Phinn and Hazel's mom is ready to get back to work. After taking a break to care for her eight-month-old twins, Julia has signed on to make her Broadway debut next spring in the play Three Days of Rain. The show will begin a 12-week limited engagement next March and Julia will play a woman caught in a love triangle with two men. "By the time I get there, I'll be entirely apoplectic," Mrs. Moder told the New York Times. "But the terror is part of the excitement." Perhaps the Oscar winner will add a Tony to her collection.

America's perkiest morning-show host, Katie Couric, may start sleeping in. In an interview with New York magazine, Katie hinted that she may not renew her contract with the morning show when it expires next spring. "Everybody needs recharging," she said in the interview. Though Katie has a $13-million-a-year deal with NBC, she admits that she has met with CBS honcho Les Moonves two times about possibly replacing Dan Rather as the evening news anchor. She will make a decision this fall.

Cameron Diaz wants everyone to know that she didn't sleep with a married MTV exec. On Friday, Cam won her libel lawsuit against the British newspaper the Sun over the paper's claim that she was cheating on boyfriend Justin Timberlake with producer Shane Nickerson. But, following an investigation, the newspaper released this statement: "Any suggestion of a romantic involvement is entirely untrue and without any substance whatsoever." Cam collected a crapload of money for her troubles. The actress is also considering suing American Media for a similar story that appeared in an American tabloid.

Blur singer Damon Albarn was so appalled by Babyshambles singer Pete Doherty's apparently drugged-out performance at Live 8 that he's starting his own campaign called "Making Doherty History." "The concert was all about raising awareness," raged Damon, "but Peter looked like he was having trouble raising his own awareness -- he looked wasted... People talk about this great new talent, but there's nothing to him. He is overrated." We're positive that blabber boy Pete will have a rebuttal.

• The guy who dated Jennifer Aniston as a teen and planned to hawk love letters that she sent him canceled the auction. "I have voluntarily canceled the eBay auction upon receiving word from one of Jennifer's representatives that she didn't want me conducting the auction," he said in a statement. Well, duh.
• Vince Vaughn and Owen Wilson were tops this weekend. After two weeks playing second fiddle to Johnny Depp's Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Wedding Crashers bested the competition this weekend at the box office. New releases Must Love Dogs, Stealth and Sky High weren't even close.
• Al Gore's new Current TV network will debut on zzzzzz... Oops, we fell asleep.
• Billy Joel's 19-year-old daughter, Alexa Ray -- not to be confused with his 23-year-old wife, Katie Lee -- is a professional pianist and will be making her debut at a benefit in Long Island, NY, in August. Sing us a song, piano woman.
• Jessica Simpson is getting bad reviews for her role in The Dukes of Hazzard. Who's surprised? Anyone, anyone?

Would Idol be the same without the ditzy-but-sweet Paula Abdul? Viewers may find out. Fox and the producers of the music competition have launched an investigation into former contestant Corey Clark's claims that he had an affair with Abdul while he was on the show. If the investigation isn't completed by August 18, which is when auditions for the fifth season begin, Abdul will be permitted to return to work. When the independent counsel finishes their investigation, Paula's fate will be decided. No word on whether investigators will have to call in or text message their findings to Fox.

We're happy to report that Nicole Kidman has a new man in her life -- and she's finally finished with that rich loser Stephen Bing. Bing's the one who tried to publicly humiliate his then-girlfriend Elizabeth Hurley, who was pregnant with his child, by denying he was the father and demanding she take a DNA test. The baby was his. Anyway, the New York Post reports that Nic has been tooling around Woodstock, NY, on the back of Australian country star Keith Urban's motorcycle. Though her rep says they're "just friends," she was also "just friends" with exes Bing and Lenny Kravitz.

Johnny Knoxville is such a gallant gentleman. While out in New York City the other night with some pals and Kate Moss -- who he may or may not have had a fling with -- the married Dukes of Hazzard costar started a nasty bar brawl when another patron began to pester Miss Moss. Beer bottles were flying -- one shattered on Johnny's hand, leaving him a bloody mess -- prompting bouncers to remove everyone from the premises. Wonder what Melanie Clapp, who is Johnny's poor, poor wife, was doing while he defended the supermodel's honor. And isn't it ironic that Kate dumped Pete Doherty because he started a brawl last weekend? Hey Kate: Your "friends" can start fights but your lovers can't?

• The new issue of People, on sale now, has Jude Law on the cover with the headline "Jude's Secret Life." That's so last week.
• Citing family problems, Lindsay Lohan backed out of the London premiere of Herbie: Fully Loaded.
• A Fox exec confirmed that Paris and Nicole will be back on screen for a fourth season of The Simple Life whether they like it or not. We'll go out on a limb and speak for the feuding former best friends: Not! Not! Not!
• And last but certainly not least, a star sighting from one of our tipsters: "I saw Kelly Ripa last night at IndeBleu in Washington, DC. For a mom of three, she looks amazing."

Add this one to the record books. The honeymoon is reportedly over for the genetically blessed One Tree Hill costars Chad Michael Murray and Sophia Bush, who tied the knot just three months ago. A source tells the New York Daily News's Lowdown column, "The marriage is all but done. They are separated, and she is going to file for divorce imminently." We think the writing was on the wall when, days after they said "I do," reports surfaced that Murray was haunting strip clubs nightly. He was also reportedly kissing a blonde days before his wedding. The good news? They beat Ali Landry and Mario Lopez, who split on their honeymoon, as well as Britney Spears and Jason Alexander, who were married for all of 48 hours.

Quote of the Day
"I would give him some thugged-out braids, a wife-beater, a pair of jeans and penny loafers. I'd bring him back on some next-level kind of flavor."
--Missy Elliott, to Spin, on how she'd like to give Michael Jackson an extreme makeover

Courting Celebrities
Kate Moss must be flying high today. Yesterday, the skinny supermodel won a substantial libel suit against the Sunday Mirror, which alleged that she collapsed into a coma after a coke binge last year. Wonder what she'll spend her winnings on. At least we can rule out Twinkies and Suzy-Qs... Covered in bruises as a result of a "rough basketball game," R. Kelly asked a Chicago judge yesterday for more time defending himself against charges that he had sex with a 14-year-old. The teen-lovin' R&B singer probably has to do some "field research" and "gather evidence" to bolster his case. The judge gave him until September 2.

Moby: Eminem Not So Bad

What is the world coming to? Moby, who has had a long-running feud with Eminem, says he has a newfound respect for the rap star because Em criticized President Bush and the Iraq war on his last album. "Honestly, if he retired, I think the world of music would be a poorer place," Moby said. "He's a really fascinating public figure." Eminem famously ripped the electronic musician in his song "Without Me," calling Moby a "36-year-old bald-headed fag" - and telling Moby to perform a sexual act on him. We sorta thought that was unforgivable, but we'll go with it because we dig Moby's green tea. Speaking of Bushie, Page Six reports the commander in chief loves telling dirty jokes. We're utterly skeeved.

Ben & Jen: It's a Girl!
The new issue of Us -- with Angelina and baby Zahara on the cover -- hit stands yesterday. Here are some of the juicy nuggets they dug up: Paris Hilton was complaining that her $5 million ring was making her finger hurt, so she downsized to a smaller one. If only we had such problems. " Ben Affleck and Jennifer Garner are expecting a girl. The newlyweds are considering the name Violet. Why not Chartreuse? Las Vegas star Josh Duhamel is not - we repeat, is not -- engaged to Black Eyed Peas' Fergie, as was reported in other mags. Thank God! We were in a (Ele)phunk about it.

Quick Hits

• People.com reports that Hugh Jackman and his wife, Deborra-Lee Furness, have adopted a baby girl. The couple, who have a 5-year-old son named Oscar, named their bundle of joy Ava Eliot. Damn, we were hoping for Grouch.
• Lennon, the Broadway show all about the life of Yoko Ono - oops, we mean John Lennon -- pushed its opening back another week, this time to August 14.
• Oprah Winfrey is putting out a 20th anniversary Oprah Winfrey Show DVD. Tom Cruise going nutso is so gonna be on it.


• To the delight of men everywhere, pinup Brooke Burke, who cohosts Rock Star: INXS, is divorcing her plastic-surgeon husband. Now she's gonna have to pay for those nips and tucks.

Star Sightings
Ashlee Simpson and a friend coming out of a tattoo parlor on Sunset Boulevard in Hollywood well past midnight ... On-again couple Jake Gyllenhaal and Kirsten Dunst together on Martha's Vineyard.

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The new issue of Us -- with Angelina and baby Zahara on the cover -- hit stands yesterday. Here are some of the juicy nuggets they dug up: Paris Hilton was complaining that her $5 million ring was making her finger hurt, so she downsized to a smaller one. If only we had such problems. " Ben Affleck and Jennifer Garner are expecting a girl. The newlyweds are considering the name Violet. Why not Chartreuse? Las Vegas star Josh Duhamel is not - we repeat, is not -- engaged to Black Eyed Peas' Fergie, as was reported in other mags. Thank God! We were in a (Ele)phunk about it.

Quote of the Day
"Why would a man want to be with me?"
--Nicole Kidman, to the Daily Mail, on being wary of men since her divorce

Sienna Has Her Own Secrets
Our days of feeling sorry for Jude Law's jilted fiance, Sienna Miller, are officially over. Yesterday, photos of her canoodling with Orlando Bloom this past weekend surfaced. Now, Page Six reports that while Jude was "caring for" his children's nanny, SeeSee was making time with her ex, male model David Neville. "She would text message David all the time," her pal told the Post, "saying things like, 'I'm on the beach with Jude but I'm heartbroken, I miss you and I can't stop thinking about you This feels wrong.'" Another thing keeping the former live-in lovers in contact? Nude photos of them were stolen from Neville's flat just as See's career was taking off. But that's not that big of a deal -- we saw most of what the actress has to offer in that area anyway when she went topless in Alfie. We wonder if this news will make Jude cease the round-the-clock flower deliveries.

Jennifer Garner: Preggers on the Tube Too

Ever since Jennifer Garner's belly started to swell, Alias fans have wondered if their favorite butt-kicking spy would be infanticipating as well. Yesterday, ABC's programming chief, Stephen McPherson, confirmed that Garner's pregnancy will be worked into the storyline. "We are going to embrace the fact that she's pregnant," he confirmed. The father of Syd's baby is fellow agent Michael Vaughn, who is played by Garner's real-life ex, Michael Vartan. (Only in Hollywood, kids!) In real life, Garner is expecting her first child with Ben Affleck around Christmas. The couple, who met while filming the 2003 film Daredevil, was married in June. Alias returns for a fifth season on September 29.

Quick Hits

• Us Weekly reports that Brad and Angelina are officially cohabitating. Hopefully they'll take better care of their house than they did playing husband and wife in Mr. and Mrs. Smith. They blew that place to smithereens.
• There's officially a "sexiest" list for everything. American Idol's Carrie Underwood and Coldplay's Chris Martin have been voted the "World's Sexiest Vegetarians" in an online poll conducted by PETA. Pass the tofu.


• Sean Astin and his wife, Christine, welcomed their third child on Friday.
• Mindy McCready's overdose, which we told you about yesterday, was reportedly a suicide attempt.


• A lovesick Kenyan official offered Bill and Hillary Clinton a dowry of 20 cows and 40 goats for their daughter Chelsea's hand in marriage. "I love her," Godwin Kipkemoi Chepkurgor told CNN yesterday. "I've not met her personally, but I've seen her through the media." Nice offer, but we have a feeling Chelsea will stick with her current beau -- and reported fiance -- Ian Klaus. And Bill and Hillary will stick to buying their milk and cheese at the grocery store.

Quote of the Day
"I'm really happy for him. I'm even happier for our daughter [15-year-old Dakota] because her trust fund is going to be really healthy."
--The ever-obnoxious Melanie Griffith on the coincidence that she and ex-hubby Don Johnson are both starring in shows on the WB this fall

Aniston's Love Letters for Sale

Poor Jen can't catch a break. Everywhere she goes she sees images of her ex, Brad Pitt, with his new luva, Angelina Jolie -- on magazine covers, billboards and even the big screen. Now comes news that Jen's teenage sweetheart is hawking mementos from their brief relationship on eBay. Among the items up for bid -- bidding starts this Friday at $100,000 -- are a birthday card made from toilet paper that Jen gave the guy when she was 15. Sounds like the crap this jerk is selling should be flushed, not auctioned, and our Jen should be left alone.

Courtney Not Showing Dave Grohl Any Love
Courtney Love, who may or may not have OD'ed last week at a music-industry event, has reignited her battle over royalty rights with Foo Fighters frontman Dave Grohl. Grohl was in Nirvana with Love's late husband, Kurt Cobain. "He's been taking money from my child for years," Court seethes in the August issue of Spin. We think the ol' girl needs to channel all that anger into getting healthy, not picking fights. And speaking of overdoses, troubled country singer Mindy McCready was hospitalized for one on Friday after collapsing in a Florida hotel.

Brit Blabber
Sienna Miller, who must have adopted the "don't get mad, get even" mantra in the wake of the Jude Law 'Nannygate' fiasco, was flirting up a storm with Orlando Bloom over the weekend at a polo match. (Check out photos of them canoodling here.) The duo had a brief romance four years ago. According to the Mirror, Sienna, who was sitting on Orly's lap, "was really letting her hair down" and knocking back quite a bit of champagne. "To all intents and purposes, she looked like a single woman." Meanwhile, London's other hot couple, Kate Moss and Pete Doherty, are reportedly on the outs again. Kate was miffed when Pete took part in a street brawl the other night, so she's been seeking solace in the arms of the very married Johnny Knoxville. But don't worry, Pete and Kate fans -- we predict they'll reunite faster than Pete can fire up his crack pipe.

Quick Hits

• In his ongoing quest to bed women as young as his daughters, Bruce Willis tried out a supertacky pickup line on a college sophomore the other night, while partying at the Tropicana in L.A. The gem? "What are your plans for sex tonight?" asked the 50-year-old father of three. The horrified coed reportedly made a hasty exit.
• Jane Fonda announced that in March she is going on a cross-country tour to protest the Iraq war. Subsequently, veterans everywhere announced that they hate "Hanoi Jane" even more than they did before.
• The 2005 VMA nominations were announced yesterday. P. Diddy will host the ceremony from Miami on August 28.


• The photographer accused of trying to extort money from Cameron Diaz was found guilty yesterday of forgery, perjury and attempted grand theft. That's what he gets for messing with an Angel.

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Quote of the Day
"The retirement home."
--Seven-time Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong, 33, on where he is headed next

Katie Holmes: A Sight for Sore Eyes

Rumor has it that those hideous sores that appeared around Katie Holmes's mouth shortly after going public with Tom Cruise in May were from a Church of Scientology "detoxification" procedure involving the vitamin niacin. The New York Daily News suggests that Katie could have gone through Purif, a purification regimen that rids people of toxins. The procedure stems from
Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard's declaration that taking niacin in combination with exercise and sauna sessions purges the body of "radiation," Hubbard's shorthand for negative alien substances in the body. Silly us! We assumed Katie got the sores from making out with Tom too much.

Oh, Baby(sitter): More on the Jude Law Nanny Scandal

Don't expect Sienna Miller to forgive Jude Law anytime soon. Yesterday's
Sunday Mirror reported that just over a week ago, Jude called Daisy Wright, with whom he was having an affair earlier this year, and asked her to meet for lunch. Though they scheduled a date, the meeting never happened because Daisy sold her story about their sexcapades to a British newspaper. Meanwhile, we're still trying to wrap our heads around the New York Post's coverage of Nannygate. It made the front page three times last week. And in one article, they called Jude a "bad-boy actor" -- so not true -- and Sienna an "A-list actress" -- so not true. Must have been a slow news week.

Kevin Federline: Deadbeat Dad
Britney's hubby, Kevin Federline, is being called out as a deadbeat dad. Apparently Kev, who is expecting a child with Brit this fall, skipped the first birthday party of his son Kaleb, one of his two children with ex-girlfriend Shar Jackson. Shar's spokeswoman said that Kaleb's birthday "came and went without a visit, present or phone call from Kevin or Britney." Shar has also accused Kevin of stiffing her on child support payments. What a catch, Brit! We're so jealous!

Romance Report

Star Sightings
Michael T. Weiss (The Pretender, Days of Our Lives) lunching with friends at the Navigator restaurant in Edgartown, Martha's Vineyard. Also on the Vineyard, Harold "I ain't afraid of no ghost" Ramis (Ghostbusters), who was seen gathering his luggage at the airport... Back in NYC, chick magnet Adam Duritz shopping at the Whole Foods in Union Square, and Nicole Kidman emerging from her trailer on East 53rd Street while filming her new movie, Fur.

Eminem Says He's Not Retiring

Eminem is fighting back about rumors that he's retiring. He clarified his future plans to MTV News, saying, "I'm not retiring." His management company said he wanted to take a break after a September 17 concert in Ireland. "When I say I'm taking a break, I'm taking a break from my music to go in the studio and produce my other artists and put their albums out. That's called taking a break for me," Em told MTV News. "When I know my next move, I'll tell everyone my next move. Not some reporter who writes a story about 'This is Eminem's last album.' I never said [Encore] was my last album. I never said anything yet. I don't know what I'm doing yet. Nothing is definite, you know what I'm sayin'? Nothing is written in stone." He says that he won't be rapping forever. We thought he had some pretty great screen presence in 8 Mile (remember how hot that factory sex scene was?), so Em can always fall back on his acting career.

Jury Deliberates in Polanski Case

Roman Polanski's libel case against Vanity Fair magazine is now in the hands of the jury. The trial is held in London, but Polanski testified via video link from Paris so that he wouldn't face extradition to the U.S. over a decades-old charge of him having sex with a minor. The Vanity Fair case concerns charges that film director Polanski made a pass at a Swedish woman while he was en route to the funeral of his slain pregnant wife, Sharon Tate. Both Polanski and the magazine now seem to agree that the incident may have taken place, but weeks after his wife's burial. A verdict could be handed down today.

Jacko Might Be Off for Germany

Michael Jackson may be bidding for Berlin. The pop star's father, Joe Jackson, told a German newspaper that Jacko has fallen in love with the city and wants to move there. Hey, they seem to love David Hasselhoff over there, so maybe Jackson could find a whole new set of fans. The Bild newspaper said that Joe is already trying to find MJ a house in Berlin. Jackson has a history with the city -- that's where he famously dangled his baby from a hotel window in 2002. Joe is in Berlin celebrating his 76th birthday; he said he hoped Michael would come visit him in the city to celebrate.

Blabber Bits

Sienna Back Onstage after Personal Day

Sienna Miller did indeed take a night off from her acting run in London's As You Like It on Tuesday, allowing her understudy to go on. She is recovering from the news that her fiance, Jude Law, admitted to an affair with his kids' nanny. She was back to work on Wednesday night, though, and still not wearing her engagement ring! You go, girl. The cad himself showed up to the set of his film Breaking and Entering looking "gloomy" with swollen eyes, one source said. But our favorite quote comes from Jude's recent ex, fashion designer Sadie Frost, who had no advice for young Sienna. "It's not my nightmare anymore," Frost said. Meanwhile, New York nannies talk about flirting fathers.

Mag Editor Says Polanski Was "Tasteless and Vulgar"

Lewis Lapham, editor of highbrow magazine Harper's, is the latest high-profile person to testify at Roman Polanski's trial against Vanity Fair magazine. Lapham is the source of the original passage in the article published by Vanity Fair, which alleged that Polanski hit on a Swedish woman on his way to the funeral of his slain wife, Sharon Tate. Lapham said that film director Polanski made "tasteless and vulgar" advances on a Scandinavian model in 1969 shortly after Tate was murdered by the Manson Family. "At one point he had his hand on her leg and said to her 'I can put you in the movies. I can make you the next Sharon Tate,'" Lapham remembered of the exchange between Polanski and the model. "I was impressed by the remark, not only because it was tasteless and vulgar, but also because it was a cliche." The article said that Polanski was troublemaking in New York watering hole Elaine's on the way to Tate's burial, but he now says that the trip to Elaine's happened several weeks later. Lapham said that he would apologize if he got the dates mixed up but stuck to the gist of the story.

Smurfs Heading to the Big Screen in 2008

The Smurfs are back! Smurfarific! Smurfabulous! Smurfy! Okay, we'll stop now. A 3-D, CGI-animated Smurfs film is now in the works. Variety reported that Paramount's Nickelodeon Movies will kick off a planned Smurfs trilogy (!) with a film debuting in 2008. The Smurfs actually started in 1958 in Europe, but didn't catch on in the States until the cartoon show in the 1980s. There's no word yet on who will provide the voices of the blue ones -- the voice artists who created TV's Gargamel, Baby Smurf and Papa Smurf have passed away. Thank goodness 76-year-old Lucille Bliss, better known as Smurfette, is still working. DreamWorks and Paramount are also working on a film adaptation of The Transformers. What's next, a Strawberry Shortcake reunion?

Blabber Bits

Notorious B.I.G. on the BIG Screen

Notorious B.I.G. is coming back from the dead, at least on the big screen. Fox Searchlight has hired hip-hop scribe Cheo Hodari Coker to write a script based on the slain rapper's life -- Coker did the last interview with Biggie before his death in 1997. Director Antoine Fuqua (Training Day) is in talks to direct. Keeping it in the family, Biggie's way-cool mom, Voletta Wallace, and his managers Wayne Barrow and Mark Pitts will produce. "It's not just a hip-hop film, it's a film of life and a film of love. We didn't want to sell our souls to the devil, so to speak, just to get a check. The story is too important, not just to us but to hip-hop," Barrow said of the deal they've been trying to get off the ground for five years. But what larger-than-life figure (literally) will they get to play Notorious B.I.G.? And will Tupac be the villain of this tale?

Mia Farrow Testifies for Polanski

Actress
Mia Farrow came to the defense of Roman Polanski on Tuesday, literally. Farrow, who starred in Polanski's Rosemary's Baby, testified in his trial against Vanity Fair magazine. The mag wrote that Polanski was trying to flirt with a Swedish woman while he was en route to the funeral of his slain wife Sharon Tate. But Farrow remembers the evening differently -- she says he was in "really bad shape" and said he was distraught on that night at Elaine's restaurant in New York back in 1969. His beautiful, young, famous and pregnant wife had just been murdered by the Manson Family. "He was unable to talk about anything else. When we walked around and around, he kept saying 'Why?' and 'Who could have done this?'" Farrow testified. Sharon's sister Debra Tate also testified that Polanski was a wreck at the time of her death.

Sienna Still Fuming with Jude

Jude Law is still begging Sienna Miller for forgiveness after his "nannygate." Law publicly apologized for having an affair with his 26-year-old nanny, Daisy Wright, while dating his fiance, Miller. The latest is that Jude may have tried to coax Daisy into a threesome as well. His public apology made all the headlines, but it may not have won Sienna's forgiveness yet. "Jude's been leaving Sienna, like, a million missed calls on her mobile and she hasn't picked up once," a friend told Us Weekly. Miller had to perform in a play Monday night in London, and hid her face from the paparazzi, although they did note she wasn't wearing her engagement ring. Law and Miller are said to have tried to meet in the countryside this weekend, but Sienna's mom, Josephine, says that her daughter is "angry and wants to be alone." Meanwhile, the Mirror reports that Jude has been crying himself to sleep.

Blabber Bits

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Colin Farrell Sues Ex over Sex Tape

Ah, you'd think this is the kind of thing that Colin Farrell encourages, but he's trying to sue a woman over a sex tape that she's made public. He says the two had an agreement that they would never make the tape public. The lawsuit filed Monday seeks general and compensatory damages as well as a temporary restraining order and injunction prohibiting the distribution of the videotape. The woman, Nicole Narain, had an intimate relationship (hey, who hasn't?) with Farrell two and a half years ago. The 15-minute tape was going to be released by an Internet pornography company.

Polanski Testifies in Libel Suit from France

Filmmaker Roman Polanski is testifying from France in his libel case against Vanity Fair magazine. The magazine published an article saying that Polanski tried to seduce a woman while en route to his slain wife Sharon Tate's funeral in 1969. Polanski testified to the London courtroom via video link from Paris that he was in a "state of shock" when he read the article. Polanski isn't traveling to England, because he would be extradited to the U.S. (he's wanted here after pleading guilty to having sex with a minor in 1977). The 71-year-old said, "This was the worst thing ever written about me. It's absolutely not true. But I think it was particularly hurtful, because it dishonors my memory of Sharon." His wife at the time, actress Tate, was murdered by the Manson family in 1969, while she was eight and a half months pregnant with Polanski's child.

Jude Law Apologies to Sienna for Affair

Jude Law has played plenty of cads on screen (see Alfie or Closer), and now he's one in real life! The former nanny of Law's children went public this weekend with details of a steamy affair with the actor, and on Monday Law publicly apologized to his new fiance, actress Sienna Miller, for his infidelity. "Following the reports in today's papers, I just want to say I am deeply ashamed and upset that I've hurt Sienna and the people most close to us," the 32-year-old actor said. "I want to publicly apologize to Sienna and our respective families for the pain that I have caused." The nanny, 26-year-old Daisy Wright, told her steamy story (complete with details of pool-table romps) to the Sunday Mirror.

Blabber Bits

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Sandra Bullock Marries Monster Garage Host Jesse James

Sandra Bullock is a married woman. Bullock married her boyfriend, Jesse James, in a ceremony Saturday at a ranch near Santa Barbara. James is the host of the reality show Monster Garage. More than 300 friends and family members were present for the nuptials. The groom, who has been married twice before, arrived at the ceremony in a monster truck, of course. That fit the "hoedown theme" of the wedding, which had music from a country-western band. It's the first marriage for Miss Congeniality, who wore a white lace dress designed by Angel Sanchez.

Angelina's New Baby out of Hospital

Brad Pitt might not be the only one in Angelina Jolie's camp who needed medical attention. People magazine reports that Angelina's adopted baby Zahara was released from a New York hospital on Friday after being treated for dehydration and malnutrition for a week. The Ethiopian baby is six months old. The baby's pediatrician told People that the girl is now doing well and seems to be bonding with her new mom.

Eminem May Give Up Solo Career

Eminem might be hanging up his tracksuit. The rapper's hometown newspaper, the Detroit Free Press, reported on Friday that he plans to have his last solo performance in Ireland in September. Sources close to Slim Shady told the paper that his album Encore might be his last as he starts working full-time as a record producer. Eminem's official camp has not confirmed the information about the rapper's last solo show. "Marshall feels he's said everything he can say as Eminem," one insider was quoted as saying. "The idea that he intended this [Encore] to be his last record is something that everyone on the inside circle has known for a while."

Blabber Bits

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Desperate Housewives, Will & Grace Lead Emmy Noms

Desperate Housewives and Will & Grace rather unsurprisingly led the Emmy Award nominations yesterday, with 15 nominations each. But two HBO flicks, The Life and Death of Peter Sellers and Warm Springs, both got 16 nominations each. Among the Wisteria Lane housewives, Marcia Cross, Teri Hatcher and Felicity Huffman got nods -- we're sure that's not going to cause ANY tension on the set with Eva Longoria and Nicollette Sheridan. We were also happy to see our favorite show, Lost, lead the drama nominations with 12 nods. Recently ended Everybody Loves Raymond got 13 nominations, and other nominees included The West Wing, 24, Six Feet Under, Deadwood, Arrested Development and Scrubs.

Judge Dismisses Michael Moore Libel Case

A federal judge has dismissed a $20 million libel and defamation lawsuit that was filed against filmmaker Michael Moore by the brother of Terry Nichols. Nichols was the conspirator in the Oklahoma City bombing of April 1995, which killed 168 people. The suit was filed in October 2003, alleging that statements made by Moore in Bowling for Columbine implied James Nichols was involved in the bombing. The judge said that Moore's "statements were factual and substantially true statements." Moore had interviewed Nichols at his Michigan farm, and noted that the brothers and Timothy McVeigh had made "practice bombs" there.

Cameron Diaz Takes the Stand against Photographer

Cameron Diaz testified against the photographer that she says blackmailed her over topless pictures. Diaz took the stand for three hours, noting that she "wasn't ashamed" of the photos. Photographer James Rutter is charged with attempted grand theft, forgery and perjury for trying to sell the photos to Diaz for millions of dollars. Diaz giggled about her early modeling career and laughed about the May 1992 photo shoot, which shows her topless in leather boots and fishnets. She thought the pics might end up in edgy European magazines -- one of her in a black bra did appear in a French magazine.

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Brad Pitt Diagnosed with Mild Viral Meningitis

Okay, we definitely take back what we said about Brad Pitt being wimpy if he went to the hospital with the flu, which mere mortals suffer through without medical attention. It turns out that he has viral meningitis. He was released from the hospital on Wednesday and is said to be "doing well." The case of viral meningitis was mild evidently, but hey, it still sounds scary to us. The illness causes inflamed tissues covering the brain and spinal cord. Get well soon, Brad, and if Angelina doesn't bring you chicken soup in bed, we will.

Cameron Diaz Says Photographer Tried to Blackmail Her

The trial of a photographer who tried to blackmail Cameron Diaz has kicked off, and Diaz herself may take the stand. A prosecutor said yesterday that photographer John Rutter tried to make Diaz pay $3.5 million for topless photos that she posed for before she was a star. The blackmail allegedly came a few days before the release of Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle in June 2003. Rutter is charged with attempted grand theft, forgery and perjury. The photos don't sound particularly flattering -- the 1992 shots show Diaz, in leather and fishnets, pushing around a male model in a dog collar and chains. Justin's one lucky guy?

TV's Cooter Bashes Dukes of Hazzard Flick

If you need your cultural barometer set by a guy named Cooter, then here you go. Ben Jones, who played Cooter on the Dukes of Hazzard TV series says that the new movie version of Dukes is a "sleazy insult" to the original. Jones, who is also a former Georgia congressman, said he was shocked by the profanity and sexual content in the script, which "trashed" the original family-friendly series. "It's one thing to do whatever movie they want to do, but to take a classic family show and do that is like taking I Love Lucy and making her a crackhead or something," Jones said. Well, we all know Jessica Simpson can't really act, so they probably had no choice but to make the film all about sex. Cooter's telling all his fans to skip the movie, which hits theaters August 5.

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Jacko Faces $48 Million Lawsuit

Michael Jackson has legal troubles, again. He may have beaten those child-molestation charges, but now he's been hit with a $48 million lawsuit. The breach-of-contract suit was filed by Prescient Acquisition Group, a New Jersey financial advisory firm, which says that Jackson owes the company $48 million for various financial services it has provided the pop star in recent months. The cost is associated with securing Jacko a loan to help pay off his $272.5 million debt to Bank of America. The firm also helped Jackson acquire complete control of his publishing trust, which manages the copyright to thousands of songs, including hundreds of Beatles compositions.

Brad Pitt in Hospital with Flu

Brad Pitt has been admitted to a Los Angeles hospital with flu-like symptoms. This comes a week after Pitt journeyed with his "pal" Angelina Jolie to Ethiopia in East Africa, where she adopted an orphaned baby girl. Pitt's publicist says he'll be okay. "He's fine. We think he has the flu," publicist Cindy Guagenti said. "They are just doing a couple tests." Meanwhile, we've always wondered why celebrities go to the hospital if they have the flu, rather than just suffering in bed watching Saved by the Bell reruns like the rest of us mere mortals. Maybe he just wanted to get Mr. and Mrs. Smith back in the headlines?

Tom Cruise Speeds through Rome on Next Mission

Tom Cruise was spotted whizzing on a speedboat in Rome, holding up a sign that says he really does love Katie Holmes. Oh, okay, he didn't have the sign with him (although he DOES love her, remember?), but he was whizzing around to shoot some scenes for Mission: Impossible 3. He was on the River Tiber, which was closed to other traffic for the day. Holmes was dockside, of course, kissing her man before his big scene. Lost and Alias creator J.J. Abrams is directing the sequel, which had been on hold while budget issues were sorted out. It will released on May 5, 2006 if you need to mark your calendar.

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Farm Aid Back for 20th Year

Move over, Bob Geldof. Willie Nelson and John Mellencamp are back in business for the 20th edition of Farm Aid. The singers announced plans for the longest-running benefit concert in America, which helps save family farms through promoting organic food and alternative energy sources. "We know we're making some sort of impact, that's why we're still here," Nelson said. This year's event will be held September 18 in Trinley Park near Chicago. The Farm Aid events have raised $27 million over the years.

Gladiator May Return without Crowe

Gladiator may return, sans Russell Crowe. Crowe's character was killed at the end of the first film, but costar Djimon Hounsou said that there could be a sequel. Hounsou said he definitely has "the desire to do a sequel." He said that it would be hard to resurrect Crowe's Maximus character, but that producers were still working on the script and casting decisions. There are always flashbacks or the J.R. Ewing shower scene strategies to revive Crowe. Hounsou, who played an African slave who fought with Maximus, would probably be one of the lead characters. Somewhere, Russell Crowe is throwing a phone against the wall.

Hollywood Gets Chocoholic

Hollywood was especially sweet on Sunday night for the world premiere of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. There was scented chocolate, chocolate-colored carpet and chocolate fountains. This is one premiere we would have really liked to have been invited to -- not just for the snacks, but also because Johnny Depp was there, fresh with his tan from shooting Pirates of the Caribbean 2. Pregnant Britney and K-Fed were there as well, along with other celebs including Melanie Griffith, Daryl Hannah, John Stamos and Frankie Muniz.

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Stars Sing at Luther Vandross's Funeral

It was a star-studded sendoff for Luther Vandross. After a two-day wake during which fans from around the world paid tribute to the singer, Vandross was given a funeral on Friday in New York City. Joining thousands at Riverside Church in Harlem were such stars as Usher, Alicia Keys, Patti LaBelle, Aretha Franklin and Stevie Wonder. They shared memories of Vandross and then also sang -- Aretha belted out "Amazing Grace" and Wonder sang "I Can't Complain." At the end of the service, many of the singers joined together to sing one of Luther's biggest hits, "Power of Love/Love Power." Vandross passed away at age 54 from complications after a stroke.

Lara Flynn Boyle Tries Her Luck in Vegas

Lara Flynn Boyle, who we used to love back when she had some meat on her bones and starred in Twin Peaks, is returning to TV. Boyle will be joining the cast of NBC's Las Vegas, playing a "flamboyant" owner of the Montecito Resort & Casino. She's no stranger to TV, of course -- in addition to that Twin Peaks business, she played district attorney Helen Gamble on The Practice for seven years. "Obviously, we're excited to have someone with the style and panache of Lara Flynn Boyle as we head into a season of transition for Las Vegas," series creator Gary Scott Thompson said. Now somebody force feed her at one of those cheap Vegas buffets!

INXS Searches for New Singer

There will never be another Michael Hutchence (cue flashbacks to bare chest and leather jacket in "Need You Tonight" video). But now the late singer's band, INXS, is searching for a new frontman -- or woman. (Hutchence committed suicide in 1997.) Epic Records has even signed the band to a new record deal and is planning a world tour. And, this being the age of reality TV, you can follow along with the band's search for a new singer as CBS starts airing its new series Rock Star: INXS tonight. The surviving members of the Aussie hitmakers will put 15 singers (eight women and seven men) through a competition. For some reason, Brooke Burke hosts. Ah yes, we remember the reason -- male viewers.

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Omarion Asks for Prayers for Safe Trip

Yes, with any tragedy comes some gallows humor. So today we are chuckling at this report that American R&B singer
Omarion, who was simply visiting London and was evidently nowhere near the blasts, is asking fans to pray for him regardless. "Omarion was in London during the tragic bombings that struck this morning," his publicist said in a statement on Thursday. "He would like his fans to pray that he has a safe trip and a safe return home. He appreciates your support." While we do in fact hope that Omarion makes it back from Blighty safely, we think we'll do most of our praying for the victims and their loved ones.

Zsa Zsa Gabor Recovers from Stroke

Zsa Zsa Gabor has suffered a stroke and had surgery in a Los Angeles hospital to remove a blocked artery. Her husband said, "She is recovering right now, and we have to see. The doctors are very optimistic that she will recover. The operation was successful." The fabulous Hungarian-born actress, who is in her 80s, had another stroke before this incident. She also was involved in a 2002 car accident. She starred in such films as Lili and Queen of Outer Space. Get well soon, darling!

Brad Pitt Goes with Angelina to Pick Up Baby

Mr. & Mrs. Smith, indeed. It seems that Brad Pitt is in Ethiopia with Angelina Jolie to jointly pick up the baby she is adopting. Pitt, Jolie and her son, Maddox, arrived on Wednesday. A manager of the adoption agency, Wide Horizons, said that the orphaned girl's parents probably died of AIDS. People magazine reported that Angelina has already named the five-month-old girl Zahara Marley Jolie. Jennifer Aniston can't be too happy about this.

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Our heart is just not in celebrity gossip today, obviously, especially for our London-based blog. Our thoughts go out to everyone affected by the tragedy in London. So now we'll just give you the quick news rundown -- forgive us for our lack of snarkiness today. If you need a distraction from the serious news of terrorism, here's the lighter stuff:

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eBay Pulls Live 8 DVDs

eBay is in hot water with Live 8 yet again. Last month, the auction site came under fire from organizers for selling what were supposed to be free tickets to the event. Now, eBay has begun removing illegal DVD copies of the concerts that sellers put up for auction and were hawking for more than $30 each. EMI, meanwhile, actually paid good money for the official DVD rights, and is planning an official release. In other Live 8 news, Philadelphia's Live 8 organizers have some explaining to do. Two top acts -- Justin Timberlake and P. Diddy -- were no-shows at the event. Here's why: They never planned to attend. Though organizers used Justin and P's names to drum up publicity, they never commited. "[Justin's] name was being bandied about, but he never agreed to anything," said JT's spokesperson. "He was in the One ad campaign [to fight African poverty], and that was it." As for P, his mouthpiece said: "Puffy expressed interest in the event, but they never got back to him about it." Check out photos from Live 8.

Domino Movie Goes On

Domino lives, at least on screen. New Line Cinema and director Tony Scott say they plan to stick to the August release date for their film entitled Domino, even though the woman who inspired the film died recently at age 35. Domino Harvey was found dead on Monday in her bathtub; experts speculate she might have had a drug overdose, although autopsy tests are pending. She was a model turned bounty hunter who had her share of problems -- she had been busted in a drug-trafficking sting last month in Mississippi. "Domino never failed to surprise or inspire me over the last 12 years," said director Tony Scott. "She was a free spirit like no other I have ever known." The studio had thought of delaying the film, starring Keira Knightley, until November but decided to stick with the August date.

Biggie Case Could See Mistrial

The judge in the Notorious B.I.G. wrongful death trial said that she would consider a request for a mistrial or sanctions against the city of Los Angeles. Judge Florence-Marie Cooper said that one LAPD detective's excuse that he "forgot" his notes on the case "defies credulity. I do not believe it... It certainly looks to the court, at first blush, that this was a deliberate concealment of information. Some sanction at this stage appears very appropriate." She is expected to rule in the case tomorrow.

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Tom Cruise Scores (at Box Office, Not Just with Katie)

Tom Cruise is once again known for an actual movie, not just for his Scientology rants and proclamations of love. Cruise's War of the Worlds has earned $113.3 million in the U.S. since its release on Wednesday. The Spielberg alien-invasion thriller was the second best July 4th weekend performer ever, behind last year's Spider-Man 2. Although the WOTW opening was impressive, it was lower than last year's holiday weekend, which means that the North American box-office ticket sales have fallen for 19 consecutive weekends, the longest losing streak in two decades. War of the Worlds also fared well internationally, with $102.5 million overseas -- and more than $15 million each in Japan and Britain.

Live 8 Boosts Awareness... and Album Sales

If you missed Live 8 in person or on TV, here's a recap. In our opinion, it was extremely well intentioned and raised a lot of awareness about African poverty, but it wasn't so exciting musically. Maybe you are a bigger Black Eyed Peas fan than we are, though. Anyway, the stars who signed up out of the goodness of their hearts are now benefiting through their bank accounts. Live 8 performers now have booming record sales -- one Pink Floyd disc saw a 1,343 percent increase in sales on Sunday after the Hyde Park show. iTunes is offering the "Sgt. Pepper" performance by Paul McCartney and U2, with sales benefiting Live 8. The closing song, "Hey Jude," is also on sale online.

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Luther Vandross, the soul singer whose music has influenced many a prom night, died on Friday at a New Jersey hospital. The singer-songwriter was just 54. Vandross suffered a stroke two years ago but had been about to relaunch his career. "Luther Vandross had a peaceful passing under the watchful eye of friends, family and the medical support team," said Rob Cavanaugh, a spokesman at JFK Medical Center in Edison, New Jersey. Doctors said that he had never fully recovered from his stroke, although the exact cause of death wasn't released. His last album, Dance with My Father, was a huge hit and won four Grammys. Thanks for the music, Luther.

It's not just Bennifer heading down the aisle. Bo Bice, American Idol runner-up, has married his girlfriend of two years, Caroline Merrin Fisher. They wed on June 15 in the couple's hometown in Helena, Alabama. Bice let the news slip during an interview with MTV. "I'm ready to be the five-minute warrior just like I am in the bedroom," Bice said. "I gave my wife the best three seconds of her life." There had been rumors that Bice was romantically involved with fellow Idol finalist Carrie Underwood. He said she was more like a sister.

It's like those W magazine suburbia photos come to life. Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie have been snapped together sharing domestic life, and People magazine has published the pics. Brangelina are spotted together in six photos. In one, Jolie stands in a field near her estate in Buckinghamshire, England, while a shirtless Brad rides a dirt bike with her son, Maddox. There are also photos of them together at England's Luton airport. A British photographer sold People the photos, and the mag says that it paid less than $1 million for them and that there wasn't a bidding war with rivals such as Us Weekly and Star.

Singer Pink has gotten engaged to her on-again, off-again boyfriend, motocross champ Carey Hart. (Don't worry, it's not that "Sunglasses at Night" guy.) Pink apparently took matters into her own hands and proposed to Hart herself. At a motocross race in California on Sunday, Pink wrote "Will You Marry Me?" on a pit board and held it up in front of the grandstands during the third lap. After her man kept going, she wrote "I'm serious!" and then Hart pulled off the track and picked up Pink.