usa today

Comic fans fume as Marvel erases Spidey-MJ marriage

By David Colton, USA TODAY

Those who know Spider-Man only from Tobey Maguire and Kirsten Dunst in the movies might be surprised to learn that in the comic book, the web-spinning hero has been married for almost 21 years.


It's over, MJ: Spider-Man will be young and geeky again after a pact with the aptly named Mephisto.

That's why the comic world is in an uproar over Marvel Comics' decision to undo the marriage of Peter Parker and red-haired bombshell Mary Jane Watson, reversing two decades of storytelling.

In Amazing Spider-Man #545 last week, Peter and Mary Jane make a tearful deal with the devil-like character Mephisto: In exchange for saving Aunt May's life, Mephisto erases all traces of the Peter-Mary Jane marriage from memory.

In the issue out this week, subtitled Brand New Day, Peter Parker returns to his roots — young, nerdy and single. Aunt May is alive and well and Mary Jane is again just part of the cast. The marriage never happened.

"People are very upset. They erased a lot of stuff that had been set in stone," says John Newman, manager of Ultimate Comics in Chapel Hill, N.C., on Wednesday as customers came in to buy the opening chapter of Brand New Day. To help emphasize the new start, Amazing Spider-Man will go thrice-monthly.

"We knew it would be a very controversial thing to do," says Joe Quesada, Marvel's editor in chief, who believed so much in the project that he drew the crucial issues himself. "Looking into the future, this is really the right thing to do for the long-term health of the character."

Spider-Man, created by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko in 1962, was a hit, connecting with young readers because he was a geeky teenager, shy with girls and uncertain of how to use his powers. But in 1987, Peter and Mary Jane, by then a fashion model, got married. Marvel had instant regrets.

"I remember editors and editors in chief lamenting that a married Spider-Man was not where we want to be," Quesada says. "A married Peter Parker makes for a less interesting soap opera than a single Peter Parker going about his nerdy kind of life."




Writers tried everything: The couple separated for a while. She miscarried. And in a much-criticized story line, Marvel tried to convince readers that Peter Parker had not gotten married, but his clone. That didn't stick, either. Then Quesada took over and insisted the marriage just couldn't continue.

"Nobody wants to read about a married Spider-Man," says Craig Shutt, a columnist for Comics Buyers Guide. "But in the short run, it's a terrible idea. It disrespects the readers by saying everything they read is wrong."

At DC Comics, Superman is married to Lois Lane, disrupting that title's long-standing tensions. DC declined to comment for this story.

Quesada is steadfast that for Spider-Man, the move is the right one: "Ultimately we have to do this to keep this character fresh for this generation and generations to come."

the star phoenix

Cause of death for Kanye West's mother said unclear

Dan Whitcomb, Reuters
Published: Thursday, January 10, 2008

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - The Los Angeles County Coroner said on Thursday the exact cause of rapper Kanye West's mother's death in November was unclear but there was no sign of "surgical or anesthetic misadventure."

The coroner's office attributed the death of Donda West to coronary artery disease and factors related to her cosmetic surgery the day before.


West, 58, a former university professor who helped manage her son's business and educational foundation, died at a Los Angeles hospital on November 10, shortly after undergoing a breast reduction, tummy tuck and liposuction.
Kanye West (L) poses with his mother Donda West at the 48th annual Grammy Awards in Los Angeles February 8, 2006. Donda West died in a Los Angeles-area hospital due to possible complications from surgery, a spokesperson with the L.A. County Coroner's office said on Monday. She was 58. REUTERS/Robert GalbraithView Larger Image View Larger Image
Kanye West (L) poses with his mother Donda West at the 48th annual Grammy Awards in Los Angeles February 8, 2006. Donda West died in a Los Angeles-area hospital due to possible complications from surgery, a spokesperson with the L.A. County Coroner's office said on Monday. She was 58. REUTERS/Robert Galbraith


West's surgeon, Dr. Jan Adams, came under fire in the media after a preliminary report cited possible complications from surgery.

In the statement released on Thursday, the coroner's office said investigators had attributed the death to coronary artery disease and "multiple post-operative factors" and that it was "due to, or as a consequence of, liposuction and mammoplasty."

However, "the final manner of death could not be determined," the statement said.

"Multiple post-operative factors could have played a role in the death. The exact contribution of each factor could not be determined. There was no evidence of surgical or anesthetic misadventure."

Donda West, who raised her son in a middle-class Chicago suburb after splitting with her husband, helped manage her son's business after retiring in 2004 from teaching English at Chicago State University.

In May, she published a book entitled "Raising Kanye: Life Lessons from the Mother of a Hip-Hop Superstar."

Before West's death, Adams was a high-profile surgeon who was host of his own plastic surgery show on the Discovery Health channel and appeared on numerous TV talk shows.

(Editing by Todd Eastham)

e!

Spring Comes Early for Michelle Rodriguez

by Sarah Hall
Thu, 10 Jan 2008 08:39:42 AM PST

Michelle Rodriguez is the latest celebrity recipient of a get-out-of-jail-early card.



The former Lost star was released from Century Regional Detention Facility in Lynwood, California, Wednesday after serving just 18 days of her 180-day sentence for violating her probation in a DUI case.

Rodriguez was reportedly set free early due to overcrowded conditions at the jail, despite the fact that a judge had ordered her to serve out her full sentence with no option of work furlough, early release or home confinement.

Sheriff's Department spokesman Steve Whitmore denied that Rodriguez received any special treatment as a result of her celebrity status.

"She was treated the same way as all female inmates," Whitmore said in a statement. "The sheriff supports the desire to have inmates serve their full sentence but is limited because of the extent of overcrowding."

Lindsay Lohan and Nicole Richie each served just over an hour of their respective DUI sentences at the same facility, while Paris Hilton was released 23 days into her 45-day sentence for a probation violation.

Rodriguez was handed her sentence in October, after she owned up to failing to complete her 30 hours of court-ordered community service. She also acknowledged drinking alcohol on several occasions in defiance of the monitoring bracelet on her ankle.

Over the years, Rodriguez's police file has been growing steadily thicker.

The Girlfight star was sentenced to three years' probation in 2004 after she pleaded no contest to misdemeanor DUI, hit and run and driving with a suspended license.

Her L.A.-based probation was revoked last year after she racked up a string of speeding tickets in Hawaii while filming Lost, not to mention a DUI arrest in December 2005, for which she served four days in an Oahu lockup.

In May 2006, she was sentenced to 60 days in jail for violating her probation but was released after just four hours and 20 minutes due, once again, to overcrowding.

the HUB

'Terminator' rises again on TV
Sci-fi saga gets a turn on the small screen with 'Chronicles'

Mike Hughes
Lansing State Journal

When "Terminator" and its sequels hit movie screens, they made a quick impact.



"I grew up really, really hooked on the films," said Thomas Dekker, who stars in a TV version that debuts Sunday.

Here was the story of Sarah Connor, suddenly sought by a killer android, for a bizarre reason: He's from the future, trying to stop her from someday giving birth to the leader of the resistance against android tyranny.

She survived. In the sequel, he was a teen, being molded by his mom; there was a powerful dynamic.

"I was raised by a single mother and grew up like that and I understood the Sarah Connor sensibility," said director David Nutter.

Now Nutter has directed "Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles," which steps back into that world. It debuts this week, getting a big start on Fox:

• The opener is 8 p.m. Sunday. In some time zones, it will get a powerhouse lead-in from a key football playoff game in Dallas.

• Then the show settles into its regular time at 9 p.m. Monday. That's a key spot, after "Prison Break," on the eve of the "American Idol" debut.

That time slot was once intended for "24." The writers' strike stopped "24" and gave extra importance to the handful of shows making episodes for mid-season - including "Terminator."

The series was crafted by writer-producer Josh Friedman, who wrote Steven Spielberg's "War of the Worlds."

Even on a TV budget, Friedman said, it's possible to have movie-style action. "As special effects get more affordable, that's one of the reasons these shows work."

Still, he said, there's more at the core. "We have a really good opportunity to really explore human values."

That's partly about John Connor, now a teenager and no longer in denial about the forces trying to stop him. "He's having to wake up to the fact that this won't go away," said Dekker, who plays him.

But it's more about the mom.

"How does Sarah raise a son to be the leader of the free world?" Friedman asked. "You can't do it by just teaching him to shoot guns. You have to teach him how to be a man and how to lead from a moral place."

Sarah is played by Lena Headey, a British actress whose recent role gave her lots of special-effects experience. "After '300,' any green screen - I can take it," she joked.

John is played by Dekker, best known for playing the cheerleader's sweet-souled friend Zach on "Heroes."

And this time, John's robotic protector must fit into his high school classes. Called Cameron, she's played by Summer Glau, a baby-faced actress already known as River in "Firefly," Tess in "The 4400" and Crystal in "The Unit."

The result strains credibility at times: Dekker and Glau are 20 and 26, a bit old to be teens; Headey is 34, a bit young to be Dekker's mom.

Dekker jokes about this: "Lena's a real babe in person and we kind of ugly her up."

Glau doesn't play an unswerving android, in the Arnold Schwarzenegger and Kristanna Loken style of previous films. "We're going to make my Terminator the most advanced model so far, in her human traits," she said.

Cameron looks softly human. Amid harsh instincts, she begins to understand bits of human knowledge and feelings.

The series continues the spirit of the first two films, which James Cameron made in 1984 and 1991. However, it ignores the 2003 "Terminator 3," with Schwarzenegger, Loken, Nick Stahl and Claire Danes. "This really is, as far as I'm concerned, 'T3,' " Friedman said.

So he's throwing out everything that happened in that movie - including what "T3" said had happened to Sarah.

"This is a new fate for Sarah Connor," Friedman said. "We are creating an entirely new timeline."

In this one, Sarah is tough, but sensitive. She's deeply human, facing enemies who don't have that disadvantage.

And what about a twist? What about a guest appearance by now-Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger?

Friedman doubts it. "As a governor, he's incredibly busy," he said. "And as a star, he's incredibly expensive."

e!

LiLo & Adrian...Really?



Could Lindsay and Adrian be the next big celebrity coupling?

Perez Hilton seems to think so. The blogger says the two went on a romantic date to the Polo Lounge at the Beverly Hills Hotel on Wednesday night.

"No paparazzi," says his source of the clandestine meeting. "Since their relationship is new, they wanna keep things as private as possible."

And last month, Lindsay was spotted at his apartment in NYC.

But this is the most important element in judging any budding relationship Linds might have: Was Paris there first? In this case, the answer is yes.

So, we're buying it.

Quote Of The Day



"Drinking long-term is a lot worse than doing heroin. Alcohol's a real poison."

- Amy Winehouse tells the new issue of OK! magazine

Where's William???



Kate Middleton celebrated her birthday in London on Wednesday night.

Noticeably absent from the festivities was her on-again boyfriend, Prince William. He's probably doing some military training or ####### three girls somewhere else.

Kate was joined by her sister Pippa for a night on the town, which included a stop at club Kitts.

Middleton turned 26.

They better not keep making her wait to get engaged. She's not getting any younger!

Jailed Husband May Be Scared Straight by Amy

What to look at first? The mouth, the candy, the eyes, the brows, the hair, the gestalt. She's just a frickin' mess.
Amy Winehouse



The newly blonde popwreck was snapped visiting her husband in prison on Thursday. Not exactly the poster child for conjugal visits.

us weekly

How the Stars Bundle Up Their Kids for Winter
A look at the stylish ways these tots brave the elements


Suri Cruise
Katie Holmes -- who has decked out her daughter in top designers, including Burberry -- kept her girl warm in fur last November in Washington D.C.



Violet Affleck
The adorable daughter of Ben Affleck and Jennifer Garner first debuted this cute cap in the Big Apple last December.



Kingston Rossdale
Wrapped in a woolen hat, gloves and blanket, Gwen Stefani and Gavin Rossdale's son had no problem facing the cool climates in London January 4.

Milo Langdon
Liv Tyler's son sported a striped hat while hitting a NYC playground last December.



James Broderick
The son of Sarah Jessica Parker and Matthew Broderick sported a blue puffy coat on an outing with dad January 6.



GRIER Henchy
The daughter of Brooke Shields and Chris Henchy was snug in an adorable fur-trimmed hooded jacket and matching mittens last November in NYC.

Moses Martin
Gwyneth Paltrow and Chris Martin's son Moses covered his ears in a cute cap in London last October.



Ryder Robinson
Kate Hudson and Chris Robinson's son Ryder stepped out in a green parka last December in NYC.



River Dreary
Keri Russell's son River covered his head in a cute stocking cap January 7 in NYC.

Anderson
Former Sopranos star Edie Falco's son Anderson braved the NYC chill last December in a blue puffy coat.

Tyra Banks: Where Is the Love?

THURSDAY JANUARY 10, 2008 02:45 PM EST
By Stephen M. Silverman



Her career's on a roll, but some of Tyra Banks's early ambitions have been shoved aside – such as having a baby.

"After the talk show started, and I had Top Model at the same time, it engulfed me so much that it dulled my maternal instinct," the star of both The Tyra Banks Show and America's Next Top Model Banks, 34, tells Essence magazine for its February issue.

Not that the first African-American woman to grace the covers of GQ, Sports Illustrated's swimsuit issue and the Victoria's Secret catalogue has completely abandoned hope of raising a family. "I hope that when I get more of a handle on my life it comes back," she says of the maternal instinct.

Although Banks, who is developing shows for Warner Bros. and one with Ashton Kutcher, is not complaining, she does say, "I'd go to work and women would be crying in my arms on the talk show. But then I'd go home and put my key in my door and ... nothing: no friends, no husband, no children. I feel so full when I'm at work but so empty when I come home."

Though Banks won't open up about it, Essence reports the buzz that she's involved with investment banker John Utendahl, 50 – and that's why she moved production of her shows to New York from Los Angeles.

Responds Banks huffily: "I'm very insulted by that rumor. I employ a lot of people; their livelihoods rest on my shows. The move to New York was a decision I made with my manager. It was not about a man."

Jessica Simpson To Be A No-Show At Tony Romo's Playoff Game



Sorry Giants fans, but it appears Tony Romo may have one less distraction this weekend when he leads the Cowboys against New York in the playoffs.

It looks like gal pal Jessica Simpson won’t be in attendance at Sunday’s game in Dallas, her rep told the New York Post.

“She is not attending. She’s working on a new album,” the Post quoted rep Cindy Berger as saying. “She will not be there, but she’ll be watching [on TV] and cheering [Romo] on.”

The blonde bombshell came under fire after coming out to support Romo at the team’s Dec. 16 game against the Philadelphia Eagles, which just happened to be the QB’s worst game of his career.

During the game, Jess got more than her fair share of camera time, as she sat in a luxury box wearing a pink No. 9 jersey.

Following the game, fans and even Tony’s teammates made it clear just what they thought about Jess coming out to support her man.

“Right now, Jessica Simpson is not a fan favorite — in this locker room or in Texas Stadium,” Cowboys wide receiver Terrell Owens jabbed in the media. “With everything that has happened, obviously with the way Tony played and the comparison between her and Carrie Underwood, I think a lot of people feel she has taken his focus away. Other than that, she was high on my list until last week.”

Owens later backed off his comments, saying he was only kidding.

Halle Berry Breaks It Down



Pregnancy certainly agrees with Halle Berry. The 41-year-old actress is blissful--and so ready to become a mom. But besides the upcoming blessed event, what else is on her mind? The star spells it out for In Style magazine.

Academy Award
"What was I thinking when I won? Nothing. I was having an out-of-body experience."

Bond Bikini
"The orange bikini is archived in my storage room. It's packed away in acid-free paper with other clothes that are part of my career, like Oscar dresses."

Catwoman
"I was glad I showed up to get my Razzie [a mock award for the worst performance of the year]. I could laugh and say, 'OK, I get it.' But they better never give me one of those damn things again!"

Dreams
"I have this recurring dream where my teeth fly out and I can't speak. They chatter around the room, and I try to catch them."

Eco-Friendly
"I've been checking out eco-friendly disposable diapers. I have this little teddy bear that I diaper!"

Fashion Faux Pas
"A while ago I was on one of the morning shows. My stylist convinced me to wear blue jeans and a blue jacket. We thought I'd be photographed from the waist up. Later that week I was on that list, 'When Bad Clothes Happen to Good People.' They called me a Smurf!"

Gabriel Aubry
"My first thought is: My baby's daddy!"

To read Halle's complete interview, pick up the February issue of In Style, available on newsstands January 11.

Label Rep Shoots Down Avril Lavigne Pregnancy Rumors



Rocker Avril Lavigne is not a mommy-to-be, despite online reports to the contrary, Access Hollywood has learned.

Blog sites on Thursday claimed the 23-year-old Canadian was six-weeks pregnant with husband Deryck Whibley's baby.

However, a rep for Avril's record label told Access Hollywood the report is not true.

Avril and Deryck (the lead singer of Sum 41) wed in July 2006.

Labor Strike Effects

The special Writer's Strike edition of the People's Choice Awards aired on CBS last night and, honestly, for what they had to work with ... the show turned out pretty cool. All of the acceptance speeches were prerecorded and some of them were pretty inventive. Joaquin Phoenix decided to make a silent statement with his acceptance speech (the only problem was that he spelled his name wrong on one of the cards). This, folks, is what happens when award shows get run over by labor strikes:

Who's on the Cover?

Jennifer Lopez is featured on the cover of the new issue of Harper's Bazaar magazine:




Hayden Panettiere is featured on the cover and in the pages of the new issue of Lucky magazine:




Those whacky Cruz sisters are at it again ... here are a couple new pictures from the
Mango ad campaign that features the amorous Penelope and Monica Cruz wearing clothing of their own design:



Penélope Cruz and her younger sister Mónica embrace their masculine side in their latest collection
for Spanish clothes chain Mango. The Volver actress, 33, and her dancer sibling, 30, don oversized
men's shirts and fedora hats in the ads for the Spring/Summer collection. The Cruz sisters have
designed a 38-piece collection for Mango's new season, following the success of their first collaboration
last summer. The stars posed for photography duo Mert and Marcus for the sexy shots, which includes
plenty of tanned and toned flesh on display, compared to the covered up autumn/winter collection.
The spookily-similar looking sisters are difficult to tell apart as they model denim hotpants and mini-skirts ...
As with the Cruzs' first collection for Mango, the new season will also be limited-edition.

Alli Who??

One last bit of Spears family-related news, it turns out that Cousin Alli Sims's career as a TV star is already dunzo before it actually began. This from Life and Style magazine:



Britney Spears' cousin/friend/former assistant Alli Sims' hope of getting herself a TV career out of her relationship with Brit-Brit has been shattered, an insider tells Life & Style. Maloof Productions, run by the family that owns the Palms Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas and the Sacramento Kings basketball team, had planned to produce an Entourage-style reality show with Alli as the star. But the Maloofs have suddenly changed their minds. "While Britney was being hospitalized in LA, Alli, her supposed best friend, was self-promoting in NYC. She was flown in for meetings to draw attention to her career — including her reality show. Only problem is, it's not happening," the insider says. While she was partying in New York at hotspot Tenjune, the Maloofs decided to drop the idea. Although it was intended to be Alli's show, Britney was always the main draw. "Alli and Britney are obviously not close anymore, and Alli's even had a falling out with the Spears family. So the Maloofs lost interest in going forward."


LOL! It's true ... no one gives a crap about Cousin Alli Sims ... that show was only gonna be made on the promise that Britney Spears was going to show up for cameos. Oh well, I guess Cousin Alli is gonna hafta refocus on that promising singing career. - trent

Britney's Been Restrained and Exploited

After Britney's breakdown last week, we can't really say that we're surprised to see that she's the unfortunate cover girl of this week's magazines, covering everything from her mental illness to her children to suicide watch. The latest news on Brit is that the LAPD filed a five-day restraining order against Britney last week to keep her kids safe. Even though the order ends today, Britney still won't have any custody of the kids until the next hearing on Monday.



As for the whole Dr. Phil situation, the Spears family sent a representative to the Today Show this morning to publicly accuse Dr. Phil of violating their trust by making public statements and exploiting Britney. We still can't figure out why they ever trusted him in the first place.

Johnny Depp Is Indefinitely The People's Choice

Johnny Depp looked adorable as usual promoting Sweeney Todd in Tokyo. Not only does Johnny have a shot of winning a Golden Globe (Did you fill out your ballot yet? Get on it people - you can win big so click here!), but the people have voted and he is still America's Favorite Male Movie Star. Johnny took home the title for the fourth year in a row. Crazy, right? He is probably also thrilled that Pirates won Favorite movie and favorite threequel. Click here to see all the winners from last night's People's Choice Awards which were awkwardly hosted by Queen Latifah but still better to have a show than nothing considering our options these days. Congrats to Johnny and the rest of people's favorite choices!

Kate and Matthew Know Each Other's Asses Well

Although Fool's Gold looks maybe horrible, I can't deny that I love seeing Kate Hudson and Matthew McConaughey together. How cute are they? Plus, we'll always have How To Lose A Guy In 10 Days. In the February issue of Glamour these two get cute and fun talking about their mutual enjoyment of each other and that ever present attraction. Here are highlights:



MM: I think it's fun [for audiences] to see us [on the big screen]. They want us to hook up, but they don't want us to hook up...

KH: We've never had any kind of relationship romantically and there's an element you can feel when we're working together.

MM: We're always courting. It's a constant flirting courtship, which keeps it really alive. We never dated. But we can still be attracted.

KH: I've seen you brush your teeth in the morning. I know what your body odor smells like. I can smell you from five blocks away. I know all your different style kisses. And I know all your different style hugs. If I were walking down a street and some guy came up and slapped my ass, if it were you, I would know it was you.

MM: Well you know what? If I were blindfolded and told to walk over and slap 10 asses, I would know which one was your ass.

Ha, well, clearly they've spent some time shooting those love scenes. And how hilarious is it that Kate mentioned Matty's body odor specifically? Me thinks it must be pretty, um, unique. - popsugar

"I'm Off Drugs!"



Albino Wino was out and about in London on Thursday and in a very chatty mood.

The drug-plagued star looked happy and healthy. "I'm a lot better," Amy said of her extended holiday in the Caribbean. "I went away to get off drugs, you know," she told the paparazzi.

It's gonna take more than a vacation to quit heroin and the like. But at least she's trying! (Or putting on a good facade.)

Beyonce’s Basketball Sandwich



Connect Four rivals Beyonce and Kanye West share a laugh during the New Jersey Nets’ NBA basketball game against the Seattle SuperSonics on Wednesday night in East Rutherford, N.J.

The Nets scored a 99-88 victory against the Seattle SuperSonics. Go Armpit of America!

Beyonce, of course, sat courtside and was sandwiched between her boo Jay-Z and Kanye. Their seats were emblazoned with “Rocawear,” the urban clothing label created by Jay-Z, Damon Dash and Kareem “Biggs” Burke.

Beyonce wears Christian Louboutin’s Ariella studded boots.

Beckham in a Bag



Here are all of the advertisements of Victoria Beckham for Marc Jacobs so far. Posh is either working it from inside a shopping bag or stepping out of a gift box! Which one’s your favorite???

Victoria sounded off on the ads recently: “The images are humorous and ironic. You can’t be afraid to experiment with fashion, especially when working with Marc and [photographer Juergen Teller] — you have to push the envelope and show a different side… Marc is a genius. I completely trusted his vision and the opportunity to work with Juergen again after so many years was a privilege.

And when asked to pick her favorite add, Posh said, “Truth be told, I love them all. If I have to pick favorites, it’s the package series: me coming out of the box in the gray knit dress shot with the hat, as well as the image of the oversize shopping bag. Certainly, if you can’t get locked inside a Marc Jacobs store, then trapped inside a Marc bag has got to be the next best thing.”

Orlando Bloom Serves Nepal for UNICEF



Orlando Bloom wears flower garlands and a red “tikka” mark on his forehead (local symbols of welcome) while visiting ethnic Tharu children and women at the Sayapatri Community Organization in the village of Dibyanagar in Chitwan district, Nepal.

In his role as an international ambassador for the charity UNICEF (United Nations Children’s Fund), Orlando, 30, toured UNICEF-supported programs in the country’s western region November 30 - December 9, 2007, meeting with UNICEF staff, health facilitators and educators, as well as women’s and other community groups.

Nepal is still recovering from a decade-long civil war that left 13,000 people dead, hampered the delivery of basic services and restricted development of the nation. Malnutrition is the underlying cause of more than 60 per cent of child deaths in Nepal; an estimated 51 per cent of children under the age of five stunted in growth and 48 per cent considerably underweight. However, maternal mortality has significantly reduced from an estimated 539 deaths per 100,000 births in 1996 to 281 maternal deaths per 100,000 births in 2006. Child deaths are also on the decline, putting Nepal on track to reach Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) 4 and 5 (the reduction of under-five child mortality and improved maternal health).

Vanessa Hudgens Joins the Mafia



Vanessa Hudgens arrives at the Rock Mafia Studio in Santa Monica, Calif. on Thursday. Looks like she got her hair straightened in the middle of the day!

The 19-year-old High School Musical star is set to act in feature film Will, which shoots February in Austin, Texas is about a battle of the bands at a high school.

Here’s a description of the role Vanessa will be playing: [SA5M] The 5 is silent. Sam is 15 years old, dressed down in black jeans and t-shirt, with hair strategically hiding her face from the world, she is a loner, one of the school’s outsiders, constantly seen with a book in hand. Smart, with a sense of humor and a lot of disdain for her shallow peers, Sam is a former stutterer and now speaks slowly and deliberately. She teams up with Will on a class project, and the two quickly discover they have a lot in common. Their friendship eventually takes the shape of a burgeoning romance. Brought on board as the lead singer for the band Will is managing, Sam emerges from her cocoon, demonstrating grit and commitment to perfection.

Lena Headey saves the day in 'Terminator: Sarah Connor'

By Robert Bianco, USA TODAY


The future is now: Sarah Connor (Lena Headey) and son John (Thomas Dekker) do battle with bots sent back in time.

Now this is how you rejuvenate a franchise.

Smart, tough and entertaining, Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles gets most everything right that Bionic Woman got so glaringly wrong.

Witty rather than relentlessly dour, exciting rather than excrutiatingly dull, SarahConnor has the twin benefits of a more clearly defined battle between good and evil and, in Lena Headey, a livelier British star who has better mastered the demands of an action/adventure format and an American accent.

Arriving with a two-part special that concludes Monday, this latest, Schwarzenegger-free extension of the Terminator franchise occupies a sweet spot between the second and third films. You'd think that would pose a storytelling problem, since we supposedly already know from T3 that nothing Sarah Connor (Headey) does can do much good. But the TV series solves that dilemma with a clever twist that sets it off on its own timeline.

No, it doesn't make sense, but it works well enough if you don't look too closely. Which is good advice in general, as giving too much thought to Terminator's ever-shifting timelines could make your head explode.

It would be better if the show made some tiny concession to those who come to the story cold, but the basics are fairly simple: In the middle of a future war between humans and robots, the bots send back a bionic "terminator" to kill the future leader of the human rebellion: John Connor (Thomas Dekker), now 15.

So future-John sends back a human-friendly terminator, Cameron (Firefly's Summer Glau), to protect his boyhood self and his mother, Sarah.

Mom, however, has her own plan: to stop the robots from being created at all. She just has to avoid the FBI agent (Richard T. Jones) who is after her for a crime that was committed in Terminator 2.

As much as the show recalls the movies, it also recalls some of the best work ever done in the genre for TV: the Buffy universe of Joss Whedon. Most every blast of portent and bombast is lightened by a throwaway joke; scenes of intense action and violence give way to equally well-realized scenes of domestic life that root the fantasy in emotional reality.

It's not easy, after all, to raise a teenage boy who is destined to save the universe — or to help a single-minded robot pass herself off as a teenage girl.

None of this would work nearly as well as it does if the cast were not as strong as the production values. As she did on Firefly, Glau puts an amusing, enigmatic spin on her character, and Dekker brings just the right mix of optimism and obstinence to his coming-of-age teen.

But if there's a breakout star here, it's Headey as a capable, sexy heroine who gets to add maternal fury to the mix.

Who needs bionics when you have a woman like that?

Janet Jackson Billboard Magazine February 2008



Janet Jackson graces the cover of the new Billboard magazine.

Looking classy and sassy!

Despite it being a great single, Janet's Feedback isn't selling that well or performing superbly on the charts.

Not sure why.

tmz

Brit to Cops -- "I'm F***ing Hot"

Law enforcement sources have told TMZ about the craziness in Britney's house the night she was committed. It involves profanity, nudity, drugs and wild mood swings.



Sources say when the cops showed up, Britney was locked in the master bathroom with Jayden James. Officers saw Britney from the backyard holding Jayden, who did not appear to be upset. Britney refused to come out for nearly three hours. When she did, all she was wearing was panties. Britney was incoherent, screaming at the cops, "What the f*** are you doing in my house? I know who you are." She continued ranting, "I don't need your f***ing help." At one point Britney, whose moods swung wildly from laughter to rage to sobs, hollered, "You will do as I say."

At some point Britney put on a see-through nightgown. Before police took her outside, they wanted to cover her with a sweater, and she screamed, "Don't cover me up. I'm f***ing hot."

Britney's assistant and nanny were present during the standoff. At one point the assistant told the police that Britney had been "popping pills" all day. Her code for medication was "vitamins" and she repeatedly demanded, "Get me my vitamins!" Officers found a bottle of Prozac in her bedroom.

Sam Lutfi arrived and told officers that he and the others around Britney "knew this was coming for a long time," but didn't know how bad it would be.

The assistant also told cops that earlier in the day, Britney showed no concern about attending her deposition and would not heed her warnings to show up on time.

Sam told law enforcement that Britney had been extremely unstable and had recently purchased a house in Malibu on a whim, began moving furniture in and then changed her mind.

As for Jayden James, the reason cops took him to the hospital was because there was a small bruise on his leg. Britney insisted the bruise occurred on Kevin's watch. Police took Jayden to Cedars as a precautionary measure.

We're told police will testify about the insanity at Monday's custody hearing.

And one more thing -- the nanny told cops that Britney would frequently dress up to the nines for no reason. She would walk around the house and change back.

Britney's Last Chance



TMZ has learned that Monday's custody hearing could be one of the most important days in Britney Spears' life. We're told that although she is not legally required to make an appearance in court, Brit needs to face the judge to explain herself if she's got any hope of getting her kids back. Our sources tell us if she doesn't show, or is uncooperative, it could be curtains for her custody case.

What's more, police sources tell TMZ that Commissioner Scott Gordon will hear firsthand eyewitness accounts of last Thursday's breakdown from LAPD, firefighters and paramedics who were on scene. We're told they're not going to paint a pretty picture.

Also, we've learned the L.A County Sheriff's Department isn't taking any chances -- they're ready for anything. If Brit Brit loses it in court, they'll be there to "handle" the situation. Wear your heavy boots!

Little Miss Shaunashine

Oh, for the love of Jon-Benet!



America's favorite Lucite platform heel-wearing mom, Shauna Sand, trotted out her adorable little mini-me daughters to prance for a Kitson fashion show in Hollywood on Thursday. Baby's first lip liner!

Where's Britney's court-ordered monitor when you need her?!

Katherine Heigl Comes Clean: I Can Have My Diva Moments



She's spewed some pretty controversial comments (who could forget her Knocked Up was "sexist" remark?), but Katherine Heigl insists she isn't difficult to work with.

“That’s not to say there aren’t moments when I’m a diva," she says in the February Cosmopolitan. "Everybody has bad moments ... There are people in my life who keep me grounded, so I couldn’t behave that badly, even if I wanted to.”

Heigl — who recently told Us she wants to start a family within the next year — also opens up about husband, musician Josh Kelley, whom she wed last December.

“[He] came into my life and I realized, 'Oh my God, you’re someone I can really trust and go to when things are hard,'" she says. "To have that in a partner is huge.”

Heigl is Cosmopolitan's Fun Fearless Female of the Year.

Claim: Katie Holmes Signed Contract, $3M a Year Prenup


Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes arrive at the "Mad Money" premiere at Mann
Village Theater on January 9, 2008 in Westwood, CA.
Lester Cohen/WireImage

Andrew Morton makes some explosive allegations in his new book, Tom Cruise: An Unauthorized Biography (out Tuesday). Among them: wife Katie Holmes signed a contract to commit to Scientology and that her father brokered a high-paying pre-nup.

Us Weekly distills the accusations in its latest issue, on newsstands now.

Morton claims Cruise had Holmes sign a document before they started dating that allowed "Scientologists full control over her life." The alleged document required Holmes to "turn only to Scientology's treatments" for herself and her children's welfare and "must never use psychiatric care or psychiatric drugs."

Morton maintains that Holmes' father, Martin, an attorney, negotiated a pre-nup that would award her $3 million for each year of their marriage.

Holmes' rep had no comment and the Church of Scientology told Us, "Ms. Holmes never signed any agreement."

Holmes – praised for her glam makeover – recently congratulated Nicole Kidman on her pregnancy and attended the Critics' Choice Awards.

Nicole's In Labor and Christina's Getting Ready For Baby Too!

Baby day! Us Weekly is reporting that Nicole Richie is currently in labor. Joel Madden was spotted on his way into the delivery area of Cedars-Sinai where Nicole already is. As if that's not exciting baby news enough, Christina Aguilera has apparently been at Cedars since last night. She was planning to have her baby through C-Section. How adorable will it be if both these new celebrity additions are born on the same day? We can't wait to hear more and we'll keep you updated! We hope everything goes smoothly with the deliveries and early congrats to the families.

Reese Is a Serious-Faced Avon Ambassador

Reese Witherspoon shows off her serious side (can't you tell from the photos?!) in the February issue of Marie Claire, putting away her trademark smile to talk about her charity work. Awww, cheer up, Reese! Over the Summer, Reese was named the first-ever Avon Global Ambassador, which is a topic near and dear to her heart these days and something she wants to talk about, but she also got in some nice words about her new co-star Vince, too.



* On taking on the roll of Avon Ambassador: The Avon Foundation has been hugely active in the fight against breast cancer — and also in the areas of domestic violence and disaster relief. I went to New Orleans in the wake of Hurricane Katrina, and it was devastating to see how underserved those communities are. I'm looking forward to helping raise money and awareness for those causes. In fact, over the years, I've been approached by many companies to support their brands or products, but I've never felt as inspired as when I met the people from Avon — I feel like they've given me an opportunity to connect to women in a very personal way.

* On Vince: "I’ve been a big fan of his for so many years. Vince is one of the only actors working today who makes me laugh in every movie I see him in. Working with him has been a great experience for me, a real exercise in always staying on my toes comedically. I laugh every day at work!"

That makes both her and Vince who are super complimentary of each other, but I wonder if these interviews were conducted before the rumors of on-set trouble. In the interview she also talks about her upcoming movie Penelope, which looks totally weird, don't you think?

Keira Knightley - W Magazine
Fri, 11 January 2008



Keira Knightley strikes a pose for the upcoming issue of W magazine, on newsstands Jan. 22.

WHAT DO YOU THINK of her denim number — PERFECTLY PLACED or PERFECTLY UGLY?

Jessica Biel Goes Blonde



Clearly taking her cues from Amy Winehouse (just kidding) Jessica Biel has decided to go blonde. And what better place to show off her new coif than London’s Heathrow Airport.

Rumor has it that the “7th Heaven” hottie got bleached for a new movie role that she’s filming in the UK, but with the mixed reviews her new look is getting, it stands to reason that Jess may be getting back to brunette sooner than later.

celebrity rumors

Nicole Kidman is SO pregnant.



And I am happy to report that thankfully, Tom Cruise’s sperm has nothing to do with this production. Instead, it’s Keith Urban. And because it is Keith Urban and NOT Tom Cruise, I happily predict that the baby will receive the gift of a normal freaking name.

Associated Press says, Nicole Kidman is pregnant, her publicist confirmed Monday. The 40-year-old actress and her husband country singer Keith Urban “are expecting a baby,” publicist Catherine Olim said in a brief statement. “The couple are thrilled,” Olim said.

And More.

Page Six has heard from extremely well-placed sources that the Oscar-winning Aussie - who’s suffered miscarriages in the past - not only has a bun in the oven but is so concerned about the welfare of her unborn child that she’s taking a break from her film career and has dropped out of director Stephen Daldry’s post-World War II Germany drama “The Reader,” which she was supposed to start shooting this month.

I bet Cruisentology is chomping at the bit to name this kid Blue Moon or Hunting Mighty, or something freakish like that.

Enjoy.

It's a Girl For Nicole and Joel!



People was the first to report, Nicole Richie gave birth to a baby girl today at Cedars-Sinai hospital in Los Angeles. She and Joel named their first born Harlow Winter Kate Madden, who came in at 6 lbs and 7 oz. Their rep says that baby Harlow is already back at home with Nicole and Joel. We can't wait to see their precious little one. Congratulations to the new family!

Courtney Thorne-Smith Has a Boy

FRIDAY JANUARY 11, 2008 07:00 PM EST



Courtney Thorne-Smith and husband Roger Fishman welcomed a son, Jacob Emerson Fishman, on Friday, the actress's rep tells PEOPLE.

This is the first child for the According to Jim star and Fishman, who owns a media company.

"Mother and dad are thrilled," the rep says. "They say the baby is absolutely gorgeous."

Thorne-Smith, 40, and Fishman, 47, were married on New Year's Day 2007.

Fergie & Josh: Wedding Plans in 'Preliminary Stages'



Josh Duhamel has his life in order – he has a hit TV show, stunning good looks and new fiancée. The only complication? Planning a perfectly fergalicious wedding.

Recently engaged to Fergie, his girlfriend-of-three-years, the TV star told PEOPLE, "We're in the preliminary stages" of wedding preparations. (As for a potential date, the actor would only say "soon.")

His fiancée, a.k.a. The Dutchess, did not join Duhamel at Thursday's 100th episode celebration for Las Vegas at the Palms Casino Resort – but their pending nuptials were clearly at the forefront of his mind. And Vegas, being the wedding capital of the world, wasn't giving him any ideas, either.

"Right now, we're just figuring it all out," he said, adding that they haven't settled on a size or location for the ceremony. "We're just enjoying it. It's all great, though."

News of the couple's engagement first broke on Christmas Day. "I feel like the luckiest girl in the world," Fergie, 32, told PEOPLE soon afterward. "I'm thrilled."

Also thrilled: Duhamel, whose NBC show is still going strong in it's fifth season. Joined castmates Molly Sims, Camille Guaty and James Lesure, the actor accepted the key to the city before dining at N9NE Steakhouse and retreating to a private cast party.

"We all feel very fortunate, lucky and excited to be here," he said.

Christina's New Genie on the Bottle

by Tina Dirmann and Gina Serpe
Fri, 11 Jan 2008 05:45:58 PM PST



Suddenly there's a whole new meaning to "Come On Over Baby" for Christina Aguilera.

The five-time Grammy winner and hubby Jordan Bratman welcomed their first child in Los Angeles on Friday.

The couple announced the birth in a quick text message to friends and family around 4 p.m.: "Baby has arrived. Mom and dad are doing well!" (Apparently not even the prospect of dirrty diapers can dampen their spirits.)

There were no further details immediately available. "As soon as I have more information I will let you know," the singer's rep said.

While E! News was able to confirm the impending stork delivery last July, Aguilera herself, despite an ever-expanding midriff, didn't publicly acknowledge the pregnancy until early November, when she told Glamour magazine she would "enter into mommyhood" sometime in 2008.

The 27-year-old onetime Mouseketeer has kept a relatively low profile throughout her pregnancy—aside from the now-requisite nude-and-pregnant spread in this month's Marie Claire—opting to keep the details of her first born a secret, never revealing to press either the babe's due date or gender along the way.

Unfortunately, she failed to share the keep-mum edict with pal Paris Hilton, who back in September publicly congratulated the "most beautiful pregnant woman in the world" while hosting an MTV Video Music Award party at Las Vegas nightclub LAX.

In early November, Aguilera held the first of three scheduled baby showers at her Beverly Hills home, wherein we got the first clue about the baby's sex: all of the guest's baby gifts had a decidedly blue bent.

Aguilera told Marie Claire this month that she and hubby Bratman, a 30-year-old music-marketing exec, always had plans to start a family but were nonetheless surprised when they learned a baby was already on board.

"We were planning on starting to try after the [Back to Basics] tour," she said. "And so, I had gone off the Pill to prepare my body, because I didn't know how much time it would take. You've heard it takes some time—except with Power Egg and Super Sperm here. I'm like, 'Oh my God, can you believe it just happened?' "

Aguilera and Bratman tied the knot in Napa Valley, California in November 2005 after three years of dating.

EXCLUSIVE: Comedian David Alan Grier, Wife Welcome Baby Girl



It’s a busy night at L.A.'s Cedars-Sinai Medical Center!

Not only did Nicole Richie go into labor Friday, but comedian David Alan Grier and his wife, Christine Y. Kim, welcomed a baby earlier this evening. (Actress Courtney Thorne-Smith had a baby boy the same day.)

“Yes, it’s a girl!” Grier, 52, told Usmagazine.com. “We’re very happy.”

Grier and Kim, the Associate Curator of the Studio Museum in Harlem, wed last July 2007.

Crime Report in Britney Case



Law enforcement sources tell TMZ the LAPD wrote up a crime report in connection with last week's standoff at Brit's home.

Sources say cops wrote a Child Endangering Report which is now under lock and key at the LAPD. Sources say this is a preliminary investigation report, meaning the LAPD can conduct further inquiry and possibly even arrest Spears if they determine a crime was committed. We're told the report was written because of all of the events at the house -- including locking herself in the bathroom with Jayden and violating the custody order.

We're told it's unlikely the LAPD will arrest Brit since the custody court is all over the matter.

MERV GRIFFIN'S TOMBSTONE:
NO JOKE!



Hollywood legend Merv Griffin is still getting laughs — from beyond the grave.

As one of his final wishes, the late talk show king asked that his granite grave stone bear this tongue-in-cheek inscription: "I will not be right back after this message."

Now his irreverent last words are drawing crowds to the tiny Westwood Village Memorial Park in Los Angeles — which is also the last resting place of Hollywood legends Marilyn Monroe, Dean Martin, Carroll O'Connor and Jack Lemmon.

Told that Merv is still getting laughs in the graveyard, his company spokesperson Marcia Newberger told The ENQUIRER: "Merv would have wanted it exactly that way."



Merv died Aug. 12 at age 82 after a long battle with prostate cancer. He left a $1 billion estate — and a legacy of smiles.

Kirsten Dunst For Miu Miu



Back in November, we told you that Kirsten was going to be taking over for Lindsay Lohan as the new face of Miu Miu. We've got your first peek at one of Kirsten's ads for the Spring campaign, all sprawled out on the red floor in her black party dress.

Jennifer Lopez Is the Queen of Mistakes and Happy About It


It's been a few weeks since we've seen Jennifer Lopez out and about, but she's all over the magazines these days. She's not showing off her bump photoshoot-style just yet, but that doesn't mean she won't partake in the requisite excited talk about her growing family in UK Cosmopolitan. Awwwww all around. Here are highlights:

* On her diva demands: "[Laughs] All that diva stuff was just so unreal. I never made demands like that. I would never ask for rooms to be painted white and I don't even know how to count the threads on sheets! Sometimes you can get stuck in a world and you don't know how to get out because it's all so crazy. But you learn — boy do you learn. Hey, I'm the Queen of Mistakes!"

* On motherhood changing her life: I don't know about motherhood, but certainly being this happy has changed me. I feel so much more creative about music — now if people criticize my music it doesn't bother me because it's not the only thing in my life. I wake up and I don't groan, thinking of all the things I need to do. I'm just happy.

Happiness abounds with the moms and moms-to-be in Hollywood today. Yay! Gushing all around! Anyway, she may not be a diva, but I can't wait to see her little one(s) who will surely be some of the most fashionable tots around.

Rachel Bilson Says No, No, No to Nudity

Rachel Bilson must have an appreciation for irony, because in an interview with Playboy magazine she opened up about her strong feelings about never going nude on film. Interesting forum, no? R-Bils also talked a little about her admiration of that maybe-boyfriend Hayden and waiting her turn in Hollywood. Here's more:



* On nudity: "Movies can be sexy or sexual without showing things...It's almost a deal breaker. [The Last Kiss] was rated R, and they like to put in nudity wherever they can, but I'm pretty strong willed and believe it can be avoided."

* On Hayden: He's an amazing guy and a fantastic actor... In those Star Wars movies I thought other people — people who are successful and Oscar-nominated — came off looking much worse than he did. But he caught a lot of s--t, which really made me mad."

* On the jobs she wants: "The roles I want usually go to Kirsten Dunst, Keira Knightley, Scarlett Johansson, Natalie Portman or Kate Bosworth — even though I look younger or older than a few of them. I understand they were once where I am now, and my ultimate goal is to get to that point. Hopefully, I'll achieve it, but you never know."

She may not be removing her clothes on screen, but she's all about taking off her jeans these days. Sad face that she doesn't get the parts she wants but maybe Jumper will catapult her into the league she wants to be in. Our girl wasn't the star of The O.C. for nothing.