February 04, 2003 |
TRUE CONFESSIONS
The much-talked-about British documentary on Michael Jackson — airing Thursday on ABC as part of a special two-hour 20/20 — is apparently going to live up to all the hype. Among the revelations Jacko reportedly makes: He once slept in the same bed as Macaulay Culkin and his brother Kieran; his terrace-dangled infant son, Prince Michael II, was conceived by a surrogate mother whom he had never met; and he underwent two operations on his nose because "it helped me breathe better so I can hit higher notes." His best quote from the documentary? That's easy: "If there were no children on this Earth, if someone announced all kids were dead, I would jump off the balcony immediately." |
OUT ON BAIL
Legendary music producer Phil Spector, arrested Monday for investigation of murder after police found a woman shot to death at his Los Angeles estate, is free after posting $1 million bond. The victim was identified as 40-year-old Lana Clarkson, but there's still no word on what her relationship was to Spector. Ex-O.J. Simpson attorney Robert Shapiro is representing the 62-year-old music giant, who produced such landmark records as the Righteous Brothers' "You've Lost That Lovin' Feeling" and the Ronettes' "Walking in the Rain." He also produced the last Beatles album, Let It Be, in 1970. |
BEN COMES CLEAN
Ben Affleck will not be marrying J.Lo on Valentine's Day, he reveals in the latest Vanity Fair. "I think it will be sometime next summer," he tells the mag. The Sexiest Man Alive adds that the public's fascination with him and his fiancée is all about race and class. "The fact that I am white and she is Puerto Rican... that's what's underneath," he says, "although nobody says it, because it's not politically correct." For the record, Affleck also states in the interview that he doesn't wear a toupee, he's not gay and he never had a fling with Britney Spears. But what about Colin Farrell? |
ANGER MANAGEMENT
Singer-actress Courtney Love, 38, was arrested Tuesday upon arriving at London's Heathrow airport. Kurt Cobain's troubled widow allegedly was "verbally abusive" to the cabin crew aboard a Virgin Atlantic flight from Los Angeles. Love, verbally abusive? Get out of town. |
IF THE SLIPPER FITS...
Speaking of hot-tempered divas, Oscar winner Russell Crowe will reunite with his Beautiful Mind director Ron Howard for the period boxing drama Cinderella Man, Variety reports. Crowe will portray Depression-era fighter and folk hero Jim Braddock, who defeated heavyweight champ Max Baer in a 15-round slugfest in 1935. |
AXED
Here's proof that all bad things must come to an end: Long-running talker Jenny Jones will call it quits in May after 12 years on the air. |
SOUL MAN
Is Justin Timberlake the new face of R&B? Judging by Monday's Soul Train Music Award nominations, the answer seems to be yes. The 'N Sync hunk nabbed a surprising two nods — the only white performer to get recognized. Soul divas Ashanti and Amerie led the field with three nominations apiece. Winners will be announced March 1. |
ANOTHER SPIN
Spin City alum Michael J. Fox is getting back in business with ABC — but just behind the scenes. The network has picked up the comedy pilot Hench at Home, which Fox wrote and will executive produce. The semi-autobiographical project focuses on a pro hockey player who spends more time with his family after he is forced to retire. Fox left Spin City in 2000 after announcing that he has Parkinson's disease. |
FAREWELL
John Houston, the father of Whitney Houston, died Sunday at Manhattan's Columbia Presbyterian Hospital after a long struggle with diabetes and heart disease. He was 82. Despite being in the middle of a $100 million breach-of-contract battle with her dad, Whitney reportedly flew to New York on Sunday to be by his side. |
SHORT CUTS
Filmmaker Steven Soderbergh is developing a series for HBO set in the world of political consulting... Calvin Klein model Travis Fimmel has been tapped to play the title role in the WB's upcoming drama Tarzan... The UPN sitcom One on One has replaced Fox's The Bernie Mac Show as the top-rated show this season among black households, according to a recent study by ad agency BBDO... Fox is bringing young billionaire Richie Rich back to life in the form of a new TV series... Claudia Schiffer has named her newborn son Caspar. I bet he'll grow up to be a friendly fella. |
BUSTED
Bachelorette babe Trista Rehn may be a better judge of character than we gave her credit for. Greg Todtman, the contestant Rehn gave the boot to last week, was arrested Friday at New York's JFK airport and charged with trying to smuggle cocaine onto a plane. Todtman, however, claims he was actually carrying a pill that he did not have a prescription for. He's still a better suitor than Russ. |
LOWE AND BEHOLD
The West Wing has elected to dismiss Rob Lowe sooner than first thought, TV Guide Online has learned. The actor's final appearance on NBC's White House drama — initially slated for March — will now air during the Feb. 26 episode, a show rep confirms. In a recent interview with TV Guide Online, exec producer Aaron Sorkin said he was holding off on writing Lowe's swan song because, "I'm still keeping my fingers crossed that [he'll stay]. I say it out loud every day: 'Please, I want Rob to stay on the show!'" There seems little chance of that at this point. Lowe recently inked a deal with the Peacock network to headline a new legal drama next season. What's more, Lowe's WW alter ego, Sam Seaborn, recently left his post as communications director to run for Congress in California. Translation: He's a goner, folks. |
|
|
|
