15 May 2008
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Private Eye Anthony Pellicano Found Guilty
Private detective Anthony Pellicano was found guilty of racketeering and conspiracy charges today in the climax of a trial that featured a virtual revolving door of celebrity names and witnesses. Pellicano, at one time the most famous and powerful of all Hollywood private eyes who consulted on various police cases, found himself the subject of investigation when he was accused of intimidating and threatening reporters who wrote unflattering stories about his clients. Hollywood Reporter writer Anita Busch in particular was the subjects of intense threats after a publishing a series of articles about former Disney president Michael Ovitz, and testified at the trial. Celebrities such as Chris Rock and Garry Shandling were also called to the stand, with numerous other stars linked to Pellicano's previous cases. Pellicano now faces a potential sentence of eight to ten years in federal prison.
Read our coverage of the Anthony Pellicano trial
Black Lets Slip Jolie's Twins Secret
Angelina Jolie has finally confirmed she's pregnant with twins after Kung Fu Panda co-star Jack Black accidentally gave away her big secret at the Cannes Film Festival in France. During an interview with TV show Today to promote their new film, Black joked about Jolie's baby bump. Pointing at the actress' bulging belly, Black quipped, "You're gonna have as many (kids) as (TV family) the Brady Bunch when you have these." And when interviewer Natalie Morales pressed Jolie for a comeback, the sexy star said, "Yeah, yeah, we've confirmed that already. Well, Jack's just confirmed it actually." The babies will be Jolie's fifth and sixth children, and her second and third biological kids with partner Brad Pitt. The couple has three adopted children, Maddox, Pax and Zahara, and their first natural child, Shiloh, will turn two this month.
Simpson Knew Romo Romance Was Doomed
Jessica Simpson hinted that her romance with sports star Tony Romo was coming to an end in a new interview with America's Glamour magazine. Despite her denials, insiders insist the couple has separated, and Dallas Cowboys star Romo has been telling his pals he's no longer dating the singer. And it appears Simpson saw the end of the high-profile relationship coming when she was interviewed for Glamour in March. She tells the publication, "This article could come out and Tony and I could be broken up." And the rumors of a split have swelled after Romo was spotted partying with a bevy of beauties at a Chicago, Illinois bar at the weekend, while Simpson was working in Los Angeles. One insider at the party tells Life & Style magazine, "He was surrounded by girls. We had to restrain someone who forcibly tried to make her way to his table... He zeroed in on one blonde all night, and that blonde wasn't Jessica Simpson." The reported split comes at an awkward time for Simpson - her allegedly pregnant little sister Ashlee is to wed fiancee Pete Wentz this weekend.
Tabloid Reports - Foster & Partner Split

Actress Jodie Foster has split with her long-term partner Cydney Bernard, according to U.S. tabloid reports. The news comes just five months after the intensely private star paid tribute to her alleged partner of 14 years at an award ceremony. The 45-year-old, who had never before acknowledged Bernard in public, gushed about her during an acceptance speech at a Los Angeles film gala in December. Foster called her friend, "My beautiful Cydney, who sticks with me through with me through the rotten and the bliss." An insider tells the National Enquirer, "Jodie breaking up with Cydney is shocking. Right now it's the best kept secret in Hollywood, and it's not just because Jodie is legend and an intensely private person, either. She and Cydney have been together for so many years and have two children together, the potential fallout and legal wrangling from this split could be monumental." The couple has two adopted children together; Charles, nine, and Kit, six. Foster's publicist was unavailable for comment as Wenn went to press.
Stewart & Fishburne Compete For Prestigious Tony Award
Patrick Stewart and Laurence Fishburne will go head-to-head for the Best Actor award at the annual Tony Awards in New York next month. The ceremony will see stage actors, directors and performances compete for America's annual top theatre awards, which will be hosted by Whoopi Goldberg on June 7 at the famous Radio City Music Hall. Stewart and Fishburne have been nominated alongside British actors Ben Daniels, Mark Rylance and Rufus Sewell. The female leads battling it out for Best Stage Actress include Eve Best, Deanna Dunagan, Kate Fleetwood, S. Epatha Merkerson and Amy Morton. The coveted Best Play Award nominations are August: Osage County, Rock N Roll, The Seafarer and The 39 Steps. Musical favorites Grease and Gypsy are also up in the Best Musical Revival category along with South Pacific and Sunday In The Park With George, and Shakespeare's Macbeth and comedy Boeing-Boeing will be competing for the Best Play Revival award. Nominees for Best Musical include In The Heights, Passing Strange, Xanadu and Cry-Baby - the latter two based on the films of the same name.
Mills Settles Claim With U.K. Newspapers
Heather Mills has settled a long-running privacy claim against a British newspaper, after she launched action against the publication for leaking details of her divorce to Sir Paul McCartney. The former model filed the claim against Britain's Daily Mail newspaper in 2006 after it published the private details. Mills also filed claims of libel against two other British newspapers - London's Evening Standard and The Sun. According to an agreed statement between Mills' legal team and three U.K. publications, the claims have now been settled "on terms satisfactory to the parties." The statement adds, "The terms of the settlement remain confidential and the parties, along with Sir Paul McCartney, will be making no further public statement." McCartney and Mills reached a divorce settlement in March when a London court awarded Mills $48.6 million. The marriage was noted as officially over on Monday when a judge at the High Court in London granted a decree nisi. The pair began their divorce proceedings in 2006 after they split in May of the same year. They have joint-custody of their four-year-old daughter, Beatrice.
Brando Love Child Doubted

Moviemaker Mike Medavoy has refuted allegations screen legend Marlon Brando fathered the daughter of a Polynesian woman. Singer Rachel Anjel Brando claims the A Streetcar Named Desire actor had a sexual affair with her mother. The 30-year-old alleges her mother - who she refuses to name - sent her to boarding school at the age of three because Brando "wanted (her) far from the U.S." She says, "I understand my father wanted me far from the U.S. for fear of someone finding out he once again had a child out of wedlock," she claims on a Web site for the Marlon Brando Association, which purports to be a charity group of which she's honorary president. "I was a bastard, fruit of a short-lived story between my mother and my father. For her it was the big love of her life, for him, just another girl he wanted to seduce amongst so many others." But movie producer Mike Medavoy - who is the executor of Brando's estate - refutes the woman's claims. He tells New York gossip column Page Six, "I have no idea who she is or what she's doing. I'm just afraid she's using the name to raise money."
Alba's Pregnancy Was No Accident

Actress Jessica Alba insists her pregnancy was no "accident" - because she and fiance Cash Warren failed to practice safe sex. The Fantastic Four star - who is expected to give birth to her first child next month - never predicted she would be pregnant at the age of 27, but she openly admits she wasn't being "careful" with contraception. She tells America's Allure magazine, "I can't say it was a total accident. Because you're aware of when you're being careful and when you're not. It just happened so soon. I never believed women had to be virgins when they got married, or that a woman has to fall in love with a guy just because they're having sex. I don't think sex is a big deal."
Winehouse Given Appeal Court Date For Drug Possession

British soul star Amy Winehouse has been summoned to appear in a Norwegian court next year to appeal a fine for marijuana possession. The troubled singer and her husband Blake Fielder-Civil were arrested in Bergen, Norway last year on suspicion of possessing cannabis. At the time of arrest, the 24-year-old was issued with a $714 fine, which she accepted, not realizing that paying up is the same as pleading guilty in the Scandinavian country. The initial appeal hearing was scheduled for February 29 but was postponed at her lawyer's request because of the absence of her spouse, who is currently incarcerated in London's Pentonville Prison on charges of perverting the course of justice in relation to earlier charges of grievous bodily harm. On Wednesday the singer discovered she would not face drugs charges, relating to a video handed in to police in London in January, that purportedly showed her smoking crack cocaine. A spokesperson for the star says, "Police have confirmed that no action will be taken against Amy Winehouse in relation to an investigation into a video handed to them in January. Amy is pleased to be able to move on and concentrate on music and particularly looks forward to seeing her fans again at eagerly awaited festival performances this summer."
Fawcett Forgives Medical Records Leak Lady
Farrah Fawcett has forgiven the hospital worker accused of selling her confidential medical details to the media, insisting she's just a "pawn" in the system. Lawanda Jackson has been indicted by a federal jury and stands accused of snooping through celebrities' medical records while working as an administrative specialist at Los Angeles' UCLA Medical Center from 2006 to 2007. A Los Angeles Times newspaper investigation suggested Jackson was responsible for alerting the National Enquirer to Fawcett's current cancer battle before the actress had time to tell her family and friends about the health crisis. But Fawcett insists she does not bear a grudge: "It is my personal belief that what Lawanda Jackson is most guilty of is being a pawn. She worked in a hospital system that did not provide strong enough deterrents to stop their employees from breaching their patient's medical records - which made it all the easier for the tabloids to financially induce her to invade my privacy as well as the privacy of others." Jackson resigned from her post last summer and maintains she never profited from leaking information to the media. She told the Times she was just being "nosey." Officials at the California Department of Public Health have more than 60 people of interest following an ongoing investigation into the leak of medical records at UCLA Medical Center.
Beckham Denies Pregnancy Rumors

Former Spice Girl Victoria Beckham has denied rumors she is pregnant - insisting she wants to concentrate on her three young sons before considering another baby. The Wannabe singer was alleged to be planning her fourth child with soccer superstar husband David Beckham, after completing her hectic comeback tour with The Spice Girls earlier this year. She sparked speculation at her birthday celebrations in April when she was noticeably staying away from alcohol. But Beckham claims conceiving again isn't an option for her just now, because she already has her hands full with her growing brood. She says, "Look, I'm not pregnant! We would love another baby but right now, the three boys are still really young. Cruz is only three and David and I would like to enjoy them for a while." The Beckhams have three children: Brooklyn, nine, Romeo, five, and Cruz, three.
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