BIG DEAL
HBO has rekindled its fling with Sarah Jessica Parker. The Sex and the City star-cum-Gap spokesperson has inked a two-year deal with the cabler that calls for her to develop and produce new programming. In a statement, Parker said, "I'm overjoyed to be able to officially call HBO my creative home." And to not be working with Kim Cattrall anymore! |
FREAKY FRIDAY
Quentin Tarantino is looking to revive the battered Friday the 13th franchise. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Tarantino is in early talks with New Line Cinema to write and direct a new Friday installment. The upcoming CSI helmer is apparently intrigued with the idea of playing with one of moviedom's classic horror villains. But Freddy was busy, so he went with Jason instead. |
HACK JOB
Fred Durst is furious that half the planet has seen his (my apologies in advance) limp bizkit — and he's taking the matter to court. Durst has filed an $80 million lawsuit against several websites that posted a homemade video of him having sex with an ex-girlfriend back in 2003. Hackers apparently stole the footage from Durst's (my apologies in advance) semi-hard drive. |
THEIR EYES WERE WATCHING HALLE BERRY
Blessed with Oprah's magic touch (read: huge PR platform), the ABC telepic Their Eyes Were Watching God attracted a whopping 25 million viewers Sunday night. It was the most-watched TV-movie since 1999's Julie Andrews-James Garner romance, One Special Night. |
GO DIRECTLY TO JAIL
Police in Huntington Beach, Calif., have shown Nick Carter the meaning of being busted. The 25-year-old ex-Backstreet Boy was arrested Saturday night for allegedly driving under the influence after officers spotted him committing a traffic violation. Carter's rep claims Paris' onetime boy toy (click here to see what you're missing, honey) was taking doctor-prescribed medication and "was unaware of its interaction possibilities." Ah, the old "I thought I had two stomachs — one for pills and one for booze" defense. |
NASTY SPILL
Ed McMahon was hospitalized Friday with a mild concussion after falling at his Beverly Hills home. Johnny Carson's former sidekick also suffered a gash in his head that required stitches. He's expected to go home in a few days. |
LEGAL BRIEF
Rupert Everett (My Best Friend's Wedding) will turn up on three episodes of Boston Legal this May. He'll play a charming civil litigator who also happens to be the ex-lover of Tara (Rhona Mitra). What do you wanna bet they'll face off in court? |
IS IT SOMETHING IN THE SMART WATER?
Break-up season in Hollywood is officially in full swing. The latest casualties: American Pie babe Shannon Elizabeth and actor-hubby Joseph Reitman, who have decided to split after less than three years of marriage. |
REMEMBERED
Johnny Depp, Bill Murray, Sean Penn, Jack Nicholson and Don Johnson were among the stars who turned out in Aspen, Colo., Saturday to remember Hunter S. Thompson. The gonzo journalist shot himself last month after enduring weeks of pain from a broken leg and a hip replacement. |
WHO WANTS TO BE ON TV?
Fox is developing Who Wants to Live Forever?, a four-part reality series in which a team of experts will help folks add years to their lives by altering their lifestyle. Each episode of this purported "feel-good" series will begin with a participant getting a scientific estimate of the exact day he or she will drop dead. Actually, by Fox standards that does qualify as feel-good. |
WHAT A PURTY COUPLE
Billy Crystal is in talks to join the movie version of Hairspray as Wilbur Turnblad. As previously reported, John Travolta may star as Wilbur's gender-bending wife, Edna. And you thought Michael Jackson and Emmanuel Lewis made a scary-lookin' couple. |
