2009's Fiercest Fashion Rivalries

Two famous ladies wearing the same dress is the best—who doesn't love a good old-fashioned fashion face-off to the death?! And fortunately for us, 2009 had plenty of big names sharing dresses.

Remember when Pink and Shakira wore the same Balmain dress to the MTV VMAs? So embarrassing! Usually when the famous ladies wear the same thing they're at least attending different events. We were almost disappointed the two pop stars were actually cool about the whole thing and posed for photos together.

Will Charlie and Brooke Split...Eventually?

If Charlie Sheen and Brooke Mueller do reconcile, it won't be for long.

At least that's what a source close to the situation tells us.

"Brooke's been wanting a divorce for at least two months, but she was holding out until Charlie signed a new contract [for his sitcom]," the source says. "She thinks she can get more money."

Despite both camps' publicly stated desire to reconcile, our source suggests, "They'll get back together temporarily, but it'll end in divorce."

Sheen has been "doing some soul searching" to figure out what he wants to do next, according to the source, but "everyone around him is telling him to get out of the marriage."

As for Mueller negotiating for hush money, the source says she's trying to get their prenup thrown out. (Mueller's lawyer insisted to E! earlier today that financial discussions have not taken place.)

Plus, says the source, Brooke has "something else on Charlie" but declined to give specific details.

AT&T Drops Tiger's Calls…Permanently

Someone over at AT&T finally realized that a man made infamous for his marriage- and career-decimating naughty text messages may not be the best person to front your cell phone service plans.

As a result, the communications giant has become the third sponsor to sever all ties with Tiger Woods, adding to a list that already includes Accenture and Gillette.

Not exactly the best news with which to ring in the New Year.

No official explanation was given by the company for their withdrawal of support, though, to be honest, no official explanation is necessary at this point. But if it's a reason Tiger's after, we can think of about 12 billion of them.

Among other things, the business split means that when—and if—Tiger returns to the green, he'll be doing so with some new gear. AT&T's logo has long graced the side of Woods' golf bag, and the company has been the title sponsor of an annual PGA tournament that Woods hosts. And Jessica Simpson gets invited to.

OK, that last one might not be such a loss.

Losing Winfrey would be big blow for Second City

CHICAGO – Step outside Oprah Winfrey's Harpo Studios and into the near west side neighborhood that's been home to her television talk show for two decades, and it's easy to get a sense of what she's meant to Chicago.

"I used to live across the street from Harpo and when I moved there it was me and cross-dressing crack addicts and Harpo. And now it's strollers and little white dogs all over," said Paul O'Connor, whose job has been to sell the city to businesses looking to relocate and those wondering why they should stay.

Along with the upscale condominiums and pricey restaurants that replaced the rundown apartments, abandoned warehouses and vacant storefronts, it's a sentiment that helps explain just how nervous people in Chicago are about Winfrey's announcement that next season, the 25th, will be the last for "The Oprah Winfrey Show."

"Chicago's going to find out that she's a real engine to hotel rooms, flowers, limo drivers, you name it," said Joel Nickson, who owns Wishbone restaurant just down the street. "Even when she's not doing the show, we see people all the time taking cabs out here, taking pictures in front of the place."

Media analysts will discuss the millions of viewers worldwide who have eagerly watched Winfrey's show, tuned in others she told them to watch and read books she told them to read. The story in Chicago will be what she's meant to Chicago.

It's a story that starts in the neighborhood that people visited just to see her show — then they'd go off to explore the rest of the city. It's from the neighborhood that Winfrey bragged about Chicago, reminding all those who knew she could take her show just about anywhere that she wanted to be right here.

"Isn't this the most fabulous city in the world?" Winfrey yelled to more than 20,000 fans who crowded Chicago's Magnificent Mile in September for the taping of this season's premiere.

Without Winfrey, some wonder.

"What's this town going to come to?" asked Ann Coddington, 41, of Richmond, Ind., who was at Harpo Studios to see the show Friday morning. "You think of Chicago, you think of Oprah."

Winfrey hasn't said she's leaving Chicago, but there are indications it's possible. She is widely expected to start up a new talk show on OWN: The Oprah Winfrey Network, which is set to debut in January 2011. OWN hired "Oprah" co-executive producer Lisa Erspamer this month as its chief creative officer. She is expected to move from Chicago to Los Angeles in January.

Nobody suggests Harpo Studios' neighborhood will revert to the pre-Winfrey years, when it was all but impossible to catch a cab and there was no place to order a latte much less a nice meal. But the studio stands as a reminder of what has been, and what could be lost.

It was here that celebrities came from all over the world when they had something to say — from Tom Cruise's declaration of love for Katie Holmes, memorably accompanied by a jump on her couch, to Sarah Palin's appearance on the show to kick off her book tour.

"It's our little piece of Hollywood, our big piece of it," said Bob O'Neill, the president of the Grant Park Conservancy.

Winfrey did more than set up shop in Chicago: She gave other companies reason to do so.

"She is part of the cultural infrastructure which provides a rich intellectual and cultural life to the city and that is absolutely critical for corporate decision making," said O'Connor, who now works for the Chicago Metropolis 2020 civic group after leaving World Business Chicago, a not-for-profit economic development corporation that worked to attract and keep businesses in Chicago.

Once the businesses are here, Winfrey has even been part of the effort to persuade employees who might be reluctant to pack up and move their families.

"Oprah and the sports and the 5,000 boats on the lake and the museums are all part of the rich mix to help (companies) bring talent here and make that transition." O'Connor said. "You cannot underestimate that."

Now, though Winfrey will tape in Chicago for at least another 18 months, the studio will stand as a reminder of all that is plaguing the city, from the staggering economy to the lost bid to host the 2016 Olympic games to losing two major trade shows in recent weeks.

"A lot of bad things are happening," said O'Neill, who was troubled enough even before Winfrey's announcement about the spate of bad news that he helped organize a "Chicago in a funk?" symposium. "Her leaving brings a lot of negative publicity."

Jackson moonwalk glove sells for $350K in NYC

NEW YORK – The shimmering, white glove Michael Jackson wore when he premiered his trademark moonwalk dance in 1983 was auctioned off for $350,000 — plus tax — on Saturday.

Winning bidder Hoffman Ma of Hong Kong will pay $420,000, including taxes and fees, for the rhinestone-studded, modified golf glove Jackson wore on his left hand for his moonwalk on Motown's 25th anniversary TV special.

The glove was the top item in a collection of Jackson memorabilia on the block at the Hard Rock Cafe in Times Square. Its pre-auction estimate was $40,000 to $60,000.

"It was a fairly good discount," said Ma, a 36-year-old Jackson fan who bought the pop-music treasure on behalf of the Ponte 16 Resort Hotel in Macau.

As the price of the glove soared, fans roared and squealed — echoing the kind of frenzy that accompanied the late pop star when he toured the world.

"That's what death brings upon celebrity," said Brendan Doyle, a college student munching chicken fingers from a plate in his lap. "Jackson's death was such a tragedy at such a young age that it pushed up prices."

The pop icon, who died June 25 at 50, had given the glove to Walter "Clyde" Orange, of the singing group the Commodores.

A jacket that Jackson wore on his 1989 "Bad" tour fetched $225,000 — 20 times its low estimate of $8,000.

The sale, held by Los Angeles-based Julien's Auctions, also included a fedora Jackson wore for the moonwalk. It sold for $22,000, against a $2,000 high estimate.

New Yorker Linda Derogene said she was willing to spend up to $5,000 for a material link to the performer she's idolized all her life, but never got a chance to see in concert.

"I can't even tell you what it would mean for me. It would be like a dream come true," she said as she waited to bid on something she could afford.

There was no doubt that Jackson dominated the auction dubbed "Music Icons" — of more than 300 items belonging to stars from Elvis Presley and the Beatles to Mariah Carey. The musicians' clothing and instruments filled the small Rock Cafe stage, with two giant photos of Jackson on either side and a huge picture of his famed glove at the center.

Buyers paid the gavel price, plus a 20 percent auction house premium for items over $50,000, and 25 percent for those costing less.

Warrant shows Jackson's doctor waited over an hour before 911 call

LAS VEGAS: Michael Jackson's deathbed doctor waited over an hour to call for help when he realised the pop star wasn't breathing, and could not be found for hours afterward, according to a search warrant unsealed Friday.

The documents, which police filed to support their request to search a Las Vegas pharmacy in August, provide new insight into what went on at his Los Angeles mansion on June 25 when the 50-year-old "King of Pop" went into cardiac arrest and died.

The warrant states that personal physician Conrad Murray of Las Vegas told authorities in interviews days after the death that he administered the powerful anesthetic propofol only after trying many other medications to help Jackson sleep, and after Jackson's "repeated demands/requests" for the drug.

Jackson then went into cardiac arrest within 20 minutes of that injection, while Murray had stepped out for a bathroom break, the doctor told authorities in an interview a few days after the death.

By Murray's own account to police, he did not call for help until 12:22 pm, more than an hour after he realised Jackson wasn't breathing.

Phone records showed Murray on his mobile for 47 minutes with three different callers from 11:18 am to 12:05 pm, a period during which Murray said he was conducting CPR.

"Murray did not mention this to the interviewing detectives," the document stated. Police have not disclosed to whom they believe Murray spoke in those calls.

Police found pill bottles for at least eight different sedatives by Jackson's bed or in his home and, in executing the pharmacy warrant, traced the origin of the propofol to a purchase by Murray at Applied Pharmacy Services in Las Vegas on May 12.

Murray, 56, has not been charged with a crime, but the details in the unsealed documents show authorities were suspicious of his behavior even as they took Jackson to UCLA Medical Center to try to revive him.

Murray was asked to sign the death certificate but vanished from the hospital premises.

"Upon arrival at UCLA Medical Center, neither the coroner's investigators nor detectives could locate Murray to re-interview him," according to the documents, and repeated attempts to contact him were unsuccessful.

- AFP/yb

'New Moon' Breaks Midnight Box Office Record

LOS ANGELES, Calif. -- The Twi-hards turned out in record numbers early Friday morning to catch the first showings of "The Twilight Saga: New Moon," outperforming boy wizard "Harry Potter" who previously held the title of midnight box office king.

According to box office numbers released by Summit Entertainment, "New Moon" pulled in an astounding estimated gross of $26.27 million, while playing at 3,514 theaters.

Fans showed up to theaters across the country in their best Edward, Bella and Jacob costumes. They were also not shy about screaming and hollering with giddy joy at the appearance of a shirtless Taylor Lautner and the first sight of Robert Pattinson on the big screen.

"New Moon" surpassed the previous midnight box office champ, "Harry Potter and The Half-Blood Prince," by for than $4 million.

Rounding out the top five biggest midnight openers of all-time are "The Dark Knight" with $18.5 million, "Star Wars: Epsiode III - Revenge of the Sith" with $16.9 million and "Transformer: Revenge of the Fallen" with $16 million.

Blame Michael Jackson, Not His Doctors!

Call it the ultimate whodunit twist: Michael Jackson did it.

As famed attorney Mark Geragos told E! News, a Jackson homicide trial in which Dr. Conrad Murray is the defendant may well turn into a forum in which Jackson himself is on trial.

"Ultimately, that may be what the defense is," Geragos said.

Don't go there, you say? Don't blame the victim, you cry?

You may be right. But if a lawyer is potentially going to go there, then we're going to go there first. Just to wrap our minds around the concept: Michael Jackson. Responsible for his own death.

Paula Abdul Rumored To Be Negotiating 'Idol' Return

As we noted earlier this month, the effect of Paula Abdul's sudden Twitter resignation from "American Idol" seemed to have all the hallmarks of a negotiation tactic. After all, who sends out a tweet complaining about their boss's unwillingness to pay them $12 million?

And according to a report released today by TMZ, an attempt to move Fox executives closer to her eight-figure asking price is exactly what's been going on. Described as "retracted - in her mind," sources suggest to TMZ that 47 year-old Abdul has a magic number of $10 million in mind before she's willing to rejoin Ryan Seacrest and Simon Cowell, who are expected to receive a combined $180 million over the next 3 years.

The report goes on to claim Paula has little interest in joining the judges on "Dancing with the Stars" (in part, to keep her schedule clear for surprise "Idol" appearances), as well as noting her annoyance towards the producers of ABC's "Ugly Betty," who earlier this week leaked that Abdul was considering an appearance on the show. According to TMZ, "[Paula's] not going to do it now."

With rumors continuing to abound regarding Abdul's return to the show, and with auditions for season 9 well underway, an official confirmation from Fox - one way or the other - should be arriving soon. Stay tuned....

Jodelle Ferland: Eclipse's Nameless Teen Vamp

Jodelle Ferland has been sworn to secrecy. She's not allowed to say much about the part she just landed in the third Twilight movie, Eclipse.

"I'm allowed to tell people that I play a vampire who has just been turned," the 14-year-old Canadian actress tells me. "In other words, I'm a newborn vampire. I'm not allowed to say the name of the character."

So if she won't say whether her character is Team Edward or Team Jacob, what's her pick in real life?

It's Team Edward all the way for Jodelle.

Keep reading to find out why...

Week in Review: Miley Works the Pole, Kate Works the Press, Kourtney Works That Pregnancy

Once again, the ladies were all the buzz this week, as Jon Gosselin's two Kates and a Hailey hit the media circuit in a big way, and Miley Cyrus bumped and ground her way into yet another scandal?don't worry, there's a little Brad Pitt sprinkled in, too.

Hey, did everyone hear about the preggo E! reality star?

1. No, not Kendra! In what can only be classified as ridiculously perfect timing (hello, the same week as the premiere of her new show Kourtney and Khlo? Take Miami?), Kourtney Kardashian announced that she is expecting her first child with on-again boyfriend Scott Disick. The news came as a shock to all since most of the focus earlier in the week had been on Kourt's same-sexcapades in the Florida heat. So how did it happen? She forgot to take the pill, of course! Who wouldn't announce that to the world? Everything is coming up roses for the soon-to-be-reality mama, though, as the entire Kardashian clan is thrilled about Kourtney's little bun in the oven.

2. Gosselin mania was in full force, too, as all of the "loves" of Jon's life talked?and talked, and talked?about what's really going down. First Jon dissed rumored girlfriend Kate Major after her tell-all interview with E! News, simply saying: "I'm happy that she's out of my life." She, of course, fired back, insisting that the two were romantically involved and calling him out: "He needs to man up and tell the truth." Then O.G. Kate Gosselin went on her own press tour, refuting infidelity claims and wiping away tears when asked about her deteriorating marriage. Next, she shows up at the house during Jon's scheduled time with the kids and the cops become involved in the scuffle. Next up? Actual girlfriend Hailey Glassman speaks out: "I'm not some fame whore." We shall see...

3. New Moon mania continues to rise, with the long-awaited trailer debuting in theaters and a Robert Pattinson-less Entertainment Weekly cover hitting newsstands everywhere. R.Pattz and Kristen Stewart were spotted having a romantic date night (just don't ask Jennie Garth about it). Has Twilight caused the whole "vampire" thing to jump the shark? We ponder that quandary.

4. The Teen Choice Awards were a fun time had by all, especially the Twilight crew, who enjoyed all of the wins, once again. Still, the best part of the night had to be funnylady Kathy Griffin showing up with Bristol Palin's baby daddy, Levi Johnston, on her arm. They even posed for cameras like a real couple!

5. Little Miss Miley had a tough go of it at this year's awards. Her "Party in the U.S.A." performance was cute and catchy, until the girl had to go and straddle a stripper pole. (Seriously, why are we even surprised at this point?) Following that display, someone dubbed Miley "the new Britney"...and "slutty." We're not sure which is worse.

6. Vanessa Hudgens definitely had it the worst at those darned Teen Choice Awards due to the lack of restraint by one funnyman (?), Dane Cook. After more nudie pics were leaked, Vanessa braved the TCA crowd only to have Cook call her out in front of everyone onstage. Thankfully, Baby V has some good friends to back her up.

7. We couldn't get away from Brangelina this week, with the duo hitting the premieres of both Inglourious Basterds and The Time Traveler's Wife. So what outrageous things did we learn about the insanely gorgeous pair? Deets about their sexcapades, of course. They really couldn't stop talking about how randy they are.

8. In your everyday American Idol/Posh Spice/Paula Abdul news, Victoria Beckham will not be a permanent fixture on the reality competition and Paula is in the works to join Ugly Betty for a bit. For some reason those two castings seem a little mixed up.

9. More and more Michael Jackson news breaks everyday. This week? Search warrants, defense strategies, paternity rumors, oh my!

10. Baby boys and boy parts? For the last time, Lady Gaga is a lady?hermaphrodite rumors be damned. On the farthest end of the opposite side of the spectrum, Jennifer Hudson and Elisabeth Hasselbeck both welcomed adorable little boys. Yay!

Robsten: Just Friends...or Kissing Costars?

Are they or aren't they?

About to kiss, that is. Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart were snapped looking pretty cozy at a Kings of Leon concert in Canada Saturday night.

Depending on how you choose to interpret this photo, the Twilight costars could be taking their crazy onscreen chemistry off the set.

Or...the two colleagues might just be discussing character motivation or whatever over the din of the band at a loud concert.

Romantic moment or chatting coworkers. What do you think, Twihards?

Alyssa Milano Weds In New Jersey

LOS ANGELES, Calif. -- Alyssa Milano must have "Charmed" her fiance - the couple wed in New Jersey on Saturday, People reported.

According to the mag, the actress and Hollywood agent David Bugliari tied the knot at the groom's family home.
The two met in 2006 and became engaged last December.

Alyssa reportedly wore a custom gown from designer Vera Wang and walked down the aisle while John Lennon's "Imagine" played.

"We wanted a wedding that was reflective of who we are as a couple," the star told the mag.

She paid tribute to her Italian heritage with a family-style dinner that she said was intended to capture the feeling of her family traditions.

"My Italian family still eats Sunday dinner together every week," Alyssa said. "We wanted to capture the same feeling with people passing around beautiful bowls of food and talking and laughing."

In town for the wedding was Bradley Cooper, a friend of the groom's - though there's no report on whether he brought a date. The "Hangover" star recently returned from a Spanish sojourn where he was spotted kissing and cuddling with Renee Zellweger.

Brad Pitt & Jennifer Aniston Were 'Perfect' For 'Time Traveler's Wife'

LOS ANGELES, Calif. -- This weekend, the romantic sci-fi drama, "The Time Traveler's Wife," debuts in theaters starring "The Notebook's" Rachel McAdams and "Star Trek's" Eric Bana. But according to the screenwriter of the film, Bruce Joel Rubin, he wrote the film's leads - the time-hopping Henry, and his wife, Clare, with a former famous couple in mind - Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston.

Plan B, a production company the one-time couple owned (Jennifer left the company in 2006 to start Echo Films), originally optioned Audrey Niffenegger's book for the big screen in 2003. Rubin was tapped to write the screenplay and he recently revealed to reporters that he wrote the dialogue by taking inspiration from Brad and Jennifer.

"I saw them as Henry and Clare. I just did," Rubin told reporters at the junket for "The Time Traveler's Wife'" recently, CinemaBlend reported. "They just seemed like a perfect version of Henry and Clare."

Rubin said when he started writing the script - about a man who has a genetic disorder that causes him to time travel when he's stressed - Brad and Jennifer seemed perfect for Henry and Clare.

"I just found them equally attractive, equally competing in terms of the Hollywood sort of arena at that moment in time," he said. "They were as good a couple as you could find and I thought that I would've loved to have seen them together in a movie."

While the two never starred in the movie (they divorced in 2005 after almost five years of marriage) Brad, who still owns Plan B, was one of several executive producers on the film. He even turned up earlier this week at the film's premiere in New York City.

Who Is Robert Pattinson Dating?

For months, people have been talking about Robert Pattinson's rumored romance with "Twilight" co-star Kristen Stewart. Although they have denied being a couple, it looks like we're getting closer to finding out the truth! Jennie Garth, whose hubby, Peter Facinelli, plays Cullen family patriarch Carlisle in the vampire series, has revealed that Pattinson is definitely dating one of his "Twilight" co-stars. "I can't say [who it is] because that would be breaking my promise to [my husband Peter], but he is dating one of them!" Garth reportedly blabbed to the New York Daily News. (Way to leave us hanging Jennie!) But Facinelli denies that his better half spoke out at all about Rob's love life.

"Complete media fabrication," he wrote on Twitter. "I read the transcript of what my wife actually said, which was, 'My husband talks to me about Twilight stuff, but I promised him I wouldn't talk about it.' " Whether you believe that or not, who do you believe Pattinson could be hooking up with?


Who do you think RPatz is dating?

Kristen Stewart
Nikki Reed
Rachelle Lefevre
Ashley Greene
Taylor Lautner

Feds: Michael Douglas' son thrown in NYC jail

NEW YORK - Authorities say Michael Douglas' son has been jailed after his girlfriend allegedly tried to smuggle drugs to him inside an electric toothbrush while he was under house arrest in New York City.
Cameron Douglas was arrested last month at a Manhattan hotel on charges he trafficked large quantities of methamphetamine. He was put under house arrest at his mother's apartment.

Federal investigators claim that on Monday, the 30-year-old Douglas' girlfriend, Kelly Sott, delivered an electric toothbrush to the home. They later discovered 19 containers of heroin inside of it.
Sott was arrested at the same hotel where the son of the Oscar-winning actor was nabbed. Both were put behind bars at a federal jail. Their attorneys declined comment Thursday.

Brad Pitt Jokes About Running For Mayor !

LOS ANGELES, Calif. -- The people of New Orleans might be calling for Brad Pitt to run for mayor - even making t-shirts with the slogan, "Brad Pitt for Mayor" - but don't expect to see the actor on the campaign trail anytime soon!

During an interview aired on NBC's the "Today" show on Thursday, the actor joked about a bid for the mayor's seat when Ann Curry asked if he would serve if chosen.

"Yeah, yeah," the actor joked.

But then the actor - who hopes to build 150 homes in the area through his Make It Right foundation - revealed that his liberal stance on many of the issues might hurt his campaign.

"I'm running on the gay marriage, no religion, legalization and taxation of marijuana platform," Brad said. "I don't have a chance!"

When pressed by Ann, Brad came clean. "I don't have a chance," he explained. "It's not what I do best."

Long to-do list for Jackson hearing

LOS ANGELES - The handlers of Michael Jackson's probate and guardianship cases have a full slate at a hearing meant to tackle a number of estate and family issues.

At least one major hurdle was cleared last week with a custody agreement between Jackson's mother, Katherine Jackson, and Deborah Rowe, the biological mother of the singer's two oldest children.

Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Mitchell Beckloff has deferred hearing arguments or making rulings on several motions brought by attorneys for Katherine Jackson and the two men who have temporary control of the pop icon's financial matters: attorney John Branca and music executive John McClain.

Jackson's estate has been described in court documents as having an estimated value of more than $500 million, but its actual current worth is about $100 million, and could increase in value to $200 million or more with some financial restructuring, according to a person briefed on the matter. The person was not authorized to speak publicly and requested anonymity.

Branca and McClain could leave Monday's hearing with a firmer rein on the estate. Similarly, Katherine Jackson could emerge with guardianship of her three grandchildren, since her agreement with Rowe, which grants the singer's ex-wife visitation rights, means no one is expected to challenge the current arrangement.

The to-do list for Monday's hearing has grown in recent weeks, with Beckloff deferring decisions on several issues, most of which have to do with Jackson's finances.

Among the issues Beckloff is slated to consider:

• An allowance for Katherine Jackson and her grandchildren. The special administrators of Jackson's estate have asked for monthly stipends for the group, noting that Jackson supported all of them when he was alive. Beckloff delayed considering the payments until Monday, but attorneys on both sides agree they are necessary.

• Decide when Katherine Jackson will become the permanent guardian of her grandchildren, 12-year-old Prince Michael, 10-year-old Paris Michael and 7-year-old Prince Michael II, known as Blanket. No one else has petitioned for custody of the children, and Jackson was her son's first choice named in his 2002 will.

• Whether Katherine Jackson can challenge the men currently administering the son's estate, without actually contesting her son's will. Her attorneys have asked Beckloff to decide whether if they petition to remove Branca and McClain as administrators, they will trigger a no-contest clause in Jackson's trust. Without the protection of Beckloff's ruling, Mrs. Jackson could lose her 40 percent share of Jackson's estate if she mounts a challenge to Branca and McClain's authority.

• Mrs. Jackson's attorneys have expressed concerns about possible conflicts of interests that Branca and McClain may have, and have been seeking greater access to Jackson's records in the form of subpoenas and depositions. They sought that authority last week ahead of Monday's hearing, but were told they would have to wait until that day for a ruling.

• Decide whether Branca and McClain continue administering Jackson's estate. Court filings indicate the pair have already received $5.5 million from a former Jackson financial adviser, later identified as Tohme Tohme. They have also take possession of many of the King of Pop's property, and have said in court filings that they hope to finish several multimillion deals soon.

• Beckloff could be presented with some of those deals. The judge has already approved one that will bring Jackson's 1988 autobiography, "Moonwalk" back to store shelves. The singer left behind several unfinished projects and a trove of unreleased music.

Ali Larter Weds Her Maine Man

He can be her hero, baby.

Ali Larter has put an end to her very long engagement—in a good way—tying the knot with fiancé Hayes MacArthur in a small ceremony in Kennebunkport, Maine, on Saturday.

The newlyweds, who announced their engagement in December 2007, swapped vows at MacArthur's family home in front of an intimate gathering of close friends and family, among them Larter's BFF actress pal and former Varsity Blues costar Amy Smart, according to Us Weekly.

The 33-year-old Larter and MacArthur, who costarred together in National Lampoon's Homo Erectus, dated for several years before their engagement.

But taking it slow may not have been Larter's choice

Jude Law to be father again!

LOS ANGELES - British actor Jude Law is to be a father for the fourth time after being informed that a partner from a previous relationship is expecting, his publicists said in a statement Wednesday.

The Oscar-nominated star of "The Talented Mr Ripley" and "Cold Mountain" already has three children with his ex-wife Sadie Frost. No information about the mother of his fourth child was released.

"Jude Law can confirm that, following a relationship last year, he has been advised that he is to be the father of a child due in the fall of this year," a statement confirmed by AFP said.

"Mr Law is no longer in a relationship with the individual concerned but he intends to be a fully supportive part of the child's life. This is an entirely private matter and no other statements will be made."

Law, 36, is currently single. He will next appear in director Guy Ritchie's "Sherlock Holmes," where he will play the Victorian sleuth's trusty sidekick Dr Watson. - AFP/rs

Wahlberg and model Rhea Durham TIED - the - KNOT!

Rhea Durham and Mark Wahlberg attend "Entourage" Third Season Premiere on April 5, 2007 in Los Angeles, CA.
Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic for HBOUs Magazine Mark Wahlberg and his longtime love, model Rhea Durham, tied the knot at 3:30 p.m. Saturday at the Good Shephard Catholic Church in Beverly Hills, Usmagazine.com has confirmed.

The bride wore a white, strapless dress Marchesa dress with silver embroidery around the bust and waist, as well as a Neil Lane diamond bracelet and earrings. She wore her hair down and wavy.

The ceremony was about 45 minutes; around 20 guests attended. After the ceremony, the happy couple came out of the back of the church. Wahlberg, in a black suit with a silver tie, held hands with daughter Ella. (She wore a white dress with embroidered flowers and carried a flower girl basket.)

Flowers were pink and purple roses.

The couple have three kids, Ella, 5, Michael, 3, and Brendan, 10 months.

Latest on the Drugs in the Michael Jackson Investigation

ET special correspondent Diane Dimond has the latest on the anesthesia drug reportedly found at Michael Jackson's home.

Propofol, also known as Diprivan, is speculated to be what triggered the King of Pop's cardiac arrest. Thousands of vials of propofol have been recalled after testing confirmed that two lots of the drug may be tainted.

Diane has the latest on "The Propfol Trace."

"The trail is narrowing. The clock is ticking. All Propofol bottles come with lot numbers on them and within that lot number there can be thousands of bottles," Diane says. "That doesn't mean you can't trace them but it could just take longer."

The biggest key to the puzzle of Michael's death will be revealed when the L.A. Coroner's Office releases its autopsy toxicology report in the coming weeks.

"My sources tell me the coroner's office knows right now what killed Michael Jackson, and one of the clues was his hair," Diane says. "Hair samples can tell pathologists what drugs someone was on and how long they took them. Jackson's brain tissue can reveal everything from past physical abuse, to drug overdoses and when they actually occurred."

Also weighing in on the investigation into the death of the King of Pop is Tokyo-based Dr. Eugene Aksenoff, who claims the star asked him for amphetamines during a trip to Japan in 2007. But Dr. Aksenoff says he refused to prescribe them.

"I made it absolutely clear, no narcotics!," he says. "If you will start you will not ... you will live only at the longest three years!"

Ivanka Trump Engaged!

Ivanka Trump, daughter of real estate mogul Donald Trump and vice president at the Trump Organization, is reportedly on her way to walking down the aisle!

Ivanka, 27, got engaged Wednesday evening to her longtime boyfriend and publisher of the New York Observer Jared Kushner, US magazine reports.

She wrote on her Twitter, "I got engaged last night...truly the happiest day of my life!!!"

"I'm very happy about it," Donald tells US. "They make a magnificent couple."

Jenna Dewan & Channing Tatum Step Up to the Altar

They had to have one heck of a first dance!

Step Up costars Jenna Dewan and Channing Tatum exchanged "I dos" in a brief, 15-minute ceremony Saturday evening at the Church Estates Vineyards in Malibu, E! News confirms. (Apparently, you have to be superhot to get married there—Fergie and Josh Duhamel tied the knot on their grounds in January.)

More than 200 guests witnessed the nuptials, including Step Up franchise producer Adam Shankman. Emmanuelle Chriqui served as maid of honor and Haylie Duff was also in the bridal party. What I Like About You's Nick Zano was a groomsman.

"It was unbelievably beautiful, and I'm so proud to have introduced them," Shankman wrote on Twitter.

The bridesmaids wore light pink dresses, while Dewan donned a white sweetheart strapless gown with a long veil. Tatum—dressed in a dapper black suit—and his bride left the ceremony hand-in-hand.

The hot Hollywood couple started dating after they met while on the set of their 2005 collaboration. The 29-year-old G.I. Joe star popped the question while vacationing in Maui in September 2008. In a totally swoon-worthy move, Tatum invited the couple's close friends to witness the proposal.

Before the wedding, Dewan, 28, hit South Beach and Turks and Caicos with BFFs Duff and Chriqui for a bachelorette party getaway.

Source: Jackson's Needle Marks on Neck and Arms; Tabloid Claims La Toya Says, "This Was Murder"

We may not have the results of the toxicology report yet, but one thing from Michael Jackson's autopsy is certain.

Not only were needle marks found on the star, but they were located on his neck and arms, a source tells E! News. Investigators are hard at work trying to determine whether the marks were from IV needles used to administer the powerful sedative Diprivan.

Sister La Toya Jackson takes this news a step further, allegedly telling a British tab, "He had many needle marks on his neck and on his arms, and more about those will emerge in the next few weeks. But nothing has changed my mind that this was murder."

Given the media circus around M.J.'s death, it's surprising La Toya took three weeks to chime in. According to comments attributed to her in the News of the World article, she's taken one of the theories we've all heard—that people around the star didn't have his best interests at heart—and bumped it up to the conspiracy level. In the article, she continues to suggest her brother's death was an organized group murder and robbery.

E! News has not yet gotten independent confirmation about the contents of the interview.

Meanwhile, Dr. Conrad Murray, the cardiologist with Jackson at the time of his death, continues to maintain his innocence.

When E! News spoke with the doc's spokeswoman, Miranda Sevcik, on Friday, she claimed tales of police requesting additional documents were false.

"That's absolutely not true," she told E! News. "We gave everything that the investigators asked for on June 27th when we had that last long interview."

Although Murray issued a statement last Monday saying he never provided Jackson with any life-threatening drugs, Sevcik could not comment on Murray's knowledge of anyone else providing Jackson with medication, nor was she willing to comment on any specific medications.

"Our agreement was to not share any more details of the investigation, so we can't speak to the Diprivan," she said. "This was not our decision. This is what was requested of us by Los Angeles investigators. They thought if we talked about it, it would slow them down."

Plan to bury Michael Jackson at Neverland fizzles

LOS ANGELES – A plan to bury Michael Jackson at his sprawling Neverland ranch fizzled Wednesday, leaving details about his funeral undecided as another mystery was solved: His newly unveiled will says his mother should raise his children, or failing her, Diana Ross.

The investigation into the singer's death, meanwhile, deepened late Wednesday when the Drug Enforcement Administration was asked to step in by the Los Angeles Police Department, a law enforcement official in Washington told The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the investigation.

The changing funeral circumstances thwarted many Jackson fans who had descended on the estate in the rolling hills near Santa Barbara with the hope of attending a public viewing.

"We're terribly disappointed," said Ida Barron, 44, who arrived with her husband Paul Barron, 56, intending to spend several days in a tent.

"We were going to listen to music and watch Michael Jackson DVDs and party all night long, not just to have fun, but in memory of Michael Jackson," Paul Barron said. "Now we're going to have to just go home."

Jackson's 7-year-old will, filed Wednesday in a Los Angeles court, gives his entire estate to a family trust and names his 79-year-old mother Katherine and his children as beneficiaries. The will also estimates the current value of his estate at more than $500 million.

Katherine Jackson was appointed their guardian, with entertainer Diana Ross, a longtime friend of Michael Jackson, named successor guardian if something happens to his mother. Ross introduced the Jackson 5 on the Ed Sullivan Show in the late 1960s and was instrumental in launching their career.

Meanwhile, Jackson family spokesman Ken Sunshine said a public memorial was in the works for Jackson but wouldn't be held at Neverland. In addition, it appeared more likely that a funeral and burial would take place in Los Angeles, a person familiar with the situation told the AP.
But the person, who is not authorized to speak for the family and requested anonymity, said nothing was planned for Neverland, at least through Friday.

The person said billionaire Thomas Barrack, who owns Neverland in a joint venture with Jackson, sought an exemption to bury the singer at the ranch. But the person says it's a complicated process and it couldn't be done for a burial this week.

"The family is aware a Neverland burial is not possible. They are expected to make decisions about whatever funeral and memorial service" will take place, the person said.

Heavy construction equipment and workers were seen passing through the wrought-iron gates of Neverland on Tuesday. It wasn't clear what they were doing. The property is about 120 miles northwest of Los Angeles.

At once a symbol of Jackson's success and excesses, Neverland — nestled in wine country — became the site of a makeshift memorial after his death.

In Los Angeles, Jackson's lawyer John Branca and family friend John McClain, a music executive, were named in the will as co-executors of his estate. In a statement, they said the most important element of the will was Jackson's steadfast desire that his mother become the legal guardian for his children.

"As we work to carry out Michael's instructions to safeguard both the future of his children as well as the remarkable legacy he left us as an artist, we ask that all matters involving his estate be handled with the dignity and the respect that Michael and his family deserve," the statement said.

The will doesn't name father Joe Jackson to any position of authority in administering the estate.
The executors moved quickly to take control of all of Michael Jackson's property, going to court hours after filing the will to challenge a previous ruling that gave Katherine Jackson control of 2,000 items from Neverland.

Paul Gordon Hoffman, an attorney for the executors, told Superior Court Judge Mitchell Beckloff his clients are the proper people to take over Jackson's financial affairs. He called Katherine Jackson's speed in getting limited power over her son's property "a race to the courthouse that is frankly improper."

Judge Beckloff urged attorneys from both sides to try to reach a compromise.
"I would like the family to sit down and try to make this work so that we don't have a difficult time in court," the judge said. A hearing on the estate was set for Monday.

The will, dated July 7, 2002, gives the entire estate to the Michael Jackson Family Trust. Details of the trust will not be made public.

The documents said Jackson's estate consisted almost entirely of "non-cash, non-liquid assets, including primarily an interest in a catalog of music royalty rights which is currently being administered by Sony ATV, and the interests of various entities."

Jackson owns a 50 percent stake in the massive Sony-ATV Music Publishing Catalog, which includes music by the Beatles, Bob Dylan, Neil Diamond, Lady Gaga and the Jonas Brothers.
Jackson was recently in shaky financial health. In the most detailed account yet of the singer's tangled financial empire, documents obtained by The Associated Press show Jackson claimed to have a net worth of $236.6 million as of March 31, 2007.

Jackson, who died June 25 at age 50, left behind three children: son Michael Joseph Jr., known as Prince Michael, 12; daughter Paris Michael Katherine, 11; and son Prince Michael II, 7.

Debbie Rowe was the mother of the two oldest children; the youngest was born to a surrogate mother, who has never been identified.

Katherine Jackson was granted temporary guardianship Monday. A judge held off on requests to control the children's estates.

Rowe, who was married to Jackson in 1996 and filed for divorce three years later, surrendered her parental rights. An appeals court later found that was done in error, and Rowe and Jackson entered an out-of-court settlement in 2006.

Neither Rowe nor her attorneys have indicated whether she intends to seek custody of the two oldest children.

Farrah Fawcett likely to endure as 1970s icon

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - She gained fame as a sex symbol and the star of a cheesy television show, which should have made Farrah Fawcett a footnote in Hollywood history.

But her up-and-down career and public battle with cancer could give her a lasting legacy as an icon of 1970s pop culture long after her death on Thursday.


Fawcett's dazzling smile and flowing blonde hair, her struggle to be taken seriously as an actress, her love affair with actor Ryan O'Neal and her grueling TV diary documenting her fight against cancer should help ensure she is remembered.

Despite only one full season as private detective Jill Munroe in "Charlie's Angels" in 1976, Fawcett's healthy, athletic girl-next-door -- all captured in a poster of a tanned, smiling Fawcett in a red one-piece bathing suit -- made her a sex symbol for millions of young men around the world.

She was "embedded in American hearts and consciousness" as a symbol of the era, said Robert Thompson, professor of popular culture at Syracuse University in New York.

Fawcett's body of work was small, but her roles as a serious actress in the 1980s dramas "Extremities" and "The Burning Bed" earned her award nominations, transforming her from Hollywood pin-up to an acclaimed actress.

Finally, near her death, she documented her battle with anal cancer and then liver cancer in the self-produced "Farrah's Story," broadcast on U.S. television in May.

"It was a grueling, painful thing to watch. Farrah Fawcett managed to get on the air something that looked into the heart of darkness in a way that a lot of TV and film has never managed to do," Thompson said.

Fawcett's on-again, off-again romance with O'Neal turned into a compelling real life "Love Story" when the actor, who starred in a 1970 movie of that name, returned to Fawcett's side in 2006 as her constant companion.

Michael Jackson, 'King of Pop,' dead at 50

LOS ANGELES - Pop icon Michael Jackson died Thursday after suffering a cardiac arrest, multiple US media outlets reported, sending shockwaves around the entertainment world.


The Los Angeles Times and TMZ.com celebrity news website reported Jackson, 50, died after suffering an arrest just after 12:00 pm (1900 GMT) local time and paramedics were unable to revive him.

The Times cited multiple city and law enforcement officials as confirming the pop icon's death. Jackson's manager Tohme E. Tohme was not immediately available for comment when contacted by AFP.


Officials at UCLA Medical Center where Jackson was treated also could not be reached for comment. National and local television networks showed hundreds of media gathered at UCLA Medical Center for what appeared to be a briefing. CNN was unable to confirm the death, stating that Jackson was in a coma. Los Angeles Fire Department spokesman Devin Gales did not confirm Jackson's identity but said paramedics went to an address corresponding to the star's home at 12:21 pm (1921 GMT) and the person was taken to UCLA Medical Center.


An unidentified family member earlier told TMZ -- the first outlet to report that Jackson had suffered a cardiac arrest -- that the star was in "really bad shape." Michael's father Joe Jackson told E! Online he was aware of the emergency but did not know further details. "I am in Las Vegas, but yes, people in Los Angeles called me and are with Michael and tell me he was taken to the hospital," he said. "I am not sure what's wrong. I am waiting to hear back from them."


The reports came as Jackson prepared to make a keenly anticipated concert comeback in London, his first series of shows in more than a decade and the first since his 2005 acquittal on child molestation charges.

However those concerts -- billed as the "final curtain" -- had been thrown into doubt after Jackson pushed back the opening dates last month. Organizers of the concerts at the time stressed the delay was not linked to Jackson's health.


In a press conference from the United States broadcast over the Internet, AEG Live president Randy Phillips was asked about Jackson's health and said: "I would trade my body for his tomorrow. He's in fantastic shape." While Jackson reigned as the "King of Pop" in the 1980s, his once-stellar career had been overshadowed by his colorful public behavior, his startling physical transformation and multiple allegations of child abuse.


Jackson lived as a virtual recluse following his 2005 acquittal on charges including child molestation and plotting to kidnap his young accuser. Despite his acquittal, the trial was a body blow from which the pop music superstar struggled to recover. Four years later, Jackson is still worshipped by fans for revolutionizing music, dance and music videos at the peak of his success. The attention however paid to him in recent years has been less flattering, focusing on apparent cosmetic surgery -- which he denies -- his baby dangling antics and a decade of swirling child abuse allegations.


Born on August 29, 1958, Jackson made his show business debut with four of his older brothers in the Jackson Five pop group, and went on to lead the stage clan with a piping soprano and dazzling dance moves.


By 1969, the group had signed a contract with Motown Records, becoming one of the last great acts to emerge from the legendary label. The Jacksons produced seven platinum singles for Motown, selling over a million, and three multi-platinum albums, selling more than two million. They moved to CBS's Epic Records in 1976.

Despite the early success, Jackson was to recall those years as unhappy and lonely ones.

Eventually the family act broke up, as Jackson went solo. In 1979, Quincy Jones produced Jackson's first solo album for Epic, "Off the Wall," a huge disco-oriented success that sold 10 million copies.

They teamed up again in 1982 for what would be Jackson's breakthrough album as a composer and co-producer, "Thriller," which became the top-selling album of all time, with sales exceeding 41 million. - AFP /ls

The Year's Most Infamous Celebrities

Last year, New York Yankees third-baseman Alex Rodriguez was seemingly on top of the world. He'd just signed a new 10-year, $275 million deal with the Bronx Bombers, making him the eighth-highest-earning athlete on Forbes' list of the 100 most powerful celebrities in the world.

But after admitting to injecting a banned substance when playing for the Texas Rangers, cavorting with Madonna as his six-year marriage was crumbling and doing little to keep the Yankees from missing the playoffs for the first time in 14 seasons, A-Rod finds himself atop a very different kind of ranking: Forbes' Infamy Index.

Our second annual peek at the dark side of fame, the index ranks celebrities based on negative press coverage garnered over the past 12 months. This year's batch of "winners" consists of six men and four women who hail from sports, acting, music and even beauty pageants. Among them: Lindsay Lohan, Plaxico Burress, Christian Bale, Nadya "Octo-mom" Suleman and Jon and Kate Gosselin.

Rodriguez moved up fast after facing allegations in February that he'd tested positive for the steroids Primobolan and testosterone in 2003, and later admitted to having used a banned substance during that time. In April, the unauthorized biography A-Rod: The Many Lives of Alex Rodriguez levied further steroid accusations and claims Rodriguez cheated by tipping pitches to opposing players. Former Yankees manager Joe Torre also painted a less-than-flattering portrait of the third-baseman in his book The Yankee Years, referring to Rodriguez as "A-Fraud."


Now back in the Yankees' dugout after missing the first month of the 2009 baseball season with a torn labrum, A-Rod has been hot at the plate and back in the headlines for reportedly squiring actress Kate Hudson around town.

Hollywood's War of the Wages

The tabloids have long pitted Brad Pitt's ex-wife Jennifer Aniston against his current lover Angelina Jolie, with everything from their fashion sense to their eating habits up for comparison and debate. But when it comes to a tangible measure of Hollywood success -- money -- the glossies steer clear. And on that score, Jolie's the winner--by $2 million.

Thanks to successful box office runs for "Wanted" and "Kung Fu Panda" as well as her upcoming CIA thriller "Salt," Jolie raked in an estimated $27 million over the last year. (The impressive haul coupled with her media ubiquity catapulted her to the top of Forbes' Celebrity 100 list.)

As for Aniston, this year's hits "Marley & Me" and "He's Just Not That Into You" helped her earn an estimated $25 million during the last 12 months. She also continues to see income from her VitaminWater endorsement and the frequently rerun episodes of "Friends."

To determine who's on top among Hollywood rivals such as Carrie Underwood and Taylor Swift; Ryan Seacrest and Simon Cowell; and Jay Leno, David Letterman, and Conan O'Brien, Forbes tallied all entertainment-related earnings -- from movies, TV programs, albums, athletic contracts, fashion lines, and endorsement deals -- between June 2008 and June 2009.

It's perhaps the fairest way to pick a winner in showdowns like the bigmouth battle between shock-jocks Rush Limbaugh and Howard Stern. The former may have garnered more ink over the last 12 months -- some have even dubbed him the unofficial leader of the Republican party -- but Stern owns him when it comes to making money. Limbaugh made $54 million to Stern's $70 million over the past year. Even with Limbaugh's new eight-year contract worth an estimated $400 million, on top of his heavily trafficked website, books, and speaking engagements, the political lightning rod can't compete with Stern's financial prowess. Stern's XM Satellite deal will continue to pay him an estimated $100 million annually, less the production costs for the show, through 2010.

Supermodels-turned-super-personalities Tyra Banks and Heidi Klum both built their fame and fortunes in the modeling world, before becoming multi-platform brands. In the final tally, though, Banks does better business. Between June 2008 and June 2009, she raked in an estimated $30 million with several TV shows, including "America's Next Top Model,"

"The Tyra Banks Show," "True Beauty," and "Stylista," as well as her own production company, appropriately titled Bankable Productions. During the same period, Klum pulled down $14 million. In addition to walking the runway (the pregnant mother of three remains a Victoria's Secret angel), the German-born beauty hosts Lifetime's "Project Runway" and "Germany's Next Top Model." She also lends her face to brands like McDonald's, Volkswagen, and LG.

Of course, not every competition has a clear winner -- at least as it pertains to paychecks. Such is the case with tween sensations Miley Cyrus and the Jonas Brothers, all of whom earned an estimated -- and jaw-dropping -- $25 million during the course of the year, thanks to ever-expanding and multi-platform portfolios that include television, films, music, and merchandise.

The most lopsided battle of them all? That's the one between daytime divas Ellen DeGeneres and Oprah Winfrey. Yes, DeGeneres scored big on TV and endorsements (she's a face of American Express and Cover Girl) this year, earning $35 million, but no one in entertainment rivals Winfrey when it comes to paychecks.

Between TV, radio, a magazine, and the Web, the queen of all media banked another $275 million between June 2008 and June 2009. Come 2010, she'll add a new program ("The Dr. Oz Show") and a new network (OWN) to her ever-expanding portfolio. DeGeneres won't be catching up anytime soon.

"Twilight" star Pattinson hit by taxi as flees fans

NEW YORK (Reuters) - "Twilight" star Robert Pattinson was hit by a taxi in New York as he tried to run away from a crowd of hysterical teenage fans, but he was not seriously injured, U.S. media reported.

Pattinson, 23, who stars in the hit teenage vampire movies, was clipped on the hip in front a bookstore in Manhattan where he was shooting scenes on Thursday for his new film, "Remember Me," a drama about two young lovers dealing with family tragedies.

Flanked by five security guards, the British actor tried to run past a group of teenage girls who had gathered outside the bookstore and cross the street to his trailer when the accident happened.
He was not seriously injured, but his bodyguards reportedly were furious, according to RadarOnline.com which claimed to have witnessed the accident. One of the bodyguards yelled at the girls: "You see what you did, you almost killed him!"
Pattinson's manager did not comment on the accident.

Pattinson has become one of the hottest properties in Hollywood since appearing in "Twilight" as brooding vampire Edward Cullen.

This week he was voted the world's most handsome man by online readers of Vanity Fair.

CYRUS: HANNAH MONTANA TO END AFTER NEXT SEASON

Disney star MILEY CYRUS will quit her role as HANNAH MONTANA when the show's fourth season ends next year (10).

The 16 year old skyrocketed to stardom as a normal schoolgirl who leads a double life as a pop star at night.
Rumours Cyrus was itching to move on from the TV series were silenced when she signed up for another season of the hit show earlier this month (Jun09).

But the star's dad Billy Ray Cyrus - who also plays her father in the programme - has confirmed the fourth season will be her last.

He tells U.S. news show Access Hollywood, "Quite frankly, I give a lot of credit to Miley for taking it to another year. She didn't want it to just end with whatever was the last episode we did... She wanted there to be an official ending to Hannah Montana."

Cyrus is scheduled to tape 11 episodes and a special one-hour series finale starting in January (10).

AMANDA: I CAN’T STAND LINDSAY

OK! NEWS: AMANDA Seyfried has hit out at Lindsay Lohan and says she “can’t stand her”.The actress, who starred with Lindsay in Mean Girls, says the pair never stayed in touch following filming of the 2004 film.And Amanda said she had no regrets about losing contact with the star.But she’s not the only former co-star of Lindsay’s who wasn’t a fan of the actress’s antics.Megan Fox recently said the pair “didn’t get along” during filming of Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen.

And Ugly Betty actress America Ferrera is rumoured to have fought with Lindsay during her short stint on the show.

MADONNA MOVES MERCY OUT

MADONNA’s people have moved her newly adopted daughter into a luxury lodge in Malawi.

The singer has sent a nanny and a nurse to look after toddler Mercy James while immigration paperwork is completed in the African country, allowing her to be flown to the US where she will join the rest of Madonna’s family.Mercy was taken to the lodge in the country’s capital, Lilongwe, after the singer won an appeal hearing to adopt her on Friday.

The singer was initially refused the right to adopt in April, on the grounds she hadn’t lived in the country for 18 months prior to the adoption - usually a pre-requisite for adoptive parents.But Madonna said she was “ecstatic” after learning last week that her appeal had been successful.

She said: “[I’m] extremely grateful…My family and I look forward to sharing our lives with her."Once paperwork is complete Mercy will be flown to New York where she will join Madonna, 50, and her new sister Lourdes, 12, and brothers Rocco, eight and David Banda, three - who was also adopted from Malawi.

"House" is world's most popular TV show: ratings

PARIS - US drama "House", starring Britain's Hugh Laurie as unconventional medical genius Doctor Gregory House, outgunned rivals in 2008 to become the world's most watched fiction show on television.

According to ratings agency Eurodata TV Worldwide, House and his team of canny diagnosticians last year gathered more than 81.8 million viewers.

That was far more than the 2007 and 2006 winners in the same TV drama category, "CSI: Las Vegas", about a team of forensic experts, and its spin-off "CSI: Miami".

The agency bases its figures on data collected in 66 countries from Austria to Georgia to Norway to the United States that represent a potential audience of 1.6 billion couch potatoes.

In the TV comedy category, the US female-star cast of "Desperate Housewives" for the second year running beat "Monk" (US) and "Ugly Betty" (US), attracting 65.3 million viewers worldwide in 2008.

"The Bold and the Beautiful", also a US show, with 24.5 million viewers was the most popular soap for the second consecutive year, thrashing Mexican telenovela "Marina" and US competitor "The Young And The Restless." - AFP/vm

Heidi Montag Poses for Playboy

Heidi Montag has gotten a lot of exposure lately – but the newlywed is about to get even more: She has posed for the September issue of Playboy, PEOPLE has confirmed. The reality star was most recently stirring up drama on I'm a Celebrity … Get Me Out of Here, shot in Costa Rica, where she was briefly hospitalized.

In April, she married her Hills costar Spencer Pratt. Details of her Playboy photos are, um, scant: "There is nudity. It's tasteful – she had a lot of fun with it," says a second source. A rep for the magazine had no comment, and Montag's rep was not immediately available to respond to questions.

Actor Carradine's death not suicide: expert

LOS ANGELES : A forensics expert hired by actor David Carradine's family has said the "Kill Bill" star did not commit suicide, but stressed that a final cause of death was still to be determined.

Forensic pathologist Michael Baden said initial investigations into the death of the 72-year-old actor, found hanging in a Bangkok hotel room last week, indicated he had not killed himself. "The autopsy findings and the evidence thus far available demonstrate that Mr Carradine's death was not the result of suicide," Baden said in a statement released by a spokesman for the Carradine family.

"However, to reach a final determination as to the cause and the manner of death we must wait for further information from Thailand as to the scene findings and the completion of the crime laboratory and toxicology studies that are still being performed."

Baden, who has appeared as an expert defence witness in several high-profile US murder trials, most notably those of American football star OJ Simpson and music producer Phil Spector, had carried out a second autopsy on Carradine. Thai police have said they suspect Carradine died from a sex act that went wrong after his body was discovered on June 4 hanging from a wardrobe rail in a Bangkok hotel room, naked and with ropes attached to his neck and penis. Carradine, star of 1970s TV series "Kung Fu" and the hit "Kill Bill" movies, was in the Thai capital to shoot a film called "Stretch." An initial autopsy report revealed that the actor died from a sudden lack of oxygen and his body showed no signs of struggle.

A Thai forensic expert told AFP the death appeared to have been caused by auto-erotic asphyxiation, the practice of intentionally cutting off oxygen to the brain for sexual arousal. Family and friends of Carradine have all rejected suggestions the actor was suicidal. The actor's brother Keith Carradine thanked fans for messages of support received since news of the death broke. "First of all, we would like to thank everyone for their heartfelt expressions of love and sympathy for what we are going through," Carradine said in a statement Thursday. "This is a devastating loss for our family and we greatly appreciate the compassion pouring in from all over the world.

"We wish to express our gratitude to the government of Thailand and the Lumpini Police Station in Bangkok for their support and cooperation and to the US Department of State for their assistance." - AFP/sh

Rihanna and Chris Brown Go to NBA Game – But Not Together

At Game 4 of the NBA Finals in Orlando on Thursday night, the real action took place in the stands: Rihanna and Chris Brown were both there.

"They requested to sit together" at the matchup between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Orlando Magic, says a source. But when game time arrived, the one-time lovers opted for seats in separate sections. During half time, each retreated to separate private lounges, according to eyewitnesses. The outing comes just two days after Rihanna, 21, was subpoenaed to appear in court to testify in the assault case against Brown, 20, and a day after she was out with Aubrey "Drake" Griffin, the Canadian rapper to whom she's been linked.

The couple, whose relationship has been on-again-off-again since Brown allegedly attacked Rihanna in February, were last known to be together in April in Los Angeles. Reps for the NBA and the singers had no comment.

Megan Fox: Stop Comparing Me to Angelina Jolie!

Most stars would be happy to be compared to Angelina Jolie. Megan Fox isn't one of them."It's a lack of creativity on the media's part," the "Transformers" star says in the latest issue of Entertainment Weekly (on newsstands June 12). "Because I have tattoos and dark hair and I was in an action movie? That's as far as the similarities extend."

Adds Fox, "I'm not the next anyone."

The 23-year-old actress -- who says she was joking when she once said she was afraid of the "Changeling" star -- admits that she has no plans to get to know Jolie.

"She always seems otherworldly in her power and her confidence," Fox says. "I'm sure she has no idea who I am. But if I were her, I'd be like, 'Who [...] is this little bulls--- brat who was in 'Transformers' that's going to be the next me?' I don't want to meet her. I'd be embarrassed."
Fox even interjects when asked if she wanted to follow in Jolie's footsteps of starting out as a sex symbol before taking on serious roles.

"Angelina Jolie was always a Method actress," she says. "She'd been nominated for Golden Globes before she ever did 'Tomb Raider'."

Still, the star -- who admits "I'm clearly not ugly" -- isn't bothered by the fact that she's seen as a sex symbol.

"I don't know why someone would complain about that," she says. "That just means that the bar has been set pretty low. People don't expect me to do anything that's worth watching. So I can only be an overachiever. I think all women in Hollywood are known as sex symbols. That's what our purpose is in this business. You're merchandised, you're a product. You're sold and it's based on sex. But that's okay. I think women should be empowered by that, not degraded." In fact, she doesn't regret how "Transformers" made her "this new girl" in the industry.

"I happened to be such an outrageous personality that people wanted to start writing about me because it was deemed controversial," she says. "I think if I had been a typical Hollywood actress and I said all the right things and I had been a publicity android, it wouldn't have escalated to this level."

Fox, who appears in this summer's blockbuster "Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen," doesn't want to still be making robot movies five years from now, but when asked what the worst-case scenario would be, she says, "That I'd be on 'The Hills'."

Britney Spears to tour Australia for first time!!!

LOS ANGELES – Pop icon Britney Spears is to perform in Australia for the first time in her career later this year when she takes her "Circus" tour Down Under, it was announced Tuesday.

Spears, 27, will play six concerts in four cities beginning with a gig in Perth on November 6 before wrapping up in Brisbane on November 24, said a statement on the singer's website. "I've wanted to tour Australia for quite some time and now it's finally happening," Spears said in the statement.

"Circus" got underway in New Orleans in March, the singer's first major tour in five years. Spears had been due to stage five concerts in Australia during her 2004 "Onyx Hotel" tour but cancelled after suffering a knee injury while shooting a video. Spears, who suffered myriad personal problems following her 2006 divorce from ex-husband Kevin Federline, has rebuilt her career in recent months, enjoying chart-topping album success and largely positive concert reviews.

Australia Tour Dates:

November 6: Perth

November 11: Melbourne

November 12: Melbourne

November 19: Sydney

November 20: Sydney

November 24: Brisbane

- AFP/ra

Miss California USA stripped of crown

LOS ANGELES : Miss California USA Carrie Prejean has been stripped of her title, officials said Wednesday, ending a turbulent reign marked by racy photos and controversy over her stance on gay marriage. Officials for the pageant - owned by tycoon Donald Trump - said Prejean was being dethroned for contract violations over "unwillingness to make appearances on behalf of the Miss California USA organisation."

It marked an ignominious end for the blonde beauty queen, who triggered a national debate earlier this year when she voiced her opposition to same-sex marriage when answering a question posed by judge at the Miss USA pageant. Prejean, who finished runner-up in the pageant, attracted criticism from same-sex marriage supporters following her comments, which came in response to a question from judge and celebrity blogger Perez Hilton.

Shortly after the furore, the emergence of several risque photos of Prejean taken earlier in her career prompted an investigation into whether she had violated the terms of her contract. Despite calls for her to be sacked, Trump and Miss USA officials said she could keep her title at a press conference in New York where Prejean fought back tears. Miss California pageant director Keith Lewis said Wednesday's Prejean's dismissal was solely for "contract violations."

"After our press conference in New York we had hoped we would be able to forge a better working relationship," Lewis said.

"However, since that time it has become abundantly clear that Carrie is unwilling to fulfill her obligations under our contract and work together."

Trump said he supported the decision to fire Prejean. "I told Carrie she needed to get back to work and honour her contract with the Miss California USA Organization and I gave her the opportunity to do so," Trump said.

"Unfortunately, it just doesn't look like it is going to happen and I offered Keith my full support in making this decision. Carrie is a beautiful young woman and I wish her well as she pursues her other interests." - AFP/il

Paris Hilton & Doug Reinhardt BREAK UP

LOS ANGELES, Calif. -- Paris Hilton is single again, according to People.
The celebutante and former "The Hills" star Doug Reinhardt have reportedly broken up.

"In response to the inquiry on whether Paris Hilton has split up with Doug Reinhardt, yes, this is true they are no longer together," a Paris rep told the mag. "They remain friends and ask that you please respect their privacy."

News of the split comes as Paris jets off to Dubai to find a new bestie on the latest season of "Paris Hilton's My New BFF," previously based in London and Los Angeles.

According to an Associated Press report from last week, Doug was set to join her on the trip. He and the heiress had been inseparable over their six months of dating, with the pair spotted recently at the Cannes Film Festival for the premiere of Paris' new documentary, "Paris, Not France."