Britney Spears's Dad Jamie Breaks Down

SATURDAY JANUARY 05, 2008 07:00 PM EST

A father's nightmare took a turn for the worst. After keeping watch of his daughter at Cedars-Sinai hospital, Britney Spears's dad Jamie Spears broke into tears shortly after her discharge Saturday morning.

"Jamie was really upset," a source tells PEOPLE, "He was in tears. When he got to the house and realized the situation there, it broke him down."

He and his eldest daughter have had a rocky relationship, but with his ex-wife Lynne and youngest daughter Jamie-Lynn traveling back home to Louisiana, he was the sole Spears family member on scene during her mental evaluation. "[Jamie] thought he understood what was going on," the source adds, but now, "He doesn't know what to do. Everyone is trying to figure out the best thing to do, but who knows what that is now."

Spears was able to accept visitors during her stay, and Dr. Phil McGraw – whom Jamie considers "a god," the source says – advised her father while at the hospital. He told Spears that his daughter's release was "one of the worst decisions that could have been made."

Jack Black to Be a Dad Again

SATURDAY JANUARY 05, 2008 02:00 PM EST

Jack Black and wife Tanya Haden are adding another baby to their family, the actor said Saturday.

"Yes, she's expecting," Black told reporters at the Be Kind Rewind press day at the Four Seasons Hotel in Beverly Hills. He declined to name a due date.

The couple, who eloped in March 2006, are already parents to a 1½-year-old boy.

So far, Black says he's taken on parenting with a "day-by-day" strategy. "I've been told that two children is three times as hard as one child," he joked, "but then strangely three children is easier than one."

Lynne Spears Visits Sister's Grave Amid Crisis

SATURDAY JANUARY 05, 2008 08:00 PM EST

As Britney Spears's hospital drama came to an end Saturday morning, Lynne Spears was back home in Kentwood, La., mourning another family member.

Nearly a year after her sister's death, Lynne stood before the grave of Sandra Bridges Covington, who had died of ovarian cancer Jan. 21.

"It's been a hard year," Covington's former sister-in-law, Libby Covington, told PEOPLE from Amite, La., noting that the grieving process has been difficult amid the constant media attention the family receives. "There's something new every day."

At the Tangipahoa (La.) Cemetery on Saturday, silk hydrangeas, white daisies and pink roses adorned the gravestone.

Sandra Covington was a beloved member of the Spears's extended family, and had been crucial in Britney's young life.

"Sandra's like a second mother to Britney," Lynne told PEOPLE in 2002, as her sister first began battling cancer and undergoing treatment, including a bone marrow transplant. "This kind of thing makes you grow up."

At the time, as Lynne was caring for her sister, Britney helped look after Jamie Lynn and told PEOPLE in the same interview, "I pray every night about it."

After Covington passed away last year, Spears attended her funeral at the First United Methodist Church in Amite but quickly left town. A month later, she landed in rehab, prompting family friends to wonder if her aunt's death was at the root of some of her problems.

"She was very close to her aunt," Britney's former dance teacher Renee Donewar told PEOPLE. "I know her death was real rough on her."

Dr. Phil Dedicating Show to Britney

SATURDAY JANUARY 05, 2008 05:30 PM EST

Dr. Phil McGraw – who met Britney Spears at Cedars-Sinai hospital Saturday – will devote his Monday taping to the pop star's problems. The show will air Wednesday.

The syndicated talk-show host and therapist says he talked to Spears as she was leaving the facility, where she was held on a mental lockdown after a custody dispute. She was released after just a day and a half from a possible 72-hour stay.

In a statement to Entertainment Tonight, McGraw said: "My meeting with Britney and some family members this morning in her room at Cedars leaves me convinced more than ever that she is in dire need of both medical and psychological intervention.

"She was released moments before my arrival and was packing when I entered the room. We visited for about an hour before I walked with her to her car."

Still, a source tells PEOPLE that McGraw "talked to both Britney and [father] Jamie about how her being released was one of the worst decisions that could have been made." The source says they packed up within 10 minutes.

McGraw has a history of supporting the Spears family. In December, after the announcement of 16-year-old Jamie Lynn Spears's pregnancy, he told PEOPLE that "an asset that Britney and Jamie Lynn both have is a great and dedicated mother," Lynne Spears.

"They're a very strong, close-knit family," says Dr. Phil's wife Robin, "They're relying on each other."

Britney Loses Visitation Rights

FRIDAY JANUARY 04, 2008 06:25 PM EST

Britney Spears lost her child-visitation rights Friday following her 72-hour lockdown for a mental evaluation.

Kevin Federline is "awarded sole legal custody and sole physical custody of the minor children," court Commissioner Scott Gordon said in a written ruling after an emergency hearing.

Gordon said Spears's "visitation with the minor children is suspended pending further order of the court."

The order is in effect until Jan. 14.

After the 40-minute hearing, Federline's attorney Mark Vincent Kaplan said: "There are no winners here."

He said he was "not happy about any of the events that have happened."

Police responded to Spears's house on Thursday night after she refused to turn over the boys to Federline's bodyguard after a visitation day. Kaplan arrived at the house "to bring a document ... that identified the existing court order" about custody, he earlier told the Associated Press.

"I was up at the guard gate where (she) lives," he told AP. "I did not go in" to the home.

On Friday, Kaplan and Spears's attorney met privately with the judge in his chambers, then returned in the afternoon for a closed hearing.

Spears, meanwhile, is not facing any criminal charges – for now.

"The LAPD is not planning to file any charges against Ms. Spears at this time," Officer April Harding tells PEOPLE. "The investigation is ongoing."

Britney on 72-Hour Mental Lockdown

FRIDAY JANUARY 04, 2008 10:35 AM EST

Britney Spears was placed on lockdown for a mental evaluation Friday after the pop star locked herself in a room with one of her children at her L.A. home and refused to hand him over to ex-husband Kevin Federline.

A source tells PEOPLE it was the pop star's court-appointed child monitor who called police. "She had already put Preston in the car when Britney locked herself in a room with Jayden," says the source. "The cops came and got through the door and tied her down to a gurney."

Spears, who according to police appeared to be "under the influence of an unknown substance," was rushed to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, where the source says she will be on a minimum of a 72-hour lock down for mental evaluation.

The evaluation, known as a "5150 Hold," is, according to the medical code, "When any person, as a result of mental disorder, is a danger to others, or to himself or herself, or gravely disabled." The "mobile crisis team" is able to make this recommendation in writing and take a patient be evaluated and treated. (PHOTOS: Britney in the ambulance.)

Spears's Welfare

Spears, who has visitation rights with her two sons Preston, 2, and Jayden, 1, was scheduled to give the boys over to Federline at 7 p.m. Thursday.

According to police, officers responded around 8 p.m. to a call "about a custodial dispute regarding Britney Spears's children," says Los Angeles police Officer Jason Lee.

Nearly three hours later, police determined that a court order stated that the singer's children, who were with Spears at the time, were supposed to be with Federline, and a transfer was arranged, according to Lee.

"While officers were on the scene, they observed Ms. Spears under the influence of an unknown substance," Lee added.

LAPD called the incident an "ongoing investigation" and says, "for her own welfare, [Spears] was taken to the local hospital for treatment."

Preston was taken to Federline's home by Federline's assistant, and Jayden was in the ambulance with the monitor, a source says, adding that the boys "won't be back with [Spears] for a long time." Federline took Jayden home early Friday morning. Spears's father Jamie remains at the hospital.

Meanwhile, Federline's lawyer, Mark Vincent Kaplan, arrived at court in an attempt to strip Spears of her visitation rights. Kaplan and Spears attorney Tara Scott met with the judge for about a half hour in chambers

Poppy Montgomery Welcomes a Boy

FRIDAY JANUARY 04, 2008 04:10 PM EST

Without a Trace actress Poppy Montgomery and her boyfriend, actor Adam Kaufman, welcomed a son on Dec. 23, the star's rep confirms to PEOPLE.

"Poppy and Adam are over the moon," says the rep.

The couple's son, Jackson Phillip Kaufman, was born in Los Angeles and weighed 7 lbs., 4 oz. It's the first child for the pair, who met more than three years ago in Mexico on the set of the independent film Between.

Montgomery, 35, plays FBI Agent Samantha Spade on the CBS drama. Kaufman has appeared on Law & Order and Dawson's Creek.

Britney's Pap Pal Out of the Picture During Meltdown Drama

FRIDAY JANUARY 04, 2008 03:15 PM EST

As Britney Spears suffered a terrifying meltdown on Thursday, one of her recent close companions was missing from the drama: Paparazzi photographer Adnan Ghalib.

The spiraling pop star, 26, has lately been keeping company with Ghalib, 35, who works for an agency called FinalPixx and who checked into two hotels with Spears over the last couple of weeks.

But sources say that as Spears was holed up in her Studio City home, Ghalib was not with her – nor has he visited her at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center where she was hospitalized early Friday morning. When asked about Spears Friday, Ghalib would not comment.

However, Spears's family has been showing their support. Her father, Jamie, has been at the hospital with his daughter. Brother, Bryan was expected to show up Friday. Spears's mother, Lynne, who's been in constant contact with Britney, is in the family's hometown of Kentwood, La., with Spears's sister, Jamie Lynn.

Also at the hospital early Friday morning was Spears's ex-husband, Kevin Federline.

Bobby Brown's Attempt to Overturn Divorce Denied

FRIDAY JANUARY 04, 2008 03:15 PM EST

Bobby Brown's attempt to overturn ex-wife Whitney Houston's divorce terms was denied by an Orange County, Calif. judge Friday.

"His motion was denied because there were no appearances or phone calls from Mr. Brown today for a scheduled hearing," said court spokeswoman Carole Levitsky. "As of now, there are no more pending court dates in this case."

A rep for Brown did not immediately respond for comment.

In April 2007, Houston won a default judgment in their divorce – leaving Brown with nothing financially and only visitation rights over daughter Bobbi Kristina, 14.

The following month, Brown, 38, sued Houston, 44, for spousal support and shared custody, alleging he was duped into not responding in time to Houston's initial divorce claim.

"I just miss my daughter," Brown told PEOPLE last August. "The goal is to see her a lot more and to be involved in the decision making in her life."

Houston, who currently lives in Atlanta, is working on another album with longtime mentor Clive Davis

Stars Won't Attend Golden Globe Awards

FRIDAY JANUARY 04, 2008 07:35 PM EST

Golden Globe-nominated actors and presenters won't attend the televised award show Jan. 13 because of the writers' strike, the Screen Actors Guild announced Friday.

"After considerable outreach to Golden Globe actor nominees and their representatives over the past several weeks, there appears to be unanimous agreement that these actors will not cross Writers Guild of America picket lines to appear on the Golden Globe Awards as acceptors or presenters," said SAG president Alan Rosenberg. "We applaud our members for this remarkable show of solidarity for striking Writers Guild of America writers."

The announcement plunges into turmoil the Hollywood Foreign Press Association's annual awards show and its star-studded parties.

"The Hollywood Foreign Press Association has been placed in an extremely difficult position with the ongoing Writers Guild strike," Jorge Camara, the group's president, said in a statement. "We are making every effort to work out a solution that will permit the Golden Globes to take place with the creative community present to participate. We hope to announce a resolution to this unfortunate predicament on Monday."

The WGA has voted against a waiver to allow its writers to work on the show and said members would set up picket lines. Before the SAG announcement, NBC had said it still planned to air the show despite the picket threat.

Olympic Skater Dorothy Hamill Has Breast Cancer

FRIDAY JANUARY 04, 2008 06:15 PM EST

Olympic ice-skating champ Dorothy Hamill is undergoing treatment for breast cancer at Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center in Baltimore, Md.

A rep for Hamill, 51, calls her prognosis very favorable, but says the treatments will require the Olympic gold-medal winner to take time off from headlining the Broadway on Ice national tour, Access Hollywood reports.

Hamill hopes to rejoin the tour on Jan. 16 in Ft. Lauderdale.

TIMELINE: Britney's Post-Deposition Meltdown

Spears's day went from bad to worse Thursday – here's a rundown

FRIDAY JANUARY 04, 2008 02:20 PM EST

Britney Spears's hospitalization late Thursday night came after a chaotic day that involved her late arrival for the deposition in her custody case. Here's a rundown:

Thursday, 11:20 a.m. PST

• Spears shows up 90 minutes late at the offices of Kevin Federline's lawyer for the rescheduled deposition in their custody battle. The session lasts less than 15 minutes, with attorneys only having time to go over the ground rules, a source says.

12:25 p.m.

• Britney returns to her Beverly Hills home, and sons Preston, 2, and Jayden, 1, are dropped off for visitation with their mom. The pop star spends the afternoon with her boys.

7 p.m.

• Federline's bodyguard shows up to pick up the boys and return with them to Kevin's Tarzana home.

8:20 p.m.

• With Federline's bodyguard still at Spears's home, four police cars arrive, followed by Federline's lawyer, Mark Vincent Kaplan. Spears's court-appointed child monitor called authorities after Spears locked herself in a room with Jayden.

9 p.m.

• Spears's friend Sam Lutfi arrives at the house.

9:30 p.m.

• Federline's lawyer leaves Spears's house.

11 p.m.

Ambulances and fire trucks arrive, as news and police helicopters hover over Spears's neighborhood. Several neighbors flee the chaotic scene. Spears is strapped to a gurney and placed in one of the ambulances. (PHOTOS: Britney in the ambulance.)

11:55 p.m.

• Britney, seen smiling and laughing in the ambulance and covered by a grey blanket, is taken from her house. Police cars escort the ambulance as it drives, sirens blaring, through the Beverly Hills community. Spears appears alert during the trip to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, even giving the middle finger to photographers during the 20-minute drive.

Jayden rides in separate ambulance to the hospital with the monitor; Spears's son Preston is later taken to Federline's house in a separate car.

Friday, 12:25 a.m.

• Federline arrives at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in a Dodge truck. Spears's father, Jamie, arrives later.

2:15 a.m.

• Spears pal Lutfi leaves the hospital. Britney is in 72-hour mental lockdown. Also known as a "5150 Hold," it is, according to the medical code, "When any person, as a result of mental disorder, is a danger to others, or to himself or herself, or gravely disabled." The "mobile crisis team" is able to make this recommendation in writing and take a patient be evaluated and treated.

5 a.m.

• Federline takes Jayden back to his Tarzana home.

Police Called to Britney's Home for 'Custodial Dispute'

FRIDAY JANUARY 04, 2008 02:30 AM EST UPDATED

Police were summoned to Britney Spears's Beverly Hills home Thursday evening in what LAPD are calling a "custodial dispute."

"Around 8 p.m. we got a call about a custodial dispute regarding Britney Spears's children," officer Jason Lee tells PEOPLE. "Officers are still there. We're trying to resolve the dispute peacefully per a court order."

Officer Lee could not give further details, but said "a few" police were dispatched, but no guns were being drawn. In addition to officers, fire trucks, two ambulance and a police helicopter were all on the scene. At one point, a gurney was seen being rolled up to the house from one of the ambulances.

Spears, who has visitation rights with her two sons Preston, 2, and Jayden James, 1, was scheduled to give the boys over to her ex-husband, Kevin Federline, at 7 p.m. Thursday. A bodyguard for Federline arrived to pick up the boys at the designated time, but Spears refused to relinquish her sons, according to a source.

Police, and Federline's lawyer, Mark Vincent Kaplan, arrived at the house close to 8 p.m., though Kaplan was later seen leaving.

Earlier in the day, Spears showed up 90 minutes late to a scheduled deposition in her custody case – and stayed for only a fraction of an hour.

Back at her Beverly Hills home directly after the hearing, when a photographer asked if Kaplan was nice to her, Spears, 26, responded with an emphatic, "No!"

When reached by PEOPLE Spears's lawyer, Sorrell Trope, who on Wednesday filed a request to withdraw from the singer's custody case, said only: "No comment."

Eddie & Tracey to Hold Legal Wedding Ceremony in U.S.

THURSDAY JANUARY 03, 2008 02:50 PM EST

Any legality questions surrounding the New Year's Day wedding of Eddie Murphy and Tracey Edmonds on a private island off Bora Bora in French Polynesia are about to be properly addressed, their reps tell PEOPLE.

"As is typical when couples get married in foreign countries, a legal ceremony will take place when they return to the U.S.," says Edmonds's rep.

"The wedding that took place in Bora Bora was a ceremony to bind Eddie and Tracey spiritually in the presence of family and friends," according to the spokesperson. "The couple plan a legal ceremony as soon as they return to the States."

Britney Spears's Quickie Deposition

THURSDAY JANUARY 03, 2008 04:30 PM EST UPDATED

Britney Spears's visit to the Los Angeles office of Kevin Federline's attorney, Mark Vincent Kaplan, didn't go exactly as planned on Thursday.

She was 90 minutes late, and left after less than a quarter hour of questioning.

The singer, wearing a hot pink dress and heels, arrived for her despostion after numerous previous failures to show. Less than an hour later, she drove off in her white Mercedes without speaking to the press.

Yet back at her Beverly Hills home, when a photographer asked if Kaplan was nice to her, Spears responded with an emphatic, "No!"

Spears, 26, was expected to be grilled about her past drug and alcohol use, her apparent failure to follow court orders and other matters that might pertain to her parenting skills.

Asked if he got information he was looking for, Kaplan replied stoically, "In 14 minutes?"

He described her demeanor as "cooperative," and said the appointment was only scheduled from 9:45 to 11:45 a.m. "I would've preferred it had gone on longer," he said.

The attorney added that he hasn't decided whether to pursue sanctions against Spears for being late. He also said another deposition appointment had been set, but gave no details.

Although he said Spears gave a reason for being an hour and a half late, he did not specify what the excuse was.

Despositions Draining

"A deposition can be emotionally draining, because Kevin's lawyer can ask very personal questions about her relationship with her kids – and she'll be under oath," says L.A. family lawyer Lynn Soodik, who's not involved with the case.

On Wednesday, Spears's legal team filed a request with a court asking that it be removed from the singer's custody case, citing a "breakdown in communications" with Spears.

A hearing in that matter is set for Feb. 4. Until then, the firm of Trope & Trope still represents her.

Kaplan has already completed a number of depositions with Spears's associates, including her longtime friend, Alli Sims, former manager Larry Rudolph and former bodyguard Daimon Shippen.

Kaplan will use evidence gathered from the depositions to try to persuade the court that Federline, 29, should be granted primary physical custody of their children, Preston, 2, and Jayden, 1, in any final ruling.

Pamela Anderson Appears to Move Ahead with Divorce

THURSDAY JANUARY 03, 2008 07:30 PM EST

The end may still be in sight for Pamela Anderson and Rick Salomon, who married in October.

After Anderson filed for divorce in mid-December, and then days later said they were "working things out," her attorney filed a proof of service of summons in Los Angeles Superior Court, reports CelebTV.com.

The document, filed on Dec. 28, shows that Salomon was served with divorce papers on Dec. 15. He has 30 days to file a response to her divorce claim.

"I would think this means the divorce is going ahead," says L.A. family law attorney Lynn Soodik, who's not involved with the case. "But this filing is just a procedural thing."

On New Year's Eve, Anderson, 40, acknowledged to PEOPLE that her struggles were continuing but that she was moving on.

"Oh there's plenty," of problems, she said en route to Las Vegas to ring in 2008. "What can you do? We're all human. We're all trying."

In a posting on her Web site Thursday, Anderson says she is enjoying some family time, but does not mention Salomon. "My kids and I had a great new years in Vegas! They loved the fireworks and hot chocolate at midnight. Mommy made it home by 1:30am. Nice! Now on family vacation in the snow. We are doing great. Getting rest and planning new year."

Calls to Anderson's lawyer were not immediately returned

The New Obama Girl: Scarlett Johansson

THURSDAY JANUARY 03, 2008 06:25 PM EST

Hillary Clinton has Barbra Streisand. Mike Huckabee has Chuck Norris. And now presidential candidate Barack Obama has Scarlett Johansson: After partying with beau Ryan Reynolds for New Year's, the actress surfaced at the Iowa Caucuses on Thursday to support the Democratic contender and F.O.O. (Friend of Oprah). An Obama press rep tells PEOPLE the 23-year-old Lost in Translation star showed up at events in Des Moines and Coralville. So how's her man doing? Check out CNN.com for the latest updates from Iowa.

Vanessa Hudgens Talks About Dealing with Her Nude Photo Scandal

THURSDAY JANUARY 03, 2008 12:15 PM EST

Vanessa Hudgens says she's recovering from her scandal of late summer, when risqué private photos of her surfaced on the Internet.

"I'm much better now," the High School Musical star, 18, tells Seventeen magazine for its February issue. "But truthfully I don't like talking about it."

On Sept. 7, after the nude pictures made the rounds, Hudgens released a formal statement through her rep, saying, in part, "I want to apologize to my fans, whose support and trust means the world to me. I am embarrassed over this situation and regret having ever taken these photos."

She now says of the intimate posing session, "It was something that was meant to be private, and even though it isn't anymore, I'd still like to keep it as private as I can."

Zac Efron's Reaction

Of the tempest that the pictures caused, she says, "It was very traumatic, and I am extremely upset it happened. I hope all my fans can learn from my mistake and make smart decisions. But I wouldn't have been able to get through it if it wasn't for my family, friends and fans, who supported me all along the way."

Asked how she had been informed that the photos had gone public, Hudgens answers, "I found out from my manager. We heard some story was going to break in the tabloids, and I was like, What?!? A few days later, the picture came out while I Was on vacation in Australia. Thank God, I wasn't home – it would have sucked if I was at home. So I got to be away from L.A. for about a millisecond. But when I came back, it got kind of crazy."

While Hudgens does not directly address boyfriend Zac Efron's reactio

n to the photos, she does refer to him as "a friend and a cute friend who you like. It's nice."

Mom: 'Okay to Be Naked'

Came time to tell her mother about what had transpired, Hudgens recalls with a laugh, "I was just open with her, and she was just so cute. She was like, 'Well, everyone can be naked if they want to.' "

If there are lessons to be learned from the experience, Hudgens also says, "With the Internet these days, you don't have a personal life. Nothing is private: Everyone knows everything, and they can find out everything about you. You're not as safe as you think you are, and you have to be aware of the people you're around."

Writers Guild: Jay Leno Violated Rules

THURSDAY JANUARY 03, 2008 06:50 PM EST

The Writers Guild is not laughing about Jay Leno's return to NBC's Tonight Show Wednesday night.

"A discussion took place today between Jay Leno and the Writers Guild to clarify to him that writing for The Tonight Show constitutes a violation of the Guilds' strike rules," the Guild said in a statement Thursday.

Although Leno isn't using any writers, he's listed as one of the show's scribes and is a member of the WGA.

David Letterman and his company, Worldwide Pants, struck a deal with the WGA to allow the writers to come back to work. Leno's show, which is owned by NBC, is subject to different negotiations.

Heidi Vows to Be Kind and Not Judge Others in ‘08

January 3, 2008

Heidi Montag has a new outlook for the new year and she’s ready to put her engagement woes and her costar foes behind her.

The Hills star says “the past is the past” on her MySpace blog, urging her online friends to “move on from negative influences in their lives and be more positive.

At least that’s what she is going to do.

“I just hope everyone is starting 2008 with a fresh clean slate like I am. … I know at least I am going to try as hard as possible even when people don’t deserve kindness… I am still going to give them kindness!” she writes, not mentioning how she and fiancé Spencer Pratt fared over the holidays or addressing the hit reality show’s controversial re-shoots.

(But she does say on her profile that she’s looking to meet, “Hot guys because I’m single again.”)

Montag also gives her readers some other friendly advice: “People should try not to judge other people in 2008!” But, if she practices what she preaches, it could make for less eyes on her Hills‘ activities next season!

Britney Spears's Attorney Wants to Quit

WEDNESDAY JANUARY 02, 2008 07:00 PM EST

Britney Spears's latest lawyer, Sorrell Trope, filed a request Wednesday to withdraw from the singer's custody case, court documents show.

"There has been a breakdown in communications between (Spears) and Trope & Trope (law firm) making further representation of her interests impossible," says the document.

Trope gave no further details. But he told PEOPLE the ultimate decision to quit isn't up to him.

"A lawyer cannot simply withdraw from a case," he says. "We will ask the court to relieve us." A hearing is set for Feb. 4.

That will be followed by a hearing for Spears and Kevin Federline in the custody case on Feb. 19.

Trope was Spears's third lawyer in her ongoing battle with her ex-husband.

Her first attorney, Laura Wasser, resigned from her case in September shortly after Spears's divorce from Federline was finalized.

Spears then hired the firm Freid & Goldsman, but their relationship ended within days.

Trope faced an uphill legal battle in the Spears case. Shortly after his firm took over, the singer temporarily lost custody of her sons, Preston, 2, and Jayden, 1.

While she did regain her visitation rights, Trope's tenure has been fraught with setbacks, including Spears missing numerous drug-testing calls, her skipping of a deposition due to an alleged illness, and her questionable driving skills.

The request to withdraw was first reported by TMZ.com.

Janet Jackson Loves Her 'Baby-Making Songs'

WEDNESDAY JANUARY 02, 2008 03:45 PM EST

Janet Jackson admits she gets some pretty intimate responses to her music from fans.

"You don't know how many people come up to me and say, 'This child was conceived listening to you,' " Jackson, 41, tells Extra from the set of her new music video, "Feedback," in an interview set to air Wednesday night.

The singer's new CD, due out in February, contains plenty of romantic tunes, as well as other styles. On the new album "I love the dance. I love the mid tempo stuff. I love the slow songs and the baby making songs. It still has that element to it," she says.

The best thing about her music? "It makes me want to dance and that's the nice thing," she says. "I love listening to music that makes me want to get up and move."

"Feedback" is a dance track that debuted online last month.

Pregnant Brooke Burke Offers Her Fitness Secrets

WEDNESDAY JANUARY 02, 2008 02:30 PM EST

For expectant mom Brooke Burke, staying in shape during – and after – pregnancy is an ongoing process that she works hard at.

Pregnant with her fourth child, Burke tells Entertainment Tonight that she owes her bikini-ready body to her rigorous workouts – and a few other secrets.

"I’ve been doing Pilates for eight years. I actually started with my first pregnancy. I’m a big believer in staying fit during your pregnancy," says Burke, 36, who is engaged to actor David Charvet.

"I know a lot of women are a little afraid to work their abs, or are afraid of core work, but I think it supports your back and I think it helps for an easier delivery and it makes us feel good," says the actress.

Burke, who gained 30 pounds during her last pregnancy, maintains that exercise helped her get back in share faster after delivery. "The more fit you are during your pregnancy, the quicker you're going to bounce back. I probably started up two weeks after delivery and I felt I could handle that."

As for her other secret weapon, Burke is a firm believer in wrapping her post-delivery belly in a compression wrap called Taut, which she says helped her go back to her pre-pregnancy size

DJ AM Opens Up About Suicide Attempt

WEDNESDAY JANUARY 02, 2008 06:05 PM EST

Adam "DJ AM" Goldstein reveals a tortured past – including a suicide attempt – in a new interview.

Addicted to crack cocaine, overweight, and miserable, "at 24 I felt like my life was over," the hot Hollywood deejay, who has dated Nicole Richie and Mandy Moore, tells Glamour magazine.

"I went into my living room, reached into a cabinet above my TV and grabbed my gun, a loaded .22," recalls the now 34-year-old. "I sat back on my heels, cocked it and put it into my mouth. I pulled the trigger. The gun didn't go off. I thought, 'Are you kidding me? I'm such an [expletive] failure I can't even kill myself? I dropped the gun and broke down. That was the turning point in my life."

Goldstein entered a recovery program and began working out, but relapsed 90 days later. "I had to start all over again. But at that point I had no choice – it was recover or die." A relationship breakup with an unidentified girlfriend made him start eating again, but with time he gained the self-confidence to kick his overindulgent habits.

"I no longer needed a trophy girlfriend or drugs to feel good about myself," he says. "It's been nine and a half years since I’ve had a drink or taken drugs. But every day I have to remind myself that no matter how much time I have behind me, I'm still a drug addict.

"At any given moment, I'm five seconds away from walking up to someone, grabbing their drink out of their hand and downing it. And if I do that, within a week, tops, I’ll be smoking crack."

Whenever his ego is about to get the best of him, he adds, "I have to remind myself [that I'm] a fat crackhead who's lucky to be alive."

Tila Gets a Second ‘Shot’ At Love

January 2, 2008

Good news for bachelors, bachelorettes and Tila Tequila fans: MTV has ordered up another season of A Shot at Love With Tila Tequila. Starting this spring the network will air 10 more episodes of the popular and over-the-top lovefest, which puts a bisexual twist to the dating show formula. In the first season, Web star Tila Tequila searched for love among 16 straight men and 16 gay women. In the end she ended up with a guy — Bobby Banhart — but she’s back on the market now.

“I thought I had finally found someone that I was compatible with, but I guess I was wrong,” Tequila wrote of the recent split on her MySpace blog. “My hectic schedule was really hard on him and we both were getting frustrated, but at the same time … it’s too bad that things didn’t work out between us.” Too bad, indeed.

Elisabeth Hasselbeck Returning to The View

WEDNESDAY JANUARY 02, 2008 05:30 PM EST

Maternity leave is nearly over for The View co-host Elisabeth Hasselbeck, who returns to the show on Monday, ABC announced.

Hasselbeck, 30, has been away since Oct. 23. She gave birth to son Taylor Thomas on Nov. 9, her second child with Arizona Cardinals quarterback Tim Hasselbeck.

The conservative co-host's first day back at the table with Barbara Walters, Whoopi Goldberg, Joy Behar and Sherri Shepherd will be an hour-long "Hot Topics" episode, with a surprise guest, ABC reports.

"She's never shy about expressing her view, so "Hot Topics" will be getting a whole lot hotter – especially with the upcoming presidential election," says ABC. "Whoopi Goldberg and Sherri Shepard joined the show shortly before Elisabeth left, so there wasn't much opportunity for all five co-hosts to interact. Now there will be a new dynamic at the "Hot Topics" table."

Gabrielle Reece, Laird Hamilton Have a Son

WEDNESDAY JANUARY 02, 2008 09:45 PM EST

Volleyball star Gabrielle Reece and her husband, surfer Laird Hamilton, welcomed son Brody Jo Hamilton on New Year's Day in Hawaii, their rep tells PEOPLE.

Brody, who was 8 lb., 2 oz., joins the couple's first child, 4-year-old sister Reece Viola.

Hamilton, 43, who also has a 12-year-old daughter from a previous marriage, has said Reece Viola faces some adjustments.

"She is the center of the universe right now, and when the next one comes along it's gonna rock her little boat a little bit," he said in August. "But it'll be great. ... It will be great for her."

Reece, 37, stayed in top shape during her second pregnancy by playing competitive beach volleyball last summer and swimming.

Reece first announced she was pregnant on the Today show for which she's also a special correspondent.

Carey sparkles at a Las Vegas party as stars across the country celebrate New Year's Eve. Plus: Paris Hilton, Ashlee Simpson and Avril Lavigne

BUBBLY NEW YEAR

With a glass of champagne and a party at TAO nightclub in Las Vegas, Mariah Carey has everything she needs for New Year's – except a resolution. "I should have them, but I've already done them," she says, noting she reached her diet goals in 2007

PARISIAN PARTY

Paris Hilton toasts the New Year at LAX nightclub in Las Vegas with help from her sister Nicky – and surprising new pal Kevin Federline, who joined Paris in the DJ booth in the wee hours of 2008.

DJ ASHLEE SIMPSON

Joining boyfriend Pete Wentz in the DJ booth at The Shore Club in Miami, Ashlee Simpson rings in the New Year at a party so packed the fire marshal had to turn people away.

LAVIGNE LAS VEGAS?

Not until the party's over, anyway, as Avril Lavigne pops the bubbly at a New Year's Eve celebration at the newly opened Prive Las Vegas club at the Planet Hollywood hotel.

SISTER, SISTER

Viva Las Vegas! Beyoncé Knowles and younger sister Solange shimmer down the red carpet at the opening of Jay-Z's newest 40/40 Club inside Sin City's Palazzo hotel.

Pamela Anderson Has 'Plenty' of Problems

TUESDAY JANUARY 01, 2008 01:00 PM EST

With a divorce filing and reconciliation within days, Pamela Anderson acknowledges her struggles continue – but she can only shrug and move on.

"Oh there's plenty," of problems, Anderson told PEOPLE as she headed to LAX nightclub in Las Vegas on New Year's Eve. "What can you do? We're all human. We're all trying."

When asked about her plans for 2008, she said, "More of the same. More excitement, more fun."

Last year, in which the actress turned 40, might be hard to beat.

Her brief marriage to Kid Rock was officially dissolved in early 2007. Anderson waited four months before walking down the aisle for the third time with Rick Salomon, a friend of 15 years.

She filed for divorce on Dec. 14 in Los Angeles Superior Court, citing irreconcilable differences, but days later Anderson posted a message on her blog saying: "We're working things out."

In her first online posting since then, Anderson updated her Web site Monday and hinted at the "insanity" of last year. Still, her New Year's resolution is clear:

"I know 2008 will bring all your wildest dreams. 2007 was an interesting year for me. What's the definition of insanity? This is the year I do everything I wanted to do – my way. I have so many great projects – for the environment, for animals. I'm going to be proud of every single day – and make sure I do not veer from the path. Stay focused."

Jennifer Hudson: Dreaming of a Grammy Award

TUESDAY JANUARY 01, 2008 03:15 PM EST

With an Oscar and a Golden Globe trophy already on her shelf, Jennifer Hudson is aiming for the Triple Crown of awards: a Grammy in 2008.

"I used to watch the Grammys and dream of winning one," she told PEOPLE at a New Year's Eve event headlined by the Dreamgirls star in Miami. "Maybe that can be next on my list."

Guests at the Setai paid up to $60,000 per table to dine on Peking duck salad and roasted tenderloin by the poolside. Actor Dylan McDermott posed for pictures with guests before taking the stage to introduce Hudson as "one of the most talented people on the planet."

Wearing a bright red Donna Karan sleeveless dress and more than $150,000 in jewelry specially designed by Rosalina Lydster, Hudson, 26, received an enthusiastic welcome from the crowd as she sang hits from Dreamgirls as well as "Happy Place," a song from her upcoming album.

Despite Hudson's banner year in 2007, she believes 2008 will be even better for her. "I get to sing this year," she says. "I love acting and I hope I don't ever have to choose between acting and singing, but singing is what I worked 17 years to do. That's what I dreamed of. And I get to do it this year."

Hudson, who also appears in the upcoming big-screen version of Sex and the City, adds: "I still don't exactly believe everything that has happened to me. Every day, it's like 'Thank you God.'"

Marie Osmond: 'It's OK To Be Alone'

TUESDAY JANUARY 01, 2008 06:35 PM EST

It was an up-and-down 2007 for Marie Osmond, who says her children kept her strong through the drama.

"I have great kids. I love my kids, you know that, and it's OK," Osmond, 48, tells Extra. "It's OK to be alone, and it's OK to be busy. It's a choice you make to be positive with what comes at you in life."

While dancing into third place on Dancing with the Stars, Osmond, who has eight children, had a rough year with her family.

Father George, 90, died in November, her 20-year marriage to record producer Brian Blosil dissolved in March, and her teenage son Michael checked into rehab. Plus, Osmond herself fainted on live national TV.

And while Osmond is mulling a DWTS tour with dancing partner Jonathan Roberts and a possible talk show, she is enjoying time with her children.

"I'd love to sing opera, I love theater," Osmond says. "But truly, when you get to a certain place in your life, the joy comes watching your kids."

Eddie Murphy and Tracey Edmonds Marry

TUESDAY JANUARY 01, 2008 11:15 PM EST

Eddie Murphy and Tracey Edmonds were married on New Year's Day on a private island off Bora Bora in French Polynesia in front of 25 friends and family, their reps tell PEOPLE.

In a sunset ceremony on the beach Tuesday, Edmonds walked barefoot down the aisle to Gladys Knight's "Makings of You." The bride wore a custom-designed form-fitting dress by stylist and designer Sugia Nazel and Jill Baracci, designer and owner of Baracci boutique.

Murphy wore a cream suit and vest with an off-white handkerchief.

Among the guests were best man Johnny Gill, maid of honor Nicole Avant, matron of honor Julie Lev, as well as Edmonds's parents Jacqueline and George McQuarn, her brother Michael, Murphy's mother Lillian Lynch and his brother Vernon.

Edmonds, 40, gave her bridesmaids gold and diamond earrings from XIV Karats in Beverly Hills, and Murphy, 46, gave his groomsmen D.Atlantis watches.

The wedding was designed by event designer Colin Cowie, who created a gazebo on the beach made out of 6,000 shells for the ceremony. After the ceremony, guests celebrated at a private dinner and after-party, where DJ Darrin Ebron from Los Angeles kept the guests dancing.

The wedding cake was by Sam Godfrey of Perfect Endings in Napa, CA, and featured four layers in whites and cream with handmade sugar cymbidium and dendrobium orchids.

Edmonds and Murphy started dating last fall and were engaged in July.

Without a Trace Star Roselyn Sanchez Gets Engaged

TUESDAY JANUARY 01, 2008 04:40 PM EST

Without a Trace star Roselyn Sanchez and actor Eric Winter were engaged while on vacation in the Caribbean, her rep confirms.

Sanchez, 34, and Winter, 31, who have been dating for two years, have not yet set a date and location for their wedding, her rep told PEOPLE on Tuesday.

The Puerto Rican-born Sanchez and Winter got engaged on the resort island of Vieques, east of mainland Puerto Rico.

In addition to her work on CBS's Without a Trace, Sanchez has been ranked among the world's sexiest women by Stuff and Maxim magazines. Winter has appeared on Days of Our Lives and CSI: Crime Scene Investigation.

Their engagement was first reported by the Associated Press.

Kim Kardashian Wants to Eat Better – but Keep the Curves

TUESDAY JANUARY 01, 2008 03:25 PM EST

Kim Kardashian wrapped up 2007 by bidding goodbye to an old favorite: the deep-fried Oreo.

"There's nothing even remotely healthy about that, but it's so, so good," she told PEOPLE while hosting a New Year's Eve party at Mansion in Miami Beach. "I figured that I'd end 2007 with a bang and eat something really bad for me that I love. But beginning tomorrow, that's off limits."

The 27-year-old star of E!'s Keeping Up with the Kardashians resolves that in 2008 she's going on a diet.

"I need to start eating responsibly. It's time to eat right," she says. Although Kardashian exercises regularly, she says her eating habits are her downfall. "I get enough exercise," she says. "My problem is that I eat like crap."

But fear not, male fans. The reality show star, well-known for her curves, says she won't lose her famous rear end.

"I'm not going to starve myself," she says. "I'll still treat myself now and then, but I want my basic diet to be healthier."

During her last night of the year, Kardashian spent the evening with her sisters, Khloe and Khourtney, as well as new boyfriend, NFL star Reggie Bush.

Although Kardashian doesn't have a specific diet plan in mind, she says she knows how to eat healthy. "I know what's good for me and what isn't," she says. "It's just a matter of making the right choices."

Paris Hilton & Kevin Federline Party in Las Vegas

MONDAY DECEMBER 31, 2007 09:00 AM EST

The unlikely duo of Kevin Federline and Paris Hilton caused heads to turn in Las Vegas over the pre-New Year's weekend.

On Sunday, the duo partied together for the second night running.

Both were in town to host separate New Year's Eve parties – hers at LAX, his at Tangerine – but each name attraction started celebrating early, hitting LAX on Saturday and Pure Nightclub on Sunday.

A source close to Federline told PEOPLE that the two hung out in Hilton's room Saturday after leaving the club.

Still, they seemed less chummy on Sunday at Pure, mingling only briefly before drinking a shot of tequila together.

Fergie's New Year's Resolution: Be Less 'Fergalicious'

MONDAY DECEMBER 31, 2007 01:55 PM EST

It scored her a big hit in 2007. Now R&B singer Fergie is bidding adieu to catchphrase "Fergalicious" for the New Year.

Her resolution for 2008 is "just to be less Fergalicious," the 32-year-old singer jokes in a video posting on FunnyorDie.com. "It's kind of old now.

"People have said it, they've gone into Burgerlicious, and all these things," says Fergie, who announced her engagement to Josh Duhamel last Wednesday. "It's so over, so last year. New year, new word. I've got to figure the new word out. But it will come, it will come."

Several other celebrities also posted their New Year's resolutions in the comedic video:

• Will Ferrell: "My New Year's resolution is to get at least 13 hours of sleep a night, regardless of what sort of job or family or life commitments I have, but to really be consistent about that."

• Mila Kunis (That 70s Show): "I'm going to start dating more, because my kids need a new dad."

• James Franco: "I think I'm going to help the environment and walk more. In fact, I'm going to walk a lot. In fact, I'm going to start right now," says the Spider-Man actor, who then tosses his car keys to a stranger.

• Sean Hayes: "My New Year's resolution is stop having unprotected sex," says the former Will & Grace star – who is pictured holding a baby.

Milo Ventimiglia & Hayden Panettiere Are an Item

MONDAY DECEMBER 31, 2007 12:30 PM EST

Fall's turn into winter cranked up the heat in one respect: the connection between Milo Ventimiglia and Hayden Panettiere.

Having previously denied a relationship, the two Heroes stars are now considered an item.

"Hayden's mom adores Milo. She thinks he's so cute," a family friend tells PEOPLE. "She tells her friends that he's her boyfriend. She's very proud."

On a December trip to New York City, Ventimiglia hung out with the entire Panettiere family. "He's even met her grandparents. He fits in perfectly with the family. Milo jokes around with her little brother," says the source. "They're buddies."

When the couple are together, "they're very affectionate and very comfortable around each other. He really takes care of her, even down to the little things like giving her a back massage and going with her to work things."

A rep for the actress said: "We do not respond to inquiries from the media regarding Ms. Panettiere's personal life."

'Not Afraid to Show Affection'

Since cozying up at an Emmys party in September, the two had dodged rumors that they were dating – even though, by mid-November, they already were clearly close, being together publicly at benefits and other events.

When asked shortly before Thanksgiving about the reports of his possible romance with Panettiere, Ventimiglia chuckled then paused before saying, "She and I are close friends. It's only natural that people are going to couple us together."

"They're not afraid to show their affection around her family and their friends," says the friend.

As for the existence of a mini generation gap – Ventimiglia's 30, while Panettiere's 18 – the friend adds, "At first it doesn't seem like there's a big age difference, but then you do see it. ... He's more proper and reserved, and she's still playful and very girly."

Rosie O'Donnell Addresses Being an 'Annoying' Celeb

MONDAY DECEMBER 31, 2007 03:20 PM EST

Rosie O'Donnell is answering up to an online poll that found her the "most annoying celebrity."

"I, apparently, am the most annoying celebrity, according to Parade magazine," O'Donnell, 45, states in the video blog, made while in a swimming pool with two of her four children. "Frankly, most celebrities are annoying. So, I agree, celebrities are annoying. The fact that I am one is annoying, and I suppose I am the most annoying – but, whatever."

Nearly 2,000 Parade readers voted in the poll, with 42 percent calling the former View co-host the most irksome – followed by Paris Hilton, with 24 percent of the vote.

Speculating about why she earned the adjective, O'Donnell tells her daughter, Vivienne Rose, "Because I'm loud," and "some people don't like me."

Interjects O'Donnell: "Barbra Streisand likes me, right. – The other Barbara – Walters? I think she loves me, but she won't say that, because I hurt her feelings."

Walters and O'Donnell parted on tenuous terms in mid-2007, when O'Donnell vacated her post as The View co-host three week's before her first season's contract was due to expire.

Besides O'Donnell and Hilton, Parade also named (in descending order) Ann Coulter, Heather Mills and Perez Hilton the Top 5 most annoying.

NBC: Golden Globes to Go On As Planned

MONDAY DECEMBER 31, 2007 08:50 AM EST

The welcome mat is out for George Clooney, Keira Knightley and Julia Roberts – as well as the other Golden Globe nominees.

NBC says that the Jan. 13 ceremony will proceed as planned, despite the threat of picketing from the striking Writers Guild of America and stars boycotting the event as a show of support, reports USA Today.

Fears of nominees turning into no-shows had caused some talk of possibly canceling the broadcast or, at a minimum, severely damaging the ratings of the telecast.

On Friday, The New York Times ran a story casting doubt on the possibility of the Globes' proceeding as originally planned.

The paper quoted Jeff Hermanson, strike coordinator for the Writers Guild of American West and the Writers Guild of America East, as positioning protestors around the Beverly Hilton Hotel, where the ceremony will take place.

"If the Globes is telecast and it is produced by Dick Clark Productions, which is a struck company, we will picket the show," he said.

Jorge Camara, president of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, the group behind the Globes, reportedly vowed that the 65th annual ceremony will go on, as intended.

Six weeks after the Globes come the Oscars, on Feb. 24. The star power of the first event is expected to serve as a gauge for the second.

Katherine Heigl Honeymoon: A Bumpy Start

MONDAY DECEMBER 31, 2007 12:30 PM EST

Their Dec. 23 nuptials in snowy Park City, Utah, might have been "incredible and beautiful" – according to T.R. Knight – but Katherine Heigl and Josh Kelley's Mexican honeymoon got off to a rocky start, a source tells PEOPLE.

First, the Grey's Anatomy star forgot her passport, so "the happy couple could not fly directly to Cabo," says the source. Instead, the two had to stop over in California first.

But things brightened considerably when the couple made it to Mexico. Kelley, 27, enjoyed some tee time, the source reports, while Heigl, 29, soaked up the sun.

And by Friday, the happy twosome was spotted poolside as Kelley serenaded her new bride – and friends – with songs from his upcoming album.

Nicole Kidman Pregnancy Story Denied by Rep

SUNDAY DECEMBER 30, 2007 08:00 PM EST

Nicole Kidman is not pregnant, her Australian press representative has said.

Kidman's expecting a baby was first reported by the U.K.'s Daily Mail, which said The Hours Oscar winner, 40, had told friends and family members over Christmas that she and her husband of 18 months, Keith Urban, were expecting their first child together.

But the Melbourne Herald Sun quotes Kidman's Australian publicist as denying the Mail's story.

"It is incorrect," the spokeswoman tells the paper. "She must have had about 30 babies by now."

As for Kidman, says the rep, "She's in Australia making a film" – director Baz Luhrman's epic Australia, costarring Hugh Jackman – "and her family are in Australia. She's happily ensconced away somewhere having a few days break. It's the silly season. As far as we're concerned, it's another rumor out of London."

Friend: It Is 'Conceivable'

Still, a friend of Kidman's tells the Herald Sun it is "conceivable" that the actress is nearly three months pregnant.

"She did have a small baby bump a month ago, so it would be reasonable that she'd now be three months and telling her friends and family," the unnamed friend is quoted as saying.

Kidman and former husband Tom Cruise adopted two children during their 1990-2001 marriage: Isabella, now 14, and Connor, 12.

Kevin Federline's Lawyer to Depose Britney in Early '08

SUNDAY DECEMBER 30, 2007 04:50 PM EST

After a year of legal starts and stops, Kevin Federline's lawyer Mark Vincent Kaplan is ready to move forward with his client's custody battle.

"Britney Spears will have her deposition early this year," Kaplan told PEOPLE outside Mr. Chow's restaurant in Beverly Hills late Saturday night. "We've got a lot to talk about."

Spears, 26, missed her initial deposition appearance on Dec. 12, prompting Kaplan to request an emergency hearing and to delay their next court date from January to February.

Though Spears cited physical illness and anxiety for her absence, Kaplan said, "She was, in fact, out later that day and night. It's not fourth grade where you get a doctor's note and it's all okay."

The attorney expressed hope that Spears will appear this time around so further measures, such as pursuing her in contempt of court or delaying the deposition once again, will not be necessary.

'A Good Christmas for All'

"Kevin isn't interested, nor am I, in punishing her," says Kaplan. "We just want to get information necessary to proceed further. I hoping remedies which include continuing hearings are all theoretical."

As for tabloid rumors that Preston, 2, and Jayden, 1, will also undergo drug testing, he says, "I haven't even heard about that, and I don't think that is true."

In fact, he says, the boys have been enjoying a wonderful holiday season. "It was a good Christmas for all," Kaplan confirms. "They were great. Kevin had all of his kids and it was a big, wonderful family setting. He was really happy, and the kids were happy."

As 2008 beckons, Federline, 29, will be ringing in the New Year in Las Vegas. As for how Kaplan envisions the future, his wish is simple: "I hope we will prevail."