EXCLUSIVE: Jennifer Lopez & Marc Anthony Welcome Twins!

Posted Friday February 22, 2008 02:10 AM EST

It's double the baby joy for Jennifer Lopez and husband Marc Anthony: They're the proud new parents of twins, a boy and a girl, Lopez's manager tells PEOPLE exclusively.

The babies were born early Friday in Long Island, N.Y. The girl was born at 12:12 a.m. and weighed 5 lbs. 7 oz., and the boy followed at 12:23 a.m., weighing 6 lbs.

"Jennifer and Marc are delighted, thrilled and over the moon," Lopez's manager Simon Fields tells PEOPLE exclusively.

They're the first children for Lopez, 38, and the fourth and fifth for Anthony, 39. The couple celebrated the impending births with a baby shower in New York on Jan. 19. "They were just beaming the entire time," said one partygoer.

(PHOTOS: See Jennifer's Baby Style and Remember When: J.Lo and Marc's Newlywed Life)

Longtime friend Leah Remini calls Lopez "a born mom" and very nurturing. "With our daughter, she's so great. I mean, lets her go in her closet and play with her coats or her jewelry. She's just so giving and loving," Remini said.

Lopez announced her pregnancy Nov. 8, telling the crowd during her final Miami concert: "Marc and I are expecting a baby!" The news of twins was finally confirmed by Lopez's dad earlier this month, in an interview on Spanish-language television.

Lopez Long Kept Pregnancy Secret

During the early weeks of her pregnancy, Lopez skillfully ducked the question, even when appearing on TV in October with Diane Sawyer and with David Letterman.

Lopez shrugged off the secrecy, telling Harper's Bazaar, "I kind of feel like everybody knew anyway. I was on tour with a bubble gut!"

And being tight lipped has long been Lopez's style. When she married Anthony in June 2004, her rep would neither confirm nor deny the nuptials had taken place.

What are not being kept secret are Lopez's plans now that she's a mother. As she told Harper's, the hard-working performer intends to take time off.

"Once I did the tour," she said, "I really just wanted to shut it down, and since then I've had to do three things, including a video. It may not sound like a lot, but you know, as this point, any woman can sympathize. It is a lot. I was ready just to sit."

No Big Surprises on Idol’s First Live Eliminations

February 22, 2008

Despite several attempts at drama on the live American Idol results show Thursday, there were no real surprises on the first night of voter-determined eliminations.

Garrett Haley, Amy Davis, Joanne Borgella and Colton Berry were sent home, but not before facing that seemingly tortuous Idol tradition of facing the crowd, the cameras and the judges a final performance.

After all 24 contestants sang a joint ’60s medley, host Ryan Seacrest got right down to business and called Haley (pictured) up for a “chat” and told him straight away, “It’s hard to say goodbye to anyone tonight. And tonight I have to say goodbye to you.”

Seacrest then questioned him on how he felt about judge Simon Cowell’s harsh comments the night before. And Haley, 17, who’d been told he looked like he’d been cooped up in his bedroom for months and needed “fresh air” said, “I’m happy with the way I am. I wouldn’t change a thing.”

Next, Seacrest teased by calling up country cutie Kristy Lee Cook, who was battling bronchitis the night she performed and heard bad feedback from the judges. Turns out she was safe. Instead, Davis, 25, said her goodbyes, telling the world, ” I don’t think I can pick just one thing” to remember fondly.

After a commercial break and the television premiere of Paula Abdul’s new music video for “Dance Like There’s No Tomorrow,” which features Randy Jackson as well as Cowell and Seacrest, it was back to the business of elimination.

Plus-size model Borgella and favored rocker nurse Amanda Overmeyer were called to the stage. No big surprises: Borgella, 25, said goodbye, telling the judges, “I’m going to keep on singing because I love singing.”

Finally, Chikezie and Berry were asked to join Seacrest onstage. And in the night’s biggest cliffhanger (neither one performed very well on Tuesday night), Berry, 18, was sent home.

The remaining 10 men will perform again on Tuesday, Feb. 26. The women will sing again the next night, Wednesday, Feb. 27 on FOX.

Aaron Carter Jailed in Texas after Drug Arrest

Originally posted Thursday February 21, 2008 11:45 PM EST

Pop singer Aaron Carter was arrested for investigation of marijuana possession Thursday after he was pulled over for speeding in Texas, authorities said.

Carter, 20, the younger brother of Nick Carter from the Backstreet Boys, was in jail in Junction, Texas, awaiting a Friday morning appearance before a magistrate, Kimble County Sheriff Mike Chapman tells PEOPLE.

Carter's Cadillac Escalade was pulled over for speeding in Junction at about noon on Thursday, said Chapman.

Officers found marijuana in the car, the sheriff said. There was nobody else in the car.

His arrest was first reported by TMZ.com.

Heath Ledger Portrait Up For Australian Art Prize

Originally posted Thursday February 21, 2008 06:05 PM EST

A portrait of the late Heath Ledger is a contender for Australia's esteemed Archibald Prize, one of the most prominent art prizes in the country. It was painted by the actor's friend, Vincent Fantauzzo.

Simply titled "Heath," the portrait features three versions of the actor – one haunted-looking rendition in the center of the canvas flanked by two whispering figures on either side. According to Fantauzzo, originally one of the side figures was to be screaming, but the artist changed his concept, worrying that it would dominate the central figure, which he intended to be the focus. "The whispering, the voices, the frustration or something comical – they [represent] different ways that we might be thinking in our own mind," Fantauzzo told Australia's Daily Telegraph.

Painted at Ledger's family's Perth home in December, Fantauzzo says the two men collaborated on the concept together. Ledger sat for the portrait, even signing a form to vouch for its authenticity and qualify the piece for an Archibald Prize. "He signed it in the wrong spot," the artist remembered.

After their initial sessions, Ledger returned his work, and the painting sat in Fantauzzo's Melbourne home, hanging on the wall until the artist heard the sad news of the actor's death. "I just didn't believe it," he said. "When you paint someone, you meditate over them. I was painting Heath every day for 10 hours a day."

The Archibald Prize will be announced on March 7. So far, 249 portraits have been entered in the contest.

Isaac Hanson Expecting Baby No. 2

Originally posted Thursday February 21, 2008 07:15 PM EST

Isaac Hanson and his wife, Nikki, are expecting their second child, Hanson tells PEOPLE.

"Nikki and I are so very exited about the new addition to our family," he says. "We can't wait to meet him or her."

The eldest of the Hanson clan, Isaac, 27, and Nicole, 24, his wife since September 2006, also have a 10-month-old son, Everett.

Their new addition will also have an instant playmate – Isaac's younger brother Zac and his wife, Kate, are expecting their first child in May.

Before Isaac's daddy duties increase, he'll stay busy on the road: Hanson will play two shows at Austin's SXSW, then they'll kick off "The Walk" tour April 9 (for more tour info, visit www.hanson.net).

Angelina & Brad's Adoption of Pax Finalized

Originally posted Thursday February 21, 2008 03:30 PM EST

It's official: Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie's adoption of 4-year-old Pax Thien Jolie-Pitt was approved Wednesday by an L.A. County Children's Court judge, her rep confirms to PEOPLE.

TMZ.com reported Thursday that the happy family celebrated at the courthouse in Monterey Park on Wednesday. Jolie adopted little Pax from an orphanage in Vietnam last year, telling PEOPLE at the time, "You can imagine what courage it takes to be in all new surroundings, with new people and a new language. He is very strong."

And for more evidence of Pax's strength, check out his moves on the inner tube during the family's recent snow day.

Hepatitis Scare Hits Ashton, Demi and Madonna

Originally posted Thursday February 21, 2008 09:00 PM EST

It may sound like an episode of Punk'd – but this time it's real.

Guests at Ashton Kutcher's 30th birthday party at the trendy New York bar Socialista are being urged to get a Hepatitis A vaccination because one of the bartenders was infected.

Among the A-listers at the Feb. 7 event: Kutcher's wife Demi Moore, Madonna, Bruce Willis, Gwyneth Paltrow, and Salma Hayek.

The bartender also worked on Feb. 8 and Feb. 11.

"We are asking these bar patrons to get this vaccination as a precautionary measure," said Dr. Sharon Balter, medical epidemiologist at the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene.

Celebrity Well-Wisher Alert! Salma Hayek Sends Jennifer Lopez Her Best

Originally posted Friday February 22, 2008 09:00 AM EST

From one new mom to another – congrats! Salma Hayek had a few brief words for Jennifer Lopez on the red carpet of Thursday night's Hollywood Domino board game launch at the Beverly Hills Hotel. Asked by reporters if she had any words of wisdom for Lopez, who earlier in the night gave birth to twins, Hayek replied, "I'm sure she'll be a wonderful mom."

Judge Extends Sam Lutfi's Restraining Order

Originally posted Thursday February 21, 2008 10:40 PM EST

A federal judge late Thursday extended until March 17 a temporary restraining order preventing Britney Spears's pal Sam Lutfi from approaching the troubled pop star and her family, according to court papers

The two-page order by U.S. District Judge Phillip Gutierrez was in response to a request by Spears's father Jamie Spears, who is co-conservator of her $100 million estate.

Jamie had asked the judge to extend the temporary restraining order – served on Thursday and set to expire a day later on Friday – until the judge rules on an unusual civil rights challenge to the conservatorship.

The temporary restraining order could be extended at a March 17 hearing. But Jamie Spears would have to be able to successfully serve Lutfi with notice of the hearing; in the past, Jamie has complained that Lutfi apparently attempted to dodge being served.

The temporary restraining order, which forbids Lutfi from getting within 250 yards of Spears, her homes and her family's homes, alleges: "Mr. Lutfi has drugged Britney. He has cut Britney's home phone line and removed her cell phone chargers. He claims to control everything."

Britney's Dad Fights Back to Keep Control

Originally posted Wednesday February 20, 2008 06:35 PM EST

Lawyers for Jamie Spears contend that Britney Spears's conservator case shouldn't be transferred from state to federal court and that an attorney seeking the move doesn't even represent the pop singer as he claims.

In court papers filed Tuesday, Spears's father and the other temporary co-conservator of her estate, Andrew Wallet, called lawyer Jon Eardley's highly publicized efforts to move the case "a brazen – but vain – attempt to strip a probate court of jurisdiction ... by an attorney without a client."

Eardley's effort got a cool reception from U.S. District Judge Philip Gutierrez, who on Tuesday gave Eardley until Feb. 29 to argue why Gutierrez shouldn't reject the request. If Eardley fails to make a good enough case by then, the matter stays in state Superior Court – with Jamie and Wallet remaining in charge of Britney's affairs and $100 million estate.

"The jurisdictional allegations appear to be defective," said the the judge in a tentative ruling.

Legal Analyst Calls Challenge Novel

Eardley's approach "is certainly novel, but I don't think it can succeed," says Duke law school professor Erwin Chemerinsky, a constitutional law expert. "A case can be removed from state to federal court only if it could have been brought in federal court in the first instance. I can imagine no possible way that this case could have been brought in federal court in the first instance."

Loyola Law School Professor Stan Goldman adds: "Wishing doesn't make it so."

Eardley was unavailable for comment. His spokesperson, Michael Sands, said on Wednesday that Eardley would file "overwhelming evidence" as to why the case belongs in federal court.

"Obviously the judge wants to see what we have expressed in our original papers," Sands says, adding he sees Gutierrez's request for additional documentation as a "great opportunity."

Lawyer Claims Britney's Civil Rights Denied

Eardley has told PEOPLE that Britney – whose affairs have been overseen by the co-conservators since her hospitalization in a psych ward – is being "deprived of her Constitutional rights." He says he's seeking a "return to normalcy" when it comes to the singer's living and legal situations.

But according to the co-conservator papers, a court has already found that Britney "lacks the capacity" to hire an attorney – Eardley or anybody else – and even if she did have that capacity, there are no legal grounds to move her case to federal court.

The papers didn't say whom Jamie thought was behind Eardley's involvement, but noted that Eardley's spokesperson also represents Britney pal Sam Lutfi, now the target of a restraining order by the star's parents.

Eardley, the papers allege, tried to do something similar in 2006 – allegedly seek to move a state case to federal court on behalf of a client he didn't have – and was ordered to pay the other side's attorney fees.

"Given his prior experience, Mr. Eardley should have been especially attuned to the impropriety," the papers say.

More Lindsay Lohan Photos Hit the Web

Originally posted Wednesday February 20, 2008 02:50 PM EST

Believe it or not, there's more of Lindsay Lohan left to see.

New York magazine has posted additional outtakes (including this photo) from its now-famous photo shoot with the actress recreating Marilyn Monroe's nude 1962 "Last Sitting" with photographer Bert Stern. (The photos – which, readers should be warned, contain nudity – are on the magazine's Web site.)

So far, reviews of Lohan's shoot have been mixed (some wondered whether a nude photo shoot was an appropriate decision for the actress after her recent troubles). But her mom, Dina Lohan, told PEOPLE Tuesday that "it was very tastefully done."

"I respect the photographer as an artist, so I look at them artistically," she said.

Jessica Simpson Rules the Box Office – in Ukraine

Originally posted Wednesday February 20, 2008 06:50 PM EST

Is Jessica Simpson the David Hasselhoff of Ukraine?

The blond starlet seems to be the toast of the Eastern European nation. Her latest film, Blonde Ambition, hit No. 1 in Ukraine, grossing $253,008 for the weekend of Feb. 14-17, Box Office Mojo reports.

It's a huge reversal of fortune for the film, which bombed back home. In December, Blonde Ambition had a run in eight Texas theaters, grossing just $1,771 in its opening weekend.

How to explain the comedy's success abroad? One word: escapism.

"The former Soviet nations have a sweet tooth for straight-up comedies," Conor Bresnan, editor in chief of Box Office Mojo International, tells PEOPLE. "When these comedies have big name celebrities like Jessica Simpson's, that's all that's needed to sell the movie. Russian and Ukrainian audiences have an even bigger urge for escapism than Americans. So, films like Blonde Ambition will gross more than No Country for Old Men.

And this may only be the beginning for Blonde Ambition. Next stop: Bulgaria.

Pink: Divorce 'Not About Cheating, Anger or Fighting'

Originally posted Wednesday February 20, 2008 02:45 PM EST

Thanking her fans for their support, Pink said her divorce is "not about cheating, anger or fighting" and that she still considers her ex a "good man."

"I wanted to reach out personally to all my fans/friends out there in the world," the pop singer writes on her Web site.

Pink, 28, and her husband, motocross racer and former The Surreal Life star Carey Hart, 32, are dissolving their union after two years.

"First and foremost, thank you for all of your support and love, it means a lot to me right now," Pink writes. "The most important thing for you all to know is that Carey and I love each other so so much."

As for the reasons behind the split, she says, "This breakup is not about cheating, anger or fighting. I know it sounds like cliché bulls---, but we are best friends, and we will continue to be.

"All I know at this point, is that I want to make the best album I can, and Carey wants to do the best possible job he can with everything he has going on. He is a good man, so please support him as well."

Looking ahead, she says, "One never knows the future, but mine and Carey's just might involve beach babies and sunshine one day. Just not right now. Thanks for the concern and caring."

She signs off with, "X Miss P."

Orlando Bloom Is a 'Sweetheart' Says Model Miranda Kerr

Originally posted Thursday February 21, 2008 07:15 AM EST

Miranda Kerr is happy to talk philosophy. "I practice Japanese Buddhism," the model told PEOPLE Wednesday night. "At the heart of it all, it's about practicing peace."

Modern art? Sure. The Victoria Secret model headed to N.Y.C.'s Milk Gallery Wednesday for the launch of their exhibition of work by Shinjo Ito. "He's good," she said at the event. "Really inspiring."

She'll even chat about dieting: "I just did a three-day juice fast. It's really detoxifying and cleansing for the body .... You don't get that hungry."

But mention boyfriend Orlando Bloom, and suddenly she's tongue-tied.

When asked if the two yoga devotees ever workout together, she responded with, "Ugh. Ha, ha, ha!" before finally managing, "Well, I'm sure he does yoga."

The undercover lovers were recently outed, when they were spotted on a PDA-filled date at New York's Max Brenner restaurant. "They were just being playful and kissing and hugging," recounted an onlooker.

"He's a sweetheart and that's all I'm gonna say," Kerr said, blushing. "Sweetheart."

Did the two spend Valentine's Day together? "I can't tell you," she replied with a laugh. "I work for Victoria's Secret – but that's my secret.

Marlee Matlin’s ‘Internal Metronome’ Will Set Her Apart on DWTS

February 20, 2008

Don’t underestimate Marlee Matlin when she hits the ballroom floor on season six of Dancing with the Stars. Not only does she have the focus, she has “a sense of rhythm” that a lot of people may not think she has.

“So much will depend on me being in synch with my partner with my eyes, with my arms, with my legs,” the 42-year-old Oscar winner tells PEOPLE. “Plus … sign language has given me a an internal metronome.”

That innate rhythm and two powerful digital hearing aids are what she plans to use to guide her dancing — not to mention her dance pro partner.

“My partner, Fabian Sanchez, is Latin. And as any one can tell you, Latins speak with their hands, their bodies. He’s great,” she says. “We use a combination of lip reading (he’s easy to follow even if he has a slight accent), signing (the first sign he learned was “again” — he uses it a lot) and an interpreter.”

So far, she explains, training has been a lot like being on a movie set. And since dancing runs in the family — her 12-year-old daughter, who “screamed when she found out,” is a hip-hop student and dance lover — Matlin may have a better shot than most.

“I’ve had no formal dance training. Though I did a little dance in Children Of A Lesser God, that was improvised,” Matlin says. “But I figure that I’m ready in that I communicate with my body when I sign and dance is a lot like that. … Right now I’m not terrified of Latin dances; I’ve got a Latin partner and he’s a Mambo champion! I’ve already begun the Cha Cha and I love it! I don’t know about jive.”

Matlin also says that, in addition to making her “friends and family proud,” she wants to “prove to people that the only thing I, and 26 million Americans who are deaf or hard of hearing like me, really can’t do — is hear.”

And while she’s a longtime fan of DWTS — “I love the spectacle! I love the clothes!” — what really pushed her to compete in season six are her children.

“I’m really doing it for my kids because they want me to be the coolest mom ever,” she admits. “I don’t know if I’m crazy or what, but I’m going to give it my best shot!”

Clay Aiken Album to Be Released in May

Originally posted Wednesday February 20, 2008 07:00 PM EST


Get ready Claymates, a new Clay Aiken album is just around the corner. The former American Idol contestant is in New York City currently recording his fourth album, which he expects to be released in early May, he tells PEOPLE exclusively.

"We're hoping the next album will be out about May 6," Aiken, who is currently starring in the Broadway run of Monty Python's Spamalot as Sir Robin, tells PEOPLE.

Aiken's keeping a hectic schedule, recording tracks for the RCA Records album when he's not on stage. "We've picked most of the songs," Aiken, 29, says. "Sonically, I don't know that we're going down any path that's crazy. I'm not trying to be cool, I'm not trying to be hip. I'm not trying to do anything other than sing stuff that I'm good at."

So what's the inspiration behind Aiken's upcoming album? "In the past five years there's a lot I've learned about life, and I think people learn a lot in the twenties," says the singer. "So we found a lot of songs that speak to that. I would like to wrap a lot of the music around that theme. It's early to promise that, but it's a goal."

Aiken adds he has no plans to perform a duet with another singer, but he knows at least one star he'd love to sing with. "I've always wanted to do a duet with Martina McBride. I think she has one of the best voices," he says.

And is Aiken planning an image overhaul, tied to the album? He says, "Last time I came out with dark crazy hair. We did that intentionally. But I'm just going to do what I do this time. We don't have any plans this time. But I've got the red wig [from Spamalot] – maybe I'll do that!"

Criminal Intent's Vincent D'Onofrio Welcomes a Son

Originally posted Thursday February 21, 2008 05:50 AM EST

Flowers! Chocolates! Childbirth?

Law & Order: Criminal Intent star Vincent D'Onofrio had an extra-special Valentine's Day this year: His wife, Carin Van Der Donk, gave birth to their second son on Feb. 14, the Associated Press reports.

Luca D'Onofrio – who tipped the scales at 7 lbs., 15 oz. – and his mom are both "doing great," the actor's rep, Pam Golum, told the wire service.

The couple, who wed in 1997, have a seven-year-old son, Elias. The 48-year-old D'Onofrio also has a teenage daughter, Leila, from his previous marriage to actress Greta Scacchi.

Milo: Romance Talk with Hayden 'Makes Me Smile'

Originally posted Wednesday February 20, 2008 05:15 PM EST



Milo Ventimiglia has remained pretty tight-lipped about his relationship with Heroes costar Hayden Panettiere – but in the new issue of GQ the actor says it doesn't bother him when people gossip about his romantic life.

"You know what, man – it makes me smile," Ventimiglia tells GQ, when told by the reporter that bloggers have nicknamed the couple "Halo."

Smiles aside, the actor still maintains he wants to keep a lid on his private life. "When you're in the public eye, you try to keep whatever you can private," he says. "People can speculate and talk. But what can you do – stop living your life?"

Shar Jackson: Kevin's 'Like My Best Friend'

Originally posted Wednesday February 20, 2008 12:00 PM EST





With all that's going on in Kevin Federline's life, his ex Shar Jackson says that the One Tree Hill actor is doing "fabulous" and focusing on what's important.

"He's being daddy," she told PEOPLE at Tuesday's "Chevy Rocks the Future" green event at Walt Disney Studios in Burbank.

"You know, he can't worry about what's going on outside his household," continued Jackson, 31, the mother of two of Federline's four children. "That's the only way you can stay sane and stay focused. You just can't worry about the stuff that's going on outside your house. You have to just protect everybody inside your home and stay focused on that."

As for how his boys with Britney Spears, Preston, 2, Jayden, 1, are doing, "They're good," she said. "I've always said he's an amazing father ... it's just now people decide they want to listen. He's an awesome dude. He makes mistakes – people do that. It's part of life."

Her relationship with Federline is good these days, she also says. "He's like my best friend."

Fit and Glowing
Jackson, who has an album coming out this summer and just wrapped a horror movie (The House that Jack Built), explained that she's "working ... trying to stay busy" and maintains her recent fit and glowing appearance by simply not letting things get to her.

"I just decided to be happy regardless of anything. If I'm having a bad day, whatever, I'll get over it. Just be happy," she says.

On Tuesday night, Jackson brought her eldest daughter Cassie to see a live performance of The Jonas Brothers, whom she likes as far as clean, positive entertainers. But, when it comes to role models, there is only one person in her kids' lives to take on that job.

"We don't look at any entertainers to be role models in our household. That's me, just me, I'm the only one."

Lindsay's Mom: Nude Photos 'Tastefully Done'

Originally posted Tuesday February 19, 2008 05:00 PM EST

Lindsay Lohan's nude pictorial in the current issue of New York magazine has received the stamp of approval from her manager-mom Dina.

"It was very tastefully done," Dina tells PEOPLE of the photos, a recreation of Marilyn Monroe's legendary 1962 photo shoot shot by Bert Stern. "I respect the photographer as an artist, so I look at them artistically. For him to call Lindsay 46 years later and to say can you recreate these photos is an honor. I looked at it as art, and as Lindsay doing a character. So I don't look at them like it's Playboy; she was being a character. So if you look at it that way, you can look at it as a mother."

And Dina adds that had the photos been inappropriate, Lindsay's sister Ali would not have visited the set. "Trust me," Dina tells PEOPLE, "I wouldn't have sent my 14-year-old to the set [if the shoot was in bad taste]. And obviously Lindsay wouldn't do anything with her sister there, that was risqué."

Lindsay, 21, also viewed the shoot as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, Dina tells PEOPLE.

"Lindsay was very excited when she first got the phone call," says Dina, 45. "Of course we talked about how they would be done. Lindsay said, 'Mommy, I'm never going to get this opportunity to do it again.' She was very thankful she was asked."

And being a Monroe fan, only made Lohan even more determined to do the shoot.

"She's always loved Marilyn," Dina says. "For Christmas, my girlfriends even gave her a Marilyn cookie jar. I think there's a sadness that Lindsay feels for Marilyn. Lindsay really saw it as a gift back to someone."

But Lindsay made sure she was in tip-top shape for the shoot. "Lindsay did 250 crunches before because she was nervous since she had never done anything like that before," Dina says.

As for Lindsay's other projects, Dina says Lindsay is busy recording her third album. "I've heard a couple of tracks," Dina says. "They were amazing!"

Pink & Carey Hart Divorcing

Originally posted Tuesday February 19, 2008 10:40 AM EST

The marriage of pop singer Pink and her husband of two years, motocross racer and former The Surreal Life star Carey Hart, has ended, the singer's publicist, Michele Schweitzer, tells PEOPLE.

"Pink and Carey Hart have separated. This decision was made by best friends with a huge amount of love and respect for one another," says Schweitzer, adding, "While the marriage is over, their friendship has never been stronger."

Pink, 28, and Hart, 32, met at the 2001 X Games and broke up for a time in 2003, but the split was well behind them in 2005, when the singer popped the question to her beau as he sped around the track during a competition in Mammoth Lakes, Calif.

They married in January 2006 at a non-denominational ceremony in Costa Rica. Among the 100 guests was Lisa Marie Presley.

In August 2007, amid reports that the marriage was on the rocks, Hart dismissed the stories as "just a bunch of trash talk."

Lindsay Lohan Poses Nude – as Marilyn Monroe

Originally posted Monday February 18, 2008 11:00 AM EST

In what is likely her greatest role to date, Lindsay Lohan plays Marilyn Monroe between the sheets – literally – in the new spring fashion issue of New York magazine.

Recreating Monroe's legendary 1962 final photo shoot for Bert Stern with the veteran lensman himself, Lohan posed for the spread on Feb. 5 at the Hotel Bel-Air.

When it came to being nude before the camera, "I was comfortable with it," says Lohan, 21 (Monroe was 36 in 1962, the year she died) – though Lindsay does admit to having done "250 crunches" the night before the shoot.

There was also no avoiding the parallels between Monroe's tragic fate – dead from an accidental overdose of prescription medicines – and that, recently, of Heath Ledger's.

"They are both prime examples of what this industry can do to someone," says Lohan.

When it is pointed out to Lohan, who has been in rehab three times, that the possibility may exist of a similar fate for her, the young actress replies with a tinge of annoyance: "I don't know. I'm not them. But I sure as hell wouldn't let it happen to me."

Court Rejects Gag Order in Britney Case

Posted Tuesday February 19, 2008 02:10 PM EST

A Los Angeles family court commissioner on Tuesday rejected a request by Britney Spears's attorneys for a news blackout, saying it wasn't the court's job to protect the pop star from paparazzi.

Attorneys and Spears's father Jamie, the temporary co-executor of her estate, then attended a closed-door session – the first scheduled custody hearing since the pop star's most recent hospitalization.

Anne Kiley, a lawyer for Spears, asked for the gag order, saying the huge crowds of media that have swarmed the pop star during recent courthouse arrivals could be avoided if reporters were not told when proceedings were scheduled.

During one recent hearing, Spears got only as far as the curb, said she was scared of the crushing crowd of media, and left.

"The attorneys' First Amendment right to discuss this case in the media really isn't what's important in this case," Kiley argued to Commissioner Scott Gordon, adding that the intense media focus on her client has been "dangerous to [Spears] emotionally and physically. It's a dangerous situation."

Federline's Attorney Opposes the Gag Order

Mark Vincent Kaplan, attorney for Kevin Federline, opposed the motion, contending a gag order would not stop the paparazzi from hounding Spears. He added that Kiley's arguments "don't pass Constitutional muster."

After listening to a half-hour of arguments, Gordon said it was not up to him to protect Spears from paparazzi, and that he had never seen a gag order that would do what Kiley suggested.

"The concern really is the conduct of the photographers," Gordon said. "That's a law enforcement issue and an issue for the kind gentlemen and ladies of the press to deal with appropriately."

He added, "The concern you have is a real one. [But] it should be dealt with without infringing on the First Amendment."

Custody Hearing Held in Private

The attorneys then met in closed-session for the custody hearing.

Kiley appeared on behalf of Spears even though the lawyer's firm, Trope and Trope, wants to drop her as a client.

Neither Spears nor Federline was in court. They were not required to be there.

As expected, the court did not change the current custody arrangement, which bars Spears from visiting her sons Preston, 2, and Jayden, 1. (She is, however, allowed telephone contact.) Still, at a future hearing, it is possible the 26-year-old singer – who hasn't seen the boys since her Jan. 3 standoff with police – could be awarded some temporary physical access, insiders say.

Amy Winehouse Is 'Full of Life' Says Backup Singer

Originally posted Tuesday February 19, 2008 04:45 PM EST

Fresh off her Grammys triumph – and out of full-time treatment – how's Amy Winehouse doing?

"She's full of energy, full of life," her backup singer Zalon Thompson tells PEOPLE. "It's a good thing." (It was into Thompson's arms that Winehouse threw herself after winning her fifth Grammy.)

Winehouse, 24, is "ready for the Brits," he says, referring to Winehouse's scheduled performance Wednesday night at the U.K.'s equivalent of the Grammy awards.

"I think sometimes it takes you to go through certain hard things to overcome and to go on to do better things," Thompson, 26, says of Winehouse, who is out of rehab but still getting help. "She looked really good at the Grammys. She just looked very rested. It was great."

The Two Blakes

Her success that night hasn't turned Winehouse into a diva. "I was speaking with Kelly Osbourne the other day. And we were saying how she hasn't changed at all," Thompson, who lends his voice to the "He can only hold her" and "Valerie" tracks, says. "She doesn't believe in the same principles that everyone else gets excited about. Get her a guitar and she'll play for 10 people or 300. She doesn't care about the whole fame thing – it's really about the music. She doesn't care about trying to live up to an image."

Thompson also set the record straight about Blake Wood, a pal of Osbourne's Winehouse has been hanging out with. "Blake [Wood] is a friend," Thompson says. "When she first introduced him to us, she was like, 'This is Blake.' And everyone in the room started laughing. I was like, 'Why are you telling me this guy is Blake? I know who Blake is.' "

And there is little confusion or doubt about Winehouse's feelings for her husband Blake Fielder-Civil. As Thompson says, just look at her face. "That teardrop she's wearing in makeup on her face – I asked her. It's because her baby's incarcerated. I think she'll wear that until he comes out."

'Like a Birthday Party'

Thompson described the atmosphere in London's Riverside Studios during Winehouse's Grammy performance as "like a birthday party. Like Amy's birthday party, and she was winning the Grammys. It was so surreal."

"It was like four in the morning – we were drinking our Red Bulls and she's winning another Grammy," says Thompson, whose younger brother Heshima, 21, also performs with Winehouse.

"At one point, I'm like, 'Omigod Amy, you won three awards already. And she was like, 'Zalon, we won it.' It was really nice that she's still humble. She was just so chilled about the whole thing. She was like, 'Yeah, that's cool, innit?' And I was like, 'Amy, you just won a Grammy. It's not just cool – it's amazing!' "

Thompson has even posted some behind-the-scenes footage of Winehouse's Grammy performance on his Web site.

Anna Faris Finalizes Divorce

Originally posted Tuesday February 19, 2008 08:00 PM EST

Scary Movie actress Anna Faris finalized her divorce Tuesday, agreeing to pay her ex-husband $900,000 and split property and acting royalties, according to court papers.

Faris, 31, filed for divorce from actor Benjamin Indra, 28, in Los Angeles Superior Court last April, citing irreconcilable differences.

According to court papers, the couple married in June 2004 and separated in March 2007. They had no children.

In addition to her recurring role as Cindy Campbell in the Scary Movie films, Faris also appeared in Brokeback Mountain and the comedy My Super Ex-Girlfriend.

Britney Spears Gets a New Attorney – Again

Originally posted Tuesday February 19, 2008 05:55 PM EST

Once again, Britney Spears has a new lawyer: High-profile attorney Stacy D. Phillips became the latest to sign on for the custody case.

Phillips, who was approved by a court commissioner Tuesday, replaced Sorrell Trope, who quit after complaining of problems communicating with the troubled pop star.

A Columbia University law grad, Phillips represented Bobby Brown in his divorce from Whitney Houston, and Tori Spellling's ex, Charlie Shahnaian. She's also a frequent legal analyst in magazines and on television.

She also authored Divorce: It's All About Control, once explaining that, "I've yet to handle a divorce where control was not an issue or at issue."

Phillips becomes Spears's fourth lawyer in her ongoing battle with ex-husband Kevin Federline. Her first attorney, Laura Wasser, resigned from her case last September shortly after Spears's divorce from Federline was finalized.

Spears then hired the firm Freid & Goldsman, but their relationship ended within days, before retaining Trope, who sought to leave the case, come back, then filed papers again to depart, this time for good.

Owen Wilson Ready to Head Back to Work

Posted Tuesday February 19, 2008 04:00 PM EST

Six months after his apparent suicide attempt, Owen Wilson is ready to act again.

The 39-year-old is starring in Marley & Me, a comedy about a writer who adopts a mischievous dog. The film, which costars Jennifer Aniston as Wilson’s wife, is scheduled to be shot in Miami from March 10 until mid-May.

"I'm thrilled they're starting production on this. It's been a long time coming and I really couldn't be happier on that," Marley & Me author John Grogan tells PEOPLE. "I read the script and I like it. I think it's really true to the book."

Grogan is equally excited about the casting. "I'm actually really thrilled to have Owen Wilson portray me. We don't look anything alike but I think his personality will be a great fit to my own," he says. "And my wife, Jenny, is thrilled with being played by Jennifer Anniston and so am I. What's not to like, right?"

Wilson's been keeping a relatively low profile, and this marks the first time Wilson has worked since the crisis that landed him at Los Angeles' Cedars-Sinai Medical Center.

In September, the actor dropped out of the Ben Stiller-directed comedy Tropic Thunder and was replaced by Matthew McConaughey.

Miami is a familiar city to Wilson – he vacationed in South Beach with Woody Harrelson after the two returned from some male bonding in South America.

Marley & Me is scheduled to be released on Christmas Day.

Kirstie Alley Launching Her Own 'Weight-Loss Brand'

Originally posted Tuesday February 19, 2008 04:45 PM EST

Kirstie Alley may have parted ways with Jenny Craig after a three-year relationship, but the actress is not leaving the weight-loss field, she tells PEOPLE exclusively.

In fact, Alley, 57, hopes to "develop and pilot my own weight-loss brand that I hope to launch in 2009," she has announced in a statement.

Though she called her experience with Jenny Craig "extraordinary," she says: "I want to create something new that will help millions of people end the seemingly never ending fatty-roller coaster ride."

Scott Parker, VP of marketing for Jenny Craig, said Tuesday that "we are sorry that she did not accept our offer" to continue appearing in the company's ad campaign, "but we wish her all the best in her future endeavors."

Statement from Kirstie

No word yet on what, exactly, Alley's new program would entail, but here's Alley's complete statement to PEOPLE:

After lengthy negotiations, regretfully, the Jenny Craig Company and I did not come to an agreement to continue as their spokesperson.

My relationship with the Jenny Craig Company was nothing short of extraordinary. The people I worked with at Jenny were first rate. The program spoke for itself as the world watched me lose 75 pounds. The last three years have been a win-win for all involved, especially all those other Jenny clients who took the journey alongside me. Just having them there with me was an inspiration and a motivation to continue. Thank you to all of you from the bottom of my heart.

J.C. now has two talented pros on board, and I have no doubt that Valerie Bertinelli and Queen Latifah, along with the excellent products in the J.C. program, will steer the ship to continuing success. I personally wish them the same excellent results and amazing adventures that I experienced as the J.C. spokesperson.

Somehow, I've also fallen into the position of "accidental" role model for, apparently, millions of people out there losing weight by whatever means. This was something I did not bargain for, or foresee happening. Nevertheless, it is something I've grown to embrace and something I intend to continue to pursue.

As for me, I am from the school of "you may not be able to reinvent the wheel but you can sure try to better it," which has proven to be a very successful attitude for Michelin tires. Even my own mentor left a major weight-loss company when she was 51 years old and struck out on her own to create her own brand that we now know as "the Jenny Craig weight-loss program." I had not intended to make this announcement at this time, but after an online PEOPLE magazine article ran last Friday, announcing that I had stepped down as Jenny's spokesperson, I found myself bombarded with inquiries from the media and fans. So I guess it's as good of a time as any to announce that I intend to develop and pilot my own weight-loss brand that I hope to launch in 2009.

The weight-loss field is wide open and not immune to new ideas and improved solutions for the fat problems that plague many of us Americans every day. I want to create something new that will help millions of people end the seemingly never ending fatty-roller coaster ride. I am especially passionate about seeing to it that our next generations are not struggling with the same weight issues that my generation has struggled with.

There was a time when America was not fat, and that was in our not-so-distant past. I'm confident that I can create something exciting and innovative: something that if all goes well, will help change a fat America back into a fit America and will offer this country the healthiest, yummiest, easiest and most effective weight-loss program on the market.

If not, I'll see you at Central Casting.

Oh, but hey, don't "Call Kirstie" just yet. You'll be on hold too long. Call me next year.

Lawyer: Having Dad Around Helps Britney's Bid for Visitation

Originally posted Wednesday February 20, 2008 06:35 AM EST

What will it take for Britney Spears to regain visitation rights with her two sons? That remains to be seen. But the pop star's tentative reconciliation with her father, Jamie, is a step in the right direction, says Kevin Federline's lawyer.

In fact, attorney Mark Vincent Kaplan was full of praise for the elder Spears, who has emerged as a controversial force in Britney's life recently – and who was front-and-center at Tuesday's family court hearing.

"Jamie Spears's presence is an extreme positive," Kaplan told PEOPLE, adding that the patriarch's continued presence could make it possible "to develop a visitation plan that enables these children to have a mother in their lives."

While Britney's visitation with children Preston, 2, and Jayden, 1, was discussed at Tuesday's hearing, there was no official legal progress on the matter. (Spears has not seen her sons since her Jan. 3 standoff with police.) Still, Kaplan said, "[Jamie] brings that day closer. Absolutely."

Jamie's role as temporary co-conservator – overseeing Britney's wellbeing and estimated $100-million fortune – has attracted its share of criticism. His own daughter is apparently seeking legal remedies to regain control and, in a recent interview with PEOPLE, attorney Jon Eardley claimed that Jamie's conservatorship was a "violation of [the singer's] civil rights."

Kaplan, however, sees Jamie's control as a "huge step." "He's building from the ground up," the attorney explained. "[He's] stabilizing the situation, removing people that may not have had [Britney's] best interests at heart."

Does that mean Britney could see her kids again in the near future?

"We all want this as soon as possible," said Kaplan. "That's Kevin's desire – to have his kids visiting their mother. That's everyone's goal in this case."

An American Idol Top 24 Party

Posted on February 16th, 2008 12:07 pm

The top 24 contestants on this year’s American Idol know how to sing… and party!

The group got together last night in Hollywood to celebrate its achievements.

Between intense rehearsals, the reality show newbies joined American Idol finalists from the past, such as Ace Young and Justin Guarini at the Day After Lounge in Hollywood.

“The judges have always been saying, ‘this is the best year ever’ and so on, but this year I really think they got it right,”

The contestants posed for photos and flirted with each other.

Kady Malloy, who sang “Unchained Melody” during tryouts, held hands with Colton Berry — who was the last person selected to go on to the finals — at the desert table. Is there an American Idol love connection already?!?

Meanwhile Kristy Lee Cook, known for her a capella rendition of “Amazing Grace” confidently strutted around the room with a few girlfriends. Hot stuff!

Sports Guy Ponders Spears-Winehouse Death Pool

Posted on February 17th, 2008 10:50 am

ESPN’s The Sports Guy, a.k.a. Bill Simmons, was recently asked a by a reader what The Hollywood Gossip itself ponders daily: If you had the No. 1 pick in a death pool draft, would you take Britney Spears over Amy Winehouse?

Indeed, it’s a question for the ages. While we would prefer the musings of his wife, The Sports Gal, Bill Simmons’ response is pretty funny…

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I’ll do this in super-intense, face-turning-red, Todd McShay mode …

“Mike, Amy Winehouse has to to be the No. 1 pick. This girl has every tool you’d want: She’s addicted to drugs; she has no concern for her own safety; she hangs out with people who do drugs; and ‘Rehab’ feels like a self-eulogy every time she sings it!”

“I judge No. 1 picks in a death pool by one thing: If CNN reports he or she died, would I be remotely surprised? In the case of Amy Winehouse? NO! As for Britney Spears, her stock has been falling with GMs across the league.”

“She’s getting help, she’s on bipolar meds and she jettisoned some of the negative influences in her life. We’re starting to hear whispers that she might drop out of the top five. I’ve had GMs across the league tell me that Mary-Kate Olsen and Dennis Rodman have moved ahead of Britney Spears on their boards …”

Jailed Blake Fielder-Civil Overdoses on Heroin

Posted on February 17th, 2008 2:13 pm

Amy Winehouse’s Grammy performance last week was a big step for her in that it was the first set that anyone could understand in recent memory.

The troubled singer appears to be finally on the road to recovery… and her husband being safely behind bars might be playing a large role in that.

Blake Fielder-Civil - locked up in London’s Pentonville prison on assault and witness tampering charges - was rushed to the jail’s hospital block when he collapsed in agony after taking what he believed to be heroin.

Guards found him “writhing in agony whilst being violently sick in a cell. They set off alarms and activated emergency procedures to save his life.”

After an investigation, officials found Blake Fielder-Civil had taken a drug believed to be heroin, mixed with another toxic substance.

A jail insider said: “This was a close call, but he might not be so lucky next time. If he carries on taking so many drugs, he’ll end up dead.”

Cops believe Blake Fielder-Civil and six other prisoners took the drug in the G Wing of the north London prison. Within moments they had all fallen ill.

Amy Winehouse’s husband of about a year has been warned to quit drugs. Just days before the OD, Blake Fielder-Civil was hauled in front of prison bosses for failing three random drug tests. He was locked in solitary as a punishment.

The jail source added: “He’s being very stupid. It’s only because everyone reacted so quickly that this dodgy gear didn’t do long-term harm.”

A Prison Service spokesman said only: “A small number of prisoners were treated in health care following the consumption of an unknown substance.”

Paris Hilton: The Ugly Pussycat Doll

Posted on February 17th, 2008 7:38 pm

Remember when Paris Hilton vowed to change after spending time in jail?

Looks like the useless socialite meant she’d stop appearing in sex tapes and start appearing in giant cocktail glasses, wearing stupid, supposedly sexy outfits.

We guess that’s a start.

Seen above and below, Paris is celebrating her birthday with The Pussycat Dolls at Pure night club in Las Vegas. Does anyone find this remotely sexy?

Nicole Scherzinger must be rolling in her grave.

Lawyer: Britney Spears's Civil Rights Violated

Originally posted Sunday February 17, 2008 04:00 PM EST

The man who claims to be Britney Spears's new lawyer says that the pop star is being "deprived of her Constitutional rights" and tells PEOPLE he is seeking a "return to normalcy" when it comes to Spears's living and legal situations.

Jon Eardley, a lawyer with practices in Washington, D.C., New York and Whittier, Calif., filed a complaint in U.S. District Court on behalf of Spears on Thursday. He lashed out against the existing conservatorship as a "violation of [Spears's] civil rights," and requested the case be moved from California state court to a federal court.

"I see the case as a civil rights case," he tells PEOPLE. "These are issues of confinement. Very serious confinement. Not allowed to contact her friends. Not allowed to use the phone. Not allowed to come and go as you please. Bodyguards controlling you and so forth."

Spears's father Jamie was granted temporary conservatorship – allowing legal control of his daughter's well-being and finances – after Spears was placed under an involuntary, emergency hold at the UCLA Medical Center's psychiatric ward late last month.

Since her release on Feb. 6, she has spent much of her time at her Studio City home, and when she does go out, she is usually driven by a bodyguard. In court papers, Eardley states: "She is being confined by the conservator to the private prison of her own home."

On Friday, a Superior Court spokesperson said that the existing conservatorship and other orders "are still in effect," and that court officials are unaware of any federal court action or scheduled hearings on the matter.

Legal Maneuvering

"The saddest part [of the legal maneuvering] is it is all to [Britney's] detriment," says a legal insider. "The limited conservatorship puts in place medical care and protection of her assets that may be put at risk by the distraction and expense of having to get such an opportunistic and counterproductive action dismissed."

In fact, legal experts say Eardley's legal gambit is unlikely to succeed. "It's not like the judge read papers filed by one side and made decisions without giving each side due process," says Loyola Law School Professor Stan Goldman, who is not involved in the case.

"It would be quite surprising if the federal court granted a hearing on this," he adds, "and a total shocker if it ruled against the conservatorship."

In addition, the Superior Court has found that Spears "lacks the capacity" to retain counsel of her choosing. Because of that, lawyer Adam Streisand, who went to court on Feb. 4 to challenge the conservatorship on her behalf, removed himself himself from the case.

Spears Sought Out Lawyer

Eardley says he has not met the pop star, but Spears sought him out: "She reached out by phone. I have no idea how [she got my number]."

The attorney says he doesn't normally represent celebrity clients. But now Eardley has hired spokesperson Michael Sands, who until recently worked with Kevin Federline's lawyer Mark Vincent Kaplan.

When asked if Spears's often-erratic behavior posed a danger to herself and others, Eardley answered, "I don’t," adding that he sees far worse cases on the streets.

"In downtown Los Angeles I'm surrounded by people talking to themselves and having fits on the street," says Eardley. "They are out in public. They are not being institutionalized."

Britney Spends Quiet Weekend with Father

Originally posted Sunday February 17, 2008 02:00 PM EST

Britney Spears marked a relatively quiet President's Day weekend, with her Saturday spent in the company of her father and her assistant Brett inside her Beverly Hills home.

When his daughter did go out, Jamie Spears, who has been appointed a conservator in charge of Britney's well-being and her finances, accompanied her to dinner, with the two joining a small party at Citrus at Social Hollywood, on Sunset Boulevard.

Outside chef Michel Richards's new restaurant, a photographer asked the pop star, 26, how she was doing. "Good," she replied gently.

At dinner, "she seemed totally normal and level-headed, and everyone with her seemed calm," said a customer in the restaurant. "She was with a table of five people."

When she left, she exited through a side door, and took a coffee cup with her.

The occasion was a stark contrast to exactly a year ago, when a frenzied Spears went into a San Fernando Valley salon and shaved off her hair.

Dressed for Dinner

On Saturday, she wore a long chocolate-brown jersey dress with spaghetti straps, accessorized with silver jewelry including drop earrings, a necklace and a watch.

The previous day, the singer spent time inside some West Hollywood boutiques, where she browsed rather than bought.

The weekend also brought an invitation from her Beverly Hills neighbor, Heidi Klum – who said Spears could come live with her, husband Seal and their three children as a means to help get her life back on track.

Carla Bruni Earns Raves – for Singing

Originally posted Sunday February 17, 2008 08:00 AM EST

It's not every newlywed who gets reviewed by critics, but Carla Bruni isn't every newlywed.

The former supermodel and brand new first lady of France – who married President Nicolas Sarkozy earlier this month – has a new album on the market, and Billboard magazine is raving with delight.

"Pure pleasure," says the music-industry publication of Bruni's No Promises. "Less than a minute into Carla Bruni's second album, you're just like the French president: hopelessly seduced."

In terms of her voice, the 40-year-old Bruni's "gossamer alto" is compared to Marianne Faithfull's as she delivers "11 of the world's most celebrated English-language poems, set to her own simple, seaside folk."

Final summation: "As mature as it is playful." Also sounds like a good recipe for marriage.

Heidi Klum: Britney Can Come Live in Our House

Originally posted Sunday February 17, 2008 09:30 AM EST

A neighbor wants to help Britney Spears: Heidi Klum.

The supermodel and Project Runway star, 34, says that her family would welcome Spears, 26, with open arms as the troubled singer seeks to reassemble her life.

"She can call me and come live in our house with us for a couple of months. I would help set her straight," Klum, who was born in Germany, tells broadcaster ARD in an interview set to air Monday in her native country, the Associated Press reports.

"I am sorry when a young person gets thrown so off track. She has, of course, lived an extremely wild life," adds Klum, according to an interview transcript.

A Beverly Hills resident, like Spears, Klum is a mother of three (the children, two boys and a girl, are aged 1, 2 and 3) and married to the singer Seal.

Klum believes that the pop star could benefit from being in her stable household.

"I have never been as happy as I am today," says Klum. "I have found the man of my life, and we have three great kids. They are all so different and fantastic that it really can't get better than this."