Eric Clapton has been forced to pull out of this week's Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Concerts at Madison Square Garden. The 64-year-old guitarist will instead have his gallstones removed this week, followed by time spent convalescing at his home in the UK.

Clapton's appearance this Friday at the second show of a two-night celebration in New York honoring the hall's 25th anniversary was expected to be one of the highlights of the extravaganza. Via his official Website, Clapton said he was "very sorry to disappoint the fans and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame."

Spokespeople for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame said Monday that they wish Clapton all the best and intend to announce a replacement for Eric's part of the show. Clapton, who had been expected to share the bill with U2, Aretha Franklin, Metallica, Ozzy Osbourne and Annie Lennox, says he remains committed to his 2010 concert schedule.
Source : spinner

Baseball analyst Steve Phillips was fired by ESPN Sunday night, less than a week after he admitted to an affair with a production assistant.   Phillips’ acknowledgment Wednesday of his relationship with 22-year-old Brooke Hundley whom he met when the two were working at the All-Star Game in St. Louis, was not unlike David Letterman’s situation but big difference in the outcome.  According to a police report filed in Wilton, Conn., Hundley began calling Phillips’ wife, Marni, on Aug. 5 after he broke off the affair and sent her a letter graphically describing their relationship.  Marni Phillips called police Aug. 19 when she came home to find Hundley in her driveway. “I knew instinctively that this was the woman Steve was involved with and I was terrified,” she wrote in a statement to police.
Hundley also contacted Phillips’ 16-year-old son through his Facebook account, according to the police report.  Marni Phillips filed for divorce Sept. 14, according to court records.
The network made the announcement last night during Game 6 of the ALCS championship Yankees versus Angels, which Phillips normally would have been analyzing in a TV studio.
“Steve Phillips is no longer working for ESPN,” the network said in a statement.
“His ability to be an effective representative for ESPN has been significantly and irreparably damaged, and it became evident it was time to part ways.”
Steve Lefkowitz, Phillips’ representative, said in an e-mail that his client “is voluntarily admitting himself to an inpatient treatment facility to address his personal issues, and informed ESPN of his plans Friday.”
In 1998, Steve Phillips admitted having sex with a Mets employee, who sued for sexual harassment. That case was settled out of court. Phillips was fired by the Mets in 2003.

Actor Sean Penn, known for his political activism, is bound for Cuba to meet with revolutionary leader, Fidel Castro for Vanity Fair magazine. According to TMZ, Penn’s interview with Castro will focus on the changes in relations between the Communist country and the U.S., since Barack Obama took office.

Penn is traveling with London-based philanthropist Diana Jenkins, who had a hand in setting up a possible meeting with the reticent ailing leader. Penn’s representative also told TMZ a meeting with Castro was planned.

President Obama has taken steps in recent months to ease relations with the isolated Communists country, by relaxing rules on visits to the country and allowing family in the U.S. to send money transfers to the island.
The two-time Academy Award winner for his roles in Mystic River and Milk, has been active in supporting several controversial political and social causes including a close relationship with Venezuelan president Hugo Chávez. On June 10, 2005 for example, Penn made a visit to Iran. Acting as a journalist on an assignment for the San Francisco Chronicle, he attended a Friday prayer at Tehran University.

There has always been a trend in Hollywood where an actress, singer, or wannabe-starlett will say something apparently innocent, that sounds unbelievably suggestive.  Shakira started an interview with Rolling Stone magazine in precisely this way.
“I’ve always lived through my mouth,” she was quoted as saying.
“It’s my biggest source of pleasure: what I say, what I sing, the kisses I give, the chocolate I eat.”
She has apparently been seeing a therapist with a Freudian leaning because she just can’t keep things away from those full, pouty lips. Nice.
But she couldn’t keep us thinking about inappropriate things for for. She went on to explain that she had her long time boyfriend are planning on starting a family.
Shakira is hoping to begin trying for their first child at the end of this tour. We at Hot Momma wish her luck, but it won’t be easy as long as she keeps that oral fixation…pregnancy doesn’t work that way.

A spokeswoman has announced famed composer Andrew Lloyd Webber has been diagnosed with prostate cancer. The statement thankfully said “the condition is in its very early stages. Andrew is now undergoing treatment and expects to be fully back at work before the end of the year.” Webber, 61, other musical hits have included “Cats,” “Joseph and The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat,” “Jesus Christ Superstar,” “Starlight Express,” and “Evita.” His awards include seven Tonys, three Grammys, six Oliviers, a Golden Globe, an Oscar, an International Emmy, The Praemium Imperiale and The Richard Rodgers Award for Excellence in Musical Theatre. He was knighted in 1992 and named to Britain’s House of Lords in 1997. He recently announced plans for a sequel to his phenomenally successful musical “Phantom of the Opera.” Called “Love Never Dies,” it is scheduled to open in London’s West End in March and follow on Broadway in November.

With their marriage now done and the pre-nup worked out, the next step in the seemingly Earth-shaking romance of Khloe Kardashian and Laker’s forward, Lamar Odom is to finally introduce the 25-year old bride to his kids. When asked by reporters if he planned to introduce his new bride to the tribe, Lamar’s answer was clear, “Of course.” And it’s thought their first meeting will be at the party for the 29-year old Forward’s new line of clothing called, ‘Rich Soil.’ And do the new couple have plans for kids of their own, E reporters then asked? “Maybe one day,” he answered.
The 6′10” new bridegroom has three children so far, Destiny (age 11), Lamar Jr (7), and Jayden (aged 3).
In a sign the new coupling may truly be love, Lamar told the scribes he knew Khloe was ‘the one’ as soon as they met…Well, almost. “It only took me 30 days.” he recalled. ” But when you know, you know.” And how is married life, they inquired? “Beautiful,” said Lamar. “It’s just incredible.”
But although Khloe was beside her new husband for the big launch, she also had pressing engagements uptown. After a short time on scene, Khloe left to join sister Kim for her birthday indulgence at the upscale diner, ‘Philippe’
“I’m going to Kim’s right after this – Double-dipping for a good cause,” she told the waiting photogs.
And Khloe needed to go as she’d already missed Kim’s first birthday party in Vegas early this week. Kim’s current squeeze, New Orleans Saints’ Running Back, Reggie Bush was also a no-show – but his gift sure arrived!

Grammy-winning rapper Lil Wayne, born Dwayne Michael Carter Jr., pleaded guilty to attempted weapon possession in a Manhattan courtroom Thursday — and is to be sentenced to a year in prison. The Rap superstar plead  guilty to gun possession yesterday, thanks to the .40-caliber Springfield Armory semiautomatic cops confiscated from his tour bus after a concert two years ago at the Beacon Theatre.  Just like New York Giant Plaxico Burress, Lil Wayne opted out of risking going to trial and being convicted of the original top charge of outright possession, where he could have been hit with the mandatory minimum of 3½ years in prison under New York’s stringent gun laws.  Lil Wayne will next appear in court on Dec. 15 and he’ll be sentenced in February, the New York district attorney spokeswoman said. Wayne’s plea could have larger implications for the release of his next album and his ability to tour to promote that collection. The artist has been working on a long-awaited rock ‘n’ roll effort, “Rebirth,” an album scheduled to be released coincidentally also on Dec. 15.

Soupy Sales born Milton Supman, has passed on to the great comedy castle in the sky.  Sales (born Milton Supman) began his career with a 1953 kids’ TV show in Detroit called “Lunch With Soupy Sales,” and went on to star in both syndicated and network TV shows (including three for ABC) until his last series in 1979-80. They all followed similar formats: slapstick, awful (but good) punning, and goofy banter with shaggy puppets like White Fang and Black Tooth. And, of course, there were the trademark tossed custard pies — a career total of 20,000, according to Sales’ calculations.  During the early 1960s, stars such as Frank Sinatra, Tony Curtis and Shirley MacLaine received their just desserts side-by-side with the comedian on his television show.

While it’s true the bar is already set pretty high, Lindsay Lohan’s recent behavior has been so bizarre friends are now urging the stress-riddled starlet to seek out some help.

With gainful employment now nothing more than historical fact, the 23-year old actress has been indulging in an unbounded orgy of nightclubs and drinking that has most of her close friends concerned. But LL’s  not impressed. “It’s not even being considered by Lindsay, it’s not even on the cards for her,” one insider told Radar.

Having been repeatedly absent from mandated alcohol awareness classes, Lindsay was summoned to appear at a Beverly Hills courthouse on Friday to resolve this mindless mistake, “The head of the program really feels he can help her through this disease that’s taken over her life,” says the source.

But those who orbit around her don’t tend to agree, “We are hopeful they will help her, it just doesn’t seem like it will be enough,” another insider opines.

One major source of distress for LaLohan [and us!] is her family. Especially her dad, “With Michael spouting off to the press and Dina pressuring her to get a restraining order against him, Lindsay can’t handle it; And unfortunately her coping mechanism includes alcohol,” the insider reports.

Her father’s endless, unwelcome press statements have apparently pushed Lindsay to the point of filing that order. But for reasons that ares not hard to define she seems oddly reluctant to take the last step, “The paperwork is ready, all she has to do is give the Attorney the go. Dina pushed her to do this, but this is someone who changes her mind ten times a day,” the enabling, excuse-wielding  friend tells the press.

Lindsay is reportedly hiding in New York until this latest self-serving scandal is over. And she’s now scheduled to stay away from L.A. until her father leaves town. Stay tuned for the next [stomach] gripping installment…

In a meeting of two unlikely allies both willing to forget the past for the mutual benefit of both, it has been announced that former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin will be appearing on the Oprah Winfrey show to promote her new book, Going Rogue: An American Life.
It is an interesting choice, as Palin refused to go on Oprah’s show last year, when the legendary talk show hostess came forward as a vocal supporter of Barack Obama for president, and expressed critical views of Palin as a VP pick for the Republican party. But there is perhaps no better platform than Winfrey’s show to drum up sales for a book.
The interview will be the first after the release of the book, though it has not been announced when the interview itself will be done, only that it will be aired the day before the book hits shelves and you can pretty much count it to air during November’s sweeps week.

Remember when several bands found out that their music was being used to break detainees in Guantanamo Bay? Well, they are finally standing up and doing something about it.
Nine Inch Nails, Pearl Jam, R.E.M., Rosanne Cash, Steve Earle, Rage Against the Machine, and others are joining a coalition to put pressure on the Obama Administration to close the Cuban once-secret prison.
This is an interesting idea, and it is great that these bands are being proactive. The whole idea of using blaring music for hours at a time, sometimes days, is horrifying.
According to documents from January 2002 to October 2003 they would play everything from Nine Inch Nail’s ‘March of the Pigs’ to the Meow Mix jingle. No joke.
Sadly, I don’t think that a bunch of musicians getting together behind the National Campaign to Close Guantanamo will do as much as they hope. But Obama has always been adamant that the prison will be closed, so many it will offer just enough support to push it through.

Reports are emerging that Dennis Quaid almost got to join his pal, Mel Gibson in the DUI Hall of Fame.

Dennis, 54, and his wife, Kimberly left Phillipe Chows restaurant in West Hollywood in the early hours of this morning, and the valet service delivered their car. Along with a friend, the couple climbed in and Dennis was about to drive off…just as an LAPD cruiser rolled past.

The cops told Dennis to get out of the car, but despite being in the driver’s seat with the keys in the console and his hands on the wheel, Dennis told Dibble he wasn’t planning to drive.

…Huh??

The cops gave the actor a mild verbal warning and let him return to the restaurant to summon a cab. Meanwhile TMZ says the attendant paparazzi gave helpful advice, “You don’t want a DUI.” they told him. “You don’t want to end up like Mel Gibson.” Dennis laughed and agreed.

A few minutes later a cab duly arrived, and he and his lady were chauffeured away…

All aboard,once again, for the Simpson Express – Jessica Simpson has spied a new love.

Jessica, 29, was spied at New York’s Soho House restaurant on Wednesday with the 300 star who’ll turn 40 on November 19 – and onlookers say there were definite sparks,

“They were at a table with friends,” says one spy. ”But Jessie and Gerard sat next to each other, and seemed to only be interested in each other. They chatted for hours.”

The two weren’t alone – Gerard brought a friend, and Jessica’s constant shadow, Ken Paves, was also on scene…but that didn’t seem to phase these two one bit.

“They were laughing and flirting, and eventually left together, along with Ken,” the spy told OK.

So has Jess found a man to mend the scars of El Romo, or is this another fake ‘date’ to reboot her career?

Let’s hear your view…

In testimony presented to a Senate Commission which kept a packed auditorium both hushed and enthralled, Academy Award-winning actress, Nicole Kidman agreed that the output of Hollywood has almost certainly inspired assaults against women.

Testifying before the House Foreign Affairs subcommittee as part of their plans to form laws that prevent such attacks, the 42-year old actress told the panel that numerous movies have inspired violence against women by portraying them as weak, and mere sex objects.

As a result of this regrettable link, Nicole made it clear she would never accept such a role, “I can’t be responsible for all of Hollywood, but I can be responsible for my own career,” she said.

NPR reports the proposed legislation would address violence against women overseas through humanitarian efforts, and by collaborating with the UN to fund local organizations who help  stamp out this problem.

The native Hawaiian was speaking in her role as a goodwill ambassador for the U.N’s ‘Development Fund for Women,’ [aka, UNIFEM,] to promote their new legislation, ‘The International Violence Against Women Act.’”In the real world, the laws go unenforced and impunity is the norm,” she said.

The new law that would supply the UN with much-needed funds has stalled in the past, but one of its sponsors, Bill Delahunt, [D-Mass.,] told those attending they plan to reintroduce it quite soon.

After five years of a marriage that was among the formative icons of the whole ‘Prop-8′ movement, Rosie O’Donnell and her partner, Kelli Carpenter seem bound for divorce.

Married in San Francisco in 2004, the couple lived together in Nyack, New York. But reports, as yet unconfirmed, say that Kelli, 42, has now found a new space.  And in a USA Today interview Tuesday, Rosie did not disagree with these tales;

“We’re a family. We will remain a family, and we are working on our issues.”

Hints at emotional turmoil backstage have appeared on her blog for some time, but Rosie would not discuss the pair’s current condition. The lives of four children would be affected by any split, so Rosie was asked about them;

“They’re adorable and wonderful, and they are by far a priority,” she explained. “Kelli and I love each other, and we are working on the issues, but everybody’s good and we’re still raising them together. We will continue to parent them and everything’s all right.”

With that depth of denial, maybe all this is true?

The couple have four children; Parker, 14, Chelsea, 12 and Blake, aged 9, all of whom were adopted, plus a daughter, Vivienne, age 6, whom Kelli conceived by in-vitro then carried to term.

After a career as blighted as scandal as it was blessed by awards, Amy Winehouse has apparently begun a new chapter.

In a worrying example of inverse priorities, Nicole Richie and Joel Madden welcomed a baby on September 9th, and now they’ve decided to become man and wife.

Engaged since March of 2007, the long-standing couple finally sealed their union in a private ceremony in Nicole’s LA home, with Joel’s brother, Benji as their only live witness. They were joined in their nuptials by 45,000 fellow members of the Unification Church, who were married by the Church’s iconic leader at exactly the same time.

“Joel had been asking Nicole to get married since before Harlow was born,” says a friend. “She wasn’t in a rush, but when Adam Goldstein (aka ‘DJ AM,’ her ex fiancee,) died in August, Nicole didn’t want to spend another day not being Mrs. Joel Madden.”

But despite their celebrity the event was low-key, “Nicole is a free spirit and wanted a wedding that reflected that,” a friend told the Star. “She read about the mass wedding online and thought it would be perfect for them.”

Bronson Pinchot, who is best remembered by his role as Balki in TV series Perfect Strangers, has worked alongside some Hollywood heavyweights, gave a colorful interview to the AVClub. Bronson recounts his career and gives brutally honest memories of his more famous costars, including Eddie Murphy, Denzel Washington, Mischa Barton, Tom Hanks, Quentin Tarantino, Martin Scorcese and Tom Cruise.

He recalls working with Eddie Murphy in two Beverly Hills Cop movies as the hilarious character, Serge, and describes the comic as someone who was really depressed.

The judge in the Bahamas in the John Travolta extortion case has ordered a retrial because of possible juror misconduct.  Travolta’s son Jett died in the Bahamas aged 16 in January following a seizure. Pleasant Bridgewater and Tarino Lightbourne are accused of trying to extort $25m from Travolta over his son’s death.  The actor testified in the original trial against the pair and admitted for the first time that Jett was autistic.

The paramedic Lightbourne, claimed to have a medical document that Travolta signed, requesting his son be driven to the airport so he could fly the boy for treatment in Florida rather than go to the local hospital in Freeport. One of the more compelling moments of the trial occurred when Travolta stoically told the jury he did not read the document he signed because, “Time was of the essence.”
A retrial was ordered late on Wednesday after an MP declared publicly that Ms Bridgewater had been cleared while the jury was still deliberating. Supreme Court Justice Anita Allen said she was reluctant to order a new trial but had to do so “in the interest of justice”.
She said she was concerned about possible “communication” from the jury room – raising the possibility of jury misconduct.

In a telling display of the dark side of celebrity, Hulk Hogan is about to release a new book in which he recounts a night where a lethal blend of an imploding marriage, endless attention and way too much booze almost ended in death.

Born, Terry Gene Bollea on August 11, 1953, the former WWF wrestling champion describes in his book how he once came ‘damn close’ to suicide after a night at a club. Ingesting a cocktail of Xanax and rum, he picked up a gun and even fingered the trigger, but an opportune call from his ‘Gladiators’ co-star Laila Ali brought him back from the edge.

The wrestler now admits that near-fatal night in December of 2007 was the start of a long-overdue wake-up call. The combined effect of “going to a club, drinking, getting all that attention from girls,” then coming back to a dark, empty home filled with only the ghosts of his now defunct marriage nearly depressed him to death.

Hogan believes that Linda, who is now his ex-wife after 23 years was the source of his torment, “Linda’s spending time with a 19-year-old boy – In the house that I pay for,” he writes.

Taking a, no-doubt welcome break from their ongoing court case, John Travolta and wife, Kelly  Preston joined Tom Cruise, Katie Holmes and around 40,000 close friends at a huge Scientology party in England last Friday, so Us has confirmed.

The quartet were unannounced guests at the ‘International Association of Scientologists’ 25th Anniversary bash at a real English mansion, somewhere along the sleepy, sun-dappled back roads of Sussex.

During speeches that lasted two jaw-cracking hours,  the Mission Impossible star took his turn, briefly addressing the emotional, fist-pumping throng, “Because we never took our eyes off the ultimate prize, we stand where we are today,” he enthused. “We are in this together!”

In what, precisely, he chose not to share. Next came a choir, which filled Tom with joy and the hi-profile trio were soon on their feet, “Tom was swaying and looked like he was in heaven,” one witness told Us. “He was really into it. Katie was doing her best to look as enthusiastic; She was clapping along, but was totally out of sync. Suri was just looking bemused in a cute party dress.” so we’re told.

And what about John, you may ask? Travolta and his wonderful wife were seated nearby and seemed far more muted, “John and Kelly were holding hands,” an onlooker reports. “They looked like a very united couple.”

As if the last few weeks were not torture enough, a new story’s emerging that may make David Letterman’s life even more dire: There’s a sex tape in play.

Captured by a security camera at New York’s ‘Ed Sullivan Theatre’ where Dave does the show, the tape allegedly reveals the  62-year old host getting rather ‘friendly’ with a member of staff.

Should it debut online, the, as yet unseen recording could not only end David’s marriage, but insiders are saying it might also persuade the CBS suits to end his career.

“If the tape makes its way into the criminal case, it’ll explode his marriage to smithereens,” a source familiar with the situation told the National Enquirer. “It’s one thing for him to publicly admit to sexual relations with women on his staff. It’s another to see him with one of those women.” they said.

If proven to be real, the tape would also be damaging evidence in the trial of Robert Halderman, the CBS producer who now stands accused of allegedly blackmailing the host over such secret affairs.

For a talk show host Dave’s gone strangely silent, but if more news emerges you’ll find it here.

In a fully deserved and laudable answer to the lawsuit presented by Carrie Prejean, those in charge of the Miss California pageant are counter-suing the former contestant in a move guaranteed to induce another self-serving salvo of crocodile tears.

The production company which organizes the pageant has now filed a cross-complaint against Carrie, with a long list of demands including one that the 22-year old model repay the $5,200 the pageant advanced her for breast augmentation.

Another section requests the court to strike the section of Prejean’s self-serving lawsuit which prohibits ‘public disclosure of private facts.’ Their suit says, “the alleged ‘private facts’ consist of her breast augmentation, which ceased being private during the nationally-televised pageant, in which Ms. Prejean walked the stage in a bikini.”

Noting Carrie’s well-known fondness for hiding her bigotry with a convenient bible, the complaint also advises, “Had Ms. Prejean heeded the Gospel of John, who admonished only those who were without sin to cast stones in judgment, she might have avoided this battle.”

At the core of the lawsuit is the pageant bosses’ claim that Ms. Prejean is simply a well-practiced hypocrite – Banging the drum about ‘family values’ while posing for a whole range of semi-nude photos, which later surfaced on TMZ.

The case is ongoing and we’ll bring you new revelations as they are ‘leaked’ to the press…

The groundswell of chatter regarding the shaky connection between Justin Timberlake and Jessica Biel has become so relentless, Justin’s mom has now stepped in to restore some hope of calm.

Justin was seen partying hard – and alone – in Las Vegas this weekend, but Timber-Momma, Lynn Harless, says he’s not up for grabs. “He’s found someone that’ll golf with him, give him a hard time when he deserves it and stand up to him,” the lady told E.

Justin, 28, was in Vegas to act as host for a celebrity golf tournament and a benefit concert to raise funds for the Shriners Hospitals for Children. On hand to help were folks like Alicia Keys, Taylor Swift, Snoop Dogg, TLC, Ciara and Jay Sean.

But once the good deeds got done, JT hit the town – and Jessie was nowhere in sight.

Widely known as one of the world’s most eligible bachelors and a constant fixture in those “Sexiest man” polls, George Clooney is quite clear that, in matters of love, he has just the same problems as we do.

“I’ve had some absolutely great relationships and some not so great ones,” the 48-year-old actor tells the UK’s Daily Mirror. “But just because you’re with someone doesn’t mean you’re happy and complete,” he opines.

Briefly married to actress Talia Balsam, George’s past cast-list of love includes actresses Renee Zellweger, Kelly Preston, DeDee Pfeiffer and Kimberly Russell, plus models Lisa Snowdon and Celine Balitran. His current co-star is Italian TV hostess, Elisabetta Canalis [seen here,] on whom we’ve reported before.

With such a range of past loves, George is now what some call a playboy. An image at which he’s happy to poke fun, “I’m old,” he says with a laugh. “But I’m okay with that because the other option is being dead. So I’ll take getting older.”

And love is not the only thing George does on a grand scale – He’s currently in London for no less than three premieres; The new romantic-comedy, ‘Up In The Air’, the evergreen children’s favorite, ‘The Fantastic Mr Fox’ and a CIA satire entitled, ‘The Men Who Stare At Goats.’ But as you’d expect, George is largely unmoved, “All three are films I don’t have to be embarrassed about – and that’s rare!” he confesses.

Between all the filming, George now relaxes at his Italian hideaway on the glorious Lake Como, “Some of the most fun dinners I’ve ever had have been there. There’s always 10 or 15 people and we have fun evenings, filled with interesting stories. It’s the greatest thing I’ve ever done for myself.” he recalls.

Apart from great acting and mansions, George has a rep for elaborate pranks. His last score was Matt Damon. Matt stayed with George during last Summer, eagerly trying to lose the weight from his role in “The Informant’ But despite a strict diet, his pants never fit?? What Matt didn’t know was that George had hired a seamstress to shrink the waistbands on all of Matt’s pants by 1/8th-of-an-inch every day, “He couldn’t understand how he seemed to be gaining weight while he was trying so hard to lose it,” grins George.

Few would argue that George has conquered quite a few rungs of success’s long ladder since  leaving his home in Kentucky at just 21 to try and make it in Hollywood. Ten years of failure and washed-out pilots later, he landed ER. An Oscar soon followed, and that made him big.

“I’ve been lucky enough to do a few films that will last longer than opening weekend, and those are the ones of which I’m proud,” he says, modestly.

But with all his clout and fan status, George knows he has to still please the bosses, “I’m in the lucky position of them still letting me play with the toys…but I don’t know how long that will last,” he admits. “So while they’re letting me, I’m going to keep trying to do movies and hope that some of them succeed.”

Switzerland’s top criminal court dealt Roman Polanski another setback in his fight against extradition to the United States on Tuesday ruling the 76-year-old director be kept in jail because he poses a high flight risk.
The Federal Criminal Court rejected offers by Polanski’s legal team of bail, house arrest and other measures to ensure that he stays in Switzerland. He has been a fugitive since fleeing the United States in 1978 after being convicted for having sex with a 13-year-old girl the year before.
The director of Rosemary’s Baby, Chinatown and other critically acclaimed films was arrested by Swiss authorities last month in Zurich.

As if Jon Gosselin doesn’t have enough on his mind, he’s now attracted the lustful affections of Nadya Suleman, the renowned Octomom.

The multiplex mommy, 33, says she thinks Jon is hot, and has quite a crush on the soon-to-be divorcee.  But she also has views about Kate and their oncoming split, “I wish everyone would leave her alone. I’m sure she trusts that she’s strong enough to handle it.”

Suleman, who has 14-children, compared to his eight, may have eyes for young Jon, 32, but she has sworn not to date until her kids are all grown. And that seems a wise choice in this case, as Jon’s family life is now swirling the drain;

After four years of strong ratings, Jon and Kate’s show became mired in their marital turmoil which has shrunken their fanbase to historic new lows, leading to last week’s announcement that their hosts, TLC, have now canceled the show.

According to MyFox reports, TLC are now stringing new shows together from past, unseen footage so the show will then last through the highly profitable ‘November sweeps.’ A spin-off, “Kate Plus 8” may then take its place, but that’s not yet sure.

TLC had just doubled its order for the drama-fueled show after Jon and Kate’s much-hyped announcement of their oncoming divorce drew 10-million viewers. But the pair’s endless high-profile tantrums put their ratings in free-fall and TLC suspended production when Jon ordered their cameras out of the house – losing them both hundreds of thousands in fees.

With two mortgages worth $900,000 and the TV income now gone, their bouts in the Courtroom should now be a feud.

Kate won round one when a Judge ordered Jon Gosselin to return $180,000 to an escrow account. For his part, Jon claims that Kate has more than $1-million secreted in hidden accounts.

This infantile spat should be solved on October 26 when a Pennsylvania judge is due to approve a settlement to which both have agreed.

Both Jon and Kate have since sought jobs in TV, but they may be too late — A clip of them both was loudly booed Tuesday night at a TV industry show…And quite rightly, too!

With all that money, you’d think Donald Trump could at least scrounge a good dictionary, but no – His cast for the next season of “Celebrity” Apprentice’ stretches that term to bounds yet unknown.

This season’s concoction of has-been’s, never was’s and those who barely ever were includes 80’s screech-queen, Cyndi Lauper, ‘Poison’s lead singer, Bret Michaels, Australian chef, Curtis Stone, Ozzy Osbourne’s wife Sharon, and the NY Mets’ Right Fielder, Darryl Strawberry.

The Daily News reports that the fame-hungry rabble were spotted shooting a promo for the show’s unwelcome third season in New York’s Meatpacking District on Wednesday, and are now slated to compete with such legends in their own lunchtime as actress, Holly Robinson-Peete, stand-up comic and ‘Seinfeld’ scribe, Carol Leifer, Summer Sanders, a swimmer, WWE diva Maria Kanellis, and the actor / comedian, Sinbad.

Although not previously known to be ruled by a passion for dance, ‘Bourne Identity’ star, Matt Damon gave vent to his skills in a New York club this weekend.

The 39-year old actor stunned the audience at Manhattan’s ‘Hustler’ club when his glorious wife, Luciana began grinding against him in some R-rated dancing, at which point the couple then segued to the dance floor and worked out some moves. “They got there after 11pm and stayed for two-and-a-half hours.” one onlooker told the Daily Telegraph. “He bought dances for his friends. His wife was dancing for him. The club doesn’t really let civilians dance, but they made an exception for Matt.” The couple, who married on December 9 of 2005, so far have two children. But after an evening like that you could expect this to change…

If Alexander Skarsgard’s scene-stealing performance as ‘Eric Northman’ in HBO’s drama, True Blood got you hooked, it looks like your hopes just got dashed – the man’s found true love.

The NY Daily News says the 33-year old Swede was looking real friendly backstage with Kate Bosworth at the Spike TV Scream Awards on Saturday night.

The pair, who appear together in the unwanted remake of Sam Peckinpah’s 1971 drama classic, ‘Straw Dogs’  were allegedly spied hugging and whispering several times backstage in the green room. Kate, 26, also slapped Alex’s butt as he was leaving to do his part on stage.

Bruises aside, Kate later presented her ‘friend’ with the ‘Best Villain’ award, and the pair shared an embrace – this time in public.

Once the awards were shared out the new couple soon left the event, and were next spied at the Chateau Marmont in West Hollywood. That gig went on until the small hours, after which Kate and Alex were seen hopping into a car and speeding into the night to sample pleasures unknown.

The worldwide impact [and profits] of the ‘Twilight’ franchise has resurrected Hollywood’s interest in vampires to a degree not seen since the ‘Hammer Films’ heyday in the mid-1960’s. The latest incarnation is a new book penned by the grand-nephew to Dracula’s creator, Bram Stoker, which is now being prepped to be a major new movie.

Running to almost 500 pages, “Dracula: The Un-Dead”, is the result of five years of toil by Canadian author, Dacre Stoker and the New York screenwriter, Ian Holt, who’s a big fan of vampires.

“When people think of Dracula they think of Bela Lugosi,” Holt told the AP.  “But Dracula was nothing like that. He was old and hunched, had hair on his palms, and bad breath.”

And Stoker agrees, “He was out of the grave and he smelt like death,” he added. “We’re going back to the original characters.”

As we reported previously Nicolas Cage apparently is about $6 million dollars in debt. The 45-year old actor is facing two major lawsuits detailed below but according to a lawsuit file this week, Cage has blamed his business manager, Samuel Levin, for several risky real estate deals that he says cost him millions of dollars.

Cage also claims that Levin did not pay taxes on several properties, leaving him with over $6 million in IRS liens.

“Levin placed Cage in numerous highly speculative and risky real estate investments, resulting in Cage suffering catastrophic losses,” the lawsuit says.

He is suing Levin for a whopping $20 million minimum, and has sold a number of homes, including a German castle, four houses in the United States, and two English manors.

On the two major lawsuits: In one, East West Bank claims Mr. Cage has missed six month’s repayments on a $2-million line of credit they gave him in 2007, and they want it paid back…In full. Right now!

And if that’s not enough fun, the IRS is demanding a sit-down with Nic to discuss $6-million in back taxes the dude also owes. TMZ says the boys at the Service have just filed a tax lien that shows the “National Treasure” actor owes them $6,257,005 in back-taxes – from 2007 alone!

It’s kinda been building up this way. Two days after a Colorado family reported to authorities that their homemade flying saucer balloon had floated out of their backyard carrying their 6-year-old boy causing a media frenzy, the sheriff of Larimer County, Colo., said Saturday evening that charges were pending in the case. The boy’s father, Richard Heene has insisted that the drama that unfolded Thursday wasn’t a publicity stunt, but met with sheriff’s officials Saturday amid lingering questions about whether he perpetrated a hoax. The boy’s mother, Mayumi Heene, was also interviewed by the sheriff department Saturday. [More...]
“We do anticipate … there will be some criminal charges filed in respect to this incident,” said Sheriff Jim Alderden, speaking to reporters in a news conference televised on CNN.
He said initial charges would likely be a misdemeanor. The department was preparing search warrants, he said, adding the possible misdemeanor charge “hardly seems serious enough given the circumstances.” He said the department was in contact with federal authorities and additional federal charges were possible.

Emmy-winning choreographer Mia Michaels exits 'So You Think You Can Dance'

Kim Kardashian -- the sexiest bomb bluster shell !!!

Mainstay Mia Michaels has exited "So You Think You Can Dance" just days before the live eliminations for Season 6 begin on Fox. Michaels has been choreographing dance numbers for the contestants since the reality competition series debuted four years ago. She won an Emmy in 2007 for her second season contemporary routine set to the Celine Dion  song "Calling You." 

Michaels had first contended for the choreography Emmy Award in 2003 for her work on the Dion special "Opening Night: Live in Las Vegas." She lost that race to the "Stars on Ice" team. This year she was an Emmy nominee for another "So You Think You Can Dance" contemporary routine. This one was set to "Mercy" by Duffy and performed by Stephen Boss and top female dancer Katee Shean.
through the envelope

NBC just announced that country singer Taylor Swift is hosting Saturday Night Live on November 7. Swift already made an appearance on SNL in January, but only to give a performance. This is the first time she’ll be hosting. She says, “I love being around people who I feel have a different kind of creative genius. And the funny genius is definitely a fascinating one to be around.”

Avril Lavigne Officially Files for Divorce from Avril Lavigne
As we previously reported, after just three years of marriage, Avril Levigne has now officially pulled the plug on her much-troubled marriage to ‘Sum41′ lead singer, Deryck Whibley.

Divorce papers have now been filed by Avril, citing the universal “irreconcilable differences.”

A friend close to the soon-to-be-ex says that Deryck, 29 is now feeling ‘crushed.’ – both by the end of their love, and being locked out of their jointly-owned $9.5-million, 12,000 square-foot home in upscale Bel Air. However, Earlier this month, Whibley was spotted getting close with model/designer Hanna Beth Merjos in Las Vegas, apparently to console himself.

In another story where a popular celebrity didn’t get noticed much as a teen, Tina Fey takes things to another level. The Emmy-winning actress apparently was a late bloomer and admitted that she was a virgin until the age of 24, on David Letterman’s show last night.

Letterman presented the 30 Rock star with an article from Us Weekly, which listed celebrities who had abstained from sexual activity until they were in their 20s. Brooke Shields (22), Coldplay frontman Chris Martin (22) and model Adriana Lima (27) were among the names mentioned in the piece.

“See, all the other people, that was a choice on their part,” the 39-year-old explained. “That one lady’s a Victoria’s Secret model. She made a choice… [I] couldn’t give it away.”

Letterman replied that “there’s nothing wrong with that”, and brought up the fact that the man who she lost her virginity to ended up being her husband Jeff Richmond.

Jen Aniston and John Mayer back on again?
After supposed failed summer flings with Bradley Cooper and Gerard Butler, Jennifer Aniston has come running home to daddy, or at least a familiar flame in, John Mayer. Jen kinda gets no respect both for her rumored selective dating of only leading men, and her seeming desperation to not be alone. In reuniting if true with Mayer for the 3rd time, I think she deserves the ridicule often heaped on her. Both US and People Magazine verify the two have remained very close but merely insinuate they may be on again. I think Jen is starting to give Kate Hudson a run for her money for the desperate dater among celebrity woman.

Leona Lewis punched in the face by psycho fan

In another testament to how many crazies that are lurking around, a supposed fan stood in line for five hours to meet Leona Lewis yesterday, said nothing and then punched her in the face. The vicious attack came as the Bleeding Love singer, 24, signed copies of her new autobiography Dreams in a book shop. A totally shocked Leona screamed and cried, “Oh my God” as the buck-toothed nut caught her on the temple with a fierce right hook, reports the UK Sun.

Leona’s furious boyfriend Lou Al-Chamaa, who was with her at the signing, tried to confront the psycho fan but was held back, as five security guards jumped on the tall and gangling suspect and pinned him to the ground.

Leona was hit very hard and was taken to the hospital for examination. Cops were called and the long-haired, buck toothed thug was quizzed for half an hour before he was arrested on suspicion of actual bodily harm and taken into custody.

The continuing saga that is the life and premature death of Anna Nicole Smith starts a new and decisive chapter today as a Los Angeles court will host the preliminary hearing for three defendants accused of supplying the late model with illicit drugs. In March, LA authorities charged two doctors, Sandeep Kapoor and Khristine Eroshevich, plus Anna’s boyfriend and lawyer, Howard K. Stern, with ‘conspiring to provide controlled substances.’ All three pleaded not guilty Search warrants served on the Doctors have proven that at the time of her death on February 8, 2007, Anna had prescriptions for no less than 44 medications, under nine different names – all of them fake. An autopsy revealed she had nine different drugs in her bloodstream that night, and her death was even recorded as being the result of ‘acute combined drug intoxication.’

It’s just been announced that ‘Lord of the Rings’ star and British heartthrob, Orlando Bloom is to become a goodwill ambassador for Unicef, the United Nations’ children’s organization.

The 32-year old actor now joins a lustrous history of Unicef champions which includes David Beckham, Audrey Hepburn, Vanessa Redgrave and Ryan Giggs. His new duties include helping raise awareness of Unicef’s mission, and of the plight of poor children all over the world. As part of this task, Orlando will now star in a Unicef filmed appeal on the vital importance of clean drinking water.

“I look forward to working with Unicef as they continue to make the world a better place for children,” he told the BBC’s scribes.

Orlando’s been working with the New York-based body since 2007, when he visited remote parts of Nepal to support  their sanitation and education programs. He’s also been active in campaigns helping people in Moscow and Bosnia. And all this work is unpaid.

His ongoing efforts to improve people’s lives have also made Unicef’s Exec Director, Ann Veneman quite a fan, “We are proud to have Orlando as one of the strong voices for vulnerable children,” she said in a statement. “The work of such high-profile goodwill ambassadors helps improve the lives of countless children all over the world.”

Oh, and by the merest coincidence, Orlando’s new movie, a romantic anthology called ‘New York, I Love You’ opens  in theaters on Friday.
through hotmommagossip

When the Terminator asks you to put down the phone one usually listens, except maybe for his formidable wife. California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger promised “swift action” after TMZ.com posted two pictures of Maria Shriver driving while apparently violating the hands-free cellphone requirement he signed into law and took effect in July 2008.  Arnold to Maria Shriver: Put the phone down

A video shot Sunday shows Maria taking her black SUV around a sharp right turn at a city intersection that way. An earlier photo was dated July 12, 2009.Schwarzenegger, who recently revealed that he cuts off the water when his children take extremely long showers, wrote to TMZ.com founder Harvey Levin: “Thanks for bringing her violations to my attention. There’s going to be swift action.”  Good luck with that Arnold!  Schwarzenegger is none too popular these days. A new Field poll in California shows that only 27 percent of voters approve of the job Schwarzenegger is doing as governor, his lowest rating in the six years.

In surprising news from the ongoing investigation into the untimely death of Anna Nicole Smith, the Huff Post is reporting that the FBI had suspicions the former  model and actress was plotting to kill her own son-in-law.

Smith, then 26, married Texan oil millionaire, J. Howard Marshall in 1994, but the 89-year old groom died a year later. Newly-released FBI files uncover an investigation conducted in 2001 into an alleged murder-for-hire plot which they believed Smith had created to kill Marshall’s son, and thus gain control of her late husband’s wealth.

From the day his father passed until his own death [from natural causes] in 2006, the son, Everett Pierce Marshall, waged a harsh legal war that blocked Anna from gaining her husband’s estate, judged at the time to be over $550-million.

As part of their plans, the FBI searched Anna’s home in July of 2000 and recovered a .357-caliber Smith and Wesson revolver and a stainless-steel knife. Agents then interviewed the model and the new records prove she broke down in tears at their allegations. She then made it clear that a murder would do her no good as a trust held the money, and it could not be released. She also claimed a soured ex-lover had made up the story to mess up her life.

A television staple for more than three decades, ‘The New Price is Right’ host, Bob Barker has just donated $3-million to help injured victims of America’s ongoing wars. A former World War II naval pilot himself, the 84-year old host made his worthy donation to help build a new hospital in Bethesda, Maryland, dedicated to serving the medical needs of more than 300,000 military personnel who have suffered major brain trauma in the ongoing wars. And that number increases with each passing day. Having made his TV debut in the grainy, monochrome days of June 1950, Bob told reporters at Fox that he felt driven to make the donation because of his own naval service, and his wish to help others in his well-earned retirement. Due to be opened next year, right next to the new Walter Reed Center, the new $60-million, 72,000 square-foot facility will become the nation’s foremost facility for the research, diagnosis and treatment of this awful affliction.

 In yet another unjustified reboot, Oscar winner Adrien Brody has now signed on for Fox’s do-over of Predator.

The 36-year old New Yorker is now set to join Robert Rodriguez’ upcoming remake of Arnold Schwarzenegger’s 1987 jungle-based romp, which Rodriguez is now writing along with some friends.

‘That 70’s Show’s Topher Grace is also discussing getting involved, and if the price gets worked out he’ll join Alice Braga, ‘The Shield’s Walt Goggins, one of Rob’s favorite actors [and his second cousin,] Danny Trejo, and Oleg Taktarov, the UFC star.

This time around – who knows how many more there will be? – the story concerns a group of elite warriors who become unwilling prey to a swarm of merciless alien trackers called Predators. Adrien is the leader, who has a strong rep as a hunter of men.

Meanwhile, 31-year old Topher plays a placid bean-counter, inside of whom lurks a rabid serial killer, Braga – last seen in ‘I Am Legend’ – is a cold-hearted assassin, Goggins will play a radical type and Taktarov will be a Russian Special Ops expert.

And in what sounds like the most fun role of all, Danny Trejo, 64, will be a merciless warrior who roams the world with two loaded Uzis strapped on his back.

Heatvision reports that shooting is due to begin in Hawaii next month, with interiors, effects shots and green-screening booked to be done at Rodriguez’ ‘Troublemaker Studios’ in Texas. The finished movie is slated to bow on July 9, 2010.

After Sean Penn’s recent troubles, it seems Nicole Richie is next in line for some paparazzi-led pain.

The 28-year old former actress was involved in a small fender-bender on Monday when two pursuing paparazzi got way too close. “Ms. Richie was driving with a passenger around 2 p.m. when she was struck by a vehicle behind her,” Lt. Tony Lee of the Beverly Hills Police told People. “She complained of pain and her car sustained modest damage, but no paramedics were called.”

Nicole then told officers she would seek her own medical care, but it’s not known if that happened or what form it took.

The photographers, however, are not faring so well – The driver was arrested and booked for being unlicensed, then  promptly transported to the local PD. “He’s being brought into the station. This will likely be a misdemeanor traffic violation, and the vehicle will be towed.” said Lt. Lee.

Nicole’s two children, whom she had with Joel Madden (seen here), 20-month old daughter, Harlow, and son, Sparrow, were not in the car at the time.

In news that could see his ratings either soar, or sink without trace, People is reporting that ‘Sex and the City’s Chris Noth [Mr. Big,] and his long-time love, Tara Wilson are now officially engaged. Born in Madison, Wisconsin, on November 13, 1954, the 54-year old actor revealed their new link on Canada’s celebrity news show, ‘Entertainment Tonight,’ which was filmed on location at ‘Once Upon a Tea Cup,’ the tea-house in London, Ontario which he and Vancouver-born Tara, 27, co-own.

After what looked like strong signs he had worked out his demons, perpetual bad-boy Sean Penn is once more on the hook. A paparazzi photographer has filed a police report, accusing the Oscar-winning 49-year old actor of ‘battery’ in an alleged – and apparently unprovoked – attack outside LA’s ‘Brentwood Country Mart,’ where Sean stopped to have lunch. The report claims Sean kicked at and punched Jordan Dawes [the photog,] ‘multiple times,’ before leaving the scene. Neither Sean’s reps, nor the LAPD would confirm the event or even make comment when asked by Access reporters.