ENTERTAINMENT NEWS

Selena Gomez and Justin Bieber are now in regular contact, and it has royally pissed off members of her family. A member of Selena's family tells us many of them have never forgiven Justin for what they claim was extremely bad conduct during their long on-again-off-again relationship. One family member says, "Justin is a vile human and will never be accepted by us. As long as she is even speaking to him in any way, it is not only disrespectful to everyone around her, it is disrespectful to herself." Some members of Selena's family believe she went to rehab for depression because of the way Justin treated her. As for Selena ... she's not taking her cue from her family, because she's been around Justin at least 3 times in the last week. (TMZ)

Why Nicole Kidman Pledged to Work With a Female Director Every 18 Months. After pledging to work with a female director every 18 months, Nicole Kidman opened up about her promise to support more women in Hollywood. The Oscar-winning actress addressed her pledge in an interview with Glamour for her 2017 Women of the Year win. "As an actor you're only as good as the things you're offered. And there just weren't any women offering me things," she told the magazine. "So when you dissect that, you realize there aren't women offering you things because they don't have the opportunities. I work to raise money for women's cancers; I use my voice for violence against women. And so I was like, 'I need to be part of the movement that will, hopefully, change the statistics in my field.'" For Kidman, who originally made the pledge during a May interview with The Sydney Morning Herald, it's important to walk the walk and not just talk the talk. "Because, to be an advocate, you have to actually put things into action," she told Glamour. Keeping her promise, the Moulin Rouge star said she's working with director Karyn Kusama on a new project. She also talked about the effect her pledge could have on her daughter Sunday, who has expressed early interest in the film industry. "My nine-year-old daughter wants to be a director right now. Her whole attitude is 'The world's my oyster.' She doesn't realize that it's actually not," Kidman said. This isn't the first time the actress has spoken out about women's role in Hollywood. She asked for women to get "greater roles" during her acceptance speech with Reese Witherspoon for Big Little Lies' Outstanding Limited Series win. "This is a friendship that then created opportunities. It created opportunities out of a frustration because we weren't getting offered great roles," she said. "Now, more great roles for women, please. Kidman also won the Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited Series or a Movie for her performance as Celeste Wright in the series. Visit Glamour to read more of Kidman's interview. (Eonline)

Miley Cyrus Compares Being Hannah Montana to Toddlers & Tiaras: "That's A Lot to Put on a Kid." Under the makeup, wardrobe and wig, it was always Miley Cyrus. More than a decade after her breakout role as the girl living the "best of both worlds," Hannah Montana, the songstress is reflecting on that stage of her life with a mix of gratitude and apprehension. Now 24 years old, Cyrus acknowledges she carried quite the load as a child star. "I liked being in the Disney universe because I didn't know anything else. I knew that I was getting to live what I wanted to do. I got to do two things that I loved. I got to act at that time and I got to be funny and I got to wear a wig and that was awesome and I got to wear a lot of sparkly things, so that was cool," she recalled during an interview on CBS Sunday Morning. "I think now that I'm older, now I realize that's a lot to put on a kid. It's a lot to put on a kid to have them have to go get their makeup done and also balance school and also have me dress up in a wig as a kid is a little weird -- it's a little Toddlers & Tiaras." The former TLC reality show chronicled the lives of young girls competing in child beauty pageants and drew controversy for some of the costumes the girls wore while competing. While the Hannah Montana veneer may have been a lot for a young girl to manage, Cyrus also acknowledges how special that character was for her and for her fans. "I think why people loved Hannah Montana was because Hannah Montana did feel real and that's because I was under there and people forgot that sometimes," Cyrus continued. "I loved being that character and so, that's what made people love her and honestly music is everything and all people want to have is great music. For that audience, for what that was, that was great music for kids to listen to. There's a song called "Life's What You Make It" so let's make it rock -- never forget that. Wise words -- that's a good thing to tell kids." (Eonline)

Selena Gomez and Francia Raisa are ready to talk -- together. The "Wolves" singer, 25, shocked fans in September by announcing that, due to lupus complications, she'd received a kidney transplant from her best friend Raisa over the summer. The two pals sat down with Today for a joint interview about the surgery, recovery and the months since. "My kidneys were just done," Gomez told Savannah Guthrie. "That was it, and I didn't want to ask a single person in my life. The thought of asking someone to do that was really difficult for me. She volunteered and did it. And let alone someone wanting to volunteer, it is incredibly difficult to find a match. The fact that she was a match, I mean that's unbelievable. That's not real." Raisa was sharing a house with Gomez when she realized how weak her friend was becoming. "One day she came home and she was emotional. I hadn't asked anything. I knew she hadn't been feeling well," the Grown-ish actress said. "She couldn't open a water bottle one day. She chucked it and she started crying. And I said, 'What's wrong?' and that's when she told me. And she goes, 'I don't know what to do. The list is seven to ten years long. She continued, "It just vomited out of me: I was like, 'Of course I'll get tested.'" Raisa explained that because they were in an "emergency situation," she completed her testing in a day -- a process that usually takes about six months. Before the surgery day, the girls had a friend French braid their hair and ate a big meal. But the fear was certainly there. "I had to write a will, which was scary because there's no guarantee I'll wake up," Raisa said. Raisa went into surgery first and everything went well. Gomez also woke up from her procedure feeling fine but realized an excruciating pain as she tried to nap. Doctors told Gomez that she would have to go back into surgery, as her new kidney was turning around inside her body. "My teeth were like grinding, I was freaking out," Gomez explained. "It was a six hour surgery that they had to do on me, and the normal kidney process is actually two hours." She added, "Apparently one of the arteries had flipped. I'm very grateful that there are people who know what to do in that situation." But they were together, as Gomez ensured they were recovering at a place alongside each other. "You feel she saved your life?" Guthrie asked the singer. "Because she did," Gomez replied. Gomez and Raisa, 29, have been friends for a long time. In a 2013 interview with Latina, Raisa shared that she met Gomez six years before, in 2009, when Disney and ABC Family (now Freeform) had the stars of their shows visit a children's hospital. At the time Raisa was starring in The Secret Life of the American Teenager and Gomez in Wizards of Waverly Place. "Selena and I were in the same group and we just clicked," Raisa said. But eight years after they first "clicked," the actress' friendship reached a new level when Raisa was found to be a match for Gomez. "There aren't words to describe how I can possibly thank my beautiful friend Francia Raisa," the singer said while revealing news of her surgery. "She gave me the ultimate gift and sacrifice by donating her kidney to me. I am incredibly blessed." Gomez has been open about her battle with lupus for several years, and first revealed in 2015 that she'd undergone chemotherapy to treat the disease. Lupus causes the immune system to attack its own organs and tissues and can affect the whole body. According to the Lupus Foundation of America, about half of all cases of systemic lupus affect a major organ such as the heart, lung, kidneys or brain. In some cases, it can take years for the disease to be diagnosed and properly treated. Last month PEOPLE spoke with a doctor who specializes in transplants for people with immune diseases including lupus, Robert Montgomery, MD, director of the Transplant Institute at NYU Langone Health. Dr. Montgomery told PEOPLE that it's common for lupus to damage kidneys to the point where one or both need to be replaced. "Not every patient who gets lupus ends up with kidney failure, but some do," he said. When lupus patients need organ donations they are often added to a waiting list to be matched with a deceased donor, and they may have to go on dialysis for kidney failure while they wait months or even years. In Gomez's case, she had Raisa to serve as her live donor, which Dr. Montgomery said is a "great advantage" because "live donor transplants last twice as long, on average, as deceased donor kidneys." Raisa said the experience brought them even closer. "I am beyond grateful that God would trust me with something that not only saved a life, but changed mine in the process," she said. (People)

Katherine Jackson is bowing out of the guardian biz when it comes to Michael Jackson's youngest child, Blanket. According to docs filed by Katherine ... there's no longer any need for her to be the 15-year-old's guardian. Katherine had been appointed joint guardian -- along with TJ Jackson -- of all 3 of Michael's kids in 2012. Both Paris and Prince are adults now, but Katherine says because Blanket has reached his adolescence ... TJ can handle guardianship on his own. She also points to her own age, 87, as a reason she's stepping down. Worth noting ... Katherine had not seen her grandchildren for several months earlier this year. It's still unclear how much contact she's had with MJ's children. A judge still needs to approve Grandma Jackson's request. (TMZ)

The real reason Simon Cowell missed X Factor this weekend. Get well soon, Simon. If you watched the X Factor this weekend, you might have noticed that Simon Cowell was not in his seat. The music mogul was rushed to the hospital on Friday morning and has now addressed why he was absent from the show on both Saturday and Sunday night. The 58 year-old was seen leaving his home on a stretcher, and now, Simon revealed it was because he fainted and felt down the stairs due to low blood pressure. "Sometimes we get a reminder that we're not invincible and this was certainly mine. It was a huge shock. They think I fainted because I had low blood pressure and so I have got to take good care of myself to sort that out. After all, I am a dad and have more responsibility than ever," he told The Sun. Recalling the accident, Simon said: "I'd gone to get some hot milk because I felt ropey. On the way back upstairs, I just remember feeling really dizzy. Next thing I know someone was putting a neck brace on me," he continued "It could have been a lot worse. I must say, everyone at the hospital were incredible. I'm truly grateful." Simon was forced to miss out on the X Factor this weekend, and Alesha Dixon replaced him on the judging panel. Bless him! (British Glamour)

Kevin Spacey Comes Out as Gay and Apologizes to Anthony Rapp for Past Inappropriate Behavior. Kevin Spacey has come out as a gay man and issued an apology to Anthony Rapp after the Star Trek: Discovery star gave an interview to Buzzfeed News on Sunday, in which the Broadway vet publicly accused the House of Cards star of making a pass at him when he was just 14 years old. Soon after the story hit, the two-time Oscar winner apologized in a lengthy statement on social media. "I have a lot of respect and admiration for Anthony Rapp as an actor," he wrote. "I am beyond horrified to hear his story. I honestly do not remember the encounter as it would have been over 30 years ago. But if I did behave then as he describes I owe him the sincerest apology for what would have been deeply inappropriate drunken behavior and I am sorry for the feelings he described having carried with him all these years." Spacey also wrote, "This story has encouraged me to address other things in my life...I have loved and had romantic encounters with men throughout my life, and I choose now to live as a gay man." A few minutes after Spacey's shared his post, Rapp tweeted, "Everything I wanted to say about my experience is in that article, and I have no further comment about it at this time." While many fans have reacted in support of Spacey's coming out about his long-rumored sexuality, there has also been a big backlash online over his decision to come out in an apology for his past behavior. Commenters have called out the 58-year-old actor for "deflecting" from what they feel is the true issue at hand -- being sexually inappropriate with an underage boy. On Sunday, Rapp, who is now 46, alleged that the inappropriate interaction occurred when Spacey befriended the young star while they were both performing on Broadway. The School Ties actor says he went to party at the then 26-year-old actor's apartment. "He was trying to seduce me," Rapp said to the publication. "I don't know if I would have used that language. But I was aware that he was trying to get with me sexually." Rapp, who was starring in Precious Sons opposite Ed Harris at the time of the alleged event, claims that he went into the actor's bedroom to watch TV because he got bored. He says that he did not realize everyone had left and when Spacey came back into the bedroom. He claims that the actor picked him up, climbed on top of him and made a sexual advance. In the interview, Rapp said, "My memory was that I thought, 'Oh, everybody's gone. Well, yeah, I should probably go home.'" He recalled that "[Spacey] sort of stood in the doorway, kind of swaying. My impression when he came in the room was that he was drunk." Rapp also claims that Spacey "picked me up like a groom picks up the bride over the threshold. But I don't, like, squirm away initially, because I'm like, 'What's going on?' And then he lays down on top of me." Rapp said he felt compelled to come forward after many women have come forward with allegations of rape, sexual assault and harassment against the former CEO of The Wienstein Company Harvey Weinstein, who has denied any claims of non-consensual sex. "And not to simply air a grievance," Rapp said, "but to try to shine another light on the decades of behavior that have been allowed to continue because many people, including myself, being silent. ... I'm feeling really awake to the moment that we're living in, and I'm hopeful that this can make a difference." The former Rent star also says that to this day, seeing Spacey upsets him. "My stomach churns," Rapp said. "I still to this day can't wrap my head around so many aspects of it. It's just deeply confusing to me." (Eonline)

Kevin Spacey Criticized After He Comes Out as Gay in Public Apology to Anthony Rapp. After Anthony Rapp accused Spacey of making a pass at him when he was 14 years old, Hollywood figures are not mincing words about the claims against the star nor his controversial response. In a Buzzfeed News report published late Sunday, Rapp alleged Spacey made a "sexual advance" toward him 30 years ago. Recalling a party he attended at the Oscar winner's apartment as a young teenager, Rapp said he grew bored at the adult gathering, went into a bedroom and watched TV. As Rapp described to Buzzfeed News, Spacey allegedly appeared in the doorway after the party had emptied, picked him up, laid him on the bed and then laid down on top of him. "He was trying to seduce me," Rapp told Buzzfeed News. "I don't know if I would have used that language. But I was aware that he was trying to get with me sexually." In response, Spacey apologized to the Rent star for "what would have been deeply inappropriate drunken behavior," though he said he does not remember the encounter. Additionally, in the statement, he confirmed publicly that he is gay. "I have a lot of respect and admiration for Anthony Rapp as an actor," Spacey began in his public remarks. "I'm beyond horrified to hear his story. I honestly do not remember the encounter as it would have been over 30 years ago. But if I did behave then as he describes, I owe him the sincerest apology for what would have been deeply inappropriate drunken behavior and I am sorry for the feelings he describes having carried with him all these years." As he continued, "This story has encouraged me to address other things about my life. I know that there are stories out there about my and that some have been fueled by the fact that I have been so protective of my privacy. As those closest to me know, in my life I have had relationships with both men and women. I have loved and had romantic encounters with men throughout my life, and I choose now to live as a gay man. I want to deal with this honestly and openly and that starts with examining my own behavior." Some of his fellow Hollywood stars did not hold back as they criticized the actor for pairing his apology to Rapp with the personal declaration. Comedian Wanda Sykes tweeted, "No no no no no! You do not get to 'choose' to hide under the rainbow! Kick rocks!" Orphan Black star Jordan Gavaris retorted, "SEXUAL ASSAULT IS NOT ABOUT SEXUALITY. SEXUAL ASSAULT IS ABOUT POWER. SAY IT WITH ME, PLEASE. #KevinSpacey." McGowan, who has been a public advocate for sexual assault victims and accused disgraced producer Harvey Weinstein of rape, responded to the news with, "Gay = Gay Predator = Predator." Weinstein has denied any allegations of non-consensual sex. Comedian Billy Eichner reacted to Spacey's statement with, "That Kevin Spacey statement. Nope. Absolutely not. Nope." "Kevin Spacey has just invented something that has never existed before: a bad time to come out," he continued. "Imagine the Astros walking off the field only to find out Kevin Spacey is gay. The shock of it all...But honestly I hesitate to make jokes because the Spacey statement is truly disgusting, irresponsible and dangerous. Ok goodnight!" "Kevin Spacey really tried to throw the entire LGBT community under a bus and call it solidarity in an effort to mask his personal failings," civil rights activist DeRay Mckesson responded. Meanwhile, GLAAD issued the following statement to E! News. "Coming out stories should not be used to deflect from allegations of sexual assault," Sarah Kate Ellis, President and CEO of GLAAD, said. "This is not a coming out story about Kevin Spacey, but a story of survivorship by Anthony Rapp and all those who bravely speak out against unwanted sexual advances. The media and public should not gloss over that." "Coming out as a gay man is not the same thing as coming out as someone who preyed on a 14-year-old. Conflating those things is disgusting...This exposes the gay community to a million tired old criticisms and conspiracies," Vanity Fair film critic Richard Lawson tweeted. "The distance we've had to walk to get away from the notion that we're all pedophiles is significant...For a famous person to deflect these accusations with a long-in-the-making coming out is so cruel to his supposed new community it stings." As for House of Cards creator Beau Willimon, the screenwriter tweeted, "Anthony Rapp's story is deeply troubling. During the time I worked with Kevin Spacey on 'House of Cards' I neither witnessed nor was aware of any inappropriate behavior on set or off. That said, I take reports of such behavior seriously, and this is no exception. I feel for Mr. Rapp and I support his courage." (Eonline)

A member of rapper 2 Chainz entourage beat up a photographer who trying to take pictures of the star as he arrived at 30 Rock for an appearance on the "Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon," police said Sunday. The rapper, who has been rolling around in a pink wheelchair since breaking a leg this past summer, was outside the W. 50th St. entrance of NBC headquarters with his security team Friday when the 64-year-old shutterbug came up and started shooting. That's when bodyguard Rory Smith, 47, punched the freelance photographer in the face, knocking him to the ground, police said. Smith, who lives in Georgia, took off after punching the man and was later arrested and charged with misdemeanor assault. The scrap didn't stop 2 Chainz's appearance, which included him being interviewed by Fallon and performing a song from his new album. (Page Six)

THE OTHER STUFF . . .

Adele wins at Halloween every goddamn year. We are living for all of Adele's fancy dress costumes. Adele is possibly the greatest living female vocalist of our time. But can we take a moment to acknowledge her dedication to properly amazing Halloween costumes? This year she dressed up as an homage to Bette Midler's character in Hocus Pocus. Granted, it's not as crazy as last year's costume, but we adore the makeup look... In 2016 she went all-out on her The Mask costume while on tour in Dallas, and surprised her fans by sharing the black and white shots on her Instagram. The costume was so good that it didn't take long for her 22 million followers start to question if that was really her. But the small tattoo on her hand, in homage to her son, Angelo, revealed the singer's identity. She nailed Carrey's character brilliantly, posing for photos in full suit, tie and hat. We're not the only ones who loved it - Jim Carrey, who played the original trickster in the 90s blockbuster film, did too. Taking to Twitter, the comedian captioned a photo of himself dressed up with, "Hi @Adele. It's Jim from the other side. Weird coincidence, I dressed up as one of your roadies for Halloween, I absolutely love you ;*" Twitter Ads info and privacy In 2015, the record-breaking singer dragged up as George Michael for her 27th birthday. This was also a TRIUMPH of fancy dress-and sadly prophetic. Adele sang a tribute to George at the 2017 Emmys, following his death just after Christmas in 2016. She asked to repeat her cover of 'Fastlove' after she flubbed the opening, saying, "I can't mess this up for him." Heidi Klum you better watch out, Adele might be the new queen of costumes! (British Glamour)

Tyrese's first visit with his daughter in 2 months was pretty short ... so he took her a place that's just as quick with grub that made both daddy and daughter smile. Tyrese got to see 10-year-old Shayla Sunday for a monitored visit in a Van Nuys office building. They capped off the visit by going across the street for burgers and fries at In-N-Out. From the looks of the photos, Shayla and dad were definitely enjoying each other's company. We broke the story ... Tyrese and his ex-wife, Norma, will be in court this week in what has become a marathon hearing in which she's trying to get a permanent restraining order. The judge gave the green light Friday for Sunday's visit. (TMZ)

Months before John Lennon told The Beatles he wanted out, he was so focused on Yoko Ono ... he hand wrote a Christmas card to her ex-husband, which is now available for wealthy collectors. Lennon penned the card to music producer Tony Cox in December 1968. Cox and Ono were married from 1962-69 ... so they weren't officially divorced yet when Lennon wrote to him. The card ain't exactly full of holiday cheer, instead it's all about Yoko moving out -- "We took most of the stuff I think - we're gradually going through it." John also asks Tony to fork over 2 of Yoko's short films and master tapes from a February 1968 concert she'd performed. The card, and enclosed letter, is being sold on MomentsInTime.com. They're asking $15k for it ... which is kind of a steal considering a lock of John's hair went for $35k. The correspondence is pretty cordial, considering the love triangle. Yoko and Tony had one child, Kyoko, who is also addressed in the card. (TMZ)

The backup Rocky Balboa statue for "Rocky III" might just end up in the hands of Sly Stallone himself ... 'cause his wife, Jennifer Flavin, says she wants to buy it!! That was until we told her how much it'd cost her -- up to $1 MIL -- at which point she seemed to lose hope (sorry, Jenn). TMZ Sports broke the story ... SCP Auctions is taking bids on the only replica of the iconic Rocky statue -- made just in case anything happened to the original. Flavin was pumped about bringing the piece home to Stallone ... but after finding out the price tag, told us another place she'd be OK with the bronzen Balboa ending up. Never say never, though ... you really think Sly wouldn't pony up for The Italian Stallion? (TMZ)

A Sephora cosmetics store in Hollywood cared more about peddling lipstick than the oral health of customers, and now a woman is stuck with a lifelong disease ... according to a new suit. A California woman claims she visited the store in October 2015 and sampled a lipstick from one of the "common use" tubes on display ... and ended up with herpes on her lip. She says the infection was diagnosed by medical pros and she claims she never had herpes or cold sores before this Sephora visit. According to the docs ... Sephora failed to clearly warn the woman and other customers of the risk of getting herpes or other diseases from trying on the lipstick samples. She says if she would have known ... she would've avoided them like the plague. The woman claims other lipstick companies have proven methods of avoiding herpes exposure -- like individual samples or assistance from trained professionals -- but Sephora cared too much about making a quick buck to bother. She's suing the cosmetics chain for the emotional distress over an "incurable lifelong affliction" she says she now has to deal with as a result of using its lipstick samples. We reached out to Sephora ... no word back so far. (TMZ)

Gwyneth Paltrow Wins Halloween with Spoiler Alert 'Seven' Costume. What's in the box?! The holiday hasn't even officially happened yet, but Gwyneth Paltrow has won Halloween this year. On Sunday, the actress posted her costume, which only she could pull off: her head in a box, from the 1995 thriller Seven. In the Brad Pitt and Morgan Freeman starrer, Paltrow plays Tracy Mills, wife of Pitt's detective David Mills. Tracy is murdered by John Doe (Kevin Spacey), a serial killer who uses the seven deadly sins to pick victims. Tracy becomes his second-to-last victim, her head delivered in a box to the officers at the climax of the film. Pitt's pleading, "What's in the box?!" has become a pop-culture staple. (Billboard)

Bethenny Frankel's Dog Cookie Dies After Being Hospitalized for Seizures. Bethenny Frankel's dog Cookie has died after being hospitalized over the weekend for multiple seizures. "My @cookiedabooboo is gone. Bless her furry heart," the Real Housewives of New York City star, 46, tweeted on Monday, October 30. Frankel shared a series of heartbreaking videos of herself crying on her Instagram Story on Saturday, October 28, when Cookie first began convulsing. "Do I take her to a vet? ... What do I do?" she asked her 1.5 million followers. "My daughter's watching this and we have to do something. The vet is 40 minutes away. ... I'm in a bad place." Eventually, the Bravo star and her daughter, Bryn, 7, managed to make it to a facility near their weekend home in the Hamptons. "Thanks for the love. @cookiedabooboo is alive but had a very high temp & 45 min seizure so she's resting at hospital. Not time yet," she tweeted on Sunday, October 29. "She is 17 & did have 108 fever & 45 mins of seizures, but she licked Bryn & reacted to my belly rubs. Better today but TBD @toyisland8 xo. I'm grateful. People are loving & caring. Part of me thinks the crap in the world is to bring us closer & make us better. Thank you." Unfortunately, Frankel tweeted on Monday morning that Cookie suffered two additional seizures overnight. "My heart is broken," she wrote. (US Weekly)

Music

Christina Aguilera Will Honor Whitney Houston and The Bodyguard's 25th Anniversary at the 2017 AMAs. ABC and dick clark productions announced Monday that Christina Aguilera will sing a 25th anniversary tribute to Whitney Houston and The Bodyguard at the 2017 American Music Awards on Nov. 19. The performance will include songs from the soundtrack, released in 1992. Aguilera, who has often cited Houston as one of her childhood heroes, memorably performed one of Houston's hits at the 2001 BET Awards. "Whitney herself stated in 2001 that Christina Aguilera sang the best version of her song 'Run to You,'" the Estate of Whitney E. Houston said in a statement. "It is with great appreciation and honor that she is returning to participate on the American Music Awards for a special tribute honoring the 25th anniversary of The Bodyguard. Whitney said that Christina is without a doubt one of the best voices she enjoyed in this generation of music. From the Estate of Whitney E. Houston, we thank you with great joy!" Houston won 22 American Music Awards before her untimely death in 2012. Aguilera, who received her sole nomination in 2001, joins a performance lineup that includes Selena Gomez. "I am honored and humbled to be asked to participate in such a special tribute of a timeless soundtrack that has been a huge inspiration not only in my own personal life and career, but to countless aspiring singers -- touching music lovers worldwide and influencing the history of music itself," Aguilera said in a statement. "To be honoring the one and only Whitney Houston is a blessing and I am grateful to celebrate the spirit of her songs and legend that lives on." Academy Award winner Viola Davis will introduce Aguilera's performance. "I feel eternally fortunate to have personally met her on and off the stage," the "Dirrty" singer told E! News in a statement. "My deep appreciation for her kindness to me while coming up in the business -- her graciousness, generosity, humanity and beauty -- lived up to everything I could have hoped for in meeting my idol and will forever be cherished in my memory of her." Originally released on Nov. 17, 1992, The Bodyguard: Original Soundtrack Album has sold more than 45 million copies worldwide and is the top-selling soundtrack album of all-time. Houston, who produced it with Clive Davis, provided vocals on six songs: "I Will Always Love You," "I Have Nothing," "I'm Every Woman," "Run to You," "Queen of the Night" and "Jesus Loves Me." The 2017 AMAs will air Sunday, Nov. 19, at 8 p.m. ET on ABC. (Eonline)

Pink Beats Niall Horan to Australia's Album Chart Crown. Pink and Post Malone are still on top Down Under. Beautiful Trauma (RCA/Sony), Pink's seventh studio album, enters a second week at No. 1 on the ARIA Albums Chart. It's a lofty position for any artist, but Pink can take it all in her stride. Over her career, the American pop star has hit the top with five albums and spent a combined 36 weeks at No. 1 on Australia's national chart, according to ARIA. As news broke of Pink's continued run atop the survey, Live Nation announced the addition of three more shows to her 2018 tour of Australia, for a total of 33 arena shows (the promoter insists these are the final dates on the Australian leg of the Beautiful Trauma World Tour). Pink's five New Zealand concerts have sold out and her Greatest Hits compilation continues to impress, chalking up 134 weeks on Australia's albums chart and placing just outside the top 10 (it slips 9-12). With Pink extending her reign, Niall Horan misses out on summiting with his solo debut Flicker (Capitol/EMI). The former One Direction singer's first LP can't match its No. 1 start in the U.S., but its No. 2 bow is the healthiest debut entry for any title this week in Australia. Ed Sheeran's five-times platinum Divide (Warner) slips 2-3 while Florida metal exponents Trivium snag a fifth top 10 on the national album survey with The Sin And The Sentence (Roadrunner/Warner), their eighth album, which is new at No. 4. George Michael makes a posthumous return to the top 5 with Listen Without Prejudice (Sony). First time around, Listen Without Prejudice Vol. 1, Michael's second solo set, peaked at No. 2 in September 1990. It's dropped in at No. 1 in the U.K. and No. 5 in Australia and is bundled with the former Wham singer's 1996 MTV Unplugged performance. On the ARIA Singles Chart, Post Malone logs a fifth week at No. 1 with "Rockstar" (Republic/Universal) featuring 21 Savage as Camila Cabello makes do with another stint at No. 2 with "Havana" (Epic/Sony) featuring Young Thug. The week's highest new entry goes to Taylor Swift, whose "Gorgeous" (Big Machine/Universal) starts at No. 9. The track is lifted from her forthcoming album Reputation, due No. 10, and follows "Look What You Made Me Do," which topped the chart in September, and "...Ready For It?," which reached No. 3 in September and should get a boost from the release last Friday of its blockbuster new video. (Billboard)

Niall Horan, Harry Styles or Zayn Malik: Which No. 1 One Direction Solo Album is the Best? Vote! This success of Niall Horan's new solo album, Flicker, is giving One Direction status alongside some impressive company -- namely, The Beatles. With Flicker's debut on top of the Billboard 200 chart, Horan becomes the third member of 1D to score a solo No. 1 album, a feat only the Fab Four have achieved. Of course, it took the work of two other 1D vets to reach this status: Harry Styles, who dropped his self-titled debut in May, and former group member Zayn, whose Mind of Mine was released in 2016. So, which 1D solo album is your favorite? (Billboard)

Movies

Corey Feldman Vows to Release "Every Single Name" of His Alleged Predators in Truth Campaign Film. It's been just a few days since Corey Feldman launched his Truth Campaign: a crowdsourcing initiative in which he hopes to raise $10 million to make a film about sexual abuse in Hollywood and his life. Having raised less than $200,000 so far, the child star sat down with Today's Matt Lauer to discuss the campaign and his alleged abuse. Feldman described the film as "a very true story" and said he plans to give a firsthand perspective about "everybody that affected by life." Lauer argued The Goonies star had gone "down this road before" -- promising to release the names of his alleged predators in his 2013 memoir Coreyography and then failing to do so. Feldman argued his hands were tied at the time. "This is why I'm doing this," he said on Today. "Because when I wrote my book, the publishers prevented me from writing the names down. They made me change the names." As for the film's budget, Feldman said he needed to raise the $10 million to not only create and market the film but to also hire security and legal teams to keep him safe. When Lauer asked Feldman why he didn't take his allegations to the police, the Stand By Me star said he shared the accusations with the Santa Barbara police department in 1993. "They're on record. They have all of this information. But they were scanning Michael Jackson. All they cared about was trying to find something on Michael Jackson," Feldman said, adding that Jackson, his friend, was innocent. "That was what the interview was about with the police in 1993," he continued. "I told him [Jackson] is not that guy. They said, 'Maybe you just don't understand your friend.' And I said, 'No I know the difference between pedophiles and somebody who is not a pedophile because I've been molested.'" The Lost Boys actor also claimed to have received death threats from people not wanting him to leak his information. When Lauer asked Feldman why he didn't take these threats to the authorities, Feldman said he couldn't due a "statute of limitations" that was "conveniently enough" set in place in California, claiming he would be "getting sued" if he tried. "Henceforth, I need a team of lawyers and I need a team of security to be around me at all times to keep me safe so I can keep this message done," he said. "I'm not playing around. It's serous stuff and I vow I will release every single name that I have any knowledge of, period. And nobody is going to stop me this time as long as people support this." The interview comes after a series of sexual harassment allegations. Earlier this month, The New York Times published an expose detailing decades of sexual harassment allegations against movie producer Harvey Weinstein. Weinstein's attorney Charles J. Harder told E! News the article was "saturated with false and defamatory statements." In addition, Rachel McAdams and Selma Blair accused director James Toback of sexual harassment in articles by the Los Angeles Times and Vanity Fair. Toback denied the claims made in the Los Angeles Times articles and didn't issue an additional comment for the Vanity Fair piece. Also, in an interview with BuzzFeed News, actor Anthony Rapp accused Kevin Spacey of making a sexual advance at him when he was a teen. Spacey has since apologized but said he didn't remember the encounter. During the Today interview, Feldman said "there's a lot of darkness in Hollywood right now" and that there has been for "quite some time." "It's going to continue unraveling. This is just the beginning," he said. "It's just the tip of the iceberg. So everything you're seeing is building up to what I believe will be a dam breaking opening." (Eonline)

Is a Fifth Halloweentown Movie in the Works? We have the ultimate treat for Halloweentown fans. After Disney Channel announced they were set to remake Hocus Pocus, we couldn't help but wonder about the network's iconic witch franchise, Halloweentown, which has released four movies between 1998-2006. Is there any chance we could also see a fifth installment hit the small screen anytime soon? Sheri Singer, the executive producer behind the Halloweentown franchise, exclusively told E! News she'd "like" to do a fifth movie. "I'd have to get Disney Channel to get on-board, but I would like to," she said. "I have ideas of how I would do it. There was some talk about a year and a half ago but then it didn't happen." Halloweentown first premiered in 1998, and the movie will celebrate its 20th anniversary next year. Singer had hoped to do something for the milestone "but we would have already needed to get started in order to do that, so I don't know. I think it's a really good idea. There's nothing to say that I won't drive them crazy and ask them again!" Are you listening, Disney Channel? And Singer has some ideas of what she'd like to do with a fifth movie, if the network was interested. "I think it could be done as a musical," she said, also revealing, "There's also ways to do a prequel. It's not something I haven't brought up before." (Perhaps a prequel centering on a young Aggie, with the late Debbie Reynold's granddaughter Billie Lourd taking on the role? Start looking up spells ASAP!) If they were to do a fifth movie focusing on Piper-Cromwell siblings, Singer said they'd probably have to recast a few roles. "I probably wouldn't have the younger kids be the same actors because some of them aren't even acting. I think Kimberly, if she wanted and we could make a deal, could certainly be the mother and Judy could be the grandmother." And Kimberly J. Brown, who did not appear in the fourth installment, Return to Halloweentown, with Sara Paxton taking over the role of Marnie in a controversial recast, said she's "never been spoken to directly" about returning to the franchise, she is "open" to reprising her iconic role. "I'm open to anything at this point," she told us. "I think it's so cool that fans still want to see where the story would go. I think that's so cool. I would say I'm open to anything. It's cool that that's even a question people are asking these days." Would you want to see a fifth Halloweentown? Would you want it to focus on Marnie as a mom or be a prequel? Sound off in the comments and tweet your thoughts to @tbrick2 & @eonlineTV. (Eonline)

It would appear that Harvey Weinstein's woes might've started to affect his business -- the 1st Weinstein Co. movie released since his scandal made less than $1,000 in theaters. TWC's "Amityville: The Awakening" -- which stars Bella Thorne -- reportedly grossed a meager $742 Saturday after being released in just 10 locations ... 2 weeks after streaming on Google Play for free. The movie was shot a while ago, with the first trailer dropping in 2015 -- but its release date kept getting pushed back until this month. The announcement for its latest release date came just a couple weeks before Harvey's first NYT story. As we reported ... sources close to TWC's financial records tell us the biz is on the verge of bankruptcy, but the company has called BS on that claim. To be fair, it's not entirely clear if Harvey's troubles played any role in this flick's crappy earnings -- but if it's any consolation ... at least it didn't do as bad Shia LaBeouf's 1-ticket movie. (TMZ)

Hollywood Film Awards to Honor Adam Sandler, Director Joe Wright. Sandler will receive the comedy award for 'The Meyerowitz Stories,' while Wright will receive the director award for 'Darkest Hour.' Adam Sandler and director Joe Wright are the latest talent to be named as honorees at the upcoming Hollywood Film Awards. Sandler will receive the Hollywood Comedy Award for his performance in the Netflix feature film The Meyerowitz Stories, directed by Noah Baumbach. The movie also stars Ben Stiller and Dustin Hoffman. Wright will receive the Hollywood Director Award for the Focus Features film Darkest Hour, starring Gary Oldman. The film centers on Winston Churchill and the incredible odds he faced during World War II. The 21st annual Hollywood Film Awards are set for Sunday, Nov. 5, at the Beverly Hilton. James Corden returns as host. Previously announced honorees include Jake Gyllenhaal with the Hollywood Actor Award for the film Stronger; Kate Winslet with the Hollywood Actress Award for the film Wonder Wheel; The Big Sick cast with the Hollywood Comedy Ensemble Award; Jamie Bell for New Hollywood Actor Award for his role in Film Stars Don't Die in Liverpool; and Common, Andra Day and Diane Warren with the Hollywood Song Award for the original song "Stand Up For Something" with music by Diane Warren, lyrics by Diane Warren and Common and performed by Andra Day featuring Common, from the film Marshall. Other honorees include Andrew Kosove, Broderick Johnson and Cynthia Sikes Yorkin with the Hollywood Producer Award for the film Blade Runner 2049; Scott Neustadter and Michael H. Weber with the Hollywood Screenwriter Award for The Disaster Artist; Coco for Hollywood Animation Award; Mudbound with the Hollywood Breakout Ensemble Award; Sam Rockwell with the Hollywood Supporting Actor Award for his role in Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri; Allison Janney with the Hollywood Supporting Actress Award for her role in I, Tonya; Mary J. Blige with the Hollywood Breakout Performance Actress Award for her work in the film Mudbound; Timothee Chalamet with the Hollywood Breakout Performance Actor Award for his role in the film Call Me by Your Name; and the cast of I, Tonya, including Margot Robbie, Allison Janney, Sebastian Stan, Paul Walter Hauser, Julianne Nicholson and Caitlin Carver, with the Hollywood Ensemble Award. The ceremony, produced by Dick Clark Productions, also honors artists in the categories of cinematography, visual effects, film composing, costume design, editing, production design, sound, and makeup and hairstyling. This year's ceremony will benefit MPTF, which supports the entertainment community in living and aging well, with dignity and purpose, and in helping each other in times of need. Additional honorees will be announced in the coming days. (Hollywood Reporter)

Box-Office Bloodbath: Following a Record September, the Worst October in a Decade. The final weekend of the month was especially brutal as George Clooney's 'Suburbicon' got evicted and DreamWorks' 'Thank Your for Your Service' failed to win over America's heartland. Following a record September, the October box office was a bloodbath. Revenue for the month won't crack $560 million, the worst showing in a decade after a string of movies underperformed domestically. Through Sunday, October ticket sales stood at $539.1 million, down a steep 13.4 percent from the same time period last year, according to comScore. The last time October revenue didn't cross $600 million, or $700 million, was in 2007. The final weekend of the month was particularly brutal. Moviegoers already ambivalent about showing up to for the new titles on the marquee were easily distracted by Halloween parties and the World Series (to boot, Stranger Things 2 premiered on Netflix). The malaise struck hard. Case in point: George Clooney's upscale dramedy Suburbicon opened to a paltry $2.8 million from 2,046, the worst showing of any film Clooney has directed and a career low for star Matt Damon outside of All the Pretty Horses in 2000. The $25 million film, also starring Julianne Moore and Oscar Isaac, was skewered by critics before getting slapped with a D- CinemaScore by audiences. It is also among the worst wide openings in Paramount's history. The studio has endured one box-office disappointment after another this year; last month, Darren Aronofksy's mother! opened to $7.5 million domestically for a total to date of $17.8 million. Globally, the horror film, starring Jennifer Lawrence, has earned $43 million. Thank You for Your Service, from Steven Spielberg's DreamWorks and partner Universal, didn't fare much better than Suburbicon after failing to drum up interest in America's heartland. The $25 million film, starring Miles Teller as an Iraqi war veteran suffering from PTSD, opened to $3.7 million from 2,054 locations. Universal and DreamWorks hosted dozens of screenings for members of the military and veterans, hoping to emulate the success of American Sniper. But the biggest reason for the worrisome slump was the lack of a successful big event film along the lines of past October hits Gravity ($274.1 million), The Martian ($228.4 million) or Gone Girl ($167.8 million). This year, not one October release crossed $100 million domestically. Blade Runner 2049, which hoped to follow the same trajectory as Gravity and The Martian, has only earned $81.4 million since its release on Oct. 6. Environmental disaster pic Geostorm also faltered, earning just $23.6 million in its first 10 days. Both films are facing major losses. To be fair, no 2016 October title cleared $100 million, either. However, five titles did earn north of $50 million; this time out, only one has, Blade Runner. "October has been a bloodbath at the box office, and unfortunately reminiscent of what was a very slow month of August," says comScore box-office analyst Paul Dergarabedian. "With year-to-date revenue down 5 percent and just two months left in the year, making up the difference will be a daunting task with enormous pressure on every movie to perform to get us anywhere near last year's record $11.4 billion North American record." Nor is the international box office, which is pacing only slightly ahead of last year, going to be enough to rescue Hollywood. Adds Wall Street analyst Eric Handler: "everything is going to be dependent on November and December. October typically accounts for 25 percent of fourth-quarter domestic revenue, so it's not a big month. We've still got Thor: Ragnarok, Justice League, Coco and Star Wars: The Last Jedi to go. Remember the rally we saw two years ago." "We've still got two months to go," says Handler. Hollywood is banking on Handler being right. If tracking is correct, Marvel Studios and Disney's Ragnorak will debut well north of $100 million next weekend -- some think it could even approach $125 million -- after opening to an impressive $107.6 million overseas from about 50 percent of the international marketplace. (Hollywood Reporter)

TV

The Walking Dead Just Welcomed Back a Surprising Face We Haven't Seen Since Season 1. Warning: The following contains spoilers from Sunday night's episode of The Walking Dead. If you haven't watched yet, you may want to bookmark this page and return once you have. Proceed with caution! Morales, what happened to you?! In the final moments of Sunday night's episode of The Walking Dead, which saw Rick (Andrew Lincoln) and the coalition on an all-out killing spree, knocking off Saviors left and right without discimination, our vengeful hero came face-to-face with someone he -- and the show -- hasn't seen in years. And it was abundantly clear that time had not been kind to Morales (Juan Gabriel Pareja) since he and his family went their own way all the way back in season one. Just as Rick was starting to reconsider his kill now, ask questions never policy with the Saviors (finding a baby in the house of the people you've just slaughtered with reckless abandon will do that to a person!), he was caught off guard by someone pointing a gun at him. "Hi, Rick," he said, letting viewers who hadn't been around since the early days know this person knew our hero. "Your name is Morales," Rick said, remembering slowly. "You were in Atlanta." "That was a long time ago," Morales told his old friend. "It's over, Rick. I called the Saviors back and they're coming." And with that, he cocked the gun. Now, you might have found yourself wondering: Who the hell is Morales?! We've got you covered. Pareja appeared in a total of four of season one's six episodes as the head of the Morales family. The family consisted of Morales (who went by his last name only), his wife Miranda (Viviana Chavez) and their two young children Eliza (Maddie Lomax) and Louis (Noah Lomax). A part of the group of Atlanta survivors along with Rick, Lori (Sarah Wayne Callies), Shane (John Bernthal) and the rest, they decided to go their own way when the gang decided to go looking for answers at the CDC. After deciding to head to Birmingham, Ala. to look for relatives, Morales and his family were never seen or mentioned again. Until now. What happened to the family in the ensuing time? And how did Morales find himself among Negan's ranks? We'll have to wait a week for those answers. The Walking Dead airs Sundays at 9 p.m. on AMC. (Eonline)

Outlander Comes to Grips with Post-Reunion Reality. Buh bye print shop! After all that fuss over the big "print shop reunion," it was a little bit sad to see the place go up in smoke Sunday night, all because Jamie's been up to some very bad things. He's a smuggler, he's a treasonous printer, and he's also got another wife! Sure, he claimed he never loved anyone else but Claire, but that wife thing's still going to be a pretty big deal, we're pretty sure. The smuggling and sedition is also going to be a big deal, just based on what troubles it's already caused. Claire got attacked by an exciseman and ended up killing him on accident, and now his body's hidden in a cask of creme de menthe, while Ian had to set the print shop on fire when he saw another exciseman snooping around and happening upon Jamie's pamphlets. But it's not just Jamie's "professional" life that's causing problems. After that sexy sexy reunion, real life sort of set in for Claire, who wondered if she and Jamie could get their own place that's not in a brothel. But why, Jamie wondered, when the brothel has everything they could need, including constant background sex noises? Claire also took issue with the way Jamie dealt with young Ian, especially when regular Ian showed up looking for him. Jamie pretended he hadn't seen his nephew at all, believing he was keeping the kid out of trouble while also teaching him the ways of the smuggling world. When Claire pointed out that Ian's not his kid to raise, Jamie got pretty upset. He didn't get to raise his own kid, and now she's gallivanting around in bikinis! In Jamie's mind, smuggling is a cool and important life lesson for children, but bikinis belong in hell! So there are definitely a few things for this couple to work out. Claire's doctor skills also came in handy quite a bit. She was determined to save the exciseman who attacked her, even though he attacked her, and helping him also led her to another patient known as Margaret Campbell. Her brother believes her to be a seer, but if you ask Claire, she's just got a mental disorder. "Crème de menthe" was an interesting episode, but sort of a sad follow up to the excitement of last week. Now that Jamie and Claire have reunited, what do we all do? What does Claire do with her vast knowledge of medicine in a world that's so far behind? And can Jamie keep living on this edge now that the love of his life is back? Can this show keep up the momentum it had going into last week? Just how bad of an influence is Fergus on young Ian? We'll all just have to see! Outlander airs Sundays at 8 p.m. on Starz. (Eonline)

Stranger Things Season 5? The Duffer Brothers Are Trying to Decide How Long the Show Will Last? Already dying for Stranger Things season three? Unfortunately, we're going to have to wait a while to find out what happens next in Hawkins, since apparently, creators Matt and Ross Duffer are only two days into writing it. They can't answer a single question about what happens in it or who will appear in it, and can only tell us one thing: "There will be a time jump for sure." But they don't know how much of a time jump, especially given how quickly the child stars are all growing. They also can't definitively tell us how long the show itself will last, even though there were rumors that it will end after season four. "We don't actually know," Ross told us at the season two premiere. "I think, you know, four to five seasons is likely where we'll end up, but who knows? I mean, none of this official, and we know where we want to go. We're trying to figure out still how long it'll take to get there, so we'll see." "It's hard, like four seems short, five seems long," Matt added. "So I don't know what to do." As for what we might see in those future seasons, get ready to meet some more of Eleven's unconventional family, according to executive producer Shawn Levy. "I think we've clearly implied there are other numbers, and I can't imagine that the world will only ever know Eleven and Eight." Stranger Things is now streaming on Netflix. (Eonline)

Tiffany Haddish, Chance the Rapper to Host 'SNL'. Taylor Swift and Eminem will serve as musical guests for the November shows. Tiffany Haddish's banner year continues. The Girls Trip breakout star has been tapped to host Saturday Night Live in November, as has Chance the Rapper, it was announced Monday. Haddish will make her Studios 8H debut Nov. 11 along with musical guest Taylor Swift. Chance the Rapper, who dropped his latest album in 2016, will host Nov. 18 with musical guest Eminem. The pairings follow returning host Larry David, who will be joined by musical guest Miley Cyrus on Nov. 4. While it is Haddish's first time at SNL, it's the third appearance for Swift, who is promoting her upcoming album, Reputation. This marks Chance the Rapper's third time on the late-night variety show, but his first time hosting. This will be Eminem's seventh trip to SNL. For Haddish, the hosting gig comes a month ahead of the release of her first book, The Last Black Unicorn. Haddish also headlines a comedic new PSA from Method about the importance of hand-washing, which was released Monday. (Hollywood Reporter)

Corey Feldman Defends Not Naming Alleged Hollywood Pedophiles. The former child actor had contentious TV interviews with Matt Lauer and Megyn Kelly about his planned pedophilia film and unnamed allegations. In two contentious interviews on NBC's Today, Corey Feldman defended his decision to wait to publicly release the names of people he claims are pedophiles still working in Hollywood. Feldman last week launched a $10 million fundraising campaign for a movie that he said would be the "most honest and true depiction of child abuse." On Monday, he sat down with Matt Lauer and Megyn Kelly to talk about the project and why he's waiting to expose the people behind his longstanding claims that he and other child actors, including late friend Corey Haim, were molested by older men in the industry. Feldman clarified to Lauer that his planned project isn't a documentary but a "feature film," saying that's why he needs the $10 million budget, to pay for actors, scripts, special effects, a theatrical release and hiring attorneys to protect him when the film's released. "It will be a very true story," Feldman said. "Everybody that affected my life, I'm going to give the perspective that I can give, what I viewed, what I experienced from a firsthand account." It's this lack of security that Feldman says is what's kept him from revealing the names of the men he believes to be pedophiles still working in Hollywood today. "I need a team of lawyers and I need a team of security to be around me at all time to keep me safe so I can get this message done," Feldman said. "I vow that I will release every single name that I have knowledge of, period. And nobody's going to stop this." In sit-downs with Lauer and Kelly, Feldman declined to name names, even despite Kelly's repeated insistence that he expose people who are still endangering children.

Feldman repeatedly said that he'd gone to the police with that information, and with the fact that he's received death threats recently. He said he offered a list of people he believed to be pedophiles to the Santa Barbara police department in 1993, but was told that wasn't its jurisdiction. He also claims that others can come forward. "There are thousands of people in Hollywood who have this same information," he told Lauer. "Why is it all on me? Why is it if I don't release the names in the next two months, six months or a year, I'm a bad guy? I'm a victim here. I'm the one who's been abused. I'm the one who's trying to come forward and do something about it. There are thousands of people out there who have this information, Matt. Any one of those child actors who went to the teenage soda pop clubs with me when I was a kid know who those people are and who ran it." Later, sitting down with Megyn Kelly during her 9 o'clock eponymous portion of the NBC morning show, Feldman opened up about the recent brush with death he experienced. "Someone tried to kill me the other day. I have been arrested. This is no joke. I am fearing for my life," Feldman said. "I had two trucks come speeding towards me on the highway at the same time. I was with six other people. I have many witnesses to this. I'm not saying they were trying to kill Corey Feldman but they were definitely trying to kill a group of people walking across the street." And he reiterated that he needs to have "legal protection" before he can name the names of the men who he claimed abused him, adding that he can only speak about his personal experience. (Hollywood Reporter)

Mark Halperin's Contract Terminated by MSNBC and NBC. The news comes after harassment claims were alleged against the journalist. Mark Halperin is officially out as a senior political analyst for MSNBC and NBC, a spokesman confirmed to The Hollywood Reporter on Monday morning. On Thursday, a day after CNN reported five anonymous allegations of sexual harassment against Halperin, an NBCUniversal News Group spokesman said that his role at the network was on hold. "We find the story and the allegations very troubling," the spokesman said at the time. "Mark Halperin is leaving his role as a contributor until the questions around his past conduct are fully understood." Halperin is a regular on MSNBC's Morning Joe, and a spokesman would not say definitively whether he would appear on the show again. Halperin had rejoined MSNBC and NBC as an analyst earlier this year, after a stint hosting a daily politics show for Bloomberg called With All Due Respect. (Hollywood Reporter)

Matt Lauer throws Megyn Kelly under the bus. Et tu, Matt? While Megyn Kelly's had a rocky start to her hour of "Today," co-star Matt Lauer doesn't seem to be defending her. When an industry insider remarked to Lauer last week that celebrities are being advised to avoid Kelly's "Megyn Kelly Today" -- amid ratings struggles and awkward snafus with famous guests -- a Page Six spy overheard Lauer reply that he "gets it," adding, "It's a big problem for them," meaning Kelly's show. Insiders were stunned that the veteran "Today" host didn't try to defend his new colleague. We're told publicists have been steering their clients to other shows, partly because of Kelly's ailing ratings and partly because of the dust-ups with Jane Fonda and Debra Messing. In September -- just two days into her run as host of the 9 a.m. hour of "Today" -- Kelly upset Fonda by bringing up the actress' plastic surgery past. Messing said that she "regretted" appearing on the show after an awkward moment during which Kelly asked a "superfan" audience member, "Is it true that you became a lawyer, and you became gay, because of [co-star Eric McCormack's character] Will?" Another reason that Hollywood flacks are booking clients elsewhere is that Kelly is struggling to hang on to viewers. As Page Six recently reported, her numbers are nearly at an all-time low for the famed NBC morning show and she continues to drag down "Kathie Lee & Hoda." "This week was the lowest Kathie and Hoda have rated since 2010," said a source. "It keeps getting worse. Megyn is killing them. It is a real problem and no one wants to book Megyn's show," the insider said. Another source added, "They can keep telling you about all the lunches they're taking her to, but it's not helping the ratings." But a rep for "Today" downplayed any drama, telling us: "Sounds like a few troublemakers are trying to stir up drama where there just isn't any. Everyone's doing just fine at the 'Today' show." NBC crowed this week that "Today" "was the No. 1 morning show outright, topping 'Good Morning America' in total viewers and all demos last Monday." (PageSix)

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