Gossip/Celebrity News

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Paris Hilton ordered to stay away from L.A. man

LOS ANGELES - A judge on Tuesday ordered Paris Hilton to stay away from a Los Angeles party planner who accused the celebrity heiress of bombarding him with angry phone calls, shoving him and threatening his life.

Brian Quintana won a restraining order in Los Angeles Superior Court against the 24-year-old socialite best known for her television reality show "The Simple Life" and for a sex video that showed up on the Internet.

Quintana, who claims to have introduced Hilton to her current boyfriend, Greek shipping heir Stavros Niarchos, said problems began after she started dating Niarchos.

He said she accused him of trying to get Niarchos to ditch her for Niarchos' former girlfriend, starlet Mary-Kate Olsen.

Quintana, who admitted under cross-examination that he committed perjury in a court case about a decade ago, said Hilton shoved him three times and made numerous phone calls threatening his life.

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Britney: 'I Made a Mistake'

After telling PEOPLE earlier this week that she "instinctively took measures to get my baby and me out of harm's way" when confronted by aggressive paparazzi, Britney Spears now says she "made a mistake" by driving with her young son, Sean Preston, on her lap.

The pop star raised concerns Monday when photos surfaced of her driving her SUV in Malibu, holding her 4-month-old baby rather than putting him in a car seat as required by California law.

"I made a mistake and so it is what it is, I guess," Spears, 24, says in an interview with Access Hollywood due to air Thursday.



A source close to Spears told PEOPLE that the singer had been waiting for her bodyguard outside a Starbucks when photographers approached the car and became aggressive. When the bodyguard came back to the car, Spears drove away while still holding her son.

"Being put in the situation that I was in, it was kind of bad with the paparazzi," Spears tells Access. "Last week, my mom and I went out and they were on us really bad, so you instinctively do what you need to do."

In her statement to PEOPLE, Spears said she was "terrified that this time the physically aggressive paparazzi would put both me and my baby in danger.... I love my child and would do anything to protect him."

The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department has said it won't pursue any charges against the star.

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UK judge dismisses private case against Barrymore

LONDON- TV entertainer Michael Barrymore avoided legal action over a man who drowned at a party held at his Essex mansion five years ago after a judge on Friday dismissed a request for a private prosecution.

Activist lawyer Tony Bennett had asked a court to summon Barrymore to answer charges alleging drug offences and assault in connection with the death of 31-year-old meat factory worker Stuart Lubbock in March 2001.

District Judge Kevin Gray refused the application at Southend Magistrates Court in Essex for lack of evidence.

Bennett said the hearing had been called at the last minute at the request of Barrymore's lawyers because the entertainer was returning to New Zealand on Saturday.

He said the court's refusal closed the door to further private legal action against Barrymore, 53, over the death.

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WEEK AHEAD: Paula Abdul Looks for Love

American Idol judge Paula Abdul seeks her perfect mate – and goes on a blind date! – on the Dr. Phil CBS special Love Smart on Tuesday. PEOPLE takes a look at her romantic quest, plus other events to check out in the coming week:



SUNDAY, FEB. 12: Maverick skier Bode Miller will head down the slopes as the men's downhill competition kicks off at the Winter Olympics (check your local NBC affiliate for airing times). So, how does the outspoken reigning World Cup champion feel about the prospect of picking up multiple medals during the Olympics? "I don't see winning five medals as a positive thing for me," he says. "What am I going to do with the medals?" We're sure he'll figure something out.

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Geena's Commander Takes Early Leave

Geena Davis's presidency is going on hiatus even sooner than previously expected.



Commander in Chief, originally slated to take a break starting March 7, has now been yanked from ABC's schedule as of this Tuesday, to be replaced by episodes of George Lopez and According to Jim, the network has announced.

Commander in Chief is now slated to return to the air April 18.

"We believe in Commander in Chief and want to do what we think is best for its long term prospects," ABC executive vice president of program planning and scheduling Jeff Bader said in a statement. "With this new schedule, the show will return with a healthy run of seven straight episodes in the spring."

Originally, ABC had announced – only days after Davis had won a Golden Globe for the show last month – that Commander in Chief was to be benched as of March 7 and replaced with a new comedy, Sons & Daughters.

Commander in Chief, which had a promising start with 16 million viewers tuning into its September premiere, has been experiencing a decline in ratings since November and then took a dramatic plunge with the arrival of FOX's rival ratings powerhouse American Idol.

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Britney Spears Joins Mardi Gras Festivities

Louisiana native daughter Britney Spears will celebrate Mardi Gras in New Orleans later this month as the devastated city continues to revive – and revert to its old, partying ways.

Spears will join ABC's Good Morning America on Feb. 28 when the morning show broadcasts live from the Big Easy.

"I am honored to be a part of the Mardi Gras celebration in New Orleans this year," the pop star, 24, said in a statement Monday. "It is so important for this amazing city to continue its annual traditions and I am really looking forward to being involved."

The network, in its own announcement, said that Spears – who grew up in Kentwood, La., and has participated in fundraisers for victims of Hurricane Katrina – will bring "surprises for a group of very deserving young residents."

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Actor Chris Penn's sudden death ruled accidental

LOS ANGELES- The sudden death in January of actor Chris Penn, the younger brother of Oscar winner Sean Penn, was ruled accidental on Monday by coroners who said he had an enlarged heart and had taken multiple medications.

Penn was found dead in January at his home in the beach city of Santa Monica. He weighed more than 300 pounds and Los Angeles County Coroner's spokesman Craig Harvey said at the time he also had a history of drug abuse.

The coroner's office said in a statement on Monday that the primary cause of Penn's death was "nonspecific cardiomyopathy," or an enlarged heart, with the "effects of multiple medication intake." The medications were not specified and Penn's death was declared accidental. An autopsy had previously ruled out foul play or suicide.

Penn, 40, was a character actor specializing in blue-collar tough guy roles. He appeared in "Reservoir Dogs" and co-starred with his brother in the 1986 film "At Close Range," but his career was overshadowed by Sean Penn, who won a best actor Oscar in 2003 for his role in "Mystic River."

Sean Penn issued a statement last month asking for privacy following the sudden death and the family has made little comment since.

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George Clooney ribs Dick Cheney at Oscar lunch

LOS ANGELES -George Clooney, tongue firmly in cheek, said he wanted Vice President Dick Cheney to be his date at the Oscars. And Felicity Huffman said she was happy just to be going as a nominee and not a seat filler or part of the catering team.

"I turn to my husband (actor William H. Macy) several times a day and say, 'Hey, I forgot to tell you something. I am going to the Academy Awards," Huffman, nominated for playing a man on the verge of becoming a woman in "Transamerica," confided to reporters on Monday.

The occasion was the 25th annual luncheon for Oscar contenders -- the one day on the Hollywood calendar when an actor who commands $20 million a picture is equal to a sound mixer who earns nowhere near that amount.

All they need to attend, and break bread with each other, is one hard-to-get ticket -- a nomination.

"This is fun. ... This is the golden time," said Clooney, who is nominated in three categories: best supporting actor in "Syriana," best director for "Good Night, and Good Luck" and best original screenplay for co-writing the drama about newsman Edward R. Murrow's 1950s confrontation with Senator Joseph McCarthy.

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Tom Cruise, Katie Holmes Deny Breakup

rep for Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes is denying a report that the pair have broken up and canceled plans for their wedding, calling the rumors "100 percent false."

"Mr. Cruise and Ms. Holmes are still engaged and are moving forward with their wedding plans, as well as planning for the arrival of their child," publicist Arnold Robinson said in a statement. "Despite the malicious fallacies put forth by Life & Style magazine, the couple is looking forward to a long and happy life together as a family."

The publication, which claims it based its report on information from two unnamed friends of the actor's, is reportedly standing behind its story.

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Indian actress puts her figure on swimsuit "photo"

CHENNAI, India -An Indian actress is seeking 30 million rupees ($677,800) in damages from the local edition of British men's magazine Maxim after it published a faked picture of her in a skimpy swimsuit.

"The photograph has caused loss of reputation and damage to my client and her image has been lowered in society," Khushboo's lawyer R. Karthikeyan said.

"We want them to cough up the money in three weeks or face action," he said, adding Maxim had been sent a legal notice.

A men's lifestyle magazine, Maxim was recently launched in India. It has apologized to Khushboo, a major south Indian star, for causing "inadvertent hurt."

The controversial picture had Khushboo's face imposed on the body of a woman wearing a two-piece swimming costume.

Maxim's India editor, Sunil Mehra, told Reuters the magazine was also publishing an apology in its next issue which would hit the news stands by the end of the month.

"We have already apologized and we are quite taken aback by this (legal notice)," Mehra told Reuters. "We are willing to talk and assuage her hurt feelings. It (the picture) was a spoof and even carried the headline '100 percent fake'."

A mother of two, Khushboo is recovering from a major controversy after she said there was nothing wrong with pre-marital sex as long as the girl protected herself against sexually transmitted diseases and pregnancy.

Although she apologized for the comments made last year, conservative social and political groups have physically attacked her, including hurling eggs, sandals and tomatoes whenever she steps from her house.

($1=44.26 rupees)

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Daniel Craig Finally Ready for Bond Girl

James Bond is closer to getting his girl – and his foe.

A press conference is scheduled Wednesday in Prague, during which producers of the $100-million 007 adventure, Casino Royale, starring new leading man Daniel Craig, will announce key casting decisions – three weeks into the movie's production.

The movie started filming without its leading lady or villain.

As for who will follow in the footsteps of such stellar Bond girls as Ursula Andress and Halle Berry, speculation has been riding high on Eva Green (The Dreamers) and Olivia Wilde, who played Mischa Barton's lover on The O.C. last season, reports Variety.

Earlier, Charlize Theron, Thandie Newton and Kimberly Davies were asked to participate, says the trade paper.

Should the producers still not have their Bond Girl ready, they are at least expected to confirm that Danish actor Mads Mikkelsen will play Bond's nemesis. Mikkelsen's father, a cab driver in Copenhagen, reportedly has been telling all his passengers that his boy has landed the role.

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Singer George Michael arrested in drugs probe

LONDON British singer George Michael was arrested on Sunday on suspicion of possessing drugs after he was found slumped in a car in central London, a police source said.

Michael, 42, who has sold more than 80 million records worldwide during a 25-year career, was arrested in the Hyde Park area of the capital early on Sunday, the source said.

A London police spokesman issued a statement saying a 42-year-old man had been held on suspicion of possessing Class C drugs, a group in British law that includes cannabis, tranquilizers and some painkillers.

"We were called by a member of the public to a man seen slumped over the steering wheel of a car," the statement said. "He was arrested on suspicion of possession of controlled substances."

He was bailed to return to a police station in late March pending a police investigation.

Michael's manager and publicist could not be reached for comment.

Under British law, anyone convicted of having Class C drugs can be jailed for up to two years and face an unlimited fine, according to the Home Office (interior ministry) Web site.

In a front page report, the Sun newspaper said the singer was found in a dark-colored Range Rover parked on Hyde Park Corner, one of central London's busiest intersections.

The unsourced report said he was taken into police custody and was examined by a doctor. He had his photograph and fingerprints taken and was released after more than seven hours, the report said.

It is not the star's first brush with the law.

Michael was arrested in April, 1998, for engaging in a "lewd act" in a public toilet in Los Angeles, after which he ended years of speculation by announcing that he was gay.

He told Reuters in an interview last year that he was giving up the world of pop, saying he found the media attention and celebrity "unbearable."

The singer had a string of hits in the 1980s with the band Wham! before forging a successful solo career with albums such as "Faith" and "Listen Without Prejudice, Vol. 1."

His Brazilian boyfriend Anselmo Feleppa died of an AIDS-related condition in 1993, and Michael fought a legal battle with his record label Sony in the early 1990s before being bought out in a deal reported to be worth $40 million.

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Anna Nicole Heads to U.S. Supreme Court

The case of Marshall v. Marshall, 04-1544 lands in the Supreme Court on Tuesday, and one of the principal parties, Anna Nicole Smith, is in Washington to attend the session.

At stake: millions of dollars. At issue: the fortune of Smith's late husband, J. Howard Marshall II (whom Smith married when he was 89 years old), and the question of whether state or federal courts have jurisdiction in the matter.

Smith, who met Marshall when she was a 26-year-old topless dancer, wed the Texas oil tycoon in 1994. Marshall died the following year. His son, Pierce Marshall, claims his father's various wills and trusts make him the sole heir of a fortune estimated to be as high as $1.6 billion.

The former reality TV star, Playboy pinup and weight-loss pitchwoman (legal name: Vickie Lynn Marshall) was awarded $474 million by a federal bankruptcy judge. The amount was later reduced by a federal district judge and then tossed out altogether by a federal appeals court.

The highest court in the land is scheduled to hear arguments in the case, and its eventual ruling will determine whether Smith gets another opportunity to claim part of Marshall's estate, the Associated Press reports.

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Britney Celebrates Mardi Gras

Louisiana native Britney Spears went home to enjoy Mardi Gras – and to cheer up four students whose lives were severely affected by Hurricane Katrina six months ago.

Talking to Good Morning America from the French Quarter Tuesday while St. Catherine of Siena School dancers surrounded her, Spears recalled her "surprise" meeting with the kids from Metairie, a suburb of New Orleans.

"It was an honor to be here with all of them," Spears said.

Kentwood-raised Britney showed up to meet the students while they were having breakfast with City Councilman Jay Batt and discussing Katrina. Her arrival was met with squeals of delight.

"It was awesome. I will never forget it," said 14-year-old Lindsay Hernandez, who lived with 21 relatives and friends after her home was destroyed. Another student, Auntrell Prosper, 17, who now lives with her family in a trailer, said of the hurricane's aftermath, "We had to go to a shelter."

Spears took the girls shopping and then dining at one of Cajun chef Emeril Lagasse's restaurants for some fried chicken and red beans and rice, the Associated Press reports.

Spears, 24, also gave the girls fleur-de-lis pins on blue ribbons, and she surprised the school's dance troupe, the Gatorettes, and brought them gift bags with CDs, DVDs and shoes sent by Capezio.

"They dance so great. They're awesome," Spears said after watching the troupe rehearse.

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Courteney's TV Comeback

Joey may soon have a friend: Courteney Cox Arquette is about to become the latest Friends star to return to TV.

Cox Arquette will play Lucy Spiller, an aspiring actress and – she apparently multitasks – the editor-in-chief of two tabloid magazines, in the FX drama pilot Dirt.

The actress, 41, and husband David Arquette, 34, are two of the show’s executive producers. They have not yet announced an air date.

For those keeping score, she's the fourth Friend to hit the small screen since their show went off the air in 2004. Lisa Kudrow got a mixed reaction – and only one season – out of her HBO sitcom The Comeback. The spinoff Joey, with Matt LeBlanc, is struggling in its second season. And Matthew Perry is due to launch on NBC's Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip, from West Wing creator Aaron Sorkin.

David Schwimmer, meanwhile, is Broadway bound, in a revival of The Caine Mutiny, and Jennifer Aniston has been busy with her movie career, starring in the upcoming The Break Up with Vince Vaughn.