Source: Beyoncé and Jay-Z Are Married

Originally posted Friday April 04, 2008 11:55 PM EDT

After years of speculation, singer Beyoncé Knowles wed her longtime boyfriend, rapper Jay-Z, on Friday, a friend of the couple says .

Though there is no official confirmation, the friend says, "It happened earlier this evening. Jay wanted it to be a really private affair – close friends and family."

The ceremony was followed by a lavish party at the rapper's Tribeca apartment that drew Beyoncé's mother Tina Knowles, her father/manager Mathew, her sister Solange, her Destiny's Child mates Kelly Rowland and Michelle Williams, and the couple's friend Gwyneth Paltrow.

The wedding buzz began when the couple went to get a marriage license at a village hall in Scarsdale, N.Y., on Tuesday.

DJ Cassidy, a favorite of Jay-Z, was hired to spin. "Cassidy mentioned a week ago that he was really excited for the Jay Z and Beyoncé's wedding party to happen," says the friend.

Early Friday morning, workers erected a white tent atop the building in Tribeca, where Jay-Z owns a penthouse apartment. Not long after, an SUV carrying what seemed to be AV equipment arrived, followed by deliveries of party rentals and flowers.

A source says Amy's Orchids was hired to provide 50,000 to 60,000 white orchid blooms from Thailand for a "big party." At the apartment, waiters were seen practicing their service.

A couple since 2002, Jay-Z, 38, and Knowles, 26, always kept quiet about their relationship, even as they were photographed together on romantic holidays around the world.

Still, marriage seemed to be in the cards – eventually. "I never pictured myself as a bride," she told Cosmopolitan in January 2006, "but after my sister's wedding, I did start thinking about what kind of wedding I'd want. I don't think I want a big one."

VIDEO: See the New Kids' Reunion Announcement!

Originally posted Friday April 04, 2008 11:15 AM EDT



There they were, hanging tough – in front of a throng of screaming fans! New Kids on the Block made their official reunion announcement on Friday's Today show – following their exclusive sit-down with PEOPLE to talk about their new music and how it feels to be back together.

Wearing dark suits, Jordan, Jonathan, Donnie, Joey and Danny had to lean in closely to hear Meredith Viera's questions over the screams of fans.

The group on Friday also updated their new Web site, NKOTB.com, with blog posts and new photos of the guys.

Scarlett Johansson's Album Cover Art Revealed

Originally posted Friday April 04, 2008 04:10 PM EDT

She's calling her debut album Anywhere I Lay My Head – and it looks like Scarlett Johansson is taking a literal approach to her album art. Due May 20, the album features covers of alternative troubadour Tom Waits's music, plus one original composition. Johansson was joined in the studio by David Bowie, who lends guest vocals on "Falling Down" and "Fannin Street." Produced by TV on the Radio's David Sitek, the album marks the actress's recording debut. And Sitek does double duty. A label rep confirms he snapped the cover photo, taken in Louisiana, where they recorded the disc.

Hathaway's Boyfriend: History of Legal Troubles

Originally posted Friday April 04, 2008 03:50 PM EDT

For Anne Hathaway's boyfriend Raffaello Follieri, Thursday's arrest in New Jersey for allegedly writing a bad check was only the latest in a long line of financial and legal troubles for the 29-year-old Italian real estate developer.

Follieri, 29, was released Thursday evening on a desk-appearance ticket after allegedly bouncing a $215,000 check, according to reports. His lawyer told the New York Daily News that the "underlying obligation has been paid."

Since moving to New York over four years ago to start a business redeveloping Roman Catholic Church properties, Follieri, the scion of a powerful Italian real estate family that boasted strong ties to the Vatican, has been the subject of a number of lawsuits, including one filed by billionaire supermarket magnate – and Bill and Hilary Clinton associate – Ron Burkle.

In the lawsuit, filed in May of last year in Delaware, Burkle alleges that Follieri took more than $1 million of his company's money to pay for an extravagant lifestyle for the couple, which included a $40,000 a month penthouse apartment in the Trump Tower, private jet travel, lavish spending sprees, and five star dog care for the couple's Labrador Esmeralda.

Follieri and Hathaway have been all but inseparable since becoming couple since 2005, and are regulars at Manhattan's celeb-packed eatery the Waverly Inn.

Hathaway, 24, who sits on the board of the Follieri Foundation, a charitable group started by her boyfriend, will next be seen this summer opposite Steve Carell in Get Smart and is currently shooting the Bride Wars with Kate Hudson in New York.

Friends Remember Heath Ledger on his 29th Birthday

Originally posted Friday April 04, 2008 02:55 PM EDT

As family and friends continue to try to come to grips with Heath Ledger's death in January, Friday marked what would have been the actor's 29th birthday.

"It was an honor to work with him, and I think that he'll always be in people's thoughts," Ledger's Brokeback Mountain costar Kate Mara, who played his older daughter, says at a Beverly Hills event for the Kenneth Cole Awareness Fund. "I think he affected people that he'd never met before."

In Australia, the Ledger family kept a low profile, and there were no notices in the local papers in memoriam.

"It's just a day-by-day thing," says a family source when asked how the Ledgers would be remembering the actor on his birthday. "That's all a private family matter. It's got nothing to do with anyone else."

A person called Karrakatta Cemetery in Perth, where the Ledgers have a family plot, wanting to lay flowers for Heath, but sources there say his ashes have not been interred.

Difficult to Grasp

A close friend of Ledger's from his hometown says the actor's death of an accidental overdose is still difficult to grasp. "I haven't come to terms with it," says the friend. "I'm just trying to get through it. It has really affected his friends."

And how is his father, Kim, holding up? "He doesn't want to talk about it," the friend says . "He's a tough guy but he's a private man as well."

Also keeping a low profile was Michelle Williams and 2-year-old daughter Matilda. Williams has kept busy in Boston, working on the film Shutter Island, based on the book.

Meanwhile, the DEA investigation into how Ledger obtained the powerful and addictive painkillers 0xycontin and Vicodin will likely take several more weeks, a DEA source says .

"Agents are still conducting interviews and are trying to get the proper documents to interview more of Ledger's doctors," the source says.

Beyoncé & Jay-Z's Wedding Party?

Originally posted Friday April 04, 2008 10:50 PM EDT

Wedding license in hand, Beyoncé and Jay-Z threw an elaborate party Friday night with orchids and candelabras, and invited everybody closest to them – family members, Destiny Child partners Kelly Rowland and Michelle Williams, and celebrity friends.

The only question was whether they had become husband and wife. The only vow for certain was the one for silence, as the cause for the célébre at Jay-Z's New York City apartment was wrapped in secrecy.

If it weren't a wedding or a reception, it sure had all the trappings of one. Consider the guest list: Beyoncé's mother Tina Knowles, her father/manager Mathew, her sister Solange, her Destiny Child mates Rowland and Williams, and Jay-Z's friends Gwyneth Paltrow and her husband Chris Martin.

They all arrived amid heavy wedding buzz that began when the couple went to get a marriage license at a village hall in Scarsdale, N.Y., on Tuesday. "It's [happening] tonight," says a source. "A lot of their friends are booking hotel rooms."

DJ Cassidy, a favorite of Jay-Z, was hired to spin – and the gig was no bar mitzvah. "Cassidy mentioned a week ago that he was really excited for the Jay Z and Beyoncé wedding party to happen," says a source.

Early Friday morning, workers erected a white tent atop the building, where Jay-Z owns a penthouse apartment. Not long after, an SUV carrying what seemed to be AV equipment arrived, followed by deliveries of party rentals and flowers.

A source tells PEOPLE that Amy's Orchids was hired to provide 50,000 to 60,000 white orchid blooms from Thailand for a "big party." At the apartment, waiters were seen practicing their service.

Producer: Britney Spears Welcome Back on Sitcom

April 4, 2008

Britney Spears is always welcome back to How I Met Your Mother.

“We always said, ‘You know, if her character pops, we’ll bring her back,’” the CBS sitcom’s executive producer Carter Bays tells the Associated Press. “I thought she was great. I was very proud of that episode.”

On the March 24 show Spears, 26, played at receptionist at a dermatologist’s office, opposite Josh Radnor. Costar Neil Patrick Harris said Spears was “really funny”.

“It was totally weird,” Bays said of having Spears on the set. “I think we have a very, like, kind of Midwestern homey vibe here on the show, and it was strange to suddenly have helicopters circling.” he said.

The episode wrapped up with Spears’s character flirting with womanizer Barney (Harris). The following week, in an episode in which Spears did not appear, a “mystery woman” sabotaging Barney’s usually successful attempts to pick up ladies was introduced into the plot.

Asked if Spears might end up to be the saboteur, Bays replied “Could be. There’s no reason why not” — though he also suggested it could be Spears’s guest costar Sarah Chalke.

So, will Britney come back or won’t she? “I don’t know,” he said. “I don’t know the answer to that.”

Beyoncé and Jay-Z: Wedding Prep Underway?

Originally posted Friday April 04, 2008 02:45 PM EDT

For Beyoncé and Jay-Z, April showers brought flowers – and a possible wedding. On a rainy Friday in New York City, crews delivered floral arrangements, candelabras and a tent into Jay-Z's Tribeca apartment building.

The wedding buzz began when the couple went to get a marriage license at a village hall in Scarsdale, N.Y., on Tuesday. "It's [happening] tonight," says a source. "A lot of their friends are booking hotel rooms."

Early Friday morning, workers erected a white tent atop the building, where Jay-Z owns a penthouse apartment. Not long after, an SUV carrying what seemed to be AV equipment arrived, followed by deliveries of party rentals and flowers.

More evidence of an impending wedding?

A source says that Amy's Orchids was hired to provide 50,000 to 60,000 white orchid blooms from Thailand for a "big party." At the apartment, waiters were seen practicing their service and a source said that DJ Cassidy, a favorite of Jay-Z, would be spinning.

"Cassidy mentioned a week ago that he was really excited for the Jay Z and Beyoncé wedding party to happen," says a source.

Also, likely guests have been gathering in New York. Producer Rodney Jerkins, who is working on Beyoncé's new album and is a friend of Jay-Z's, zipped into town a couple of days ago. Beyoncé's former Destiny's Child bandmates, Kelly Rowland and Michelle Williams, are also here, coyly divulging in a YouTube video that they are camped out at a Manhattan hotel, giggling about "sisters" getting together.

And of course, there's Jay-Z, who reportedly hopped a flight from Boston, where he performed last night, to New York this morning.

Friends of the couple say they are very eager for the nuptials to happen. "It's about time," says producer Dallas Austin. "I think it's great that they're getting married."

Gwen Stefani’s Bold New Fragrances!

April 4, 2008 | 2:40 pm

She’s already a successful music mogul, fashion designer and even perfumer (not to a mention a mom-to-be again) — and now Gwen Stefani is set to release her next creation, a collection of five more unique fragrances with Coty in September. The Harajuku Lovers scents will be inspired by and named for the pop star and her four real-life backup singers, Love, Angel, Music and Baby, WWD reports. The colorful doll-shaped bottles will even look like her crew –- taking cues from Gwen’s blonde hairstyle and Lil’ Angel’s dreadlocks. While it may be a bold venture to launch five fragrances at once, Stefani tells WWD that the decision was a natural one. “Each girl has her own personality and sense of style. We’re all saying something different with unique personalities.” Prices will start at $25 for the individual fragrances, whose notes will run the gamut from fruity to floral to powdery to fresh.

Britney Spears's Birthday Shopping for Jamie Lynn

Originally posted Thursday April 03, 2008 08:00 PM EDT

With her mother in tow, Britney Spears stopped by the corporate offices of Hollywood clothing store Ed Hardy on Thursday to buy birthday presents for sister Jamie Lynn, who turns 17 on Friday.

The singer was "in good spirits" according to Nicole Irving, a representative for the store. Spears stopped in the afternoon to visit designer Christian Audigier and browse the new spring collection.

"Christian and she were laughing as she tried on Ed Hardy sunglasses and checked out the bathing suits," says the rep.

For her sister (and mom-to-be), Britney, donning a pink Ed Hardy shirt, picked out a large selection of Christian Audigier handbags, scarves, and Crystal Rock T-shirts. She also snagged items for her father and brother.

Earlier Thursday, Spears, 26, spent the morning visiting sons Preston and Jayden at her Studio City house.

Madonna's New Video Debuts

Originally posted Thursday April 03, 2008 03:10 PM EDT



If dancing can save the world, then Madonna and Justin Timberlake may as well be superheroes: The two join forces in the feisty, special effects-laden video for the Madonna's latest single, "4 Minutes." As a giant clock offers an ominous four-minute countdown, the two cavort on cars, down a grocery checkout counter and even in a bedroom as a giant prism-like effect encroaches. The singers trade verses, dance-moves and even faux kisses in the clip. Things get hotter as time continues to fly – and the they even share a small striptease and a liplock. Just call it sexy sci-fi! Look for a cameo from Timbaland, who also appears on the song. Bottom line: We're not exactly sure what the two are battling – but never has the apocalypse seemed hipper.

The full video is now available for purchase on iTunes. Madonna's latest album, Hard Candy, will be released on April 29.

Hulk Hogan 'Very Happy' with New Girlfriend

Originally posted Thursday April 03, 2008 06:25 PM EDT

Best known for laying the smack-down, Hulk Hogan showed his softer side this week in Miami Beach – splashing around with new girlfriend Jennifer McDaniel.

"He's very happy," a source tells . "He just seems very happy. His mood has changed. He's in a better place."

Hogan (real name Terry Gene Bollea), 54, whose wife Linda Bollea, 46, filed for divorce in November, reportedly met McDaniel around the first of the year.

And while Hogan hasn't publicized his relationship, the two are spending a lot of time together. Besides their latest frolic in south Florida (both live in the Sunshine State), the duo went to New Orleans Mardi Gras together, were in Los Angeles last week to film a promo for NBC, and McDaniel is expected to accompany Hogan to L.A. for the next few weeks while he films the new season of American Gladiators.

"I hear she's very sweet and nice and a very good influence on him," the source adds. "He's in a much better place."

Hogan's rep had no comment.

Anne Hathaway's Boyfriend Arrested in New York

Originally posted Thursday April 03, 2008 05:00 PM EDT

Anne Hathaway's boyfriend of the past four years, Italian property developer Raffaelo Follieri, was arrested Thursday and charged with trying to pass a bad check, NYPD spokesman Det. Martin Speechley tells .

The check was for around $250,000, says TMZ.com, which first reported the arrest.

Follieri was recently ordered by a Washington, D.C., court to pay a public-relations firm $250,000 for work done on his behalf, the Web site says.

This isn't Follieri's first run of bad press. Last year, the Wall Street Journal reported on billionaire Ron Burkle's lawsuit against Follieri for allegedly squandering $1.3 million in business funds to support his extremely lavish lifestyle. Follieri denied any wrongdoing.

Earlier this year, the Devil Wears Prada star, 25, and Follieri, 29, were seen together at New York's hip hangout, the Waverly Inn. In February 2007, Hathaway told London's Sunday Times that Follieri was a positive influence who helped bring her out of a lengthy depression.

"He's brought out so many positive attributes," she said. "Before I met him, I wasted so much time. I was just annoying and narcissistic and smelled bad. He's protective without being possessive, passionate without needing to show his temper."

Naomi Campbell Arrested at London Airport

Originally posted Thursday April 03, 2008 01:40 PM EDT

Naomi Campbell was arrested Thursday for investigation of assaulting a police officer at London's Heathrow Airport, a source confirmed.

According to Metropolitan Police, officers were "alerted to a disturbance" at 5:11 p.m. at the newly opened Terminal 5, where travelers' frustrations have flared due to baggage delays since opening last week.

"Subsequently, a 37-year-old woman was arrested on suspicion of assaulting a police officer," a police spokesperson says. "She was taken to Heathrow Police Station where she currently remains in custody."

Police didn't identify the woman. But a source confirms it was the 37-year-old Campbell, arrested after she boarded a plane.

"Police were called to remove a passenger from a British Airways flight this afternoon," a British airport authority spokesperson says.

The passenger was Campbell, awaiting the British Airways flight to Los Angeles, a source tells Reuters.

This is the latest alleged scuffle involving Campbell.

She was ordered to attend anger management classes and complete five days of community service last year working in a New York sanitation garage after she allegedly threw a cell phone at her housekeeper.

Source: Lindsay's Album on Track for Fall Release

Originally posted Thursday April 03, 2008 05:20 PM EDT

Contrary to rumors that Lindsay Lohan has caused serious delays on her upcoming album, fans can expect to hear the singer/actress crooning on the radio in the next few months, say those in her inner circle.

"She already has four songs [completed]. It'll be a fall release and they're looking to sneak a single to radio this summer," a source close to Lohan tells .

The star's rep denies recent reports that Lohan has not been "cooperative" and canceled important meetings.

"There's no truth to it," says the rep.

Reports claimed Lohan blew off several meetings with Grammy-winning producer Timbaland, but the source close to Lohan says she's hard at work on the album and denies the meetings were ever set up, "though Lindsay would love to work with him," the source adds. A rep for Timbaland confirms that he was never scheduled to work with Lohan.

A Universal Music Group spokesman told a statement: "Recent reports about Lindsay Lohan and the status of her upcoming album are completely and factually untrue. What is true is that she continues to be extremely focused and hard at work on the project. And as a company, we are looking forward to releasing the album when she is done."

Kathie Lee Gifford: I Can Handle the Spotlight Better Now

Originally posted Thursday April 03, 2008 11:40 AM EDT

Kathie Lee Gifford had no intention of returning to TV – she just happened to be in the right place at the right time.

"I was having lunch with a friend at [Manhattan restaurant] Michael's on Nov. 7, and Hoda [Kotb] ambushed me and said, 'Will you come on the Today show?' " Gifford, still lively at 54, told day of Matt Lauer's announcement that she would co-host the NBC morning program's 10 a.m. fourth hour. She starts next Monday.

After the fateful meal, which lasted into the evening, Gifford could foresee the same on-air chemistry she shared with Regis Philbin as also taking place with Kotb, "For 15 years Regis and I had a ball, and that's why it was successful. I know now that Hoda and I can have fun together, too," she says.

Ultimately, Gifford adds, she was convinced to come aboard Today because, "This show is about other people, not about the hosts. Thank God it's older than I am. It's 56 years old. But I'm now the oldest person on the show!"

And that may be a good thing, especially in terms of dealing with the media spotlight. "I can handle it better now, and I'm wiser," says Gifford. "At my age, you give up your thighs but you gain wisdom."

Larry Rudolph: Britney Spears Is in 'Great Shape'

Originally posted Thursday April 03, 2008 12:20 PM EDT

Britney Spears's former manager, Larry Rudolph, is coy about reports that the two are back in business together – but says he's met with the pop star recently and is happy to report she's "in great shape."

"I've seen her a few times over the past week or two. I've spent some time with her just socially. I've gone up to the house. I've sat with her. She's in great shape," he said Thursday while promoting his latest project, Rock the Cradle, on Ryan Seacrest's KIIS FM radio show. "I couldn't be happier to see the condition she's in. But this is not a time to talk about business with her."

Addressing Spears's recent troubles, Rudolph said: "What she needs now is she needs the public to be on her side and root for her, because she deserves it and that means a lot to her."

One thing's clear: Rudolph is in Spears's corner. He praised her recent appearance on How I Met Your Mother, and told Seacrest that if he was advising Spears, he'd suggest that she "do another little thing like that" soon.

When Seacrest asked about other forces back in the singer's life – namely her parents – Rudolph replied: "She needs people around her who are there for the right reasons."

In terms of Spears's future, he said "I can't think of a situation where somebody's been set up for a bigger comeback than that girl."

Whitney Responds to Bobby Brown's Tell-All Book

Originally posted Thursday April 03, 2008 12:45 PM EDT

Bobby Brown is dishing on his rocky marriage to Whitney Houston in a new tell-all autobiography – but she's not letting his accusations affect her.

In this, the latest installment of the couple's long-running marital feud, Brown says of his ex, "I never used cocaine until after I met Whitney."

Details from the 39-year-old pop star's book, Bobby Brown: The Truth, the Whole Truth and Nothing But, began surfacing Thursday in the New York Post. Before Whitney, Brown writes: "I had experimented with other drugs, but marijuana was my drug of choice."

Whitney's rep responded in a statement : "Miss Houston is sad that Bobby feels he need to say such things but she choses to take the high road and will not speak badly about the father of her child even if it's to set the record straight."

After his 1992 marriage, the former Being Bobby Brown star says his dependence on narcotics spiraled out of control. "At one point in my life, I used drugs uncontrollably. I was using everything I could get my hands on, from cocaine to heroin, weed and cooked cocaine," he writes.

Brown also describes his 14-year marriage as "doomed from the very beginning." "I think we got married for all the wrong reasons," he says in the book. "Now, I realize Whitney had a different agenda than I did when we got married ... I believe her agenda was to clean up her image."

The couple, who have a 15-year-old daughter, Bobbi Kristina, split in September 2006.

One potential stress on their union? Brown's now-admitted infidelity.

"Women are always throwing themselves at you," he writes. "I'm only human, so I would make the mistake and bite the hook sometimes. I let the testosterone take over."

Brown also claims to have dated Janet Jackson and Madonna before hooking up with Houston. Chapter titles from the book include "Whitney Houston – The Untold Truth," "The Press, More Problems, and Passion for Drugs," and "The Bad Boy Of Boston ... Straight From The Hood."

Oprah Exclusive: The Pregnant Man Speaks Out

Originally posted Wednesday April 02, 2008 02:30 PM EDT



The "pregnant man" is speaking out about his decision to have a child – saying, "I'm a person and I have the right to have my own biological child."

In a special exclusive featured in this week on Thursday's episode of The Oprah Winfrey Show, Thomas Beatie, a transgender male, talks about the baby he and wife Nancy are expecting this summer. "If Nancy could get pregnant, I wouldn't be doing this," Beatie tells his wife's hysterectomy. "Who hires a surrogate if they are perfectly capable of carrying their own child?"

Click play for a teaser from Thursday's Oprah. Beatie told Oprah: "I see pregnancy as a process and it doesn't define who I am. Ironically, being pregnant doesn't make me feel any more female or feminine."

David Cook Returns to Idol after Hospitalization

April 2 , 2008

David Cook was back on the American Idol set Wednesday for the results show, a day after he was briefly hospitalized with high blood pressure and heart palpitations.

Appearing relaxed and happy, Cook laughed and talked with the other contestants, showing no signs of the symptoms that sent him to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center on Tuesday after he performed Dolly Parton’s “Little Sparrow.”

“The whole thing kind of got blown out of proportion,” Cook told host Ryan Seacrest. “I have high blood pressure, and it spiked, so they took me to the nearest hospital. But I’m cool. I’m not going anywhere.”

Federline's Lawyer: Full-Recovery Reports Premature

Originally posted Wednesday April 02, 2008 05:00 PM EDT

Kevin Federline's lawyer says that with the help of father Jamie Spears, Britney Spears is heading in the right direction. But he urged restraint in saying the pop star is already fully recovered.

"Jamie is doing a really good job," Mark Vincent Kaplan tells us. "There was a situation and that seems to be stabilized. Does that mean she’s cured? Of course not."

Kaplan has noticed that the Spears's negative press has diminished noticeably, and that her successes – from her appearance on How I Met Your Mother to reports Tuesday that she is working again with former manager Larry Rudolph – are making news right now.

He calls Jamie Spears's steps to improve Britney's well-being and diffuse her once tumultuous lifestyle "smart," adding that, "Obviously before Jamie, it wasn't a question of what was going to happen – it was a question of when."

A healthy, happy Spears is something that Federline has always yearned for, says Kaplan. As for his own professional interest in the Spears case, which is no longer dominating Los Angeles's family court system? Says Kaplan: "I look forward to the time when I can be bored."

Brody Jenner Celebrates New Reality Show

April 2, 2008

Is Hollywood ready for The Brody Show — or maybe a season of Just Jenner?

The Hills‘ resident hottie, Brody Jenner, 23, was overheard telling clubgoers that he was celebrating his new reality show, a testosterone-charged spin-off of the popular MTV reality show, while partying at L.A.’s Goa recently.

“Brody is in talks with MTV but the details of the project have not been confirmed,” his rep tells us. Also set to star in the expected spinoff is Jenner’s BFF Frankie Delgado.

No stranger to reality TV, Jenner became a Hills regular last season as Spencer Pratt’s pal and on-again-off-again love interest to Lauren Conrad. He also was on Princes of Malibu and is a frequent guest on E!’s Keeping up with the Kardashians — his dad, Bruce Jenner, is married to Kim Kardashian’s mom.

Beyoncé & Jay-Z 'Looked Happy' Getting Marriage License

Originally posted Wednesday April 02, 2008 01:05 PM EDT

Beyoncé and Jay-Z arrived at Scarsdale Village Hall shortly after it opened at 9 a.m on Tuesday to get their marriage license. "It was just the two of them," an eyewitness tells us. "They were very polite and smiling as they filled out the paperwork. They were holding hands for a while. They looked really happy."

Could their happiness be because the longtime couple is finally putting the constant wedding and split rumors to rest? Although a rep for Beyoncé, 26, had no comment and a rep for Jay-Z, 38, could not be reached, the courthouse trip is the first real indication that the pair – who first started dating in 2002 – will walk down the aisle.

Rumors of a wedding have long followed the couple, and Beyoncé has admitted to thinking about how it would happen. "I don't know when I'll want to get married," she told Cosmopolitan in January 2006. "I never pictured myself as a bride, but after my sister's wedding, I did start thinking about what kind of wedding I'd want. I don't think I want a big one."

A year later, she told InStyle, "Maybe me and my man will go away to an island; maybe we'll go to a church. I have no idea."

Mario Lopez Says Mario Is ‘Respectful’ of His Girlfriend

April 2, 2008

It wasn’t exactly a love-fest — more like a respect-off — when Mario Lopez and R&B singer Mario, a contestant on the current season of Dancing with the Stars, got on the phone to speak with Ryan Seacrest on his On Air radio show.

Singer Mario, who’s been steaming up the ballroom with Lopez’s girlfriend Karina Smirnoff while denying rumors of a romance, had plenty of kind words for the former Saved By the Bell star.

“We kicked it a few times. Mario’s a cool guy,” he said. “We have similar interests. I like boxing and he likes boxing.”

But don’t expect them to spar anytime soon. While Lopez pal Seacrest acknowledged that chemistry in the ballroom is important, he made it clear that he had his friend’s back and warned the singer that he may be getting dangerously close to crossing a line.

Lopez, however, was a little more understanding. In fact, the actor said he liked Mario and respects the singer’s dance floor determination. “The dances are all characters and telling a story,” he told Seacrest while Mario was on the line. “I’m really proud of him. He’s a great guy. Really respectful.”

Lopez went on to say that he didn’t feel the same about his girlfriend’s last DWTS partner, boxer Floyd Mayweather, calling the heavyweight “a handful.”

And what does Lopez think of Mario and Smirnoff’s chances of winning the competition? “They’re going all the way,” he said.

Tracey Gold Gives Birth to Fourth Son

Originally posted Wednesday April 02, 2008 01:45 PM EDT

Former Growing Pains star Tracey Gold gave birth on Tuesday night to a baby boy – the actress's and her husband Roby Marshall's fourth son, we have confirmed.

The baby, named Dylan Christopher, arrived at 7:20 p.m. at Southern California's Tarzana Hospital. He weighed 8 lbs. 4 oz., and measured 21 inches, according to Gold's spokesman.

"Mom and baby are doing fine," her rep (and proud grandpa) Harry Gold tells us.

Gold's pregnancy was announced in October. The actress, 38, and Marshall, 42, are also parents of sons Sage, 11, Bailey, 8, and Aiden Michael, 3.

The couple met in 1990, when Marshall was a consultant on the TV movie Blind Faith, which starred Gold's Growing Pains mom, Joanna Kerns. They married in 1994.

Growing Pains, on which Gold played Carol Seaver, ran from 1985 to 1992.

Nicole Richie’s Next Project: Maternity Wear Designer

April 2, 2008 | 1:49 pm

With stints as a reality TV star, novelist, jewelry designer and now new mom under her always-fashionable belt — and rumors of a children’s line and signature fragrance in the works — what other ventures could Nicole Richie possibly undertake? At a recent Balenciaga party in L.A., Richie dished about her next project: a maternity line. The style maven told WWD that the design house’s creative director Nicolas Ghesquiere is the main inspiration behind the fashion-forward line. “I wore so much Balenciaga during my pregnancy,” she reveals, including the brand’s motorcycle leggings and scarves. Boyfriend Joel Madden’s shirts also made it into her pregnancy wardrobe. “When my shirts got too short, I wore Joel’s with a jacket on top,” she says. And her nine months spent carrying baby Harlow Winter can’t help but have taught her exactly what she wants in her own collection, which will feature designs for every stage from early-days to almost-due. “My line will be about making women look and feel good at a really emotional time. It’s about showing your best self, not your tired, worn-down self,” the seemingly inexhaustible mom reveals.

Corinne Bailey Rae Attends Husband's Funeral

Originally posted Wednesday April 02, 2008 03:30 PM EDT

There were a few colorful kilts among the sea of black, as more than 100 family and friends – including Corinne Bailey Rae – paid respects for Scottish-born saxophonist Jason Rae at his funeral in Leeds, England, on Wednesday, the U.K.'s The Daily Mail reports.

Rae, 31, who was a member of the eight-piece group Haggis Horns and had played with such singers as Amy Winehouse, died earlier this month of a suspected overdose. His body was found in a friend's flat.

Rae's widow, Corinne, 29, was the last to leave the group of mourners gathered at St. George's Church, which included award winning producer Mark Ronson, who said recently of the musician's passing: "It's such a sad, sad thing, I'm sorry that I can't really put anything into words. However, I will say that he was an incredible dude, a lovely gentle man."

Outside the church stood a hearse with the name "Jason" spelled out in white flowers. After the service, Corinne was driven in another car to the wake, which was being held at The Wardrobe bar, a local pub in the theatre district where Corinne and Jason held their wedding reception in 2001.

Source: Beyoncé and Jay-Z Take Out Marriage License

Originally posted Tuesday April 01, 2008 05:40 PM EDT

Beyoncé Knowles and longtime beau Jay-Z have taken out a marriage license in Scarsdale, N.Y.

According to a source, the pair obtained a license Tuesday morning. The document is valid for 60 days.

A rep for Beyoncé said , "No comment." Jay-Z's spokesperson could not be reached.

Beyoncé, 26, and Jay-Z, 38, have been dating since 2002, though the couple have stood reluctant to discuss their relationship publicly. Rumors about their romance began circulating after the singer appeared on Jay-Z's song "'03 Bonnie & Clyde," followed by collaborations on Beyoncé's solo hit "Crazy in Love," in 2003.

While the two have remained tight-lipped about the state of their romance, by no means has Beyoné brushed off talk of marriage. In December 2006, the singer told InStyle, "You can't rush a man into anything – whether it's a relationship, marriage or having children."

Earlier that month the pair were besieged by rumors that they were all set to get hitched in the Caribbean – a rumor that was quickly scotched by their reps.

Jay Leno Apologizes for Remarks to Ryan Phillippe

Originally posted Tuesday April 01, 2008 05:20 PM EDT

Jay Leno apologized Tuesday for on-air remarks he made during a chat with Ryan Phillippe that were then criticized by gay activists and others.

"In talking about Ryan's first role, I realize that what I said came out wrong," the host of NBC's Tonight Show said in a statement . "I certainly didn't mean any malice. I agree it was a dumb thing to say, and I apologize."

Last week, while talking with Phillippe (whose appearance was keyed to his new movie Stop-Loss), Leno, 57, said to the actor, "Can you give me, like – say that camera is your gay lover ..." (Phillippe's first role was as a gay character on a soap opera).

Leno then went on to say, "Can you give me your 'gayest look?' "

"Wow," replied Phillippe, 33. "That is so something I don't want to do."

On Tuesday, the gay rights group GLAAD condemned the remarks.

"We are proud of Ryan for refusing to participate in Leno's thoughtless attempt at humor," said GLAAD President Neil G. Giuliano. "Under the guise of comedy, the talk-show host is demonstrating a lack of respect for the gay community and insensitivity to both his co-workers and the audience, to whom he owes an apology."

Dancing Pro Derek Hough Hospitalized

April 1, 2008

Dancing With the Stars‘ Derek Hough was hospitalized Tuesday with a neck injury suffered during a rehearsal, the network says.

The professional dancer, who is Shannon Elizabeth’s partner, was taken to a Los Angeles hospital in an ambulance for an exam and observation, and later released, an ABC spokesperson says.

The injury “does not appear to be serious,” the spokesperson says.

The injury was first reported by E! News.

DWTS Baby News: Tony Dovolani and Wife Expecting Twins

April 1, 2008

Dancing with the Stars pro dancer Tony Dovolani and his wife Lina are expecting twins, Dovolani confirms exclusively . The couple already have a two-year-old daughter, Luana.

Dovolani, who’s paired with Broadway star Marissa Jaret Winokur this season, tells , “everything is great” with his wife’s pregnancy, which is four months along. Lina is 26.

“Kids are a blessing and give your life purpose and meaning,” he says.

Perhaps this explains why Dovolani, 34, known for his intensity on the ballroom floor, has been smiling so much on the show this season. Reharsals with Winokur, who’s expecting a son via a surrogate, have been a blast, he says.

“I cannot stop smiling this year and part of the reason is Marissa is a sweetheart,” Dovolani says, acknowledging that ballroom dancing is not all they have in common these days. “I’m thinking about my babies and she’s thinking about her baby. Now if somebody doesn’t point their toe it’s no longer as important as it used to be.”

Elliott Yamin’s Mom Dies at Age 65

April 1, 2008

The mother of former American Idol star Elliott Yamin has died, the Richmond Times-Dispatch reports.

Claudette Yamin passed away on Monday night at the age of 65.

The cause of death has not been released; however, she was hospitalized over the weekend, the paper reports.

Yamin, 29, was the third runner-up on the fifth season of American Idol.

A message posted on Yamin’s Web site Monday by friend Brandon Crowe is titled: “May She Rest in Peace.”

It reads: “The world lost a beautiful soul. I can’t go into any details at this time except to say that she went peacefully. Elliott wanted me to let you all know, but we are asking that you please respect the family’s privacy at this time. We are all aware of your prayers, and we thank you. In lieu of sending flowers, we ask that donations be sent to the local chapter of the Richmond JDRF. Thanks again for all your support and prayers … it’s helped us through the day.”

A funeral service is planned for Wednesday in Richmond, Va., according to
the Times-Dispatch.

Report: Britney Spears Reuniting with Manager Larry Rudolph

Originally posted Tuesday April 01, 2008 12:50 PM EDT

Britney Spears is reuniting with business manager Larry Rudolph, E! News reports.

Spears and Rudolph worked together for many years off-and-on, and he is credited with shaping her highly successful early career. They most recently parted ways last year after Spears blamed him, in part, for encouraging her to enter Promises rehab center in Malibu.

Of reports that they have decided to pair up again, a source tells E!: "It's true. They are working together."

At the time when Spears parted ways with Rudolph last year, her father, Jamie, sent an email to the New York Post supporting Rudolph despite his daughter's decision to sever their relationship.

"When Larry Rudolph talked Britney into going into rehab, he was doing what her mother, father and team of professionals with over 100 years of experience knew needed to be done," Jamie wrote. "She was out of control. Larry was the one chosen by the team to roll up his sleeves and deliver the message, to help save her life."

Jamie Spears is currently a co-conservator over his daughter's affairs.

Kelly Lynch Sends Message of Hope for Patrick Swayze

Originally posted Tuesday April 01, 2008 06:30 AM EDT

Kelly Lynch said her Road House co-star Patrick Swayze, who is fighting pancreatic cancer, has the determination and the positive attitude to cope with his ordeal.

"If anyone can get through this, it's him," Lynch told the red carpet premiere on Sunday for the new Rolling Stones concert film Shine a Light at New York's Ziegfeld Theater.

Swayze, 55, is undergoing chemotherapy treatment. Lynch, 49, said Swayze is "the most determined, positive, forward-thinking person I've ever met."

Lynch adds: "I say my prayers for him but I have a lot of hope that he'll get through this."

Jessica Simpson Hospitalized

Originally posted Monday March 31, 2008 04:30 PM EDT

Jessica Simpson was hospitalized in Los Angeles for a kidney infection, her rep tells .

The singer "has been released and is doing fine," the rep says.

Simpson, 27, went to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center on Friday after suffering a fever.

Earlier this month, Simpson took a trip to Iraq where she performed for the troops. She is currently working on a country album.

Denise Richards: No Weight-Loss Talk in Front of Daughters

Originally posted Tuesday April 01, 2008 06:00 AM EDT

Denise Richards may focus on staying (and looking) fit – but she'll never complain about her weight in front of her daughters.

"I'll never talk about weight around them," the actress tells Shape magazine in its May issue. "And they'll never hear me say, 'Mommy's feeling fat today.' That kind of attitude just makes young girls grow up to be dissatisfied with their bodies."

Instead, Richards says she tries to set an active example for her girls, Sam, 4, and Lola, 2.

"Working out is part of my life, not just an I-have-to-get-ready-for-a-photo-shoot thing," she tells the magazine. "I exercise almost every day. The girls usually play in the workout room with me, so they're learning by example."

And while Richards has been criticized by some (including ex-husband Charlie Sheen) for including her daughters in her upcoming E! reality show, the actress says she works hard to stay positive.

It's an attitude she attributes to her late mother, Joni, who died of cancer in November. Says Richards: "Even at the end, when things were really dire for my mother, she was never negative. There was an inner strength about her."

That, in turn, is what she hopes to pass along to her daughters. "I want to teach my girls the importance of picking yourself up and moving forward."

Jennifer Love Hewitt's Ghost Baby Bump

Originally posted Monday March 31, 2008 07:55 PM EDT

Jennifer Love Hewitt can't stop the whisperers. When she wore a bikini, she heard about her figure. And when she covered up – wearing flowing, baby doll styles while recently running errands and at last weekend's Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards – she faced baby rumors. But the engaged Ghost Whisperer star isn't keeping quiet. She fought back after the bikini pictures hit the Internet. And now her rep has issued a flat-out denial: "She is not pregnant."

New Kids on the Block to Appear on Today Show

Originally posted Monday March 31, 2008 02:40 PM EDT

Looks like the Today show's got the right stuff: All five original New Kids on the Block members – Joey McIntyre, Donnie Wahlberg, Danny Wood and brothers Jordan and Jonathan Knight – will appear together in the morning show's courtyard on April 4, a source tells .

After months of speculation, we confirmed in January that the band is reuniting – just in time to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the release of their mega-hit album Hangin' Tough. The group also recently updated its Web site, nkotb.com.

The boy band, which made legions of tweens swoon in the early '90s, selling more than 50 million albums, became a worldwide phenomenon before calling it quits in 1994. Since then, the oldest "Kid," Jonathan Knight, 39, retreated back to Boston to become a real estate developer. Former members Wahlberg, 38, and McIntyre, 35, have seen acting success, while Wood, 38, has worked as a music producer and Jordan Knight, 37, has continued to record.

Angela Kinsey's Down-Home Baby Shower

Originally posted Monday March 31, 2008 03:45 PM EDT

Time for an Office party!

Angela Kinsey, 36 – who's expecting her first child, a daughter, later this spring – was feted by her Office castmates Saturday during a girls-only baby shower.

"Angela has a lot of sisters and a lot of relatives from Texas who came out," costar Kate Flannery told night, at the Humane Society's 22nd Genesis Awards. "[There were] a lot of Southern ladies who were sitting around drinking iced tea. No men – it was only the ladies."

The bash, held at Jenna Fischer's L.A. home and co-hosted by Kinsey's sister-in-law Susanne Daniels, included about 25 guests who noshed on tea sandwiches from Paddington's Tea Room. There were "white and pink roses everywhere," added Flannery, who gave the mommy-to-be a pint-sized pink robe with rabbit ears.

So how is Kinsey holding up as her due date approaches? "She is a very happy pregnant woman," said Flannery. "One of the happiest pregnant woman I have ever seen."

In fact, the actress – who's married to TV writer Warren Lieberstein and has blogged about her cravings for ice-cold Snickers bars – is still hard at work on the NBC sitcom.

"We've been desperately trying to hide her pregnancy on the show," said Flannery. "You can't tell. She's behind a copier machine, behind a pile of papers. It's kind of funny."

Katherine Heigl & Josh Kelley: In Negotiations for Kids

Originally posted Monday March 31, 2008 02:05 PM EDT

It's been three months since her Christmas-themed wedding in Park City, Utah, and Katherine Heigl can't stop singing the praises of her new husband, musician Josh Kelley.

"He was everything I was looking for, or needed or wanted in my life," the 27 Dresses star told Britain's Sunday Times. "He's just so easy to be around. He lightens up the room and lightens my load."

In fact, the 29-year-old Grey's Anatomy star already has babies on the brain. "I think he'd prefer to wait a little more time, but I kind of wouldn't," she told the paper, adding that it would be "foolish" to waste their current career opportunities. "I think we'll meet somewhere in the middle."

When it comes to maintaining her famous figure, Heigl relies on that same spirit of compromise. "I've just discovered if I don't eat bread or pasta, my stomach doesn't feel so bloated all the time," she said. "I try to eat healthy, but I think if you cut out every wonderful thing you love, what's the point? I'd rather feel sick."

Overcoming Family Tragedy

Heigl may seem to have it all these days – a rock-star hubby, a hit TV series and comparisons to America's Sweetheart Julia Roberts. ("I can’t help but feel that's a little insulting to Julia Roberts," she joked to the Times.) But her life wasn't always so picture perfect.

When she was only 7, her older brother Jason died from injuries he sustained when he was thrown from the back of a pickup truck.

"For a long time, [Jason's death] made me afraid of being too happy because things happen so unexpectedly," she said. "Your world can change and every aspect of your life is different."

In fact, Heigl said, she's still learning to let down her defenses. "[His death] made me afraid when good things happen. It made me brace against it that little bit," she explained. "I'm trying hard not to do that any more. It doesn't make something terrible easier – and I don't want to waste my happiness."

Adam Sandler Sustains Baseball Injury

Originally posted Tuesday April 01, 2008 08:15 AM EDT

Adam Sandler broke his ankle while playing baseball on Saturday, his rep has announced in a statement.

The I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry actor, 41, still won the game, according to the spokesperson.

The injury will not affect Sandler's current work schedule. His current movie, Bedtime Stories, due for release later this year, remains on schedule, the Associated Press reports.

It was not specified whether it was the left or right ankle.