December 22, 2010

A representative for Kelis has hit back at a lawsuit alleging the singer failed to pay a talent agency more than $11,000 - insisting bosses at the company spent the money without the star's "approval". The Milkshake singer and her management hired staff at Drive Talent Inc. to provide "goods and services" for a variety of performances on U.S. TV shows, including "Today", "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno", and "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon".

Bosses at the company filed suit against the star earlier this month claiming she failed to pay $11,817.91 for services between March and July. However, Kelis' publicists insist the star is not worried about the claim, because Drive Talent executives spent the money without asking her or her managers for permission.

Model-turned-actress Jenny McCarthy is helping to put new mums at ease - by launching her own range of eco-friendly crib bedding. The star's Too Good line features all-cotton sheets, blankets, rugs and hampers and all materials used are non-toxic.

McCarthy admits she was inspired to create the collection because she was well aware of the fears she faced as she brought up her son Evan, eight. She tells Us Weekly, "I was psychotic about keeping my house clean, so I wanted items without harsh chemicals."

The latest disaster for the "Spider-Man" musical, which saw an actor seriously injured on-stage during a preview performance, has been blamed on "human error". The beleaguered Broadway show "Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark" has been blighted by a series of setbacks - previews finally began in November after months of problems and rigorous safety checks, but the opening show was halted throughout as stunts went wrong.

Producers then decided to push back the official opening until February to incorporate "new ideas", but another preview on Monday, December 20 ended in disaster as the show was cut short following a horrific accident. Stunt double Christopher Tierney was taken to New York's Bellevue Hospital for treatment after he tumbled from a platform above the stage. It was later revealed he had broken several ribs, with reports blaming the incident on snapped cables.

Actor Sean Bean has officially ended his fourth marriage - his divorce was granted by a London judge on Tuesday, December 21. The "Lord of the Rings" star wed fourth wife Georgina Sutcliffe in February 2008, but their union was marred within months of the marriage when Bean was arrested over allegations an argument between the pair turned violent.

They enjoyed a short-lived reunion but decided to separate for good over the summer. Sutcliffe filed for divorce citing the actor's "unreasonable behavior" and alleged the British hunk is "unbearable" to live with.

Now that "I Ain't Thru" failed to chart, Keyshia Cole admits that releasing the Nicki Minaj-assisted track as the first single is indeed a wrong choice. When choosing the song, she defied her label and now she realizes she should have followed their advice.

"The label didn't really want to drop the record because they knew ... that people wanted a more intense, soulful record from me about love and I really should have followed (their) direction," Keisha told Associated Press in a recent interview.

Near-freezing temperature didn't stop outlandish singer Lady GaGa to bare her body in her unusual outfit. The Mother Monster opted unzipped black leather jacket, fishnet stockings and high-platform shoes but no pants when going for a shopping spree in Paris on Tuesday, December 21.

GaGa went to Bruce Field boutique and stayed inside the shop for about 20 minutes, according to an eyewitness. Still pantless, the singer who was staying in the city for her Monster Ball concerts reportedly continued to walk around Palais Royal despite the chilling weather.

Emma Watson has temporarily left her days at Brown University to go home to her native U.K., not only for the holidays but also for a re-shoot of "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part II". The actress posted a message on her Facebook page to update the filming status of the last "Harry Potter" installment.

"Hi guys, are you all ready for Christmas? Not long to go now... Exams all done and I'm back in the UK in 6 inches of snow! Currently at Leavesden filming reshoots with Dan and Rupert. Feels strange to be back! X" Watson wrote.

Following the success of her debut single "Whip My Hair", Willow Smith moves on to preparing her first ever studio album. Details about the effort might remain under wraps, but an audio snippet claimed to be her new song has come out, giving a clue on what to expect from this little girl. Like "Whip My Hair", this new one features upbeat sound with catchy hook.

The album is expected to be released next year. One of the people who helps Willow is singer/songwriter Jessie J. She told the Daily Record, "I am being sent stuff to do for Willow Smith. I would love to do a song with her, though I think she would show me up because she is amazing and would have an incredible hairstyle."

A brand new trailer of "The Lincoln Lawyer" sheds more light into complex story than the teaser released last month. Not only Matthew McConaughey's character is trying to dig the truth about his client but also he has to stop his family from being involved in his latest case.

Mickey Haller (McConaughey) is a Los Angeles criminal defense attorney who operates out of the back of his Lincoln sedan. Haller has spent most of his career defending garden-variety criminals, until he lands the case of his career: defending Louis Roulet (Ryan Phillippe), a Beverly Hills playboy accused of rape and attempted murder. But the seemingly straightforward case suddenly develops into a deadly game of survival for Haller.

Actor Jake Gyllenhaal showered his rumored girlfriend Taylor Swift with diamonds on her 21st birthday - he bought her a stunning $100,000 white gold bracelet. The "Brokeback Mountain" star has been romantically linked to Swift since October, and they appeared to seal their romance by spending the Thanksgiving holiday together in November, when they were spotted enjoying coffee dates in New York and in her adopted home state of Tennessee.

Swift celebrated the milestone age on December 13 and Gyllenhaal drew inspiration for one of his gifts from their shared love of caffeine. A pal tells In Touch Weekly, "They love coffee, so he sent her 21 pounds of the best Kona coffee available, along with a coffee grinder and a coffeemaker. And he made her a birthday card, as opposed to buying a generic one."

Mel Gibson has put his Costa Rica estate on the market for $35 million - because it has become too well known. The "Braveheart" star bought the sprawling holiday retreat in 2007 for $25.8 million in a bid to get away from the paparazzi in Hollywood.

However, the troubled actor has decided to sell up because snappers are now following him there, according to the real estate agent in charge of selling the property. Sandra Miller says, "He bought it for a getaway. Now he goes there and paparazzi follow him."

Brittany Murphy's mother sometimes "pretends" the actress is still alive - because she struggles to accept the tragic star's "strange" passing a year after her death. The "Clueless" star died suddenly on December 20, 2009 after suffering a cardiac arrest at her Hollywood Hills home and her widower, filmmaker Simon Monjack, passed away just five months later.

Both husband and wife died of pneumonia combined with anemia, and Sharon Murphy admits she's yet to come to terms with the double tragedy. She has found it so difficult to cope on her own, every day is a battle to resume some sort of normalcy.

CBS is making a lot of shake-ups in its midseason schedule including a four-week trial of "Blue Bloods" and a change of schedule for "The Defenders". The Eye, which has just released the list, revealed that "Blue Bloods" is getting a new time period on Wednesdays at 10/9c. This results in current occupant "Defenders" being moved to Friday 8/7c.

As it has been reported, CBS is no longer keeping "Medium", thus the Friday slot is open. The network pairs "Defenders" and "CSI: NY" for four weeks before "Blue Bloods" return to its Friday 10/9c slot on February 19. This way, CBS no longer has supernatural night with the elimination of "Medium" and "Ghost Whisperer".

R&B singer Keri Hilson is urging hip-hop star Lauryn Hill to reach out for help with her comeback record - because she is convinced their "candour" would make for an "awesome collaboration". The "Knock You Down" hitmaker has been a big fan of the former The Fugees star for years and is delighted to see Hill making plans for a full return to the spotlight following the announcement of a series of concerts over the New Year.

And Hilson, who has written songs for artists like Britney Spears and Mary J. Blige, admits it would be a dream come true to work with the "Everything Is Everything" icon - and she's sure it would be a guaranteed hit. She tells WENN, "Lauryn Hill is someone who is very candid with her music... I have no intent to create some character for the sake of entertainment, I mean, I respect those who do, there are different avenues for entertainment but I loved her candidness, her candor, she's just up there. She exposes all sides of herself, her vulnerabilities, insecurities but you also see the strength and her innocence."

Kelly Osbourne has fired back at reports suggesting her mum doesn't approve of her new friendship with Miley Cyrus, insisting nothing could be further from the truth. The reality TV star and the teen pop icon have become firm friends of late and tabloid reports have suggested Sharon Osbourne was keen to break them up.

But Kelly insists her mum actually approves of the blossoming friendship, and she has taken to Twitter.com to defend her pal. Osbourne writes, "Just read in the rags that apparently my mum thinks Miley is a bad influence on me it could not be father (sic) from the truth!"

Actor Tom Arnold recently stepped into the boxing ring after his rabbi challenged him to a fight. The "True Lies" star thought it would be fun to step into the gym, shed a few pounds and toughen up - but he admits he wasn't looking forward to getting into the ring with his spiritual adviser for the charity scuffle, dubbed the "Rumble in the Temple".

He says, "It's a lose lose... You either lose to your rabbi or you beat up your rabbi." The Jewish punch-up raised cash for a rehab center, and Arnold was surprised so many people wanted to see someone smack him in the face.

Reality TV star Heidi Montag is showing off her plastic surgery scars to U.S. publication Life & Style after confessing the massive makeover that drastically changed her look has ruined her life. "The Hills" star famously underwent 10 procedures in a day and now deeply regrets the decision - because her scars are still visible, she's in pain and she's tired of being hailed "the plastic girl".

Montag tells the publication, "The big dark mark from my chin reduction is probably the most noticeable (scar). But the absolute worst is on my breasts, and the scariest is below my butt cheek. People have fewer scars from car accidents than I have on my body."

A day before "Country Strong" arrives in theaters across United States on December 22, a music video for its soundtrack "Me and Tennessee" is premiered. It features a lot of scenes from the movie with Gwyneth Paltrow and Tim McGraw singing the song on the background.

The track is written by Paltrow's singer husband Coldplay's Chris Martin. "It's about a couple who are maybe irreparably damaged," Paltrow explained. "But then the chorus is, 'Then that old song comes on, together we're singing, forever we're singing, that old country song.' So it's about country music bringing people back together when they're having a difficult time in life."

"Blue Valentine" is going to be released on a Wednesday in Los Angeles and New York. The Weinstein Company moved the limited opening date two days earlier from December 31 to 29 so that they get a head start on New Year's holiday weekend.

The romance drama will then have one more screening in New York on December 31 before opening wide in 10 markets starting January 7. The film actually debuted a year ago at Sundance Film Festival with NC-17 rating. But then it got picked up by Weinstein which fought for a wider appeal for the movie from MPAA. It has since been granted Rated R.

50 Cent has been given a pre-Christmas scare - his $5 million Connecticut mansion has been targeted by burglars. Law enforcement sources tell TMZ.com they received a call from security guards at the Farmington residence about a suspicious car in the driveway at approximately 6 A.M. on Tuesday morning, December 21.

Police arrived on the scene and discovered two men inside the property. They are suspected to have entered through an unlocked door. Both men were arrested and are being held on $50,000 bond.

Comedian George Lopez is turning politician - the funnyman plans to run for Mayor of Los Angeles in 2017. The "Valentine's Day" star and TV host appeared on America's "Good Day L.A." television program on Tuesday morning, December 21, announcing his future plans to take a break from comedy to join the mayoral race.

He said: "I do intend to run for Mayor of Los Angeles. Seriously, in eight years. I wanna be Mayor of Los Angeles." And he's taking cues from fellow actor-turned-politician, California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, as he makes the transition to politics.

Bethenny Frankel failed to take the trophy of "Skating with the Stars" for it was snatched by "All My Children" star, Rebecca Budig. In the December 21 finale of the new reality competition show, Budig scored a perfect 10 in her performance while Frankel took in 51 out of 60.

"I owe all of this to [professional partner] Fred [Palascak], who is an unbelievable teacher. I've said it a hundred times, but honestly, I owe it all to him," Budig said after her win. "This is such a shock! I can't believe it."

Christmas has come early for "Desperate Housewives" star Teri Hatcher - she has reportedly landed her own U.S. TV comedy. Hatcher was recently given the green light for a new pilot series scheduled to broadcast in America next autumn.

The show, said to be developed as the "Untitled Teri Hatcher Pilot", will be produced by "Housewives" creator Marc Cherry. A source tells the National Enquirer, "Teri's absolutely thrilled. She got the good news on the final day of shooting Housewives before the holiday hiatus. It's going to be a dark comedy in the Housewives tradition."

James Van Der Beek has introduced his baby daughter to the world in her first magazine photoshoot. The "Dawson's Creek" star became a first-time father in September when his wife, Kimberly Brook, gave birth to baby Olivia.

The actor and his partner have now posed for photos with the tot in a spread for People magazine and he's opened up about how he picked his daughter's name. He tells the publication, "She looked like an Olivia. There's an olive tree in Israel that's special to us," while Brook adds, "We spent time under it when we first met in Israel, then we went back to this tree when I was pregnant."

Hollywood film studio Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) is officially out of bankruptcy, movie bosses have announced. The company has spiraled into debt in recent years, leaving a number of high profile film projects on hold, including "Lord of the Rings" prequel "The Hobbit" and the next "James Bond" picture.

Last month, executives filed for bankruptcy and announced plans for a massive debt-restructuring deal with bosses at Spyglass Entertainment, the U.S. company behind "Star Trek" and "Get Him to the Greek", who are taking over the running of MGM.

Avril Lavigne has unveiled songs selection for her next studio effort "Goodbye Lullaby". There are fourteen tracks lined up, and one of them is "Alice in Wonderland" theme song which is offered as a hidden track.

The first single "What the Hell" will be debuted live at the upcoming star-studded "Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve with Ryan Seacrest". A music video will be premiered soon after the debut. In the meantime, fans can listen to a previously-revealed short snippet of the single.

A female rapper discovered by hip-hop mogul Bryan 'Birdman' Williams has been shot dead in her native New Orleans, Louisiana, according to reports. Magnolia Shorty - real name Renetta Lowe - was gunned down in her tough local neighborhood on Monday, December 20, reports AllHipHop.com.

The bodies of a woman and a man were discovered inside a car, but the identities of the victims had not been confirmed by local police as WENN went to press. According to some reports, the car they were in lost control and crashed into a gate after the multiple shots. Bullet holes were visible in the fence and the victims were pronounced dead at the scene.

Actor Lorenzo Lamas has confirmed he is planning to wed his fiance in a lavish ceremony in Mexico next year. The former "The Bold and the Beautiful" soap star, 52, will marry 23-year-old Shawna Craig at a hotel in Cabo San Lucas on April 30.

The wedding will mark the fifth trip down the aisle for Lamas, who admits he will be keeping the nuptials small and intimate. He tells Us Weekly, "It's going to be amazing. We found a beautiful hotel in Cabo and we're in touch with the general manager to make it really, really special. It's gonna be small - we're not inviting a lot of people. It will be just family and friends."

Broadway's beleaguered "Spider-Man" musical has been hit with another setback - a preview performance was cancelled mid-show on Monday, December 20 after an actor playing the superhero was injured on stage.

The much-delayed "Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark" finally began preview performances in November after months of problems and rigorous safety checks, but the opening show was marred by stops as stunts went wrong. Producers vowed to resolve all of the technical issues before the official opening, which was recently pushed back from January to February, but a horrendous onstage accident on Monday proved there are still problems to be fixed.

A representative for Garrett Hedlund has vehemently denied the "Tron Legacy" star has been caught on camera puffing on a cannabis joint - insisting the actor "would never smoke pot in front of" photographers.

The 26 year old was pictured smoking a large, rolled up cigarette in a video back in August while he was filming new movie "On the Road" with Kristen Stewart in Montreal, Canada. The footage shows Hedlund breathing in the smoke before passing the cigarette to an unidentified female, who also takes a puff, prompting rumors it contained more than just tobacco.

Britain's royal family is celebrating another imminent wedding - Queen Elizabeth II's granddaughter Zara Phillips is engaged to her rugby star boyfriend Mike Tindall. The couple, dating since 2003, announced on Tuesday, December 21 that Tindall proposed at their home in south west England on Monday night.

Phillips, daughter of Anne, Princess Royal and Captain Mark Phillips, accepted immediately - and the British monarch and her husband the Duke of Edinburgh are "delighted" by the wedding news. A statement from Buckingham Palace reads, "The Princess Royal and Captain Mark Phillips are pleased to announce the engagement of their daughter Zara Phillips to Mr Mike Tindall, son of Mr Phillip and Mrs Linda Tindall."

Bret Michaels is officially off the market. He got engaged to his on-and-off girlfriend of 16 years Kristi Gibson on the finale of his reality TV show "Bret Michaels: Life as I Know It" which aired Monday, December 20. They are parents to two daughters.

"I love you, and you've been unbelievably a big part of my life, and we have two beautiful girls together," he said, getting down on one knee. "I know we love and respect each other, and I hope that we can find that inner love that we have forever. And I want you to be my wife."

Singer Melanie C is giving fans the chance to win an extra-special Christmas gift - a pair of black boots she wore in the video for her song "I Want Candy". The former Spice Girls star sent temperatures soaring in the racy promo when she cavorted in a tight leather catsuit and knee-high stiletto boots.

And she is now running a competition on her official website offering fans the chance to win the fancy footwear from the 2007 clip. A message posted on the site reads, "Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to solve the clues and work out the 7-digit access code to crack the festive safe and be in with a chance of winning the prize locked within it. This prize being the boots Melanie wore in the I Want Candy video!"

Kings of Leon have axed their final gig of the year after a fire broke out on one of their tour buses outside the venue in London. The band was slated to perform at the O2 Arena on Tuesday, December 21 but the concert was canceled just hours before showtime after a blaze on buses parked at the famed dome building.

More than 60 firefighters were called to tackle the flames and six people were treated for smoke inhalation. A message posted on the O2 Arena's website reads, "Due to a fire onboard a tour bus parked onsite this morning, the London Fire Brigade were called and the venue immediately evacuated..."

David Schwimmer is refusing to alter his controversial new film "Trust" even if he loses his fight to secure the movie a lower age rating, insisting regulators need to update their "old" system. The "Friends" star steps behind the camera to direct Clive Owen and Catherine Keener in the harrowing film about a teenager lured to a motel for sex by an online predator old enough to be her father.

The swearing and adult themes landed the movie a restrictive R-rating in America, meaning viewers under the age of 18 must be accompanied by an adult. Schwimmer and his team are fighting for a lower age rating to make the movie more accessible, and he is adamant he won't be pressured into making any changes.

Lindsay Lohan is reportedly at the center of a police probe amid allegations a staff member at California's Betty Ford clinic was assaulted during the actress' stay. The "Mean Girls" star was moved from the rehab center to another unit last week to complete her court ordered treatment for violating her probation stemming from a DUI arrest.

But her relocation has been mired in controversy - it emerged on Tuesday, December 21 that officers in Palm Desert, California are investigating after a female member of the Betty Ford staff was assaulted during an altercation with Lohan and some pals, according to TMZ.com.

"Jersey Shore" offers an extended trailer to give a better light of what happened during the summer in Seaside Heights. Billed as "Back to Jersey", the video includes all the usual bad behavior displayed by the gang, including booze, fights, arrest and nudity.

What's different in this third season is the addition of Snooki's friend Deena who Sammi likes to call "four feet tall, a short little meatball, just like Snooki". Unsurprisingly, the new member doesn't get along with Sammi either like the rest of the guidettes. Apparently, Sammi is still the villain here for she's seen punching Ronnie in the jaw hard.

A tamer version of "Your Highness" trailer has been dropped in anticipation of the April 18, 2011 release. Since it is tagged with a green band, Natalie Portman's butt cheeks are covered using a CGI technology but audience will still get the raunchier version when watching it in theaters.

"Your Highness" is a tale for two brothers, one very brave and the other not so, in a quest to save a damsel in distress. When Fabious' bride-to-be, Belladonna, gets kidnapped by the evil wizard Leezar, the king gives his deadbeat son Thadeous an ultimatum: Man up and help rescue her or get cut off.

Although the already-previewed "Monster" music video hasn't arrived yet, Kanye West has already filmed a clip for another single "All of the Lights". While "Monster" features cameos from Jay-Z, Rick Ross and Nicki Minaj, "All of the Lights" is likely to have him sharing screen with Rihanna.

On Tuesday, December 21, RiRi tweeted a picture of herself wrapped in a warm fur coat posing alongside music director Hype Williams who wears a hoodie. The Bajan songstress wrote, "Me and hype...Turn up the lights in here baby, EXTRA BRIGHT b***hes!!!"