AMERICAN IDOL '08

Idol Makes a High School Musical Connection

February 15, 2008

Two of this year’s Top 24 American Idol finalists have ties to High School Musical: HSM star KayCee Stroh, a.k.a. “the pop and lock girl,” tells PEOPLE that she and contestant David Archuleta performed together at a Park City, Utah, benefit years ago.

“I think I was about 18 and he was about 12,” Stroh, 23, told PEOPLE at the American Idol Top 24 party on Thursday night in Hollywood. “Both of us are from Salt Lake City, and there was a benefit concert and the [organizer] needed young kids to be the backup singers for a gospel piece. I remember we were rehearsing one day and he had a solo part. I expected him to have this cute little boy voice.”

Instead, Stroh says, “I was blown away! He packs such a powerful punch when he sings. I remember thinking instantly, ‘Boy, this one is going to be a star someday.’”

Stroh also models for Torrid, a hip plus-size clothing line, as did finalist Joanne Borgella, who had to suspend her Torrid association after signing up for Idol.

SaturdayStarTracks

The singer gets (wind) swept away on the set of her new video. Plus: Kate Winslet, Jessica Alba and more

THE SILVER LINING

Mariah Carey, in a sexy silver dress, works the camera while on the Los Angeles set of her new music video "Touch My Body," directed by pal Brett Ratner and guest-starring 30 Rock funnyman Jack McBrayer.

SIBLING REVELRY

Continuing their fun at the Berlin International Film Festival, Scarlett Johansson and Natalie Portman add color to the premiere of their new movie The Other Boleyn Girl on Friday.

PURPLE HAZE

Jessica Alba keeps her concentration steady as she continues her shopping adventures, this time hitting up the boutiques on L.A.'s Robertson Boulevard on Thursday.

A NEW DAY

After kicking off her world tour in Johannesburg, South Africa, Celine Dion and her son Rene Charles visit one of the centers of the African Children's Feeding Scheme in Soweto on Friday. ACFS is an organization that provides meals for poor, orphaned and abandoned kids.

SOLID SUPPORTER

Bringing awareness to homelessness in the U.K., Kate Winslet makes a pe

rfectly poised arrival for the Cardboard Citizens dinner and charity auction Friday at London's Mandarin Oriental Hotel.

BEHIND THE WHEEL

Nick Lachey gets geared up Friday in New York City while unveiling a custom Hot Wheels car designed by celebrity jeweler Jason of Beverly Hills. The singer helped celebrate the toy model's 40th anniversary at the Mattel showroom.

Britney's Shopping Day: Browsing, Not Buying

Posted Saturday February 16, 2008 10:00 AM EST

Friday brought some relatively quiet time for Britney Spears, who spent the afternoon shopping in West Hollywood at the boutique of Monique Lhuillier – who designed Spears's wedding dresses – and the Fred Segal and the Betsey Johnson stores.

At all three places she appeared to do more browsing than buying as the President's Day weekend was just beginning.

On the domestic front, her family is caring for the pop star. Father Jamie Spears has been granted a co-conservatorship over his daughter's affairs, while brother Bryan is acting a co-trustee of his sister's revocable trust.

(A Los Angeles County Superior Court commissioner placed Spears under a conservatorship at the beginning of this month. Such conservatorships are established when a court determines an individual cannot take care of herself or her affairs.)

Mother Lynne Spears, who departed Los Angeles earlier this week, had been part of the attempted healing process, spending rare quality time with her daughter – cooking for and shopping with her.

In terms of the calendar, Saturday marks an unusual anniversary: It's exactly a year since the pop star turned heads by shaving hers.

Charlize Theron to Catch Oscars in Her Pajamas

Originally posted Saturday February 16, 2008 11:00 AM EST

Charlize Theron may have reflected '20s-style Hollywood glamour in the stunning beaded gown she wore to the 2004 Oscars, when she won as Best Actress for Monster – but this year she plans on something completely different.

Her pajamas.

At least that's what the South Africa-born actress, 32, revealed Friday at the Dublin International Film Festival, where her director and actor boyfriend Stuart Townsend's new movie, Battle in Seattle, premiered, reports Britain's Press Association.

"We are not going. I don't think you go to those kind of award shows unless you are nominated," says Theron of the Feb. 24 event at the Kodak Theatre.

"I think it's a special thing if you get a nomination, or your film does. Then you go. But we don't have any nominations or anything like that in the house, so we sit in our jammies and watch it on the couch."

Something else Theron isn't rushing to dress formally for: her and Townsend's wedding.

"I have no plans on getting married," she declared.

Maksim Chmerkovskiy to Take Break from Dancing

February 16, 2008

When the much-anticipated, sixth season Dancing with the Stars casting announcement is made on Monday’s Dance War finale, one name missing from the roster will be that of pro dancer Maksim Chmerkovskiy.

The 28-year-old, who took celebrity partners Laila Ali and Mel B. to the finals in back-to-back seasons, is taking some time off, his rep confirms to PEOPLE.

“He just needs a break,” says an ABC spokesperson. “He is part of the Dancing family, and he will be back.”

Last December, Chmerkovskiy told PEOPLE that he was feeling burnt-out after the show’s grueling schedule.

“After coming down from two seasons back-to-back, 10 weeks each season — 14 weeks, if you count all of the rehearsals — it puts a lot of pressure on a person and it takes its toll,” Chmerkovskiy said.

A fan favorite, Chmerkovskiy may appear on several of Dancing’s results shows when the pros are featured in group-choreographed dances. It’s also very likely he will be back for the seventh season.

Meantime, Chmerkovskiy — who choreographed the Wynn Las Vegas’s theatrical water show Le Reve — is putting the finishing touches on a DWTS fitness DVD with fellow pro Cheryl Burke, and this spring he will continue to work with students at his Rising Stars Dance Academy in Saddlebrook, N.J.

Who's In Charge of Britney Spears's Money?

Posted Friday February 15, 2008 06:15 PM EST

The trust where Britney Spears keeps most of her estimated $100 million fortune is out of her hands – and under the control of her brother and a lawyer, according to court documents released Thursday. And for 30-year-old Bryan Spears, that means keeping tabs on everything from cash to pay for medicine to money for her Starbucks runs.

Bryan is a co-trustee to his famous sister's SJB revocable trust. According to the trust, which was established in 2004, if Britney stops being a trustee, "then Bryan Spears ... and Ivan Taback [a partner in the personal planning department of the New York-based law firm Proskauer Rose] may act as successor co-trustees under the trust."

The troubled 26-year-old singer, who was recently released from the UCLA Medical Center psych ward, has been stripped of her trustee powers because she is currently considered "legally disabled" by the court, which also extended her father Jamie's co-conservator role until March 10. A court reaffirmed Bryan and Taback’s roles on Thursday.

"This is nothing new," says Bryan Spears. "This was a decision made some time ago and signed off on by Britney, before she was married to Kevin, before she had kids. As with anyone with a large trust, trustees were named. This is nothing new."

So what does it mean to be a trustee? Bryan and Taback have the power to pay for Britney's "continued security, medicine, food, other day-to-day expenses and for psychiatric and other medical services," according to court documents. Neither party can act unilaterally, but require "unanimous consent" with the other trustees to act. The documents also state that the trustees can't sell or lease Britney's home without a court order, nor can they remove any of Britney's property from California.

The trustee appointments were made a week after conservatorship attorneys were granted the right to fire Britney's business manager, Howard Grossman

Kirstie Alley Officially Steps Away from Jenny Craig Ads

Originally posted Friday February 15, 2008 03:55 PM EST

After serving as the spokesmodel for the Jenny Craig weight-loss program for the past three years, Kirstie Alley is stepping aside.

"Although Kirstie will not appear in future advertising endeavors for us, she does remain on Jenny Craig's maintenance program and is confident that our program has helped her incorporate positive lifestyle changes that should last a lifetime," Scott Parker, vice-president of marketing for Jenny Craig, tells PEOPLE.

"Now that Kirstie has 'passed her maintenance baton' to Valerie [Bertinelli,]" adds Parker, referring to the inclusion of the former One Day at a Time star to the ad campaign beginning last August, "you'll see a new campaign with a new celebrity client emerge, in 2008 … one that promotes health with Queen Latifah."

Citing Alley's "losing 75 lbs. and maintaining that weight loss for over a year," Parker goes on to say, "She's proud to have been able to participate in the creation of Jenny's award-winning, integrated advertising campaign, and says she's thankful for the opportunity to help so many other people lose weight and keep it off."

McCartney-Mills Divorce Case to Go into Second Week

Originally posted Friday February 15, 2008 05:05 PM EST

Despite an expected wrap-up on Friday, the behind-closed-doors divorce hearing of Paul McCartney and Heather Mills is now likely to stretch into a second week.

Officials at London's Royal Courts of Justice tell the Associated Press that Justice Hugh Bennett has allotted extra time for the case to continue on Monday.

Mills, 40, and McCartney, 65, judiciously avoided comment to the press all this week. Reporters are not permitted inside Judge Bennett's Court 34 in the Family Division of London's Royal Courts of Justice.

The couple – who were married inside an Irish castle in 2002 – are battling over a financial settlement for Mills and arrangements for their daughter Beatrice, 4. According to reports, the former model is seeking a deal worth up to $100 million.

Representing McCartney is Fiona Shackleton, who was hired by Prince Charles for his 1996 divorce from Princess Diana. Mills is representing herself, after having fired her legal team late last year.

Buddha Still ‘Good Friends’ with New York

February 15, 2008

Tiffany “New York” Pollard walked away from Buddha on VH1’s I Love New York 2′s season finale in December, and into the arms of the amorous Tailor Made. But runner-up Buddha is still friendly with New York, he says, and — believe it or not — is pals with his onetime rival.

“New York and I still talk, we speak now and then,” Buddha (real name: Ezra Masters) told PEOPLE at last weekend’s 5th annual all-star jam session put on by The Roots. “When we see each other, we’re very cordial. We’re good friends, and we developed a real relationship on the show. And contrary to what most people think, Tailor and I still speak, too. Most people think we’re bitter enemies to the end – not at all, not at all.”

Tailor Made (real name: George Weisgerber) proposed to New York in December, and she accepted. “I think it’s a good match,” Buddha (right) says. “I’m not surprised that they’re engaged, and this is something I was telling New York on-camera, off-camera. I believe he was one of the few that was genuinely there for her. I think they’re two nutty bunches of fun. Either they’re going to love each forever or they’re going to kill each other. Either way, they’re going to do it together.”

Since the show, Buddha has taken up motivational speaking to children, posing for a body calendar, and penning a book called Buddha Bible. “Coming out for the urban renaissance man,” he says about the book. “It’s a compilation of quotes from myself and other authors I find have taught me about life. It’s more for people who don’t really have a way, trying to find a way.”

So, would he come back to TV?

“Everybody asks me about doing a Buddha Love or an I Love Buddha-type show,” he says. “I’m really not interested in that. Honestly, unless it’s something that’s helping out people, I’m not interested in doing mindless TV.”

Jimmy Kimmel Preps Revenge Song for Sarah Silverman – with Ben Affleck?

Originally posted Friday February 15, 2008 12:25 PM EST

All's fair in love and war, especially as far as Jimmy Kimmel is concerned.

Having had his girlfriend Sarah Silverman reveal to him – and the entire world – that, behind his back, "I'm f---ing Matt Damon" (as she did on the ABC late-night show earlier this month), Kimmel is now set to uncover his surreptitious sleeping partner.

And that would be Ben Affleck, reports the New York Post's Page Six.

Just as Silverman did, Kimmel plans to spill the beans in song, which, according to the Post, will be to the tune of "We Are the World."

Besides Affleck, the video for the ditty reportedly will also include Robin Williams, Don Cheadle, Harrison Ford, Ashlee Simpson and Pete Wentz. There was no immediate comment from the stars on their purported roles

Joran van der Sloot Won't Be Rearrested in Natalee Holloway Cas

Originally posted Friday February 15, 2008 11:55 AM EST

Joran van der Sloot won't be rearrested in the disappearance of Natalee Holloway – despite what appeared to be his recent confession to the crime.

An Aruban court of appeal ruled late Thursday that while van der Sloot remains the prime suspect, he could not be rearrested solely on the confession, which was secretly taped inside a vehicle rigged with hidden cameras and recording devices.

The court found the Dutch student's statements could not be corroborated. Because he has given so many different versions of what happened the night Natalee disappeared nearly three years ago, it's hard to tell what really happened, the court says.

"Considering the possibility of a serious personality disorder – as voiced by the prosecution – combined with a personal history of untrue statements and remarks, which even according to the suspect himself are frequently false, the Court of Appeal has reasons for doubt regarding the incriminating character of the 'car-statement,'" the court stated.

Van der Sloot told a "friend" (who secretly recorded him for a Dutch TV show) that the Alabama teen went into convulsions and died on the beach the night she disappeared in May 2005. Then, van der Sloot said, someone dumped her at sea.

Britney's Family Gets More Power Over Her Estate

Posted Thursday February 14, 2008 06:05 PM EST

Britney Spears's family members tightened their grip on her finances Thursday as the court extended her father's co-conservator role and granted her brother influence over her day-to-day expenses.

L.A. Superior Court Commissioner Reva Goetz made the rulings amid signs that the singer's family has helped keep Britney out of trouble since her early release from a psych ward.

Her father Jamie Spears has been overseeing his 26-year-old daughter's well-being and her estimated $100-million fortune since Feb. 1, when Goetz named him and Andrew Wallet temporary co-conservators – giving them the right to employ bodyguards who control Britney's actions and restrict her visitors.

On Thursday, Jamie and Wallet requested that the status quo be maintained until March 10 because a psychiatric evaluation of Britney, due Wednesday, had not yet been submitted. The commissioner granted the extension, scheduling a hearing that day to consider extending the conservatorship even further.

Britney's father and Wallet were also granted the power to handle the singer's taxes, and Britney's brother Bryan, 30, was named as a trustee of her trust. According to court papers, trust funds are used "to pay for Britney's continued security, and to pay for her medicine, food, other day-to-day expenses and for psychiatric and other medical services."

Sam Lutfi Restraining Order Addressed

Attorney Jeryll Cohen, representing Jamie, says they still haven't been able to serve a restraining order against Britney's pal Sam Lutfi who, Cohen says, seems to be avoiding service. Lynne Spears has accused Lutfi of drugging and verbally abusing her daughter.

Since Britney's father has taken charge of her affairs, she has kept an uncharacteristically low profile with relatively low-key outings: shopping with her mom, Lynne, and regular trips to the Millennium Dance Complex.

"She's getting proper medical care and has professional security. The chaos has been removed from the situation," says one legal insider.

Meanwhile, as Jamie was in court, Britney's mother, Lynne, was spotted heading out of town at Los Angeles International Airport Thursday.

Jessica Simpson & Tony Romo's Big, Texan Valentine's Day

Originally posted Friday February 15, 2008 03:00 PM EST

For Jessica Simpson, Valentine's Day was spent Texas-style: The singer and beau Tony Romo dined together at Nove Italiano restaurant in Dallas.

"All eyes were on them," one insider says of the singer and the Dallas Cowboys quarterback. "But they sat in a corner booth to try and get some privacy."

Simpson was wearing a sexy crimson dress, and the pair were seen being very affectionate with each other. The couple kick-started their romantic meal with a bottle of Cristal champagne, followed by spaghetti bolognaise.

As for dessert, the sweet of the day was on the menu, of course: Simpson and Romo cozily shared chocolate-covered strawberries along with chocolate mousse before heading out through the restaurant's special VIP exit (also known as the kitchen), where they darted off in a waiting limo.

Michelle Williams Before Heath's Death: 'I Don't Try and Anticipate Anymore'

Originally posted Thursday February 14, 2008 08:30 AM EST

In a touching interview conducted before Heath Ledger's accidental overdose on Jan. 22, Michelle Williams opened up to the U.K.'s Wonderland Magazine about their breakup – and learning to move on.

"Obviously so much has changed for me in the last few months that I don't really have and idea of what my life is going to be," the 27-year-old – who split with Ledger, the father of their 2-year-old daughter, Matlida, last September – says in the just-published interview. "I thought I knew certain things and it turned out that I didn't, so I don't really try and anticipate so much anymore. I'm not making any bets on the future."

The former Dawson's Creek star said she was throwing herself into life as a single parent, cherishing time with her daughter and nesting in her Brooklyn brownstone (the home she once shared with Ledger).

"I love domestic life," she said. "There's been a lot going on in my personal life and part of me is ... I don't know. I shouldn't talk about it, but it's like I'm re-emerging back into the world or something.

One Silver Lining

And while the breakup was painful, Williams said she had managed to find one silver lining: Less attention from the paparazzi.

"When you're in a relationship with somebody who is also a public personality, then it doubles the attention from the media," she explained. "When you minus that equation, it's just less enticing. That's been a real bonus. It's the plus side of the break-up for me."

That peace is certainly a distant memory now as Williams – just back from Ledger's funeral in Australia – settles back into life in New York.

Returns to Work

On Monday of this week, the actress returned to work on the film Mammoth, which she had been filming in Sweden when she learned of the actor's untimely death.

In her only public statement since then, Williams said, "My heart is broken." But she vowed that Matlida – who is the "spitting image of her father," says the actress – "will be brought up in the best memories of him."

Keith Urban’s Valentine’s Day Shout-Out to Nicole

Originally posted Thursday February 14, 2008 07:00 AM EST

It was only Feb. 13 – but Keith Urban couldn't wait to wish his wife, Nicole Kidman, a happy Valentine's Day.

During the encore for his Wednesday night concert in Madison Square Garden – co-headlined by American Idol Carrie Underwood – the country superstar dedicated his hit, "Got it Right This Time," to his pregnant wife, who's back home in their native Australia.

Why get the jump a day early? Those pesky time zones. "It's Valentine's Day here tomorrow," he told the crowd, "but today it's already Valentine's Day in Australia."

The emotional tribute capped a rocking live show for Urban. At one point, he even walked out into the crowd, playing a song on his guitar while surrounded by crazed fans. He then autographed the instrument and handed it to the audience member standing next to him.

"It won't take so long to come back this time ...," he pledged at the end of the show. "We'll be back in New York real soon."

PEOPLE PHOTO EXCLUSIVE: Christina Aguilera & Baby!

Originally posted Wednesday February 13, 2008 01:20 PM EST

Max is ready for his close-up: PEOPLE has your first exclusive look at Christina Aguilera and her baby Max, born Jan. 12 in L.A. Go inside their home as the 27-year-old pop star and husband Jordan Bratman, 30, speak out about parenthood and pose for an exclusive family photo album (all in the new issue of PEOPLE, on newsstands Friday). Says Aguilera of little Max: "He's completely changed my life."

Mary-Louise Parker, Jeffrey Dean Morgan Engaged?

Originally posted Wednesday February 13, 2008 06:00 PM EST

On-again, off-again couple Jeffrey Dean Morgan and Mary-Louise Parker appear to be back on – as in, really on.

The pair are engaged, New York's Daily News is reporting, saying that the two, who appear as husband and wife on the Showtime series Weeds, have been telling friends of their intention to marry.

When reached by PEOPLE, a rep for Morgan had no comment on the report.

Morgan, 41, and Parker, 43, were first seen together at a party in New York in December 2006 and then went on to shoot down frequent reports that they weren't getting along or had even parted ways.

Last March, they attended the opening night of the Broadway musical Curtains along with Parker's then-3-year-old son William – whose father is actor Billy Crudup, whom Parker dated from 1996 to November 2003.

In June 2007, Parker and Morgan really did split ("It just didn't work out," said Morgan, "wrong time in both our lives"), but by last December they were spotted together again, this time at a movie premiere.

Asked that night what he thought about his date, Morgan told PEOPLE, "What about her?" as he raised an eyebrow and flashed a sly grin.

Not that son William and Morgan are the only ones in Parker's life. In September, her rep exclusively confirmed to PEOPLE that the actress had adopted a baby girl from Africa.

George Clooney Seeks to Avert Actors' Walkout

Originally posted Thursday February 14, 2008 08:05 AM EST


Now that the writers' strike is over, Hollywood is girding for an actors' strike – though not if George Clooney has his way.

The actor and recently appointed United Nations' messenger of peace, 46, is asking his fellow members of the Screen Actors Guild to avoid a walkout by starting talks with studios and producers in anticipation of the union's June 30 contract deadline.

Clooney – along with fellow Oscar winners Robert De Niro, Tom Hanks and Meryl Streep – have taken out ads in Variety and the Hollywood Reporter, urging SAG to commit to negotiating a deal quickly, reports Reuters.

At last week's Oscar-nominee luncheon, Clooney expressed concern that the longer SAG officials waited to start talking to movie and TV producers, the weaker the actors' position might be.

'Strike Fatigue'

"I think there's a lot of strike fatigue, and I think you actually start losing negotiating power," said Clooney, reports Variety. "I would hope we in the Screen Actors Guild get back to the table."

SAG national executive director Doug Allen said on Wednesday that the union, which represents about 120,000 actors, would begin talks with studios "at a time that will most benefit our members."

The last major SAG strike lasted for three months in 1980. In 2000, actors in commercials struck for six months – during which Clooney and Hanks both donated to the SAG Foundation's relief fund.

Billy Ray Apologizes for Not Buckling Up

Originally posted Wednesday February 13, 2008 02:10 PM EST

Miley Cyrus and father Billy Ray Cyrus are admitting they goofed.

"We got caught up in the moment of filming, and we made a mistake and forgot to buckle our seatbelts," Billy Ray Cyrus tells PEOPLE about a gaffe in the hit 3-D movie Hannah Montana/Miley Cyrus: Best of Both Worlds Concert Tour – one that's caused a head-on collision with controversy.

"Seatbelt safety is extremely important," he adds.

Editors at Consumer Reports took issue with a scene in the film in which Miley and her dad are "riding in the back seat of a Range Rover on the way to rehearsal for the concert tour. Neither was wearing a seat belt," said a posting on the magazine's blog.

"Why should we care?" the posting continued. "Because, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, in about 55 percent of passenger vehicle fatalities in 2006 (the latest data available), the occupants were not wearing seat belts. Even worse, in the 13- to 15-year-old age group, that percentage climbs to 65 percent."

Observed Consumer Reports: "It seems to us that Miley, her father, and Disney had a perfect opportunity to help influence teens and counteract – rather than encourage – this trend. Then again, as Hannah herself sings, 'Everybody makes mistakes.' "

Kellie Pickler to New Idols: Things Will Change

February 13, 2008

Kellie Pickler has enjoyed continued success as a country artist since her run on American Idol. But the success did have a price, Pickler tells PEOPLE.

“Going through that whole process and literally overnight you’re on 30-40 million television sets ever week — it’s not necessarily you that changes but it’s the people around you that change,” Pickler says.

Her advice to the new crop of of contestants in the top 24?

“Stay away from mean people! Of course that’s with any profession,” she says, noting that it’s important to “surround yourself with people that support you and pray for you.”

Since leaving her job as a Sonic Burger waitress in Albemarle, N.C., to pursue her dreams, “I lost so many people. No one that I was close with before am I even remotely close to now. I have maybe three people in my life now that have been amazing through the whole process.”

One of the people Pickler is proud to count as her friends is fellow Idol contestant Katharine McPhee. Pickler was “honored” to have been a bridesmaid at McPhee’s Feb. 2 wedding to producer Nick Cokas.

“Kat and I were roommates (on Idol) and built a bond that I was not able to build with anyone else on the show,” says Pickler. “She instantly became like a big sister to me and Nick became like a big brother. I’m so blessed to have them in my life.”

Mel Gibson Completes DUI Probation Terms

Originally posted Wednesday February 13, 2008 05:40 PM EST

Mel Gibson completed the probation requirements from his DUI arrest, with the judge telling him Wednesday: "Now, you're on your own."

"Good luck to you as you continue on your rehabilitation," Superior Court Judge Lawrence Mira said, according to L.A.'s City News Service.

"Thank you, your honor," Gibson replied.

Gibson, 52, was escorted into the Malibu courthouse by sheriff's deputies through a back door to avoid a crush of photographers.

Gibson pleaded no contest in August 2006 to a misdemeanor charge of driving with an elevated blood-alcohol level and was sentenced to three years probation. He was spared jail time but required to attend Alcoholics Anonymous meetings

Gibson was pulled over shortly after 2 a.m. in July 2006. He reportedly made anti-Semitic comments during his arrest, for which he later issued an apology.

Although Gibson completed the terms of his probation, he still technically remains on probation for another 18 months.

Richie Sambora Felt Dragged Through 'Hell'

Originally posted Wednesday February 13, 2008 09:15 AM EST

When Bon Jovi guitarist Richie Sambora entered rehab last year, he had "hit bottom."

"I got divorced [from Heather Locklear], I was going through a custody battle, I was having alcohol addiction problems, my dad was dying," Sambora, 48, tells PEOPLE before taking the stage with Bon Jovi for a benefit concert at Manhattan's Hammerstein Ballroom Tuesday.

"It was a gang tackle from hell, basically. And crawling out of that wreckage was a very triumphant victory," he says.

In September, Sambora checked into Utah's Cirque Lodge for a week, overlapping with Lindsay Lohan. A major contribution to Sambora's recovery is thanks to the unwavering support of his friends, his band, and, he says: "Oh man, my mom, especially."

Family Tragedy

Sambora, an only child, is particularly close to his mother, Joan, as he was with his father, Adam, who suffered from lung cancer before dying of the disease last year. "You feel like you are drowning in a sea of disaster," Sambora says of dealing with lung cancer.

Dedicating Tuesday night's concert to the late Sambora, Bon Jovi kicked off a yearlong concert series for the non-profit Stand Up For A Cure to benefit Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in Manhattan, where Adam Sambora was treated.

Helping to raise awareness of lung cancer is one of the best things in Sambora's life since getting sober, as is taking care of his mom and spending time with 10-year-old daughter, Ava.

Would Love More Kids

"I love being a dad," says the musician. "I'd have more kids if I could. I'd take a couple more, one or two more before I croak."

Single since splitting from former girlfriend Denise Richards in 2007, is Sambora thinking of anyone special of having them with? "There's a couple," he says with a laugh, "but I don't want to say anything right now."

Inside Jennifer Aniston's Birthday Bash

Originally posted Wednesday February 13, 2008 07:00 AM EST

All work and no play? Not exactly. But Jennifer Aniston spent her 39th birthday toiling away on the Vancouver set of her upcoming romantic drama, Traveling.

Still, the actress did receive a special treat from her cast and crew on Monday. They surprised the Birthday Girl with a "giant ice cream cake," says a source. "The crew all gathered around and sang a rousing rendition of 'Happy Birthday.' [There were] hugs and kisses for everyone, from everyone."

Good wishes also poured in from far-away friends, as several large flower arrangements were also delivered to her trailer.

Two days earlier, Aniston had a chance really to cut loose, when she and 20 friends – including Traveling director Brandon Camp – took over the private room of Cioppino's Mediterranean Grill for a lively dinner party.

Custom-made Cake

"Everyone ordered so many dishes," an observer says of the group, which tucked in to the restaurant's signature "Cucina Naturale" cuisine (emphasizing fresh ingredients while minimizing the use of animal fats and creams). "They tried everything. They were just having such a good time."

As the meal wound down, the restaurant presented Aniston with a custom-made birthday cake. "When it was wheeled out from the kitchen by several staff, everyone started to sing 'Happy Birthday' to Jennifer, including people from the kitchen," says the witness. "Jennifer looked a little surprised, but it was her birthday party, after all."

As the party played on until 2:30 a.m., "she had a big smile," says the onlooker. "She had a really good time with all of her friends – and seemingly didn't want the evening to end."

It's Official: The Writers' Strike Is Over

Feb. 13, 2008 | 08:30 AM EST

The votes are in.

After 100 days on the picket lines, members of the Writers' Guild of America voted overwhelmingly – 92.5 percent in favor, to be exact – to accept a deal with producers.

Hollywood scribes are expected to get back to their keyboards Wednesday.

The agreement – which still needs to be formally ratified – removes the boycott threat that had been looming over the Feb. 24 Oscars.

"I am ecstatic that the 80th Academy Awards presentation can now proceed full steam ahead," Sid Ganis, president of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, which organizes the ceremony, said in a statement.

Under the new deal, producers agreed to give writers a piece of the profit from programs that run on the Internet. Writers also will receive an increase in residual payments for movies and TV shows downloaded online.

Thanks to the new agreement, "writers will lead the way as TV migrates to the Internet and platforms for new media are developed," said Patric M. Verrone, president of the Writers Guild of America, West.

As a key concession, the Guild did give up its push to have its membership include animators and reality television workers.

Britney Gets in Retail Therapy with Mom

Originally posted Tuesday February 12, 2008 08:00 PM EST

Britney Spears appears to be bonding with her mother – by shopping.

Spears and mom Lynne spent a half-hour at the Miss Sixty store in Los Angeles, where the pop star spent $650 on J Rocker Jeans, a white Carmen T-shirt, a Tirsa blue dress and a Maybelle stretch tee.

Spears, who once had been estranged from her mother – with an uneasy peace during Britney's psychiatric care – even asked her for shopping advice, according to an observer.

"Her mom helped her get the right size jeans that she ended up buying," an eyewitness says. "Britney also held up the blue dress in front of her and showed her mom before she decided to by it."

Daughter and mother then traveled to the Millennium Dance Complex, where Spears taught a dance class for youngsters the day before.

Janet Jackson: 'I Might Be Allergic to Marriage'

Originally posted Wednesday February 13, 2008 07:50 AM EST

Friends and family are urging Janet Jackson to get hitched and have kids. But don't expect the pop star – who has been dating record producer Jermaine Dupri since 2002 – to settle down any time soon.

"So many people were putting pressure on [Jermaine], then they started pressuring me," the singer told The Insider. "Everybody would ask us about it – even friends."

But Jackson, who has been married twice before – to James DeBarge (from 1984 to 1985) and to Rene Elizondo (from 1986 to 1999) – isn't in any hurry.

"If it's [meant] to happen, it'll happen," she says. "I like where we are, and I'm happy where I am. I've done it twice before. I'm afraid I might be a jinx. I might be allergic to marriage."

As for children, she admits: "We both would love to have kids. Someday I know it's going to happen. Exactly when, I don't know."

Biological Clock Can Tick

Even at 41, Jackson is not obsessing about her biological clock.

"I get so much pressure .. even my mother mentioned something to me the other day," she told Britain's The Observer on Sunday. "But now you can have your eggs frozen and there are all sorts of things you can do. I've still got time so I think I'm okay."

The singer – whose new Discipline is out on Feb. 26 – added, "I've got to get a little more kid out of me first before I move on and be childish with my child."

Shanna Moakler: Name My Pet Pig!

Originally posted Wednesday February 13, 2008 09:00 AM EST

Forget the presidential race. Shanna Moakler is holding her own election on MySpace. At issue? What to name her new piglet.

Although fans previously suggested plenty of possible monikers – including Lindsay LoHam and Spamela Anderson – there was one clear frontrunner.

"Hundreds of you said Paris Hilton – with the tagline that you wouldn't want to do that to the pig," the 32-year-old Moakler wrote on her MySpace page.

But the former Meet the Barkers star (whose ex, Travis Barker, announced the finalization of the couple's divorce earlier this week), settled on her five favorites for the porker – a female which, the mother-of-three writes, "won't get any bigger than a cocker spaniel or a pug."

Aretha at Grammys: Not Feeling the R-E-S-P-E-C-T

Originally posted Tuesday February 12, 2008 06:20 PM EST

When Beyoncé and Tina Turner hit the Grammy stage for their high-octane duet on Sunday, most observers were left in awe. But the woman known as the "Queen of Soul" was left in a state of dismay over Beyoncé's introducing Turner as "the Queen."

Clearly offended, Aretha Franklin says in a statement, "I am not sure of whose toes I may have stepped on or whose ego I may have bruised between the Grammy writers and Beyoncé, however I dismissed it as a cheap shot for controversy. In addition to that, I thank the Grammys and the voting academy for my 20th Grammy and love to Beyoncé anyway."

There was no immediate comment from Beyoncé or the Recording Academy.

Paris Hilton's Little Brother Arrested for DUI

Originally posted Tuesday February 12, 2008 01:30 PM EST

Like sister, like brother? Paris Hilton's 18-year-old younger brother, Barron Hilton, was arrested Tuesday morning on charges of driving under the influence and carrying a fake driver's license, authorities confirm.

The younger Hilton was arrested at 8:04 a.m. after failing a field sobriety test, according to L. A. County sheriff's spokesman Steve Whitmore.

He spent all day in jail before his $20,000 bail was posted. His arraignment was set for April 14.

Hilton was driving black Mercedes on Pacific Coast Highway in Malibu when another motorist observed him driving erratically, according to Whitmore. When Hilton stopped, the other driver had him sit on bus bench until deputies arrived, Whitmore says.

Hilton's blood-alcohol level was .14 percent, said Whitmore. The California legal limit for a person over 21 is .08 percent, but for a person under 21, any blood-alcohol level is considered legally drunk.

The DUI charge is a misdemeanor; the more serious charge is carrying a fake license, a felony.

Barron was booked at the Lost Hills sheriff's station. The Mercedes was impounded.

Barron's father Rick Hilton said in a statement: "I haven't been contacted yet by either my son or the police. If what I have heard is true, it is very disturbing and I will have a lot to say – but it will be to my son, not the media."

Paris Hilton famously served time in jail last year for violating probation in an alcohol-related driving case. Hilton was charged with DUI in September 2006.

The arrest was first reported by TMZ.com.

Benji Madden and Sophie Monk Call It Quits

Originally posted Tuesday February 12, 2008 07:00 PM EST

There will be no wedding bells for Benji Madden and fiancée Sophie Monk – the pair have "officially split," her agent confirmed Tuesday.

"Sophie and Benji have officially split. The decision was mutual and they remain amicable," the actress's Sydney agent, Yoon Kim, said in a statement to the Australia's Daily Telegraph. "This will be my only statement regarding this matter."

The pair reportedly met on the set of a Good Charlotte video in 2006 and were engaged in January 2007.

Britney Spears Steps into Dance Class – As Teacher

Originally posted Tuesday February 12, 2008 08:30 AM EST

Britney Spears has class – dance class, that is.

The 26-year-old singer – who's in the midst of a custody battle over her own kids, Preston, 2, and Jayden, 1 – logged some quality kiddie time Monday, teaching dance an hour-long dance lesson to a group of six children.

"The class was amazing," Robert Baker, director of the Millennium Dance Complex, tells PEOPLE.

In addition to choreographed routines to vintage Madonna songs "True Blue" and "Material Girl" and "Holiday," Spears – wearing ripped fishnets, red boy-shorts and a blue top – also allowed her pupils to free-style dance.

"She even played age-appropriate games in a circle, pretending to be a choo-choo train," Baker said. "Britney was just amazing with the kids and everyone ended up having a blast. At the end of the hour class, all the kids hugged Britney and she seemed very happy."

Kids 'Thrilled'

The kids, aged 4 to 7, were selected from the studio's junior program. "The parents gave their permission," Baker said. "They were thrilled. One parent summed it up: 'It's a once in a lifetime event.'"

Well, maybe not. Spears had so much fun, "She asked to please teach a class tomorrow," said Baker, a longtime Spears friend. "We plan to put together a group of about 20 kids for her."

After the class wrapped up at 7 p.m., Spears – who has rehearsed at Millennium three times since Friday – spent another hour and a half working on a dance routine for her single "Hot as Ice."

"She seems very focused about getting back into her old life," said Baker. "[She's] focusing her energy on creating and dancing."

Mother: Amy Winehouse 'On Road to Recovery'

Originally posted Tuesday February 12, 2008 07:45 AM EST

When it comes to Amy Winehouse's progress in rehab, her mother Janis Winehouse is pleased – and relieved.

"She's on the road to recovery," Mrs. Winehouse told the U.K. morning show GMTV, "and that's what it's all about."

The mother added, "She's definitely on the road back."

The worried mom also thinks it was a wise decision for her daughter to perform at the Grammys via satellite from England rather than to leave rehab (where she has been since last month) and fly to Los Angeles for the ceremony – where she ended up winning five awards.

"I think it would have been too much for her because all of the traveling and flying there," she said. "I mean seeing what the Grammys were like, I thought if Amy were there, she'd be a little girl lost in it."

Then again, observed the mother, "It was a case of Amy couldn't get to L.A., and my feeling was L.A. came to Amy."

Stellar Night

Winehouse won five Grammys – including record of the year, song of the year and best new artist. She also rocked the crowd inside Los Angeles's Staples Center with a live-via-satellite rendition of "You Know I'm No Good" and "Rehab."

"We all felt, the family, well everyone that saw her felt that's the best she's performed, definitely," said her mother.

Sunday night (actually Monday morning in the U.K.) Winehouse, 24, addressed the intimate crowd gathered at London's Riverside Studios – including her mother, father Mitch and older brother Alex – and said, "I can't believe I've won five awards. It's a shame I couldn't be there to accept the awards but I'm so proud and happy that I had the opportunity to perform for the Grammys in my hometown of London with my family and friends around me. Thank you, thank you, thank you!"

"Amy is as she is," said Mrs. Winehouse. "There's no sort of double standards – what you see is how she is. She's a very, very genuine and sincere girl."

'She Looks Good'

Janis Winehouse also told GMTV, "As you saw, she looks good. She's on the road to recovery."

And a long road it's been. "Where I know about addiction," says Janis, "addiction is something that once it's got hold of the person, it's like whoa, you know – very hard to get the off."

Mrs. Winehouse admitted the entire family had feared for Amy's health. "She was sort of with it but not with it," she explains. "She's got a solid family and we're all there for her," she said.

"I was helpless because there was nothing I could do. Amy had to do it for Amy and that's the way it is."

As for what is still ahead, "She will see a therapist, and she will still be getting help," says her mother, "because she still wants the help."

Joel: Baby Harlow Is 'Definitely a Mama's Girl'

Originally posted Monday February 11, 2008 05:55 PM EST

Joel Madden is in love with his new baby daughter, Harlow, and she is in love with ... her mother – at least for now.

She's "definitely a mama's girl," the rocker told PEOPLE before a gig as a deejay at Prive Las Vegas on Friday. "Right now she needs mom because all she does is eat. I have a feeling that when she starts talking she's going to be a daddy's girl."

Harlow Winter Kate Madden, who was born Jan. 11, is the first child for Madden, 28, and girlfriend Nicole Richie, 26.

The night in Las Vegas was the Good Charlotte singer's first one away from his daughter, and the reason he agreed to deejay was because the club donated its door proceeds to the Richie-Madden Children's Foundation, he said.

"It's really hard being away from her. I think after having Harlow we are already in love with being parents," he said. "It's cool to watch Harlow with Nicole because they already have a real special bond. It's cute. I have my own little bond with her too."

As far as Madden's bond with Richie, that's stronger than ever too. "She's a wonderful mother and she looks really hot already," he said. "The girl is gifted, man. Women hate her because she looks good being pregnant and then has the baby and looks sexy. There's something so attractive about her now. It's a motherly glow."

Michelle Williams Back in New York City

Originally posted Monday February 11, 2008 03:15 PM EST

Days after taking a plunge in the ocean following Heath Ledger's wake in Australia, Michelle Williams is back in New York City.

The actress, who had been shooting the film Mammoth before her ex's untimely death, was spotted Monday in SoHo outside the nature store Evolution, where the film is currently shooting. (The store features skeletons, medical posters and other trinkets.)

Over the weekend, Williams and at least 50 other mourners all ran onto the sand – and many of them jumped in the ocean – behind the Indiana Tea House on Cottesloe Beach, the site of the wake and one of Ledger's favorite spots.

Williams, still wearing her sundress, briefly went into the water as everyone cheered.

Natalie Cole: Amy's Wins Send a 'Bad Message'

Feb. 11, 2008 | 05:35 PM EST

Dr. Phil, move over. There's a new advocate for tough love on the circuit: Natalie Cole.

The multiple Grammy winner – her first win, in 1975, was for best new artist of the year – told PEOPLE at Sunday's Warner Music Group post-Grammy party that she took a dim view of Amy Winehouse's awards sweep at the Grammy ceremony earlier in the evening.

"I don't think she should have won. I think it sends a bad message to our young people who are trying to get into this business, the ones who are trying to do it right and really trying to keep themselves together," said Cole, 58. "We have to stop rewarding bad behavior."

Of Winehouse, 24, who is currently in rehab in England, Cole says: "I'm sorry. I think the girl is talented, gifted, but it's not right for her to be able to have her cake and eat it too. She needs to get herself together."

On the seriousness of Winehouse's troubles, Cole – who over the years has battled her own substance-abuse problems, successfully – observes, "I mean, she could die. This isn't something that's cute and fun just to throw around in the press. The girl really has a problem, and I think for those of us who have been in the business long enough, we know the sacrifice it takes. This is about discipline and hard work, and you don't get to just do your drugs and go onstage and get rewarded."

Performance 'Fine'

In all, Winehouse won five Grammys – including record of the year, song of the year and best new artist. She also rocked the crowd inside Los Angeles's Staples Center with a live-via-satellite rendition of "You Know I'm No Good" and "Rehab."

"Her performance was fine," surmised Cole. "I don't take anything away from her talent, but I just feel like she's stepping into a place that she hasn't earned yet."

As for whom Cole, whose new jazz CD will be out in August, would have lavished with Grammy gold, the singer replied, "Rihanna, even Beyoncé. "I just feel like they're ready to go the long haul. You can tell how hard they work, they're great people, their heart is in the right place. These are the people we should be praising, these are the people we should be encouraging."

She added, "And the others, we need to help them."

Passion Screenwriter Sues Mel Gibson

Originally posted Monday February 11, 2008 05:55 PM EST

The co-screenwriter of The Passion of the Christ has sued Mel Gibson for $5 million, alleging Gibson conspired against him to deprive him of fair compensation and keep more money for himself.

In the 21-page complaint filed Monday in Los Angeles Superior Court, Benedict Fitzgerald accuses Gibson of fraud, breach of contract and unfair business practices.

"Gibson preyed monetarily on Ben, taking advantage of his unbridled enthusiasm for the project and with full cognizance of Ben's fundamental personal and spiritual beliefs," the lawsuit says.

Fitzgerald claims Gibson, who also takes a screenwriting credit on the 2004 film, engaged in a "chronic and conspiratorial pattern of deceit," telling Fitzgerald he'd be working on a small, $4 million to $7 million project that would yield little money for Fitzgerald and none for Gibson.

Although by some accounts the film grossed over $600 million worldwide, Fitzgerald complains he was paid $75,000 and that he had to borrow $200,000 from Gibson for expenses.

George R. Hedges, an attorney for Gibson's production company, Icon, says the lawsuit "is utterly baseless and the charges are utterly baseless."

He says he cannot divulge Fitzgerald's total compensation on the film, but Fitzgerald "was handsomely compensated – a very significant amount of money for any writer on any project."

Mario Testino: Kate Middleton Isn't Working for Me

Originally posted Tuesday February 12, 2008 08:00 AM EST

Contrary to press reports, aspiring photographer Kate Middleton isn't teaming up with Mario Testino.

In January, reports in respected British papers (including The Telegraph) claimed Prince William's girlfriend would begin working in Testino's New York studios in March.

"She's s not! She's not! I don't know where that came from," the photographer told PEOPLE Monday night at a Burberry/Vanity Fair exhibition at London's National Portrait Gallery, which included Testino's famous shots of Princess Diana. "I promise you, she's not."

Despite her run-ins with the paparazzi, Middleton has expressed a keen interested in photography. In November, after quitting her job as an accessories buyer at English fashion chain Jigsaw, the 26-year-old hosted a party to celebrate portrait photographer Alistair Morrison's book Time to Reflect.

Testino – who has also photographed Princes William and Harry several times – didn't completely rule out taking Middleton under his wing.

"Maybe one day," he said, laughing.

Ryan Phillippe Opens Up About Divorce from Reese

Originally posted Monday February 11, 2008 02:30 PM EST

Ryan Phillippe calls his divorce from Reese Witherspoon, after seven years of marriage, "the darkest, saddest place I had ever been."

The actor, 33, tells W magazine, "There were a good four or five months of not being able to get out of bed. It was the worst time in my life."

But that was then. "You get through it," Phillippe says now. "It's a process that's not easy, but I get less and less sad about it every day."

The marriage produced two children for the couple: Ava, now 8, and Deacon, now 4. The pair's split prompted speculation that acting couples cannot peaceably co-exist – especially when the woman earns more than the man (let alone wins an Oscar). Phillippe acknowledges that theory, but doesn't necessarily buy its premise.

"I certainly understand the level of interest that comes along with a public marriage, and with being married to someone like Reese, who so many people love with good reason. People want answers," he says. "But I think sometimes they wouldn't be happy with what the answers would be."

Complicated Reasons

Instead, he says, the reason for the breakup was "far more complicated and far less interesting than it's made out to be. To look and search for these salacious reasons, to pin it on a person, or a moment in someone's life, it's not realistic."

Though the drama of the divorce has died down – and he and Witherspoon, 31, "have done a really good job at keeping things peaceable and completely focused on" the children – "I spend a lot of time just holed up in my house in Los Angeles," he says. "I don't really go out because I know it's going to turn into a photo shoot."

Though Phillippe is in the new movie Stop-Loss, a drama about Iraq war soldiers, he admits that the main reason he's of interest to the paparazzi "is because I was married to the highest-paid actress in the world. Even though I'm not with her any longer, there is a certain amount of notoriety that I guess sticks beyond."

Say he, "It's just not interesting to me. It's not how I want to be defined."

As for reports that his current costar, Abbie Cornish, was the third wheel in his marriage, and one of the possible causes of the divorce, Phillipe laughs off the notion.

"It was unfair for her to be called the names that she was, because it wasn't about that," he says. "I don't think an outside person can ever cause a divorce. I had difficulties in my relationship, and in my marriage, long before I ever met her."

A Kiss from David Beckham Makes Fan Faint

Originally posted Sunday February 10, 2008 01:00 PM EST

While Victoria Beckham was checking out all the latest in fashion at New York Fashion Week, across the country plenty of women were checking out her husband, David Beckham, during Jermaine Dupri's pre-Grammy party at Hollywood's Club Central.

"Beckham rolled in at about 1 a.m.," a fellow party-goer tells PEOPLE. "He looked like he was having a great time hanging with Jermaine and talking to Janet [Jackson]."

While Beckham played it cool with the party's hosts, it's safe to say he was heating things up among the women at the party. In fact, when one young female fan approached the soccer star and got a quick kiss on the cheek, she literally went weak in the knees – and fainted!

Beckham's reaction: "He looked like it was an ordinary everyday thing," an observer tells PEOPLE. "He just said 'Get her some water. She'll be ok.'"

Jaws Star Roy Scheider Dies

Originally posted Sunday February 10, 2008 10:50 PM EST

Roy Scheider, a two-time Oscar nominee who played the alarmist police chief who famously saves a beach resort in the 1975 blockbuster Jaws and its sequel, died Sunday. He was 75.

Scheider had been battling multiple myeloma, a cancer of the plasma cells, for the past few years. He died at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences hospital in Little Rock, said a hospital spokesman, who did not specify a cause of death, the Associated Press reports.

He made his professional acting debut in 1961, as Mercutio in a New York Shakespeare Festival production of Romeo and Juliet. In the following decade he was twice nominated for Academy Awards.

His first Oscar nomination was for his supporting role as a police detective in 1971's Best Picture winner, The French Connection. His second was for his starring role as the self-destructive choreographer-director Joe Gideon, a thinly veiled Bob Fosse, in Fosse's autobiographical All That Jazz, in 1979.

Last summer, Scheider, a longtime fixture in New York's Hamptons, sold his beachfront house to Billy Joel for nearly $18.75 million. The acre property contained a home with four fireplaces built for Scheider and his family in 1994. Scheider then built a new, four-bedroom home in nearby Sag Harbor.

He is survived by his second wife, Brenda Seimer; three children; a brother; and two grandchildren, reports The New York Times.

Oscars Saved, Just In Time

Feb. 10, 2008 | 05:00 PM EST

The strke is over... sort of.

Staggered by the cancellation of the Golden Globes and fearful that the same fate could befall next months Oscars, Hollywood producers have agreed to give striking writers a piece of the profit that their work might make over the Internet, thus ending a the strike that has played havoc with the Los Angeles economy and left television awash in reruns and reality shows for more than three months.

"We have reached a historic agreement that covers new media for writers and guarantees our share in the future," Writers' Guild of America, West President Patric M. Verrone said in a press conference Sunday afternoon at the Writers Guild headquarters in Los Angeles. "This morning, based on the unanimous recommendation of the WGA negotiating committee, the WGA has called for a contract ratification vote by the membership."

Although the writers won't be able to ratify the contract for several weeks, the membership will hold a vote Tuesday to end the strike, meaning that the earliest that Jon Stewart and the other Oscar writers will be able to write jokes for the Feb. 24 Oscar telecast is late Tuesday night or Wednesday morning.

In exchange for getting royalties for new media, the Guild had to give up their push to have their membership include animators and reality television.

"I think what happened with the Golden Globes was instrumental in getting this deal," said the WGA's Chief Negotiator David Young. "That is what brought the CEO's to the table. They realized that the creative community was united in this strike and that with out creative talent they can't produce anything. It was a huge symbol."

While many of Hollywood can finally exhale after three and a half difficult months, others worry that it may be a short-lived honeymoon, as the Screen Actors Guild, whose support for the writers was instrumental in them getting a deal, begins what promises to be tense negotiations with producers in the coming week.