steven Soderbergh film delivered 2.4 million viewers in its first airing, making it the most-watched HBO Film title in almost a decade (since 2004′s Something the Lord Made). Across two Sunday plays, Candelabra totaled 3.5 million viewers. The performance is especially impressive coming on Memorial Day weekend, when TV viewing levels typically decline several percent. Compare Candelabra‘s performance to HBO’s previous recent record-settter Game Change, which had 2.1 million viewers for its Saturday night debut last year. Candelabra stars Michael Douglas as the Vegas legend and Matt Damon as his young lover Scott Thorson, whose memoir of their rocky five-year relationship served as the basis for the film.

ABC Family has picked up (a lot!) more Melissa & Joey. The cabler on Tuesday gave the sitcom (which returns May 29) a Season 3 back order and renewed it for a fourth season, making it ABC Family’s first comedy to reach 100 episodes.

CNN’s new Morgan Spurlock-helmed and -hosted docu-series Inside Man premieres Sunday, June 23.

The Americans‘ Matthew Rhys will portray Pride and Prejudice‘s Mr. Darcy in BBC’s upcoming three-part project Death Comes To Pemberley. Based on the suspense novel by P.D. James, the project — which is timed to P and P‘s 200th anniversary — centers on three of author Jane Austen’s iconic characters: Elizabeth Bennet, George Wickham and, of course, Mr. Darcy.

Tyler Perry’s The Haves and the Have Nots on Tuesday night drew 1.8 million total viewers — aka the most watched series premiere in OWN history.

White Collar has found a new follower. Erstwhile The Following baddie/Common Lawman Warren Kole has nabbed a recurring role in Season 5 of the USA Network drama. Kole will play Agent David Seigel, Neal’s overly ambitious new FBI handler who takes over for the now-jailed Peter.

Turns out, Katie Couric was approached about returning to the Today show in the wake of a recent decrease in ratings. “There were some cautious overtures to me to possibly come back,” she revealed during an appearance on Howard Stern’s radio show. When asked if she’d seriously consider a comeback, Couric coyly responded, “For me, that was the best job.”

All that’s missing now is the pizza place. Two and a Half Men is adding a full-time female to its Season 11 cast to fill the void left by departing half man Angus T. Jones. the CBS comedy is looking for an actress in her late teens to early 20s to play the long-lost daughter of Charlie Sheen’s late alter ego, Charlie Harper. The character will turn up in the show’s season premiere and promptly move in with Walden (Ashton Kutcher) and her uncle Alan (Jon Cryer).

2013-05-28T02:03:00.000-04:00

The second time is twice as nice. For Arrow star Stephen Amell and Cassandra Jean that means tying the knot for a second time this Sunday in New Orleans. "Feeling pretty lucky today," 32-year-old Amell posted on Twitter with a swoon-worthy shot of himself and his 27-year-old wife. The couple first wed in a private ceremony in the Caribbean last December, but were surrounded by friends and family for this weekend's reception.

Tim Duncan Reportedly Divorcing

Tim Duncan has been dominant in the 2013 postseason thus far and is one of the main reasons the San Antonio Spurs are poised to challenge for another NBA championship. He is averaging 16.2 points and 9.1 rebounds in 12 playoff games against the Los Angeles Lakers, Golden State Warriors and Memphis Grizzlies. And it appears this may all be happening while dealing with some off-the-court distractions. Duncan and his wife Amy may have recently filed for divorce. A divorce case was filed in a San Antonio court two months ago that includes only the initials A.S.D and T.T.D. Duncan’s middle name is Theodore. To make matters even more curious, a request was reportedly filed last week asking that a legal discovery be postponed until after the Spurs' last playoff game. Either the nation’s biggest Spurs fans have filed for divorce, or Duncan and his wife are splitting. The Express-News also pointed out that the paperwork says the couple married around July 21, 2001, which was when Tim's and Amy's wedding took place. Furthermore, it says they have two children together, whose birthdays coincide with the dates listed on the divorce filing. T.T.D., who we assume is Duncan, has asked the court to honor a prenuptial agreement and confirm that he owns property that is separate from the marital estate. A.S.D.'s petition states that the two will "enter into a written agreement for the division of their estate."
After a Paris proposal and a Malibu ceremony Sunday, Breaking Bad's Aaron Paul snuggles with gorgeous bride Lauren Parsekian under an ivy-draped forest archway in this first, exclusive wedding photo. Paul, 33, and Parsekian, an activist, met at the Coachella music festival and were engaged last year after Paul "begged her to marry him."

Fast & Furious Wins Holiday Box Office
Who knew we all loved fast cars that much? Fast & Furious 6, the latest entry in the super-speed action series, earned an estimated $98,528,000 for the three-day weekend. It may be on track for a four-day opening gross north of $120 million. This beats the opening of Fast 5 ($86 million). The Hangover Part III has earned an estimated $54,204,000 since opening on Thursday ($42,415,000 for the weekend) for a projected five-day gross somewhere north of $60 million.
The full list for the weekend:
1. Fast & Furious 6 — $98,528,000
2. The Hangover Part III — $42,415,000
3. Star Trek Into Darkness — $38,000,000
4. Epic — $34,200,000
5. Iron Man 3 — $19,424,000

NFL Players Association gunning for Jay-Z over recruitment rule
Jay-Z is living a hard-knock life in sports management. The NFL Players Association is investigating him for an alleged rule violation. Jay-Z recently opened a sports management division as part of his Roc Nation entertainment empire, and its new client is Jets rookie quarterback Geno Smith. But here’s the rub: An Instagram pic shows Jay-Z and the QB hanging out just before the athlete dumped his old managers, and league rules mandate that only NFLPA-certified agents can get involved in recruiting. Oh, dear. He's got 99 problems, and breaking an obscure rule in professional sports talent management IS one. Allegedly, of course.

Holyfield Could Lose License

If Evander Holyfield doesn’t pay up, he could lose the right to drive. Holyfield was put on a payment plan to cover over $500,000 in child support for his daughter Emani. The boxer has been missing monthly payments of $2,950 and still owes $327,858.36. The Division of Child Support Services has been given approval by a Georgia judge to start the process of taking away Holyfield’s driver’s license as incentive to pay the child support. Holyfield has a hearing in August to check on the progress of his debt. Holyfield has earned $250 million during his boxing career. He got $34 million for his fight with Mike Tyson in 1997.

ANGELINA JOLIE'S AUNT DIES OF BREAST CANCER DAYS AFTER OP-ED
Less than two weeks after Angelina Jolie revealed she'd had a double mastectomy to avoid breast cancer, her aunt died from the disease Sunday. Debbie Martin died at age 61 at a hospital in Escondido, Calif., near San Diego, her husband, Ron Martin, told The Associated Press. Debbie Martin was the younger sister of Jolie's mother, Marcheline Bertrand, whose own death from ovarian cancer in 2007 inspired the surgery that Jolie described in a May 14 op-ed in the New York Times. According to her husband, Debbie Martin had the same defective BRCA1 gene that Jolie does, but didn't know it until after her 2004 cancer diagnosis. "Had we known, we certainly would have done exactly what Angelina did," Ron Martin said in a phone interview. Ron Martin said after getting breast cancer, Debbie Martin had her ovaries removed preventively because she was also at very high genetic risk for ovarian cancer, which has killed several women in her family. The 37-year-old Jolie said in her op-ed that her doctors estimated that she had a 50 percent risk of getting ovarian cancer but an 87 percent risk of breast cancer.

Notre Dame QB Golson suspended over poor academic judgment
Everett Golson is out for at least the fall semester at Notre Dame, saying he has been suspended by the university for what he called poor academic judgment. "I take full responsibility for my poor choices and will do all that is asked of me to regain the trust of my family, friends, teammates, coaches and the entire Notre Dame community," he wrote in a letter released Sunday by the university. Golson was officially no longer enrolled at Notre Dame as of Friday, university spokesman Dennis Brown said Saturday night. Golson helped the Irish go 12-0 during the regular season last year, regain the No. 1 ranking for the first time in nearly two decades and get to the national title game against Alabama in January. Coach Brian Kelly was counting on him to play an even bigger role in 2013 after his play steadily improved throughout last season. Golson did not specify what he did to get suspended, and wrote that he understands his integrity could be in question. "But I want to reassure my supporters that through this experience I will return a better student athlete as well as a better individual," he said. He said he chose to attend Notre Dame because of its mission to develop him both on and off the field. "My parents and the community I grew up in have instilled values in me that have and will continue to allow me to be successful in the future. There have been many lessons learned as I worked to become the starting quarterback at Notre Dame and each was a result of Coach Kelly's belief in me as an athlete and a person," he wrote.

Danica Patrick and Boyfriend Wreck

Danica Patrick and boyfriend Ricky Stenhouse Jr., who are involved in NASCAR’s most popular romance, were going to be involved in a wreck on the track at some point in their racing careers. And that’s exactly what happened Sunday night during a bizarre Coca-Cola 600. Racing three-wide with 64 laps remaining, Stenhouse slid into the side of Patrick’s car, pushing her slightly up the track. Patrick clipped the car of Sprint Cup champion Brad Keselowski, sending them both crashing into the wall. Keselowski, who said earlier this year that he viewed Patrick as “someone that hasn’t won races or proved that she is competitive,” took the blame for the incident, believing that Patrick held her line. “I just cut Danica off,” Keselowski said. “I didn’t know she was still down there and I caused a big wreck. … I cut her off and wrecked her and myself. I feel bad for her and I send my apologies to her." Keselowski’s car was damaged beyond repair and he finished 36th. Patrick and Stenhouse were able to continue. Patrick hit the wall again later in the event and finished 15 laps down in 29th. Stenhouse finished two laps down in 14th. She released a statement through her team following the race. “I felt like we were making real progress and starting to get the car to a place that was really good, and had an accident, which is unfortunate because we were moving up,” Patrick said. “But nothing we can do about it now.”

TV NEWS
If you thought Barbara Walters' recent retirement announcement would put an end to rumors that Elisabeth Hasselbeck is also leaving "The View," think again. Hasselbeck, 35, will announce her departure in June, say reports. The story goes on to say a new season of "The View" will kick off after Labor Day with two new co-hosts. Back in March, Joy Behar announced her exit after co-hosting for 16 seasons. Behar, 70, will bow out when the current season ends in August.

Comedy Central is staying Inside Amy Schumer, renewing the half-hour standup/scripted hybrid series for a second season. Schumer broke the news herself on Twitter late Monday.

Resolving a months-long behind-the-scenes cliffhanger, Mariska Hargitay has inked a new deal to return for Law & Order: SVU‘s 15th season. NBC execs, which renewed SVU earlier this month while negotiations with Hargitay were still going on, aren’t the only ones breathing a sigh of relief. The show’s fans — who watched as Hargitay’s alter ego Olivia Benson literally dodged a (potential) bullet in the closing seconds of last week’s season finale — can take comfort in knowing their favorite heroine will survive the ordeal. The financial terms of the deal are TBD, but it’s safe to say that Hargitay — who pocketed a cool $500,000 per episode for Season 14 — will hold onto her title as TV’s highest-paid actress.

The CW is inviting you to rejoin its Cult. The cancelled drama’s creator, Rockne S. O’Bannon, announced Thursday via Twitter that beginning June 28, the network will air Cult‘s six remaining episodes in two-hour blocks.

Blake Shelton won’t be the only judge from The Voice appearing on NBC’s May 29 Oklahoma tornado Relief Concert. Usher has joined the Healing in the Heartland show. The concert is set to air live from Oklahoma City on the network and several other Comcast own broadcasters on Wednesday at 9 PM. NBC also announced today that Darius Rucker will perform in Oklahoma City along with Shelton. Miranda Lambert, Reba McEntire, Vince Gill, Luke Bryan, Rascal Flatts and Ryan Tedder of OneRepublic had previously been announced to play the United Way benefit concert. More acts are expected to be added before the show.

2013-05-24T10:11:00.001-04:00

Rocky Horror Show actor Tim Curry is recovering after suffering a major stroke at his home in Los Angeles. The British star, 67, is said to be 'doing great' following the collapse. Curry rose to fame as Dr. Frank-N-Furter in the cult musical and went on to a successful stage and film career. Few details were available about the stroke last night, but sources close to the actor refused suggestions that the stroke had made it difficult for him to speak. 'Tim is doing great,' said his longtime Los Angeles agent Marcia Hurwitz. 'He absolutely can speak and is recovering at this time and in great humour', she added.

ARREST WARRANT ISSUED FOR 'LATE' RAPPER TIM DOG
An arrest warrant has been issued for veteran rapper Tim Dog three months after his alleged death. The New York native, real name Timothy Blair, was a longtime diabetes sufferer and was widely reported to have passed away on Feb. 14, following a seizure. However, Mississippi prosecutor Steven Jubera claims he has yet to receive any proof confirming the 46-year-old's death, so he has managed to obtain a warrant for the hip-hop star's arrest. Jubera says, "I need proof. I need a death certificate showing that he's dead because, as far as I'm concerned, he's alive. Nobody said where he died, nobody said where he was buried, which is very odd for an obituary. ... At the bare minimum he would get arrested and sit in jail until his court hearing." The warrant relates to Blair's 2011 conviction for grand larceny, after he confessed to targeting Ester Pilgrim for money that he claimed would be used to resurrect his music career. He reached a plea deal to avoid a stint in jail, and was ordered to give $19,000 in restitution to his victim, but he failed to settle the debt before his passing. Pilgrim recently voiced her suspicions about the circumstances surrounding Blair's death, prompting Jubera to revisit the case.

Aretha Franklin Taking June Off, Postponing ShowsAretha Franklin is taking off the month of June. A spokesman for the 71-year-old singer says Franklin will reschedule two shows and resume her touring schedule in July. Franklin announced earlier this month that she would cancel scheduled performances in Chicago and Connecticut this week to undergo medical treatment. She did not specify what type of treatment she was receiving. Franklin appeared on the season finale of “American Idol” last week via satellite, singing a medley of her hits with the show’s female finalists.

Golfer Under Fire for Racist Comments About Tiger Woods
Pro golfer Sergio Garcia is getting skewered over what some are calling blatant racist remarks aimed at Tiger Woods. When jokingly asked Tuesday night if he would invite woods over for dinner at an upcoming tournament, Garcia said "we will have him round every night. We will serve fried chicken." Woods swiftly responded on Twitter, tweeting "The comment that was made wasn't silly. It was wrong, hurtful and clearly inappropriate. I'm confident that there is real regret that the remark was made." “My answer was totally out of place,” Garcia apologized at a press conference Wednesday. Garcia said he called Woods' agent to speak directly with him, but has not gotten through as of yet. The golfer added he does intend to apologize directly at some point. There’s no love lost between the two golf titans. They have been battling on and off the green since the late 90s. Most recently the two squared off at the Players Championship when Garcia accused Woods of distracting him on while he was taking a shot. “Of course he’s complaining about something,” Woods responded. This isn't the first time Woods has been the victim of a remark considered racist. At the '97 Masters another pro golfer, Fuzzy Zoeller, was asked about Wood’s record run and responded with, “say congratulations, enjoy it and tell him not to serve fried chicken next year or collard greens or whatever the hell they serve.” Woods forgave Zoeller after he apologized.

Amanda Bynes Arrested in NYC ApartmentActress Amanda Bynes was arrested by police in her Midtown apartment after officers caught her throwing apparent drug paraphernalia out the window. The doorman at Bynes' building on West 47th Streeet called police to report she was smoking marijuana in the lobby, sources said. When officers arrived, Bynes had gone back to her apartment on the 36th floor. When officers observed a bong inside the apartment as Bynes opened the door, she allegedly grabbed it and tossed it out of the window. Officers also noted a "heavy" smell of marijuana and smoke inside the apartment. Bynes was arrested on charges of reckless endangerment, tampering with evidence and criminal possession of marihuana. She was taken to Roosevelt Hospital to undergo a psychiatric evaluation, then to a Midtown police station to be processed. She was expected to spend the night in Manhattan central booking and appear in court Friday. Bynes, whose increasingly bizarre behavior has been the subject of tabloid scrutiny in recent months, is already under probation for driving with a suspended license. The plea deal secured in Burbank, Calif. earlier this month placed Bynes under three years probation. The former Nickelodeon star also has a DUI case pending in Beverly Hills.

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Amar’e Stoudemire Welcomes a Son
It’s a boy for Amar’e Stoudemire! The New York Knicks forward and wife Alexis have welcomed their fourth child — a son — Stoudemire, 30, announced via Twitter on Wednesday. “We are proud to announce we added a healthy baby boy to the Stoudemire team,” he writes. “Alexis and the baby are doing great. #Blessed” The couple, who married in December in New York City, shared the pregnancy news in January. The newlyweds are already parents to children Ar’e, 7, Amar’e Jr., 6, and Assata, 4.
Celeb couple Ron Livingston and Rosemarie DeWitt have welcomed their first child. The 38-year-old "Promised Land" actress gave birth to a baby girl, Gracie James Livingston. DeWitt and "The Odd Life of Timothy Green" star Livingston, 45, met while filming the Fox television series "Standoff" in 2006 and got married in 2009.

Geno Smith Signs with Roc Nation Sports
Geno Smith has joined Jay-Z for one big sports and hip-hop collaboration. The New York Jets rookie quarterback has chosen the rap artist's new Roc Nation Sports to represent him. Smith, who slipped out of the first round last month and fell to the Jets in the second round at No. 39 overall, fired his agents - Select Sports - shortly after the NFL draft. The former West Virginia star met with a handful of agents before announcing Wednesday that he had chosen Jay-Z's agency, which is partnered with Creative Artists Agency. Smith insisted after practice that Jay-Z didn't play ''that big of a role'' in his final decision - although the quarterback recently tweeted a photo of him with the hip-hop star. ''I think it's just his agency,'' Smith said. ''When you talk about being in New York from a standpoint of what they can do in the city, the connections that they have, I think it's a good move. My mother and my family were comfortable with it, and I'm comfortable with it. I'm just going to move on from there. It's not going to be a big deal. ''I'll just remain humble and keep focusing on football.'' Kimberly Miale, recently hired by Jay-Z, whose given name is Shawn Carter, will serve as Smith's contract agent. Smith will be Miale's first NFL client. Yankees second baseman Robinson Cano and former Notre Dame star Skylar Diggins, drafted No. 3 overall by the WNBA's Tulsa Shock, have also recently signed with Roc Nation. Smith, who is competing with Mark Sanchez among others for the team's starting job, said the decision to go with Jay-Z is not an indication that he's focused on his image and marketing opportunities - as speculated by some. ''It's not that important to me, honestly,'' Smith said. ''The only thing that's important to me is the image that's perceived around this locker room, the guy I am to my teammates, to my coaches and the work I put in on the football field. I'm all about football. ''I'm all about getting better.''

Janet Jackson Is Officially a Billionaire
Michael Jackson may be one of the most successful dead celebrities, but his sister Janet (who, of course, is alive and well) is doing pretty well herself. The 47-year-old is officially a billionaire. Jackson, who is one of the best-selling artists of all time, has earned $458 million thanks to her successful concert tours, $304 million from acting roles in films like "For Colored Girls" and "The Nutty Professor," $260 million in album sales, and more than $81 million from tour sponsorships and licensing fees. And the "Control" songstress isn't the only billionaire in her household. Jackson secretly married retail tycoon Wissam Al Mana, who's made his fortune investing in the Middle East.

Canseco accused of sexual assault
Former baseball slugger Jose Canseco Jr. has been accused of sexual assault in Las Vegas, in an investigation that the former baseball slugger made public with postings on a social media website claiming that a woman falsely accused him of rape. No arrest was made and police said no charges were immediately filed against the 48-year-old former Oakland Athletics rookie of the year who played for six other teams from 1985 to 2001 and later wrote a tell-all book admitting that he used performance-enhancing steroids. Officer Bill Cassell, a police department spokesman, wouldn't say Wednesday where the alleged attack took place. Word about the investigation became public after Canseco posted information about it on the social media network Twitter. He said Las Vegas police had just left his house. The postings - including the name and workplace of a woman - generated an immediate outcry from others who posted comments deriding Canseco. Some of the information was later removed.

DARIUS RUCKER SLAMS RACIST TWEET: "IS THIS 2013 OR 1913?"Darius Rucker is fighting back -- and with good cause. The country singer has responded to a racist tweet that was sent his way after he covered Bob Dylan's "Wagon Wheel" at the Grand Ole Opry on Sunday, May 19. A Twitter user wrote to the "True Believers" singer, who is African-American: "Leave country to the white folk." The former Hootie and the Blowfish frontman re-tweeted the comment and wrote back, "WOW. Is this 2013 or 1913? I'll take my grand ole Opry membership and leave your racism. Wow." "Gotta go to bed this has been hilarious tonight," he wrote. "If any hater thinks I care what u think. I don't make music for u. So don't listen." In the past, Rucker, 47, has been vocal about dealing with racism throughout his life.

Richie Sambora: Jon Bon Jovi needs to stop trash-talkingRocker Richie Sambora has lashed out at his bandmate Jon Bon Jovi, urging the frontman to stop discussing his decision to bow out of the group's current world tour. The guitarist pulled out of Bon Jovi's North American shows in April, citing a "personal matter." He subsequently extended his break and will miss the upcoming European and South African legs of the band's Because We Can tour. In a recent interview, Jon Bon Jovi gave an enigmatic answer as to why Sambora was struggling to fulfil his commitments, saying, "It's getting more and more difficult every day to not just sit here and say something ... Because all I can say is this -- it's for personal reasons." Now Sambora has warned his longtime bandmate to keep quiet about the hiatus, and even accuses the singer of suggesting he is not an essential part of Bon Jovi performances. "I don't have any major problems in life right now, I love my fans and I feel bad for them at the moment. Bottom line," he told Britain's Daily Mail. "My opinion is Jon wants to see if he can pull off stadiums by himself. He is making it very difficult for me to come back. Enough with the trash-talking! Jon needs to stop talking about me publicly. I am fine working very hard on my fashion company Nikki Rich, and this is a private matter."

Jennifer Hudson (definitely) in negotiations to judge 'Idol'
Jennifer Hudson, season 3 finalist-turned-Oscar-winning actress and Grammy-winning recording artist, is negotiating her deal to join "American Idol" as a Season 13 judge, an individual with knowledge said. Hudson, who appeared on last week's finale results show, is interested in joining the show. "She got the offer and her reps are currently negotiating with [the show's production company] Fremantle," the insider said of the process that could take as long as six months to complete. Fox declined to comment on Hudson's negotiations. Kelly Clarkson was also said to be considering an offer to judge the show.

TV NEWS
The 2-year wait for Luther season 3 will be over this fall, as BBC America has announced that Neil Cross’s fan-favorite series will be returning on September 3 with a week marathon of all 4 episodes – and what’s more, some plot details of this upcoming season were also included.

FX’s new Diane Kruger drama The Bridge will debut Wednesday, July 10 at 10 pm.

Carrie Mathison is lawyering up. Boss‘ Amy Morton is joining Season 3 of Homeland in the recurring role of Erin Kimball, Carrie’s CIA appointed attorney. Additionally, Tracy Letts (Prison Break) has been cast as Senator Andrew Lockhart, the powerful, authoritative and commanding Committee Chairman. He will also recur.

Rumor has it Rumer Willis is Rosewood-bound. The 90210 alumna has landed a guest spot in Pretty Little Liars‘ fourth season, which launches its summer run on June 11. Willis appears in a July episode (with the potential to return) as the organizer of a global charity.

TLC is reviving NBC’s cancelled, celeb-based genealogy series Who Do You Think You Are? The Lisa Kudrow-produced show returns July 23 with eight new episodes.

Scream 4 star Emma Roberts is the latest star to sign up for the third installment of Ryan Murphy’s American Horror Story—this year subtitled Coven. Roberts will play a party girl named Madison.

Anna Nicole, Lifetime’s upcoming biopic based on the life of infamous model Anna Nicole Smith, premieres June 29.

A&E is canceling its long-running docu-series "Intervention." The cable network announced on Thursday that it will begin airing the show's Season 13 with five final episodes on Thursday, June 13 at 9 p.m./8c.

CBS has closed a deal to continue airing the Tony Awards through 2018.

Daytime Emmy winner Rena Sofer has joined The Bold and the Beautiful. The General Hospital alumna — who’ll make her debut July 12 — will play Quinn Fuller. Quinn is the mother of Wyatt Fuller, who in turn will be played by fellow B&B newcomer Darin Brooks.

Another Shield alum is ready to live a Charming life. CCH Pounder has landed a multi-episode arc on the sixth season of FX’s Sons of Anarchy. The actress joins SOA as a San Joaquin County District Attorney who comes into contact with the biker bad boys of SAMCRO.

Carrying on its tradition of wedding-based Real Housewives spin-offs, Bravo has reportedly given the green light to a nuptial-centric series starring Orange County housewife Tamra Barney.

2013-05-21T10:51:00.003-04:00

Doors keyboardist Ray Manzarek died Monday in Rosenheim, Germany after a long battle with bile duct cancer, his rep confirmed. He was 74. Manzarek is best known as a founding member of the classic rock band The Doors, along with John Densmore, Robby Krieger and the group's charismatic (and controversial) frontman Jim Morrison. "I was deeply saddened to hear about the passing of my friend and bandmate Ray Manzarek today," Krieger said in a statement. "I'm just glad to have been able to have played Doors songs with him for the last decade. Ray was a huge part of my life and I will always miss him." The group formed after Manzarek met Morrison while studying film at UCLA in the early-'60s. Later that decade, they became a force on the Los Angeles music scene and helped define the sound of sixties rock. Among their indelible hits: "Break on Through to the Other Side," "L.A. Woman," and "Hello, I Love You." Following Morrison's death in 1971, the group eventually disbanded, but Manzarek continued to write and record music and wrote a memoir on his time with the band in 1998, titled Light My Fire: My Time with the Doors. His role as the shrewd, straight-laced member of the group was also immortalized in Oliver Stone's 1991 movie The Doors. At the time of his death, Manzarek was surrounded by his wife Dorothy and his brothers Rick and James. He is also survived by his son Pablo and three grandchildren, Noah, Apollo and Camille.

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87-Year Old Sues Donald Trump
An 87-year-old woman accusing Donald Trump of cheating her in a bait-and-switch scheme has told jurors she had qualms about suing the developer-turned-TV star given his power and influence. But during testimony Monday, when she was asked why she nonetheless took Trump to court, Jacqueline Goldberg replied firmly that "Somebody had to stand up to him." Goldberg says "The Apprentice" star enticed her into buying two condos at Chicago's Trump International Hotel & Tower with an offer to share profits of the entire building. But she told jurors at the civil trial in Chicago that she felt "conned" when Trump withdrew the profit-sharing plan after she bought the condos. Testifying last week, Trump denied the allegations. He also told reporters that Goldberg was in fact trying to rip him off.

Giotti
Anthony Hopkins has signed on for an unspecified role in the gangster biopic Gotti, just a few weeks after director Joe Johnston came on board to give the languishing project new life. John Travolta stars as Gambino family crime boss John Gotti, with Kelly Preston portraying the teflon don's wife, Victoria Gotti. The story follows Gotti and his son, who wants to leave the family business to start fresh on his own.

Glimmer
"Teen Wolf" and "The Maze Runner" star Dylan O'Brien is in talks for the lead role in Ringan Ledwidge's sci-fi thriller "Glimmer" at Dreamworks which begins shooting in January. The story deals with a group of teenagers who discover a portal to the past. When one of them changes history, the effects start to snowball with tragic consequences.
Justin Bartha has a reason to celebrate! The Hangover Part III star, 34, is engaged to personal trainer Lia Smith. Before Smith, Bartha most famously dated Ashley Olsen for two years. The pair split in early 2011.

Aurora Rising
Liam Hemsworth is set to star in the action movie "Aurora Rising" at Relativity Media. Christian Gudegast ("A Man Apart") penned the script. The story deals with a Southern California surfer turned fighter pilot who is recruited to test a new generation of aircraft just as a major international conflict begins.

Wish I Was Here
Kate Hudson has been cast as Zach Braff's wife in the Kickstarter-funded indie "Wish I Was Here" which Braff will direct. The story follows Aidan Bloom (Zach Braff), a struggling actor, father and husband still trying to find a purpose for his life. Mandy Patinkin and Josh Gad also star.

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo sent a letter to Khloe Kardashian informing the reality star the logo on her T-shirt line may be violating copyright law. The governor confirmed his administration sent what he called a "pro forma" letter advising Kardashian that her T-shirt line resembles the logo of a New York farm program. The state's design has an image of the Statue of Liberty above crop rows, encircled by the words "Pride of New York." Kardashian's shirt contains the Statue of Liberty image and crop rows and, in font similar to the New York logo, the words: "Rich Soil New York."

TV NEWS
CBS has replaced tonight’s Mike & Molly season finale — which discuses a tornado hitting Chicago — in light of the real-life twisters touching down in the Midwest. The episode did not contain any footage of the storm’s damage, a repeat was shown in its place. “Due to the tragic events this afternoon in Oklahoma, we are pre-empting tonight’s season finale of Mike & Molly, which has a related storyline,” a CBS spokesperon says. “A repeat broadcast of ‘Mike & Molly will run in the time period. The season finale will be broadcast at an appropriate date.“

The Drake will reopen its doors on June 22, when ABC’s 666 Park Avenue returns to finish up its freshman run. The ill-fated spooker — which ABC pulled from the schedule after its Dec. 2, 2012 broadcast — will unspool its four remaining episodes on Saturdays at 9/8c, with the finale airing July 13.

Simon Cowell is going to be outnumbered on The X Factor this fall, but somehow we suspect he won’t mind. Fox has confirmed that Destiny’s Child founding member Kelly Rowland and Latin singer Paulina Rubio will be the new Factor judges for season three. They’ll join executive producer-judge Cowell and his fellow lone surviving panelist from last season, pop singer Demi Lovato.

2013-05-20T16:16:00.000-04:00

Billboard Music Awards Fashion... News below

Leader of Toots and the Maytals injured at concert
Officials say the leader of the reggae band Toots and the Maytals was injured when a 19-year-old man threw a bottle and hit the singer during a concert in Richmond. Police said Sunday the man has been charged with aggravated assault. Authorities have not identified him. The Richmond Times-Dispatch reports that Frederick "Toots" Hibbert was treated at a hospital for a cut to his head and released. Hibbert was hit by a glass bottle thrown from the crowd Saturday night as the band was performing at the Dominion Riverrock outdoor sports and music festival. The band stopped playing after he was hit. Festival organizers say Hibbert was in good spirits despite the traumatic event and regretted that the concert had to be stopped early.

Mary J. Blige's Tax Troubles

Mary J. Blige's financial woes have QUADRUPLED -- on top of the $900k she allegedly owes the Garden State, MJB has been slapped with a $3.4 MILLION bill from Uncle Sam. The IRS filed a federal tax lien against the Grammy winner, claiming she failed to pay all her income taxes for the years 2009 ($574,907.30), 2010 ($2,203,743.53) and 2011 ($647,604.60). Tax bill grand total: $3,426,255.43. Translation: A LOT OF FREAKING MONEY. Of course, the IRS needs to get in line ... the State of NJ says MJB still owes $901,769.65 in back taxes. Blige is being sued for allegedly defaulting on a $2.2 million bank loan and her charity is facing a lawsuit that claims it took out a $250k loan and never paid it back.

HEAVY D'S BROTHER REQUESTS CONTROL OVER LATE STAR'S ESTATE
Heavy D's brother has filed legal papers to gain control of the late singer's estate. Floyd Myers, who previously served as the hip-hop star's business manager, claims the "Now That We Found Love" hitmaker wrote a will in 1999 which left everything to his sibling. He reportedly lost the document years ago, but Myers has since found his copy and is now asking a Los Angeles County Superior Court judge to appoint him executor of Heavy D's estate, which included $320,000 in listed assets. However, Floyd's lawyer says the court request is simply a formality to clear the title on a condominium the brothers co-owned so it can be sold off. Heavy D, real name Dwight Arrington Myers, died from a pulmonary embolism outside his Los Angeles home in November 2011 at age 44 -- before he could update his will to include his daughter, who was born in 2000.

'Star Trek Into Darkness' blasts off with a $70.6 million weekend
The USS Enterprise picked up steam throughout the weekend, despite a somewhat unimpressive start. The first Star Trek of the Abrams era opened in early May of 2009 and made an impressive $75.2 million on its first weekend out of the gates, without the benefit of 3-D surcharges. This newest film is showing in 336 IMAX 3-D theaters, whereas the first showed in 138 IMAX venues — accounting for $8.5 million in ticket sales on its first weekend. Iron Man 3 continues to do well at the box office in spite of the new competition from Star Trek Into Darkness, making an estimated $35.2 million in its third weekend in theaters. This brings its domestic total to $337.1 million. The Great Gatsby took the No. 3 spot with a $23.4 million weekend, bringing its domestic total to an estimated $90.2 million.
1. Star Trek Into Darkness — $70.6 million (3-day)
2. Iron Man 3 — $35.2 million
3. The Great Gatsby –$23.4 million
4. Pain and Gain — $3.1 million
5. The Croods — $2.8 million
It’s blue times two for Chely Wright. The country singer and her wife, music executive Lauren Blitzer Wright, welcomed identical twin sons on Saturday, May 18 in New York City, her rep says. Although they weren’t due until this summer, George Samuel and Everett Joseph — who are named for their great-grandfathers – are thriving, the rep says. “We are grateful for all the amazing medical care and the love and support of family and friends,” Wright, 42, says. The couple, who announced the pregnancy in January, revealed the sex of the twins in March.

Robert Pattinson & Kristen Stewart Split...Again
There have been recent signs of trouble in paradise for newly-split couple, Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart. The exes, who were inseparable just weeks ago, grew distant since Pattinson returned from New York to Los Angeles on May 8. "They again went from spending every second together, to spending more time apart at their separate houses," a source says. "Kristen has been in a terrible mood, and it was obvious that things were not great with Rob." A major sign pointing to the demise of their romance was the absence of Stewart, 23, on May 13, the date of Pattinson's 27th birthday. "It was very strange that they didn't celebrate Rob's birthday together," the source says. "He had friends over at his house, but Kristen was not part of the celebration. For the past few days, they have not spent any time together." Reacting the same as when they last split after Stewart's fling with her Snow White and the Huntsman director Rupert Sanders, the source says the actress once again "[hasn't left] her house for days, but [has] surrounded herself with friends 24/7."

Kordell Stewart Locks RHOA Out of House

Kordell Stewart really doesn't wanna see his estranged wife Porsha Williams anymore ... 'cause the ex-NFL star just changed the locks on the family home to keep her out according to Porsha. The "Real Housewives of ATL" star just filed new docs in her divorce war with Kordell and it appears the nasty split just got even NASTIER. According to the docs, filed in family court in Georgia, Porsha claims Kordell has locked her out of their residence on multiple occasions ... and she had to have her lawyer beg Kordell's people for a key. Sources close to the situation say Kordell isn't playing ball -- and hasn't forked over a key. But there's more ... according to the docs, Porsha tried to work things out with Kordell in a mediation session, but she claims he blew the whole thing off ... and called it a "waste of everyone's time." Porsha wants a judge to force Kordell to either allow her to use the house ... or pay her enough cash so she can get a "suitable alternative residence." Porsha is currently living with her mom in ATL -- guess she feels it's just not a "suitable residence" for a grown woman.

TV NEWS

The fifth season of Warehouse 13 — which will return for only six episodes in 2014 — will be its last, Syfy announced. The drama follows a team of government agents who work at a massive, top-secret storage facility in South Dakota, which houses every strange artifact, mysterious relic, fantastical object and preternatural souvenir ever collected by the U.S. government.

The Doctor will continue to travel worlds. The BBC has ordered an eighth season of Doctor Who, the British broadcaster announced on Saturday night, just as Season 7 wrapped with “The Name of the Doctor.”

The old gang is officially getting back together! NBC announced this afternoon that Blake Shelton, Adam Levine, Christina Aguilera and Cee Lo Green have all signed on to return as coaches for Season 5 of The Voice, which is set to kick off this fall. NBC added that Shakira and Usher, who stepped in alongside Shelton and Levine during the show’s current fourth season, are confirmed to come back for Season 6 in the spring of 2014 (once again along with Levine and Shelton).

The Billboard Music Awards had a viewing audience of 9.47 million, a 28 percent spike over 2012's audience of 7.4 million viewers, Nielsen reported. The show was No. 1 Sunday night in the advertiser-coveted 18-49 demographic, pulling in 4.6 million viewers in the age group. It's the highest ratings for the BBMAs in 12 years.

Taylor Swift dominates the Billboard Music Awards: the complete winners list: Billboard artist of the year Taylor Swift

Top female artist Taylor Swift

Top male artist Justin Bieber

Top new artist One Direction

Top duo/group One Direction

Top Billboard 200 album Taylor Swift, Red

Top Hot 100 song Gotye feat. Kimbra, “Somebody That I Used to Know”

Top Hot 100 Artist Maroon 5

Top Billboard 200 artist Taylor Swift

Milestone artist Justin Bieber

Top digital songs artist Carly Rae Jepsen and Taylor Swift (tie)

Top radio songs artist Rihanna

Top rap artist Nicki Minaj

Top pop artist One Direction

Top R&B artist Rihanna

Top country artist Taylor Swift

Top rock artist Fun.

Top EDM artist David Guetta

Top social artist Justin Bieber

Top streaming artist Nicki Minaj

Top Latin artist Jenni Rivera

Top dance artist Madonna

Top Christian artist tobyMac

Top touring artist Madonna

Top pop song Carly Rae Jepsen, “Call Me Maybe”

Top R&B song Rihanna, “Diamonds”

Top rap song Macklemore & Ryan Lewis, “Thrift Shop”

Top country song Taylor Swift, “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together”

Top rock song Gotye feat. Kimbra, “Somebody That I Used to Know”

Top Latin song Michel Teló, “Ai Se Eu Te Pego”

Top dance song Baauer, “Harlem Shake”

Top EDM song Baauer, “Harlem Shake”

Top Christian song Matt Redman, “10,000 Reasons (Bless the Lord)”

Top digital song Carly Rae Jepsen, “Call Me Maybe”

Top radio song Gotye feat. Kimbra, “Somebody That I Used to Know”

Top streaming song (audio) Gotye feat. Kimbra, “Somebody That I Used to Know”

Top streaming song (video) Psy, “Gangnam Style”

Top pop album Adele, 21

Top R&B albumnRihanna, Unapologetic

Top rap album Nicki Minaj, Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded

Top country album Taylor Swift, Red

Top rock album Mumford & Sons, Babel

Top Latin album Jenni Rivera, La Misma Gran Señora

Top dance album Madonna, MDNA

Top EDM album Skrillex, Bangarang

Top Christian album tobyMac, Eye on It

2013-05-16T12:06:00.000-04:00

Angelina's Brave Decision – and Her Next Surgery
The actress, 37, has experienced no complications since undergoing a double mastectomy in February and reconstructive surgery in April. "She is doing well," a source says. But her medical odyssey is not done. The mother of six is also planning to undergo surgery to remove her ovaries. Because of her "faulty" BRCA1 gene, she still faces a high risk of developing ovarian cancer, which her doctors estimate at 50 percent. Some doctors recommend patients undergo the surgery by age 40 or when a woman is done having children, though it may trigger early menopause. For now, though, the actress and her fiancé, Brad Pitt, have been focused on maintaining a sense of routine for their kids – keeping up family traditions such as a Valentine's Day gift exchange and an Easter egg hunt while Jolie was undergoing treatment. In the weeks surrounding the surgeries, "life was normal" for the children, says a source, and they didn't notice anything amiss.

A new Mo'Nique! The 45-year-old "Precious" actress has dramatically changed her lifestyle with intense, daily workouts to get in shape -- and it's paid off in a big way. In a new interview with "The Cipha Sounds & Rosenberg Show" on New York's Hot 97 FM, Mo'Nique explained that husband Sidney Hicks was the one who encouraged her to change her habits. "It made me say [to myself], 'OK, sis, you got these babies. The twins [Jonathan and David] are 7, [stepson] Michael's 9, Shalon's 22.' And I want to meet their babies. So, I said, 'Let me stop being selfish, and eating everything.' And I ate everything. ... I was a food junkie." Now, the Oscar-winning actress has been documenting her daily workouts in pictures on Twitter, and writing inspirational messages in hopes that others will join her. "We can always get a quick fix. However what will be the long term effects," she wrote on Wednesday. "Do it naturally, benefits . . . PRICELESS." Mo'Nique mixes up her workouts by lifting weights, running, doing yoga, playing basketball and other activities. She also documents on Twitter that she's taken a minimum of 10,000 steps, and done 50 sit-ups per day. Mo'Nique said she currently weighs 218 pounds after "tipping 300" when she starred in the 1999 sitcom "The Parkers." "My goal is between 190 and 200," she shared, but she's already very pleased with her results.

Will Smith: ‘No Emancipation For The Smith Kids’
Will Smith and his son, Jaden Smith, are clearing up emancipation rumors.Following a report that Jaden, 14, was looking to become legally free from his parents, the father-son duo (who are also “After Earth” co-stars) set the record straight on Wednesday’s “The Ellen DeGeneres Show.” “I just heard you are trying to become emancipated, is that right?” the talk show host asked Jaden. “See, here is the thing that you need to understand — I’m not going anywhere,” Jaden said. “The thing that people don’t get is everything at this house is free. So I can get anything and everything at his house so I’m going to be there 20, 30 more years,” he continued. Things might change once Jaden’s film career takes off. “He says as soon as I have a movie that’s bigger than one of his movies, I can get my own house,” he said with a laugh. So how did the emancipation story even get started? “I think I made a joke in Tokyo. I mean, my baby boy he’s never leaving me, ever,” Will told Ellen. “No emancipation for the Smith kids.”

Kelly Rowland reveals Beyonce jealousy, abusive relationship in 'Dirty Laundry'
Kelly Rowland has dropped a new single, titled "Dirty Laundry," off her upcoming solo album "Talk a Good Game." The lyrics of the song are an honest retelling of some hard times the singer went through, dealing with jealousy of her fellow Destiny's Child singer Beyonce and a man she was in an abusive relationship with. Here are a few of the lyrics:

Let's do this dirty laundry, this dirty laundry
Let's do this dirty laundry, this dirty laundry

When you soak in tears for years it never airs out
When you make pain look this good it never wears out
This dirty laundry, this dirty laundry

While my sister was on stage, killing it like a motherf***er
I was enraged feeling it like a motherf***er

Bird in a cage, you would never know what I was dealing with
We went our separate ways, but I was happy she was killing it

Bittersweet, she was up, I was down,
No lie, I feel good or her, but what do I do now?

Forget the record, it's off the record
I was going through some bulls***
Post-Survivor, she on fire
Who wanna hear my bulls***?
Meanwhile this n**** putting his hands on me
Swear y'all don't know the half of this industry
David Beckham says he will retire from professional football at the end of the season. The 38-year-old Beckham, who recently won a league title in a fourth country with Paris Saint-Germain, has become a global superstar since starting his career at Manchester United. Beckham says ''I'm thankful to PSG for giving me the opportunity to continue but I feel now is the right time to finish my career, playing at the highest level.'' Beckham also played for Real Madrid and the Los Angeles Galaxy, winning titles with both those clubs as well as with United. On the international stage, Beckham holds the England record for making 115 appearances as an outfield player for the national team.

Jimmy Iovine and Dr. Dre donate $70 million to USC
The academic world will not forget about Dre. Music industry icons Jimmy Iovine and Dr. Dre are giving $70 million to create an undergraduate academy at the University of Southern California, announced the university.NThe USC Jimmy Iovine and Andre Young Academy for Arts, Technology and the Business of Innovation will focus on four core curriculum areas: Arts and Entrepreneurship; Technology, Design and Marketability; Concept and Business Platforms; and Creating a Prototype. "The vision and generosity of Jimmy Iovine and Andre Young will profoundly influence the way all of us perceive and experience artistic media," said USC President C. L. Max Nikias. "USC provides an extraordinarily rich academic, research and artistic environment. We are committed to encouraging our students to use their intellectual and creative resources to effect change in all segments of society. Our goal is to ensure that the academy is the most collaborative educational program in the world." The four-year academic program, which will enroll its first class of 25 students in fall 2014, will include one-on-one faculty mentoring, opportunities to interact with luminaries from the arts and entertainment industry serving as guest speakers and lecturers, and a broad array of internship opportunities for students.

Beyonce apologizes to fans for scrapped Belgium gig
Beyonce has penned a handwritten note apologizing to fans for scrapping a gig in Belgium on Tuesday. The superstar was advised to cancel the show in Antwerp on doctor's orders after suffering from dehydration and exhaustion, fuelling ongoing rumors she is expecting her second child with husband Jay-Z. Now Beyonce has uploaded a note to concertgoers left disappointed by the postponed gig, and vowed to be back on stage at the Sportpaleis arena in Antwerp on Wednesday night. A picture of the letter was posted on Facebook, and reads, "To my dearest fans in Antwerp. I've never postponed a show in my life. It was very hard for me. I promise I will make it up for you soon. I'm sorry if I disappointed you. Thank you for your concern. I am feeling much better now and am ready to give you a great show. See you tonight." The axed show will be rescheduled at a later date.

Blended
Chelsea Handler has joined the cast of Blended, which already includes Adam Sandler, Drew Barrymore, and Joel McHale. The story centers on a man (Adam Sandler) and a woman (Drew Barrymore) who, after a terrible blind date, become stuck at a family resort with the children of their previous marriages. Chelsea Handler is playing the best friend of Drew Barrymore's character. Joel McHale also stars as Drew Barrymore's ex-husband.

Fury
Michael Pena is in talks to join the cast of David Ayer's World War II thriller "Fury". Brad Pitt, Shia LaBeouf and Logan Lerman also star in the film which begins shooting in September. The story follows the commander of a Sherman tank and its five-man crew on a mission behind enemy lines in April 1945 as Nazi Germany collapses.

This Is Where I Leave You
Dax Shepard has joined Shawn Levy’s ensemble comedy adaptation of Jonathan Tropper's 2009 novel "This Is Where I Leave You". Tina Fey, Jason Bateman, Jane Fonda, Timothy Olyphant, Rose Byrne and Adam Driver also star. The story follows a dysfunctional family gathered at the funeral of its patriarch. Shepard will play a popular Howard Stern-like radio shock jock. Filming is currently underway in New York.

Colombian Model Catalina Denis Lands Female Lead in Paul Walker Movie 'Brick Mansions'
Colombian model-turned-actress Catalina Denis will play the female lead in "Brick Mansions," which is EuropaCorp and Relativity Media's English-language remake of the French action movie "District B13." Paul Walker and David Belle of the original "District B13" star in the remake, which is being directed by Camille Delamarre. Walker plays an undercover cop who must enter a tenement known as Brick Mansions to disarm a bomb in possession of a drug warlord, who will be played by the RZA. Denis will play Belle's love interest.

TV NEWS
A shake-up at the top of "The Voice" is on its way: Shakira has confirmed she won't be returning for the show's season 5. When asked on Tuesday night after the Top 12 elimination show, whether she'd come back next season, she said, "Not for next season, for sure." She added that she wanted to "get back to my baby (4-month-old Milan) -- give him some love and dedicate some time to him and also to my new album that I'm working on." There is speculation that original "Voice" coach Christina Aguilera will step in when Shakira leaves and that the singer will receive $12 million for her appearance, though neither is confirmed.

The CW confirmed what fans already pretty much already figured out: That the fourth season will be the last for Nikita. The first clue was that the network only ordered six episodes. The second was a tweet by showrunner Craig Silverstein last week promising an “incredible finish.” The third was, frankly, that Nikita‘s ratings were so low it was tough to imagine an open-ended scenario.

Jennifer Lopez is the newly appointed chief creative officer of NUVOtv. The versatile J-Lo was announced last fall as a creative partner with the English-language Latino network, but her role was solidified Wednesday as NUVOtv held its upfront for advertisers and prepared for a re-launch of its programming in July. In an interview before the presentation, Lopez said about two years ago she was approached by NUVOtv to serve “probably more as the face of the network. But once we sat down and I started expressing my point of view about the programming and the network, it grew into something bigger.” Lopez will also be the subject of a 90-minute biographical special, the network said. Among new series announced will be “Gotta Dance,” a behind-the-scenes look at the lives of professional dancers accompanying Lopez on a world concert tour. Other series announced include “Rodney’s Joy,” a reality show about Grammy Award-winning producer Rodney “Darkchild” Jerkins as he takes on a new client — his wife, Joy Enriquez — as well as “Mario Lopez: One on One,” an interview show.

CBS Fall Schedule
Mondays
8 p.m. How I Met Your Mother
8:30 p.m. We Are Men
9 p.m. 2 Broke Girls
9:30 p.m. Mom
10 p.m. Hostages (15 episodes through January) /Intelligence (13 episodes through May)

Tuesdays
8 p.m. NCIS
9 p.m. NCIS: Los Angeles
10 p.m. Person of Interest

Wednesdays
8 p.m. Survivor
9 p.m. Criminal Minds
10 p.m. CSI

Thursdays
8 p.m. The Big Bang Theory
8:30 p.m.. The Millers
9 p.m. The Crazy Ones
9:30 p.m. Two and a Half Men
10 p.m. Elementary

Fridays
8 p.m. Undercover Boss
9 p.m. Hawaii 5-0
10 p.m. Blue Bloods

Saturdays
8 p.m. Comedytime Saturday
9 p.m. Crimetime Saturday
10 p.m. 48 Hours

Sundays
8 p.m. The Amazing Race
9 p.m.. The Good Wife
10 p.m. The Mentalist

CW Fall Schedule:
MONDAY
8:00-9:00 p.m. Hart of Dixie (New Night)
9:00-10:00 p.m. Beauty and the Beast (New Night)

TUESDAY
8:00-9:00 p.m. The Originals (New Series)
9:00-10:00 p.m. Supernatural (New Night)

WEDNESDAY
8:00-9:00 p.m. Arrow
9:00-10:00 p.m. The Tomorrow People (New Series)

THURSDAY
8:00-9:00 p.m. The Vampire Diaries
9:00-10:00 p.m. Reign (New Series)

FRIDAY
8:00-9:00 p.m. The Carrie Diaries (New Night)
9:00-10:00 p.m. America's Next Top Model

Midseason Shows: Nikita (six episode final season), Star-Crossed (new series), The 100 (new series)

ABC Fall Schedule

The network has picked up 11 new shows and some well-known names will be appearing, including James Caan, Rebel Wilson and Omar Epps. Then, of course, there's what's likely the most-anticipated new pilot of 2013: Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. from Avengers director Joss Whedon (watch a preview).NThe Dancing with the Stars results show has been nixed from the schedule and fans might also notice that Surburgatory hasn't made the fall schedule despite being renewed, but it will come back midseason. The Neighbors is also moving to Friday nights. Betrayal and Resurrection will both be limited-run series with 12-13 episodes for their first seasons.

MONDAY

8:00 p.m. Dancing with the Stars
10:00 p.m. Castle

TUESDAY
8:00 p.m. Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (new) - watch a preview
9:00 p.m. The Goldbergs (new) - watch a preview
9:30 p.m. Trophy Wife (new) - watch a preview
10:00 p.m. Lucky 7 (new) - watch a preview

WEDNESDAY
8:00 p.m. The Middle
8:30 p.m. Back in the Game (new) - watch a preview
9:00 p.m. Modern Family
9:30 p.m. Super Fun Night (new) - watch a preview
10:00 p.m. Nashville

THURSDAY
8:00 p.m. Once Upon a Time in Wonderland (new) - watch a preview
9:00 p.m. Grey’s Anatomy
10:00 p.m. Scandal

FRIDAY
8:00 p.m. Last Man Standing
8:30 p.m. The Neighbors
9:00 p.m. Shark Tank
10:00 p.m. 20/20

SATURDAY
8:00 p.m. Saturday Night College Football

SUNDAY
7:00 p.m. America’s Funniest Home Videos
8:00 p.m. Once Upon a Time
9:00 p.m. Revenge
10:00 p.m. Betrayal (new) - watch a preview

Midseason shows: Resurrection (new, watch a preview), Killer Women (new, watch a preview) and Mind Games (new, watch a preview), Mixology (new, watch a preview), Suburgatory

2013-05-14T11:21:00.000-04:00

Joyce Brothers, popular psychologist and TV personality, dies
Joyce Brothers, the pop psychologist who pioneered the television advice show in the 1950s and enjoyed a long and prolific career as a syndicated columnist, author and television and film personality, has died. She was 85. Brothers died Monday in New York City, according to her longtime publicist, Sanford Brokaw. The cause of death was not immediately made public. Brothers first gained fame on a game show and went on to publish 15 books and make cameo appearances on popular shows including "Happy Days" and "The Simpsons." She visited Johnny Carson on "The Tonight Show" nearly 100 times. The way Brothers liked to tell it, her multimedia career came about "because we were hungry." It was 1955. Her husband, Milton Brothers, was still in medical school and Brothers had just given up her teaching positions at Hunter College and Columbia University to be home with her newborn, firmly believing a child's development depended on it. But the young family found itself struggling on her husband's residency income. So Brothers came up with the idea of entering a television quiz show as a contestant. "The $64,000 Question" quizzed contestants in their chosen area of expertise. She memorized 20 volumes of a boxing encyclopedia — and, with that as her subject, became the only woman ever and the second person to win the show's top prize. Brothers tried her luck again on the "$64,000 Challenge," answering each question correctly and earning the distinction as one of the biggest winners in the history of television quiz shows. Her celebrity opened up doors. In 1956, she became co-host of "Sports Showcast" and frequently appeared on talk shows. Two years later, NBC offered her a trial on an afternoon television program in which she advised on love, marriage, sex and child-rearing. Its success led to a nationally telecast program, and subsequent late-night shows that addressed such taboo subjects as menopause, frigidity, impotence and sexual enjoyment. She wrote numerous advice books, including "Ten Days To A Successful Memory," "Positive Plus: The Practical Plan for Liking Yourself Better" and "Widowed," a guide to dealing with grief written after the death of her husband in 1990. Brothers is survived by sister Elaine Goldsmith, daughter Lisa Brothers Arbisser, four grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
Model-turned-actress Angie Everhart is battling cancer. The 43-year-old, who was once engaged to actor Joe Pesci, has been diagnosed with thyroid cancer and will undergo surgery. Everhart's publicist says "Word has been trickling out about supermodel-actress Angie Everhart's health. She wants to set the record straight by letting everyone know that it is true that she has been diagnosed with thyroid cancer, however, the prognosis is very good." The rep continued, "She will undergo surgery tomorrow and expects to be back to work and to mommy duties in a few weeks. The most important reason she is revealing this information is to encourage people to learn about cancer prevention, its signs and treatment immediately."

Angelina Jolie has double mastectomy to prevent cancer likelihood
Angelina Jolie recently underwent a double mastectomy after genetic tests determined the actress faced a high probability of developing breast cancer. The Girl, Interrupted Oscar-winner revealed the news in a New York Times column published Tuesday titled “My Medical Choice,” saying that she wanted to avoid the same fate as her mother, who died at age 56 after battling the ovarian cancer for nearly a decade. “I wanted to write this to tell other women that the decision to have a mastectomy was not easy. But it is one I am very happy that I made,” Jolie wrote in the essay. “My chances of developing breast cancer have dropped from 87 percent to under 5 percent. I can tell my children that they don’t need to fear they will lose me to breast cancer.” The 37-year-old actress has six children, and said they have sometimes asked whether she might also end up with the illness that took their grandmother, Marcheline Bertrand, in 2007. “I have always told them not to worry, but the truth is I carry a ‘faulty’ gene, BRCA1, which sharply increases my risk of developing breast cancer and ovarian cancer,” Jolie wrote. “Once I knew that this was my reality, I decided to be proactive and to minimize the risk as much I could,” she added. “I made a decision to have a preventive double mastectomy. I started with the breasts, as my risk of breast cancer is higher than my risk of ovarian cancer, and the surgery is more complex.” Astoundingly, one of the most watched human beings on the planet was able to keep her treatment completely secret through three months of surgeries, despite being followed by paparazzi seemingly everywhere she goes. Her voluntary revelation now could raise an astronomical amount of awareness — potentially saving the lives others unfamiliar with this kind of testing or preventative measure. In her column, Jolie said she decided to open up about it “because there are many women who do not know that they might be living under the shadow of cancer. It is my hope that they, too, will be able to get gene tested, and that if they have a high risk they, too, will know that they have strong options.” She said a prime concern is helping middle- and lower-income people. “The cost of testing for BRCA1 and BRCA2, at more than $3,000 in the United States, remains an obstacle for many women.” And coming from a celebrity often ranked as one of the most beautiful women in the world, Jolie could have a profound supportive influence on those facing similar treatment — since one of the most agonizing parts of the decision is what it will do to the patient’s appearance and sense of self. She acknowledged those potential psychological effects in her op-ed. “On a personal note, I do not feel any less of a woman,” she wrote. “I feel empowered that I made a strong choice that in no way diminishes my femininity.” Jolie credited her partner, Brad Pitt, for helping her through the arduous series of procedures, which began on Feb. 2 and ended on April 27. ”So to anyone who has a wife or girlfriend going through this, know that you are a very important part of the transition,” Jolie wrote. “Brad was at the Pink Lotus Breast Center, where I was treated, for every minute of the surgeries. We managed to find moments to laugh together. We knew this was the right thing to do for our family and that it would bring us closer. And it has.” She said her regimen will eventually be made public and posted on the Web site of the Pink Lotus Breast Center, but Jolie also delved into fairly specific detail in her essay, describing the so-called “nipple delay” procedure designed to save that part of the body, the later surgery to remove her breast tissue, and the subsequent reconstruction. “You wake up with drain tubes and expanders in your breasts. It does feel like a scene out of a science-fiction film. But days after surgery you can be back to a normal life,” she said. “Nine weeks later, the final surgery is completed with the reconstruction of the breasts with an implant. There have been many advances in this procedure in the last few years, and the results can be beautiful.” Jolie’s next screen role will be as the title character in Disney’s live-action Maleficient, a retelling of the Sleeping Beauty story from the perspective of the villain. It’s set to open in July 2014.

Beyonce's father faces $1.2M tax lien
The IRS has filed a large tax lien against Mathew Knowles, who was still managing his daughter, Beyonce, in 2010 and 2011, when the feds claim he underpaid. Knowles owes a whopping $1,213,580.84 in total. Beyonce cut professional ties with her dad in 2011. Earlier this year, she told Oprah Winfrey that the pair had begun arguing more as she got older. "It took a while for me and my dad to have an understanding," she said. "When I turned 18 and started handling my business more, he went into shock. And we had our issues. I'd say 'no' to something, and he'd book it anyway. Then I'd have to do it because I'd look bad [if I didn't]."

Ex-WR Smith sentenced to six years
Former Jacksonville Jaguars receiver Jimmy Smith has been sentenced to six years in prison in Mississippi for drug possession and weapons charges. The Mississippi Department of Corrections' website says the 44-year-old Smith entered the prison system in late March and was recently moved to a facility in Yazoo City. Online records show he was sentenced by a Madison County court to two years for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and four years for possession of cocaine. His tentative release date is listed as Nov. 8, 2018. Smith, a standout at Jackson State drafted by the Dallas Cowboys in 1992, played 13 seasons in the NFL, including 11 for the Jaguars. He became the franchise's all-time leading receiver before his retirement in 2005.
Halle Berry, 46 and daughter Nahla, 5 out with fiancé Olivier Martinez, 47, for a casual lunch date at Riva Bella restaurant.

Brooke Mueller 'rambled about mafia connections before being admitted to rehab'.... as Charlie Sheen's ex Denise Richards refuses extra child support for taking care of his twins
Brooke Mueller is reported to have been babbling about ‘mafia connections’ when she was forced into psychiatric care earlier this month under suspicion of heavy drug abuse. When police arrived at her Los Angeles home on May 1 the 35-year-old was ranting about an imaginary FBI investigation of her ex Charlie Sheen. The mother-of-two claimed she was an informant for the Federal Bureau and was going to bring her former husband down with her secret information. law enforcement arrived at her home after receiving a 911 call from a man who claimed Brooke had assaulted him. officers on the scene believed that she was inebriated and appeared to not have slept for days. Her children, four-year-old twin boys Bob and Max who she shares with Sheen, were present in the house during the incident. Police called the Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services, who were reported have had an open case on the troubled mother. Upon making the call to Family Services officers took Brooke into custody under a section 5150 – a California Welfare and Institutions Code that deems an individual to have a mental disorder making them a danger to themselves and others. Brooke was placed under a three-day psychiatric hold and was later sent to rehab. Meanwhile, Brooke is said to be concerned that her child support - a whopping $55,000 a month - will be cut off by Sheen as their children are in the temporary custody of Denise Richards. A source said ‘One of the reasons she had her lawyer go to court on Friday to ask the judge to strip Denise Richards of temporary guardianship of Bob and Max - and have them placed with her brother - is because she is afraid that Charlie is going to cut off child support.’ The rehab veteran’s sole source of income are the child support checks, as the source explained: ‘Brooke hasn’t worked in years and is unable to keep a job because of her addiction to drugs. ‘Brooke doesn’t have any money saved and lives month-to-month on the child support.’ Despite being denied spouse support in her divorce from the movie star she did receive a $757,000 settlement as well as $1 million from the sale of their home. But Sheen has no plans to cut her off just yet as the source said: ‘Charlie will reassess the child support issue with Brooke in the next few months and see where things stand. He wants her to get the help she needs.’ Although, his other ex wife Denise is an entirely different story. Sheen is reported have offered to give Richards more money for taking care of his two children while their mother Brooke is in rehab. But the actress politely declined. The Anger Management star also pays Denise $55,000 a month in child support, but wanted to give her more as she tended to his four-year-old twins from his marriage to Brooke. ‘Charlie is extremely generous, and wanted to make sure having the twins in Denise’s care didn’t place a financial strain on her. ‘Denise was thankful for the offer, but declined because she has the financial means to take care of them herself. She isn’t doing this for the money.’

TV NEWS

Bill Hader is leaving Saturday Night Live after eight seasons as one of its most versatile and hilarious players. The 34-year-old actor arrived at 30 Rock in 2005 and quickly carved out a role for himself with some of the show’s most popular characters, including “Weekend Update” special guests Stefon and James Carville, and an array of oddball game-show hosts. “It was a hard decision, but it has to happen at some point,” Hader said. “It got to a point where I said, ‘Maybe it’s just time to go.’” Last year, Hader was rewarded with an Emmy nomination for his all-around excellence on the show. He’s expected to focus more on movies; he’s appeared in films like Superbad, Adventureland, and Tropic Thunder, and in just the last season of SNL, he squeezed in three live-action movies and four animated films. One of them is The To Do List, starring Aubrey Plaza, which his wife, Maggie Carey wrote and directed.
The casting of Broadway MVP Cristin Milioti as How I Met Your Mother‘s titular mother was literally Hollywood’s best-kept secret — that is until she showed up in the closing seconds of Monday’s Season 8 finale. Milioti’s season-ending cameo was shot on March 27 on the Twentieth Century Fox lot in Los Angeles. Strict non-disclosure agreements and a (mostly) closed set were just a few of the precautions taken to preserve the surprise.

Downton Abbey fans only have to keep a stiff upper lip for a few months longer. PBS announced on Tuesday that the period drama’s fourth season will debut on Sunday, January 5, 2014.

FOX fall schedule

MONDAY

8-9 PM – Bones (fall) /Almost Human (new; late fall)
9-10 PM – Sleepy Hollow (new; fall) / The Following (midseason)
TUESDAY

8-8:30 PM – Dads (new)
8:30-9 PM – Brooklyn Nine-Nine (new)
9-9:30 PM – New Girl
9:30-10 PM – The Mindy Project
WEDNESDAY
8-10 PM – The X Factor (fall) /American Idol (midseason)
THURSDAY
8-9 PM – The X Factor Results (fall) / American Idol Results (midseason)
9-10 PM – Glee (fall) / Rake (new; midseason)
FRIDAY
8-9 PM – Junior Masterchef (new; fall)
9-10 PM – Sleepy Hollow encores (fall)
SCHEDULED FOR LATE FALL
8-9 PM – Bones (late fall)
9-9:30 PM – Raising Hope (late fall)
9:30-10 PM – Enlisted (new; late fall)
SATURDAY
7-10:30 PM – Fox Sports Saturday
SUNDAY
7-7:30 PM – NFL Game (fall)
7-8 PM - The OT (fall)
8-8:30 PM – The Simpsons
8:30-9 PM - Bob’s Burgers
9-9:30 PM - Family Guy
9:30-10 PM – American Dad

NBC fall schedule

(New programs in UPPER CASE; all times ET)

MONDAY
8-10 p.m. – “The Voice”
10-11 p.m. – “THE BLACKLIST”

TUESDAY
8-9 p.m. – “The Biggest Loser” (New Day and Time)
9-10 p.m. – “The Voice” (New time)
10-11 p.m. – “Chicago Fire” (New Day and Time)

WEDNESDAY
8-9 p.m. – “Revolution” (New Day and Time)
9-10 p.m. – ”Law & Order: SVU”
10-11 p.m. – “IRONSIDE”

THURSDAY
8-8:30 p.m. – “Parks and Recreation” (New time)
8:30-9 p.m. – “WELCOME TO THE FAMILY”
9-9:30 p.m. – “SEAN SAVES THE WORLD”
9:30-10 p.m. – “THE MICHAEL J. FOX SHOW”
10-11 p.m. – “Parenthood” (New Day and Time)

FRIDAY
8-9 p.m. – “Dateline NBC”
9-10 p.m. – “Grimm”
10-11 p.m. – “DRACULA”

SATURDAY
Encore programming

SUNDAY
7:00-8:15 p.m. – “Football Night in America”
8:15-11:30 p.m. – “NBC Sunday Night Football