Today's Celebrity Birthday's

Hall of Fame Baseball Player Ernie Banks is 78Actor Anthony LaPaglia is 50

Actor Anthony LaPaglia is 50

Music Artist Justin Timberlake is 28

New Batman Arkham Asylum Trailer 29/01/09 [High Quality]

Angelina Jolie wows fans in Japan

Jet Li joins the Davos Debates

Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie Take Over Tokyo

Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie stepped out Wednesday night in Tokyo, and the famous pair brought their Hollywood star power overseas!

The gorgeous couple was at the premiere of 'The Curious Case of Benjamin Button,' in Tokyo, Japan and were snapped while making their way through the crowd surrounding the red-carpet.

Brad looked chic in a pin-striped black suit and Angelina wore a classy long black dress as they greeted the excited fans outside the Roppongi Hill theater in Japan.

Michelle Obama Get Waxed

Madame Tussauds wax museum is adding the new first lady to its exhibit in Washington, D.C. The wax Michelle Obama, which will be placed next to President Obama's likeness in a replica of the Oval Office, will be unveiled in March, museum officials said today. Designers will have spent six months on the project, studying photos and video of the first lady.

Hasselbeck expecting baby No. 3

The View's Elisabeth Hasselbeck's brood is getting a new addition. She is expecting baby No. 3 in August. The daytime talk-show co-host says she wasn't even aware she was pregnant for two months. "We were thoroughly happy with the surprise of it," she said on today's show. She and her NFL player husband, Tim, 30, have a daughter Grace, 3, and son Taylor, 1.

ABC

'24' exclusive: Kiefer Sutherland calling it a day?

Good news for terrorists everywhere: With just one more year left on Kiefer Sutherland's 24 contract, there's a very real possibility that Jack Bauer's career as the world's foremost savior may end next season. And while Sutherland says he's undecided as to whether day 8 will be his last, he's watching the clock in a way he never has before.

"I don't think about [the end of 24] a lot, but I did this year for the first time," he confesses. "It was one of those weird moments where the stage was unusually quiet; it was like a ghost town. I was looking around [thinking] about all the work that went into building this thing and it hit me: This will end one day, and I'm going to be sad about it.

"Whether season 8 is the end or not, I don't know," he continues. "I love making the show, so I'm leaving my options open. And in all fairness, I think the audience will dictate that more than anybody."

In the meantime, perhaps even more critical than determining when Jack will pack it in is how. "There are two obvious choices: Jack dies, or Jack finally has a happy ending," suggests executive producer Evan Katz. "It's actually an interesting discussion as to which would be more faithful to the show and more rewarding for the audience. Because if we give him a happy ending, part of the audience would be mad at us for doing what is easy. And if we kill him, they would be mad at us for a different reason altogether."

Brendan Fraser and Eliza Hope Bennett-"Inkheart"

(CNN) -- The new fantasy film "Inkheart" has at its center the relationship between father Mortimer "Mo" Folchart and his 12-year year old daughter Meggie, played by Brendan Fraser and Eliza Hope Bennett.
The dynamic between the two was evident as they bantered playfully during an interview with CNN.

"There's a real trust between them, but also keeping secrets so it has to sort of have ... the right balance and stuff," Bennett said, explaining Mo and Meggie's relationship. "So it's important that we got on."

"But we didn't," Fraser joked.

"It's a shame that we didn't really because it would've been a good film," Bennett shot back.
"Inkheart" is a modern-day tale about a father and daughter who have a passion for books. Dad Mo also has the ability to bring the characters to life by reading aloud.

The trade-off is that for every character brought to life, a real person disappears into the pages. The pair set out to rescue Meggie's mother, Resa, whose deliverance from the mystical world is tied to "Inkheart," an illustrated book of medieval castles and fantastical creatures.

Cancer-struck Patrick Swayze to write memoir

LOS ANGELES — "Dirty Dancing" star Patrick Swayze, who has said he might have only two years to live because of pancreatic cancer, will write a memoir with his wife, his spokeswoman said on Friday.

Swayze and his wife, Lisa Niemi, have not named a publisher or set a release date but Swayze's representative, Annett Wolf, confirmed that the actor and Niemi are working on a book.

Swayze, 56, told Barbara Walters in a lengthy TV interview earlier this month that he was "going through hell" because of his year long battle with pancreatic cancer -- one of the most virulent and deadly forms of the disease.

Jennifer Garner Debuts Post-Baby Body!

Jennifer Garner showed off her slim post-baby body on Tuesday -- just two weeks after giving birth to Seraphina.The actress donned jeans and a sweater in Santa Monica, Calif. while dropping 3-year-old daughter Violet off at nursery school.

Meanwhile, Ben Affleck told Usmagazine.com Monday at his Feeding America hunger rally that his family is doing "wonderful" after welcoming their new addition on Jan. 6.

But he wouldn't dish on the origin of Seraphina, which a baby name expert called "elaborately feminine."

Prince Harry Gets Dumped

PRINCE HARRY has broken up with his girlfriend Chelsy Davy after a five-year relationship. The couple recently returned from a winter-sun holiday on Mauritius.

Harry, 24, who is third in line to the throne, and Chelsy, 23, spent nine days on holiday together after Christmas at a luxury hotel resort on the Indian Ocean island.

Clarence House made no official comment, saying it was a private matter, though, after the story appeared on the News of the World website, a source confirmed the couple had parted. The source said the separation was amicable and that they remained friends. The couple had reached the stage in their careers where they might find themselves spending less time together, the source said.

Molly Ringwald Expecting a Daughter...and a Son!

Los Angeles (E! Online) – We're assuming Molly Ringwald thinks blue is just as pretty as pink.

The Breakfast Club princess is expecting twins—a boy and a girl—in August with hubby Panio Gianopoulos, People reports.

The new additions will give the couple their first son and a second daughter. They're also parents to 5-year-old Mathilda Ereni.

According to a rep for ABC Family, Ringwald's pregnancy will be written into the plot of The Secret Life of the American Teenager, in which the former '80s teen sweetheart plays the put-upon mom of an expectant teenager.

Will.i.am- Yes We Can - Barack Obama Music Video

Brazilian amputee model dead at 20

CNN) -- Brazilian model Mariana Bridi da Costa, whose hands and feet were amputated in a bid to save her from a deadly and little-known illness, died early Saturday, two friends of the model told CNN. "Unfortunately Mari couldn't resist any longer. She passed away at 3 a.m. today," Henrique Fontes, executive director of Miss World Brazil, said in an e-mail to CNN.

Renato Lindgren, a friend of the model who runs a blog dedicated to her, confirmed da Costa's death.

On his blog, Lindgren wrote that he and other friends were going to the hospital.

"On behalf of all the family, we are grateful for the support and the affection that the entire world has sent to us," he wrote.

Da Costa, 20, had fought a pernicious disease that has ravaged her body and forced doctors to perform the amputations and extract part of her stomach as well as both kidneys.

She had been breathing through a respirator, officials at Dorio Silva Hospital in the Brazilian state of Espirito Santo said Friday.

Da Costa suffered from necrosis, or the fast deadening of tissue, caused by septicemia. Septicemia, triggered by a bacterial infection, causes insufficient blood flow that can lead to organ failure.

President Barack Obama's Inaugural Address

Kelly Osbourne Is In Rehab

Kelly Osbourne is having a rehab again.

The reality television icon, 24, checked into Oregon's Hazelden Alcohol and Drug rehabilitation center on Wednesday. She logged time in similar Los Angeles-area treatment programs in Promises, when she was 18, and Las Encinas, at 20.

"Yeah, Kelly's in rehab," her mother, Sharon Osbourne, told Radar Online. "What else can we say? She knew that it was the right thing to do at this point and we're proud that she did it. The family is all standing behind her. Kelly knew that she needed help and she's getting it.

The starlet, who's engaged to Luke Worrall, is expected to remain in the facility for at least 30 days. The exact nature of her problem has yet to be revealed.

"Kelly will let you know herself when she gets out," the Charm School dean promised.

The addiction admission comes just days after the sometimes-singer was arrested for assault for allegedly slapping a journalist in August 2008.

The famous family, including Ozzy Osbourne, is in the middle of shooting a television variety show for Fox, Osbournes Reloaded.

"She'd been working right up until she went in," her mother said, getting emotional. "This is one of the absolute worst things that a parent can face, for their child to go through rehab. And not once, but twice."

Hero pilot giving first interview to Katie Couric- NBC Very Mad

NEW YORK — Katie Couric has landed the first interview with the pilot who safely brought his distressed plane down in the Hudson River — a coup that comes at the expense of her former "Today" show partner Matt Lauer.

The interview with Chesley "Sully" Sullenberger and his crew will be shown Feb. 8 on CBS' "60 Minutes."

Lauer had been promised the first interview live on Jan. 19. But the day before, Sullenberger's pilots association asked him to postpone interviews while the investigation into U.S. Airways Flight 1549 and its water landing continued.

Sullenberger was praised as a hero for a deft landing on Jan. 15, after both of the plane's engines were disabled following a collision with a flock of birds. All 155 passengers and crew members were rescued.

Despite the postponement, NBC's "Today" said it had a continued commitment with Sullenberger's family and media adviser to have the first interview.

"What Captain Sullenberger did in the cockpit on Flight 1549 was heroic and admirable," said NBC News spokeswoman Megan Kopf. "Unfortunately, people close to him have not acted nearly as admirably over the past few days. They gave us their word, and then broke their commitment. We wish Captain Sullenberger the best."

The "Today" show has no plans now to interview Sullenberger.

The Sullenbergers' media adviser, Alex Clemens of the communications firm Barbary Coast Consulting, confirmed the "60 Minutes" interview but said he would have no other comment.The news continues a good run for Couric, who received praise last fall for her Sarah Palin interview and, more than two years after becoming the "CBS Evening News" anchor, is seeing her ratings go up.

CBS announced two other moves to give her more exposure: The network will air a special prime-time edition of the evening news at 8 p.m. Wednesday, and Couric will do a Feb. 4 interview special with leading musicians before the Grammys.

SJP Shoots Down Divorce Rumors

Sarah Jessica Parker's marriage to Matthew Broderick is doing just fine (according to the actress, of course).

Following reports of a marital rift along with months of stepping out separately, the couple hit the opening night of The American Plan on Broadway last night.

"We don't even bother to address them," SJP said of the split rumors. But when asked what the best part of being married was, all she offered was "being married."

Couldn't she come up with a better answer?

As for the Sex and the City sequel that all the girls have supposedly signed on for, Sarah also played coy, telling People, "I wouldn't say that is the most official thing you'll ever read."

Mourning Travoltas Battle Extortion Threat

As if John Travolta and Kelly Preston didn't have enough to worry about...

Lawyers for the couple confirmed to E! News that police are investigating a scarce-on-details plot to extort the grief-stricken family.

While the nature of the demands made on the Travoltas has not been revealed, the reported extortion came in the wake of the death of their 16-year-old son Jett in the Bahamas on Jan. 2.

"Regrettably in a time of such terrible grief there are often a few individuals who attempt to make false claims in hopes of making millions of dollars," Travolta family attorneys Mike Ossi and Howard Butler said in a statement.

"We will never let that happen."

The legal heavyweights said that Bahamian police and local government have already begun looking into the alleged extortion and that they have "the utmost confidence" in their abilities to bring the case to a close.

The Nassau-based Tribune newspaper reported earlier this week that police have begun questioning two people in connection with the alleged extortion, one of whom is "believed to be a politician."

Marcia Cross' husband diagnosed with cancer

NEW YORK — A representative for Marcia Cross says the husband of the "Desperate Housewives" star, stockbroker Tom Mahoney, has been diagnosed with cancer and is responding well to treatment.

Publicist Heidi Slan didn't provide further details Tuesday.

Cross and Mahoney were married in June 2006. They have 23-month-old twin daughters, Eden and Savannah.

The 46-year-old Cross portrays Bree on the ABC show.

Michelle Obama shines in Isabel Toledo

WASHINGTON — First lady Michelle Obama wore a sparkling yellow-gold sheath dress with matching coat by Cuban-born American designer Isabel Toledo for the inauguration of her husband, a choice many applauded as a cheerful message of hope and a vote for the American fashion industry.She paired the embellished ensemble with green gloves from J. Crew and green shoes.

President Barack Obama wore a red tie and white shirt with his suit, topped with an overcoat adorned with an American flag pin.

Their daughters were style icons in their own right, with 10-year-old Malia in a double-breasted periwinkle-blue coat with a blue-ribbon bow at the waist, and Sasha, 7, in a pink coat with orange scarf and satin belt, a coral-colored dress peeking out at the hem. Their coats were from Crewcuts by J. Crew.

Obama becomes first black U.S. president

WASHINGTON — Barack Obama became the first black U.S. president on Tuesday, making history before a sea of people and declaring the United States in the midst of a crisis that can be defeated with a united sense of purpose.

"Today I say to you that the challenges we face are real," Obama said in his inaugural speech shortly after taking the oath of office. "They are serious and they are many. They will not be met easily or in a short span of time. But know this, America -- they will be met."

Hundreds of thousands of people erupted in roars of approval on the broad National Mall grounds as they watched Obama stand with one hand raised, one hand on a Bible used to swear in Abraham Lincoln in 1861, and repeat the brief oath to become the 44th U.S. president and succeed George W. Bush.

The inauguration of Obama, 47, the son of a black Kenyan father and a white mother from Kansas, was steeped in symbolic meaning for African-Americans, who for generations suffered slavery and then racial segregation that made them second-class citizens.

'What I Want for You — and Every Child in America' By President-elect Barack Obama

That was the lesson your grandmother tried to teach me when I was your age, reading me the opening lines of the Declaration of Independence and telling me about the men and women who marched for equality because they believed those words put to paper two centuries ago should mean something.

She helped me understand that America is great not because it is perfect but because it can always be made better-and that the unfinished work of perfecting our union falls to each of us. It's a charge we pass on to our children, coming closer with each new generation to what we know America should be.

I hope both of you will take up that work, righting the wrongs that you see and working to give others the chances you've had. Not just because you have an obligation to give something back to this country that has given our family so much-although you do have that obligation. But because you have an obligation to yourself. Because it is only when you hitch your wagon to something larger than yourself that you will realize your true potential.

These are the things I want for you-to grow up in a world with no limits on your dreams and no achievements beyond your reach, and to grow into compassionate, committed women who will help build that world. And I want every child to have the same chances to learn and dream and grow and thrive that you girls have. That's why I've taken our family on this great adventure.

I am so proud of both of you. I love you more than you can ever know. And I am grateful every day for your patience, poise, grace, and humor as we prepare to start our new life together in the White House.


Love, Dad

Carrey, McGregor lock lips with `Phillip Morris'

PARK CITY, Utah — Jim Carrey and Ewan McGregor were an item at the Sundance Film Festival, where their gay romance "I Love You Phillip Morris" premiered.

Carrey and McGregor steam up the screen with some hot and heavy necking.

What was it like for Carrey to lock lips with McGregor?

"A dream come true. I mean, look at the guy," Carrey said, gesturing at McGregor during a question-and-answer session with the audience after the film's Sundance premiere Sunday night.

Directed by Glenn Ficarra and John Requa, "I Love You Phillip Morris" is based on the true story of a con man (Carrey) who meets the love of his life (McGregor) in prison, then concocts elaborate escapes and masquerades to free himself and his man.

Carrey and McGregor make a nice couple, their characters' love story playing out with sweetness, passion and devotion.

The actors said playing gay was all in a day's work.

"It's the same as playing any other kind of man, any other kind of character," said McGregor, saying there was nothing awkward in their kissing and cuddling scenes.

Aretha Franklin, Itzhak Perlman to Rock Obama Inauguration

Aretha Franklin is slated to sing at Barack Obama's inaugural swearing-in ceremony on Jan. 20.

Franklin, 66, will be joined at the ceremony by Dr. Rick Warren, an evangelical minister and author of the best-seller The Purpose Driven Life. Warren will give the invocation.

Obama has also selected classical violinist Itzhak Perlman and cellist Yo-Yo Ma, who will perform a new piece of music composed by John Williams.

The inaugural program is scheduled to begin at 10 a.m. on the West Front of the Capitol. The United States Marine Band and the San Francisco Boys Chorus and the San Francisco Girls Chorus will open the festivities.

Details of the inaugural program were announced Wednesday by the Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies chaired by Senator Dianne Feinstein.
– Brian Orloff

Jolie and Pitt make a striking duo at the Berlin premiere of The Curious Case of Benjamin Button.

Talk about a striking contrast! Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt ramp up the glamour Monday at the Berlin premiere of The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. The couple are currently calling the German city home as Pitt finishes work on the Quentin Tarantino film Inglorious Bastards.

Jill Biden: Joe had choice of VP or Sec. of State

Kelly Osbourne Arrested

Kelly Osbourne stands by her men.

The 24-year-old daughter of Ozzy and Sharon Osbourne was arrested for assault, according to People.

Osbourne was charged Jan. 2 for allegedly slapping a reporter during a confrontation at a London nightclub last August.

The reality star had “an issue” with gossip columnist Zoe Griffin for calling her boyfriend “stupid,” as well as insulting dad Ozzy, in an item for the U.K.’s The Mirror.

Osbourne matriarch Sharon is also being investigated for a December incident in which she allegedly attacked a contestant from her VH1 show, "Rock of Love Charm School," after the woman referred to Ozzy as a "brain-dead rock star."

Swayze checks out of hospital, publicist says

LOS ANGELES (ap) — Patrick Swayze has been released from the hospital one week after checking himself in with pneumonia, his publicist said Friday.

Publicist Annett Wolf would not elaborate on the actor's condition but told The Associated Press he "is well enough to have been released." He is now resting at his Los Angeles home, Wolf said.The 56-year-old announced last March he was suffering from a particularly deadly form of cancer. Some reports gave him only weeks to live, but his doctor said his situation was more optimistic.Swayze had been working on a drama series "The Beast," which premiered this week on the A&E network. Producers have said they found out Swayze had cancer four hours after learning A&E had picked up the series. They also said filming was completed on all episodes of the first season and hoped Swayze could continue in the role for a second season.

In the series, he plays an FBI veteran who trains a rookie partner played by Travis Fimmel.

"Prisoner" Star Patrick McGoohan Dies

(CBS/AP) Patrick McGoohan, an actor who created and starred in the cult classic TV show "The Prisoner," died Tuesday in Los Angeles after a short illness. He was 80.

His son-in-law, film producer Cleve Landsberg, announced the news Wednesday.

McGoohan starred in the 1960s CBS series "Secret Agent," and won two Emmys for his guest appearances on the detective drama "Columbo." Most recently he appeared as King Edward Longshanks in the 1995 Mel Gibson Academy Award-winning film "Braveheart."

But he was most famous as the character known only as Number Six in "The Prisoner," a 1968 British series about a spy who resigns from the intelligence service, only to be abducted and held captive in a mysterious haven known as The Village. There his overseers strip him of his identity in their attempts to glean information, while thwarting his attempts to escape.

McGoohan is survived by his wife and three daughters.

Hollywood On The Potomac Barack Obama's Inauguration Will Be A Star-Studded But Colder Version Of Hollywood

(AP) If you thought the Golden Globes was a party, just wait until you see Barack Obama's inauguration. Next week, Washington will look a lot like a colder version of Hollywood.

Here's a roundup of who will be where, keeping in mind that in the mad rush to D.C., schedule changes may occur.

THE BIG SHOW

On Sunday, tradition will be upheld with a free star-studded concert on the National Mall, starting at 2:30 p.m. Among the many performers: Bruce Springsteen, U2, Beyonce, Usher, Garth Brooks, Stevie Wonder, John Mellencamp, Shakira, Mary J. Blige, Herbie Hancock, Josh Groban, John Legend and James Taylor. Denzel Washington, Jamie Foxx, Martin Luther King III and Queen Latifah will read. Obama will stop by and HBO will broadcast "We Are One: The Obama Inaugural Celebration at the Lincoln Memorial."

WHERE'S OPRAH

Winfrey will host a live episode of "The Oprah Winfrey Show" from the Kennedy Center Opera House on Monday. She'll also host a second episode on Wednesday. Winfrey has not announced her plans on Inauguration Day.

WHERE'S SPIKE

Spike Lee will appear at a daylong symposium at Howard University on Monday to discuss topics including the impact of Obama on Black America. Also there will be Rev. Al Sharpton, Rep. Jesse Jackson, Jr., Dr. Cornel West and Dr. Henry Louis Gates. Lee will also host an after-party Tuesday evening.

Prince Harry - Another Foul Up

Prince Harry has apologized after he was caught on video using the word 'Paki' to describe another Army officer. He made the comment in a film shot while he was training to be an officer at the Sandhurst military academy.

Lawmakers, Muslim groups and the Pakistani public criticized Prince Harry Sunday after a British newspaper published video footage of him using offensive and racist language.
Harry, third in line to the British throne and an army lieutenant, issued an apology on Saturday after the News of The World reported that he had used offensive terms to refer to people from Pakistan and people of Arab descent.St. James's Palace — the office of Harry and his elder brother Prince William — said on Saturday that Harry was sorry for any offense caused by his use of the word "paki."
"Prince Harry fully understands how offensive this term can be, and is extremely sorry for any offense his words might cause," spokesman Patrick Harrison said in a statement.

Gordon Ramsay - Celebrity Chef of "Hell's Kitchen"

Tana Ramsay puts husband
Gordon on a tight LA leash

They have put on a united front since their marriage was rocked last November by claims that TV chef Gordon Ramsay had been cheating with professional mistress Sarah Symonds.

But it seems Tana Ramsay, 34, who has loyally stood by her husband, isn’t prepared to take any chances.

My Stateside spies say mother-of-four Tana is preparing to leave the couple’s brood at home in South London to join Gordon, 42, in LA – where he is shooting a new series of Hell’s Kitchen and Kitchen Nightmares.‘Initially Tana was going to stay at home with the kids, but she has decided to fly out,’ says a source.

‘She’s due to arrive on Thusday and will be staying a while.’

Madonna bounces back

Madonna could barely hide the smile from her face when out in New York last night with yet another new man.

The singer had been looking haggard of late, the visible toll of her recent divorce from film director Guy Ritchie. But the 50-year-old's new man looks to have put a spring in her step, as the pair emerged from New York's exclusive Waverly Inn restaurant after dinner.Since her divorce from Ritchie, 40, at the end of last year, Madonna has most recently dated 20-year-old Brazilian model Jesus Luz and 33-year-old American baseball star, Alex 'A-Rod' Rodriguez.Madonna was glowing, with sleek blonde hair, flawless skin, and vibrant red lipstick, a similar look to the latest Louis Vuitton ad campaign in which she stars.

An elegant black fur-trimmed coat, teamed with opaque tights and satin stiletto courts, warded off the cold - a rather more demure look for the body-conscious star, whose risqué poses for Louis Vuitton has sparked criticism.

Madonna is back in New York following a Christmas in London in which she and Ritchie reportedly put their differences aside for the sake of their children, Rocco, eight, and adopted David, three.

She is said to have paid her ex-husband £50million in order that she can 'wash her hands of the UK' and move back to her native US.

Heather Mills unveils short new bottle-blonde crop

It is an age old trick employed by women the world over to show their old flame they have moved on.

And it seems Heather Mills is no exception as she showed off a stylish new haircut on a television show.

The 40-year-old has chopped off her long locks and is now sporting a chic cropped style and where once it was a mousy blonde shade, she has now opted for a much lighter bottle blonde.

"I'd actually been thinking about cutting my hair for quite a while. I hope now this is a fresh beginning," she said.And in a further bid to show her former husband she is fine without him, she announced to interviewers: 'Life is good.'

Talking about the divorce she added: 'It was a very difficult time for everybody involved. We were most importantly trying to protect our daughter and she seems to have come through incredibly well. 'Everyone I know who has been through a divorce, finds it really, really difficult, I don't know anyone that didn't go through a hard time. We just went through it publicly.

'But things are great, really good.'

'Dexter' brother and sister are husband and wife

NEW YORK — They play brother and sister on "Dexter." Now in real life, Michael C. Hall and Jennifer Carpenter are husband and wife. Hall's spokesman, Craig Bankey, said on Friday that the couple eloped in California on New Year's Eve. They'll walk the red carpet together at the Golden Globe Awards on Sunday — the first time publicly acknowledging their relationship.

Hall, 37, and Carpenter, 29, just finished the third season of "Dexter," the Showtime series in which Hall plays the murderous title character. They've been quietly dating for about a year and a half.

At their wedding, Carpenter's grandfather's wedding band was attached to her bouquet of white roses.

Patrick Swayze Hospitalized

Patrick Swayze, 56, checked himself into the hospital this morning, A&E President Bob DeBitetto said Friday at the TV Critics Association Press Tour in Hollywood.

Swayze, who has been battling pancreatic cancer for a year, was admitted for observation after coming down with pneumonia. Chemotherapy is known to take a toll on the immune system.

"Patrick thanks everybody for the outpouring of support he's received," DeBitetto continued, adding, "Patrick will be promoting 'The Beast' as soon as he's back on his feet and feeling well again."

Swayze was to appear at the press tour in Los Angeles to promote his new TV series “The Beast,” which premieres January 15th on A&E at 10 p.m.

Co-executive producer Vincent Angell said this is just a "bump in the road" for Swayze and "we all wish him well."

Costner Briefly Hospitalized

Kevin Costner is feeling just fine, thank you very much.

That's the word from his publicist, who confirmed to E! News that the Dances With Wolves star was admitted to a hospital Tuesday after suffering a dizzy spell.

Costner, 53, was driving through Hollywood around 10 a.m. when he began feeling lightheaded and nauseous. The Oscar winner called 911 and then spent the next few minutes vomiting before paramedics arrived.

Rep Arnold Robinson said Costner was transported by ambulance to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, "was checked out at the hospital and released [the following day] after tests found that everything was normal."

When he's not making movies, Costner has been moonlighting as a roots rocker his Modern West band, whose debut album, Untold Truths, came out in November.

Golden Globes Preview 1: Brad Pitt & Angelina Jolie; Nominated Dramas

Patrick Swayze on Barbara Walters Special

Catching Up With Keshia Knight-Pulliam

The Cosby Show' actress is all grown up and definitely ready to take control of her career.

Since starring as Rudy Huxtable -- the youngest Huxtable child -- in the hit NBC sitcom, 'The Cosby Show,' for eight seasons, actress Keisha Knight Pulliam has done a fine job of making diverse career choices.

Pulliam told BlackVoices.com that she is very happy that she took a break from acting to attend historically black women's college, Spelman College , where she graduated in 2001 with a degree in sociology.

"I think that I am very thankful to have had such a long career. It's a blessing and something very special to me. I took a long break after 'Cosby' to go to college and I don't regret that," says Pulliam. At age six, she became the youngest actress to ever be nominated for an Emmy Award for her performance on 'The Cosby Show.'And, after graduating from Spelman, she returned to acting and turned up in notable film roles such as Queen Latifah's 'Beauty Shop,' and 'The Gospel.' She also showed herself in a different, more grown-up light, as rapper Chingy's sexy love interest in his 'One Call Away' music video. These days Pulliam's is back on the small screen with a leading role on the hit TBS series, 'Tyler Perry's House of Payne,' an experience that she says shares the same camaraderie as 'Cosby.'

"I said, 'Ok, sure I will come in for ten episodes,' and the storyline was so popular," she revealed. "People just loved the Calvin (played by actor Lance Gross) and Miranda story," so much that it led to her taping an additional 26 episodes of the popular sitcom.

Tyler Perry, the show's creator, has been so impressed with Pulliam that he cast her in his upcoming movie, 'Madea Goes to Jail' as Candace "Candy'" Washington a heroin-addicted prostitute who the pistol-packing main character befriends after both women end up in jail. Derek Luke, Sophia Vergara, 'Doubt's' Viola Davis and David and Tamala Mann also star in the movie.

"It was a very different role for me and a lot of hard work because it's a darker role and you have to take yourself there in order for it to be believable," she said.

"I really just tried to get into character," she added. "I don't have any history of drug abuse or prostitution or any of those things, but I did talk to a woman who had been in that situation and recovered from that situation and I really just tried to get into those stories.""Nobody would cast little Rudy as a prostitute. Nobody would give her the chance," Perry said in a recent interview with BlackVoices.com. "She really wanted to show people that she can act. And she did a great job in the film."

Next up, Pulliam is hoping to continue her transition into becoming not only a respectable adult actor, but very selective about the overall projects that she's involved in. Now at age 29, she is trying her hand in producing and directing, like her new boss, Perry. She has created her own production company with her partner Kassem Penn called PullPenn Productions and is in the midst of working on a few television and film projects. You can see Keisha in 'Madea Goes to Jail,' which hits theaters on Feb 20, 2009 and also on 'Tyler Perry's House of Payne,' airing Wednesdays at 8 PM on TBS.

Baby News! Jennifer Garner & Ben Affleck

Jennifer Garner and husband Ben Affleck have welcomed their second daughter, PEOPLE confirms exclusively.

The actress's rep says: "Jennifer Garner and Ben Affleck gave birth to a healthy baby girl."

The baby was born Tuesday in Los Angeles. No other details were immediately available.

Travolta family returns to US with son's remains

A Terrible Lost

FREEPORT, Bahamas — Actor John Travolta and wife Kelly Preston have returned to Florida with the remains of their 16-year-old son, Jett, who died at the family vacation home in Grand Bahama.

The couple received an urn with his ashes and left the island chain on Monday night, according to Obie Wilchcombe, a member of the Bahamas parliament and a family friend.

"Everything was in place, the cremation was completed, and they decided to leave," Wilchcombe told The Associated Press on Tuesday. He said the family is back in Ocala, Fla., where they have a home.

Doctors in the Bahamas performed an autopsy on Jett on Monday but did not release results. However, a Bahamas undertaker told the AP the teen's death certificate had "seizure" as the cause of death.

Patrick Swayze: "I'm Going Through Hell"

Patrick Swayze, who has been battling pancreatic cancer for a year, sat down with Barbara Walters for an exclusive interview that airs Wednesday night at 10 pm on ABC. Swayze has defied the tabloids that had him at death's door when his diagnosis became public.Swayze stars in a new show "The Beast," which he filmed while fighting his cancer, which had already spread to his liver before he was even diagnosed.

"You can bet that I'm going through hell," Swayze says to Walters. "And I've only seen the beginning of it."

"There's a lot of fear here," he adds. "There's a lot of stuff going on. Yeah, I'm scared. Yeah, I'm angry. Yeah, I'm [asking] why me. Yeah, I'm all this stuff."

As for how he figured out something was wrong, it was exactly one year ago while celebrating New Year's:

"I tried to have champagne, and it would be like pouring acid, you know, on an open wound."
Soon he found "my indigestion issues got gigantic and constant. And then I started thinking, I'm getting skinny. I dropped about 20 pounds in the blink of an eye. And then when you see it in the mirror, when all of a sudden, you pull your eyes down and the bottom of your eyes go yellow and jaundice sets in -- then you know something's wrong."

He started filming "The Beast" despite the cancer, and in 5 months of filming missed only a day and a half of work, and he never took medicine for his physical pain.

"When you're shooting, you can't do drugs," Swayze tells Walters. "I can't do Hydrocodone or Vicodin or these kinds of things that take the edge off of it, 'cause it takes the edge off of your brain."

Tune in Wednesday at 10 pm for more of the interview. "The Beast" premieres on A&E on January 15.

"I'm Not Rich Rich"- Who said this?

Spike Lee



Spike Lee gave a long interview to Britain's Sunday Observer, and explained to the reporter that despite a Manhattan townhouse, Martha's Vineyard home and kids in private school, he is not wealthy:

He told me he had always intended his kids to go, as he did, to state schools. "But my wife put the kibosh on that," he said. Lee balks at being described as wealthy. "It's not rich rich," he told me. "Rich is Spielberg. Lucas. Gates. Steve Jobs. Jay-Z! Bruce Springsteen. I'm not complaining. But that's money. Will Smith. Oprah Winfrey - that's a ton of money. Compared to them, I'm on welfare!"

The interview, which took place at intervals in 2008 before Barack Obama's election, also relays Lee's distaste for the Clintons and Cindy McCain:

"Who's going to be the vice-presidential pick?" Robin Burgess, the session co-ordinator and Blanchard's wife, asked.


"As long as it's not Hillary," Lee said.

"You know," Blanchard said in a wondering tone, "we got friends uptown who say they can't stand Michelle. I mean, what about McCain's wife?"

"Stepford wife," Lee muttered.

"I used to like Bill Clinton," Blanchard said.

Lee shook his head. "They showed their hand," he said.

Jada Pinkett-Smith: Golden Girl

After nearly 20-years in entertainment, Jada Pinkett-Smith has created an enviable position for herself in Hollywood. Not only is she married to the number one box office star in the world, and mother to budding actors Jaden and Willow, but she has a career in her own right with several major roles (Ali, The Matrix Reloaded and The Matrix Revolution) listed on her imdb.com profile. Along with her husband, Will she’s a principal partner of Overbrook Entertainment, one of the industry’s leading management and production companies. The Baltimore native has traveled a long way since her first starring role in Menace to Society, in 1993, but remains just as resilient, opinionated, graceful and real.

Have It All; Have It Delivered…
I have a lot of help. I have a great husband and my mother is very helpful with my children. But what I really feel keeps me going is joy. What I’ve learned in my life is that I really can do as much as I want to do and have as much as I want to have. As long as I’m happy, I’m really motivated. So I’m not willing to compromise. I want to be great mother; I want to be a great wife and I want to have a great career; and I feel like I can have all those things and not compromise one area of my life. This is my life and I am determined to have all the things that I want.

Rebecca Romijn and Jerry O'Connell have twin girls

LOS ANGELES — Rebecca Romijn and Jerry O'Connell are new parents — times two.

A publicist for the "Ugly Betty" actress says twin daughters Dolly Rebecca Rose and Charlie Tamara Tulip were born Dec. 28. They are the couple's first children.

Publicist Lewis Kay said in a statement Monday that "mother, father and both girls are all home and doing well."

Romijn, 36, and O'Connell, 34, were married in 2007.

O'Connell starred in the TV series "Crossing Jordan" and "Carpoolers." His screen credits include "Stand by Me" and "Jerry Maguire."

AP

Tom Cruise says church helped him overcome dyslexia

MADRID, Spain — Actor Tom Cruise said Scientology teachings helped him overcome childhood dyslexia, a Spanish magazine reported.

Cruise was quoted by Spanish magazine XL Semanal as saying he was diagnosed with the learning disability when he was 7 years old.

Cruise said he was often anxious, frustrated and bored as a youth and couldn't concentrate in class, the magazine reported on its Web site Sunday.

The magazine quoted Cruise as saying he was functionally illiterate when he graduated from school in 1980, but learned to read perfectly as an adult through Scientology technology.

XL Semanal said the interview was conducted in Los Angeles, but did not say when. A transcript of Cruise's original comments in English was not available.

The Church of Scientology was established in 1945 by science-fiction writer L. Ron Hubbard, and claims 10 million members around the world. Cruise and fellow actor John Travolta among its more famed followers.

Maksim Chmerkovskiy and Karina Smirnoff Are Engaged!

Dancing stars Maksim Chmerkovskiy and Karina Smirnoff have gotten engaged, PEOPLE has confirmed.Chmerkovskiy popped the question to his girlfriend of less than six months in Las Vegas on New Year's Eve, according to a source. The couple rang in 2009 at the Wynn Hotel in Sin City.

"They are really cute together," adds the source.

The couple, who have been dating since the summer, are currently performing on the Dancing with the Stars winter tour, which wraps up in mid-February.

Reps for the couple declined to comment.

The eighth season of DWTS kicks off March 9 on ABC.

Kylie Minogue

It looks like love is in the air for Kylie Minogue as the petite star has been spotted enjoying a £10,000-a-week skiing break in Chamonix with her 30-year-old model lover Andres Velencoso.

Sounds like more fun than being back at wor

Michael Jackson and Britney Spears(live)

Courteney Cox "Scrubs" In

The former "Friends" star has a sexy new primetime gig! Sneak a peek at Courteney Cox playing doctor on "Scrubs."

John Travolta's Son Dies E! News Now

Web Exclusive|00:37|
The actor's 16-year-old son Jett died suddenly from a seizure at his family's home in the Bahamas. Get the latest.

Dr. Dre son’s death ruled a heroin overdose Coroner ruled Andre Young Jr.’s death an accident and closed the case

LOS ANGELES - The 20-year-old son of veteran rapper Dr. Dre died in August from an overdose of heroin and morphine, the Los Angeles County coroner’s office said on Friday.

Andre Young Jr. was found dead by his mother at his Los Angeles home after spending a night out with friends.

After toxicology and other tests, the coroner ruled his death as accidental and says the case is closed, spokesman Larry Dietz said on Friday.

Will Smith tops poll of bankable movie stars

LOS ANGELES - Actor Will Smith, star of “Hancock” and “Seven Pounds,” was voted the top money-making movie star of 2008, dethroning Johnny Depp in an annual poll released on Friday of movie theater owners and film buyers.

Smith, 40, is only the second African-American actor to win the Quigley poll in its 76 year history. Sidney Poitier placed first in 1968 after the success of “Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner” and “In the Heat of the Night.”

Three newcomers on the 2008 list — “Iron Man” star Robert Downey Jr, “Batman” star Christian Bale, and Shia LaBeouf, the 22 year-old actor in “Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull” — came in second, third and fourth places respectively.
Anne Hathaway, who made her name in “The Princess Diaries” and is now a Screen Actors Guild and Golden Globe nominee for her role in “Rachel Getting Married,” was named a star of tomorrow. along with Chris Pine, who appeared in “Bottle Shock” and will play Captain Kirk in 2009’s “Star Trek” movie.

Perennial winner Tom Cruise did not make the Top 10 for 2008 despite being voted No. 1 seven times since 1983. Depp, the “Pirates of the Caribbean” star who was placed first in 2007, also did not make the 2008 list.

2008 - IN MEMORIAM: A VIDEO TRIBUTE

John Travolta's 16-year-old son dies in Bahamas

NASSAU, Bahamas - John Travolta's teenage son, Jett, died in the Bahamas after falling ill and hitting his head at his family's vacation home, police said Friday. A house caretaker found Jett, 16, unconscious in a bathroom late Friday morning. He was taken by ambulance to a Freeport hospital, where he was pronounced dead, according to a statement from chief police superintendent Basil Rahming.

The teenager had last been seen going into the bathroom on Thursday and had a history of seizures, according to the statement. Police said they are planning an autopsy to determine the cause of death.

Another police spokeswoman, Loretta Mackey, said Jett apparently hit his head on the bathtub.

A spokeswoman for Rand Memorial Hospital in Freeport said she could not release any information because of privacy concerns.

Jett was the oldest child of Travolta and his wife, actress Kelly Preston, who also have an 8-year-old daughter. The family arrived on a private plane Tuesday and had been vacationing at their home in the Old Bahama Bay resort community.

"The Travolta family has become like family to us at Old Bahama Bay and we extend our deepest sympathies to them," said Robert Gidel, president of Ginn Resorts, the property's owner.