Stars over the moon about Obama's speech

DENVER - First word on Barack Obama's historic nomination acceptance speech from a bevy of celebrities in attendance was decidedly partisan: "It was excellent," Black Eyed Peas singer Fergie said. "It was amazing."

"Incredible," said Jessica Alba simply, before joining Fergie, Rosario Dawson, Wilmer Valderrama and Kerry Washington at a private exit from Invesco Field. Alba was at the speech with husband ,Cash Warren.

Other celebrities in attendance included George Lucas with girlfriend Mellody Hardon and his daughter, Forest Whitaker with wife Keisha and Star Jones, and Daniel Dae Kim of "Lost," who posed for pictures with the Hawaii delegation.

Next for Obama and his celebrity backers?

"What I hope happens is the country doesn't forget the jubilation and excitement that's been generated here," Kim said. "And I hope it turns into something that changes the world."

will.i.am performed his speech-song "Yes We Can" with John Legend during the run-up to Obama's speech. Susan Sarandon and Anne Hathaway sang along in the stands as Sheryl Crow performed "Change is Gonna Come," and crooner Michael McDonald prompted many a flag wave with his rendition of "America the Beautiful."

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Oprah Winfrey left Denver with the candidate she wanted, but reportedly without her eyelashes.

The talk-show host said she was moved to tears by Obama's speech. And those must've been some serious tears.

"I cried my eyelashes off," she said in the bowels of Invesco Field, moments after Obama accepted the nomination for president before an estimated 84,000 people.

"I think it's the most powerful thing I have ever experienced," she added, calling Obama's words "transcendent." On the 45th anniversary of Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I have a Dream Speech," Winfrey compared Obama's words to those of the civil-rights leader, Franklin Delano Roosevelt and Abraham Lincoln.

"He's not an African-American candidate," she said. "He's a candidate for Americans."

Winfrey threw her support behind Obama early — even before the Democratic primaries got under way last year. She's stayed active since, hosting rallies and fundraisers that even Obama has acknowledged have given him a boost.

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Before singing the national anthem to a slowly filling stadium, Jennifer Hudson appeared lost in thought, wearing a casual gray dress and listening to iPod earphones as her handlers asked for directions to the podium. While waiting, she typed on a Sidekick.

"Fired up!" said an excited Spike Lee on the field. "Bigger than the Super Bowl!"

The only major party planned for Thursday night was an elite event sponsored by Vanity Fair and Google.

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Among the celebrities spotted in and around the convention on Wednesday was Steven Spielberg, who directed a short film on veterans that shown at the convention. Jennifer Lopez spoke at a reception honoring children's rights activist Marian Wright Edelman. Ben Affleck read excerpts from a Howard Zinn book and made an appearance at the city's food bank for America's Second Harvest.

Affleck was joined by his wife, Jennifer Garner, at the book reading at the Starz Green Room across the street from the Pepsi Center. Also participating: Dawson, Washington, Taye Diggs, Hill Harper and Josh Brolin.

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Also on Wednesday:

• The Black Eyed Peas performed a concert at the Fillmore Auditorium for the Creative Coalition. Fergie praised Hillary Rodham Clinton's Tuesday-night speech, saying Clinton "really spoke to me as a woman. And I think she spoke to a lot of people in that way."

• Politicians including former Virginia Gov. Mark Warner attended a ONE Campaign party featuring a Kanye West performance. Also in attendance: Whitaker, Kal Penn, Jamie Foxx and director Davis Guggenheim.

• Muhammad Ali sat in the convention audience.

• Fran Drescher, Ashley Judd and Joy Bryant joined Lopez at the reception honoring Edelman.

• Hathaway and others gathered at a morning reception honoring Annette Bening for her work narrating the documentary "14 Women," about women in the U.S. Senate.

• Big Boi of Outkast was at the airport on his way out of town after hosting a Radio One show where he interviewed John Legend, among others.

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AP writer Christopher Wills contributed to this report.

Lindsay Lohan Loses Her Grandfather

Los Angeles (E! Online) - The Lohan family has suffered a loss.
Richard Lohan, Lindsay Lohan's paternal grandfather, died Thursday after a battle with colon cancer, E! News has confirmed.

In an interview Tuesday, dad Michael Lohan told E! that his 73-year-old father's declining health as the "real reason" he wasn't making a big deal out of his recent engagement to longtime girlfriend Erin Muller.

Richard had been in failing health for some time, with Michael saying in March that the cancer had spread to his lungs. Lindsay had made plans to visit her granddad, who was hospitalized in Long Island, N.Y., over the Easter holiday.

And although arrangements surely have to be made, Michael still managed to use the opportunity to take another swipe at ex-wife Dina Lohan, who he has publicly accused of being a "two-face" for supposedly fretting about Lindsay's lifestyle around him and then acting as if everything is fine-and-dandy around their daughter.

"My father just, literally, died in my arms," he said in a statement to OK! magazine tonight. "I notified all my kids and my lawyer notified Dina's attorney. Let's see if she has the decency and respect to bring my kids to the wake and funeral. THIS will show her true colors!

"Thus, not even a call. But that's par for the course with Dina! She didn't even send a card or visit when he was sick."

Dina Lohan has yet to respond to Michael's recent slings and arrows, although Lindsay and gal-pal Samantha Ronson took time out to blog yesterday about his "concern" for their relationship.

"If he really cared about me and my life, then he would learn to respect my wishes by staying out of it," Lindsay wrote, while Ronson called Michael "so desperate for attention that he goes to the media whenever possible."

David Duchovny in rehab for sex addiction

LOS ANGELES -
David Duchovny has entered a rehabilitation facility for sex addiction.
In a statement released Thursday by his lawyer, Stanton Stein, the actor said he did so voluntarily, adding: "I ask for respect and privacy for my wife and children as we deal with this situation as a family."

The actor's publicist, Flo Grace, confirmed the rehab report, which first appeared on People.com.

She and Stein both declined to elaborate further.

Duchovny, 48, plays a sex-obsessed character on the Showtime series "Californication," which earned Emmy nominations for casting and cinematography. The show's second season begins Sept. 28.

"All of us at Showtime wish David and his family the best during this very private time," the network said in a statement.

The actor appeared in the film "The X Files: I Want to Believe" earlier this summer. He has been married to actress Tea Leoni since 1997. They have two children.



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Lee Eon, most famously of Coffee Prince has dies in an accident

Model-turned-actor Lee Eon (also spelled Lee Un, most famously of Coffee Prince) has died in a motorcycle accident.

The 27-year-old, born Park Sang-min, was on his way home following the wrap party for KBS’s Strongest Chil Woo early on the morning of August 21. He was riding a motorcycle and ran into the guardrail of the overpass, and is said to have died almost immediately.

The news has shocked everyone; online, netizens are abuzz in disbelief. Just the night before, he had been onscreen in Chil Woo’s finale episode, and the sudden news is, to say the least, startling.

Lee Eon got his start modeling, but shot to mainstream levels of fame when he took on the role of simple-hearted but lovable Min Yub in last year’s Coffee Prince. He followed that with a stint as a cable-TV MC, then returned to dramas with Who Are You? and, most recently, Strongest Chil Woo.

RIP.

Producer sues Vanessa Hudgens for $5 million

LOS ANGELES - A music producer has sued Vanessa Hudgens for $5 million, claiming the actress and her father have repeatedly violated a contract and failed to pay him his share of her earnings.

Hudgens, one of the stars of Disney's successful "High School Musical" series, entered into an agreement with producer Johnny Vieira when she was still a minor, the lawsuit, filed in Los Angeles Superior Court on Monday, states. Vieira claims Hudgens and her father, Greg, sued to get out of the agreement, but have also failed to abide by settlement terms.

An e-mail message seeking comment from Hudgens' publicist wasn't immediately returned Tuesday morning.

Vieira is described in the lawsuit as a songwriter and music producer who was "engaged in the business of discovering and developing artists in the music industry" when he entered into an agreement with Hudgens in 2005.

That agreement, Vieira states, called for him to equally share in advances, royalties and merchandising from Hudgens' career.

That was before she landed a starring role in "High School Musical," which is scheduled to release its third installment later this year. She has also released a pair of solo albums.

Vieira claims an audit turned up at least two instances where he is owed money, and that Hudgens, 19, has refused to pay him.

He is also suing Greg Hudgens for defamation, claiming he sent an e-mail to others that accused Vieira of being a "predator."

Hudgens was sued last year by a lawyer who claimed she owed him $150,000. Court records show the lawsuit was settled in January, about a month after a judge ruled that case could go to trial.

Expert: John Mayer's Jennifer Aniston Kiss and Tell "an Ego Thing"

Apparently, John Mayer angered Jennifer Aniston's pals when he told photographers over the weekend that he "ended" the relationship.

"He’s acting like a spoiled child," an Aniston pal snipped to MSNBC's Courtney Hazlett. "Expect Jen to behave like a lady.” (Incidentally, the source adds, “it’s she who ended the relationship.")


So what made Mayer dish about the dumping?

"It's a pride and ego thing," Lee Kane, author of How to Be a Professional Bachelor, tells Usmagazine.com. "I think it makes him temporarily feel better. He's either hurt or has gotten hurt — otherwise he wouldn't have gone out of his way in talking to the media."

Mayer has a habit about blabbing about his exes.

• He joked about his sex life with Jennifer Love Hewitt after they split (he later apologized).

• Following his split with Jessica Simpson, he blogged a letter to an "ex lover," writing, "perhaps you didn't understand the last time I told you to stop contacting me." (The post only fueled Internet speculation that he was referring to Simpson; he later said he wasn't.)

Kane tells Us while it's "immature talking about his conquests," it has to do with "the dominant male psyche.

"He wants to feel that he's in charge and that he's making all the decisions," Kane explains.

Mayer's latest blab session should be a warning to single ladies in Hollywood.

Says Kane, "Anyone who tries to settle a man like that down is barking up the wrong tree."

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Hispanic Awards Honor America Ferrera

America Ferrera, the young star of the television show “Ugly Betty,” was honored at the 2008 ALMA Awards on Sunday, The Associated Press reported. The awards, created by the National Council of La Raza to recognize achievement by Hispanic entertainers, were handed out at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium. Ms. Ferrera was named Chevy Entertainer of the Year, for her work on “Ugly Betty,” which also won awards for best performance by a Latino-led ensemble cast and directing. Special honors also went to the fashion designer Narciso Rodriguez, the singer Linda Ronstadt and the pop star Shakira, who received a Humanitarian Award. Charlie Sheen, Edward James Olmos, Roselyn Sanchez and Judy Reyes also received acting awards. The Black Eyed Peas, the Cheetah Girls, Sergio Mendes, and Cheech & Chong performed, and Eva Longoria Parker served as host at the ceremony, which will be televised on Sept. 12 on ABC.

Daniel Radcliffe's Dyspraxia Diagnosis

Gina Serpe

Los Angeles (E! Online) - On the bright side, it hasn't seemed to affect his Quidditch game.
Harry Potter star Daniel Radcliffe has revealed he suffers from a mild form of dyspraxia, a neurological disorder that often impairs coordination, and which is sometimes mistaken for sheer clumsiness.

"Yes, Dan Radcliffe does have dyspraxia," his rep told Britain's Daily Mail. "This is something he has never hidden. Thankfully his condition is very mild and at worst manifests itself in an inability to tie his shoelaces and bad handwriting."

The 19-year-old revealed his diagnosis to the newspaper while hyping his upcoming Broadway debut in Equus.

Radcliffe had no problem joking about his condition in the Mail. "Why, oh why, has Velcro not taken off?"

The actor did not reveal when he was diagnosed with the disorder, which can sometimes make learning more difficult, but did say that his early days at school were not easy ones.

"I was having a hard time at school in terms of being crap at everything, with no discernible talent," he said.

Enter the acting bug, increased confidence and a massive Potter-powered payday.

Radcliffe's Broadway run kicks off Sept. 5 and lasts through Feb. 8.

Producer critically injured after car hits her

Authorities say Hollywood producer and talent manager Joan Hyler was in critical condition after she was hit by a car Friday night on Pacific Coast Highway in Malibu, California.

Hyler, who has represented Bob Dylan and Madonna and is a former president of the nonprofit Women in Film, was hit as she was heading to a home in the area.

In a posting on the Web site of UCLA Medical Center, her family says she sustained "severe and multiple injuries."

A hospital spokesman says Hyler remained in critical condition Sunday.

LOVE HEWITT HIT BACK AT WEIGHT CRITICS WITH NEW FIGURE

JENNIFER LOVE HEWITT has hit back at critics who ridiculed her for putting on weight - by showing off her new slimline figure in a U.S. magazine.
The Ghost Whisperer star was infamously snapped in her black two-piece swimsuit as she enjoyed a dip in the sea in November (07), sporting a slightly bulkier frame than usual.
The weight-gain attracted much unwanted attention, with celebrity website TMZ.com profiling the snaps alongside the headline: "We know what you ate this summer, Love – everything!"
And the star went on to lash out at the media, saying, "It made me feel a little embarrassed to be honest. It made me a little sad. It hurt my feelings."
But Love-Hewitt has had the last laugh, after shedding 18 pounds (8.16 kilograms) through a rigorous exercise programme.
She tells Usmagazine.Com, "I am in a pretty good workout regimen that I like, so it inspired me to keep it up. The energy level and the way I feel now is great."
And Love Hewitt's trainer, Stevie Sant'Angelo, insists the dramatic image overhaul has nothing to do with the unflattering snaps.
He adds, "She told me, 'They said some rude, mean things, but that's not why I wanted to change.'"

See:Jennifer Love Hewitt picture

Jury Clears Pastor's Wife of Assault

By JUAN A. LOZANO,AP

HOUSTON (Aug. 15) -- Victoria Osteen, the wife of megachurch pastor Joel Osteen, says her faith never faltered after she was sued for allegedly assaulting a flight attendant over a spill on her first-class seat.

"If I had to go through this, I could at least be an example of trying to live out what's right, trying to stand strong and trying to just keep my faith intact," she said. "I stood strong because I believe in the truth."

Victoria Osteen said she never touched Continental Airlines flight attendant Sharon Brown and a jury on Thursday believed her, deciding that the co-pastor of Houston's Lakewood Church did not attack the airline employee.

After the jury's verdict, which came following nearly a weeklong trial, Victoria Osteen began to cry and hugged her attorneys and several supporters in the courtroom as she said "thank you God" and "praise God." The 12 jurors deliberated for about 2½ hours.

Brown had testified Victoria Osteen got so upset when a spill on her first-class seat's armrest was not quickly cleaned up that she threw the flight attendant against a bathroom door and elbowed her in the left breast while attempting to rush into the cockpit.

But Victoria Osteen testified no such incident took place, as did her husband and other first-class passengers.

Brown quickly left the courtroom without talking to reporters, but in a brief statement her attorney Reginald McKamie read, she said, "We gave the truth to the jury. We are happy we had an opportunity to try our case."

She had been seeking at least $405,000 for actual damages — physical and mental pain as a result of an attack she alleged took place before the start of a December 2005 flight from Houston to Vail, Colo.

The jury's foreman, Gilles Labbe, said he and other jurors believed what happened on the plane was not an attack but a disagreement between a passenger and one or more flight attendants.

"This lawsuit in my opinion should not have been filed because nothing happened," he said.

Joel Osteen, whose church draws about 42,000 a week for services and whose TV show and books are popular around the world, said he and his family hold no ill will toward Brown and they have prayed for her.

"It's a great vindication and shows us the faithfulness of God," he said.

In his closing argument earlier Thursday, Rusty Hardin, Victoria Osteen's attorney, dismissed Brown's lawsuit as a made-up story concocted to land a courtroom payday.

In his closing argument, McKamie told jurors that because of Victoria Osteen's status as a religious leader, she felt she had "favor from God." That led her to believe she was above reproach for humiliating and assaulting his client, he said.

Besides money for actual damages, Brown had requested punitive damages amounting to 10 percent of Victoria Osteen's net worth as part of her lawsuit.

But jurors only would have considered punitive damages if they had found that Victoria Osteen had assaulted Brown and had done so with malice. Victoria Osteen's net worth, which her attorneys declined to discuss, only would have been detailed in court if the trial had reached the punitive damages stage.

The Osteens paid a $3,000 fine the Federal Aviation Administration levied against Victoria Osteen for interfering with a crew member but testified they did that to put the incident behind them.

Elvis fans ignore rain for graveside vigil

By Associated Press

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — Mary Lou Martell put it off as long as she could. But she finally had to head to Memphis for an anniversary vigil at Elvis Presley's grave.

"It's my first Elvis Week. I'm a little ashamed to say that, but it is," Martell, 60, said as she took part in a candlelight procession to Presley's grave at Graceland, his former Memphis residence. "We watched it on the computer last year and I finally said, 'I have to be part of that.'"

The procession, called the "Candlelight Vigil," drew several thousand Elvis fans who lined up in the street in front of Graceland for a single-file procession up a long, winding driveway to his grave in a small garden.

Fans weren't scared away by an intermittent drizzle during the vigil, which began at 9:30 p.m. EDT.

"We're doing fine," Martell said, peeping out from the hood of a plastic parka. "It's just for Elvis we stay out doing this."

The vigil, which runs into the early morning, is the highlight of a weeklong series of fan-club meetings, dances and Elvis-impersonator contests to commemorate the anniversary of his death. He died of heart disease and drug abuse at Graceland on Aug. 16, 1977. He was 42.

Martell of Dunkirk, N.Y., said she visits Graceland often but avoided Elvis Week in the past because of the crowds. She came early for her first graveside vigil, though, setting up a lawn chair at 9 a.m. at Graceland's front gates.

Many Elvis pilgrims return each year, and the graveside vigil draws visitors from around the world. But it's largely ignored by Memphis residents.

Jennifer Hobson, 29, of Memphis and a group of hometown friends formed a "Blue Hawaii" club to try to change that and sent out vigil invitations to their friends.

The group set up a small canvas canopy in the street in front of Graceland and decorated it with inflatable palm trees, blue lights and an Elvis bust sporting a blue lei.

"This is part of our city," Hobson said, "but when we come down here, we rarely see people we know. Y'all need to come out."

Hobson said the group had to leave some decorations at home because of the rain.

"I have a velvet Elvis, but because of the rain we couldn't bring out all of our good stuff," Hobson said.

Graceland supports a sprawling complex of souvenir shops, and fans waiting for the procession packed the stores pouring over Viva Las Vegas bobble head dolls for $19.99, Burning Love scented candles for $14.99, Jailhouse Rock T-shirts for $24.99 and hundreds of other Elvis-flavored gifts and do-dads.

Nancy Rooks, a former Graceland cook, was set up at a souvenir shop table to sell her book, "Elvis' Maid Remembers," and talk with fans.

Generally, the 71-year-old Rooks said, the fans ask about Elvis' personal habits, when he went to bed, when he got up, what he liked to eat.

"I tell them he ate breakfast at 5 o'clock in the afternoon, but then he'd eat dinner at 1 o'clock at night," she said. "We always had a meat loaf cooked, just in case he wanted it. If he didn't want meat loaf, then we knew to give him roast beef. He liked soul food."

Olympic-Inspired Films Access Top 10

By Access Hollywood

BEIJING, China -- The 2008 Beijing Olympic games are in full swing! Competitors are already breaking records and competing against insurmountable odds. Perhaps their stories will someday play out on the silver screen. Until then, here's a look at the top 10 classic Olympic-inspired films.

1. "Chariots of Fire"
The story of two British runners, "Chariots of Fire" showcases honor, determination, and a theme song that's been used in countless sports montages ever since.

2. "Miracle"
The legendary victory of the "Miracle on Ice," an American hockey team led by coach Herb Brooks (Kurt Russell) defeated the seemingly insurmountable Soviet squad at the 1980 games.


3. "Cool Runnings"
The true story of one of sport's most unlikely contenders: the Jamaican bobsled team, who competed at the Calgary Winter Olympics.

4. "The Cutting Edge"
When an injured NHL prospect joins a figure skater to train for the pairs competition, the two must reconcile their differences as they aim for Olympic gold - and a budding romance.

5. "Munich"
Stephen Spielberg's Oscar-nominated film follows the aftermath of the 1972 Munich Olympics, with Eric Bana leading a team of assassins after the terrorists who captured and killed 11 Israeli athletes.


6. "Prefontaine"
The tragic life of the Oregon long-distance runner who died in a car crash before he could compete in the Olympic games.

7. "Olympia"
Leni Riefenstahl's documentary of the 1936 Berlin games was commissioned by the International Olympic Committee (unlike the Riefenstahl-directed "The Triumph of the Will," which was sponsored by Adolph Hitler) and remains one of the finest portraits of an Olympiad.

8. "One Day in September"
A documentary on the heartbreaking events of the 1972 games, which were interrupted when Palestinian terrorists took 11 Israeli athletes hostage.

9. "American Anthem"
A male gymnast, Steve, gives up his dreams to work at his father's bike shop - until a new girl at his gym inspires him to return to gymnastics and train for the U.S. Olympic Trials.

10. "Blades of Glory"
Funnymen Will Ferrell and Jon Heder star in this Olympic-inspired farce, which follows two male figure skaters banned from the singles competition who join together to go for the gold as a pair.

Winslet's 'Weird' Sex Scene With DiCaprio

AP

NEW YORK (Aug. 15) - It was more than a little awkward for Kate Winslet to film sex scenes with Leonardo DiCaprio in front of husband Sam Mendes, who directed the stars in the upcoming drama "Revolutionary Road."

"I just kept saying, `This is too ... weird,'" Winslet tells Entertainment Weekly magazine. "And Leo was like, `Oh, get over it.' And I'm going, `Yeah, a little reminder: You're my best friend. He's my husband. This is a bit weird.'"

Mendes, who directed "American Beauty" and "Road to Perdition," says, "I will admit it was quite bizarre to direct my wife in how to make love. But it's difficult whether you're married to a person or not."

It's been 11 years since Winslet and DiCaprio co-starred in the Oscar-winning blockbuster "Titanic," and Winslet says a spark remains between them.

"I hadn't realized how much my chemistry with him since `Titanic' would still stick," says the 32-year-old actress. "It's great to discover we can just slip right into it, like muscle memory."

They play suburban couple Frank and April Wheeler in "Revolutionary Road," based on Richard Yates' 1961 novel. It is slated for release in December, just in time for Oscar consideration.

"We knew that if we were going to do something again, it had to be something big and emotional," Winslet says. "`Revolutionary Road' is so painful and beautiful to read, simply because of the brutality of the honesty that Frank and April end up experiencing together."

Winslet was eager to bring DiCaprio on board, and set up a sneaky way to do it: She arranged a meeting with the 33-year-old actor in March 2007, but sent Mendes in her place.

"Leo and I have such a history together and I couldn't imagine not being able to apply that to this story and these characters," she says. "So I played this very clever cat-and-mouse game to get my husband and then my best friend involved."

Pop Music Visionary Jerry Wexler Dies

By HILLEL ITALIE, AP

NEW YORK (Aug. 15) - Legendary record producer Jerry Wexler, who helped shape R&B music with influential recordings of Aretha Franklin, Ray Charles and other greats, and later made key recordings with the likes of Bob Dylan and Willie Nelson, has died, said his son, Paul. He was 91.

Ellen, Portia Wedding This Weekend?

PopEater

"Their wedding is definitely happening," and Saturday is the big night. "Twenty people were invited," the column's "insider" said, claiming that "Portia is wearing a flowing, form-fitting dress by Zac Posen." No word if Ellen will wear her trademark sneakers.

Britney Gets Non-Ironic 'VMA' Nod

PopEater / AP

NEW YORK (Aug. 15) - Apparently giving a network one of the worst performances to ever grace live television (but drumming up massive publicity in the process) is rewarded in these 'American Idol,' exploiting-terrible-for-ratings days. MTV is paying Britney Spears back for her 'Video Music Awards' debacle last year by throwing her a Video of the Year nomination this time around for 'Piece of Me.'

'Piece' had fun with her reputation as a tabloid queen. Other nominees included the Jonas Brothers for "Burnin Up," Chris Brown for "Forever," the Pussycat Dolls for "When I Grow Up" and newcomers The Ting Tings for "Shut Up and Let Me Go."

Other nominees announced Friday - Paramore, Fall Out Boy, Slipknot, Linkin Park and Foo Fighters - were in the category of best rock video.

This is Spears third nomination for this year's VMAs; earlier, fans nominated her for best pop video and best female video, both for "Piece of Me."

Spears' nominations are ironic considering the neither the song nor the album from which it came, "Blackout," were significant hits; both were released amid Spears' spectacular public decline over the past year, and her performance at last year's VMAs in Las Vegas represented one of the lowlights of her fall from grace. She was universally ridiculed for her unkempt look and sloppy performance, which kicked off the VMAs and instantly became one of pop's classic moments.

Britney in Action

Will Sean Preston and Jayden James follow their mother's life in the spotlight? "Id just as soon they have a more normal childhood," she tells OK!

In recent months, though, Spears has been on an upswing. Since her father James took over her personal and professional affairs after being appointed by a court as her conservator, her erratic behavior has virtually stopped; she settled her custody battle with ex-husband Kevin Federline over their two sons; and made appearances on CBS' "How I Met Your Mother," which were critical and ratings successes.

There's a possibility she get a chance to redeem last year's bad performance at this year's VMAs, to be held Sept. 7 in Los Angeles; MTV has confirmed they are in talks to have Spears appear in some capacity, and she's appearing in two video ads to promote the show.

Russell Brand has been selected to host this year's VMAs, which is to include performances from Kid Rock, Lil Wayne and the Jonas Brothers. Other nominees include Kanye West, Jordin Sparks, Madonna, Rihanna and Katy Perry.

Ralph Lauren Outfits New U.S. Olympic Team With Sartorial Sensibility

By Greg Groggel, NBCOlympics.com

BEIJING, China -- After making unexpected appearances at the past three Olympic Games, the United States team beret is officially retired - laid to rest between moon boots and the cummerbund in the cemetery of fashion faux pas.

This follows a mutual agreement made last December by Roots Ltd. and the United States Olympic Committee to end their six-year partnership because of creative differences over designs for the 2008 U.S. Olympic Team uniform. Roots first became the U.S. outfitter at the 2002 Winter Games in Salt Lake City where more than one million of the infamous Team USA berets were sold.

Despite past success, the USOC was hoping to move beyond the informal stylings of the Canadian manufacturer in favor of a more polished, distinctly American aesthetic.


Suddenly out of a deal and with the Beijing Games on the horizon, the USOC found themselves treading the unfamiliar waters of the fashion world. Luckily, they knew just the man to call - Tom Brokaw.

As the former anchor of NBC Nightly News and interim host of Meet the Press tells it, the arrangement was a classic reprise of the friend of a friend bit. Norman Bellingham, USOC chief operating officer, is the son-in-law of a friend of Brokaw's and asked him whether the sultan of style, Ralph Lauren, would take a call from him on the USOC's behalf.

Though Brokaw hardly considers himself a "fashion expert" he says his response was an emphatic, "Are you kidding?"


"Tom Brokaw called my Dad, who's Ralph Lauren, and told him about the opportunity and thought it would be just the perfect match," said David Lauren, senior vice president of advertising, marketing and communications at Polo Ralph Lauren. Less than four months later a deal was publicly announced that the American fashion house would create the official uniform of the Olympic and Paralympic teams as well as their custom wardrobes for leisure while in Beijing.


"I think it is quite an honor and something we were enthusiastic about right from the beginning," said Lauren, whose company's first foray into sports marketing came in 1979 when they designed the uniform of the New York Cosmos soccer team.

An honor yes, but not without its share of challenges, especially with the 2008 Games just months away.

"The challenge for us was in creating clothing for hundreds of athletes who are different sizes, different body types," Lauren said. "Some are seven feet tall and some are under five. Some are gymnasts and some are weightlifters. It is quite a feat."

He added: "We were able to take the challenge on and create something that truly makes America look special and makes our athletes look like statesmen on a world stage."

In recent decades, the trend has been for athletes the globe over to dress down at the Opening Ceremony of the Olympic Games. For many nations, sports attire such as shorts have slowly replaced the formality of years past. After the cowboy hat kitsch of the 1996 Games, and the very un-American beret of recent years, the USOC finally decided it had had enough.

According to Polo Ralph Lauren, the outfits will reflect the heritage and sensibility of the 1920s and 1930s with a modern silhouette. Think Jesse Owens in 1936, or the movie Chariots of Fire. Unsurprisingly, the color scheme will be a patriotic palette of red, white and blue.

A handful of the athletes got a sneak peak of the Closing Ceremony and Olympic Village outfits in April, including men's four rower Giuseppe Lanzone and heavyweight boxer Deontay Wilder. The two Olympians participated in a seven-hour photo shoot where they modeled the Ralph Lauren attire.

"The clothes were great, very American. You know, very formal," Lanzone said. "From what I've seen, people shouldn't be disappointed."

But as for the official Opening Ceremony outfits, those will not be unveiled to the public until the day of the show, Aug. 8, 2008. "It's going to be purple with pink polka dots," joked Lauren. "We really have to keep that a surprise."

A telling detail came just last week when members of the U.S. Olympic team passed through team processing in San Jose, Calif. Among the items picked up included a blazer and a dress shirt or blouse courtesy Ralph Lauren.

Even if the secret is kept under lock and key, one's things for sure, "Other countries will definitely be jealous," Lanzone said.

Aesthetics aside, that sensibility is perhaps the most American part of all.

Ralph Lauren Outfits New U.S. Olympic Team With Sartorial Sensibility

By Greg Groggel, NBCOlympics.com

BEIJING, China -- After making unexpected appearances at the past three Olympic Games, the United States team beret is officially retired - laid to rest between moon boots and the cummerbund in the cemetery of fashion faux pas.

This follows a mutual agreement made last December by Roots Ltd. and the United States Olympic Committee to end their six-year partnership because of creative differences over designs for the 2008 U.S. Olympic Team uniform. Roots first became the U.S. outfitter at the 2002 Winter Games in Salt Lake City where more than one million of the infamous Team USA berets were sold.

Despite past success, the USOC was hoping to move beyond the informal stylings of the Canadian manufacturer in favor of a more polished, distinctly American aesthetic.

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Suddenly out of a deal and with the Beijing Games on the horizon, the USOC found themselves treading the unfamiliar waters of the fashion world. Luckily, they knew just the man to call - Tom Brokaw.

As the former anchor of NBC Nightly News and interim host of Meet the Press tells it, the arrangement was a classic reprise of the friend of a friend bit. Norman Bellingham, USOC chief operating officer, is the son-in-law of a friend of Brokaw's and asked him whether the sultan of style, Ralph Lauren, would take a call from him on the USOC's behalf.

Though Brokaw hardly considers himself a "fashion expert" he says his response was an emphatic, "Are you kidding?"


"Tom Brokaw called my Dad, who's Ralph Lauren, and told him about the opportunity and thought it would be just the perfect match," said David Lauren, senior vice president of advertising, marketing and communications at Polo Ralph Lauren. Less than four months later a deal was publicly announced that the American fashion house would create the official uniform of the Olympic and Paralympic teams as well as their custom wardrobes for leisure while in Beijing.


"I think it is quite an honor and something we were enthusiastic about right from the beginning," said Lauren, whose company's first foray into sports marketing came in 1979 when they designed the uniform of the New York Cosmos soccer team.

An honor yes, but not without its share of challenges, especially with the 2008 Games just months away.

"The challenge for us was in creating clothing for hundreds of athletes who are different sizes, different body types," Lauren said. "Some are seven feet tall and some are under five. Some are gymnasts and some are weightlifters. It is quite a feat."

He added: "We were able to take the challenge on and create something that truly makes America look special and makes our athletes look like statesmen on a world stage."

In recent decades, the trend has been for athletes the globe over to dress down at the Opening Ceremony of the Olympic Games. For many nations, sports attire such as shorts have slowly replaced the formality of years past. After the cowboy hat kitsch of the 1996 Games, and the very un-American beret of recent years, the USOC finally decided it had had enough.

According to Polo Ralph Lauren, the outfits will reflect the heritage and sensibility of the 1920s and 1930s with a modern silhouette. Think Jesse Owens in 1936, or the movie Chariots of Fire. Unsurprisingly, the color scheme will be a patriotic palette of red, white and blue.

A handful of the athletes got a sneak peak of the Closing Ceremony and Olympic Village outfits in April, including men's four rower Giuseppe Lanzone and heavyweight boxer Deontay Wilder. The two Olympians participated in a seven-hour photo shoot where they modeled the Ralph Lauren attire.

"The clothes were great, very American. You know, very formal," Lanzone said. "From what I've seen, people shouldn't be disappointed."

But as for the official Opening Ceremony outfits, those will not be unveiled to the public until the day of the show, Aug. 8, 2008. "It's going to be purple with pink polka dots," joked Lauren. "We really have to keep that a surprise."

A telling detail came just last week when members of the U.S. Olympic team passed through team processing in San Jose, Calif. Among the items picked up included a blazer and a dress shirt or blouse courtesy Ralph Lauren.

Even if the secret is kept under lock and key, one's things for sure, "Other countries will definitely be jealous," Lanzone said.

Aesthetics aside, that sensibility is perhaps the most American part of all.

Celebrity baby pic deals

- Two years after commanding a record sum for exclusive photos of daughter Shiloh, Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie have sold the rights to the first glimpse of their newborn twins for $14 million, a person involved in the negotiations for the photos told The Associated Press on Friday.

The person asked not to be named because he was not authorized to release the figure.

It was easily the most lucrative deal in the continuing trend that was kicked into high gear in 2006 when People magazine featured Pitt, Jolie and baby Shiloh, now 2, on its cover for a reported $4 million.



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REPORTED PRICE TAG: $6 million.

FAMOUS BABES: Max and Emme, born in February to Jennifer Lopez and Marc Anthony.

GLAMOUR SHOTS: Lopez took months to publicly confirm her pregnancy last year, yet waited only weeks after giving birth to display the twin boy and girl on the cover of People.

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REPORTED PRICE TAG: $5.5 million (in a joint deal with People and Hello!; all the money reportedly went to charity.)

FAMOUS BABE: Pax Thien, adopted in March 2007 by — who else? — Jolie, who traveled to Vietnam to pick him up from a Ho Chi Minh City orphanage.

GLAMOUR SHOTS: Jolie and Pax, side by side in profile, gaze soulfully for the camera.

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REPORTED PRICE TAG: $3 million.

FAMOUS BABE: Levi, born July 7 to Matthew McConaughey and his longtime model girlfriend, Camila Alves.

GLAMOUR SHOTS: McConaughey snuggles Alves and his baby son while staring dreamily on the Aug. 4 cover of OK!, which had been on a baby photo roll in July with shots of Jessica Alba and Jamie Lynn Spears' babies.

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REPORTED PRICE TAG: $2 million.

FAMOUS BABE: Dannielynn Birkhead, daughter of the late Anna Nicole Smith and her ex Larry Birkhead.

GLAMOUR SHOTS: A grinning Birkhead cradled Dannielynn on an April 2007 cover of OK! after he was revealed to be the father of the baby girl after a bitter custody dispute with Smith's lawyer-confidante Howard K. Stern.

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REPORTED PRICE TAG: $1.5 million.

FAMOUS BABE: Honor Marie Warren, daughter of Jessica Alba and husband Cash Warren.

GLAMOUR SHOTS: Alba poses with Honor on the cover of OK!, while Warren makes his first appearance on the inside.

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REPORTED PRICE TAG: $1.5 million.

FAMOUS BABE: Max, the first child for Christina Aguilera, debuted on the cover of People in February.

GLAMOUR SHOTS: Aguilera cradles a tiny Max against her chest and looks provocatively into the camera for the cover that reads: "OH BABY!"

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REPORTED PRICE TAG: $1 million.

FAMOUS BABE: Maddie Briann, born June 19 to Jamie Lynn Spears and her fiance, Casey Aldridge, a pipe layer from Liberty, Miss.

GLAMOUR SHOTS: Weeks after giving birth, Britney Spears' younger sister flaunts her newborn daughter in her Mississippi home. The 17-year-old former "Zoey 101" star had announced her pregnancy to the magazine last December.

Britney Spears Exclusive!Pop Star Talks Sister's Pregnancy, New Music & More

By Access Hollywood
August 13, 2008, 5:33 pm PDT

LOS ANGELES, Calif. -- Britney Spears has opened up about the shock of her teenage sister's pregnancy, her new album, and future acting plans, in a new interview with OK! magazine.

Plus, the pop star's father, Jamie Spears, offers an update on the conservatorship over Britney's estate and what he really thinks of her ex, Kevin Federline.

In excerpts from the article, Britney, in her first sit down interview in almost two years, spoke about her reaction to Jamie Lynn Spears' pregnancy at 16. Britney traveled to her hometown of Kentwood, Louisiana, for the birth of her niece by the now 17-year-old Jamie Lynn, and while she was thrilled with little baby Maddie, she was taken aback.

"That was special, but it was also strange because she's always been the baby, and now the baby was having a baby. It was mind-boggling. I was shocked a little bit," Britney told OK! "But it was really cool, and she was happy. When she got to the hospital, we all thought it was going to be an all-day thing, and instead, the baby just sort of popped out. OK, we're happy now!"

Britney said Jamie Lynn will be bringing baby Maddie to Los Angeles soon, allowing the newborn to finally meet her cousins - Sean Preston, and Jayden James.

"She's going to come out here for the kids' birthdays. It will be the first time the cousins meet. I'm sure the boys will be like big brothers to Maddie," Britney told the mag.

Britney also provided an update on her new album, the follow up to last year's "Blackout," which will be out in "the next six to nine months," the pop star said.

"I'm writing every day, right here at the piano in this living room," Brit told OK! "This is my best work ever."

Britney said she is working with talented people who are helping her take her songs up a level.

"I think it is more urban. I'm working with producers who are just amazing. It's Harvey Mason of The Underdogs," she noted. "There is this fresh new energy. "

And it's not just music Britney is working on. She confirmed she is interested in doing more acting, following her successful appearance on "How I Met Your Mother," which helped the show achieve its best ever ratings.

"I'd love to, if I can find the right movie," Brit said when asked about continuing her thespian streak. "Actually, I have a part that just came up. We're just trying to work it out with my schedule, with the children."

Though it was unclear from the excerpts released at press time by OK! whether Britney addressed her hospitalizations of early 2008, her run ins with the paparazzi or the conservatorship protection she is under until the end of October, her father and co-conservator, Jamie Spears, provided some answers to OK!

Jamie said the conservatorship of his daughter will come to a close, though he hopes it will last just a bit longer, for Britney's sake.

"I would hope it stands until the end of the year, and then we'll sit back and evaluate where we are at that time, where Britney is at that time," he said.

The conservatorship reunited father and daughter, who in the past had moments where they were estranged from one another.

"It's wonderful," he said of their relationship. "It is new for both of us. She sometimes calls me 50 times a day and asks me things that light my life up. But like all daughters, she is very manipulative and cunning. So she gets what she wants a lot."

Jamie also said that despite the troubles that previously affected the pop star, there was a silver lining - their new relationship and his relationship with his grandsons.

"God has a way of taking something bad and turning it into something good," Jamie told OK! "If this hadn't happened, I would never have been able to get back with my daughter and have this relationship I have with these two little boys."

In related news, Jamie also explained why Britney and her ex-husband, Kevin Federline, settled their custody dispute over their two children, without going to trial.

"Britney and Kevin wanted to settle... The trial that was coming up was for permanent custody. It made no sense for that trial to proceed so we worked out an agreement. The agreement says that on Oct. 1 we'll probably get another overnight, and that will stay in place until the end of the year or the end of the conservatorship," he said.

As for how Jamie feels about Kevin, he offered a mixed answer.

"Kevin has a wonderful heart. I don't agree with giving him more money," Jamie said.

Lynne Spears' Book Cover Hits the Web

Us Magazine
Cover art for Lynne Spears' upcoming memoir, Through the Storm: A Real Story of Fame and Family in a Tabloid World, has hit the Internet.

Originally slated for a September release, the $24.99 book (by Thomas Nelson, publisher of inspirational books and Bibles) is now due August 21.


A product description on christianbook.com reads:

"Lynne was just an ordinary Southern mom when the overnight success of her daughter Britney shoved the Spears family into the blinding limelight glare.

"Through the Storm takes readers beyond the reach of the paparazzi and outside the narrow orbit of the Hollywood glitterati to share the inside story of the Spears family - as only a mother can tell it.

"In this openhearted memoir, Lynne speaks about Britney, Jamie Lynn, Bryan, ex-husband Jamie, herself, and their lives together from Louisiana to Los Angeles, including:

Lynne's backseat role in Britney's path to fame and how it forever changed their family

Her regret in abdicating parental authority to managers, agents, and record companies

The challenges that shaped Lynne and Jamie's marriage and how that affected Bryan, Britney, and Jamie Lynn

Her response to Jamie Lynn's pregnancy

The startling events that led to Britney's meltdown and Lynne's showdown with manager Sam Lufti

How faith, family, and friendships have been her harbor in the storm of paparazzi, tabloid scribblers, and gossip hounds

Sincere, self-effacing, sometimes spunky, Lynne's memoir reveals the heart of a mother who has struggled through difficult times and how she has held onto her faith and her sense of humor as she tries to hold onto her family.

Angelina Jolie Replaces Tom Cruise In Film

By Access Hollywood
August 12, 2008, 9:33 am PDT

LOS ANGELES, Calif. -- Your Daily Dispatch of Celebrity Shenanigans

Angelina Jolie Fills Tom Cruise's Shoes: Angelina Jolie and Tom Cruise don't usually compete for the same movie roles, but the actress is replacing Tom in the espionage thriller "Edwin A. Salt," Variety reports. Angelina will play an agent accused of being a sleeper spy who has to prove her innocence while alluding capture. Her real life dealings with the aggressive paparazzi should help Angelina in the role, not to mention her "Wanted" and "Mr. & Mrs. Smith" skills.

LC Says She's Not With "Boy": Though Lauren Conrad was spotted getting cozy with "My Boys" star Kyle Howard at LA's Crown Bar, Project Beach House in Malibu and Teddy's at the Roosevelt Hotel in Hollywood, the reality star insists she's just friends with Kyle. "No. I know him, that's it," she told Us Weekly of the rumors the pair is dating. I guess we'll have to wait to see if he makes it on her semi-scripted reality show before we'll know what's what.

[ 'Tropic Thunder' Premiere, Los Angeles - Play it Now ]

Blonde Barton - Why?: One of the great celeb mysteries of the universe was finally answered Monday, when actress Mischa Barton explained why she recently went blonde. "It's just perfect and handy for the summer," the former "OC" star told Us Weekly. But fear not brunette-loving Mischa fans, it's not forever. "It's just temporary," she told the mag. "I'm about to go off into other roles and I'll probably have to completely change it up again." What a chameleon that Mischa is!

Luke Wilson's Biological Clock Is Ticking: During an appearance on Tuesday's "The Morning Show with Mike & Juliet" Luke got candid about his clock - his biological one. "I'm going to be 37 next week," Luke said. "Do men have a biological clock? I feel like I do. Something is definitely ticking!" Luke wouldn't say if he's dating anyone that can help him with his ticking clock. In the meantime he may consider visiting a watchmaker.

Disney star Vanessa Hudgens sued by music producer

By Reuters
August 12, 2008, 2:26 pm PDT

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Singer-actress Vanessa Hudgens of the made-for-kids TV hit "High School Musical" is being sued by a producer who claims she reneged on a deal to share her earnings with him after he helped make her a star.

In the lawsuit, filed on Monday in Los Angeles Superior Court, plaintiff Johnny Vieira accuses the 19-year-old performer and her manager-father, Greg Hudgens, of breach of contract and fraud, seeking more than $27 million in damages.

Hudgens' record label, the Walt Disney Co.-owned Hollywood Records, also is named as a defendant in the suit.

Vieira, who describes himself as a music producer "engaged in the business of discovering and developing artists in the music industry," claims he and Hudgens agreed in 2005 to share equally in her advances, royalties and merchandising revenues.

That agreement was approved by a court, the suit says.

But Vieira says he was dumped from Hudgens' management team soon after she was cast in Disney's TV movie sensation "High School Musical."

According to the suit, they subsequently reached a settlement under which Hudgens agreed to pay Vieira a percentage of her earnings from her first three albums under her solo recording contract with Hollywood Records.

However, "it became clear that Hudgens and her new 'team' ... all directed by her father ... would take every possible opportunity to deprive Vieira of the benefits to be derived from the settlement agreement," the lawsuit says.

After giving Vieira a share of her first album advance and a portion of merchandising revenues from the first quarter of 2007, "no other monies have been paid to Vieira and no other accounting has been provided," the suit says.

Hudgens' publicist could not immediately be reached for comment. A Disney spokesman said the company had not had a chance to review the lawsuit.

Hudgens sprang to fame in "High School Musical" as Gabriella Montez, the sweet, innocent science geek whose romance with teen athlete Troy Bolton, played by Zac Efron, was chronicled on Disney Channel's hugely popular TV movie.

Weeks after "High School Musical 2" and its soundtrack debuted, the squeaky-clean star raised a furor when a nude photograph of her surfaced on the Web.

Hudgens apologized, and Disney stood by her. Her second solo album, "Identified," debuted last month at No. 23 on the pop charts, with a modest 22,000 copies sold its first week.

'American Idol' crooner Clay Aiken now a father

By Associated Press
August 8, 2008, 6:20 pm PDT

RALEIGH, N.C. - Former "American Idol" runner-up Clay Aiken is a father. The 29-year-old crooner from Raleigh announced the birth of Parker Foster Aiken on his Web site's blog Friday. "No hyphens. One first name," he wrote. "One middle name. One last name."

Aiken's mother, Faye, told Raleigh TV station WRAL the child was born in North Carolina.

Aiken was a favorite of fans during the second season of "American Idol," where he finished second to Ruben Studdard. His album "Measure of a Man" went double platinum in 2003, and he made his Broadway debut this spring in "Monty Python's Spamalot."

The baby's mother is Jaymes Foster, Aiken's friend and record producer whom he met while performing on "American Idol." Their son was born at 8:08 a.m. Friday, and weighed 6 pounds, 2 ounces and was 19 inches long, according to the statement on the Web site.

"The little man is healthy, happy, and as loud as his daddy," Aiken wrote. "Mama Jaymes is doing quite well also."

J.Lo Making 'Maid in Manhattan' TV Series

Couldn't get enough of J.Lo as an NYC hotel underling with a heart (and boyfriend) of gold in the 'Maid in Manhattan' movie? You're in luck. Lopez is working to bring 'Maid in Manhattan' to a TV near you.